bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A systematic review protocol on small/kiddie cigarette packaging size and its impact on smoking
Authors: Mat Rifin Halizah , Rodzlan Hasani Wan Shakira , Ling Miaw Yn Jane , Robert Lourdes Tania Gayle , Saminathan Thamil Arasu , Ab Majid Nur Liana , Ahmad Ahzairin , Ismail Hasimah , Mohd Yusoff Muhammad Fadhli
Published: January 2020

Background

Small/kiddie cigarette packs consist of less than 20 cigarette sticks. Kiddie packs were recently proposed to be reintroduced by the tobacco industry with an excuse to prevent consumers from buying illicit cigarettes. By reintroducing kiddie packs, cigarettes will inevitably be more affordable and this would appeal to lower-income consumers especially teens. In this systematic review, we aimed to identify the impact of kiddie packs on smoking, specifically on smoking initiation, the urge/tendency to buy cigarettes and attempts to reduce cigarette consumption.

Methods

This systematic review will be based on the review of original articles on the impact of kiddie packs on smoking. There is no restriction on the publication dates. The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science and Scopus will be searched to retrieve potential original articles. Additional records identified through other sources: Google Scholar, as well as Journal of Substance Use and Tobacco Control, are also to be searched. These will include original articles in any language which included all study designs (randomised controlled trials, quasi experimental and experimental studies, observational cross-sectional and cohort studies) comparing kiddie packs with regular cigarette packs. The primary outcomes of interest will be initiation of smoking and urge/tendency to buy cigarettes in the general population and attempts to reduce cigarette consumption among current smokers. Secondary outcomes will be the prevalence of smoking using kiddie packs among the current smokers.

Discussion

This systematic review will provide evidence to support the impact of kiddie packs on smoking in terms of smoking initiation, smoking prevalence, urge/tendency to purchase cigarettes and attempts to reduce cigarette consumption. The findings from this review could be helpful to policymakers in regulating kiddie packs to control the consumption of tobacco.

Systematic review registration

PROSPEROCRD42018102325
Cloudy transaction costs: a dive into cloud computing economics
Authors: Makhlouf Rasha
Published: January 2020

Looking merely from the neoclassical perspective, cloud computing is price effective. However, according to institutional and transaction cost economics, cloud customers should estimate other costs beyond the price. Such costs may not be known to cloud customers, leading to unmet expectations and implementation challenges. The aim of this paper is to study transaction costs of cloud computing from the customer perspective to make the cloud journey less cloudy, i.e. more informed and well planned. This paper applies transaction cost theory to cloud computing through a 360-degree industry analysis. Expert interviews with vendor, customer and consultancy sides were conducted to understand costs associated with cloud computing. Findings were validated through a case study. Findings of this research indicate that cloud has high ‘asset specificity’ due to change management costs, meta services costs and business process reengineering costs. Cloud also has a considerable level of ‘uncertainty’ asking for managing contracts, investing in cloud-specific monitoring solutions and consciously reviewing of the legal compliance. Finally, cloud has high ‘transaction frequency’, which compensates for the needed investments triggered by ‘uncertainty’ and ‘asset specificity’.
Design of a randomized controlled trial to Link Infectious and Narcology Care (LINC-II) in St. Petersburg, Russia
Authors: Gnatienko Natalia , Lioznov Dmitry , Raj Anita , Blokhina Elena , Rosen Sydney , Cheng Debbie M. , Lunze Karsten , Bendiks Sally , Truong Ve , Bushara Natalia , Toussova Olga , Quinn Emily , Krupitsky Evgeny , Samet Jeffrey H.
Published: January 2020

Background

If Russia is to achieve the UNAIDS 90-90-90 HIV targets, better approaches to engage, effectively treat, and retain patients in care are needed. This paper describes the protocol of a randomized controlled trial (RCT) testing the effectiveness of LINC-II, a strength-based case management program for HIV-positive people who inject drugs (PWID) to increase rates of HIV viral suppression, ART initiation, and opioid abstinence.

Methods

This RCT will enroll and randomize 240 participants, recruited from a narcology (addiction care) hospital in St. Petersburg, Russia. Participants are randomized to the intervention or control arms. Those in the intervention arm receive: (1) strengths-based HIV case management supporting coordinated care; (2) rapid ART initiation; and (3) pharmacotherapy for opioid use disorder. We will evaluate the intervention’s effectiveness compared to standard of care on the following outcomes: (1) undetectable HIV viral load at 12 months (primary); (2) initiation of ART within 28 days of randomization; (3) change in CD4 count from baseline to 12 months; (4) retention in HIV care (i.e., ≥ 1 visit to medical care in 2 consecutive 6 month periods); (5) undetectable HIV viral load at 6 months; and (6) past 30-day opioid abstinence (at 6 and at 12 months).

Discussion

This RCT will assess the LINC-II intervention in an urban Russian setting. If effective, it will offer a new approach for increasing the uptake of both HIV and opioid use disorder treatment and coordination of these modalities in standard Eastern European clinical settings.

Trial registrationThis study was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov through the National Institutes of Health, NCT03290391. Registered 19 September 2017,https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03290391
Point prevalence survey of antimicrobial use and healthcare-associated infections in Belgian acute care hospitals: results of the Global-PPS and ECDC-PPS 2017
Authors:   the Belgian Point Prevalence Survey Study Group, Vandael Eline , Latour Katrien , Goossens Herman , Magerman Koen , Drapier Nico , Catry Boudewijn , Versporten Ann
Published: January 2020

Background

The point prevalence survey of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) and antimicrobial use organized by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC-PPS) and the Global Point Prevalence Survey of antimicrobial consumption (Global-PPS) were simultaneously performed in Belgian acute care hospitals in 2017.

Methods

Belgian acute care hospitals were invited to participate in either the ECDC or Global-PPS. Hospital/ward/patient-level data were collected between September–December 2017. All patients present in the wards at 8 a.m. on the day of the PPS were included. The data of the ECDC and Global-PPS on antimicrobial consumption were pooled. Detailed data on HAIs were analysed for ECDC-PPS.

Results

Overall, 110 Belgian acute care hospital sites participated in the ECDC and Global-PPS (countrywide participation rate: 81.4%, 28,007 patients). Overall, a crude prevalence of patients with at least one antimicrobial of 27.1% (95% confidence interval (CI) 26.5–27.6%) was found. The most frequently reported indications were pneumonia (23.2%), urinary tract infections (15.2%) and skin and soft tissue infections (11.9%). The reason for antimicrobial use was recorded for 81.9% of the prescriptions, a stop/review date for 40.8% and compliance with local antibiotic guidelines for 76.6%. In the ECDC-PPS, the crude prevalence of patients with at least one HAI was 7.3% (95%CI 6.8–7.7%). Most frequently reported HAIs were pneumonia (21.6%) and urinary tract infections (21.3%).

Conclusions

HAI and antimicrobial use prevalence remained stable in comparison with the previous PPS (7.1% and 27.4% in 2011 and 2015, respectively). Belgian hospitals should be further stimulated to set local targets to improve antibiotic prescribing and reduce HAI.
Direct electrophoretic microRNA preparation from clinical samples using nanofilter membrane
Authors: Lee Kidan , Kang Jae-Hyun , Kim Hyun-Mi , Ahn Junhyoung , Lim Hyungjun , Lee JaeJong , Jeon Wan-Jin , Lee Jae-Hoon , Kim Ki-Bum
Published: January 2020

A method to directly collect negatively charged nucleic acids, such as DNA and RNA, in the biosamples simply by applying an electric field in between the sample and collection buffer separated by the nanofilter membrane is proposed. The nanofilter membrane was made of low-stress silicon nitride with a thickness of 100 nm, and multiple pores were perforated in a highly arranged pattern using nanoimprint technology with a pore size of 200 nm and a pore density of 7.22 × 108/cm2. The electrophoretic transport of hsa-mir-93-5p across the membrane was confirmed in pure microRNA (miRNA) mimic solution using quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reactions (qRT-PCR). Consistency of the collected miRNA quantity, stability of the system during the experiment, and yield and purity of the prepared sample were discussed in detail to validate the effectiveness of the electrical protocol. Finally, in order to check the applicability of this method to clinical samples, liquid biopsy process was demonstrated by evaluating the miRNA levels in sera of hepatocellular carcinoma patients and healthy controls. This efficient system proposed a simple, physical idea in preparation of nucleic acid from biosamples, and demonstrated its compatibility to biological downstream applications such as qRT-PCR as the conventional nucleic acid extraction protocols.
Incidence reporting via online high school concussion surveillance by certified athletic trainers and school nurses, 2015–2018
Authors: Gonzalez Lauren , Jones Laura E. , Fakeh Maryanne , Shah Nimit , Panchella Joseph A. , Shendell Derek G.
Published: January 2020

Background

There is an increasing concern over adolescent concussions in sports due to risks of long-term negative effects. This study analyzed data over three school years on reported concussion incidence rates by season, high school grade levels and gender, and reported symptoms by school nurses versus athletic trainers, from New Jersey student-athlete concussion data available from an online school-based surveillance system.

Methods

School nurses and athletic trainers reported 300 concussions within five days from when each occurred over three school years, 2015–2018, in team sports and physical education in New Jersey high schools. Analysis was further conducted on symptoms and number of symptoms reported by school nurses versus school athletic trainers for each documented student-athlete concussion. Estimated concussion incidence rates were calculated using state agency verified school enrollment data.

Findings

Concussions most commonly occurred during fall, followed by spring, then winter. Concussion incidence rates ranged from 6.3/1000 (4.99, 7.55) – 9.1/1000 (7.27, 10.98) students over the three school years of the study. Athletic trainers completed 86% of the reports while nurses completed 11% (position or title of 3%, or n = 7, were not disclosed); the values were similar when considering only fall pre-season and regular season sports (88, 10, 2%, respectively). On average, across the three school years, athletic trainers reported about 3.5 symptoms per report while nurses reported 2.7 (values in fall seasons only were 3.7 and 3.1, respectively.)

Conclusions

Certified athletic trainers, compared to school nurses, more often completed concussion report forms and reported more symptoms per injured student, perhaps due partly to closer contact and immediate care provided after injury. Additionally, this study had a higher concussion incidence rate during fall sports seasons compared to winter and spring. Future research can further improve our understanding of concussions among adolescent student-athletes to better inform concussion identification, management and recovery protocols.
Seawater motion-induced electromagnetic noise reduction in marine magnetotelluric data using current meters
Authors: Chen Kai , Zhao Qingxian , Deng Ming , Luo Xianhu , Jing Jianen
Published: January 2020

Seawater motion-induced electromagnetic (EM) noise along the seafloor has a large impact on marine magnetotelluric (MT) data quality. Although the mechanical stability of ocean bottom electromagnetic receivers (OBEMs) has improved due to buoyancy optimization, completely eliminating EM noise generated by seafloor currents as a result of instrument rocking or induction from the Earth’s magnetic field is still not possible. The velocity of the current represents the quantification of seafloor conditions. To mitigate this problem, we installed a current meter on an OBEM to measure the synchronous current velocity along with the OBEM data logger. For the marine EM surveys, we conducted two surveys composed of 42 marine EM data acquisition sites in the South China Sea. We observed a strong correlation between induced EM noise and current velocity when the speed was greater than 2 cm/s. Furthermore, we developed an adaptive correlation noise-canceling filter to reduce the induced EM noise, using the current meter data as a reference signal. The filter refined the coefficients using a least-mean-squares algorithm. We were able to reduce the induced EM noise by pre-filtering the raw time series data with an adaptive correlation noise-canceling filter and using current meter data from nearby sites. Since seafloor currents are clearly an issue that limits MT data quality, special efforts are necessary to reduce seawater motion-induced EM noise in marine MT surveys.
Comparative phylogeography of two sister species of snowcock: impacts of species-specific altitude preference and life history
Authors: An Bei , Zhang Lixun , Wang Yutao , Song Sen
Published: January 2020

Background

Phylogeographical patterns and population dynamics are usually interpreted by environmental disturbances and geographic barriers of the past. However, sister species may exhibit disparate patterns of genetic structures and population dynamics due to their habitat preference and altitude segregation. In this study, we tested how species-specific altitude habitat affected phylogeographical patterns in two sister snowcock species, Tibetan (Tetraogallus tibetanus) and Himalayan Snowcocks (T. himalayensis).

Methods

A panel of seven microsatellite loci and a fragment of Mitochondrial DNA Control Region were used to investigate genetic structures and population dynamics in hope of revealing the underlying evolutionary processes through the identification of possible past demographic events.

Results

Our results suggest thatT. himalayensisshowed a significant phylogeographical signal in mtDNA (FST = 0.66,p < 0.001) and microsatellite (FST = 0.11,p < 0.001) data and is stable during the glacial-interglacial cycles in the Pleistocene and followed demographic contraction until 0.003 million years (Mys) ago. The phylogeographical signal ofT. tibetanusis lower than the level of genetic difference among populations in mtDNA (FST = 0.41,p < 0.001) and microsatellite (FST = 0.09,p < 0.001) data, likely benefiting from stable habitats over a long period of time.T. tibetanushas been experiencing expansion since 0.09 Mys ago. However, an abnormally haplotype H9 fromT. himalayensisclustering withT. tibetanuswas spotted.

Conclusion

Our results indicate that differences in habitat preference and altitude specialities were reflected in the genetic structure patterns and population dynamics of these two species. These dissimilarities in life history traits might have affected the dispersal and survival abilities of these two species differently during environmental fluctuations. The results of this study also enriched our knowledge on population differentiation and connectivity in high altitude mountain ecosystems.
Simultaneous emission and attenuation reconstruction in time-of-flight PET using a reference object
Authors: García-Pérez Pablo , España Samuel
Published: January 2020

Background

Simultaneous reconstruction of emission and attenuation images in time-of-flight (TOF) positron emission tomography (PET) does not provide a unique solution. In this study, we propose to solve this limitation by including additional information given by a reference object with known attenuation placed outside the patient. Different configurations of the reference object were studied including geometry, material composition, and activity, and an optimal configuration was defined. In addition, this configuration was tested for different timing resolutions and noise levels.

Results

The proposed strategy was tested in 2D simulations obtained by forward projection of available PET/CT data and noise was included using Monte Carlo techniques. Obtained results suggest that the optimal configuration corresponds to a water cylinder inserted in the patient table and filled with activity. In that case, mean differences between reconstructed and true images were below 10%. However, better results can be obtained by increasing the activity of the reference object.

Conclusion

This study shows promising results that might allow to obtain an accurate attenuation map from pure TOF-PET data without prior knowledge obtained from CT, MRI, or transmission scans.
Electroencephalographic features in pediatric patients with moyamoya disease in China
Authors: Lu Jia , Xia Qing , Yang Tuanfeng , Qiang Jun , Liu Xianzeng , Ye Xun , Wang Rong
Published: January 2020

Background

Moyamoya disease (MMD) is a relatively important and common disease, especially in East Asian children. There are few reports about EEG in children with MMD in China till now. This study is aimed to analyze the electroencephalographic features of MMD in pediatric patients in China preliminarily.

Methods

Pediatric patients with MMD who were hospitalized in Peking University International Hospital and Beijing Tiantan Hospital from January 2016 to December 2018 were collected. Clinical and electroencephalography (EEG) findings were analyzed retrospectively.

Results

A total of 110 pediatric patients with MMD were involved, and 17 (15.5%) cases had a history of seizure or epilepsy. Ischemic stroke was associated with a 1.62-fold relative risk of seizure. A subset of 15 patients with complete EEG data was identified. Indications for EEG in patients with MMD included limb shaking, unilateral weakness, or generalized convulsion. Abnormal EEG was seen in 14 (93.3%) cases, with the most common findings being focal slowing 12 (80.0%), followed by epileptiform discharge 10 (66.7%), and diffuse slowing 9 (60.0%). “Re-build up” phenomenon on EEG was observed in one patient.

Conclusions

Seizure and abnormal background activity or epileptiform discharge on EEG were common in pediatric patients with MMD. EEG may play a role in differential diagnosis among the transient neurological events in MMD such as transient ischemic attack and seizure.
Can we still ignore renal replacement therapy in sub-Saharan Africa? All living beings are created equal
Authors: Kobayashi Shuzo , Hidaka Sumi
Published: January 2020

This review addresses the social background and renal replacement therapy in the sub-Saharan African region. We also describe the hemodialysis treatment in countries that we have supported since 2008 and the renal transplant treatment in Tanzania that began in 2016. We have contributed dialysis treatment totally to 15 sub-Saharan African countries. Many patients suffering from chronic renal failure have been able to be treated by hemodialysis, and with this technique, lots of patients with acute kidney injury have also been rescued. In order to ensure the sustainability of dialysis treatment, clinical engineers in Japan should be needed because of the maintenance of dialysis machines and management of dialysate. Kidney transplantation would be the best method in renal replacement therapy. It would be also important to be able to perform transplant operation only by the local staff, to strengthen the examination system, and to foster transplant internists by further training. In this regard, our efforts surely made it possible that kidney transplant was conducted successfully in Tanzania.
Addressing Cancer Health Disparities in the Pacific Peoples of Hawai‘i, Guam, and the US Associated Pacific Islands Through Pacific-Focused Research Capacity Building
Authors: Leon Guerrero Rachael T. , Palafox Neal A. , Hattori-Uchima Margaret P. , Robinett Hali R. , Vogel Carl-Wilhelm
Published: January 2020

Sociocultural, geographic, and biologic factors contribute to cancer health disparities (CHDs) in Indigenous Pacific peoples (IPPs) in Guam, Hawai‘i, and the US Associated Pacific Islands (USAPI). IPPs experience a greater burden of CHDs that are associated with late-stage diagnosis and poor survival outcomes compared with majority populations in the United States. A 16-year partnership between the University of Guam (UOG) and University of Hawai‘i Cancer Center (UHCC) aims to advance health equity in Guam, Hawai‘i, and the USAPI through cancer research, training, and outreach. Investigators at collaborating institutions study issues of regional and cultural relevance in IPPs, including breast, cervical, liver, and oral cancers and use of tobacco and betel nuts (Areca nuts). Junior faculty with IPP ancestry or those who are focused on CHDs in IPPs receive mentorship and career development opportunities, academic fellowships are provided for graduate students, and Pacific Island communities are engaged through a participatory development process. The partnership has generated more than 90 peer-reviewed publications, more than 100 abstracts, and 11 grant awards. Thirty graduate scholars from under-represented minorities have been trained, including two who are now UOG faculty and are conducting independent research, contributing to the partnership, and mentoring scientists of tomorrow. Participatory community engagement has contributed to the passage of significant cancer prevention and control legislation in Hawai‘i, Guam, and Saipan. Research capacity at UOG has increased significantly, and research at UHCC has expanded to address issues unique to IPPs. Graduate students from under-represented minorities are pursuing careers in cancer research. A regional research infrastructure has been established to support team science, and research findings are informing public health policy and planning.
Creating a Canadian Indigenous Research Network Against Cancer to Address Indigenous Cancer Disparities
Authors: Letendre Angeline , Garvey Gail , King Alexandra , King Malcolm , Crowshoe Reg , Bill Lea , Caron Nadine R. , Elias Brenda
Published: January 2020

PURPOSE

In Canada, Indigenous peoples’ cancer rates have increased, but cancer screening rates tend to be lower. When coupled with poor cancer prognosis, treatment barriers, and inaccessible health care, Indigenous patients with cancer experience many unmet needs. Further complicating their journey is a multijurisdictional system that complicates cancer control services, treatments, patient supports, and cancer surveillance. To address these issues, the Canadian Indigenous Research Network Against Cancer (CIRNAC) was developed. This article describes the forerunners and consultative process that created the network and the consensus model developed to ground this network with, by, and for Indigenous peoples.

METHODS

A consultative workshop was held to (1) establish and increase network membership, (2) enhance partnerships with Indigenous communities and other researchers, and (3) develop an Indigenous-led research program, new funding, and related initiatives.

RESULTS

Participants viewed the CIRNAC as a reflective parallel network led by Indigenous peoples that would identify research priorities within Canada, assess how these priorities align with Indigenous patients’ cancer care and research needs, and cross-check to see if these priorities align with each other. The network would also advocate for Indigenous elders/knowledge holders and community grassroot processes to drive research and training, thus demonstrating the power of the community voice and lived experience in research. In addition, the network would foster research partnerships to investigate alternative Indigenous models for cancer prevention, care, treatment, and support.

CONCLUSION

The CIRNAC evolved as a viable vehicle to address cancer with, for, and by Indigenous peoples. The network is guided by a preamble, a set of aims, and an inclusion engagement circle model. It is evolving through major world initiatives, with the aim of formally becoming an internationally linked national network.
Colorectal Cancer in the Adolescent and Young Adult Population
Authors: You Y. Nancy , Lee Lucas D. , Deschner Benjamin W. , Shibata David
Published: January 2020

Colorectal cancer in the young adult population is of increasing incidence and concern. Genetic predisposition and heritable syndromes contribute to this trend, but perhaps more concerning is the majority of new diagnoses that involve no traceable genetic risk factors. Prevention and early recognition, with a high suspicion in the symptomatic young adult, are critical in attenuating recent trends. Clinical management requires coordinated multidisciplinary care from diagnosis to surveillance in order to ensure appropriate management. This review provides a summary of key aspects related to colorectal cancer in adolescents and young adults, including epidemiology, biology, genetics, clinical management, and prevention.
High-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry-Based Lipid Metabolite Profiling of Acromegaly
Authors: Wang Meng , Guo Shizhe , He Min , Shao Xiaoqing , Feng Lei , Yu Yifei , Gong Wei , Liu Qingfeng , Melnikov Vladimir , Wang Xiaoxue , He Zhian , Jiang Lin , Chen Maohua , Sun Jun , Cai Jianyong , Zhao Yao , Li Yiming , Tritos Nicholas A , Hu Zhiyu , Zhang Zhaoyun
Published: January 2020

Context

Metabolic disorders, especially dysregulated lipid metabolism, increase the risk of cardiovascular mortality in acromegaly. Previous studies measuring plasma macromolecular lipids have yielded conflicting results.

Purpose

To explore the plasma lipid metabolite profiles by metabolomics analysis and identify potential metabolites associated with cardiac function in acromegaly.

Methods

Plasma was obtained from 80 newly diagnosed, untreated patients with acromegaly and 80 healthy controls. Echocardiography was performed. Based on the results of an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), patients were categorized into 2 groups: normal glucose tolerance (NGT, n = 28) and impaired glucose tolerance or diabetes mellitus (IGT/DM, n = 52). High-performance liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (HPLC–MS)-based metabolomics analysis was conducted. Data were processed by principal components analysis (PCA), orthogonal partial least square-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA), and MetaboAnalyst 4.0. Associations between metabolic substances and cardiovascular parameters were also explored.

Results

Metabolomics uncovered a distinct metabolic pattern between acromegaly and healthy controls, and perturbed pathways mainly include glycerophospholipid metabolism, sphingolipid metabolism, as well as linoleic acid metabolism. Collective analysis showed that phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) (22:6/16:0) was positively correlated with LV mass, while lysophosphatidylcholine (LysoPC) (16:0) was positively correlated with fractional shortening (FS) and left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF).

Conclusion

Patients with acromegaly have distinct lipid metabolite profiling, while PE (22:6/16:0) and LysoPC (16:0) are correlated with cardiac structure and function, which may contribute to the risk of cardiovascular complications.
Role of GnRH Isoforms in Paracrine/Autocrine Control of Zebrafish (Danio rerio) Spermatogenesis
Authors: Fallah Hamideh P , Rodrigues Maira S , Corchuelo Sheryll , Nóbrega Rafael H , Habibi Hamid R
Published: January 2020

It is well established that hypothalamic GnRH (gonadotropin-releasing hormone) is one of the key peptides involved in the neuroendocrine control of testicular development and spermatogenesis. However, the role of GnRH as a paracrine regulator of testicular function has not been fully investigated. The present study demonstrates the presence of GnRH and its receptors in the zebrafish (Danio rerio) testis, and provides information on direct action of native GnRH isoforms (GnRH2 and GnRH3) on different stages of spermatogenesis in this model. Both GnRH2 and GnRH3 stimulated basal spermatogenesis by increasing numbers of type Aund spermatogonia, spermatozoa, and testosterone release, and in this study GnRH2 exerted higher relative activity than GnRH3. Next, we evaluated the effects of GnRH isoforms on human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG)- and follicle-stimulating hormone (Fsh)-induced spermatogenesis. The 2 GnRH isoforms were found to have different effects on Fsh- and hCG-induced response depending on the stage of spermatogenesis and concentration of the peptides. The results provide strong support for the hypothesis that locally produced GnRH2 and GnRH3 are important components of the complex multifactorial system that regulates testicular germinal cell development and function in adult zebrafish.
FGF signaling directs myotube guidance by regulating Rac activity
Authors: Yang Shuo , Weske Allison , Du Yingqiu , Valera Juliana M. , Jones Kenneth L. , Johnson Aaron N.
Published: January 2020

Nascent myotubes undergo a dramatic morphological transformation during myogenesis, in which the myotubes elongate over several cell diameters and are directed to the correct muscle attachment sites. Although this process of myotube guidance is essential to pattern the musculoskeletal system, the mechanisms that control myotube guidance remain poorly understood. Using transcriptomics, we found that components of the Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF) signaling pathway were enriched in nascent myotubes in Drosophila embryos. Null mutations in the FGF receptor heartless (htl), or its ligands, caused significant myotube guidance defects. The FGF ligand Pyramus is expressed broadly in the ectoderm, and ectopic Pyramus expression disrupted muscle patterning. Mechanistically, Htl regulates the activity of Rho/Rac GTPases in nascent myotubes and effects changes in the actin cytoskeleton. FGF signals are thus essential regulators of myotube guidance that act through cytoskeletal regulatory proteins to pattern the musculoskeletal system.
Senescent mesenchymal stem cells remodel extracellular matrix driving breast cancer cells to a more-invasive phenotype
Authors: Ghosh Deepraj , Mejia Pena Carolina , Quach Nhat , Xuan Botai , Lee Amy H. , Dawson Michelle R.
Published: January 2020

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are essential for the regenerative process; however, biological aging and environmental stress can induce senescence – an irreversible state of growth arrest – that not only affects the behavior of cells but also disrupts their ability to restore tissue integrity. While abnormal tissue properties, including increased extracellular matrix stiffness, are linked with the risk of developing breast cancer, the role and contribution of senescent MSCs to the disease progression to malignancy are not well understood. Here, we investigated senescence-associated biophysical changes in MSCs and how this influences cancer cell behavior in a 3D matrix interface model. Although senescent MSCs were far less motile than pre-senescent MSCs, they induced an invasive breast cancer phenotype, characterized by increased spheroid growth and cell invasion in collagen gels. Further analysis of collagen gels using second-harmonic generation showed increased collagen density when senescent MSCs were present, suggesting that senescent MSCs actively remodel the surrounding matrix. This study provides direct evidence of the pro-malignant effects of senescent MSCs in tumors.
Cooperative recruitment of Arl4A and Pak1 to the plasma membrane contributes to sustained Pak1 activation for cell migration
Authors: Chen Kuan-Jung , Chiang Tsai-Chen , Yu Chia-Jung , Lee Fang-Jen S.
Published: January 2020

Cell migration requires the coordination of multiple signaling pathways involved in membrane dynamics and cytoskeletal rearrangement. The Arf-like small GTPase Arl4A has been shown to modulate actin cytoskeleton remodeling. However, evidence of the function of Arl4A in cell migration is insufficient. Here, we report that Arl4A acts with the serine/threonine protein kinase Pak1 to modulate cell migration through their cooperative recruitment to the plasma membrane. We first observed that Arl4A and its isoform Arl4D interact with Pak1 and Pak2 and showed that Arl4A recruits Pak1 and Pak2 to the plasma membrane. The fibronectin-induced Pak1 localization at the plasma membrane is reduced in Arl4A-depleted cells. Unexpectedly, we found that Pak1, but not Arl4A-binding-defective Pak1, can recruit a cytoplasmic myristoylation-deficient Arl4A-G2A mutant to the plasma membrane. Furthermore, we found that the Arl4A-Pak1 interaction, which is independent of Rac1 binding to Pak1, is required for Arl4A-induced cell migration. Thus, we infer that there is feedback regulation between Arl4A and Pak1, in which they mutually recruit each other to the plasma membrane for Pak1 activation, thereby modulating cell migration through direct interaction.
Sequence-dependent trafficking and activity of GDE2, a GPI-specific phospholipase promoting neuronal differentiation
Authors: Salgado-Polo Fernando , van Veen Michiel , van den Broek Bram , Jalink Kees , Leyton-Puig Daniela , Perrakis Anastassis , Moolenaar Wouter H. , Matas-Rico Elisa
Published: January 2020

GDE2 (also known as GDPD5) is a multispanning membrane phosphodiesterase with phospholipase D-like activity that cleaves select glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored proteins and thereby promotes neuronal differentiation both in vitro and in vivo. GDE2 is a prognostic marker in neuroblastoma, while loss of GDE2 leads to progressive neurodegeneration in mice; however, its regulation remains unclear. Here, we report that, in immature neuronal cells, GDE2 undergoes constitutive endocytosis and travels back along both fast and slow recycling routes. GDE2 trafficking is directed by C-terminal tail sequences that determine the ability of GDE2 to cleave GPI-anchored glypican-6 (GPC6) and induce a neuronal differentiation program. Specifically, we define a GDE2 truncation mutant that shows aberrant recycling and is dysfunctional, whereas a consecutive deletion results in cell-surface retention and gain of GDE2 function, thus uncovering distinctive regulatory sequences. Moreover, we identify a C-terminal leucine residue in a unique motif that is essential for GDE2 internalization. These findings establish a mechanistic link between GDE2 neuronal function and sequence-dependent trafficking, a crucial process gone awry in neurodegenerative diseases.

This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper.
Karyopherin enrichment at the nuclear pore complex attenuates Ran permeability
Authors: Barbato Suncica , Kapinos Larisa E. , Rencurel Chantal , Lim Roderick Y. H.
Published: January 2020

Ran is a small GTPase whose nucleotide-bound forms cycle through nuclear pore complexes (NPCs) to direct nucleocytoplasmic transport (NCT). Generally, Ran guanosine triphosphate (RanGTP) binds cargo-carrying karyopherin receptors (Kaps) in the nucleus and releases them into the cytoplasm following hydrolysis to Ran guanosine diphosphate (RanGDP). This generates a remarkably steep Ran gradient across the nuclear envelope that sustains compartment-specific cargo delivery and accumulation. However, because NPCs are permeable to small molecules of comparable size, it is unclear how an uncontrolled mixing of RanGTP and RanGDP is prevented. Here, we find that an NPC-enriched pool of karyopherin subunit beta 1 (KPNB1, hereafter referred to as Kapβ1) selectively mediates Ran diffusion across the pore but not passive molecules of similar size (e.g. GFP). This is due to RanGTP having a stronger binding interaction with Kapβ1 than RanGDP. For this reason, the RanGDP importer, nuclear transport factor 2, facilitates the return of RanGDP into the nucleus following GTP hydrolysis. Accordingly, the enrichment of Kapβ1 at NPCs may function as a retention mechanism that preserves the sharp transition of RanGTP and RanGDP in the nucleus and cytoplasm, respectively.
Tubulin polyglutamylation is a general traffic-control mechanism in hippocampal neurons
Authors: Bodakuntla Satish , Schnitzler Anne , Villablanca Cristopher , Gonzalez-Billault Christian , Bieche Ivan , Janke Carsten , Magiera Maria M.
Published: January 2020

Neurons are highly complex cells that heavily rely on intracellular transport to distribute a range of functionally essential cargoes within the cell. Post-translational modifications of tubulin are emerging as mechanisms for regulating microtubule functions, but their impact on neuronal transport is only marginally understood. Here, we have systematically studied the impact of post-translational polyglutamylation on axonal transport. In cultured hippocampal neurons, deletion of a single deglutamylase, CCP1 (also known as AGTPBP1), is sufficient to induce abnormal accumulation of polyglutamylation, i.e. hyperglutamylation. We next investigated how hyperglutamylation affects axonal transport of a range of functionally different neuronal cargoes: mitochondria, lysosomes, LAMP1 endosomes and BDNF vesicles. Strikingly, we found a reduced motility for all these cargoes, suggesting that polyglutamylation could act as a regulator of cargo transport in neurons. This, together with the recent discovery that hyperglutamylation induces neurodegeneration, makes it likely that perturbed neuronal trafficking could be one of the central molecular causes underlying this novel type of degeneration.

This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper.
Coding of odour and space in the hemimetabolous insect Periplaneta americana
Authors: Paoli Marco , Nishino Hiroshi , Couzin-Fuchs Einat , Galizia C. Giovanni
Published: January 2020

The general architecture of the olfactory system is highly conserved from insects to humans, but neuroanatomical and physiological differences can be observed across species. The American cockroach, inhabiting dark shelters with a rather stable olfactory landscape, is equipped with long antennae used for sampling the surrounding air-space for orientation and navigation. The antennae's exceptional length provides a wide spatial working range for odour detection; however, it is still largely unknown whether and how this is also used for mapping the structure of the olfactory environment. By selective labelling antennal lobe projection neurons with a calcium sensitive dye, we investigated the logic of olfactory coding in this hemimetabolous insect. We show that odour responses are stimulus-specific and concentration-dependent, and that structurally related odorants evoke physiologically similar responses. By using spatially confined stimuli, we show that proximal stimulations induce stronger and faster responses than distal ones. Spatially confined stimuli of the female pheromone periplanone-B activate sub-region of the male macroglomerulus. Thus, we report that the combinatorial logic of odour coding deduced from holometabolous insects applies also to this hemimetabolous species. Furthermore, a fast decrease in sensitivity along the antenna, not supported by a proportionate decrease in sensillar density, suggests a neural architecture that strongly emphasizes neuronal inputs from the proximal portion of the antenna.
"Klapać na pyszczysku", czyli o śląskiej leksyce i frazeologii dotyczącej mówienia
Authors: Przymuszała Lidia
Published: January 2020

Klapać na pyszczysku. Silesian Lexis and Phraseology Referring to SpeakingThe article discusses selected lexical units found in the dialects of Silesia, which refer to the act of speaking. It examines more than 190 tokens and collocations whose common denominator is the meaning of ‘speaking’. Analyzed are units referring to the content of the expression (with the main semantic component ‘to talk nonsense’), as well as those referring to physical aspects of the act of speaking, such as the clarity and accuracy of articulation (‘to speak indistinctly’, ‘to stutter’), the pace of speaking (‘to speak fast’, ‘to speak slowly’), also the tone, pitch, and intensity of the voice (‘to speak softly’, ‘to say shrilly’). An analysis of the collected material shows that these units form a semantically very heterogeneous group, and tokens and idioms which belong to it are characterized by a significant degree of semantic complexity. The article touches also the question of motivation and evaluation which is presented in the text of lexical units.
Korpus języka mówionego mieszkańców Spisza
Authors: Grochola-Szczepanek Helena , Górski Rafał L. , Von Waldenfels Ruprecht , Woźniak Michał
Published: January 2020

A Spoken Corpus of Inhabitants of Polish SpiszThe article describes a dialect corpus project that documents the dialect of Polish Spisz. In contrast to the majority of dialectological research in Poland, our corpus also includes the speech of the youngest and middle generations, as its aim is also to document the sociolinguistic situation of the dialect of the region. Recordings have been transcribed into standard Polish orthography, not phonetically, which makes it possible not only to easily search the corpus but also to use existing tools to lemmatize and add morphosyntactic annotation to the texts. Users interested in the phonetic layer can access the recordings on a per-utterance basis. The article describes the stages of compiling the corpus and discusses its potential applications. The authors argue that a large corpus which covers a small, homogeneous area is a more valuable resource for dialectologists than a series of small corpora documenting a larger region.
Późnolakońska nazwa rzepy
Authors: Kaczyńska Elwira , Witczak Krzysztof Tomasz
Published: January 2020

Late Laconian Name for ‘Turnip’In his work Deipnosophistae (IX 369b), Athenaeus discusses Greek names for ‘turnip’, including Laconian γάστρα and Boeotian ζεκελτίς. Hesychius of Alexandria (5th c. AD) gives two Late Laconian names: γασταία and θικέλιν (‘turnip, Brassica campestris L., syn. Brassica rapa L.’). The former term is an obvious reflex of Lac. γάστρα, while the latter seems to be a dialectal innovation. The present authors suggest that Late Laconian θικέλιν ‘turnip’ (originally ‘small gourd’) represents a diminutive form, derived from Late Laconian *θιᾱ́ f. ‘bottle gourd, Lagenaria siceraria (Molina) Standl’ (= Tsakonian θιάα, θιᾶ [θiˈa] f. ‘bottle, flask; gourd / φιάλη; νεροκολόκυθο’ < Gk. Lac. φιάλᾱ ‘id.’, cf. Attic-Ionic φιάλη f. ‘a broad, flat vessel; bowl for drinking’) by means of the diminutive suffix *-κέλ(λ)ιον (< Latin -cellum). Ancient Greeks used the same name to denote turnips and bottle gourds, see the Hesychian gloss ζακελτίδες· κολοκύνται ἢ γογγυλίδες (‘bottle gourds or turnips’). Athenaeus (IX 369b) gives an analogous pair of lexical correspondences: Boeotian ζεsκελτίδες ‘turnips’ and Thessalian (?) ζακελτίδες ‘bottle gourds’.
Dlaczego warto odróżniać sufiks od końcówki? (na marginesie artykułu Marka Stachowskiego "Terminy „sufiks” i „końcówka” w polskiej terminologii gramatyczne j")
Authors: Fijałkowska Wanda
Published: January 2020

Why is the Distinction between Suffix and Desinence Worth Preserving? (a reply to M. Stachowski’s paper The terms “suffix” and “desinence” among Polish grammatical terms)This paper is an answer to M. Stachowski’s article The terms “suffix” and “desinence” among Polish grammatical terms; it presents a different point of view. It points out that the terms mentioned in the title are not only used separately within the sub-disciplines of morphology, i.e. in research concerning inflection and word-formation, but also, due to their functions, make possible the distinction between lexicon and syntax, as well as the structuring of the lexicon. They also play a role in glottodidactics. An analysis of some derivatives, coupled with an interpretation of the terms extracted from linguistic compendia concerning Polish and French, shows that the distinction between a suffix and a desinence is both simple and useful. The attributes of a suffix are: 1) changing the meaning of the base; 2) absence of changes during inflection; 3) position before the ending (desinence). The second of the analysed terms does not possess these properties.
Nazwy czynności i nazwy rezultatów czynności w derywacji semantycznej
Authors: Czelakowska Anna
Published: January 2020

Names of Actions and Names of Results in Semantic Derivation

Przedmiotem artykułu jest semantyczna kategoria nazw rezultatów wchodzących w relację polisemii z nazwami owych czynności (np. odlew, publikacja, podpis), w słownikach zatem notowanych zwykle w relacji polisemii systematycznej. Autorka rozpatruje ją jako produkt derywacji semantycznej opartej na mechanizmie metonimii, uwzględniając współczesne badania i narzędzia semantyczne o aspekcie poznawczym. Model derywacji semantycznej ‘czynność’ – ‘rezultat czynności’ okazuje się mieć liczne współczesne realizacje w systemie językowym polszczyzny i znaczną produktywność. Przesunięcie metonimiczne zachodzi w przewidywalnych klasach semantycznych czasowników (głównie tzw. działaniach, jako prowadzących do powstania nowego stanu w sytuacji telicznej), uzasadnione jest przy tym przesunięciem uwagi mówiącego na to, co stanowi najważniejszą treść jego wypowiedzi: spodziewany wynik działań agensa lub procesu X. Zarazem sprzyjający kontekst zdaniowy i leksykalny wydają się prawdopodobnie środkiem tej derywacji semantycznej, kluczowym dla utrwalenia wyrazu w nowych połączeniach
Czego Zenon Klemensiewicz nie napisał o języku polskim w dwudziestoleciu międzywojennym, czyli dlaczego potrzebne jest nowe opracowanie dziejów polszczyzny w latach 1918–1939
Authors: Woźniak Ewa
Published: January 2020

What Zenon Klemensiewicz Did Not Write About the Polish Language in the Interwar Period, or Why Is There a Need for a New Synthesis of the History of Polish Between 1918 and 1939
The article formulates a postulate of a new synthesis of the history of the Polish language in the years 1918–1939, and presents reasons that justify this need. The interwar period has been described in the third volume of Z. Klemensiewicz’s History of the Polish Language (Pol. Historia języka polskiego) as the closing phase of the New Polish period. Such classification of this brief period in the history of Polish might be the reason why it has attracted little interest from historians studying the language, and why the centre of gravity of linguistic research has shifted to the period after 1945 which Klemensiewicz presented as the time of great changes in the Polish language. Klemensiewicz’s work, whose third volume was published in 1974, ignores numerous important issues which characterize the sociopolitical background of the development of Polish and the attitude towards the language. These are primarily issues connected to multinationality and multilingualism, including the problem of bilingual education with the language of instruction being a minority language, and the question of language policy. A wider range of sources needs to be included in historical and linguistic research into the interwar period, as the existing literature is mainly only familiar with the topics popularized by contemporary language correctness journals such as Poradnik Językowy or Język Polski.