bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Spermcast mating with release of zygotes in the small dioecious bivalve Digitaria digitaria
Authors: Marina Pablo , Urra Javier , Bueno Juan de Dios , Rueda José Luis , Gofas Serge , Salas Carmen 
Published: July 2020

AbstractDigitaria digitaria, a small astartid usually less than 10 mm in length, has a non-brooding behaviour in spite of its limited space for gonad development. This species lives in highly unstable environments with strong currents, which represent a challenge for fertilization and larval settlement. The studied population of D. digitaria from the Strait of Gibraltar area was dioecious, with significant predominance of females and sexual dimorphism, where females are larger than males. The reproductive cycle is asynchronous throughout the year, without a resting period, but with successive partial spawning events. The presence of stored sperm in the suprabranchial chamber and inside the gonad of some females, together with the release of eggs along the dorsal axis of both gills, points to internal oocyte fertilization. Bacteriocytes were found in the female and male follicle walls, but no bacteria were observed inside any of the gametes. Digitaria digitaria could represent a “missing link” between spermcast mating bivalves with brooded offspring and bivalves with broadcast release of eggs and sperm. The small size, limiting the oocyte production, together with the unstable environment could represent evolutionary pressures towards sperm uptake in D. digitaria.
Maximal Shannon entropy in the vicinity of an exceptional point in an open microcavity
Authors: Park Kyu-Won , Kim Jinuk , Moon Songky , An Kyungwon 
Published: July 2020

AbstractThe Shannon entropy as a measure of information contents is investigated around an exceptional point (EP) in an open elliptical microcavity as a non-Hermitian system. The Shannon entropy is maximized near the EP in the parameter space for two interacting modes, but the exact maximum position is slightly off the EP toward the weak interaction region while the slopes of the Shannon entropies diverge at the EP. The Shannon entropies also show discontinuity across a specific line in the parameter space, directly related to the exchange of the Shannon entropy as well as the mode patterns with that line as a boundary. This feature results in a nontrivial topological structure of the Shannon entropy surfaces.
In silico identification and functional validation of linear cationic α-helical antimicrobial peptides in the ascidian Ciona intestinalis
Authors: Ohtsuka Yukio , Inagaki Hidetoshi 
Published: July 2020

AbstractWe developed a computing method to identify linear cationic α-helical antimicrobial peptides (LCAMPs) in the genome of Ciona intestinalis based on its structural and physicochemical features. Using this method, 22 candidates of Ciona LCAMPs, including well-known antimicrobial peptides, were identified from 21,975 non-redundant amino acid sequences in Ciona genome database, Ghost database. We also experimentally confirmed the antimicrobial activities of five LCAMP candidates, and three of them were found to be active in the presence of 500 mM NaCl, nearly equivalent to the salt concentration of seawater. Membrane topology prediction suggested that salt resistance of Ciona LCAMPs might be influenced by hydrophobic interactions between the peptide and membrane. Further, we applied our method to Xenopus tropicalis genome and found 11 LCAMP candidates. Thus, our method may serve as an effective and powerful tool for searching LCAMPs that are difficult to find using conventional homology-based methods.
The influence of boreal summer intra-seasonal oscillations on Indo-western Pacific Ocean surface waves
Authors: Srinivas G. , Remya P. G. , Malavika S. , Nair T. M. Balakrishnan 
Published: July 2020

AbstractThe present study examines the influence of Boreal Summer Intra-Seasonal Oscillation (BSISO) on Tropical Indian Ocean surface waves using the latest version of ECMWF reanalysis (ERA5) during summer monsoon months June through August (JJA). BSISO is a distinct mode of ISO during JJA having a northward and eastward movement from the equatorial Indian Ocean to the western Pacific Ocean. Composite analysis of anomalies of significant wave heights (SWH), wind sea, swell, and mean wave period for 8 phases of BSISO has been carried out to understand its influence. SWH anomalies in response to BSISO’s are phase-dependent. Negative SWH anomalies are noticed with strong northward and weak eastward propagation during the phases 1–3 in response to the easterly wind anomalies over the north Indian Ocean (NIO). During phases 5–7, high positive SWH anomalies (~ 0.5 m) in response to the westerly wind anomalies with northward and weak eastward propagation over NIO. Phases 4 and 8 behave like transition phases. In addition, enhanced (suppressed) SWH anomalies (~ 0.5 m) are seen during the active (break) spells of BSISO over NIO. Over the southern tip of India, negative (positive) SWH anomalies prevail during the active (break) conditions. This study clearly suggests that the wave forecast advisories during intra-seasonal time scales would be more useful for offshore and coastal activities during the summer monsoon.
Protective action of Bacillus clausii probiotic strains in an in vitro model of Rotavirus infection
Authors: Paparo Lorella , Tripodi Lorella , Bruno Cristina , Pisapia Laura , Damiano Carla , Pastore Lucio , Berni Canani Roberto 
Published: July 2020

AbstractRotavirus is the most common cause of acute gastroenteritis (AGE) in young children. Bacillus clausii (B. clausii) is a spore-forming probiotic that is able to colonize the gut. A mixture of four B. clausii strains (O/C, T, SIN and N/R) is commonly used for the treatment of AGE, and it has been demonstrated that it can reduce the duration and severity of diarrhea in children with AGE. Few studies have sought to characterize the mechanisms responsible for such beneficial effects. Intestinal effects of probiotics are likely to be strain-specific. We conducted a series of in vitro experiments investigating the activities of this mixture of B. clausii strains on biomarkers of mucosal barrier integrity and immune function in a cellular model of Rotavirus infection. B. clausii protected enterocytes against Rotavirus-induced decrease in trans-epithelial electrical resistance, and up-regulated expression of mucin 5AC and tight junction proteins (occludin and zonula occludens-1), all of which are important for effective mucosal barrier function. B. clausii also inhibited reactive oxygen species production and release of pro-inflammatory cytokines (interleukin-8 and interferon-β) in Rotavirus-infected cells, and down-regulated pro-inflammatory Toll-like receptor 3 pathway gene expression. Such mechanisms likely contributed to the observed protective effects of B. clausii against reduced cell proliferation and increased apoptosis in Rotavirus-infected enterocytes.
Ubiquitin–proteasome system, lipid metabolism and DNA damage repair are triggered by antipsychotic medication in human oligodendrocytes: implications in schizophrenia
Authors: Seabra Gabriela , de Almeida Valéria , Reis-de-Oliveira Guilherme , Crunfli Fernanda , Antunes André Saraiva Leão Marcelo , Martins-de-Souza Daniel 
Published: July 2020

AbstractSchizophrenia is a chronic, severe and disabling psychiatric disorder, whose treatment is based on psychosocial interventions and the use of antipsychotic drugs. While the effects of these drugs are well elucidated in neuronal cells, they are still not so clear in oligodendrocytes, which play a vital role in schizophrenia. Thus, we aimed to characterize biochemical profiles by proteomic analyses of human oligodendrocytes (MO3.13) which were matured using a protocol we developed and treated with either haloperidol (a typical antipsychotic), clozapine (an atypical antipsychotic) or a clozapine + d-serine co-treatment, which has emerged lately as an alternative type of treatment. This was accomplished by employing shotgun proteomics, using nanoESI-LC–MS/MS label-free quantitation. Proteomic analysis revealed biochemical pathways commonly affected by all tested antipsychotics were mainly associated to ubiquitination, proteasome degradation, lipid metabolism and DNA damage repair. Clozapine and haloperidol treatments also affected proteins involved with the actin cytoskeleton and with EIF2 signaling. In turn, metabolic processes, especially the metabolism of nitrogenous compounds, were a predominant target of modulation of clozapine + d-serine treatment. In this context, we seek to contribute to the understanding of the biochemical and molecular mechanisms involved in the action of antipsychotics on oligodendrocytes, along with their possible implications in schizophrenia.
Presence of Acanthamoeba and diversified bacterial flora in poorly maintained contact lens cases
Authors: Miyazaki Dai , Eguchi Hiroshi , Kuwahara Tomomi , Nakayama-Imaohji Haruyuki , Inaba Masamaru , Itoi Motozumi , Ueda Kiichi , Ohashi Yuichi , Sado Kazushige , Mizutani Satoshi , Miyamoto Hitoshi , Sasaki Shin-ichi , Shimizu Yumiko , Inoue Yoshitsugu 
Published: July 2020

AbstractAcanthamoeba can cause visually destructive Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK) in contact lens (CL) users. The purpose of this study was to determine whether Acanthamoeba was present in the CL cases of CL wearers and to develop techniques to prevent the contaminations. To accomplish this, 512 CL case samples were collected from 305 healthy CL wearers. Using real-time PCR, Acanthamoeba DNA was detected in 19.1% of CL cases, however their presence was not directly associated with poor CL case care. Instead, the presence of Acanthamoeba DNA was associated with significant levels of many different bacterial species. When the CL cases underwent metagenomic analysis, the most abundant bacterial orders were Enterobacteriales followed by Burkholderiales, Pseudomonadales, and Flavobacteriales. The presence of Acanthamoeba was characterized by Propionibacterium acnes and Rothia aeria and was also associated with an increase in the α diversity. Collectively, Acanthamoeba contamination occurs when a diversified bacterial flora is present in CL cases. This can effectively be prevented by careful and thorough CL case care.
Decrease of laminin-511 in the basement membrane due to photoaging reduces epidermal stem/progenitor cells
Authors: Iriyama Shunsuke , Yasuda Masahito , Nishikawa Saori , Takai Eisuke , Hosoi Junichi , Amano Satoshi 
Published: July 2020

AbstractDaily sunlight exposure damages the epidermal basement membrane (BM) and disrupts epidermal homeostasis. Inter-follicular epidermal stem cells (IFE-SCs) regulate epidermal proliferation and differentiation, which supports epidermal homeostasis. Here, we examine how photoaging affects the function of IFE-SCs and we identify key components in their cellular environment (niche). We found that sun-exposed skin showed a decrease of MCSP-positive and β1-integrin-positive cells concomitantly with a decrease of laminin-511 at the dermal–epidermal junction (DEJ), as compared with sun-protected skin. Higher levels of laminin-511 were associated with not only increased efficiency of colony formation, but also higher expression levels of MCSP as well as other stem cell markers such as Lrig1, ITGB1, CD44, CD46, DLL1, and K15 in keratinocytes from skin of 12- to 62-year-old subjects. UVB exposure to cultured human skin impaired laminin-511 integrity at the dermal–epidermal junction and reduced MCSP-positive basal epidermal cells as well as K15-positive cells. Combined treatment with matrix metalloproteinase and heparanase inhibitors protected the integrity of laminin-511 and inhibited the reduction of MCSP-positive cells and K15-positive cells. These results suggest that photoaging may reduce the levels of MCSP-positive and K15-positive epidermal stem/progenitor cells in the epidermis via loss of laminin-511 at the dermal–epidermal junction.
Influence of an InGaN superlattice pre-layer on the performance of semi-polar (11–22) green LEDs grown on silicon
Authors: Zhao X. , Huang K. , Bruckbauer J. , Shen S. , Zhu C. , Fletcher P. , Feng P. , Cai Y. , Bai J. , Trager-Cowan C. , Martin R. W. , Wang T. 
Published: July 2020

AbstractIt is well-known that it is crucial to insert either a single InGaN underlayer or an InGaN superlattice (SLS) structure (both with low InN content) as a pre-layer prior to the growth of InGaN/GaN multiple quantum wells (MQWs) served as an active region for a light-emitting diode (LED). So far, this growth scheme has achieved a great success in the growth of III-nitride LEDs on c-plane substrates, but has not yet been applied in the growth of any other orientated III-nitride LEDs. In this paper, we have applied this growth scheme in the growth of semi-polar (11–22) green LEDs, and have investigated the impact of the SLS pre-layer on the optical performance of semi-polar (11–22) green LEDs grown on patterned (113) silicon substrates. Our results demonstrate that the semi-polar LEDs with the SLS pre-layer exhibit an improvement in both internal quantum efficiency and light output, which is similar to their c-plane counterparts. However, the performance improvement is not so significant as in the c-plane case. This is because the SLS pre-layer also introduces extra misfit dislocations for the semi-polar, but not the c-plane case, which act as non-radiative recombination centres.
PD-L1 expression in bone marrow plasma cells as a biomarker to predict multiple myeloma prognosis: developing a nomogram-based prognostic model
Authors: Lee Byung-Hyun , Park Yong , Kim Ji Hye , Kang Ka-Won , Lee Seung Jin , Kim Seok Jin , Kim Byung Soo 
Published: July 2020

AbstractPD-L1 expression is associated with poor prognosis, although this relationship is unclear in bone marrow-derived haematologic malignancies, including multiple myeloma. We aimed to determine whether PD-L1 expression could predict the prognosis of newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM). We evaluated 126 NDMM patients (83, retrospectively; 43, prospectively) who underwent bone marrow examinations. Bone marrow aspirates were analysed for PD-L1 expression, categorized as low or high expression, using quantitative immunofluorescence. High PD-L1 expression could independently predict poor overall survival (OS) (95% CI = 1.692–8.346) in multivariate analysis. On subgroup analysis, high PD-L1 expression was associated with poor OS (95% CI = 2.283–8.761) and progression-free survival (95% CI = 1.024–3.484) in patients who did not undergo autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) compared with those who did. High PD-L1 expression was associated with poor OS despite frontline treatments with or without immunomodulators. Thus, PD-L1 expression can be a useful prognosis predictor in NDMM patients, whereas ASCT may be used in patients with high PD-L1 expression. We developed a prognostic nomogram and found that a combination of PD-L1 expression in bone marrow plasma cells and clinical parameters (age, cytogenetics, and lactate dehydrogenase) effectively predicted NDMM prognosis. We believe that our nomogram can help identify high-risk patients and select appropriate treatments.
AeDES: a next-generation monitoring and forecasting system for environmental suitability of Aedes-borne disease transmission
Authors: Muñoz Á. G. , Chourio X. , Rivière-Cinnamond Ana , Diuk-Wasser M. A. , Kache P. A. , Mordecai E. A. , Harrington L. , Thomson M. C. 
Published: July 2020

AbstractAedes-borne diseases, such as dengue and chikungunya, are responsible for more than 50 million infections worldwide every year, with an overall increase of 30-fold in the last 50 years, mainly due to city population growth, more frequent travels and ecological changes. In the United States of America, the vast majority of Aedes-borne infections are imported from endemic regions by travelers, who can become new sources of mosquito infection upon their return home if the exposed population is susceptible to the disease, and if suitable environmental conditions for the mosquitoes and the virus are present. Since the susceptibility of the human population can be determined via periodic monitoring campaigns, the environmental suitability for the presence of mosquitoes and viruses becomes one of the most important pieces of information for decision makers in the health sector. We present a next-generation monitoring and forecasting system for $$\underline{\textit{Ae}}{} \textit{des}$$Ae̲des-borne diseases’ environmental suitability (AeDES) of transmission in the conterminous United States and transboundary regions, using calibrated ento-epidemiological models, climate models and temperature observations. After analyzing the seasonal predictive skill of AeDES, we briefly consider the recent Zika epidemic, and the compound effects of the current Central American dengue outbreak happening during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, to illustrate how a combination of tailored deterministic and probabilistic forecasts can inform key prevention and control strategies .
Induction of macrophage-like immunosuppressive cells from common marmoset ES cells by stepwise differentiation with DZNep
Authors: Tsuji Hyuma , Otsuka Ryo , Wada Haruka , Murata Tomoki , Sasaki Airi , Itoh Mizuho , Baghdadi Muhammad , Sasaki Erika , Seino Ken-ichiro 
Published: July 2020

AbstractRecent progress in regenerative medicine has enabled the utilization of pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) as the resource of therapeutic cells/tissue. However, immune suppression is still needed when the donor–recipient combination is allogeneic. We have reported previously that mouse PSCs-derived immunosuppressive cells contribute to prolonged survival of grafts derived from the same mouse PSCs in allogeneic recipients. For its clinical application, a preclinical study using non-human primates such as common marmoset must be performed. In this study, we established the induction protocol of immunosuppressive cells from common marmoset ES cells. Although similar immunosuppressive macrophages could not be induced by same protocol as that for mouse PSCs, we employed an inhibitor for histone methyltransferase, DZNep, and succeeded to induce them. The DZNep-treated macrophage-like cells expressed several immunosuppressive molecules and significantly inhibited allogeneic mixed lymphocyte reaction. The immunosuppressive cells from non-human primate ESCs will help to establish an immunoregulating strategy in regenerative medicine using PSCs.
Is Prematurity a Protective Factor Against Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip? A Retrospective Analysis of 660 Newborns
Authors: Koob Sebastian , Garbe Werner , Bornemann Rahel , Ploeger Milena Maria , Scheidt Sebastian , Gathen Martin , Placzek Richard 
Published: July 2020

Abstract
Purpose In Middle Europe developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) has an incidence of up to 5.9 %. The rate of congenital hip dislocation as the worst complication of a growth disorder of the hip is between 1.5 % and 2.5 %. Among known risk factors of DDH are breech position, multiples, foot deformities and family history. The aim of this retrospective study was to investigate prematurity as a risk factor for developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH).
Materials and Methods The hips of 283 infants who were born before the 38th week of gestation or earlier, and those of 377 infants who were born after the 37th week of gestation, none of whom had other risk factors for DDH, were compared using the ultrasound technique according to Graf et al., within the first week after birth. Both hips of all infants were included in the study.
Results Surprisingly, the difference in alpha angles between the two groups was statistically extremely significant, favoring the preterm infants. Moreover, we found a physiological curve of alpha angle development with a peak after the 31st week of gestation. The incidence of pathological dysplasia was not significantly different in the two groups.
Conclusion Our results suggest that prematurity is not a predisposing factor for DDH, but rather is protective for hip development.
In climate news, statements from large businesses and opponents of climate action receive heightened visibility
Authors: Wetts Rachel 
Published: July 2020

SignificanceScholars and political commentators have often argued that business interests have privileged status in policy debates, particularly around questions of environmental degradation. However, few studies have been able to systematically compare business and advocacy organizations’ successful and unsuccessful attempts to influence political discourse, a key marker of interest group status. This study uses computational text analysis to fill this gap in the literature, examining the news coverage given to over 1,700 press releases about climate change from different types of organizations over an almost 30-y period. These results shed light on the social processes shaping the climate change debate in particular, while speaking to broader questions of how power is distributed in American democracy.
Wheat yield potential in controlled-environment vertical farms
Authors: Asseng Senthold , Guarin Jose R. , Raman Mahadev , Monje Oscar , Kiss Gregory , Despommier Dickson D. , Meggers Forrest M. , Gauthier Paul P. G. 
Published: July 2020

Significance
Wheat is the most important food crop worldwide, grown across millions of hectares. Wheat yields in the field are usually low and vary with weather, soil, and crop management practices. We show that yields for wheat grown in indoor vertical farms under optimized growing conditions would be several hundred times higher than yields in the field due to higher yields, several harvests per year, and vertically stacked layers. Wheat grown indoors would use less land than field-grown wheat, be independent of climate, reuse most water, exclude pests and diseases, and have no nutrient losses to the environment. However, given the high energy costs for artificial lighting and capital costs, it is unlikely to be economically competitive with current market prices.
Seismic wavefield redatuming with regularized multi-dimensional deconvolution
Authors: Luiken Nick , van Leeuwen Tristan 
Published: July 2020

Abstract
In seismic imaging the aim is to obtain an image of the subsurface using reflection data. The reflection data are generated using sound waves and the sources and receivers are placed at the surface. The target zone, for example an oil or gas reservoir, lies relatively deep in the subsurface below several layers. The area above the target zone is called the overburden. This overburden will have an imprint on the image. Wavefield redatuming is an approach that removes the imprint of the overburden on the image by creating so-called virtual sources and receivers above the target zone. The virtual sources are obtained by determining the impulse response, or Green’s function, in the subsurface. The impulse response is obtained by deconvolving all up- and downgoing wavefields at the desired location. In this paper, we pose this deconvolution problem as a constrained least-squares problem. We describe the constraints that are involved in the deconvolution and show that they are associated with orthogonal projection operators. We show different optimization strategies to solve the constrained least-squares problem and provide an explicit relation between them, showing that they are in a sense equivalent. We show that the constrained least-squares problem remains ill-posed and that additional regularization has to be provided. We show that Tikhonov regularization leads to improved resolution and a stable optimization procedure, but that we cannot estimate the correct regularization parameter using standard parameter selection methods. We also show that the constrained least-squares can be posed in such a way that additional nonlinear regularization is possible.