bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Three‐dimensional assessment of umbilical vein deviation angle for prediction of liver herniation in left‐sided congenital diaphragmatic hernia
Authors: Volpe N. , Mazzone E. , Muto B. , Suprani A. , Fanelli T. , Kaihura C. T. , Dall'Asta A. , Pedrazzi G. , Del Rossi C. , Silini E. M. , Magnani C. , Volpe P. , Ghi T. , Frusca T.
Published: January 2017

Objectives

To introduce a new sonographic marker of intrathoracic liver herniation in fetuses with left‐sided congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH).

Methods

In a consecutive series of fetuses with isolated CDH, an ultrasound volume of the fetal abdomen was acquired. On this volume, offline calculation of the angle formed by the midline of the abdomen (joining the center of the vertebral body to the abdominal insertion of the umbilical cord) and a second line joining the center of the vertebral body to the intra‐abdominal convexity of the umbilical vein was carried out to give the umbilical vein deviation angle (UVDA). The UVDA was measured in a group of normal fetuses selected as controls. At follow‐up, the presence of liver herniation was investigated in all cases of CDH. UVDA values were compared between the CDH group and controls, and between CDH ‘liver‐up’ vs ‘liver‐down’ cases. A receiver–operating characteristics (ROC) curve was constructed to identify a cut‐off value of the UVDA with the highest accuracy in predicting liver herniation in the CDH group.

Results

Between 2009 and 2015, 22 cases of left‐sided CDH were included in the study group, of which nine cases had liver herniation. Eighty‐eight normal fetuses were recruited as controls. The UVDA was significantly higher in the cases vs controls (15.25 ± 7.91° vs 7.68 ± 1.55°; P < 0.0001). Moreover, the UVDA was significantly increased in CDH fetuses with liver‐up vs liver‐down (21.77 ± 8.79° vs 10.75 ± 2.10°; P < 0.0001). On ROC curve analysis the UVDA showed good prediction of liver herniation (area under the ROC curve, 0.94; P < 0.0001) with the best cut‐off of 15.2°, yielding a sensitivity of 89% and a specificity of 100% (P < 0.0001).

Conclusions

In fetuses with CDH, umbilical vein bowing may be quantified by measuring the UVDA using three‐dimensional ultrasound. This sonographic marker seems to be an accurate predictor of liver herniation in left‐sided CDH. Copyright © 2017 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Personal Disaster and Emergency Support Networks of Older Adults in a Rural Community: Changes After Participation in a Preparedness Program
Authors: Ashida Sato , Robinson Erin L. , Gay Jane , Slagel Lauren E. , Ramirez Marizen R.
Published: January 2017

Objective

Personal disaster and emergency support networks of rural older adults are described before and after participation in a disaster preparedness intervention, PrepWise.

Methods

At baseline, a total of 194 disaster support network members were identified by 27 older adults in a rural Midwest community. After the intervention, these participants identified 232 support network members. Multilevel logistic regression models were constructed to identify characteristics of the network members and social interactions associated with support providers at baseline as well as newly added support sources after the PrepWise intervention.

Results

Member and interaction characteristics associated with being identified as emergency support sources at baseline were as follows: family, lived in close proximity, weekly or more frequent contact, and being someone whom participants shared concerns with, trusted, and exchanged emotional support with. After receiving PrepWise, participants on average identified 3 new sources of emergency support within their networks. Support sources added at follow-up tended to be nonfamily members and those participants trusted.

Conclusions

Enhancements in personal emergency support networks occurred after the intervention. Understanding characteristics of the network members and social interactions may assist in identifying additional emergency support sources. Larger studies investigating the impacts of enhanced support networks on disaster-related behaviors and outcomes will be beneficial. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2017;11:110–119)
Effect of viscoelasticity on the soft-wall transition and turbulence in a microchannel
Authors: Srinivas S. S. , Kumaran V.
Published: January 2017

The modification of soft-wall turbulence in a microchannel due to small amounts of polymer dissolved in water is experimentally studied. The microchannels are of rectangular cross-section with height ${\sim}$160 $\unicode[STIX]{x03BC}\text{m}$, width ${\sim}$1.5 mm and length ${\sim}$3 cm, with three walls made of hard polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) gel, and one wall made of soft PDMS gel with an elasticity modulus of ${\sim}$18 kPa. Solutions of polyacrylamide of molecular weight $5\times 10^{6}$ and mass fraction up to 50 ppm, and of molecular weight $4\times 10^{4}$ and mass fraction up to 1500 ppm, are used in the experiments. In all cases, the solutions are in the dilute limit below the critical overlap concentration, and the solution viscosity does not exceed that of water by more than 10 %. Two distinct types of flow modifications are observed below and above a threshold mass fraction for the polymer, $w_{t}$, which is ${\sim}$1 ppm and 500 ppm for the solutions of polyacrylamide with molecular weights $5\times 10^{6}$ and $4\times 10^{4}$, respectively. At or below $w_{t}$, there is no change in the transition Reynolds number, but there is significant turbulence attenuation, by up to a factor of 2 in the root-mean-square velocities and a factor of 4 in the Reynolds stress. When the polymer concentration increases beyond $w_{t}$, there is a decrease in the transition Reynolds number and in the intensity of the turbulent fluctuations. The lowest transition Reynolds number is ${\sim}$35 for the solution of polyacrylamide with molecular weight $5\times 10^{6}$ and mass fraction 50 ppm (in contrast to 260–290 for pure water). The fluctuating velocities in the streamwise and cross-stream directions are lower by a factor of 5, and the Reynolds stress is lower by a factor of 10, in comparison to pure water.
A Compact Low-Cost Camera Module with Modified Magnetic Restoring Force
Authors: Liu C. S. , Tsai B. J. , Chang Y. H.
Published: January 2017

In recent years, compact camera modules (CCMs) have been widely used in consumer electrical and electronic products. CCMs with low cost specially are necessary for portable devices. Therefore, the present group recently developed a miniaturized open-loop controlled camera module with low cost for cellphone applications, in which the Lorentz force is balanced by a magnetic restoring force. To enhance the performance of the camera module, this article reports a pattern structure to modify the linearity of the magnetic restoring force. We fabricated a CCM prototype with the dimensions of 8.5 mm × 8.5 mm × 5 mm and demonstrated the usefulness of the pattern structure with the CCM prototype. Its potential applications are foreseeable in portable devices, such as cellphones, web cameras, personal digital assistants and other commercial electronics.
Filling the Gaps: The Iron Age in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan
Authors: Davis Oliver
Published: January 2017

Over the last 20 years interpretive approaches within Iron Age studies in Britain have moved from the national to the regional. This was an important development which challenged the notion that a unified, British, Iron Age ever existed. However, whilst this approach has allowed regional histories to be told in their own right, there has been far too much focus on ‘key’ areas such as Wessex and Yorkshire. Our knowledge of the ‘gaps’ in-between these regions is uneven across the country and seriously distorts our understanding of the period. This situation is particularly acute in Wales where there is a paucity of very large material and structural assemblages. As with many ‘in-between’ areas, developer-funded archaeology has increased the baseline dataset, although the interpretations of those data have not developed in parallel. This paper will demonstrate that, to more fully understand the integrated regional composition of Iron Age Britain, we must give detailed consideration to the evidence from these ‘gaps’. By bringing together for the first time all of the available aerial photographic, chronological, faunal, palaeobotanical, and excavated data in one of these ‘gap’ areas, southern Glamorgan, this paper will show that through the careful analysis of the available evidence we are able to gain an understanding of different areas’ distinctive regional characters and move beyond our over-reliance on a small number of key regions.
The long-term effect of climate change on productivity of winter wheat in Denmark: a scenario analysis using three crop models
Authors: OZTURK I. , SHARIF B. , BABY S. , JABLOUN M. , OLESEN J. E.
Published: January 2017

The response of grain yield, grain nitrogen (N), phenological development and evapotranspiration of winter wheat to climate change was analysed over an 80-year period based on climate change predictions of four regional circulation models (RCMs) under the IPCC (International Panel on Climate Change) A1B emission scenario for the 21st century using three process-based models; A 20-year set (1991–2010) of observed daily climate data from Aarslev, Denmark was used to form the baseline, from which the RCM data were generated. The simulation of crop growth was performed with increasing carbon dioxide (CO2) levels and under continuous mono-cropping system at different N input rates. Results indicated that grain yield and grain N will be reduced in the future despite increased CO2 concentration in the atmosphere. While the increased N input may increase yield, it will not increase grain N. The present study suggested that in Denmark, alternative strategies for organic N acquisition of plants must be developed. Statistical analyses showed that while the crop models were the main source of uncertainty in estimating crop performance indicators in response to climate change, the choice of RCM was the main source of uncertainty in relation to baseline estimations.
The prevalence of Aphanomyces astaci in invasive signal crayfish from the UK and implications for native crayfish conservation
Authors: JAMES J. , NUTBEAM-TUFFS S. , CABLE J. , MRUGAŁA A. , VIÑUELA-RODRIGUEZ N. , PETRUSEK A. , OIDTMANN B.
Published: January 2017

The crayfish plague agent, Aphanomyces astaci, has spread throughout Europe, causing a significant decline in native European crayfish. The introduction and dissemination of this pathogen is attributed to the spread of invasive North American crayfish, which can act as carriers for A. astaci. As native European crayfish often succumb to infection with A. astaci, determining the prevalence of this pathogen in non-native crayfish is vital to prioritize native crayfish populations for managed translocation. In the current study, 23 populations of invasive signal crayfish (Pacifastacus leniusculus) from the UK were tested for A. astaci presence using quantitative PCR. Altogether, 13 out of 23 (56·5%) populations were found to be infected, and pathogen prevalence within infected sites varied from 3 to 80%. Microsatellite pathogen genotyping revealed that at least one UK signal crayfish population was infected with the A. astaci genotype group B, known to include virulent strains. Based on recent crayfish distribution records and the average rate of signal crayfish population dispersal, we identified one native white-clawed crayfish (Austropotamobius pallipes) population predicted to come into contact with infected signal crayfish within 5 years. This population should be considered as a priority for translocation.
Abnormalities in the effective connectivity of visuothalamic circuitry in schizophrenia
Authors: Iwabuchi S. J. , Palaniyappan L.
Published: January 2017

Background

Sensory-processing deficits appear crucial to the clinical expression of symptoms of schizophrenia. The visual cortex displays both dysconnectivity and aberrant spontaneous activity in patients with persistent symptoms and cognitive deficits. In this paper, we examine visual cortex in the context of the remerging notion of thalamic dysfunction in schizophrenia. We examined specific regional and longer-range abnormalities in sensory and thalamic circuits in schizophrenia, and whether these patterns are strong enough to discriminate symptomatic patients from controls.

Method

Using publicly available resting fMRI data of 71 controls and 62 schizophrenia patients, we derived conjunction maps of regional homogeneity (ReHo) and fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (fALFF) to inform further seed-based Granger causality analysis (GCA) to study effective connectivity patterns. ReHo, fALFF and GCA maps were entered into a multiple kernel learning classifier, to determine whether patterns of local and effective connectivity can differentiate controls from patients.

Results

Visual cortex shows both ReHo and fALFF reductions in patients. Visuothalamic effective connectivity in patients was significantly reduced. Local connectivity (ReHo) patterns discriminated patients from controls with the highest level of accuracy of 80.32%.

Conclusions

Both the inflow and outflow of Granger causal information between visual cortex and thalamus is affected in schizophrenia; this occurs in conjunction with highly discriminatory but localized dysconnectivity and reduced neural activity within the visual cortex. This may explain the visual-processing deficits that are present despite symptomatic remission in schizophrenia.
Multi-cameras visual servoing for dual-arm coordinated manipulation
Authors: Qu Jiadi , Zhang Fuhai , Fu Yili , Guo Shuxiang
Published: January 2017

Although image-based visual servoing (IBVS) provides good performance in many dual-arm manipulation applications, it reveals some fatal limitations when dealing with a large position and orientation uncertainty. The object features may leave the camera's field of view, and the dual-arm robot may not converge to their goal configurations. In this paper, a novel vision-based control strategy is presented to resolve these limitations. A visual path planning method for dual-arm end-effector features is proposed to regulate the large initial poses to the pre-alignment poses. Then, the visual constraints between the position and orientation of two objects are established, and the sequenced subtasks are performed to attain the pose alignment of two objects by using a multi-tasks IBVS method. The proposed strategy has been implemented on a MOTOMAN robot to perform the alignment tasks of plug–socket and cup–lid, and results indicate that the plug and socket with the large initial pose errors 145.4 mm, 43.8○ (the average errors of three axes) are successfully aligned with the allowed pose alignment errors 3.1 mm, 1.1○, and the cup and lid with the large initial pose errors 131.7 mm, 20.4○ are aligned with the allowed pose alignment errors −2.7 mm, −0.8○.
On the Principle of Temporal Diminution in Serial Photography
Authors: Mach Ludwig
Published: January 2017

In some cases our sensory organs are no longer capable of rendering processes in the external world perceptible to us. Their inadequacy expresses itself, for example, in phenomena that involve the kind of expansion of space and time in which the conditions for summary perception are no longer at all present. The resources that aid our immediate sense perception in these circumstances will thus be charged with the task of expanding or diminishing space and time to the extent that the contiguity and succession of events is comprehensible to us. The microscope is thus essentially based upon the principle of spatial expansion, the map on that of spatial diminution. The pertinent contrivances for these purposes are largely derived from the graphic arts. How stereoscopy and instantaneous photography, which is based on temporal expansion, facilitate our perception! In spite of the multifarious applications of photography, one has yet to take the step of employing it in the opposite direction, namely as a means of temporal diminution. We demonstrate that phenomena that take place in too ephemeral and too rapid a succession for our eyes can, with the help of instantaneous photographs in series, be analyzed with our senses as the event passes in a comparatively longer time. Quite analogously, we could also compress into a small duration the moments of an event separated widely from one another in time and thereby give our perception an understanding of the nature thereof.
Tilting of semi-rigid GaF6octahedra in GaF3at high pressures
Authors: Jørgensen Jens-Erik , Filinchuk Yaroslav , Dmitriev Vladimir
Published: January 2017

The VF3-type compound GaF3has been studied by high-pressure angle-dispersive X-ray diffraction in the pressure range from 0.0001 to 10 GPa. The compression mechanism was found to be highly anisotropic. Thec-axis shows little pressure dependence (≈0.4%), but exhibits negative linear compressibility up to ≈3 GPa where it achieves its maximum length. In contrast, the length of thea-axis is reduced by ≈8.8% at the highest measured pressure and an anomalous reduction in the linear compressibility is observed at 4 GPa. The zero pressure bulk modulusB0was determined toB0= 28(1) GPa. The compression mechanism of GaF3is discussed in terms of deformation of an 8/3/c2 sphere-packing model. The volume reduction of GaF3is mainly achieved through coupled rotations of the GaF6octahedra within the entire measured pressure range, which reduces the volume of the cubooctahedral voids. In addition, the volume of the GaF6octahedra also decreases forp≲ 4.0 GPa, but remains constant above this pressure. The volume reduction of the GaF6octahedra is accompanied by an increasing octahedral strain. Isosurfaces of the procrystal electron density are used for visualization of the cubooctahedral voids at different pressures.
NeQuick2 and IRI2012 models applied to mid and high latitudes, and the Antarctic ionosphere
Authors: Pietrella M. , Nava B. , Pezzopane M. , Migoya Orue Y. , Ippolito A. , Scotto C.
Published: January 2017

Within the framework of the AUSPICIO (AUtomatic Scaling of Polar Ionograms and Co-operative Ionospheric Observations) project, a limited sample of ionograms recorded mostly in 2001 and 2009, and to a lesser extent in 2006–07 and 2012–15, at the ionospheric observatories of Hobart and Macquarie Island (mid-latitude), Comandante Ferraz and Livingstone Island (high latitude), and Casey, Mawson, Davis and Scott Base (inside the Antarctic Polar Circle (APC)) were considered to study the capability of the NeQuick2 and IRI2012 models for predicting the behaviour of the ionosphere at mid- and high latitudes and over the Antarctic area. The applicability of NeQuick2 and IRI2012 was evaluated as i) climatological models taking as input the F10.7 solar activity index and ii) assimilative models ingesting the foF2 and hmF2 measurements obtained from the electron density profiles provided by the Adaptive Ionospheric Profiler (AIP). The statistical analysis results reveal that the best description of the ionosphere’s electron density is achieved when the AIP measurements are ingested into the NeQuick2 and IRI2012 models. Moreover, NeQuick2 performance is far better than IRI2012 performance outside the APC. Conversely, the IRI2012 model performs better than the NeQuick2 model inside the APC.
‘Slow to change’: Farmers’ perceptions of place-based barriers to sustainable agriculture
Authors: Grover Samantha , Gruver Joshua
Published: January 2017

Smallholder farmers are an important and growing segment of the farm population in Indiana and in the USA. Past research regarding farmer decision-making has been inconsistent and has largely focused on the larger-scale, conventional farmer, leaving smallholders poorly understood. There is a need to better understand the management decisions of smallholder farmers within their regional context to promote efforts toward environmental, social and economic sustainability. Through in-depth qualitative inquiry, this study investigated the impact of regional factors that influence farmers’ decisions and the barriers and opportunities most relevant to farm viability and sustainability in the context of East Central Indiana (ECI). Semi-structured interviews with 15 key informants and 33 farmers informed our understanding of the factors most relevant to small-scale farming in the region. Several important themes emerged related to perceived barriers to sustainable farm management, including markets; structures and regulations; time and labor; environmental/ecological factors; and networking and access to educational support. The results of this study complement the findings of previous work that describe the complex framework farmers navigate when making decisions on the farm. Further, subtle regional factors emerged that significantly impact farmers’ decisions, emphasizing the importance of local context in crafting agricultural policies and outreach efforts. Implications and recommendations for ECI are discussed.
Investigation of Potential Seed Dormancy Mechanisms in American Burnweed (Erechtites hieraciifolius) Seeds from Wild Blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium) fields
Authors: White Scott N. , Zhang Linshan , Pruski Kris
Published: January 2017

American burnweed is an increasingly common annual weed in wild blueberry fields in Atlantic Canada and Maine. Knowledge of seed dormancy characteristics and potential for this species to form persistent seedbanks in wild blueberry soils, however, is lacking. A series of experiments were therefore conducted to investigate potential mechanisms regulating American burnweed seed dormancy in wild blueberry fields. Seeds were dormant at maturity and did not germinate in dark or light under warm conditions. Cold moist stratification (CMS) at 4 C for 90 d followed by exposure to warm conditions (22/15 C day/night) and light caused >90% germination, and germination was generally maximized following 80 d CMS. Exogenous potassium nitrate applied as a 5% solution did not stimulate germination, but nearly all seeds (>95%) germinated following treatment with 200, 400, 600, or 800 ppm (w/v) gibberellic acid (GA3) solution. Physical removal of the seed coat or seed exposure to short durations of dry heat did not increase germination. Seed exposure to 1 s of direct flame increased germination, but germination was low relative to germination following CMS and treatment with GA3. Based on these results, we conclude that American burnweed seeds in wild blueberry fields exhibit non–deep physiological dormancy that is most readily broken by CMS and light or seed treatment with GA3. Seeds will likely be exposed to favorable conditions for breaking dormancy (cold temperatures and light) in wild blueberry fields due to lack of tillage and seed burial, indicating high potential for this weed species to proliferate in wild blueberry fields if not properly managed.
Explaining the “How” of Self-Esteem Development: The Self-Organizing Self-Esteem Model
Authors: De Ruiter Naomi M. P. , Van Geert Paul L. C. , Kunnen E. Saskia
Published: January 2017

The current article proposes a theoretical model of self-esteem called the Self-Organizing Self-Esteem (SOSE) model. The model provides an integrative framework for conceptualizing and understanding the intrinsic dynamics of self-esteem and the role of the context across 3 levels of development: The macro level, which is the level of trait self-esteem, the meso level, on which we find state self-esteem, and the micro level, which is the level of discrete self experiences. The model applies principles from the complex dynamics systems perspective to self-esteem, and can thus uniquely describe the underlying mechanism of self-esteem development based on self-organizational processes and interacting time scales. We compare the proposed SOSE model with a formalized account of the traditional approach to self-esteem, showing that the SOSE model is especially conducive to the understanding of self-esteem development in a way that the traditional approach is not—namely, in its ability to explain and predict the underlying dynamics of trait and state self-esteem, the meaning of variability, and the role of the context.
MiR-26 enhances chemosensitivity and promotes apoptosis of hepatocellular carcinoma cells through inhibiting autophagy
Authors: Jin Fangfang , Wang Yanbo , Li Mingzhen , Zhu Yanan , Liang Hongwei , Wang Chen , Wang Feng , Zhang Chen-Yu , Zen Ke , Li Limin
Published: January 2017

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) generally possesses a high resistance to chemotherapy. Given that autophagy is an important factor promoting tumor chemoresistance and HCC express low level of miR-26, we aim to investigate the functional role of miR-26 in autophagy-mediated chemoresistance of HCC. We found that chemotherapeutic drug doxorubicin (Dox) induced autophagy but decreased the level of miR-26a/b in HCC cells. Activating autophagy using rapamycin can directly downregulate the level of miR-26a/b in HCC cells. In turn, restoring the expression of miR-26a/b inhibited autophagy induced by Dox and promoted apoptosis in HCC cells. Further mechanistic study identified that miR-26a and miR-26b target ULK1, a critical initiator of autophagy, at post-transcriptional level. Results from 30 cases of patients with HCC also showed that tumor cellular levels of miR-26a and miR-26b are significantly downregulated as compared with the corresponding control tissues and negatively correlated with the protein level of ULK1 but are not correlated to the mRNA level of ULK1. Gain- and loss-of-function assay confirmed that miR-26a/b inhibited autophagic flux at the initial stage through targeting ULK1. Overexpression of miR-26a/b enhanced the sensitivity of HCC cells to Dox and promoted apoptosis via inhibiting autophagy in vitro. Using xenograft models in nude mice, we confirmed that miR-26a/b, via inhibiting autophagy, promoted apoptosis and sensitized hepatomas to Dox treatment in vivo. Our findings demonstrate for the first time that miR-26a/b can promote apoptosis and sensitize HCC to chemotherapy via suppressing the expression of autophagy initiator ULK1, and provide the reduction of miR-26a/b in HCC as a novel mechanism of tumor chemoresistance.
MiRNA182 regulates percentage of myeloid and erythroid cells in chronic myeloid leukemia
Authors: Arya Deepak , Sachithanandan Sasikala P , Ross Cecil , Palakodeti Dasaradhi , Li Shang , Krishna Sudhir
Published: January 2017

The deregulation of lineage control programs is often associated with the progression of haematological malignancies. The molecular regulators of lineage choices in the context of tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) resistance remain poorly understood in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). To find a potential molecular regulator contributing to lineage distribution and TKI resistance, we undertook an RNA-sequencing approach for identifying microRNAs (miRNAs). Following an unbiased screen, elevated miRNA182-5p levels were detected in Bcr-Abl-inhibited K562 cells (CML blast crisis cell line) and in a panel of CML patients. Earlier, miRNA182-5p upregulation was reported in several solid tumours and haematological malignancies. We undertook a strategy involving transient modulation and CRISPR/Cas9 (clustered regularly interspersed short palindromic repeats)-mediated knockout of the MIR182 locus in CML cells. The lineage contribution was assessed by methylcellulose colony formation assay. The transient modulation of miRNA182-5p revealed a biased phenotype. Strikingly, Δ182 cells (homozygous deletion of MIR182 locus) produced a marked shift in lineage distribution. The phenotype was rescued by ectopic expression of miRNA182-5p in Δ182 cells. A bioinformatic analysis and Hes1 modulation data suggested that Hes1 could be a putative target of miRNA182-5p. A reciprocal relationship between miRNA182-5p and Hes1 was seen in the context of TK inhibition. In conclusion, we reveal a key role for miRNA182-5p in restricting the myeloid development of leukemic cells. We propose that the Δ182 cell line will be valuable in designing experiments for next-generation pharmacological interventions.
Cysteamine re-establishes the clearance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa by macrophages bearing the cystic fibrosis-relevant F508del-CFTR mutation
Authors: Ferrari Eleonora , Monzani Romina , Villella Valeria R , Esposito Speranza , Saluzzo Francesca , Rossin Federica , D'Eletto Manuela , Tosco Antonella , De Gregorio Fabiola , Izzo Valentina , Maiuri Maria C , Kroemer Guido , Raia Valeria , Maiuri Luigi
Published: January 2017

Cystic fibrosis (CF), the most common lethal monogenic disease in Caucasians, is characterized by recurrent bacterial infections and colonization, mainly by Pseudomonas aeruginosa, resulting in unresolved airway inflammation. CF is caused by mutations in the gene coding for the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) protein, which functions as a chloride channel in epithelial cells, macrophages, and other cell types. Impaired bacterial handling by macrophages is a feature of CF airways, although it is still debated how defective CFTR impairs bacterial killing. Recent evidence indicates that a defective autophagy in CF macrophages leads to alterations of bacterial clearance upon infection. Here we use bone marrow-derived macrophages from transgenic mice to provide the genetic proof that defective CFTR compromises both uptake and clearance of internalized Pseudomonas aeruginosa. We demonstrate that the proteostasis regulator cysteamine, which rescues the function of the most common F508del-CFTR mutant and hence reduces lung inflammation in CF patients, can also repair the defects of CF macrophages, thus restoring both bacterial internalization and clearance through a process that involves upregulation of the pro-autophagic protein Beclin 1 and re-establishment of the autophagic pathway. Altogether these results indicate that cysteamine restores the function of several distinct cell types, including that of macrophages, which might contribute to its beneficial effects on CF.
Translational upregulation of Aurora-A by hnRNP Q1 contributes to cell proliferation and tumorigenesis in colorectal cancer
Authors: Lai Chien-Hsien , Huang Yu-Chuan , Lee Jenq-Chang , Tseng Joseph Ta-Chien , Chang Kung-Chao , Chen Yen-Ju , Ding Nai-Jhu , Huang Pao-Hsuan , Chang Wen-Chang , Lin Bo-Wen , Chen Ruo-Yu , Wang Yu-Chu , Lai Yi-Chien , Hung Liang-Yi
Published: January 2017

By using RNA-immunoprecipitation assay following next-generation sequencing, a group of cell cycle-related genes targeted by hnRNP Q1 were identified, including Aurora-A kinase. Overexpressed hnRNP Q1 can upregulate Aurora-A protein, but not alter the mRNA level, through enhancing the translational efficiency ofAurora-AmRNA, either in a cap-dependent or -independent manner, by interacting with the 5′-UTR ofAurora-AmRNA through its RNA-binding domains (RBDs) 2 and 3. By ribosomal profiling assay further confirmed the translational regulation ofAurora-AmRNA by hnRNP Q1. Overexpression of hnRNP Q1 promotes cell proliferation and tumor growth. HnRNP Q1/ΔRBD23-truncated mutant, which loses the binding ability and translational regulation ofAurora-AmRNA, has no effect on promoting tumor growth. The expression level of hnRNP Q1 is positively correlated with Aurora-A in colorectal cancer. Taken together, our data indicate that hnRNP Q1 is a noveltrans-acting factor that binds toAurora-AmRNA 5′-UTRs and regulates its translation, which increases cell proliferation and contributes to tumorigenesis in colorectal cancer.
Mitochondrial respiratory dysfunction disturbs neuronal and cardiac lineage commitment of human iPSCs
Authors: Yokota Mutsumi , Hatakeyama Hideyuki , Ono Yasuha , Kanazawa Miyuki , Goto Yu-ichi
Published: January 2017

Mitochondrial diseases are genetically heterogeneous and present a broad clinical spectrum among patients; in most cases, genetic determinants of mitochondrial diseases are heteroplasmic mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations. However, it is uncertain whether and how heteroplasmic mtDNA mutations affect particular cellular fate-determination processes, which are closely associated with the cell-type-specific pathophysiology of mitochondrial diseases. In this study, we established two isogenic induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) lines each carrying different proportions of a heteroplasmic m.3243A>G mutation from the same patient; one exhibited apparently normal and the other showed most likely impaired mitochondrial respiratory function. Low proportions of m.3243A>G exhibited no apparent molecular pathogenic influence on directed differentiation into neurons and cardiomyocytes, whereas high proportions of m.3243A>G showed both induced neuronal cell death and inhibited cardiac lineage commitment. Such neuronal and cardiac maturation defects were also confirmed using another patient-derived iPSC line carrying quite high proportion of m.3243A>G. In conclusion, mitochondrial respiratory dysfunction strongly inhibits maturation and survival of iPSC-derived neurons and cardiomyocytes; our presenting data also suggest that appropriate mitochondrial maturation actually contributes to cellular fate-determination processes during development.
A hitchhiker’s guide to an ISS experiment in under 9 months
Authors: Nadir Andrei James
Published: January 2017

The International Space Station National Laboratory gives students a platform to conduct space-flight science experiments. To successfully take advantage of this opportunity, students and their mentors must have an understanding of how to develop and then conduct a science project on international space station within a school year. Many factors influence the speed in which a project progresses. The first step is to develop a science plan, including defining a hypothesis, developing science objectives, and defining a concept of operation for conducting the flight experiment. The next step is to translate the plan into well-defined requirements for payload development. The last step is a rapid development process. Included in this step is identifying problems early and negotiating appropriate trade-offs between science and implementation complexity. Organizing the team and keeping players motivated is an equally important task, as is employing the right mentors. The project team must understand the flight experiment infrastructure, which includes the international space station environment, payload resource requirements and available components, fail-safe operations, system logs, and payload data. Without this understanding, project development can be impacted, resulting in schedule delays, added costs, undiagnosed problems, and data misinterpretation. The information and processes for conducting low-cost, rapidly developed student-based international space station experiments are presented, including insight into the system operations, the development environment, effective team organization, and data analysis. The details are based on the Valley Christian Schools (VCS, San Jose, CA) fluidic density experiment and penicillin experiment, which were developed by 13- and 14-year-old students and flown on ISS.
Designing new ferroelectrics with a general strategy
Authors: Xu Ke , Lu Xue-Zeng , Xiang Hongjun
Published: January 2017

The presence of a switchable spontaneous electric polarization makes ferroelectrics ideal candidates for the use in many applications such as memory and sensors devices. Since known ferroelectrics are rather limited, finding new ferroelectric materials has become a flourishing field. One promising route is to design the improper ferroelectrics. However, previous approach based on the Landau theory is not easily adopted for systems that are unrelated to the Pbnm perovskite structure. To this end, we develop a general design rule that is applicable to any system. By combining this rule with the density functional theory calculations, we identify previously unrecognized classes of ferroelectric materials. It is shown that the $$R\bar{3}c$$
R

3

̄

c
perovskite structure can become ferroelectric by substituting half of the B-site cations. Compound ZnSrO2 with a non-perovskite layered structure can also be ferroelectric through the anion substitution. Moreover, our approach can be used to design new multiferroics as illustrated in the case of fluorine substituted LaMnO3.
Functional MRI of the Reserpine-Induced Putative Rat Model of Fibromyalgia Reveals Discriminatory Patterns of Functional Augmentation to Acute Nociceptive Stimuli
Authors: Wells Jack A. , Shibata Sayaka , Fujikawa Akihiko , Takahashi Masayasu , Saga Tsuneo , Aoki Ichio
Published: January 2017

Functional neuroimaging, applied to pre-clinical models of chronic pain, offers unique advantages in the drive to discover new treatments for this prevalent and oppressive condition. The high spatial and temporal resolution of fMRI affords detailed mapping of regional pharmacodynamics that underlie mechanisms of pain suppression by new analgesics. Despite evidence supporting the translational relevance of this approach, relatively few studies have investigated fMRI abnormalities in rodent models of chronic pain. In this study, we used fMRI to map the BOLD response in a recently developed putative rat model of fibromyalgia to innocuous and acute nociceptive stimuli by applying a step-wise graded electrical forepaw stimulation paradigm, with comparison to healthy controls. We observed discriminatory functional signatures (p < 0.001) to 2 mA electrical forepaw stimulation, found to be innocuous in the control group. As such, this translational approach provides sensitive and quantitative neural correlates of the underlying chronic disease. The regional patterns of functional augmentation were found to be concordant with previous studies of nociception in the anaesthetised rat brain, supporting the specificity of this approach in the study of altered central pain processing in reserpine induced myalgia. The methodology introduced in this work represents a novel platform for emerging treatment evaluation in highly experimentally controlled conditions.
Improving the Concentrations of the Active Components in the Herbal Tea Ingredient, Uraria crinita: The Effect of Post-harvest Oven-drying Processing
Authors: Chao Jung , Dai Yuntao , Cheng Hao-Yuan , Lam Wing , Cheng Yung-Chi , Li Ke , Peng Wen-Huang , Pao Li-Heng , Hsieh Ming-Tsuen , Qin Xue-Mei , Lee Meng-Shiou
Published: January 2017

Uraria crinita is widely used as a popular folk drink; however, little is known about how the post-harvest operations affect the chemical composition and bioactivity of UC. We assessed three drying methods (Oven-drying, Air-drying, Sun-drying), as well as the Oven-drying temperature using metabolomics approaches and bioactivity assays. The samples processed at 40 degree show a greater effect on the levels of estrogen receptor-alpha activity and nuclear factor erythroid 2–related factor 2 activity, anti-oxidative activity, and cyclooxygenase-2 inhibition compared with the other samples. A multivariate analysis showed a clear separation between the 40 degree Oven-dried samples and the other samples, which is consistent with the results of bioactivity assay. These results are ascribed to at least two-fold increase in the concentrations of flavonoids, spatholosineside A and triterpenoids in the oven-dried samples compared with the other groups. The proposed Oven-drying method at 40 degree results in an improved quality of UC.
Discovering potential serological biomarker for chronic Hepatitis B Virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma in Chinese population by MAL-associated serum glycoproteomics analysis
Authors: Liu Tianhua , Liu Denghe , Liu Riqiang , Jiang Hucong , Yan Guoquan , Li Wei , Sun Lu , Zhang Shu , Liu Yinkun , Guo Kun
Published: January 2017

The accuracy of current biomarkers for the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), especially chronic Hepatitis B Virus (HBV)-related HCC, is limited. Recent progress in glycoproteomics has provided a novel platform for screening novel serological biomarkers of HCC. In this study, lectin affinity chromatography by Maackia amurensis lectin (MAL) and iTRAQ combined with mass spectrometric analysis were performed to enrich and identify the glycoprotein fractions in serum samples from HBV-related HCC patients and from healthy controls. Seventeen differential MAL-associated glycoproteins were identified. Among them, Galectin 3 binding protein (Gal-3BP) was selected for further evaluated by ELISA analysis and showed a high diagnostic potential of HBV-related HCC, with the AUC of 0.898 and a sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of 80.00%, 93.75% and 86.88%, respectively. Moreover, we constructed a predictive model through the combined use of serum Gal-3BP and Alpha Fetoprotein (AFP), which improved the sensitivity (from 87.5% to 95%), specificity (from 93.75% to 95%) and accuracy (from 90.63% to 95%) of diagnosing early HCC. These data suggested serum Gal-3BP level is a promising biomarker to identify HBV-related HCC and the combined use of serum Gal-3BP and AFP improves the diagnostic potential of HBV-HCC compared with AFP alone in current clinical practice.
A kind of universal quantum secret sharing protocol
Authors: Chen Xiu-Bo , Dou Zhao , Xu Gang , He Xiao-Yu , Yang Yi-Xian
Published: January 2017

Universality is an important feature, but less researched in quantum communication protocols. In this paper, a kind of universal quantum secret sharing protocol is investigated. Firstly, we design a quantum secret sharing protocol based on the Borras-Plastino-Batle (BPB) state. Departing from previous research, our protocol has a salient feature in that participants in our protocol only need projective measurement instead of any unitary operations. It makes our protocol more flexible. Secondly, universality of quantum communication protocols is studied for the first time. More specifically, module division of quantum communication protocols and coupling between different modules are discussed. Our aforementioned protocol is analyzed as an example. On one hand, plenty of quantum states (the BPB-class states and the BPB-like-class states, which are proposed in this paper) could be used as carrier to perform our protocol. On the other hand, our protocol also could be regarded as a quantum private comparison protocol with a little revision. These features are rare for quantum communication protocols, and make our protocol more robust. Thirdly, entanglements of the BPB-class states are calculated in the Appendix.
New experimental evidence to support roaming in the reaction Cl + isobutene (i-C4H8)
Authors: Chen Li-Wei , Hung Ching-Ming , Matsui Hiroyuki , Lee Yuan-Pern
Published: January 2017

The reaction Cl + isobutene (i-C4H8) was reported by Suits et al. to proceed via, in addition to abstraction, an addition-elimination path following a roaming excursion of Cl; a near-zero translational energy release and an isotropic angular distribution observed at a small collision energy characterized this mechanism. We employed a new experimental method to further characterize this roaming mechanism through observation of the internal distribution of HCl (v, J) and their temporal behavior upon irradiation of a mixture of Cl2C2O2 and i-C4H8 in He or Ar buffer gas. With 1–3 Torr buffer gas added to approach the condition of small collision energy, the intensities of emission of HCl (v = 1, 2) and the HCl production rates increased significantly; Ar shows a more significant effect than He because Ar quenches Cl more efficiently to reduce the collisional energy and facilitate the roaming path. According to kinetic modeling, the rate of addition-elimination (roaming) increased from kE ≈ 2 × 105 s−1 when little buffer gas was present to ~1.9 × 106 s−1 when 2–3 Torr of Ar was added, and the branching ratio for formation of [HCl (v = 2)]/[HCl (v = 1)] increased from 0.02 ± 0.01 for abstraction to 0.06 ± 0.01 for roaming.
Transcriptome and network analyses in Saccharomyces cerevisiae reveal that amphotericin B and lactoferrin synergy disrupt metal homeostasis and stress response
Authors: Pang Chi Nam Ignatius , Lai Yu-Wen , Campbell Leona T. , Chen Sharon C.-A. , Carter Dee A. , Wilkins Marc R.
Published: January 2017

Invasive fungal infections are difficult to treat. The few available antifungal drugs have problems with toxicity or efficacy, and resistance is increasing. To overcome these challenges, existing therapies may be enhanced by synergistic combination with another agent. Previously, we found amphotericin B (AMB) and the iron chelator, lactoferrin (LF), were synergistic against a range of different fungal pathogens. This study investigates the mechanism of AMB-LF synergy, using RNA-seq and network analyses. AMB treatment resulted in increased expression of genes involved in iron homeostasis and ATP synthesis. Unexpectedly, AMB-LF treatment did not lead to increased expression of iron and zinc homeostasis genes. However, genes involved in adaptive response to zinc deficiency and oxidative stress had decreased expression. The clustering of co-expressed genes and network analysis revealed that many iron and zinc homeostasis genes are targets of transcription factors Aft1p and Zap1p. The aft1Δ and zap1Δ mutants were hypersensitive to AMB and H2O2, suggesting they are key regulators of the drug response. Mechanistically, AMB-LF synergy could involve AMB affecting the integrity of the cell wall and membrane, permitting LF to disrupt intracellular processes. We suggest that Zap1p- and Aft1p-binding molecules could be combined with existing antifungals to serve as synergistic treatments.
Interleukin-32 Gamma Stimulates Bone Formation by Increasing miR-29a in Osteoblastic Cells and Prevents the Development of Osteoporosis
Authors: Lee Eun-Jin , Kim Sang-Min , Choi Bongkun , Kim Eun-Young , Chung Yeon-Ho , Lee Eun-Ju , Yoo Bin , Lee Chang-Keun , Hong Seokchan , Kim Beom-Jun , Koh Jung-Min , Kim Soo-Hyun , Kim Yong-Gil , Chang Eun-Ju
Published: January 2017

Interleukin-32 gamma (IL-32γ) is a recently discovered cytokine that is elevated in inflamed tissues and contributes to pathogenic features of bone in human inflammatory rheumatic diseases. Nevertheless, the role of IL-32γ and its direct involvement in bone metabolism is unclear. We investigated the molecular mechanism of IL-32γ in bone remodeling and the hypothetical correlation between IL-32γ and disease activity in osteoporosis patients. Transgenic (TG) mice overexpressing human IL-32γ showed reduced bone loss with advancing age, increased bone formation, and high osteogenic capacity of osteoblast compared to wild-type (WT) mice through the upregulation of miR-29a, which caused a reduction of Dickkopf-1 (DKK1) expression. IL-32γ TG mice were protected against ovariectomy (OVX)induced osteoporosis compared with WT mice. Decreased plasma IL-32γ levels were associated with bone mineral density (BMD) in human patients linked to increased DKK1 levels. These results indicate that IL-32γ plays a protective role for bone loss, providing clinical evidence of a negative correlation between IL-32γ and DKK1 as bone metabolic markers.