bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Vitamin D: And its role in breast cancer
Authors: de La Puente‐Yagüe Miriam , Cuadrado‐Cenzual Maria A. , Ciudad‐Cabañas María J. , Hernández‐Cabria Marta , Collado‐Yurrita Luis
Published: April 2018

Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin that plays a role in calcium and phosphorus homeostasis. Recently, extensive research on its extraskeletal actions has linked vitamin D deficiency to an increased risk of infection, diabetes mellitus types 1 and 2, cardiovascular disease, obesity, asthma, inflammatory bowel disease, colon, breast, prostate and ovarian cancer and some neurological diseases. There are various mechanisms by which vitamin D influences the natural history of cancer. These include the role of vitamin D in the induction of apoptosis, stimulation of cell differentiation, anti‐inflammatory and antiproliferative effects and inhibition of angiogenesis, invasion and metastasis. The aim of this review is to clarify the true role of vitamin D in the onset of breast cancer and evolution of the disease after treatment. A further aim is to suggest new research directions to identify indications and requirements for vitamin D supplementation in patients with breast cancer.
Effect of Wheelchair Stroke Pattern on Upper Extremity Muscle Fatigue
Authors: Bickelhaupt Brittany , Oyama Sakiko , Benfield Jonathan , Burau Keith , Lee Shuko , Trbovich Michelle
Published: April 2018

Background

Shoulder dysfunction is common in persons with spinal cord injury (SCI) with an incidence of up to 63%. Dysfunction is a result of muscle imbalances, specifically denervated rotator cuff muscles that are repetitively used during manual wheelchair propulsion.

Objective

To determine which arm stroke technique, pump (P) or semicircular (SC), is most energy efficient for long periods of propulsion.

Design

A randomized study with repeated measures observations.

Setting

The study was performed at an institutional gait analysis laboratory.

Participants

18 able‐bodied (AB) male participants were studied and randomized into one of 2 conditions, SC or P.

Methods

Shoulder muscle fatigue was measured by changes in Borg CR10 Rate of Perceived Exertion (Borg RPE) and upper extremity strength via a handheld dynamometer. Participants were studied and assigned into one of 2 conditions of wheelchair arm propulsion patterns, SC or P group, and propelled on a wheelchair treadmill for 10 minutes.

Main Outcome Measures

The primary outcomes included recordings of Borg RPE scale during continuous wheelchair propulsion and pre‐ and post‐test dynamometer testing means for bilateral elbow and shoulder extension. Analysis of covariance, t‐tests, and Kruskal‐Wallis tests were used in analyzing data.

Results

Although not significant (P = .23), the Borg RPE scores for the SC condition were consistently higher than the scores for the P condition. In addition, the dynamometer pre‐ and post‐test readings demonstrated a larger decrease for the SC condition participants than for the P condition participants, but were not statistically significant.

Conclusions

These data demonstrate that the SC wheelchair propulsion pattern appears to be more fatiguing to shoulder muscles than the P propulsion pattern. However, more data would need to be collected to find a significant difference.

Level of Evidence

II
Experimental investigation of unsteady separation in the rotor-oscillator flow
Authors: Lamarche-Gagnon Marc-Étienne , Vétel Jérôme
Published: April 2018

Visualisations of various types of flow separation are presented in an experimental set-up that translates a rotating cylinder parallel to a wall. Particle image velocimetry is used to measure the two velocity components in a plane perpendicular to the cylinder where the flow is two-dimensional. To spatially resolve the flow close to the wall, a high-viscosity fluid is used. For a periodic translation, the fixed separation is compared to the theory of Haller (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 512, 2004, pp. 257–311), while for non-periodic translations, a method is proposed to extract the moving separation point captured by a Lagrangian saddle point, and its finite-time unstable direction (separation profiles). Intermediate cases are also presented where both types of separation, fixed and moving, are either present simultaneously or appear successively. Some results issued from numerical simulations of an impinging jet show that all the cases observed in the rotor-oscillator flow are not restricted to high-viscosity fluid motions but may also occur within any vortical flow.
Slavery and Liberty: Talmud and Political Theory in Dialogue
Authors: Schvarcz Benjamin
Published: April 2018

While focusing on the concept of liberty, this article produces a dialogue between the Talmud and western political theory, and thus expands the canon of political thought. Equipped with three concepts of liberty—negative, positive, and republican—this article offers an original reading to Babylonian TalmudGiṭ12a–13a. The talmudic passage's pivotal question—whether liberty is necessarily beneficial to a slave—enables us to reconstruct its fundamental, albeit implicit, understandings of both slavery and liberty. The talmudic approach to slavery and liberty emerges as concrete, and hence yields a thick and multi-faceted notion of liberty. Considering that a person might prefer the benefits of slavery reveals a paradox in Isaiah Berlin's negative concept of liberty. Therefore, as this article concludes, his conceptual distinction between two concepts of liberty is unsustainable and needs to be replaced by a concrete and thick notion of liberty.
Coleridge as Philosopher of Missions
Authors: Ford Stephen H.
Published: April 2018

Coleridge directed hisAids to Reflection(1825, 1831) to young men preparing for Christian vocations, missionaries in particular, and planned, but did not write, a seventh supplementary essay, which may be reconstructed from Coleridge's œuvres, to correct what he thought was inadequate preparation. Missionaries are educators whose preparation must include scientific biblical criticism: Christianity evolves with culture generally. Anthropography is required in order to foster inter-cultural exchange, including insight into a tradition's metaphors. Missionaries engage in proselytism, insists Coleridge, in the strictly limited sense of conversion through the exemplary conduct of the missionary as a fully realized human being.
The Origin and Nature of Religion: A Critical Realist View
Authors: Gorski Philip
Published: April 2018

There are few social scientists who have done as much scholarly research on religion as Christian Smith. Over the past three decades, he has interviewed hundreds of people, fielded numerous surveys, and written dozens of books. And in recent years, he has pushed beyond the boundaries of empirical social research into the neighboring domains of social theory, philosophy, and theology. Anyone who studies or cares about religion will want to know what he has to say about it.
Psychosocial and health-related risk factors for depressive symptom trajectories among midlife women over 15 years: Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN)
Authors: Bromberger Joyce T. , Schott Laura L. , Avis Nancy E. , Crawford Sybil L. , Harlow Sioban D. , Joffe Hadine , Kravitz Howard M. , Matthews Karen A.
Published: April 2018

Background

Psychosocial and health-related risk factors for depressive symptoms are known. It is unclear if these are associated with depressive symptom patterns over time. We identified trajectories of depressive symptoms and their risk factors among midlife women followed over 15 years.

Methods

Participants were 3300 multiracial/ethnic women enrolled in a multisite longitudinal menopause and aging study, Study of Women's Health Across the Nation. Biological, psychosocial, and depressive symptom data were collected approximately annually. Group-based trajectory modeling identified women with similar longitudinal patterns of depressive symptoms. Trajectory groups were compared on time-invariant and varying characteristics using multivariable multinomial analyses and pairwise comparisons.

Results

Five symptom trajectories were compared (50% very low; 29% low; 5% increasing; 11% decreasing; 5% high). Relative to whites, blacks were less likely to be in the increasing trajectory and more likely to be in the decreasing symptom trajectory and Hispanics were more likely to have a high symptom trajectory than an increasing trajectory. Psychosocial/health factors varied between groups. A rise in sleep problems was associated with higher odds of having an increasing trajectory and a rise in social support was associated with lower odds. Women with low role functioning for 50% or more visits had three times the odds of being in the increasing symptom group.

Conclusions

Changes in psychosocial and health characteristics were related to changing depressive symptom trajectories. Health care providers need to evaluate women's sleep quality, social support, life events, and role functioning repeatedly during midlife to monitor changes in these and depressive symptoms.
Amygdala–prefrontal connectivity during appraisal of symptom-related stimuli in obsessive–compulsive disorder
Authors: Paul Sandra , Beucke Jan C. , Kaufmann Christian , Mersov Anna , Heinzel Stephan , Kathmann Norbert , Simon Daniela
Published: April 2018

Background

Cognitive models of obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) posit dysfunctional appraisal of disorder-relevant stimuli in patients, suggesting disturbances in the processes relying on amygdala–prefrontal connectivity. Recent neuroanatomical models add to the traditional view of dysfunction in corticostriatal circuits by proposing alterations in an affective circuit including amygdala–prefrontal connections. However, abnormalities in amygdala–prefrontal coupling during symptom provocation, and particularly during conditions that require stimulus appraisal, remain to be demonstrated directly.

Methods

Amygdala–prefrontal connectivity was examined in unmedicated OCD patients during appraisal (v. distraction) of symptom-provoking stimuli compared with an emotional control condition. Subsequent analyses tested whether hypothesized connectivity alterations could be also identified during passive viewing and the resting state in two independent samples.

Results

During symptom provocation, reductions in positive coupling between amygdala and orbitofrontal cortex were observed in OCD patients relative to healthy control participants during appraisal and passive viewing of OCD-relevant stimuli, whereas abnormally high amygdala–ventromedial prefrontal cortex coupling was found when appraisal was distracted by a secondary task. In contrast, there were no group differences in amygdala connectivity at rest.

Conclusions

Our finding of abnormal amygdala–prefrontal connectivity during appraisal of symptom-related (relative to generally aversive) stimuli is consistent with the involvement of affective circuits in the functional neuroanatomy of OCD. Aberrant connectivity can be assumed to impact stimulus appraisal and emotion regulation, but might also relate to fear extinction deficits, which have recently been described in OCD. Taken together, we propose to integrate abnormalities in amygdala–prefrontal coupling in affective models of OCD.
A longitudinal study on psychosocial causes and consequences of Internet gaming disorder in adolescence
Authors: Wartberg Lutz , Kriston Levente , Zieglmeier Matthias , Lincoln Tania , Kammerl Rudolf
Published: April 2018

Background

In 2013, Internet gaming disorder (IGD) was incorporated in the current version of the DSM-5. IGD refers to a problematic use of video games. Longitudinal studies on the etiology of IGD are lacking. Furthermore, it is currently unclear to which extent associated psychopathological problems are causes or consequences of IGD. In the present survey, longitudinal associations between IGD and adolescent and parental mental health were investigated for the first time, as well as the temporal stability of IGD.

Methods

In a cross-lagged panel design study, family dyads (adolescent with a parent each) were examined in 2016 (t1) and again 1 year later (2017, t2). Overall, 1095 family dyads were assessed at t1 and 985 dyads were re-assessed at t2 with standardized measures of IGD and several aspects of adolescent and parental mental health. Data were analyzed with structural equation modeling (SEM).

Results

Male gender, a higher level of hyperactivity/inattention, self-esteem problems and IGD at t1 were predictors of IGD at t2. IGD at t1 was a predictor for adolescent emotional distress at t2. Overall, 357 out of the 985 adolescents received a diagnosis of IGD at t1 or t2: 142 (14.4%) at t1 and t2, 100 (10.2%) only at t1, and 115 (11.7%) only at t2.

Conclusions

Hyperactivity/inattention and self-esteem problems seem to be important for the development of IGD. We found first empirical evidence that IGD could prospectively contribute to a deterioration of adolescent mental health. Only a subgroup of affected adolescents showed IGD consistently over 1 year.
Enjoying your cultural cheesecake: Why believers are sincere and shamans are not charlatans
Authors: Boudry Maarten
Published: April 2018

Cultural evolution explains not just when people tend to develop superstitions, but also what forms these beliefs take. Beliefs that are more resilient in the face of apparent refutations and more susceptible to occasional confirmation stand a greater chance of cultural success. This argument helps to dispel the impression that shamans are mere charlatans and believers are “faking it.”
Some needed psychological clarifications on the experience(s) of shamanism
Authors: Cardeña Etzel , Krippner Stanley
Published: April 2018

The target article's use of core concepts is confused and excessively broad. Two main types of experiences have been described in relation to shamanism: magical flight and mediumship/possession. The first refers to visual and remembered experiences of events in other realms, the second to embodied experiences of ceding mental control and personality to a preternatural entity. These experiences grossly correspond to two main experience modalities exhibited by highly hypnotizable individuals in a secular setting.
Commitment enforcement also explains shamanism's culturally shared features
Authors: Linquist Stefan
Published: April 2018

The proposed explanation for the evolution of shamanism is not the only viable option. I sketch an alternative commitment hypothesis that views shamanism as an adaptation at the level of biological individuals or cultural groups. To the extent that these hypotheses make overlapping predictions about the culturally shared features of shamanism, we lack adequate evidence to discriminate among them.
Shamanism and psychosis: Shared mechanisms?
Authors: Powers Albert R. , Corlett Philip R.
Published: April 2018

Individual-specific predispositions may precede the cultural evolution of shamanism and may be linked to it via principles of predictive coding. We have used these principles to identify commonalities between clinical and shaman-like non-clinical voice-hearers. The author may find this approach helpful in relating the experiences of shamans to those of their clients.
Therapeutic encounters and the elicitation of community care
Authors: Steinkopf Leander , de Barra Mícheál
Published: April 2018

Singh's analysis of shamanism is regarded as a contribution to the evolutionary study of healing encounters and evolutionary medicine. Shamans must create convincing healing spectacles, while sick individuals must convincingly express symptoms and suffering to motivate community care. Both have a shared interest in convincing onlookers. This is not restricted to shamanic treatment, but is still true in modern medical care.
Complexity and possession: Gender and social structure in the variability of shamanic traits
Authors: Wood Connor P. , Stockly Kate J.
Published: April 2018

Singh deploys cultural evolution to explain recurrent features of shamanistic trance forms, but fails to substantively address important distinctions between these forms. Possession trance (vs. trance without possession) is disproportionately female-dominated and found in complex societies. The effects of cultural conditions on shamanism thus extend beyond its presence or absence and are vital for modeling its professionalization and spread.
THE PRODUCTION OF SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT AMONG SWEDISH AND CHINESE SECOND LANGUAGE SPEAKERS OF ENGLISH
Authors: Jackson Carrie N. , Mormer Elizabeth , Brehm Laurel
Published: April 2018

This study uses a sentence completion task with Swedish and Chinese L2 English speakers to investigate how L1 morphosyntax and L2 proficiency influence L2 English subject-verb agreement production. Chinese has limited nominal and verbal number morphology, while Swedish has robust noun phrase (NP) morphology but does not number-mark verbs. Results showed that like L1 English speakers, both L2 groups used grammatical and conceptual number to produce subject-verb agreement. However, only L1 Chinese speakers—and less-proficient speakers in both L2 groups—were similarly influenced by grammatical and conceptual number when producing the subject NP. These findings demonstrate how L2 proficiency, perhaps combined with cross-linguistic differences, influence L2 production and underscore that encoding of noun and verb number are not independent.
Do children go for the nice guys? The influence of speaker benevolence and certainty on selective word learning
Authors: BERGSTRA Myrthe , DE MULDER Hannah N. M. , COOPMANS Peter
Published: April 2018

This study investigated how speaker certainty (a rational cue) and speaker benevolence (an emotional cue) influence children's willingness to learn words in a selective learning paradigm. In two experiments four- to six-year-olds learnt novel labels from two speakers and, after a week, their memory for these labels was reassessed. Results demonstrated that children retained the label–object pairings for at least a week. Furthermore, children preferred to learn from certain over uncertain speakers, but they had no significant preference for nice over nasty speakers. When the cues were combined, children followed certain speakers, even if they were nasty. However, children did prefer to learn from nice and certain speakers over nasty and certain speakers. These results suggest that rational cues regarding a speaker's linguistic competence trump emotional cues regarding a speaker's affective status in word learning. However, emotional cues were found to have a subtle influence on this process.
Electrophysiological correlates of categorical perception of lexical tones by English learners of Mandarin Chinese: an ERP study
Authors: SHEN GUANNAN , FROUD KAREN
Published: April 2018

This study examines brain responses to boundary effects with respect to Mandarin lexicaltonecontinua for three groups of adult listeners: (1) native English speakers who took advanced Mandarin courses; (2) naïve English speakers; and (3) native Mandarin speakers. A cross-boundary tone pair and a within-category tone pair derived from tonal contrasts(Mandarin Tone1/Tone 4;Tone2/Tone 3) with equal physical/acoustical distance were used in an auditory oddball paradigm. For native Mandarin speakers, the cross-category deviant elicited a larger MMN over left hemisphere sensors and larger P300 responses over both hemispheres relative to within-category deviants, suggesting categorical perception of tones at both pre-attentive and attentional stages of processing. In contrast, native English speakers and Mandarin learners did not demonstrate categorical effects. However, learners of Mandarin showed larger P300 responses than the other two groups, suggesting heightened sensitivity to tones and possibly greater attentional resource allocation to tone identification.
Sensitivity of Grass Crops to Low Rates of Quizalofop
Authors: Lancaster Zachary D. , Norsworthy Jason K. , Scott Robert C.
Published: April 2018

With the widespread occurrence of herbicide-resistant weeds in midsouthern U.S. rice, new technologies are needed to achieve adequate weed control. A new non–genetically modified rice trait has been commercialized that is resistant to quizalofop, an acetyl coenzyme A carboxylase (ACCase)-inhibiting herbicide. The addition of quizalofop-resistant rice to production systems will increase the use of quizalofop, possibly increasing the risk for injury to other grass crops. Experiments were conducted in 2014 and 2015 to determine the sensitivity of corn, grain sorghum, and conventional rice to low rates of quizalofop (1/10× to 1/200× of 160 g ai ha–1). Conventional rice was not affected by quizalofop rate or application timing. Corn displayed the greatest response to the 1/10× quizalofop rate at the two- to three-leaf stage, with 50% to 65% injury and 35% to 37% relative yield compared to the nontreated check. Grain sorghum was injured 31% to 34% by the 1/10× quizalofop rate applied at the two- to three-leaf stage, and there was 20% to 26% injury at the panicle exertion growth stage. The highest rate of quizalofop at the panicle exertion stage reduced yields 28% to 46%. Overall, risk for injury to any of the three evaluated crops from quizalofop appears low, with greatest injury observed at the highest quizalofop drift rate, with minimal injury at lower rates.
History of Mars’s Water, Seen Through the Lens of Gale Crater
Authors: Skibba Ramin
Published: April 2018

Research uncovers more of Mars’s past, when flowing water may have been transient before eventually disappearing.
Percutaneous Closure of Left Atrial Appendage significantly affects Lipidome Metabolism
Authors: Yücel G. , Behnes M. , Barth C. , Wenke A. , Sartorius B. , Mashayekhi K. , Yazdani B. , Bertsch T. , Rusnak J. , Saleh A. , Hoffmann U. , Fastner C. , Lang S. , Zhou X. , Sattler K. , Borggrefe M. , Akin I.
Published: April 2018

Patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AF) and a high risk for oral anticoagulation can be treated by percutaneous implantation of left atrial appendage occlusion devices (LAAC) to reduce the risk of cardio-embolic stroke. This study evaluates whether LAAC may influence lipid metabolism, which has never been investigated before. Patients with successful LAAC were included consecutively. Venous peripheral blood samples of patients were collected immediately before (T0, baseline) and 6 months after (T1, mid-term) LAAC. A targeted metabolomics approach based on electrospray ionization liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (ESI-LC-MS/MS) and MS/MS measurements was performed. A total of 34 lipids revealed a significant change from baseline to mid-term follow-up after successful LAAC. Subgroup analysis revealed confounding influence by gender, age, diabetes mellitus type II, body mass index, left ventricular ejection fraction, creatinine and NT-proBNP. After multivariable adjustment within logistic regression models, these 34 lipids were still significantly altered after LAAC. Successful percutaneous LAAC may affect lipid metabolism and thereby may potentially affect pro-atherogenic and cardio-toxic effects.
Local tissue manipulation via a force- and pressure-controlled AFM micropipette for analysis of cellular processes
Authors: Roder Phillip , Hille Carsten
Published: April 2018

Local manipulation of complex tissues at the single-cell level is challenging and requires excellent sealing between the specimen and the micromanipulation device. Here, biological applications for a recently developed loading technique for a force- and pressure-controlled fluidic force microscope micropipette are described. This technique allows for the exact positioning and precise spatiotemporal control of liquid delivery. The feasibility of a local loading technique for tissue applications was investigated using two fluorescent dyes, with which local loading behaviour could be optically visualised. Thus, homogeneous intracellular distribution of CellTracker Red and accumulation of SYTO 9 Green within nuclei was realised in single cells of a tissue preparation. Subsequently, physiological micromanipulation experiments were performed. Salivary gland tissue was pre-incubated with the Ca2+-sensitive dye OGB-1. An intracellular Ca2+rise was then initiated at the single-cell level by applying dopamineviamicropipette. When pre-incubating tissue with the nitric oxide (NO)-sensitive dye DAF-FM, NO release and intercellular NO diffusion was observed after local application of the NO donor SNP. Finally, local micromanipulation of a well-defined area along irregularly shaped cell surfaces of complex biosystems was shown for the first time for the fluidic force microscope micropipette. Thus, this technique is a promising tool for the investigation of the spatiotemporal effects of locally applied substances in complex tissues.
Impact of sequencing depth on the characterization of the microbiome and resistome
Authors: Zaheer Rahat , Noyes Noelle , Ortega Polo Rodrigo , Cook Shaun R. , Marinier Eric , Van Domselaar Gary , Belk Keith E. , Morley Paul S. , McAllister Tim A.
Published: April 2018

Developments in high-throughput next generation sequencing (NGS) technology have rapidly advanced the understanding of overall microbial ecology as well as occurrence and diversity of specific genes within diverse environments. In the present study, we compared the ability of varying sequencing depths to generate meaningful information about the taxonomic structure and prevalence of antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) in the bovine fecal microbial community. Metagenomic sequencing was conducted on eight composite fecal samples originating from four beef cattle feedlots. Metagenomic DNA was sequenced to various depths, D1, D0.5 and D0.25, with average sample read counts of 117, 59 and 26 million, respectively. A comparative analysis of the relative abundance of reads aligning to different phyla and antimicrobial classes indicated that the relative proportions of read assignments remained fairly constant regardless of depth. However, the number of reads being assigned to ARGs as well as to microbial taxa increased significantly with increasing depth. We found a depth of D0.5 was suitable to describe the microbiome and resistome of cattle fecal samples. This study helps define a balance between cost and required sequencing depth to acquire meaningful results.
Cyclin-dependent kinase 5 mediates pleiotrophin-induced endothelial cell migration
Authors: Lampropoulou Evgenia , Logoviti Ioanna , Koutsioumpa Marina , Hatziapostolou Maria , Polytarchou Christos , Skandalis Spyros S. , Hellman Ulf , Fousteris Manolis , Nikolaropoulos Sotirios , Choleva Efrosini , Lamprou Margarita , Skoura Angeliki , Megalooikonomou Vasileios , Papadimitriou Evangelia
Published: April 2018

Pleiotrophin (PTN) stimulates endothelial cell migration through binding to receptor protein tyrosine phosphatase beta/zeta (RPTPβ/ζ) and ανβ3 integrin. Screening for proteins that interact with RPTPβ/ζ and potentially regulate PTN signaling, through mass spectrometry analysis, identified cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (CDK5) activator p35 among the proteins displaying high sequence coverage. Interaction of p35 with the serine/threonine kinase CDK5 leads to CDK5 activation, known to be implicated in cell migration. Protein immunoprecipitation and proximity ligation assays verified p35-RPTPβ/ζ interaction and revealed the molecular association of CDK5 and RPTPβ/ζ. In endothelial cells, PTN activates CDK5 in an RPTPβ/ζ- and phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)-dependent manner. On the other hand, c-Src, ανβ3 and ERK1/2 do not mediate the PTN-induced CDK5 activation. Pharmacological and genetic inhibition of CDK5 abolished PTN-induced endothelial cell migration, suggesting that CDK5 mediates PTN stimulatory effect. A new pyrrolo[2,3-α]carbazole derivative previously identified as a CDK1 inhibitor, was found to suppress CDK5 activity and eliminate PTN stimulatory effect on cell migration, warranting its further evaluation as a new CDK5 inhibitor. Collectively, our data reveal that CDK5 is activated by PTN, in an RPTPβ/ζ-dependent manner, regulates PTN-induced cell migration and is an attractive target for the inhibition of PTN pro-angiogenic properties.
Metformin Decreases the Incidence of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Promoted by Diet-induced Obesity in the Conditional KrasG12D Mouse Model
Authors: Chang Hui-Hua , Moro Aune , Chou Caroline Ei Ne , Dawson David W. , French Samuel , Schmidt Andrea I. , Sinnett-Smith James , Hao Fang , Hines O. Joe , Eibl Guido , Rozengurt Enrique
Published: April 2018

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a particularly deadly disease. Chronic conditions, including obesity and type-2 diabetes are risk factors, thus making PDAC amenable to preventive strategies. We aimed to characterize the chemo-preventive effects of metformin, a widely used anti-diabetic drug, on PDAC development using the KrasG12D mouse model subjected to a diet high in fats and calories (HFCD). LSL-KrasG12D/+;p48-Cre (KC) mice were given control diet (CD), HFCD, or HFCD with 5 mg/ml metformin in drinking water for 3 or 9 months. After 3 months, metformin prevented HFCD-induced weight gain, hepatic steatosis, depletion of intact acini, formation of advanced PanIN lesions, and stimulation of ERK and mTORC1 in pancreas. In addition to reversing hepatic and pancreatic histopathology, metformin normalized HFCD-induced hyperinsulinemia and hyperleptinemia among the 9-month cohort. Importantly, the HFCD-increased PDAC incidence was completely abrogated by metformin (p < 0.01). The obesogenic diet also induced a marked increase in the expression of TAZ in pancreas, an effect abrogated by metformin. In conclusion, administration of metformin improved the metabolic profile and eliminated the promoting effects of diet-induced obesity on PDAC formation in KC mice. Given the established safety profile of metformin, our findings have a strong translational potential for novel chemo-preventive strategies for PDAC.
Correction: Corrigendum: Hypertension and the risk of endometrial cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis of case-control and cohort studies
Authors: Aune Dagfinn , Sen Abhijit , Vatten Lars J.
Published: April 2018

Scientific Reports 7: Article number: 44808; published online: 07 April 2017; updated: 06 April 2018. In this Article, Abhijit Sen and Lars J. Vatten are incorrectly listed with ‘Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Imperial College, London, UK’. The correct affiliation for these authors islisted below:
Erratum: Impairment of PDGF-induced chemotaxis by extracellular α-synuclein through selective inhibition of Rac1 activation
Authors: Okada Taro , Hirai Chihoko , Badawy Shaymaa Mohamed Mohamed , Zhang Lifang , Kajimoto Taketoshi , Nakamura Shun-ichi
Published: April 2018

Scientific Reports 6: Article number: 37810; published online: 25 November 2016; updated: 06 April 2018. The original version of this Article contained an error in the indexing of the author Shaymaa Mohamed Mohamed Badawy. This error has now been corrected.
Erratum: Extracellular α-synuclein induces sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor subtype 1 uncoupled from inhibitory G-protein leaving β-arrestin signal intact
Authors: Zhang Lifang , Okada Taro , Badawy Shaymaa Mohamed Mohamed , Hirai Chihoko , Kajimoto Taketoshi , Nakamura Shun-ichi
Published: April 2018

Scientific Reports 7: Article number: 44248; published online: 16 March 2017; updated: 06 April 2018. The original version of this Article contained an error in the indexing of the author Shaymaa Mohamed Mohamed Badawy. This error has now been corrected.
Erratum: miR-2478 inhibits TGFβ1 expression by targeting the transcriptional activation region downstream of the TGFβ1 promoter in dairy goats
Authors: Li Zhuanjian , Lan Xianyong , Han Ruili , Wang Jing , Huang Yongzhen , Sun Jiajie , Guo Wenjiao , Chen Hong
Published: April 2018

Scientific Reports 7: Article number: 42627; published online: 15 February 2017; updated: 06 April 2018. The original PDF version of this Article contained an error in the order of corresponding authors. This has now been corrected in the PDF version of this Article; the HTML version was correct from the time of publication.
Graphene-amplified femtosensitive aptasensing of estradiol, an endocrine disruptor
Authors: Rather Jahangir Ahmad , Khudaish Emad A. , Kannan Palanisamy
Published: April 2018

Aptasensing mechanism for femtomolar detection of estradiol [E2], an endocrine disruptor.
Morphology-controlled epitaxial vanadium dioxide low-dimensional structures: the delicate effects on the phase transition behaviors
Authors: Xiong W. M. , Shao Jian , Zhang Y. Q. , Chen Yun , Zhang X. Y. , Chen W. J. , Zheng Yue
Published: April 2018

Abundant low-dimensional structures and mixed structures of VO2are fabricatedviapulsed laser deposition.
Competition kinetics of OH radical reactions with oxygenated organic compounds in aqueous solution: rate constants and internal optical absorption effects
Authors: Schaefer T. , Herrmann H.
Published: April 2018

Atmospheric aqueous phase rate constants are determined and the effect of optical absorbers in competition kinetics is studied.
Accurate theoretical characterization of dioxygen difluoride: a problem resolved
Authors: Ferchichi Olfa , Alijah Alexander , Cours Thibaud , Jaidane Nejm-Eddine , Derbel Najoua
Published: April 2018

Determination of the minimum structure on a very flat surface is problematic. Ifre(OO) is changed by 0.0025 Å around the minimum,re(OF) is changed by 0.01 Å. Vibrational averaging is required.
Spatial control of cocatalysts and elimination of interfacial defects towards efficient and robust CIGS photocathodes for solar water splitting
Authors: Chen Mengxin , Liu Yang , Li Chengcheng , Li Ang , Chang Xiaoxia , Liu Wei , Sun Yun , Wang Tuo , Gong Jinlong
Published: April 2018

Modifying TiO2-protected CIGS/CdS photocathodes: spatially controlled Pt cocatalysts accelerate the surface HER reaction, while the Al2O3passivation layer eliminates interfacial defects.
In vitro elucidation of the role of pericellular matrix in metastatic extravasation and invasion of breast carcinoma cells
Authors: Brett Marie-Elena , Bomberger Heather E. , Doak Geneva R. , Price Matthew A. , McCarthy James B. , Wood David K.
Published: April 2018

The hyaluronan-rich pericellular matrix is an important feature of malignant progression in breast carcinoma.
Microfluidic lung airway-on-a-chip with arrayable suspended gels for studying epithelial and smooth muscle cell interactions
Authors: Humayun Mouhita , Chow Chung-Wai , Young Edmond W. K.
Published: April 2018

A novel lung airway-on-a-chip system that uses a suspended hydrogel to enable epithelial–matrix–smooth muscle cell interactions.
Retracted Article: Rhodium nanocubes and nanotripods for highly sensitive ultraviolet surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy
Authors: Das Rupali , Soni R. K.
Published: April 2018

DUV-UV (266 nm), UV (325 nm) and visible (532 nm) excitation-wavelength-dependent SERS investigation of adenine molecules on rhodium nanoparticles.
A ratiometric method for the oxidation mapping of metallic systems
Authors: Gaviglio C. , Carrone G.
Published: April 2018

An inexpensive ratiometric imaging method for studying redox systems with high temporal-and-spatial resolution based on light absorption by a redox probe.
Supramolecular assemblies of dinuclear alkynylplatinum(ii) terpyridine complexes with double-decker silsesquioxane nano-cores: the role of isomerism in constructing nano-structures
Authors: Au-Yeung Ho-Leung , Leung Sammual Yu-Lut , Yam Vivian Wing-Wah
Published: April 2018

Isomerically pure DDSQ-functionalized platinum(ii) complexes have been isolated with self-association behaviours found to be closely related to their isomeric configurations.
The reductive aromatization of naphthalene diimide: a versatile platform for 2,7-diazapyrenes
Authors: Nakazato Takumi , Kamatsuka Takuto , Inoue Junichi , Sakurai Tsuneaki , Seki Shu , Shinokubo Hiroshi , Miyake Yoshihiro
Published: April 2018

The reductive aromatization of naphthalene diimide provides tetrapivaloxy-2,7-diazapyrene, which serves as a versatile platform toward peripherally substituted 2,7-diazapyrenes.
Oxygen-reduction catalysis of N-doped carbons prepared via heat treatment of polyaniline at over 1100 °C
Authors: Quílez-Bermejo Javier , Morallón Emilia , Cazorla-Amorós Diego
Published: April 2018

Advanced catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction based on N-doped carbon materials have been designed via pyrolysis of polyaniline at temperatures above 1100 °C.
Genetic encoding of 2-aryl-5-carboxytetrazole-based protein photo-cross-linkers
Authors: Tian Yulin , Lin Qing
Published: April 2018

We report the genetic encoding of three γ-heteroatom-substituted N-methylpyrroletetrazole-lysines (mPyTXKs) as site-selective photo-cross-linkers, with mPyTSeK cleavable upon H2O2 treatment.
Tuning the spectral response of ultraviolet organic–inorganic hybrid photodetectors via charge trapping and charge collection narrowing
Authors: Esopi Monica R. , Zheng Erjin , Zhang Xiaoyu , Cai Chen , Yu Qiuming
Published: April 2018

A simple response-tuning mechanism, engaged by varying the active layer thickness and composition, extended to ultraviolet-selective photodetectors.
Anin situXAS study of the activation of precursor-dependent Pd nanoparticles
Authors: Lopes Christian W. , Cerrillo Jose L. , Palomares Antonio E. , Rey Fernando , Agostini Giovanni
Published: April 2018

The activation of precursor-dependent Pd nanoparticles was comprehensively followed byin situX-ray absorption spectroscopy on two inorganic supports for rationalizing the final catalytic activity.
Collision induced charge separation in ground-state water splitting dynamics
Authors: Yamamoto Kentaro , Takatsuka Kazuo
Published: April 2018

The pathway of one-way electron–hole transfer induced by proton reciprocating motions, thereby realizing the collision induced ground-state charge separation.
Excimer formation and evolution of excited state properties in discrete dimeric stacking of an anthracene derivative: a computational investigation
Authors: Gao Yu , Liu Haichao , Zhang Shitong , Gu Qiang , Shen Yue , Ge Yunpeng , Yang Bing
Published: April 2018

The potential energy curves show various excimer species. The excited state changes from LE to HLCT during excimer formation.
Multinuclear solid-state NMR study: a powerful tool for understanding the structure of ZnO hybrid nanoparticles
Authors: Spataro Grégory , Champouret Yohan , Florian Pierre , Coppel Yannik , Kahn Myrtil L.
Published: April 2018

Characterization of hybrid materials is crucial for gaining an in-depth understanding of nano-objects.
Double-helix PnLin chains: novel potential nonlinear optical materials
Authors: Hu Yangyang , Xu Xiaodong , Jiang Yingjie , Zhang Guiling , Li Weiqi , Sun Xiudong , Tian Wei Quan , Feng Yunan
Published: April 2018

The structures, circular dichroism (CD) spectra and nonlinear optical (NLO) responses of a series of inorganic double-helix chains, PnLin (n = 6–12), have been investigated using the quantum chemistry method.
Quantum mechanical determination of atomic polarizabilities of ionic liquids
Authors: Heid Esther , Szabadi András , Schröder Christian
Published: April 2018

We present an accurate and simple quantum mechanical methodology to calculate atomic polarizabilities of charged species.
How changes in interfacial pH lead to new voltammetric features: the case of the electrochemical oxidation of hydrazine
Authors: Arulrajan Antony Cyril , Renault Christophe , Lai Stanley C. S.
Published: April 2018

The electrochemical oxidation of hydrazine was investigated in strongly and weakly pH buffered solutions to reveal the role of buffer capacity in proton–electron transfer redox reactions.
The relationship between the chemical state of Pd species and the catalytic activity for methane combustion on Pd/CeO2
Authors: Ma Jian , Lou Yang , Cai Yafeng , Zhao Zhenyang , Wang Li , Zhan Wangcheng , Guo Yanglong , Guo Yun
Published: April 2018

Three Pd/CeO2 catalysts are synthesized by reduction-deposition and an impregnation method (IMP) to clarify how the chemical state of Pd influences the catalytic performance for CH4 combustion.
An electron transfer driven magnetic switch: ferromagnetic exchange and spin delocalization in iron verdazyl complexes
Authors: Brook David J. R. , Fleming Connor , Chung Dorothy , Richardson Cardius , Ponce Servando , Das Raja , Srikanth Hariharan , Heindl Ranko , Noll Bruce C.
Published: April 2018

A single electron reduction of an iron bis(verdazyl) complex results in a large change in spin multiplicity resulting from a combination of spin crossover and exceptionally strong ferromagnetic exchange.
Unsymmetrical fluorinated malonatoborate as an amphoteric additive for high-energy-density lithium-ion batteries
Authors: Han Jung-Gu , Lee Jae Bin , Cha Aming , Lee Tae Kyung , Cho Woongrae , Chae Sujong , Kang Seok Ju , Kwak Sang Kyu , Cho Jaephil , Hong Sung You , Choi Nam-Soon
Published: April 2018

A molecularly-engineered LiFMDFB additive constructs a protective layer for Li-rich cathodes while simultaneously strengthening the interface structure on SGC anodes.
Correction: Geophysical constraints on the reliability of solar and wind power in the United States
Authors: Shaner Matthew R. , Davis Steven J. , Lewis Nathan S. , Caldeira Ken
Published: April 2018

Correction for ‘Geophysical constraints on the reliability of solar and wind power in the United States’ by Matthew R. Shaner et al., Energy Environ. Sci., 2018, DOI: 10.1039/c7ee03029k.
2D graphene oxide channel for water transport
Authors: Mi Baoxia , Zheng Sunxiang , Tu Qingsong
Published: April 2018

Proper crosslinking and reduction can effectively prevent graphene oxide from swelling, thus enabling the precise control of interlayer spacing.
Bipyridine bisphosphonate-based fluorescent optical sensor and optode for selective detection of Zn2+ ions and its applications
Authors: Selva Kumar R. , Ashok Kumar S. K. , Vijayakrishna Kari , Sivaramakrishna Akella , Paira Priyankar , Brahmmananada Rao C. V. S. , Sivaraman N. , Sahoo Suban K.
Published: April 2018

In this study, tetrabutyl 2,2′-bisbipyridine-5,5′-diylbis(methylene) diphosphonate (L) as fluorescence optical sensor was developed for selective determination of Zn2+.
Synthesis and characterization of the immobilized Ni–Zn–Fe layered double hydroxide (LDH) on silica-coated magnetite as a mesoporous and magnetically reusable catalyst for the preparation of benzylidenemalononitriles and bisdimedones (tetraketones) under green conditions
Authors: Gilanizadeh Masumeh , Zeynizadeh Behzad
Published: April 2018

Magnetic Fe3O4@SiO2@Ni–Zn–Fe LDH was prepared as an efficient nanocatalyst for the Knoevenagel and tandem Knoevenagel–Michael reactions to afford the products in water.
Aminobisphosphonates based on cyclohexane backbone as coordinating agents for metal ions. Thermodynamic, spectroscopic and biological studies
Authors: Gałęzowska J. , Czapor-Irzabek H. , Chmielewska E. , Kafarski P. , Janek T.
Published: April 2018

Complex formation equilibria of calcium, magnesium, copper and nickel with amino-bisphosphonic ligands are described, together with a speciation study along with calorimetric outcome and cytotoxicity characteristics.
Molecular brakes based on the Zn(ii) porphyrin dimer
Authors: Meshkov Ivan N. , Bulach Véronique , Gorbunova Yulia G. , Jouaiti Abdelaziz , Sinelshchikova Anna A. , Kyritsakas Nathalie , Grigoriev Mikhail S. , Tsivadze Aslan Yu. , Hosseini Mir Wais
Published: April 2018

The rotational movement of molecular brakes based on two Zn–porphyrin units interconnected by a spacer may be reversibly locked by addition of an external auxiliary ligand.
Correction: In situ determination of dissolution kinetics of d-limonene in supercritical carbon dioxide by Raman spectroscopy
Authors: Buzolin C. N. , Espina Palanco M. , Wendt O. F. , Rodriguez-Meizoso I.
Published: April 2018

Correction for ‘In situ determination of dissolution kinetics of d-limonene in supercritical carbon dioxide by Raman spectroscopy’ by C. N. Buzolin et al., New J. Chem., 2017, 41, 13929–13934.
Radioluminescence studies of colloidal oleate-capped β-Na(Gd,Lu)F4:Ln3+ nanoparticles (Ln = Ce, Eu, Tb)
Authors: Cooper Daniel R. , Capobianco John A. , Seuntjens Jan
Published: April 2018

Novel radioluminescent nanoparticles have been synthesized and their radioluminescence properties quantified through spectroscopy and modeling, methods extensible to other nanosystems.
Discovery of quinazoline-2,4(1H,3H)-dione derivatives as novel PARP-1/2 inhibitors: design, synthesis and their antitumor activity
Authors: Zhou Jie , Ji Ming , Yao Haiping , Cao Ran , Zhao Hailong , Wang Xiaoyu , Chen Xiaoguang , Xu Bailing
Published: April 2018

Novel quinazoline-2,4(1H,3H)-dione derivatives bearing a 3-amino pyrrolidine motif were identified as potent PARP-1/2 inhibitors with distinct binding features.
Defect-mediated electron–hole separation in semiconductor photocatalysis
Authors: Zhou Wei , Fu Honggang
Published: April 2018

This review summarizes the inherent functionality of bulk, surface and interface defects, and their contributions towards mediating electron–hole separation in semiconductor photocatalysis.
Preparation of open-porous stereocomplex PLA/PBAT scaffolds and correlation between their morphology, mechanical behavior, and cell compatibility
Authors: Kang Yuan , Chen Peng , Shi Xuetao , Zhang Guangcheng , Wang Chaoli
Published: April 2018

For tissue engineering applications, it is essential that biodegradable scaffolds have accessible mechanical properties, high porosity, and good biocompatibility to support the formation of new tissues.
Nontrigonal constraint enhances 1,2-addition reactivity of phosphazenes
Authors: Lin Yi-Chun , Gilhula James C. , Radosevich Alexander T.
Published: April 2018

The syntheses and 1,2-addition reactivities of nontrigonal phosphazenes supported by trianionic tricoordinating chelates of the type L3PNdipp (3: L3 = N[CHC(tBu)O]23−; 4: L3 = N(o-NMeC6H4)23−; dipp = 2,6-diisopropylphenyl) are reported.
An efficient atom-economical chemoselective CO2 cycloaddition using lanthanum oxide/tetrabutyl ammonium bromide
Authors: Qaroush Abdussalam K. , Alsoubani Fatima A. , Al-Khateeb Ala'a M. , Nabih Enas , Al-Ramahi Esraa , Khanfar Mohammad F. , Assaf Khaleel I. , Eftaiha Ala'a F.
Published: April 2018

The utilisation of CO2 into value-added products is accomplished through its cycloaddition reaction with epoxides.
Deubiquitinating enzyme USP9X regulates cellular clock function by modulating the ubiquitination and degradation of a core circadian protein BMAL1
Authors: Zhang Yang , Duan Chunyan , Yang Jing , Chen Suping , Liu Qing , Zhou Liang , Huang Zhengyun , Xu Ying , Xu Guoqiang
Published: April 2018

Living organisms on the earth maintain a roughly 24 h circadian rhythm, which is regulated by circadian clock genes and their protein products. Post-translational modifications of core clock proteins could affect the circadian behavior. Although ubiquitination of core clock proteins was studied extensively, the reverse process, deubiquitination, has only begun to unfold and the role of this regulation on circadian function is not completely understood. Here, we use affinity purification and mass spectrometry analysis to identify probable ubiquitin carboxyl-terminal hydrolase FAF-X (USP9X) as an interacting protein of the core clock protein aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator-like protein 1 (ARNTL or BMAL1). Through biochemical experiments, we discover that USP9X reduces BMAL1 ubiquitination, enhances its stability, and increases its protein level, leading to the elevated transcriptional activity. Bioluminescence measurement reveals that USP9X knockdown decreases the amplitude of the cellular circadian rhythm but the period and phase are not affected. Our experiments find a new regulator for circadian clock at the post-translational level and demonstrate a different regulatory function for the circadian clock through the deubiquitination and the up-regulation of the core clock protein BMAL1 in the positive limb of the transcription–translation feedback loop.