bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Generation and characterization of U937-TR: a platform cell line for inducible gene expression in human macrophages
Authors: Camilo Galindo Cristian , Arturo Clavijo-Ramírez Carlos
Published: July 2020

Monocytes and macrophages are involved in a wide range of biological processes and parasitic diseases. The characterization of the molecular mechanisms governing such processes usually requires precise control of the expression of genes of interest. We implemented a tetracycline-controlled gene expression system in the U937 cell line, one of the most used in vitro models for the research of human monocytes and macrophages. Here we characterized U937-derived cell lines in terms of phenotypic (morphology and marker expression) and functional (capacity for phagocytosis and for Leishmania parasite hosting) changes induced by phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA). Finally, we provide evidence of tetracycline-inducible and reversible Lamin-A gene silencing of the PMA-differentiated U937-derived cells.
The map machine: Salmon, Sámi, sand eels, sand, water and reindeer. Resource extraction in the High North and collateral landscapes
Authors: Ween Gro
Published: July 2020

As a collaborative production, the exhibition New Arctic aspired to explore postcolonial versions of the Arctic. For this purpose, the exhibition included, among others, an installation called a map machine, seeking to display the Arctic as a site of ongoing ontological politics. To our audiences, the map machine visualised how an inhabited Arctic continues to become a periphery, open to new resource exploitation, a Dreamland “out of space and time.” In this text, I mimic the work of this map machine by describing a series of outside interventions on the Varanger Peninsula, in the Sámi core areas of Norway. The case that initiates the set of actions described in this text is a proposed expansion of a quartzite mine in the small village of Austertana. I illustrate how maps and bureaucratic processes as working political technologies introduce new cartographic visions of this land–water interface, counteracting other existing versions of the same landscape. The case illustrates how exactly such new visions impose urgently meaningful single-action landscapes, or how the Tanafjord was literally reworked from a landscape of endangered species to a landscape defined by an issue of maritime security.
The participatory vernacular web and regional dialect grammar
Authors: Pearce Michael
Published: July 2020

English dialects demonstrate considerable variation in their pronominal systems (see for example Trudgill & Chambers, 1991 and Hernández, 2011). In England, pronouns in the north east of the country – the urban areas of Tyne and Wear and Teesside and the counties of Durham and Northumberland (hereafter NEE) – are often different from those found in Standard English (SE). The most extensive modern accounts of NEE pronouns are Beal (1993) and Beal, Burbano–Elizondo and Llamas (2012), but because they appear in chapters dealing with a wide range of morphosyntactic topics, the coverage is necessarily brief. This article is able to offer a more detailed overview of the morphology of NEE pronouns, based on a sizeable naturalistic corpus of vernacular writing.
Word spacing
Authors: Hamawand Zeki
Published: July 2020

There are two main ways to communicate messages linguistically: verbally and non-verbally. In verbal communication, the message is transmitted by means of such devices as stress, intonation and pausing. An example of stress is the word object which has differentmeanings when stresseddifferently, as in obˈject and ˈobject. The first is a verb which means ‘disagree’. The second is a noun which means ‘material thing’. An example of intonation is the expression What a beautiful day! which expresses different feelings when said with different intonations. With a fallingintonation, it is said perfunctorily. With a fall-riseintonation, it is said enthusiastically. With a rise-fall intonation, it is said sarcastically. An example of pausing is the expression Don't eat that honey. When the pause is after that, that refers to an object and honey refers to a person, meaning ‘darling’. When the pause is after honey, honey refers to an object. So, the listener is ordered not to eat the honey. These devices are extensively covered in Roach (2009), Carr (2012), Odden (2014) and Kennedy (2016), among others.
The transfer of land in medieval England from 1246 to 1430: the language of acquisition
Authors: Deller William S.
Published: July 2020

Records of proof-of-age hearings from 1246 to 1430 which mention land transfer are analysed by techniques aimed at overcoming the legal conventionality of the texts and the widespread plagiarism of the records of previous hearings. References are examined decade by decade, initially in terms of the numbers of testimonies mentioning land and, most importantly, in terms of their changing syntax, vocabulary and choice of detail. This approach gives clues to the state of the land market itself and to the mentalities of those involved. Particular attention is paid to the effects on the market of the economic and demographic shocks of the fourteenth century.
HIGH-ORDER CONDITIONAL DISTANCE COVARIANCE WITH CONDITIONAL MUTUAL INDEPENDENCE
Authors: Liu Pengfei , Ma Xuejun , Zhou Wang
Published: July 2020

We construct a high-order conditional distance covariance, which generalizes the notation of conditional distance covariance. The joint conditional distance covariance is defined as a linear combination of conditional distance covariances, which can capture the joint relation of many random vectors given one vector. Furthermore, we develop a new method of conditional independence test based on the joint conditional distance covariance. Simulation results indicate that the proposed method is very effective. We also apply our method to analyze the relationships of PM2.5 in five Chinese cities: Beijing, Tianjin, Jinan, Tangshan and Qinhuangdao by the Gaussian graphical model.
Conservation and development: a cross-disciplinary overview
Authors: Silva José Maria Cardoso da , Topf Julie
Published: July 2020

The ability of national governments to set and implement policies that protect biodiversity is currently facing widespread scepticism within the conservation movement. Here, we review the literature from several disciplines to outline a positive agenda for how the global conservation movement can address this. We combine the strengths of the people-centred and science-led conservation approaches to develop a framework that emphasizes the importance of ecological infrastructure for the long-term prosperity of human societies in an ever-changing world. We show that one of the major goals of the conservation movement (enhancing global ecological infrastructure to end species and ecosystem loss) remains central and irreplaceable within the broad sustainable development agenda. Then, we argue that the conservation community is now more prepared than ever to face the challenge of supporting societies in designing the ecological infrastructure they need to move towards more sustainable states. Because it is where global and local priorities meet, the national level is where impactful changes can be made. Furthermore, we point out two priorities for the conservation movement for the next decade: (1) substantially increase the amount of financial resources dedicated to conservation; and (2) advance the next generation of policies for ecological infrastructure.
New -way(s) with -ward(s): lexicalization, splitting and sociolinguistic patterns
Authors: Franco Karlien , Tagliamonte Sali A.
Published: July 2020

This paper investigates the distribution of a morphological variable that has not gained much attention in the literature: adverbial -s versus -Ø. This morpheme predominantly occurs with adverbs ending in -ward(s), like forward(s), afterward(s), and inward(s), or -way(s), such as anyway(s) or halfway(s). Using a large database of sociolinguistic interviews of Ontario English and an apparent-time perspective, we show that the use of the variants changes over the twentieth century, with the adverbial suffixes -ward(s) and -way(s) behaving differently. -Ward(s) shows a trend towards -s, while most words in -way(s) increasingly take -Ø–splitting by adverbial suffix. Anyway(s) is an exception to this pattern, with a change from below towards -s, strongly conditioned by social standing. We also find evidence for lexicalization of forms without -s in phrasal verbs like to move forward. We explain these findings against the background of variationist sociolinguistic theory and principles of language change.
Storage of short-lived seeds of Inga vera subsp. affinis in osmotic medium
Authors: Pereira Larissa C. V. , Mayrinck Rafaella C. , Zambon Carolina R. , José Anderson C. , Faria José M.R.
Published: July 2020

Inga vera subsp. affinis (Fabaceae) is a tree species native to riparian forests in Southeast Brazil and is key for the restoration of deforested areas. The species produce seeds that are highly recalcitrant. Extreme sensitivity to desiccation as well as vivipary are commonly observed in mature seeds, which also tend towards polyembryony. Past research has shown that typical strategies to store seeds are inapplicable to Inga vera as viability is completely lost when seeds are either dried to around 28% water content (wet basis) or stored at 5°C for a few weeks. Here, we examine the feasibility of storing the seeds under hydrated conditions but at reduced water potential. Freshly collected seeds were kept under conventional storage conditions (plastic bags in cold chamber, 5°C) and in polyethylene glycol (PEG) solutions (−1.6 and −2.4 MPa) at 10°C. Seed germination was assessed after various intervals of time, until all seeds had lost viability. Before storage, seeds attained 100% germination and produced an average of 1.8 normal seedlings per seed (due to polyembryony). Storage in PEG at −1.6 MPa maintained 90% germination (radicle protrusion) and one normal seedling per seed on average for more than 200 d. Osmotic storage likely slowed down metabolism within the seed and hence consumption of food reserves. The storage time achieved has practical applications for in situ restoration, but cannot address ex situ germplasm conservation. Extending shelf life for an additional 6 months allows tree nurseries to optimize the production of seedlings so that they can be planted during the wet season.
On the subgraph query problem
Authors: Alweiss Ryan , Hamida Chady Ben , He Xiaoyu , Moreira Alexander
Published: July 2020

Given a fixed graph H, a real number p (0, 1) and an infinite Erdös–Rényi graph G ∼ G(∞, p), how many adjacency queries do we have to make to find a copy of H inside G with probability at least 1/2? Determining this number f(H, p) is a variant of the subgraph query problem introduced by Ferber, Krivelevich, Sudakov and Vieira. For every graph H, we improve the trivial upper bound of f(H, p) = O(p−d), where d is the degeneracy of H, by exhibiting an algorithm that finds a copy of H in time O(p−d) as p goes to 0. Furthermore, we prove that there are 2-degenerate graphs which require p−2+o(1) queries, showing for the first time that there exist graphs H for which f(H, p) does not grow like a constant power of p−1 as p goes to 0. Finally, we answer a question of Feige, Gamarnik, Neeman, Rácz and Tetali by showing that for any δ < 2, there exists α < 2 such that one cannot find a clique of order α log2n in G(n, 1/2) in nδ queries.
The role of the metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 in nicotine addiction
Authors: Akkus Funda , Terbeck Sylvia , Haggarty Connor J. , Treyer Valerie , Dietrich Janan J. , Hornschuh Stefanie , Hasler Gregor
Published: July 2020

This review summarizes the evidence for the potential involvement of metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5) in the development of nicotine addiction. Nicotine is consumed worldwide and is highly addictive. Previous research has extensively investigated the role of dopamine in association with reward learning and addiction, which has provided strong evidence for the involvement of dopaminergic neuronal circuitry in nicotine addiction. More recently, researchers focused on glutamatergic transmission after nicotine abuse, and its involvement in the reinforcing and rewarding effects of nicotine addiction. A number of robust preclinical and clinical studies have shown mGluR5 signaling as a facilitating mechanism of nicotine addiction and nicotine withdrawal. Specifically, clinical studies have illustrated lower cortical mGluR5 density in smokers compared to nonsmokers in the human brain. In addition, mGluR5 might selectively regulate craving and withdrawal. This suggests that mGluR5 could be a key receptor in the development of nicotine addiction and therefore clinical trials to examine the therapeutic potential of mGluR5 agents could help to contribute to reduce nicotine addiction in society.
Replacing the nutrients in dairy foods with non-dairy foods will increase cost, energy intake and require large amounts of food: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2011–2014
Authors: Cifelli Christopher J , Auestad Nancy , Fulgoni Victor L
Published: July 2020

Objective:

The US Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends increased consumption of the dairy group to three daily servings for ages 9+ years to help achieve adequate intakes of prominent shortfall nutrients. Identifying affordable, consumer-acceptable foods to replace dairy’s shortfall nutrients is important especially for people who avoid dairy.

Design:

Linear programming identified food combinations to replace dairy’s protein and shortfall nutrients. We examined cost, energy and dietary implications of replacing dairy with food combinations optimised for lowest cost, fewest kJ or the smallest amount of food by weight.

Setting:

National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2011–2014).

Participants:

Nationally representative sample of US population; 2 years and older (n 15 830).

Results:

Phase 1 (only dairy foods excluded): when optimised for lowest cost or fewest kJ, all non-dairy food replacements required large amounts (2·5–10 cups) of bottled/tap water. Phase 2 (dairy and unreasonable non-dairy foods excluded (e.g. baby foods; tap/bottled water): when intake of non-dairy foods was constrained to <90th percentile of current intake, the lowest cost food combination replacements for dairy cost 0·5 times more and provide 5·7 times more energy; the lowest energy food combinations cost 5·9 times more, provide 2·5 times more energy and require twice the amount of food by weight; and food combinations providing the smallest amount of food by weight cost 3·5 times more and provide five times more energy than dairy.

Conclusions:

Identifying affordable, consumer-acceptable foods that can replace dairy’s shortfall nutrients at both current and recommended dairy intakes remains a challenge.
Application of stable isotope dilution techniques to assess body fat and comparison with WHO BMI-for-age classification as a measure of obesity among schoolchildren in Nairobi, Kenya
Authors: Kigaru Dorcus Mbithe D , Ndung’u Zipporah W , Macharia-Mutie Catherine W
Published: July 2020

Objective:

WHO BMI-for-agezscore (BAZ) is widely used in epidemiology, yet it does not distinguish body fat-free mass and fat mass which are better indicators of obesity and related risks. The stable isotope dilution techniques (SIDT) are gold standard methods of assessing body composition. Main objective was to assess significant differences in measurement and validity of WHO BMI-for-age classification for defining childhood obesity by comparing with body fatness using SIDT among schoolchildren.

Design:

A cross-sectional analytical study. A questionnaire, anthropometry and body composition data were used. SPSS was used to analyse data atP< 0·05 at 95 % CI.

Setting:

Primary schools in Nairobi City County, Kenya

Participants:

One hundred seventy-nine schoolchildren aged 8–11 years were randomly sampled.

Results:

Prevalence of adiposity by reference SIDT (24·0 %) was significantly higher than that of obesity by BAZ > 2sd(2·8 %) (Wilcoxon test,P< 0·05). Concordance coefficient between SIDT and BAZ > 2sdin diagnosing obesity was poor (κ= 0·167). Only 11·6 % of children with excess body fat were correctly diagnosed as obese by BAZ > 2sd. The use of BAZ > 1sdfor overweight and obesity showed fair concordance coefficient (κ= 0·409,P< 0·001) with 32·5% of children with excess fat positively identified as overweight and obese.

Conclusion:

WHO BMI-for-age cut-off points severely underestimate the prevalence of overweight and obesity compared with body composition assessment by stable isotope dilution techniques. Evidence-informed interventions should be based on more accurate estimates of overweight and obesity than that can be provided by BAZ.
Evaluation of diverse germplasm of cowpea [Vigna unguiculata(L.) Walp.] against bruchid [Callosobruchus maculatus(Fab.)] and correlation with physical and biochemical parameters of seed
Authors: Tripathi Kuldeep , Prasad T. V. , Bhardwaj R. , Jha S. K. , Semwal D. P. , Gore P. G. , Sharma P. K. , Bhalla S.
Published: July 2020

The current study was undertaken to identify the sources of tolerance to bruchid in cowpea, by screening a set of germplasm accessions as a source for natural resistance. A total of 103 diverse accessions of cowpea were evaluated for resistance toCallosobruchus maculatusFab. under no-choice artificial infestation conditions. Significant differences among the cowpea accessions were observed for oviposition, adult emergence, exit holes and per cent seed weight loss (PSWL) caused by the bruchid infestation. The accessions showed variation in physical seed parameters viz., colour, shape, testa texture, length, width and seed hardness. Among the seed biochemical parameters studied, per cent sugar content ranged from 0.322 (IC330950) to 1.493 (IC249137), and per cent phenol content ranged from 0.0326 (EC390261) to 1.081 (EC528423). Correlation studies indicated that PSWL had significant positive correlation (r= 0.335) with exit holes, oviposition (r= 0.219), adult emergence (r= 0.534) and seed roundness (r= 0.219). Adult emergence had a significant negative correlation with seed hardness (r= −0.332). Correlation with biochemical parameters indicated that PSWL had a significant positive correlation (r= 0.231) with sugar content and a significant negative correlation with phenol content (r= −0.219). None of the accessions were found to be immune to bruchid infestation. However, out of studied accessions, EC528425 and EC528387 were identified as resistant based on PSWL and moderately resistant based on adult emergence. These resistance sources of cowpea germplasm can be used as potential donors for development of bruchid tolerant/resistant cultivars.
Criminalizing Violence against Women in Politics: Innovation, Diffusion, and Transformation
Authors: Restrepo Sanín Juliana
Published: July 2020

Violence against women politicians is increasingly recognized as an issue that undermines women's presence in politics. Latin America has been at the vanguard of this global discussion. In 2012, Bolivia became the only country in the world to criminalize “political violence and harassment against women.” Several other countries have similar legislation in the works. What explains the emergence of these bill proposals? This article argues that the creation of these bills is the result of three processes: activism at the local level used international norms to propose an innovative solution to a problem; women politicians and “femocrats” worked within the state apparatus to overcome resistance; and international actors worked to foster connections among activists and politicians across the region. In this process, international norms have been transformed, with important implications for women's political representation.
The Forgotten Lives: Connecting Gender, Security, and Everyday Livelihoods in Ukraine's Conflict
Authors: O'Sullivan Mila
Published: July 2020

Recent debates within Women, Peace and Security (WPS) scholarship (e.g., Bergeron, Cohn, and Duncanson 2017; Elias 2015; True 2015) have underlined the need to position the WPS agenda in the context of broader feminist security analysis as defined by early feminist international relations scholars (e.g., Tickner 1992). More precisely, this requires integrating feminist security studies (FSS) and feminist political economy (FPE). At the center of these largely theoretical reflections is a concern that gender-responsive peace-building efforts have too often been undermined by postwar neoliberal economic processes. This essay provides an empirical contribution to this debate, taking the case study of Ukraine as an atypical example of how WPS has been adopted and implemented for the first time during an active conflict. The integration of FPE and FSS proves especially relevant for a country in conflict, where economic austerity policies come along with increased military expenditure. The essay illustrates that the bridging of security and economy is entirely absent in Ukraine's WPS agenda, which has largely prioritized military security while failing to connect it to the austerity policies and the gendered structural inequalities deepened by the ongoing conflict.
On unbalanced data and common shock models in stochastic loss reserving
Authors: Avanzi Benjamin , Taylor Greg , Vu Phuong Anh , Wong Bernard
Published: July 2020

Introducing common shocks is a popular dependence modelling approach, with some recent applications in loss reserving. The main advantage of this approach is the ability to capture structural dependence coming from known relationships. In addition, it helps with the parsimonious construction of correlation matrices of large dimensions. However, complications arise in the presence of “unbalanced data”, that is, when (expected) magnitude of observations over a single triangle, or between triangles, can vary substantially. Specifically, if a single common shock is applied to all of these cells, it can contribute insignificantly to the larger values and/or swamp the smaller ones, unless careful adjustments are made. This problem is further complicated in applications involving negative claim amounts. In this paper, we address this problem in the loss reserving context using a common shock Tweedie approach for unbalanced data. We show that the solution not only provides a much better balance of the common shock proportions relative to the unbalanced data, but it is also parsimonious. Finally, the common shock Tweedie model also provides distributional tractability.
Aerosol Forcing: Still Uncertain, Still Relevant
Authors: Bender Frida A.‐M.
Published: July 2020

Under the auspices of WCRP Grand challenge on Clouds, circulation and climate sensitivity, a selection of experts have made an unprecedented effort to bound the global radiative forcing by atmospheric aerosol, presented in Bellouin et al. (2019, https://doi.org/10.1029/2019RG000660). In addition to an updated interval, confirming the progress made in the field, a main strength of the assessment is the conceptual framework, that with clarity invites to further range refinement. The sense of conflict between process understanding and large‐scale effects, between bottom‐up and top‐down approaches, becomes evident and the review shows that both approaches are necessary, but neither is sufficient.
Scale Invariance of Albedo‐Based Wind Friction Velocity
Authors: Ziegler Nancy P. , Webb Nicholas P. , Chappell Adrian , LeGrand Sandra L.
Published: July 2020

Obtaining reliable estimates of aerodynamic roughness is necessary to interpret and accurately predict aeolian sediment transport dynamics. However, inherent uncertainties in field measurements and models of surface aerodynamic properties continue to undermine aeolian research, monitoring, and dust modeling. A new relation between aerodynamic shelter and land surface shadow has been established at the wind tunnel scale, enabling the potential for estimates of wind erosion and dust emission to be obtained across scales from albedo data. Here, we compare estimates of wind friction velocity (u*) derived from traditional methods (wind speed profiles) with those derived from the albedo model at two separate scales using bare soil patch (via net radiometers) and landscape (via Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer [MODIS] 500 m) data sets. Results show that profile‐derived estimates of u* are highly variable in anisotropic surface roughness due to changes in wind direction and fetch. Wind speed profiles poorly estimate soil surface (bed) wind friction velocities necessary for aeolian sediment transport research and modeling. Albedo‐based estimates of u* at both scales have small variability because the estimate is integrated over a defined, fixed area and resolves the partition of wind momentum between roughness elements and the soil surface. We demonstrate that the wind tunnel‐based calibration of albedo for predicting wind friction velocities at the soil surface (us*) is applicable across scales. The albedo‐based approach enables consistent and reliable drag partition correction across scales for model and field estimates of us* necessary for wind erosion and dust emission modeling.
India‐Sunda Plate Motion, Crustal Deformation, and Seismic Hazard in the Indo‐Burmese Arc
Authors: Panda Dibyashakti , Kundu Bhaskar , Gahalaut Vineet K. , Rangin Claude
Published: July 2020

Plate motion along the Indo‐Burmese Arc (IBA), strain accommodation in the Indo‐Burmese wedge, status of active convergence and seismic vulnerability in the outer wedge, is a matter of concern due to the large population density in northeast India, Bangladesh, and Myanmar. In the present study, we have constrained the India‐Sunda plate motion by estimating the Euler pole using updated GPS observations from the region. Our estimated India‐Sunda relative plate motion at a point on the blind megathrust (24°N and 90°E) in Bangladesh constrains India‐Sunda relative motion at ~37 mm/year oriented along N11°E. This motion is partitioned among three major active units, namely, the Sagaing Fault (~18 mm/year), Churachandpur‐Mao Fault (~17 mm/year), and the blind megathrust (~7 mm/year), from west to east of the IBA, respectively. Our estimate of convergence across the blind megathrust is significantly lower than that estimated earlier. Due to large scatter in the data close to the updip edge of the blind megathrust, it is not certain whether it is accommodated through shallow creep or in stick‐slip manner, thus leading to uncertainty in the seismic hazard in this densely populated region.
The Indian Ocean Dipole and its Impact on East African Short Rains in Two CMIP5 Historical Scenarios With and Without Anthropogenic Influence
Authors: Blau M. T. , Ha K.‐J.
Published: July 2020

The Indian Ocean dipole mode impacts the atmosphere and hydroclimate in areas surrounding the Indian Ocean. The Coupled Model Intercomparison Project 5 output was used in this study to reveal new aspects of the relationship between the dipole mode and East African “short rains” (occurring from September to November). Furthermore, the impact of human activity on the ocean‐atmosphere system was investigated using two scenarios, one with and one without human forcings from 1960 to 1999. The Indian Ocean dipole and its teleconnection were simulated, and the impact of the dipole mode on the atmosphere displayed a similar pattern and strength under both scenarios. However, the dipole peak was slightly delayed from September to October under the scenario with anthropogenic warming. Further, increased moisture convergence over East Africa was found to enhance the local monsoon system during boreal autumn in the scenario considering anthropogenic forcing. More intense Walker and Hadley circulations were found with the presence of anthropogenic influences and the dipole mode had a significant impact on both. Positive Indian Ocean dipole events were found to temporarily weaken Walker circulation and strengthen Hadley circulation.
Sediment Delivery to a Tidal Marsh Platform Is Minimized by Source Decoupling and Flux Convergence
Authors: Coleman Daniel J. , Ganju Neil K. , Kirwan Matthew L.
Published: July 2020

Sediment supply is a primary factor in determining marsh response to sea level rise and is typically approximated through high‐resolution measurements of suspended sediment concentrations (SSCs) from adjacent tidal channels. However, understanding sediment transport across the marsh itself remains limited by discontinuous measurements of SSC over individual tidal cycles. Here, we use an array of optical turbidity sensors to build a long‐term, continuous record of SSC across a marsh platform and adjacent tidal channel. We find that channel and marsh concentrations are correlated (i.e., coupled) within tidal cycles but are largely decoupled over longer time scales. We also find that net sediment fluxes decline to near zero within 10 m of the marsh edge. Together, these results suggest that large sections of the marsh platform receive minimal sediment independent of flooding frequency or channel sediment supply. Marsh‐centric, as opposed to channel‐centric, measures of sediment supply may better characterize marsh platform vulnerability.
A Systematic Approach to Hydrogeological Conceptual Model Testing, Combining Remote Sensing and Geophysical Data
Authors: Enemark Trine , Peeters Luk , Mallants Dirk , Flinchum Brady , Batelaan Okke
Published: July 2020

Conceptual uncertainty is considered one of the major sources of uncertainty in groundwater flow modeling. Hypothesis testing is essential to increase system understanding by analyzing and refuting alternative conceptual models. We present a systematic approach to conceptual model testing aimed at finding an ensemble of conceptual understandings consistent with prior knowledge and observational data. This differs from the traditional approach of tuning the parameters of a single conceptual model to conform with the data through inversion. We apply this approach to a simplified hydrogeological characterization of the Wildman River area (Northern Territory, Australia) and evaluate the connectivity of sinkhole‐type depressions to groundwater. Alternative models are developed representing the process structure (i.e., different fluxes representing interactions between surface water and groundwater) and physical structure (i.e., different lithologies underlying the depressions) of the conceptual model of the depressions. Remote sensing data are used to test the process structure, while geophysical data are used to test the physical structure. Both data types are used to remove inconsistent models from an ensemble of 16 models and to update the probability of the remaining alternative conceptual models. Three out of five depressions that are used as a test case are conditionally confirmed to act as conduits for recharge, while for the last two depressions, the data are inconclusive. Although the framework is not directly prediction oriented, the testing of plausible conceptual models will ultimately lead to increased confidence of any groundwater model based on accepted posterior conceptualizations.
Splitting Dynamics of Liquid Slugs at a T‐Junction
Authors: Xue Song , Yang Zhibing , Hu Ran , Chen Yi‐Feng
Published: July 2020

Understanding the mechanisms of liquid movement through fracture intersections is important for prediction of fluid flow and solute transport in unsaturated fractured media. Here we present a quasi‐static model to predict the dynamic splitting behavior of liquid slugs at a T‐junction, as a simplified representation of a fracture intersection and consisting of a main channel and a branch channel. The proposed model is validated against carefully controlled visualization experiments. We find that there exists a critical initial slug length at which the splitting behavior shifts from flow dominated by the main channel to that dominated by the branch. The influence of key parameters, including the inclination angle of the junction, the channel widths, and the dynamic contact angles, on the splitting dynamics is systematically investigated. We show that the splitting ratio depends nonmonotonically on the relative width of the branch channel to the main channel. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that the dynamic contact angles have a profound impact on the splitting ratios and meniscus velocities. It is shown that taking velocity‐dependent contact angle into account is essential to predict the meniscus velocities and the dynamic flow process.
Mithramycin selectively attenuates DNA-damage-induced neuronal cell death
Authors: Makarevich Oleg , Sabirzhanov Boris , Aubrecht Taryn G. , Glaser Ethan P. , Polster Brian M. , Henry Rebecca J. , Faden Alan I. , Stoica Bogdan A.
Published: July 2020

DNA damage triggers cell death mechanisms contributing to neuronal loss and cognitive decline in neurological disorders, including traumatic brain injury (TBI), and as a side effect of chemotherapy. Mithramycin, which competitively targets chromatin-binding sites of specificity protein 1 (Sp1), was used to examine previously unexplored neuronal cell death regulatory mechanisms via rat primary neurons in vitro and after TBI in mice (males). In primary neurons exposed to DNA-damage-inducing chemotherapy drugs in vitro we showed that DNA breaks sequentially initiate DNA-damage responses, including phosphorylation of ATM, H2AX and tumor protein 53 (p53), transcriptional activation of pro-apoptotic BH3-only proteins, and mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization (MOMP), activating caspase-dependent and caspase-independent intrinsic apoptosis. Mithramycin was highly neuroprotective in DNA-damage-dependent neuronal cell death, inhibiting chemotherapeutic-induced cell death cascades downstream of ATM and p53 phosphorylation/activation but upstream of p53-induced expression of pro-apoptotic molecules. Mithramycin reduced neuronal upregulation of BH3-only proteins and mitochondrial dysfunction, attenuated caspase-3/7 activation and caspase substrates’ cleavage, and limited c-Jun activation. Chromatin immunoprecipitation indicated that mithramycin attenuates Sp1 binding to pro-apoptotic gene promoters without altering p53 binding suggesting it acts by removing cofactors required for p53 transactivation. In contrast, the DNA-damage-independent neuronal death models displayed caspase initiation in the absence of p53/BH3 activation and were not protected even when mithramycin reduced caspase activation. Interestingly, experimental TBI triggers a multiplicity of neuronal death mechanisms. Although markers of DNA-damage/p53-dependent intrinsic apoptosis are detected acutely in the injured cortex and are attenuated by mithramycin, these processes may play a reduced role in early neuronal death after TBI, as caspase-dependent mechanisms are repressed in mature neurons while other, mithramycin-resistant mechanisms are active. Our data suggest that Sp1 is required for p53-mediated transactivation of neuronal pro-apoptotic molecules and that mithramycin may attenuate neuronal cell death in conditions predominantly involving DNA-damage-induced p53-dependent intrinsic apoptosis.
GADD45α drives brown adipose tissue formation through upregulating PPARγ in mice
Authors: You Wenjing , Xu Ziye , Sun Ye , Valencak Teresa G. , Wang Yizhen , Shan Tizhong
Published: July 2020

Stress can lead to obesity and metabolic dysfunction, but the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Here we identify GADD45α, a stress-inducible histone folding protein, as a potential regulator for brown adipose tissue biogenesis. Unbiased transcriptomics data indicate a positive correlation between adipose Gadd45a mRNA level and obesity. At the cellular level, Gadd45a knockdown promoted proliferation and lipolysis of brown adipocytes, while Gadd45a overexpression had the opposite effects. Consistently, using a knockout (Gadd45a−/−) mouse line, we found that GADD45α deficiency inhibited lipid accumulation and promoted expression of thermogenic genes in brown adipocytes, leading to improvements in insulin sensitivity, glucose uptake, energy expenditure. At the molecular level, GADD45α deficiency increased proliferation through upregulating expression of cell cycle related genes. GADD45α promoted brown adipogenesis via interacting with PPARγ and upregulating its transcriptional activity. Our new data suggest that GADD45α may be targeted to promote non-shivering thermogenesis and metabolism while counteracting obesity.
Emerging role of FBXO22 in carcinogenesis
Authors: Cheng Jiangting , Lin Min , Chu Man , Gong Longyuan , Bi Yanli , Zhao Yongchao
Published: July 2020

The F-box protein 22 (FBXO22), one of F-box proteins, has been identified to be critically involved in carcinogenesis. FBXO22 promotes proliferation in breast cancer and lung cancer, but suppresses migration and metastasis. FBXO22 exerts oncogenetic functions via promoting the ubiquitination and degradation of its substrates, including KDM4A, KDM4B, methylated p53, p21, KLF4, LKB1, Snail, CD147, Bach1, PTEN, and HDM2. FBXO22 is also regulated by several regulatory factors such as p53, miR-155, SNHG14, and circ_0006282. In this review, we summarize the regulatory factors and downstream targets of FBXO22 in cancers, discuss its functions in tumorigenesis, and further highlight the alteration of FBXO22 expression in a variety of human malignancies. Finally, we provide novel insights for future perspectives on targeting FBXO22 as a promising strategy for cancer therapy.
Observation of topological transport quantization by dissipation in fast Thouless pumps
Authors: Fedorova Zlata , Qiu Haixin , Linden Stefan , Kroha Johann
Published: July 2020

Quantized dynamics is essential for natural processes and technological applications alike. The work of Thouless on quantized particle transport in slowly varying potentials (Thouless pumping) has played a key role in understanding that such quantization may be caused not only by discrete eigenvalues of a quantum system, but also by invariants associated with the nontrivial topology of the Hamiltonian parameter space. Since its discovery, quantized Thouless pumping has been believed to be restricted to the limit of slow driving, a fundamental obstacle for experimental applications. Here, we introduce non-Hermitian Floquet engineering as a new concept to overcome this problem. We predict that a topological band structure and associated quantized transport can be restored at driving frequencies as large as the system’s band gap. The underlying mechanism is suppression of non-adiabatic transitions by tailored, time-periodic dissipation. We confirm the theoretical predictions by experiments on topological transport quantization in plasmonic waveguide arrays.
Physical fitness and white matter microstructure in children with overweight or obesity: the ActiveBrains project
Authors: Rodriguez-Ayllon M. , Esteban-Cornejo I. , Verdejo-Román J. , Muetzel R. L. , Mora-Gonzalez J. , Cadenas-Sanchez C. , Plaza-Florido A. , Molina-Garcia P. , Kramer A. F. , Catena A. , Ortega F. B.
Published: July 2020

Recent studies investigated the association of cardiorespiratory fitness with white matter microstructure in children, yet little work has explored to what extent other components of physical fitness (i.e., muscular or motor fitness) are associated with white matter microstructure. Indeed, this association has not been previously explored in children with overweight/obesity who present a different white matter development. Therefore, we aimed to examine associations between physical fitness components and white matter microstructure in children with overweight/obesity. In total, 104 (10.04 ± 1.15 years old; 43 girls) children were included in this cross-sectional study. Physical fitness was assessed using the ALPHA-fitness test battery. Fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity were derived from diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). No association was found between physical fitness and global DTI metrics (all P > 0.082). Within individual tracts, all associations became non-significant when analyses were adjusted for multiple comparisons. Using the voxel-wise approach, we identified a small cluster in the left lateral frontal lobe where children with greater upper-body muscular fitness showed higher FA (PFWE-corrected = 0.042). Although our results cannot conclude physical fitness is related to white matter microstructure in children with overweight/obesity; those findings indicate that the association of muscular fitness with white matter microstructure might be more focal on frontal areas of the brain, as opposed to global differences.
Functional characterization of three Azotobacter chroococcum alginate-modifying enzymes related to the Azotobacter vinelandii AlgE mannuronan C-5-epimerase family
Authors: Gawin Agnieszka , Tietze Lisa , Aarstad Olav A. , Aachmann Finn L. , Brautaset Trygve , Ertesvåg Helga
Published: July 2020

Bacterial alginate initially consists of 1–4-linked β-D-mannuronic acid residues (M) which can be later epimerized to α-L-guluronic acid (G). The family of AlgE mannuronan C-5-epimerases from Azotobacter vinelandii has been extensively studied, and three genes putatively encoding AlgE-type epimerases have recently been identified in the genome of Azotobacter chroococcum. The three A. chroococcum genes, here designated AcalgE1, AcalgE2 and AcalgE3, were recombinantly expressed in Escherichia coli and the gene products were partially purified. The catalytic activities of the enzymes were stimulated by the addition of calcium ions in vitro. AcAlgE1 displayed epimerase activity and was able to introduce long G-blocks in the alginate substrate, preferentially by attacking M residues next to pre-existing G residues. AcAlgE2 and AcAlgE3 were found to display lyase activities with a substrate preference toward M-alginate. AcAlgE2 solely accepted M residues in the positions − 1 and + 2 relative to the cleavage site, while AcAlgE3 could accept either M or G residues in these two positions. Both AcAlgE2 and AcAlgE3 were bifunctional and could also catalyze epimerization of M to G. Together, we demonstrate that A. chroococcum encodes three different AlgE-like alginate-modifying enzymes and the biotechnological and biological impact of these findings are discussed.
Altered tropical seascapes influence patterns of fish assemblage and ecological functions in the Western Indian Ocean
Authors: Chacin D. H. , Stallings C. D. , Eggertsen M. , Åkerlund C. , Halling C. , Berkström C.
Published: July 2020

The arrangement and composition of habitats within landscapes and fine-scale habitat characteristics influence community structure and ecological processes. These aspects can be altered by anthropogenic activities, thus influencing associated assemblages. Farming of macroalgae is a common practice in tropical settings and alters the natural composition of seascapes by introducing monoculture patches. The farmed macroalgae may also differ in palatability compared to naturally-occurring macroalgae, influencing herbivory. This study assessed how these farms may differ from natural macroalgal beds in terms of habitat heterogeneity, fish assemblages, and herbivory. We surveyed fish assemblages and deployed macroalgal assays within macroalgal beds, farms and at varying distances from these habitats near Mafia Island, Tanzania. Fish composition and herbivory differed between the habitats likely due to different macrophyte species richness, underlying hard substrate in natural macroalgal beds, and high abundance of browsers nearby the farms. Additionally, fish assemblage patterns and herbivory were not consistent across the seascapes and varied with distance from the focal habitats possibly due to the presence of other habitats. The results suggest alterations of seascapes by farming practices may have consequences on fish assemblages and the ecological functions performed, thus positioning of farms should be carefully considered in management and conservation plans.
Context-aware experience sampling reveals the scale of variation in affective experience
Authors: Hoemann Katie , Khan Zulqarnain , Feldman Mallory J. , Nielson Catie , Devlin Madeleine , Dy Jennifer , Barrett Lisa Feldman , Wormwood Jolie B. , Quigley Karen S.
Published: July 2020

Emotion research typically searches for consistency and specificity in physiological activity across instances of an emotion category, such as anger or fear, yet studies to date have observed more variation than expected. In the present study, we adopt an alternative approach, searching inductively for structure within variation, both within and across participants. Following a novel, physiologically-triggered experience sampling procedure, participants’ self-reports and peripheral physiological activity were recorded when substantial changes in cardiac activity occurred in the absence of movement. Unsupervised clustering analyses revealed variability in the number and nature of patterns of physiological activity that recurred within individuals, as well as in the affect ratings and emotion labels associated with each pattern. There were also broad patterns that recurred across individuals. These findings support a constructionist account of emotion which, drawing on Darwin, proposes that emotion categories are populations of variable instances tied to situation-specific needs.
Anti-allergic rhinitis activity of α-lipoic acid via balancing Th17/Treg expression and enhancing Nrf2/HO-1 pathway signaling
Authors: Van Nguyen Thi , Piao Chun Hua , Fan Yan Jing , Shin Dong-Uk , Kim Seung Yong , Song Hyeon-Ji , Song Chang Ho , Shin Hee Soon , Chai Ok Hee
Published: July 2020

An ovalbumin (OVA)-induced allergic rhinitis (AR) mouse model was established to investigate whether α-Lipoic acid (LA) has a protective effect against upper respiratory tract inflammation. BALB/c mice were sensitized by intraperitoneal injection and challenged by intranasal application of OVA. Mice were orally administered various doses of LA once daily (2, 10, 50 mg/kg) and dexamethasone (Dex; 2.5 mg/kg) 1 h before OVA challenge. Allergic nasal symptoms, levels of OVA-specific immunoglobulins, cytokines, and transcription factors were measured. Nasal and lung histopathology were evaluated. LA administration significantly alleviated the nasal symptoms such as rubbing and sneezing, markedly reduced both serum OVA-specific IgE and IgG1 levels. The LA treatment group showed markedly up-regulated levels of the Treg cytokine IL-10 and Treg transcription factor Foxp3. In contrast, it showed down-regulated levels of the Th17 cytokine IL-17 and the Th17 transcription factor STAT3, and RORγ. LA greatly enhanced the nuclear factor erythroid-derived 2/heme oxygenase 1 (Nrf2/HO-1) pathway signaling and inhibited the activation of NF-κB/IκB, markedly suppressed the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8 and chemokine COX-2. The histologic alterations of nasal and lung tissues of AR mice were effectively ameliorated by LA. Based on these results, we suggest that LA could be a potential therapeutic agent in OVA-induced AR by virtue of its role in controlling the Th17/Treg balance and enhancing Nrf2/HO-1 pathway signaling.