bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
RETRACTED: Melatonin attenuates TNF‐α‐mediated hepatocytes damage via inhibiting mitochondrial stress and activating the Akt‐Sirt3 signaling pathway
Authors: Song Jie , Lu Chang , Zhao Wei , Shao Xue
Published: April 2019

The role of mitochondrial dysfunction and its molecular mechanism in inflammation‐induced acute liver failure (ALF) remain unknown. Despite the numerous studies performed to date, very few therapies are available for inflammation‐induced ALF. Therefore, our study is aimed to explore the regulatory effects of mitochondrial stress and the Akt‐Sirt3 pathway on the development of TNF‐α‐induced hepatocyte death and assess the therapeutic effects of melatonin on the damaged liver. Our results exhibited that TNF‐α treatment induced hepatocyte damage in vitro; the effect of which was dose‐dependently inhibited by melatonin. At the molecular level, TNF‐α‐treated hepatocytes expressed lower levels of Sirt3 and subsequently exhibited mitochondrial stress. Interestingly, melatonin treatment improved mitochondrial bioenergetics, reduced mitochondrial oxidative stress, reversed mitochondrial dynamics, and repressed mitochondrial apoptosis by reversing the decrease in Sirt3 expression after TNF‐α challenge. In addition, we found that melatonin‐regulated Sirt3 expression in a manner dependent on the Akt pathway. Blockade of the Akt pathway abolished the protective exerted by melatonin on mitochondria and hepatocyte under TNF‐α treatment. In conclusion, TNF‐α promotes hepatocyte apoptosis by inducing mitochondrial stress. However, melatonin significantly increases the activity of the Akt/Sirt3 axis and consequently maintains mitochondrial homeostasis, restoring hepatocyte viability in an inflammatory environment. Thus, the information compiled here might provide important perspectives for the use of melatonin in the clinic for preventive and therapeutic applications in patients with ALF based on its anti‐inflammatory and mitochondria‐protective effects.
Synthesis of Dihydropyridine Derivatives under Eco‐friendly Approach and Investigation of Cytotoxic Activity
Authors: Krishna Kumari Avula , Hanuman Reddy Vemulapati , Mallikarjuna Reddy Guda , Rami Reddy Yellala Venkata , Leelavathi Suddala
Published: April 2019

In an effort for development of innovative biologically active agents, a sequence of 1,4‐dihydropyridine analogues was synthesized through the green synthetic method. In addition, all compounds were evaluated for their cytotoxic activities against three human cancer cell lines and mouse melanoma and figured out the most active compounds. Besides, promoter reusability, easy handling of the chemical reagent, simple reaction process, time minimization, ethanol–water solvent compatibility, and cost reduction reagent are key tools for this fruitful path. Thus, these examinations recommended that dihydropyridine and their derivatives are motivating moieties for the discovery of new anticancer drugs.
Triacylglycerol Production in the Snow Algae Chlamydomonas nivalis under Different Nutrient Conditions
Authors: Liu Yu‐chi , Nakamura Yuki
Published: April 2019

Eukaryotic microalgae have been known for high competency in the accumulation of triacylglycerol (TAG), a representative class of storage lipid. The snow algal species, Chlamydomonas nivalis, is a unique green eukaryotic microalga that can grow and survive in a wide range of temperatures. Although a few metabolomic studies of C. nivalis were conducted, no study has reported on TAG accumulation in C. nivalis. Herein, the present work aimed to investigate TAG production in C. nivalis under nutrient‐starved conditions at 22 °C. Compared to phosphorus starvation, C. nivalis under nitrogen starvation showed a less severe growth defect, greater capacity for TAG production, and simple acyl composition in TAG enriched with 18:1. These features suggest that C. nivalis may be a significant model species to investigate glycerolipid metabolism for basic and applied research.
Identification of Suitable Reference Genes for Quantitative Gene Expression Analysis in Innervated and Denervated Adipose Tissue from Cafeteria Diet‐Fed Rats
Authors: Marques‐Oliveira Gleuber Henrique , Silva Thaís Marques , Valadares Helder Magno Silva , Raposo Helena Fonseca , Carolino Ruither de Oliveira Gomes , Garófalo Maria Antonieta Rissato , Anselmo‐Franci Janete Aparecida , do Carmo Kettelhut Isis , de Oliveira Helena Coutinho Franco , Chaves Valéria Ernestânia
Published: April 2019

Our previous studies show that cafeteria diet increases body adiposity, plasma insulin levels, and sympathetic activity to brown adipose tissue (BAT) and white adipose tissue (WAT) of Wistar rats, leading to rapid and progressive changes in the metabolic profile. The identification of suitable reference genes that are not affected by the experimental conditions is a critical step in accurate normalization of the reverse transcription quantitative real‐time PCR (qRT‐PCR), a commonly used assay to elucidate changes in the gene expression profile. In the present study, the effects of the cafeteria diet and sympathetic innervation on the gene expression of adrenoceptor beta 3 (Adrb3) from BAT and WAT were assessed using one of the most stable and one of the least stable genes as normalizers. Rats were fed the cafeteria diet and on the 17th day, interscapular BAT or retroperitoneal WAT was denervated and, 7 days after surgery, the contralateral innervated tissue was used as control. Ten reference genes were evaluated (18S, B2m, Actb, CypA, Gapdh, Hprt1, Rpl32, Tbp, Ubc, and Ywhaz) and ranked according to their stability using the following algorithms: geNorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper, and comparative delta threshold cycle (ΔC
t) method. According to the algorithms employed, the normalization of Adrb3 expression by the least stable genes produced opposite results compared with the most stable genes and literature data. In cafeteria and control diet‐fed rats, the three most stable genes were Hprt1, Tbp, and Rpl32 for interscapular BAT and Tbp, B2m, and Hprt1 for retroperitoneal WAT, while the least stable genes were 18S, Actb, and Gapdh for both tissues.
The dynamic ocean acidification manipulation experimental system: Separating carbonate variables and simulating natural variability in laboratory flow‐through experiments
Authors: Gimenez Iria , Waldbusser George G. , Langdon Chris J. , Hales Burke R.
Published: April 2019

Carbonate chemistry variables such as PCO2, pH, and mineral saturation state (Ω) are commonly thought of as covarying in open‐ocean settings but have decoupled over geologic time‐scales and among modern dynamic coastal margins and estuaries. Predicting responses of vulnerable coastal organisms to past, present, and future ocean acidification (OA) scenarios requires the empirical identification of organismal sensitivity thresholds to individual carbonate chemistry parameters. Conversely, most OA experiments involve chemistry manipulations that result in covariance of carbonate system variables. We developed the Dynamic Ocean Acidification Manipulation Experimental System (DOAMES)—a feed‐forward, flow‐through carbonate chemistry control system capable of decoupling PCO2, pH, or Ω by independently manipulating total alkalinity (TAlk) and total inorganic carbon (TCO2). DOAMES proof‐of‐concept can manipulate source seawater with stable or variable carbonate chemistry and produce experimental treatments with constant and dynamic carbonate chemistry regimes. The combination of dynamic input and output allows for offset treatments that impose a ΔPCO2 on naturally variable conditions. After overcoming several operational challenges, DOAMES is capable of simultaneously generating three different experimental treatments within 1% ± 1% of TCO2 and TAlk targets. The achieved precision and accuracy resulted in the successful decoupling of pH and ΩAr in five trials. We tested the viability of sensitive bivalve embryos raised in DOAMES‐manipulated seawater and found no difference in development when compared to the control, demonstrating DOAMES suitability for organismal studies. DOAMES provides a novel tool to evaluate organismal effects of exposure to decoupled carbonate system variables and to past, current, and future carbonate chemistry scenarios.
Persistent genital arousal disorder: Treatment by neurolysis of dorsal branch of pudendal nerve
Authors: Klifto Kevin , Dellon A. Lee
Published: April 2019

Background

Persistent genital arousal disorder (PGAD) is a woman's perception that she is in a state of sexual arousal, without the ability of arousal to be satisfied by orgasm. It is the hypothesis of this study that PGAD results from a minimal degree of nerve compression of the dorsal branch of the pudendal nerve. If this is true, PGAD could be treated by neurolysis of the dorsal branch of the pudendal nerve.

Methods

A retrospective chart review from 2010 through 2018, of those women having neurolysis of the dorsal branch of the pudendal nerve for PGAD. The main outcome measures were the pre‐operative and post‐operative changes in clitoral symptoms (arousal, numbness, pain).

Results

Eight women included in this study were followed more than 26 weeks since surgery (mean = 65, range = 26–144 weeks). Seven of these women had the surgery bilaterally, and each of these had an excellent result, meaning elimination of the arousal symptoms, and the ability to resume normal sexual intercourse. The patient with unilateral decompression of the dorsal branch of the pudendal nerve was the only patient who had some, versus complete improvement in arousal symptoms. Of the seven women that had pain, six had complete relief and one had partial relief. No major surgical complications were observed.

Conclusion

The relief of arousal symptoms by neurolysis of the dorsal nerve to the clitoris supports the hypothesis that PGAD is due to a minimal degree of compression of the dorsal branch of the pudendal nerve.
Spread‐spectrum magnetic resonance imaging
Authors: Scheffler Klaus , Loktyushin Alexander , Bause Jonas , Aghaeifar Ali , Steffen Theodor , Schölkopf Bernhard
Published: April 2019

Purpose

A novel method for the acceleration of MRI acquisition is proposed that relies on the local modulation of magnetic fields. These local modulations provide additional spatial information for image reconstruction that is used to accelerate image acquisition.

Methods

In experiments and simulations, eight local coils connected to current amplifiers were used for rapid local magnetic field variation. Acquired and simulated data were reconstructed to quantify reconstruction errors as a function of the acceleration factor and applied modulation frequency and strength.

Results

Experimental results demonstrate a possible acceleration factor of 2 to 4. Simulations demonstrate the challenges and limits of this method in terms of required magnetic field modulation strengths and frequencies. A normalized mean squared error of below 10% can be achieved for acceleration factors of up to 8 using modulation field strengths comparable to the readout gradient strength at modulation frequencies in the range of 5 to 20 kHz.

Conclusion

Spread‐spectrum MRI represents a new approach to accelerate image acquisition, and it can be independently combined with traditional parallel imaging techniques based on local receive coil sensitivities.
Advancements in magnetic resonance imaging‐based biomarkers for muscular dystrophy
Authors: Leung Doris G.
Published: April 2019

Recent years have seen steady progress in the identification of genetic muscle diseases as well as efforts to develop treatment for these diseases. Consequently, sensitive and objective new methods are required to identify and monitor muscle pathology. Magnetic resonance imaging offers multiple potential biomarkers of disease severity in the muscular dystrophies. This Review uses a pathology‐based approach to examine the ways in which MRI and spectroscopy have been used to study muscular dystrophies. Methods that have been used to quantitate intramuscular fat, edema, fiber orientation, metabolism, fibrosis, and vascular perfusion are examined, and this Review describes how MRI can help diagnose these conditions and improve upon existing muscle biomarkers by detecting small increments of disease‐related change. Important challenges in the implementation of imaging biomarkers, such as standardization of protocols and validating imaging measurements with respect to clinical outcomes, are also described.
EMG biofeedback or parasacral transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation in children with lower urinary tract dysfunction: A prospective and randomized trial
Authors: dos Reis Joceara Neves , Mello Marcos Figueiredo , Cabral Beatriz Helena , Mello Luiz Figueiredo , Saiovici Samuel , Rocha Flavio Eduardo Trigo
Published: April 2019

Aims

Evaluate the efficacy of biofeedback and parassacral electric nerve stimulation (TENS) for the treatment of children with lower urinary tract (LUT) dysfunction.

Methods

A prospective, randomized study was approved by our Hospital Ethics Committee. We enrolled 64 children, 43 girls and 21 boys, average age of 9.39 years. The initial evaluation consisted of history, physical examination, urine analyses, voiding diary, uroflow, and ultrasound. Dysfunction voiding symptom score (DVSS) questionnaires were applied pre‐ and post‐treatment. The children were divided into two treatment groups independent of the predominant type of voiding dysfunction (dysfunctional or overactive bladder): biofeedback group and TENS group. The criteria for assessing the effectiveness of the techniques was the resolution of daytime and nighttime symptoms including urinary leakage, improvements in voiding diary, DVSS, and changes in uroflow. After 6 months, the children were reassessed with the same work‐up of baseline.

Results

Regarding daytime symptoms, results for complete response were similar between the two groups (P = 0.483); 54.9% of children treated by the biofeedback group and 60.6% in the TENS group. The same have been observed in the nighttime incontinence with complete resolutions in 29.6% and 25%, respectively (
P = 0.461). Analyzing the voiding diary, uroflow and DVSS questionnaires both groups had significant improvement (
P = 0.001) after treatment. The biofeedback group required fewer sessions than TENS group, 10.9 and 18.1, respectively (
P < 0,001).

Conclusions

Both biofeedback and the TENS are equally effective for treating non‐neurogenic voiding dysfunction. Biofeedback seems to require a lower number of sessions to obtain similar results of the TENS.
Evidence of Optically Stimulated Luminescence in Lu3Al5O12:Ce
Authors: Gallo Salvatore , Veronese Ivan , Vedda Anna , Fasoli Mauro
Published: April 2019

Lutetium aluminum garnet, commonly known as LuAG, is a versatile material finding numerous optical applications, and whose scintillation properties have been widely investigated. In this study, experimental evidences of optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) phenomena occurring in LuAG:Ce crystals are shown. After demonstrating the possibility to optically bleach an electron trap responsible for a thermally stimulated luminescence (TSL) peak at 280 °C (heating rate 1.7 °C s−1) using red light, a direct measurement of the OSL decay curve and of the resulting characteristic Ce3+5d‐4f emission spectrum is carried out. The assessment of the bleaching spectrum of the TSL peak at 280 °C reveals that light with wavelength in the 600–650 nm interval is the most efficient in depleting the TSL peak, making He‐Ne lasers suitable sources of optical stimulation. The finding of OSL features in LuAG:Ce paves the way to new application perspectives. In particular, the achievement of a good balance between scintillation and energy storage properties of LuAG.Ce can drive a constructive integration between X‐rays imaging approaches based on photo‐stimulable phosphors and those exploiting scintillating materials.
Impact of Hydrogen‐Rich Silicon Nitride Material Properties on Light‐Induced Lifetime Degradation in Multicrystalline Silicon
Authors: Bredemeier Dennis , Walter Dominic C. , Heller René , Schmidt Jan
Published: April 2019

The root cause of “Light and Elevated Temperature Induced Degradation” (LeTID) of the carrier lifetime in multicrystalline silicon (mc‐Si) wafers is investigated by depositing hydrogen‐rich silicon nitride (SiNx:H) films of different compositions on boron‐doped mc‐Si wafers. The extent of LeTID observed in mc‐Si after rapid thermal annealing (RTA) shows a positive correlation with the amount of hydrogen introduced from the SiNx:H layers into the bulk. The concentration of in‐diffused hydrogen is quantified via measuring the resistivity change due to the formation of boron–hydrogen pairs in boron‐doped float‐zone silicon wafers processed in parallel to the mc‐Si wafers. The measurements clearly show that the in‐diffusion of hydrogen into the silicon bulk during RTA depends on both the atomic density of the SiNx:H film as well as the film thickness. Importantly, the impact of SiNx:H film properties on LeTID shows the same qualitative dependence as the hydrogen content in the silicon bulk, providing evidence that hydrogen is involved in the LeTID defect activation process.
Simulation and experimental verification of a drop test and compression test of a gable top package
Authors: Nygårds Mikael , Sjökvist Stefan , Marin Gustav , Sundström Jonas
Published: April 2019

A finite element framework has been proposed that can be used to simulate both empty paperboard packages and package filled with plastic granulates. A gable top package was made of a commercial paperboard, and material properties needed in the material model were determined. Two simulations were performed, a drop test and a compression test. By comparison between experimental and numerical results, the deformation mechanisms at impact could be identified and correlated to material properties. When the package was filled with granulates, different mechanisms was activated compared with an empty package. The granulates contribute to bulging of the panels, such that the edges became more load bearing compared with the panels. When the edges carried the loads, the importance of the out‐of‐plane properties also increased, and local failure initiation related to delamination was observed. Comparison between experimental and numerical impact forces shows that there are still important things to consider in the model generation, eg, variation of properties within the package, which originate both from material property variations, and the loading history, eg, during manufacturing and handling.
An improved mutual authentication protocol based on perfect forward secrecy for satellite communications
Authors: Xu Shuishuai , Liu Xindong , Ma Mimi , Chen Jianhua
Published: April 2019

As the mobile network progresses fast, mobile communications have a far‐reaching influence in our daily life. In order to guarantee the communication security, a myriad of experts introduced many authentication protocols. Recently, Qi et al presented an enhanced authentication with key agreement protocol for satellite communications, and they proclaimed that their protocol could defend various attacks and support varied security requirements. Regrettably, in this paper, we prove that their protocol was fruitless in resisting smart card stolen or loss attack, supporting perfect forward secrecy and had a fundamental error. To solve these problems, we present an improved protocol based on perfect forward secrecy. In addition, the analysis of our improved protocol suggests that it gets possession of faultless security properties and overcomes the flaws in the protocol of Qi et al perfectly. Thus, our improved protocol can be appropriated for the mobile communications.
Thermally‐Induced Reactions of Aromatic Crystalline Nitroso Compounds
Authors: Varga Katarina , Lešić Nikolina , Bogović Barbara , Pisačić Mateja , Panić Barbara , Biljan Ivana , Novak Igor , Vančik Hrvoj
Published: April 2019

Three types of organic solid‐state reactions, dimerizations, dissociations, and Z‐E isomerizations were investigated by using the transformations of aromatic C‐nitroso compounds in crystalline solids as a convenient molecular model. Here we propose a conceptual frame for solid‐state organic reaction mechanisms by examining activation parameters obtained from kinetic measurements under specific experimental conditions. The possibility of the appearance of a sort of short‐lived intermediate liquid phase that constitutes a critical condition for initiating chemical reaction in crystalline solids, similarly to the mechanism for the thermal solid‐state reactions proposed by Paul and Curtin is discussed. The analogy of the proposed concept with the recent hypothesis about the variable rigidity/softness of the reaction cavity in the enzyme reactions, and with the newest molecular dynamic simulation studies of solid phase transformations was considered.
Inference on variance components near boundary in linear mixed effect models
Authors: Sakamoto Wataru
Published: April 2019

In making inference on variance components in linear mixed effect models, variance component parameters may be located on some boundary of a constrained parameter space, and hence usual asymptotic theory on parameter estimation, test statistics, and information criteria may not hold. We illustrate such boundary issues on variance components, and introduce some methodologies and properties along with literature. The maximum likelihood estimator of the variance parameter vector near some boundary distributes asymptotically as a projection of a normal random vector onto the boundary. The null distribution of the likelihood ratio test statistic is complicated, and hence it has been studied both from asymptotic and numerical aspects. Moreover, a boundary issue in model selection using information criteria is also essential and is closely related to that on the likelihood ratio test. We also describe a boundary issue on testing for linearity of a regression function using the relationship between linear mixed effect models and penalized spline models.

This article is categorized under:

Statistical and Graphical Methods of Data Analysis > Data Reduction, Smoothing, and Filtering

Statistical Models > Model Selection

Statistical and Graphical Methods of Data Analysis > Bootstrap and Resampling
Advances that facilitate the study of large RNA structure and dynamics by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy
Authors: Zhang Huaqun , Keane Sarah C.
Published: April 2019

The characterization of functional yet nonprotein coding (nc) RNAs has expanded the role of RNA in the cell from a passive player in the central dogma of molecular biology to an active regulator of gene expression. The misregulation of ncRNA function has been linked with a variety of diseases and disorders ranging from cancers to neurodegeneration. However, a detailed molecular understanding of how ncRNAs function has been limited; due, in part, to the difficulties associated with obtaining high‐resolution structures of large RNAs. Tertiary structure determination of RNA as a whole is hampered by various technical challenges, all of which are exacerbated as the size of the RNA increases. Namely, RNAs tend to be highly flexible and dynamic molecules, which are difficult to crystallize. Biomolecular nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy offers a viable alternative to determining the structure of large RNA molecules that do not readily crystallize, but is itself hindered by some technical limitations. Recently, a series of advancements have allowed the biomolecular NMR field to overcome, at least in part, some of these limitations. These advances include improvements in sample preparation strategies as well as methodological improvements. Together, these innovations pave the way for the study of ever larger RNA molecules that have important biological function.

This article is categorized under:

RNA Structure and Dynamics > RNA Structure, Dynamics, and Chemistry

Regulatory RNAs/RNAi/Riboswitches > Regulatory RNAs

RNA Structure and Dynamics > Influence of RNA Structure in Biological Systems
What Every Therapist Needs to Know About Couple Therapy
Authors: Halford W. Kim , Pepping Christopher A.
Published: April 2019

This invited paper is a review of the significance of couple relationships to the practice of all therapists. The article begins with a summary of the evidence on the centrality of committed couple relationships to the lives and wellbeing of adults, and the association of the quality of the parents’ couple relationship on the wellbeing of children. We argue that the well-established reciprocal association between individual problems and couple relationship problems means that all therapists need to pay attention to how a couple relationship might be influencing a client's functioning, even if the relationship is not the presenting problem. There is an outline the evolution of current approaches to behavioural couple therapy, and the current state of the art and science of couple therapy. We present an analysis of the evidence for couple therapy as a treatment for relationship distress, as well as couple-based treatments for individual problems. This is followed by a description of the distinctive challenges in working with couples and how to address those challenges, and recommendations about how to address the needs of diverse couple relationships. Finally, we propose some core therapist competencies needed to work effectively with couples.
When Experimental Was Mainstream: The Rise and Fall of Experimental Colleges, 1957–1979
Authors: Higginson Reid Pitney
Published: April 2019

Throughout the late 1950s and 1960s, dozens of experimental colleges were founded across the United States. While these institutions are usually remembered as either a fringe movement of the 1960s or a niche for nonconformist students, this essay argues that their genesis was markedly mainstream. Drawing from popular trends, higher education leaders in the late 1950s designed the institutions to be the most efficient means of educating a rapidly growing population into an open-minded, liberally educated citizenry. Despite initial growth, by the end of the 1960s, rifts emerged between students and experimental college leaders. These conflicts, combined with a broader loss of material and ideological support, led the movement to lose its legitimacy as a mainstream reform. By highlighting the history of experimental colleges, this essay prompts a reconsideration of this movement's importance and its connections to larger trends in undergraduate and general education in the mid-twentieth century.
High-peak-power temporally shaped nanosecond fiber laser immune to SPM-induced spectral broadening
Authors: Su Rongtao , Ma Pengfei , Zhou Pu , Chen Zilun , Wang Xiaolin , Ma Yanxing , Wu Jian , Xu Xiaojun
Published: April 2019

High-peak-power transform-limited narrow-linewidth nanosecond all-fiber lasers are desired in a range of applications. However, their linewidths will be broadened by self-phase modulation (SPM). We propose a novel concept that generates transform-limited laser pulses by temporally shaping the pulse seed. The impact of the pulse shape on SPM-induced spectral broadening was studied numerically and experimentally. It was found theoretically that the square-shape pulsed laser is immune to SPM-induced spectral broadening. Based on this principle, we built a high-peak-power, linearly polarized, square-shape nanosecond all-fiber laser in a master oscillator power amplifier (MOPA) configuration. Stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) limited peak powers of 4.02 kW, 5.06 kW, 6.52 kW and 9.30 kW were obtained at pulse widths of 8 ns, 7 ns, 6 ns and 5 ns. Thanks to the square-shape pulsed seed, the linewidths at maximum peak power remained at 129.5 MHz, 137.6 MHz, 156.2 MHz and 200.1 MHz, respectively, close to the transform-limited values of 110.8 MHz, 126.6 MHz, 147.7 MHz and 177.3 MHz.
Transnational Legal Process and Discourse in Environmental Governance: The Case of REDD+ in Tanzania
Authors: Jodoin Sébastien
Published: April 2019

Governments in developing countries have adopted policies, laws, and programs to reduce carbon emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+), with the funding and rules provided by global institutions and transnational actors. The transnational legal process for REDD+, entailing the construction and diffusion of legal norms that govern the pursuit of REDD+, has been driven by discursive struggles over the purposes and requirements of REDD+. At the global level, the development of legal norms for REDD+ has been primarily influenced by coalitions committed to the discourses of ecological modernization, civic environmentalism, and to a lesser extent, climate justice. Through discourse analysis of the transnational legal process for REDD+ in Tanzania, I show how domestic efforts to operationalize REDD+ have been dominated by a government coalition that has emphasized green governmentality, made few concessions to the discourse of civic environmentalism, and completely neglected the climate justice claims of Indigenous Peoples. This case study reveals how discourse analysis may enhance the study of transnational legal phenomena by drawing attention to the complex interplay of global and domestic discourses and its role in shaping legal norms and reinforcing or challenging structures of power and knowledge within and across legal systems.
Mandarin–English speaking bilingual and Mandarin speaking monolingual children’s comprehension of relative clauses
Authors: Tsoi Elaine Yee Ling , Yang Wenchun , Chan Angel , Kidd Evan
Published: April 2019

The current study investigated the comprehension of subject and object relative clauses (RCs) in bilingual Mandarin–English children (N= 55,Mage= 7 years, 5 months [7;5],SD= 1;8) and language-matched monolingual Mandarin-speaking children (N= 59,Mage= 5;4,SD= 0;7). The children completed a picture-referent selection task that tested their comprehension of subject and object RCs, and standardized assessments of vocabulary knowledge. Results showed a very similar pattern of responding in both groups. In comparison to past studies of Cantonese, the bilingual and monolingual children both showed a significant subject-over-object RC advantage. An error analysis suggested that the children’s difficulty with object RCs reflected the tendency to interpret the sentential subject as the head noun. A subsequent corpus analysis suggested that children’s difficulty with object RCs may be in part due to distributional information favoring subject RC analyses. Individual differences analyses suggested crosslinguistic transfer from English to Mandarin in the bilingual children at the individual but not the group level, with the results indicating that comparative English dominance makes children vulnerable to error.
Distance-based Global Descriptors for Multi-view Object Recognition
Authors: Kannappan Prasanna , Tanner Herbert G.
Published: April 2019

The paper reports on a new multi-view algorithm that combines information from multiple images of a single target object, captured at different distances, to determine the identity of an object. Due to the use of global feature descriptors, the method does not involve image segmentation. The performance of the algorithm has been evaluated on a binary classification problem for a data set consisting of a series of underwater images.
Reading Asser in early medieval Wales: the evidence of Armes Prydein Vawr
Authors: Thomas Rebecca , Callander David
Published: April 2019

This article examines the connections between Asser's Life of King Alfred and the tenthcentury Welsh poem Armes Prydein Vawr. It studies the use of the place-name Santwic ‘Sandwich’ in Armes Prydein, and presents evidence that this form derives from a written source. An investigation of the sources containing this place-name before the late tenth century raises the distinct possibility that Asser's Life was the source drawn upon by the Welsh poet. Examination of the context in which Sandwich occurs in Asser and Armes Prydein highlights striking similarities in usage, strengthening the argument for a connection between the two texts. Further correspondences between these works are noted before discussing the potential implications of this new finding for our understanding of Asser (and his reception) and Armes Prydein more generally.
Vraisemblance référentielle, nécessité narrative, poétique de la vue
Authors: Calame Claude
Published: April 2019

En Grèce classique, les premières formes d’historiographies dépendent d’une volonté mémorielle: garder en mémoire et publier les actions des hommes, dans le passé récent. Mais ces formes visent aussi à donner un sens à ces actions: ordre de la justice humaine et territoriale chez Hérodote; anthropologie de la domination chez Thucydide. Dans ce « façonnement » discursif de l’histoire, la rhétorique de la vue joue un rôle essentiel. Occasion de s’interroger sur les modes d’une « fiction » qui, au sens étymologique du terme, « fabrique » et par conséquent « fictionnalise » le factuel; occasion d’envisager le rôle du vraisemblable dans des constructions narratives partagées entre cohérence interne et réfé-rence externe. De là l’oxymore de « fiction référentielle ».
Immunological Methods for the Detection of Binders in Ancient Tibetan Murals
Authors: Wu Meng , Zou Xinhui , Zhang Bingjian , Zhao Fan , Xie Zhenbin
Published: April 2019

Tibetan mural samples from the Jiazhaer mountain cave were studied using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) and immunofluorescence microscopy (IFM). Samples containing protein binders were first identified using ELISA, and then IFM was used to determine the location of protein binders. Using these methods, we discovered gelatin and casein in samples from wall murals, distributed in both red and black pigments. We excluded the possibility of contamination by conducting further experiments where simulated samples were spiked with milk. We conclude that both gelatin and casein were used as binders in the pigments of the Tibetan Buddhist murals in the Jiazhaer (Transliteration from Tibetan) mountain cave. This is the first evidence of casein being used as a binder in Chinese mural pigments.
Ethical Considerations in Multiple Pregnancy: Preterm Delivery in the Setting of Discordant Fetal Anomaly
Authors: Phillips Thérèse , Moore Bryanna , Posma Elske , Gillam Lynn , Cuzzilla Rocco , Cole Stephen
Published: April 2019

Planning for the preterm birth of a fetus with known anomalies can raise complex ethical issues. This is particularly true of multiple pregnancies, where the interests of each fetus and of the expectant parent(s) can conflict. In these complex situations, parental wishes and values can also conflict with the recommendations of treating clinicians. In this article, we consider the case of a dichorionic twin pregnancy complicated by the diagnosis of vein of Galen aneurysmal malformation (VGAM) in one of the twins at 28 weeks’ gestation. Subsequent deterioration of the affected twin prompted the parents to request preterm delivery to prevent the imminent in-utero demise of the affected twin. However, given the associated risks of prematurity, complying with the parents’ request may have disadvantaged the health and wellbeing of the unaffected twin. This article canvases the complex ethical issues raised when parents request preterm delivery of a multiple pregnancy complicated by a fetal anomaly in one twin, and the various ethical tools and frameworks that clinicians can draw on to guide their decision-making in such cases.
Conductivity Distribution Beneath the San Pedro‐Linzor Volcanic Chain, North Chile, Using 3‐D Magnetotelluric Modeling
Authors: Mancini Renzo , Díaz Daniel , Brasse Heinrich , Godoy Benigno , Hernández María José
Published: April 2019

A magnetotelluric study was carried out in the San Pedro‐Linzor volcanic chain, North Chile, to identify possible magmatic structures and hydrothermal systems associated with volcanoes of Holocene activity, considering previous petrochemical studies pointing to crystallization depths of approximately 8 km. Three‐dimensional resistivity models based on magnetotellurics data of the San Pedro‐Linzor volcanic chain were obtained based on broadband data measured in 2017 and 2018, in addition to long‐period data measured in 1990s. The three‐dimensional modeling shows two low‐resistivity zones (less than 10 Ωm) interpreted as partially molten areas below the Chao Dome and the Paniri volcano, and a shallower low resistivity area (less than 5 Ωm) in the Turi Basin, an active hydrothermal system to the southwest of the volcanic chain.
Source Characteristics of the 2017Ms7.0 Jiuzhaigou, China, Earthquake and Implications for Recent Seismicity in Eastern Tibet
Authors: Liu Gang , Xiong Wei , Wang Qi , Qiao Xuejun , Ding Kaihua , Li Xingxing , Yang ShaoMin
Published: April 2019

On 8 August 2017, a strong earthquake occurred on an unmapped extension of the Huya fault, Sichuan, China, causing severe damage to local communities. This event highlights the northward migration of major earthquakes along a single strike‐slip fault. We analyze the source characteristics with Global Positioning System (GPS)/ Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar static displacements and high‐rate GPS/teleseismic dynamic motions. Our analyses show a complex slip pattern characterized by two patches with a mean slip of 0.6 m and predominantly strike‐slip components. Slip propagates at a rupture speed of approximately 3.2 km/s for about 30 km in length and 20 km in width. Given a slip rate of 0.5 mm/year derived from GPS observations, the mean slip of 0.6 m inferred from the slip model suggests a recurrence interval of ~1,000 years for this earthquake and alike on the Huya fault. The Coulomb stress increase of 0.82 bar caused by preceding earthquakes promoted the failure of the northern Huya fault in 2017. In particular, the nucleation of this event was partially facilitated by the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake and postseismic deformation. Long‐term slip deficits on most parts of the Huya fault have been balanced largely by a series of strong earthquakes since the early 1970s. As yet, a few of seismic gaps remain hazardous during the final stage of one seismic cycle. In particular, the ongoing postseismic relaxation will hasten further the 20‐ to 25‐km long segment in the Jiuzhaigou National Natural Reserve closer to failure in a moderate size earthquake.
Constraints on Gas Hydrate Distribution and Morphology in Vestnesa Ridge, Western Svalbard Margin, Using Multicomponent Ocean‐Bottom Seismic Data
Authors: Singhroha Sunny , Chand Shyam , Bünz Stefan
Published: April 2019

Gas hydrates occur within sediments on the western Svalbard continental margin and the Vestnesa Ridge, a large sediment drift that extends in a west‐northwest direction from the margin toward the mid‐ocean ridge. We acquired multicomponent ocean‐bottom seismic (OBS) data at 10 locations on the crest area of the eastern segment of the Vestnesa Ridge, an area with active gas seepage. P and S wave velocities are estimated using traveltime inversion, and self‐consistent approximation/differential effective medium rock physics modeling is used to estimate gas hydrate and free gas saturation at OBS stations. We apply 1‐D full waveform inversion at a selected OBS station to study detailed variations of P wave velocity near the bottom simulating reflection (BSR). High interval P wave velocity (Vp ≈ 1.73–1.82 km/s) and S wave velocity (>0.35 km/s) are observed in a layer above the BSR and low interval P wave velocity (Vp ≈ 1.28–1.53 km/s) in a layer below the BSR. We estimate 10–18% gas hydrate and 1.5–4.1% free gas saturation at different OBS stations in a layer above and below the BSR, respectively. We find significant variation in gas hydrate and free gas saturation across faults suggesting a structural control on the distribution of gas hydrate and free gas in the Vestnesa Ridge. Differences in gas hydrate saturation derived from P wave velocities and earlier estimates obtained from electromagnetic surveys indicate the presence of gas hydrates in faults and fractures. Moreover, beneath some OBS sites, the combined study of P and S waves, resistivity and seismic quality factor (Q), suggests the coexistence of free gas and gas hydrates.
Leads and Associated Sea Ice Drift in the Beaufort Sea in Winter
Authors: Lewis Benjamin J. , Hutchings Jennifer K.
Published: April 2019

Beaufort Sea ice motion is episodic in winter, on average following the anticyclonic motion of the Beaufort Gyre. Weather systems cause the ice pack to fracture in characteristic patterns that depend on the location and trajectory of the weather system in relation to the coast. The majority of leads associated with anticyclonic motion in the Beaufort Sea are coastal leads that form perpendicular from promontories along the coast and landfast ice edge. Between 40% and 90% (depending on location along the Beaufort coast) winter sea ice motion is associated with leads, including coastal leads, coastal flaw leads, and interior lead patterns. In winter much of the Beaufort Gyre ice drift results from ice‐coast interaction, with high ice drift localized on the leeward side of fractures that propagate from the coast. In the vicinity of Point Barrow, which has the largest occurrence of coastal leads, ice drift rates are enhanced due to this ice‐coast interaction. No trends in occurrence of these leads are found over the 20 winters from December 1993 to May 2013. Seasonality in the occurrence of the leads follows seasonality in the location of the Beaufort High. In order for ice to be transported from the northeast part of the Beaufort Gyre to the southwest in a single winter, anticyclones would need to break their geospatial climatic norm, needing a higher prevalence of anticyclones in the eastern Beaufort early in the season and higher prevalence in the west Canada Basin later in the season.
The Impact of Regime Shifts on Long‐Range Persistence and the Scaling of Sea Surface Temperature Off the Coast of California
Authors: Breaker Laurence C. , Carroll Dustin
Published: April 2019

We employ power law scaling using Detrended Fluctuation Analysis to examine sea surface temperature (SST) in Monterey Bay and at Scripps Pier. SSTs from 1920 to 2014 provide the database. The data were first detrended to remove the annual cycle and long‐term trends. Next, Detrended Fluctuation Analysis was applied to the data to estimate the temporal scaling exponents (TSEs). El Niño–Southern Oscillation appeared to influence our scaling results at scales of 2.8 and 5.6 years, but this influence did not adversely affect the interpretation of the results that form the basis for this study. Next, 76‐year time series of TSEs were generated for the period from 1930 to 2005 using a 20‐year moving window. They reveal maxima during the 1930s and 1940s, significantly lower values during the 1950s and 1960s, and higher values from the 1970s to the early 1990s. The period of lower TSEs falls within a 30‐year window bounded by major regime shifts in 1945–1946 and 1976–1977, clearly suggesting a cause and effect relationship. Changes in the SSTs and coastal winds off southern California before and after these events further support this interpretation. Although the annual cycle at Scripps Pier far exceeds that at Pacific Grove, the scaling properties are similar. The TSEs at both locations converge toward unity at longer maximum timescales consistent with long‐range persistence and stationarity and with similar results obtained elsewhere in the North Pacific. Finally, we conclude that power law scaling can be an effective tool for detecting changes in system behavior.
Global Tree Cover Loss Continues but Is Down from Peak Highs
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: April 2019

New data show that an area of tropical tree forest cover the size of Nicaragua was lost in 2018.
Discordant phenotype caused by CASK mutation in siblings with NF1
Authors: Murakami Hiroaki , Kimura Yuichi , Enomoto Yumi , Tsurusaki Yoshinori , Akahira-Azuma Moe , Kuroda Yukiko , Tsuji Megumi , Goto Tomohide , Kurosawa Kenji
Published: April 2019

With the advent of next-generation sequencing (NGS), a blended phenotype has been shown to be caused by multilocus molecular diagnosis. Here, we present siblings of neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) with discordant phenotypes. Further genetic investigation revealed that the younger sister had trisomy 8 mosaicism with a low ratio and a known pathogenic mutation in the CASK gene. This is the first report of a blended phenotype caused by NF1, CASK disorder, and trisomy 8 mosaicism.
Cryo-EM structures of the pore-forming A subunit from the Yersinia entomophaga ABC toxin
Authors: Piper Sarah J , Brillault Lou , Rothnagel Rosalba , Croll Tristan I , Box Joseph K , Chassagnon Irene , Scherer Sebastian , Goldie Kenneth N , Jones Sandra A , Schepers Femke , Hartley-Tassell Lauren , Ve Thomas , Busby Jason N , Dalziel Julie E , Lott J Shaun , Hankamer Ben , Stahlberg Henning , Hurst Mark R H , Landsberg Michael J
Published: April 2019

ABC toxins are pore-forming virulence factors produced by pathogenic bacteria. YenTcA is the pore-forming and membrane binding A subunit of the ABC toxin YenTc, produced by the insect pathogen Yersinia entomophaga. Here we present cryo-EM structures of YenTcA, purified from the native source. The soluble pre-pore structure, determined at an average resolution of 4.4 Å, reveals a pentameric assembly that in contrast to other characterised ABC toxins is formed by two TcA-like proteins (YenA1 and YenA2) and decorated by two endochitinases (Chi1 and Chi2). We also identify conformational changes that accompany membrane pore formation by visualising YenTcA inserted into liposomes. A clear outward rotation of the Chi1 subunits allows for access of the protruding translocation pore to the membrane. Our results highlight structural and functional diversity within the ABC toxin subfamily, explaining how different ABC toxins are capable of recognising diverse hosts.
Author Correction: Novel mutations in PIEZO1 cause an autosomal recessive generalized lymphatic dysplasia with non-immune hydrops fetalis
Authors: Fotiou Elisavet , Martin-Almedina Silvia , Simpson Michael A. , Lin Shin , Gordon Kristiana , Brice Glen , Atton Giles , Jeffery Iona , Rees David C. , Mignot Cyril , Vogt Julie , Homfray Tessa , Snyder Michael P. , Rockson Stanley G. , Jeffery Steve , Mortimer Peter S. , Mansour Sahar , Ostergaard Pia
Published: April 2019

This Article contains an error in the last sentence of the ‘Variant analysis suggests they are pathogenic’ section of the Results, which incorrectly reads ‘No truncated PIEZO1 protein products were identified in western blot analysis in GLD1:II.3 and GLD2:II.2 (Fig. 2, Supplementary Fig. 6), suggesting that the truncated protein is not stable and therefore degraded.’ This should read ‘No full-size PIEZO1 protein products were identified in western blot analysis in GLD1:II.3 and GLD2:II.2 (Fig. 2, Supplementary Fig. 6); the three nonsense mutations are predicted to lead to premature termination of the protein, hence it is possible that those truncated proteins will be non-functional or even unstable and degraded.’ The error has not been fixed in the PDF or HTML versions of the Article.
Author Correction: Synthetic RNA-based logic computation in mammalian cells
Authors: Matsuura Satoshi , Ono Hiroki , Kawasaki Shunsuke , Kuang Yi , Fujita Yoshihiko , Saito Hirohide
Published: April 2019

The original version of this Article contained an error in the fourth sentence of the second paragraph of the ‘Improving the performance of miRNA-responsive circuits’ section of the Results, which incorrectly read ‘We confirmed a significant fold-change between ON and OFF states (from 3.5- to 9.0-fold) in 293FT cells (Supplementary Figure 3).’ The correct version states ‘4.6’ in place of ‘3.5’. This has been corrected in both the PDF and HTML versions of the Article.

The original version of the Supplementary Information contained a corresponding error in Supplementary Figure 3. The HTML has been updated to include a corrected version of the Supplementary Information.