bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The smells we know and love: variation in codability and description strategy
Authors: POULTON THOMAS
Published: April 2020

The English lexicon is quite impoverished in capturing the perceptual detail of odour qualities. To make up for the lack of smell vocabulary, speakers will often resort to source-based descriptions, a strategy that likens smells to real-world reference points, like ‘mint’. This study examines the instances when Australian English speakers use particular communicative strategies, to explore whether cultural or cognitive influences allow for the easier abstraction of odour qualities. This study combines (1) an odour description task, and (2) a similarity-based sorting task. The results of (1) show that the communicative preferences for describing smells are indeed reliant on source-based descriptions, and the results of (2) show that conceptualisation of odours is primarily based on hedonic valence, and secondarily on salient scents. By combining these results, I find that the communicative preferences vary depending on the conceptualisations of a scent. Scents judged as pleasant receive relatively more abstract descriptions, like ‘sweet’, and show a higher degree of agreement, and the source-based descriptions are particularly frequent among culturally salient scents.
-DIVISIBILITY OF CO-DEGREES OF IRREDUCIBLE CHARACTERS
Authors: BAHRAMIAN ROYA , AHANJIDEH NEDA
Published: April 2020

For a character $\unicode[STIX]{x1D712}$ of a finite group $G$, the co-degree of $\unicode[STIX]{x1D712}$ is $\unicode[STIX]{x1D712}^{c}(1)=[G:\text{ker}\unicode[STIX]{x1D712}]/\unicode[STIX]{x1D712}(1)$. We study finite groups whose co-degrees of nonprincipal (complex) irreducible characters are divisible by a given prime $p$.
Field distribution patterns of pests are asymmetrically affected by the presence of other herbivores
Authors: Paz Neto A. A. , Melo J. W. S. , Lima D. B. , Gondim Junior M. G. C. , Janssen A.
Published: April 2020

Because plant phenotypes can change in response to attacks by herbivores in highly variable ways, the distribution of herbivores depends on the occurrence of other herbivore species on the same plant. We carried out a field study to evaluate the co-occurrence of three coconut pests, the mitesAceria guerreronis(Acari: Eriophyidae),Steneotarsonemus concavuscutum(Acari: Tarsonemidae) and the mothAtheloca bondari(Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). The eriophyid miteAc. guerreronisis the most important coconut pest around the world, whereasS. concavuscutumandAt. bondariare economically important only in some areas along the Brazilian coast. A previous study suggested that the necrosis caused byAc. guerreronisfacilitates the infestation ofAt. bondarilarvae. Because all three species infest the area under the perianths on coconuts andS. concavuscutumalso causes necrosis that could facilitateAt. bondari, we evaluated the co-occurrence of all three species. We found that the occurrence ofAt. bondariwas positively associated withAc. guerreronis, but negatively associated withS. concavuscutum. In addition, the two mite species showed negative co-occurrence.Atheloca bondariwas found on nuts of all ages, but more on nuts that had fallen than on those on the trees, suggesting that nuts infested byAt. bondaritend to fall more frequently. We discuss the status ofAt. bondarias a pest and discuss experiments to test the causes of these co-occurrence patterns.
Robot magic show: human–robot interaction
Authors: Jeong Jaesik , Yang Jeehyun , Baltes Jacky
Published: April 2020

The use of robots in performance arts is increasing. But, it is hard for robots to cope with unexpected circumstances during a performance, and it is almost impossible for robots to act fully autonomously in such situations. IROS-HAC is a new challenge in robotics research and a new opportunity for cross-disciplinary collaborative research. In this paper, we describe a practical method for generating different personalities of a robot entertainer. The personalities are created by selecting speech or gestures from a set of options. The selection uses roulette wheel selection to select answers that are more closely aligned with the desired personality. In particular, we focus on a robot magician, as a good magic show includes good interaction with the audience and it may also include other robots and performers. The magician with a variety of personalities increased the audience immersion and appreciation and maintained the audience’s interest. The magic show was awarded first prize in the competition for a comprehensive evaluation of technology, story, and performance. This paper contains both the research methodology and a critical evaluation of our research.
Fixated Threat Assessment Centers: preventing harm and facilitating care in public figure threat cases and those thought to be at risk of lone-actor grievance-fueled violence
Authors: Barry-Walsh Justin , James David V. , Mullen Paul E.
Published: April 2020

The rediscovery of the importance of mental illness in the risk assessment and management of those who threaten, approach, and harm public figures has led to a new way of dealing with those that threaten public figures. This approach emphasises the role of “fixation” which may be defined as an intense preoccupation pursued to an abnormally intense degree. It integrates a threat assessment paradigm with the literature on stalking. The need for such an approach was highlighted in research on the prevalence of harassment of public figures. Psychiatry has a key role in this approach which sees mental health clinicians and Police work together in Fixated Threat Assessment Centres (FTACs). An FTAC functions by assessing the level of concern and sharing information to facilitate interventions that are often mental health based. The purpose is not the hopeless task of identifying those who will go on to perpetrate serious violence, rather to intervene in the group they emerge from, to prevent harm. As well as decreasing risk to the persons fixated upon, this approach improves care to the mentally disordered people who harass and threaten them and, in doing so, decreases the likelihood of their criminalization while enhancing their quality of life. As expertise in the area has grown, policing and security agencies in several countries have expanded the FTAC model to cover individuals thought at risk of lone-actor grievance-fueled violence, a term that captures both different forms of mass killing and lone actor terrorism.
The AGN dependence on cluster mass
Authors: Koulouridis Elias ,   and the XXL collaboration
Published: April 2020

We present the results of a study of the AGN density in a homogeneous and well studied sample of 167 bona-fide X-ray galaxy clusters (0.1<z<0.5). Our aim is to study the AGN activity in 167 XXL X-ray galaxy clusters as a function of the cluster mass and the location of the AGN in the cluster. We report a significant AGN excess in our low-mass cluster sub-sample between 0.5r500 and 2r500. In contrast, the high-mass sub-sample presents no AGN excess. The AGN excess in poor clusters indicates AGN triggering, supporting previous studies that reported enhanced galaxy merging in the cluster outskirts. This effect is probably prevented by high velocity dispersions in high-mass clusters. Comparing also with previous studies of massive or high-redshift clusters, we conclude that the AGN fraction in cluster galaxies anti-correlates strongly with cluster mass.
Deep Chandra observations of the core of the Perseus cluster
Authors: Sanders Jeremy S.
Published: April 2020

The Perseus cluster is the X-ray brightest cluster in the sky and with deep Chandra observations we are able to map its central structure on very short spatial scales. In addition, the high quality of X-ray data allows detailed spatially-resolved spectroscopy. In this paper I review what these deep observations have told us about AGN feedback in clusters, sloshing and instabilities, and the metallicity distribution.
The Hot Universe with XRISM and Athena
Authors: Guainazzi M. , Tashiro M. S.
Published: April 2020

X-ray spectroscopy is key to address the theme of “The Hot Universe”, the still poorly understood astrophysical processes driving the cosmological evolution of the baryonic hot gas traceable through its electromagnetic radiation. Two future X-ray observatories: the JAXA-led XRISM (due to launch in the early 2020s), and the ESA Cosmic Vision L-class missionAthena(early 2030s) will provide breakthroughs in our understanding of how and when large-scale hot gas structures formed in the Universe, and in tracking their evolution from the formation epoch to the present day.
300-GHz-band wireless communication using a low phase noise photonic source
Authors: Yi L. , Iwamoto K. , Yamamoto T. , Ayano F. , Rolland A. , Kuse N. , Fermann M. , Li Y. , Nagatsuma T.
Published: April 2020

The implementation of advanced multi-level modulation schemes such as quadrature phase-shift keying (QPSK) in contrast to the conventional on–off keying is crucial to further boost the terahertz (THz) communications speed. Thereby, carrier phase noise reduction in the THz range is one of the key goals that need to be urgently achieved. In this paper, the photonic-based THz sources and the phase noise problem are briefly summarized. Then, a low phase-noise photonic source based on the stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) optical fiber cavity is first applied for a 300-GHz-band QPSK wireless communication link. The highest data rate at forward-error-correction limited condition was 15 Gbaud utilizing the SBS-based photonic source with a small transmit power of ~ −36 dBm. Its transmission characteristics are evaluated and compared with the conventional optical frequency comb generator (OFCG)-based source at 5 Gbaud. The proposed SBS-based photonic source has been proven to offer better performances than the OFCG-based source with respect to the phase noise, optical carrier to noise ratio, and bit error rate in communications.
Concurrent Observations Of Magnetic Reconnection From Cluster, IMAGE and SuperDARN: A Comparison Of Reconnection Rates And Energy Conversion
Authors: Matar J. , Hubert B. , Yao Z. , Guo R. , Cowley S. W. H. , Milan S. E. , Gurgiolo C.
Published: April 2020

Auroral emissions reflect energy dissipation in the atmosphere, while the energy mostly originates from the magnetospheric dynamics of the planet. In the Earth's magnetosphere, the interaction between the solar wind and the terrestrial magnetic field produces magnetic reconnection ultimately causing the appearance of auroras in the polar regions. In this study, we revisit two reconnection events previously identified using ESA Cluster observations during conditions of moderate geomagnetic activity, in the magnetotail. We compare these in situ detections with simultaneous global auroral images from the NASA‐IMAGE satellite and ionospheric convection measurements from SuperDARN. We show for the first time a direct correspondence between the electric voltage estimated at ionospheric altitude and the reconnection rate at the reconnection site. We compute the total auroral precipitation power and compare it to the energy released from the reconnection site. We deduce that the precipitated electron power of the aurora and the electron energy deposition rate from the reconnection site are of the same order of magnitude, which means that the thermal energy released by reconnection is primarily transferred to the ionosphere and contributes to the auroral activity.
Ambient Aerosol Hygroscopic Growth From Combined Raman Lidar and HSRL
Authors: Dawson K. W. , Ferrare R. A. , Moore R. H. , Clayton M. B. , Thorsen T. J. , Eloranta E. W.
Published: April 2020

Lidar retrievals of aerosol extinction and collocated relative humidity (RH) were acquired during the Department of Energy Combined High Spectral Resolution Lidar (HSRL) and Raman Measurement Study campaign in the summer of 2015 at the Southern Great Plains site in northern Oklahoma. Measurements of the hygroscopic properties of aerosols are crucial for accurately representing their relationship with clouds, which can be a significant source of uncertainty in assessing direct and indirect radiative effects. The ability for lidar to retrieve measurements of the vertically resolved f (RH), that is, the aerosol extinction at some wet RH normalized by the aerosol extinction at a dry reference RH, is investigated here and compared with nephelometer‐measured f (RH) at the surface. We introduce a modified approach to fitting the lidar measurements of aerosol extinction and our comparisons reveal that lidar and nephelometer measurements of f (RH) are consistent, both with each other and with reported values in the literature. The implications for this work present a path forward for global‐scale retrievals of remotely sensed aerosol hygroscopic properties. Most importantly, the efforts in this study could lead to closing the gap on uncertainties associated with the aerosol indirect radiative effect when combined with inversion retrievals of aerosol microphysical properties.
Autophagy inhibition potentiates the anti-EMT effects of alteronol through TGF-β/Smad3 signaling in melanoma cells
Authors: Bao Yong , Ding Zhi , Zhao Peng , Li Jun , Chen Ping , Zheng Jie , Qian Zhongming
Published: April 2020

Accumulating evidence demonstrated that alteronol, a novel compound that has a similar structure with paclitaxel, exerts anticancer effects against diversified tumors. However, whether alteronol induces autophagy and the relationship between its anticancer effects and autophagy in melanoma remains elusive. In this study, we show that alteronol induces not only anti-proliferation activity and apoptosis but also autophagy in A375 and UACC62 cells. In addition, alteronol inhibits A375 and UACC62 cells invasion and migration by preventing the epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT). Blocking autophagy enhances alteronol-induced apoptosis and anti-EMT effects in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, we find that alteronol significantly inhibits Akt/mTOR and TGFβ/Smad3 pathways, and co-treatment with autophagy inhibitor 3-MA further potentiate these effects. Our results suggest that alteronol induces cyto-protective autophagy in melanoma cells through inhibition of Akt/mTOR pathway, thus attenuates apoptosis and promotes melanoma cell EMT through TGF-β/Smad3 pathway. Combination with alteronol and autophagy inhibitor 3-MA may be a potential treatment for melanoma as it not only significantly inhibited tumor growth but also suppressed tumor invasion and migration as anti-metastasis agent.
Quantitative proteomic landscape of metaplastic breast carcinoma pathological subtypes and their relationship to triple-negative tumors
Authors: Djomehri Sabra I. , Gonzalez Maria E. , da Veiga Leprevost Felipe , Tekula Shilpa R. , Chang Hui-Yin , White Marissa J. , Cimino-Mathews Ashley , Burman Boris , Basrur Venkatesha , Argani Pedram , Nesvizhskii Alexey I. , Kleer Celina G.
Published: April 2020

Metaplastic breast carcinoma (MBC) is a highly aggressive form of triple-negative cancer (TNBC), defined by the presence of metaplastic components of spindle, squamous, or sarcomatoid histology. The protein profiles underpinning the pathological subtypes and metastatic behavior of MBC are unknown. Using multiplex quantitative tandem mass tag-based proteomics we quantify 5798 proteins in MBC, TNBC, and normal breast from 27 patients. Comparing MBC and TNBC protein profiles we show MBC-specific increases related to epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and extracellular matrix, and reduced metabolic pathways. MBC subtypes exhibit distinct upregulated profiles, including translation and ribosomal events in spindle, inflammation- and apical junction-related proteins in squamous, and extracellular matrix proteins in sarcomatoid subtypes. Comparison of the proteomes of human spindle MBC with mouse spindle (CCN6 knockout) MBC tumors reveals a shared spindle-specific signature of 17 upregulated proteins involved in translation and 19 downregulated proteins with roles in cell metabolism. These data identify potential subtype specific MBC biomarkers and therapeutic targets.
In situ supramolecular polymerization-enhanced self-assembly of polymer vesicles for highly efficient photothermal therapy
Authors: Liu Yannan , Wang Hao , Li Shanlong , Chen Chuanshuang , Xu Li , Huang Ping , Liu Feng , Su Yue , Qi Meiwei , Yu Chunyang , Zhou Yongfeng
Published: April 2020

Vesicular photothermal therapy agents (PTAs) are highly desirable in photothermal therapy (PTT) for their excellent light-harvesting ability and versatile hollow compartments. However, up to now, the reported vesicular PTAs are generally self-assembled from small molecules like liposomes, and polymer vesicles have seldom been used as PTAs due to the unsatisfactory photothermal conversion efficiency resulting from the irregular packing of chromophores in the vesicle membranes. Here we report a nano-sized polymer vesicle from hyperbranched polyporphyrins with favorable photothermal stability and extraordinarily high photothermal efficiency (44.1%), showing great potential in imaging-guided PTT for tumors through in vitro and in vivo experiments. These excellent properties are attributed to the in situ supramolecular polymerization of porphyrin units inside the vesicle membrane into well-organized 1D monofilaments driven by π–π stacking. We believe the supramolecular polymerization-enhanced self-assembly process reported here will shed a new light on the design of supramolecular materials with new structures and functions.
Quantitative assessment of the determinant structural differences between redox-active and inactive glutaredoxins
Authors: Liedgens Linda , Zimmermann Jannik , Wäschenbach Lucas , Geissel Fabian , Laporte Hugo , Gohlke Holger , Morgan Bruce , Deponte Marcel
Published: April 2020

Class I glutaredoxins are enzymatically active, glutathione-dependent oxidoreductases, whilst class II glutaredoxins are typically enzymatically inactive, Fe-S cluster-binding proteins. Enzymatically active glutaredoxins harbor both a glutathione-scaffold site for reacting with glutathionylated disulfide substrates and a glutathione-activator site for reacting with reduced glutathione. Here, using yeast ScGrx7 as a model protein, we comprehensively identified and characterized key residues from four distinct protein regions, as well as the covalently bound glutathione moiety, and quantified their contribution to both interaction sites. Additionally, we developed a redox-sensitive GFP2-based assay, which allowed the real-time assessment of glutaredoxin structure-function relationships inside living cells. Finally, we employed this assay to rapidly screen multiple glutaredoxin mutants, ultimately enabling us to convert enzymatically active and inactive glutaredoxins into each other. In summary, we have gained a comprehensive understanding of the mechanistic underpinnings of glutaredoxin catalysis and have elucidated the determinant structural differences between the two main classes of glutaredoxins.
High-salt diet inhibits tumour growth in mice via regulating myeloid-derived suppressor cell differentiation
Authors: He Wei , Xu Jinzhi , Mu Ruoyu , Li Qiu , Lv Da-lun , Huang Zhen , Zhang Junfeng , Wang Chunming , Dong Lei
Published: April 2020

High-salt diets are associated with an elevated risk of autoimmune diseases, and immune dysregulation plays a key role in cancer development. However, the correlation between high-salt diets (HSD) and cancer development remains unclear. Here, we report that HSD increases the local concentration of sodium chloride in tumour tissue, inducing high osmotic stress that decreases both the production of cytokines required for myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) expansion and MDSCs accumulation in the blood, spleen, and tumour. Consequently, the two major types of MDSCs change their phenotypes: monocytic-MDSCs differentiate into antitumour macrophages, and granulocytic-MDSCs adopt pro-inflammatory functions, thereby reactivating the antitumour actions of T cells. In addition, the expression of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase-dependent nuclear factor of activated T cells 5 is enhanced in HSD-induced M-MDSC differentiation. Collectively, our study indicates that high-salt intake inhibits tumour growth in mice by activating antitumour immune surveillance through modulating the activities of MDSCs.
Highly efficient electrosynthesis of hydrogen peroxide on a superhydrophobic three-phase interface by natural air diffusion
Authors: Zhang Qizhan , Zhou Minghua , Ren Gengbo , Li Yawei , Li Yanchun , Du Xuedong
Published: April 2020

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) synthesis by electrochemical oxygen reduction reaction has attracted great attention as a green substitute for anthraquinone process. However, low oxygen utilization efficiency (<1%) and high energy consumption remain obstacles. Herein we propose a superhydrophobic natural air diffusion electrode (NADE) to greatly improve the oxygen diffusion coefficient at the cathode about 5.7 times as compared to the normal gas diffusion electrode (GDE) system. NADE allows the oxygen to be naturally diffused to the reaction interface, eliminating the need to pump oxygen/air to overcome the resistance of the gas diffusion layer, resulting in fast H2O2production (101.67 mg h-1cm-2) with a high oxygen utilization efficiency (44.5%–64.9%). Long-term operation stability of NADE and its high current efficiency under high current density indicate great potential to replace normal GDE for H2O2electrosynthesis and environmental remediation on an industrial scale.
A platinum standard pan-genome resource that represents the population structure of Asian rice
Authors: Zhou Yong , Chebotarov Dmytro , Kudrna Dave , Llaca Victor , Lee Seunghee , Rajasekar Shanmugam , Mohammed Nahed , Al-Bader Noor , Sobel-Sorenson Chandler , Parakkal Praveena , Arbelaez Lady Johanna , Franco Natalia , Alexandrov Nickolai , Hamilton N. Ruaraidh Sackville , Leung Hei , Mauleon Ramil , Lorieux Mathias , Zuccolo Andrea , McNally Kenneth , Zhang Jianwei , Wing Rod A.
Published: April 2020

As the human population grows from 7.8 billion to 10 billion over the next 30 years, breeders must do everything possible to create crops that are highly productive and nutritious, while simultaneously having less of an environmental footprint. Rice will play a critical role in meeting this demand and thus, knowledge of the full repertoire of genetic diversity that exists in germplasm banks across the globe is required. To meet this demand, we describe the generation, validation and preliminary analyses of transposable element and long-range structural variation content of 12 near-gap-free reference genome sequences (RefSeqs) from representatives of 12 of 15 subpopulations of cultivated Asian rice. When combined with 4 existing RefSeqs, that represent the 3 remaining rice subpopulations and the largest admixed population, this collection of 16 Platinum Standard RefSeqs (PSRefSeq) can be used as a template to map resequencing data to detect virtually all standing natural variation that exists in the pan-genome of cultivated Asian rice.
Author Correction: An open data infrastructure for the study of anthropogenic hazards linked to georesource exploitation
Authors: Orlecka-Sikora Beata , Lasocki Stanisław , Kocot Joanna , Szepieniec Tomasz , Grasso Jean Robert , Garcia-Aristizabal Alexander , Schaming Marc , Urban Paweł , Jones Glenda , Stimpson Ian , Dineva Savka , Sałek Piotr , Leptokaropoulos Konstantinos , Lizurek Grzegorz , Olszewska Dorota , Schmittbuhl Jean , Kwiatek Grzegorz , Blanke Aglaja , Saccorotti Gilberto , Chodzińska Karolina , Rudziński Łukasz , Dobrzycka Izabela , Mutke Grzegorz , Barański Adam , Pierzyna Aleksandra , Kozlovskaya Elena , Nevalainen Jouni , Kinscher Jannes , Sileny Jan , Sterzel Mariusz , Cielesta Szymon , Fischer Tomas
Published: April 2020

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.
Combining optogenetics with sensitive FRET imaging to monitor local microtubule manipulations
Authors: Van Geel Orry , Cheung Stephanie , Gadella Theodorus W. J.
Published: April 2020

Optogenetic methods for switching molecular states in cells are increasingly prominent tools in life sciences. Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET)-based sensors can provide quantitative and sensitive readouts of altered cellular biochemistry, e.g. from optogenetics. However, most of the light-inducible domains respond to the same wavelength as is required for excitation of popular CFP/YFP-based FRET pairs, rendering the techniques incompatible with each other. In order to overcome this limitation, we red-shifted an existing CFP/YFP-based OP18 FRET sensor (COPY) by employing an sYFP2 donor and mScarlet-I acceptor. Their favorable quantum yield and brightness result in a red-shifted FRET pair with an optimized dynamic range, which could be further enhanced by an R125I point mutation that stimulates intramolecular interactions. The new sensor was named ROPY and it visualizes the interaction between the microtubule regulator stathmin/OP18 and free tubulin heterodimers. We show that through phosphorylation of the ROPY sensor, its tubulin sequestering ability can be locally regulated by photo-activatable Rac1 (PARac1), independent of the FRET readout. Together, ROPY and PARac1 provide spatiotemporal control over free tubulin levels. ROPY/PARac1-based optogenetic regulation of free tubulin levels allowed us to demonstrate that depletion of free tubulin prevents the formation of pioneer microtubules, while local upregulation of tubulin concentration allows localized microtubule extensions to support the lamellipodia.
Efficient functional screening of a cellular cDNA library to identify severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus entry factors
Authors: Shimojima Masayuki , Sugimoto Satoko , Taniguchi Satoshi , Yoshikawa Tomoki , Kurosu Takeshi , Saijo Masayuki
Published: April 2020

The identification of host cell factors for virus entry is useful for the molecular explanation of viral tropisms and often leads to a more profound understanding of virus-induced diseases. Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is an emerging infectious disease caused by SFTS virus. No countermeasures against the disease exist. In this report, we show an efficient method using virus-like particles for the functional screening of a cellular cDNA library to identify SFTS virus entry factors. Two variants encoding dendritic cell-specific ICAM-3 grabbing non-integrin related (DC-SIGNR), a calcium-dependent lectin known to enhance SFTS virus infection, were successfully identified from a human liver cDNA library. We will discuss applications for yet unidentified factor(s) for SFTS virus entry and for entry factor(s) for other viruses related to SFTS virus.
Microstructured optical fiber based Fabry–Pérot interferometer as a humidity sensor utilizing chitosan polymeric matrix for breath monitoring
Authors: Shrivastav Anand M. , Gunawardena Dinusha S. , Liu Zhengyong , Tam Hwa-Yaw
Published: April 2020

This study reports a method for humidity sensing based on a specialty microstructured optical fiber (MOF). A suspended tri-core MOF was fabricated using the stack and draw technique. A low finesse sensing head was prepared by depositing a chitosan polymer matrix within the holes of the MOF, forming a Fabry-Pérot interferometer as a sensing platform while the chitosan film acts as the sensing material. The use of the probe for real-time breath monitoring was also successfully demonstrated. The probe possessed a maximum sensitivity of 81.05 pm/(%RH) for 90–95%RH range while the linear region of the sensor ranged from 70–95%RH. The temperature cross correlation was also experimented, and a lower influence of external temperature was observed. The probe shows an ultrafast response during human breath monitoring with a rising time and recovery time of 80 ms and 70 ms, respectively.
Linoleic acid induces metabolic stress in the intestinal microorganism Bifidobacterium breve DSM 20213
Authors: Senizza Alice , Rocchetti Gabriele , Callegari Maria Luisa , Lucini Luigi , Morelli Lorenzo
Published: April 2020

Despite clinical and research interest in the health implications of the conjugation of linoleic acid (LA) by bifidobacteria, the detailed metabolic pathway and physiological reasons underlying the process remain unclear. This research aimed to investigate, at the molecular level, how LA affects the metabolism of Bifidobacterium breve DSM 20213 as a model for the well-known LA conjugation phenotype of this species. The mechanisms involved and the meaning of the metabolic changes caused by LA to B. breve DSM 20213 are unclear due to the lack of comprehensive information regarding the responses of B. breve DSM 20213 under different environmental conditions. Therefore, for the first time, an untargeted metabolomics-based approach was used to depict the main changes in the metabolic profiles of B. breve DSM 20213. Both supervised and unsupervised statistical methods applied to the untargeted metabolomic data allowed confirming the metabolic changes of B. breve DSM 20213 when exposed to LA. In particular, alterations to the amino-acid, carbohydrate and fatty-acid biosynthetic pathways were observed at the stationary phase of growth curve. Among others, significant up-regulation trends were detected for aromatic (such as tyrosine and tryptophan) and sulfur amino acids (i.e., methionine and cysteine). Besides confirming the conjugation of LA, metabolomics suggested a metabolic reprogramming during the whole growth curve and an imbalance in redox status following LA exposure. Such redox stress resulted in the down-accumulation of peroxide scavengers such as low-molecular-weight thiols (glutathione- and mycothiol-related compounds) and ascorbate precursors, together with the up-accumulation of oxidized (hydroxy- and epoxy-derivatives) forms of fatty acids. Consistently, growth was reduced and the levels of the oxidative stress marker malondialdehyde were higher in LA-exposed B. breve DSM 20213 than in the control.
Short Acquisition Time Super-Resolution Ultrasound Microvessel Imaging via Microbubble Separation
Authors: Huang Chengwu , Lowerison Matthew R. , Trzasko Joshua D. , Manduca Armando , Bresler Yoram , Tang Shanshan , Gong Ping , Lok U-Wai , Song Pengfei , Chen Shigao
Published: April 2020

Super-resolution ultrasound localization microscopy (ULM), based on localization and tracking of individual microbubbles (MBs), offers unprecedented microvascular imaging resolution at clinically relevant penetration depths. However, ULM is currently limited by the requirement of dilute MB concentrations to ensure spatially sparse MB events for accurate localization and tracking. The corresponding long imaging acquisition times (tens of seconds or several minutes) to accumulate sufficient isolated MB events for full reconstruction of microvasculature preclude the clinical translation of the technique. To break this fundamental tradeoff between acquisition time and MB concentration, in this paper we propose to separate spatially overlapping MB events into sub-populations, each with sparser MB concentration, based on spatiotemporal differences in the flow dynamics (flow speeds and directions). MB localization and tracking are performed for each sub-population separately, permitting more robust ULM imaging of high-concentration MB injections. The superiority of the proposed MB separation technique over conventional ULM processing is demonstrated in flow channel phantom data, and in the chorioallantoic membrane of chicken embryos with optical imaging as an in vivo reference standard. Substantial improvement of ULM is further demonstrated on a chicken embryo tumor xenograft model and a chicken brain, showing both morphological and functional microvasculature details at super-resolution within a short acquisition time (several seconds). The proposed technique allows more robust MB localization and tracking at relatively high MB concentrations, alleviating the need for dilute MB injections, and thereby shortening the acquisition time of ULM imaging and showing great potential for clinical translation.
Soil bacterial diversity correlates with precipitation and soil pH in long-term maize cropping systems
Authors: Tan Wenjun , Wang Junman , Bai Wenqing , Qi Jiejun , Chen Weimin
Published: April 2020

Unraveling the key drivers of bacterial community assembly in agricultural soils is pivotal for soil nutrient management and crop productivity. Presently, the drivers of microbial community structure remain unexplored in maize cropping systems under complex and variable environmental scenarios across large spatial scales. In this study, we conducted high-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing and network analysis to identify the major environmental factors driving bacterial community diversity and co-occurrence patterns in 21 maize field soils across China. The results show that mean annual precipitation and soil pH are the major environmental factors that shape soil bacterial communities in maize soils. The similarities of bacterial communities significantly decreased with increasing geographic distance between different sites. The differences in spatial turnover rates across bacterial phyla indicate the distinct dispersal capabilities of bacterial groups, and some abundant phyla exhibited high dispersal capabilities. Aeromicrobium, Friedmanniella, Saccharothrix, Lamia, Rhodococcus, Skermanella, and Pedobacter were identified as keystone taxa. Based on the node-level and network-level topological features, members of the core microbiome were more frequently found in the center of the ecosystem network compared with other taxa. This study highlights the major environmental factors driving bacterial community assembly in agro-ecosystems and the central ecological role of the core microbiome in maintaining the web of complex bacterial interactions.
3D reconstruction of small bowel lesions using stereo camera-based capsule endoscopy
Authors: Nam Seung-Joo , Lim Yun Jeong , Nam Ji Hyung , Lee Hyun Seok , Hwang Youngbae , Park Junseok , Chun Hoon Jai
Published: April 2020

Three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction of capsule endoscopic images has been attempted for a long time to obtain more information on small bowel structures. Due to the limited hardware resources of capsule size and battery capacity, software approaches have been studied but have mainly exhibited inherent limitations. Recently, stereo camera-based capsule endoscopy, which can perform hardware-enabled 3D reconstruction, has been developed. We aimed to evaluate the feasibility of newly developed 3D capsule endoscopy in clinical practice. This study was a prospective, single-arm, feasibility study conducted at two university-affiliated hospitals in South Korea. Small bowel evaluation was performed using a newly developed 3D capsule endoscope for patients with obscure gastrointestinal bleeding, suspected or established Crohn’s disease, small bowel tumors, and abdominal pain of unknown origin. We assessed the technical limitations, performance, and safety of the new capsule endoscope. Thirty-one patients (20 men and 11 women; mean age: 44.5 years) were enrolled. There was no technical defect preventing adequate visualization of the small bowel. The overall completion rate was 77.4%, the detection rate was 64.5%, and there was no capsule retention. All capsule endoscopic procedures were completed uneventfully. In conclusion, newly developed 3D capsule endoscopy was safe and feasible, showing similar performance as conventional capsule endoscopy. Newly added features of 3D reconstruction and size measurement are expected to be useful in the characterization of subepithelial tumours.
Efficacy of a chitosan tampon in the loop electrosurgical excision procedure: A prospective randomized controlled study
Authors: Chong Gun Oh , Lee Yoon Hee , Jeon Se Young , Yang Hee-Young , An Sang-Hyun
Published: April 2020

It has been reported that chitosan has a hemostatic effect and an antibiotic activity. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and feasibility of using a chitosan tampon (Hemoblock-Tampon) in preventing hemorrhage and enhancing wound healing after the loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP).This single-blind, prospective, randomized study included 62 consecutive patients who underwent LEEP for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia. A chitosan tampon (31 patients; treatment group), or a general tampon (31 patients; control group) was applied to the uterine cervix immediately after LEEP. One patient in the treatment group declined to participate in this study. Thus, 30 patients in the treatment group and 31 patients in the control group completed this study. For objective analysis of hemorrhage in the postoperative 2 weeks, the amounts of bleeding were checked daily with a pictorial blood assessment chart. We evaluated vaginal discharge, abdominal pain, and impairment in daily living during the postoperative 2 weeks using 5 visual analogue scale questionnaires.The bleeding count was significantly lower in the treatment group than in the control group (21.37 ± 16.86 vs. 40.52 ± 16.55, p = 0.0014). The sum of the scores of the 5 questionnaires was significantly lower in the treatment group than in the control group (6.53 ± 2.84 vs. 8.59 ± 2.88, p = 0.0079). The incidence of vaginal discharge was significantly lower in the treatment group than in the control group (20.0% vs. 48.4%, p = 0.0207). According to logistic regression, only the use of chitosan tampon reduced the risk of moderate to severe vaginal bleeding 2 weeks after surgery (Odd ratio, 0.213; 95% confidence interval, 0.06–0.76; p = 0.0172). Complete healing of the uterine cervix occurred in 86.7% of patients in the treatment group and in 61.3% of patients in the control group at 4 weeks after surgery (p = 0.0255).The use of chitosan tampons can reduce hemorrhage, vaginal discharge, abdominal pain, and impairment of daily living after LEEP. Moreover, chitosan tampon may help enhance wound healing.
Computed Tomography-based evaluation of porcine cardiac dimensions to assist in pre-study planning and optimized model selection for pre-clinical research
Authors: Lipiski Miriam , Eberhard Matthias , Fleischmann Thea , Halvachizadeh Sascha , Kolb Beate , Maisano Francesco , Sauer Mareike , Falk Volkmar , Emmert Maximilian Y. , Alkadhi Hatem , Cesarovic Nikola
Published: April 2020

The pig (Sus Scrofa Domestica) is an accepted model for preclinical evaluation of prosthetic heart valves and trans-catheter implantation techniques. Understanding porcine cardiac dimensions through three-dimensional computed tomography (CT), increases preclinical study success, leading to higher cost efficiency and to the observance of the obligation to the 3 R principles. Cardiac CT images of twenty-four Swiss large white pigs were segmented; aortic root, mitral valve, pulmonary trunk, tricuspid valve, as well as the aorto-mitral angle and left atrial height were analyzed. Correlation coefficient (r) was calculated in relation to body weight. In Swiss large white pigs, valvular dimensions, length of the pulmonary artery and ascending aorta as well as left atrial height correlate with body weight. Coronary ostia heights and aorto-mitral angle size can be neglected in animal size selection; no changes were found for either of the two parameters with increasing body weight.
Correlations between lignin content and structural robustness in plants revealed by X-ray ptychography
Authors: Polo Carla C. , Pereira Luciano , Mazzafera Paulo , Flores-Borges Denisele N. A. , Mayer Juliana L. S. , Guizar-Sicairos Manuel , Holler Mirko , Barsi-Andreeta Mariane , Westfahl Harry , Meneau Florian
Published: April 2020

Lignin is a heterogeneous aromatic polymer responsible for cell wall stiffness and protection from pathogen attack. However, lignin represents a bottleneck to biomass degradation due to its recalcitrance related to the natural cell wall resistance to release sugars for fermentation or further processing. A biological approach involving genetics and molecular biology was used to disrupt lignin pathway synthesis and decrease lignin deposition. Here, we imaged three-dimensional fragments of the petioles of wild type and C4H lignin mutant Arabidopsis thaliana plants by synchrotron cryo-ptychography. The three-dimensional images revealed the heterogeneity of vessels, parenchyma, and fibre cell wall morphologies, highlighting the relation between disturbed lignin deposition and vessel implosion (cell collapsing and obstruction of water flow). We introduce a new parameter to accurately define cell implosion conditions in plants, and we demonstrate how cryo-ptychographic X-ray computed tomography (cryo-PXCT) provides new insights for plant imaging in three dimensions to understand physiological processes.
A multivariable Mendelian randomization to appraise the pleiotropy between intelligence, education, and bipolar disorder in relation to schizophrenia
Authors: Adams Charleen D.
Published: April 2020

Education and intelligence are highly correlated and inversely associated with schizophrenia. Counterintuitively, education genetically associates with an increased risk for the disease. To investigate why, this study applies a multivariable Mendelian randomization of intelligence and education. For those without college degrees, older age of finishing school associates with a decreased likelihood of schizophrenia—independent of intelligence—and, hence, may be entangled with the health inequalities reflecting differences in education. A different picture is observed for schooling years inclusive of college: more years of schooling increases the likelihood of schizophrenia, whereas higher intelligence distinctly and independently decreases it. This implies the pleiotropy between years of schooling and schizophrenia is horizontal and likely confounded by a third trait influencing education. A multivariable Mendelian randomization of schooling years and bipolar disorder reveals that the increased risk of schizophrenia conferred by more schooling years is an artefact of bipolar disorder – not education.
The role of surface energy heterogeneity on crystal morphology during solid-state crystallization at the amorphous atazanavir–water interface
Authors: Parker Andrew S. , Taylor Lynne S. , Beaudoin Stephen P.
Published: April 2020

Solid-state crystallization at the amorphous atazanavir/water interface was studied via a lattice Monte Carlo model and atomic force microscopy.
Time-resolved infra-red spectroscopy reveals competitive water and dinitrogen coordination to a manganese(i) carbonyl complex
Authors: Eastwood Jonathan B. , Hammarback L. Anders , McRobie Matthew T. , Clark Ian P. , Towrie Michael , Fairlamb Ian. J. S. , Lynam Jason M.
Published: April 2020

Photolysis of [Mn(C^N)(CO)4] (C^N = bis-(4-methoxyphenyl)methanimine) in heptane solution results in ultra-fast CO dissociation and ultimate formation of a rare Mn-containing dinitrogen complex fac-[Mn(C^N)(CO)3(N2)].
Cu–EGaIn enabled stretchable e-skin for interactive electronics and CT assistant localization
Authors: Guo Rui , Cui Bixiao , Zhao Xiaojing , Duan Minghui , Sun Xuyang , Zhao Ruiqi , Sheng Lei , Liu Jing , Lu Jie
Published: April 2020

Electronic skin (e-skin) is attracting huge attention due to its promising applications in diverse fields, including biomimetic machines, artificial intelligence and smart robotics.
Elemental distribution and chemical speciation of copper and cobalt in three metallophytes from the copper–cobalt belt in Northern Zambia
Authors: van der Ent Antony , Vinya Royd , Erskine Peter D , Malaisse François , Przybyłowicz Wojciech J , Barnabas Alban D , Harris Hugh H , Mesjasz-Przybyłowicz Jolanta
Published: April 2020

Three metallophyte species, Persicaria capitata, P. puncata (Polygonaceae), Conyza cordata (Asteraceae) from mineral wastes in the Zambian copper–cobalt belt were studied. This study focused on the elemental distribution in the roots, stems and leaves, using a range of techniques: micro-PIXE, SEM-EDS synchrotron XFM and XAS. The species differed in their responses to growing on Co–Cu-enriched soils: Persicaria puncata is a Co hyperaccumulator (up to 1060 μg g−1 in leaves), while Persicaria capitata and Conyza cordata are Co-excluders. All three species are Cu-accumulators. The highest concentrations of Cu–Co are in the epidermal cells, whereas in Persicaria puncata Co was also enriched in the phloem. The Co coordination chemistry shows that an aqueous Co(ii)–tartrate complex was the predominant component identified in all plants and tissues, along with a minor component of a Co(iii) compound with oxygen donor ligands. For Cu, there was considerable variation in the Cu speciation in the various tissues and across the three species. In contrast to hyperaccumulator plants, excluder and accumulator type plants have received far less attention. This study highlights the different biopathways of transition elements (Cu, Co) in hyper-tolerant plant species showing different responses to metalliferous environments.
Blue/red light-triggered reversible color switching based on CeO2−xnanodots for constructing rewritable smart fabrics
Authors: Ahmed Sharjeel , Macharia Daniel K. , Zhu Bo , Ren Xiaoling , Yu Nuo , Chen Liyun , Chen Zhigang
Published: April 2020

Rewritable smart fabrics are constructed by coating with CeO2−x/dye/hydroxyethyl cellulose-based inks, and figures can be rapidly and remotely printed by blue-light pen and then erased by red light with the presence of O2.
An ultra-broadband terahertz metamaterial coherent absorber using multilayer electric ring resonator structures based on anti-reflection coating
Authors: Du Chao , Zhou Di , Guo Huan-Huan , Pang Yong-Qiang , Shi Hong-Yu , Liu Wen-Feng , Su Jin-Zhan , Singh Charanjeet , Trukhanov Sergei , Trukhanov Alex , Panina Larissa , Xu Zhuo
Published: April 2020

We propose a method for achieving THz ultra-broadband coherent absorption using the anti-reflection theory of metamaterials.
Secondary structure drives self-assembly in weakly segregated globular protein–rod block copolymers
Authors: Yao Helen , Sheng Kai , Sun Jialing , Yan Shupeng , Hou Yingqin , Lu Hua , Olsen Bradley D.
Published: April 2020

Imparting secondary structure to the polymer block can drive self-assembly in globular protein–helix block copolymers, increasing the effective segregation strength between blocks with weak or no repulsion.
Efficient biodegradation of petroleum n-alkanes and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by polyextremophilic Pseudomonas aeruginosa san ai with multidegradative capacity
Authors: Medić Ana , Lješević Marija , Inui Hideyuku , Beškoski Vladimir , Kojić Ivan , Stojanović Ksenija , Karadžić Ivanka
Published: April 2020

Pseudomonas aeruginosa san ai degraded individual selected petroleum compounds: n-hexadecane, n-nonadecane, fluorene, phenanthrene, and pyrene with high efficiency, at initial concentrations of 20 mg L−1 and in seven days.
Filamentous and step-like behavior of gelling coarse fibrin networks revealed by high-frequency microrheology
Authors: Domínguez-García Pablo , Dietler Giovanni , Forró László , Jeney Sylvia
Published: April 2020

By a micro-experimental methodology, we study the ongoing molecular process inside coarse fibrin networks by means of microrheology.
Efficient red phosphorescent Ir(iii) complexes based on rigid ligands with high external quantum efficiency and low efficiency roll-off
Authors: Liu Sheng-Nan , Tong Kai-Ning , Zhao Yue , Cheng Jin-Feng , Fung Man-Keung , Fan Jian
Published: April 2020

Two highly efficient red phosphorescent Ir(iii) complexes were prepared by the introduction of rigid cyclometalating ligands.
Development of a magnetic dispersive micro-solid-phase extraction method based on a deep eutectic solvent as a carrier for the rapid determination of meloxicam in biological samples
Authors: Rastbood Samira , Hadjmohammadi Mohammad Reza , Majidi Seyedeh Maedeh
Published: April 2020

An environmentally friendly magnetic dispersive micro solid phase extraction based on a deep eutectic solvent as a carrier and disperser of adsorbents.
Halogen bonding for molecular recognition: new developments in materials and biological sciences
Authors: Berger Gilles , Frangville Pierre , Meyer Franck
Published: April 2020

This review highlights recent developments of halogen bonding in materials and biological sciences with a short discussion on the nature of the interaction.