bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Role of Noninvasive Endpoints in Predicting Long-Term Outcomes in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension
Authors: Wronski Samantha L. , Mordin Margaret , Kelley Kim , Anguiano Rebekah H. , Classi Peter , Shen Eric , Manaker Scott
Published: November 2019

Background

Until recently, many clinical trials in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) evaluated exercise capacity with 6-minute walk distance (6MWD) as the primary endpoint. Common secondary endpoints include PAH functional class (FC), which assesses symptoms, and either brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) or the inactive N-terminal cleavage product of its prohormone (NT-proBNP), which assesses cardiac function.

Objective

Examine the relationships among 6MWD, FC, and BNP/NT-proBNP measured at baseline or follow-up with long-term outcomes in PAH studies.

Methods

Relevant literature from January 1990 to April 2018 were obtained by searching PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane. Articles in English reporting on associations between 6MWD, FC, or BNP/NT-proBNP and outcomes in PAH were identified. Each endpoint was evaluated individually. Prespecified inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied at level 1 (titles/abstracts) and level 2 (full-text review).

Results

The database search yielded 836 unique records; 65 full-text articles were reviewed. Twenty-five studies were eligible for inclusion. Findings supported the importance of measuring PAH noninvasive endpoints in predicting long-term outcomes. Patients with shorter or decreased 6MWD, poor (III/IV) or declining FC (e.g., from II to III), or elevated or increasing BNP/NT-proBNP had a higher risk of death and costly events (e.g., hospitalization, lung transplant). FC also predicted health care resource utilization and costs. Collectively, these endpoints establish risk groups that predict likelihood of complications from PAH or death.

Conclusion

Assessment of 6MWD, FC, and BNP/NT-proBNP provides low-cost, efficient, and noninvasive means of predicting long-term health and economic outcomes in patients with PAH.
Numerical Investigation into the Effect of Splats and Pores on the Thermal Fracture of Air Plasma-Sprayed Thermal Barrier Coatings
Authors: Krishnasamy Jayaprakash , Ponnusami Sathiskumar A. , Turteltaub Sergio , van der Zwaag Sybrand
Published: November 2019

The effect of splat interfaces on the fracture behavior of air plasma-sprayed thermal barrier coatings (APS-TBC) is analyzed using finite element modeling involving cohesive elements. A multiscale approach is adopted in which the explicitly resolved top coat microstructural features are embedded in a larger domain. Within the computational cell, splat interfaces are modeled as being located on a sinusoidal interface in combination with a random distribution of pores. Parametric studies are conducted for different splat interface waviness, spacing, pore volume fraction and fracture properties of the splat interface. The results are quantified in terms of crack nucleation temperature and total microcrack length. It is found that the amount of cracking in TBCs actually decreases with increased porosity up to a critical volume fraction. In contrast, the presence of splats is always detrimental to the TBC performance. This detrimental effect is reduced for the splat interfaces with high waviness and spacing compared to those with low waviness and spacing. The crack initiation temperature was found to be linearly dependent on the normal fracture properties of the splat interface. Insights derived from the numerical results aid in engineering the microstructure of practical TBC systems for improved resistance against thermal fracture.
High diatom species turnover in a Baltic Sea rock pool metacommunity
Authors: Aarnio Sonja , Teittinen Anette , Soininen Janne
Published: November 2019

Different metacommunity perspectives have been developed to describe the relationship between environmental and spatial factors and their relative roles for local communities. However, only little is known about temporal variation in metacommunities and their underlying drivers. We examined temporal variation in the relative roles of environmental and spatial factors for diatom community composition among brackish-watered rock pools on the Baltic Sea coast over a 3-month period. We used a combination of direct ordination, variation partition, and Mantel tests to investigate the metacommunity patterns. The studied communities housed a mixture of freshwater, brackish, and marine species, with a decreasing share of salinity tolerant species along both temporal and spatial gradients. The community composition was explained by both environmental and spatial variables (especially conductivity and distance from the sea) in each month; the joint effect of these factors was consistently larger than the pure effects of either variable group. Community similarity was related to both environmental and spatial distance between the pools even when the other variable group was controlled for. The relative influence of environmental factors increased with time, accounting for the largest share of the variation in species composition and distance decay of similarity in July. Metacommunity organization in the studied rock pools was probably largely explained by a combination of species sorting and mass effect given the small spatial study scale. The found strong distance decay of community similarity indicates spatially highly heterogeneous diatom communities mainly driven by temporally varying conductivity gradient at the marine-freshwater transition zone.
Opposing the Power of Lies, Bullshit and Fake News: the Value of Truth
Authors: MacKenzie Alison , Bhatt Ibrar
Published: November 2019

‘Post-truth’ politics poses a serious challenge to the values of truth, and consequently trust. Sections of mainstream political parties and the media do not appear to have basic knowledge or insight into processes that underpin our institutions, and we are confronted with the proliferation of lies, fake news and bullshit—and profound ignorance. We will explore the distinctions between truth and truthfulness, and lies and deceit to centrally argue that truth has considerable intrinsic and instrumental value that should be protected and respected. Truth is invaluable to the integrity of the person, institution and nation, and a climate of trust to the proper functioning of democracy. While it may be expedient to distort or ignore the truth, we value truth in ways that cannot be reduced to its practical value. This is because it is very closely related to trust, sincerity and integrity. Indifference to truth, and the cynical espousing of lies, fake news or bullshit can be destabilising and harmful, as Brexit (the United Kingdom’s process of withdrawal from the European Union) is painfully revealing. Deception constitutes a limit to our will: how can we make informed choices if the information we receive is inaccurate, false or untrue? As our information ecosystem becomes increasingly complex, unpredictable and balkanised, educators have a vital role in helping an informed public navigate what it encounters online.
Special Issue on Wearable Robotics: Dynamics, Control and Applications
Authors: Wang Qining , Vitiello Nicola , Mohammed Samer , Agrawal Sunil
Published: November 2019

While initially conceived for human motion augmentation, wearable robots have gradually evolved as technological aids in motion assistance and rehabilitation. There are increasing real-world applications in industrial and medical scenarios. Though efforts have been made on wearable robotic systems, e.g. robotic prostheses and exoskeletons, there are still several challenges in kinematics and actuation solutions, dynamic analysis and control of human-robot systems, neuro-control and human-robot interfaces; ergonomics and human-in-the-loop optimization. Meanwhile, real-world applications in industrial or medical scenarios are facing difficulties considering effectiveness.
When Social Policy Meets Performance Practice: Interculturalism, the European Union and the ‘Migratory and Refugee Crisis’
Authors: MCIVOR CHARLOTTE
Published: November 2019

This article examines the relationship among migration, performance and intercultural dialogue as social policy in the European Union since the late 2000s. Intercultural dialogue is currently enjoying a second wave of prominence with several recently published reports by the European Union explicitly highlighting the relationship between this strategy's transformational possibilities and the role of the arts. Crucially, in both European social policy and performance theory today, interculturalism is increasingly used to mean an embodied practice and site of encounter that strategically multiplies – rather than binarizing or reifying – cultural differences between individuals and within groups. This article compares the work of three European theatre companies who describe their work as theatrical interculturalism and use it as a means of practising and furthering intercultural dialogue: Kloppend Hert (Belgium), Terra Nova Productions (Northern Ireland) and Outlandish Theatre Platform (Republic of Ireland).
Workshop Negative: Political Theatre in Zimbabwe in the 1980s
Authors: KELETA-MAE NAILA
Published: November 2019

In 1980 the Republic of Zimbabwe became recognized internationally as an independent state. This independence marked a shift from white minority rule to black majority rule in the form of ZANU–PF in a transition in government that was fraught with brutal violence, tense negotiations and tremendous hope for the democratic state that would emerge. This article begins with a brief overview of key political-theatre and public-arts funding practices that emerged in the newly independent Zimbabwe in the 1980s and continues with an examination of an influential political play from the era by Cont Mhlange entitledWorkshop Negative(1986). This article's analysis ofWorkshop Negativeconsiders how the economic pressures explored in the play mirror the precarious working conditions that arts-funding models placed on political-theatre practitioners in Zimbabwe at the time.
Origins and Developments: A Brief Overview
Authors: HEMIŞ ÖZLEM
Published: November 2019

The origins of westernized theatre in Turkey lie in the Tanzimat reform movement, which was in turn inspired by the impact of the French Revolution. The institutionalization of this late encounter was made possible by the foundation of municipal theatres (1914) and of state theatres (1949). The municipal theatres have been most influential, and have had more flexible characteristics as they have been minutely connected with tradition. The state theatres, on the other hand, have been on a mission to educate audiences through their large-scale productions, which the private-enterprise theatres would not possibly dare to produce. They have also been tightly connected with Western-style theatre in their repertoire, and in their understanding of dramaturgy and directing in their productions. Today it is still debatable whether these enormous institutional theatres function effectively or not. The fact that the municipal and state theatres are consistently offering the cheapest tickets and yet not managing to keep a loyal group of audiences is one of the reasons why nearly two hundred plays at independent theatres debut in Istanbul every year. There have been attempts to overcome problems of quality inherent in the structure of these theatres by other theatre groups in premises where more elaborate productions of plays from the mainstream have been performed.
Turkey's Future State (of) Theatre
Authors: VERSTRAETE PIETER
Published: November 2019

With the inauguration of the presidential system in Turkey, theatre as an institution is at a historical crossroads. By 15 July 2018, just before the controversial emergency law was lifted, two decrees restricting the autonomy of artists working at state theatres, operas and ballets were issued. The first decree replaces a law from 1949 which secures autonomy over budgeting and programming.1 The second places all state theatres under direct control of the president. During the summer, the institutions were temporarily closed until they were harmonized with the new political system. With this structural change, a lengthier political process of shifting powers and centralization is being consolidated. But there has also been a more fundamental epistemological shift going on in Turkey's ideological consciousness, which is deeply rooted in a history of the public sector and of state institutionalism.
Forming a Transnational Moral Community between Soviet Dissidents and Ex-Communist Western Supporters: The Case of Pavel Litvinov, Karel van het Reve and Stephen Spender
Authors: Matsui Yasuhiro
Published: November 2019

The Soviet dissident and human rights movement, emerging publicly in the mid-1960s, became known globally through various supportive actions of Moscow foreign correspondents and Western intellectuals. For instance, Pavel Litvinov, a well-known dissident, had close relationships with foreigners, especially Karel van het Reve, a Dutch correspondent in Moscow, and Stephen Spender, a British poet, both formerly communists. This article attempts to elucidate aspects of the personal and ethical interactions among these three figures, focusing on van het Reve's and Spender's support activities and projects, particularly the Alexander Herzen Foundation and Writers and Scholars International, founded in 1969 and 1971, respectively, to understand how a transnational moral community was formed.
Perpetuating factors of social anxiety: a serial mediation model
Authors: Carnahan Nicolette D. , Carter Michele M. , Herr Nathaniel R.
Published: November 2019

Background:

There is evidence that individuals with high levels of social anxiety utilize more safety behaviours and experience more post-event processing than those with lower levels of social anxiety. There are also data to suggest that the relationship between safety behaviour use and social anxiety symptoms is mediated by perceived control of one’s anxiety. Furthermore, it has been suggested that post-event processing influences anticipatory anxiety for a future social situation.

Aim:

A direct link between the perpetuating factors of social anxiety described above has not been established in the literature. The aim of the current study was to test a model examining the relationship between these constructs.

Method:

Participants first completed a battery of questionnaires. They then participated in an impromptu, 3-minute speech and were informed they would be videotaped. Following the speech, participants completed measures of anxiety and were instructed to return the following week. During the second session, they were informed they would deliver an additional speech and provided ratings of their anxiety in anticipation of delivering the second speech.

Results:

The results of a serial mediation support that greater levels of social anxiety lead to less perceived control over one’s anxiety, leading to increased safety behaviour use. The increase in safety behaviours led to an increase of post-event processing which resulted in greater anticipatory anxiety for a future speech task.

Conclusions:

This study provides novel evidence for the importance of perceived control in the genesis of social anxiety, which has implications for treatment.
Nine axes of merit for technosignature searches
Authors: Sheikh Sofia Z.
Published: November 2019

It can be difficult to develop an effective and balanced search strategy in SETI, especially from a funding perspective, given the diverse methodologies and myriad orthogonal proposals for the best technosignatures. Here I propose a framework to compare the relative advantages and disadvantages of various proposed technosignatures based on nine ‘axes of merit’. This framework was first developed at the NASA Technosignatures Workshop in Houston in 2018 and published in that report. I give the definition and rationale behind the nine axes as well as the history of each axis in the SETI and technosignature literature. These axes are then applied to three classes of technosignature searches as an illustration of their use. An open-source software tool is available to allow technosignature researchers to make their own version of the figure.
„Hilf mir es selbst zu tun“
Authors: Gaupp Andreas
Published: November 2019

Zusammenfassung. Fortschritte in Medizin und Pflegewissenschaft, demographische und rechtliche Umbrüche stellen die Pflegepädagogik vor neue Herausforderungen. Handlungsorientierung und Lehrende, die den Lern- und Entwicklungsprozess ihrer Lernenden fördern, sind gefragt. Eine Antwort auf diese Problemlagen in der Pflegeausbildung könnte ein altes, jedoch ungeahnt aktuelles pädagogisches Konzept liefern – die Montessori-Pädagogik, die vor allem über eine solidarische Lehrerpersönlichkeit implementiert werden kann.
Diskriminierungskritische Pflegeschule (DisKriPs)
Authors: Poßner Ronny
Published: November 2019

Zusammenfassung. Der Beitrag legt Diskriminierungsrisiken und Tendenzen der Entsolidarisierung in der Gesellschaft sowie in der Pflege (-ausbildung) dar und skizziert die notwendige Entwicklung zu einer Diskriminierungskritischen Pflegeschule. Orientierung für eine solche Schulentwicklung bietet die „Kultur der Anerkennung“, die durch die Grundsätze Antidiskriminierung, Menschenrechtsbildung und Recht auf Teilhabe ergänzt wird. Abschließend werden Handlungsfelder eines Antidiskriminierungskonzeptes dargestellt.
Gesundheitskompetenz fördern durch gelingende Patienten­edukation – ­Zielgruppen­spezifische Infor­mations­­materialien erstellen
Authors: Herzberg Jana , Falman Annika , Herzog Anja , Holz Lisa , Rückmann Jana
Published: November 2019

Zusammenfassung. Die Kompetenzen von Menschen zu stärken, Gesundheitsinformationen zu finden, zu verstehen, anzuwenden und zu bewerten, ist eine wichtige Aufgabe der im Gesundheitssystem tätigen Berufsgruppen. Der folgende Beitrag liefert Impulse dafür, gesundheitsbezogene Informationsmaterialien nutzerfreundlich aufzubereiten, um mehr Menschen aktiv an gesundheitlichen Entscheidungsprozessen zu beteiligen.
Anthony Del Genio: Climates of Planets Near and Far
Authors: Del Genio Anthony D.
Published: November 2019

Plain language summary

This essay describes a career that has spanned one of the most momentous periods in science history, a time when humankind first ventured into space, visited every planet in the Solar System, discovered thousands of planets orbiting other stars, and during this whole time, began to unintentionally transform the climate of our own planet. The author had the opportunity to do research in all these areas—after failing an early graduate school exam—and grew as a scientist along the way as the direct result of working across disciplines, with the help of many colleagues whose talents complemented and often exceeded his own.
Space Physics in the Earliest Days, as I Experienced
Authors: Akasofu Syun‐Ichi
Published: November 2019

Key Points

This short article describes how space physics began to develop during the dawn years—mainly in the 1960s, on the basis on my own experience
Giant Geode Grew Slow and Steady
Authors: Cartier Kimberly
Published: November 2019

Temperature fluctuations, maybe from climate or maybe from geothermal systems, amplified a natural process that grew the crystals.
Addressing Arctic Challenges Requires a Synoptic Ocean Survey
Authors: Paasche �yvind , Olsen Are , �rthun Marius , Anderson Leif , W�ngberg Sten-�ke , Ashjian Carin , Grebmeier Jacqueline , Kikuchi Takashi , Nishino Shigeto , Yasunaka Sayaka , Kang Sung-Ho , Cho Kyoung-Ho , Azetsu-Scott Kumiko , Williams William , Carmack Eddy , Torres-Vald�s Sinhu� , Tyrrell Toby , Edelvang Karen , He Jianfeng , Kassens Heidi
Published: November 2019

A coordinated effort involving trailblazing science—and icebreaking ships—from many nations is needed to fill gaps in our understanding of the Arctic Ocean and how it’s changing.
Training the Next Generation of Marine Biogeochemists
Authors: Palacz Artur , Telszewski Maciej , Rehder Gregor , Bittig Henry
Published: November 2019

Early-career scientists came together recently to learn to use a suite of ocean biogeochemical sensors, with the goal of closing the knowledge gap between ocean technology and potential end users.
Voyager 2’s Interstellar Arrival Was Kind of Familiar. That’s Surprising
Authors: Cartier Kimberly
Published: November 2019

The spacecraft crossed the solar system’s edge at a different spot and in a different solar season than Voyager 1. Nevertheless, the border looked much the same in both spots.
Manure Happens: The Environmental Toll of Livestock Antibiotics
Authors: Poppick Laura
Published: November 2019

New findings suggest antibiotics in cow manure can alter soil microbial activity, with implications for soil fertility and carbon emissions.
Shells Sound Out Sand’s Acoustic Signatures
Authors: Thomasy Hannah
Published: November 2019

Shell remains give sand from different locations unique acoustic signatures.
Drones Capture Iceland’s Shrinking Glaciers
Authors: Duncombe Jenessa
Published: November 2019

Photographs of Iceland’s southern glaciers show pools of water where walls of ice once stood.
AGU Welcomes New Editors in Chief to Lead Six Prominent Journals
Authors: Giampoala Matt
Published: November 2019

As leaders in their respective fields, this new cohort of Earth and space scientists will help ensure the continued success of AGU publications.
Numerical Simulation of the Irrigation Effects on Surface Fluxes and Local Climate in Typical Mountain‐Oasis‐Desert Systems in the Central Asia Arid Area
Authors: Zhang Miao , Luo Geping , Cao Xiaoshu , Hamdi Rafiq , Li Tao , Cai Peng , Ye Hui , He Huili
Published: November 2019

In this study, the Weather Research and Forecasting model was coupled with an improved Noah land surface model (WRF‐Noah) where dynamic flood and drip irrigation processes were implemented firstly. We simulated the different irrigation effects on surface water‐heat processes in a typical mountain‐oasis‐desert system in Central Asia for both wet and drought years, respectively, using the modified WRF‐Noah. The modified WRF‐Noah model can dynamically generate amounts of irrigation in agreement with actual values. The statistically significant decrease in the root mean square error and increase in the Pearson correlation coefficient for the 2‐m temperature (T2), relative humidity (RH), latent heat flux (LE), and precipitation suggest that the modified WRF‐Noah model was improved by implementing irrigation processes. During the irrigation season, flood and drip irrigation decreased the average sensible heat flux by −80.69 and −50.50 W/m2 and T2 by 1.09 and 0.82 °C over the irrigated area and increased LE by 88.47 and 66.70 W/m2 and RH by 6.23% and 4.65%, respectively. Throughout the domain, flood irrigation had equivalent or slightly weaker effects on near‐surface temperature and humidity due to the smaller irrigated area. Both flood and drip irrigation increased precipitation throughout the domain, especially in the mountainous area, thereby accelerating the hydrological cycle in the mountain‐oasis‐desert system. The local oasis breeze circulation that plays a role in maintaining the oasis stability is still counteracted by the dominant background circulation even with irrigation processes. Thus, more effort should be exerted to maintain the future sustainability of the oasis.
Plant AtEH/Pan1 proteins drive autophagosome formation at ER-PM contact sites with actin and endocytic machinery
Authors: Wang Pengwei , Pleskot Roman , Zang Jingze , Winkler Joanna , Wang Jie , Yperman Klaas , Zhang Tong , Wang Kun , Gong Jinli , Guan Yajie , Richardson Christine , Duckney Patrick , Vandorpe Michael , Mylle Evelien , Fiserova Jindriska , Van Damme Daniel , Hussey Patrick J.
Published: November 2019

The Arabidopsis EH proteins (AtEH1/Pan1 and AtEH2/Pan1) are components of the endocytic TPLATE complex (TPC) which is essential for endocytosis. Both proteins are homologues of the yeast ARP2/3 complex activator, Pan1p. Here, we show that these proteins are also involved in actin cytoskeleton regulated autophagy. Both AtEH/Pan1 proteins localise to the plasma membrane and autophagosomes. Upon induction of autophagy, AtEH/Pan1 proteins recruit TPC and AP-2 subunits, clathrin, actin and ARP2/3 proteins to autophagosomes. Increased expression of AtEH/Pan1 proteins boosts autophagosome formation, suggesting independent and redundant pathways for actin-mediated autophagy in plants. Moreover, AtEHs/Pan1-regulated autophagosomes associate with ER-PM contact sites (EPCS) where AtEH1/Pan1 interacts with VAP27-1. Knock-down expression of either AtEH1/Pan1 or VAP27-1 makes plants more susceptible to nutrient depleted conditions, indicating that the autophagy pathway is perturbed. In conclusion, we identify the existence of an autophagy-dependent pathway in plants to degrade endocytic components, starting at the EPCS through the interaction among AtEH/Pan1, actin cytoskeleton and the EPCS resident protein VAP27-1.
Homologous bd oxidases share the same architecture but differ in mechanism
Authors: Theßeling Alexander , Rasmussen Tim , Burschel Sabrina , Wohlwend Daniel , Kägi Jan , Müller Rolf , Böttcher Bettina , Friedrich Thorsten
Published: November 2019

Cytochrome bd oxidases are terminal reductases of bacterial and archaeal respiratory chains. The enzyme couples the oxidation of ubiquinol or menaquinol with the reduction of dioxygen to water, thus contributing to the generation of the protonmotive force. Here, we determine the structure of the Escherichia coli bd oxidase treated with the specific inhibitor aurachin by cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM). The major subunits CydA and CydB are related by a pseudo two fold symmetry. The heme b and d cofactors are found in CydA, while ubiquinone-8 is bound at the homologous positions in CydB to stabilize its structure. The architecture of the E. coli enzyme is highly similar to that of Geobacillus thermodenitrificans, however, the positions of heme b595 and d are interchanged, and a common oxygen channel is blocked by a fourth subunit and substituted by a more narrow, alternative channel. Thus, with the same overall fold, the homologous enzymes exhibit a different mechanism.
The browning and re-browning of lakes: Divergent lake-water organic carbon trends linked to acid deposition and climate change
Authors: Meyer-Jacob Carsten , Michelutti Neal , Paterson Andrew M. , Cumming Brian F. , Keller Wendel , Smol John P.
Published: November 2019

Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations and water colour are increasing in many inland waters across northern Europe and northeastern North America. This inland-water “browning” has profound physical, chemical and biological repercussions for aquatic ecosystems affecting water quality, biological community structures and aquatic productivity. Potential drivers of this “browning” trend are complex and include reductions in atmospheric acid deposition, changes in land use/cover, increased nitrogen deposition and climate change. However, because of the overlapping impacts of these stressors, their relative contributions to DOC dynamics remain unclear, and without appropriate long-term monitoring data, it has not been possible to determine whether the ongoing “browning” is unprecedented or simply a “re-browning” to pre-industrial DOC levels. Here, we demonstrate the long-term impacts of acid deposition and climate change on lake-water DOC concentrations in low and high acid-deposition areas using infrared spectroscopic techniques on ~200-year-long lake-sediment records from central Canada. We show that acid deposition suppressed naturally higher DOC concentrations during the 20th century, but that a “re-browning” of lakes is now occurring with emissions reductions in formerly high deposition areas. In contrast, in low deposition areas, climate change is forcing lakes towards new ecological states, as lake-water DOC concentrations now often exceed pre-industrial levels.
Effects of human-made resource hotspots on seasonal spatial strategies by a desert pitviper
Authors: DeSantis Dominic L. , Wagler Amy E. , Mata-Silva Vicente , Johnson Jerry D.
Published: November 2019

Habitat heterogeneity and local resource distribution play key roles in animal search patterns. Optimal strategies are often considered for foraging organisms, but many of the same predictions are applicable to mate searching. We quantified movement and space use by a pitviper to test whether Native Habitats (NH) and human-made Resource Hotspots (RH) facilitate alternative seasonal spatial strategies as a result of critical resources, including potential mating partners, being widely dispersed in NH and clustered in RH. Independent of habitat category, seasonal patterns resembled an intermediate mating system with elements of prolonged male mate-searching and female-defense. However, individuals using primarily NH or RH exhibited alternative strategies. NH rattlesnakes displayed greater movement and larger home ranges than RH rattlesnakes across behavioral seasons. NH males increased movement distances and home ranges during the mating season, while RH males displayed minimal or no seasonal shifts. NH females also elevated movement distances during the mating season, while RH females showed no significant seasonal differences. Despite contrasting spatial patterns, mating success and female-defense effort were not significantly affected by habitat category. This unique study system highlights the potential for interactions among sexual selection, habitat heterogeneity, and behavioral plasticity to facilitate divergent search tactics within populations.
Impact of the 2018 ASCO/CAP guidelines on HER2 fluorescence in situ hybridization interpretation in invasive breast cancers with immunohistochemically equivocal results
Authors: Wang Bo , Ding Wei , Sun Ke , Wang Xiaoling , Xu Liming , Teng Xiaodong
Published: November 2019

The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO)/College of American Pathologists (CAP) recently issued updated guidelines on human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) testing by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) in invasive breast cancers. In this study, we aimed to investigate the impact of the new recommendations on HER2 FISH interpretation in invasive breast cancers with immunohistochemically (IHC) equivocal results. 1810 breast cancer cases with IHC equivocal results were enrolled in this study between January 2012 and May 2019. Concomitant IHC was performed on the same tissue blocks detected by FISH testing. According to the 2018 guidelines, all the cases in ISH group 2 were categorized as HER2 negative; three of four cases in ISH group 3 were considered as HER2 positive, while the one scored IHC 1+ was reclassified as HER2 negative; Fifty-three previously ISH equivocal cases were redistributed into ten HER2-positive cases and forty-three HER2-negative cases. In conclusion, the utility of 2018 ASCO/CAP guidelines resulted in a slight decrease in HER2 positive rate, due to the reclassification of cases in ISH group 2 and group 4. The implementation of the new guidelines can reduce reflex FISH test and make the diagnosis of HER2 gene status more definitive.
Direct Conversion of Human Urine Cells to Neurons by Small Molecules
Authors: Xu Guosheng , Wu Feima , Gu Xiaotong , Zhang Jiaye , You Kai , Chen Yan , Getachew Anteneh , Zhuang Yuanqi , Zhong Xiaofen , Lin Zuoxian , Guo Dongsheng , Yang Fan , Pan Tingcai , Wei Hongcheng , Li Yin-xiong
Published: November 2019

Transdifferentiation of other cell type into human neuronal cells (hNCs) provides a platform for neural disease modeling, drug screening and potential cell-based therapies. Among all of the cell donor sources, human urine cells (hUCs) are convenient to obtain without invasive harvest procedure. Here, we report a novel approach for the transdifferentiation of hUCs into hNCs. Our study demonstrated that a combination of seven small molecules (CAYTFVB) cocktail induced transdifferentiation of hUCs into hNCs. These chemical-induced neuronal cells (CiNCs) exhibited typical neuron-like morphology and expressed mature neuronal markers. The neuronal-like morphology revealed in day 1, and the Tuj1-positive CiNCs reached to about 58% in day 5 and 38.36% Tuj1+/MAP2+ double positive cells in day 12. Partial electrophysiological properties of CiNCs was obtained using patch clamp. Most of the CiNCs generated using our protocol were glutamatergic neuron populations, whereas motor neurons, GABAergic or dopaminergic neurons were merely detected. hUCs derived from different donors were converted into CiNCs in this work. This method may provide a feasible and noninvasive approach for reprogramming hNCs from hUCs for disease models and drug screening.
Orexin A as a modulator of dorsal lateral geniculate neuronal activity: a comprehensive electrophysiological study on adult rats
Authors: Orlowska-Feuer Patrycja , Smyk Magdalena Kinga , Palus-Chramiec Katarzyna , Dyl Katarzyna , Lewandowski Marian Henryk
Published: November 2019

Orexins (OXA, OXB) are hypothalamic peptides playing crucial roles in arousal, feeding, social and reward-related behaviours. A recent study on juvenile rats suggested their involvement in vision modulation due to their direct action on dorsal lateral geniculate (dLGN) neurons. The present study aimed to verify whether a similar action of OXA can be observed in adulthood. Thus, in vivo and in vitro electrophysiological recordings on adult Wistar rats across light-dark and cortical cycles were conducted under urethane anaesthesia. OXA influenced ~28% of dLGN neurons recorded in vivo by either excitation or suppression of neuronal firing. OXA-responsive neurons did not show any spatial distribution nor represent a coherent group of dLGN cells, and responded to OXA similarly across the light–dark cycle. Interestingly, some OXA-responsive neurons worked in a cortical state-dependent manner, especially during the dark phase, and ‘preferred’ cortical activation over slow-wave activity induced by urethane. The corresponding patch clamp study confirmed these results by showing that < 20% of dLGN neurons were excited by OXA under both light regimes. The results suggest that OXA is involved in the development of the visual system rather than in visual processes and further implicate OXA in the mediation of circadian and arousal-related activity.
Global diversity and genetic landscape of natural populations and hatchery stocks of largemouth bass micropterus salmoides across American and Asian regions
Authors: Wang Dan , Yao Hong , Li Yan-He , Xu Yong-Jiang , Ma Xu-Fa , Wang Han-Ping
Published: November 2019

Although largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides has shown its extremely economic, ecological, and aquacultural significances throughout the North American and Asian continents, systematic evaluation of genetic variation and structure of wild and cultured populations of the species is yet to be documented. In this study, we investigated the genetic structure of M. salmoides from 20 wild populations and five cultured stocks across the United States and China using eight microsatellite loci, which are standard genetic markers for population genetic analysis. Our major findings are as follows: (1) the result of Fst showed largemouth bass had high genetic differentiation, and the gene flow indicated the genetic exchange among wild populations is difficult; (2) AMOVA showed that 14.05% of the variation was among populations, and 85.95% of the variation was within populations; (3) The majority of largemouth bass populations had a significant heterozygosity excess, which is likely to indicate a previous population bottleneck; (4) Allelic richness was lower among cultured populations than among wild populations; (5) Effective population size in hatcheries could promote high levels of genetic variation among individuals and minimize loss of genetic diversity; China’s largemouth bass originated from northern largemouth bass of USA. The information provides valuable basis for development of appropriate conservation policies for fisheries and aquaculture genetic breeding programs in largemouth bass.
Antagonism of STAT1 by Nipah virus P gene products modulates disease course but not lethal outcome in the ferret model
Authors: Satterfield Benjamin A. , Borisevich Viktoriya , Foster Stephanie L. , Rodriguez Sergio E. , Cross Robert W. , Fenton Karla A. , Agans Krystle N. , Basler Christopher F. , Geisbert Thomas W. , Mire Chad E.
Published: November 2019

Nipah virus (NiV) is a pathogenic paramyxovirus and zoononis with very high human fatality rates. Previous protein over-expression studies have shown that various mutations to the common N-terminal STAT1-binding motif of the NiV P, V, and W proteins affected the STAT1-binding ability of these proteins thus interfering with he JAK/STAT pathway and reducing their ability to inhibit type-I IFN signaling, but due to differing techniques it was unclear which amino acids were most important in this interaction or what impact this had on pathogenesis in vivo. We compared all previously described mutations in parallel and found the amino acid mutation Y116E demonstrated the greatest reduction in binding to STAT1 and the greatest reduction in interferon antagonism. A similar reduction in binding and activity was seen for a deletion of twenty amino acids constituting the described STAT1-binding domain. To investigate the contribution of this STAT1-binding motif in NiV-mediated disease, we produced rNiVs with complete deletion of the STAT1-binding motif or the Y116E mutation for ferret challenge studies (rNiVM-STAT1blind). Despite the reduced IFN inhibitory function, ferrets challenged with these rNiVM-STAT1blind mutants had a lethal, albeit altered, NiV-mediated disease course. These data, together with our previously published data, suggest that the major role of NiV P, V, and W in NiV-mediated disease in the ferret model are likely to be in the inhibition of viral recognition/innate immune signaling induction with a minor role for inhibition of IFN signaling.
Fish and maize: Bayesian mixing models of fourteenth- through seventeenth-century AD ancestral Wendat diets, Ontario, Canada
Authors: Feranec Robert S. , Hart John P.
Published: November 2019

Freshwater and marine fish have been important components of human diets for millennia. The Great Lakes of North America, their tributaries and smaller regional freshwater bodies are important Native American fisheries. The ethnohistorical record, zooarchaeological remains, and isotopic values on human bone and tooth collagen indicate the importance of fish in fourteenth- through seventeenth-century ancestral Wendat diets in southern Ontario, which is bordered by three of the Great Lakes. Maize (Zea mays ssp. mays) was the primary grain of Native American agricultural systems in the centuries prior to and following sustained European presence. Here we report new Bayesian dietary mixing models using previously published δ13C and δ15N values on ancestral Wendat bone and tooth collagen and tooth enamel. The results confirm previous estimates from δ13C values that ancestral Wendat diets included high proportions of maize but indicate much higher proportions of fish than has previously been recognized. The results also suggest that terrestrial animals contributed less to ancestral Wendat diets than is typically interpreted based on zooarchaeological records.
Mapping thermal conductivity across bamboo cell walls with scanning thermal microscopy
Authors: Shah Darshil U. , Konnerth Johannes , Ramage Michael H. , Gusenbauer Claudia
Published: November 2019

Scanning thermal microscopy is a powerful tool for investigating biological materials and structures like bamboo and its cell walls. Alongside nanoscale topographical information, the technique reveals local variations in thermal conductivity of this elegant natural material. We observe that at the tissue scale, fibre cells in the scattered vascular tissue would offer preferential pathways for heat transport due to their higher conductivities in both anatomical directions, in comparison to parenchymatic cells in ground tissue. In addition, the transverse orientation offers more resistance to heat flow. Furthermore, we observe each fibre cell to compose of up to ten layers, with alternating thick and thin lamellae in the secondary wall. Notably, we find the thin lamellae to have relatively lower conductivity than the thick lamellae in the fibre direction. This is due to the distinct orientation of cellulose microfibrils within the cell wall layers, and that cellulose microfibrils are highly anisotropic and have higher conductivity along their lengths. Microfibrils in the thick lamellae are oriented almost parallel to the fibre cell axis, while microfibrils in the thin lamellae are oriented almost perpendicular to the cell axis. Bamboo grasses have evolved to rapidly deposit this combination of thick and thin layers, like a polymer composite laminate or cross-laminated timber, for combination of axial and transverse stiffness and strength. However, this architecture is found to have interesting implications on thermal transport in bamboo, which is relevant for the application of engineered bamboo in buildings. We further conclude that scanning thermal microscopy may be a useful technique in plant science research, including for phenotyping studies.
Nutritional status modifies pregnane X receptor regulated transcriptome
Authors: Hassani-Nezhad-Gashti Fatemeh , Kummu Outi , Karpale Mikko , Rysä Jaana , Hakkola Jukka
Published: November 2019

Pregnane X receptor (PXR) regulates glucose and lipid metabolism, but little is known of the nutritional regulation of PXR function. We investigated the genome wide effects of the nutritional status on the PXR mediated gene regulation in the liver. Mice were treated with a PXR ligand pregnenolone 16α-carbonitrile (PCN) for 4 days and subsequently either fasted for 5 hours or after 4-hour fast treated with intragastric glucose 1 hour before sample collection. Gene expression microarray study indicated that PCN both induced and repressed much higher number of genes in the glucose fed mice and the induction of multiple well-established PXR target genes was potentiated by glucose. A subset of genes, including bile acid synthesis gene Cyp8b1, responded in an opposite direction during fasting and after glucose feeding. PXR knockout abolished these effects. In agreement with the Cyp8b1 regulation, PCN also modified the bile acid composition in the glucose fed mice. Contribution of glucose, insulin and glucagon on the observed nutritional effects was investigated in primary hepatocytes. However, only mild impact on PXR function was observed. These results show that nutritional status modifies the PXR regulated transcriptome both qualitatively and quantitatively and reveal a complex crosstalk between PXR and energy homeostasis.
Sphingolipid serum profiling in vitamin D deficient and dyslipidemic obese dimorphic adults
Authors: Al-Daghri Nasser M. , Torretta Enrica , Barbacini Pietro , Asare Hannah , Ricci Cristian , Capitanio Daniele , Guerini Franca Rosa , Sabico Shaun B. , Alokail Majed S. , Clerici Mario , Gelfi Cecilia
Published: November 2019

Recent studies on Saudi Arabians indicate a prevalence of dyslipidemia and vitamin D deficiency (25(OH)D) in both normal weight and obese subjects. In the present study the sphingolipid pattern was investigated in 23 normolipidemic normal weight (NW), 46 vitamin D deficient dyslipidemic normal weight (-vitDNW) and 60 vitamin D deficient dyslipidemic obese (-vitDO) men and women by HPTLC-primuline profiling and LC-MS analyses. Results indicate higher levels of total ceramide (Cer) and dihydroceramide (dhCers C18–22) and lower levels of total sphingomyelins (SMs) and dihydrosphingomyelin (dhSM) not only in -vitDO subjects compared to NW, but also in –vitDNW individuals. A dependency on body mass index (BMI) was observed analyzing specific Cer acyl chains levels. Lower levels of C20 and 24 were observed in men and C24.2 in women, respectively. Furthermore, LC-MS analyses display dimorphic changes in NW, -vitDNW and –vitDO subjects. In conclusion, LC-MS data identify the independency of the axis high Cers, dhCers and SMs from obesity per se. Furthermore, it indicates that long chains Cers levels are specific target of weight gain and that circulating Cer and SM levels are linked to sexual dimorphism status and can contribute to predict obese related co-morbidities in men and women.
Rapid metabolism increases the level of 2,4-D resistance at high temperature in common waterhemp (Amaranthus tuberculatus)
Authors: Shyam Chandrima , Jhala Amit J. , Kruger Greg , Jugulam Mithila
Published: November 2019

Common waterhemp emerges throughout the crop growing season in the Midwestern United States, and as a result, the seedlings are exposed to a wide range of temperature regimes. Typically, 2,4-D is used in the Midwest to control winter annual broad-leaf weeds before planting soybean and in an early post-emergence application in corn and sorghum; however, the evolution of 2,4-D-resistant common waterhemp in several Midwestern states may limit the use of 2.4-D for controlling this problem weed. Moreover, temperature is one of the crucial factors affecting weed control efficacy of 2,4-D. This research investigated the effect of temperature on efficacy of 2,4-D to control 2,4-D susceptible (WHS) and -resistant (WHR) common waterhemp. Do se-response of WHS and WHR to 2,4-D was assessed at two temperature regimes, high (HT; 34/20 °C, d/n) and low (LT; 24/10 °C, d/n). Whole plant dose response study indicated an increased level of 2,4-D resistance in WHR at HT compared to LT. Additional investigation of the physiological mechanism of this response indicated that both WHS and WHR common waterhemp plants rapidly metabolized 14C 2,4-D at HT compared to LT. In conclusion, a rapid metabolism of 2,4-D conferred increased level of resistance to 2,4-D in WHR at HT. Therefore, application of 2,4-D when temperatures are cooler can improve control of 2,4-D resistant common waterhemp.
A detailed characterization of complex networks using Information Theory
Authors: Freitas Cristopher G. S. , Aquino Andre L. L. , Ramos Heitor S. , Frery Alejandro C. , Rosso Osvaldo A.
Published: November 2019

Understanding the structure and the dynamics of networks is of paramount importance for many scientific fields that rely on network science. Complex network theory provides a variety of features that help in the evaluation of network behavior. However, such analysis can be confusing and misleading as there are many intrinsic properties for each network metric. Alternatively, Information Theory methods have gained the spotlight because of their ability to create a quantitative and robust characterization of such networks. In this work, we use two Information Theory quantifiers, namely Network Entropy and Network Fisher Information Measure, to analyzing those networks. Our approach detects non-trivial characteristics of complex networks such as the transition present in the Watts-Strogatz model from k-ring to random graphs; the phase transition from a disconnected to an almost surely connected network when we increase the linking probability of Erdős-Rényi model; distinct phases of scale-free networks when considering a non-linear preferential attachment, fitness, and aging features alongside the configuration model with a pure power-law degree distribution. Finally, we analyze the numerical results for real networks, contrasting our findings with traditional complex network methods. In conclusion, we present an efficient method that ignites the debate on network characterization.