Trends of research productivity across author gender and research fields: A multidisciplinary and multi-country observational study

Bibliographic properties of more than 75 million scholarly articles, are examined and trends in overall research productivity are analysed as a function of research field (over the period of 1970-2020) and author gender (over the period of 2006-2020). Potential disruptive effects of the Covid-19 pandemic are also investigated. Over the last decade (2010-2020), the annual number of publications have invariably increased every year with the largest relative increase in a single year happening in 2019 (more than 6% relative growth). But this momentum was interrupted in 2020. Trends show that Environmental Sciences and Engineering Environmental have been the fastest growing research fields. The disruption in patterns of scholarly publication due to the Covid-19 pandemic was unevenly distributed across fields, with Computer Science, Engineering and Social Science enduring the most notable declines. The overall trends of male and female productivity indicate that, in terms of absolute number of publications, the gender gap does not seem to be closing in any country. The trends in absolute gap between male and female authors is either parallel (e.g., Canada, Australia, England, USA) or widening (e.g., majority of countries, particularly Middle Eastern countries). In terms of the ratio of female to male productivity, however, the gap is narrowing almost invariably, though at markedly different rates across countries. While some countries are nearing a ratio of .7 and are well on track for a 0.9 female to male productivity ratio, our estimates show that certain countries (particularly across the Middle East) will not reach such targets within the next 100 years. Without interventional policies, a significant gap will continue to exist in such countries. The decrease or increase in research productivity during the first year of the pandemic, in contrast to trends established before 2020, was generally parallel for male and female authors. There has been no substantial gender difference in the disruption due to the pandemic. However, opposite trends were found in a few cases. It was observed that, in some countries (e.g., The Netherlands, The United States and Germany), male productivity has been more negatively affected by the pandemic. Overall, female research productivity seems to have been more resilient to the disruptive effect of Covid-19 pandemic, although the momentum of female researchers has been negatively affected in a comparable manner to that of males

Roles of N-linked glycosylation and glycan-binding proteins in placentation: trophoblast infiltration, immunomodulation, angiogenesis, and pathophysiology

Protein N-linked glycosylation is a structurally diverse post-translational modification that stores biological information in a larger order of magnitude than other post-translational modifications such as phosphorylation, ubiquitination and acetylation. This gives N-glycosylated proteins a diverse range of properties and allows glyco-codes (glycan-related information) to be deciphered by glycan-binding proteins (GBPs). The intervillous space of the placenta is richly populated with membrane-bound and secreted glycoproteins. Evidence exists to suggest that altering the structural nature of their N-glycans can impact several trophoblast functions, which include those related to interactions with decidual cells. This review summarizes trophoblast-related activities influenced by N-glycan-GBP recognition, exploring how different subtypes of trophoblasts actively adapt to characteristics of the decidualized endometrium through cell-specific expression of N-glycosylated proteins, and how these cells receive decidua-derived signals via N-glycan-GBP interactions. We highlight work on how changes in N-glycosylation relates to the success of trophoblast infiltration, interactions of immunomodulators, and uterine angiogenesis. We also discuss studies that suggest aberrant N-glycosylation of trophoblasts may contribute to the pathogenesis of pregnancy complications (e.g. pre-eclampsia, early spontaneous miscarriages and hydatidiform mole). We propose that a more in-depth understanding of how N-glycosylation shapes trophoblast phenotype during early pregnancy has the potential to improve our approach to predicting, diagnosing and alleviating poor maternal/fetal outcomes associated with placental dysfunction

Correction: Having a Lot of a Good Thing: Multiple Important Group Memberships as a Source of Self-Esteem

This is the final version of the article. Available from Public Library of Science via the DOI in this record.This is the correction to Jetten J, Branscombe NR, Haslam SA, Haslam C, Cruwys T, Jones JM, et al. (2015) Having a Lot of a Good Thing: Multiple Important Group Memberships as a Source of Self-Esteem. PLoS ONE 10(5): e0124609. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0124609The original article for which this is the correction is in ORE at http://hdl.handle.net/10871/26622

Host microenvironment in breast cancer development: Epithelial-cell–stromal-cell interactions and steroid hormone action in normal and cancerous mammary gland

Mammary epithelial cells comprise the functional component of the normal gland and are the major target for carcinogenesis in mammary cancer. However, the stromal compartment of the normal gland and of tumors plays an important role in directing proliferative and functional changes in the epithelium. In vivo and in vitro studies of the murine mammary gland have provided insights into novel stroma-dependent mechanisms by which estrogen and progesterone action in the epithelium can be modulated by hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and the extracellular matrix proteins, collagen type I, fibronectin and laminin. In vitro and in vivo studies of estrogen receptor positive, estrogen-responsive human breast cancer cells have also demonstrated that estrogen responsiveness of tumor cells can also be modulated by extracellular matrix proteins, collagen type I and laminin

DA495 - an aging pulsar wind nebula

We present a radio continuum study of the pulsar wind nebula (PWN) DA 495 (G65.7+1.2), including images of total intensity and linear polarization from 408 to 10550 MHz based on the Canadian Galactic Plane Survey and observations with the Effelsberg 100-m Radio Telescope. Removal of flux density contributions from a superimposed \ion{H}{2} region and from compact extragalactic sources reveals a break in the spectrum of DA 495 at 1.3 GHz, with a spectral index ${\alpha}={-0.45 \pm 0.20}$ below the break and ${\alpha}={-0.87 \pm 0.10}$ above it (${S}_\nu \propto{\nu^{\alpha}}$). The spectral break is more than three times lower in frequency than the lowest break detected in any other PWN. The break in the spectrum is likely the result of synchrotron cooling, and DA 495, at an age of $\sim$20,000 yr, may have evolved from an object similar to the Vela X nebula, with a similarly energetic pulsar. We find a magnetic field of $\sim$1.3 mG inside the nebula. After correcting for the resulting high internal rotation measure, the magnetic field structure is quite simple, resembling the inner part of a dipole field projected onto the plane of the sky, although a toroidal component is likely also present. The dipole field axis, which should be parallel to the spin axis of the putative pulsar, lies at an angle of {\sim}50\degr east of the North Celestial Pole and is pointing away from us towards the south-west. The upper limit for the radio surface brightness of any shell-type supernova remnant emission around DA 495 is $\Sigma_{1 GHz} \sim 5.4 \times 10^{-23}$ OAWatt m$^{-2}$ Hz$^{-1}$ sr$^{-1}$ (assuming a radio spectral index of $\alpha = -0.5$), lower than the faintest shell-type remnant known to date.Comment: 25 pages, accepted by Ap

Arabidopsis cytosolic acyl-CoA-binding proteins function in determining seed oil composition

As plant seed oils provide animals with essential fatty acids (FAs), genes that regulate plant lipid metabolism have been used in genetic manipulation to improve dietary seed oil composition and benefit human health. Herein, the Arabidopsis thaliana cytosolic acyl-CoA-binding proteins (AtACBPs), AtACBP4, AtACBP5, and AtACBP6 were shown to play a role in determining seed oil content by analysis of atacbp (atacbp4, atacbp5, atacbp6, atacbp4atacbp5, atacbp4atacbp6, atacbp5atacbp6, and atacbp4atacbp5atacbp6) seed oil content in comparison with the Col-0 wild type (WT). Triacylglycerol (TAG) composition in electrospray ionization-mass spectrometer (ESI-MS) analysis on atacbp6 seed oil showed a reduction (−50%) of C58-TAGs in comparison with the WT. Investigations on fatty acid composition of atacbp mutants indicated that 18:2-FA accumulated in atacbp6 and 18:3-FA in atacbp4, both at the expense of 20:1-FA. As TAG composition can be modified by acyl editing through phosphatidylcholines (PC) and lysophosphatidylcholines (LPC), total PC and LPC content in atacbp6 mature seeds was determined and ESI-MS analysis revealed that LPC had increased (+300%) at the expense of PC. Among all the 14 tested PC species, all (34:1-, 34:2-, 34:3-, 34:4-, 34:5-, 34:6-, 36:2-, 36:3-, 36:5-, 36:6-, 38:2-, 38:3-, and 38:4-PCs) but 36:4-PC were lower in atacbp6 than the WT. In contrast, all LPC species (16:0-, 18:1-, 18:2-, 18:3-, and 20:1-LPC) examined were elevated in atacbp6. LPC abundance also increased in atacbp4atacbp5, but not atacbp4 and atacbp5. Interestingly, when LPC composition in atacbp4atacbp5 was compared with atacbp4 and atacbp5, significant differences were observed between atacbp4atacbp5 and each single mutant, implying that AtACBP4 and AtACBP5 play combinatory roles by affecting LPC (but not PC) biosynthesis. Furthermore, PC-related genes such as those encoding acyl-CoA:lysophphosphatidylcholine acyltransferase (LPCAT1) and phospholipase A2 alpha (PLA2α) were upregulated in atacbp6 developing seeds. A model on the role of AtACBP6 in modulating TAG through regulating LPCAT1 and PLA2α expression is proposed. Taken together, cytosolic AtACBPs appear to affect unsaturated TAG content and are good candidates for engineering oil crops to enhance seed oil composition

Arecibo timing and single-pulse observations of 17 pulsars

We report on timing and single-pulse observations of 17 pulsars discovered at the Arecibo observatory. The highlights of our sample are the recycled pulsars J1829+2456, J1944+0907 and the drifting subpulses observed in PSR J0815+0939. For the double neutron star binary J1829+2456, in addition to improving upon our existing measurement of relativistic periastron advance, we have now measured the pulsar's spin period derivative. This new result sets an upper limit on the transverse speed of 120 km/s and a lower limit on the characteristic age of 12.4 Gyr. From our measurement of proper motion of the isolated 5.2-ms pulsar J1944+0907, we infer a transverse speed of 188 +/- 65 km/s. This is higher than that of any other isolated millisecond pulsar. An estimate of the speed, using interstellar scintillation, of 235 +/- 45 km/s indicates that the scattering medium along the line of sight is non-uniform. We discuss the drifting subpulses detected from three pulsars in the sample, in particular the remarkable drifting subpulse properties of the 645-ms pulsar J0815+0939. Drifting is observed in all four components of the pulse profile, with the sense of drift varying among the different components. This unusual `bi-drifting'' behaviour challenges standard explanations of the drifting subpulse phenomenon.Comment: 9 pages, 6 figures. Accepted for publication in MNRA

A high-resolution radio survey of the Vela supernova remnant

This paper presents a high-resolution radio continuum (843 MHz) survey of the Vela supernova remnant. The contrast between the structures in the central pulsar-powered nebula of the remnant and the synchrotron radiation shell allows the remnant to be identified morphologically as a member of the composite class. The data are the first of a composite remnant at spatial scales comparable with those available for the Cygnus Loop and the Crab Nebula, and make possible a comparison of radio, optical and soft X-ray emission from the resolved shell filaments. The survey, made with the Molonglo Observatory Synthesis Telescope, covers an area of 50 square degrees at a resolution of 43'' x 60'', while imaging structures on scales up to 30'.Comment: 18 pages, 7 jpg figures (version with ps figures at http://astro.berkeley.edu/~dbock/papers/); AJ, in pres