bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Branched-chain amino acid, meat intake and risk of type 2 diabetes in the Women’s Health Initiative
Authors: Isanejad Masoud , LaCroix Andrea Z. , Thomson Cynthia A. , Tinker Lesley , Larson Joseph C. , Qi Qibin , Qi Lihong , Cooper-DeHoff Rhonda M. , Phillips Lawrence S. , Prentice Ross L. , Beasley Jeannette M.
Published: July 2017

Knowledge regarding association of dietary branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) and type 2 diabetes (T2D), and the contribution of BCAA from meat to the risk of T2D are scarce. We evaluated associations between dietary BCAA intake, meat intake, interaction between BCAA and meat intake and risk of T2D. Data analyses were performed for 74 155 participants aged 50−79 years at baseline from the Women’s Health Initiative for up to 15 years of follow-up. We excluded from analysis participants with treated T2D, and factors potentially associated with T2D or missing covariate data. The BCAA and total meat intake was estimated from FFQ. Using Cox proportional hazards models, we assessed the relationship between BCAA intake, meat intake, and T2D, adjusting for confounders. A 20 % increment in total BCAA intake (g/d and %energy) was associated with a 7 % higher risk for T2D (hazard ratio (HR) 1·07; 95 % CI 1·05, 1·09). For total meat intake, a 20 % increment was associated with a 4 % higher risk of T2D (HR 1·04; 95 % CI 1·03, 1·05). The associations between BCAA intake and T2D were attenuated but remained significant after adjustment for total meat intake. These relations did not materially differ with or without adjustment for BMI. Our results suggest that dietary BCAA and meat intake are positively associated with T2D among postmenopausal women. The association of BCAA and diabetes risk was attenuated but remained positive after adjustment for meat intake suggesting that BCAA intake in part but not in full is contributing to the association of meat with T2D risk.
Issue Priming Revisited: Susceptible Voters and Detectable Effects
Authors: Matthews J. Scott
Published: July 2017

It is widely claimed that campaign communications direct voter attention to the considerations that campaigns emphasize, a phenomenon termed ‘priming’. In two recent studies, however, Gabriel Lenz concludes that reanalysis of key instances of priming in the literature shows that priming of views on policy questions, or ‘issues’, is very rare. This article revisits issue priming during elections by incorporating individuals who are largely excluded from Lenz’s analyses: respondents who, in one or more waves of the panel surveys analyzed, did not report a major-party vote (or vote intention) when interviewed. Based on data collected during six national elections, the article finds clear evidence of issue priming. The findings have implications for the study of campaign effects, media influence and voting behavior generally.
Molecular characterization of Moniezia sichuanensis in captive musk deer (Moschus berezovskii)
Authors: Xu J. , Lin H. , Chen J. , Cai Y. , Fu W. , Wang H. , Gu X. , Lai W. , Peng X. , Yang G.
Published: July 2017

The musk deer (Moschus berezovskii) is an economically important species from which musk is extracted and used in perfumes and medicines. Cestodes (parasitic flatworms) of the genus Moniezia are important parasites that infect this endangered species and can cause high mortality in young deer. In 1982, Moniezia (S.) sichuanensis sp. nov. was described from a specimen obtained from wild musk deer. The new species was distinct from the other described species of Moniezia by the sawtooth-shaped interproglottidal glands, the thick vagina and the absence of a cirrus spine. In the present study, 12 cestodes collected from musk deer were examined morphologically and confirmed to be M. sichuanensis. Molecular characterization was performed by amplifying and comparing the internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) and 5.8S rRNA gene (ITS1–5.8S) of ribosomal DNA with available sequences from other Moniezia species. The amplified sequences ranged from 761 to 764 bp and similarity ranged from 98.7–100%, compared to 67.8–92.4% with other Moniezia spp. Construction of a phylogenetic tree using the neighbour-joining method indicated that all 12 ITS1–5.8S sequences formed a single clade, confirming M. sichuanensis as a separate species. This study provides novel molecular insight into M. sichuanensis that could prove useful for future diagnosis and control of monieziasis in musk deer.
Biological and physical characterization of the seabed surrounding Ascension Island from 100–1000 m
Authors: Nolan E.T. , Barnes D.K.A. , Brown J. , Downes K. , Enderlein P. , Gowland E. , Hogg O.T. , Laptikhovsky V. , Morley S.A. , Mrowicki R.J. , Richardson A. , Sands C.J. , Weber N. , Weber S. , Brickle P.
Published: July 2017

Recent studies have improved our understanding of nearshore marine ecosystems surrounding Ascension Island (central Atlantic Ocean), but little is known about Ascension's benthic environment beyond its shallow coastal waters. Here, we report the first detailed physical and biological examination of the seabed surrounding Ascension Island at 100–1000 m depth. Multibeam swath data were used to map fine scale bathymetry and derive seabed slope and rugosity indices for the entire area. Water temperature and salinity profiles were obtained from five Conductivity, Temperature, Depth (CTD) deployments, revealing a spatially consistent thermocline at 80 m depth. A camera lander (Shelf Underwater Camera System; SUCS) provided nearly 400 images from 21 sites (100 m transects) at depths of 110–1020 m, showing high variability in the structure of benthic habitats and biological communities. These surveys revealed a total of 95 faunal morphotypes (mean richness >14 per site), complemented by 213 voucher specimens constituting 60 morphotypes collected from seven targeted Agassiz trawl (AGT) deployments. While total faunal density (maximum >300 m−2at 480 m depth) increased with rugosity, characteristic shifts in multivariate assemblage structure were driven by depth and substratum type. Shallow assemblages (~100 m) were dominated by black coral (Antipathariasp.) on rocky substrata, cup corals (Caryophylliasp.) and sea urchins (Cidarissp.) were abundant on fine sediment at intermediate depths (250–500 m), and shrimps (Nematocarcinusspp.) were common at greater depths (>500 m). Other ubiquitous taxa included serpulid and sabellid polychaetes and brittle stars (Ophiocanthasp.). Cold-water corals (Lopheliacf.pertusa), indicative of Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems (VMEs) and representing substantial benthic carbon accumulation, occurred in particularly dense aggregations at <350 m but were encountered as deep as 1020 m. In addition to enhancing marine biodiversity records at this locality, this study provides critical baseline data to support the future management of Ascension's marine environment.
A Stronger Bound for the Strong Chromatic Index
Authors: BRUHN HENNING , JOOS FELIX
Published: July 2017

We prove χ′s(G) ≤ 1.93 Δ(G)2 for graphs of sufficiently large maximum degree where χ′s(G) is the strong chromatic index of G. This improves an old bound of Molloy and Reed. As a by-product, we present a Talagrand-type inequality where we are allowed to exclude unlikely bad outcomes that would otherwise render the inequality unusable.
Emoticons in informal text communication: a new window on bilingual alignment
Authors: FELDMAN LAURIE BETH , ARAGON CECILIA R. , CHEN NAN-CHEN , KROLL JUDITH F.
Published: July 2017

The study of emoticon use in text communication is in its early stages (Aragon, Feldman, Chen & Kroll, 2014), with even less known about how emoticons function in multilingual environments. We describe a preliminary longitudinal analysis of text communication in an online bilingual scientific work environment and demonstrate how patterns of emoticon use constitute a novel yet systematic nonverbal aspect of communication. Specifically, coordination over bilingual speakers entails reductions in emoticon diversity over time that are greater for those who communicate in their L2 than in their L1. An analogous but weaker pattern is evident for lexical diversity in L2 but not L1. We hypothesize that reductions in emoticon diversity in the L2 are likely to reflect social contributions to alignment rather than purely proficiency.
Preemergence and Postemergence Control of Artilleryweed (Pilea microphylla) in Container Nurseries and Landscapes
Authors: Saha Debalina , Marble S. Christopher , Stewart Cody , Chandler Annette
Published: July 2017

Artilleryweed is an annual or short-lived perennial weed that is becoming increasingly problematic in nurseries and landscapes in tropical and subtropical environments. Currently, no herbicide recommendations exist for management of artilleryweed. Objectives of this trial were to evaluate PRE and POST herbicides for efficacy on artilleryweed. All studies were conducted in Apopka, FL in a shaded greenhouse. Herbicides evaluated for POST control included diquat, dimethenamid-P, flumioxazin, glufosinate, glyphosate, indaziflam, oxadiazon, pelargonic acid, sulfentrazone and sulfosulfuron applied at their highest labelled rates to mature (10 to 12 cm height) artilleryweed. For PRE experiments, pots were overseeded with artilleryweed seed and treated with dimethenamid-P, indaziflam, isoxaben, oxadiazon, oxyfluorfen+prodiamine, oxyfluorfen+pendimethalin, pendimethalin, pendimethalin+dimethenamid-P, prodiamine, prodiamine+isoxaben, S-metolachlor, or trifluralin+isoxaben. When assessing both initial fresh weight and regrowth, flumioxazin and glufosinate provided the most consistent POST control when applied at the highest labelled rate, although regrowth did occur following application with glufosinate. All PRE herbicides evaluated provided over 90% control of artilleryweed with the exception of isoxaben and trifluralin+isoxaben. Results indicate that several effective options exist for artilleryweed management, but more effective control will likely be achieved when herbicides are applied PRE.
Timing of Tillage as a Driver of Weed Communities
Authors: Cordeau Stéphane , Smith Richard G. , Gallandt Eric R. , Brown Bryan , Salon Paul , DiTommaso Antonio , Ryan Matthew R.
Published: July 2017

Tillage is a foundational management practice in many cropping systems. Although effective at reducing weed populations and preparing a crop seedbed, tillage and cultivation can also dramatically alter weed community composition. We examined the impact of soil tillage timing on weed community structure at four sites across the northeastern United States. Soil was tilled every 2 wk throughout the growing season (late April to late September 2013), and weed seedling density was quantified by species 6 wk after each tillage event. We used a randomized complete block design with four replicates for each tillage-timing treatment; a total of 196 plots were sampled. The timing of tillage was an important factor in shaping weed community composition and structure at all sites. We identified three main periods of tillage timing that resulted in similar communities. Across all sites, total weed density tended to be greatest and weed evenness tended to be lowest when soils were tilled early in the growing season. From the earliest to latest group of timings, total abundance decreased on average from 428±393 to 159±189 plants m−2, and evenness increased from 0.53±0.25 to 0.72±0.20. The effect of tillage timing on weed species richness varied by site. Our results show that tillage timing affects weed community structure, suggesting that farmers can manage weed communities and the potential for weed interference by adjusting the timing of their tillage and cropping practices.
Zum Glück gezwungen?
Authors: Rätz Ursula , Finklenburg Udo
Published: July 2017

Zusammenfassung. Eigentlich wollte er nur seine Ruhe haben und hoffen, möglichst lange nichts mehr mit der Klinik zu tun zu haben. Sie sahen es aber anders – nur, wenn er einwilligte, im Rahmen einer Verfügung der KESB (Kindes- und Erwachsenenschutzbehörde) eine ambulante Betreuung durch Arzt und APP (ambulante psychiatrische Pflege) zuzulassen, könne er austreten. Sie meinten, er könne sich nicht genug auf sich selbst verlassen, und wenn es ihm schlecht gehe, stelle er eine Gefahr für die Gesellschaft dar.

Jede Woche kommt jetzt ein Pfleger und konfrontiert ihn mit den Dingen, die er selber weiß, zu denen er sich aber kaum aufraffen kann. Medikamentenabgabe, Depotinjektion, Kontrolle, ob der Haushalt geführt ist, ob er selber gepflegt ist. Voller Misstrauen wird dem Pfleger zunächst begegnet, er verkörpert die ganze Macht des Staates, aber mit der Zeit stellt sich dann doch eine Art Vertrauen ein, eine gewisse Zusammenarbeit.

Nach einem Dreivierteljahr endet die Zusammenarbeit. Aufgrund einer Krise muss der Klient in die Klinik. Dort wird mit ihm vereinbart, dass der bessere Weg wohl über eine betreute Wohngemeinschaft geht. Nach einigen Jahren meldet sich der Klient eigeninitiativ bei dem Pfleger, ob man wieder zusammenarbeiten könne, er hätte damals doch recht profitieren können..
Sustained accumulation of antigen‐presenting cells after infection promotes local T‐cell immunity
Authors: Collins Nicholas , Hochheiser Katharina , Carbone Francis R , Gebhardt Thomas
Published: July 2017

Antigen‐presenting cells (APC), such as dendritic cells (DC) and macrophages, are critical for T‐cell‐mediated immunity. Although it is established that memory T cells accumulate and persist in peripheral tissues after the resolution of infection, whether this is also the case for APC remains unclear. Here, we report that CCR2‐dependent cells infiltrate skin during acute infection with herpes simplex virus (HSV)‐1 and subsequently give rise to localized populations of DCs and macrophages. These APC are found at elevated numbers at sites of resolved infection or inflammation compared with unaffected regions of skin. Importantly, this local accumulation of APC is sustained for prolonged periods of time and has important functional consequences, as it promotes interferon‐γ responses by virus‐specific CD4+ T cells upon localized challenge infection with HSV‐1. Thus, our results highlight how infection history determines long‐term changes in immune cell composition in skin and how different types of immune cells accumulate, persist and co‐operate to provide optimal immunity at this critical barrier site.
TRPV1 regulates excitatory innervation of OLM neurons in the hippocampus
Authors: Hurtado-Zavala Joaquin I. , Ramachandran Binu , Ahmed Saheeb , Halder Rashi , Bolleyer Christiane , Awasthi Ankit , Stahlberg Markus A. , Wagener Robin J. , Anderson Kristin , Drenan Ryan M. , Lester Henry A. , Miwa Julie M. , Staiger Jochen F. , Fischer Andre , Dean Camin
Published: July 2017

TRPV1 is an ion channel activated by heat and pungent agents including capsaicin, and has been extensively studied in nociception of sensory neurons. However, the location and function of TRPV1 in the hippocampus is debated. We found that TRPV1 is expressed in oriens-lacunosum-moleculare (OLM) interneurons in the hippocampus, and promotes excitatory innervation. TRPV1 knockout mice have reduced glutamatergic innervation of OLM neurons. When activated by capsaicin, TRPV1 recruits more glutamatergic, but not GABAergic, terminals to OLM neurons in vitro. When TRPV1 is blocked, glutamatergic input to OLM neurons is dramatically reduced. Heterologous expression of TRPV1 also increases excitatory innervation. Moreover, TRPV1 knockouts have reduced Schaffer collateral LTP, which is rescued by activating OLM neurons with nicotine—via α2β2-containing nicotinic receptors—to bypass innervation defects. Our results reveal a synaptogenic function of TRPV1 in a specific interneuron population in the hippocampus, where it is important for gating hippocampal plasticity.
Crustal rheology controls on the Tibetan plateau formation during India-Asia convergence
Authors: Chen Lin , Capitanio Fabio A. , Liu Lijun , Gerya Taras V.
Published: July 2017

The formation of the Tibetan plateau during the India-Asia collision remains an outstanding issue. Proposed models mostly focus on the different styles of Tibetan crustal deformation, yet these do not readily explain the observed variation of deformation and deep structures along the collisional zone. Here we use three-dimensional numerical models to evaluate the effects of crustal rheology on the formation of the Himalayan-Tibetan orogenic system. During convergence, a weaker Asian crust allows strain far north within the upper plate, where a wide continental plateau forms behind the orogeny. In contrast, a stronger Asian crust suppresses the plateau formation, while the orogeny accommodates most of the shortening. The stronger Asian lithosphere is also forced beneath the Indian lithosphere, forming a reversed-polarity underthrusting. Our results demonstrate that the observed variations in lithosphere deformation and structures along the India-Asia collision zone are primarily controlled by the strength heterogeneity of the Asian continental crust.
Laser-induced plasmonic colours on metals
Authors: Guay Jean-Michel , Calà Lesina Antonino , Côté Guillaume , Charron Martin , Poitras Daniel , Ramunno Lora , Berini Pierre , Weck Arnaud
Published: July 2017

Plasmonic resonances in metallic nanoparticles have been used since antiquity to colour glasses. The use of metal nanostructures for surface colourization has attracted considerable interest following recent developments in plasmonics. However, current top-down colourization methods are not ideally suited to large-scale industrial applications. Here we use a bottom-up approach where picosecond laser pulses can produce a full palette of non-iridescent colours on silver, gold, copper and aluminium. We demonstrate the process on silver coins weighing up to 5 kg and bearing large topographic variations (∼1.5 cm). We find that colours are related to a single parameter, the total accumulated fluence, making the process suitable for high-throughput industrial applications. Statistical image analyses of laser-irradiated surfaces reveal various nanoparticle size distributions. Large-scale finite-difference time-domain computations based on these nanoparticle distributions reproduce trends seen in reflectance measurements, and demonstrate the key role of plasmonic resonances in colour formation.
De novo active sites for resurrected Precambrian enzymes
Authors: Risso Valeria A. , Martinez-Rodriguez Sergio , Candel Adela M. , Krüger Dennis M. , Pantoja-Uceda David , Ortega-Muñoz Mariano , Santoyo-Gonzalez Francisco , Gaucher Eric A. , Kamerlin Shina C. L. , Bruix Marta , Gavira Jose A. , Sanchez-Ruiz Jose M.
Published: July 2017

Protein engineering studies often suggest the emergence of completely new enzyme functionalities to be highly improbable. However, enzymes likely catalysed many different reactions already in the last universal common ancestor. Mechanisms for the emergence of completely new active sites must therefore either plausibly exist or at least have existed at the primordial protein stage. Here, we use resurrected Precambrian proteins as scaffolds for protein engineering and demonstrate that a new active site can be generated through a single hydrophobic-to-ionizable amino acid replacement that generates a partially buried group with perturbed physico-chemical properties. We provide experimental and computational evidence that conformational flexibility can assist the emergence and subsequent evolution of new active sites by improving substrate and transition-state binding, through the sampling of many potentially productive conformations. Our results suggest a mechanism for the emergence of primordial enzymes and highlight the potential of ancestral reconstruction as a tool for protein engineering.
Molecular recognition by multiple metal coordination inside wavy-stacked macrocycles
Authors: Nakamura Takashi , Kaneko Yuya , Nishibori Eiji , Nabeshima Tatsuya
Published: July 2017

Most biological and synthetic receptors for small organic molecules employ a combination of relatively weak intermolecular interactions such as hydrogen bonds. A host compound that utilizes stronger yet reversible bonding in a synergistic manner could realize precise recognition, but the regulation and spatial arrangement of such reactive interaction moieties have been a challenge. Here, we show a multinuclear zinc complex synthesized from a macrocyclic ligand hexapap, which inwardly arranges labile metal coordination sites for external molecules. The metallomacrocycle forms a unique wavy-stacked structure upon binding a suitable length of dicarboxylic acids via multipoint coordination bonding. The saddle-shaped deformation and dimerization realize the differentiation of the interaction moieties, and change of guest-binding modes at specific metal coordination sites among the many present have been achieved utilizing acid/base as external stimuli.
Environmentally stable interface of layered oxide cathodes for sodium-ion batteries
Authors: Guo Shaohua , Li Qi , Liu Pan , Chen Mingwei , Zhou Haoshen
Published: July 2017

Sodium-ion batteries are strategically pivotal to achieving large-scale energy storage. Layered oxides, especially manganese-based oxides, are the most popular cathodes due to their high reversible capacity and use of earth-abundant elements. However, less noticed is the fact that the interface of layered cathodes always suffers from atmospheric and electrochemical corrosion, leading to severely diminished electrochemical properties. Herein, we demonstrate an environmentally stable interface via the superficial concentration of titanium, which not only overcomes the above limitations, but also presents unique surface chemical/electrochemical properties. The results show that the atomic-scale interface is composed of spinel-like titanium (III) oxides, enhancing the structural/electrochemical stability and electronic/ionic conductivity. Consequently, the interface-engineered electrode shows excellent cycling performance among all layered manganese-based cathodes, as well as high-energy density. Our findings highlight the significance of a stable interface and, moreover, open opportunities for the design of well-tailored cathode materials for sodium storage.
Structure of spin excitations in heavily electron-doped Li0.8Fe0.2ODFeSe superconductors
Authors: Pan Bingying , Shen Yao , Hu Die , Feng Yu , Park J. T. , Christianson A. D. , Wang Qisi , Hao Yiqing , Wo Hongliang , Yin Zhiping , Maier T. A. , Zhao Jun
Published: July 2017

Heavily electron-doped iron-selenide high-transition-temperature (high-Tc) superconductors, which have no hole Fermi pockets, but have a notably high Tc, have challenged the prevailing s± pairing scenario originally proposed for iron pnictides containing both electron and hole pockets. The microscopic mechanism underlying the enhanced superconductivity in heavily electron-doped iron-selenide remains unclear. Here, we used neutron scattering to study the spin excitations of the heavily electron-doped iron-selenide material Li0.8Fe0.2ODFeSe (Tc = 41 K). Our data revealed nearly ring-shaped magnetic resonant excitations surrounding (π, π) at ∼21 meV. As the energy increased, the spin excitations assumed a diamond shape, and they dispersed outward until the energy reached ∼60 meV and then inward at higher energies. The observed energy-dependent momentum structure and twisted dispersion of spin excitations near (π, π) are analogous to those of hole-doped cuprates in several aspects, thus implying that such spin excitations are essential for the remarkably high Tc in these materials.
Non-aqueous selective synthesis of orthosilicic acid and its oligomers
Authors: Igarashi Masayasu , Matsumoto Tomohiro , Yagihashi Fujio , Yamashita Hiroshi , Ohhara Takashi , Hanashima Takayasu , Nakao Akiko , Moyoshi Taketo , Sato Kazuhiko , Shimada Shigeru
Published: July 2017

Orthosilicic acid (Si(OH)4) and its small condensation compounds are among the most important silicon compounds but have never been isolated, due to their instability. These compounds would be highly useful building blocks for advanced materials if they became available at high purity. Here we show a simple procedure to selectively synthesize orthosilicic acid and its dimer, cyclic trimer and tetramer in organic solvents. Isolation of orthosilicic acid, the dimer and the cyclic tetramer as hydrogen-bonded crystals with tetrabutylammonium halides and the cyclic trimer as solvent-containing crystals is also described. The solid-state structures of these compounds are unambiguously clarified by single crystal X-ray and neutron diffraction studies. The usefulness of orthosilicic acid and its oligomers prepared by the new procedure is demonstrated by the synthesis of functionalized oligosiloxanes.
Coupled symmetric and asymmetric circuits underlying spatial orientation in fruit flies
Authors: Su Ta-Shun , Lee Wan-Ju , Huang Yu-Chi , Wang Cheng-Te , Lo Chung-Chuan
Published: July 2017

Maintaining spatial orientation when carrying out goal-directed movements requires an animal to perform angular path integration. Such functionality has been recently demonstrated in the ellipsoid body (EB) of fruit flies, though the precise circuitry and underlying mechanisms remain unclear. We analyze recently published cellular-level connectomic data and identify the unique characteristics of the EB circuitry, which features coupled symmetric and asymmetric rings. By constructing a spiking neural circuit model based on the connectome, we reveal that the symmetric ring initiates a feedback circuit that sustains persistent neural activity to encode information regarding spatial orientation, while the asymmetric rings are capable of integrating the angular path when the body rotates in the dark. The present model reproduces several key features of EB activity and makes experimentally testable predictions, providing new insight into how spatial orientation is maintained and tracked at the cellular level.
Pathogen recognition in compatible plant-microbe interactions
Authors: Rezzonico Fabio , Rupp Oliver , Fahrentrapp Johannes
Published: July 2017

Microbial infections in plant leaves remain a major challenge in agriculture. Hence an understanding of disease mechanisms at the molecular level is of paramount importance for identifying possible intervention points for their control. Whole-transcriptome changes during early disease stages in susceptible plant species are less well-documented than those of resistant ones. This study focuses on the differential transcriptional changes at 24 hours post inoculation (hpi) in tomato leaflets affected by three pathogens: (1) Phytophthora infestans, (2) Botrytis cinerea, and (3) Oidium neolycopersici. Grey mould (B. cinerea) was the disease that had progressed the most by 24 hpi, both in terms of visible symptoms as well as differential gene expression. By means of RNA-seq, we identified 50 differentially expressed tomato genes specifically induced by B. cinerea infection and 18 specifically induced by P. infestans infection at 24 hpi. Additionally, a set of 63 genes were differentially expressed during all three diseases when compared by a Bayesian approach to their respective mock infections. And Gene expression patterns were found to also depend on the inoculation technique. These findings suggest a specific and distinct transcriptional response in plant leaf tissue in reaction to B. cinerea and P. infestans invasion at 24 hpi, indicating that plants may recognize the attacking pathogen.
Erratum: Interaction of cochlin and mechanosensitive channel TREK-1 in trabecular meshwork cells influences the regulation of intraocular pressure
Authors: Carreon Teresia A. , Castellanos Aida , Gasull Xavier , Bhattacharya Sanjoy K.
Published: July 2017

A correction to this article has been published and is linked from the HTML version of this paper. The error has been fixed in the paper.
MicroRNA-200b regulates distal airway development by maintaining epithelial integrity
Authors: Khoshgoo Naghmeh , Visser Robin , Falk Landon , Day Chelsea A. , Ameis Dustin , Iwasiow Barbara M. , Zhu Fuqin , Öztürk Arzu , Basu Sujata , Pind Molly , Fresnosa Agnes , Jackson Mike , Siragam Vinaya Kumar , Stelmack Gerald , Hicks Geoffrey G. , Halayko Andrew J. , Keijzer Richard
Published: July 2017

miR-200b plays a role in epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in cancer. We recently reported abnormal expression of miR-200b in the context of human pulmonary hypoplasia in congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). Smaller lung size, a lower number of airway generations, and a thicker mesenchyme characterize pulmonary hypoplasia in CDH. The aim of this study was to define the role of miR-200b during lung development. Here we show that miR-200b−/− mice have abnormal lung function due to dysfunctional surfactant, increased fibroblast-like cells and thicker mesenchyme in between the alveolar walls. We profiled the lung transcriptome in miR-200b−/− mice, and, using Gene Ontology analysis, we determined that the most affected biological processes include cell cycle, apoptosis and protein transport. Our results demonstrate that miR-200b regulates distal airway development through maintaining an epithelial cell phenotype. The lung abnormalities observed in miR-200b−/− mice recapitulate lung hypoplasia in CDH.
A diatomic elastic metamaterial for tunable asymmetric wave transmission in multiple frequency bands
Authors: Li Bing , Alamri Sagr , Tan K. T.
Published: July 2017

Unidirectional/asymmetric transmission of acoustic/elastic waves has recently been realized by linear structures. Research related to unidirectionality of wave propagation has received intense attention due to potentially transformative and unique wave control applications. However, asymmetric transmission performance in existing devices usually occurs only in a narrow frequency band, and the asymmetric frequencies are always within ultrasound range (above 20 kHz). In this work, we design and propose a linear diatomic elastic metamaterial using dual-resonator concept to obtain large asymmetric elastic wave transmission in multiple low frequency bands. All of these frequency bands can be theoretically predicted to realize one-way wave propagation along different directions of transmission. The mechanisms of multiple asymmetric transmission bands are theoretically investigated and numerically verified by both analytical lattice and continuum models. Dynamic responses of the proposed system in the broadband asymmetric transmission bands are explored and analyzed in time and frequency domains. The effect of damping on the asymmetric wave transmission is further discussed. Excellent agreements between theoretical results and numerical verification are obtained.
Effects of growth rate and promoter activity on single-cell protein expression
Authors: Nordholt Niclas , van Heerden Johan , Kort Remco , Bruggeman Frank J.
Published: July 2017

Protein expression in a single cell depends on its global physiological state. Moreover, genetically-identical cells exhibit variability (noise) in protein expression, arising from the stochastic nature of biochemical processes, cell growth and division. While it is well understood how cellular growth rate influences mean protein expression, little is known about the relationship between growth rate and noise in protein expression. Here we quantify this relationship in Bacillus subtilis by a novel combination of experiments and theory. We measure the effects of promoter activity and growth rate on the expression of a fluorescent protein in single cells. We disentangle the observed protein expression noise into protein-specific and systemic contributions, using theory and variance decomposition. We find that noise in protein expression depends solely on mean expression levels, regardless of whether expression is set by promoter activity or growth rate, and that noise increases linearly with growth rate. Our results can aid studies of (synthetic) gene circuits of single cells and their condition dependence.
Cyclic GMP-AMP Ameliorates Diet-induced Metabolic Dysregulation and Regulates Proinflammatory Responses Distinctly from STING Activation
Authors: Guo Xin , Shu Chang , Li Honggui , Pei Ya , Woo Shih-Lung , Zheng Juan , Liu Mengyang , Xu Hang , Botchlett Rachel , Guo Ting , Cai Yuli , Gao Xinsheng , Zhou Jing , Chen Lu , Li Qifu , Xiao Xiaoqiu , Xie Linglin , Zhang Ke K. , Ji Jun-Yuan , Huo Yuqing , Meng Fanyin , Alpini Gianfranco , Li Pingwei , Wu Chaodong
Published: July 2017

Endogenous cyclic GMP-AMP (cGAMP) binds and activates STING to induce type I interferons. However, whether cGAMP plays any roles in regulating metabolic homeostasis remains unknown. Here we show that exogenous cGAMP ameliorates obesity-associated metabolic dysregulation and uniquely alters proinflammatory responses. In obese mice, treatment with cGAMP significantly decreases diet-induced proinflammatory responses in liver and adipose tissues and ameliorates metabolic dysregulation. Strikingly, cGAMP exerts cell-type-specific anti-inflammatory effects on macrophages, hepatocytes, and adipocytes, which is distinct from the effect of STING activation by DMXAA on enhancing proinflammatory responses. While enhancing insulin-stimulated Akt phosphorylation in hepatocytes and adipocytes, cGAMP weakens the effects of glucagon on stimulating hepatocyte gluconeogenic enzyme expression and glucose output and blunts palmitate-induced hepatocyte fat deposition in an Akt-dependent manner. Taken together, these results suggest an essential role for cGAMP in linking innate immunity and metabolic homeostasis, indicating potential applications of cGAMP in treating obesity-associated inflammatory and metabolic diseases.
Functional relationship between material property, applied frequency and ozone generation for surface dielectric barrier discharges in atmospheric air
Authors: Portugal Sherlie , Roy Subrata , Lin Jenshan
Published: July 2017

We report the experimental characterization of ozone generation in dielectric barrier discharges as a function of the material and characteristics of the dielectric barrier, operating frequency and the power consumed by a surface DBD-plasma reactor in air at atmospheric pressure. To identify the effect of the dielectric barrier, ozone production curves corresponding to ten dielectric barriers with different effective thicknesses and thermal properties are compared and analyzed for two combinations of voltage amplitudes and frequencies: 7 kV/10 kHz and 8.5 kV/14 kHz. The influence of the operating frequency over the ozone generated by a DBD-plasma reactor is studied by varying the frequency in the range 8–20 kHz. The correlation between power measurements and ozone concentrations as well as ozone quenching effects at extreme power conditions are also discussed.
Nicotinamide mononucleotide and related metabolites induce disease resistance against fungal phytopathogens in Arabidopsis and barley
Authors: Miwa Akihiro , Sawada Yuji , Tamaoki Daisuke , Yokota Hirai Masami , Kimura Makoto , Sato Kazuhiro , Nishiuchi Takumi
Published: July 2017

Nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), a precursor of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD), is known to act as a functional molecule in animals, whereas its function in plants is largely unknown. In this study, we found that NMN accumulated in barley cultivars resistant to phytopathogenic fungal Fusarium species. Although NMN does not possess antifungal activity, pretreatment with NMN and related metabolites enhanced disease resistance to Fusarium graminearum in Arabidopsis leaves and flowers and in barley spikes. The NMN-induced Fusarium resistance was accompanied by activation of the salicylic acid-mediated signalling pathway and repression of the jasmonic acid/ethylene-dependent signalling pathways in Arabidopsis. Since NMN-induced disease resistance was also observed in the SA-deficient sid2 mutant, an SA-independent signalling pathway also regulated the enhanced resistance induced by NMN. Compared with NMN, NAD and NADP, nicotinamide pretreatment had minor effects on resistance to F. graminearum. Constitutive expression of the NMNAT gene, which encodes a rate-limiting enzyme for NAD biosynthesis, resulted in enhanced disease resistance in Arabidopsis. Thus, modifying the content of NAD-related metabolites can be used to optimize the defence signalling pathways activated in response to F. graminearum and facilitates the control of disease injury and mycotoxin accumulation in plants.
Ultrahigh adsorption and singlet-oxygen mediated degradation for efficient synergetic removal of bisphenol A by a stable zirconium-porphyrin metal-organic framework
Authors: Meng Ai-Na , Chaihu Ling-Xiao , Chen Huan-Huan , Gu Zhi-Yuan
Published: July 2017

Bisphenol A (BPA), one of 23 most important endocrine disrupting chemicals, was efficiently removed and sequentially photodegraded by a zirconium-porphyrin metal–organic framework (MOF) catalyst under visible light for water treatment. Well control of photodegradation allows the kinetic separation of adsorption step and photodegradation step. Ultrahigh adsorption uptake of 487.69 ± 8.37 mg g−1 is observed, while efficient photodegradation could be observed within 20 min at the rate of 0.004 mg min−1. The synergetic effect boosts the photocatalytic efficiency and confirms that the catalysis happens inside the MOF pores other than in the solution phase. Furthermore, the mechanism was elucidated by diverse control experiments, such as in the conditions of 1O2 scavenger, in darkness and with the changes of light sensitizing ligands. It confirmed that BPA was oxidized by the 1O2 which was generated from porphyrin ligand within MOFs under visible-light. The excellent reusability and wide range of suitable pH range make the Zr-porphyrin MOFs practical for the photocatalytic water treatment processes.
NMR analysis reveals significant differences in the plasma metabolic profiles of Niemann Pick C1 patients, heterozygous carriers, and healthy controls
Authors: Probert Fay , Ruiz-Rodado Victor , Vruchte Danielle te , Nicoli Elena-Raluca , Claridge Tim D. W. , Wassif Christopher A. , Farhat Nicole , Porter Forbes D. , Platt Frances M. , Grootveld Martin
Published: July 2017

Niemann-Pick type C1 (NPC1) disease is a rare autosomal recessive, neurodegenerative lysosomal storage disorder, which presents with a range of clinical phenotypes and hence diagnosis remains a challenge. In view of these difficulties, the search for a novel, NPC1-specific biomarker (or set of biomarkers) is a topic of much interest. Here we employed high-resolution 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy coupled with advanced multivariate analysis techniques in order to explore and seek differences between blood plasma samples acquired from NPC1 (untreated and miglustat treated), heterozygote, and healthy control subjects. Using this approach, we were able to identify NPC1 disease with 91% accuracy confirming that there are significant differences in the NMR plasma metabolic profiles of NPC1 patients when compared to healthy controls. The discrimination between NPC1 (both miglustat treated and untreated) and healthy controls was dominated by lipoprotein triacylglycerol 1H NMR resonances and isoleucine. Heterozygote plasma samples displayed also increases in the intensities of selected lipoprotein triacylglycerol 1H NMR signals over those of healthy controls. The metabolites identified could represent useful biomarkers in the future and provide valuable insight in to the underlying pathology of NPC1 disease.
Vulnerability of mixotrophic algae to nutrient pulses and UVR in an oligotrophic Southern and Northern Hemisphere lake
Authors: Carrillo P. , Medina-Sánchez J. M. , Villar-Argaiz M. , Bullejos F. J. , Durán C. , Bastidas-Navarro M. , Souza M. S. , Balseiro E. G. , Modenutti B. E.
Published: July 2017

Nutrient inputs and ultraviolet radiation (UVR) are global factors affecting the structure and functioning of aquatic ecosystems, particularly clear-water ecosystems. We performed experiments in two model lakes highly exposed to UVR fluxes in order to test the effect that future increases in mineral nutrients transported by dust aerosol might exert on primary producers depending on the likelihood of atmospheric inputs. Lake La Caldera (Northern Hemisphere) has been receiving recurrent dust inputs from the Sahara Desert while lake Los Cántaros (Southern Hemisphere) has been less affected by dust aerosol. UVR × Nutrient synergistically stimulated primary production (PP), chlorophylla(Chla), with a smaller increase in phytoplanktonic biomass in La Caldera, but not in Los Cántaros, where nutrient addition unmasked the UVR inhibitory effect on phytoplankton. The proportional decrease of mixotrophic nanoflagellates (MNFs) after the nutrient pulse (in Los Cántaros) and the long-term decline of MNFs in La Caldera associated with the increase in aerosol-dust intrusions from the Sahara during the last 40 years suggest that a future scenario of intensified aerosol events from desert and desertified areas would not only reduce functional diversity with the decline of MNFs, but would ultimately alter the C flux towards the grazing chain in oligotrophic ecosystems.
Role of p66shc in skeletal muscle function
Authors: Granatiero Veronica , Gherardi Gaia , Vianello Matteo , Salerno Elsa , Zecchini Erika , Toniolo Luana , Pallafacchina Giorgia , Murgia Marta , Blaauw Bert , Rizzuto Rosario , Mammucari Cristina
Published: July 2017

p66shc is a growth factor adaptor protein that contributes to mitochondrial ROS production. p66shc is involved in insulin signaling and its deletion exerts a protective effect against diet-induced obesity. In light of the role of skeletal muscle activity in the control of systemic metabolism and obesity, we investigated which is the contribution of p66shc in regulating muscle structure and function. Here, we show that p66shc−/− muscles are undistinguishable from controls in terms of size, resistance to denervation-induced atrophy, and force. However, p66shc−/− mice perform slightly better than wild type animals during repetitive downhill running. Analysis of the effects after placing mice on a high fat diet (HFD) regimen demonstrated that running distance is greatly reduced in obese wild type animals, but not in overweight-resistant p66shc−/− mice. In addition, muscle force measured after exercise decreases upon HFD in wild type mice while p66shc−/− animals are protected. Our data indicate that p66shc affect the response to damage of adult muscle in chow diet, and it determines the maintenance of muscle force and exercise performance upon a HFD regimen.
Stable isotopes reveal the effect of trawl fisheries on the diet of commercially exploited species
Authors: Hinz Hilmar , Moranta Joan , Balestrini Stephen , Sciberras Marija , Pantin Julia R. , Monnington James , Zalewski Alex , Kaiser Michel J. , Sköld Mattias , Jonsson Patrik , Bastardie Francois , Hiddink Jan Geert
Published: July 2017

Bottom trawling can change food availability for benthivorous demersal species by (i) changing benthic prey composition through physical seabed impacts and (ii) by removing overall benthic consumer biomass increasing the net availability of benthic prey for remaining individuals. Thus trawling may both negatively and positively influence the quantity and quality of food available. Using δ13C and δ15N we investigated potential diet changes of three commercially exploited species across trawling gradients in the Kattegat (plaice, dab and Norway lobster (Nephrops)) and the Irish Sea (Nephrops). In the Kattegat, trawling affected primarily the biomass of benthic consumers, lowering competition. Nephrops showed significant positive relationships for δ13C and a domed relationship for δ15N with trawling. In the Irish Sea, intense trawling had a negative effect on benthic prey. δ13C and δ15N thus showed the inverse relationships to those observed in the Kattegat. Plaice from the Kattegat, showed a significant relationship with trawling intensity for δ13C, but not for δ15N. No relationship was found for dab. Changes of δ13C and δ15N correlated with changes in condition of species. The results show that the removal of demersal competitors and benthos by trawling can change the diets of commercial species, ultimately affecting their body condition.
Influence of doxorubicin on model cell membrane properties: insights from in vitro and in silico studies
Authors: Alves Ana Catarina , Magarkar Aniket , Horta Miguel , Lima Jose L. F. C. , Bunker Alex , Nunes Cláudia , Reis Salette
Published: July 2017

Despite doxorubicin being commonly used in chemotherapy there still remain significant holes in our knowledge regarding its delivery efficacy and an observed resistance mechanism that is postulated to involve the cell membrane. One possible mechanism is the efflux by protein P-gp, which is found predominantly in cholesterol enriched domains. Thereby, a hypothesis for the vulnerability of doxorubicin to efflux through P-gp is its enhanced affinity for the ordered cholesterol rich regions of the plasma membrane. Thus, we have studied doxorubicin’s interaction with model membranes in a cholesterol rich, ordered environment and in liquid-disordered cholesterol poor environment. We have combined three separate experimental protocols: UV-Vis spectrophotometry, fluorescence quenching and steady-state anisotropy and computational molecular dynamics modeling. Our results show that the presence of cholesterol induces a change in membrane structure and doesn’t impair doxorubicin’s membrane partitioning, but reduces drug’s influence on membrane fluidity without directly interacting with it. It is thus possible that the resistance mechanism that lowers the efficacy of doxorubicin, results from an increased density in membrane regions where the efflux proteins are present. This work represents a successful approach, combining experimental and computational studies of membrane based systems to unveil the behavior of drugs and candidate drug molecules.
An all-in-one UniSam vector system for efficient gene activation
Authors: Fidanza Antonella , Lopez-Yrigoyen Martha , Romanò Nicola , Jones Rhiannon , Taylor A. Helen , Forrester Lesley M.
Published: July 2017

We have generated a drug-free, all-in-one dCAS9-SAM vector that can activate endogenous gene expression with the potential to modify cell fate. We demonstrate that this strategy can be used in a number of cell lines and avoids exceptionally high levels of gene expression that are observed in standard transgenic approaches. Compared to the multi-plasmid system, this all-in-one vector activates gene expression to a comparable level but the reduced overall DNA content results in significantly higher viability of transfected cells. This allowed us to use the RUNX1C-GFP human embryonic stem cell reporter cell line to monitor gene activation in individual cells and to show that activation could occur at all stages of the cell cycle.
Chaotic time series prediction for glucose dynamics in type 1 diabetes mellitus using regime-switching models
Authors: Frandes Mirela , Timar Bogdan , Timar Romulus , Lungeanu Diana
Published: July 2017

In patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), glucose dynamics are influenced by insulin reactions, diet, lifestyle, etc., and characterized by instability and nonlinearity. With the objective of a dependable decision support system for T1DM self-management, we aim to model glucose dynamics using their nonlinear chaotic properties. A group of patients was monitored via continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) sensors for several days under free-living conditions. We assessed the glycemic variability (GV) and chaotic properties of each time series. Time series were subsequently transformed into the phase-space and individual autoregressive (AR) models were applied to predict glucose values over 30-minute and 60-minute prediction horizons (PH). The logistic smooth transition AR (LSTAR) model provided the best prediction accuracy for patients with high GV. For a PH of 30 minutes, the average values of root mean squared error (RMSE) and mean absolute error (MAE) for the LSTAR model in the case of patients in the hypoglycemia range were 5.83 ( ± 1.95) mg/dL and 5.18 ( ± 1.64) mg/dL, respectively. For a PH of 60 minutes, the average values of RMSE and MAE were 7.43 ( ± 1.87) mg/dL and 6.54 ( ± 1.6) mg/dL, respectively. Without the burden of measuring exogenous information, nonlinear regime-switching AR models provided fast and accurate results for glucose prediction.