bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Making Social Spending Work
Authors: Lindert Peter H.
Published: April 2021

How does social spending relate to economic growth and which countries have got this right and wrong? Peter Lindert examines the experience of countries across the globe to reveal what has worked, what needs changing, and who the winners and losers are under different systems. He traces the development of public education, health care, pensions, and welfare provision, and addresses key questions around intergenerational inequality and fiscal redistribution, the returns to investment in human capital, how to deal with an aging population, whether migration is a cost or a benefit, and how social spending differs in autocracies and democracies. The book shows that what we need to do above all is to invest more in the young from cradle to career, and shift the burden of paying for social insurance away from the workplace and to society as a whole.
‘Scottish people can't rap’: the local and global in Scottish hip-hop
Authors: Hook Dave
Published: April 2021

Hip-hop is a global culture, where local representation is a core tenet of its ideology. It therefore provides opportunities to observe how a global cultural structure is interpreted, realigned and expressed in local cultural forms. This article combines autoethnography and rap lyric analysis to consider the complex relationship between the local and global in relation to cultural articulation and authenticity. Through a study of the poetics of Scottish hip-hop, a series of patterns and connections appear relating to interpretation, negotiation and hybridisation of local and global culture, presenting a demonstration of how the local, global and individual intersect to ‘devise unique ways of communicating thoughts, emotions and everyday realities’ (Alim 2003, Journal of English Linguistics, March, 31/1, pp. 60–84, p. 62). Furthermore, this article presents a framework for autoethnographic study of hip-hop, signposting bridging points between scholarship and practice.
Religious Authority in a Democratic Society: Clergy and Citizen Evidence from a New Measure
Authors: Burge Ryan P. , Djupe Paul A.
Published: April 2021

A persistent concern for democratic theorists is the degree to which religious authority trumps democratic authority. This is often assessed using generic measures of religiosity or religious beliefs ill-suited to the task. Moreover, while religion is linked to dogmatism and authoritarianism, this begs the question how much influence religion has independent of psychological dispositions. We attempt to add to these debates with a new measure of religious authority. We draw on data gathered from three samples—a sample of Christian clergy from 2014, a national sample of 1,000 Americans from Spring 2016, and a national sample of 1,010 Protestants from 2019. We examine the distribution of the religious authority measure and then compare its effects of the measure in the context of authoritarian child-rearing values, deliberative values, and democratic norms. The results indicate religious authority values represent a distinct measurement of how people connect to religion in politically salient ways.
Sprachsensibler Unterricht – zu Hause unmöglich?
Authors: Dittmar-Grützner Anna-Katharina , Deiters Marion
Published: April 2021

Zusammenfassung. Dieser Artikel bietet Anregungen zum sprachsensiblen Unterricht in Zeiten, in denen die Auszubildenden aufgrund von äußeren Umständen dazu gezwungen sind, sich die Unterrichtsinhalte in Selbstlernzeit und Eigenarbeit anzueignen. Ein Schwerpunkt wird auf das Sprach- und Leseverständnis gelegt.
Personality Profile of Risk-Takers
Authors: Joseph Elizabeth D. , Zhang Don C.
Published: April 2021

Abstract. Risk-taking is a long-standing area of inquiry among psychologists and economists. In this paper, we examine the personality profile of risk-takers in two independent samples. Specifically, we examined the association between the Big Five facets and risk-taking propensity across two measures: The Domain-Specific Risk-Taking Scale (DOSPERT) and the General Risk Propensity Scale (GRiPS). At the Big Five domain level, we found that extraversion and agreeableness were the primary predictors of risk-taking. However, facet-level analyses revealed that responsibility, a facet of conscientiousness, explained most of the total variance accounted for by the Big Five in both risk-taking measures. Based on our findings across two samples ( n = 764), we find that the personality profile of a risk-taker is extraverted, open to experiences, disagreeable, emotionally stable, and irresponsible. Implications for the risk measurement are discussed.
A Comparative Analysis of the Temperature‐Mortality Risks Using Different Weather Datasets Across Heterogeneous Regions
Authors: de Schrijver Evan , Folly Christophe L. , Schneider Rochelle , Royé Dominic , Franco Oscar H. , Gasparrini Antonio , Vicedo‐Cabrera Ana M.
Published: April 2021

New gridded climate datasets (GCDs) on spatially resolved modeled weather data have recently been released to explore the impacts of climate change. GCDs have been suggested as potential alternatives to weather station data in epidemiological assessments on health impacts of temperature and climate change. These can be particularly useful for assessment in regions that have remained understudied due to limited or low quality weather station data. However to date, no study has critically evaluated the application of GCDs of variable spatial resolution in temperature‐mortality assessments across regions of different orography, climate, and size. Here we explored the performance of population‐weighted daily mean temperature data from the global ERA5 reanalysis dataset in the 10 regions in the United Kingdom and the 26 cantons in Switzerland, combined with two local high‐resolution GCDs (HadUK‐grid UKPOC‐9 and MeteoSwiss‐grid‐product, respectively) and compared these to weather station data and unweighted homologous series. We applied quasi‐Poisson time series regression with distributed lag nonlinear models to obtain the GCD‐ and region‐specific temperature‐mortality associations and calculated the corresponding cold‐ and heat‐related excess mortality. Although the five exposure datasets yielded different average area‐level temperature estimates, these deviations did not result in substantial variations in the temperature‐mortality association or impacts. Moreover, local population‐weighted GCDs showed better overall performance, suggesting that they could be excellent alternatives to help advance knowledge on climate change impacts in remote regions with large climate and population distribution variability, which has remained largely unexplored in present literature due to the lack of reliable exposure data.
Yield Function of the DOSimetry TELescope Count and Dose Rates Aboard the International Space Station
Authors: Caprotti A. S. , Brüdern M. , Burmeister S. , Heber B. , Herbst K.
Published: April 2021

The Earth is constantly hit by energetic particles originating from galactic sources. The flux of these particles is altered by the magnetized solar wind in the heliosphere and the Earth's magnetic field. For this reason, the ability of a particle to approach a spacecraft in low Earth orbit depends on its energy and the position of the spacecraft within the Earth's magnetosphere. Moreover, there are some areas (radiation belts) where the particles are trapped for a long time and, therefore, the flux of energetic particles is particularly high. Occasionally, solar energetic particles contribute to the energetic particle flux too. DOSimetry TELescope (DOSTEL) is one of the instruments aboard the International Space Station (ISS) that monitors the radiation field within the European module Columbus. Because being installed inside the ISS, particles produced by the interaction between the “primary” radiation and the ISS materials are also measured. To describe the observations in such a complex radiation field, we follow the method by Caballero‐Lopez and Moraal (2012, Journal of Geophysical Research, 117[A12], A12103. doi:10.1029/2012JA017794) to compute the so‐called yield function using precise measurements of the proton and helium energy spectra obtained by alpha magnet spectrometer and the systematic variation of the DOSTEL measurements within the Earth's magnetosphere.
1.3 Million Pairs of Stars Surround the Sun
Authors: Cartier Kimberly
Published: April 2021

Roughly half of Sun-like stars have a stellar sibling, and a surprising fraction of those siblings are identical twins.
ZIP8 exacerbates collagen-induced arthritis by increasing pathogenic T cell responses
Authors: Kang Jung-Ah , Kwak Ji-Sun , Park Sang-Heon , Sim Kyu-Young , Kim Seul Ki , Shin Youngnim , Jung In Jung , Yang Jeong-In , Chun Jang-Soo , Park Sung-Gyoo
Published: April 2021

Zinc is a trace element that is essential for immune responses. Therefore, changes in cellular zinc levels in specific immune cells may influence inflammatory autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, the regulation of zinc mobilization in immune cells and its role in the pathogenesis of RA are not fully understood. Thus, we investigated the roles of zinc transporters in RA pathogenesis. We demonstrated that ZIP8 was specifically upregulated in CD4+ T cells that infiltrated the inflamed joint and that ZIP8 deficiency in CD4+ T cells abrogated collagen-induced arthritis. ZIP8 deficiency dramatically affected zinc influx in effector T cells and profoundly reduced T cell receptor (TCR)-mediated signaling, including NF-κB and MAPK signaling, which are pathways that are involved in T helper (Th) 17 cell differentiation. Taken together, our findings suggest that ZIP8 depletion in CD4+ T cells attenuates TCR signaling due to insufficient cellular zinc, thereby reducing the function of effector CD4+ T cells, including Th17 cells. Our results also suggest that targeting ZIP8 may be a useful strategy to inhibit RA development and pathogenesis.
Parental characteristics and offspring mental health and related outcomes: a systematic review of genetically informative literature
Authors: Jami Eshim S. , Hammerschlag Anke R. , Bartels Meike , Middeldorp Christel M.
Published: April 2021

Various parental characteristics, including psychiatric disorders and parenting behaviours, are associated with offspring mental health and related outcomes in observational studies. The application of genetically informative designs is crucial to disentangle the role of genetic and environmental factors (as well as gene–environment correlation) underlying these observations, as parents provide not only the rearing environment but also transmit 50% of their genes to their offspring. This article first provides an overview of behavioural genetics, matched-pair, and molecular genetics designs that can be applied to investigate parent–offspring associations, whilst modelling or accounting for genetic effects. We then present a systematic literature review of genetically informative studies investigating associations between parental characteristics and offspring mental health and related outcomes, published since 2014. The reviewed studies provide reliable evidence of genetic transmission of depression, criminal behaviour, educational attainment, and substance use. These results highlight that studies that do not use genetically informative designs are likely to misinterpret the mechanisms underlying these parent–offspring associations. After accounting for genetic effects, several parental characteristics, including parental psychiatric traits and parenting behaviours, were associated with offspring internalising problems, externalising problems, educational attainment, substance use, and personality through environmental pathways. Overall, genetically informative designs to study intergenerational transmission prove valuable for the understanding of individual differences in offspring mental health and related outcomes, and mechanisms of transmission within families.
Effects of neuroactive metabolites of the tryptophan pathway on working memory and cortical thickness in schizophrenia
Authors: Huang Junchao , Tong Jinghui , Zhang Ping , Zhou Yanfang , Cui Yimin , Tan Shuping , Wang Zhiren , Yang Fude , Kochunov Peter , Chiappelli Joshua , Tian Baopeng , Tian Li , Tan Yunlong , Hong L. Elliot
Published: April 2021

A number of tryptophan metabolites known to be neuroactive have been examined for their potential associations with cognitive deficits in schizophrenia. Among these metabolites, kynurenic acid (KYNA), 5-hydroxyindole (5-HI), and quinolinic acid (QUIN) are documented in their diverse effects on α-7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7nAChR) and/or N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR), two of the receptor types thought to contribute to cognitive impairment in schizophrenia. In this study, serum levels of KYNA, 5-HI, and QUIN were measured in 195 patients with schizophrenia and in 70 healthy controls using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry; cognitive performance in MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery and cortical thickness measured by magnetic resonance imaging were obtained. Patients with schizophrenia had significantly lower serum KYNA (p < 0.001) and QUIN (p = 0.02) levels, and increased 5-HI/KYNA (p < 0.001) and QUIN/KYNA ratios (p < 0.001) compared with healthy controls. Multiple linear regression showed that working memory was positively correlated with serum 5-HI levels (t = 2.10, p = 0.04), but inversely correlated with KYNA concentrations (t = −2.01, p = 0.05) in patients. Patients with high 5-HI and low KYNA had better working memory than other subgroups (p = 0.01). Higher 5-HI levels were associated with thicker left lateral orbitofrontal cortex (t = 3.71, p = 2.94 × 10−4) in patients. The different effects of 5-HI and KYNA on working memory may appear consistent with their opposite receptor level mechanisms. Our findings appear to provide a new insight into the dynamic roles of tryptophan pathway metabolites on cognition, which may benefit novel therapeutic development that targets cognitive impairment in schizophrenia.
A longitudinal study of the association between basal ganglia volumes and psychomotor symptoms in subjects with late life depression undergoing ECT
Authors: Van Cauwenberge M. G. A. , Bouckaert F. , Vansteelandt K. , Adamson C. , De Winter F. L. , Sienaert P. , Van den Stock J. , Dols A. , Rhebergen D. , Stek M. L. , Emsell L. , Vandenbulcke M.
Published: April 2021

Psychomotor dysfunction (PMD) is a core element and key contributor to disability in late life depression (LLD), which responds well to electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). The neurobiology of PMD and its response to ECT are not well understood. We hypothesized that PMD in LLD is associated with lower striatal volume, and that striatal volume increase following ECT explains PMD improvement. We analyzed data from a two-center prospective cohort study of 110 LLD subjects (>55 years) receiving ECT. Brain MRI and assessment of mood, cognition, and PMD was performed 1 week before, 1 week after, and 6 months after ECT. Volumetry of the caudate nucleus, putamen, globus pallidus, and nucleus accumbens was derived from automatically segmented brain MRIs using Freesurfer®. Linear multiple regression analyses were used to study associations between basal ganglia volume and PMD. Brain MRI was available for 66 patients 1 week post ECT and in 22 patients also six months post ECT. Baseline PMD was associated with a smaller left caudate nucleus. One week after ECT, PMD improved and volume increases were detected bilaterally in the caudate nucleus and putamen, and in the right nucleus accumbens. Improved PMD after ECT did not relate to the significant volume increases in these structures, but was predicted by a nonsignificant volume change in the right globus pallidus. No volume differences were detected 6 months after ECT, compared to baseline. Although PMD is related to lower striatal volume in LLD, ECT-induced increase of striatal volume does not explain PMD improvement.
Translating the immediate effects of S-Ketamine using hippocampal subfield analysis in healthy subjects-results of a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Höflich Anna , Kraus Christoph , Pfeiffer Ruth M. , Seiger Rene , Rujescu Dan , Zarate Carlos A. , Kasper Siegfried , Winkler Dietmar , Lanzenberger Rupert
Published: April 2021

Antidepressant doses of ketamine rapidly facilitate synaptic plasticity and modify neuronal function within prefrontal and hippocampal circuits. However, most studies have demonstrated these effects in animal models and translational studies in humans are scarce. A recent animal study showed that ketamine restored dendritic spines in the hippocampal CA1 region within 1 h of administration. To translate these results to humans, this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) study assessed ketamine’s rapid neuroplastic effects on hippocampal subfield measurements in healthy volunteers. S-Ketamine vs. placebo data were analyzed, and data were also grouped by brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) genotype. Linear mixed models showed that overall hippocampal subfield volumes were significantly larger (p = 0.009) post ketamine than post placebo (LS means difference=0.008, standard error=0.003). Post-hoc tests did not attribute effects to specific subfields (all p > 0.05). Trend-wise volumetric increases were observed within the left hippocampal CA1 region (p = 0.076), and trend-wise volumetric reductions were obtained in the right hippocampal—amygdaloid transition region (HATA) (p = 0.067). Neither genotype nor a genotype–drug interaction significantly affected the results (all p > 0.7). The study provides evidence that ketamine has short-term effects on hippocampal subfield volumes in humans. The results translate previous findings from animal models of depression showing that ketamine has pro-neuroplastic effects on hippocampal structures and underscore the importance of the hippocampus as a key region in ketamine’s mechanism of action.
Author Correction: Crystal structure and optical properties of a high-density InGaN nanoumbrella array as a white light source without phosphors
Authors: Kouno Tetsuya , Sakai Masaru , Kishino Katsumi , Kikuchi Akihiko , Umehara Naoki , Hara Kazuhiko
Published: April 2021

A Correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41427-021-00298-9
De novo assembly of a new Olea europaea genome accession using nanopore sequencing
Authors: Rao Guodong , Zhang Jianguo , Liu Xiaoxia , Lin Chunfu , Xin Huaigen , Xue Li , Wang Chenhe
Published: April 2021

Olive (Olea europaea L.) is internationally renowned for its high-end product, extra virgin olive oil. An incomplete genome of O. europaea was previously obtained using shotgun sequencing in 2016. To further explore the genetic and breeding utilization of olive, an updated draft genome of olive was obtained using Oxford Nanopore third-generation sequencing and Hi-C technology. Seven different assembly strategies were used to assemble the final genome of 1.30 Gb, with contig and scaffold N50 sizes of 4.67 Mb and 42.60 Mb, respectively. This greatly increased the quality of the olive genome. We assembled 1.1 Gb of sequences of the total olive genome to 23 pseudochromosomes by Hi-C, and 53,518 protein-coding genes were predicted in the current assembly. Comparative genomics analyses, including gene family expansion and contraction, whole-genome replication, phylogenetic analysis, and positive selection, were performed. Based on the obtained high-quality olive genome, a total of nine gene families with 202 genes were identified in the oleuropein biosynthesis pathway, which is twice the number of genes identified from the previous data. This new accession of the olive genome is of sufficient quality for genome-wide studies on gene function in olive and has provided a foundation for the molecular breeding of olive species.
Divergence of three BRX homoeologs in Brassica rapa and its effect on leaf morphology
Authors: Zhang Yuanyuan , Liang Jianli , Cai Xu , Chen Haixu , Wu Jian , Lin Runmao , Cheng Feng , Wang Xiaowu
Published: April 2021

The leafy head characteristic is a special phenotype of Chinese cabbage resulting from artificial selection during domestication and breeding. BREVIS RADIX (BRX) has been suggested to control root elongation, shoot growth, and tiller angle in Arabidopsis and rice. In Brassica rapa, three BrBRX homoeologs have been identified, but only BrBRX.1 and BrBRX.2 were found to be under selection in leaf-heading accessions, indicating their functional diversification in leafy head formation. Here, we show that these three BrBRX genes belong to a plant-specific BRX gene family but that they have significantly diverged from other BRX-like members on the basis of different phylogenetic classifications, motif compositions and expression patterns. Moreover, although the expression of these three BrBRX genes differed, compared with BrBRX.3, BrBRX.1, and BrBRX.2 displayed similar expression patterns. Arabidopsis mutant complementation studies showed that only BrBRX.1 could rescue the brx root phenotype, whereas BrBRX.2 and BrBRX.3 could not. However, overexpression of each of the three BrBRX genes in Arabidopsis resulted in similar pleiotropic leaf phenotypes, including epinastic leaf morphology, with an increase in leaf number and leaf petiole length and a reduction in leaf angle. These leaf traits are associated with leafy head formation. Further testing of a SNP (T/C) in BrBRX.2 confirmed that this allele in the heading accessions was strongly associated with the leaf-heading trait of B. rapa. Our results revealed that all three BrBRX genes may be involved in the leaf-heading trait, but they may have functionally diverged on the basis of their differential expression.
Tomato SlBL4 plays an important role in fruit pedicel organogenesis and abscission
Authors: Yan Fang , Gong Zhehao , Hu Guojian , Ma Xuesong , Bai Runyao , Yu Ruonan , Zhang Qiang , Deng Wei , Li Zhengguo , Wuriyanghan Hada
Published: April 2021

Abscission, a cell separation process, is an important trait that influences grain and fruit yield. We previously reported that BEL1-LIKE HOMEODOMAIN 4 (SlBL4) is involved in chloroplast development and cell wall metabolism in tomato fruit. In the present study, we showed that silencing SlBL4 resulted in the enlargement and pre-abscission of the tomato (Solanum lycopersicum cv. Micro-TOM) fruit pedicel. The anatomic analysis showed the presence of more epidermal cell layers and no obvious abscission zone (AZ) in the SlBL4 RNAi lines compared with the wild-type plants. RNA-seq analysis indicated that the regulation of abscission by SlBL4 was associated with the altered abundance of genes related to key meristems, auxin transporters, signaling components, and cell wall metabolism. Furthermore, SlBL4 positively affected the auxin concentration in the abscission zone. A dual-luciferase reporter assay revealed that SlBL4 activated the transcription of the JOINTLESS, OVATE, PIN1, and LAX3 genes. We reported a novel function of SlBL4, which plays key roles in fruit pedicel organogenesis and abscission in tomatoes.
CmRCD1 represses flowering by directly interacting with CmBBX8 in summer chrysanthemum
Authors: Wang Lijun , Cheng Hua , Wang Qi , Si Chaona , Yang Yiman , Yu Yao , Zhou Lijie , Ding Lian , Song Aiping , Xu Dongqing , Chen Sumei , Fang Weimin , Chen Fadi , Jiang Jiafu
Published: April 2021

The CmBBX8-CmFTL1 regulatory module is a key determinant in the transition from vegetative growth to reproductive development in summer-flowering chrysanthemum. However, the detailed regulatory mechanism of CmBBX8-mediated flowering remains elusive. In this study, we revealed that RADICAL-INDUCED CELL DEATH 1 (CmRCD1) physically associated with CmBBX8 through bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC), pulldown and Coimmunoprecipitation (CoIP) assays. Furthermore, the RCD1-SRO1-TAF4 (RST) domain of CmRCD1 and the B-box of CmBBX8 mediated their interaction. In addition, Luciferase (LUC) assays and electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSAs) showed that CmRCD1 repressed the transcriptional activity of CmBBX8 and interfered with its binding to the CmFTL1 promoter, thereby leading to delayed flowering in the summer chrysanthemum ‘Yuuka’. These results provide insight into the molecular framework of CmRCD1-CmBBX8-mediated flowering in chrysanthemum.
Overexpression of the CmJAZ1-like gene delays flowering in Chrysanthemum morifolium
Authors: Guan Yunxiao , Ding Lian , Jiang Jiafu , Shentu Yuanyue , Zhao Wenqian , Zhao Kunkun , Zhang Xue , Song Aiping , Chen Sumei , Chen Fadi
Published: April 2021

Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum morifolium) is one of the four major cut-flower plants worldwide and possesses both high ornamental value and cultural connotation. As most chrysanthemum varieties flower in autumn, it is costly to achieve annual production. JAZ genes in the TIFY family are core components of the jasmonic acid (JA) signaling pathway; in addition to playing a pivotal role in plant responses to defense, they are also widely implicated in regulating plant development processes. Here, we characterized the TIFY family gene CmJAZ1-like from the chrysanthemum cultivar ‘Jinba’. CmJAZ1-like localizes in the nucleus and has no transcriptional activity in yeast. Tissue expression pattern analysis indicated that CmJAZ1-like was most active in the root and shoot apex. Overexpressing CmJAZ1-like with Jas domain deletion in chrysanthemum resulted in late flowering. RNA-Seq analysis of the overexpression lines revealed some differentially expressed genes (DEGs) involved in flowering, such as the homologs of the flowering integrators FT and SOC1, an FUL homolog involved in flower meristem identity, AP2 domain-containing transcription factors, MADS box genes, and autonomous pathway-related genes. Based on KEGG pathway enrichment analysis, the differentially transcribed genes were enriched in carbohydrate metabolic and fatty acid-related pathways, which are notable for their role in flowering in plants. This study preliminarily verified the function of CmJAZ1-like in chrysanthemum flowering, and the results can be used in molecular breeding programs aimed at flowering time regulation of chrysanthemum.
Optimal operation points for ultrafast, highly coherent Ge hole spin-orbit qubits
Authors: Wang Zhanning , Marcellina Elizabeth , Hamilton Alex. R. , Cullen James H. , Rogge Sven , Salfi Joe , Culcer Dimitrie
Published: April 2021

Strong spin-orbit interactions make hole quantum dots central to the quest for electrical spin qubit manipulation enabling fast, low-power, scalable quantum computation. Yet it is important to establish to what extent spin-orbit coupling exposes qubits to electrical noise, facilitating decoherence. Here, taking Ge as an example, we show that group IV gate-defined hole spin qubits generically exhibit optimal operation points, defined by the top gate electric field, at which they are both fast and long-lived: the dephasing rate vanishes to first order in the electric field noise along with all directions in space, the electron dipole spin resonance strength is maximized, while relaxation is drastically reduced at small magnetic fields. The existence of optimal operation points is traced to group IV crystal symmetry and properties of the Rashba spin-orbit interaction unique to spin-3/2 systems. Our results overturn the conventional wisdom that fast operation implies reduced lifetimes and suggest group IV hole spin qubits as ideal platforms for ultra-fast, highly coherent scalable quantum computing.
Optimal frequency measurements with quantum probes
Authors: Schmitt Simon , Gefen Tuvia , Louzon Daniel , Osterkamp Christian , Staudenmaier Nicolas , Lang Johannes , Markham Matthew , Retzker Alex , McGuinness Liam P. , Jelezko Fedor
Published: April 2021

Precise frequency measurements are important in applications ranging from navigation and imaging to computation and communication. Here we outline the optimal quantum strategies for frequency discrimination and estimation in the context of quantum spectroscopy, and we compare the effectiveness of different readout strategies. Using a single NV center in diamond, we implement the optimal frequency discrimination protocol to discriminate two frequencies separated by 2 kHz with a single 44 μs measurement, a factor of ten below the Fourier limit. For frequency estimation, we achieve a frequency sensitivity of 1.6 µHz/Hz2 for a 1.7 µT amplitude signal, which is within a factor of 2 from the quantum limit. Our results are foundational for discrimination and estimation problems in nanoscale nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.
Looking backward to move forward: a meta-analysis of stem cell therapy in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Authors: Morata-Tarifa Cynthia , Azkona Garikoitz , Glass Jonathan , Mazzini Letizia , Sanchez-Pernaute Rosario
Published: April 2021

Transplantation of several types of stem cells (SC) for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) has been evaluated in numerous Phase I/II clinical trials with inconclusive results. Here, we conducted a meta-analysis to systematically assess the outcome of SC therapy trials which report the evolution of each patient before and after cell administration. In this way, we aimed to determine the effect of the SC intervention despite individual heterogeneity in disease progression. We identified 670 references by electronic search and 90 full-text studies were evaluated according to the eligibility criteria. Eleven studies were included comprising 220 cell-treated patients who received mesenchymal (M) SC (n = 152), neural (N) SC (n = 57), or mononuclear cells (MNC: CD34, CD117, and CD133 positive cells) (n = 11). Our analyses indicate that whereas intrathecal injection of mesenchymal stromal cells appears to have a transient positive effect on clinical progression, as measured by the ALS functional rating score, there was a worsening of respiratory function measured by forced vital capacity after all interventions. Based on current evidence, we conclude that optimal cell product and route of administration need to be determined in properly controlled preclinical models before further advancing into ALS patients. In addition, in-depth understanding of disease mechanisms in subsets of patients will help tailoring SC therapy to specific targets and increase the likelihood of improving outcomes.
Persistently high antibody responses after AS03-adjuvanted H1N1pdm09 vaccine: Dissecting the HA specific antibody response
Authors: Madsen Anders , Jul-Larsen Åsne , Trieu Mai-Chi , Krammer Florian , Cox Rebecca J.
Published: April 2021

Current influenza vaccines have a suboptimal effectiveness. The introduction of a novel A/H1N1 influenza virus in 2009 (H1N1pdm09) provided a unique opportunity to study the humoral response to the AS03-adjuvanted H1N1pdm09 vaccine and repeated annual vaccination with the homologous virus in subsequent influenza seasons. Thirty-two HCWs immunized with the AS03-adjuvanted H1N1pdm09 vaccine in 2009 were divided into four groups based on the longevity of their antibody responses (persistently high or transient), and whether they were repeatedly annually vaccinated in the subsequent four influenza seasons or not. Serological assays were utilized to measure the quantity, quality and functionality of antibodies targeting the major surface glycoprotein hemagglutinin (HA). Persistent high responders (hemagglutination inhibition (HI) titre ≥ 80 at 12 months after H1N1pdm09 vaccination) had protective levels of HI antibodies throughout the study period. In addition, the quality and functionality of these antibodies were greater than the individuals who had a transient antibody response to the pandemic vaccine (HI titre < 40 at 12 months after H1N1pdm09 vaccination). All groups had similar levels of antibodies towards the conserved HA stalk domain. The level of HA head-specific antibodies gradually increased over time with annual vaccination in the transient responders. The AS03-adjuvanted H1N1pdm09 vaccine elicited a robust humoral response that persisted up to 5 years in some individuals. Seasonal annual vaccination boosted the HA-antibodies over time in individuals with a transient response to the pandemic H1N1pdm09 vaccine.
The photosynthetic pathways of plant species surveyed in Australia’s national terrestrial monitoring network
Authors: Munroe Samantha E. M. , McInerney Francesca A. , Andrae Jake , Welti Nina , Guerin Greg R. , Leitch Emrys , Hall Tony , Szarvas Steve , Atkins Rachel , Caddy-Retalic Stefan , Sparrow Ben
Published: April 2021

The photosynthetic pathway of plants is a fundamental trait that influences terrestrial environments from the local to global level. The distribution of different photosynthetic pathways in Australia is expected to undergo a substantial shift due to climate change and rising atmospheric CO2; however, tracking change is hindered by a lack of data on the pathways of species, as well as their distribution and relative cover within plant communities. Here we present the photosynthetic pathways for 2428 species recorded across 541 plots surveyed by Australia’s Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network (TERN) between 2011 and 2017. This dataset was created to facilitate research exploring trends in vegetation change across Australia. Species were assigned a photosynthetic pathway using published literature and stable carbon isotope analysis of bulk tissue. The photosynthetic pathway of species can be extracted from the dataset individually, or used in conjunction with vegetation surveys to study the occurrence and abundance of pathways across the continent. This dataset will be updated as TERN’s plot network expands and new information becomes available.
Continuous sensorimotor rhythm based brain computer interface learning in a large population
Authors: Stieger James R. , Engel Stephen A. , He Bin
Published: April 2021

Brain computer interfaces (BCIs) are valuable tools that expand the nature of communication through bypassing traditional neuromuscular pathways. The non-invasive, intuitive, and continuous nature of sensorimotor rhythm (SMR) based BCIs enables individuals to control computers, robotic arms, wheel-chairs, and even drones by decoding motor imagination from electroencephalography (EEG). Large and uniform datasets are needed to design, evaluate, and improve the BCI algorithms. In this work, we release a large and longitudinal dataset collected during a study that examined how individuals learn to control SMR-BCIs. The dataset contains over 600 hours of EEG recordings collected during online and continuous BCI control from 62 healthy adults, (mostly) right hand dominant participants, across (up to) 11 training sessions per participant. The data record consists of 598 recording sessions, and over 250,000 trials of 4 different motor-imagery-based BCI tasks. The current dataset presents one of the largest and most complex SMR-BCI datasets publicly available to date and should be useful for the development of improved algorithms for BCI control.
Brain networks underlying the processing of sound symbolism related to softness perception
Authors: Kitada Ryo , Kwon Jinhwan , Doizaki Ryuichi , Nakagawa Eri , Tanigawa Tsubasa , Kajimoto Hiroyuki , Sadato Norihiro , Sakamoto Maki
Published: April 2021

Unlike the assumption of modern linguistics, there is non-arbitrary association between sound and meaning in sound symbolic words. Neuroimaging studies have suggested the unique contribution of the superior temporal sulcus to the processing of sound symbolism. However, because these findings are limited to the mapping between sound symbolism and visually presented objects, the processing of sound symbolic information may also involve the sensory-modality dependent mechanisms. Here, we conducted a functional magnetic resonance imaging experiment to test whether the brain regions engaged in the tactile processing of object properties are also involved in mapping sound symbolic information with tactually perceived object properties. Thirty-two healthy subjects conducted a matching task in which they judged the congruency between softness perceived by touch and softness associated with sound symbolic words. Congruency effect was observed in the orbitofrontal cortex, inferior frontal gyrus, insula, medial superior frontal gyrus, cingulate gyrus, and cerebellum. This effect in the insula and medial superior frontal gyri was overlapped with softness-related activity that was separately measured in the same subjects in the tactile experiment. These results indicate that the insula and medial superior frontal gyrus play a role in processing sound symbolic information and relating it to the tactile softness information.
Association of baseline as well as change in lipid levels with the risk of cardiovascular diseases and all-cause deaths
Authors: Hsu Hsin-Yin , Tsai Ming-Chieh , Yeh Tzu-Lin , Hsu Le-Yin , Hwang Lee-Ching , Chien Kuo-Liong
Published: April 2021

High baseline atherogenic lipid level has been an established risk factor for the risk of cardiovascular events. Evidence concerning the role of lipid changes in cardiovascular and death risks are inconclusive. A cohort study was conducted based on the Taiwanese Survey on Hypertension, Hyperglycemia, and Hyperlipidemia (n = 4072, mean 44.8 years, 53.5% women) assessing lipid levels of the participants repeatedly measured in 2002 and 2007. Combined baseline and changes in lipid levels were classified into four groups—stable or decreasing lipid changes and increasing lipid changes with low- and high-risk baseline lipid levels. Developing cardiovascular events (n = 225) and all-cause deaths (n = 345) were ascertained during a median follow-up of 13.3 years. Participants with increasing and higher total cholesterol level were more likely to develop cardiovascular risks. Similar patterns for cardiovascular events were observed across other lipid profile changes. However, participants with increasing total cholesterol, LDL-C, and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C) levels were more likely to be at a lower risk for all-cause deaths. Baseline and changes in total cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL-C levels were positively associated with the risk of cardiovascular diseases, whereas baseline and changes in total cholesterol and LDL-C and non-HDL-C levels were inversely associated with all-cause deaths.
Armillaria root rot fungi host single-stranded RNA viruses
Authors: Linnakoski Riikka , Sutela Suvi , Coetzee Martin P. A. , Duong Tuan A. , Pavlov Igor N. , Litovka Yulia A. , Hantula Jarkko , Wingfield Brenda D. , Vainio Eeva J.
Published: April 2021

Species of Armillaria are distributed globally and include some of the most important pathogens of forest and ornamental trees. Some of them form large long-living clones that are considered as one of the largest organisms on earth and are capable of long-range spore-mediated transfer as well as vegetative spread by drought-resistant hyphal cords called rhizomorphs. However, the virus community infecting these species has remained unknown. In this study we used dsRNA screening and high-throughput sequencing to search for possible virus infections in a collection of Armillaria isolates representing three different species: Armillaria mellea from South Africa, A. borealis from Finland and Russia (Siberia) and A. cepistipes from Finland. Our analysis revealed the presence of both negative-sense RNA viruses and positive-sense RNA viruses, while no dsRNA viruses were detected. The viruses included putative new members of virus families Mymonaviridae, Botourmiaviridae and Virgaviridae and members of a recently discovered virus group tentatively named “ambiviruses” with ambisense bicistronic genomic organization. We demonstrated that Armillaria isolates can be cured of viruses by thermal treatment, which enables the examination of virus effects on host growth and phenotype using isogenic virus-infected and virus-free strains.
Dynamic 31P-MRI and 31P-MRS of lower leg muscles in heart failure patients
Authors: Menon Rajiv G. , Xia Ding , Katz Stuart D. , Regatte Ravinder R.
Published: April 2021

Impaired oxidative metabolism is one of multi-variate factors leading to exercise intolerance in heart failure patients. The purpose of the study was to demonstrate the use of dynamic 31P magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) and 31P magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques to measure PCr resynthesis rate post-exercise as a biomarker for oxidative metabolism in skeletal muscle in HF patients and controls. In this prospective imaging study, we recruited six HF patients and five healthy controls. The imaging protocol included 31P-MRS, spectrally selective 3D turbo spin echo for 31P-MRI, and Dixon multi-echo GRE for fat–water imaging on a 3 T clinical MRI scanner. All the subjects were scanned pre-exercise, during plantar flexion exercise, and post-exercise recovery, with two rounds of exercise for 31P -MRS and 31P-MRI, respectively. Unpaired t-tests were used to compare 31P-MRS and 31P-MRI results between the HF and control cohorts. The results show that PCr resynthesis rate was significantly slower in the HF cohort compared to the controls using 31P-MRS (P = 0.0003) and 31P-MRI (P = 0.0014). 31P-MRI showed significant differences between the cohorts in muscle groups (soleus (P = 0.0018), gastrocnemius lateral (P = 0.0007) and gastrocnemius medial (P = 0.0054)). The results from this study suggest that 31P-MRS/31P-MRI may be used to quantify lower leg muscle oxidative metabolism in HF patients, with 31P-MRI giving an additional advantage of allowing further localization of oxidative metabolism deficits. Upon further validation, these techniques may serve as a potentially useful clinical imaging biomarker for staging and monitoring therapies in HF-patients.
Deep divergence between island populations in lichenized fungi
Authors: Werth Silke , Meidl Peter , Scheidegger Christoph
Published: April 2021

Macaronesia is characterized by a high degree of endemism and represents a noteworthy system to study the evolutionary history of populations and species. Here, we compare the population-genetic structure in three lichen-forming fungi, the widespread Lobaria pulmonaria and two Macaronesian endemics, L. immixta and L. macaronesica, based on microsatellites. We utilize population genetic approaches to explore population subdivision and evolutionary history of these taxa on the Canary Islands, Madeira, Azores, and the western Iberian Peninsula. A common feature in all species was the deep divergence between populations on the Azores, a pattern expected by the large geographic distance among islands. For both endemic species, there was a major split between archipelagos. In contrast, in the widespread L. pulmonaria, divergent individuals were distributed across multiple archipelagos, suggesting a complex evolutionary history involving repeated migration between islands and mainland.
JAK/STAT inhibitor therapy partially rescues the lipodystrophic autoimmune phenotype in Clec16a KO mice
Authors: Pandey Rahul , Bakay Marina , Strenkowski Bryan P. , Hain Heather S. , Hakonarson Hakon
Published: April 2021

CLEC16A is implicated in multiple autoimmune diseases. We generated an inducible whole-body knockout (KO), Clec16aΔUBC mice to address the role of CLEC16A loss of function. KO mice exhibited loss of adipose tissue and severe weight loss in response to defective autophagic flux and exaggerated endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and robust cytokine storm. KO mice were glucose tolerant and displayed a state of systemic inflammation with elevated antibody levels, including IgM, IgA, Ig2b and IgG3, significantly reduced circulating insulin levels in the presence of normal food consumption. Metabolic analysis revealed disturbances in the lipid profile, white adipose decreasing concomitantly with enhanced inflammatory response, and energy wasting. Mechanistically, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress triggers excessive hormone sensitive lipases (HSL) mediated lipolysis which contributes to adipose inflammation via activation of JAK-STAT, stress kinases (ERK1/2, P38, JNK), and release of multiple proinflammatory mediators. Treatment with a JAK-STAT inhibitor (tofacitinib) partially rescued the inflammatory lipodystrophic phenotype and improved survival of Clec16aΔUBC mice by silencing cytokine release and modulating ER stress, lipolysis, mitophagy and autophagy. These results establish a mechanistic link between CLEC16A, lipid metabolism and the immune system perturbations. In summary, our Clec16aΔUBC mouse model highlights multifaceted roles of Clec16a in normal physiology, including a novel target for weight regulation and mutation-induced pathophysiology.
Terpene polyacrylate TPA5 shows favorable molecular hydrodynamic properties as a potential bioinspired archaeological wood consolidant
Authors: Cutajar Michelle , Andriulo Fabrizio , Thomsett Megan R. , Moore Jonathan C. , Couturaud Benoit , Howdle Steven M. , Stockman Robert A. , Harding Stephen E.
Published: April 2021

There is currently a pressing need for the development of novel bioinspired consolidants for waterlogged, archaeological wood. Bioinspired materials possess many advantages, such as biocompatibility and sustainability, which makes them ideal to use in this capacity. Based on this, a polyhydroxylated monomer was synthesised from α-pinene, a sustainable terpene feedstock derived from pine trees, and used to prepare a low molar mass polymer TPA5 through free radical polymerisation. This polymer was extensively characterised by NMR spectroscopy (chemical composition) and molecular hydrodynamics, primarily using analytical ultracentrifugation reinforced by gel filtration chromatography and viscometry, in order to investigate whether it would be suitable for wood consolidation purposes. Sedimentation equilibrium indicated a weight average molar massMwof (4.3 ± 0.2) kDa, with minimal concentration dependence. Further analysis with MULTISIG revealed a broad distribution of molar masses and this heterogeneity was further confirmed by sedimentation velocity. Conformation analyses with the PerrinPand viscosity increment ν universal hydrodynamic parameters indicated that the polymer had an elongated shape, with both factors giving consistent results and a consensus axial ratio of ~ 4.5. These collective properties—hydrogen bonding potential enhanced by an elongated shape, together with a small injectable molar mass—suggest this polymer is worthy of further consideration as a potential consolidant.
Long-term cross calibration of HJ-1A CCD1 and Terra MODIS reflective solar bands
Authors: Liu Li , Shi Tingting , Gao Hailiang , Zhang Xuewen , Han Qijin , Hu Xinkai
Published: April 2021

Since its launch on September 6, 2008, HJ-1A has been in the orbit for 13 years. The CCD1 sensor on the HJ-1A has four reflected solar bands. Since the calibration frequency is limited to the annual site calibration, cross-calibration is an effective method to improve the calibration frequency. In this paper, we use 420 image pairs of HJ-1A CCD1 and Terra MODIS over the Dunhuang test site for gains calculation, where we take MODIS as the reference sensor. The spectral band adjustment factors (SBAFs) for cross-calibration are then calculated to compensate for the spectral mismatch. The cross-calibration results are also validated by the field calibration results. From 2008 to 2019, a total of six campaigns have been cross-calibrated on the same day. The gain difference between the site calibration and cross-calibration is less than 3%. The long-term cross-calibration results further indicate that due to the adjustment of HJ-1A CCD gain state in October 2009, an abrupt change occurred 405 days after launch. After 12 years of on-orbit operation, the attenuation rate has reached 23.51%, 21.89%, 8.11%, and 13.37%, respectively by the end of 2019 based on the cross-calibration results.