bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of fluoride treatment on gene expression in tea plant (Camellia sinensis)
Authors: Li Qing-Sheng , Lin Xiao-Ming , Qiao Ru-Ying , Zheng Xin-Qiang , Lu Jian-Liang , Ye Jian-Hui , Liang Yue-Rong
Published: August 2017

Tea plant is a typical fluorine (F) accumulator. F concentration in mature tea leaves is several hundred times higher than that in normal field crops. Long-term consumption of teas with high level F will increase the risks of dental and skeletal fluorosis. The mechanism of F accumulation in tea stands unclear. RNA-Seq and digital gene expression (DGE) techniques were used to investigate the effect of F on the differential expressions of transcriptome in tea plant. The results showed that F content in mature tea leaves was increased with increase in F concentration of cultural solution and duration of F treatment time. Based on comparison with data of GO, COG, KEGG and Nr databases, 144 differentially expressed unigenes with definite annotation were identified. Real-time reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) was used to validate the effect of F on expression of 5 unigenes screened from the 144 unigenes. F treatment induced the expression of defense genes such as receptor-like kinases (RLKs) and U-box domain-containing protein. Based on the present study, F uptake is considered to be related to calcium-transporting ATPase, especially autoinhibited Ca2+ ATPase (ACAs) which was activated by the RLKs and worked as a carrier in uptake of F by tea plant.
Fluoroquinolone structure and translocation flux across bacterial membrane
Authors: Vergalli Julia , Dumont Estelle , Cinquin Bertrand , Maigre Laure , Pajovic Jelena , Bacqué Eric , Mourez Michael , Réfrégiers Matthieu , Pagès Jean-Marie
Published: August 2017

Bacterial multidrug resistance is a worrying health issue. In Gram-negative antibacterial research, the challenge is to define the antibiotic permeation across the membranes. Passing through the membrane barrier to reach the inhibitory concentration inside the bacterium is a pivotal step for antibacterial molecules. A spectrofluorimetric methodology has been developed to detect fluoroquinolones in bacterial population and inside individual Gram-negative bacterial cells. In this work, we studied the antibiotic accumulation in cells expressing various levels of efflux pumps. The assays allow us to determine the intracellular concentration of the fluoroquinolones to study the relationships between the level of efflux activity and the antibiotic accumulation, and finally to evaluate the impact of fluoroquinolone structures in this process. This represents the first protocol to identify some structural parameters involved in antibiotic translocation and accumulation, and to illustrate the recently proposed “Structure Intracellular Concentration Activity Relationship” (SICAR) concept.
Simulated forward and backward self motion, based on realistic parameters, causes motion induced blindness
Authors: Thomas Victoria , Davidson Matthew , Zakavi Parisa , Tsuchiya Naotsugu , van Boxtel Jeroen
Published: August 2017

Motion Induced Blindness (MIB) is a well-established visual phenomenon whereby highly salient targets disappear when viewed against a moving background mask. No research has yet explored whether contracting and expanding optic flow can also trigger target disappearance. We explored MIB using mask speeds corresponding to driving at 35, 50, 65 and 80 km/h in simulated forward (expansion) and backward (contraction) motion as well as 2-D radial movement, random, and static mask motion types. Participants (n = 18) viewed MIB targets against masks with different movement types, speed, and target locations. To understand the relationship between saccades, pupil response and perceptual disappearance, we ran two additional eye-tracking experiments (n = 19). Target disappearance increased significantly with faster mask speeds and upper visual field target presentation. Simulated optic flow and 2-D radial movement caused comparable disappearance, and all moving masks caused significantly more disappearance than a static mask. Saccades could not entirely account for differences between conditions, suggesting that self-motion optic flow does cause MIB in an artificial setting. Pupil analyses implied that MIB disappearance induced by optic flow is not subjectively salient, potentially explaining why MIB is not noticed during driving. Potential implications of MIB for driving safety and Head-Up-Display (HUD) technologies are discussed.
Significant association of the CHRNB3-CHRNA6 gene cluster with nicotine dependence in the Chinese Han population
Authors: Wen Li , Han Haijun , Liu Qiang , Su Kunkai , Yang Zhongli , Cui Wenyan , Yuan Wenji , Ma Yunlong , Fan Rongli , Chen Jiali , Jiang Keran , Jiang Xianzhong , Payne Thomas J. , Wang Jundong , Li Ming D.
Published: August 2017

Although numerous studies have revealed significant associations between variants in the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChR) subunits and nicotine dependence (ND), only few studies were performed in Chinese subjects. Here, we performed association and interaction analysis for 20 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the CHRNB3-CHRNA6 gene cluster with ND in a Chinese Han population (N = 5,055). We found nominally significant associations for all tested SNPs with ND measured by the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence score; of these, 11 SNPs remained significant after Bonferroni correction for multiple tests (p = 9 × 10−4~2 × 10−3). Further conditional analysis indicated that no other SNP was significantly associated with ND independent of the most-highly significant SNP, rs6474414. Also, our haplotype-based association analysis indicated that each haplotype block was significantly associated with ND (p < 0.01). Further, we provide the first evidence of the genetic interaction of these two genes in affecting ND in this sample with an empirical p-value of 0.0015. Finally, our meta-analysis of samples with Asian and European origins for five SNPs in CHRNB3 showed significant associations with ND, with p-values ranging from 6.86 × 10−14 for rs13280604 to 6.50 × 10−8 for rs4950. This represents the first study showing that CHRNB3/A6 are highly associated with ND in a large Chinese Han sample.
Modeling Oil Recovery for Mixed Macro- and Micro-Pore Carbonate Grainstones
Authors: Xu Ye , Li Qiuzi , King Hubert E.
Published: August 2017

In general, modeling oil-recovery is a challenging problem involving detailed fluid flow calculations with required structural details that challenge current experimental resolution. Recent laboratory experiments on mixed micro- and macro-pore suggest that there is a systematic relationship between remaining oil saturation (ROS) and the fraction of micro-pores. Working with experimental measurements of the pores obtained from X-ray tomography and mercury intrusion capillary pressure porosimetry, we define a digital rock model exemplifying the key structural elements of these carbonate grainstones. We then test two fluid-flow models: invasion percolation model and effective medium model. Although invasion percolation identifies the important impact of macro-pore percolation on permeability, it does not describe the dependence of ROS on micro-pore percentage. We thus modified the effective medium model by introducing a single-parameter descriptor, reff. Oil from pores r ≥ reff is fully removed, while for the remaining pores with r < reff, their contribution is scaled by (r/reff)2. Applying this straightforward physics to pore size distributions for the mixed-pore grainstones reproduces the experimental ROS dependence.
A Plasmodium plasma membrane reporter reveals membrane dynamics by live-cell microscopy
Authors: Burda Paul-Christian , Schaffner Marco , Kaiser Gesine , Roques Magali , Zuber Benoît , Heussler Volker T.
Published: August 2017

During asexual replication within the Anopheles mosquito and their vertebrate host, Plasmodium parasites depend on the generation of a massive amount of new plasma membrane to produce thousands of daughter parasites. How the parasite plasma membrane (PPM) is formed has mostly been studied by electron microscopy, which does not allow an insight into the dynamics of this process. We generated a Plasmodium berghei reporter parasite line by GFP-tagging of a non-essential PPM-localized protein, and followed plasma membrane development in living parasites through the entire Plasmodium life cycle. By generating double-fluorescent parasites in which the PPM is visualized in combination with the parasite endoplasmic reticulum, we show that membrane contact sites are formed between both membrane systems during oocyst and liver stage development that might be used to deliver lipids to the dramatically expanding PPM. In conclusion, we have established a powerful tool to follow PPM development in living parasites, which promises to greatly expand our knowledge of membrane biology in the Plasmodium parasite.
Erratum: Uniting the neurodevelopmental and immunological hypotheses: Neuregulin 1 receptor ErbB and Toll-like receptor activation in first-episode schizophrenia
Authors: Kéri Szabolcs , Szabó Csilla , Kelemen Oguz
Published: August 2017

A correction to this article has been published and is linked from the HTML version of this paper. The error has been fixed in the paper.
Large and accessible conductivity of charged domain walls in lithium niobate
Authors: Werner Christoph S. , Herr Simon J. , Buse Karsten , Sturman Boris , Soergel Elisabeth , Razzaghi Cina , Breunig Ingo
Published: August 2017

Ferroelectric domain walls are interfaces between areas of a material that exhibits different directions of spontaneous polarization. The properties of domain walls can be very different from those of the undisturbed material. Metallic-like conductivity of charged domain walls (CDWs) in nominally insulating ferroelectrics was predicted in 1973 and detected recently. This important effect is still in its infancy: The electric currents are still smaller than expected, the access to the conductivity at CDWs is hampered by contact barriers, and stability is low because of sophisticated domain structures or proximity of the Curie point. Here, we report on large, accessible, and stable conductivity at CDWs in lithium niobate (LN) crystals – a vital material for photonics. Our results mark a breakthrough: Increase of conductivity at CDWs by more than 13 orders of magnitude compared to that of the bulk, access to the effect via ohmic and diode-like contacts, and high stability for temperatures T ≤ 70 °C are demonstrated. A promising and now realistic prospect is to combine CDW functionalities with linear and nonlinear optical phenomena. Our findings allow new generations of adaptive-optical elements, of electrically controlled integrated-optical chips for quantum photonics, and of advanced LN-semiconductor hybrid optoelectronic devices.
Fundamental and experimental aspects of diffraction for characterizing dislocations by electron channeling contrast imaging in scanning electron microscope
Authors: Kriaa H. , Guitton A. , Maloufi N.
Published: August 2017

Nowadays Field Emission Gun-Scanning Electron Microscopes provide detailed crystallographic information with high spatial and angular resolutions, and allow direct observation of crystalline defects, such as dislocations, through an attractive technique called Electron Channeling Contrast Imaging (ECCI). Dislocations play a crucial role in the properties of materials and ECCI has naturally emerged as an adapted tool for characterizing defects in bulk specimen. Nevertheless, fine control of the channeling conditions is absolutely required to get strong dislocation contrast for achieving comprehensive analysis. In this work, experiment-assisted fundamental aspects of the origin of dislocation contrast are studied. Experimentally, the potential of ECCI is explored in several dislocation configurations in Interstitial-Free steel (Fe − 1% Si) used as a model material. Full interpretations of dislocation contrast in (g, −g) and its evolution along the Kikuchi band are shown. Furthermore, a dislocation dipole is observed and fully characterized for the first time in an SEM.
Lipoxygenase in singlet oxygen generation as a response to wounding: in vivo imaging in Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Prasad Ankush , Sedlářová Michaela , Kale Ravindra Sonajirao , Pospíšil Pavel
Published: August 2017

Wounding, one of the most intensive stresses influencing plants ontogeny and lifespan, can be induced by herbivory as well as by physical factors. Reactive oxygen species play indispensable role both in the local and systemic defense reactions which enable “reprogramming” of metabolic pathways to set new boundaries and physiological equilibrium suitable for survival. In our current study, we provide experimental evidence on the formation of singlet oxygen (1O2) after wounding of Arabidopsis leaves. It is shown that 1O2 is formed by triplet-triplet energy transfer from triplet carbonyls to molecular oxygen. Using lipoxygenase inhibitor catechol, it is demonstrated that lipid peroxidation is initiated by lipoxygenase. Suppression of 1O2 formation in lox2 mutant which lacks chloroplast lipoxygenase indicates that lipoxygenase localized in chloroplast is predominantly responsible for 1O2 formation. Interestingly, 1O2 formation is solely restricted to chloroplasts localized at the wounding site. Data presented in this study might provide novel insight into wound-induced signaling in the local defense reaction.
An efficient eco advanced oxidation process for phenol mineralization using a 2D/3D nanocomposite photocatalyst and visible light irradiations
Authors: Al-Kandari H. , Abdullah A. M. , Ahmad Yahia H. , Al-Kandari S. , AlQaradawi Siham Y. , Mohamed A. M.
Published: August 2017

Nanocomposites (CNTi) with different mass ratios of carbon nitride (C3N4) and TiO2 nanoparticles were prepared hydrothermally. Different characterization techniques were used including X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), transmission electron spectroscopy (TEM) and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET). UV-Vis DRS demonstrated that the CNTi nanocomposites exhibited absorption in the visible light range. A sun light - simulated photoexcitation source was used to study the kinetics of phenol degradation and its intermediates in presence of the as-prepared nanocomposite photocatalysts. These results were compared with studies when TiO2 nanoparticles were used in the presence and absence of H2O2 and/or O3. The photodegradation of phenol was evaluated spectrophotometrically and using the total organic carbon (TOC) measurements. It was observed that the photocatalytic activity of the CNTi nanocomposites was significantly higher than that of TiO2 nanoparticles. Additionally, spectrophotometry and TOC analyses confirmed that degraded phenol was completely mineralized to CO2 and H2O with the use of CNTi nanocomposites, which was not the case for TiO2 where several intermediates were formed. Furthermore, when H2O2 and O3 were simultaneously present, the 0.1% g-C3N4/TiO2 nanocomposite showed the highest phenol degradation rate and the degradation percentage was greater than 91.4% within 30 min.
Comparison of vaginal microbiota sampling techniques: cytobrush versus swab
Authors: Mitra Anita , MacIntyre David A. , Mahajan Vishakha , Lee Yun S. , Smith Ann , Marchesi Julian R. , Lyons Deirdre , Bennett Phillip R. , Kyrgiou Maria
Published: August 2017

Evidence suggests the vaginal microbiota (VM) may influence risk of persistent Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infection and cervical carcinogenesis. Established cytology biobanks, typically collected with a cytobrush, constitute a unique resource to study such associations longitudinally. It is plausible that compared to rayon swabs; the most commonly used sampling devices, cytobrushes may disrupt biofilms leading to variation in VM composition. Cervico-vaginal samples were collected with cytobrush and rayon swabs from 30 women with high-grade cervical precancer. Quantitative PCR was used to compare bacterial load and Illumina MiSeq sequencing of the V1-V3 regions of the 16S rRNA gene used to compare VM composition. Cytobrushes collected a higher total bacterial load. Relative abundance of bacterial species was highly comparable between sampling devices (R2 = 0.993). However, in women with a Lactobacillus-depleted, high-diversity VM, significantly less correlation in relative species abundance was observed between devices when compared to those with a Lactobacillus species-dominant VM (p = 0.0049). Cytobrush and swab sampling provide a comparable VM composition. In a small proportion of cases the cytobrush was able to detect underlying high-diversity community structure, not realized with swab sampling. This study highlights the need to consider sampling devices as potential confounders when comparing multiple studies and datasets.
New insights into tenocyte-immune cell interplay in an in vitro model of inflammation
Authors: Stolk Meaghan , Klatte-Schulz Franka , Schmock Aysha , Minkwitz Susann , Wildemann Britt , Seifert Martina
Published: August 2017

Inflammation plays an important role in the development and resolution of tendon diseases, but underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. We therefore aimed to analyze the response of human tenocytes to inflammatory stimuli and to uncover their interplay with macrophages in vitro. Tenocytes from human ruptured supraspinatus tendons (n = 10) were treated for three days with a stimulation mixture derived from activated mononuclear cells isolated from healthy human peripheral blood. Significantly increased expression levels of selected adhesion- and human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-molecules, and enhanced interleukin (IL)-6 release were detected by flow cytometry. Tenocyte stimulation with the pro-inflammatory cytokines interferon gamma, tumor necrosis factor alpha and IL-1ß triggered similar changes in surface markers and enhanced the release of IL-6, IL-8 and monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1). In co-cultures of macrophages with pre-stimulated tenocytes, macrophages significantly increased CD80 expression, but simultaneously decreased HLA-DR-expression, which are both typical pro-inflammatory polarization markers. Co-cultures also released more IL-6, IL-8, MCP-1 than tenocyte-cultures alone. We demonstrate that tenocytes respond to inflammatory environments in vitro with altered surface marker and cytokine profiles and influence macrophage polarization. Importantly, all changes detected in direct co-cultures were also present in a transwell setting, implicating that communication between the cells involves soluble factors.
Skeletal Site-specific Changes in Bone Mass in a Genetic Mouse Model for Human 15q11-13 Duplication Seen in Autism
Authors: Lewis Kirsty E. , Sharan Kunal , Takumi Toru , Yadav Vijay K.
Published: August 2017

Children suffering from autism have been reported to have low bone mineral density and increased risk for fracture, yet the cellular origin of the bone phenotype remains unknown. Here we have utilized a mouse model of autism that duplicates 6.3 Mb region of chromosome 7 (Dp/+) corresponding to a region of chromosome 15q11-13, duplication of which is recurrent in humans to characterize the bone phenotype. Paternally inherited Dp/+ (patDp/+) mice showed expected increases in the gene expression in bone, normal postnatal growth and body weight acquisition compared to the littermate controls. Four weeks-old patDp/+ mice develop a low bone mass phenotype in the appendicular but not the axial skeleton compared to the littermate controls. This low bone mass in the mutant mice was secondary to a decrease in the number of osteoblasts and bone formation rate while the osteoclasts remained relatively unaffected. Further in vitro cell culture experiments and gene expression analysis revealed a major defect in the proliferation, differentiation and mineralization abilities of patDp/+ osteoblasts while osteoclast differentiation remained unchanged compared to controls. This study therefore characterizes the structural and cellular bone phenotype in a mouse model of autism that can be further utilized to investigate therapeutic avenues to treat bone fractures in children with autism.
Delineation of Tumor Habitats based on Dynamic Contrast Enhanced MRI
Authors: Chang Yu-Cherng Channing , Ackerstaff Ellen , Tschudi Yohann , Jimenez Bryan , Foltz Warren , Fisher Carl , Lilge Lothar , Cho HyungJoon , Carlin Sean , Gillies Robert J. , Balagurunathan Yoganand , Yechieli Raphael L. , Subhawong Ty , Turkbey Baris , Pollack Alan , Stoyanova Radka
Published: August 2017

Tumor heterogeneity can be elucidated by mapping subregions of the lesion with differential imaging characteristics, called habitats. Dynamic Contrast Enhanced (DCE-)MRI can depict the tumor microenvironments by identifying areas with variable perfusion and vascular permeability, since individual tumor habitats vary in the rate and magnitude of the contrast uptake and washout. Of particular interest is identifying areas of hypoxia, characterized by inadequate perfusion and hyper-permeable vasculature. An automatic procedure for delineation of tumor habitats from DCE-MRI was developed as a two-part process involving: (1) statistical testing in order to determine the number of the underlying habitats; and (2) an unsupervised pattern recognition technique to recover the temporal contrast patterns and locations of the associated habitats. The technique is examined on simulated data and DCE-MRI, obtained from prostate and brain pre-clinical cancer models, as well as clinical data from sarcoma and prostate cancer patients. The procedure successfully identified habitats previously associated with well-perfused, hypoxic and/or necrotic tumor compartments. Given the association of tumor hypoxia with more aggressive tumor phenotypes, the obtained in vivo information could impact management of cancer patients considerably.
Tolerant indirect reciprocity can boost social welfare through solidarity with unconditional cooperators in private monitoring
Authors: Okada Isamu , Sasaki Tatsuya , Nakai Yutaka
Published: August 2017

Indirect reciprocity is an important mechanism for resolving social dilemmas. Previous studies explore several types of assessment rules that are evolutionarily stable for keeping cooperation regimes. However, little is known about the effects of private information on social systems. Most indirect reciprocity studies assume public monitoring in which individuals share a single assessment for each individual. Here, we consider a private monitoring system that loosens such an unnatural assumption. We explore the stable norms in the private system using an individual-based simulation. We have three main findings. First, narrow and unstable cooperation: cooperation in private monitoring becomes unstable and the restricted norms cannot maintain cooperative regimes while they can in public monitoring. Second, stable coexistence of discriminators and unconditional cooperators: under private monitoring, unconditional cooperation can play a role in keeping a high level of cooperation in tolerant norm situations. Finally, Pareto improvement: private monitoring can achieve a higher cooperation rate than does public monitoring.
FMNL2 and -3 regulate Golgi architecture and anterograde transport downstream of Cdc42
Authors: Kage Frieda , Steffen Anika , Ellinger Adolf , Ranftler Carmen , Gehre Christian , Brakebusch Cord , Pavelka Margit , Stradal Theresia , Rottner Klemens
Published: August 2017

The Rho-family small GTPase Cdc42 localizes at plasma membrane and Golgi complex and aside from protrusion and migration operates in vesicle trafficking, endo- and exocytosis as well as establishment and/or maintenance of cell polarity. The formin family members FMNL2 and -3 are actin assembly factors established to regulate cell edge protrusion during migration and invasion. Here we report these formins to additionally accumulate and function at the Golgi apparatus. As opposed to lamellipodia, Golgi targeting of these proteins required both their N-terminal myristoylation and the interaction with Cdc42. Moreover, Golgi association of FMNL2 or -3 induced a phalloidin-detectable actin meshwork around the Golgi. Importantly, functional interference with FMNL2/3 formins by RNAi or CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene deletion invariably induced Golgi fragmentation in different cell lines. Furthermore, absence of these proteins led to enlargement of endosomes as well as defective maturation and/or sorting into late endosomes and lysosomes. In line with Cdc42 - recently established to regulate anterograde transport through the Golgi by cargo sorting and carrier formation - FMNL2/3 depletion also affected anterograde trafficking of VSV-G from the Golgi to the plasma membrane. Our data thus link FMNL2/3 formins to actin assembly-dependent functions of Cdc42 in anterograde transport through the Golgi apparatus.
Anesthetic Alterations of Collective Terahertz Oscillations in Tubulin Correlate with Clinical Potency: Implications for Anesthetic Action and Post-Operative Cognitive Dysfunction
Authors: Craddock Travis J. A. , Kurian Philip , Preto Jordane , Sahu Kamlesh , Hameroff Stuart R. , Klobukowski Mariusz , Tuszynski Jack A.
Published: August 2017

Anesthesia blocks consciousness and memory while sparing non-conscious brain activities. While the exact mechanisms of anesthetic action are unknown, the Meyer-Overton correlation provides a link between anesthetic potency and solubility in a lipid-like, non-polar medium. Anesthetic action is also related to an anesthetic’s hydrophobicity, permanent dipole, and polarizability, and is accepted to occur in lipid-like, non-polar regions within brain proteins. Generally the protein target for anesthetics is assumed to be neuronal membrane receptors and ion channels, however new evidence points to critical effects on intra-neuronal microtubules, a target of interest due to their potential role in post-operative cognitive dysfunction (POCD). Here we use binding site predictions on tubulin, the protein subunit of microtubules, with molecular docking simulations, quantum chemistry calculations, and theoretical modeling of collective dipole interactions in tubulin to investigate the effect of a group of gases including anesthetics, non-anesthetics, and anesthetic/convulsants on tubulin dynamics. We found that these gases alter collective terahertz dipole oscillations in a manner that is correlated with their anesthetic potency. Understanding anesthetic action may help reveal brain mechanisms underlying consciousness, and minimize POCD in the choice and development of anesthetics used during surgeries for patients suffering from neurodegenerative conditions with compromised cytoskeletal microtubules.
Pathway-based expression profiling of benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostate cancer delineates an immunophilin molecule associated with cancer progression
Authors: Bhowal Ankur , Majumder Subhadipa , Ghosh Subarna , Basu Sanmitra , Sen Debrup , Roychowdhury Susanta , Sengupta Sanghamitra , Chatterji Urmi
Published: August 2017

Aberrant restoration of AR activity is linked with prostate tumor growth, therapeutic failures and development of castrate-resistant prostate cancer. Understanding the processes leading to AR-reactivation should provide the foundation for novel avenues of drug discovery. A differential gene expression study was conducted using biopsies from CaP and BPH patients to identify the components putatively responsible for reinstating AR activity in CaP. From the set of genes upregulated in CaP, FKBP52, an AR co-chaperone, was selected for further analysis. Expression of FKBP52 was positively correlated with that of c-Myc. The functional cross-talk between c-Myc and FKBP52 was established using c-Myc specific-siRNA to LNCaP cells that resulted in reduction of FKBP52. A non-canonical E-box sequence housing a putative c-Myc binding site was detected on the FKBP4 promoter using in silico search. LNCaP cells transfected with the FKBP52 promoter cloned in pGL3 basic showed increased luciferase activity which declined considerably when the promoter-construct was co-transfected with c-Myc specific-siRNA. ChIP-PCR confirmed the binding of c-Myc with the conserved E-box located in the FKBP52 promoter. c-Myc downregulation concomitantly affected expression of FGF8. Since expression of FGF8 is controlled by AR, our study unveiled a novel functional axis between c-Myc, AR and FGF8 operating through FKBP52.
Intermolecular base stacking mediates RNA-RNA interaction in a crystal structure of the RNA chaperone Hfq
Authors: Schulz Eike C. , Seiler Markus , Zuliani Cecilia , Voigt Franka , Rybin Vladimir , Pogenberg Vivian , Mücke Norbert , Wilmanns Matthias , Gibson Toby J. , Barabas Orsolya
Published: August 2017

The RNA-chaperone Hfq catalyses the annealing of bacterial small RNAs (sRNAs) with target mRNAs to regulate gene expression in response to environmental stimuli. Hfq acts on a diverse set of sRNA-mRNA pairs using a variety of different molecular mechanisms. Here, we present an unusual crystal structure showing two Hfq-RNA complexes interacting via their bound RNA molecules. The structure contains two Hfq6:A18 RNA assemblies positioned face-to-face, with the RNA molecules turned towards each other and connected via interdigitating base stacking interactions at the center. Biochemical data further confirm the observed interaction, and indicate that RNA-mediated contacts occur between Hfq-RNA complexes with various (ARN)X motif containing RNA sequences in vitro, including the stress response regulator OxyS and its target, fhlA. A systematic computational survey also shows that phylogenetically conserved (ARN)X motifs are present in a subset of sRNAs, some of which share similar modular architectures. We hypothesise that Hfq can co-opt RNA-RNA base stacking, an unanticipated structural trick, to promote the interaction of (ARN)X motif containing sRNAs with target mRNAs on a “speed-dating” fashion, thereby supporting their regulatory function.
Pheromones modulate reward responsiveness and non-associative learning in honey bees
Authors: Baracchi David , Devaud Jean-Marc , d’Ettorre Patrizia , Giurfa Martin
Published: August 2017

Pheromones are chemical messengers that trigger stereotyped behaviors and/or physiological processes in individuals of the same species. Recent reports suggest that pheromones can modulate behaviors not directly related to the pheromonal message itself and contribute, in this way, to behavioral plasticity. We tested this hypothesis by studying the effect of pheromones on sucrose responsiveness and habituation in honey bees. We exposed workers to three pheromone components: geraniol, which in nature is used in an appetitive context, and isopentyl acetate (IPA) and 2-heptanone (2H), which signal aversive situations. Pheromones associated with an aversive context induced a significant decrease of sucrose responsiveness as 40% and 60% of bees exposed to IPA and 2H, respectively, did not respond to any sucrose concentration. In bees that responded to sucrose, geraniol enhanced sucrose responsiveness while 2H, but not IPA, had the opposite effect. Geraniol and IPA had no effect on habituation while 2H induced faster habituation than controls. Overall, our results demonstrate that pheromones modulate reward responsiveness and to a lower degree habituation. Through their effect on sucrose responsiveness they could also affect appetitive associative learning. Thus, besides conveying stereotyped messages, pheromones may contribute to individual and colony-level plasticity by modulating motivational state and learning performances.
Mechanisms of stem cell based cardiac repair-gap junctional signaling promotes the cardiac lineage specification of mesenchymal stem cells
Authors: Lemcke Heiko , Gaebel Ralf , Skorska Anna , Voronina Natalia , Lux Cornelia Aquilina , Petters Janine , Sasse Sarah , Zarniko Nicole , Steinhoff Gustav , David Robert
Published: August 2017

Different subtypes of bone marrow-derived stem cells are characterized by varying functionality and activity after transplantation into the infarcted heart. Improvement of stem cell therapeutics requires deep knowledge about the mechanisms that mediate the benefits of stem cell treatment. Here, we demonstrated that co-transplantation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) led to enhanced synergistic effects on cardiac remodeling. While HSCs were associated with blood vessel formation, MSCs were found to possess transdifferentiation capacity. This cardiomyogenic plasticity of MSCs was strongly promoted by a gap junction-dependent crosstalk between myocytes and stem cells. The inhibition of cell-cell coupling significantly reduced the expression of the cardiac specific transcription factors NKX2.5 and GATA4. Interestingly, we observed that small non-coding RNAs are exchanged between MSCs and cardiomyocytes in a GJ-dependent manner that might contribute to the transdifferentiation process of MSCs within a cardiac environment. Our results suggest that the predominant mechanism of HSCs contribution to cardiac regeneration is based on their ability to regulate angiogenesis. In contrast, transplanted MSCs have the capability for intercellular communication with surrounding cardiomyocytes, which triggers the intrinsic program of cardiogenic lineage specification of MSCs by providing cardiomyocyte-derived cues.
Analysis of temporal expression profiles after sciatic nerve injury by bioinformatic method
Authors: Zhang Yichong , Zhan Yuanbo , Han Na , Kou Yuhui , Yin Xiaofeng , Zhang Peixun
Published: August 2017

After Peripheral nerve injuries (PNI), many complicated pathophysiologic processes will happen. A global view of functional changes following PNI is essential for the looking for the adequate therapeutic approaches. In this study, we performed an in-depth analysis on the temporal expression profiles after sciatic nerve injury by bioinformatic methods, including (1) cluster analysis of the samples; (2) identification of gene co-expression modules(CEMs) correlated with the time points; (3) analysis of differentially expressed genes at each time point (DEGs-ET); (4) analysis of differentially expressed genes varying over time (DEGs-OT); (5) creating Pairwise Correlation Plot for the samples; (6) Time Series Regression Analysis; (7) Determining the pathway, GO (gene ontology) and drug by enrichment analysis. We found that at a 3 h “window period” some specific gene expression may exist after PNI, and responses to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and TNF signaling pathway may play important roles, suggesting that the inflammatory microenvironment exists after PNI. We also found that troglitazone was closely associated with the change of gene expression after PNI. Therefore, the further evaluation of the precise mechanism of troglitazone on PNI is needed and it may contribute to the development of new drugs for patients with PNI.
Tunable odd-frequency triplet pairing states and skyrmion modes in chiral p-wave superconductor
Authors: Lou Yu-Feng , Wen Lin , Zha Guo-Qiao , Zhou Shi-Ping
Published: August 2017

Bogliubov-de Gennes equations are solved self-consistently to investigate the properties of bound states in chiral p-wave superconductive disks. It shows that either an s-wave or the mixed d- and s-wave state with odd-frequency and spin-triplet symmetry is induced at the vortex core, depending both on the chirality of the pairing states and on the vortex topology. It is also found that the odd-frequency triplet even parity (OTE) bound state can be manipulated with a local non-magnetic potential. Interestingly, with an appropriate potential amplitude, the zero-energy OTE bound state can be stabilized at a distance from the vortex core and from the local potential. Possible existences of the Majorana fermion modes are expected if the particle-hole symmetry property is applied to the zero-energy OTE bound state. Moreover, skyrmion modes with an integer topological charge have been found to exist.
Influence of estrogen-related receptor γ (ESRRG) rs1890552 A > G polymorphism on changes in fasting glucose and arterial stiffness
Authors: Kim Minjoo , Yoo Hye Jin , Kim Minkyung , Seo Haengok , Chae Jey Sook , Lee Sang-Hyun , Lee Jong Ho
Published: August 2017

To determine the effects of the estrogen-related receptor γ (ESRRG) rs1890552 A > G polymorphism on dietary advice-mediated changes in fasting glucose and arterial stiffness, 374 subjects with normal fasting glucose (NFG; control group, no treatment) and 142 subjects with impaired fasting glucose (IFG group, dietary advice) were followed for 3.5 years. At follow-up, the GG subjects in the IFG group showed a significant reduction in fasting glucose, which was greater than in the AA subjects. A significant association was observed between ESRRG rs1890552 A > G polymorphism and changes in fasting glucose, brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (ba-PWV), and 8-epi-prostaglandin F2α in the IFG subjects. At baseline, the GG subjects showed a higher ba-PWV than the AA subjects in the IFG group. At the 3.5-year follow-up, subjects with AA or AG showed significant increases in ba-PWV, whereas subjects with GG showed a decrease from baseline. This study suggests that the ESRRG rs1890552 A > G polymorphism may modulate interindividual differences in atrial stiffness, with a reduction in fasting glucose in response to dietary advice in subjects with IFG after a 3.5-year follow-up.
Neurotransmitters and neuropeptides in gonadal steroid receptor-expressing cells in medial preoptic area subregions of the male mouse
Authors: Tsuneoka Yousuke , Yoshida Sachine , Takase Kenkichi , Oda Satoko , Kuroda Masaru , Funato Hiromasa
Published: August 2017

Testosterone is involved in male sexual, parental and aggressive behaviors through the androgen receptor (AR) and estrogen receptor (ER) α expressed in the brain. Although several studies have demonstrated that ERα and AR in the medial preoptic area (MPOA) are required for exhibiting sexual and aggressive behaviors of male mice, the molecular characteristics of ERα- and AR-expressing cells in the mouse MPOA are largely unknown. Here, we performed in situ hybridization for neurotransmitters and neuropeptides, combined with immunohistochemistry for ERα and AR to quantitate and characterize gonadal steroid receptor-expressing cells in the MPOA subregions of male mice. Prodynorphin, preproenkephalin (Penk), cocaine- and amphetamine-related transcript, neurotensin, galanin, tachykinin (Tac)1, Tac2 and thyrotropin releasing hormone (Trh) have distinct expression patterns in the MPOA subregions. Gad67-expressing cells were the most dominant neuronal subtype among the ERα- and AR-expressing cells throughout the MPOA. The percentage of ERα- and AR-immunoreactivities varied depending on the neuronal subtype. A substantial proportion of the neurotensin-, galanin-, Tac2- and Penk-expressing cells in the MPOA were positive for ERα and AR, whereas the vast majority of the Trh-expressing cells were negative. These results suggest that testosterone exerts differential effects depending on both the neuronal subtypes and MPOA subregions.
Chemical synthesis of hierarchical NiCo2S4 nanosheets like nanostructure on flexible foil for a high performance supercapacitor
Authors: Kim D. -Y. , Ghodake G. S. , Maile N. C. , Kadam A. A. , Sung Lee Dae , Fulari V. J. , Shinde S. K.
Published: August 2017

In this study, hierarchical interconnected nickel cobalt sulfide (NiCo2S4) nanosheets were effectively deposited on a flexible stainless steel foil by the chemical bath deposition method (CBD) for high-performance supercapacitor applications. The resulting NiCo2S4 sample was characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), and electrochemical measurements. XRD and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) results confirmed the formation of the ternary NiCo2S4 sample with a pure cubic phase. FE-SEM and HR-TEM revealed that the entire foil surface was fully covered with the interconnected nanosheets like surface morphology. The NiCo2S4 nanosheets demonstrated impressive electrochemical characteristics with a specific capacitance of 1155 F g−1 at 10 mV s−1 and superior cycling stability (95% capacity after 2000 cycles). These electrochemical characteristics could be attributed to the higher active area and higher conductivity of the sample. The results demonstrated that the interconnected NiCo2S4 nanosheets are promising as electrodes for supercapacitor and energy storage applications.
Label-free optical vibrational spectroscopy to detect the metabolic state of M. tuberculosis cells at the site of disease
Authors: Baron Vincent O. , Chen Mingzhou , Clark Simon O. , Williams Ann , Hammond Robert J. H. , Dholakia Kishan , Gillespie Stephen H.
Published: August 2017

Tuberculosis relapse is a barrier to shorter treatment. It is thought that lipid rich cells, phenotypically resistant to antibiotics, may play a major role. Most studies investigating relapse use sputum samples although tissue bacteria may play an important role. We developed a non-destructive, label-free technique combining wavelength modulated Raman (WMR) spectroscopy and fluorescence detection (Nile Red staining) to interrogate Mycobacterium tuberculosis cell state. This approach could differentiate single “dormant” (lipid rich, LR) and “non-dormant” (lipid poor, LP) cells with high sensitivity and specificity. We applied this to experimentally infected guinea pig lung sections and were able to distinguish both cell types showing that the LR phenotype dominates in infected tissue. Both in-vitro and ex-vivo spectra correlated well, showing for the first time that Mycobacterium tuberculosis, likely to be phenotypically resistant to antibiotics, are present in large numbers in tissue. This is an important step in understanding the pathology of relapse supporting the idea that they may be caused by M. tuberculosis cells with lipid inclusions.
Overexpression of C-type Natriuretic Peptide in Endothelial Cells Protects against Insulin Resistance and Inflammation during Diet-induced Obesity
Authors: Bae Cho-Rong , Hino Jun , Hosoda Hiroshi , Arai Yuji , Son Cheol , Makino Hisashi , Tokudome Takeshi , Tomita Tsutomu , Kimura Toru , Nojiri Takashi , Hosoda Kiminori , Miyazato Mikiya , Kangawa Kenji
Published: August 2017

The endogenous peptide C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) binds its receptor, guanylyl cyclase B (GCB), and is expressed by endothelial cells in diverse tissues. Because the endothelial cells of visceral adipose tissue have recently been reported to play a role in lipid metabolism and inflammation, we investigated the effects of CNP on features of obesity by using transgenic (Tg) mice in which CNP was placed under the control of the Tie2 promoter and was thus overexpressed in endothelial cells (E-CNP). Here we show that increased brown adipose tissue thermogenesis in E-CNP Tg mice increased energy expenditure, decreased mesenteric white adipose tissue (MesWAT) fat weight and adipocyte hypertrophy, and prevented the development of fatty liver. Furthermore, CNP overexpression improved glucose tolerance, decreased insulin resistance, and inhibited macrophage infiltration in MesWAT, thus suppressing pro-inflammation during high-fat diet–induced obesity. Our findings indicate an important role for the CNP produced by the endothelial cells in the regulation of MesWAT hypertrophy, insulin resistance, and inflammation during high-fat diet–induced obesity.
Nanostructural origin of blue fluorescence in the mineral karpatite
Authors: Potticary Jason , Jensen Torsten T. , Hall Simon R.
Published: August 2017

The colour of crystals is a function of their atomic structure. In the case of organic crystals, it is the spatial relationships between molecules that determine the colour, so the same molecules in the same arrangement should produce crystals of the same colour, regardless of whether they arise geologically or synthetically. There is a naturally-occurring organic crystal known as karpatite which is prized for its beautiful blue fluorescence under ultra-violet illumination. When grown under laboratory conditions however, the crystals fluoresce with an intense green colour. For 20 years, this difference has been thought to be due to chemical impurities in the laboratory-grown material. Using electron microscopy coupled with fluorescence spectroscopy and X-Ray diffraction, we report here that this disparity is instead due to differences in the structure of the crystals at the nanoscale. The results show that in nature, karpatite has a nanotexture that is not present in the synthetic crystals, which enables different photonic pathways and therefore a blue, rather than green colour whilst undergoing fluorescence.
Seed-mediated synthesis and SERS performance of graphene oxide-wrapped Ag nanomushroom
Authors: Jiang Tao , Wang Xiaolong , Tang Shiwei , Zhou Jun , Gu Chenjie , Tang Jing
Published: August 2017

A facile seed-mediated method was developed to modify core-shell Ag nanosphere@PSPAA with another Ag layer for achieving an enhancement of their surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) activity. Interestingly, an Ag bridge in the polymer shell connected the inner and outer Ag layers, resulting in a mushroom-like nanostructure. The outer Ag grew around the polymer shell to form the cap of the nanomushrooms (NMs) with the extension of the reaction time. The epitaxial growth mechanism of this novel nanostructure was investigated by tuning the type of seed from nanosphere to nanocube and nanorod. With the growth of the outer Ag cap, the SERS intensity of these Ag NMs increased significantly together with the red-shifting and broadening of their typical localized surface plasmon resonance band. Such a phenomenon can be attributed to the formation of SERS hotspots between the inner and outer Ag layers. The Ag NMs were then wrapped with a graphene oxide (GO) shell via static interactions. The GO-wrapped Ag NMs exhibited a further better SERS performance in terms of sensitivity, homogeneity and stability compared with non-wrapped ones, indicating that the heterostructure could be potentially useful for SERS-based immunoassay.
Direct physical vapor deposition and flexible photoelectrical properties of large-area free-standing films of metal octaethylporphyrin on ionic liquid surface
Authors: Xiao Yan , Wang Feng-Xia , Yang Jia-Mei , Zhang Miao-Rong , Pan Ge-Bo
Published: August 2017

Free-standing films of metal octaethylporphyrins (MOEPs) were prepared for the first time by a physical vapor deposition on surface of an ionic liquid (IL). Different from those on solid surfaces, the as-obtained films were very compact and with plannar structure. The monitoring of time-dependent process indicated that the high surface energy of IL and the strong π…π interaction between MOEP molecules played key roles in forming such films. Furthermore, the as-obtained film showed good transferability, which made it possible to be easily transferred to any substrates for further device application. More importantly, the prototype photodetectors based on free-standing films of MOEP showed ultra flexibility, mechanical stability, and durability.