bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Lacan in the US cyber defence: Between public discourse and transgressive practice
Authors: Jacobsen Jeppe T.
Published: March 2020

Edward Snowden exposed the discrepancy between the official US defence discourse of liberal values in cyberspace and secret surveillance and cyber exploitation practices. Situated in the critical literature on security and surveillance, the article proposes that more attention needs to be paid to the constitutive role of transgressive practices for security communities. The article introduces a Lacanian strategy for studying transgression in the US cyber defence community. Through this strategy, a transgressive other – in this case, China in cyberspace – enters the fantasy of the US cyber defence community as the symptom that conceals more fundamental tensions in the US cyber defence. But the community's representation of China in cyberspace represents more than that; China is a fantasmatic object that structures and gives content to a desire for transgressing the official ideals of the US cyber defence. This is why the excessive cyber practices that China is criticised for conducting mirror the secret, disavowed transgressions of the US cyber defence. Transgressions, the article concludes through Lacan, provide the necessary (partial) enjoyment that sustains the US cyber defence community as a solidarity-in-guilt and the official US cyber defence discourse.
The monolingual problem of computer-assisted language learning
Authors: Buendgens-Kosten Jules
Published: March 2020

This paper sets out to discuss the monolingual problem within computer-assisted language learning (CALL) research and CALL product development, namely a lack of knowledge about how CALL products and projects can support learners in using all their linguistic resources to achieve language-learning- and language-using-related goals, and a lack of CALL products and projects that realize this potential, or that support specific plurilingual skill development. It uses an analysis of CALL-related papers to demonstrate how far CALL is impacted by a monolingual bias that it inherited from language learning pedagogy. An analysis of articles from four CALL journals across 10 years shows that although the words bilingual and multilingual appear in these journals fairly regularly, terms such as plurilingual, third language, tertiary language, L3, translanguaging, and translingual are extremely rare. Also, only eight articles could be identified that use any of these eight keywords in their title. Trends across those papers are identified. In a discussion of existing CALL products and projects that incorporate more than one language, it is argued that while commercial products often include more than one language, this is frequently in a behaviorist or grammar-translation tradition, while innovative plurilingual products and projects tend to be non-commercial and often EU/EC-funded initiatives. The article argues that CALL research and product development can not only avoid this monolingual bias, but also actively contribute to our knowledge of how all linguistic resources can be used for language learning. It makes suggestions for relevant future research areas related to multilingual computer-assisted language learning (MCALL).
Microstructure of the Corpus Callosum Long after Pediatric Concussion
Authors: Sohn Maya N. , Virani Shane , Carlson Helen L. , MacPhail Shelby , Low Trevor A. , Plourde Vickie , Yeates Keith Owen , Lebel Catherine , Brooks Brian L.
Published: March 2020

Objective:

The long-term effects of pediatric concussion on white matter microstructure are poorly understood. This study investigated long-term changes in white matter diffusion properties of the corpus callosum in youth several years after concussion.

Methods:

Participants were 8–19 years old with a history of concussion (n = 36) or orthopedic injury (OI) (n = 21). Mean time since injury for the sample was 2.6 years (SD = 1.6). Participants underwent diffusion magnetic resonance imaging, completed cognitive testing, and rated their post-concussion symptoms. Measures of diffusivity (fractional anisotropy, mean, axial, and radial diffusivity) were extracted from white matter tracts in the genu, body, and splenium regions of the corpus callosum. The genu and splenium tracts were further subdivided into 21 equally spaced regions along the tract and diffusion values were extracted from each of these smaller regions.

Results:

White matter tracts in the genu, body, and splenium did not differ in diffusivity properties between youth with a history of concussion and those with a history of OI. No significant group differences were found in subdivisions of the genu and splenium after correcting for multiple comparisons. Diffusion metrics did not significantly correlate with symptom reports or cognitive performance.

Conclusions:

These findings suggest that at approximately 2.5 years post-injury, youth with prior concussion do not have differences in their corpus callosum microstructure compared to youth with OI. Although these results are promising from the perspective of long-term recovery, further research utilizing longitudinal study designs is needed to confirm the long-term effects of pediatric concussion on white matter microstructure.
Sea Ice Thickness and Elastic Properties From the Analysis of Multimodal Guided Wave Propagation Measured With a Passive Seismic Array
Authors: Moreau Ludovic , Boué Pierre , Serripierri Agathe , Weiss Jérôme , Hollis Daniel , Pondaven Ildut , Vial Benjamin , Garambois Stéphane , Larose Éric , Helmstetter Agnés , Stehly Laurent , Hillers Gregor , Gilbert Olivier
Published: March 2020

Field data are needed for a better understanding of sea ice decline in the context of climate change. The rapid technological and methodological advances of the last decade have led to a reconsideration of seismic methods in this matter. In particular, passive seismology has filled an important gap by removing the need to use active sources. We present a seismic experiment where an array of 247 geophones was deployed on sea ice, in the Van Mijen fjord near Sveagruva (Svalbard). The array is a mix of 1C and 3C stations with sampling frequencies of 500 and 1000 Hz. They recorded continuously the ambient seismic field in sea ice between 28 February and 26 March 2019. Data also include active acquisitions on 1 and 26 March with a radar antenna, a shaker unit, impulsive sources, and artificial sources of seismic noise. This data set is of unprecedented quality regarding sea ice seismic monitoring, as it also includes thousands of microseismic events recorded each day. By combining passive seismology approaches with specific array processing methods, we demonstrate that the multimodal dispersion curves of sea ice can be calculated without an active source and then used to infer sea ice properties. We calculated an ice thickness, Young's modulus, and Poisson's ratio with values h=54±3 cm, E=3.9±0.15 GPa, and ν=0.34±0.02 on 1 March, and h=58±3 cm, E=4.4±0.15 GPa, and ν=0.32±0.02 on 5 March. These values are consistent with in situ field measurements and observations.
Evaluation of Radial Ocean Surface Currents Derived From Sentinel‐1 IW Doppler Shift Using Coastal Radar and Lagrangian Surface Drifter Observations
Authors: Moiseev A. , Johnsen H. , Hansen M. W. , Johannessen J. A.
Published: March 2020

Ocean surface radial velocities (RVLs) derived from the Sentinel‐1 A/B Interferomic Wide (IW) mode Doppler frequency shift observations are regularly acquired over the Norwegian coastal zone. These data can be used to complement existing ocean observation systems with high‐resolution (up to 1.5 × 1.5 km) spatial ocean surface current (OSC) maps. In this study, Sentinel‐1 IW Level 2 OSC retrievals were obtained from 2 months (October–November 2017) of raw Doppler shift observations acquired over the Norwegian Coastal Current (NCC). The results were evaluated using coastal high‐frequency radar (HFR) and Lagrangian ocean surface drifter observations. The analysis shows that distinct patterns of the NCC, with range directed currents reaching up to 0.7 m/s, can be detected in the SAR data. The mean bias between Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and HFR observations was −0.08 m/s and the root mean square deviation (RMSD) was 0.25 m/s. In comparison, the agreement between the SAR‐derived OSC and the trajectories from Lagrangian surface drifters showed a mean bias of 0.02 m/s and an RMSD of 0.24 m/s. The accuracy of the SAR OSC retrievals rely on precise wind‐wave bias correction. Hence, the accuracy of the model wind field (speed and direction) is crucial. The sea state contribution must also be taken into account during the bias correction. A typical required accuracy of the OSC velocity is on the order of 0.1 m/s. Therefore, the comparisons demonstrate that the use of SAR for OSC retrieval is promising.
A Satellite Era Warming Hole in the Equatorial Atlantic Ocean
Authors: Nnamchi Hyacinth C. , Latif Mojib , Keenlyside Noel S. , Park Wonsun
Published: March 2020

Observations during the satellite era 1979–2018 only depict small sea surface temperature (SST) trends over the Equatorial Atlantic cold tongue region in boreal summer. This lack of surface warming of the cold tongue, termed warming hole here, denotes an 11% amplification of the mean SST annual cycle. The warming hole is driven by a shoaling of the equatorial thermocline, linked to increased wind stress forcing, and damped by the surface turbulent heat fluxes. The satellite era warming deficit is not unusual during the twentieth century—similar weak trends were also observed during the 1890s–1910s and 1940s–1960s. The tendency for surface cooling appears to reflect an interaction of external forcing, which controls the timing and magnitude of the cooling, with the intrinsic variability of the climate system. The hypothesis for externally forced modulation of internal variability is supported by climate model simulations forced by the observed time‐varying concentrations of atmospheric greenhouse gases and natural aerosols. These show that increased greenhouse forcing warmed the cold tongue and aerosols cooled it during the satellite era. However, internal variability, as derived from control integrations with fixed, preindustrial values of greenhouse gases and aerosols, can potentially cause larger cooling than observed during the satellite era. Large uncertainties remain on the relative roles of external forcing and intrinsic variability in both observations and coupled climate models.
Impedance and Voltage Power Spectra of a Monopole Antenna in a Warm Plasma—Derivation and Application to CubeSats
Authors: Maj Ronald , Cairns Iver H. , Martinović M. M.
Published: March 2020

The impedance for a monopole antenna in a warm plasma is derived and compared with the cases for wire dipole and double‐sphere antennas. This derivation produces a new expression for the monopole antenna response function, Fm1(x), which is very similar to the double‐sphere antenna response function. The monopole, wire dipole, and double‐sphere response functions are compared by modeling an antenna in Earth's ionospheric plasma (i.e., electrostatic and collisionless) and predicting the antenna capacitance and voltage power spectra for quasi‐thermal noise (QTN) and shot noise. Specifically, we assume the antennas are part of a CubeSat, which has spurred this research as most interplanetary craft carry a dipole or more complicated antenna designs on board (Imbriale, 2006, https://doi.org/10.1002/0470052783.ch3; Imbriale, Gatti et al., 2006, https://doi.org/10.1002/0470052783.ch5). The monopole antenna current distribution is assumed to be a half‐triangular current distribution (considering only the positive half of the triangular distribution), which follows that of prior authors (Balmain, 1965, https://doi.org/10.6028/jres.069D.065; Kuehl, 1966, https://doi.org/10.1002/rds196618971; Couturier et al., 1981, https://doi.org/10.1029/JA086iA13p11127) and simplifies comparison. The predictions for the shot noise and capacitance presented problems, as the integral over wave number space or k space did not converge for large values of k. The derived expression therefore remains a current problem in these situations, and no alternative has been found in the existing literature, necessitating future work to determine a more general expression. In this paper we bring the problem of an appropriate analytic monopole antenna response function to the attention of the community and outline a number of tests that can be used to verify any future expression.
Performance of BDS Navigation Ionospheric Model During the Main Phase of Different Classified Geomagnetic Storms in China Region
Authors: Xue Junchen , Aquino Marcio , Veettil Sreeja Vadakke , Hu Xiaogong , Quan Lin
Published: March 2020

Geomagnetic storms can have a great impact on the Earth's upper atmosphere, that is, the ionosphere. The activity of the ionosphere could be more pronounced during geomagnetic storms, which can make key ionospheric parameters, like total electron content (TEC), very hard to be modeled. The use of a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) navigation ionospheric model is a conventional option for users to correct the ionospheric delay, which could suffer from the effects of storms. In this study, the performance of Beidou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) navigation ionospheric model in the China region during the main phase of different classes of geomagnetic storms is investigated for the first time. The analysis of the results revealed that the accuracy of the BDS navigation ionospheric model was impacted to different degrees during the storms. The effects during strong storms were the greatest, followed by moderate and weak storms. The impact on the accuracy of the model was characterized by latitude and local time. Furthermore, the accuracy of the model during the same class of storms was not always at the same level. The finding in this study could benefit the prediction of GNSS navigation ionospheric models' performance during geomagnetic storms.
Power Outages, PG&E, and Science’s Flickering Future
Authors: Duncombe Jenessa
Published: March 2020

As lawmakers debate planned power outages as a Band-Aid to the nation’s wildfire problem, science hangs in the balance.
The Impact of Rain on Ocean Surface Waves and Currents
Authors: Laxague Nathan J. M. , Zappa Christopher J.
Published: March 2020

Precipitation is an important component of the interaction between Earth's atmosphere and oceans, modifying air‐sea fluxes of momentum, heat, and gas. It has been hypothesized that rain's suppression of ocean surface gravity waves and centimeter‐scale wave enhancement should alter the nature of air‐sea momentum flux, resulting in increased near‐surface current. Here, we use field observations to describe this impact and measure the very near‐surface current response to rainfall. During heavy rain, surface‐roughening ring waves were generated and longer gravity waves were suppressed; immediately following, the magnitude of the near‐surface current increased in response to wind forcing but died as the rain subsided and long waves recovered. These first‐of‐their‐kind field observations indicate that rain reduces ocean wave form drag in favor of tangential stress, resulting in the acceleration of current near the sea surface.
Rosenbluth and Sagdeev in Trieste: The Birth of Modern Space Plasma Physics
Authors: Kennel Charles F.
Published: March 2020

I was present at the birth of modern space plasma physics. Plasma physics and space physics had grown up, side‐by‐side, in the Cold War, and their child, space plasma physics, was conceived in America and the Soviet Union and born in 1965–1966 at the International Centre for Theoretical Physics in the Adriatic Port of Trieste, Italy, on the border with then Yugoslavia.
Social approach and social vigilance are differentially regulated by oxytocin receptors in the nucleus accumbens
Authors: Williams Alexia V. , Duque-Wilckens Natalia , Ramos-Maciel Stephanie , Campi Katharine L. , Bhela Shanu K. , Xu Christine K. , Jackson Kenneth , Chini Bice , Pesavento Patricia A. , Trainor Brian C.
Published: March 2020

Oxytocin is currently being considered as a novel therapeutic for anxiety disorders due to its ability to promote affiliative behaviors. In the nucleus accumbens (NAc) activation of oxytocin receptors (OTR) promotes social approach (time spent near an unfamiliar individual). Here, we show that stressful social experiences reduce the expression of NAc OTR mRNA, coinciding with decreases in social approach. Social stressors also increase social vigilance, characterized as orienting to an unfamiliar individual without approaching. Vigilance is a key component of behavioral inhibition, a personality trait that is a risk factor for anxiety disorders. To understand whether NAc OTR can modulate both social approach and vigilance, we use pharmacological approaches to assess the impact of activation or inhibition of NAc OTR downstream pathways on these behaviors. First, we show that in unstressed male and female California mice, inhibition of OTR by an unbiased antagonist (L-368,899) reduces social approach but does not induce social vigilance. Next, we show that infusion of Atosiban, an OTR-Gq antagonist/OTR-Gi agonist, has the same effect in unstressed females. Finally, we show that Carbetocin, a biased OTR-Gq agonist, increases social approach in stressed females while simultaneously inhibiting social vigilance. Taken together these data suggest that OTR in the NAc differentially modulate social approach and social vigilance, primarily through an OTR-Gq mechanism. Importantly, pharmacological inhibition of OTR alone is insufficient to induce vigilance in unstressed mice, suggesting that mechanisms modulating social approach may be distinct from mechanisms modulating social vigilance.
Loss of the nuclear Wnt pathway effector TCF7L2 promotes migration and invasion of human colorectal cancer cells
Authors: Wenzel Janna , Rose Katja , Haghighi Elham Bavafaye , Lamprecht Constanze , Rauen Gilles , Freihen Vivien , Kesselring Rebecca , Boerries Melanie , Hecht Andreas
Published: March 2020

The transcription factor TCF7L2 is indispensable for intestinal tissue homeostasis where it transmits mitogenic Wnt/β-Catenin signals in stem and progenitor cells, from which intestinal tumors arise. Yet, TCF7L2 belongs to the most frequently mutated genes in colorectal cancer (CRC), and tumor-suppressive functions of TCF7L2 were proposed. This apparent paradox warrants to clarify the role of TCF7L2 in colorectal carcinogenesis. Here, we investigated TCF7L2 dependence/independence of CRC cells and the cellular and molecular consequences of TCF7L2 loss-of-function. By genome editing we achieved complete TCF7L2 inactivation in several CRC cell lines without loss of viability, showing that CRC cells have widely lost the strict requirement for TCF7L2. TCF7L2 deficiency impaired G1/S progression, reminiscent of the physiological role of TCF7L2. In addition, TCF7L2-negative cells exhibited morphological changes, enhanced migration, invasion, and collagen adhesion, albeit the severity of the phenotypic alterations manifested in a cell-line-specific fashion. To provide a molecular framework for the observed cellular changes, we performed global transcriptome profiling and identified gene-regulatory networks in which TCF7L2 positively regulates the proto-oncogene MYC, while repressing the cell cycle inhibitors CDKN2C/CDKN2D. Consistent with its function in curbing cell motility and invasion, TCF7L2 directly suppresses the pro-metastatic transcription factor RUNX2 and impinges on the expression of cell adhesion molecules. Altogether, we conclude that the proliferation-stimulating activity of TCF7L2 persists in CRC cells. In addition, TCF7L2 acts as invasion suppressor. Despite its negative impact on cell cycle progression, TCF7L2 loss-of-function may thereby increase malignancy, which could explain why TCF7L2 is mutated in a sizeable fraction of colorectal tumors.
Loss of copy of MIR1-2 increases CDK4 expression in ileal neuroendocrine tumors
Authors: Contractor Tanupriya , Harris Chris R.
Published: March 2020

Ileal neuroendocrine tumors (I-NETs) are the most common tumors of the small intestine. Although I-NETs are known for a lack of recurrently mutated genes, a majority of tumors do show loss of one copy of chromosome 18. Among the genes on chromosome 18 is MIR1-2, which encodes a microRNA, MIR1-3p, with high complementarity to the mRNA of CDK4. Here we show that transfection of neuroendocrine cell lines with MIR1-3p lowered CDK4 expression and activity, and arrested growth at the G1 stage of the cell cycle. Loss of copy of MIR1-2 in ileal neuroendocrine tumors associated with increased expression of CDK4. Genetic events that attenuated RB activity, including loss of copy of MIR1-2 as well as loss of copy of CDKN1B and CDKN2A, were more frequent in tumors from patients with metastatic I-NETs. These data suggest that inhibitors of CDK4/CDK6 may benefit patients whose I-NETs show loss of copy of MIR1-2, particularly patients with metastatic disease.
Microbial symbionts and ecological divergence of Caribbean sponges: A new perspective on an ancient association
Authors: Freeman Christopher J , Easson Cole G , Matterson Kenan O , Thacker Robert W , Baker David M , Paul Valerie J
Published: March 2020

Marine sponges host diverse communities of microbial symbionts that expand the metabolic capabilities of their host, but the abundance and structure of these communities is highly variable across sponge species. Specificity in these interactions may fuel host niche partitioning on crowded coral reefs by allowing individual sponge species to exploit unique sources of carbon and nitrogen, but this hypothesis is yet to be tested. Given the presence of high sponge biomass and the coexistence of diverse sponge species, the Caribbean Sea provides a unique system in which to investigate this hypothesis. To test for ecological divergence among sympatric Caribbean sponges and investigate whether these trends are mediated by microbial symbionts, we measured stable isotope (δ13C and δ15N) ratios and characterized the microbial community structure of sponge species at sites within four regions spanning a 1700 km latitudinal gradient. There was a low (median of 8.2 %) overlap in the isotopic niches of sympatric species; in addition, host identity accounted for over 75% of the dissimilarity in both δ13C and δ15N values and microbiome community structure among individual samples within a site. There was also a strong phylogenetic signal in both δ15N values and microbial community diversity across host phylogeny, as well as a correlation between microbial community structure and variation in δ13C and δ15N values across samples. Together, this evidence supports a hypothesis of strong evolutionary selection for ecological divergence across sponge lineages and suggests that this divergence is at least partially mediated by associations with microbial symbionts.
The potential role of the HCN1 ion channel and BDNF-mTOR signaling pathways and synaptic transmission in the alleviation of PTSD
Authors: Ni Lianghui , Xu Yanling , Dong Sixuan , Kong Yujia , Wang Hong , Lu Guohua , Wang Yanyu , Li Qi , Li Changjiang , Du Zhongde , Sun Hongwei , Sun Lin
Published: March 2020

The function of the hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated channel 1 (HCN1) and the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) may be involved in the pathogenesis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This study aims to explore the role of the HCN1 channel, BDNF, and mTOR in the actions of PTSD and to examine whether synaptic transmission or plasticity is involved in the regulation of this disease. In the present study, rats were exposed to the single prolonged stress and electric foot shock (SPS&S) procedure, which can induce PTSD-like behaviors in rats. ZD7288 was administered by intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injection to one experimental group to inhibit the function of the HCN1 ion channel while 8-Br-cAMP was administered to another group to activate the function of the HCN1 ion channel. A series of behavioral tests and biochemical assessments of certain proteins (HCN1, BDNF, and pmTOR) and synaptic ultrastructure in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and hippocampus (Hip) were then conducted. The SPS&S procedure induced apparent PTSD-like symptoms in rats. The administration of ZD7288 reduced the immobility time and escape latency time in the forced swim test (FST) and water maze test (WMT) with a decreased level of HCN1, upregulated BDNF-mTOR signaling pathways in the PFC and Hip, and synaptic ultrastructure changes in the PFC. In contrast, the administration of 8-Br-cAMP, which led to a higher level of HCN1 in PFC and Hip, resulted in a decreased number of entries to the open arms without significant change in total arm entries in the elevated plus maze test (EPMT) as well as a shorter center square distance and total distance in the open field test (OFT). Extended escape latency time was also observed in the WMT although there was no alteration of BDNF-mTOR signaling pathways and synaptic ultrastructure in the PFC and Hip. Overall, the inhibition of HCN1, which can alleviate PTSD-like behavior of rats by relieving depression and improving learning ability, may be related to the upregulated BDNF-mTOR signaling pathways and synaptic transmission.
Therapeutic ACPA inhibits NET formation: a potential therapy for neutrophil-mediated inflammatory diseases
Authors: Chirivi Renato G. S. , van Rosmalen Jos W. G. , van der Linden Maarten , Euler Maximilien , Schmets Gonny , Bogatkevich Galina , Kambas Konstantinos , Hahn Jonas , Braster Quinte , Soehnlein Oliver , Hoffmann Markus H. , Es Helmuth H. G. van , Raats Jos M. H.
Published: March 2020

Excessive release of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) is associated with disease severity and contributes to tissue injury, followed by severe organ damage. Pharmacological or genetic inhibition of NET release reduces pathology in multiple inflammatory disease models, indicating that NETs are potential therapeutic targets. Here, we demonstrate using a preclinical basket approach that our therapeutic anti-citrullinated protein antibody (tACPA) has broad therapeutic potential. Treatment with tACPA prevents disease symptoms in various mouse models with plausible NET-mediated pathology, including inflammatory arthritis (IA), pulmonary fibrosis, inflammatory bowel disease and sepsis. We show that citrulline residues in the N-termini of histones 2A and 4 are specific targets for therapeutic intervention, whereas antibodies against other N-terminal post-translational histone modifications have no therapeutic effects. Because citrullinated histones are generated during NET release, we investigated the ability of tACPA to inhibit NET formation. tACPA suppressed NET release from human neutrophils triggered with physiologically relevant human disease-related stimuli. Moreover, tACPA diminished NET release and potentially initiated NET uptake by macrophages in vivo, which was associated with reduced tissue damage in the joints of a chronic arthritis mouse model of IA. To our knowledge, we are the first to describe an antibody with NET-inhibiting properties and thereby propose tACPA as a drug candidate for NET-mediated inflammatory diseases, as it eliminates the noxious triggers that lead to continued inflammation and tissue damage in a multidimensional manner.
Titanium-based potassium-ion battery positive electrode with extraordinarily high redox potential
Authors: Fedotov Stanislav S. , Luchinin Nikita D. , Aksyonov Dmitry A. , Morozov Anatoly V. , Ryazantsev Sergey V. , Gaboardi Mattia , Plaisier Jasper R. , Stevenson Keith J. , Abakumov Artem M. , Antipov Evgeny V.
Published: March 2020

The rapid progress in mass-market applications of metal-ion batteries intensifies the development of economically feasible electrode materials based on earth-abundant elements. Here, we report on a record-breaking titanium-based positive electrode material, KTiPO4F, exhibiting a superior electrode potential of 3.6 V in a potassium-ion cell, which is extraordinarily high for titanium redox transitions. We hypothesize that such an unexpectedly major boost of the electrode potential benefits from the synergy of the cumulative inductive effect of two anions and charge/vacancy ordering. Carbon-coated electrode materials display no capacity fading when cycled at 5C rate for 100 cycles, which coupled with extremely low energy barriers for potassium-ion migration of 0.2 eV anticipates high-power applications. Our contribution shows that the titanium redox activity traditionally considered as “reducing” can be upshifted to near-4V electrode potentials thus providing a playground to design sustainable and cost-effective titanium-containing positive electrode materials with promising electrochemical characteristics.
Groundwater as a major source of dissolved organic matter to Arctic coastal waters
Authors: Connolly Craig T. , Cardenas M. Bayani , Burkart Greta A. , Spencer Robert G. M. , McClelland James W.
Published: March 2020

Groundwater is projected to become an increasing source of freshwater and nutrients to the Arctic Ocean as permafrost thaws, yet few studies have quantified groundwater inputs to Arctic coastal waters under contemporary conditions. New measurements along the Alaska Beaufort Sea coast show that dissolved organic carbon and nitrogen (DOC and DON) concentrations in supra-permafrost groundwater (SPGW) near the land-sea interface are up to two orders of magnitude higher than in rivers. This dissolved organic matter (DOM) is sourced from readily leachable organic matter in surface soils and deeper centuries-to millennia-old soils that extend into thawing permafrost. SPGW delivers approximately 400–2100 m3 of freshwater, 14–71 kg of DOC, and 1–4 kg of DON to the coastal ocean per km of shoreline per day during late summer. These substantial fluxes are expected to increase as massive stocks of frozen organic matter in permafrost are liberated in a warming Arctic.
Protein-polymer bioconjugates via a versatile oxygen tolerant photoinduced controlled radical polymerization approach
Authors: Theodorou Alexis , Liarou Evelina , Haddleton David M. , Stavrakaki Iren Georgia , Skordalidis Panagiotis , Whitfield Richard , Anastasaki Athina , Velonia Kelly
Published: March 2020

The immense application potential of amphiphilic protein-polymer conjugates remains largely unexplored, as established “grafting from” synthetic protocols involve time-consuming, harsh and disruptive deoxygenation methods, while “grafting to” approaches result in low yields. Here we report an oxygen tolerant, photoinduced CRP approach which readily affords quantitative yields of protein-polymer conjugates within 2 h, avoiding damage to the secondary structure of the protein and providing easily accessible means to produce biomacromolecular assemblies. Importantly, our methodology is compatible with multiple proteins (e.g. BSA, HSA, GOx, beta-galactosidase) and monomer classes including acrylates, methacrylates, styrenics and acrylamides. The polymerizations are conveniently conducted in plastic syringes and in the absence of any additives or external deoxygenation procedures using low-organic content media and ppm levels of copper. The robustness of the protocol is further exemplified by its implementation under UV, blue light or even sunlight irradiation as well as in buffer, nanopure, tap or even sea water.
Coral skeletons reveal the history of nitrogen cycling in the coastal Great Barrier Reef
Authors: Erler Dirk V. , Farid Hanieh Tohidi , Glaze Thomas D. , Carlson-Perret Natasha L. , Lough Janice M.
Published: March 2020

Anthropogenic nutrient discharge to coastal marine environments is commonly associated with excessive algal growth and ecosystem degradation. However in the world’s largest coral reef ecosystem, the Great Barrier Reef (GBR), the response to enhanced terrestrial nutrient inputs since European settlement in the 1850’s remains unclear. Here we use a 333 year old composite record (1680–2012) of 15N/14N in coral skeleton-bound organic matter to understand how nitrogen cycling in the coastal GBR has responded to increased anthropogenic nutrient inputs. Our major robust finding is that the coral record shows a long-term decline in skeletal 15N/14N towards the present. We argue that this decline is evidence for increased coastal nitrogen fixation rather than a direct reflection of anthropogenic nitrogen inputs. Reducing phosphorus discharge and availability would short-circuit the nitrogen fixation feedback loop and help avoid future acute and chronic eutrophication in the coastal GBR.
Degree and site of chromosomal instability define its oncogenic potential
Authors: Hoevenaar Wilma H. M. , Janssen Aniek , Quirindongo Ajit I. , Ma Huiying , Klaasen Sjoerd J. , Teixeira Antoinette , van Gerwen Bastiaan , Lansu Nico , Morsink Folkert H. M. , Offerhaus G. Johan A. , Medema René H. , Kops Geert J. P. L. , Jelluma Nannette
Published: March 2020

Most human cancers are aneuploid, due to a chromosomal instability (CIN) phenotype. Despite being hallmarks of cancer, however, the roles of CIN and aneuploidy in tumor formation have not unequivocally emerged from animal studies and are thus still unclear. Using a conditional mouse model for diverse degrees of CIN, we find that a particular range is sufficient to drive very early onset spontaneous adenoma formation in the intestine. In mice predisposed to intestinal cancer (ApcMin/+), moderate CIN causes a remarkable increase in adenoma burden in the entire intestinal tract and especially in the distal colon, which resembles human disease. Strikingly, a higher level of CIN promotes adenoma formation in the distal colon even more than moderate CIN does, but has no effect in the small intestine. Our results thus show that CIN can be potently oncogenic, but that certain levels of CIN can have contrasting effects in distinct tissues.
Lipid analogs reveal features critical for hemolysis and diminish granadaene mediated Group B Streptococcus infection
Authors: Armistead Blair , Herrero-Foncubierta Pilar , Coleman Michelle , Quach Phoenicia , Whidbey Christopher , Justicia Jose , Tapia Ruben , Casares Raquel , Millán Alba , Haidour Ali , Granger Javier Rodriguez , Vornhagen Jay , Santana-Ufret Verónica , Merillat Sean , Adams Waldorf Kristina , Cuerva Juan Manuel , Rajagopal Lakshmi
Published: March 2020

Although certain microbial lipids are toxins, the structural features important for cytotoxicity remain unknown. Increased functional understanding is essential for developing therapeutics against toxic microbial lipids. Group B Streptococci (GBS) are bacteria associated with preterm births, stillbirths, and severe infections in neonates and adults. GBS produce a pigmented, cytotoxic lipid, known as granadaene. Despite its importance to all manifestations of GBS disease, studies towards understanding granadaene’s toxic activity are hindered by its instability and insolubility in purified form. Here, we report the synthesis and screening of lipid derivatives inspired by granadaene, which reveal features central to toxin function, namely the polyene chain length. Furthermore, we show that vaccination with a non-toxic synthetic analog confers the production of antibodies that inhibit granadaene-mediated hemolysis ex vivo and diminish GBS infection in vivo. This work provides unique structural and functional insight into granadaene and a strategy to mitigate GBS infection, which will be relevant to other toxic lipids encoded by human pathogens.
Development of a new oral poliovirus vaccine for the eradication end game using codon deoptimization
Authors: Konopka-Anstadt Jennifer L. , Campagnoli Ray , Vincent Annelet , Shaw Jing , Wei Ling , Wynn Nhien T. , Smithee Shane E. , Bujaki Erika , Te Yeh Ming , Laassri Majid , Zagorodnyaya Tatiana , Weiner Amy J. , Chumakov Konstantin , Andino Raul , Macadam Andrew , Kew Olen , Burns Cara C.
Published: March 2020

Enormous progress has been made in global efforts to eradicate poliovirus, using live-attenuated Sabin oral poliovirus vaccine (OPV). However, as the incidence of disease due to wild poliovirus has declined, vaccine-derived poliovirus (VDPV) has emerged in areas of low-vaccine coverage. Coordinated global cessation of routine, type 2 Sabin OPV (OPV2) use has not resulted in fewer VDPV outbreaks, and continued OPV use in outbreak-response campaigns has seeded new emergences in low-coverage areas. The limitations of existing vaccines and current eradication challenges warranted development of more genetically stable OPV strains, most urgently for OPV2. Here, we report using codon deoptimization to further attenuate Sabin OPV2 by changing preferred codons across the capsid to non-preferred, synonymous codons. Additional modifications to the 5′ untranslated region stabilized known virulence determinants. Testing of this codon-deoptimized new OPV2 candidate (nOPV2-CD) in cell and animal models demonstrated that nOPV2-CD is highly attenuated, grows sufficiently for vaccine manufacture, is antigenically indistinguishable from Sabin OPV2, induces neutralizing antibodies as effectively as Sabin OPV2, and unlike Sabin OPV2 is genetically stable and maintains an attenuation phenotype. In-human clinical trials of nOPV2-CD are ongoing, with potential for nOPV strains to serve as critical vaccine tools for achieving and maintaining polio eradication.
Mechanisms of multiyear variations of Northern Australia wet-season rainfall
Authors: Sharmila S. , Hendon Harry H.
Published: March 2020

Northern Australia wet season (November–April) rainfall exhibits strong variability on multiyear timescales. In order to reveal the underlying mechanisms of this variability, we investigate observational records for the period 1900–2017. At multiyear timescales, the rainfall varies coherently across north-western Australia (NW) and north-eastern Australia (NE), but the variability in these two regions is largely independent. The variability in the NE appears to be primarily controlled by the remote influence of low frequency variations of El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO). In contrast, multiyear variations in the NW appear to be largely driven locally and stem from a combination of rainfall-wind-evaporation feedback, whereby enhanced land-based rainfall is associated with westerly wind anomalies to the west that enhance local evaporation over the ocean to feed the enhanced land based rainfall, and soil moisture-rainfall feedback. Soil-moisture and associated evapotranspiration over northern Australia appear to act as sources of memory for sustaining multiyear wet and dry conditions in the NW. Our results imply that predictability of multiyear rainfall variations over the NW may derive from the initial soil moisture state and its memory, while predictability in the NE will be limited by the predictability of the low frequency variations of ENSO.
The genetic legacy of extreme exploitation in a polar vertebrate
Authors: Paijmans Anneke J. , Stoffel Martin A. , Bester Marthán N. , Cleary Alison C. , De Bruyn P. J. Nico , Forcada Jaume , Goebel Michael E. , Goldsworthy Simon D. , Guinet Christophe , Lydersen Christian , Kovacs Kit M. , Lowther Andrew , Hoffman Joseph I.
Published: March 2020

Understanding the effects of human exploitation on the genetic composition of wild populations is important for predicting species persistence and adaptive potential. We therefore investigated the genetic legacy of large-scale commercial harvesting by reconstructing, on a global scale, the recent demographic history of the Antarctic fur seal (Arctocephalus gazella), a species that was hunted to the brink of extinction by 18thand 19thcentury sealers. Molecular genetic data from over 2,000 individuals sampled from all eight major breeding locations across the species’ circumpolar geographic distribution, show that at least four relict populations around Antarctica survived commercial hunting. Coalescent simulations suggest that all of these populations experienced severe bottlenecks down to effective population sizes of around 150–200. Nevertheless, comparably high levels of neutral genetic variability were retained as these declines are unlikely to have been strong enough to deplete allelic richness by more than around 15%. These findings suggest that even dramatic short-term declines need not necessarily result in major losses of diversity, and explain the apparent contradiction between the high genetic diversity of this species and its extreme exploitation history.
Human PZP and common marmoset A2ML1 as pregnancy related proteins
Authors: Kashiwagi Hirofumi , Ishimoto Hitoshi , Izumi Sun-ichiro , Seki Toshiro , Kinami Rihito , Otomo Asako , Takahashi Kazumi , Kametani Fuyuki , Hirayama Noriaki , Sasaki Erika , Shiina Takashi , Sakabe Kou , Mikami Mikio , Kametani Yoshie
Published: March 2020

While pregnancy-related proteins (PRP) are known to contribute to immunotolerance during pregnancy, their significance to development of invasive placenta is unclear. We compared PRP expression in humans and the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus), a new-world monkey. Invasive placenta was observed at the maternal-foetal interface of marmoset placenta from green fluorescent protein (GFP)-expressing foetus and wild type mother. The pregnancy zone protein (PZP) and alpha-2 macroglobulin-like 1 (A2ML1) proteins exhibited the most prominent increase in expression during the second trimester in humans and marmoset, respectively. In humans, PZP accumulated at the maternal-foetal interface and A2ML1 accumulated in the amnion. Similarly, A2ML1 mRNA was detected in marmoset placenta. These proteins belong to the A2M family of protease inhibitors, and both PZP and A2ML1 share around 90% homology between human and marmoset and have highly conserved structures. However, the protease-reacting bait regions of the proteins had lower homology (56.8–60.7% in proteins) relative to the rest of the sequence. Notably, the cleavage site of a proinflammatory proline-endopeptidase was preserved in human PZP and marmoset A2ML1. These proteins contain multiple sites that are cleaved by proteases involving proline-endopeptidase. Systemic regulation of these A2M family proteins may be important in animals with invasive placenta.
Quantum Search on Encrypted Data Based on Quantum Homomorphic Encryption
Authors: Zhou Qing , Lu Songfeng , Cui Yongquan , Li Li , Sun Jie
Published: March 2020

We propose a homomorphic search protocol based on quantum homomorphic encryption, in which a client Alice with limited quantum ability can give her encrypted data to a powerful but untrusted quantum server and let the server search for her without decryption. By outsourcing the interactive key-update process to a trusted key center, Alice only needs to prepare and encrypt her original data and to decrypt the ciphered search result in linear time. Besides, we also present a compact and perfectly secure quantum homomorphic evaluation protocol for Clifford circuits, where the decryption key can be calculated by Alice with polynomial overhead with respect to the key length.
First trimester PAPP-A serum levels and long-term metabolic outcome of mothers and their offspring
Authors: Fruscalzo Arrigo , Cividino Adriana , Rossetti Emma , Maurigh Alessia , Londero Ambrogio P. , Driul Lorenza
Published: March 2020

Low maternal serum levels of pregnancy associated plasma protein A (PAPP-A) are known to be associated with the development of pregnancy-related complications like small for gestational age infants, intrauterine fetal demise, gestational diabetes and preeclampsia. The study aims to find possible long-term correlations with the development of metabolic and cardiovascular complications in the mothers and their progeny in later life. This is a retrospective cohort study conducted on consecutive unselected women screened for chromosomal anomalies in the first trimester of pregnancy between 2004 and 2010. PAPP-A values as well as clinical data collected at childbirth were considered. A maternal and neonatal follow-up was performed through a telephone interview with the mother during 2015. The body-mass-index and the presence of cardiovascular diseases, dyslipidaemia and diabetes mellitus were evaluated. The analysis included 988 patients. The median time of follow-up was 7 years (IQR 6–9). Lower first trimester maternal blood PAPP-A quartiles were associated with small stature of the offspring (z-score 1st-2nd quartile 0.37 IQR −0.42 and 1.17 vs 3rd-4th quartile 0.67 IQR −0.17 and 1.36, p < 0.05). Furthermore, low first trimester PAPP-A in pregnancy without other gestations following the index one, in Kaplan-Meier analysis was associated to a significant increase of hypoglycemic agents use at 7 and 10 years (respectively 1.12% CI.95 0–2.38% and 5.45% CI.95 0–10.82%) compared to the control group of high first trimester PAPP-A values (0% CI.95 0–0%) (p < 0.05). Low PAPP-A serum levels in the first trimester of pregnancy are associated with short stature in offspring and de-novo development of maternal diabetes mellitus in later life.
Relationship between self-reported and objectively measured manual ability varies during the first year post-stroke
Authors: Hussain Netha , Alt Murphy Margit , Lundgren-Nilsson Åsa , Sunnerhagen Katharina S.
Published: March 2020

Self-reported outcomes provide unique insights about an individual’s perceived manual ability after stroke. This study aimed at determining how the relationship between objective kinematic variables obtained from the target-to-target pointing task and self-reported manual ability varies during the first year in individuals after stroke. Sixty-six individuals from the Stroke Arm Longitudinal study at the University of Gothenburg (SALGOT) cohort were assessed using ABILHAND questionnaire and kinematic analysis at five timepoints between the 10thday and 12thmonth after stroke. Kinematic analysis was performed using a target-to-target pointing task in a virtual environment. Spearman’s correlation was used to determine the extent of correlation between ABILHAND logits and kinematic variables. The correlations varied with time within the first year after stroke. The correlations were low or very low early after stroke and became moderate to high after 6 months for objective measures of movement time and smoothness, but remained low to moderate for mean velocity and low for peak velocity. Due to this discrepancy between self-perceived and objective assessments of arm function, a combination of self-reported and objective assessments of upper limb should be used as outcome measures, especially in the acute and subacute stages after stroke.