bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The testis of greater white‐toothed shrew Crocidura russula in Southern European populations: A case of adaptive lack of seasonal involution?
Authors: Massoud Diaa , Barrionuevo Francisco J. , Ortega Esperanza , Burgos Miguel , Jiménez Rafael
Published: June 2014

Males of all seasonal breeding mammals undergo circannual periods of testis involution resulting in almost complete ablation of the germinative epithelium. We performed a morphometric, histological, hormonal, and gene‐expression study of the testes from winter and summer males of the greater white‐toothed shrew, Crocidura russula, in populations of the southeastern Iberian Peninsula. Unexpectedly, we found no significant differences between the two study groups. Surprisingly, female data confirmed a non‐breeding period in the summer, evidencing that males retain full testis function even when most females are not receptive. This situation, which has not been described before, does not occur in northern populations of the same species where, in addition, the reproductive cycle is inverted with respect to those in the south, as the non‐breeding period occurs in winter instead in summer. Considering that the non‐reproductive period shortens at lower latitude locations, we hypothesize that in southern populations the non‐breeding period is short enough to make testis regression inefficient in terms of energy savings, because: (1) testes of C. russula are very small, a condition derived from their monogamy that implies low investment in spermatogenesis; and (2) the spermatogenic cycle of this species is slow and long. The inverted seasonal breeding cycle and the lack of seasonal testis regression described here are new adaptive processes that deserve further research, and provide evidence that the genetic and hormonal mechanisms controlling reproduction timing in mammals are more plastic and versatile than initially suspected. J. Exp. Zool. (Mol. Dev. Evol.) 322B: 304–315, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Effect of plant litter addition on element leaching in young sandy soils
Authors: Zönnchen Claudia , Schaaf Wolfgang , Esperschütz Jürgen
Published: June 2014

The knowledge about element leaching and biogeochemical cycles during initial stages of soil development is very limited. Therefore, we studied the effects of parent material characteristics and plant litter addition on element leaching from young sandy soils in a microcosm experiment. Our objective was to evaluate the function of young soils as a source and/or sink for nutrients during initial pedogenesis and to identify main processes which are involved in the initial development of biogeochemical cycles. The main research questions were: (1) How do differences in parent material characteristics affect nutrient leaching?; and (2) How is nutrient leaching of young soils influenced by litter addition of different plant functional groups (e.g., legume and grass species)? Combined treatments of two minimally weathered parent materials (pure sand and loamy sand) with plant litter of two plant species (Lotus corniculatus L. and Calamagrostis epigejos L.) were investigated in a soil column experiment. In addition, control columns with parent material or plant litter only were included. Carbonate weathering as a main source for calcium leaching was induced by the moderately acidic irrigation solution used in the experiment. It was 7.5 fold greater for the loamy sand parent material compared to the pure sand despite lower carbonate contents in the loamy sand. Leaching of K was very low for both parent materials but greater for the loamy sand parent material, likely due to transfer processes from fixed to exchangeable potassium forms in the clay minerals of the loamy sand. Plant litter addition generally increased leaching losses. Carbonate dissolution was intensified by both plant litter types, especially by L. corniculatus, very likely due to H+ released during nitrification of N released from plant litter and an increase in partial pressure of CO2 from microbial respiration. In contrast, K was largely retained in the soils, probably due to fixation by clay minerals and microbial immobilization. Only the pure sand treated with L. corniculatus litter leached K, resulting in 4–6 fold greater leaching losses compared to all other treatments. Nitrogen released from L. corniculatus litter was almost completely nitrified and was nearly doubled as compared to that from C. epigejos, resulting in greater N leaching. The results of our study allow identifying the general function and processes of vegetation patches in young ecosystems formed as a result of initial parent material characteristics and invading vegetation with respect to litter decomposition, soil solution composition, nutrient retention and leaching, and effects on the soil mineral phase. These patterns are not mere additive effects of parent materials plus plant litter, but reflect differences in biogeochemical process intensities and could result in an increasing heterogeneity of soil properties, nutrient availability, and element leaching fluxes with time.
Multiscale electromagnetic SERS enhancement on self‐assembled micropatterned gold nanoparticle films
Authors: Leordean Cosmin , Potara Monica , Boca‐Farcau Sanda , Vulpoi Adriana , Astilean Simion , Farcau Cosmin
Published: June 2014

In this work, we demonstrate a cascaded, multiplicative electromagnetic enhancement effect in surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) on periodically micropatterned films made of colloidal gold nanoparticles, prepared by a self‐assembly approach, without implying lithography procedures. The multiplicative enhancement effect is obtained by combining surface plasmon near‐field enhancement due to nanoscale features with far‐field photonic coupling by periodic microscale features. The effect is observed for both internal Raman reporters (molecules attached to the Au colloids before their assembly) and external Raman probes (molecules adsorbed on the samples after film assembly). The ability of the patterned films for far‐field light coupling is supported by reflectivity spectra, which present minima/maxima in the visible spectral range. Finite‐difference time‐domain computer simulations of the electric field distribution also support this interpretation. The fabricated dual‐scale SERS substrates exhibit a good spot‐to‐spot reproducibility and time stability, as proved by the SERS response over a time scale longer than 1 month. The experimental demonstration of this cascaded electromagnetic enhancement effect contributes to a better understanding of SERS and can affect future design of SERS substrates. Moreover, such dual‐scale colloidal films prepared by convective self‐assembly can be of general interest for the broader field of nanoparticle‐based devices. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Threshold conditions for a discrete nonautonomous SIRS model
Authors: Zhang Tailei , Liu Junli , Teng Zhidong
Published: June 2014

In this paper, a discrete nonautonomous SIRS epidemic model is studied. The model is constructed by applying a nonstandard finite difference scheme. Under weaker assumptions, the sufficient and necessary conditions on the permanence and strong persistence of the disease and the sufficient condition on the extinction of the disease are established. In order to illustrate our theoretical analysis, some numerical simulations are included in the end. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A four‐node plane parametric element based on quadrilateral area coordinate and its application to coupled solid‐deformation/fluid‐flow simulation for porous geomaterials
Authors: Li Gen
Published: June 2014

A four‐node plane parametric element AQGβ6‐I is constructed on the basis of the quadrilateral area coordinate, the generalized conforming principle and the projection technique with a penalty factor β within an interval of 0–1. When β = 0, the element has excellent bending performance. When β = 1, the element can pass patch test strictly; its performance is as good as many famous elements. When β value is between 0 and 1, such as β = 0.5, the element can arrive at a compromise between (relatively) low sensitivity to mesh distortion and perfect convergence. The work provides an illuminating method to alleviate a difficult problem in finite element modelling using the four‐node quadrilateral element, which can pass the strict patch test, but has poor performance in bending dominated problem; on the contrary, it has excellent performance in bending dominated problem but cannot pass the strong patch test.

The AQGβ6‐I with the convergence formulation (β = 1) is then applied to coupled solid‐deformation/fluid‐flow simulation for porous geomaterials. The computational examples are carried out to demonstrate that the AQGβ6‐I (β = 1) element is not only stable, reliable and efficient but also of high accuracy. The present study provides a good applicable element for finite element simulations of solid‐deformation/fluid‐flow for porous geomaterials. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Body‐size throughout life and risk of depression in postmenopausal women: Findings from the E3N cohort
Authors: Perquier Florence , Lasfargues Aude , Mesrine Sylvie , Clavel‐Chapelon Françoise , Fagherazzi Guy
Published: June 2014

Objective

To assess the association of body‐size from childhood to age 40 with depression in postmenopausal French women.

Methods

Participants of the E3N study reported birth characteristics and silhouettes matching theirs at age 8, at puberty, at 20‐25, and 35‐40 years (n = 41,144). Depression was assessed by the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale and split into new‐onset and recurrent depression according to women's history of psychological disorder. Risks were estimated with multinomial logistic regression models.

Results

Low or high birth weights were associated with risk of depression. A large body‐size at age 8 and a large body‐size over the life‐course were both associated with the risk of new‐onset depression specifically, while women with a large body‐size increase at puberty were at risk of recurrent depression. Largest body‐sizes at 20‐25 or 35‐40 years were associated with both the risk of new‐onset and recurrent depression, especially in normal weight women. However, a lean silhouette at 35‐40 years was associated with the risk of recurrent depression only.

Conclusions

Women with a large body‐size from childhood to adulthood might be at higher risk of new‐onset postmenopausal depression, while leanness in adulthood could be associated with a higher risk of recurrent depression.
Conformation/Tautomerization effect on the pKa values of lumazine and 6‐thienyllumazine
Authors: Afaneh Akef T. , Schreckenbach Georg
Published: June 2014

Density functional theory [B3LYP/6‐311+G(d,p)] was used in combination with the conductor‐like polarizable continuum model (CPCM) solvation model to investigate the relative stability and site‐specific values of neutral and ionized tautomers of lumazine (LM) and 6‐thienylLM (TLM). Two types of populations should be taken into consideration when calculating the , tautomers, and conformers. The major tautomer of neutral LM in aqueous solution is 13‐LM (the 13 notation refers to the acidic protons being in positions 1 and 3 of LM) TLM has decreased acidity at N8 relative to LM. Further, the trans conformer of TLM is more acidic than cis. Similar to the case of LM, for TLM, N1 is more acidic than N3 in the uracil part. However, N8 is predicted to be a stronger acid than N1 for TLM. This acidity enhancement is essentially because of a specific stabilization of the anion when the thienyl group replaces H. Two factors are responsible for the acidity strength of N8: The thienyl ring upon deprotonation acts inductively as an electron‐withdrawing group, and the excess electron density is dispersed better when the system is trans and contains second‐row atoms. Accurate pKa calculation requires that all conformers/tautomers be included into the calculation. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Identification of immunogenic proteins of the bacterium Acinetobacter baumannii using a proteomic approach
Authors: Fajardo Bonin Renata , Chapeaurouge Alex , Perales Jonas , da Silva José Godinho , do Nascimento Hilton Jorge , D'Alincourt Carvalho Assef Ana Paula , Moreno Senna José Procópio
Published: June 2014

Purpose

Acinetobacter baumannii is an important opportunistic pathogen that causes pneumoniae, urinary tract infections, and/or septicemia in immunocompromised patients. This pathogen is frequently associated with nosocomial outbreaks worldwide and has become particularly problematic because of its prevalence and resistance patterns to several antibiotics. In the present study, we used an immunoproteome‐based approach to identify immunogenic proteins located on the surface of A. baumannii for the development of a possible immunotherapy against this devastating bacterial infection.

Experimental design

Sera from patients with A. baumannii infections (n = 50) and from a control group of healthy individuals (n = 3) were analyzed for reactivity against A. baumannii outer membrane proteins (OMPs) using Western blot analysis. To identify potential immunogenic proteins in A. baumannii, OMPs were separated by 2DE, and reactive sera from infected patients were randomly selected and divided into two different pools, each containing 15 sera. Finally, MALDI‐TOF/TOF mass spectrometric analysis was employed to identify the corresponding proteins.

Results

This analysis identified six immunoreactive proteins: OmpA, Omp34kDa, OprC, OprB‐like, OXA‐23, and ferric siderophore receptor protein. Notably, these proteins are highly abundant on the bacterial surface and involved in virulence, antibiotic resistance, and growth.

Conclusions and clinical relevance

Our results support the notion that the proteins identified in the present immunoproteome study could serve as antigen candidates for the development of vaccines and passive immunotherapies against A. baumannii infections.
Chaperoning heat shock proteins: Proteomic analysis and relevance for normal and dystrophin‐deficient muscle
Authors: Brinkmeier Heinrich , Ohlendieck Kay
Published: June 2014

Molecular chaperones play a key role in normal muscle function and during physiological adaptations to extensive exercise and numerous forms of cellular stress. The various classes of HSPs and related chaperones are also involved in the molecular pathogenesis of a large number of neuromuscular diseases. Several MS‐based proteomic studies have recently shown that the expression levels of molecular chaperones are severely altered in dystrophin‐deficient muscles. Dystrophin isoform Dp427 (where Dp427 is dystrophin protein of 427 kDa) is a large membrane cytoskeletal protein and its deficiency is the primary underlying cause of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Current efforts have focused on the establishment of a comprehensive biomarker signature of dystrophinopathy in order to improve diagnostic methods, establish reliable prognostic factors and identify novel therapeutic targets. Following an introduction into the biology of HSPs and their general role in skeletal muscle, this review outlines the proteomic profiling of molecular chaperones in dystrophinopathy. The focus is especially on the molecular fate of HSPs cardiovascular HSP (HSPB7), αBC (HSPB5), HSP70 (HSPA) and HSP90 (HSPC) in dystrophin‐deficient muscles and their involvement in progressive muscular dystrophy. Furthermore, the potential usage of distinct chaperones as disease markers of secondary pathobiochemical changes for the evaluation of novel treatment options is discussed.
Simplified methods of using probit analysis in consequence analysis
Authors: James Michael
Published: June 2014

Ensuring personnel can safely shelter during a chemical release is critical. The probit function is useful in determining maximum safe sheltering time.

Probits provide a link between probability of expected response and the exposure of a population to a specific event. Probit analysis can provide an estimate of the percentage of sheltered occupants with potential for adverse response to a chemical release.

Probits can be used to estimate duration of exposure for probability of nuisance‐level response, loss of consciousness, or fatal exposures.

Dispersion modeling tools provide data on predicted effects in response to long‐term exposure (typically 1 h). However, these tools do not define the maximum allowable exposure time for building occupants before loss of consciousness or fatalities are seen.

This article provides methodology for estimating critical exposure duration. This article provides a methodology with existing MS Excel formulas in measuring probits to arrive at probability of response to a toxic release.

While data on probit values for some chemicals is readily available, there is minimal guidance in the open literature on developing estimates of probit constants where they do not currently exist or are not published. This article presents a methodology for estimating probit constants based on toxicological data. © 2014 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Process Saf Prog 34: 58–63, 2015
Driving h‐osteoblast adhesion and proliferation on titania: peptide hydrogels decorated with growth factors and adhesive conjugates
Authors: Dettin M. , Zamuner A. , Iucci G. , Messina G. M. L. , Battocchio C. , Picariello G. , Gallina G. , Marletta G. , Castagliuolo I. , Brun P.
Published: June 2014

Hydrogels from self‐assembling ionic complementary peptides have been receiving much interest from the scientific community as mimetics of the extracellular matrix that can offer three‐dimensional support for cell growth or become vehicles for the delivery of stem cells or drugs. These scaffolds have also been proposed as bone substitutes for small defects as they promote beneficial effects on human osteoblasts. In order to develop a novel bioactive titanium implant, we propose the introduction of a layer of ionic‐complementary self‐assembling peptides (EAbuK) on Ti whose surface has been previously sandblasted and acid etched. The peptide layer is anchored to the metal by covalent functionalization of titania with self‐assembling sequences. The peptide layer has also been enriched by the insulin‐like growth factor‐1 incorporated to the layer and/or a conjugate obtained by chemoselective ligation between EAbuK and a sequence of 25 residues containing four GRGDSP motifs per chain. X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy studies confirmed a change in the surface composition in agreement with the proposed decorations. An evaluation of the contact angle showed a substantial change in wettability induced by the peptide layer. The human osteoblast adhesion and proliferation assays showed an increase in adhesion for the surfaces enriched with conjugate at a concentration of 3.8 × 10−7 m and an enhanced proliferation for samples enriched with insulin‐like growth factor‐1 at the highest concentration tested (2.1 × 10−5 m). Copyright © 2014 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Structural and optical properties of short peptides: nanotubes‐to‐nanofibers phase transformation
Authors: Handelman Amir , Natan Amir , Rosenman Gil
Published: June 2014

Thermally induced phase transformation in bioorganic nanotubes, which self‐assembled from two ultrashort dipeptides of different origin, aromatic diphenylalanine (FF) and aliphatic dileucine (LL), is studied. In both FF and LL nanotubes, irreversible phase transformation found at 120–180 °C is governed by linear‐to‐cyclic dipeptide molecular modification followed by formation of extended β‐sheet structure. As a result of this process, native open‐end FF and LL nanotubes are transformed into ultrathin nanofibrils. Found deep reconstructions at all levels from macroscopic (morphology) and structural space symmetry to molecular give rise to new optical properties in both aromatic FF and aliphatic LL nanofibrils and generation of blue photoluminescence (PL) emission. It is shown that observed blue PL peak is similar in these supramolecular nanofibrillar structures and is excited by the network of non‐covalent hydrogen bonds that link newly thermally induced neighboring cyclic dipeptide strands to final extended β‐sheet structure of amyloid‐like nanofibrils. The observed blue PL peak in short dipeptide nanofibrils is similar to the blue PL peak that was recently found in amyloid fibrils and can be considered as the optical signature of β‐sheet structures. Nanotubular structures were characterized by environmental scanning electron microscope, ToF‐secondary ion mass spectroscopy, CD and fluorescence spectroscopy. Copyright © 2014 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Sulforaphane Suppresses LPS‐Induced or TPA‐Induced Downregulation of PDCD4 in RAW 264.7 Cells
Authors: Cho Jong‐Ho , Kim Young‐Woo , Keum Young‐Sam
Published: June 2014

Sulforaphane is a natural chemopreventive isothiocyanate and abundantly found in various cruciferous vegetables. Although chemopreventive activity of sulforaphane is well documented, the detailed biochemical mechanism(s), underlying how it regulates the protein translation process to antagonize pro‐inflammatory responses are largely unclear. In the present study, we show that lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or 12‐O‐tetradecanoylphorbol‐13‐acetate (TPA) treatment reduces cellular levels of PDCD4, and this event is mediated by affecting both transcription and proteolysis in RAW 264.7 cells. We show that LPS‐mediated or TPA‐mediated PDCD4 downregulation is catalyzed by the activation of intracellular Akt1 or S6K1 kinases and that sulforaphane suppresses LPS‐induced or TPA‐induced Akt1 or S6K1 activation, thereby resulting in the attenuation of PDCD4 downregulation in RAW 264.7 cells. We propose that sulforaphane suppression of PDCD4 downregulation serves as a novel molecular mechanism to control proliferation in response to pro‐inflammatory signals. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Generation of AupAgqTer clusters via laser ablation synthesis using Au‐Ag‐Te nano‐composite as precursor: quadrupole ion‐trap time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry
Authors: Mawale Ravi Madhukar , Amato Filippo , Alberti Milan , Havel Josef
Published: June 2014

RATIONALE

Metal tellurides have applications in various fields of science and technology but only a few gold‐silver tellurides have been reported. The laser ablation synthesis (LAS) method allows the preparation of nano‐materials from solid substrates. Therefore, this method was selected to synthesise some gold‐silver tellurides.

METHODS

Laser desorption ionisation quadrupole ion trap time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (LDI QIT TOF MS) was used for the generation of new AupAgqTer clusters. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (EDX) were used to characterise the materials. The stoichiometry of the clusters generated was determined via collision‐induced dissociation (CID) and modeling of isotopic patterns.

RESULTS

Chemisorption of gold and silver nano‐particles on tellurium powder led to the formation of a new kind of Au‐Ag‐Te nano‐composite. The LDI of this nano‐composite yielded nine unary (Agq, Ter), 40 binary (AupTer and AgpTer) and 78 ternary clusters. The stoichiometry of these novel AupAgqTer clusters is reported here for the first time.

CONCLUSIONS

The new Au‐Ag‐Te nano‐composite was found to be a more suitable precursor for the generation of clusters than the mixtures of the elements. TOF MS was shown to be a useful technique for following the generation of gold‐silver tellurides. Knowledge of the cluster stoichiometry could accelerate the further development of novel high‐tech materials such as chalcogenide glasses. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Regulatory Landscape of Osteogenic Differentiation
Authors: Håkelien Anne-Mari , Bryne Jan Christian , Harstad Kristine G. , Lorenz Susanne , Paulsen Jonas , Sun Jinchang , Mikkelsen Tarjei S. , Myklebost Ola , Meza-Zepeda Leonardo A.
Published: June 2014

Differentiation of osteoblasts from mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) is an integral part of bone development and homeostasis, and may when improperly regulated cause disease such as bone cancer or osteoporosis. Using unbiased high-throughput methods we here characterize the landscape of global changes in gene expression, histone modifications, and DNA methylation upon differentiation of human MSCs to the osteogenic lineage. Furthermore, we provide a first genome-wide characterization of DNA binding sites of the bone master regulatory transcription factor Runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2) in human osteoblasts, revealing target genes associated with regulation of proliferation, migration, apoptosis, and with a significant overlap with p53 regulated genes. These findings expand on emerging evidence of a role for RUNX2 in cancer, including bone metastases, and the p53 regulatory network. We further demonstrate that RUNX2 binds to distant regulatory elements, promoters, and with high frequency to gene 3′ ends. Finally, we identify TEAD2 and GTF2I as novel regulators of osteogenesis. Stem Cells  2014;32:2780–2793
Activating Receptor NKG2D Targets RAE-1-Expressing Allogeneic Neural Precursor Cells in a Viral Model of Multiple Sclerosis
Authors: Weinger Jason G. , Plaisted Warren C. , Maciejewski Sonia M. , Lanier Lewis L. , Walsh Craig M. , Lane Thomas E.
Published: June 2014

Transplantation of major histocompatibility complex-mismatched mouse neural precursor cells (NPCs) into mice persistently infected with the neurotropic JHM strain of mouse hepatitis virus (JHMV) results in rapid rejection that is mediated, in part, by T cells. However, the contribution of the innate immune response to allograft rejection in a model of viral-induced neurological disease has not been well defined. Herein, we demonstrate that the natural killer (NK) cell-expressing-activating receptor NKG2D participates in transplanted allogeneic NPC rejection in mice persistently infected with JHMV. Cultured NPCs derived from C57BL/6 (H-2b) mice express the NKG2D ligand retinoic acid early precursor transcript (RAE)-1 but expression was dramatically reduced upon differentiation into either glia or neurons. RAE-1+ NPCs were susceptible to NK cell-mediated killing whereas RAE-1− cells were resistant to lysis. Transplantation of C57BL/6-derived NPCs into JHMV-infected BALB/c (H-2d) mice resulted in infiltration of NKG2D+CD49b+ NK cells and treatment with blocking antibody specific for NKG2D increased survival of allogeneic NPCs. Furthermore, transplantation of differentiated RAE-1− allogeneic NPCs into JHMV-infected BALB/c mice resulted in enhanced survival, highlighting a role for the NKG2D/RAE-1 signaling axis in allograft rejection. We also demonstrate that transplantation of allogeneic NPCs into JHMV-infected mice resulted in infection of the transplanted cells suggesting that these cells may be targets for infection. Viral infection of cultured cells increased RAE-1 expression, resulting in enhanced NK cell-mediated killing through NKG2D recognition. Collectively, these results show that in a viral-induced demyelination model, NK cells contribute to rejection of allogeneic NPCs through an NKG2D signaling pathway. Stem Cells  2014;32:2690–2701
B-Cell Receptor-Associated Protein 31 Regulates Human Embryonic Stem Cell Adhesion, Stemness, and Survival via Control of Epithelial Cell Adhesion Molecule
Authors: Kim Won-Tae , Seo Choi Hong , Min Lee Hyun , Jang Young-Joo , Ryu Chun Jeih
Published: June 2014

B-Cell receptor-associated protein 31 (BAP31) regulates the export of secreted membrane proteins from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to the downstream secretory pathway. Previously, we generated a monoclonal antibody 297-D4 against the surface molecule on undifferentiated human embryonic stem cells (hESCs). Here, we found that 297-D4 antigen was localized to pluripotent hESCs and downregulated during early differentiation of hESCs and identified that the antigen target of 297-D4 was BAP31 on the hESC-surface. To investigate the functional role of BAP31 in hESCs, BAP31 expression was knocked down by small interfering RNA. BAP31 depletion impaired hESC self-renewal and pluripotency and drove hESC differentiation into multicell lineages. BAP31 depletion hindered hESC proliferation by arresting cell cycle at G0/G1 phase and inducing caspase-independent cell death. Interestingly, BAP31 depletion reduced hESC adhesion to extracellular matrix (ECM). Analysis of cell surface molecules showed decreased expression of epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) in BAP31-depleted hESCs, while ectopic expression of BAP31 elevated the expression of EpCAM. EpCAM depletion also reduced hESC adhesion to ECM, arrested cell cycle at G0/G1 phase and induced cell death, producing similar effects to those of BAP31 depletion. BAP31 and EpCAM were physically associated and colocalized at the ER and cell surface. Both BAP31 and EpCAM depletion decreased cyclin D1 and E expression and suppressed PI3K/Akt signaling, suggesting that BAP31 regulates hESC stemness and survival via control of EpCAM expression. These findings provide, for the first time, mechanistic insights into how BAP31 regulates hESC stemness and survival via control of EpCAM expression. Stem Cells  2014;32:2626–2641
Increased on oxidative brain injury in the diabetic rats following sepsis
Authors: Vieira Andriele , Michels Monique , Florentino Drielly , Lauriano André Antunes , Danielski Lucineia Gainski , Fortunato Jucelia Jeremias , Barichello Tatiana , Felipe Dal‐Pizzol , Quevedo Joao , Petronilho Fabricia
Published: June 2014

Diabetes has been the subject of recent research by increase susceptibility to infections, thus the aim of this study was to evaluate in animal model of diabetes induced by alloxan (ALX) and subjected to sepsis the parameters of oxidative stress on the brain. Diabetes was induced in Wistar rats by ALX (150 mg/kg), and 15 days after, sepsis was induced by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). The myeloperoxidase activity (MPO), nitrite/nitrate, oxidative damage parameters, and the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) were measured in the cerebellum, hippocampus, striatum, prefrontal, and cortex in 6, 12, and 24 h after CLP. The results showed the potentiation of diabetes with sepsis. We verified these potentiation on MPO levels in the cerebellum, hippocampus, and prefrontal and an increase of the nitrite/nitrate concentration in the hippocampus, striatum, prefrontal, and cortex in 24 h after sepsis surgery. To oxidative damage, we verified in 6 h an increase on lipid and protein damage parameters in the striatum and hippocampus in 24 h. When we associate sepsis and diabetes, the SOD and CAT activity not were altered. Thus, diabetes associated with sepsis exacerbates brain damage resulting from inflammation and oxidative stress in brain. Synapse, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Late‐Stage Formation of Carbon–Fluorine Bonds
Authors: Campbell Michael G. , Ritter Tobias
Published: June 2014

In this account, we review work from our lab on the development of methods for carbon–fluorine bond formation, with an emphasis on late‐stage fluorination of functionalized small molecules and synthesis of 18F‐labeled molecules for potential use as tracers in positron emission tomography (PET). We attempt to highlight reactions that we feel are of particular practical relevance, as well as areas of research where there is still significant room for advancement.
Sub‐lethal effects of capture and collaring on wildlife: Experimental and field evidence
Authors: Rachlow Janet L. , Peter Renee M. , Shipley Lisa A. , Johnson Timothy R.
Published: June 2014

We used both experimental and observational approaches to investigate sub‐lethal effects of capture and radiocollaring on pygmy rabbits (Brachylagus idahoensis) in Idaho and Washington during 2004–2008. We expected that attachment of collars would increase rates of grooming behaviors and alter patterns of space use. Frequency of grooming was >3 times higher following attachment of radiocollars on captive rabbits; however, the grooming rate declined rapidly and returned to within 5% of pre‐collaring levels after 7 days. Free‐ranging rabbits exhibited relatively longer distance movements immediately following and during the 2 weeks after capture and attachment of radiocollars, but those movements decreased during weeks 3–4 post‐collaring. Rabbits also shifted use areas away from capture locations. Our results suggest that: 1) rabbits became habituated to the presence of collars with respect to grooming; and 2) although, magnitude of movements following capture and collaring in the field attenuated with time, some animals continued to avoid capture areas up to 4 weeks after collaring. A better understanding of potential effects of telemetry on wildlife can help to improve the quality of data collected, design ways to mitigate the impacts on animals, and enhance the ethical conduct of wildlife research. © 2014 The Wildlife Society.
Large scale molecular simulations of nanotoxicity
Authors: Jimenez‐Cruz Camilo A. , Kang Seung‐gu , Zhou Ruhong
Published: June 2014

The widespread use of nanomaterials in biomedical applications has been accompanied by an increasing interest in understanding their interactions with tissues, cells, and biomolecules, and in particular, on how they might affect the integrity of cell membranes and proteins. In this mini‐review, we present a summary of some of the recent studies on this important subject, especially from the point of view of large scale molecular simulations. The carbon‐based nanomaterials and noble metal nanoparticles are the main focus, with additional discussions on quantum dots and other nanoparticles as well. The driving forces for adsorption of fullerenes, carbon nanotubes, and graphene nanosheets onto proteins or cell membranes are found to be mainly hydrophobic interactions and the so‐called π–π stacking (between aromatic rings), while for the noble metal nanoparticles the long‐range electrostatic interactions play a bigger role. More interestingly, there are also growing evidences showing that nanotoxicity can have implications in de novo design of nanomedicine. For example, the endohedral metallofullerenol Gd@C82(OH)22 is shown to inhibit tumor growth and metastasis by inhibiting enzyme MMP‐9, and graphene is illustrated to disrupt bacteria cell membranes by insertion/cutting as well as destructive extraction of lipid molecules. These recent findings have provided a better understanding of nanotoxicity at the molecular level and also suggested therapeutic potential by using the cytotoxicity of nanoparticles against cancer or bacteria cells. WIREs Syst Biol Med 2014, 6:265–279. doi: 10.1002/wsbm.1271

This article is categorized under:

Biological Mechanisms > Chemical Biology

Analytical and Computational Methods > Computational Methods
A Group‐Subgroup Relationship Between the New Nitride Tellurides of Terbium and Dysprosium with the Composition M4N2Te3
Authors: Foltin Markus L. , Lissner Falk , Strobel Sabine , Schleid Thomas
Published: June 2014

Two new non‐isostructural lanthanide(III) nitride tellurides with the composition M4N2Te3 bearing terbium (Tb4N2Te3) and dysprosium (Dy4N2Te3) could be synthesized by the reaction of terbium (Tb) or dysprosium (Dy) metal with sodium azide (NaN3), tellurium (Te), iodine (I2), and sodium iodide (NaI) as flux in evacuated silica tubes for seven days at 950 °C. Tb4N2Te3 crystallizes orthorhombically in space group Pnna with the lattice parameters a = 727.14(5), b = 1164.37(8), c = 1100.93(7) pm, Vm = 140.33(2) cm3·mol–1 (Z = 4). In contrast, Dy4N2Te3 appears in the monoclinic space group P21/n with the lattice parameters a = 719.56(5), b = 1164.05(8), c = 1097.34(7) pm, β = 91.327(3)°, Vm = 138.34(2) cm3·mol–1 (Z = 4). Corresponding to the lanthanide contraction the cell parameters of Dy4N2Te3 show slightly smaller values compared to Tb4N2Te3, but the change of symmetry leads to a different crystal system. Symmetry operations related to a and c are lost according to P2/n21/n2/a → P121/n1 and the two crystallographically independent M3+ cations in Tb4N2Te3 split into four in Dy4N2Te3. Both Tb3+ cations are coordinated by six anions in first sphere plus one Te2– anion further apart for (Tb1)3+ leading to capped trigonal prisms and distorted octahedra. The four Dy3+ cations with coordination numbers of six plus one and three times six also reside in capped and uncapped distorted octahedral anionic coordination. Both crystal structures have infinite zigzag chains in 1∞{[NM$\rm^{e}_{4/2}$]3+} in common, which are formed by trans‐edge connected [NM4]9+ tetrahedra. They run along [010] and exhibit two crystallographically different N3– anions in both cases. The latter are coordinated on the one hand to two sorts of Tb3+ cations in Tb4N2Te3 and on the other hand to four sorts of Dy3+ cations in Dy4N2Te3 as major structural difference. However, both crystal structures show a clear group‐subgroup relationship.
Electric Current Circuits in Astrophysics
Authors: Kuijpers Jan , Frey Harald U. , Fletcher Lyndsay
Published: June 2014

Cosmic magnetic structures have in common that they are anchored in a dynamo, that an external driver converts kinetic energy into internal magnetic energy, that this magnetic energy is transported as Poynting flux across the magnetically dominated structure, and that the magnetic energy is released in the form of particle acceleration, heating, bulk motion, MHD waves, and radiation. The investigation of the electric current system is particularly illuminating as to the course of events and the physics involved. We demonstrate this for the radio pulsar wind, the solar flare, and terrestrial magnetic storms.
Bioactive Compounds, Antioxidant Activities and Heat Stability of Corn Oil Enriched with Tunisian Citrus aurantium L. Peel Extract
Authors: Jabri‐Karoui Iness , Marzouk Brahim
Published: June 2014

This study was designed to examine physicochemical composition, antioxidant activities and heat stability of corn oil enriched with bitter orange peel. Volatile compounds composition of corn oil flavored with Citrus aurantium peel was investigated. Flavored oil total aroma content (2.6 mg/mg oil) was mainly represented by monoterpene hydrocarbons and limonene was the major one (2.49 mg/mg oil). Flavored oil methanolic extract was characterized by total phenol content of 1.22 mg GAE/kg. Chlorogenic, ferulic and p‐coumaric acids were the major phenolic components of the flavored oil extract (34.33, 30.24 and 19.39 %, respectively). It was also characterized by a higher chlorophylls and carotenoids contents than the refined one. Antioxidant activities of methanolic extracts of both samples were determined using four assays: DPPH, reducing power, β‐carotene bleaching and metal chelating tests. In β‐carotene bleaching and DPPH radical scavenging assays, flavored oil methanolic extract showed higher activities than the control. It was characterized by a total antioxidant activity of 4.08 mg GAE/kg and an EC50 value of 3.14 mg/mg oil. Its concentration providing 50 % inhibition (IC50) was 0.53 mg/mg oil in the DPPH test and 4.08 mg/mg oil in the β‐carotene bleaching test. However, refined corn extract showed significantly lower antioxidant activities (p < 0.05). Results of the oxidative stability index showed bitter orange peel effectiveness against thermal oxidation based on the increased induction time observed in flavored oil (5.95).
Efficacy and acceptability of a mifepristone–misoprostol combined regimen for early induced abortion among women in Mexico City
Authors: Peña Melanie , Dzuba Ilana G. , Smith Patricio Sanhueza , Mendoza Luis Jorge Arellano , Bousiéguez Manuel , Martínez María Laura García , Polanco Ranulfo Ríos , Villalón Antonio Eduardo Flores , Winikoff Beverly
Published: June 2014

Objective

To evaluate the experience of women receiving mifepristone–misoprostol for early induced abortion in public sector facilities in the Federal District of Mexico City.

Methods

An open‐label prospective study was conducted with 1000 pregnant women who sought induced abortion with a pregnancy of up to 63 days of gestation, as measured from the date of their last menstrual period. The study was conducted in three public sector healthcare facilities: two secondary level hospitals and one primary care clinic. Women ingested 200 mg mifepristone on day 1, followed by 800 μg buccal misoprostol 24 hours later, and they returned for follow‐up on day 8. The primary outcome was complete abortion without recourse to surgical intervention.

Results

A total of 971 women received mifepristone–misoprostol and were included in the analysis for efficacy of treatment. The overall efficacy of the combined medical abortion regimen studied was 97.3% (n = 945); the success rate did not vary significantly by gestational age (95.9%–100%; P = 0.449). Most women (n = 922, 95.0%) had a successful induced abortion with only one dose of misoprostol.

Conclusion

The combined mifepristone and buccal misoprostol regimen was found to be highly effective and acceptable among Mexican women. www.ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT00386282.
Can't finish what you started? The effect of climactic interruption on behavior
Authors: Kupor Daniella M. , Reich Taly , Shiv Baba
Published: June 2014

Individuals experience a greater frequency of interruptions than ever before. Interruptions by e‐mails, phone calls, text messages and other sources of disruption are ubiquitous. We examine the important unanswered question of whether interruptions can increase the likelihood that individuals will choose closure‐associated behaviors. Specifically, we explore the possibility that interruptions that occur during the climactic moments of a task or activity can produce a heightened need for psychological closure. When an interruption prevents individuals from achieving closure in the interrupted domain, we show that the resulting unsatisfied need for psychological closure can cause individuals to seek closure in totally unrelated domains. These findings have important implications for understanding how consumer decisions may be influenced by the dynamic—and often interrupted—course of daily events.
A comparison of fibromyalgia symptoms in patients with Healthy versus Depressive, Low and Reactive affect balance styles
Authors: Toussaint Loren L. , Vincent Ann , McAllister Samantha J. , Oh Terry H. , Hassett Afton L.
Published: June 2014

Background and aims

Affect balance reflects relative levels of negative affect (NA) and positive affect (PA) and includes four styles: Healthy (low NA/high PA), Depressive (high NA/low PA), Reactive (high NA/high PA) and Low (low NA/low PA). These affect balance styles may have important associations with clinical outcomes in patients with fibromyalgia. Herein, we evaluated the severity of core fibromyalgia symptom domains as described by the Outcomes Research in Rheumatology-Fibromyalgia working group in the context of the four affect balance styles.

Methods

Data from 735 patients with fibromyalgia who completed the Brief Pain Inventory, Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory, Profile of Mood States, Medical Outcomes Sleep Scale, Multiple Ability Self-Report Questionnaire, Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire-Revised, Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36, and Positive and Negative Affect Schedule were included in this analysis.

Results

The majority (51.8%) of patients in our sample had a Depressive affect balance style; compared to patients with a Healthy affect balance style, they scored significantly worse in all fibromyalgia symptom domains including pain, fatigue, sleep disturbance, dyscognition, depression, anxiety, stiffness, and functional status (P = <.001 to .004). Overall, patients with a Healthy affect balance style had the lowest level of symptoms, while symptom levels of those with Reactive and Low affect balance styles were distributed in between those of the Depressive and Healthy groups.

Conclusions and implications

The results of our cross-sectional study suggest that having a Healthy affect balance style is associated with better physical and psychological symptom profiles in fibromyalgia. Futures studies evaluating these associations longitudinally could provide rationale for evaluating the effect of psychological interventions on affect balance and clinical outcomes in fibromyalgia.
Variations on a central limit theorem in infinite ergodic theory
Authors: THOMINE DAMIEN
Published: June 2014

In a previous paper the author proved a distributional convergence for the Birkhoff sums of functions of null average defined over a dynamical system with an infinite, invariant, ergodic measure, akin to a central limit theorem. Here we extend this result to larger classes of observables, with milder smoothness conditions, and to larger classes of dynamical systems, which may no longer be mixing. A special emphasis is given to continuous time systems: semi-flows, flows, and $\mathbb{Z}^{d}$-extensions of flows. The latter generalization is applied to the geodesic flow on $\mathbb{Z}^{d}$-periodic manifolds of negative sectional curvature.
Suffix conjugates for a class of morphic subshifts
Authors: CURRIE JAMES D. , RAMPERSAD NARAD , SAARI KALLE
Published: June 2014

Let $A$ be a finite alphabet and $f:~A^{\ast }\rightarrow A^{\ast }$ be a morphism with an iterative fixed point $f^{{\it\omega}}({\it\alpha})$, where ${\it\alpha}\in A$. Consider the subshift $({\mathcal{X}},T)$, where ${\mathcal{X}}$ is the shift orbit closure of $f^{{\it\omega}}({\it\alpha})$ and $T:~{\mathcal{X}}\rightarrow {\mathcal{X}}$ is the shift map. Let $S$ be a finite alphabet that is in bijective correspondence via a mapping $c$ with the set of non-empty suffixes of the images $f(a)$ for $a\in A$. Let ${\mathcal{S}}\subset S^{\mathbb{N}}$ be the set of infinite words $\mathbf{s}=(s_{n})_{n\geq 0}$ such that ${\it\pi}(\mathbf{s}):=c(s_{0})f(c(s_{1}))f^{2}(c(s_{2}))\cdots \in {\mathcal{X}}$. We show that if $f$ is primitive, $f^{{\it\omega}}({\it\alpha})$ is aperiodic, and $f(A)$ is a suffix code, then there exists a mapping $H:~{\mathcal{S}}\rightarrow {\mathcal{S}}$ such that $({\mathcal{S}},H)$ is a topological dynamical system and ${\it\pi}:~({\mathcal{S}},H)\rightarrow ({\mathcal{X}},T)$ is a conjugacy; we call $({\mathcal{S}},H)$ the suffix conjugate of $({\mathcal{X}},T)$. In the special case where $f$ is the Fibonacci or Thue–Morse morphism, we show that the subshift $({\mathcal{S}},T)$ is sofic, that is, the language of ${\mathcal{S}}$ is regular.
REMEMBERING THE TEUTOBURG FOREST:MONVMENTAINANNALS1.61
Authors: Seidman Jessica
Published: June 2014

A first-time reader of Tacitus'Annalsis as unprepared for this shocking description of the Teutoburg Forest as the Roman soldiers who viewed the site themselves. Here, about three quarters of the way through the first book, sandwiched between an unremarkable summary of Roman/German relations and Germanicus' pursuit of Arminius, Tacitus has composed one of the most vivid, horrifying, poetic descriptions in the entire work. The visual details are stunning: a field covered with ‘whitening bones’, ‘bits of weapons’, ‘the limbs of horses’, and heads of men ‘fastened to the trunks of trees’. This is not merely an archaeological site, to be regarded by tourists with dispassionate curiosity; survivors are present to tell the story of the tragedy, a story at once their own and that of the relatives and friends of their audience. The men could hardly fail to reflect on thecasus bellorum et sortem hominum.
Three Tales of Three Houses
Authors: Gottschalk Peter
Published: June 2014

The house has stood empty since Partition. Its Muslim family abandoned their Bihari village in India for a new life in West Pakistan, 1,300 kilometers distant. Unlike most other homes left behind by emigrants, this one's doors still open to its owner's keys, since his brothers remained in their homes nearby. One of those brothers follows invitations across north India preaching the Tablighi Islamic revival. In conversation, he demonstrates little interest in the religious traditions of the Hindu majority of his large village. Two decades ago, his son, Farhad, opened one of the first private schools in the area, anticipating the surging demand for education that has overtaken India. Some of the first classrooms built had brick walls pierced by concrete screens decoratively depicting a Quran, crescent moon, and star. Most of the school's students and many of its teachers are Hindu.