bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
To the question of the role of consultation liaison psychiatry in diagnostics of psychosomatic disorders
Authors: Lebedeva V. , Pavlova O. , Yurovskaya E.
Published: June 2017

Background

Relevance of consultation liaison psychiatry is conditioned by trend of steady rise of psychosomatic disorders and insufficient development of supplied forms and methods of medical care to patients with this pathology.

Aim

To study incidence rate of psychosomatic disorders in primary health care, to develop algorithm of medical care.

Material and methods

A total of 2010 patients of the primary health care unit were examined. Methods used: clinical-psychopathological, clinical-dynamic, questionnaire screening, statistical (factor analysis).

Results

Mental disorders, co-morbid with physical pathology, constituted 3.9% of the contingent with predominance of psychosomatic disorders–15.6 per 10,000 of the population. Respective from clinical-dynamic structure of psychosomatic disorders three groups of patients were distinguished: in need for consultation by a psychiatrist (22.9%); for course treatment by psychiatrist and subsequent observation by physicians (28%); and for systematic therapy and observation by psychiatrist (49.1%). Patients with psychosomatic disorders addressed general medicine network 1–2 years after onset of mental disorder and 6.4 ± 1.2 years after diagnostics of somatic pathology. Patients had predominantly cardiovascular (37.7%; P < 0.05), respiratory (20.5%), and gastrointestinal diseases (20.9%). Exacerbation of psychosomatic disorder was reliably interrelated with psychotraumatic situation and exacerbation of physical pathology. Introduced algorithm of psychiatric consultation consisted of:

– evaluation of mental and physical status;

– distinguishing the nosological groups;

– choice of therapy;

– formation of groups of observation (risk groups in need for course therapy, systematic therapy).

Conclusion

Consultation liaison psychiatry in general medical institution allows widening accessibility of psychiatric care and makes its provision more cost-effective.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.
Phenomenology of religious obsessive – compulsive disorder
Authors: Soliman E. , Abohendy W. , Fayed A.
Published: June 2017

Introduction

The occurrence of religious symptoms in obsessive compulsive disorder OCD patients ranges from 0% up to 93%. Although, frequent and influential nature of these symptoms, the explanations of its complexity and phenomenology are deficient in the literature.

Objectives

Determine the most frequent OC religious symptoms among OCD patients. Assess relation between the frequent symptoms of religious OCD and depression.

Methods

Cross-sectional study was conducted among 115 consented patients diagnosed as OCD according to DSM-IV. Patients were recruited in one year from Psychiatric clinics, Zagazig University, Egypt. Psychiatric interview and psychometric assessment using Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and OC religious symptom scale [1] were done.

Results

The majority of patients (57.4%) had various religious OC symptoms. About 44% had doubts in religion in general (e.g. existence of God) and 11.3% had Blasphemous ideas. More than one third reported doubts about performing prayers and ablution perfectly; 34.8% repeatedly claimed they forgot to declare intention to pray, 36.5% had doubts about violating their ablution and 29.6% were skeptical about doing all ablution duties. Moreover, 23.5% reported slow or repeated readings in prayers, 25.2% had suspicions of breaking their fasting. A strong correlation between religious OC symptoms and total score of OC symptoms scale was confirmed. Most of our patients showed positive correlation between degree of depression and total score OC symptoms scale.

Conclusions

Muslim patient present with specific phenomenology of religious OC symptoms. These symptoms are very frequent and negatively influencing their mood.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.
Probability analysis of compassion: Enhancing compassionate care in psychiatry through mirror neurons
Authors: Shoka A. , Lazzari C.
Published: June 2017

Introduction

The probability that psychiatric care becomes compassionate is higher when individual subjects, groups or organizations utilize mirror neurons to attune with the emotional world of their clients.

Objectives

To create an algorithm for compassionate care in mental health by attunement of mirror neurons.

Aims

To predict the probability of the occurrence of sympathetic care in mental health.

Methods

Naturalistic observation of health care organizations identified the major nodes-agents of the organizational-neural network leading to a compassionate care (events A): individual, group, organization and society. Negative influences on compassionate care are (events B) subjective and collective acts.

Results

The probability that compassionate care occurs as a result of a single mediator's action was only 0.167 (16%). The probability that compassion results from training mirror neurons were as follows:.Multiple event probability formula:

– probability of event A that occurs P(A) = 0.667 (66%) [positive subject + group + organization + society)];

– probability of event B that occurs P(B) = 0.333 [negative individual and group];

– probability that both the events occur P(A∩B) = P(A) × P(B) = 0.222 [inhibitory influence];

– probability that either of event occurs P(A∪B) = P(A) + P(B) − P(A∩B) = 0.778.

Conclusions

The probability of organizational compassion (PA) is high when all the agents interact. As compassion is reinforced by mirror neurons, a reduction in the number of people involved in compassionate care also means the final outcome is less likely to appear.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.
Brain connectivity in patients with schizophrenia related to psychological stress
Authors: Castro M. , Drucaroff L. , Costanzo E. , Wainsztein A. , Guinjoan S. , Villarreal M.
Published: June 2017

Introduction

It is commonly accepted that in most patients with schizophrenia external factors act on genetic predisposition to produce active psychotic symptoms. In fact, we showed that patients with schizophrenia have an abnormal brain activation and peripheral autonomic response to psychological stress. We sought to characterize the brain connectivity networks of such response in schizophrenia.

Methods

We studied the pattern of brain connectivity in relation to mental arithmetic stress paradigm in 21 patients and 21 healthy subjects aged 18 to 50 years, using 3T-fMRI. A period of 6 minutes of resting state acquisition (PRE) were followed by a block design with three 1-minute CONTROL task (one digit sum), 1-minute STRESS task (two digit subtraction) and 1-minute rest after task (POST). Pairwise Pearson correlations were calculated between 90 regions of interest. Data were analyzed with MATLAB and SPSS software.

Results

Patients with schizophrenia showed a lower connectivity network between fronto-temporal limbic areas compared with control subjects during control and stress task. Moreover, we observed a great variability of link density during resting state in patients but not in controls, and it diminishes in response to task.

Conclusions

Patients present abnormalities in networks related to stress response showing an alteration in fronto-temporal connectivity, and a poor and random modulation of these networks at rest. Current and previous findings suggest abnormal fronto-temporal connectivity that ultimately would lead to psychotic symptoms emergency in response to an environmental stressor and, even, could be related to hypervigilance and misattribution feeding into the paranoid cognition characteristic of patients with schizophrenia.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.
Inflammatory bowel disease symptoms and cognitive fusion's impact on psychological health: An 18-month prospective study
Authors: Trindade I.A. , Ferreira C. , Pinto-Gouveia J.
Published: June 2017

Although inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is known to be associated with lower psychological health, research regarding which specific symptoms may lead to psychological dysfunction in IBD patients is inexistent. Further, the role played by emotion regulation, including the maladaptive process of cognitive fusion, in IBD patients’ psychological functioning is also scarcely explored in this population. The present study aimed at filling these research gaps. Two hundred and sixteen patients diagnosed with IBD filled self-report instruments on an online platform in three times. These waves of assessment occurred at baseline, and 9 and 18 months later. Results revealed that of the 10 measured IBD symptoms, only fatigue, bloody stools and abdominal distension at baseline were negatively associated patients’ level of psychological health at Wave 3. Nevertheless, a hierarchical regression analysis demonstrated that none of these symptoms were significant predictors of psychological health measured 18 months later. When cognitive fusion at baseline was added to the model, it became the only significant predictor of psychological health at Wave 3, with an effect of −0.34 (P < 0.001). These findings suggest that it is not the experience of physical symptomatology that directly leads to lower psychological health in IBD patients, but rather the way patients deal with adverse internal experiences, i.e., the type of emotion regulation involved. This study reveals cognitive fusion as a harmful process for the determination of IBD patients’ psychological functioning. Future studies should thus explore the meditational effect of cognitive fusion in the association between IBD symptomatology and decreased psychological health.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.
Neuroeconomic approach to trauma related psychopathology: A version to ambiguous losses in PTSD
Authors: Harpaz-Rotem I. , Jia R. , Ruderman L. , Pietrzak R. , Levy I.
Published: June 2017

Psychiatric symptoms typically cut across traditional diagnostic categories. In order to devise individually-tailored treatments, there is a need to identify the basic mechanisms that underlie these symptoms. Behavioral and neuro-economics methods provide a framework for studying these potential mechanisms. We utilized this framework to examine aspects of trauma-related symptomatology and its potential link to individual uncertainty attitudes. We distinguish between attitudes towards uncertain outcomes with known (“risk”) and unknown (“ambiguity”) probabilities, and between attitudes towards uncertain gains and uncertain losses. fMRI data were obtained from 57 combat veterans (30 with PTSD, and 27 without PTSD) who made choices involving risky and ambiguous options, which were used to estimate risk and ambiguity attitudes in the gain and loss domains. Veterans with PTSD were more averse to ambiguity, but not risk, compared to veterans without PTSD, when making choices between possible losses, but not gains. The degree of aversion was associated with anxious arousal symptoms, as well as with the degree of combat exposure. A whole brain analysis indicated association between activation in specific brain areas implicated in decision-making and severity of PTSD. Moreover, ambiguity attitudes fully mediated the association between combat exposure and anxious arousal symptoms. These results provide a foundation for the causal association between ambiguity attitudes and trauma-related symptoms, as well as etiology of the neural underpinnings of these behavioral outcomes. Results demonstrate the potential of neuroeconomic and behavioral economic techniques for devising objective and incentive-compatible diagnostic tools, and investigating the etiology of psychiatric disorders.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.
Impact of emotional and cognitive saliency on visual search in post-traumatic stress disorder
Authors: Kiesmann E. , Grandgenèvre P. , Mallet J. , Dubertret C. , Vaiva G.
Published: June 2017

Introduction

Patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have shown disturbances in visual information treatment. However, most of studies demonstrated attentional bias towards emotional stimuli by using non-ecological paradigm. The paradigm of change blindness offers the possibility of studying sensitivity to the sudden irruption of visual information with ecological stimuli.

Objectives/Aims

To compare the explicit detection with the implicit detection by using respectively motor response and eye tracking in patients with PSTD and controls.

Methods

Fifteen patients with PTSD and fifteen healthy controls had to detect changes in 96 scenes with (1) no change, (2) one neutral change or (3) one emotional pleasant or unpleasant change. We measured the participant's speed and accuracy in explicitly reporting the changes via motor responses, and their capacity to implicitly detect changes via eye movements.

Results

The patients showed a trend towards slower explicit detection for the emotional change (P = 0.06) and more specifically for unpleasant change (P = 0.054). The two groups did not differ for implicit detection.

Conclusion

Patients tend to explicitly detect more slowly emotional change (but not neutral), especially for unpleasant change. This could be the result of a lack of access to consciousness of the emotional information. The emotional visual information treatment in PSTD could require more attentional processes than the non-emotional visual information and then lead to a decrease of the available attentional resources for the explicit task.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.
Anti-inflammatory properties of brilliant blue G on chronic unpredictable mild stress-induced changes in rat hippocampus
Authors: Aricioglu F. , Bastaskin T. , Kandemir C. , Sirvanci S. , Ozkartal C. , Utkan T.
Published: June 2017

Objective

Purinergic 2X7 receptor (P2X7R) activation has recently been considered to be involved in depression at least partially by triggering microglial activation. The aim of the present study was to examine whether the chronic administration of brilliant blue G (BBG), a highly selective P2X7R antagonist, has antidepressant-like effects and microglial (Iba-1) immunoreactivity in chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) model in rats.

Methods

Male Wistar Albino rats (290–360 g) were divided into groups such as control (saline), CUMS, CUMS + Imipramine (20 mg/kg; i.p.), CUMS + BBG25 (25 mg/kg; i.p.), CUMS + BBG50 (50 mg/kg; i.p.) groups (n = 10–12 in each). In CUMS model, various stressors were applied for 40 days. On day 20, the treatment of BBG was started for 20 days. At the end, sucrose preference and forced swimming tests were performed. Then brains were removed with paraformaldehyde perfusion for Iba-1 immunohistochemical analysis in hippocampus. One-way analysis of variance and Tukey's test were used for statistical analysis.

Results

The time of immobility in forced swim test was significantly reduced while sucrose preference was increased in Imipramine and CUMS + BBG50 groups compared to control and CUMS groups, respectively. In immunohistochemical experiments, Iba-1 was overexpressed in CUMS group and BBG significantly reduced the overexpression of Iba-1.

Conclusion

Our results suggest that chronic administration of BBG has an antidepressant-like activity supporting the notion of P2X7 receptors involvement in depression by modulating microglial activation.

This research was supported by grant from Marmara University, Scientific Research Projects – SAG-C-YLP-110915-0416 and SAG-E-120613-0233.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.
Zero suicide southwest UK initiative – Steps to mitigate suicide risk in local populations using quality improvement methodology and a whole life approach
Authors: Shankar R. , Wilkinson E. , Roberts S. , Rebecca O.
Published: June 2017

Background

Only 25% of people who die by suicide see mental health services. Suicide is not just a health issue. Its causation and consequences lie within all of society. Many erroneously believe that suicide is inevitable and not preventable, because its causation is too complex. Underlying associations with suicide are largely social. There are programmes in the USA, which have combined interventions to reduce suicides. The 2014 UK suicide rate per 100,000 was 10.8 but 11.1 in South West (SW) England (pop: 5 million). A whole system approach is necessary. Zero Suicides SW is a project to address this.

Aim

(1) To develop a regional strategy to reduce and prevent suicide. (2) To make whole populations suicide risk aware. (3) Reduce regional suicide rates.

Method

A collaborative involving national and local 60 organisations including charities and voluntary sector was formed. Five collaborative meetings used narratives of suicide survivors, national experts led themed workshops, etc. to come up with a regional strategy. Quality Improvement (QI) Methodology was used to develop and examine the success of all projects.

Outputs

Initiatives such as using local radio stations for mental health promotion, collaboration via a poster campaign with local breweries and pubs to make men more self-aware of risk, suicide risk counselling for relatives/carers of patients admitted to psychiatric care, improving scrutiny to access to medication for recently discharged psychiatric patients have developed from the project. The QI model demonstrated how localised changes at person and organisation level could combine and have a powerful role in suicide prevention.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.
ON MULTIPLIERS BETWEEN SOME SPACES OF HOLOMORPHIC FUNCTIONS
Authors: STANIÓW BARTOSZ
Published: June 2017

We study function multipliers between spaces of holomorphic functions on the unit disc of the complex plane generated by symmetric sequence spaces. In the case of sequence$\ell ^{p}$spaces we recover Nikol’skii’s results [‘Spaces and algebras of Toeplitz matrices operating on$\ell ^{p}$’,Sibirsk. Mat. Zh.7(1966), 146–158].
Diurnal variation of intraoral pH and temperature
Authors: Choi Jung Eun , Lyons Karl M , Kieser Jules A , Waddell Neil J
Published: June 2017

Objective/Aims:

The aim of this study was to measure continuously the intraoral pH and temperature of healthy individuals to investigate their diurnal variations.

Materials and Methods:

Seventeen participants (mean age, 31±9 years) wore a custom-made intraoral appliance fitted with a pH probe and thermocouple for two sets of 24 h, while carrying out normal daily activities including sleep. The continuous changes in intraoral pH and temperature were captured using a sensor placed on the palatal aspect of the upper central incisors. The collected data were categorised into different status (awake and sleep) and periods (morning, afternoon, evening and night). Both quantitative and qualitative analyses were conducted.

Results:

The intraoral pH change was found to show a distinctive daily rhythm, showing a 12-h interval between maximum (7.73) and minimum (6.6) pH values. The maximum and minimum values were found to repeat after 24 h. The mean pH over 48 h (two sets of 24 h) was found to be 7.27 (±0.74). There was significant difference found in pH when subjects were awake and asleep and different periods during the day (P<0.001). The mean intraoral temperature was 33.99 °C (±4.9), with less distinctive daily rhythm compared with pH. There was a significant difference found in temperature depending on the time of the day, except between morning and afternoon (P=0.78).

Conclusion:

Our results showed that there is a distinctive daily, circadian-like pattern in intraoral pH variation over a 24-h period, which has been considered as one of the risk factors in sleep-related dental diseases.
Hot electrons in water: injection and ponderomotive acceleration by means of plasmonic nanoelectrodes
Authors: Zilio Pierfrancesco , Dipalo Michele , Tantussi Francesco , Messina Gabriele C , de Angelis Francesco
Published: June 2017

We present a theoretical and experimental study of a plasmonic nanoelectrode architecture that is able to inject bunches of hot electrons into an aqueous environment. In this approach, electrons are accelerated in water by ponderomotive forces up to energies capable of exciting or ionizing water molecules. This ability is enabled by the nanoelectrode structure (extruding out of a metal baseplate), which allows for the production of an intense plasmonic hot spot at the apex of the structure while maintaining the electrical connection to a virtually unlimited charge reservoir. The electron injection is experimentally monitored by recording the current transmitted through the water medium, whereas the electron acceleration is confirmed by observation of the bubble generation for a laser power exceeding a proper threshold. An understanding of the complex physics involved is obtained via a numerical approach that explicitly models the electromagnetic hot spot generation, electron-by-electron injection via multiphoton absorption, acceleration by ponderomotive forces and electron-water interaction through random elastic and inelastic scattering. The model predicts a critical electron density for bubble nucleation that nicely matches the experimental findings and reveals that the efficiency of energy transfer from the plasmonic hot spot to the free electron cloud is much more efficient (17 times higher) in water than in a vacuum. Because of their high kinetic energy and large reduction potential, these proposed wet hot electrons may provide new opportunities in photocatalysis, electrochemical processes and hot-electron driven chemistry.
The role of city size and urban form in the surface urban heat island
Authors: Zhou Bin , Rybski Diego , Kropp Jürgen P.
Published: June 2017

Urban climate is determined by a variety of factors, whose knowledge can help to attenuate heat stress in the context of ongoing urbanization and climate change. We study the influence of city size and urban form on the Urban Heat Island (UHI) phenomenon in Europe and find a complex interplay between UHI intensity and city size, fractality, and anisometry. Due to correlations among these urban factors, interactions in the multi-linear regression need to be taken into account. We find that among the largest 5,000 cities, the UHI intensity increases with the logarithm of the city size and with the fractal dimension, but decreases with the logarithm of the anisometry. Typically, the size has the strongest influence, followed by the compactness, and the smallest is the influence of the degree to which the cities stretch. Accordingly, from the point of view of UHI alleviation, small, disperse, and stretched cities are preferable. However, such recommendations need to be balanced against e.g. positive agglomeration effects of large cities. Therefore, trade-offs must be made regarding local and global aims.
Development of squaraine based G-quadruplex ligands using click chemistry
Authors: Zhang Xin , Wei Yongbiao , Bing Tao , Liu Xiangjun , Zhang Nan , Wang Junyan , He Junqing , Jin Bing , Shangguan Dihua
Published: June 2017

The G-quadruplex (G4) structures of nucleic acids are considered to play an intrinsic role in gene expression. To this end, the development of new G4 ligands has attracted extensive research interests towards potential applications as G4-targeted drugs and molecular probes. To date, the majority of G4 ligands have been composed of an extended planar aromatic scaffold that interacts with the terminal G-tetrad plane via π-π interactions, and various side chains that interact with the sugar-phosphate backbone, loops or grooves of the G4 structures. The side chains act to modulate the affinity and selectivity of the G4 ligands, alongside influencing their biodistribution. Here, we present a click chemistry methodology to generate a series of squaraine-based G4 ligand derivatives based on our previously reported G4 probe (named CSTS) but with varing side chains. We find that importantly these new G4 ligand derivatives retain the G4 selectivity, optical properties and low cytotoxicity of CSTS, but exhibit different binding behaviors to G4 structures, and distinct cellular uptake efficiencies. Indeed, of these new complexes, several exhibit much higher affinity and cellular uptake than CSTS. Overall, this novel, facile and highly effective strategy has significant future potential for the high-throughput screening of G4 ligands or probes targeted towards in vivo applications.
Ultra-broadband, wide angle absorber utilizing metal insulator multilayers stack with a multi-thickness metal surface texture
Authors: Ghobadi Amir , Dereshgi Sina Abedini , Hajian Hodjat , Bozok Berkay , Butun Bayram , Ozbay Ekmel
Published: June 2017

In this paper, we propose a facile route to fabricate a metal insulator multilayer stack to obtain ultra-broadband, wide angle behavior from the structure. The absorber, which covers near infrared (NIR) and visible (Vis) ranges, consists of a metal-insulator-metal-insulator (MIMI) multilayer where the middle metal layer has a variant thickness. It is found that this non-uniform thickness of the metal provides us with an absorption that is much broader compared to planar architecture. In the non-uniform case, each thickness is responsible for a specific wavelength range where the overall absorption is the superposition of these resonant responses and consequently a broad, perfect light absorption is attained. We first numerically examine the impact of different geometries on the overall light absorption property of the multilayer design. Afterward, we fabricate the designs and characterize them to experimentally verify our numerical findings. Characterizations show a good agreement with numerical results where the optimum absorption bandwidth for planar design is found to be 620 nm (380 nm–1000 nm) and it is significantly boosted to an amount of 1060 nm (350 nm–1410 nm) for multi-thickness case.
Interspecific comparison of allometry between body weight and chest girth in domestic bovids
Authors: Anzai Hiroki , Oishi Kazato , Kumagai Hajime , Hosoi Eiji , Nakanishi Yoshitaka , Hirooka Hiroyuki
Published: June 2017

The sizes of body parts often co-vary through exponential scaling, known as allometry. The evolution of allometry is central to the generation of morphological diversity. To make inferences regarding the evolved responses in allometry to natural and artificial selection, we compared allometric parameters (slope and intercept) among seven species and breeds of domestic bovids using cross-sectional ontogenetic data and attempted to interpret the differences in these parameters. The allometric slopes were not different among some species, whereas those between breeds within species were, indicating that the slopes were typically invariant but could be changed under strong, specific selection. With the exception of yak, the differences in the intercept independent of the slopes (the alternative intercept) among species might better correspond to their divergence times than the differences in allometric slope, and the remarkably higher alternative intercept found in yaks can be explained by their unique morphological evolution. These findings provide evidence that differences in the alternative intercept can retain traces of the phylogenetic changes derived from differentiation and evolution.
Probing the missing mature β-cell proteomic landscape in differentiating patient iPSC-derived cells
Authors: Vethe Heidrun , Bjørlykke Yngvild , Ghila Luiza M. , Paulo Joao A. , Scholz Hanne , Gygi Steven P. , Chera Simona , Ræder Helge
Published: June 2017

MODY1 is a maturity-onset monogenic diabetes, caused by heterozygous mutations of the HNF4A gene. To date the cellular and molecular mechanisms leading to disease onset remain largely unknown. In this study, we demonstrate that insulin-positive cells can be generated in vitro from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) derived from patients carrying a non-sense HNF4A mutation, proving for the first time, that a human HNF4A mutation is neither blocking the expression of the insulin genes nor the development of insulin-producing cells in vitro. However, regardless of the mutation or diabetes status, these insulin-producing cells are immature, a common downfall off most current β-cell differentiation protocols. To further address the immature state of the cells, in vitro differentiated cells and adult human islets were compared by global proteomic analysis. We report the predicted upstream regulators and signalling pathways characterizing the proteome landscape of each entity. Subsequently, we focused on the molecular components absent or misregulated in the in vitro differentiated cells, to probe the components involved in the deficient in vitro maturation towards fully functional β-cells. This analysis identified the modulation of key developmental signalling pathways representing potential targets for improving the efficiency of the current differentiation protocols.
Downregulation of ATG5-dependent macroautophagy by chaperone-mediated autophagy promotes breast cancer cell metastasis
Authors: Han Qi , Deng Youcai , Chen Sha , Chen Rui , Yang Mingzhen , Zhang Zhujun , Sun Xiongshan , Wang Wei , He Ying , Wang Fangjie , Pan Xiaodong , Li Peng , Lai Wenjing , Luo Hongqin , Huang Pei , Guan Xiao , Deng Yafei , Yan Jun , Xu Xianjie , Wen Yan , Chen An , Hu Chuanmin , Li Xiaohui , Li Shuhui
Published: June 2017

Recent data have shown that the expression of lysosome-associated membrane protein type 2 A (LAMP2A), the key protein in the chaperone-mediated autophagy (CMA) pathway, is elevated in breast tumor tissues. However, the exact effects and mechanisms of CMA during breast cancer metastasis remain largely unknown. In this study, we found that the LAMP2A protein level was significantly elevated in human breast cancer tissues, particularly in metastatic carcinoma. The increased LAMP2A level was also positively correlated with the histologic grade of ductal breast cancer. High LAMP2A levels also predicted shorter overall survival of breast cancer patients. Downregulation of CMA activity by LAMP2A knockdown significantly inhibited the growth and metastasis of both MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468 breast cancer cells in vivo and in vitro, while upregulation of CMA activity by LAMP2A overexpression had the opposite effect. Mechanistically, we found that elevated CMA activity mediated increased growth and metastasis of human breast cancer cells by downregulating the activity of autophagy-related gene 5 (ATG5)-dependent macroautophagy. Collectively, these results indicate that the anti-macroautophagic property is a key feature of CMA-mediated tumorigenesis and metastasis and may, in some contexts, serve as an attractive target for breast cancer therapies.
Thrombin-induced cytoskeleton dynamics in spread human platelets observed with fast scanning ion conductance microscopy
Authors: Seifert Jan , Rheinlaender Johannes , Lang Florian , Gawaz Meinrad , Schäffer Tilman E.
Published: June 2017

Platelets are small anucleate blood cells involved in haemostasis. Platelet activation, caused by agonists such as thrombin or by contact with the extracellular matrix, leads to platelet adhesion, aggregation, and coagulation. Activated platelets undergo shape changes, adhere, and spread at the site of injury to form a blood clot. We investigated the morphology and morphological dynamics of human platelets after complete spreading using fast scanning ion conductance microscopy (SICM). In contrast to unstimulated platelets, thrombin-stimulated platelets showed increased morphological activity after spreading and exhibited dynamic morphological changes in the form of wave-like movements of the lamellipodium and dynamic protrusions on the platelet body. The increase in morphological activity was dependent on thrombin concentration. No increase in activity was observed following exposure to other activation agonists or during contact-induced activation. Inhibition of actin polymerization and inhibition of dynein significantly decreased the activity of thrombin-stimulated platelets. Our data suggest that these morphological dynamics after spreading are thrombin-specific and might play a role in coagulation and blood clot formation.
Retinoic Acid affects Lung Adenocarcinoma growth by inducing differentiation via GATA6 activation and EGFR and Wnt inhibition
Authors: Zito Giovanni , Naselli Flores , Saieva Laura , Raimondo Stefania , Calabrese Giovanna , Guzzardo Claudio , Forte Stefano , Rolfo Christian , Parenti Rosalba , Alessandro Riccardo
Published: June 2017

A fundamental task in cancer research aims at the identification of new pharmacological therapies that can affect tumor growth. Differentiation therapy might exploit this function not only for hematological diseases, such as acute promyelocytic leukemia (APML) but also for epithelial tumors, including lung cancer. Here we show that Retinoic Acid (RA) arrests in vitro and in vivo the growth of Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors (TKI) resistant Non Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC). In particular, we found that RA induces G0/G1 cell cycle arrest in TKI resistant NSCLC cells and activates terminal differentiation programs by modulating the expression of GATA6, a key transcription factor involved in the physiological differentiation of the distal lung. In addition, our results demonstrate that RA inhibits EGFR and Wnt signaling activation, two pathways involved in NSCLC progression. Furthermore, we uncovered a novel mechanism in NSCLC that shows how RA exerts its function; we found that RA-mediated GATA6 activation is necessary for EGFR and Wnt inhibition, thus leading to 1) increased differentiation and 2) loss of proliferation. All together, these findings prove that differentiation therapy might be feasible in TKI resistant NSCLCs, and shed light on new targets to define new pharmacological therapies.
Magma dynamics within a basaltic conduit revealed by textural and compositional features of erupted ash: the December 2015 Mt. Etna paroxysms
Authors: Pompilio Massimo , Bertagnini Antonella , Del Carlo Paola , Di Roberto Alessio
Published: June 2017

In December 2015, four violent explosive episodes from Mt. Etna’s oldest summit crater, the Voragine, produced eruptive columns extending up to 15 km a.s.l. and significant fallout of tephra up to a hundred km from the vent. A combined textural and compositional study was carried out on pyroclasts from three of the four tephra deposits sampled on the volcano at 6 to 14 km from the crater. Ash fractions (Φ = 1–2) were investigated because these grain sizes preserve the magma properties unmodified by post- emplacement processes. Results were used to identify processes occurring in the conduit during each single paroxysm and to understand how they evolve throughout the eruptive period. Results indicate that the magmatic column is strongly heterogeneous, mainly with respect to microlite, vescicle content and melt composition. During each episode, the heterogeneities can develop at time scales as short as a few tens of hours, and differences between distinct episodes indicate that the time scale for completely refilling the system and renewing magma is in the same order of magnitude. Our data also confirm that the number and shape of microlites, together with melt composition, have a strong control on rheological properties and fragmentation style.
Temperature response of soil carbon decomposition depends strongly on forest management practice and soil layer on the eastern Tibetan Plateau
Authors: Yang Kaijun , He Ruoyang , Yang Wanqin , Li Zhijie , Zhuang Liyan , Wu Fuzhong , Tan Bo , Liu Yang , Zhang Li , Tu Lihua , Xu Zhenfeng
Published: June 2017

How forest management practice impacts the temperature response of soil carbon decomposition remains unclear in Tibetan boreal forests. Here, an experiment was conducted to compare soil carbon decomposition of two layers (organic and mineral) in three Tibetan forests (natural forest, NF; secondary forest, SF; spruce plantation, PF). Soils were incubated at two temperatures (10 °C and 20 °C) for 219 days. Increased temperature often stimulated carbon decomposition rates of organic layer but did not affect them in the mineral soils. Soil carbon decomposition rates in the organic layer followed a pattern of NF > SF > PF over the incubation period. Regardless of forest type, soil carbon decomposition rates and temperature coefficient (Q10) were higher in the organic layers compared to mineral soils. Moreover, forest type conversion increasedQ10values in each soil layer. Taken together, our results suggest that forest management practice has much stronger impacts on biochemical properties in the organic layers relative to mineral soils. Moreover, the temperature responses of soil carbon decomposition depend largely on forest management practice and soil layer in this specific area.
Soil bacterial quantification approaches coupling with relative abundances reflecting the changes of taxa
Authors: Zhang Zhaojing , Qu Yuanyuan , Li Shuzhen , Feng Kai , Wang Shang , Cai Weiwei , Liang Yuting , Li Hui , Xu Meiying , Yin Huaqun , Deng Ye
Published: June 2017

Understanding the abundance change of certain bacterial taxa is quite important for the study of soil microbiology. However, the observed differences of relative abundances by high-throughput techniques may not accurately reflect those of the actual taxon abundances. This study investigated whether soil microbial abundances coupling with microbial quantities can be more informative in describing the microbial population distribution under different locations. We analyzed relative abundances of the major species in soil microbial communities from Beijing and Tibet grasslands by using 16 S rRNA high-throughput sequencing technique, and quantified the absolute bacterial cell numbers directly or indirectly by multiple culture-independent measurements, including adenosine tri-phosphate (ATP), flow cytometry (FCM), quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR), phospholipid fatty acids (PLFA) and microbial biomass Carbon (MBC). By comparison of the relative abundance and the estimated absolute abundances (EAA) of the major components in soil microbial communities, several dominant phyla, including Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Verrucomicrobia, Chloroflexi, Gemmatimonates and Planctomycetes, showed significantly different trends. These results indicated that the change in EAA might be more informative in describing the dynamics of a population in a community. Further studies of soil microbes should combine the quantification and relative abundances of the microbial communities for the comparisons among various locations.
Fish oil-enriched nutrition combined with systemic chemotherapy for gastrointestinal cancer patients with cancer cachexia
Authors: Shirai Yumiko , Okugawa Yoshinaga , Hishida Asahi , Ogawa Aki , Okamoto Kyoko , Shintani Miki , Morimoto Yuki , Nishikawa Ryutaro , Yokoe Takeshi , Tanaka Koji , Urata Hisashi , Toiyama Yuji , Inoue Yasuhiro , Tanaka Motoyoshi , Mohri Yasuhiko , Goel Ajay , Kusunoki Masato , McMillan Donald C. , Miki Chikao
Published: June 2017

Despite recent advances in chemotherapy for gastrointestinal cancer, a crucial factor related to poor prognosis is reduced tolerance to chemotherapy induced by cancer cachexia. Fish oil (FO)-derived eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) modulates inflammation in patients with various malignancies; however, the impact of FO-enriched nutrition as a combined modality therapy on clinical outcomes remains controversial. We systemically analysed chronological changes in biochemical and physiological status using bioelectrical impedance analysis in 128 gastrointestinal cancer patients provided with or without FO-enriched nutrition during chemotherapy. Furthermore, we evaluated the clinical significance of FO-enriched nutrition and clarified appropriate patient groups that receive prognostic benefits from FO-enriched nutrition during treatment of gastrointestinal cancer. The control group showed significant up-regulation of serum CRP) levels and no significant difference in both skeletal muscle mass and lean body mass. In contrast, the FO-enriched nutrition group showed no changes in serum CRP concentration and significantly increased skeletal muscle mass and lean body mass over time. Furthermore, high CRP levels significantly correlated with reduced tolerance to chemotherapy, and FO-enriched nutrition improved chemotherapy tolerance and prognosis, particularly in gastrointestinal cancer patients with a modified Glasgow prognostic score (mGPS) of 1 or 2. We conclude that FO-enriched nutrition may improve the prognosis of patients with cancer cachexia and systemic inflammation (i.e., those with a mGPS of 1 or 2).
Characterization of short- and long-term mechanical sensitisation following surgical tail amputation in pigs
Authors: Di Giminiani Pierpaolo , Edwards Sandra A. , Malcolm Emma M. , Leach Matthew C. , Herskin Mette S. , Sandercock Dale A.
Published: June 2017

Commercial pigs are frequently exposed to tail mutilations in the form of preventive husbandry procedures (tail docking) or as a result of abnormal behaviour (tail biting). Although tissue and nerve injuries are well-described causes of pain hypersensitivity in humans and in rodent animal models, there is no information on the changes in local pain sensitivity induced by tail injuries in pigs. To determine the temporal profile of sensitisation, pigs were exposed to surgical tail resections and mechanical nociceptive thresholds (MNT) were measured in the acute (one week post-operatively) and in the long-term (either eight or sixteen weeks post-surgery) phase of recovery. The influence of the degree of amputation on MNTs was also evaluated by comparing three different tail-resection treatments (intact, ‘short tail’, ‘long tail’). A significant reduction in MNTs one week following surgery suggests the occurrence of acute sensitisation. Long-term hypersensitivity was also observed in tail-resected pigs at either two or four months following surgery. Tail amputation in pigs appears to evoke acute and sustained changes in peripheral mechanical sensitivity, which resemble features of neuropathic pain reported in humans and other species and provides new information on implications for the welfare of animals subjected to this type of injury.
Characterization of aggregated morphologies derived from mono- and bis-arylbenzamides – potential alpha-helix mimetics
Authors: Kulikov Oleg V. , Sevryugina Yulia V. , Mehmood Arshad , Saraogi Ishu
Published: June 2017

We report here the synthesis and self-assembly studies of a family of benzamide backbone oligomers bearing various alkyl side chains (e.g., isopropyl, isobutyl, and 2-ethylpentyl), which are potential alpha-helix mimetics capable of disrupting protein–protein interactions.
Preparation of one-dimensional SnO2–In2O3nano-heterostructures and their gas-sensing property
Authors: Shen Hongzhi , Li Liang , Xu Dapeng
Published: June 2017

Herein, we employ a combination of electrospinning and hydrothermal approaches to synthesize 1D SnO2–In2O3nano-heterostructures with a series of morphological evolutions.
A sustainable synthesis of 2-aryl-3-carboxylate indolines from N-aryl enamines under visible light irradiation
Authors: Wu Cheng-Juan , Cao Wen-Xiao , Lei Tao , Li Zhi-Hua , Meng Qing-Yuan , Yang Xiu-Long , Chen Bin , Ramamurthy Vaidhyanathan , Tung Chen-Ho , Wu Li-Zhu
Published: June 2017

With visible light irradiation of a catalytic amount of Ir(ppy)3 at room temperature, a number of N-aryl enamines were transformed into their corresponding indoline products in good to excellent yields without requiring any extra additives.
The influence of polyanion molecular weight on polyelectrolyte multilayers at surfaces: elasticity and susceptibility to saloplasticity of strongly dissociated synthetic polymers at fluid–fluid interfaces
Authors: Cramer Ashley D. , Dong Wen-Fei , Benbow Natalie L. , Webber Jessie L. , Krasowska Marta , Beattie David A. , Ferri James K.
Published: June 2017

Decreasing polyanion chain length increases the elastic modulus and saloplasticity threshold in freestanding polyelectrolyte multilayers.
The structural and electronic properties of reduced amorphous titania
Authors: Deskins N. Aaron , Du Jincheng , Rao Pratap
Published: June 2017

Reduced amorphous titania has been modeled by removing oxygen atoms to clarify the properties of these materials.
Conformer specific nonadiabatic reaction dynamics in the photodissociation of partially deuterated thioanisoles (C6H5S-CH2D and C6H5S-CHD2)
Authors: Kim So-Yeon , Lee Jeongmook , Kim Sang Kyu
Published: June 2017

Multidimensional aspects of the conical intersection in the nuclear configuration space have been explored by partial H/D substitution of the methyl moiety of pre-dissociating thioanisole.
Synergies in lubrication
Authors: Dėdinaitė Andra , Claesson Per M.
Published: June 2017

In living organisms the aqueous medium is used for providing low friction forces. This is achieved by synergistic actions of different biomolecules that together accomplish a high load bearing capacity and sustain an easily sheared water layer.
Phosphate-bearing polymer grafted glass for plutonium(iv) ion-selective alpha spectrometry
Authors: Mhatre Amol M. , Chappa Sankararao , Paul Sumana , Pandey Ashok K.
Published: June 2017

Thin poly(bis[2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl] phosphate) grafted glass has been used for selective preconcentration and source preparation for alpha spectrometry of Pu(iv) ions.
The microwave-assisted synthesis of 5-substituted 1H-tetrazoles via [3+2] cycloaddition over a heterogeneous Cu-based catalyst: application to the preparation of 13N-labelled tetrazoles
Authors: Joshi Sameer M. , Mane Rasika B. , Pulagam Krishna R. , Gomez-Vallejo Vanessa , Llop Jordi , Rode Chandrashekhar
Published: June 2017

The [3+2] cycloaddition between various nitriles and sodium azide proceeds smoothly in the presence of a new CuII catalyst in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) to give the corresponding 5-substituted 1H-tetrazoles.
Persistent photocatalysis effect of black peony-like BiOCl and its potential full-time photocatalytic applications
Authors: Feng Pengfei , Tang Xue , Zhang Jiachi , Mei Yuehai , Li Huihui
Published: June 2017

A new concept of a “Persistent Photocatalysis (PersP)” effect is defined for the first time according to the observation that the black peony-like BiOCl material is able to efficiently degrade Rhodamine B dye in dark.
Hybrid nanocomposites of nanostructured Co3O4interfaced with reduced/nitrogen-doped graphene oxides for selective improvements in electrocatalytic and/or supercapacitive properties
Authors: Hu Sheng , Ribeiro Erick L. , Davari Seyyed Ali , Tian Mengkun , Mukherjee Dibyendu , Khomami Bamin
Published: June 2017

Hybrid nanocomposites (HNCs) of Co3O4nanoparticles/nanorods embedded in reduced/nitrogen-doped graphene oxide, manufacturedvialaser ablation synthesis in solution (LASiS), exhibit selective electrocatalytic/supercapacitive properties.
Elastic properties of the hydrogen-bonded liquid and glassy glycerol under high pressure: comparison with propylene carbonate
Authors: Lyapin A. G. , Gromnitskaya E. L. , Danilov I. V. , Brazhkin V. V.
Published: June 2017

We compare elastic properties of the liquid and glassy glycerol and propylene carbonate as the archetypal molecular glass formers with and without hydrogen bonding.
The next generation solid acid fuel cell electrodes: stable, high performance with minimized catalyst loading
Authors: Lohmann F. P. , Schulze P. S. C. , Wagner M. , Naumov O. , Lotnyk A. , Abel B. , Varga Á.
Published: June 2017

Stable and high electrode performance is paired with low catalyst loading, achieved by using a novel electrode architecture. Finely dispersed, 2–3 nm Pt particles on CNTs are obtained via metal-organic chemical vapor deposition, forming an interconnected catalyst network on solid acid microparticles.