bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Geopolitical risks and the predictability of regional oil returns and volatility
Authors: Demirer Riza , Gupta Rangan , Ji Qiang , Tiwari Aviral Kumar 
Published: July 2019

AbstractThis paper hypothesises that global geopolitical risks (GPRs) can predict oil market return and volatility. For our purpose, we use ak‐th order non‐parametric causality‐in‐quantile test, applied to a daily data set covering the period of 15 May 1996 to 31 May 2018 of six oil benchmarks (the Nigerian Bonny Light, Brent, Dubai, OPEC Reference Basket (ORB), Tapis and WTI). Our results indicate that the relationship between oil returns and GPRs is highly non‐linear, and hence, linear tests of Granger causality cannot be relied upon. Based on the data‐driven econometric method, we observe that GPRs have predictability for oil returns of the West African Bonny Light, ORB and Tapis, while in terms of volatility, causality is observed for all oil prices barring the case of Dubai. In sum, the impact of GPRs is primarily on volatility of oil markets, but more importantly, the impact of GPRs is not uniform across the oil markets.
Discontinuous contraction in the left ventricle assessed by 2‐D speckle tracking echocardiography benefits from CRT
Authors: Fujii Aya , Inden Yasuya , Yanagisawa Satoshi , Mamiya Keita , Okamoto Hiroya , Sakamoto Yusuke , Tomomatsu Toshiro , Shibata Rei , Murohara Toyoaki 
Published: July 2019

AbstractBackgroundCardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) improves the morbidity and mortality rate in patients with left bundle‐branch block (LBBB); however, some LBBB patients are non‐responders for CRT. Previous studies have shown that a transmural functional line block alters the left ventricular (LV) activation sequence, and that the presence of a line block is predictive for responders. We investigated whether responders could be predicted in patients with LBBB by 2‐dimensional (2‐D) speckle tracking strain imaging.MethodsWe enrolled 54 patients with LBBB, who underwent echocardiography before and 6 months after CRT implantation. A responder was defined by a decrease in the LV end‐systolic volume >15% at the 6‐month follow‐up. We calculated a difference in the time from QRS onset to maximum strain between adjacent segments and defined the Tmax‐diff as the maximum difference among six intersegments. We compared the Tmax‐diff between responders and non‐responders.ResultsAmong 54 patients, 37 patients were identified as responders. The Tmax‐diff of the responders was significantly longer than that of the non‐responders (309.6 ± 168.6 ms vs 181.5 ± 138.4 ms, P = .009). Furthermore, Tmax‐diff ≥ 195 ms was higher in the septal and the anterior area. And patients with a Tmax‐diff ≥ 195 ms tended to be responders (P = .02).ConclusionThe present study showed that discontinuous contraction of the LV could be detected in CRT responders by 2‐D speckle tracking strain imaging, which may be a useful tool to identify the contraction pattern of patients with LBBB and predict CRT responders.
Seed quality and carbon primary metabolism
Authors: Domergue Jean‐Baptiste , Abadie Cyril , Limami Anis , Way Danielle , Tcherkez Guillaume 
Published: July 2019

AbstractImproving seed quality is amongst the most important challenges of contemporary agriculture. In fact, using plant varieties with better germination rates that are more tolerant to stress during seedling establishment may improve crop yield considerably. Therefore, intense efforts are currently being devoted to improve seed quality in many species, mostly using genomics tools. However, despite its considerable importance during seed imbibition and germination processes, primary carbon metabolism in seeds is less studied. Our knowledge of the physiology of seed respiration and energy generation and the impact of these processes on seed performance have made limited progress over the past three decades. In particular, (isotope‐assisted) metabolomics of seeds has only been assessed occasionally, and there is limited information on possible quantitative relationships between metabolic fluxes and seed quality. Here, we review the recent literature and provide an overview of potential links between metabolic efficiency, metabolic biomarkers, and seed quality and discuss implications for future research, including a climate change context.
Why and for whom does the pressure to help hurt others? Affective and cognitive mechanisms linking helping pressure to workplace deviance
Authors: Koopman Joel , Rosen Christopher C. , Gabriel Allison S. , Puranik Harshad , Johnson Russell E. , Ferris D. Lance 
Published: July 2019

AbstractScholars are paying increasing attention to the “dark side” of citizenship behavior. One aspect of this dark side that has received relatively scant attention is “helping pressure”—an employee's perception that s/he is being encouraged to, or otherwise feels that s/he should, enact helping behavior at work. Drawing from theory associated with work stress, we examine affective and cognitive mechanisms that potentially explain why helping pressure, counterintuitively, may lead employees to engage in deviant behavior instead. Beyond examining these possible mechanisms, we also answer calls to identify a potential buffer to these effects. Drawing from self‐determination theory, we examine how an employee's intrinsic motivation for citizenship may lessen the deleterious consequences of helping pressure at work. In two studies (a within‐individual experience‐sampling study and a two‐wave between‐individual study), we find consistent evidence that helping pressure has a positive indirect relationship with deviant behavior through increased negative affect. Further, we find evidence that intrinsic motivation for citizenship weakens the positive relationship of helping pressure with negative affect, buffering the indirect effect on subsequent deviant behavior. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings for the study of helping pressure at work are discussed.
Effect of NaF additive on the micro/nano-structure and properties of the microarc oxidation coating on Ti6Al4V alloy
Authors: Zhai Dajun , Du Dongfang , Dou Hongqiang 
Published: July 2019

Micro/nano-structured coatings with antibacterial function were prepared by microarc oxidation (MAO) treatment on Ti6Al4V alloy in a silicate/phosphate electrolyte with a NaF additive. The microstructure, phase composition, and corrosion resistance of the coatings modified by adding NaF (0.15–0.5 M) were examined using scanning/transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and potentiodynamic polarization. The results showed that the incorporation of F ion reduced the threshold voltage for electrons avalanche on the surface film of the Ti alloy, and increased the intensity and lifetime of discharge. MAO coatings with 100–500 nm nano-pores and 1–20 [Formula: see text]m micro-pores were formed by the modification of the NaF additive. The F ions promoted microarc discharge as well as phase transformation from the metastable anatase to the stable rutile phase. The F ions also promoted the generation of penetration cracks and bubbles in the coating. The surface roughness, phase content, and thickness of the coating were enhanced by the NaF additive. However, the corrosion resistance of the coating first increased and then decreased with the increasing F ion concentration, reaching a maximum when the NaF content was 0.25 M.
CD8+T-cells negatively regulate inflammation post-myocardial infarction
Authors: Ilatovskaya Daria V. , Pitts Cooper , Clayton Joshua , Domondon Mark , Troncoso Miguel , Pippin Sarah , DeLeon-Pennell Kristine Y. 
Published: July 2019

The adaptive immune response is key for cardiac wound healing post-myocardial infarction (MI) despite low T-cell numbers. We hypothesized that CD8+T-cells regulate the inflammatory response, leading to decreased survival and cardiac function post-MI. We performed permanent occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery on C57BL/6J and CD8atm1makmice (deficient in functional CD8+T-cells). CD8atm1makmice had increased survival at 7 days post-MI compared with that of the wild-type (WT) and improved cardiac physiology at day 7 post-MI. Despite having less mortality, 100% of the CD8atm1makgroup died because of cardiac rupture compared with only 33% of the WT. Picrosirius red staining and collagen immunoblotting indicated an acceleration of fibrosis in the infarct area as well as remote area in the CD8atm1makmice; however, this increase was due to elevated soluble collagen implicating poor scar formation. Plasma and tissue inflammation were exacerbated as indicated by higher levels of Cxcl1, Ccl11, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2, and MMP-9. Immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry indicated that the CD8atm1makgroup had augmented numbers of neutrophils and macrophages at post-MI day 3 and increased mast cell markers at post-MI day 7. Cleavage of tyrosine-protein kinase MER was increased in the CD8atm1makmice, resulting in delayed removal of necrotic tissue. In conclusion, despite having improved cardiac physiology and overall survival, CD8atm1makmice had increased innate inflammation and poor scar formation, leading to higher incidence of cardiac rupture. Our data suggest that the role of CD8+T-cells in post-MI recovery may be both beneficial and detrimental to cardiac remodeling and is mediated via a cell-specific mechanism.NEW & NOTEWORTHY We identified new mechanisms implicating CD8+T-cells as regulators of the post-myocardial infarction (MI) wound healing process. Mice without functional CD8+T-cells had improved cardiac physiology and less mortality 7 days post MI compared with wild-type animals. Despite having better overall survival, animals lacking functional CD8+T-cells had delayed removal of necrotic tissue, leading to poor scar formation and increased cardiac rupture, suggesting that CD8+T-cells play a dual role in the cardiac remodeling process.
Premature ventricular contractions activate vagal afferents and alter autonomic tone: implications for premature ventricular contraction-induced cardiomyopathy
Authors: Salavatian Siamak , Yamaguchi Naoko , Hoang Jonathan , Lin Nicole , Patel Saloni , Ardell Jeffrey L. , Armour J. Andrew , Vaseghi Marmar 
Published: July 2019

Mechanisms behind development of premature ventricular contraction (PVC)-induced cardiomyopathy remain unclear. PVCs may adversely modulate the autonomic nervous system to promote development of heart failure. Afferent neurons in the inferior vagal (nodose) ganglia transduce cardiac activity and modulate parasympathetic output. Effects of PVCs on cardiac parasympathetic efferent and vagal afferent neurotransmission are unknown. The purpose of this study was to evaluate effects of PVCs on vagal afferent neurotransmission and compare these effects with a known powerful autonomic modulator, myocardial ischemia. In 16 pigs, effects of variably coupled PVCs on heart rate variability (HRV) and vagal afferent neurotransmission were evaluated. Direct nodose neuronal recordings were obtained in vivo, and cardiac-related afferent neurons were identified based on their response to cardiovascular interventions, including ventricular chemical and mechanical stimuli, left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery occlusion, and variably coupled PVCs. On HRV analysis before versus after PVCs, parasympathetic tone decreased (normalized high frequency: 83.6 ± 2.8 to 72.5 ± 5.3; P < 0.05). PVCs had a powerful impact on activity of cardiac-related afferent neurons, altering activity of 51% of neurons versus 31% for LAD occlusion ( P < 0.05 vs. LAD occlusion and all other cardiac interventions). Both chemosensitive and mechanosensitive neurons were activated by PVCs, and their activity remained elevated even after cessation of PVCs. Cardiac afferent neural responses to PVCs were greater than any other intervention, including ischemia of similar duration. These data suggest that even brief periods of PVCs powerfully modulate vagal afferent neurotransmission, reflexly decreasing parasympathetic efferent tone. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) are common in many patients and, at an increased burden, are known to cause heart failure. This study determined that PVCs powerfully modulate cardiac vagal afferent neurotransmission (exerting even greater effects than ventricular ischemia) and reduce parasympathetic efferent outflow to the heart. PVCs activated both mechano- and chemosensory neurons in the nodose ganglia. These peripheral neurons demonstrated adaptation in response to PVCs. This study provides additional data on the potential role of the autonomic nervous system in PVC-induced cardiomyopathy.
Plasma Placental Growth Factor Concentrations Are Elevated Well in Advance of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Onset: Prospective Data From the WHS
Authors: Duran Edward K. , Cook Nancy R. , Bobadilla Maria , Kim Eunjung , Manson JoAnn E. , Buring Julie E. , Ridker Paul M , Pradhan Aruna D. 
Published: July 2019

Background
Pathologic angiogenesis is a hallmark of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) microvascular complications and may modulate adipogenesis and precede the onset of clinical diabetes mellitus; however, longitudinal data are unavailable. Placental growth factor is a potent proangiogenic factor that stimulates the formation of mature and durable vessels but is understudied in human diseases.

Methods and Results

We conducted a prospective case‐cohort study of baseline placental growth factor and incident T2DM within the WHS (Women's Health Study). A random sample of incident T2DM cases (n=491) occurring over a 15‐year follow‐up period was selected and compared with a reference subcohort (n=561). Case subjects were matched to the reference risk set on 5‐year age groups and race. All subjects in this analysis were required to have a hemoglobin A
1c
<6.5% at
WHS
enrollment. Median baseline levels of placental growth factor were higher in case subjects compare to the reference subcohort (18.0 pg/mL versus 17.2 pg/mL) but were only weakly correlated with glycemic measures and not associated with obesity. The risk of diabetes mellitus increased across placental growth factor quartile in the base model (hazard ratios, 1.00, 1.14, 1.46, and 2.14;
P
‐trend<0.001) and in multivariable‐adjusted models accounting for clinical T2DM risk factors (hazard ratios, 1.00, 1.17, 1.45, and 2.61;
P
‐trend<0.001). These findings were not substantially altered by further adjustment for high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein, hemoglobin A
1c
, or fasting insulin and remained robust in sensitivity analyses excluding those diagnosed within 2 years of enrollment and those with baseline hemoglobin A
1c
≥6.0%.

Conclusions
Elevated placental growth factor levels are associated with future T2DM independent of traditional risk factors, measures of glycemia, insulin resistance, and high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein. These prospective data suggest that pathologic angiogenesis may occur well before the clinical onset of T2DM and thus may have relevance to vascular complications of this disease.

Clinical Trial Registration

URL
:
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier:
NCT
00000479.
Spatiotemporal Gene Coexpression and Regulation in Mouse Cardiomyocytes of Early Cardiac Morphogenesis
Authors: Liu Yang , Lu Pengfei , Wang Yidong , Morrow Bernice E. , Zhou Bin , Zheng Deyou 
Published: July 2019

Background
Heart tube looping to form a 4‐chambered heart is a critical stage of embryonic heart development, but the gene drivers and their regulatory targets have not been extensively characterized at the cell‐type level.

Methods and Results

To study the interaction of signaling pathways, transcription factors (
TF
s), and genetic networks in the process, we constructed gene co‐expression networks and identified gene modules highly activated in individual cardiomyocytes at multiple anatomical regions and developmental stages using previously published single‐cell
RNA
‐seq data. Function analyses of the modules uncovered major pathways important for spatiotemporal cardiomyocyte differentiation. Interestingly, about half of the pathways were highly active in cardiomyocytes at the outflow tract (
OFT
) and atrioventricular canal, including well‐known pathways for cardiac development and many newly identified ones. We predicted that these
OFT
‐atrioventricular canal pathways were regulated by a large number of
TF
s actively expressed at the
OFT
–atrioventricular canal cardiomyocytes, with the prediction supported by motif enrichment analysis, including 10
TF
s that have not been previously associated with cardiac development (eg,
Etv5
,
Rbpms
, and
Baz2b
). Furthermore, we found that
TF
targets in the
OFT
–atrioventricular canal modules were most significantly enriched with genes associated with mouse heart developmental abnormalities and human congenital heart defects, in comparison with
TF
targets in other modules, consistent with the critical developmental roles of
OFT
.

Conclusions

By analyzing gene co‐expression at single cardiomyocytes, our systematic study has uncovered many known and additional new important
TF
s and their regulated molecular signaling pathways that are spatiotemporally active during heart looping.
Genotyping-by-Sequencing (GBS) of large amphibian genomes: a comparative study of two non-model species endemic to Italy
Authors: Rovelli Valentina , Ruiz-González Aritz , Vignoli Leonardo , Macale Daniele , Buono Vincenzo , Davoli Francesca , Vieites David R. , Pezaro Nadav , Randi Ettore 
Published: July 2019

Abstract
Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) and related technologies have revolutionized the field of conservation and population genetics, providing novel tools and the capacity to discover thousands of new Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) for the analysis of population parameters. However, gathering NGS data for organisms with very large genomes, such as amphibians, remains challenging because it is still unclear how the current methods perform. Here, we use the Genotyping-by-Sequencing (GBS) approach to generate SNP data for the genotyping of two amphibian species that are of conservation concern, the Sardinian brook salamander (Euproctus platycephalus) and the Italian stream frog (Rana italica). Both E. platycephalus and R. italica have very large genomes (5.53 Gb and >20 Gb, respectively) so genomic data are not available for either of them. We used 95 individual samples and one Illumina lane for each species, with an additional lane for E. platycephalus. After filtering, we obtained 961 and 854 high-coverage SNPs for E. platycephalus and R. italica, respectively. Our results suggest that GBS can serve as a reliable and cost-effective method for genotyping large amphibian genomes, including non-model species.
Temporal stability of genetic diversity revealed by microsatellite markers in restocked populations of Caspian roach, Rutilus caspicus (Yakovlev, 1870)
Authors: Kashiri Hadiseh , Shabani Ali , Gorgin Saeed , Rezaei Mohamad , Jabale Ahmadreza 
Published: July 2019

Abstract
Rutilus caspicus is considered one of the most important bony fish with high economic value in the Caspian Sea. Since the population size of Caspian roach has decreased during recent decades, restocking of the populations is done through releasing hatchery-produced larvae into the wild. In the present study, the genetic diversity of wild and hatchery populations of R. caspicus was investigated using ten microsatellite loci. Also, microsatellite analysis was performed to compare the population structure of Caspian roach over a time frame of about 11 years. Although the allelic and gene diversity of hatchery populations tended to be lower than those of the wild populations, no significant differences in genetic diversity parameters were observed among the wild and hatchery populations. Similar variation levels were noticed among temporal samples of the same population, suggesting temporal stability in the genetic diversity of the wild populations. In most cases, significant departure from the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium was observed after sequential Bonferroni correction. Results from analysis showed that a captive hatchery population was the most differentiated group. Also, the UPGMA dendrogram showed that the captive population was the most distant group. The stability of genetic composition between the two periods was noticed by the low and non-significant and estimates. The results from this study are anticipated to provide important information for setting up more efficient strategies for the conservation and restocking of R. caspicus.
Ectopic Thymus: An Unusual Case of Subglottic Mass
Authors: Paraboschi Irene , Fati Federica , Rizzo Francesca , Sacco Oliviero , Stagnaro Nicola , Mattioli Girolamo , Simonini Alessandro , Mazzei Oscar , Torre Michele 
Published: July 2019

Objectives: The aim of our study is to report a case of a child with subglottic thymus that was suspected during diagnostic work-up for severe airway obstruction, excised surgically and confirmed with final histopathological examination. Moreover, we performed a narrative literature review to outline clinical and diagnostic features of this rare condition and to report suggestions for the management of subglottic masses. Methods: We report the case of a 7-month-old boy who was admitted to our Pediatric Airway Team Unit due to a history of worsening biphasic stridor and recurrent episodes of upper airway obstruction. The successful diagnostic work-up and a narrative literature of analogous cases of subglottic thymus were reported. Results: Ectopic thymus is a very rare condition in which thymic tissue is found outside the normal pathway of its embryonic migration. It usually presents as a cystic or, more rarely, solid mass, showing an indolent course toward spontaneous involution. In some cases, however, it becomes symptomatic exerting compression on surrounding vital structures. Due to its rarity, the initial diagnosis is normally mistaken with inflammatory diseases or malignancies and the definitive diagnosis is only achieved after histological examination of the excised specimen. To our knowledge, only four other cases of subglottic ectopic thymic tissue have been reported in the English literature so far and the diagnosis has never been suspected preoperatively. Conclusion: It is mandatory to consider ectopic thymic tissue in the differential diagnosis in children presenting with airways obstruction in order to prevent unnecessary, extensive, and exploratory surgery.