bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
miR-34a targets PAI-1 to regulate urinary microalbumin and renal function in hypertensive mice
Authors: Liu Ruitao , Yang Lihong , Wei Qingmin
Published: March 2020

Background

The aim of the study is to investigate the effects of miR-34a targeted at PAI-1 on urinary microalbumin and renal function in hypertensive mice.

Methods

Twenty specific-pathogen-free (SPF) BPN/3J mice were selected in normal group, and 120 SPF BPH/2J mice were evenly divided into model group, negative control group, miR-34a mimic group, miR-34a inhibitor group, Si-PAI-1 group, and miR-34a inhibitor + Si-PAI-1 group. qRT-PCR was used to detect the expression of miR-34a and PAI-1 mRNA. The protein expressions of PAI-1, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) and ACE2 were detected by Western blot. Serum levels of AngII and Ang1-7 were detected by ELISA.

Results

miR-34a negatively regulated the expression of PAI-1. Compared with the normal group, mice in the other groups had significantly lower body weight, increased systolic blood pressure and 24-h urinary microalbumin content, decreased miR-34a expression, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and nitric oxide (NO) content, and ACE2 protein expression, and increased PAI-1 expression, serum creatinine (Scr), blood urea nitrogen (BUN) malondialdehyde (MDA), AngII and Ang1-7 levels, and ACE protein expression (all P < 0.05). Compared with the model group, mice in the miR-34a mimic group and Si-PAI-1 group had no significant changes in body weight (all P > 0.05), while they had significantly lower systolic blood pressure and 24-h urinary microalbumin content, increased SOD and NO levels and ACE2 protein expression, and decreased PAI-1 expression, Scr, BUN, MDA, AngII and Ang1-7 levels, and ACE protein expression (all P < 0.05). Compared with the miR-34a inhibitor group, symptoms in miR-34a inhibitor + Si-PAI-1 group were significantly improved (all P < 0.05).

Conclusions

miR-34a can inhibit the expression of PAI-1, thereby reducing urinary microalbumin content in hypertensive mice and protecting their renal function.
Constitutive Model for Aggregate Interlock in FEM Analyses of Concrete Interfaces with Embedded Steel Bars
Authors: Figueira Diogo , Sousa Carlos , Neves Afonso Serra
Published: March 2020

A nonlinear finite element model (FEM) is developed to assess the behaviour of a cracked concrete interface, reinforced with embedded steel bars and subjected to monotonic loading. A dowel action finite element modelling approach is conceived for that purpose. The bond between the steel bars and the surrounding concrete is also considered in the model and an interface finite element is included to simulate aggregate interlock. Then, the comparison of the model results with experimental values allowed the calibration of aggregate interlock constitutive relations for cracks in monolithic concrete restrained by embedded steel bars. New constitutive relations are also proposed for shear transfer by aggregate interlock in a concrete joint.
A case of ruptured mucinous cystadenoma of the pancreas with recurrence-free survival for 8 years
Authors: Fujinaga Atsuro , Hirashita Teijiro , Iwashita Yukio , Nakanuma Hiroaki , Tada Kazuhiro , Masuda Takashi , Endo Yuichi , Ohta Masayuki , Ono Hideki , Murakami Kazunari , Inomata Masafumi
Published: March 2020

Background

Pancreatic mucinous cystic neoplasm (MCM) presenting with rupture is extremely rare, and very few studies have followed up patients over the long term after ruptured mucinous cystadenoma (MCA). We report a case of ruptured MCA of the pancreas with recurrence-free survival for 8 years.

Case presentation

A 28-year-old Japanese woman was admitted to the emergency department of a local hospital after experiencing acute abdominal pain. Abdominal computed tomography revealed massive ascites and the presence of a cystic tumor measuring 60 mm in diameter in the pancreatic tail. Conservative therapy with antibiotics and abdominal drainage were performed to treat peritonitis that occurred secondary to the ruptured pancreatic cystic tumor, after which the patient’s symptoms improved. The patient was referred to our department for further examination and treatment. We diagnosed a ruptured MCN and performed laparoscopic spleen-preserving distal pancreatectomy. Histopathological findings revealed ovarian-type stroma, which tested positive for estrogen and progesterone receptors by immunohistochemistry. The histopathological diagnosis was MCA. The postoperative course was uneventful, and the patient remains alive without any evidence of recurrence at 8 years postoperatively.

Conclusion

A good prognosis is possible even in cases of ruptured MCA. Because of the risk of peritoneal dissemination after ruptured MCA, long-term follow-up is important.
Role of three-dimensional transvaginal sonography compared with magnetic resonance imaging in diagnosis of Mullerian duct anomalies
Authors: Abd elsalam Sahar Mahmoud , Abd elmegeed Naglaa Ezzat , Said Ahmed Hesham Mohammed , Sayed Mohamed Abd elghafar
Published: March 2020

Background

Mullerian duct anomalies are a heterogenous group of congenital anomalies due to abnormalities during the ductal development, fusion, or alteration of septal resorption. These lead to the occurrence of different uterine anomalies. The present study aimed to assess the value of three-dimensional transvaginal sonography (3DTVS) in comparison with pelvic MRI to diagnose uterine anomalies. We prospectively evaluated 30 female patients, from January 2016 to May 2017. Their ages ranged from 18 to 40 years. Cases were referred from obstetrics and gynecology clinic with suspected uterine anomalies by 2DUS or with HSG done for infertility workup. 3DTVS and MRI examination were done for all patients.

Results

The final diagnosis of patients by MRI according to The European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology–European Society for Gynaecological Endoscopy consensus classification included 2/30 (6.7%) patients classified as class U0, 4/30 (13.3%) patients classified as class U1, 17/30 (56.7%) cases classified as class U2, 2/30 (6.7%) patients classified as class U3, 3/30 (10%) patients classified as class U4, and 2/30 (6.7%) patients were classified as class U5. There was a significant strong agreement between the diagnosis by 3D-transvaginal ultrasound and MRI (P < 0.01).

Conclusion

3DTVS proved to be highly accurate in the diagnosis of uterine anomalies and showed strong agreement with MRI, as both can provide valuable information about both the internal details and the external contour of the uterus.
Customer gender prediction system on hierarchical E-commerce data
Authors: Khan Mohammad Masud , Sohrab Mohammad Golam , Yousuf Mohammad Abu
Published: March 2020

Background

E-commerce services provide online shopping sites and mobile applications for small and medium sellers. To provide more efficient buying and selling experiences, a machine learning system can be applied to predict the optimal organization and display of products that maximize the chance of bringing useful information to user that facilitate the online purchases. Therefore, it is important to understand the relevant products for a gender to facilitate the online purchases. In this work, we present a statistical machine learning (ML)-based gender prediction system to predict the gender “male” or “female” from transactional E-commerce data. We introduce different sets of learning algorithms including unique IDs decomposition, context window-based history generation, and extract identical hierarchy from training set to address the gender prediction classification system from online transnational data.

Results

The experiment result shows that different feature augmentation approaches as well as different term or feature weighting approaches can significantly enhance the performance of statistical machine learning-based gender prediction system.

Conclusions

This work presents a ML-based implementational approach to address E-commerce-based gender prediction system. Different session augmentation approaches with support vector machines (SVMs) classifier can significantly improve the performance of gender prediction system.
Near-salt stress-induced seismic velocity changes and seismic anisotropy and their impacts on salt imaging: A case study in the Kuqa depression, Tarim Basin, China
Authors: Sun Yunqiang , Luo Gang , Li Yaxing , Wang Mingwen , Jia Xiaofeng , Chang Cheng , Zhang Rui
Published: March 2020

It has been recognized that stress perturbations in sediments induced by salt bodies can cause elastic-wave velocity (seismic velocity) changes and seismic anisotropy through changing their elastic parameters, thus leading to difficulties in salt imaging. To investigate seismic velocity changes and seismic anisotropy by near-salt stress perturbations and their impacts on salt imaging, taking the Kuqa depression as an example, we have applied a 2D plane-strain static geomechanical finite-element model to simulate stress perturbations and calculate the associated seismic velocity changes and seismic anisotropy; then we used the reverse time migration and imaging method to image the salt structure by excluding and including the stress-induced seismic velocity changes. Our model results indicate that near-salt stresses are largely perturbed due to salt stress relaxation, and the stress perturbations lead to significant changes of the seismic velocities and seismic anisotropy near the salt structure: The maximum seismic velocity changes can reach approximately 20% and the maximum seismic anisotropy can reach approximately 10%. The significant changes of seismic velocities due to stress perturbations largely impact salt imaging: The salt imaging is unclear, distorted, or even failed if we exclude near-salt seismic velocity changes from the preliminary velocity structure, but the salt can be better imaged if the preliminary velocity structure is modified by near-salt seismic velocity changes. We find that the locations where salt imaging tends to fail usually occur where large seismic velocity changes happen, and these locations are clearly related to the geometric characteristics of salt bodies. To accurately image the salt, people need to integrate results of geomechanical models and stress-induced seismic velocity changes into the imaging approach. The results provide petroleum geologists with scientific insights into the link between near-salt stress perturbations and their induced seismic velocity changes and help exploration geophysicists build better seismic velocity models in salt basins and image salt accurately.
Magnetic target recognition and localization method unaffected by attitude
Authors: Zhi Huiqiang , Ma Tiehua , Pei Dongxin , Sun Hexuan
Published: March 2020

This letter presents a magnetic target inversion method that does not vary with changes in the coordinate system and is based on the cross-product of the intermediate eigenvectors of any two points in the dipole field which is in the same/opposite direction as the magnetic moment vector. We used tensor geometric invariants to interpret this new physical property and obtain the unit magnetic moment vector. Using this, the unit vector of the measurement point-source displacement vector was derived. The distance between the measurement point and the source was obtained via the Frobenius norm of the gradient tensor matrix. Simulations verified that the proposed method is unaffected by attitudes and yields unique inversion results, and the results revealed that the inversion accuracy of the proposed method is high. The simulation results also show that conditional cosine and measurement noise have considerable influence on the inversion accuracy in the proposed method.
Insulin Autoimmune Syndrome: A Case of Clopidogrel-induced Autoimmune Hypoglycemia
Authors: Calder Genevieve L , Ward Glenn M , Sachithanandan Nirupa , MacIsaac Richard J
Published: March 2020

Context

Insulin autoimmune syndrome (IAS) is characterized by hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia with elevated anti-insulin antibodies. Most commonly observed in the Japanese population, elsewhere it is rare and associated with autoimmune diseases, plasma cell dyscrasias, or sulfhydryl group medications. The active metabolite of clopidogrel has a sulfhydryl group and here we report a case of clopidogrel-induced IAS.

Case Description

A 67-year-old man was admitted with severe hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia requiring continuous intravenous infusion of 10% dextrose to sustain euglycemia. His symptoms of hypoglycemia had started after commencing dual antiplatelet therapy (including clopidogrel) for ischemic heart disease 9 months earlier. The hypoglycemia was associated with elevated insulin, proinsulin, c-peptide, and anti-insulin antibody titers as well as the HLA-DRB1*04 haplotype. Multiple localizing studies were negative for an insulinoma. A diagnosis of IAS was thus made. Clopidogrel cessation, oral dexamethasone, and diazoxide therapy were not sufficient to safely wean the dextrose infusion. Plasma exchange was ultimately effective.

Conclusions

This case highlights a case of severe IAS. Given the ubiquity of clopidogrel, IAS should be remembered as a rare adverse effect.
Dynorphin and GABAA Receptor Signaling Contribute to Progesterone’s Inhibition of the LH Surge in Female Mice
Authors: Liu Yali , Li Xiaofeng , Shen Xi , Ivanova Deyana , Lass Geffen , He Wen , Chen Qiuju , Yu Sha , Wang Yun , Long Hui , Wang Li , Lyu Qifeng , Kuang Yanping , O’Byrne Kevin T
Published: March 2020

Progesterone can block estrogen-induced luteinising hormone (LH) surge secretion and can be used clinically to prevent premature LH surges. The blocking effect of progesterone on the LH surge is mediated through its receptor in the anteroventral periventricular nucleus (AVPV) of the hypothalamus. However, the underlying mechanisms are unclear. The preovulatory LH surge induced by estrogen is preceded by a significant reduction in hypothalamic dynorphin and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) release. To test the detailed roles of dynorphin and GABA in an LH surge blockade by progesterone, ovariectomized and 17β-estradiol capsule-implanted (OVX/E2) mice received simultaneous injections of estradiol benzoate (EB) and progesterone (P) or vehicle for 2 consecutive days. The LH level was monitored from 2:30 pm to 8:30 pm at 30-minute intervals. Progesterone coadministration resulted in the LH surge blockade. A continuous microinfusion of the dynorphin receptor antagonist nor-BNI or GABAA receptor antagonist bicuculline into the AVPV from 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm reversed the progesterone-mediated blockade of the LH surge in 7 of 9 and 6 of 10 mice, respectively. In addition, these LH surges started much earlier than the surge induced by estrogen alone. However, 5 of 7 progesterone-treated mice did not show LH surge secretion after microinfusion with the GABAB receptor antagonist CGP-35348. Additionally, peripheral administration of kisspeptin-54 promotes LH surge-like release in progesterone treated mice. These results demonstrated that the progesterone-mediated suppression of the LH surge is mediated by an increase in dynorphin and GABAA receptor signaling acting though kisspeptin neurons in the AVPV of the hypothalamus in female mice.
Is Mitochondrial Dysfunction a Common Root of Noncommunicable Chronic Diseases?
Authors: Diaz-Vegas Alexis , Sanchez-Aguilera Pablo , Krycer James R , Morales Pablo E , Monsalves-Alvarez Matías , Cifuentes Mariana , Rothermel Beverly A , Lavandero Sergio
Published: March 2020

Mitochondrial damage is implicated as a major contributing factor for a number of noncommunicable chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, obesity, and insulin resistance/type 2 diabetes. Here, we discuss the role of mitochondria in maintaining cellular and whole-organism homeostasis, the mechanisms that promote mitochondrial dysfunction, and the role of this phenomenon in noncommunicable chronic diseases. We also review the state of the art regarding the preclinical evidence associated with the regulation of mitochondrial function and the development of current mitochondria-targeted therapeutics to treat noncommunicable chronic diseases. Finally, we give an integrated vision of how mitochondrial damage is implicated in these metabolic diseases.
Nucleolar stress in Drosophila neuroblasts, a model for human ribosomopathies
Authors: Baral Sonu Shrestha , Lieux Molly E. , DiMario Patrick J.
Published: March 2020

Different stem cells or progenitor cells display variable threshold requirements for functional ribosomes. This is particularly true for several human ribosomopathies in which select embryonic neural crest cells or adult bone marrow stem cells, but not others, show lethality due to failures in ribosome biogenesis or function (now known as nucleolar stress). To determine if various Drosophila neuroblasts display differential sensitivities to nucleolar stress, we used CRISPR-Cas9 to disrupt the Nopp140 gene that encodes two splice variant ribosome biogenesis factors (RBFs). Disruption of Nopp140 induced nucleolar stress that arrested larvae in the second instar stage. While the majority of larval neuroblasts arrested development, the Mushroom Body (MB) neuroblasts continued to proliferate as shown by their maintenance of deadpan, a neuroblast-specific transcription factor, and by their continued EdU incorporation. MB neuroblasts in wild type larvae appeared to contain more fibrillarin and Nopp140 in their nucleoli as compared to other neuroblasts, indicating that MB neuroblasts stockpile RBFs as they proliferate in late embryogenesis while other neuroblasts normally enter quiescence. A greater abundance of Nopp140 encoded by maternal transcripts in Nopp140−/− MB neuroblasts of 1-2 day old larvae likely rendered these cells more resilient to nucleolar stress.
STRIPAK–PP2A regulates Hippo-Yorkie signaling to suppress retinal fate in the Drosophila eye disc peripodial epithelium
Authors: Neal Scott J. , Zhou Qingxiang , Pignoni Francesca
Published: March 2020

The specification of organs, tissues and cell types results from cell fate restrictions enacted by nuclear transcription factors under the control of conserved signaling pathways. The progenitor epithelium of the Drosophila compound eye, the eye imaginal disc, is a premier model for the study of such processes. Early in development, apposing cells of the eye disc are established as either retinal progenitors or support cells of the peripodial epithelium (PE), in a process whose genetic and mechanistic determinants are poorly understood. We have identified protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A), and specifically a STRIPAK–PP2A complex that includes the scaffolding and substrate-specificity components Cka, Strip and SLMAP, as a critical player in the retina-PE fate choice. We show that these factors suppress ectopic retina formation in the presumptive PE and do so via the Hippo signaling axis. STRIPAK–PP2A negatively regulates Hippo kinase, and consequently its substrate Warts, to release the transcriptional co-activator Yorkie into the nucleus. Thus, a modular higher-order PP2A complex refines the activity of this general phosphatase to act in a precise specification of cell fate.
SNAP29 mediates the assembly of histidine-induced CTP synthase filaments in proximity to the cytokeratin network
Authors: Chakraborty Archan , Lin Wei-Cheng , Lin Yu-Tsun , Huang Kuang-Jing , Wang Pei-Yu , Chang Ian Yi-Feng , Wang Hsiang-Iu , Ma Kung-Ting , Wang Chun-Yen , Huang Xuan-Rong , Lee Yen-Hsien , Chen Bi-Chang , Hsieh Ya-Ju , Chien Kun-Yi , Lin Tzu-Yang , Liu Ji-Long , Sung Li-Ying , Yu Jau-Song , Chang Yu-Sun , Pai Li-Mei
Published: March 2020

Under metabolic stress, cellular components can assemble into distinct membraneless organelles for adaptation. One such example is cytidine 5′-triphosphate synthase (CTPS, for which there are CTPS1 and CTPS2 forms in mammals), which forms filamentous structures under glutamine deprivation. We have previously demonstrated that histidine (His)-mediated methylation regulates the formation of CTPS filaments to suppress enzymatic activity and preserve the CTPS protein under glutamine deprivation, which promotes cancer cell growth after stress alleviation. However, it remains unclear where and how these enigmatic structures are assembled. Using CTPS–APEX2-mediated in vivo proximity labeling, we found that synaptosome-associated protein 29 (SNAP29) regulates the spatiotemporal filament assembly of CTPS along the cytokeratin network in a keratin 8 (KRT8)-dependent manner. Knockdown of SNAP29 interfered with assembly and relaxed the filament-induced suppression of CTPS enzymatic activity. Furthermore, APEX2 proximity labeling of keratin 18 (KRT18) revealed a spatiotemporal association of SNAP29 with cytokeratin in response to stress. Super-resolution imaging suggests that during CTPS filament formation, SNAP29 interacts with CTPS along the cytokeratin network. This study links the cytokeratin network to the regulation of metabolism by compartmentalization of metabolic enzymes during nutrient deprivation.
Characterization of unconventional kinetochore kinases KKT10 and KKT19 in Trypanosoma brucei
Authors: Ishii Midori , Akiyoshi Bungo
Published: March 2020

The kinetochore is a macromolecular protein complex that drives chromosome segregation in eukaryotes. Unlike most eukaryotes that have canonical kinetochore proteins, evolutionarily divergent kinetoplastids, such as Trypanosoma brucei, have unconventional kinetochore proteins. T. brucei also lacks a canonical spindle checkpoint system, and it therefore remains unknown how mitotic progression is regulated in this organism. Here, we characterized, in the procyclic form of T. brucei, two paralogous kinetochore proteins with a CLK-like kinase domain, KKT10 and KKT19, which localize at kinetochores in metaphase but disappear at the onset of anaphase. We found that these proteins are functionally redundant. Double knockdown of KKT10 and KKT19 led to a significant delay in the metaphase to anaphase transition. We also found that phosphorylation of two kinetochore proteins, KKT4 and KKT7, depended on KKT10 and KKT19 in vivo. Finally, we showed that the N-terminal part of KKT7 directly interacts with KKT10 and that kinetochore localization of KKT10 depends not only on KKT7 but also on the KKT8 complex. Our results reveal that kinetochore localization of KKT10 and KKT19 is tightly controlled to regulate the metaphase to anaphase transition in T. brucei.

This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper.
The ubiquitin hydrolase Doa4 directly binds Snf7 to inhibit recruitment of ESCRT-III remodeling factors in S. cerevisiae
Authors: Buysse Dalton , Pfitzner Anna-Katharina , West Matt , Roux Aurélien , Odorizzi Greg
Published: March 2020

The ESCRT-III protein complex executes reverse-topology membrane scission. The scission mechanism is unclear but is linked to remodeling of ESCRT-III complexes at the membrane surface. At endosomes, ESCRT-III mediates the budding of intralumenal vesicles (ILVs). In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, ESCRT-III activity at endosomes is regulated through an unknown mechanism by Doa4, an ubiquitin hydrolase that deubiquitylates transmembrane proteins sorted into ILVs. We report that the non-catalytic N-terminus of Doa4 binds Snf7, the predominant ESCRT-III subunit. Through this interaction, Doa4 overexpression alters Snf7 assembly status and inhibits ILV membrane scission. In vitro, the Doa4 N-terminus inhibits association of Snf7 with Vps2, which functions with Vps24 to arrest Snf7 polymerization and remodel Snf7 polymer structure. In vivo, Doa4 overexpression inhibits Snf7 interaction with Vps2 and also with the ATPase Vps4, which is recruited by Vps2 and Vps24 to remodel ESCRT-III complexes by catalyzing subunit turnover. Our data suggest a mechanism by which the deubiquitylation machinery regulates ILV biogenesis by interfering with ESCRT-III remodeling.
EML4–ALK V3 oncogenic fusion proteins promote microtubule stabilization and accelerated migration through NEK9 and NEK7
Authors: O'Regan Laura , Barone Giancarlo , Adib Rozita , Woo Chang Gok , Jeong Hui Jeong , Richardson Emily L. , Richards Mark W. , Muller Patricia A. J. , Collis Spencer J. , Fennell Dean A. , Choi Jene , Bayliss Richard , Fry Andrew M.
Published: March 2020

EML4–ALK is an oncogenic fusion present in ∼5% of non-small cell lung cancers. However, alternative breakpoints in the EML4 gene lead to distinct variants of EML4–ALK with different patient outcomes. Here, we show that, in cell models, EML4–ALK variant 3 (V3), which is linked to accelerated metastatic spread, causes microtubule stabilization, formation of extended cytoplasmic protrusions and increased cell migration. EML4–ALK V3 also recruits the NEK9 and NEK7 kinases to microtubules via the N-terminal EML4 microtubule-binding region. Overexpression of wild-type EML4, as well as constitutive activation of NEK9, also perturbs cell morphology and accelerates migration in a microtubule-dependent manner that requires the downstream kinase NEK7 but does not require ALK activity. Strikingly, elevated NEK9 expression is associated with reduced progression-free survival in EML4–ALK patients. Hence, we propose that EML4–ALK V3 promotes microtubule stabilization through NEK9 and NEK7, leading to increased cell migration. This represents a novel actionable pathway that could drive metastatic disease progression in EML4–ALK lung cancer.
The mammalian cytosolic thioredoxin reductase pathway acts via a membrane protein to reduce ER-localised proteins
Authors: Cao Xiaofei , Lilla Sergio , Cao Zhenbo , Pringle Marie Anne , Oka Ojore B. V. , Robinson Philip J. , Szmaja Tomasz , van Lith Marcel , Zanivan Sara , Bulleid Neil J.
Published: March 2020

Folding of proteins entering the mammalian secretory pathway requires the insertion of the correct disulfides. Disulfide formation involves both an oxidative pathway for their insertion and a reductive pathway to remove incorrectly formed disulfides. Reduction of these disulfides is crucial for correct folding and degradation of misfolded proteins. Previously, we showed that the reductive pathway is driven by NADPH generated in the cytosol. Here, by reconstituting the pathway using purified proteins and ER microsomal membranes, we demonstrate that the thioredoxin reductase system provides the minimal cytosolic components required for reducing proteins within the ER lumen. In particular, saturation of the pathway and its protease sensitivity demonstrates the requirement for a membrane protein to shuttle electrons from the cytosol to the ER. These results provide compelling evidence for the crucial role of the cytosol in regulating ER redox homeostasis, ensuring correct protein folding and facilitating the degradation of misfolded ER proteins.
Meeting Report – Workshop ‘Actin-based mechanosensation and force generation in health and disease’
Authors: Polesskaya Anna , Vicente-Manzanares Miguel
Published: March 2020

International experts in the fields of cellular motility, force generation and mechanosensation met in Baeza, a UNESCO World Heritage city, from the 10th to the 13th of November, 2019. The meeting, part of the ‘Current Trends in Biomedicine’ series, took place at the ‘Sede Antonio Machado’, a beautiful 17th century building turned into a conference center of the Universidad Internacional de Andalucía (UNIA), which sponsored the event. The meeting was organized by Alexis Gautreau, Pekka Lappalainen and Miguel Vicente-Manzanares, with the support of the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) and the Spanish-based company IMPETUX. Fifty scientists presented recent results during the talks, poster sessions and thematic discussions. As Baeza itself served as a crossroads of medieval Christian, Moorish and Jewish cultures, the meeting brought together cell biologists, biochemists, biophysicists and engineers from around the world that provided an integrated vision of the role of the actin cytoskeleton, force generation and mechanosensation in diverse physiological processes and pathologies.
Novel Biodegradable Laminarin Microparticles for Biomedical Applications
Authors: Castanheira Edgar J , Correia Tiago R , Rodrigues João M M , Mano João F
Published: March 2020

Fabrication of biocompatible polymeric carriers for sustained/controlled drug-delivery have been extensively explored over the years. Furthermore, systems based on polymers from natural origins exceed conventional polymers in biocompatibility, biodegradability and cost efficiency. Polysaccharides are one of the most common biopolymers found in nature and they can achieve a high degree of complexity and fine biological properties. Herein, is proposed a biodegradable and biocompatible microcarrier synthesized from laminarin, a low Mw marine polysaccharide based on glucose units with great biological activity, such as immune modulation and antimicrobial properties. Within this work, controlled size microparticles were obtained from novel modifications of laminarin. Microparticles showed 40% release of fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran (70 kDa) after 24 h and full degradability after 11 days, when in physiological conditions. When incubated with human adipose stem and L929 cell lines (up to a microparticle concentration of 100 µg/mL) no cytotoxicity was perceived, and neither membrane or nucleus disturbance. Thus, microparticles synthesized from laminarin, proved to be a cost efficient, biocompatible and biodegradable system.
Development of Flow-Injection Spin-Trapping ESR Methods for Kinetic Study of the O2−• Radical Scavenging Reaction with Mixtures of Phenolic Antioxidants
Authors: Sakurai Yasuhiro , Yamaguchi Shuhei , Yamamoto Naoto , Yamashita Tomoyuki , Lu Yao , Kuwabara Keiko , Yamaguchi Tomoko , Miyake Yusuke , Kanaori Kenji , Tajima Kunihiko
Published: March 2020

The apparent second-order rate constants (aks) of the reaction between the O2−• radical and mixed solutions (aAox) of caffeic acid (CA) and 4-hydroxy-coumaric acid (4CA) were estimated in this study; this was achieved by a flow-injection spin-trapping ESR (FI-ESR) method that employed 5,5-dimethyl-pyrroline-N-oxide (DMPO) as the spin-trapping reagent. The aAox solutions were prepared by varying the mixing molar ratio of CA (a = [CA]/([CA] + [4CA])). The FI-ESR signal intensities of the DMPO spin-adduct of the O2−• radical (DMPO/O2) were monitored in the absence (I0) and presence (I) of aAox to estimate the inhibition ratio Y (%) (Y = 100 × I/I0), and 50% inhibitory dose of aAox (aID50). Further, the aks values of aAox were evaluated using these aID50 values through a competitive reaction kinetics treatment, which was conducted by using the second-order rate constant of the spin-trapping reaction (k1). The value obtained for the aks of aAox showed excellent agreement with the calculated values (akscal) that were estimated from the molar ratio (a) weighted mean of the ks values of CA (CAks) and 4CA (4CAks): akscal = aCAks + (1 − a)4CAks. These results demonstrate that CA and 4CA contribute independently to the O2−• radical scavenging reactions, and that the aks values of aAox completely satisfy the additive property depending on the mixing molar ratio (a). The O2−• radical scavenging capacities of aAox were also evaluated as equivalent concentrations of CA (Y[CA]eq.) using the observed inhibition ratio Y (%), and the 50% inhibitory dose of CA (CAID50): Y[CA]eq. = CAID50 × (100 − Y)/Y. The estimated Y[CA]eq. values of aAox agreed with the calculated equivalent concentrations of CA (k[CA]eq.) that were obtained on the basis of the additive property established for aAox and aks: k[CA]eq. = [CA] + (4CAks/CAks) × [4CA].
Financial markets. Workshop
Authors: Evsin Maksim , Spesivcev Valeriy
Published: March 2020

A workshop on the subject "Financial markets" covers all the course topics provided by the curriculum: the role and function of financial markets in the economy; securities market; market of derivative financial instruments; financial markets; regional financial markets.
Contains practical and test tasks of different difficulty options that will allow to generate the required GEF professional competence.
Comply with Federal state educational standards of higher education of the last generation.
Designed for undergraduate and graduate students in areas of training and 38.04.01 38.03.01 "Economics", and can also be useful for all the participants of the financial market, which only began to know its basics.
Employment law
Authors: Karpova Aleksandra
Published: March 2020

This textbook on employment law is prepared on the basis of the updated regulatory materials and court practice. Discussed the basic institutions of labor law: employment contract; working hours and rest time; labour remuneration, as well as warranties and indemnities under Russian law; labor discipline and labor regulations; labor protection; protecting labor rights; labor disputes, etc.
Meets the requirements of Federal state educational standards of secondary professional education of the last generation.
For students of educational institutions of secondary vocational education, students majoring in 40.02.01 "law and social security organization", and also for students of educational institutions of higher education and anyone interested in labour law. Practical the material chosen for each of the chapters of the textbook on employment law, can be used by teachers and researchers for seminars.
The mathematical analysis. Volume 1
Authors: Zhukova Galina , Rushaylo Margarita
Published: March 2020

The aim of the tutorial is to help students to master the basic concepts and methods of the study of calculus. Volume 1 explores the following topics: theory of sets, theory of limits; differential calculus of functions of one variable; investigation of the properties of functions and graphing; integral calculus of functions of one real variable (indefinite, definite and improper integrals), the technique of integration; hyperbolic functions; applications to the analysis and solution of practical problems. These topics are studied in universities, as a rule, in the first semester in the framework of self-discipline "Mathematical analysis" or the course "Higher mathematics", "Mathematics".
Great attention is paid to comparison of these methods, the proper choice of study design tasks, analyze complex situations that arise in the study of these branches of mathematical analysis.
For teachers, students and postgraduate students studying mathematical analysis.
Psychological readiness for actions in emergency situations
Authors: Shirshov Vladimir
Published: March 2020

The tutorial covers the issues of psychological competence and the willingness to act in emergency situations. Examines the theoretical and practical aspects of recognition, evaluation and prevention of emergency situations in the contemporary human environment.
Meets the requirements of Federal state educational standards of higher education of the last generation.
Can be used in the preparation of undergraduate students for 44.03.01 direction of preparation "Pedagogical education" (an optional component) in the conditions of multilevel training of future teachers and can also be used in conditions of multilevel preparation of teachers of health and safety. Will be interesting to all who are engaged in research and training in the area of life safety: researchers, heads of educational institutions, teachers and teachers.
Almost Stochastic Dominance for Most Risk-Averse Decision Makers
Authors: Luo Chunling , Tan Chin Hon
Published: March 2020

In this paper, we propose a new concept of almost second-degree stochastic dominance (ASSD), which we term almost risk-averse stochastic dominance (ARSD). Compared with existing ASSD conditions, ARSD can exclude extremely risk-averse utility functions. Hence, ARSD is able to reveal clear preferences of most risk-averse decision makers in practice, which are otherwise unable to be revealed. The simple closed-form of ARSD not only makes it easy to use in practice but also provides a clear insight into the preferences of decision makers and the difference in expected values and stochastic dominance violations. Moreover, we show that ARSD can be inferred based on mean and variance alone, and thus it is applicable even when distribution information is incomplete.
Discussion of the Competitive Strategies of Telecom Operators and Over-the-Top Service Providers from the Perspective of Evolutionary Game Theory
Authors: Wang Hsi Tse
Published: March 2020

Over-the-top (OTT) service refers to content included in basic telecommunications subscriptions without the additional features provided by telecom operators. The booming OTT business has had a huge impact on traditional telecommunications businesses such as voice and short message services, and the sense of crisis among telecommunications operators shows that the channeling trend has become more and more obvious. Faced with competition on the distribution of interests between channels and contents, telecommunications operators and OTT service providers are engaged in a fierce competition and cooperation game. To explore this competition relationship, this paper first establishes an evolutionary model, discussing the competition and cooperation behaviors of telecommunications operators and OTT service providers, and then conducts research on the degree of the effects of cooperation in terms of the combination of strategic factors, including cooperation cost sharing, the benefits distribution mechanism, research and development benefits, spillover effect, and network externality. Additionally, a replicator dynamic system is developed to study the influence of related strategic factors on evolutionary equilibrium. Finally, to verify the theoretical results, a simulation experiment is conducted to further clarify the meaning of the model and obtain meaningful results. The evolutionary game model and method provided in this paper are expected to help both parties make better decisions for future operating strategies.
An Efficient Frontier Approach to Scoring and Ranking Hospital Performance
Authors: Adelman Daniel
Published: March 2020

For many years, stakeholders have been complaining about how hospital scores are computed in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) hospital star ratings. In “An Efficient Frontier Approach to Scoring and Ranking Hospital Performance,” author Dan Adelman shows how the current system can lower the scores even of hospitals that improve along every quality measure. He proposes a new approach, based on an optimization framework, that he proves does not exhibit this behaviour, and thus creates better incentives for hospitals to improve. The approach scores hospitals as closely as possible to the best scoring hospital on the efficient frontier of hospital performance, under the same measure weights. It is flexible enough to incorporate constraints that represent stakeholder interests, such as giving higher weight to measures that impact more people. Using this new approach, he computes new scores for nearly every hospital in the United States and shows that there are significant differences with the current CMS hospital star ratings.
The Production of Merit: How Managers Understand and Apply Merit in the Workplace
Authors: Castilla Emilio J. , Ranganathan Aruna
Published: March 2020

In this article, we develop a process model that specifies how managers come to understand and approach the evaluation of merit in the workplace. Interviews from a diverse sample of managers and from managers at a U.S. technology company, along with supplemental qualitative online review data, reveal that managers are not blank slates: we find that individuals’ understandings of merit are shaped by their (positive and negative) experiences of being evaluated as employees prior to promotion to management. Our analysis also identifies two distinct managerial approaches to applying merit when evaluating others: the focused approach, in which managers evaluate employees’ work actions quantitatively at the individual level; and the diffuse approach in which managers assess both employees’ work actions and personal qualities, quantitatively and qualitatively, at both the individual and team levels. We further find that, as a result of their different past experiences as subjects of evaluation, individuals who experience mostly negative evaluation outcomes as employees are more likely to adopt a focused approach to evaluating merit, whereas individuals who experience mostly positive evaluation outcomes are more likely to adopt a diffuse approach. Our study contributes to the scholarship on meritocracy and workplace inequality by showing that merit is not an abstract concept but a guiding principle that is produced and reproduced over time based on individuals’ evaluation experiences in the workplace.
Milk production, fertility and the modern dairy cow
Authors: Whitfield Lisa
Published: March 2020

Increasing the volume of milk produced per cow has been a successful direction of the dairy industry for many years. Management of genetics, the physical environment and changes in nutrition have ensured significant progress has been made towards maximising the milk yield per cow. This production focus has come at a cost however, with increased milk yield seemingly being at odds with the desirable trait of reproductive efficiency.
Spring poisoning hazards
Authors: Bates Nicola
Published: March 2020

Poisoning in the spring may occur in livestock from exposure to glyphosate which is used prior to sowing of plant crops or from ingestion of poisonous plants. Glyphosate is of low toxicity but many products contain a carrier which is irritant to tissues. Plant poisoning may occur because other forage is unavailable and hungry animals will eat unpalatable toxic plants if other food sources are scare. Some plants such as bluebell (Hyacinoides species) and ransom (wild garlic, Allium urinsum) grow in profusion in the spring. Bluebells cause gastrointestinal and cardiac effects and Allium species cause anaemia. Some plants are more toxic in the spring as concentrations of toxic compounds are high compared with other times of the year. This is the case with hemlock (Conium maculatum) and water hemlock (Cicuta virosa). Both these plants cause neurological effects and water hemlock, in particular, causes very rapid onset of clinical signs. Spring flowering plants such as Rhododendron and Pieris species are commonly associated with poisoning, particularly in ruminants. Both these species contain grayanotoxins which cause gastrointestinal and cardiac effects. Access to areas where poisonous plants are known to grow should be restricted and good quality forage provided. Treatment options for management of poisoning in livestock are limited and, in some cases, the only sign of exposure is sudden death.
Watery mouth disease in neonatal lambs: a systematic literature review
Authors: Angell Joseph , Duncan Jennifer
Published: March 2020

Watery mouth disease is considered to be a significant cause of neonatal mortality in lambs. The clinical signs are strongly associated with an endotoxaemia produced as a result of the lysis of Gram-negative bacteria. It has been associated with mass antibiosis to neonatal lambs at birth, a practice which is now untenable. It can be prevented in many cases through the timely administration of good quality colostrum and a hygienic birth environment. However, despite this, much remains unknown about the specific aetiopathogenesis. Alternative strategies for prevention, treatment and control are required, particularly when colostrum quality is poor, or delivery is absent, and where unhygienic conditions predominate.
Polymeric tunable wavelength filter with two-stage cascaded tilted Bragg gratings
Authors: Park Tae-Hyun , Kim Sung-Moon , Oh Min-Cheol
Published: March 2020

Wavelength-division multiplexed optical communication systems used in 5G networks require tunable wavelength filters with narrow bandwidth for 100 GHz channel spacing, wide wavelength range to cover 16 channels, and a side mode suppression ratio (SMSR) exceeding 30 dB. To fabricate wavelength filters satisfying these specifications, tunable Bragg grating filters based on polymeric optical waveguides are proposed. The combination of mode-sorting waveguide and tilted Bragg grating enables the extraction of Bragg reflected signals to another path, without using an external circulator. Moreover, the double reflection by the two-stage cascaded structure produces narrower reflection bandwidth, improved SMSR characteristics, and reduced adjacent-channel crosstalk through the suppression of undesired mode coupling. The proposed device exhibits a 20 dB bandwidth of 1.0 nm and SMSR of 35 dB, over the entire wavelength-tuning range.
Hidden phase-retrieved fluorescence tomography
Authors: Ancora Daniele , Di Battista Diego , Marcos Vidal Asier , Avtzi Stella , Zacharakis Giannis , Bassi Andrea
Published: March 2020

Fluorescence tomography is a well-established methodology able to provide structural and functional information on the measured object. At optical wavelengths, the unpredictable scattering of light is often considered a problem to overcome, rather than a feature to exploit. Advances in disordered photonics have shed new light on possibilities offered by opaque materials, treating them as autocorrelation lenses able to create images and focus light. In this Letter, we propose tomography through disorder, introducing a modified Fourier-slice theorem, the cornerstone of the computed tomography, aiming to reconstruct a three-dimensional fluorescent sample hidden behind an opaque curtain.
Snell-like and Fresnel-like formulas of the dual-phase-gradient metasurface
Authors: Hu Jinbing , Xie Jianfeng , Tian Shengnan , Guo Hanming , Zhuang Songlin
Published: March 2020

By patterning the metasurface of two phase gradients that are both space-orthogonal and polarization-orthogonal, we derived the three-dimensional (3D) Snell-like formula and the Fresnel-like formula of the proposed metasurface. Theoretically, the dual-phase-gradient metasurface resembles biaxial-like birefringence, i.e., decomposing any homogeneously polarized incident beam into two anomalously refracted beams whose polarizations vary as the incident beam. According to the Fresnel-like formula, the relative intensity between the two anomalously refracted beams not only depends on the incidence angle and the polarization ellipticity of the incident beam being similar to the biaxial crystals, but it also depends on the polarization ellipticity orientation even for a given incident polarization, which is an unique property absent in the biaxial crystals. All the theoretical analyses were numerically demonstrated. The 3D Snell-like and Fresnel-like formulas will make the design of functional devices based on the dual-phase-gradient metasurface much easier.
Can they hear a difference? Professional digital composition and the ability of music students to discriminate deep-sampled vs. acoustic instrumental performance recordings
Authors: Ruiz José Valentino , Cooper Patrick K. , Muhammed Jalil Najeeb
Published: March 2020

The majority of popular music is produced utilizing deep-sampled instruments. This may be important for music educators to understand as the ability to expertly manipulate deep-samples to sound like live performance is an expected industry standard. The purpose of this exploratory study was to evaluate the ability of music students (n=96) and professors (n=9) to discriminate between deep-sampled and acoustic recordings and to explore why they believed recordings were composed with deep-samples or were live acoustic performances. Results indicate weak ability of participants to discriminate between deep-sampled and acoustic recordings. Essay responses indicate participants doubted such refined and expressive recordings were possible using deep-sampled instruments. Implications for music education include reconsidering skills that students and their teachers need to strive towards industry-standard production.