bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Change of information content due to natural selection in populations with and without recombination
Authors: Tiefenbrunner Wolfgang A. 
Published: January 2020

AbstractThough evolution undoubtedly operates in accordance with the second law of thermodynamics, the law of disorder, during billions of years organisms of incredible complexity came into being. Natural selection was described by Darwin2as a process of optimization of the adaptation to environment, but optimization doesn’t necessarily lead to higher intricacy. Methods of thermodynamics and thus of information theory could be suited for the examination of the increase of order and information due to evolution.Here I explain how to quantify the increase of information due to natural selection on the genotype and gene level using the observable change of allele frequencies. In populations with recombination (no linkage), the change of information content can be computed by summing up the contributions of all gene loci and thus gene loci can be treated as independent no matter what the fitness-landscape looks like. Pressure of deleterious mutations decreases information in a linear way, proportional to fitness loss and mutation rate.The information theoretical view on evolution might open new fields of research.
Multimodal brain-age prediction and cardiovascular risk: The Whitehall II MRI sub-study
Authors: de Lange Ann-Marie G. , Anatürk Melis , Kaufmann Tobias , Cole James H. , Griffanti Ludovica , Zsoldos Enikő , Jensen Daria , Suri Sana , Filippini Nicola , Singh-Manoux Archana , Kivimäki Mika , Westlye Lars T. , Ebmeier Klaus P. 
Published: January 2020

AbstractBrain age is becoming a widely applied imaging-based biomarker of neural aging and potential proxy for brain integrity and health. We estimated multimodal and modality-specific brain age in the Whitehall II MRI cohort using machine learning and imaging-derived measures of gray matter morphology, diffusion-based white matter microstructure, and resting state functional connectivity. Ten-fold cross validation yielded multimodal and modality-specific brain age estimates for each participant, and additional predictions based on a separate training sample was included for comparison. The results showed equivalent age prediction accuracy between the multimodal model and the gray and white matter models (R2of 0.34, 0.31, and 0.31, respectively), while the functional connectivity model showed a lower prediction accuracy (R2of 0.01). Cardiovascular risk factors, including high blood pressure, alcohol intake, and stroke risk score, were each associated with more apparent brain aging, with consistent associations across modalities.
Modelling and rescue of RP2 Retinitis Pigmentosa using iPSC Derived Retinal Organoids
Authors: Lane Amelia , Jovanovic Katarina , Shortall Ciara , Ottaviani Daniele , Panes Anna Brugulat , Schwarz Nele , Guarascio Rosellina , Hayes Matthew J. , Palfi Arpad , Chadderton Naomi , Farrar G. Jane , Hardcastle Alison J. , Cheetham Michael E. 
Published: January 2020

SummaryRP2 mutations cause a severe form of X-linked retinitis pigmentosa (XLRP). The mechanism of RP2 associated retinal degeneration in humans is unclear, and animal models of RP2 XLRP do not recapitulate this severe phenotype. Here, we developed gene edited isogenic RP2 knock-out (RP2 KO) induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) and RP2 patient derived iPSC to produce 3D retinal organoids as a human retinal disease model. Strikingly, the RP2 KO and RP2 patient derived organoids showed a peak in rod photoreceptor cell death at day 150 (D150) with subsequent thinning of the organoid outer nuclear layer (ONL) by D180 of culture. AAV mediated gene augmentation with human RP2 rescued the degeneration phenotype of the RP2 KO organoids, to prevent ONL thinning and restore rhodopsin expression. Notably, these data show that 3D retinal organoids can be used to model photoreceptor degeneration and test potential therapies to prevent photoreceptor cell death.
Connecting actin polymer dynamics across multiple scales
Authors: Copos Calina , Bannish Brittany , Gasior Kelsey , Pinals Rebecca L. , Rostami Minghao W. , Dawes Adriana 
Published: January 2020

AbstractActin is an intracellular protein that constitutes a primary component of the cellular cytoskeleton and is accordingly crucial for various cell functions. Actin assembles into semi-flexible filaments that cross-link to form higher order structures within the cytoskeleton. In turn, the actin cytoskeketon regulates cell shape, and participates in cell migration and division. A variety of theoretical models have been proposed to investigate actin dynamics across distinct scales, from the stochastic nature of protein and molecular motor dynamics to the deterministic macroscopic behavior of the cytoskeleton. Yet, the relationship between molecular-level actin processes and cellular-level actin network behavior remains understudied, where prior models do not holistically bridge the two scales together.In this work, we focus on the dynamics of the formation of a branched actin structure as observed at the leading edge of motile eukaryotic cells. We construct a minimal agent-based model for the microscale branching actin dynamics, and a deterministic partial differential equation model for the macroscopic network growth and bulk diffusion. The microscale model is stochastic, as its dynamics are based on molecular level effects. The effective diffusion constant and reaction rates of the deterministic model are calculated from averaged simulations of the microscale model, using the mean displacement of the network front and characteristics of the actin network density. With this method, we design concrete metrics that connect phenomenological parameters in the reaction-diffusion system to the biochemical molecular rates typically measured experimentally. A parameter sensitivity analysis in the stochastic agent-based model shows that the effective diffusion and growth constants vary with branching parameters in a complementary way to ensure that the outward speed of the network remains fixed. These results suggest that perturbations to microscale rates can have significant consequences at the macroscopic level, and these should be taken into account when proposing continuum models of actin network dynamics.
Src/FAK complex phosphorylates cardiac myosin binding protein c (cMyBP-C) in vitro and in vivo
Authors: Wang Ling , Jin Yixin , Wang Jian , Liu Yang , Wang Rui , Zhang Shenyuan L. , Muthuchamy Mariappan , Tong Carl W. , Peng Xu 
Published: January 2020

AbstractCardiac myosin binding protein C (cMyBP-C) is a phosphorylation-dependent force regulator and plays an important role in controlling myosin and actin dynamic interaction. Point-mutations of cMyBP-C that interfere with cMyBP-C threonine/serine phosphorylation resulted in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and cardiac failure. However, it remains largely unknown how cMyBP-C tyrosine phosphorylation is regulated during cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure. Integrins are receptors of extracellular matrix and are the sensors of cardiac mechanical stretch. Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) plays an essential role in integrin-initiated signal transduction and regulates multiple cellular functions in various types of cells including cardiomyocytes. To identify the regulatory mechanism of cMyBP-C tyrosine phosphorylation during cardiac hypertrophy, we examined the effect of FAK on phosphorylation of cMyBP-C. Immunoprecipitation analysis showed that FAK and cMyBP-C are associated within the intact mouse heart. Results from our mutagenesis experiments demonstrated that the FAK kinase domain was required for FAK to associate with cMyBP-C. Our data also documented that the FAK Y397 site is required for FAK and cMyBP-C association. Importantly, overexpression dominant active Src Y527F with FAK significantly enhanced cMyBP-C phosphorylation. Interestingly, overexpression of cMyBP-C inhibited FAK phosphorylation. Taken together, cMyBP-C is one of effectors of Src/FAK complex in cardiomyocyte.
Effects of catechol-O-methyltransferase inhibition on effort-related choice behavior in male mice
Authors: DeBrosse Adrienne , Wheeler Abigail M. , Barrow James C. , Carr Gregory V. 
Published: January 2020

AbstractEffort-related choice (ERC) tasks allow animals to choose between high-value reinforcers that require high effort to obtain or low-value/low-effort reinforcers. Dopaminergic neuromodulation regulates effort-related choice behavior. The enzyme catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) metabolizes synaptically-released dopamine. COMT is the predominate regulator of dopamine turnover in regions of the brain with low levels of dopamine transporters, including the prefrontal cortex. Here, we evaluated the effects of the COMT inhibitor tolcapone on ERC performance in a touchscreen-based fixed-ratio/concurrent chow assay in male mice. In this task, mice were given the choice between engaging in a fixed number of instrumental responses to acquire a strawberry milk reward and consuming standard lab chow concurrently available on the chamber floor. We found no significant effects of tolcapone treatment on either strawberry milk earned or chow consumed compared to vehicle treatment. In contrast, we found that haloperidol decreased instrumental responding for strawberry milk and increased chow consumption as seen in previously published studies. These data suggest that COMT inhibition does not significantly affect effort-related decision making in a fixed-ratio/concurrent chow task in male mice.
Decline in respiratory deaths not associated with influenza in Russia: effect of the introduction of the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13), or improvement in care?
Authors: Goldstein Edward 
Published: January 2020

AbstractBackgroundPneumococcal vaccination (PCV13) for children (as well as older adults) in Russia was introduced in 2014, with no prior PCV7 use. While pneumonia hospitalization rates, both in children and adults didn’t decrease in the following years, respiratory mortality rates declined with time. Moreover, there is a strong association between antibiotic, including multidrug resistance and PCV13 vaccine serotypes for S. pneumoniae in children in Russia, and presence of S. pneumoniae among sepsis cases in Russia during the recent years has been very low. Annual variability in influenza circulation may affect some of the changes in respiratory mortality rates, obscuring the trends in respiratory mortality related to pneumococcal vaccination.MethodsWe applied the inference method from our recent study of influenza-associated mortality in Russia to relate monthly respiratory mortality rates between 09/2010 and 08/2019 to monthly indices of influenza circulation and baseline rates of mortality not associated with influenza, allowing for a potential trend in the baseline rates starting 2015.ResultsBaseline rates of respiratory mortality not associated with influenza decreased with time starting from the 2014/15 season (with each season running from September to August), with the 2018/19 baseline rates of respiratory mortality per 100,000 individuals being lower by 12.41 (95% CI (10.6,14.2)) compared to the 2010-2014 period.ConclusionsWhile improvement in care might have contributed to the reduction in the rates of respiratory mortality not associated with influenza in Russia, the above temporally consistent reduction is compatible with the gradual replacement of vaccine serotypes in the transmission and carriage of S. pneumoniae following the introduction of PCV13. Further work is needed to better understand the impact of PCV13 on the epidemiology of respiratory infections and related mortality in Russia.
Single and binary protein electroultrafiltration using poly(vinyl-alcohol)-carbon nanotube (PVA-CNT) composite membranes
Authors: Yeung Raymond , Zhu Xiaobo , Gee Terence , Gheen Ben , Jassby David , Rodgers Victor G. J. 
Published: January 2020

AbstractElectrically conductive composite ultrafiltration membranes composed of carbon nanotubes have exhibited efficient fouling inhibition in wastewater treatment applications. In the current study, poly(vinyl-alcohol)-carbon nanotube membranes were applied to fed batch crossflow electroultrafiltration of dilute (0.1 g/L of each species) single and binary protein solutions of α-lactalbumin and hen egg-white lysozyme at pH 7.4, 4 mM ionic strength, and 1 psi. Electroultrafiltration using the poly(vinyl-alcohol)-carbon nanotube composite membranes yielded temporary enhancements in sieving for single protein filtration and in selectivity for binary protein separation compared to ultrafiltration using the unmodified PS-35 membranes. Assessment of membrane fouling based on permeate flux, zeta potential measurements, and scanning electron microscopy visualization of the conditioned membranes indicated significant resulting protein adsorption and aggregation which limited the duration of improvement during electroultrafiltration with an applied cathodic potential of −4.6 V (vs. Ag/AgCl). These results imply that appropriate optimization of electroultrafiltration using carbon nanotube-deposited polymeric membranes may provide substantial short-term improvements in binary protein separations.
Analysis and application of a convergent difference scheme to nonlinear transport in a Brinkman flow
Authors: Nwaigwe Chinedu 
Published: January 2020

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to formulate and analyse a convergent numerical scheme and apply it to investigate the coupled problem of fluid flow with heat and mass transfer in a porous channel with variable transport properties.

Design/methodology/approach
This paper derives the model by assuming a fully developed Brinkman flow with temperature-dependent viscosity and incorporating viscous dissipation, variable transport properties and nonlinear heat and mass sources. For the numerical formulation, the nonlinear sources are treated in semi-implicit manner, whereas the non-constant transport properties are treated by lagging in time leading to decoupled diagonally dominant systems. The consistency, stability and convergence results are derived. The method of manufactured solutions is adopted to numerically verify the theoretical results. The scheme is then applied to investigate the impact of relevant parameters, such as the viscosity parameter, on the flow.

Findings
Based on the numerical findings, the proposed scheme was found to be unconditionally stable and convergent with first- and second-order accuracy in time and space, respectively. Physical results showed that the flow parameters have influence on the flow fields, particularly, the flow is enhanced by increasing porosity and viscosity parameters and the concentration decreases with increasing diffusivity, whereas both the temperature and Nusselt number decrease with increasing thermal conductivity.

Practical implications
Numerically, the proposed numerical scheme can be applied without concerns on time steps size restrictions. Non-physical solutions cannot be computed. Physically, the flow can be increased by increasing the viscosity parameters. Pollutants with higher diffusivity will have their concentration decreased faster than those of lower diffusivity. The fluid temperature would decrease faster if its thermal conductivity is higher.

Originality/value
A fully coupled fluid flow with heat and mass transfer problem having nonlinear properties and nonlinear fractional sources and sink terms, presumably, has not been investigated in a general form as done in this study. The detailed numerical analysis of this particular scheme for the identified general model has also not been considered in the past, to the best of the author’s knowledge.
Innovation technology in neurorehabilitation: introducing a hub and spoke model to avoid patient “migration” in Sicily
Authors: Calabrò Rocco Salvatore , Manuli Alfredo , De Cola Maria Cristina , Bramanti Placido 
Published: January 2020

PurposeIn the Italian National Health Service, hospital planning has been influenced by two aspects: patients' freedom to choose their healthcare provider and the equal distribution of centers spread throughout country. Unfortunately, while every Italian region should be able to meet the health needs of its own inhabitants, consistent migration among regions exists, especially from the southern areas of the country, including Sicily. As it has been demonstrated that a hub-and-spoke model (HSM) can provide medical care to even the most rural areas, the aim of this study is to propose a new Sicilian model to avoid patients' migration.Design, Methodology, ApproachThe IRCCS Centro Neurolesi “Bonino-Pulejo” of Messina, together with the Ministry of Health and the Sicilian government, has incorporated an HSM into a Sicilian healthcare program that provides neurological rehabilitation by means of innovative technologies such as robotics.FindingsThe authors expected, thanks to this novel HSM, that patients may benefit from advanced robotic neurorehabilitation even in rural areas, and therefore be properly treated in their own cities, avoiding unnecessary and expensive migrations to other regions and/or countries. Indeed, since the introduction of this model, there has been a reduction in patient migration, especially in the province of Messina, with a reduction of costs for admission outside the region of about 260.000 euros.Originality/valueThe use of innovative technology in the context of the promising HSM will help clinicians increase the intensity of therapies and improve working cost/efficacy, with better functional outcomes in patients.
Building work-related knowledge about examination invigilation through reflective journaling
Authors: Minott Mark 
Published: January 2020

Purpose
The purpose of the self-study is two-fold: first, to aid in redressing the lack of attention given to the professional development i.e., the building of practical or work-related knowledge of examination invigilators and second, to forward the idea that engaging the examination invigilation process reflectively is an effective form of self-directed professional development.

Design/methodology/approach
The report uses reflective journaling based on Minott (2017) reflective approach to teaching practicum debriefing strategy to show the practical or work-related knowledge built by the author.

Findings
The report shows how the author built practical or work-related knowledge about critical aspects of the invigilation process: adaptability/flexibility, leading humanely and “thinking on your feet”/reflection-in-action.

Originality/value
This paper shows (through a critical discussion of the literature, coupled with the author’s personal professional experiences displayed in reflective journal entries) that an attitude of self-directed inquiry combined with reflective journaling can enable professional development i.e. the development of practical or work-related knowledge.
Implementation and evaluation of a laser scan localization scheme for sensor nodes
Authors: Wei Shugong 
Published: January 2020

Purpose
In this paper, an experimental apparatus was designed and subsequent theoretical analysis and simulations were conducted on the effectiveness and advantages of a novel laser beam scan localization (BLS) system.

Design/methodology/approach
The system used a moving location assistant (LA) with a laser beam, through which the deployed area was scanned. The laser beam sent identity documents (IDs) to unknown nodes to obtain the sensor locations.

Findings
The results showed that the system yielded significant benefits compared with other localization methods, and a high localization accuracy could be achieved without the aid of expensive hardware on the sensor nodes. Furthermore, four positioning mode features in this localization system were realized and compared.

Originality/value
In this paper, an experimental apparatus was designed and subsequent theoretical analysis and simulations were conducted on the effectiveness and advantages of a novel laser BLS system. The system used a moving LA with a laser beam, through which the deployed area was scanned. The laser beam sent IDs to unknown nodes to obtain the sensor locations.
Still in search of learning organization?
Authors: Hsu Shih-Wei , Lamb Peter 
Published: January 2020

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the inherent problem of Senge’s learning organization, embedded in his seminal work, The Fifth Discipline: The Art and Practice of the Learning Organization. The authors contend that such a problem has an enduring quality that leads to a highly problematic state of learning organization, and a radical shift in the understanding is necessary.

Design/methodology/approach
This paper is based on a critical review of relevant literature in the areas of learning organization. Some of Senge’s own works will also be reviewed.

Findings
This paper contends that Senge’s project of learning organization is a managerial attempt to remove bureaucracy and, as such, the concept of learning has been displaced from the outset. Hence, the theory of learning organization offers a weak response to the pressing issues such as climate and global warming. While some of Senge’s other works seem to show an awareness of the necessity of new managerial visions, the authors argue that what is required is a scrutiny of the belief that corporations are able to achieve a wider social and ecological goal.

Originality/value
This paper offers a radical account of Senge’s concept of learning organization, including Senge’s dialogue with Nan Huai-Jin, published in Chinese. The authors question the mysterious state of learning in Senge’s learning organization and offer a possible new account of learning organization.