bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Personalized Intervention Program: Tobacco Treatment for Patients at Risk for Lung Cancer
Authors: Bold Krysten W. , Toll Benjamin A. , Cartmel Brenda , Ford Bennie B. , Rojewski Alana M. , Gueorguieva Ralitza , O'Malley Stephanie S. , Fucito Lisa M.
Published: December 2017

Background:Lung cancer screening and tobacco treatment for patients at high-risk for lung cancer may greatly reduce mortality from smoking, and there is an urgent need to improve smoking cessation therapies for this population.

Aims:The purpose of this study is to test the efficacy of two separate, sequential interventions to promote tobacco cessation/reduction compared to standard care in smokers considered high-risk for lung cancer.

Methods:The study will recruit 276 current smokers attending a lung cancer screening clinic or considered high-risk for lung cancer based on age and smoking history across two sites. Patients first will be randomized to either standard tobacco treatment (8 weeks of nicotine patch and five individual counselling sessions) or standard tobacco treatment plus personalized gain-framed messaging. At the 8-week visit, all patients will be re-randomized to receive biomarker feedback or no biomarker feedback. Repeated assessments during treatment will be used to evaluate changes in novel biomarkers: skin carotenoids, lung function, and plasma bilirubin that will be used for biomarker feedback. We hypothesize that personalized gain-framed messages and receiving biomarker feedback related to tobacco cessation/reduction will improve quit rates and prevent relapse compared to standard care. Primary outcomes include 7-day point-prevalence abstinence verified with expired carbon monoxide at 8 weeks and mean cigarettes per day in the past week at 6 months.

Conclusions:Study findings will inform the development of novel interventions for patients at risk for lung cancer to improve smoking cessation rates.
Late Holocene Marine Radiocarbon Reservoir Correction for the Southern and Eastern Coasts of South Africa
Authors: Maboya Matjie L , Meadows Michael E , Reimer Paula J , Backeberg Björn C , Haberzettl Torsten
Published: December 2017

The marine reservoir effect is the difference in radiocarbon (14C) between the atmosphere and the marine surface ocean. To overcome the dating errors induced, it is necessary to correct marine 14C ages for this effect. ΔR is the difference between the marine 14C age and the marine calibration curve based on an ocean-atmosphere box diffusion model, which accounts for the time delay in diffusion of carbon into the ocean from the atmosphere and biosphere. This global assessment, however, requires computation of a regional ∆R value for calibration to cater for studies based on a local scale. In this paper the marine reservoir effect is assessed for the southern and eastern coasts of South Africa using 14C dating on pre-1950 marine shells of known age. The resultant ∆R values enable a more complete understanding of the marine reservoir effect along the southern and eastern coastal zone of South Africa. 14C age determinations were conducted on 15 shell samples of known age and the results, combined with previously published values, were used to calculate regional marine reservoir correction values. The east coast has a weighted mean ∆R of 121±16 14C yr, while the south coast has a weighted mean ∆R of 187±18 14C yr.
Revisiting Distant Divides and Intimate Connections in Asia: Comments on Engseng Ho's “Inter-Asian Concepts for Mobile Societies”
Authors: Constable Nicole
Published: December 2017

I am honored to comment on Engseng Ho's provocative essay through the lens of my own research on inter-Asian connections and mobilities in and beyond Asia. The abstract for the panel, entitled “The Flow of Migration beyond the State,” stated that “much scholarship on Asia is framed by organizational schemes that engage in spatial relationships and contrasts” (e.g., cores and peripheries, uplands and lowlands, mainland and islands) and that the idea of the “nation as a bordered entity” cross-cuts and transforms such common binaries. The panel's abstract also stated that the panel's goal was to “interrogate these borders” and to “rethink these schemes” and forge new understandings about nations, regions, and Asia by addressing questions such as: What happens when we decenter the state? What concepts of society capture external relations and engagements? What concepts apart from class, status, race, and gender will help us get a better understanding of transregional phenomena?
Assessment of the current distribution and human perceptions of the Pampas cat Leopardus colocolo in northern Peru and southern Ecuador
Authors: García-Olaechea Alvaro , Hurtado Cindy M.
Published: December 2017

The Pampas cat Leopardus colocolo occurs in a variety of habitats from northern Ecuador to southern Argentina, yet the species has been poorly studied. There is scant information about its northern distribution or about populations in desert and dry forest. We aimed to determine the presence of the Pampas cat in the Sechura Desert and seasonally dry forest of north-western Peru and south-western Ecuador, identify threats to the species, and describe people's perceptions of it. Using 32 camera traps and compiling confirmed and unpublished records, we mapped the species’ distribution and identified 12 new localities, three in the Sechura Desert and nine in the dry forest. The first records of the Pampas cat in the Ecuadorian dry forest are reported from La Ceiba Natural Reserve and Jorupe Reserve; the northernmost record in the dry forest is from Cerros de Amotape National Park, Peru. In 56 semi-structured interviews with local people we found that most of them (76.8%) did not know the species; 61.5% of those who knew the species had a neutral perception and did not think the cat affected their personal activities. Here we update the northern distribution of the Pampas cat, describe threats to the species in arid ecosystems, and highlight the need for further studies to identify other possible threats and mitigation methods.
RENORMING VOLATILITIES IN A FAMILY OF GARCH MODELS
Authors: Li Dong , Wu Wuqing
Published: December 2017

This paper studies the weak convergence of renorming volatilities in a family of GARCH(1,1) models from a functional point of view. After suitable renormalization, it is shown that the limiting distribution is a geometric Brownian motion when the associated top Lyapunov exponent γ > 0 and is an exponential functional of the maximum process of a Brownian motion when γ = 0. This indicates that the volatility of the GARCH(1,1)-type model has a completely different random structure according to the sign of γ. The obtained results further strengthen our understanding of volatilities in GARCH-type models. Simulation studies are carried out to assess our findings.
Using a qualitative model to explore the impacts of ecosystem and anthropogenic drivers upon declining marine survival in Pacific salmon
Authors: SOBOCINSKI KATHRYN L. , GREENE CORREIGH M. , SCHMIDT MICHAEL W.
Published: December 2017

Coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch), Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in Puget Sound and the Strait of Georgia have exhibited declines in marine survival over the last 40 years. While the cause of these declines is unknown, multiple factors, acting cumulatively or synergistically, have likely contributed. To evaluate the potential contribution of a broad suite of drivers on salmon survival, we used qualitative network modelling (QNM). QNM is a conceptually based tool that uses networks with specified relationships between the variables. In a simulation framework, linkages are weighted and then the models are subjected to user-specified perturbations. Our network had 33 variables, including: environmental and oceanographic drivers (e.g., temperature and precipitation), primary production variables, food web components from zooplankton to predators and anthropogenic impacts (e.g., habitat loss and hatcheries). We included salmon traits (survival, abundance, residence time, fitness and size) as response variables. We invoked perturbations to each node and to suites of drivers and evaluated the responses of these variables. The model showed that anthropogenic impacts resulted in the strongest negative responses in salmon survival and abundance. Additionally, feedbacks through the food web were strong, beginning with primary production, suggesting that several food web variables may be important in mediating effects on salmon survival within the system. With this model, we were able to compare the relative influence of multiple drivers on salmon survival.
Using structural equation modelling to assess factors influencing children’s growth and nutrition in rural China
Authors: Cheng Zixi , Shi Ling , Li Ying , Wang Yan , Zhang Jingxu
Published: December 2017

Objective

Children’s poor growth and nutrition status has serious consequences and therefore it is important to understand its contributing factors.

Design

A community-based interventional study focusing on child feeding was conducted in a rural community in China. Data from the intervention group at baseline (1–4 months of age) and follow-up visits (12 and 18 months of age) were used in the present study (n 236). A structural equation model was generated to explore the effects of family wealth, household food safety, dietary intake, diseases and other factors on the growth and nutrition of young children.

Results

Mother’s knowledge and behaviours on household food safety had positive effects on children’s weight-for-age Z-score (WAZ; βdirect=0·03 and 0·15, respectively, at 12 months of age; βdirect=0·02 and 0·08, respectively, at 18 months; P<0·05) and weight-for-length Z-score (WLZ; βdirect=0·04 and 0·21, respectively, at 12 months of age; βdirect=0·01 and 0·06, respectively, at 18 months; P<0·05). While mothers’ feeding behaviours and children’s dietary intake at 12 months of age were positively associated with WAZ and/or WLZ at current and later ages, children’s diseases were negatively associated with WAZ and WLZ cross-sectionally.

Conclusions

Caregiver’s knowledge and feeding behaviours, and children’s dietary intake and diseases, are factors influencing the WAZ and WLZ of children. Promoting feeding and health knowledge and behaviours at early stages of childhood can improve children’s physical growth at later ages.
A Simple Preparation Method for Full-Range Electron Tomography of Nanoparticles and Fine Powders
Authors: Padgett Elliot , Hovden Robert , DaSilva Jessica C. , Levin Barnaby D. A. , Grazul John L. , Hanrath Tobias , Muller David A.
Published: December 2017

Electron tomography has become a valuable and widely used tool for studying the three-dimensional nanostructure of materials and biological specimens. However, the incomplete tilt range provided by conventional sample holders limits the fidelity and quantitative interpretability of tomographic images by leaving a “missing wedge” of unknown information in Fourier space. Imaging over a complete range of angles eliminates missing wedge artifacts and dramatically improves tomogram quality. Full-range tomography is usually accomplished using needle-shaped samples milled from bulk material with focused ion beams, but versatile specimen preparation methods for nanoparticles and other fine powders are lacking. In this work, we present a new preparation technique in which powder specimens are supported on carbon nanofibers that extend beyond the end of a tungsten needle. Using this approach, we produced tomograms of platinum fuel cell catalysts and gold-decorated strontium titanate photocatalyst specimens. Without the missing wedge, these tomograms are free from elongation artifacts, supporting straightforward automatic segmentation and quantitative analysis of key materials properties such as void size and connectivity, and surface area and curvature. This approach may be generalized to other samples that can be dispersed in liquids, such as biological structures, creating new opportunities for high-quality electron tomography across disciplines.
Magnetic resonance imaging in radiotherapy treatment target volumes definition for brain tumours: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Abubakar Auwal , Bojude Adamu D. , Usman Aminu U. , Garba Idris , Obotiba Abasiama D. , Barde Mustapha , Miftaudeen Mutiat N. , Abubakar Umar
Published: December 2017

Purpose

The aim of this study is to establish clinical evidence regarding the use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in target volume definition for radiotherapy treatment planning of brain tumours.

Methods

Primary studies were systematically retrieved from six electronic databases and other sources. Studies included were only those that quantitatively compared computed tomography (CT) and MRI in target volume definition for radiotherapy of brain tumours. Study characteristics and quality were assessed and the data were extracted from eligible studies. Effect estimates for each study was computed as mean percentage difference based on individual patient data where available. The included studies were then combined in meta-analysis using Review Manager (RevMan) software version 5.0.

Result

Five studies with a total number of 72 patients were included in this review. The quality of the studies was rated strong. The percentages mean differences of the studies were 7·47, 11·36, 30·70, 41·69 and −24·6% using CT as the baseline. The result of statistical analysis showed small-to-moderate heterogeneity; τ2=36·8; χ2=6·23; df=4 (p=0·18); I2=36%. The overall effect estimate was −1·85 [95% confidence interval (CI); −7·24, 10·94], Z=0·40 (p=0·069>0·5).

Conclusion

Brain tumour volumes measured using MRI-based method for radiotherapy treatment planning were larger compared with CT defined volumes but the difference lacks statistical significance.
A scoping review of the evidence for efficacy of acupuncture in companion animals
Authors: Rose Wesley J. , Sargeant Jan M. , Hanna W. J. Brad , Kelton David , Wolfe Dianna M. , Wisener Lee V.
Published: December 2017

Acupuncture has become increasingly popular in veterinary medicine. Within the scientific literature there is debate regarding its efficacy. Due to the complex nature of acupuncture, a scoping review was undertaken to identify and categorize the evidence related to acupuncture in companion animals (dogs, cats, and horses). Our search identified 843 relevant citations. Narrative reviews represented the largest proportion of studies (43%). We identified 179 experimental studies and 175 case reports/case series that examined the efficacy of acupuncture. Dogs were the most common subjects in the experimental trials. The most common indication for use was musculoskeletal conditions, and the most commonly evaluated outcome categories among experimental trials were pain and cardiovascular parameters. The limited number of controlled trials and the breadth of indications for use, outcome categories, and types of acupuncture evaluated present challenges for future systematic reviews or meta-analyses. There is a need for high-quality randomized controlled trials addressing the most common clinical uses of acupuncture, and using consistent and clinically relevant outcomes, to inform conclusions regarding the efficacy of acupuncture in companion animals.
Prostate-specific PTen deletion in mice activates inflammatory microRNA expression pathways in the epithelium early in hyperplasia development
Authors: Dart D. Alwyn , Uysal-Onganer Pinar , Jiang W. G.
Published: December 2017

PTen loss is one of the most frequent events in prostate cancer both at the initiation stage and during late stage metastatic development. The mouse model of prostate-specific probasin-mediated Pten deletion leads to prostate intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN) leading to adenocarcinoma. Using this model, we analysed the miR and mRNA transcriptome profile of Pten−/− PIN versus wild type age-matched prostate tissues and analysed the effects of Pten loss on miR expression in the early neoplastic process. At the PIN stage, Pten loss significantly changed the expression of over 20 miRNAs and over 4000 genes. The observed miR expression indicated a strong immunological cohort, which is seen in many human and mouse cancers and is thought to derive from infiltrating B and T immune cells. However, upon in situ hybridisation, these immunologically related miRs did not correlate with immune cell location, and emanated from the prostate epithelium itself and not from the associated immune cells present. Growing Pten−/− prostate cells in culture showed that the overexpressed miRNAs seen in Pten−/− were directly in response to the overactive PI3 kinase pathway and were in part responsible in reducing target gene expression levels. Inhibition of PI3 kinase downstream regulators, or re-introducing wild type PtencDNA reduced miR overexpression resulting in increased miR target gene expression. MiR inhibitors also showed this pattern, and synergised with an mTORC1 inhibitor. Overall, Pten deletion in the prostate epithelium activated a cohort of inflammation-related miRs usually associated with immune responses from B and T cells. These oncomiRs may then accelerate carcinogenesis.
Snail mediates crosstalk between TGFβ and LXRα in hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Bellomo Claudia , Caja Laia , Fabregat Isabel , Mikulits Wolfgang , Kardassis Dimitris , Heldin Carl-Henrik , Moustakas Aristidis
Published: December 2017

Understanding the complexity of changes in differentiation and cell survival in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is essential for the design of new diagnostic tools and therapeutic modalities. In this context, we have analyzed the crosstalk between transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) and liver X receptor α (LXRα) pathways. TGFβ is known to promote cytostatic and pro-apoptotic responses in HCC, and to facilitate mesenchymal differentiation. We here demonstrate that stimulation of the nuclear LXRα receptor system by physiological and clinically useful agonists controls the HCC response to TGFβ. Specifically, LXRα activation antagonizes the mesenchymal, reactive oxygen species and pro-apoptotic responses to TGFβ and the mesenchymal transcription factor Snail mediates this crosstalk. In contrast, LXRα activation and TGFβ cooperate in enforcing cytostasis in HCC, which preserves their epithelial features. LXRα influences Snail expression transcriptionally, acting on the Snail promoter. These findings propose that clinically used LXR agonists may find further application to the treatment of aggressive, mesenchymal HCCs, whose progression is chronically dependent on autocrine or paracrine TGFβ.
Iron-based nanocatalyst for the acceptorless dehydrogenation reactions
Authors: Jaiswal Garima , Landge Vinod G. , Jagadeesan Dinesh , Balaraman Ekambaram
Published: December 2017

Development of sustainable catalytic systems for fundamentally important synthetic transformations and energy storage applications is an intellectually stimulating challenge. Catalytic dehydrogenation of feedstock chemicals, such as alcohols and amines to value-added products with the concomitant generation of dihydrogen is of much interest in the context of hydrogen economy and is an effective alternative to the classical oxidation reactions. Despite a number of homogeneous catalysts being identified for the acceptorless dehydrogenation, the use of high price and limited availability of precious metals and poor recovery of the catalyst have spurred interest in catalysis with more earth-abundant alternatives, especially iron. However, no report has described a reusable iron-based heterogeneous catalyst for oxidant-free and acceptorless dehydrogenation reactions. Here we replace expensive noble metal catalysts with an inexpensive, benign, and sustainable nanoscale iron catalyst for the efficient acceptorless dehydrogenation of N-heterocycles and alcohols with liberation of hydrogen gas.
Shear-induced Notch-Cx37-p27 axis arrests endothelial cell cycle to enable arterial specification
Authors: Fang Jennifer S. , Coon Brian G. , Gillis Noelle , Chen Zehua , Qiu Jingyao , Chittenden Thomas W. , Burt Janis M. , Schwartz Martin A. , Hirschi Karen K.
Published: December 2017

Establishment of a functional vascular network is rate-limiting in embryonic development, tissue repair and engineering. During blood vessel formation, newly generated endothelial cells rapidly expand into primitive plexi that undergo vascular remodeling into circulatory networks, requiring coordinated growth inhibition and arterial-venous specification. Whether the mechanisms controlling endothelial cell cycle arrest and acquisition of specialized phenotypes are interdependent is unknown. Here we demonstrate that fluid shear stress, at arterial flow magnitudes, maximally activates NOTCH signaling, which upregulates GJA4 (commonly, Cx37) and downstream cell cycle inhibitor CDKN1B (p27). Blockade of any of these steps causes hyperproliferation and loss of arterial specification. Re-expression of GJA4 or CDKN1B, or chemical cell cycle inhibition, restores endothelial growth control and arterial gene expression. Thus, we elucidate a mechanochemical pathway in which arterial shear activates a NOTCH-GJA4-CDKN1B axis that promotes endothelial cell cycle arrest to enable arterial gene expression. These insights will guide vascular regeneration and engineering.
She1 affects dynein through direct interactions with the microtubule and the dynein microtubule-binding domain
Authors: Ecklund Kari H. , Morisaki Tatsuya , Lammers Lindsay G. , Marzo Matthew G. , Stasevich Timothy J. , Markus Steven M.
Published: December 2017

Cytoplasmic dynein is an enormous minus end-directed microtubule motor. Rather than existing as bare tracks, microtubules are bound by numerous microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs) that have the capacity to affect various cellular functions, including motor-mediated transport. One such MAP is She1, a dynein effector that polarizes dynein-mediated spindle movements in budding yeast. Here, we characterize the molecular basis by which She1 affects dynein, providing the first such insight into which a MAP can modulate motor motility. We find that She1 affects the ATPase rate, microtubule-binding affinity, and stepping behavior of dynein, and that microtubule binding by She1 is required for its effects on dynein motility. Moreover, we find that She1 directly contacts the microtubule-binding domain of dynein, and that their interaction is sensitive to the nucleotide-bound state of the motor. Our data support a model in which simultaneous interactions between the microtubule and dynein enables She1 to directly affect dynein motility.
Wavevector multiplexed atomic quantum memory via spatially-resolved single-photon detection
Authors: Parniak Michał , Dąbrowski Michał , Mazelanik Mateusz , Leszczyński Adam , Lipka Michał , Wasilewski Wojciech
Published: December 2017

Parallelized quantum information processing requires tailored quantum memories to simultaneously handle multiple photons. The spatial degree of freedom is a promising candidate to facilitate such photonic multiplexing. Using a single-photon resolving camera, we demonstrate a wavevector multiplexed quantum memory based on a cold atomic ensemble. Observation of nonclassical correlations between Raman scattered photons is confirmed by an average value of the second-order correlation function $$g_{{\mathrm{S,AS}}}^{{\mathrm{(2)}}} = 72 \pm 5$$

g

S,AS

(2)

=
72
±
5
in 665 separated modes simultaneously. The proposed protocol utilizing the multimode memory along with the camera will facilitate generation of multi-photon states, which are a necessity in quantum-enhanced sensing technologies and as an input to photonic quantum circuits.
Non-Water-Suppressed 1H MR Spectroscopy with Orientational Prior Knowledge Shows Potential for Separating Intra- and Extramyocellular Lipid Signals in Human Myocardium
Authors: Fillmer Ariane , Hock Andreas , Cameron Donnie , Henning Anke
Published: December 2017

Conditions such as type II diabetes are linked with elevated lipid levels in the heart, and significantly increased risk of heart failure; however, metabolic processes underlying the development of cardiac disease in type II diabetes are not fully understood. Here we present a non-invasive method for in vivo investigation of cardiac lipid metabolism: namely, IVS-McPRESS. This technique uses metabolite-cycled, non-water suppressed 1H cardiac magnetic resonance spectroscopy with prospective and retrospective motion correction. High-quality IVS-McPRESS data acquired from healthy volunteers allowed us to investigate the frequency shift of extramyocellular lipid signals, which depends on the myocardial fibre orientation. Assuming consistent voxel positioning relative to myofibres, the myofibre angle with the magnetic field was derived from the voxel orientation. For separation and individual analysis of intra- and extramyocellular lipid signals, the angle myocardial fibres in the spectroscopy voxel take with the magnetic field should be within ±24.5°. Metabolite and lipid concentrations were analysed with respect to BMI. Significant correlations between BMI and unsaturated fatty acids in intramyocellular lipids, and methylene groups in extramyocellular lipids were found. The proposed IVS-McPRESS technique enables non-invasive investigation of cardiac lipid metabolism and may thus be a useful tool to study healthy and pathological conditions.
Modelling mosquito infection at natural parasite densities identifies drugs targeting EF2, PI4K or ATP4 as key candidates for interrupting malaria transmission
Authors: Dechering Koen J. , Duerr Hans-Peter , Koolen Karin M. J. , Gemert Geert-Jan van , Bousema Teun , Burrows Jeremy , Leroy Didier , Sauerwein Robert W.
Published: December 2017

Eradication of malaria requires a novel type of drug that blocks transmission from the human to the mosquito host, but selection of such a drug is hampered by a lack of translational models. Experimental mosquito infections yield infection intensities that are substantially higher than observed in natural infections and, as a consequence, underestimate the drug effect on the proportion of mosquitoes that become infected. Here we introduce a novel experimental and computational method to adequately describe drug efficacy at natural parasite densities. Parameters of a beta-binomial infection model were established and validated using a large number of experimental mosquito infections at different parasite densities. Analyses of 15 experimental and marketed drugs revealed a class-specific ability to block parasite transmission. Our results highlight the parasite’s elongation factor EF2, PI4 kinase and the ATP4 sodium channel as key targets for interruption of transmission, and compounds DDD107498 and KAE609 as most advanced drug candidates.
Rab-GTPase binding effector protein 2 (RABEP2) is a primed substrate for Glycogen Synthase kinase-3 (GSK3)
Authors: Logie Lisa , Van Aalten Lidy , Knebel Axel , Force Thomas , Hastie C. James , MacLauchlan Hilary , Campbell David G. , Gourlay Robert , Prescott Alan , Davidson Jane , Fuller Will , Sutherland Calum
Published: December 2017

Glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK3) regulates many physiological processes through phosphorylation of a diverse array of substrates. Inhibitors of GSK3 have been generated as potential therapies in several diseases, however the vital role GSK3 plays in cell biology makes the clinical use of GSK3 inhibitors potentially problematic. A clearer understanding of true physiological and pathophysiological substrates of GSK3 should provide opportunities for more selective, disease specific, manipulation of GSK3. To identify kinetically favourable substrates we performed a GSK3 substrate screen in heart tissue. Rab-GTPase binding effector protein 2 (RABEP2) was identified as a novel GSK3 substrate and GSK3 phosphorylation of RABEP2 at Ser200 was enhanced by prior phosphorylation at Ser204, fitting the known consensus sequence for GSK3 substrates. Both residues are phosphorylated in cells while only Ser200 phosphorylation is reduced following inhibition of GSK3. RABEP2 function was originally identified as a Rab5 binding protein. We did not observe co-localisation of RABEP2 and Rab5 in cells, while ectopic expression of RABEP2 had no effect on endosomal recycling. The work presented identifies RABEP2 as a novel primed substrate of GSK3, and thus a potential biomarker for GSK3 activity, but understanding how phosphorylation regulates RABEP2 function requires more information on physiological roles of RABEP2.
Ag-doping regulates the cytotoxicity of TiO2 nanoparticles via oxidative stress in human cancer cells
Authors: Ahamed Maqusood , Khan M. A. Majeed , Akhtar Mohd Javed , Alhadlaq Hisham A. , Alshamsan Aws
Published: December 2017

We investigated the anticancer potential of Ag-doped (0.5–5%) anatase TiO2 NPs. Characterization study showed that dopant Ag was well-distributed on the surface of host TiO2 NPs. Size (15 nm to 9 nm) and band gap energy (3.32 eV to 3.15 eV) of TiO2 NPs were decreases with increasing the concentration of Ag dopant. Biological studies demonstrated that Ag-doped TiO2 NP-induced cytotoxicity and apoptosis in human liver cancer (HepG2) cells. The toxic intensity of TiO2 NPs was increases with increasing the amount of Ag-doping. The Ag-doped TiO2 NPs further found to provoke reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and antioxidants depletion. Toxicity induced by Ag-doped TiO2 NPs in HepG2 cells was efficiently abrogated by antioxidant N-acetyl-cysteine (ROS scavenger). We also found that Ag-doped TiO2 NPs induced cytotoxicity and oxidative stress in human lung (A549) and breast (MCF-7) cancer cells. Interestingly, Ag-doped TiO2 NPs did not cause much toxicity to normal cells such as primary rat hepatocytes and human lung fibroblasts. Overall, we found that Ag-doped TiO2 NPs have potential to selectively kill cancer cells while sparing normal cells. This study warranted further research on anticancer potential of Ag-doped TiO2 NPs in various types of cancer cells and in vivo models.
Highly efficient upconversion of Er3+ in Yb3+ codoped non-cytotoxic strontium lanthanum aluminate phosphor for low temperature sensors
Authors: Pavani K. , Suresh Kumar J. , Srikanth K. , Soares M. J. , Pereira E. , Neves A. J. , Graça M. P. F.
Published: December 2017

Er3+ and Er3+/Yb3+ melilite-based SrLaAl3O7 (SLA) phosphors were synthesized by a facile Pechine method. The differences in emission intensities of 4I13/2 → 4I15/2 transition in NIR region when excited with Ar+ and 980 nm lasers were explained in terms of energy transfer mechanisms. Temperature and power dependence of upconversion bands in the visible region centered at 528, 548 and 660 nm pertaining to 2H11/2, 4S3/2 and 4F9/2 → 4I15/2 transitions were investigated. Fluorescence intensity ratio (FIR) technique was used to explore temperature sensing behaviour of the thermally coupled levels 2H11/2/4S3/2 of Er3+ ions in the phosphors within the temperature range 14–300 K and the results were extrapolated up to 600 K. Anomalous intensity trend observed in Er3+ doped SLA phosphor was discussed using energy level structure. Cytotoxicity of phosphors has been evaluated using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay in Bluegill sunfish cells (BF-2). The non-cytotoxic nature and high sensitivity of the present phosphors pay a way for their use in vitro studies and provide potential interest as a thermo graphic phosphor at the contact of biological products.
Genetic and Neurobiological Analyses of the Noradrenergic-like System in Vulnerability to Sugar Overconsumption Using a Drosophila Model
Authors: Branch Audrey , Zhang Yiwen , Shen Ping
Published: December 2017

Regular overconsumption of sugar is associated with obesity and type-2 diabetes, but how genetic factors contribute to variable sugar preferences and intake levels remains mostly unclear. Here we provide evidence for the usefulness of a Drosophila larva model to investigate genetic influence on vulnerability to sugar overconsumption. Using genetic and RNA interference approaches, we show that the activity of the Oamb gene, which encodes a receptor for octopamine (OA, the invertebrate homologue of norepinephrine), plays a major role in controlled sugar consumption. Furthermore, Oamb appears to suppress sugar food intake in fed larvae in an acute manner, and neurons expressing this Oamb receptor do not overlap with neurons expressing Octβ3R, another OA receptor previously implicated in hunger-driven exuberant sugar intake. Together, these results suggest that two separate sub-circuits, defined by Oamb and Octβ3R respectively, co-regulate sugar consumption according to changes in energy needs. We propose that the noradrenergic-like system defines an ancient regulatory mechanism for prevention of sugar overload.
Prostaglandin D2 metabolite in urine is an index of food allergy
Authors: Maeda Shingo , Nakamura Tatsuro , Harada Hiroaki , Tachibana Yuri , Aritake Kosuke , Shimosawa Tatsuo , Yatomi Yutaka , Murata Takahisa
Published: December 2017

Food allergy is immediate hypersensitive reactions to ingested foods. Since early diagnosis is effective for disease control, development of an objective diagnostic index is required. Using mediator-lipidomics, we found that levels of the urinary prostaglandin D2 (PGD2) metabolite, tetranor-PGDM, reflected the severity of the allergic symptoms and intestinal mast cell hyperplasia in mice. Repeated oral challenges with ovalbumin promoted allergic symptoms in sensitized mice. Particularly, the allergic mice presented with increased numbers of intestinal mast cells, which strongly expressed hematopoietic PGD synthase (H-PGDS). The levels of urinary tetranor-PGDM increased as the disease progressed. Treatment with a mast cell inactivator or an anti-inflammatory steroid attenuated these symptoms and decreased the tetranor-PGDM urinary levels. The levels of urinary tetranor-PGDM did not correlate with the disease severity in murine models of colitis, asthma, or allergic dermatitis. Furthermore, we have shown that urinary levels of tetranor-PGDM were significantly higher in patients with food allergy than those in healthy volunteers and patients with other types of allergic diseases such as asthma, allergic rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis. These findings suggest that urinary tetranor-PGDM is a useful diagnostic index of food allergy in both mice and humans.
Beneficial effects of melittin on ovalbumin-induced atopic dermatitis in mouse
Authors: Kim Woon-Hae , An Hyun-Jin , Kim Jung-Yeon , Gwon Mi-Gyeong , Gu Hyemin , Jeon Minji , Sung Woo Jung , Han Sang Mi , Pak Sok Cheon , Kim Min-Kyung , Park Kwan-Kyu
Published: December 2017

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is an inflammatory skin disease characterized by intense pruritus and relapsable eczematous lesions. The hallmarks of AD are defects in the epidermal barrier and immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated sensitization to several environmental allergens, as well as an immune disorder mediated by an imbalance toward T-helper-2 response. Melittin, a major component of bee venom, has been studied in various inflammatory diseases. However, the beneficial effects of melittin on mouse with AD-like symptoms have not been explored. Therefore, we investigated the anti-allergic effects of melittin. AD was induced by ovalbumin (OVA) patch. After agent treatment, skin tissues and sera were extracted from the sacrificed mice were used to demonstrate the effects of melittin through various molecular biological methods. The results showed that OVA-induced skin thickening and inflammatory infiltration were decreased in the melittin-treated group. Melittin prevented OVA-induced filaggrin deficiency and imbalanced inflammatory mediators. Furthermore, melittin inhibited IL-4/IL-13-induced filaggrin downregulation through the blockade of STAT3 activation in human keratinocytes. In summary, this study has shown that melittin ameliorated OVA-induced AD-like symptoms from various perspectives. The findings of this study may be the first evidence of the anti-inflammatory effects of melittin on OVA-induced AD.
Generation of bioinspired structural colors via two-photon polymerization
Authors: Zyla Gordon , Kovalev Alexander , Grafen Markus , Gurevich Evgeny L. , Esen Cemal , Ostendorf Andreas , Gorb Stanislav
Published: December 2017

Colors of crystals, pigments, metals, salt solutions and bioluminescence occur in nature due to the optical properties of electrons in atoms and molecules. However, colors can also result from interference effects on nanostructures. In contrast to artificial coloration, which are caused by well-defined regular structures, the structural colors of living organisms are often more intense and almost angle-independent. In this paper, we report the successful manufacturing of a lamellar nanostructure that mimics the ridge shape of the Morpho butterfly using a 3d-direct laser writing technique. The viewing angle dependency of the color was analyzed via a spectrometer and the structure was visualized using a scanning electron microscope. The generated nano- and micro-structures and their optical properties were comparable to those observed in the Morpho butterfly.
Testosterone-like immunoreactivity in hair measured in minute sample amounts - a competitive radioimmunoassay with an adequate limit of detection
Authors: Slezak Julia K. , Ström Jakob O. , Theodorsson Elvar
Published: December 2017

The concentrations of testosterone deposited in hair during hair growth may provide a retrospective reflection of the concentrations of bioactive testosterone in plasma. The objective of this study was to develop a radioimmunoassay with a sufficiently low limit of detection to measure the testosterone-like immunoreactivity in smaller hair samples (5 mg) than used in earlier studies, and to compare three different extraction procedures. The competitive radioimmunoassay consisted of a polyclonal antiserum (immunogen testosterone-7α-BSA) and a radioligand synthesised from testosterone-3-CMO-histamine. The within-assay and total coefficients of variation in the working range was 3% and 4.5%, respectively. The limit of detection was 0.87 pg/mL, which is equivalent to 0.12 pg/mg testosterone in 5 mg of hair. The concentration of testosterone-like immunoreactivity in hair samples was 1.23 (SD 0.47) pg/mg in women and 2.67 (SD 0.58) pg/mg in men (pulverised hair). Significantly improved precision was found when pulverised hair was used compared to non-pulverised hair. Our data indicate that pulverisation of the hair prior to hormone extraction is crucial. Detection limits fit for the intended purpose are achievable with 5 mg samples of hair.
Generation of steady entanglement via unilateral qubit driving in bad cavities
Authors: Jin Zhao , Su Shi-Lei , Zhu Ai-Dong , Wang Hong-Fu , Shen Li-Tuo , Zhang Shou
Published: December 2017

We propose a scheme for generating an entangled state for two atoms trapped in two separate cavities coupled to each other. The scheme is based on the competition between the unitary dynamics induced by the classical fields and the collective decays induced by the dissipation of two non-local bosonic modes. In this scheme, only one qubit is driven by external classical fields, whereas the other need not be manipulated via classical driving. This is meaningful for experimental implementation between separate nodes of a quantum network. The steady entanglement can be obtained regardless of the initial state, and the robustness of the scheme against parameter fluctuations is numerically demonstrated. We also give an analytical derivation of the stationary fidelity to enable a discussion of the validity of this regime. Furthermore, based on the dissipative entanglement preparation scheme, we construct a quantum state transfer setup with multiple nodes as a practical application.
PD-1/PD-L1 binding studies using microscale thermophoresis
Authors: Magnez Romain , Thiroux Bryan , Taront Solenne , Segaoula Zacharie , Quesnel Bruno , Thuru Xavier
Published: December 2017

The characterization of protein interactions has become essential in many fields of life science, especially drug discovery. Microscale thermophoresis (MST) is a powerful new method for the quantitative analysis of protein-protein interactions (PPIs) with low sample consumption. In addition, one of the major advantages of this technique is that no tedious purification step is necessary to access the protein of interest. Here, we describe a protocol using MST to determine the binding affinity of the PD-1/PD-L1 couple, which is involved in tumour escape processes, without purification of the target protein from cell lysates. The method requires the overexpression of fluorescent proteins in CHO-K1 cells and describes the optimal conditions for determining the dissociation constant. The protocol has a variety of potential applications in studying the interactions of these proteins with small molecules and demonstrates that MST is a valuable method for studying the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway.
Gene-activated matrix/bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells constructs regenerate sweat glands-like structure in vivo
Authors: Kolakshyapati Pranish , Li Xiuyuan , Chen Chunye , Zhang Mingxia , Tan Weiqiang , Ma Lie , Gao Changyou
Published: December 2017

It is a significant challenge to regenerate full-thickness skin defects with sweat glands. Various skin substitutes have been developed to resolve this issue with minimal success. In this study, to yield a novel construct forin situregeneration of sweat glands, the collagen-chitosan porous scaffold was combined with Lipofectamine 2000/pDNA-EGF complexes to obtain the gene-activated scaffold (GAS), which was then seeded with bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs). The porous scaffold functionalized as a reservoir for the incorporated gene complexes which were released in a sustained manner. The seeded BM-MSCs were transfectedin situby the released complexes and specially differentiated into sweat gland cellsin vitrounder the induction of the expressed epidermal growth factor (EGF). Applicationin vivoof the GAS/BM-MSCs constructs on the full-thickness skin defects of SD rats confirmed that GAS/BM-MSCs could accelerate the wound healing process and induce thein situregeneration of the full-thickness skin with sweat gland-like structures. Analyzed by immunohistochemical staining, RT-qPCR and Western-blotting, the levels of the major sweat gland markers such as carcino-embryonic antigen (CEA), cytokeratin 8 (CK8) and cytokeratin 14 (CK14) were all up-regulated, indicating that GAS/BM-MSCs can facilitate the regeneration of sweat glands-like structurein vivo.
Fibronectin is a stress responsive gene regulated by HSF1 in response to geldanamycin
Authors: Dhanani Karim Colin Hassan , Samson William John , Edkins Adrienne Lesley
Published: December 2017

Fibronectin is an extracellular matrix glycoprotein with key roles in cell adhesion and migration. Hsp90 binds directly to fibronectin and Hsp90 depletion regulates fibronectin matrix stability. Where inhibition of Hsp90 with a C-terminal inhibitor, novobiocin, reduced the fibronectin matrix, treatment with an N-terminal inhibitor, geldanamycin, increased fibronectin levels. Geldanamycin treatment induced a stress response and a strong dose and time dependent increase in fibronectin mRNA via activation of the fibronectin promoter. Three putative heat shock elements (HSEs) were identified in the fibronectin promoter. Loss of two of these HSEs reduced both basal and geldanamycin-induced promoter activity, as did inhibition of the stress-responsive transcription factor HSF1. Binding of HSF1 to one of the putative HSE was confirmed by ChIP under basal conditions, and occupancy shown to increase with geldanamycin treatment. These data support the hypothesis that fibronectin is stress-responsive and a functional HSF1 target gene. COLA42 and LAMB3 mRNA levels were also increased with geldanamycin indicating that regulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) genes by HSF1 may be a wider phenomenon. Taken together, these data have implications for our understanding of ECM dynamics in stress-related diseases in which HSF1 is activated, and where the clinical application of N-terminal Hsp90 inhibitors is intended.
Extratropical forcing and tropical rainfall distribution: energetics framework and ocean Ekman advection
Authors: Kang Sarah M. , Shin Yechul , Xie Shang-Ping
Published: December 2017

Intense tropical rainfall occurs in a narrow belt near the equator, called the inter-tropical convergence zone (ITCZ). In the past decade, the atmospheric energy budget has been used to explain changes in the zonal-mean ITCZ position. The energetics framework provides a mechanism for extratropics-to-tropics teleconnections, which have been postulated from paleoclimate records. In atmosphere models coupled with a motionless slab ocean, the ITCZ shifts toward the warmed hemisphere in order for the Hadley circulation to transport energy toward the colder hemisphere. However, recent studies using fully coupled models show that tropical rainfall can be rather insensitive to extratropical forcing when ocean dynamics is included. Here, we explore the effect of meridional Ekman heat advection while neglecting the upwelling effect on the ITCZ response to prescribed extratropical thermal forcing. The tropical component of Ekman advection is a negative feedback that partially compensates the prescribed forcing, whereas the extratropical component is a positive feedback that amplifies the prescribed forcing. Overall, the tropical negative feedback dominates over the extratropical positive feedback. Thus, including Ekman advection reduces the need for atmospheric energy transport, dampening the ITCZ response. We propose to build a hierarchy of ocean models to systematically explore the full dynamical response of the coupled climate system.
Population measurement for health systems
Authors: R. Schatz Bruce
Published: December 2017

How can health systems make good use of digital medicine? For healthcare infrastructure, the answer is population measurement, monitoring people to compute status for clustering cohorts. In chronic care, most effective is measuring all the time, to track health status as it gradually changes. Passive monitors run in the background, without additional tasks to activate monitors, especially on mobile phones. At its core, a health system is a “sorting problem”. Each patient entering the system must be effectively sorted into treatment cohorts. Health systems have three primary problems: Case Finding (which persons have which diagnoses), Risk Stratification (which persons are which status), and Care Routing (which persons need which treatments). The issue is then which measures can be continuously monitored at appropriate periodicity. The solutions of population measurement measure vital signs with passive monitors. These are input to predictive analytics to detect clinical values for providing care within health systems. For chronic care, complex vitals must be measured for overall status, such as oxygen saturation or gait speed. This enables healthcare infrastructure to support stratification, with persons placed into current levels of health status. Practical considerations for health systems influence implementation of new infrastructure. Case finding is more likely to be useful in urban settings, with barriers to entry based upon lower incomes. Care routing is more likely to be useful in rural settings, with barriers to entry based upon isolated geographies. Viable healthcare at acceptable quality and affordable cost is now possible for the range of geographies and incomes.
Engineering highly sensitive whole-cell mercury biosensors based on positive feedback loops from quorum-sensing systems
Authors: Cai Sheng , Shen Yifei , Zou Yan , Sun Peiqing , Wei Wei , Zhao Jing , Zhang Chuan
Published: December 2017

Quorum-sensing systems is a powerful tool in biosensor designs.
A gold immunochromatographic assay for simultaneous detection of parathion and triazophos in agricultural products
Authors: Liu Beibei , Gong Hang , Wang Yulong , Zhang Xiaoshuai , Li Pan , Qiu Yulou , Wang Limin , Hua Xiude , Guo Yirong , Wang Minghua , Liu Fengquan , Liu Xianjin , Zhang Cunzheng
Published: December 2017

A multi-component gold immunochromatographic assay was developed for the rapid and simultaneous detection of parathion and triazophos in agricultural products.