bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Red muscle function and thermal acclimation to cold in rainbow smelt, Osmerus mordax, and rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss
Authors: Shuman Jacie L. , Coughlin David J. 
Published: August 2018

AbstractClimate change affects the thermal environment of aquatic organisms. Changes in the thermal environment may affect muscle function in the eurythermal rainbow smelt, Osmerus mordax, and relatively more stenothermal rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss. Literature suggests that the trout will be more sensitive to changes in environmental temperature, as they experience a more limited range of environmental temperatures. To examine the effects of thermal environment on red muscle function, both the smelt and trout were thermally acclimated to either a warm (12–15°C) or cold (4–5°C) temperature, after which studies of swimming performance and muscle mechanics were performed. The data on swimming performance and maximum muscle shortening velocity in rainbow smelt were previously published. In both species, cold‐acclimated (CA) fish swam with a significantly faster maximum aerobic swimming speed than warm‐acclimated fish, when tested at a common temperature of 10°C. Similarly, CA smelt and trout had faster red muscle contraction kinetics. However, smelt displayed a greater shift in contractile properties, such as having a significant shift in maximum muscle shortening velocity that was not observed in trout. The smelt red muscle outperformed trout, with twitch and tetanic times of relaxation being significantly faster for CA smelt compared with CA trout, especially when contraction kinetics were tested at 2°C. The smelt shows a greater thermal acclimation response compared with trout, with more robust increases in maximum swimming speed and faster muscle contractile properties. These differences in acclimation response may contribute to understanding how smelt and trout cope with climate change.
Evaluation of oral microbial corrosion on the surface degradation of dental implant materials
Authors: Siddiqui Danyal A. , Guida Lidia , Sridhar Sathyanarayanan , Valderrama Pilar , Wilson Thomas G. , Rodrigues Danieli C. 
Published: August 2018

AbstractBackgroundTitanium (Ti) dominates as the material of choice for dental implant systems. Recently, titanium‐zirconium alloy (TiZr) and zirconia (ZrO₂) have emerged as alternative materials due to higher mechanical strength and lower corrosion susceptibility. Oral pathogenic bacteria can colonize Ti surfaces, leading to surface degradation, which has yet to be investigated on TiZr and ZrO2. The aim of this study was to compare in vitro oral bacterial adhesion and subsequent surface degradation on commercial Ti, TiZr, and ZrO2 implants.MethodsTi, TiZr, and ZrO2 implants with sandblasted, acid‐etched (SLA) surfaces in addition to modified SLA‐treated (modSLA) Ti implants (n = 3) were immersed for 30 consecutive days in Streptococcus polyculture. Post‐immersion, adherent bacterial count was quantified. Optical microscopy was used to assess qualitative degradation and score Ti‐based implants based on degree of surface damage while electrochemical testing quantified corrosion behavior. Analysis of variance followed by post‐hoc Tukey test was used to statistically compare quantitative results (α = 0.05).ResultsTi‐SLA, Ti‐modSLA, and TiZr‐SLA implants exhibited localized features characteristic of corrosion attack while ZrO2‐SLA implants experienced minimal changes in surface morphology as compared to non‐immersed control. Corrosion features were more numerous on Ti‐modSLA implants but smaller in size as compared with those on Ti‐SLA and TiZr‐SLA implants. No significant differences in corrosion resistance (polarization resistance and corrosion rate) were observed between Ti‐SLA, Ti‐modSLA, and TiZr‐SLA implants.ConclusionTiZr and ZrO2 dental implant surfaces were not more susceptible to colonization and surface degradation by oral Streptococcus species than commercially pure Ti implants.
What education policies and programmes affect learning and time in school in developing countries? A review of evaluations from 1990 to 2014
Authors: Damon Amy , Glewwe Paul , Wisniewski Suzanne , Sun Bixuan 
Published: August 2018

In this paper we provide a rigorous review of evaluations of education programmes in developing countries. This review is organised to provide guidance to policy‐makers by identifying education interventions that are effective, sometimes effective, and not effective and by presenting some information on the cost effectiveness of different types of interventions. We distinguish between interventions' impacts on two types of outcomes: time in schools and learning as measured by test scores. Regarding children's time in school, we find that there are two effective, but admittedly relatively expensive, ways to increase enrolment and attendance: (1) Providing cash transfers conditional on attendance; and (2) Building new schools in communities where schools either do not exist or are far away. We have identified four interventions that have been shown to be effective at increasing test scores: (1) Merit‐based student scholarships; (2) Teaching at the right level; (3) Decreasing pupil–teacher ratios; and (4) Building new schools.
LINEAR VERSUS NONLINEAR ALLOCATION RULES IN RISK SHARING UNDER FINANCIAL FAIRNESS
Authors: Schumacher Johannes M. 
Published: August 2018

AbstractIn a risk exchange, participants trade a privately owned risk for a share in a pool. If participants agree on a valuation rule, it can be decided whether or not, according to the given rule, these trades take place at equal value. If equality of values holds for all participants, then the exchange is said to be “financially fair”. It has been shown by Bühlmann and Jewell (1979) that, under mild assumptions, the constraint of financial fairness singles out a unique solution among the set of all Pareto efficient risk exchanges. In this paper, we find that an analogous statement is true if we limit ourselves to linear exchanges. Conditions are provided for existence and uniqueness of linear sharing rules that are both financially fair and Pareto efficient among all linear sharing rules. The performance of the linear rule is compared to that of the general (nonlinear) rule in a number of specific cases.
Drag control in wall-bounded turbulent flows via spanwise opposed wall-jet forcing
Authors: Yao Jie , Chen Xi , Hussain Fazle 
Published: August 2018

Drag control using a newly developed spanwise opposed wall-jet forcing (SOJF) method is studied via direct numerical simulation of the incompressible Navier–Stokes equations in a turbulent channel flow (at the friction Reynolds numbers $Re_{\unicode[STIX]{x1D70F}}=180$ and 550). SOJF is characterized by three control parameters: the forcing amplitude $A^{+}$, the spanwise spacing $\unicode[STIX]{x1D706}^{+}$ and the wall-jet height $y_{c}^{+}$ ($+$ indicates viscous scaling). At $Re_{\unicode[STIX]{x1D70F}}=180$, notable drag reduction is achieved for wide ranges of $A^{+}$, $\unicode[STIX]{x1D706}^{+}$ and $y_{c}^{+}$, with an optimal drag reduction of approximately 19 % found for $A^{+}\approx 0.015$, $\unicode[STIX]{x1D706}^{+}\approx 1200$ and $y_{c}^{+}\approx 30$. The drag reduction results from mergers of numerous low-speed typical individual streaks together by the wall jets, so that the slope of the merged streak envelope and hence the streak strength are reduced below the critical values required for streak instability as well as for transient growth; consequently, the generation of drag inducing near-wall streamwise vortices is suppressed. Through analysis using the FIK identity (Fukagata et al. Phys. Fluids, vol. 14 (11), 2002, pp. L73–L76) in combination with the triple decomposition and the spanwise wavenumber spectrum of the Reynolds shear stress, we find that the control significantly decreases skin friction due to the small scale random turbulent structures (from 75 to 23 % for the optimal case), but injects a dominant contribution at the forcing scale (approximately 34 %). As $A^{+}$ or $y_{c}^{+}$ increases, the drag reduction degrades due to the downwash near the initiation of the forcing wall jet. The energy input required for the excitation is found to be small, yielding a 17 % net power saving for the optimal control case. To determine the $Re$ dependence of the drag reduction, the control strategy is further validated at a higher $Re_{\unicode[STIX]{x1D70F}}=550$. If the control parameters are kept the same as at $Re_{\unicode[STIX]{x1D70F}}=180$ (i.e. $A^{+}\approx 0.015$, $\unicode[STIX]{x1D706}^{+}\approx 1200$, $y_{c}^{+}\approx 30$), the drag reduction decreases to 10 %; however, interestingly, with modestly changed parameters ($A^{+}\approx 0.018$, $\unicode[STIX]{x1D706}^{+}\approx 1700$, $y_{c}^{+}\approx 50$), drag reduction increases to about 15 %. This additional drag reduction results from the further suppression of turbulent structures in the buffer and log regions. This result, therefore, suggests prospects for drag reduction at even higher $Re$ via a proper choice of the SOJF parameters.
The management of laryngeal lipoid proteinosis
Authors: Ally M , Kinshuck A J , Sandison A , Sandhu G S 
Published: August 2018

AbstractBackgroundLipoid proteinosis is a rare autosomal recessive disorder caused by mutations in the extracellular matrix protein 1 gene. It is characterised by deposition of hyaline material in the skin and mucous membranes. This paper describes the management of two cases with laryngopharyngeal disease.MethodsTwo patients with a biopsy diagnosis of lipoid proteinosis were identified from the surgical pathology archive covering the period 2004–2016. Their notes were reviewed.ResultsAn adult male and an adult female were identified. Both had dysphonia and laryngopharyngeal lesions. The patients underwent interval laser microlaryngoscopy to debulk disease but minimise mucosal injury and scarring, using a ‘pepper pot’ technique. Both had adequate symptom control.ConclusionLipoid proteinosis is a rare genetic condition, which typically presents in infancy with dysphonia and subsequent skin involvement. Two cases are presented to demonstrate that laryngotracheal symptoms can be controlled with interval laser debulking and the ‘pepper pot’ technique without causing stenosis.
The Unusual Surface Chlorophyll Signatures of Southern Ocean Eddies
Authors: Dawson H. R. S. , Strutton P. G. , Gaube P. 
Published: August 2018

AbstractSouthern Ocean mesoscale eddies play an important role in ocean circulation and biogeochemical cycling, but their biological characteristics have not been well quantified at the basin scale. To address this, we combined a 15‐year tracked eddy data set with satellite observations of ocean color, sea surface temperature, and autonomous profiling floats to quantify the surface and subsurface properties of eddies. Anomalies of surface temperature and chlorophyll were examined in eddy‐centric composite averages constructed from thousands of eddies. Normalized surface chlorophyll anomalies (chlnorm) vary seasonally and geographically. Cyclones typically show positive chlnorm, while anticyclones have negative chlnorm. The sign of chlnorm reverses during late summer and autumn for eddies between the Subtropical and Polar Fronts. The reversal is most obvious in the Indian sector, and we attribute this to a combination of eddy stirring (deformation of surface gradients by the rotational velocity of an eddy) and deeper winter mixing in anticyclones. Both chlnorm and sea surface temperature anomalies transition from dipole structures north of the Subtropical Front to monopole structures south of the Subantarctic Front. Sea surface temperature and chlnorm composites provide evidence for eddy trapping (transporting of anomalies) and eddy stirring. This research provides a basin‐scale study of surface chlorophyll in Southern Ocean eddies and reveals counterintuitive biogeochemical signals.
Large‐Scale Forces Under Surface Gravity Waves at a Wavy Bottom: A Mechanism for the Generation of Primary Microseisms
Authors: Ardhuin Fabrice 
Published: August 2018

AbstractPrimary microseisms are background seismic oscillations recorded everywhere on Earth with typical frequencies 0.05 < f < 0.1 Hz. They appear to be generated by ocean waves of the same frequency f, propagating over shallow bottom topography. Previous quantitative models for the generation of primary microseisms considered wave propagation over topographic features with either large scales, equivalent to a vertical point force, or small scales matching ocean wave wavelengths, equivalent to a horizontal force. While the first requires unrealistic bottom slopes to explain measured Rayleigh wave amplitudes, the second produced Love waves and not enough Rayleigh waves. Here we show how the small scales actually produce comparable horizontal and vertical forces. For example, a realistic rough bottom over an area of 100 km2 with depths around 15 m is enough to explain the vertical ground motion observed at a seismic station located 150 km away. Ocean waves propagating over small‐scale topography is thus a plausible explanation for the observed microseisms at frequencies around 0.07 Hz.
First Identification of Mafic Igneous Enclaves in Miocene Lavas of Southern Tibet With Implications for Indian Continental Subduction
Authors: Hao Lu‐Lu , Wang Qiang , Wyman Derek A. , Qi Yue , Ma Lin , Huang Fang , Zhang Le , Xia Xiao Ping , Ou Quan 
Published: August 2018

AbstractThe history of Indian continental subduction beneath Asian plate remains unclear. Miocene ultrapotassic rocks in southern Tibet, with extremely enriched isotopes, have often been used to trace mantle metasomatism and geodynamic processes associated with Indian continental subduction. These rocks, however, may have been contaminated by Lhasa ancient crust. Uncertainties on primary ultrapotassic magmas obscure their mantle sources. Here we report on first mafic igneous enclaves in Cenozoic lavas of southern Tibet. They consist principally of clinopyroxene, phlogopite, and sanidine and have a zircon U‐Pb age of 21.5 ± 0.3 Ma. Mineral and bulk‐rock geochemical characteristics indicate their crystallization from primary ultrapotassic magmas. Bulk‐rock Sr‐Nd, clinopyroxene Sr, and zircon O isotopes demonstrate their isotopically enriched character. Combined with precollisional basalts, we suggest that the mantle source of the enclaves was enriched by the subducted Indian continent. This study implies that the Indian continent had subducted beneath central Lhasa no later than early Miocene.
R-spondin-2 is a Wnt agonist that regulates osteoblast activity and bone mass
Authors: Knight M. Noelle , Karuppaiah Kannan , Lowe Michele , Mohanty Sarthak , Zondervan Robert L. , Bell Sheila , Ahn Jaimo , Hankenson Kurt D. 
Published: August 2018

AbstractThe R-spondin family of proteins are Wnt agonists, and the complete embryonic disruption of Rspo2 results in skeletal developmental defects that recapitulate the phenotype observed with Lrp5/6 deficiency. Previous work has shown that R-spondin-2 (Rspo2, RSPO2) is both highly expressed in Wnt-stimulated pre-osteoblasts and its overexpression induces osteoblast differentiation in the same cells, supporting its putative role as a positive autocrine regulator of osteoblastogenesis. However, the role of Rspo2 in regulating osteoblastogenesis and bone formation in postnatal bone has not been explored. Here we show that limb-bud progenitor cells from Rspo2 knockout mice undergo reduced mineralization during osteoblastogenesis in vitro and have a corresponding alteration in their osteogenic gene expression profile. We also generated the first Rspo2 conditional knockout (Rspo2floxed) mouse and disrupted Rspo2 expression in osteoblast-lineage cells by crossing to the Osteocalcin-Cre mouse line (Ocn-Cre + Rspo2f/f). Ocn-Cre + Rspo2f/f male and female mice at 1, 3, and 6 months were examined. Ocn-Cre + Rspo2f/f mice are decreased in overall body size compared to their control littermates and have decreased bone mass. Histomorphometric analysis of 1-month-old mice revealed a similar number of osteoblasts and mineralizing surface per bone surface with a simultaneous decrease in mineral apposition and bone formation rates. Consistent with this observation, serum osteocalcin in 3-month-old Ocn-Cre + Rspo2f/f was reduced, and bone marrow-mesenchymal stem cells from Ocn-Cre + Rspo2f/f mice undergo less mineralization in vitro. Finally, gene expression analysis and immunohistochemistry of mature bone shows reduced beta-catenin signaling in Ocn-Cre + Rspo2f/f. Overall, RSPO2 reduces osteoblastogenesis and mineralization, leading to reduced bone mass.
Two novel SHP-1 agonists, SC-43 and SC-78, are more potent than regorafenib in suppressing the in vitro stemness of human colorectal cancer cells
Authors: Chung Shin-Yi , Chen Yen-Hsi , Lin Pei-Rong , Chao Ta-Chung , Su Jung-Chen , Shiau Chung-Wai , Su Yeu 
Published: August 2018

AbstractSignal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) has been shown to play a critical role in the maintenance of cancer stem cells (CSCs). Hence, the inhibition of STAT3 signaling has been suggested to be a viable therapeutic approach for cancers. Moreover, the efficacy of combinations of chemotherapeutic drugs and napabucasin, a small-molecule STAT3 inhibitor, have been assessed in various clinical trials, including those involving patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC).Two recently developed small-molecule STAT3 inhibitors, SC-43 and SC-78, which can stimulate SHP-1 to inactivate STAT3, were found to have anti-tumor activity. In this study, the inhibitory effects of SC-43, SC-78, and regorafenib (a reference drug) on cell viability, STAT3 phosphorylation, and various stemness properties [e.g., sphere-forming and soft agar colony-forming abilities, CD133+/CD44+(stem cell-like) subpopulations, and the expression of several CSC markers] were examined for both HCT-116 and HT-29 human CRC cells. We found that SC-43 and SC-78 but not regorafenib inhibited constitutive and IL-6-induced STAT3 phosphorylation in HCT-116 and HT-29 cells, respectively. Moreover, SC-43 and SC-78 were more potent than regorafenib in suppressing the stemness properties (except stem cell-like subpopulations) of these cells. As expected, SHP-1 knockdown almost completely abolished the suppressive effects of SC-43 and SC-78 on the sphere formation in both cell lines. Furthermore, SC-43 and SC-78 showed synergistic inhibitory effects with oxaliplatin and/or irinotecan on sphere formation. Overall, our results suggest that SC-43 and SC-78 are potent STAT3 inhibitors that may potentially be used in combination therapy for CRC.
The prognostic significance of Albumin-to-Alkaline Phosphatase Ratio in upper tract urothelial carcinoma
Authors: Tan Ping , Xie Nan , Ai Jianzhong , Xu Hang , Xu Huan , Liu Liangren , Yang Lu , Wei Qiang 
Published: August 2018

AbstractTo assess the prognostic impact of pretreatment albumin-to-alkaline phosphatase ratio (AAPR) in patients with upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC), the data of 692 patients, operated between 2003 and 2016 in our center, were retrospectively assessed. The threshold of AAPR was defined as 0.58 by using the receiver-operating curve analysis. Overall survival (OS), cancer-specific survival (CSS), and recurrence-free survival (RFS) were evaluated using the Kaplan-Meier method. And the univariate and multivariate Cox’s regression models were performed to identify independent prognostic predictors. The results showed that AAPR <0.58 was significantly related to higher pT stage and grade, concomitant variant histology, anemia and larger tumor size. Additionally, patients with a lower AAPR had an inferior survival outcomes than those with an AAPR ≥0.58 (all P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis suggested that the lower AAPR was also an independent risk factor for poor OS (HR 1.587, 95%CI: 1.185–2.126; P = 0.002), CSS (HR 1.746, 95%CI: 1.249–2.440; P = 0.001), and RFS (HR 1.337, 95%CI: 1.027–1.739; P = 0.031). Moreover, subgroup analysis demonstrated the lower AAPR was related to worse prognosis in high-grade UTUC patients; but in those with low-grade disease, no relationship between them was observed. In conclusion, our results found that the decreased AAPR was independently related to poor survival outcomes in UTUC patients. Using the AAPR for subclassification of high-grade UTUC seems to further identify a poor prognostic group and contribute to clinical decisions making.
Effects of multiple environmental variables on tundra ecosystem respiration in maritime Antarctica
Authors: Bao Tao , Zhu Renbin , Li Xianglan , Ye Wenjuan , Cheng Xiao 
Published: August 2018

AbstractSummertime ecosystem respiration (ER) rates through seven sites were measured at an upland tundra on Fildes Peninsula in maritime Antarctica to investigate effects of topographic gradient, vegetation types and climatic factors on tundra ER rates. Overall the highest ER rates occurred at the tundra top, followed at the middle slope, and the lowest rates at the lower slope. The daily highest ER rates occurred at noon whereas the lowest at 6 am. There was a significant positive correlation (P < 0.05) between tundra ER and 0–10 cm soil temperature, but a significant negative correlation (P < 0.01) between ER and soil moisture. A high Q10 value of 2.69 was obtained when all the data were combined, indicating soil temperature sensitivity of tundra ER. The mean ER at the tundra sites with moss coverage (72.2 ± 4.4 mg CO2 m−2 h−1) was significantly higher (P < 0.01) than that at the sites with lichen coverage (46.8 ± 8.7 mg CO2 m−2 h−1). The tundra sites without snow coverage experienced significant CO2 release, whereas the emission through ER was very low at the tundra sites with snow coverage. Our results indicated that topographic gradient, soil temperature, soil moisture, vegetation types and snow coverage might affect tundra ER in maritime Antarctica.
Genomic Analysis of the Insect-Killing Fungus Beauveria bassiana JEF-007 as a Biopesticide
Authors: Lee Se Jin , Lee Mi Rong , Kim Sihyeon , Kim Jong Cheol , Park So Eun , Li Dongwei , Shin Tae Young , Nai Yu-Shin , Kim Jae Su 
Published: August 2018

AbstractInsect-killing fungi have high potential in pest management. A deeper insight into the fungal genes at the whole genome level is necessary to understand the inter-species or intra-species genetic diversity of fungal genes, and to select excellent isolates. In this work, we conducted a whole genome sequencing of Beauveria bassiana (Bb) JEF-007 and characterized pathogenesis-related features and compared with other isolates including Bb ARSEF2860. A large number of Bb JEF-007 genes showed high identity with Bb ARSEF2860, but some genes showed moderate or low identity. The two Bb isolates showed a significant difference in vegetative growth, antibiotic-susceptibility, and virulence against Tenebrio molitor larvae. When highly identical genes between the two Bb isolates were subjected to real-time PCR, their transcription levels were different, particularly in heat shock protein 30 (hsp30) gene which is related to conidial thermotolerance. In several B. bassiana isolates, chitinases and trypsin-like protease genes involved in pathogenesis were highly conserved, but other genes showed noticeable sequence variation within the same species. Given the transcriptional and genetic diversity in B. bassiana, a selection of virulent isolates with industrial advantages is a pre-requisite, and this genetic approach could support the development of excellent biopesticides with intellectual property protection.