bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Developing an Awareness Campaign to Reduce Second Hand Smoke Among Disadvantaged Families—A Participatory M-Health Approach
Authors: Weinmann Tobias , Radon Katja , Sukalla Freya , Gerlich Jessica , Barth Swaantje , Nowak Dennis , Karnowski Veronika
Published: September 2018

Children from disadvantaged families are particularly exposed to second hand smoke in their home environment. Using a mixed methods participatory approach, we aimed at identifying suitable media channels and appropriate content for a campaign increasing caregivers’ knowledge about the risks of second hand smoke (SHS) exposure for their children and appropriate measures for exposure reduction. In the first phase of the mixed method design, we evaluated knowledge and norms about children’s SHS and perceived barriers for avoiding it. To this end, we conducted 26 one-to-one interviews with smoking caregivers of children below the age of six years. Subsequently, we developed and illustrated core messages and identified appropriate communication channels. These were evaluated in focus group discussions by 20 of the 26 interview participants. After a final revision, 121 caregivers evaluated the campaign via an online questionnaire. Online social networks were identified as the most suitable media channel. For these, we developed animated photos with voiceovers addressing the potential consequences of SHS for children. The overall rating of the campaign messages was promising. Participants confirmed that it was important to address the issue in social media. However, sharing the pictures was considered unlikely due to the sensitive topic of the campaign, while the importance of doctors or scientists being recognizable as a source was highlighted. Employing a participatory approach, we developed an m-health campaign, which can now be disseminated in social networks to reach the target population. The effectiveness of the campaign should be evaluated.
Lead in Air in Bangladesh: Exposure in a Rural Community with Elevated Blood Lead Concentrations among Young Children
Authors: Woo May K. , Young Elisabeth S. , Mostofa Md Golam , Afroz Sakila , Sharif Ibne Hasan Md Omar , Quamruzzaman Quazi , Bellinger David C. , Christiani David C. , Mazumdar Maitreyi
Published: September 2018

Previous evaluations of a birth cohort in the Munshiganj District of Bangladesh had found that over 85% of 397 children aged 2–3 years had blood lead concentrations above the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s reference level of 5 μg/dL. Studies in urban areas of Bangladesh have found elevated levels of lead in the air due to industries and remaining contamination from the historic use of leaded gasoline. Sources of lead in rural areas of Bangladesh remain unknown. We conducted air sampling in both residential and industrial sites in Munshiganj to determine whether children are exposed to elevated lead concentrations in the air and study the association between the children’s blood lead levels and sampled air lead concentrations. Residential and industrial air samples in Munshiganj were found to have elevated lead concentrations (mean 1.22 μg/m3) but were not found to be associated with the observed blood lead concentrations. Lead in air is an important environmental health exposure risk to the for children in Munshiganj, and further research may shed light on specific sources to inform exposure prevention and mitigation programs.
Bank-Specific and Macroeconomic Determinants of Bank Profitability: Evidence from an Oil-Dependent Economy
Authors: Hasanov Fakhri J. , Bayramli Nigar , Al-Musehel Nayef
Published: September 2018

This study investigated bank-specific and macroeconomic determinants of bank profitability in Azerbaijan, an oil-dependent economy in transition. A huge drop in oil prices, a significant devaluation of the national currency, and the financial distress were the main motivations of the study. We applied Panel Generalized Method of Moments to the data in the framework of dynamic model of the bank profitability. It was found that bank size, capital, and loans, as well as economic cycle, inflation expectation, and oil prices were positively related to the profitability, whereas deposits, liquidity risk, and exchange rate devaluation were negatively associated with it. We further found that the bank profitability demonstrated moderate persistence and ignoring the country-specific features could lead to bias and poor performance in estimations. The conclusions of this research would aid in setting banking policies towards increasing profitability. This may be supplemented by ensuring strong research departments within the banks tasked with analyzing and forecasting the main macroeconomic indicators. The novel features of the study include utilizing recent economic trends, accounting for country-specific features, and for the first time, examining the effects of the economic cycle on the bank profitability in Azerbaijan. In addition, the study featured proper addressing time series properties of the panel data, and performances of robustness checks for consistency of results.
Buy and Hold in the New Age of Stock Market Volatility: A Story about ETFs
Authors: Sanderson Rohnn , Lumpkin-Sowers Nancy L.
Published: September 2018

The buy and hold stock market strategy, which gained tremendous popularity in the 1970s, may no longer be such a profitable method for accumulating wealth for the average investor in the new millennium. This paper investigates the relationship between compound return and holding period length to see how long an Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) investment must be held before a positive return on principal is 100% likely. Because the ETF is a relatively new investment vehicle that could be considered particularly well-suited to the requirements of the buy and hold strategy, we begin our investigation here. We find that the compound returns earned over a rolling holding period are much more volatile than one might assume given historic rules of thumb for average return expectations. Using monthly return data for all listed NASDAQ ETFs between their date of inception and 2015, we find it takes ten years for the average probability of a gain on principal to be over 95 percent.
Spatial Assessment of the Potential Impact of Infrastructure Development on Biodiversity Conservation in Lowland Nepal
Authors: Sharma Roshan , Rimal Bhagawat , Stork Nigel , Baral Himlal , Dhakal Maheshwar
Published: September 2018

Biodiversity is declining at an unprecedented rate with infrastructure development being one of the leading causes. New infrastructure, such as roads, provides new access and results in increased land clearing and wildlife hunting. A number of large infrastructure projects, including new roads and rail, are being planned in Nepal. We show the application of readily available remotely sensed data and geospatial tools to assess the potential impact of these future developments on habitat quality under three protection-level scenarios. Our findings reveal that there is currently large spatial heterogeneity in habitat quality across the landscape as a result of current anthropogenic threats, and that three areas in particular could have up to 40% reduction in habitat quality as a result of the planned infrastructure. Further research is required to determine more precisely the impact on key species. Strengthening protected areas and buffer zones will contribute to mitigating degradation to some degree, however, large areas of biologically significant areas outside protected areas will be affected without new controls. Our geographic information systems (GIS) based methodology could be used to conduct studies in data poor developing countries, where rapid infrastructure development across ecological sites are ongoing, in order to make society, policy makers, and development planners aware.
Single-Tree Detection in High-Resolution Remote-Sensing Images Based on a Cascade Neural Network
Authors: Tianyang Dong , Jian Zhang , Sibin Gao , Ying Shen , Jing Fan
Published: September 2018

Traditional single-tree detection methods usually need to set different thresholds and parameters manually according to different forest conditions. As a solution to the complicated detection process for non-professionals, this paper presents a single-tree detection method for high-resolution remote-sensing images based on a cascade neural network. In this method, we firstly calibrated the tree and non-tree samples in high-resolution remote-sensing images to train a classifier with the backpropagation (BP) neural network. Then, we analyzed the differences in the first-order statistic features, such as energy, entropy, mean, skewness, and kurtosis of the tree and non-tree samples. Finally, we used these features to correct the BP neural network model and build a cascade neural network classifier to detect a single tree. To verify the validity and practicability of the proposed method, six forestlands including two areas of oil palm in Thailand, and four areas of small seedlings, red maples, or longan trees in China were selected as test areas. The results from different methods, such as the region-growing method, template-matching method, BP neural network, and proposed cascade-neural-network method were compared considering these test areas. The experimental results show that the single-tree detection method based on the cascade neural network exhibited the highest root mean square of the matching rate (RMS_Rmat = 90%) and matching score (RMS_M = 68) in all the considered test areas.
CDC42 Negatively Regulates Testis-Specific SEPT12 Polymerization
Authors: Huang Chia-Yen , Wang Ya-Yun , Chen Ying-Liang , Chen Mei-Feng , Chiang Han-Sun , Kuo Pao-Lin , Lin Ying-Hung
Published: September 2018

Septin (SEPT) genes encode well-preserved polymerizing GTP-binding cytoskeletal proteins. The cellular functions of SEPTs consist of mitosis, cytoskeletal remodeling, cell polarity, and vesicle trafficking through interactions with various types of cytoskeletons. We discovered that mutated SEPTIN12 in different codons resulted in teratozoospermia or oligozoospermia. In mouse models with a defective Septin12 allele, sperm morphology was abnormal, sperm count decreased, and sperms were immotile. However, the regulators of SEPT12 are completely unknown. Some studies have indicated that CDC42 negatively regulates the polymerization of SEPT2/6/7 complexes in mammalian cell lines. In this study, we investigated whether CDC42 modulates SEPT12 polymerization and is involved in the terminal differentiation of male germ cells. First, through scanning electron microscopy analysis, we determined that the loss of Septin12 caused defective sperm heads. This indicated that Septin12 is critical for the formation of sperm heads. Second, CDC42 and SEPT12 were similarly localized in the perinuclear regions of the manchette at the head of elongating spermatids, neck region of elongated spermatids, and midpiece of mature spermatozoa. Third, wild-type CDC42 and CDC42Q61L (a constitutive-acting-mutant) substantially repressed SEPT12 polymerization, but CDC42T17N (a dominant-negative-acting mutant) did not, as evident through ectopic expression analysis. We concluded that CDC42 negatively regulates SEPT12 polymerization and is involved in terminal structure formation of sperm heads.
Direct Cardiac Reprogramming: A Novel Approach for Heart Regeneration
Authors: Tani Hidenori , Sadahiro Taketaro , Ieda Masaki
Published: September 2018

Cardiac diseases are among the most common causes of death globally. Cardiac muscle has limited proliferative capacity, and regenerative therapies are highly in demand as a new treatment strategy. Although pluripotent reprogramming has been developed, it has obstacles, such as a potential risk of tumor formation, poor survival of the transplanted cells, and high cost. We previously reported that fibroblasts can be directly reprogrammed to cardiomyocytes by overexpressing a combination of three cardiac-specific transcription factors (Gata4, Mef2c, Tbx5 (together, GMT)). We and other groups have promoted cardiac reprogramming by the addition of certain miRNAs, cytokines, and epigenetic factors, and unraveled new molecular mechanisms of cardiac reprogramming. More recently, we discovered that Sendai virus (SeV) vector expressing GMT could efficiently and rapidly reprogram fibroblasts into integration-free cardiomyocytes in vitro via robust transgene expression. Gene delivery of SeV-GMT also improves cardiac function and reduces fibrosis after myocardial infarction in mice. Through direct cardiac reprogramming, new cardiomyocytes can be generated and scar tissue reduced to restore cardiac function, and, thus, direct cardiac reprogramming may serve as a powerful strategy for cardiac regeneration. Here, we provide an overview of the previous reports and current challenges in this field.
Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors and Diabetic Kidney Disease
Authors: Hadden Mitchell J. , Advani Andrew
Published: September 2018

Despite recent clinical trial advances and improvements in clinical care, kidney disease due to diabetes remains the most common cause of chronic kidney failure worldwide. In the search for new treatments, recent attentions have turned to drug repurposing opportunities, including study of the histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor class of agents. HDACs are a group of enzymes that remove functional acetyl groups from histone and non-histone proteins and they can affect cellular function through both epigenetic and non-epigenetic means. Over the past decade, several HDAC inhibitors have been adopted into clinical practice, primarily for the treatment of hematological malignancy, whereas other existing therapies (for instance valproate) have been found to have HDAC inhibitory effects. Here we review the current HDAC inhibitors in the clinic and under development; the literature evidence supporting the renoprotective effects of HDAC inhibitors in experimental diabetic kidney disease; and the adverse effect profiles that may prevent existing therapies from entering the clinic for this indication. Whereas recent research efforts have shed light on the fundamental actions of HDACs in the diabetic kidney, whether these efforts will translate into novel therapies for patients will require more specific and better-tolerated therapies.
Grape Seed Proanthocyanidins Improve White Adipose Tissue Expansion during Diet-Induced Obesity Development in Rats
Authors: Pascual-Serrano Aïda , Bladé Cinta , Suárez Manuel , Arola-Arnal Anna
Published: September 2018

The development of metabolic complications associated with obesity has been correlated with a failure of white adipose tissue (WAT) to expand. Our group has previously reported that a 12-week administration of grape seed proanthocyanidin extract (GSPE) together with an obesogenic diet mitigated the development of cardiometabolic complications in rats. Using the same cohort of animals, we aim to elucidate whether the prevention of cardiometabolic complications by proanthocyanidins is produced by a healthier expansion of visceral WAT and/or an induction of the browning of WAT. For this, adipocyte size and number in retroperitoneal WAT (rWAT) were determined by histological analyses, and the gene expression levels of markers of adipogenesis, browning, and WAT functionality were quantified by RT-qPCR. The long-term administration of GSPE together with an obesogenic diet expanded rWAT via an increase in the adipocyte number and a preventive decrease in the adipocyte size in a dose-dependent manner. At the molecular level, GSPE seems to induce WAT adipogenesis through the upregulation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (Pparγ) in a Sirtuin 1 (Sirt1)-dependent manner. In conclusion, the healthier visceral WAT expansion induced by proanthocyanidins supplementation may explain the improvement in the cardiometabolic risks associated with obesogenic diets.
Serum and Hepatic Autofluorescence as a Real-Time Diagnostic Tool for Early Cholestasis Assessment
Authors: Croce Anna C. , Bottiroli Giovanni , Di Pasqua Laura G. , Berardo Clarissa , Siciliano Veronica , Rizzo Vittoria , Vairetti Mariapia , Ferrigno Andrea
Published: September 2018

While it is well established that various factors can impair the production and flow of bile and lead to cholestatic disease in hepatic and extrahepatic sites, an enhanced assessment of the biomarkers of the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms is still needed to improve early diagnosis and therapeutic strategies. Hence, we investigated fluorescing endogenous biomolecules as possible intrinsic biomarkers of molecular and cellular changes in cholestasis. Spectroscopic autofluorescence (AF) analysis was performed using a fiber optic probe (366 nm excitation), under living conditions and in serum, on the livers of male Wistar rats submitted to bile duct ligation (BDL, 24, 48, and 72 h). Biomarkers of liver injury were assayed biochemically. In the serum, AF analysis distinctly detected increased bilirubin at 24 h BDL. A continuous, significant increase in red-fluorescing porphyrin derivatives indicated the subversion of heme metabolism, consistent with an almost twofold increase in the serum iron at 72 h BDL. In the liver, changes in the AF of NAD(P)H and flavins, as well as lipopigments, indicated the impairment of mitochondrial functionality, oxidative stress, and the accumulation of oxidative products. A serum/hepatic AF profile can be thus proposed as a supportive diagnostic tool for the in situ, real-time study of bio-metabolic alterations in bile duct ligation (BDL) in experimental hepatology, with the potential to eventually translate to clinical diagnosis.
Molecular and Physio-Biochemical Characterization of Cotton Species for Assessing Drought Stress Tolerance
Authors: Hasan Md Mosfeq-Ul , Ma Fanglu , Prodhan Zakaria Hossain , Li Feng , Shen Hao , Chen Yadong , Wang Xuede
Published: September 2018

Drought stress significantly limits cotton growth and production due to the necessity of water at every stage of crop growth. Hence, it is essential to identify tolerant genetic resources and understand the mechanisms of drought tolerance in economically and socially important plants such as cotton. In this study, molecular and physio-biochemical investigations were conducted by analyzing different parameters by following standard protocols in three different cotton species, namely TM-1 (Gossypium hirsutum), Zhongmian-16 (Gossypium arboreum), and Pima4-S (Gossypium barbadense). Drought stress significantly decreased plant growth, chlorophyll content, net photosynthetic rate (Pn), stomatal conductance (Gs), maximum photochemical efficiency of PSII (Fv/Fm), and relative water content. TM-1 resulted in more tolerance than the other two species. The accumulation of proline, soluble proteins, soluble sugars, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and superoxide radicals (O2•−) increased significantly in TM-1. In addition, TM-1 maintained the integrity of the chloroplast structure under drought conditions. The relative expression level of drought-responsive genes including coding for transcription factors and other regulatory proteins or enzymes controlling genes (ERF, ERFB, DREB, WRKY6, ZFP1, FeSOD, CuZnSOD, MAPKKK17, P5CR, and PRP5) were higher in TM-1 under drought, conferring a more tolerant status than in Zhongmian-16 and Pima4-S. The findings of this research could be utilized for predicting a tolerant cotton genotype as well as evaluating prospective cotton species in the variety development program.
Bradykinin B2 Receptor Contributes to Inflammatory Responses in Human Endothelial Cells by the Transactivation of the Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor FGFR-1
Authors: Terzuoli Erika , Corti Federico , Nannelli Ginevra , Giachetti Antonio , Donnini Sandra , Ziche Marina
Published: September 2018

Elevated levels of bradykinin (BK) and fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of inflammatory and angiogenic disorders. In angiogenesis, both stimuli induce a pro-inflammatory signature in endothelial cells, activating an autocrine/paracrine amplification loop that sustains the neovascularization process. Here we investigated the contribution of the FGF-2 pathway in the BK-mediated human endothelial cell permeability and migration, and the role of the B2 receptor (B2R) of BK in this cross-talk. BK (1 µM) upregulated the FGF-2 expression and promoted the FGF-2 signaling, both in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) and in retinal capillary endothelial cells (HREC) by the activation of Fibroblast growth factor receptor-1 (FGFR-1) and its downstream signaling (fibroblast growth factor receptor substrate: FRSα, extracellular signal–regulated kinases1/2: ERK1/2, and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3: STAT3 phosphorylation). FGFR-1 phosphorylation triggered by BK was c-Src mediated and independent from FGF-2 upregulation. Either HUVEC and HREC exposed to BK showed increased permeability, disassembly of adherens and tight-junction, and increased cell migration. B2R blockade by the selective antagonist, fasitibant, significantly inhibited FGF-2/FGFR-1 signaling, and in turn, BK-mediated endothelial cell permeability and migration. Similarly, the FGFR-1 inhibitor, SU5402, and the knock-down of the receptor prevented the BK/B2R inflammatory response in endothelial cells. In conclusion, this work demonstrates the existence of a BK/B2R/FGFR-1/FGF-2 axis in endothelial cells that might be implicated in propagation of angiogenic/inflammatory responses. A B2R blockade, by abolishing the initial BK stimulus, strongly attenuated FGFR-1-driven cell permeability and migration.
Noise Analysis of Monolayer Graphene Nanopores
Authors: Zhang Zi-Yin , Deng Yun-Sheng , Tian Hai-Bing , Yan Han , Cui Hong-Liang , Wang De-Qiang
Published: September 2018

Graphene-based nanopore devices have shown tantalizing potential in single molecule detection for their monoatomic membrane thickness which is roughly equal to the gap between nucleobases. However, high noise level hampers applications of graphene nanopore sensors, especially at low frequencies. In this article, we report on a study of the contribution of suspended graphene area to noise level in full frequency band. Monolayer graphene films are transferred onto SiNx substrates preset with holes in varied diameters and formed self-supported films. After that, the films are perforated with smaller, nanoscale holes. Experimental studies indicate a dependency of low-frequency 1/f noise on the underlying SiNx geometry. The contribution of the suspended graphene area to capacitance which affects the noise level in the high frequency range reveals that the graphene free-standing film area influences noise level over a wide frequency region. In addition, the low-frequency noise demonstrates a weak dependency on salt concentration, in deviation from Hooge’s relation. These findings and attendant analysis provide a systematic understanding of the noise characteristics and can serve as a guide to designing free-standing monolayer graphene nanopore devices.
Chemical Identification of Isoflavonoids from a Termite-Associated Streptomyces sp. RB1 and Their Neuroprotective Effects in Murine Hippocampal HT22 Cell Line
Authors: Lee Seoung Rak , Song Ji Hoon , Song Jae-Hyoung , Ko Hyun-Jeong , Baek Ji Yun , Trinh Tuy An , Beemelmanns Christine , Yamabe Noriko , Kim Ki Hyun
Published: September 2018

Insect-associated bacteria have been recognized as a very promising natural resource for discovering bioactive secondary metabolites with diverse pharmacological effects. One new isoflavonoid glycoside, termisoflavone D (1), together with seven known isoflavonoids (2–8), were identified from MeOH extracts of the fungus-growing termite-associated Streptomyces sp. RB1. The chemical structure of the new compound 1 was elucidated using comprehensive spectroscopic methods including 1D and 2D NMR, along with LC/MS analysis. The existence of two rhamnose moieties in 1 was determined with comparative NMR analysis, and the absolute configuration was elucidated using chemical reactions. The neuroprotective activities of compounds 1–8 were thoroughly investigated using the murine hippocampal HT22 cell line. Compound 5 prevented glutamate-induced HT22 cell death by blocking intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation. The present study provides the first experimental evidence for the potential use of isoflavonoids from termite-associated bacteria as lead compounds that can prevent neuronal damage induced by glutamate.
Myosin Head Configurations in Resting and Contracting Murine Skeletal Muscle
Authors: Ma Weikang , Gong Henry , Irving Thomas
Published: September 2018

Transgenic mouse models have been important tools for studying the relationship of genotype to phenotype for human diseases, including those of skeletal muscle. We show that mouse skeletal muscle can produce high quality X-ray diffraction patterns establishing the mouse intact skeletal muscle X-ray preparation as a potentially powerful tool to test structural hypotheses in health and disease. A notable feature of the mouse model system is the presence of residual myosin layer line intensities in contracting mouse muscle patterns. This provides an additional tool, along with the I1,1/I1,0 intensity ratio, for estimating the proportions of active versus relaxed myosin heads under a given set of conditions that can be used to characterize a given physiological condition or mutant muscle type. We also show that analysis of the myosin layer line intensity distribution, including derivation of the myosin head radius, Rm, may be used to study the role of the super-relaxed state in myosin regulation. When the myosin inhibitor blebbistatin is used to inhibit force production, there is a shift towards a highly quasi-helically ordered configuration that is distinct from the normal resting state, indicating there are more than one helically ordered configuration for resting crossbridges.
Role of Ttca of Citrobacter Werkmanii in Bacterial Growth, Biocides Resistance, Biofilm Formation and Swimming Motility
Authors: Zhou Gang , Wang Ying-Si , Peng Hong , Huang Xiao-Mo , Xie Xiao-Bao , Shi Qing-Shan
Published: September 2018

To screen, identify and study the genes involved in isothiazolone resistance and biofilm formation in Citrobacter werkmanii strain BF-6. A Tn5 transposon library of approximately 900 mutants of C. werkmanii strain BF-6 was generated and screened to isolate 1,2-benzisothiazolin-3-one (BIT) resistant strains. In addition, the tRNA 2-thiocytidine (32) synthetase gene (ttcA) was deleted through homologous recombination and the resulting phenotypic changes of the ΔttcA mutant were studied. A total of 3 genes were successfully identified, among which ΔttcA mutant exhibited a reduction in growth rate and swimming motility. On the other hand, an increase in biofilms formation in ΔttcA were observed but not with a significant resistance enhancement to BIT. This work, for the first time, highlights the role of ttcA gene of C. werkmanii strain BF-6 in BIT resistance and biofilm formation.
Low Infection of Phelipanche aegyptiaca in Micro-Tom Mutants Deficient in CAROTENOID CLEAVAGE DIOXYGENASE 8
Authors: Hasegawa Shoko , Tsutsumi Takuya , Fukushima Shunsuke , Okabe Yoshihiro , Saito Junna , Katayama Mina , Shindo Masato , Yamada Yusuke , Shimomura Koichiro , Yoneyama Kaori , Akiyama Kohki , Aoki Koh , Ariizumi Tohru , Ezura Hiroshi , Yamaguchi Shinjiro , Umehara Mikihisa
Published: September 2018

Strigolactones (SLs), a group of plant hormones, induce germination of root-parasitic plants and inhibit shoot branching in many plants. Shoot branching is an important trait that affects the number and quality of flowers and fruits. Root-parasitic plants, such as Phelipanche spp., infect tomato roots and cause economic damage in Europe and North Africa—hence why resistant tomato cultivars are needed. In this study, we found carotenoid cleavage dioxygenase 8-defective mutants of Micro-Tom tomato (slccd8) by the “targeting induced local lesions in genomes” (TILLING) method. The mutants showed excess branching, which was suppressed by exogenously applied SL. Grafting shoot scions of the slccd8 mutants onto wild-type (WT) rootstocks restored normal branching in the scions. The levels of endogenous orobanchol and solanacol in WT were enough detectable, whereas that in the slccd8 mutants were below the detection limit of quantification analysis. Accordingly, root exudates of the slccd8 mutants hardly stimulated seed germination of root parasitic plants. In addition, SL deficiency did not critically affect the fruit traits of Micro-Tom. Using a rhizotron system, we also found that Phelipanche aegyptiaca infection was lower in the slccd8 mutants than in wild-type Micro-Tom because of the low germination. We propose that the slccd8 mutants might be useful as new tomato lines resistant to P. aegyptiaca.
Mechanism of Lakoochin A Inducing Apoptosis of A375.S2 Melanoma Cells through Mitochondrial ROS and MAPKs Pathway
Authors: Peng Kuo-Ti , Chiang Yao-Chang , Ko Horng-Huey , Chi Pei-Ling , Tsai Chia-Lan , Ko Ming-I , Lee Ming-Hsueh , Hsu Lee-Fen , Lee Chiang-Wen
Published: September 2018

Malignant melanoma is developed from pigment-containing cells, melanocytes, and primarily found on the skin. Malignant melanoma still has a high mortality rate, which may imply a lack of therapeutic agents. Lakoochin A, a compound isolated from Artocarpus lakoocha and Artocarpus xanthocarpus, has an inhibitory function of tyrosinase activity and melanin production, but the anti-cancer effects are still unclear. In the current study, the therapeutic effects of lakoochin A with their apoptosis functions and possible mechanisms were investigated on A375.S2 melanoma cells. Several methods were applied, including 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5- diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT), flow cytometry, and immunoblotting. Results suggest that lakoochin A attenuated the growth of A375.S2 melanoma cells through an apoptosis mechanism. Lakoochin A first increase the production of cellular and mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROSs); mitochondrial ROSs then promote mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) pathway activation and raise downstream apoptosis-related protein and caspase expression. This is the first study to demonstrate that lakoochin A, through ROS-MAPK, apoptosis-related proteins, caspases cascades, can induce melanoma cell apoptosis and may be a potential candidate compound for treating malignant melanoma.
Identification of Putative Novel Class-I Lanthipeptides in Firmicutes: A Combinatorial In Silico Analysis Approach Performed on Genome Sequenced Bacteria and a Close Inspection of Z-Geobacillin Lanthipeptide Biosynthesis Gene Cluster of the Thermophilic Geobacillus sp. Strain ZGt-1
Authors: Alkhalili Rawana N. , Canbäck Björn
Published: September 2018

Lanthipeptides are ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified polycyclic peptides. Lanthipeptides that have antimicrobial activity are known as lantibiotics. Accordingly, the discovery of novel lantibiotics constitutes a possible solution for the problem of antibiotic resistance. We utilized the publicly available genome sequences and the bioinformatic tools tailored for the detection of lanthipeptides. We designed our strategy for screening of 252 firmicute genomes and detecting class-I lanthipeptide-coding gene clusters. The designed strategy resulted in identifying 69 class-I lanthipeptide sequences, of which more than 10% were putative novel. The identified putative novel lanthipeptides have not been annotated on the original or the RefSeq genomes, or have been annotated merely as coding for hypothetical proteins. Additionally, we identified bacterial strains that have not been previously recognized as lanthipeptide-producers. Moreover, we suggest corrections for certain firmicute genome annotations, and recommend lanthipeptide records for enriching the bacteriocin genome mining tool (BAGEL) databases. Furthermore, we propose Z-geobacillin, a putative class-I lanthipeptide coded on the genome of the thermophilic strain Geobacillus sp. ZGt-1. We provide lists of putative novel lanthipeptide sequences and of the previously unrecognized lanthipeptide-producing bacterial strains, so they can be prioritized for experimental investigation. Our results are expected to benefit researchers interested in the in vitro production of lanthipeptides.
The Thomsen-Friedenreich Antigen: A Highly Sensitive and Specific Predictor of Microsatellite Instability in Gastric Cancer
Authors: Mereiter Stefan , Polom Karol , Williams Coralie , Polonia Antonio , Guergova-Kuras Mariana , Karlsson Niclas G. , Roviello Franco , Magalhães Ana , Reis Celso A.
Published: September 2018

Microsatellite instability (MSI) is a distinct molecular subtype of gastric cancer. In recent years, the clinical consequences of MSI and the therapeutic opportunities to target this peculiar cancer subtype became evident. However, despite the importance of MSI for the stratification of patients, the time and resources required for diagnosis still present an obstacle. In an attempt to identify a new marker for MSI in gastric cancer, we evaluated the expression of five cancer-associated glycan epitopes in a cohort of 13 MSI and 17 microsatellite stable (MSS) cases. Our analysis revealed a highly significant (p < 0.001) association between the expression of the Thomsen-Friedenreich (TF) antigen and MSI status. Hence, we present here the identification of the first single marker for MSI in gastric cancer, excelling with a specificity of 94% (16/17), sensitivity of 69.2% (9/13), negative predictive value of 80% (16/20), and positive predictive value of 90% (9/10). The TF antigen, detected by simple antibody-based assays, is highly specific for carcinoma being undetectable in gastric healthy and premalignant epithelia. This finding lays the basis for new studies and holds promise in improving the rapid identification of MSI in the clinical setting.
Adaptive Multi-Scale Entropy Fusion De-Hazing Based on Fractional Order
Authors: Nnolim Uche A.
Published: September 2018

This paper describes a proposed fractional filter-based multi-scale underwater and hazy image enhancement algorithm. The proposed system combines a modified global contrast operator with fractional order-based multi-scale filters used to generate several images, which are fused based on entropy and standard deviation. The multi-scale-global enhancement technique enables fully adaptive and controlled color correction and contrast enhancement without over exposure of highlights when processing hazy and underwater images. This in addition to the illumination/reflectance estimation coupled with global and local contrast enhancement. The proposed algorithm is also compared with the most recent available state-of-the-art multi-scale fusion de-hazing algorithm. Experimental comparisons indicate that the proposed approach yields a better edge and contrast enhancement results without a halo effect, without color degradation, and is faster and more adaptive than all other algorithms from the literature.
A Metabolomics Approach to Pharmacotherapy Personalization
Authors: Balashova Elena E. , Maslov Dmitry L. , Lokhov Petr G.
Published: September 2018

The optimization of drug therapy according to the personal characteristics of patients is a perspective direction in modern medicine. One of the possible ways to achieve such personalization is through the application of “omics” technologies, including current, promising metabolomics methods. This review demonstrates that the analysis of pre-dose metabolite biofluid profiles allows clinicians to predict the effectiveness of a selected drug treatment for a given individual. In the review, it is also shown that the monitoring of post-dose metabolite profiles could allow clinicians to evaluate drug efficiency, the reaction of the host to the treatment, and the outcome of the therapy. A comparative description of pharmacotherapy personalization (pharmacogenomics, pharmacoproteomics, and therapeutic drug monitoring) and personalization based on the analysis of metabolite profiles for biofluids (pharmacometabolomics) is also provided.
Risk, Return and Volatility Feedback: A Bayesian Nonparametric Analysis
Authors: Jensen Mark J. , Maheu John M.
Published: September 2018

In this paper, we let the data speak for itself about the existence of volatility feedback and the often debated risk–return relationship. We do this by modeling the contemporaneous relationship between market excess returns and log-realized variances with a nonparametric, infinitely-ordered, mixture representation of the observables’ joint distribution. Our nonparametric estimator allows for deviation from conditional Gaussianity through non-zero, higher ordered, moments, like asymmetric, fat-tailed behavior, along with smooth, nonlinear, risk–return relationships. We use the parsimonious and relatively uninformative Bayesian Dirichlet process prior to overcoming the problem of having too many unknowns and not enough observations. Applying our Bayesian nonparametric model to more than a century’s worth of monthly US stock market returns and realized variances, we find strong, robust evidence of volatility feedback. Once volatility feedback is accounted for, we find an unambiguous positive, nonlinear, relationship between expected excess returns and expected log-realized variance. In addition to the conditional mean, volatility feedback impacts the entire joint distribution.
Biodiversity and Abundance of Cultured Microfungi from the Permanently Ice-Covered Lake Fryxell, Antarctica
Authors: Connell Laurie , Segee Benjamin , Redman Regina , Rodriguez Russell J. , Staudigel Hubert
Published: September 2018

In this work, we explore the biodiversity of culturable microfungi from the water column of a permanently ice-covered lake in Taylor Valley, Antarctica from austral field seasons in 2003, 2008 and 2010, as well as from glacial stream input (2010). The results revealed that there was a sharp decline in total culturable fungal abundance between 9 and 11 m lake depth with a concurrent shift in diversity. A total of 29 species were identified from all three water sources with near even distribution between Ascomycota and Basidomycota (15 and 14 respectively). The most abundant taxa isolated from Lake Fryxell in 2008 were Glaciozyma watsonii (59%) followed by Penicillium spp. (10%), both of which were restricted to 9 m and above. Although seven species were found below the chemocline of 11 m in 2008, their abundance comprised only 10% of the total culturable fungi. The taxa of isolates collected from glacial source input streams had little overlap with those found in Lake Fryxell. The results highlight the spatial discontinuities of fungal populations that can occur within connected oligotrophic aquatic habitats.
A Novel Fluorescent Biosensor for Adenosine Triphosphate Detection Based on a Metal–Organic Framework Coating Polydopamine Layer
Authors: Xu Peipei , Liao Guangfu
Published: September 2018

In this work, a novel and sensitive fluorescent biosensor based on polydopamine coated Zr-based metal–organic framework (PDA/UiO-66) is presented for adenosine triphosphate (ATP) detection. This PDA/UiO-66 nanoparticle which holds a great potential to be excellent fluorescence quencher can protect the 6-carboxyfluorescein (FAM)-labeled probe from cleaved by DNase I dispersed in solution and the flurescence of labeled FAM is quenched. When ATP molecules exist, aptamers on the PDA/UiO-66 nanoparticles can hybridize with ATP molecule to form complex structure that will be desorbed from the PDA/UiO-66 and digested by DNase I. After that, the released ATP molecule can react with another aptamer on the PDA/UiO-66 complexes, then restarts a new cycle. Herein, the excellent strong fluorescence quenching ability and uploading more amount of aptamer probes of PDA/UiO-66 composites make them efficient biosensors, leading to a high sensitivity with detection limit of 35 nM. Compared with ATP detection directly by UiO-66-based method, the LOD is about 5.7 times higher with PDA/UiO-66 nanoparticle. Moreover, the enhanced biocompatibility and bioactivity with PDA layer of the composites render a proposed strategy for clinical diagnosis field of detecting small biological molecules in vivo in the future.
Correction: Granbohm, H, et al. Control of the Size of Silver Nanoparticles and Release of Silver in Heat Treated SiO2-Ag Composite Powders. Materials 2018, 11, 80
Authors: Granbohm Henrika , Larismaa Juha , Ali Saima , Johansson Leena-Sisko , Hannula Simo-Pekka
Published: September 2018

In the published article “Control of the Size of Silver Nanoparticles and Release of Silver in Heat Treated SiO2-Ag Composite Powders” [1] a reference was omitted in the caption of Figure 4b. [...]
Plasma Electrolytic Oxidation of Magnesium Alloy AZ31B in Electrolyte Containing Al2O3 Sol as Additives
Authors: Tu Xiaohua , Miao Chengping , Zhang Yang , Xu Yaling , Li Jiayou
Published: September 2018

Plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) coatings were produced on AZ31B magnesium alloys in alkaline electrolytes with the addition of various concentrations of Al2O3 sols. Effects of Al2O3 sol concentrations on the microstructure, phase composition, corrosion resistance and hardness of PEO coatings were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), microhardness testing and potentiodynamic polarization measurements, respectively. It was revealed that the Al2O3 sol mostly participated in the formation of the ceramic coating and transferred into the MgAl2O4 phase. With the increase of the Al2O3 sol concentration in the range of 0–6 vol%, the coating performance in terms of the microstructure, diffraction peak intensity of the MgAl2O4 phase, corrosion resistance and microhardness was improved. Further increase of Al2O3 sol addition did not generate better results. This indicated that 6 vol% might be the proper Al2O3 sol concentration for the formation of PEO coatings.
ZnO/ZnAl2O4 Nanocomposite with 3D Sphere-Like Hierarchical Structure for Photocatalytic Reduction of Aqueous Cr(VI)
Authors: Yuan Xiaoya , Cheng Xin , Jing Qiuye , Niu Jiawei , Peng Dong , Feng Zijuan , Wu Xue
Published: September 2018

Three dimensional (3D) ZnO/ZnAl2O4 nanocomposites (ZnnAl-MMO) were synthesized by a simple urea-assisted hydrothermal process and subsequent high-temperature calcination. The as-prepared samples and their precursors were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), and Photoluminescence spectra (PL). It was observed that the morphology of ZnnAl-MMO nanocomposites could be tuned from cubic aggregates, hierarchically flower-like spheres to porous microspheres by simply changing the molar ratio of metal cations of the starting reaction mixtures. The photocatalytic performance of ZnO/ZnAl2O4 nanocomposites in the photoreduction of aqueous Cr(VI) indicated that the as-prepared 3D hierarchical sphere-like ZnnAl-MMO nanocomposite showed excellent photocatalytic activity of Cr(VI) reduction under UV light irradiation. The results indicated that the maximum removal percentage of aqueous Cr(VI) was 98% within four hours at 10 mg/L initial concentration of Cr(VI), owing to the effective charge separation and diversion of photogenerated carriers across the heterojunction interface of the composite. Our study put forward a facile method to fabricate hierarchical ZnO/ZnAl2O4 composites with potential applications for wastewater treatment.
Efficiency Enhancement of Perovskite Solar Cells with Plasmonic Nanoparticles: A Simulation Study
Authors: Hajjiah Ali , Kandas Ishac , Shehata Nader
Published: September 2018

Recently, hybrid organic-inorganic perovskites have been extensively studied due to their promising optical properties with relatively low-cost and simple processing. However, the perovskite solar cells have some low optical absorption in the visible spectrum, especially around the red region. In this paper, an improvement of perovskite solar cell efficiency is studied via simulations through adding plasmonic nanoparticles (NPs) at the rear side of the solar cell. The plasmonic resonance wavelength is selected to be very close to the spectrum range of lower absorption of the perovskite: around 600 nm. Both gold and silver nanoparticles (Au and Ag NPs) are selected to introduce the plasmonic effect with diameters above 40 nm, to get an overlap between the plasmonic resonance spectrum and the requested lower absorption spectrum of the perovskite layer. Simulations show the increase in the short circuit current density (Jsc) as a result of adding Au and Ag NPs, respectively. Enhancement in Jsc is observed as the diameter of both Au and Ag NPs is increased beyond 40 nm. Furthermore, there is a slight increase in the reflection loss as the thickness of the plasmonic nanoparticles at the rear side of the solar cell is increased. A significant decrease in the current loss due to transmission is achieved as the size of the nanoparticles increases. As a comparison, slightly higher enhancement in external quantum efficiency (EQE) can be achieved in case of adding Ag NPs rather than Au NPs.
Fabrication of Mo-Doped WO3 Nanorod Arrays on FTO Substrate with Enhanced Electrochromic Properties
Authors: Wang Bao , Man Wenkuan , Yu Haiyang , Li Yang , Zheng Feng
Published: September 2018

Well-oriented and crystalline WO3 nanorod arrays (WNRAs) decorated with Mo were synthesized on fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) substrate by the hydrothermal method. The effects of Mo doping, hydrothermal reaction time, and hydrothermal temperature on the morphologies and electrochromic properties of as-prepared WNRAs were studied thoroughly. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and chronoamperometry techniques were used to characterize the structures and properties of obtained WNRAs. The results demonstrate that the average diameter of the as-prepared WNRAs ranged from 30 to 70 nm. During the decoration of Mo on the WNRAs, the growth density of as-prepared WNRAs decreased and the surfaces became rough. However, the decorated Mo on WNRAs synthesized at 180 °C for 5 h with a Mo/W mole ratio of 1:40 exhibited better electrochromic properties than single WNRAs. They exhibited high optical modulation (61.7%), fast bleaching/coloring response times (3 s/9 s), high coloration efficiency values (73.1 cm2/C), and good cycling stability.
Evaluation of the Surrounding Ring of Two Different Extra-Short Implant Designs in Crestal Bone Maintanence: A Histologic Study in Dogs
Authors: Calvo-Guirado José Luis , Morales-Meléndez Hilde , Pérez-Albacete Martínez Carlos , Morales-Schwarz David , Kolerman Roni , Fernández-Domínguez Manuel , Gehrke Sérgio Alexandre , Maté-Sánchez de Val José Eduardo
Published: September 2018

The aim of this study was to compare the implant stability and bone resorption and formation of two different extra-short implant designs with different diameter rings placed in a dog´s maxilla. Thirty-six extra-short, 5 mm diameter × 4 mm length (Short DM®, Bioner Sistemas Implantológicos, Barcelona, Spain), delayed implants were placed in each hemimaxilla of six dogs at the bone crest level. Eighteen implants of each design (wide and narrow ring) were installed. After 8 and 12 weeks of healing, histomorphometric analyses of the specimens were carried out to measure the crestal bone level values and the tissue thickness around the wide and narrow ring implant designs. In the microscopic analysis, less buccal bone resorption was observed in the narrow ring implants with a statistical significance (p < 0.001). For the peri-implant tissue thickness, the distance from the implant shoulder to the external portion of the epithelium was significantly higher for the implants installed with a wide ring with statistical significance (p < 0.001). Our findings suggest that the amount of peri-implant tissues (crestal bone loss) after remodeling over a period of 12 weeks was smaller in the narrow ring extra-short implant installed in the healed maxilla, compared with the wide ring extra-short implants.