bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Temperature rising would slow down tropical forest dynamic in the Guiana Shield
Authors: Aubry-Kientz Mélaine , Rossi Vivien , Cornu Guillaume , Wagner Fabien , Hérault Bruno
Published: July 2019

Increasing evidence shows that the functioning of the tropical forest biome is intimately related to the climate variability with some variables such as annual precipitation, temperature or seasonal water stress identified as key drivers of ecosystem dynamics. How tropical tree communities will respond to the future climate change is hard to predict primarily because several demographic processes act together to shape the forest ecosystem general behavior. To overcome this limitation, we used a joint individual-based model to simulate, over the next century, a tropical forest community experiencing the climate change expected in the Guiana Shield. The model is climate dependent: temperature, precipitation and water stress are used as predictors of the joint growth and mortality rates. We ran simulations for the next century using predictions of the IPCC 5AR, building three different climate scenarios (optimistic RCP2.6, intermediate, pessimistic RCP8.5) and a control (current climate). The basal area, above-ground fresh biomass, quadratic diameter, tree growth and mortality rates were then computed as summary statistics to characterize the resulting forest ecosystem. Whatever the scenario, all ecosystem process and structure variables exhibited decreasing values as compared to the control. A sensitivity analysis identified the temperature as the strongest climate driver of this behavior, highlighting a possible temperature-driven drop of 40% in average forest growth. This conclusion is alarming, as temperature rises have been consensually predicted by all climate scenarios of the IPCC 5AR. Our study highlights the potential slow-down danger that tropical forests will face in the Guiana Shield during the next century.
Strength enhancement and slip behaviour of high-entropy carbide grains during micro-compression
Authors: Csanádi Tamás , Castle Elinor , Reece Michael J. , Dusza Ján
Published: July 2019

Bulk polycrystalline high-entropy carbides are a newly developed group of materials that increase the limited compositional space of ultra-high temperature ceramics, which can withstand extreme environments exceeding 2000 °C in oxidizing atmospheres. Since the deformability of grains plays an important role in macromechanical performance, in this work we studied the strength and slip behaviour of grains of a spark-plasma sintered (Hf-Ta-Zr-Nb)C high-entropy carbide in a specific orientation during micropillar compression. For comparison, identical measurements were carried out on the monocarbides HfC and TaC. It was revealed that (Hf-Ta-Zr-Nb)C had a significantly enhanced yield and failure strength compared to the corresponding base monocarbides, while maintaining a similar ductility to the least brittle monocarbide (TaC) during the operation of $${\boldsymbol{\{}}{\bf{110}}{\boldsymbol{\}}}{\boldsymbol{\langle }}{\bf{1}}\bar{{\bf{1}}}{\bf{0}}{\boldsymbol{\rangle }}$$
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slip systems. Additionally, it was concluded that the crystal orientation and stress conditions determine the operation of slip systems in mono- and high-entropy carbides at room temperature.
BK channel clustering is required for normal behavioral alcohol sensitivity in C. elegans
Authors: Oh Kelly H. , Kim Hongkyun
Published: July 2019

The large conductance, calcium- and voltage-activated potassium channel, known as the BK channel, is one of the central proteins that mediate alcohol intoxication and tolerance across species. Although ethanol targets BK channels through direct interaction, how ethanol-mediated BK channel activation causes behavioral intoxication is poorly understood. In. C. elegans, loss of function in SLO-1, the BK channel ortholog, confers profound ethanol resistance in movement and egg-laying behaviors. Here, we show that depletion of SLO-1 channels clustered at the active zones with no change in the overall channel expression level results in locomotory resistance to the intoxicating effect of ethanol, equivalent to that of slo-1 loss-of-function mutants. Likewise, depletion of clustered SLO-1 channels in the sarcolemma and neurons leads to ethanol-resistant egg-laying behavior. By contrast, reduction in the overall SLO-1 channel level by over 70% causes only moderate ethanol resistance in movement, and minimal, if any, resistance in egg laying. Our findings strongly suggest that behavioral ethanol sensitivity is conferred by local, but not global, depression of excitability via clustered BK channels. Given that clustered BK channels are functionally coupled to, and localize near, calcium channels, ethanol may mediate its behavioral effects by targeting BK channels and their coupled calcium channels.
Accumulation of protein aggregates induces autolytic programmed cell death in hybrid tobacco cells expressing hybrid lethality
Authors: Ueno Naoya , Kashiwagi Megumi , Kanekatsu Motoki , Marubashi Wataru , Yamada Tetsuya
Published: July 2019

Hybrid cells of Nicotiana suaveolens x N. tabacum grow normally at 36 °C, but immediately express lethality due to probable autoimmune response when transferred from 36 to 28 °C. Our recent study showed that the temperature-sensitive lethality of these hybrid cells occurs through autolytic programmed cell death (PCD). However, what happens in hybrid cells following the induction of autoimmune response to autolytic PCD is unclear. We hypothesized that accumulation of protein aggregates in hybrid cells induces autolytic PCD and examined detergent-insoluble protein (protein aggregates) isolated from hybrid cells expressing lethality. The amount of insoluble proteins increased in hybrid cells. Sodium 4-phenylbutyrate, a chemical chaperone, inhibited both the accumulation of insoluble proteins and irreversible progression of cell death. In contrast, E-64, a cysteine protease inhibitor, accelerated both the accumulation of insoluble proteins and cell death. Moreover, proteome analysis revealed that proteasome-component proteins were accumulated specifically in cells treated with E-64, and proteasome activity of hybrid cells decreased after induction of lethality. These findings demonstrate that accumulation of protein aggregates, including proteasome subunits, eventually cause autolytic PCD in hybrid cells. This suggests a novel process inducing plant PCD by loss of protein homeostasis and provides clues to future approaches for elucidating the whole process.
Adversity and cooperation in heterogeneous pairs
Authors: De Jaegher Kris
Published: July 2019

This paper provides a game-theoretic model of the effect of higher adversity on the evolution of cooperation. The focus lies on how this effect of higher adversity is impacted when there is transient, non-genetic heterogeneity in the form of differences in the players’ capabilities of contributing to the public good, in the benefits they obtain from the public good, or in their cooperation costs. A framework is provided that identifies the common mechanisms that are at work across two models of cooperation (jointly producing a public good, and jointly defending an existing public good), and across the mentioned types of heterogeneity. With relatively small heterogeneity, higher adversity generates a common-enemy effect for large cooperation costs and a deterrence effect for small cooperation costs. Yet, these results on the effect of higher adversity are completely reversed for relatively large heterogeneity.
Revealing epilepsy type using a computational analysis of interictal EEG
Authors: Lopes Marinho A. , Perani Suejen , Yaakub Siti N. , Richardson Mark P. , Goodfellow Marc , Terry John R.
Published: July 2019

Seizure onset in epilepsy can usually be classified as focal or generalized, based on a combination of clinical phenomenology of the seizures, EEG recordings and MRI. This classification may be challenging when seizures and interictal epileptiform discharges are infrequent or discordant, and MRI does not reveal any apparent abnormalities. To address this challenge, we introduce the concept of Ictogenic Spread (IS) as a prediction of how pathological electrical activity associated with seizures will propagate throughout a brain network. This measure is defined using a person-specific computer representation of the functional network of the brain, constructed from interictal EEG, combined with a computer model of the transition from background to seizure-like activity within nodes of a distributed network. Applying this method to a dataset comprising scalp EEG from 38 people with epilepsy (17 with genetic generalized epilepsy (GGE), 21 with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (mTLE)), we find that people with GGE display a higher IS in comparison to those with mTLE. We propose IS as a candidate computational biomarker to classify focal and generalized epilepsy using interictal EEG.
Poorly controlled diabetes during pregnancy and lactation activates the Foxo1 pathway and causes glucose intolerance in adult offspring
Authors: Inoguchi Yukihiro , Ichiyanagi Kenji , Ohishi Hiroaki , Maeda Yasutaka , Sonoda Noriyuki , Ogawa Yoshihiro , Inoguchi Toyoshi , Sasaki Hiroyuki
Published: July 2019

Exposure to maternal diabetes during pregnancy results in diabetes in offspring, but its underlying mechanisms are unclear. Here, we investigated the phenotype and molecular defects of the offspring of poorly controlled diabetic female mice generated by streptozotocin (STZ) administration. Offspring was exposed to maternal diabetes during pregnancy and lactation. The body weight of STZ offspring was lower than that of control offspring at birth and in adulthood, and glucose tolerance was impaired in adult STZ offspring. Interestingly, the phenotype was more pronounced in male offspring. We next investigated the morphology of islets and expression of β cell-related genes, but no significant changes were observed. However, transcriptome analysis of the liver revealed activation of the fork head box protein O1 (Foxo1) pathway in STZ male offspring. Notably, two key gluconeogenesis enzyme genes, glucose 6 phosphatase catalytic subunit (G6pc) and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase 1 (Pck1), were upregulated. Consistent with this finding, phosphorylation of Foxo1 was decreased in the liver of STZ male offspring. These changes were not obvious in female offspring. The activation of Foxo1 and gluconeogenesis in the liver may have contributed to the impaired glucose tolerance of STZ male offspring.
Effects of Auditory Distraction on Face Memory
Authors: Bell Raoul , Mieth Laura , Röer Jan Philipp , Buchner Axel
Published: July 2019

Effects of auditory distraction by task-irrelevant background speech on the immediate serial recall of verbal material are well established. Less is known about the influence of background speech on memory for visual configural information. A recent study demonstrated that face learning is disrupted by joyful music relative to soothing violin music and quiet. This pattern is parallel to findings in the serial-recall paradigm showing that auditory distraction is primarily caused by auditory changes. Here we connect these two streams of research by testing whether face learning is impaired by irrelevant speech. Participants learned faces either in quiet or while ignoring auditory changing-state sequences (sentential speech) or steady-state sequences (word repetitions). Face recognition was impaired by irrelevant speech relative to quiet. Furthermore, changing-state speech disrupted performance more than steady-state speech. The results were replicated in a second study using reversed speech, suggesting that the disruptive potential of the background speech does not depend on its semantic content. These findings thus demonstrate robust effects of auditory distraction on face learning. Theoretical explanations and applied implications are discussed.
Enhancement of light emission in Bragg monolayer-thick quantum well structures
Authors: Pozina Galia , Ivanov Konstantin A. , Morozov Konstantin M. , Girshova Elizaveta I. , Egorov Anton Yu. , Clark Stewart J. , Kaliteevski Mikhail A.
Published: July 2019

Control over spontaneous emission rate is important for improving efficiency in different semiconductor applications including lasers, LEDs and photovoltaics. Usually, an emitter should be placed inside the cavity to increase the spontaneous emission rate, although it is technologically challenging. Here we experimentally demonstrate a phenomenon of super-radiance observed in a cavity-less periodic Bragg structure based on InAs monolayer-thick multiple quantum wells (MQW). The collective super-radiant mode shows enhanced emission rate for specific angles and frequencies. This behaviour correlates with the calculations demonstrating individual spots of the enhanced Purcell coefficient near the Bragg condition curve. This study provides a perspective for realization of surface emitting cavity-less lasers with distributed feedback.
Dynamics of cheater invasion in a cooperating population of Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Authors: Feng Xiaoyin , Kostylev Maxim , Dandekar Ajai A. , Greenberg E. Peter
Published: July 2019

Pseudomonas aeruginosa quorum sensing (QS) regulates expression of dozens of genes in a cell density-dependent manner. Many QS-regulated genes code for production of extracellular factors, “public goods” that can benefit the entire population. This cooperation encourages individuals to cheat by using but not producing public goods. QS also controls expression of a limited number of genes encoding “private” cellular enzymes like Nuh, an enzyme involved in adenosine catabolism. Growth of P. aeruginosa on casein requires QS-regulated production of an extracellular protease and is an example of cooperative behavior. When P. aeruginosa is transferred daily on casein, QS mutants emerge. These cheaters have mutations in lasR, which encodes the primary QS transcription factor. When growth is on casein and adenosine, cheater emergence is constrained. Here, we report the dynamics of LasR mutant invasion during growth on casein or casein plus adenosine. We show that LasR mutants have the greatest advantage during early to mid-logarithmic growth on casein. Addition of adenosine to casein medium constrains cheaters throughout growth. Our data support the view that co-regulation of the public protease and the private nucleosidase by QS stabilizes cooperation, and the data are not consistent with other proposed alternate hypotheses.
Immunomodulatory germline variation associated with the development of multiple primary melanoma (MPM)
Authors: Ferguson Robert , Archambault Alexi , Simpson Danny , Morales Leah , Chat Vylyny , Kazlow Esther , Lax Rebecca , Yoon Garrett , Moran Una , Shapiro Richard , Pavlick Anna , Polsky David , Osman Iman , Kirchhoff Tomas
Published: July 2019

Multiple primary melanoma (MPM) has been associated with a higher 10-year mortality risk compared to patients with single primary melanoma (SPM). Given that 3–8% of patients with SPM develop additional primary melanomas, new markers predictive of MPM risk are needed. Based on the evidence that the immune system may regulate melanoma progression, we explored whether germline genetic variants controlling the expression of 41 immunomodulatory genes modulate the risk of MPM compared to patients with SPM or healthy controls. By genotyping these 41 variants in 977 melanoma patients, we found that rs2071304, linked to the expression of SPI1, was strongly associated with MPM risk reduction (OR = 0.60; 95% CI = 0.45–0.81; p = 0.0007) when compared to patients with SPM. Furthermore, we showed that rs6695772, a variant affecting expression of BATF3, is also associated with MPM-specific survival (HR = 3.42; 95% CI = 1.57–7.42; p = 0.0019). These findings provide evidence that the genetic variation in immunomodulatory pathways may contribute to the development of secondary primary melanomas and also associates with MPM survival. The study suggests that inherited host immunity may play an important role in MPM development.
Nicotinamide Augments the Anti-Inflammatory Properties of Resveratrol through PARP1 Activation
Authors: Yanez Maria , Jhanji Megha , Murphy Kendall , Gower R. Michael , Sajish Mathew , Jabbarzadeh Ehsan
Published: July 2019

Resveratrol (RSV) and nicotinamide (NAM) have garnered considerable attention due to their anti-inflammatory and anti-aging properties. NAM is a transient inhibitor of class III histone deacetylase SIRTs (silent mating type information regulation 2 homologs) and SIRT1 is an inhibitor of poly-ADP-ribose polymerase-1 (PARP1). The debate on the relationship between RSV and SIRT1 has precluded the use of RSV as a therapeutic drug. Recent work demonstrated that RSV facilitates tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase (TyrRS)-dependent activation of PARP1. Moreover, treatment with NAM is sufficient to facilitate the nuclear localization of TyrRS that activates PARP1. RSV and NAM have emerged as potent agonists of PARP1 through inhibition of SIRT1. In this study, we evaluated the effects of RSV and NAM on pro-inflammatory macrophages. Our results demonstrate that treatment with either RSV or NAM attenuates the expression of pro-inflammatory markers. Strikingly, the combination of RSV with NAM, exerts additive effects on PARP1 activation. Consistently, treatment with PARP1 inhibitor antagonized the anti-inflammatory effect of both RSV and NAM. For the first time, we report the ability of NAM to augment PARP1 activation, induced by RSV, and its associated anti-inflammatory effects mediated through the induction of BCL6 with the concomitant down regulation of COX-2.
Structural MRI at 7T reveals amygdala nuclei and hippocampal subfield volumetric association with Major Depressive Disorder symptom severity
Authors: Brown S. S. G. , Rutland J. W. , Verma G. , Feldman R. E. , Alper J. , Schneider M. , Delman B. N. , Murrough J. M. , Balchandani P.
Published: July 2019

Subcortical volumetric changes in major depressive disorder (MDD) have been purported to underlie depressive symptomology, however, the evidence to date remains inconsistent. Here, we investigated limbic volumes in MDD, utilizing high-resolution structural images to allow segmentation of the hippocampus and amygdala into their constituent substructures. Twenty-four MDD patients and twenty matched controls underwent structural MRI at 7T field strength. All participants completed the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) to quantify depressive symptomology. For the MDD group, volumes of the amygdala right lateral nucleus (p = 0.05, r2 = 0.24), left cortical nucleus (p = 0.032, r2 = 0.35), left accessory basal nucleus (p = 0.04, r2 = 0.28) and bilateral corticoamygdaloid transition area (right hemisphere p = 0.032, r2 = 0.38, left hemisphere p = 0.032, r2 = 0.35) each displayed significant negative associations with MDD severity. The bilateral centrocortical (right hemisphere p = 0.032, r2 = 0.31, left hemisphere p = 0.032, r2 = 0.32) and right basolateral complexes (p = 0.05, r2 = 0.24) also displayed significant negative relationships with depressive symptoms. Using high-field strength MRI, we report the novel finding that MDD severity is consistently negatively associated with amygdala nuclei, linking volumetric reductions with worsening depressive symptoms.
Sensors for optical thermometry based on luminescence from layered YVO4: Ln3+ (Ln = Nd, Sm, Eu, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb) thin films made by atomic layer deposition
Authors: Getz Michael N. , Nilsen Ola , Hansen Per-Anders
Published: July 2019

Below the Earth’s crust, temperatures may reach beyond 600 K, impeding the batteries used to power conventional thermometers. Fluorescence intensity ratio based temperature probes can be used with optical fibers that can withstand these conditions. However, the probes tend to exhibit narrow operating ranges and poor sensitivity above 400 K. In this study, we have investigated single and dual layered YVO4: Ln3+ (Ln = Nd, Sm, Eu, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb) thin films (100–150 nm) for use in fluorescence intensity ratio based temperature sensors in the 300–850 K range. The type of lanthanide emission can be fine-tuned by adjusting the thickness of each layer, and the layered structure allows for emission from otherwise incompatible lanthanide pairs. This novel multi-layered approach enables high sensitivity over a broad temperature range. The highest relative sensitivity was achieved for a dual layered YVO4: Eu3+/YVO4: Dy3+ sample, exhibiting a maximum sensitivity of 3.6% K−1 at 640 K. The films were successfully deposited on all tested substrates (silicon, iron, aluminum, glass, quartz, and steel), and can be applied homogenously to most surfaces without the use of binders. The films are unaffected by water, enabling non-contact temperature sensing in water, where IR thermometers are not an option.
De novo assembly of the Platycladus orientalis (L.) Franco transcriptome provides insight into the development and pollination mechanism of female cone based on RNA-Seq data
Authors: Zhou Wei , Chen Qi , Wang Xiao-Bing , Hughes Tyler O. , Liu Jian-Jun , Zhang Xin
Published: July 2019

For seed-bearing plants, the basis of seed and fruit formation is pollination. The normal progression of pollination is through advances in continuous signal exchange and material transfer, which occur mainly in female reproductive organs; thus, the molecular mechanism of development in female reproductive organs is vital for understanding the principle of pollination. However, molecular biology studies on the development of female cones related to pollination are rare and unclear in gymnosperms, especially in Cupressaceae. In this study, Platycladus orientalis, a monotypic genus within Cupressaceae, was chosen to examine female cone transcriptomes at pre-pollination and pollination stages by Illumina paired-end sequencing technology to de novo sequence six libraries with 3 biological replicates. These libraries were used to construct a P. orientalis transcriptome database containing 71,669 unigenes (4,963 upregulated unigenes and 11,747 downregulated unigenes at the pollination stage) for subsequent analysis. Based on the annotations and expression levels, the functions of differentially expressed unigenes and enriched pathways between the developmental processes of female cones were analysed to detail the preliminary development and pollination mechanism of the female cone. Targeted investigations were specifically performed to determine the elementary mechanism of secretion and functioning of the pollination drop, a vital ovule secretion at the pollination stage. Ultimately, the expression of 15 unigenes selected between two stages were further assessed and confirmed using qRT-PCR, which demonstrated reliable data and significant differences in the expression profiles of key genes. As one of the largest available transcriptomic resources of this species, the database is constructed to prospectively adapt to the physiological and genomic data of woody plants. This work provided the first transcriptome profile of P. orientalis female cones at different developmental stages, and will promote the illumination of the pollination mechanism of P. orientalis, and will serve as the basis for in-depth genomic study in the Cupressaceae family. This initiative will arouse the interest and attention of scholars and pave the way for future studies.
Đakrông virus, a novel mobatvirus (Hantaviridae) harbored by the Stoliczka’s Asian trident bat (Aselliscus stoliczkanus) in Vietnam
Authors: Arai Satoru , Aoki Keita , Sơn Nguyễn Trường , Tú Vương Tân , Kikuchi Fuka , Kinoshita Gohta , Fukui Dai , Thành Hoàng Trung , Gu Se Hun , Yoshikawa Yasuhiro , Tanaka-Taya Keiko , Morikawa Shigeru , Yanagihara Richard , Oishi Kazunori
Published: July 2019

The recent discovery of genetically distinct shrew- and mole-borne viruses belonging to the newly defined family Hantaviridae (order Bunyavirales) has spurred an extended search for hantaviruses in RNAlater®-preserved lung tissues from 215 bats (order Chiroptera) representing five families (Hipposideridae, Megadermatidae, Pteropodidae, Rhinolophidae and Vespertilionidae), collected in Vietnam during 2012 to 2014. A newly identified hantavirus, designated Đakrông virus (DKGV), was detected in one of two Stoliczka’s Asian trident bats (Aselliscus stoliczkanus), from Đakrông Nature Reserve in Quảng Trị Province. Using maximum-likelihood and Bayesian methods, phylogenetic trees based on the full-length S, M and L segments showed that DKGV occupied a basal position with other mobatviruses, suggesting that primordial hantaviruses may have been hosted by ancestral bats.
Identification and validation of SNP markers linked to seed toxicity in Jatropha curcas L
Authors: Trebbi Daniele , Ravi Samathmika , Broccanello Chiara , Chiodi Claudia , Francis George , Oliver John , Mulpuri Sujatha , Srinivasan Subhashini , Stevanato Piergiorgio
Published: July 2019

Edible/non-toxic varieties of Jatropha curcas L. are gaining increasing attention, providing both oil as biofuel feedstock or even as edible oil and the seed kernel meal as animal feed ingredient. They are a viable alternative to the limitation posed by the presence of phorbol esters in toxic varieties. Accurate genotyping of toxic/non-toxic accessions is critical to breeding management. The aim of this study was to identify SNP markers linked to seed toxicity in J. curcas. For SNP discovery, NGS technology was used to sequence the whole genomes of a toxic and non-toxic parent along with a bulk of 51 toxic and 30 non-toxic F2 plants. To ascertain the association between SNP markers and seed toxicity trait, candidate SNPs were genotyped on 672 individuals segregating for seed toxicity and two collections of J. curcas composed of 96 individuals each. In silico SNP discovery approaches led to the identification of 64 candidate SNPs discriminating non-toxic and toxic samples. These SNPs were mapped on Chromosome 8 within the Linkage Group 8 previously identified as a genomic region important for phorbol ester biosynthesis. The association study identified two new SNPs, SNP_J22 and SNP_J24 significantly linked to low toxicity with R2 values of 0.75 and 0.54, respectively. Our study released two valuable SNP markers for high-throughput, marker-assisted breeding of seed toxicity in J. curcas.
Hardness of Polycrystalline Wurtzite Boron Nitride (wBN) Compacts
Authors: Liu Yinjuan , Zhan Guodong , Wang Qiang , He Duanwei , Zhang Jiawei , Liang Akun , Moellendick Timothy E. , Zhao Le , Li Xiao
Published: July 2019

Wurtzite boron nitride (wBN), due to its superior properties and many potential practical and scientific applications, such as ideal machining/cutting/milling ferrous and carbide materials, especially as an ideal dielectric substrate material for optical, electronic, and 2-D graphene-based devices, has recently attracted much attention from both academic and industrial fields. Despite decades of research, there is an ongoing debate about if the single-phase wBN is harder than diamond because of the difficulty to make pure wBN material. Here we report the successful synthesis of pure single-phase polycrystalline wurtzite-type boron nitride (wBN) bulk material by using wBN powder as a starting material with a well-controlled process under ultra-high pressure and high temperature. The cubic boron nitride (cBN) was also successfully prepared for the first time from wBN starting material for comparison and verification. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) and TEM clearly confirmed that a pure single-phase wBN compact was produced. The microstructure and mechanical properties including Vickers hardness, fracture toughness, and thermal stability for the pure single-phase wBN was first evaluated.
The Evolutionary History of The Orexin/Allatotropin GPCR Family: from Placozoa and Cnidaria to Vertebrata
Authors: Alzugaray María Eugenia , Bruno María Cecilia , Villalobos Sambucaro María José , Ronderos Jorge Rafael
Published: July 2019

Peptidic messengers constitute a highly diversified group of intercellular messengers widely distributed in nature that regulate a great number of physiological processes in Metazoa. Being crucial for life, it seem that they have appeared in the ancestral group from which Metazoa evolved, and were highly conserved along the evolutionary process. Peptides act mainly through G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs), a family of transmembrane molecules. GPCRs are also widely distributed in nature being present in metazoan, but also in Choanoflagellata and Fungi. Among GPCRs, the Allatotropin/Orexin (AT/Ox) family is particularly characterized by the presence of the DRW motif in the second intracellular loop (IC Loop 2), and seems to be present in Cnidaria, Placozoa and in Bilateria, suggesting that it was present in the common ancestor of Metazoa. Looking for the evolutionary history of this GPCRs we searched for corresponding sequences in public databases. Our results suggest that AT/Ox receptors were highly conserved along evolutionary process, and that they are characterized by the presence of the E/DRWYAI motif at the IC Loop 2. Phylogenetic analyses show that AT/Ox family of receptors reflects evolutionary relationships that agree with current phylogenetic understanding in Actinopterygii and Sauropsida, including also the largely discussed position of Testudines.
Effect of Saxagliptin on Endothelial Function in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: A Prospective Multicenter Study
Authors: Kajikawa Masato , Maruhashi Tatsuya , Hidaka Takayuki , Matsui Shogo , Hashimoto Haruki , Takaeko Yuji , Nakano Yukiko , Kurisu Satoshi , Kihara Yasuki , Yusoff Farina Mohamad , Kishimoto Shinji , Chayama Kazuaki , Goto Chikara , Noma Kensuke , Nakashima Ayumu , Hiro Takafumi , Hirayama Atsushi , Shiina Kazuki , Tomiyama Hirofumi , Yagi Shusuke , Amano Rie , Yamada Hirotsugu , Sata Masataka , Higashi Yukihito
Published: July 2019

The dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor saxagliptin is a widely used antihyperglycemic agent in patients with type 2 diabetes. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of saxagliptin on endothelial function in patients with type 2 diabetes. This was a prospective, multicenter, interventional study. A total of 34 patients with type 2 diabetes were enrolled at four university hospitals in Japan. Treatment of patients was initially started with saxagliptin at a dose of 5 mg daily. Assessment of endothelial function assessed by flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD) and measurement of stromal cell-derived factor-1α (SDF-1α) were conducted at baseline and at 3 months after treatment with saxagliptin. A total of 31 patients with type 2 diabetes were included in the analysis. Saxagliptin significantly increased FMD from 3.1 ± 3.1% to 4.2 ± 2.4% (P = 0.032) and significantly decreased total cholesterol from 190 ± 24 mg/dL to 181 ± 25 mg/dL (P = 0.002), glucose from 160 ± 53 mg/dL to 133 ± 25 mg/dL (P < 0.001), HbA1c from 7.5 ± 0.6% to 7.0 ± 0.6% (P < 0.001), urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio from 63.8 ± 134.2 mg/g to 40.9 ± 83.0 mg/g (P = 0.043), and total SDF-1α from 2108 ± 243 pg/mL to 1284 ± 345 pg/mL (P < 0.001). These findings suggest that saxagliptin is effective for improving endothelial function.
Cell type specific transcriptional reprogramming of maize leaves during Ustilago maydis induced tumor formation
Authors: Villajuana-Bonequi Mitzi , Matei Alexandra , Ernst Corinna , Hallab Asis , Usadel Björn , Doehlemann Gunther
Published: July 2019

Ustilago maydisis a biotrophic pathogen and well-established genetic model to understand the molecular basis of biotrophic interactions.U. maydissuppresses plant defense and induces tumors on all aerial parts of its host plant maize. In a previous study we found thatU. maydisinduced leaf tumor formation builds on two major processes: the induction of hypertrophy in the mesophyll and the induction of cell division (hyperplasia) in the bundle sheath. In this study we analyzed the cell-type specific transcriptome of maize leaves 4 days post infection. This analysis allowed identification of key features underlying the hypertrophic and hyperplasic cell identities derived from mesophyll and bundle sheath cells, respectively. We examined the differentially expressed (DE) genes with particular focus on maize cell cycle genes and found that three A-type cyclins, one B-, D- and T-type are upregulated in the hyperplasic tumorous cells, in which theU. maydiseffector protein See1 promotes cell division. Additionally, most of the proteins involved in the formation of the pre-replication complex (pre-RC, that assure that each daughter cell receives identic DNA copies), the transcription factors E2F and DPa as well as several D-type cyclins are deregulated in the hypertrophic cells.
Predicting Antigenicity of Influenza A Viruses Using biophysical ideas
Authors: Degoot Abdoelnaser M. , Adabor Emmanuel S. , Chirove Faraimunashe , Ndifon Wilfred
Published: July 2019

Antigenic variations of influenza A viruses are induced by genomic mutation in their trans-membrane protein HA1, eliciting viral escape from neutralization by antibodies generated in prior infections or vaccinations. Prediction of antigenic relationships among influenza viruses is useful for designing (or updating the existing) influenza vaccines, provides important insights into the evolutionary mechanisms underpinning viral antigenic variations, and helps to understand viral epidemiology. In this study, we present a simple and physically interpretable model that can predict antigenic relationships among influenza A viruses, based on biophysical ideas, using both genomic amino acid sequences and experimental antigenic data. We demonstrate the applicability of the model using a benchmark dataset of four subtypes of influenza A (H1N1, H3N2, H5N1, and H9N2) viruses and report on its performance profiles. Additionally, analysis of the model’s parameters confirms several observations that are consistent with the findings of other previous studies, for which we provide plausible explanations.
Sensitive approach and future perspectives in microscopic patterns of mycorrhizal roots
Authors: Stoian Vlad , Vidican Roxana , Crişan Ioana , Puia Carmen , Şandor Mignon , Stoian Valentina A. , Păcurar Florin , Vaida Ioana
Published: July 2019

The harmonization of methodologies for the assessment of radicular endophytic colonization is a current necessity, especially for the arbuscular mycorrhizas. The functionality of mycorrhizal symbionts for plants can be described only by indicators obtained based on microscopic analysis. That is the reason for which a unifying methodology will lead to the achievement of highly correlated indicators comparable from one research to another. Our proposed methodology can further digitize the microscopic observations of colonization. The MycoPatt system is developed as a methodological framework for obtaining objective and comparable microscopic observations. The horizontal, vertical and transversal indicators are highly adaptable and allow the tracking of mycorrhizal colonization in root length. All structures developed by symbionts can be traced and the obtained metadata can be compared without any transformation. Mycorrhizal maps have a high degree of applicability in evaluating soil inoculum efficiency. In the future, the application of this method will lead to digital maps with a high degree of accuracy. MycoPatt allows the mathematical expression of colonization patterns, being a complex model that converts biological data into statistically comparable indicators. This will further allow obtaining inferences with applicative importance and similarity spectra for the colonizing fungi and host plants.
Microbiota of the Oropharynx and Endoscope Compared to the Esophagus
Authors: Okereke Ikenna C. , Miller Aaron L. , Hamilton Catherine F. , Booth Adam L. , Reep Gabriel L. , Andersen Clark L. , Reynolds Sandy T. , Pyles Richard B.
Published: July 2019

The role of the microflora in the development of esophageal disease is still largely unknown and is being investigated in more detail. Our goal was to determine how the microbiota levels of endoscope and uvular swabs compared to the levels of tissue biopsies along various points of the esophagus. 17 patients with Barrett’s esophagus agreed to participate in the study. Biopsies of esophageal mucosa were taken from the (1) proximal esophagus, (2) mid-esophagus, (3) distal esophagus, and (4) Barrett’s esophagus. Swabs were also taken from the uvula and the endoscope. Throughout the esophagus, 17 bacterial genera were detected from the samples. The microflora pattern obtained from the uvula and endoscopic swabs did not correlate well with mucosal biopsies along any aspect of the esophagus. There were statistically significant differences in the levels and proportions of bacteria found when comparing the uvula swab to the esophageal biopsies and when comparing the endoscope swab to the esophageal biopsies. Obtaining a simple swab of the uvula or endoscope itself appears to be a poor substitute for tissue biopsy of esophageal mucosa when evaluating microflora patterns. When performing microflora studies of the esophagus, mucosal biopsies should be used for analysis.
Sequence analysis of capnography waveform abnormalities during nurse-administered procedural sedation and analgesia in the cardiac catheterization laboratory
Authors: Conway Aaron , Collins Peter , Chang Kristina , Mafeld Sebastian , Sutherland Joanna , Fingleton James
Published: July 2019

Identifying common patterns in capnography waveform abnormalities and the factors that influence these patterns could yield insights to optimize responses to sedation-induced respiratory depression. Respiratory state sequences for 102 patients who had a procedure in a cardiac catheterisation laboratory with procedural sedation and analgesia were developed by classifying each second of procedures into a state of normal breathing or other capnography waveform abnormalities based on pre-specified cut-offs for respiratory rate and end-tidal CO2 concentration. Hierarchical clustering identified four common patterns in respiratory state sequences, which were characterized by a predominance of the state assigned normal breathing (n = 42; 41%), hypopneic hypoventilation (n = 38; 38%), apnea (n = 15; 15%) and bradypneic hypoventilation (n = 7; 7%). A multivariable distance matrix regression model including demographic and clinical variables explained 28% of the variation in inter-individual differences in respiratory state sequences. Obstructive sleep apnea (R2 = 2.4%; p = 0.02), smoking status (R2 = 2.8%; p = 0.01), Charlson comorbidity index score (R2 = 2.5%; p = 0.021), peak transcutaneous carbon dioxide concentration (R2 = 4.1%; p = 0.002) and receiving an intervention to support respiration (R2 = 5.6%; p = 0.001) were significant covariates but each explained only small amounts of the variation in respiratory state sequences. Oxygen desaturation (SpO2 < 90%) was rare (n = 3; 3%) and not associated with respiratory state sequence trajectories.
Computational Design of Novel Hydrogen-Doped, Oxygen-Deficient Monoclinic Zirconia with Excellent Optical Absorption and Electronic Properties
Authors: Tolba Sarah A. , Allam Nageh K.
Published: July 2019

Monoclinic ZrO2 has recently emerged as a new highly efficient material for the photovoltaic and photocatalytic applications. Herein, first-principles calculations were carried out to understand how Hydrogen doping can affect the electronic structure and optical properties of the material. The effects of Hydrogen interstitial and substitutional doping at different sites and concentrations in m-ZrO2 were examined by an extensive model study to predict the best structure with the optimal properties for use in solar energy conversion devices. Hydrogen interstitials (Hi) in pristine m-ZrO2 were found to lower the formation energy but without useful effects on the electronic or optical properties. Hydrogen mono- and co-occupying oxygen vacancy (Ov) were also investigated. At low concentration of Hydrogen mono-occupying oxygen vacancy (HOv), Hydrogen atoms introduced shallow states below the conduction band minimum (CBM) and increase the dielectric constant, which could be very useful for gate dielectric application. The number and position of such defect states strongly depend on the doping sites and concentration. At high oxygen vacancy concentration, the modeled HOv-Ov structure shows the formation of shallow and localized states that are only 1.1 eV below the CBM with significantly high dielectric constant and extended optical absorption to the infrared region. This strong absorption with the high permittivity and low exciton binding energies make the material an ideal candidate for use in solar energy harvesting devices. Finally, the band edge positions of pristine and doped structures with respect to the redox potentials of water splitting indicated that Hydrogen occupying oxygen vacancies can increase the photocatalytic activity of the material for hydrogen generation due the extremely improved optical absorption and the band gap states.
Chia seed mucilage – a vegan thickener: isolation, tailoring viscoelasticity and rehydration
Authors: Brütsch Linda , Stringer Fiona J. , Kuster Simon , Windhab Erich J. , Fischer Peter
Published: July 2019

Chia seeds and their mucilage gels provide a nutritionally and functionally promising ingredient for the food and pharmaceutical industry.
An amino-endcapped octadecylsilane silica-based mixed-mode stationary phase for the simultaneous separation of neutral and ionizable components in fixed-dose combinations
Authors: Li Yan , Zhang Shuang-Hong , Chen Lei
Published: July 2019

An amino-endcapped octadecylsilane silica-based mixed-mode stationary phase (ODS–APS) was prepared by a three-step vapor deposition method for simultaneous separation of neutral and ionizable compounds in fixed-dose combinations.
Homopropargyl as a new recognition moiety of a fluorescent probe for detection of palladium in living cells
Authors: Chen Miao , Wang Xianhui , Wang Nannan , Ji Xin , He Jinling , Zhang Jian , Zhao Weili
Published: July 2019

Palladium contamination has attracted widespread attention due to the toxicity and the wide use of palladium species.
A NIR-II light responsive hydrogel based on 2D engineered tungsten nitride nanosheets for multimode chemo/photothermal therapy
Authors: Xu Qunfang , Zhao Senfeng , Deng Liu , Ouyang Jiang , Wen Mei , Zeng Ke , Chen Wansong , Zhang Ling , Liu You-Nian
Published: July 2019

A hydrogel drug cargo based on 2D tungsten nitride nanosheets was fabricated.
Ring-opening metathesis polymerization-induced self-assembly (ROMPISA)
Authors: Varlas Spyridon , Foster Jeffrey C. , O'Reilly Rachel K.
Published: July 2019

Ring-opening metathesis polymerization-induced self-assembly (ROMPISA) has expanded the preparation of PISA nano-objects beyond radical polymerization approaches. In this highlight article, we summarize current advances and existing challenges in ROMPISA methodologies.
Accelerated recombination of lophyl radicals and control of the surface tension with amphiphilic lophine dimers
Authors: Akamatsu Masaaki , Kobayashi Kazuki , Sakai Kenichi , Sakai Hideki
Published: July 2019

The accelerated photoisomerization of amphiphilic lophine dimers enabled rapid control of the interfacial properties of aqueous solution with photoirradiation.
Palladium-catalyzed decarbonylative annulation of phthalimides with arynes: direct construction of phenanthridinones
Authors: Meng Yan-Yu , Si Xiao-Ju , Song Yuan-Yuan , Zhou Hui-Min , Xu Fen
Published: July 2019

A novel palladium-catalyzed decarbonylative annulation between phthalimides and arynes was well-established, affording phenanthridinone derivatives in moderate to good yields.
Stress control and dislocation reduction in the initial growth of GaN on Si (111) substrates by using a thin GaN transition layer
Authors: Wang Kun , Li Mengda , Yang Zhijian , Wu Jiejun , Yu Tongjun
Published: July 2019

A thin GaN transition layer technology is proposed to control stress and reduce the dislocation density in the initial GaN growth.
Structures and energetics of low-index stoichiometric BiPO4surfaces
Authors: Xu Yuan , Ma Xinguo , Hu Jisong , Xu Ang , Wang Zhuoran , Huang Chuyun
Published: July 2019

Four low-index surfaces of monazite BiPO4in the Wulff shape are investigated.
Self-assembly of bis-β-diketone-based [M2L2] dinuclear platforms into 2-dimensional coordination polymers
Authors: Brock A. J. , McMurtrie John C. , Clegg J. K.
Published: July 2019

Bis-β-diketone [M2L2] dinuclear platforms self-assemble into 2-dimensional coordination polymers.
Revealing the switching mechanisms of an off–on–off fluorescent logic gate system
Authors: Chi Weijie , Chen Jie , Qiao Qinglong , Gao Ying , Xu Zhaochao , Liu Xiaogang
Published: July 2019

We showed that TICT and PET were responsible for the off–on–off switching mechanisms of a fluorescent molecular logic gate.
Ultrahigh and anisotropic thermal transport in the hybridized monolayer (BC2N) of boron nitride and graphene: a first-principles study
Authors: Shafique Aamir , Shin Young-Han
Published: July 2019

Heat removal has become a significant challenge in the miniaturization of electronic devices, especially in power electronics, so semiconducting materials with suitable band gaps and high lattice thermal conductivity are highly desired.
Protomers of DNA-binding dye fluoresce different colours: intrinsic photophysics of Hoechst 33258
Authors: Chen JoAnn C. , Jockusch Rebecca A.
Published: July 2019

A new form of DNA-binder Hoechst 33258 is stabilised upon desolvation. Altered optical properties include a distinct green fluorescence.
New insights into 3M3M1B: the role of water in ˙OH-initiated degradation and aerosol formation in the presence of NOX (X = 1, 2) and an alkali
Authors: Bai Feng-Yang , Ni Shuang , Tang Yi-Zhen , Pan Xiu-Mei , Zhao Zhen
Published: July 2019

Metal-free catalysis of the ˙OH-initiated degradation of 3M3M1B, nitrate aerosol formation, and peroxynitrate decomposition.
Mechanism and kinetics for both thermal and electrochemical reduction of N2 catalysed by Ru(0001) based on quantum mechanics
Authors: Chen Liang-Yu , Kuo Tung-Chun , Hong Zih-Siang , Cheng Mu-Jeng , Goddard William A.
Published: July 2019

QM calculations were used to predict the free energy surfaces for N2 thermal and electrochemical reduction (N2TR and N2ER) on Ru(0001), to find the detailed atomistic mechanism and kinetics, and provide the basis for improving the efficiency of N2ER.
Carbon fiber-assisted iron carbide nanoparticles as an efficient catalyst via peroxymonosulfate activation for organic contaminant removal
Authors: Gao Shiyuan , Zhou Haoran , Xia Yannan , Liu Xiudan , Yao Yuyuan , Wang Wentao , Chen Haixiang
Published: July 2019

The introduction of carbon fibers enhances the ability of iron carbide nanoparticles to activate PMS to remove contaminants.
Positive effect of Fe3+ions on Bi2WO6, Bi2MoO6and BiVO4photocatalysis for phenol oxidation under visible light
Authors: Huang Xubo , Zhao Jianjun , Xiong Xianqiang , Liu Shengwei , Xu Yiming
Published: July 2019

Catalyst activity is notably enhanced on simple addition of Fe3+ions. The reaction is fast initially and then becomes slow, but the formation of reactive species is accelerated even in the slow process.
Platinum single-atom catalysts: a comparative review towards effective characterization
Authors: Liu Qing , Zhang Zailei
Published: July 2019

This review summaries the characterization techniques for Pt single-atom catalysts and focuses on FT-EXAFS spectroscopy to study the coordination environment of Pt–M for atomically dispersed Pt catalysts on diverse supports.
Porous PtPd alloy nanotubes: towards high performance electrocatalysts with low Pt-loading
Authors: Laghrissi Ayoub , Es-Souni Mohammed
Published: July 2019

Porous PtPd alloy nanotubes with Pt contents down to 5 at% are powerful, Pt-lean electrocatalysts.
Stoichiometric active site modification observed by alkali ion titrations of Sn-Beta
Authors: Elliot Samuel G. , Tosi Irene , Meier Sebastian , Martinez-Espin Juan S. , Tolborg Søren , Taarning Esben
Published: July 2019

Titrations and functional assays are combined to gain insight into the stoichiometric correlations for alkali ions and the tin active sites in Sn-Beta, and show that three different states with distinct catalytic properties exist.