bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Niche divergence and limits to expansion in the high polyploid Dianthus broteri complex
Authors: López‐Jurado Javier , Mateos‐Naranjo Enrique , Balao Francisco 
Published: December 2018

Summary

Niche evolution in plant polyploids remains controversial and evidence for alternative patterns has been reported. Using the autopolyploid Dianthus broteri complex (2×, 4×, 6× and 12×) as a model, we aimed to integrate three scenarios – competitive exclusion, recurrent origins of cytotypes and niche filling – into a single framework of polyploid niche evolution. We hypothesized that high polyploids would tend to evolve towards extreme niches when low ploidy cytotypes have nearly filled the niche space.

We used several ecoinformatics and phylogenetic comparative analyses to quantify differences in the ecological niche of each cytotype and to evaluate alternative models of niche evolution.

Each cytotype in this complex occupied a distinct ecological niche. The distributions were mainly constrained by soil characteristics, temperature and drought stress imposed by the Mediterranean climate. Tetraploids had the highest niche breadth and overlap due to their multiple origins, whereas the higher ploidy cytotypes were found in different, restricted, nonoverlapping niches. Niche evolution analyses suggested a scenario with one niche optimum for each ploidy, including the two independent tetraploid lineages.

Our results suggest that the fate of nascent polyploids could not be predicted without accounting for phylogenetic relatedness, recurrent origins or the niche occupied by ancestors.
Buzz pollination: studying bee vibrations on flowers
Authors: Vallejo‐Marín Mario 
Published: December 2018

SummaryApproximately 6% of flowering plant species possess flowers with anthers that open through small pores or slits. Extracting pollen from this type of specialised flower is achieved most efficiently by vibrating the anthers, a behaviour that has evolved repeatedly among bees. Here I provide a brief overview of the study of vibrations produced by bees and their effects on pollen release. I discuss how bee morphology and behaviour affect the mechanical properties of vibrations, and how floral traits may influence the transmission of those vibrations from the bee to the anther, thus mediating pollen release, and ultimately bee and plant fitness. I suggest that understanding the evolution of buzz pollination requires a study of the biomechanics of bee vibrations and their transmission on flowers.
Playground equipment‐related head injuries requiring hospitalization in children
Authors: Ono Hajime , Sase Taigen , Takasuna Hiroshi , Tanaka Yuichiro 
Published: December 2018

AbstractBackgroundThe aim of this study was to investigate the circumstances of playground equipment‐related head injuries in children and consider preventive measures based on the associated characteristics.MethodsThe survey period was from February 1988 to January 2017. The study participants were children <15 years of age who had been hospitalized for playground equipment‐related head injury. The following factors were investigated retrospectively: age; sex; fall height; material of the surface under the equipment; mechanism and diagnosis of the head injury; neurological signs at admission; and neurological outcome.ResultsA total of 42 children (median age, 5 years; M/F: 26/16) were treated for head injuries, which involved a slide in 20 cases (47.6%), a swing in 11 (26.2%), a jungle gym in five (11.9%), monkey bars, iron bars, and a trampoline in one each, and unspecified equipment in six (14.3%). Falls ranged from a height of 1.2 to 2.5 m. Most of the falls occurred on hard soil or concrete. Head injuries depended on the age of the child, the injury mechanisms, and the characteristics of the equipment.ConclusionsThe playground equipment‐related head injuries found in the present study involved not only skull fractures and concussions, but also intracranial hemorrhage and surgical cases. Children routinely use playground equipment, so effective strategies to reduce the occurrence of playground equipment‐related head injuries need to be formulated.
Shining Light on the Secreted Luciferases of Marine Copepods: Current Knowledge and Applications
Authors: Markova Svetlana V. , Larionova Marina D. , Vysotski Eugene S. 
Published: December 2018

AbstractCopepod luciferases—a family of small secretory proteins of 18.4–24.3 kDa, including a signal peptide—are responsible for bright secreted bioluminescence of some marine copepods. The copepod luciferases use coelenterazine as a substrate to produce blue light in a simple oxidation reaction without any additional cofactors. They do not share sequence or structural similarity with other identified bioluminescent proteins including coelenterazine‐dependent Renilla and Oplophorus luciferases. The small size, strong luminescence activity and high stability, including thermostability, make secreted copepod luciferases very attractive candidates as reporter proteins which are particularly useful for nondisruptive reporter assays and for high‐throughput format. The most known and extensively investigated representatives of this family are the first cloned GpLuc and MLuc luciferases from copepods Gaussia princeps and Metridia longa, respectively. Immediately after cloning, these homologous luciferases were successfully applied as bioluminescent reporters in vivo and in vitro, and since then, the scope of their applications continues to grow. This review is an attempt to systemize and critically evaluate the data scattered through numerous articles regarding the main structural features of copepod luciferases, their luminescent and physicochemical properties. We also review the main trends of their application as bioluminescent reporters in cell and molecular biology.
Risk and Quantification: A Linguistic Study
Authors: Boholm Max 
Published: December 2018

AbstractIn risk analysis and research, the concept of risk is often understood quantitatively. For example, risk is commonly defined as the probability of an unwanted event or as its probability multiplied by its consequences. This article addresses (1) to what extent and (2) how the nounriskis actually used quantitatively. Uses of the nounriskare analyzed in four linguistic corpora, both Swedish and English (mostly American English). In total, over 16,000 uses of the nounriskare studied in 14 random (n = 500) or complete samples (wherenranges from 173 to 5,144) of, for example, news and magazine articles, fiction, and websites of government agencies. In contrast to the widespread definition of risk as a quantity, a main finding is that the nounriskis mostly used nonquantitatively. Furthermore, when used quantitatively, the quantification is seldom numerical, instead relying on less precise expressions of quantification, such ashigh riskandincreased risk. The relatively low frequency of quantification in a wide range of language material suggests a quantification bias in many areas of risk theory, that is, overestimation of the importance of quantification in defining the concept of risk. The findings are also discussed in relation to fuzzy‐trace theory. Findings of this study confirm, as suggested by fuzzy‐trace theory, that vague representations are prominent in quantification of risk. The application of the terminology of fuzzy‐trace theory for explaining the patterns of language use are discussed.
Adaptive Design in Surveys and Clinical Trials: Similarities, Differences and Opportunities for Cross-fertilization
Authors: Rosenblum Michael , Miller Peter , Reist Benjamin , Stuart Elizabeth A. , Thieme Michael , Louis Thomas A. 
Published: December 2018

SummaryAdaptive designs involve preplanned rules for modifying an on-going study based on accruing data. We compare the goals and methods of adaptation for trials and surveys, identify similarities and differences, and make recommendations for what types of adaptive approaches from one domain have high potential to be useful in the other. For example, clinical trials could benefit from recently developed survey methods for monitoring which groups have low response rates and intervening to fix this. Clinical trials may also benefit from more formal identification of the target population, and from using paradata (contextual information collected before or during the collection of actual outcomes) to predict participant compliance and retention and then to intervene to improve these. Surveys could benefit from stopping rules based on information monitoring, applying techniques from sequential multiple-assignment randomized trial designs to improve response rates, prespecifying a formal adaptation protocol and including a data monitoring committee. We conclude with a discussion of the additional information, infrastructure and statistical analysis methods that are needed when conducting adaptive designs, as well as benefits and risks of adaptation.
A smoothed Q‐learning algorithm for estimating optimal dynamic treatment regimes
Authors: Fan Yanqin , He Ming , Su Liangjun , Zhou Xiao‐Hua 
Published: December 2018

AbstractIn this paper, we propose a smoothed Q‐learning algorithm for estimating optimal dynamic treatment regimes. In contrast to the Q‐learning algorithm in which nonregular inference is involved, we show that, under assumptions adopted in this paper, the proposed smoothed Q‐learning estimator is asymptotically normally distributed even when the Q‐learning estimator is not and its asymptotic variance can be consistently estimated. As a result, inference based on the smoothed Q‐learning estimator is standard. We derive the optimal smoothing parameter and propose a data‐driven method for estimating it. The finite sample properties of the smoothed Q‐learning estimator are studied and compared with several existing estimators including the Q‐learning estimator via an extensive simulation study. We illustrate the new method by analyzing data from the Clinical Antipsychotic Trials of Intervention Effectiveness–Alzheimer's Disease (CATIE‐AD) study.
Regression analysis of longitudinal data with outcome‐dependent sampling and informative censoring
Authors: Shen Weining , Liu Suyu , Chen Yong , Ning Jing 
Published: December 2018

AbstractWe consider a regression analysis of longitudinal data in the presence of outcome‐dependent observation times and informative censoring. Existing approaches commonly require a correct specification of the joint distribution of longitudinal measurements, the observation time process, and informative censoring time under the joint modeling framework and can be computationally cumbersome due to the complex form of the likelihood function. In view of these issues, we propose a semiparametric joint regression model and construct a composite likelihood function based on a conditional order statistics argument. As a major feature of our proposed methods, the aforementioned joint distribution is not required to be specified, and the random effect in the proposed joint model is treated as a nuisance parameter. Consequently, the derived composite likelihood bypasses the need to integrate over the random effect and offers the advantage of easy computation. We show that the resulting estimators are consistent and asymptotically normal. We use simulation studies to evaluate the finite‐sample performance of the proposed method and apply it to a study of weight loss data that motivated our investigation.
Evolution of green lacewings (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae): a molecular supermatrix approach
Authors: Garzón‐Orduña Ivonne J. , Winterton Shaun L. , Jiang Yunlan , Breitkreuz Laura C.V. , Duelli Peter , Engel Michael S. , Penny Norman D. , Tauber Catherine A. , Mochizuki Atsushi , Liu Xingyue 
Published: December 2018

AbstractWe present a time‐calibrated phylogeny of the charismatic green lacewings (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae). Previous phylogenetic studies on the family using DNA sequences have suffered from sparse taxon sampling and/or limited amounts of data. Here we combine all available previously published DNA sequence data and add to it new DNA sequences generated for this study. We analysed these data in a supermatrix using Bayesian and maximum likelihood methods and provide a phylogenetic hypothesis for the family that recovers strong support for the monophyly of all subfamilies and resolves relationships among a large proportion of chrysopine genera. Chrysopinae tribes Leucochrysini and Belonopterygini were recovered as monophyletic sister clades, while the species‐rich tribe Chrysopini was rendered paraphyletic by Ankylopterygini. Relationships among the subfamilies were resolved, although with relatively low statistical support, and the topology varied based on the method of analysis. Greatest support was found for Apochrysinae as sister to Nothochrysinae and Chrysopinae, which is in contrast to traditional concepts that place Nothochrysinae as sister to the rest of the family. Divergence estimates suggest that the stem groups to the various subfamilies diverged during the Triassic‐Jurassic, and that stem groups of the chrysopine tribes diverged during the Cretaceous.
Visual Search Without Selective Attention: A Cognitive Architecture Account
Authors: Kieras David E. 
Published: December 2018

AbstractA key phenomenon in visual search experiments is the linear relation of reaction time (RT) to the number of objects to be searched (set size). The dominant theory of visual search claims that this is a result of covert selective attention operating sequentially to “bind” visual features into objects, and this mechanism operates differently depending on the nature of the search task and the visual features involved, causing the slope of the RT as a function of set size to range from zero to large values. However, a cognitive architectural model presented here shows these effects on RT in three different search task conditions can be easily obtained from basic visual mechanisms, eye movements, and simple task strategies. No selective attention mechanism is needed. In addition, there are little‐explored effects of visual crowding, which is typically confounded with set size in visual search experiments. Including a simple mechanism for crowding in the model also allows it to account for significant effects on error rate (ER). The resulting model shows the interaction between visual mechanisms and task strategy, and thus it represents a more comprehensive and fruitful approach to visual search than the dominant theory.
Effect of untreated urban effluents on the accumulation of toxic metals in river sediments under tropical conditions: Funa River, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Authors: Kayembe John M. , Bokwokwo Merveille I. , Sivalingam Periyasamy , Ngelinkoto Patience , Otamonga Jean‐Paul , Mulaji Crispin K. , Mubedi Josué I. , Poté John 
Published: December 2018

AbstractThe objective of the present study was to assess the status of surface sediments from Funa River. Sediment samples were characterized for physicochemical parameters, including grain size, organic matter and toxic metals. The result revealed high metal concentrations in river sediments, reaching values of 154.19, 186.00, 1105.34, 3.69, 548.02 and 5.45 mg/kg for Cr, Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb and Hg, respectively. A strong correlation was observed between analysed metals and organic matter suggesting that these contaminants could have originated from common sources with a similar transport pathway. Based on the Sediment Quality Guidelines for the Protection of Aquatic Life, Funa River is considered as highly polluted with toxic metals indicating the potential environmental and human health risk. The results of this research represent a useful tool to assess the sediment quality of urban river receiving system which can be applied to similar environment.
Dynamic Contrast-enhanced MRI Detects Responses to Stroma-directed Therapy in Mouse Models of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Cao Jianbo , Pickup Stephen , Clendenin Cynthia , Blouw Barbara , Choi Hoon , Kang David , Rosen Mark , O'Dwyer Peter J. , Zhou Rong 
Published: December 2018

Abstract

Purpose:
The dense stroma underlies the drug resistance of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) and has motivated the development of stroma-directed drugs. Our objective is to test the concept that dynamic contrast–enhanced (DCE) MRI using FDA-approved contrast media, an imaging method sensitive to the tumor microenvironment, can detect early responses to stroma-directed drug.

Experimental Design:
Imaging studies were performed in three mouse models exhibiting high desmoplastic reactions: the autochthonous PDA in genetically engineered mice (KPC), an orthotopic model in syngeneic mice, and a xenograft model of human PDA in athymic mice. An investigational drug, PEGPH20 (pegvorhyaluronidase alfa), which degrades hyaluronan (HA) in the stroma of PDA, was injected alone or in combination with gemcitabine.

Results:
At 24 hours after a single injection of PEGPH20, Ktrans, a DCE-MRI–derived marker that measures how fast a unit volume of contrast media is transferred from capillaries to interstitial space, increased 56% and 50% from baseline in the orthotopic and xenograft tumors, respectively, compared with a 4% and 6% decrease in vehicle groups (both P &lt; 0.05). Similarly, after three combined treatments, Ktrans in KPC mice increased 54%, whereas it decreased 4% in controls treated with gemcitabine alone (P &lt; 0.05). Consistently, after a single injection of PEGPH20, tumor HA content assessed by IHC was reduced substantially in all three models while drug delivery (measured by paclitaxel accumulation in tumor) was increased by 2.6-fold.

Conclusions:
These data demonstrated a DCE-MRI marker, Ktrans, can detect early responses to stroma-directed drug and reveal the sustained effect of combination treatment (PEGPH20+ gemcitabine).
An Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transcriptional Switch Triggers Evolution of Pulmonary Sarcomatoid Carcinoma (PSC) and Identifies Dasatinib as New Therapeutic Option
Authors: Manzotti Gloria , Torricelli Federica , Benedetta Donati , Lococo Filippo , Sancisi Valentina , Rossi Giulio , Piana Simonetta , Ciarrocchi Alessia 
Published: December 2018

Abstract

Purpose:
Pulmonary sarcomatoid carcinoma (PSC) is a rare and aggressive form of NSCLC. Rarity and poor characterization have limited the development of PSC-tailored treatment protocols, leaving patients with inadequate therapeutic options. In this study, we investigated the gene expression profile of PSCs, with the aim to characterize the molecular mechanisms responsible for their evolution and to identify new drugs for their treatment.

Experimental Design:
A training set of 17 biphasic PSCs was selected and tested for the expression of a large panel of 770 genes related to cancer progression using NanoString technology. Computational analyses were used to characterize a PSCs-gene specific signature from which pathways and drivers of PSC evolution were identified and validated using functional assays in vitro. This signature was validated in a separate set of 15 PSCs and 8 differentiated NSCLC and used to interrogate the cMAP database searching for FDA-approved small molecules able to counteract PSC phenotype.

Results:
We demonstrated that the transcriptional activation of an epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) program drives PSC phylogeny in vivo. We showed that loss of the epithelial-associated transcription factor (TF) OVOL2 characterizes the transition to sarcomatoid phenotype triggering the expression of EMT promoting TFs, including TWIST and ZEB and the expression of the membrane kinase DDR2. Finally, using a drug repurposing approach, we identified dasatinib as potential inhibitor of the PSC-gene expression signature and we confirmed in vitro that this drug efficiently restrains proliferation and reverts the sarcomatoid-associated phenotype.

Conclusions:
Our data provide new insights into PSC evolution and provide the rationale for further clinical studies with dasatinib.
TGFβ Blockade Augments PD-1 Inhibition to Promote T-Cell–Mediated Regression of Pancreatic Cancer
Authors: Principe Daniel R. , Park Alex , Dorman Matthew J. , Kumar Sandeep , Viswakarma Navin , Rubin Jonathan , Torres Carolina , McKinney Ronald , Munshi Hidayatullah G. , Grippo Paul J. , Rana Ajay 
Published: December 2018

Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains remarkably lethal with a 5-year survival rate of 8%. This is mainly attributed to the late stage of presentation, as well as widespread resistance to conventional therapy. In addition, PDAC tumors are largely nonimmunogenic, and most patients have displayed incomplete responses to cancer immunotherapies. Our group has previously identified TGFβ as a crucial repressor of antitumor immune function in PDAC, particularly with respect to cytotoxic T lymphocytes. However, pharmacologic inhibition of TGFβ signaling has had limited efficacy in clinical trials, failing to promote a significant antitumor immune response. Hence, in this work, we extend our analysis to identify and circumvent the mechanisms of resistance to TGFβ signal inhibition in PDAC. Consistent with our previous observations, adoptive transfer of TGFβ-insensitive CD8+ T cells led to the near complete regression of neoplastic disease in vivo. However, we demonstrate that this cannot be recapitulated via global reduction in TGFβ signaling, through either genetic ablation or pharmacologic inhibition of TGFBR1. In fact, tumors with TGFβ signal inhibition displayed increased PD-L1 expression and had no observable change in antitumor immunity. Using genetic models of advanced PDAC, we then determined that concomitant inhibition of both TGFβ and PD-L1 receptors led to a reduction in the neoplastic phenotype, improving survival and reducing disease-associated morbidity in vivo. Combined, these data strongly suggest that TGFβ and PD-L1 pathway inhibitors may synergize in PDAC, and this approach warrants clinical consideration.
LITERATURA NOS JORNAIS: DEMOCRATIZAÇÃO NA ESCRITA E NA RECEÇÃO
Authors: Costa Cátia Miriam 
Published: December 2018

Os jornais foram um elemento decisivo na democratização do acesso à literatura, tanto na produção do discurso literário como na sua receção. A imprensa periódica, com relevo para os jornais, permitiu um diálogo entre jornalismo e literatura. Nos contextos coloniais, permitiu, ainda, que os centros produtivos se deslocassem para os espaços periféricos, onde surgiram novas oportunidades de escrita e receção. Partindo da análise comparativa das obras e percursos de um jornalista metropolitano que se torna escritor em Angola e de um intelectual angolano, procuramos compreender como os jornais democratizaram a literatura e quais as suas limitações neste processo.
Taxonomic studies on the gaudy grasshoppers (Orthoptera: Pyrgomorphoidea: Pyrgomorphidae) from the northeastern states of India
Authors: Khan M. Imran , Usmani M. Kamil , Usmani Shahnila , Naz Hira 
Published: December 2018

A survey of the northeastern states of India recorded 10 species representing five genera belonging to four tribes of the family Pyrgomorphidae. For identification, in addition to conventional morphological characters, the detailed structures of male and female genitalia were also included. All the genera studied are described. Morphometry and distribution of each species are also given.
First record of the rare Furry Lobster Palinurellus wieneckii (De Man, 1881) (Decapoda: Palinuridae) from the Arabian Sea
Authors: Idreesbabu K. K. , Shanis C.P. Rajool , Sureshkumar S. 
Published: December 2018

Two female specimens of the Furry Lobster Palinurellus wieneckii (De Man, 1881) with a total length of 118mm and 114mm, respectively, were obtained from the coral reefs off Kavaratti Island, Laccadive Islands, west of India. Only two species are currently recognized in this genus, which were described from a small number of specimens. As P. wieneckii is very rare, the present report from the Lakshadweep Archipelago provides a valuable new distribution point, which is the first record for the Arabian Sea. Illustrations and photographs are provided for this rare lobster.