bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Using quantile regression for fitting lactation curve in dairy cows
Authors: Naeemipour Younesi Hossein , Shariati Mohammad Mahdi , Zerehdaran Saeed , Jabbari Nooghabi Mehdi , Løvendahl Peter
Published: February 2019

The main objective of this study was to compare the performance of different ‘nonlinear quantile regression’ models evaluated at theτth quantile (0·25, 0·50, and 0·75) of milk production traits and somatic cell score (SCS) in Iranian Holstein dairy cows. Data were collected by the Animal Breeding Center of Iran from 1991 to 2011, comprising 101 051 monthly milk production traits and SCS records of 13 977 cows in 183 herds. Incomplete gamma (Wood), exponential (Wilmink), Dijkstra and polynomial (Ali & Schaeffer) functions were implemented in the quantile regression. Residual mean square, Akaike information criterion and log-likelihood from different models and quantiles indicated that in the same quantile, the best models were Wilmink for milk yield, Dijkstra for fat percentage and Ali & Schaeffer for protein percentage. Over all models the best model fit occurred at quantile 0·50 for milk yield, fat and protein percentage, whereas, for SCS the 0·25th quantile was best. The best model to describe SCS was Dijkstra at quantiles 0·25 and 0·50, and Ali & Schaeffer at quantile 0·75. Wood function had the worst performance amongst all traits. Quantile regression is specifically appropriate for SCS which has a mixed multimodal distribution.
An energy-protein feed additive containing different sources of fat improves feed intake and milk performance of dairy cows in mid-lactation
Authors: Micek Piotr , Kowalski Zygmunt M. , Sady Marek , Oprządek Jolanta , Domagała Jacek , Wanat Patrycja
Published: February 2019

This research paper addresses the hypothesis that calcium salts combined with whole linseed and heat-treated rapeseed cake in one feed additive may efficiently stimulate the productivity of dairy cows and have a positive effect on the functional (health-promoting) properties of milk fat. The article proposes the composition of such an additive (EFA) and evaluates its nutritional effect in the diet of mid-lactation dairy cows. Forty multiparous Polish Holstein-Friesian (PHF) dairy cows were allocated to one of four treatments (10 cows/treatment) and fed a TMR diet without EFA or with EFA in the amount of 1, 2 or 3 kg/d per head for a 63-d-period. Individual intake of dry matter (DMI) and nutrients was determined, as was milk yield and composition, including fatty acid profile, fat soluble vitamins, cholesterol and phospholipids (PLs). Irrespective of the treatment group, cows fed diets with EFA had higher (P< 0.05) DMI, milk yield and milk vitamin D3and K2concentration but lower (P< 0.01) milk protein, fat and cholesterol contents. The additive did not affect the milk concentrations of β-carotene or vitamin A or E. The PLs content was correlated with fat concentration in the milk and decreased as the level of EFA in the diet increased. An increase in phosphatidylcholine in total PLs was accompanied by a reduction in the proportion of sphingomyelin (P< 0.05). The use of EFA increased the proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in the total fatty acids in the milk. The addition of EFA in the amount of 3 kg increased the proportion of PUFA by 77% (P< 0.05). In conclusion, the use of an energy-protein feed additive (EFA) increases feed intake and milk yield in cows and alters milk fat composition, improving its functional properties. Higher milk production compensates for the decrease in solids concentration in the milk, which has no effect on their daily yield.
Parasitic infections as major cause of abattoir condemnations in cattle slaughtered at an Ethiopian abattoir: 10-year retrospective study
Authors: Molla D. , Nazir S. , Mohammed A. , Tintagu T.
Published: February 2019

Abattoirs are vital for gathering information on animal diseases and protecting the public from consuming infected or unhygienic meat. To assess the major reasons for organ and carcass condemnations and their financial implications, we reviewed 10-year abattoir records of slaughtered bovines between January 2005 and December 2014 at Kombolcha ELFORA abattoir, north-east Ethiopia. Of the 46,913 cattle slaughtered during that period, 17,963 (38.3%) had at least one disease condition. Lungs (10.67%) and liver (25%) were the most affected and condemned organs, followed by heart (1.53%), head (0.56%), tongue (0.17%) and kidney (0.32%). The major conditions responsible for condemnation were fasciolosis (49.89%), hydatid cyst (55.55%), pericarditis (78.2%), hydronephrosis (35.8%), abscess (71.7%) and abscess (43.9%), in liver, lung, heart, kidneys, head and tongue, respectively. The direct financial losses incurred from organ and carcass condemnation over the 10-year period amounted to ETB 1,219,399 (USD 61,946.9), with parasitic diseases such as fascioliasis and hydatidosis accounting for ETB 256,837.5 (USD 13,047.64) and ETB 170,827.5 (USD 8678.23) in losses, respectively. This study describes a significant loss of cheap and reliable sources of protein due to non-utilization of infected organs or carcasses, emphasizing the need to implement integrated approaches in disease surveillance and control programmes.
INEQUALITIES FOR THE DEPENDENT GAUSSIAN NOISE CHANNELS BASED ON FISHER INFORMATION AND COPULAS
Authors: Asgari Fatemeh , Alamatsaz Mohammad Hossein , Khoolenjani Nayereh Bagheri
Published: February 2019

Considering the Gaussian noise channel, Costa [4] investigated the concavity of the entropy power when the input signal and noise components are independent. His argument was connected to the first-order derivative of the Fisher information. In real situations, however, the noise can be highly dependent on the main signal. In this paper, we suppose that the input signal and noise variables are dependent. Then, some well-known copula functions are used to define their dependence structure. The first- and second-order derivatives of Fisher information of the model are obtained. Then, by using these derivatives, we will generalize two inequalities based on the Fisher information and a functional that is closely associated to Fisher information for the case when the input signal and noise variables are dependent. We will also show that the previous results for the independent case are recovered as special cases of our result. Several applications are provided to support the usefulness of our results. Finally, the channel capacity of the Gaussian noise channel model with dependent signal and noise is studied.
Weaponizing monuments
Authors: Burns Ross
Published: February 2019

The role normally played by monuments in conflict is that of passive and innocent observers, occasionally drawn into the fighting through their locations. In the Syrian conflict, monuments have been more deliberately used as pawns, as ideological weapons and as favoured strongpoints for combatants. The resulting damage to historical sites, particularly to the monumental centres of Aleppo and Palmyra, has been considerable. However, damage to heritage presents a small proportion of the harm compared to the destruction of civilian housing and facilities throughout the country and should not distract us from the irreplaceable loss of innocent life in the fighting. The country's eventual recovery will require the return of refugees to their devastated communities, a precondition for any effort to restore the country's rich monumental heritage.
A Global 3‐D Ocean Model for PCBs: Benchmark Compounds for Understanding the Impacts of Global Change on Neutral Persistent Organic Pollutants
Authors: Wagner Charlotte C. , Amos Helen M. , Thackray Colin P. , Zhang Yanxu , Lundgren Elizabeth W. , Forget Gael , Friedman Carey L. , Selin Noelle E. , Lohmann Rainer , Sunderland Elsie M.
Published: February 2019

Human activities have released large quantities of neutral persistent organic pollutants (POPs) that may be biomagnified in food webs and pose health risks to wildlife, particularly top predators. Here we develop a global 3‐D ocean simulation for four polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) spanning a range of molecular weights and volatilities to better understand effects of climate‐driven changes in ocean biogeochemistry on the lifetime and distribution of POPs. Observations are most abundant in the Arctic Ocean. There, model results reproduce spatial patterns and magnitudes of measured PCB concentrations. Sorption of PCBs to suspended particles and subsequent burial in benthic marine sediment is the dominant oceanic loss process globally. Results suggest benthic sediment burial has removed 75% of cumulative PCB releases since the onset of production in 1930. Wind speed, light penetration, and ocean circulation exert a stronger and more variable influence on volatile PCB congeners with lower particle affinity such as chlorinated biphenyl‐28 and chlorinated biphenyl‐101. In the Arctic Ocean between 1992 and 2015, modeled evasion (losses) of the more volatile PCB congeners from the surface ocean increased due to declines in sea ice and changes in ocean circulation. By contrast, net deposition increased slightly for higher molecular weight congeners with stronger partitioning to particles. Our results suggest future climate changes will have the greatest impacts on the chemical lifetimes and distributions of volatile POPs with lower molecular weights.
Detecting Urban Emissions Changes and Events With a Near‐Real‐Time‐Capable Inversion System
Authors: Ware John , Kort Eric A. , Duren Riley , Mueller Kimberly L , Verhulst Kristal , Yadav Vineet
Published: February 2019

In situ observing networks are increasingly being used to study greenhouse gas emissions in urban environments. While the need for sufficiently dense observations has often been discussed, density requirements depend on the question posed and interact with other choices made in the analysis. Focusing on the interaction of network density with varied meteorological information used to drive atmospheric transport, we perform geostatistical inversions of methane flux in the South Coast Air Basin, California, in 2015–2016 using transport driven by a locally tuned Weather Research and Forecasting configuration as well as by operationally available meteorological products. We find total‐basin flux estimates vary by as much as a factor of two between inversions, but the spread can be greatly reduced by calibrating the estimates to account for modeled sensitivity. Using observations from the full Los Angeles Megacities Carbon Project observing network, inversions driven by low‐resolution generic wind fields are robustly sensitive (p < 0.05) to seasonal differences in methane flux and to the increase in emissions caused by the 2015 Aliso Canyon natural gas leak. When the number of observing sites is reduced, the basin‐wide sensitivity degrades, but flux events can be detected by testing for changes in flux variance, and even a single site can robustly detect basin‐wide seasonal flux variations. Overall, an urban monitoring system using an operational methane observing network and off‐the‐shelf meteorology could detect many seasonal or event‐driven changes in near real time—and, if calibrated to a model chosen as a transfer standard, could also quantify absolute emissions.
What Is the Main Cause of Diurnal Variation and Nocturnal Peak of Summer Precipitation in Sichuan Basin, China? The Key Role of Boundary Layer Low‐Level Jet Inertial Oscillations
Authors: Zhang Yuehan , Xue Ming , Zhu Kefeng , Zhou Bowen
Published: February 2019

The precipitation in Sichuan Basin (SB), China, exhibits pronounced diurnal variation, including minimum rainfall in daytime and a prominent peak near midnight. This study investigates the primary mechanism of precipitation diurnal variation in SB using forecasts from three summer months of 2013 produced at a 4‐km grid spacing. The model forecasts reproduce the observed spatial distributions and diurnal cycles well, including the peak precipitation in SB at around 02 local solar time (LST). Contrary to the common belief that emphasizes the solenoidal effects associated with the Tibetan and Yunnan‐Guizhou Plateaus, prominent diurnal inertial oscillations of boundary layer south‐southwesterly low‐level jet into SB are shown to play more important roles in modulating the diurnal cycles of precipitation in SB. A basinwide moisture budget analysis is performed to reveal that the moisture flux from the southeast side of the basin dominates within the diurnal oscillations of the net moisture flux into the basin, and the much enhanced nocturnal low‐level jet plays a crucial role in the formation of nocturnal precipitation within the basin. The net moisture flux into SB reaches maximum at around 22 LST, the time boundary layer perturbation winds from the daily mean in the direction normal to the southeastern boundary of SB reach maximum, which is about 4 hr before precipitation peak at around 02 LST. Shallow thermally forced nighttime downslope flows and daytime upslope flows on the Tibetan Plateau and Yunnan‐Guizhou Plateau slopes contribute only a small portion of moisture fluxes through the basin boundaries.
Contemporary Space Weather Need: Going Beyond the Global Oscillation Network Group
Authors: Choudhary Debi Prasad
Published: February 2019

The article “The Global Oscillation Network Group (GONG) Facility—An Example of Research to Operations in Space Weather” by Frank Hill (https://doi.org/10.1029/2018SW002001) narrates how an instrument built for answering questions of basic research is playing a greater role in the field of space weather. In the past 25 years, the project has successfully produced fundamental results that have helped to fine tune stellar structure models and have resolved several outstanding problems in solar physics. It is also important to know the background coronal and solar wind environment in order to understand and adequately predict the transient events as this is the environment through which they propagate. The GONG magnetograms are useful as boundary conditions to construct the large‐scale magnetic field structure of the heliosphere and at times to detect the change in longitudinal field due to the solar flares. In order to advance the space weather prediction tools, it is necessary to study the magnetic and thermodynamic properties of the source regions of the transient events. The rich information contained in the polarized spectra originating at these locations that is currently measured by the “Synoptic Optical Long‐term Investigations of the Sun” instrument are most appropriate for this purpose. Although, GONG magnetograms have been, and continue to be, useful in understanding some aspects of space weather, there remains a need for new solar observing capabilities aimed at better understanding the “Transient Sun.” In this commentary, we describe the need for a GONG upgrade that will fully serve the Space Weather Community.
Near‐Field Model for a High‐Momentum Negatively Buoyant Line Source Within a Three‐Dimensional Hydrostatic Lake Model
Authors: King A. T. , Cowen E. A.
Published: February 2019

This work is motivated by a case study in which cooling water effluent is discharged from a line source diffuser onto the shallow southern shelf of a large lake. The effluent is discharged with high momentum to the north, and the plume influences the surrounding flow for hundreds of meters before becoming a passive tracer. We plan to use a three‐dimensional hydrodynamic model to examine the impact of this effluent on water residence time within the southern shelf, but in order to accomplish this task, we require a method for incorporating the effluent‐driven flow into the hydrodynamic model, which by default does not predict the correct rate of spreading of the plume or the correct rate of lateral entrainment of ambient water. In this paper we develop a method for incorporating the effects of high‐momentum line source discharges into any three‐dimensional or two‐dimensional (depth‐averaged) hydrodynamic model that employs a horizontal eddy viscosity and diffusivity. Our approach is to modify horizontal eddy viscosity and diffusivity to enforce the correct rate of lateral entrainment of the plume. We validate the new method using three test cases relevant to our case study: a neutrally buoyant jet, a cylindrical gravity current, and a negatively buoyant jet.
Atomistic origin of the passivation effect in hydrated silicate glasses
Authors: Du Tao , Li Hui , Zhou Qi , Wang Zhe , Sant Gaurav , Ryan Joseph V. , Bauchy Mathieu
Published: February 2019

When exposed to water, silicate glasses and minerals can form a hydrated gel surface layer concurrent with a decrease in their dissolution kinetics—a phenomenon known as the “passivation effect.” However, the atomic-scale origin of such passivation remains debated. Here, based on reactive molecular dynamics simulations, we investigate the hydration of a series of modified borosilicate glasses with varying compositions. We show that, upon the aging of the gel, the passivation effect manifests itself as a drop in hydrogen mobility. Nevertheless, only select glass compositions are found to exhibit some passivation. Based on these results, we demonstrate that the passivation effect cannot be solely explained by the repolymerization of the hydrated gel upon aging. Rather, we establish that the propensity for passivation is intrinsically governed by the reorganization of the medium-range order structure of the gel upon aging and, specifically, the formation of small silicate rings that hinder water mobility.
Super sensitivity and super resolution with quantum teleportation
Authors: Borregaard J. , Gehring T. , Neergaard-Nielsen J. S. , Andersen U. L.
Published: February 2019

We propose a method for quantum enhanced phase estimation based on continuous variable (CV) quantum teleportation. The phase shift probed by a coherent state can be enhanced by repeatedly teleporting the state back to interact with the phase shift again using a supply of two-mode squeezed vacuum states. In this way a sequential protocol exhibiting both super-resolution and super-sensitivity can be obtained due to the coherent addition of the phase shift. The protocol enables Heisenberg-limited sensitivity and super-resolution given sufficiently strong squeezing. The proposed method could be implemented with current or near-term technology of CV teleportation.
The influence of four pharmaceuticals on Chlorellapyrenoidosa culture
Authors: Zhang Yonggang , Guo Jun , Yao Tianming , Zhang Yalei , Zhou Xuefei , Chu Huaqiang
Published: February 2019

There has been a developing technology in algae with pharmaceuticals wastewater. However, the effect and the underlying mechanism of pharmaceuticals on algae are not well understood. To investigate the effect and mechanism of pharmaceuticalson microalgae, four pharmaceuticals of clofibric acid (CLF), ciprofloxacin (CIP), diclofenac (DCF) and carbamazepine (CBZ) onC. pyrenoidosaculture were analyzed. At low concentrations (<10 mg/L), the pharmaceuticals, especially the DCF, exhibited positive effects on both the structure and function of algal cultures; algal growth (i.e., chlorophyllaaccumulation, lipid accumulation) and activities of antioxidant enzymes were stimulated. The algal metabolite differences of various DCF concentrations were investigated and a total of 91 substances were identified, whose samples were clustered and clearly separated. The key metabolomics pathway analysis found that the DCF promoted the carbohydrate and fatty acid metabolic pathway inC. pyrenoidosaunder relatively low concentrations (<10 mg/L). However, the algae metabolomics pathway was disturbed significantly under the action of a high concentration of DCF (>100 mg/L). The study detected the effects of four pharmaceuticals onC. pyrenoidosaand demonstrated that the usage of metabolomics analysis complemented with DCF could be an effective approach to understand the mechanism of molecular evolution inC. pyrenoidosafor microalgal biomass and bioenergy from wastewater in researches of biological resources.
Centimeter-scale Green Integration of Layer-by-Layer 2D TMD vdW Heterostructures on Arbitrary Substrates by Water-Assisted Layer Transfer
Authors: Kim Jung Han , Ko Tae-Jun , Okogbue Emmanuel , Han Sang Sub , Shawkat Mashiyat Sumaiya , Kaium Md Golam , Oh Kyu Hwan , Chung Hee-Suk , Jung Yeonwoong
Published: February 2019

Two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenide (2D TMD) layers present an unusually ideal combination of excellent opto-electrical properties and mechanical tolerance projecting high promise for a wide range of emerging applications, particularly in flexible and stretchable devices. The prerequisite for realizing such opportunities is to reliably integrate large-area 2D TMDs of well-defined dimensions on mechanically pliable materials with targeted functionalities by transferring them from rigid growth substrates. Conventional approaches to overcome this challenge have been limited as they often suffer from the non-scalable integration of 2D TMDs whose structural and chemical integrity are altered through toxic chemicals-involved processes. Herein, we report a generic and reliable strategy to achieve the layer-by-layer integration of large-area 2D TMDs and their heterostructure variations onto a variety of unconventional substrates. This new 2D layer integration method employs water only without involving any other chemicals, thus renders distinguishable advantages over conventional approaches in terms of material property preservation and integration size scalability. We have demonstrated the generality of this method by integrating a variety of 2D TMDs and their heterogeneously-assembled vertical layers on exotic substrates such as plastics and papers. Moreover, we have verified its technological versatility by demonstrating centimeter-scale 2D TMDs-based flexible photodetectors and pressure sensors which are difficult to fabricate with conventional approaches. Fundamental principles for the water-assisted spontaneous separation of 2D TMD layers are also discussed.
Simultaneous acoustic and photoacoustic microfluidic flow cytometry for label-free analysis
Authors: Gnyawali Vaskar , Strohm Eric M. , Wang Jun-Zhi , Tsai Scott S. H. , Kolios Michael C.
Published: February 2019

We developed a label-free microfluidic acoustic flow cytometer (AFC) based on interleaved detection of ultrasound backscatter and photoacoustic waves from individual cells and particles flowing through a microfluidic channel. The AFC uses ultra-high frequency ultrasound, which has a center frequency of 375 MHz, corresponding to a wavelength of 4 μm, and a nanosecondpulsed laser, to detect individual cells. We validate the AFC by using it to count different color polystyrene microparticles and comparing the results to data from fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS). We also identify and count red and white blood cells in a blood sample using the AFC, and observe an excellent agreement with results obtained from FACS. This new label-free, non-destructive technique enables rapid and multi-parametric studies of individual cells of a large heterogeneous population using parameters such as ultrasound backscatter, optical absorption, and physical properties, for cell counting and sizing in biomedical and diagnostics applications.
Control of heart rate through guided high-rate breathing
Authors: Perry Sean , Khovanova Natasha A. , Khovanov Igor A.
Published: February 2019

Understanding the complex dynamics of cardio-respiratory coupling sheds light on the underlying mechanisms governing the communication between these two physiological systems. Previous research has predominantly considered the coupling at respiratory rates slower than the heart rate and shown that respiratory oscillations lead to modulation and/or synchronization of the heart rate. Whereas the mechanisms of cardio-respiratory communication are still under discussion, peripheral nervous regulation is considered to be the predominant factor. This work offers a novel experimental design and applies the concept of instantaneous phase to detect cardio-respiratory entrainment at elevated respiration rates, close to the resting heart rate. If such 1:1 entrainment exists, it would suggest direct neuronal communication between the respiration and heart centres in the brain. We have observed 1:1 entrainment in all volunteers, with consistently longer synchronization episodes seen in physically fitter people, and demonstrated that cardio-respiratory synchronization at both low and high respiration rates is associated with a common underlying communication mechanism.
Vibration frequency analysis of three-layered cylinder shaped shell with effect of FGM central layer thickness
Authors: Ghamkhar Madiha , Naeem Muhammad Nawaz , Imran Muhammad , Kamran Muhammad , Soutis Constantinos
Published: February 2019

In this research, vibration frequency analysis of three layered functionally graded material (FGM) cylinder-shaped shell is studied with FGM central layer and the internal and external layers are of homogenous material. Strain and curvature-displacement relations are taken from Sander’s shell theory. The shell frequency equation is obtained by employing the Rayleigh Ritz method. Influence on natural frequencies (NFs) is observed for various thickness of the middle layer. The characteristics beam functions are used to estimate the dependence of axial modal. Results are obtained for thickness to radius ratios and length to radius ratios for different edge conditions. The validity of this method is checked for numerous results in the open literature.
Analysis of long non-coding RNA and mRNA expression in bovine macrophages brings up novel aspects of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis infections
Authors: Gupta Pooja , Peter Sarah , Jung Markus , Lewin Astrid , Hemmrich-Stanisak Georg , Franke Andre , von Kleist Max , Schütte Christof , Einspanier Ralf , Sharbati Soroush , Bruegge Jennifer zur
Published: February 2019

Paratuberculosis is a major disease in cattle that severely affects animal welfare and causes huge economic losses worldwide. Development of alternative diagnostic methods is of urgent need to control the disease. Recent studies suggest that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play a crucial role in regulating immune function and may confer valuable information about the disease. However, their role has not yet been investigated in cattle with respect to infection towards Paratuberculosis. Therefore, we investigated the alteration in genomic expression profiles of mRNA and lncRNA in bovine macrophages in response to Paratuberculosis infection using RNA-Seq. We identified 397 potentially novel lncRNA candidates in macrophages of which 38 were differentially regulated by the infection. A total of 820 coding genes were also significantly altered by the infection. Co-expression analysis of lncRNAs and their neighbouring coding genes suggest regulatory functions of lncRNAs in pathways related to immune response. For example, this included protein coding genes such asTNIP3,TNFAIP3andNF-κB2 that play a role in NF-κB2 signalling, a pathway associated with immune response. This study advances our understanding of lncRNA roles during Paratuberculosis infection.
Body Silhouette Trajectories Over the Lifespan and Insomnia Symptoms: The Paris Prospective Study 3
Authors: Lisan Q. , Tafflet M. , Thomas F. , Boutouyrie P. , Guibout C. , Haba-Rubio J. , Climie R. , Périer M. C. , Van Sloten T. , Pannier B. , Marques-Vidal P. , Jouven X. , Empana J. P.
Published: February 2019

Insomnia symptoms are highly prevalent and associated with several adverse medical conditions, but only few determinants, including non-modifiable ones, have been highlighted. We investigated associations between body silhouette trajectories over the lifespan and insomnia symptoms in adulthood. From a community-based study, 7 496 men and women aged 50–75 years recalled their body silhouette at age 8, 15, 25, 35 and 45, and rated the frequency of insomnia symptoms on a standardized sleep questionnaire. An Epworth Sleepiness Scale ≥11 defined excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS). Using a group-based trajectory modeling, we identified five body silhouette trajectories: a ‘lean-stable’ (32.7%), a ‘heavy-stable’ (8.1%), a ‘moderate-stable’ (32.5%), a ‘lean-increase’ (11%) and a ‘lean-marked increase’ (15.7%) trajectory. In multivariate logistic regression, compared to the ‘lean-stable’ trajectory, the ‘lean-marked increase’ and ‘heavy-stable’ trajectories were associated with a significant increased odd of having ≥1 insomnia symptoms as compared to none and of having a proxy for insomnia disorder (≥1 insomnia symptom and EDS). The association with the ‘lean-marked increase' trajectory’ was independent from body mass index measured at study recruitment. In conclusion, increasing body silhouette over the lifespan is associated with insomnia symptoms in adulthood, emphasizing the importance of weight gain prevention during the entire lifespan.
Unconventional secretion factor GRASP55 is increased by pharmacological unfolded protein response inducers in neurons
Authors: van Ziel Anna Maria , Largo-Barrientos Pablo , Wolzak Kimberly , Verhage Matthijs , Scheper Wiep
Published: February 2019

Accumulation of misfolded proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), defined as ER stress, results in activation of the unfolded protein response (UPR). UPR activation is commonly observed in neurodegenerative diseases. ER stress can trigger unconventional secretion mediated by Golgi reassembly and stacking proteins (GRASP) relocalization in cell lines. Here we study the regulation of GRASP55 by the UPR upon pharmacological induction of ER stress in primary mouse neurons. We demonstrate that UPR activation induces mRNA and protein expression of GRASP55, but not GRASP65, in cortical neurons. UPR activation does not result in relocalization of GRASP55. UPR-induced GRASP55 expression is reduced by inhibition of the PERK pathway of the UPR and abolished by inhibition of the endonuclease activity of the UPR transducer IRE1. Expression of the IRE1 target XBP1s in the absence of ER stress is not sufficient to increase GRASP55 expression. Knockdown of GRASP55 affects neither induction nor recovery of the UPR. We conclude that the UPR regulates the unconventional secretion factor GRASP55 via a mechanism that requires the IRE1 and the PERK pathway of the UPR in neurons.
Strong, weak and neuron type dependent lateral inhibition in the olfactory bulb
Authors: Shmuel Ronit , Secundo Lavi , Haddad Rafi
Published: February 2019

In many sensory systems, different sensory features are transmitted in parallel by several different types of output neurons. In the mouse olfactory bulb, there are only two output neuron types, the mitral and tufted cells (M/T), which receive similar odor inputs, but they are believed to transmit different odor characteristics. How these two neuron types deliver different odor information is unclear. Here, by combining electrophysiology and optogenetics, it is shown that distinct inhibitory networks modulate M/T cell responses differently. Overall strong lateral inhibition was scarce, with most neurons receiving lateral inhibition from a handful of unorganized surrounding glomeruli (~5% on average). However, there was a considerable variability between different neuron types in the strength and frequency of lateral inhibition. Strong lateral inhibition was mostly found in neurons locked to the first half of the respiration cycle. In contrast, weak inhibition arriving from many surrounding glomeruli was relatively more common in neurons locked to the late phase of the respiration cycle. Proximal neurons could receive different levels of inhibition. These results suggest that there is considerable diversity in the way M/T cells process odors so that even neurons that receive the same odor input transmit different odor information to the cortex.
Host specificity pattern and chemical deception in a social parasite of ants
Authors: Casacci Luca Pietro , Schönrogge Karsten , Thomas Jeremy Ambler , Balletto Emilio , Bonelli Simona , Barbero Francesca
Published: February 2019

In natural ecosystems, relationships between organisms are often characterised by high levels of complexity, where vulnerabilities in multi-trophic systems are difficult to identify, yet variation in specific community modules can be traceable. Within the complex community interactions, we can shed new light on dynamics by which co-evolutionary outcomes can inform science-led conservation. Here we assessed host-ant use in six populations of the butterfly Phengaris (=Maculinea) rebeli, an obligate social parasite of Myrmica ants and a model system in evolutionary and conservation ecology. Starting from the initial distribution of eggs, we estimated the survival of the parasite in the wild in nests of seven Myrmica ant species, and analysed the chemical cues evolved by the parasites to subvert its host defences. We found local variations in host specificity that are consistent with similarities found in the chemical profiles of hosts and parasites on different sites. At some sites, only one ant species is successfully exploited; at others, multiple-host populations are used. Understanding how stable or adaptable these associations are is essential knowledge when devising conservation measures to maintain keystone species of ant and locally adapted populations of Phengaris butterfly species, which are rare, threatened and a high priority for conservation worldwide.
Nuclear defects in skeletal muscle from a Dynamin 2-linked centronuclear myopathy mouse model
Authors: Fongy Anaïs , Falcone Sestina , Lainé Jeanne , Prudhon Bernard , Martins-Bach Aurea , Bitoun Marc
Published: February 2019

Dynamin 2 (DNM2) is a key protein of the endocytosis and intracellular membrane trafficking machinery. Mutations in the DNM2 gene cause autosomal dominant centronuclear myopathy (CNM) and a knock-in mouse model expressing the most frequent human DNM2 mutation in CNM (Knock In-Dnm2R465W/+) develops a myopathy sharing similarities with human disease. Using isolated muscle fibres from Knock In-Dnm2R465W/+ mice, we investigated number, spatial distribution and morphology of myonuclei. We showed a reduction of nuclear number from 20 weeks of age in Tibialis anterior muscle from heterozygous mice. This reduction is associated with a decrease in the satellite cell content in heterozygous muscles. The concomitant reduction of myonuclei number and cross-section area in the heterozygous fibres contributes to largely maintain myonuclear density and volume of myonuclear domain. Moreover, we identified signs of impaired spatial nuclear distribution including alteration of distance from myonuclei to their nearest neighbours and change in orientation of the nuclei. This study highlights reduction of number of myonuclei, a key regulator of the myofiber size, as a new pathomechanism underlying muscle atrophy in the dominant centronuclear myopathy. In addition, this study opens a new line of investigation which could prove particularly important on satellite cells in dominant centronuclear myopathy.
Bio-cleaning of nitrate salt efflorescence on stone samples using extremophilic bacteria
Authors: Romano Ida , Abbate Mario , Poli Annarita , D’Orazio Loredana
Published: February 2019

For the first time, we propose the use of an extremophilic bacterium to remove nitrate salt efflorescence from the surfaces of stone samples. A haloalkaliphilic bacterium was selected “ad hoc” for its ability to reduce nitrates; i.e. Halomonas campaniensis sp. nov., strain 5AGT (DSM 15293T, ATCC BAA-966T). Quantitative monitoring of nitrate content, on untreated and treated surfaces of stone samples artificially enriched with nitrate, as a function of incubation/treatment time, was carried out by molecular spectroscopy. The results obtained reveal the good performance of Halomonas campaniensis bacterium in decreasing nitrate concentration on stone surfaces both in a controlled laboratory environment for temperature and relative humidity and in a real outdoor environmental conditions.
Cisplatin enhances cell stiffness and decreases invasiveness rate in prostate cancer cells by actin accumulation
Authors: Raudenska Martina , Kratochvilova Monika , Vicar Tomas , Gumulec Jaromir , Balvan Jan , Polanska Hana , Pribyl Jan , Masarik Michal
Published: February 2019

We focused on the biomechanical and morphological characteristics of prostate cancer cells and their changes resulting from the effect of docetaxel, cisplatin, and long-term zinc supplementation. Cell population surviving the treatment was characterized as follows: cell stiffness was assessed by atomic force microscopy, cell motility and invasion capacity were determined by colony forming assay, wound healing assay, coherence-controlled holographic microscopy, and real-time cell analysis. Cells of metastatic origin exhibited lower height than cells derived from the primary tumour. Cell dry mass and CAV1 gene expression followed similar trends as cell stiffness. Docetaxel- and cisplatin-surviving cells had higher stiffness, and decreased motility and invasive potential as compared to non-treated cells. This effect was not observed in zinc(II)-treated cells. We presume that cell stiffness changes may represent an important overlooked effect of cisplatin-based anti-cancer drugs. Atomic force microscopy and confocal microscopy data images used in our study are available for download in the Zenodo repository (https://zenodo.org/, Digital Object Identifiers:10.5281/zenodo.1494935).
In vitro cytotoxicity and anticancer effects of citral nanostructured lipid carrier on MDA MBA-231 human breast cancer cells
Authors: Nordin Noraini , Yeap Swee Keong , Rahman Heshu Sulaiman , Zamberi Nur Rizi , Abu Nadiah , Mohamad Nurul Elyani , How Chee Wun , Masarudin Mas Jaffri , Abdullah Rasedee , Alitheen Noorjahan Banu
Published: February 2019

Very recently, we postulated that the incorporation of citral into nanostructured lipid carrier (NLC-Citral) improves solubility and delivery of the citral without toxic effects in vivo. Thus, the objective of this study is to evaluate anti-cancer effects of NLC-Citral in MDA MB-231 cells in vitro through the Annexin V, cell cycle, JC-1 and fluorometric assays. Additionally, this study is aimed to effects of NLC-Citral in reducing the tumor weight and size in 4T1 induced murine breast cancer model. Results showed that NLC-Citral induced apoptosis and G2/M arrest in MDA MB-231 cells. Furthermore, a prominent anti-metastatic ability of NLC-Citral was demonstrated in vitro using scratch, migration and invasion assays. A significant reduction of migrated and invaded cells was observed in the NLC-Citral treated MDA MB-231 cells. To further evaluate the apoptotic and anti-metastatic mechanism of NLC-Citral at the molecular level, microarray-based gene expression and proteomic profiling were conducted. Based on the result obtained, NLC-Citral was found to regulate several important signaling pathways related to cancer development such as apoptosis, cell cycle, and metastasis signaling pathways. Additionally, gene expression analysis was validated through the targeted RNA sequencing and real-time polymerase chain reaction. In conclusion, the NLC-Citral inhibited the proliferation of breast cancer cells in vitro, majorly through the induction of apoptosis, anti-metastasis, anti-angiogenesis potentials, and reducing the tumor weight and size without altering the therapeutic effects of citral.
Greenhouse and field evaluation of a novel HPPD-inhibiting herbicide, QYM201, for weed control in wheat
Authors: Zhang Fengwen , Bai Shuang , Wang Hengzhi , Liu Weitang , Wang Jinxin
Published: February 2019

QYM201, 1-(2-chloro-3-(3-cyclopropyl-5-hydroxy-1-methyl-1H-pyrazole-4-carbonyl)-6-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)piperidin-2-one), is a newly developed HPPD- (4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase; EC 1.13.11.27) inhibiting herbicide for weed control. Experiments were carried out to determine the effect of QYM201 on weeds and its safety for wheat in the glasshouse and field. The results indicated that at doses of 90 and 135 g active ingredient (a.i.) ha−1 QYM201 was highly effective against both grass and broadleaf weeds, such as Alopecurus aequalis Sobol., Alopecurus japonicus Steud, and Capsella bursa-pastoris Medic. In a wheat hybrid tolerance experiment, QYM201 showed a high level of safety for most of the 17 tested wheat hybrids, and the SI values reached ≥5.7 in the selectivity index study. To determine application rules for QYM201, field experiments were conducted in 2016 and 2017. During this time, 90 to 270 g a.i. ha−1 post-emergence herbicide application (POST) was sufficient to supply satisfactory all-season control of Alopecurus aequalis Sobol., Descurainia sophia [L.] Schur., and Malachium aquaticum (L.) Fires. No damage to wheat plants was observed. In order to increase wheat yield and deliver effective weed control, a dosage of 90 to 180 g a.i. ha−1 is suggested. In conclusion, the herbicide QYM201 is safe to use in wheat fields to control winter weeds.
Retinal Microvasculature and Visual Acuity after Intravitreal Aflibercept in Diabetic Macular Edema: An Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography Study
Authors: Busch Caleb , Wakabayashi Taku , Sato Tatsuhiko , Fukushima Yoko , Hara Chikako , Shiraki Nobuhiko , Winegarner Andrew , Nishida Kentaro , Sakaguchi Hirokazu , Nishida Kohji
Published: February 2019

We investigated changes in retinal vascular area and the foveal avascular zone (FAZ) after intravitreal aflibercept in diabetic macular edema (DME) and the association of these changes with visual outcomes. The retinal vascular area in the superficial capillary plexus (SCP) and the deep capillary plexus (DCP) and the FAZ area were measured using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) in 23 eyes of 23 patients with DME, before and after intravitreal aflibercept. Overall, there was no significant change in retinal vascular area or FAZ. Better BCVA after treatment was significantly associated with larger retinal vascular area in the SCP and the DCP, both at baseline (R2 = 0.512, P < 0.001 and R2 = 0.361, P = 0.002, respectively) and after intravitreal aflibercept (R2 = 0.717, P < 0.001 and R2 = 0.618, P < 0.001, respectively). MAs were observed in the DCP in 20 eyes (87%), but only detected in four eyes (17%) in the SCP before treatment. The number of eyes with MAs in the DCP significantly decreased to 13 (57%) after treatment (P = 0.049). The persistence of DME was associated with persistent MAs (P = 0.019) and less visual gain (P = 0.031) following treatment. Thus, preserving retinal perfusion and the resolution of MAs are associated with better vision and resolution of the DME after intravitreal aflibercept.
Electrochemical Oxidation Induced Multi-Level Memory in Carbon-Based Resistive Switching Devices
Authors: Russo Paola , Xiao Ming , Zhou Norman Y.
Published: February 2019

In this work, we report for the first time the electrochemical oxidation as a technique to improve the electrical performances of carbon-based resistive switching devices. The devices obtained through the anodic oxidation of carbon-structures possess superior electrical performances i.e. a 3-level memory behavior and an ON/OFF ratio two order of magnitude higher than the non-oxidized carbon-based devices. It is demonstrated that the chemical composition of the carbon structures (i.e. percentage of oxygen groups, sp2 and sp3 carbon atoms) plays a key role in the improvement of the carbon-based devices. The electrochemical oxidation allows the possibility to control the oxidation degree, and therefore, to tailor the devices electrical performances. We demonstrated that the resistive switching behavior in the electrochemically oxidized devices is originated from the formation of conductive filament paths, which are built from the oxygen vacancies and structural defects of the anodic oxidized carbon materials. The novelty of this work relies on the anodic oxidation as a time- and cost-effective technique that can be employed for the engineering and improvement of the electrical performances of next generation carbon-based resistive switching devices.
Tailoring of magnetic properties of giant magnetoresistance spin valves via insertion of ultrathin non-magnetic spacers between pinned and pinning layers
Authors: Kim Si Nyeon , Choi Jun Woo , Lim Sang Ho
Published: February 2019

The low-field sensitivity of a giant magnetoresistance (GMR) spin valve can be enhanced by tailoring the bias field of the free layer because this sensitivity and bias field are known to show a strong correlation. In this study, the free-layer bias field is reduced considerably to almost zero via the insertion of an ultrathin nonmagnetic spacer between the pinned layer and the pinning layer. The spacer promotes an increase in the density of Néel walls in the pinned layer. This increase, in turn, induces domain-wall-induced magnetostatic interactions of the free poles formed on the Néel walls inside the free and pinned layers. The magnetostatic interactions result in the formation of flux closures that act as pinning sites during the magnetization reversal process and stabilize the antiparallel magnetization state between the free layer and the pinned layer by suppressing the switching of the free layer from the antiparallel state to the parallel state. Furthermore, the spacer offers an additional advantage of increasing the GMR ratio by inducing a specular scattering effect at its top and bottom interfaces. A highly improved low-field sensitivity of 12.01 mV/mA·Oe is achieved in the sample with a Cu/Pt dual spacer.
The Role of Pretreatment Serum Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio in Hypopharyngeal Cancer Treated with Definitive Chemoradiotherapy: A Pilot Study
Authors: Kuo Chin , Hsueh Wei-Ting , Wu Yuan-Hua , Yang Ming-Wei , Cheng Yung-Jen , Pao Tzu-Hui , Tsai Mu-Hung
Published: February 2019

Serum neutrophil-to-lymphocytes ratio (NLR) is a potential predictive and prognostic marker in head and neck cancers. This study aimed to determine the role of pretreatment serum NLR in patients with hypopharyngeal cancer (HPC) treated with definitive chemoradiotherapy. We retrospectively investigated the correlation between clinicopathological parameters and NLR status and analysed its impact on therapeutic response and survival. A total of 120 patients treated at a single institution between 2009 and 2015 were included. The median follow-up time was 24.1 months. High NLR (NLR ≥ 4) was associated with advanced T classification (p = 0.01*) and advanced stage (p = 0.02*) based on chi-square test. We also found that high pretreatment NLR was correlated with poor treatment response (HR = 2.42, 95% CI: 1.08–5.44,p = 0.03*). Pretreatment NLR was also an independent prognostic factor for progression-free survival (HR = 1.71, 95% CI: 1.01–2.90,p = 0.046*) and overall survival (HR = 1.99, 95% CI: 1.21–3.28,p = 0.01*) while correcting for known prognostic factors. Overall, these findings support that NLR is a potential biomarker for host response to tumour aggressiveness, therapeutic response to chemoradiotherapy and survival in HPC patients. This study is limited by its retrospective nature and further validation is warranted.