bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The sex‐specific influence of FTO genotype on exercise intervention for weight loss in adult with obesity
Authors: Wang Weimin , Yang Ke , Wang Shujie , Zhang Jiani , Shi Yanyun , Zhang Huawei , Jin Danping , Gu Ruoxi , Zeng Qiang , Hua Qian
Published: September 2021

The impact of exercise on weight loss varies significantly among individuals, and genes play a critical role. This study aims to explore whether the FTO gene variant (rs8050136) affects the influence of exercise on weight. The study initially recruited 240 Han Chinese adults with obesity, and 178 of them (101 men, 77 women, aged from 21 to 60) completed a 12‐week moderate aerobic exercise programme. The participants were genotyped and obesity‐related data were collected before and after the intervention. The intensity and the amount of exercise were precisely monitored. After the intervention, most obesity‐related parameters of the participants showed a significant decrease. For muscle and lean body mass, significant change was only observed in males (P < 0.001) but not females (P = 0.205, P = 0.200 respectively). Importantly, for weight and BMI loss, we observed a genotype‐by‐gender interaction (P = 0.041, P = 0.042 respectively, adjusted for age, exercise time and baseline value). In the further analysis, after stratified for gender, the exercise‐induced weight loss (P = 0.008), BMI loss (P = 0.010), muscle mass loss (P = 0.005) and lean body mass loss (P = 0.004) showed greater decrease in male subjects carrying at least one A allele compared to non‐carriers. In conclusion, our study suggests that in Han Chinese population with obesity, carrying “obese risk gene” FTO (rs8050136) does not lead to the resistance to weight management intervention. More importantly, in male subjects, carrying FTO risk allele would even lose more weight than non‐carriers after exercise intervention.

Highlights

For Han Chinese adults with obesity, carrying “obese risk gene” FTO could still achieve weight loss through exercise.

Males carrying FTO risk allele would lose more weight than non‐carriers after a 12‐weeks exercise programme.
Prediction of isometric handgrip force from graded event-related desynchronization of the sensorimotor rhythm
Authors: Haddix Chase , Al-Bakri Amir F , Sunderam Sridhar
Published: September 2021

Objective. Brain–computer interfaces (BCIs) show promise as a direct line of communication between the brain and the outside world that could benefit those with impaired motor function. But the commands available for BCI operation are often limited by the ability of the decoder to differentiate between the many distinct motor or cognitive tasks that can be visualized or attempted. Simple binary command signals (e.g. right hand at rest versus movement) are therefore used due to their ability to produce large observable differences in neural recordings. At the same time, frequent command switching can impose greater demands on the subject’s focus and takes time to learn. Here, we attempt to decode the degree of effort in a specific movement task to produce a graded and more flexible command signal. Approach. Fourteen healthy human subjects (nine male, five female) responded to visual cues by squeezing a hand dynamometer to different levels of predetermined force, guided by continuous visual feedback, while the electroencephalogram (EEG) and grip force were monitored. Movement-related EEG features were extracted and modeled to predict exerted force. Main results. We found that event-related desynchronization (ERD) of the 8–30 Hz mu-beta sensorimotor rhythm of the EEG is separable for different degrees of motor effort. Upon four-fold cross-validation, linear classifiers were found to predict grip force from an ERD vector with mean accuracies across subjects of 53% and 55% for the dominant and non-dominant hand, respectively. ERD amplitude increased with target force but appeared to pass through a trough that hinted at non-monotonic behavior. Significance. Our results suggest that modeling and interactive feedback based on the intended level of motor effort is feasible. The observed ERD trends suggest that different mechanisms may govern intermediate versus low and high degrees of motor effort. This may have utility in rehabilitative protocols for motor impairments.
Greening vs browning? Surface water cover mediates how tundra and boreal ecosystems respond to climate warming
Authors: Li Jing , Holmgren Milena , Xu Chi
Published: September 2021

Climate warming in northern high latitudes has progressed twice as fast as the global average, leading to prominent but puzzling changes in vegetation structure and functioning of tundra and boreal ecosystems. While some regions are becoming greener, others have lost or shifted vegetation condition as indicated by a browning signal. The mechanisms underlying this ‘greening or browning enigma’ remain poorly understood. Here we use multi-sourced time-series of satellite-derived vegetation indices to reveal that spectral greening is associated with reductions in surface water cover (i.e. fraction of surface water bodies), whereas spectral browning is linked to increases in surface water cover. These patterns are consistently observed from both 30 m resolution Landsat data and 250 m resolution MODIS data on the basis of grid cells sized of 1, 2 and 4 km. Our study provides, to our knowledge, the first biome-scale demonstration that interactions between vegetation condition and water cover change can explain the contrasting trajectories of ecosystem dynamics across the northern high latitudes in response to climate warming. These divergent trajectories we identified have major implications for ecosystem functioning, carbon sequestration and feedbacks to the climate system. Further unraveling the interaction between vegetation and surface water will be essential if we are to understand the fate of tundra and boreal biomes in a warming climate.
On the issue of using AutoCAD to assess flow rates (on the example of the Kama Reservoir)
Authors: Batmazova A A , Gaidukova E V , Vinokurov I O
Published: September 2021

A method of visualization and further analysis of the flow rate field is proposed. The method is based on using capabilities of the AutoCAD software package, which is currently widely used in research in the geosciences, in particular in hydrological researches. As a result of the work done, the flow rate field on the straight sections of the Kama River could be visualized. Information from speed profiles located close to each other was used. The applied method, which consists in extruding isotachs, turned out to be time-consuming, but representative; it cannot yet be used for section lines located around the turn or remote from each other, and in areas with tributaries. The considered method is planned to be tested on the data of hydrochemical survey in order to analyse the distribution of impurities.
Modelling of future changes in the water regime of the Upper Kama River
Authors: Kalugin A S
Published: September 2021

Calculations of future changes in the water regime for the Kama reservoir basin were carried out based on the ECOMAG regional semi-distributed runoff formation model and data from an ensemble of four atmosphere-ocean general circulation models using the RCP2.6 and RCP6.0 scenarios. Estimates of changes in the runoff of the Upper Kama River are presented for the middle and end of the 21st century relative to the historical period 1986 – 2005. The downward trend in both annual and summer water inflow into the Kama reservoir will continue in the future, despite an increase in winter runoff. Moreover, the decrease in runoff will be more significant under the RCP6.0 scenario. Despite the increase in precipitation up to 10%, the decrease in the annual runoff of the Upper Kama River will be from 4% to 17% due to intense warming in the catchment area by 2–5°C, depending on the season of the year, the period of the 21st century and the RCP scenario.
Scientific basis of proposals for optimizing the operating mode of the Upper-Svir Reservoir
Authors: Yu Milyutina I , Sapozhnikova A A , Gorelits O V , Zemlyanov I V
Published: September 2021

The study analyses long-term and seasonal changes in the water regime elements and water balance components of the Upper-Svir Reservoir, including inflow, runoff and fluctuations in water level of Lake Onego over the whole observation period. It is shown that currently there is an increase in the frequency and duration of high levels of Lake Onego. The impact of climate changes and HPP operation on lake level rise has been assessed. Science-based recommendations to optimize the operating mode of the Upper-Svir Reservoir, aimed to reduce the level of Lake Onego, have been developed.
The influence of regional climatic changes on the flood regime in European Russia in the 21st Century
Authors: Sidorova M V , Yasinsky N S
Published: September 2021

Possible changes in the average annual maximum snow reserves and flood runoff in European Russia (ER), on the basis of global climate modelling data was estimated. The data on precipitation and temperature from 5 AOGCMs (atmospheric and ocean general circulation models) of the CMIP5 project, based on the best reproduction of the current climate were used. The multidirectional changes in the maximum snow reserves and flood runoff are expected in ER, although there is a tendency in the southern territories towards a decrease in these characteristics; this intensifies near the end of the 21st Century and when using data from the ‘hard’ scenario of greenhouse gas emissions.
Hydrological regime of the urban Setun River
Authors: Sokolov D , Chalov S , Tereshina M , Erina O , Shinkareva G
Published: September 2021

According to the results of 2019-2020 studies, we considered the features of hydrological, thermal, ice regime and water turbidity of the small urban Setun River, one of the largest right tributaries of the Moscow River, flowing in the western part of the city of Moscow. The specific discharge from the Setun watershed is 1.5-2 times and the turbidity is 3 times higher than in natural conditions in the upper Moscow River basin. Due to thermal pollution by wastewater, ice cover forms only in the upper reaches of the river during sustained frosts, and water temperature within the city is 1.5-2.5 degrees higher (up to 6 degrees in winter).
Decryption of snow cover on space images in spring period
Authors: Kalinin V G , Rybakova L O , Shaydulina A A
Published: September 2021

The article is devoted to a comparative analysis of the results of snow cover interpreting on satellite images using various software tools on the example of individual basins in the catchment area of the Votkinsk Reservoir. Space images were decoded in ArcGIS and MultiSpec using the methods of interactive supervised classification with training and maximum similarity, and in the ScanEx Image Processor software- using NDSI and NDFSI indices. It was found that the use of the NDFSI index increases the accuracy of determining the areas occupied by snow for forested parts of the catchment by an average of 30%.
Methods for instrumental assessment of methane emission in reservoirs
Authors: Lomov V A
Published: September 2021

Reservoirs are a significant source of methane in the atmosphere. Different estimations of the total methane emission from reservoirs vary greatly. In order to more accurately estimation of the methane emission from reservoirs, it is necessary to investigate the spatiotemporal variability of CH4 fluxes. To study this variability, detailed instrumental measurements of methane fluxes over a long period are required. Such measurements have been carried out for 6 years at the Mozhaisk Reservoir. These measurements showed that the determining factor of the spatiotemporal methane fluxes variability is the meteorological situation and the water level regime. These factors form the stratification of the water column. The highest values of methane flux into the atmosphere are observed in the middle part of the reservoir. The temporal variation of the methane flux is characterized by a general pattern for all years when the measurements were carried out. The methane flux increases during the summer period and reaches the highest values before the beginning of the autumn mixing stage. Also, high flux values observed during periods of storm events that cause mixing of the water column.
Anomalous conditions of the inflow to reservoirs of the Volga-Kama cascade in the autumn-winter of 2019/2020
Authors: Gorelits O V , Ermakova G S , Kryjov V N
Published: September 2021

The peculiarities of the inflow regime to the reservoirs of the Volga-Kama cascade in the autumn-winter of 2019/20 are considered. Based on the analysis of long-term characteristics for the entire period of operation of the cascade, an assessment of the anomalous excess of inflow in October-March 2019/20 is given. The relationship between the autumn-winter inflow to the cascade and the autumn and winter circulation, particularly the phase of the wintertime Arctic oscillation on the background of a positive air temperature trend is shown.
Transformation of the flow of matter in valley reservoirs as a factor of improving their ecological condition
Authors: Goncharov A V , Varentsova N A
Published: September 2021

The results of perennial studies of the valley reservoirs of the Moskva River (Mozhaysk, Ruza and Ozerna reservoirs) have shown that the influx of river waters bringing nutrients leads to eutrophication of the upper parts of the reservoirs. However, as water moves, this matter is extracted by phytoplankton and zooplankton and undergoes sedimentation. The content of the suspended materials, iron, true colour of water near the dam are two times lower than in the upper reaches of the reservoirs; the concentration of mineral silicon and phosphorus decreases by nearly one-fourth, and that of organic matter, by 10-15%. As a result, in the near-dam zones of the water reservoirs biological productivity decreases: the biomass of phytoplankton and bacteria in water decreases by nearly 40%. Thus, transformation of the flow of matter along the length of the valley reservoirs results in essential improvement of the quality of water and reduction of the degree of eutrophication, which is especially important for the reservoirs which serve as sources of water supply for the city of Moscow.
Efficient land usage of watered quarries in the Ural mining industrial region
Authors: Konovalov V E , Pochechun V A , Semyachkov A I
Published: September 2021

The paper deals with the problems arising from the impact of technogenic water on the components of the environment. Such waters are formed in the formation of mining facilities, as well as in the process of mining and processing of minerals. The authors provide a classification of watered open-pit mines, analyse the usage of land sites, formed on watered open-pit mines territories. The actions that allow improving efficiency of such land usage are suggested.
Assessment of long-term changes in the trophic status of two reservoirs
Authors: Razumovsky V L
Published: September 2021

The studies were carried out with the integrated monitoring of the Ivankovo and Rybinsk reservoirs. The work is devoted to the assessment of long-term changes in the trophic status of water bodies under the influence of natural and anthropogenic influence. The studies combined two traditional methods of analysis. A layer-by-layer study of diatom complexes in bottom sediments and the determination of the taxonomic composition of phytoplankton in reservoirs were carried out. The saprobity index (S) was calculated for diatom complexes from sediments. A comparison was made with similar calculations for the species structure of phytoplankton complexes. Spatial and temporal heterogeneity of saprobization processes in reservoirs was confirmed.
Geomorphometric approach in geoecological assessment of groundwater in the territory of the Arkhangelsk region
Authors: Polyakova E V , Kutinov Yu G , Mineew A L , Chistova Z B
Published: September 2021

It is shown that the Terrain Ruggedness Index, calculated on the digital elevation model, predetermines the chemical composition of groundwater. The high ruggedness of the relief, the small stratum of the overlying bedrocks of Quaternary deposits, the absence of water barriers contribute to the desalination of groundwater due to the penetration of ultra-fresh atmospheric precipitation. The low ruggedness of the relief also causes a low intensity of water exchange and, as a consequence, a higher mineralization of groundwater.
Application of the rain gardens for surface runoff treatment in moderate climate
Authors: Shchukin I S
Published: September 2021

A technical solution for the use of rain gardens for treatment of surface runoff in a moderate climate is proposed. The experience of implementing a pilot rain garden for the treatment of surface runoff from the parking of the tenement building is described. Study results of the efficiency of surface runoff purification from suspended substances, petroleum products and some heavy metals in a pilot rain garden are presented. Recommendations for improving the quality of treated surface runoff are given. The directions of further research of rain gardens are outlined.
Trends in long-term water quality changes in Ivan’kovo and Uglich reservoirs
Authors: Lomov V A , Georgiadi A G , Datsenko Y S , Danilenko A O
Published: September 2021

A comparative analysis of water quality indicators in the upper and lower parts of the Ivan’kovo and Uglich Reservoirs was carried out based on the analysis of long-term monitoring datasets on water quality condition in reservoirs. The observations were performed at the gauging stations of the State Observation Network and Mosvodokanal in the period from the mid-1980s to 2019 and 2004 accordingly. Over a long-term period, all studied hydrochemical indicators except for Zn and SO4 tend to decrease closer to the dam both in the Ivan’kovo and Uglich Reservoirs. Two periods with sufficiently different average values of considered parameters and their dynamics were distinguished for the Uglich Reservoir according to statistical analysis. A high level of pollution in the Uglich Reservoir is mainly associated with heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Fe), phenols and oil products and is typical for both the upper and lower parts of the reservoir. Such pattern is inherent to both heterogeneous periods (1985-2000 and 2001-2019) identified for the Uglich Reservoir. The main trends of long-term and seasonal variability in water quality of the Ivan’kovo and Uglich Reservoirs have been identified using the water pollution index.
Current hydroecological state of the Ural River in the lower reaches
Authors: Efimova L , Magritsky D , Kenzhebaeva A , Goncharov A
Published: September 2021

Climate and hydrological changes in the Ural River basin, together with water management activities determine the current hydroecological state of the river in its lower course. In comparison with the conventional natural background, the salinity of water in high water period increased by 2.5 times, in low water period- by 5-8 %. Contamination of the lower course of the river is caused by the inflow of pollutants from the upstream sections and the confluence of the polluted tributaries. In the area with no tributaries, the water is characterized as “standard-clean”. The saprobity indices, which characterize the content of organic substances in water, are located within the boundaries of the b-mesosaprobic zone, which characterize low level of water contamination. The content of dissolved oxygen indicates insufficient aeration of the river water during most of the year. The lowest oxygen content is observed during winter period.
Longitudinal patterns of different pollutant concentrations in the Setun River
Authors: Tereshina M , Erina O , Sokolov D , Shinkareva G , Vasilchuk J
Published: September 2021

As one of the most well-studied rivers of the Moscow megalopolis with diverse landscape and anthropogenic impact conditions on its watershed, the Setun River is a unique system suitable for complex urban geochemical research. Data of our ecological monitoring of 2019-2020 show elevated content of multiple elements, including nutrients and heavy metals, in its water throughout the year with several distinctive types of concentration distribution along the course of the river. These patterns correspond to various major impacts in the watershed: concentrations of P, N, Mn and sometimes As are the highest in the upper reaches due to proximity of a landfill and decrease downstream; Cu has a drastic concentration increase below an industrial park, and concentrations of various metals consistently increase downstream from highways and railroads despite the fact that the lower reaches are protected as a part of a wildlife sanctuary. Our findings may serve as a basis for optimizing the water quality monitoring within the framework of comprehensive research of pollution transport in water, soil and air of an urban watershed.
Estimation of the water quality of the Izhevsk Reservoir tributaries by macrozoobenthos indicators
Authors: Kholmogorova N V , Kargapoltseva I A
Published: September 2021

The species composition and quantitative indicators of macrozoobenthos of the main tributaries of the Izhevsk Reservoir were studied. The status of the rivers was assessed by bioindication methods. A significant simplification of the structure of the benthic communities in the lower reaches of the Luk and Podborenka rivers has been established. The Podborenka River is the most polluted of the tributaries of the Izhevsk Reservoir, and therefore, it is an important source of the deterioration of water quality in there.
Analysis of microplastic concentrations in water and bottom sediments as a new aspect of ecological monitoring
Authors: Ivanova E V , Pozdnyakov Sh R , Tikhonova D A
Published: September 2021

In this article we consider some features of spatial distribution of microplastic particles in water column and bottom sediments of Lake Ladoga based on results of research conducted in 2018-2019. This new type of contamination poses new threats to ecological conditions of water bodies. Considering the growing relevance of this problem, it is important to estimate genesis and scale of this contamination and its spatial and temporal distribution for developing recommendations for managing conditions of water bodies. It is advisable to add microplastic research including analysing microplastic concentrations and chemical composition of the particles to the system of ecological monitoring.
Inland water in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Authors: Drašković B , Gutalj M
Published: September 2021

Modern researches of the Earth’s surface by remote sensing are mainly based on photointerpretation of satellite images. Copernicus is the most important European program of satellite observation and monitoring in 33 countries of the European Union and 6 cooperating countries including Bosnia and Herzegovina. Within the program, there are several databases on inland waters, including EU-Hydro and Water and Wetness. Also, CORINE Land Cover is database containing water information within five main categories. The paper analyses data on water bodies that include lakes, reservoirs, rivers and wetlands. According to the EU-Hydro database for Bosnia and Herzegovina there are 251 water reservoirs with an area of at least 1 ha. The amount of precipitation is higher than the European average and density of the river network is relatively high. Since it is not a densely populated country, the amount of water per capita is 8 times larger in comparison with Germany or 3 times larger than in France. However, renewable water resources are not evenly distributed, neither temporally nor spatially, so this is a challenge for their management.
Regional characteristics of water use in conditions of water scarcity in steppe transboundary river basins (the Ural River basin as a case study)
Authors: Sivokhip Zh T , Pavleychik V M
Published: September 2021

The regional features of water use within the steppe biome and in conditions of water scarcity is analysed. It has established a steady trend of increasing summer temperature extremes and identified a trend in the seasonal distribution of precipitation. Rivers of the Ural River basin are found to be characterized by a decline in the percentage of spring flood runoff and an increase in the percentage of low-water seasonal runoff. This transformation of intra-annual flow is even more significant for rivers with a regulated regime. The paper defines also regional specific features concerning the use of water resources in the Ural River basin. In the Russian regions, the main portion of water resources is spent on industrial and utilities needs, and the minimum portion spent on the needs of agriculture. Another specific is a high portion of recycled water in the Russian regions, which confirms the rather efficient use of water resources in various economy sectors. The structure of water consumption in Kazakhstan regions is characterized by predominance of water use for industrial and utilities needs and preservation of a significant portion of water for agricultural supply. The results obtained show that an ambiguous and poorly predicted situation with water resources emerges in the transboundary basin of the Ural River. In this context, the priority task is to ensure the cost-effective and environmentally safe use of water resources in regions of the studied basin.
Zooplankton community structure in mouth areas of different rivers (tributaries of the lowland Cheboksary Reservoir, European Russia)
Authors: Zhikharev V S , Gavrilko D E , Shurganova G V
Published: September 2021

Main features of the structural organization of zooplankton communities are assessed for different morphological types of mouth areas found in tributaries of a lowland reservoir. It is shown that a river mouth with a distinguished delta is characterized by the highest species richness and diversity of all studied mouth types in both the free-flowing part of the stream and in the reservoir zone. In the transitional zone between the river and the reservoir, no statistically significant differences between zooplankton community structures of different types of river mouths were found, which can be explained by high heterogeneity of zooplankton communities in these zones, substantial shift in the dominant species composition, and higher quantitative development of zooplankton. The shift between dominance of various species in different river mouths was not uniform, but had a common direction – from the dominance of riverine rotifers to lacustrine crustacean species.
Hydrobiological and ichthyological features of the Shirokovsky Reservoir
Authors: Pozdeev I V , Kotelnikova V S , Ogorodov S P , Yu Krainev E , Bezmaternykh V V , Belyaeva P G
Published: September 2021

The characteristic of Shirokovsky Reservoir by communities of phytoplankton, zooplankton, benthic invertebrates, and fish is given. It is the first investigation of the reservoir since the building time of 1948. All levels of the ecosystem are impoverished as species compositions as functional groups. A considerable part of all communities is presented by riverine oxyphilous species. Any invasion species of algae, invertebrates, and fish haven’t registered. The maximal species richness and quantitative parameters of phytoplankton have been registered in the upper riverine part of the reservoir and were determined by Bacillariophyta (primarily centric species). The zooplankton complexes’ dominants were Bosmina longirostris, Daphnia galeata, and Mesocyclops leuckarti. Maximal quantity of zooplankton has been shown in the middle part of the waterbody. The species of oligochaetes Limnodrilus hoffmeisteri and chironomids Parakiefferiella coronata were the most important in benthic communities’ structure. Benthofauna species richness and quantity of benthic invertebrates have been maximal in the lower part of the reservoir. The most common fish species at the current period are dace, perch, and Siberian roach. The fish quantity has been the richest in the middle part of the reservoir with lots of shallow areas. Assessing the quantitative values, the Shirokovsky Reservoir was classified as an oligotrophic waterbody at present.
High resolution stereolithography fabrication of perfusable scaffolds to enable long-term meso-scale hepatic culture for disease modeling
Authors: Sphabmixay Pierre , Raredon Micha Sam Brickman , Wang Alex J-S , Lee Howon , Hammond Paula T , Fang Nicholas X , Griffith Linda G
Published: September 2021

Microphysiological systems (MPS), comprising human cell cultured in formats that capture features of the three-dimensional (3D) microenvironments of native human organs under microperfusion, are promising tools for biomedical research. Here we report the development of a mesoscale physiological system (MePS) enabling the long-term 3D perfused culture of primary human hepatocytes at scales of over 106 cells per MPS. A central feature of the MePS, which employs a commercially-available multiwell bioreactor for perfusion, is a novel scaffold comprising a dense network of nano- and micro-porous polymer channels, designed to provide appropriate convective and diffusive mass transfer of oxygen and other nutrients while maintaining physiological values of shear stress. The scaffold design is realized by a high resolution stereolithography fabrication process employing a novel resin. This new culture system sustains mesoscopic hepatic tissue-like cultures with greater hepatic functionality (assessed by albumin and urea synthesis, and CYP3A4 activity) and lower inflammation markers compared to comparable cultures on the commercial polystyrene scaffold. To illustrate applications to disease modeling, we established an insulin-resistant phenotype by exposing liver cells to hyperglycemic and hyperinsulinemic media. Future applications of the MePS include the co-culture of hepatocytes with resident immune cells and the integration with multiple organs to model complex liver-associated diseases
Condensed ECM-based nanofilms on highly permeable PET membranes for robust cell-to-cell communications with improved optical clarity
Authors: Choi Brian , Choi Jeong-Won , Jin Hyungwon , Sim Hye-Rim , Park Jung-Hoon , Park Tae-Eun , Kang Joo H
Published: September 2021

The properties of a semipermeable porous membrane, including pore size, pore density, and thickness, play a crucial role in creating a tissue interface in a microphysiological system (MPS) because it dictates multicellular interactions between different compartments. The small pore-sized membrane has been preferentially used in an MPS for stable cell adhesion and the formation of tissue barriers on the membrane. However, it limited the applicability of the MPS because of the hindered cell transmigration via sparse through-holes and the optical translucence caused by light scattering through pores. Thus, there remain unmet challenges to construct a compartmentalized MPS without those drawbacks. Here we report a submicrometer-thickness (∼500 nm) fibrous extracellular matrix (ECM) film selectively condensed on a large pore-sized track-etched (TE) membrane (10 µm-pores) in an MPS device, which enables the generation of functional tissue barriers simultaneously achieving optical transparency, intercellular interactions, and transmigration of cells across the membrane. The condensed ECM fibers uniformly covering the surface and 10 µm-pores of the TE membrane permitted sufficient surface areas where a monolayer of the human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived brain endothelial cells is formed in the MPS device. The functional maturation of the blood–brain barrier (BBB) was proficiently achieved due to astrocytic endfeet sheathing the brain endothelial cells through 10 µm pores of the condensed-ECM-coated TE (cECMTE) membrane. We also demonstrated the extravasation of human metastatic breast tumor cells through the human BBB on the cECMTE membrane. Thus, the cECMTE membrane integrated with an MPS can be used as a versatile platform for studying various intercellular communications and migration, mimicking the physiological barriers of an organ compartment.
The Dipper-Du conjecture revisited
Authors: Norton Emily
Published: September 2021

We consider vertices, a notion originating in local representation theory of finite groups, for the categoryO\mathcal {O}of a rational Cherednik algebra and prove the analogue of the Dipper-Du Conjecture for Hecke algebras of symmetric groups in that setting. As a corollary we obtain a new proof of the Dipper-Du Conjecture overC\mathbb {C}.
Call for Emergency Action to Limit Global Temperature Increases, Restore Biodiversity, and Protect Health
Authors: Atwoli Lukoye , Baqui Abdullah H , Benfield Thomas , Bosurgi Raffaella , Godlee Fiona , Hancocks Stephen , Horton Richard , Laybourn-Langton Laurie , Monteiro Carlos Augusto , Norman Ian , Patrick Kirsten , Praities Nigel , Rikkert Marcel G M Olde , Rubin Eric J , Sahni Peush , Smith Richard , Talley Nick , Turale Sue , Vázquez Damián
Published: September 2021

This is an editorial on climate change that is being published simultaneously by 100+ health care journal to marshal collective action to tackle the global environmental crisis. We—the editors of health journals worldwide—call for urgent action to keep average global temperature increases below 1.5°C and halt the destruction of nature.
Querying multiple sets ofP-values through composed hypothesis testing
Authors: Mary-Huard Tristan , Das Sarmistha , Mukhopadhyay Indranil , Robin Stéphane
Published: September 2021

Motivation

Combining the results of different experiments to exhibit complex patterns or to improve statistical power is a typical aim of data integration. The starting point of the statistical analysis often comes as a set of P-values resulting from previous analyses, that need to be combined flexibly to explore complex hypotheses, while guaranteeing a low proportion of false discoveries.

Results

We introduce the generic concept of composed hypothesis, which corresponds to an arbitrary complex combination of simple hypotheses. We rephrase the problem of testing a composed hypothesis as a classification task and show that finding items for which the composed null hypothesis is rejected boils down to fitting a mixture model and classifying the items according to their posterior probabilities. We show that inference can be efficiently performed and provide a thorough classification rule to control for type I error. The performance and the usefulness of the approach are illustrated in simulations and on two different applications. The method is scalable, does not require any parameter tuning, and provided valuable biological insight on the considered application cases.

Availability and implementation

The QCH methodology is available in the qch package hosted on CRAN. Additionally, R codes to reproduce the Einkorn example are available on the personal webpage of the first author: https://www6.inrae.fr/mia-paris/Equipes/Membres/Tristan-Mary-Huard.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
pepsickle rapidly and accurately predicts proteasomal cleavage sites for improved neoantigen identification
Authors: Weeder Benjamin R , Wood Mary A , Li Ellysia , Nellore Abhinav , Thompson Reid F
Published: September 2021

Motivation

Proteasomal cleavage is a key component in protein turnover, as well as antigen processing and presentation. Although tools for proteasomal cleavage prediction are available, they vary widely in their performance, options and availability.

Results

Herein, we present pepsickle, an open-source tool for proteasomal cleavage prediction with better in vivo prediction performance (area under the curve) and computational speed than current models available in the field and with the ability to predict sites based on both constitutive and immunoproteasome profiles. Post hoc filtering of predicted patient neoepitopes using pepsickle significantly enriches for immune-responsive epitopes and may improve current epitope prediction and vaccine development pipelines.

Availability and implementation

pepsickle is open source and available at https://github.com/pdxgx/pepsickle.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
mspack: efficient lossless and lossy mass spectrometry data compression
Authors: Hanau Felix , Röst Hannes , Ochoa Idoia
Published: September 2021

Motivation

Mass spectrometry (MS) data, used for proteomics and metabolomics analyses, have seen considerable growth in the last years. Aiming at reducing the associated storage costs, dedicated compression algorithms for MS data have been proposed, such as MassComp and MSNumpress. However, these algorithms focus on either lossless or lossy compression, respectively, and do not exploit the additional redundancy existing across scans contained in a single file. We introduce mspack, a compression algorithm for MS data that exploits this additional redundancy and that supports both lossless and lossy compression, as well as the mzML and the legacy mzXML formats. mspack applies several preprocessing lossless transforms and optional lossy transforms with a configurable error, followed by the general purpose compressors gzip or bsc to achieve a higher compression ratio.

Results

We tested mspack on several datasets generated by commonly used MS instruments. When used with the bsc compression backend, mspack achieves on average 76% smaller file sizes for lossless compression and 94% smaller file sizes for lossy compression, as compared with the original files. Lossless mspack achieves 10–60% lower file sizes than MassComp, and lossy mspack compresses 36–60% better than the lossy MSNumpress, for the same error, while exhibiting comparable accuracy and running time.

Availability and implementation

mspack is implemented in C++ and freely available at https://github.com/fhanau/mspack under the Apache license.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Exercise effects on cardiovascular disease: from basic aspects to clinical evidence
Authors: Sanchis-Gomar Fabian , Lavie Carl J , Marín Jorge , Perez-Quilis Carme , Eijsvogels Thijs M H , O’Keefe James H , Perez Marco V , Blair Steven N
Published: September 2021

Cardiovascular (CV) disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of major morbidity and CVD- and all-cause mortality in most of the world. It is now clear that regular physical activity (PA) and exercise training (ET) induces a wide range of direct and indirect physiologic adaptations and pleiotropic benefits for human general and CV health. Generally, higher levels of PA, ET, and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) are correlated with reduced risk of CVD, including myocardial infarction, CVD-related death, and all-cause mortality. Although exact details regarding the ideal doses of ET, including resistance and, especially, aerobic ET, as well as the potential adverse effects of extreme levels of ET, continue to be investigated, there is no question that most of the world’s population have insufficient levels of PA/ET, and many also have lower than ideal levels of CRF. Therefore, assessment and promotion of PA, ET, and efforts to improve levels of CRF should be integrated into all health professionals’ practices worldwide. In this state-of-the-art review, we discuss the exercise effects on many areas related to CVD, from basic aspects to clinical practice.
Genomic mating in outbred species: predicting cross usefulness with additive and total genetic covariance matrices
Authors: Wolfe Marnin D , Chan Ariel W , Kulakow Peter , Rabbi Ismail , Jannink Jean-Luc
Published: September 2021

Diverse crops are both outbred and clonally propagated. Breeders typically use truncation selection of parents and invest significant time, land, and money evaluating the progeny of crosses to find exceptional genotypes. We developed and tested genomic mate selection criteria suitable for organisms of arbitrary homozygosity level where the full-sibling progeny are of direct interest as future parents and/or cultivars. We extended cross variance and covariance variance prediction to include dominance effects and predicted the multivariate selection index genetic variance of crosses based on haplotypes of proposed parents, marker effects, and recombination frequencies. We combined the predicted mean and variance into usefulness criteria for parent and variety development. We present an empirical study of cassava (Manihot esculenta), a staple tropical root crop. We assessed the potential to predict the multivariate genetic distribution (means, variances, and trait covariances) of 462 cassava families in terms of additive and total value using cross-validation. Most variance (89%) and covariance (70%) prediction accuracy estimates were greater than zero. The usefulness of crosses was accurately predicted with good correspondence between the predicted and the actual mean performance of family members breeders selected for advancement as new parents and candidate varieties. We also used a directional dominance model to quantify significant inbreeding depression for most traits. We predicted 47,083 possible crosses of 306 parents and contrasted them to those previously tested to show how mate selection can reveal the new potential within the germplasm. We enable breeders to consider the potential of crosses to produce future parents (progeny with top breeding values) and varieties (progeny with top own performance).
hlh-12, a gene that is necessary and sufficient to promote migration of gonadal regulatory cells inCaenorhabditis elegans, evolved within theCaenorhabditisclade
Authors: Littleford Hana E , Kiontke Karin , Fitch David H A , Greenwald Iva
Published: September 2021

Specialized cells of the somatic gonad primordium of nematodes play important roles in the final form and function of the mature gonad. Caenorhabditis elegans hermaphrodites are somatic females that have a two-armed, U-shaped gonad that connects to the vulva at the midbody. The outgrowth of each gonad arm from the somatic gonad primordium is led by two female distal tip cells (fDTCs), while the anchor cell (AC) remains stationary and central to coordinate uterine and vulval development. The bHLH protein HLH-2 and its dimerization partners LIN-32 and HLH-12 had previously been shown to be required for fDTC specification. Here, we show that ectopic expression of both HLH-12 and LIN-32 in cells with AC potential transiently transforms them into fDTC-like cells. Furthermore, hlh-12 was known to be required for the fDTCs to sustain gonad arm outgrowth. Here, we show that ectopic expression of HLH-12 in the normally stationary AC causes displacement from its normal position and that displacement likely results from activation of the leader program of fDTCs because it requires genes necessary for gonad arm outgrowth. Thus, HLH-12 is both necessary and sufficient to promote gonadal regulatory cell migration. As differences in female gonadal morphology of different nematode species reflect differences in the fate or migratory properties of the fDTCs or of the AC, we hypothesized that evolutionary changes in the expression of hlh-12 may underlie the evolution of such morphological diversity. However, we were unable to identify an hlh-12 ortholog outside of Caenorhabditis. Instead, by performing a comprehensive phylogenetic analysis of all Class II bHLH proteins in multiple nematode species, we found that hlh-12 evolved within the Caenorhabditis clade, possibly by duplicative transposition of hlh-10. Our analysis suggests that control of gene regulatory hierarchies for gonadogenesis can be remarkably plastic during evolution without adverse phenotypic consequence.
Europe's far-right educational projects and their vision for the international order
Authors: Geva Dorit , Santos Felipe G
Published: September 2021

Figures like Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and former French National Front leader Marion Maréchal are seeking to establish what we call a new globalist illiberal order. The globalist illiberal agenda extends elements of the globalist project while reclaiming a radicalized view of Christian democracy. Europe's far-right views the global order as composed of strong nations who need to defend their sovereignty on ‘cultural’ issues while protecting their common Christian roots. We trace their project by focusing on two new institutions of higher education, Hungary's National University of Public Service Ludovika (Ludovika-UPS) and the Institut de sciences sociales, économiques et politiques (Institute of Social Sciences, Economics and Politics—ISSEP), based in France and Spain. Through these institutions, globalist illiberals aim to cultivate new leaders outside the liberal ‘mainstream’ and redefine the meaning of Christian democracy. We conclude that surging nationalism among mid- to small powers is not resulting in deglobalization but is fostering illiberal globalization, which has no place for those who do not fit in their exclusionary vision of Christian Europe.
8-Formylophiopogonanone B induces ROS-mediated apoptosis in nasopharyngeal carcinoma CNE-1 cells
Authors: Zhang Ya-jing , Mu Zhen-lin , Deng Ping , Liang Yi-dan , Wu Li-chuan , Yang Ling-ling , Zhou Zhou , Yu Zheng-ping
Published: September 2021

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in the world. It is very important to find drugs with high efficiency, low toxicity, and low side effects for the treatment of cancer. Flavonoids and their derivatives with broad biological functions have been recognized as anti-tumor chemicals. 8-Formylophiopogonanone B (8-FOB), a naturally existed homoisoflavonoids with rarely known biological functions, needs pharmacological evaluation. In order to explore the possible anti-tumor action of 8-FOB, we used six types of tumor cells to evaluate in vitro effects of this agent on cell viability and tested the effects on clone formation ability, scratching wound-healing, and apoptosis. In an attempt to elucidate the mechanism of pharmacological action, we examined 8-FOB-induced intracellular oxidative stress and -disrupted mitochondrial function. Results suggested that 8-FOB could suppress tumor cell viability, inhibit cell migration and invasion, induce apoptosis, and elicit intracellular ROS production. Among these six types of tumor cells, the nasopharyngeal carcinoma CNE-1 cells were the most sensitive cancer cells to 8-FOB treatment. Intracellular ROS production played a pivotal role in the anti-tumor action of 8-FOB. Our present study is the first to document that 8-FOB has anti-tumor activity in vitro and increases intracellular ROS production, which might be responsible for its anti-tumor action. The anti-tumor pharmacological effect of 8-FOB is worthy of further investigation.
Extending “Helping Babies Breathe” to an Academic Setting in Fiji: A Project Involving American Nursing Faculty and Graduate and Undergraduate Nursing Students
Authors: Macintosh Janelle L. B. , Ferrara Ashley L. , Ray Gaye , Luthy Karlen E. (Beth) , Beckstrand Renea L.
Published: September 2021

Approximately 2.5 million neonates died worldwide in 2018. Over one quarter of neonatal deaths are caused by birth asphyxia. Helping Babies Breathe (HBB) was created to teach basic neonatal resuscitation steps in limited-resource settings. Fifteen Fijian faculty members attended a master teacher class. Nine undergraduate nursing students from the western United States assisted in teaching two HBB classes for Fijian nursing students. Fijian faculty and student knowledge increased significantly posteducation. Educational settings provide ideal locations for future nurses to learn and practice evidence-based neonatal resuscitation skills. Implementing HBB in an academic setting, though novel, may ensure educators are familiar with current guidelines.