bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Multi-cover skeins, quivers, and 3d $$ \mathcal{N} $$ = 2 dualities
Authors: Ekholm Tobias , Kucharski Piotr , Longhi Pietro
Published: February 2020

Abstract

The relation between open topological strings and representation theory of symmetric quivers is explored beyond the original setting of the knot-quiver correspondence. Multiple cover generalizations of the skein relation for boundaries of holomorphic disks on a Lagrangian brane are observed to generate dual quiver descriptions of the geometry. Embedding into M-theory, a large class of dualities of 3d $$ \mathcal{N} $$
N
= 2 theories associated to quivers is obtained. The multi-cover skein relation admits a compact formulation in terms of quantum torus algebras associated to the quiver and in this language the relations are similar to wall-crossing identities of Kontsevich and Soibelman.
Paleotemperature reconstruction using environmental isotopes and noble gases in groundwater in Morocco
Authors: Túri Marianna , Saadi Radouan , Marah Hamid , Temovski Marjan , Molnár Mihály , Palcsu László
Published: February 2020

A Turonian limestone-dolomite aquifer from the Tadla basin of Morocco was analysed using a multi-tracer approach (δ18O, δ2H, δ13C, 3H, 14C and noble gases) to reconstruct the paleotemperature evolution from the late Pleistocene to the Holocene. The Turonian aquifer was found to be suitable for a groundwater-based paleoclimate reconstruction, representing the Holocene–late Pleistocene epochs. After correction for young water contribution, mean residence times (MRTs) of groundwater were calculated using the Pearson radiocarbon model. Additionally, terrigenic helium content was used as an age indicator. Noble gas temperature (NGT) results from wells with groundwater ages corresponding to glacial periods showed an average of 17.2 ± 1.7°C. In contrast, samples of recent recharge water gave a mean NGT of 25.2 ± 1.3°C. This reveals a temperature difference of 8.0 ± 2.1 °C between the Holocene and late Pleistocene. This significant Pleistocene–Holocene temperature difference observed in Africa has considerable significance and can be extended to address an important topic relating to the nature of the wet epochs during which the fossil aquifers of North Africa were recharged. It is evident that this aquifer was recharged during both interglacial (warm) and glacial (cool) wet periods.
d-Galactose-induced oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction in the cochlear basilar membrane: an in vitro aging model
Authors: Guo Bin , Guo Qing , Wang Zhan , Shao Jian-Bo , Liu Ke , Du Zheng-De , Gong Shu-Sheng
Published: February 2020

The cochlear basilar membrane (CBM) contains inner hair cells and outer hair cells that convert sound waves into electrical signals and transmit them to the central auditory system. Cochlear aging, the primary reason of age-related hearing loss, can reduce the signal transmission capacity. There is no ideal in vitro aging model of the CBM. In this study, we cultured the CBM, which was dissected from the cochlea of the C57BL/6 mice 5 days after birth, in a medium containing 20 mg/mL, 40 mg/mL, or 60 mg/mL d-galactose (d-gal). Compared with the control group, the levels of senescence-associated β-galactosidase were increased in a concentration-dependent manner in the CBM of the d-gal groups. In addition, levels of the mitochondrial superoxide and patterns of an age-related mitochondrial DNA3860-bp deletion were significantly increased. The ATP levels and the membrane potential of the mitochondrial were significantly decreased in the CBM of the D-gal groups compared with the control group. Furthermore, in comparison with the control group, damaged hair cell stereocilia and a loss of inner hair cell ribbon synapses were observed in the CBM of the d-gal groups. A loss of hair cells and activation of caspase-3-mediated outer hair cell apoptosis were also observed in the CBM of the high-dose d-gal group. These insults induced by D-gal in the CBM in vitro were similar to the ones that occur in cochlear natural aging in vivo. Thus, we believe that this is a successful in vitro aging model using cultured CBM. These results demonstrate the effects of mitochondrial oxidative damage on presbycusis and provide a reliable aging model to study the mechanisms of presbycusis in vitro.
Clinical Cardiovascular Applications of Hyperpolarized Magnetic Resonance
Authors: Lewis Andrew J. M. , Tyler Damian J. , Rider Oliver
Published: February 2020

Current cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging techniques provide an exquisite assessment of the structure and function of the heart and great vessels, but their ability to assess the molecular processes that underpin changes in cardiac function in health and disease is limited by inherent insensitivity. Hyperpolarized magnetic resonance is a new technology which overcomes this limitation, generating molecular contrast agents with an improvement in magnetic resonance signal of up to five orders of magnitude. One key molecule, hyperpolarized [1-13C]pyruvate, shows particular promise for the assessment of cardiac energy metabolism and other fundamental biological processes in cardiovascular disease. This molecule has numerous potential applications of clinical relevance and has now been translated to human use in early clinical studies. This review outlines the principles of hyperpolarized magnetic resonance and key potential cardiovascular applications for this new technology. Finally, we provide an overview of the pipeline for forthcoming hyperpolarized agents and their potential applications in cardiovascular disease.
The appropriateness of the macroeconomic imbalance procedure for Central and Eastern European Countries
Authors: Dany-Knedlik Geraldine , Kämpfe Martina , Knedlik Tobias
Published: February 2020

The European Commission’s Scoreboard of Macroeconomic Imbalances is a rare case of a publicly released early warning system. It was published first time in 2012 by the European Commission as a reaction to public debt crises in Europe. So far, the Macroeconomic Imbalance Procedure takes a one-size-fits-all approach with regard to the identification of thresholds. The experience of Central and Eastern European Countries during the global financial crisis and in the resulting public debt crises has been largely different from that of other European countries. This paper looks at the appropriateness of scoreboard of the Macroeconomic Imbalances Procedure of the European Commission for this group of catching-up countries. It is shown that while some of the indicators of the scoreboard are helpful to predict crises in the region, thresholds are in most cases set too narrow since it largely disregarded the specifics of catching-up economies, in particular higher and more volatile growth rates of various macroeconomic variables.
Minimal cosmological masses for nearly standard-model photons or gluons
Authors: Resca Lorenzo Gallerani
Published: February 2020

I conjecture non-zero bare masses for nearly standard-model photons or gluons, derived from quantum-mechanical localization at a cosmological scale. That entails the existence of photon or gluon Bose–Einstein (BE) condensates in a comoving Friedmann–Lemaitre–Robertson–Walker geometry. I derive tantalizing results that set the inter-particle distance in these BE condensates almost at the nucleon scale and a corresponding critical temperature of condensation almost at the end of the quark epoch or the beginning of quark–gluon confinement. My estimates for particle mass and number density in these BE condensates suggest remarkable relations among fundamental constants, $$h, c, G, \Lambda $$h,c,G,Λ, at the most microscopic and cosmological scales of quantum and relativity theories.
Modified Dual-Path Allocation Algorithm in Elastic Optical Networks
Authors: Olszewski Ireneusz
Published: February 2020

Dual-path allocation problem is considered to be a case of multipath routing in Elastic Optical Networks. In this article, the optimization problem is formulated and a dual-path allocation algorithm that solves this problem proposed. In the considered problem all traffic for each request is broken into two equal parts, which are directed along two link-disjoint paths. After any link failure, half of the traffic for each affected request is realized. The proposed algorithm is based on the two weight matrices: the elements of the first one depend on the actual length of the links and their utilization, while the elements of the second one assume unit values if the links exist in the network. The proposed algorithm rejects smaller requests and provides a much lower bandwidth blocking probability than other analyzed algorithms.
How platforms facilitate collaboration across organizational boundaries: fighting human trafficking in Sweden
Authors: Erikson Josefina , Larsson Oscar L.
Published: February 2020

The use of collaborations and partnerships that engage a variety of actors from both the public and private spheres has drawn attention during the last decade as a promising strategy for combatting trafficking and improving assistance to victims of trafficking. This article investigates the Swedish Civil Society Platform against Human Trafficking as an example of successful collaboration between civil society actors. The aim is to explore how the platform as a distinct organizational form is capable of dealing productively with some of the challenges facing internal and external collaboration. We utilize interviews with key actors and a study of policy documents as we argue that the modularity and flexibility of the platform organizational form are key factors in its success. While it is a robust type of organization that may be regarded as a trustworthy partner, it also permits its member organizations to continue functioning as independent entities.
Fake Claims of Fake News: Political Misinformation, Warnings, and the Tainted Truth Effect
Authors: Freeze Melanie , Baumgartner Mary , Bruno Peter , Gunderson Jacob R. , Olin Joshua , Ross Morgan Quinn , Szafran Justine
Published: February 2020

Fact-checking and warnings of misinformation are increasingly salient and prevalent components of modern news media and political communications. While many warnings about political misinformation are valid and enable people to reject misleading information, the quality and validity of misinformation warnings can vary widely. Replicating and extending research from the fields of social cognition and forensic psychology, we find evidence that valid retrospective warnings of misleading news can help individuals discard erroneous information, although the corrections are weak. However, when informative news is wrongly labeled as inaccurate, these false warnings reduce the news’ credibility. Invalid misinformation warnings taint the truth, lead individuals to discard authentic information, and impede political memory. As only a few studies on the tainted truth effect exist, our research helps to illuminate the less explored dark side of misinformation warnings. Our findings suggest general warnings of misinformation should be avoided as indiscriminate use can reduce the credibility of valid news sources and lead individuals to discard useful information.
The Persistence of High Levels of Living Alone Among Adults with Disabilities in Sweden, 1993–2011
Authors: Sandström Glenn , Namatovu Fredinah , Ineland Jens , Larsson Daniel , Ng Nawi , Stattin Mikael
Published: February 2020

This study investigates how the probability to live alone has developed among working age individuals with and without disabilities in Sweden during the period 1993–2011 when extensive political reforms to improve the integration of disabled individuals in society were implemented. The results show that individuals with disabilities are approximately twice as likely to be living alone when compared to individuals without disabilities. People with disabilities were also more likely to report low life satisfaction, and this was especially true among individuals with disabilities living alone. Men and women with disabilities also tend to experience longer periods of living as a one-person household than non-disabled people. Over time we find no indications of reduced differences in family outcomes between disabled and non-disabled individuals but rather evidence to the contrary. These differences are interpreted as being the result of the disadvantage disabled individual’s experience in the partner market and that people with disabilities are less successful in forming partnerships that can lead to cohabitation and family formation. The results thus show how disabled individuals still face societal barriers that limit their possibilities to find and sustain relationships that result in stable cohabitation despite increased efforts to improve their inclusion in Swedish society.
Highly conductive wear resistant Cu/Ti3SiC2(TiC/SiC) co-continuous composites via vacuum infiltration process
Authors: Yang Dexuan , Zhou Yu , Yan Xingheng , Wang Honglei , Zhou Xingui
Published: February 2020

The MAX phase Ti3SiC2 has broad application prospects in the field of rail transit, nuclear protective materials and electrode materials due to its excellent electrical conductivity, self-lubricating properties and wear resistance. Cu-Ti3SiC2 co-continuous composites have superior performance due to the continuous distribution of 3D network structures. In this paper, the Cu/Ti3SiC2(TiC/SiC) co-continuous composites are formed via vacuum infiltration process from Cu and Ti3SiC2 porous ceramics. The co-continuous composites have significantly improved the flexural strength and conductivity of Ti3SiC2 due to the addition of Cu, with the conductivity up to 5.73×105 S/m, twice as high as the Ti3SiC2 porous ceramics and five times higher than graphite. The reaction between ingredients leads to an increase in the friction coefficient, while the hard reaction products (TiCx, SiC) lower the overall wear rate (1×10−3 mm3/(N•m)). Excellent electrical conductivity and wear resistance make co-continuous composites more advantageous in areas such as rail transit.
Johann Rists Monatliche Unterredungen als rhetorische Konversationsanleitung
Authors: Multhammer Michael
Published: February 2020

Der Beitrag stellt die Form von Johann Rists Monatlichen Unterredungen in den Fokus. Dabei soll erwiesen werden, dass die dort zum Tragen kommenden rhetorischen Strukturen der eigentliche Endzweck der Schriften sind, wodurch sie anhand der Besprechung aktueller Inhalte zu einer umfassenden Rhetorikschulung für die zeitgenössische Jugend werden. Im Anschluss an Habermas wird über den Begriff einer ›Konversationsöffentlichkeit‹ und dessen Potenzial zur Klärung von Gattungsfragen reflektiert.
Managing the ambiguity of the trainee and the trainer
Authors: Qureshi Muhammad Nauman , Butt Taimur
Published: February 2020

The “trainee in difficulty” (TID) can have multiple causative factors which can impact the delivery of an expected standard of skill sets. The communication and interpersonal skills in Emergency Department (ED) setting are key to any trainee's performance in an ED environment where team playing is a major factor in achieving safe and holistic care for patients. Trainer or a young faculty member responsible for the training may not have the emotional intelligence or experience to deal with all the issues faced by the TID. This paper talks about the difficulties faced by an experienced trainee in difficulty, who has changed his career from an experienced ED nurse to a trainee registrar in Emergency Medicine. The second case study is about a young emergency medicine residency program director who fails to appropriately address a trainee's situation and compounds the trainees' issues. The effect of honest, transparent communication of an educational supervisor and setting clear goals for the TID can have a huge impact on trainees' performance. A residency program director's inexperience and poor skills to deal and escalate the trainee's issues may jeopardize a young physicians' career.
Kein chronischer Tennisarm
Authors: Vavken Patrick
Published: February 2020

Zusammenfassung. Der laterale Ellbogenschmerz ist ein höchst unspezifischer Befund, hinter dem eine Reihe möglicher Differenzialdiagnosen stecken können. Leider wird hier oft «reflexartig» von einer Epikondylopathie, umgangssprachlich Tennisarm, ausgegangen, obwohl gerade in chronischen Fällen eine Instabilität viel häufiger ist. Im vorgestellten Fall handelt es sich um die seltenere Nervenkompression des N. radialis, die gemeinsam mit dem Plicasyndrom, der Osteochondrosis dissecans und der Arthrose des radiokapitellaren Gelenks als Differenzialdiagnose des lateralen Ellbogenschmerzes bedacht werden muss.
Folgenreiches Feriensouvenir – eine interdisziplinäre Herausforderung
Authors: Rotz Matthias von , Abdulazim Ahmed , Sendi Parham , Khanna Nina , Baettig Veronika
Published: February 2020

Zusammenfassung. Wir beschreiben einen Patienten mit einem diabetischen Fuss und herausfordernden Infektionskomplikationen. Nach einer Hospitalisation in Sri Lanka aufgrund einer Weichteilinfektion folgte die Rückverlegung in die Schweiz. Bei Nachweis von mehreren multiresistenten Keimen wurde eine Vorfussamputation mit Spalthautdeckung durchgeführt, gefolgt von einer kurzen, resistenzgerechten antibiotischen Therapie mit gutem klinischem Ergebnis. Dieser Fall veranschaulicht die Zunahme multiresistenter Keime, mit denen wir konfrontiert werden. Insbesondere zeigt er die Wichtigkeit krankenhaushygienischer Massnahmen bei Rückkehrern aus Ländern mit einer hohen Prävalenz an multiresistenten Keimen (v.a. nach einer Hospitalisation), und die Notwendigkeit einer engen interdisziplinären Zusammenarbeit, um eine bestmögliche Therapie zu gewährleisten und die Ausbreitung dieser Erreger einzudämmen.
Influence of Atmospheric Stability on the Size Distribution of the Vertical Dust Flux Measured in Eroding Conditions Over a Flat Bare Sandy Field
Authors: Khalfallah B. , Bouet C. , Labiadh M.T. , Alfaro S.C. , Bergametti G. , Marticorena B. , Lafon S. , Chevaillier S. , Féron A. , Hease P. , Henry des Tureaux T. , Sekrafi S. , Zapf P. , Rajot J.L.
Published: February 2020

In spite of their importance for the modeling of the atmospheric cycle of mineral dust, measurements of the intensity and size distribution of the dust emission flux produced by wind erosion in natural conditions remain rare. During the WIND‐O‐V's (WIND erOsion in presence of sparse Vegetation) 2017 experiment, eight major erosion events having occurred on a sandy flat field of southern Tunisia were documented. Consistent with the small size (90 μm) of the erodible sand grains and the low aerodynamic roughness length (Z0 < 0.079 cm), the threshold for wind erosion was low (u*t = 22 cm/s). The classical gradient method was applied to assess the size‐resolved vertical dust flux, and the stability of the atmosphere quantified by the means of the Richardson number (Ri) as well as of its shear stress (u*) and thermal gradient (∂θ/∂z) components. The vertical dust flux increased with u* following a power law but the number size distribution of the dust flux was found to be significantly richer in submicron particles in thermally unstable than in stable periods. This challenges the usual assumption that, independently of their size, the particles smaller than 10 μm follow equally the movements of the air masses in which they are embedded and that the thermal stratification of the surface layer does not affect the size distribution of the surface flux when measured a few meters above the ground. Finally, we propose a simple empirical method for taking this influence of the thermal instability into account.
Transcriptional effects of copy number alterations in a large set of human cancers
Authors: Bhattacharya Arkajyoti , Bense Rico D. , Urzúa-Traslaviña Carlos G. , de Vries Elisabeth G. E. , van Vugt Marcel A. T. M. , Fehrmann Rudolf S. N.
Published: February 2020

Copy number alterations (CNAs) can promote tumor progression by altering gene expression levels. Due to transcriptional adaptive mechanisms, however, CNAs do not always translate proportionally into altered expression levels. By reanalyzing >34,000 gene expression profiles, we reveal the degree of transcriptional adaptation to CNAs in a genome-wide fashion, which strongly associate with distinct biological processes. We then develop a platform-independent method—transcriptional adaptation to CNA profiling (TACNA profiling)—that extracts the transcriptional effects of CNAs from gene expression profiles without requiring paired CNA profiles. By applying TACNA profiling to >28,000 patient-derived tumor samples we define the landscape of transcriptional effects of CNAs. The utility of this landscape is demonstrated by the identification of four genes that are predicted to be involved in tumor immune evasion when transcriptionally affected by CNAs. In conclusion, we provide a novel tool to gain insight into how CNAs drive tumor behavior via altered expression levels.
Inhibitory effect of Citrus flavonoids on the in vitro transport activity of human urate transporter 1 (URAT1/SLC22A12), a renal re-absorber of urate
Authors: Toyoda Yu , Takada Tappei , Saito Hiroki , Hirata Hiroshi , Ota-Kontani Ami , Kobayashi Naoyuki , Tsuchiya Youichi , Suzuki Hiroshi
Published: February 2020

As hyperuricemia is a cause of urate-related diseases such as gout, the anti-hyperuricemic and/or uricosuric activity of food ingredients is receiving increased attention. Here, we examined the inhibitory activities of seven Citrus flavonoids against URAT1, a renal transporter involved in urate re-uptake from urine. We found that naringenin and nobiletin strongly inhibited URAT1, and may therefore serve as an anti-hyperuricemic food ingredient that can reduce the risk of urate-related diseases.
Genetic associations with mathematics tracking and persistence in secondary school
Authors: Harden K. Paige , Domingue Benjamin W. , Belsky Daniel W. , Boardman Jason D. , Crosnoe Robert , Malanchini Margherita , Nivard Michel , Tucker-Drob Elliot M. , Harris Kathleen Mullan
Published: February 2020

Maximizing the flow of students through the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) pipeline is important to promoting human capital development and reducing economic inequality. A critical juncture in the STEM pipeline is the highly cumulative sequence of secondary school math courses. Students from disadvantaged schools are less likely to complete advanced math courses. Here, we conduct an analysis of how the math pipeline differs across schools using studentpolygenic scores, which are DNA-based indicators of propensity to succeed in education. We integrated genetic and official school transcript data from over 3000 European-ancestry students from U.S. high schools. We used polygenic scores as a molecular tracer to understand how the flow of students through the high school math pipeline differs in socioeconomically advantaged versus disadvantaged schools. Students with higher education polygenic scores were tracked to more advanced math already at the beginning of high school and persisted in math for more years. Analyses using genetics as a molecular tracer revealed that the dynamics of the math pipeline differed by school advantage. Compared to disadvantaged schools, advantaged schools buffered students with low polygenic scores from dropping out of math. Across all schools, even students with exceptional polygenic scores (top 2%) were unlikely to take the most advanced math classes, suggesting substantial room for improvement in the development of potential STEM talent. These results link new molecular genetic discoveries to a common target of educational-policy reforms.
Waist circumference as a vital sign in clinical practice: a Consensus Statement from the IAS and ICCR Working Group on Visceral Obesity
Authors: Ross Robert , Neeland Ian J. , Yamashita Shizuya , Shai Iris , Seidell Jaap , Magni Paolo , Santos Raul D. , Arsenault Benoit , Cuevas Ada , Hu Frank B. , Griffin Bruce A. , Zambon Alberto , Barter Philip , Fruchart Jean-Charles , Eckel Robert H. , Matsuzawa Yuji , Després Jean-Pierre
Published: February 2020

Despite decades of unequivocal evidence that waist circumference provides both independent and additive information to BMI for predicting morbidity and risk of death, this measurement is not routinely obtained in clinical practice. This Consensus Statement proposes that measurements of waist circumference afford practitioners with an important opportunity to improve the management and health of patients. We argue that BMI alone is not sufficient to properly assess or manage the cardiometabolic risk associated with increased adiposity in adults and provide a thorough review of the evidence that will empower health practitioners and professional societies to routinely include waist circumference in the evaluation and management of patients with overweight or obesity. We recommend that decreases in waist circumference are a critically important treatment target for reducing adverse health risks for both men and women. Moreover, we describe evidence that clinically relevant reductions in waist circumference can be achieved by routine, moderate-intensity exercise and/or dietary interventions. We identify gaps in the knowledge, including the refinement of waist circumference threshold values for a given BMI category, to optimize obesity risk stratification across age, sex and ethnicity. We recommend that health professionals are trained to properly perform this simple measurement and consider it as an important ‘vital sign’ in clinical practice.
The effectiveness of disinfectant and steam exposure treatments to prevent the spread of the highly invasive killer shrimp, Dikerogammarus villosus
Authors: Bradbeer Stephanie J. , Coughlan Neil E. , Cuthbert Ross N. , Crane Kate , Dick Jaimie T. A. , Caffrey Joe M. , Lucy Frances E. , Renals Trevor , Davis Eithne , Warren Daniel A. , Pile Benjamin , Quinn Claire , Dunn Alison M.
Published: February 2020

Biosecurity protocols designed to prevent the spread of invasive alien species (IAS) are now an essential aspect of IAS management. However, the effectiveness of various biosecurity treatments requires further exploration. Killer shrimp,Dikerogammarus villosus, a notoriously high impact and ecosystem destabilising invader, has rapidly spread across Europe, and is of concern to invade Northern America. In this study, we examine the effectiveness of three commonly used, broad-spectrum disinfectants to cause mortality ofD. villosus: Virasure Aquatic, Virkon Aquatic, and Virkon S. Immersion and spray treatments of 1%, 2% and 4% disinfectant solutions were examined for applications of up to 300 secs immersion and for up to ten consecutive sprays. Furthermore, we assessed the effectiveness of steam (≥100 °C) treatments for up to 120 secs. For all disinfectants, immersion in 1% solutions caused 100% mortality at ≥120 secs. At higher concentrations, shorter immersion times caused complete mortality: 60 and 15 secs for 2% and 4% solutions, respectively. Five sprays of 2% and 4% solutions resulted in 100% mortality, for all disinfectants. Direct steam exposure was highly effective, with completeD. villosusmortality occurring at ≥10 secs. Overall, brief exposure to broad-spectrum disinfectants and direct steam could be used to limitD. villosusspread.
Expression and regulation of FRMD6 in mouse DRG neurons and spinal cord after nerve injury
Authors: Lyu Chuang , Lyu Gong-Wei , Mulder Jan , Uhlén Mathias , Cai Xue-Hui , Hökfelt Tomas , Sten Shi Tie-Jun
Published: February 2020

FRMD6, a member of the group of FERM-domain proteins, is involved both in communication between cells, interactions with extracellular matrix, cellular apoptotic and regenerative mechanisms. FRMD6 was first discovered in the rodent sciatic nerve, and in the present immunohistochemical study we investigated the distribution of FRMD6 in the dorsal root ganglia (DRGs), sciatic nerve and spinal cord following sciatic nerve injury. FRMD6-immunoreactivity was found in the cytoplasm, nucleus or both, and in a majority of DRG neurons. FRMD6-immunoreactivity co-existed with several well-known neuronal markers, including calcitonin gene-related peptide, isolectin B4 and neurofilament 200 in mouse DRGs. After peripheral nerve injury, the FRMD6 mRNA levels and the overall percentage of FRMD6-positive neuron profiles (NPs) were decreased in ipsilateral lumbar DRGs, the latter mainly affecting small size neurons with cytoplasmic localization. Conversely, the proportion of NPs with nuclear FRMD6-immunoreactivity was significantly increased. In the sciatic nerve, FRMD6-immunoreactivity was observed in non-neuronal cells and in axons, and accumulated proximally to a ligation of the nerve. In the spinal cord FRMD6-immunoreactivity was detected in neurons in both dorsal and ventral horns, and was upregulated in ipsilateral dorsal horn after peripheral nerve axotomy. Our results demonstrate that FRMD6 is strictly regulated by peripheral nerve injury at the spinal level.
Publisher Correction: Size increase without genetic divergence in the Eurasian water shrew Neomys fodiens
Authors: Balmori-de la Puente Alfonso , Nores Carlos , Román Jacinto , Fernández-González Angel , Aymerich Pere , Gosálbez Joaquim , Escoda Lídia , Castresana Jose
Published: February 2020

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.
UV reflective properties of magnesium oxide increase attraction and probing behavior of Asian citrus psyllids (Hemiptera: Liviidae)
Authors: George Justin , Paris Thomson M. , Allan Sandra A. , Lapointe Stephen L. , Stelinski Lukasz L.
Published: February 2020

Asian citrus psyllid (Diaphorina citri) vectors the bacterium Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus, the causal pathogen of citrus greening disease that is devastating citrus industries worldwide. Suppressing psyllid populations is crucial to prevent disease spread. An attract-and-kill trap based on psyllid behavior would fill a niche for monitoring and control. To optimize visual attraction of psyllids, the ultraviolet (UV) reflective properties of magnesium oxide (MgO) and/or barium sulfate (BaSO4) were assessed for potential application to a trap surface. Under low UV, high UV and natural sunlight conditions, the reflectance, attraction, and probing behaviors of psyllids were evaluated on surfaces containing magnesium oxide or barium sulfate. Magnesium oxide added to yellow sticky traps enhanced visual response of D. citri. Probing assays demonstrated that magnesium oxide alone or as a mixture with a phagostimulant blend, increased the UV reflectance of substrates, as well as, attraction and probing by psyllids. Results demonstrated that psyllids respond to both short (UV) and long (yellow) wavelengths during orientation, and that these inert compounds can increase UV reflectance and improve attractiveness of an attract-and-kill device.
Structure guided prediction of Pyrazinamide resistance mutations in pncA
Authors: Karmakar Malancha , Rodrigues Carlos H. M. , Horan Kristy , Denholm Justin T. , Ascher David B.
Published: February 2020

Pyrazinamide plays an important role in tuberculosis treatment; however, its use is complicated by side-effects and challenges with reliable drug susceptibility testing. Resistance to pyrazinamide is largely driven by mutations in pyrazinamidase (pncA), responsible for drug activation, but genetic heterogeneity has hindered development of a molecular diagnostic test. We proposed to use information on how variants were likely to affect the 3D structure of pncA to identify variants likely to lead to pyrazinamide resistance. We curated 610 pncA mutations with high confidence experimental and clinical information on pyrazinamide susceptibility. The molecular consequences of each mutation on protein stability, conformation, and interactions were computationally assessed using our comprehensive suite of graph-based signature methods, mCSM. The molecular consequences of the variants were used to train a classifier with an accuracy of 80%. Our model was tested against internationally curated clinical datasets, achieving up to 85% accuracy. Screening of 600 Victorian clinical isolates identified a set of previously unreported variants, which our model had a 71% agreement with drug susceptibility testing. Here, we have shown the 3D structure of pncA can be used to accurately identify pyrazinamide resistance mutations. SUSPECT-PZA is freely available at: http://biosig.unimelb.edu.au/suspect_pza/.
Varied diets, including broadleaved forage, are important for a large herbivore species inhabiting highly modified landscapes
Authors: Felton Annika M. , Holmström Emma , Malmsten Jonas , Felton Adam , Cromsigt Joris P. G. M. , Edenius Lars , Ericsson Göran , Widemo Fredrik , Wam Hilde K.
Published: February 2020

Diet quality is an important determinant of animal survival and reproduction, and can be described as the combination of different food items ingested, and their nutritional composition. For large herbivores, human landscape modifications to vegetation can limit such diet-mixing opportunities. Here we use southern Sweden’s modified landscapes to assess winter diet mixtures (as an indicator of quality) and food availability as drivers of body mass (BM) variation in wild moose (Alces alces). We identify plant species found in the rumen of 323 moose harvested in Oct-Feb, and link variation in average calf BM among populations to diets and food availability. Our results show that variation in calf BM correlates with variation in diet composition, diversity, and food availability. A varied diet relatively rich in broadleaves was associated with higher calf BM than a less variable diet dominated by conifers. A diet high in shrubs and sugar/starch rich agricultural crops was associated with intermediate BM. The proportion of young production forest (0–15 yrs) in the landscape, an indicator of food availability, significantly accounted for variation in calf BM. Our findings emphasize the importance of not only diet composition and forage quantity, but also variability in the diets of large free-ranging herbivores.
Rifampicin Resistant Tuberculosis in Lesotho: Diagnosis, Treatment Initiation and Outcomes
Authors: Katende Bulemba , Esterhuizen Tonya M. , Dippenaar Anzaan , Warren Robin M.
Published: February 2020

The Lesotho guidelines for the management of drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) recommend initiation of patients diagnosed with rifampicin resistant (RR)-TB on a standardized drug resistant regimen while awaiting confirmation of rifampicin resistant TB (RR-TB) and complete drug susceptibility test results. Review of diagnostic records between 2014 and 2016 identified 518 patients with RR-TB. Only 314 (60.6%) patients could be linked to treatment records at the Lesotho MDR hospital. The median delay in treatment initiation from the availability of Xpert MTB/RIF assay result was 12 days (IQR 7–19). Only 32% (101) of patients had a documented first-line drug resistant test. MDR-TB was detected in 56.4% of patients while 33.7% of patients had rifampicin mono-resistance. Only 7.4% of patients assessed for second-line resistance had a positive result (resistance to fluoroquinolone). Treatment success was 69.8%, death rate was 28.8%, loss to follow up was 1.0%, and 0.4% failed treatment. Death was associated with positive or unavailable sputum smear at the end of first month of treatment (Fisher exact p < 0.001) and older age (p = 0.007). Urgent attention needs to be given to link patients with RR-TB to care worldwide. The association of death rate with positive sputum smear at the end of the first month of treatment should trigger early individualization of treatment.
Hurricanes, El Niño and harmful algal blooms in two sub-tropical Florida estuaries: Direct and indirect impacts
Authors: Phlips Edward J. , Badylak Susan , Nelson Natalie G. , Havens Karl E.
Published: February 2020

Future increases in the intensity of hurricanes and El Niño periods predicted by climate change models have focused attention on their role in stimulating harmful algal blooms (HABs). A series of hurricanes that recently impacted Florida (USA) provided a unique opportunity to explore the relationships between hurricanes, El Niño and HABs in two Florida estuaries subject to repeated intense ecosystem disruptive HABs, the Indian River Lagoon and the St. Lucie Estuary. The roles that hurricanes and El Niño play in contributing to HAB events are examined in the context of key structural and functional features of each estuary and their watersheds, including morphology, water residence time and hydrology, such as the influence of Lake Okeechobee discharges into the St. Lucie Estuary. The most direct impact was the increase in rainfall associated with hurricanes and El Niño, resulting in enhanced nutrient loads which drive HABs in the Indian River Lagoon and Lake Okeechobee. Major HABs in Lake Okeechobee also present an indirect threat of freshwater HAB blooms in the St. Lucie Estuary via mandated discharges from the lake into the estuary during high rainfall periods. Conversely, during the absence of HABs in Lake Okeechobee, short water residence times produced by discharges into the St. Lucie Estuary can result in lower bloom intensities.
Melanism influences the use of social information in a polymorphic owl
Authors: Parejo Deseada , Avilés Jesús M.
Published: February 2020

Social information use has well-known fitness benefits. However, causes underlying the apparent inter-individual variability in the propensity to use social information are poorly studied. Melanins are pigments responsible for most of intra-specific color variation in vertebrates and their variation is often associated with changes in behaviour. Here, we explored whether melanism is related to individual propensity to use social information in the color polymorphic scops owl Otus scops. We manipulated social information on predation risk at nests by broadcasting calls of the sympatric little owl Athene noctua and found that owlets of brownish females exposed to alarm calls had lower levels of natural antibodies than those of greyish females. In parallel, we found changes in parental behaviour contingent on coloration because when exposed to the risky treatment brownish females returned earlier to nests than greyish females and owlets raised by brownish females were fed with smaller prey than those raised by greyish ones. These results provide support for a previous ignored role of melanins on the propensity to use social information, which may help to explain the maintenance of melanin-based color polymorphisms wherever social environments are variable.
Stimulus arousal drives amygdalar responses to emotional expressions across sensory modalities
Authors: Lin Huiyan , Müller-Bardorff Miriam , Gathmann Bettina , Brieke Jaqueline , Mothes-Lasch Martin , Bruchmann Maximilian , Miltner Wolfgang H. R. , Straube Thomas
Published: February 2020

The factors that drive amygdalar responses to emotionally significant stimuli are still a matter of debate – particularly the proneness of the amygdala to respond to negatively-valenced stimuli has been discussed controversially. Furthermore, it is uncertain whether the amygdala responds in a modality-general fashion or whether modality-specific idiosyncrasies exist. Therefore, the present functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study systematically investigated amygdalar responding to stimulus valence and arousal of emotional expressions across visual and auditory modalities. During scanning, participants performed a gender judgment task while prosodic and facial emotional expressions were presented. The stimuli varied in stimulus valence and arousal by including neutral, happy and angry expressions of high and low emotional intensity. Results demonstrate amygdalar activation as a function of stimulus arousal and accordingly associated emotional intensity regardless of stimulus valence. Furthermore, arousal-driven amygdalar responding did not depend on the visual and auditory modalities of emotional expressions. Thus, the current results are consistent with the notion that the amygdala codes general stimulus relevance across visual and auditory modalities irrespective of valence. In addition, whole brain analyses revealed that effects in visual and auditory areas were driven mainly by high intense emotional facial and vocal stimuli, respectively, suggesting modality-specific representations of emotional expressions in auditory and visual cortices.
Publisher Correction: Regulation of the Hepatitis B virus replication and gene expression by the multi-functional protein TARDBP
Authors: Makokha Grace Naswa , Abe-Chayama Hiromi , Chowdhury Sajeda , Hayes C. Nelson , Tsuge Masataka , Yoshima Tadahiko , Ishida Yuji , Zhang Yizhou , Uchida Takuro , Tateno Chise , Akiyama Rie , Chayama Kazuaki
Published: February 2020

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.
Publisher Correction: TCF7L2 polymorphisms are associated with amygdalar volume in elderly individuals with Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Ganmore Ithamar , Livny Abigail , Ravona-Springer Ramit , Cooper Itzik , Alkelai Anna , Shelly Shahar , Tsarfaty Galia , Heymann Anthony , Schnaider Beeri Michal , Greenbaum Lior
Published: February 2020

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.
Author Correction: KCC1 Activation protects Mice from the Development of Experimental Cerebral Malaria
Authors: Hortle Elinor , Starrs Lora , Brown Fiona C. , Jane Stephen M. , Curtis David J. , McMorran Brendan J. , Foote Simon J. , Burgio Gaetan
Published: February 2020

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.
Peristaltic pump-assisted zirconium nanoparticle-based pipette-tip solid phase extraction for the determination of cobalt by slotted quartz tube-flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry
Authors: Tekin Zeynep , Borahan Tülay , Özdoğan Nizamettin , Bakırdere Sezgin
Published: February 2020

In this work, a novel, efficient, simple and green solid phase extraction method based on a pipette tip filled with zirconium nanoparticles was developed for the sensitive determination of cobalt in soil samples via slotted quartz tube-flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry.
An original self-assembly using a tetrathiafulvalene-based molecular clip for the recognition of fullerene C60
Authors: Cotelle Yoann , Hardouin-Lerouge Marie , Lemasson Elise , Morille Yohann , Canevet David , Legoupy Stéphanie , Hudhomme Piétrick
Published: February 2020

A glycoluril-based molecular clip incorporating tetrathiafulvalene sidewalls self-assembles with fullerene C60 in a 2 : 1 stoichiometry in solution.
Fluorescence detection of metabolic activity of the fatty acid beta oxidation pathway in living cells
Authors: Uchinomiya Shohei , Matsunaga Naoya , Kamoda Koichiro , Kawagoe Ryosuke , Tsuruta Akito , Ohdo Shigehiro , Ojida Akio
Published: February 2020

Fluorescence imaging of fatty acid beta oxidation (FAO) with a fluorescent probe metabolically degraded by sequential enzyme reactions of FAO.
A carbon-based polymer dot sensor for breast cancer detection using peripheral blood immunocytes
Authors: Liu Meng-Xian , Chen Shuai , Ding Na , Yu Yong-Liang , Wang Jian-Hua
Published: February 2020

A carbon-based polymer dot (CPD) sensor can quickly and accurately detect cancer mice using peripheral blood immunocytes.
In situflow cell platform for examining calcium oxalate and calcium phosphate crystallization on films of basement membrane extract in the presence of urinary ‘inhibitors’
Authors: Kuliasha Cary A. , Rodriguez Douglas , Lovett Archana , Gower Laurie B.
Published: February 2020

The development of a flow-cell platform is reported that utilizes basement membrane extract as a biologically relevant crystallization substrate to study the effect of urinary inhibitors on thein situformation of calcium oxalate/phosphate.
Phase transition and mechanical properties of cesium bismuth silver halide double perovskites (Cs2AgBiX6, X = Cl, Br, I): a DFT approach
Authors: Faghihnasiri Mahdi , Beheshtian Javad , Shayeganfar Farzaneh , Shahsavari Rouzbeh
Published: February 2020

Double perovskite-based silver and bismuth Cs2AgBiX6 (X = Cl, Br, I) have shown a bright future for the development of low-risk photovoltaic devices due to their high stability and non-toxicity of their elements, unlike Pb-based perovskites.
Shapes of epitaxial gold nanocrystals on SrTiO3 substrates
Authors: Chen Peiyu , Murugappan Krishnan , Castell Martin R.
Published: February 2020

Morphological control of gold nanocrystals is important as their catalytic and optical properties are highly shape dependent.
Manganese(ii) complex of an oxygen–nitrogen donor Schiff base ligand showing efficient catechol oxidase activity: synthesis, spectroscopic and kinetic study
Authors: Adak Piyali , Mondal Antu , Chattopadhyay Shyamal Kumar
Published: February 2020

A Mn(ii) complex containing two tridentate O,N,O-donor semicarbazone ligands shows very high catalytic activity for the aerial oxidation of 3,5DTBCH2withkcat= 3.10 × 106h−1, andkcat/KM= 3.25 × 108h−1M−1.
Chemical diversity and mode of action of natural products targeting lipids in the eukaryotic cell membrane
Authors: Nishimura Shinichi , Matsumori Nobuaki
Published: February 2020

This review article focuses on natural products that bind to eukaryotic membrane lipids, and includes clinically important molecules and key research tools. How their mechanism was unveiled, and how they are used in research are also mentioned.
Spatially controlled lateral heterostructures of graphene and transition metal dichalcogenides toward atomically thin and multi-functional electronics
Authors: Kim Gwangwoo , Shin Hyeon Suk
Published: February 2020

This review demonstrates growth and electronic applications of lateral heterostructures of graphene and TMDs, highlighting key technologies controlling wafer-scale growth of continuous films for practical applications.
Reduction-responsive molecularly imprinted nanogels for drug delivery applications
Authors: Zhao Y. , Simon C. , Daoud Attieh M. , Haupt K. , Falcimaigne-Cordin A.
Published: February 2020

Degradable molecularly imprinted polymers were prepared using redox sensitive cross-linkers and applied as intracellular drug delivery system to address the biocompatibility and cytotoxicity issues encountered with these synthetic polymers.
Elucidating the intramolecular contrast in the STM images of 2,4,6-tris(4′,4′′,4′′′-trimethylphenyl)-1,3,5-triazine molecules recorded at room-temperature and at the liquid-solid interface
Authors: Silly Fabien
Published: February 2020

Intramolecular contrast in the STM images of 2,4,6-tris(4′,4′′,4′′′-trimethylphenyl)-1,3,5-triazine molecules recorded at room-temperature and at the liquid–solid interface.
Nuclear wastewater decontamination by 3D-Printed hierarchical zeolite monoliths
Authors: Halevi Oded , Chen Tzu-Yu , Lee Pooi See , Magdassi Shlomo , Hriljac Joseph A.
Published: February 2020

3D-printed monoliths of zeolites chabazite and 4A were made, characterized, and shown effective for removing strontium and caesium from water.
Directly predicting limiting potentials from easily obtainable physical properties of graphene-supported single-atom electrocatalysts by machine learning
Authors: Lin Shiru , Xu Haoxiang , Wang Yekun , Zeng Xiao Cheng , Chen Zhongfang
Published: February 2020

The oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), oxygen evolution reaction (OER), and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) are three critical reactions for energy-related applications, such as water electrolyzers and metal–air batteries.
Green synthesis of a large series of bimetallic MIL-100(Fe,M) MOFs
Authors: Steenhaut Timothy , Hermans Sophie , Filinchuk Yaroslav
Published: February 2020

Here we present a scalable and green methodology to synthesize a large variety of MIL-100(Fe,M), metal-doped iron-based MOFs with high thermal stability and surface areas.