bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Confucian Tradition and Politics
Authors: Kim Youngmin , Lee Ha-Kyoung , Park Seongun
Published: July 2019

Confucianism is a principal category and term of analysis in most discourses on Chinese culture. However, when it is defined in very stylized terms, it turns out to be of little use for understanding long-term historical changes, as its meaning varied greatly over more than a millennium. The Confucian tradition has fluctuated primarily because rulers and elites made use of inherited Confucianism for their ideological ends. In this light, Confucianism, Chinese elite, and politics are closely interconnected. Confucius, who has often been regarded as the founder of Confucianism, did not entertain a chance to materialize his political vision through a powerful government office, even if he had wished to do so. However, after his death, the early imperial rulers of China actively appropriated the textual tradition of what would later become Confucianism and used it to legitimize their political powers. Throughout the late imperial periods, Neo-Confucianism gained wide currency among those who did not hold governmental office and yet sought to engage in public matters at a local level. At the same time, donning the ideological garb of a Confucian sage-king, late imperial rulers instituted the civil service examinations and adopted Neo-Confucian commentaries on classical texts as the official curriculum. As there was almost no other access to office except through these examinations, Neo-Confucianism had become required knowledge for anyone who aspired to become a member of the elite until the early decades of the 20th century. In the late 19th century, China found itself in a disadvantageous position in the new world order, where aggressive European imperialism advanced across Asia. At that time, Chinese reformers regarded Confucianism as a cause of China’s failure to industrialize as adeptly as Western countries had. During the Mao Zedong era, Confucianism continued to be held responsible for the static nature of Chinese society, which robbed it of the possibility of progress. As Communism ceases to be a satisfactory model for China, the country’s politicians and intellectuals have sought a new identity and model whereby they can fashion their future. As a consequence, although discarded at the beginning of the last century as the cause of China’s demise, Confucianism has been gaining new currency as the model for modern China.
Constantinople and Moscow
Authors: Siecienski A. Edward
Published: July 2019

‘Constantinople and Moscow’ considers the Byzantines’ relationship with Rome during the thirteenth century and the continuing argument over the filioque and other Latin heresies. During the next century, it was an internal debate that rocked the Eastern church, as a dispute arose about whether one could in prayer have an experience of God as light. In 1453, Constantinople, the jewel of the Byzantine Empire, finally fell to the Ottomans and Orthodox Christians came under Islamic rule. The impact of the Reformation in Western Europe on Orthodoxy during the sixteenth century and the shift of the Orthodox world east to Moscow are also described.
“We no longer knew whether we were in heaven or on earth”
Authors: Siecienski A. Edward
Published: July 2019

‘“We no longer knew whether we were in heaven or on Earth”’ describes the experience of Orthodox church services. From the moment they enter the church for the Divine Liturgy, believers should feel themselves transported beyond time and space to the eternal worship of God that takes place in heaven, where the angels forever sing praises to the Holy Trinity. Orthodox Christians do not gather to “witness” the liturgy, but instead are there to make Christ present among them by their active participation in the church’s worship. The key liturgies of the Orthodox Church are described along with the feast of Pascha—the centerpiece of the Orthodox liturgical year—and the “The Twelve Great Feasts.”
Introduction
Authors: Siecienski A. Edward
Published: July 2019

Although it is the world’s second largest Christian denomination, with between 250 and 300 million adherents, Orthodoxy remains a little known and “mysterious” entity in the West. Yet for Orthodoxy, it is simply a way of being Christian ultimately rooted in the person of Jesus and the experience of the early church. The Introduction explains how Orthodoxy and Catholicism split between the eleventh and thirteenth centuries, and then developed along separate trajectories. Among the difficulties for modern Orthodoxy is the lack of any universal head, which prevents it from presenting itself to the world as a united entity. Despite this, Orthodox Christianity continues to thrive, both in its traditional homelands and in the West.
1. It all began with the Greeks
Authors: Perkowitz Sidney
Published: July 2019

From consumer devices to research at the edge of the unknown, physics is woven into our daily activities, our civilization, and our highest aspirations. It is a foundational science that is massively supported by society and underpins other science and technology. ‘It all began with the Greeks’ considers the history of physics from the minds of early Greek thinkers who wanted to understand the world around them to today’s intricate theories and apparatus. It discusses how through processes of observation, recording, experimentation, and analysis over millennia in different nations and cultures, modern physics has evolved, and highlights some of the key stages of that evolution.
6. Future physics: unanswered questions
Authors: Perkowitz Sidney
Published: July 2019

Today, physics can look back at recent breakthroughs at all scales, small to large, and in all its usages, pure to applied, such as the discovery of the predicted Higgs boson and the surprise discovery of dark energy; successes in exploring space and finding exoplanets, and in examining our own planet; achievements in novel electronic and photonic technology; and in biological physics with new tools to probe living systems and ourselves. These results show that physics continues to deepen our understanding of nature and affect how we live our lives, and raises new questions while addressing old ones. ‘Future physics: unanswered questions’ examines the questions that physicists are currently asking, and considers where physics will go next.
Machiavelli: A Very Short Introduction
Authors: Skinner Quentin
Published: July 2019

Machiavelli: A Very Short Introduction considers the life and impact of the Florentine Renaissance humanist, diplomat, historian, and political theorist Niccolò Machiavelli. Machiavelli taught that political leaders must be prepared to do evil so that good may come of it, and his name has been a byword ever since for duplicity and immorality. This VSI considers whether his sinister reputation is deserved, focusing on his three major political works, The Prince, the Discourses, and The Florentine Histories. This new edition discusses how Machiavelli developed his neo-classical political theory through engaging in continual dialogue with the ancient Roman moralists and historians, especially Cicero and Livy.
4. Steps towards the periodic table
Authors: Scerri Eric R.
Published: July 2019

‘Steps towards the periodic table’ outlines the different versions of the periodic table that were devised in the 1860s following the Karlsruhe conference in Germany, which introduced standardized atomic weights. De Chancourtois actually discovered periodicity, but his ideas did not gain traction for many years. Newlands devised the law of octaves, but the musical analogy garnered ridicule from academics. Odling made important discoveries in periodicity, but lacked enthusiasm for the idea. Hinrichs used his wide range of interests to postulate that the ratios of atomic size could explain each element’s unique spectral fingerprint. Meyer made huge strides in discovering periodicity, but, due to a misplaced table, did not get the recognition he deserved.
Heart-Thigh Cuff Pulse Wave Velocity: A Novel Nontechnical Measure of Arterial Stiffness
Authors: Fico Brandon G , Gourley Drew D , Wooten Savannah V , Tanaka Hirofumi
Published: July 2019

BACKGROUND

Recently, a novel index of arterial stiffness was developed to eliminate the placements of transducers on the carotid and femoral arteries and to make the measurement substantially easier. We evaluated the agreement of this new methodology with the well-established carotid–femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV).

METHODS

A total of 50 adults (28 men and 22 women) varying widely in age and blood pressure were studied. Heart-thigh pulse wave velocity (htPWV) and cfPWV were measured and compared.

RESULTS

Mean values of cfPWV and htPWV were 713 ± 145 and 699 ± 150 cm/s and were not significantly different (P = 0.43). Both cfPWV and htPWV were significantly associated with age (r = 0.80 and 0.58), body mass index (r = 0.44 and 0.31), and systolic blood pressure (r = 0.42 and 0.41). The 2 pulse wave velocity measures demonstrated a strong linear association with a Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.64 (P < 0.001). This agreement was consistent with the results of the Bland–Altman plot.

CONCLUSION

The automatic htPWV method, which permits the data acquisition with minimum technical skill, time, and intrusion in an operator-independent fashion, has good potential as a screening device for assessing arterial stiffness in a clinical setting.
Pathway Tools version 23.0 update: software for pathway/genome informatics and systems biology
Authors: Karp Peter D , Midford Peter E , Billington Richard , Kothari Anamika , Krummenacker Markus , Latendresse Mario , Ong Wai Kit , Subhraveti Pallavi , Caspi Ron , Fulcher Carol , Keseler Ingrid M , Paley Suzanne M
Published: July 2019

Motivation

Biological systems function through dynamic interactions among genes and their products, regulatory circuits and metabolic networks. Our development of the Pathway Tools software was motivated by the need to construct biological knowledge resources that combine these many types of data, and that enable users to find and comprehend data of interest as quickly as possible through query and visualization tools. Further, we sought to support the development of metabolic flux models from pathway databases, and to use pathway information to leverage the interpretation of high-throughput data sets.

Results

In the past 4 years we have enhanced the already extensive Pathway Tools software in several respects. It can now support metabolic-model execution through the Web, it provides a more accurate gap filler for metabolic models; it supports development of models for organism communities distributed across a spatial grid; and model results may be visualized graphically. Pathway Tools supports several new omics-data analysis tools including the Omics Dashboard, multi-pathway diagrams called pathway collages, a pathway-covering algorithm for metabolomics data analysis and an algorithm for generating mechanistic explanations of multi-omics data. We have also improved the core pathway/genome databases management capabilities of the software, providing new multi-organism search tools for organism communities, improved graphics rendering, faster performance and re-designed gene and metabolite pages.

Availability

The software is free for academic use; a fee is required for commercial use. See http://pathwaytools.com.

Contact

pkarp@ai.sri.com

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Briefings in Bioinformatics online.
Changes in alpha-7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor and macrophage polarization state participate in the regulation of cervical remodeling in pregnant rats†
Authors: Yang Jinying , Lai Yumian , Chen Juanhua , Lin Baohua , Zhou Bei , Han Xinjia
Published: July 2019

To test the hypothesis that changes in alpha-7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7nAChR) expression on macrophages and macrophage polarization participate in cervical remodeling during normal pregnancy, pregnant rats from gestational days (GDs) 14, 16, 18, 20, and 22 were used in the present study. The expression of α7nAChR on macrophages and the numbers of M1 and M2 macrophages were detected by double immunofluorescence staining. The levels of α7nAChR and collagens were detected by western blotting. M1 markers (inducible nitric oxide synthase and inflammatory cytokines) and M2 markers (arginase 1, anti-inflammatory cytokines) were detected to evaluate the macrophage polarization state by immunohistochemistry staining, western blotting, and the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) expression was determined by immunohistochemistry staining and western blotting. We found that the α7nAChR expression on macrophages significantly decreased on GD22 compared to GDs 14, 16, 18, and 20. There was an increased number of M1 macrophages and decreased number of M2 macrophages in late pregnancy. The expression of M1 macrophage biomarkers was much higher on GDs 20 and 22 than on GDs 14, 16, and 18, but expression of M2 biomarkers decreased on GDs 20 and 22 compared to GDs 14, 16, and 18. MMP-9 expression was higher on GD22 than on GDs 14, 16, 18, and 20, and collagen expression significantly decreased on GDs 18, 20, and 22 compared to GD14. Our results indicated that the decreased expression of α7nAChR and increased number of M1 macrophages are associated with cervical remodeling.
Evidence-Based, High-Intensity Exercise and Physical Activity for Compressing Morbidity in Older Adults: A Narrative Review
Authors: Winett Richard A , Ogletree Aaron M
Published: July 2019

Recent research in exercise science has important applications for middle-aged and older adults and points to how the programming of individual and multicomponent interventions including theory-based health behavior change strategies may be improved to compress morbidity by delaying or reducing the disabling process. High-intensity interval training and sprint interval training until recently were seen as only applicable to athletes. But recent lab-based research has adapted these interventions for even older adults and demonstrated their safety with beneficial outcomes on cardiometabolic risk factors comparable to or surpassing the usual lower- to moderate-intensity endurance training, and their potential translatability by showing the efficacy of much lower duration and frequency of training, even by systematic stair climbing. Moreover, people report positive affect while engaged in such training. For a century, resistance training was conceived as weightlifting with heavy weights required. Recent research has shown that using a higher degree of effort with lighter to moderate resistance in simple, time efficient protocols result in gains in strength and muscle mass similar to heavy resistance, as well as improvement of cardiometabolic risk factors, strength, body composition, and cognitive, affective, and functional abilities. More effort-based resistance training with moderate resistance may make resistance training more appealing and accessible to older adults. A key potential translational finding is that with correct technique and a high degree of effort, training with inexpensive, portable elastic bands, useable virtually anywhere, can provide appreciable benefits. More emphasis should be placed on long-term, translational interventions, resources, and programs that integrate interval and resistance trainings. This work may improve public health programs for middle-aged and older adults and reflects an emerging evidence base.
Soft and hard X-ray dips in the light curves of γ Cassiopeiae
Authors: Smith M A , Lopes de Oliveira R
Published: July 2019

The available six archival XMM–Newton observations of the anomalous X-ray emitter γ Cas (B0.5 IVe) have been surveyed for the presence of soft X-ray ‘dips’ in X-ray light curves. In addition to discovering such events in the soft band (≤2 keV), we show that sometimes they are accompanied by minor, nearly simultaneous dips in the hard X-ray band. Herein, we investigate how these occurrences can be understood in the ‘magnetic star–disc interaction’ hypothesis proposed in the literature to explain the hard, variable X-ray emission of this Be star. In this scenario, the soft X-ray dips are interpreted as transits by comparatively dense, soft X-ray-absorbing blobs that move across the lines of sight to the surface of the Be star. We find that these blobs have similar properties as the ‘cloudlets’ responsible for migrating subfeatures in UV and optical spectral lines and therefore may be part of a common distribution of co-rotating occulters. The frequencies, amplitudes, and longevities of these dips vary widely. Additionally, the most recent spectra from 2014 July suggest that the ‘warm’ (kT ≈ 0.6–4 keV) plasma sources responsible for some of the soft flux are much more widely spread over the Be star’s surface than the hot plasma sites that dominate the flux at all X-ray energies. We finally call attention to a sudden drop in all X-ray energies of the 2014 light curve of γ Cas and a similar sudden drop in a light curve of the ‘analog’ HD 110432. We speculate that these could be related to appearances of particularly strong soft X-ray dips several hours earlier.
Absolute properties of RU Cnc revisited: an active RS CVn-type eclipsing binary with red giant branch and main-sequence components
Authors: Çokluk K A , Koçak D , İçli T , Karaköse S , Üstündağ S , Yakut K
Published: July 2019

We present observations and analysis of an RS CVn-type double-lined eclipsing binary system, RU Cnc. The system has been observed for over a century. High-quality long-cadence observations, newly obtained from the Kepler K2 C5 and C18 campaigns, and two radial velocity curves were combined and analysed simultaneously, assuming a multispot model. The masses, radii and luminosities of the component stars have been precisely obtained as $M_\textrm{c} = 1.386\pm 0.044\, \mathrm{M}_{\odot }$, $M_\textrm{h} = 1.437 \pm 0.046\, \mathrm{M}_{\odot }$, $R_\textrm{h} = 2.39\pm 0.07\, \mathrm{R}_{\odot }$, $R_\textrm{c} = 5.02 \pm 0.08\, \mathrm{R}_{\odot }$, $L_\textrm{h} = 11.4\pm 1.2\, \mathrm{L}_{\odot }$ and$L_\textrm{c} = 12.0 \pm 1.0\, \mathrm{L}_{\odot }$, with a separation of $a = 27.914 \pm 0.016\, \mathrm{R}_{\odot }$. The distance of the system is determined to be $380\pm 57\,$ pc, which is consistent with the Gaia Data Release 2 result. Long-term detailed period variation analysis of the system indicates a period decrease of 7.9 × 10−7 d yr–1. The results suggest that the cooler component is on the red giant branch (RGB) and the hotter component is still on the main sequence.
Discovery of Novel Sequences in 1,000 Swedish Genomes
Authors: Eisfeldt Jesper , Mårtensson Gustaf , Ameur Adam , Nilsson Daniel , Lindstrand Anna
Published: July 2019

Novel sequences (NSs), not present in the human reference genome, are abundant and remain largely unexplored. Here, we utilize de novo assembly to study NS in 1,000 Swedish individuals first sequenced as part of the SweGen project revealing a total of 46 Mb in 61,044 distinct contigs of sequences not present in GRCh38. The contigs were aligned to recently published catalogs of Icelandic and Pan-African NSs, as well as the chimpanzee genome, revealing a great diversity of shared sequences. Analyzing the positioning of NS across the chimpanzee genome, we find that 2,807 NS align confidently within 143 chimpanzee orthologs of human genes. Aligning the whole genome sequencing data to the chimpanzee genome, we discover ancestral NS common throughout the Swedish population. The NSs were searched for repeats and repeat elements: revealing a majority of repetitive sequence (56%), and enrichment of simple repeats (28%) and satellites (15%). Lastly, we align the unmappable reads of a subset of the thousand genomes data to our collection of NS, as well as the previously published Pan-African NS: revealing that both the Swedish and Pan-African NS are widespread, and that the Swedish NSs are largely a subset of the Pan-African NS. Overall, these results highlight the importance of creating a more diverse reference genome and illustrate that significant amounts of the NS may be of ancestral origin.
Updating the use of the Madrid Sonographic Enthesis Index (MASEI): a systematic review of the literature
Authors: Macía-Villa Cristina , De Miguel Eugenio
Published: July 2019

Objective

To perform a systematic review of the literature to evaluate the use of the enthesis ultrasound Madrid Sonographic Entesis Index (MASEI) from its publication.

Methods

A systematic search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Central Register databases was performed. The search strategy was constructed to identify publications containing terms related to enthesis and ultrasound. The only applied filter was studies conducted in humans. One reviewer systematically screened the search. A second reviewer verified the selection. The data extraction was focused on study characteristics, including population and components of the OMERACT filter.

Results

Sixty-eight of the 1581 identified studies had used MASEI, including 41 (60%) abstracts and 27 (40%) articles. Of the 27 articles, MASEI was mainly used for spondyloarthritis and related diseases in 12 (44%) articles, followed by both psoriatic arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis in five (19%) articles; however, it was also used in diseases such as Behçet disease, FM, familiar Mediterranean fever, SS, crystal arthropathies and systemic sclerosis. The feasibility of MASEI was reported in three (11%) articles, and the reliability in 12 (44%) with good to excellent values. No article evaluated the responsiveness to treatment. The construct validity of MASEI was assessed using biomarkers in seven (26%) articles, clinical examination in 13 (48%) and imaging procedures (only X-rays) in two (7%). The discriminative validity was assessed in 16 (59%) articles, not only in SpAs.

Conclusion

MASEI is a feasible, reliable and valid ultrasound score for the study of enthesis in spondyloarthritis, psoriatic arthritis and other diseases.
Effects of ractopamine hydrochloride supplementation on feeding behavior, growth performance, and carcass characteristics of finishing steers1,2
Authors: Trotta Ronald J , Maddock Carlin Kasey R , Swanson Kendall C
Published: July 2019

Ractopamine hydrochloride (RAC) is a β-adrenergic agonist that functions as a repartitioning agent to improve muscling in feedlot cattle. Many studies have investigated the effects of RAC on growth performance and carcass characteristics; however, there is minimal information about the influence of RAC on feeding behavior. Sixty-nine steers (body weight [BW] = 364 ± 3.9 kg) predominately of Angus and Simmental breeding were subjected to a 126-d (n = 46) or 154-d (n = 23) feeding period and randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups: supplementation to provide 0 (CON; n = 34) or 267 ± 4.9 mg/d of RAC (n = 35). Ractopamine was provided as Optaflexx 45 at 0.024% of the diet (dry matter [DM] basis; Elanco Animal Health, Greenfield, IN). Dietary treatments were fed the final 42 d in the feed yard (treatment period). Feeding behavior and growth performance were measured using radio frequency identification tags and the Insentec feeding system. Following the final day of treatment, steers were slaughtered and carcass measurements were recorded. Data were analyzed using MIXED models in SAS. There were no differences in BW, average daily gain (ADG), DM intake (DMI), gain:feed ratio (G:F), or feeding behavior during the pretreatment period (P > 0.44). Ractopamine supplementation increased G:F during the treatment period (P = 0.02) and during the total period (P = 0.03) and tended to increase ADG during the treatment and total period (P ≤ 0.08). DMI was not affected during the treatment or total period (P > 0.67). Eating time per visit, per meal, and per day were decreased (P < 0.02) in steers supplemented with RAC during the treatment period. DMI per minute was increased (P = 0.02) in steers supplemented with RAC. Hot carcass weight, dressing percentage, and 12th rib fat were not influenced by RAC supplementation. Ractopamine supplementation decreased marbling (P = 0.008) and kidney, pelvic, and heart percentage (P = 0.04) and increased longissimus muscle area (P = 0.01). These data demonstrate that RAC supplementation for 42 d improves feed efficiency, increases the rate of DMI without altering DMI, and increases muscling in finishing cattle.
Factors associated with the institutionalization of a physical activity program in Australian elementary schools
Authors: Bourke Matthew , Hilland Toni A , Craike Melinda
Published: July 2019

The health benefits of classroom-based physical activity programs may only be sustained if programs are continually implemented over time. Despite the importance of instituting physical activity programs to ensure their continued implementation, little is known about factors associated with institutionalization of programs at a school level. The purpose of this study is to examine how school context, principal characteristics, and program attributes are associated with the institutionalization of Bluearth Foundation’s Active Schools program in Australian elementary schools. Current principals from schools who participated in the Active Schools program between 2015 and 2017 reported the level of institutionalization of the program, school context, principal characteristics, and perceived attributes of the program. Univariate associations were calculated using Pearson’s correlation coefficient, independent sample t-tests and one-way ANOVA. Linear regression using backward deletion was used to calculate significant or marginally significant (p < .1) multivariate associations. Thirty of the 211 eligible principals participated in the study. School capacity (r = .617, p < .001); perceived student behavioral (r = .577, p < .001), health (r = .499, p < .001), and enjoyment benefits (r = .529, p < .001), relative advantage (r = .417, p = .022), observability (r = .385, p = .036), and having the program delivered by a Bluearth coach at the time of the study (η 2 = .426, p < .001) all had a significant positive univariate association with institutionalization. School capacity (β = 1.802, p = .001), observability (β = 0.902, p = .061), and having the program delivered by a Bluearth coach at the time of the study (β = 2.580, p = .003) remained significant in the final multivariate model. Results suggest that schools that have someone who can provide support implementing a program are more likely to institute the program into policies and practices. It is also important that school administrators have the tools to evaluate the benefits of physical activity programs and to perceive them as being beneficial for their students. However, schools may struggle to institutionalize physical activity programs after formal program delivery has concluded.
Long-lasting Analgesia via Targetedin vivoEpigenetic Repression of Nav1.7
Authors: Moreno Ana M. , Catroli Glaucilene F. , Alemán Fernando , Pla Andrew , Woller Sarah A. , Hu Michael , Yaksh Tony , Mali Prashant
Published: July 2019

Current treatments for chronic pain rely largely on opioids despite their unwanted side effects and risk of addiction. Genetic studies have identified in humans key targets pivotal to nociceptive processing, with the voltage-gated sodium channel, NaV1.7 (SCN9A), being perhaps the most promising candidate for analgesic drug development. Specifically, a hereditary loss-of-function mutation in NaV1.7 leads to insensitivity to pain without other neurodevelopmental alterations. However, the high sequence similarity between NaVsubtypes has frustrated efforts to develop selective inhibitors. Here, we investigated targeted epigenetic repression of NaV1.7 via genome engineering approaches based on clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-dCas9 and zinc finger proteins as a potential treatment for chronic pain. Towards this end, we first optimized the efficiency of NaV1.7 repressionin vitroin Neuro2A cells, and then by the lumbar intrathecal route delivered both genome-engineering platforms via adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) to assess their effects in three mouse models of pain: carrageenan-induced inflammatory pain, paclitaxel-induced neuropathic pain and BzATP-induced pain. Our results demonstrate: one, effective repression of NaV1.7 in lumbar dorsal root ganglia; two, reduced thermal hyperalgesia in the inflammatory state; three, decreased tactile allodynia in the neuropathic state; and four, no changes in normal motor function. We anticipate this genomically scarless and non-addictivepainamelioration approach enablingLong-lastingAnalgesia viaTargetedin vivoEpigeneticRepression of Nav1.7, a methodology we dubpain LATER, will have significant therapeutic potential, such as for preemptive administration in anticipation of a pain stimulus (pre-operatively), or during an established chronic pain state.

One sentence summary

In situepigenome engineering approach for genomically scarless, durable, and non-addictive management of pain.
LncRNA Mrhl orchestrates differentiation programs in mouse embryonic stem cells through chromatin mediated regulation
Authors: Pal Debosree , Neha C V , Bhaduri Utsa , Zenia  , Chidambaram Subbulakshmi , Rao M.R.S
Published: July 2019

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been well-established to act as regulators and mediators of development and cell fate specification programs. LncRNA Mrhl (meiotic recombination hotspot locus) has been shown to act in a negative feedback loop with WNT signaling to regulate male germ cell meiotic commitment. In our current study, we have addressed the role of Mrhl in development and differentiation using mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) as our model system of study. We found Mrhl to be a nuclear-localized, chromatin-bound lncRNA with moderately stable expression in mESCs. Transcriptome analyses and loss-of-function phenotype studies revealed dysregulation of developmental processes and lineage-specific genes along with aberrance in specification of early lineages during differentiation of mESCs. Genome-wide chromatin occupancy studies suggest regulation of chromatin architecture at key target loci through triplex formation. Our studies thus reveal a role for lncRNA Mrhl in regulating differentiation programs in mESCs in the context of appropriate cues through chromatin-mediated responses.
Exon definition facilitates reliable control of alternative splicing in the RON proto-oncogene
Authors: Enculescu M. , Braun S. , Setty S. T. , Zarnack K. , König J. , Legewie S.
Published: July 2019

Alternative splicing is a key step in eukaryotic gene expression that allows the production of multiple protein isoforms from the same gene. Even though splicing is perturbed in many diseases, we currently lack insights into regulatory mechanisms promoting its precision and efficiency. We analyse high-throughput mutagenesis data obtained for an alternatively spliced exon in the proto-oncogene RON and determine the functional units that control this splicing event. Using mathematical modeling of distinct splicing mechanisms, we show that alternative splicing is based in RON on a so-called ‘exon definition’ mechanism. Here, the recognition of the adjacent exons by the spliceosome is required for removal of an intron. We use our model to analyze the differences between the exon and intron definition scenarios and find that exon definition is crucial to prevent the accumulation of deleterious, partially spliced retention products during alternative splicing regulation. Furthermore, it modularizes splicing control, as multiple regulatory inputs are integrated into a common net input, irrespective of the location and nature of the corresponding cis-regulatory elements in the pre-mRNA. Our analysis suggests that exon definition promotes robust and reliable splicing outcomes in RON splicing.

SIGNIFICANCE

During mRNA maturation, pieces of the pre-mRNA (introns) are removed during splicing, and remaining parts (exons) are joined together. In alternative splicing, certain exons are either included or excluded, resulting in different splice products. Inclusion of RON alternative exon 11 leads to a functional receptor tyrosine kinase, while skipping results in a constitutively active receptor that promotes epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and contributes to tumour invasiveness. Intron retention results in to deleterious isoforms that cannot be translated properly. Using kinetic modeling, we investigate the combinatorial regulation of this important splicing decision, and find that the experimental data supports a so-called exon definition mechanism. We show that this mechanism enhances the precision of alternative splicing regulation and prevents the retention of introns in the mature mRNA.
Position-theta-phase model of hippocampal place cell activity applied to quantification of running speed modulation of firing rate
Authors: McClain Kathryn , Tingley David , Heeger David , Buzsáki György
Published: July 2019

Spiking activity of place cells in the hippocampus encodes the animal’s position as it moves through an environment. Within a cell’s place field, both the firing rate and the phase of spiking in the local theta oscillation contain spatial information. We propose a position-theta-phase (PTP) model that captures the simultaneous expression of the firing-rate code and theta-phase code in place cell spiking. This model parametrically characterizes place fields to compare across cells, time and condition, generates realistic place cell simulation data, and conceptualizes a framework for principled hypothesis testing to identify additional features of place cell activity. We use the PTP model to assess the effect of running speed in place cell data recorded from rats running on linear tracks. For the majority of place fields we do not find evidence for speed modulation of the firing rate. For a small subset of place fields, we find firing rates significantly increase or decrease with speed. We use the PTP model to compare candidate mechanisms of speed modulation in significantly modulated fields, and determine that speed acts as a gain control on the magnitude of firing rate. Our model provides a tool that connects rigorous analysis with a computational framework for understanding place cell activity.

Significance

The hippocampus is heavily studied in the context of spatial navigation, and the format of spatial information in hippocampus is multifaceted and complex. Furthermore, the hippocampus is also thought to contain information about other important aspects of behavior such as running speed, though there is not agreement on the nature and magnitude of their effect. To understand how all of these variables are simultaneously represented and used to guide behavior, a theoretical framework is needed that can be directly applied to the data we record. We present a model that captures well-established spatial-encoding features of hippocampal activity and provides the opportunity to identify and incorporate novel features for our collective understanding.
Sexual signals of fish species mimic the spatial statistics of their habitat: evidence for processing bias in animal signal evolution
Authors: Hulse Samuel. V. , Renoult Julien P. , Mendelson Tamra C.
Published: July 2019

The diversity of animal visual displays has intrigued scientists for centuries. Sexual selection theory has explained some of this diversity, yet most of this effort has focused on simple aspects of signal design, such as color. The evolution of complex patterns that characterize many sexual displays remains largely unexplained. The field of empirical aesthetics, a subdiscipline of cognitive psychology, has shown that humans are attracted to visual images that match the spatial statistics of natural scenes. We investigated whether applying this result to animals could help explain the diversification of complex sexual signaling patterns. We used Fourier analysis to compare the spatial statistics of body patterning in ten species of darters (Etheostoma spp.), a group of freshwater fishes with striking male visual displays, with those of their respective habitats. We found a significant correlation between the spatial statistics of darter patterns and those of their habitats for males, but not for females. Our results suggest that visual characteristics of natural environments can influence the evolution of complex patterns in sexual signals.
Structure-function correlations analysis and functional semantic annotation of mechanical CAD assembly model
Authors: Han Zhoupeng , Mo Rong , Yang Haicheng , Hao Li
Published: July 2019

Purpose

Three-dimensional computer-aided design (CAD) assembly model has become important resource for design reuse in enterprises, which implicates plenty of design intent, assembly intent, design experience knowledge and functional structures. To acquire quickly CAD assembly models associated with specific functions by using product function requirement information in the product conceptual design phase for model reuse, this paper aims to find an approach for structure-function correlations analysis and functional semantic annotation of mechanical CAD assembly model before functional semantic-based assembly retrieval.

Design/methodology/approach

An approach for structure-function correlations analysis and functional semantic annotation of CAD assembly model is proposed. First, the product knowledge model is constructed based on ontology including design knowledge and function knowledge. Then, CAD assembly model is represented by part attributed adjacency graph and partitioned into multiple functional regions. Assembly region and flow-activity region are defined for structure-function correlations analysis of CAD assembly model. Meanwhile, the extraction process of assembly region and flow-activity region is given in detail. Furthermore, structure-function correlations analysis and functional semantic annotation are achieved by considering comprehensively assembly structure and assembled part shape structure in CAD assembly model. After that, a structure-function relation model is established based on polychromatic sets for expressing explicitly and formally relationships between functional structures, assembled parts and functional semantics.

Findings

The correlation between structure and function is analyzed effectively, and functional semantics corresponding to structures in CAD assembly model are labeled. Additionally, the relationships between functional structures, assembled parts and functional semantics can be described explicitly and formally.

Practical implications

The approach can be used to help designers accomplish functional semantic annotation of CAD assembly models in model repository, which provides support for functional semantic-based CAD assembly retrieval in the product conceptual design phase. These assembly models can be reused for product structure design and assembly process design.

Originality/value

The paper proposes a novel approach for structure-function correlations analysis and functional semantic annotation of mechanical CAD assembly model. Functional structures in assembly model are extracted and analyzed from the point of view of assembly structure and function part structure. Furthermore, the correlation relation between structures, assembled parts and functional semantics is expressed explicitly and formally based on polychromatic sets.
Position-based impedance force controller with sensorless force estimation
Authors: Yuan Jianjun , Qian Yingjie , Gao Liming , Yuan Zhaohan , Wan Weiwei
Published: July 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to purpose an improved sensorless position-based force controller in gravitational direction for applications including polishing, milling and deburring.

Design/methodology/approach

The first issue is the external force/torque estimation at end-effector. By using motor’s current information and Moore-Penrose generalized inverse matrix, it can be derived from the external torques of every joints for nonsingular cases. The second issue is the force control strategy which is based on position-based impedance control model. Two novel improvements were made to achieve a better performance. One is combination of impedance control and explicit force control. The other one is the real-time prediction of the surface’s shape allowing the controller adaptive to arbitrary surfaces.

Findings

The result of validation experiments indicates that the estimation of external force and prediction of surface’s shape are credible, and the position-based constant contact force controller in gravitational direction is functional. The accuracy of force tracking is adequate for targeted applications such as polishing, deburring and milling.

Originality/value

The value of this paper lies in three aspects which are sensorless external force estimation, the combination of impedance control and explicit force control and the independence of surface shape information achieved by real-time surface prediction.
Corrosion behavior of the joints of carbon fiber reinforced polymers with DP590 steel and Al6022 alloy
Authors: Zhang Chi , Zheng Dajiang , Song Guang-Ling , Guo Yang , Liu Ming , Kia Hamid
Published: July 2019

Purpose

This study aims to propose a simple experimental method to distinguish the galvanic corrosion, crevice corrosion and self-corrosion in metal/carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) joints.

Design/methodology/approach

The corrosion behaviors of four different galvanic couples, whose anodes were Zn-coated DP590 steel and Al 6022, and cathodes were two kinds of CFRP, were investigated in immersion and GMW14872 cyclic conditions.

Findings

The results showed that the galvanic corrosion caused by direct contact between CFRP and metals was more serious than that caused by the jointing bolts. The corrosion damage caused by crevice corrosion was severer than that caused by galvanic corrosion. Self-corrosion was also significant, particularly under the cyclic salt spray condition.

Practical implications

Cyclic salt spray test may more reliably simulate the galvanic corrosion of a joint in industrial service environments, and real corrosion damage may be underestimated by a galvanic current measurement.

Originality/value

A deeper understanding of different corrosion mechanisms involved in CFRP/metal joints under different service conditions in industry has been given.
Low-power electrical impedance tomography spectroscopy
Authors: Padilha Leitzke Juliana , Zangl Hubert
Published: July 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to present an approach based on electrical impedance tomography spectroscopy (EITS) for the determination of water and ice fraction in low-power applications such as autarkic wireless sensors, which require a low computational complexity reconstruction approach and a low number of electrodes. This paper also investigates how the electrode design can affect the reconstruction results in tomography.

Design/methodology/approach

EITS is performed by using a non-iterative method called optimal first order approximation. In addition to that, a planar electrode geometry is used instead of the traditional circular electrode geometry. Such a structure allows the system to identify materials placed on the region above the sensor, which do not need to be confined in a pipe. For the optimization, the mean squared error (MSE) between the reference images and the obtained reconstructed images was calculated.

Findings

The authors demonstrate that even with a low number of four electrodes and a low complexity reconstruction algorithm, a reasonable reconstruction of water and ice fractions is possible. Furthermore, it is shown that an optimal distribution of the sensor electrodes can help to reduce the MSE without any costs in terms of computational complexity or power consumption.

Originality/value

This paper shows through simulations that the reconstruction of ice and water mixtures is possible and that the electrode design is a topic of great importance, as they can significantly affect the reconstruction results.
A nonstandard finite difference technique for singular Lane-Emden type equations
Authors: Chapwanya Michael , Dozva Robert , Muchatibaya Gift
Published: July 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to design new finite difference schemes for the Lane–Emden type equations. In particular, the authors show that the schemes are stable with respect to the properties of the equation. The authors prove the uniqueness of the schemes and provide numerical simulations to support the findings.

Design/methodology/approach

The Lane–Emden equation is a well-known highly nonlinear ordinary differential equation in mathematical physics. Exact solutions are known for a few parameter ranges and it is important that any approximation captures the properties of the equation it represent. For this reason, designing schemes requires a careful consideration of these properties. The authors apply the well-known nonstandard finite difference methods.

Findings

Several interesting results are provided in this work. The authors list these as follows. Two new schemes are designed. Mathematical proofs are provided to show the existence and uniqueness of the solution of the discrete schemes. The authors show that the proposed method can be extended to singularly perturbed equations.

Originality/value

The value of this work can be measured as follows. It is the first time such schemes have been designed for the kind of equations.
A review of entrepreneurship education research in the special issues of Education + Training journal
Authors: Aamir Suhaib , Atsan Nuray Fatma , Erdem Ayfer Ferda
Published: July 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the course of entrepreneurship education (EE) research within the framework of entrepreneurship. The study is based on the results of previous research published in the annual double special issues of Education + Training (E+T) journal. In this context, it examines the role of EE at different levels of education; EE interactions and approaches; the effects of the variety of variables on EE; and the grouping of these variables into clusters.

Design/methodology/approach

The study uses literature review to categorize 59 papers into clusters based on the associations of different variables to EE which have been extracted from the annual double special issues of E+T journal. These special issues were published during the period of 2011–2018. All the reviewed papers were empirical in nature.

Findings

The study has identified 47 variables from 59 empirical papers, which have been grouped into 6 clusters around EE. Based on different levels of studies such as primary, secondary and tertiary levels, the examined papers discuss a variety of variables with reference to their positive, negative, significant or non-significant relationships to EE.

Originality/value

The paper demonstrates the progress of the knowledge produced with regard to EE research in recent years. It is among the very few studies to focus on the discrete collection of special issue papers.