bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Morphological Properties of the Two Types of Caudate Interneurons: Kohonen Self-Organizing Maps and Correlation-Comparison Analysis
Authors: Grbatinić Ivan , Krstonošić Bojana , Marić Dušica , Milošević Nebojša 
Published: November 2018

AbstractOur previous study found that caudate and putaminal interneurons are morphologically very different, and that accordingly they could be divided in two separate clusters. In addition, it also demonstrated, as a collateral result, that the caudate cluster itself consists of two clusters of morphologically different interneurons. Hence, the objective of this study is a morphological description and subtle differing of morphologies of these two types of caudate interneurons, i.e., an investigation of those morphological traits which characterize them uniquely, and which would distinguish them. Binary two-dimensional images of caudate interneurons, taken from deceased adult human subjects, were analyzed by using 46 parameters, describing the morphology of interneurons. The parameters can be divided in the following classes: size (surface) of a neuron, neuronal shape, length of neuronal morphological compartments, dendritic branching, morphological organization, and complexity. The morphological determination of caudate interneurons was performed in a step-wise manner. The first step was the assignment of each individual neuron to an adequate cluster where it belonged according to morphological criteria. This was done by using the trained artificial neural network, Kohonen self-organizing map. After the clusters were formed, the analysis is further continued by the precise, feature-wise determination of morphological differences found between clusters of caudate interneurons and then finished by defining correlation-based, mutual, inter-parametric relations for each of the clusters. The first was performed by using single-factor analysis, and the second by correlation-comparison analysis. Single-factor analysis showed significance for 34 parameters (morphological features) that distinguish between the clusters. Correlation-comparison analysis extended the results of single-factor analysis by demonstrating significance for 198 inter-parametric correlation pairs that represent 19.13% of mismatched correlations of the first kind among the total number of correlations. This represents a significant inter-cluster separation zone. In addition, the analysis extracted one correlation of the second kind, namely, the DO-MDCBO, very highly significant (p<0.001), positive (r=0.45) in the cluster I, while negative (r=–0.13), also significant (p<0.05) in the cluster II. The two clusters of caudate interneurons were found to be significantly morphologically different. These differences, albeit not strong as the caudate–putaminal differences, are more numerous with respect to significant morphological properties defining them. They probably underlie, influence, and modulate different neurofunctional behavior of the two types of interneurons, which need to be further investigated by future studies.
How (and why) fins turn into limbs: insights from anglerfish
Authors: DICKSON Blake V. , PIERCE Stephanie E. 
Published: November 2018

ABSTRACTThe fin-to-limb transition is heralded as one of the most important events in vertebrate evolution. Over the last few decades our understanding of how limbs evolved has significantly increased; but, hypotheses forwhylimbs evolved are still rather open. Fishes that engage their fins to ‘walk' along substrate may provide some perspective. The charismatic frogfishes are often considered to have the most limb-like fins, yet we still know little about their underlying structure. Here we reconstruct the pectoral fin musculoskeletal anatomy of the scarlet frogfish to identify adaptations that support fin-assisted walking behaviours. The data are compared to three additional anglerfish species: the oval batfish, which represents an independent acquisition of fin-assisted walking; and two pelagic deep-sea swimmers, the triplewart seadevil and ghostly seadevil. Our results clearly show broad musculoskeletal differences between the pectoral fins of swimming and walking anglerfish species. The frogfish and batfish have longer and more robust fins; larger, differentiated muscles; and better developed joints, including a reverse ball-and-socket glenoid joint and mobile ‘wrist'. Further, the frogfish and batfish show finer-scale musculoskeletal differences that align with their specific locomotor ecologies. Within, we discuss the functional significance of these anatomical features in relation to walking, the recurring evolution of similar adaptations in other substrate locomoting fishes, as well as the selective pressures that may underlie the evolution of limbs.
Distributions and risks of Cu, Cd, Pb and Zn in soils and rice in the North River Basin, South China
Authors: BAI Jing , LI Wenyan , ZHANG Yulong , XIAO Ling , LU Weisheng , LI Yongtao 
Published: November 2018

ABSTRACTAs the largest industrial and population centre in China, the Pearl River Delta is facing a growing threat of heavy metal pollution from local mining and power industries. This study investigates the distribution and potential health risks of copper (Cu), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn) in paddy soils and rice at four typical sites. The Nemerow synthetic pollution index (PN) of soils from Fogang, Dabao Mountain, Shaoguan and Lechang were 8.40, 9.10, 4.64 and 10.28, respectively, indicating serious pollution at all four sampling sites. The average concentrations of Cu, Cd, Pb and Zn in rice grains were 2.23, 10.98, 29.84 and 1.62 times their corresponding maximum allowable levels, indicating potential health risks to humans. Cd has greater bioavailability because of its high mobility from soil to roots, and its subsequent transfer to grains. Pb mainly accumulates in roots because of its lower translocation rate from roots to grains. The greatest health risk index for Cd and Pb for adults and children was at the Shaoguan site, probably due to pollution from atmospheric deposition. Cd and Pb had greater health risk indices than Cu and Zn at almost all sites, indicating a major health risk to local people.
The Office on Missing Persons in Sri Lanka: The importance of a primarily humanitarian mandate
Authors: Wijenayake Vishakha 
Published: November 2018

AbstractThis article attempts to situate the Office on Missing Persons (OMP) in Sri Lanka in relation to varying approaches to mechanisms for searching for the missing. In particular, the article examines the possible tensions between a humanitarian and an accountability-based mandate and supports the position of the International Committee of the Red Cross that these two approaches can in fact be complementary in nature. It goes on to contend that the OMP's mandate is primarily humanitarian rather than exclusively humanitarian, and analyzes how this distinction may impact possible criminal prosecutions. It emphasizes the importance of preserving the humanitarian character of the OMP with the objective of ensuring that the victims’ rights are at the centre of transitional justice processes.
Fragebögen zur Behandlungseinschätzung stationärer Therapie (BesT) in der Kinder- und Jugendpsychiatrie
Authors: Keller Ferdinand , Fegert Jörg M. , Naumann Alexander 
Published: November 2018

Zusammenfassung. Theoretischer Hintergrund: Ausmaß und Dimensionalität von Behandlungszufriedenheit im kinder- und jugendpsychiatrischen Bereich sind unzureichend untersucht. Fragestellung: Die Fragebögen zur Behandlungseinschätzung stationärer Therapie (BesT) in den Versionen für Jugendliche und für Eltern werden hinsichtlich ihrer psychometrischen Eigenschaften und der Übereinstimmung zwischen Jugendlichen und Eltern untersucht. Methode: Die beiden Instrumente werden anhand von 2548 Jugendlichenbögen und von 3142 Elternbögen aus insgesamt neun Kliniken deskriptiv und mit faktorenanalytischen Methoden ausgewertet. Ergebnisse: Die Eltern sind insgesamt und in den einzelnen Bereichen jeweils zufriedener als die Jugendlichen. Die Faktorenanalysen ergeben, dass die Jugendlichen fünf Dimensionen unterscheiden (Therapeutische Beziehung, Umgebung, Allgemeine Zufriedenheit, Zuwendung und Schule) und die Eltern drei Dimensionen (Beziehung zur Therapeutin bzw. zum Therapeuten, Umgebung und Allgemeine Zufriedenheit). Am besten bewertet wird die Allgemeine Zufriedenheit, während beide jeweils mit der Umgebung (= Strukturqualität und Regelungen) weniger zufrieden sind. Die Interkorrelationen der Subskalen von Jugendlichen und ihren Eltern sind nur mäßig hoch. Die Korrelationen zu den Fragebögen zur Beurteilung der Behandlung (FBB) von Mattejat und Remschmidt sind gut bis hoch. Schlussfolgerungen: Mit den BesT-J und –E stehen zwei reliable und valide Instrumente zur Erfassung verschiedener Aspekte der Behandlungszufriedenheit zur Verfügung, die sowohl für wissenschaftliche als auch qualitätssichernde Zwecke einsetzbar sind.
Age Differences in Eye Movements During Reading: Degenerative Problems or Compensatory Strategy?
Authors: Moreno José David , León José A. , Arnal Lorena A. M. , Botella Juan 
Published: November 2018

Abstract. We report the results of a meta-analysis of 22 experiments comparing the eye movement data obtained from young ( Mage = 21 years) and old ( Mage = 73 years) readers. The data included six eye movement measures (mean gaze duration, mean fixation duration, total sentence reading time, mean number of fixations, mean number of regressions, and mean length of progressive saccade eye movements). Estimates were obtained of the typified mean difference, d, between the age groups in all six measures. The results showed positive combined effect size estimates in favor of the young adult group (between 0.54 and 3.66 in all measures), although the difference for the mean number of fixations was not significant. Young adults make in a systematic way, shorter gazes, fewer regressions, and shorter saccadic movements during reading than older adults, and they also read faster. The meta-analysis results confirm statistically the most common patterns observed in previous research; therefore, eye movements seem to be a useful tool to measure behavioral changes due to the aging process. Moreover, these results do not allow us to discard either of the two main hypotheses assessed for explaining the observed aging effects, namely neural degenerative problems and the adoption of compensatory strategies.
Magnetopause Surface Reconstruction From Tangent Vector Observations
Authors: Collier Michael R. , Connor Hyunju K. 
Published: November 2018

AbstractEntire fields of science, most notably in astrophysics, rely on line‐of‐sight observations. In planetary science and heliophysics, the techniques of soft X‐ray and energetic neutral atom imaging also produce line‐of‐sight measurements. An important question is whether the geometry of the surface, for example, the magnetopause, can be reconstructed using only line‐of‐sight observations from a single spacecraft. Under a broad range of conditions, the peak emission corresponds to the tangent to the boundary surface, such as the planetary surface or magnetopause, the so‐called limb brightening phenomenon. Thus, line‐of‐sight observations frequently provide information concerning the tangent to the surfaces being observed. We present an algorithm to reconstruct the cross section of the magnetopause using line‐of‐sight soft X‐ray observations (and, in principle, energetic neutral atom observations). The algorithm successfully reconstructs the cross section of the magnetopause in the orbit plane. The three‐dimensional magnetopause structure can be recovered from observations by a spacecraft whose orbit precesses around the magnetosphere.
An Advanced Method Based on Surface Renewal Theory to Estimate the Friction Velocity and the Surface Heat Flux
Authors: Castellví F. 
Published: November 2018

AbstractThe earlier formulation based on surface renewal (SR) analysis for estimating the sensible (or buoyant) heat flux (H) of a surface without requiring calibration involved canopy parameters to simultaneously estimate H and the friction velocity (u*). A SR‐based formulation is derived that allows estimating u* and subsequently H that, at most, involves the zero‐plane displacement. Regardless of the measurement height above the canopy and the stability case, u* and H estimates were closed to values measured using the eddy covariance method for either homogeneous or sparse (orchards) canopies. The proposed SR analysis can be potentially considered for gap filling in half‐hourly eddy covariance series of u* and H and to estimate parameters useful for land surface modeling, such as the roughness length for momentum, the roughness lengths for momentum, and heat and the turbulent Prandtl number.
Confirmation of a Short‐Time Expression for the Hydrograph Rising Limb of an Initially Dry Aquifer Using Laboratory Hillslope Outflow Experiments
Authors: Pauwels Valentijn R. N. , Uijlenhoet Remko 
Published: November 2018

AbstractThe objective of this study is to assess the validity of a theoretical expression for the outflow from an initially dry aquifer subject to recharge. This equation states that, for small values of time, this outflow is proportional to the square root of time. Here we report on experiments performed with two laboratory hillslopes in the Wageningen rainfall simulator. Three different aquifer slopes were investigated with four replicates for each slope. The relations between the measured outflows and the square root of time exhibited very high coefficients of determination (all but one >0.9). The aquifer saturated hydraulic conductivity (k) and drainable porosity were determined using a base flow recession analysis, with k being consistent with soil physical laboratory measurements. The recharge rates obtained using the coefficient of the short‐time expression and the steady state discharge were consistent as well. Overall, these results confirm the theoretical relationship between the aquifer outflow for the hydrograph rising limb and the square root of time.
Muscarinic acetylcholine receptor 3 mediates vagus nerve-induced gastric cancer
Authors: Wang Linjun , Xu Jianghao , Xia Yiwen , Yin Kai , Li Zheng , Li Bowen , Wang Weizhi , Xu Hao , Yang Li , Xu Zekuan 
Published: November 2018

AbstractIncreasing evidence shows that the vagus nerve plays an important role in tumourigenesis. However, the effects and underlying mechanisms of the vagus nerve on gastric cancer (GC) development have not been established. In this study, we performed a unilateral truncal vagotomy at the subdiaphragmatic level in a mouse xenograft GC model to study the effects of the vagus nerve on GC development. Gene microarray analysis was used to explore the mechanism underlying this process. Significantly altered genes and pathways were analysed by Kyoto Encyclopaedia of Genes and Genomes analysis tool. We also detected muscarinic acetylcholine receptor 3 (M3) mRNA and protein levels by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemical staining in mouse stomach tissue. To further confirm the functional role of M3, an in vivo M3 selective antagonist (darifenacin) assay was applied. Finally, we determined the M3 protein levels in human GC tissues and paired non-cancerous gastric tissues by immunohistochemical staining. We found that the surgical vagotomy inhibited the development of GC in an orthotopic xenograft mouse model. Further analysis showed that multiple signalling pathways participated in this process and that M3 was a key factor in these pathways. We established that the M3 mRNA and protein levels decreased in the vagotomy group relative to the sham group. We also demonstrated that the M3 antagonist suppressed the development of GC. Finally, we revealed that M3 protein level was up-regulated in human GC tissues. In conclusions, we revealed the functional role of M3 on mediating the effects of the vagus nerve on GC. Our study contributes to understanding the mechanism underlying the interaction between GC and the vagus nerve and may help to identify new therapeutic targets for GC.
Gαs signaling controls intramembranous ossification during cranial bone development by regulating both Hedgehog and Wnt/β-catenin signaling
Authors: Xu Ruoshi , Khan Sanjoy Kumar , Zhou Taifeng , Gao Bo , Zhou Yaxing , Zhou Xuedong , Yang Yingzi 
Published: November 2018

AbstractHow osteoblast cells are induced is a central question for understanding skeletal formation. Abnormal osteoblast differentiation leads to a broad range of devastating craniofacial diseases. Here we have investigated intramembranous ossification during cranial bone development in mouse models of skeletal genetic diseases that exhibit craniofacial bone defects. The GNAS gene encodes Gαs that transduces GPCR signaling. GNAS activation or loss-of-function mutations in humans cause fibrous dysplasia (FD) or progressive osseous heteroplasia (POH) that shows craniofacial hyperostosis or craniosynostosis, respectively. We find here that, while Hh ligand-dependent Hh signaling is essential for endochondral ossification, it is dispensable for intramembranous ossification, where Gαs regulates Hh signaling in a ligand-independent manner. We further show that Gαs controls intramembranous ossification by regulating both Hh and Wnt/β-catenin signaling. In addition, Gαs activation in the developing cranial bone leads to reduced ossification but increased cartilage presence due to reduced cartilage dissolution, not cell fate switch. Small molecule inhibitors of Hh and Wnt signaling can effectively ameliorate cranial bone phenotypes in mice caused by loss or gain of Gnas function mutations, respectively. Our work shows that studies of genetic diseases provide invaluable insights in both pathological bone defects and normal bone development, understanding both leads to better diagnosis and therapeutic treatment of bone diseases.
High throughput in situ metagenomic measurement of bacterial replication at ultra-low sequencing coverage
Authors: Emiola Akintunde , Oh Julia 
Published: November 2018

AbstractWe developed Growth Rate InDex (GRiD) for estimating in situ growth rates of ultra-low coverage (>0.2×) and de novo-assembled metagenomes. Applying GRiD to human and environmental metagenomic datasets to demonstrate its versatility, we uncovered new associations with previously uncharacterized bacteria whose growth rates were associated with several disease characteristics or environmental interactions. In addition, with GRiD-MG (metagenomic), a high-throughput implementation of GRiD, we estimated growth dynamics of 1756 bacteria species from a healthy skin metagenomic dataset and identified a new Staphylococcus-Corynebacterium antagonism likely mediated by antimicrobial production in the skin. GRiD-MG significantly increases the ability to extract growth rate inferences from complex metagenomic data with minimal input from the user.
Energy landscape underlying spontaneous insertion and folding of an alpha-helical transmembrane protein into a bilayer
Authors: Lu Wei , Schafer Nicholas P. , Wolynes Peter G. 
Published: November 2018

AbstractMembrane protein folding mechanisms and rates are notoriously hard to determine. A recent force spectroscopy study of the folding of an α-helical membrane protein, GlpG, showed that the folded state has a very high kinetic stability and a relatively low thermodynamic stability. Here, we simulate the spontaneous insertion and folding of GlpG into a bilayer. An energy landscape analysis of the simulations suggests that GlpG folds via sequential insertion of helical hairpins. The rate-limiting step involves simultaneous insertion and folding of the final helical hairpin. The striking features of GlpG’s experimentally measured landscape can therefore be explained by a partially inserted metastable state, which leads us to a reinterpretation of the rates measured by force spectroscopy. Our results are consistent with the helical hairpin hypothesis but call into question the two-stage model of membrane protein folding as a general description of folding mechanisms in the presence of bilayers.
Cyclic undecapeptide Cyclosporin A mediated inhibition of amyloid synthesis: Implications in alleviation of amyloid induced neurotoxicity
Authors: Kazmi Shadab , Mujeeb Anzar Abdul , Owais Mohammad 
Published: November 2018

AbstractAmyloids are highly organized fibril aggregates arise from inappropriately folded form of the protein or polypeptide precursors under both physiological as well as simulated ambience. Amyloid synthesis is a multistep process that involves formation of several metastable intermediates. Among various intermediate species, the as-formed soluble oligomers are extremely toxic to the neuronal cells. In the present study, we evaluated cyclosporine A (CsA), an undecapeptide, for its potential to prevent aggregation of model protein ovalbumin (OVA). In an attempt to elucidate involved operative mechanism, the preliminary studies delineate that CsA affects both primary nucleation as well as other secondary pathways involved in OVA fibrillation process. By its specific interaction with amyloid intermediates, the cyclic peptide CsA seems to regulate the lag phase of the fibrillation process in concentration dependent manner. The present study further suggests that exposure to CsA during lag phase ensues in reversal of OVA fibrillation process. On the contrary, mature OVA fibril remained impervious to the CsA treatment. The cyclic undecapeptide CsA was also found to successfully alleviate amyloid induced toxicity in neuroblastoma cells.
Camelid single-domain antibodies raised by DNA immunization are potent inhibitors of EGFR signaling
Authors: Rossotti Martin A. , Henry Kevin A. , van Faassen Henk , Tanha Jamshid , Callaghan Deborah , Hussack Greg , Arbabi-Ghahroudi Mehdi , MacKenzie C. Roger 
Published: November 2018

Abstract
Up-regulation of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a hallmark of many solid tumors, and inhibition of EGFR signaling by small molecules and antibodies has clear clinical benefit. Here, we report the isolation and functional characterization of novel camelid single-domain antibodies (sdAbs or VHHs) directed against human EGFR. The source of these VHHs was a llama immunized with cDNA encoding human EGFR ectodomain alone (no protein or cell boost), which is notable in that genetic immunization of large, outbred animals is generally poorly effective. The VHHs targeted multiple sites on the receptor's surface with high affinity (KD range: 1–40 nM), including one epitope overlapping that of cetuximab, several epitopes conserved in the cynomolgus EGFR orthologue, and at least one epitope conserved in the mouse EGFR orthologue. Interestingly, despite their generation against human EGFR expressed from cDNA by llama cells in vivo (presumably in native conformation), the VHHs exhibited wide and epitope-dependent variation in their apparent affinities for native EGFR displayed on tumor cell lines. As fusions to human IgG1 Fc, one of the VHH-Fcs inhibited EGFR signaling induced by EGF binding with a potency similar to that of cetuximab (IC50: ∼30 nM). Thus, DNA immunization elicited high-affinity, functional sdAbs that were vastly superior to those previously isolated by our group through protein immunization.