bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Embodied Meaning in Hegel and Merleau-Ponty
Authors: Ciavatta David
Published: January 2017

In this paper it is argued that the conceptions of embodied meaning and of intuition that Hegel appeals to in the Aesthetics anticipate some of Merleau-Ponty’s insights concerning the distinctive character of pre-conceptual, sensuous forms of meaning. It is argued that, for Hegel, our aesthetic experience of the beautiful is such that we cannot readily differentiate in it the purportedly distinct roles that sensation and thought play, and so that the account of sensuous intuition operative here differs from the one appealed to in more familiar, ‘intellectualist’ conceptions that are premised upon our being able to make such a distinction. Some of Merleau-Ponty’s phenomenological insights are brought to bear to help support and illuminate some of the implications of Hegel’s conception of such sensuously embodied meaning.
REFLECTION OF STATIONARY SETS AND THE TREE PROPERTY AT THE SUCCESSOR OF A SINGULAR CARDINAL
Authors: FONTANELLA LAURA , MAGIDOR MENACHEM
Published: January 2017

We show that from infinitely many supercompact cardinals one can force a model of ZFC where both the tree property and the stationary reflection hold at אω2+1.
An-3 PUFA depletion applied to rainbow trout fry (Oncorhynchus mykiss) does not modulate its subsequent lipid bioconversion capacity
Authors: Mellery Julie , Brel Jonathan , Dort Junio , Geay Florian , Kestemont Patrick , Francis David S. , Larondelle Yvan , Rollin Xavier
Published: January 2017

Nutritional strategies are currently developed to produce farmed fish rich inn-3 long-chain PUFA (LC-PUFA) whilst replacing fish oil by plant-derived oils in aquafeeds. The optimisation of such strategies requires a thorough understanding of fish lipid metabolism and its nutritional modulation. The present study evaluated the fatty acid bioconversion capacity of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) fry previously depleted inn-3 PUFA through a 60-d pre-experimental feeding period with a sunflower oil-based diet (SO) followed by a 36-d experimental period during which fish were fed either a linseed oil-based diet (LO) (this treatment being called SO/LO) or a fish oil-based diet (FO) (this treatment being called SO/FO). These treatments were compared with fish continuously fed on SO, LO or FO for 96 d. At the end of the 36-d experimental period, SO/LO and SO/FO fish recovered >80 % of then-3 LC-PUFA reported for LO and FO fish, respectively. Fish fed on LO showed high apparentin vivoelongation and desaturation activities along then-3 biosynthesis pathway. However, at the end of the experimental period, no impact of the fishn-3 PUFA depletion was observed on apparentin vivoelongation and desaturation activities of SO/LO fish as compared with LO fish. In contrast, the fishn-3 PUFA depletion negatively modulated then-6 PUFA bioconversion capacity of fish in terms of reduced apparentin vivoelongation and desaturation activities. The effects were similar after 10 or 36 d of the experimental period, indicating the absence of short-term effects.
The Doyle–Saleh blink reflex
Authors: Doyle P W , Beegun I , Saleh H A
Published: January 2017

Objectives:

When performing septoplasty or septorhinoplasty, we have observed that patients blink on injection of local anaesthetic (lidocaine 1 per cent with adrenaline 1:80 000) into the nasal mucosa of the anterior septum or vestibular skin, despite appropriate general anaesthesia. This study sought to quantify this phenomenon by conducting a prospective audit of all patients undergoing septoplasty or septorhinoplasty.

Methods:

Patients were observed for a blink reflex at the time of local anaesthetic infiltration into the nasal vestibule. Also measured at this point were propofol target-controlled infusion levels, remifentanil rate, bispectral index, blood pressure, heart rate, pupil size and position, and patient movement.

Results:

There were 15 blink reflexes in the 30 patients observed. The average bispectral index value was 32.75 (range, 22–50) in the blink group and 26.77 (range, 18–49) in the non-blink group. No patients moved on local anaesthetic injection.

Conclusion:

The blink reflex appears to occur in 50 per cent of patients, despite a deep level of anaesthesia. Without an understanding and appreciation of the blink reflex, this event may result in a request to deepen anaesthesia, but this is not necessary and surgery can proceed safely.
PORT WINE, BRAZIL AND THE WORLD ECONOMY: A TIME SERIES ANALYSIS FROM 1756 TO BRAZILIAN INDEPENDENCE
Authors: Mourão Paulo Reis
Published: January 2017

The Douro Wine Company was one of the most emblematic mercantilist companies promoted by the Marquis of Pombal. It was established in 1756 and has played an unquestionably important role in the Port wine market since then. Port wine exports to Brazil were significantly lower than exports to England over time. Generally, the oscillation of Port wine exports to Brazil has been explained by particular episodes in the Douro Wine Company’s business. Employing structural break analysis and vector of error correction models to analyse data between 1756 and 1826, we concluded that Port wine exports to Brazil were robustly explained by the monetary dimensions of the world economy of the time.
RARE EVENT ANALYSIS AND EFFICIENT SIMULATION FOR A MULTI-DIMENSIONAL RUIN PROBLEM
Authors: Cahen Ewan Jacov , Mandjes Michel , Zwart Bert
Published: January 2017

This paper focuses on the evaluation of the probability that both components of a bivariate stochastic process ever simultaneously exceed some large level; a leading example is that of two Markov fluid queues driven by the same background process ever reaching the set (u, ∞)×(u, ∞), for u>0. Exact analysis being prohibitive, we resort to asymptotic techniques and efficient simulation, focusing on large values of u. The first contribution concerns various expressions for the decay rate of the probability of interest, which are valid under Gärtner–Ellis-type conditions. The second contribution is an importance-sampling-based rare-event simulation technique for the bivariate Markov modulated fluid model, which is capable of asymptotically efficiently estimating the probability of interest; the efficiency of this procedure is assessed in a series of numerical experiments.
Observing iconic gestures enhances word learning in typically developing children and children with specific language impairment
Authors: VOGT SUSANNE , KAUSCHKE CHRISTINA
Published: January 2017

Research has shown that observing iconic gestures helps typically developing children (TD) and children with specific language impairment (SLI) learn new words. So far, studies mostly compared word learning with and without gestures. The present study investigated word learning under two gesture conditions in children with and without language impairment. Twenty children with SLI (age four), twenty age-matched TD children, and twenty language-matched TD children were taught words that were presented with either iconic or non-iconic gestures. Results showed that children of all groups benefited more successfully from observing iconic gestures for word learning. The iconic gesture advantage was similar across groups. Thus, observing iconic gestures prompts richer encoding and makes word learning more efficient in TD and language impaired children.
Small ruminant pasteurellosis in Tigray region, Ethiopia: marked serotype diversity may affect vaccine efficacy
Authors: BERHE K. , WELDESELASSIE G. , BETTRIDGE J. , CHRISTLEY R. M. , ABDI R. D.
Published: January 2017

The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalentBibersteinia, MannheimiaandPasteurellaserotypes, risk factors and degree of serotype co-infections in sheep and goats in the Tigray region of Ethiopia. Serum was collected from 384 sheep and goats from the Tanqua-Abergelle district of Tigray region using cross-sectional random sampling. An indirect haemagglutination test was used for serotyping. Risk factors for infections were evaluated by logistic regression. Potential clustering of multiple serotypes within individual animals due to common risk factors was evaluated by redundancy analysis. Eight serotypes were identified: all studied animals were serologically positive for at least one serotype. Overall, 355 (92·45%) of the animals were infected by four or more serotypes. Of the five risk factors studied, peasant association (PA), animal species, age (serotype A1), and bodyweight (serotype T15) were significantly associated with infection, but sex was not significant. Only PA explained a significant proportion of the variation (adjustedR2= 0·16) in the serological responses. After the effect of PA was accounted for, T3 and T4; A7 andPasteurella multocidaA; and A7 and T10 were positively correlated for co-infection, while T4 and T10 were less likely to be found within the same animal. Diverse serotypes were circulating in the Tigray region and could be a challenge in selecting serotypes for vaccine.
The Minimum Number of Triangular Edges and a Symmetrization Method for Multiple Graphs
Authors: FÜREDI ZOLTÁN , MALEKI ZEINAB
Published: January 2017

We give an asymptotic formula for the minimum number of edges contained in triangles among graphs with n vertices and e edges. Our main tool is a generalization of Zykov's symmetrization method that can be applied to several graphs simultaneously.
Abdominal obesity as a risk factor for disability in Brazilian older adults
Authors: Corona Ligiana Pires , Alexandre Tiago da Silva , Duarte Yeda Aparecida de Oliveira , Lebrão Maria Lúcia
Published: January 2017

Objective

To assess the role of abdominal obesity in the incidence of disability in older adults living in São Paulo, Brazil, in a 5-year period.

Design

Longitudinal study, part of the SABE Study (Health, Wellbeing and Aging). We assessed the disability incidence in the period (reported difficulty in at least one activity of daily living (ADL) in 2010) in relation to abdominal obesity in 2006 (waist circumference ≥102 cm in men and ≥88 cm in women). We used Poisson regression to evaluate the association between obesity and disability incidence, adjusting for sociodemographic and clinical factors including BMI.

Setting

São Paulo, Brazil.

Subjects

Older adults (n1109) who were independent in ADL in 2006. In 2010, 789 of these were located and re-interviewed.

Results

The crude disability incidence (at least one ADL) was 27·1/1000 person-years in the period. The incidence rate was two times higher in participants with abdominal obesity compared with those without (39·1/1000 and 19·4/1000 person-years, respectively;P<0·001). This pattern was observed in all BMI levels. In regression models, abdominal obesity remained associated with disability incidence (incidence rate ratio=1·90;P<0·03), even after controlling for BMI, gender, age, low grip strength, cognitive impairment, physical inactivity and chronic diseases.

Conclusions

Abdominal obesity was strong risk factor for disability, showing a more significant effect than BMI, and thus should be an intervention target for older adults. Waist measure is simple, cost-effective and easily interpreted, and therefore can be used in several settings to identify individuals at higher risk of disability.
Early life programming and the risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
Authors: Lynch C. , Chan C. S. , Drake A. J.
Published: January 2017

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is associated with obesity, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease and can be considered the hepatic manifestation of the metabolic syndrome. NAFLD represents a spectrum of disease, from the relatively benign simple steatosis to the more serious non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, which can progress to liver cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma and end-stage liver failure, necessitating liver transplantation. Although the increasing prevalence of NAFLD in developed countries has substantial implications for public health, many of the precise mechanisms accounting for the development and progression of NAFLD are unclear. The environment in early life is an important determinant of cardiovascular disease risk in later life and studies suggest this also extends to NAFLD. Here we review data from animal models and human studies which suggest that fetal and early life exposure to maternal under- and overnutrition, excess glucocorticoids and environmental pollutants may confer an increased susceptibility to NAFLD development and progression in offspring and that such effects may be sex-specific. We also consider studies aimed at identifying potential dietary and pharmacological interventions aimed at reducing this risk. We suggest that further human epidemiological studies are needed to ensure that data from animal models are relevant to human health.
Measuring adolescent mental health around the globe: psychometric properties of the self-report Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire in South Africa, and comparison with UK, Australian and Chinese data
Authors: de Vries P. J. , Davids E. L. , Mathews C. , Aarø L. E.
Published: January 2017

Aims.

This study evaluated the psychometric properties of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire Self-Report (SDQ-S) in South African adolescents, and compared findings with data from the UK, Australia and China.

Methods.

A sample of 3451 South African adolescents in grade 8, the first year of secondary school (Mage = 13.7 years), completed the SDQ-S in Afrikaans, English or isiXhosa. Means, group differences and internal consistency were analysed using SPSS V22, and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted using MPlus V7.

Results.

In the South African sample, significant gender differences were found for four of the five sub-scale means and for total difficulties, but gender differences of alpha scores were negligible. The internal consistency for the total difficulties, prosocial behaviour and emotional symptoms sub-scales were fair. UK cut-off values for caseness (set to identify the top 10% of scores in a UK sample) led to a higher proportion of South African adolescents classified in the ‘abnormal’ range on emotional and peer difficulties and a lower proportion classified in the ‘abnormal’ range for hyperactivity. South African cut-offs were therefore generated. The cross-country comparison with UK, Australian and Chinese data showed that South African adolescent boys and girls had the highest mean scores on total difficulties as well as on the subscales of emotional symptoms and conduct problems. In contrast, South African boys and girls had the lowest mean scores for hyperactivity/inattention. The UK boys and girls had the highest mean scores for hyperactivity/inattention, while the Australian sample had the highest scores for prosocial behaviours. The Chinese boys had the highest peer problem mean scores and Chinese boys and girls had the lowest means on prosocial behaviours. Confirmatory factor analyses showed significant item loadings with loadings higher than 0.40 for the emotional and prosocial behaviour sub-scales on the five-factor model, but not for all relevant items on the other three domains.

Conclusions.

Findings support the potential usefulness of the SDQ-S in a South African setting, but suggest that the SDQ-S should not be used with UK cut-off values, and indicate the need for further validation and standardisation work in South African adolescents. We recommend that in-country cut-offs for ‘caseness’ should be used for clinical purposes in South Africa, that cross-country comparisons should be made with caution, and that further examination of naturalistic clusters and factors of the SDQ should be performed in culturally and contextually diverse settings.
Wahres und Wissenswertes in der Sportpsychologie
Authors: Seiler Roland
Published: January 2017

Zusammenfassung. Ausgehend vom Zweifel, ob die stark zunehmende Zahl der Publikationen in den letzten Jahren der Sportpsychologie entsprechend bedeutende Erkenntnisgewinne gebracht hat, stellt sich die Frage, wie Qualität von Forschung bewertet und sichergestellt wird. Die heute verwendeten quantitativen Merkmale der Qualität von Zeitschriften und von Artikeln werden kritisch hinterfragt, da sie in erster Linie Zeichen der erzeugten Aufmerksamkeit sind. Insbesondere das Peer-Review-Verfahren weist vor dem Hintergrund einer konstruktivistischen Position einige Limitationen auf. Die Probleme manifestieren sich vor allem, wenn es darum geht, die Qualität von Forscherinnen und Forschern zu beurteilen. Damit dem wissenschaftlichen Nachwuchs die Möglichkeit offensteht, mehr Wert auf Qualität zu legen, statt im Wettbewerb um maximale Quantität mitzuspielen, sollten die Beurteilungsmaßstäbe verändert und insbesondere die Zahl zu berücksichtigender Publikationen strikt begrenzt werden.
Die „Vertrauenskrise“ der empirischen Sozialwissenschaften und deren Bedeutung für die Sportpsychologie
Authors: Dreiskämper Dennis
Published: January 2017

Zusammenfassung. Dieser Kommentar hat das Ziel, die gegenwärtige Diskussion zur „Vertrauenskrise in der empirischen Sozialforschung“ aus der Perspektive der Vertrauensforschung zu beleuchten. Hierfür soll das Vertrauensmodell von Mayer, Davis und Schoorman (1995) auf die gegenwärtige Problemstellung adaptiert werden. Hieraus soll abgeleitet werden, welche Vertrauenskonstellationen in der Wissenschaft bestehen und ob es sich generell um eine „Vertrauenskrise“ handelt. Die hieraus geschlussfolgerten Interpretationen sollen dann in mögliche Handlungskonsequenzen für die Wissenschaft überführt werden.
Die Vertrauenskrise empirischer Forschung in der Psychologie
Authors: Schweizer Geoffrey , Furley Philip
Published: January 2017

Zusammenfassung. Ziel des vorliegenden Artikels ist es darzustellen, warum aktuell eine Vertrauenskrise der psychologischen Forschung postuliert wird. Wir beschreiben die Anzeichen der Vertrauenskrise bevor wir uns ihren mutmaßlichen Ursachen zuwenden: Researcher Degrees of Freedom, kleine Stichprobengrößen, Analyse- und Publikationspraktiken. Zusammen genommen haben diese Faktoren Anlass gegeben, die Reproduzierbarkeit psychologischer Forschung anzuzweifeln. Anschließend präsentieren wir ausgewählte Vorschläge, wie die Reproduzierbarkeit psychologischer Forschung erhöht werden kann. Mit dem vorliegenden Artikel möchten wir zu einer Forschungskultur innerhalb der Sportpsychologie beitragen, die geprägt ist von Reproduzierbarkeit, Transparenz und Vertrauen.
A metastable liquid melted from a crystalline solid under decompression
Authors: Lin Chuanlong , Smith Jesse S. , Sinogeikin Stanislav V. , Kono Yoshio , Park Changyong , Kenney-Benson Curtis , Shen Guoyin
Published: January 2017

A metastable liquid may exist under supercooling, sustaining the liquid below the melting point such as supercooled water and silicon. It may also exist as a transient state in solid–solid transitions, as demonstrated in recent studies of colloidal particles and glass-forming metallic systems. One important question is whether a crystalline solid may directly melt into a sustainable metastable liquid. By thermal heating, a crystalline solid will always melt into a liquid above the melting point. Here we report that a high-pressure crystalline phase of bismuth can melt into a metastable liquid below the melting line through a decompression process. The decompression-induced metastable liquid can be maintained for hours in static conditions, and transform to crystalline phases when external perturbations, such as heating and cooling, are applied. It occurs in the pressure–temperature region similar to where the supercooled liquid Bi is observed. Akin to supercooled liquid, the pressure-induced metastable liquid may be more ubiquitous than we thought.
Dissecting cell-type-specific roles of androgen receptor in prostate homeostasis and regeneration through lineage tracing
Authors: Xie Qing , Liu Yueli , Cai Tao , Horton Corrigan , Stefanson Joshua , Wang Zhu A.
Published: January 2017

Androgen signals through androgen receptor (AR) to influence prostate development and cancer. How stromal and epithelial AR regulate prostate homeostasis remains unclear. Using genetic lineage tracing, we systematically investigated the role of cell-autonomous AR in different prostate epithelial cell types. Here we show that AR is dispensable for basal cell maintenance, but is cell-autonomously required for the luminal differentiation of rare basal stem cells. In contrast, AR deletion in luminal cells alters cell morphology and induces transient over-proliferation, without affecting androgen-mediated luminal cell survival or regeneration. However, AR is selectively required for the maintenance of daughter cells produced by castration-resistantNkx3.1-expressing luminal stem cells (CARNs). Notably, Pten loss can override AR-loss effects in both basal and luminal compartments to initiate tumours. Our data reveal distinct cell-type-specific roles of epithelial AR in orchestrating prostate homeostasis, and question the notion that epithelial AR serves as a tumour suppressor in early cancer initiation.
A potent neutralizing antibody with therapeutic potential against all four serotypes of dengue virus
Authors: Xu Meihui , Zuest Roland , Velumani Sumathy , Tukijan Farhana , Toh Ying Xiu , Appanna Ramapraba , Tan Ern Yu , Cerny Daniela , MacAry Paul , Wang Cheng-I , Fink Katja
Published: January 2017

A therapy for dengue is still elusive. We describe the neutralizing and protective capacity of a dengue serotype-cross-reactive antibody isolated from the plasmablasts of a patient. Antibody SIgN-3C neutralized all four dengue virus serotypes at nano to picomolar concentrations and significantly decreased viremia of all serotypes in adult mice when given 2 days after infection. Moreover, mice were protected from pathology and death from a lethal dengue virus-2 infection. To avoid potential Fc-mediated uptake of immune complexes and ensuing enhanced infection, we introduced a LALA mutation in the Fc part. SIgN-3C-LALA was as efficient as the non-modified antibody in neutralizing dengue virus and in protecting mice while antibody-dependent enhancement was completely abrogated. The epitope of the antibody includes conserved amino acids in all three domains of the glycoprotein, which can explain its cross-reactivity. SIgN-3C-LALA neutralizes dengue virus both pre and post-attachment to host cells. These attributes likely contribute to the remarkable protective capacity of SIgN-3C.
Correction: Corrigendum: Glass-on-Glass Fabrication of Bottle-Shaped Tunable Microlasers and their Applications
Authors: Ward Jonathan M. , Yang Yong , Chormaic Síle Nic
Published: January 2017

Scientific Reports 6: Article number: 25152; published online: 28 April 2016; updated: 23 January 2017 This Article contains an error in Figure 4b, which uses an inaccurate value for the glass thermo-optic coefficient. The thermo-optic coefficient stated in the Article is dn/dT = −21*10−7K−1, however the value stated by the manufacturer is dn/dT = −63*10−7K−1 (for 20–40 °C).
Developmental Expression of 4-Repeat-Tau Induces Neuronal Aneuploidy in Drosophila Tauopathy Models
Authors: Malmanche Nicolas , Dourlen Pierre , Gistelinck Marc , Demiautte Florie , Link Nichole , Dupont Cloé , Vanden Broeck Lies , Werkmeister Elisabeth , Amouyel Philippe , Bongiovanni Antonino , Bauderlique Hélène , Moechars Dieder , Royou Anne , Bellen Hugo J. , Lafont Frank , Callaerts Patrick , Lambert Jean-Charles , Dermaut Bart
Published: January 2017

Tau-mediated neurodegeneration in Alzheimer’s disease and tauopathies is generally assumed to start in a normally developed brain. However, several lines of evidence suggest that impaired Tau isoform expression during development could affect mitosis and ploidy in post-mitotic differentiated tissue. Interestingly, the relative expression levels of Tau isoforms containing either 3 (3R-Tau) or 4 repeats (4R-Tau) play an important role both during brain development and neurodegeneration. Here, we used genetic and cellular tools to study the link between 3R and 4R-Tau isoform expression, mitotic progression in neuronal progenitors and post-mitotic neuronal survival. Our results illustrated that the severity of Tau-induced adult phenotypes depends on 4R-Tau isoform expression during development. As recently described, we observed a mitotic delay in 4R-Tau expressing cells of larval eye discs and brains. Live imaging revealed that the spindle undergoes a cycle of collapse and recovery before proceeding to anaphase. Furthermore, we found a high level of aneuploidy in post-mitotic differentiated tissue. Finally, we showed that overexpression of wild type and mutant 4R-Tau isoform in neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cell lines is sufficient to induce monopolar spindles. Taken together, our results suggested that neurodegeneration could be in part linked to neuronal aneuploidy caused by 4R-Tau expression during brain development.
Erratum: Inhibition of the processing of miR-25 by HIPK2-Phosphorylated-MeCP2 induces NOX4 in early diabetic nephropathy
Authors: Oh Hyung Jung , Kato Mitsuo , Deshpande Supriya , Zhang Erli , Das Sadhan , Lanting Linda , Wang Mei , Natarajan Rama
Published: January 2017

Scientific Reports 6: Article number: 38789; published online: 12 December 2016; updated: 23 January 2017 The original version of this Article contained an error in the spelling of the author Sadhan Das which was incorrectly given as Das Sadhan. These errors have now been corrected in the PDF and HTML versions of the Article.
Correction: Corrigendum: The neural representation of competence traits: An fMRI study
Authors: Ma Ning , Wang Simin , Yang Quansen , Feng Tingyong , Overwalle Frank Van
Published: January 2017

Scientific Reports 6: Article number: 39609; published online: 20 December 2016; updated: 23 January 2017 This Article contains a typographical error in the Affiliation of the author Tingyong Feng. The correct affiliation is listed below: School of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.
Scattering Forces within a Left-Handed Photonic Crystal
Authors: Ang Angeleene S. , Sukhov Sergey V. , Dogariu Aristide , Shalin Alexander S.
Published: January 2017

Electromagnetic waves are known to exert optical forces on particles through radiation pressure. It was hypothesized previously that electromagnetic waves inside left-handed metamaterials produce negative radiation pressure. Here we numerically examine optical forces inside left-handed photonic crystals demonstrating negative refraction and reversed phase propagation. We demonstrate that even though the direction of force might not follow the flow of energy, the positive radiation pressure is maintained inside photonic crystals.
Luteolin improves cardiac dysfunction in heart failure rats by regulating sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase 2a
Authors: Hu Wenjing , Xu Tongda , Wu Pei , Pan Defeng , Chen Junhong , Chen Jing , Zhang Buchun , Zhu Hong , Li Dongye
Published: January 2017

We previously found that luteolin (Lut) appeared to improve the contractility of cardiomyocytes during ischemia/reperfusion in rats. The enhancement was associated with the alteration in sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase 2a (SERCA2a). This finding prompted us to consider if the mechanism worked in heart failure (HF). We studied the regulation of SERCA2a by Lut in failing cardiomyocytes and intact heart of rats. Improvement of contractility and the mechanisms centered on SERCA2a were studied in isolated cardiomyocytes and intact heart. We found that Lut significantly improved contractility and Ca2+ transients, ameliorated expression, activity and stability of SERCA2a and upregulated expression of small ubiquitin-related modifier (SUMO) 1, which is a newfound SERCA2a regulator. Lut also increased phosphorylation of protein kinase B (Akt), phospholaban (PLB) and sumoylation of SERCA2a, specificity protein 1 (Sp1). Transcriptions of SUMO1 and SERCA2a were concurrently increased. Inhibition of posphatidylinositol 3 kinase/Akt (PI3K/Akt) pathway and SERCA2a activity both markedly abolished Lut-induced benefits in vitro and in vivo. Lut upregulated the expression ratio of Bcl-2/Bax, caspase-3/cleaved-Caspase3. Meanwhile, Lut ameliorated the myocardium fibrosis of HF. These discoveries provide an important potential therapeutic strategy that Lut targeted SERCA2a SUMOylation related to PI3K/Akt-mediated regulations on rescuing the dysfunction of HF.
Placebo Intervention Enhances Reward Learning in Healthy Individuals
Authors: Turi Zsolt , Mittner Matthias , Paulus Walter , Antal Andrea
Published: January 2017

According to the placebo-reward hypothesis, placebo is a reward-anticipation process that increases midbrain dopamine (DA) levels. Reward-based learning processes, such as reinforcement learning, involves a large part of the DA-ergic network that is also activated by the placebo intervention. Given the neurochemical overlap between placebo and reward learning, we investigated whether verbal instructions in conjunction with a placebo intervention are capable of enhancing reward learning in healthy individuals by using a monetary reward-based reinforcement-learning task. Placebo intervention was performed with non-invasive brain stimulation techniques. In a randomized, triple-blind, cross-over study we investigated this cognitive placebo effect in healthy individuals by manipulating the participants’ perceived uncertainty about the intervention’s efficacy. Volunteers in the purportedly low- and high-uncertainty conditions earned more money, responded more quickly and had a higher learning rate from monetary rewards relative to baseline. Participants in the purportedly high-uncertainty conditions showed enhanced reward learning, and a model-free computational analysis revealed a higher learning rate from monetary rewards compared to the purportedly low-uncertainty and baseline conditions. Our results indicate that the placebo response is able to enhance reward learning in healthy individuals, opening up exciting avenues for future research in placebo effects on other cognitive functions.
Novel Bioinformatics–Based Approach for Proteomic Biomarkers Prediction of Calpain-2 & Caspase-3 Protease Fragmentation: Application to βII-Spectrin Protein
Authors: El-Assaad Atlal , Dawy Zaher , Nemer Georges , Kobeissy Firas
Published: January 2017

The crucial biological role of proteases has been visible with the development of degradomics discipline involved in the determination of the proteases/substrates resulting in breakdown-products (BDPs) that can be utilized as putative biomarkers associated with different biological-clinical significance. In the field of cancer biology, matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) have shown to result in MMPs-generated protein BDPs that are indicative of malignant growth in cancer, while in the field of neural injury, calpain-2 and caspase-3 proteases generate BDPs fragments that are indicative of different neural cell death mechanisms in different injury scenarios. Advanced proteomic techniques have shown a remarkable progress in identifying these BDPs experimentally. In this work, we present a bioinformatics-based prediction method that identifies protease-associated BDPs with high precision and efficiency. The method utilizes state-of-the-art sequence matching and alignment algorithms. It starts by locating consensus sequence occurrences and their variants in any set of protein substrates, generating all fragments resulting from cleavage. The complexity exists in space O(mn) as well as in O(Nmn) time, where N, m, and n are the number of protein sequences, length of the consensus sequence, and length per protein sequence, respectively. Finally, the proposed methodology is validated against βII-spectrin protein, a brain injury validated biomarker.
Thermal activation of ‘allosteric-like’ large-scale motions in a eukaryotic Lactate Dehydrogenase
Authors: Katava Marina , Maccarini Marco , Villain Guillaume , Paciaroni Alessandro , Sztucki Michael , Ivanova Oxana , Madern Dominique , Sterpone Fabio
Published: January 2017

Conformational changes occurring during the enzymatic turnover are essential for the regulation of protein functionality. Individuating the protein regions involved in these changes and the associated mechanical modes is still a challenge at both experimental and theoretical levels. We present here a detailed investigation of the thermal activation of the functional modes and conformational changes in a eukaryotic Lactate Dehydrogenase enzyme (LDH). Neutron Spin Echo spectroscopy and Molecular Dynamics simulations were used to uncover the characteristic length- and timescales of the LDH nanoscale motions in the apo state. The modes involving the catalytic loop and the mobile region around the binding site are activated at room temperature, and match the allosteric reorganisation of bacterial LDHs. In a temperature window of about 15 degrees, these modes render the protein flexible enough and capable of reorganising the active site toward reactive configurations. On the other hand an excess of thermal excitation leads to the distortion of the protein matrix with a possible anti-catalytic effect. Thus, the temperature activates eukaryotic LDHs via the same conformational changes observed in the allosteric bacterial LDHs. Our investigation provides an extended molecular picture of eukaryotic LDH’s conformational landscape that enriches the static view based on crystallographic studies alone.
Zebularine upregulates expression of CYP genes through inhibition of DNMT1 and PKR in HepG2 cells
Authors: Nakamura Kazuaki , Aizawa Kazuko , Aung Kyaw Htet , Yamauchi Junji , Tanoue Akito
Published: January 2017

Drug-induced hepatotoxicity is one of the major reasons cited for drug withdrawal. Therefore, it is of extreme importance to detect human hepatotoxic candidates as early as possible during the drug development process. In this study, we aimed to enhance hepatocyte functions such as CYP gene expression in HepG2 cells, one of the most extensively used cell lines in evaluating hepatotoxicity of chemicals and drugs. We found that zebularine, a potent inhibitor of DNA methylation, remarkably upregulates the expression of CYP genes in HepG2 cells. In addition, we revealed that the upregulation of CYP gene expression by zebularine was mediated through the inhibition of both DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) and double-stranded RNA-dependent protein kinase (PKR). Furthermore, HepG2 cells treated with zebularine were more sensitive than control cells to drug toxicity. Taken together, our results show that zebularine may make HepG2 cells high-functioning and thus could be useful for evaluating the hepatotoxicity of chemicals and drugs speedily and accurately in in-vitro systems. The finding that zebularine upregulates CYP gene expression through DNMT1 and PKR modulation sheds light on the mechanisms controlling hepatocyte function and thus may aid in the development of new in-vitro systems using high-functioning hepatocytes.
Correction: Corrigendum: Highly sensitive dual mode electrochemical platform for microRNA detection
Authors: Jolly Pawan , Batistuti Marina R. , Miodek Anna , Zhurauski Pavel , Mulato Marcelo , Lindsay Mark A. , Estrela Pedro
Published: January 2017

Scientific Reports 6: Article number: 36719; published online: 08 November 2016; updated: 23 January 2017 In this Article, the legend of Figure 1 is a duplication of the legend of Figure 4: “(a) Typical Cole-Cole plot obtained with PNA-based sensor before and after hybridisation with 1 fM miR-145 (black and blue respectively) and AuNP attachment (pink).
Nanoscale Topography on Black Titanium Imparts Multi-biofunctional Properties for Orthopedic Applications
Authors: Hasan Jafar , Jain Shubham , Chatterjee Kaushik
Published: January 2017

We have developed a chlorine based reactive ion etching process to yield randomly oriented anisotropic nanostructures that render the titanium metal surface ‘black’ similar to that of black silicon. The surface appears black due to the nanostructures in contrast to the conventional shiny surface of titanium. The nanostructures were found to kill bacteria on contact by mechanically rupturing the cells as has been observed previously on wings of certain insects. The etching was optimized to yield nanostructures of ≈1 μm height for maximal bactericidal efficiency without compromising cytocompatibility. Within 4 hours of contact with the black titanium surface, 95% ± 5% of E. coli, 98% ± 2% of P. aeruginosa, 92% ± 5% of M. smegmatis and 22% ± 8% of S. aureus cells that had attached were killed. The killing efficiency for the S. aureus increased to 76% ± 4% when the cells were allowed to adhere up to 24 hours. The black titanium supported the attachment and proliferation of human mesenchymal stem cells and augmented osteogenic lineage commitment in vitro. Thus, the bioinspired nanostructures on black titanium impart multi-biofunctional properties toward engineering the next-generation biomaterials for orthopedic implants.
Quantum Monte Carlo simulation of a particular class of non-stoquastic Hamiltonians in quantum annealing
Authors: Ohzeki Masayuki
Published: January 2017

Quantum annealing is a generic solver of the optimization problem that uses fictitious quantum fluctuation. Its simulation in classical computing is often performed using the quantum Monte Carlo simulation via the Suzuki–Trotter decomposition. However, the negative sign problem sometimes emerges in the simulation of quantum annealing with an elaborate driver Hamiltonian, since it belongs to a class of non-stoquastic Hamiltonians. In the present study, we propose an alternative way to avoid the negative sign problem involved in a particular class of the non-stoquastic Hamiltonians. To check the validity of the method, we demonstrate our method by applying it to a simple problem that includes the anti-ferromagnetic XX interaction, which is a typical instance of the non-stoquastic Hamiltonians.
The choreography of the chemical defensome response to insecticide stress: insights into the Anopheles stephensi transcriptome using RNA-Seq
Authors: De Marco Leone , Sassera Davide , Epis Sara , Mastrantonio Valentina , Ferrari Marco , Ricci Irene , Comandatore Francesco , Bandi Claudio , Porretta Daniele , Urbanelli Sandra
Published: January 2017

Animals respond to chemical stress with an array of gene families and pathways termed “chemical defensome”. In arthropods, despite many defensome genes have been detected, how their activation is arranged during toxic exposure remains poorly understood. Here, we sequenced the transcriptome ofAnopheles stephensilarvae exposed for six, 24 and 48 hours to the LD50dose of the insecticide permethrin to monitor transcriptional changes of defensome genes across time. A total of 177 genes involved in insecticide defense were differentially expressed (DE) in at least one time-point, including genes encoding for Phase 0, I, II, III and antioxidant enzymes and for Heat Shock and Cuticular Proteins. Three major patterns emerged throughout time. First, most of DE genes were down-regulated at all time-points, suggesting a reallocation of energetic resources during insecticide stress. Second, single genes and clusters of genes turn off and on from six to 48 hours of treatment, showing a modulated response across time. Third, the number of up-regulated genes peaked at six hours and then decreased during exposure. Our results give a first picture of how defensome gene families respond against toxicants and provide a valuable resource for understanding how defensome genes work together during insecticide stress.
Correction: Corrigendum: ADAM17/EGFR axis promotes transglutaminase-dependent skin barrier formation through phospholipase C γ1 and protein kinase C pathways
Authors: Wolf Cristina , Qian Yawen , Brooke Matthew A. , Kelsell David P. , Franzke Claus-Werner
Published: January 2017

Scientific Reports 6: Article number: 39780; published online: 22 December 2016; updated: 23 January 2017 The original version of this Article contained an error in the title of the paper, where the word “phospholipase” was incorrectly given as “phosholipase”. This has now been corrected in the PDF and HTML versions of the Article.
Reaction mechanism of dimethyl ether carbonylation to methyl acetate over mordenite – a combined DFT/experimental study
Authors: Rasmussen D. B. , Christensen J. M. , Temel B. , Studt F. , Moses P. G. , Rossmeisl J. , Riisager A. , Jensen A. D.
Published: January 2017

Dimethyl ether carbonylation to methyl acetate over mordenite was studied theoretically with density functional theory calculations and experimentally in a fixed bed flow reactor. A new reaction path to methyl acetate entirely in the 8 membered ring was discovered.
Catalysts of 3D ordered macroporous ZrO2-supported core–shell Pt@CeO2−x nanoparticles: effect of the optimized Pt–CeO2 interface on improving the catalytic activity and stability of soot oxidation
Authors: Li Yazhao , Du Yuhao , Wei Yuechang , Zhao Zhen , Jin Baofang , Zhang Xindong , Liu Jian
Published: January 2017

The catalytic performance of 3D-OM Pt1.0@CeO2−x/ZrO2-1 is better than that of 3D-OM Pt1.0/ZrO2.
Cleavage mechanism of the aliphatic C–C bond catalyzed by 2,4′-dihydroxyacetophenone dioxygenase from Alcaligenes sp. 4HAP: a QM/MM study
Authors: Zhang Shujun , Wang Xiya , Liu Yongjun
Published: January 2017

Calculations suggest that the reactant complex may firstly undergo a triplet–quintet crossing to initiate the reaction and then the subsequent chemistry occurs on the multiple-states surfaces. The key C–C bond cleavage is accompanied by an insertion reaction of oxygen radical.
Super RLuc8-sFv; a new luciferase-labeled probe for detection of human CD4+ cells
Authors: Safavi A. , Emamzadeh R. , Nazari M. , Ehsani M. , Zarkesh-Esfahani S. H. , Rahgozar S.
Published: January 2017

A probe has been designed, produced and assayed for the detection of T-helper cells. The sFv fragment fused to the C-terminus of super Renilla luciferase 8 (Super RLuc8) and the probe successfully used for detection of human CD4+ cells using luminometer.
Crosstalk between the nucleolus and the DNA damage response
Authors: Ogawa L. M. , Baserga S. J.
Published: January 2017

We review the role for conventional DNA repair proteins in ribosome biogenesis and ribosome biogenesis factors in DNA repair.
Synthesis of tetrasubstituted symmetrical pyridines by iron-catalyzed cyclization of ketoxime acetates
Authors: Zhao Mi-Na , Yu Le , Mo Nan-Fang , Ren Zhi-Hui , Wang Yao-Yu , Guan Zheng-Hui
Published: January 2017

A novel Fe-catalyzed cyclization of ketoxime carboxylates and methyl carbon on N,N-dimethylaniline for the synthesis of 2,3,5,6-tetrasubstituted symmetrical pyridines was developed.
Enhanced energy performance from core–shell structured Al@Fe2O3 nanothermite fabricated by atomic layer deposition
Authors: Qin Lijun , Yan Ning , Li Jianguo , Hao Haixia , Zhao Fengqi , Feng Hao
Published: January 2017

The energy performances of nanothermite materials are dependent on the mass transport, diffusion distance, and interfacial contact area between the fuel and the oxidizer.
Thermally robust: triarylsulfonium ionic liquids stable in air for 90 days at 300 °C
Authors: Siu Benjamin , Cassity Cody G. , Benchea Adela , Hamby Taylor , Hendrich Jeffrey , Strickland Katie J. , Wierzbicki Andrzej , Sykora Richard E. , Salter E. Alan , O'Brien Richard A. , West Kevin N. , Davis James H.
Published: January 2017

Select triarylsulfonium salts are ionic liquids with outstanding long-term, high-temperature aerobic stability (no mass loss in 90 days at 300 °C in air), making them among the most thermally stable organic materials known.
A review on the application of inorganic nanoparticles in chemical surface coatings on metallic substrates
Authors: Jiang Cong-cong , Cao Yan-ke , Xiao Gui-yong , Zhu Rui-fu , Lu Yu-peng
Published: January 2017

Nanocomposite coatings obtained by the controlled addition of inorganic nanoparticles into the treatment baths not only improve the corrosion resistance and mechanical properties, but also enhance the functional properties.
Facile synthesis of size-tunable superparamagnetic/polymeric core/shell nanoparticles by metal-free atom transfer radical polymerization at ambient temperature
Authors: Wang Xiaobing , You Ning , Lan Fuqiang , Fu Peng , Cui Zhe , Pang Xinchang , Liu Minying , Zhao Qingxiang
Published: January 2017

Size-tunable superparamagnetic/polymeric core/shell nanoparticles with uniform distribution was fabricated based on metal-free atom transfer radical polymerization at ambient temperature.
Selenium supplementation can protect from enhanced risk of keel bone damage in laying hens exposed to cadmium
Authors: Zhang Runxiang , Xing Lu , Bao Jun , Sun Hanqing , Bi Yanju , Liu Huo , Li Jianhong
Published: January 2017

The aim of this study was to investigate whether selenium (Se) supplementation can provide protection from an enhanced risk of keel bone damage (KBD) in laying hens due to the cadmium (Cd) toxicity associated with sub-chronic exposure.
Solvent-free one-pot oxidation of ethylarenes for the preparation of α-ketoamides under mild conditions
Authors: Liu Fuyan , Zhang Kuan , Liu Yanfeng , Chen Shan , Chen Yiping , Zhang Dela , Lin Chunfu , Wang Bo
Published: January 2017

Here we developed a highly efficient solvent-free, one-pot procedure for synthesizing α-ketoamides from ethylarenes and amines, by oxidizing a C–H bond sp3 center.
Preparation and characterization of electrospun graphene/silk fibroin conductive fibrous scaffolds
Authors: Yang Yi , Ding Xili , Zou Tongqiang , Peng Ge , Liu Haifeng , Fan Yubo
Published: January 2017

A conductive fibrous scaffold made of silk fibroin and graphene was developed using electrospinning technique. The 3% G/SF scaffolds showed improved electroactivity and mechanical properties. Moreover, they could support the cell growthin vitro.
Bi/AC modified with phosphoric acid as catalyst in the hydrochlorination of acetylene
Authors: Hu Di , Wang Feng , Wang Jide
Published: January 2017

Phosphorus-doped Bi/AC was prepared via a facile co-impregnation method and exhibited elevated catalytic performance.
Cytotoxic trichothecene-type sesquiterpenes from the sponge-derived fungusStachybotrys chartarumwith tyrosine kinase inhibition
Authors: Li Yong , Liu Dong , Cheng Zhongbin , Proksch Peter , Lin Wenhan
Published: January 2017

Bioassay-guided fractionation of a sponge associated fungusStachybotrys chartarumresulted in the isolation of 15 trichothecene-based sesquiterpenes with inhibitory effects against tumor cell lines.
Inhibitory effect of a genistein derivative on pigmentation of guinea pig skin
Authors: Zhou Quancheng , Feng Chuanxing , Ruan Zheng
Published: January 2017

This study demonstrated the mechanisms of the inhibitory effects of GD against UVB-induced pigmentation in guinea pig skin.
Organic template-free synthesis of zeolite Y nanoparticle assemblies and their application in the catalysis of the Ritter reaction
Authors: Tang Ting , Zhang Lei , Dong Hai , Fang Zhongxue , Fu Wenqian , Yu Quanyong , Tang Tiandi
Published: January 2017

Zeolite Y nanoparticle assemblies with mesoporous structure has good catalytic performance in the Ritter reaction.
Selective fluorescent turn-off sensing of Pd2+ ion: applications as paper strips, polystyrene films, and in cell imaging
Authors: Kumar Pramod , Kumar Vijay , Gupta Rajeev
Published: January 2017

Pyridine-2,6-dicarboxamide based scaffolds with appended naphthyl groups act as fluorescent probes for the selective detection of Pd2+ ions in aqueous medium and have applications as paper-strip sensors, as polystyrene films, and in cell imaging.
Bio-oil production via catalytic solvolysis of biomass
Authors: Rachel-Tang Duo Yao , Islam Aminul , Taufiq-Yap Yun Hin
Published: January 2017

Recent studies have found that biomass has great potential as a substitute for natural fossil fuels.
Preparation and characterization of sodium thiosulfate pentahydrate/silica microencapsulated phase change material for thermal energy storage
Authors: Liu Chenzhen , Wang Cui , Li Yimin , Rao Zhonghao
Published: January 2017

Microencapsulated phase change materials (MicroPCM) were successfully fabricated by encapsulation of sodium thiosulfate pentahydrate (SoTP) as core with silica shell using sol–gel method.