bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Not all whites are farmers: privilege, the politics of representation, and the urban–rural divide in Zimbabwe
Authors: Pilossof Rory , Boersema Jacob
Published: October 2017

Whiteness has always been visible and marked in Africa. This is what makes whiteness in Africa distinct from whiteness in the West. This article explores the question of how the visibility of whiteness matters for its politics by focusing on the case of Zimbabwe. Much of the work on whiteness in this country, concentrating solely on the white farming community, presents the white population as a homogeneous group. This article uses the urban–rural divide to challenge such a portrayal and to explore the relationship in Zimbabwe between the politics of representation and the politics of whiteness in the postcolonial era. Based on four years of ethnographic research, it investigates urban and rural whiteness together because they are interrelated. We make two specific observations: first, that urban privilege has remained invisible because white Zimbabweans and white privilege are imagined to be connected to the land and to being a farmer. Urban whites have perpetuated this stereotype, which helped mask their own privileged lives. Second, we demonstrate that the defence of white privilege happens through means other than simple denial. Our interview data shows that, despite urban whites’ acknowledgement and understanding of white privilege, they still defend and try to legitimize it. Finally, we conclude that raising awareness and demanding acknowledgement of white privilege might be a necessary but insufficient condition to end it.
Small arms and conflict among East African pastoralists: the Karamoja (in)security complex
Authors: Mulugeta Mercy Fekadu
Published: October 2017

While the conceptual models on conflict, security and regionalism have evolved and augmented with time, East African pastoral relations remain subject to simplistic explanatory analyses that view pastoral conflicts as cross-border community conflicts and small arms as part of their cultural heritage. This article strives to find a more nuanced understanding of the relations of pastoralist communities and the role of arms in the perennial cross-border conflict. It uses a regional security complex (RSC) approach, first proposed by Barry Buzan and subsequently moulded in ‘new regionalism’ perspectives, which emphasizes the intricate web of pastoralist relations shaped by their need for security, where their identity and livelihood (cattle) remain at the centre. Taking this further, it develops the concept of a Karamoja security complex (KSC) as an appropriate explanatory framework. Through historical analysis and primary data collected among the Nyàngatom in Ethiopia, the research reveals a regular and complex pattern of conflict moulded primarily by the fundamental need for security.
Molecular systematics, biogeography, and colony fusion in the European dry-wood termites Kalotermes spp. (Blattodea, Termitoidae, Kalotermitidae)
Authors: Scicchitano V. , Dedeine F. , Mantovani B. , Luchetti A.
Published: October 2017

European dry-wood termites belong to the genus Kalotermes (Kalotermitidae), one of the two termite genera in Europe. Until the recent description of two new species, Kalotermes italicus in Italy and Kalotermes phoenicae in the eastern Mediterranean area, Kalotermes flavicollis was the only taxon known in this region. The presence of additional entities, suggested by morphological and physiological variation observed in K. flavicollis, was supported by molecular studies revealing four distinct genetic lineages: lineage A, K. flavicollis sensu strictu, from the Aegean area to Italy; lineage B, in Tuscany; lineage SC, in Sardinia and Corsica; lineage SF, in southern France. Lineages A and B may form mixed colonies, suggesting hybridization. To draw a more detailed picture of Kalotermes evolution and biogeography in Europe, we analyzed samples from previously unsampled areas, such as Spain and southern Italy, by means of the highly informative cox1/trnL/cox2 mitochondrial DNA marker. Overall, phylogenetic analyses confirmed previously identified lineages and taxa, but widened the distribution of the lineage SC to the mainland and of the lineage SF to Spain and Portugal. Results further provided evidence for the synonymy between lineage B and K. italicus. Species delimitation analysis suggested that the three K. flavicollis lineages, as well as K. italicus, can be separate taxa. Data also suggest a possible interspecific hybridization between K. italicus and both K. flavicollis lineages A and SC.
Guadalupian cool versus warm water deposits in central Iran: a record of the Capitanian Kamura event
Authors: AREFIFARD SAKINEH
Published: October 2017

An integration of geochemical and grain association studies were carried out on Middle Permian deposits in central Iran where both cool and warm water carbonates are found. The recrystallization of most bioclasts, lime-mud matrix and ooids along with high Sr contents suggests a probable original aragonite mineralogy for carbonates of the Middle Permian Jamal Formation at the Shotori section. Low bulk carbonate δ18O values imply pervasive diagenetic alteration in this section. Conversely, Middle Permian deposits at the correlative Bagh-e Vang section have a probable calcite precursor supported by low Sr contents and no evidence of recrystallization. This mineralogical variation in these coeval carbonates is considered to be due to the change in depth and temperature of the depositional palaeoenvironment. δ13C values started to rise over 2 ‰ PDB and reached a maximum of 4.3 ‰ PDB at the Wordian–Capitanian boundary at the Bagh-e Vang section. This δ13C rise is attributed to high primary productivity as previously reported in the Capitanian Abadeh Formation in central Iran. The positive δ13C excursion in these sections is correlated with the Capitanian ‘Kamura event’ identified from the mid-Panthalassian sections in Japan. No noticeable positive excursion occurs in the δ13C plot at the Shotori section making the interpretation of palaeo-productivity difficult. It is suggested that an active oceanic upwelling was the probable driver of the Middle Permian oceanic productivity in central Iran. Remarkable negative δ13C excursions around 3.7 and 4.2 ‰ PDB in Capitanian carbonates close to the Guadalupian–Lopingian boundary at the Bagh-e Vang and Abadeh sections, respectively are recorded, which are a proxy for low palaeo-productivity and a transition from a cool to warm climate, consistent with an early Lopingian sea level rise.
Authoritarian Public Opinion and the Democratic Peace
Authors: Bell Mark S. , Quek Kai
Published: October 2017

The “democratic peace”—the regularity that democracies rarely (if ever) fight with other democracies but do fight with nondemocracies—is one of the most famous findings in international relations scholarship. There is little agreement, however, about the mechanism that underpins the democratic peace. Recently, scholars have shown that mass publics in liberal democracies are less supportive of using military force against other democracies. This finding has been taken to support the idea that the content of public opinion may provide one mechanism that underpins the democratic peace. Using a large-scale survey experiment, we show that mass publics in an authoritarian regime—China—show the same reluctance to use force against democracies as is found in western democracies. Our findings expand the empirical scope of the claim that mass publics are reluctant to use force against democracies, but force us to rethink how public opinion operates as a causal mechanism underpinning the democratic peace.
Eco-morphological consequences of the ‘rostral loss’ in the intertidal marine shrimp Hippolyte sapphica morphotypes
Authors: Liasko Roman , Anastasiadou Chryssa , Ntakis Alexandros
Published: October 2017

The shrimp Hippolyte sapphica has a unique and sharp rostral dimorphism: morphotype A with a well-developed dentate rostrum, and morphotype B with a short, juvenile-like toothless rostrum. Previous research has shown that both morphotypes/forms belong to the same species and co-occur in the same habitat. Both forms occur in both sexes; however, form B individuals have a higher tendency to become males. Moreover, form A females are characterized by prolonged viability. The present comparative morphometric study concentrates on the changes induced by the rostral dimorphism and interprets them in terms of eco-morphological adaptations. Results showed that (i) the rostral length was the most isometric among the studied morphometric variables; (ii) males of A and B forms were not significantly different morphometrically; (iii) unexpectedly, form A non-ovigerous females had more developed carapace, abdominal somites and appendages in comparison with form B and, finally (iv), form B ovigerous females had higher tail and scaphocerite lengths, suggesting that they overcome higher turbulent force during the rapid backward movements and that the long rostrum improves hydrodynamic streamlining and stability. In conclusion, the previous finding that form B individuals tend to become males receives an adaptational explanation. The gene(s) responsible for the short rostrum accumulate in males, where their micro-evolutionary disadvantage is minimal or even absent.
Spatiotemporal preferences in nesting of the hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) in Melaka, Malaysia
Authors: Mohd Salleh Sarahaizad , Nishizawa Hideaki , Mohd Sah Shahrul Anuar , Safri Mohd Fardianshah
Published: October 2017

Nesting of hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) was monitored in 2013 and 2014 at 20 nesting beaches along the shores of Melaka, Peninsular Malaysia. Total nest numbers found were 481 and 463 in 2013 and 2014, respectively. The mean clutch size in 2013 of 123.5 ± 32.3 (SD) was similar to that in 2014 (118.5 ± 39.7). The distributions of nests were not uniform among the 20 beaches, and a large number of nests were found in Padang Kemunting, Kem Terendak, and Pulau Upeh, where the beaches were not always long. The nest sites indicated that the hawksbill turtle preferred to build its nest within the woody vegetation zone. The preferred vegetation species was Scaevola taccada. The temporal nesting pattern was year-round in both years, but the peak nesting season was between May and August, in the south-west monsoon season, possibly due to the gentle winds during this period. The turtles tended to nest between 22:01 and 24:00 h. This study provides basic information about hawksbill turtle nesting and insights into their spatial and temporal nesting preferences, which will contribute towards the conservation of this endangered species.
Symbiodinium thermophilum symbionts in Porites harrisoni and Cyphastrea microphthalma in the northern Persian Gulf, Iran
Authors: Varasteh Tooba , Shokri Mohammad Reza , Rajabi-Maham Hassan , Behzadi Safoura , Hume Benjamin C. C.
Published: October 2017

Coral communities of the Persian Gulf (PG) withstand maximum and annual ranges of water temperatures that surpass those found on the majority of reefs elsewhere. As such, these communities may inform on how coral reefs might adapt to the warmer waters of the future. Depending on the algal symbiont (genus Symbiodinium) harboured, advantages in stress tolerance may be conferred to the coral holobiont. Characterizing the algal component is therefore critical in determining the coral holobiont's tolerance phenotype. Coral associations off the Arabian coastline of the PG have been characterized as biogeographically unique, containing a rare group of taxonomically ancestral and thermotolerant algal symbionts, the Symbiodinium thermophilum group. In contrast, waters off the Iranian coast remain poorly characterized with a notable lack of S. thermophilum group symbionts identified in coral associations to date. Here, we characterize the algal component of two reef building corals (Porites harrisoni and Cyphastrea microphthalma) predominant at three sites spanning almost the entire length of the PG's Iranian coast. Genotyping using the chloroplastic 23S and nuclear ITS2 genes, we demonstrate the presence of S. thermophilum group symbionts. We discuss the probable physical drivers of these associations and highlight the need for further research in these relatively understudied waters.
J.B. WARD-PERKINS, THE BSR AND THE LANDSCAPE TRADITION IN POST-WAR ITALIAN ARCHAEOLOGY
Authors: Smith Christopher
Published: October 2017

Nothing has so characterized the British School at Rome's approach, from its inception, as the commitment to landscape archaeology in one form or another. This paper discusses the origins of this commitment in the work of Thomas Ashby, but focuses on the major contribution of J.B. Ward-Perkins and the South Etruria Survey. This survey is set in the context both of intellectual developments in landscape archaeology, and the specific circumstances of the BSR, and its Director, after the Second World War. The article traces the impact of this work on subsequent landscape archaeology.
Love between couples living with Alzheimer's disease: narratives of spouse care-givers
Authors: SHAVIT ORIT , BEN-ZE'EV AARON , DORON ISRAEL
Published: October 2017

The aim of this interdisciplinary study is to describe and analyse the meaning of love in relationships between couples living with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Despite the wealth of studies describing relationships in the face of AD, little is known about the experience and changing meaning of ‘love’ between spouses when one of them is suffering from AD. A qualitative narrative approach was used to capture what love means for couples when one spouse is living with AD. A combination of open discussion along with a semi-guided interview was conducted with N = 16 spouses of persons living with AD. Data were analysed using Thematic Analysis. A leading theme that emerges from the interviews is that AD provides a significant indicator of the meaning and understanding of the experience of love. Five major types of relationship developments occurred after the disease emerged: love died, love became weaker, love did not change, love was enhanced and the spouse fell in love again. The need for further research is discussed. The findings of this study offer an additional perspective to the existing literature, thereby providing a more comprehensive outlook on marital relationships within the context of AD.
Poverty, deprivation and life satisfaction among Hong Kong older persons
Authors: CHEUNG KELVIN CHI-KIN , CHOU KEE-LEE
Published: October 2017

This investigation examines the association of four measures of poverty (income-based, expenditure-based and asset-based poverty, and material deprivation) with life satisfaction. Perceived life satisfaction was measured among 1,410 older Chinese persons aged 65 and over. Besides life satisfaction and measures of poverty, the study assessed socio-demographic variables, financial strain, health indicators, and social and community resources. Those who faced expenditure-based poverty, material deprivation and asset-based poverty reported a significantly lower level of perceived life satisfaction, while the association between expenditure-based poverty and life satisfaction was found to be the strongest. Other factors that had an impact on life satisfaction included gender, education and marital status; financial strain; social support; the number of close family members and friends; self-rated health; functional capacity; perceived memory; pain; sleep quality; neighbourhood collective efficacy; and engagement in cultural and entertainment activities. From the theoretical perspective, the findings have strong implications for the understanding of the factors that shape the perception of quality of life in old age. Our results also have important policy implications for the official measurement of poverty, monitoring of the poverty situation and the development of anti-poverty measures to help older persons living in poverty to improve the quality of their lives.
The reasons older immigrants in the United States of America report for returning to Mexico
Authors: VEGA ALMA , HIRSCHMAN KAREN
Published: October 2017

Mexicans are the largest immigrant group in the United States of America (USA) and are ageing rapidly. Few studies investigate whether older immigrants return to Mexico for different reasons than younger immigrants. Using the Mexican Health and Aging Study (N = 952), we examine whether Mexican immigrants in the USA who returned to Mexico at age 50 and older report different reasons for returning than those who returned at younger ages. Few immigrants (regardless of age) returned for economic reasons. The most commonly reported reason for returning for both groups was missing family. However, the odds of selecting missing family over illness as their main reason for returning were lower for older immigrants than younger immigrants after controlling for the duration of their stay in the USA and other socio-demographic factors (odds ratio (OR) = 0.27; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.11, 0.68). Results indicate that older immigrants were just as likely to report returning due to economic reasons and migration problems as they were to report returning because of illness (OR = 0.57, 95% CI = 0.15, 2.21; OR = 0.41, 95% CI = 0.12, 1.43). While existing research shows that older immigrants in the USA typically experience fewer migration problems and are often more economically stable than younger immigrants, our research suggests this may be entirely due to the duration of their stay in the USA.
The Efficiencies and Pathologies of Special Interest Partisanship
Authors: Krimmel Katherine
Published: October 2017

Why have group-party alliances become more common since the mid-twentieth century? To address this question, I develop a continuum of group-party relationships, running from fluid, unstructured interactions, akin to political pluralism, to highly institutionalized alliances, as we might see in a firm. Drawing on pluralist scholarship and theories of firm formation and evolution, I explore the costs and benefits of different arrangements and explain why we might expect to see movement along the continuum over time. On the one hand, pluralism offers flexibility to parties and groups, and alliances have little value when parties are too weak to discipline their members in Congress. On the other, institutionalized alliances offer significant efficiency and security gains, which are especially valuable during periods of growth. I demonstrate the plausibility of this organizational theory by examining the evolution of group-party relations in the executive branch from the Nixon through Reagan administrations using archival documents collected at four presidential libraries.
Late management of truncus arteriosus: 20 years of humanitarian experience
Authors: Gouton Marielle , Lucet Vincent , Bical Olivier , Leca Francine
Published: October 2017

Objectives

Early surgical management of common arterial trunk is well established and has good prognosis. Late diagnosis is less common. We reviewed late-diagnosed common arterial trunk management and prognosis for children in developing countries. We also discuss the need for prior catheterisation.

Material and methods

We reviewed all common arterial trunk patients managed by our humanitarian organization since 1996.

Results

A total of 41 children with common arterial trunk were managed at a mean age of 3 years old. The lack of adequate facilities in developing countries explains the late management. The decision to proceed with surgery was based on clinical and radiological symptoms of persistent shunt, particularly a high cutaneous saturation level, regardless of catheterization – not carried out systematically. Eight children had to be withdrawn and 33 (80.5%) received operation – mean saturation 91%. The postoperative course was marked by pulmonary arterial hypertension requiring specific treatment in 30% of cases. The operative mortality was 1/33. The 32 children returned home without treatment after a mean post operative stay of 49 days and were followed up (mean FU 3.4 years, none lost to follow-up). At last contact, 1 child died six months after surgery, 1 child had a massive truncal valve insufficiency, 5 had a significant stenosis of the RV-PA tube, and 2 have had further surgery for tube replacement.

Conclusions

Late management and surgery of common arterial trunk is possible with good long-term results without prior hemodynamic examination up to an advanced childhood when signs of left-to-right shunt persist. A high saturation level (above 88%) seems to be a good operability criterion.
From Rights to Reality: Of Crisis, Coalitions, and the Challenge of Implementing Disability Rights in Portugal
Authors: Pinto Paula Campos
Published: October 2017

Applying a political economy lens, this article examines the impact of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), within a political context marked by crisis and austerity. Taking the case of Portugal, a country that faced a financial crisis and underwent an austerity plan, the article seeks to understand the impact of the CRPD at domestic level. What has changed, what has remained the same and what has deteriorated? And how has the disability movement responded and resisted to the crisis? This article addresses these questions and discusses the challenges of implementing disability rights in times of ‘enduring’ austerity.
Fractal antenna arrays for MIMO radar applications
Authors: Dahl Christoph , Vogt Michael , Rolfes Ilona
Published: October 2017

In this contribution, fractal antenna arrays are analyzed for their applicability in multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) radars. Array geometries based on the Fudgeflake fractal and the Gosper island fractal are investigated. In addition, a concept for the combination of both fractals is shown in order to increase the flexibility concerning the number of transmitting and receiving antennas. The presented fractal MIMO concepts can be utilized in order to improve the angular resolution and to reduce the sidelobe level for a given number of transmitting and receiving antennas. It is shown that a fractal MIMO concept with 21 transmitting antennas and 21 receiving antennas improves the angular resolution to 4.6 degrees and reduces side lobe level by 3.1 dB compared to a MIMO configuration based on two linear arrays with the same number of antenna elements. In addition, the results are experimentally validated by broadband radar measurements.
The Study of the Antisaccade Performance and Contingent Negative Variation Characteristics in First-Episode and Chronic Schizophrenia Patients
Authors: Kirenskaya Anna V. , Tkachenco Andrej A. , Novototsky-Vlasov Vladimir Yu.
Published: October 2017

The study tested whether the antisaccade (AS) performance and Contingent Negative Variation (CNV) measures differed between the first-episode and chronic patients to provide the evidence of PFC progressive functional deterioration. Subjects included 15 first-episode and 20 chronic schizophrenic patients (with the duration of illness more than 5 years), and 21 control subjects. The first-episode and chronic patients had significantly elevated error percent (p < .05, effect size 1.10 and p < .001, effect size 1.25), increased AS latencies (p < .01, effect size 1.18 and p < .001, effect size 1.69), and increased latencies variability (p < .01, effect size 1.52 and p < .001, effect size 1.37) compared to controls. Chronic patients had marginally significant increase of the response latency (p = .086, effect size .78) and latency variability (p < .099, effect size .63) compared to first-episode ones. Results of CNV analysis revealed that chronic patients only exhibited robustly declined frontal CNV amplitude at Fz (p < .05, effect size .70), F3 (p < .05, effect size .88), and F4 (p < .05, effect size .71) sites compared to controls. The obtained results might be related to specific changes in prefrontal cortex function over the course of schizophrenia.
Detecting Feigned Cognitive Impairment With Schretlen’s	Malingering Scale Vocabulary and Abstraction Test
Authors: van Impelen Alfons , Jelicic Marko , Otgaar Henry , Merckelbach Harald
Published: October 2017

Abstract. Schretlen’s Malingering Scale Vocabulary and Abstraction test (MSVA) differs from the majority of performance validity tests in that it focuses on the detection of feigned impairments in semantic knowledge and perceptual reasoning rather than feigned memory problems. We administered the MSVA to children ( n = 41), forensic inpatients with intellectual disability ( n = 25), forensic inpatients with psychiatric symptoms ( n = 57), and three groups of undergraduate students ( n = 30, n = 79, and n = 90, respectively), asking approximately half of each of these samples to feign impairment and the other half to respond genuinely. With cutpoints chosen so as to keep false-positive rates below 10%, detection rates of experimentally feigned cognitive impairment were high in children (90%) and inpatients with intellectual disability (100%), but low in adults without intellectual disability (46%). The rates of significantly below-chance performance were low (4%), except in children (47%) and intellectually disabled inpatients (50%). The reliability of the MSVA was excellent (Cronbach’s α = .93–.97) and the MSVA proved robust against coaching (i.e., informed attempts to evade detection while feigning). We conclude that the MSVA is not ready yet for clinical use, but that it shows sufficient promise to warrant further validation efforts.
Neelin Receives 2017 Bert Bolin Global Environmental Change Award
Authors:   AGU
Published: October 2017

J. David Neelin has been selected as the 2017 Bert Bolin awardee and lecturer of the American Geophysical Union's Global Environmental Change focus group. He will receive the award and present this lecture at the 2017 AGU Fall Meeting, to be held 11–15 December in New Orleans, La. The award recognizes an Earth scientist for “groundbreaking research or/and leadership in global environmental change through cross-disciplinary, interdisciplinary, and transdisciplinary research in the past 10 years.”
Modeling Beijing’s Water Crisis
Authors: Thompson Elizabeth
Published: October 2017

Beijing’s growing population is rapidly draining its water supplies. A new study examines how land use change affects groundwater storage beneath the megacity.
Booker Receives 2017 William Gilbert Award
Authors:   AGU
Published: October 2017

John R. Booker will receive the 2017 William Gilbert Award at the 2017 American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, to be held 11–15 December in New Orleans, La. The award recognizes “outstanding and unselfish work in magnetism of Earth materials and of the Earth and planets.”
Cognitive Paleoanthropology and Technology: Toward a Parsimonious Theory (PATH)
Authors: Osiurak François
Published: October 2017

Tool use in humans and hominins (i.e., extant relatives to humans) is unique in several respects. To date, no attempt has been made to review the main patterns of tool behavior specific to these species as well as to integrate them into a coherent framework. The aim here is to fill this gap by (a) identifying these behavioral specificities and (b) trying to explain the greatest number of these specificities with the lowest number of cognitive mechanisms. Based on this approach, this article provides a potential solution, namely, the PArsimonious THeory of hominin technology (PATH), aiming to account for the cognitive origins of 4 behavioral characteristics: transfer, complex tool use, secondary tool use, and tool saving. A key hypothesis is that the emergence of 2 breaking mechanisms—technical reasoning and semantic reasoning—could have boosted hominin technology. PATH offers an original framework for understanding the most archaic, human cognitive traits, thereby providing a good starting point for future investigation about the cognitive evolution of technology in the genus Homo.
Caspase-2 deficiency enhances whole-body carbohydrate utilisation and prevents high-fat diet-induced obesity
Authors: Wilson Claire H , Nikolic Andrej , Kentish Stephen J , Keller Marianne , Hatzinikolas George , Dorstyn Loretta , Page Amanda J , Kumar Sharad
Published: October 2017

Caspase-2 has been shown to be involved in metabolic homeostasis. Here, we show that caspase-2 deficiency alters basal energy metabolism by shifting the balance in fuel choice from fatty acid to carbohydrate usage. At 4 weeks of age, whole-body carbohydrate utilisation was increased in Casp2−/− mice and was maintained into adulthood. By 17 weeks of age, Casp2−/− mice had reduced white adipose mass, smaller white adipocytes decreased fasting blood glucose and plasma triglycerides but maintained normal insulin levels. When placed on a 12-week high-fat diet (HFD), Casp2−/− mice resisted the development of obesity, fatty liver, hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance. In addition, HFD-fed Casp2−/− mice had reduced white adipocyte hypertrophy, apoptosis and expansion of both subcutaneous and visceral adipose depots. Increased expression of UCP1 and the maintenance of adiponectin levels in white adipose tissue of HFD-fed Casp2−/− mice indicated increased browning and adipocyte hyperplasia. We found that while the preference for whole-body carbohydrate utilisation was maintained, HFD-fed Casp2−/− mice were not impaired in their ability to switch to utilising fats as a fuel source. Our findings suggest that caspase-2 impacts basal energy metabolism by regulating adipocyte biology and fat expansion, most likely via a non-apoptotic function. Furthermore, we show that caspase-2 deficiency shifts the balance in fuel choice towards increased carbohydrate utilisation and propose that this is due to mild energy stress. As a consequence, Casp2−/− mice show an adaptive remodelling of adipose tissue that protects from HFD-induced obesity and improves glucose homeostasis while paradoxically increasing their susceptibility to oxidative stress induced damage and premature ageing.
Specific detection of soluble EphA2 fragments in blood as a new biomarker for pancreatic cancer
Authors: Koshikawa Naohiko , Minegishi Tomoko , Kiyokawa Hirofumi , Seiki Motoharu
Published: October 2017

Because membrane type 1-matrix metalloproteinase 1 (MT1-MMP) and erythropoietin-producing hepatocellular receptor 2 (EphA2) expression are upregulated by the Ras/mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway, they are frequently coexpressed in malignant tumors. MT1-MMP cleaves the N-terminal ligand-binding domain of EphA2 and inactivates its ligand-dependent tumor-suppressing activity. Therefore, specific detection of the cleaved N-terminal EphA2 fragment in blood might be an effective biomarker to diagnose malignant tumors. To evaluate this possibility, we developed three monoclonal antibodies against the soluble EphA2 fragment. One of them recognized this fragment specifically, with negligible cross-reactivity to the intact form. We used the cleaved form-specific antibody to develop a quantitative enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and confirmed the linear reactivity to the recombinant fragment. We applied this assay on commercially available serum specimens obtained from patients with several types of cancer including gastric, pancreatic, esophageal, gastroesophageal, and head-and-neck cancers, and healthy donors. Soluble EphA2 fragment levels in cancer-patient sera were higher than those in healthy donors (n=50). In particular, levels of eight out of nine (89%) pancreatic cancer patients and ten out of seventeen (59%) gastric cancer patients significantly exceeded cutoff values obtained from the healthy donors, whereas those of esophageal and head-and-neck cancer-patient sera were low. The preliminary receiver operating characteristic curve analysis for pancreatic cancer demonstrated that the sensitivity and specificity were 89.0% and 90.0%, respectively, whereas those of the conventional digestive tumor marker CA19-9 were 88.9% and 72.0%, respectively. These results indicated that specific detection of soluble EphA2 fragment levels in serum could be potentially useful as a biomarker to diagnose pancreatic cancer.
Transglutaminase 2 mediates UV-induced skin inflammation by enhancing inflammatory cytokine production
Authors: Lee Seok-Jin , Lee Ki Baek , Son Young Hoon , Shin Jiwoong , Lee Jin-Haeng , Kim Hyo-Jun , Hong Ah-Young , Bae Hee Won , Kwon Mee-ae , Lee Won Jong , Kim Jin-Hee , Lee Dong Hun , Jeong Eui Man , Kim In-Gyu
Published: October 2017

UV irradiation elicits acute inflammation in the skin by increasing proinflammatory cytokine production in keratinocytes. However, the downstream protein target(s) that link UV radiation to the activation of signaling pathways responsible for cytokine expression have not been fully elucidated. In this study, we report a novel role of transglutaminase 2 (TG2), a member of the TG enzyme family whose activities are critical for cornified envelope formation, in mediating UV-induced inflammation. Our results showed that TG2-deficient mice exhibited reduced inflammatory responses to UV irradiation, including reduced erythema, edema, dilation of blood vessels, inflammatory cell infiltration, and levels of inflammatory cytokines. Using primary mouse keratinocytes and HaCaT cells, we found that UV irradiation-induced cytokine production by activating TG2, but not by upregulating TG2 expression, and that ER calcium release triggered by the UV-induced activation of phospholipase C was required for TG2 activation. Moreover, TG2 activity enhanced p65 phosphorylation, leading to an increase in NF-κB transcriptional activity. These results indicate that TG2 is a critical mediator of cytokine expression in the UV-induced inflammatory response of keratinocytes, and suggest that TG2 inhibition might be useful for preventing UV-related skin disorders, such as photoaging and skin cancer caused by chronic UV exposure.
BCL6 attenuates renal inflammation via negative regulation of NLRP3 transcription
Authors: Chen Dan , Xiong Xiao-Qing , Zang Ying-Hao , Tong Ying , Zhou Bing , Chen Qi , Li Yue-Hua , Gao Xing-Ya , Kang Yu-Ming , Zhu Guo-Qing
Published: October 2017

Renal inflammation contributes to the pathogeneses of hypertension. This study was designed to determine whether B-cell lymphoma 6 (BCL6) attenuates renal NLRP3 inflammasome activation and inflammation and its underlying mechanism. Male spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY) were used in the present study. Angiotensin (Ang) II or lipopolysaccharides (LPS) was used to induce inflammation in HK-2 cells, a human renal tubular epithelial (RTE) cell line. NLRP3 inflammasome was activated and BCL6 was downregulated in the kidneys of SHR. Either Ang II or LPS suppressed BCL6 expression in HK-2 cells. BCL6 overexpression in HK-2 cells attenuated Ang II-induced NLRP3 upregulation, inflammation and cell injury. The inhibitory effects of BCL6 overexpression on NLRP3 expression and inflammation were also observed in LPS-treated HK-2 cells. BCL6 inhibited the NLRP3 transcription via binding to the NLRP3 promoter. BCL6 knockdown with shRNA increased NLRP3 and mature IL-1β expression levels in both PBS- or Ang II-treated HK-2 cells but had no significant effects on ASC, pro-caspase-1 and pro-IL-1β expression levels. BCL6 overexpression caused by recombinant lentivirus expressing BCL6 reduced blood pressure in SHR. BCL6 overexpression prevented the upregulation of NLRP3 and mature IL-1β expression levels in the renal cortex of SHR. The results indicate that BCL6 attenuates Ang II- or LPS-induced inflammation in HK-2 cells via negative regulation of NLRP3 transcription. BCL6 overexpression in SHR reduced blood pressure, NLRP3 expression and inflammation in the renal cortex of SHR.
Endosomal phosphatidylserine is critical for the YAP signalling pathway in proliferating cells
Authors: Matsudaira Tatsuyuki , Mukai Kojiro , Noguchi Taishin , Hasegawa Junya , Hatta Tomohisa , Iemura Shun-ichiro , Natsume Tohru , Miyamura Norio , Nishina Hiroshi , Nakayama Jun , Semba Kentaro , Tomita Takuya , Murata Shigeo , Arai Hiroyuki , Taguchi Tomohiko
Published: October 2017

Yes-associated protein (YAP) is a recently discovered growth-promoting transcription coactivator that has been shown to regulate the malignancy of various cancers. How YAP is regulated is not fully understood. Here, we show that one of the factors regulating YAP is phosphatidylserine (PS) in recycling endosomes (REs). We use proximity biotinylation to find proteins proximal to PS. Among these proteins are YAP and multiple proteins related to YAP signalling. Knockdown of ATP8A1 (an RE PS-flippase) or evectin-2 (an RE-resident protein) and masking of PS in the cytoplasmic leaflet of membranes, all suppress nuclear localization of YAP and YAP-dependent transcription. ATP8A1 knockdown increases the phosphorylated (activated) form of Lats1 that phosphorylates and inactivates YAP, whereas evectin-2 knockdown reduces the ubiquitination and increased the level of Lats1. The proliferation of YAP-dependent metastatic cancer cells is suppressed by knockdown of ATP8A1 or evectin-2. These results suggest a link between a membrane phospholipid and cell proliferation.
DNA Ligase C and Prim-PolC participate in base excision repair in mycobacteria
Authors: Płociński Przemysław , Brissett Nigel C. , Bianchi Julie , Brzostek Anna , Korycka-Machała Małgorzata , Dziembowski Andrzej , Dziadek Jarosław , Doherty Aidan J.
Published: October 2017

Prokaryotic Ligase D is a conserved DNA repair apparatus processing DNA double-strand breaks in stationary phase. An orthologous Ligase C (LigC) complex also co-exists in many bacterial species but its function is unknown. Here we show that the LigC complex interacts with core BER enzymes in vivo and demonstrate that together these factors constitute an excision repair apparatus capable of repairing damaged bases and abasic sites. The polymerase component, which contains a conserved C-terminal structural loop, preferentially binds to and fills-in short gapped DNA intermediates with RNA and LigC ligates the resulting nicks to complete repair. Components of the LigC complex, like LigD, are expressed upon entry into stationary phase and cells lacking either of these pathways exhibit increased sensitivity to oxidising genotoxins. Together, these findings establish that the LigC complex is directly involved in an excision repair pathway(s) that repairs DNA damage with ribonucleotides during stationary phase.
Realizing and manipulating space-time inversion symmetric topological semimetal bands with superconducting quantum circuits
Authors: Tan Xinsheng , Zhao Yuxin , Liu Qiang , Xue Guangming , Yu Haifeng , Wang Z. D. , Yu Yang
Published: October 2017

Symmetries of space-inversion (P), time-reversal (T), as well as the joint space–time inversion (PT) are fundamental and significantly important in physics. Here we have experimentally realized the joint PT invariant $${\Bbb Z}_2$$

Z

2

-type topological semimetal-bands, via an analogy between the momentum space and a controllable parameter space in superconducting quantum circuits. By measuring the whole energy spectrum of the system, we clearly imaged an exotic tunable gapless band structure typical of topological semimetals. Two topological quantum phase transitions, from a topological semimetal to two kinds of insulators, can be manipulated by continuously tuning the different parameters in the experimental setup, one of which captures the $${\Bbb Z}_2$$

Z

2

topology of the PT semimetal via merging a pair of nontrivial $${\Bbb Z}_2$$

Z

2

Dirac points. Remarkably, the topological robustness was demonstrated unambiguously, by adding a perturbation that breaks only the individual T and P symmetries but keeps the joint PT symmetry. In contrast, when another kind of PT-violating perturbation is introduced, a topologically trivial insulator gap is fully opened.
SCARA5 plays a critical role in the commitment of mesenchymal stem cells to adipogenesis
Authors: Lee Hyemin , Lee Yoo Jeong , Choi Hyeonjin , Seok Jo Woon , Yoon Bo Kyung , Kim Daeun , Han Ji Yoon , Lee Yoseob , Kim Hyo Jung , Kim Jae-woo
Published: October 2017

Mesenchymal stem cells have the capacity to give rise to multiple cell types, such as adipocytes, osteoblasts, chondrocytes, and myocytes. However, the molecular events responsible for the lineage specification and differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells remain unclear. Using gene expression profile studies, we determined that Scavenger receptor class A, member 5 (SCARA5) is a novel mediator of adipocyte commitment. SCARA5 was expressed at a higher level in committed A33 preadipocyte cells compared to C3H10T1/2 pluripotent stem cells. Gain- and loss-of-function studies likewise revealed that SCARA5 acts as a mediator of adipocyte commitment and differentiation in both A33 and C3H10T1/2 cells. RNAi-mediated knockdown of SCARA5 in A33 cells markedly inhibited the adipogenic potential, whereas overexpression of SCARA5 enhanced adipocyte differentiation in C3H10T1/2 cells. We also demonstrated that the focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and ERK signaling pathways is associated with the SCARA5-mediated response, thereby modulating adipocyte lineage commitment and adipocyte differentiation. Additionally, glucocorticoids induced the expression of SCARA5 in differentiating adipocytes through glucocorticoids response elements (GRE) in the SCARA5 promoter. Taken together, our study demonstrates that SCARA5 is a positive regulator in adipocyte lineage commitment and early adipogenesis in mesenchymal stem cells.
Rotational dynamics and dynamical transition of water inside hydrophobic pores of carbon nanotubes
Authors: Kyakuno Haruka , Matsuda Kazuyuki , Nakai Yusuke , Ichimura Ryota , Saito Takeshi , Miyata Yasumitsu , Hata Kenji , Maniwa Yutaka
Published: October 2017

Water in a nanoconfined geometry has attracted great interest from the viewpoint of not only basic science but also nanofluidic applications. Here, the rotational dynamics of water inside single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) with mean diameters larger than ca. 1.4 nm were investigated systematically using 2H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy with high-purity SWCNTs and molecular dynamics calculations. The results were compared with those for hydrophilic pores. It was found that faster water dynamics could be achieved by increasing the hydrophobicity of the pore walls and decreasing the pore diameters. These results suggest a strategy that paves the way for emerging high-performance filtration/separation devices. Upon cooling below 220 K, it was found that water undergoes a transition from fast to slow dynamics states. These results strongly suggest that the observed transition is linked to a liquid-liquid crossover or transition proposed in a two-liquid states scenario for bulk water.
Tracking the impact of depression in a perspective-taking task
Authors: Ferguson Heather J. , Cane James
Published: October 2017

Research has identified impairments in Theory of Mind (ToM) abilities in depressed patients, particularly in relation to tasks involving empathetic responses and belief reasoning. We aimed to build on this research by exploring the relationship between depressed mood and cognitive ToM, specifically visual perspective-taking ability. High and low depressed participants were eye-tracked as they completed a perspective-taking task, in which they followed the instructions of a ‘director’ to move target objects (e.g. a “teapot with spots on”) around a grid, in the presence of a temporarily-ambiguous competitor object (e.g. a “teapot with stars on”). Importantly, some of the objects in the grid were occluded from the director’s (but not the participant’s) view. Results revealed no group-based difference in participants’ ability to use perspective cues to identify the target object. All participants were faster to select the target object when the competitor was only available to the participant, compared to when the competitor was mutually available to the participant and director. Eye-tracking measures supported this pattern, revealing that perspective directed participants’ visual search immediately upon hearing the ambiguous object’s name (e.g. “teapot”). We discuss how these results fit with previous studies that have shown a negative relationship between depression and ToM.
Blood levels of D-amino acid oxidase vs. D-amino acids in reflecting cognitive aging
Authors: Lin Chieh-Hsin , Yang Hui-Ting , Chiu Chih-Chiang , Lane Hsien-Yuan
Published: October 2017

Feasible peripheral biomarker for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is lacking. Dysregulation of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor is implicated in the pathogenesis of AD. D-amino acid oxidase (DAO) and amino acids can regulate the NMDA receptor function. This study aimed to examine whether peripheral DAO and amino acids levels are characteristic of age-related cognitive decline. We enrolled 397 individuals (including amnestic mild cognitive impairment (MCI), mild AD, moderate to severe AD, and healthy elderly). DAO levels in the serum were measured using ELISA. Amino acids levels in serum were measured by high performance liquid chromatography. Severity of the cognitive deficits in subjects was assessed using Clinical Dementia Rating Scale (CDR). The DAO levels increased with the severity of the cognitive deficits. DAO levels were significantly associated with D-glutamate and D-serine levels. The Receiver Operating Characteristics analysis of DAO levels for AD patients vs. healthy controls determined the optimal cutoff value, 30.10, with high sensitivity (0.842) and specificity (0.889) (area under curve = 0.928). This is the first study indicating that the peripheral DAO levels may increase with age-related cognitive decline. The finding supports the hypofunction of NMDA receptor hypothesis in AD. Whether DAO could serve as a potential surrogate biomarker needs further studies.
Bile acid TUDCA improves insulin clearance by increasing the expression of insulin-degrading enzyme in the liver of obese mice
Authors: Vettorazzi Jean Franciesco , Kurauti Mirian Ayumi , Soares Gabriela Moreira , Borck Patricia Cristine , Ferreira Sandra Mara , Branco Renato Chaves Souto , Michelone Luciana de Souza Lima , Boschero Antonio Carlos , Junior Jose Maria Costa , Carneiro Everardo Magalhães
Published: October 2017

Disruption of insulin secretion and clearance both contribute to obesity-induced hyperinsulinemia, though reduced insulin clearance seems to be the main factor. The liver is the major site for insulin degradation, a process mainly coordinated by the insulin-degrading enzyme (IDE). The beneficial effects of taurine conjugated bile acid (TUDCA) on insulin secretion as well as insulin sensitivity have been recently described. However, the possible role of TUDCA in insulin clearance had not yet been explored. Here, we demonstrated that 15 days treatment with TUDCA reestablished plasma insulin to physiological concentrations in high fat diet (HFD) mice, a phenomenon associated with increased insulin clearance and liver IDE expression. TUDCA also increased IDE expression in human hepatic cell line HepG2. This effect was not observed in the presence of an inhibitor of the hepatic membrane bile acid receptor, S1PR2, nor when its downstream proteins were inhibited, including IR, PI3K and Akt. These results indicate that treatment with TUDCA may be helpful to counteract obesity-induced hyperinsulinemia through increasing insulin clearance, likely through enhanced liver IDE expression in a mechanism dependent on S1PR2-Insulin pathway activation.