bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Can Defense Attorneys Detect Forensic Confirmation	Bias?
Authors: Despodova Nikoleta M. , Kukucka Jeff , Hiley Alexa
Published: July 2020

Abstract. Knowledge of task-irrelevant information undermines the probative value of forensic evidence (i.e., forensic confirmation bias). Cross-examination may sensitize jurors to bias – but do attorneys recognize when bias has tainted evidence against their client and adjust their cross-examination strategy accordingly? To address this question, 130 defense attorneys imagined representing a man charged with manslaughter and reviewed a case file that included, among other things, an autopsy report from a medical examiner who was either aware or unaware of their client’s recanted confession before ruling the death a homicide. When the examiner knew of the confession, attorneys rated the autopsy as no less probative or reliable, they were no less confident in their client’s guilt, and only 46% raised the possibility of confirmation bias on cross-examination. Our findings suggest that defense attorneys underappreciate the impact of forensic confirmation bias, such that biased forensic testimony would be better avoided via procedural reform.
The Judge as a Procedural Decision-Maker
Authors: Sagana Anna , van Toor D. A. G.
Published: July 2020

Abstract. Despite the abundance of studies exposing heuristic and biased thinking in judicial decision-making, the influence of this empirical work in court is limited. In this commentary, we address this paradox and argue that the disconnect between empirical work and practice stems from the limited knowledge and consideration of procedural rules. These shortcomings increase the skepticism of legal scholars and practitioners of this research and give an excuse for dismissing the findings, deeming them inapplicable in court. We suggest that the only way forward is by diversifying our research methods and by building a culture of collaboration, fostering research partnerships between legal scholars and (legal) decision-making researchers. This approach aims to bridge the gap between legal and social sciences and to promote the impact of empirical studies of the legal system on current legal practice.
Euler Potentials for the Earth Magnetic Field With Field‐Aligned Currents
Authors: Romashets E. , Vandas M.
Published: July 2020

Euler potentials of the Earth's dipole magnetic field with field‐aligned currents are found. The results generalize ones obtained earlier for systems of plane currents parallel to an ambient uniform magnetic field. A real current system corresponding to an observed increase of the magnetic field measured by a low‐altitude spacecraft is used in this modeling. Parameters of charged particle trajectories, such as length and period, are determined for typical and strongly disturbed conditions. A particle distribution function is calculated.
Effective Stress Law for the Permeability and Pore Volume Change of Clayey Sandstones
Authors: Meng Fanbao , Li Xingfu , Baud Patrick , Wong Teng‐fong
Published: July 2020

The influence of confining and pore pressures on permeability and pore volume change was studied in two clayey sandstones. The coupling effect is characterized by the effective stress coefficients κ and β, respectively. Hydrostatic compression of a porous rock typically involves an initial nonlinear stage of elastic crack closure and a subsequent linear stage of pore deformation. To elucidate the influence of microcracks on the behavior, we measured the effective stress coefficients in these two stages separately. Our data show that the coefficients κ for permeability of both clayey sandstones are uniformly greater than 1, in agreement with published data and theoretical prediction for a microscopically inhomogeneous assemblage. Our data show that the presence of microcracks may homogenize the pore space, as reflected by a significantly lower κ value during the initial stage of nonlinear compression. We obtained some of the first measurements of the effective stress coefficient β for pore volume change in sandstones, which show values close to but uniformly less than 1. Synthesizing our sandstone data, recently published data on limestones, and theoretical analyses, we propose to define in the β‐κ space two fundamentally different regimes for the effective stress behavior. A comparison of our data with Berryman's model, the clay shell model, and clay particle model indicates apparent discrepancies, which we propose to resolve with a dual equivalent‐channel model based on the spatial partitioning of clayey and clay‐free pore volumes.
Basal and LPS-stimulated inflammatory markers and the course of individual symptoms of depression
Authors: van Eeden Wessel A. , van Hemert Albert M. , Carlier Ingrid V. E. , Penninx Brenda W. J. H. , Lamers Femke , Fried Eiko I. , Schoevers Robert , Giltay Erik J.
Published: July 2020

Multiple studies show an association between inflammatory markers and major depressive disorder (MDD). People with chronic low-grade inflammation may be at an increased risk of MDD, often in the form of sickness behaviors. We hypothesized that inflammation is predictive of the severity and the course of a subset of MDD symptoms, especially symptoms that overlap with sickness behavior, such as anhedonia, anorexia, low concentration, low energy, loss of libido, psychomotor slowness, irritability, and malaise. We tested the association between basal and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory markers with individual MDD symptoms (measured using the Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology Self-Report) over a period of up to 9 years using multivariate-adjusted mixed models in 1147–2872 Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety (NESDA) participants. At baseline, participants were on average 42.2 years old, 66.5% were women and 53.9% had a current mood or anxiety disorder. We found that basal and LPS-stimulated inflammatory markers were more strongly associated with sickness behavior symptoms at up to 9-year follow-up compared with non-sickness behavior symptoms of depression. However, we also found significant associations with some symptoms that are not typical of sickness behavior (e.g., sympathetic arousal among others). Inflammation was not related to depression as a unified syndrome but rather to the presence and the course of specific MDD symptoms, of which the majority were related to sickness behavior. Anti-inflammatory strategies should be tested in the subgroup of MDD patients who report depressive symptoms related to sickness behavior.
Juvenile hormone regulates the shift from migrants to residents in adult oriental armyworm, Mythimna separata
Authors: Zhang Lei , Cheng Lili , Chapman Jason W. , Sappington Thomas W. , Liu Juanjuan , Cheng Yunxia , Jiang Xingfu
Published: July 2020

In migratory insects, increasing evidence has demonstrated juvenile hormone (JH) is involved in regulating adult reproduction and flight. Our previous study demonstrated that the switch from migrants to residents in Mythimna separata could be induced by adverse environmental conditions during a sensitive period in adulthood (the first day post-emergence), but the role of JH in this switch is not clear. Here, we found a significantly different pattern of JH titers between migrants and residents, with migrants showing a slower release of JH during adulthood than residents. Application of JH analogue (JHA) in the 1-day-old adults, significantly accelerated adult reproduction and suppressed flight capacity. The pre-oviposition period and period of first oviposition of migrants treated with JHA were significantly shorter, while the total lifetime fecundity and mating percentage increased. The flight capacity and dorso-longitudinal muscle size of the migrants were decreased significantly when treated with JHA. The effect of JHA on reproduction and flight capacity indicate that JH titers during the sensitive period (first day post-emergence) regulates the shift from migrants to residents in M. separata.
Longer-term (≥ 2 years) survival in patients with glioblastoma in population-based studies pre- and post-2005: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Poon Michael T. C. , Sudlow Cathie L. M. , Figueroa Jonine D. , Brennan Paul M.
Published: July 2020

Translation of survival benefits observed in glioblastoma clinical trials to populations and to longer-term survival remains uncertain. We aimed to assess if ≥ 2-year survival has changed in relation to the trial of radiotherapy plus concomitant and adjuvant temozolomide published in 2005. We searched MEDLINE and Embase for population-based studies with ≥ 50 patients published after 2002 reporting survival at ≥ 2 years following glioblastoma diagnosis. Primary endpoints were survival at 2-, 3- and 5-years stratified by recruitment period. We meta-analysed survival estimates using a random effects model stratified according to whether recruitment ended before 2005 (earlier) or started during or after 2005 (later). PROSPERO registration number CRD42019130035. Twenty-three populations from 63 potentially eligible studies contributed to the meta-analyses. Pooled 2-year overall survival estimates for the earlier and later study periods were 9% (95% confidence interval [CI] 6–12%; n/N = 1,488/17,507) and 18% (95% CI 14–22%; n/N = 5,670/32,390), respectively. Similarly, pooled 3-year survival estimates increased from 4% (95% CI 2–6%; n/N = 325/10,556) to 11% (95% CI 9–14%; n/N = 1900/16,397). One study with a within-population comparison showed similar improvement in survival among the older population. Pooled 5-year survival estimates were 3% (95% CI 1–5%; n/N = 401/14,919) and 4% (95% CI 2–5%; n/N = 1,291/28,748) for the earlier and later periods, respectively. Meta-analyses of real-world data suggested a doubling of 2- and 3-year survival in glioblastoma patients since 2005. However, 5-year survival remains poor with no apparent improvement. Detailed clinically annotated population-based data and further molecular characterization of longer-term survivors may explain the unchanged survival beyond 5 years.
Pedestrian orientation dynamics from high-fidelity measurements
Authors: Willems Joris , Corbetta Alessandro , Menkovski Vlado , Toschi Federico
Published: July 2020

We investigate in real-life conditions and with very high accuracy the dynamics of body rotation, or yawing, of walking pedestrians—a highly complex task due to the wide variety in shapes, postures and walking gestures. We propose a novel measurement method based on a deep neural architecture that we train on the basis of generic physical properties of the motion of pedestrians. Specifically, we leverage on the strong statistical correlation between individual velocity and body orientation: the velocity direction is typically orthogonal with respect to the shoulder line. We make the reasonable assumption that this approximation, although instantaneously slightly imperfect, is correct on average. This enables us to use velocity data as training labels for a highly-accurate point-estimator of individual orientation, that we can train with no dedicated annotation labor. We discuss the measurement accuracy and show the error scaling, both on synthetic and real-life data: we show that our method is capable of estimating orientation with an error as low as $$7.5^\circ$$7.5∘. This tool opens up new possibilities in the studies of human crowd dynamics where orientation is key. By analyzing the dynamics of body rotation in real-life conditions, we show that the instantaneous velocity direction can be described by the combination of orientation and a random delay, where randomness is provided by an Ornstein–Uhlenbeck process centered on an average delay of $$100\,\hbox {ms}$$100ms. Quantifying these dynamics could have only been possible thanks to a tool as precise as that proposed.
Blood residence time to assess significance of coronary artery stenosis
Authors: Hashemi Javad , Rai Shesh , Ghafghazi Shahab , Berson R. Eric
Published: July 2020

Coronary artery stenosis is a narrowing of coronary lumen space caused by an atherosclerotic lesion. Fractional flow reserve (FFR) is the gold standard metric to assess physiological significance of coronary stenosis, but requires an invasive procedure. Computational modeling in conjunction with patient-specific imaging demonstrates formation of regions of recirculatory flow distal to a stenosis, increasing mean blood residence time relative to uninhibited flow. A new computational parameter, mean blood residence time (BloodRT), was computed for 100 coronary artery segments for which FFR was known. A threshold for BloodRT was determined to assess the physiological significance of a stenosis, analogous to diagnostic threshold for FFR. Model sensitivity and specificity of BloodRT for diagnosis of hemodynamically significant coronary stenosis was 98% and 96% respectively, compared with FFR. When applied to clinical practice, this could potentially allow practicing cardiologists to accurately assess the severity of coronary stenosis without resorting to invasive techniques.
Prediction of age at onset in Parkinson’s disease using objective specific neuroimaging genetics based on a sparse canonical correlation analysis
Authors: Won Ji Hye , Kim Mansu , Youn Jinyoung , Park Hyunjin
Published: July 2020

The age at onset (AAO) is an important determinant in Parkinson’s disease (PD). Neuroimaging genetics is suitable for studying AAO in PD as it jointly analyzes imaging and genetics. We aimed to identify features associated with AAO in PD by applying the objective-specific neuroimaging genetics approach and constructing an AAO prediction model. Our objective-specific neuroimaging genetics extended the sparse canonical correlation analysis by an additional data type related to the target task to investigate possible associations of the imaging–genetic, genetic–target, and imaging–target pairs simultaneously. The identified imaging, genetic, and combined features were used to construct analytical models to predict the AAO in a nested five-fold cross-validation. We compared our approach with those from two feature selection approaches where only associations of imaging–target and genetic–target were explored. Using only imaging features, AAO prediction was accurate in all methods. Using only genetic features, the results from other methods were worse or unstable compared to our model. Using both imaging and genetic features, our proposed model predicted the AAO well (r = 0.5486). Our findings could have significant impacts on the characterization of prodromal PD and contribute to diagnosing PD early because genetic features could be measured accurately from birth.
Upregulated TNF/Eiger signaling mediates stem cell recovery and tissue homeostasis during nutrient resupply in Drosophila testis
Authors: Chang Yi Chieh , Tu Hsin , Huang To-Wei , Xu Bo-Wen , Pi Haiwei
Published: July 2020

Stem cell activity and cell differentiation is robustly influenced by the nutrient availability in the gonads. The signal that connects nutrient availability to gonadal stem cell activity remains largely unknown. In this study, we show that tumor necrosis factor Eiger (Egr) is upregulated in testicular smooth muscles as a response to prolonged protein starvation in Drosophila testis. While Egr is not essential for starvation-induced changes in germline and somatic stem cell numbers, Egr and its receptor Grindelwald influence the recovery dynamics of somatic cyst stem cells (CySCs) upon protein refeeding. Moreover, Egr is also involved in the refeeding-induced, ectopic expression of the CySC self-renewal protein and the accumulation of early germ cells. Egr primarily acts through the Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling in Drosophila. We show that inhibition of JNK signaling in cyst cells suppresses the refeeding-induced abnormality in both somatic and germ cells. In conclusion, our study reveals both beneficial and detrimental effects of Egr upregulation in the recovery of stem cells and spermatogenesis from prolonged protein starvation.
The discovery of a new antibody for BRIL-fused GPCR structure determination
Authors: Miyagi Hikaru , Asada Hidetsugu , Suzuki Michihiko , Takahashi Yuichi , Yasunaga Mai , Suno Chiyo , Iwata So , Saito Jun-ichi
Published: July 2020

G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs)—the largest family of cell-surface membrane proteins—mediate the intracellular signal transduction of many external ligands. Thus, GPCRs have become important drug targets. X-ray crystal structures of GPCRs are very useful for structure-based drug design (SBDD). Herein, we produced a new antibody (SRP2070) targeting the thermostabilised apocytochrome b562 from Escherichia coli M7W/H102I/R106L (BRIL). We found that a fragment of this antibody (SRP2070Fab) facilitated the crystallisation of the BRIL-tagged, ligand bound GPCRs, 5HT1B and AT2R. Furthermore, the electron densities of the ligands were resolved, suggesting that SPR2070Fab is versatile and adaptable for GPCR SBDD. We anticipate that this new tool will significantly accelerate structure determination of other GPCRs and the design of small molecular drugs targeting them.
Author Correction: In silico bacteria evolve robust cooperation via complex quorum-sensing strategies
Authors: Wang Yifei , Rattray Jennifer B. , Thomas Stephen A. , Gurney James , Brown Sam P.
Published: July 2020

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.
Disparate survival of late-stage male oropharyngeal cancer in Appalachia
Authors: Papenberg Brenen W. , Allen Jessica L. , Markwell Steven M. , Interval Erik T. , Montague Phillip A. , Johnson Christopher J. , Weed Scott A.
Published: July 2020

The United States Appalachian region harbors a higher cancer burden than the rest of the nation, with disparate incidence of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC), including oral cavity and pharynx (OC/P) cancers. Whether elevated HNSCC incidence generates survival disparities within Appalachia is unknown. To address this, HNSCC survival data for 259,737 tumors from the North American Association for Central Cancer Registries 2007–2013 cohort were evaluated, with age-adjusted relative survival (RS) calculated based on staging, race, sex, and Appalachian residence. Tobacco use, a primary HNSCC risk factor, was evaluated through the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System from Appalachian states. Decreased OC/P RS was found in stage IV Appalachian white males within a subset of states. The survival disparity was confined to human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated oropharyngeal cancers, specifically the oropharynx subsite. This correlated with significantly higher smoking and male smokeless tobacco use in most Appalachian disparity states. Lower survival of Appalachian males with advanced-stage HPV-associated oropharyngeal cancers suggests pervasive tobacco consumption likely generates more aggressive tumors at HPV-associated oropharynx subsites than national averages. Comprehensive tobacco and HPV status should therefore be evaluated prior to considering treatment de-intensification regimens for HPV-associated oropharyngeal cancers in populations with high tobacco consumption.
Identifying hotspots of invasive alien terrestrial vertebrates in Europe to assist transboundary prevention and control
Authors: Polaina Ester , Pärt Tomas , Recio Mariano R.
Published: July 2020

This study aims to identify environmentally suitable areas for 15 of the most harmful invasive alien terrestrial vertebrates (IATV) in Europe in a transparent and replicable way. We used species distribution models and publicly-available data from GBIF to predict environmental suitability and to identify hotspots of IATV accounting for knowledge gaps in their distributions. To deal with the ecological particularities of invasive species, we followed a hierarchical approach to estimate the global climatic suitability for each species and incorporated this information into refined environmental suitability models within Europe. Combined predictions on environmental suitability identified potential areas of IATV concentrations or hotspots. Uncertainty of predictions identified regions requiring further survey efforts for species detection. Around 14% of Europe comprised potential hotspots of IATV richness, mainly located in northern France, UK, Belgium and the Netherlands. IATV coldspots covered ~ 9% of Europe, including southern Sweden and Finland, and northern Germany. Most of Europe (~ 77% area) comprised uncertain suitability predictions, likely caused by a lack of data. Priorities on prevention and control should focus on potential hotspots where harmful impacts might concentrate. Promoting the collection of presence data within data-deficient areas is encouraged as a core strategy against IATVs.
Jamming, fragility and pinning phenomena in superconducting vortex systems
Authors: Reichhardt Charles , Reichhardt Cynthia J. O.
Published: July 2020

We examine driven superconducting vortices interacting with quenched disorder under a sequence of perpendicular drive pulses. As a function of disorder strength, we find four types of behavior distinguished by the presence or absence of memory effects. The fragile and jammed states exhibit memory, while the elastic and pinning dominated regimes do not. In the fragile regime, the system organizes into a pinned state during the first pulse, flows during the second perpendicular pulse, and then returns to a pinned state during the third pulse which is parallel to the first pulse. This behavior is the hallmark of the fragility proposed for jamming in particulate matter. For stronger disorder, we observe a robust jamming state with memory where the system reaches a pinned or reduced flow state during the perpendicular drive pulse, similar to the shear jamming of granular systems. We show signatures of the different states in the spatial vortex configurations, and find that memory effects arise from coexisting elastic and pinned components of the vortex assembly. The sequential perpendicular driving protocol we propose for distinguishing fragile, jammed, and pinned phases should be general to the broader class of driven interacting particles in the presence of quenched disorder.
Crystals reveal magma convection and melt transport in dyke-fed eruptions
Authors: Albert Helena , Larrea Patricia , Costa Fidel , Widom Elisabeth , Siebe Claus
Published: July 2020

The processes and ranges of intensive variables that control magma transport and dyke propagation through the crust are poorly understood. Here we show that textural and compositional data of olivine crystals (Mg/Fe, Ni and P) from the tephra of the first months of Paricutin volcano monogenetic eruption (Mexico, 1943–1952) record fast growth and large temperature and oxygen fugacity gradients. We interpret that these gradients are due to convective magma transport in a propagating dyke to the Earth’s surface in less than a few days. The shortest time we have obtained is 0.1 day, and more than 50% of the calculated timescales are < 2 days for the earliest erupted tephra, which implies magma ascent rates of about 0.1 and 1 m s−1. The olivine zoning patterns change with the eruptive stratigraphy, and record a transition towards a more steady magma flow before the transition from explosive to effusive dynamics. Our results can inform numerical and experimental analogue models of dyke propagation, and thus facilitate a better understanding of the seismicity and other precursors of dyke-fed eruptions.
Determination of the most effective design for the measurement of photosynthetic light-response curves for planted Larix olgensis trees
Authors: Liu Qiang , Jia Weiwei , Li Fengri
Published: July 2020

A photosynthetic light-response (PLR) curve is a mathematical description of a single biochemical process and has been widely applied in many eco-physiological models. To date, many PLR measurement designs have been suggested, although their differences have rarely been explored, and the most effective design has not been determined. In this study, we measured three types of PLR curves (High, Middle and Low) from planted Larix olgensis trees by setting 31 photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) gradients. More than 530 million designs with different combinations of PAR gradients from 5 to 30 measured points were conducted to fit each of the three types of PLR curves. The influence of different PLR measurement designs on the goodness of fit of the PLR curves and the accuracy of the estimated photosynthetic indicators were analysed, and the optimal design was determined. The results showed that the measurement designs with fewer PAR gradients generally resulted in worse predicted accuracy for the photosynthetic indicators. However, the accuracy increased and remained stable when more than ten measurement points were used for the PAR gradients. The mean percent error (M%E) of the estimated maximum net photosynthetic rate (Pmax) and dark respiratory rate (Rd) for the designs with less than ten measurement points were, on average, 16.4 times and 20.1 times greater than those for the designs with more than ten measurement points. For a single tree, a unique PLR curve design generally reduced the accuracy of the predicted photosynthetic indicators. Thus, three optimal measurement designs were provided for the three PLR curve types, in which the root mean square error (RMSE) values reduced by an average of 8.3% and the coefficient of determination (R2) values increased by 0.3%. The optimal design for the High PLR curve type should shift more towards high-intensity PAR values, which is in contrast to the optimal design for the Low PLR curve type, which should shift more towards low-intensity PAR values.
Alternative splicing of flowering time gene FT is associated with halving of time to flowering in coconut
Authors: Xia Wei , Liu Rui , Zhang Jun , Mason Annaliese S. , Li Zhiying , Gong Shufang , Zhong Yazhu , Dou Yajing , Sun Xiwei , Fan Haikuo , Xiao Yong
Published: July 2020

Coconut palm has two distinct types—“tall” and “dwarf”—which differ morphologically. Tall coconut varieties need 8–10 years to start flowering, while dwarf coconut varieties only require 3–5 years. We compared seedling and reproductive stage transcriptomes for both coconut types to determine potential molecular mechanisms underlying control of flowering time in coconut. Several key genes in the photoperiod pathway were differentially expressed between seedling and reproductive leaf samples in both tall and dwarf coconut. These genes included suppressor of overexpression of constans (SOC1), flowering locus T (FT), and Apetala 1 (AP1). Alternative splicing analysis of genes in the photoperiod pathway further revealed that the FT gene produces different transcripts in tall compared to dwarf coconut. The shorter alternative splice variant of FT [which included a 6 bp deletion, alternative 3′ splicing sites (A3SS)] was found to be exclusively present in dwarf coconut varieties but absent in most tall coconut varieties. Our results provide a valuable information resource as well as suggesting a probable mechanism for differentiation of flowering time onset in coconut, providing a target for future breeding work in accelerating time to flowering in this crop species.
Twenty-four-hour versus clinic blood pressure levels as predictors of long-term cardiovascular and renal disease outcomes among African Americans
Authors: Kidambi Srividya , Wang Tao , Chelius Thomas , Nunuk Irene , Agarwal Priyanka , Laud Purushottam , Mattson David , Cowley Allen W. , Liang Mingyu , Kotchen Theodore
Published: July 2020

In Caucasian and Asian populations, evidence suggests that 24-h blood pressures (BP) are more predictive of long-term cardiovascular events than clinic BP. However, few long-term studies have evaluated the predictive value of 24-h BP phenotypes (24-h, daytime, nighttime) among African Americans (AA). The purpose of this study is to evaluate the added value of 24-h BP phenotypes compared to clinic BP in predicting the subsequent fatal and non-fatal cardiovascular/renal disease events in AA subjects. AA subjects (n = 270) were initially studied between 1994 and 2006 and standardized clinic BP measurements were obtained during screening procedures for a 3-day inpatient clinical study during which 24-h BP measurements were obtained. To assess the subsequent incidence of cardiovascular and renal disease events, follow-up information was obtained and confirmed by review of paper and electronic medical records between 2015 and 2017. During a mean follow-up of 14 ± 4 years, 50 subjects had one or more fatal or non-fatal cardiovascular/renal disease events. After adjustment for covariates, clinic systolic and diastolic BP were strongly associated with cardiovascular/renal disease events and all-cause mortality (p < 0.0001). Twenty-four-hour BP phenotypes conferred a small incremental advantage over clinic BP in predicting cardiovascular/renal events, which was limited to making a difference of one predicted event in 250–1,000 predictions depending on the 24-h BP phenotype. Nocturnal BP was no more predictive than the other 24-h BP phenotypes. In AA, 24-h BP monitoring provides limited added value as a predictor of cardiovascular/renal disease events. Larger studies are needed in AA to confirm these findings.
Munc18-1 induces conformational changes of syntaxin-1 in multiple intermediates for SNARE assembly
Authors: Lee Sanghwa , Shin Jonghyeok , Jung Younghun , Son Heyjin , Shin Jaeil , Jeong Cherlhyun , Kweon Dae-Hyuk , Shin Yeon-Kyun
Published: July 2020

In neuronal exocytosis, SNARE assembly into a stable four-helix bundle drives membrane fusion. Previous studies have revealed that the SM protein Munc18-1 plays a critical role for precise SNARE assembly with the help of Munc13-1, but the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Here, we used single-molecule FRET assays with a nanodisc membrane reconstitution system to investigate the conformational dynamics of SNARE/Munc18-1 complexes in multiple intermediate steps towards the SNARE complex. We found that single Munc18-1 proteins induce the closed conformation of syntaxin-1 not only in the free syntaxin-1 but also in the t-SNARE (syntaxin-1/SNAP-25) complex. These results implicate that Munc18-1 may act as a gatekeeper for both binary and ternary SNARE complex formation by locking the syntaxin-1 in a cleft of Munc18-1. Furthermore, the kinetic analysis of the opening/closing transition reveals that the closed syntaxin-1 in the syntaxin-1/SNAP-25/Munc18-1 complex is less stable than that in the closed syntaxin-1/Munc18-1 complex, which is manifested by the infrequent closing transition, indicating that the conformational equilibrium of the ternary complex is biased toward the open conformation of syntaxin-1 compared with the binary complex.
The effect of the VKORC1 promoter variant on warfarin responsiveness in the Saudi WArfarin Pharmacogenetic (SWAP) cohort
Authors: Al Ammari Maha , AlBalwi Mohammed , Sultana Khizra , Alabdulkareem Ibrahim B. , Almuzzaini Bader , Almakhlafi Nada S. , Aldrees Mohammed , Alghamdi Jahad
Published: July 2020

Warfarin is a frequently prescribed oral anticoagulant with a narrow therapeutic index, requiring careful dosing and monitoring. However, patients respond with significant inter-individual variability in terms of the dose and responsiveness of warfarin, attributed to genetic polymorphisms within the genes responsible for the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of warfarin. Extensive warfarin pharmacogenetic studies have been conducted, including studies resulting in genotype-guided dosing guidelines, but few large scale studies have been conducted with the Saudi population. In this study, we report the study design and baseline characteristics of the Saudi WArfarin Pharmacogenomics (SWAP) cohort, as well as the association of the VKORC1 promoter variants with the warfarin dose and the time to a stable INR. In the 936 Saudi patients recruited in the SWAP study, the minor allele C of rs9923231 was significantly associated with a 8.45 mg higher weekly warfarin dose (p value = 4.0 × 10–46), as well as with a significant delay in achieving a stable INR level. The addition of the rs9923231 status to the model, containing all the significant clinical variables, doubled the warfarin dose explained variance to 31%. The SWAP cohort represents a valuable resource for future research with the objective of identifying rare and prevalent genetic variants, which can be incorporated in personalized anticoagulation therapy for the Saudi population.
Mitochondrial dysfunction impairs osteogenesis, increases osteoclast activity, and accelerates age related bone loss
Authors: Dobson Philip F. , Dennis Ella P. , Hipps Daniel , Reeve Amy , Laude Alex , Bradshaw Carla , Stamp Craig , Smith Anna , Deehan David J. , Turnbull Doug M. , Greaves Laura C.
Published: July 2020

The pathogenesis of declining bone mineral density, a universal feature of ageing, is not fully understood. Somatic mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations accumulate with age in human tissues and mounting evidence suggests that they may be integral to the ageing process. To explore the potential effects of mtDNA mutations on bone biology, we compared bone microarchitecture and turnover in an ageing series of wild type mice with that of the PolgAmut/mut mitochondrial DNA ‘mutator’ mouse. In vivo analyses showed an age-related loss of bone in both groups of mice; however, it was significantly accelerated in the PolgAmut/mut mice. This accelerated rate of bone loss is associated with significantly reduced bone formation rate, reduced osteoblast population densities, increased osteoclast population densities, and mitochondrial respiratory chain deficiency in osteoblasts and osteoclasts in PolgAmut/mut mice compared with wild-type mice. In vitro assays demonstrated severely impaired mineralised matrix formation and increased osteoclast resorption by PolgAmut/mut cells. Finally, application of an exercise intervention to a subset of PolgAmut/mut mice showed no effect on bone mass or mineralised matrix formation in vitro. Our data demonstrate that mitochondrial dysfunction, a universal feature of human ageing, impairs osteogenesis and is associated with accelerated bone loss.
Increased temperature has no consequence for behavioral manipulation despite effects on both partners in the interaction between a crustacean host and a manipulative parasite
Authors: Labaude Sophie , Cézilly Frank , De Marco Lila , Rigaud Thierry
Published: July 2020

Parasites alter many traits of their hosts. In particular, parasites known as “manipulative” may increase their probability of transmission by inducing phenotypic alterations in their intermediate hosts. Although parasitic-induced alterations can modify species’ ecological roles, the proximate factors modulating this phenomenon remain poorly known. As temperature is known to affect host–parasite associations, understanding its precise impact has become a major challenge in a context of global warming. Gammarids are ecologically important freshwater crustaceans and serve as intermediate hosts for several acanthocephalan species. These parasites induce multiple effects on gammarids, including alterations of their behavior, ultimately leading to modifications in their functional role. Here, experimental infections were used to assess the effect of two temperatures on several traits of the association between Gammarus pulex and its acanthocephalan parasite Pomphorhynchus laevis. Elevated temperature affected hosts and parasites in multiple ways (decreased host survival, increased gammarids activity, faster parasites development and proboscis eversion). However, behavioral manipulation was unaffected by temperature. These results suggest that predicted change in temperature may have little consequences on the trophic transmission of parasites through changes in manipulation, although it may modify it through increased infection success and faster parasites development.
Extreme ultraviolet microscope characterization using photomask surface roughness
Authors: Gunjala Gautam , Wojdyla Antoine , Sherwin Stuart , Shanker Aamod , Benk Markus P. , Goldberg Kenneth A. , Naulleau Patrick P. , Waller Laura
Published: July 2020

We demonstrate a method for characterizing the field-dependent aberrations of a full-field synchrotron-based extreme ultraviolet microscope. The statistical uniformity of the inherent, atomic-scale roughness of readily-available photomask blanks enables a self-calibrating computational procedure using images acquired under standard operation. We characterize the aberrations across a 30-um field-of-view, demonstrating a minimum aberration magnitude of smaller than $$\lambda /21 \, {\hbox {rms}}$$λ/21rms averaged over the center 5-um area, with a measurement accuracy better than $$\lambda /180 \, {\hbox {rms}}$$λ/180rms. The measured field variation of aberrations is consistent with system geometry and agrees with prior characterizations of the same system. In certain cases, it may be possible to additionally recover the illumination wavefront from the same images. Our method is general and is easily applied to coherent imaging systems with steerable illumination without requiring invasive hardware or custom test objects; hence, it provides substantial benefits when characterizing microscopes and high-resolution imaging systems in situ.
Microdiamond in a low-grade metapelite from a Cretaceous subduction complex, western Kyushu, Japan
Authors: Nishiyama Tadao , Ohfuji Hiroaki , Fukuba Kousuke , Terauchi Masami , Nishi Ukyo , Harada Kazuki , Unoki Kouhei , Moribe Yousuke , Yoshiasa Akira , Ishimaru Satoko , Mori Yasushi , Shigeno Miki , Arai Shoji
Published: July 2020

Microdiamonds in metamorphic rocks are a signature of ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) metamorphism that occurs mostly at continental collision zones. Most UHP minerals, except coesite and microdiamond, have been partially or completely retrogressed during exhumation; therefore, the discovery of coesite and microdiamond is crucial to identify UHP metamorphism and to understand the tectonic history of metamorphic rocks. Microdiamonds typically occur as inclusions in minerals such as garnet. Here we report the discovery of microdiamond aggregates in the matrix of a metapelite from the Nishisonogi unit, Nagasaki Metamorphic Complex, western Kyushu, Japan. The Nishisonogi unit represents a Cretaceous subduction complex which has been considered as an epidote–blueschist subfacies metamorphic unit, and the metapelite is a member of a serpentinite mélange in the Nishisonogi unit. The temperature condition for the Nishisonogi unit is 450 °C, based on the Raman micro-spectroscopy of graphite. The coexistence of microdiamond and Mg-carbonates suggests the precipitation of microdiamond from C–O–H fluid under pressures higher than 2.8 GPa. This is the first report of metamorphic microdiamond from Japan, which reveals the hidden UHP history of the Nishisonogi unit. The tectonic evolution of Kyushu in the Japanese Archipelago should be reconsidered based on this finding.
Author Correction: Gastrointestinal adverse effects of nintedanib and the associated risk factors in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
Authors: Kato Motoyasu , Sasaki Shinichi , Nakamura Takahiro , Kurokawa Kana , Yamada Tomoko , Ochi Yusuke , Ihara Hiroaki , Takahashi Fumiyuki , Takahashi Kazuhisa
Published: July 2020

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.
Author Correction: Design and Computational Modeling of Fabric Soft Pneumatic Actuators for Wearable Assistive Devices
Authors: Nguyen Pham Huy , Zhang Wenlong
Published: July 2020

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.
Metallic Sb nanoparticles embedded into a yolk–shell Sb2O3@TiO2 composite as anode materials for lithium ion batteries
Authors: Han Qigang , Sheng Yalan , Han Zhiwu , Li Xiang , Zhang Wenqiang , Li Yao , Zhang Xu
Published: July 2020

Metallic antimony is considered to be a promising anode material for lithium ion batteries (LIBs) due to its appropriate reaction potential.
Rapid self-disassembly of DNA diblock copolymer micelles via target induced hydrophilic–hydrophobic regulation for sensitive MiRNA detection
Authors: Peng Xin , Yang Ze-Zhou , Yang Peng , Chai Ya-Qin , Liang Wen-Bin , Li Zhao-Hui , Yuan Ruo
Published: July 2020

Novel DNA micelles were constructed by amphiphilic DNA–alkane conjugates encapsulating fat-soluble dyes, which could be self-disassembled via target induced hydrophilic–hydrophobic regulation to realize the detection of microRNA.
Ketocalix[3]carbazole: facile synthesis, rigid conformation and baicalin-selective sensing
Authors: Liao Xiaoyu , Guo Wanxin , Zhang Ju , Zhao Lei , Liu Chuanfeng , Zhang Haibin , Shu Zhengning , Tian Yushun , Gao Huiyuan , Yang Peng
Published: July 2020

Ketocalix[3]carbazole, a facilely synthesized rigid “basket” capable of sensing baicalin.
Fe3O4@SiO2@Au nanoparticles for MRI-guided chemo/NIR photothermal therapy of cancer cells
Authors: Maximenko Alexey , Depciuch Joanna , Łopuszyńska Natalia , Stec Malgorzata , Światkowska-Warkocka Żaneta , Bayev Vadim , Zieliński Piotr M. , Baran Jaroslaw , Fedotova Julia , Węglarz Władysław P. , Parlinska-Wojtan Magdalena
Published: July 2020

Novel functionalized nanoparticles, with toxicity controlled by laser irradiation, are perspective agents for potential (MRI)-guided stimulated chemo-photothermal treatment of cancer.
Reliable prediction of n-heptane isomerization over Pt/(CrOx/ZrO2)-HMS via comparative assessment of regularization networks and surface response methodologies
Authors: Parsafard Nastaran , Asil Ali Garmroodi , Mirzaei Shohreh
Published: July 2020

Novel Pt–Cr/Zr(x)-HMS catalysts with different molar ratios of Cr/Zr were synthesized.
One-pot HTST synthesis of responsive fluorescent ZnO@apo-enzyme composite microgels for intracellular glucometry
Authors: Lan Ruyue , Liu Huijiao , Zhu Lin , Lu Fan , Wu Qingshi , Wu Weitai
Published: July 2020

One-pot high-temperature short-time heating synthesis allows harnessing of dynamic profile of apo-GOx on ZnO@apo-enzyme composite microgels for intracellular glucometry.
Phase identification of vanadium oxide thin films prepared by atomic layer deposition using X-ray absorption spectroscopy
Authors: Kim Yejin , Song Gwang Yeom , Nandi Raju , Cho Jae Yu , Heo Jaeyeong , Cho Deok-Yong
Published: July 2020

X-ray absorption spectroscopy reveals the local structures of atomic-layer-deposited vanadium oxide films subject to heat treatments.
Cu(ii) immobilized on Fe3O4@HNTs–tetrazole (CFHT) nanocomposite: synthesis, characterization, investigation of its catalytic role for the 1,3 dipolar cycloaddition reaction, and antibacterial activity
Authors: Hajizadeh Zoleikha , Hassanzadeh-Afruzi Fereshte , Jelodar Diana Fallah , Ahghari Mohammad Reza , Maleki Ali
Published: July 2020

In the present study, Cu(ii) immobilized on an Fe3O4@HNTs–tetrazole (CFHT) nanocomposite was designed and prepared.
The impact of morphotropy and polymorphism on electric properties of manganites: the case of Sr0.5Ca0.5Mn1−xVxO3−δ
Authors: Konstantinova Ekaterina I. , Leonidov Ilia A. , Markov Alexey A. , Samigullina Rina F. , Chukin Andrey V. , Leonidov Ivan I.
Published: July 2020

Unraveling the relationship between temperature, concentration of donor ions, the Jahn–Teller distortion of MnO6 octahedra and energy parameters which define the formation and mobility of charge carriers in electron-doped manganites.
Activating an MXene as a host for EMIm+ by electrochemistry-driven Fe-ion pre-intercalation
Authors: Han Wenjuan , Lu Ming , Chen Junnan , Li Haojie , Li Haibo , Zhang Bingsen , Zhang Wei , Zheng Weitao
Published: July 2020

An electrochemistry-driven Fe-ion pre-intercalated MXene with superior EMIm+ reversible storage abilities for dual-ion battery use was shown.
Naphthalimide-gold-based nanocomposite for the ratiometric detection of okadaic acid in shellfish
Authors: Verma Meenakshi , Chaudhary Monika , Singh Amanpreet , Kaur Navneet , Singh Narinder
Published: July 2020

Ratiometric detection of the marine biotoxin okadaic acid (OA) employing naphthalimide-gold-based nanocomposite.
Bipolar electrodeposition of organic electrochemical transistor arrays
Authors: Ji Jianlong , Fu Yinpeng , Wang Jingxiao , Chen Po-Yu , Han Dan , Zhang Qiang , Zhang Wendong , Sang Shengbo , Yang Xing , Cheng Zhengdong
Published: July 2020

OECT arrays were fabricated by AC bipolar electrodeposition, and the mechanism was elucidated based on the equivalent circuit.
Two-dimensional metal dicyanamide frameworks of BeTriMe[M(dca)3(H2O)] (BeTriMe = benzyltrimethylammonium; dca = dicyanamide; M = Mn2+, Co2+, Ni2+): coexistence of polar and magnetic orders and nonlinear optical threshold temperature sensing
Authors: Mączka Mirosław , Gągor Anna , Stroppa Alessandro , Gonçalves João Nuno , Zaręba Jan K. , Stefańska Dagmara , Pikul Adam , Drozd Marek , Sieradzki Adam
Published: July 2020

Benzyltrimethylammonium metal dicyanamides exhibit coexistence of polar and magnetic orders, SHG activity and photoluminescence.
Antithrombotische Therapie bei Lungenembolie
Authors: Ebner Matthias , Lankeit Mareike
Published: July 2020

The present article addresses clinical challenges associated with the choice of the anticoagulant agent, the definition of the duration of anticoagulant treatment and the assessment of the risk-to-benefit ratio of prolonged anticoagulation for patients with pulmonary embolism (PE).

Anticoagulation is performed with unfractionated heparin (UFH) in hemodynamically unstable patients and with low molecular weight heparins (LWMH) or fondaparinux in normotensive patients. In patients with high or intermediate clinical probability of pulmonary embolism, anticoagulation should be initiated without delay while awaiting the results of diagnostic tests. LMWH and fondaparinux are preferred over UFH in the initial anticoagulation of PE since they are associated with a lower risk of bleeding.

All patients with PE require therapeutic anticoagulation for at least three months. The current 2019 guidelines of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) recommend that all eligible patients should be treated with a non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulant (NOAC) in preference to a vitamin K antagonist (VKA). In patients with active cancer, Apixaban, Edoxaban and Rivaroxaban are effective alternatives to treatment with LMWH.

The decision on the duration of anticoagulation should consider both, the individual risk of PE recurrence and the individual risk of bleeding. The risk for recurrent PE after discontinuation of treatment is related to the features of the index PE event. While patients with a strong transient risk factor have a low risk of recurrence and anticoagulation can be discontinued after three months, patients with strong persistent risk factor (such as active cancer) have a high risk of recurrence and thus should receive anticoagulant treatment of indefinite duration. Given the favourable safety profile of NOACs (especially if a reduced dosage of Apixaban or Rivaroxaban is initiated after at least six months of therapeutic anticoagulation), extended oral anticoagulation of indefinite duration should be considered for all patients with intermediate risk of recurrence.
Den richtigen Schlüssel finden – Schlüsseltherapien für die obere Extremität
Authors: Mehrholz Jan , Thomas Simone , Elsner Bernhard
Published: July 2020

Zukünftig wird es bedeutsam sein, Patienten vorab in unterschiedliche Erholungskategorien einzuteilen und anschließend mit sehr spezifischen Behandlungen zu versorgen. Das ist die Idee der Schlüsseltherapien. Bei bestimmten Problemstellungen (Schloss) benötigt man bestimmte Problemlösungen (Schlüssel). Der Artikel stellt mögliche Schlüsseltherapien für die Armrehabilitation vor.