bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Feeding strategy impacts heterologous protein production in Yarrowia lipolytica fed‐batch cultures—Insight into the role of osmolarity
Authors: Kubiak Monika , Borkowska Monika , Białas Wojciech , Korpys Paulina , Celińska Ewelina
Published: February 2019

Fed‐batch cultivation is the preferred bioprocessing strategy applied in microbial production of proteins. Feeding strategy is crucial parameters to be optimized upon development of a fed‐batch process. In this study, we investigated impact of different feeding strategies on production of recombinant enzymatic protein in Yarrowia lipolytica cultures. From amongst tested strategies, comprising intermittent and continuous feedings, also in cascade with respiratory factors, intermittent feeding executed after complete exhaustion of glycerol from the medium, with moderate amplitude of osmolarity, was the most beneficial in terms of the secretory enzyme amount, its volumetric productivity and specific activity. Because adopted feeding strategies strongly modulated osmolarity of the cultures, the effect of osmotic pressure on production of the target heterologous protein was investigated in a series of batch cultivations with addition of osmoactive compounds (NaCl, sorbitol, sucrose, and glycerol) at different concentrations. Although obvious promoting effect of the osmoactive substances on the enzyme production was clear, no straightforward correlation between the medium osmolarity and the target enzyme's specific activity could be observed. These results suggest that not only the level of osmolarity but also chemical character of the osmoactive compound have both important impact on the production of secretory proteins in Y. lipolytica cultures.
Conclusions
Authors: Wanner Philippe , Steiner Ilka
Published: February 2019

By confronting and assembling the main results of the previous chapters with respect to the three key dimensions – increasing mobility and transnationality, labour market participation and political and social participation – this concluding chapter discusses the implications for the Migration-Mobility Nexus framework. In addition, the authors address how these results apply to the European context and enumerate their consequences for future research. Overall, the book demonstrated how the implementation of a nationwide survey, such as the Migration-Mobility Survey, contributes to better knowledge about current migration processes and helps identify approaches and policies that can enhance immigrants’ integration when necessary. It is therefore relevant to both the scientific community and migration policy.
Two Approaches to Enhance the Processivity and Salt Tolerance of Staphylococcus aureus DNA Polymerase
Authors: Zhai Bing , Chow Joseph , Cheng Qi
Published: February 2019

In this article, two engineering-strategies were carried out to enhance the processivity of the DNA polymerase used in recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA). We demonstrate that covalent linkage of a non-specific, double-stranded DNA binding protein, Sso7d, to the large fragment of Staphylococcus aureus Pol I (Sau) caused a moderate enhancement of processivity and a significant improvement in the salt tolerance of Sau. Meanwhile, we provide evidence suggesting that insertion of the thioredoxin-binding domain from bacteriophage T7 DNA polymerase into the analogous position of the large fragment of Sau dramatically enhanced the processivity and mildly increased the salt tolerance of Sau when a host DNA binding protein, thioredoxin, was annexed. Both of these two strategies did not improve the amplifying performance of Sau in RPA, indicating that optimum processivity is crucial for amplifying efficiency.
Algebraic Analysis of Demodalised Analytic Implication
Authors: Ledda Antonio , Paoli Francesco , Pra Baldi Michele
Published: February 2019

The logic DAI of demodalised analytic implication has been introduced by J.M. Dunn (and independently investigated by R.D. Epstein) as a variation on a time-honoured logical system by C.I. Lewis’ student W.T. Parry. The main tenet underlying this logic is that no implication can be valid unless its consequent is “analytically contained” in its antecedent. DAI has been investigated both proof-theoretically and model-theoretically, but no study so far has focussed on DAI from the viewpoint of abstract algebraic logic. We provide several different algebraic semantics for DAI, showing their equivalence with the known semantics by Dunn and Epstein. We also show that DAI is algebraisable and we identify its equivalent quasivariety semantics. This class turns out to be a linguistic and axiomatic expansion of involutive bisemilattices, a subquasivariety of which forms the algebraic counterpart of Paraconsistent Weak Kleene logic (PWK). This fact sheds further light on the relationship between containment logics and logics of nonsense.
Vertical versus horizontal: What is really at issue in the exclusion problem?
Authors: Donaldson John
Published: February 2019

I outline two ways of reading what is at issue in the exclusion problem faced by non-reductive physicalism, the “vertical” versus “horizontal”, and argue that the vertical reading is to be preferred to the horizontal. I discuss the implications: that those who have pursued solutions to the horizontal reading of the problem have taken a wrong turn.
An Environmental Scan of the National and Provincial Diagnostic Reference Levels in Canada for Common Adult Computed Tomography Scans
Authors: Ferderbar Michelle Linda , Doyle Thomas E. , Samavi Reza , Koff David
Published: February 2019

Several regulatory bodies have agreed that low-dose radiation used in medical imaging is a weak carcinogen that follows a linear, non-threshold model of cancer risk. While avoiding radiation is the best course of action to mitigate risk, computed tomography (CT) scans are often critical for diagnosis. In addition to the as low as reasonably achievable principle, a more concrete method of dose reduction for common CT imaging exams is the use of a diagnostic reference level (DRL). This paper examines Canada's national DRL values from the recent CT survey and compares it to published provincial DRLs as well as the DRLs in the United Kingdom and the United States of America for the 3 most common CT exams: head, chest, and abdomen/pelvis. Canada compares well on the international scale, but it should consider using more electronic dose monitoring solutions to create a culture of dose optimization.
Potential for Long-Term Benefit of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy as an Adjunct Treatment for Men with Erectile Dysfunction
Authors: Khan Sikandar , Amjad Amira , Rowland David
Published: February 2019

Introduction

Psychosexual counseling may enhance sexual performance outcomes in men with erectile dysfunction (ED) treated with a phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitor.

Aim

To determine the potential long-term effects of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) on Pakistani men with ED who had undergone treatment with a PDE5 inhibitor (PDE5i).

Methods

In a 15–18-month follow-up, we reassessed a subsample of 20 men who had been treated with either PDE5is (monotherapy group) or CBT + PDE5i (combined group) on 2 dimensions: sexual functioning and mental health functioning.

Main Outcome Measure

International Index of Erectile Function was used to assess sexual function, and 2 Mental Health Inventory subscales were used to assess anxiety and depression. A brief semi-structured interview assessed men’s current sexual status and evaluation of their CBT experience.

Results

Men in the combined group continued to show improvement on erectile function and several other sexual parameters, whereas men in the monotherapy group showed either no further improvement or a decrement in sexual response parameters. The results did not appear to be related to changes in relationship satisfaction or mental health indices.

Clinical Implications

Adjunctive CBT shows long-term benefits in men with ED treated with a PDE5i.

Strength & Limitations

Effect sizes were strong, overcoming the small sample size, but attrition may affect the generalizability of the findings.

Conclusion

In the first long-term follow-up study of its kind, CBT proved an effective and supportive adjunctive treatment for Pakistani men with ED taking a PDE5i, with benefits extending long after the end of treatment.
NOTE ON THE CONVOLUTION OF HARMONIC MAPPINGS
Authors: LI LIULAN , PONNUSAMY SAMINATHAN
Published: February 2019

Dorffet al.[‘Convolutions of harmonic convex mappings’,Complex Var. Elliptic Equ. 57(5) (2012), 489–503] formulated a question concerning the convolution of two right half-plane mappings, where the normalisation of the functions was considered incorrectly. In this paper, we reformulate the problem correctly and provide a solution to it in a more general form. We also obtain two new theorems which correct and improve related results.
ON THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE RANK STATISTIC FOR STRONGLY CONCAVE COMPOSITIONS
Authors: ZHOU NIAN HONG
Published: February 2019

A strongly concave composition of $n$ is an integer partition with strictly decreasing and then increasing parts. In this paper we give a uniform asymptotic formula for the rank statistic of a strongly concave composition introduced by Andrews et al. [‘Modularity of the concave composition generating function’, Algebra Number Theory7(9) (2013), 2103–2139].
AGATHOS DAIMÔNIN CHARITON'SCHAEREAS AND CALLIRHOE(5.1.6, 5.7.10): SOME RAMIFICATIONS
Authors: Jolowicz Daniel
Published: February 2019

In this article I make three interrelated claims about Chariton's use of ἀγαθὸς δαίμων in connection with the protagonist Chaereas, who is believed to be dead. First, that it reflects a funerary formula peculiar to inscriptions from Caria, and therefore potentially supports the author's declaration to be a native of Aphrodisias in Caria; second, that the use of this funerary formula suggests an awareness of events subsequent to the death of Nero (especially the series of false Neros), which has ramifications for the novel's date, use of imperial history, and ideological thrust; and third, that numismatic evidence from Alexandria supports an association between Chaereas and Nero.
Human trichinellosis caused by Trichinella britovi in Greece, and literature review
Authors: Dimzas D. , Diakou A. , Koutras C. , Gómez Morales M.A. , Psalla D. , Keryttopoulos P. , Deligianni D. , Kontotasios K. , Pozio Edoardo
Published: February 2019

Trichinellosis is a cosmopolitan zoonotic parasitic disease caused by the nematodes of the genus Trichinella, through the consumption of raw or semi-raw infected meat from swine, horses and wild animals. This disease has been sporadically reported in Greece since 1946. The aim of the present study was to describe a trichinellosis case in a patient hospitalized in northern Greece, in 2017. A 47-year-old male was admitted to hospital with intense generalized myalgia, periorbital swelling, fever, exhaustion and anorexia. Biochemical and haematological profile showed eosinophilia and elevated creatine phosphokinase (CPK). Anti-Trichinella spp. IgG and IgM antibodies were detected by serology and Trichinella spp. larvae were found in two muscle biopsies by compressorium and histological examination. A larva collected from the muscle biopsy was identified as Trichinella britovi by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Albendazole (400 mg twice per day × 10 days) was administered and the clinical condition of the patient promptly improved. This is the first identification of T. britovi in a patient in Greece.
Awareness of the Convention on Biological Diversity and provisions regarding access and benefit sharing among multiple stakeholder groups in Bhutan
Authors: Wang Sonam Wangyel , Lee Woo Kyun , Brooks Jeremy , Dorji Chencho
Published: February 2019

As part of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing calls for ‘fair and equitable sharing of benefits’ derived from the use of genetic resources and traditional knowledge. However, implementation of the Convention and the Nagoya Protocol has been challenged by the inadequacies of existing policies, lack of national-level frameworks, and inadequate knowledge among stakeholders. We used focus group meetings and structured interviews with rural communities, government representatives, researchers and Members of Parliament in Bhutan to collect data on awareness, knowledge and perceptions of components of the CBD related to access and benefit sharing. Our study indicated generally low levels of awareness about most components of the Convention, particularly among rural residents. Although local people in rural communities feel that benefits derived from local biological resources and traditional knowledge should be shared, there is uncertainty about who owns these resources. These results indicate that there is an urgent need to develop educational and awareness programmes, using a variety of media, to target particular stakeholder groups, with emphasis on residents in rural communities. This could empower local communities to participate meaningfully in decision-making processes to develop Bhutan's national access and benefit sharing framework, and to allow them to benefit from the conservation and sustainable use of local resources.
Antiprotozoal investigation of 20 plant metabolites on Trypanosoma cruzi and Leishmania amazonensis amastigotes. Atalantoflavone alters the mitochondrial membrane potential
Authors: Lemos da Silva Layzon Antonio , Höehr de Moraes Milene , Scotti Marcus Tullius , Scotti Luciana , de Jesus Souza Rafaela , Nantchouang Ouete Judith L. , Biavatti Maique Weber , Steindel Mario , Sandjo Louis Pergaud
Published: February 2019

The study aims to evaluate the antiprotozoal activities of 20 plant metabolites onTrypanosoma cruziandLeishmania amazonensisamastigotes. Compounds1–20were obtained and identified by using chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques. The antiparasitic assays were performed on the intracellular form ofT. cruziandL. amazonensisusing human leukaemic THP-1 cells as the host. The mechanism of action of the most active compounds was exploredin silicoby molecular docking usingT. cruzitrypanothione reductase (TR) as a target, whereas thein vitrostudies were performed by enzymatic assay usingT. cruzirecombinant TR. In addition, the mitochondrial membrane potential was evaluated by flow cytometry. Two flavonoids, one triterpene and three acetogenins showed from high to moderate trypanocidal activities with IC50values ranging 3.6–37.2µmwhile three of the metabolites were moderately leishmanicidal. The molecular docking study revealed interactions between TR and the most trypanocidal compounds1(abyssinone IV) and2(atalantoflavone). In contrast, both showed no effect on TRin vitro. For the mitochondrial membrane potential assay, atalantoflavone (2) displayed a dose-dependent depolarization. On the basis of the aforementioned results, this compound's structure could be chemically explored in order to develop more potent trypanocidal derivatives.
Testing the cycle of maltreatment hypothesis: Meta-analytic evidence of the intergenerational transmission of child maltreatment
Authors: Madigan Sheri , Cyr Chantal , Eirich Rachel , Fearon R. M. Pasco , Ly Anh , Rash Christina , Poole Julia C. , Alink Lenneke R. A.
Published: February 2019

It has long been claimed that “maltreatment begets maltreatment,” that is, a parent's history of maltreatment increases the risk that his or her child will also suffer maltreatment. However, significant methodological concerns have been raised regarding evidence supporting this assertion, with some arguing that the association weakens in samples with higher methodological rigor. In the current study, the intergenerational transmission of maltreatment hypothesis is examined in 142 studies (149 samples; 227,918 dyads) that underwent a methodological quality review, as well as data extraction on a number of potential moderator variables. Results reveal a modest association of intergenerational maltreatment (k= 80;d= 0.45, 95% confidence interval; CI [0.37, 0.54]). Support for the intergenerational transmission of specific maltreatment types was also observed (neglect:k= 13,d= 0.24, 95% CI [0.11, 0.37]; physical abuse:k= 61,d= 0.41, 95% CI [0.33, 0.49]; emotional abuse:k= 18,d= 0.57, 95% CI [0.43, 0.71]; sexual abuse:k= 18,d= 0.39, 95% CI [0.24, 0.55]). Methodological quality only emerged as a significant moderator of the intergenerational transmission of physical abuse, with a weakening of effect sizes as methodological rigor increased. Evidence from this meta-analysis confirms the cycle of maltreatment hypothesis, although effect sizes were modest. Future research should focus on deepening understanding of mechanisms of transmission, as well as identifying protective factors that can effectively break the cycle of maltreatment.
Factors associated with the availability of iodized salt at household level: a case study in Bangladesh
Authors: Khan Jahidur Rahman , Biswas Raaj Kishore , Sheikh Md Tuhin , Huq Molla
Published: February 2019

Objective

The availability of iodized salt in households remains low in Bangladesh, which calls for improving the salt iodization quality and its coverage. The present study assessed the socio-economic disparity in Bangladesh to characterize the availability of iodized salt at household level.

Design

Associations between different socio-economic factors and availability of iodized salt at household level were explored using Bayesian mixed-effects logistic models after adjusting the district- and cluster-level random effects.

Setting

Bangladesh Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS), 2012–13.

Participants

Households (sample size,n50981).

Results

Results showed that 73·15 % of household salt samples were iodized to some extent although iodization level varied. According to the regression model, houses with young (adjusted odds ratio of posterior mean (OR) = 1·31; 95 % credible interval (CI) 1·09, 1·64) and educated (OR = 3·66; 95 % CI 3·25, 4·23) household heads had significantly higher likelihood of availability of iodized salt. In addition, iodized salt was less likely be found in poor and rural households, as urban households were 2·88 times (95 % CI 2·41, 3·34) more likely have iodized salt. Moreover, the regional locations of the households were an important component that contributed to the local iodized salt coverage. As per the district-wise distribution, the north-west part of Bangladesh and Cox’s Bazar in the far south seemed to lack household-level iodized salt.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that iodized salt intervention should be promoted considering the area variations, which could potentially help policy makers to design interventions in the context of Bangladesh.
Automatic Counting of Intra-Cellular Ribonucleo-Protein Aggregates inSaccharomyces cerevisiaeUsing a Textural Approach
Authors: Marin Ambroise , Denimal Emmanuel , Bertheau Lucie , Guyot Stéphane , Journaux Ludovic , Molin Paul
Published: February 2019

In the context of microbiology, recent studies show the importance of ribonucleo-protein aggregates (RNPs) for the understanding of mechanisms involved in cell responses to specific environmental conditions. The assembly and disassembly of aggregates is a dynamic process, the characterization of the stage of their evolution can be performed by the evaluation of their number. The aim of this study is to propose a method to automatically determine the count of RNPs. We show that the determination of a precise count is an issue by itself and hence, we propose three textural approaches: a classical point of view using Haralick features, a frequency point of view with generalized Fourier descriptors, and a structural point of view with Zernike moment descriptors (ZMD). These parameters are then used as inputs for a supervised classification in order to determine the most relevant. An experiment using a specificSaccharomyces cerevisiaestrain presenting a fusion between a protein found in RNPs (PAB1) and the green fluorescent protein was performed to benchmark this approach. The fluorescence was observed with two-photon fluorescence microscopy. Results show that the textural approach, by mixing ZMD with Haralick features, allows for the characterization of the number of RNPs.
The Structure of Description: Evaluating Descriptive Inferences and Conceptualizations
Authors: Kreuzer Marcus
Published: February 2019

Explanation presumes description. Description explores the who, when, where, and how, and its answers furnish the raw material for theorizing and explaining. This connection between description and allegedly serendipitous exploration contributed to the notion that description is inherently subjective and thus incapable of being evaluated. I challenge this notion of “mere” description. I show that description has a distinct structure that consists of discreet analytical stages facing distinct inferential challenges. The quality of description thus becomes a function of how well it addresses those challenges. I explicate distinct criteria for evaluating how well a describer handles those challenges. I illustrate their utility by applying them to the controversy in the late 1990s between Daniel Goldhagen and Christopher Browning over what explained the willingness of ordinary Germans to kill Jews.
Direct Observations of Biological Carbon Export From Profiling Floats in the Subtropical North Atlantic
Authors: Estapa M. L. , Feen M. L. , Breves E.
Published: February 2019

The complex interplay of biological and physical mechanisms comprising the ocean's biological carbon pump has not been well characterized to date, due to the difficulty of observing these mechanisms in situ at adequate spatial and temporal resolution. An annual time series is presented of direct measurements of export production and particle properties collected using optical sediment trap‐equipped profiling floats cycling every 1.5–2.5 days. The observations indicate strong variability in particle export and bio‐optical properties, influenced by the spring bloom, mesoscale eddy activity, and the mixed layer pump. Temporal and vertical decoupling of fluxes at depths ranging from 150 to 1,000 m was also observed, and remineralization length scales were more variable than predicted by temperature‐ and oxygen‐based models. Net primary production was computed from float observations using a modification of the Carbon‐based Productivity Model and used to estimate export and export (e‐) ratios, which were compared to predictions of literature export models. Mechanistic models explicitly incorporating ecosystem processes and their depth dependence may perform better at reproducing regional observations collected at high temporal resolution.
Field Response of Magnetic Vortices in Dusty Olivine From the Semarkona Chondrite
Authors: Nichols Claire I. O. , Einsle Joshua F. , Im Mi‐Young , Kasama Takeshi , Saghi Zineb , Midgley Paul A. , Harrison Richard J.
Published: February 2019

Recent paleomagnetic studies have constrained the strength and longevity of the magnetic field generated by the solar nebula, which has broad implications for the early evolution of the solar system. Paleomagnetic evidence was recorded by nanoscale iron inclusions in olivine crystals in the Semarkona LL 3.0 chondrite. These dusty olivines have been shown to be credible carriers of ancient magnetic remanence. The small scale of the iron inclusions presents several challenges for defining their fundamental magnetic properties. Here we present the first correlative study of the response of these magnetic structures under applied laboratory fields. Results show that the majority of particles are in a single‐vortex state and exhibit stable magnetic behavior in applied fields up to 200 mT. Experimental observations using Lorentz microscopy and magnetic transmission X‐ray microscopy are shown to compare well with the results of finite‐element micromagnetic simulations derived from 3‐D models of the particles obtained using electron tomography. This correlative approach may be used to characterize the fundamental magnetic behavior of many terrestrial and extraterrestrial paleomagnetic carriers in the single‐vortex to multivortex size range, which represent the vast majority of stable magnetic carriers in rocks and meteorites.
Diagnosing Secular Variations in Retrospective ENSO Seasonal Forecast Skill Using CMIP5 Model‐Analogs
Authors: Ding Hui , Newman Matthew , Alexander Michael A. , Wittenberg Andrew T.
Published: February 2019

Retrospective tropical Indo‐Pacific forecasts for 1961–2015 are made using 28 models from the fifth phase of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5) plus four models from the North American Multi‐Model Ensemble (NMME), using a model‐analog technique. Forecast ensembles are extracted from preexisting model simulations, by finding those states that initially best match an observed anomaly and tracking their subsequent evolution, requiring no additional model integrations. Model‐analog forecasts from the 10 “best” CMIP5 models have skill for sea surface temperature and precipitation comparable to that of both the NMME model‐analog forecast ensemble and (since 1982) traditional assimilation‐initialized NMME hindcasts. The El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) forecast skill has no trend over the 55‐year period, and its decadal variations appear largely random, although the skill does improve during epochs of increased ENSO activity. Including the CMIP5‐projected effects of external radiative forcings improves the tropical sea surface temperature skill of the model‐analog forecasts but not within the ENSO region.
Crater Statistics on the Dark‐Toned, Mafic Floor Unit in Jezero Crater, Mars
Authors: Shahrzad Stephanie , Kinch Kjartan M. , Goudge Timothy A. , Fassett Caleb I. , Needham Debra H. , Quantin‐Nataf Cathy , Knudsen Cecillie P.
Published: February 2019

Jezero crater is a ~45‐km impact crater on the margin of Isidis basin on Mars. Jezero is the landing site for NASA's Mars 2020 rover mission. The crater hosts a paleolake, and fluvio‐lacustrine deposits formed in this lake remain accessible to exploration. A dark‐toned deposit on the crater floor overlies light‐toned carbonate‐bearing deposits and has been interpreted as a lava flow. We determined the average thickness of this deposit at the margins to be ~13.0 ± 0.8 m. We analyzed the statistics of impact craters superposed on this deposit and estimated its model age as 2.6 ± 0.5 Ga in the Hartmann system, placing it most likely in the Early Amazonian. The error estimate here includes an estimate of the uncertainty associated with the crater counts. Acquisition, caching, and eventual return of a sample from this unit could provide an important calibration point for Mars crater chronology.
Roles of Subducted Pelagic and Terrigenous Sediments in Early Jurassic Mafic Magmatism in NE China: Constraints on the Architecture of Paleo‐Pacific Subduction Zone
Authors: Zhao Liang , Guo Feng , Fan Weiming , Huang Miwei
Published: February 2019

The role of subducted sediments in arc magmatism has been widely documented. However, identifying the sedimentary provenance (e.g., pelagic vs. terrigenous) input in subduction systems is difficult because of the wide compositional range of sedimentary components and the complex magmatic evolution of arcs. Here we report zircon U‐Pb‐Hf‐O isotopes and whole‐rock elemental and Sr‐Nd‐Hf isotopic compositions of four Early Jurassic subduction‐related mafic intrusions from the Yanbian area, NE China. These rocks show typical trace element and isotopic features of arc magmas. In combination with the published data, we discover two distinct elemental‐isotopic arrays of the Early Jurassic mafic rocks across the arc magmatic belt. Such geochemical variations are mainly attributed to variable subducted sediment input into the mantle wedge instead of crustal contamination or assimilation during magmatic evolution. The mantle source for the southern Yanbian mafic rocks was enriched by addition of a crustal component dominated by terrigenous sediments, whereas that for the northern Lesser Hinggan‐Zhangguangcai Range, mafic rocks was modified by another crustal component comprising mainly pelagic sediments. The results can be best interpreted if the southern part was a continental arc as opposed to an oceanic arc in the north, which is analogous to the modern Kamchatka‐Honshu‐Izu‐Bonin‐Mariana arc systems in the western Pacific. Our reconstructed architecture, based mainly on the geochemical data, further suggests that the Khanka‐Jiamusi‐Buleya Massif was probably sinistrally and northwardly displaced to the present position after Mesozoic subduction of the Paleo‐Pacific Ocean.
Differential Incorporation of Bacteria, Organic Matter, and Inorganic Ions Into Lake Ice During Ice Formation
Authors: Santibáñez Pamela A. , Michaud Alexander B. , Vick‐Majors Trista J. , D'Andrilli Juliana , Chiuchiolo Amy , Hand Kevin P. , Priscu John C.
Published: February 2019

The segregation of bacteria, inorganic solutes, and total organic carbon between liquid water and ice during winter ice formation on lakes can significantly influence the concentration and survival of microorganisms in icy systems and their roles in biogeochemical processes. Our study quantifies the distributions of bacteria and solutes between liquid and solid water phases during progressive freezing. We simulated lake ice formation in mesocosm experiments using water from perennially (Antarctica) and seasonally (Alaska and Montana, United States) ice‐covered lakes. We then computed concentration factors and effective segregation coefficients, which are parameters describing the incorporation of bacteria and solutes into ice. Experimental results revealed that, contrary to major ions, bacteria were readily incorporated into ice and did not concentrate in the liquid phase. The organic matter incorporated into the ice was labile, amino acid‐like material, differing from the humic‐like compounds that remained in the liquid phase. Results from a control mesocosm experiment (dead bacterial cells) indicated that viability of bacterial cells did not influence the incorporation of free bacterial cells into ice, but did have a role in the formation and incorporation of bacterial aggregates. Together, these findings demonstrate that bacteria, unlike other solutes, were preferentially incorporated into lake ice during our freezing experiments, a process controlled mainly by the initial solute concentration of the liquid water source, regardless of cell viability.
The Spatial Dependence of Flood Hazard and Risk in the United States
Authors: Quinn Niall , Bates Paul D. , Neal Jeff , Smith Andy , Wing Oliver , Sampson Chris , Smith James , Heffernan Janet
Published: February 2019

In this paper we seek to understand the nature of flood spatial dependence over the conterminous United States. We extend an existing conditional multivariate statistical model to enable its application to this large and heterogenous region and apply it to a 40‐year data set of ~2,400 U.S. Geological Survey gauge series records to simulate 1,000 years of U.S. flooding comprising more than 63,000 individual events with realistic spatial dependence. A continental‐scale hydrodynamic model at 30 m resolution is then used to calculate the economic loss arising from each of these events. From this we are able to compute the probability that different values of U.S. annual total economic loss due to flooding are exceeded (i.e., a loss‐exceedance curve). Comparing these data to an observed flood loss‐exceedance curve for the period 1988–2017 shows a reasonable match for annual losses with probability below 10% (e.g., >1 in 10‐year return period). This analysis suggests that there is a 1% chance of U.S. annual fluvial flood losses exceeding $78Bn in any given year, and a 0.1% chance of them exceeding $136Bn. Analysis of the set of stochastic events and losses yields new insights into the nature of flooding and flood risk in the United States. In particular, we confirm the strong relationship between flood affected area and event peak magnitude, but show considerable variability in this relationship between adjacent U.S. regions. The analysis provides a significant advance over previous national flood risk analyses as it gives the full loss‐exceedance curve instead of simply the average annual loss.
Glacial Census Reveals Ice Thicknesses Around the World
Authors: Kornei Katherine
Published: February 2019

Researchers modeled over 200,000 glaciers and found that mountainous regions in Asia contain significantly less glacial ice than previously estimated.
Enhanced superconductivity close to a non-magnetic quantum critical point in electron-doped strontium titanate
Authors: Tomioka Yasuhide , Shirakawa Naoki , Shibuya Keisuke , Inoue Isao H.
Published: February 2019

Studies on quantum critical points (QCP) have focused on magnetic QCPs to date. Remarkable phenomena such as superconductivity due to avoided criticality have been discovered, but we focus here on the non-magnetic counterpart, i.e., the superconductivity of SrTiO3 regarded as being close to a ferroelectric QCP. Here we prepare high-quality Sr1−xLaxTi(16O1−z18Oz)3 single crystals without localisation at low temperatures, which allow us to systematically investigate the La substitution of Sr as an alternative to introducing oxygen vacancies. Analysis of our data based on a theoretical model predicts an appearance of the ferroelectric QCP around 3 × 1018 cm−3. Because of the QCP, the superconducting dome of Sr1−xLaxTiO3 can be raised upwards. Furthermore, remarkable enhancement of Tc (~0.6 K) is achieved by 18O exchange on the Sr1−xLaxTiO3 crystals. These findings provide a new knob for observing intriguing physics around the ferroelectric QCP.
Kingdom-wide comparison reveals the evolution of diurnal gene expression in Archaeplastida
Authors: Ferrari Camilla , Proost Sebastian , Janowski Marcin , Becker Jörg , Nikoloski Zoran , Bhattacharya Debashish , Price Dana , Tohge Takayuki , Bar-Even Arren , Fernie Alisdair , Stitt Mark , Mutwil Marek
Published: February 2019

Plants have adapted to the diurnal light-dark cycle by establishing elaborate transcriptional programs that coordinate many metabolic, physiological, and developmental responses to the external environment. These transcriptional programs have been studied in only a few species, and their function and conservation across algae and plants is currently unknown. We performed a comparative transcriptome analysis of the diurnal cycle of nine members of Archaeplastida, and we observed that, despite large phylogenetic distances and dramatic differences in morphology and lifestyle, diurnal transcriptional programs of these organisms are similar. Expression of genes related to cell division and the majority of biological pathways depends on the time of day in unicellular algae but we did not observe such patterns at the tissue level in multicellular land plants. Hence, our study provides evidence for the universality of diurnal gene expression and elucidates its evolutionary history among different photosynthetic eukaryotes.
Commercial fishing patterns influence odontocete whale-longline interactions in the Southern Ocean
Authors: Tixier Paul , Burch Paul , Richard Gaetan , Olsson Karin , Welsford Dirk , Lea Mary-Anne , Hindell Mark A. , Guinet Christophe , Janc Anais , Gasco Nicolas , Duhamel Guy , Villanueva Maria Ching , Suberg Lavinia , Arangio Rhys , Söffker Marta , Arnould John P. Y.
Published: February 2019

The emergence of longline fishing around the world has been concomitant with an increase in depredation-interactions by odontocete whales (removal of fish caught on hooks), resulting in substantial socio-economic and ecological impacts. The extent, trends and underlying mechanisms driving these interactions remain poorly known. Using long-term (2003–2017) datasets from seven major Patagonian toothfish (Dissostichus eleginoides) longline fisheries, this study assessed the levels and inter-annual trends of sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) and/or killer whale (Orcinus orca) interactions as proportions of fishing time (days) and fishing area (spatial cells). The role of fishing patterns in explaining between-fisheries variations of probabilities of odontocete interactions was investigated. While interaction levels remained globally stable since the early 2000s, they varied greatly between fisheries from 0 to >50% of the fishing days and area. Interaction probabilities were influenced by the seasonal concentration of fishing effort, size of fishing areas, density of vessels, their mobility and the depth at which they operated. The results suggest that between-fisheries variations of interaction probabilities are largely explained by the extent to which vessels provide whales with opportunities for interactions. Determining the natural distribution of whales will, therefore, allow fishers to implement better strategies of spatio-temporal avoidance of depredation.
Enteral Activation of WR-2721 Mediates Radioprotection and Improved Survival from Lethal Fractionated Radiation
Authors: Molkentine Jessica M. , Fujimoto Tara N. , Horvath Thomas D. , Grossberg Aaron J. , Garcia Carolina J. Garcia , Deorukhkar Amit , de la Cruz Bonilla Marimar , Lin Daniel , Samuel Errol L. G. , Chan Wai Kin , Lorenzi Philip L. , Piwnica-Worms Helen , Dantzer Robert , Tour James M. , Mason Kathryn A. , Taniguchi Cullen M.
Published: February 2019

Unresectable pancreatic cancer is almost universally lethal because chemotherapy and radiation cannot completely stop the growth of the cancer. The major problem with using radiation to approximate surgery in unresectable disease is that the radiation dose required to ablate pancreatic cancer exceeds the tolerance of the nearby duodenum. WR-2721, also known as amifostine, is a well-known radioprotector, but has significant clinical toxicities when given systemically. WR-2721 is a prodrug and is converted to its active metabolite, WR-1065, by alkaline phosphatases in normal tissues. The small intestine is highly enriched in these activating enzymes, and thus we reasoned that oral administration of WR-2721 just before radiation would result in localized production of the radioprotective WR-1065 in the small intestine, providing protective benefits without the significant systemic side effects. Here, we show that oral WR-2721 is as effective as intraperitoneal WR-2721 in promoting survival of intestinal crypt clonogens after morbid irradiation. Furthermore, oral WR-2721 confers full radioprotection and survival after lethal upper abdominal irradiation of 12.5 Gy × 5 fractions (total of 62.5 Gy, EQD2 = 140.6 Gy). This radioprotection enables ablative radiation therapy in a mouse model of pancreatic cancer and nearly triples the median survival compared to controls. We find that the efficacy of oral WR-2721 stems from its selective accumulation in the intestine, but not in tumors or other normal tissues, as determined by in vivo mass spectrometry analysis. Thus, we demonstrate that oral WR-2721 is a well-tolerated, and quantitatively selective, radioprotector of the intestinal tract that is capable of enabling clinically relevant ablative doses of radiation to the upper abdomen without unacceptable gastrointestinal toxicity.
Induction of GNMT by 1,2,3,4,6-penta-O-galloyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside through proteasome-independent MYC downregulation in hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Kant Rajni , Yen Chia-Hung , Hung Jung-Hsien , Lu Chung-Kuang , Tung Chien-Yi , Chang Pei-Ching , Chen Yueh-Hao , Tyan Yu-Chang , Chen Yi-Ming Arthur
Published: February 2019

Glycine-N-methyl transferase (GNMT) a tumor suppressor for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) plays a crucial role in liver homeostasis. Its expression is downregulated in almost all the tumor tissues of HCC while the mechanism of this downregulation is not yet fully understood. Recently, we identified 1,2,3,4,6-penta-O-galloyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside (PGG) as a GNMT promoter enhancer compound in HCC. In this study, we aimed to delineate the mechanism by which PGG enhances GNMT expression and to investigate its effect on GNMT suppression in HCC. Microarray and pathway enrichment analysis revealed that MYC was a major target of PGG. PGG suppressed MYC mRNA and protein expression in Huh7 and Hep G2 cells in a dose- and time-dependent fashion. Furthermore, MYC expression was also reduced in xenograft tumors in PGG treated mice. Moreover, shRNA-mediated knocked-down or pharmacological inhibition of MYC resulted in a significant induction of GNMT promoter activity and endogenous GNMT mRNA expression in Huh7 cells. In contrast, overexpression of MYC significantly inhibited GNMT promoter activity and endogenous GNMT protein expression. In addition, antibodies against MYC effectively precipitated the human GNMT promoter in a chromatin immunoprecipitation assay. Lastly, GNMT expression was negatively correlated with MYC expression in human HCC samples. Interestingly, PGG not only inhibited MYC gene expression but also promoted MYC protein degradation through proteasome-independent pathways. This work reveals a novel anticancer mechanism of PGG via downregulation of MYC expression and establishes a therapeutic rationale for treatment of MYC overexpressing cancers using PGG. Our data also provide a novel mechanistic understanding of GNMT regulation through MYC in the pathogenesis of HCC.
A widespread internal resonance phenomenon in functionally graded material plates with longitudinal speed
Authors: Zhang Y. F. , Liu J. T.
Published: February 2019

A widespread internal resonance phenomenon is detected in axially moving functionally graded material (FGM) rectangular plates. The geometrical nonlinearity is taken into account with the consideration of von Kármán nonlinear geometric equations. Using d’Alembert’s principle, governing equation of the transverse motion is derived. The obtained equation is further discretized to ordinary differential equations using the Galerkin technique. The harmonic balance method is adopted to solve the above equations. Additionally, stability analysis of steady-state solutions is presented. Research shows that a one-to-one internal resonance phenomenon widely exists in a large range of constituent volume distribution in moving FGM plates. Moreover, it is found that this internal resonance phenomenon can easily happen even though the FGM plates are under extremely small external excitation or with very large damping.
Assessment of incidence and various demographic risk factors of traumatic humeral shaft fractures in China
Authors: Ji Chenni , Li Jia , Zhu Yanbin , Liu Song , Fu Lei , Chen Wei , Zhang Yingze
Published: February 2019

As a sub-study of the China National Fracture Study, this study aimed to better determine the incidence and risk factors of humeral shaft fracture in mainland China. We obtained all the data on humeral shaft fracture from the China National Fracture Study reported in 2017. Trained research teams personally interviewed all qualifying household members using a standardised questionnaire. A total of 512,187 (259649 boys and men, 252538 girls and women) questionnaires were collected and analysed from 112 neighbourhood communities and 223 administrative villages using stratified random sampling and the probability proportional to size method. The population-weighted incidence rate of humeral shaft fracture was 7.22 (95% confidence interval 4.90, 9.55) per 100,000 populations in 2014. Previous fracture history was an independent risk factor in adults of both sexes. Smoking was identified as an independent risk factor for humeral shaft fracture for men. Alcohol consumption and menstruation ceasing before the age of 46 years were considered as independent risk factors for women. Given the above data, specific public-health policies focusing on promoting a smoke-free environment and reducing alcohol intake should be encouraged. People who have had a fracture and women whose menstruation had ceased before the age of 46 should be vigilant against humeral shaft fracture.
In-Depth Characterization of Monocyte-Derived Macrophages using a Mass Cytometry-Based Phagocytosis Assay
Authors: Schulz Daniel , Severin Yannik , Zanotelli Vito Riccardo Tomaso , Bodenmiller Bernd
Published: February 2019

Phagocytosis is a process in which target cells or particles are engulfed and taken up by other cells, typically professional phagocytes; this process is crucial in many physiological processes and disease states. The detection of targets for phagocytosis is directed by a complex repertoire of cell surface receptors. Pattern recognition receptors directly detect targets for binding and uptake, while opsonic and complement receptors detect objects coated by soluble factors. However, the importance of single and combinatorial surface marker expression across different phenotypes of professional phagocytes is not known. Here we developed a novel mass cytometry-based phagocytosis assay that enables the simultaneous detection of phagocytic events in combination with up to 40 other protein markers. We applied this assay to distinct monocyte derived macrophage (MDM) populations and found that prototypic M2-like MDMs phagocytose more E. coli than M1-like MDMs. Surface markers such as CD14, CD206, and CD163 rendered macrophages phagocytosis competent, but only CD209 directly correlated with the amount of particle uptake. Similarly, M2-like MDMs also phagocytosed more cancer cells than M1-like MDMs but, unlike M1-like MDMs, were insensitive to anti-CD47 opsonization. Our approach facilitates the simultaneous study of single-cell phenotypes, phagocytic activity, signaling and transcriptional events in complex cell mixtures.
Draft Genome Sequence of Chromatium okenii Isolated from the Stratified Alpine Lake Cadagno
Authors: Luedin Samuel M. , Liechti Nicole , Cox Raymond P. , Danza Francesco , Frigaard Niels-Ulrik , Posth Nicole R. , Pothier Joël F. , Roman Samuele , Storelli Nicola , Wittwer Matthias , Tonolla Mauro
Published: February 2019

Blooms of purple sulfur bacteria (PSB) are important drivers of the global sulfur cycling oxidizing reduced sulfur in intertidal flats and stagnant water bodies. Since the discovery of PSB Chromatium okenii in 1838, it has been found that this species is characteristic of for stratified, sulfidic environments worldwide and its autotrophic metabolism has been studied in depth since. We describe here the first high-quality draft genome of a large-celled, phototrophic, γ-proteobacteria of the genus Chromatium isolated from the stratified alpine Lake Cadagno, C. okenii strain LaCa. Long read technology was used to assemble the 3.78 Mb genome that encodes 3,016 protein-coding genes and 67 RNA genes. Our findings are discussed from an ecological perspective related to Lake Cadagno. Moreover, findings of previous studies on the phototrophic and the proposed chemoautotrophic metabolism of C. okenii were confirmed on a genomic level. We additionally compared the C. okenii genome with other genomes of sequenced, phototrophic sulfur bacteria from the same environment. We found that biological functions involved in chemotaxis, movement and S-layer-proteins were enriched in strain LaCa. We describe these features as possible adaptions of strain LaCa to rapidly changing environmental conditions within the chemocline and the protection against phage infection during blooms. The high quality draft genome of C. okenii strain LaCa thereby provides a basis for future functional research on bioconvection and phage infection dynamics of blooming PSB.