bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Parental feeding practices across child’s weight status: Evidence of the Italian validation of the Child Feeding Questionnaire
Authors: Buratta Livia , Delvecchio Elisa , Germani Alessandro , Mazzeschi Claudia 
Published: October 2020

AbstractObjective:The main aim of this study was to assess the psychometric proprieties of the Child Feeding Questionnaire (CFQ) in Italian mothers.Design:Mothers completed the Italian version of the CFQ, and children’s anthropometric data were collected. Construct validity of the CFQ was assessed by comparing three different models: (a) a seven correlated factors model in which all items were analysed; (b) a seven correlated factors model with composite items based on the Restriction factor and (c) an eight correlated factors model with a separate Reward factor. Measurement invariance using BMI categories and gender was evaluated. Furthermore, discriminant validity with group comparison was performed between BMI categories and gender.Setting:Italy.Participants:A total of 1253 6-year-old Italian children (53·9 % male) attending elementary school (1st grade) and their mothers (mean age = 38·22 years;sd= 4·89) participated in this study.Results:The eight-factor model with a separate reward factor provided the best fit for the data. The strict invariance of the CFQ across child BMI categories and gender was confirmed. The CFQ internal consistency was acceptable for most subscales. However, two subscales showed no adequate values. As expected, the CFQ scales showed significant differences between BMI categories, while no gender-related differences were found.Conclusions:The study indicated the Italian version of the CFQ to be factorially valid for assessing parental feeding practices of 6-year-old children across BMI categories. Future research should address low internal consistency in some of the CFQ subscales.
Prediction of Northern Hemisphere Regional Sea Ice Extent and Snow Depth Using Stratospheric Ozone Information
Authors: Stone Kane A. , Solomon Susan , Kinnison Douglas E. 
Published: October 2020

AbstractThe forecast potential of springtime ozone on April surface temperatures at particular locations in the Northern Hemisphere has been previously reported. Evidence suggests that early springtime Arctic stratospheric ozone acts as a proxy for extreme events in the winter polar vortex. Here, using a state‐of‐the‐art chemistry‐climate model, reanalysis and observations, we extend the forecast potential of ozone on surface temperatures to aspects of the Northern Hemisphere cryosphere. Sea ice fraction and sea ice extent differences between years of March high and low Arctic stratospheric ozone extremes show excellent agreement between an ensemble of chemistry‐climate model simulations and observations, with differences occurring not just in April but extending through to the following winter season in some locations. Large snow depth differences are also obtained in regional locations in Russia and along the southeast coast of Alaska. These differences remain elevated until early summer, when snow cover diminishes. Using a conditional empirical model in a leave‐three‐out cross validation method, March total column ozone is able to accurately predict the sign of the observed sea ice extent and snow depth anomalies over 70% of the time during an ozone extreme year, especially in the region of the Bering strait and the Greenland Sea, which could be useful for shipping routes and for testing climate models.
ENSO and Pacific Decadal Variability in the Community Earth System Model Version 2
Authors: Capotondi A. , Deser C. , Phillips A. S. , Okumura Y. , Larson S. M. 
Published: October 2020

AbstractThis study presents a description of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and Pacific Decadal Variability (PDV) in a multicentury preindustrial simulation of the Community Earth System Model Version 2 (CESM2). The model simulates several aspects of ENSO relatively well, including dominant timescale, tropical and extratropical precursors, composite evolution of El Niño and La Niña events, and ENSO teleconnections. The good model representation of ENSO spectral characteristics is consistent with the spatial pattern of the anomalous equatorial zonal wind stress in the model, which results in the correct adjustment timescale of the equatorial thermocline according to the delayed/recharge oscillator paradigms, as also reflected in the realistic time evolution of the equatorial Warm Water Volume. PDV in the model exhibits a pattern that is very similar to the observed, with realistic tropical and South Pacific signatures which were much weaker in some of the CESM2 predecessor models. The tropical component of PDV also shows an association with ENSO decadal modulation which is similar to that found in observations. However, the ENSO amplitude is about 30% larger than observed in the preindustrial CESM2 simulation, and even larger in the historical ensemble, perhaps as a result of anthropogenic influences. In contrast to observations, the largest variability is found in the central Pacific rather than in the eastern Pacific, a discrepancy that somewhat hinders the model's ability to represent a full diversity in El Niño spatial patterns and appears to be associated with an unrealistic confinement of the precipitation anomalies to the western Pacific.
Greenland Ice Sheet Elevation Change: Direct Observation of Process and Attribution at Summit
Authors: Hawley Robert L. , Neumann Thomas A. , Stevens C. Max , Brunt Kelly M. , Sutterley Tyler C. 
Published: October 2020

AbstractGreenland Ice Sheet surface elevation is changing as mass loss accelerates. In understanding elevation change, the magnitudes of physical processes involved are important for interpretation of altimetry and assessing changes in these processes. The four key processes are surface mass balance (SMB), firn densification, ice dynamics, and isostatic adjustment. We quantified these processes at Summit, Greenland, where monthly Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) snowmobile traverses measured elevation change from 2008 to 2018. We find an elevation increase of 0.019 m a−1. The sum of the effects of the four processes reproduces the measured elevation time series, in linear trend and in intra‐annual variability. The short‐term variability in elevation is primarily explained by the variability in SMB. Since SMB has not changed significantly over the last century, and the other processes change over longer time scales, the elevation change likely has been ongoing for at least the last 100 years.
Potential Precipitation Predictability Decreases Under Future Warming
Authors: Xu Lei , Zhang Chong , Chen Nengcheng , Moradkhani Hamid , Chu Pao‐Shin , Zhang Xiang 
Published: October 2020

AbstractPrecipitation predictability is likely to decrease with water cycle intensification under global warming, yet how much it will change spatiotemporally is unclear. We quantify the precipitation predictability changes under future warming using model simulations from Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5. The global‐averaged potential precipitation predictability (PPP) is likely to decrease 0.3% per 1°C increase of global sea surface temperature (SST), with a decrease of 0.8% and 0.1% in tropical and extratropical regions, respectively, under future warming scenarios. The PPP changes are divergent among different models with considerable uncertainty. The estimated declining PPP is closely related to the increase of SST and the decrease of potential SST predictability based on a statistical regression analysis. These results unravel the changing pattern of precipitation predictability under future warming.
A micromirror array with annular partitioning for high-speed random-access axial focusing
Authors: Ersumo Nathan Tessema , Yalcin Cem , Antipa Nick , Pégard Nicolas , Waller Laura , Lopez Daniel , Muller Rikky 
Published: October 2020

AbstractDynamic axial focusing functionality has recently experienced widespread incorporation in microscopy, augmented/virtual reality (AR/VR), adaptive optics and material processing. However, the limitations of existing varifocal tools continue to beset the performance capabilities and operating overhead of the optical systems that mobilize such functionality. The varifocal tools that are the least burdensome to operate (e.g. liquid crystal, elastomeric or optofluidic lenses) suffer from low (≈100 Hz) refresh rates. Conversely, the fastest devices sacrifice either critical capabilities such as their dwelling capacity (e.g. acoustic gradient lenses or monolithic micromechanical mirrors) or low operating overhead (e.g. deformable mirrors). Here, we present a general-purpose random-access axial focusing device that bridges these previously conflicting features of high speed, dwelling capacity and lightweight drive by employing low-rigidity micromirrors that exploit the robustness of defocusing phase profiles. Geometrically, the device consists of an 8.2 mm diameter array of piston-motion and 48-μm-pitch micromirror pixels that provide 2π phase shifting for wavelengths shorter than 1100 nm with 10–90% settling in 64.8 μs (i.e., 15.44 kHz refresh rate). The pixels are electrically partitioned into 32 rings for a driving scheme that enables phase-wrapped operation with circular symmetry and requires <30 V per channel. Optical experiments demonstrated the array’s wide focusing range with a measured ability to target 29 distinct resolvable depth planes. Overall, the features of the proposed array offer the potential for compact, straightforward methods of tackling bottlenecked applications, including high-throughput single-cell targeting in neurobiology and the delivery of dense 3D visual information in AR/VR.
Immune checkpoint molecules in natural killer cells as potential targets for cancer immunotherapy
Authors: Cao Yuqing , Wang Xiaoyu , Jin Tianqiang , Tian Yu , Dai Chaoliu , Widarma Crystal , Song Rui , Xu Feng 
Published: October 2020

AbstractRecent studies have demonstrated the potential of natural killer (NK) cells in immunotherapy to treat multiple types of cancer. NK cells are innate lymphoid cells that play essential roles in tumor surveillance and control that efficiently kill the tumor and do not require the major histocompatibility complex. The discovery of the NK’s potential as a promising therapeutic target for cancer is a relief to oncologists as they face the challenge of increased chemo-resistant cancers. NK cells show great potential against solid and hematologic tumors and have progressively shown promise as a therapeutic target for cancer immunotherapy. The effector role of these cells is reliant on the balance of inhibitory and activating signals. Understanding the role of various immune checkpoint molecules in the exhaustion and impairment of NK cells when their inhibitory receptors are excessively expressed is particularly important in cancer immunotherapy studies and clinical implementation. Emerging immune checkpoint receptors and molecules have been found to mediate NK cell dysfunction in the tumor microenvironment; this has brought up the need to explore further additional NK cell-related immune checkpoints that may be exploited to enhance the immune response to refractory cancers. Accordingly, this review will focus on the recent findings concerning the roles of immune checkpoint molecules and receptors in the regulation of NK cell function, as well as their potential application in tumor immunotherapy.
Acetyl-bufalin shows potent efficacy against non-small-cell lung cancer by targeting the CDK9/STAT3 signalling pathway
Authors: Yang Lehe , Zhou Feng , Zhuang Yan , Liu Yanan , Xu Lingyuan , Zhao Haiyang , Xiang Youqun , Dai Xuanxuan , Liu Zhiguo , Huang Xiaoying , Wang Liangxing , Zhao Chengguang 
Published: October 2020

AbstractBackgroundCyclin-dependent kinase 9 (CDK9) is a promising prognostic marker and therapeutic target in cancers. Bufalin is an effective anti-tumour agent; however, the clinical application of bufalin is limited due to its high toxicity. Acetyl-bufalin, the bufalin prodrug, was designed and synthesised with higher efficiency and lower toxicity.MethodsThree non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell lines, a xenograft model and a patient-derived xenograft (PDX) model were used to examine the effects of acetyl-bufalin. CDK9/STAT3 involvement was investigated by knockdown with siRNA, proteome microarray assay, western blot analysis and co-immunoprecipitation experiments. Acute toxicity test and pharmacokinetics (PK) study were conducted to assess the safety and PK. The human NSCLC tissues were analysed to verify high CDK9 expression.ResultsWe showed that CDK9 induced NSCLC cell proliferation and that this effect was associated with STAT3 activation, specifically an increase in STAT3 phosphorylation and transcription factor activity. Acetyl-bufalin is an effective and safety inhibitor of the CDK9/STAT3 pathway, leading to the impediment of various oncogenic processes in NSCLC. Molecular docking and high-throughput proteomics platform analysis uncovered acetyl-bufalin directly binds to CDK9. Consequently, acetyl-bufalin impaired the complex formation of CDK9 and STAT3, decreased the expressions of P-STAT3, and transcribed target genes such as cyclin B1, CDC2, MCL-1, Survivin, VEGF, BCL2, and it upregulated the expression levels of BAX and caspase-3 activity. Acetyl-bufalin inhibited tumour growth in NSCLC xenograft and PDX models.ConclusionsAcetyl-bufalin is a novel blocker of the CDK9/STAT3 pathway thus may have potential in therapy of NSCLC and other cancers.
Patient-derived SARS-CoV-2 mutations impact viral replication dynamics and infectivity in vitro and with clinical implications in vivo
Authors: Yao Hangping , Lu Xiangyun , Chen Qiong , Xu Kaijin , Chen Yu , Cheng Minghui , Chen Keda , Cheng Linfang , Weng Tianhao , Shi Danrong , Liu Fumin , Wu Zhigang , Xie Mingjie , Wu Haibo , Jin Changzhong , Zheng Min , Wu Nanping , Jiang Chao , Li Lanjuan 
Published: October 2020

AbstractThe severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has spread globally with more than 33 million patients diagnosed, taking more than a million lives. Abundant mutations were observed but the functional consequences of these mutations are largely unknown. We report the mutation spectrum, replication dynamics, and infectivity of 11 patient-derived viral isolates in diverse cell lines, including the human lung cancer cell line Calu-3. We observed 46 mutations, including 9 different mutations in the spike gene. Importantly, these viral isolates show significant and consistent variations in replication dynamics and infectivity in tested cell lines, up to a 1500-fold difference in viral titers at 24 h after infecting Calu-3 cells. Moreover, we show that the variations in viral titers among viral isolates are positively correlated with blood clotting function but inversely correlated with the amount of red blood cell and hemoglobin in patients. Therefore, we provide direct evidence that naturally occurring mutations in SARS-CoV-2 can substantially change its replication dynamics and infectivity in diverse human cell lines, with clinical implications in vivo.
Engineering active sites on hierarchical transition bimetal oxides/sulfides heterostructure array enabling robust overall water splitting
Authors: Zhai Panlong , Zhang Yanxue , Wu Yunzhen , Gao Junfeng , Zhang Bo , Cao Shuyan , Zhang Yanting , Li Zhuwei , Sun Licheng , Hou Jungang 
Published: October 2020

AbstractRational design of the catalysts is impressive for sustainable energy conversion. However, there is a grand challenge to engineer active sites at the interface. Herein, hierarchical transition bimetal oxides/sulfides heterostructure arrays interacting two-dimensional MoOx/MoS2 nanosheets attached to one-dimensional NiOx/Ni3S2 nanorods were fabricated by oxidation/hydrogenation-induced surface reconfiguration strategy. The NiMoOx/NiMoS heterostructure array exhibits the overpotentials of 38 mV for hydrogen evolution and 186 mV for oxygen evolution at 10 mA cm−2, even surviving at a large current density of 500 mA cm−2 with long-term stability. Due to optimized adsorption energies and accelerated water splitting kinetics by theory calculations, the assembled two-electrode cell delivers the industrially relevant current densities of 500 and 1000 mA cm−2 at record low cell voltages of 1.60 and 1.66 V with excellent durability. This research provides a promising avenue to enhance the electrocatalytic performance of the catalysts by engineering interfacial active sites toward large-scale water splitting.
Fibrinogen function achieved through multiple covalent states
Authors: Butera Diego , Hogg Philip J. 
Published: October 2020

AbstractDisulfide bonds link pairs of cysteine amino acids and their formation is assumed to be complete in the mature, functional protein. Here, we test this assumption by quantifying the redox state of disulfide bonds in the blood clotting protein fibrinogen. The disulfide status of fibrinogen from healthy human donor plasma and cultured human hepatocytes are measured using differential cysteine alkylation and mass spectrometry. This analysis identifies 13 disulfide bonds that are 10–50% reduced, indicating that fibrinogen is produced in multiple disulfide-bonded or covalent states. We further show that disulfides form upon fibrin polymerization and are required for a robust fibrin matrix that withstands the mechanical forces of flowing blood and resists premature fibrinolysis. The covalent states of fibrinogen are changed by fluid shear forces ex vivo and in vivo, indicating that the different states are dynamic. These findings demonstrate that fibrinogen exists and functions as multiple covalent forms.
Leaf pigmentation, its profiles and radical scavenging activity in selected Amaranthus tricolor leafy vegetables
Authors: Sarker Umakanta , Oba Shinya 
Published: October 2020

AbstractThe selected A. tricolor accessions contained abundant color attributes, betacyanin, carotenoids, betalains, betaxanthins, and antioxidants potentiality that varied in terms of genotypes. For the first time, we identified 4 betacyanins, and 5 carotenoid compounds in A. tricolor genotypes. The genotype VA14 and VA16 had abundant color attributes, betacyanin such as amaranthine, iso-amaranthine, betanin, iso-betanin, and antioxidants potentiality. These two genotypes having an excellent source of color attributes, betacyanins, betalains, betaxanthins, and antioxidants potentiality could be used as potent antioxidant varieties. The genotype VA11 and VA16 had abundant carotenoid components, such as zeaxanthin, lutein, violaxanthin, neoxanthin, total xanthophylls, and beta-carotene. The genotype VA11 and VA16 had abundant carotenoid components that could be used as carotenoid enrich varieties. It revealed from the correlation study that pigment profiles of A. tricolor genotypes exhibited high quenching capacity of radicals. These accessions have high antioxidant potentials and great opportunity to make drinks, preservatives, and colorant of food products to feed the community deficient in antioxidants. The identified components of betacyanins and carotenoids in A. tricolor require comprehensive pharmacological study. The baseline data on color attributes, betacyanins profile, carotenoids profile, betaxanthins, betalains and antioxidant potentiality obtained in the present study could contribute to pharmacologists for evaluating these components scientifically in A. tricolor.
Comparing basal dendrite branches in human and mouse hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons with Bayesian networks
Authors: Mihaljević Bojan , Larrañaga Pedro , Benavides-Piccione Ruth , DeFelipe Javier , Bielza Concha 
Published: October 2020

AbstractPyramidal neurons are the most common cell type in the cerebral cortex. Understanding how they differ between species is a key challenge in neuroscience. A recent study provided a unique set of human and mouse pyramidal neurons of the CA1 region of the hippocampus, and used it to compare the morphology of apical and basal dendritic branches of the two species. The study found inter-species differences in the magnitude of the morphometrics and similarities regarding their variation with respect to morphological determinants such as branch type and branch order. We use the same data set to perform additional comparisons of basal dendrites. In order to isolate the heterogeneity due to intrinsic differences between species from the heterogeneity due to differences in morphological determinants, we fit multivariate models over the morphometrics and the determinants. In particular, we use conditional linear Gaussian Bayesian networks, which provide a concise graphical representation of the independencies and correlations among the variables. We also extend the previous study by considering additional morphometrics and by formally testing whether a morphometric increases or decreases with the distance from the soma. This study introduces a multivariate methodology for inter-species comparison of morphology.
DXA reference values and anthropometric screening for visceral obesity in Western Australian adults
Authors: Staynor Jonathan M. D. , Smith Marc K. , Donnelly Cyril J. , Sallam Amar El , Ackland Timothy R. 
Published: October 2020

AbstractLimited reference values exist for visceral adipose tissue (VAT) mass measured by DXA. The objectives of this study were to provide reference values for DXA-derived VAT mass and compare the association with anthropometry measures. The study cohort comprised 677 men and 738 women aged 18–65 years from Western Australia. Whole-body scans using a GE Lunar iDXA and anthropometry measures were collected. Reference percentile data were stratified by sex and age. Correlation analysis compared DXA-derived and anthropometry variables. Specificity, sensitivity, and Youden’s Index were used to evaluate the ability of anthropometric thresholds to predict individuals with high VAT. In men, waist circumference (WC), waist-hip ratio, and waist-height ratio (WHtR) had ‘high’ correlations with VAT mass. In women, only WHtR was ‘highly’ correlated with VAT mass. Overweight thresholds for WC, along with a body mass index of 25.0 kg/m2 in women, had the highest combination of sensitivity and specificity when using anthropometry measures to identify individuals with high VAT mass. We provide the first reference data sets for DXA-derived VAT mass among Western Australians. Excessive VAT mass may be identified in men using the overweight WC threshold and in women using both the overweight BMI and WC thresholds.
Comparison of near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and near-infrared transillumination-backscattering sounding (NIR-T/BSS) methods
Authors: Gruszecka Agnieszka , Gruszecki Marcin , Neary J. Patrick , Singh Jyotpal , Teckchandani Taylor , Waskow Monika , Wszedybyl-Winklewska Magdalena , Guminski Wojciech , Frydrychowski Andrzej F. , Rumiński Jacek , Lass Piotr , Kratzig Gregory P. , Winklewski Pawel J. 
Published: October 2020

AbstractThe aim of the study was to compare simultaneously recorded a NIR-T/BSS and NIRS signals from healthy volunteers. NIR-T/BSS is a device which give an ability to non-invasively detect and monitor changes in the subarachnoid space width (SAS). Experiments were performed on a group of 30 healthy volunteers (28 males and 2 females, age 30.8 ± 13.4 years, BMI = 24.5 ± 2.3 kg/m2). We analysed recorded signals using analysis methods based on wavelet transform (WT) for the wide frequency range from 0.0095 to 2 Hz. Despite the fact that both devices use a similar radiation source both signals are distinct from each other. We found statistically significant differences for WT amplitude spectra between both signals. Additionally, we showed different relationships of both signals to blood pressure. Collectively, based on the present findings and those of previous studies, we can conclude that the combination of NIR-T/BSS or NIRS signals and time–frequency analysis opens new frontiers in science, and give possibility to understand and diagnosis of various neurodegenerative and ageing related diseases to improve diagnostic procedures and patient prognosis.