bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The role of the miR‐200 family in epithelial–mesenchymal transition in colorectal cancer: a systematic review
Authors: O'Brien Stephen J. , Carter Jane V. , Burton James F. , Oxford Brent G. , Schmidt Miranda N. , Hallion Jacob C. , Galandiuk Susan
Published: February 2018

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is associated with significant morbidity and mortality as many patients are diagnosed with advanced stage disease. MicroRNAs are small, noncoding RNA molecules that have a major role in gene expression regulation and are dysregulated in CRC. The miR‐200 family is involved in epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT). This systematic review describes the roles of the miR‐200 family in EMT in CRC. A search of electronic databases (PubMed and Embase) was conducted between January 2000 and July 2017. Both in vitro and human studies reporting on the miR‐200 family and CRC were included. Studies describing molecular pathways and the role of the miR‐200 family in the diagnostic and therapeutic management of CRC were analyzed. Thirty‐four studies (22 in vitro and 18 human studies) were included. miR‐200 family expression is regulated epigenetically and via transcriptional factor regulation. In vitro studies show that transfection of miR‐200 family members into chemo‐resistant colon cancer cell lines results in improved chemo‐sensitivity and epithelial phenotype restoration. There is intra‐tumoral variability in the tissue expression of miR‐200 family members with decreased expression at the invasive front. Clinical studies in CRC patients have shown decreased primary tumor tissue expression of miR‐429, miR‐200a and miR‐200c may be associated with worse survival. Conversely, increased blood levels of miR‐141, miR‐200a and miR‐200c may be associated with worse outcomes. The miR‐200 family has a central role in EMT. The miR200 family has potential for both prognostic and therapeutic management of CRC.
Zika virus outbreaks and treatment in pregnant women in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Authors: Bui Thuong C. , Huynh Xuan V. , Nguyen Hoang , Nguyen KieuTho T. , Nguyen Chuong D. , Pham Nguyen D.
Published: February 2018

The present study presents two case reports of the diagnosis and treatment of pregnant patients with Zika virus infection in Vietnam.
Assessment of Land Subsidence and Climate Change Impacts on Inundation Hazard in Southwestern Taiwan
Authors: Wang Hsiao‐Wen , Lin Cheng‐Wei , Yang Chun‐Yao , Ding Chung‐Feng , Hwung Hwung‐Hweng , Hsiao Shih‐Chun
Published: February 2018

Excessive extraction of groundwater resulting in serious land subsidence as well as intensified rainfall and storm surges due to climate change complicate the flooding problems in southwest Taiwan. A coupled set of different models was proposed to analyze the effect of inundation risk considering land subsidence and climate change. Three models, including the groundwater flow model, land subsidence model, and the physiographic drainage–inundation model, were used in this study, enabling simulations of different considerations. The results revealed that more severe flooding would result from land subsidence and climate change. The findings of a 21% increase in flood area with an inundation depth greater than 1.5 m for 200‐yr return period events clearly showed more severe flooding would result from land subsidence. The flooding in those severely subsiding areas would increase in a range from 3.4 to 21.5% when further considering climate change.

While the simulation results revealed that the flood area could be decreased by as much as 50% taking into account the implemented policies, the coastal region would still be exposed to a high risk of being flooded. It thus suggests that policies focusing on infrastructure would be insufficient, and river basin management as well as spatial planning should be investigated further. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The miR‐203/SNAI2 axis regulates prostate tumor growth, migration, angiogenesis and stemness potentially by modulating GSK‐3β/β‐CATENIN signal pathway
Authors: Tian Xinxin , Tao Fangfang , Zhang Baotong , Dong Jin‐Tang , Zhang Zhiqian
Published: February 2018

Dysregulation of microRNA expression plays a pivotal role in the initiation and progression of a variety of human carcinomas including prostate cancer. Our previous studies have demonstrated that the silence of miR‐203 contributes to the invasiveness of malignant breast cancer cells by targeting SNAI2. However, the effects and underlying mechanisms of miR‐203/SNAI2 axis in prostate cancer have not been elucidated. The aim of this study is to explore the effects of miR‐203/SNAI2 axis on the biological characteristics of prostate carcinomas both in vitro and in vivo. We found that miR‐203 was significantly downregulated in prostate cancer cell lines compared with immortalized prostate epithelial cells using semi‐quantitative PCR and real‐time PCR, as well as in clinical prostate cancer tissues compared to normal tissues using TCGA analysis. Functionally, miR‐203 inhibited prostate cancer cell proliferation, migration, endothelial cell tube formation and cancer stemness in vitro. Meanwhile, overexpression of miR‐203 suppressed SNAI2 expression both in DU145 and PC3 cells. In addition, the in vivo study showed that miR‐203 suppressed tumorigenicity, metastasis and angiogenesis of DU145 cells. Ectopic expression of SNAI2 rescued the inhibitory effects of miR‐203 both in vitro and in vivo. Importantly, the EMT markers CDH1 and VIMENTIN were modulated by the miR‐203/SNAI2 axis. Furthermore, the GSK‐3β/β‐CATENIN signal pathway was suppressed by miR‐203 and could be reactivated by SNAI2. Taken together, this research unveiled the function of miR‐203/SNAI2 axis in tumorigenesis, angiogenesis, stemness, metastasis and GSK‐3β/β‐CATENIN signal pathway in prostate cancer and gave insights into miR‐203/SNAI2‐targeting therapy for prostate cancer patients. © 2018 IUBMB Life, 70(3):224–236, 2018
A novel anti‐cancer agent, FPDHP, induces anoikis in various human cancer cells through activation of calpain, and downregulation of anoikis‐related molecules
Authors: Kim Seon Goo , Yooun Ji Hea , Kim Dong Eun , Lee Eung‐Seok , Kwon Taeg Kyu , Kim Shin , Park Jong Wook
Published: February 2018

Resistance to anoikis and growth in anchorage‐independent conditions are hallmarks of highly metastatic cancer cells. Anoikis is a type of apoptosis induced by inadequate cell/extracellular matrix (ECM) attachment and an attractive anti‐cancer therapeutic strategy in cancer chemotherapeutic field. Therefore, the development of anoikis‐inducing agents is useful and promising to overcome cancer. When FPDHP, a novel anoikis‐inducing agent, was treated within 3 h, FPDHP induced massive cell detachment in various human cancer cells, irrespective of apoptosis. Moreover, FPDHP decreased the expression of integrins, FAK, focal adhesion signaling effectors (talin1 and talin2), tight junction proteins (ZO‐1, ZO‐2, and ZO‐3), transcriptional mediators of epithelial‐mesenchymal transition (EMT) (Snail1 and Snail2), and anoikis‐related protein, such as Mcl‐1 (L). Interestingly, Caki/ZO‐2 and Caki/α6 are significantly suppressed the FPDHP‐mediated cell detachment, and the constitutive active form of Akt and overexpression of Mcl‐1 (L) partially inhibited the cellular detachment induced by FPDHP. On the other hand, when FPDHP was treated for more than 12 h, FPDHP induced caspase‐dependent apoptosis and release of AIF and cytochrome c from mitochondria. Furthermore, FPDHP down regulated Mcl‐1 (L) at post‐transcriptional level, and overexpression of Mcl‐1 (L) partially attenuated the apoptosis induced by FPDHP. Additionally, PD150606, a calpain inhibitor, attenuated FPDHP‐mediated cell detachment and apoptosis. Taken together, these results suggest that FPDHP possesses anoikis‐inducing activity or potential making cancer cells susceptible to anoikis, and may be developed as a novel active compound for cancer treatment.
Improvement of bacterial methane elimination using porous ceramsite as biocarrier
Authors: Sun Meng‐Ting , Yang Zhi‐Man , Lu Jun , Fan Xiao‐Lei , Guo Rong‐Bo , Fu Shan‐Fei
Published: February 2018

BACKGROUND

Methane is a greenhouse gas (GHG) which contributes to climate change. Biofiltration with immobilized methane‐oxidizing bacteria (MOB) is a promising option to eliminate methane. In order to achieve high methane removal efficiency (RE), the appropriate carrier material with favorable characteristics to perform well in MOB immobilization and methane elimination, must be selected.

RESULTS

A MOB consortium was enriched from landfill soil and immobilized on porous materials to eliminate methane at high (∼20% (v/v)) and low (∼1% (v/v)) concentrations. The methane elimination capacities of immobilized MOB were evaluated and the microbial immobilization abilities of materials were compared. Results showed that MOB inoculated in black ceramsite (BC) permitted the highest elimination capacity (EC) of 5.36 ± 0.29 µmol h‐1 cm‐3 at the methane concentration of ∼20% (v/v), which was almost 3.6 times that of suspended cells. At a methane concentration of ∼1% (v/v), the MOB incorporated with red ceramsite (RC) exhibited the optimal EC of 1.48 ± 0.03 µmol h‐1 cm‐3, which was 64% higher than the control. Biophosphorus tests showed that BC and RC could immobilize more MOB cells than active carbon (AC), and SEM images, MB adsorption tests, BET and FTIR indicated that their large pore and surface properties might favor MOB immobilization.

CONCLUSION

Ceramsite with desirable porosity and surface properties could promote MOB immobilization, and further improve the methane elimination capacity, and might be a favorable biocarrier in MOB biofilters. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry
Innate immunity and cellular senescence: The good and the bad in the developmental and aged brain
Authors: Santoro Antonietta , Spinelli Chiara Carmela , Martucciello Stefania , Nori Stefania Lucia , Capunzo Mario , Puca Annibale Alessandro , Ciaglia Elena
Published: February 2018

Ongoing studies evidence cellular senescence in undifferentiated and specialized cells from tissues of all ages. Although it is believed that senescence plays a wider role in several stress responses in the mature age, its participation in certain physiological and pathological processes throughout life is coming to light. The “senescence machinery” has been observed in all brain cell populations, including components of innate immunity (e.g., microglia and astrocytes). As the beneficial versus detrimental implications of senescence is an open question, we aimed to analyze the contribution of immune responses in regulatory mechanisms governing its distinct functions in healthy (development, organogenesis, danger patrolling events) and diseased brain (glioma, neuroinflammation, neurodeneration), and the putative connection between cellular and molecular events governing the 2 states. Particularly this review offers new insights into the complex roles of senescence both as a chronological event as age advances, and as a molecular mechanism of brain homeostasis through the important contribution of innate immune responses and their crosstalk with neighboring cells in brain parenchyma. We also highlight the impact of the recently described glymphatic system and brain lymphatic vasculature in the interplay between peripheral and central immune surveillance and its potential implication during aging. This will open new ways to understand brain development, its deterioration during aging, and the occurrence of several oncological and neurodegenerative diseases.
CD71+ erythroid cells from neonates born to women with preterm labor regulate cytokine and cellular responses
Authors: Miller Derek , Romero Roberto , Unkel Ronald , Xu Yi , Vadillo-Ortega Felipe , Hassan Sonia S , Gomez-Lopez Nardhy
Published: February 2018

Neonatal CD71+ erythroid cells are thought to have immunosuppressive functions. Recently, we demonstrated that CD71+ erythroid cells from neonates born to women who underwent spontaneous preterm labor (PTL) are reduced to levels similar to those of term neonates; yet, their functional properties are unknown. Herein, we investigated the functionality of CD71+ erythroid cells from neonates born to women who underwent spontaneous preterm or term labor. CD71+ erythroid cells from neonates born to women who underwent PTL displayed a similar mRNA profile to that of those from term neonates. The direct contact between preterm or term neonatal CD71+ erythroid cells and maternal mononuclear immune cells, but not soluble products from these cells, induced the release of proinflammatory cytokines and a reduction in the release of TGF-β. Moreover, PTL-derived neonatal CD71+ erythroid cells (1) modestly altered CD8+ T cell activation; (2) inhibited conventional CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell expansion; (3) suppressed the expansion of CD8+ regulatory T cells; (4) regulated cytokine responses mounted by myeloid cells in the presence of a microbial product; and (5) indirectly modulated T-cell cytokine responses. In conclusion, neonatal CD71+ erythroid cells regulate neonatal T-cell and myeloid responses and their direct contact with maternal mononuclear cells induces a proinflammatory response. These findings provide insight into the biology of neonatal CD71+ erythroid cells during the physiologic and pathologic processes of labor.
Preparation of fish waste silage and its effect on the growth performance and meat quality of broiler chickens
Authors: Shabani Akram , Boldaji Fatollah , Dastar Behrouz , Ghoorchi Taghi , Zerehdaran Saeed
Published: February 2018

BACKGROUND

This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of replacing soybean meal with fish‐waste silage (FWS) in diets on growth performance and meat quality in broiler chickens. Fish waste (FW) was fermented with molasses and Lactobacillus plantarum and Aspergillus oryzae for 15 days. A total of 240 day‐old male Cobb 500 broiler chickens were used in a 42‐day experiment in which the birds were randomly allotted to one of five dietary treatments (containing 0, 30, 60, 90, and 120 g kg−1 FWS) in a completely randomized design.

RESULTS

Results indicated that the fermentation process significantly reduced pH and ether extract, but it increased crude protein content and lactic acid bacteria count in FW. The use of FWS significantly improved daily weight gain and feed conversion ratio of broilers. The amount of thiobarbiturate‐reducing substances and lipid content in chicken's meat fed diet containing FWS was significantly lower than in the group fed a control diet.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, the microbial fermentation process is effective in improving nutritive values of FW. Feeding up to 120 g kg−1 FWS also improves the performance and meat quality of birds and can be used as a suitable protein source in broiler chickens' diet. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry
A fast transient LED driver with adaptive frequency control according to load variation for large‐sized LCD backlights
Authors: Jung Young‐Ho , Hong Seong‐Kwan , Kwon Oh‐Kyong
Published: February 2018

A fast transient light‐emitting diode (LED) driver is proposed for large‐sized liquid crystal display TV backlights in attempt to shorten the recovery time and to reduce the voltage fluctuation, while maintaining a high power efficiency. The direct current‐direct current (DC–DC) converter in the proposed LED driver accurately detects the load variation using the dimming data and then adjusts the slew rate and operating frequency according to the detected load variation. Thus, it rapidly controls the turn‐on time of the power switch and then controls the inductor current so that the output of the proposed LED driver can be accurately regulated during the load transient time. To verify the performance of the proposed LED driver, a DC–DC converter and an expandable LED current controller were fabricated using a 0.35‐μm bipolar–complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS)–double‐diffused metal–oxide–semiconductor (DMOS) process technology and assembled with 48 LED channels for measurement. The measurement results show that the proposed LED driver improves the recovery time and voltage fluctuation by 45.1% and 45.6%, respectively. In addition, it achieves a maximum power of 115.2 W and a maximum power efficiency of 89.2%. Therefore, the proposed LED driver is suitable for high‐end applications such as large‐sized LED TV backlight modules.
An Extension of the Perseverative Cognition Hypothesis to Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptomatology: Cardiovascular Recovery in Relation to Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Severity and Cognitive Appraisals of Stress
Authors: Kibler Jeffrey L.
Published: February 2018

Beyond the construct of cardiovascular reactivity, the measurement of cardiovascular recovery from stress represents an important index of exaggerated physiological arousal and disease risk. Cardiovascular recovery in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has not received adequate attention. The present study examined whether cardiovascular recovery following an oral speaking stressor was associated with the severity of PTSD symptoms, and whether cognitive stress appraisals of threat and challenge were significantly associated with PTSD severity and recovery. The sample consisted of 50 trauma‐exposed civilian women ranging from 19 to 49 years of age (M = 30.9, SD = 7.8). The PTSD severity indices were quantified based on structured interview. Cardiovascular recovery was assessed at two posttask time points as percentage return to baseline; the recovery measures consisted of impedance cardiography‐derived cardiac output (CO) and total peripheral resistance (TPR), heart rate and blood pressure. Total PTSD severity was associated with less CO recovery, r = −.39, p = .006; this effect was similar across PTSD symptom categories, with significant correlations ranging from r = −.30 to r = −.44. However, only PTSD severity in the avoidance cluster was associated with less TPR recovery, r = −.29, p = .047. Total PTSD severity was associated with greater threat appraisal, r = .30, p = .035, and greater threat appraisal was associated with less CO recovery, r = −.33, p = .019. Results partially support the theory that greater PTSD severity and cognitive appraisals of threat contribute to less cardiovascular recovery when confronted with a stress‐inducing situation.
Identification of freshwater zooplankton species using protein profiling and principal component analysis
Authors: Hynek Radovan , Kuckova Stepanka , Cejnar Pavel , Junková Petra , Přikryl Ivo , Říhová Ambrožová Jana
Published: February 2018

Crustaceans are vital components of the freshwater zooplankton that link various trophic levels. Because crustaceans, particularly cladocerans of the Daphnia genus, are sensitive to environmental changes, they can serve as indicators of environmental fluctuations. Therefore, it is highly desirable to have a fast and reliable method for the identification of individual Daphnia species. In this study, we demonstrated the ability of protein profiling to distinguish between freshwater zooplankton species. Individual specimens were morphologically identified before being analyzed by proteomic fingerprinting using matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI‐TOF MS). The obtained mass spectra were used to create a reference library. Subsequently, the individual species were successfully identified using Biotyper software. The variability between the spectra of individual Daphnia species was verified by principal component analysis (PCA). Our results suggest that the combination of proteome fingerprinting using MALDI‐TOF MS and PCA has considerable potential as a rapid tool for the unambiguous identification of individual species of freshwater zooplankton without the need for expert morphological analysis.
Active Search for Computer‐aided Drug Design
Authors: Oglic Dino , Oatley Steven A. , Macdonald Simon J. F. , Mcinally Thomas , Garnett Roman , Hirst Jonathan D. , Gärtner Thomas
Published: February 2018

We consider lead discovery as active search in a space of labelled graphs. In particular, we extend our recent data‐driven adaptive Markov chain approach, and evaluate it on a focused drug design problem, where we search for an antagonist of an
integrin, the target protein that belongs to a group of Arg−Gly−Asp integrin receptors. This group of integrin receptors is thought to play a key role in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a chronic lung disease of significant pharmaceutical interest. As an in silico proxy of the binding affinity, we use a molecular docking score to an experimentally determined
protein structure. The search is driven by a probabilistic surrogate of the activity of all molecules from that space. As the process evolves and the algorithm observes the activity scores of the previously designed molecules, the hypothesis of the activity is refined. The algorithm is guaranteed to converge in probability to the best hypothesis from an a priori specified hypothesis space. In our empirical evaluations, the approach achieves a large structural variety of designed molecular structures for which the docking score is better than the desired threshold. Some novel molecules, suggested to be active by the surrogate model, provoke a significant interest from the perspective of medicinal chemistry and warrant prioritization for synthesis. Moreover, the approach discovered 19 out of the 24 active compounds which are known to be active from previous biological assays.
Neonatal respiratory distress syndrome and underlying mechanisms in cloned cattle
Authors: Rao Yifan , Sun Xiuzhu , Yang Na , Zhang Fanyi , Jiang Xiaojing , Huang Linhua , Guo Xiaogai , Du Weihua , Hao Haisheng , Zhao Xueming , Jiang Qiuling , Liu Yan
Published: February 2018

Neonatal respiratory distress is a major mortality factor in cloned animals, but the pathogenesis of this disease is rarely investigated. In this study, four neonatal cloned cattle, born after full‐term gestation, exhibited symptoms of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (NRDS), which included symptoms of hyaline membrane disease as well as disordered surfactant homeostasis in their collapsed lungs. No differences in DNA methylation or histone modifications correlated with the suppressed SPB and SPC transcription observed in the cloned cattle group (p > 0.05), whereas TTF‐1 occupancy at SPB and SPC promoter regions in cloned cattle was significantly reduced to 24% and 20% that of normal lungs, respectively (SPB, p < 0.05; SPC, p < 0.01). Decreased TTF1 expression, dysregulation of SPB and SPC transcription by TTF‐1, and disordered proteolytic processing of Surfactant protein B precursor together potentially contribute to the disruption of surfactant homeostasis and NRDS in bovine clones. Elucidation of the associated mechanisms should facilitate the development of novel preventive or therapeutic strategies to reduce the mortality rate of cloned animals and to improve the efficiency of SCNT technology.
Signaltransduktion einer lichtregulierten Sensorhistidinkinase
Authors: Möglich Andreas
Published: February 2018

Obwohl Sensorhistidinkinasen in der Natur weit verbreitet sind, sind die molekularen Prozesse, die nach Signaldetektion ablaufen, unzureichend verstanden. In der Sensorhistidinkinase YF1 verändert Blaulicht die Struktur eines Coiled‐Coil‐Linkers, was sich auf die katalytische Aktivität auswirkt.
Georg Henning ‐ eine Spurensuche
Authors: Wu Xian
Published: February 2018

Georg Henning patentierte die Herstellung eines der brisantesten und wichtigsten Sprengstoffe, war fleißiger Chemiker und zugleich Unternehmer, der mehrere Firmen gründete. Heutzutage ist sein Name fast vergessen – im Gegensatz zu seinen Beiträgen zur Chemie‐ und Pharmaindustrie.
Der Turmbau des Ebolavirus
Authors: Groß Michael
Published: February 2018

Das Ebolavirus, das vor drei Jahren Westafrika heimsuchte, ist ungewöhnlich in seinem Aufbau und seinen Funktionsmechanismen. Die Strukturforschung beginnt erst jetzt, die Details dieses tödlichen Krankheitserregers zu verstehen.
Genetic Population Structure of Shoal Bass within their Native Range
Authors: Taylor Andrew T. , Tringali Michael D. , Sammons Steven M. , Ingram Travis R. , O'Rouke Patrick M. , Peterson Douglas L. , Long James M.
Published: February 2018

Endemic to the Apalachicola River basin of the southeastern USA, the Shoal Bass Micropterus cataractae is a fluvial-specialist sport fish that is imperiled because of anthropogenic habitat alteration. To counter population declines, restorative stocking efforts are becoming an increasingly relevant management strategy. However, population genetic structure within the species is currently unknown, but it could influence management decisions, such as brood source location. Leveraging a collaborative effort to collect and genotype specimens with 16 microsatellite loci, our objective was to characterize hierarchical population structure and genetic differentiation of the Shoal Bass across its native range, including an examination of structuring mechanisms, such as relatedness and inbreeding levels. Specimens identified as Shoal Bass were collected from 13 distinct sites (N ranged from 17 to 209 per location) and were then taxonomically screened to remove nonnative congeners and hybrids (pure Shoal Bass N ranged from 13 to 183 per location). Our results revealed appreciable population structure, with five distinct Shoal Bass populations identifiable at the uppermost hierarchical level that generally corresponded with natural geographic features and anthropogenic barriers. Substructure was recovered within several of these populations, wherein differences appeared related to spatial isolation and local population dynamics. An analysis of molecular variance revealed that 3.6% of the variation in our data set was accounted for among three larger river drainages, but substructure within each river drainage also explained an additional 8.9% of genetic variation, demonstrating that management at a scale lower than the river drainage level would likely best conserve genetic diversity. Results provide a population genetic framework that can inform future management decisions, such as brood source location, so that genetic diversity within and among populations is conserved and overall adaptability of the species is maintained.
Under-Ice Population Density Estimation of Alaska Blackfish
Authors: Fraley Kevin M. , Haynes Trevor B. , López J. Andrés
Published: February 2018

The Alaska Blackfish Dallia pectoralis is an understudied but ecologically important mudminnow occurring in lentic ecosystems of subarctic and Arctic Alaska. We sampled a population of Alaska Blackfish during the winter months in an upland pond near Fairbanks, Alaska, and we used a simple mark–recapture estimator to provide the first population estimate for this species. We found that Alaska Blackfish density in the pond was approximately 0.27 individuals/m2, equating to an estimated biomass of 15 g/m2 of pond surface area, which is similar to density estimates reported for other mudminnow species. We tested capture methods and found that under-ice minnow trapping was a poor method during early winter (September–December) but was highly effective near methane sumps and areas of high muskrat Ondatra zibethicus activity in late winter (March–April). Qualitatively, nearshore minnow trapping, seining, and kicknetting during the ice-free season were less effective than under-ice trapping. Cursorily, pelvic fin clips were more effective for batch marking of Alaska Blackfish than two types of subcutaneous tags, given the high numbers of individuals we captured and the species’ relatively small body size and dark skin, which hindered tag visualization. We demonstrated that Alaska Blackfish can occur at high densities in their typical habitat, underscoring their importance as forage fish in Alaskan freshwater ecosystems that support subsistence and sport fisheries for piscivorous fishes. Extending this approach across the geographic range of Alaska Blackfish will improve understanding of the ecological role of this species in the varying aquatic ecosystems where it occurs.
Is there “brain OAB” and how can we recognize it? International Consultation on Incontinence‐Research Society (ICI‐RS) 2017
Authors: Apostolidis Apostolos , Wagg Adrian , Rahnam­­­a'i Mohammad S. , Panicker Jalesh N. , Vrijens Desiree , von Gontard Alexander
Published: February 2018

Aims

In light of mounting evidence supporting the association of brain regions with the control of urine storage and voiding, the high placebo effect in OAB studies as well as certain anecdotal observations from clinical practice with OAB patients, the role of the brain in OAB was explored.

Methods

At the ICI‐RS 2017 meeting, a panel of Functional Urologists and Basic Scientists presented literature data generating a proposal to discuss whether there is “brain OAB” and how we could recognize it.

Results

Existing data point toward organic brain causes of OAB, in particular concerning white matter disease (WMD) and aging, but with currently speculative mechanisms. Imaging techniques have revealed connectivity changes between brain regions which may explain brain‐peripheral interactions in OAB patients, further to acknowledged structural and functional changes in the central nervous system (CNS). Furthermore, psychological disorders like stress and depression have been identified as causes of OAB, with animal and human studies proposing a neurochemical and neuroendocrine pathophysiological basis, involving either the serotoninergic system or the hypothalamic‐pituitary‐adrenal axis. Finally, childhood data suggest that OAB could be a developmental disorder involving the CNS, although childhood OAB could be a different condition than that of adults in many children.

Conclusions

Future research should aim to identify the pathogenesis of WMD and the aging processes affecting the brain and the bladder, with possible benefits in prevention strategies, as well as connectivity disorders within the CNS, the pathophysiology of OAB in childhood and the neurochemical pathways connecting affective disorders with OAB.
Quantitative evaluation of the effect of dispersion techniques on the mechanical properties of polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS)–epoxy nanocomposites
Authors: Mishra Kunal , Singh Raman P.
Published: February 2018

This experimental study investigates the effects of dispersion techniques on the mechanical properties of POSS‐epoxy nanocomposites. The POSS is dispersed into the epoxy resin by stoichiometrically varying the weight fraction from 0.5 to 10 wt% and materials are prepared using three different dispersion techniques. Various mechanical properties are reported as functions of processing parameters and weight fractions. It is found that the nanocomposites with highly dispersed POSS show higher modulus and toughness values. For example, nanocomposites prepared by ultrasonication show increases in elastic and flexural modulus values by average amounts of 23% and 15%, respectively. Also, it is found that fracture toughness values increased for all three processing techniques, with the highest increase by an average of 50% at 8 wt% of POSS inclusion for nanocomposites prepared by ultrasonication. TEM images of the nanocomposites demonstrate that the properties are also affected by the formation of soft domains at higher loading levels of POSS. Further evidence on the soft domains is found in the variations of Tg. FTIR spectroscopy shows evidence of SiOSi stretching, again suggesting the formation of compliant domains due to POSS‐POSS agglomeration. POLYM. COMPOS., 39:E2445–E2453, 2018. © 2018 Society of Plastics Engineers
Hybrid Pla/wild garlic antimicrobial composite films for food packaging application
Authors: Radusin Tanja , Tomšik Alena , Šarić Ljubiša , Ristić Ivan , Giacinti Baschetti Marco , Minelli Matteo , Novaković Aleksandra
Published: February 2018

Composite films based on poly(lactic acid) filled by 0.5 and 5 wt.% of Allium ursinum extract (wild garlic) for food packaging applications were prepared. Obtained films were examined from the view of characterization material properties and antimicrobial potential. The addition of two different amounts of A. ursinum extract improved thermal and mechanical properties of neat PLA (increase in Tg and tensile strength for both loadings). The oxygen barrier properties of the obtained hybrid films in dry condition were not significantly modified, while a slight increase of oxygen transmission rate was observed for the 5% loaded samples. Differences were detected in ΔE* values among the films containing A. ursinum extract in comparison with neat PLA. A marked difference between neat PLA and sample with 0.5 wt% of A. ursinum extract (3‐6) was observed, while the color of the samples with 5 wt% was characterized by a completely different shade compared with neat PLA (>12). The antimicrobial activity of PLA films (neat and with 0.5 and 5 wt% of A. ursinum extract) was tested against Gram‐negative bacterium Escherichia coli and both polymer composites with 0.5 and 5 wt% AU extract showed antimicrobial activity. POLYM. COMPOS., 40:893–900, 2019. © 2018 Society of Plastics Engineers
The role of polyvinylpyrrolidone in forming open‐porous, macrovoid‐free mixed matrix sorbents from Torlon®, a polyamide‐imide polymer
Authors: Babu Vinod P. , Koros William J.
Published: February 2018

This work describes the development of an optimized spin dope for the production of open‐porous, mechanically stable fiber sorbents. The fiber sorbents in this work consist of Torlon® polymer matrix with dispersed zeolite particles to act as the sorbent sites. Initial spinning attempts with dopes consisting of Torlon®, 13X, n‐methylpyrrolidone (NMP) and water yielded fibers that were prone to breaks during production and had a large number of macrovoids. To remedy this, polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) was introduced in the dope as a pore former and macrovoid suppressant. A separate phase diagram was developed to accommodate PVP and a new preferred spin dope composition was identified. Fibers were spun based on this concentration with adequate spinning behavior. Microscopy analysis showed that PVP was successful in reducing the prevalence of macrovoids in the fiber cross section. High sorbent wall permeance was also retained with the PVP. Further analysis of permeance measurements revealed that Knudsen flow was dominant over Poiseuille flow. The estimated pore sizes implying that the transport process lies in the transition region between molecular and Knudsen diffusion. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 58:2106–2114, 2018. © 2018 Society of Plastics Engineers
MutS‐Homolog2 silencing generates tetraploid meiocytes in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum)
Authors: Sarma Supriya , Pandey Arun Kumar , Sharma Kapil , Ravi Maruthachalam , Sreelakshmi Yellamaraju , Sharma Rameshwar
Published: February 2018

MSH2 is the core protein of MutS‐homolog family involved in recognition and repair of the errors in the DNA. While other members of MutS‐homolog family reportedly regulate mitochondrial stability, meiosis, and fertility, MSH2 is believed to participate mainly in mismatch repair. The search for polymorphism in MSH2 sequence in tomato accessions revealed both synonymous and nonsynonymous SNPs; however, SIFT algorithm predicted that none of the SNPs influenced MSH2 protein function. The silencing of MSH2 gene expression by RNAi led to phenotypic abnormalities in highly silenced lines, particularly in the stamens with highly reduced pollen formation. MSH2 silencing exacerbated formation of UV‐B‐induced thymine dimers and blocked light‐induced repair of the dimers. The MSH2 silencing also affected the progression of male meiosis to a varying degree with either halt of meiosis at zygotene stage or formation of diploid tetrads. The immunostaining of male meiocytes with centromere localized CENPC (centromere protein C) antibody showed the presence of 48 univalent along with 24 bivalent chromosomes suggesting abnormal tetraploid meiosis. The mitotic cells of root tips of silenced lines showed diploid nuclei but lacked intervening cell plates leading to cells with syncytial nuclei. Thus, we speculate that tetraploid pollen mother cells may have arisen due to the fusion of syncytial nuclei before the onset of meiosis. It is likely that in addition to mismatch repair (MMR), MSH2 may have an additional role in regulating ploidy stability.
Development of strategies for genetic manipulation and fine‐tuning of a chloroplast retrograde signal 3′‐phosphoadenosine 5′‐phosphate
Authors: Phua Su Yin , Pornsiriwong Wannarat , Chan Kai Xun , Estavillo Gonzalo M. , Pogson Barry J.
Published: February 2018

Homeostasis of metabolism and regulation of stress‐signaling pathways are important for plant growth. The metabolite 3′‐phosphoadenosine‐5′‐phosphate (PAP) plays dual roles as a chloroplast retrograde signal during drought and high light stress, as well as a toxic by‐product of secondary sulfur metabolism, and thus, its levels are regulated by the chloroplastic phosphatase, SAL1. Constitutive PAP accumulation in sal1 mutants improves drought tolerance but can impair growth and alter rosette morphology. Therefore, it is of interest to derive strategies to enable controlled and targeted PAP manipulation that could enhance drought tolerance while minimizing the negative effects on plant growth. We systematically tested the potential and efficiency of multiple established transgenic manipulation tools in altering PAP levels in Arabidopsis. Dexamethasone (dex)‐inducible silencing of SAL1 via hpRNAi [pOpOff:SAL1hpRNAi] yielded reduction in SAL1 transcript and protein levels, yet failed to significantly induce PAP accumulation. Surprisingly, this was not due to insufficient silencing of the inducible system, as constitutive silencing using a strong promoter to drive hpRNAi and amiRNA targeting the SAL1 transcript also failed to increase PAP content or induce a sal1‐like plant morphology despite significantly reducing the SAL1 transcript levels. In contrast, using dex‐inducible expression of SAL1 cDNA to complement an Arabidopsis sal1 mutant successfully modulated PAP levels and restored rosette growth in a dosage‐dependent manner. Results from this inducible complementation system indicate that plants with intermediate PAP levels could have improved rosette growth without compromising its drought tolerance. Additionally, preliminary evidence suggests that SAL1 cDNA driven by promoters of genes expressed specifically during early developmental stages such as ABA‐Insensitive 3 (ABI3) could be another potential strategy for studying and optimizing PAP levels and drought tolerance while alleviating the negative impact of PAP on plant growth in sal1. Thus, we have identified ways that can allow future dissection into multiple aspects of stress and developmental regulation mediated by this chloroplast signal.
Natural variation of life‐history traits, water use, and drought responses in Arabidopsis
Authors: Ferguson John N. , Humphry Matt , Lawson Tracy , Brendel Oliver , Bechtold Ulrike
Published: February 2018

The ability of plants to acquire and use water is critical in determining life‐history traits such as growth, flowering, and allocation of biomass into reproduction. In this context, a combination of functionally linked traits is essential for plants to respond to environmental changes in a coordinated fashion to maximize resource use efficiency. We analyzed different water‐use traits in Arabidopsis ecotypes to identify functionally linked traits that determine water use and plant growth performance. Water‐use traits measured were (i) leaf‐level water‐use efficiency (WUEi) to evaluate the amount of CO2 fixed relative to water loss per leaf area and (ii) short‐term plant water use at the vegetative stage (VWU) as a measure of whole‐plant transpiration. Previously observed phenotypic variance in VWU, WUEi and life‐history parameters, highlighted C24 as a valuable ecotype that combined drought tolerance, preferential reproductive biomass allocation, high WUEi, and reduced water use. We therefore screened 35 Arabidopsis ecotypes for these parameters, in order to assess whether the phenotypic combinations observed in C24 existed more widely within Arabidopsis ecotypes. All parameters were measured on a short dehydration cycle. A segmented regression analysis was carried out to evaluate the plasticity of the drought response and identified the breakpoint as a reliable measure of drought sensitivity. VWU was largely dependent on rosette area, but importantly the drought sensitivity and plasticity measures were independent of the transpiring leaf surface. A breakpoint at high rSWC indicated a more drought‐sensitive plant that closed stomata early during the dehydration cycle and consequently showed stronger plasticity in leaf‐level WUEi parameters. None of the sensitivity, plasticity, or water‐use measurements were able to predict the overall growth performance; however, there was a general trade‐off between vegetative and reproductive biomass. PCA and hierarchical clustering revealed that C24 was unique among the 35 ecotypes in uniting all the beneficial water use and stress tolerance traits, while also maintaining above average plant growth. We propose that a short dehydration cycle, measuring drought sensitivity and VWU is a fast and reliable screen for plant water use and drought response strategies.
Differential relations of executive functioning to borderline personality disorder presentations in adolescents
Authors: Kalpakci Allison , Ha Carolyn , Sharp Carla
Published: February 2018

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) in adolescents is highly complex and heterogeneous. Within the disorder, research has suggested the existence of at least two subgroups: one with predominantly internalizing psychopathology features and one with predominantly externalizing psychopathology features. One process that may differentiate these groups is executive functioning (EF), given that poor EF is linked to externalizing psychopathology. Against this background, the current study used a multi‐informant approach to examine whether adolescent patients with predominantly externalizing BPD presentations experience greater deficits in EF than adolescent patients with predominantly internalizing presentations. The sample included inpatient adolescents ages 12–17 (M = 15.26; SD = 1.51). Analyses revealed that multiple EF domains distinguished the BPD subgroups. More specifically, adolescents with externalizing presentations exhibited greater difficulties in broad domains related to global executive functioning, metacognition and behavioural regulation and specific domains related to inhibitory control, working memory, planning/organizing, monitoring and organization of materials. While this study is the first to examine EF and adolescent BPD in the context of internalizing and externalizing psychopathology, alternative approaches to examining this question are discussed. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Proteomics with Mass Spectrometry Imaging: Beyond Amyloid Typing
Authors: Lavatelli Francesca , Merlini Giampaolo
Published: February 2018

Detection and typing of amyloid deposits in tissues are two crucial steps in the management of systemic amyloidoses. The presence of amyloid deposits is routinely evaluated through Congo red staining, whereas proteomics is now a mainstay in the identification of the deposited proteins. In article number 1700236, Winter et al. [Proteomics 2017, 17, Issue 22] describe a novel method based on MALDI–MS imaging coupled to ion mobility separation and peptide filtering, to detect the presence of amyloid in histology samples and to identify its composition, while preserving the spatial distribution of proteins in tissues.
Wettability of pear leaves from three regions characterized at different stages after flowering using the OWRK method
Authors: Gao Yue , Guo Ruifeng , Fan Renjun , Liu Zhongfang , Kong Weina , Zhang Pengjiu , Du Feng‐pei
Published: February 2018

BACKGROUND

A better understanding of leaf surface wettability is critical to improve the adhesion of liquid pesticides. Leaf surface wettability is dependent on the property of the liquid as well as the physical and chemical properties of the leaf, which vary with climate and growth stage. The aim of this study was to characterize the wettability of pear leaves from three different climatic regions at different stages after flowering.

RESULTS

The contact angles of different test liquids were measured on both adaxial and abaxial pear leaf surfaces and the Owens–Wendt–Rabel–Kaelble (OWRK) method was used to calculate surface free energy (SFE) and its polar and non‐polar components. The results demonstrated that the SFE of both the adaxial and abaxial surface of the pear leaf, and the proportion of polar component, increased with increasing time after flowering. At early growth stages, pear leaves were highly hydrophobic, similar to a polytetrafluoroethylene surface, whereas at later growth stages, pear leaves were hydrophobic, more similar to a polymethylmethacrylate surface. Also, the SFE differed with climatic region. Factors influencing these changes are discussed.

CONCLUSION

Changes in contact angles and SFE correlated with the change of the leaf surface wettability. Leaves became easier to wet (higher SFE), with an overall increasing polar component to the surface, with increasing age after flowering. As expected, changes in wettability were found in pear leaves at different stages after flowering and in different regions (P < 0.05). Pear leaves from Yuanping were easier to wet than leaves from Yuci and Linyi, and adaxial surfaces were easier to wet than abaxial surfaces. These results provide beneficial information for the application of agrochemicals for improved wetting and spreading behavior. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry
Orthodeoxia as a presentation of intravascular large B cell lymphoma
Authors: Leelayuwatanakul Nophol , Kongpolprom Napplika
Published: February 2018

Intravascular large B cell lymphoma (IVLBCL) is a rare and aggressive subtype of diffuse large B cell lymphoma, of which clinical presentations are highly variable among geographical areas. A case series of IVLBCL patients from Asian countries reported the disease to be more aggressive and associated with hemophagocytic syndrome than in cases from Western countries. Although published articles recently revealed hypoxemia as a presentation in IVLBCL patients, orthodeoxia has never been documented. A 71‐year‐old man presented with prolonged fever, cough, exertional dyspnoea, and orthodeoxia, later developing hypoxemic respiratory failure and refractory septic shock. Eventually, IVLBCL was diagnosed by random skin biopsy and bone marrow biopsy because of a high index of suspicion. We demonstrated the first case of orthodeoxia as an initial presentation of IVLBCL, clinically compatible with Asian‐variant IVLBCL, which is commonly fatal and diagnostically challenging.
Trophic Niche Separation between Sympatric Sibling Flatfishes in Relation to Gill Raker Morphology
Authors: Rohan Sean K. , Buckley Troy W.
Published: February 2018

Arrowtooth Flounder Atheresthes stomias and Kamchatka Flounder A. evermanni are upper‐trophic‐level predators that have been considered trophically equivalent in their sympatric range. Here, we present evidence against trophic equivalence of these sibling species based on flounder size and space‐stratified analyses of stomach content data from 5,724 flounder sampled from the eastern Bering Sea (EBS) during summer 2007–2016. We found that interspecific trophic niche separation occurred at sizes up to 39 cm FL before convergence at larger size‐classes. Our findings are consistent with the hypothesis that foraging efficiency differences arise due to divergence in gill raker counts. Arrowtooth Flounder, which have more gill rakers than Kamchatka Flounder, consistently consumed more zooplankton than Kamchatka Flounder, while Kamchatka Flounder typically consumed more benthic fishes. Although a benthivory–zooplanktivory axis of resource partitioning is common among sympatric trophic polymorphs in freshwater ecosystems, our findings are novel for marine sibling species and flatfishes (Pleuronectiformes). Abundance estimates for both Arrowtooth Flounder and Kamchatka Flounder have substantially increased in Alaska during recent years, and we suggest that trophic niche separation alleviates interspecific competition, which may buffer sympatric carrying capacities for these two flatfishes.