bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The untapped potential of macrofossils in ancient plant DNA research
Authors: Schwörer Christoph , Leunda Maria , Alvarez Nadir , Gugerli Felix , Sperisen Christoph 
Published: March 2022

SummaryThe rapid development of ancient DNA analysis in the last decades has induced a paradigm shift in ecology and evolution. Driven by a combination of breakthroughs in DNA isolation techniques, high‐throughput sequencing, and bioinformatics, ancient genome‐scale data for a rapidly growing variety of taxa are now available, allowing researchers to directly observe demographic and evolutionary processes over time. However, the vast majority of paleogenomic studies still focus on human or animal remains. In this article, we make the case for a vast untapped resource of ancient plant material that is ideally suited for paleogenomic analyses: plant remains, such as needles, leaves, wood, seeds, or fruits, that are deposited in natural archives, such as lake sediments, permafrost, or even ice caves. Such plant remains are commonly found in large numbers and in stratigraphic sequence through time and have so far been used primarily to reconstruct past local species presences and abundances. However, they are also unique repositories of genetic information with the potential to revolutionize the fields of ecology and evolution by directly studying microevolutionary processes over time. Here, we give an overview of the current state‐of‐the‐art, address important challenges, and highlight new research avenues to inspire future research.
Shift in tree species changes the belowground biota of boreal forests
Authors: Mundra Sunil , Kauserud Håvard , Økland Tonje , Nordbakken Jørn‐Frode , Ransedokken Yngvild , Kjønaas O. Janne 
Published: March 2022

SummaryThe replacement of native birch with Norway spruce has been initiated in Norway to increase long‐term carbon storage in forests. However, there is limited knowledge on the impacts that aboveground changes will have on the belowground microbiota.We examined which effects a tree species shift from birch to spruce stands has on belowground microbial communities, soil fungal biomass and relationships with vegetation biomass and soil organic carbon (SOC).Replacement of birch with spruce negatively influenced soil bacterial and fungal richness and strongly altered microbial community composition in the forest floor layer, most strikingly for fungi. Tree species‐mediated variation in soil properties was a major factor explaining variation in bacterial communities. For fungi, both soil chemistry and understorey vegetation were important community structuring factors, particularly for ectomycorrhizal fungi. The relative abundance of ectomycorrhizal fungi and the ectomycorrhizal : saprotrophic fungal ratio were higher in spruce compared to birch stands, particularly in the deeper mineral soil layers, and vice versa for saprotrophs.The positive relationship between ergosterol (fungal biomass) and SOC stock in the forest floor layer suggests higher carbon sequestration potential in spruce forest soil, alternatively, that the larger carbon stock leads to an increase in soil fungal biomass.
Acute hemodynamic impact of atrioventricular delay and left ventricular pacing vector programming in MultiPoint Pacing
Authors: Hua Wei , Cai Lin , Su Yangang , Xu Wei , Shen Farong , Wang Jingfeng , Gu Min , Badie Nima , Jiang Chunlan , Zhang Shu 
Published: March 2022

AbstractBackgroundThe benefits of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) in heart failure patients have been shown to depend on device programming, particularly atrioventricular delay (AVD) and left ventricular (LV) pacing site selection. This study compared the hemodynamic AVD optimization for commonly used biventricular (BiV) and MultiPoint Pacing(MPP, Abbott) LV vector selection strategies.MethodsAfter de novo CRT‐D (Abbott Quadra Assura MP) and quadripolar LV lead (Abbott Quartet) implant, acute LV pressure was measured across a range of AVDs (60–225 ms) in four pacing modes: BiV with most proximal cathode, BiV with most distal cathode, MPP using two cathodes with earliest and latest right ventricle (RV)–LV activation times, and MPP using two cathodes with maximal anatomical separation. Hemodynamic improvement was evaluated by changes in maximum LV pressure first‐derivative versus RV pacing (ΔdP/dt).ResultsTwenty patients (64 years old, 68% male) completed the acute pacing protocol at six centers in China. Hemodynamic improvement versus RV pacing for BiV (proximal), BiV (Distal), MPP (electrical), and MPP (anatomical) was 22.1% ± 13.6%, 23.7% ± 13.4%, 24.5% ± 13.4%, and 25.1% ± 13.9%, respectively. The best MPP setting was marginally superior to the best BiV across all patients (25.8% ± 13.4% vs. 24.5% ± 13.1%, p = .040) and in the majority of patients (75.0% vs. 25.0%, p = .004). AVD programmed as little as 20 ms from optimum significantly reduced the ΔdP/dt benefit for all modes.ConclusionsThe maximal hemodynamic improvement across AV delays in this population was greater with MPP than BiV. Furthermore, patient‐specific AVD programming was critical in achieving the full hemodynamic response for all BiV and MPP modes.
Ventricular tachycardia from myocarditis following COVID‐19 vaccination with tozinameran (BNT162b2, Pfizer‐BioNTech)
Authors: Lin Weiqin , Yip Alfred Chung Lum , Evangelista Lauren Kay Mance , Wong Raymond Ching Chiew , Tan Huay Cheem , Lim Toon Wei , Singh Devinder 
Published: March 2022

AbstractTo combat the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic, many countries have started population vaccination programs using messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) vaccines. With the widespread use of such vaccines, reports are emerging worldwide, of the vaccine's association with the development of myocarditis. Younger men are more likely to develop postvaccine myocarditis, which usually presents as self‐limiting chest pain within a week after the second dose. We present a case of myocarditis following vaccination with tozinameran (BNT162b2, Pfizer‐BioNTech), which presented late, with ventricular tachycardia (VT) reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF).
Capital structure and supply chain capacity investment
Authors: Hu Qiaohai (Joice) 
Published: March 2022

This paper studies whether risky borrowing will induce a supplier to expand capacity and thus mitigate a capacity underinvestment problem in supply chains. It demonstrates that the relationship between capacity and capital structure is not as simple as the existing literature suggests. If the supplier is very powerful, it will use a mixed capital structure and build less capacity than if it were equity financed. If the buyer is very powerful, the supplier will use all debt financing and overbuild capacity. In this case, the supplier would not agree to build capacity ex ante if it were prohibited from borrowing. Hence, borrowing is Pareto optimal. Under a more balanced power structure, the supplier may choose all debt financing and overbuild capacity or all equity financing and underbuild capacity, depending on the trade‐off of the bargaining benefits and costs of debt financing.
Hormone and carbohydrate metabolism associated genes play important roles in rhizome bud full‐year germination of Cephalostachyum pingbianense
Authors: Li Lushuang , Xia Tize , Li Bin , Yang Hanqi 
Published: March 2022

AbstractCephalostachyum pingbianense is the only woody bamboo species that can produce bamboo shoots in four seasons under natural conditions. So far, the regulatory mechanism of shoot bud differentiation and development is unknown. In the present study, indole‐3‐acetic acid (IAA), zeatin riboside (ZR), gibberellin A3 (GA3) and abscisic acid (ABA) contents determination, RNA sequencing and differentially expressed gene analysis were performed on dormant rhizome bud (DR), growing rhizome bud (GR), and germinative bud (GB) in each season. The results showed that the contents of IAA and ZR increased while ABA content decreased, and GA3 content was stable during bud transition from dormancy to germination in each season. Moreover, rhizome bud germination was cooperatively regulated by multiple pathways such as carbohydrate metabolism, hormone signal transduction, cell wall biogenesis, temperature response, and water transport. The inferred hub genes among these candidates were identified by protein–protein interaction network analyses, most of which were involved in hormone and carbohydrate metabolism, such as HK and BGLU4 in spring, IDH and GH3 in winter, GPI and talA/talB in summer and autumn. It is speculated that dynamic phytohormone changes and differential expression of these genes promote the release of rhizome bud dormancy and contribute to the phenological characteristics of full‐year shooting. Moreover, the rhizome buds of C. pingbianense may not suffer from ecodormancy in winter. These findings would help accumulate knowledge on shooting mechanisms in woody bamboos and provide a physiological insight into germplasm conservation and forest management of C. pingbianense.
Effects of chemical composition on the lung cell response to coal particles: Implications for coal workers' pneumoconiosis
Authors: Song Yong , Southam Katherine , Beamish B. Basil , Zosky Graeme R. 
Published: March 2022

AbstractBackground and objectiveCoal mine dust has a complex and heterogeneous chemical composition. It has been suggested that coal particle chemistry plays a critical role in determining the pathogenesis of coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP). In this study, we aimed to establish the association between the detrimental cellular response and the chemical composition of coal particles.MethodsWe sourced 19 real‐world coal samples. Samples were crushed prior to use to minimize the impact of particle size on the response and to ensure the particles were respirable. Key chemical components and inorganic compounds were quantified in the coal samples. The cytotoxic, inflammatory and pro‐fibrotic responses in epithelial cells, macrophages and fibroblasts were assessed following 24 h of exposure to coal particles. Principal component analysis (PCA) and stepwise regression were used to determine which chemical components of the coal particles were associated with the cell response.ResultsThe cytotoxic, inflammatory and pro‐fibrotic response varied considerably between coal samples. There was a high level of collinearity in the cell responses and between the chemical compounds within the coal samples. PCA identified three factors that explained 75% of the variance in the cell response. Stepwise multiple regression analysis identified K2O (p <0.001) and Fe2O3 (p = 0.011) as significant predictors of cytotoxicity and cytokine production, respectively.ConclusionOur data clearly demonstrate that the detrimental cellular effects of exposure to coal mine dusts are highly dependent on particle chemistry. This has implications for understanding the pathogenesis of CWP.
SEC1A is a major Arabidopsis Sec1/Munc18 gene in vesicle trafficking during pollen tube tip growth
Authors: Beuder Steven , Lara‐Mondragón Cecilia , Dorchak Alexandria , MacAlister Cora A. 
Published: March 2022

SUMMARYPollen tubes (PTs) grow by the targeted secretion of new cell wall material to their expanding tip region. Sec1/Munc18 (SM) proteins promote membrane fusion through regulation of the SNARE complex. We have previously shown that disruption of protein glycosylation in the Arabidopsis thaliana hpat1 hpat3 double mutant leads to PT growth defects that can be suppressed by reducing secretion. Here, we identified five point mutant alleles of the SM protein SEC1A as hpat1/3 suppressors. The suppressors increased seed set, reduced PT growth defects and reduced the rate of glycoprotein secretion. In the absence of the hpat mutations, sec1a reduced pollen germination and PT elongation producing shorter and wider PTs. Consistent with a defect in membrane fusion, sec1a PTs accumulated secretory vesicles. Though sec1a had significantly reduced male transmission, homozygous sec1a plants maintained full seed set, demonstrating that SEC1A was ultimately dispensable for pollen fertility. However, when combined with a mutation in another SEC1‐like SM gene, keule, pollen fertility was totally abolished. Mutation in sec1b, the final member of the Arabidopsis SEC1 clade, did not enhance the sec1a phenotype. Thus, SEC1A is the major SM protein promoting pollen germination and tube elongation, but in its absence KEULE can partially supply this activity. When we examined the expression of the SM protein family in other species for which pollen expression data were available, we found that at least one Sec1‐like protein was highly expressed in pollen samples, suggesting a conserved role in pollen fertility in other species.
Autophagy triggered by iron‐mediated ER stress is an important stress response to the early phase of Pi starvation in plants
Authors: Yoshitake Yushi , Shinozaki Daiki , Yoshimoto Kohki 
Published: March 2022

SUMMARYInorganic phosphate (Pi) is essential for plant growth. However, Pi is often limiting in soil. Hence, plants have established several mechanisms of response to Pi starvation. One of the important mechanisms is Pi recycling, which includes membrane lipid remodeling and plastid DNA degradation via catabolic enzymes. However, the involvement of other degradation systems in Pi recycling remains unclear. Autophagy, a system for degradation of intracellular components, contributes to recycling of some nutrients, such as nitrogen, carbon, and zinc, under starvation. In the present study, we found that autophagy‐deficient mutants depleted Pi early and exhibited severe leaf growth defects under Pi starvation. The main cargo of autophagy induced by early Pi depleted conditions was the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), indicating that ER‐phagy, a type of autophagy that selectively degrades the ER, is involved in the response to the early phase of Pi starvation for contribution to Pi recycling. This ER‐phagy was suppressed in an INOSITOL‐REQUIRING ENZYME 1 double mutant, ire1a ire1b, in which ER stress responses are defective, suggesting that the early Pi starvation induced ER‐phagy is induced by ER stress. Furthermore, iron limitation and inhibition of lipid‐reactive oxygen species accumulation suppressed the ER‐phagy. Interestingly, membrane lipid remodeling, a response to late Pi starvation, was accelerated in the ire1a ire1b under early Pi‐depleted conditions. Our findings reveal the existence of two different phases of responses to Pi starvation (i.e. early and late) and indicate that ER stress‐mediated ER‐phagy is involved in Pi recycling in the early phase to suppress acceleration of the late phase.
Diversification of SEC15a and SEC15b isoforms of an exocyst subunit in seed plants is manifested in their specific roles in Arabidopsis sporophyte and male gametophyte
Authors: Batystová Klára , Synek Lukáš , Klejchová Martina , Janková Drdová Edita , Sabol Peter , Potocký Martin , Žárský Viktor , Hála Michal 
Published: March 2022

SUMMARYThe exocyst complex is an octameric evolutionarily conserved tethering complex engaged in the regulation of polarized secretion in eukaryotic cells. Here, we focus on the systematic comparison of two isoforms of the SEC15 exocyst subunit, SEC15a and SEC15b. We infer that SEC15 gene duplication and diversification occurred in the common ancestor of seed plants (Spermatophytes). In Arabidopsis, SEC15a represents the main SEC15 isoform in the male gametophyte, and localizes to the pollen tube tip at the plasma membrane. Although pollen tubes of sec15a mutants are impaired, sporophytes show no phenotypic deviations. Conversely, SEC15b is the dominant isoform in the sporophyte and localizes to the plasma membrane in root and leaf cells. Loss‐of‐function sec15b mutants exhibit retarded elongation of hypocotyls and root hairs, a loss of apical dominance, dwarfed plant stature and reduced seed coat mucilage formation. Surprisingly, the sec15b mutants also exhibit compromised pollen tube elongation in vitro, despite its very low expression in pollen, suggesting a non‐redundant role for the SEC15b isoform there. In pollen tubes, SEC15b localizes to distinct cytoplasmic structures. Reciprocally to this, SEC15a also functions in the sporophyte, where it accumulates at plasmodesmata. Importantly, although overexpressed SEC15a could fully complement the sec15b phenotypic deviations in the sporophyte, the pollen‐specific overexpression of SEC15b was unable to fully compensate for the loss of SEC15a function in pollen. We conclude that the SEC15a and SEC15b isoforms evolved in seed plants, with SEC15a functioning mostly in pollen and SEC15b functioning mostly in the sporophyte.
Explaining the global landscape of foreign direct investment: Knowledge capital, gravity, and the role of culture and institutions
Authors: Schneider Sophie Therese , Wacker Konstantin M. 
Published: March 2022

AbstractIn this paper, we empirically re‐assess the question which theoretical motives and empirical models are most suitable to explain global patterns of foreign direct investment (FDI). Compared with previous studies, we use bilateral FDI positions with a much more comprehensive coverage of emerging and developing economies, the IMF's Coordinated Direct Investment Statistics. We apply cross‐validation to assess the performance of the gravity model and the knowledge capital (KK) model and add cultural, institutional and financial factors, as suggested by different theories on FDI determinants. We find the gravity model to achieve the best theory‐consistent out‐of‐sample prediction, particularly when parameter heterogeneity of South and North FDI is allowed for. Controlling for surrounding market potential is important to recover the horizontal effect of the gravity model. Our finding that the gravity model for FDI performs well but requires some degree of parameter heterogeneity and the inclusion of surrounding market potential provides a clear baseline for future empirical studies of FDI determinants. Inclusion of institutional, cultural or financial factors seems less relevant and does not improve the model performance distinctly, although results for those variables are mostly in line with theoretical predictions.
Exosomes and the cardiovascular system: role in cardiovascular health and disease
Authors: Neves Karla B. , Rios Francisco J. , Sevilla‐Montero Javier , Montezano Augusto C. , Touyz Rhian M. 
Published: March 2022

AbstractExosomes, which are membrane‐bound extracellular vesicles (EVs), are generated in the endosomal compartment of almost all eukaryotic cells. They are formed upon the fusion of multivesicular bodies and the plasma membrane and carry proteins, nucleic acids, lipids and other cellular constituents from their parent cells. Multiple factors influence their production including cell stress and injury, humoral factors, circulating toxins, and oxidative stress. They play an important role in intercellular communication, through their ability to transfer their cargo (proteins, lipids, RNAs) from one cell to another. Exosomes have been implicated in the pathophysiology of various diseases including cardiovascular disease (CVD), cancer, kidney disease, and inflammatory conditions. In addition, circulating exosomes may act as biomarkers for diagnostic and prognostic strategies for several pathological processes. In particular exosome‐containing miRNAs have been suggested as biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis of myocardial injury, stroke and endothelial dysfunction. They may also have therapeutic potential, acting as vectors to deliver therapies in a targeted manner, such as the delivery of protective miRNAs. Transfection techniques are in development to load exosomes with desired cargo, such as proteins or miRNAs, to achieve up‐regulation in the host cell or tissue. These advances in the field have the potential to assist in the detection and monitoring progress of a disease in patients during its early clinical stages, as well as targeted drug delivery.
image
Comparing accretion disk profiles of Bogush–Galt’sov naked singularity and Kerr black hole
Authors: Karimov R. Kh. , Izmailov R. N. , Potapov A. A. , Nandi K. K. 
Published: March 2022

AbstractIt is well known that the Einstein-scalar system of general relativity can in principle yield non-unique exact spinning naked singularities, which lead to unique Kerr black hole when the scalar field is switched off. It is a challenging task to observationally distinguish these two types of objects. Since accretion process could be a viable diagnostic for this distinction, the purpose of the present work is to explore whether there could be features in the accretion profiles distinguishing the singularity from a Kerr black hole. Here we study the Novikov–Thorne thin accretion to a new spinning naked singularity with a scalar charge $$\sigma $$
σ
recently reported by Bogush and Gal’tsov (BG). Our study reveals that: (1) the conversion efficiency $$\epsilon $$
ϵ
of the BG naked singularity is independent of $$\sigma $$
σ
and (2) the maxima of emissivity profiles for the BG singularity tend to shift towards the inner disk ISCO boundary $$r=r_{{ms }}$$

r
=

r

ms

and peak at a value significantly larger than those of a Kerr black hole with the increase of a, $$\sigma $$
σ
and relative shrinking of $$\sqrt{-g}$$

-
g

. All these effects are quantitatively tabulated, which reveal, for instance, that the flux from the naked singularity could be as high as $$10^{5}$$

10
5

times larger than that of a Kerr black hole. Since these distinguishing features are known to be shared also by other models of naked singularity, it is tempting to speculate that such behavior could be hallmark of naked singularities.
Impact of intrinsic charm amount in the nucleon and saturation effects on the prompt atmospheric $$\nu _{\mu }$$ flux for IceCube
Authors: Goncalves Victor P. , Maciuła Rafał , Szczurek Antoni 
Published: March 2022

AbstractThe predictions for the atmospheric neutrino flux at high energies strongly depend on the contribution of prompt neutrinos, which are determined by the production of charmed mesons in the atmosphere at very forward rapidities. In this paper we estimate the related cross sections taking into account the presence of an intrinsic charm (IC) component in the proton wave function and the QCD dynamics modified by the onset of saturation effects. The impact on the predictions for the prompt neutrino flux is investigated assuming different values for the probability to find the IC in the nucleon ($$P_{ic}$$

P

ic

). We demonstrate that for $$P_{ic} \sim $$

P

ic

∼

1%, the IC component dominates the high-energy prompt neutrino flux. A first comparison with the IceCube data is performed and upper limits on the amount of IC are obtained for the linear and nonlinear descriptions of the QCD dynamics.
The heterogeneous regional effect of mobility on Coronavirus spread
Authors: Amoedo José Manuel , Atrio-Lema Yago , Sánchez-Carreira María del Carmen , Neira Isabel 
Published: March 2022

AbstractThe Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic struck global society in 2020. The pandemic required the adoption of public policies to control spread of the virus, underlining the mobility restrictions. Several studies show that these measures have been effective. Within the topic of Coronavirus spread, this original paper analyses the effect of mobility on Coronavirus spread in a heterogeneous regional context. A multiple dynamic regression model is used to control sub-national disparities in the effect of mobility on the spread of the Coronavirus, as well as to measure it at the context of Spanish regions. The model includes other relevant explanatory factors, such as wind speed, sunshine hours, vaccinated population and social awareness. It also develops a new methodology to optimise the use of Google trends data. The results reveal heterogeneity among regions, which has important implications for current and future pandemic containment strategies.