bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Reflections on the use of protein binders to study protein function in developmental biology
Authors: Aguilar Gustavo , Vigano M. Alessandra , Affolter Markus , Matsuda Shinya 
Published: July 2019

AbstractStudies in the field of developmental biology aim to unravel how a fertilized egg develops into an adult organism and how proteins and other macromolecules work together during this process. With regard to protein function, most of the developmental studies have used genetic and RNA interference approaches, combined with biochemical analyses, to reach this goal. However, there always remains much room for interpretation on how a given protein functions, because proteins work together with many other molecules in complex regulatory networks and it is not easy to reveal the function of one given protein without affecting the networks. Likewise, it has remained difficult to experimentally challenge and/or validate the proposed concepts derived from mutant analyses without tools that directly manipulate protein function in a predictable manner. Recently, synthetic tools based on protein binders such as scFvs, nanobodies, DARPins, and others have been applied in developmental biology to directly manipulate target proteins in a predicted manner. Although such tools would have a great impact in filling the gap of knowledge between mutant phenotypes and protein functions, careful investigations are required when applying functionalized protein binders to fundamental questions in developmental biology. In this review, we first summarize how protein binders have been used in the field, and then reflect on possible guidelines for applying such tools to study protein functions in developmental biology.This article is categorized under:
Technologies > Analysis of Proteins
Establishment of Spatial and Temporal Patterns > Gradients
Invertebrate Organogenesis > Flies
Differentiation and integration: off-site resettlement planning practice in New Beichuan after 5.12 Wenchuan Earthquake
Authors: Zhang Yisha , Yu Yifan , Xu Wenjuan , Hu Jingjing 
Published: July 2019

AbstractThis article explores the spatial differentiation and integration between the post-disaster victims and the indigenous peasants 8 years after a rapid off-site resettlement oriented by governments in New Beichuan. Data were broadly collected from placement documents, questionnaires, interviews and site measurement by empirical research and on-site investigation in 2014. The resettlement plan was introduced and analyzed for housing resettlement, open space systems, public facilities allocation and resettlement policies. Based on statistical analysis of the questionnaire data and observation on the usage of the built environment, problems with the spatial usage and mismatches between the specific spatial requirements and subjective planning intention of integration are analyzed and preliminary findings are shown. The results showed that the excessive pursuit of speed and deficiency in economically self-sustaining efforts might contribute to insufficient attention given to spatial, social and economic aspects and leads to inevitable and long-standing problems, such as housing quality problems, neighborhoods management and security concerns, contradictions between the housing layout and local living habits, different spatial usage preferences between the indigenous peasants and post-disaster migrants, and disequilibrium of public facility allocation.
Formation of Iron-Rich Intermetallic Phases in Al-7Si-Mg: Influence of Cooling Rate and Strontium Modification
Authors: Santos Jorge , Jarfors Anders E. W. , Dahle Arne K. 
Published: July 2019

Abstract
The influence of cooling rate on the formation of iron-rich intermetallic phases during solidification of unmodified and strontium-modified Al-7Si-0.3Mg alloys has been investigated. The effect of strontium on the intermetallic phases was evaluated in unquenched and quenched samples. Samples were quenched before the start of the Al-Si eutectic reaction, along the Al-Si eutectic reaction and just after the end of solidification. The results show that the addition of strontium increased the size of both β-Al5FeSi and π-Al8FeMg3Si6 at low cooling rates. For unmodified and strontium-modified alloys, an increase of cooling rate resulted in a decrease in size of the intermetallic phases, particularly in the strontium modified alloy. In the strontium modified alloy quenched before the start of the Al-Si eutectic reaction, π-Al8FeMg3Si6 appeared as thin platelets at the eutectic cell boundaries. Chinese script-like π-Al8FeMg3Si6 and platelet-like β-Al5FeSi intermetallic phases were observed uniformly distributed in the eutectic regions in the unmodified alloy quenched before the start of the eutectic reaction. Strontium modified semi-solid Al-7Si-0.3Mg castings were produced and the type of intermetallic phase, morphology, size, area fraction and distribution were similar to that observed in the strontium modified alloy quenched before the start of the Al-Si eutectic reaction.
Biopsychosocial frailty and the risk of incident dementia: The Italian longitudinal study on aging
Authors: Solfrizzi Vincenzo , Scafato Emanuele , Lozupone Madia , Seripa Davide , Schilardi Andrea , Custodero Carlo , Sardone Rodolfo , Galluzzo Lucia , Gandin Claudia , Baldereschi Marzia , Di Carlo Antonio , Inzitari Domenico , Giannelli Gianluigi , Daniele Antonio , Sabbà Carlo , Logroscino Giancarlo , Panza Francesco ,   Italian Longitudinal Study on Aging Working Group
Published: July 2019

AbstractIntroductionFrailty is a critical intermediate status of the aging process including physical, cognitive, and psychosocial domains/phenotypes. We operationalized a new biopsychosocial frailty (BF) construct, estimating its impact on the risk of incident dementia and its subtypes.MethodsIn 2171 older individuals from the population‐based Italian Longitudinal Study on Aging (ILSA), we identified by latent class procedures the BF construct as the physical frail status plus at least one of the two items of the 30‐item Geriatric Depression Scale impaired (items 3/10).ResultsOver a 3.5‐year follow‐up, participants with BF showed an increased risk of overall dementia (hazard ratio [HR]: 2.16, 95% confidence interval [CI]:1.07‐4.37), particularly vascular dementia (VaD) (HR: 3.21, 95% CI: 1.05‐9.75). Similarly, over a 7‐year follow‐up, an increased risk of overall dementia (HR: 1.84, 95% CI: 1.06‐3.20), particularly VaD (HR: 2.53, 95% CI: 1.08‐5.91), was also observed.DiscussionIn a large cohort of Italian older individuals without cognitive impairment at baseline, a BF model was a short‐ and long‐term predictor of overall dementia, particularly VaD.
‘I’ve got to row the boat on my own, more or less’: aboriginal australian experiences of traumatic brain injury
Authors: Armstrong Elizabeth , Coffin Juli , McAllister Meaghan , Hersh Deborah , Katzenellenbogen Judith M. , Thompson Sandra C. , Ciccone Natalie , Flicker Leon , Cross Natasha , Arabi Linda , Woods Deborah , Hayward Colleen 
Published: July 2019

ABSTRACTBackground:The overarching cultural context of the brain injury survivor, particularly that related to minority peoples with a history of colonisation and discrimination, has rarely been referred to in the research literature, despite profoundly influencing a person’s recovery journey in significant ways, including access to services. This study highlights issues faced by Australian Aboriginal traumatic brain injury (TBI) survivors in terms of real-life consequences of the high incidence of TBI in this population, current treatment and long-term challenges.Method:A case study approach utilised qualitative interview and file review data related to five male Aboriginal TBI survivors diagnosed with acquired communication disorders. The five TBI survivors were from diverse areas of rural and remote Western Australia, aged between 19 and 48 years at the time of injury, with a range of severity.Case Reports:Common themes included: significant long-term life changes; short-term and long-term dislocation from family and country as medical intervention and rehabilitation were undertaken away from the person’s rural/remote home; family adjustments to the TBI including permanent re-location to a metropolitan area to be with their family member in residential care; challenges related to lack of formal rehabilitation services in rural areas; poor communication channels; poor cultural security of services; and lack of consistent follow-up.Discussion and Conclusion:These case reports represent some of the first documented stories of Aboriginal Australian TBI survivors. They supplement available epidemiological data and highlight different contexts for Aboriginal people after TBI, contributing to an overall profile that is relevant for rehabilitation service planning.
A Corpus Study of “Know”: On The Verification of Philosophers’ Frequency Claims about Language
Authors: Hansen Nat , Porter J.D. , Francis Kathryn 
Published: July 2019

AbstractWe investigate claims about the frequency of “know” made by philosophers. Our investigation has several overlapping aims. First, we aim to show what is required to confirm or disconfirm philosophers’ claims about the comparative frequency of different uses of philosophically interesting expressions. Second, we aim to show how using linguistic corpora as tools for investigating meaning is a productive methodology, in the sense that it yields discoveries about the use of language that philosophers would have overlooked if they remained in their “armchairs of an afternoon”, to use J.L. Austin's phrase. Third, we discuss facts about the meaning of “know” that so far have been ignored in philosophy, with the aim of reorienting discussions of the relevance of ordinary language for philosophical theorizing.
Supporting rule of law from abroad: a comparative assessment of two post-Arab Spring judicial reforms
Authors: Taffoni Gaia 
Published: July 2019

AbstractIn the Southern Mediterranean region, the European Union (EU) supports the establishment of rule of law, pressuring for both the adoption of institutional guarantees of judicial independence and the enhancement of court administration capabilities. Drawing on a set of interviews with key EU and domestic actors, this study compares Morocco and Jordan, examining changes adopted at the institutional and administrative level since the ‘Arab Spring’ broke out. The findings show that external incentives for change penetrated only the administrative level of domestic judicial systems, while a path-dependent effect persisted at the institutional level. The evidence confirms the thesis that in areas of low politics even a mere normative pressure is able to drive rule adoption, whereas in more sensitive policy areas, as in the case of institutional judicial guarantees, the higher costs of adaptation make veto players resistant to external influences for change.
Lipoprotein(a) concentration is associated with plasma arachidonic acid in subjects with familial hypercholesterolaemia
Authors: Narverud Ingunn , Bogsrud Martin P. , Øyri Linn K. L. , Ulven Stine M. , Retterstøl Kjetil , Ueland Thor , Mulder Monique , Roeters van Lennep Jeanine , Halvorsen Bente , Aukrust Pål , Veierød Marit B. , Holven Kirsten B. 
Published: July 2019

AbstractElevated lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)) is associated with CVD and is mainly genetically determined. Studies suggest a role of dietary fatty acids (FA) in the regulation of Lp(a); however, no studies have investigated the association between plasma Lp(a) concentration and n-6 FA. We aimed to investigate whether plasma Lp(a) concentration was associated with dietary n-6 FA intake and plasma levels of arachidonic acid (AA) in subjects with familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH). We included FH subjects with (n 68) and without (n 77) elevated Lp(a) defined as ≥75 nmol/l and healthy subjects (n 14). Total FA profile was analysed by GC–flame ionisation detector analysis, and the daily intake of macronutrients (including the sum of n-6 FA: 18 : 2n-6, 20 : 2n-6, 20 : 3n-6 and 20 : 4n-6) were computed from completed FFQ. FH subjects with elevated Lp(a) had higher plasma levels of AA compared with FH subjects without elevated Lp(a) (P = 0·03). Furthermore, both FH subjects with and without elevated Lp(a) had higher plasma levels of AA compared with controls (P &lt; 0·001). The multivariable analyses showed associations between dietary n-6 FA intake and plasma levels of AA (P = 0·02) and between plasma levels of Lp(a) and AA (P = 0·006). Our data suggest a novel link between plasma Lp(a) concentration, dietary n-6 FA and plasma AA concentration, which may explain the small diet-induced increase in Lp(a) levels associated with lifestyle changes. Although the increase may not be clinically relevant, this association may be mechanistically interesting in understanding more of the role and regulation of Lp(a).
Wenceslas Looks Out: Monarchy, Locality, and the Symbolism of Power in Fourteenth-Century Bavaria
Authors: Scales Len 
Published: July 2019

AbstractThis article reassesses the reputation enjoyed by Charles IV of Luxemburg, emperor and king of Bohemia (r. 1346/1347–1378), as the author of a program aimed at projecting his monarchy via visual media. Current scholarship, which stresses the centrally directed character of this program, regards it as serving clear political goals, as “propaganda” to unify Charles's far-flung territories. This article challenges that view. It contends that a straightforward political purpose is often less detectable than usually claimed, and the political “success” of Caroline image-making easily overstated. Above all, it argues for the necessity of decentering Caroline visual culture by stepping away from the familiar focus on the Prague court, to explore instead provincial viewpoints. Focusing on northeastern Bavaria, it shows that local examples of Caroline imagery are often best understood not as impositions from the “center,” but rather as products of interactions between court and locality, through which local perspectives and interests also found expression.
Comparison of Sprinting With and Without Running-Specific Prostheses Using Optimal Control Techniques
Authors: Emonds Anna Lena , Funken Johannes , Potthast Wolfgang , Mombaur Katja 
Published: July 2019

SummaryThe purpose of our study was to get deeper insights into sprinting with and without running-specific prostheses and to perform a comparison of the two by combining analysis of known motion capture data with mathematical modeling and optimal control problem (OCP) findings. We established rigid multi-body system models with 14 bodies and 16 degrees of freedom in the sagittal plane for one unilateral transtibial amputee and three non-amputee sprinters. The internal joints are powered by torque actuators except for the passive prosthetic ankle joint which is equipped with a linear spring–damper system. For each model, the dynamics of one sprinting trial was reconstructed by solving a multiphase least squares OCP with discontinuities and constraints. We compared the motions of the amputee athlete and the non-amputee reference group by computing characteristic criteria such as the contribution of joint torques, the absolute mechanical work, step frequency and length, among others. By comparing the amputee athlete with the non-amputee athletes, we found reduced activity in the joints of the prosthetic limb, but increased torques and absolute mechanical work in the arms. We also compared the recorded motions to synthesized motions using different optimality criteria and found that the recorded motions are still far from the optimal solutions for both amputee and non-amputee sprinting.
Coseismic and Postseismic Slip of the 2005 Mw 8.6 Nias‐Simeulue Earthquake: Spatial Overlap and Localized Viscoelastic Flow
Authors: Qiu Qiang , Feng Lujia , Hermawan Iwan , Hill Emma M. 
Published: July 2019

AbstractWe present coseismic slip and afterslip inversion models based on the same fault geometry for the Mw 8.6 2005 Nias‐Simeulue earthquake at the Sumatran subduction zone. We estimate the coseismic slip using near‐field static GPS offsets, and vertical displacements based on satellite and coral data, while we estimate the afterslip simultaneously with viscoelastic flow using approximately nine years of GPS data following the event. With the current spatial resolution of our GPS network it is difficult to accurately resolve contributions from different postseismic mechanisms, that is, afterslip and viscoelastic relaxation from oceanic or continental mantle. We thus run many synthetic tests and models with various setups to find features that consistently appear in all our models, which we consider as robust. We find that the estimated afterslip is located primarily updip and downdip of the coseismic rupture patch and partially overlaps the updip region of the coseismic slip. We also find that the viscoelastic flow in the mantle wedge following this event was likely localized beneath the downdip region of the coseismic slip, rather than uniformly layered across the area as assumed by forward models. This localized viscoelastic flow coincides with a low‐velocity zone below Toba volcano, as imaged by tomography studies; it is possible that the viscoelastic flow beneath the volcano accelerated following this event.
ENSO‐Influenced Drought Drives Methane Flux Dynamics in a Tropical Wet Forest Soil
Authors: Aronson E. L. , Dierick D. , Botthoff J. K. , Oberbauer S. , Zelikova T. J. , Harmon T. C. , Rundel P. , Johnson R. F. , Swanson A. C. , Pinto‐Tomás A. A. , Artavia‐León A. , Matarrita‐Carranza B. , Allen M. F. 
Published: July 2019

AbstractGlobal atmospheric methane growth rates have wildly fluctuated over the past three decades, which may be driven by the proportion of tropical land surface saturated by water. The El Niño/Southern Oscillation Event (ENSO) cycle drives large‐scale climatic trends globally, with El Niño events typically bringing drier weather than La Niña. In a lowland tropical wet forest in Costa Rica, we measured methane flux bimonthly from March 2016 to June 2017 and using an automated chamber system. We observed a strong drying trend for several weeks during the El Niño in 2016, reducing soil moisture below normal levels. In contrast, soil conditions had high water content prior to the drought and during the moderate La Niña that followed. Soil moisture varied across the period studied and significantly impacted methane flux. Methane consumption was greater during the driest part of the El Niño period, while during La Niña and other time periods, soils had lower methane consumption. The mean methane flux observed was −0.022 mg CH4‐C m−2 hr−1, and methane was consumed at all timepoints, with lower consumption in saturated soils. Our data show that month studied, and the correlation between soil type and month significantly drove methane flux trends. Our data indicate that ENSO cycles may impact biogenic methane fluxes, mediated by soil moisture conditions. Climate projections for Central America show dryer conditions and increased El Niño frequency, further exacerbating predicted drought. These trends may lead to negative climate feedbacks, with drier conditions increasing soil methane consumption from the atmosphere.
Fault Geometry and Slip Distribution of the 2013 Mw 6.6 Lushan Earthquake in China Constrained by GPS, InSAR, Leveling, and Strong Motion Data
Authors: Huang Yong , Qiao Xuejun , Freymueller Jeffrey T. , Wang Qi , Yang Shaomin , Tan Kai , Zhao Bin 
Published: July 2019

AbstractOn 20 April 2013, an Mw 6.6 Lushan earthquake occurred on the southwestern segment of the Longmen Shan fault belt, which is the tectonic block boundary between the eastern Tibetan plateau and the Sichuan basin. Seismic reflection profiles and aftershock relocation indicate that there exists a back thrust fault in the source region but whether it is ruptured during the Lushan earthquake remains controversial. Here the precise leveling data are firstly used together with Global Positioning System (GPS), Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR), and strong motion data to invert for the fault geometry and slip distribution associated with the earthquake. The joint inversion result shows that the Lushan earthquake occurred on a blind thrust fault with strike N208.5 °E and dip 42.1° to the NW and did not rupture the back reverse fault. The coseismic slip model reveals the Lushan earthquake involves the rupture of one major asperity. The coseismic slip is mainly concentrated on a steeply dipping fault plane. The coseismic rupture terminates on the southwestern side of the seismic gap between the Wenchuan and Lushan earthquakes. Topographic stress may be the dominant mechanism of coseismic rupture termination.
Origin of Regular Networks of Joints: Experimental Constraints, Theoretical Background, and Numerical Modeling
Authors: Chemenda A. I. 
Published: July 2019

AbstractExperimental data show that inelastic straining occurs even at very low pressure before and during brittle fracturing. This process is therefore investigated within the framework of elastoplasticity using 2‐D, three‐layer finite difference modeling. The constitutive model includes both tensile and shear failure mechanisms coupled at the level of the strain softening law. The modeling results show that sets of parallel joints initiate as pure dilation bands, the narrow σ3‐normal bands of localized dilatant damage (inelastic deformation). The band thickness, length, and the initial strain softening degree within it are proportional to the ductility of the material, which increases with the effective stress level (σ1) or pressure. The strength reduction within the bands is accelerated at a certain stage, and the strength locally reaches zero resulting in fracture initiation. The initial fracture then propagates in Mode I following the propagating band. The fracture (joint) appears thus as a band of damaged material with the increased porosity, which is maximum along the axial zone of the band where the material is completely broken. The damage is due to both tensile and shear mechanisms. The role of shear failure increases with the ductility (pressure) increase, which also leads to the band thickness increase. These processes can result in small (band thickness)‐scale oblique shear fractures within the band, causing the increase in the roughness of fracture walls organized in plumose patterns typical of both natural and experimentally generated joints.
Assessing Quaternary Shortening Rates at an Andean Frontal Thrust (32°30′S), Argentina
Authors: Costa Carlos H. , Schoenbohm Lindsay M. , Brooks Benjamin A. , Gardini Carlos E. , Richard Andrés D. 
Published: July 2019

AbstractAt the latitude of 32–33°S, the orogenic front of the eastern flank of the Andes is located in the Southern Precordillera, where two major thrusts concentrate Quaternary deformation at the surface. We estimate the shortening rate for one of these, the Las Peñas thrust, for the last ~200 ka, at the site of one of the best exposures of Quaternary thrusting along the Andes. Shortening was estimated across two prominent splays of the deformation zone at the mouth of the Las Peñas River through balanced cross‐sections by using a terrace surface as a marker of cumulative deformation. Terrace ages were constrained through cosmogenic isotopes (10Be) analysis on quartz cobbles collected from the surface and three depth profiles. Results indicate a mean shortening rate across the Las Peñas thrust of 0.27 + 0.11 mm/a. Our results are lower than Holocene shortening rates (1.9–2.4 mm/a) obtained for individual splays of the Las Peñas thrust nearby. We discuss these discrepancies and implications for thrust evolution since the Late Pleistocene, in particular regarding along‐strike rate variations that highlight the complexity of the Quaternary‐active thrust deformation zone. We argue that ongoing stream incision rates largely prevail with respect to thrust activity at the study site. This observation might be connected with a recent (Holocene?) basinward shift of blind thrust activity.