bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Assessment of emotional predisposition in dogs using PANAS (Positive and Negative Activation Scale) and associated relationships in a sample of dogs from Brazil
Authors: Savalli Carine , Albuquerque Natalia , Vasconcellos Angélica S. , Ramos Daniela , de Mello Fernanda T. , Mills Daniel S.
Published: December 2019

The English version of the Positive and Negative Activation Scale (PANAS) is a useful tool for the assessment of dog temperament, helping to identify highly sensitive individuals that could be at risk of developing fears, phobias and anxiety problems, and potentially depressive states. This study evaluated the association between dogs’ and owners’ characteristics and dog temperament in Brazil. To accomplish this, we adapted and validated a Portuguese language version of PANAS for dogs. Data from 1744 owner-dog dyads were analysed and a two-factor structure similar to the original PANAS was revealed that met the requirements for validity and internal consistency. We found that dogs owned by women, neutered dogs and those who live in single-dog households show higher negative activation. Moreover, the older the owner, the less the negative activation for dogs that are bought. We also found that the older the dog, the less the positive activation, but this score is higher in dogs that sleep inside the house. Interestingly, mixed-breed dogs scored higher for both negative and positive emotional activation compared to purebreds. These findings alongside the particular profile of dogs in Brazil, including its large population of mixed-breed, emphasise the value of cross-cultural investigations in order to develop a full understanding of dog behaviour.
Growth estimates of Caribbean reef sponges on a shipwreck using 3D photogrammetry
Authors: Olinger Lauren K. , Scott Alexander R. , McMurray Steven E. , Pawlik Joseph R.
Published: December 2019

The growth rates and ages of many benthic marine organisms are poorly understood, complicating our understanding of ecosystem change. This is particularly true for sponges, which are morphologically diverse and lack indicators of annual growth. In this study, we used emerging technologies to measure volume, surface area, and approximate age of 16 sponge species on the Tibbetts shipwreck off Cayman Brac, Caribbean Sea. Photogrammetry was used to determine the volume of individual sponges on the wreck surface, and a time series of YouTube videos was amassed in order to approximate the greatest possible age of the sponges as 8.74 y. Applying the volume measurements to an existing growth equation for the Caribbean sponge Aiolochroia crassa yielded age estimates of 5.2–10.4 y for the largest individuals of the 16 species. Specific growth rates were then calculated for 7 species from the Tibbetts and 8 species from a second shipwreck (Spiegel Grove, Key Largo, FL). Subsequent growth forecasts from these 15 species corroborate a resource trade-off between growth and the production of chemical defenses. Shipwrecks and other anthropogenic structures can be an important source of demographic information for benthic organisms, provided that certain assumptions about their provenance and history can be met.
Participation of the adenosine salvage pathway and cyclic AMP modulation in oocyte energy metabolism
Authors: Richani Dulama , Lavea Cathy F. , Kanakkaparambil Raji , Riepsamen Angelique H. , Bertoldo Michael J. , Bustamante Sonia , Gilchrist Robert B.
Published: December 2019

A follicular spike in cyclic AMP (cAMP) and its subsequent degradation to AMP promotes oocyte maturation and ovulation. In vitro matured (IVM) oocytes do not receive the cAMP increase that occurs in vivo, and artificial elevation of cAMP in IVM cumulus-oocyte complexes improves oocyte developmental potential. This study examined whether mouse oocytes can use the cAMP degradation product AMP to generate ATP via the adenosine salvage pathway, and examined whether pharmacological elevation of cAMP in IVM cumulus-oocyte complexes alters ATP levels. Oocytes cultured with isotopic 13C5-AMP dose-dependently produced 13C5-ATP, however total cellular ATP remained constant. Pharmacological elevation of cAMP using forskolin and IBMX prior to IVM decreased oocyte ATP and ATP:ADP ratio, and promoted activity of the energy regulator AMPK. Conversely, cumulus cells exhibited higher ATP and no change in AMPK. Culture of oocytes without their cumulus cells or inhibition of their gap-junctional communication yielded lower oocyte 13C5-ATP, indicating that cumulus cells facilitate ATP production via the adenosine salvage pathway. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that mouse oocytes can generate ATP from AMP via the adenosine salvage pathway, and cAMP elevation alters adenine nucleotide metabolism and may provide AMP for energy production via the adenosine salvage pathway during the energetically demanding process of meiotic maturation.
Female bias in an immigratory population of Cnaphalocrocis medinalis moths based on field surveys and laboratory tests
Authors: Guo Jia-Wen , Yang Fan , Li Ping , Liu Xiang-Dong , Wu Qiu-Lin , Hu Gao , Zhai Bao-Ping
Published: December 2019

Sex ratio bias is common in migratory animals and can affect population structure and reproductive strategies, thereby altering population development. However, little is known about the underlying mechanisms that lead to sex ratio bias in migratory insect populations. In this study, we used Cnaphalocrocis medinalis, a typical migratory pest of rice, to explore this phenomenon. A total of 1,170 moths were collected from searchlight traps during immigration periods in 2015–2018. Females were much more abundant than males each year (total females: total males = 722:448). Sex-based differences in emergence time, take-off behaviour, flight capability and energy reserves were evaluated in a laboratory population. Females emerged 0.78 days earlier than males. In addition, the emigratory propensity and flight capability of female moths were greater than those of male moths, and female moths had more energy reserves than did male moths. These results indicate that female moths migrate earlier and can fly farther than male moths, resulting more female moths in the studied immigratory population.
Oxytocin maintains lung histological and functional integrity to confer protection in heat stroke
Authors: Lin Cheng-Hsien , Tsai Cheng-Chia , Chen Tzu-Hao , Chang Ching-Ping , Yang Hsi-Hsing
Published: December 2019

Oxytocin (OT) has been reported to have a protective effect in lipopolysaccharide-induced experimental acute lung injury (ALI). However, its role in heat stroke-related ALI has never been investigated. Herein, we aimed to explore the therapeutic effects and potential mechanism of action of OT on heat-induced ALI. Rats were treated with OT 60 min before the start of heat stress (42 °C for 80 min). Twenty minutes after the termination of heat stress, the effects of OT on lung histopathological changes, edema, acute pleurisy and the bronchoalveolar fluid levels of inflammatory cytokines and indicators of ischemia, cellular damage, and oxidative damage were assessed. We also evaluated the influence of OT pretreatment on heat-induced hypotension, hyperthermia, ALI score, and death in a rat model of heat stroke. The results showed that OT significantly reduced heat-induced lung edema, neutrophil infiltration, hemorrhage score, myeloperoxidase activity, ischemia, and the levels of inflammatory and oxidative damage markers in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. The survival assessment confirmed the pathophysiological and biochemical results. An OT receptor antagonist (L-368,899) was administered 10 min before the OT injection to further demonstrate the role of OT in heat-induced ALI. The results showed that OT could not protect against the aforementioned heat stroke responses in rats treated with L-368,899. Interestingly, OT treatment 80 min after the start of heat shock did not affect survival. In conclusion, our data indicate that OT pretreatment can reduce the ischemic, inflammatory and oxidative responses related to heat-induced ALI in rats.
Spatiotemporal Characterizations of Spontaneously Beating Cardiomyocytes with Adaptive Reference Digital Image Correlation
Authors: Shradhanjali Akankshya , Riehl Brandon D. , Duan Bin , Yang Ruiguo , Lim Jung Yul
Published: December 2019

We developed an Adaptive Reference-Digital Image Correlation (AR-DIC) method that enables unbiased and accurate mechanics measurements of moving biological tissue samples. We applied the AR-DIC analysis to a spontaneously beating cardiomyocyte (CM) tissue, and could provide correct quantifications of tissue displacement and strain for the beating CMs utilizing physiologically-relevant, sarcomere displacement length-based contraction criteria. The data were further synthesized into novel spatiotemporal parameters of CM contraction to account for the CM beating homogeneity, synchronicity, and propagation as holistic measures of functional myocardial tissue development. Our AR-DIC analyses may thus provide advanced non-invasive characterization tools for assessing the development of spontaneously contracting CMs, suggesting an applicability in myocardial regenerative medicine.
Autistic-traits, not anxiety, modulate implicit emotional guidance of attention in neurotypical adults
Authors: English Michael C. W. , Maybery Murray T. , Visser Troy A. W.
Published: December 2019

Although autistic and anxious traits are positively correlated, high levels of autistic traits are associated with poorer emotional guidance of attention (EGA) whilst high levels of anxious traits are associated with greater EGA. In order to better understand how these two trait dimensions influence EGA, we simultaneously examined the effects of anxiety and autistic traits in neurotypical adults on target identification in an attentional blink task. Analyses indicated that implicit EGA is attenuated in individuals with higher levels of autistic traits, but largely unaffected by variation in anxious traits. Our results suggest that anxiety plays a comparatively limited role in modulating implicit EGA and reinforces the importance of disentangling correlated individual differences when exploring the effects of personality, including emotional predisposition, on attention.
A dual inhibitor of the proteasome catalytic subunits LMP2 and Y attenuates disease progression in mouse models of Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Yeo In Jun , Lee Min Jae , Baek Ahruem , Miller Zachary , Bhattarai Deepak , Baek Yu Mi , Jeong Hyun Jung , Kim Yun Kyung , Kim Dong-Eun , Hong Jin Tae , Kim Kyung Bo
Published: December 2019

The immunoproteasome (iP) is a variant of the constitutive proteasome (cP) that is abundantly expressed in immune cells which can also be induced in somatic cells by cytokines such as TNF-α or IFN-γ. Accumulating evidence support that the iP is closely linked to multiple facets of inflammatory response, eventually leading to the development of several iP inhibitors as potential therapeutic agents for autoimmune diseases. Recent studies also found that the iP is upregulated in reactive glial cells surrounding amyloid β (Aβ) deposits in brains of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients, but the role it plays in the pathogenesis of AD remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the effects of several proteasome inhibitors on cognitive function in AD mouse models and found that YU102, a dual inhibitor of the iP catalytic subunit LMP2 and the cP catalytic subunit Y, ameliorates cognitive impairments in AD mouse models without affecting Aβ deposition. The data obtained from our investigation revealed that YU102 suppresses the secretion of inflammatory cytokines from microglial cells. Overall, this study indicates that there may exist a potential link between LMP2/Y and microglia-mediated neuroinflammation and that inhibition of these subunits may offer a new therapeutic strategy for AD.
A low-cost 2-D video system can accurately and reliably assess adaptive gait kinematics in healthy and low vision subjects
Authors: Zult Tjerk , Allsop Jonathan , Tabernero Juan , Pardhan Shahina
Published: December 2019

3-D gait analysis is the gold standard but many healthcare clinics and research institutes would benefit from a system that is inexpensive and simple but just as accurate. The present study examines whether a low-cost 2-D motion capture system can accurately and reliably assess adaptive gait kinematics in subjects with central vision loss, older controls, and younger controls. Subjects were requested to walk up and step over a 10 cm high obstacle that was positioned in the middle of a 4.5 m walkway. Four trials were simultaneously recorded with the Vicon motion capture system (3-D system) and a video camera that was positioned perpendicular to the obstacle (2-D system). The kinematic parameters (crossing height, crossing velocity, foot placement, single support time) were calculated offline. Strong Pearson’s correlations were found between the two systems for all parameters (average r = 0.944, all p < 0.001). Bland-Altman analysis showed that the agreement between the two systems was good in all three groups after correcting for systematic biases related to the 2-D marker positions. The test-retest reliability for both systems was high (average ICC = 0.959). These results show that a low-cost 2-D video system can reliably and accurately assess adaptive gait kinematics in healthy and low vision subjects.
The Mediterranean diet reduces the genetic risk of chromosome 9p21 for myocardial infarction in an Asian population community cohort
Authors: Leu Hsin-Bang , Chung Chia-Min , Chen Jaw-Wen , Pan Wen-Harn
Published: December 2019

The interaction of genetic susceptibility and dietary habits in cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains undetermined. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether a Mediterranean dietary style modified the genetic risk of developing CVD in a Chinese cohort. A total of 2098 subjects with dietary information from a Chinese community cohort (CVDFACTS) were enrolled. Candidate genes, including SNP markers rs1333049 (CDKN2B, 9p21.3), rs17465637 (MIA3, 1q41) and rs501120 (CXCL12, 10q11.21), were genotyped to analyze the association with future CVD. The impact of dietary pattern was also analyzed according to adherence to the diet using the Mediterranean Diet Score (MDS). After an average follow-up of 7.8 years, only the C risk allele of rs1333049 at chromosome 9p21.3 was associated with a higher risk of MI with either an additive [HR = 1.78, 95% CI:1.23–2.5] or a recessive model [HR = 2.40, 95% CI: 1.42–4.04], and the CC genotype had a higher risk of developing MI (p = 0.009, log-rank test). There was no significant difference in the association of the lipid profile with future CV outcomes among the MDS tertiles. However, the high MI risk of the CC genotype in individuals consuming a less healthy diet (MDS1) (HR: 6.39, 95% CI: 1.74–23.43) significantly decreased to 2.38 (95% CI: 0.57–10.04) in individuals consuming a healthier diet (MDS3), indicating that a healthier dietary pattern (higher MDS) modified the risk of developing MI in carriers of variants in CDKN2B. In conclusion, genetic variants of CDKN2B at 9p21 were significantly associated with future MI risk in a Chinese cohort, and the genetic risk of MI could be modified by a healthier diet.
Water-soluble phosphorus contributes significantly to shaping the community structure of rhizospheric bacteria in rocky desertification areas
Authors: Xie Jinge , Xue Wenzhi , Li Cong , Yan Zongqiang , Li Dong , Li Guoqiang , Chen Xiwen , Chen Defu
Published: December 2019

Microorganisms play important roles in soil improvement. Therefore, clarifying the contribution of environmental factors in shaping the microbial community structure is beneficial to improve soil fertility in karst rocky desertification areas. Here, the bacterial community structures of eight rhizospheric soil samples collected from perennial fruit plantations were analysed using an Illumina HiSeq2500 platform. The diversity and abundance of bacteria in rocky desertification areas were significantly lower than those in non-rocky desertification areas, while the bacterial community structure was not significantly different between root surface and non-root surface soils in the same rhizospheric soil samples. Proteobacteria predominated in rocky desertification areas, while Actinobacteria predominated in non-rocky desertification areas. Correlation analysis revealed that water-soluble phosphorus content (r2 = 0.8258), latitude (r2 = 0.7556), altitude (r2 = 0.7501), and the age of fruit trees (r2 = 0.7321) were positively correlated with the bacterial community structure, while longitude, pH, and total phosphorus content did not significantly influence the soil bacterial community structure. As water-soluble phosphorus content is derived from insoluble phosphorus minerals, supplementing phosphorus-solubilising bacteria to soils in rocky desertification areas is a feasible strategy for accelerating the dissolution of insoluble phosphorus minerals and improving agricultural production and environment ecology.
Magnetoelectric Coupling by Piezoelectric Tensor Design
Authors: Irwin J. , Lindemann S. , Maeng W. , Wang J. J. , Vaithyanathan V. , Hu J. M. , Chen L. Q. , Schlom D. G. , Eom C. B. , Rzchowski M. S.
Published: December 2019

Strain-coupled magnetoelectric (ME) phenomena in piezoelectric/ferromagnetic thin-film bilayers are a promising paradigm for sensors and information storage devices, where strain manipulates the magnetization of the ferromagnetic film. In-plane magnetization rotation with an electric field across the film thickness has been challenging due to the large reduction of in-plane piezoelectric strain by substrate clamping, and in two-terminal devices, the requirement of anisotropic in-plane strain. Here we show that these limitations can be overcome by designing the piezoelectric strain tensor using the boundary interaction between biased and unbiased piezoelectric. We fabricated 500 nm thick, (001) oriented [Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3]0.7-[PbTiO3]0.3 (PMN-PT) unclamped piezoelectric membranes with ferromagnetic Ni overlayers. Guided by analytical and numerical continuum elastic calculations, we designed and fabricated two-terminal devices exhibiting electric field-driven Ni magnetization rotation. We develop a method that can apply designed strain patterns to many other materials systems to control properties such as superconductivity, band topology, conductivity, and optical response.
Functional importance of NUDT9H domain and N-terminal ADPR-binding pocket in two species variants of vertebrate TRPM2 channels
Authors: Kühn Frank J. P. , Ehrlich Wiebke , Barth Daniel , Kühn Cornelia , Lückhoff Andreas
Published: December 2019

There are at least two different principles of how ADP-ribose (ADPR) induces activation of TRPM2 channels. In human TRPM2, gating requires the C-terminal NUDT9H domain as ADPR-binding module, whereas in sea anemone, NUDT9H is dispensable and binding of ADPR occurs N-terminally. Zebrafish TRPM2 needs both, the N-terminal ADPR-binding pocket and NUDT9H. Our aim was to pinpoint the relative functional contributions of NUDT9H and the N-terminal ADPR-binding pocket in zebrafish TRPM2, to identify fundamental mechanisms of ADPR-directed gating. We show that the NUDT9H domains of human and zebrafish TRPM2 are interchangeable since chimeras generate ADPR-sensitive channels. A point mutation at a highly conserved position within NUDT9H induces loss-of-function in both vertebrate channels. The substrate specificity of zebrafish TRPM2 corresponds to that of sea anemone TRPM2, indicating gating by the proposed N-terminal ADPR-binding pocket. However, a point mutation in this region abolishes ADPR activation also in human TRPM2. These findings provide functional evidence for an uniform N-terminal ADPR-binding pocket in TRPM2 of zebrafish and sea anemone with modified function in human TRPM2. The structural importance of NUDT9H in vertebrate TRPM2 can be associated with a single amino acid residue which is not directly involved in the binding of ADPR.
Either Rap1 or Cdc13 can protect telomeric single-stranded 3′ overhangs from degradation in vitro
Authors: Runnberg Rikard , Narayanan Saishyam , Itriago Humberto , Cohn Marita
Published: December 2019

Telomeres, the DNA-protein structures capping the ends of linear chromosomes, are important for regulating replicative senescence and maintaining genome stability. Telomeres consist of G-rich repetitive sequences that end in a G-rich single-stranded (ss) 3′ overhang, which is vital for telomere function. It is largely unknown how the 3′ overhang is protected against exonucleases. In budding yeast, double-stranded (ds) telomeric DNA is bound by Rap1, while ssDNA is bound by Cdc13. Here, we developed an in vitro DNA 3′end protection assay to gain mechanistic insight into how Naumovozyma castellii Cdc13 and Rap1 may protect against 3′ exonucleolytic degradation by Exonuclease T. Our results show that Cdc13 protects the 3′ overhang at least 5 nucleotides (nt) beyond its binding site, when bound directly adjacent to the ds-ss junction. Rap1 protects 1–2 nt of the 3′ overhang when bound to dsDNA adjacent to the ds-ss junction. Remarkably, when Rap1 is bound across the ds-ss junction, the protection of the 3′ overhang is extended to 6 nt. This shows that binding by either Cdc13 or Rap1 can protect telomeric overhangs from 3′ exonucleolytic degradation, and suggests a new important role for Rap1 in protecting short overhangs under circumstances when Cdc13 cannot bind the telomere.
Study on method to achieve high transmutation of LLFP using fast reactor
Authors: Wakabayashi Toshio , Tachi Yoshiaki , Takahashi Makoto , Chiba Satoshi , Takaki Naoyuki
Published: December 2019

The purpose of this study is to clarify the method to achieve high transmutation rates of four long-lived fission products (79Se, 99Tc, 107Pd, and 129I) using a fast reactor. New LLFP target assemblies were invented in consideration of the suppression of thermal spikes in adjacent fuel assemblies by combining YD2 and YH2 moderators or using a thermal neutron filter material. It was clarified that the high transmutation rate of about 8%/year was achieved, if the new LLFP target assemblies of 4 nuclides were loaded in the blanket region of the sodium cooled, MOX fueled fast reactor. The feasibility of the LLFP transmutation target was clarified through experiments on material properties and fabrication of the LLFP target, YH2 and YD2 moderators.
GJA8 missense mutation disrupts hemichannels and induces cell apoptosis in human lens epithelial cells
Authors: Li Li , Fan Da-Bei , Zhao Ya-Ting , Li Yun , Yang Zi-Bing , Zheng Guang-Ying
Published: December 2019

Autosomal dominant congenital cataract (ADCC), the most common hereditary disease, is a major cause of eye disease in children. Due to its high genetic and clinical heterogeneity, the identification of ADCC-associated gene mutations is essential for the development of molecular therapies. In this study, we examined a four-generation Chinese pedigree with ADCC and identified putative mutations in ADCC candidate genes via next-generation sequencing (NGS) followed by Sanger sequencing. A novel missense mutation in GJA8 (c.T217C) in ADCC patients causes a serine-to-proline substitution at residue 73 of connexin 50 (Cx50); no mutation was found in unaffected family members and unrelated healthy individuals. Functional analysis revealed that this missense mutation disrupts protein function in human lens epithelial cells (HLEpiCs), which fails to form calcium-sensitive hemichannels. Furthermore, mutant Cx50 leads to decreased ROS scavenging by inhibiting G6PD expression and thus induces cell apoptosis via aberrant activation of the unfolded protein response (UPR). In conclusion, we report a novel GJA8 heterozygous mutation in a Chinese family with a vital role in ADCC, broadening the genetic spectrum of this disease.
C-phycocyanin: a natural product with radiosensitizing property for enhancement of colon cancer radiation therapy efficacy through inhibition of COX-2 expression
Authors: Kefayat Amirhosein , Ghahremani Fatemeh , Safavi Ashkan , Hajiaghababa Alireza , Moshtaghian Jamal
Published: December 2019

Different chemical and nanomaterial agents have been introduced for radiosensitizing purposes. However, many researchers believe these agents are far away from clinical application due to side effects and limited knowledge about their behavior in the human body. In this study, C-phycocyanin (C-PC) was used as a natural radiosensitizer for enhancement of radiation therapy (RT) efficacy. C-PC treatment’s effect on the COX-2 expression of cancer cells was investigated by flow cytometry, western blot, qRT-PCR analyses in vitro and in vivo. Subsequently, the radiosensitizing effect of C-PC treatment was investigated by MTT and clonogenic cell survival assays for CT-26, DLD-1, HT-29 colon cancer cell lines and the CRL-1831 as normal colonic cells. In addition, the C-PC treatment effect on the radiation therapy efficacy was evaluated according to CT-26 tumor’s growth progression and immunohistochemistry analyses of Ki-67 labeling index. C-PC treatment (200 µg/mL) could significantly enhance the radiation therapy efficacy in vitro and in vivo. Synergistic interaction was detected at C-PC and radiation beams co-treatment based on Chou and Talalay formula (combination index <1), especially at 200 µg/mL C-PC and 6 Gy radiation dosages. The acquired DEF of C-PC treatment was 1.39, 1.4, 1.63, and 1.05 for CT-26, DLD-1, HT-29, and CRL-1831 cells, respectively. Also, C-PC + RT treated mice exhibited 35.2% lower mean tumors’ volume and about 6 days more survival time in comparison with the RT group (P < 0.05). In addition, C-PC + RT group exhibited 54% lower Ki-67 index in comparison with the RT group. Therefore, C-PC can exhibit high radiosensitizing effects. However, the potential cardiovascular risks of C-PC as a COX-2 inhibitor should be evaluated with extensive preclinical testing before developing this agent for clinical trials.
Strain-dependent structure and Raman behaviours in the heavy-ion irradiated manganite at extreme low dose
Authors: Hoang Nam Nhat , Pham Duc Huyen Yen , Nguyen The Nghia
Published: December 2019

The microstrains in heavy-ion irradiated manganite LaMnO3 can be managed in linear response of irradiation dose, and the corresponding internal pressure up to 8 GPa can be induced by varying doses. The response of structure under stress is studied by means of Density Functional Theory and Lattice Dynamic Calculation. All obtained Raman scattering lines are discussed in details to shed light onto structural changes during ion implantation. There appears new resonance peak at around 550 cm−1, which splits from broad features in the spectra, and attributes to the anti-symmetric vibrations of O6 cages. The blue shift of this peak scales to ~2.4 cm−1 per 1 GPa of stress. Another strong feature showing considerable blue shift is seen in the vicinity of 640 cm−1 and corresponds to one of rhombohedral distortion related soft modes. A weak mode, not frequently reported, is seen at around 420 cm−1 and corresponds to translation-like motions of fixed O6 cages.
Characterization of the fecal microbiome in cats with inflammatory bowel disease or alimentary small cell lymphoma
Authors: Marsilio Sina , Pilla Rachel , Sarawichitr Benjamin , Chow Betty , Hill Steve L. , Ackermann Mark R. , Estep J. Scot , Lidbury Jonathan A. , Steiner Joerg M. , Suchodolski Jan S.
Published: December 2019

Feline chronic enteropathy (CE) is a common gastrointestinal disorder in cats and mainly comprises inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and small cell lymphoma (SCL). Both IBD and SCL in cats share features with chronic enteropathies such as IBD and monomorphic epitheliotropic intestinal T-cell lymphoma in humans. The aim of this study was to characterize the fecal microbiome of 38 healthy cats and 27 cats with CE (13 cats with IBD and 14 cats with SCL). Alpha diversity indices were significantly decreased in cats with CE (OTU p = 0.003, Shannon Index p = 0.008, Phylogenetic Diversity p = 0.019). ANOSIM showed a significant difference in bacterial communities, albeit with a small effect size (P = 0.023, R = 0.073). Univariate analysis and LEfSE showed a lower abundance of facultative anaerobic taxa of the phylaFirmicutes(families Ruminococcaceae andTuricibacteraceae),Actinobacteria(genusBifidobacterium) andBacteroidetes(i.a.Bacteroides plebeius) in cats with CE. The facultative anaerobic taxaEnterobacteriaceaeandStreptococcaceaewere increased in cats with CE. No significant difference between the microbiome of cats with IBD and those with SCL was found. Cats with CE showed patterns of dysbiosis similar to those in found people with IBD.
Towards Rational Computational Engineering of Psychrophilic Enzymes
Authors: Sočan Jaka , Isaksen Geir Villy , Brandsdal Bjørn Olav , Åqvist Johan
Published: December 2019

Cold-adapted enzymes from psychrophilic species achieve their high catalytic efficiency at low temperature by a different partitioning of the activation free energy into its enthalpic and entropic components, compared to orthologous mesophilic enzymes. Their lower activation enthalpy, partly compensated by an increased entropic penalty, has been suggested to originate from changes in flexibility of the protein surface. Multiple sequence alignments of psychrophilic and mesophilic enzymes also show characteristic motifs located in surface loops of the protein. Here, we use computer simulations to examine the effects of a number of designed surface mutations of psychrophilic and mesophilic elastases on the temperature dependence of the catalyzed peptide cleavage reaction. For each of 14 mutant enzyme variants we report calculations of their thermodynamic activation parameters. The results show that substitution of psychrophilic loop residues into the mesophilic enzyme consistently changes both the activation parameters and loop flexibilities towards the former, and vice versa for opposite substitutions.
Prey size as a critical factor for bird bone taphonomy in Eagle Owl (Bubo bubo) pellets
Authors: Rufà Anna , Laroulandie Véronique
Published: December 2019

Each predator hunts and consumes its prey in a particular way. Consequently, the traces left by predators on bones might vary according to the manner in which the prey are processed. For this reason, prey size has been proposed as a key issue that affects the damage inflicted on bones. The Eagle Owl (Bubo bubo) is one of the main potential predators of small prey found in archaeological sites. However, detailed taphonomic research describing bone accumulations produced by this nocturnal raptor is still scarce. The aim of the present work is to describe a modern accumulation of pellets originated by the Eagle Owl from this perspective, with a specific focus on birds. Particular attention is paid to prey size to evaluate the real significance of this variable when assessing bone damage. The results confirm that bone alterations reflect how prey was ingested, as the bones show greater damage with increasing prey size. This finding emphasises the complexity of characterising archaeological accumulations, as the alterations will vary according to prey size. In addition, bone architecture—or other aspects that cannot be controlled—may hinder accurate diagnosis and should be taken into account.
Circulating proteomic signature of early death in heart failure patients with reduced ejection fraction
Authors: Cuvelliez Marie , Vandewalle Vincent , Brunin Maxime , Beseme Olivia , Hulot Audrey , de Groote Pascal , Amouyel Philippe , Bauters Christophe , Marot Guillemette , Pinet Florence
Published: December 2019

Heart failure (HF) remains a main cause of mortality worldwide. Risk stratification of patients with systolic chronic HF is critical to identify those who may benefit from advanced HF therapies. The aim of this study is to identify plasmatic proteins that could predict the early death (within 3 years) of HF patients with reduced ejection fraction hospitalized in CHRU de Lille. The subproteome targeted by an aptamer-based technology, the Slow Off-rate Modified Aptamer (SOMA) scan assay of 1310 proteins, was profiled in blood samples from 168 HF patients, and 203 proteins were significantly modulated between patients who died of cardiovascular death and patients who were alive after 3 years of HF evaluation (Wilcoxon test, FDR 5%). A molecular network was built using these 203 proteins, and the resulting network contained 2281 molecules assigned to 34 clusters annotated to biological pathways by Gene Ontology. This network model highlighted extracellular matrix organization as the main mechanism involved in early death in HF patients. In parallel, an adaptive Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) was performed on these 203 proteins, and six proteins were selected as candidates to predict early death in HF patients: complement C3, cathepsin S and F107B were decreased and MAPK5, MMP1 and MMP7 increased in patients who died of cardiovascular causes compared with patients living 3 years after HF evaluation. This proteomic signature of 6 circulating plasma proteins allows the identification of systolic HF patients with a risk of early death.
Protein components of ribonucleoprotein granules from Drosophila germ cells oligomerize and show distinct spatial organization during germline development
Authors: Vo Hieu D. L. , Wahiduzzaman  , Tindell Samuel J. , Zheng Jimiao , Gao Ming , Arkov Alexey L.
Published: December 2019

The assembly of large RNA-protein granules occurs in germ cells of many animals and these germ granules have provided a paradigm to study structure-functional aspects of similar structures in different cells. Germ granules in Drosophila oocyte’s posterior pole (polar granules) are composed of RNA, in the form of homotypic clusters, and proteins required for germline development. In the granules, Piwi protein Aubergine binds to a scaffold protein Tudor, which contains 11 Tudor domains. Using a super-resolution microscopy, we show that surprisingly, Aubergine and Tudor form distinct clusters within the same polar granules in early Drosophila embryos. These clusters partially overlap and, after germ cells form, they transition into spherical granules with the structural organization unexpected from these interacting proteins: Aubergine shell around the Tudor core. Consistent with the formation of distinct clusters, we show that Aubergine forms homo-oligomers and using all purified Tudor domains, we demonstrate that multiple domains, distributed along the entire Tudor structure, interact with Aubergine. Our data suggest that in polar granules, Aubergine and Tudor are assembled into distinct phases, partially mixed at their “interaction hubs”, and that association of distinct protein clusters may be an evolutionarily conserved mechanism for the assembly of germ granules.
AutoCLEM: An Automated Workflow for Correlative Live-Cell Fluorescence Microscopy and Cryo-Electron Tomography
Authors: Fu Xiaofeng , Ning Jiying , Zhong Zhou , Ambrose Zandrea , Charles Watkins Simon , Zhang Peijun
Published: December 2019

Correlative light and electron microscopy (CLEM) combines the strengths of both light and electron imaging modalities and enables linking of biological spatiotemporal information from live-cell fluorescence light microscopy (fLM) to high-resolution cellular ultra-structures from cryo-electron microscopy and tomography (cryoEM/ET). This has been previously achieved by using fLM signals to localize the regions of interest under cryogenic conditions. The correlation process, however, is often tedious and time-consuming with low throughput and limited accuracy, because multiple correlation steps at different length scales are largely carried out manually. Here, we present an experimental workflow, AutoCLEM, which overcomes the existing limitations and improves the performance and throughput of CLEM methods, and associated software. The AutoCLEM system encompasses a high-speed confocal live-cell imaging module to acquire an automated fLM grid atlas that is linked to the cryoEM grid atlas, followed by cryofLM imaging after freezing. The fLM coordinates of the targeted areas are automatically converted to cryoEM/ET and refined using fluorescent fiducial beads. This AutoCLEM workflow significantly accelerates the correlation efficiency between live-cell fluorescence imaging and cryoEM/ET structural analysis, as demonstrated by visualizing human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) interacting with host cells.
A ligand-based system for receptor-specific delivery of proteins
Authors: Maffei Mariano , Morelli Chiara , Graham Ellie , Patriarca Stefano , Donzelli Laura , Doleschall Balint , de Castro Reis Fernanda , Nocchi Linda , Chadick Cora H. , Reymond Luc , Corrêa Ivan R. , Johnsson Kai , Hackett Jamie A. , Heppenstall Paul A.
Published: December 2019

Gene delivery using vector or viral-based methods is often limited by technical and safety barriers. A promising alternative that circumvents these shortcomings is the direct delivery of proteins into cells. Here we introduce a non-viral, ligand-mediated protein delivery system capable of selectively targeting primary skin cells in-vivo. Using orthologous self-labelling tags and chemical cross-linkers, we conjugate large proteins to ligands that bind their natural receptors on the surface of keratinocytes. Targeted CRE-mediated recombination was achieved by delivery of ligand cross-linked CRE protein to the skin of transgenic reporter mice, but was absent in mice lacking the ligand’s cell surface receptor. We further show that ligands mediate the intracellular delivery of Cas9 allowing for CRISPR-mediated gene editing in the skin more efficiently than adeno-associated viral gene delivery. Thus, a ligand-based system enables the effective and receptor-specific delivery of large proteins and may be applied to the treatment of skin-related genetic diseases.
Genetically inherited tolerance may unveil trait dominance patterns in an amphibian model
Authors: Fasola E. , Ribeiro R. , Lopes I.
Published: December 2019

Chemical contamination may cause genetic erosion in natural populations by wiping out the most sensitive genotypes. This is of upmost concern if the loss of genetic variability is irreversible due to contaminant-driven elimination of alleles, which may happen if tolerance is a recessive or incompletely dominant trait – the recessive tolerance inheritance (working-) hypothesis. Accordingly, this work investigated the tolerance inheritance to lethal levels of a metal-rich acid mine drainage (AMD) and to copper sulphate in a population ofPelophylax perezi. Time-to-death for each egg, after being exposed to 60% of a sample of acid mine drainage and to 9 mg/L Cu, was registered, and, for each egg mass, the median lethal time (LT50) and respective quartiles (LT25and LT75) were computed. Results suggested that genetically determined tolerance could be probably driven by incomplete dominance (with possible maternal effect influence), preliminarily supporting the initial hypothesis.
A genome-scale CRISPR/Cas9 knockout screening reveals SH3D21 as a sensitizer for gemcitabine
Authors: Masoudi Mohammad , Seki Motoaki , Yazdanparast Razieh , Yachie Nozomu , Aburatani Hiroyuki
Published: December 2019

Gemcitabine, 2′,2′-difluoro-2′-deoxycytidine, is used as a pro-drug in treatment of variety of solid tumour cancers including pancreatic cancer. After intake, gemcitabine is transferred to the cells by the membrane nucleoside transporter proteins. Once inside the cells, it is converted to gemcitabine triphosphate followed by incorporation into DNA chains where it causes inhibition of DNA replication and thereby cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Currently gemcitabine is the standard drug for treatment of pancreatic cancer and despite its widespread use its effect is moderate. In this study, we performed a genome-scale CRISPR/Cas9 knockout screening on pancreatic cancer cell line Panc1 to explore the genes that are important for gemcitabine efficacy. We found SH3D21 as a novel gemcitabine sensitizer implying it may act as a therapeutic target for improvement of gemcitabine efficacy in treatment of pancreatic cancer.
An auto-correction laser photoacoustic spectrometer based on 2f/1f wavelength modulation spectroscopy
Authors: Chen Ke , Liu Shuai , Mei Liang , Jin Feng , Zhang Bo , Ma Fengxiang , Chen Yewei , Deng Hong , Guo Min , Yu Qingxu
Published: December 2019

An auto-correction laser photoacoustic (PA) spectrometer based on 2f/1f wavelength modulation spectroscopy (WMS) has been proposed and demonstrated for trace gas detection to eliminate concentration measurement errors due to light power variations.
A bis-indole/carbazole based C5-curcuminoid fluorescent probe with large Stokes shift for selective detection of biothiols and application to live cell imaging
Authors: Bhattacharjee Pinaki , Chatterjee Sourav , Achari Anushree , Saha Abhijit , Nandi Debkumar , Acharya Chiranjit , Chatterjee Kasturi , Ghosh Surajit , Swarnakar Snehasikta , Jaisankar Parasuraman
Published: December 2019

A series of heterocyclic C5-Curcuminoid (PJ1–PJ6) having large Stokes shift (Δλ= 104–173 nm) have been synthesized under the microwave irradiation andPJ1has been utilized for selective detection of thiols in A375 cells and apoptosis in AGS cells.
Recent advances in the biosensing of neurotransmitters: material and method overviews towards the biomedical analysis of psychiatric disorders
Authors: Mobed Ahmad , Hasanzadeh Mohammad , Ahmadalipour Ali , Fakhari Ali
Published: December 2019

Neurotransmitters are the most important messengers of the nervous system, and any changes in their balances and activities can cause serious neurological, psychiatric and cognitive disorders such as schizophrenia, Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease.
The optimization of cancer photodynamic therapy by utilization of a pi-extended porphyrin-type photosensitizer in combination with MITO-Porter
Authors: Satrialdi  , Munechika Reina , Biju Vasudevanpillai , Takano Yuta , Harashima Hideyoshi , Yamada Yuma
Published: December 2019

The optimization of cancer photodynamic therapy by utilization of a pi-extended porphyrin-type photosensitizer in combination with MITO-Porter.
Rhenium(i) sapphyrins: remarkable difference between the C6F5 and CF3-substituted derivatives
Authors: Yadav Pinky , Fridman Natalia , Mizrahi Amir , Gross Zeev
Published: December 2019

Rhenium chelation by sapphyrins alters the structural, photophysical and electrochemical properties of the macrocycle differently for CF3- and C6F5-substituted derivatives.
Indium controlled regioselective 1,4-alkylarylation of 1,3-dienes with α-carbonyl alkyl bromides and N-heterocycles
Authors: Gu Chang-Cheng , Ouyang Xuan-Hui , Song Ren-Jie , Li Jin-Heng
Published: December 2019

A selective indium-promoted silver-mediated intermolecular oxidative 1,4-alkylarylation of 1,3-dienes with α-carbonyl alkyl bromides and N-heterocycles was reported.
Metal–organic architectures driven by a multifunctional 6-aminouracil spacer: structures, noncovalent interactions, and conductivity
Authors: Purkayastha Atanu , Dhar Sourab , Mondal Suvra Prakash , Franconetti Antonio , Frontera Antonio , Ganguly Rakesh , Kirillov Alexander M. , Misra Tarun Kumar
Published: December 2019

Three new coordination polymers were assembled from a multifunctional 6-aminouracil building block and their structural features & functional properties were investigated.
Crystalline Al2O3 modified porous poly(aryl ether ketone) (PAEK) composite separators for high performance lithium-ion batteries via an electrospinning technique
Authors: Li Hai , Luo Dawei , He Jialing , Lin Feng , Wang Hao , Yu Liang , Liu Wei , Li Jing
Published: December 2019

The thermostability and wettability of a separator play key roles in improving the safety and electrochemical properties of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs).
Polymorphs of a copper coordination compound: interlinking active sites enhance the electrocatalytic activity of the coordination polymer compared to the coordination complex
Authors: Muthukumar Pandi , Pannipara Mehboobali , Al-Sehemi Abdullah G. , Moon Dohyun , Anthony Savarimuthu Philip
Published: December 2019

A copper coordination polymer exhibits highly enhanced HER activity in neutral medium compared to a coordination complex with a similar coordination environment.
Superhydrogenation of pentacene: the reactivity of zigzag-edges
Authors: Campisi Dario , Simonsen Frederik Doktor S. , Thrower John D. , Jaganathan Rijutha , Hornekær Liv , Martinazzo Rocco , Tielens Alexander G. G. M.
Published: December 2019

Studies of pentacene hydrogenation reveal a preferential hydrogenation sequence. The guiding concepts apply more broadly to aromatic carbonaceous systems and may be crucial in catalytic formation of molecular hydrogen in interstellar space.
Unveiling the effect of electron tunneling on the plasmonic resonance of closely spaced gold particles
Authors: Zhang Pengcheng , Jin Wenjin , Liang WanZhen
Published: December 2019

This work quantitatively depicted the variation of the possibility of electron tunneling across the junction with the particle's size and separation, and elucidated the quantum effects of closely-spaced Au particle oligomers on their optical responses.
High resolution vibronic state-specific dissociation of NO2+in the 10.0–15.5 eV energy range by synchrotron double imaging photoelectron photoion coincidence
Authors: Tang Xiaofeng , Garcia Gustavo A. , Nahon Laurent
Published: December 2019

Low-lying electronic states of NO2+are prepared with vibrational structures and their state-specific dissociation mechanisms are unraveled with high-resolution i2PEPICO.
Electronic and magnetic properties of the Janus MoSSe/WSSe superlattice nanoribbon: a first-principles study
Authors: Yu Lingling , Sun Shoutian , Ye Xiang
Published: December 2019

The electronic structure properties of Janus MoSSe/WSSe superlattice nanoribbons (SLNRs) are investigated by first-principles calculations. The ribbon width, combination ratio and period length have a great effect on the properties of the SLNRs.
Dynamical disorder and resonance energy transfer: a novel quantum-classical approach
Authors: Di Maiolo F. , Painelli A.
Published: December 2019

A novel quantum-classical approach demonstrates that dynamic disorder, as induced by a liquid polar solvent, boosts RET efficiency.
Local anisotropy in single crystals of zeotypes with the MFI framework structure evidenced by polarised Raman spectroscopy
Authors: Martinelli Anna , Creci Simone , Vavra Szilvia , Carlsson Per-Anders , Skoglundh Magnus
Published: December 2019

Polarised Raman spectroscopy is used to reveal the orientation of specific T–O–T bonds in singe crystals of ZSM-5 and silicalite-1.
Dramatic changes in the excited-state behaviour of the green fluorescent protein chromophore by a strong π-donating group through significantly lowering the excited-state potential energy surface with photoinduced intramolecular charge transfer
Authors: Chen Yi-Hui , Sung Robert , Sung Kuangsen
Published: December 2019

A strong π-donating group like p-NMe2 significantly lowers the S1 excited-state potential energy surface of green fluorescent protein chromophore by photoinduced intramolecular charge transfer, dramatically changing its excited-state behavior.
Functionalising hydrothermal carbons for catalysis – investigating solid acids in esterification reactions
Authors: Bosilj Monika , Bozoglu Mustafa , Schmidt Johannes , Aguiar Pedro M. , Fischer Anna , White Robin J.
Published: December 2019

Through a simple and controllable synthesis, the properties of acid functionalised carbon-based catalysts can be directed, demonstrating activity reflective of carbon support preparation conditions.
Identifying the roles of acid–base sites in formation pathways of tolualdehydes from acetaldehyde over MgO-based catalysts
Authors: Lusardi Marcella , Struble Thomas , Teixeira Andrew R. , Jensen Klavs F.
Published: December 2019

Basic (M–O)-type centers convert C4 intermediates to renewable xylene analogs and proximal acid sites tune isomeric selectivity.