bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Sea Surface Cooling Induced by Extratropical Cyclones in the Subtropical North Pacific: Mechanism and Interannual Variability
Authors: Kobashi Fumiaki , Doi Haruki , Iwasaka Naoto 
Published: March 2019

AbstractThe influence of extratropical cyclones on the ocean is examined with a focus on the North Pacific subtropical front (STF), which is a zone of high sea surface temperature (SST) gradients located approximately 25–30°N. The STF becomes most pronounced and susceptible to frequent passages of cyclones in spring. Satellite observations reveal a significant decrease in SST concurrent with cyclone passage along the STF. The SST decreases for approximately 2 days and then gradually recovers over approximately 5 days. The magnitude of the cooling is approximately 0.4 °C. The ocean reanalysis data show a similar surface cooling with a deepening of the mixed layer. The cooling seems to reach the seasonal thermocline and persist there for more than a week. A cyclone over the STF is a subsynoptic cyclone accompanied by a larger synoptic high to the northwest of the low. The surface cooling is mainly attributable to the decrease in shortwave radiation due to the cloud band of the low and the increases in the latent heat and the ocean entrainment, which are associated with intensified northerly winds between the low‐ and high‐pressure systems. The STF varies in strength on interannual timescales in response to the western Pacific pattern, changing the baroclinicity of the overlying atmosphere and the activity of the cyclones. The intense cyclone activity weakens the seasonal SST warming in spring. It is suggested that the cyclones affect the variability of not only the mixed layer but also the seasonal thermocline.
Available Energy Partitioning During Drought at Two Norway Spruce Forests and a European Beech Forest in Central Europe
Authors: McGloin Ryan , Šigut Ladislav , Fischer Milan , Foltýnová Lenka , Chawla Shilpi , Trnka Miroslav , Pavelka Marian , Marek Michal V. 
Published: March 2019

AbstractPartitioning of the available energy at the Earth's surface into the latent heat (LE) and sensible heat (H) fluxes has important climatological, hydrological, and physiological implications. With the prediction of more frequent droughts in central Europe in the near future, there is a particular need to understand variability in available energy partitioning under drought stress conditions at forest ecosystems that are common in the region, such as Norway spruce and European beech. Using eddy covariance measurements from two Norway spruce sites with contrasting wet and dry climates and one European beech site in the Czech Republic, it was found that the proportion of energy partitioned into H was greater at the spruce sites than at the beech site in all conditions during the growing season. The difference between the mean midday (09:00–15:00) β values for low stress conditions and drought stress conditions was much smaller at the European beech site (β = 1.04 vs. 1.11) than at the wet (β = 1.52 vs. 2.50) and dry Norway spruce (β = 1.80 vs. 2.70) sites, indicating that β was not as sensitive to drought stress at the European beech site as at the Norway spruce sites. The high β values and enhancement of drought conditions through positive feedback processes at Norway spruce stands mean that the potential substitution of Norway spruce monocultures with mixed broadleaf‐coniferous stands in central Europe will likely lessen the severity of droughts and heat waves in the region.
Projecting Global Urban Area Growth Through 2100 Based on Historical Time Series Data and Future Shared Socioeconomic Pathways
Authors: Li Xuecao , Zhou Yuyu , Eom Jiyong , Yu Sha , Asrar Ghassem R. 
Published: March 2019

AbstractImproved understanding of the potential growth of urban areas at the national and global levels is needed for sustainable urban development. Current panel data analysis and local scale modeling are limited in projecting global urban area growth with large spatial heterogeneities. In this study, we developed country‐specific urban area growth models using the time series data set of global urban extents (1992–2013) and projected the future growth of urban areas under five Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs). Our results indicate the global urban area would increase roughly 40–67% under five SSPs until 2050 relative to the base year of 2013, and this trend would continue to a growth ratio of more than 200% by 2100. The growth of urban areas under relatively unsustainable development pathways (e.g., regional rivalry SSP3 and inequality SSP4) is smaller compared to other SSPs. Although developing countries would remain as leading contributors to the increase of global urban areas in the future, they may exhibit different temporal patterns, that is, plateaued or monotonically increasing trends. This variation is primarily attributed to the compounding effect of the growth in population and gross domestic product. Our urban area data set presents a first country‐level urban area projection under the five SSPs, spanning from 2013 to 2100. This data set has a great potential to support various global change studies, for example, urban sprawl simulation, integrated assessment modeling for sustainable development goals, and investigation of the impact of urbanization on atmospheric emissions, air quality, and human health.
Genetic contributions to two special factors of neuroticism are associated with affluence, higher intelligence, better health, and longer life
Authors: Hill W. David , Weiss Alexander , Liewald David C. , Davies Gail , Porteous David J. , Hayward Caroline , McIntosh Andrew M. , Gale Catharine R. , Deary Ian J. 
Published: March 2019

AbstractHigher scores on the personality trait of neuroticism, the tendency to experience negative emotions, are associated with worse mental and physical health. Studies examining links between neuroticism and health typically operationalize neuroticism by summing the items from a neuroticism scale. However, neuroticism is made up of multiple heterogeneous facets, each contributing to the effect of neuroticism as a whole. A recent study showed that a 12-item neuroticism scale described one broad trait of general neuroticism and two special factors, one characterizing the extent to which people worry and feel vulnerable, and the other characterizing the extent to which people are anxious and tense. This study also found that, although individuals who were higher on general neuroticism lived shorter lives, individuals whose neuroticism was characterized by worry and vulnerability lived longer lives. Here, we examine the genetic contributions to the two special factors of neuroticism—anxiety/tension and worry/vulnerability—and how they contrast with that of general neuroticism. First, we show that, whereas the polygenic load for neuroticism is associated with the genetic risk of coronary artery disease, lower intelligence, lower socioeconomic status (SES), and poorer self-rated health, the genetic variants associated with high levels of anxiety/tension, and high levels of worry/vulnerability are associated with genetic variants linked to higher SES, higher intelligence, better self-rated health, and longer life. Second, we identify genetic variants that are uniquely associated with these protective aspects of neuroticism. Finally, we show that different neurological pathways are linked to each of these neuroticism phenotypes.
The genetics of depression: successful genome-wide association studies introduce new challenges
Authors: Ormel Johan , Hartman Catharina A. , Snieder Harold 
Published: March 2019

AbstractThe recent successful genome-wide association studies (GWASs) for depression have yielded more than 80 replicated loci and brought back the excitement that had evaporated during the years of negative GWAS findings. The identified loci provide anchors to explore their relevance for depression, but this comes with new challenges. Using the watershed model of genotype–phenotype relationships as a conceptual aid and recent genetic findings on other complex phenotypes, we discuss why it took so long and identify seven future challenges. The biggest challenge involves the identification of causal mechanisms since GWAS associations merely flag genomic regions without a direct link to underlying biological function. Furthermore, the genetic association with the index phenotype may also be part of a more extensive causal pathway (e.g., from variant to comorbid condition) or be due to indirect influences via intermediate traits located in the causal pathways to the final outcome. This challenge is highly relevant for depression because even its narrow definition of major depressive disorder captures a heterogeneous set of phenotypes which are often measured by even more broadly defined operational definitions consisting of a few questions (minimal phenotyping). Here, Mendelian randomization and future discovery of additional genetic variants for depression and related phenotypes will be of great help. In addition, reduction of phenotypic heterogeneity may also be worthwhile. Other challenges include detecting rare variants, determining the genetic architecture of depression, closing the “heritability gap”, and realizing the potential for personalized treatment. Along the way, we identify pertinent open questions that, when addressed, will advance the field.
Using genetic drug-target networks to develop new drug hypotheses for major depressive disorder
Authors: Gaspar Héléna A. , Gerring Zachary , Hübel Christopher ,   Major Depressive Disorder Working Group of the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium, Middeldorp Christel M. , Derks Eske M. , Breen Gerome 
Published: March 2019

AbstractThe major depressive disorder (MDD) working group of the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium (PGC) has published a genome-wide association study (GWAS) for MDD in 130,664 cases, identifying 44 risk variants. We used these results to investigate potential drug targets and repurposing opportunities. We built easily interpretable bipartite drug-target networks integrating interactions between drugs and their targets, genome-wide association statistics, and genetically predicted expression levels in different tissues, using the online tool Drug Targetor (drugtargetor.com). We also investigated drug-target relationships that could be impacting MDD. MAGMA was used to perform pathway analyses and S-PrediXcan to investigate the directionality of tissue-specific expression levels in patients vs. controls. Outside the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) region, 153 protein-coding genes are significantly associated with MDD in MAGMA after multiple testing correction; among these, five are predicted to be down or upregulated in brain regions and 24 are known druggable genes. Several drug classes were significantly enriched, including monoamine reuptake inhibitors, sex hormones, antipsychotics, and antihistamines, indicating an effect on MDD and potential repurposing opportunities. These findings not only require validation in model systems and clinical examination, but also show that GWAS may become a rich source of new therapeutic hypotheses for MDD and other psychiatric disorders that need new—and better—treatment options.
A phosphorylated transcription factor regulates sterol biosynthesis in Fusarium graminearum
Authors: Liu Zunyong , Jian Yunqing , Chen Yun , Kistler H. Corby , He Ping , Ma Zhonghua , Yin Yanni 
Published: March 2019

AbstractSterol biosynthesis is controlled by transcription factor SREBP in many eukaryotes. Here, we show that SREBP orthologs are not involved in the regulation of sterol biosynthesis in Fusarium graminearum, a fungal pathogen of cereal crops worldwide. Instead, sterol production is controlled in this organism by a different transcription factor, FgSR, that forms a homodimer and binds to a 16-bp cis-element of its target gene promoters containing two conserved CGAA repeat sequences. FgSR is phosphorylated by the MAP kinase FgHog1, and the phosphorylated FgSR interacts with the chromatin remodeling complex SWI/SNF at the target genes, leading to enhanced transcription. Interestingly, FgSR orthologs exist only in Sordariomycetes and Leotiomycetes fungi. Additionally, FgSR controls virulence mainly via modulating deoxynivalenol biosynthesis and responses to phytoalexin.
Molecular mechanism for the control of virulent Toxoplasma gondii infections in wild-derived mice
Authors: Murillo-León Mateo , Müller Urs B. , Zimmermann Ines , Singh Shishir , Widdershooven Pia , Campos Cláudia , Alvarez Catalina , Könen-Waisman Stephanie , Lukes Nahleen , Ruzsics Zsolt , Howard Jonathan C. , Schwemmle Martin , Steinfeldt Tobias 
Published: March 2019

AbstractSome strains of the protozoan parasiteToxoplasma gondii(such as RH) are virulent in laboratory mice because they are not restricted by the Immunity-Related GTPase (IRG) resistance system in these mouse strains. In some wild-derived Eurasian mice (such as CIM) on the other hand, polymorphic IRG proteins inhibit the replication of such virulentT. gondiistrains. Here we show that this resistance is due to direct binding of the IRG protein Irgb2-b1CIMto theT. gondiivirulence effector ROP5 isoform B. The Irgb2-b1 interface of this interaction is highly polymorphic and under positive selection. South AmericanT. gondiistrains are virulent even in wild-derived Eurasian mice. We were able to demonstrate that this difference in virulence is due to polymorphic ROP5 isoforms that are not targeted by Irgb2-b1CIM, indicating co-adaptation of host cell resistance GTPases andT. gondiivirulence effectors.
Refractive index of human red blood cells between 290 nm and 1100 nm determined by optical extinction measurements
Authors: Gienger Jonas , Smuda Kathrin , Müller Ralph , Bär Markus , Neukammer Jörg 
Published: March 2019

AbstractThe knowledge of optical properties of biological cells is essential to interpret their interaction with light and to derive morphological information and parameters associated with cell function like the oxygen transport capacity of human red blood cells (RBCs). We present a method to determine the dependence between the refractive index (RI) of human RBCs and their intracellular hemoglobin (Hb) concentration from spectral extinction measurements of a cell suspension. The procedure is based on the analysis of the corresponding ensemble averaged extinction cross section $${\bar{{\boldsymbol{C}}}}_{{\bf{e}}{\bf{x}}{\bf{t}}}(\lambda )$$

C

¯

e
x
t

(

λ

)
. Thus far two complementary approaches have been taken to derive RIs of RBCs. The first one uses homogeneous macroscopic samples prepared by hemolysis for the destruction of the RBCs’ membranes and subsequent centrifugation. A second approach is the determination of RIs of single intact cells by microscopic investigation. These techniques are limited to a few discrete wavelengths or a rather narrow wavelength range. In addition most of these techniques require additional information about the concentration dependence. In contrast, our approach yields the RI increment with Hb concentration of intact, reversibly isovolumetrically sphered, oxygenated RBCs over a wide wavelength range from 290 nm to 1100 nm from macroscopic measurements.
Tonic inhibition of murine proximal colon is due to nitrergic suppression of Ca2+ signaling in interstitial cells of Cajal
Authors: Drumm Bernard T. , Rembetski Benjamin E. , Baker Salah A. , Sanders Kenton M. 
Published: March 2019

AbstractSpontaneous excitability and contractions of colonic smooth muscle cells (SMCs) are normally suppressed by inputs from inhibitory motor neurons, a behavior known as tonic inhibition. The post-junctional cell(s) mediating tonic inhibition have not been elucidated. We investigated the post-junctional cells mediating tonic inhibition in the proximal colon and whether tonic inhibition results from suppression of the activity of Ano1 channels, which are expressed exclusively in interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC). We found that tetrodotoxin (TTX), an inhibitor of nitric oxide (NO) synthesis, L-NNA, and an inhibitor of soluble guanylyl cyclase, ODQ, greatly enhanced colonic contractions. Ano1 antagonists, benzbromarone and Ani9 inhibited the effects of TTX, L-NNA and ODQ. Ano1 channels are activated by Ca2+ release from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) in ICC, and blocking Ca2+ release with a SERCA inhibitor (thapsigargin) or a store-operated Ca2+ entry blocker (GSK 7975 A) reversed the effects of TTX, L-NNA and ODQ. Ca2+ imaging revealed that TTX, L-NNA and ODQ increased Ca2+ transient firing in colonic ICC. Our results suggest that tonic inhibition in the proximal colon occurs through suppression of Ca2+ release events in ICC. Suppression of Ca2+ release in ICC limits the open probability of Ano1 channels, reducing the excitability of electrically-coupled SMCs.
Characteristics of Atmospheric Reactive Nitrogen Deposition in Nyingchi City
Authors: Wang Wei , Xu Wen , Wen Zhang , Wang Dandan , Wang Sen , Zhang Zhiwei , Zhao Yuanhong , Liu Xuejun 
Published: March 2019

AbstractAtmospheric reactive nitrogen (N) deposition has been proven to be an important nutrient input from external environments to forest ecosystems. However, the magnitude of atmospheric N deposition in the Tibetan region of China is not well known. In this study, multi-year (between 2005 and 2016) measurements of dry and wet N deposition were carried out in Nyingchi (NC) city, southeastern Tibet. Bulk deposition was collected by the rain gauge method; dry deposition was calculated by the inferential method, namely, multiplying ambient N concentrations by dry deposition velocity (Vd) of the N species. During the entire period, annual bulk and dry N deposition fluxes averaged 2.19 and 1.85 kg N ha−1 yr−1, respectively. Total N deposition fluxes (the sum of reduced and oxidized N species in dry and bulk deposition) showed an obvious increasing trend, especially for oxidized N species. Both bulk and dry N deposition showed a consistent seasonal pattern, with the highest fluxes in summer and the lowest in winter. Our findings suggest that N deposition to the urban environment in southeast Tibet has recently shifted from ammonium-dominated to nitrate-dominated conditions.
Subtle white matter alterations in schizophrenia identified with a new measure of fiber density
Authors: Stämpfli Philipp , Sommer Stefan , Manoliu Andrei , Burrer Achim , Schmidt André , Herdener Marcus , Seifritz Erich , Kaiser Stefan , Kirschner Matthias 
Published: March 2019

AbstractAltered cerebral connectivity is one of the core pathophysiological mechanism underlying the development and progression of information-processing deficits in schizophrenia. To date, most diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) studies used fractional anisotropy (FA) to investigate disrupted white matter connections. However, a quantitative interpretation of FA changes is often impeded by the inherent limitations of the underlying tensor model. A more fine-grained measure of white matter alterations could be achieved by measuring fiber density (FD) - a novel non-tensor-derived diffusion marker. This study investigates, for the first time, FD alterations in schizophrenia patients. FD and FA maps were derived from diffusion data of 25 healthy controls (HC) and 21 patients with schizophrenia (SZ). Using tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS), group differences in FD and FA were investigated across the entire white matter. Furthermore, we performed a region of interest (ROI) analysis of frontal fasciculi to detect potential correlations between FD and positive symptoms. As a result, whole brain TBSS analysis revealed reduced FD in SZ patients compared to HC in several white matter tracts including the left and right thalamic radiation (TR), superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF), corpus callosum (CC), and corticospinal tract (CST). In contrast, there were no significant FA differences between groups. Further, FD values in the TR were negatively correlated with the severity of positive symptoms and medication dose in SZ patients. In summary, a novel diffusion-weighted data analysis approach enabled us to identify widespread FD changes in SZ patients with most prominent white matter alterations in the frontal and subcortical regions. Our findings suggest that the new FD measure may be more sensitive to subtle changes in the white matter microstructure compared to FA, particularly in the given population. Therefore, investigating FD may be a promising approach to detect subtle changes in the white matter microstructure of altered connectivity in schizophrenia.
Ezh1 arises from Ezh2 gene duplication but its function is not required for zebrafish development
Authors: Völkel Pamela , Bary Aurélie , Raby Ludivine , Chapart Anaïs , Dupret Barbara , Le Bourhis Xuefen , Angrand Pierre-Olivier 
Published: March 2019

AbstractTrimethylation on H3K27 mediated by Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2) is required to control gene repression programs involved in development, regulation of tissue homeostasis or maintenance and lineage specification of stem cells. In Drosophila, the PRC2 catalytic subunit is the single protein E(z), while in mammals this function is fulfilled by two proteins, Ezh1 and Ezh2. Based on database searches, we propose that Ezh1 arose from an Ezh2 gene duplication that has occurred in the common ancestor to elasmobranchs and bony vertebrates. Expression studies in zebrafish using in situ hybridization and RT-PCR followed by the sequencing of the amplicon revealed that ezh1 mRNAs are maternally deposited. Then, ezh1 transcripts are ubiquitously distributed in the entire embryo at 24 hpf and become more restricted to anterior part of the embryo at later developmental stages. To unveil the function of ezh1 in zebrafish, a mutant line was generated using the TALEN technology. Ezh1-deficient mutant fish are viable and fertile, but the loss of ezh1 function is responsible for the earlier death of ezh2 mutant larvae indicating that ezh1 contributes to zebrafish development in absence of zygotic ezh2 gene function. Furthermore, we show that presence of ezh1 transcripts from the maternal origin accounts for the delayed lethality of ezh2-deficient larvae.
Continuous Butanol Fermentation of Dilute Acid-Pretreated De-oiled Rice Bran by Clostridium acetobutylicum YM1
Authors: Al-Shorgani Najeeb Kaid Nasser , Al-Tabib Abdualati Ibrahim , Kadier Abudukeremu , Zanil Mohd Fauzi , Lee Kiat Moon , Kalil Mohd Sahaid 
Published: March 2019

AbstractContinuous fermentation of dilute acid-pretreated de-oiled rice bran (DRB) to butanol by theClostridium acetobutylicumYM1 strain was investigated. Pretreatment of DRB with dilute sulfuric acid (1%) resulted in the production of 42.12 g/L total sugars, including 25.57 g/L glucose, 15.1 g/L xylose and 1.46 g/L cellobiose. Pretreated-DRB (SADRB) was used as a fermentation medium at various dilution rates, and a dilution rate of 0.02 h−1was optimal for solvent production, in which 11.18 g/L of total solvent was produced (acetone 4.37 g/L, butanol 5.89 g/L and ethanol 0.92 g/L). Detoxification of SADRB with activated charcoal resulted in the high removal of fermentation inhibitory compounds. Fermentation of detoxified-SADRB in continuous fermentation with a dilution rate of 0.02 h−1achieved higher concentrations of solvent (12.42 g/L) and butanol (6.87 g/L), respectively, with a solvent productivity of 0.248 g/L.h. This study showed that the solvent concentration and productivity in continuous fermentation from SADRB was higher than that obtained from batch culture fermentation. This study also provides an economic assessment for butanol production in continuous fermentation process from DRB to validate the commercial viability of this process.