bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sharing Work Events With the Family
Authors: Amstad Fabienne , Demerouti Evangelia , Semmer Norbert K.
Published: April 2016

Abstract. The present paper focuses on sharing work events with the family by interviewing dual-earner parents. Specifically, the aim of the study was to investigate to what extent experiences at work, both positive and negative, were shared with the family, depending on (a) characteristics of the event and (b) general characteristics of work and family life (e.g., chronic stressors, chronic resources in each domain). Results of multilevel analysis showed that the longer lasting (for positive events only) and less familiar (for positive and negative events) a work event was, the more intense the event was shared with family members. Furthermore, besides work events also general social support in the work and the family context predicted sharing such events with family members. That is, the more supportive family members were and the less supportive the work environment was in general, the stronger was the effect of sharing work events with the family. Combining qualitative and quantitative data was successful in uncovering the situational and general determinants of work–family processes.
Self-Regulation
Authors: Dubbelt Lonneke , Demerouti Evangelia , Rispens Sonja
Published: April 2016

Abstract. In this study we examined in organizational contexts in which women have a minority position whether women’s daily in-role performance benefits from spent time on personal interests that provide motivation, energy, and intention necessary to remain motivated and productive at work (i.e., self-work facilitation). We suggest that particularly women can benefit from self-work facilitation by using self-regulation strategies (i.e., mastery approach, daily self-goal setting, daily self-rewarding) to increase their in-role performance. Sixty-three employees (61.7% women) filled out a questionnaire during five consecutive workdays. The results showed that a mastery approach and daily self-rewarding were positively associated with women’s daily self-work facilitation, but not men’s self-work facilitation. These self-regulation strategies had an indirect effect on daily in-role performance via self-work facilitation. An important implication of this study is that the investigated self-regulation strategies are trainable and they provide an excellent opportunity for women in minority positions to increase their functioning at work.
New Climate Studies: Worse Risks at 2°C Rise, Higher Rise Likely
Authors: Gannon Megan
Published: April 2016

Although the Paris agreement scheduled to be signed 22 April aims for a 2°C warming cap, new findings show that even a 1.5°C rise will hit hard in the tropics.
Regulation of immune cell function by short‐chain fatty acids
Authors: Corrêa‐Oliveira Renan , Fachi José Luís , Vieira Aline , Sato Fabio Takeo , Vinolo Marco Aurélio R
Published: April 2016

Short‐chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are bacterial fermentation products, which are chemically composed by a carboxylic acid moiety and a small hydrocarbon chain. Among them, acetic, propionic and butyric acids are the most studied, presenting, respectively, two, three and four carbons in their chemical structure. These metabolites are found in high concentrations in the intestinal tract, from where they are uptaken by intestinal epithelial cells (IECs). The SCFAs are partially used as a source of ATP by these cells. In addition, these molecules act as a link between the microbiota and the immune system by modulating different aspects of IECs and leukocytes development, survival and function through activation of G protein coupled receptors (FFAR2, FFAR3, GPR109a and Olfr78) and by modulation of the activity of enzymes and transcription factors including the histone acetyltransferase and deacetylase and the hypoxia‐inducible factor. Considering that, it is not a surprise, the fact that these molecules and/or their targets are suggested to have an important role in the maintenance of intestinal homeostasis and that changes in components of this system are associated with pathological conditions including inflammatory bowel disease, obesity and others. The aim of this review is to present a clear and updated description of the effects of the SCFAs derived from bacteria on host immune system, as well as the molecular mechanisms involved on them.
Electron–vibration coupling induced renormalization in the photoemission spectrum of diamondoids
Authors: Gali Adam , Demján Tamás , Vörös Márton , Thiering Gergő , Cannuccia Elena , Marini Andrea
Published: April 2016

The development of theories and methods devoted to the accurate calculation of the electronic quasi-particle states and levels of molecules, clusters and solids is of prime importance to interpret the experimental data. These quantum systems are often modelled by using the Born–Oppenheimer approximation where the coupling between the electrons and vibrational modes is not fully taken into account, and the electrons are treated as pure quasi-particles. Here, we show that in small diamond cages, called diamondoids, the electron–vibration coupling leads to the breakdown of the electron quasi-particle picture. More importantly, we demonstrate that the strong electron–vibration coupling is essential to properly describe the overall lineshape of the experimental photoemission spectrum. This cannot be obtained by methods within Born–Oppenheimer approximation. Moreover, we deduce a link between the vibronic states found by our many-body perturbation theory approach and the well-known Jahn–Teller effect.
No inter-gyre pathway for sea-surface temperature anomalies in the North Atlantic
Authors: Foukal Nicholas P. , Lozier M. Susan
Published: April 2016

Recent Lagrangian analyses of surface drifters have questioned the existence of a surface current connecting the Gulf Stream (GS) to the subpolar gyre (SPG) and have cast doubt on the mechanism underlying an apparent pathway for sea-surface temperature (SST) anomalies between the two regions. Here we use modelled Lagrangian trajectories to determine the fate of surface GS water and satellite SST data to analyse pathways of GS SST anomalies. Our results show that only a small fraction of the surface GS water reaches the SPG, the water that does so mainly travels below the surface mixed layer, and GS SST anomalies do not propagate into the SPG on interannual timescales. Instead, the inter-gyre heat transport as part of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation must be accomplished via subsurface pathways. We conclude that the SST in the SPG cannot be predicted by tracking SST anomalies along the GS.
The molecular basis of the genesis of basal tone in internal anal sphincter
Authors: Zhang Cheng-Hai , Wang Pei , Liu Dong-Hai , Chen Cai-Ping , Zhao Wei , Chen Xin , Chen Chen , He Wei-Qi , Qiao Yan-Ning , Tao Tao , Sun Jie , Peng Ya-Jing , Lu Ping , Zheng Kaizhi , Craige Siobhan M. , Lifshitz Lawrence M. , Keaney Jr John F. , Fogarty Kevin E. , ZhuGe Ronghua , Zhu Min-Sheng
Published: April 2016

Smooth muscle sphincters exhibit basal tone and control passage of contents through organs such as the gastrointestinal tract; loss of this tone leads to disorders such as faecal incontinence. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying this tone remain unknown. Here, we show that deletion of myosin light-chain kinases (MLCK) in the smooth muscle cells from internal anal sphincter (IAS-SMCs) abolishes basal tone, impairing defecation. Pharmacological regulation of ryanodine receptors (RyRs), L-type voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels (VDCCs) or TMEM16A Ca2+-activated Cl− channels significantly changes global cytosolic Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) and the tone. TMEM16A deletion in IAS-SMCs abolishes the effects of modulators for TMEM16A or VDCCs on a RyR-mediated rise in global [Ca2+]i and impairs the tone and defecation. Hence, MLCK activation in IAS-SMCs caused by a global rise in [Ca2+]i via a RyR-TMEM16A-VDCC signalling module sets the basal tone. Targeting this module may lead to new treatments for diseases like faecal incontinence.
Hallmarks of the Mott-metal crossover in the hole-doped pseudospin-1/2 Mott insulator Sr2IrO4
Authors: Cao Yue , Wang Qiang , Waugh Justin A. , Reber Theodore J. , Li Haoxiang , Zhou Xiaoqing , Parham Stephen , Park S.-R. , Plumb Nicholas C. , Rotenberg Eli , Bostwick Aaron , Denlinger Jonathan D. , Qi Tongfei , Hermele Michael A. , Cao Gang , Dessau Daniel S.
Published: April 2016

The physics of doped Mott insulators remains controversial after decades of active research, hindered by the interplay among competing orders and fluctuations. It is thus highly desired to distinguish the intrinsic characters of the Mott-metal crossover from those of other origins. Here we investigate the evolution of electronic structure and dynamics of the hole-doped pseudospin-1/2 Mott insulator Sr2IrO4. The effective hole doping is achieved by replacing Ir with Rh atoms, with the chemical potential immediately jumping to or near the top of the lower Hubbard band. The doped iridates exhibit multiple iconic low-energy features previously observed in doped cuprates—pseudogaps, Fermi arcs and marginal-Fermi-liquid-like electronic scattering rates. We suggest these signatures are most likely an integral part of the material’s proximity to the Mott state, rather than from many of the most claimed mechanisms, including preformed electron pairing, quantum criticality or density-wave formation.
Selective inhibition of the kinase DYRK1A by targeting its folding process
Authors: Kii Isao , Sumida Yuto , Goto Toshiyasu , Sonamoto Rie , Okuno Yukiko , Yoshida Suguru , Kato-Sumida Tomoe , Koike Yuka , Abe Minako , Nonaka Yosuke , Ikura Teikichi , Ito Nobutoshi , Shibuya Hiroshi , Hosoya Takamitsu , Hagiwara Masatoshi
Published: April 2016

Autophosphorylation of amino-acid residues is part of the folding process of various protein kinases. Conventional chemical screening of mature kinases has missed inhibitors that selectively interfere with the folding process. Here we report a cell-based assay that evaluates inhibition of a kinase at a transitional state during the folding process and identify a folding intermediate-selective inhibitor of dual-specificity tyrosine-phosphorylation-regulated kinase 1A (DYRK1A), which we refer to as FINDY. FINDY suppresses intramolecular autophosphorylation of Ser97 in DYRK1A in cultured cells, leading to its degradation, but does not inhibit substrate phosphorylation catalysed by the mature kinase. FINDY also suppresses Ser97 autophosphorylation of recombinant DYRK1A, suggesting direct inhibition, and shows high selectivity for DYRK1A over other DYRK family members. In addition, FINDY rescues DYRK1A-induced developmental malformations in Xenopus laevis embryos. Our study demonstrates that transitional folding intermediates of protein kinases can be targeted by small molecules, and paves the way for developing novel types of kinase inhibitors.
Size-Dependent Raman Shifts for nanocrystals
Authors: Gao Yukun , Zhao Xinmei , Yin Penggang , Gao Faming
Published: April 2016

Raman spectroscopy is a very sensitive tool for probing semiconductor nanocrystals. The underlying mechanism behind the size-dependent Raman shifts is still quite controversial. Here we offer a new theoretical method for the quantum confinement effects on the Raman spectra of semiconductor nanocrystals. We propose that the shift of Raman spectra in nanocrystals can result from two overlapping effects: the quantum effect shift and surface effect shift. The quantum effect shift is extracted from an extended Kubo formula, the surface effect shift is determined via the first principles calculations. Fairly good prediction of Raman shifts can be obtained without the use of any adjustable parameter. Closer analysis shows that the size-dependent Raman shifts in Si nanocrystals mainly result from the quantum effect shifts. For nanodiamond, the proportion of surface effect shift in Raman shift is up to about 40%. Such model can also provide a good baseline for using Raman spectroscopy as a tool to measure size.
Clonify: unseeded antibody lineage assignment from next-generation sequencing data
Authors: Briney Bryan , Le Khoa , Zhu Jiang , Burton Dennis R.
Published: April 2016

Defining the dynamics and maturation processes of antibody clonal lineages is crucial to understanding the humoral response to infection and immunization. Although individual antibody lineages have been previously analyzed in isolation, these studies provide only a narrow view of the total antibody response. Comprehensive study of antibody lineages has been limited by the lack of an accurate clonal lineage assignment algorithm capable of operating on next-generation sequencing datasets. To address this shortcoming, we developed Clonify, which is able to perform unseeded lineage assignment on very large sets of antibody sequences. Application of Clonify to IgG+ memory repertoires from healthy individuals revealed a surprising lack of influence of large extended lineages on the overall repertoire composition, indicating that this composition is driven less by the order and frequency of pathogen encounters than previously thought. Clonify is freely available at www.github.com/briney/clonify-python.
Tobacco control policies and perinatal health: a national quasi-experimental study
Authors: Peelen Myrthe J. , Sheikh Aziz , Kok Marjolein , Hajenius Petra , Zimmermann Luc J. , Kramer Boris W. , Hukkelhoven Chantal W. , Reiss Irwin K. , Mol Ben W. , Been Jasper V.
Published: April 2016

We investigated whether changes in perinatal outcomes occurred following introduction of key tobacco control policies in the Netherlands: smoke-free legislation in workplaces plus a tobacco tax increase and mass media campaign (January-February 2004); and extension of the smoke-free law to the hospitality industry, accompanied by another tax increase and mass media campaign (July 2008). This was a national quasi-experimental study using Netherlands Perinatal Registry data (2000–2011; registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02189265). Primary outcome measures were: perinatal mortality, preterm birth and being small-for-gestational age (SGA). The association with timing of the tobacco control policies was investigated using interrupted time series logistic regression analyses with adjustment for confounders. Among 2,069,695 singleton births, there were 13,027 (0.6%) perinatal deaths, 116,043 (5.6%) preterm live-births and 187,966 (9.1%) SGA live-births. The 2004 policies were not associated with significant changes in the odds of developing any of the primary outcomes. After the 2008 policy change, a -4.4% (95% CI -2.4; -6.4, p < 0.001) decrease in odds of being SGA was observed. A reduction in SGA births, but not preterm birth or perinatal mortality, was observed in the Netherlands after extension of the smoke-free workplace law to bars and restaurants in conjunction with a tax increase and mass media campaign.
A new approach to epitaxially grow high-quality GaN films on Si substrates: the combination of MBE and PLD
Authors: Wang Wenliang , Wang Haiyan , Yang Weijia , Zhu Yunnong , Li Guoqiang
Published: April 2016

High-quality GaN epitaxial films have been grown on Si substrates with Al buffer layer by the combination of molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) and pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technologies. MBE is used to grow Al buffer layer at first and then PLD is deployed to grow GaN epitaxial films on the Al buffer layer. The surface morphology, crystalline quality and interfacial property of as-grown GaN epitaxial films on Si substrates are studied systematically. The as-grown ~300 nm-thick GaN epitaxial films grown at 850 °C with ~30 nm-thick Al buffer layer on Si substrates show high crystalline quality with the full-width at half-maximum (FWHM) for GaN(0002) and GaN(102) X-ray rocking curves of 0.45° and 0.61°, respectively; very flat GaN surface with the root-mean-square surface roughness of 2.5 nm; as well as the sharp and abrupt GaN/AlGaN/Al/Si hetero-interfaces. Furthermore, the corresponding growth mechanism of GaN epitaxial films grown on Si substrates with Al buffer layer by the combination of MBE and PLD is hence studied in depth. This work provides a novel and simple approach for the epitaxial growth of high-quality GaN epitaxial films on Si substrates.
Erratum: Optical detection of radon decay in air
Authors: Sand Johan , Ihantola Sakari , Peräjärvi Kari , Toivonen Harri , Toivonen Juha
Published: April 2016

Scientific Reports 6: Article number: 21532; published online: 12 February 2016; updated: 22 April 2016 The HTML version of this Article contained a typographical error in the volume number ‘6’, which was incorrectly given as ‘5’. This has now been corrected. In addition, there were typographical errors in the Abstract.
Correction: Corrigendum: microRNA-146a promotes mycobacterial survival in macrophages through suppressing nitric oxide production
Authors: Li Miao , Wang Jinli , Fang Yimin , Gong Sitang , Li Meiyu , Wu Minhao , Lai Xiaomin , Zeng Gucheng , Wang Yi , Yang Kun , Huang Xi
Published: April 2016

Scientific Reports 6: Article number: 23351; published online: 30 March 2016; updated: 22 April 2016 This Article contains typographical errors in a grant number in the Acknowledgements section. “This work was supported by grants National Natural Science Foundation of China (331470877, 81172811),” should read:
The interactome of Streptococcus pneumoniae and its bacteriophages show highly specific patterns of interactions among bacteria and their phages
Authors: Mariano Rachelle , Wuchty Stefan , Vizoso-Pinto Maria G. , Häuser Roman , Uetz Peter
Published: April 2016

Although an abundance of bacteriophages exists, little is known about interactions between their proteins and those of their bacterial hosts. Here, we experimentally determined the phage-host interactomes of the phages Dp-1 and Cp-1 and their underlying protein interaction network in the host Streptococcus pneumoniae. We compared our results to the interaction patterns of E. coli phages lambda and T7. Dp-1 and Cp-1 target highly connected host proteins, occupy central network positions, and reach many protein clusters through the interactions of their targets. In turn, lambda and T7 targets cluster to conserved and essential proteins in E. coli, while such patterns were largely absent in S. pneumoniae. Furthermore, targets in E. coli were mutually strongly intertwined, while targets of Dp-1 and Cp-1 were strongly connected through essential and orthologous proteins in their immediate network vicinity. In both phage-host systems, the impact of phages on their protein targets appears to extend from their network neighbors, since proteins that interact with phage targets were located in central network positions, have a strong topologically disruptive effect and touch complexes with high functional heterogeneity. Such observations suggest that the phages, biological impact is accomplished through a surprisingly limited topological reach of their targets.
Simultaneous hyperthermia-chemotherapy with controlled drug delivery using single-drug nanoparticles
Authors: Sato Itaru , Umemura Masanari , Mitsudo Kenji , Fukumura Hidenobu , Kim Jeong-Hwan , Hoshino Yujiro , Nakashima Hideyuki , Kioi Mitomu , Nakakaji Rina , Sato Motohiko , Fujita Takayuki , Yokoyama Utako , Okumura Satoshi , Oshiro Hisashi , Eguchi Haruki , Tohnai Iwai , Ishikawa Yoshihiro
Published: April 2016

We previously investigated the utility of μ-oxo N,N′- bis(salicylidene)ethylenediamine iron (Fe(Salen)) nanoparticles as a new anti-cancer agent for magnet-guided delivery with anti-cancer activity. Fe(Salen) nanoparticles should rapidly heat up in an alternating magnetic field (AMF) and we hypothesized that these single-drug nanoparticles would be effective for combined hyperthermia-chemotherapy. Conventional hyperthermic particles are usually made of iron oxide and thus cannot exhibit anti-cancer activity in the absence of an AMF. We found that Fe(Salen) nanoparticles induced apoptosis in cultured cancer cells and that AMF exposure enhanced the apoptotic effect. Therefore, we evaluated the combined three-fold strategy, i.e., chemotherapy with Fe(Salen) nanoparticles, magnetically guided delivery of the nanoparticles to the tumor and AMF-induced heating of the nanoparticles to induce local hyperthermia, in a rabbit model of tongue cancer. Intravenous administration of Fe(Salen) nanoparticles per se inhibited tumor growth before the other two modalities were applied. This inhibition was enhanced when a magnet was used to accumulate Fe(Salen) nanoparticles at the tongue. When an AMF was further applied (magnet-guided chemotherapy plus hyperthermia), the tumor masses were dramatically reduced. These results indicate that our strategy of combined hyperthermia-chemotherapy using Fe(Salen) nanoparticles specifically delivered with magnetic guidance represents a powerful new approach for cancer treatment.
Particulate-free porous silicon networks for efficient capacitive deionization water desalination
Authors: Metke Thomas , Westover Andrew S. , Carter Rachel , Oakes Landon , Douglas Anna , Pint Cary L.
Published: April 2016

Energy efficient water desalination processes employing low-cost and earth-abundant materials is a critical step to sustainably manage future human needs for clean water resources. Here we demonstrate that porous silicon – a material harnessing earth abundance, cost and environmental/biological compatibility is a candidate material for water desalination. With appropriate surface passivation of the porous silicon material to prevent surface corrosion in aqueous environments, we show that porous silicon templates can enable salt removal in capacitive deionization (CDI) ranging from 0.36% by mass at the onset from fresh to brackish water (10 mM, or 0.06% salinity) to 0.52% in ocean water salt concentrations (500 mM, or ~0.3% salinity). This is on par with reports of most carbon nanomaterial based CDI systems based on particulate electrodes and covers the full salinity range required of a CDI system with a total ocean-to-fresh water required energy input of ~1.45 Wh/L. The use of porous silicon for CDI enables new routes to directly couple water desalination technology with microfluidic systems and photovoltaics that natively use silicon materials, while mitigating adverse effects of water contamination occurring from nanoparticulate-based CDI electrodes.
Digital Signal Processing and Control for the Study of Gene Networks
Authors: Shin Yong-Jun
Published: April 2016

Thanks to the digital revolution, digital signal processing and control has been widely used in many areas of science and engineering today. It provides practical and powerful tools to model, simulate, analyze, design, measure and control complex and dynamic systems such as robots and aircrafts. Gene networks are also complex dynamic systems which can be studied via digital signal processing and control. Unlike conventional computational methods, this approach is capable of not only modeling but also controlling gene networks since the experimental environment is mostly digital today. The overall aim of this article is to introduce digital signal processing and control as a useful tool for the study of gene networks.
AtOPR3 specifically inhibits primary root growth in Arabidopsis under phosphate deficiency
Authors: Zheng Hongyan , Pan Xiaoying , Deng Yuxia , Wu Huamao , Liu Pei , Li Xuexian
Published: April 2016

The primary root plays essential roles in root development, nutrient absorption and root architectural establishment. Primary root growth is generally suppressed by phosphate (P) deficiency in A. thaliana; however, the underlying molecular mechanisms are largely elusive to date. We found that AtOPR3 specifically inhibited primary root growth under P deficiency via suppressing root tip growth at the transcriptional level, revealing an important novel function of AtOPR3 in regulating primary root response to the nutrient stress. Importantly, AtOPR3 functioned to down-regulate primary root growth under P limitation mostly by its own, rather than depending on the Jasmonic acid signaling pathway. Further, AtOPR3 interacted with ethylene and gibberellin signaling pathways to regulate primary root growth upon P deficiency. In addition, the AtOPR3’s function in inhibiting primary root growth upon P limitation was also partially dependent on auxin polar transport. Together, our studies provide new insights into how AtOPR3, together with hormone signaling interactions, modulates primary root growth in coping with the environmental stress in Arabidopsis.
Lifecourse socioeconomic status and type 2 diabetes: the role of chronic inflammation in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing
Authors: Stringhini Silvia , Zaninotto Paola , Kumari Meena , Kivimäki Mika , Batty G. David
Published: April 2016

We examined the association between lifecourse socioeconomic status (SES) and the risk of type 2 diabetes at older ages, ascertaining the extent to which adult lifestyle factors and systemic inflammation explain this relationship. Data were drawn from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) which, established in 2002, is a representative cohort study of ≥50-year olds individuals living in England. SES indicators were paternal social class, participants’ education, participants’ wealth, and a lifecourse socioeconomic index. Inflammatory markers (C-reactive protein and fibrinogen) and lifestyle factors were measured repeatedly; diabetes incidence (new cases) was monitored over 7.5 years of follow-up. Of the 6218 individuals free from diabetes at baseline (44% women, mean aged 66 years), 423 developed diabetes during follow-up. Relative to the most advantaged people, those in the lowest lifecourse SES group experienced more than double the risk of diabetes (hazard ratio 2.59; 95% Confidence Interval (CI) = 1.81–3.71). Lifestyle factors explained 52% (95%CI:30–85) and inflammatory markers 22% (95%CI:13–37) of this gradient. Similar results were apparent with the separate SES indicators. In a general population sample, socioeconomic inequalities in the risk of type 2 diabetes extend to older ages and appear to partially originate from socioeconomic variations in modifiable factors which include lifestyle and inflammation.
Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells improve diabetes-induced cognitive impairment by exosome transfer into damaged neurons and astrocytes
Authors: Nakano Masako , Nagaishi Kanna , Konari Naoto , Saito Yuki , Chikenji Takako , Mizue Yuka , Fujimiya Mineko
Published: April 2016

The incidence of dementia is higher in diabetic patients, but no effective treatment has been developed. This study showed that rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) can improve the cognitive impairments of STZ-diabetic mice by repairing damaged neurons and astrocytes. The Morris water maze test demonstrated that cognitive impairments induced by diabetes were significantly improved by intravenous injection of BM-MSCs. In the CA1 region of the hippocampus, degeneration of neurons and astrocytes, as well as synaptic loss, were prominent in diabetes and BM-MSC treatment successfully normalized them. Since a limited number of donor BM-MSCs was observed in the brain parenchyma, we hypothesized that humoral factors, especially exosomes released from BM-MSCs, act on damaged neurons and astrocytes. To investigate the effectiveness of exosomes for treatment of diabetes-induced cognitive impairment, exosomes were purified from the culture media and injected intracerebroventricularly into diabetic mice. Recovery of cognitive impairment and histological abnormalities similar to that seen with BM-MSC injection was found following exosome treatment. Use of fluorescence-labeled exosomes demonstrated that injected exosomes were internalized into astrocytes and neurons; these subsequently reversed the dysfunction. The present results indicate that exosomes derived from BM-MSCs might be a promising therapeutic tool for diabetes-induced cognitive impairment.
Constructing and Validating High-Performance MIEC-SVM Models in Virtual Screening for Kinases: A Better Way for Actives Discovery
Authors: Sun Huiyong , Pan Peichen , Tian Sheng , Xu Lei , Kong Xiaotian , Li Youyong , Dan Li  , Hou Tingjun
Published: April 2016

The MIEC-SVM approach, which combines molecular interaction energy components (MIEC) derived from free energy decomposition and support vector machine (SVM), has been found effective in capturing the energetic patterns of protein-peptide recognition. However, the performance of this approach in identifying small molecule inhibitors of drug targets has not been well assessed and validated by experiments. Thereafter, by combining different model construction protocols, the issues related to developing best MIEC-SVM models were firstly discussed upon three kinase targets (ABL, ALK, and BRAF). As for the investigated targets, the optimized MIEC-SVM models performed much better than the models based on the default SVM parameters and Autodock for the tested datasets. Then, the proposed strategy was utilized to screen the Specs database for discovering potential inhibitors of the ALK kinase. The experimental results showed that the optimized MIEC-SVM model, which identified 7 actives with IC50 < 10 μM from 50 purchased compounds (namely hit rate of 14%, and 4 in nM level) and performed much better than Autodock (3 actives with IC50 < 10 μM from 50 purchased compounds, namely hit rate of 6%, and 2 in nM level), suggesting that the proposed strategy is a powerful tool in structure-based virtual screening.
Long non-coding RNAs harboring miRNA seed regions are enriched in prostate cancer exosomes
Authors: Ahadi Alireza , Brennan Samuel , Kennedy Paul J. , Hutvagner Gyorgy , Tran Nham
Published: April 2016

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) form the largest transcript class in the human transcriptome. These lncRNA are expressed not only in the cells, but they are also present in the cell-derived extracellular vesicles such as exosomes. The function of these lncRNAs in cancer biology is not entirely clear, but they appear to be modulators of gene expression. In this study, we characterize the expression of lncRNAs in several prostate cancer exosomes and their parental cell lines. We show that certain lncRNAs are enriched in cancer exosomes with the overall expression signatures varying across cell lines. These exosomal lncRNAs are themselves enriched for miRNA seeds with a preference for let-7 family members as well as miR-17, miR-18a, miR-20a, miR-93 and miR-106b. The enrichment of miRNA seed regions in exosomal lncRNAs is matched with a concomitant high expression of the same miRNA. In addition, the exosomal lncRNAs also showed an over representation of RNA binding protein binding motifs. The two most common motifs belonged to ELAVL1 and RBMX. Given the enrichment of miRNA and RBP sites on exosomal lncRNAs, their interplay may suggest a possible function in prostate cancer carcinogenesis.
Glycoengineered Outer Membrane Vesicles: A Novel Platform for Bacterial Vaccines
Authors: Price Nancy L. , Goyette-Desjardins Guillaume , Nothaft Harald , Valguarnera Ezequiel , Szymanski Christine M. , Segura Mariela , Feldman Mario F.
Published: April 2016

The World Health Organization has indicated that we are entering into a post-antibiotic era in which infections that were routinely and successfully treated with antibiotics can now be lethal due to the global dissemination of multidrug resistant strains. Conjugate vaccines are an effective way to create a long-lasting immune response against bacteria. However, these vaccines present many drawbacks such as slow development, high price and batch-to-batch inconsistencies. Alternate approaches for vaccine development are urgently needed. Here we present a new vaccine consisting of glycoengineered outer membrane vesicles (geOMVs). This platform exploits the fact that the initial steps in the biosynthesis of most bacterial glycans are similar. Therefore, it is possible to easily engineer non-pathogenic Escherichia coli lab strains to produce geOMVs displaying the glycan of the pathogen of interest. In this work we demonstrate the versatility of this platform by showing the efficacy of geOMVs as vaccines against Streptococcus pneumoniae in mice and against Campylobacter jejuni in chicken. This cost-effective platform could be employed to generate vaccines to prevent infections caused by a wide variety of microbial agents in human and animals.
Na+ Micro-Current Value Detection as a New Modality for Identification of Benign and Malignant Disease in Surgery
Authors: Zhang Xu-Feng , Long Zhi-Da , Liu Xue-Min , Ma Feng , Li Qiang , Lv Yi
Published: April 2016

Increase of intracellular positive ions (mainly Na+) indicates greater possibility of cell malignancy. The present study investigated the correlation between the Na+ micro-current value (MCV) and tissue characteristics (normal, benign or malignant). 346 tissue samples have been detected within 30 min after surgical isolation by Na+ detector. MCV in 102 malignant tumor was significantly higher than that in benign/borderline tumor or normal tissue (33.3 ± 8.9 μA vs. 24.4 ± 8.6 μA and 14.0 ± 4.0 μA, p < 0.001, respectively). MCV in malignant tumor parenchyma was significantly higher than that in the paired paracanceroustissue, normal tissue and surgical margin tissue (33.3 ± 8.9 μA vs. 18.9 ± 4.1, 14.2 ± 4.0 or 15.2 ± 3.3, p < 0.001, respectively). However, the coincidence rate between Na+ detector and pathological examination was different in tissues from different organs or systems, which was high in pancreas, bile duct system, gastrointestinal system, esophagus, breasts, lungs, nose & throat and thyroids, but poor in urinary tissue. The overall coincidence rate was 83.1% (108/130) between Na+ detector and pathological examination. The sensitivity and specificity of correct diagnosis by Na+ detector was 83.3% (70/84) and 82.6% (38/46), respectively. This new modality may have diagnostic potential in complementing frozen examination in differentiating malignant tumor from benign or normal tissue, justifying tumor metastatic scope and confirming surgical margin.
Plasiatine, an Unprecedented Indole–Phenylpropanoid Hybrid from Plantago asiatica as a Potent Activator of the Nonreceptor Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase Shp2
Authors: Gao Zhong-Hua , Shi Yi-Ming , Qiang Zhe , Wang Xia , Shang Shan-Zhai , Yang Yan , Du Bao-Wen , Peng Hui-Pan , Ji Xu , Li Honglin , Wang Fei , Xiao Wei-Lie
Published: April 2016

Plasiatine (1), isolated from the seeds of Plantago asiatica, is an unprecedented indole analogue linked to a phenylpropanoid moiety via a carbon bond that builds up a novel heteromeric construction with a C19N2 scaffold. Its structure was determined by spectroscopic data and computational evidence. Notably, experimental assay demonstrated that 1 significantly enhanced the activity of the nonreceptor protein tyrosine phosphatase Shp2 in vitro in a concentration-dependent manner with an EC50 value of 0.97 μM, and activated phosphorylation of ERK, a known target of Shp2. Moreover, plasiatine (1) promoted hepatocellular HepG2 cells migration. Molecular docking suggested that plasiatine (1) binds to the catalytic cleft of Shp2. These results identified plasiatine (1) as the first small molecule Shp2 activator, and it warrants further investigation as a novel pharmaceutical tool to study the function of Shp2 in tumorigenesis.
Altered microRNA expression and pre-mRNA splicing events reveal new mechanisms associated with early stage Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis infection
Authors: Liang Guanxiang , Malmuthuge Nilusha , Guan Yongjuan , Ren Yuwei , Griebel Philip J. , Guan Le Luo
Published: April 2016

The molecular regulatory mechanisms of host responses to Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) infection during the early subclinical stage are still not clear. In this study, surgically isolated ileal segments in newborn calves (n = 5) were used to establish in vivo MAP infection adjacent to an uninfected control intestinal compartment. RNA-Seq was used to profile the whole transcriptome (mRNAs) and the microRNAome (miRNAs) of ileal tissues collected at one-month post-infection. The most related function of the differentially expressed mRNAs between infected and uninfected tissues was “proliferation of endothelial cells”, indicating that MAP infection may lead to the over-proliferation of endothelial cells. In addition, 46.2% of detected mRNAs displayed alternative splicing events. The pre-mRNA of two genes related to macrophage maturation (monocyte to macrophage differentiation-associated) and lysosome function (adenosine deaminase) showed differential alternative splicing events, suggesting that specific changes in the pre-mRNA splicing sites may be a mechanism by which MAP escapes host immune responses. Moreover, 9 miRNAs were differentially expressed after MAP infection. The integrated analysis of microRNAome and transcriptome revealed that these miRNAs might regulate host responses to MAP infection, such as “proliferation of endothelial cells” (bta-miR-196 b), “bacteria recognition” (bta-miR-146 b), and “regulation of the inflammatory response” (bta-miR-146 b).
Circulating microRNAs in follicular fluid, powerful tools to explore in vitro fertilization process
Authors: Scalici E. , Traver S. , Mullet T. , Molinari N. , Ferrières A. , Brunet C. , Belloc S. , Hamamah S.
Published: April 2016

Circulating or “extracellular” microRNAs (miRNAs) detected in biological fluids, could be used as potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers of several disease, such as cancer, gynecological and pregnancy disorders. However, their contributions in female infertility andin vitrofertilization (IVF) remain unknown. This study investigated the expression profiles of five circulating miRNAs (let-7b, miR-29a, miR-30a, miR-140 and miR-320a) in human follicular fluid from 91 women with normal ovarian reserve and 30 with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and their ability to predict IVF outcomes. The combination of FF miR-30a, miR-140 and let-7b expression levels discriminated between PCOS and normal ovarian reserve with a specificity of 83.8% and a sensitivity of 70% (area under the ROC curve, AUC = 0.83 [0.73–0.92]; p < 0.0001). FF samples related to low number of mature oocytes (≤2) contained significant less miR-320a levels than those related to a number of mature oocytes >2 (p = 0.04). Moreover, FF let-7b predicted the development of expanded blastocysts with 70% sensitivity and 64.3% specificity (AUC = 0.67 [0.54–0.79]; p = 0.02) and FF miR-29a potential to predict clinical pregnancy outcome reached 0.68 [0.55–0.79] with a sensitivity of 83.3% and a specificity of 53.5% (p = 0.01). Therefore, these miRNAs could provide new helpful biomarkers to facilitate personalized medical care during IVF.
Egg white-mediated green synthesis of CuS quantum dots as a biocompatible and efficient 980 nm laser-driven photothermal agent
Authors: Zhong Runzhi , Peng Chen , Chen Liang , Yu Nuo , Liu Zixiao , Zhu Meifang , He Chuanglong , Chen Zhigang
Published: April 2016

CuS quantum dots have been prepared by using chicken egg white as the ligands. After injected with CuS solution, the tumor exhibits a rapid temperature elevation to above 52 °C after 60 s irradiation of 980 nm laser, resulting in the efficient ablation of cancer cells in vivo.
Tetrahedral cage complex with planar vertices: selective synthesis of Pt4L6 cage complexes involving hydrogen bonds driven by halide binding
Authors: Ito Masaki , Iseki Masato , Itazaki Masumi , Nakazawa Hiroshi
Published: April 2016

The first synthesis of tetrahedral cage complexes with four square-planar Pt complexes at the vertex positions was achieved.
Breaking the geometric magnetic frustration in controlled off-stoichiometric LuMn1+zO3+δ compounds
Authors: Figueiras F. G. , Karpinsky D. , Tavares P. B. , Das Soma , Leitão J. V. , Brück E. H. , Moreira J. Agostinho , Amaral V. S.
Published: April 2016

A comparison of different nominal LuMnO3 ceramics exposes pertinent structural and magnetic property variations due to subtle self-doping effects.
Selective hydrogenation of lignin to produce chemical commodities by using a biochar supported Ni–Mo2C catalyst obtained from biomass
Authors: Wang Yuan-Ying , Ling Li-Li , Jiang Hong
Published: April 2016

Catalytic hydrogenation of lignin to produce chemical commodities can significantly decrease the consumption of fossil fuels.
Cucurbit[7]uril inclusion complexation as a supramolecular strategy for color stabilization of anthocyanin model compounds
Authors: Held Barbara , Tang Hao , Natarajan Palani , Silva Cassio Pacheco , Oliveira Silva Volnir , Bohne Cornelia , Quina Frank H.
Published: April 2016

Host—guest complexation with cucurbit[7]uril of anthocyanin model compounds in which acid—base equilibria are blocked resulted in essentially complete stabilization of their color. The color protection is a thermodynamic effect and establishes a strategy to stabilize these colored compounds at pH values of interest for practical applications.
Synthesis, characterization and electrochemistry of rhodium(iii) complexes of meso-substituted [14]tribenzotriphyrin(2.1.1)
Authors: Xue Zhaoli , Wang Yemei , Mack John , Mkhize Scebi , Nyokong Tebello , Fang Yuanyuan , Ou Zhongping , Kadish Karl M.
Published: April 2016

A thermal reaction using a series of [14]tribenzotriphyrins(2.1.1) (TriPs,1a–d) with Rh2(C8H12)Cl2provides RhIII–TriP complexes (2a–d) in 40−52% yields.
Controlled synthesis of an enzyme–inorganic crystal composite assembled into a 3D structure with ultrahigh enzymatic activity
Authors: Hua Xiufu , Xing Yi , Zhang Xuan
Published: April 2016

The controlled growth of protein–copper phosphate inorganic crystal hybrid nanoflowers with tunable size and activity was presented in this study.
In situ hydrothermal fabrication of a MnO2@CoMoO4@Ni nanohybrid electrode and ultrahigh energy density of ASCs
Authors: Liu Zailun , Zhao Zhengyang , Teng Fei , Chang Chao , Zhao Yunxuan , Yang Yang , Yao Wenqing , Zhu Yongfa , Fan Yingzheng
Published: April 2016

A flexible AC@Ni//MnO2@CoMoO4@Ni asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) shows an ultrahigh energy density.
Controlled anisotropic wetting of scalloped silicon nanogroove
Authors: Kim Gun-Hee , Lee Byung-Hyun , Im Hwon , Jeon Seung-Bae , Kim Daewon , Seol Myeong-Lok , Hwang Hyundoo , Choi Yang-Kyu
Published: April 2016

The anisotropic wetting characteristics of SNGs were investigated in dynamic and static regimes. The anisotropic wettability of the SNGs was successfully employed to control fluid flows in microfluidic channels.
Bath temperature controlled phase stability of hierarchical nanoflakes CoS2 thin films for supercapacitor application
Authors: Pujari R. B. , Lokhande A. C. , Kim J. H. , Lokhande C. D.
Published: April 2016

In the present study, CoS2 thin-film electrodes are synthesized at different bath temperatures using a simple chemical bath deposition (CBD) method.
Membrane active cationic cholic acid-based molecular umbrellas
Authors: Kempf Julie , Schmitzer Andreea
Published: April 2016

Herein, we report the synthesis of an umbrella thread and its covalent dimer and their transmembrane transport properties under physiological conditions.
Cost‐effective, asynchronous inter‐sensor distance estimation using trigonometry
Authors: Yoon J.‐W. , Park H. , Kim N.S. , Park T.
Published: April 2016

Precise estimation of inter‐sensor distances is essential for reliable localisation in Internet of Things sensor networks. A cost‐effective, scalable, asynchronous solution to estimate inter‐sensor distances based solely on measurements of distances to a moving object is proposed. More specifically, the proposed solution estimates uncharted distances using trigonometry and processes these estimated distances with a distributed weighted multi‐dimensional scaling algorithm for more precise localisation of sensors. It is demonstrated that the proposed solution achieves the localisation error of 4.8–33.9 cm when the measurement errors of sensor devices are in the range of 5–40%.
Reliable estimation of anisotropic BRDF
Authors: Yu C. , Lee S.W.
Published: April 2016

Bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) estimation is one of the fundamental problems in computer graphics, computer vision and related fields, yet most work relies on conventional local minimisation. Two global optimisation methods for estimating the anisotropic Ward BRDF model and its variants under an L2‐cost function are introduced. The presented algorithms are based on branch‐and‐bound search which guarantees to provide globally optimal solutions. In contrast to the traditional local optimisation, the methods mentioned here are not affected by the setting of initial BRDF parameter values. Experiments have been carried out to validate the presented methods using anisotropic materials from the UTIA BRDF database.
Time–frequency image‐based carrier tracking method for Global Navigation Satellite System signal with ultra‐high dynamics
Authors: Xia Xuan , Zhao Jiankang , Zhu Chengguang , Xu Jinhui
Published: April 2016

Uncertainty principle has made the inevitable trade‐off between achieving better frequency resolution and better time resolution in signal parameter estimation. High dynamics could make this problem even more challenging. In this study, the authors propose a novel tracking method for Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signal carrier. Different from the single‐domain tracking methods or Strapdown Inertial Navigation System, the presented method works in the time–frequency (TF) image generated by Wigner–Ville distribution. It has the ability to restrict the TF uncertainty to a small number of pixels around instantaneous frequency (IF) curve, which almost completely avoids the effect of high dynamics in its time/frequency estimation. The clear curve of the IF in TF image makes it possible to accurately estimate the instantaneous Doppler frequency and acceleration. Moreover, this estimation can be improved by image enhancement technique and image space transforms. Its ability of GNSS signal tracking is proved by the real signal static experiments. Simulation results show that the authors’ method has the ability to track GNSS signal under at least 400 g dynamic stress in standard outdoor carrier‐to‐noise ratio.
Solid solubility in 1:13 phase of doping element for La(Fe,Si)13 alloys
Authors: Zong S. T. , Wang C. L. , Long Y. , Fu B. , Shi J. M. , Han J. , Zhao Y. Y.
Published: April 2016

The influences of Ni, Cr and Nb as substitution elements for Fe were investigated. The change in microstructure and the magnetic properties have been discussed in detail. Substitution elements Ni, Cr and Nb not only have limited solubility in NaZn13-type (1:13) phase, but also hinder the peritectoid reaction. Ni element mainly enters into La-rich phase while Cr element mainly concentrates in α-Fe phase, which both have detriment effect on the peritectoid reaction, leading to a large residual of impurity phases after annealing and a decrease of magnetic entropy change. Besides, Ni and Cr participated in peritectoid reaction by entering parent phases but slightly entering 1:13 phase, which would cause the disappearance of first order magnetic phase transition. A new phase (Fe,Si)2Nb was found when Nb element substitutes Fe in La(Fe,Si)13, suggesting that Nb does not participate in peritectoid reaction and only exists in (Fe,Si)2Nb phase after annealing. The alloy with Nb substitution maintains the first order magnetic phase transition character.