bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Stability analysis and Hopf bifurcation at high Lewis number in a combustion model with free interface
Authors: Brauner Claude-Michel , Lorenzi Luca , Zhang Mingmin
Published: January 2020

In this paper we analyze the stability of the traveling wave solution for an ignition-temperature first-order reaction model of diffusional-thermal combustion in the case of high Lewis numbers (

\mathrm{Le} > 1

). In contrast to conventional Arrhenius kinetics where the reaction zone is infinitely thin, the reaction zone for stepwise temperature kinetics is of order unity. The system of two parabolic PDEs is characterized by a free interface at which ignition temperature

\mathrm{\Theta }_{i}

is reached. We turn the model to a fully nonlinear problem in a fixed domain. When the Lewis number is large, we define a bifurcation parameter

m = \mathrm{\Theta }_{i}/ (1−\mathrm{\Theta }_{i})

and a perturbation parameter

\varepsilon = 1/ \mathrm{Le}

. The main result is the existence of a critical value

m^{c}(\varepsilon )

close to

m^{c} = 6

at which Hopf bifurcation holds for

ε

small enough. Proofs combine spectral analysis and non-standard application of Hurwitz's Theorem with asymptotics as

\varepsilon \rightarrow 0

.
Associations Between Social Support and Subjective Symptoms in Disaster-Stricken Ishinomaki, Japan
Authors: Midorikawa-Inomata Akie , Inoue Mariko , Ishiguro Aya , Matsumoto Shoko , Yamaoka Kazue , Yano Eiji
Published: January 2020

Objectives:

Natural disasters affect long-term health by directly disrupting or destroying health-care systems and social support. We examined the associations between social support and subjective symptoms (SS) among disaster victims living in their homes approximately 1–2 years after the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami on March 11, 2011, which devastated the northeastern Japan seaboard and far inland, focusing on Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture.

Methods:

The Health and Life Revival Council of Ishinomaki District conducted door-to-door household surveys between April 2012 and January 2013. Replies to 12 questions regarding social support, specifically emotional, informational, and instrumental, were investigated. SS prevalence was calculated as the proportion of those having any of 8 predetermined symptoms including back pain, neck stiffness, sleep difficulty, dizziness, heart palpitations, poor appetite, or stomachache. Logistic regression analysis by sex was used to obtain crude and adjusted odds ratios for the association between SS prevalence and forms of social support.

Results:

From 4023 households, self-reported data on 2593 individuals from 1709 households were obtained. SS prevalence was 29.1%. Adjusted logistic regression analysis revealed that instrumental support with others and emotional support with personal and others were specific associated with SS in men and women, respectively.

Conclusions:

Our findings suggest that providing social support depending on needs is potentially effective in preventing SS in disaster areas.
Operational Communications: Adapting a Hospital Daily Check-In (DCI) for Expanded Use During Emergency Events
Authors: Bailey Kimberly , Williford Kyle , Cawley Patrick , Wain Matthew J. , Lehman-Huskamp Kathy
Published: January 2020

Low-frequency, high-acuity emergency events can and do occur within health care settings. Having a strong sense of daily situational and operational awareness is the first step in responding to any emergency event. To maintain high reliability, hospital leaders and staff must understand the full impact to the organization as the emergency event evolves. The Medical University of South Carolina health system has implemented the common practice of a daily operations safety briefing, called the Daily Check-In, to communicate any issues that could impact the operational ability of the hospitals within the enterprise, or any other associated resources during a disaster or emergency. Throughout various emergency events, including extreme weather, the Daily Check-In has evolved as a standard process for use during emergencies that is open to all staff and uses highly reliable systems.
Scientific broadcasting as a social responsibility? John Maynard Smith on radio and television in the 1960s and 1970s
Authors: PIEL HELEN
Published: January 2020

John Maynard Smith (1920–2004) was one of Britain's most eminent evolutionary biologists. For over forty years, from 1954 onwards, he also regularly appeared on radio and television. He primarily acted as a scientific expert on biology, but in the late 1960s and the 1970s he often spoke on the implications of science (biology and more generally) for society. Through four case studies, this paper analyses Maynard Smith's scientific broadcasting against developments within the BBC as well as the relation between science and society in Britain. It finds that while Maynard Smith acknowledged and accepted increasing mediation through the BBC and its producers, he stayed publicly and privately critical of both format and content decisions in his reflections on the science–media relationship. At the same time, we find that over a decade before the 1985 report by the Royal Society on the public understanding of science, Maynard Smith came to think of engagement with the public via the media as scientists’ responsibility.
Community versus Commodity in Francophone Canada: A Multilevel Approach to the Neoliberalization of Immigration
Authors: Edwards Catrin Wyn
Published: January 2020

Since the 1990s, Canada's francophone minority communities (FMCs) have become increasingly involved in francophone immigration governance, and this trend has coincided with the wider neoliberalization of immigration in Canada. This article analyzes the implications of the growing influence of a neoliberal immigration policy and the narrative of an ideal immigrant on Canada's FMCs by focussing on the francophone Acadian community in New Brunswick, Canada's only constitutionally bilingual province. Making use of three types of sources—semistructured interviews, debates in the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick, and official and archival documents—the article argues that francophone and Acadian organizations have adopted the federal, neoliberal perspective on immigration, placing greater emphasis on economic integration and the creation of a bilingual workforce. Changes in the type of immigrant selected and role of the community in the lives of francophone immigrants create new challenges for minority language communities that define and identify themselves through language use and belonging.
Characterization and metamorphic evolution of Mesoproterozoic granulites from Sonapahar (Meghalaya), NE India, using EPMA monazite dating
Authors: Dwivedi Shyam Bihari , Theunuo Kevilhoutuo , Kumar Ravi Ranjan
Published: January 2020

This paper presents three different age domains, obtained by electron microprobe monazite dating, for granulitic gneisses collected from the Shillong-Meghalaya Gneissic Complex in Sonapahar, NE India, which contain radioactive materials, e.g. thorium (3.32–7.20 wt %), uranium (0.133–1.172 wt %) and lead (0.101–0.513 wt %). The microprobe analyses of monazite grains in the rock samples show that the monazites have three different ages ranging from Mesoproterozoic to Neoproterozoic. The oldest age (1571 ± 22 Ma) represents a peak metamorphic event, the youngest dominant age indicates the Pan-African tectonic event (478 ± 7 Ma) and the intermediate age marks the Grenvillian orogeny (1034 ± 91 Ma) or may be a mixing artefact; these ages are located at the cores, rims and intermediate parts of the monazite grains, respectively. The equilibrium mineral phases calculated for the granulitic gneisses from Sonapahar lie in a P–T range from 5.9 kbar/754 °C to 8.3 kbar/829 °C in the NCKFMASH system. Plotting the P–T conditions of the granulitic gneisses reveals a clockwise P–T path. Two major metamorphic events are observed in Sonapahar. The M1 metamorphic stage is represented by peak mineral assemblages of prograde garnet-forming reactions (8.2 kbar/∼713 °C) during Mesoproterozoic time (1571 ± 22 Ma). The M2 metamorphic stage featured decompression (3.9 kbar/∼701 °C) in which garnet–sillimanite broke down to form cordierite along an isothermal decompression path during the Pan-African tectonic event (478 ± 7 Ma).
A naturalistic, long-term follow-up of purging disorder
Authors: Forney K. Jean , Crosby Ross D. , Brown Tiffany A. , Klein Kelly M. , Keel Pamela K.
Published: January 2020

Background

The DSM-5 introduced purging disorder (PD) as an other specified feeding or eating disorder characterized by recurrent purging in the absence of binge eating. The current study sought to describe the long-term outcome of PD and to examine predictors of outcome.

Methods

Women (N = 84) who met research criteria for PD completed a comprehensive battery of baseline interview and questionnaire assessments. At an average of 10.24 (3.81) years follow-up, available records indicated all women were living, and over 95% were successfully located (n = 80) while over two-thirds (n = 58) completed follow-up assessments. Eating disorder status, full recovery status, and level of eating pathology were examined as outcomes. Severity and comorbidity indicators were tested as predictors of outcome.

Results

Although women experienced a clinically significant reduction in global eating pathology, 58% continued to meet criteria for a DSM-5 eating disorder at follow-up. Only 30% met established criteria for a full recovery. Women reported significant decreases in purging frequency, weight and shape concerns, and cognitive restraint, but did not report significant decreases in depressive and anxiety symptoms. Quality of life was impaired in the physical, psychological, and social domains. More severe weight and shape concerns at baseline predicted meeting criteria for an eating disorder at follow-up. Other baseline severity indicators and comorbidity did not predict the outcome.

Conclusions

Results highlight the severity and chronicity of PD as a clinically significant eating disorder. Future work should examine maintenance factors to better adapt treatments for PD.
Dehydration Melting Below the Undersaturated Transition Zone
Authors: Panero W. R. , Thomas C. , Myhill R. , Pigott J. S. , Raepsaet C. , Bureau H.
Published: January 2020

A reflector 70–130 km below the base of the transition zone beneath Tibet is observed in receiver functions and underside seismic reflections, at depths consistent with the transition of garnet to bridgmanite. Contrast in water storage capacity between the minerals of the Earth's transition zone and lower mantle suggests the possibility for dehydration melting at the top of the lower mantle. First‐principles calculations combined with laboratory synthesis experiments constrain the mantle water capacity across the base of the transition zone and into the top of the lower mantle. We interpret the observed seismic signal as consistent with 3–4 vol % hydrous melt resulting from dehydration melting in the garnet to bridgmanite transition. Should seismic signals evident in downwelling region result from water contents representative of upper mantle water globally, this constrains the water stored in nominally anhydrous minerals in the mantle to <30% the mass of the surface oceans.
An efficient analytical reduction of detailed nonlinear neuron models
Authors: Amsalem Oren , Eyal Guy , Rogozinski Noa , Gevaert Michael , Kumbhar Pramod , Schürmann Felix , Segev Idan
Published: January 2020

Detailed conductance-based nonlinear neuron models consisting of thousands of synapses are key for understanding of the computational properties of single neurons and large neuronal networks, and for interpreting experimental results. Simulations of these models are computationally expensive, considerably curtailing their utility. Neuron_Reduce is a new analytical approach to reduce the morphological complexity and computational time of nonlinear neuron models. Synapses and active membrane channels are mapped to the reduced model preserving their transfer impedance to the soma; synapses with identical transfer impedance are merged into one NEURON process still retaining their individual activation times. Neuron_Reduce accelerates the simulations by 40–250 folds for a variety of cell types and realistic number (10,000–100,000) of synapses while closely replicating voltage dynamics and specific dendritic computations. The reduced neuron-models will enable realistic simulations of neural networks at unprecedented scale, including networks emerging from micro-connectomics efforts and biologically-inspired “deep networks”. Neuron_Reduce is publicly available and is straightforward to implement.
Targeting the tumor vasculature with engineered cystine-knot miniproteins
Authors: Lui Bonny Gaby , Salomon Nadja , Wüstehube-Lausch Joycelyn , Daneschdar Matin , Schmoldt Hans-Ulrich , Türeci Özlem , Sahin Ugur
Published: January 2020

The extra domain B splice variant (EDB) of human fibronectin selectively expressed in the tumor vasculature is an attractive target for cancer imaging and therapy. Here, we describe the generation and characterization of EDB-specific optical imaging probes. By screening combinatorial cystine-knot miniprotein libraries with phage display technology we discover exquisitely EDB-specific ligands that share a distinctive motif. Probes with a binding constant in the picomolar range are generated by chemical oligomerization of selected ligands and fluorophore conjugation. We show by fluorescence imaging that the probes stain EDB in tissue sections derived from human U-87 MG glioblastoma xenografts in mice. Moreover, we demonstrate selective accumulation and retention of intravenously administered probes in the tumor tissue of mice with U-87 MG glioblastoma xenografts by in vivo and ex vivo fluorescence imaging. These data warrants further pursuit of the selected cystine-knot miniproteins for in vivo imaging applications.
Evolutionary selection of biofilm-mediated extended phenotypes in Yersinia pestis in response to a fluctuating environment
Authors: Cui Yujun , Schmid Boris V. , Cao Hanli , Dai Xiang , Du Zongmin , Ryan Easterday W. , Fang Haihong , Guo Chenyi , Huang Shanqian , Liu Wanbing , Qi Zhizhen , Song Yajun , Tian Huaiyu , Wang Min , Wu Yarong , Xu Bing , Yang Chao , Yang Jing , Yang Xianwei , Zhang Qingwen , Jakobsen Kjetill S. , Zhang Yujiang , Stenseth Nils Chr. , Yang Ruifu
Published: January 2020

Yersinia pestis is transmitted from fleas to rodents when the bacterium develops an extensive biofilm in the foregut of a flea, starving it into a feeding frenzy, or, alternatively, during a brief period directly after feeding on a bacteremic host. These two transmission modes are in a trade-off regulated by the amount of biofilm produced by the bacterium. Here by investigating 446 global isolated Y. pestis genomes, including 78 newly sequenced isolates sampled over 40 years from a plague focus in China, we provide evidence for strong selection pressures on the RNA polymerase ω-subunit encoding gene rpoZ. We demonstrate that rpoZ variants have an increased rate of biofilm production in vitro, and that they evolve in the ecosystem during colder and drier periods. Our results support the notion that the bacterium is constantly adapting—through extended phenotype changes in the fleas—in response to climate-driven changes in the niche.
Elastic straining of free-standing monolayer graphene
Authors: Cao Ke , Feng Shizhe , Han Ying , Gao Libo , Hue Ly Thuc , Xu Zhiping , Lu Yang
Published: January 2020

The sp2 nature of graphene endows the hexagonal lattice with very high theoretical stiffness, strength and resilience, all well-documented. However, the ultimate stretchability of graphene has not yet been demonstrated due to the difficulties in experimental design. Here, directly performing in situ tensile tests in a scanning electron microscope after developing a protocol for sample transfer, shaping and straining, we report the elastic properties and stretchability of free-standing single-crystalline monolayer graphene grown by chemical vapor deposition. The measured Young’s modulus is close to 1 TPa, aligning well with the theoretical value, while the representative engineering tensile strength reaches ~50-60 GPa with sample-wide elastic strain up to ~6%. Our findings demonstrate that single-crystalline monolayer graphene can indeed display near ideal mechanical performance, even in a large area with edge defects, as well as resilience and mechanical robustness that allows for flexible electronics and mechatronics applications.
A predator-prey interaction between a marine Pseudoalteromonas sp. and Gram-positive bacteria
Authors: Tang Bai-Lu , Yang Jie , Chen Xiu-Lan , Wang Peng , Zhao Hui-Lin , Su Hai-Nan , Li Chun-Yang , Yu Yang , Zhong Shuai , Wang Lei , Lidbury Ian , Ding Haitao , Wang Min , McMinn Andrew , Zhang Xi-Ying , Chen Yin , Zhang Yu-Zhong
Published: January 2020

Predator-prey interactions play important roles in the cycling of marine organic matter. Here we show that a Gram-negative bacterium isolated from marine sediments (Pseudoalteromonas sp. strain CF6-2) can kill Gram-positive bacteria of diverse peptidoglycan (PG) chemotypes by secreting the metalloprotease pseudoalterin. Secretion of the enzyme requires a Type II secretion system. Pseudoalterin binds to the glycan strands of Gram positive bacterial PG and degrades the PG peptide chains, leading to cell death. The released nutrients, including PG-derived D-amino acids, can then be utilized by strain CF6-2 for growth. Pseudoalterin synthesis is induced by PG degradation products such as glycine and glycine-rich oligopeptides. Genes encoding putative pseudoalterin-like proteins are found in many other marine bacteria. This study reveals a new microbial interaction in the ocean.
Observation of extremely efficient terahertz generation from mid-infrared two-color laser filaments
Authors: Koulouklidis Anastasios D. , Gollner Claudia , Shumakova Valentina , Fedorov Vladimir Yu. , Pugžlys Audrius , Baltuška Andrius , Tzortzakis Stelios
Published: January 2020

Extreme nonlinear interactions of THz electromagnetic fields with matter are the next frontier in nonlinear optics. However, reaching this frontier in free space is limited by the existing lack of appropriate powerful THz sources. Here, we experimentally demonstrate that two-color filamentation of femtosecond mid-infrared laser pulses at 3.9 μm allows one to generate ultrashort sub-cycle THz pulses with sub-milijoule energy and THz conversion efficiency of 2.36%, resulting in THz field amplitudes above 100 MV cm−1. Our numerical simulations predict that the observed THz yield can be significantly upscaled by further optimizing the experimental setup. Finally, in order to demonstrate the strength of our THz source, we show that the generated THz pulses are powerful enough to induce nonlinear cross-phase modulation in electro-optic crystals. Our work paves the way toward free space extreme nonlinear THz optics using affordable table-top laser systems.
Predictive mapping of the global power system using open data
Authors: Arderne C. , Zorn C. , Nicolas C. , Koks E. E.
Published: January 2020

Limited data on global power infrastructure makes it difficult to respond to challenges in electricity access and climate change. Although high-voltage data on transmission networks are often available, medium- and low-voltage data are often non-existent or unavailable. This presents a challenge for practitioners working on the electricity access agenda, power sector resilience or climate change adaptation. Using state-of-the-art algorithms in geospatial data analysis, we create a first composite map of the global power system with an open license. We find that 97% of the global population lives within 10 km of a MV line, but with large variations between regions and income levels. We show an accuracy of 75% across our validation set of 14 countries, and we demonstrate the value of these data at both a national and regional level. The results from this study pave the way for improved efforts in electricity modelling and planning and are an important step in tackling the Sustainable Development Goals.
Birth weight and prematurity with lung function at ~17.5 years: “Children of 1997” birth cohort
Authors: He Baoting , Kwok Man Ki , Au Yeung Shiu Lun , Lin Shi Lin , Leung June Yue Yan , Hui Lai Ling , Li Albert M. , Leung Gabriel M. , Schooling C. Mary
Published: January 2020

We aimed to determine if prematurity and lower birth weight are associated with poorer lung function in a non-western developed setting with less marked confounding by socioeconomic position. Using multivariable linear regression in Hong Kong’s “Children of 1997” birth cohort, adjusted associations of prematurity and birth weight with forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), and forced expiratory flow at 25–75% of the pulmonary volume (FEF25–75%) at ~17.5 years were assessed. Associations for birth weight were stronger in boys for FEV1 (boys: 0.31 L, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.24 to 0.38, girls: 0.18 L, 95% CI 0.12 to 0.25), FVC (boys: 0.36 L, 95% CI 0.27 to 0.44, girls: 0.22 L, 95% CI 0.15 to 0.28) and FEF25–75% (boys: 0.35 L, 95% CI 0.21 to 0.49, girls: 0.22 L, 95% CI 0.09 to 0.34) adjusted for age, socioeconomic position and infant and maternal characteristics. Similarly adjusted, preterm birth (compared to full-term birth) was associated with lower FEV1/FVC and FEF25–75%. Thus, associations of lower birth weight, especially in boys, and prematurity with poorer lung function at 17.5 years were found. Identifying underlying mechanism might contribute to the improvement of pulmonary health and the prevention of adult respiratory illness.
Photoacoustic effect applied on model membranes and living cells: direct observation with multiphoton excitation microscopy and long-term viability analysis
Authors: Galisteo-González Francisco , Monasterio Bingen G. , Gil David , Valle Mikel , Goñi Félix M.
Published: January 2020

The photoacoustic effect is generated when a variable light interacts with a strongly light-absorbing material. In water, it may produce hot bubbles and shock waves that could affect the integrity of nearby cellular membranes, opening transient pores (photoporation). In this study, we have evaluated the effect of pulsed laser-irradiated carbon nanoparticles (cNP) on model membranes and on Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. Fluorescence lifetime measurements of calcein-loaded liposomes support the notion that the photoacoustic effect causes transient openings in membranes, allowing diffusion fluxes driven by gradient concentrations. With CHO cells, we have shown that this effect can induce either intracellular delivery of calcein, or release of cellular compounds. The latter process has been recorded live with multiphoton excitation microscopy during pulsed infrared laser irradiation. Calcein loading and cell viability were assayed by flow cytometry, measuring necrotic cells as well as those in early apoptosis. To further assess long-term cell recovery after the rather harsh treatment, cells were reseeded and their behaviour recorded for 48 h. These extended studies on cell viability show that pulsed laser cNP photoporation may be considered an adequate intracellular delivery technique only if employed with soft irradiation conditions (below 50 mJ/cm2).
Enhancement of thermo-mechanical stability for nanocomposites containing plasma treated carbon nanotubes with an experimental study and molecular dynamics simulations
Authors: Jung Hana , Choi Hoi Kil , Oh Yuna , Hong Hyunkee , Yu Jaesang
Published: January 2020

This study investigated differences in the thermo-mechanical properties of thermosetting polymer EPON 826 nanocomposites reinforced by modified nanofillers. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were modified by environmentally friendly plasma treatments. Composites containing various nitrogen doped CNTs were investigated by morphological and structural analysis, which confirmed that they provided better dispersion and stronger interfacial interaction with the epoxy matrix. In addition, the dynamic mechanical behavior and thermal conductivity were analyzed to understand the energy transfer mechanism in the nanocomposites. The thermal and mechanical properties of the Inductively coupled plasma treated CNTs (ICP-CNT) reinforced nanocomposites containing a high concentration of quaternary and pyridinic types were higher than that of mechanical shear force plasma treated CNTs (MSF-CNT). A molecular dynamics (MD) simulation was performed to support the experimental results and confirmed that controlling the type of nitrogen doping groups was important for improving the thermo-mechanical characteristics of CNT/epoxy nanocomposites.
Classification of Interstitial Lung Abnormality Patterns with an Ensemble of Deep Convolutional Neural Networks
Authors: Bermejo-Peláez David , Ash Samuel Y. , Washko George R. , San José Estépar Raúl , Ledesma-Carbayo María J.
Published: January 2020

Subtle interstitial changes in the lung parenchyma of smokers, known as Interstitial Lung Abnormalities (ILA), have been associated with clinical outcomes, including mortality, even in the absence of Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD). Although several methods have been proposed for the automatic identification of more advanced Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD) patterns, few have tackled ILA, which likely precedes the development ILD in some cases. In this context, we propose a novel methodology for automated identification and classification of ILA patterns in computed tomography (CT) images. The proposed method is an ensemble of deep convolutional neural networks (CNNs) that detect more discriminative features by incorporating two, two-and-a-half and three- dimensional architectures, thereby enabling more accurate classification. This technique is implemented by first training each individual CNN, and then combining its output responses to form the overall ensemble output. To train and test the system we used 37424 radiographic tissue samples corresponding to eight different parenchymal feature classes from 208 CT scans. The resulting ensemble performance including an average sensitivity of 91,41% and average specificity of 98,18% suggests it is potentially a viable method to identify radiographic patterns that precede the development of ILD.
Morphological and radiative characteristics of soot aggregates: Experimental and numerical research
Authors: Sutcu Ezgi , Doner Nimeti , Liu Fengshan , Ercetin Umran , Sen Fatih , Yon Jérôme , Morán Jose , Fuentes Andrés
Published: January 2020

The study is aimed at investigating the radiative properties of soot aggregates at determined morphological features using both experimental and numerical methods. Soot aggregates collected from air monitoring stations in different locations were examined. The locations were divided into three groups. The first group (Case 1) included the coastal and industrial zone; the second group (Case 2) consisted of small and large cities; and the third group (Case 3) included areas in the neighbourhood of thermal power plants. The absorbance measurements of the soot aggregates were conducted in the visible and near-infrared spectra, and in the wavelength range of 2 μm-20 μm. The samples were characterised by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and their radiative properties were assessed using the discrete dipole approximation (DDA) for numerically generated fractal aggregates with two popular refractive indices of m = 1.60 + 0.60i and m = 1.90 + 0.75i. Calculations were conducted for primary particles in point-contact, with 20% overlapping and with a coating (50% and 80%) in the wavelength range of 0.4–1.064 μm. The largest measured absorbance values in both the winter and summer seasons were found in the cities in Case 1, and the x-ray diffraction (XRD) phases of the samples were also presented. The radiative properties of the aggregates, i.e., Df = 1.78 and kf = 2.0 representing Case 3, were close to those of aggregates with Df = 2.1 and kf = 2.35 representing Case 1 in the investigated wavelength range. The calculated radiative properties and the experimental absorbance measurements for point-contact and overlapping situations showed the same trend in the examined wavelengths. The absorbance properties of the samples of coastal and industrial zones were distinctively higher than others in the wavelength range of 2 μm-20 μm which could be attributed to the PAH effects.
Soluble CD93 in allergic asthma
Authors: Park Hye Jung , Oh Eun-Yi , Han Hee-Jae , Park Kyung Hee , Jeong Kyoung-Yong , Park Jung-Won , Lee Jae-Hyun
Published: January 2020

CD93 has been shown critical roles in inflammatory and immune diseases. However, in allergic asthma, the potential roles of soluble CD93 (sCD93) have not been well studied. We conducted house dust mite (HDM) stimulation with Der p 1 in BEAS-2B and U937 cells, followed by treatment with dexamethasone or small interfering RNA against CD93. A HDM-induced murine allergic asthma model was also established. We estimated the power of sCD93 to predict allergic asthma in a retrospective post-hoc analysis containing 96 human samples. HDM-stimulated BEAS-2B cells showed increased mRNA expression levels of IL-6, IL-8, IL-33, TSLP, and CD93. The CD93 level in culture supernatants steadily increased for 24 h after allergen stimulation, which was significantly suppressed by both dexamethasone and CD93 silencing. CD93 silencing increased IL-6 and TSLP, but not IL-33 levels in culture supernatants. HDM-induced asthma mice showed significant airway hyperresponsiveness and inflammation with Th2 cytokine activation, along with decreased CD93 expression in bronchial epithelial cells and lung homogenates but increased serum CD93 levels. The sCD93 level in asthma patients was significantly higher than that in healthy controls and could predict asthma diagnosis with moderate sensitivity (71.4%) and specificity (82.4%) (AUC = 0.787, P < 0.001). The level of sCD93 which has potential role to predict asthma significantly increased after HDM stimulation via IL-6 and TSLP in vitro and in vivo.
Characterization of IgG1 Fc Deamidation at Asparagine 325 and Its Impact on Antibody-dependent Cell-mediated Cytotoxicity and FcγRIIIa Binding
Authors: Lu Xiaojun , Machiesky Lee Ann , De Mel Niluka , Du Qun , Xu Weichen , Washabaugh Michael , Jiang Xu-Rong , Wang Jihong
Published: January 2020

Antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) is an important mechanism of action for many therapeutic antibodies. A therapeutic immunoglobulin (Ig) G1 monoclonal antibody lost more than half of its ADCC activity after heat stress at 40 °C for 4 months. Size-exclusion and ion-exchange chromatography were used to fractionate various size and charge variants from the stressed IgG1. Physicochemical characterization of these fractions revealed that a rarely seen crystallizable fragment (Fc) modification, N325 deamidation, exhibited a positive correlation with the loss of ADCC activity. A further surface plasmon resonance study showed that this modification disrupted the binding between the IgG1 Fc and Fcγ receptor IIIa, resulting in decreased ADCC activity of the IgG1 antibody. Mutants of N325/D and N325/Q were made to confirm the effect of N325 deamidation on ADCC. We hypothesize that N325 deamidation altered the local three-dimensional structure, which might interfere with the binding and interaction with the effector cell. Because of its impact on biological activity, N325 deamidation is a critical quality attribute for products whose mechanism of action includes ADCC. A thorough understanding of the criticality of N325 deamidation and appropriate monitoring can help ensure the safety and efficacy of IgG1 or Fc-fusion products.
Combined microRNA and mRNA detection in mammalian retinas by in situ hybridization chain reaction
Authors: Zhuang Pei , Zhang Huanqing , Welchko Ryan M. , Thompson Robert C. , Xu Shunbin , Turner David L.
Published: January 2020

Improved in situ hybridization methods for mRNA detection in tissues have been developed based on the hybridization chain reaction (HCR). We show that in situ HCR methods can be used for the detection of microRNAs in tissue sections from mouse retinas. In situ HCR can be used for the detection of two microRNAs simultaneously or for the combined detection of microRNA and mRNA. In addition, miRNA in situ HCR can be combined with immunodetection of proteins. We use these methods to characterize cells expressing specific microRNAs in the mouse retina. We find that miR-181a is expressed in amacrine cells during development and in adult retinas, and it is present in both GABAergic and glycinergic amacrine cells. The detection of microRNAs with in situ HCR should facilitate studies of microRNA function and gene regulation in the retina and other tissues.
Stable isotope metabolomics of pulmonary artery smooth muscle and endothelial cells in pulmonary hypertension and with TGF-beta treatment
Authors: Hernandez-Saavedra Daniel , Sanders Linda , Freeman Scott , Reisz Julie A. , Lee Michael H. , Mickael Claudia , Kumar Rahul , Kassa Biruk , Gu Sue , D’ Alessandro Angelo , Stenmark Kurt R. , Tuder Rubin M. , Graham Brian B.
Published: January 2020

Altered metabolism in pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) and endothelial cells (PAECs) contributes to the pathology of pulmonary hypertension (PH), but changes in substrate uptake and how substrates are utilized have not been fully characterized. We hypothesized stable isotope metabolomics would identify increased glucose, glutamine and fatty acid uptake and utilization in human PASMCs and PAECs from PH versus control specimens, and that TGF-β treatment would phenocopy these metabolic changes. We used 13C-labeled glucose, glutamine or a long-chain fatty acid mixture added to cell culture media, and mass spectrometry-based metabolomics to detect and quantify 13C-labeled metabolites. We found PH PASMCs had increased glucose uptake and utilization by glycolysis and the pentose shunt, but no changes in glutamine or fatty acid uptake or utilization. Diseased PAECs had increased proximate glycolysis pathway intermediates, less pentose shunt flux, increased anaplerosis from glutamine, and decreased fatty acid β-oxidation. TGF-β treatment increased glycolysis in PASMCs, but did not recapitulate the PAEC disease phenotype. In TGF-β-treated PASMCs, glucose, glutamine and fatty acids all contributed carbons to the TCA cycle. In conclusion, PASMCs and PAECs collected from PH subjects have significant changes in metabolite uptake and utilization, partially recapitulated by TGF-β treatment.
Immunophenotyping monocytes, macrophages and granulocytes in the Pteropodid bat Eonycteris spelaea
Authors: Gamage Akshamal M. , Zhu Feng , Ahn Matae , Foo Randy Jee Hiang , Hey Ying Ying , Low Dolyce H. W. , Mendenhall Ian H. , Dutertre Charles-Antoine , Wang Lin-Fa
Published: January 2020

Bats are asymptomatic reservoir hosts for several highly pathogenic viruses. Understanding this enigmatic relationship between bats and emerging zoonotic viruses requires tools and approaches which enable the comparative study of bat immune cell populations and their functions. We show that bat genomes have a conservation of immune marker genes which delineate phagocyte populations in humans, while lacking key mouse surface markers such as Ly6C and Ly6G. Cross-reactive antibodies against CD44, CD11b, CD14, MHC II, and CD206 were multiplexed to characterize circulating monocytes, granulocytes, bone-marrow derived macrophages (BMDMs) and lung alveolar macrophages (AMs) in the cave nectar bat Eonycteris spelaea. Transcriptional profiling of bat monocytes and BMDMs identified additional markers – including MARCO, CD68, CD163, CD172α, and CD88 – which can be used to further characterize bat myeloid populations. Bat cells often resembled their human counterparts when comparing immune parameters that are divergent between humans and mice, such as the expression patterns of certain immune cell markers. A genome-wide comparison of immune-related genes also revealed a much closer phylogenetic relationship between bats and humans compared to rodents. Taken together, this study provides a set of tools and a comparative framework which will be important for unravelling viral disease tolerance mechanisms in bats.
Temporal and spatial variations in the bacterial community composition in Lake Bosten, a large, brackish lake in China
Authors: Zhang Lei , Shen Tingting , Cheng Yu , Zhao Tingting , Li Li , Qi Pengfei
Published: January 2020

The bacteria inhabiting brackish lake environments in arid or semi-arid regions have not been thoroughly identified. In this study, the 454 pyrosequencing method was used to study the sedimentary bacterial community composition (BCC) and diversity in Lake Bosten, which is located in the arid regions of northwestern China. A total of 210,233 high-quality sequence reads and 8,427 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were successfully obtained from 20 selected sediment samples. The samples were quantitatively dominated by members of Proteobacteria (34.1% ± 11.0%), Firmicutes (21.8% ± 21.9%) and Chloroflexi (13.8% ± 5.2%), which accounted for more than 69% of the bacterial sequences. The results showed that (i) Lake Bosten had significant spatial heterogeneity, and TOC(total organic carbon), TN(total nitrogen) and TP(total phosphorus) were the most important contributors to bacterial diversity; (ii) there was lower taxonomic richness in Lake Bosten, which is located in an arid region, than in reference lakes in eutrophic floodplains and marine systems; and (iii) there was a low percentage of dominant species in the BCC and a high percentage of unidentified bacteria. Our data help to better describe the diversity and distribution of bacterial communities in contaminated brackish lakes in arid regions and how microbes respond to environmental changes in these stable inland waters in arid or semi-arid regions.
Active learning for accuracy enhancement of semantic segmentation with CNN-corrected label curations: Evaluation on kidney segmentation in abdominal CT
Authors: Kim Taehun , Lee Kyung Hwa , Ham Sungwon , Park Beomhee , Lee Sangwook , Hong Dayeong , Kim Guk Bae , Kyung Yoon Soo , Kim Choung-Soo , Kim Namkug
Published: January 2020

Segmentation is fundamental to medical image analysis. Recent advances in fully convolutional networks has enabled automatic segmentation; however, high labeling efforts and difficulty in acquiring sufficient and high-quality training data is still a challenge. In this study, a cascaded 3D U-Net with active learning to increase training efficiency with exceedingly limited data and reduce labeling efforts is proposed. Abdominal computed tomography images of 50 kidneys were used for training. In stage I, 20 kidneys with renal cell carcinoma and four substructures were used for training by manually labelling ground truths. In stage II, 20 kidneys from the previous stage and 20 newly added kidneys were used with convolutional neural net (CNN)-corrected labelling for the newly added data. Similarly, in stage III, 50 kidneys were used. The Dice similarity coefficient was increased with the completion of each stage, and shows superior performance when compared with a recent segmentation network based on 3D U-Net. The labeling time for CNN-corrected segmentation was reduced by more than half compared to that in manual segmentation. Active learning was therefore concluded to be capable of reducing labeling efforts through CNN-corrected segmentation and increase training efficiency by iterative learning with limited data.
Sodium pentobarbital dosages for exsanguination affect biochemical, molecular and histological measurements in rats
Authors: Mohamed Ayman S. , Hosney Mohamed , Bassiony Heba , Hassanein Sarah S. , Soliman Amel M. , Fahmy Sohair R. , Gaafar Khadiga
Published: January 2020

Rodents are widely used for animal research in Egypt. Pentobarbital is the most common anesthetic agent; however overdoses may affect the experimental outcomes and limit the use of tissues. To investigate the effects of sodium pentobarbital overdoses during exsanguination, three groups (6 rats/group) of male and female rats were injected i.p. with 50, 100 and 150 mg/kg of sodium pentobarbital, then carotid exsanguination was performed immediately after loss of consciousness. Hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha (Hif1a) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (Tnfa) mRNA expressions in liver and kidney organs were evaluated. As well as, serum aminotransferase activities (AST&ALT), glucose, urea, creatinine, malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH) and catalase (CAT) levels were determined. The histological alterations in liver, kidney and spleen were studied. It was found that Hif1a and Tnfa were significantly overexpressed in the studied organs and serum AST, glucose, creatinine and urea levels were significantly increased after sodium pentobarbital overdoses (100 and 150 mg/kg) compared to 50 mg/kg dose. Similarly, significant increase in MDA and GSH levels of liver, kidney and spleen were noticed. Results showed gender difference where Hif1a and Tnfa levels were significantly overexpressed at high dose of sodium pentobarbital of liver and kidney organs in female more than male rats. Since euthanasia protocol may influence the physiological variables and affect genes’ expression, it is recommended to avoid sodium pentobarbital overdose during euthanasia as it may interfere with the biochemical, molecular and histological measurements.
Impacts of climate change and mitigation policies on malt barley supplies and associated virtual water flows in the UK
Authors: Yawson D. O. , Adu M. O. , Armah F. A.
Published: January 2020

Barley is a major ingredient for the malting industry which is highly sensitive and vulnerable to malt barley supply. The United Kingdom (UK) has the second highest malting capacity in the EU and the third largest malting industry in the world, supplying malt to major global breweries. Premium whisky, which has both economic and cultural significance for the UK, also makes sustainable malt barley supply critical for the UK. There is paucity of information on the sustainability of future supplies of malt barley in the UK, as much as it is in the world. This study applied a food balance approach to assess the combined effects of climate change and mitigation policies on UK malt barley balances for the 2030s, 2040 s, and 2050 s. Future yields of spring barley were simulated under the low, medium and high emissions scenarios (or LES, MES, and HES, respectively) for the three time slices. Future areas of land for barley production were obtained via land use change simulation in response to climate mitigation policies and aspirations of the UK. Future yields and land areas were combined to obtain total barley production, which served as a basis of supply. Per capita malt barley consumption was combined with future population to obtain demand. The gaps between demand and supply were then assessed. The results show large deficits in malt barley supplies for all combinations of climate change, land use and population, with adverse implications for the malting industry. Total malt barley supplies under current land area for barley and using the 90th percentile yield, ranged from 1899 (LES, 2030s) to 2,437 thousand tonnes (HES, 2050s). The largest supply under climate mitigation land use scenarios ranged from 1,592 (LES, 2030s) to 2,120 thousand tonnes (HES, 2050s). Deficits in supply were observed for all climate mitigation land use scenarios and time slices, ranging from 128 to 585 thousand tonnes at 90th percentile yield. However, surpluses were observed from the 2040s if current land area for barley remains unchanged. Imports to balance the observed deficits would result in large inflows of blue water to the UK, with adverse implications for global freshwater supply and environmental sustainability. It is concluded that even though spring barley yields in the UK could increase under projected climate change, reductions in croplands (due mainly to climate mitigation policies and aspirations) could combine with population growth to undermine the sustainability of malt barley supplies, both nationally and internationally.
Endpoint stiffness magnitude increases linearly with a stronger power grasp
Authors: Takagi A. , Xiong G. , Kambara H. , Koike Y.
Published: January 2020

Humans can increase the endpoint stiffness of their arm to reduce self-generated movement variability and to reject unpredictable perturbations from the environment, like during handheld drilling, thereby increasing movement precision. Existing methods to estimate changes in the endpoint stiffness use robotic interfaces to apply position or force perturbations to measure the arm’s dynamic response. We propose an alternative method of measuring changes in the power grasp force to estimate adaptations in the magnitude of the arm’s endpoint stiffness. To validate our method, we examined how the strength of the power grasp, when holding onto a robotic manipulandum, affected the arm’s endpoint stiffness in three different locations of the workspace. The endpoint stiffness magnitude increased linearly with the grasp force, and this linear relationship did not depend on the arm’s posture or position in the workspace. The endpoint stiffness may have increased as a combination of greater grasp stiffness and greater arm stiffness, since larger co-contraction was observed in the elbow and shoulder with a stronger grasp. Changes in the grasp force could serve as a metric in assessing how humans adapt their endpoint stiffness magnitude.
Interference with AGEs formation and AGEs-induced vascular injury mediates curcumin vascular protection in metabolic syndrome
Authors: Ahmed Osama A. A. , El-Bassossy Hany M. , Azhar Ahmad S. , Tarkhan Mayada M. , El-Mas Mahmoud M.
Published: January 2020

Vascular dysfunction predisposes to cardiovascular complications of metabolic syndrome (MetS). The current study investigated the mechanism(s) of curcumin’s (CUR) protective effect against vascular reactivity irregularities in MetS. MetS was induced by feeding rats on high fructose high salt diet. Tension studies were undertaken in aortic rings to assess the influence of CUR on vasoconstrictor or vasorelaxant responses. The effect on advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs) was studied by incubating aortic tissues with methylglyoxal, the AGEs precursor, in the absence and presence of CUR. In addition, CUR effects on in-vitro generation of AGEs and diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radicals were studied. The incubation with CUR for 1 hr produced significant and concentration-dependent alleviation of the exaggerated vasoconstriction observed in aortas isolated from MetS, however failed to improve the concomitant attenuation of vasodilatory responses to ACh in PE-precontracted aortas. By contrast, CUR caused direct concentration-dependent vasodilations of precontracted aortas, effects that were blunted after nitric oxide synthase inhibition by L-NAME. Similar to its effects in MetS aortas, CUR alleviated exaggerated PE vasoconstriction but did not affect impaired ACh vasodilations in AGEs-exposed aortas. In addition, CUR showed significant dose-dependent DPPH free radicals scavenging activity and inhibited both MG and fructose induced AGEs formation at the level of protein oxidation step as evident from the effect on dityrosine and N-formylkyramine. CUR alleviates exaggerated vasoconstriction in MetS through interfering with AGEs formation and AGEs-induced vascular injury. Free radical scavenging and direct vasodilatory activities could also participate in the advantageous vascular actions of CUR.