bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Synthetic and Biological Aspects of Prenylation as the Versatile Tool for Estrogenic Activity Modulation
Authors: Lozinski Oleg , Bennetau‐Pelissero Catherine , Shinkaruk Svitlana
Published: August 2017

Prenyl group is a ubiquitous structural moiety in natural compounds showing a wide spectrum of different biological activities with potential benefits for human health. This review presents the current knowledge on the prenylation of aromatic compounds such as flavonoids and coumarins. The references to the ‘classical’ methods that encompass Friedel‐Crafts reaction using prenyl alcohol and boron trifluoride, and alkylation with prenyl bromide in the presence of strong bases are given in comparison with the most state‐of‐the‐art prenylation methods. This review highlights the marked advance that has been achieved so far and makes prenyl group installment a versatile tool in the synthesis of drug candidates, natural compounds, and building blocks. Different aspects of prenyl group assembling methods are reported in more than 30 syntheses of natural substances and their analogues. The last part highlights a role of prenylation in flavonoid bioavailability and bioactivity modulation especially regarding their estrogenicity.
Hierarchical Porous Carbons Derived from Rice Husk for Supercapacitors with High Activity and High Capacitance Retention Capability
Authors: Xiao Yong , Zheng Mingtao , Chen Xun , Feng Haobin , Dong Hanwu , Hu Hang , Liang Yeru , Jiang San Ping , Liu Yingliang
Published: August 2017

Hierarchical porous carbons (HPCs) were derived from rice husk biomass wastes via an effective HF treatment. HF treatment removes ash content and enhances the hierarchical porous structure of rice husk derived carbon with high electrochemical activity and high rate capacity for supercapacitors. The rice husk‐derived and HF treated HPCs exhibit a maximum capacitance of ca. 429 F g−1 at 0.5 A g−1 and excellent rate capability, reaching 240 F g−1 at an ultrahigh current density of 50 A g−1. This is significantly better than 155 F g−1 at 50 A g−1 obtained on rice husk derived HPC but with no HF treatment. Moreover, the HF treated HPCs electrodes also exhibit good cycle stability over 95% capacitance retention after 20 000 cycles at a high charge current of 10 A g−1. The increased rate of capacitance and rate capability of the HF treated HPCs based supercapacitors demonstrate that HF treatment is a simple and facile way to produce effective hierarchical structured carbons from natural biomass wastes with enhanced electrochemical performances for energy storage and conversion applications.
Development and Biological Evaluation of Imidazothiazole propenones as Tubulin Inhibitors that Effectively Triggered Apoptotic Cell Death in Alveolar Lung Cancer Cell Line
Authors: Bin Sayeed Ibrahim , Garikapati Koteswara Rao , Makani Venkata Krishna Kanth , Nagarajan Apoorva , Shareef Mohd Adil , Alarifi Abdullah , Pal‐Bhadra Manika , Kamal Ahmed
Published: August 2017

A new class of imidazothiazole‐propenones was synthesized and investigated for their anti‐proliferative activity against various human cancer cell lines. Promising activities were observed in five congeners 8 k, 8 l, 8 n, 8 o and 8 v with interesting cytotoxicity profiles. The detailed biological aspects of these congeners towards human lung cancer cell line (A549) were studied. Cell cycle assay revealed that these molecules arrested cell growth in G2/M phase of the cell cycle in a concentration‐dependent manner and lead to apoptotic cell death, confirmed by caspase‐3 activation assay. Further, the tubulin polymerization inhibition analysis results suggested that these congeners exhibited significant inhibitory effect on the tubulin assembly. Western blotting displayed that pro‐apoptotic proteins were markedly up regulated resulting in apoptosis. The investigations displayed that such congeners containing imidazothiazole‐propenone have the potential in the development of newer chemotherapeutic agents.
What do we really know about corporate hedging? A meta-analytical study
Authors: Geyer-Klingeberg Jerome , Hang Markus , Rathgeber Andreas W. , Stöckl Stefan , Walter Matthias
Published: August 2017

This paper employs meta-analysis to aggregate and systematically analyze the mixed empirical evidence on the determinants of corporate hedging reported in 132 previously published studies covering data from more than 73,000 firms. Among the fourteen proxy variables analyzed by multivariate meta-analysis, three variables emerge as reliable explanatory factors for corporate hedging decisions supporting the bankruptcy and financial distress hypothesis: dividend yield (positive sign), liquidity (negative sign), and firm size (positive sign). Moreover, for tax-loss carry forwards (positive sign) and research and development (positive sign), our findings indicate a weak impact on corporate hedging behavior reflecting tax reasons, the coordination between financing and investment, and agency conflicts between shareholders and debtholders. Regarding the asymmetric information and agency conflicts of equity hypothesis, we find no explanatory power. The further analysis of heterogeneity via meta-regression reveals several factors that determine the mixed empirical evidence reported in previous studies. First, the results indicate that studies analyzing firms from North America report, on average, a lower impact of leverage on the corporate hedging decision. Moreover, studies examining more recent data samples tend to find a weaker relation between tangible assets and hedging, R&D and hedging, respectively. Overall, our results encourage scientific research to put more emphasis on finer-grained examinations of hedging variations and to discover rationales of corporate hedging extending classical financial theories.
Constructing an International Community
Authors: Hakimi Monica
Published: August 2017

What unites states and other global actors around a shared governance project? How does the group—what I will call an “international community”—coalesce and stay engaged in the enterprise? A frequent assumption is that an international community is cemented by its members’ commonalities and depleted by their intractable disagreements. This article critiques that assumption and presents, as an alternative, a theory that accounts for the combined integration and discord that actually characterize most global governance associations. I argue that conflict, especially conflict that manifests in law, is not necessarily corrosive to an international community. To the contrary, it often is a unifying force that helps constitute and fortify the community and support the governance project. As such, international legal conflict can have systemic value for the global order, even when it lacks substantive resolution. The implications for the design and practice of international law are far-reaching.
Adherence to the Mediterranean diet is associated with the gut microbiota pattern and gastrointestinal characteristics in an adult population
Authors: Mitsou Evdokia K. , Kakali Aimilia , Antonopoulou Smaragdi , Mountzouris Konstantinos C. , Yannakoulia Mary , Panagiotakos Demosthenes B. , Kyriacou Adamantini
Published: August 2017

This study aimed to explore the potential associations of adherence to the Mediterranean diet with gut microbiota characteristics and gastrointestinal symptomatology in an adult population. Other long-term dietary habits (e.g. consumption of snacks and junk food or stimulant intake) were also evaluated in terms of the gut microbiota profile. Participants (n 120) underwent anthropometric, dietary, physical activity and lifestyle evaluation. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet was assessed using a Mediterranean diet score, the MedDietScore, and subjects were classified into three tertiles according to individual adherence scoring. Gut microbiota composition was determined using quantitative PCR and plate-count techniques, and faecal SCFA were analysed using GC. Gastrointestinal symptoms were also evaluated. Participants with a high adherence to the Mediterranean diet had lower Escherichia coli counts (P=0·022), a higher bifidobacteria:E. coli ratio (P=0·025), increased levels and prevalence of Candida albicans (P=0·039 and P=0·050, respectively), greater molar ratio of acetate (P=0·009), higher defaecation frequency (P=0·028) and a more pronounced gastrointestinal symptomatology compared with those reporting low adherence. A lower molar ratio of valerate was also observed in the case of high adherence to the Mediterranean diet compared with the other two tertiles (Pfor trend=0·005). Positive correlations of MedDietScore with gastrointestinal symptoms, faecal moisture, total bacteria, bifidobacteria:E. coli ratio, relative share of Bacteroides, C. albicans and total SCFA, as well as negative associations with cultivable E. coli levels and valerate were indicated. Fast food consumption was characterised by suppressed representation of lactobacilli and butyrate-producing bacteria. In conclusion, our findings support a link between adherence to the Mediterranean diet and gut microbiota characteristics.
Metabolic alterations in generalised anxiety disorder: a review of proton magnetic resonance spectroscopic studies
Authors: Delvecchio G. , Stanley J. A. , Altamura A. C. , Brambilla P.
Published: August 2017

Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) is a common psychiatric illness characterised by selective morpho-functional brain alterations. The breath of neuroimaging studies investigating the neural basis of GAD is extensive; however, its pathophysiology is still largely unknown. Specifically for proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (¹H MRS) investigations, which have the aim of identifying differences in metabolite levels between conditions in key brain areas, often showed contrasting results. Indeed, there are selected ¹H MRS studies reporting deficits of key metabolites in GAD patients; however, collectively the literature remains mixed with respect to consistency of major findings. In this review, we evaluate published ¹H MRS studies on GAD with the final aim of providing a comprehensive overview of the extent of neurometabolic dysfunctions associated with GAD. Interestingly, the majority of the studies reviewed showed altered metabolite levels in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and hippocampus suggesting regional specificity. These results also provide evidence of the utility of ¹H MRS not only for elucidating the pathophysiology of neuropsychiatric diseases, but also for the identification of more beneficial and targeted pharmacological interventions. Additionally, future studies are warranted to overcome methodological differences observed across the studies.
Temperature Influences Efficacy, Absorption, and Translocation of 2,4-D or Glyphosate in Glyphosate-Resistant and Glyphosate-Susceptible Common Ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia) and Giant Ragweed (Ambrosia trifida)
Authors: Ganie Zahoor A. , Jugulam Mithila , Jhala Amit J.
Published: August 2017

Glyphosate and 2,4-D have been commonly used for control of common and giant ragweed before planting of corn and soybean in the midwestern United States. Because these herbicides are primarily applied in early spring, environmental factors such as temperature may influence their efficacy. The objectives of this study were to (1) evaluate the influence of temperature on the efficacy of 2,4-D or glyphosate for common and giant ragweed control and the level of glyphosate resistance and (2) determine the underlying physiological mechanisms (absorption and translocation). Glyphosate-susceptible (GS) and glyphosate-resistant (GR) common and giant ragweed biotypes from Nebraska were used for glyphosate dose–response studies, and GR biotypes were used for 2,4-D dose–response studies conducted at two temperatures (day/night [d/n]; low temperature [LT]: 20/11 C d/n; high temperature [HT]: 29/17 C d/n). Results indicate improved efficacy of 2,4-D or glyphosate at HT compared with LT for common and giant ragweed control regardless of susceptibility or resistance to glyphosate. The level of glyphosate resistance decreased in both the species at HT compared with LT, primarily due to more translocation at HT. More translocation of 2,4-D in GR common and giant ragweed at HT compared with LT at 96 h after treatment could be the reason for improved efficacy. Similarly, higher translocation in common ragweed and increased absorption and translocation in giant ragweed resulted in greater efficacy of glyphosate at HT compared with LT. It is concluded that the efficacy of 2,4-D or glyphosate for common and giant ragweed control can be improved if applied at warm temperatures (29/17 C d/n) due to increased absorption and/or translocation compared with applications during cooler temperatures (20/11 C d/n).
Three-dimensional imaging of vortex structure in a ferroelectric nanoparticle driven by an electric field
Authors: Karpov D. , Liu Z. , Rolo T. dos Santos , Harder R. , Balachandran P. V. , Xue D. , Lookman T. , Fohtung E.
Published: August 2017

Topological defects of spontaneous polarization are extensively studied as templates for unique physical phenomena and in the design of reconfigurable electronic devices. Experimental investigations of the complex topologies of polarization have been limited to surface phenomena, which has restricted the probing of the dynamic volumetric domain morphology in operando. Here, we utilize Bragg coherent diffractive imaging of a single BaTiO3 nanoparticle in a composite polymer/ferroelectric capacitor to study the behavior of a three-dimensional vortex formed due to competing interactions involving ferroelectric domains. Our investigation of the structural phase transitions under the influence of an external electric field shows a mobile vortex core exhibiting a reversible hysteretic transformation path. We also study the toroidal moment of the vortex under the action of the field. Our results open avenues for the study of the structure and evolution of polar vortices and other topological structures in operando in functional materials under cross field configurations.
Controlled radical fluorination of poly(meth)acrylic acids in aqueous solution
Authors: Dong Yucheng , Wang Zhentao , Li Chaozhong
Published: August 2017

Fluorinated alkenes exhibit very poor reactivity in copolymerization with non-fluorinated polar monomers such as acrylates. Herein we describe a convenient method for the synthesis of poly(vinyl fluoride-co-acrylic acid) and poly(2-fluoropropene-co-methacrylic acid) copolymers. Thus, the silver-catalyzed decarboxylative radical fluorination of poly(acrylic acid) with Selectfluor in water at room temperature affords poly(vinyl fluoride-co-acrylic acid) copolymers in high yields with well-defined molecular weights and polydispersities. A linear correlation is observed between the extent of fluorination and the amount of Selectfluor, indicating that the copolymer of virtually any monomer ratio can be readily accessed by controlling the amount of Selectfluor. This controlled decarboxylative fluorination is extended to poly(methacrylic acid), leading to well-defined poly(2-fluoropropene-co-methacrylic acid) copolymers.
Microsecond Pulse I–V Approach to Understanding Defects in High Mobility Bi-layer Oxide Semiconductor Transistor
Authors: Woo Hyunsuk , Jeon Sanghun
Published: August 2017

The carrier transport and device instability of amorphous oxide semiconductor devices are influenced by defects that are exponentially distributed in energy, because of amorphous phase channels and front/back interfaces with a large number of sub-gap states. Thus, understanding defects and charge trapping in oxide semiconductor transistors is required for being core device element in reliable production lines. In this paper, we present the transient charging effect, the charge trapping mechanism, and the dynamic charge transport of high-mobility bilayer oxide semiconductor transistors. To this end, we exploited microsecond ramps, pulse ID–VG, transient current, and discharge current analysis methods. The mobility enhancement rate of single HfInZnO (HIZO) and bilayer HfInZnO-InZnO (HIZO-IZO) were 173.8 and 28.8%, respectively, in the charge-trapping-free environment. Transient charge trapping can be classified to temperature insensitive fast charging and thermally activated slow charging with two different trap energies. Insignificant fast transient charging of a bilayer-oxide high-mobility thin film transistor(TFT) can be explained by the low density of sub-gap states in the oxide semiconductor. Understanding defects and transient charging in the oxide semiconductor helps to determine the origin of device instability of oxide TFTs, and finally, to solve this problem.
Modulating Sound with Acoustic Metafiber Bundles
Authors: Xia Jian-ping , Sun Hong-xiang , Yuan Shou-qi
Published: August 2017

Acoustic metamaterials and metasurfaces provide great flexibility for manipulating sound waves and promise unprecedented functionality, ranging from transformation acoustics, acoustic cloaking, acoustic imaging to acoustic rerouting. However, the design of artificial structures with both broad bandwidth and multifunctionality remains challenging with traditional design approaches. Here we present a design and realization of a broadband acoustic metafiber bundle. Very different from previously reported acoustic metamaterials and metasurfaces, not only the metafiber structure is simple, flexible and tunable, but also the metafiber bundle has the advantages of broad bandwidth, high transmission, no resonance-induced energy loss and unchangeable output wavefront owing to eigenmodes in the passbands of the metafiber. Besides, it could also achieve arbitrary complex modulations of cylindrical and plane acoustic wavefronts. The metafiber bundles realize the exciting multifunctionality of both acoustic metamaterials and metasurfaces in a broad frequency range, which provides diverse routes to design novel acoustic devices with versatile applications.
A Tri-part Protein Complementation System Using Antibody-Small Peptide Fusions Enables Homogeneous Immunoassays
Authors: Dixon Andrew S. , Kim Sun Jin , Baumgartner Brett K. , Krippner Sylvia , Owen Shawn C.
Published: August 2017

Protein-fragment complementation is a valuable tool for monitoring protein interactions. In complementation assays, the reporter fragments are directly fused to the interacting proteins, eliminating the possibility of monitoring native interactions. In principle, complementation could be achieved by placing the reporter fragments on antibodies which bind to the proteins of interest, enabling the monitoring of endogenous protein interactions or detection of a single protein in a homogeneous immunoassay. Previous reports have demonstrated proof-of-concept of this approach; however, current complementation systems have not met the practical requirements as suitable fusion partners for antibodies while providing the sensitivity needed for immunoassays. To surmount these challenges, we created a first-in-class, tri-part split luciferase consisting of two 11-residue peptides that are used as the antibody appendages. As an initial proof-of-concept, we used antibody-peptide fusions and found them to be capable of quantifying pg/mL concentrations of soluble or cell-bound HER2, proving this unique complementation system overcomes previous limitations and transforms this approach from merely possible to practical and useful. As shown herein, this dual-peptide system provides a rapid, simple, and sensitive “add-and-read” homogeneous immunoassay platform that can be broadly adapted as an alternative to traditional immunoassays, and in the future should enable complementation to be expanded to monitoring endogenous protein interactions.
Neuroimaging of sport concussion: persistent alterations in brain structure and function at medical clearance
Authors: Churchill Nathan W. , Hutchison Michael G. , Richards Doug , Leung General , Graham Simon J. , Schweizer Tom A.
Published: August 2017

The medical decision of return to play (RTP) after a sport concussion is largely based on symptom status following a graded exercise protocol. However, it is currently unknown how objective markers of brain structure and function relate to clinical recovery. The goal of this study was to determine whether differences in brain structure and function at acute injury remain present at RTP. In this longitudinal study, 54 active varsity athletes were scanned using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), including 27 with recent concussion, imaged at both acute injury and medical clearance, along with 27 matched controls. Diffusion tensor imaging was used to measure fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) of white matter and resting-state functional MRI was used to measure global functional connectivity (Gconn). At acute injury, concussed athletes had reduced FA and increased MD, along with elevated Gconn; these effects remained present at RTP. Athletes who took longer to reach RTP also showed elevated Gconn in dorsal brain regions, but no significant white matter effects. This study presents the first evidence of altered brain structure and function at the time of medical clearance to RTP, with greater changes in brain function for athletes with a longer recovery time.
Fragile temporal prediction in patients with schizophrenia is related to minimal self disorders
Authors: Martin Brice , Franck Nicolas , Cermolacce Michel , Falco Agnès , Benair Anabel , Etienne Estelle , Weibel Sébastien , Coull Jennifer T. , Giersch Anne
Published: August 2017

Patients with schizophrenia have difficulty in making sensory predictions, in the time domain, which have been proposed to be related to self-disorders. However experimental evidence is lacking. We examined both voluntary and automatic forms of temporal prediction in 28 patients and 24 matched controls. A visual cue predicted (temporal cue) or not (neutral cue) the time (400 ms/1000 ms) at which a subsequent target was presented. In both patients and controls, RTs were faster for targets presented after long versus short intervals due to the temporal predictability inherent in the elapse of time (“hazard function”). This RT benefit was correlated with scores on the EASE scale, which measures disorders of the self: patients with a high ‘self-awareness and presence’ score did not show any significant benefit of the hazard function, whereas this ability was preserved in patients with a low score. Moreover, all patients were abnormally sensitive to the presence of “catch” trials (unexpected absence of a target) within a testing block, with RTs actually becoming slower at long versus short intervals. These results indicate fragility in patients’ ability to continuously extract temporally predictive information from the elapsing interval. This deficit might contribute to perturbations of the minimal self in patients.
An epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition-inducing potential of granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor in colon cancer
Authors: Chen Yaqiong , Zhao Zhi , Chen Yu , Lv Zhonglin , Ding Xin , Wang Renxi , Xiao He , Hou Chunmei , Shen Beifen , Feng Jiannan , Guo Renfeng , Li Yan , Peng Hui , Han Gencheng , Chen Guojiang
Published: August 2017

Growing evidence shows that granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) has progression-promoting potentials in certain solid tumors, which is largely attributed to the immunomodulatory function of this cytokine in tumor niches. However, little is known about the effect of GM-CSF on cancer cells. Herein, we show that chronic exposure of colon cancer cells to GM-CSF, which harbor its receptor, leads to occurrence of epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT), in time and dose-dependent manners. These GM-CSF-educated cancer cells exhibit enhanced ability of motilityin vitroandin vivo. Furthermore, GM-CSF stimulation renders colon cancer cells more resistant to cytotoxic agents. Mechanistic investigation reveals that MAPK/ERK signaling and EMT-inducing transcription factor ZEB1 are critical to mediate these effects of GM-CSF. In specimen of CRC patients, high-level expression of GM-CSF positively correlates with local metastases in lymph nodes. Moreover, the co-expression of GM-CSF and its receptors as well as phosphorylated ERK1/2 are observed. Thus, our study for the first time identifies a progression-promoting function of GM-CSF in colon cancer by inducing EMT.
Immune dysregulation in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome
Authors: Moalem-Taylor Gila , Baharuddin Benny , Bennett Barbara , Krishnan Arun V. , Huynh William , Kiernan Matthew C. , Shin-Yi Lin Cindy , Shulruf Boaz , Keoshkerian Elizabeth , Cameron Barbara , Lloyd Andrew
Published: August 2017

Peripheral immunity plays a key role in maintaining homeostasis and conferring crucial neuroprotective effects on the injured nervous system, while at the same time may contribute to increased vulnerability to neuropathic pain. Little is known about the reciprocal relationship between entrapment neuropathy and peripheral immunity. This study investigated immune profile in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), the most prevalent entrapment neuropathy. All patients exhibited neurophysiological abnormalities in the median nerve, with the majority reporting neuropathic pain symptoms. We found a significant increase in serum CCL5, CXCL8, CXCL10 and VEGF, and in CD4+ central and effector memory T cells in CTS patients, as compared to healthy controls. CCL5 and VEGF were identified as having the highest power to discriminate between patients and controls. Interestingly, and contrary to the prevailing view of CCL5 as a pro-nociceptive factor, the level of circulating CCL5 was inversely correlated with neuropathic pain intensity and median nerve motor latency. In contrast, the level of central memory T cells was positively associated with abnormal neurophysiological findings. These results suggest that entrapment neuropathy is associated with adaptive changes in the homeostasis of memory T cells and an increase in systemic inflammatory modulating cytokines/chemokines, which potentially regulate neuropathic symptoms.
Discrimination of plant root zone water status in greenhouse production based on phenotyping and machine learning techniques
Authors: Guo Doudou , Juan Jiaxiang , Chang Liying , Zhang Jingjin , Huang Danfeng
Published: August 2017

Plant-based sensing on water stress can provide sensitive and direct reference for precision irrigation system in greenhouse. However, plant information acquisition, interpretation, and systematical application remain insufficient. This study developed a discrimination method for plant root zone water status in greenhouse by integrating phenotyping and machine learning techniques. Pakchoi plants were used and treated by three root zone moisture levels, 40%, 60%, and 80% relative water content. Three classification models, Random Forest (RF), Neural Network (NN), and Support Vector Machine (SVM) were developed and validated in different scenarios with overall accuracy over 90% for all. SVM model had the highest value, but it required the longest training time. All models had accuracy over 85% in all scenarios, and more stable performance was observed in RF model. Simplified SVM model developed by the top five most contributing traits had the largest accuracy reduction as 29.5%, while simplified RF and NN model still maintained approximately 80%. For real case application, factors such as operation cost, precision requirement, and system reaction time should be synthetically considered in model selection. Our work shows it is promising to discriminate plant root zone water status by implementing phenotyping and machine learning techniques for precision irrigation management.
Sealing the Pores of PEO Coating with Mg-Al Layered Double Hydroxide: Enhanced Corrosion Resistance, Cytocompatibility and Drug Delivery Ability
Authors: Peng Feng , Wang Donghui , Tian Yaxin , Cao Huiliang , Qiao Yuqin , Liu Xuanyong
Published: August 2017

In recent years, magnesium (Mg) alloys show a promising application in clinic as degradable biomaterials. Nevertheless, the poor corrosion resistance of Mg alloys is the main obstacle to their clinical application. Here we successfully seal the pores of plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) coating on AZ31 with Mg-Al layered double hydroxide (LDH) via hydrothermal treatment. PEO/LDH composite coating possess a two layer structure, an inner layer made up of PEO coating (~5 μm) and an outer layer of Mg-Al LDH (~2 μm). Electrochemical and hydrogen evolution tests suggest preferable corrosion resistance of the PEO/LDH coating. Cytotoxicity, cell adhesion, live/dead staining and proliferation data of rat bone marrow stem cells (rBMSCs) demonstrate that PEO/LDH coating remarkably enhance the cytocompatibility of the substrate, indicating a potential application in orthopedic surgeries. In addition, hemolysis rate (HR) test shows that the HR value of PEO/LDH coating is 1.10 ± 0.47%, fulfilling the request of clinical application. More importantly, the structure of Mg-Al LDH on the top of PEO coating shows excellent drug delivery ability.
The Candida albicans HIR histone chaperone regulates the yeast-to-hyphae transition by controlling the sensitivity to morphogenesis signals
Authors: Jenull Sabrina , Tscherner Michael , Gulati Megha , Nobile Clarissa J. , Chauhan Neeraj , Kuchler Karl
Published: August 2017

Morphological plasticity such as the yeast-to-hyphae transition is a key virulence factor of the human fungal pathogen Candida albicans. Hyphal formation is controlled by a multilayer regulatory network composed of environmental sensing, signaling, transcriptional modulators as well as chromatin modifications. Here, we demonstrate a novel role for the replication-independent HIR histone chaperone complex in fungal morphogenesis. HIR operates as a crucial modulator of hyphal development, since genetic ablation of the HIR complex subunit Hir1 decreases sensitivity to morphogenetic stimuli. Strikingly, HIR1-deficient cells display altered transcriptional amplitudes upon hyphal initiation, suggesting that Hir1 affects transcription by establishing transcriptional thresholds required for driving morphogenetic cell-fate decisions. Furthermore, ectopic expression of the transcription factor Ume6, which facilitates hyphal maintenance, rescues filamentation defects of hir1Δ/Δ cells, suggesting that Hir1 impacts the early phase of hyphal initiation. Hence, chromatin chaperone-mediated fine-tuning of transcription is crucial for driving morphogenetic conversions in the fungal pathogen C. albicans.
Delayed effects of transcriptional responses in Mycobacterium tuberculosis exposed to nitric oxide suggest other mechanisms involved in survival
Authors: Cortes Teresa , Schubert Olga T. , Banaei-Esfahani Amir , Collins Ben C. , Aebersold Ruedi , Young Douglas B.
Published: August 2017

Mycobacterium tuberculosis has succeeded as a human pathogen for tens of thousands of years thanks to its ability to resist and adapt to the adverse conditions it encounters upon infection. Bacterial adaptation to stress is commonly viewed in the context of transcriptional regulation, with the implicit expectation that an initial transcriptomic response is tightly coupled to an ensuing proteomic response. However, after challenging M. tuberculosis with nitric oxide we found that the rapid transcriptional responses, detectable within minutes of nitric oxide exposure, typically took several hours to manifest on the protein level. Furthermore, early proteomic responses were dominated by the degradation of a set of proteins, specifically those containing damaged iron-sulphur clusters. Overall, our findings are consistent with transcriptional responses participating mostly in late-stage recovery rather than in generating an immediate resistance to nitric oxide stress, suggesting that survival of M. tuberculosis under acute stress is contingent on mechanisms other than transcriptional regulation. These findings provide a revised molecular understanding of an important human pathogen.
Majorana charges, winding numbers and Chern numbers in quantum Ising models
Authors: Zhang G. , Li C. , Song Z.
Published: August 2017

Mapping a many-body state on a loop in parameter space is a simple way to characterize a quantum state. The connections of such a geometrical representation to the concepts of Chern number and Majorana zero mode are investigated based on a generalized quantum spin system with short and long-range interactions. We show that the topological invariants, the Chern numbers of corresponding Bloch band, is equivalent to the winding number in the auxiliary plane, which can be utilized to characterize the phase diagram. We introduce the concept of Majorana charge, the magnitude of which is defined by the distribution of Majorana fermion probability in zero-mode states, and the sign is defined by the type of Majorana fermion. By direct calculations of the Majorana modes we analytically and numerically verify that the Majorana charge is equal to Chern numbers and winding numbers.
Disturbance of Plasma Lipid Metabolic Profile in Guillain-Barre Syndrome
Authors: Tang Hsiang-Yu , Chiu Daniel Tsun-yee , Lin Jui-Fen , Huang Cheng-Yu , Chang Kuo-Hsuan , Lyu Rong-Kuo , Ro Long-Sun , Kuo Hung-Chou , Cheng Mei-Ling , Chen Chiung-Mei
Published: August 2017

Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) is an inflammatory disease of the peripheral nervous system. Given that plasma metabolic profiles in GBS patients have never been explored, plasma samples of 38 GBS patients, 22 multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, and 40 healthy controls were analyzed by using untargeted and targeted metabolomics analysis. The untargeted analysis showed that levels of a set of plasma lipid metabolites were significantly decreased in GBS patients compared to the controls. Furthermore, the targeted analysis demonstrated that levels of 41 metabolites in GBS patients were significantly changed compared to either the controls or MS patients. A further metabolic analysis showed that 12 of 41 metabolites were significantly lower in classical GBS patients compared to Miller-Fisher syndrome. Among them, each of PCae C34:0, PCae C42:2, PCae C42:3, and SM C24:0 was inversely correlated with Hughes functional grading scale of GBS patients at both nadir and discharge. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis of combination of three metabolites (PCaa C42:2, PCae C36:0 and SM C24:0) showed a good discrimination between the GBS and the controls (area under curve = 0.86). This study has demonstrated disruption of lipid metabolites in GBS may be potential biomarkers to indicate disease severity and prognosis of GBS.
Up-regulation of NADPH oxidase-mediated redox signaling contributes to the loss of barrier function in KRIT1 deficient endothelium
Authors: Goitre Luca , DiStefano Peter V. , Moglia Andrea , Nobiletti Nicholas , Baldini Eva , Trabalzini Lorenza , Keubel Julie , Trapani Eliana , Shuvaev Vladimir V. , Muzykantov Vladimir R. , Sarelius Ingrid H. , Retta Saverio Francesco , Glading Angela J.
Published: August 2017

The intracellular scaffold KRIT1/CCM1 is an established regulator of vascular barrier function. Loss of KRIT1 leads to decreased microvessel barrier function and to the development of the vascular disorder Cerebral Cavernous Malformation (CCM). However, how loss of KRIT1 causes the subsequent deficit in barrier function remains undefined. Previous studies have shown that loss of KRIT1 increases the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and exacerbates vascular permeability triggered by several inflammatory stimuli, but not TNF−α. We now show that endothelial ROS production directly contributes to the loss of barrier function in KRIT1 deficient animals and cells, as targeted antioxidant enzymes reversed the increase in permeability in KRIT1 heterozygous mice as shown by intravital microscopy. Rescue of the redox state restored responsiveness to TNF-α in KRIT1 deficient arterioles, but not venules. In vitro, KRIT1 depletion increased endothelial ROS production via NADPH oxidase signaling, up-regulated Nox4 expression, and promoted NF-κB dependent promoter activity. Recombinant yeast avenanthramide I, an antioxidant and inhibitor of NF-κB signaling, rescued barrier function in KRIT1 deficient cells. However, KRIT1 depletion blunted ROS production in response to TNF-α. Together, our data indicate that ROS signaling is critical for the loss of barrier function following genetic deletion of KRIT1.
The selective antifungal activity of Drosophila melanogaster metchnikowin reflects the species-dependent inhibition of succinate–coenzyme Q reductase
Authors: Moghaddam Mohammad-Reza Bolouri , Gross Thomas , Becker Annette , Vilcinskas Andreas , Rahnamaeian Mohammad
Published: August 2017

Insect-derived antifungal peptides have a significant economic potential, particularly for the engineering of pathogen-resistant crops. However, the nonspecific antifungal activity of such peptides could result in detrimental effects against beneficial fungi, whose interactions with plants promote growth or increase resistance against biotic and abiotic stress. The antifungal peptide metchnikowin (Mtk) from Drosophila melanogaster acts selectively against pathogenic Ascomycota, including Fusarium graminearum, without affecting Basidiomycota such as the beneficial symbiont Piriformospora indica. Here we investigated the mechanism responsible for the selective antifungal activity of Mtk by using the peptide to probe a yeast two-hybrid library of F. graminearum cDNAs. We found that Mtk specifically targets the iron-sulfur subunit (SdhB) of succinate–coenzyme Q reductase (SQR). A functional assay based on the succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) activity of mitochondrial complex II clearly demonstrated that Mtk inhibited the SDH activity of F. graminearum mitochondrial SQR by up to 52%, but that the equivalent enzyme in P. indica was unaffected. A phylogenetic analysis of the SdhB family revealed a significant divergence between the Ascomycota and Basidiomycota. SQR is one of the key targets of antifungal agents and we therefore propose Mtk as an environmentally sustainable and more selective alternative to chemical fungicides.
Effects of Cations on the Behaviour of Lipid Cubic Phases
Authors: Brasnett Christopher , Longstaff Georgia , Compton Laura , Seddon Annela
Published: August 2017

Inverse bicontinuous cubic structures formed by lipids have been demonstrated in a wide variety of applications, from a host matrix for proteins for crystallisation, to templates for nanoscale structures. Recent work has focused on tuning their properties to realize such applications, often by manipulating the structure by introducing other lipids with different properties such as charge or packing. However, they are often prepared in the presence of solutions containing salt, counteracting the effects, for example, charged lipids, and fundamentally changing the structures obtained. Here, we demonstrate the delicate interplay between electrostatic swelling in bicontinuous structures formed by monoolein (MO) doped with both negatively charged dioleyl phosphatidylglycerol (DOPG), and zwitterionic dioleyl phosphatidylethanolamine (DOPE), with the addition of mono- and divalent salts. The effect of adding salt to the charged phase changes the structure from the primitive cubic ($${{\bf{Q}}}_{II}^{P}$$

Q

I
I

P

) to the double diamond phase ($${{\bf{Q}}}_{II}^{D}$$

Q

I
I

D

) whilst still allowing for modest increases in lattice parameter of up to a nanometer. Contrasting this, the addition of salts to the non-charged phase, has minimal effect on the lattice parameter but now the transition from the ($${{\bf{Q}}}_{II}^{D}$$

Q

I
I

D

) to the inverse hexagonal phase (H
II
) is observed occurring at higher mole fractions of DOPE than in pure water.
Evidence for ice-ocean albedo feedback in the Arctic Ocean shifting to a seasonal ice zone
Authors: Kashiwase Haruhiko , Ohshima Kay I. , Nihashi Sohey , Eicken Hajo
Published: August 2017

Ice-albedo feedback due to the albedo contrast between water and ice is a major factor in seasonal sea ice retreat, and has received increasing attention with the Arctic Ocean shifting to a seasonal ice cover. However, quantitative evaluation of such feedbacks is still insufficient. Here we provide quantitative evidence that heat input through the open water fraction is the primary driver of seasonal and interannual variations in Arctic sea ice retreat. Analyses of satellite data (1979–2014) and a simplified ice-upper ocean coupled model reveal that divergent ice motion in the early melt season triggers large-scale feedback which subsequently amplifies summer sea ice anomalies. The magnitude of divergence controlling the feedback has doubled since 2000 due to a more mobile ice cover, which can partly explain the recent drastic ice reduction in the Arctic Ocean.
Simultaneous Separation of Actinium and Radium Isotopes from a Proton Irradiated Thorium Matrix
Authors: Mastren Tara , Radchenko Valery , Owens Allison , Copping Roy , Boll Rose , Griswold Justin R. , Mirzadeh Saed , Wyant Lance E. , Brugh Mark , Engle Jonathan W. , Nortier Francois M. , Birnbaum Eva R. , John Kevin D. , Fassbender Michael E.
Published: August 2017

A new method has been developed for the isolation of 223,224,225Ra, in high yield and purity, from a proton irradiated 232Th matrix. Herein we report an all-aqueous process using multiple solid-supported adsorption steps including a citrate chelation method developed to remove >99.9% of the barium contaminants by activity from the final radium product. A procedure involving the use of three columns in succession was developed, and the separation of 223,224,225Ra from the thorium matrix was obtained with an overall recovery yield of 91 ± 3%, average radiochemical purity of 99.9%, and production yields that correspond to physical yields based on previously measured excitation functions.
iSS-PC: Identifying Splicing Sites via Physical-Chemical Properties Using Deep Sparse Auto-Encoder
Authors: Xu Zhao-Chun , Wang Peng , Qiu Wang-Ren , Xiao Xuan
Published: August 2017

Gene splicing is one of the most significant biological processes in eukaryotic gene expression, such as RNA splicing, which can cause a pre-mRNA to produce one or more mature messenger RNAs containing the coded information with multiple biological functions. Thus, identifying splicing sites in DNA/RNA sequences is significant for both the bio-medical research and the discovery of new drugs. However, it is expensive and time consuming based only on experimental technique, so new computational methods are needed. To identify the splice donor sites and splice acceptor sites accurately and quickly, a deep sparse auto-encoder model with two hidden layers, called iSS-PC, was constructed based on minimum error law, in which we incorporated twelve physical-chemical properties of the dinucleotides within DNA into PseDNC to formulate given sequence samples via a battery of cross-covariance and auto-covariance transformations. In this paper, five-fold cross-validation test results based on the same benchmark data-sets indicated that the new predictor remarkably outperformed the existing prediction methods in this field. Furthermore, it is expected that many other related problems can be also studied by this approach. To implement classification accurately and quickly, an easy-to-use web-server for identifying slicing sites has been established for free access at: http://www.jci-bioinfo.cn/iSS-PC.
Microsatellite evidence of dispersal mechanism of red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) in the Pearl River basin and implications for its management
Authors: Huang Jinlong , Tang Shaoqing , Cai Fengjin , Lin Yanfang , Wu Zhengjun
Published: August 2017

Discerning the dispersal patterns of invasive species is critically important for the design of effective management strategies and the development of appropriate theoretical models predicting the spatial expansion of introduced populations. Post-introduction dispersal may occur naturally or via human transport, but for many organisms, assessing the relative contribution of each of these factors is difficult using traditional methods. Here, we explored the genetic patterns associated with the spread of red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) among 21 populations in the Pearl River basin and 2 peripheral populations in the Yangtze River basin. We found the genetic diversity of P. clarkii in the Pearl River basin was somewhat lower than in the Yangtze River basin. We also found (1) there was significant genetic differentiation between populations, (2) genetic differentiation was not related to geographic distance (i.e., isolation by distance), and (3) a Bayesian assignment analysis revealed three distinct genetic clusters and genetic admixture. Our results therefore provide evidence that human-mediated multiple introductions occurred in the Pearl River basin. Anthropogenic activities such as commercial transportation were likely responsible for the long-distance dispersal of P. clarkii. This study provides useful information for developing management strategies.
Mussel Inspired Polynorepinephrine Functionalized Electrospun Polycaprolactone Microfibers for Muscle Regeneration
Authors: Liu Ying , Zhou Guoqiang , Liu Zhu , Guo Mengyu , Jiang Xiumei , Taskin Mehmet Berat , Zhang Zhongyang , Liu Jing , Tang Jinglong , Bai Ru , Besenbacher Flemming , Chen Menglin , Chen Chunying
Published: August 2017

Electrospun scaffolds with excellent mechanical properties, high specific surface area and a commendable porous network are widely used in tissue engineering. Improving the hydrophilicity and cell adhesion of hydrophobic substrates is the key point to enhance the effectiveness of electrospun scaffolds. In this study, polycaprolactone (PCL) fibrous membranes with appropriate diameter were selected and coated by mussel-inspired poly norepinephrine (pNE). And norepinephrine is a catecholamine functioning as a hormone and neurotransmitter in the human brain. The membrane with smaller diameter fibers, a relative larger specific surface area and the suitable pNE functionalization provided more suitable microenvironment for cell adhesion and proliferation both in vitro and in vivo. The regenerated muscle layer can be integrated well with fibrous membranes and surrounding tissues at the impaired site and thus the mechanical strength reached the value of native tissue. The underlying molecular mechanism is mediated via inhibiting myostatin expression by PI3K/AKT/mTOR hypertrophy pathway. The properly functionalized fibrous membranes hold the potential for repairing muscle injuries. Our current work also provides an insight for rational design and development of better tissue engineering materials for skeletal muscle regeneration.