bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Correlations between low thyroid function and incidence of atrial fibrillation in hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy
Authors: Liu Li‐Min , Shen Li‐Shui , Liu Shang‐Yu , Tu Bin , Li Guo‐Liang , Hu Feng , Hu Zhi‐Cheng , Wu Ling‐Min , Fan Xiao‐Han , Zheng Li‐Hui , Ding Li‐Gang , Yao Yan
Published: March 2020

Background

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia in patients with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM). Data regarding the correlations of thyroid dysfunction and the incidence of AF in HOCM are quite limited. This study aimed to reveal the correlations between different thyroid status and the corresponding incidence of AF in a large HOCM cohort.

Methods

A total of 806 HOCM patients with complete information on thyroid function tests and comprehensive cardiac evaluations were recruited. The participants were divided into the AF group (n = 159) and non‐AF group (n = 647) according to established medical history and results of Holter monitoring. The thyroid status of the study population and the corresponding incidence of AF were assessed and analyzed.

Results

Hypothyroidism accounted for the greatest proportion of thyroid dysfunction in HOCM patients. The incidence of AF significantly increased in individuals with both overt (P = 0.022) and subclinical (P = 0.007) hypothyroidism. Compared with participants in the non‐AF group, those with positive AF episodes presented with lower free triiodothyronine (FT3) (2.86 ± 0.52 pg/mL vs. 3.01 ± 0.42 pg/mL, P = 0.001), higher free thyroxine (FT4) (1.24 ± 0.25 ng/dL vs. 1.15 ± 0.16 ng/dL, P < 0.001), and remarkably increased levels of thyrotropin (TSH) (12.6% vs. 5.3%, P = 0.001). Multivariable analyses demonstrated that the concentrations of FT3 (odds ratio [OR] = 0.470, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.272–0.813, P = 0.007) and FT4 (OR = 17.992, 95% CI: 5.750–56.296, P < 0.001), as well as TSH levels above normal ranges (OR = 2.276, 95% CI: 1.113–4.652, P = 0.024) were independently associated with the occurrence of AF in the large HOCM cohort.

Conclusions

This study indicated a strong link between low thyroid function and the presence of AF in HOCM. Hypothyroidism (both overt and subclinical states) seems to be valuable for assessing the incidence of AF in patients with HOCM.
MSIsensor-Pro: Fast, Accurate, and Matched-Normal-Sample-Free Detection of Microsatellite Instability
Authors: Jia Peng , Yang Xiaofei , Guo Li , Liu Bowen , Lin Jiadong , Liang Hao , Sun Jianyong , Zhang Chengsheng , Ye Kai
Published: March 2020

Microsatellite instability (MSI) is a key biomarker for cancer therapy and prognosis. Traditional experimental assays are laborious and time-consuming, and next-generation sequencing-based computational methods do not work on leukemia samples, paraffin-embedded samples, or patient-derived xenografts/organoids, due to the requirement of matched normal samples. Herein, we developed MSIsensor-pro, an open-source single sample MSI scoring method for research and clinical applications. MSIsensor-pro introduces a multinomial distribution model to quantify polymerase slippages for each tumor sample and a discriminative site selection method to enable MSI detection without matched normal samples. We demonstrate that MSIsensor-pro is an ultrafast, accurate, and robust MSI calling method. Using samples with various sequencing depths and tumor purities, MSIsensor-pro significantly outperformed the current leading methods in both accuracy and computational cost. MSIsensor-pro is available at https://github.com/xjtu-omics/msisensor-pro and free for non-commercial use, while a commercial license is provided upon request.
Convergence of Evidence Supports a Chuska Mountains Origin for the Plaza Tree of Pueblo Bonito, Chaco Canyon
Authors: Guiterman Christopher H. , Baisan Christopher H. , English Nathan B. , Quade Jay , Dean Jeffrey S. , Swetnam Thomas W.
Published: March 2020

The iconic Plaza Tree of Pueblo Bonito is widely believed to have been a majestic pine standing in the west courtyard of the monumental great house during the peak of the Chaco Phenomenon (AD 850–1140). The ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) log was discovered in 1924, and since then, it has been included in “birth” and “life” narratives of Pueblo Bonito, although these ideas have not been rigorously tested. We evaluate three potential growth origins of the tree (JPB-99): Pueblo Bonito, Chaco Canyon, or a distant mountain range. Based on converging lines of evidence—documentary records, strontium isotopes (87Sr/86Sr), and tree-ring provenance testing—we present a new origin for the Plaza Tree. It did not grow in Pueblo Bonito or even nearby in Chaco Canyon. Rather, JPB-99 originated from the Chuska Mountains, over 50 km west of Chaco Canyon. The tree was likely carried to Pueblo Bonito sometime between AD 1100 and 1130, although why it was left in the west courtyard, what it meant, and how it might have been used remain mysteries. The origin of the Plaza Tree of Pueblo Bonito underscores deep cultural and material ties between the Chaco Canyon great houses and the Chuska landscape.
Somali Ventures in China: Trade and Mobility in a Transnational Economy
Authors: Lochery Emma
Published: March 2020

Research on Somali mobility and migration has predominantly focused on forced migration from Somalia and diaspora communities in Western Europe and North America, neglecting other experiences and destinations. This article traces the journeys of Somali traders from East Africa to China, mapping the growth of a transnational trading economy that has offered a stable career path to a few but a chance to scrape by for many others. Understandings of migration and mobility must encompass these precarious terrains, allowing for a richer examination of how individuals have navigated war, displacement, and political and economic change by investing in transnational livelihoods, not just via ties to the West, but through the myriad connections linking African economies to the Gulf and Asia.
Copper Smelting at the Archaeological Site of El Manchón, Guerrero: From Indigenous Practice to Colonial-Scale Production
Authors: García Zaldúa Johan , Hosler Dorothy
Published: March 2020

We examined copper production at the archaeological site of El Manchón, located in the Sierra Madre del Sur of Guerrero, using archaeological, historical, ethnographic, and materials engineering data. Thirty-six AMS wood charcoal samples from El Manchón, analyzed using Bayseian statistics, date the two domestic sectors of El Manchón from cal AD 1250–1440 (Sector 1) and cal AD 1280–1680 (Sector 3). The smelting sector (Sector 2) contains copper ore and slag and dates to cal AD 1630–1825. Historical sources show that the Spanish had no experience smelting copper metal and were forced to negotiate with indigenous specialists to acquire smelted copper. These specialists provided it in return for tax exemptions and other economic privileges. The indigenous specialists requested iron tools for mining; the Spanish suggested introducing bellows to smelt copper in volume. In the smelting sector we excavated the stone foundations and a slag cake that conform to the dimensions of a hand-powered bellows-driven furnace in which the copper ore was smelted in a circular depression known as acendrada. Thus far, this furnace design has only been excavated at El Manchón. This bellows-powered furnace was likely operated by indigenous Manchón specialists, who probably initially smelted copper using the more ancient blowpipe technology. The dates for the smelting and occupation of El Manchón overlap.
Remembering Slavery in Urban Cape Town: Emancipation or Continuity?
Authors: North Samuel
Published: March 2020

This article examines how slavery has been remembered in the urban space of Cape Town over time. It explores how individuals and groups have commemorated the history of slavery from the late nineteenth century onwards. It outlines how memory of slavery faded as the number of people with direct experience of enslavement decreased, with burgeoning racial segregation influencing the way that the past was viewed. It then examines how post-1994 democracy in South Africa has once again changed approaches to history. Colonial-era abuses such as slavery have not always been readily remembered in an urban space where their legacies are visible, and this article examines the interplay of politics and identity at the heart of public memorialization of these contested pasts.
The collision cross-sections for proton–argon interaction based on ab initio potential
Authors: Terashkevich V. A. , Meshkov V. V. , Pazyuk E. A. , Stolyarov A. V.
Published: March 2020

The classical collision cross-sections of a proton with an argon atom as well as the thermal transport coefficients and rate constant of the colliding

$\text{H}^{+}-\text{Ar}$

system are evaluated at the kinetic temperature

$T\in [100,10\,000]~(\text{K})$

by means of the asymptotically correct analytical potential constructed for the ground

$X^{1}\unicode[STIX]{x1D6F4}^{+}$

state of the ArH+ cation from the highly accurate ab initio data available in the entire range of internuclear distances (Terashkevich et al., J. Quant. Spectrosc. Radiat. Transfer, vol. 234, 2019, pp. 139–146). The results can be useful to estimate thermodynamic, transport and kinetic properties of the Ar/H2 plasma in a wide temperature range.
‘Plays with Subjects that Matter’: Political Theatre and the Amateur Movement in the 1930s
Authors: Watson Don
Published: March 2020

Thousands of amateur theatre groups performed regularly in Britain during the 1930s but their activities have generally been overlooked by historians. Important features of the amateur world were the regional and national festivals organized by the British Drama League and the Scottish Community Drama Association. In this article Don Watson examines how the festivals could provide opportunities for progressive drama by groups outside the organized Left, and considers the League in relation to the Left theatre movement of the time. It broadens our understanding of where politically engaged theatre took place in the 1930s and thus the appreciation of British amateur theatre as a whole. Don Watson is an independent historian and holds a PhD from Hull University. His theatre research has been published in Labour History Review, Media, Culture and Society, and North East Labour History.
An unexpected excursion: The first account of Spaniards in Ayutthaya (1585)
Authors: CROSSLEY JOHN N.
Published: March 2020

Although the Portuguese established contact with Thailand soon after their conquest of Melaka in 1511, it was thought that Spaniards did not go there until the disastrous expedition of Diego Belloso in 1596. However, in a little-known manuscript from about 1600 there is an account of an inadvertent visit by a small group of Spaniards in 1585, after they had been blown off course trying to return to Manila from Macao. This includes a description of Ayutthaya, presented here, together with an account of the trials and tribulations they endured in getting back to Manila. The Spaniards had gone to Macao with the Jesuit Alonso Sánchez, ostensibly to sort out a mutiny on a galleon bound for Acapulco, but Sánchez also wanted to pursue his agenda of converting China to Christianity and his reports do not mention this extraordinary adventure of some of his companions.
Investigating the Unified Motive Scales
Authors: Bettschart Martin , Herrmann Marcel , Wolf Benjamin M. , Brandstätter Veronika
Published: March 2020

Abstract. Explicit motives are well-studied in the field of personality and motivation psychology. However, the statistical overlap of different explicit motive measures is only moderate. As a consequence, the Unified Motive Scales (UMS; Schönbrodt & Gerstenberg, 2012 ) were developed to improve the measurement of explicit motives. The present longitudinal field study examined the predictive validity of the UMS achievement motive subscale. Applicants of a police department ( n = 168, Mage = 25.11, 53 females and 115 males) completed the UMS and their performance in the selection process was assessed. As expected, UMS achievement predicted success in the selection process. The findings provide first evidence for the predictive validity of UMS achievement in an applied setting.
Sea Level Change Controlled the Sedimentary Processes at the Makran Continental Margin Over the Past 13,000 yr
Authors: He Wei , Liu Jianguo , Huang Yun , Cao Li
Published: March 2020

Climate change, sea level fluctuations, and tectonic uplift play key roles in the evolution of sedimentary systems on continental margins. In the Arabian Sea, the Makran continental margin is suitable for studying these processes during the Holocene due to its high sedimentation rate and continuous sequence of Holocene sediments. Here, high‐resolution clay mineral and grain size analyses have been conducted to better understand the sedimentary process and controlling factors over the past 13,000 yr. The results show that the influence of Indus‐derived sediments on the Makran continent margin is negligible. Holocene relative sea level fluctuations can strongly control the shelf accommodation space due to the narrow shelf, which in turn affects the deposition process at the Makran continental margin. The sediment records at the central Makran continental margin are more suitable for studying ancient earthquakes or tsunamis.
Water Mass Characteristics and Distribution Adjacent to Larsen C Ice Shelf, Antarctica
Authors: Hutchinson Katherine , Deshayes Julie , Sallee Jean‐Baptiste , Dowdeswell Julian A. , de Lavergne Casimir , Ansorge Isabelle , Luyt Hermann , Henry Tahlia , Fawcett Sarah E.
Published: March 2020

The physical oceanographic environment, water mass characteristics, and distribution in the area adjacent to Larsen C Ice Shelf (LCIS) are investigated using hydrographic data collected during the 2019 Weddell Sea Expedition. The results shed light on the ocean conditions adjacent to a thinning LCIS, on a continental shelf that is a source region for Weddell Sea Deep Water (WSDW), a precursor of the globally important Antarctic Bottom Water. Modified Warm Deep Water (MWDW), a water mass of circumpolar origin, is identified on the continental shelf and is observed to mix with Ice Shelf Water (ISW) and High Salinity Shelf Water (HSSW), both source waters of WSDW. A source water type decomposition analysis reveals high levels of mixing in the area, with much spatial variability. Heat content anomalies indicate an introduction of heat, presumed to be associated with MWDW, into the area via Jason Trough. Furthermore, candidate parent sources for ISW are identified in the region, indicating the potential for a flow of continental shelf waters into the ice shelf cavity; however, the impact on LCIS cannot be surmised from the available observations. ISW and HSSW are observed to make dominant contributions to the densest layers within Jason Trough, where waters are likely en route to feed the deep layers of the Antarctic Slope Current. This cross‐shelf flux of water masses links the region of the Weddell Sea adjacent to northern LCIS to global ocean circulation and Bottom Water characteristics via its contribution to ISW and HSSW, and hence WSDW properties.
A Comparison of Factors Driving Flood Losses in Households Affected by Different Flood Types
Authors: Mohor G. S. , Hudson P. , Thieken A. H.
Published: March 2020

Flood loss data collection and modeling are not standardized, and previous work has indicated that losses from different flood types (e.g., riverine and groundwater) may follow different driving forces. However, different flood types may occur within a single flood event, which is known as a compound flood event. Therefore, we aimed to identify statistical similarities between loss‐driving factors across flood types and test whether the corresponding losses should be modeled separately. In this study, we used empirical data from 4,418 respondents from four survey campaigns studying households in Germany that experienced flooding. These surveys sought to investigate several features of the impact process (hazard, socioeconomic, preparedness, and building characteristics, as well as flood type). While the level of most of these features differed across flood type subsamples (e.g., degree of preparedness), they did so in a nonregular pattern. A variable selection process indicates that besides hazard and building characteristics, information on property‐level preparedness was also selected as a relevant predictor of the loss ratio. These variables represent information, which is rarely adopted in loss modeling. Models shall be refined with further data collection and other statistical methods. To save costs, data collection efforts should be steered toward the most relevant predictors to enhance data availability and increase the statistical power of results. Understanding that losses from different flood types are driven by different factors is a crucial step toward targeted data collection and model development and will finally clarify conditions that allow us to transfer loss models in space and time.
Searching for Mount Meager’s Geothermal Heart
Authors: Grasby Stephen , Salas Carlos
Published: March 2020

A field expedition into the British Columbia wilderness involving helicopter drops, mountain and landslide traverses, and treacherous ice caves aimed to facilitate geothermal exploration in Canada.
This Week: Katherine Johnson, Dwayne Johnson, and Other Rock Stars
Authors:   AGU
Published: March 2020

What Earth and space science stories are we recommending this week?
Tropical Forests Are Losing Their Ability to Soak Up Carbon
Authors: Duncombe Jenessa
Published: March 2020

The forests could switch from a carbon sink to a carbon source by the mid-2030s.
Impact of maternal obesity on placental transcriptome and morphology associated with fetal growth restriction in mice
Authors: de Barros Mucci Daniela , Kusinski Laura C. , Wilsmore Phoebe , Loche Elena , Pantaleão Lucas C. , Ashmore Thomas J. , Blackmore Heather L. , Fernandez-Twinn Denise S. , Carmo Maria das Graças T. do , Ozanne Susan E.
Published: March 2020

Background

In utero exposure to obesity is consistently associated with increased risk of metabolic disease, obesity and cardiovascular dysfunction in later life despite the divergence of birth weight outcomes. The placenta plays a critical role in offspring development and long-term health, as it mediates the crosstalk between the maternal and fetal environments. However, its phenotypic and molecular modifications in the context of maternal obesity associated with fetal growth restriction (FGR) remain poorly understood.

Methods

Using a mouse model of maternal diet-induced obesity, we investigated changes in the placental transcriptome through RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) at embryonic day (E) 19. The most differentially expressed genes (FDR < 0.05) were validated by Quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) in male and female placentae at E19. The expression of these targets and related genes was also determined by qPCR at E13 to examine whether the observed alterations had an earlier onset at mid-gestation. Structural analyses were performed using immunofluorescent staining against Ki67 and CD31 to investigate phenotypic outcomes at both timepoints.

Results

RNA-seq and IPA analyses revealed differential expression of transcripts and pathway interactions related to placental vascular development and tissue morphology in obese placentae at term, including downregulation ofMuc15,Cnn1, andActa2.Pdgfb, which is implicated in labyrinthine layer development, was downregulated in obese placentae at E13. This was consistent with the morphological evidence of reduced labyrinth zone (LZ) size, as well as lower fetal weight at both timepoints irrespective of offspring sex.

Conclusions

Maternal obesity results in abnormal placental LZ development and impaired vascularization, which may mediate the observed FGR through reduced transfer of nutrients across the placenta.
Alzheimer-related genes show accelerated evolution
Authors: Nitsche Anne , Arnold Christian , Ueberham Uwe , Reiche Kristin , Fallmann Jörg , Hackermüller Jörg , Horn Friedemann , Stadler Peter F. , Arendt Thomas
Published: March 2020

Alzheimerʼs disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder of unknown cause with complex genetic and environmental traits. While AD is extremely prevalent in human elderly, it hardly occurs in non-primate mammals and even non-human-primates develop only an incomplete form of the disease. This specificity of AD to human clearly implies a phylogenetic aspect. Still, the evolutionary dimension of AD pathomechanism remains difficult to prove and has not been established so far. To analyze the evolutionary age and dynamics of AD-associated-genes, we established the AD-associated genome-wide RNA-profile comprising both protein-coding and non-protein-coding transcripts. We than applied a systematic analysis on the conservation of splice-sites as a measure of gene-structure based on multiple alignments across vertebrates of homologs of AD-associated-genes. Here, we show that nearly all AD-associated-genes are evolutionarily old and did not originate later in evolution than not-AD-associated-genes. However, the gene-structures of loci, that exhibit AD-associated changes in their expression, evolve faster than the genome at large. While protein-coding-loci exhibit an enhanced rate of small changes in gene structure, non-coding loci show even much larger changes. The accelerated evolution of AD-associated-genes indicates a more rapid functional adaptation of these genes. In particular AD-associated non-coding-genes play an important, as yet largely unexplored, role in AD. This phylogenetic trait indicates that recent adaptive evolution of human brain is causally involved in basic principles of neurodegeneration. It highlights the necessity for a paradigmatic change of our disease-concepts and to reconsider the appropriateness of current animal-models to develop disease-modifying strategies that can be translated to human.
The long non-coding RNA PIK3CD-AS2 promotes lung adenocarcinoma progression via YBX1-mediated suppression of p53 pathway
Authors: Zheng Xiufen , Zhang Junying , Fang Tian , Wang Xiaoxiao , Wang Siwei , Ma Zhifei , Xu Youtao , Han Chencheng , Sun Mengting , Xu Lin , Wang Jie , Yin Rong
Published: March 2020

The underlying mechanisms of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNA) participating in the progression of lung cancers are largely unknown. We found a novel lncRNA, PIK3CD antisense RNA 2 (PIK3CD-AS2), that contributes to lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) progression. The expression characteristics of PIK3CD-AS2 in LUAD were analyzed using microarray expression profile, The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets, and validated in 92 paired LUAD tissues by chromogenic in situ hybridization. Our data confirmed that PIK3CD-AS2 expression is a crucial regulator of LUAD progression and associated with shorter patient survival. In vitro studies showed that PIK3CD-AS2 increased cell growth and slowed apoptosis in p53wt cells but not in p53null cells. Mechanically, it is demonstrated that PIK3CD-AS2 bound to and maintained the stability of Y-box binding protein 1 (YBX1), a potent destabilizer of p53, by impeding its ubiquitination and degradation. Downexpression of YBX1 reversed PIK3CD-AS2-mediated inhibition of p53 signaling. Additionally, the therapeutic effect evaluation of a locked nuclear acid (LNA) specifically targeting PIK3CD-AS2 showed an anti-tumor activity in mice with A549 cells xenograft and p53 wild-type LUAD patient-derived tumor xenograft (PDTX) model. Clinically, the high expression of PIK3CD-AS2 showed a poor disease-free survival in p53 wild-type patients in TCGA database. Our findings suggest that PIK3CD-AS2 regulates LUAD progression and elucidate a new PIK3CD-AS2/YBX1/p53 signaling axis, providing a potential lncRNA-directed therapeutic strategy especially in p53 wild-type LUAD patients.
A liquid biopsy to detect multidrug resistance and disease burden in multiple myeloma
Authors: Rajeev Krishnan Sabna , De Rubis Gabriele , Suen Hayley , Joshua Douglas , Lam Kwan Yiu , Bebawy Mary
Published: March 2020

Multiple myeloma is an incurable cancer of bone marrow plasma cells, with a 5-year survival rate of 43%. Its incidence has increased by 126% since 1990. Treatment typically involves high-dose combination chemotherapy, but therapeutic response and patient survival are unpredictable and highly variable—attributed largely to the development of multidrug resistance (MDR). MDR is the simultaneous cross-resistance to a range of unrelated chemotherapeutic agents and is associated with poor prognosis and survival. Currently, no clinical procedures allow for a direct, continuous monitoring of MDR. We identified circulating large extracellular vesicles (specifically microparticles (MPs)) that can be used to monitor disease burden, disease progression and development of MDR in myeloma. These MPs differ phenotypically in the expression of four protein biomarkers: a plasma-cell marker (CD138), the MDR protein, P-glycoprotein (P-gp), the stem-cell marker (CD34); and phosphatidylserine (PS), an MP marker and mediator of cancer spread. Elevated levels of P-gp+and PS+MPs correlate with disease progression and treatment unresponsiveness. Furthermore, P-gp, PS and CD34 are predominantly expressed in CD138−MPs in advanced disease. In particular, a dual-positive (CD138−P-gp+CD34+) population is elevated in aggressive/unresponsive disease. Our test provides a personalised liquid biopsy with potential to address the unmet clinical need of monitoring MDR and treatment failure in myeloma.
Root transcriptome reveals efficient cell signaling and energy conservation key to aluminum toxicity tolerance in acidic soil adapted rice genotype
Authors: Tyagi Wricha , Yumnam Julia S. , Sen Devyani , Rai Mayank
Published: March 2020

Aluminium (Al) toxicity is the single most important contributing factor constraining crop productivity in acidic soils. Hydroponics based screening of three rice genotypes, a tolerant (ARR09, AR), a susceptible (IR 1552, IR) and an acid soil adapted landrace (Theruvii, TH) revealed that AR accumulates less Al and shows minimum decrease in shoot and root biomass under Al toxicity conditions when compared with IR. Transcriptome data generated on roots (grown in presence or absence of Al) led to identification of ~1500 transcripts per genotype with percentage annotation ranging from 21.94% (AR) to 29.94% (TH). A total of 511, 804 and 912 DEGs were identified in genotypes AR, IR and TH, respectively. IR showed upregulation of transcripts involved in exergonic processes. AR appears to conserve energy by downregulating key genes of glycolysis pathway and maintaining transcript levels of key exergonic step enzymes under Al stress. The tolerance in AR appears to be as a result of novel mechanism as none of the reported Al toxicity genes or QTLs overlap with significant DEGs. Components of signal transduction and regulatory machinery like transcripts encoding zinc finger protein, calcieurin binding protein and cell wall associated transcripts are among the highly upregulated DEGs in AR, suggesting increased and better signal transduction in response to Al stress in tolerant rice. Sequencing ofNRAT1 and glycine-rich protein A3 revealed distinct haplotype forindicatype AR. The newly identified components of Al tolerance will help in designing molecular breeding tools to enhance rice productivity in acidic soils.
Study of Heat and Mass Transfer in MHD Flow of Micropolar Fluid over a Curved Stretching Sheet
Authors: Yasmin Asia , Ali Kashif , Ashraf Muhammad
Published: March 2020

A comprehensive investigation of mass and heat transfer in magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) flow of an electrically conducting non-Newtonian micropolar fluid because of curved stretching sheet is presented. Flow is originated by stretching of curved sheet by means of linear velocity. Concentration and energy equations are incorporated to study repercussion of mass and heat transfer. To define basic equations of the model, curvilinear coordinates are used. The transformed BL (boundary layer) equations for the momentum, concentration, angular momentum and temperature with appropriate boundary conditions are numerically solved by SOR (successive over relaxation) algorithms combined with the quasi-linearization technique. Flow features such as temperature fields, micro rotation, velocity and concentration are appraised for manipulation of pertinent parameters. The radius of curvature enhances the temperature and concentration whereas it declines micro-rotation as well as velocities of the fluid. It is significant to notice that magnetic field interaction is caused counterproductive in increasing concentration distribution and fluid temperature while diminishing micro-rotation and velocities at all domain flow points. As schmidt number increases concentration of fluid reduces.
Radiocarbon chronology and environmental context of Last Glacial Maximum human occupation in Switzerland
Authors: Reade Hazel , Tripp Jennifer A. , Charlton Sophy , Grimm Sonja , Sayle Kerry L. , Fensome Alex , Higham Thomas F. G. , Barnes Ian , Stevens Rhiannon E.
Published: March 2020

Central Europe during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) was dominated by polar desert and steppe-tundra biomes. Despite this, a human presence during this time period is evident at several locations across the region, including in Switzerland, less than 50 km from the Alpine ice sheet margin. It has been hypothesised that such human activity may have been restricted to brief periods of climatic warming within the LGM, but chronological information from many of these sites are currently too poorly resolved to corroborate this. Here we present a revised chronology of LGM human occupation in Switzerland. AMS radiocarbon dating of cut-marked reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) bones from the sites of Kastelhöhle-Nord and Y-Höhle indicates human occupation of Switzerland was most likely restricted to between 23,400 and 22,800 cal. BP. This timeframe corresponds to Greenland Interstadial 2, a brief warming phase, supporting the hypothesis that human presence was facilitated by favourable climatic episodes. Carbon, nitrogen and sulphur stable isotope analysis of the fauna provides palaeoenvironmental information for this time period. These findings contribute to our understanding of human activity in ice-marginal environments and have implications for understanding cultural connections across central Europe during the LGM.
Application of Continuous Intraoperative Neuromonitoring During VATS Lobectomy for Left Lung Cancer to Prevent Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve Injury
Authors: Chai Young Jun , Lee Jung-Man , Seong Yong Won , Moon Hyeon Jong
Published: March 2020

We applied continuous intraoperative neuromonitoring (CIONM) during video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) lobectomy for left lung cancer and evaluated its safety and usefulness. An electrode was attached to a double-lumen tube, and placed at vocal cord level to detect the EMG signal evoked by vocal cord movement. Before 4 L lymph node dissection, an automatic periodic stimulation device was applied to the vagus nerve to stimulate vagus nerve continuously. Surgery was suspended if the amplitude decreased lower than the threshold and was resumed when the amplitude recovered. Ten patients (6 male, 4 female) were enrolled. CIONM was successfully performed in all patients without technical failure, and there was no hemodynamic instability. Amplitude decreased below the threshold in four patients. One patient did not recover amplitude and experienced transient vocal cord palsy. In the three other patients, the amplitude recovered above the threshold and no vocal cord palsy occurred. The six patients who did not exhibit amplitude decrease experienced no vocal cord palsy. Our results suggest that CIONM may be applied safely for VATS left lobectomy and may be used to predict postoperative vocal cord function. This approach may be helpful to prevent RLN injury during VATS left lobectomy.
Strain relaxation in InAs heteroepitaxy on lattice-mismatched substrates
Authors: Ohtake Akihiro , Mano Takaaki , Sakuma Yoshiki
Published: March 2020

Strain relaxation processes in InAs heteroepitaxy have been studied. While InAs grows in a layer-by-layer mode on lattice-mismatched substrates of GaAs(111)A, Si(111), and GaSb(111)A, the strain relaxation process strongly depends on the lattice mismatch. The density of threading defects in the InAs film increases with lattice mismatch. We found that the peak width in x-ray diffraction is insensitive to the defect density, but critically depends on the residual lattice strain in InAs films.
Perception of Discrete Emotions in Others: Evidence for Distinct Facial Mimicry Patterns
Authors: Wingenbach Tanja S. H. , Brosnan Mark , Pfaltz Monique C. , Peyk Peter , Ashwin Chris
Published: March 2020

Covert facial mimicry involves subtle facial muscle activation in observers when they perceive the facial emotional expressions of others. It remains uncertain whether prototypical facial features in emotional expressions are being covertly mimicked and also whether covert facial mimicry involves distinct facial muscle activation patterns across muscles per emotion category, or simply distinguishes positive versus negative valence in observed facial emotions. To test whether covert facial mimicry is emotion-specific, we measured facial electromyography (EMG) from five muscle sites (corrugator supercilii, levator labii, frontalis lateralis, depressor anguli oris, zygomaticus major) whilst participants watched videos of people expressing 9 different basic and complex emotions and a neutral expression. This study builds upon previous research by including a greater number of facial muscle measures and emotional expressions. It is the first study to investigate activation patterns across muscles during facial mimicry and to provide evidence for distinct patterns of facial muscle activation when viewing individual emotion categories, suggesting that facial mimicry is emotion-specific, rather than just valence-based.
Study on the Change of Dielectric Properties and Chemical-Mechanism during Coal Low-Temperature Oxidation
Authors: Zhu Hongqing , Wang Haoran , Wang Wei , Liu Jiuli
Published: March 2020

The study aims to investigate the variation of the coal dielectric properties during coal low-temperature oxidation and the effect of oxidation product on the coal dielectric properties. Four different types of coal were prepared under low-temperature oxidation condition, and the coal dielectric properties were measured with an impedance analyzer at frequencies ranging between 20 Hz and 30 MHz. The oxygen-containing functional groups in oxidized coal samples were semi-quantitatively evaluated using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Low-temperature oxidation stage of coal spontaneous combustion could be predicted according to the change of coal dielectric properties in the process of temperature rise. It was found that the dielectric constant of coal with high water content decreased exponentially with temperature. For coal sample with low water content, the dielectric properties changed piecewise linearly with temperature. Coal dehydration was considered to be the reason for the decrease of the dielectric constant from 30 °C to 120 °C. The increase of the relative content of oxygen-containing functional groups, especially carbonyl compounds, could be the reason for the rise of the coal dielectric constant from T2 to T3.
Measurement of 10 fs pulses across the entire Visible to Near-Infrared Spectral Range
Authors: Johnson Allan S. , Amuah Emmanuel B. , Brahms Christian , Wall Simon
Published: March 2020

Tuneable ultrafast laser pulses are a powerful tool for measuring difficult-to-access degrees of freedom in materials science. In general these experiments require the ability to address resonances and excitations both above and below the bandgap of materials, and to probe their response at the timescale of the fastest non-trivial internal dynamics. This drives the need for ultrafast sources capable of delivering 10–15 fs duration pulses tuneable across the entire visible (VIS) and near infrared (NIR) range, 500– 3000 nm, as well as the characterization of these sources. Here we present a single frequency-resolved optical gating (FROG) system capable of self-referenced characterization of pulses with 10 fs duration across the entire VIS-NIR spectral range. Our system does not require auxiliary beams and only minor reconfiguration for different wavelengths. We demonstrate the system with measurements of pulses across the entire tuning range.
Intrauterine growth restriction in piglets alters blood cell counts and impairs cytokine responses in peripheral mononuclear cells 24 days post-partum
Authors: Amdi Charlotte , Lynegaard Julie C. , Thymann Thomas , Williams Andrew R.
Published: March 2020

Large litter sizes have resulted in more piglets being exposed to intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). Growth restriction during fetal life is linked with lower growth efficiency and increased susceptibility to infections in postnatal life and IUGR may associate with an altered innate immune system. We investigated the haematological, thromboelastography and plasma biochemical profiles of IUGR and normal piglets as well as cytokine responses in peripheral blood mononuclear cells stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) at 24 days of age. Piglets were classified at birth based on their head morphology as either IUGR or normal. The present study showed a modulation of the immune function of IUGR pigs, characterized by an increase in neutrophil percentage and fibrinogen levels but a decrease in CD4+ T-cells. A lower level of LPS-induced IL-1β production was evident in IUGR pigs, suggesting immunological hypo-responsiveness. Furthermore, higher levels of reticulocytes, MCV and MCH and lower levels of erythrocytes in IUGR pigs suggest altered bone marrow hematopoiesis. All together, the results suggest a moderate suppression of the immune response of IUGR piglets, which may have implications for resistance to pathogen challenges in the post-weaning period. Serum metabolites and blood clotting profile did not differ between IUGR and normal piglets.
Gut microbiota manipulation during the prepubertal period shapes behavioral abnormalities in a mouse neurodevelopmental disorder model
Authors: Saunders Justin M. , Moreno José L. , Ibi Daisuke , Sikaroodi Masoumeh , Kang Dae Joong , Muñoz-Moreno Raquel , Dalmet Swati S. , García-Sastre Adolfo , Gillevet Patrick M. , Dozmorov Mikhail G. , Bajaj Jasmohan S. , González-Maeso Javier
Published: March 2020

Previous studies demonstrate an association between activation of the maternal immune system during pregnancy and increased risk of neurodevelopmental psychiatric conditions, such as schizophrenia and autism, in the offspring. Relatively recent findings also suggest that the gut microbiota plays an important role in shaping brain development and behavior. Here we show that maternal immune activation (MIA) accomplished by infection with a mouse-adapted influenza virus during pregnancy induced up-regulation of frontal cortex serotonin 5-HT2A receptor (5-HT2AR) density in the adult offspring, a phenotype previously observed in postmortem frontal cortex of schizophrenic subjects. 5-HT2AR agonist-induced head-twitch behavior was also augmented in this preclinical mouse model. Using the novel object recognition (NOR) test to evaluate cognitive performance, we demonstrate that MIA induced NOR deficits in adult offspring. Oral antibiotic treatment of prepubertal mice prevented this cognitive impairment, but not increased frontal cortex 5-HT2AR density or psychedelic-induced head-twitch behavior in adult MIA offspring. Additionally, gut microbiota transplantation from MIA mice produced behavioral deficits in antibiotic-treated mock mice. Adult MIA offspring displayed altered gut microbiota, and relative abundance of specific components of the gut microbiota, including Ruminococcaceae, correlated with frontal cortex 5-HT2AR density. Together, these findings provide a better understanding of basic mechanisms by which prenatal insults impact offspring brain function, and suggest gut-brain axis manipulation as a potential therapeutic approach for neurodevelopmental psychiatric conditions.
Validation of CTS5 model in large-scale breast cancer population and the impact of menopausal and HER2 status on its prognostic value
Authors: Wang Changjun , Chen Chang , Lin Yan , Zhou Yidong , Mao Feng , Zhu Hanjiang , Zhang Xiaohui , Shen Songjie , Huang Xin , Wang Xuefei , Zhao Bin , Yang Jing , Sun Qiang
Published: March 2020

Clinical Treatment Score post-5 years (CTS5) is a promising prognostic tool to evaluate late recurrence risk for breast cancer. Our study aimed to validate its prognostic value in large-scale population and explore the impact of menopausal and HER2 status on CTS5 model. We performed a retrospective cohort study using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. Survival analyses were conducted to assess the prognostic value of CTS5 in different breast cancer subgroups in terms of overall survival (OS) and breast cancer specific survival (BCSS) after five years. A total of 23,168 breast cancer patients with positive hormone receptor (HoR) were enrolled. Postmenopausal and premenopausal patients were 13,686 and 9,482, respectively. Taking CTS5 score as a continuous variable, it had significant positive correlation with poor prognosis beyond five years in both postmenopausal and premenopausal subgroups. Nevertheless, for HER2+ postmenopausal patients, the model has less effective prognostic value on long-term BCSS [HR1.177 (95%CI 0.960–1.443), p = 0.117]. Using CTS5 score as a categorical variable, HER2- patients with high-risk level revealed significant poor survival in terms of both BCSS and OS, irrespective of menopausal status. Our study showed the CTS5 model could be a useful prognostic tool for predict long-term survival in HoR+/HER2- patients. And further large-scale studies are warranted to assess its prognostic value for HER2+ patients and develop novel prediction model for late recurrence risk estimation.
Cell cycle synchronisation using thiazolidinediones affects cellular glucose metabolism and enhances the therapeutic effect of 2-deoxyglucose in colon cancer
Authors: Yoon Joon-Kee , Byeon Hye Eun , Ko Seung Ah , Park Bok-Nam , An Young-Sil , Lee Ho-Young , Lee Youn Woo , Lee Su Jin
Published: March 2020

The effect of cell cycle synchronisation on glucose metabolism in cancer cells is not known. We assessed how cell cycle synchronisation by thiazolidinediones (TZDs) can affect glucose uptake by cancer cells and investigated the anti-cancer effect of combination therapy with TZDs and 2-deoxy-glucose (2-DG) in colon cancer cells and in mouse xenograft models. Troglitazone (58.1 ± 2.0 vs 48.6 ± 1.3%, p = 0.002) or pioglitazone (82.9 ± 1.9 vs 61.6 ± 3.4%, p < 0.001) induced cell cycle arrest in SW480 cells at G1 phase. Western blot analysis showed the degradation of cyclin D1 and CDK4, and an increase in the expression levels of p21 and p27 after TZDs treatment. Withdrawal of troglitazone treatment induced significant increase in cellular 3H-DG uptake (141.5% ± 12.9% of controls) and membrane GLUT1 expression levels (146.3% of controls) by 24 h; 1 mM 2-DG treatment alone decreased cell survival by 5.8% as compared with the controls.; however, combination therapy enhanced the anti-tumour effects to 34.6% or 20.3% as compared with control cells. In vivo, each combination treatment group showed significant anti-tumour effects unlike the 2-DG alone group. Cell cycle synchronisation using TZDs induced cellular glucose uptake, which significantly enhanced the therapeutic effect of 2-DG in colon cancer.
A novel MRI analysis for assessment of microvascular vasomodulation in low-perfusion skeletal muscle
Authors: Zakher Eric , Ganesh Tameshwar , Cheng Hai-Ling Margaret
Published: March 2020

Compromised microvascular reactivity underlies many conditions and injuries, but its assessment remains difficult, particularly in low perfusion tissues. In this paper, we develop a new mathematical model for the assessment of vasomodulation in low perfusion settings. A first-order model was developed to approximate changes in T1 relaxation times as a result of vasomodulation. Healthy adult rats (N = 6) were imaged on a 3-Tesla clinical MRI scanner, and vasoactive response was probed on gadofosveset using hypercapnic gases at 20% and 5% CO2 to induce vasoconstriction and vasodilation, respectively. MRI included dynamic 3D T1 mapping and T1-weighted images during gas challenge; heart rate was continuously monitored. Laser Doppler perfusion measurements were performed to corroborate MRI findings. The model was able to identify hypercapnia-mediated vasoconstriction and vasodilation through the partial derivative $$\frac{\partial {T}_{1}}{\partial t}$$∂T1∂t. MRI on animals revealed gradual vasoconstriction in the skeletal muscle bed in response to 20% CO2 followed by gradual vasodilation on transitioning to 5% CO2. These trends were confirmed on laser Doppler perfusion measurements. Our new mathematical model has the potential for detecting microvascular dysfunction that manifests in the early stages across multiple metabolic and ischemic pathologies.
Zeolite Cotton in Tube: A Simple Robust Household Water Treatment Filter for Heavy Metal Removal
Authors: Chen Xutao , Yu Lisha , Zou Shihui , Xiao Liping , Fan Jie
Published: March 2020

It is challenging to develop a low-cost household water treatment (HWT) that simultaneously deliver an effective and robust way for safe and reliable water supply. Here, we report a simple flow-through filter made by zeolite-cotton packing in a tube (ZCT) as low-cost HWT device to remove heavy metal ions from contaminated water. The zeolite-cotton is fabricated by an on-site template-free growth route that tightly binds mesoporous single-crystal chabazite zeolite onto the surface of cotton fibers. As a result, the ZCT set-up with optimized diameter achieves both high adsorption efficiency, proper flow rate, reliable supply and strong stability at the same time. After flowed through the set up packed with 10 g of zeolite-cotton, 65 mL 1000 ppm Cu2+ solution was purified down to its safety limit (<1 ppm). Notably, their efficiency remains unaltered when filtering several ions simultaneously. In a simulated purification process, 8 L of water contaminated by Cu2+, Cd2+ and Pb2+ could be transformed into drinking water and it enables the removal of heavy metals to concentrations of below 5 ppb (μg L−1). We also show that the ZCT can be used for disinfection by introducing Ag-exchanged zeolite-cotton without contaminating the water with Ag ions (<0.05 ppm).
Author Correction: Combination of chick embryo and nutrient mixture prevent D-galactose-induced cognitive deficits, immune impairment and oxidative stress in aging rat model
Authors: Ma Jia , Wang Huaxin , Liu Bing , Shan Yujia , Zhou Huimin , Qi Xia , Wu Wenguo , Jia Li
Published: March 2020

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.
Author Correction: The Effect of Electronic Cigarette User Modifications and E-liquid Adulteration on the Particle Size Profile of an Aerosolized Product
Authors: Mulder Haley A. , Patterson Jesse L. , Halquist Matthew S. , Kosmider Leon , Turner Joseph B. McGee , Poklis Justin L. , Poklis Alphonse , Peace Michelle R.
Published: March 2020

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.
Author Correction: Inhibition of translation termination by small molecules targeting ribosomal release factors
Authors: Ge Xueliang , Oliveira Ana , Hjort Karin , Bergfors Terese , Gutiérrez-de-Terán Hugo , Andersson Dan I. , Sanyal Suparna , Åqvist Johan
Published: March 2020

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.