bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Perovskite in Earth’s deep interior
Authors: Hirose Kei , Sinmyo Ryosuke , Hernlund John
Published: November 2017

Silicate perovskite-type phases are the most abundant constituent inside our planet and are the predominant minerals in Earth’s lower mantle more than 660 kilometers below the surface. Magnesium-rich perovskite is a major lower mantle phase and undergoes a phase transition to post-perovskite near the bottom of the mantle. Calcium-rich perovskite is proportionally minor but may host numerous trace elements that record chemical differentiation events. The properties of mantle perovskites are the key to understanding the dynamic evolution of Earth, as they strongly influence the transport properties of lower mantle rocks. Perovskites are expected to be an important constituent of rocky planets larger than Mars and thus play a major role in modulating the evolution of terrestrial planets throughout the universe.
Reducing the stochasticity of crystal nucleation to enable subnanosecond memory writing
Authors: Rao Feng , Ding Keyuan , Zhou Yuxing , Zheng Yonghui , Xia Mengjiao , Lv Shilong , Song Zhitang , Feng Songlin , Ronneberger Ider , Mazzarello Riccardo , Zhang Wei , Ma Evan
Published: November 2017

Fast phase change with no preconditions

Random access memory (RAM) devices that rely on phase changes are primarily limited by the speed of crystallization. Rao
et al.
combined theory with a simple set of selection criteria to isolate a scandium-doped antimony telluride (SST) with a subnanosecond crystallization speed (see the Perspective by Akola and Jones). They synthesized SST and constructed a RAM device with a 700-picosecond writing speed. This is an order of magnitude faster than previous phase-change memory devices and competitive with consumer dynamic access, static random access, and flash memory.

Science
, this issue p.
1423
; see also p.
1386
SAMTOR is an
S
-adenosylmethionine sensor for the mTORC1 pathway
Authors: Gu Xin , Orozco Jose M. , Saxton Robert A. , Condon Kendall J. , Liu Grace Y. , Krawczyk Patrycja A. , Scaria Sonia M. , Harper J. Wade , Gygi Steven P. , Sabatini David M.
Published: November 2017

SAMTOR joins the family

The amino acid methionine is widely appreciated to have interesting effects on animal physiology. Diets low in methionine increase longevity and overall health, particularly glucose homeostasis. Gu
et al.
describe a potential molecular link between the effects of methionine restriction and the growth controller mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1), a well-validated regulator of life span and health span in many organisms. They identify a protein that they named SAMTOR as a component of the nutrient-sensing pathway upstream of mTORC1. SAMTOR directly binds S-adenosylmethionine (SAM), a metabolite made from methionine, and is necessary for regulating mTORC1 in response to methionine.

Science
, this issue p.
813
A record of ice sheet demise
Authors: Marcott Shaun A. , Shakun Jeremy D.
Published: November 2017

The Cordilleran ice sheet in western Canada melted sooner than previously thought
Use of Multiplex Quantitative PCR To Evaluate the Impact of Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine on Nasopharyngeal Pneumococcal Colonization in African Children
Authors: Olwagen Courtney P. , Adrian Peter V. , Nunes Marta C. , Groome Michelle J. , Cotton Mark F. , Violari Avy , Madhi Shabir A.
Published: November 2017

This study focused on evaluating the effect of infant vaccination with 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7), using a multiplex qPCR method, on the density of serotype-specific nasopharyngeal colonization in order to delineate the relative role of serotype replacement versus unmasking as the cause for the increase in nonvaccine serotype colonization in PCV7-vaccinated children. This is pertinent in the context of the ongoing deployment of PCV immunization in children, with surveillance of colonization considered an early proxy for disease that might arise from nonvaccine serotypes, as well as the success of childhood vaccination on indirect effect in the community through the interruption of pneumococcal transmission from vaccinated young children.
Comparing a new hydroexpression technique with conventional forceps method for SMILE lenticule removal
Authors: Ng Alex L K , Cheng George P M , Woo Victor C P , Jhanji Vishal , Chan Tommy C Y
Published: November 2017

Background

We described a modified ‘hydroexpression’ technique for the lenticule removal during small-incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) surgery and compared the results with conventional forceps method.

Methods

This was a retrospective, comparative study of 50 patients who underwent SMILE surgery by the same surgeon. We compared the 1-week and 3-months postoperative results after SMILE using the hydroexpression technique with the conventional forceps technique. Main outcome measures included uncorrected distance visual acuity, corrected distance visual acuity, refractive accuracy, safety index and efficacy index.

Results

The baseline characteristics were comparable between both groups. At postoperative 1 week, the safety index in forceps and hydroexpression group was 0.93±0.11 and 0.97±0.10, respectively (P=0.246). At 3 months, they were 1.00±0.06 and 0.99±0.09 (P=0.850). For efficacy indices, at 1 week they were 0.84±0.17 and 0.91±0.17 (P=0.158). At 3 months, they were 0.92±0.13 and 0.94±0.19 (P=0.624). All eyes aimed for a plano target. 96% in forceps group and 90% in hydroexpression group were within ±0.50 dioptre (D) in spherical equivalent refraction (SEQ) correction at postoperative 3 months (P=0.567). The mean errors of SEQ correction were −0.10±0.21 D in forceps group and −0.08±0.30 D in hydroexpression group (P=0.705).

Conclusion

Hydroexpression was simple and safe and had early results comparable to the conventional forceps technique. This technique was particularly useful for cases with more adhesions between lenticule and anterior cap, thin lenticule cases and for the inexperienced SMILE surgeons.
Posterior keratoconus
Authors: Silas Megan R , Hilkert Sarah M , Reidy James J , Farooq Asim V
Published: November 2017

Posterior keratoconus (PKC) is a rare, typically non-inflammatory condition that is characterised by an abnormal posterior corneal curvature, which may be accompanied by overlying stromal opacification. It is usually congenital and can be associated with other ocular and systemic abnormalities. PKC remains a clinical diagnosis, although imaging techniques including ultrasound biomicroscopy and anterior segment optical coherence tomography may be useful tools for confirmation and classification. Genetic studies should be considered, although no specific genetic defects have been identified thus far. As a potential cause of amblyopia, early diagnosis and management are crucial in maximising visual potential. Occasionally, management considerations may also include surgical intervention, such as corneal transplantation. Intraocular lens power calculation at the time of cataract surgery requires special consideration. Here, we review the present literature on PKC and consider future directions in the management of this rare entity.
Metagenomic deep sequencing of aqueous fluid detects intraocular lymphomas
Authors: Gonzales John , Doan Thuy , Shantha Jessica G , Bloomer Michele , Wilson Michael R , DeRisi Joseph L , Acharya Nisha
Published: November 2017

Introduction

Currently, the detection of pathogens or mutations associated with intraocular lymphomas heavily relies on prespecified, directed PCRs. With metagenomic deep sequencing (MDS), an unbiased high-throughput sequencing approach, all pathogens as well as all mutations present in the host’s genome can be detected in the same small amount of ocular fluid.

Methods

In this cross-sectional case series, aqueous fluid samples from two patients were submitted to MDS to identify pathogens as well as common and rare cancer mutations.

Results

MDS of aqueous fluid from the first patient with vitreal lymphoma revealed the presence of both Epstein-Barr virus (HHV-4/EBV) and human herpes virus 8 (HHV-8) RNA. Aqueous fluid from the second patient with intraocular B-cell lymphoma demonstrated a less common mutation in the MYD88 gene associated with B-cell lymphoma.

Conclusion

MDS detects pathogens that, in some instances, may drive the development of intraocular lymphomas. Moreover, MDS is able to identify both common and rare mutations associated with lymphomas.
Cohort profile: workers’ compensation in a changing Australian labour market: the return to work (RTW) study
Authors: Dimitriadis Christina , LaMontagne Anthony D , Lilley Rebbecca , Hogg-Johnson Sheilah , Sim Malcolm , Smith Peter
Published: November 2017

Purpose

Workers’ compensation claims for older workers and workers who have suffered psychological injury are increasing as a proportion of total claims in many jurisdictions. In the Australian state of Victoria, claims from both these groups are associated with higher than average wage replacement and healthcare expenditures. This cohort profile describes a longitudinal study which aims to investigate differences in the return to work (RTW) process for older workers compared with younger workers and claimants with musculoskeletal injuries compared with those with psychological injuries.

Participants

This prospective cohort study involved interviewing workers’ compensation claimants at three time points. The cohort was restricted to psychological and musculoskeletal claims. Only claimants aged 18 and over were recruited, with no upper age limit. A total of 869 claimants completed the baseline interview, representing 36% of the eligible claimant population. Ninety-one per cent of participants agreed at baseline to have their survey responses linked to administrative workers’ compensation data. Of the 869 claimants who participated at baseline, 632 (73%) took part in the 6-month follow-up interview, and 572 (66%) participated in the 12-month follow-up interview.

Findings to date

Information on different aspects of the RTW process and important factors that may impact the RTW process was collected at the three survey periods. At baseline, participants and non-participants did not differ by injury type or age group, but were more likely to be female and from the healthcare and social assistance industry. The probability of non-participation at follow-up interviews showed younger age was a statistically significant predictor of non-participation.

Future plans

Analysis of the longitudinal cohort will identify important factors in the RTW process and explore differences across age and injury type groups. Ongoing linkage to administrative workers’ compensation data will provide information on wage replacement and healthcare service use into the future.
Cohort profile: design and first results of the Dutch IBD Biobank: a prospective, nationwide biobank of patients with inflammatory bowel disease
Authors: Spekhorst Lieke M , Imhann Floris , Festen Eleonora AM , Bodegraven Ad A van , Boer Nanne KH de , Bouma Gerd , Fidder Herma H , D’Haens Geert , Hoentjen Frank , Hommes Daan W , Jong Dirk J de , Löwenberg Mark , Maljaars PW Jeroen , Meulen-de Jong Andrea E van der , Oldenburg Bas , Pierik Marieke J , Ponsioen Cyriel Y , Stokkers Pieter C , Verspaget Hein W , Visschedijk Marijn C , van der Woude C Janneke , Dijkstra Gerard , Weersma Rinse K
Published: November 2017

Purpose

The Dutch IBD Biobank aims to facilitate the discovery of predictors for individual disease course and treatment response in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). In this paper, we aim to describe the establishment of the Dutch IBD Biobank, including the facilitators and barriers to establishment. Moreover, we aim to provide a complete overview of the content of the Dutch IBD Biobank.

Participants

Since 2007, every patient with IBD treated in one of the eight Dutch university medical centres is asked to participate in the Dutch IBD Biobank in which 225 standardised IBD-related data items and biomaterials, such as serum, DNA, biopsies and a stool sample, are collected.

Findings to date

As of June 2014, the Dutch IBD Biobank had enrolled 3388 patients with IBD: 2118 Crohn’s disease (62.5%), 1190 ulcerative colitis (35.1%), 74 IBD-unclassified (2.2%) and 6 IBD-indeterminate (0.2%). The inclusion of patients with IBD is ongoing. The quality of the biomaterials is good and serum, DNA and biopsies have been used in newly published studies.

Future plans

The genotyping (750 000 genetic variants) of all participants of the Dutch IBD Biobank is currently ongoing, enabling more genetic research. In addition, all participants will start reporting disease activity and outcome measures using an online platform and mobileapp.
Association of type 2 diabetes with in-hospital complications among women undergoing breast cancer surgical procedures. A retrospective study using the Spanish National Hospital Discharge Database, 2013–2014
Authors: Lopez-de-Andres Ana , Jimenez-Trujillo Isabel , Hernandez-Barrera Valentin , de Miguel-Diez Javier , Mendez-Bailon Manuel , de Miguel-Yanes Jose M , Perez-Farinos Napoleon , Salinero-fort Miguel Angel , del Barrio Jose L , Romero-Maroto Martin , Jimenez-Garcia Rodrigo
Published: November 2017

Objectives

To compare the type of surgical procedures used, comorbidities, in-hospital complications (IHC) and in-hospital outcomes between women with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and age-matched women without diabetes who were hospitalised with breast cancer. In addition, we sought to identify factors associated with IHC in women with T2DM who had undergone surgical procedures for breast cancer.

Design

Retrospective study using the National Hospital Discharge Database, 2013–2014.

Setting

Spain.

Participants

Women who were aged ≥40 years with a primary diagnosis of breast cancer and who had undergone a surgical procedure. We grouped admissions by T2DM status. We selected one matched control for each T2DM case.

Main outcome measures

The type of procedure (breast-conserving surgery (BCS) or mastectomy), clinical characteristics, complications, length of hospital stay and in-hospital mortality.

Results

We identified 41 458 admissions (9.23% with T2DM). Overall, and in addition to the surgical procedure, we found that comorbidity, hypertension and obesity were more common among patients with T2DM. We also detected a higher incidence of mastectomy in women with T2DM (44.69% vs 42.42%) and a greater rate of BCS in patients without T2DM (57.58% vs 55.31%). Overall, non-infectious complications were more common among women with T2DM (6.40% vs 4.56%). Among women who had undergone BCS or a mastectomy, IHC were more frequent among diabetics (5.57% vs 3.04% and 10.60% vs 8.24%, respectively). Comorbidity was significantly associated with a higher risk of IHC in women with diabetes, independent of the specific procedure used.province

Conclusions

Women with T2DM who undergo surgical breast cancer procedures have more comorbidity, risk factors and advanced cancer presentations than matched patients without T2DM. Mastectomies are more common in women with T2DM. Moreover, the procedures among women with T2DM were associated with greater IHC. Comorbidity was a strong predictor of IHC in women with T2DM.
Use of audit, feedback and education increased guideline implementation in a multidisciplinary stroke unit
Authors: Vratsistas-Curto Angela , McCluskey Annie , Schurr Karl
Published: November 2017

Background

The audit-feedback cycle is a behaviour change intervention used to reduce evidence-practice gaps. In this study, repeat audits, feedback, education and training were used to change practice and increase compliance with Australian guideline recommendations for stroke rehabilitation.

Objective

To increase the proportion of patients with stroke receiving best practice screening, assessment and treatment.

Methods

A before-and-after study design was used. Data were collected from medical records (n=15 files per audit). Four audits were conducted between 2009 and 2013. Consecutive files of patients with stroke admitted to the stroke unit were selected and audited retrospectively. Staff behaviour change interventions included four cycles of audit feedback, and education to assist staff with change. The primary outcome measure was the proportion of eligible patients receiving best practice against target behaviours, based on audit data.

Results

Between the first and fourth audit (2009 and 2013), 20 of the 27 areas targeted (74%) met or exceeded the minimum target of 10% change. Practice areas that showed the most change included sensation screening (+75%) and rehabilitation (+100%); neglect screening (+92%) and assessment (100%). Some target behaviours showed a drop in compliance such as anxiety and depression screening (−27%) or little or no overall improvement such as patient education about stroke (6% change).

Conclusions

Audit feedback and education increased the proportion of inpatients with stroke receiving best practice rehabilitation in some, but not all practice areas. An ongoing process of quality improvement is needed to help sustain these improvements.
Sex-specific responses of bud burst and early development to nongrowing season warming and drought in Populus cathayana
Authors: Yu Lei , Han Yan , Jiang Yonglei , Dong Tingfa , Lei Yanbao
Published: November 2017

Bud burst is one of the most observable phenological stages in tree species, and its responses to environmental factors are found to be species-specific. Nevertheless, for dioecious plants, whether the bud burst responses are sex specific remains an open question, as do the underlying physiological mechanisms. Here, we investigated the effect of elevated temperature (+2 °C) and drought (30% field capacity) during December–March on bud development, gas exchange, water and nitrogen status, and carbohydrate metabolism in female and male Populus cathayana to understand how nongrowing season warming and drought modifies physiological and phenological traits. Our results showed that at ambient temperature, males experienced earlier bud burst than females. Winter warming significantly delayed bud burst and even synchronized it for both sexes because of the greater responsiveness of males. Although drought exerted little effect on the timing of bud burst, it significantly reduced bud fresh mass and limited bud growth by decreasing gas exchange capacity and nonstructural carbohydrate (NSC) accumulation; moreover, females were more affected by drought stress. The significant sex × watering × temperature interactions for δ13C and NSC indicate that sexual dimorphism in these condition-specific traits would increase along the environmental gradients, implying contrasting life history strategies in different ecological scenarios. The convergence in the time for bud burst caused by elevated temperature might exaggerate the competition among males, thus influencing the sex ratio, structure, and functioning of P. cathayana populations.
ASSESSING THE DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD OF USING IMITATION AS A STEPPING STONE TO INNOVATION: A CASE OF MALAYSIA’S K-ECONOMY PUZZLE
Authors: LIM KING YOONG
Published: November 2017

Policy prescription for middle-income economies struggling to achieve innovation-driven growth has often been rapid promotion of skills-driven industrial transformation. However, Malaysia, an upper middle-income economy aspiring to achieve innovation-led growth, presents a near decade of K-Economy Growth Puzzle in the 2000s, when its aggressive skills-driven transformation initiatives had somehow resulted in decline to a lower output growth path despite successful expansion in skilled labor and innovation production. We present a continuous time growth model with industrial transformation based on an existing model advocating rapid skills transformation. By solving the model as a two-point boundary value problem, coupled with country-specific calibration strategies, vastly different results are obtained for this middle-income economy with fixed, imitation-heavy production structure. There may be a double-edged sword to using imitation as stepping stone to innovation, which then requires a much different industrial transformation approach. By examining transformation with different labor market configurations in a stylized manner using numerical experiments, we find that a delicate reordering of labor incentives would have been enough to help Malaysia navigating through the output growth–skills transformation trade-off.
FINANCIAL INCLUSION, RATHER THAN SIZE, IS THE KEY TO TACKLING INCOME INEQUALITY
Authors: TURÉGANO DAVID MARTÍNEZ , HERRERO ALICIA GARCÍA
Published: November 2017

In this paper, we assess empirically whether financial inclusion contributes to reducing income inequality when controlling for other key factors, such as economic development and fiscal policy. We conclude that financial inclusion contributes to reducing income inequality to a significant degree, while the size of the financial sector does not. Although our results are still preliminary and constrained by data limitations, they still bear significant policy implications. More specifically, fostering financial inclusion has one more important by-product, which had hardly been analyzed yet, namely reducing income inequality. More specifically, given the broad definition of financial inclusion used in our analysis, promoting financial inclusion implies facilitating the use of credit to low-income households, as well as granting credit to small and medium-sized enterprises.
Energy-Efficient and Area-Saving Asymmetric Capacitor Switching Scheme for SAR ADCs
Authors: Liang Hongzhi , Ding Ruixue , Liu Shubin , Zhu Zhangming
Published: November 2017

An asymmetric architecture and energy-efficient capacitor switching scheme for successive approximation register (SAR) analog-to-digital converters (ADC) are proposed. The novel architecture achieves 81.25% reduction in capacitor area over the convention SAR. With the third reference voltage VCM and split-MSB switching procedure, the proposed switching scheme achieves 99.01% less switching energy over the convention SAR. Besides the significant energy saving, this asymmetric capacitor architecture also obtains a good performance in nonlinearity simulation. Based on the Matlab simulation for capacitor mismatch, the maximum differential nonlinearity and maximum integral nonlinearity of the proposed scheme are 0.166LSB and 0.122LSB, respectively.
Outcome of Hook Plate Fixation of Mallet Fractures
Authors: Tie Joyce , Hsieh Michael K.H. , Tay Shian Chao
Published: November 2017

Background: Hook plate fixation of closed mallet fractures was first described in 2007, but there has subsequently been a lack of studies examining the outcomes and complications of this technique.

Methods: This paper aims to assess the clinical outcomes of hook plate fixation of closed mallet fractures by retrospectively reviewing 31 closed, bony mallet injuries that were surgically fixed with a hook plate between 2002-2011.

Results: Patients who underwent hook plate fixation had a median time to radiographic union of 83 days. Pre-operative median distal interphalangeal joint (DIPJ) extensor lag was 20°, with a post-operative extensor lag of 0°. Median DIPJ flexion was 60°, with 58% of all cases achieving greater than 50° of DIPJ flexion. There were 4 instances of minor complications (i.e. transient nail deformity and marginal skin flap ischaemia), with 3 cases of major complications (i.e. fracture redisplacement).

Conclusions: Our results show that the hook plate technique has satisfactory functional outcomes and an acceptable complications rate compared to other treatment modalities in the existing literature. Nevertheless, the outcomes of this technique in our sample population were not as excellent as initially reported.

Level of Evidence: Level IV: Retrospective case series, Therapeutic Studies
Age-Dependent Schwann Cell Phenotype Regulation Following Peripheral Nerve Injury
Authors: Chen Wayne A. , Luo T. David , Barnwell Jonathan C. , Smith Thomas L. , Li Zhongyu
Published: November 2017

Background: Schwann cells are integral to the regenerative capacity of the peripheral nervous system, which declines after adolescence. The mechanisms underlying this decline are poorly understood. This study sought to compare the protein expression of Notch, c-Jun, and Krox-20 after nerve crush injury in adolescent and young adult rats. We hypothesized that these Schwann cell myelinating regulatory factors are down-regulated after nerve injury in an age-dependent fashion.

Methods: Adolescent (2 months old) and young adult (12 months old) rats (n = 48) underwent sciatic nerve crush injury. Protein expression of Notch, c-Jun, and Krox-20 was quantified by Western blot analysis at 1, 3, and 7 days post-injury. Functional recovery was assessed in a separate group of animals (n = 8) by gait analysis (sciatic functional index) and electromyography (compound motor action potential) over an 8-week post-injury period.

Results: Young adult rats demonstrated a trend of delayed onset of the dedifferentiating regulatory factors, Notch and c-Jun, corresponding to the delayed functional recovery observed in young adult rats compared to adolescent rats. Compound motor action potential area was significantly greater in adolescent rats relative to young adult rats, while amplitude and velocity trended toward statistical significance.

Conclusions: The process of Schwann cell dedifferentiation following peripheral nerve injury shows different trends with age. These trends of delayed onset of key regulatory factors responsible for Schwann cell myelination may be one of many possible factors mediating the significant differences in functional recovery between adolescent and young adult rats following peripheral nerve injury.
Open Wedge Osteotomy with Ulnar Shortening for Madelung Deformity Using a Computer-Generated Template
Authors: Yanagisawa Sho , Takagi Takehiko , Murase Tsuyoshi , Kobayashi Yuka , Watanabe Masahiko
Published: November 2017

A variety of osteotomies have been reported to correct Madelung deformity using plain radiographs. However, evaluation of the deformity using 2-dimensional plain radiography is difficult because of its complex 3-dimensional nature. Therefore, we performed corrective osteotomy using recently developed 3D simulation technology on an adult woman with Madelung deformity, and achieved an excellent outcome. In this study, we calculated the amount of parallel displacement as well as the rotational angle for more precise correction, and performed open wedge osteotomy. Furthermore, we performed concurrent ulnar shortening. An exaggerated radial inclination was observed in the posteroanterior radiograph. A palmar shift of the carpus and dorsal dislocation of the ulnar head were observed in the lateral radiograph. In the preoperative findings, radial inclination (RI), volar tilt (VT), and ulnar variance (UV) were 35°, 40°, and 12 mm, respectively. The wrist showed improvement, with an RI of 25°, VT of 14°, and UV of 0 mm. At present, 14 months after surgery, there has been no loss of correction, instability of the ulnar head, or pain on the ulnar side. The procedure resulted in improvements in the protrusion and pain in the ulnar portion of the patient’s wrist. Based on this result, we believe that accurate corrective osteotomy with ulnar shortening should be performed for Madelung deformity.
Basket Studies: Redefining Clinical Trials in the Era of Genome-Driven Oncology
Authors: Tao Jessica J. , Schram Alison M. , Hyman David M.
Published: November 2017

Understanding a tumor's detailed molecular profile has become increasingly necessary to deliver the standard of care for patients with advanced cancer. Innovations in both tumor genomic sequencing technology and the development of drugs that target molecular alterations have fueled recent gains in genome-driven oncology care. “Basket studies,” or histology-agnostic clinical trials in genomically selected patients, represent one important research tool to continue making progress in this field. We review key aspects of genome-driven oncology care, including the purpose and utility of basket studies, biostatistical considerations in trial design, genomic knowledgebase development, and patient matching and enrollment models, which are critical for translating our genomic knowledge into clinically meaningful outcomes.
Epithelial Na+ Channel Regulation by Extracellular and Intracellular Factors
Authors: Kleyman Thomas R. , Kashlan Ossama B. , Hughey Rebecca P.
Published: November 2017

Epithelial Na+ channels (ENaCs) are members of the ENaC/degenerin family of ion channels that evolved to respond to extracellular factors. In addition to being expressed in the distal aspects of the nephron, where ENaCs couple the absorption of filtered Na+ to K+ secretion, these channels are found in other epithelia as well as nonepithelial tissues. This review addresses mechanisms by which ENaC activity is regulated by extracellular factors, including proteases, Na+, and shear stress. It also addresses other factors, including acidic phospholipids and modification of ENaC cytoplasmic cysteine residues by palmitoylation, which enhance channel activity by altering interactions of the channel with the plasma membrane.
Formulation of Zero-Trans Crystalized Fats Produced from Palm Stearin and High Oleic Safflower Oil Blends
Authors: Buitimea-Cantúa Nydia E. , Salazar-García María Guadalupe , Vidal-Quintanar Reyna Luz , Serna-Saldívar Sergio O. , Ortega-Ramirez Refugio , Buitimea-Cantúa Génesis Vidal
Published: November 2017

High intake of trans fat is associated with several chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and cancer. Fat blends, produced by direct blending process of palm stearin (PS) with high oleic safflower oil (HOSO) in different concentrations, were investigated. The effects of the PS addition (50, 70, or 90%) and the rate of agitation (RA) (1000, 2000, or 3000 rpm) on physical properties, fatty acid profile (FAP), trans fatty acids (TFA), crystal structure, and consistency were researched. The blend containing 50% of each sort of oil (50% PS/50% HOSO) showed that melting point and features were similar to the control shortening. The saturated fatty acids (SFA) were higher followed by monounsaturated (MUFA) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). Significant differences in the content of palmitic and oleic acids among blends were observed. The 50% PS/50% HOSO blend contained higher oleic acid (42.9%) whereas the 90% PS/10% HOSO was higher in palmitic acid (56.9%). The blending of PS/HOSO promoted the β crystal polymorphic forms. The direct blending process of equal amounts of PS and HOSO was an adequate strategy to formulate a new zero-trans crystallized vegetable fats with characteristics similar to commercial counterparts with well-balanced fats rich in both omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids.
Comparative Transcriptome Analysis Reveals Related Regulatory Mechanisms of Androgenic Gland inEriocheir sinensis
Authors: Fu Chunpeng , Zeng Qifan , Li Fajun , Wang Huicui , Sun Jian , Wang Hui
Published: November 2017

Chinese mitten crab(Eriocheir sinensis)is one of the most commercially important aquaculture species in China. The androgenic gland (AG) of crustaceans plays pivotal roles in the regulation of male differentiation and in maintaining the male sexual characteristics. In order to reveal related mechanisms in AG, we compared transcriptomes of AG between proliferation and secretion phase. A total of 72,000 unigenes and 4,027 differentially expressed genes were obtained. Gene ontology enrichment analysis indicated that biological processes and metabolic pathways related to protein synthesis and secretion such as transcription, translation, and signal transduction were significantly enriched. Critical genes such asIAG, SXL, TRA-2, SRY, FTZ-F1, FOXL2, andFEM-1were identified and potentially involved in maintaining the testis development and spermatogenesis. Ribosomes pathway revealed the cause of insulin-like androgenic gland hormone secretion increase. Three insulin-like receptors were thought to be associated with growth and spermatogenesis. In the neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction pathway, the expression of octopamine receptor, 5-HT receptor 1, and melatonin receptor was significantly changed, which revealed the key regulation mechanism of aggressive and mating behavior of males. Comparative transcriptome analysis provided new insights into the genome-wide molecular mechanisms of AG development and the regulatory mechanisms of male development.
An Iteration Scheme for Contraction Mappings with an Application to Synchronization of Discrete Logistic Maps
Authors: Ding Ke , Kim Jong Kyu , Lu Qiang , Du Bin
Published: November 2017

This paper deals with designing a new iteration scheme associated with a given scheme for contraction mappings. This new scheme has a similar structure to that of the given scheme, in which those two iterative schemes converge to the same fixed point of the given contraction mapping. The positive influence of feedback parameters on the convergence rate of this new scheme is investigated. Moreover, the derived convergence and comparison results can be extended to nonexpansive mappings. As an application, the derived results are utilized to study the synchronization of logistic maps. Two illustrated examples are used to reveal the effectiveness of our results.
Calabi-Yau Manifolds, Hermitian Yang-Mills Instantons, and Mirror Symmetry
Authors: Yang Hyun Seok , Yun Sangheon
Published: November 2017

We address the issue of why Calabi-Yau manifolds exist with a mirror pair. We observe that the irreducible spinor representation of the Lorentz group Spin(6) requires us to consider the vector spaces of two forms and four forms on an equal footing. The doubling of the two-form vector space due to the Hodge duality doubles the variety of six-dimensional spin manifolds. We explore how the doubling is related to the mirror symmetry of Calabi-Yau manifolds. Via the gauge theory formulation of six-dimensional Riemannian manifolds, we show that the curvature tensor of a Calabi-Yau manifold satisfies the Hermitian Yang-Mills equations on the Calabi-Yau manifold. Therefore, the mirror symmetry of Calabi-Yau manifolds can be recast as the mirror pair of Hermitian Yang-Mills instantons. We discuss the mirror symmetry from the gauge theory perspective.
Identifying Human Phenotype Terms by Combining Machine Learning and Validation Rules
Authors: Lobo Manuel , Lamurias Andre , Couto Francisco M.
Published: November 2017

Named-Entity Recognition is commonly used to identify biological entities such as proteins, genes, and chemical compounds found in scientific articles. The Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO) is an ontology that provides a standardized vocabulary for phenotypic abnormalities found in human diseases. This article presents the Identifying Human Phenotypes (IHP) system, tuned to recognize HPO entities in unstructured text. IHP uses Stanford CoreNLP for text processing and applies Conditional Random Fields trained with a rich feature set, which includes linguistic, orthographic, morphologic, lexical, and context features created for the machine learning-based classifier. However, the main novelty of IHP is its validation step based on a set of carefully crafted manual rules, such as the negative connotation analysis, that combined with a dictionary can filter incorrectly identified entities, find missed entities, and combine adjacent entities. The performance of IHP was evaluated using the recently published HPO Gold Standardized Corpora (GSC), where the system Bio-LarK CR obtained the best F-measure of 0.56. IHP achieved an F-measure of 0.65 on the GSC. Due to inconsistencies found in the GSC, an extended version of the GSC was created, adding 881 entities and modifying 4 entities. IHP achieved an F-measure of 0.863 on the new GSC.
A Time-Series Water Level Forecasting Model Based on Imputation and Variable Selection Method
Authors: Yang Jun-He , Cheng Ching-Hsue , Chan Chia-Pan
Published: November 2017

Reservoirs are important for households and impact the national economy. This paper proposed a time-series forecasting model based on estimating a missing value followed by variable selection to forecast the reservoir’s water level. This study collected data from the Taiwan Shimen Reservoir as well as daily atmospheric data from 2008 to 2015. The two datasets are concatenated into an integrated dataset based on ordering of the data as a research dataset. The proposed time-series forecasting model summarily has three foci. First, this study uses five imputation methods to directly delete the missing value. Second, we identified the key variable via factor analysis and then deleted the unimportant variables sequentially via the variable selection method. Finally, the proposed model uses a Random Forest to build the forecasting model of the reservoir’s water level. This was done to compare with the listing method under the forecasting error. These experimental results indicate that the Random Forest forecasting model when applied to variable selection with full variables has better forecasting performance than the listing model. In addition, this experiment shows that the proposed variable selection can help determine five forecast methods used here to improve the forecasting capability.
Deficiency in Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase PTP1B Shortens Lifespan and Leads to Development of Acute Leukemia
Authors: Le Sommer Samantha , Morrice Nicola , Pesaresi Martina , Thompson Dawn , Vickers Mark A. , Murray Graeme I. , Mody Nimesh , Neel Benjamin G. , Bence Kendra K. , Wilson Heather M. , Delibegović Mirela
Published: November 2017

Protein tyrosine phosphatase PTP1B is a critical regulator of signaling pathways controlling metabolic homeostasis, cell proliferation, and immunity. In this study, we report that global or myeloid-specific deficiency of PTP1B in mice decreases lifespan. We demonstrate that myeloid-specific deficiency of PTP1B is sufficient to promote the development of acute myeloid leukemia. LysM-PTP1B−/− mice lacking PTP1B in the innate myeloid cell lineage displayed a dysregulation of bone marrow cells with a rapid decline in population at midlife and a concomitant increase in peripheral blood blast cells. This phenotype manifested further with extramedullary tumors, hepatic macrophage infiltration, and metabolic reprogramming, suggesting increased hepatic lipid metabolism prior to overt tumor development. Mechanistic investigations revealed an increase in anti-inflammatory M2 macrophage responses in liver and spleen, as associated with increased expression of arginase I and the cytokines IL10 and IL4. We also documented STAT3 hypersphosphorylation and signaling along with JAK-dependent upregulation of antiapoptotic proteins Bcl2 and BclXL. Our results establish a tumor suppressor role for PTP1B in the myeloid lineage cells, with evidence that its genetic inactivation in mice is sufficient to drive acute myeloid leukemia.

Significance: This study defines a tumor suppressor function for the protein tyrosine phosphatase PTP1B in myeloid lineage cells, with evidence that its genetic inactivation in mice is sufficient to drive acute myeloid leukemia. Cancer Res; 78(1); 75–87. ©2017 AACR.
Genotyping Natural Killer Immune Checkpoints to Discover Biomarkers of Response
Authors: Cheung Nai-Kong , Hsu Katharine C.
Published: November 2017

Immune checkpoints have been a focus of immunotherapy in the recent decade. Killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIR) and their cognate human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I ligands have evolved as checkpoints to ensure self-tolerance of natural killer cells. Both KIR and HLA genetic profiles are potential biomarkers of immunotherapy outcome. Clin Cancer Res; 24(1); 3–5. ©2017 AACR.

See related article by Erbe et al., p. 189
A Novel Signaling Complex between TROY and EGFR Mediates Glioblastoma Cell Invasion
Authors: Ding Zonghui , Roos Alison , Kloss Jean , Dhruv Harshil , Peng Sen , Pirrotte Patrick , Eschbacher Jennifer M. , Tran Nhan L. , Loftus Joseph C.
Published: November 2017

Glioblastoma is the most frequent primary brain tumor in adults and a highly lethal malignancy with a median survival of about 15 months. The aggressive invasion of the surrounding normal brain makes complete surgical resection impossible, increases the resistance to radiation and chemotherapy, and assures tumor recurrence. Thus, there is an urgent need to develop innovative therapeutics to target the invasive tumor cells for improved treatment outcomes of this disease. Expression of TROY (TNFRSF19), a member of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor family, increases with increasing glial tumor grade and inversely correlates with patient survival. Increased expression of TROY stimulates glioblastoma cell invasion in vitro and in vivo and increases resistance to temozolomide and radiation therapy. Conversely, silencing TROY expression inhibits glioblastoma cell invasion, increases temozolomide sensitivity, and prolongs survival in an intracranial xenograft model. Here, a novel complex is identified between TROY and EGFR, which is mediated predominantly by the cysteine-rich CRD3 domain of TROY. Glioblastoma tumors with elevated TROY expression have a statistically positive correlation with increased EGFR expression. TROY expression significantly increases the capacity of EGF to stimulate glioblastoma cell invasion, whereas depletion of TROY expression blocks EGF stimulation of glioblastoma cell invasion. Mechanistically, TROY expression modulates EGFR signaling by facilitating EGFR activation and delaying EGFR receptor internalization. Moreover, the association of EGFR with TROY increases TROY-induced NF-κB activation. These findings substantiate a critical role for the TROY–EGFR complex in regulation of glioblastoma cell invasion.

Implications: The TROY–EGFR signaling complex emerges as a potential therapeutic target to inhibit glioblastoma cell invasion. Mol Cancer Res; 16(2); 322–32. ©2017 AACR.
Early Nutrition and Growth until the Corrected Age of 2 Years in Extremely Preterm Infants
Authors: Hiltunen Henni , Löyttyniemi Eliisa , Isolauri Erika , Rautava Samuli
Published: November 2017

Background: Extremely preterm birth is associated with a high risk of extrauterine growth retardation, which has been linked with adverse developmental outcomes. Objective: We investigated whether nutritional management during the first 7 days of life affects growth patterns until the corrected age of 2 years in extremely preterm infants. Study Design: A retrospective study of 78 extremely preterm (<28 weeks' gestation) neonates was conducted. Data regarding parenteral and enteral intake of energy, protein, lipids, and carbohydrates during the first 7 days of life were collected from patient records. The outcome measures included weight, height, and head circumference with Z scores at term-equivalent age and the corrected ages of 1 and 2 years. Analyses were performed with hierarchical-linear mixed models. Results: Nutritional intake during the first week of life did not reach the current recommendations. The total energy intake during the first 7 days of life was statistically significantly associated with weight, length, and head circumference until the corrected age of 2 years after adjusting for potential confounding factors. Individual macronutrient intake displayed no association with growth patterns. Conclusions: Energy intake during the first 7 days of life is associated with growth until the corrected age of 2 years. These results provide support for the aggressive early nutritional management of extremely preterm infants.
Relationship between RAS Association Domain Family Protein 1A Promoter Methylation and the Clinicopathological Characteristics in Patients with Ovarian Cancer: A Systematic Meta-Analysis
Authors: Wang Hong , Cui Manhua , Zhang Shuangli , He Jie , Song Li , Chen Ying
Published: November 2017

Background: To investigate the relationship between RAS association domain family protein 1A (RASSF1A) promoter methylation and the clinical features, and the survival of ovarian cancer patients. Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted in the PubMed, Embase, EBSCO, and Cochrane Library databases. The overall ORs with their 95% CIs were calculated in this meta-analysis. Results: Finally 17 relevant publications with 1,108 ovarian cancer samples were available for the current meta-analysis. RASSF1A promoter methylation had a significantly higher level in ovarian cancer than in low malignant potential (LMP) tumors. No significant relationship was observed between RASSF1A promoter methylation and the clinicopathological characteristics in ovarian cancer. Two studies reported that RASSF1A promoter methylation was not correlated with the survival of patients with ovarian cancer. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that the use of RASSF1A promoter methylation could distinguish ovarian cancer and LMP tumors. ­RASSF1A promoter methylation may not be correlated with the clinical features and the survival of ovarian cancer patients. More studies with large sample sizes are essential in the future.
Heritability of End-Stage Renal Disease: A Swedish Adoption Study
Authors: Akrawi Delshad Saleh , PirouziFard MirNabi , Fjellstedt Erik , Sundquist Jan , Sundquist Kristina , Zöller Bengt
Published: November 2017

Background/Aims: The heritability of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) among adoptees has not been examined so far. By studying adoptees and their biological and adoptive parents, it is possible to differentiate between the genetic causes and environmental causes of familial aggregation. This nationwide study aimed to disentangle the genetic and shared environmental contribution to the familial transmission of ESRD. Methods: We performed a family study for Swedish-born adoptees (born between 1945 until 1995) and their biological and adoptive parents. The Swedish Multi-Generation Register was linked to the National Patient Registry for the period 1964–2012. ESRD was defined as patients in active uremic care, that is, chronic dialysis or kidney transplantation. OR for ESRD was determined for adoptees with an affected biological parent with ESRD compared with adoptees without a biological parent with ESRD. The OR for ESRD was also calculated in adoptees with an adoptive parent with ESRD compared with adoptees with an adoptive parent without ESRD. Moreover, heritability for ESRD was estimated with Falconer’s regression. Results: A total of 111 adoptees, 463 adoptive parents, and 397 biological parents were affected by ESRD. The OR for ESRD was 6.41 in adoptees (95% CI 2.96–13.89) of biological parents diagnosed with ESRD. The OR for ESRD was 2.40 in adoptees (95% CI 0.76–7.60) of adoptive parents diagnosed with ESRD. The heritability of ESRD was 59.5 ± 18.2%. Conclusion: The family history of ESRD in a biological parent is an important risk factor for ESRD. The high heritability indicates that genetic factors play an important role in understanding the etiology of ESRD.