bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prognostic value of long non-coding RNA plasmacytoma variant translocation1 in human solid tumors
Authors: Zou Bo , Wang Dong , Xu Kai , Liu Jian-lin , Yuan Dao-ying , Meng Zhen , Zhang Bin
Published: July 2019

Plasmacytoma variant translocation 1 (PVT1) is highly expressed in a variety of cancer tissues and is related to the clinicopathological features and prognosis. However, the prognostic value of PVT1 is still controversial. Therefore, this systematic evaluation and meta-analysis were performed to evaluate the relationship between PVT1 expression and clinicopathological features.

PubMed, EMBASE, Web of science, and Cochrane library databases were searched for literature collection according to inclusion criteria and exclusion criteria. The pooled hazard ratios (HRs) or odds ratios (ORs) were used to evaluate the association between PVT1 expression and overall survival, tumor size, tumor–node–metastasis (TNM) stage, lymph node metastasis, and distant metastasis.

A total of 39 articles including 3974 patients were included in the study. The results showed that the expression of PVT1 was closely related to the overall survival rate of cancers (HR = 1.64, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.50–1.78, P < .000001). Subgroup analysis showed that the high expression of PVT1 was closely related to the low overall survival rate of patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma, breast cancer, cervical cancer, colon cancer, epithelial ovarian cancer, gastric cancer, lung cancer, and osteosarcoma. In addition, the high expression of PVT1 was positively correlated with tumor size (OR = 1.50, 95% CI: 1.14–1.96, P = .004), TNM stage (OR = 3.39, 95% CI: 2.73–4.20, P < .00001), lymph node metastasis (OR = 2.60, 95% CI: 1.76–3.84, P < .00001), and distant metastasis (OR = 2.94, 95% CI: 1.90–4.56, P < .00001).

PVT1 could serve as a marker for the size, TNM stage, metastasis, and prognosis of different type of cancers.
Prospective and comparative study of paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria patients treated or not by eculizumab
Authors: Devalet Bérangère , Wannez Adeline , Bailly Nicolas , Alpan Lutfiye , Gheldof Damien , Douxfils Jonathan , Bihin Benoît , Chatelain Bernard , Dogné Jean-Michel , Chatelain Christian , Mullier François
Published: July 2019

Thrombosis are severe complications of paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH), effectively reduced by eculizumab. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) may play a central role. The objective of this study was to assess the procoagulant activity of plasma isolated from PNH patients (treated or not by eculizumab) and to quantify their circulating EVs.

We iteratively collected the platelet-free-plasma of 17 PNH patients and 16 matched healthy volunteers, quantified their circulating EVs by flow cytometry and evaluated their procoagulant activity by thrombin generation and STA-Procoag-procoagulant phospholipid (PPL) assays.

A significant decrease of EVs from platelets (P = .024) and an increase of the STA-Procoag-PPL clotting time (P = .049) was observed after initiation of eculizumab and up to 11 weeks after. This reduction of prothrombotic biomarkers was not observed with the thrombin generation test due to a lack of sensitivity of this assay. Active hemolysis was observed in 90% of patients and elevated D-dimers in 41% of them. However, no significant difference was observed between patients and control subjects regarding the procoagulant activity, the EVs quantity, or the cellular origin. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels were lower in eculizumab-treated patients compared to nontreated patients (441 vs 2448 IU/L). D-dimers and LDH decreased after administration of eculizumab (mean decrease of 1307 ng/mL and 4159 IU/L, respectively).

These observations suggest a decrease of the phospholipid-dependent procoagulant potential of EVs after eculizumab therapy in PNH patients.

Trial registration:

NUB: B039201214365
Efficacy and safety of oral traditional Chinese patent medicine for chronic cerebral circulation insufficiency patients
Authors: Xu Zhongbo , Feng Xin , Li Lin , Hu Ziyi , Xiao Yuan , Jin Guilin , Liao Weimin
Published: July 2019

Background:

Chronic cerebral circulation insufficiency (CCCI) is a common clinical cerebrovascular disease, especially among middle-aged and elderly patients, which seriously endangers their quality of life and physical and mental health. At present, Oral traditional Chinese patent medicine (OTCPM) is widely used in the treatment of CCCI in China, but its actual efficacy and safety lack of evidence-based evidence. Therefore, we will screen out the most effective OTCPM through a systematic review and network meta-analysis to provide a reliable theoretical basis for clinical decisions.

Methods:

We will search electronic databases to collect relevant RCT studies from inception to October 2019. Those electronic databases include PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, EMBASE, China Biomedical Literature Database (CBM), China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Chinese Scientific Journal Database (VIP), and Wan-fang database. Only randomized clinical trials (RCTs) concerned any OTCPM treatments for CCCI will be collected. The included studies will no restrictions on language or publication year. There were no publication year or language for the included literature. Risk bias tools will assess the quality of the included literature. A Bayesian NMA will be performed to combine the direct and indirect comparisons of TCPMs interventions. The surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA) will be drawn to display the hierarchy of each TCPMs treatment. All statistical analyses will be implemented using R v3.5.2. and GeMTC v1.4.3.

We will publish this systematic review in academic journals. Since this literature review will not involve directly contacting patients, ethical approval and informed consent are not required.

Trial registration number:

CRD42019123878.
STARD-compliant article: Comparison of pulmonary sequestrations with thoracic and abdominal aortic arterial supply
Authors: Dong Qian , Zhao Jing Pin , Zhang Li , Morelli John , Zhang Ze Kun , Zhang Ping
Published: July 2019

Pulmonary sequestrations (PS) are typically supplied by a vessel originating from thoracic aorta, or abdominal aorta. Differences in imaging features between these PS subtypes have not been described.

To analyze the imaging features of PS with arterial supply from the thoracic and abdominal aorta.

Retrospectively, 23 pathologically proven cases of pulmonary sequestration were analyzed and compared based on the site of feeding artery origin.

In 21 cases (21/23), the PS was soft tissue density. 1 (1/23) PS was purely cystic and another heterogeneous with both cystic and solid components (1/23). In 16/23 cases, the feeding vessel(s) arose from the thoracic aorta (male:female ratio 1:7) and in 7/23 cases from the abdominal aorta (male:female ratio 4:3). Feeding vessels from the thoracic aorta were duplicated in 7/16 cases. PS location (P <.05) and size (P <.001) differed based on the origin of the feeding vessel (thoracic aorta: 14/16 left lower lobe, mean volume 962.97 mL; abdominal aorta: 3/7 left lower lobe, mean volume 1120.89 mL). The feeding arteries themselves differed in size depending on their site of origin (thoracic aorta: mean diameter 7.0mm ± 2.7 mm, mean length 44.6mm ± 10.9 mm; abdominal aorta: mean diameter 3.3mm ± 0.6 mm, mean length 103.6mm ± 34.5 mm).

PS size and distribution differ depending upon the site of feeding vessel origin as does the size of the feeding vessel itself.
A comprehensive evaluation of clinical efficacy and safety of celecoxib in combination with chemotherapy in metastatic or postoperative recurrent gastric cancer patients
Authors: Guo Qinghong , Li Qiang , Wang Jiong , Liu Min , Wang Yuping , Chen Zhaofeng , Ye Yuwei , Guan Quanlin , Zhou Yongning
Published: July 2019

Aim:

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of celecoxib combined with chemotherapy in the treatment of metastatic or postoperative recurrent gastric cancer.

Methods:

This preliminary, three-center, clinical trial study was conducted between September 2010 and December 2016. In the experimental group (n = 100), patients were treated with celecoxib combined with chemotherapy, and chemotherapy alone was used in the control group. Progression-free survival (PFS) was considered as the primary efficacy parameter. Overall survival (OS), remission rate (RR), quality of life (QOL) and drug safety were considered as the secondary efficacy parameters.

Results:

The PFS of the experimental group was 6 months, which was not significantly longer than that of the control group (5 months, P = .73). The average OS was not significantly different between the experimental group (12 months) and the control group (10 months, P = .59). The average OS of the COX-2 positive patients in the experimental group was 14 months and it was significantly longer than the 10-month OS in the control group (P = .01). The PFS of the COX-2 positive patients in the experimental group was 7.5 months, significantly longer than the 5-month PFS of patients in the control group (P < .001). No statistical significance was identified in the incidence of nausea, neutropenia, anorexia, peripheral neurotoxicity, diarrhea, vomiting, asthenia and thrombocytopenia. The EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire revealed that the overall QOL of the experimental group was significantly higher than that of the control group (P < .05). No statistical significance was found in the scores of functioning scale between the 2 groups. However, the scores of the symptom scale, especially for pain and fatigue in the experimental group was remarkably higher than that in the control group (P < .05). The overall score of EORTC QLQ-STO22 for the experimental group was considerably higher compared to that for the control group (P < .05). No statistical significance was identified in term of the domains of restrictions on feeding, dysphagia, anxiety, reflux, sense of taste, dry mouth, hair loss and body shape between the 2 groups (P > .05 for all mentioned outcomes).

Conclusion:

Celecoxib combined with chemotherapy offers more clinical benefits for COX-2 positive advanced gastric cancer patients.
Over-expression of SOX8 predicts poor prognosis in colorectal cancer
Authors: Wang Yang , Yang Wangshuo , Liu Tianyi , Bai Guang , Liu Mingxing , Wang Wei
Published: July 2019

Aberrant expression of SRY-box 8 (SOX8) is closely correlated with the development and progression of many types of cancers in human. Limited studies report the relationship between SOX8 expression and overall survival in colorectal cancer (CRC). This study aimed to collect the pathological tissues and clinical data in order to analyze the relationship between SOX8 expression and clinicopathological parameters and prognosis of CRC patients. Tissue microarrays were constructed from 424 primary CRC patients with clinicopathological information and follow-up data. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was performed on tissue microarrays to explore the relationship between SOX8 expression and clinicopathological information and patient's prognosis. The expression of SOX8 was higher in CRC tissues than that in non-tumor adjacent tissues (NATs, P <.001). High expression of SOX8 was associated with tumor stage (P = .04) and shorter overall survival (OS) after operation of patients (P = .004). Subsequently, univariate COX analysis identified that high expression of SOX8 (P = .004), differentiation (P = .006), distant metastasis (P <.001), tumor stage (P = .003), and higher rate of lymph node metastasis (P <.001), all significantly predicted decrease in OS. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that distant metastasis (P <.001), high SOX8 expression, (P = .013) and lymph node metastasis (P <.001) were independent poor prognostic factors in CRC patients. This study showed that SOX8 is over-expressed in patients with high T stage, which affects the outcome of prognosis in CRC patients. High expression of SOX8 usually has a poor independent prognostic factor for CRC.
Identification of crucial miRNAs and genes in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma by miRNA-mRNA integrated analysis
Authors: Zhong Xiaowu , Huang Guangcheng , Ma Qiang , Liao Hebin , Liu Chang , Pu Wenjie , Xu Lei , Cai Yan , Guo Xiaolan
Published: July 2019

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is a malignancy that severely threatens human health and carries a high incidence rate and a low 5-year survival rate. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are commonly accepted as a key regulatory function in human cancer, but the potential regulatory mechanisms of miRNA-mRNA related to ESCC remain poorly understood.

The GSE55857, GSE43732, and GSE6188 miRNA microarray datasets and the gene expression microarray datasets GSE70409, GSE29001, and GSE20347 were downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus databases. The differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs) and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were obtained using GEO2R. Gene ontology (GO) and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis for DEGs were performed by Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery (DAVID). A protein–protein interaction (PPI) network and functional modules were established using the STRING database and were visualized by Cytoscape. Kaplan-Meier analysis was constructed based on The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database.

In total, 26 DEMs and 280 DEGs that consisted of 96 upregulated and 184 downregulated genes were screened out. A functional enrichment analysis showed that the DEGs were mainly enriched in the ECM-receptor interaction and cytochrome P450 metabolic pathways. In addition, MMP9, PCNA, TOP2A, MMP1, AURKA, MCM2, IVL, CYP2E1, SPRR3, FOS, FLG, TGM1, and CYP2C9 were considered to be hub genes owing to high degrees in the PPI network. MiR-183-5p was with the highest connectivity target genes in hub genes. FOS was predicted to be a common target gene of the significant DEMs. Hsa-miR-9-3p, hsa-miR-34c-3p and FOS were related to patient prognosis and higher expression of the transcripts were associated with a poor OS in patients with ESCC.

Our study revealed the miRNA-mediated hub genes regulatory network as a model for predicting the molecular mechanism of ESCC. This may provide novel insights for unraveling the pathogenesis of ESCC.
Successful treatment of tumor-induced osteomalacia causing by phosphaturic mesenchymal tumor of the foot
Authors: Liu Shuzhong , Zhou Xi , Song An , Huo Zhen , Wang Yipeng , Xia Weibo , Liu Yong
Published: July 2019

Tumor-induced osteomalacia causing by phosphaturic mesenchymal tumor of the foot is exceedingly rare, thus may bring great challenges to the timely and proper diagnosis and treatment of clinicians. The only definitive management is removal of the phosphaturic mesenchymal tumor completely. The objective of this article is to report 2 unusual cases with tumor-induced osteomalacia causing by phosphaturic mesenchymal tumor of the foot.

We describe 2 patients with phosphaturic mesenchymal tumor involving the foot who were successfully treated with tumor resection. On presentation to our institution, the patients both had signs of severe osteomalacia, and the patients’ most outstanding complaints were diffuse bone pain, general weakness, and disabled walking. A 53-year-old female underwent surgical excision of pathogenic tumor on the sole of left foot. A 62-year-old female underwent complete excision of pathogenic tumor of right plantar. The patients showed appropriate destruction of the tumor, adequate pain relief, and the elevated blood phosphorus levels compared with the previous status.

Surgical resection is the most effective treatment option for patients with tumor-induced osteomalacia who can undergo appropriate surgical treatment. This represents a safe and reasonable approach to sustainably relieve pain and other symptoms with tumor-induced osteomalacia in the foot.
The outcome of Bishop-Koop procedure compared to divided stoma in neonates with meconium ileus, congenital intestinal atresia and necrotizing enterocolitis
Authors: Martynov Illya , Raedecke Jochen , Klima-Frysch Jessica , Kluwe Wolfram , Schoenberger Joachim
Published: July 2019

To determine the potential value and suitability of Bishop-Koop procedure (BK) compared to divided stoma (DS) in neonates with meconium ileus (MI), congenital intestinal atresia (CIA), and necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC).

A retrospective data collection from 2000 to 2019 on neonates undergoing BK and DS formation and closure for MI, CIA, and NEC was conducted. Ostomy related complications following both procedures were analyzed.

One hundred two consecutive patients managed with a BK (n = 57, 55.8%) and DS (n = 45, 44.2%) for MI (n = 38, 37.2%), CIA (n = 31, 30.5%), and NEC (n = 33, 32.3%) were analyzed. Mean operating time for ostomy creation did not differ significantly between BK and DS groups (156 ± 54 vs 135 ± 66.8 min, P = .08). The prevalence of stoma-related complications following BK and DS formation was 8.7% and 31.1%, respectively (P = .005). The complication rate after BK and DS closure was 3.5% and 6.7%, respectively (P = .65). The operating time for ostomy reversal and length of hospital stay after stoma closure were significantly shorter in BK group (82.2 ± 51.4 vs 183 ± 84.5 min and 5.5 ± 2.7 vs 11.3 ± 3.9 days, P < .001).

BK procedure is safe, reliable, and suitable technique in neonatal surgery with low complications rate following ostomy creation as well as shorter operating time and length of hospital stay after ostomy closure compared to DS ostomies. Surgeons should keep this technique as an alternative approach in their repertoire.
The effect of sex hormones on normal breast tissue metabolism
Authors: Jung Yongsik , Kim Tae Hee , Kim Ji Young , Han Sehwan , An Young-Sil
Published: July 2019

This study investigated the effect of sex hormones on 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake in normal breast tissue.

The retrospective study included 249 premenopausal women (median age, 45 years) who were diagnosed with unilateral breast cancer and underwent FDG positron emission tomography/computed tomography and hormone tests. The volume of interest was within the contralateral normal breast and the standardized uptake values (SUVs) were measured. The correlations of sex hormones (including estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, follicle-stimulating hormone [FSH] and luteinizing hormone [LH]) with the SUVs of the normal breast were analyzed.

There was a weak negative correlation between age and breast FDG uptake (P = .012, Spearman coefficient = −.16 for the maximum standardized uptake values [SUVmax]), especially in the luteal phase group (P = .005, Spearman coefficient = −.27 for SUVmax). The SUVs of normal breast tissue were increased when progesterone levels were higher (P = .043, Spearman coefficient = .13 for SUVmax). In the irregular menstrual cycle group, FDG uptake in the breast decreased as FSH (P = .027, Spearman coefficient = −.42 for SUVmax) and LH (P = .048, Spearman coefficient = −.44 for SUVmax) increased.

Glucose metabolism of normal breast tissue decreases with age, and progesterone weakly affects breast FDG uptake. Gonadotropins may affect breast FDG uptake in premenopausal women with irregular menstrual cycles.
Driving scene-based driving errors in brain injury patients and their relevance to cognitive-perceptual function and functional activity level
Authors: Park Myoung-Ok
Published: July 2019

Driving is an essential activity for community engagement in patients with brain injury. However, brain injury patients have cognitive-perceptual deficits and low independence in daily activities. The aims of this study were to identify the driving errors of brain injury patients and determine their relevance to cognitive-perception function and daily activity level. This study was conducted at a single rehabilitation hospital. Thirty-one brain injury patients were included in the study. The patients underwent a driving-scene-based simulator evaluation in the rehabilitation clinic. Driving errors were checked using automatic software. Perceptual ability was measured using Motor-free Visual Perceptual Test (MVPT) and Cognitive-perceptual Assessment for Driving (CPAD). A linear relationship was found between the driving aptitude score, steering wheel and judgment, simultaneous operation items, total score of road course test, and cognitive-perceptual functions and daily activity levels of the participants (P <.05). The general factors that affected driving errors included driving experience, age, part of the hemispheric affected, and presence of vascular injury (P <.05). In addition, the Korean version of Mini-Mental State Examination (K-MMSE) score and the CPAD score correlated with driving errors (P <.05). The total error score of the participants correlated with the Korean version of the Modified Barthel Index (K-MBI) score (P <.05).These findings suggest that driving experience and age have more influence on driving error than perceptual level due to brain damage. In addition, it was found that the basic level of daily living influences overall operating errors.
Maternal depression treatment in HIV (M-DEPTH)
Authors: Wagner Glenn J. , McBain Ryan K. , Akena Dickens , Ngo Victoria , Nakigudde Janet , Nakku Juliet , Chemusto Harriet , Beyeza-Kashesya Jolly , Gwokyalya Violet , Faherty Laura J. , Kyohangirwe Leticia , Nabitaka Linda Kisaakye , Lukwata Hafsa , Linnemayr Sebastian , Ghosh-Dastidar Bonnie , Businge Juliet , Mukasa Barbara , Wanyenze Rhoda K.
Published: July 2019

Introduction:

Over one-third of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected pregnant women are clinically depressed, increasing the risk of mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV, as well as negative birth and child development outcomes. This study will evaluate the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of an evidence-based stepped care treatment model for perinatal depression (maternal depression treatment in HIV [M-DEPTH]) to improve adherence to prevention of MTCT care among HIV+ women in Uganda.

Methods:

Eight antenatal care (ANC) clinics in Uganda will be randomized to implement either M-DEPTH (n=4) or usual care (n=4) for perinatal depression among 400 pregnant women (n=50 per clinic) between June 2019 and August 2022. At each site, women who screen positive for potential depression will be enrolled and followed for 18 months post-delivery, assessed in 6-month intervals: baseline, within 1 month of child delivery or pregnancy termination, and months 6, 12, and 18 following delivery. Primary outcomes include adherence to the prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) care continuum—including maternal antiretroviral therapy and infant antiretrovial prophylaxis, and maternal virologic suppression; while secondary outcomes will include infant HIV status, post-natal maternal and child health outcomes, and depression treatment uptake and response. Repeated-measures multivariable regression analyses will be conducted to compare outcomes between M-DEPTH and usual care, using 2-tailed tests and an alpha cut-off of P <.05. Using a micro-costing approach, the research team will relate costs to outcomes, examining the incremental cost-effectiveness ration (ICER) of M-DEPTH relative to care as usual.

Discussion:

This cluster randomized controlled trial will be one of the first to compare the effects of an evidence-based depression care model versus usual care on adherence to each step of the PMTCT care continuum. If determined to be efficacious and cost-effective, this study will provide a model for integrating depression care into ANC clinics and promoting adherence to PMTCT.

Trial Registration:

NIH Clinical Trial Registry NCT03892915 (clinicaltrials.gov).
Perforation rates in double latex gloves and protective effects of outer work gloves in a postmortem examination room
Authors: Idota Nozomi , Nakamura Mami , Akasaka Yoshihisa , Tsuboi Hajime , Bando Risa , Ikegaya Hiroshi
Published: July 2019

Medical staff face the risk of exposure to blood-borne infectious agents during postmortem examinations. This study investigated the effectiveness of non-slip work gloves worn over 2 layers of surgical latex gloves (outer and inner gloves) as a means of reducing hand and finger injuries. Complete sets of outer and inner gloves worn during postmortem examinations were collected from participating forensic staff. Latex gloves were categorized into 2 groups based on the users’ actions during the examination: the wearing group if the wearer wore their work gloves continuously without interruption, and the taking-off group if the wearer removed them at least once. Perforation rates, locations, and shapes were compared between these groups. Outer-glove perforation occurred significantly more often in the taking-off group (n = 102 pairs) than in the wearing group (n = 91 pairs) (30.4% vs 3.8%, P < .001). Inner-glove perforation occurred at rates of 2.0% and 0.5% (P = .38), respectively. The wearers did not incur hand or finger injuries. Perforation rates were similar between the dominant and non-dominant hands (P = .18). Regarding location, gloves were punctured most frequently at the thumb, followed by the index finger. Most examiners (85.6%) did not notice the perforation when the damage occurred. Therefore, we could not confirm that a specific operation within a set of plural operations affected the rate of perforation. Additionally, we could not prove a relationship between glove perforation and each operation performed with/without work gloves. The perforation appearances varied greatly in shape and size, suggesting multiple causes of perforation. The continuous (i.e., uninterrupted) wear of work gloves during postmortem examinations reduced the incidence of perforations in both latex glove layers and thus reduced the risk of hand and finger injury.
Tidal drift removes the need for area-restricted search in foraging Atlantic puffins
Authors: Bennison Ashley , Quinn John L. , Debney Alison , Jessopp Mark
Published: July 2019

Understanding how animals forage is a central objective in ecology. Theory suggests that where food is uniformly distributed, Brownian movement ensures the maximum prey encounter rate, but when prey is patchy, the optimal strategy resembles a Lévy walk where area-restricted search (ARS) is interspersed with commuting between prey patches. Such movement appears ubiquitous in high trophic-level marine predators. Here, we report foraging and diving behaviour in a seabird with a high cost of flight, the Atlantic puffin (Fratercula arctica), and report a clear lack of Brownian or Levy flight and associated ARS. Instead, puffins foraged using tides to transport them through their feeding grounds. Energetic models suggest the cost of foraging trips using the drift strategy is 28–46% less than flying between patches. We suggest such alternative movement strategies are habitat-specific, but likely to be far more widespread than currently thought.
Artificial light at night causes reproductive failure in clownfish
Authors: Fobert Emily K. , Burke da Silva Karen , Swearer Stephen E.
Published: July 2019

The Earth is getting brighter at night, as artificial light at night (ALAN) continues to increase and extend its reach. Despite recent recognition of the damaging impacts of ALAN on terrestrial ecosystems, research on ALAN in marine systems is comparatively lacking. To further our understanding of the impacts of ALAN on marine organisms, this study examines how the reproductive fitness of the common clownfish
Amphiprion ocellaris
is influenced by the presence of ALAN. We assessed how exposure to low levels of ALAN affects (i) frequency of spawning, (ii) egg fertilization success, and (iii) hatching success of
A. ocellaris
under control (12 : 12 day–night) and treatment (12 : 12 day–ALAN) light regimes. While we found exposure to ALAN had no impact on the frequency of spawning or fertilization success, ALAN had dramatic effects on hatching.
Amphiprion ocellaris
eggs incubated in the presence of ALAN simply did not hatch, resulting in zero survivorship of offspring. These findings suggest ALAN can significantly reduce reproductive fitness in a benthic-spawning reef fish. Further research in this field is necessary to fully understand the extent of this impact on population and community dynamics in the wild.
Andrew Richard Lang. 9 September 1924—30 June 2008
Authors: Authier André
Published: July 2019

Andrew Lang will be remembered internationally for having developed the technique of X-ray topography which enables individual defects, such as dislocations, stacking faults, small angle boundaries and magnetic domains, to be imaged in many different types of materials. His interests spanned the whole range of dislocation studies and he made many important contributions to advanced instrumentation for X-ray crystallography, including pioneering experiments with a synchrotron radiation source. His career began during the last year of the Second World War when he was appointed to a research position at the Unilever Research Laboratories at Port Sunlight, Cheshire. He held research positions at the University of Cambridge, where he completed his PhD, and after a period at the Philips Laboratory in Irvington-on-Hudson in the USA, he obtained a tenured post at Harvard University. He returned to the UK in 1959 as a lecturer at Bristol University, where he was to remain for the rest of his life, being successively promoted to reader and then professor.
Adriaen Verwer (1654/5–1717) and the first edition of Isaac Newton's
Principia
in the Dutch Republic
Authors: Ducheyne Steffen
Published: July 2019

The Amsterdam-based merchant and mathematics enthusiast Adriaen Verwer (1654/5–1717) was one of the few in the Dutch Republic to respond to the first edition of Newton's
Principia
(1687). Based on a close study of his published work, his correspondence with the Scottish mathematician and astronomer David Gregory (1659–1708), and his annotations in his own copy of the first edition of the
Principia
, I shall scrutinize the impact of Newton's ideas on Verwer's thinking. The proposed analysis, which will add nuance to earlier findings, also has broader implications for our understanding of the introduction of Newton's ideas in the Dutch Republic, as will be shown.
The strange case of AMPK and cancer: Dr Jekyll or Mr Hyde?
Authors: Vara-Ciruelos Diana , Russell Fiona M. , Hardie D. Grahame
Published: July 2019

The AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) acts as a cellular energy sensor. Once switched on by increases in cellular AMP : ATP ratios, it acts to restore energy homeostasis by switching on catabolic pathways while switching off cell growth and proliferation. The canonical AMP-dependent mechanism of activation requires the upstream kinase LKB1, which was identified genetically to be a tumour suppressor. AMPK can also be switched on by increases in intracellular Ca
2+
, by glucose starvation and by DNA damage via non-canonical, AMP-independent pathways. Genetic studies of the role of AMPK in mouse cancer suggest that, before disease arises, AMPK acts as a tumour suppressor that protects against cancer, with this protection being further enhanced by AMPK activators such as the biguanide phenformin. However, once cancer has occurred, AMPK switches to being a tumour promoter instead, enhancing cancer cell survival by protecting against metabolic, oxidative and genotoxic stresses. Studies of genetic changes in human cancer also suggest diverging roles for genes encoding subunit isoforms, with some being frequently amplified, while others are mutated.
Numerical techniques for design calculations of longitudinal bending in buried steel pipes subjected to lateral Earth movements
Authors: Almahakeri Mohamed , Moore Ian D. , Fam Amir
Published: July 2019

This paper presents simplified finite-element analysis procedures based on geometrical nonlinearity and ductile Mohr–Coulomb–Davis plasticity for analysis of bending behaviour of steel pipes subjected to lateral soil loading. A simple, and easy to implement, user-defined subroutine to represent soil stiffness using the Janbu model is also presented and discussed. The development of a three-dimensional (3D) finite-element model is presented, and its evaluation against experimental measurements is discussed. Data are presented for different burial depths of the pipe, including soil loading on the pipe as well as 3D responses, longitudinal bending deflections and pressure distribution along the pipe. It was shown that numerical analyses which include soil modulus dependency on confining pressure lead to effective 3D calculations of pulling forces, bending moments along the pipeline and flexural deformations, based on measured soil parameters. The 3D analysis model requires the use of lower order (linear displacement) elements, which overestimated peak mobilized load. However, those 3D calculations effectively provided the progress of both the load–deflection and longitudinal bending response of the steel pipe at embedment ratios up to 5 where most energy pipelines are buried.
Ultrasonic-enhanced replacement of lead in lead hydrometallurgy process from lead leaching solution
Authors: Xie Huimin , Zhang Libo , Li Haoyu , Li Shiwei , Chen Kaihua , Zhang Bo , Zhou Mi
Published: July 2019

In this paper, ultrasonic-enhanced replacement of lead by zinc in lead leaching solution was studied. The effects of reaction time, rotational speed, temperature, concentration of leaching solution and the ratio of the surface area of the zinc plate immersed in the leaching solution to the volume of leaching solution (S : V) were studied under both conventional and ultrasonic conditions. The optimum ultrasonic-assisted replacement conditions were as follows: the S : V of 0.04 (4 cm
2
100 ml
−1
), reaction temperature of 30°C, replacement time of 30 min and the concentration of leaching solution is 5 g l
−1
, leading to a lead replacement rate of 94.84%. Compared with the conventional replacement process, the reaction time of ultrasonic-enhanced substitution could be reduced to one half, and the demand of reaction temperature, leaching solution concentration and other conditions were decreased accordingly. Introducing ultrasonic into the replacement reaction is promising to reduce the energy consumption in the hydrometallurgical industry also caters to the demands of environment protection.
Synthesis of poly(acrylic acid) coated magnetic nanospheres via a multiple polymerization route
Authors: Li Kai , Chen Kaimin , Wang Qiaoling , Zhang Ying , Gan Wenjun
Published: July 2019

Magnetic nanospheres are versatile candidates for both fundamental and practical applications. Before they are applied in more complicated fields, their surface must be modified by several functionalities. However, the surface modification can be affected by the magnetic nanoparticles (MNP) embedded in the polymer matrix. Herein, the synthesis of poly(acrylic acid) coated magnetic nanospheres via a multiple polymerization route is described. During the synthesis process, seed emulsion polymerization was applied to redistribute the MNP in the polymer matrix, and the relationship between the structure of magnetic nanospheres and the thickness of the grafted poly(acrylic acid) layer was investigated. The development of size, morphology and magnetic properties of the nanospheres were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray diffraction and vibrating sample magnetometry. This work would pave the way to design and preparation of new structure of functional magnetic nanospheres with precise surface modification.
Analytical modelling of spatial deformation pathways in planar and spatial shallow bistable arches
Authors: Palathingal Safvan , Ananthasuresh G. K.
Published: July 2019

We analyse spatial bistable arches and present an analytical model incorporating axial, two transverse bending and torsion energy components. We extend the St. Venant and Michell relationship used in flexural-torsional buckling of planar arches and use it in modelling spatial arches. We study deformation pathways in spatial arches and their effect on critical characteristics of bistability such as back and forth switching forces, and the distance travelled by a point of the arch. We show that not considering spatial deformation leads to incorrect inferences concerning the bistability of planar arches too. Thus, this model serves as a generalized framework for the existing analysis on planar arches since they belong to a subset of spatial arches. Additionally, the effects of eccentric loading on spatial deformations are explored for arches with a range of as-fabricated shapes and boundary conditions, and the results are validated with finite-element analysis.
Range expansion is associated with increased survival and fecundity in a long-lived bat species
Authors: Jan P.-L. , Lehnen L. , Besnard A.-L. , Kerth G. , Biedermann M. , Schorcht W. , Petit E. J. , Le Gouar P. , Puechmaille S. J.
Published: July 2019

The speed and dynamics of range expansions shape species distributions and community composition. Despite the critical impact of population growth rates for range expansion, they are neglected in existing empirical studies, which focus on the investigation of selected life-history traits. Here, we present an approach based on non-invasive genetic capture–mark–recapture data for the estimation of adult survival, fecundity and juvenile survival, which determine population growth. We demonstrate the reliability of our method with simulated data, and use it to investigate life-history changes associated with range expansion in 35 colonies of the bat speciesRhinolophus hipposideros. Comparing the demographic parameters inferred for 19 of those colonies which belong to an expanding population with those inferred for the remaining 16 colonies from a non-expanding population reveals that range expansion is associated with higher net reproduction. Juvenile survival was the main driver of the observed reproduction increase in this long-lived bat species with lowper capitaannual reproductive output. The higher average growth rate in the expanding population was not associated with a trade-off between increased reproduction and survival, suggesting that the observed increase in reproduction stems from a higher resource acquisition in the expanding population. Environmental conditions in the novel habitat hence seem to have an important influence on range expansion dynamics, and warrant further investigation for the management of range expansion in both native and invasive species.
A multi-sensory code for emotional arousal
Authors: Sievers Beau , Lee Caitlyn , Haslett William , Wheatley Thalia
Published: July 2019

People express emotion using their voice, face and movement, as well as through abstract forms as in art, architecture and music. The structure of these expressions often seems intuitively linked to its meaning: romantic poetry is written in flowery curlicues, while the logos of death metal bands use spiky script. Here, we show that these associations are universally understood because they are signalled using a multi-sensory code for emotional arousal. Specifically, variation in the central tendency of the frequency spectrum of a stimulus—its spectral centroid—is used by signal senders to express emotional arousal, and by signal receivers to make emotional arousal judgements. We show that this code is used across sounds, shapes, speech and human body movements, providing a strong multi-sensory signal that can be used to efficiently estimate an agent's level of emotional arousal.
Hierarchical social modularity in gorillas
Authors: Morrison Robin E. , Groenenberg Milou , Breuer Thomas , Manguette Marie L. , Walsh Peter D.
Published: July 2019

Modern human societies show hierarchical social modularity (HSM) in which lower-order social units like nuclear families are nested inside increasingly larger units. It has been argued that this HSM evolved independently and after the chimpanzee–human split due to greater recognition of, and bonding between, dispersed kin. We used network modularity analysis and hierarchical clustering to quantify community structure within two western lowland gorilla populations. In both communities, we detected two hierarchically nested tiers of social structure which have not been previously quantified. Both tiers map closely to human social tiers. Genetic data from one population suggested that, as in humans, social unit membership was kin structured. The sizes of gorilla social units also showed the kind of consistent scaling ratio between social tiers observed in humans, baboons, toothed whales, and elephants. These results indicate that the hierarchical social organization observed in humans may have evolved far earlier than previously asserted and may not be a product of the social brain evolution unique to the hominin lineage.
How calorie-rich food could help marine calcifiers in a CO
2
-rich future
Authors: Leung Jonathan Y. S. , Doubleday Zoë A. , Nagelkerken Ivan , Chen Yujie , Xie Zonghan , Connell Sean D.
Published: July 2019

Increasing carbon emissions not only enrich oceans with CO
2
but also make them more acidic. This acidifying process has caused considerable concern because laboratory studies show that ocean acidification impairs calcification (or shell building) and survival of calcifiers by the end of this century. Whether this impairment in shell building also occurs in natural communities remains largely unexplored, but requires re-examination because of the recent counterintuitive finding that populations of calcifiers can be boosted by CO
2
enrichment. Using natural CO
2
vents, we found that ocean acidification resulted in the production of thicker, more crystalline and more mechanically resilient shells of a herbivorous gastropod, which was associated with the consumption of energy-enriched food (i.e. algae). This discovery suggests that boosted energy transfer may not only compensate for the energetic burden of ocean acidification but also enable calcifiers to build energetically costly shells that are robust to acidified conditions. We unlock a possible mechanism underlying the persistence of calcifiers in acidifying oceans.
Origin of ecdysis: fossil evidence from 535-million-year-old scalidophoran worms
Authors: Wang Deng , Vannier Jean , Schumann Isabell , Wang Xing , Yang Xiao-Guang , Komiya Tsuyoshi , Uesugi Kentaro , Sun Jie , Han Jian
Published: July 2019

With millions of extant species, ecdysozoans (Scalidophora, Nematoida and Panarthropoda) constitute a major portion of present-day biodiversity. All ecdysozoans secrete an exoskeletal cuticle which must be moulted periodically and replaced by a larger one. Although moulting (ecdysis) has been recognized in early Palaeozoic panarthropods such as trilobites and basal groups such as anomalocaridids and lobopodians, the fossil record lacks clear evidence of ecdysis in early scalidophorans, largely because of difficulties in recognizing true exuviae. Here, we describe two types of exuviae in microscopic scalidophoran worms from the lowermost Cambrian Kuanchuanpu Formation (ca535 Ma) of China and reconstruct their moulting process. These basal scalidophorans moulted in a manner similar to that of extant priapulid worms, extricating themselves smoothly from their old tubular cuticle or turning their exuviae inside out like the finger of a glove. This is the oldest record of moulting in ecdysozoans. We also discuss the origin of ecdysis in the light of recent molecular analyses and the significance of moulting in the early evolution of animals.
Heightened condition-dependence of the sexual transcriptome as a function of genetic quality in
Drosophila melanogaster
head tissue
Authors: Malacrinò Antonino , Kimber Christopher M. , Brengdahl Martin , Friberg Urban
Published: July 2019

Theory suggests sexual traits should show heightened condition-dependent expression. This prediction has been tested extensively in experiments where condition has been manipulated through environmental quality. Condition-dependence as a function of genetic quality has, however, only rarely been addressed, despite its central importance in evolutionary theory. To address the effect of genetic quality on expression of sexual and non-sexual traits, we here compare gene expression in
Drosophila melanogaster
head tissue between flies with intact genomes (high condition) and flies carrying a major deleterious mutation (low condition). We find that sex-biased genes show heightened condition-dependent expression in both sexes, and that expression in low condition males and females regresses towards a more similar expression profile. As predicted, sex-biased expression was more sensitive to condition in males compared to females, but surprisingly female-biased, rather than male-biased, genes show higher sensitivity to condition in both sexes. Our results thus support the fundamental predictions of the theory of condition-dependence when condition is a function of genetic quality.
Under the radar: long-term perspectives on ecological changes in lakes
Authors: Smol John P.
Published: July 2019

Aquatic ecosystems are constantly changing due to natural and anthropogenic stressors. When dealing with such ‘moving targets’, one of the greatest challenges faced by scientists, managers and policy makers is to use appropriate time scales for environmental assessments. However, most aquatic systems lack monitoring data, and if a programme does exist, rarely have data been collected for more than a few years. Hence, it is often difficult or impossible to determine the nature and timing of ecosystem changes based on these short-term datasets. Furthermore, as environmental assessments are typically performed
after
a problem is identified, critical data regarding pre-disturbance (or reference) conditions are rarely available. Here, I summarize some recent studies employing lake sediment analyses (i.e. palaeolimnology) that have provided retrospective assessments of ecosystem changes that have been emerging slowly and often innocuously ‘under the radar’. My examples include the identification of legacy effects of acid rain and logging, namely long-term declines in calcium concentrations in softwater lakes, which have led to significant repercussions for ecosystem services. I then show that past trajectories of aerial pollution from the burgeoning oil sands operations of western Canada can be tracked using environmental proxies preserved in dated sediment cores, and how these data can be used to determine the relative contributions of natural versus industrial sources of pollutants. I conclude by reviewing how palaeolimnological analyses have linked climate change with the proliferation of harmful blue-green algal (cyanobacterial) blooms, even without the addition of limiting nutrients. Collectively, these studies show that effective ecosystem management, particularly for incremental environmental stressors, requires temporal sampling windows that are not readily available with standard monitoring, but can be supplemented with high-resolution lake sediment analyses.
Premeiotic and meiotic failures lead to hybrid male sterility in theAnopheles gambiaecomplex
Authors: Liang Jiangtao , Sharakhov Igor V.
Published: July 2019

Hybrid male sterility (HMS) contributes to speciation by restricting gene flow between related taxa. Detailed cytological characterization of reproductive organs in hybrid males is important for identifying phenotypes that can help guide searches of speciation genes. To investigate possible cellular causes of HMS, we performed crosses between closely related species of theAnopheles gambiaecomplex:An. meruswithAn. gambiaeorAn. coluzzii. We demonstrate that HMS in African malaria mosquitoes involves two defects in the reciprocal crosses: a premeiotic arrest of germline stem cells in degenerate testes and a failure of the reductional meiotic division of primary spermatocytes in normal-like testes. The premeiotic arrest in degenerate testes of hybrids is accompanied by a strong suppression of meiotic and postmeiotic genes. Unlike pure species, sex chromosomes in normal-like testes of F1 hybrids are largely unpaired during meiotic prophase I and all chromosomes show various degrees of insufficient condensation. Instead of entering reductional division in meiosis I, primary spermatocytes prematurely undergo an equational mitotic division producing non-motile diploid sperm. Thus, our study identified cytogenetic errors in interspecies hybrids that arise during the early stages of postzygotic isolation.