bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Draft genome of the brown alga, Nemacystus decipiens, Onna-1 strain: Fusion of genes involved in the sulfated fucan biosynthesis pathway
Authors: Nishitsuji Koki , Arimoto Asuka , Higa Yoshimi , Mekaru Munekazu , Kawamitsu Mayumi , Satoh Noriyuki , Shoguchi Eiichi
Published: March 2019

The brown alga, Nemacystus decipiens (“ito-mozuku” in Japanese), is one of the major edible seaweeds, cultivated principally in Okinawa, Japan. N. decipiens is also a significant source of fucoidan, which has various physiological activities. To facilitate brown algal studies, we decoded the ~154 Mbp draft genome of N. decipiens Onna-1 strain. The genome is estimated to contain 15,156 protein-coding genes, ~78% of which are substantiated by corresponding mRNAs. Mitochondrial genes analysis showed a close relationship between N. decipiens and Cladosiphon okamuranus. Comparisons with the C. okamuranus and Ectocarpus siliculosus genomes identified a set of N. decipiens-specific genes. Gene ontology annotation showed more than half of these are classified as molecular function, enzymatic activity, and/or biological process. Extracellular matrix analysis revealed domains shared among three brown algae. Characterization of genes that encode enzymes involved in the biosynthetic pathway for sulfated fucan showed two sets of genes fused in the genome. One is a fusion of l-fucokinase and GDP-fucose pyrophosphorylase genes, a feature shared with C. okamuranus. Another fusion is between an ST-domain-containing gene and an alpha/beta hydrolase gene. Although the function of fused genes should be examined in future, these results suggest that N. decipiens is another promising source of fucoidan.
DNA methylation signature of smoking in lung cancer is enriched for exposure signatures in newborn and adult blood
Authors: Bakulski K. M. , Dou J. , Lin N. , London S. J. , Colacino J. A.
Published: March 2019

Smoking impacts DNA methylation genome-wide in blood of newborns from maternal smoking during pregnancy and adults from personal smoking. We compared smoking-related DNA methylation in lung adenocarcinoma (61 never smokers, 91 current smokers, and 238 former smokers) quantified with the Illumina450k BeadArray in The Cancer Genome Atlas with published large consortium meta-analyses of newborn and adult blood. We assessed whether CpG sites related to smoking in blood from newborns and adults were enriched in the lung adenocarcinoma methylation signal. Testing CpGs differentially methylated by smoke exposure, we identified 296 in lung adenocarcinoma meeting a P < 10−4 cutoff, while previous meta-analyses identified 3,042 in newborn blood, and 8,898 in adult blood meeting the same P < 10−4 cutoff. Lung signals were highly enriched for those seen in newborn (24 overlapping CpGs, Penrichment = 1.2 × 10−18) and adult blood (66 overlapping CpGs, Penrichment = 1.2 × 10−48). The 105 genes annotated to CpGs differentially methylated in lung tumors, but not blood, were enriched for RNA processing ontologies. Some epigenetic alterations associated with cigarette smoke exposure are tissue specific, but others are common across tissues. These findings support the value of blood-based methylation biomarkers for assessing exposure effects in target tissues.
Virus-triggered spinal cord demyelination is followed by a peripheral neuropathy resembling features of Guillain-Barré Syndrome
Authors: Leitzen Eva , Raddatz Barbara B. , Jin Wen , Goebbels Sandra , Nave Klaus-Armin , Baumgärtner Wolfgang , Hansmann Florian
Published: March 2019

Theiler’s murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV)-induces a demyelinating disease in the spinal cord (SC) of susceptible but not in resistant (B6) mouse strains. The aim of the present study was to induce SC demyelination and a peripheral neuropathy in resistant mice by switching the infection site from cerebrum to SC. B6 mice were intraspinally inoculated with TMEV. Infected mice showed clinical signs starting at 7 days post infection (dpi). Histopathology revealed a mononuclear myelitis, centred on the injection site at 3 dpi with subsequent antero- and retrograde spread, accompanied by demyelination and axonal damage within the SC. Virus protein was detected in the SC at all time points. SC inflammation decreased until the end of the investigation period (28 dpi). Concurrent with the amelioration of SC inflammation, the emergence of a peripheral neuropathy, characterized by axonal damage, demyelination and macrophage infiltration, contributing to persistent clinical sings, was observed. Intraspinal TMEV infection of resistant mice induced inflammation, demyelination and delayed viral clearance in the spinal cord and more interestingly, subsequent, virus-triggered inflammation and degeneration within the PN associated with dramatic and progressive clinical signs. The lesions observed in the PN resemble important features of Guillain-Barré syndrome, especially of acute motor/motor-sensory axonal forms.
Probing Membrane Association of α-Synuclein Domains with VDAC Nanopore Reveals Unexpected Binding Pattern
Authors: Jacobs Daniel , Hoogerheide David P. , Rovini Amandine , Jiang Zhiping , Lee Jennifer C. , Rostovtseva Tatiana K. , Bezrukov Sergey M.
Published: March 2019

It is well established that α-synuclein (α-syn) binding from solution to the surface of membranes composed of negatively charged and/or non-lamellar lipids can be characterized by equilibrium dissociation constants of tens of micromolar. Previously, we have found that a naturally occurring nanopore of the mitochondrial voltage-dependent anion channel (VDAC), reconstituted into planar bilayers of a plant-derived lipid, responds to α-syn at nanomolar solution concentrations. Here, using lipid mixtures that mimic the composition of mitochondrial outer membranes, we show that functionally important binding does indeed take place in the nanomolar range. We demonstrate that the voltage-dependent rate at which a membrane-embedded VDAC nanopore captures α-syn is a strong function of membrane composition. Comparison of the nanopore results with those obtained by the bilayer overtone analysis of membrane binding demonstrates a pronounced correlation between the two datasets. The stronger the binding, the larger the on-rate, but with some notable exceptions. This leads to a tentative model of α-syn-membrane interactions, which assigns different lipid-dependent roles to the N- and C-terminal domains of α-syn accounting for both electrostatic and hydrophobic effects. As a result, the rate of α-syn capture by the nanopore is not simply proportional to the α-syn concentration on the membrane surface but found to be sensitive to the specific interactions of each domain with the membrane and nanopore.
Association of C-Reactive Protein with Risk of Developing Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, and Role of Obesity and Hypertension: A Large Population-Based Korean Cohort Study
Authors: Kanmani Suganya , Kwon Minji , Shin Moon-Kyung , Kim Mi Kyung
Published: March 2019

This study was undertaken to assess the associations of C-reactive protein (CRP) with incident type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and to determine the joint effect of obesity and hypertension on them in the large-scale population-based Korean cohort of the Korean Genome and Epidemiology study (KoGES). We included 22,946 men and women from 11 rural communities at baseline (2005–2011). Epidemiological data and blood samples were collected. Incident physician-diagnosed T2DM cases (130 men and 148 women) were self-reported or based on fasting glucose ≥126 mg/dL or HbA1c level ≥6.5% during a median follow-up of 3.0 years (58,916 person-years) between 2007 and 2014. After multivariate adjustment for T2DM risk factors, the hazard ratios for developing T2DM in the highest CRP tertile (T3), compared with the lowest (T1), was 2.80 (1.73–4.52;pfor trend <0.0001) in women and 1.67 (1.00–2.45;pfor trend 0.02) in men. The associations between CRP and incident T2DM were more prominent among the older group (≥50 years). And CRP and its combination with obesity and hypertension were associated with increased risk of T2DM. In conclusion, we found positive associations between CRP and incident T2DM in a large population-based Korean cohort.
Effects of Neonicotinoid Insecticides on Physiology and Reproductive Characteristics of Captive Female and Fawn White-tailed Deer
Authors: Berheim Elise Hughes , Jenks Jonathan A. , Lundgren Jonathan G. , Michel Eric S. , Grove Daniel , Jensen William F.
Published: March 2019

Over the past decade, abnormalities have been documented in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in west-central Montana. Hypotheses proposed to explain these anomalies included contact with endocrine disrupting pesticides, such as imidacloprid. We evaluated the effects of imidacloprid experimentally at the South Dakota State University Wildlife and Fisheries Captive Facility where adult white-tailed deer females and their fawns were administered aqueous imidacloprid (an untreated control, 1,500 ng/L, 3,000 ng/L, and 15,000 ng/L). Water consumption, thyroid hormone function, behavioral responses, and skull and jawbone measurements were compared among treatments. Additionally, liver, spleen, genital, and brain imidacloprid concentrations were determined by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results indicated that 1) control deer consumed more water than treatment groups, 2) imidacloprid was present in the organs of our control group, indicating environmental contamination, 3) as imidacloprid increased in the spleen, fawn survival, thyroxine levels, jawbone lengths, body weight, and organ weights decreased, 4) adult female imidacloprid levels in the genitals were negatively correlated with genital organ weight and, 5) behavioral observations indicated that imidacloprid levels in spleens were negatively correlated with activity levels in adult females and fawns. Results demonstrate that imidacloprid has direct effects on white-tailed deer when administered at field–relevant doses.
A Peptide-Nanoparticle System with Improved Efficacy against Multidrug Resistant Bacteria
Authors: Pal Indrani , Bhattacharyya Dipita , Kar Rajiv Kumar , Zarena D. , Bhunia Anirban , Atreya Hanudatta S.
Published: March 2019

The recent rise of multidrug resistant microbial strains requires development of new and novel therapeutic alternatives. In this study, we present a novel antibacterial system that comprises of modified naturally abundant antimicrobial peptides in conjugation with silver nanoparticles. Further, we propose a simple route to incorporate a cysteine residue either at the N- or C-terminal of the parent peptide. Tagging a cysteine residue at the terminals not only enhances the binding propensity of the resultant peptide with the silver nanoparticle, but also increases its antimicrobial property against several pathogenic bacterial strains including K. pneumoniae. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of the cysteine tagged nanoconjugates were obtained in the range of 5–15 μM compared to 50 μM for peptides devoid of the cysteines. The origin and mechanism of such improved activity of the conjugates were investigated using NMR spectroscopy and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The application of 13C-isotope labelled media to track the metabolic lifecycle of E. coli cells provided further insights into the system. MD simulations showed that pore formation in membrane bilayer is mediated through a hydrophobic collapse mechanism. The design strategy described herein opens up new-avenues for using biocompatible nanomedicines as a potential alternative to conventional antibiotics.
A model-guided dissociation between subcortical and cortical contributions to word recognition
Authors: Braun Mario , Kronbichler Martin , Richlan Fabio , Hawelka Stefan , Hutzler Florian , Jacobs Arthur M.
Published: March 2019

Neurocognitive studies of visual word recognition have provided information about brain activity correlated with orthographic processing. Some of these studies related the orthographic neighborhood density of letter strings to the amount of hypothetical global lexical activity (GLA) in the brain as simulated by computational models of word recognition. To further investigate this issue, we used GLA of words and nonwords from the multiple read-out model of visual word recognition (MROM) and related this activity to neural correlates of orthographic processing in the brain by using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Words and nonwords elicited linear effects in the cortex with increasing BOLD responses for decreasing values of GLA. In addition, words showed increasing linear BOLD responses for increasing GLA values in subcortical regions comprising the hippocampus, globus pallidus and caudate nucleus. We propose that these regions are involved in the matching of orthographic input onto representations in long-term memory. The results speak to a potential involvement of the basal ganglia in visual word recognition with globus pallidus and caudate nucleus activity potentially reflecting maintenance of orthographic input in working memory supporting the matching of the input onto stored representations by selection of appropriate lexical candidates and the inhibition of orthographically similar but non-matching candidates.
Climate- and gateway-driven cooling of Late Eocene to earliest Oligocene sea surface temperatures in the North Sea Basin
Authors: Śliwińska Kasia K. , Thomsen Erik , Schouten Stefan , Schoon Petra L. , Heilmann-Clausen Claus
Published: March 2019

During the late Eocene, the Earth’s climate experienced several transient temperature fluctuations including the Vonhof cooling event (C16n.1n; ~35.8 Ma) hitherto known mainly from the southern oceans. Here we reconstruct sea-surface temperatures (SST) and provide δ18O and δ13C foraminiferal records for the late Eocene and earliest Oligocene in the North Sea Basin. Our data reveal two main perturbations: (1), an abrupt brief cooling of ~4.5 °C dated to ~35.8 Ma and synchronous with the Vonhof cooling, which thus may be a global event, and (2) a gradual nearly 10 °C temperature fall starting at 36.1 Ma and culminating near the Eocene-Oligocene transition at ~33.9 Ma. The late Priabonian temperature trend in the North Sea shows some resemblance IODP Site U1404 from the North Atlantic, offshore Newfoundland; and is in contrast to the more abrupt change observed in the deep-sea δ18O records from the southern oceans. The cooling in the North Sea is large compared to the pattern seen in the North Atlantic record. This difference may be influenced by a late Eocene closure of the warm gateways connecting the North Sea with the Atlantic and Tethys oceans.
Strategies of the invasive tropical fire ant (Solenopsis geminata) to minimize inbreeding costs
Authors: Lenancker Pauline , Hoffmann Benjamin D. , Tay Wee Tek , Lach Lori
Published: March 2019

How invasive species overcome challenges associated with low genetic diversity is unclear. Invasive ant populations with low genetic diversity sometimes produce sterile diploid males, which do not contribute to colony labour or reproductive output. We investigated how inbreeding affects colony founding and potential strategies to overcome its effects in the invasive tropical fire ant, Solenopsis geminata. Our genetic analyses of field samples revealed that 13–100% of males per colony (n = 8 males per 10 colonies) were diploid, and that all newly mated queens (n = 40) were single-mated. Our laboratory experiment in which we assigned newly mated queens to nests consisting of 1, 2, 3, or 5 queens (n = 95 ± 9 replicates) revealed that pleometrosis (queens founding their nest together) and diploid male larvae execution can compensate for diploid male load. The proportion of diploid male producing (DMP) colonies was 22.4%, and DMP colonies produced fewer pupae and adult workers than non-DMP colonies. Pleometrosis significantly increased colony size. Queens executed their diploid male larvae in 43.5% of the DMP colonies, and we hypothesize that cannibalism benefits incipient colonies because queens can redirect nutrients to worker brood. Pleometrosis and cannibalism of diploid male larvae represent strategies through which invasive ants can successfully establish despite high inbreeding.
Isolation and identification of a male-produced aggregation-sex pheromone for the velvet longhorned beetle, Trichoferus campestris
Authors: Ray Ann M. , Francese Joseph A. , Zou Yunfan , Watson Kristopher , Crook Damon J. , Millar Jocelyn G.
Published: March 2019

The velvet longhorned beetle,Trichoferus campestris(Faldermann) (“VLB”; Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), is native to eastern Asia where it infests and damages a wide range of deciduous and coniferous tree species, including orchard and timber species. Immature stages of VLB are transported to new countries via international commerce, and populations have established outside the native range of the species. Here, we show that identification of pheromones of invasive pest species can be expedited by knowledge of the semiochemistry of related taxa. Histological sectioning revealed subcuticular, male-specific prothoracic glands connected to pits in the cuticle, which, in related species, are diagnostic for production of male-produced aggregation-sex pheromones, usually characterized by 2,3-alkanediol/hydroxyketone structural motifs. However, in preliminary field bioassays, beetles were not attracted by any known cerambycid pheromones. Subsequently, we identified a novel variant of the hydroxyketone motif (“trichoferone”) from headspace volatiles of males. In field bioassays, synthetic trichoferone was more attractive to both sexes of VLB than previously developed high-release-rate ethanol lures, and attraction was strongly female biased. This study demonstrated the utility of the prothoracic gland trait for predicting pheromone use in cerambycid species in the subfamily Cerambycinae, and that identification of pheromones of novel species can be expedited by knowledge of pheromones of related species. Trichoferone should prove to be a valuable tool for detection of VLB in regions where the beetle is or may become established.
Resveratrol, lunularin and dihydroresveratrol do not act as caloric restriction mimetics when administered intraperitoneally in mice
Authors: Pallauf Kathrin , Chin Dawn , Günther Ilka , Birringer Marc , Lüersen Kai , Schultheiß Gerald , Vieten Sarah , Krauß Jürgen , Bracher Franz , Danylec Nicolas , Soukup Sebastian T. , Kulling Sabine E. , Rimbach Gerald
Published: March 2019

Resveratrol as well as caloric restriction were shown to extend lifespan in some model organisms and may possibly delay onset of ageing-related diseases in humans. Yet, resveratrol supplementation does not always extend lifespan of animal models or improve health status of humans. Because of interindividual differences in human microbiota, resveratrol metabolite production in the gut differs. While some individuals produce lunularin and dihydroresveratrol in their gut, others produce dihydroresveratrol only. Therefore, we addressed the question whether these metabolites differ in their biological impact on ageing and intraperitoneally injected 13-month-old C57BL/6JRj mice on an ad-libitum (AL) HFD with resveratrol, dihydroresveratrol or lunularin (24 mg/kg bodyweight; 3 times/week). Compared to mice injected with vehicle (AL-control), resveratrol and dihydroresveratrol did not change bodyweight and had no impact on insulin or glucose levels while lunularin slightly reduced feed intake and bodyweight gain. CR-mice showed lowered cholesterol, insulin and leptin levels, elevated adiponectin and phosphorylated AMPK levels in liver as well as increased transcription of Pck1 and Pgc1α when compared to the AL-control. In contrast, injections with the test substances did not change these parameters. We therefore conclude that in our model, resveratrol, lunularin and dihydroresveratrol did not act as CR mimetics.
Rapid and reversible suppression of ALT by DAXX in osteosarcoma cells
Authors: Yost Kathryn E. , Clatterbuck Soper Sarah F. , Walker Robert L. , Pineda Marbin A. , Zhu Yuelin J. , Ester Corbin D. , Showman Soyeon , Roschke Anna V. , Waterfall Joshua J. , Meltzer Paul S.
Published: March 2019

Many tumors maintain chromosome-ends through a telomerase-independent, DNA-templated mechanism called alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT). While ALT occurs in only a subset of tumors, it is strongly associated with mutations in the genes ATRX and DAXX, which encode components of an H3.3 histone chaperone complex. The role of ATRX and DAXX mutations in potentiating the mechanism of ALT remains incompletely understood. Here we characterize an osteosarcoma cell line, G292, with wild-type ATRX but a unique chromosome translocation resulting in loss of DAXX function. While ATRX and DAXX form a complex in G292, this complex fails to localize to nuclear PML bodies. We demonstrate that introduction of wild type DAXX suppresses the ALT phenotype and restores the localization of ATRX/DAXX to PML bodies. Using an inducible system, we show that ALT-associated PML bodies are disrupted rapidly following DAXX induction and that ALT is again restored following withdrawal of DAXX.
Accuracy of Commercial Molecular Diagnostics for the Detection of Pulmonary Tuberculosis in China: A Systematic Review
Authors: Deng Siwei , Sun Yixin , Xia Hui , Liu Zhike , Gao Le , Yang Jichun , Zhao Yanlin , Huang Fei , Feng Jingnan , Wang Lixia , Huan Shitong , Zhan Siyan
Published: March 2019

This systematic review assesses the accuracy of molecular diagnostic methods for the detection of pulmonary tuberculosis in studies performed in China, published in Chinese and English. We searched for studies that assessed the accuracy of molecular diagnostics for pulmonary TB in China in the China National Knowledge Infrastructure, the Wanfang Database, SinoMed, VIP Information, Pubmed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library. For each index test, a summary estimation for sensitivity and specificity was calculated using the bivariate random-effects model. A total of 59 studies were included in our analysis. Loop-mediated isothermal amplifcation (LAMP) assay (six studies; pooled sensitivity 90%, 95% CI 78–95%; specificity 93%, 85–97%), line probe assay (LPA) (one study; 87%, 84–90%; 94%, 92–95%) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) (FQ-PCR and RT-PCR) (four studies; 90%, 55–99%; 93%, 71–99%) showed good diagnostic performance in the meta-analysis. The highest pooled sensitivity was from Xpert MTB/RIF (20 studies; pooled sensitivity 91%, 95% CI 87–94%). The highest pooled specificity was from cross-priming amplification (CPA) (six studies; pooled specificity 97%, 95–99%). The lowest pooled sensitivity and specificity were from simultaneous amplification and testing (SAT)-TB (three studies; 79%, 66–88%; 72%, 48–88%). In subgroup analysis, molecular diagnostics demonstrated higher sensitivity for pulmonary TB detection in smear-positive specimens. Xpert MTB/RIF, LAMP, LPA, CPA and PCR demonstrated high accuracy overall for pulmonary tuberculosis detection, while SAT-TB had poor performance.
Seasonal intensification and trends of rogue wave events on the US western seaboard
Authors: Cattrell A. D. , Srokosz M. , Moat B. I. , Marsh R.
Published: March 2019

Studies of changes in wave climate typically consider trends in sea state statistics, such as the significant wave height. However, the temporal variability of individual rogue waves, which pose a hazard to users of the sea and coastal environment has not been investigated. We use time series of continuous surface elevation over 124–270 months (spanning 1994–2016), from 15 wave buoys along the US western seaboard, to investigate regional trends in significant wave height and individual rogue waves. We find high spatial variability in trends in significant wave height and rogue waves across the region. Rogue wave occurrence displays a mostly decreasing trend, but the relative height – or severity – of the waves is increasing. We also identify seasonal intensification in rogue waves with increased rogue wave occurrence, of higher severity, in the winter than in the summer. Therefore, the common practice of stating a single occurrence likelihood for an ocean basin is not valid. In addition, the buoy data show that the magnitude and significance of trends in significant wave height increases towards higher percentiles, supporting previous findings.
Stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles inhibit and revert fibrosis progression in a mouse model of diabetic nephropathy
Authors: Grange Cristina , Tritta Stefania , Tapparo Marta , Cedrino Massimo , Tetta Ciro , Camussi Giovanni , Brizzi Maria Felice
Published: March 2019

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) that are derived from mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) have been shown to reprogram injured cells by activating regenerative processes. We herein investigate the potential therapeutic effect of EVs, shed by human bone marrow MSCs and by human liver stem-like cells (HLSCs), on the progression and reversion of fibrosis in a mouse model of diabetic nephropathy, as induced by streptozotocin. After the development of nephropathy, stem cell-derived EVs were administered weekly to diabetic mice for four weeks. The stem cell-derived EV treatment, but not the fibroblast EV treatment that was used as a control, significantly ameliorated functional parameters, such as albumin/creatinine excretion, plasma creatinine and blood urea nitrogen, which are altered in diabetic mice. Moreover, the renal fibrosis that develops during diabetic nephropathy progression was significantly inhibited in stem cell EV-treated animals. A correlation was found between the down regulation of several pro-fibrotic genes in renal tissues and the anti-fibrotic effect of HLSC and MSC EVs. A comparative analysis of HLSC and MSC EV miRNA content highlighted some common and some specific patterns of miRNAs that target predicted pro-fibrotic genes. In conclusion, stem cell-derived EVs inhibit fibrosis and prevent its progression in a model of diabetes-induced chronic kidney injury.
Carotid artery plaque intervention with Tongxinluo capsule (CAPITAL): A multicenter randomized double-blind parallel-group placebo-controlled study
Authors: Zhang Mei , Liu Yan , Xu Mingjun , Zhang Lei , Liu Yan , Liu Xiaoling , Zhao Yuxia , Zhu Fang , Xu Rui , Ou Zhihong , Wang Ying , Liu Qigong , Ma Shuping , Wang Tian , He Maolin , Lu Qinghua , Li Honghua , Huang Jihan , Zhang Yun
Published: March 2019

To determine whether the traditional Chinese medicine Tongxinluo (TXL) is efficacious at retarding the progression of carotid atherosclerotic lesions, a total of 1,212 patients with a focal intima-media thickness (IMT) of ≥1.2 mm of the carotid arteries received TXL or placebo capsules in addition to current routine therapy. The primary outcome was between-group differences in annualized change in mean IMT of 12 sites of bilateral carotid arteries over 24 months. The secondary outcomes were between-group differences in plaque area, vascular remodeling index (RI), serum levels of lipids and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, and a composite of first major cardiovascular events. The results showed that the annualized change in mean IMT in the TXL and placebo groups was −0.00095 (95% CI, −0.00330 to 0.00141) mm and 0.01312 (95% CI, 0.01076 to 0.01548) mm, respectively, with a difference between the two groups of −0.01407 (95% CI, −0.01740 to −0.01073) mm (P < 0.001). Compared with placebo, TXL treatment significantly reduced the change from baseline in the plaque area and RI, as well as the first major cardiovascular events. In conclusion, TXL retarded the progression of mean IMT, plaque area and vascular remodeling of the carotid artery with a good safety profile.
Genomic analysis of the emergence of drug-resistant strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in the Middle East
Authors: Alyamani Essam J. , Marcus Sarah A. , Ramirez-Busby Sarah M. , Hansen Chungyi , Rashid Julien , El-kholy Amani , Spalink Daniel , Valafar Faramarz , Almehdar Hussein A. , A. Jiman-Fatani Asif , Khiyami Mohamed A. , Talaat Adel M.
Published: March 2019

Tuberculosis (TB) represents a significant challenge to public health authorities, especially with the emergence of drug-resistant (DR) and multidrug-resistant (MDR) isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. We sought to examine the genomic variations among recently isolated strains of M. tuberculosis in two closely related countries with different population demography in the Middle East. Clinical isolates of M. tuberculosis from both Egypt and Saudi Arabia were subjected to phenotypic and genotypic analysis on gene and genome-wide levels. Isolates with MDR phenotypes were highly prevalent in Egypt (up to 35%) despite its relatively stable population structure (sympatric pattern). MDR-TB isolates were not identified in the isolates from Saudi Arabia despite its active guest worker program (allopatric pattern). However, tuberculosis isolates from Saudi Arabia, where lineage 4 was more prevalent (>65%), showed more diversity than isolates from Egypt, where lineage 3 was the most prevalent (>75%). Phylogenetic and molecular dating analyses indicated that lineages from Egypt were recently diverged (~78 years), whereas those from Saudi Arabia were diverged by over 200 years. Interestingly, DR isolates did not appear to cluster together or spread more widely than drug-sensitive isolates, suggesting poor treatment as the main cause for emergence of drug resistance rather than more virulence or more capacity to persist.
Speckle reduction in double-pass retinal images
Authors: Halpaap Donatus , García-Guerra Carlos E. , Vilaseca Meritxell , Masoller Cristina
Published: March 2019

The double pass (DP) technique quantifies the optical quality of the eye by measuring its point spread function. The low reflectivity of the retina requires the use of a high-brightness, point-like illumination source, and thus, DP systems use laser diodes (LDs). However, LDs light produces speckle, and a low-cost solution to reduce speckle is to include a vibrating mirror in the beam path. With the goal of finding an all-optical solution, here we perform a comparative study of the amount of speckle produced by three semiconductor light sources: an LD, a light emitting diode (LED), and a superluminescent diode (SLED). We also compare the results with the speckle reduction that is obtained with a vibrating mirror. We find that the SLED is a good alternative to LD illumination, as the amount of speckle in the image is almost as low as that obtained with an LD and a vibrating mirror in the beam path.
Weak global warming mitigation by reducing black carbon emissions
Authors: Takemura Toshihiko , Suzuki Kentaroh
Published: March 2019

Reducing black carbon (BC), i.e. soot, in the atmosphere is a potential mitigation measure for climate change before revealing the effect of reducing anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) because BC with shorter lifetime than CO2 absorbs solar and infrared radiation. BC has a strong positive radiative forcing in the atmosphere, as indicated in many previous studies. Here, we show that the decline in surface air temperatures with reduced BC emissions is weaker than would be expected from the magnitude of its instantaneous radiative forcing at the top of the atmosphere (TOA). Climate simulations show that the global mean change in surface air temperature per unit of instantaneous radiative forcing of BC at the TOA is about one-eighth that of sulphate aerosols, which cool the climate through scattering solar radiation, without absorption. This is attributed to the positive radiation budget of BC being largely compensated for by rapid atmospheric adjustment, whereas the radiative imbalance due to sulphate aerosols drives a slow response of climate over a long timescale. Regional climate responses to short-lived species are shown to exhibit even more complex characteristics due to their heterogeneous spatial distributions, requiring further analysis in future studies.
Assessing the role of Rv1222 (RseA) as an anti-sigma factor of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis extracytoplasmic sigma factor SigE
Authors: Boldrin Francesca , Cioetto Mazzabò Laura , Anoosheh Saber , Palù Giorgio , Gaudreau Luc , Manganelli Riccardo , Provvedi Roberta
Published: March 2019

σE is one of the 13 sigma factors encoded by the Mycobacterium tuberculosis chromosome, and its involvement in stress response and virulence has been extensively characterized. Several sigma factors are post-translationally regulated by proteins named anti-sigma factors, which prevent their binding to RNA polymerase. Rv1222 (RseA), whose gene lays immediately downstream sigE, has been proposed in the past as the σE-specific anti sigma factor. However, its role as anti-sigma factor was recently challenged and a new mechanism of action was hypothesized predicting RseA binding to RNA polymerase and DNA to slow down RNA transcription in a not specific way. In this manuscript, using specific M. tuberculosis mutants, we showed that by changing the levels of RseA expression, M. tuberculosis growth rate does not change (as hypothesized in case of non-specific decrease of RNA transcription) and has an impact only on the transcription level of genes whose transcriptional control is under σE, supporting a direct role of RseA as a specific anti-σE factor.
Acceptance of immersive head-mounted virtual reality in older adults
Authors: Huygelier Hanne , Schraepen Brenda , van Ee Raymond , Vanden Abeele Vero , Gillebert Céline R.
Published: March 2019

Immersive virtual reality has become increasingly popular to improve the assessment and treatment of health problems. This rising popularity is likely to be facilitated by the availability of affordable headsets that deliver high quality immersive experiences. As many health problems are more prevalent in older adults, who are less technology experienced, it is important to know whether they are willing to use immersive virtual reality. In this study, we assessed the initial attitude towards head-mounted immersive virtual reality in 76 older adults who had never used virtual reality before. Furthermore, we assessed changes in attitude as well as self-reported cybersickness after a first exposure to immersive virtual reality relative to exposure to time-lapse videos. Attitudes towards immersive virtual reality changed from neutral to positive after a first exposure to immersive virtual reality, but not after exposure to time-lapse videos. Moreover, self-reported cybersickness was minimal and had no association with exposure to immersive virtual reality. These results imply that the contribution of VR applications to health in older adults will neither be hindered by negative attitudes nor by cybersickness.
Common midwife toad ranaviruses replicate first in the oral cavity of smooth newts (Lissotriton vulgaris) and show distinct strain-associated pathogenicity
Authors: Saucedo Bernardo , Garner Trenton W. J. , Kruithof Natasja , Allain Steven J. R. , Goodman Mark J. , Cranfield Raymond J. , Sergeant Chris , Vergara Diego A. , Kik Marja J. L. , Forzán María J. , van Beurden Steven J. , Gröne Andrea
Published: March 2019

Ranavirus is the second most common infectious cause of amphibian mortality. These viruses affect caudates, an order in which information regarding Ranavirus pathogenesis is scarce. In the Netherlands, two strains (CMTV-NL I and III) were suspected to possess distinct pathogenicity based on field data. To investigate susceptibility and disease progression in urodeles and determine differences in pathogenicity between strains, 45 adult smooth newts (Lissotriton vulgaris) were challenged via bath exposure with these ranaviruses and their detection in organs and feces followed over time by PCR, immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization. Ranavirus was first detected at 3 days post infection (p.i.) in the oral cavity and upper respiratory mucosa. At 6 days p.i, virus was found in connective tissues and vasculature of the gastrointestinal tract. Finally, from 9 days p.i onwards there was widespread Ranavirus disease in various organs including skin, kidneys and gonads. Higher pathogenicity of the CMTV-NL I strain was confirmed by higher correlation coefficient of experimental group and mortality of challenged animals. Ranavirus-exposed smooth newts shed virus in feces intermittently and infection was seen in the absence of lesions or clinical signs, indicating that this species can harbor subclinical infections and potentially serve as disease reservoirs.
Evidence of a two-dimensional glass transition in graphene: Insights from molecular simulations
Authors: Ravinder R. , Kumar Rajesh , Agarwal Manish , Krishnan N. M. Anoop
Published: March 2019

Liquids exhibit a sudden increase in viscosity when cooled fast enough, avoiding thermodynamically predicted route of crystallization. This phenomenon, known as glass transition, leads to the formation of non-periodic structures known as glasses. Extensive studies have been conducted on model materials to understand glass transition in two dimensions. However, despite the synthesis of disordered/amorphous single-atom thick structures of carbon, little attention has been given to glass transition in realistic two-dimensional materials such as graphene. Herein, using molecular dynamics simulation, we demonstrate the existence of glass transition in graphene leading to a realistic two-dimensional glassy structure, namely glassy graphene. We show that the resulting glassy structure exhibits excellent agreement with experimentally realized disordered graphene. Interestingly, this glassy graphene exhibits a wrinkled but stable structure, with reduced thermal vibration in comparison to its crystalline counterpart. We suggest that the topological disorder induced by glass transition governs the unique properties of this structure.
Genetic and epigenetic architecture of paternal origin contribute to gestation length in cattle
Authors: Fang Lingzhao , Jiang Jicai , Li Bingjie , Zhou Yang , Freebern Ellen , Vanraden Paul M. , Cole John B. , Liu George E. , Ma Li
Published: March 2019

The length of gestation can affect offspring health and performance. Both maternal and fetal effects contribute to gestation length; however, paternal contributions to gestation length remain elusive. Using genome-wide association study (GWAS) in 27,214 Holstein bulls with millions of gestation records, here we identify nine paternal genomic loci associated with cattle gestation length. We demonstrate that these GWAS signals are enriched in pathways relevant to embryonic development, and in differentially methylated regions between sperm samples with long and short gestation length. We reveal that gestation length shares genetic and epigenetic architecture in sperm with calving ability, body depth, and conception rate. While several candidate genes are detected in our fine-mapping analysis, we provide evidence indicating ZNF613 as a promising candidate for cattle gestation length. Collectively, our findings support that the paternal genome and epigenome can impact gestation length potentially through regulation of the embryonic development.
Solid Electrolytes for Lithium Metal and Future Lithium-ion Batteries
Authors: Eshetu Gebrekidan Gebresilassie , Judez Xabier , Li Chunmei , Martinez-Ibañez Maria , Sánchez-Diez Eduardo , Rodriguez-Martinez Lide M. , Zhang Heng , Armand Michel
Published: March 2019

All solid-state lithium batteries (ASSLBs), with the elimination of flammable liquid solvents and possible safe use of high capacity electrodes, are believed to unlock the bottlenecks in energy density and safety for current Li-ion batteries. Being sandwiched between a highly reductive anode and an oxidative cathode, the nature of solid electrolytes (SEs) plays a pivotal role in dictating the electrochemical performance of ASSLBs. In this chapter, a brief introduction to the transport properties of SEs and a detailed survey of the status of research on SEs are presented. In particular, attention is paid to the very recent interesting findings and breakthroughs in the field of SEs, instead of screening/analyzing the physicochemical and electrochemical properties of reported electrolytes, which have been scrutinized in recently published reviews. Furthermore, remarks and thoughts on the existing challenges and future outlook are depicted.
Understanding Battery Aging Mechanisms
Authors: Li Dongjiang , Danilov Dmitri L. , Bergveld Henk Jan , Eichel Rüdiger-A. , Notten Peter H. L.
Published: March 2019

The aging mechanisms of Li-ion batteries are introduced in this chapter, and are experimentally investigated and modeled. From SEM it is found that the thickness of the solid electrolyte interface layers at the graphite electrode surface increase upon aging. Deformation of the graphite structure is confirmed by Raman spectroscopy. XPS analyses show that transition metals dissolved from cathode are deposited onto the graphite electrode. Cathode dissolution at elevated temperatures is further confirmed by ICP measurements. Apart from postmortem analyses, a novel non-destructive approach is proposed to quantify the graphite electrode decay. A comprehensive electrochemistry model is proposed to simulate the irreversible capacity loss under various aging conditions. The dependence of the capacity loss on aging conditions, such as storage state of charge, cycling current, temperature, etc. is simulated and the simulations are in good agreement with the experiments. The degradation model allows researchers to have an in-depth understanding of aging mechanisms and therefore helps manufacturers to improve battery performance by optimizing manufacturing procedures. Moreover, the model can be further used to predict the battery cycle life, which can be used to develop more accurate battery management systems to increase battery efficiency and safety.
Field modified spin–orbit potential curves of IBr. Preliminary dynamical results
Authors: Sanz-Sanz Cristina , Worth Graham A.
Published: March 2019

We revisit the seminal work on the control of IBr photodissociation using a strong non-resonant IR pulse, calculating the full 36-state manifold of spin–orbit coupled states. Preliminary results on the eld-driven IBr dissociation dynamics are presented.
A new insight into the SO2 adsorption behavior of oxidized carbon materials using model adsorbents and DFT calculations
Authors: Pi Xinxin , Sun Fei , Gao Jihui , Qu Zhibin , Wang Ani , Qie Zhipeng , Wang Lijie , Liu Hui
Published: March 2019

O-doped carbon materials have been proven to be very effective for SO2 adsorption.
Lentinan administration relieves gut barrier dysfunction induced by rotavirus in a weaned piglet model
Authors: Mao Xiangbing , Hu Haiyan , Xiao Xuechun , Chen Daiwen , Yu Bing , He Jun , Yu Jie , Zheng Ping , Luo Junqiu , Luo Yuheng , Wang Jianping
Published: March 2019

Rotavirus (RV) is a pathogen that induces severe diarrhea in infants and young animals.
Lycopene ameliorates systemic inflammation-induced synaptic dysfunction via improving insulin resistance and mitochondrial dysfunction in the liver–brain axis
Authors: Wang Jia , Zou Qianhui , Suo Yao , Tan Xintong , Yuan Tian , Liu Zhigang , Liu Xuebo
Published: March 2019

Lycopene supplementation effectively attenuated systemic inflammation-induced synaptic dysfunction through ameliorating insulin resistance, mitochondrial dysfunction and inflammatory response in the mouse liver–brain axis.
Quantification ofStaphylococcus aureususing surface acoustic wave sensors
Authors: Xu Zhangliang , Yuan Yong J.
Published: March 2019

Quartz crystal microbalance (QCM), surface acoustic wave (SAW)-Rayleigh and ZnO based SAW-Love sensors were fabricated and their sensitivity was comparatively analyzed for the quantification ofStaphylococcus aureus(S. aureus).
Miscanthus grass-derived carbon dots to selectively detect Fe3+ ions
Authors: Picard Maisyn , Thakur Suman , Misra Manjusri , Mohanty Amar K.
Published: March 2019

Fluorescent carbon dots for the selective and sensitive detection of Fe3+ ions with a wide detection range and very low detection limit.
Development of a nano-QSPR model to predict band gaps of spherical metal oxide nanoparticles
Authors: Wang Jiaxing , Wang Ya , Huang Yang , Peijnenburg Willie J. G. M. , Chen Jingwen , Li Xuehua
Published: March 2019

Antibacterial activities and cytotoxicity of metal oxide nanoparticles are determined by their special band structures, which also influence their potential ecological risks.
Macrocyclic pentamers functionalised around their periphery as potential building blocks
Authors: Nam Seong , Ware David C. , Brothers Penelope J.
Published: March 2019

The elaboration of a five-fold symmetric macrocyclic aromatic pentamer bearing peripheral benzyloxy and hydroxyl groups is described. The macrocycle bearing internal fluorine substituents has been prepared via a one-pot procedure.
Sporidiobolus pararoseuswall-broken powder ameliorates oxidative stress in diabetic nephropathy in type-2 diabetic mice by activating the Nrf2/ARE pathway
Authors: Cheng Yuliang , Liu Chang , Cui Yan , Lv Tianqi , Guo Yahui , Liang Jun , Qian He
Published: March 2019

STZ-induced diabetic mice are given a high-fat diet and SPP, which is a rich source of β-carotene, γ-carotene, torulene and torularhodin. The result indicated SPP can ameliorate diabetic nephropathyviaactivating Nrf2/ARE pathway.
Fabrication of graphite via electrochemical conversion of CO2 in a CaCl2 based molten salt at a relatively low temperature
Authors: Hu Liwen , Yang Wanlin , Yang Zhikun , Xu Jian
Published: March 2019

Fabrication of graphite by electrochemical splitting of CO2 in a CaCl2 molten salt is a promising approach for the efficient and economical utilization of CO2.
Catalytic synthesis of chloroacetates with thermoregulated ionic liquids based on vanadium-substituted polyoxometalate
Authors: Yan Jingsen , Wang Zeqing , E Yongsheng , He Fengwei , Zhang Danfeng , Wu Qingyin
Published: March 2019

The ionic liquid catalyst [TEAPS]5PW10V2O40 exhibited good activity and reusability in the esterification process owing to its acidity and thermoregulated properties.
Self-organization of red blood cell suspensions under confined 2D flows
Authors: Iss Cécile , Midou Dorian , Moreau Alexis , Held Delphine , Charrier Anne , Mendez Simon , Viallat Annie , Helfer Emmanuèle
Published: March 2019

Microfluidic experiments and numerical simulations show that red blood cell suspensions self-organize into aligned structures under confined 2D flows.
A graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4/Fe3O4) nanocomposite: an efficient electrode material for the electrochemical determination of tramadol in human biological fluids
Authors: Hassannezhad Morassa , Hosseini Morteza , Ganjali Mohammad Reza , Arvand Majid
Published: March 2019

In the present study, a graphitic carbon nitride/Fe3O4 (g-C3N4/Fe3O4) nanocomposite/carbon paste electrode was used as a highly sensitive sensor for the voltammetric determination of tramadol (Tr) in an aqueous solution.
Performance enhancement of AgBi2I7 solar cells by modulating a solvent-mediated adduct and tuning remnant BiI3 in one-step crystallization
Authors: Kulkarni Ashish , Jena Ajay K. , Ikegami Masashi , Miyasaka Tsutomu
Published: March 2019

We modulated a solvent-mediated adduct for one-step crystallization of lead-free AgBi2I7 at a lower temperature (90 °C) and to obtain remnant BiI3 by controlling the nature of the substrate and precursor concentration.
Effect of extending conjugation via thiophene-based oligomers on the excited state electron transfer rates to ZnO nanocrystals
Authors: Oehrlein Amanda N. , Sanchez-Diaz Antonio , Goff Philip C. , Planells Miquel , Robertson Neil , Blank David A. , Gladfelter Wayne L.
Published: March 2019

Despite spectral differences of a series of thiophene dyes, their excited state electron transfer rates to ZnO nanocrystals are similar.
The use of chemical shift calculations in the conformational analysis of substituted benzenes
Authors: Abraham Raymond J. , Cooper M. Ashley
Published: March 2019

MM/QM calculations of 13C chemical shifts can determine the conformations and electron densities in organic compounds.