bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Rejection Sensitivity as a Moderator of Psychosocial Outcomes Following Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury
Authors: Meadows Emily A. , Owen Yeates Keith , Rubin Kenneth H. , Taylor H. Gerry , Bigler Erin D. , Dennis Maureen , Gerhardt Cynthia A. , Vannatta Kathryn , Stancin Terry , Hoskinson Kristen R.
Published: May 2017

Objectives:The current study examines whether psychosocial outcomes following pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI) vary as a function of children’s rejection sensitivity (RS), defined as their disposition to be hypersensitive to cues of rejection from peers.Methods:Children ages 8–13 with a history of severe TBI (STBI,n=16), complicated mild/moderate TBI (n=35), or orthopedic injury (OI,n=49) completed measures assessing self-esteem and RS on average 3.28 years post-injury (SD=1.33, range=1.25–6.34). Parents reported on their child’s emotional and behavioral functioning and social participation.Results:Regression analyses found moderation of group differences by RS for three outcomes: social participation, self-perceptions of social acceptance, and externalizing behavior problems. Conditional effects at varying levels of RS indicated that externalizing problems and social participation were significantly worse for children with STBI at high levels of RS, compared to children with OI. Social participation for the STBI group remained significantly lower than the OI group at mean levels of RS, but not at low levels of RS. At high levels of RS, self-perceptions of social acceptance were lower for children with moderate TBI compared to OI, but group differences were not significant at mean or low levels of RS. No evidence of moderation was found for global self-worth, self-perceptions of physical appearance or athletic ability, or internalizing problems.Conclusions:The findings highlight the salient nature of social outcomes in the context of varying levels of RS. These findings may have implications for the design of interventions to improve social outcomes following TBI. (JINS, 2017,23, 451–459)
Long-term implications of observing an expanding cosmological civilization
Authors: Olson S. Jay
Published: May 2017

Suppose that advanced civilizations, separated by a cosmological distance and time, wish to maximize their access to cosmic resources by rapidly expanding into the universe. How does the presence of one limit the expansionistic ambitions of another, and what sort of boundary forms between their expanding domains? We describe a general scenario for any expansion speed, separation distance and time. We then specialize to a question of particular interest: What are the future prospects for a young and ambitious civilization if they can observe the presence of another at a cosmological distance? We treat cases involving the observation of one or two expanding domains. In the single-observation case, we find that almost any plausible detection will limit one's future cosmic expansion to some extent. Also, practical technological limits to expansion speed (well below the speed of light) play an interesting role. If a domain is visible at the time one embarks on cosmic expansion, higher practical limits to expansion speed are beneficial only up to a certain point. Beyond this point, a higher speed limit means that gains in the ability to expand are more than offset by the first-mover advantage of the observed domain. In the case of two visible domains, it is possible to be ‘trapped’ by them if the practical speed limit is high enough and their angular separation in the sky is large enough, i.e. one's expansion in any direction will terminate at a boundary with the two visible civilizations. Detection at an extreme cosmological distance has surprisingly little mitigating effect on our conclusions.
Optical determination of crystal phase in semiconductor nanocrystals
Authors: Lim Sung Jun , Schleife André , Smith Andrew M.
Published: May 2017

Optical, electronic and structural properties of nanocrystals fundamentally derive from crystal phase. This is especially important for polymorphic II–VI, III–V and I-III-VI2 semiconductor materials such as cadmium selenide, which exist as two stable phases, cubic and hexagonal, each with distinct properties. However, standard crystallographic characterization through diffraction yields ambiguous phase signatures when nanocrystals are small or polytypic. Moreover, diffraction methods are low-throughput, incompatible with solution samples and require large sample quantities. Here we report the identification of unambiguous optical signatures of cubic and hexagonal phases in II–VI nanocrystals using absorption spectroscopy and first-principles electronic-structure theory. High-energy spectral features allow rapid identification of phase, even in small nanocrystals (∼2 nm), and may help predict polytypic nanocrystals from differential phase contributions. These theoretical and experimental insights provide simple and accurate optical crystallographic analysis for liquid-dispersed nanomaterials, to improve the precision of nanocrystal engineering and improve our understanding of nanocrystal reactions.
Inferring personal economic status from social network location
Authors: Luo Shaojun , Morone Flaviano , Sarraute Carlos , Travizano Matías , Makse Hernán A.
Published: May 2017

It is commonly believed that patterns of social ties affect individuals’ economic status. Here we translate this concept into an operational definition at the network level, which allows us to infer the economic well-being of individuals through a measure of their location and influence in the social network. We analyse two large-scale sources: telecommunications and financial data of a whole country’s population. Our results show that an individual’s location, measured as the optimal collective influence to the structural integrity of the social network, is highly correlated with personal economic status. The observed social network patterns of influence mimic the patterns of economic inequality. For pragmatic use and validation, we carry out a marketing campaign that shows a threefold increase in response rate by targeting individuals identified by our social network metrics as compared to random targeting. Our strategy can also be useful in maximizing the effects of large-scale economic stimulus policies.
Enhanced heterogeneous ice nucleation by special surface geometry
Authors: Bi Yuanfei , Cao Boxiao , Li Tianshu
Published: May 2017

The freezing of water typically proceeds through impurity-mediated heterogeneous nucleation. Although non-planar geometry generically exists on the surfaces of ice nucleation centres, its role in nucleation remains poorly understood. Here we show that an atomically sharp, concave wedge can further promote ice nucleation with special wedge geometries. Our molecular analysis shows that significant enhancements of ice nucleation can emerge both when the geometry of a wedge matches the ice lattice and when such lattice match does not exist. In particular, a 45° wedge is found to greatly enhance ice nucleation by facilitating the formation of special topological defects that consequently catalyse the growth of regular ice. Our study not only highlights the active role of defects in nucleation but also suggests that the traditional concept of lattice match between a nucleation centre and crystalline lattice should be extended to include a broader match with metastable, non-crystalline structural motifs.
Non-cell-autonomous activation of IL-6/STAT3 signaling mediates FGF19-driven hepatocarcinogenesis
Authors: Zhou Mei , Yang Hong , Learned R. Marc , Tian Hui , Ling Lei
Published: May 2017

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a primary malignancy of the liver, is the second leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide. Fibroblast Growth Factor 19 (FGF19) is one of the most frequently amplified genes in HCC patients. Moreover, mice expressing an FGF19 transgene have been shown to develop HCC. However, the downstream signalling pathways that mediate FGF19-dependent tumorigenesis remain to be deciphered. Here we show that FGF19 triggers a previously unsuspected, non-cell-autonomous program to activate STAT3 signalling in hepatocytes through IL-6 produced in the liver microenvironment. We show that the hepatocyte-specific deletion of Stat3, genetic ablation of Il6, treatment with a neutralizing anti-IL-6 antibody or administration of a small-molecule JAK inhibitor, abolishes FGF19-induced tumorigenesis, while the regulatory functions of FGF19 in bile acid, glucose and energy metabolism remain intact. Collectively, these data reveal a key role for the IL-6/STAT3 axis in potentiating FGF19-driven HCC in mice, a finding which may have translational relevance in HCC pathogenesis.
Efficient hydrogen production on MoNi4 electrocatalysts with fast water dissociation kinetics
Authors: Zhang Jian , Wang Tao , Liu Pan , Liao Zhongquan , Liu Shaohua , Zhuang Xiaodong , Chen Mingwei , Zschech Ehrenfried , Feng Xinliang
Published: May 2017

Various platinum-free electrocatalysts have been explored for hydrogen evolution reaction in acidic solutions. However, in economical water-alkali electrolysers, sluggish water dissociation kinetics (Volmer step) on platinum-free electrocatalysts results in poor hydrogen-production activities. Here we report a MoNi4 electrocatalyst supported by MoO2 cuboids on nickel foam (MoNi4/MoO2@Ni), which is constructed by controlling the outward diffusion of nickel atoms on annealing precursor NiMoO4 cuboids on nickel foam. Experimental and theoretical results confirm that a rapid Tafel-step-decided hydrogen evolution proceeds on MoNi4 electrocatalyst. As a result, the MoNi4 electrocatalyst exhibits zero onset overpotential, an overpotential of 15 mV at 10 mA cm−2 and a low Tafel slope of 30 mV per decade in 1 M potassium hydroxide electrolyte, which are comparable to the results for platinum and superior to those for state-of-the-art platinum-free electrocatalysts. Benefiting from its scalable preparation and stability, the MoNi4 electrocatalyst is promising for practical water-alkali electrolysers.
Inter-basin sources for two-year predictability of the multi-year La Niña event in 2010–2012
Authors: Luo Jing-Jia , Liu Guoqiang , Hendon Harry , Alves Oscar , Yamagata Toshio
Published: May 2017

Multi-year La Niña events often induce persistent cool and wet climate over global lands, altering and in some case mitigating regional climate warming impacts. The latest event lingered from mid-2010 to early 2012 and brought about intensive precipitation over many land regions of the world, particularly Australia. This resulted in a significant drop in global mean sea level despite the background upwards trend. This La Niña event is surprisingly predicted out to two years ahead in a few coupled models, even though the predictability of El Niño-Southern Oscillation during 2002–2014 has declined owing to weakened ocean-atmosphere interactions. However, the underlying mechanism for high predictability of this multi-year La Niña episode is still unclear. Experiments based on a climate model that demonstrates a successful two-year forecast of the La Niña support the hypothesis that warm sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans act to intensify the easterly winds in the central equatorial Pacific and largely contribute to the occurrence and two-year predictability of the 2010–2012 La Niña. The results highlight the importance of increased Atlantic-Indian Ocean SSTs for the multi-year La Niña’s predictability under global warming.
Towards ultimate low frequency air-core magnetometer sensitivity
Authors: Pellicer-Guridi Ruben , Vogel Michael W. , Reutens David C. , Vegh Viktor
Published: May 2017

Air-core magnetometers are amongst the most commonly used magnetic field detectors in biomedical instruments. They offer excellent sensitivity, low fabrication complexity and a robust, cost-effective solution. However, air-core magnetometers must be tailored to the specific application to achieve high sensitivity, which can be decisive in the accuracy of the diagnoses and the time required for the examination. Existing methods proposed for the design of air-core magnetometers are based on simplified models and simulations using a reduced number of variables, potentially leading to sensitivity that is suboptimal. To circumvent this we chose a method with fewer assumptions and a larger number of decision variables which employed a genetic algorithm, a global optimisation method. Experimental validation shows that the model is appropriate for the design of highly sensitive air-core magnetometers. Moreover, our results support the suitability of a genetic algorithm for optimization in this context. The new method described herein will be made publicly available via our website to facilitate the development of less costly biomedical instruments using air-core magnetometers with unprecedented sensitivity.
Reduced Mismatch Negativity is Associated with Increased Plasma Level of Glutamate in First-episode Psychosis
Authors: Nagai Tatsuya , Kirihara Kenji , Tada Mariko , Koshiyama Daisuke , Koike Shinsuke , Suga Motomu , Araki Tsuyoshi , Hashimoto Kenji , Kasai Kiyoto
Published: May 2017

Reduced amplitude of mismatch negativity (MMN) is one of the more promising biological markers of schizophrenia. This finding holds true in both early and chronic phases of the disorder, and is compatible with the glutamatergic dysfunction hypothesis. To further establish MMN as a biomarker of aberrant glutamatergic neurotransmission, an exploration for an association with blood levels of glutamatergic amino acids is an important next step. Despite a large body of work investigating MMN in schizophrenia, no previous studies have undertaken this endeavor. Nineteen patients with first-episode psychosis (FEP), 21 ultra-high risk individuals (UHR), and 16 healthy controls (HC) participated in the study. The MMNs in response to duration change (dMMN) and frequency change (fMMN) were measured. The fasting plasma levels of glutamate, glutamine, glycine, D-serine, and L-serine were measured. dMMN amplitudes were significantly reduced in FEP and UHR, compared to HC. The plasma levels of glutamate of FEP were significantly higher than those of HC. Higher plasma levels of glutamate were associated with smaller dMMN amplitudes in the FEP and HC groups. These findings are compatible with the hypothesis that MMN is a useful biological marker of aberrant glutamatergic neurotransmission in the early stages of schizophrenia.
Toll-like receptor 4 mediates Lewis lung carcinoma-induced muscle wasting via coordinate activation of protein degradation pathways
Authors: Zhang Guohua , Liu Zhelong , Ding Hui , Miao Hongyu , Garcia Jose M. , Li Yi-Ping
Published: May 2017

Cancer-induced cachexia, characterized by muscle wasting, is a lethal metabolic syndrome with undefined etiology. Current consensus is that multiple factors contribute to cancer-induced muscle wasting, and therefore therapy requires combinational strategies. Here, we show that Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) mediates cancer-induced muscle wasting by directly activating muscle catabolism as well as stimulating an innate immune response in mice bearing Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC), and targeting TLR4 alone effectively abrogate muscle wasting. Utilizing specific siRNAs we observed that LLC cell-conditioned medium (LCM)-treated C2C12 myotubes underwent a rapid catabolic response in a TLR4-dependent manner, including activation of the p38 MAPK−C/EBPβ signaling pathway as well as the ubiquitin-proteasome and autophagy-lysosome pathways, resulting in myotube atrophy. Utilizing a reporter cell-line it was confirmed that LCM activated TLR4. These results suggest that LLC-released cachexins directly activate muscle catabolism via activating TLR4 on muscle cells independent of immune responses. Critically, LLC tumor-bearing TLR4−/−mice were spared from muscle wasting due to a blockade in muscle catabolic pathways. Further, tumor-induced elevation of circulating TNFα and interleukin-6 (IL-6) was abolished in TLR4−/−mice. These data suggest that TLR4 is a central mediator and therapeutic target of cancer-induced muscle wasting.
A temporal banding approach for consistent taxonomic ranking above the species level
Authors: Kraichak Ekaphan , Crespo Ana , Divakar Pradeep K. , Leavitt Steven D. , Lumbsch H. Thorsten
Published: May 2017

Comparable taxonomic ranks within clades can facilitate more consistent classifications and objective comparisons among taxa. Here we use a temporal approach to identify taxonomic ranks. This is an extension of the temporal banding approach including a Temporal Error Score that finds an objective cut-off for each taxonomic rank using information for the current classification. We illustrate this method using a data set of the lichenized fungal family Parmeliaceae. To assess its performance, we simulated the effect of taxon sampling and compared our method with the other temporal banding method. For our sampled phylogeny, 11 of the 12 included families remained intact and 55 genera were confirmed, whereas 32 genera were lumped and 15 genera were split. Taxon sampling impacted the method at the genus level, whereas yielded only insignificant changes at the family level. The other available temporal approach also gives a similar cutoff point to our method. Our approach to identify taxonomic ranks enables taxonomists to revise and propose classifications on an objective basis, changing ranks of clades only when inconsistent with most taxa in a phylogenetic tree. An R script to find the time point with the minimal temporal error is provided.
A Chemometrics-driven Strategy for the Bioactivity Evaluation of Complex Multicomponent Systems and the Effective Selection of Bioactivity-predictive Chemical Combinations
Authors: Fujimura Yoshinori , Kawano Chihiro , Maeda-Murayama Ayaka , Nakamura Asako , Koike-Miki Akiko , Yukihira Daichi , Hayakawa Eisuke , Ishii Takanori , Tachibana Hirofumi , Wariishi Hiroyuki , Miura Daisuke
Published: May 2017

Although understanding their chemical composition is vital for accurately predicting the bioactivity of multicomponent drugs, nutraceuticals, and foods, no analytical approach exists to easily predict the bioactivity of multicomponent systems from complex behaviors of multiple coexisting factors. We herein represent a metabolic profiling (MP) strategy for evaluating bioactivity in systems containing various small molecules. Composition profiles of diverse bioactive herbal samples from 21 green tea extract (GTE) panels were obtained by a high-throughput, non-targeted analytical procedure. This employed the matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization–mass spectrometry (MALDI–MS) technique, using 1,5-diaminonaphthalene (1,5-DAN) as the optical matrix for detecting GTE-derived components. Multivariate statistical analyses revealed differences among the GTEs in their antioxidant activity, oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC). A reliable bioactivity-prediction model was constructed to predict the ORAC of diverse GTEs from their compositional balance. This chemometric procedure allowed the evaluation of GTE bioactivity by multicomponent rather than single-component information. The bioactivity could be easily evaluated by calculating the summed abundance of a few selected components that contributed most to constructing the prediction model. 1,5-DAN-MALDI–MS-MP, using diverse bioactive sample panels, represents a promising strategy for screening bioactivity-predictive multicomponent factors and selecting effective bioactivity-predictive chemical combinations for crude multicomponent systems.
Pesticides in fine airborne particles: from a green analysis method to atmospheric characterization and risk assessment
Authors: Nascimento Madson M. , da Rocha Gisele O. , de Andrade Jailson B.
Published: May 2017

The intensive use of pesticides such as herbicides, insecticides, fungicides and acaricides has been lead to ubiquitous contamination, being present not only in soils, water bodies and/or crops, but also in the atmosphere. Considering the massive amount of pesticides employed globally, together to their persistence, this may be an important concern regarding air quality and human health worldwide. In the present study we developed a green sensitive sample preparation method for determination of nine organophosphates, two pyrethroids, one carbamate, and one strobirulin in PM2.5 collected in a tropical coastal area in the Southern Hemisphere for the first time. Extraction of PM2.5 sample masses, as low as 206 µg, were performed in a miniaturized device using 500 μL of a mixture containing 18% acetonitrile in dichloromethane followed by sonication for 23 minutes and injection into GC-MS. A total of 12 pesticides were identified and quantified successfully, among them, eight banned pesticides. A risk assessment exposure and cancer risk for possible carcinogenic pesticides (bifenthrin, malathion, parathion and permethrin) were performed for exposure of adults, children and infants. Hazard Quotient and cumulative exposure for organophosphate and pyrethroid pesticides were less than 1, showing that cumulative risk is within acceptable range.
Exploration and Exploitation in Natural Viewing Behavior
Authors: Ramos Gameiro Ricardo , Kaspar Kai , König Sabine U. , Nordholt Sontje , König Peter
Published: May 2017

Many eye-tracking studies investigate visual behavior with a focus on image features and the semantic content of a scene. A wealth of results on these aspects is available, and our understanding of the decision process where to look has reached a mature stage. However, the temporal aspect, whether to stay and further scrutinize a region (exploitation) or to move on and explore image regions that were yet not in the focus of attention (exploration) is less well understood. Here, we investigate the trade-off between these two processes across stimuli with varying properties and sizes. In a free viewing task, we examined gaze parameters in humans, involving the central tendency, entropy, saccadic amplitudes, number of fixations and duration of fixations. The results revealed that the central tendency and entropy scaled with stimulus size. The mean saccadic amplitudes showed a linear increase that originated from an interaction between the distribution of saccades and the spatial bias. Further, larger images led to spatially more extensive sampling as indicated by a higher number of fixations at the expense of reduced fixation durations. These results demonstrate a profound shift from exploitation to exploration as an adaptation of main gaze parameters with increasing image size.
Quantifying the area-at-risk of myocardial infarction in-vivo using arterial spin labeling cardiac magnetic resonance
Authors: Dongworth Rachel K. , Campbell-Washburn Adrienne E. , Cabrera-Fuentes Hector A. , Bulluck Heerajnarain , Roberts Thomas , Price Anthony N. , Hernández-Reséndiz Sauri , Ordidge Roger J. , Thomas David L. , Yellon Derek M. , Lythgoe Mark F. , Hausenloy Derek J.
Published: May 2017

T2-weighted cardiovascular magnetic resonance (T2-CMR) of myocardial edema can quantify the area-at-risk (AAR) following acute myocardial infarction (AMI), and has been used to assess myocardial salvage by new cardioprotective therapies. However, some of these therapies may reduce edema, leading to an underestimation of the AAR by T2-CMR. Here, we investigated arterial spin labeling (ASL) perfusion CMR as a novel approach to quantify the AAR following AMI. Adult B6sv129-mice were subjected to in vivo left coronary artery ligation for 30 minutes followed by 72 hours reperfusion. T2-mapping was used to quantify the edema-based AAR (% of left ventricle) following ischemic preconditioning (IPC) or cyclosporin-A (CsA) treatment. In control animals, the AAR by T2-mapping corresponded to that delineated by histology. As expected, both IPC and CsA reduced MI size. However, IPC, but not CsA, also reduced myocardial edema leading to an underestimation of the AAR by T2-mapping. In contrast, regions of reduced myocardial perfusion delineated by cardiac ASL were able to delineate the AAR when compared to both T2-mapping and histology in control animals, and were not affected by either IPC or CsA. Therefore, ASL perfusion CMR may be an alternative method for quantifying the AAR following AMI, which unlike T2-mapping, is not affected by IPC.
Use of genetically modified bacteria for drug delivery in humans: Revisiting the safety aspect
Authors: Wegmann Udo , Carvalho Ana Lucia , Stocks Martin , Carding Simon R.
Published: May 2017

The use of live, genetically modified bacteria as delivery vehicles for biologics is of considerable interest scientifically and has attracted significant commercial investment. We have pioneered the use of the commensal gut bacterium Bacteroides ovatus for the oral delivery of therapeutics to the gastrointestinal tract. Here we report on our investigations of the biological safety of engineered B. ovatus bacteria that includes the use of thymineless death as a containment strategy and the potential for the spread of transgenes in vivo in the mammalian gastrointestinal tract. We demonstrate the ability of GM-strains of Bacteroides to survive thymine starvation and overcome it through the exchange of genetic material. We also provide evidence for horizontal gene transfer in the mammalian gastrointestinal tract resulting in transgene-carrying wild type bacteria. These findings sound a strong note of caution on the employment of live genetically modified bacteria for the delivery of biologics.
ApoCIII enrichment in HDL impairs HDL-mediated cholesterol efflux capacity
Authors: Luo Mengdie , Liu Aiying , Wang Shuai , Wang Tianle , Hu Die , Wu Sha , Peng Daoquan
Published: May 2017

Apolipoprotein CIII (apoCIII) has been reported to be tightly associated with triglyceride metabolism and the susceptibility to coronary artery disease (CAD). Besides, apoCIII has also been found to affect the anti-apoptotic effects of HDL. However, the effect of apoCIII on HDL-mediated cholesterol efflux, the crucial function of HDL, has not been reported. A hospital-based case-control study was conducted to compare the apoCIII distribution in lipoproteins between CAD patients and nonCAD controls and to explore the relationship between HDL-associated apoCIII (apoCIIIHDL) and HDL-mediated cholesterol efflux. One hundred forty CAD patients and nighty nine nonCAD controls were included. Plasma apoCIII, apoCIIIHDL and cholesterol efflux capacity was measured. The apoCIIIHDL ratio (apoCIIIHDL over plasma apoCIII) was significantly higher in CAD patients than that in control group (0.52 ± 0.24 vs. 0.43 ± 0.22, P = 0.004). Both apoCIIIHDL and apoCIIIHDL ratio were inversely correlated with cholesterol efflux capacity (r = −0.241, P = 0.0002; r = −0.318, P < 0.0001, respectively). Stepwise multiple regression analysis revealed that the apoCIIIHDL ratio was an independent contributor to HDL-mediated cholesterol efflux capacity (standardized β = −0.325, P < 0.001). This study indicates that the presence of apoCIII in HDL may affect HDL-mediated cholesterol efflux capacity, implying the alternative role of apoCIII in the atherogenesis.
HpSlyD inducing CDX2 and VIL1 expression mediated through TCTP protein may contribute to intestinal metaplasia in the stomach
Authors: Li Qiuping , Zhu Yanmei , Liu Jun , Yu Xiuwen , Chen Moye , Dong Nannan , Gong Yuehua , Yuan Yuan
Published: May 2017

Helicobacter pylori infection is the most important risk factor for gastric intestinal metaplasia (IM). Our previous study demonstrated that infection with H. pylori HpslyD-positive strains associated with IM. To further investigate the signalling pathway involved in HpSlyD-induced IM, CDX2 and VIL1 expressions were determined before and after HpSlyD application. TCTP was knocked down by siRNA or overexpressed by plasmid transfection. An HpSlyD binding protein was used to block HpSlyD’s enzymatic activity. The expression of CDX2 and TCTP in gastric diseases was measured by immunohistochemistry. Our results showed HpSlyD induced CDX2 and VIL1 expressions. TCTP protein expression was markedly increased after application of HpSlyD and in an HpSlyD-expressing stable cell line. Downregulation of TCTP protein led to decreased HpSlyD-induced CDX2 and VIL1. Overexpression of TCTP protein improved the expression of CDX2 and VIL1. Co-application of HpSlyD and FK506 led to significant reductions in CDX2, VIL1, and TCTP expression. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated that CDX2 and TCTP expression was higher in HpslyD-positive specimens compared with HpslyD-negative ones. Expression of CDX2 was positively correlated with TCTP in HpslyD-positive cells. Our study is the first to show that HpSlyD induction of CDX2 and VIL1 expression mediated through TCTP may contribute to IM in the stomach.
Development and evaluation of an immunochromatographic assay to detect serum anti-leptospiral lipopolysaccharide IgM in acute leptospirosis
Authors: Doungchawee Galayanee , Sutdan Direk , Niwatayakul Kannika , Inwisai Tasanee , Sitthipunya Athisri , Boonsathorn Naphatsawan , Sakulterdkiat Titipatima , Sirawaraporn Worachart , Thongboonkerd Visith
Published: May 2017

Leptospirosis is a common life-threatening disease worldwide. However, its diagnosis is frequently ineffective because the gold standard bacterial culture and microscopic agglutination test (MAT) are usually positive 1–2 weeks after the disease onset. We thus developed an immunochromatographic assay (LEPkit) to detect serum anti-leptospiral lipopolysaccharide (LPS) IgM for rapid diagnosis of acute leptospirosis. Using referenced sera of 77 leptospirosis and 91 non-leptospirosis cases, LEPkit yielded 97.4% sensitivity, 94.5% specificity, 93.8 positive predictive value (PPV), 97.7% negative predictive value (NPV), and 95.8% accuracy. The stability of this kit stored for up to 18 months and its reproducibility were confirmed. Testing in 74 new cases using samples at admission-phase and subsequent paired samples (total n = 135), overall sensitivity was 98.5%, whereas that of culture and single MAT (≥1:400) was 15.6% and 35.6%, respectively. When only the samples at admission-phase were used (n = 74), the sensitivity remained at 98.7%, whereas that of culture and single MAT (≥1:400) was 28.4% and 13.5%, respectively. In summary, our LEPkit was far more effective than any conventional methods for the diagnosis of acute leptospirosis, especially within the first few days after the disease onset. The ease of use, stability and reproducibility further enhance its feasibility for clinical use on-site.
A microfluidic chamber-based approach to map the shear moduli of vascular cells and other soft materials
Authors: Suki Béla , Hu Yingying , Murata Naohiko , Imsirovic Jasmin , Mondoñedo Jarred R. , de Oliveira Claudio L. N. , Schaible Niccole , Allen Philip G. , Krishnan Ramaswamy , Bartolák-Suki Erzsébet
Published: May 2017

There is growing interest in quantifying vascular cell and tissue stiffness. Most measurement approaches, however, are incapable of assessing stiffness in the presence of physiological flows. We developed a microfluidic approach which allows measurement of shear modulus (G) during flow. The design included a chamber with glass windows allowing imaging with upright or inverted microscopes. Flow was controlled gravitationally to push culture media through the chamber. Fluorescent beads were conjugated to the sample surface and imaged before and during flow. Bead displacements were calculated from images and G was computed as the ratio of imposed shear stress to measured shear strain. Fluid-structure simulations showed that shear stress on the surface did not depend on sample stiffness. Our approach was verified by measuring the moduli of polyacrylamide gels of known stiffness. In human pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells, G was 20.4 ± 12 Pa and decreased by 20% and 22% with increasing shear stress and inhibition of non-muscle myosin II motors, respectively. The G showed a larger intra- than inter-cellular variability and it was mostly determined by the cytosol. Our shear modulus microscopy can thus map the spatial distribution of G of soft materials including gels, cells and tissues while allowing the visualization of microscopic structures such as the cytoskeleleton.
FAM3B mediates high glucose-induced vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation and migration via inhibition of miR-322-5p
Authors: Zhang Wenxiang , Chen Siyu , Zhang Zhao , Wang Chen , Liu Chang
Published: May 2017

The proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) play an essential role during the development of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). While many factors potentially contribute to the abnormal activation of VSMCs, hyperglycemia is generally believed to be a major causative factor. On the other hand, FAM3B (named PANDER for its secretory form) is a uniquely structured protein strongly expressed within and secreted from the endocrine pancreas. FAM3B is co-secreted with insulin from the β-cell upon glucose stimulation and regulates glucose homeostasis. In the present study, we sought to determine the roles of FAM3B in the regulation of VSMC physiology, especially under the hyperglycemic condition. We found that FAM3B expression was induced by hyperglycemia both in vivo and in vitro. FAM3B knockdown inhibited, whereas FAM3B overexpression accelerated VSMC proliferation and migration. At the molecular level, FAM3B inhibited miR-322-5p expression, and enforced expression of miR-322-5p antagonized FAM3B-induced VSMC proliferation and migration, suggesting that FAM3B facilitated VSMC pathological activation via miR-322-5p. Taken together, FAM3B mediates high glucose-induced VSMC proliferation and migration via inhibition of miR-322-5p. Thus, FAM3B may therefore serve as a novel therapeutic target for diabetes-related CVDs.
Active bialkali photocathodes on free-standing graphene substrates
Authors: Yamaguchi Hisato , Liu Fangze , DeFazio Jeffrey , Narvaez Villarrubia Claudia W. , Finkenstadt Daniel , Shabaev Andrew , Jensen Kevin L. , Pavlenko Vitaly , Mehl Michael , Lambrakos Sam , Gupta Gautam , Mohite Aditya D. , Moody Nathan A.
Published: May 2017

The hexagonal structure of graphene gives rise to the property of gas impermeability, motivating its investigation for a new application: protection of semiconductor photocathodes in electron accelerators. These materials are extremely susceptible to degradation in efficiency through multiple mechanisms related to contamination from the local imperfect vacuum environment of the host photoinjector. Few-layer graphene has been predicted to permit a modified photoemission response of protected photocathode surfaces, and recent experiments of single-layer graphene on copper have begun to confirm these predictions for single crystal metallic photocathodes. Unlike metallic photoemitters, the integration of an ultra-thin graphene barrier film with conventional semiconductor photocathode growth processes is not straightforward. A first step toward addressing this challenge is the growth and characterization of technologically relevant, high quantum efficiency bialkali photocathodes on ultra-thin free-standing graphene substrates. Photocathode growth on free-standing graphene provides the opportunity to integrate these two materials and study their interaction. Specifically, spectral response features and photoemission stability of cathodes grown on graphene substrates are compared to those deposited on established substrates. In addition, we observed an increase of work function for the graphene encapsulated bialkali photocathode surfaces, which is predicted by our calculations. The results provide a unique demonstration of bialkali photocathodes on free-standing substrates, and indicate promise towards our goal of fabricating high-performance graphene encapsulated photocathodes with enhanced lifetime for accelerator applications.
Correction: Corrigendum: Arctic megaslide at presumed rest
Authors: Geissler Wolfram H. , Gebhardt A. Catalina , Gross Felix , Wollenburg Jutta , Jensen Laura , Schmidt-Aursch Mechita C. , Krastel Sebastian , Elger Judith , Osti Giacomo
Published: May 2017

Scientific Reports 6: Article number: 38529; published online: 06 December 2016; updated: 17 May 2017 In Figure 1, the latitudes ‘80.5 N’ and ‘81.0 N’ were incorrectly given as ‘81.0 N’ and ‘81.5 N’ respectively. In addition, the scale between 0 km and 40 km was incorrectly given as between 0 km and80 km.
Potential Benefits and Market Drivers for Nanotechnology in the Food Sector
Authors: Canady Richard
Published: May 2017

For emerging technologies, such as nanotechnology, that are still relatively nascent, the willingness of organizations and investors to support the journey from concept to market is heavily influenced by uncertainties surrounding their regulation and eventual reception by the public. This chapter considers the potential channels to market for nanoproducts in the face of such uncertainties, the market drivers that will influence the types of innovation, and the need to understand the interactions of market channels and drivers early on in a product’s development if resources are not be wasted. It considers the influence of a range of activities on a product’s progression to market: the continued debate on the regulatory definitions for nanomaterials; the key dominance of risk management and the need for a common understanding of risk and benefits; the need for new measurement methods for nanomaterials; and the need for early engagement with key stakeholders to identify “safe” areas for development. It also reviews the underlying forces that could drive demand for nanotechnology uses and assesses the technology’s potential, whether by adding value to existing products and markets, or by developing products that would not be possible without nanotechnology, or in enabling applications across other emerging technologies.
Unique nanopetals of nickel vanadate: crystal structure elucidation and supercapacitive performance
Authors: Nandi Debabrata , Gnanaseelan Minoj , Simon Frank , Pionteck Jürgen
Published: May 2017

Unique nanopetal array of nickel vanadate is explored for its crystal structure and promising pseudocapacitive performance.
Chemoselective ligation reaction of N-acetylglucosamine (NAG) with hydrazide functional probes to determine galactosyltransferase activity by MALDI mass spectrometry
Authors: Yang Hyojik , Cheng Quan
Published: May 2017

A perfluorocarbon-modified gold surface is used to immobilize PF-β-NAG and allows quantification of β-GT enzymatic activity with MALDI-TOF/MS.
C-Reactive protein: a major inflammatory biomarker
Authors: Sonawane Mukesh Digambar , Nimse Satish Balasaheb
Published: May 2017

C-Reactive protein, an inflammatory biomarker, has a high diagnostic and prognostic value for various cancers.
Digitally encoded silica microparticles for multiplexed nucleic acid detection
Authors: Xu Weiwei , Chen Chao , Ma Xiaodong , Yuan Lihua , Liu Shenquan , Zheng Kexiao , Li Jiong
Published: May 2017

By integrating a digitally encoded suspension array with a novel multiplex nested asymmetric PCR, an efficient strategy was developed for HPV genotyping.
A novel single-fluorophore-based ratiometric fluorescent probe for direct detection of isocyanates in air
Authors: Gao Zhenzhong , Han Baichuan , Chen Kai , Sun Jin , Hou Xianfeng
Published: May 2017

Airborne isocyanates were conveniently detected by a test paper loaded with a novel single fluorophore ratiometric fluorescent probe.
Separating lanthanides and actinides from nitric acid solutions by using N,N-di(2-ethylhexyl)-diglycolamic acid (HDEHDGA)
Authors: Zhang Y. , Yang S. , Yuan X. , Zhao Y. , Tian G.
Published: May 2017

Extraction of lanthanides and actinides from nitric acid solutions by using HDEHDGA as a neutral extractant instead of a carboxylate as a counter anion.
Bright red-emitting pyrene derivatives with a large Stokes shift for nucleus staining
Authors: Abeywickrama Chathura S. , Wijesinghe Kaveesha J. , Stahelin Robert V. , Pang Yi
Published: May 2017

A red-emitting probe with a large Stokes shift (Δλ≈ 130 nm) exhibits great selectivity and sensitivity for cell nucleus imaging.
Reactions between hydroxyl-substituted alkylperoxy radicals and Criegee intermediates: correlations of the electronic characteristics of methyl substituents and the reactivity
Authors: Zhao Qiangli , Liu Fengyi , Wang Weina , Li Chunying , Lü Jian , Wang Wenliang
Published: May 2017

Methyl substituents tune ΔE and ΔG, thereby exhibiting correlations with spin population, interatomic distance, E(2) and NPA charges in their transition states.
Determinants of the host–guest interactions between α-, β- and γ-cyclodextrins and group IA, IIA and IIIA metal cations: a DFT/PCM study
Authors: Angelova S. E. , Nikolova V. K. , Dudev T. M.
Published: May 2017

The present study unveils the key determinants of the interactions between α-, β- and γ-cyclodextrins and metal cations.
Competitive C–C and C–H bond scission in the ethanol oxidation reaction on Cu(100) and the effect of an alkaline environment
Authors: Wu Zhipeng , Zhang Minhua , Jiang Haoxi , Zhong Chuan-Jian , Chen Yifei , Wang Lichang
Published: May 2017

C–C bond scission in EOR on Cu(100) will occur in CH2CO but acetic acid formation will preside under alkaline conditions.
Designing polymer nanocomposites with a semi-interpenetrating or interpenetrating network structure: toward enhanced mechanical properties
Authors: Wang Wenhui , Hou Guanyi , Zheng Zijian , Wang Lu , Liu Jun , Wu Youping , Zhang Liqun , Lyulin Alexey V.
Published: May 2017

Semi-interpenetrating and interpenetrating network structures for the uniform dispersion of NPs and the reinforced mechanical properties of polymer nanocomposites.
A computational study of the electronic properties, ionic conduction, and thermal expansion of Sm1−xAxCoO3and Sm1−xAxCoO3−x/2(A = Ba2+, Ca2+, Sr2+, and x = 0.25, 0.5) as intermediate temperature SOFC cathodes
Authors: Olsson Emilia , Aparicio-Anglès Xavier , de Leeuw Nora H.
Published: May 2017

Substitutional doping of Ca2+, Sr2+, and Ba2+on the Sm-site in SmCoO3is reported to improve both electronic and ionic conductivities for applications as solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) cathodes.
Theoretical perspectives on the structure, electronic, and optical properties of titanosilicates Li2M4[(TiO)Si4O12] (M = K+, Rb+)
Authors: Hu Jinyu , Ma Zuju , Sa Rongjian , Zhang Yongfan , Wu Kechen
Published: May 2017

The structure–property relationship of new transition-metal silicates, used as promising SHG materials, was unraveled using theoretical perspectives.
A DFT study of the adsorption of glycine in the interlayer space of montmorillonite
Authors: Escamilla-Roa Elizabeth , Huertas F. Javier , Hernández-Laguna Alfonso , Sainz-Díaz C. Ignacio
Published: May 2017

The adsorption of glycine on the surface of montmorillonite was observed for the first time by quantum mechanical calculations, finding zwitterions and glycinium cations.
Membranes for artificial photosynthesis
Authors: Chabi Sakineh , Papadantonakis Kimberly M. , Lewis Nathan S. , Freund Michael S.
Published: May 2017

Membrane-based architectures enable optimization of charge transport and electrochemical potential gradients in artificial photosynthesis.
An experimental and theoretical study of an efficient polymer nano-photocatalyst for hydrogen evolution
Authors: Pati Palas Baran , Damas Giane , Tian Lei , Fernandes Daniel L. A. , Zhang Lei , Pehlivan Ilknur Bayrak , Edvinsson Tomas , Araujo C. Moyses , Tian Haining
Published: May 2017

An organic polymer nano-photocatalyst has been developed for highly efficient light driven proton reduction.
Precision control of flow rate in microfluidic channels using photoresponsive soft polymer actuators
Authors: Delaney Colm , McCluskey Peter , Coleman Simon , Whyte Jeffrey , Kent Nigel , Diamond Dermot
Published: May 2017

Precision control of flow using photoresponsive hydrogels within fluidic channels was demonstrated by applying a PID algorithm.
Stretchable impedance sensor for mammalian cell proliferation measurements
Authors: Zhang Xudong , Wang William , Li Fang , Voiculescu Ioana
Published: May 2017

This paper presents the fabrication and testing of a novel stretchable electric cell–substrate impedance sensing (ECIS) lab on a chip device.
Synthesis, structure and multicolor-tunable luminescence of the dandelion-like SiO2:Ln3+ (Ln = Eu, Tb) nanophosphors
Authors: Xie Xiaoming , Chen Jie , Sheng Ye , Song Yanhua , Zhou Xiuqing , Zhang Xiangting , Shi Zhan , Zou Haifeng , Zheng Keyan
Published: May 2017

Dandelion-like SiO2:Ln3+ (Ln = Eu, Tb) nanophosphors of 70 nm diameter have been synthesized, and colorful emission phosphors were obtained by Ln3+ doping.
Polylactic acid nano- and microchamber arrays for encapsulation of small hydrophilic molecules featuring drug release via high intensity focused ultrasound
Authors: Gai Meiyu , Frueh Johannes , Tao Tianyi , Petrov Arseniy V. , Petrov Vladimir V. , Shesterikov Evgeniy V. , Tverdokhlebov Sergei I. , Sukhorukov Gleb B.
Published: May 2017

Small hydrophilic molecules can be encapsulated in polylactic acid microchambers and released by HIFU.
Chemoenzymatic preparation of optically active cyclic 4-hydroxy-acylaziridines
Authors: Silva Saúl , Maycock Christopher D.
Published: May 2017

A highly enantioselective chemoenzymatic route to cyclic 4-hydroxyacylaziridines is described.
Nickel-catalyzed highly chemo- and stereoselective borylative cyclization of 1,6-enynes with bis(pinacolato)diboron
Authors: Hsieh Jen-Chieh , Hong Ya-Chun , Yang Chun-Ming , Mannathan Subramaniyan , Cheng Chien-Hong
Published: May 2017

A highly chemo- and stereoselective nickel-catalyzed borylative cyclization of 1,6-enynes with bis(pinacolato)diboron.
Sensing of hydrogen peroxide and glucose in human serum via quenching fluorescence of biomolecule-stabilized Au nanoclusters assisted by the Fenton reaction
Authors: Zong Chenghua , Wang Min , Li Bo , Liu Xiaojun , Zhao Wenfeng , Zhang Qingquan , Liang Aiye , Yu Yang
Published: May 2017

Sensitive detection of H2O2 and glucose were realized by Fenton reaction assistant oxidation of Au NCs.
Effect of acetone extract from natural rubber on the structure and interface interaction in NR/CB composites
Authors: Xu Tiwen , Jia Zhixin , Wu Lianghui , Chen Yongjun , Luo Yuanfang , Jia Demin , Peng Zheng
Published: May 2017

Mechanism of CB–rubber interaction influenced by AE.
Integrating metallic nanoparticles of Au and Pt with MoS2–CdS hybrids for high-efficient photocatalytic hydrogen generation via plasmon-induced electron and energy transfer
Authors: Chen Kai , Ma Liang , Wang Jia-Hong , Cheng Zi-Qiang , Yang Da-Jie , Li Ying-Ying , Ding Si-Jing , Zhou Li , Wang Qu-Quan
Published: May 2017

A mechanism of high-efficient photocatalytic hydrogen generation via plasmon-induced electron and energy transfer was demonstrated.
Ambient temperature induced Diels–Alder crosslinked networks based on controlled methacrylate copolymers for enhanced thermoreversibility and self-healability
Authors: Jung Sungmin , Kim So Young , Kim Jin Chul , Noh Seung Man , Oh Jung Kwon
Published: May 2017

An effective thermoreversible crosslinked network fabricated at ambient temperature from a new, controlled methacrylate copolymer having reactive maleimide pendants and a trifunctional furan (TFu) exhibiting effective self-healability.
Complications in complexation kinetics for lanthanides with DTPA using dye probe molecules in aqueous solution
Authors: Larsson K. , Cullen T. D. , Mezyk S. P. , McDowell R. G. , Martin L. R.
Published: May 2017

Dye probe molecules were used to investigate lanthanide complexation and verify the viability of the ligand displacement methodology for measuring DTPA complexation rate constants. Results showed that dye probes underestimate the rate constants.
Biomass-derived carbon electrode materials for supercapacitors
Authors: Lu Hao , Zhao X. S.
Published: May 2017

This review provides a summary of recent research progress towards biomass-derived carbon electrode materials, including specific cellulose-, lignin- and hemicellulose-derived carbon electrode materials, for supercapacitors.