bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Natural exposure to ultraviolet‐B radiation in two species of chameleons from Madagascar
Authors: Edmonds Devin , Razaiarimahefa Tahinienne , Kessler Ethan , Goetz Matthias
Published: November 2018

Many reptiles require ultraviolet‐B radiation between 290 and 315 nm (UV‐B) to synthesize vitamin D3 and process dietary calcium. In captivity, exposure to too little or too much UV‐B can result in health problems such as metabolic bone disease. While it is recognized that UV‐B is necessary to successfully maintain many reptiles in captivity, the actual levels of UV‐B that species are exposed to in nature is poorly known. We measured the UV‐B exposure of two species of chameleon (Calumma brevicorne and C. nasutum) in the field in Madagascar over a period of four months. We found that both species were exposed to less UV radiation than that which was available in full sun. Only on rare occasions were chameleons observed in areas with a UV Index (UVI) greater than 3.0, and the median UVI for both species was only 0.3. There was no daily temporal pattern in UV exposure for C. nasutum, but C. brevicorne was found in areas with lower UV levels in the late afternoon when compared to late morning. Additionally, C. nasutum males showed higher UV exposure than females in late morning. Our results suggest that both C. brevicorne and C. nasutum can be classified as Ferguson Zone 1 species, and should be provided with a UV‐B gradient in captivity that offers access to UV‐B radiation as well as adequate shaded refuge.
Rotterdam’s Superdiversity from a Historical Perspective (1600–1980)
Authors: van de Laar Paul , van der Schoor Arie
Published: November 2018

This chapter analyses the major trends in Rotterdam’s migration history in three periods: the early-modern period (1600–1800), the era in which the Working Class Port City was created (1850–1940), and the post-war period until the 1980s. Rotterdam’s pre-industrial history convincingly reveals a multi-ethnic and religious diverse society. Small foreign minorities could have a significant influence on Rotterdam’s cultural, political and economic development. Even strong national identities did not restrict a strong sense of local attachment. The port city of the nineteenth century was less diverse, considering the smaller number of foreign migrants that settled in the city. The migration narrative of the port city in this period is inexorably linked to that of the working city. This narrative became highly popular in the post-war reconstruction period. The offspring of Rotterdam’s nineteenth century rural-urban migrants had rebuilt the city after the fatal German bombardment in May 1940 and had been responsible for its successful post-war industrial port development. The arrival of non-Western migrants in the 1960s and 1970s challenged Rotterdam’s nineteenth century popularised migration narrative. Policy-makers have suggested that this post-war migration process is fundamentally different from older migration patterns. In general, we tend to be too pessimistic about the post war integration and too optimistic about patterns of integration in the past, particularly during the nineteenth century. Notwithstanding the fact that by then the large majority of the migrants were Dutch, marginalisation and exclusion took place on a larger scale than realised. Our long-term perspective hopes to contribute to link earlier migration narratives to Rotterdam’s recent superdiversity.
Laboratory Rotterdam. Logics of Exceptionalism in the Governing of Urban Populations
Authors: van Houdt Friso , Schinkel Willem
Published: November 2018

For some time now, Rotterdam has actively portrayed itself as a policy laboratory. This laboratorial rhetoric, as one could call it, has prevailed in the fields of housing, urban problems and welfare provision, and most recently it has also emerged in the context of Rotterdam as a ‘smart city’. The latter is nothing special, as technological applications to urban problems are full of ‘urban labs’, of experimentation and of what Halpern et al. (2013) have called ‘test-bed urbanism’. However, in the context of urban and social policies in a very general sense, it is less common today. To understand the development of governing diversity in Rotterdam, it is pertinent to scrutinize the character and historical roots of Rotterdam’s laboratorial logic.
Prognoses and Clinicopathological Characteristics for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Originating from the Caudate Lobe After Surgery
Authors: Shimada Shingo , Kamiyama Toshiya , Yokoo Hideki , Orimo Tatsuya , Nagatsu Akihisa , Ohata Takanori , Kamachi Hirofumi , Taketomi Akinobu
Published: November 2018

Background

The aim was to evaluate the prognoses and clinicopathological characteristics of solitary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) originating from the caudate lobe (HCC‐CL).

Methods

We analyzed 584 patients with a solitary tumor <10 cm from January 1990 to November 2014. Patients were classified into a caudate lobe group (CL; n = 39) and a non‐caudate lobe group (NCL; n = 545). We investigated the prognoses and clinicopathological characteristics of solitary HCC‐CL. We compared the surgical procedures performed in these cases.

Results

HCC‐CL had a similar rate of portal venous invasion (PVI) as HCC‐NCL (21% vs. 19%); however, the frequency of tumor thrombus at the first branch of the portal vein (PV) or extension to the trunk or the opposite side of the PV was significantly higher in HCC‐CL (8% vs. 2%). HCC‐CL had similar OS rates compared to HCC‐NCL; however, HCC‐CL showed significantly poorer RFS. Although there were no significant differences among the three surgical procedures, blood loss and complication rates tended to be higher in cases who underwent an isolated caudate lobectomy. Tumor size ≥5 cm, PVI, and liver fibrosis or cirrhosis (LF or LC) were independent unfavorable factors for both OS and RFS. PIVKA‐II ≥120 mAU/ml was an independent unfavorable factor for RFS.

Conclusion

HCC‐CL presented a poorer RFS rate. Patients with a tumor size ≥5 cm, PIVKA‐II ≥120 mAU/ml, portal venous invasion, and LF or LC should be diligently followed up as these cases have a high risk of recurrence.
Dispatching and Rescheduling Tasks and Their Interactions with Travel Demand and the Energy Domain: Models and Algorithms
Authors: Botte Marilisa , D’Acierno Luca
Published: November 2018

The paper aims to provide an overview of the key factors to consider when performing reliable modelling of rail services. Given our underlying belief that to build a robust simulation environment a rail service cannot be considered an isolated system, also the connected systems, which influence and, in turn, are influenced by such services, must be properly modelled. For this purpose, an extensive overview of the rail simulation and optimisation models proposed in the literature is first provided. Rail simulation models are classified according to the level of detail implemented (microscopic, mesoscopic and macroscopic), the variables involved (deterministic and stochastic) and the processing techniques adopted (synchronous and asynchronous). By contrast, within rail optimisation models, both planning (timetabling) and management (rescheduling) phases are discussed. The main issues concerning the interaction of rail services with travel demand flows and the energy domain are also described. Finally, in an attempt to provide a comprehensive framework an overview of the main metaheuristic resolution techniques used in the planning and management phases is shown.
On Pediatric Vaccines and Catholic Social Teaching
Authors: Kelly Conor M.
Published: November 2018

Determining whether, and when, to get one's children vaccinated has become an increasingly controversial decision, often leaving parents fearful of making the “wrong” choice. Part of the challenge stems from the fact that what is rationally optimal for an individual is inherently at odds with the best outcome for the community, meaning that if everyone acted out of self-interest with respect to pediatric vaccines, communal health would suffer significantly. Given these tensions, the issue of pediatric vaccines benefits greatly from the nuanced assessment of Catholic social teaching. Specifically, the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace's “four permanent principles” of human dignity, the common good, subsidiarity, and solidarity highlight the issues involved and help parents navigate this significant medical choice with a more informed conscience and a greater sense of their moral responsibilities. The end result is a fruitful alignment between Catholic social teaching and ethics in ordinary life.
Mobile app increases vegetable-based preparations by low-income household cooks: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Clarke Peter , Evans Susan H , Neffa-Creech Deborah
Published: November 2018

Objective

We built an app to help clients of food pantries. The app offers vegetable-based recipes, food tips and no-cost strategies for making mealtimes healthier and for bargain-conscious grocery shopping, among other themes. Users customize materials to meet their own preferences. The app, available in English and Spanish, has been tested in a randomized field trial.

Design

A randomized controlled trial with repeated measures across 10 weeks.

Setting

Clients of fifteen community food pantry distributions in Los Angeles County, USA.

Participants

Distributions were randomized to control and experimental conditions, and 289 household cooks and one of their 9–14-year-old children were enrolled as participants. Experimental dyads were given a smartphone with our app and a phone use-plan, then trained to use the app. ‘Test vegetables’ were added to the foods that both control and experimental participants received at their pantries.

Results

After 3–4 weeks of additional ‘test vegetables’, cooks at experimental pantries had made 38 % more preparations with these items than control cooks (P = 0·03). Ten weeks following baseline, experimental pantries also scored greater gains in using a wider assortment of vegetables than control pantries (P = 0·003). Use of the app increased between mid-experiment and final measurement (P = 0·0001).

Conclusions

The app appears to encourage household cooks to try new preparation methods and widen their incorporation of vegetables into family diets. Further research is needed to identify specific app features that contributed most to outcomes and to test ways in which to disseminate the app widely.
Comparative institutional advantage: an obituary
Authors: Reale Filippo
Published: November 2018

The article traces the remains of the theory of “comparative institutional advantage”, which was crucial during the early development of the “varieties of capitalism” approach to economics but fell into oblivion quickly afterwards. It follows the discussions of the concept over time and works out possible reasons – theoretical, methodological, and discursive – for the theory's decay. In conclusion, many arguments of the theory seem outdated today but it is a great witness to thezeitgeistof comparative political economy and institutional theory of the millennium.
A Study of Imitation Ability in People with Trisomy 21
Authors: Zimpel André Frank , Christoph Röhm Alfred
Published: November 2018

Abstract. Since the first description of Down syndrome, imitation has been a reputed strength of persons with trisomy 21. The question is: How many elementary movements can persons with trisomy 21 imitate simultaneously and successively? As a baseline, we developed elementary movements that are easy to imitate separately. They are combined such that there are no recognizable repetitions or other regular patterns. In all of the 713 test subjects there was a limit to the number of correctly imitated elementary movements. Whereas neurotypical subjects reached their limit by imitating four elementary movements, persons with trisomy 21 could imitate only two elementary movements. Diagnostic and learning methods currently need to be reassessed, because they do not consider these special imitation limits.
The Stereotype Threat Effect
Authors: Moritz Steffen , Happach Insa , Spirandelli Karla , M. Lincoln Tania , Berna Fabrice
Published: November 2018

Abstract. Neurocognitive deficits in patients with mental disorders are partially due to secondary influences. “Stereotype threat” denotes the phenomenon that performance is compromised when a participant is confronted with a devaluing stereotype. The present study examined the impact of stereotype threat on neuropsychological performance in schizophrenia. Seventy-seven participants with a self-reported diagnosis of schizophrenia were randomly assigned to either an experimental condition involving stereotype threat activation or a control condition in an online study. Participants completed memory and attention tests as well as questionnaires on motivation, self-efficacy expectations, cognitive complaints, and self-stigmatization. Contrary to our prediction, the two groups showed no significant differences regarding neuropsychological performance and self-report measures. Limitations, such as a possibly too weak threat cue, are discussed and recommendations for future studies are outlined.
The Value of the Lens Model Paradigm in Neuropsychological Assessment
Authors: Peper Martin
Published: November 2018

Abstract. A key issue of neuropsychological assessment is how to optimally associate mental function with neurobiological function. Correspondingly, clinical neuropsychology explores the relationship between mental dysfunction and neuropathology. Here, the well-known Brunswik-lens paradigm of psychological assessment is adapted to neuropsychology and a “neuro-lens model” (NLM) is suggested to better cross-link psychological and neurobiological construct domains. NLMs may contribute to optimizing coordinated measurement at different levels of aggregation and to clarifying issues of reliability and construct validation. Although the potential value of NLMs is challenged by complex implementation and analysis, Brunswik-type NLM modeling might be a promising new approach to clinical decision-making and assessment, test development, and research.
Gemeinsames Positionspapier der Gesellschaft für Neuropsychologie e. V. (GNP) und des Bundesverband ambulant-teilstationäre Neurorehabilitation e. V. (BV ANR) zum Entlassmanagement nach erworbener Hirnschädigung (insbesondere Schädel-Hirn-Traumata) aus Akut- und Rehakliniken in die weiterführende ambulante Versorgung
Authors: Schock Lisa , Bauer Claudia , Kiesewalter Corina , Kulke Hartwig , Pichler Johannes
Published: November 2018

Collaborative position paper of the Gesellschaft für Neuropsychologie e.V. (GNP) and the Bundesverband ambulant-teilstationäre Neurorehabilitation e. V. (BV ANR) about discharge management in acute care hospitals and rehabilitation clinics leading to subsequent outpatient treatment after acquired brain injury (especially traumatic brain injury)

Abstract. This position paper addresses to neurological, neurosurgical and accident surgical acute care hospitals as well as neurological rehabilitation clinics. It is meant to help facilitate the transition from inpatient to outpatient treatment for people with acquired brain injury, to close treatment gaps and to prevent termination of treatment.
Assessing the Reliability of the CAMS Rating Scale Using a Generalizability Study
Authors: Corona Christopher D. , Gutierrez Peter M. , Wagner Barry M. , Jobes David A.
Published: November 2018

Abstract. Background: An important consideration when conducting randomized controlled trials is treatment differentiation. Direct observation helps ensure that providers in different treatment groups are delivering distinct interventions. One direct observation method is the use of a measure to rate clinician performance when delivering an intervention. Aims: This generalizability study evaluated the reliability of the CAMS Rating Scale (CRS), a measure used to assess delivery of the Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality (CAMS). Method: Digitally recorded tapes of clinicians delivering either CAMS or Enhanced Care-As-Usual (E-CAU) were coded using the CRS. Sessions ( N = 36) were each coded by two raters, and encompassed four clinicians, four time points, and 34 unique patients across two treatment groups. A reliability coefficient (i.e., G coefficient) and the percentages of variance contributed by each component of the measurement model were obtained. Results: The CRS reliably differentiates CAMS from E-CAU, minimizes measurement error relative to expected variance sources, and continues to demonstrate high inter-rater reliability. Limitations: The absence of blind raters, a formal training protocol for the rating team, and ratings from all clinician–patient dyads at all time points was a limitation. Conclusion: The CRS is a reliable treatment differentiation measure that can play an integral role in studies evaluating CAMS.
Prolonged Monsoonal Moisture Availability Preconditioned Glaciation of the Tibetan Plateau During the Mid‐Pleistocene Transition
Authors: Koutsodendris Andreas , Sachse Dirk , Appel Erwin , Herb Christian , Fischer Tobias , Fang Xiaomin , Pross Jörg
Published: November 2018

Paleohydrological data comprising pollen assemblages and leaf‐wax hydrogen isotopes (δDwax) from paleolake sediments in the Qaidam Basin (China) provide evidence for a link between increased moisture availability on the Tibetan Plateau and global cooling during the Mid‐Pleistocene Transition. Notably, they document the persistence of humid and cold conditions during Marine Isotope Stages 24–22 (936–866 ka) suggesting that boundary conditions favorable for extended glaciation on the Tibetan Plateau first developed at ~900 ka. Our δDwax results indicate a strong influence of proximal (monsoonal) moisture sources during that glacial, in agreement with the intensification of the interhemispheric moisture transport resulting from Antarctic ice volume increase at ~900 ka. The consistency of our results with other marine and terrestrial climate data sets suggests that extended glaciation on the Tibetan Plateau may have initiated ~500 ka earlier than previously assumed, implying that midlatitude ice sheets actively contributed to global cooling during the Mid‐Pleistocene Transition.
Comments on “Global Distribution and Variations of NO Infrared Radiative Flux and Its Responses to Solar Activity and Geomagnetic Activity in the Thermosphere” by Tang et al.
Authors: Yue Jia
Published: November 2018

The Tang et al. (2017, https://doi.org/10.1002/2017JA024758) analysis of NO 5.3 μm volume emission rate (VER) data measured by the Sounding of the Atmosphere using Broadband Emission Radiometry (SABER) has several technical problems. First of all, the authors assigned a totally wrong name to the standard SABER NO VER data product calling it “NO infrared radiative flux.” Then they calculated the global distribution, solar cycle, and geomagnetic activity variation of SABER NO VER up to 220‐km altitude, where during solar minimum and geomagnetic quiet times that applied to their analysis there is no valid SABER NO VER observation. Tang et al. also confused Ap index with Kp index when calculating the geomagnetic activity responses. These comments underscore the importance of establishing a clear understanding of the basic knowledge of the satellite, instrument, data products, and upper atmosphere physics when performing these analyses.
Legacy, Rather Than Adequacy, Drives the Selection of Hydrological Models
Authors: Addor N. , Melsen L. A.
Published: November 2018

The findings of hydrological modeling studies depend on which model was used. Although hydrological model selection is a crucial step, experience suggests that hydrologists tend to stick to the model they have experience with, and rarely switch to competing models, although these models might be more adequate given the study objectives. To gain quantitative insights into model selection, we explored the use of seven rainfall‐runoff models based on the abstract of 1,529 peer‐reviewed papers published between 1991 and 2018. The models selected were the Hydrologiska Byråns Vattenbalansavdelning model (HBV), the Variable Infiltration Capacity model (VIC), the mesoscale Hydrological model (mHM), the TOPography‐based hydrologic model (TOPMODEL), the Precipitation Runoff Modelling System (PRMS), the Génie Rural model à 4 paramètres Journaliers (GR4J), and the Sacramento soil moisture accounting model. We provide quantitative evidence of regional preferences in model use across the world and demonstrate that specific models are consistently preferred by certain institutes. Model attachment is particularly strong. In ~74% of the studies, the model selected can be predicted solely based on the affiliation of the first author. The influence of adequacy on the model selection process is less clear. Our data reveal that each model is used across a wide range of purposes, landscapes, and temporal and spatial scales (i.e., as a model of everything and everywhere). Model intercomparisons can provide guidance for model selection and improve model adequacy, but they are still rare (because each model must usually be setup individually) and the insights they provide are currently limited (because they are rarely controlled experiments). We suggest that moving from fixed‐structure models to modular modeling frameworks (master templates for model generation) can overcome these issues, enable a more collaborative and responsive model development environment, and result in improved model adequacy.
A Value‐Based Model Selection Approach for Environmental Random Variables
Authors: Müller M. F. , Thompson S. E.
Published: November 2018

Environmental decisions with substantial social and environmental implications are regularly informed by model predictions, incurring inevitable uncertainty. The selection of a set of model predictions to inform a decision is usually based on model performance, measured by goodness‐of‐fit metrics. Yet goodness‐of‐fit metrics have a questionable relationship to a model's value to end users, particularly when validation data are themselves uncertain. For example, decisions based on flow frequency models are not necessarily improved by adopting models with the best overall goodness of fit. We propose an alternative model evaluation approach based on the conditional value of sample information, first defined in 1961, which has found extensive use in sampling design optimization but which has not previously been used for model evaluation. The metric uses observations from a validation set to estimate the expected monetary costs associated with model prediction uncertainties. A model is only considered superior to alternatives if (i) its predictions reduce these costs and (ii) sufficient validation data are available to distinguish its performance from alternative models. By describing prediction uncertainties in monetary terms, the metric facilitates the communication of prediction uncertainty by end users, supporting the inclusion of uncertainty analysis in decision making.
uPARAP/Endo180 receptor is a gatekeeper of VEGFR-2/VEGFR-3 heterodimerisation during pathological lymphangiogenesis
Authors: Durré Tania , Morfoisse Florent , Erpicum Charlotte , Ebroin Marie , Blacher Silvia , García-Caballero Melissa , Deroanne Christophe , Louis Thomas , Balsat Cédric , Van de Velde Maureen , Kaijalainen Seppo , Kridelka Frédéric , Engelholm Lars , Struman Ingrid , Alitalo Kari , Behrendt Niels , Paupert Jenny , Noel Agnès
Published: November 2018

The development of new lymphatic vessels occurs in many cancerous and inflammatory diseases through the binding of VEGF-C to its receptors, VEGFR-2 and VEGFR-3. The regulation of VEGFR-2/VEGFR-3 heterodimerisation and its downstream signaling in lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs) remain poorly understood. Here, we identify the endocytic receptor, uPARAP, as a partner of VEGFR-2 and VEGFR-3 that regulates their heterodimerisation. Genetic ablation of uPARAP leads to hyperbranched lymphatic vasculatures in pathological conditions without affecting concomitant angiogenesis. In vitro, uPARAP controls LEC migration in response to VEGF-C but not VEGF-A or VEGF-CCys156Ser. uPARAP restricts VEGFR-2/VEGFR-3 heterodimerisation and subsequent VEGFR-2-mediated phosphorylation and inactivation of Crk-II adaptor. uPARAP promotes VEGFR-3 signaling through the Crk-II/JNK/paxillin/Rac1 pathway. Pharmacological Rac1 inhibition in uPARAP knockout mice restores the wild-type phenotype. In summary, our study identifies a molecular regulator of lymphangiogenesis, and uncovers novel molecular features of VEGFR-2/VEGFR-3 crosstalk and downstream signaling during VEGF-C-driven LEC sprouting in pathological conditions.
A thermodynamic potential for barium zirconate titanate solid solutions
Authors: Peng Jinlin , Shan Dongliang , Liu Yunya , Pan Kai , Lei Chihou , He Ningbo , Zhang Zhenyu , Yang Qiong
Published: November 2018

Barium zirconate titanate [Ba(ZrxTi1−x)O3] solid solutions are promising lead-free ferroelectric materials that have received substantial interest. Thermodynamic analysis based on phenomenological Landau–Devonshire theory is a powerful method for theoretical investigation of ferroelectric materials, but cannot be applied to Ba(ZrxTi1−x)O3 because there is no thermodynamic potential. In this paper, a thermodynamic potential for Ba(ZrxTi1−x)O3 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.3) solid solutions is constructed, and then a thermodynamic analysis carried out. The results accurately reproduce known phase structures and their transition temperatures, with good agreement with experimentally measured polarization, dielectric, and piezoelectric constants. It is found that Ba(ZrxTi1−x)O3 solid solutions at room temperature have three phase boundaries, including a tetragonal–orthorhombic phase boundary at x = 0.013, an orthorhombic–rhombohedral phase boundary at x = 0.0798, and a rhombohedral–paraelectric phase boundary at x = 0.2135. The results also indicate that the chemical composition-induced ferroelectric–paraelectric phase boundary has superior electromechanical properties, suggesting a new way to enhance electromechanical coupling in Ba(ZrxTi1−x)O3 solid solutions.
Usp16 modulates Wnt signaling in primary tissues through Cdkn2a regulation
Authors: Adorno Maddalena , di Robilant Benedetta Nicolis , Sikandar Shaheen Shabbir , Acosta Veronica Haro , Antony Jane , Heller Craig H. , Clarke Michael F.
Published: November 2018

Regulation of the Wnt pathway in stem cells and primary tissues is still poorly understood. Here we report that Usp16, a negative regulator of Bmi1/PRC1 function, modulates the Wnt pathway in mammary epithelia, primary human fibroblasts and MEFs, affecting their expansion and self-renewal potential. In mammary glands, reduced levels of Usp16 increase tissue responsiveness to Wnt, resulting in upregulation of the downstream Wnt target Axin2, expansion of the basal compartment and increased in vitro and in vivo epithelial regeneration. Usp16 regulation of the Wnt pathway in mouse and human tissues is at least in part mediated by activation of Cdkn2a, a regulator of senescence. At the molecular level, Usp16 affects Rspo-mediated phosphorylation of LRP6. In Down’s Syndrome (DS), triplication of Usp16 dampens the activation of the Wnt pathway. Usp16 copy number normalization restores normal Wnt activation in Ts65Dn mice models. Genetic upregulation of the Wnt pathway in Ts65Dn mice rescues the proliferation defect observed in mammary epithelial cells. All together, these findings link important stem cell regulators like Bmi1/Usp16 and Cdkn2a to Wnt signaling, and have implications for designing therapies for conditions, like DS, aging or degenerative diseases, where the Wnt pathway is hampered.
Comparison of bone texture between normal individuals and patients with Kashin-Beck disease from plain radiographs in knee
Authors: Li Wenrong , Hirvasniemi Jukka , Guo Xiong , Saarakkala Simo , Lammi Mikko J. , Qu Chengjuan
Published: November 2018

To compare tibial bone texture between Kashin-Beck disease (KBD) patients and normal individuals from plain radiographs using an advanced image analysis. Plain knee radiographs were obtained from KBD patients (n = 49) and age-matched healthy controls (n = 98). KBD were graded with diagnostic criteria WS/T 207-2010. The textural values related to bone structure from medial and lateral tibial subchondral and trabecular bones were evaluated using entropy of Laplacian-based image (ELap), entropy of local binary patterns (ELBP), homogeneity indices (HI) of local angles (HIMean, HIPerp and HIParal), and fractal dimensions from horizontal (FDHor) and vertical (FDVer) structures. KBD patients were shorter in height and lighter in weight, and their tibial width was wider than controls. Anatomical angle of KBD patients showed more genu valgus. Total KBD patients and subgroups had higher ELap, HIMean, HIPerp and HIParal in detected tibial subchondral and trabecular bones than controls, except ELap in lateral subchondral bone. ELBP, FDHor and FDVer from the detected tibial bone in KBD patients and subgroups were lower than controls, except FDVer in lateral trabecular bone. Our results indicate that micro-scale in bone texture in KBD-affected knees can be quantitatively examined from plain radiographs using an advanced image analysis.
Excitotoxic superoxide production and neuronal death require both ionotropic and non-ionotropic NMDA receptor signaling
Authors: Minnella Angela M. , Zhao Jerry X. , Jiang Xiangning , Jakobsen Emil , Lu Fuxin , Wu Long , El-Benna Jamel , Gray John A. , Swanson Raymond A.
Published: November 2018

NMDA-type glutamate receptors (NMDAR) trigger superoxide production by neuronal NADPH oxidase-2 (NOX2), which if sustained leads to cell death. This process involves Ca2+ influx through NMDAR channels. By contrast, comparable Ca2+ influx by other routes does not induce NOX2 activation or cell death. This contrast has been attributed to site-specific effects of Ca2+ flux through NMDAR. Here we show instead that it stems from non-ionotropic signaling by NMDAR GluN2B subunits. To evaluate non-ionotropic effects, mouse cortical neurons were treated with NMDA together with 7-chlorokynurenate, L-689,560, or MK-801, which block Ca2+ influx through NMDAR channels but not NMDA binding. NMDA-induced superoxide formation was prevented by the channel blockers, restored by concurrent Ca2+ influx through ionomycin or voltage-gated calcium channels, and not induced by the Ca2+ influx in the absence of NMDAR ligand binding. Neurons expressing either GluN2B subunits or chimeric GluN2A/GluN2B C-terminus subunits exhibited NMDA-induced superoxide production, whereas neurons expressing chimeric GluN2B/GluN2A C-terminus subunits did not. Neuronal NOX2 activation requires phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), and NMDA binding to NMDAR increased PI3K association with NMDA GluN2B subunits independent of Ca2+ influx. These findings identify a non-ionotropic signaling pathway that links NMDAR to NOX2 activation through the C-terminus domain of GluN2B.
Inflammatory gene expression in adipose tissue according to diagnosis of anxiety and mood disorders in obese and non-obese subjects
Authors: Coín-Aragüez Leticia , Pavón Francisco Javier , Contreras Alba , Gentile Adriana-Mariel , Lhamyani Said , De Diego-Otero Yolanda , Casado Yolanda , Oliva Olivera Wilfredo , Olveira Gabriel , Tinahones Francisco J. , Pérez Costillas Lucía , El Bekay Rajaa
Published: November 2018

Psychiatric disorders have been widely reported to be associated with systemic inflammation upregulation and adiposity. However, there are no data that link adipose tissue inflammation to these mental disorders. The analysis of adipokines and inflammation-related markers in adipose tissue could help to elucidate the potential association between obesity and mental health. An observational study was conducted in samples of patients consisting of non-obese and obese subjects, who were diagnosed with anxiety or mood disorders. Gene expression of adiponectin (ADIPOQ), leptin (LEP) and inflammatory markers (IL6, IL1B, TNF, CCL2, CSF3, ITGAM, and PLAUR) were determined in visceral (VAT) and subcutaneous (SAT) adipose tissues. Our results showed that the gene expression of adipokines and inflammation-related markers was higher in the VAT and SAT of obese subjects compared with non-obese subjects. Regarding mental disorders, all the inflammatory genes in the VAT were significantly higher in non-obese subjects with anxiety or mood disorders than in subjects without mental disorders, except for TNF and ITGAM. Additionally, IL6 expression was significantly lower in SAT. In contrast, obese patients diagnosed with anxiety or mood disorders only showed significantly lower expression levels of IL1B in VAT and ADIPOQ in SAT when compared with obese subjects without mental disorders. These data suggest the potential involvement of VAT inflammation in anxiety and mood disorders, involving complex mechanisms which are strongly affected by obesity.
Vascular amounts and dispersion of caliber-classified vessels as key parameters to quantitate 3D micro-angioarchitectures in multiple myeloma experimental tumors
Authors: Righi Marco , Locatelli Silvia Laura , Carlo-Stella Carmelo , Presta Marco , Giacomini Arianna
Published: November 2018

Blood vessel micro-angioarchitecture plays a pivotal role in tumor progression, metastatic dissemination and response to therapy. Thus, methods able to quantify microvascular trees and their anomalies may allow a better comprehension of the neovascularization process and evaluation of vascular-targeted therapies in cancer. To this aim, the development of a restricted set of indexes able to describe the arrangement of a microvascular tree is eagerly required. We addressed this goal through 3D analysis of the functional microvascular network in sulfo-biotin-stained human multiple myeloma KMS-11 xenografts in NOD/SCID mice. Using image analysis, we show that amounts, spatial dispersion and spatial relationships of adjacent classes of caliber-filtered microvessels provide a near-linear graphical “fingerprint” of tumor micro-angioarchitecture. Position, slope and axial projections of this graphical outcome reflect biological features and summarize the properties of tumor micro-angioarchitecture. Notably, treatment of KMS-11 xenografts with anti-angiogenic drugs affected position and slope of the specific curves without degrading their near-linear properties. The possibility offered by this procedure to describe and quantify the 3D features of the tumor micro-angioarchitecture paves the way to the analysis of the microvascular tree in human tumor specimens at different stages of tumor progression and after pharmacologic interventions, with possible diagnostic and prognostic implications.
Developmental trajectory of movement-related cortical oscillations during active sleep in a cross-sectional cohort of pre-term and full-term human infants
Authors: Whitehead Kimberley , Meek Judith , Fabrizi Lorenzo
Published: November 2018

In neonatal animal models, isolated limb movements during active sleep provide input to immature somatomotor cortex necessary for its development and are somatotopically encoded by alpha-beta oscillations as late as the equivalent of human full-term. Limb movements elicit similar neural patterns in very pre-term human infants (average 30 corrected gestational weeks), suggesting an analogous role in humans, but it is unknown until when they subserve this function. In a cohort of 19 neonates (31–42 corrected gestational weeks) we showed that isolated hand movements during active sleep continue to induce these same somatotopically distributed oscillations well into the perinatal period, but that these oscillations decline towards full-term and fully disappear at 41 corrected gestational weeks (equivalent to the end of gestation). We also showed that these highly localised alpha-beta oscillations are associated with an increase in delta oscillations which extends to the frontal area and does not decline with age. These results suggest that isolated limb movements during active sleep could have an important role in experience-dependent somatomotor development up until normal birth in humans.
Bioaerosol Sampling for Respiratory Viruses in Singapore’s Mass Rapid Transit Network
Authors: Coleman Kristen K. , Nguyen Tham T. , Yadana Su , Hansen-Estruch Christophe , Lindsley William G. , Gray Gregory C.
Published: November 2018

As a leading global city with a high population density, Singapore is at risk for the introduction of novel biological threats. This risk has been recently reinforced by human epidemics in Singapore of SARS coronavirus, 2009 pandemic H1N1 influenza A virus, and enterovirus 71. Other major threats to Singapore include MERS-coronavirus and various avian and swine influenza viruses. The ability to quickly identify and robustly track such threats to initiate an early emergency response remains a significant challenge. In an effort to enhance respiratory virus surveillance in Singapore, our team conducted a pilot study employing a noninvasive bioaerosol sampling method to detect respiratory viruses in Singapore’s Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) network. Over a period of 52 weeks, 89 aerosol samples were collected during peak MRT ridership hours. Nine (10%) tested positive for adenovirus, four (4.5%) tested positive for respiratory syncytial virus type A, and one (1%) tested positive for influenza A virus using real-time RT-PCR/PCR. To our knowledge, this is the first time molecular evidence for any infectious respiratory agent has been collected from Singapore’s MRT. Our pilot study data support the possibility of employing bioaerosol samplers in crowded public spaces to noninvasively monitor for respiratory viruses circulating in communities.
New Spirometry Indices for Detecting Mild Airflow Obstruction
Authors: Bhatt Surya P. , Bhakta Nirav R. , Wilson Carla G. , Cooper Christopher B. , Barjaktarevic Igor , Bodduluri Sandeep , Kim Young-il , Eberlein Michael , Woodruff Prescott G. , Sciurba Frank C. , Castaldi Peter J. , Han MeiLan K. , Dransfield Mark T. , Nakhmani Arie
Published: November 2018

The diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) relies on demonstration of airflow obstruction. Traditional spirometric indices miss a number of subjects with respiratory symptoms or structural lung disease on imaging. We hypothesized that utilizing all data points on the expiratory spirometry curves to assess their shape will improve detection of mild airflow obstruction and structural lung disease. We analyzed spirometry data of 8307 participants enrolled in the COPDGene study, and derived metrics of airflow obstruction based on the shape on the volume-time (Parameter D), and flow-volume curves (Transition Point and Transition Distance). We tested associations of these parameters with CT measures of lung disease, respiratory morbidity, and mortality using regression analyses. There were significant correlations between FEV1/FVC with Parameter D (r = −0.83; p < 0.001), Transition Point (r = 0.69; p < 0.001), and Transition Distance (r = 0.50; p < 0.001). All metrics had significant associations with emphysema, small airway disease, dyspnea, and respiratory-quality of life (p < 0.001). The highest quartile for Parameter D was independently associated with all-cause mortality (adjusted HR 3.22,95% CI 2.42–4.27; p < 0.001) but a substantial number of participants in the highest quartile were categorized as GOLD 0 and 1 by traditional criteria (1.8% and 33.7%). Parameter D identified an additional 9.5% of participants with mild or non-recognized disease as abnormal with greater burden of structural lung disease compared with controls. The data points on the flow-volume and volume-time curves can be used to derive indices of airflow obstruction that identify additional subjects with disease who are deemed to be normal by traditional criteria.
Author Correction: Cluster-assembled zirconia substrates promote long-term differentiation and functioning of human islets of Langerhans
Authors: Galli Alessandra , Maffioli Elisa , Sogne Elisa , Moretti Stefania , Di Cairano Eliana Sara , Negri Armando , Nonnis Simona , Norata Giuseppe Danilo , Bonacina Fabrizia , Borghi Francesca , Podestà Alessandro , Bertuzzi Federico , Milani Paolo , Lenardi Cristina , Tedeschi Gabriella , Perego Carla
Published: November 2018

A correction to this article has been published and is linked from the HTML and PDF versions of this paper. The error has not been fixed in the paper.
Author Correction: Nanometre-scale pattern formation on the surface of a photochromic crystal by optical near-field induced photoisomerization
Authors: Nakagomi Ryo , Uchiyama Kazuharu , Suzui Hirotsugu , Hatano Eri , Uchida Kingo , Naruse Makoto , Hori Hirokazu
Published: November 2018

A correction to this article has been published and is linked from the HTML and PDF versions of this paper. The error has not been fixed in the paper.
Day-to-day variations in sleep quality affect standing balance in healthy adults
Authors: Montesinos Luis , Castaldo Rossana , Cappuccio Francesco P. , Pecchia Leandro
Published: November 2018

Acute sleep deprivation is known to affect human balance and posture control. However, the effects of variations in sleep quality and pattern over consecutive days have received less attention. This study investigated the associations between day-to-day variations in sleep quality and standing balance in healthy subjects. Twenty volunteers (12 females and 8 males; age: 28.8 ± 5.7 years, body mass index: 23.4 ± 3.4 kg/m2, resting heart rate: 63.1 ± 8.7 bpm) with no history of sleep disorders or balance impairments participated in the study. Sleep and balance were assessed over two consecutive days. Sleep quality variations were assessed using sleep diary, actigraphy and heart rate variability (HRV) measures. Sleep was monitored at home, using an unobtrusive wearable device. Balance was assessed in a gait lab using foot centre of pressure (COP) displacement during quiet standing. Subjects with a day-to-day deterioration in sleep quantity and quality (i.e., decreased duration and increased fragmentation, increased nocturnal activity and decreased HRV) exhibited significant changes in balance (i.e., larger COP area, amplitude and standard deviation). Conversely, subjects with no significant alterations in sleep quantity and quality showed no significant changes in COP displacements. These results confirmed our hypothesis that changes in sleep quality and pattern over consecutive days may affect balance.
Targeted-pig trial on safety and immunogenicity of serum-derived extracellular vesicles enriched fractions obtained from Porcine Respiratory and Reproductive virus infections
Authors: Montaner-Tarbes Sergio , Novell Elena , Tarancón Vicens , Borrás Francesc E. , Montoya Maria , Fraile Lorenzo , del Portillo Hernando A.
Published: November 2018

The Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus (PRRSV) is the etiological agent of one of the most important swine diseases with a significant economic burden worldwide. Unfortunately, available vaccines are partially effective highlighting the need of novel approaches. Previously, antigenic viral proteins were described in serum-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) from pigs previously infected with PRRSV. Here, a targeted-pig trial was designed to determine the safety and immunogenicity of such extracellular vesicles enriched fractions. Our results showed that immunizations with EV-enriched fractions from convalescence animals in combination with montanide is safe and free of virus as immunizations with up-to two milligrams of EV-enriched fractions did not induce clinical symptoms, adverse effects and detectable viral replication. In addition, this vaccine formulation was able to elicit specific humoral IgG immune response in vaccinated animals, albeit variably. Noticeably, sera from vaccinated animals was diagnosed negative when tested for PRRSV using a commercial ELISA test; thus, indicating that this new approach differentiates vaccinated from infected animals. Lastly, after priming animals with EV-enriched fractions from sera of convalescence animals and boosting them with synthetic viral peptides identified by mass spectrometry, a distinctive high and specific IFN-γ response was elicited. Altogether, our data strongly suggest the use of serum EV-enriched fractions as a novel vaccine strategy against PRRSV.
Graphene oxide as a multifunctional synergist of insecticides against lepidopteran insect
Authors: Wang Xiuping , Xie Haicui , Wang Zhenying , He Kanglai , Jing Dapeng
Published: November 2018

GO can cause “physical damage” to the cuticle that provides a new channel for the penetration of insecticides.
Evaluation of the bitter components of bamboo shoots using a metabolomics approach
Authors: Gao Quan , Jiang Hao , Tang Feng , Cao Hai-qun , Wu Xiang-wei , Qi Fei-fei , Sun Jia , Yang Jun
Published: November 2018

The metabolomics methodology can be more convenient to evaluate the function of food.
Synergistic and simultaneous biosorption of phenanthrene and iodine from aqueous solutions by soil indigenous bacterial biomass as a low-cost biosorbent
Authors: Zhang D. , Lu S. G. , Song X. Q. , Zhang J. F. , Huo Z. M. , Zhao H. T.
Published: November 2018

Co-solute significantly enhanced the sorption affinity of phenanthrene and iodine by bacterial biomass.
The effect of electron density in furan pendant group on thermal-reversible Diels–Alder reaction based self-healing properties of polymethacrylate derivatives
Authors: Byun Keum-Seob , Choi Won Jae , Lee Ha-Young , Sim Min-Ji , Cha Sang-Ho , Lee Jong-Chan
Published: November 2018

Herein, we discuss the effect of electron density in a furan pendant group on the thermally reversible Diels–Alder (DA) reaction based self-healing efficiency in polymethacrylate derivatives.
Enhanced lithium storage performance of V2O5 with oxygen vacancy
Authors: Sun Yinlu , Xie Zhiping , Li Yanwei
Published: November 2018

Orthorhombic phase V2O5 nanosheets with a high V4+ content (V-V2O5) have been fabricated via a facile sol–gel method and freeze-drying technology followed with a vacuum annealing process.
Luminescence characteristics of rare-earth-doped barium hexafluorogermanate BaGeF6 nanowires: fast subnanosecond decay time and high sensitivity in H2O2 detection
Authors: George Gibin , Simpson Machael D. , Gautam Bhoj R. , Fang Dong , Peng Jinfang , Wen Jianguo , Davis Jason E. , Ila Daryush , Luo Zhiping
Published: November 2018

The decay time of BaGeF6 nanowires codoped with rare earths is found in the order of subnanoseconds, being one of the shortest decay time records from inorganic scintillators. Their luminescence emissions are highly sensitive for H2O2 detection.
Multiple 3D-QSAR modeling, e-pharmacophore, molecular docking, and in vitro study to explore novel AChE inhibitors
Authors: Jana Srabanti , Ganeshpurkar Ankit , Singh Sushil Kumar
Published: November 2018

Ligand-based and energy-optimized structure-based approaches were helpful to obtain excellent candidates as non-toxic, PAS site selective, non-competitive AChE inhibitors.
Rationalization of hydrogen production by bulk g-C3N4: an in-depth correlation between physico-chemical parameters and solar light photocatalysis
Authors: Speltini Andrea , Pisanu Ambra , Profumo Antonella , Milanese Chiara , Sangaletti Luigi , Drera Giovanni , Patrini Maddalena , Pentimalli Marzia , Malavasi Lorenzo
Published: November 2018

Extensive physico-chemical investigation on bulk g-C3N4 allowed a reliable correlation between hydrogen production and materials properties to be established.
Gram-scale synthesis of porphycenes through acid-catalyzed oxidative macrocyclizations of E/Z-mixed 5,6-diaryldipyrroethenes
Authors: Ono Toshikazu , Xu Ning , Koga Daiki , Ideo Toshihiro , Sugimoto Manabu , Hisaeda Yoshio
Published: November 2018

A set of novel porphycenes was synthesized on a gram-scale in high overall yields by optimization of macrocyclization of E/Z-mixed 5,6-diaryldipyrroethenes.