bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A self-operating broadband spectrometer on a droplet
Authors: Malara P. , Giorgini A. , Avino S. , Di Sarno V. , Aiello R. , Maddaloni P. , De Natale P. , Gagliardi G. 
Published: May 2020

AbstractSmall-scale Fourier transform spectrometers are rapidly revolutionizing infrared spectro-chemical analysis, enabling on-site and remote sensing applications that were hardly imaginable just few years ago. While most devices reported to date rely on advanced photonic integration technologies, here we demonstrate a miniaturization strategy which harnesses unforced mechanisms, such as the evaporation of a liquid droplet on a partially reflective substrate. Based on this principle, we describe a self-operating optofluidic spectrometer and the analysis method to retrieve consistent spectral information in spite of the intrinsically non-reproducible droplet formation and evaporation dynamics. We experimentally realize the device on the tip of an optical fiber and demonstrate quantitative measurements of gas absorption with a 2.6 nm resolution, in a 100 s acquisition time, over the 250 nm span allowed by our setup’s components. A direct comparison with a commercial optical analyzer clearly points out that a simple evaporating droplet can be an efficient small-scale, inexpensive spectrometer, competitive with the most advanced integrated photonic devices.
Structural basis for impairment of DNA methylation by the DNMT3A R882H mutation
Authors: Anteneh Hiwot , Fang Jian , Song Jikui 
Published: May 2020

AbstractDNA methyltransferase DNMT3A is essential for establishment of mammalian DNA methylation during development. The R882H DNMT3A is a hotspot mutation in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) causing aberrant DNA methylation. However, how this mutation affects the structure and function of DNMT3A remains unclear. Here we report structural characterization of wild-type and R882H-mutated DNMT3A in complex with DNA substrates with different sequence contexts. A loop from the target recognition domain (TRD loop) recognizes the CpG dinucleotides in a +1 flanking site-dependent manner. The R882H mutation reduces the DNA binding at the homodimeric interface, as well as the molecular link between the homodimeric interface and TRD loop, leading to enhanced dynamics of TRD loop. Consistently, in vitro methylation analyses indicate that the R882H mutation compromises the enzymatic activity, CpG specificity and flanking sequence preference of DNMT3A. Together, this study uncovers multiple defects of DNMT3A caused by the R882H mutation in AML.
Tcf1+ cells are required to maintain the inflationary T cell pool upon MCMV infection
Authors: Welten Suzanne P. M. , Yermanos Alexander , Baumann Nicolas S. , Wagen Franziska , Oetiker Nathalie , Sandu Ioana , Pedrioli Alessandro , Oduro Jennifer D. , Reddy Sai T. , Cicin-Sain Luka , Held Werner , Oxenius Annette 
Published: May 2020

AbstractCytomegalovirus-based vaccine vectors offer interesting opportunities for T cell-based vaccination purposes as CMV infection induces large numbers of functional effector-like cells that accumulate in peripheral tissues, a process termed memory inflation. Maintenance of high numbers of peripheral CD8 T cells requires continuous replenishment of the inflationary T cell pool. Here, we show that the inflationary T cell population contains a small subset of cells expressing the transcription factor Tcf1. These Tcf1+ cells resemble central memory T cells and are proliferation competent. Upon sensing viral reactivation events, Tcf1+ cells feed into the pool of peripheral Tcf1− cells and depletion of Tcf1+ cells hampers memory inflation. TCR repertoires of Tcf1+ and Tcf1− populations largely overlap, with the Tcf1+ population showing higher clonal diversity. These data show that Tcf1+ cells are necessary for sustaining the inflationary T cell response, and upholding this subset is likely critical for the success of CMV-based vaccination approaches.
The scaffold protein p62 regulates adaptive thermogenesis through ATF2 nuclear target activation
Authors: Fischer Katrin , Fenzl Anna , Liu Dianxin , Dyar Kenneth A. , Kleinert Maximilian , Brielmeier Markus , Clemmensen Christoffer , Fedl Anna , Finan Brian , Gessner Andre , Jastroch Martin , Huang Jianfeng , Keipert Susanne , Klingenspor Martin , Brüning Jens C. , Kneilling Manfred , Maier Florian C. , Othman Ahmed E. , Pichler Bernd J. , Pramme-Steinwachs Ines , Sachs Stephan , Scheideler Angelika , Thaiss Wolfgang M. , Uhlenhaut Henriette , Ussar Siegfried , Woods Stephen C. , Zorn Julia , Stemmer Kerstin , Collins Sheila , Diaz-Meco Maria , Moscat Jorge , Tschöp Matthias H. , Müller Timo D. 
Published: May 2020

AbstractDuring β-adrenergic stimulation of brown adipose tissue (BAT), p38 phosphorylates the activating transcription factor 2 (ATF2) which then translocates to the nucleus to activate the expression of Ucp1 and Pgc-1α. The mechanisms underlying ATF2 target activation are unknown. Here we demonstrate that p62 (Sqstm1) binds to ATF2 to orchestrate activation of the Ucp1 enhancer and Pgc-1α promoter. P62Δ69-251 mice show reduced expression of Ucp1 and Pgc-1α with impaired ATF2 genomic binding. Modulation of Ucp1 and Pgc-1α expression through p62 regulation of ATF2 signaling is demonstrated in vitro and in vivo in p62Δ69-251 mice, global p62−/− and Ucp1-Cre p62flx/flx mice. BAT dysfunction resulting from p62 deficiency is manifest after birth and obesity subsequently develops despite normal food intake, intestinal nutrient absorption and locomotor activity. In summary, our data identify p62 as a master regulator of BAT function in that it controls the Ucp1 pathway through regulation of ATF2 genomic binding.
Bifidobacteria shape host neural circuits during postnatal development by promoting synapse formation and microglial function
Authors: Luck Berkley , Engevik Melinda A. , Ganesh Bhanu Priya , Lackey Elizabeth P. , Lin Tao , Balderas Miriam , Major Angela , Runge Jessica , Luna Ruth Ann , Sillitoe Roy V. , Versalovic James 
Published: May 2020

AbstractWe hypothesized that early-life gut microbiota support the functional organization of neural circuitry in the brain via regulation of synaptic gene expression and modulation of microglial functionality. Germ-free mice were colonized as neonates with either a simplified human infant microbiota consortium consisting of fourBifidobacteriumspecies, or with a complex, conventional murine microbiota. We examined the cerebellum, cortex, and hippocampus of both groups of colonized mice in addition to germ-free control mice. At postnatal day 4 (P4), conventionalized mice andBifidobacterium-colonized mice exhibited decreased expression of synapse-promoting genes and increased markers indicative of reactive microglia in the cerebellum, cortex and hippocampus relative to germ-free mice. By P20, both conventional andBifidobacterium-treated mice exhibited normal synaptic density and neuronal activity as measured by density of VGLUT2+puncta and Purkinje cell firing rate respectively, in contrast to the increased synaptic density and decreased firing rate observed in germ-free mice. The conclusions from this study further reveal how bifidobacteria participate in establishing functional neural circuits. Collectively, these data indicate that neonatal microbial colonization of the gut elicits concomitant effects on the host CNS, which promote the homeostatic developmental balance of neural connections during the postnatal time period.
Strain modulation of TaO4 planarity in tantalates ultrathin films: surface states engineering
Authors: Portugal Guilherme Ribeiro , Arantes Jeverson Teodoro 
Published: May 2020

AbstractUltrathin films of perovskites have attracted considerable attention once they fit in numerous applications. Over the years, controlling and tuning their properties have been attainable when biaxial strain is applied. Throughab initioDFT calculations, (110) ultrathin (Na,K)TaO3films were submitted to biaxial tensile and compressive strain. Intrinsically, surface Ta shallow states emerge into the bandgap since the (110) cleavage breaks its octahedral symmetry to create TaO4units. Removal of ligands along thex-yplane stabilizesdx2-y2orbitals, which decrease in energy due to lower electrostatic repulsion. Such stabilization is maximized when biaxial tensile increases the TaO4planarity towards a square planar symmetry. Accordingly, the corresponding electronic levels move further into the bandgap. Conversely, compressive biaxial strain intensifies electrostatic repulsion, closing the TaO4tetrahedra, and surface states move to higher energy zones. The reported strain-driven modulation might be applied in different applications, as photocatalysis, ferroelectricity, and spintronics.
Non-destructive ZooMS identification reveals strategic bone tool raw material selection by Neandertals
Authors: Martisius Naomi L. , Welker Frido , Dogandžić Tamara , Grote Mark N. , Rendu William , Sinet-Mathiot Virginie , Wilcke Arndt , McPherron Shannon J. P. , Soressi Marie , Steele Teresa E. 
Published: May 2020

AbstractFive nearly identical fragments of specialized bone tools, interpreted as lissoirs (French for “smoothers”), have been found at two Middle Paleolithic sites in southwest France. The finds span three separate archaeological deposits, suggesting continuity in the behavior of late Neandertals. Using standard morphological assessments, we determined that the lissoirs were produced on ribs of medium-sized ungulates. However, since these bones are highly fragmented and anthropogenically modified, species determinations were challenging. Also, conservative curation policy recommends minimizing destructive sampling of rare, fragile, or small artifacts for molecular identification methods. To better understand raw material selection for these five lissoirs, we reassess their taxonomy using a non-destructive ZooMS methodology based on triboelectric capture of collagen. We sampled four storage containers and obtained identifiable MALDI-TOF MS collagen fingerprints, all indicative of the same taxonomic clade, which includes aurochs and bison (Bos sp. and Bison sp.). The fifth specimen, which was stored in a plastic bag, provided no useful MALDI-TOF MS spectra. We show that the choice of large bovid ribs in an archaeological layer dominated by reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) demonstrates strategic selection by these Neandertals. Furthermore, our results highlight the value of a promising technique for the non-destructive analysis of bone artifacts.
Predicting coral-reef futures from El Niño and Pacific Decadal Oscillation events
Authors: Houk Peter , Yalon Anthony , Maxin Selino , Starsinic Christy , McInnis Andrew , Gouezo Marine , Golbuu Yimnang , van Woesik Robert 
Published: May 2020

AbstractEl Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events modulate oceanographic processes that control temperature and productivity in tropical waters, yet potential interactions with low frequency climate variability, such as the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO), are poorly understood. We show that ENSO and PDO together predicted (i) maximum sea-surface temperatures (SST), which were associated with coral bleaching and declines in coral cover, and (ii) maximum chlorophyll-a concentrations, which were associated with high densities of coral-predatory Acanthaster starfish, across the tropical north Pacific Ocean since 1980. Asynchrony between the positive PDO and negative ENSO (i.e., La Niña) was associated with peaks in annual SST. By contrast, synchrony between the positive PDO and positive ENSO (i.e., El Niño) was associated with peaks in chlorophyll-a. Both conditions led to ecological disturbances and significant loss of coral cover, however, spatial models revealed where impacts to reefs were expected under varying climate scenarios. The 2015/17 ENSO event was coupled with a positive PDO and resulted in high SST and Acanthaster abundances in eastern Micronesia, while positive coral growth occurred in western Micronesia. Our novel approach for forecasting coral growth into the future may be applicable to other oceanic regions with differing oceanographic modulators.
Deep learning enables automated localization of the metastatic lymph node for thyroid cancer on 131I post-ablation whole-body planar scans
Authors: Kavitha MuthuSubash , Lee Chang-Hee , Shibudas KattakkaliSubhashdas , Kurita Takio , Ahn Byeong-Cheol 
Published: May 2020

AbstractThe accurate detection of radioactive iodine-avid lymph node (LN) metastasis on 131I post-ablation whole-body planar scans (RxWBSs) is important in tracking the progression of the metastatic lymph nodes (mLNs) of patients with papillary thyroid cancer (PTC). However, severe noise artifacts and the indiscernible location of the mLN from adjacent tissues with similar gray-scale values make clinical decisions extremely challenging. This study aims (i) to develop a multilayer fully connected deep network (MFDN) for the automatic recognition of mLNs from thyroid remnant tissue by utilizing the dataset of RxWBSs and (ii) to evaluate its diagnostic performance using post-ablation single-photon emission computed tomography. Image patches focused on the mLN and remnant tissues along with their variations of probability of pixel positions were fed as inputs to the network. With this efficient automatic approach, we achieved a high F1-score and outperformed the physician score (P < 0.001) in detecting mLNs. Competitive segmentation networks on RxWBS displayed moderate performance for the mLN but remained robust for the remnant tissue. Our results demonstrated that the generalization performance with the multiple layers by replicating signal transmission overcome the constraint of local minimum optimization, it can be suitable to localize the unstable location of mLN region on RxWBS and therefore MFDN can be useful in clinical decision-making to track mLN progression for PTC.
A Combined Study of Headspace Volatiles using Human Sensory, Mass Spectrometry and Chemometrics
Authors: McAdam K. G. , Tetteh J. , Bishop L. , Digard H. , Cote J. , Lubbe S. , Liu C. 
Published: May 2020

AbstractSmokeless tobacco products (STPs) are widely used in certain parts of the world, yet there is limited understanding of how they are consumed, particularly the impact of chemosensory characteristics on their use. In order to develop an understanding of the drivers of STP use and product acceptability we conducted both human sensory panel testing and chemical analyses on a range of STPs. Free-sorting paired odour testing using sensory panellists identified similarities and clear differences between eleven different STPs. Headspace volatiles, analysed by headspace solid-phase microextraction gas chromatography mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS), identified 20 to 70 components depending upon the STP. Key differences in headspace volatiles were found between STPs. For example, the headspace of Skoal Bandits Wintergreen was dominated by methyl salicylate, while Marlboro Spice consists of a more complex profile including pinene, nicotine, eugenol and cymene. Chemometric Target Factor Analysis (TFA) and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA) of chemistry and sensory data was used to deduce chemical drivers of sensory perceptions. The chemometric strategy used showed that headspace analysis is a complementary screening tool to sensory analysis in classification studies. This study is generic with applications across various product sectors that require routine human sensory panel evaluation.
Expansin-like Exl1 from Pectobacterium is a virulence factor required for host infection, and induces a defence plant response involving ROS, and jasmonate, ethylene and salicylic acid signalling pathways in Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Narváez-Barragán Delia A. , Tovar-Herrera Omar E. , Torres Martha , Rodríguez Mabel , Humphris Sonia , Toth Ian K. , Segovia Lorenzo , Serrano Mario , Martínez-Anaya Claudia 
Published: May 2020

AbstractExpansins are encoded by some phytopathogenic bacteria and evidence indicates that they act as virulence factors for host infection. Here we analysed the expression of exl1 by Pectobacterium brasiliense and Pectobacterium atrosepticum. In both, exl1 gene appears to be under quorum sensing control, and protein Exl1 can be observed in culture medium and during plant infection. Expression of exl1 correlates with pathogen virulence, where symptoms are reduced in a Δexl1 mutant strain of P. atrosepticum. As well as Δexl1 exhibiting less maceration of potato plants, fewer bacteria are observed at distance from the inoculation site. However, bacteria infiltrated into the plant tissue are as virulent as the wild type, suggesting that this is due to alterations in the initial invasion of the tissue. Additionally, swarming from colonies grown on MacConkey soft agar was delayed in the mutant in comparison to the wild type. We found that Exl1 acts on the plant tissue, probably by remodelling of a cell wall component or altering the barrier properties of the cell wall inducing a plant defence response, which results in the production of ROS and the induction of marker genes of the JA, ET and SA signalling pathways in Arabidopsis thaliana. Exl1 inactive mutants fail to trigger such responses. This defence response is protective against Pectobacterium brasiliense and Botrytis cinerea in more than one plant species.
Anti-DFS70 antibodies detected by specific methods in patients with thrombosis or recurrent pregnancy loss: no evidence of an association
Authors: Bizzaro Nicola , Pesce Giampaola , Trevisan Maria Teresa , Marchiano Manuela , Cinquanta Luigi , Infantino Maria , Paura Giusy , Tampoia Marilina , Alessio Maria Grazia , Previtali Giulia , Marchese Magda , Zullo Clelia , Villalta Danilo , Brusca Ignazio , Laneve Mario , Castiglione Caterina , Carbone Teresa , Curcio Carmela , Invernizzi Laura , Montecucco Fabrizio , Saverino Daniele , Ferretti Fabio , Porcelli Brunetta 
Published: May 2020

AbstractA dense fine speckled pattern (DFS) caused by antibodies to the DFS70 kDa nuclear protein is a relatively common finding while testing for anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA) by indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) on HEp-2 cells. However, despite many efforts and numerous studies, the clinical significance of anti-DFS70 antibodies is still unknown as they can be found in patients with various disorders and even in healthy subjects. In this study we aimed at verifying whether these antibodies are associated with thrombotic events or with unexplained recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL). We studied 443 patients with venous or arterial thrombosis or RPL and 244 controls by IIF on HEp-2 cells and by a DFS70-specific chemiluminescent immunoassay (CIA). The DFS pattern was observed in IIF in 31/443 (7.0%) patients and in 6/244 (2.5%) controls (p = 0.01) while anti-DFS70 specific antibodies were detected by CIA in 11 (2.5%) patients and in one (0.4%) control (p = 0.06). Positive samples, either by IIF or by CIA, were then assayed by a second DFS70-specific line-immunoassay (LIA) method: 83.3% of the CIA positive samples were confirmed DFS70 positive versus only 29.7% of the IIF positive samples. These findings show that IIF overestimates anti-DFS70 antibody frequency and that results obtained by specific CIA and LIA assays do not indicate that venous or arterial thrombosis or RPL are linked to a higher prevalence of anti-DFS70 antibodies.
Development of a fourth-order compact finite difference scheme for simulation of simulated-moving-bed process
Authors: Yao Chuanyi , Zhang Yanjuan , Chen Jinliang , Ling Xueping , Jing Keju , Lu Yinghua , Fan Enguo 
Published: May 2020

AbstractA fourth-order compact finite difference scheme was developed to solve the model equation of simulated moving bed, which has a boundary condition that is updated along the calculation process and cannot be described as an explicit function of time. Two different methods, direct method and pseudo grid point method, were proposed to deal with the boundary condition. The high accuracy of the two methods was confirmed by a case study of solving an advection-diffusion equation with exact solution. The developed compact finite difference scheme was then used to simulate the SMB processes for glucose-fructose separation and enantioseparation of 1,1′-bi-2-naphtol. It was found that the simulated results fit well with the experimental data. Furthermore, the developed method was further combined with the continuous prediction method to shorten the computational time and the results showed that, the computational time can be saved about 45%.
Structural equation modeling for investigating multi-trait genetic architecture of udder health in dairy cattle
Authors: Pegolo Sara , Momen Mehdi , Morota Gota , Rosa Guilherme J. M. , Gianola Daniel , Bittante Giovanni , Cecchinato Alessio 
Published: May 2020

AbstractMastitis is one of the most prevalent and costly diseases in dairy cattle. It results in changes in milk composition and quality which are indicators of udder inflammation in absence of clinical signs. We applied structural equation modeling (SEM) - GWAS aiming to explore interrelated dependency relationships among phenotypes related to udder health, including milk yield (MY), somatic cell score (SCS), lactose (%, LACT), pH and non-casein N (NCN, % of total milk N), in a cohort of 1,158 Brown Swiss cows. The phenotypic network inferred via the Hill-Climbing algorithm was used to estimate SEM parameters. Integration of multi-trait models-GWAS and SEM-GWAS identified six significant SNPs for SCS, and quantified the contribution of MY and LACT acting as mediator traits to total SNP effects. Functional analyses revealed that overrepresented pathways were often shared among traits and were consistent with biological knowledge (e.g., membrane transport activity for pH and MY or Wnt signaling for SCS and NCN). In summary, SEM-GWAS offered new insights on the relationships among udder health phenotypes and on the path of SNP effects, providing useful information for genetic improvement and management strategies in dairy cattle.
The nature of the diffuse light near cities detected in nighttime satellite imagery
Authors: Sanchez de Miguel Alejandro , Kyba Christopher C. M. , Zamorano Jaime , Gallego Jesús , Gaston Kevin J. 
Published: May 2020

AbstractDiffuse glow has been observed around brightly lit cities in nighttime satellite imagery since at least the first publication of large scale maps in the late 1990s. In the literature, this has often been assumed to be an error related to the sensor, and referred to as “blooming”, presumably in relation to the effect that can occur when using a CCD to photograph a bright light source. Here we show that the effect seen on the DMSP/OLS, SNPP/VIIRS-DNB and ISS is not only instrumental, but in fact represents a real detection of light scattered by the atmosphere. Data from the Universidad Complutense Madrid sky brightness survey are compared to nighttime imagery from multiple sensors with differing spatial resolutions, and found to be strongly correlated. These results suggest that it should be possible for a future space-based imaging radiometer to monitor changes in the diffuse artificial skyglow of cities.