bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Inclusion of Adolescents in STI/HIV Biomedical Prevention Trials: Autonomy, Decision Making, and Parental Involvement
Authors: Rosenthal Susan L. , Morris Marilyn C. , Hoffman Lily F. , Zimet Gregory D.
Published: May 2018

Adolescents, despite their disproportionate burden of disease, often are excluded from sexually transmitted infection and HIV biomedical prevention clinical trials. The 3 principles of the Belmont Report (justice, respect for persons, and beneficence, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 1979 ) can inform our understanding of the ethical imperative to include minors in these trials. Investigators and institutional review boards need to have an understanding of what constitutes no more than minimal risk, that is, what is part of adolescent well-child care. Although cognitive development extends into the young adult years, evidence suggests that in most situations research decision-making capacity of an older minor is similar to that of a young adult. Depending on the specifics of the study, parental involvement may range from parental consent while protecting confidentiality to adolescent self-consent with a waiver of parental consent. Regardless of the level of parental involvement, protection of adolescents enrolled in trials will require strategies that guard against the risk of accidental loss of confidentiality. We outline a number of ways in which pediatric psychologists can assist clinical trial investigators and institutional review boards to ethically recruit and enroll minors into biomedical prevention trials. Furthermore, a pediatric psychologist can contribute to needed research on adolescent decision making and parental involvement to develop more sophisticated approaches to involving minors in HIV and sexually transmitted infection biomedical clinical trials.
A Behavioral Family Intervention for Children With Overweight and Asthma
Authors: Fedele David A. , Janicke David M. , McQuaid Elizabeth L. , Abu-Hasan Mutasim , Baker Dawn , Zou Baiming , Netz Mallory , Lawless Casey
Published: May 2018

The Childhood Health and Asthma Management Program (CHAMP) is a behavioral family lifestyle intervention for youth with overweight or obesity (OV/OB) and asthma. This pilot, randomized controlled trial examined the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of CHAMP. A sample of 24 children ( M age = 8.67) with asthma and a BMI at the 85th percentile or higher and their caregivers participated in the trial. Families were recruited from local pediatrician offices and pediatric pulmonary and allergy clinics and randomized to CHAMP or a health education attention control condition. Children’s height, weight, lung function, asthma control, and asthma-related quality of life (QOL) were collected at baseline, postintervention, and 6-months posttreatment. Analysis of covariance and standardized mean differences were used to assess changes in outcome variables among participants attending >50% of sessions ( n = 12). Families participating in CHAMP reported high satisfaction; however, there were a number of barriers to recruitment and regular session attendance. There were no statistically significant between-group differences at postintervention or long-term follow-up. From baseline to postintervention, there were small to large effect sizes favoring CHAMP for BMI z scores, asthma control, and measures of lung function. There were small to medium effect sizes favoring CHAMP at long-term follow-up for BMI z scores, asthma control, and asthma-related QOL. CHAMP had adequate acceptability in this trial. We did not find significant results favoring CHAMP compared with the control group, however, lessons learned provide important directions for modifications in anticipation of a larger trial.

Implications for Impact Statement

Children with overweight or obesity (OV/OB) and asthma are at higher risk for experiencing negative health outcomes than their nonobese peers. We developed the Childhood Health and Asthma Management Program (CHAMP), a 16-week family-based intervention for school-aged youth with overweight or obesity and asthma. Families reported high satisfaction with CHAMP and some modestly positive outcomes were found with regard to weight change and asthma outcomes; however, families reported several barriers to intervention attendance, suggesting the need for more feasible interventions to improve outcomes within this population.
Preliminary Feasibility and Acceptability of the Remote Food Photography Method for Assessing Nutrition in Young Children With Type 1 Diabetes
Authors: Rose Meredith H. , Streisand Randi , Aronow Laura , Tully Carrie , Martin Corby K. , Mackey Eleanor
Published: May 2018

Nutrition is a critical component of diabetes and other chronic diseases for young children. However, nutritional intake is burdensome to measure accurately and easily, making it difficult to evaluate in research or clinical contexts. This pilot study examined the feasibility and acceptability of having parents of young children with type I diabetes (T1D) use the remote food photography method (RFPM) to measure breakfast nutrition. Participants were 9 mothers of children ages 2–5 years ( M age = 4.2), with a T1D duration of at least 1 year ( M age = 2.4 years at diagnosis), representing diverse backgrounds (55.6% Caucasian; 44.4% African American; 55.6% married). During baseline and follow up of a healthy eating and physical activity intervention for children with T1D, parents used the RFPM to capture before and after images of their children’s breakfast. Feasibility and acceptability were assessed by adherence to taking photos, percent of usable photos, and participant satisfaction. The RFPM was feasible across participants with high adherence rates (100% at baseline and 87% at follow up) for sending usable photographs. Most participants reported satisfaction with the method. Using the RFPM to assess nutrition in a small sample of young children with T1D was feasible and acceptable. Given the importance of assessing nutrition in young children with T1D as well as other chronic illnesses (e.g., cystic fibrosis, obesity), the RFPM may be a useful tool for both research and clinical data collection in lieu of other methods. More research is needed to evaluate reliability and validity of RFPM in pediatric populations.

Implications for Impact Statement

The present study uses pilot data from a study with young children who have T1D to suggest that remote food photography, a method that has been well established in the nutrition field, could be a useful dietary intake measuring tool in pediatric psychology populations.
Myelodysplastic syndromes current treatment algorithm 2018
Authors: Steensma David P.
Published: May 2018

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) include a group of clonal myeloid neoplasms characterized by cytopenias due to ineffective hematopoiesis, abnormal blood and marrow cell morphology, and a risk of clonal evolution and progression to acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Because outcomes for patients with MDS are heterogeneous, individual risk stratification using tools such as the revised International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS-R) is important in managing patients—including selecting candidates for allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (ASCT), the only potentially curative therapy for MDS. The IPSS-R can be supplemented by molecular genetic testing, since certain gene mutations such asTP53influence risk independent of established clinicopathological variables. For lower risk patients with symptomatic anemia, treatment with erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) or lenalidomide (especially for those with deletion of chromosome 5q) can ameliorate symptoms. Some lower risk patients may be candidates for immunosuppressive therapy, thrombopoiesis-stimulating agents, or a DNA hypomethylating agent (HMA; azacitidine or decitabine). Among higher risk patients, transplant candidates should undergo ASCT as soon as possible, with HMAs useful as a bridge to transplant. Non-transplant candidates should initiate HMA therapy and continue if tolerated until disease progression. Supportive care with transfusions and antimicrobial drugs as needed remains important in all groups.
HBx-induced S100A9 in NF-κB dependent manner promotes growth and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma cells
Authors: Duan Liang , Wu Rui , Zhang Xiuyu , Wang Ding , You Yan , Zhang Yunyuan , Zhou Lan , Chen Weixian
Published: May 2018

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is associated with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Myeloid-specific S100 proteins (S100s), namely, S100A8, S100A9 and S100A12, have been recently recognized as newly discovered damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) that are correlated with progression in pathogen of infectious diseases. However, whether S100s are regulated by HBV and involved in HBV-related hepatocarcinogenesis are still unclear. Here, we found that all expression levels of myeloid-specific S100s (S100A8, S100A9 and S10012) were elevated in serum and tissue samples from HCC patients. Expression of S100A9 but not S100A8 and S10012 were also higher in blood serum and tissue samples from HBV-positive HCC patients than that in HBV-negative HCC patients. High levels of intracellular and extracellular S100A9 were also confirmed in HepG2 cells expressing 1.3-fold HBV genome or HBV-encoded X protein (HBx) as well as in a stable HBV-producing cell line HepG2.2.15. HBx was shown to facilitate translocation of NF-κB from the cytoplasm to the nucleus, and NF-κB bound to the promoter of S100A9 to enhance its transcription. Silencing S100A9 expression partially blocked HBx-induced growth and metastasis of HepG2 cells both in vitro and in vivo. Further, serum S100A9 levels were found to correlate with TNM stage, extrahepatic metastasis status and HBV DNA load in HBV-related HCC and also had a better diagnostic value for identifying extrahepatic metastasis. Our these data demonstrate that S100A9 plays a pivotal role in HBx-induced growth and metastasis of HCC and may serve as a potential diagnostic marker for extrahepatic metastasis.
Heat shock factor 1 confers resistance to lapatinib in ERBB2-positive breast cancer cells
Authors: Yallowitz Alisha , Ghaleb Amr , Garcia Lucas , Alexandrova Evguenia M. , Marchenko Natalia
Published: May 2018

Despite success of ERBB2-targeted therapies such as lapatinib, resistance remains a major clinical concern. Multiple compensatory receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) pathways are known to contribute to lapatinib resistance. The heterogeneity of these adaptive responses is a significant hurdle for finding most effective combinatorial treatments. The goal of this study was to identify a unifying molecular mechanism whose targeting could help prevent and/or overcome lapatinib resistance. Using the MMTV-ERBB2;mutant p53 (R175H) in vivo mouse model of ERBB2-positive breast cancer, together with mouse and human cell lines, we compared lapatinib-resistant vs. lapatinib-sensitive tumor cells biochemically and by kinome arrays and evaluated their viability in response to a variety of compounds affecting heat shock response. We found that multiple adaptive RTKs are activated in lapatinib-resistant cells in vivo, some of which have been previously described (Axl, MET) and some were novel (PDGFRα, PDGFRβ, VEGFR1, MUSK, NFGR). Strikingly, all lapatinib-resistant cells show chronically activated HSF1 and its transcriptional targets, heat shock proteins (HSPs), and, as a result, superior tolerance to proteotoxic stress. Importantly, lapatinib-resistant tumors and cells retained sensitivity to Hsp90 and HSF1 inhibitors, both in vitro and in vivo, thus providing a unifying and actionable therapeutic node. Indeed, HSF1 inhibition simultaneously downregulated ERBB2, adaptive RTKs and mutant p53, and its combination with lapatinib prevented development of lapatinib resistance in vitro. Thus, the kinome adaptation in lapatinib-resistant ERBB2-positive breast cancer cells is governed, at least in part, by HSF1-mediated heat shock pathway, providing a novel potential intervention strategy to combat resistance.
Author Correction to: TRIM29 negatively controls antiviral immune response through targeting STING for degradation
Authors: Li Qijie , Lin Liangbin , Tong Yanli , Liu Yantong , Mou Jun , Wang Xiaodong , Wang Xiuxuan , Gong Yanqiu , Zhao Yi , Liu Yi , Zhong Bo , Dai Lunzhi , Wei Yu-Quan , Zhang Huiyuan , Hu Hongbo
Published: May 2018

Correction to:Cell Discovery (2018) 4:13https://doi.org/10.1038/s41421-018-0010-9, published online 20 March 2018
Control of seed dormancy and germination by DOG1-AHG1 PP2C phosphatase complex via binding to heme
Authors: Nishimura Noriyuki , Tsuchiya Wataru , Moresco James J. , Hayashi Yuki , Satoh Kouji , Kaiwa Nahomi , Irisa Tomoko , Kinoshita Toshinori , Schroeder Julian I. , Yates John R. , Hirayama Takashi , Yamazaki Toshimasa
Published: May 2018

Abscisic acid (ABA) regulates abiotic stress and developmental responses including regulation of seed dormancy to prevent seeds from germinating under unfavorable environmental conditions. ABA HYPERSENSITIVE GERMINATION1 (AHG1) encoding a type 2C protein phosphatase (PP2C) is a central negative regulator of ABA response in germination; however, the molecular function and regulation of AHG1 remain elusive. Here we report that AHG1 interacts with DELAY OF GERMINATION1 (DOG1), which is a pivotal positive regulator in seed dormancy. DOG1 acts upstream of AHG1 and impairs the PP2C activity of AHG1 in vitro. Furthermore, DOG1 has the ability to bind heme. Binding of DOG1 to AHG1 and heme are independent processes, but both are essential for DOG1 function in vivo. Our study demonstrates that AHG1 and DOG1 constitute an important regulatory system for seed dormancy and germination by integrating multiple environmental signals, in parallel with the PYL/RCAR ABA receptor-mediated regulatory system.
The role of dynamic enzyme assemblies and substrate channelling in metabolic regulation
Authors: Sweetlove Lee J. , Fernie Alisdair R.
Published: May 2018

Transient physical association between enzymes appears to be a cardinal feature of metabolic systems, yet the purpose of this metabolic organisation remains enigmatic. It is generally assumed that substrate channelling occurs in these complexes. However, there is a lack of information concerning the mechanisms and extent of substrate channelling and confusion regarding the consequences of substrate channelling. In this review, we outline recent advances in the structural characterisation of enzyme assemblies and integrate this with new insights from reaction–diffusion modelling and synthetic biology to clarify the mechanistic and functional significance of the phenomenon.
Coherent transfer of electron spin correlations assisted by dephasing noise
Authors: Nakajima Takashi , Delbecq Matthieu R. , Otsuka Tomohiro , Amaha Shinichi , Yoneda Jun , Noiri Akito , Takeda Kenta , Allison Giles , Ludwig Arne , Wieck Andreas D. , Hu Xuedong , Nori Franco , Tarucha Seigo
Published: May 2018

Quantum coherence of superposed states, especially of entangled states, is indispensable for many quantum technologies. However, it is vulnerable to environmental noises, posing a fundamental challenge in solid-state systems including spin qubits. Here we show a scheme of entanglement engineering where pure dephasing assists the generation of quantum entanglement at distant sites in a chain of electron spins confined in semiconductor quantum dots. One party of an entangled spin pair, prepared at a single site, is transferred to the next site and then adiabatically swapped with a third spin using a transition across a multi-level avoided crossing. This process is accelerated by the noise-induced dephasing through a variant of the quantum Zeno effect, without sacrificing the coherence of the entangled state. Our finding brings insight into the spin dynamics in open quantum systems coupled to noisy environments, opening an avenue to quantum state manipulation utilizing decoherence effects.
Exploring patterns enriched in a dataset with contrastive principal component analysis
Authors: Abid Abubakar , Zhang Martin J. , Bagaria Vivek K. , Zou James
Published: May 2018

Visualization and exploration of high-dimensional data is a ubiquitous challenge across disciplines. Widely used techniques such as principal component analysis (PCA) aim to identify dominant trends in one dataset. However, in many settings we have datasets collected under different conditions, e.g., a treatment and a control experiment, and we are interested in visualizing and exploring patterns that are specific to one dataset. This paper proposes a method, contrastive principal component analysis (cPCA), which identifies low-dimensional structures that are enriched in a dataset relative to comparison data. In a wide variety of experiments, we demonstrate that cPCA with a background dataset enables us to visualize dataset-specific patterns missed by PCA and other standard methods. We further provide a geometric interpretation of cPCA and strong mathematical guarantees. An implementation of cPCA is publicly available, and can be used for exploratory data analysis in many applications where PCA is currently used.
Pressure-induced superconductivity in MoP
Authors: Chi Zhenhua , Chen Xuliang , An Chao , Yang Liuxiang , Zhao Jinggeng , Feng Zili , Zhou Yonghui , Zhou Ying , Gu Chuanchuan , Zhang Bowen , Yuan Yifang , Kenney-Benson Curtis , Yang Wenge , Wu Gang , Wan Xiangang , Shi Youguo , Yang Xiaoping , Yang Zhaorong
Published: May 2018

Topological semimetal, a novel state of quantum matter hosting exotic emergent quantum phenomena dictated by the nontrivial band topology, has emerged as a new frontier in condensed-matter physics. Very recently, the coexistence of triply degenerate points of band crossing and Weyl points near the Fermi level was theoretically predicted and experimentally identified in MoP. Via high-pressure electrical transport measurements, we report here the emergence of pressure-induced superconductivity in MoP with a critical transition temperature Tc of ca. 2.5 K at ca. 30 GPa. No structural phase transition is observed up to ca. 60 GPa via synchrotron X-ray diffraction study. Accordingly, the topologically nontrivial band protected by the crystal structure symmetries and superconductivity are expected to coexist at pressures above 30 GPa, consistent with density functional theory calculations. Thus, the pressurized MoP represents a promising candidate of topological superconductor. Our finding is expected to stimulate further exploitation of exotic emergent quantum phenomena in novel unconventional fermion system.
The invasion of abandoned fields by a major alien tree filters understory plant traits in novel forest ecosystems
Authors: Sitzia T. , Campagnaro T. , Kotze D. J. , Nardi S. , Ertani A.
Published: May 2018

The abandonment of agricultural use is a common driver of spontaneous reforestation by alien trees. The N-fixing black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) is a major alien invader of old fields in Europe. Here we show that canopy dominance by this tree may filter the frequency distribution of plant functional traits in the understory of secondary woodlands. Higher soil C/N ratio and available P are associated with black locust stands, while higher soil phenols associate with native tree stands. These environmental effects result in differences in understory flowering periods, reproduction types and life forms. Our findings emphasize the effect of a major alien tree on functional plant trait composition in the early stages of spontaneous reforestation of abandoned lands, implying the development of a novel forest ecosystem on a large geographical scale.
Convergent Pathways in Idiopathic Autism Revealed by Time Course Transcriptomic Analysis of Patient-Derived Neurons
Authors: DeRosa Brooke A. , El Hokayem Jimmy , Artimovich Elena , Garcia-Serje Catherine , Phillips Andre W. , Van Booven Derek , Nestor Jonathan E. , Wang Lily , Cuccaro Michael L. , Vance Jeffery M. , Pericak-Vance Margaret A. , Cukier Holly N. , Nestor Michael W. , Dykxhoorn Derek M.
Published: May 2018

Potentially pathogenic alterations have been identified in individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) within a variety of key neurodevelopment genes. While this hints at a common ASD molecular etiology, gaps persist in our understanding of the neurodevelopmental mechanisms impacted by genetic variants enriched in ASD patients. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) can model neurodevelopment in vitro, permitting the characterization of pathogenic mechanisms that manifest during corticogenesis. Taking this approach, we examined the transcriptional differences between iPSC-derived cortical neurons from patients with idiopathic ASD and unaffected controls over a 135-day course of neuronal differentiation. Our data show ASD-specific misregulation of genes involved in neuronal differentiation, axon guidance, cell migration, DNA and RNA metabolism, and neural region patterning. Furthermore, functional analysis revealed defects in neuronal migration and electrophysiological activity, providing compelling support for the transcriptome analysis data. This study reveals important and functionally validated insights into common processes altered in early neuronal development and corticogenesis and may contribute to ASD pathogenesis.
Crosstalk between Hedgehog pathway and energy pathways in human adipose-derived stem cells: A deep sequencing analysis of polysome-associated RNA
Authors: Shigunov Patrícia , Balvedi Lucas Titton , Santos Marlon Dias Mariano , Herai Roberto H. , de Aguiar Alessandra Melo , Dallagiovanna Bruno
Published: May 2018

Adult stem cells are considered promising candidates for cellular therapies due to their capacity to differentiate and self-renew. Differentiation leads to changes in the metabolism, structure, and gene expression patterns of cells. Hedgehog is one of the pathways that is involved in the enhancement of osteogenesis and chondrogenesis in adult stem cells, but its mechanisms are poorly understood. In this study, we treated adipose tissue-derived stem cells (ADSC) with two well-characterized drugs, purmorphamine (Hedgehog pathway activator) and cyclopamine (Hedgehog pathway inhibitor), and identified mRNAs associated with polysomes in each treatment group to determine the post transcriptional genetic networks governed by the Hedgehog pathway. Activation of the Hedgehog pathway by purmorphamine results in significant upregulation of mRNAs associated with cellular communication and signal transduction. Furthermore, our experiments show that cyclopamine acts late downregulating GLI1 expression in ADSCs but promotes the upregulation of mRNAs associated with energy pathways and metabolism at early times. Through in silico analysis, we identified some miRNAs, such as miR-355, that could regulate these mRNAs association with polysomes and thereby modulate the Hedgehog pathway. Our results suggest that activation of the Hedgehog pathway by purmorphamine also results in a negative regulation of mRNAs in the protein translation machinery.
One thousand DNA barcodes of piranhas and pacus reveal geographic structure and unrecognised diversity in the Amazon
Authors: Machado Valeria N. , Collins Rupert A. , Ota Rafaela P. , Andrade Marcelo C. , Farias Izeni P. , Hrbek Tomas
Published: May 2018

Piranhas and pacus (Characiformes: Serrasalmidae) are a charismatic but understudied family of Neotropical fishes. Here, we analyse a DNA barcode dataset comprising 1,122 specimens, 69 species, 16 genera, 208 localities, and 34 major river drainages in order to make an inventory of diversity and to highlight taxa and biogeographic areas worthy of further sampling effort and conservation protection. Using four methods of species discovery—incorporating both tree and distance based techniques—we report between 76 and 99 species-like clusters, i.e. between 20% and 33% ofa prioriidentified taxonomic species were represented by more than one mtDNA lineage. There was a high degree of congruence between clusters, with 60% supported by three or four methods. Pacus of the genusMyloplusexhibited the most intraspecific variation, with six of the 13 species sampled found to have multiple lineages. Conversely, piranhas of theSerrasalmus rhombeusgroup proved difficult to delimit with these methods due to genetic similarity and polyphyly. Overall, our results recognise substantially underestimated diversity in the serrasalmids, and emphasise the Guiana and Brazilian Shield rivers as biogeographically important areas with multiple cases of across-shield and within-shield diversifications. We additionally highlight the distinctiveness and complex phylogeographic history of rheophilic taxa in particular, and suggest multiple colonisations of these habitats by different serrasalmid lineages.
Post-stroke insomnia in community-dwelling patients with chronic motor stroke: Physiological evidence and implications for stroke care
Authors: Sterr A. , Kuhn M. , Nissen C. , Ettine D. , Funk S. , Feige B. , Umarova R. , Urbach H. , Weiller C. , Riemann D.
Published: May 2018

Questionnaire studies suggest that stroke patients experience sustained problems with sleep and daytime sleepiness, but physiological sleep studies focussing specifically on the chronic phase of stroke are lacking. Here we report for the first time physiological data of sleep and daytime sleepiness obtained through the two gold-standard methods, nocturnal polysomnography and the Multiple Sleep Latency Test. Data from community-dwelling patients with chronic right-hemispheric stroke (>12 months) were compared to sex- and age-matched controls. Behavioural and physiological measures suggested that stroke patients had poorer sleep with longer sleep latencies and lower sleep efficiency. Patients further spent more time awake during the night, and showed greater high-frequency power during nonREM sleep than controls. At the same time the Multiple Sleep Latency Test revealed greater wake efficiency in patients than controls. Importantly these findings were not due to group differences in sleep disordered breathing or periodic limb movements. Post-stroke insomnia is presently not adequately addressed within the care pathway for stroke. A holistic approach to rehabilitation and care provision, that includes targeted sleep interventions, is likely to enhance long-term outcome and quality of live in those living with chronic deficits after stroke.
Hetero-Multivalency of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Lectin LecA Binding to Model Membranes
Authors: Worstell Nolan C. , Singla Akshi , Saenkham Panatda , Galbadage Thushara , Sule Preeti , Lee Dongheon , Mohr Alec , Kwon Joseph Sang-Il , Cirillo Jeffrey D. , Wu Hung-Jen
Published: May 2018

A single glycan-lectin interaction is often weak and semi-specific. Multiple binding domains in a single lectin can bind with multiple glycan molecules simultaneously, making it difficult for the classic “lock-and-key” model to explain these interactions. We demonstrated that hetero-multivalency, a homo-oligomeric protein simultaneously binding to at least two types of ligands, influences LecA (a Pseudomonas aeruginosa adhesin)-glycolipid recognition. We also observed enhanced binding between P. aeruginosa and mixed glycolipid liposomes. Interestingly, strong ligands could activate weaker binding ligands leading to higher LecA binding capacity. This hetero-multivalency is probably mediated via a simple mechanism, Reduction of Dimensionality (RD). To understand the influence of RD, we also modeled LecA’s two-step binding process with membranes using a kinetic Monte Carlo simulation. The simulation identified the frequency of low-affinity ligand encounters with bound LecA and the bound LecA’s retention of the low-affinity ligand as essential parameters for triggering hetero-multivalent binding, agreeing with experimental observations. The hetero-multivalency can alter lectin binding properties, including avidities, capacities, and kinetics, and therefore, it likely occurs in various multivalent binding systems. Using hetero-multivalency concept, we also offered a new strategy to design high-affinity drug carriers for targeted drug delivery.
Transcriptome analysis of the reef-building octocoral, Heliopora coerulea
Authors: Guzman Christine , Shinzato Chuya , Lu Tsai-Ming , Conaco Cecilia
Published: May 2018

The blue coral, Heliopora coerulea, is a reef-building octocoral that prefers shallow water and exhibits optimal growth at a temperature close to that which causes bleaching in scleractinian corals. To better understand the molecular mechanisms underlying its biology and ecology, we generated a reference transcriptome for H. coerulea using next-generation sequencing. Metatranscriptome assembly yielded 90,817 sequences of which 71% (64,610) could be annotated by comparison to public databases. The assembly included transcript sequences from both the coral host and its symbionts, which are related to the thermotolerant C3-Gulf ITS2 type Symbiodinium. Analysis of the blue coral transcriptome revealed enrichment of genes involved in stress response, including heat-shock proteins and antioxidants, as well as genes participating in signal transduction and stimulus response. Furthermore, the blue coral possesses homologs of biomineralization genes found in other corals and may use a biomineralization strategy similar to that of scleractinians to build its massive aragonite skeleton. These findings thus offer insights into the ecology of H. coerulea and suggest gene networks that may govern its interactions with its environment.
Determination of strain relaxation in InGaN/GaN nanowalls from quantum confinement and exciton binding energy dependent photoluminescence peak
Authors: Sankaranarayanan Sandeep , Chouksey Shonal , Saha Pratim , Pendem Vikas , Udai Ankit , Aggarwal Tarni , Ganguly Swaroop , Saha Dipankar
Published: May 2018

GaN based nanostructures are being increasingly used to improve the performance of various devices including light emitting diodes and lasers. It is important to determine the strain relaxation in these structures for device design and better prediction of device characteristics and performance. We have determined the strain relaxation in InGaN/GaN nanowalls from quantum confinement and exciton binding energy dependent photoluminescence peak. We have further determined the strain relaxation as a function of nanowall dimension. With a decrease in nanowall dimension, the lateral quantum confinement and exciton binding energy increase and the InGaN layer becomes partially strain relaxed which decreases the piezoelectric polarization field. The reduced polarization field decreases quantum confined Stark effect along the c-axis and increases electron-hole wave-function overlap which further increases the exciton binding energy. The strong dependency of the exciton binding energy on strain is used to determine the strain relaxation in these nanostructures. An analytical model based on fractional dimension for GaN/InGaN/GaN heterostructures along with self-consistent simulation of Schrodinger and Poisson equations are used to theoretically correlate them. The larger effective mass of GaN along with smaller perturbation allows the fractional dimensional model to accurately describe our system without requiring first principle calculations.
KvN mechanics approach to the time-dependent frequency harmonic oscillator
Authors: Ramos-Prieto Irán , Urzúa-Pineda Alejandro R. , Soto-Eguibar Francisco , Moya-Cessa Héctor M.
Published: May 2018

Using the Ermakov-Lewis invariants appearing in KvN mechanics, the time-dependent frequency harmonic oscillator is studied. The analysis builds upon the operational dynamical model, from which it is possible to infer quantum or classical dynamics; thus, the mathematical structure governing the evolution will be the same in both cases. The Liouville operator associated with the time-dependent frequency harmonic oscillator can be transformed using an Ermakov-Lewis invariant, which is also time dependent and commutes with itself at any time. Finally, because the solution of the Ermakov equation is involved in the evolution of the classical state vector, we explore some analytical and numerical solutions.
A robust ex vivo experimental platform for molecular-genetic dissection of adult human neocortical cell types and circuits
Authors: Ting Jonathan T. , Kalmbach Brian , Chong Peter , de Frates Rebecca , Keene C. Dirk , Gwinn Ryder P. , Cobbs Charles , Ko Andrew L. , Ojemann Jeffrey G. , Ellenbogen Richard G. , Koch Christof , Lein Ed
Published: May 2018

The powerful suite of available genetic tools is driving tremendous progress in understanding mouse brain cell types and circuits. However, the degree of conservation in human remains largely unknown in large part due to the lack of such tools and healthy tissue preparations. To close this gap, we describe a robust and stable adult human neurosurgically-derived ex vivo acute and cultured neocortical brain slice system optimized for rapid molecular-genetic manipulation. Surprisingly, acute human brain slices exhibited exceptional viability, and neuronal intrinsic membrane properties could be assayed for at least three days. Maintaining adult human slices in culture under sterile conditions further enabled the application of viral tools to drive rapid expression of exogenous transgenes. Widespread neuron-specific labeling was achieved as early as two days post infection with HSV-1 vectors, with virally-transduced neurons exhibiting membrane properties largely comparable to uninfected neurons over this short timeframe. Finally, we demonstrate the suitability of this culture paradigm for optical manipulation and monitoring of neuronal activity using genetically encoded probes, opening a path for applying modern molecular-genetic tools to study human brain circuit function.
Combinatorial Drug Testing in 3D Microtumors Derived from GBM Patient-Derived Xenografts Reveals Cytotoxic Synergy in Pharmacokinomics-informed Pathway Interactions
Authors: Gilbert Ashley N. , Anderson Joshua C. , Duarte Christine W. , Shevin Rachael S. , Langford Catherine P. , Singh Raj , Gillespie G. Yancey , Willey Christopher D.
Published: May 2018

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), the most common form of primary malignant brain cancer in adults, is a devastating disease for which effective treatment has remained elusive for over 75 years. One reason for the minimal progress during this time is the lack of accurate preclinical models to represent the patient’s tumor’s in vivo environment, causing a disconnect in drug therapy effectiveness between the laboratory and clinic. While patient-derived xenografts (PDX’s or xenolines) are excellent human tumor representations, they are not amenable to high throughput testing. Therefore, we developed a miniaturized xenoline system (microtumors) for drug testing. Nineteen GBM xenolines were profiled for global kinase (kinomic) activity revealing actionable kinase targets associated with intracranial tumor growth rate. Kinase inhibitors for these targets (WP1066, selumetinib, crizotinib, and cediranib) were selected for single and combination therapy using a fully human-derived three-dimensional (3D) microtumor model of GBM xenoline cells embedded in HuBiogel for subsequent molecular and phenotype assays. GBM microtumors closely resembled orthotopically-implanted tumors based on immunohistochemical analysis and displayed kinomic and morphological diversity. Drug response testing could be reproducibly performed in a 96-well format identifying several synergistic combinations. Our findings indicate that 3D microtumors can provide a suitable high-throughput model for combination drug testing.
Density functional theory characterization of the structures of H3AsO3 and H3AsO4 adsorption complexes on ferrihydrite
Authors: Dzade Nelson Y. , de Leeuw Nora H.
Published: May 2018

Reactions occurring at ferric oxyhydroxide surfaces play an important role in controlling arsenic bioavailability and mobility in natural aqueous systems.
Synthesis and characterization of two different azarubrenes
Authors: Xie Gaozhan , Hahn Sebastian , Rominger Frank , Freudenberg Jan , Bunz Uwe H. F.
Published: May 2018

Synthesis and structural characterization of novel di- and tetraazarubrenes with increased electron affinity are described.
Protein–DNA complex-guided discovery of the antibacterial lead E1 for restoring the susceptibility ofKlebsiella Pneumoniaeto polymyxin B by targeting the response regulator PmrA
Authors: Tseng Tien-Sheng , Tu I-Fan , Chen Hsiao-Ting , Lin Lie-Chwen , Tsai Keng-Chang , Wu Shih-Hsiung , Chen Chinpan
Published: May 2018

E1, a novel adjuvant lead, restored the susceptibility ofKlebsiella Pneumoniaeto Polymyxin B by targeting the response regulator PmrA.
Diastereoselective addition of anisoles to N-tert-butanesulfinyl imines via four-membered lithium cycles
Authors: Reddy Leleti Rajender , Kotturi Sharadsrikar , Waman Yogesh , Patel Chirag , Patwa Aditya , Shenoy Rajesh
Published: May 2018

A highly regio- and diastereo-selective ortho-lithiation/addition of anisoles to N-tert-butanesulfinyl imines resulting in the selective formation of chiral α-branched amines is described.
An aryne triggered ring-opening fluorination of cyclic thioethers with potassium fluoride
Authors: Fan Rong , Liu Binbin , Zheng Tianyu , Xu Kun , Tan Chen , Zeng Tianlong , Su Shuaisong , Tan Jiajing
Published: May 2018

Herein, we report an aryne triggered ring-opening fluorination protocol of a great variety of saturated sulfur heterocycles.
Adsorption of organic ligands on low surface charge clay minerals: the composition in the aqueous interface region
Authors: Jelavić S. , Stipp S. L. S. , Bovet N.
Published: May 2018

We show direct measurements of the composition in the interface between clay minerals and aqueous solutions containing organic ligands.
Comparing alchemical and physical pathway methods for computing the absolute binding free energy of charged ligands
Authors: Deng Nanjie , Cui Di , Zhang Bin W. , Xia Junchao , Cruz Jeffrey , Levy Ronald
Published: May 2018

We compare the performance of the potential of mean force (PMF) method and double decoupling method (DDM) for computing absolute binding free energies for charged ligands.
Sequence selective photoinduced electron transfer of a pyrene–porphyrin dyad to DNA
Authors: Heo Myeong Eun , Lee Young-Ae , Hirakawa Kazutaka , Okazaki Shigetoshi , Kim Seog K. , Cho Dae Won
Published: May 2018

The differences in photophysical properties of PyTMPyP are attributed to the binding geometry and the sequence of DNA bases.
Understanding the quenching nature of Mn4+in wide band gap inorganic compounds: design principles for Mn4+phosphors with higher efficiency
Authors: Wang Lei , Dai Zhaoxiang , Zhou Rulong , Qu Bingyan , Zeng Xiao Cheng
Published: May 2018

A comprehensive study on the underlying quenching mechanisms of the non-rare-earth element Mn4+doped red phosphors.
Chirality in rotaxanes and catenanes
Authors: Jamieson E. M. G. , Modicom F. , Goldup S. M.
Published: May 2018

We discuss the stereogenic units that have been investigated in interlocked molecules, their application, absolute stereochemistry and propose future directions.
An anion exchange strategy for construction of a novel Bi2SiO5/Bi2MoO6 heterostructure with enhanced photocatalytic performance
Authors: Liu Di , Wang Jun , Wang Yonggang , Zhu Yongfa
Published: May 2018

A novel Bi2SiO5/Bi2MoO6 heterojunction with a highly efficient photocatalytic performance was successfully designed and constructed via an anion exchange strategy.
Enhanced luminescence of a Ba2GdSbO6:Mn4+ red phosphor via cation doping for warm white light-emitting diodes
Authors: Zhong Jiasong , Zhou Su , Chen Daqin , Li Junjie , Zhu Yiwen , Li Xinyue , Chen Leifeng , Ji Zhenguo
Published: May 2018

A novel non-rare-earth-doped perovskite Ba2GdSbO6:Mn4+ red-emitting phosphor and the related enhancement mechanisms of charge compensation and ionic substitution are reported.
Collisional relaxation kinetics fororthoandparaNH2−under photodetachment in cold ion traps
Authors: Gianturco Francesco A. , Lakhmanskaya Olga Y. , Vera Mario Hernández , Yurtsever Ersin , Wester Roland
Published: May 2018

Computational modeling and selective photodetachment experiments allow us to match the global temporal evolution of anions’ losses in a trap with the selective losses estimated from theory.
A continuous flow approach for the C–H functionalization of 1,2,3-triazoles in γ-valerolactone as a biomass-derived medium
Authors: Ferlin Francesco , Luciani Lorenzo , Santoro Stefano , Marrocchi Assunta , Lanari Daniela , Bechtoldt Alexander , Ackermann Lutz , Vaccaro Luigi
Published: May 2018

Herein we report an efficient procedure for the C–H functionalization of 1,2,3-triazoles in a continuous flow regime applied to a variety of functionalities and to the inter- or intramolecular versions of the process.
An LIBS quantitative analysis method for alloy steel at high temperature based on transfer learning
Authors: Yang Jianhong , Li Xiaomeng , Lu Huili , Xu Jinwu , Li Haixia
Published: May 2018

Information learnt from spectra at room temperature is transferred to assist in building a better regression model at high temperature.
Novel carbon quantum dots for fluorescent detection of phenol and insights into the mechanism
Authors: Xue Hong , Yan Yang , Hou Yong , Li Guanglan , Hao Ce
Published: May 2018

Phenol is considered as one of the most important pollutants in the water environment, and thus its detection plays a cardinal role in environmental assessment and treatment.
Visible-enhanced photocatalytic performance of CuWO4/WO3 hetero-structures: incorporation of plasmonic Ag nanostructures
Authors: Salimi R. , Sabbagh Alvani A. A. , Naseri N. , Du S. F. , Poelman D.
Published: May 2018

A new plasmonic Ag hybridized CuWO4/WO3 heterostructured nanocomposite was successfully synthesized via a ligand-assisted sol gel method and the photocatalytic activity was evaluated by photo-degradation of methylene blue (MB) under visible light irradiation.
High-density deformation nanotwin induced significant improvement in the plasticity of polycrystalline γ-TiAl-based intermetallic alloys
Authors: Liu Shiqiu , Ding Hongsheng , Zhang Hailong , Chen Ruirun , Guo Jingjie , Fu Hengzhi
Published: May 2018

High-density deformation γ nanotwins could realize large improvement of room-temperature plasticity and strength in polycrystalline γ-TiAl based intermetallic alloys.
Nanoparticle synthesis via bubbling vapor precursors in bulk liquids
Authors: Kang Dong Jin , Anand Sushant
Published: May 2018

Bubbling of vaporized nanoparticle precursors in reactant solutions is an effective strategy to prepare nanoparticles (organic, inorganic, core–shell, and composite) with controlled size and polydispersity, while preventing unwanted side reactions.
Surprising formation of quasi-stable Tc(vi) in high ionic strength alkaline media
Authors: Chatterjee Sayandev , Hall Gabriel B. , Johnson Isaac E. , Du Yingge , Walter Eric D. , Washton Nancy M. , Levitskaia Tatiana G.
Published: May 2018

This work demonstrates an aqueous Tc(vi) lifetime 6 orders of magnitude greater than previously suggested.
Pillararene-based host–guest recognition facilitated magnetic separation and enrichment of cell membrane proteins
Authors: Zhu Huangtianzhi , Liu Jiaqi , Shi Bingbing , Wang Huanhuan , Mao Zhengwei , Shan Tizhong , Huang Feihe
Published: May 2018

A magnetic solid phase extraction strategy for the separation and enrichment of cell membrane proteins with convenience and reliability was constructed by means of pillararene-based host–guest recognition.
Nitrogen doped hierarchically structured porous carbon fibers with an ultrahigh specific surface area for removal of organic dyes
Authors: Zhu Zhigao , Ma Jiaxiang , Ji Chenghan , Liu Yan , Wang Wei , Cui Fuyi
Published: May 2018

Active porous carbon fibers with an ultrahigh specific surface area for the synergistic removal of organic pollutantsviaadsorption and catalytic oxidation.
Correction: Effect of surfactant on Pseudomonas aeruginosa colonization of polymer microparticles and flat films
Authors: Hüsler Amanda , Haas Simon , Parry Luke , Romero Manuel , Nisisako Takasi , Williams Paul , Wildman Ricky D. , Alexander Morgan R.
Published: May 2018

Correction for ‘Effect of surfactant on Pseudomonas aeruginosa colonization of polymer microparticles and flat films’ by Amanda Hüsler et al., RSC Adv., 2018, 8, 15352–15357.
C-terminal truncation of α-synuclein promotes amyloid fibril amplification at physiological pH
Authors: van der Wateren Ingrid M. , Knowles Tuomas P. J. , Buell Alexander K. , Dobson Christopher M. , Galvagnion Céline
Published: May 2018

C-terminal truncations shift the pH range at which α-synuclein secondary nucleation occurs from acidic to neutral values.
Design of a novel and highly stable lead-free Cs2NaBiI6 double perovskite for photovoltaic application
Authors: Zhang Chu , Gao Liguo , Teo Siowhwa , Guo Zhanglin , Xu Zhenhua , Zhao Shuai , Ma Tingli
Published: May 2018

For the first time, a new lead-free double perovskite Cs2NaBiI6 material was synthesized and applied to the perovskite solar cells.
Adaptive structure of gels and microgels with sliding cross-links: enhanced softness, stretchability and permeability
Authors: Gavrilov Alexey A. , Potemkin Igor I.
Published: May 2018

We propose an experimentally-inspired model of gels and microgels with sliding cross-links, and use this model to study the mechanical and structural properties with molecular dynamics simulations.
Dynamics and thermodynamics of air-driven active spinners
Authors: Farhadi Somayeh , Machaca Sergio , Aird Justin , Torres Maldonado Bryan O. , Davis Stanley , Arratia Paulo E. , Durian Douglas J.
Published: May 2018

We report on the collective behavior of active particles in which energy is continuously supplied to rotational degrees of freedom.
Emergent magnetoelectricity in soft materials, instability, and wireless energy harvesting
Authors: Alameh Zeinab , Yang Shengyou , Deng Qian , Sharma Pradeep
Published: May 2018

Magnetoelectric materials that convert magnetic fields into electricity and vice versa are rare and usually complex, hard crystalline alloys.
Direct measurements of the temperature, depth and processing dependence of phenyl ring dynamics in polystyrene thin films by β-detected NMR
Authors: McKenzie Iain , Chai Yu , Cortie David L. , Forrest James A. , Fujimoto Derek , Karner Victoria L. , Kiefl Robert F. , Levy C. D. Philip , MacFarlane W. Andrew , McFadden Ryan M. L. , Morris Gerald D. , Pearson Matthew R. , Zhu Shipei
Published: May 2018

β-NMR measurements indicate there is enhanced phenyl ring dynamics near the free surface in polystyrene thin films.
A facile and efficient strategy to encapsulate the model basic protein lysozyme into porous CaCO3
Authors: Shi Pengzhong , Luo Shan , Voit Brigitte , Appelhans Dietmar , Zan Xingjie
Published: May 2018

A method to load lysozyme, a model of basic protein, with high efficiency and high capacity has been developed by doping heparin into porous CaCO3 particles. Choosing suitable polyelectrolyte pairs during the layer-by-layer capsule fabrication process avoided losing the loaded lysozyme, and fully retained the bioactivity.
Three birds, one stone – photo-/piezo-/chemochromism in one conjugated nanoporous ionic organic network
Authors: Sun Jian-Ke , Zhang Ya-Jun , Yu Gui-Peng , Zhang Jie , Antonietti Markus , Yuan Jiayin
Published: May 2018

A nanoporous material bearing a high ion density and inherent organic radical character was synthesized by a facile one-pot process, which exhibits photo-, piezo- and chemochromism, driven by the diverse electron transfer processes between the acceptor framework and different electron donors.
Reduced Pyronin B as a solution-processable and heating-free n-type dopant for soft electronics
Authors: Lee Eun Kwang , Kim Yonghee , Back Jisu , Lee Eunsung , Oh Joon Hak
Published: May 2018

A heating-free and solution-processable molecular n-type dopant using an organic cationic dye is demonstrated for graphene and organic electronics.