bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
TRIM27 mediates STAT3 activation at retromer-positive structures to promote colitis and colitis-associated carcinogenesis
Authors: Zhang Hong-Xia , Xu Zhi-Sheng , Lin Hen , Li Mi , Xia Tian , Cui Kaisa , Wang Su-Yun , Li Youjun , Shu Hong-Bing , Wang Yan-Yi
Published: August 2018

STAT3 is a transcription factor that plays central roles in various physiological processes and its deregulation results in serious diseases including cancer. The mechanisms on how STAT3 activity is regulated remains enigmatic. Here we identify TRIM27 as a positive regulator of II-6-induced STAT3 activation and downstream gene expression. TRIM27 localizes to retromer-positive punctate structures and serves as a critical link for recruiting gp130, JAK1, and STAT3 to and subsequent phosphorylation of STAT3 at the retromer-positive structures. Overexpression of TRIM27 promotes cancer cell growth in vitro and tumor growth in nude mice, whereas knockdown of TRIM27 has opposite effects. Deficiency of TRIM27 significantly impairs dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced STAT3 activation, inflammatory cytokine expression and colitis as well as azoxymethane (AOM)/DSS-induced colitis-associated cancer in mice. These findings reveal a retromer-dependent mechanism for regulation of STAT3 activation, inflammation, and inflammation-associated cancer development.
Peritectic titanium alloys for 3D printing
Authors: Barriobero-Vila Pere , Gussone Joachim , Stark Andreas , Schell Norbert , Haubrich Jan , Requena Guillermo
Published: August 2018

Metal-based additive manufacturing (AM) permits layer-by-layer fabrication of near net-shaped metallic components with complex geometries not achievable using the design constraints of traditional manufacturing. Production savings of titanium-based components by AM are estimated up to 50% owing to the current exorbitant loss of material during machining. Nowadays, most of the titanium alloys for AM are based on conventional compositions still tailored to conventional manufacturing not considering the directional thermal gradient that provokes epitaxial growth during AM. This results in severely textured microstructures associated with anisotropic structural properties usually remaining upon post-AM processing. The present investigations reveal a promising solidification and cooling path for α formation not yet exploited, in which α does not inherit the usual crystallographic orientation relationship with the parent β phase. The associated decrease in anisotropy, accompanied by the formation of equiaxed microstructures represents a step forward toward a next generation of titanium alloys for AM.
Human neuroepithelial stem cell regional specificity enables spinal cord repair through a relay circuit
Authors: Dell’Anno Maria Teresa , Wang Xingxing , Onorati Marco , Li Mingfeng , Talpo Francesca , Sekine Yuichi , Ma Shaojie , Liu Fuchen , Cafferty William B. J. , Sestan Nenad , Strittmatter Stephen M.
Published: August 2018

Traumatic spinal cord injury results in persistent disability due to disconnection of surviving neural elements. Neural stem cell transplantation has been proposed as a therapeutic option, but optimal cell type and mechanistic aspects remain poorly defined. Here, we describe robust engraftment into lesioned immunodeficient mice of human neuroepithelial stem cells derived from the developing spinal cord and maintained in self-renewing adherent conditions for long periods. Extensive elongation of both graft and host axons occurs. Improved functional recovery after transplantation depends on neural relay function through the grafted neurons, requires the matching of neural identity to the anatomical site of injury, and is accompanied by expression of specific marker proteins. Thus, human neuroepithelial stem cells may provide an anatomically specific relay function for spinal cord injury recovery.
Reciprocal control of excitatory synapse numbers by Wnt and Wnt inhibitor PRR7 secreted on exosomes
Authors: Lee Sang H. , Shin Seung Min , Zhong Peng , Kim Hyun-Taek , Kim Dong-Il , Kim June Myoung , Heo Won Do , Kim Dae-Won , Yeo Chang-Yeol , Kim Cheol-Hee , Liu Qing-song
Published: August 2018

Secreted Wnts play crucial roles in synaptogenesis and synapse maintenance, but endogenous factors promoting synapse elimination in central neurons remain unknown. Here we show that proline-rich 7 (PRR7) induces specific removal of excitatory synapses and acts as a Wnt inhibitor. Remarkably, transmembrane protein PRR7 is activity-dependently released by neurons via exosomes. Exosomal PRR7 is uptaken by neurons through membrane fusion and eliminates excitatory synapses in neighboring neurons. Conversely, PRR7 knockdown in sparse neurons greatly increases excitatory synapse numbers in all surrounding neurons. These non-cell autonomous effects of PRR7 are effectively negated by augmentation or blockade of Wnt signaling. PRR7 exerts its effect by blocking the exosomal secretion of Wnts, activation of GSK3β, and promoting proteasomal degradation of PSD proteins. These data uncover a proximity-dependent, reciprocal mechanism for the regulation of excitatory synapse numbers in local neurons and demonstrate the significance of exosomes in inter-neuronal signaling in the vertebrate brain.
Chitin-based barrier immunity and its loss predated mucus-colonization by indigenous gut microbiota
Authors: Nakashima Keisuke , Kimura Satoshi , Ogawa Yu , Watanabe Soichi , Soma Satoshi , Kaneko Toyoji , Yamada Lixy , Sawada Hitoshi , Tung Che-Huang , Lu Tsai-Ming , Yu Jr-Kai , Villar-Briones Alejandro , Kikuchi Sakura , Satoh Noriyuki
Published: August 2018

Mammalian gut microbiota are integral to host health. However, how this association began remains unclear. We show that in basal chordates the gut space is radially compartmentalized into a luminal part where food microbes pass and an almost axenic peripheral part, defined by membranous delamination of the gut epithelium. While this membrane, framed with chitin nanofibers, structurally resembles invertebrate peritrophic membranes, proteome supports its affinity to mammalian mucus layers, where gut microbiota colonize. In ray-finned fish, intestines harbor indigenous microbes, but chitinous membranes segregate these luminal microbes from the surrounding mucus layer. These data suggest that chitin-based barrier immunity is an ancient system, the loss of which, at least in mammals, provided mucus layers as a novel niche for microbial colonization. These findings provide a missing link for intestinal immune systems in animals, revealing disparate mucosal environment in model organisms and highlighting the loss of a proven system as innovation.
Metamaterials with amplitude gaps for elastic solitons
Authors: Deng Bolei , Wang Pai , He Qi , Tournat Vincent , Bertoldi Katia
Published: August 2018

We combine experimental, numerical, and analytical tools to design highly nonlinear mechanical metamaterials that exhibit a new phenomenon: gaps in amplitude for elastic vector solitons (i.e., ranges in amplitude where elastic soliton propagation is forbidden). Such gaps are fundamentally different from the spectral gaps in frequency typically observed in linear phononic crystals and acoustic metamaterials and are induced by the lack of strong coupling between the two polarizations of the vector soliton. We show that the amplitude gaps are a robust feature of our system and that their width can be controlled both by varying the structural properties of the units and by breaking the symmetry in the underlying geometry. Moreover, we demonstrate that amplitude gaps provide new opportunities to manipulate highly nonlinear elastic pulses, as demonstrated by the designed soliton splitters and diodes.
NF-κB inhibition rescues cardiac function by remodeling calcium genes in a Duchenne muscular dystrophy model
Authors: Peterson Jennifer M. , Wang David J. , Shettigar Vikram , Roof Steve R. , Canan Benjamin D. , Bakkar Nadine , Shintaku Jonathan , Gu Jin-Mo , Little Sean C. , Ratnam Nivedita M. , Londhe Priya , Lu Leina , Gaw Christopher E. , Petrosino Jennifer M. , Liyanarachchi Sandya , Wang Huating , Janssen Paul M. L. , Davis Jonathan P. , Ziolo Mark T. , Sharma Sudarshana M. , Guttridge Denis C.
Published: August 2018

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a neuromuscular disorder causing progressive muscle degeneration. Although cardiomyopathy is a leading mortality cause in DMD patients, the mechanisms underlying heart failure are not well understood. Previously, we showed that NF-κB exacerbates DMD skeletal muscle pathology by promoting inflammation and impairing new muscle growth. Here, we show that NF-κB is activated in murine dystrophic (mdx) hearts, and that cardiomyocyte ablation of NF-κB rescues cardiac function. This physiological improvement is associated with a signature of upregulated calcium genes, coinciding with global enrichment of permissive H3K27 acetylation chromatin marks and depletion of the transcriptional repressors CCCTC-binding factor, SIN3 transcription regulator family member A, and histone deacetylase 1. In this respect, in DMD hearts, NF-κB acts differently from its established role as a transcriptional activator, instead promoting global changes in the chromatin landscape to regulate calcium genes and cardiac function.
A molecular overlayer with the Fibonacci square grid structure
Authors: Coates Sam , Smerdon Joseph A. , McGrath Ronan , Sharma Hem Raj
Published: August 2018

Quasicrystals differ from conventional crystals and amorphous materials in that they possess long-range order without periodicity. They exhibit orders of rotational symmetry which are forbidden in periodic crystals, such as five-, ten-, and twelve-fold, and their structures can be described with complex aperiodic tilings such as Penrose tilings and Stampfli–Gaehler tilings. Previous theoretical work explored the structure and properties of a hypothetical four-fold symmetric quasicrystal—the so-called Fibonacci square grid. Here, we show an experimental realisation of the Fibonacci square grid structure in a molecular overlayer. Scanning tunnelling microscopy reveals that fullerenes (C60) deposited on the two-fold surface of an icosahedral Al–Pd–Mn quasicrystal selectively adsorb atop Mn atoms, forming a Fibonacci square grid. The site-specific adsorption behaviour offers the potential to generate relatively simple quasicrystalline overlayer structures with tunable physical properties and demonstrates the use of molecules as a surface chemical probe to identify atomic species on similar metallic alloy surfaces.
Amplification of chirality in surface-confined supramolecular bilayers
Authors: Cao Hai , De Feyter Steven
Published: August 2018

One of the most dramatic effects of supramolecular assembly is the generation of homochirality in near-racemic systems. It is normally infeasible though to flip the absolute chirality of a molecule. Here we rationalize this seemingly contradictory chiral amplification mechanism with a combined scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and modeling study of surface-grown enantiomerically unbalanced supramolecular bilayers. We identify a chemical equilibrium between opposite but not mirror-image-related twisting molecular geometries of the pure enantiomer, and accordingly two competing aggregation pathways. The nonlinear chiral amplification effect in bilayers of near-racemic mixtures involves the biased adsorption and organization of the majority enantiomer, and the compliance of the minority enantiomer to adopt an energetically less favorable twisting molecular conformation and handed organization. By establishing a direct link between molecular building block architectures and chiral amplification effect, this study provides a general approach to gain insight into cooperative supramolecular assembly in mixed enantiomer systems.
Holocene centennial to millennial shifts in North-Atlantic storminess and ocean dynamics
Authors: Goslin Jérôme , Fruergaard Mikkel , Sander Lasse , Gałka Mariusz , Menviel Laurie , Monkenbusch Johannes , Thibault Nicolas , Clemmensen Lars B.
Published: August 2018

The forcing mechanisms responsible for centennial to millennial variability of mid-latitude storminess are still poorly understood. On decadal scales, the present-day geographic variability of North-Atlantic storminess responds to latitudinal shifts of the North-Atlantic westerly wind-belt under the prime control of the North-Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). An equivalent mechanism operating at centennial to millennial time scales during the Holocene is still to be ascertained, especially owing to the lack of high-resolution and continuous records of past-storminess extending far enough in time. Here we present a reconstruction of past storminess activity based on a high-resolution record of wind-blown sand retrieved from a near-coastal wetland. Our record extends back to ca. 10,000 B.P. and allows to continuously document fluctuations in the frequency of Holocene storm-force winds at our study-site at a mean high temporal resolution of 40 years. Large similarities between our record and palaeo-oceanographic records of Holocene climate changes in the North-Atlantic suggest that our past-storminess record reproduces a signal of significance for the North-Eastern Atlantic realm. We find that Holocene North-Atlantic storminess is dominated by robust millennial (≈2,200-year) to centennial (≈450, 300 and 200-year) periodicities. These changes in storminess were accompanied by changes in the precipitation regimes over northern Europe, evidencing large-scale shifts in the latitudinal positions of the Atlantic westerlies akin to present-day NAO patterns. We propose that these shifts originate from changes in the position and extent of the Azores high-pressure system and Polar vortex, as supported by climate model simulations. Finally, we demonstrate that enhanced zonal storminess activity over the North-Atlantic was the driver of millennial and centennial-scale changes in North-Atlantic oceanic circulation, while ocean dynamics most likely influenced back the atmospheric circulation at millennial time-scales. This may vouch for the instrumental role played by North-Atlantic storminess in triggering abrupt climate change at centennial scales during the Holocene.
Parallel vs. comparative evaluation of alternative options by colonies and individuals of the ant Temnothorax rugatulus
Authors: Sasaki Takao , Pratt Stephen C. , Kacelnik Alex
Published: August 2018

Both a single ant and the colony to which it belongs can make decisions, but the underlying mechanisms may differ. Colonies are known to be less susceptible than lone ants to “choice overload”, whereby decision quality deteriorates with increasing number of options. We probed the basis of this difference, using the model system of nest-site selection by the ant Temnothorax rugatulus. We tested the applicability of two competing models originally developed to explain information-processing mechanisms in vertebrates. The Tug of War model states that concurrent alternatives are directly compared, so that choosing between two alternatives takes longer than accepting a single one. In contrast, the Sequential Choice Model assumes that options are examined in parallel, and action takes place once any option reaches a decision criterion, so that adding more options shortens time to act. We found that single ants matched the Tug of War model while colonies fitted the Sequential Choice model. Our study shows that algorithmic models for decision-making can serve to investigate vastly different domains, from vertebrate individuals to both individuals and colonies of social insects.
Peace of mind and anxiety in the waking state are related to the affective content of dreams
Authors: Sikka Pilleriin , Pesonen Henri , Revonsuo Antti
Published: August 2018

Waking mental well-being is assumed to be tightly linked to sleep and the affective content of dreams. However, empirical research is scant and has mostly focused on ill-being by studying the dreams of people with psychopathology. We explored the relationship between waking well-being and dream affect by measuring not only symptoms of ill-being but also different types and components of well-being. Importantly, this is the first time peace of mind was investigated as a distinct aspect of well-being in a Western sample and in relation to dream content. Healthy participants completed a well-being questionnaire, followed by a three-week daily dream diary and ratings of dream affect. Multilevel analyses showed that peace of mind was related to positive dream affect, whereas symptoms of anxiety were related to negative dream affect. Moreover, waking measures were better related to affect expressed in dream reports rather than participants’ self-ratings of dream affect. We propose that whereas anxiety may reflect affect dysregulation in waking and dreaming, peace of mind reflects enhanced affect regulation in both states of consciousness. Therefore, dream reports may possibly serve as markers of mental health. Finally, our study shows that peace of mind complements existing conceptualizations and measures of well-being.
Pan-cancer analysis of neoepitopes
Authors: Teku Gabriel N. , Vihinen Mauno
Published: August 2018

Somatic variations are frequent and important drivers in cancers. Amino acid substitutions can yield neoantigens that are detected by the immune system. Neoantigens can lead to immune response and tumor rejection. Although neoantigen load and occurrence have been widely studied, a detailed pan-cancer analysis of the occurrence and characterization of neoepitopes is missing. We investigated the proteome-wide amino acid substitutions in 8-, 9-, 10-, and 11-mer peptides in 30 cancer types with the NetMHC 4.0 software. 11,316,078 (0.24%) of the predicted 8-, 9-, 10-, and 11-mer peptides were highly likely neoepitope candidates and were derived from 95.44% of human proteins. Binding affinity to MHC molecules is just one of the many epitope features. The most likely epitopes are those which are detected by several MHCs and of several peptide lengths. 9-mer peptides are the most common among the high binding neoantigens. 0.17% of all variants yield more than 100 neoepitopes and are considered as the best candidates for any application. Amino acid distributions indicate that variants at all positions in neoepitopes of any length are, on average, more hydrophobic than the wild-type residues. We characterized properties of neoepitopes in 30 cancer types and estimated the likely numbers of tumor-derived epitopes that could induce an immune response. We found that amino acid distributions, at all positions in neoepitopes of all lengths, contain more hydrophobic residues than the wild-type sequences implying that the hydropathy nature of neoepitopes is an important property. The neoepitope characteristics can be employed for various applications including targeted cancer vaccine development for precision medicine.
Shifting patterns of seasonal influenza epidemics
Authors: Coletti Pietro , Poletto Chiara , Turbelin Clément , Blanchon Thierry , Colizza Vittoria
Published: August 2018

Seasonal waves of influenza display a complex spatiotemporal pattern resulting from the interplay of biological, sociodemographic, and environmental factors. At country level many studies characterized the robust properties of annual epidemics, depicting a typical season. Here we analyzed season-by-season variability, introducing a clustering approach to assess the deviations from typical spreading patterns. The classification is performed on the similarity of temporal configurations of onset and peak times of regional epidemics, based on influenza-like-illness time-series in France from 1984 to 2014. We observed a larger variability in the onset compared to the peak. Two relevant classes of clusters emerge: groups of seasons sharing similar recurrent spreading patterns (clustered seasons) and single seasons displaying unique patterns (monoids). Recurrent patterns exhibit a more pronounced spatial signature than unique patterns. We assessed how seasons shift between these classes from onset to peak depending on epidemiological, environmental, and socio-demographic variables. We found that the spatial dynamics of influenza and its association with commuting, previously observed as a general property of French influenza epidemics, apply only to seasons exhibiting recurrent patterns. The proposed methodology is successful in providing new insights on influenza spread and can be applied to incidence time-series of different countries and different diseases.
Author Correction: On the thermodynamic origin of metabolic scaling
Authors: Ballesteros Fernando J. , Martinez Vicent J. , Luque Bartolo , Lacasa Lucas , Valor Enric , Moya Andrés
Published: August 2018

A correction to this article has been published and is linked from the HTML and PDF versions of this paper. The error has not been fixed in the paper.
Author Correction: Up regulation and nuclear translocation of Y-box binding protein 1 (YB-1) is linked to poor prognosis in ERG-negative prostate cancer
Authors: Heumann Asmus , Kaya Özge , Burdelski Christoph , Hube-Magg Claudia , Kluth Martina , Lang Dagmar S. , Simon Ronald , Beyer Burkhard , Thederan Imke , Sauter Guido , Izbicki Jakob R. , Luebke Andreas M. , Hinsch Andrea , Jacobsen Frank , Wittmer Corinna , Büscheck Franziska , Höflmayer Doris , Minner Sarah , Tsourlakis Maria Christina , Schlomm Thorsten , Wilczak Waldemar
Published: August 2018

A correction to this article has been published and is linked from the HTML and PDF versions of this paper. The error has not been fixed in the paper.
Cytochrome C oxidase Inhibition and Cold Plasma-derived Oxidants Synergize in Melanoma Cell Death Induction
Authors: Gandhirajan Rajesh Kumar , Rödder Katrin , Bodnar Yana , Pasqual-Melo Gabriella , Emmert Steffen , Griguer Corinne E. , Weltmann Klaus-Dieter , Bekeschus Sander
Published: August 2018

Despite striking advances in the treatment of metastasized melanoma, the disease is often still fatal. Attention is therefore paid towards combinational regimens. Oxidants endogenously produced in mitochondria are currently targeted in pre-clinical and clinical studies. Cytotoxic synergism of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase (CcO) inhibition in conjunction with addition of exogenous oxidants in 2D and 3D melanoma cell culture models were examined. Murine (B16) and human SK-MEL-28 melanoma cells exposed to low-dose CcO inhibitors (potassium cyanide or sodium azide) or exogenous oxidants alone were non-toxic. However, we identified a potent cytotoxic synergism upon CcO inhibition and plasma-derived oxidants that led to rapid onset of caspase-independent melanoma cell death. This was mediated by mitochondrial dysfunction induced by superoxide elevation and ATP depletion. This observation was validated by siRNA-mediated knockdown of COX4I1 in SK-MEL-28 cells with cytotoxicity in the presence of exogenous oxidants. Similar effects were obtained with ADDA 5, a recently identified specific inhibitor of CcO activity showing low toxicity in vivo. Human keratinocytes were not affected by this combinational treatment, suggesting selective effects on melanoma cells. Hence, targeting mitochondrial CcO activity in conjunction with exogenous pro oxidant therapies may constitute a new and effective melanoma treatment modality.
Polymorphisms in the Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) gene are associated with the natural course of hepatitis B virus infection in Caucasian population
Authors: Fischer Janett , Koukoulioti Eleni , Schott Eckart , Fülöp Balazs , Heyne Renate , Berg Thomas , van Bömmel Florian
Published: August 2018

Innate immunity can induce spontaneous hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) seroclearance (SC) of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection or transition towards an inactive carrier state. Toll-like receptor (TLR) 3 signalling has been linked to these processes. Alterations in the TLR3 gene might impair immune responses against HBV. In our study, we analysed the impact of the TLR3 polymorphisms rs3775291 and rs5743305 on the natural course of HBV infection. In this retrospective study, a Caucasian cohort of 621 patients with chronic HBV infection (CHB), 239 individuals with spontaneous HBsAg SC, and 254 healthy controls were enrolled. In the CHB group, 49% of patients were inactive carriers, and 17% were HBeAg-positive. The TLR3 rs3775291 A allele was associated with a reduced likelihood of spontaneous HBsAg SC and HBeAg SC, and an increased risk of developing chronic hepatitis B. In haplotype analysis, the haplotype including both risk variants rs3775291A and rs5743305A had the lowest likelihood of HBsAg SC. Further research in larger cohorts and functional analyses are needed to shed light on the impact of TLR3 signalling.
Novel genome and genome-wide SNPs reveal early fragmentation effects in an edge-tolerant songbird population across an urbanized tropical metropolis
Authors: Tan David J. X. , Chattopadhyay Balaji , Garg Kritika M. , Cros Emilie , Ericson Per G. P. , Irestedt Martin , Rheindt Frank E.
Published: August 2018

Although edge-tolerant species are known to benefit from habitat fragmentation, less is known about the population genetic impacts fragmentation may exert on edge-tolerant species. We examined the landscape genomic structure of an edge-tolerant forest-dependent bird species, the Striped Tit-BabblerMixornis gularis, in the heavily urbanized island of Singapore to determine if two centuries of fragmentation have led to signs of isolation and loss of population-genetic diversity in different parts of the island. We obtained a high-quality complete reference genome with 78x coverage. Using almost 4000 SNPs from double-digest RAD-Sequencing across 46 individuals, we found that the population has likely experienced a recent contraction in effective population size and presently exhibits low population genetic diversity. Using empirical and simulation-based landscape genomic analyses, we also found that the subtle population genetic structure observed in the Striped Tit-Babbler population in Singapore is likely driven by isolation by distance resulting from limited dispersal. Our results demonstrate that population genetic impoverishment and subdivision can accumulate at relatively rapid rates in edge-tolerant bird species such as the Striped Tit-Babbler as a result of fragmentation, and that subtle spatial genetic structure can be detected over fine spatial and temporal scales using relatively few multilocus genomic SNPs.
Publisher Correction: Linear motor driven-rotary motion of a membrane-permeabilized ghost in Mycoplasma mobile
Authors: Kinosita Yoshiaki , Miyata Makoto , Nishizaka Takayuki
Published: August 2018

A correction to this article has been published and is linked from the HTML and PDF versions of this paper. The error has been fixed in the paper.
Comprehensive in vitro and in vivo studies of novel melt-derived Nb-substituted 45S5 bioglass reveal its enhanced bioactive properties for bone healing
Authors: Souza Lucas , Lopes João Henrique , Encarnação Davi , Mazali Italo Odone , Martin Richard Alan , Camilli José Angelo , Bertran Celso Aparecido
Published: August 2018

The present work presents and discusses the results of a comprehensive study on the bioactive properties of Nb-substituted silicate glass derived from 45S5 bioglass. In vitro and in vivo experiments were performed. We undertook three different types of in vitro analyses: (i) investigation of the kinetics of chemical reactivity and the bioactivity of Nb-substituted glass in simulated body fluid (SBF) by 31P MASNMR spectroscopy, (ii) determination of ionic leaching profiles in buffered solution by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES), and (iii) assessment of the compatibility and osteogenic differentiation of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) treated with dissolution products of different compositions of Nb-substituted glass. The results revealed that Nb-substituted glass is not toxic to hESCs. Moreover, adding up to 1.3 mol% of Nb2O5 to 45S5 bioglass significantly enhanced its osteogenic capacity. For the in vivo experiments, trial glass rods were implanted into circular defects in rat tibia in order to evaluate their biocompatibility and bioactivity. Results showed all Nb-containing glass was biocompatible and that the addition of 1.3 mol% of Nb2O5, replacing phosphorous, increases the osteostimulation of bioglass. Therefore, these results support the assertion that Nb-substituted glass is suitable for biomedical applications.
Augmented antibiotic resistance associated with cadmium induced alterations in Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi
Authors: Kaur Ujjwal Jit , Preet Simran , Rishi Praveen
Published: August 2018

In view of the reports on co-selection of metal and antibiotic resistance, recently we have reported that increased cadmium accumulation in Salmonella Typhi Ty2 leads to increased antibiotic resistance. In continuation, the present study was carried to substantiate this association in clinical isolates. Interestingly, the levels of cadmium were found to be more in the clinical isolates which co-related with their antibiotic sensitivity/resistance pattern. On cadmium accumulation, antibiotic(s) sensitive isolates were rendered resistant and the resistant isolates were rendered more resistant as per their minimum inhibitory concentration(s). Further, after subjecting the pathogen to cadmium accumulation, alterations occurring in the cells were assessed. Transgenerational cadmium exposure led to changes in growth response, morphology, proteome, elevated antioxidants other than SOD, increased biofilm formation, decreased intracellular macrophage killing coupled with upregulation of genes encoding metallothionein and metal transporters. Thus, these results indicate that cadmium, if acquired from the environment, being non-degradable can exert a long-lasting selective pressure on Salmonella in the host which may display antibiotic resistance later on, as a result of co-selection. Therefore, appropriate strategies need to be developed to inhibit such an enduring pressure of heavy metals, as these represent one of the factors for the emerging antibiotic resistance in pathogens.
Zika virus impairs the development of blood vessels in a mouse model of congenital infection
Authors: Garcez P. P. , Stolp H. B. , Sravanam S. , Christoff R. R. , Ferreira J. C. C. G. , Dias A. A. , Pezzuto P. , Higa L. M. , Barbeito-Andrés J. , Ferreira R. O. , Andrade C. B V. , Siqueira M. , Santos T. M. P. , Drumond J. , Hoerder-Suabedissen A. , de Lima C. V. F. , Tovar-Moll F. , Lopes R. T. , Fragel-Madeira L. , Lent R. , Ortiga-Carvalho T. M. , Stipursky J. , Bellio M. , Tanuri A. , Molnár Z.
Published: August 2018

Zika virus (ZIKV) is associated with brain development abnormalities such as primary microcephaly, a severe reduction in brain growth. Here we demonstrated in vivo the impact of congenital ZIKV infection in blood vessel development, a crucial step in organogenesis. ZIKV was injected intravenously in the pregnant type 2 interferon (IFN)-deficient mouse at embryonic day (E) 12.5. The embryos were collected at E15.5 and postnatal day (P)2. Immunohistochemistry for cortical progenitors and neuronal markers at E15.5 showed the reduction of both populations as a result of ZIKV infection. Using confocal 3D imaging, we found that ZIKV infected brain sections displayed a reduction in the vasculature density and vessel branching compared to mocks at E15.5; altogether, cortical vessels presented a comparatively immature pattern in the infected tissue. These impaired vascular patterns were also apparent in the placenta and retina. Moreover, proteomic analysis has shown that angiogenesis proteins are deregulated in the infected brains compared to controls. At P2, the cortical size and brain weight were reduced in comparison to mock-infected animals. In sum, our results indicate that ZIKV impairs angiogenesis in addition to neurogenesis during development. The vasculature defects represent a limitation for general brain growth but also could regulate neurogenesis directly.
New contribution to the morphology and molecular mechanism of Euplotes encysticus encystment
Authors: Chen Fenfen , Xue Yanyan , Pan Nan , Bhatti Muhammad Zeeshan , Niu Tao , Chen Jiwu
Published: August 2018

Ciliated protists are a large group of single-cell eukaryotes, leading to the resting cysts in unfavorable environmental condition. However, the underlying molecular mechanism of encystment in the free-living ciliates is poorly understood. Here we show that the resting cysts are better than the vegetative cells of Euplotes encysticus in adverse survivor with respect to energy metabolism. Therefore scale identification of encystment-related proteins in Euplotes encysticus was investigated by iTRAQ analysis. We analyzed a total of 130 proteins, in which 19 proteins involving 12 upregulated and 7 downregulated proteins were associated with encystment in the resting cysts in comparison with the vegetative cells. Moreover, direct fluorescent labeling analysis showed that the vegetative cells treated with shRNA-β-tubulin recombinant E. coli accumulated a large number of granular materials, and dramatic cell morphology changes. Importantly, the cell membrane rupture phenomenon was observed after three weeks of shRNA-β-tubulin interference as compared to the control group. These results revealed that different proteins might play an important role in the process of the vegetative cells into the resting cysts. These results will help to reveal the morphological changes and molecular mechanism of resting cyst formation of ciliates.
A Cu(ii) coordination polymer-based catalytic sensing system for detecting cysteine and sulfur anions
Authors: Sun Xiang-Ying , Qin Zhen-Fa , Shen Jiang-Shan , Cao Xue-Gong , Liu Bin , Wang Huai-Qian
Published: August 2018

Developing Cu(ii) coordination polymer-based artificial enzyme mimics for establishing highly selective and sensitive sensing platform for Cys and S2−anions.
Aptamer-based detection of melamine in milk using an evanescent wave fiber sensor
Authors: Qiu Yong , Tang Yunfei , Li Bing , Gu Chunmei , He Miao
Published: August 2018

Rapid detection of melamine has been achieved in past studies to support the quality control of milk and formula products.
Facile synthesis and surface modification of bioinspired nanoparticles from quercetin for drug delivery
Authors: Sunoqrot Suhair , Al-Shalabi Eveen , Messersmith Phillip B.
Published: August 2018

Bioinspired surface-modifiable nanoparticles are synthesized from quercetin by oxidative self-polymerization as a promising nanoscale platform for drug delivery.
Quaternary ammonium functionalized Fe3O4 & P(GMA-AA-DVB) magnetic Janus particles as highly efficient catalysts for phase transfer reactions
Authors: Jia Xiangkun , Ma Yong , Liu Yin , Zhang Baoliang , Zhang Hepeng , Zhang Qiuyu
Published: August 2018

Magnetic Janus quaternary ammonium phase transfer catalysts possess excellent catalytic efficiency and are easy to recycle.
Molecular mechanisms of the anti-obesity effect of bioactive ingredients in common spices: a review
Authors: Lu Muwen , Cao Yong , Xiao Jie , Song Mingyue , Ho Chi-Tang
Published: August 2018

The mechanisms of the anti-obesity effects of bioactive compounds in common spices in adipocytes, animal models and human participants have been reviewed.
Analyzing transfer properties of zeolites using small-world networks
Authors: Cai Dali , Hou Yilin , Zhang Chenxi , Wang Ning , Chen Zhaohui , Song Wenlong , Jia Zhao , Wang Yao , Qian Weizhong , Wei Fei
Published: August 2018

Zeolites were modeled using graph theory and small-world networks to reveal the defect efficiency.
Solvent engineering for high conversion yields of layered raw materials into large-scale freestanding hybrid perovskite nanowires
Authors: Gu Jianmin , Wu Jingxiao , Jin Cuihong , Sun Xiao , Yin Baipeng , Zhang Guang Cong , Wen Bin , Gao Faming
Published: August 2018

We demonstrate a facile solvent-engineering technology to prepare large-scale freestanding perovskite nanowires by the conversion of the intermediate phase strategy.
Antibacterial activity of cationic polymers: side-chain or main-chain type?
Authors: Guo Jiangna , Qin Jing , Ren Yongyuan , Wang Bin , Cui Hengqing , Ding Yingying , Mao Hailei , Yan Feng
Published: August 2018

Imidazolium (Im), quaternary ammonium (Qa), and 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane-1,4-diium (DABCO-diium) cation-based small molecule cationic compounds and their corresponding side-chain/main-chain cationic polymers were synthesized.
Three-channel capillary NF membrane with PAMAM-MWCNT-embedded inner polyamide skin layer for heavy metals removal
Authors: Zhang Hai-Zhen , Xu Zhen-Liang , Sun Jing-Ying
Published: August 2018

MWCNTs-PAMAM were incorporated into the polyamide layer of NF membranes and the prepared membranes showed good permeation and rejection performances.
Experimental and theoretical interpretation of the magnetic behavior of two Dy(iii) single-ion magnets constructed through β-diketonate ligands with different substituent groups (–Cl/–OCH3)
Authors: Zhang Sheng , Mo Wenjiao , Zhang Jiangwei , Wu Haipeng , Li Min , Lü Xingqiang , Yin Bing , Yang Desuo
Published: August 2018

Further studies from the viewpoint of electrostatic potential demonstrate that the larger axial electrostatic potential (ESP) felt by the central Dy (iii) ion of CH3O-2 is responsible for its better SIM property when compared withCl-1.
Synthesis of well-defined star, star-block, and miktoarm star biodegradable polymers based on PLLA and PCL by one-pot azide–alkyne click reaction
Authors: Yan Xiaoqi , Li Jianbo , Ren Tianbin
Published: August 2018

Star, star-block, and miktoarm star biodegradable polymers were synthesized by an “arm-first” strategy, ring-opening polymerization and one-pot azide-alkyne click reaction.
Genome mining, isolation, chemical synthesis and biological evaluation of a novel lanthipeptide, tikitericin, from the extremophilic microorganism Thermogemmatispora strain T81
Authors: Xu Buzhe , Aitken Emma J. , Baker Benjamin P. , Turner Claire A. , Harvey Joanne E. , Stott Matthew B. , Power Jean F. , Harris Paul W. R. , Keyzers Robert A. , Brimble Margaret A.
Published: August 2018

Tikitericin, a novel lanthipeptide was isolated and characterised together with its first total synthesis.
Characterization and differentiation of the adsorption behavior of crystal violet and methylene blue at the silica/water interface using near field evanescent wave
Authors: Duan Ming , Wu Jiayi , Xiong Yan , Fang Shenwen , Chen Jie
Published: August 2018

Molecular orientation of CV and MB molecules during adsorption at the silica–water interface.
Cerium-based hybrid nanorods for synergetic photo-thermocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants
Authors: Huang Yongchao , Lu Yirui , Lin Ying , Mao Yanchao , Ouyang Gangfeng , Liu Hong , Zhang Shanqing , Tong Yexiang
Published: August 2018

Phase boundary engineered CeO2/CeN is synthesized and used as a high performance photocatalyst for photo-thermocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants in wastewater.
Enhanced chemotherapeutic toxicity of cyclodextrin templated size-tunable rhodamine 6G nanoGUMBOS
Authors: Bhattarai Nimisha , Chen Mi , Pérez Rocío L. , Ravula Sudhir , Chhotaray Pratap , Hamdan Suzana , McDonough Karen , Tiwari Suman , Warner Isiah M.
Published: August 2018

Rhodamine 6G nanoGUMBOS were templated with cyclodextrin to develop size tunable nanodrugs with enhanced cellular uptake and selective chemotherapeutic toxicity.
Pt complex-based terpolymer acceptors linked through ancillary ligand for all-polymer solar cells
Authors: Gao Xuyu , Shi Dengke , Wang Menghan , Xue Zhongyuan , Hu Yuanyuan , Tao Youtian , Huang Wei
Published: August 2018

Introducing a small amount of Pt complex into the PNDIT2 backbone contributed to gradual enhancement of power conversion efficiency with complex feed ratio in both conventional and inverted structure all-PSCs.
Endothelial function as predictor in patients with coronary syndrome treated by percutaneous coronary intervention
Authors: Cheng Xiaofeng , He Yun , Fan Huaping , Liu Ting , Pan Wenxu , Wang Ke , Jin Jun
Published: August 2018

We aimed at identifying the predictive role of endothelial function assessed by the RH-PAT index (RHI) for future major cardiovascular events (MACEs) in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients treated with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). We measured RHI in 308 subjects with ACS, and they were divided into the normal endothelial function (NEF) group and the endothelial dysfunction (DEF) group according to the RHI. The subjects were followed up for a mean of 16 months (interquartile range [IQR]: 14–20 months) after PCI treatment, and their MACEs were also recorded. Cumulative incidence curves were constructed for time-to-event variables with Kaplan–Meier estimates and compared using the log-rank test. The overall incidence of MACEs was 25.39% in the DEF group and 15.96% in the NEF group (P<0.05). Kaplan–Meier analysis also demonstrated a significantly higher probability of MACEs in the DEF group than in the NEF group (log-rank test: P<0.05). Multivariate Cox hazard analysis identified RHI (Model 2, adjusted by blood pressure, hazard ratio [HR]: 0.425; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.198–0.914; P=0.029) and SYNTAX score (HR: 1.043; 95% CI: 1.019–1.067; P<0.001) as independent predictors of future MACEs after PCI treatment in ACS patients. Endothelial function measured by reactive hyperemia-peripheral arterial tonometry (RH-PAT) is impaired in ACS subjects treated with PCI. The RHI was an independent predictor of MACEs, suggesting that RHI may be useful as a candidate biomarker in the risk stratification of patients with ACS after PCI treatment.
Towards eco-social housing in Vietnam: challenges and opportunities
Authors: Le Van Thuong , Tran Tuan , Truong Truc
Published: August 2018

Since Doi Moi (Reform) policy in 1986, Vietnam has experienced rapid urbanization and economic growth. Urbanization has resulted in increasingly high housing demand in the urban areas but this has largely unmet, especially housing for low-income people. Development of social housing for low-income and under-privileged people in cities has been seen as an urgent and important task of the government to pursue stable social and economic development. Low-income people are most vulnerable to environmental impacts and in need of energy-efficient houses to reduce their cost of living. Eco-social housing is seen as a solution to protect the natural environment as well as to boost local economy, improve living conditions particularly for low income people. Through preliminary assessments of three social buildings at three distinct regions of Vietnam, this paper found that despite many challenges, eco-social housing is a solution to Vietnam's needs in providing houses with adequate living conditions to low-income people while protecting the environment and achieving sustainable eco-social development in the long run.
Aspects of economic feasibility for the transport integrated use in favor of environmental security
Authors: Kazaryan Ruben
Published: August 2018

The transport system in Russia and the transport support issues of national security differ completely from the Occident and other developed countries due to geostrategic and natural climatic conditions of our country. The integrated transport system, where in a sufficiently coherent manner used are the roads and railways, domestic water and air ways, pipeline transport, is more developed in the European area of the country. However, there is no assessment of economic feasibility for the integrated transport lines system. Firstly, assessment criteria for the transport support efficiency in favor of environmental security; secondly, mathematical economic models of various transport types integrated use in favor of environmental security; thirdly, economic feasibility methods for transport integrated use in favor of environmental security, that unavoidably leads to unreasonable transport operations using the existing rail and water ways at little distances, and increases their base cost by several times versus the transport by road. High dynamics of transport support for economic, demographic and environmental security within a market economy require the development of approach for the transport integrated use in favor of Russia national security. This article describes some practical recommendations for transport systems control bodies regarding the efficiency improvement of their use in favor of environmental security.
Design of the landscape diversity of commercial streets in the old downtown of Ho Chi Minh City
Authors: Thi Bich Ngoc Nguyen , The Dan Ly
Published: August 2018

Ho Chi Minh City is a city with many cultures, architectural styles, and different lifestyles. This makes Ho Chi Minh City characterized as a diverse city satisfying the different elements: spatial diversity, cultural diversity. According to the Saigon master plan of Coffyn designed in the early 20th century, together with public spaces, the commercial areas of Ho Chi Minh City were also identified as the main points for the city development. Therefore, the commercial streets in its old downtown also showed very obvious diversity. Vietnamese people have adjusted the urban spaces planned by French people in order to match with their lifestyle for more than 100 years. Besides, many old commercial buildings have been demolished and replaced with new buildings, causing the disturbance of life and cultural values of the city, leaving many streets losing their original landscapes and getting the same style. Their uncontrolled diverse development causes the clutter, loss of order, and insecurity. From this above situation, the author has chosen the subject “Design of the landscape diversity of commercial streets in the old downtown of Ho Chi Minh City” in order to find the oriented development for those streets on the basis of maintaining and developing their inherent diverse characteristics.
City transport as a factor of availability and distribution of activity centres
Authors: Gorovoy Alexander , Merzlikin Igor , Kondratyeva Tatyana
Published: August 2018

Labor connections determine territorial unity and spatiotemporal settlement patterns in the structure of city connections. Labor connections define the life of the city, the distribution of the centers of gravity, and the functioning of its main subsystems, the leading one being the transport subsystem. The study is constructed to reveal the trend of settlement (by labor gravitation) based on the effect of the desired choice of workplace location in relation to residence location. The results of the sociological survey allowed establishing the trend of settlement on the basis of the effect of the desired choice. The study discovered a correlation between the values characterizing the topological structure of the plan: a distinctive “scale of settlement” (average shortest distances between the settlement variant and workplace locations) and the internal heterogeneity of the plan (uneven concentration of facilities and their connections). This allows drafting settlement curves for cities without empirical data.
Implementing an energy harvesting technology within the concept of Smart city
Authors: Kalyazina Sofia , Lepekhin Aleksandr
Published: August 2018

Smart city is a global goal of big cities, it is an emerging concept, which requires different research activities in many different directions to create an urban infrastructure and, what is even more important, transform minds. The topic of energetics is one of the baseline directions for creating Smart city infrastructure. The concept of energy harvesting becomes in this term quite important and deserves specific attention. This research paper is aiming to highlight an energy harvesting problem in the context of smart city and to make an attempt to propose a potential solution, a technology to be implemented to tackle that problem.