bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nonlinear couplings and energy transfers in micro- and nano-mechanical resonators: intermodal coupling, internal resonance and synchronization
Authors: Asadi Keivan , Yu Jun , Cho Hanna
Published: July 2018

Extensive development of micro/nano-electromechanical systems (MEMS/NEMS) has resulted in technologies that exhibit excellent performance over a wide range of applications in both applied (e.g. sensing, imaging, timing and signal processing) and fundamental sciences (e.g. quantum-level problems). Many of these outstanding applications benefit from resonance phenomena by employing micro/nanoscale mechanical resonators often fabricated into a beam-, membrane- or plate-type structure. During the early development stage, one of the vibrational modes (typically the fundamental mode) of a resonator is considered in the design and application. In the past decade, however, there has been a growing interest in using more than one vibrational mode for the enhanced functionality of MEMS/NEMS. In this paper, we review recent research efforts to investigate the nonlinear coupling and energy transfers between multiple modes in micro/nano-mechanical resonators, focusing especially on intermodal coupling, internal resonance and synchronization.

This article is part of the theme issue ‘Nonlinear energy transfer in dynamical and acoustical systems’.
Comparative pan-genomic analyses of Orientia tsutsugamushi reveal an exceptional model of bacterial evolution driving genomic diversity
Authors: Fleshman Amy , Mullins Kristin , Sahl Jason , Hepp Crystal , Nieto Nathan , Wiggins Kristin , Hornstra Heidie , Kelly Daryl , Chan Teik-Chye , Phetsouvanh Rattanaphone , Dittrich Sabine , Panyanivong Phonepasith , Paris Daniel , Newton Paul , Richards Allen , Pearson Talima
Published: July 2018

Orientia tsutsugamushi, formerly Rickettsia tsutsugamushi, is an obligate intracellular pathogen that causes scrub typhus, an underdiagnosed acute febrile disease with high morbidity. Scrub typhus is transmitted by the larval stage (chigger) of Leptotrombidium mites and is irregularly distributed across endemic regions of Asia, Australia and islands of the western Pacific Ocean. Previous work to understand population genetics in O. tsutsugamushi has been based on sub-genomic sampling methods and whole-genome characterization of two genomes. In this study, we compared 40 genomes from geographically dispersed areas and confirmed patterns of extensive homologous recombination likely driven by transposons, conjugative elements and repetitive sequences. High rates of lateral gene transfer (LGT) among O. tsutsugamushi genomes appear to have effectively eliminated a detectable clonal frame, but not our ability to infer evolutionary relationships and phylogeographical clustering. Pan-genomic comparisons using 31 082 high-quality bacterial genomes from 253 species suggests that genomic duplication in O. tsutsugamushi is almost unparalleled. Unlike other highly recombinant species where the uptake of exogenous DNA largely drives genomic diversity, the pan-genome of O. tsutsugamushi is driven by duplication and divergence. Extensive gene innovation by duplication is most commonly attributed to plants and animals and, in contrast with LGT, is thought to be only a minor evolutionary mechanism for bacteria. The near unprecedented evolutionary characteristics of O. tsutsugamushi, coupled with extensive intra-specific LGT, expand our present understanding of rapid bacterial evolutionary adaptive mechanisms.
Nemo-like kinase regulates Progranulin levels in the brain through the microglial endocytosis-lysosomal pathway
Authors: Dong Tingting , Kokubu Hiroshi , Driessen Terri M. , Tejwani Leon , Lim Janghoo
Published: July 2018

Genetic variants in Granulin (GRN), which encodes the secreted glycoprotein Progranulin (PGRN), are associated with several neurodegenerative diseases including frontotemporal lobar degeneration, neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis, and Alzheimer’s disease. These genetic alterations manifest in pathological changes due to a reduction of PGRN expression; therefore, identifying a factor that can modulate PGRN levels in vivo would enhance our understanding of PGRN in neurodegeneration, and could reveal novel potential therapeutic targets. Here, we report that Nemo-like kinase (Nlk) regulates Pgrn levels and its associated neuropathophysiology. Genetic interaction studies in mice show that Grn heterozygote mice on an Nlk heterozygote background display pathological and behavioral phenotypes which mimic Grn knockout mice. Furthermore, biochemical and cell biological studies suggest that Nlk reduction promotes Pgrn degradation via the endocytosis-lysosomal pathway, specifically in microglia. Our results reveal a new mechanism for the regulation of Pgrn in the brain and provide insight into the pathophysiology of PGRN-associated diseases.
Expanded CAG/CTG Repeats Resist Gene Silencing Mediated by Targeted Epigenome Editing
Authors: Yang Bin , Borgeaud Alicia C. , Aeschbach Lorène , Rodríguez-Lima Oscar , Ruiz Buendía Gustavo A. , Cinesi Cinzia , Baubec Tuncay , Dion Vincent
Published: July 2018

Expanded CAG/CTG repeat disorders affect over 1 in 2500 individuals worldwide. Potential therapeutic avenues include gene silencing and modulation of repeat instability. However, there are major mechanistic gaps in our understanding of these processes, which prevent the rational design of an efficient treatment. To address this, we developed a novel system, ParB/ANCHOR-mediated Inducible Targeting (PInT), in which any protein can be recruited at will to a GFP reporter containing an expanded CAG/CTG repeat. Using PInT, we found no evidence that the histone deacetylase HDAC5 or the DNA methyltransferase DNMT1 modulate repeat instability upon targeting to the expanded repeat, suggesting that their effect is independent of local chromatin structure. Unexpectedly, we found that expanded CAG/CTG repeats reduce the effectiveness of gene silencing mediated by HDAC5 or DNMT1 targeting. The repeat-length effect in gene silencing by HDAC5 was abolished by a small molecule inhibitor of HDAC3. Our results have important implications on the design of epigenome editing approaches for expanded CAG/CTG repeat disorders. PInT is a versatile synthetic system to study the effect of any sequence of interest on epigenome editing.
Context-explorer: Analysis of spatially organized protein expression in high-throughput screens
Authors: Ostblom Joel , Nazareth Emanuel J.P. , Tewary Mukul , Zandstra Peter W.
Published: July 2018

A growing body of evidence highlights the importance of the cellular microenvironment as a regulator of phenotypic and functional cellular responses to perturbations. We have previously developed cell patterning techniques to control population context parameters, and here we demonstrate Context-explorer (CE), a software tool to improve investigation of microenvironmental variables through colony level analyses. We demonstrate the capabilities of CE in the analysis of human and mouse pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs, mPSCs) patterned in colonies of defined size and shape in multi-well plates.

CE employs a density-based clustering algorithm to identify cell colonies within micropatterned wells. Using this automatic colony classification methodology, we obtain accuracies comparable to manual colony counts in a fraction of the time. Classifying cells according to their relative position within a colony enables statistical analysis of radial spatial trends in protein expression within multiple colonies in the same treatment group. When applied to colonies of hPSCs, our analysis reveals a radial gradient in the expression of the pluripotency inducing transcription factors SOX2 and OCT4, and a similar trend in the intra-colony location of different cellular phenotypes. We extend these analyses to colonies of different sizes and shapes and demonstrate how the metrics derived by CE can be used to asses the patterning fidelity of micropatterned plates.

We have incorporated a number of features to enhance the usability and utility of CE. To appeal to a broad scientific community, all of the software’s functionality is accessible from a graphical user interface, and convenience functions for several common data operations are included. CE is compatible with existing image analysis programs such as CellProfiler and extends the analytical capabilities already provided by these tools. Taken together, CE facilitates investigation of spatially heterogeneous cell populations in fundamental research and drug development validation programs.
Using eDNA to biomonitor the fish community in a tropical oligotrophic lake
Authors: Valdez-Moreno Martha , Ivanova Natalia V. , Elías-Gutiérrez Manuel , Pedersen Stephanie L. , Bessonov Kyrylo , Hebert Paul D.N.
Published: July 2018

Environmental DNA (eDNA) is an effective approach for detecting vertebrates and plants, especially in aquatic ecosystems, but prior studies have largely examined eDNA in cool temperate settings. By contrast, this study employs eDNA to survey the fish fauna in tropical Lake Bacalar (Mexico) with the additional goal of assessing the possible presence of invasive fishes, such as Amazon sailfin catfish. Sediment and water samples were collected from eight stations in Lake Bacalar on three occasions over a 4-month interval. Each sample was stored in the presence or absence of lysis buffer to compare eDNA recovery. Short fragments (184-187 bp) of the cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) gene were amplified using fusion primers and then sequenced on Ion Torrent PGM and S5 before their source species were determined using a custom reference sequence database constructed on BOLD. In total, eDNA sequences were recovered from 75 species of vertebrates including 47 fishes, 15 birds, 7 mammals, 5 reptiles, and 1 amphibian. Although all species are known from this region, 6 fish species represent new records for the study area, while 2 require verification. Sequences for five species (2 birds, 2 mammals, 1 reptile) were only detected from sediments, while sequences from 52 species were only recovered from water. Because DNA from the Amazon sailfin catfish was not detected, we used a mock eDNA experiment to confirm our methods were appropriate for its detection. We developed protocols that enabled the recovery of eDNA from tropical oligotrophic aquatic ecosystems, and confirmed their effectiveness in detecting diverse species of vertebrates including an invasive species of Amazon catfish.
PathwayMatcher: proteoform-centric network construction enables fine-granularity multi-omics pathway mapping
Authors: Hernández Sánchez Luis Francisco , Burger Bram , Horro Carlos , Fabregat Antonio , Johansson Stefan , Njølstad Pål Rasmus , Barsnes Harald , Hermjakob Henning , Vaudel Marc
Published: July 2018

Background

Mapping biomedical data to functional knowledge is an essential task in bioinformatics and can be achieved by querying identifiers, e.g. gene sets, in pathway knowledgebases. However, the isoform and post-translational modification states of proteins are lost when converting input and pathways into gene-centric lists.

Findings

Based on the Reactome knowledgebase, we built a network of protein-protein interactions accounting for the documented isoform and modification statuses of proteins. We then implemented a command line application called PathwayMatcher (github.com/PathwayAnalysisPlatform/PathwayMatcher) to query this network. PathwayMatcher supports multiple types of omics data as input, and outputs the possibly affected biochemical reactions, subnetworks, and pathways.

Conclusions

PathwayMatcher enables refining the network-representation of pathways by including isoform and post-translational modifications. The specificity of pathway analyses is hence adapted to different levels of granularity and it becomes possible to distinguish interactions between different forms of the same protein.
Estimating the mechanism of farmers’ effective participation in Chinese rural land consolidation
Authors: Wang Wenxiong , Yu Lihong , Zhou Wei , Marcouiller David W. , Luo Bin
Published: July 2018

Purpose

Effective farmer participation in the rural land consolidation process has become increasingly important because it improves results in rural land consolidation and land use efficiency. The purpose of this paper is to examine the mechanism of farmers’ effective participation in Chinese rural land consolidation.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors empirically assess farmers’ effective participation in the rural land consolidation process in ten counties of China’s Hubei province. Focusing on an effective decision-making model, the authors comprehensively evaluated farmer participation using surveys that incorporated an index system and analyzed survey results using a structural equation model to examine factors that influenced farmer’s effective participation.

Findings

The results of the study suggest that the correlations between farmers’ effective participation and the impacting factors the authors proposed were particularly strong. In addition, participation ability, participation opportunity and participation incentive are strongly associated with effective farmer participation. Thus, the authors highlight that incentives should be provided to encourage farmers’ effective participation in rural land consolidation.

Research limitations/implications

Because of the chosen approach and the set of the research object, the geographic context of the empirical survey work was limited; furthermore, the authors only studied the influencing factors at the individual level, leaving the interaction effects between governmental factors and farmer individual factors inadequately explained.

Originality/value

Despite those limitations, these results serve as an important reference for government agencies and stakeholder groups in rural land consolidation decision making.
Are organizational factors more prevailing than individual factors in mitigating employee fraud?
Authors: Said Jamaliah , Omar Normah , Rafidi Marhamah , Syed Yusof Sharifah Norzehan
Published: July 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to examine whether individual factors (religiosity and ethical values) and organizational factors (ethical leadership and whistleblowing practices) contribute to employee fraud mitigation.

Design/methodology/approach

Guided by Corporate Integrity System Malaysia, this study developed and collected 101-questionnaire survey from Royal Custom officers.

Findings

The findings revealed that individual factors (religiosity and ethical values) significantly contribute to fraud reduction, and organizational factors (both ethical leadership and whistle blowing practices) do not significantly contribute to employee fraud mitigation.

Originality/value

This study serves as a useful guide to alert and educate employers, professionals, law enforcement officers and policymakers of the importance of individual and organizational factors in mitigating employee fraud. There is very little empirical research conducted on employee fraud in Malaysia. This research helps bring that to light.
In an ideal world who should carry the can for wrongdoing business?
Authors: Vanni Domitilla
Published: July 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to analyze the main international rules against economic crime and to verify if Italian legislation provides for appropriate measures according to own needs at a national level.

Design/methodology/approach

The research uses a comparative approach by examining the existing legislations on a global, European and Italian level for finding analogies and differences between them.

Findings

The research has discovered a wide variation in the legislative interventions against economic crimes and in the kind of imposed sanctions. Nevertheless, there seems to be a trend toward penalties, with a high degree of uniformity between the different levels of protection.

Research limitations/implications

This paper aims to maintain a common international level in fighting against economic crime and to enforce the effectiveness of national regulations.

Practical implications

The achievement of a high level of protection, for public security and social cohesion to prevent and reduce economic crimes.

Social implications

This paper ensures a high level of security for the general public by taking action against money laundering, cybercrimes and other sorts of misconduct, as well as by intensifying preventive action against all kinds of economic crime through an effective global cooperation.

Originality/value

This is a fast-moving area of law, which continues to evolve for the variety of behaviors through which economic crime occurs, so different solutions to the problem can be found by national legislators who must be coordinated in a global context on the basis of an international standard of protection to which they more and more frequently have to conform their own rules.
Turning information quality into firm performance in the big data economy
Authors: Fosso Wamba Samuel , Akter Shahriar , Trinchera Laura , De Bourmont Marc
Published: July 2018

Purpose

Big data analytics (BDA) increasingly provide value to firms for robust decision making and solving business problems. The purpose of this paper is to explore information quality dynamics in big data environment linking business value, user satisfaction and firm performance.

Design/methodology/approach

Drawing on the appraisal-emotional response-coping framework, the authors propose a theory on information quality dynamics that helps in achieving business value, user satisfaction and firm performance with big data strategy and implementation. Information quality from BDA is conceptualized as the antecedent to the emotional response (e.g. value and satisfaction) and coping (performance). Proposed information quality dynamics are tested using data collected from 302 business analysts across various organizations in France and the USA.

Findings

The findings suggest that information quality in BDA reflects four significant dimensions: completeness, currency, format and accuracy. The overall information quality has significant, positive impact on firm performance which is mediated by business value (e.g. transactional, strategic and transformational) and user satisfaction.

Research limitations/implications

On the one hand, this paper shows how to operationalize information quality, business value, satisfaction and firm performance in BDA using PLS-SEM. On the other hand, it proposes an REBUS-PLS algorithm to automatically detect three groups of users sharing the same behaviors when determining the information quality perceptions of BDA.

Practical implications

The study offers a set of determinants for information quality and business value in BDA projects, in order to support managers in their decision to enhance user satisfaction and firm performance.

Originality/value

The paper extends big data literature by offering an appraisal-emotional response-coping framework that is well fitted for information quality modeling on firm performance. The methodological novelty lies in embracing REBUS-PLS to handle unobserved heterogeneity in the sample.
The effects of students
Authors: Pinna Roberta , Carrus Pier Paolo , Musso Marta , Cicotto Gianfranco
Published: July 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of university identification to explain students’ involvement in extra-role behaviours and turnover intentions. The theoretical model developed, specifies the relationships between university identity and identification and between identification and behavioural patterns.

Design/methodology/approach

Data have been collected from a sample of 338 students from an Italian University. Then, they have been analysed adopting linear regression models (multiple when occurs) and a path analysis through structural equations models has been developed. The Sobel test has been used in the analysis to verify the mediator role of variables.

Findings

The results show that: the university identity perception of students have significant effect on university identification process; and student-university identification have significant effect on student’s advocacy, that is negatively related to turnover intention.

Originality/value

This paper provides support for the importance of brand management in higher educational context. Institutions would benefit from communicating their identities clearly, coherently and in a persuasive manner, emphasising those aspects of the university’s identity that students and future students will perceive as prestigious and similar to their identities.
SuhB, a small non‐coding RNA involved in catabolite repression of tetralin degradation genes in Sphingopyxis granuli strain TFA
Authors: García‐Romero Inmaculada , Förstner Konrad U. , Santero Eduardo , Floriano Belén
Published: July 2018

Global dRNA‐seq analysis of transcription start sites combined with in silico annotation using Infernal software revealed the expression of 91 putative non‐coding sRNA in Sphingopyxis granuli TFA cells grown on different carbon sources. Excluding housekeeping sRNAs, only one additional sRNA, which belongs to the Rfam SuhB family (RF00519), was detected by Infernal but with an incorrect size according to the experimental results. SuhB is highly conserved across the Sphingopyxis genus. Expression data revealed that SuhB is present in rapidly growing TFA cells. A suhB deletion mutant exhibited de‐repression of tetralin degradation (thn) gene expression and higher amounts of their LysR‐type activator, ThnR, under conditions of carbon catabolite repression (CCR). Interaction between SuhB and the 5′UTR of thnR mRNA was demonstrated in vitro. Moreover, co‐immunoprecipitation experiments, combined with fluorescence measurements of gfp fusions to the 5′UTR of thnR mRNA and the phenotype of an hfq deletion mutant, suggest the involvement of Hfq in this interaction. Taken together, these data support an Hfq‐mediated repressive role for SuhB, on ThnR mRNA translation that prevents thn gene induction. SuhB, which is a highly conserved sRNA in the Sphingopyxis genus, is the first identified element directly involved in CCR of thn gene expression in S. granuli strain TFA.
Bioavailability of Isoflavone Metabolites After Korean Fermented Soybean Paste (Doenjang) Ingestion in Estrogen‐Deficient Rats
Authors: Lee Da‐Hye , Kim Min Jung , Park So‐Hyun , Song Eun‐Ji , Nam Yong‐Do , Ahn Jiyun , Jang Young‐Jin , Ha Tae‐Youl , Jung Chang Hwa
Published: July 2018

Doenjang (DJ), a fermented soybean product used in soups, stews, and sauces, contains high quality proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, and other functional ingredients, including isoflavones and saponins. This study investigated whether DJ improves the bioavailability of isoflavones compared to boiled soybean (BS) in sham‐operated or ovariectomized (OVX) rats. We also examined the effects of ovariectomy on the differences in bioavailability of isoflavones. BS and DJ were administered in sham‐operated and OVX rats, and blood samples were collected. Twenty‐six isoflavone‐derived metabolites were identified. Pharmacokinetic analysis revealed that T1/2 values of the individual isoflavone metabolites were most different in sham and OVX rats, even after the same sample treatment; however, Tmax values were significant different in a few metabolites such as daidzein 4′‐glucuronide, daidzein 4′‐sulfate, 2‐(4‐hydroxyphenyl)propionic acid, and benzoic acid. For most of the individual metabolites, Cmax was higher in both sham and OVX rats administered BS than those administered DJ. The AUC was generally lower in OVX rats than in sham rats. The AUC of daidzein and genistein in BS‐fed sham rats was approximately 1.7‐fold higher than those administered DJ, whereas glycitein was detected only in the DJ group. No significant differences in AUC of daidzein and genistein were observed between BS and DJ administration in OVX rats, although the total isoflavone content of DJ was lower; thus, DJ‐mediated isoflavone bioavailability was more effective in OVX rats. Similar tendencies were observed for phase II and gut‐mediated metabolites. These results suggested that DJ enhanced isoflavone bioavailability under estrogen deficiency, even when the total isoflavone content was decreased by fermentation.
Determination of Volatiles and Carotenoid Degradation Compounds in Red Pepper Fermented by Lactobacillus parabuchneri
Authors: Lee Sang Mi , Lee Joo Young , Cho Youn Jeung , Kim Moon Seok , Kim Young‐Suk
Published: July 2018

Red pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) has been used as one of key ingredients in certain fermented foods due to it providing a unique hot and spicy sensation. In this study, volatile compounds—including degradation compounds of carotenoids—in fermented red pepper inoculated with Lactobacillus parabuchneri were investigated. In total, the contents of certain alcohols, benzene and its derivatives, esters, hydrocarbons, lactones, pyrazines, and terpenes were increased in red pepper inoculated with L. parabuchneri, while those of aldehydes, sulfur‐containing compounds, and ketones decreased during the fermentation period. The contents of some degradation compounds of carotenoids (β‐ionone, β‐cyclocitral, α‐ionone, and β‐damascenone) increased significantly with the fermentation period. In particular, the content of β‐damascenone—which could form by the degradation of neoxanthin—increased gradually during fermentation, but this compound was not detected in 0‐day samples. These findings indicate that the contents of certain volatiles—including degradation compounds of carotenoids—in fermented red pepper inoculated with L. parabuchneri can change markedly during the fermentation process.

Practical Application

This study investigated the changes of volatiles and carotenoids degradation compounds in fermented red pepper inoculated with Lactobacillus parabuchneri during fermentation. These results could be used to improve the quality of red pepper‐based products and in the development of certain fermented foods, including Gochujang (fermented red pepper paste) and kimchi.
SNP‐skimming: A fast approach to map loci generating quantitative variation in natural populations
Authors: Wessinger Carolyn A. , Kelly John K. , Jiang Peng , Rausher Mark D. , Hileman Lena C.
Published: July 2018

Genome‐wide association mapping (GWAS) is a method to estimate the contribution of segregating genetic loci to trait variation. A major challenge for applying GWAS to nonmodel species has been generating dense genome‐wide markers that satisfy the key requirement that marker data are error‐free. Here, we present an approach to map loci within natural populations using inexpensive shallow genome sequencing. This “SNP‐skimming” approach involves two steps: an initial genome‐wide scan to identify putative targets followed by deep sequencing for confirmation of targeted loci. We apply our method to a test data set of floral dimension variation in the plant Penstemon virgatus, a member of a genus that has experienced dynamic floral adaptation that reflects repeated transitions in primary pollinator. The ability to detect SNPs that generate phenotypic variation depends on population genetic factors such as population allele frequency, effect size and epistasis, as well as sampling effects contingent on missing data and genotype uncertainty. However, both simulations and the Penstemon data suggest that the most significant tests from the initial SNP skim are likely to be true positives—loci with subtle but significant quantitative effects on phenotype. We discuss the promise and limitations of this method and consider optimal experimental design for a given sequencing effort. Simulations demonstrate that sampling a larger number of individual at the expense of average read depth per individual maximizes the power to detect loci.
Amygdala volume is associated with risky probability cognition in gambling disorder
Authors: Takeuchi Hideaki , Tsurumi Kosuke , Murao Takuro , Mizuta Hiroto , Murai Toshiya , Takahashi Hidehiko
Published: July 2018

Gambling disorder (GD) is characterized by continual gambling despite negative consequences. Risky decision‐making is a hallmark of the disorder. We applied a tool from behavioral economics for assessing probability cognition in both gain and loss domains to GD. We aimed to examine the alteration of probability cognition and its relationship with brain structure in GD. Forty‐six GD patients and 52 age‐matched healthy controls (HCs) conducted a risky choice task in which subjects should choose between a sure and a risky option in both loss and gain domains. The distortion and elevation parameters of the probability weighting function were estimated. We compared the parameters between GD and HC and examined their relationships with the striatum and amygdala volumes in GD. GD showed greater elevation parameter in the gain domain and smaller regional gray matter volume in the left amygdala than HC. The elevation parameter in the gain domain showed a negative correlation with the left amygdala volume in GD. Altered probability cognition in the gain domain but not in the loss domain might be more relevant to risky decision‐making in GD. Our findings indicate that alteration in the amygdala might play a significant role in risky decision‐making of GD. Longitudinal studies are recommended to examine the causal relationship between brain abnormalities and risky decision‐making in GD.
Radiographic determination of pelvic limb orthopaedic measurements in maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus)
Authors: Siqueira Rafael C. , Rahal Sheila C. , Inamassu Leticia R. , Mamprim Maria J. , Teixeira Rodrigo H. F. , Teixeira Carlos R. , Rassy Fabricio B. , Mesquita Luciane R. , Monteiro Frederico O. B. , Felix Marcilio , Melchert Alessandra
Published: July 2018

The aim of this study was to determine some radiographic reference values for hip joint, femur and patella in maned wolves. Ten maned wolves (Chrysocyon brachyurus), five live (G1) and five cadavers (G2), were used. There were no statistically significant differences in the radiological measurements between right and left pelvic limbs of the G1 and G2, except for mechanical lateral proximal femoral angle (mLPFA) in both Groups. The comparison of the measurements between Groups showed difference only for mechanical lateral distal femoral angle (mLDFA). Norberg angle values were 113.1° and 112.9° for G1 and G2. The values of femoral angle of inclination by Hauptman A and Hauptman B methods were 139.7° and 128.6° for G1, and 139.3° and 128.7° for G2. Femoral varus angle values were 5.5° for G1 and 3.9° for G2. The values of anatomic lateral distal femoral angle and anatomic lateral proximal femoral angle were 96.8° and 95.2° for G1, and 95.0° and 95.6° for G2. The values of mLDFA for G1 and G2 were 96.5° and 95.7°. The values of mLPFA were 95.8 (right) and 93.5 (left) for G1, and 95.7 (right) and 93.8 (left) for G2. The values of patellar ligament length, patellar length and L:P ratio were 4.6, 2.4 cm and 1.9 for G1, and 4.4, 2.3 cm and 1.8 for G2. In conclusion, the radiographic reference values described for the hip joint, the femur and the patella, may be useful in the diagnosis of diseases and deformities in maned wolves.
A qualitative analysis of parturients’ experiences using nitrous oxide for labor analgesia: It is not just about pain relief
Authors: Richardson Michael G. , Raymond Britany L. , Baysinger Curtis L. , Kook Bradley T. , Chestnut David H.
Published: July 2018

Background

A vast majority of women who choose nitrous oxide for labor report high satisfaction despite variable analgesic effectiveness. We analyzed comments provided by women who used nitrous oxide for labor, to identify determinants of satisfaction in this population, and to better understand reasons for continuing with nitrous oxide despite variable analgesic effectiveness.

Methods

We conducted qualitative content analysis of comments in a quality improvement database of routine follow‐up assessments of women who delivered vaginally, using nitrous oxide as the sole labor analgesic. An inductive grounded approach was used and emergent themes and subthemes were identified.

Results

Of 6507 vaginal deliveries over 34 months in 2011‐2014, 753 (12%) used nitrous oxide as their sole analgesic. Analysis of 264 clarifying comments yielded six emergent themes. Parturients cited nonanalgesic benefits of nitrous oxide use (relaxation, distraction, focus on breathing), as well as partial analgesic effects that they deemed to be sufficient, or consistent with their expectations. Numerous women described their nitrous oxide experience as consistent with their birth plan, including 14 who equated it with natural childbirth. Several comments described nitrous oxide as a vital component of the parturients’ birth experience. Some described using nitrous oxide when neuraxial analgesia was not possible. Side effects were identified, as were difficulties using the apparatus/mask. Analysis highlighted importance of timely administration upon request and attention to technical aspects.

Conclusions

Among parturients who choose nitrous oxide as their sole labor analgesic, determinants of satisfaction are more variable than previously understood, and extend beyond analgesia.
It's time to listen: there is much to be learned from the sounds of tropical ecosystems
Authors: Deichmann Jessica L. , Acevedo‐Charry Orlando , Barclay Leah , Burivalova Zuzana , Campos‐Cerqueira Marconi , d'Horta Fernando , Game Edward T. , Gottesman Benjamin L. , Hart Patrick J. , Kalan Ammie K. , Linke Simon , Nascimento Leandro Do , Pijanowski Bryan , Staaterman Erica , Mitchell Aide T.
Published: July 2018

Knowledge that can be gained from acoustic data collection in tropical ecosystems is low‐hanging fruit. There is every reason to record and with every day, there are fewer excuses not to do it. In recent years, the cost of acoustic recorders has decreased substantially (some can be purchased for under US$50, e.g., Hill et al. 2018) and the technology needed to store and analyze acoustic data is continuously improving (e.g., Corrada Bravo et al. 2017, Xie et al. 2017). Soundscape recordings provide a permanent record of a site at a given time and contain a wealth of invaluable and irreplaceable information. Although challenges remain, failure to collect acoustic data now in tropical ecosystems would represent a failure to future generations of tropical researchers and the citizens that benefit from ecological research. In this commentary, we (1) argue for the need to increase acoustic monitoring in tropical systems; (2) describe the types of research questions and conservation issues that can be addressed with passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) using both short‐ and long‐term data in terrestrial and freshwater habitats; and (3) present an initial plan for establishing a global repository of tropical recordings.
LncNEN885 inhibits epithelial‐mesenchymal transition by partially regulation of Wnt/β‐catenin signalling in gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms
Authors: Wei Ya‐Ling , Hua Jie , Liu Xiao‐Yu , Hua Xiu‐Mei , Sun Cheng , Bai Jian‐An , Tang Qi‐Yun
Published: July 2018

It has been shown that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are involved in the carcinogenesis of multiple cancers. However, the roles of lncRNAs in gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (GEP‐NENs) remain elusive. In the present study, we found that lncNEN885 was markedly decreased in human gastric NEN samples compared to adjacent normal tissues by transcriptome sequencing. Functionally, silencing or overexpression of lncNEN885 could not obviously affect cell proliferation or apoptosis in BON‐1 or LCC‐18 cells but could affect cell migration and invasion as well as wound‐healing rates. Furthermore, dysregulation of lncNEN885 affected these biological functions by activating epithelial‐mesenchymal transition through increased expression of Snail, vimentin, and N‐cadherin as well as decreased E‐cadherin levels in BON‐1 and LCC‐18 cells. Silencing of lncNEN885 could dramatically increase the phosphorylation of glycogen synthase kinase‐3β and decrease the expression of adenomatous polyposis coli and Axin, with the subsequent accumulation of β‐catenin. Taken together, dysregulation of lncNEN885 can regulate cell migration and invasion by activating epithelial‐mesenchymal transition process partially through canonical Wnt/β‐catenin signaling in GEP‐NEN cells, which may be a novel biomarker for the metastasis of GEP‐NENs.
Spanish validation of the Spence Preschool Anxiety Scale
Authors: Orgilés Mireia , Penosa Patricia , Fernández‐Martínez Iván , Marzo Juan C. , Espada José P.
Published: July 2018

Background

The Preschool Anxiety Scale (PAS) is a 28‐item measure designed to assess anxiety symptoms in preschoolers aged 31 to 83 months.

Methods

The present study aims to extend the literature by examining the psychometric properties and factorial structure of the PAS in a Spanish community sample of 274 preschoolers aged 3 to 7 years.

Results

Factor analysis confirmed the five‐factor original model after removing eight items, suggesting a shorter 20‐item version for the Spanish preschoolers. The scale demonstrated to have good internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.84). Moderate but significant correlations with a measure of health‐related quality of life supported the convergent validity of the PAS.

Conclusions

The Spanish version of the PAS demonstrated to have good psychometric properties, providing these results initial support to its use for assessing a broad range of anxiety symptoms in Spanish‐speaking preschoolers.
Predictors of learning outcomes for children with and without chronic illness: An Australian longitudinal study
Authors: Barnett Tony , Giallo Rebecca , Kelaher Margaret , Goldfeld Sharon , Quach Jon
Published: July 2018

Background

Chronically ill children are at increased risk of poor learning outcomes. Knowledge of the predictors of learning outcomes for this group of people is important to inform the development of education supports that stand the best chance of being effective. This study explored the child, family, and school risk and protective factors during the child's transition to elementary school (aged 6–7 years) that were associated with learning outcomes when children were aged 10–11 years for both children with and without a chronic illness.

Methods

Data from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children were used. Predictor variables were entered into separate multivariate regression models for children with and without a chronic illness.

Results

The strongest predictors of learning outcomes were the child's approach to learning, a consistent parenting style, and family socioeconomic position and were common for both children with and without a chronic illness but strongest for children with a chronic illness.

Conclusion

A child's approach to learning and a consistent parenting style during the period of the child's transition to elementary school are important and potentially modifiable factors that are predictive of academic performance in later childhood. These factors are particularly relevant for children with a chronic illness, their parents/caregivers, teachers both hospital and school based, and pediatricians and can be used to inform interventions.
Physicochemical and microbiological assessment of soil quality on a chronosequence of a mine reclamation site
Authors: Li J. , Xin Z. , Yan J. , Li H. , Chen J. , Ding G.
Published: July 2018

Assessment of the activity of the soil microbial community is essential to evaluate the success of reclamation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of reclamation on soil physiochemical, biological and microbial community properties. Soil samples were collected from 12 post‐mining sites with different lengths of time since reclamation (2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 11, 16, 19, 21, 23 and 26 years) at Pingshuo surface coal mine, China. Our results indicated soil organic and labile carbon, nitrogen, enzyme activities, microbial functional diversity, bacterial, archaeal and fungal abundances and taxonomic diversity improved with increasing time since reclamation. Soil pH and bulk density declined with increasing time after reclamation. Redundancy analysis revealed the importance of soil pH in microbial metabolic structure and bacterial genetic assemblages, and soil organic carbon in fungal genetic assemblages. The mine soil quality index (MSQI) was positively correlated with time since reclamation, and reclamation could be considered satisfactory at the 19‐year site with an MSQI >0.5. Soil enzyme activities were strongly correlated with microbial abundance. Our overall findings indicated that nutrition, microbial abundance and functional diversity of the soil ecosystem improved after reclamation.

Highlights

Reclamation improved nutrition, microbial abundance and diversity in soil of a mining site.

Soil enzyme activities were correlated more strongly with microbial abundance than diversity.

Soil pH and SOC played important roles in bacterial and fungal genetic assemblages, respectively, with reclamation.

MSQI would take about 20 years to reach a satisfactory value after reclamation.
Inactivation of autophagy leads to changes in sebaceous gland morphology and function
Authors: Rossiter Heidemarie , Stübiger Gerald , Gröger Marion , König Ulrich , Gruber Florian , Sukseree Supawadee , Mlitz Veronika , Buchberger Maria , Oskolkova Olga , Bochkov Valery , Eckhart Leopold , Tschachler Erwin
Published: July 2018

We have reported recently that inactivation of the essential autophagy‐related gene 7 (Atg7) in keratinocytes has little or no impact on morphology and function of the epidermal barrier in experimental animals. When these mice aged, mutant males, (Atg7 ΔKC), developed an oily coat. As the keratin 14 promoter driven cre/LoxP system inactivates floxed Atg7 in all keratin 14 (K14) expressing cells, including sebocytes, we investigated whether the oily hair phenotype was the consequence of changes in function of the skin sebaceous glands. Using an antibody to the GFP‐LC3 fusion protein, autophagosomes were detected at the border of sebocyte disintegration in control but not in mutant animals, suggesting that autophagy was (a) active in normal sebaceous glands and (b) was inactivated in the mutant mice. Detailed analysis established that dorsal sebaceous glands were about twice as large in all Atg7 ΔKC mice compared to those of controls (Atg7 F/F), and their rate of sebocyte proliferation was increased. In addition, male mutant mice yielded twice as much lipid per unit hair as age‐matched controls. Analysis of sebum lipids by thin layer chromatography revealed a 40% reduction in the proportion of free fatty acids (FFA) and cholesterol, and a 5‐fold increase in the proportion of fatty acid methyl esters (FAME). In addition, the most common diester wax species (58‐60 carbon atoms) were increased, while shorter species (54‐55 carbon atoms) were under‐represented in mutant sebum. Our data show that autophagy contributes to sebaceous gland function and to the control of sebum composition.
Dissociated skin cells regenerate hair follicles in a microwound, “The Punch Assay”
Authors: Leng Xue , Wang Ping , Chen Zhihong , Li Dingyang , Wen Jie , Zhang Xuan , Qian Hua , Guo Jing , Wu Xunwei
Published: July 2018

The purpose of this study was to develop a new, easily executed hair follicle regeneration system and assay, which could be further developed for clinical or cosmetic applications. Dissociated epidermal and dermal progenitor cells, isolated either from neonatal C57BL/6 mice or human foetal scalp tissues, were suspended in (10 μL) F12 medium and pipetted into a 1 or 2 mm‐diameter punch biopsy wounds on the back skin of immunodeficient mice. At 3 weeks after transplantation, although pigmented mouse hairs could efficiently form at the injection sites with delivery of mouse cells, none hair formed on the host mouse skin at 3 months after delivery of human cells. Under the same conditions, human follicles could be regenerated when the human skin cells were delivered onto a 2 mm size punch created on a reconstituted human skin (hRSK), which previously generated on the back of an immunodeficient mouse, but the efficiency of hair formation was low. We demonstrated that both mouse and human regenerated follicles showed normal histology and differentiation markers; moreover, the cell chasing experiment confirmed that the regenerated hair follicles were formed from transplanted cells. Compared to other current hair reconstituted assays, the Punch Assay is relatively simple and generates normal hair follicles within a smaller wound. We suggest that the punch assay is a better in vivo assay of cell trichogenicity.
Corneocyte proteomics: Applications to skin biology and dermatology
Authors: Rice Robert H. , Durbin‐Johnson Blythe P. , Mann Selena M. , Salemi Michelle , Urayama Shiro , Rocke David M. , Phinney Brett S. , Sundberg John P.
Published: July 2018

Advances in mass spectrometry‐based proteomics now permit analysis of complex cellular structures. Application to epidermis and its appendages (nail plate, hair shaft) has revealed a wealth of information about their protein profiles. The results confirm known site‐specific differences in levels of certain keratins and add great depth to our knowledge of site specificity of scores of other proteins, thereby connecting anatomy and pathology. An example is the evident overlap in protein profiles of hair shaft and nail plate, helping rationalize their sharing of certain dystrophic syndromes distinct from epidermis. In addition, interindividual differences in protein level are manifest as would be expected. This approach permits characterization of altered profiles as a result of disease, where the magnitude of perturbation can be quantified and monitored during treatment. Proteomic analysis has also clarified the nature of the isopeptide cross‐linked residual insoluble material after vigorous extraction with protein denaturants, nearly intractable to analysis without fragmentation. These structures, including the cross‐linked envelope of epidermal corneocytes, are comprised of hundreds of protein constituents, evidence for strengthening the terminal structure complementary to disulphide bonding. Along with other developing technologies, proteomic analysis is anticipated to find use in disease risk stratification, detection, diagnosis and prognosis after the discovery phase and clinical validation.
Loss of Gata6 causes dilation of the hair follicle canal and sebaceous duct
Authors: Swanson Jacob B. , Vagnozzi Alicia N. , Veniaminova Natalia A. , Wong Sunny Y.
Published: July 2018

The uppermost aspect of the hair follicle, known as the infundibulum or hair canal, provides a passageway for hair shaft egress and sebum secretion. Recent studies have indicated that the infundibulum and sebaceous ducts are lined by molecularly distinct differentiated cells expressing markers including Keratin 79 and Gata6. Here, we ablated Gata6 from the skin and observed dilation of both the hair canal and sebaceous ducts, independent of gender and hair cycle stage. Constitutive loss of Gata6 yielded only a mild delay in depilation‐induced entry into anagen, while unperturbed mutant mice possessed overtly normal skin and hair. Furthermore, we noted that Keratin 79 and Gata6 expression and localization did not depend upon each other. Our findings implicate Gata6 in maintaining the upper hair follicle and suggest that regulation of this transcription factor may be compromised in pathologies such as acne or infundibular cystic diseases that are characterized by abnormal expansion of this follicular domain.