bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
How the Chinese Government Fabricates Social Media Posts for Strategic Distraction, Not Engaged Argument
Authors: KING GARY , PAN JENNIFER , ROBERTS MARGARET E.
Published: July 2017

The Chinese government has long been suspected of hiring as many as 2 million people to surreptitiously insert huge numbers of pseudonymous and other deceptive writings into the stream of real social media posts, as if they were the genuine opinions of ordinary people. Many academics, and most journalists and activists, claim that these so-called 50c party posts vociferously argue for the government’s side in political and policy debates. As we show, this is also true of most posts openly accused on social media of being 50c. Yet almost no systematic empirical evidence exists for this claim or, more importantly, for the Chinese regime’s strategic objective in pursuing this activity. In the first large-scale empirical analysis of this operation, we show how to identify the secretive authors of these posts, the posts written by them, and their content. We estimate that the government fabricates and posts about 448 million social media comments a year. In contrast to prior claims, we show that the Chinese regime’s strategy is to avoid arguing with skeptics of the party and the government, and to not even discuss controversial issues. We show that the goal of this massive secretive operation is instead to distract the public and change the subject, as most of these posts involve cheerleading for China, the revolutionary history of the Communist Party, or other symbols of the regime. We discuss how these results fit with what is known about the Chinese censorship program and suggest how they may change our broader theoretical understanding of “common knowledge” and information control in authoritarian regimes.
The People as a Natural Disaster: Redemptive Violence in Jacobin Political Thought
Authors: DUONG KEVIN
Published: July 2017

The trial and execution of Louis XVI served as a founding act of French republican democracy. It was also a scene of irregular justice: no legal warrants or procedural precedents existed for bringing a king to justice before the law. This essay describes how Jacobins crafted a new language of popular agency to overcome that obstacle—the language of redemptive violence. Although redemptive violence had roots in prerevolutionary notions of penal justice and social cohesion, its philosophical ambitions were revolutionary and modern. Analyzing that language illuminates how republican democracy weaponized a distinctive ideology of extralegal violence at its origins. It also helps explain redemptive violence's enduring appeal during and after the French Revolution.
Integrating multiple criteria for the characterization ofPsammotettixpopulations in European cereal fields
Authors: Abt I. , Derlink M. , Mabon R. , Virant-Doberlet M. , Jacquot E.
Published: July 2017

The wheat dwarf disease is among the most damaging diseases in cereals. Its aetiological agent is theWheat dwarf virus(WDV), which is exclusively transmitted from plant to plant by leafhoppers from the genusPsammotettix(Hemiptera, Cicadellidae). The parameters linked to the WDV/Psammotettixpathosystem are still poorly understood. We studiedPsammotettixindividuals collected in wheat and barley fields in France and, as a comparison, from grassland at agroecological interface in West Slovenia. Species identity of males and females has been determined using multiple criteria. In the first step, the characterization of the collected individuals included recordings of vibrational signals used in mating behaviour and morphometric analyses. In addition, a 442 nt sequence of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxydase I (COI) gene was obtained for some individuals and compared to COI sequences of thePsammotettixleafhoppers available in public databases. In the cereal fields in France,Psammotettix alienuswas the most numerous species; however, it sometimes occurred together withPsammotettix confinis, while in the grasslands in Slovenia, the third syntopic species inPsammotettixcommunity wasPsammotettix helvolus. The temporal parameters of theP. alienusmale calling song that were measured in this study were very similar to those measured in a previous study. The local biotic and/or abiotic parameters most likely influence the life history ofPsammotettixleafhoppers, and the proportion of viruliferous individuals collected in cereal fields was 14.9%, while leafhoppers collected in Slovenia were virus-free. Taken together, results show that more detailed information on population structure ofPsammotettixleafhoppers is crucial for providing an insight into the epidemiology of wheat dwarf disease.
Detecting Turns and Correcting Headings Using Low-Cost INS
Authors: Muhammad Mohd Nazrin , Salcic Zoran , Wang Kevin I-Kai
Published: July 2017

Unlike industrial-grade Inertial Navigation Sensors (INSs) that can provide credible tracking performance, more affordable consumer-grade low-cost INSs produce drifts in heading angles and positions that result in a poor tracking accuracy. Researchers have proposed drift correction methods that attempt to attenuate the drifts when walking straight along the dominant directions is detected. While determining the type of a pedestrian's walk is essential before the heading corrections are made, the current detection techniques heavily rely on thresholding. This paper proposes a novel threshold-less method to detect turns in walking by using pelvic rotation and correct the heading angle based on consumer-grade INSs. The experiments indicate the proposed turn detector and heading correction methods produce very good results which can be applied for future pedestrian tracking, activity recognition or rehabilitation.
Broadening End-of-Life Comfort to Improve Palliative Care Practices in Long Term Care
Authors: Sussman Tamara , Kaasalainen Sharon , Mintzberg Susan , Sinclair Shane , Young Laurel , Ploeg Jenny , Bourgeois-Guérin Valérie , Thompson Genevieve , Venturato Lorraine , Earl Marie , Strachan Patricia , You John J. , Bonifas Robin , McKee Margaret
Published: July 2017

Cette étude qualitative canadienne rapporte les résultats de 19 groupes de discussion comprenant 117 participants, incluant des bénéficiaires, des familles et des membres du personnel. Elle avait pour objectifs : 1) d’explorer les soins palliatifs offerts en soins de longue durée (SLD) en vue de faire face aux tensions associées à la prestation de soins aux personnes qui sont encore bien vivantes et celles en fin de vie dans une même communauté de soins et 2) d’identifier des améliorations qui pourraient être apportées aux pratiques en soins palliatifs afin de mieux répondre aux besoins de tous les bénéficiaires en vie ou mourants dans les établissements de SLD, ainsi que celles des familles et du personnel qui leur apportent du soutien. Notre étude a montré que les perspectives liées au confort en fin de vie du personnel en SLD, celles des bénéficiaires et de leurs familles étaient appliquaient à ceux qui se trouvaient en fin de vie ou aux familles qui les soutenaient. Cette compréhension du confort limitait l’intégration des principes de soins palliatifs lors des derniers jours de vie des bénéficiaires. Les résultats de notre étude ont aussi suggéré que le fait de recueillir les perceptions des bénéficiaires liées au confort en fin de vie, de partager l’information à propos de la mort d’un bénéficiaire d’une manière plus personnelle, et de s’assurer que les bénéficiaires, leurs familles et le personnel aient des occasions de participer dans les soins de confort pour les bénéficiaires mourants pouvaient accroître le confort en fin de vie et soutenir une plus grande intégration des principes de soins palliatifs en SLD.
Differentiation between wild-type and vaccines strains of varicella zoster virus (VZV) based on four single nucleotide polymorphisms
Authors: JIN L. , XU S. , MAPLE P. A. C. , XU W. , BROWN K. E.
Published: July 2017

Varicella–zoster virus (VZV) infection (chickenpox) results in latency and subsequent reactivation manifests as shingles. Effective attenuated vaccines (vOka) are available for prevention of both illnesses. In this study, an amplicon-based sequencing method capable of differentiating between VZV wild-type (wt) strains and vOka vaccine is described. A total of 44 vesicular fluid specimens collected from 43 patients (16 from China and 27 from the UK) with either chickenpox or shingles were investigated, of which 10 had received previous vaccination. Four sets of polymerase chain reactions were set up simultaneously with primers amplifying regions encompassing four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), ‘69349-106262-107252-108111’. Nucleotide sequences were generated by Sanger sequencing. All samples except one had a wt SNP profile of ‘A-T-T-T’. The sample collected from a patient who received vaccine 7–10 days ago, along with VZV vaccine preparations, Zostavax and Baike-varicella gave a SNP profile ‘G-C-C-C’. The results show that this method can distinguish vaccine-derived virus from wt viruses from main four clades, (clades 1–4) and should be of utility worldwide.
Epidemiology and hospital readmission associated with complications ofStaphylococcus aureusbacteremia in pediatrics over a 25-year period
Authors: LE J. , DAM Q. , TRAN T. , NGUYEN A. , ADLER-SHOHET F. C. , KIM S. , SCHMIDT K. , LIEBERMAN J. M. , BRADLEY J. S.
Published: July 2017

We sought to comprehensively assess the prevalence and outcomes of complications associated withStaphylococcus aureusbacteremia (SAB) in children. Secondarily, prevalence of methicillin resistance and outcomes of complications from methicillin-resistantS. aureus(MRSA)vs.methicillin-susceptibleS. aureusSAB were assessed. This is a single-center cross-sectional study of 376 patients ⩽18 years old with SAB in 1990–2014. Overall, 197 (52%) patients experienced complications, the most common being osteomyelitis (33%), skin and soft tissue infection (31%), and pneumonia (25%). Patients with complications were older (median 3vs.0·7 years,P= 0·05) and more had community-associated SAB (66%vs.34%,P= 0·001). Fewer patients with complications had a SAB-related emergency department or hospital readmission (10%vs.19%,P= 0·014). Prevalence of methicillin resistance increased from 1990–1999 to 2000–2009, but decreased in 2010–2014. Complicated MRSA bacteremia resulted in more intensive care unit admissions (66%vs.47%,P= 0·03) and led to increased likelihood of having ⩾2 foci (58%vs.26%,P< 0·001). From multivariate analysis, community-associated SAB increased risk and concurrent infections decreased risk of complications (odds ratio (OR) 1·82 (1·1–3·02),P= 0·021) and (OR 0·58 (0·34–0·97),P= 0·038), respectively. In conclusion, children with SAB should be carefully evaluated for complications. Methicillin resistance remains associated with poor outcomes but have decreased in overall prevalence.
Conservation status of threatened and endemic birds of New Britain, Papua New Guinea
Authors: DAVIS ROBERT A. , DUTSON GUY , SZABO JUDIT K.
Published: July 2017

New Britain in the Bismarck Archipelago of Papua New Guinea supports 14 endemic bird species and together with New Ireland, forms an Endemic Bird Area that supports 38 restricted range species. Extensive conversion of lowland forest to oil palm plantations resulted in the loss of over 20% of forest under 100 m altitude between 1989 and 2000. However the rate of loss has subsequently slowed (2.2% loss across all altitudes between 2002 and 2014), and much forest remains at higher altitudes: 72% of New Britain remained forested (including secondary forest) in 2014. Despite the ongoing high threat and rich endemic bird fauna, the state of knowledge of the conservation status of birds in New Britain is very poor. We use an unprecedented dataset based on 415 hours of bird surveys conducted in oil palm plantations, as well as primary and secondary forests at all altitudes, to revise the IUCN status of New Britain’s birds. These data indicate that six species of elevated conservation concern are less dependent on old-growth forest than previously assessed. We recommend reduced population size estimates for one species, New Britain KingfisherTodiramphus albonotatus.We recommend increased population size estimates for seven species: Pied Cuckoo-doveReinwardtoena browni, Yellowish Imperial PigeonDucula subflavescens, Green-fronted Hanging ParrotLoriculus tener, Blue-eyed CockatooCacatua opthalmica, Violaceous CoucalCentropus violaceous, New Britain BoobookNinox odiosaand New Britain ThrushZoothera talaseae. Despite our comprehensive surveys, Slaty-backed GoshawkAccipiter luteoschistaceus, New Britain SparrowhawkAccipiter brachyurus, New Britain BronzewingHenicophaps foersteriand Golden Masked-owlTyto aurantiaremain very rarely recorded and require further assessment. With ongoing habitat loss, particularly in lowland areas, New Britain’s birds urgently require more attention.
Acute Care Referral Systems in Liberia: Transfer and Referral Capabilities in a Low-Income Country
Authors: Kim Jimin , Barreix Maria , Babcock Christine , Bills Corey B.
Published: July 2017

Introduction

Following two decades of armed conflict in Liberia, over 95% of health care facilities were partially or completely destroyed. Although the Liberian health system has undergone significant rehabilitation, one particular weakness is the lack of organized systems for referral and prehospital care. Acute care referral systems are a critical component of effective health care delivery and have led to improved quality of care and patient outcomes.

Problem

This study aimed to characterize the referral and transfer systems in the largest county of Liberia.

Methods

A cross-sectional, health referral survey of a representative sample of health facilities in Montserrado County, Liberia was performed. A systematic random sample of all primary health care (PHC) clinics, fraction proportional to district population size, and all secondary and tertiary health facilities were included in the study sample. Collected data included baseline information about the health facility, patient flow, and qualitative and quantitative data regarding referral practices.

Results

A total of 62 health facilities—41 PHC clinics, 11 health centers (HCs), and 10 referral hospitals (RHs)—were surveyed during the 6-week study period. In sum, three percent of patients were referred to a higher-level of care. Communication between health facilities was largely unsystematic, with lack of specific protocols (n=3; 5.0%) and standardized documentation (n=26; 44.0%) for referral. While most health facilities reported walking as the primary means by which patients presented to initial health facilities (n=50; 81.0%), private vehicles, including commercial taxis (n=37; 60.0%), were the primary transport mechanism for referral of patients between health facilities.

Conclusion

This study identified several weaknesses in acute care referral systems in Liberia, including lack of systematic care protocols for transfer, documentation, communication, and transport. However, several informal, well-functioning mechanisms for referral exist and could serve as the basis for a more robust system. Well-integrated acute care referral systems in low-income countries, like Liberia, may help to mitigate future public health crises by augmenting a country’s capacity for emergency preparedness.

KimJ, BarreixM, BabcockC, BillsCB. Acute care referral systems in Liberia: transfer and referral capabilities in a low-income country. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2017;32(6):642–650.
Journalists’ Occupational Stress: A Comparative Study between Reporting Critical Events and Domestic News
Authors: Monteiro Susana , Marques-Pinto Alexandra
Published: July 2017

Nowadays, journalism is considered a stressful occupation, not only due to the stress perceived in journalists’ daily work but also due to the critical, potentially traumatic events they report. However, research on journalists’ occupational stress in both these professional settings is still scarce. This study aims to characterize and compare occupational stress variables perceived by journalists in their daily work and in critical scenarios. Taking the Holistic Model of Occupational Stress by Nelson and Simmons (2003) as a framework, 25 Portuguese journalists, all with experience in reporting critical events, were interviewed on their perceptions of some core variables of the model: occupational stressors, distress and eustress emotional reactions, and the consequences of these experiences on their well-being. Differences among these core variables, according to the number of deployments to a critical event, were statistically analysed in order to ascertain whether repeated exposure to trauma influenced journalists’ occupational stress perceptions. The data content analysis showed that occupational stressors and emotional reactions differed across settings, while the consequences associated with journalists’ experiences were perceived as being mainly negative in both occupational contexts. Significant differences were identified in some of these variables according to the number of deployments to a critical event (p< .05). These findings may contribute to a reflection on the role of media organizations in preparing and supporting journalists in their work performance, and on the promotion of occupational health within the scope of journalists’ daily work and critical events. The article closes with considerations for future studies.
Universal Suicide Prevention in Young People
Authors: Bailey Eleanor , Spittal Matthew J. , Pirkis Jane , Gould Madelyn , Robinson Jo
Published: July 2017

Abstract. Background: Universal education and awareness programs in schools are a promising suicide prevention intervention but to date no research has evaluated the iatrogenic effects of such programs. Aims: To evaluate the efficacy and acceptability of the safeTALK program for secondary school students and determine whether it is associated with any iatrogenic effects. Method: Participants were 129 students from the three main high schools in Alice Springs who attended the safeTALK training and consented to participate in the evaluation. Participants were assessed immediately before and immediately after the training using a purpose-designed survey. Follow-up questionnaires were administered online 4 weeks after completion of the training. Results: Participants demonstrated increases in knowledge about suicide, confidence in talking about issues related to suicide, willingness to talk about suicide, and likelihood of seeking help for suicidal thoughts. There was no evidence that the training induced suicidal thoughts or caused distress; in fact both appeared to decrease following the training. Most participants did not find the training upsetting; they reported the training to be worthwhile and most said that they would recommend it to a friend. Limitations: The lack of control group, use of non-validated measures, and relatively short follow-up period are limitations of this study. Conclusion: Universal suicide prevention workshops in schools can be beneficial and do not appear to be associated with iatrogenic effects.
Framing Suicide – Investigating the News Media and Public's Use of the Problematic Suicide Referents Freitod and Selbstmord in German-Speaking Countries
Authors: Arendt Florian
Published: July 2017

Abstract. Background: In German-speaking countries, suicide experts recommend not using the suicide referents Freitod and Selbstmord, as their associative meanings relate to problematic concepts such as free will and crime. Aims: To investigate which terms – the neutral and recommended Suizid or Freitod and Selbstmord – have dominated news coverage and to reveal what terms the public actually used. Method: A retrospective database study was undertaken on data from the period 2004–2016. First, we investigated how frequently the terms were used in news coverage via an automated content analysis. Second, we investigated how often individuals used the terms for information-seeking via Google's search engine, since it can be used as an indicator of the popularity of a given term within a given period. Results: Analyses revealed that Selbstmord was the most frequently used term in the news and by the public. Importantly, the use of Suizid increased in both datasets, nearly approaching the Selbstmord level in the later years. Although on a low level, the highly problematic term Freitod has also been in regular use. Conclusion: Media interventions should continue trying to increase journalists' awareness so that they use appropriate terms when reporting on suicide.
National Suicide Prevention, Local Mental Health Resources, and Suicide Rates in Japan
Authors: Nakanishi Miharu , Endo Kaori
Published: July 2017

Abstract. Background: Suicide rates in Japan are relatively high in OECD countries. A national fund to help local authorities implement suicide prevention programs was launched in 2009. The national suicide prevention project was transferred from the Cabinet Office to the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare on April 2016, with a greater focus on mental health promotion by local governments. Aims: The aim of the present study was to (a) identify local authorities' implementation of suicide prevention programs in terms of local health policies, and (b) examine the associations between local health resources and suicide rates in Japan. Method: We investigated the types of programs implemented under the fund, and correlations with authorities' sociodemographic characteristics and mental health and welfare resources. Results: A majority of authorities implemented general suicide prevention programs. More focused programs addressing issues such as mental health in the workplace, alcohol problems, and attempted suicide were less frequently implemented. There were significantly fewer suicides in health regions with a higher ratio of psychiatrists to residents or a lower ratio of psychiatric beds. Limitations: A causal relationship between suicide rates and characteristics of local authorities cannot be inferred from the data. Conclusion: A community mental health system that operated in parallel to the current system may result in fewer inpatients and a reduction in Japan's suicide rate.
DNMT1-maintained hypermethylation of Krüppel-like factor 5 involves in the progression of clear cell renal cell carcinoma
Authors: Fu Rong-Jie , He Wei , Wang Xiao-Bo , Li Lei , Zhao Huan-Bin , Liu Xiao-Ye , Pang Zhi , Chen Guo-Qiang , Huang Lei , Zhao Ke-Wen
Published: July 2017

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is the major subtype of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) that is resistant to conventional radiation and chemotherapy. It is a challenge to explore effective therapeutic targets and drugs for this kind of cancer. Transcription factor Krüppel-like factor 5 (KLF5) exerts diverse functions in various tumor types. By analyzing cohorts of the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data sets, we find that KLF5 expression is suppressed in ccRCC patients and higher level of KLF5 expression is associated with better prognostic outcome. Our further investigations demonstrate thatKLF5genomic loci are hypermethylated at proximal exon 4 and suppression of DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) expression by ShRNAs or a methylation inhibitor 5-Aza-CdR can recover KLF5 expression. Meanwhile, there is a negative correlation between expressions of KLF5 and DNMT1 in ccRCC tissues. Ectopic KLF5 expression inhibits ccRCC cell proliferation and migration/invasionin vitroand decreases xenograft growth and metastasisin vivo. Moreover, 5-Aza-CdR, a chemotherapy drug as DNMTs’ inhibitor that can induce KLF5 expression, suppresses ccRCC cell growth, while knockdown of KLF5 abolishes 5-Aza-CdR-induced growth inhibition. Collectively, our data demonstrate that KLF5 inhibits ccRCC growth as a tumor suppressor and highlight the potential of 5-Aza-CdR to release KLF5 expression as a therapeutic modality for the treatment of ccRCC.
Influence of the asymmetric excited state decay on coherent population trapping
Authors: Borges H. S. , Oliveira M. H. , Villas-Boas C. J.
Published: July 2017

Electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) is an optical phenomenon which allows a drastic modification of the optical properties of an atomic system by applying a control field. It has been largely studied in the last decades and nowadays we can find a huge number of experimental and theoretical related studies. Recently a similar phenomenon was also shown in quantum dot molecules (QDM), where the control field is replaced by the tunneling rate between quantum dots. Our results show that in the EIT regime, the optical properties of QDM and the atomic system are identical. However, here we show that in the strong probe field regime, i.e., “coherent population trapping” (CPT) regime, it appears a strong discrepancy on the optical properties of both systems. We show that the origin of such difference relies on the different decay rates of the excited state of the two systems, implying in a strong difference on their higher order nonlinear susceptibilities. Finally, we investigate the optical response of atom/QDM strongly coupled to a cavity mode. In particular, the QDM-cavity system has the advantage of allowing a better narrowing of the width of the dark state resonance in the CPT regime when compared with atom-cavity system.
3-D imaging reveals four extraordinary cases of convergent evolution of acoustic communication in crickets and allies (Insecta)
Authors: Desutter-Grandcolas Laure , Jacquelin Lauriane , Hugel Sylvain , Boistel Renaud , Garrouste Romain , Henrotay Michel , Warren Ben H. , Chintauan-Marquier Ioana C. , Nel Patricia , Grandcolas Philippe , Nel André
Published: July 2017

When the same complex trait is exhibited by closely related species, a single evolutionary origin is frequently invoked. The complex stridulatory apparatus present in the forewings of extant crickets, mole crickets, katydids, and prophalangopsids, is currently interpreted as sharing a single common origin due to their similarity and unique function. An alternative hypothesis of convergent evolution in these ensiferan groups has challenged this common view, but remained controversial because of competing interpretations of wing venation. Here we propose another hypothesis for the widely and long debated homology of ensiferan stridulatory apparatus, performing the first 3D reconstruction of hidden structures at the wing bases. This approach allowed defining the homology of each vein from its very origin rather than after its more distal characteristics, which may be subjected to environmental pressure of selection. The stridulatory apparatus involves different veins in these four singing clades. In light of the most recent phylogenetic evidence, this apparatus developed four times in Ensifera, illustrating extraordinary convergent evolutions between closely related clades, by far exceeding the number of evolutionary steps ever proposed for calling ability in this group.
Common biological phenotypes characterize the acquisition of platinum-resistance in epithelial ovarian cancer cells
Authors: Sonego Maura , Pellizzari Ilenia , Dall’Acqua Alessandra , Pivetta Eliana , Lorenzon Ilaria , Benevol Sara , Bomben Riccardo , Spessotto Paola , Sorio Roberto , Gattei Valter , Belletti Barbara , Schiappacassi Monica , Baldassarre Gustavo
Published: July 2017

Standard of care for Epithelial Ovarian Cancer (EOC) patients relies on platinum-based therapy. However, acquired resistance to platinum occurs frequently and predicts poor prognosis. To understand the mechanisms underlying acquired platinum-resistance, we have generated and characterized three platinum-resistant isogenic EOC cell lines. Resistant cells showed 3-to 5- folds increase in platinum IC50. Cross-resistance to other chemotherapeutic agents commonly used in the treatment of EOC patients was variable and dependent on the cell line utilized. Gene expression profiling (GEP) of coding and non-coding RNAs failed to identify a common signature that could collectively explain the mechanism of resistance. However, we observed that all resistant cell lines displayed a decreased level of DNA platination and a faster repair of damaged DNA. Furthermore, all platinum resistant cell lines displayed a change in their morphology and a higher ability to grown on mesothelium. Overall, we have established and characterized three new models of platinum-resistant EOC cell lines that could be exploited to further dissect the molecular mechanisms underlying acquired resistance to platinum. Our work also suggests that GEP studies alone, at least when performed under basal culture condition, do not represent the optimal way to identify molecular alterations linked to DNA repair pathway defects.
Ecological Network Inference From Long-Term Presence-Absence Data
Authors: Sander Elizabeth L. , Wootton J. Timothy , Allesina Stefano
Published: July 2017

Ecological communities are characterized by complex networks of trophic and nontrophic interactions, which shape the dy-namics of the community. Machine learning and correlational methods are increasingly popular for inferring networks from co-occurrence and time series data, particularly in microbial systems. In this study, we test the suitability of these methods for inferring ecological interactions by constructing networks using Dynamic Bayesian Networks, Lasso regression, and Pear-son’s correlation coefficient, then comparing the model networks to empirical trophic and nontrophic webs in two ecological systems. We find that although each model significantly replicates the structure of at least one empirical network, no model significantly predicts network structure in both systems, and no model is clearly superior to the others. We also find that networks inferred for the Tatoosh intertidal match the nontrophic network much more closely than the trophic one, possibly due to the challenges of identifying trophic interactions from presence-absence data. Our findings suggest that although these methods hold some promise for ecological network inference, presence-absence data does not provide enough signal for models to consistently identify interactions, and networks inferred from these data should be interpreted with caution.
Characterisation of lung macrophage subpopulations in COPD patients and controls
Authors: Dewhurst Jennifer A. , Lea Simon , Hardaker Elizabeth , Dungwa Josiah V. , Ravi Arjun K. , Singh Dave
Published: July 2017

Lung macrophage subpopulations have been identified based on size. We investigated characteristics of small and large macrophages in the alveolar spaces and lung interstitium of COPD patients and controls. Alveolar and interstitial cells were isolated from lung resection tissue from 88 patients. Macrophage subpopulation cell-surface expression of immunological markers and phagocytic ability were assessed by flow cytometry. Inflammatory related gene expression was measured. Alveolar and interstitial macrophages had subpopulations of small and large macrophages based on size and granularity. Alveolar macrophages had similar numbers of small and large cells; interstitial macrophages were mainly small. Small macrophages expressed significantly higher cell surface HLA-DR, CD14, CD38 and CD36 and lower CD206 compared to large macrophages. Large alveolar macrophages showed lower marker expression in COPD current compared to ex-smokers. Small interstitial macrophages had the highest pro-inflammatory gene expression levels, while large alveolar macrophages had the lowest. Small alveolar macrophages had the highest phagocytic ability. Small alveolar macrophage CD206 expression was lower in COPD patients compared to smokers. COPD lung macrophages include distinct subpopulations; Small interstitial and small alveolar macrophages with more pro-inflammatory and phagocytic function respectively, and large alveolar macrophages with low pro-inflammatory and phagocytic ability.
miR-30a acts as a tumor suppressor by double-targeting COX-2 and BCL9 in H. pylori gastric cancer models
Authors: Liu Xuan , Ji Qing , Zhang Chengcheng , Liu Xiaowei , Liu Yanna , Liu Ningning , Sui Hua , Zhou Lihong , Wang Songpo , Li Qi
Published: July 2017

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is one of the most important factors that affect the development of gastric cancer, and its mechanism remains un-elucidated. Our present study found that, miR-30a is crucial for regulating the growth and migration of H. pylori infected gastric cancer in vitro by targeting COX-2 and BCL9. In details, double-stranded miR-30a precursor produced two single-stranded and matured miRNAs including miR-30a-3p and miR-30a-5p, which played significant biological functions in two different manners. First, miR-30a-3p inhibited COX-2 expression and regulated nuclear translocation of β-catenin, and second, miR-30a-5p targeted BCL9 to regulate TCF/LEF promoter activity followed by affecting β-catenin downstream target gene expression. In vivo, miR-30a knockout mice were successfully achieved using CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technology. Compared with H. pylori-infected wild-type mice, H. pylori-infected miR-30a knockout mice showed increased incidence of chronic gastritis, chronic atrophic gastritis, atypical hyperplasia, and other precancerous lesions or adenocarcinoma manifestations in the antral or gastric mucosa of mice, as well as regulation of genes closely associated with tumor development. Taken together, miR-30a acts as a tumor suppressor by double-targeting COX-2 and BCL9, and significantly affects the development of H. pylori-induced gastric cancer, shedding new light on the mechanisms underlying H. pylori-associated gastric cancer.
Mechanism of biofilm-mediated stress resistance and lifespan extension in C. elegans
Authors: Smolentseva Olga , Gusarov Ivan , Gautier Laurent , Shamovsky Ilya , DeFrancesco Alicia S. , Losick Richard , Nudler Evgeny
Published: July 2017

Bacteria naturally form communities of cells known as biofilms. However the physiological roles of biofilms produced by non-pathogenic microbiota remain largely unknown. To assess the impact of a biofilm on host physiology we explored the effect of several non-pathogenic biofilm-forming bacteria on Caenorhabditis elegans. We show that biofilm formation by Bacillus subtilis, Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Pseudomonas fluorescens induces C. elegans stress resistance. Biofilm also protects against pathogenic infection and prolongs lifespan. Total mRNA analysis identified a set of host genes that are upregulated in response to biofilm formation by B. subtilis. We further demonstrate that mtl-1 is responsible for the biofilm-mediated increase in oxidative stress resistance and lifespan extension. Induction of mtl-1 and hsp-70 promotes biofilm-mediated thermotolerance. ilys-2 activity accounts for biofilm-mediated resistance to Pseudomonas aeruginosa killing. These results reveal the importance of non-pathogenic biofilms for host physiology and provide a framework to study commensal biofilms in higher organisms.
Arsenic exposure impels CD4 commitment in thymus and suppress T cell cytokine secretion by increasing regulatory T cells
Authors: Gera Ruchi , Singh Vikas , Mitra Sumonto , Sharma Anuj Kumar , Singh Alok , Dasgupta Arunava , Singh Dhirendra , Kumar Mahadeo , Jagdale Pankaj , Patnaik Satyakam , Ghosh Debabrata
Published: July 2017

Arsenic is globally infamous for inducing immunosuppression associated with prevalence of opportunistic infection in exposed population, although the mechanism remains elusive. In this study, we investigate the effect of arsenic exposure on thymocyte lineage commitment and the involvement of regulatory T cells (Treg) in arsenic-induced immunosuppression. Male Balb/c mice were exposed to 0.038, 0.38 and 3.8 ppm sodium arsenite for 7, 15 and 30 days through oral gavage. Arsenic exposure promoted CD4 lineage commitment in a dose dependent manner supported by the expression of ThPOK in thymus. Arsenic also increased splenic CD4+T cells and promoted their differentiation into Tregcells. In parallel,﻿ arsenic exposure induced immunosuppression characterized by low cytokine secretion from splenocytes and increased susceptibility toMycobacterium fortuitum(M. fortuitum) infection. Therefore, we linked arsenic-induced rise in Tregcells with suppressed Th1 and Th2 related cytokines, which has been reversed by inhibition of Tregcellsin-vivousing wortmannin. Other parameters like body weight, kidney and liver function, histoanatomy of thymus and spleen as well as thymocyte and splenocytes viability were unaltered by arsenic exposure. Taken together our findings indicated that environmentally relevant dose of arsenic enhanced differentiation of Tregcells which in turn induce immunosuppression in experimental animals.
Link Prediction in Evolving Networks Based on Popularity of Nodes
Authors: Wang Tong , He Xing-Sheng , Zhou Ming-Yang , Fu Zhong-Qian
Published: July 2017

Link prediction aims to uncover the underlying relationship behind networks, which could be utilized to predict missing edges or identify the spurious edges. The key issue of link prediction is to estimate the likelihood of potential links in networks. Most classical static-structure based methods ignore the temporal aspects of networks, limited by the time-varying features, such approaches perform poorly in evolving networks. In this paper, we propose a hypothesis that the ability of each node to attract links depends not only on its structural importance, but also on its current popularity (activeness), since active nodes have much more probability to attract future links. Then a novel approach named popularity based structural perturbation method (PBSPM) and its fast algorithm are proposed to characterize the likelihood of an edge from both existing connectivity structure and current popularity of its two endpoints. Experiments on six evolving networks show that the proposed methods outperform state-of-the-art methods in accuracy and robustness. Besides, visual results and statistical analysis reveal that the proposed methods are inclined to predict future edges between active nodes, rather than edges between inactive nodes.
Universal Critical Behaviours in Non-Hermitian Phase Transitions
Authors: Wei Bo-Bo , Jin Liang
Published: July 2017

Quantum phase transitions occur in non-Hermitian systems. In this work we show that density functional theory, for the first time, uncovers universal critical behaviors for quantum phase transitions and quantum entanglement in non-Hermitian many-body systems. To be specific, we first prove that the non-degenerate steady state of a non-Hermitian quantum many body system is a universal function of the first derivative of the steady state energy with respect to the control parameter. This finding has far-reaching consequences for non-Hermitian systems. First, it bridges the non-analytic behavior of physical observable and no-analytic behavior of steady state energy, which explains why the quantum phase transitions in non-Hermitian systems occur for finite systems. Second, it predicts universal scaling behaviors of any physical observable at non-Hermitian phase transition point with scaling exponent being (1 − 1/p) with p being the number of coalesced states at the exceptional point. Third, it reveals that quantum entanglement in non-Hermitian phase transition point presents universal scaling behaviors with critical exponents being (1 − 1/p). These results uncover universal critical behaviors in non-Hermitian phase transitions and provide profound connections between entanglement and phase transition in non-Hermitian quantum many-body physics.
Earliest expansion of animal husbandry beyond the Mediterranean zone in the sixth millennium BC
Authors: Ethier Jonathan , Bánffy Eszter , Vuković Jasna , Leshtakov Krassimir , Bacvarov Krum , Roffet-Salque Mélanie , Evershed Richard P. , Ivanova Maria
Published: July 2017

Since their domestication in the Mediterranean zone of Southwest Asia in the eighth millennium BC, sheep, goats, pigs and cattle have been remarkably successful in colonizing a broad variety of environments. The initial steps in this process can be traced back to the dispersal of farming groups into the interior of the Balkans in the early sixth millennium BC, who were the first to introduce Mediterranean livestock beyond its natural climatic range. Here, we combine analysis of biomolecular and isotopic compositions of lipids preserved in prehistoric pottery with faunal analyses of taxonomic composition from the earliest farming sites in southeast Europe to reconstruct this pivotal event in the early history of animal husbandry. We observe a marked divergence between the (sub)Mediterranean and temperate regions of Southeast Europe, and in particular a significant increase of dairying in the biochemical record coupled with a shift to cattle and wild fauna at most sites north of the Balkan mountain range. The findings strongly suggest that dairying was crucial for the expansion of the earliest farming system beyond its native bioclimatic zone.
Enhanced Performance of GaN-based Ultraviolet Light Emitting Diodes by Photon Recycling Using Graphene Quantum Dots
Authors: Lin Tzu-Neng , Santiago Svette Reina Merden , Yuan Chi-Tsu , Chiu Kuo-Pin , Shen Ji-Lin , Wang Ting-Chun , Kuo Hao-Chung , Chiu Ching-Hsueh , Yao Yung-Chi , Lee Ya-Ju
Published: July 2017

Graphene quantum dots (GQDs) with an average diameter of 3.5 nm were prepared via pulsed laser ablation. The synthesized GQDs can improve the optical and electrical properties of InGaN/InAlGaN UV light emitting diodes (LEDs) remarkably. An enhancement of electroluminescence and a decrease of series resistance of LEDs were observed after incorporation of GQDs on the LED surface. As the GQD concentration is increased, the emitted light (series resistance) in the LED increases (decreases) accordingly. The light output power achieved a maximum increase as high as 71% after introducing GQDs with the concentration of 0.9 mg/ml. The improved performance of LEDs after the introduction of GQDs is explained by the photon recycling through the light extraction from the waveguide mode and the carrier transfer from GQDs to the active layer.
Innate Immune Basis for Rift Valley Fever Susceptibility in Mouse Models
Authors: Lathan Rashida , Simon-Chazottes Dominique , Jouvion Grégory , Godon Ophélie , Malissen Marie , Flamand Marie , Bruhns Pierre , Panthier Jean-Jacques
Published: July 2017

Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) leads to varied clinical manifestations in animals and in humans that range from moderate fever to fatal illness, suggesting that host immune responses are important determinants of the disease severity. We investigated the immune basis for the extreme susceptibility of MBT/Pas mice that die with mild to acute hepatitis by day 3 post-infection compared to more resistant BALB/cByJ mice that survive up to a week longer. Lower levels of neutrophils observed in the bone marrow and blood of infected MBT/Pas mice are unlikely to be causative of increased RVFV susceptibility as constitutive neutropenia in specific mutant mice did not change survival outcome. However, whereas MBT/Pas mice mounted an earlier inflammatory response accompanied by higher amounts of interferon (IFN)-α in the serum compared to BALB/cByJ mice, they failed to prevent high viral antigen load. Several immunological alterations were uncovered in infected MBT/Pas mice compared to BALB/cByJ mice, including low levels of leukocytes that expressed type I IFN receptor subunit 1 (IFNAR1) in the blood, spleen and liver, delayed leukocyte activation and decreased percentage of IFN-γ-producing leukocytes in the blood. These observations are consistent with the complex mode of inheritance of RVFV susceptibility in genetic studies.
Few basepairing-independent motifs in the apical half of the avian HBV ε RNA stem-loop determine site-specific initiation of protein-priming
Authors: Gajer Markus , Dörnbrack Katharina , Rösler Christine , Schmid Bernadette , Beck Jürgen , Nassal Michael
Published: July 2017

Hepadnaviruses, including human hepatitis B virus (HBV), replicate their tiny DNA genomes by protein-primed reverse transcription of a pregenomic (pg) RNA. Replication initiation as well as pgRNA encapsidation depend on the interaction of the viral polymerase, P protein, with the ε RNA element, featuring a lower and an upper stem, a central bulge, and an apical loop. The bulge, somehow assisted by the loop, acts as template for a P protein-linked DNA oligo that primes full-length minus-strand DNA synthesis. Phylogenetic conservation and earlier mutational studies suggested the highly based-paired ε structure as crucial for productive interaction with P protein. Using the tractable duck HBV (DHBV) model we here interrogated the entire apical DHBV ε (Dε) half for sequence- and structure-dependent determinants of in vitro priming activity, replication, and, in part, in vivo infectivity. This revealed single-strandedness of the bulge, a following G residue plus the loop subsequence GUUGU as the few key determinants for priming and initiation site selection; unexpectedly, they functioned independently of a specific structure context. These data provide new mechanistic insights into avihepadnaviral replication initiation, and they imply a new concept towards a feasible in vitro priming system for human HBV.
Human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells seeded into a collagen-hydroxyapatite scaffold promote bone augmentation after implantation in the mouse
Authors: Calabrese Giovanna , Giuffrida Raffaella , Forte Stefano , Fabbi Claudia , Figallo Elisa , Salvatorelli Lucia , Memeo Lorenzo , Parenti Rosalba , Gulisano Massimo , Gulino Rosario
Published: July 2017

Traumatic injury or surgical excision of diseased bone tissue usually require the reconstruction of large bone defects unable to heal spontaneously, especially in older individuals. This is a big challenge requiring the development of biomaterials mimicking the bone structure and capable of inducing the right commitment of cells seeded within the scaffold. In particular, given their properties and large availability, the human adipose-derived stem cells are considered as the better candidate for autologous cell transplantation. In order to evaluate the regenerative potential of these cells along with an osteoinductive biomaterial, we have used collagen/hydroxyapatite scaffolds to test ectopic bone formation after subcutaneous implantation in mice. The process was analysed both in vivo, by Fluorescent Molecular Tomography (FMT), and ex vivo, to evaluate the formation of bone and vascular structures. The results have shown that the biomaterial could itself be able of promoting differentiation of host cells and bone formation, probably by means of its intrinsic chemical and structural properties, namely the microenvironment. However, when charged with human mesenchymal stem cells, the ectopic bone formation within the scaffold was increased. We believe that these results represent an important advancement in the field of bone physiology, as well as in regenerative medicine.