bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Flux Erosion of Magnetic Clouds by Reconnection With the Sun's Open Flux
Authors: Pal Sanchita , Dash Soumyaranjan , Nandy Dibyendu
Published: April 2020

Magnetic clouds (MCs) are flux rope magnetic structures forming a subset of solar coronal mass ejections, which have significant space weather impacts. The geoeffectiveness of MCs depends on their properties, which evolve during their interplanetary passage. Based on an analysis of observations spanning two solar cycles, we establish that MCs interacting with the ambient solar wind magnetic field (i.e., heliospheric open flux) lose a substantial amount of their initial magnetic flux via magnetic reconnection, which, in some cases, reduce their geoeffectiveness. We find a linear correlation between the eroded flux of MCs and solar open flux which is consistent with the scenario that MC erosion is mediated via the local heliospheric magnetic field draping around an MC during its interplanetary propagation. The solar open flux is governed by the sunspot cycle. This work therefore uncovers a hitherto unknown pathway for solar cycle modulation of the properties of MCs.
Fluid Surface Coverage Showing the Controls of Rock Mineralogy on the Wetting State
Authors: Garfi Gaetano , John Cédric M. , Lin Qingyang , Berg Steffen , Krevor Samuel
Published: April 2020

The wetting state is an important control on flow in subsurface multi‐fluid phase systems, for example, carbon storage and oil production. Advances in X‐ray imaging allow us to characterize the wetting state using imagery of fluid arrangement within the pores of rocks. We derived a model from equilibrium thermodynamics relating fluid coverage of rock surfaces to wettability and fluid saturation. The model reproduces the behavior measured in a water‐wet, nearly all‐quartz, Bentheimer sandstone imaged during steady‐state imbibition. A shift in fluid surface coverage is observed when the rock is altered to a new wetting state with crude oil. In two multimineralogical (Berea) samples, one water‐wet and the other altered with crude oil, the analysis of fluid surface coverage after imbibition revealed mineral specific wetting preferences only in the altered system. Clays and calcite preferentially alter to an oil‐wet state, leading to mixed wettability in the rock.
Calving Seasonality Associated With Melt‐Undercutting and Lake Ice Cover
Authors: Mallalieu Joseph , Carrivick Jonathan L. , Quincey Duncan J. , Smith Mark W.
Published: April 2020

A detailed understanding of calving processes at the lacustrine margins of the Greenland ice sheet is necessary for accurately forecasting its dynamic response to ongoing climate change. However, existing data sets of lacustrine calving are limited to summer seasons and to alpine glaciers. Here, we use an integrated time‐lapse and structure‐from‐motion approach to generate the first continuous year‐round volumetric record of calving processes at a lacustrine ice sheet margin. We identify two distinct calving regimes that are associated with melt‐undercutting and lake ice cover. We also find that calving rates respond rapidly to sudden lake drainage. Given that lake temperature, lake ice cover, and sudden lake drainages are controlled by air temperature and ice‐margin thinning, we suggest that climate change, manifested in lengthening summer seasons, will accelerate rates of mass loss and terminus recession at lacustrine ice‐margins in Greenland.
Uncertainties in Future U.S. Extreme Precipitation From Downscaled Climate Projections
Authors: Lopez‐Cantu Tania , Prein Andreas F. , Samaras Constantine
Published: April 2020

Impacts modelers and stakeholders use publicly available data sets of downscaled climate projections to assess and design infrastructure for changes in future rainfall extremes. If differences across data sets exist, infrastructure resilience decisions could change depending on which single data set is used. We assess changes in U.S. rainfall extremes from 2044–2099 compared with 1951–2005 based on 227 projections under RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 from five widely used data sets. We show there are large differences in the change magnitude and its spatial structure between data sets. At the continental scale, the data sets show different increases, with high‐end extremes (e.g. 100‐year event) generally increasing more (between 10% and 50%) than low‐end extremes (e.g. 5‐year). These differences largely contribute to the overall uncertainty for small average recurrence intervals (ARIs) extremes (2‐ to 10‐year), while uncertainties due to short record length dominate large ARIs (25‐ to 100‐year). The results indicate that robust infrastructure planning should consider these uncertainties to enable resilient infrastructure under climate change.
Global Wave Height Trends and Variability from New Multimission Satellite Altimeter Products, Reanalyses, and Wave Buoys
Authors: Timmermans B. W. , Gommenginger C. P. , Dodet G. , Bidlot J.‐R.
Published: April 2020

Long‐term changes in ocean surface waves are relevant to society and climate research. Significant wave height climatologies and trends over 1992–2017 are intercompared in four recent high‐quality global datasets using a consistent methodology. For two products based on satellite altimetry, including one from the European Space Agency Climate Change Initiative for Sea State, regional differences in mean climatology are linked to low and high sea states. Trends from the altimetry products, and two reanalysis and hindcast datasets, show general similarity in spatial variation and magnitude but with major differences in equatorial regions and the Indian Ocean. Discrepancies between altimetry products likely arise from differences in calibration and quality control. However, multidecadal observations at two buoy stations also highlight issues with wave buoy data, raising questions about their unqualified use, and more fundamentally about uncertainty in all products.
Coronavirus Lockdown Brings Clean Air to Spanish Cities
Authors: Barbuzano Javier
Published: April 2020

Measures against the spread of the new coronavirus have an unexpected side effect: record-low air pollution levels.
The Effects of Viewing Geometry on the Spectral Analysis of Lunar Regolith as Inferred by in situ Spectrophotometric Measurements of Chang'E‐4
Authors: Yang Yazhou , Lin Honglei , Liu Yang , Lin Yangting , Wei Yong , Hu Sen , Yang Wei , Xu Rui , He Zhiping , Zou Yongliao
Published: April 2020

The visible and near‐infrared imaging spectrometer on board the Yutu‐2 rover of Chang'E‐4 mission has conducted 2 sets of spectrophotometric measurements at two sites on its 10th lunar day. At each site, the reflectance spectra were measured on the same lunar regolith at different geometric configurations. The experiments reveal an increasing trend of the spectral reddening effect with the increasing phase angles, which may cause significant uncertainties on interpreting the maturity of the lunar regolith. Furthermore, the phase angles have significant effects on the 2‐μm band center and the 1‐μm band depth of the spectra, consequently on the estimation of mineral composition of the regolith. Finally, the derived average Hapke parameters using the in situ spectrophotometric measurements provide important ground‐truth for remote sensing observations.
Modulation of Pc1 Wave Ducting by Equatorial Plasma Bubble
Authors: Kim Hyangpyo , Shiokawa Kazuo , Park Jaeheung , Miyoshi Yoshizumi , Hwang Junga , Kadokura Akira
Published: April 2020

Ducting Pc1 waves are observed over a wide latitudinal range by the low‐Earth orbit satellites as compressional mode. In this paper, we present the first observation of the modulation of ducting Pc1 waves by equatorial plasma bubbles (EPBs) based on the Swarm satellites. We show two ducting Pc1 events propagating across EPBs that occurred on 7 April 2016 and on 27 September 2017. We found that the EPBs modulate the Pc1 wave propagation by setting up reflection boundaries and leakage holes in the ionospheric waveguide. We also found that changes of Pc1 wave intensities generally follow the electron density variation and that the intensity is stronger at higher density region. From the comparison between Swarm‐A and Swarm‐C observations, we conclude that ionospheric plasma plays an important role for Pc1 waveguide even though their density is significantly low in EPBs.
Inflammatory and antimicrobial properties differ between vaginal Lactobacillus isolates from South African women with non-optimal versus optimal microbiota
Authors: Manhanzva Monalisa T. , Abrahams Andrea G. , Gamieldien Hoyam , Froissart Remy , Jaspan Heather , Jaumdally Shameem Z. , Barnabas Shaun L. , Dabee Smritee , Bekker Linda G. , Gray Glenda , Passmore Jo-Ann S. , Masson Lindi
Published: April 2020

Female genital tract (FGT) inflammation increases HIV infection susceptibility. Non-optimal cervicovaginal microbiota, characterized by depletion of Lactobacillus species and increased bacterial diversity, is associated with increased FGT cytokine production. Lactobacillus species may protect against HIV partly by reducing FGT inflammation. We isolated 80 lactobacilli from South African women with non-optimal (Nugent 4–10; n = 18) and optimal microbiota (Nugent 0–3; n = 14). Cytokine production by vaginal epithelial cells in response to lactobacilli in the presence and absence of Gardnerella vaginalis was measured using Luminex. Adhesion to vaginal epithelial cells, pH, D/L-lactate production and lactate dehydrogenase relative abundance were assessed. Lactobacilli from women with non-optimal produced less lactic acid and induced greater inflammatory cytokine production than those from women with optimal microbiota, with IL-6, IL-8, IL-1α, IL-1β and MIP-1α/β production significantly elevated. Overall, lactobacilli suppressed IL-6 (adjusted p < 0.001) and IL-8 (adjusted p = 0.0170) responses to G. vaginalis. Cytokine responses to the lactobacilli were inversely associated with lactobacilli adhesion to epithelial cells and D-lactate dehydrogenase relative abundance. Thus, while cervicovaginal lactobacilli reduced the production of the majority of inflammatory cytokines in response to G. vaginalis, isolates from women with non-optimal microbiota were more inflammatory and produced less lactic acid than isolates from women with optimal microbiota.
Diversity of Metal-Resistant and Tensoactive-Producing Culturable Heterotrophic Bacteria Isolated from a Copper Mine in Brazilian Amazonia
Authors: Domingues Vitor Sousa , de Souza Monteiro Andrea , Júlio Aline Daniela Lopes , Queiroz Ana Luiza Lemos , dos Santos Vera Lúcia
Published: April 2020

Bacterial extracellular polymeric substances (EPSs) present diverse properties of biotechnological interest, such as surface modification, metal adsorption and hydrophobic substances solubilization through surface tension reduction. Thus, there is a growing demand for new producing strains and structurally variable biomolecules with different properties. One approach for scanning this biodiversity consists of exploring environments under selective pressures. The aim of this study was to evaluate the composition of culturable heterotrophic bacterial communities from five different sites from a copper mine in the Amazon biome by an enrichment technique to obtain metal resistant bacteria (lead, arsenic, cadmium, copper and zinc) capable of producing EPSs. The bacterial densities at the sites varied from 2.42 × 103 to 1.34 × 108 NMP mL−1 and the 77 bacterial isolates obtained were classified in four divisions, β-Proteobacteria (16.88%), γ-Proteobacteria (7.29%), Firmicutes (61%) and Actinobacteria (12.98%). Bacillus, Alcaligenes, and Lysinibacillus were the most dominant among the 16 observed genera, but the relative frequency of each varied according to the sample and the metal used in the enrichment culture. 58% of the bacterial strains (45) could produce EPSs. From these, 33 strains showed emulsifying activity (E24), and 9 of them reached values higher than 49%. Only Actinomyces viscosus E3.Pb5 and Bacillus subtilis group E3.As2 reduced the medium surface tension to values lower than 35 mN m−1. It was possible to confirm the high presence of bacteria capable of producing EPSs with tensoactive properties in Amazon copper mines and the evolutionary pressure exerted by the heavy metals during enrichment. These molecules can be tested as an alternative for use in processes that involve the removal of metals, such as the bioremediation of contaminated environments.
Author Correction: Spotted phenotypes in horses lost attractiveness in the Middle Ages
Authors: Wutke Saskia , Benecke Norbert , Sandoval-Castellanos Edson , Döhle Hans-Jürgen , Friederich Susanne , Gonzalez Javier , Hallsson Jón Hallsteinn , Hofreiter Michael , Lõugas Lembi , Magnell Ola , Morales-Muniz Arturo , Orlando Ludovic , Pálsdóttir Albína Hulda , Reissmann Monika , Ruttkay Matej , Trinks Alexandra , Ludwig Arne
Published: April 2020

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.
Multiple scan averaging to yield accurate quantitative analysis of optical coherence tomography angiograms
Authors: Khan Hafi M. , Gentle Alex , Armitage James A. , To Chi-ho , Lam Andrew K. C.
Published: April 2020

Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) is widely used in ophthalmic practice. Most OCTA studies based their findings on a single OCTA measurement. We conducted an observational study of 82 eyes from 82 healthy subjects to compare variations of OCTA parameters among five successive measurements. A 3 × 3 mm Early Treatment of Diabetic Retinopathy Study grid centred at fovea was used. An average from five successive OCTA measurements (both perfusion density and vessel density) was calculated to be used as the reference standard. There was no significant difference in perfusion and vessel densities among five successive OCTA measurements, and from different levels of averaging. Perfusion density was close to the reference standard when average from three measurements was used (discrepancy within 1.5%) as compared with using just one measurement (discrepancy from 3.2% to 4.5%). Vessel density was also close to reference standard when average from three measurements was used (within 0.8 mm−1) as compared with using just one measurement (2 mm−1). Software feature that allows OCTA devices to average quantitative parameters for analysis will be useful.
Author Correction: A novel transcription factor-like gene SbSDR1 acts as a molecular switch and confers salt and osmotic endurance to transgenic tobacco
Authors: Singh Vijay Kumar , Mishra Avinash , Haque Intesaful , Jha Bhavanath
Published: April 2020

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.
Comparison of electroencephalogram between propofol- and thiopental-induced anesthesia for awareness risk in pregnant women
Authors: Park Hee-Sun , Kim Yeon-Su , Kim Sung-Hoon , Jeon A-Rom , Kim Seong-Eun , Choi Woo-Jong
Published: April 2020

There have been few comparative studies using electroencephalogram (EEG) spectral characteristics during the induction of general anesthesia for cesarean section. This retrospective study investigated the differences in the depth of anesthesia through EEG analysis between propofol- and thiopental-induced anesthesia. We reviewed data of 42 patients undergoing cesarean section who received either thiopental (5 mg/kg) or propofol (2 mg/kg). EEG data were extracted from the bispectral index (BIS) monitor, and 10-second segments were selected from the following sections: 1) Stage I, BIS below 60 after induction; 2) Stage II, after intubation completion; 3) Stage III, end-tidal sevoflurane above 0 vol%. The risk of awareness was represented by the BIS and entropy measures. In Stage III, the thiopental group (n = 20) showed significantly higher BIS value than the propofol group (n = 22) (67.9 [18.66] vs 44.5 [20.63], respectively, p = 0.002). The thiopental group had decreased slow-delta oscillations and increased beta-oscillations as compared to the propofol group in Stages II and III (p < 0.05). BIS, spectral entropy, and Renyi permutation entropy were also higher in the thiopental group at Stages II and III (p < 0.05). In conclusion, frontal spectral EEG analysis demonstrated that propofol induction maintained a deeper anesthesia than thiopental in pregnant women.
Nest boxes do not cause a shift in bat community composition in an urbanised landscape
Authors: Griffiths Stephen R. , Lumsden Linda F. , Robert Kylie A. , Lentini Pia E.
Published: April 2020

Nest boxes are often used to provide supplementary roosts for cavity-dependent wildlife, but little is known about if they influence faunal community composition. Long-term monitoring of bat boxes in south-eastern Australia indicated that their use was dominated by one generalist species (Chalinolobus gouldii), causing concern that installing bat boxes could cause a shift toward less diverse bat communities. To test this, we conducted a large-scale before-after control-impact experiment at 18 sites, over five years. Sites were either: (1) those with existing bat boxes, (2) those where boxes were added during the study, or (3) controls without boxes. We used echolocation call data from 9035 bat detector nights to compare community composition, diversity, and species’ relative activity between the sites. Chalinolobus gouldii continued to dominate the use of existing boxes, but we found little difference in community composition between sites based on the presence, absence, or addition of boxes. Our study is the first to explore the influence installing artificial hollows has on localized faunal assemblages over spatio-temporal scales relevant to management. We conclude that there is cause for optimism that bat boxes might not have perverse outcomes on local community composition in the short- to medium-term, as we had feared.
The Cognitive Effects of Statins are Modified by Age
Authors: Alsehli Ahmed M. , Olivo Gaia , Clemensson Laura E. , Williams Michael J. , Schiöth Helgi B.
Published: April 2020

To reveal new insights into statin cognitive effects, we performed an observational study on a population-based sample of 245,731 control and 55,114 statin-taking individuals from the UK Biobank. Cognitive performance in terms of reaction time, working memory and fluid intelligence was analysed at baseline and two follow-ups (within 5–10 years). Subjects were classified depending on age (up to 65 and over 65 years) and treatment duration (1–4 years, 5–10 years and over 10 years). Data were adjusted for health- and cognition-related covariates. Subjects generally improved in test performance with repeated assessment and middle-aged persons performed better than older persons. The effect of statin use differed considerably between the two age groups, with a beneficial effect on reaction time in older persons and fluid intelligence in both age groups, and a negative effect on working memory in younger subjects. Our analysis suggests a modulatory impact of age on the cognitive side effects of statins, revealing a possible reason for profoundly inconsistent findings on statin-related cognitive effects in the literature. The study highlights the importance of characterising modifiers of statin effects to improve knowledge and shape guidelines for clinicians when prescribing statins and evaluating their side effects in patients.
Tumour grade significantly correlates with total dysfunction of tumour tissue-infiltrating lymphocytes in renal cell carcinoma
Authors: Kawashima Atsunari , Kanazawa Takayuki , Kidani Yujiro , Yoshida Tetsuya , Hirata Michinari , Nishida Kentaro , Nojima Satoshi , Yamamoto Yoshiyuki , Kato Taigo , Hatano Koji , Ujike Takeshi , Nagahara Akira , Fujita Kazutoshi , Morimoto-Okazawa Akiko , Iwahori Kota , Uemura Motohide , Imamura Ryoichi , Ohkura Naganari , Morii Eiichi , Sakaguchi Shimon , Wada Hisashi , Nonomura Norio
Published: April 2020

It is important to evaluate the clinical importance of both CD8 T cells and CD4 T cells expression simultaneously because they have crucial networks in tumour targeting immune responses. In 97 RCC patients, RNA sequencing and gene set enrichment analysis of both CD8 and CD4 T cells based on the expression levels of PD-1 and TIM-3 implied that the populations of PD-1+TIM-3+ CD8 T cells and PD-1lowTIM-3 + CD4 T cells were characterized as exhausted CD8 T cells and regulatory CD4 T cells, respectively. These populations of CD4 and CD8 T cells were significantly upregulated in the patients with RCC of higher WHO/ISUP grade (grades 3, 4) (P < 0.001). Moreover, the cytokine productivities of each population in both CD4 and CD8 T cells of the higher-grade patients were significantly lower than those of the lower-grade patients (P < 0.05). Multivariate analysis showed the prognosis of patients with metastatic RCC of higher WHO/ISUP grade treated by nivolumab to be significantly worse than that of patients with lower grade (P = 0.026). This study showed that tumour grade significantly correlated with dysfunction of both CD4+ and CD8+ TILs and the efficacy of nivolumab treatment.
A new tool CovReport generates easy-to-understand sequencing coverage summary for diagnostic reports
Authors: Gorokhov Mark , Cerino Mathieu , Mortreux Jérémie , Riccardi Florence , Lévy Nicolas , Bartoli Marc , Krahn Martin , Gorokhova Svetlana
Published: April 2020

In order to properly interpret the results of a diagnostic gene panel sequencing test, gene coverage needs to be taken into consideration. If coverage is too low, an additional re-sequencing test is needed to make sure that a pathogenic variant is not missed. To facilitate the interpretation of coverage data, we designed CovReport, a novel easy-to-use visualization tool. CovReport generates a concise coverage summary that allows one-glance assessment of the sequencing test performance. Both gene-level and exon-level coverage can be immediately appreciated and taken into consideration for further medical decisions. CovReport does not require complex installation and can thus be easily implemented in any diagnostic laboratory setting. A user-friendly interface generates a graphic summary of coverage that can be directly included in the diagnostic report. In addition to a stand-alone version, we also provide a command line version of CovReport that can be integrated into any bioinformatics pipeline. This flexible tool is now part of routine sequencing analysis at the Department of Medical Genetics at La Timone Hospital (Marseille, France). CovReport is available at http://jdotsoft.com/CovReport.php. It is implemented in Java and supported on Windows, Mac OS X and Linux.
Initial Report: A Novel Intraoperative Navigation System for Laparoscopic Liver Resection Using Real-Time Virtual Sonography
Authors: Sakata Koichiro , Kijima Taiki , Arai Osamu
Published: April 2020

Recent progress in navigation has revealed problems involving non-rigid registration for hepatic surgery. With the increasing popularity of laparoscopic liver surgery, a new laparoscopic navigation system is necessary. This study involved an in-vitro demonstration of a 3-dimensional printer model and in vivo demonstration in four patients. For the in vitro examination, a position detecting unit attached at 33 cm and 13 cm distance conditions from the tip of the electrocautery was examined eight times at the marked points on the liver surface eight times respectively. The differences between the simulation and the authentic dissecting plane were conventionally investigated in vivo. In vitro, the errors of the 33 cm and 13 cm distance model were7.8 ± 3.5 mm (mean ± SD), and 3.3 ± 1.0 mm, respectively. The mean differences of the dissection plane were within 10 mm. The potentiality and safety of the novel navigation system was confirmed, although further investigation is recommended.
Genome-wide identification of Arabidopsis long noncoding RNAs in response to the blue light
Authors: Sun Zhenfei , Huang Kai , Han Zujing , Wang Pan , Fang Yuda
Published: April 2020

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been shown in animals to play roles in a wide range of biological processes. In plant, light modulates the growth and development as a key external signal. However, little is known about the role of plant lncRNA in response to light. In this study, we sequenced the messenger RNAs (mRNAs), lncRNAs and microRNAs (miRNAs) in Arabidopsis seedlings under blue light for 2 h and 8 h. Compared to dark, we identified 4197 mRNAs, 375 miRNAs and 481 lncRNAs, or 5207 mRNAs, 286 miRNAs and 545 lncRNAs of differential expressions under blue light treatments for 2 h or 8 h respectively. Subsequently, a total of 407 competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) pairs (lncRNA-mRNA-miRNA) were constructed. We identified a blue light-induced lncRNA which plays roles in blue light-directed plant photomorphogenesis and response to mannitol stress by serving as a ceRNA to sequester miR167 in a type of target mimicry. These results revealed previously unknown roles of the lncRNA in blue light signaling and mannitol stress, and provided useful resources of lncRNAs associated with miRNAs in response to blue light.
Soil salinity and aridity specify plague foci in the United States of America
Authors: Barbieri Rémi , Texier Gaëtan , Keller Catherine , Drancourt Michel
Published: April 2020

Plague is a deadly zoonosis that periodically reemerges as small outbreaks in geographically limited foci where the causative agentYersinia pestismay reside in soil. We analyzed a dataset of 1.005 carefully documented plague cases that were georeferenced over 113 years in peer-reviewed literature in the contiguous United States. Plotting outbreaks by counties defined as plague foci on geographical maps, we observed a significant co-localization of plague outbreaks with high soil salinity measured by an electric conductivity of >4 dS/ m−1and aridity measured by an aridity index <0.5. Thus, we identified aridity and soil salinity as significantly associated with ecological risk factors for relapsing plague in the contiguous United States. These results reveal two evolutive parameters that are partially associated with anthropic activities, complicating the epidemiology of plague in the contiguous United States. Exploiting aridity and soil salinity data may help in the surveillance of evolving plague foci in the contiguous United States.
Giardia lamblia Decreases NF-κB p65RelA Protein Levels and Modulates LPS-Induced Pro-Inflammatory Response in Macrophages
Authors: Faria Clarissa Perez , Neves Bruno Miguel , Lourenço Ágata , Cruz Maria Teresa , Martins João D. , Silva Ana , Pereira Sónia , Sousa Maria do Céu
Published: April 2020

The protozoan Giardia lamblia is the most common cause of parasitic gastrointestinal infection worldwide. The parasite developed sophisticated, yet not completely disclosed, mechanisms to escape immune system and growth in the intestine. To further understand the interaction of G. lamblia with host immune cells, we investigated the ability of parasites to modulate the canonical activation of mouse macrophages (Raw 264.7 cell line) and human monocyte-derived macrophages triggered by the TLR4 agonist, lipopolysaccharide (LPS). We observed that G. lamblia impairs LPS-evoked pro-inflammatory status in these macrophage-like cells through inhibition of cyclooxygenase-2 and inducible nitric oxide synthase expression and subsequent NO production. This effect was in part due to the activity of three G. lamblia proteases, a 135 kDa metalloprotease and two cysteine proteases with 75 and 63 kDa, that cleave the p65RelA subunit of the nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB). Moreover, Tnf and Ccl4 transcription was increased in the presence of the parasite. Overall, our data indicates that G. lamblia modulates macrophages inflammatory response through impairment of the NF-κB, thus silencing a crucial signaling pathway of the host innate immune response.
Circulating MicroRNA Profiling in Non-ST Elevated Coronary Artery Syndrome Highlights Genomic Associations with Serial Platelet Reactivity Measurements
Authors: Becker Kristian C. , Kwee Lydia Coulter , Neely Megan L. , Grass Elizabeth , Jakubowski Joseph A. , Fox Keith A. A. , White Harvey D. , Gregory Simon G. , Gurbel Paul A. , Carvalho Leonardo de Pinto , Becker Richard C. , Magnus Ohman E. , Roe Matthew T. , Shah Svati H. , Chan Mark Y.
Published: April 2020

Changes in platelet physiology are associated with simultaneous changes in microRNA concentrations, suggesting a role for microRNA in platelet regulation. Here we investigated potential associations between microRNA and platelet reactivity (PR), a marker of platelet function, in two cohorts following a non-ST elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS) event. First, non-targeted microRNA concentrations and PR were compared in a case (N = 77) control (N = 76) cohort within the larger TRILOGY-ACS trial. MicroRNA significant in this analysis plus CVD-associated microRNAs from the literature were then quantified by targeted rt-PCR in the complete TRILOGY-ACS cohort (N = 878) and compared with matched PR samples. Finally, microRNA significant in the non-targeted & targeted analyses were verified in an independent post NSTE-ACS cohort (N = 96). From the non-targeted analysis, 14 microRNAs were associated with PR (Fold Change: 0.91–1.27, p-value: 0.004–0.05). From the targeted analysis, five microRNAs were associated with PR (Beta: −0.09–0.22, p-value: 0.004–0.05). Of the 19 significant microRNAs, three, miR-15b-5p, miR-93 and miR-126, were consistently associated with PR in the TRILOGY-ACS and independent Singapore post-ACS cohorts, suggesting the measurement of circulating microRNA concentrations may report on dynamic changes in platelet biology following a cardiovascular ischemic event.
Role of a Concentration Gradient in Malaria Drug Resistance Evolution: A Combined within- and between-Hosts Modelling Approach
Authors: Romphosri Suwat , Changruenngam Suttikiat , Chookajorn Thanat , Modchang Charin
Published: April 2020

Resistance to antimalarial drugs is currently a growing public health problem, resulting in more cases with treatment failure. Although previous studies suggested that a concentration gradient facilitates the antibiotic resistance evolution in bacteria, no attempt has been made to investigate the roles of a concentration gradient in malaria drug resistance. Unlike the person-to-person mode of transmission of bacteria, the malaria parasites need to switch back and forth between the human and mosquito hosts to complete the life cycle and to spread the resistant alleles. Here we developed a stochastic combined within- and between-hosts evolutionary dynamics model specific to malaria parasites in order to investigate the influence of an antimalarial concentration gradient on the evolutionary dynamics of malaria drug resistance. Every stage of malaria development in both human and mosquito hosts are individually modelled using the tau-leaping algorithm. We found that the concentration gradient can accelerate antimalarial resistance evolution. The gain in resistance evolution was improved by the increase in the parasite mutation rate and the mosquito biting rate. In addition, even though the rate of resistance evolution is not sensitive to the changes in parasite reduction ratios (PRRs) of antimalarial drugs, the probability of finding the antimalarial drug resistant parasites decreases when the PRR increases.
Impact of Complications and Comorbidities on the Intensive Care Length of Stay after Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Haemorrhage
Authors: Hammer Alexander , Ranaie Gholamreza , Erbguth Frank , Hohenhaus Matthias , Wenzl Martin , Killer-Oberpfalzer Monika , Steiner Hans-Herbert , Janssen Hendrik
Published: April 2020

In this observational study, we analysed a cohort of 164 subarachnoid haemorrhage survivors (until discharge from intensive care) with the aim to detect factors that influence the length of stay (LOS) in intensive care with multiple linear regression methods. Moreover, binary logistic regression methods were used to examine whether the time in intensive care is a predictor of outcome after 1 year. The clinical 1-year outcome was measured prospectively in a 12-month follow-up by telephone interview and categorised by the modified Rankin Scale (mRS). Patients who died during their stay in intensive care were excluded. Complications like pneumonia (β = 5.11; 95% CI = 1.75–8.46; p = 0.0031), sepsis (β = 9.54; 95% CI = 3.27–15.82; p = 0.0031), hydrocephalus (β = 4.63; 95% CI = 1.82–7.45; p = 0.0014), and delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) (β = 3.38; 95% CI = 0.19–6.56; p = 0.038) were critical factors depending the LOS in intensive care as well as decompressive craniectomy (β = 5.02; 95% CI = 1.35–8.70; p = 0.0077). All analysed comorbidities such as hypertension, diabetes, hypothyroidism, cholesterinemia, and smoking history had no significant impact on the LOS in intensive care. LOS in intensive care (OR = 1.09; 95% CI = 1.03–1.15; p = 0.0023) as well as WFNS grade (OR = 3.72; 95% CI = 2.23–6.21; p < 0.0001) and age (OR = 1.06; 95% CI = 1.02–1.10; p = 0.0061) were significant factors that had an impact on the outcome after 1 year. Complications in intensive care but not comorbidities are associated with higher LOS in intensive care. LOS in intensive care is a modest but significant predictor of outcomes after subarachnoid haemorrhage.
Sciadonic acid derived from pine nuts as a food component to reduce plasma triglycerides by inhibiting the rat hepatic Δ9-desaturase
Authors: Pédrono Frédérique , Boulier-Monthéan Nathalie , Boissel Françoise , Ossemond Jordane , Viel Roselyne , Fautrel Alain , Marchix Justine , Dupont Didier
Published: April 2020

Sciadonic acid (Scia) is a Δ5-olefinic fatty acid that is particularly abundant in edible pine seeds and that exhibits an unusual polymethylene-interrupted structure. Earlier studies suggested that Scia inhibited the in vitro expression and activity of the Stearoyl-CoA Desaturase 1 (SCD1), the hepatic Δ9-desaturase involved in the formation of mono-unsaturated fatty acids. To confirm this hypothesis, rats were given 10% Scia in diets balanced out with n-6 and n-3 fatty acids. In those animals receiving the Scia supplement, monoene synthesis in the liver was reduced, which was partly attributed to the inhibition of SCD1 expression. As a consequence, the presence of Scia induced a 50% decrease in triglycerides in blood plasma due to a reduced level of VLDL-secreted triglycerides from the liver. In non-fasting conditions, results showed that Scia-induced inhibition of SCD1 led to a decrease in the proportions of 16:1n-7 and 18:1n-7 in the liver without impacting on the level of 18:1n-9, suggesting that only triglycerides with neosynthesized monoenes are marked out for release. In conclusion, this in vivo study confirms that Scia highly inhibits SCD1 expression and activity. The work was performed on normo-triglyceride rats over six weeks, suggesting promising effects on hyper-triglyceridemic models.
High functionality of DNA barcodes and revealed cases of cryptic diversity in Korean curved-horn moths (Lepidoptera: Gelechioidea)
Authors: Kim Sora , Lee Yerim , Mutanen Marko , Seung Jinbae , Lee Seunghwan
Published: April 2020

Curved-horn moths or gelechioid moths (Lepidoptera: Gelechioidea) represent one of the most diverse lepidopteran groups. Due to the large number of species, generally small size of adults and subtle morphological differences, their confident identification requires tenacious and long-term dedication on their diversity. Over the past decade, DNA barcoding has repeatedly been used to elucidate boundaries of species in many large and difficult groups. Here, we conducted a test of DNA barcoding with the diverse fauna of Korean Gelechioidea with very little prior information of COI gene region from the area. Altogether 509 specimens representing 154 morphospecies were included in the study. The species assignments of all three tested species delimitation methods (ABGD, bPTP and PTP) were consistent with morphological identifications for 117 species (75.97%). A threshold of 2.5% genetic divergence was observed to differentiate the morphological species efficiently. Careful morphological examination of morphospecies exceeding 2.5% intraspecific variability prove cryptic diversity in three species (Neoblastobasis biceratala, Evippe albidoesella and Promalactis atriplagata). One morphospecies, Promalactis odaiensis, showed high intraspecific divergence while consisted of only a single MOTU. Overall, DNA barcoding was shown to provide a powerful tool to discriminate species of Korean Gelechioidea and reveal cases of cryptic diversity.
Prevalence and Risk Factors of Chronic Kidney Disease among Type 2 Diabetes Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study in Primary Care Practice
Authors: Jitraknatee Janjira , Ruengorn Chidchanok , Nochaiwong Surapon
Published: April 2020

This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the prevalence and risk factors of chronic kidney disease (CKD) among 1,096 primary care type 2 diabetes (T2DM) patients in northern Thailand between October 2016 and September 2017. CKD was defined as estimated glomerular rate filtration values of <60 mL/min/1.73 m2. Prevalence with confidence intervals across CKD advanced stages 3–5 were estimated. Factors associated with CKD were evaluated by multivariate logistic regression. The overall prevalence of CKD was 24.4% (21.9–27.0), with severities of 11.4% (9.7–13.4), 6.8% (5.5–8.5), 4.6% (3.5–6.0), and 1.6% (1.0–2.5) for stages 3 A, 3B, 4, and 5, respectively. Regarding age and glycaemic control, individuals older than 75 years and those with a haemoglobin A1c ≥ 8% had the highest prevalence of 61.3% (51.7–70.1) and 38.6% (34.3–43.2), respectively. The multivariable logistic regression model explained 87.3% of the probability of CKD. The six independent significant risk factors of CKD were older age, retinopathy, albuminuria, haemoglobin A1c ≥ 7%, anaemia, and uric acid>7.5 mg/dL. A relatively high prevalence of CKD, especially in older patients and those with diabetic complications-related to poor glycaemic control, was encountered in this primary care practice. Early identification may help to target optimise care and prevention programs for CKD among T2DM patients.
A hillock-like phenomenon with low friction and adhesion on a graphene surface induced by relative sliding at the interface of graphene and the SiO2 substrate using an AFM tip
Authors: Fan Na , Guo Jian , Jing Guangyin , Liu Cheng , Wang Qun , Wu Guiyong , Jiang Hai , Peng Bei
Published: April 2020

A hillock-like phenomenon with low friction and adhesion on a graphene surface induced by relative sliding at the graphene/SiO2 interface.
High and reversible SO2 capture by a chemically stable Cr(iii)-based MOF
Authors: Martínez-Ahumada Eva , Díaz-Ramírez Mariana L. , Lara-García Hugo A. , Williams Daryl R. , Martis Vladimir , Jancik Vojtech , Lima Enrique , Ibarra Ilich A.
Published: April 2020

MIL-101(Cr)-4F(1%) shows a high uptake and high chemical stability to dry and humid SO2 and a remarkable cyclability. In situ DRIF spectroscopy upon the adsorption of CO identified the preferential adsorption sites for this MOF material.
Rocking-chair capacitive deionization with flow-through electrodes
Authors: Liu Yong , Gao Xin , Wang Kai , Dou Xinyue , Zhu Haiguang , Yuan Xun , Pan Likun
Published: April 2020

Flow-through Rocking-chair Capacitive Deionization system with ultrahigh desalination rate is built for the first-time, in which sodium-pre-intercalated MnO2 coated carbon nanofiber aerogels are employed as the flow-through electrode.
In situ imaging of intracellular human telomerase RNA with molecular beacon-functionalized gold nanoparticles
Authors: Xie Tao , Fan Ziyan , Zhang Ruilong , Tian Xiaohe , Han Guangmei , Liu Zhengjie , Zhang Zhongping
Published: April 2020

We develop molecular beacon-functionalized gold nanoparticles for in situ human telomerase RNA imaging in live cells.
Efficient polyalcohol oxidation electrocatalysts enabled by PtM (M = Fe, Co, and Ni) nanocubes surrounded by (200) crystal facets
Authors: Song Tongxin , Gao Fei , Zhang Yangping , Chen Chunyan , Wang Cheng , Li Shujin , Shang Hongyuan , Du Yukou
Published: April 2020

The (200)-enclosed Pt4M nanocubes (NCs) exhibit ascendant catalytic property towards GOR and EGOR due to the introduction of transition metals.
Environmentally friendly Mn-alloyed core/shell quantum dots for high-efficiency photoelectrochemical cells
Authors: Wang Rui , Tong Xin , Channa Ali Imran , Zeng Qiugui , Sun Jiachen , Liu Cheng , Li Xin , Xu Jingyin , Lin Feng , Selopal Gurpreet Singh , Rosei Federico , Zhang Yanning , Wu Jiang , Zhao Haiguang , Vomiero Alberto , Sun Xuping , Wang Zhiming M.
Published: April 2020

A high performance photoelectrochemical cell fabricated using eco-friendly Mn-alloyed CuInS2/ZnS core/shell quantum dots is demonstrated.
Rational design of an efficient descriptor for single-atom catalysts in the hydrogen evolution reaction
Authors: Huang Hai-Cai , Zhao Yang , Wang Jing , Li Jun , Chen Jing , Fu Qiang , Bu Yu-Xiang , Cheng Shi-Bo
Published: April 2020

A highly efficient and reliable descriptor is proposed offering a strategy to rationally design SACs for the HER conveniently and quickly.
Vapor induced phase separation towards anion-/near-infrared-responsive pore channels for switchable anti-fouling membranes
Authors: Wei Ran , Guo Jiabei , Jin Lunqiang , He Chao , Xie Yi , Zhang Xiang , Zhao Weifeng , Zhao Changsheng
Published: April 2020

Development of anion-/near-infrared-responsive and anti-fouling membranes fabricated through vapor induced phase separation based on poly(ionic liquid) nanoparticles.
Large energy-storage density in transition-metal oxide modified NaNbO3–Bi(Mg0.5Ti0.5)O3lead-free ceramics through regulating the antiferroelectric phase structure
Authors: Tian Ao , Zuo Ruzhong , Qi He , Shi Min
Published: April 2020

The combination of AFE phase structural regulation and breakdown strength optimization through chemical modification leads to a large energy-storage density ofWrec∼ 5.57 J cm−3in NN–BMT lead-free bulk ceramics.
Robust and nanostructured chitosan–silica hybrids for bone repair application
Authors: Liang Jin-Ning , Yan Le-Ping , Dong Yi-Fan , Liu Xiao , Wu Gang , Zhao Na-Ru
Published: April 2020

Acetic acid contributes to the strong ionic interaction between Si ions and chitosan by providing a weak acidic condition, and its steric hindrance effect leads to the formation of nanosized silica particles and their homogeneous distribution.
Two‐way oxide rupture scheme for PUF implementation in low‐cost IoT systems
Authors: Lee C. , Lee J. , Lee Y.
Published: April 2020

A two‐way oxide rupture scheme in a transistor is proposed for area‐efficient PUF implementation for low‐cost IoT systems. Compared to a conventional one‐way oxide rupture scheme, which requires a 4T unit cell structure, the proposed scheme allows a 2T unit cell structure, which enables up to 70% area reduction. A test chip is fabricated in 180 nm CMOS process to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed scheme, confirming good randomness and uniqueness with small area overhead.
Intelligent islanding detection method for photovoltaic power system based on Adaboost algorithm
Authors: Ke Jia , Zhengxuan Zhu , Zhe Yang , Yu Fang , Tianshu Bi , Jiankang Zhang
Published: April 2020

The universal islanding detection methods (IDMs) for photovoltaic (PV) power systems require manually thresholds setting. That will lead to a certain non‐detection zone (NDZ). Moreover, disturbance signals injected by active detection methods may adversely affect power quality. Aiming at the above problems, this study proposes a passive intelligent IDM for parallel multi‐PV system based on improved Adaptive Boosting (Adaboost) algorithm. Using Adaboost algorithm to generate classification models for islanding detection can theoretically avoid the NDZ of passive methods. The proposed method takes advantage of the electrical connection between characteristic parameters to adjust the classification model and improves the detection ability by redistributing the weight of each sub‐model. Simulation results show that when adopted to a multi‐PV system, the proposed method can effectively distinguish islanding operation in the NDZs of conventional passive IDMs. The method can also achieve accurate detection in the case of short‐term power quality interferences, line faults and disturbance signal interference injected by active methods.
Optimal demand response strategies to mitigate wind power variability and gas‐supply uncertainty in a multi‐resolution robust security constrained unit commitment
Authors: Safipour Hamed , Abdollahi Amir , Hajmohammadi Mohammad Sadegh , Alizadeh Mohammad Iman
Published: April 2020

With the increasing penetration rate of renewable energy sources, variability impacts, aside from uncertainty, will increase the need for operational flexibility resources in power systems. Accordingly, in this study, flexibility provision from both generation and demand sides are considered in a day‐ahead scheduling problem. Fast start gas‐fired units, due to their agility in starting‐up and high ramping capabilities are considered as generation side flexibility providers. However, the normal operation of these units strictly depends on a secure gas supply through connected gas pipelines. Thus, gas‐supply uncertainty is considered in the proposed model to mimic the impacts of deviations in gas volume through pipelines. On the other hand, demand response programs (DRPs) with their specific characteristics are among powerful demand side flexibility providers. However, unlike the existing literature that considers a supplementary role for DRPs, this study introduces the main role for DRPs as flexibility providers through comprehensive modelling of versatile DRPs. The proposed day‐ahead scheduling problem is a multi‐resolution robust security constrained unit commitment that the robustness comes from the decision making against sub‐hourly gas‐supply uncertainty and wind power variability. The applicability of the proposed model is tested on both an 8‐bus and IEEE‐118‐bus standard test systems.
Low cost, flexible, and distribution level universal grid analyser platform: designs and implementations
Authors: Yin He , Yao Wenxuan , Zhan Lingwei , Yu Wenpeng , Zhao Jiecheng , Liu Yilu
Published: April 2020

This study presents the designs and implementations of a distribution level open‐universal grid analyser (Open‐UGA) platform. The proposed Open‐UGA platform consists of distribution‐level phasor measurement units (PMUs), a standard signal generator, a router, and a server. Firstly, an overall introduction for the software, hardware, and server architectures of the Open‐UGA platform is given. To give a detailed design, the software, hardware, server block diagrams, flowcharts, and printed circuit board photo of the Open‐UGA platform are presented in detail. Then, four different types of distribution level PMU algorithms are introduced and implemented in the Open‐UGA platform to verify the flexibility and reconfigurability. The flowcharts and functionalities of these four UGAs with different PMU algorithms are given as example implementations. Finally, a performance comparison is conducted with both quantitative and illustrative results.
Passenger inflow control with hierarchical coordination for overloaded metro lines
Authors: Zhou Huijuan , Liu Yu , Zhao Yu
Published: April 2020

Due to the congestion in urban rail transit during peak hours, this study proposes a hierarchical coordinated passenger inflow control model for overloaded metro lines from three dimensions, namely line, station and ticket gate. The hierarchical structure divides the system into three control layers and the model is established using the linear programming method. An improved particle swarm optimisation (PSO) algorithm, combining the interior penalty function and the basic PSO algorithm, is used to find the optimal objective value. In addition, the objective function with the penalty function to transform the constrained optimisation problem into an unconstrained optimisation problem is developed to solve the model. Finally, a real‐world instance with operation data of the Beijing Metro Line 5 is implemented to demonstrate the performance and effectiveness of the proposed approaches.