bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Non-diffusive angular momentum transport in rotating -pinches
Authors: Rüdiger G. , Schultz M.
Published: November 2019

The stability of conducting Taylor–Couette flows under the presence of toroidal magnetic background fields is considered. For strong enough magnetic amplitudes such magnetohydrodynamic flows are unstable against non-axisymmetric perturbations which may also transport angular momentum. In accordance with the often used diffusion approximation, one expects the angular momentum transport to be vanishing for rigid rotation. In the sense of a non-diffusive 

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effect, however, even for rigidly rotating

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-pinches, an axisymmetric angular momentum flux appears which is directed outward (inward) for large (small) magnetic Mach numbers. The internal rotation in a magnetized rotating tank can thus never be uniform. Those particular rotation laws are used to estimate the value of the instability-induced eddy viscosity for which the non-diffusive

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effect and the diffusive shear-induced transport compensate each other. The results provide the Shakura & Sunyaev viscosity ansatz leading to numerical values linearly growing with the applied magnetic field.
Improved photoprotection in melanized lichens is a result of fungal solar radiation screening rather than photobiont acclimation
Authors: BECKETT Richard Peter , SOLHAUG Knut Asbjørn , GAUSLAA Yngvar , MINIBAYEVA Farida
Published: November 2019

Some lichenized ascomycetes synthesize melanic pigments in their upper cortices when exposed to ultraviolet light and high solar radiation. Our previous work showed that melanized chloro- and cyanolichens from both high light and more shaded habitats were less photoinhibited than pale ones during controlled exposure to high light. However, protection from high light might not necessarily be the consequence of just sun-screening by melanins in upper cortices. An inherent problem with earlier experiments was that the photobionts of melanized thalli might have received more light than those beneath pale cortices. The photobionts may therefore have possessed other light-induced tolerance mechanisms that gave protection from photoinhibition. Here, we aimed to test directly the inherent tolerance of lichen photobionts to photoinhibition. The method involved removing the lower cortices and medullas of three lichen species, Cetraria islandica, Crocodia aurata and Lobaria pulmonaria, and exposing the photobionts to light from below. Results confirmed that most of the improvement in tolerance to photoinhibition in melanized lichens derives from fungal melanization in the upper cortex. However, in C. islandica, the most heavily melanized species, algae from melanized thalli possessed a significantly higher tolerance to photoinhibition than those from pale thalli, suggesting that photobionts can also adapt themselves to high light.
Recruitment of the limpetPatella ulyssiponensisand its relationship with crustose coralline algae: patterns of juvenile distribution and larval settlement
Authors: Seabra M. I. , Cruz T. , Fernandes J. N. , Silva T. , Hawkins S. J.
Published: November 2019

Recruitment of the limpetPatella ulyssiponensiswas investigated in relation to the presence of living crustose coralline algae (CCA) in rocky-shore habitats. Juvenile limpets (≤10 mm maximum shell length) were counted in CCA-present and CCA-absent habitats, on three shores in SW Portugal during summer 2007 and winter 2009. Furthermore, the settling response of laboratory-reared larvae ofP. ulyssiponensisto CCA-covered substratum, and bare-rock, was examined. Across the intertidal zone, we found a clear association between the distribution and abundance of juveniles and the presence of CCA. Although the presence of CCA was not an absolute requisite for juvenile occurrence, null juvenile densities were mostly recorded in CCA-absent areas. The highest juvenile densities (maximum of 64 individuals in 15 × 15 cm) were consistently found in CCA-dominated habitats, namely steep wave-exposed areas at low-shore and rock-pools. The hypothesis of CCA-enhanced settlement was not supported, as settlement intensities of laboratory-reared larvae were similar between chips of rock encrusted by CCA and chips of bare-rock. From the overall number of settlers onto CCA-encrusted rock chips, 51% were found in tiny pits lacking CCA. This was the first study of the settlement patterns of larvae of the genusPatellausing naturally occurring rocky substrata. These results are preliminary and should be confirmed with choice-experiments and improved monitoring of the position of settlers. We suggest that CCA plays a role in the recruitment ofP. ulyssiponensis, potentially promoting survivorship of early benthic stages, but possibly not enhancing settlement.
The impact of brief exposure to the second language on native language production: Global or item specific?
Authors: Degani Tamar , Kreiner Hamutal , Ataria Haya , Khateeb Farha
Published: November 2019

Bilinguals routinely shift between their languages, changing languages between communicative settings. To test the consequences of such changes in language use, 48 Arabic–Hebrew bilinguals named pictures in Arabic (L1) before and after a brief exposure manipulation, including either reading a list of Hebrew (L2) words aloud or performing a nonlinguistic task. Half of the items post-exposure were new and half were translation equivalents of the words presented during the L2 exposure task. Further, half of the items were very low-frequency L1 words, typically replaced by borrowed L2 words. Results show that across word types bilinguals were less accurate and produced more L2 cross-language errors in their dominant L1 following brief L2 exposure. Error rates were comparable for translation equivalents and new items, but more cross-language errors were observed post-exposure on translation equivalents. These findings demonstrate the engagement of both global whole-language control mechanisms and item-based competitive processes, and highlight the importance of language context and the dynamic nature of bilingual performance.
Combination of Recurrent Neural Network and Deep Learning for Robot Navigation Task in Off-Road Environment
Authors: Alamiyan-Harandi Farinaz , Derhami Vali , Jamshidi Fatemeh
Published: November 2019

This paper tackles the challenge of the necessity of using the sequence of past environment states as the controller’s inputs in a vision-based robot navigation task. In this task, a robot has to follow a given trajectory without falling in pits and missing its balance in uneven terrain, when the only sensory input is the raw image captured by a camera. The robot should distinguish big pits from small holes to decide between avoiding and passing over. In non-Markov processes such as the abovementioned task, the decision is done using past sensory data to ensure admissible performance. Applying images as sensory inputs naturally causes the curse of dimensionality difficulty. On the other hand, using sequences of past images intensifies this difficulty. In this paper, a new framework called recurrent deep learning (RDL) with combination of deep learning (DL) and recurrent neural network is proposed to cope with the above challenge. At first, the proper features are extracted from the raw image using DL. Then, these represented features plus some expert-defined features are used as the inputs of a fully connected recurrent network (as target network) to generate command control of the robot. To evaluate the proposed RDL framework, some experiments are established on WEBOTS and MATLAB co-simulation platform. The simulation results demonstrate the proposed framework outperforms the conventional controller based on DL for the navigation task in the uneven terrains.
CONTEXTUAL WORD LEARNING IN THE FIRST AND SECOND LANGUAGE
Authors: Elgort Irina , Beliaeva Natalia , Boers Frank
Published: November 2019

Access to definitions facilitates the learning of word meanings when novel words are encountered in reading. However, the memorial costs and benefits of inferring word meanings from context, compared to seeing definitions of unfamiliar words before reading, are not yet well understood. We conducted two experiments with adult L1 (English) and L2 (Chinese) readers to investigate whether the development of declarative and nondeclarative word knowledge benefits more when definitions are supplied before reading (errorless treatment) or after reading (trial-and-error treatment). Study participants encountered 90 target vocabulary items three times in short informative texts under errorless or trial-and-error conditions and entered their meaning inferences immediately after reading each text. Posttreatment, we evaluated participants’ declarative knowledge of the target items using a meaning generation (recall) task and nondeclarative knowledge using a self-paced reading task. The trial-and-error treatment followed by definitions resulted in a superior declarative and nondeclarative knowledge, compared to the errorless treatment, for L1 and L2 readers. Inference errors affected the development of declarative but not nondeclarative knowledge, and the trajectory of the development of nondeclarative knowledge was different for L1 and L2 readers. We interpret these findings in terms of the declarative and nondeclarative memory processes underpinning contextual word learning.
Ceftiofur-resistant Salmonella enterica serovar Heidelberg of poultry origin – a risk profile using the Codex framework
Authors: Carson Carolee , Li Xian-Zhi , Agunos Agnes , Loest Daleen , Chapman Brennan , Finley Rita , Mehrotra Manisha , Sherk Lauren M. , Gaumond Réjean , Irwin Rebecca
Published: November 2019

Codex published the ‘Guidelines for Risk Analysis of Foodborne Antimicrobial Resistance’ to standardise the approach for evaluating risk posed by foodborne antimicrobial-resistant bacteria. One of the first steps in the guidelines is to compile a risk profile, which provides the current state of knowledge regarding a food safety issue, describes risk management options and recommends next steps. In Canada, ceftiofur/ceftriaxone-resistant Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Heidelberg from poultry was identified as an antimicrobial resistance (AMR) food safety issue. The first objective of this article was to contextualise this food safety issue, using the risk profile format of the Codex Guidelines. A second objective was to evaluate the applicability of the Codex Guidelines. This risk profile indicated that ceftiofur/ceftriaxone-resistant S. Heidelberg (CSH) was commonly isolated from poultry and was associated with severe disease in humans. Ceftiofur use in poultry hatcheries temporally mirrored the prevalence of CSH from poultry meat at retail and from people with salmonellosis. The evidence was sufficient to indicate the need for risk management options, such as restricting the use of ceftiofur in poultry. The Codex Guidelines provided a useful approach to summarise data for decision-makers to evaluate an AMR food safety issue.
Merged bilateral arterial duct and circumflex retroesophageal right aortic arch in a fetus with normal intracardiac anatomy
Authors: Bichali Saïd , Grigorescu Romulus Cristian , Lefebvre Mathilde , Oriot Charlotte , Dhombres Ferdinand , Bonnet Damien , Houyel Lucile
Published: November 2019

We report the case of a fetus with anamnios sequence and VACTERL syndrome, having a circumflex right aortic arch. Two arterial ducts join anteriorly to form a common vessel that connects to the pulmonary trunk with confluent pulmonary branches. Embryologically, the dorsal right 6th aortic arch did not disappear and the aortic arch development stopped in a symmetrical state with an exceptional “Y-shaped” merged bilateral arterial duct.
Prenatal diagnosis and planned peri-partum care as a strategy to improve pre-operative status in neonates with critical CHDs in low-resource settings: a prospective study
Authors: Vijayaraghavan Aparna , Sudhakar Abish , Sundaram Karimassery Ramiayar , Kumar Raman Krishna , Vaidyanathan Balu
Published: November 2019

Background:

Prenatal diagnosis and planned peri-partum care is an unexplored concept for care of neonates with critical CHDs in low-middle-income countries.

Objective:

To report the impact of prenatal diagnosis on pre-operative status in neonates with critical CHD.

Methods:

Prospective observational study (January 2017–June 2018) in tertiary paediatric cardiac facility in Kerala, India. Neonates (<28 days) with critical CHDs needing cardiac interventions were included. Pre-term infants (<35 weeks) and those without intention to treat were excluded. Patients were grouped into those with prenatal diagnosis and diagnosis after birth. Main outcome measure was pre-operative clinical status.

Results:

Total 119 neonates included; 39 (32.8%) had prenatal diagnosis. Eighty infants (67%) underwent surgery while 32 (27%) needed catheter-based interventions. Pre-operative status was significantly better in prenatal group; California modification of transport risk index of physiological stability (Ca-TRIPS) score: median 6 (0–42) versus 8 (0–64); p < 0.001; pre-operative assessment of cardiac and haemodynamic status (PRACHS) score: median 1 (0–4) versus 3 (0–10), p < 0.001. Age at cardiac procedure was earlier in prenatal group (median 5 (1–26) versus 7 (1–43) days; p = 0.02). Mortality occurred in 12 patients (10%), with 3 post-operative deaths (2.5%). Pre-operative mortality was higher in postnatal group (10% versus 2.6%; p = 0.2) of which seven (6%) died due to suboptimal pre-operative status precluding surgery.

Conclusion:

Prenatal diagnosis and planned peri-partum care had a significant impact on the pre-operative status in neonates with critical CHD in a low-resource setting.
Successful video-assisted thoracoscopic atrial appendectomy in a 4-year-old child with intractable atrial tachycardia and tachycardia-induced cardiomyopathy
Authors: Kwon Hye W. , Bae Eun J. , Kwak Jae G. , Seo Jeong W.
Published: November 2019

A 4-year-old boy presented with intractable atrial tachycardia and heart failure. Antiarrhythmic drugs, such as digoxin, beta-blockers, and amiodarone were ineffective. Although we attempted multiple radiofrequency catheter ablations, the atrial tachycardia arising from left atrial appendage frequently recurred. Finally, we decided to perform atrial appendectomy using the thoracoscopic approach. Immediately after the appendectomy, the atrial tachycardia was terminated and restored to sinus rhythm. Left ventricular ejection fraction increased from 33 to 60% within 1 week. He had no arrhythmia during the subsequent 9-month follow-up period. Minimally invasive thoracoscopic surgery can be applied even in a small child who has focal atrial tachycardia originating from an atrial appendage.
A Post-imperial Stress Syndrome or a New Beginning?
Authors: Erik Larsen Svend
Published: November 2019

Within written history, Europe is rich in post-imperial situations. In the twentieth century the dwindling empires of this century, born during European colonial expansion after Columbus, gave rise to new post-imperial conditions with a global impact. Europe is no exception. On other continents, empires have also emerged and faded away: Latin-America with the Mayas and the Aztecs, and, notably, Asia where the Chinese Empire has disappeared and re-emerged at different historical junctures. On their way down, European empires have produced what could be labelled a post-imperial stress syndrome, very much like a PTSD, producing certain defensive ideological configurations of parochialism, xenophobia and nostalgic illusions, binding them to a past they have left, but are still chained to, mentally and ideologically. The fall or fading away of an empire is not just an event with a precise date, but a process, which, inevitably, shows cracks before it actually happens. Such frictions anticipating a future reality can only be caught by imagination. This article will concentrate on two such imaginative post-imperial prefigurations before the fact is generally recognized, both concerning the dissolution of the British Empire. It can be argued that, with Brexit, Britain is still trying to come to terms with its post-imperial reality. One such prefiguration will be seen through the eyes of the centre, J.M. Forster’sA Passage to India(1924), the other from the periphery, Chinua Achebe’sThings Fall Apart(1958).
Measuring the welfare effects of forests: an application of the travel cost model
Authors: Rogers Martha
Published: November 2019

In this paper, a travel cost model was applied to the case of firewood collection to assess how the inclusion of household fixed effects and how assumptions regarding conditions in the local labor market impacted resulting welfare estimates. To assess these impacts, a unique household panel data set from Kagera, Tanzania was used. It was estimated that, under the assumption of constrained labor markets, households in the Kagera region of Tanzania are willing-to-pay, on average, $120 per year (2016 USD) for access to local forests. These estimated figures were nearly 50 per cent higher when household fixed effects were excluded and nearly 10 per cent higher under the assumption of perfect labor markets. In addition, these results support previous research showing that, in many developing countries, households' demand for firewood is inelastic and that households would be willing to spend a significant amount of their resources on forest access.
Oocyte exposure to supraphysiological estradiol during ovarian stimulation increased the risk of adverse perinatal outcomes after frozen-thawed embryo transfer: a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Duan Chen-Chi , Li Cheng , He Yi-Chen , Xu Jing-Jing , Shi Chao-Yi , Hu Hong-Tao , Su Yun-Fei , Chen Lei , Tan Ya-Jing , Liu Zhi-Wei , Sheng Jian-Zhong , Fraser William D. , Wu Yan-Ting , Huang He-Feng
Published: November 2019

Maternal supraphysiological estradiol (E2) environment during pregnancy leads to adverse perinatal outcomes. However, the influence of oocyte exposure to high E2 levels on perinatal outcomes remains unknown. Thus, a retrospective cohort study was conducted to explore the effect of high E2 level induced by controlled ovarian stimulation (COH) on further outcomes after frozen embryo transfer (FET). The study included all FET cycles (n = 10,581) between 2014 and 2017. All cycles were categorized into three groups according to the E2 level on the day of the human Chorionic Gonadotropin trigger. Odds ratios (ORs) and their confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to evaluate the association between E2 level during COH and pregnancy outcomes and subsequent neonatal outcomes. From our findings, higher E2 level was associated with lower percentage of chemical pregnancy, clinical pregnancy, ongoing pregnancy, and live birth as well as increased frequency of early miscarriage. Preterm births were more common among singletons in women with higher E2 level during COH (aOR1 = 1.93, 95% CI: 1.22–3.06; aOR2 = 2.05, 95% CI: 1.33–3.06). Incidence of small for gestational age (SGA) was more common in both singletons (aOR1 = 2.01, 95% CI: 1.30–3.11; aOR2 = 2.51, 95% CI: 1.69–3.74) and multiples (aOR1 = 1.58, 95% CI: 1.03–2.45; aOR2 = 1.99, 95% CI: 1.05–3.84) among women with relatively higher E2 level. No association was found between high E2 level during COH and the percentage of macrosomia or large for gestational age. In summary, oocyte exposure to high E2 level during COH should be brought to our attention, since the pregnancy rate decreasing and the risk of preterm birth and SGA increasing following FET.
The Chagos Advisory Opinion and the Law of Self-Determination
Authors: KATTAN Victor
Published: November 2019

The Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice [ICJ] on the Separation of the Chagos Archipelago from Mauritius in 1965 has been hailed as a major victory by the government of Mauritius and by representatives of the Chagossians who were forcibly removed from the islands to make way for the establishment of an American military facility on the island of Diego Garcia at the height of the Cold War. The opinion was categorical: the process of decolonization of Mauritius was not lawfully completed when that country acceded to independence in 1968. The UK lost on every single argument it made before the Court and is under an obligation to bring its administration of the Chagos Archipelago to an end “as rapidly as possible”. This comment focuses on what the ICJ said about self-determination, and whether the Advisory Opinion could have consequences for future cases at the Court.
Causal Effects Based on Latent Variable Models
Authors: Mayer Axel
Published: November 2019

Abstract. Building on the stochastic theory of causal effects and latent state-trait theory, this article shows how a comprehensive analysis of the effects of interventions can be conducted based on latent variable models. The proposed approach offers new ways to evaluate the differential effects of interventions for substantive researchers in experimental and observational studies while allowing for complex measurement models. The key definitions and assumptions of the stochastic theory of causal effects are first introduced and then four statistical models that can be used to estimate various types of causal effects with latent state-trait models are developed and illustrated: The multistate effect model with and without method factors, the true-change effect model, and the multitrait effect model. All effect models with latent variables are implemented based on multigroup structural equation modeling with the EffectLiteR approach. Particular emphasis is placed on the development of models with interactions that allow for interindividual differences in treatment effects based on latent variables. Open source software code is provided for all models.
A Comparison of Simple Structure Rotation Criteria in Temporal Exploratory Factor Analysis for Event-Related Potential Data
Authors: Scharf Florian , Nestler Steffen
Published: November 2019

Abstract. It is challenging to apply exploratory factor analysis (EFA) to event-related potential (ERP) data because such data are characterized by substantial temporal overlap (i.e., large cross-loadings) between the factors, and, because researchers are typically interested in the results of subsequent analyses (e.g., experimental condition effects on the level of the factor scores). In this context, relatively small deviations in the estimated factor solution from the unknown ground truth may result in substantially biased estimates of condition effects (rotation bias). Thus, in order to apply EFA to ERP data researchers need rotation methods that are able to both recover perfect simple structure where it exists and to tolerate substantial cross-loadings between the factors where appropriate. We had two aims in the present paper. First, to extend previous research, we wanted to better understand the behavior of the rotation bias for typical ERP data. To this end, we compared the performance of a variety of factor rotation methods under conditions of varying amounts of temporal overlap between the factors. Second, we wanted to investigate whether the recently proposed component loss rotation is better able to decrease the bias than traditional simple structure rotation. The results showed that no single rotation method was generally superior across all conditions. Component loss rotation showed the best all-round performance across the investigated conditions. We conclude that Component loss rotation is a suitable alternative to simple structure rotation. We discuss this result in the light of recently proposed sparse factor analysis approaches.
Continuous-Time Latent Markov Factor Analysis for Exploring	Measurement Model Changes Across Time
Authors: Vogelsmeier Leonie V. D. E. , Vermunt Jeroen K. , Böing-Messing Florian , De Roover Kim
Published: November 2019

Abstract. Drawing valid inferences about daily or long-term dynamics of psychological constructs (e.g., depression) requires the measurement model (indicating which constructs are measured by which items) to be invariant within persons over time. However, it might be affected by time- or situation-specific artifacts (e.g., response styles) or substantive changes in item interpretation. To efficiently evaluate longitudinal measurement invariance, and violations thereof, we proposed Latent Markov factor analysis (LMFA), which clusters observations based on their measurement model into separate states, indicating which measures are validly comparable. LMFA is, however, tailored to “discrete-time” data, where measurement intervals are equal, which is often not the case in longitudinal data. In this paper, we extend LMFA to accommodate unequally spaced intervals. The so-called “continuous-time” (CT) approach considers the measurements as snapshots of continuously evolving processes. A simulation study compares CT-LMFA parameter estimation to its discrete-time counterpart and a depression data application shows the advantages of CT-LMFA.
Onset and Cause of Increased Seismic Activity Near Pecos, West Texas, United States, From Observations at the Lajitas TXAR Seismic Array
Authors: Frohlich Cliff , Hayward Chris , Rosenblit Julia , Aiken Chastity , Hennings Peter , Savvaidis Alexandros , Lemons Casee , Horne Elizabeth , Walter Jacob I. , DeShon Heather R.
Published: November 2019

In recent years, numerous small earthquakes have occurred near the town of Pecos in West Texas; however, when this activity began and whether it was caused by increased petroleum industry activity has been uncertain because prior to 2017 there were few permanent seismograph stations in the region. We identify and locate earthquakes using data recorded since 2000 at TXAR, a sensitive 10‐station seismic array situated about 240 km south of Pecos. We thus show that in 2007, one earthquake occurred near Pecos, in 2009 several more occurred, and subsequently, activity has increased considerably, with more than 2000 events identified in 2017. A time‐of‐day and year‐by‐year analysis identifies geographic areas in West Texas where events are likely to be natural earthquakes and quarry blasts. However, for the Pecos events, annual seismicity rates increase along with annual volumes of petroleum production and fluid waste disposal, suggesting a causal link. Analysis of seismograms collected by the EarthScope Transportable Array indicates that the 2009 earthquakes had focal depths of 4.0–5.2 km below sea level, within or just below strata where petroleum is produced and/or wastewater is injected. The largest earthquake to date had magnitude ML3.7, but the recent high activity rates suggest that greater magnitudes may be possible. For the years 2000–2017, we provide a catalog of 10,753 epicenters of seismic events recorded at TXAR.
Uniaxially crumpled graphene as a platform for guided myotube formation
Authors: Kim Junghoon , Leem Juyoung , Kim Hong Nam , Kang Pilgyu , Choi Jonghyun , Haque Md Farhadul , Kang Daeshik , Nam SungWoo
Published: November 2019

Graphene, owing to its inherent chemical inertness, biocompatibility, and mechanical flexibility, has great potential in guiding cell behaviors such as adhesion and differentiation. However, due to the two-dimensional (2D) nature of graphene, the microfabrication of graphene into micro/nanoscale patterns has been widely adopted for guiding cellular assembly. In this study, we report crumpled graphene, i.e., monolithically defined graphene with a nanoscale wavy surface texture, as a tissue engineering platform that can efficiently promote aligned C2C12 mouse myoblast cell differentiation. We imparted out-of-plane, nanoscale crumpled morphologies to flat graphene via compressive strain-induced deformation. When C2C12 mouse myoblast cells were seeded on the uniaxially crumpled graphene, not only were the alignment and elongation promoted at a single-cell level but also the differentiation and maturation of myotubes were enhanced compared to that on flat graphene. These results demonstrate the utility of the crumpled graphene platform for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine for skeletal muscle tissues.
Single-cell protein profiling in microchambers with barcoded beads
Authors: Armbrecht Lucas , Müller Rafael Sebastian , Nikoloff Jonas , Dittrich Petra Stephanie
Published: November 2019

Single-cell profiling provides insights into cellular behaviour that macroscale cell cultures and bulk measurements cannot reveal. In the context of personalized cancer treatment, the profiling of individual tumour cells may lead to higher success rates for therapies by rapidly selecting the most efficacious drugs. Currently, genomic analysis at the single-cell level is available through highly sensitive sequencing approaches. However, the identification and quantification of intracellular or secreted proteins or metabolites remains challenging. Here, we introduce a microfluidic method that facilitates capture, automated data acquisition and the multiplexed quantification of proteins from individual cells. The microfluidic platform comprises 1026 chambers with a volume of 152 pL each, in which single cells and barcoded beads are co-immobilized. We demonstrated multiplexed single-cell protein quantification with three different mammalian cell lines, including two model breast cancer cell lines. We established on-chip immunoassays for glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), galectin-3 (Gal-3) and galectin-3 binding protein (Gal-3bp) with detection limits as low as 7.0 × 104, 2.3 × 105 and 1.8 × 103 molecules per cell, respectively. The three investigated cell types had high cytosolic levels of GAPDH and could be clearly differentiated by their expression levels of Gal-3 and Gal-3bp, which are important factors that contribute to cancer metastasis. Because it employed commercially available barcoded beads for this study, our platform could be easily used for the single-cell protein profiling of several hundred different targets. Moreover, this versatile method is applicable to the analysis of bacteria, yeast and mammalian cells and nanometre-sized lipid vesicles.
Periodontal inflammation recruits distant metastatic breast cancer cells by increasing myeloid-derived suppressor cells
Authors: Cheng Ran , Billet Sandrine , Liu Chuanxia , Haldar Subhash , Choudhury Diptiman , Tripathi Manisha , Hav Monirath , Merchant Akil , Hu Tao , Huang Haiyun , Zhou Hongmei , Bhowmick Neil A.
Published: November 2019

Periodontal diseases can lead to chronic inflammation affecting the integrity of the tooth supporting tissues. Recently, a striking association has been made between periodontal diseases and primary cancers in the absence of a mechanistic understanding. Here we address the effect of periodontal inflammation (PI) on tumor progression, metastasis, and possible underlining mechanisms. We show that an experimental model of PI in mice can promote lymph node (LN) micrometastasis, as well as head and neck metastasis of 4T1 breast cancer cells, both in early and late stages of cancer progression. The cervical LNs had a greater tumor burden and infiltration of MDSC and M2 macrophages compared with LNs at other sites. Pyroptosis and the resultant IL-1β production were detected in patients with PI, mirrored in mouse models. Anakinra, IL-1 receptor antagonist, limited metastasis, and MDSC recruitment at early stages of tumor progression, but failed to reverse established metastatic tumors. PI and the resulting production of IL-1β was found to promote CCL5, CXCL12, CCL2, and CXCL5 expression. These chemokines recruit MDSC and macrophages, finally enabling the generation of a premetastatic niche in the inflammatory site. These findings support the idea that periodontal inflammation promotes metastasis of breast cancer by recruiting MDSC in part by pyroptosis-induced IL-1β generation and downstream CCL2, CCL5, and CXCL5 signaling in the early steps of metastasis. These studies define the role for IL-1β in the metastatic progression of breast cancer and highlight the need to control PI, a pervasive inflammatory condition in older patients.
DEPTOR is an in vivo tumor suppressor that inhibits prostate tumorigenesis via the inactivation of mTORC1/2 signals
Authors: Chen Xiaoyu , Xiong Xiufang , Cui Danrui , Yang Fei , Wei Dongping , Li Haomin , Shu Jianfeng , Bi Yanli , Dai Xiaoqing , Gong Longyuan , Sun Yi , Zhao Yongchao
Published: November 2019

The DEPTOR-mTORC1/2 axis has been shown to play an important, but a context dependent role in the regulation of proliferation and the survival of various cancer cells in cell culture settings. The in vivo role of DEPTOR in tumorigenesis remains elusive. Here we showed that the levels of both DEPTOR protein and mRNA were substantially decreased in human prostate cancer tissues, which positively correlated with disease progression. DEPTOR depletion accelerated proliferation and survival, migration, and invasion in human prostate cancer cells. Mechanistically, DEPTOR depletion not only activated both mTORC1 and mTORC2 signals to promote cell proliferation and survival, but also induced an AKT-dependent epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) and β-catenin nuclear translocation to promote cell migration and invasion. Abrogation of mTOR or AKT activation rescued the biological consequences of DEPTOR depletion. Importantly, in a Deptor-KO mouse model, Deptor knockout accelerated prostate tumorigenesis triggered by Pten loss via the activation of mTOR signaling. Collectively, our study demonstrates that DEPTOR is a tumor suppressor in the prostate, and its depletion promotes tumorigenesis via the activation of mTORC1 and mTORC2 signals. Thus, DEPTOR reactivation via a variety of means would have therapeutic potential for the treatment of prostate cancer.
KCTD15 inhibits the Hedgehog pathway in Medulloblastoma cells by increasing protein levels of the oncosuppressor KCASH2
Authors: Spiombi Eleonora , Angrisani Annapaola , Fonte Simone , De Feudis Giuseppina , Fabretti Francesca , Cucchi Danilo , Izzo Mariapaola , Infante Paola , Miele Evelina , Po Agnese , Di Magno Laura , Magliozzi Roberto , Guardavaccaro Daniele , Maroder Marella , Canettieri Gianluca , Giannini Giuseppe , Ferretti Elisabetta , Gulino Alberto , Di Marcotullio Lucia , Moretti Marta , De Smaele Enrico
Published: November 2019

Medulloblastoma (MB) is the most common malignant childhood brain tumor. About 30% of all MBs belong to the I molecular subgroup, characterized by constitutive activation of the Sonic Hedgehog (Hh) pathway. The Hh pathway is involved in several fundamental processes during embryogenesis and in adult life and its deregulation may lead to cerebellar tumorigenesis. Indeed, Hh activity must be maintained via a complex network of activating and repressor signals. One of these repressor signals is KCASH2, belonging to the KCASH family of protein, which acts as negative regulators of the Hedgehog signaling pathway during cerebellar development and differentiation. KCASH2 leads HDAC1 to degradation, allowing hyperacetylation and inhibition of transcriptional activity of Gli1, the main effector of the Hh pathway. In turn, the KCASH2 loss leads to persistent Hh activity and eventually tumorigenesis. In order to better characterize the physiologic role and modulation mechanisms of KCASH2, we have searched through a proteomic approach for new KCASH2 interactors, identifying Potassium Channel Tetramerization Domain Containing 15 (KCTD15). KCTD15 is able to directly interact with KCASH2, through its BTB/POZ domain. This interaction leads to increase KCASH2 stability which implies a reduction of the Hh pathway activity and a reduction of Hh-dependent MB cells proliferation. Here we report the identification of KCTD15 as a novel player in the complex network of regulatory proteins, which modulate Hh pathway, this could be a promising new target for therapeutic approach against MB.
The planktonic protist interactome: where do we stand after a century of research?
Authors: Bjorbækmo Marit F Markussen , Evenstad Andreas , Røsæg Line Lieblein , Krabberød Anders K , Logares Ramiro
Published: November 2019

Microbial interactions are crucial for Earth ecosystem function, but our knowledge about them is limited and has so far mainly existed as scattered records. Here, we have surveyed the literature involving planktonic protist interactions and gathered the information in a manually curated Protist Interaction DAtabase (PIDA). In total, we have registered ~2500 ecological interactions from ~500 publications, spanning the last 150 years. All major protistan lineages were involved in interactions as hosts, symbionts (mutualists and commensalists), parasites, predators, and/or prey. Predation was the most common interaction (39% of all records), followed by symbiosis (29%), parasitism (18%), and ‘unresolved interactions’ (14%, where it is uncertain whether the interaction is beneficial or antagonistic). Using bipartite networks, we found that protist predators seem to be ‘multivorous’ while parasite–host and symbiont–host interactions appear to have moderate degrees of specialization. The SAR supergroup (i.e., Stramenopiles, Alveolata, and Rhizaria) heavily dominated PIDA, and comparisons against a global-ocean molecular survey (TARA Oceans) indicated that several SAR lineages, which are abundant and diverse in the marine realm, were underrepresented among the recorded interactions. Despite historical biases, our work not only unveils large-scale eco-evolutionary trends in the protist interactome, but it also constitutes an expandable resource to investigate protist interactions and to test hypotheses deriving from omics tools.
Circadian clock helps cyanobacteria manage energy in coastal and high latitude ocean
Authors: Hellweger Ferdi L , Jabbur Maria Luísa , Johnson Carl Hirschie , van Sebille Erik , Sasaki Hideharu
Published: November 2019

The circadian clock coordinates cellular functions over the diel cycle in many organisms. The molecular mechanisms of the cyanobacterial clock are well characterized, but its ecological role remains a mystery. We present an agent-based model of Synechococcus (harboring a self-sustained, bona fide circadian clock) that explicitly represents genes (e.g., kaiABC), transcripts, proteins, and metabolites. The model is calibrated to data from laboratory experiments with wild type and no-clock mutant strains, and it successfully reproduces the main observed patterns of glycogen metabolism. Comparison of wild type and no-clock mutant strains suggests a main benefit of the clock is due to energy management. For example, it inhibits glycogen synthesis early in the day when it is not needed and energy is better used for making the photosynthesis apparatus. To explore the ecological role of the clock, we integrate the model into a dynamic, three-dimensional global circulation model that includes light variability due to seasonal and diel incident radiation and vertical extinction. Model output is compared with field data, including in situ gene transcript levels. We simulate cyanobaceria with and without a circadian clock, which allows us to quantify the fitness benefit of the clock. Interestingly, the benefit is weakest in the low latitude open ocean, where Prochlorococcus (lacking a self-sustained clock) dominates. However, our attempt to experimentally validate this testable prediction failed. Our study provides insights into the role of the clock and an example for how models can be used to integrate across multiple levels of biological organization.
Zfp422 promotes skeletal muscle differentiation by regulating EphA7 to induce appropriate myoblast apoptosis
Authors: Nie Yaping , Cai Shufang , Yuan Renqiang , Ding Suying , Zhang Xumeng , Chen Luxi , Chen Yaosheng , Mo Delin
Published: November 2019

Zinc finger protein 422 (Zfp422) is a widely expressed zinc finger protein that serves as a transcriptional factor to regulate downstream gene expression, but until now, little is known about its roles in myogenesis. We found here that Zfp422 plays a critical role in skeletal muscle development and regeneration. It highly expresses in mouse skeletal muscle during embryonic development. Specific knockout of Zfp422 in skeletal muscle impaired embryonic muscle formation. Satellite cell-specific Zfp422 deletion severely inhibited muscle regeneration. Myoblast differentiation and myotube formation were suppressed in Zfp422-deleted C2C12 cells, isolated primary myoblasts, and satellite cells. Chromatin Immunoprecipitation Sequencing (ChIP-Seq) revealed that Zfp422 regulated ephrin type-A receptor 7 (EphA7) expression by binding an upstream 169-bp DNA sequence, which was proved to be an enhancer ofEphA7. Knocking EphA7 down in C2C12 cells or deleting Zfp422 in myoblasts will inhibit cell apoptosis which is required for myoblast differentiation. These results indicate that Zfp422 is essential for skeletal muscle differentiation and fusion, through regulating EphA7 expression to maintain proper apoptosis.
ASPP2 inhibits tumor growth by repressing the mevalonate pathway in hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Liang Beibei , Chen Rui , Song Shaohua , Wang Hao , Sun Guowei , Yang Hao , Jing Wei , Zhou Xuyu , Fu Zhiren , Huang Gang , Zhao Jian
Published: November 2019

Cancer is, fundamentally, a disorder of cell growth and proliferation, which requires adequate supplies of energy and nutrients. In this study, we report that the haplo-insufficient tumor suppressor ASPP2, a p53 activator, negatively regulates the mevalonate pathway to mediate its inhibitory effect on tumor growth in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Gene expression profile analysis revealed that the expression of key enzymes in the mevalonate pathway were increased when ASPP2 was downregulated. HCC cells gained higher cholesterol levels and enhanced tumor-initiating capability in response to the depletion of ASPP2. Simvastatin, a mevalonate pathway inhibitor, efficiently abrogated ASPP2 depletion-induced anchorage-independent cell proliferation, resistance to chemotherapy drugs in vitro, and tumor growth in xenografted nude mice. Mechanistically, ASPP2 interacts with SREBP-2 in the nucleus and restricts the transcriptional activity of SREBP-2 on its target genes, which include key enzymes involved in the mevalonate pathway. Moreover, clinical data revealed better prognosis in patients with high levels of ASPP2 and low levels of the mevalonate pathway enzyme HMGCR. Our findings provide functional and mechanistic insights into the critical role of ASPP2 in the regulation of the mevalonate pathway and the importance of this pathway in tumor initiation and tumor growth, which may provide a new therapeutic opportunity for HCC.
LncRNA RPPH1 promotes colorectal cancer metastasis by interacting with TUBB3 and by promoting exosomes-mediated macrophage M2 polarization
Authors: Liang Zhen-xing , Liu Hua-shan , Wang Feng-wei , Xiong Li , Zhou Chi , Hu Tuo , He Xiao-wen , Wu Xiao-jian , Xie Dan , Wu Xian-rui , Lan Ping
Published: November 2019

Metastasis is a well-known poor prognostic factor in cancer. However, the mechanisms how long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) regulate metastasis in colorectal cancer (CRC) remain largely unknown. Besides, tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) play an important role in tumor progression, yet the contribution of lncRNA-mediated crosstalk between TAMs and CRC cells to tumor progression is not well understood. In this study, we report that lncRNA RPPH1 was significantly upregulated in CRC tissues, and the RPPH1 overexpression was associated with advanced TNM stages and poor prognosis. RPPH1 was found to promote CRC metastasis in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, RPPH1 induced epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) of CRC cells via interacting with β-III tubulin (TUBB3) to prevent its ubiquitination. Furthermore, CRC cell-derived exosomes transported RPPH1 into macrophages which mediate macrophage M2 polarization, thereby in turn promoting metastasis and proliferation of CRC cells. In addition, exosomal RPPH1 levels in blood plasma turned out to be higher in treatment-naive CRC patients but lower after tumor resection. Compared to CEA and CA199, exosomal RPPH1 in CRC plasma displayed a better diagnostic value (AUC = 0.86). Collectively, RPPH1 serves as a potential therapeutic and diagnostic target in CRC.
Inhibition of microRNA-711 limits angiopoietin-1 and Akt changes, tissue damage, and motor dysfunction after contusive spinal cord injury in mice
Authors: Sabirzhanov Boris , Matyas Jessica , Coll-Miro Marina , Yu Laina Lijia , Faden Alan I. , Stoica Bogdan A. , Wu Junfang
Published: November 2019

Spinal cord injury (SCI) causes neuronal cell death and vascular damage, which contribute to neurological dysfunction. Given that many biochemical changes contribute to such secondary injury, treatment approaches have increasingly focused on combined therapies or use of multi-functional drugs. MicroRNAs (miRs) are small (20–23 nucleotide), non-protein-coding RNAs and can negatively regulate target gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. As individual miRs can potentially modulate expression of multiple relevant proteins after injury, they are attractive candidates as upstream regulators of the secondary SCI progression. In the present study we examined the role of miR-711 modulation after SCI. Levels of miR-711 were increased in injured spinal cord early after SCI, accompanied by rapid downregulation of its target angiopoietin-1 (Ang-1), an endothelial growth factor. Changes of miR-711 were also associated with downregulation of the pro-survival protein Akt (protein kinase B), another target of miR-711, with sequential activation of glycogen synthase kinase 3 and the pro-apoptotic BH3-only molecule PUMA. Central administration of a miR-711 hairpin inhibitor after SCI limited decreases of Ang-1/Akt expression and attenuated apoptotic pathways. Such treatment also reduced neuronal/axonal damage, protected microvasculature and improved motor dysfunction following SCI. In vitro, miR-711 levels were rapidly elevated by neuronal insults, but not by activated microglia and astrocytes. Together, our data suggest that post-traumatic miR-711 elevation contributes to neuronal cell death after SCI, in part by inhibiting Ang-1 and Akt pathways, and may serve as a novel therapeutic target.
Evaluation of leakage resistance improvement in transconjunctival sutureless vitrectomy sclerotomies closed with adhesives. an experimental study
Authors: López-Guajardo Lorenzo , Benítez-Herreros Javier , Donate-López Juan , Opazo-Toro Valeria
Published: November 2019

Background

The purpose of this paper is to study the utility of adhesives (artificial-cyanoacrylate and biological-fibrin glue) for improving transconjunctival sutureless vitrectomy (TSV) sclerotomy closure competency.

Methods

Experimental and observer-masked study in which after performing TSV in cadaveric pig eyes, different adhesives were tested on sclerotomy entrances in order to determine if they improved closure competency in face of progressive intraocular pressure increase. In 76 eyes cyanoacrylate-treated sclerotomies were compared with sclerotomies in which no additional manoeuvre to aid closing was performed; in 76 eyes fibrin glue with no manoeuvre; and in the last 76 eyes, cyanoacrylate-treated sclerotomies were compared with fibrin glue-treated sclerotomies.

Results

A total of 228 eyes had a 23-gauge TSV performed. Both cyanoacrylate and fibrin glue treated sclerotomies achieved higher mean opening pressures when compared with nontreated sclerotomies in the same eye (p < 0.002). When cyanoacrylate was compared with biological adhesive in the same eye, no statistically significant differences were obtained (p = 0.216).

Discussions

This experimental study provides support for the possible role of adhesives in improving TSV sclerotomy closure competency in clinical practice.