bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Autonomy, Coping Strategies and Psychological Well-Being in Young Professional Tennis Players
Authors: Romero Carrasco Alicia Elena , Campbell Rolando Zapata , López Alejandra Letelier , Poblete Ixa López , García-Mas Alexandre
Published: February 2017

This research aimed to analyze the role of Psychological Well-being factors in young professional tennis players, assigning special attention to their preferred coping strategies and perceived autonomy that specifically contribute to Psychological Well-being. The conceptual framework utilized for this study was Ryff’s Psychological Well-being multidimensional model in order to focus our understanding towards how environment demands of professional sport affect athletes Psychological Well-being. Participants were 155 male professional tennis players with a mean age of 14.61 (SD = 1.86) engaged in South American Tennis Federation tournaments. Instruments utilized were Psychological Well Being Scale EBP, Díaz et al., 2006, Sport Coping Approach Questionnary Spanish version, ACSQ-1 (Kim, Duda, Tomas, & Balaguer, 2003) and Sport Perceived Autonomy Scale, Spanish version (Balaguer, Castillo, & Duda, 2008). Our research revealed that the greater autonomy young athletes perceive while being engaged in professional sport was because of the coping strategies they utilized such as active planning, cognitive restructuring, emotional calmness and seeking of social support. Results confirmed also that the greater perceived autonomy was explaining athletes high levels of Psychological Well-being.
Less Time, Better Quality. Shortening Questionnaires to Assess Team Environment and Goal Orientation
Authors: Alcaraz Saül , Viladrich Carme , Torregrosa Miquel
Published: February 2017

When assessing team environments in youth sport, participants often spend substantial time responding to lots of items in questionnaires, causing a lack of efficiency (i.e. time and effort) and a decrease of data quality. The purpose of this work was to create short-forms of the questionnaires PeerMCYSQ, SCQPeer, TEOSQ, and also to analyse the existing short-form of the SCQCoach. In Study 1 we developed the short-forms of the instruments. We shortened the questionnaires by using both theory driven and data-driven criteria. In Study 2, we used also qualitative and quantitative data with the aim of validating the short-forms. Finally, in Study 3 we tested the last version of the short-forms and sought evidences concerning their criterion validity. The results showed evidence that supports the psychometric merit of these short-forms: (a) significantly less missing values were obtained; (b) all the factors obtained alpha values above .70; (c) confirmatory factor analyses demonstrated that the short-forms fitted the hypothesized models well; (d) correlations between variables were coherent with expectations, and (e) structural equation modeling results showed significant paths consistent with previous literature. On average, our participants only spent a third of the time used to complete the original questionnaires.
A Cluster Analysis on Students’ Perceived Motivational
Climate. Implications on Psycho-Social Variables
Authors: Fernandez-Rio Javier , Méndez-Giménez Antonio , Cecchini Estrada Jose A.
Published: February 2017

The aim of this study was to examine how students’ perceptions of the
class climate influence their basic psychological needs, motivational
regulations, social goals and outcomes such as boredom, enjoyment, effort, and
pressure/tension. 507 (267 males, 240 females) secondary education students
agreed to participate. They completed a questionnaire that included the Spanish
validated versions of Perceived Motivational Climate in Sport Questionnaire
(PMCSQ-2), Basic Psychological Needs in Exercise (BPNES), Perceived Locus of
Causality (PLOC), Social Goal Scale-Physical Education (SGS-PE), and several
subscales of the IMI. A hierarchical cluster analysis uncovered four independent
class climate profiles that were confirmed by a K-Means cluster analysis:
“high ego”, “low ego-task”,
“high ego-medium task”, and “high
task”. Several MANOVAs were performed using these clusters as
independent variables and the different outcomes as dependent variables
(p < .01). Results linked high mastery class
climates to positive consequences such as higher students’ autonomy,
competence, relatedness, intrinsic motivation, effort, enjoyment, responsibility
and relationship, as well as low levels of amotivation, boredom and
pressure/tension. Students’ perceptions of a performance class
climate made the positive scores decrease significantly. Cluster 3 revealed that
a mastery oriented class structure undermines the negative behavioral and
psychological effects of a performance class climate. This finding supports the
buffering hypothesis of the achievement goal theory.
Is Underweight Associated with more Positive Body Image? Results of a Cross-Sectional Study in Adolescent Girls and Boys
Authors: Kantanista Adam , Król-Zielińska Magdalena , Borowiec Joanna , Osiński Wiesław
Published: February 2017

The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between body image and prevalence of underweight, normal weight, and overweight in adolescents. The study included 1702 girls and 1547 boys, aged 14–16 years, who completed questionnaire assessing body satisfaction. The participants’ BMI status: underweight, normal weight or overweight was determined on the basis of BMI cut-off values. Results revealed that more girls (p < .001) showed low body satisfaction (44.8%) and fewer girls (p < .001) had high body satisfaction (17.6%) compared to boys (28.5% and 29.0%, respectively). A two-way ANOVA revealed a significant interaction between BMI status and gender on body satisfaction F(2, 3243) = 4.10, p = .017, η2 = .003. In boys, body satisfaction was higher in normal weight and underweight in comparison to overweight individuals (p < .001). Underweight girls presented higher body satisfaction than those who were normal weight and overweight (p < .001). Our findings indicated that, in relation to gender, BMI status can be associated with different body satisfaction in adolescents. This should be taken into consideration when designing programs aimed at obesity and disordered eating prevention and body image improvement. Due to the fact that underweight girls and boys have high body satisfaction, this can lead to behaviors that maintain low body weight in adolescents and in turn this may have negative health consequences.
Big Five Personality Trait Short Questionnaire: Preliminary Validation with Spanish Adults
Authors: Ortet Generós , Martínez Tania , Mezquita Laura , Morizot Julien , Ibáñez Manuel I.
Published: February 2017

There are two major advantages of the Big Five Personality Trait Short Questionnaire (BFPTSQ) over other non-commercial short Five-Factor Model personality measures: widen conceptual breadth, and its use in both adolescents and adults. The aim of this study was to explore the psychometric properties of this questionnaire in an adult Spanish sample. Factor, convergent (using the NEO-PI-R), and criterion (using scales that assess happiness and alcohol consumption) validities, internal consistency as well as test-retest reliabilities of the BFPTSQ were evaluated. The sample was composed of 262 participants; a subsample of 71 individuals also answered the NEO-PI-R, and another subsample of 42 respondents filled the BFPTSQ out again a month later. The results indicated that the expected factor structure was recovered using exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM). The ESEM showed satisfactory fit indices, with CFI and TLI around .90, as well as RMSEA and SRMR below .06. Moreover, coefficient alphas ranged from .75 to .85 and test-retest correlations ranged from .72 to .93 (p < .001). Regarding the associations of BFPTSQ with NEO-PI-R scales, the correlations with the broad-trait scales ranged from .57 to .80 (p < .001), and 27 out of 30 correlations with the facet scales were significant (p < .05 or lower). We also found that extraversion and emotional stability were associated with subjective well-being (p < .001), and extraversion and conscientiousness were related to alcohol consumption (p < .01). This study supports the construct validity of the Spanish version of the BFPTSQ in adults.
Development of Reading Remediation for Dyslexic	Individuals
Authors: Bédard Mélanie , Laplante Line , Mercier Julien
Published: February 2017

Abstract. Dyslexia is a phenomenon for which the brain correlates have been studied since the beginning of the 20th century. Simultaneously, the field of education has also been studying dyslexia and its remediation, mainly through behavioral data. The last two decades have seen a growing interest in integrating neuroscience and education. This article provides a quick overview of pertinent scientific literature involving neurophysiological data on functional brain differences in dyslexia and discusses their very limited influence on the development of reading remediation for dyslexic individuals. Nevertheless, it appears that if certain conditions are met – related to the key elements of educational neuroscience and to the nature of the research questions – conceivable benefits can be expected from the integration of neurophysiological data with educational research. When neurophysiological data can be employed to overcome the limits of using behavioral data alone, researchers can both unravel phenomenon otherwise impossible to document and raise new questions.
The Learning Brain
Authors: Ahr Emmanuel , Borst Grégoire , Houdé Olivier
Published: February 2017

Abstract. Reading is an example of complex learning specific to human beings. In readers, an area of the brain is dedicated to the visual processing of letters and words, referred to as the visual word form area (VWFA). The existence of this brain area is paradoxical. Reading is too recent to be a phylogenic product of Darwinian evolution. It likely develops with intense school training via a neuroplastic ontogenic process of neuronal recycling: neurons in the lateral occipitotemporal lobe originally tuned to the visual recognition of stimuli, such as faces, objects, and animals, will be recycled for the visual recognition of letters and words. Thus, the VWFA inherits the intrinsic properties of these neurons, notably, mirror generalization, a process (or heuristic) applied to all visual stimuli that enables the recognition of a stimulus irrespective of its left-right orientation. On its own, this inherited property is not adapted to reading because it makes children confuse mirror letters, such as b and d in the Latin alphabet. In this article, we present evidence that inhibitory control is critical to avoid mirror errors inherited from the neuronal recycling process by blocking the mirror generalization heuristic in the context of reading. We subsequently argue that the “neuronal recycling + inhibitory control” law constitutes a general law of the learning brain by demonstrating that it may also account for the development of numeracy.
Andrew G. Slater (1971–2016)
Authors: Clark Martyn , Lawrence David , Barrett Andrew
Published: February 2017

Andrew "Drew" Slater, land modeler extraordinaire, died on 9 September 2016. He was 44 years old.
The Distinction between Psychological Kinds and Natural Kinds Revisited: Can Updated Natural-Kind Theory Help Clinical Psychological Science and beyond Meet Psychology's Philosophical Challenges?
Authors: Held Barbara S.
Published: February 2017

Philosophers and psychologists have long held that mind-dependent/human (or social) kinds are not natural kinds. Yet in the last three decades philosopher of science Richard Boyd has challenged this belief to widespread acclaim in the philosophy of biology, where the natural-kind status of species taxa has been debated. Boyd proposed that natural-kind status hinges not on a kind's mind independence or on demonstration of its essential properties but rather on whether it supports inductive generalization, in which case it is a “homeostatic property cluster” (HPC) kind. Boyd indicates that any human/mental kind can in principle be a natural kind, without physical reduction of its properties, as long as it constitutes an HPC kind and so can be studied by way of the causal mechanisms that, he theorizes, underlie all natural kinds. In the last decade Boyd's HPC theory of natural kinds has influenced theory of mental disorder kinds and shares commonality with Denny Borsboom's burgeoning “symptom network” approach to psychiatric diagnosis. It therefore warrants more thoroughgoing theoretical and empirical analysis. This article revisits the heterogeneity that inheres in DSM categories and motivated alternative approaches, such as the Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) of the NIMH. Also assessed are two worries about the future of “HPC kinds” of mental disorder kinds: (a) ontological relativism and reification, and (b) epistemic perspectivalism and relativistic knowledge. Though focused on clinical kinds, this analysis has implications for psychological science beyond its clinical subdiscipline.
Coordinate activities of BRD4 and CDK9 in the transcriptional elongation complex are required for TGFβ-induced Nox4 expression and myofibroblast transdifferentiation
Authors: Ijaz Talha , Jamaluddin Mohammad , Zhao Yingxin , Zhang Yueqing , Jay Jayson , Finnerty Celeste C , Herndon David N , Tilton Ronald G , Brasier Allan R
Published: February 2017

Transdifferentiation of quiescent dermal fibroblasts to secretory myofibroblasts has a central role in wound healing and pathological scar formation. This myofibroblast transdifferentiation process involves TGFβ-induced de novo synthesis of alpha smooth muscle cell actin (αSMA)+ fibers that enhance contractility as well as increased expression of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins, including collagen and fibronectin. These processes are mediated upstream by the reactive oxygen species (ROS)-producing enzyme Nox4, whose induction by TGFβ is incompletely understood. In this study, we demonstrate that Nox4 is involved in αSMA+ fiber formation and collagen production in primary human dermal fibroblasts (hDFs) using a small-molecule inhibitor and siRNA-mediated silencing. Furthermore, TGFβ-induced signaling via Smad3 is required for myofibroblast transformation and Nox4 upregulation. Immunoprecipitation-selected reaction monitoring (IP-SRM) assays of the activated Smad3 complex suggest that it couples with the epigenetic reader and transcription co-activator bromodomain and extraterminal (BET) domain containing protein 4 (BRD4) to promote Nox4 transcription. In addition, cyclin-dependent kinase 9 (CDK9), a component of positive transcription elongation factor, binds to BRD4 after TGFβ stimulation and is also required for RNA polymerase II phosphorylation and Nox4 transcription regulation. Surprisingly, BRD4 depletion decreases myofibroblast differentiation but does not affect collagen or fibronectin expression in primary skin fibroblasts, whereas knockdown of CDK9 decreases all myofibroblast genes. We observe enhanced numbers and persistence of myofibroblast formation and TGFβ signaling in hypertrophic scars. BRD4 inhibition reverses hypertrophic skin fibroblast transdifferentiation to myofibroblasts. Our data indicate that BRD4 and CDK9 have independent, coordinated roles in promoting the myofibroblast transition and suggest that inhibition of the Smad3-BRD4 pathway may be a useful strategy to limit hypertrophic scar formation after burn injury.
Luteolin selectively kills STAT3 highly activated gastric cancer cells through enhancing the binding of STAT3 to SHP-1
Authors: Song Shiyu , Su Zhonglan , Xu Hui , Niu Mengyuan , Chen Xiufang , Min Haiyan , Zhang Bin , Sun Guibo , Xie Sijing , Wang Hongwei , Gao Qian
Published: February 2017

The antitumor effect of luteolin, a plant flavonoid, in gastric cancer (GC) cells has not been fully understood. Here we show that luteolin selectively kills STAT3 overactivated GC cells that are often drug resistant. The treatment of luteolin in these GC cells significantly inhibited STAT3 phosphorylation and reduced the expression of STAT3 targeting gene Mcl-1, Survivin and Bcl-xl. Silencing of SHP-1, a protein tyrosine phosphatase, abolished the inhibitory effect of luteolin on STAT3 and cell apoptosis, suggesting that SHP-1 is crucial in luteolin-mediated cellular function. Moreover, this luteolin effect of STAT3 dephosphorylation by SHP-1 involved in HSP-90, which protected STAT3 phosphorylation by forming HSP-90/STAT3 complex. Thus, luteolin inhibited STAT3 activation through disrupting the binding of HSP-90 to STAT3, which promoted its interaction to SHP-1, resulted in the dephosphorylation of STAT3. The GC cell xenograft mouse model confirmed the effectiveness of luteolin induced inhibition of tumor growth in vivo.
Thioridazine enhances sensitivity to carboplatin in human head and neck cancer cells through downregulation of c-FLIP and Mcl-1 expression
Authors: Seo Seung Un , Cho Hyuk Ki , Min Kyoung-jin , Woo Seon Min , Kim Shin , Park Jong-Wook , Kim Sang Hyun , Choi Yung Hyun , Keum Young Sam , Hyun Jin Won , Park Hyun Ho , Lee Sang-Han , Kim Dong Eun , Kwon Taeg Kyu
Published: February 2017

Carboplatin is a less toxic analog of cisplatin, but carboplatin also has side effects, including bone marrow suppression. Therefore, to improve the capacity of the anticancer activity of carboplatin, we investigated whether combined treatment with carboplatin and thioridazine, which has antipsychotic and anticancer activities, has a synergistic effect on apoptosis. Combined treatment with carboplatin and thioridazine markedly induced caspase-mediated apoptosis in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (AMC-HN4) cells. Combined treatment with carboplatin and thioridazine induced downregulation of Mcl-1 and c-FLIP expression. Ectopic expression of Mcl-1 and c-FLIP inhibited carboplatin plus thioridazine-induced apoptosis. We found that augmentation of proteasome activity had a critical role in downregulation of Mcl-1 and c-FLIP expression at the post-translational level in carboplatin plus thioridazine-treated cells. Furthermore, carboplatin plus thioridazine induced upregulation of the expression of proteasome subunit alpha 5 (PSMA5) through mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS)-dependent nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) activation. In addition, combined treatment with carboplatin and thioridazine markedly induced apoptosis in human breast carcinoma (MDA-MB231) and glioma (U87MG) cells, but not in human normal mesangial cells and normal human umbilical vein cells (EA.hy926). Collectively, our study demonstrates that combined treatment with carboplatin and thioridazine induces apoptosis through proteasomal degradation of Mcl-1 and c-FLIP by upregulation of Nrf2-dependent PSMA5 expression.
Chip-based quantum key distribution
Authors: Sibson P. , Erven C. , Godfrey M. , Miki S. , Yamashita T. , Fujiwara M. , Sasaki M. , Terai H. , Tanner M. G. , Natarajan C. M. , Hadfield R. H. , O’Brien J. L. , Thompson M. G.
Published: February 2017

Improvement in secure transmission of information is an urgent need for governments, corporations and individuals. Quantum key distribution (QKD) promises security based on the laws of physics and has rapidly grown from proof-of-concept to robust demonstrations and deployment of commercial systems. Despite these advances, QKD has not been widely adopted, and large-scale deployment will likely require chip-based devices for improved performance, miniaturization and enhanced functionality. Here we report low error rate, GHz clocked QKD operation of an indium phosphide transmitter chip and a silicon oxynitride receiver chip—monolithically integrated devices using components and manufacturing processes from the telecommunications industry. We use the reconfigurability of these devices to demonstrate three prominent QKD protocols—BB84, Coherent One Way and Differential Phase Shift—with performance comparable to state-of-the-art. These devices, when combined with integrated single photon detectors, pave the way for successfully integrating QKD into future telecommunications networks.
Natural amines inhibit activation of human plasmacytoid dendritic cells through CXCR4 engagement
Authors: Smith Nikaïa , Pietrancosta Nicolas , Davidson Sophia , Dutrieux Jacques , Chauveau Lise , Cutolo Pasquale , Dy Michel , Scott-Algara Daniel , Manoury Bénédicte , Zirafi Onofrio , McCort-Tranchepain Isabelle , Durroux Thierry , Bachelerie Françoise , Schwartz Olivier , Münch Jan , Wack Andreas , Nisole Sébastien , Herbeuval Jean-Philippe
Published: February 2017

Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDC) are specialized in secretion of type I interferon in response to pathogens. Here we show that natural monoamines and synthetic amines inhibit pDC activation by RNA viruses. Furthermore, a synthetic analogue of histamine reduces type I interferon production in a mouse model of influenza infection. We identify CXC chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) as a receptor used by amines to inhibit pDC. Our study establishes a functional link between natural amines and the innate immune system and identifies CXCR4 as a potential ‘on-off’ switch of pDC activity with therapeutic potential.
Molecular composition of organic matter controls methylmercury formation in boreal lakes
Authors: Bravo Andrea G. , Bouchet Sylvain , Tolu Julie , Björn Erik , Mateos-Rivera Alejandro , Bertilsson Stefan
Published: February 2017

A detailed understanding of the formation of the potent neurotoxic methylmercury is needed to explain the large observed variability in methylmercury levels in aquatic systems. While it is known that organic matter interacts strongly with mercury, the role of organic matter composition in the formation of methylmercury in aquatic systems remains poorly understood. Here we show that phytoplankton-derived organic compounds enhance mercury methylation rates in boreal lake sediments through an overall increase of bacterial activity. Accordingly, in situ mercury methylation defines methylmercury levels in lake sediments strongly influenced by planktonic blooms. In contrast, sediments dominated by terrigenous organic matter inputs have far lower methylation rates but higher concentrations of methylmercury, suggesting that methylmercury was formed in the catchment and imported into lakes. Our findings demonstrate that the origin and molecular composition of organic matter are critical parameters to understand and predict methylmercury formation and accumulation in boreal lake sediments.
Dpath software reveals hierarchical haemato-endothelial lineages of Etv2 progenitors based on single-cell transcriptome analysis
Authors: Gong Wuming , Rasmussen Tara L. , Singh Bhairab N. , Koyano-Nakagawa Naoko , Pan Wei , Garry Daniel J.
Published: February 2017

Developmental, stem cell and cancer biologists are interested in the molecular definition of cellular differentiation. Although single-cell RNA sequencing represents a transformational advance for global gene analyses, novel obstacles have emerged, including the computational management of dropout events, the reconstruction of biological pathways and the isolation of target cell populations. We develop an algorithm named dpath that applies the concept of metagene entropy and allows the ranking of cells based on their differentiation potential. We also develop self-organizing map (SOM) and random walk with restart (RWR) algorithms to separate the progenitors from the differentiated cells and reconstruct the lineage hierarchies in an unbiased manner. We test these algorithms using single cells from Etv2-EYFP transgenic mouse embryos and reveal specific molecular pathways that direct differentiation programmes involving the haemato-endothelial lineages. This software program quantitatively assesses the progenitor and committed states in single-cell RNA-seq data sets in a non-biased manner.
Small genomic insertions form enhancers that misregulate oncogenes
Authors: Abraham Brian J. , Hnisz Denes , Weintraub Abraham S. , Kwiatkowski Nicholas , Li Charles H. , Li Zhaodong , Weichert-Leahey Nina , Rahman Sunniyat , Liu Yu , Etchin Julia , Li Benshang , Shen Shuhong , Lee Tong Ihn , Zhang Jinghui , Look A. Thomas , Mansour Marc R. , Young Richard A.
Published: February 2017

The non-coding regions of tumour cell genomes harbour a considerable fraction of total DNA sequence variation, but the functional contribution of these variants to tumorigenesis is ill-defined. Among these non-coding variants, somatic insertions are among the least well characterized due to challenges with interpreting short-read DNA sequences. Here, using a combination of Chip-seq to enrich enhancer DNA and a computational approach with multiple DNA alignment procedures, we identify enhancer-associated small insertion variants. Among the 102 tumour cell genomes we analyse, small insertions are frequently observed in enhancer DNA sequences near known oncogenes. Further study of one insertion, somatically acquired in primary leukaemia tumour genomes, reveals that it nucleates formation of an active enhancer that drives expression of the LMO2 oncogene. The approach described here to identify enhancer-associated small insertion variants provides a foundation for further study of these abnormalities across human cancers.
Erratum: In vivo single-molecule imaging of syntaxin1A reveals polyphosphoinositide- and activity-dependent trapping in presynaptic nanoclusters
Authors: Bademosi Adekunle T. , Lauwers Elsa , Padmanabhan Pranesh , Odierna Lorenzo , Chai Ye Jin , Papadopulos Andreas , Goodhill Geoffrey J. , Verstreken Patrik , van Swinderen Bruno , Meunier Frédéric A
Published: February 2017

Nature Communications 7: Article number: 13660 (2016); Published: 16 December 2016; Updated: 9 February 2017 This Article was originally published with an incorrect publication date. The paper was due to be published on 3 Jan 2017, but due to an error was published earlier on the 16 Dec 2016. The publication date in both the PDF and HTML versions of the paper has been updated to reflect this.
Wide-range ideal 2D Rashba electron gas with large spin splitting in Bi2Se3/MoTe2 heterostructure
Authors: Wang Te-Hsien , Jeng Horng-Tay
Published: February 2017

An application-expected ideal two-dimensional Rashba electron gas, i.e., nearly all the conduction electrons occupy the Rashba bands, is crucial for semiconductor spintronic applications. We demonstrate that such an ideal two-dimensional Rashba electron gas with a large Rashba splitting can be realized in a topological insulator Bi2Se3 ultrathin film grown on a transition metal dichalcogenides MoTe2 substrate through first-principle calculations. Our results show the Rashba bands exclusively over a very large energy interval of about 0.6 eV around the Fermi level within the MoTe2 semiconducting gap. Such a wide-range ideal two-dimensional Rashba electron gas with a large spin splitting, which is desirable for real devices utilizing the Rashba effect, has never been found before. Due to the strong spin–orbit coupling, the strength of the Rashba splitting is comparable with that of the heavy-metal surfaces such as Au and Bi surfaces, giving rise to a spin precession length as small as ~10 nm. The maximum in-plane spin polarization of the inner (outer) Rashba band near the Γ point is about 70% (60%). The room-temperature coherence length is at least several times longer than the spin precession length, providing good coherency through the spin processing devices. The wide energy window for ideal Rashba bands, small spin precession length, as well as long spin coherence length in this two-dimensional topological insulator/transition metal dichalcogenides heterostructure pave the way for realizing an ultrathin nano-scale spintronic device such as the Datta–Das spin transistor at room-temperature.
Escherichia coli-derived virus-like particles in vaccine development
Authors: Huang Xiaofen , Wang Xin , Zhang Jun , Xia Ningshao , Zhao Qinjian
Published: February 2017

Recombinant virus-like particle-based vaccines are composed of viral structural proteins and mimic authentic native viruses but are devoid of viral genetic materials. They are the active components in highly safe and effective vaccines for the prevention of infectious diseases. Several expression systems have been used for virus-like particle production, ranging fromEscherichia colito mammalian cell lines. The prokaryotic expression system, especiallyEscherichia coli, is the preferred expression host for producing vaccines for global use. Hecolin, the first licensed virus-like particle vaccine derived fromEscherichia coli, has been demonstrated to possess good safety and high efficacy. In this review, we focus onEscherichia coli-derived virus-like particle based vaccines and vaccine candidates that are used for prevention (immunization against microbial pathogens) or disease treatment (directed against cancer or non-infectious diseases). The native-like spatial or higher-order structure is essential for the function of virus-like particles. Thus, the tool box for analyzing the key physicochemical, biochemical and functional attributes of purified virus-like particles will also be discussed. In summary, theEscherichia coliexpression system has great potentials for producing a range of proteins with self-assembling properties to be used as vaccine antigens given the proper epitopes were preserved when compared to those in the native pathogens or disease-related target molecules.
Genome-wide association study for performance traits in chickens using genotype by sequencing approach
Authors: Pértille Fábio , Moreira Gabriel Costa Monteiro , Zanella Ricardo , Nunes José de Ribamar da Silva , Boschiero Clarissa , Rovadoscki Gregori Alberto , Mourão Gerson Barreto , Ledur Mônica Corrêa , Coutinho Luiz Lehmann
Published: February 2017

Performance traits are economically important and are targets for selection in breeding programs, especially in the poultry industry. To identify regions on the chicken genome associated with performance traits, different genomic approaches have been applied in the last years. The aim of this study was the application of CornellGBS approach (134,528 SNPs generated from aPstIrestriction enzyme) on Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS) in an outbred F2chicken population. We have validated 91.7% of these 134,528 SNPs after imputation of missed genotypes. Out of those, 20 SNPs were associated with feed conversion, one was associated with body weight at 35 days of age (P < 7.86E-07) and 93 were suggestively associated with a variety of performance traits (P < 1.57E-05). The majority of these SNPs (86.2%) overlapped with previously mapped QTL for the same performance traits and some of the SNPs also showed novel potential QTL regions. The results obtained in this study suggests future searches for candidate genes and QTL refinements as well as potential use of the SNPs described here in breeding programs.
Involvement of β-defensin 130 (DEFB130) in the macrophage microbicidal mechanisms for killing Plasmodium falciparum
Authors: Terkawi Mohamad Alaa , Takano Ryo , Furukawa Atsushi , Murakoshi Fumi , Kato Kentaro
Published: February 2017

Understanding the molecular defense mechanism of macrophages and identifying their effector molecules against malarial parasites may provide important clues for the discovery of new therapies. To analyze the immunological responses of malarial parasite-induced macrophages, we used DNA microarray technology to examine the gene profile of differentiated macrophages phagocytizing Plasmodium falciparum-parasitized erythrocytes (iRBC). The transcriptional gene profile of macrophages in response to iRBCs represented 168 down-regulated genes, which were mainly involved in the cellular immune response, and 216 upregulated genes, which were involved in cellular proteolysis, growth, and adhesion. Importantly, the specific upregulation of β-defensin 130 (DEFB130) in these macrophages suggested a possible role for DEFB130 in malarial parasite elimination. Differentiated macrophages phagocytizing iRBCs exhibited an increase in intracellular DEFB130 levels and DEFB130 appeared to accumulate at the site of iRBC engulfment. Transfection of esiRNA-mediated knockdown of DEFB130 into macrophages resulted in a remarkable reduction in their antiplasmodial activity in vitro. Furthermore, DEFB130 synthetic peptide exhibited a modest toxic effect on P. falciparum in vitro and P. yoelii in vivo, unlike scrambled DEFB130 peptide, which showed no antiplasmodial activity. Together, these results suggest that DEFB130 might be one of the macrophage effector molecules for eliminating malarial parasites. Our data broaden our knowledge of the immunological response of macrophages to iRBCs and shed light on a new target for therapeutic intervention.
Precise measurement of ultra-narrow laser linewidths using the strong coherent envelope
Authors: Huang Shihong , Zhu Tao , Liu Min , Huang Wei
Published: February 2017

Laser linewidth narrowing down to kHz or even Hz is an important topic in areas like clock synchronization technology, laser radars, quantum optics, and high-precision detection. Conventional decoherence measurement methods like delayed self-heterodyne/homodyne interferometry cannot measure such narrow linewidths accurately. This is because a broadening of the Gaussian spectrum, which hides the laser’s intrinsic Lorentzian linewidth, cannot be avoided. Here, we introduce a new method using the strong coherent envelope to characterize the laser’s intrinsic linewidth through self-coherent detection. This method can eliminate the effect of the broadened Gaussian spectrum induced by the 1/f frequency noise. We analyze, in detail, the relationship between intrinsic laser linewidth, contrast difference with the second peak and the second trough (CDSPST) of the strong coherent envelope, and the length of the delaying fiber. The correct length for the delaying fiber can be chosen by combining the estimated laser linewidth (Δfest) with a specific CDSPST (ΔS) to obtain the accurate laser linewidth (Δf). Our results indicate that this method can be used as an accurate detection tool for measurements of narrow or super-narrow linewidths.
Gene variation in IL-7 receptor (IL-7R)α affects IL-7R response in CD4+ T cells in HIV-infected individuals
Authors: Hartling Hans Jakob , Ryder Lars P. , Ullum Henrik , Ødum Niels , Nielsen Susanne Dam
Published: February 2017

Optimal CD4+ T cell recovery after initiating combination antiretroviral treatment (cART) in HIV infection reduces risk of morbidity and mortality. T-allele homozygosity (‘TT’) in the single nucleotide polymorphism, rs6897932(C/T), in the IL-7 receptor α (IL-7RA) is associated with faster CD4+ T cell recovery after cART initiation compared to C-allele homozygosity in rs6897932 (‘CC’). However, underlying mechanisms are unknown. We aimed to examine potential mechanisms explaining the association between rs6897932 and CD4+ T cell recovery. Ten ‘TT’ and 10 ‘CC’ HIV-infected individuals matched on gender, age, and nadir and current CD4+ T cell counts were included in a cross-sectional study. ‘TT’ individuals had higher proportion of CD4+ T cells expressing pSTAT5 compared to ‘CC’ individuals after stimulating with IL-7, especially when co-stimulated with soluble IL7-RA (sIL-7RA). Furthermore, ‘TT’ individuals had a higher proportion of proliferating CD4+ T cells after 7 days of culture with IL-7 + sIL-7RA compared to ‘CC’ individuals. No differences between ‘TT’ and ‘CC’ in binding of biotinylated IL-7 were found. In conclusion, increased signal transduction and proliferation in response to IL-7 was found in ‘TT’ compared to ‘CC’ HIV-infected individuals providing a mechanistic explanation of the effect of rs6897932 T-allele on CD4+ T cell recovery in HIV infection.
Lumican Peptides: Rational Design Targeting ALK5/TGFBRI
Authors: Gesteira Tarsis Ferreira , Coulson-Thomas Vivien J. , Yuan Yong , Zhang Jianhua , Nader Helena B. , Kao Winston W.-Y.
Published: February 2017

Lumican, a small leucine rich proteoglycan (SLRP), is a component of extracellular matrix which also functions as a matrikine regulating multiple cell activities. In the cornea, lumican maintains corneal transparency by regulating collagen fibrillogenesis, promoting corneal epithelial wound healing, regulating gene expression and maintaining corneal homeostasis. We have recently shown that a peptide designed from the 13 C-terminal amino acids of lumican (LumC13) binds to ALK5/TGFBR1 (type1 receptor of TGFβ) to promote wound healing. Herein we evaluate the mechanism by which this synthetic C-terminal amphiphilic peptide (LumC13), binds to ALK5. These studies clearly reveal that LumC13-ALK5 form a stable complex. In order to determine the minimal amino acids required for the formation of a stable lumican/ALK5 complex derivatives of LumC13 were designed and their binding to ALK5 investigated in silico. These LumC13 derivatives were tested both in vitro and in vivo to evaluate their ability to promote corneal epithelial cell migration and corneal wound healing, respectively. These validations add to the therapeutic value of LumC13 (Lumikine) and aid its clinical relevance of promoting the healing of corneal epithelium debridement. Moreover, our data validates the efficacy of our computational approach to design active peptides based on interactions of receptor and chemokine/ligand.
Elongation factor P restricts Salmonella’s growth by controlling translation of a Mg2+ transporter gene during infection
Authors: Choi Eunna , Choi Soomin , Nam Daesil , Park Shinae , Han Yoontak , Lee Jung-Shin , Lee Eun-Jin
Published: February 2017

When a ribosome translates mRNA sequences, the ribosome often stalls at certain codons because it is hard to translate. Consecutive proline codons are such examples that induce ribosome stalling and elongation factor P (EF-P) is required for the stalled ribosome to continue translation at those consecutive proline codons. We found that EF-P is required for translation of the mgtB gene encoding a Mg2+ transporter in the mgtCBR virulence operon from the intracellular pathogen Salmonellaenterica serovar Typhimurium. Salmonella lacking EF-P decreases MgtB protein levels in a manner dependent on consecutive proline codons located in the mgtB coding region despite increasing transcription of the mgtCBR operon via the mgtP open reading frame in the leader RNA, resulting in an altered ratio between MgtC and MgtB proteins within the operon. Substitution of the consecutive proline codons to alanine codons eliminates EF-P-mediated control of the mgtB gene during infection and thus contributes to Salmonella’s survival inside macrophages where Salmonella experiences low levels of EF-P. This suggests that this pathogen utilizes a strategy to coordinate expression of virulence genes by an evolutionarily conserved translation factor.
A Floral Fragrance, Methyl Benzoate, is An Efficient Green Pesticide
Authors: Feng Yan , Zhang Aijun
Published: February 2017

Over-reliance on synthetic pesticides in insect pest control has caused widespread public and scientific concerns for human health and the environment, especially since many insect pests have already developed resistances to conventional pesticides and Bt products. For this reason, there is a considerable interest in development of alternative control methods for insect pest management. Based on laboratory studies, we report that methyl benzoate (MB), a naturally-occurring compound in many plants, may possess toxicity against various stages of a variety of insect pests, including the brown marmorated stinkbug, Halyomorpha halys, diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella, and tobacco hornworm, Manduca sexta, as well as the spotted wing drosophila, Drosophila suzukii. Based on our laboratory toxicity data, MB was at least 5 to 20 times more toxic than the conventional pyrethroid (β-cyfluthrin), sulfur & pyrethrin mixture, and some organic commercial products available on the market against H. halys, P. xylostella, and M. sexta, eggs. Because MB is considered an environment-friendly, it has great potential to be used as an alternative tool to synthetic pesticide for insect pest management in crop production, thereby, reducing threats to natural ecosystems and human health caused by over-application of conventional synthetic pesticides.
High-throughput single-cell analysis for the proteomic dynamics study of the yeast osmotic stress response
Authors: Zhang Rongfei , Yuan Haiyu , Wang Shujing , Ouyang Qi , Chen Yong , Hao Nan , Luo Chunxiong
Published: February 2017

Motorized fluorescence microscopy combined with high-throughput microfluidic chips is a powerful method to obtain information about different biological processes in cell biology studies. Generally, to observe different strains under different environments, high-throughput microfluidic chips require complex preparatory work. In this study, we designed a novel and easily operated high-throughput microfluidic system to observe 96 different GFP-tagged yeast strains in one switchable culture condition or 24 different GFP-tagged yeast strains in four parallel switchable culture conditions. A multi-pipette is the only additional equipment required for high-throughput patterning of cells in the chip. Only eight connections are needed to control 96 conditions. Using these devices, the proteomic dynamics of the yeast stress response pathway were carefully studied based on single-cell data. A new method to characterize the proteomic dynamics using a single cell’s data is proposed and compared to previous methods, and the new technique should be useful for studying underlying control networks. Our method provides an easy and systematic way to study signaling pathways at the single-cell level.
Mono-Energy Coronary Angiography with a Compact Synchrotron Source
Authors: Eggl Elena , Mechlem Korbinian , Braig Eva , Kulpe Stephanie , Dierolf Martin , Günther Benedikt , Achterhold Klaus , Herzen Julia , Gleich Bernhard , Rummeny Ernst , Noёl Peter B. , Pfeiffer Franz , Muenzel Daniela
Published: February 2017

X-ray coronary angiography is an invaluable tool for the diagnosis of coronary artery disease. However, the use of iodine-based contrast media can be contraindicated for patients who present with chronic renal insufficiency or with severe iodine allergy. These patients could benefit from a reduced contrast agent concentration, possibly achieved through application of a mono-energetic x-ray beam. While large-scale synchrotrons are impractical for daily clinical use, the technology of compact synchrotron sources strongly advanced during the last decade. Here we present a quantitative analysis of the benefits a compact synchrotron source can offer in coronary angiography. Simulated projection data from quasi-mono-energetic and conventional x-ray tube spectra is used for a CNR comparison. Results show that compact synchrotron spectra would allow for a significant reduction of contrast media. Experimentally, we demonstrate the feasibility of coronary angiography at the Munich Compact Light Source, the first commercial installation of a compact synchrotron source.
Facing the phase problem in Coherent Diffractive Imaging via Memetic Algorithms
Authors: Colombo Alessandro , Galli Davide Emilio , De Caro Liberato , Scattarella Francesco , Carlino Elvio
Published: February 2017

Coherent Diffractive Imaging is a lensless technique that allows imaging of matter at a spatial resolution not limited by lens aberrations. This technique exploits the measured diffraction pattern of a coherent beam scattered by periodic and non–periodic objects to retrieve spatial information. The diffracted intensity, for weak–scattering objects, is proportional to the modulus of the Fourier Transform of the object scattering function. Any phase information, needed to retrieve its scattering function, has to be retrieved by means of suitable algorithms. Here we present a new approach, based on a memetic algorithm, i.e. a hybrid genetic algorithm, to face the phase problem, which exploits the synergy of deterministic and stochastic optimization methods. The new approach has been tested on simulated data and applied to the phasing of transmission electron microscopy coherent electron diffraction data of a SrTiO3 sample. We have been able to quantitatively retrieve the projected atomic potential, and also image the oxygen columns, which are not directly visible in the relevant high-resolution transmission electron microscopy images. Our approach proves to be a new powerful tool for the study of matter at atomic resolution and opens new perspectives in those applications in which effective phase retrieval is necessary.
The mitotic checkpoint regulator RAE1 induces aggressive breast cancer cell phenotypes by mediating epithelial-mesenchymal transition
Authors: Oh Ji Hoon , Hur Ho , Lee Ji-Yeon , Kim Yeejeong , Seo Younsoo , Kim Myoung Hee
Published: February 2017

The gene RAE1 encodes ribonucleic acid export 1 (RAE1), which is involved in mRNA export and is known to serve as a mitotic checkpoint regulator. In addition, RAE1 haplo-insufficiency leads to chromosome missegregation and early aging-associated phenotypes. In humans, a positive correlation has been found between RAE1 copy number abnormalities and gene amplification in breast cancer cells. However, the precise functional role of RAE1 in breast cancer remains to be determined. An in silico analysis of data retrieved from GENT and cBio-Portal identified RAE1 upregulation in breast cancer tissues relative to normal breast cells. Functional studies of various cell lines showed that RAE1 induced invasive and migratory abilities by regulating epithelial-mesenchymal transition signals. A tissue microarray was constructed to demonstrate the interrelationship between clinicopathological features and RAE1 expression. Immunohistochemistry revealed a positive correlation between RAE1 expression and a high histologic grade. Furthermore, RAE1 overexpression was associated with considerably poorer disease-free survival and distant metastasis-free survival, especially in patients with oestrogen receptor-positive tumours. In summary, RAE1 may be a prognostic marker and therapeutic intervention target in malignant breast cancers.
Multiplexed transcriptome analysis to detect ALK, ROS1 and RET rearrangements in lung cancer
Authors: Rogers Toni-Maree , Arnau Gisela Mir , Ryland Georgina L. , Huang Stephen , Lira Maruja E. , Emmanuel Yvette , Perez Omar D. , Irwin Darryl , Fellowes Andrew P. , Wong Stephen Q. , Fox Stephen B.
Published: February 2017

ALK, ROS1 and RET gene fusions are important predictive biomarkers for tyrosine kinase inhibitors in lung cancer. Currently, the gold standard method for gene fusion detection is Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization (FISH) and while highly sensitive and specific, it is also labour intensive, subjective in analysis, and unable to screen a large numbers of gene fusions. Recent developments in high-throughput transcriptome-based methods may provide a suitable alternative to FISH as they are compatible with multiplexing and diagnostic workflows. However, the concordance between these different methods compared with FISH has not been evaluated. In this study we compared the results from three transcriptome-based platforms (Nanostring Elements, Agena LungFusion panel and ThermoFisher NGS fusion panel) to those obtained from ALK, ROS1 and RET FISH on 51 clinical specimens. Overall agreement of results ranged from 86–96% depending on the platform used. While all platforms were highly sensitive, both the Agena panel and Thermo Fisher NGS fusion panel reported minor fusions that were not detectable by FISH. Our proof–of–principle study illustrates that transcriptome-based analyses are sensitive and robust methods for detecting actionable gene fusions in lung cancer and could provide a robust alternative to FISH testing in the diagnostic setting.