bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Modelling of the arteriovenous malformation embolization optimal scenario
Authors: Cherevko Alexandr A. , Gologush Tatiana S. , Petrenko Irina A. , Ostapenko Vladimir V. , Panarin Vyacheslav A.
Published: July 2020

Cerebral arteriovenous malformation (AVM) is a congenital brain vessels pathology, in which the arterial and venous blood channels are connected by tangles of abnormal blood vessels. It is a dangerous disease that affects brain functioning causing the high risk of intracerebral haemorrhage. One of AVM treatment methods is embolization—the endovascular filling of the AVM vessel bundle with a special embolic agent. This method is widely used, but still in some cases is accompanied by intraoperative AVM vessels rupture. In this paper, the optimal scenario of AVM embolization is studied from the safety and effectiveness of the procedure point of view. The co-movement of blood and embolic agent in the AVM body is modelled on the basis of a one-dimensional two-phase filtration model. Optimal control problem with phase constraints arising from medicine is formulated and numerically solved. In numerical analysis, the monotone modification of the CABARET scheme is used. Optimal embolization model is constructed on the basis of real patients' clinical data collected during neurosurgical operations. For the special case of embolic agent, input admissible and optimal embolization scenarios were calculated.
Photothermal-assisted antibacterial application of graphene oxide-Ag nanocomposites against clinically isolated multi-drug resistantEscherichia coli
Authors: Chen Yuqing , Wu Wei , Xu Zeqiao , Jiang Cheng , Han Shuang , Ruan Jun , Wang Yong
Published: July 2020

In the field of public health, treatment of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacterial infection is a great challenge. Herein, we provide a solution to this problem with the use of graphene oxide-silver (GO-Ag) nanocomposites as antibacterial agent. Following established protocols, silver nanoparticles were grown on graphene oxide sheets. Then, a series ofin vitrostudies were conducted to validate the antibacterial efficiency of the GO-Ag nanocomposites against clinical MDREscherichia coli(E. coli) strains. GO-Ag nanocomposites showed the highest antibacterial efficiency among tested antimicrobials (graphene oxide, silver nanoparticles, GO-Ag), and synergetic antibacterial effect was observed in GO-Ag nanocomposites treated group. Treatment with 14.0 µg ml−1GO-Ag could greatly inhibit bacteria growth; remaining bacteria viabilities were 4.4% and 4.1% for MDR-1 and MDR-2E. colibacteria, respectively. In addition, with assistance of photothermal effect, effective sterilization could be achieved using GO-Ag nanocomposites as low as 7.0 µg ml−1. Fluorescence imaging and morphology characterization uncovered that bacteria integrity was disrupted after GO-Ag nanocomposites treatment. Cytotoxicity results of GO-Ag using human-derived cell lines (HEK 293T, Hep G2) suggested more than 80% viability remained at 7.0 µg ml−1. All the results proved that GO-Ag nanocomposites are efficient antibacterial agent against multidrug-resistantE. coli.
Phase transition behaviour in yeast and bacterial populations under stress
Authors: Ordway Stephen W. , King Dawn M. , Friend David , Noto Christine , Phu Snowlee , Huelskamp Holly , Inglis R. Fredrik , Olivas Wendy , Bahar Sonya
Published: July 2020

Non-equilibrium phase transitions from survival to extinction have recently been observed in computational models of evolutionary dynamics. Dynamical signatures predictive of population collapse have been observed in yeast populations under stress. We experimentally investigate the population response of the budding yeast
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
to biological stressors (temperature and salt concentration) in order to investigate the system's behaviour in the vicinity of population collapse. While both conditions lead to population decline, the dynamical characteristics of the population response differ significantly depending on the stressor. Under temperature stress, the population undergoes a sharp change with significant fluctuations within a critical temperature range, indicative of a continuous absorbing phase transition. In the case of salt stress, the response is more gradual. A similar range of response is observed with the application of various antibiotics to
Escherichia coli
, with a variety of patterns of decreased growth in response to antibiotic stress both within and across antibiotic classes and mechanisms of action. These findings have implications for the identification of critical tipping points for populations under environmental stress.
The optimization of heterogeneous catalytic conditions in the direct alkylation of waste vegetable oil
Authors: Gao Cheng-Long , Wang Xin , Gang Hong-Ze , Liu Jin-Feng , Mu Bo-Zhong , Yang Shi-Zhong
Published: July 2020

Alkylated waste vegetable oil is a versatile intermediate product in the synthesis of bio-based materials. Heterogeneous catalytic condition with high conversion rate in the direct alkylation of waste vegetable oil was reported and the deactivation mechanism of catalyst was revealed. The total exchange capacity, elemental composition and pyrolysis product of catalyst before and after the alkylation reaction were analysed by back titration, elemental analysis, electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, gas chromatography mass spectrometry and pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, respectively. The results indicated that the metallic and non-metallic (C, H) elements contents of the catalyst have very much increased with great changes in pyrolysis product and a slight decrease in the total exchange capacity. The formation of insoluble polymers through Diels–Alder cycloaddition between triglycerides was proved to be the major factor causing the dysfunction of the catalytic centre. The metal ions from corrosion of the reactor were the minor factor causing about 2.56% loss of the catalytic centre. Moreover, the catalyst was able to maintain high catalytic efficiency when replacing the raw materials with other waste vegetable oil having low concentration of polyunsaturated fatty acids, which is significant for producing not only the aryl fatty acids derivatives but also the bio-based surfactants.
Optimization of biogenic synthesis of silver nanoparticles from flavonoid-rich
Clinacanthus nutans
leaf and stem aqueous extracts
Authors: Mat Yusuf Siti Nur Aishah , Che Mood Che Nurul Azieyan , Ahmad Nor Hazwani , Sandai Doblin , Lee Chee Keong , Lim Vuanghao
Published: July 2020

Background
: Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are widely used in food industries, biomedical, dentistry, catalysis, diagnostic biological probes and sensors. The use of plant extract for AgNPs synthesis eliminates the process of maintaining cell culture and the process could be scaled up under a non-aseptic environment. The purpose of this study is to determine the classes of phytochemicals, to biosynthesize and characterize the AgNPs using
Clinacanthus nutans
leaf and stem extracts. In this study, AgNPs were synthesized from the aqueous extracts of
C. nutans
leaves and stems through a non-toxic, cost-effective and eco-friendly method.
Results
: The formation of AgNPs was confirmed by UV-Vis spectroscopy, and the size of AgNP-L (leaf) and AgNP-S (stem) were 114.7 and 129.9 nm, respectively. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis showed spherical nanoparticles with AgNP-L and AgNP-S ranging from 10 to 300 nm and 10 to 180 nm, with average of 101.18 and 75.38 nm, respectively. The zeta potentials of AgNP-L and AgNP-S were recorded at −42.8 and −43.9 mV. X-ray diffraction analysis matched the face-centred cubic structure of silver and was capped with bioactive compounds. Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometer analysis revealed the presence of few functional groups of phenolic and flavonoid compounds. These functional groups act as reducing agents in AgNPs synthesis.
Conclusion
: These results showed that the biogenically synthesized nanoparticles reduced silver ions to silver nanoparticles in aqueous condition and the AgNPs formed were stable and less toxic.
Introduced bees (Osmia cornifrons) collect pollen from both coevolved and novel host-plant species within their family-level phylogenetic preferences
Authors: Vaudo Anthony D. , Biddinger David J. , Sickel Wiebke , Keller Alexander , López-Uribe Margarita M.
Published: July 2020

Studying the pollen preferences of introduced bees allows us to investigate how species use host-plants when establishing in new environments.Osmia cornifronsis a solitary bee introduced into North America from East Asia for pollination of Rosaceae crops such as apples and cherries. We investigated whetherO. cornifrons(i) more frequently collected pollen from host-plant species they coevolved with from their geographic origin, or (ii) prefer host-plant species of specific plant taxa independent of origin. To address this question, using pollen metabarcoding, we examined the identity and relative abundance of pollen in larval provisions from nests located in different landscapes with varying abundance of East-Asian and non-Asian plant species. Our results show thatO. cornifronscollected more pollen from plant species from their native range. Plants in the family Rosaceae were their most preferred pollen hosts, but they differentially collected species native to East Asia, Europe, or North America depending on the landscape. Our results suggest that whileO. cornifronsfrequently collect pollen of East-Asian origin, the collection of pollen from novel species within their phylogenetic familial affinities is common and can facilitate pollinator establishment. This phylogenetic preference highlights the effectiveness ofO. cornifronsas crop pollinators of a variety of Rosaceae crops from different geographic origins. Our results imply that globalization of non-native plant species may ease the naturalization of their coevolved pollinators outside of their native range.
Cu–Al mixed oxide-catalysed multi-component synthesis of gluco- and allofuranose-linked 1,2,3-triazole derivatives
Authors: Corona-Sánchez Ricardo , Sánchez-Eleuterio Alma , Negrón-Lomas Claudia , Ruiz Almazan Yarisel , Lomas-Romero Leticia , Negrón-Silva Guillermo E. , Rodríguez-Sánchez Álvaro C.
Published: July 2020

A series of carbohydrate-linked 1,2,3-triazole derivatives were synthesized in good yields from glucofuranose and allofuranose diacetonides using as key step a three-component 1,3-dipolar azide–alkyne cycloaddition catalysed by a Cu–Al mixed oxide. In this multi-component reaction, Cu–Al mixed oxide/sodium ascorbate system serves as a highly reactive, recyclable and efficient heterogeneous catalyst for the regioselective synthesis of 1,4-disubstituted 1,2,3-triazoles. The reported protocol has significant advantages over classical CuI/
N
,
N
-diisopropylethylamine (DIPEA) or CuSO
4
/sodium ascorbate conditions in terms of efficiency and reduced synthetic complexity. In addition, the selective deprotection of synthesized di-
O
-isopropylidene derivatives was also carried out leading to the corresponding mono-
O
-isopropylidene products in moderate yields. Some of the synthesized triazole glycoconjugates were tested for their
in vitro
antimicrobial activity using the disc diffusion method against Gram-positive bacteria (
Staphylococcus aureus
and
Bacillus subtilis
), Gram-negative bacteria (
Escherichia coli
and
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
), as well as fungus (
Aspergillus niger
) and yeast (
Candida utilis
). The results revealed that these compounds exhibit moderate to good antimicrobial activity mainly against Gram-negative bacteria.
A Turing test for crowds
Authors: Webster Jamie , Amos Martyn
Published: July 2020

The accuracy and believability of crowd simulations underpins computational studies of human collective behaviour, with implications for urban design, policing, security and many other areas. Accuracy concerns the closeness of the fit between a simulation and observed data, and believability concerns the human perception of plausibility. In this paper, we address both issues via a so-called ‘Turing test’ for crowds, using movies generated from both accurate simulations and observations of real crowds. The fundamental question we ask is ‘Can human observers distinguish between real and simulated crowds?’ In two studies with student volunteers (n= 384 andn= 156), we find that non-specialist individuals are able to reliablydistinguishbetween real and simulated crowds when they are presented side-by-side, but they are unable to accuratelyclassifythem. Classification performance improves slightly when crowds are presented individually, but not enough to out-perform random guessing. We find that untrained individuals have an idealized view of human crowd behaviour which is inconsistent with observations of real crowds. Our results suggest a possible framework for establishing a minimal set of collective behaviours that should be integrated into the next generation of crowd simulation models.
Derivation of global ionospheric Sporadic E critical frequency (
f

o

Es) data from the amplitude variations in GPS/GNSS radio occultations
Authors: Yu Bingkun , Scott Christopher J. , Xue Xianghui , Yue Xinan , Dou Xiankang
Published: July 2020

The ionospheric sporadic E (Es) layer has a significant impact on the global positioning system (GPS)/global navigation satellite system (GNSS) signals. These influences on the GPS/GNSS signals can also be used to study the occurrence and characteristics of the Es layer on a global scale. In this paper, 5.8 million radio occultation (RO) profiles from the FORMOSAT-3/COSMIC satellite mission and ground-based observations of Es layers recorded by 25 ionospheric monitoring stations and held at the UK Solar System Data Centre at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory and the Chinese Meridian Project were used to derive the hourly Es critical frequency (
f

o

Es) data. The global distribution of
f

o

Es with a high spatial resolution shows a strong seasonal variation in
f

o

Es with a summer maximum exceeding 4.0 MHz and a winter minimum between 2.0 and 2.5 MHz. The GPS/GNSS RO technique is an important tool that can provide global estimates of Es layers, augmenting the limited coverage and low-frequency detection threshold of ground-based instruments. Attention should be paid to small
f

o

Es values from ionosondes near the instrumental detection limits corresponding to minimum frequencies in the range 1.28–1.60 MHz.
Do longitudinal studies support long-term relationships between aggressive game play and youth aggressive behaviour? A meta-analytic examination
Authors: Drummond Aaron , Sauer James D. , Ferguson Christopher J.
Published: July 2020

Whether video games with aggressive content contribute to aggressive behaviour in youth has been a matter of contention for decades. Recent re-evaluation of experimental evidence suggests that the literature suffers from publication bias, and that experimental studies are unable to demonstrate compelling short-term effects of aggressive game content on aggression. Long-term effects may still be plausible, if less-systematic short-term effects accumulate into systematic effects over time. However, longitudinal studies vary considerably in regard to whether they indicate long-term effects or not, and few analyses have considered what methodological factors may explain this heterogeneity in outcomes. The current meta-analysis included 28 independent samples including approximately 21 000 youth. Results revealed an overall effect size for this population of studies (
r
= 0.059) with no evidence of publication bias. Effect sizes were smaller for longer longitudinal periods, calling into question theories of accumulated effects, and effect sizes were lower for better-designed studies and those with less evidence for researcher expectancy effects. In exploratory analyses, studies with more best practices were statistically indistinguishable from zero (
r
= 0.012, 95% confidence interval: −0.010, 0.034). Overall, longitudinal studies do not appear to support substantive long-term links between aggressive game content and youth aggression. Correlations between aggressive game content and youth aggression appear better explained by methodological weaknesses and researcher expectancy effects than true effects in the real world.
The role of geophysics in enhancing mine planning decision-making in small-scale mining
Authors: Tichauer Ricardo , Martins Antonio Carlos , Silva Ranyere Sousa , De Tomi Giorgio
Published: July 2020

Small-scale mining usually operates under high geological uncertainty conditions. This turns mine planning into a complex and sometimes inaccurate task, resulting in low productivity and substantial variability in the quantity and quality of the mineral products. This research demonstrates how the application of a novel methodology that relies on traditional and low-cost geophysical methods can contribute to mine planning in small-scale mining. A combination of resistivity and induced polarization methods is applied to enhance mine planning decision-making in three small-scale mining operations. This approach allows for the acquisition of new data regarding local geological settings, supporting geological modelling and enhancing decision-making processes for mine planning in a timely and low-cost fashion. The results indicate time savings of up to 77% and cost reductions of up to 94% as compared with conventional methods, contributing to more effective mine planning and, ultimately, improving sustainability in small-scale mining.
Risk tolerance and control perception in a game-theoretic bioeconomic model for small-scale fisheries
Authors: Azevedo Eric Zettermann Dias de , Dantas David Valença , Daura-Jorge Fábio G.
Published: July 2020

Cooperation is generally the most advantageous strategy for the group; however, on an individual level, cheating is frequently more attractive. In a fishery, one can choose to cooperate by fishing only the regulated amount or not to cooperate, by fishing to maximize profits. Top-down management can help to emulate a cooperative result in fisheries, but it is costly and not always a viable alternative for development states. Here, we investigate elements of a fishing system that can be strategically managed to encourage a cooperative behaviour. Using bioeconomic data, we modelled an evolutionary game between two populations of fishers that differ if they cooperate or do not cooperate with a fishing restriction. We penalized players including risk tolerance and control perception, two social parameters that might favour cooperation. We assessed the degrees to which risk tolerance and control perception affect the cooperative behaviours of fishers in a restricted fishing effort small-scale fishery (RSSF) in southern Brazil. We also assessed the likelihood of a scenario wherein a cooperative strategy can evolve and dominate the system. We identified dominance and coexistence outcomes for the RSSF. Sensitivity analyses suggested that both control perception and risk tolerance could facilitate a cooperative outcome for the fishery.
Early spread of COVID-19 in Romania: imported cases from Italy and human-to-human transmission networks
Authors: Hâncean Marian-Gabriel , Perc Matjaž , Lerner Jürgen
Published: July 2020

We describe the early spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and the first human-to-human transmission networks, in Romania. We profiled the first 147 cases referring to sex, age, place of residence, probable country of infection, return day to Romania, COVID-19 confirmation date and the probable modes of COVID-19 transmissions. Also, we analysed human-to-human transmission networks and explored their structural features and time dynamics. In Romania, local cycles of transmission were preceded by imported cases, predominantly from Italy. We observed an average of 4.8 days (s.d. = 4.0) between the arrival to a Romanian county and COVID-19 confirmation. Furthermore, among the first 147 COVID-19 patients, 88 were imported cases (64 carriers from Italy), 54 were domestic cases, while for five cases the source of infection was unknown. The early human-to-human transmission networks illustrated a limited geographical dispersion, the presence of super-spreaders and the risk of COVID-19 nosocomial infections. COVID-19 occurred in Romania through case importation from Italy. The largest share of the Romanian diaspora is concentrated especially in the northern parts of Italy, heavily affected by COVID-19. Human mobility (including migration) accounts for the COVID-19 transmission and it should be given consideration while tailoring prevention measures.
The evolution of multicellular complexity: the role of relatedness and environmental constraints
Authors: Fisher R. M. , Shik J. Z. , Boomsma J. J.
Published: July 2020

A major challenge in evolutionary biology has been to explain the variation in multicellularity across the many independently evolved multicellular lineages, from slime moulds to vertebrates. Social evolution theory has highlighted the key role of relatedness in determining multicellular complexity and obligateness; however, there is a need to extend this to a broader perspective incorporating the role of the environment. In this paper, we formally test Bonner's 1998 hypothesis that the environment is crucial in determining the course of multicellular evolution, with aggregative multicellularity evolving more frequently on land and clonal multicellularity more frequently in water. Using a combination of scaling theory and phylogenetic comparative analyses, we describe multicellular organizational complexity across 139 species spanning 14 independent transitions to multicellularity and investigate the role of the environment in determining multicellular group formation and in imposing constraints on multicellular evolution. Our results, showing that the physical environment has impacted the way in which multicellular groups form, highlight that environmental conditions might have affected the major evolutionary transition to obligate multicellularity.
The effects of recursive communication dynamics on belief updating
Authors: Pescetelli Niccolò , Yeung Nick
Published: July 2020

Many social interactions are characterized by dynamic interplay, such that individuals exert reciprocal influence over each other's behaviours and beliefs. The present study investigated how the dynamics of reciprocal influence affect individual beliefs in a social context, over and above the information communicated in an interaction. To this end, we developed a simple social decision-making paradigm in which two people are asked to make perceptual judgments while receiving information about each other's decisions. In a Static condition, information about the partner only conveyed their initial, independent judgment. However, in a Dynamic condition, each individual saw the evolving belief of their partner as they learnt about and responded to the individual's own judgment. The results indicated that in both conditions, the majority of confidence adjustments were characterized by an abrupt change followed by smaller adjustments around an equilibrium, and that participants' confidence was used to arbitrate conflict (although deviating from Bayesian norm). Crucially, recursive interaction had systematic effects on belief change relative to the static baseline, magnifying confidence change when partners agreed and reducing confidence change when they disagreed. These findings indicate that during dynamic interactions—often a characteristic of real-life and online social contexts—information is collectively transformed rather than acted upon by individuals in isolation. Consequently, the output of social events is not only influenced by what the dyad knows but also by predictable recursive and self-reinforcing dynamics.
How to escape from insect egg parasitoids: a review of potential factors explaining parasitoid absence across the Insecta
Authors: Fatouros N. E. , Cusumano A. , Bin F. , Polaszek A. , van Lenteren J. C.
Published: July 2020

The egg is the first life stage directly exposed to the environment in oviparous animals, including many vertebrates and most arthropods. Eggs are vulnerable and prone to mortality risks. In arthropods, one of the most common egg mortality factors is attack from parasitoids. Yet, parasitoids that attack the egg stage are absent in more than half of all insect (sub)orders. In this review, we explore possible causes explaining why eggs of some insect taxa are not parasitized. Many insect (sub)orders that are not attacked by egg parasitoids lack herbivorous species, with some notable exceptions. Factors we consider to have led to escape from egg parasitism are parental egg care, rapid egg development, small egg size, hiding eggs, by e.g. placing them into the soil, applying egg coatings or having thick chorions preventing egg penetration, eusociality, and egg cannibalism. A quantitative network analysis of host–parasitoid associations shows that the five most-speciose genera of egg parasitoids display patterns of specificity with respect to certain insect orders, especially Lepidoptera and Hemiptera, largely including herbivorous species that deposit their eggs on plants. Finally, we discuss the many counteradaptations that particularly herbivorous species have developed to lower the risk of attack by egg parasitoids.
Among-individual and within-individual variation in seasonal migration covaries with subsequent reproductive success in a partially migratory bird
Authors: Reid Jane M. , Souter Moray , Fenn Sarah R. , Acker Paul , Payo-Payo Ana , Burthe Sarah J. , Wanless Sarah , Daunt Francis
Published: July 2020

Within-individual and among-individual variation in expression of key environmentally sensitive traits, and associated variation in fitness components occurring within and between years, determine the extents of phenotypic plasticity and selection and shape population responses to changing environments. Reversible seasonal migration is one key trait that directly mediates spatial escape from seasonally deteriorating environments, causing spatio-seasonal population dynamics. Yet, within-individual and among-individual variation in seasonal migration versus residence, and dynamic associations with subsequent reproductive success, have not been fully quantified. We used novel capture-mark-recapture mixture models to assign individual European shags (Phalacrocorax aristotelis) to ‘resident’, ‘early migrant’, or ‘late migrant’ strategies in two consecutive years, using year-round local resightings. We demonstrate substantial among-individual variation in strategy within years, and directional within-individual change between years. Furthermore, subsequent reproductive success varied substantially among strategies, and relationships differed between years; residents and late migrants had highest success in the 2 years, respectively, matching the years in which these strategies were most frequently expressed. These results imply that migratory strategies can experience fluctuating reproductive selection, and that flexible expression of migration can be partially aligned with reproductive outcomes. Plastic seasonal migration could then potentially contribute to adaptive population responses to currently changing forms of environmental seasonality.
Selective extinction against redundant species buffers functional diversity
Authors: Pimiento Catalina , Bacon Christine D. , Silvestro Daniele , Hendy Austin , Jaramillo Carlos , Zizka Alexander , Meyer Xavier , Antonelli Alexandre
Published: July 2020

The extinction of species can destabilize ecological processes. A way to assess the ecological consequences of species loss is by examining changes in functional diversity. The preservation of functional diversity depends on the range of ecological roles performed by species, or functional richness, and the number of species per role, or functional redundancy. However, current knowledge is based on short timescales and an understanding of how functional diversity responds to long-term biodiversity dynamics has been limited by the availability of deep-time, trait-based data. Here, we compile an exceptional trait dataset of fossil molluscs from a 23-million-year interval in the Caribbean Sea (34 011 records, 4422 species) and develop a novel Bayesian model of multi-trait-dependent diversification to reconstruct mollusc (i) diversity dynamics, (ii) changes in functional diversity, and (iii) extinction selectivity over the last 23 Myr. Our results identify high diversification between 23–5 Mya, leading to increases in both functional richness and redundancy. Conversely, over the last three million years, a period of high extinction rates resulted in the loss of 49% of species but only 3% of functional richness. Extinction rates were significantly higher in small, functionally redundant species suggesting that competition mediated the response of species to environmental change. Taken together, our results identify long-term diversification and selective extinction against redundant species that allowed functional diversity to grow over time, ultimately buffering the ecological functions of biological communities against extinction.
Genomic evidence for the Old divergence of Southern European wolf populations
Authors: Silva Pedro , Galaverni Marco , Ortega-Del Vecchyo Diego , Fan Zhenxin , Caniglia Romolo , Fabbri Elena , Randi Ettore , Wayne Robert , Godinho Raquel
Published: July 2020

The grey wolf (Canis lupus) is one of the most widely distributed mammals in which a variety of distinct populations have been described. However, given their currently fragmented distribution and recent history of human-induced population decline, little is known about the events that led to their differentiation. Based on the analysis of whole canid genomes, we examined the divergence times between Southern European wolf populations and their ancient demographic history. We found that all present-day Eurasian wolves share a common ancestorca36 000 years ago, supporting the hypothesis that all extant wolves derive from a single population that subsequently expanded after the Last Glacial Maximum. We also estimated that the currently isolated European populations of the Iberian Peninsula, Italy and the Dinarics-Balkans diverged very closely in time,ca10 500 years ago, and maintained negligible gene flow ever since. This indicates that the current genetic and morphological distinctiveness of Iberian and Italian wolves can be attributed to their isolation dating back to the end of the Pleistocene, predating the recent human-induced extinction of wolves in Central Europe by several millennia.
Insect mitochondria as targets of freezing-induced injury
Authors: Štětina T. , Des Marteaux L. E. , Koštál V.
Published: July 2020

Many insects survive internal freezing, but the great complexity of freezing stress hinders progress in understanding the ultimate nature of freezing-induced injury. Here, we use larvae of the drosophilid fly,
Chymomyza costata
to assess the role of mitochondrial responses to freezing stress. Respiration analysis revealed that fat body mitochondria of the freeze-sensitive (non-diapause) phenotype significantly decrease oxygen consumption upon lethal freezing stress, while mitochondria of the freeze-tolerant (diapausing, cold-acclimated) phenotype do not lose respiratory capacity upon the same stress. Using transmission electron microscopy, we show that fat body and hindgut mitochondria swell, and occasionally burst, upon exposure of the freeze-sensitive phenotype to lethal freezing stress. By contrast, mitochondrial swelling is not observed in the freeze-tolerant phenotype exposed to the same stress. We hypothesize that mitochondrial swelling results from permeability transition of the inner mitochondrial membrane and loss of its barrier function, which causes osmotic influx of cytosolic water into the matrix. We therefore suggest that the phenotypic transition to diapause and cold acclimation could be associated with adaptive changes that include the protection of the inner mitochondrial membrane against permeability transition and subsequent mitochondrial swelling. Accumulation of high concentrations of proline and other cryoprotective substances might be a part of such adaptive changes as we have shown that freezing-induced mitochondrial swelling was abolished by feeding the freeze-sensitive phenotype larvae on a proline-augmented diet.
Prevotella hominis sp. nov., isolated from human faeces
Authors: Liou Jong-Shian , Huang Chien-Hsun , Ikeyama Nao , Lee Ai-Yun , Chen I-Ching , Blom Jochen , Chen Chih-Chieh , Chen Chia-Hsuan , Lin Yu-Chun , Hsieh Sung-Yuan , Huang Lina , Ohkuma Moriya , Watanabe Koichi , Sakamoto Mitsuo
Published: July 2020

A strictly anaerobic predominant bacterium, designated as strain gm001T, was isolated from a freshly voided faecal sample collected from a healthy Taiwanese adult. Cells were Gram-stain-negative rods, non-motile and non-spore-forming. Strain gm001T was identified as a member of the genus

Prevotella

, and a comparison of 16S rRNA and hsp60 gene sequences revealed sequence similarities of 98.5 and 93.3 %, respectively, demonstrating that it was most closely related to the type strain of

Prevotella copri

. Phylogenomic tree analysis indicated that the gm001T cluster is an independent lineage of

P. copri

DSM 18205T. The average nucleotide identity, digital DNA‒DNA hybridization and average amino acid identity values between strain gm001T and

P. copri

DSM 18205T were 80.9, 28.6 and 83.8 %, respectively, which were clearly lower than the species delineation thresholds. The species-specific genes of this novel species were also identified on the basis of pan-genomic analysis. The predominant menaquinones were MK-11 and MK-12, and the predominant fatty acids were anteiso-C15 : 0, C15 : 0 and iso-C15 : 0. Acetate and succinate were produced from glucose as metabolic end products. Taken together, the results indicate that strain gm001T represents a novel species of the genus

Prevotella

, for which the name Prevotella hominis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is gm001T (=BCRC 81118T=JCM 33280T).
Improvement in antioxidant activities and cholesterol secretion
inhibition abilities of black raspberry extracts upon maturation
Authors: Chae Kyu Seo , Lee Su Jung , Gim Sung Woong , Cho Sung Wook , Kwon Ji Wung , Kim Yong-Suk
Published: July 2020

This study was carried out to investigate the improvements in antioxidant
activities and cholesterol secretion inhibiting abilities upon the maturation of
black raspberry (Rubus occidentalis, collected from May to June) for determining
the suitability of black raspberry extracts for use as functional food
materials. During the maturation process, the black raspberry samples were
extracted by water using the reflux extraction method. The antioxidant
activities of the resulting water extracts were determined in terms of the
reducing power and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and it was found
that these values were higher for the unripe black raspberry sample. The
cholesterol secretion inhibition activities of the extracts were then examined
in HepH2 cell, while the hydroxymethylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase
activity and cell viability were measured in HepG2 cell. In addition,
cholesterol secretion was inhibited of unripe black raspberry in HepG2 cell.
Furthermore, HMG-CoA reductase activity of the unripe black raspberry extract
was found to be superior to those of the other extracts. These results,
therefore, indicated that the antioxidant activity and cholesterol secretion
inhibiting ability of black raspberry were reduced during maturation and thus
the water extract of unripe black raspberry could be suitable for application in
functional foods and medicial materials.
Kinetics and Isotype Assessment of Antibodies Targeting the Spike Protein Receptor Binding Domain of SARS-CoV-2 In COVID-19 Patients as a function of Age and Biological Sex
Authors: Graham Nancy R. , Whitaker Annalis N. , Strother Camilla A. , Miles Ashley K. , Grier Dore , McElvany Benjamin D. , Bruce Emily A. , Poynter Matthew E. , Pierce Kristen K. , Kirkpatrick Beth D. , Stapleton Renee D. , An Gary , Botten Jason W. , Crothers Jessica W. , Diehl Sean A.
Published: July 2020

Abstract

SARS-CoV-2 is the newly emerged virus responsible for the global COVID-19 pandemic. There is an incomplete understanding of the host humoral immune response to SARS-CoV-2 during acute infection. Host factors such as age and sex as well the kinetics and functionality of antibody responses are important factors to consider as vaccine development proceeds. The receptor-binding domain of the CoV spike (RBD-S) protein is important in host cell recognition and infection and antibodies targeting this domain are often neutralizing. In a cross-sectional study of anti-RBD-S antibodies in COVID-19 patients we found equivalent levels in male and female patients and no age-related deficiencies even out to 93 years of age. The anti-RBD-S response was evident as little as 6 days after onset of symptoms and for at least 5 weeks after symptom onset. Anti-RBD-S IgG, IgM, and IgA responses were simultaneously induced within 10 days after onset, but isotype-specific kinetics differed such that anti-RBD-S IgG was most sustained over a 5-week period. The kinetics and magnitude of neutralizing antibody formation strongly correlated with that seen for anti-RBD-S antibodies. Our results suggest age- and sex-related disparities in COVID-19 fatalities are not explained by anti-RBD-S responses. The multi-isotype anti-RBD-S response induced by live virus infection could serve as a potential marker by which to monitor vaccine-induced responses.
A global survey on changes in the supply, price and use of illicit drugs and alcohol, and related complications during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Farhoudian Ali , Radfar Seyed Ramin , Ardabili Hossein Mohaddes , Rafei Parnian , Ebrahimi Mohsen , Zonoozi Arash Khojasteh , De Jong Cornelis A J , Vahidi Mehrnoosh , Yunesian Masud , Kouimtsidis Christos , Arunogiri Shalini , Hansen Helena , Brady Kathleen T , Potenza Marc N ,   ISAM-PPIG Global Survey Consortium, Baldacchino Alexander Mario , Ekhtiari Hamed
Published: July 2020

Background and aims

COVID-19 has infected more than 13 million people worldwide and impacted the lives of many more, with a particularly devastating impact on vulnerable populations, including people with substance use disorders (SUDs). Quarantines, travel bans, regulatory changes, social distancing and ‘lockdown’ measures have affected drug and alcohol supply chains and subsequently their availability, price and use patterns, with possible downstream effects on presentations of SUDs and demand for treatment. Given the lack of multicentric epidemiologic studies, we conducted a rapid global survey within the International Society of Addiction Medicine (ISAM) network in order to understand the status of substance-use patterns during the current pandemic.

Design

Cross-sectional survey.

Setting

Worldwide.

Participants

Starting on April 4th, 2020 during a 5-week period, the survey received 185 responses from 77 countries.

Measurements

To assess addiction medicine professionals’ perceived changes in drug and alcohol supply, price, use pattern and related complications during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Findings

Participants reported (among who answered “decreased” or “increased”, percentage of those who were in majority is reported in the parenthesis) a decrease in drug supply (69.0%), and at the same time an increase in price (95.3%) globally. With respect to changes in use patterns, an increase in alcohol (71.7%), cannabis (63.0%), prescription opioids (70.9%), and sedative/hypnotics (84.6%) use was reported while the use of amphetamines (59.7%), cocaine (67.5%), and opiates (58.2%) was reported to decrease overall.

Conclusions

The global report on changes in the availability, use patterns and complications of alcohol and drugs during the COVID-19 pandemic should be considered in making new policies and in developing mitigating measures and guidelines during the current pandemic (and probable future ones) in order to minimize risks to SUDs.

Competing interest

Authors claimed no competing interest
Evidence for the Placenta-Brain Axis: Multi-Omic Kernel Aggregation Predicts Intellectual and Social Impairment in Children Born Extremely Preterm
Authors: Santos Hudson P , Bhattacharya Arjun , Joseph Robert M , Smeester Lisa , Kuban Karl CK , Marsit Carmen J , O’Shea T. Michael , Fry Rebecca C
Published: July 2020

Background

Children born extremely preterm are at heightened risk for intellectual and social impairment, including Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). There is increasing evidence for a key role of the placenta in prenatal developmental programming, suggesting that the placenta may explain origins of neurodevelopmental outcomes.

Methods

We examined associations between placental genomic and epigenomic profiles and assessed their ability to predict intellectual and social impairment at age 10 years in 379 children from the Extremely Low Gestational Age Newborn (ELGAN) cohort. Assessment of intellectual ability (IQ) and social function was completed with the Differential Ability Scales-II (DAS-II) and Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS), respectively. Examining IQ and SRS allows for studying ASD risk beyond the diagnostic criteria, as IQ and SRS are continuous measures strongly correlated with ASD. Genome-wide mRNA, CpG methylation and miRNA were assayed with the Illumina Hiseq 2500, HTG EdgeSeq miRNA Whole Transcriptome Assay, and Illumina EPIC/850K array, respectively. We conducted genome-wide differential mRNA/miRNA and epigenome-wide placenta analyses. These molecular features were integrated for a predictive analysis of IQ and SRS outcomes using kernel aggregation regression. We lastly examined associations between ASD and the genomically-predicted component of IQ and SRS.

Results

Genes with important roles in placenta angiogenesis and neural function were associated with intellectual and social impairment. Kernel aggregations of placental multi-omics strongly predicted intellectual and social function, explaining approximately 8% and 12% of the variance in SRS and IQ scores via cross-validation, respectively. Predicted in-sample SRS and IQ showed significant positive and negative associations with ASD case-control status.

Limitations

The ELGAN is a cohort of children born pre-term, andgeneralization may be affected by unmeasured confounders associated with low gestational age. We conducted external validation of predictive models, though the sample size of the out-sample dataset (N= 49) and the scope of the available placental datasets are limited. Further validation of the models is merited.

Conclusions

Aggregating information from biomarkers within and between molecular data types improves prediction of complex traits like social and intellectual ability in children born extremely preterm, suggesting that traits influenced by the placenta-brain axis may be omnigenic.
Conflict Processing in Schizophrenia: Dissociable Neural Mechanisms Revealed by the N2 and Frontal Midline Theta
Authors: Hong Xiangfei , Yang Fuzhong , Wang Jijun , Li Chunbo , Ding Mingzhou , Sheng Jianhua
Published: July 2020

Deficits in executive control have long been regarded as one of the hallmark cognitive characteristics in people with schizophrenia (SZ), and current neurocognitive models of SZ generally regard the dysfunctional anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) as the possible neural mechanism. This however, contrasts with recent studies showing that conflict processing, a key component of executive functions that relies on ACC, remains relatively intact in SZ. The current study aimed to investigate this issue through two well-known electrophysiological signatures of conflict processing that have been suggested to origin from ACC, i.e., the N2 component of event-related potentials (ERPs) and frontal midline theta (FMθ) oscillations. We recorded 64-channel scalp electroencephalography from 29 SZ (17 women; mean age: 30.4 years) and 31 healthy control subjects (HC; 17 women; mean age: 29.1 years) performing a modified flanker task. Behavioral data revealed no significant differences in flanker conflict effects (lower accuracy and longer reaction time in incongruent trials than in congruent trials) between HC and SZ. Trial-averaged ERP and spectral analysis suggested that both N2 and FMθ were significantly impaired in SZ relative to HC. Furthermore, by sorting incongruent trials according to their reaction times within individual subjects, we found that the trial-by-trial modulation of N2 (larger amplitude and longer latency in slower trials) which was observed and localized in ACC in HC was totally absent in SZ. By contrast, the trial-by-trial modulation of FMθ (larger power in slower trials) was observed and localized in ACC in both groups, despite a relatively smaller magnitude in SZ. Notably, such trial-by-trial FMθ modulation was only present in incongruent trials that demanded conflict processing. Taken together, our results not only support the idea that FMθ, not N2, serves as the neural substrate of conflict processing in SZ, but also provide novel insights into the functional roles of ACC during executive control, enriching the current neurocognitive models of SZ.
Family and provider perceptions of quality of care in the management of sick young infants in primary health care settings in four counties of Kenya
Authors: Mbugua Samuel Mungai , Gitaka Jesse , Gitau Tabither , Odwe George , Mwaura Peter , Liambila Wilson , Ndwiga Charity , K’Oduol Kezia , Warren Charlotte E. , Abuya Timothy
Published: July 2020

Background

Understanding the perceptions of quality of care given to sick young infants in primary health care settings is key for developing strategies for effective uptake and utilization of PSBI guidelines. The purpose of this study is to assess families’ and providers’ perceptions of care given to sick young infants at primary healthcare facilities in four diverse counties in Kenya.

Methods

A cross-sectional qualitative design involving in-depth interviews (23) and focus group discussions (25) with very young (15-18 years), young (19-24 years) and older (25-45 years) caregivers of young infants 0-59 days; and key informant interviews with community- and facility-based frontline health providers (14) in primary health care facilities. Qualitative data were captured using audio tapes and field notes, transcribed, translated, and exported into QSR NVivo 12 for analysis. A thematic framework approach was adopted to classify and analyze data.

Results

Perceived care given to SYIs was described around six domains of WHO’s framework for the quality of maternal and newborn health care: evidence-based practices for routine and emergency care; functional referral systems; effective communication; respect and preservation of dignity; availability of competent, motivated human resources; and availability of physical resources. Views of caregivers and providers regarding SYIs care at PHCs were similar across the four sites. Main hindrance to SYI care includes stockout of essential drugs, limited infrastructure, lack of functional referral system, inadequate providers which led to delays in receiving treatment, inadequate provider skills and poor provider attitudes. Despite these challenges, motivation and teamwork of health providers were key tenets in care provision.

Conclusion

The findings underscore the need to prioritize improving quality of SYIs services at PHCs by building capacity of providers through training, ensuring continuous supply of essential medicines and equipment, improving infrastructure including referral.