bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evolution of the plasma proteome of divers before and after a single SCUBA dive
Authors: Lautridou Jacky , Pichereau Vianney , Artigaud Sébastien , Bernay Benoit , Barak Otto , Hoiland Ryan , Lovering Andrew T. , Eftedal Ingrid , Dujic Zeljko , Guerrero François
Published: April 2017

Purpose

Decompression sickness (DCS) is a poorly understood and complex systemic disease caused by inadequate desaturation following a reduction of ambient pressure. A previous proteomic study of ours showed that DCS occurrence but not diving was associated with changes in the plasma proteome in rats, including a dramatic decrease of abundance of the tetrameric form of Transthyretin (TTR). The present study aims to assess the impact on the human blood proteome of a dive inducing significant decompression stress but without inducing DCS symptoms.

Experimental design

Twelve healthy male divers were subjected to a single dive at a depth of 18 m of sea water (msw) with a 47‐min bottom time followed by a direct ascent to the surface at a rate of 9 msw/min. Venous blood was collected before the dive as well as 30 min and 2 h following the dive. The plasma proteomes from four individuals were then analyzed by using a two‐dimensional electrophoresis‐based proteomic strategy.

Results

No protein spot showed a significantly changed abundance (fdr< 0.1) between the tested times.

Conclusion

These results strengthen the hypothesis according to which significant changes of the plasma proteome measurable with two‐dimensional electrophoresis may only occur along with DCS symptoms.
Analytical‐Based Methodologies for Examining the In Vitro Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, and Elimination (ADME) of Silver Nanoparticles
Authors: Paluri Sesha L. A. , Ryan John D. , Lam Nhi H. , Nepal Dhriti , Sizemore Ioana E.
Published: April 2017

The clinical applications of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) remain limited due to the lack of well‐established methodologies for studying their nanokinetics. Hereby, the primary goal is to adapt a suite of analytical‐based methodologies for examining the in vitro absorption, distribution, metabolism, and elimination of AgNPs. Vero 76 and HEK 293 cells are exposed to ≈10‐nm spherical AgNPs+ and AgNPs− at relevant concentrations (0–300 µg mL−1) and times (4–48 h). Absorption: Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP‐OES) demonstrates that the two AgNP formulations are not bioequivalent. For example, different bioavailabilities (Cmaximum < 20.7 ± 4% and 6.82 ± 0.4%), absorption times (Tmaximum > 48 and ≈24 h), and absorption rate laws (first‐ and zeroth‐order at 300 µg mL−1) are determined in Vero 76 for AgNPs+ and AgNPs−, respectively. Distribution: Raman and CytoViva hyperspectral imaging show different cellular localizations for AgNPs+ and AgNPs−. Metabolism: Cloud point extraction (CPE)‐tangential flow filtration (TFF) reveal that ≤ 11% ± 4% of the administered, sublethal AgNPs release Ag+ and contribute to the observed cytotoxicity. Elimination: ICP‐OES‐CPE suggests that AgNPs are cleared via exocytosis.
Sustainable Development Goal 6: watering down justice concerns
Authors: Lele Sharachchandra
Published: April 2017

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) give much greater attention to environmental concerns than the Millennium Development Goals. SDG6, the water sector goal, is also more broadly framed, as it recognizes conservation needs in addition to drinking water and sanitation. However, normatively speaking, SDG6 is still framed in adequacy and sustainability terms, downplaying the goal of justice. This is a serious lacuna. Intragenerational justice is fundamental to many environmental problems, and especially to water, because water is a common‐pool, multiple‐use and unidirectionally flowing resource. Most debates in the water sector—upstream–downstream sharing, intersectoral allocations and specifically allocation to in‐stream conservation, water pollution, and even groundwater depletion—are about the ‘biophysical (in)justice’ caused by these characteristics of the resource. The debates then focus on how the outcomes may be made more equitable (within sectors) or fair (across sectors). Large interventions, such as big dams, create multiple benefits and costs across multiple users and sectors, focusing attention on procedural justice. Social inequities may add another layer, as they often correlate with biophysical injustice. While SDG6 recognizes conservation and public health needs, it fails to recognize the fundamental tension between these needs and other uses of water, and therefore the issues of equity, fairness, and/or procedural justice in allocating between them. Policy makers may be more comfortable with framing environmental problems as sustainability problems. However, researchers have contributed to this narrowing by framing environmental problems along disciplinarily fragmented lines. The idea of biophysical justice offers an interdisciplinary bridge that may help broaden the discourse. WIREs Water 2017, 4:e1224. doi: 10.1002/wat2.1224

This article is categorized under:

Engineering Water > Planning Water

Human Water > Rights to Water

Human Water > Water Governance
Nanophotonic trapping: precise manipulation and measurement of biomolecular arrays
Authors: Baker James E. , Badman Ryan P. , Wang Michelle D.
Published: April 2017

Optical trapping is a powerful and widely used laboratory technique in the biological and materials sciences that enables rapid manipulation and measurement at the nanometer scale. However, expanding the analytical throughput of this technique beyond the serial capabilities of established single‐trap microscope‐based optical tweezers remains a current goal in the field. In recent years, advances in nanotechnology have been leveraged to create innovative optical trapping methods that increase the number of available optical traps and permit parallel manipulation and measurement of arrays of optically trapped targets. In particular, nanophotonic trapping holds significant promise for integration with other lab‐on‐a‐chip technologies to yield compact, robust analytical devices. In this review, we highlight progress in nanophotonic manipulation and measurement, as well as the potential for implementing these on‐chip functionalities in biological research and biomedical applications. WIREs Nanomed Nanobiotechnol 2018, 10:e1477. doi: 10.1002/wnan.1477

This article is categorized under:

Nanotechnology Approaches to Biology > Nanoscale Systems in Biology
Strength testing of raccoons and invasive wild pigs for a species‐specific bait station
Authors: Snow Nathan P. , Lavelle Michael J. , Halseth Joseph M. , Blass Chad R. , Foster Justin A. , V er cauteren Kurt C.
Published: April 2017

With the development of a toxic bait (HOGGONE®) for the control of invasive wild pig (IWP; Sus scrofa) populations in the United States, there is a need to develop a bait station to mitigate potential effects on nontarget species. Our objective was to identify characteristics of a bait station that can successfully exclude raccoons (Procyon lotor)—a ubiquitous and dexterous nontarget species—while facilitating bait consumption by IWPs that exhibit group‐feeding behaviors. We evaluated abilities of captive raccoons (n = 19) and IWPs (n = 41) to open the lids of prototype resistance assessment bait stations (RABS) under various levels of resistance (range = 1.1–18.1 kg) at research facilities in Colorado and Texas, USA, during July–August 2014. We found that similar proportions (0.65) of individual raccoons and IWPs in our tests opened lids with 0–1.4 kg resistance, which decreased as resistance increased. No raccoons opened lids with ≥13.6 kg of resistance. However, equal proportions (0.45) of IWPs opened lids with 13.6 kg and 18.1 kg, and a greater proportion (0.73) secondarily accessed RABS after other IWPs opened them. Scrounging behaviors of IWPs (i.e., aggressively taking access to food from less dominate IWPs) increased as the levels of resistance increased, but similar proportions of animals gained access. These results suggest that a threshold‐weight‐of‐resistance of 13.6–18.1 kg on hinged lids excludes raccoons and allows access by IWPs. Furthermore, bait stations designed to allow multiple IWPs to feed simultaneously may be preferred because of group feeding behaviors. Field evaluations are required to evaluate the exclusion of other nontarget species (e.g., white‐tailed deer [Odocoileus virginianus], black bears [Ursus americanus], and coyotes [Canis latrans]), potential scrounging behaviors by nontargets, and bait consumption by IWPs. Published 2017. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
Classifying carnivore tracks using dimensions that control for snow conditions
Authors: M c Cann Nicholas P. , Zollner Patrick A. , Gilbert Jonathan H.
Published: April 2017

Snow‐tracking is important for elucidating patterns of carnivore behavior, but misclassifying tracks reduces the accuracy of snow‐tracking studies. Quantitative methods improve accuracy by distinguishing between similar tracks left by different carnivores. American marten (Martes americana) and fisher (Pekania pennanti) tracks are difficult to distinguish. We studied martens and fishers in northern Wisconsin, USA, during winter 2008–2010, to determine whether dimensions of tracks left in snow differed by snow conditions, and if marten and fisher tracks could be accurately classified by analyzing track dimensions that controlled for snow conditions. Snow depth, snow compaction, and crust depth correlated strongly with fisher step depth. Classification trees accurately classified marten and fisher tracks, and were 5–14% more accurate when track dimensions controlled for snow conditions. Species‐only classifications were 91–96% accurate. Trees that classified sex and species were 75–89% accurate, indicating that snow‐tracking can be used to estimate sex‐specific marten and fisher habitat selection, distribution, and abundance. Controlling for snow conditions improves track classification accuracy for martens and fishers, and would likely improve classification accuracy for other carnivores. © 2017 The Wildlife Society.
The Poetry of W.B. Yeats
Authors: Michael Faherty
Published: April 2017

As W. H. Auden said to the ghost of Yeats in his famous elegy, when he died ‘he became his admirers’. Not even Auden could have imagined just how prophetic that phrase would become. The battle over both Yeats’ life and his poetry began almost immediately after his death, with some sides proudly claiming him as one of their very own, while others insisted he had never really been one of them at all.

To what tradition does Yeats belong? To what culture? Was he Irish or Anglo-Irish, or even English? Was he a Romantic, Symbolist or Modernist poet? A nationalist, fascist or a postnationalist? This Guide follows the often heated debates on who Yeats was and what kind of poetry he wrote. Michael Faherty offers selections from the leading voices in these debates, setting them in the context of Irish cultural and political history.
Television Discourse
Authors: Lorenzo-Dus Nuria
Published: April 2017

What is the connection between what is said on TV and how it is said? Structured around 4 key features of the current broadcast landscape (storytelling, closeness, conflict and persuasion), Television Discourse examines the specific forms and structures of talk across media genres as varied as reality shows and political interviews.
Effectiveness of Antibiotic Prophylaxis in Non‐emergency Cholecystectomy Using Data from a Population‐Based Cohort Study
Authors: Vohra Ravinder S. , Hodson James , Pasquali Sandro , Griffiths Ewen A. ,   CholeS Study Group and West Midlands Research Collaborative
Published: April 2017

Background

There is a variation in the administration of antibiotics prophylaxis to reduce the perceived risk of SSI in patients undergoing non‐emergency cholecystectomy. The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of antibiotic prophylaxis following non‐emergency cholecystectomy to prevent 30‐day superficial surgical site infections (SSIs) using non‐selected, nationally collected, prospective data.

Methods

Data were extracted from the CholeS study, which examined and independently validated the outcomes on consecutive patients following non‐emergency cholecystectomy across 166 hospitals in the UK and Ireland. Patients who received antibiotic prophylaxis were exact matched to those who did not on variables associated with antibiotic prophylaxis. The primary outcome of interest was superficial SSI, and secondary outcomes included deep SSI, readmissions, complications and re‐interventions within 30 days.

Results

Out of a total of 7327 patients included in the study, 4468 (61%) received antibiotic prophylaxis. These were matched to patients who did not receive antibiotic prophylaxis on a range of demographic and surgical factors, leaving 1269 pairs of patients for analysis. Within this cohort, patients receiving antibiotic prophylaxis had significantly lower rates of superficial SSI (0.7% vs. 2.3%, p = 0.001) and all‐cause complications (5.8 vs. 8.0%, p = 0.031), but similar rates of deep SSI (1.0 vs. 1.4%, p = 0.473), readmissions (5.2 vs. 6.2%, p = 0.302) and re‐interventions (2.6 vs. 3.7%, p = 0.093). The number needed to treat to prevent one superficial SSI was 45 (95% confidence interval 24–662).

Conclusions

Antibiotics appear effective at reducing SSI after non‐emergency cholecystectomy. However, due to the high number needed to treat it is unclear whether they provide a worthwhile clinical benefit to patients.
Compartment Pressure Monitoring After Thyroid Surgery: A Possible Method to Detect a Rebleeding
Authors: von Ahnen Thomas , von Ahnen Martin , Militz Sonja , Preußer Dana , Wirth Ulrich , Schardey Hans Martin , Schopf Stefan
Published: April 2017

Background

Postoperative rebleeding after thyroid surgery is a rare but a serious complication. The aim of this study was to ascertain the extent to which postoperative pressure could be used as detector for rebleeding after thyroid surgery.

Methods

Thirty‐two patients with thyroidectomy or hemithyroidectomy were considered prospectively. In the course of surgery, a pressure microsensor (3PN Probe Spiegelberg) was implanted into the postoperative cavity and data were collected for special activities and stress situations over the first 48 h postoperatively. Additional endpoint was the influence of drains on the determined values.

Results

The overall mean pressure (MP) at rest on both postoperative days for all patients with and without drain was 0.36 ± 2.84 mmHg (range −6.7 to 6.7). The MP in all activity and stress situations on the first day was with 0.23 ± 3.71 mmHg, and on the second day, the MP was 1.33 ± 4.50. 92.13% of our values were below 7 mmHg. One patient had a hemorrhage. The pressure increases continuously up to 36 mmHg, before the patient was transferred to the operating theater.

Conclusions

This is the first pilot study to consider continuous pressure measurement to be a potential tool for early detection of a postoperative rebleeding in thyroid surgery. In the strictest sense, postoperative intra‐cervical pressure at rest ranges from subatmospheric to 7 mmHg. The elevation of pressure in case of a rebleeding up to 36 mmHg differs dramatically from normal postoperative pressure. The collected data will warrant further validation to be able to recommend threshold values for an early treatment decisions in rebleeding.
Progressive Brain Disorders in Childhood
Authors: Pascual Juan M.
Published: April 2017

Progressive neurodevelopmental disorders that affect the development of the infant brain can have detrimental impacts on a range of cognitive and emotional behaviors. The identification and management of these disorders can be challenging for neurologists, pediatricians and other healthcare professionals who encounter these conditions in their practices. This book is essential for teaching medical practitioners how to promptly identify neurological regression during childhood development and investigate disorders in sufficient depth to be able to arrive at a precise syndromic diagnosis, plan appropriate management for the patient, and offer advice to caregivers. The text provides a platform for clinicians - new and experienced - to expose their knowledge gaps in the field of neurodegenerative and related disorders. Individual disorders are analyzed by age of onset, with attention given to disorders present in utero, in the newborn, in the infant, and the adolescent, making this a practical and comprehensive guide for any healthcare professional.
Hidden power of the Big Three? Passive index funds, re-concentration of corporate ownership, and new financial risk
Authors: Fichtner Jan , Heemskerk Eelke M. , Garcia-Bernardo Javier
Published: April 2017

Since 2008, a massive shift has occurred from active toward passive investment strategies. The passive index fund industry is dominated by BlackRock, Vanguard, and State Street, which we call the “Big Three.” We comprehensively map the ownership of the Big Three in the United States and find that together they constitute the largest shareholder in 88 percent of the S&P 500 firms. In contrast to active funds, the Big Three hold relatively illiquid and permanent ownership positions. This has led to opposing views on incentives and possibilities to actively exert shareholder power. Some argue passive investors have little shareholder power because they cannot “exit,” while others point out this gives them stronger incentives to actively influence corporations. Through an analysis of proxy vote records we find that the Big Three do utilize coordinated voting strategies and hence follow a centralized corporate governance strategy. However, they generally vote with management, except at director (re-)elections. Moreover, the Big Three may exert “hidden power” through two channels: First, via private engagements with management of invested companies; and second, because company executives could be prone to internalizing the objectives of the Big Three. We discuss how this development entails new forms of financial risk.
Characterization of Carbon Monoxide Exposure During Hurricane Sandy and Subsequent Nor’easter
Authors: Schnall Amy , Law Royal , Heinzerling Amy , Sircar Kanta , Damon Scott , Yip Fuyuen , Schier Josh , Bayleyegn Tesfaye , Wolkin Amy
Published: April 2017

Objective

Carbon monoxide (CO) is an odorless, colorless gas produced by fossil fuel combustion. On October 29, 2012, Hurricane Sandy moved ashore near Atlantic City, New Jersey, causing widespread morbidity and mortality, $30 to $50 billion in economic damage, and 8.5 million households to be without power. The combination of power outages and unusually low temperatures led people to use alternate power sources, placing many at risk for CO exposure.

Methods

We examined Hurricane Sandy–related CO exposures from multiple perspectives to help identify risk factors and develop strategies to prevent future exposures. This report combined data from 3 separate sources (health departments, poison centers via the National Poison Data System, and state and local public information officers).

Results

Results indicated that the number of CO exposures in the wake of Hurricane Sandy was significantly greater than in previous years. The persons affected were mostly females and those in younger age categories and, despite messaging, most CO exposures occurred from improper generator use.

Conclusions

Our findings emphasize the continued importance of CO-related communication and ongoing surveillance of CO exposures to support public health response and prevention during and after disasters. Additionally, regional poison centers can be a critical resource for potential on-site management, public health promotion, and disaster-related CO exposure surveillance. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2017;11:562–567)
LAW BEYOND GOD AND KANT: A PRAGMATIST PATH
Authors: Anderson John P.
Published: April 2017

The liberal principle of reciprocity requires that states maintain neutrality with respect to their citizens’ competing comprehensive worldviews (both religious and secular) while officially justifying the law and while adjudicating under it. But the very possibility of such liberal neutrality has come under attack in a post-Enlightenment world in which even foundational arguments for the principle of reciprocity itself are no longer taken for granted. This article offers a pragmatist path to the resolution of this liberal dilemma. It recommends a “default and challenge” model for legal justification and legitimation that is rooted in social-linguistic practice. By rooting justification and legitimation in practice, it is argued liberal neutrality can be preserved without need for appeals to controversial foundational commitments at any level of public political justification. The article closes with a fictional case study concerning abortion to show how politicians and courts can apply this method to preserve liberal neutrality while addressing even the most controversial issues.
Consolidating International Investment Law: The Mega-Regionals as a Pathway towards Multilateral Rules
Authors: VOON TANIA
Published: April 2017

Pessimism abounds in international economic law. The World Trade Organization (WTO) faces an uncertain future following its Ministerial Conference in Nairobi in 2015. International investment law is under attack in countries around the world, while mega-regional agreements such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership are beset by world events, from the United States’ federal election to the unexpected Brexit outcome. Yet the appetite of numerous States to continue forging plurilateral trade and investment deals provides some cause for hope. Viewed alongside other institutional developments including consensus-building work at the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development and the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law, the potential arguably now exists for credible movement towards multilateral rules in investment law. While the WTO's current negotiating stalemate highlights the difficulties in reaching agreement among 164 Members, international trade law offers lessons for working towards multilateralism in the international investment law field. Alongside informal discussions about a world investment court, mega-regionals provide a vehicle for future multilateral investment rules, particularly through the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement between Canada and the European Union, and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership currently under negotiation in Asia.
Introduction: Bargaining on constitutions – Political settlements and constitutional state-building
Authors: BELL CHRISTINE
Published: April 2017

This article considers the relationship between constitutions and political settlements and locates the special issue articles within this wider discussion. The article points to the apparently paradoxical connection between disillusionment with internationalised state-building techniques on one hand, and increased international faith in constitution-making as a state-building tool on the other. Using understandings of the relationship of the constitution to political settlement which draws on conventional constitutional theory, it argues that the current context of negotiated transitions requires constitution-making to be approached with an eye to the distinctive dilemmas of statecraft that pertain in contemporary transitions. The most central dilemma concerns how power-balances between political/military elites can be broadened to ensure the constitution’s capacity to fulfil its normative role in restraining power and delivering broader social inclusion. The pieces which make up this special issue draw together development and legal discourses. This article suggests how constitutional theory provides a resource for those seeking to promote constitutionalism as a tool for reaching political settlements capable of resolving conflict. It also argues that those who seek to rely on constitutions for conflict resolution need to understand this enterprise as just as political and fraught as all other institution-building efforts.
The alchemists: Courts as democracy-builders in contemporary thought
Authors: DALY TOM GERALD
Published: April 2017

Can courts really ‘build’ democracy in a state emerging from undemocratic rule? In contemporary thought, courts are perceived as central components in any political settlement aimed at achieving a functioning democratic order in a previously authoritarian state (this piece, unlike others in the special collection, does not specifically address post-conflict contexts). The past four decades have witnessed an increasing tendency in post-authoritarian states to place significant faith in courts as guardians of the new democratic dispensation – a trend replicated in contemporary democracy-building projects (e.g. Tunisia). Constitutional courts (including supreme courts) are expected not only to breathe life into the paper promises of the democratic constitutional text, but also, increasingly, to guard and build democracy itself by policing political adherence to emerging transnational norms of democratic governance. Outside the state, regional human rights courts have also been cast as democracy-builders, acting as a support, backup mechanism, and even surrogate for domestic courts. Yet, despite this ‘court obsession’, our understanding of courts as democracy-builders remains critically underdeveloped. This article argues that while it has been assumed that courts have a central role to play in democracy-building, this assumption is based on rather slim evidence and undermined by yawning gaps in existing research.
Dissipation of Clomazone, Imazapyr, and Imazapic Herbicides in Paddy Water under Two Rice Flood Management Regimes
Authors: Schreiber Fabio , Scherner Ananda , Massey Joseph H. , Zanella Renato , Avila Luis A.
Published: April 2017

Information on the dissipation of clomazone, imazapyr, and imazapic in paddy water under different irrigation system is not available in the literature. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of two irrigation systems (intermittent (IF) and continuous (CF) flood) on the dissipation of clomazone, imazapyr, and imazapic in paddy water. Imazapic was the least persistent herbicide in paddy water, with DT50-values of approximately 3 and 5d under CF and IF, respectively. Imazapyr required a two-fold increase in time to reach its half-life in water in contrast to imazapic, with DT50-values of approximately 6 and 11d under CF and IF, respectively. Clomazone showed the highest DT50-values, varying between 7 to 21d under CF and IF, respectively. Imazapyr and imazapic dissipation was faster under CF, while clomazone was not affected. This investigation found that the dissipation behaviors of herbicides vary under different rice irrigation regimes. Thus changes in irrigation management, as will be required to produce more rice grain with less water to avoid future scarcity, should consider impacts of flood management on herbicide persistence and environmental behavior.
Harvest Weed Seed Control Systems are Similarly Effective on Rigid Ryegrass
Authors: Walsh Michael J. , Aves Charlotte , Powles Stephen B.
Published: April 2017

Harvest weed seed control (HWSC) systems have been developed to exploit the high proportions of seed retained at maturity by the annual weeds rigid ryegrass, wild radish, bromegrass, and wild oats. To evaluate the efficacy of HWSC systems on rigid ryegrass populations, three systems, the Harrington Seed Destructor (HSD), chaff carts, and narrow-windrow burning were compared at 24 sites across the western and southern wheat production regions of Australia. HWSC treatments were established at harvest (Nov. – Dec.) in wheat crops with low to moderate rigid ryegrass densities (1 to 26 plants m−2). Rigid ryegrass counts at the commencement of the next growing season (Apr. – May) determined that HWSC treatments were similarly effective in reducing emergence. Chaff carts, narrow-windrow burning, or HSD systems act similarly on rigid ryegrass seed collected during harvest to deliver substantial reductions in subsequent rigid ryegrass populations by restricting seedbank inputs. On average, population densities were reduced by 60%, but there was considerable variation between sites (37 to 90%) as influenced by seed production and the residual seedbank. Given the observed high rigid ryegrass seed production levels at crop maturity it is clear that HWSC has a vital role in preventing seedbank inputs in Australian conservation cropping systems.
mTORC1 regulates mannose-6-phosphate receptor transport and T-cell vulnerability to regulatory T cells by controlling kinesin KIF13A
Authors: Ahmed Khawaja Ashfaque , Xiang Jim
Published: April 2017

Mannose-6-phosphate receptor (M6PR) that facilitates cellular uptake of M6P-bearing proteins, including serine-protease granzyme-B (Gzm-B) has an important role in T-cell activation, migration and contraction. However, molecular mechanisms controlling M6PR expression in T cells remain poorly understood. Here, we show that M6PR expression on T cells is distinctively controlled by two common γ-chain cytokines interleukin-2 (IL-2) and IL-7, and the differential M6PR expression is not caused by an altered synthesis of M6PR protein, but is a result of distinct regulation of kinesin-3 motor-protein KIF13A that transport M6PR onto cell surfaces. Using signaling pathway-specific inhibitors, we determine that IL-2 and IL-7 distinctly regulate KIF13A and β1-adaptin and cell-surface M6PR by controlling a kinase mammalian target of rapamycin complex-1 (mTORC1). Inflammatory cytokine IL-2 and prosurvival cytokine IL-7 induce strong and weak activation of mTORC1, leading to up- and downregulation of motor-protein KIF13A and KIF13A-motorized M6PR on T cells, and formation of IL-2 and IL-7 effectors with M6PRhigh and M6PRlow cell-surface expression, respectively. Inhibition of mTORC1 by rapamycin reduces T-cell expression of KIF13A and cell-surface M6PR, and increases T-cell survival in Listeria monocytogenes-infected mice. Using regulatory T (Treg)-cell-enriched mouse tumor model, we determine that M6PRhigh IL-2 effectors but not M6PRlow IL-7 effectors adoptively transferred into tumors are vulnerable to Treg Gzm-B-mediated cell apoptosis. Inhibition of mTORC1 or small interfering RNA-mediated knockdown of KIF13A or M6PR renders IL-2 effectors refractory to Treg Gzm-B lethal hit. Overall, our data offer novel mechanistic insights into T-cell M6PR regulation, and Treg-resistant/Treg-susceptible phenomenon. Furthermore, regulation of T-cell fate vis-à-vis Treg suppression via the mTORC1-KIF13A-M6PR axis provides a proof of concept for therapeutic strategies to target cancer, infectious and autoimmune diseases.
Visible light guided manipulation of liquid wettability on photoresponsive surfaces
Authors: Kwon Gibum , Panchanathan Divya , Mahmoudi Seyed Reza , Gondal Mohammed A. , McKinley Gareth H. , Varanasi Kripa K.
Published: April 2017

Photoresponsive titania surfaces are of great interest due to their unique wettability change upon ultraviolet light illumination. However, their applications are often limited either by the inability to respond to visible light or the need for special treatment to recover the original wettability. Sensitizing TiO2 surfaces with visible light-absorbing materials has been utilized in photovoltaic applications. Here we demonstrate that a dye-sensitized TiO2 surface can selectively change the wettability towards contacting liquids upon visible light illumination due to a photo-induced voltage across the liquid and the underlying surface. The photo-induced wettability change of our surfaces enables external manipulation of liquid droplet motion upon illumination. We show demulsification of surfactant-stabilized brine-in-oil emulsions via coalescence of brine droplets on our dye-sensitized TiO2 surface upon visible light illumination. We anticipate that our surfaces will have a wide range of applications including microfluidic devices with customizable wettability, solar-driven oil–water clean-up and demulsification technologies.
An extra-uterine system to physiologically support the extreme premature lamb
Authors: Partridge Emily A. , Davey Marcus G. , Hornick Matthew A. , McGovern Patrick E. , Mejaddam Ali Y. , Vrecenak Jesse D. , Mesas-Burgos Carmen , Olive Aliza , Caskey Robert C. , Weiland Theodore R. , Han Jiancheng , Schupper Alexander J. , Connelly James T. , Dysart Kevin C. , Rychik Jack , Hedrick Holly L. , Peranteau William H. , Flake Alan W.
Published: April 2017

In the developed world, extreme prematurity is the leading cause of neonatal mortality and morbidity due to a combination of organ immaturity and iatrogenic injury. Until now, efforts to extend gestation using extracorporeal systems have achieved limited success. Here we report the development of a system that incorporates a pumpless oxygenator circuit connected to the fetus of a lamb via an umbilical cord interface that is maintained within a closed ‘amniotic fluid’ circuit that closely reproduces the environment of the womb. We show that fetal lambs that are developmentally equivalent to the extreme premature human infant can be physiologically supported in this extra-uterine device for up to 4 weeks. Lambs on support maintain stable haemodynamics, have normal blood gas and oxygenation parameters and maintain patency of the fetal circulation. With appropriate nutritional support, lambs on the system demonstrate normal somatic growth, lung maturation and brain growth and myelination.
Preparing for genomic medicine: a real world demonstration of health system change
Authors: Gaff Clara L. , M. Winship Ingrid , M. Forrest Susan , P. Hansen David , Clark Julian , M. Waring Paul , South Mike , H. Sinclair Andrew
Published: April 2017

Organisations and governments seeking to implement genomics into clinical practice face numerous challenges across multiple, diverse aspects of the health care system. It is not sufficient to tackle any one aspect in isolation: to create a system that supports genomic medicine, they must be addressed simultaneously. The growing body of global knowledge can guide decision-making, but each jurisdiction or organisation needs a model for genomic (or personalised) medicine that is tailored to its unique context, its priorities and the funds available. Poor decisions could greatly reduce the benefits that could potentially arise from genomic medicine. Demonstration projects enable models to be tested, providing valuable evidence and experience for subsequent implementation. Here, we present the Melbourne Genomics Health Alliance demonstration project as an exemplar of a collaborative, holistic approach to phased implementation of genomics across multiple autonomous institutions. The approach and lessons learned may assist others in determining how best to integrate genomics into their healthcare system.
Gene expression profiling describes the genetic regulation of Meloidogyne arenaria resistance in Arachis hypogaea and reveals a candidate gene for resistance
Authors: Clevenger Josh , Chu Ye , Arrais Guimaraes Larissa , Maia Thiago , Bertioli David , Leal-Bertioli Soraya , Timper Patricia , Holbrook C. Corley , Ozias-Akins Peggy
Published: April 2017

Resistance to root-knot nematode was introgressed into cultivated peanut Arachis hypogaea from a wild peanut relative, A. cardenasii and previously mapped to chromosome A09. The highly resistant recombinant inbred RIL 46 and moderately resistant RIL 48 were selected from a population with cv. Gregory (susceptible) and Tifguard (resistant) as female and male parents, respectively. RNA-seq analysis was performed on these four genotypes using root tissue harvested from root-knot nematode infected plants at 0, 3, 7 days after inoculation. Differential gene expression analysis provides evidence that root-knot nematodes modulate biological pathways involved in plant hormone, defense, cell signaling, cytoskeleton and cell wall metabolism in a susceptible reaction. Corresponding to resistance reaction, an effector-induced-immune response mediated by an R-gene was identified in Tifguard. Mapping of the introgressed region indicated that 92% of linkage group A09 was of A. cardenasii origin in Tifguard. RIL46 and RIL 48 possessed 3.6% and 83.5% of the introgression on A09, respectively. Within the small introgressed region carried by RIL 46, a constitutively expressed TIR-NBS-LRR gene was identified as the candidate for nematode resistance. Potential defense responsive pathways include effector endocytosis through clathrin-coated vesicle trafficking, defense signaling through membrane lipid metabolism and mucilage production.
Berberine produces antidepressant-like effects in ovariectomized mice
Authors: Fan Jie , Li Bingjin , Ge Tongtong , Zhang Zhuo , Lv Jiayin , Zhao Jing , Wang Pu , Liu Wei , Wang Xuefeng , Mlyniec Katarzyna , Cui Ranji
Published: April 2017

Berberine has been reports to have antidepressant-like effects. However, it is seldom known whether berberine produces antidepressant-like effects in ovariectomized mice, which exhibit depressive-like responses. To examine the antidepressant-like effects of berberine in ovariectomized mice, behavioral tests were conducted, including the forced swimming test and the open field test. To elucidate the mechanisms, levels of BDNF, phosphorylated CREB and phosphorylated eEF2 were analyzed by western blotting, and c-Fos induction was examined by immunohistochemistry. In the forced swimming test, berberine decreased the immobility time in a dose-dependent manner, reversing the depressive-like effect observed in ovariectomized mice, and this effect was blocked by the 5-HT2 antagonist ketanserin. In addition, western blotting indicated that BDNF and peEF2 in the hippocampus, but not pCREB/CREB in the frontal cortex, were affected by berberine treatment. Furthermore, immunohistochemistry demonstrated that the reduction in c-Fos induced by ovariectomy were greater after berberine treatment. Ketanserin also antagonized the effect of berberine on the c-Fos expression. Our findings suggest that berberine exerts antidepressant-like effects in ovariectomized mice, and 5-HT2 receptor activation may be partially related to the antidepressant-like effects of the berberine by BDNF-CREB and eEF2 pathways.
Large spin Hall angle in vanadium film
Authors: Wang T. , Wang W. , Xie Y. , Warsi M. A. , Wu J. , Chen Y. , Lorenz V. O. , Fan X. , Xiao J. Q.
Published: April 2017

We report a large spin Hall angle observed in vanadium films sputter-grown at room temperature, which have small grain size and consist of a mixture of body centered tetragonal (bct) and body centered cubic (bcc) structures. The spin Hall angle is as large as θ
V
 = −0.071 ± 0.003, comparable to that of platinum, θ
Pt
 = 0.076 ± 0.007, and is much larger than that of bcc V film grown at 400 °C, θ
V_bcc
 = −0.012 ± 0.002. Similar to β-tantalum and β-tungsten, the sputter-grown V films also have a high resistivity of more than 200 μΩ∙cm. Surprisingly, the spin diffusion length is still long at 16.3 nm. This finding not only indicates that specific crystalline structure can lead to a large spin Hall effect but also suggests 3d light metals should not be ruled out in the search for materials with large spin Hall angle.
Defeating Bacterial Resistance and Preventing Mammalian Cells Toxicity Through Rational Design of Antibiotic-Functionalized Nanoparticles
Authors: de Oliveira Jessica Fernanda Affonso , Saito Ângela , Bido Ariadne Tuckmantel , Kobarg Jörg , Stassen Hubert Karl , Cardoso Mateus Borba
Published: April 2017

The rational synthesis of alternative materials is highly demanding due to the outbreak of infectious diseases and resistance to antibiotics. Herein, we report a tailored nanoantibiotic synthesis protocol where the antibiotic binding was optimized on the silver-silica core-shell nanoparticles surface to maximize biological responses. The obtained silver nanoparticles coated with mesoporous silica functionalized with ampicillin presented remarkable antimicrobial effects against susceptible and antibiotic-resistant Escherichia coli. In addition, these structures were not cell-death inducers and different steps of the mitotic cell cycle (prophase, anaphase and metaphase) were clearly identified. The superior biological results were attributed to a proper and tailored synthesis strategy.
NMR-based metabolomics for simultaneously evaluating multiple determinants of primary beef quality in Japanese Black cattle
Authors: Kodani Yoshinori , Miyakawa Takuya , Komatsu Tomohiko , Tanokura Masaru
Published: April 2017

Analytical methodologies to comprehensively evaluate beef quality are increasingly needed to accelerate improvement in both breeding and post-mortem processing. Consumer palatability towards beef is generally attributed to tenderness, flavor, and/or juiciness. These primary qualities are modified by post-mortem aging and the crude content and fatty acid composition of intramuscular fat. In this study, we report a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-based metabolic profiles of Japanese Black cattle to evaluate the compositional attributes of intramuscular fat and the long-term post-mortem aging. The unsaturation degree of triacylglycerol was estimated by the1H NMR spectra and was correlated with the content ratio of unsaturated fatty acids (R2 = 0.944) and the melting point of intramuscular fat (R2 = 0.871). NMR-detected profiles of water-soluble metabolites revealed overall metabolic change (R2 = 0.951) and several metabolites (R2 > 0.818) linearly correlated with long-term aging duration, which can be used to evaluate the aging rate and aging duration of beef. This approach also provided the pH profile during aging, which is related to the water-holding capacity of beef. Thus, NMR-based metabolomics has the potential to evaluate multiple parameters related to the beef qualities of Japanese Black cattle.
On the initiation of lightning in thunderclouds
Authors: Chilingarian Ashot , Chilingaryan Suren , Karapetyan Tigran , Kozliner Lev , Khanikyants Yeghia , Hovsepyan Gagik , Pokhsraryan David , Soghomonyan Suren
Published: April 2017

The relationship of lightning and elementary particle fluxes in the thunderclouds is not fully understood to date. Using the particle beams (the so-called Thunderstorm Ground Enhancements – TGEs) as a probe we investigate the characteristics of the interrelated atmospheric processes. The well-known effect of the TGE dynamics is the abrupt termination of the particle flux by the lightning flash. With new precise electronics, we can see that particle flux decline occurred simultaneously with the rearranging of the charge centers in the cloud. The analysis of the TGE energy spectra before and after the lightning demonstrates that the high-energy part of the TGE energy spectra disappeared just after lightning. The decline of particle flux coincides on millisecond time scale with first atmospheric discharges and we can conclude that Relativistic Runaway Electron Avalanches (RREA) in the thundercloud assist initiation of the negative cloud to ground lightning. Thus, RREA can provide enough ionization to play a significant role in the unleashing of the lightning flash.
Effect of spatio-temporal shifts in salinity combined with other environmental variables on the ecological processes provided by Zostera noltei meadows
Authors: Sousa Ana I. , Calado Ricardo , Cleary Daniel F. R. , Nunes Cláudia , Coimbra Manuel A. , Serôdio João , Lillebø Ana I.
Published: April 2017

The present study aims to assess the plastic response of Zostera noltei meadows traits under spatio-temporal shifts in salinity combined with sediment environmental variables (temperature; pH; loss-on-ignition (LOI); carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) pools (top 5 cm)). Z. noltei biomass, C and N pools, leaf photosynthetic performance and esterified fatty acid (FA) profile were assessed within a temperate coastal lagoon during winter and late spring, along sites spatially distributed. None of the surveyed traits for Z. noltei displayed a clear spatial trend. Z. noltei proved to be euryhaline, whose biology was only slightly affected within this salinity range, in each season (14–39 in winter; 33–41 in late spring). Seasonal differences in salinity and environmental parameters explain the differences recorded in Z. noltei traits (aboveground biomass, N and C pools; photosynthetic performance). Spatio-temporal salinity shifts did not significantly affect the pool of FA present in Z. noltei. Overall, within the salinity range surveyed, the ecological processes studied and regulating Z. noltei meadows do not appear to be at risk. This work reinforces the plasticity of Z. noltei to salinity shifts within the studied range, with this finding being particularly relevant in the context of extreme weather events (e.g., winter freshwater floods, summer droughts).
Development ﻿﻿of﻿ ﻿﻿a facescan 3D facial reconstruction technology method for quantitative evaluation of cheilitis granulomatosa
Authors: Mu Chang-Qing , Wang Shi-Qin , Liu Yang , Li Chun-Lei , Hu Xiao-Sheng , Hua Hong
Published: April 2017

We explored the applicability of Facescan three-dimensional (3D) facial reconstruction technology for adjunctive diagnosis and therapeutic evaluation of cheilitis granulomatosa (CG) in 33 patients with CG and 29 healthy controls at the Dept. of Oral Medicine, Peking University, School and Hospital of Stomatology (PKUSS), from January 2015 to May 2016. The Facescan structured-light 3D facial reconstruction scanner was used to scan the scope of lips in both groups, in order to acquire 3D morphological data of the lips. The lengths of six characteristic line segments were measured from the 3D lip model of the two groups, and the acquired data were compared. The results showed that the distance between the labiale superius and labiale inferius, and the lengths of the upper and lower vermilion borders showed significant differences between the CG and control groups, by using the 3D lip model. Thus, Facescan 3D facial reconstruction technology showed good reproducibility in the evaluation of lip swelling in CG patients, and it can be used to analyse the degree of lip swelling and evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of different treatments for CG.
Hypertension reduces soluble guanylyl cyclase expression in the mouse aorta via the Notch signaling pathway
Authors: Rippe Catarina , Zhu Baoyi , Krawczyk Katarzyna K. , Bavel Ed. Van , Albinsson Sebastian , Sjölund Jonas , Bakker Erik N. T. P. , Swärd Karl
Published: April 2017

Hypertension is a dominating risk factor for cardiovascular disease. To characterize the genomic response to hypertension, we administered vehicle or angiotensin II to mice and performed gene expression analyses. AngII treatment resulted in a robust increase in blood pressure and altered expression of 235 genes in the aorta, including Gucy1a3 and Gucy1b3 which encode subunits of soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC). Western blotting and immunohistochemistry confirmed repression of sGC associated with curtailed relaxation via sGC activation. Analysis of transcription factor binding motifs in promoters of differentially expressed genes identified enrichment of motifs for RBPJ, a component of the Notch signaling pathway, and the Notch coactivators FRYL and MAML2 were reduced. Gain and loss of function experiments demonstrated that JAG/NOTCH signaling controls sGC expression together with MAML2 and FRYL. Reduced expression of sGC, correlating with differential expression of MAML2, in stroke prone and spontaneously hypertensive rats was also seen, and RNA-Seq data demonstrated correlations between JAG1, NOTCH3, MAML2 and FRYL and the sGC subunits GUCY1A3 and GUCY1B3 in human coronary artery. Notch signaling thus provides a constitutive drive on expression of the major nitric oxide receptor (GUCY1A3/GUCY1B3) in arteries from mice, rats, and humans, and this control mechanism is disturbed in hypertension.