bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Papilloma-pseudovirus eradicates intestinal tumours and triples the lifespan of ApcMin/+ mice
Authors: Zhong Zhenyu , Zhai Yougang , Bu Ping , Shah Shivanee , Qiao Liang
Published: April 2017

Inducing tumour-specific adaptive immunity, such as cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) response, can result in promising antitumour effect against several human malignancies, especially in combination with immune checkpoint blockade strategies. However, little is known whether activation of innate immunity can lead to direct tumoricidal effect. Here, we develop a papilloma pseudovirus-based oral immunotherapeutic approach that shows strong tumoricidal effects in the gut, resulting in an almost tripled lifespan of ApcMin/+ mice (an animal model of human intestinal tumorigenesis). Mechanistically, these pseudoviruses activate the NLRP3 and AIM2 inflammasomes, leading to caspase-1-mediated tumour regression that is dependent on neither cytotoxic T lymphocytes nor humoral immune response. Blocking caspase-1 activation abrogated the therapeutic effects of the pseudoviruses. Thus, targeting innate immune sensors in tumours by the pseudoviruses might represent a strategy to treat intestinal tumours.
Predictable phenotypic, but not karyotypic, evolution of populations with contrasting initial history
Authors: Simões Pedro , Fragata Inês , Seabra Sofia G. , Faria Gonçalo S. , Santos Marta A. , Rose Michael R. , Santos Mauro , Matos Margarida
Published: April 2017

The relative impact of selection, chance and history will determine the predictability of evolution. There is a lack of empirical research on this subject, particularly in sexual organisms. Here we use experimental evolution to test the predictability of evolution. We analyse the real-time evolution of Drosophila subobscura populations derived from contrasting European latitudes placed in a novel laboratory environment. Each natural population was sampled twice within a three-year interval. We study evolutionary responses at both phenotypic (life-history, morphological and physiological traits) and karyotypic levels for around 30 generations of laboratory culture. Our results show (1) repeatable historical effects between years in the initial state, at both phenotypic and karyotypic levels; (2) predictable phenotypic evolution with general convergence except for body size; and (3) unpredictable karyotypic evolution. We conclude that the predictability of evolution is contingent on the trait and level of organization, highlighting the importance of studying multiple biological levels with respect to evolutionary patterns.
Habitat Variability and Ethnic Diversity in Northern Tibetan Plateau
Authors: Jia Xin , Lee Harry F. , Cui Mengchun , Liu Chao , Zeng Lin , Yue Ricci P. H. , Zhao Yang , Lu Huayu
Published: April 2017

There are 56 officially-recognized ethnic groups in China. However, the distinct geographic patterns of various ethnic groups in relation to the physical environment in China have rarely been investigated. Based on the geo-referenced physical environmental parameters of 455 Han, Tu, Hui, Salar, Mongolian, and Tibetan communities in Qinghai, we found that the communities could be statistically demarcated by temperature and aridity threshold according to their ethnicity, implying that the geographic distribution of each ethnic group is mediated by the physical environment. We also observed that the habitat of each ethnic group is ecologically compatible with current subsistence strategies. Tibetans settle in cold and humid high-altitude regions owing to the cultivation of highland barley and the breeding of yak, dzo, Tibetan sheep and Tibetan goat. Mongolians survive by animal husbandry in cold and dry grassland areas. Han and Tu people settle in the Huangshui River Valley, which offers relatively humid climate and flat land for agriculture. Hui and Salar people occupy the Yellow River Valley with its relatively arid environment and grassland vegetation suitable for animal breeding. Our findings offer a new perspective in explaining the geographic patterns and the varieties of ethnic groups in China and elsewhere.
A joint analysis of influenza-associated hospitalizations and mortality in Hong Kong, 1998–2013
Authors: Wu Peng , Presanis Anne M. , Bond Helen S. , Lau Eric H. Y. , Fang Vicky J. , Cowling Benjamin J.
Published: April 2017

Influenza viruses may cause severe human infections leading to hospitalization or death. Linear regression models were fitted to population-based data on hospitalizations and deaths. Surveillance data on influenza virus activity permitted inference on influenza-associated hospitalizations and deaths. The ratios of these estimates were used as a potential indicator of severity. Influenza was associated with 431 (95% CrI: 358–503) respiratory deaths and 12,700 (95% CrI: 11,700–13,700) respiratory hospitalizations per year. Majority of the excess deaths occurred in persons ≥65 y of age. The ratios of deaths to hospitalizations in adults ≥65 y were significantly higher for influenza A(H1N1) and A(H1N1)pdm09 compared to A(H3N2) and B. Substantial disease burden associated with influenza viruses were estimated in Hong Kong particularly among children and elderly in 1998–2013. Infections with influenza A(H1N1) was suggested to be more serious than A(H3N2) in older adults.
Meta-analysis Reveals the Prognostic Value of Circulating Tumour Cells Detected in the Peripheral Blood in Patients with Non-Metastatic Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Lu Yan-jun , Wang Peng , Peng Jing , Wang Xiong , Zhu Yao-wu , Shen Na
Published: April 2017

Detecting circulating tumour cells (CTCs) is considered as effective and minimally invasive technique to predict the prognosis of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC), but its clinical validity is still conflicting in patients without metastasis. We performed this meta-analysis to evaluate whether detection of CTCs in the peripheral blood can be used as a prognostic marker for patients with non-metastatic CRC. We performed a comprehensive search of the EMBASE, PubMed, and Web of Science databases (up to September 2016). Meta-analyses were conducted using a random-effects model with the hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) as the effect measures. Twenty studies including 3,687 patients were eligible for inclusion. Overall analyses demonstrated that the presence of CTCs was significantly associated with aggressive disease progression (HR = 2.57, 95% CI = 1.64–4.02, P
heterogeneity
 < 0.001, I
2
 = 81.0%) and reduced disease survival (HR = 2.41, 95% CI = 1.66–3.51, P
heterogeneity
 = 0.002, I
2
 = 59.7%). Subgroup analyses further supported the prognostic effect of CTCs based on different subsets, including sampling time, detection method and cancer type. Our findings suggest that detection of CTCs in the peripheral blood has the clinical utility to indicate poor prognosis in patients with non-metastatic CRC.
Effect of handgrip on coronary artery disease and myocardial infarction: a Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Xu Lin , Hao Yuan Tao
Published: April 2017

Observational studies have reported an association of handgrip strength with risk of cardiovascular disease. However, residual confounding and reverse causation may have influenced these findings. A Mendelian randomization (MR) study was conducted to examine whether handgrip is causally associated with cardiovascular disease. Two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), rs3121278 and rs752045, were used as the genetic instruments for handgrip. The effect of each SNP on coronary artery disease/myocardial infarction (CAD/MI) was weighted by its effect on handgrip strength, and estimates were pooled to provide a summary measure for the effect of increased handgrip on risk of CAD/MI. MR analysis showed that higher grip strength reduces risk for CAD/MI, with 1-kilogram increase in genetically determined handgrip reduced odds of CAD by 6% (odds ratio (OR) = 0.94, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.91–0.99, P = 0.01), and reduced odds of MI by 7% (OR = 0.93, 95% CI 0.89–0.98, P = 0.003). No association of grip strength with type 2 diabetes, body mass index, LDL- and HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides and fasting glucose was found. The inverse causal relationship between handgrip and the risk of CAD or MI suggests that promoting physical activity and resistance training to improve muscle strength may be important for cardiovascular health.
Atom size electron vortex beams with selectable orbital angular momentum
Authors: Pohl Darius , Schneider Sebastian , Zeiger Paul , Rusz Ján , Tiemeijer Peter , Lazar Sorin , Nielsch Kornelius , Rellinghaus Bernd
Published: April 2017

The decreasing size of modern functional magnetic materials and devices cause a steadily increasing demand for high resolution quantitative magnetic characterization. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) based measurements of the electron energy-loss magnetic chiral dichroism (EMCD) may serve as the needed experimental tool. To this end, we present a reliable and robust electron-optical setup that generates and controls user-selectable single state electron vortex beams with defined orbital angular momenta. Our set-up is based on a standard high-resolution scanning TEM with probe aberration corrector, to which we added a vortex generating fork aperture and a miniaturized aperture for vortex selection. We demonstrate that atom size probes can be formed from these electron vortices and that they can be used for atomic resolution structural and spectroscopic imaging – both of which are prerequisites for future atomic EMCD investigations.
Human Luteinizing Hormone and Chorionic Gonadotropin Display Biased Agonism at the LH and LH/CG Receptors
Authors: Riccetti Laura , Yvinec Romain , Klett Danièle , Gallay Nathalie , Combarnous Yves , Reiter Eric , Simoni Manuela , Casarini Livio , Ayoub Mohammed Akli
Published: April 2017

Human luteinizing hormone (LH) and chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) have been considered biologically equivalent because of their structural similarities and their binding to the same receptor; the LH/CGR. However, accumulating evidence suggest that LH/CGR differentially responds to the two hormones triggering differential intracellular signaling and steroidogenesis. The mechanistic basis of such differential responses remains mostly unknown. Here, we compared the abilities of recombinant rhLH and rhCG to elicit cAMP, β-arrestin 2 activation, and steroidogenesis in HEK293 cells and mouse Leydig tumor cells (mLTC-1). For this, BRET and FRET technologies were used allowing quantitative analyses of hormone activities in real-time and in living cells. Our data indicate that rhLH and rhCG differentially promote cell responses mediated by LH/CGR revealing interesting divergences in their potencies, efficacies and kinetics: rhCG was more potent than rhLH in both HEK293 and mLTC-1 cells. Interestingly, partial effects of rhLH were found on β-arrestin recruitment and on progesterone production compared to rhCG. Such a link was further supported by knockdown experiments. These pharmacological differences demonstrate that rhLH and rhCG act as natural biased agonists. The discovery of novel mechanisms associated with gonadotropin-specific action may ultimately help improve and personalize assisted reproduction technologies.
Silicon Derived from Glass Bottles as Anode Materials for Lithium Ion Full Cell Batteries
Authors: Li Changling , Liu Chueh , Wang Wei , Mutlu Zafer , Bell Jeffrey , Ahmed Kazi , Ye Rachel , Ozkan Mihrimah , Ozkan Cengiz S.
Published: April 2017

Every year many tons of waste glass end up in landfills without proper recycling, which aggravates the burden of waste disposal in landfill. The conversion from un-recycled glass to favorable materials is of great significance for sustainable strategies. Recently, silicon has been an exceptional anode material towards large-scale energy storage applications, due to its extraordinary lithiation capacity of 3579 mAh g−1 at ambient temperature. Compared with other quartz sources obtained from pre-leaching processes which apply toxic acids and high energy-consuming annealing, an interconnected silicon network is directly derived from glass bottles via magnesiothermic reduction. Carbon-coated glass derived-silicon (gSi@C) electrodes demonstrate excellent electrochemical performance with a capacity of ~1420 mAh g−1 at C/2 after 400 cycles. Full cells consisting of gSi@C anodes and LiCoO2 cathodes are assembled and achieve good initial cycling stability with high energy density.
Achieving unlimited recording length in interference lithography via broad-beam scanning exposure with self-referencing alignment
Authors: Ma Donghan , Zhao Yuxuan , Zeng Lijiang
Published: April 2017

Large-area holographic gratings are of great importance in diverse fields including long-range interference metrology, high-resolution astronomical telescopes, and chirped-pulse-amplification systems. However, in conventional interference lithography, the recording length is limited by the aperture of the collimating lenses. Here we propose broad-beam scanning exposure which employs the latent grating generated continuously during scanning for real-time dynamic fringe locking and thus achieves unlimited recording length. This method is experimentally proved to make high-quality gratings, and is expected to be a new type of interference lithography.
Molecular epidemiology and azole resistance mechanism study of Candida guilliermondii from a Chinese surveillance system
Authors: Cheng Jing-Wei , Liao Kang , Kudinha Timothy , Yu Shu-Ying , Xiao Meng , Wang He , Kong Fanrong , Xu Ying-Chun
Published: April 2017

We studied the molecular epidemiology and mechanism of azole resistance of 164 C. guilliermondii isolates from a nationwide multi-center surveillance program. The isolates were identified by ITS gene sequencing, and the in vitro susceptibility to fluconazole and voriconazole was determined by broth microdilution method. The 14-α-demethylase gene ERG11 was amplified and sequenced, and microsatellite analysis was performed to study the genetic relatedness of the isolates. Amongst the 164 C. guilliermondii isolates, 15 (9.1%) and 17 (10.4%) isolates were assigned to be non-wild type (non-WT) to fluconazole and voriconazole, respectively. Sixteen sequence types (STs) were detected by comparing the amino acid sequence polymorphisms of the ERG11 gene. Fifteen isolates of STs 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16, were all assigned to be non-WT to fluconazole and voriconazole. By microsatellite analysis, 40 different genotypes were identified. Thirty-seven isolates from one hospital (Z1) shared the same ERG11 sequence type (ST 2), microsatellite genotype (PU40) and drug resistance pattern. In conclusion, this is the first molecular epidemiology study of C. guilliermondii in China. The rate of non-WT isolates to azoles was high and the accurate contribution of ERG11 gene mutations to azole resistance need be confirmed by further studies.
Heat Stress in Dairy Cattle Alters Lipid Composition of Milk
Authors: Liu Z. , Ezernieks V. , Wang J. , Arachchillage N. Wanni , Garner J. B. , Wales W. J. , Cocks B. G. , Rochfort S.
Published: April 2017

Heat stress, potentially affecting both the health of animals and the yield and composition of milk, occurs frequently in tropical, sub-tropical and temperate regions. A simulated acute heat stress experiment was conducted in controlled-climate chambers and milk samples collected before, during and after the heat challenge. Milk lipid composition, surveyed using LC-MS, showed significant changes in triacylglycerol (TAG) and polar lipid profiles. Heat stress (temperature-humidity index up to 84) was associated with a reduction in TAG groups containing short- and medium-chain fatty acids and a concomitant increase in those containing long-chain fatty acids. The abundance of five polar lipid classes including phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylserine, phosphatidylcholine, lysophosphatidylcholine and glucosylceramide, was found to be significantly reduced during heat stress. Lysophosphatidylcholine, showing the greatest reduction in concentration, also displayed a differential response between heat tolerant and heat susceptible cows during heat stress. This phospholipid could be used as a heat stress biomarker for dairy cattle. Changes in TAG profile caused by heat stress are expected to modify the physical properties of milk fat, whereas the reduction of phospholipids may affect the nutritional value of milk. The results are discussed in relation to animal metabolism adaptation in the event of acute heat stress.
Enhanced visible light photocatalytic performance of CdS sensitized TiO2 nanorod arrays decorated with Au nanoparticles as electron sinks
Authors: Gao Xin , Liu Xiangxuan , Zhu Zuoming , Gao Ying , Wang Qingbo , Zhu Fei , Xie Zheng
Published: April 2017

In this paper, we propose a nanostructure with Au nanoparticles (NPs), as electron sinks, located at the most outside layer of CdS sensitized TiO2 nanorod arrays (TiO2 NRAs/CdS/Au). By the introduction of Au NPs, TiO2 NRAs/CdS/Au performs higher visible light photocatalytic capacity in the degradation of unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine wastewater than TiO2 NRAs/CdS. The optimal deposition time for Au NPs is 30 s. The visible light induced degradation ability of TiO2 NRAs/CdS/Au (30 s) is 1.4 times that of TiO2 NRAs/CdS. The cycling stability of TiO2 NRAs/CdS is greatly enchanced after Au NPs decoration, which can maintain 95.86% after three cycles. Photoluminescence spectra and photoelectrochemical measurements were carried out to reveal the underlying mechanism for the improved visible light photocatalytic capacity of TiO2 NRAs/CdS/Au. This work demonstrates a promising way for the rational design of metal-semiconductor photocatalysts used in decomposition reaction that can achieve high photocatalytic efficiency.
Understanding the ion-induced elongation of silver nanoparticles embedded in silica
Authors: Peña-Rodríguez Ovidio , Prada Alejandro , Olivares José , Oliver Alicia , Rodríguez-Fernández Luis , Silva-Pereyra Héctor G. , Bringa Eduardo , Perlado José Manuel , Rivera Antonio
Published: April 2017

In this work we have studied the elongation of silver nanoparticles irradiated with 40 MeV Bromine ions by means of in situ optical measurements, transmission electron microscopy and molecular dynamics simulations. The localized surface plasmon resonance of silver nanoparticles has a strong dependence on the particle shape and size, which allowed us to obtain the geometrical parameters with remarkable accuracy by means of a fit of the optical spectra. Optical results have been compared with transmission electron microscopy images and molecular dynamics simulations and the agreement is excellent in both cases. An important advantage of in situ measurements is that they yield an extremely detailed information of the full elongation kinetics. Final nanoparticle elongation depends on a complex competition between single-ion deformation, Ostwald ripening and dissolution. Building and validating theoretical models with the data reported in this work should be easier than with the information previously available, due to the unprecedented level of kinetic details obtained from the in situ measurements.
Warming impact on herbivore population composition affects top-down control by predators
Authors: Wang Ying-Jie , Nakazawa Takefumi , Ho Chuan-Kai
Published: April 2017

Understanding warming impact on herbivores facilitates predicting plant/crop dynamics in natural/agricultural systems. However, it remains unclear how warming will affect herbivore population size and population composition, consequently altering herbivore colonization in a tri-trophic system (plant-herbivore-predator or crop-pest-biocontrol agent). We studied a soybean-aphid-lady beetle system, by conducting (1) a laboratory warming experiment to examine warming impact (+2 °C or +4 °C) on the aphid population size and composition (alate proportion), and (2) a field colonization experiment to examine whether the warming-induced effect subsequently interacts with predators (lady beetles) in affecting aphid colonization. The results showed that warming affected the initial aphid population composition (reduced alate proportion) but not population size; this warming-induced effect strengthened the top-down control by lady beetles and slowing aphid colonization. In other words, biocontrol on crop pests by predators could improve under 2–4 °C warming. Furthermore, aphid colonization was affected by an interaction between the alate proportion and predator (lady beetle) presence. This study suggests that warming affects herbivore population composition and likely mediates top-down control on herbivore colonization by predators. This mechanism may be crucial but underappreciated in climate change ecology because population composition (wing form, sex ratio, age/body size structure) shifts in many species under environmental change.
Significance of genetic polymorphisms in long non-coding RNA AC079767.4 in tuberculosis susceptibility and clinical phenotype in Western Chinese Han population
Authors: Zhao Zhenzhen , Zhang Mei , Ying Jun , Hu Xuejiao , Zhang Jingya , Zhou Yanhong , Zhou Yi , Song Xingbo , Ying Binwu
Published: April 2017

Recent studies have implicated long non-coding RNA, AC079767.4, as a highly susceptible gene in tuberculosis. The aim of the study was to preliminarily explore the possible association of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in AC079767.4 gene with clinical phenotypes and TB susceptibility in Western Chinese Han population. The improved multiplex ligation detection reaction (iMLDR) method was employed to genotype 4 SNPs in AC079767.4 in 554 tuberculosis patients and 561 healthy individuals. In subgroup analysis, only the C allele for rs12477677 was associated with the decreased susceptibility to pulmonary TB with a p-value of 0.026, but p-value was 0.103 after Bonferroni correction. In total samples, haplotype [ACAC], representing four AC079767.4 variants, was found to slightly decrease TB risk (p = 0.045). Furthermore, patients with the CC genotype of rs12477677 were correlated with fewer occurrences of fever (p = 0.016), while patients carrying the T allele were associated with lower levels of ESR in the dominant model of rs1055229 (p = 0.021). For the first time, we reported the potential susceptibility and clinical traits of tuberculosis with lncRNA variants in the Western Han Chinese population. Our data indicate AC079767.4 polymorphisms may potentially act as novel biomarkers for tuberculosis diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.
Dehydroascorbic Acids-modified Polymer Micelles Target Cancer Cells to Enhance Anti-tumor Efficacy of Paclitaxel
Authors: Pei Xiaoyu , Luo Feifei , Zhang Jun , Chen Wulian , Jiang Chen , Liu Jie
Published: April 2017

Paclitaxel (PTX), especially albumin-bound PTX in clinical, has displayed significant inhibition of tumor growth in patients. But the systemic distribution and poor water solubility of PTX often lead to severe side effects, consequently limiting the anti-tumor efficacy. In this study, we developed a novel PTX-loaded polymeric micelle drug delivery system. These self-assembled polymeric micelles from core to outside consisted of poly L-phenylalanine (pPhe), DTSSP linked poly L-lysine (pLys), poly ethylene glycol (PEG) and dehydroascorbic acids (DHA). pPhe formed the hydrophobic core to encapsulate PTX; DTSSPs on pLys covalently cross-linked and formed disulfide bond to stabilize PTX from loss in blood circulation; PEG improved solubility to lower toxicity of PTX for its high hydrophilicity; DHA targeted tumors by specifically recognizing GLUT1 mainly expressed on tumor cells. Thus, PTX would be precisely released into tumor cells with high dose of glutathione to break disulfide bond. Moreover, these PTX-loaded polymer micelles significantly suppressed tumor cell viability, proliferation, and migration in vitro, and also greatly inhibited tumor growth and prolonged survival in tumor-bearing mice without detectable side effects. Therefore, the new drug delivery system could reduce severe side effects and enhance anti-tumor efficacy of PTX via peripheral stabilization, low toxicity and tumor targeting.
HqiA, a novel quorum-quenching enzyme which expands the AHL lactonase family
Authors: Torres Marta , Uroz Stéphane , Salto Rafael , Fauchery Laure , Quesada Emilia , Llamas Inmaculada
Published: April 2017

The screening of a metagenomic library of 250,000 clones generated from a hypersaline soil (Spain) allowed us to identify a single positive clone which confers the ability to degrade N-acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs). The sequencing of the fosmid revealed a 42,318 bp environmental insert characterized by 46 ORFs. The subcloning of these ORFs demonstrated that a single gene (hqiA) allowed AHL degradation. Enzymatic analysis using purified HqiA and HPLC/MS revealed that this protein has lactonase activity on a broad range of AHLs. The introduction of hqiA in the plant pathogen Pectobacterium carotovorum efficiently interfered with both the synthesis of AHLs and quorum-sensing regulated functions, such as swarming motility and the production of maceration enzymes. Bioinformatic analyses highlighted that HqiA showed no sequence homology with the known prototypic AHL lactonases or acylases, thus expanding the AHL-degrading enzymes with a new family related to the cysteine hydrolase (CHase) group. The complete sequence analysis of the fosmid showed that 31 ORFs out of the 46 identified were related to Deltaproteobacteria, whilst many intercalated ORFs presented high homology with other taxa. In this sense, hqiA appeared to be assigned to the Hyphomonas genus (Alphaproteobacteria), suggesting that horizontal gene transfer had occurred.
Small methyltransferase RlmH assembles a composite active site to methylate a ribosomal pseudouridine
Authors: Koh Cha San , Madireddy Rohini , Beane Timothy J. , Zamore Phillip D. , Korostelev Andrei A.
Published: April 2017

Eubacterial ribosomal large-subunit methyltransferase H (RlmH) methylates 23S ribosomal RNA pseudouridine 1915 (Ψ1915), which lies near the ribosomal decoding center. The smallest member of the SPOUT superfamily of methyltransferases, RlmH lacks the RNA recognition domain found in larger methyltransferases. The catalytic mechanism of RlmH enzyme is unknown. Here, we describe the structures of RlmH bound to S-adenosyl-methionine (SAM) and the methyltransferase inhibitor sinefungin. Our structural and biochemical studies reveal catalytically essential residues in the dimer-mediated asymmetrical active site. One monomer provides the SAM-binding site, whereas the conserved C-terminal tail of the second monomer provides residues essential for catalysis. Our findings elucidate the mechanism by which a small protein dimer assembles a functionally asymmetric architecture.
A database of global marine commercial, small-scale, illegal and unreported fisheries catch 1950–2014
Authors: Watson Reg A.
Published: April 2017

Global fisheries landings data from a range of public sources was harmonised and mapped to 30-min spatial cells based on the distribution of the reported taxa and the fishing fleets involved. This data was extended to include the associated fishing gear used, as well as estimates of illegal, unregulated and unreported catch (IUU) and discards at sea. Expressed as catch rates, these results also separated small-scale fisheries from other fishing operations. The dataset covers 1950 to 2014 inclusive. Mapped catch allows study of the impacts of fisheries on habitats and fauna, on overlap with the diets of marine birds and mammals, and on the related use of fuels and release of greenhouse gases. The fine-scale spatial data can be aggregated to the exclusive economic zone claims of countries and will allow study of the value of landed marine products to their economies and food security, and to those of their trading partners.
Spatiotemporal historical datasets at micro-level for geocoded individuals in five Swedish parishes, 1813–1914
Authors: Hedefalk Finn , Svensson Patrick , Harrie Lars
Published: April 2017

This paper presents datasets that enable historical longitudinal studies of micro-level geographic factors in a rural setting. These types of datasets are new, as historical demography studies have generally failed to properly include the micro-level geographic factors. Our datasets describe the geography over five Swedish rural parishes, and by linking them to a longitudinal demographic database, we obtain a geocoded population (at the property unit level) for this area for the period 1813–1914. The population is a subset of the Scanian Economic Demographic Database (SEDD). The geographic information includes the following feature types: property units, wetlands, buildings, roads and railroads. The property units and wetlands are stored in object-lifeline time representations (information about creation, changes and ends of objects are recorded in time), whereas the other feature types are stored as snapshots in time. Thus, the datasets present one of the first opportunities to study historical spatio-temporal patterns at the micro-level.
Erratum: Towards peptide vaccines against Zika virus: Immunoinformatics combined with molecular dynamics simulations to predict antigenic epitopes of Zika viral proteins
Authors: Mirza Muhammad Usman , Rafique Shazia , Ali Amjad , Munir Mobeen , Ikram Nazia , Manan Abdul , Salo-Ahen Outi M. H. , Idrees Muhammad
Published: April 2017

Scientific Reports 6: Article number: 37313; published online: 09 December 2016; updated: 11 April 2017 In this Article, an affiliation was omitted for Muhammad Usman Mirza. The correct affiliations are listed below: Center for Research in Molecular Medicine (CRiMM), University of Lahore, Pakistan. Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Medicinal Chemistry, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Dimensional stability and electrochemical behaviour of ZrO2 incorporated electrospun PVdF-HFP based nanocomposite polymer membrane electrolyte for Li-ion capacitors
Authors: Solarajan Arun Kumar , Murugadoss Vignesh , Angaiah Subramania
Published: April 2017

Different weight percentages of ZrO2 (0, 3, 5, 7 and 10 wt%) incorporated electrospun PVDF-HFP nanocomposite polymer membranes (esCPMs) were prepared by electrospinning technique. They were activated by soaking in 1 M LiPF6 containing 1:1 volume ratio of EC : DMC (ethylene carbonate:dimethyl carbonate) to get electrospun nanocomposite polymer membrane electrolytes (esCPMEs). The influence of ZrO2 on the physical, mechanical and electrochemical properties of esCPM was studied in detail. Finally, coin type Li-ion capacitor cell was assembled using LiCo0.2Mn1.8O4 as the cathode, Activated carbon as the anode and the esCPME containing 7 wt% of ZrO2 as the separator, which delivered a discharge capacitance of 182.5 Fg−1 at the current density of 1Ag−1 and retained 92% of its initial discharge capacitance even after 2,000 cycles. It revealed that the electrospun PVdF-HFP/ZrO2 based nanocomposite membrane electrolyte could be used as a good candidate for high performance Li-ion capacitors.
Modes Coupling Analysis of Surface Plasmon Polaritons Based Resonance Manipulation in Infrared Metamaterial Absorber
Authors: Zhen Guoshuai , Zhou Peiheng , Luo Xiaojia , Xie Jianliang , Deng Longjiang
Published: April 2017

Surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) and standing wave modes provide interesting and exotic properties for infrared metamaterial absorbers. Coupling of these modes promises further development in this field but restricted by the complexity of modes analysis. In this work, we investigate the general phenomenon of modes coupling supported by a metal (with grating)-dielectric-metal sandwich structure based on rigorous coupled-wave analysis (RCWA) method and experiment results. Through the analysis of fundamental modes, a new approach based on the boundary conditions is introduced to reveal the coupling mechanism and the corresponding resonance shifting phenomenon with simple but rigorous derivations. The strong coupling between SPPs excited on the dielectric-metal interfaces and rigorous modes of standing waves in the dielectric layer can be manipulated to improve the detection sensitivity of sensors and emissivity efficiency of infrared emitters.
A novel Time-resolved Fluoroimmunoassay for the quantitative detection of Antibodies against the Phospholipase A2 Receptor
Authors: Huang Biao , Wang Liang , Zhang Yi , Zhang Jue , Zhang Qiuhua , Xiao Hualong , Zhou Bin , Sun Zhuxing , Cao Ya-nan , Chen Yu , Hu Zhigang , Sheng Huiming
Published: April 2017

A highly sensitive time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay (TRFIA) was developed to quantify serum antibodies against the phospholipase A2 receptor (anti-PLA2R-IgG) for differential diagnosis of membranous nephropathy. Recombinant PLA2R (rPLA2R) was coated onto 96-well plates as a capture. A goat-anti-human IgG tracer was prepared with europium-chelate for detection. After bound/free separation by washing, the fluorescence counts of bound tracer were measured for quantifying serum anti-PLA2R-IgG concentration. A purified anti-PLA2R-IgG calibrator was first prepared for ensuring that consistent quantitative results could be obtained. The assay detection limit was 0.03 mg/L with linear measurement range of 0.03–340 mg/L. The intra- and inter-assay coefficients of variation (CVs) were 3.8% and 6.2%, respectively. The average serum anti-PLA2R-IgG concentration in 45 healthy volunteers, 31 IgA nephropathy, 9 lupus nephropathy, and 52 idiopathic membranous nephropathy patients was 0.53 ± 0.18 mg/L, 0.70 ± 0.41 mg/L, 1.08 ± 0.65 mg/L, and 9.00 ± 11.82 mg/L, respectively. The cut-off point for an abnormal anti-PLA2R-IgG concentration was defined as >0.89 mg/L. The positive rates in serum from patients with IgA nephropathy, lupus nephropathy, and idiopathic membranous nephropathy were 29.0%, 44.4%, and 88.5%, respectively. The availability of this quantitation method will facilitate the use of serum anti-PLA2R-IgG for diagnosing idiopathic membranous nephropathy.
Safety and efficacy of short-term oral immunotherapy with Cry j 1-galactomannan conjugate for Japanese cedar pollinosis: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Murakami Daisuke , Sawatsubashi Motohiro , Omori Hirofumi , Saito Akira , Kato Akio , Komune Shizuo , Nakagawa Takashi
Published: April 2017

Current allergen-specific immunotherapy (AIT) for pollinosis requires long-term treatment with potentially severe side effects. Therefore, development of an AIT that is safe and more convenient with a shorter regimen is needed. This prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial randomized 55 participants with Japanese cedar pollinosis (JCP) to active or placebo groups to test the safety and efficacy of short-term oral immunotherapy (OIT) with Cry j 1-galactomannan conjugate for JCP. Mean symptom-medication score as the primary outcome in the active group improved 27.8% relative to the placebo group during the entire pollen season. As the secondary outcomes, mean medication score in active group improved significantly, by 56.2%, compared with placebo during the entire pollen season. Mean total symptom score was similar between active and placebo groups during the entire pollen season. There were no severe treatment-emergent adverse events in the active and placebo groups. Therefore short-term OIT with Cry j 1-galactomannan conjugate is safe, and effective for reducing the amount of medication use for JCP.
Hepatocytic parental progenitor cells of rat small hepatocytes maintain self-renewal capability after long-term culture
Authors: Ishii Masayuki , Kino Junichi , Ichinohe Norihisa , Tanimizu Naoki , Ninomiya Takafumi , Suzuki Hiromu , Mizuguchi Toru , Hirata Koichi , Mitaka Toshihiro
Published: April 2017

The liver has a variety of functions for maintaining homeostasis, and hepatocytes play a major role. In contrast with the high regenerative capacity of mature hepatocytes (MHs) in vivo, they have not been successfully expanded ex vivo. Here we demonstrate that CD44-positive cells sorted from small hepatocyte (SH) colonies derived from a healthy adult rat liver can proliferate on a Matrigel-coated dish in serum-free chemically defined medium; in addition, a subpopulation of the cells can divide more than 50 times in a period of 17 weeks every 4-week-passage. The passage cells retained the capability to recover highly differentiated functions, such as glycogen storage, CYP activity and bile secretion. When Matrigel-treated cells from the third passage were transplanted into retrorsine/partial hepatectomy-treated rat livers, the cells engrafted to differentiate into MHs and cholangiocytes. These results suggest that long-term cultured CD44+ SHs retain hepatocytic characteristics in vitro and the capability to differentiate into hepatocytes and cholangiocytes in vivo. Thus, a newly identified subpopulation of MHs possessing the attributes of hepatocytic stem/progenitor cells can be passaged several times without losing hepatocytic characteristics.
Controllable crystal growth and fast reversible crystallization-to-amorphization in Sb2Te-TiO2 films
Authors: Wang Guoxiang , Li Chao , Shi Daotian , Nie Qiuhua , Wang Hui , Shen Xiang , Lu Yegang
Published: April 2017

The structure evolution and crystallization processes of Sb2Te-TiO2 films have been investigated. The Sb2Te-rich nanocrystals, surrounded by TiO2 amorphous phases, are observed in the annealed Sb2Te-TiO2 composite films. The segregated domains exhibit obvious chalcogenide/TiOx interfaces, which elevate crystallization temperature, impede the grain growth and increase crystalline resistance. Compared with that in conventional Ge2Sb2Te5 film, the shorter time for onset crystallization (25 ns) and amorphization (100 ns) has been achieved in as-deposited (Sb2Te)94.7(TiO2)5.3 film under 60 mW laser irradiation. The corresponding recrystallization and re-amorphization can also be realized in the film. From Johnson-Mehl-Avrami (JMA) analysis, it is further found that the one-dimensional grain growth with controlled interface is dominant for the film during the fast phase-change process. Therefore, (Sb2Te)94.7(TiO2)5.3 film with improved crystallization mechanism is promising for high-stable and fast-speed memory applications.
Tunable Terahertz Deep Subwavelength Imaging Based on a Graphene Monolayer
Authors: Tang Heng-He , Huang Tie-Jun , Liu Jiang-Yu , Tan Yunhua , Liu Pu-Kun
Published: April 2017

The resolution of conventional terahertz (THz) imaging techniques is limited to about half wavelength, which is not fine enough for applications of biomedical sensing and nondestructive testing. To improve the resolution, a new superlens, constructed by a monolayer graphene sheet combining with a grating voltage gate, are proposed in this paper to achieve deep super-resolution imaging in the THz frequency range. The main idea is based on the Fabry-Perot resonance of graphene edge plasmon waves. By shaping the voltage gate into a radial pattern, magnified images of subwavelength targets can be obtained. With this approach, the finest resolution can achieve up to λ/150. Besides, the superlens can be conveniently tuned to work in a large frequency band ranging from 4.3 THz to 9 THz. The proposal could find potential applications in THz near-field imaging systems.
Evaluation of Tumor Treatment of Magnetic Nanoparticles Driven by Extremely Low Frequency Magnetic Field
Authors: Li Weitao , Liu Yangyang , Qian Zhiyu , Yang Yamin
Published: April 2017

Recently, magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs), which can be manipulated in the magnetic field, have received much attention in tumor therapy. Extremely low frequency magnetic field (ELMF) system can initiate MNPs vibrating and the movement of MNPs inside of cells can be controlled by adjusting the frequency and intensity of ELMF towards irreversible cell damages. In this study, we investigated the detrimental effects on tumor cells with MNPs under various ELMF exposure conditions. An in-house built ELMF system was developed and utilized for evaluating the treatment efficiency of MNPs on tumor cells with specific intensities (2–20 Hz) and frequencies (0.1–20 mT). Significant morphological changes were found in tumor cells treated with MNPs in combing with ELMF, which were consistent with noticeable decrease in cell viability. With the increase of the intensity and frequency of the magnetic field, the structural integrity of tumor tissue can be further destroyed. Destructive effects of MNPs and ELMF on tumor tissues were further determined by the pathophysiological changes observed in vivo in animal study. Taken together, the combination of MNPs and ELMF had a great potential as an innovative treatment approach for tumor intervention.
Adsorption energy as a metric for wettability at the nanoscale
Authors: Giro Ronaldo , Bryant Peter W. , Engel Michael , Neumann Rodrigo F. , Steiner Mathias B.
Published: April 2017

Wettability is the affinity of a liquid for a solid surface. For energetic reasons, macroscopic drops of liquid form nearly spherical caps. The degree of wettability is then captured by the contact angle where the liquid-vapor interface meets the solid-liquid interface. As droplet volumes shrink to the scale of attoliters, however, surface interactions become significant, and droplets assume distorted shapes. In this regime, the contact angle becomes ambiguous, and a scalable metric for quantifying wettability is needed, especially given the emergence of technologies exploiting liquid-solid interactions at the nanoscale. Here we combine nanoscale experiments with molecular-level simulation to study the breakdown of spherical droplet shapes at small length scales. We demonstrate how measured droplet topographies increasingly reveal non-spherical features as volumes shrink. Ultimately, the nanoscale droplets flatten out to form layer-like molecular assemblies at the solid surface. For the lack of an identifiable contact angle at small scales, we introduce a droplet’s adsorption energy density as a new metric for a liquid’s affinity for a surface. We discover that extrapolating the macroscopic idealization of a drop to the nanoscale, though it does not geometrically resemble a realistic droplet, can nonetheless recover its adsorption energy if line tension is included.
Indolepropionic acid and novel lipid metabolites are associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes in the Finnish Diabetes Prevention Study
Authors: de Mello Vanessa D. , Paananen Jussi , Lindström Jaana , Lankinen Maria A. , Shi Lin , Kuusisto Johanna , Pihlajamäki Jussi , Auriola Seppo , Lehtonen Marko , Rolandsson Olov , Bergdahl Ingvar A. , Nordin Elise , Ilanne-Parikka Pirjo , Keinänen-Kiukaanniemi Sirkka , Landberg Rikard , Eriksson Johan G. , Tuomilehto Jaakko , Hanhineva Kati , Uusitupa Matti
Published: April 2017

Wide-scale profiling technologies including metabolomics broaden the possibility of novel discoveries related to the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes (T2D). By applying non-targeted metabolomics approach, we investigated here whether serum metabolite profile predicts T2D in a well-characterized study population with impaired glucose tolerance by examining two groups of individuals who took part in the Finnish Diabetes Prevention Study (DPS); those who either early developed T2D (n = 96) or did not convert to T2D within the 15-year follow-up (n = 104). Several novel metabolites were associated with lower likelihood of developing T2D, including indole and lipid related metabolites. Higher indolepropionic acid was associated with reduced likelihood of T2D in the DPS. Interestingly, in those who remained free of T2D, indolepropionic acid and various lipid species were associated with better insulin secretion and sensitivity, respectively. Furthermore, these metabolites were negatively correlated with low-grade inflammation. We replicated the association between indolepropionic acid and T2D risk in one Finnish and one Swedish population. We suggest that indolepropionic acid, a gut microbiota-produced metabolite, is a potential biomarker for the development of T2D that may mediate its protective effect by preservation of β-cell function. Novel lipid metabolites associated with T2D may exert their effects partly through enhancing insulin sensitivity.
Tenofovir and adefovir down-regulate mitochondrial chaperone TRAP1 and succinate dehydrogenase subunit B to metabolically reprogram glucose metabolism and induce nephrotoxicity
Authors: Zhao Xinbin , Sun Kun , Lan Zhou , Song Wenxin , Cheng Lili , Chi Wenna , Chen Jing , Huo Yi , Xu Lina , Liu Xiaohui , Deng Haiteng , Siegenthaler Julie A. , Chen Ligong
Published: April 2017

Despite the therapeutic success of tenofovir (TFV) for treatment of HIV-1 infection, numerous cases of nephrotoxicity have been reported. Mitochondrial toxicity has been purported as the major target of TFV-associated renal tubulopathy but the underlying molecular mechanism remains unclear. In this report, we use metabolomics and proteomics with HK-2 cells and animal models to dissect the molecular pathways underlying nephropathy caused by TFV and its more toxic analog, adefovir (ADV). Proteomic analysis shows that mitochondrial chaperone TRAP1 and mtDNA replicating protein SSBP1 were significantly down-regulated in TFV and ADV treated HK-2 cells compared with controls. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed that TFV and ADV-treated HK-2 cells had accumulated glycogen, a phenotype that was also observed in mice treated with TFV and ADV. Analysis of the proteins in TCA cycle showed succinate dehydrogenase subunit B (SDHB) was nearly depleted in glucose oxidative phosphorylation pathway however certain enzymes in the glycolysis and glycogen synthesis pathway had elevated expression in TFV and ADV-treated HK-2 cells. These results suggest that TFV and ADV may cause mitochondrial dysfunction in renal tubular cells and reprogramming of glucose metabolism. The resulting glycogen accumulation may partially contribute to TFV and ADV induced renal dysfunction.
Glycoengineering of pertuzumab and its impact on the pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic properties
Authors: Luo Cheng , Chen Song , Xu Na , Wang Chi , Sai Wen bo , Zhao Wei , Li Ying chun , Hu Xiao jing , Tian Hong , Gao Xiang dong , Yao Wen bing
Published: April 2017

Pertuzumab is an antihuman HER2 antibody developed for HER2 positive breast cancer. Glycosylation profiles are always the important issue for antibody based therapy. Previous findings have suggested the impact of glycosylation profiles on the function of antibodies, like pharmacodynamics, antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) and complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC). However, the roles of fucose and sialic acid in the function of therapeutic antibodies still need further investigation, especially the role of sialic acid in nonfucosylated antibodies. This study focused on the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of pertuzumab after glycoengineering. Herein, nonfucosylated pertuzumab was produced in CHOFUT8−/− cells, and desialylated pertuzumab was generated by enzymatic hydrolysis. Present data indicated that fucose was critical for ADCC activity by influencing the interaction between pertuzumab and FcγRIIIa, nevertheless removal of sialic acid increased the ADCC and CDC activity of pertuzumab. Meanwhile, regarding to sialic acid, sialidase hydrolysis directly resulted in asialoglycoprotein receptors (ASGPRs) dependent clearance in hepatic cells in vitro. The pharmacokinetic assay revealed that co-injection of asialofetuin can protect desialylated pertuzumab against ASGPRs-mediated clearance. Taken together, the present study elucidated the importance of fucose and sialic acid for pertuzumab, and also provided further understanding of the relationship of glycosylation/pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics of therapeutic antibody.