bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Kilohertz frame-rate two-photon tomography
Authors: Kazemipour Abbas , Novak Ondrej , Flickinger Daniel , Marvin Jonathan S. , King Jonathan , Borden Philip , Druckmann Shaul , Svoboda Karel , Looger Loren L. , Podgorski Kaspar
Published: July 2018

Point-scanning two-photon microscopy enables high-resolution imaging within scattering specimens such as the mammalian brain, but sequential acquisition of voxels fundamentally limits imaging speed. We developed a two-photon imaging technique that scans lines of excitation across a focal plane at multiple angles and uses prior information to recover high-resolution images at over 1.4 billion voxels per second. Using a structural image as a prior for recording neural activity, we imaged visually-evoked and spontaneous glutamate release across hundreds of dendritic spines in mice at depths over 250 µm and frame-rates over 1 kHz. Dendritic glutamate transients in anaesthetized mice are synchronized within spatially-contiguous domains spanning tens of microns at frequencies ranging from 1-100 Hz. We demonstrate high-speed recording of acetylcholine and calcium sensors, 3D single-particle tracking, and imaging in densely-labeled cortex. Our method surpasses limits on the speed of raster-scanned imaging imposed by fluorescence lifetime.
The ATPase activity ofE. coliRecA prevents accumulation of toxic complexes formed by erroneous binding to undamaged double strand DNA
Authors: Gataulin Daniil V. , Carey Jeffrey N. , Li Junya , Shah Parisha , Grubb Jennifer T. , Bishop Douglas K.
Published: July 2018

TheE. coliRecA protein catalyzes the central step of homologous recombination using its homology search and strand exchange activity. RecA is a DNA-dependent ATPase, but its homology search and strand exchange activities are independent of its ATPase activity. ATP hydrolysis converts a high affinity DNA binding form, RecA-ATP, to a low affinity form RecA-ADP, thereby supporting an ATP hydrolysis-dependent dynamic cycle of DNA binding and dissociation. We provide evidence for a novel function of RecA’s dynamic behavior; RecA’s ATPase activity prevents accumulation of toxic complexes caused by direct binding of RecA to undamaged regions of dsDNA. We show that a mutant form of RecA, RecA-K250N, previously shown to be toxic toE. coli, is a loss-of-function ATPase-defective mutant. We use a new method for detecting RecA complexes involving nucleoid surface spreading and immunostaining. The method allows detection of damage-induced RecA foci; STED microscopy revealed these to typically be between 50 and 200 nm in length. RecA-K250N, and other toxic variants of RecA, form spontaneous DNA-bound complexes that are independent of replication and of accessory proteins required to load RecA onto tracts of ssDNAin vivo, supporting the hypothesis that RecA’s expenditure of ATP serves an error correction function.
Dual process coding of recalled locations in human oscillatory brain activity
Authors: MacLean Mary H. , Bullock Tom , Giesbrecht Barry
Published: July 2018

A mental representation of the location of an object can be constructed using sensory information selected from the environment and information stored internally. Human electrophysiological evidence indicates that behaviorally relevant locations, regardless of the source of sensory information, are represented in alpha-band oscillations suggesting a shared process. Here we present evidence from human subjects of either sex for two distinct alpha-band based processes that separately support the representation of location, exploiting sensory evidence sampled either externally or internally.

Significance Statement

Our sensory environment and our internal trains of thought are coded in patterns of brain activity and are used to guide coherent behavior. Oscillations in the alpha frequency band are a predominant feature of human brain activity. This oscillation plays a central role in both selective attention and working memory, suggesting that these important cognitive functions are mediated by a unitary mechanism. We show that the alpha oscillation reflects two distinct processes, one that is supported by continuous sampling of the external sensory environment, and one that is based on sampling from internal representations coded in visual short-term memory. This represents a significant change in our understanding of the nature of alpha oscillations and their relationship to attention and memory.
State-Dependent Lipid Interactions with the A2a Receptor Revealed by MD Simulations Using In Vivo-Mimetic Membranes
Authors: Song Wanling , Yen Hsin-Yung , Robinson Carol V. , Sansom Mark S.P.
Published: July 2018

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are the largest family of integral membrane proteins and a major class of drug targets. Membranes are known to have modulatory effects on GPCRs via specific lipid interactions. However, the mechanisms of such modulations in cell membranes and how they influence GPCR functions remain unclear. Here we report coarse-grained MD simulations on the Adenosine A2a receptor embedded in an in vivo mimetic membrane model comprised of 10 different lipid species. Three conformational states of the receptor, i.e. the inactive state, the active state, and the active state with a mini-GS protein bound were simulated to study the impact of protein-lipid interactions on the receptor activation. The simulations revealed three specific lipids (GM3, cholesterol and PIP2) that form stable and preferential interactions with the receptor, differentiating these from bulk lipids such as PS, PE and PC. In total, nine specific lipid-binding sites were revealed. The strength of lipid interaction with these sites depends on the conformational state of the receptor, suggesting that these lipids may regulate the conformational dynamics of the receptor. In particular, we revealed a dual role of PIP2 in promoting A2aR activation, which involves stabilization of both the characteristic outward tilt of helix TM6 within receptor and also the association of A2aR and mini-Gs when the activated complex forms. Structural comparisons suggested that PIP2 may facilitate Gα activation. Our results reveal likely allosteric effects of bound lipids in regulating the functional behaviour of GPCRs, providing a springboard for design of allosteric modulators of these biomedically important receptors.
Rab1b and ARF5 are novel RNA-binding proteins involved in IRES-driven RNA localization
Authors: Fernandez-Chamorro Javier , Francisco-Velilla Rosario , Ramajo Jorge , Martinez-Salas Encarnación
Published: July 2018

Internal ribosome entry site (IRES) elements are organized in domains that guide internal initiation of translation. Here we have combined proteomic and imaging analysis to study novel IRES interactors recognizing specific RNA structural subdomains. Besides known IRES-binding proteins, we identified novel factors belonging to networks involved in RNA and protein transport. Among those, Rab1b and ARF5, two components of the ER-Golgi, revealed direct binding to IRES transcripts. However, these proteins exert different effects on translation. While a dominant-negative mutant of Rab1b decreased IRES function, ARF5 silencing stimulated IRES activity. RNA FISH studies revealed novel features of the IRES element. First, IRES-RNA formed clusters within the cell cytoplasm, whereas cap-RNA displayed disperse punctuated distribution. Second, the IRES-driven RNA colocalized with ARF5 and Rab1b, but not with the dominant-negative of Rab1b. Thus, our data suggest a role for domain 3 of the IRES in RNA localization around ER-Golgi, a ribosome-rich cellular compartment.
Moderate consistency in smooth newt behaviour
Authors: Chajma Petr , Kopecký Oldřich , Vojar Jiří
Published: July 2018

Behavioural consistency (i.e., personality) is a novel field of research in amphibians. Current published studies often address only one or two aspects of personality and therefore cannot assess more complex relationships and behavioural syndromes. This is the first study focusing on all relevant behavioural traits and their relationships in urodele amphibians. Based on the three trials of the experiment, we examined the consistency of activity (time spent moving), boldness (latency of the first movement and time spent escaping) and exploration (number of visited segments of testing arena) of 42 smooth newts (Lissotriton vulgaris). Individual consistency, calculated through the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), was low in newt activity (ICC = 0.192) and moderate in boldness (0.476) and exploration (0.403). Activity was moderately consistent for each trial (0.425), indicating a possible habituation, supported by a decrease of mean activity throughout the trials. Correlation of the behavioural traits studied suggests the presence of a behavioural syndrome, which potentially shaped the traits together. Our findings suggest the need for a complex approach to the study of amphibian personality and the need for standardized methodology, which would solve the current difficulties in comparing published results.
Widespread separation of the polypyrimidine tract from 3’ AG by G tracts in association with alternative exons in metazoa and plants
Authors: Nguyen Hai , Xie Jiuyong
Published: July 2018

At the end of introns, the polypyrimidine tract (Py) is often close to the 3’ AG in a consensus (Y)20NCAGgt in humans. Interestingly, we have found that they could also be separated by purine-rich elements including G tracts in thousands of human genes. These regulatory elements between the Py and 3’AG (REPA) mainly regulate alternative 3’ splice sites (3’SS) and intron retention. Here we show their widespread distribution and special properties across kingdoms. The purine-rich 3’SS are found in up to about 60% of the introns among more than 1000 species/lineages by whole genome analysis, and up to 18% of these introns contain the REPA G tracts in about 2.4 millions of 3’SS in total. In particular, they are significantly enriched over their 3’SS and genome backgrounds in metazoa and plants, and highly associated with alternative splicing of genes in diverse functional clusters. They are also highly enriched (3-6 folds) in the canonical as well as aberrantly used 3’ splice sites in cancer patients carrying mutations of the branch point factor SF3B1 or the 3’AG binding factor U2AF35. Moreover, the REPA G tract-harbouring 3’SS have significantly reduced occurrences of branch point (BP) motifs between the −24 and −4 positions, in particular absent from the −7 - −5 positions in several model organisms examined. The more distant branch points are associated with increased occurrences of alternative splicing in human and zebrafish. The branch points, REPA G tracts and associated 3’SS motifs appear to have emerged differentially in a phylum- or species-specific way during evolution. Thus, there is widespread separation of the Py and 3’AG by REPA G tracts, likely evolved among different species or branches of life. This special 3’SS arrangement contributes to the generation of diverse transcript or protein isoforms in biological functions or diseases through alternative or aberrant splicing.
Substituent effects of two isophthalate derivatives on the construction of cadmium coordination polymers incorporating a dipyridyl ligand
Authors: Wang Lin , Zhou Qian-Kun , Xu Yun , Li Ni-Ya
Published: July 2018

In recent years, the design and construction of crystalline coordination complexes by the assembly of metal ions with multitopic ligands have attracted considerable attention because of the unique architectures and potential applications of these compounds. Two new coordination polymers, namely poly[[μ-trans-1-(2-aminopyridin-3-yl)-2-(pyridin-4-yl)ethene-κ2
N:N′](μ3-5-methylisophthalato-κ4
O
1,O
1′:O
3:O
3′)cadmium(II)], [Cd(C9H6O4)(C12H11N3)]
n
or [Cd(5-Me-ip)(2-NH2-3,4-bpe)]
n
, (I), and poly[[μ-trans-1-(2-aminopyridin-3-yl)-2-(pyridin-4-yl)ethene-κ2
N:N′](μ2-5-hydroxyisophthalato-κ4
O
1,O
1′:O
3:O
5)cadmium(II)], [Cd(C8H4O5)(C12H11N3)]
n
or [Cd(5-HO-ip)(2-NH2-3,4-bpe)]
n
, (II), have been prepared hydrothermally by the self-assembly of Cd(NO3)2·4H2O and trans-1-(2-aminopyridin-3-yl)-2-(pyridin-4-yl)ethene (2-NH2-3,4-bpe) with two similar dicarboxylic acids, i.e. 5-methylisophthalic acid (5-Me-H2ip) and 5-hydroxyisophthalic acid (5-HO-H2ip). The coordination network of (I) is a two-dimensional sql net parallel to (101). Adjacent sql nets are further linked to form a three-dimensional supramolecular framework via hydrogen-bonding interactions. Compound (II) is a two-dimensional (3,5)-connected coordination network parallel to (010) with the point symbol (63)(55647). As the other reactants and reaction conditions are the same, the structural differences between (I) and (II) are undoubtedly determined by the different substituent groups in the 5-position of isophthalic acid. Both (I) and (II) exhibit good thermal stabilities and photoluminescence properties.
Crystal structure of aqua(2-{[2-({2-[bis(carboxylato-κO-methyl)amino-κN]ethyl}(carboxylato-κO-methyl)amino-κN)ethyl](carboxymethyl)azaniumyl}acetato)gallium(III) trihydrate
Authors: Wallin Martin , Turner Peter , Katsifis Andrew , Yang Mingshi , Chan Hak-Kim
Published: July 2018

In the title GaIIIcomplex compound with pentetic acid, [Ga(C14H20N3O10)(H2O)]·3H2O, the GaIIIcentre is bound in a slightly distorted octahedral coordination sphere by two amine N atoms, three carboxylate O atoms and one water O atom. The complex molecule exists as a zwitterion. In the crystal, the complexes are linked to each otherviaO—H...O and C—H...O hydrogen bonds, forming layers parallel to (001). Three uncoordinating water molecules link the complex layersviaO—H...O, N—H...O and C—H...O hydrogen bonds, forming a three-dimensional network.
Promoting uncommon use of knowledge in information system departments
Authors: Wang Shih-Yu , Hsu Jack Shih-Chieh , Li Yuzhu , Lin Tung-Ching
Published: July 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to gain a clear understanding of the impact of uncommon use of knowledge (adaptation and augmentation) on the performance of information systems (IS) departments, and to explore the effects of human-resources management (HRM) practices on uncommon use of knowledge.

Design/methodology/approach

A questionnaire-based survey was used to measure the constructs of the research model. A survey package was delivered to project managers or team leads and 133 responses were returned.

Findings

The empirical results indicate that knowledge adaptation has a significant effect on departmental performance, whereas knowledge augmentation is more important to innovation than to routine departmental performance. The results also show that, while knowledge adaptation can be enhanced by communication and an uncertainty-avoidance culture, knowledge augmentation is an outcome of shared decision-making, the use of teams, and innovation-based policies.

Research limitations/implications

Given the positive impact of uncommon use of knowledge on IS department performance, future research should explore other factors besides HRM practices to boost it.

Practical implications

The results can serve as guidance for managers looking to select HRM practices to promote uncommon use of knowledge.

Originality/value

This study introduces knowledge adaptation and knowledge augmentation as the component processes of uncommon use of knowledge to the IS discipline, and empirically validates the antecedents and consequences of uncommon use of knowledge using survey data.
A hierarchical model for developing e-textbook to transform teaching and learning
Authors: Choi Ping Man Samuel , Lam Sze Sing
Published: July 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to outline a hierarchical model for developing essential e-textbook functionality and to offer important insight for e-textbook designers.

Design/methodology/approach

Guided by the SAMR model, five hierarchical functional layers are proposed in the development process for e-textbook to enable more effective and efficient teaching and learning.

Findings

Moving up from the substitution to transformation level, each layer extends the functionality of the underlying layers to unveil new features that support the learning processes and gradually transform e-textbooks from a self-directed informal learning tool to become a formal learning platform.

Originality/value

The hierarchical model provides e-textbook designers and developers with a guideline on how to surpass the present state of e-textbooks and offer additional value-added features for learners. The required technologies for each layer are also discussed.
Shaking up business models with creative strategies: when tried and true stops working
Authors: Browne Sarah , Sharkey Scott Pamela , Mangematin Vincent , Gibbons Patrick
Published: July 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide guidelines for practitioners for developing creative strategies and new business models.

Design/Methodology/Approach

This paper reviews more than 150 interviews with CEOs, directors and business unit heads from across functional areas over the past decade, and captures best practices in strategy development and business modelling.

Findings

Findings of this study were combined with a review of relevant research papers from leading academic and practitioner journals to identify three critical management practices: challenging mental models, looking beyond logic and encouraging openness for new ideas, which enable organizations to develop creative strategies for building better business models.

Originality/Value

This paper demonstrates how these three practices combined can serve as a much needed tool for creative strategy design and development, particularly for established companies, when confronted with new forms of competition.
Franchise systems and lobbying: implications for Olsonian collective action theory
Authors: Brown Richard S.
Published: July 2018

Purpose

Previous research combining corporate political activity and collective action theory has focused solely on industry structure and its role in predicting group lobbying or PAC participation. The purpose of this paper is to use a different context—franchise systems—to apply Olsonian collective action theory to political activities.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a random-effects technique in STATA on an unbalanced panel data set, this paper empirically models the effects of franchise system size and degree of franchising on the level of lobbying intensity.

Findings

Since franchise systems are made up of differing unit ownership structure, the author first model if those systems that are fully franchised lobby less than those with franchisor unit ownership (supported). Next, since collective action theory predicts that more participants in a space will lead to less collective action, the author predict that franchise systems with larger unit counts will lobby less than those with smaller counts (not supported). Finally, the author test the interaction of these two effects as systems that are fully franchised and of higher unit totals should have an even greater negative relationship with political activity (supported).

Originality/value

This paper uses both a novel data set and a novel context to study collective action. Previous research has utilized an industry structure context to model the level of lobbying and collective action, while the current research uses an analogous logic, but in the context of franchise systems.
The decline of the lanner falcon in Mediterranean landscapes: competition displacement or habitat loss?
Authors: De Rosa D. , Di Febbraro M. , De Lisio L. , De Sanctis A. , Loy A.
Published: July 2018

The peregrine falcon has shown an increasing tendency to replace the lanner falcon at its breeding sites in the Mediterranean area. This has been suggested as the main cause of the reduction in the distribution of the lanner observed in central Italy. We focused on these two falcon species to disentangle the relative contribution of habitat filtering and biotic interactions on the co‐occurrence of their breeding sites. We hypothesized that the replacement of lanner breeding sites with peregrine falcon breeding sites is due to competitive exclusion rather than to environmental factors, and predicted how land‐use change might affect falcon species distributions and biotic interactions. To test our hypothesis, we proposed a modelling framework including niche overlap tests, Bayesian co‐occurrence analysis and species distribution models (SDMs). A significant niche similarity emerged between the breeding sites used exclusively by peregrine or lanner falcons, and those used by both species. Bayesian co‐occurrence analysis showed that biotic interactions significantly explained the negative co‐occurrence between the two falcon species. SDMs predicted that land‐use change would reduce suitable breeding habitats exclusive of each species as well as those suitable for both falcons. Results of niche overlap and co‐occurrence analysis provided strong support for the hypothesis of competitive interaction for breeding sites between peregrine and lanner falcons in central Italy. The out‐competed lanner falcon would be displaced from optimal habitats by the peregrine and forced to exploit suboptimal habitats to minimize competition. While competition with the peregrine may represent a threat for the lanner in the short term, habitat loss due to land‐use change will pose a more severe threat for the long‐term persistence of lanner falcon in central Italy.
Lipid droplets in clusters negatively affectBos indicusembryos during cryopreservation
Authors: López‐Damián Eva Patricia , Jiménez‐Medina José Alfredo , Lammoglia Miguel Angel , Pimentel Jaime Arturo , Agredano‐Moreno Lourdes Teresa , Wood Chris , Galina Carlos Salvador , Fiordelisio Tatiana
Published: July 2018

Embryo transfer using cryopreservedB. indicusembryos results in low pregnancy rates. The low viability ofB. indicusembryos is likely a result of their low freezability relative to embryos from other species, notablyB. taurus. Freezability is probably related to the quantity of lipid droplets in the embryonic cells. However, the mechanism underlying this association is unknown. Using multiphoton and transmission electron microscopy, the proportion, volume, morphology and composition of lipid droplets in fresh and cryopreservedB. indicusandB. taurusembryos were studied.B. indicusembryos have more droplets thanB. taurusand a greater percentage of lipid droplets in clusters (34% vs. 24%;p < 0.05). Also,B. indicusindividual droplets are of greater volume than those ofB. taurus (47 μm3vs.34 μm3;p < 0.05). After freezing, the percentage of clusters decreased inB. indicus(11% vs. 5%;p < 0.05), while inB. taurusthey increased (2% vs. 7%;p < 0.05). Freezing influenced the lipid droplet morphology, increasing the number of cracked droplets inB. indicusembryos (33% fresh vs. 62% frozen; p < 0.05), but not inB. taurusembryos(35% fresh vs. 34% frozen;ns). Regarding composition, saturated lipid droplets prevail inB. indicusembryos,contrary toB. taurusembryos. We observed differences in lipid droplet organization, proportion, volume, morphology and composition betweenB. indicusandB. taurusembryos which are altered in opposite directions following freezing.
Mucin 1 deficiency mediates corticosteroid insensitivity in asthma
Authors: Milara Javier , Morell Anselm , de Diego Alfredo , Artigues Enrique , Morcillo Esteban , Cortijo Julio
Published: July 2018

Background

The loss of corticosteroid efficacy is an important issue in severe asthma management and may lead to poor asthma control and deterioration of airflow. Recent data indicate that Mucin 1 (MUC1) membrane mucin can mediate corticosteroid efficacy in chronic rhinosinusitis, but the role of MUC1 in uncontrolled severe asthma is unknown. The objective was to analyze the previously unexplored role of MUC1 on corticosteroid efficacy in asthma.

Methods

Mucin 1 expression was evaluated by real‐time PCR in human bronchial epithelial cells (HBEC) and blood neutrophils from uncontrolled severe asthma (n = 27), controlled mild asthma (n = 16), and healthy subjects (n = 13). IL‐8, MMP9, and GM‐CSF were measured by ELISA in HBEC and neutrophils. An asthma model of ovalbumin (OVA) was used in MUC1 KO and WT C57BL/6 mice according to ARRIVE guidelines.

Results

Mucin 1‐CT expression was downregulated in bronchial epithelial cells and peripheral blood neutrophils from severe asthma patients compared with mild asthma and healthy subjects (P < 0.05). Daily dose of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) inversely correlated with MUC1 expression in neutrophils from mild and severe asthma (ρ = −0.71; P < 0.0001). Dexamethasone showed lower anti‐inflammatory effects in severe asthma peripheral blood neutrophils and HBECs stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) than in cells from mild asthma. Glucocorticoid receptor (GR)‐α phosphorylated at serine 226 was increased in cells from severe asthma, and the MUC1‐CT/GRα complex was downregulated in severe asthma cells. OVA asthma model in MUC1 KO mice was resistant to the anti‐inflammatory effects of dexamethasone.

Conclusion

Mucin 1‐CT modulates corticosteroid efficacy in vitro and in vivo asthma models.
Three branches to rule them all? UPR signalling in response to chemically versus misfolded proteins‐induced ER stress
Authors: Bergmann Timothy J. , Molinari Maurizio
Published: July 2018

Study of the unfolded protein responses (UPR) is mainly addressed by challenging eukaryotic cells with chemical compounds that impair calcium, redox or glycan homeostasis. These dramatically alter the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) environment and function, but also trigger pleiotropic effects that may result in multi‐organellar failure and cell death. Recent works showed that UPR induced by the accumulation of unfolded polypeptides in the ER lumen drastically differs from chemically induced UPR. Unfolded proteins are tolerated by cells, which activate a finely tuned UPR without entering apoptotic programs. How cells adapt the UPR to the burden of misfolded proteins, what structural features of the accumulating proteins determine UPR intensity and how these mechanisms translate into disease are crucial questions to be address in the future.
Variation in health care for children and young people with a disability
Authors: Horridge Karen
Published: July 2018

Video Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_tBcnLCjA8&feature=youtu.be
Determinants of 20‐year non‐progression to Type 2 diabetes in women at very high risk: the E3N cohort study
Authors: Fagherazzi G. , Gusto G. , Mancini F. R. , Dow C. , Rajaobelina K. , Balkau B. , Boutron‐Ruault M.‐C. , Bonnet F.
Published: July 2018

Aims

To identify the most important determinants associated with not developing Type 2 diabetes in women considered to be at very high risk.

Methods

Between 1995 and 2014, we followed 402 women from the E3N cohort study who were considered to be at very high risk of Type 2 diabetes based on the D.E.S.I.R. score. We then computed a classification and regression tree model to identify, among a large set of risk factors, the top risk factors associated with not having Type 2 diabetes at the end of the follow‐up.

Results

During follow‐up, 117 women (29%) were diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, while 285 (71%) were still free of the disease in 2014. A low Western dietary pattern score was the top characteristic associated with not developing Type 2 diabetes, as only 20% of the women at very high risk in the E3N study with that characteristic developed Type 2 diabetes (compared with 29% overall). In women with a moderate or high Western dietary pattern score, the most important characteristic associated with not developing Type 2 diabetes was a high total dietary antioxidant capacity, as only 26% of these women ultimately developed Type 2 diabetes.

Conclusions

We showed that the top characteristic associated with not developing Type 2 diabetes, despite being at very high risk, was a healthy diet, characterized by limiting Western dietary habits, but with a high intake of antioxidant‐rich foods. This underscores the importance of diet in the prevention of Type 2 diabetes in people at high risk.
Invisible men: mobility and political change on the frontier of late Roman Africa
Authors: Merrills Andy
Published: July 2018

The political hierarchies that developed in North Africa in the post‐Roman period have traditionally been ascribed either to invading groups from the Sahara, or to indigenous elites who transformed their political authority to respond to changing circumstances. The present article suggests that such interpretations have neglected the role played by seasonal pastoralists within the emergence of these new polities. Human mobility was a crucial feature of the late antique Maghreb, as analysis of the later Roman frontier system reveals. Equally, contemporary anthropological scholarship emphasizes the influence that mobile groups can have in periods of social and political upheaval and their capacity for hierarchical stratification. The article offers two brief case studies, and argues that Antalas, leader of the ‘Frexes’ in southern Byzacena, and the occupants of the ‘Djedar’ tumulus mausolea near Tiaret, are best viewed as products of a mobile society.
Sex‐specific associations between smoking habits and reaching longevity: Netherlands Cohort Study
Authors: Brandts Lloyd , van den Brandt Piet A
Published: July 2018

Aim

Tobacco smoking has been found to be significantly associated with a decreased chance of reaching longevity in men, but not in women. Furthermore, it is still unclear how the association of smoking status with longevity varies under the influence of underlying smoking characteristics. Therefore, we aimed to quantify the association between several smoking characteristics and the chance of reaching the age of 90 years in men and women separately.

Methods

We carried out a prospective cohort study among the oldest birth cohorts (1916–1917) of the Netherlands Cohort Study, who completed a baseline questionnaire in 1986 (at ages 68–70), and had complete vital status information until 90 years‐of‐age (2006–2007, n = 7807). Multivariable‐adjusted analyses were based on 6642 men and women, of which 16.0% and 34.3% reached longevity, respectively.

Results

The relationship of smoking status with longevity was stronger in men than in women (current vs never smokers; risk ratio 0.44, 95% CI 0.34–0.56 in men, and risk ratio 0.67, 95% CI 0.57–0.79 in women). Furthermore, significantly inverse associations were found between longevity and increasing cigarette smoking quantity, duration, and tar and nicotine exposure, which partially explain the observed difference between both sexes. Quitting smoking significantly increased the chance of reaching longevity compared with current smokers.

Conclusions

The effect of smoking status on reaching longevity seemed stronger in men compared with women, which can be partially explained by differences in smoking habits. Never smokers had the highest chance of reaching 90 years‐of‐age in both sexes. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2018; 18: 1249–1258.
Peritoneal carcinomatosis from ovarian paraganglioma: Report of a rare case and systematic review of the literature
Authors: Bizzarri Nicolò , De Cian Franco , Di Domenico Stefano , Centurioni Maria Grazia , Mammoliti Serafina , Ghirardi Valentina , Vellone Valerio Gaetano
Published: July 2018

Paraganglioma is one of the rarest neoplasms involving the ovary, with only 10 previous reports. We present a case of peritoneal carcinomatosis from primary ovarian paraganglioma and a systematic review of the literature. Clinical information was retrieved from medical records, and a systematic review of the literature was performed according to meta‐analysis of observational studies in epidemiology guidelines. A 33‐year‐old woman presented with a 12‐month history of hypertension and weight loss. She was diagnosed with ovarian paraganglioma and was treated with extensive debulking surgery to no residual disease after three cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy. She recurred after 6 months and was started on somatostatin‐analogue. Following further disease progression with bone metastasis (treated with palliative radiotherapy), a trial with Sunitinib was started. The patient died 30 months after initial diagnosis. Of the cases reported to date, only one had peritoneal metastasis at presentation but none of them had such an ominous prognosis. Ovarian paraganglioma is an extremely rare condition. We report the first case of primary malignant ovarian paraganglioma with an exceptionally aggressive behavior. Clinicopathological correlation with immunohistochemistry is essential to avoid misdiagnosis. A standard treatment is not recommended yet but cytoreductive surgery seems to be a favorable approach to prolong survival.
Gas and short‐chain fatty acid production from feeds commonly fed to red deer (Cervus elaphus L.) and incubated with rumen inoculum from red deer and sheep
Authors: Lavrenčič Andrej , Veternik Darko
Published: July 2018

Efficient red deer supplementary feeding depends on estimations of the nutritive value of offered feeds, frequently estimated with the use of equations derived from domestic ruminants. The aim of this study was to compare the 24‐hour in vitro true dry matter degradability (ivTD24), in vitro gas production (GP) kinetic parameters, GP in 24 hr of incubation (GAS24) and short‐chain fatty acid (SCFA) and microbial biomass (MBS) produced after 24‐hour incubation of feeds in inoculum prepared from sheep and red deer rumen fluid. Eleven feeds, frequently consumed by red deer in Slovenia, which occur either naturally (two fresh grasses, chestnut fruits and common and sessile oak acorns) or are fed as winter supplemental feeds (two grass hays, two grass silages, apple pomace, fresh sugar beetroot), were investigated. The in vitro GP kinetic parameters, GAS24 and ivTD24, did not differ between animal species. Amounts of SCFAs were greater (p < 0.05) when feeds were incubated in sheep inoculum, while molar proportions of acetic and propionic acids did not differ. Molar proportions of butyric acid produced during incubation of high fibre feeds did not differ between animal species, but were higher (p < 0.05) when feeds high in starch or sugar were incubated in red deer inoculum. Greater production of SCFA by sheep rumen microbes suggests better coverage of host animal with energy precursors, while greater production of MBS by red deer rumen microbes suggests better coverage of host animal with protein. Results also suggest that rumens of sheep and red deer are inhabited by different microbial communities, which did not affect the extent of in vitro GP and degradation of feeds used in the present experiment. However, the possibility exists that the divergent nutrient use could be a consequence of different priming by different feeds of the donor animal diets.
Post‐transplant immunoglobulin A deposition and nephropathy in allografts
Authors: Sofue Tadashi , Suzuki Hitoshi , Ueda Nobufumi , Kushida Yoshio , Minamino Tetsuo
Published: July 2018

Post‐transplant immunoglobulin A (IgA) nephropathy (IgAN) in the allograft is the major cause of allograft loss. Using a protocol biopsy, latent mesangial IgA deposition (IgAD) can be detected in the allograft. Latent IgAD is distinguished from IgAN by the absence of urinary abnormalities, although IgA is observed in the mesangium. However, the pathophysiology and most appropriate treatment strategy for latent mesangial IgAD in the allograft remain to be fully determined. Importantly, it is unknown whether all cases of post‐transplant asymptomatic IgAD progress to symptomatic IgAN; indeed, IgA deposits disappear in some cases. The differences in allograft prognosis between asymptomatic IgAD and IgAN have also not been determined. Non‐invasive methods of diagnosis of IgAD in the allograft using serological and pathological biomarkers are being developed. Possible serum biomarkers include serum galactose‐deficient IgA1 (Gd‐IgA1), Gd‐IgA1‐specific IgG and Gd‐IgA1‐specific IgA, and its immune complexes. Immunofluorescence analysis using Gd‐IgA1 monoclonal antibody may provide a pathological biomarker. These serological and pathological biomarkers may be suitable for the characterization of the stage of IgAD. However, there is insufficient information regarding whether serological and pathological biomarkers can predict the progression of asymptomatic IgAD to symptomatic IgAN. We propose that the pathogenesis of IgAN can be defined through the clinical study of IgAD in the allograft using protocol biopsies conducted by nephrologists involved in clinical kidney transplantation.
Metabolic adjustment enhances food web stability
Authors: Quévreux Pierre , Brose Ulrich
Published: July 2018

Understanding ecosystem stability is one of the greatest challenges of ecology. Over several decades, it has been shown that allometric scaling of biological rates and feeding interactions provide stability to complex food web models. Moreover, introducing adaptive responses of organisms to environmental changes (e.g. like adaptive foraging that enables organisms to adapt their diets depending on resources abundance) improved species persistence in food webs. Here, we introduce the concept of metabolic adjustment, i.e. the ability of species to slow down their metabolic rates when facing starvation and to increase it in time of plenty. We study the reactions of such a model to nutrient enrichment and the adjustment speed of metabolic rates. We found that increasing nutrient enrichment leads to a paradox of enrichment (increase in biomasses and oscillation amplitudes and ultimately extinction of species) but metabolic adjustment stabilises the system by dampening the oscillations. Metabolic adjustment also increases the average biomass of the top predator in a tri‐trophic food chain. In complex food webs, metabolic adjustment has a stabilising effect as it promotes species survival by creating a large diversity of metabolic rates. However, this stabilising effect is mitigated in enriched ecosystems. Phenotypic plasticity of organisms must be considered in food web models to better understand the response of organisms to their environment. As metabolic rate is central in describing biological rates, we must pay attention to its variations to fully understand the population dynamics of natural communities.
The role of flow velocity combined with habitat complexity as a top–down regulator in seagrass meadows
Authors: Jiménez‐Ramos R. , Egea L. G. , Vergara J. J. , Bouma T. J. , Brun F. G.
Published: July 2018

Large‐scale losses of seagrass areas have been associated with eutrophication events, which have led to an overproduction of photosynthetic organisms including epiphytes. Grazers that feed on epiphytes can exert a significant top–down control in the system, but the effects of physical factors on grazing activity and feeding behaviour have been rarely examined. We addressed the combination of hydrodynamic regime and seagrass shoot density can alter the feeding and foraging behaviours of mesograzers. A full factorial experiment, with flow velocity (high, medium and low) and shoot density (high versus low) as main factors, was conducted in a racetrack flume using artificial seagrass plots. The results showed that when high flow velocity conditions were combined with low shoot density, consumption of epiphytes by mesograzers was strongly reduced. In contrast, when flow velocity was low or shoot density was high, mesograzers exhibited high feeding rates and vigorous swimming behaviour. These results clearly indicate that hydrodynamic stress reduces the time that mesograzers can spend feeding, since it inhibits their swimming behaviour, and thus indirectly affecting to the density of epiphytes. Therefore, the triggering of trophic cascade effects in seagrass communities under these experimental conditions depended on the interrelationship and feedbacks among shoot density, abiotic (flow velocity) and biotic (epiphytes and mesograzers) compartments, with flow velocity exerting a top–down control on seagrass ecosystems.
Evaluating outcomes of restoration ecology projects on limited budgets: assessment of variation in sampling intensity and sampling frequency for four habitat types
Authors: Henry Hugh A. L. , Murphy Stephen D. , McFarlane Mhairi L. , Barna Heather , Dunning Katelyn , Hood Alexandra , Crosthwaite Jill C.
Published: July 2018

While best practices for evaluating restoration ecology projects are emerging rapidly, budget constraints often limit postrestoration monitoring, which emphasizes the need for practical and efficient monitoring strategies. We examined the postrestoration outcome for an ENGO (Nature Conservancy of Canada) project, to assess retroactively how variation in intensity and frequency of sampling would have affected estimates of plant species composition, diversity, and richness over time. The project restored four habitat types (mesic forest, oak woodland, wet meadow, and sand barren) using sculptured seeding of tallgrass prairie and woody species. Species‐level plant cover was monitored annually for 10 years in 168 2 × 2–m quadrats. We performed randomization tests to examine estimates of species diversity and richness as a function of the number of quadrats sampled, and assessed the necessity of annual sampling for describing changes in species composition and successional trajectories. The randomization tests revealed that sampling 10–17 quadrats, depending on habitat type, was sufficient to obtain estimates of species diversity that were at least 95% of values obtained from the whole dataset. Species richness as a function of number of quadrats sampled did not plateau, which suggests that rather than increasing the number of sampling quadrats, richness could be estimated more efficiently using nonquadrat based sampling techniques. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling analysis revealed that plant species composition largely stabilized by 3–5 years postrestoration depending on habitat type. By that time, native, seeded species dominated the restoration, and the benefits of annual sampling for tracking changes in species composition diminished.
Wavelet‐based estimators for mixture regression
Authors: Montoril Michel H. , Pinheiro Aluísio , Vidakovic Brani
Published: July 2018

We consider a process that is observed as a mixture of two random distributions, where the mixing probability is an unknown function of time. The setup is built upon a wavelet‐based mixture regression. Two linear wavelet estimators are proposed. Furthermore, we consider three regularizing procedures for each of the two wavelet methods. We also discuss regularity conditions under which the consistency of the wavelet methods is attained and derive rates of convergence for the proposed estimators. A Monte Carlo simulation study is conducted to illustrate the performance of the estimators. Various scenarios for the mixing probability function are used in the simulations, in addition to a range of sample sizes and resolution levels. We apply the proposed methods to a data set consisting of array Comparative Genomic Hybridization from glioblastoma cancer studies.
Involvement of chalcone reductase in the soybean isoflavone metabolon: identification of GmCHR5, which interacts with 2‐hydroxyisoflavanone synthase
Authors: Mameda Ryo , Waki Toshiyuki , Kawai Yosuke , Takahashi Seiji , Nakayama Toru
Published: July 2018

Soybean (Glycine max) 5‐deoxyisoflavonoids (daidzein and its conjugates) are precursors of glyceollin phytoalexins. They are also converted to equol by microbes in the human intestine, resulting in health benefits. 5‐Deoxyisoflavonoids accumulate in the roots (93% mol/mol of the total root isoflavonoids) and seeds of unstressed soybean plants. Chalcone reductase (CHR) is a key enzyme mediating 5‐deoxyisoflavonoid biosynthesis because it catalyzes the production of 6′‐deoxychalcone through its effects on the chalcone synthase (CHS)‐catalyzed reaction. The soybean genome encodes at least 11 CHR‐related homologs, but it is unclear which ones are functionally important for daidzein accumulation in unstressed plants. Among the CHR homologs, the temporal and spatial expression patterns of GmCHR5 were the most correlated with the distribution patterns of 5‐deoxyisoflavonoids. The CHR activity of GmCHR5 was confirmed in vitro and in planta. In the in vitro assays, the ratio of CHR products (6′‐deoxychalcone) to total CHS products (R value) was dependent on GmCHR5 and CHS concentrations, with higher concentrations resulting in higher R values (i.e. approaching 90%). Subcellular localization analyses revealed that GmCHR5 was present in the cytoplasm and nucleus. Protein–protein interaction assays indicated that GmCHR5, but not GmCHR1 and GmCHR6, interacted with 2‐hydroxyisoflavanone synthase (IFS) isozymes. The CHS isozymes also interacted with IFS isozymes but not with GmCHR5. The proposed micro‐compartmentalization of isoflavone biosynthesis through the formation of an IFS‐mediated metabolon is probably involved in positioning GmCHR5 close to CHS, resulting in an R value that is high enough for the accumulation of abundant 5‐deoxyisoflavonoids in soybean roots.
Estimating the number density and energy distribution of electrons in a cold atmospheric plasma using optical emission spectroscopy
Authors: Anand Venu , Nair Aswathi , Karur Karunapathy Nagendirakumar Anbuselvan , Gowravaram Mohan Rao
Published: July 2018

Cold atmospheric plasmas are generous sources of chemically active species, the reaction rates which can be predicted only if the electron number density and the electron energy distribution function are known. Here, the authors present a procedure for estimating both these parameters from the optical emission spectrum of an argon plasma. The peaks in the spectrum were curve fitted with Voigt profiles, and their widths and areas were mapped to the number density and energy distribution of electrons in the plasma, using the mathematical models for Stark broadening and Corona population, respectively. These plasma parameters were optimized to establish a good match between the simulated and the experimental peak attributes. This analysis estimated the value of the electron number density to be approximately 1.5 × 1015 cm−3 and the mean electron temperature to be approximately 0.37 eV in their plasma. It also predicted that the energy distribution of electrons can be closely approximated using a Maxwellian distribution.
Scattering from a pair of closely spaced bubbles
Authors: Maksimov A. O. , Polovinka Yu. A.
Published: July 2018

Acoustic scattering by a single bubble is the most basic problem for bubble detection. For a two-phase flow, the subject of forced oscillations of a pair of bubbles is important because it controls how bubbles interact with each other. Attempts to incorporate interactions between bubbles have traditionally used a multiple scattering methodology. The proposed approach uses a bi-spherical coordinate system and is limited to a description of a sufficiently long-wave acoustical field, so that the bubbles are homobaric, and the medium in the vicinity of the bubbles can be considered incompressible. The choice of a specific coordinate system allows the authors to take into account the internal symmetry inherent in this problem and provides a partial summation on only the most important contributions to the multiple scattering series. A closed form solution was derived for the scattered acoustic field that determines its parametric dependence on bubbles sizes and the separation distance.