bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Helium alters the cytoskeleton and decreases permeability in endothelial cells cultured in vitro through a pathway involving Caveolin-1
Authors: Smit Kirsten F. , Konkel Moritz , Kerindongo Raphaela , Landau Maximilian A. , Zuurbier Coert J. , Hollmann Markus W. , Preckel Benedikt , Nieuwland Rienk , Albrecht Martin , Weber Nina C.
Published: March 2018

Caveolins are involved in anaesthetic-induced cardioprotection. Actin filaments are located in close connection to Caveolins in the plasma membrane. We hypothesised that helium might affect the cytoskeleton and induce secretion of Caveolin. HCAEC, HUVEC and Cav-1 siRNA transfected HUVEC were exposed for 20 minutes to either helium (5% CO2, 25% O2, 70% He) or control gas (5% CO2, 25% O2, 70% N2). Cells and supernatants were collected for infrared Western blot analysis, immunofluorescence staining, nanoparticle tracking analysis and permeability measurements. Helium treatment increased the cortical localisation of F-actin fibers in HUVEC. After 6 hours, helium decreased cellular Caveolin-1 (Cav-1) levels and increased Cav-1 levels in the supernatant. Cell permeability was decreased 6 and 12 hours after helium treatment, and increased levels of Vascular Endothelial - Cadherin (VE-Cadherin) and Connexin 43 (Cx43) were observed. Transfection with Cav-1 siRNA abolished the effects of helium treatment on VE-Cadherin, Cx43 levels and permeability. Supernatant obtained after helium treatment reduced cellular permeability in remote HUVEC, indicating that increased levels of Cav-1 are responsible for the observed alterations. These findings suggest that Cav-1 is secreted after helium exposure in vitro, altering the cytoskeleton and increasing VE-Cadherin and Cx43 expression resulting in decreased permeability in HUVEC.
3.4 million real-world learning management system logins reveal the majority of students experience social jet lag correlated with decreased performance
Authors: Smarr Benjamin L. , Schirmer Aaron E.
Published: March 2018

Misalignments between endogenous circadian rhythms and the built environment (i.e., social jet lag, SJL) result in learning and attention deficits. Currently, there is no way to assess the impact of SJL on learning outcomes of large populations as a response to schedule choices, let alone to assess which individuals are most negatively impacted by these choices. We analyzed two years of learning management system login events for 14,894 Northeastern Illinois University (NEIU) students to investigate the capacity of such systems as tools for mapping the impact of SJL over large populations while maintaining the ability to generate insights about individuals. Personal daily activity profiles were validated against known biological timing effects, and revealed a majority of students experience more than 30 minutes of SJL on average, with greater amplitude correlating strongly with a significant decrease in academic performance, especially in people with later apparent chronotypes. Our findings demonstrate that online records can be used to map individual- and population-level SJL, allow deep mining for patterns across demographics, and could guide schedule choices in an effort to minimize SJL’s negative impact on learning outcomes.
Author Correction: Exploring the alpha desynchronization hypothesis in resting state networks with intracranial electroencephalography and wiring cost estimates
Authors: Gómez-Ramírez Jaime , Freedman Shelagh , Mateos Diego , Velázquez José Luis Pérez , Valiante Taufik A.
Published: March 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.
Insights into radiation damage from atomic resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy imaging of mono-layer CuPcCl16 films on graphene
Authors: Mittelberger Andreas , Kramberger Christian , Meyer Jannik C.
Published: March 2018

Atomically resolved images of monolayer organic crystals have only been obtained with scanning probe methods so far. On the one hand, they are usually prepared on surfaces of bulk materials, which are not accessible by (scanning) transmission electron microscopy. On the other hand, the critical electron dose of a monolayer organic crystal is orders of magnitudes lower than the one for bulk crystals, making (scanning) transmission electron microscopy characterization very challenging. In this work we present an atomically resolved study on the dynamics of a monolayer CuPcCl16 crystal under the electron beam as well as an image of the undamaged molecules obtained by low-dose electron microscopy. The results show the dynamics and the radiation damage mechanisms in the 2D layer of this material, complementing what has been found for bulk crystals in earlier studies. Furthermore, being able to image the undamaged molecular crystal allows the characterization of new composites consisting of 2D materials and organic molecules.
Aqueous extract of Sapindus mukorossi induced cell death of A549 cells and exhibited antitumor property in vivo
Authors: Liu Min , Chen Yen-Lin , Kuo Yao-Haur , Lu Mei-Kuang , Liao Chia-Ching
Published: March 2018

Sapindus mukorossi is a deciduous plant and has recently been recognized to have anticancer property. In the present study, we discovered that S. mukorossi leaf and stem aqueous extract (SaM) contained two polysaccharides mainly made of myo-inositol, galactose, glucose, and fructose and the aim of this study was to investigate the antitumor property the aqueous extract SaM. In vitro treatment of SaM diminished proliferative potential of lung adenocarcinomic cells and induced intracellular oxidative stress, as well as necrotic cell death. Moreover, exposure to SaM attenuated cell migration, demonstrating the effectiveness at reducing invasive property of malignant lung cells. Gene and protein expression studies indicated that SaM treatment altered the expression of proliferation/survival modulator NF-κB, tumor growth modulator ERK2, metastasis-associated molecules MMP9/12, and tumor suppressor p53 in A549 cells. Using model animals bearing Lewis lung cancer cell LL/2, we demonstrated that SaM was antitumoral and did not induce any undesired organ damage, immunotoxicity, and off-target inflammation. This work, to our knowledge, is the first study documents the antitumor bioactivity of aqueous extract riched in polysaccharides from S. mukorossi and provides insights into the potential pharmacological application of SaM as antitumor agent against lung cancer.
Genome-wide dissection and expression profiling of unique glyoxalase III genes in soybean reveal the differential pattern of transcriptional regulation
Authors: Islam Tahmina , Ghosh Ajit
Published: March 2018

Reactive carbonyl species, such as methylglyoxal and glyoxal are very toxic in nature and can inactivate various cellular macromolecules such as DNA, RNA, and protein by forming advanced glycation end products. Conventional glyoxalase pathway with two enzymes- glyoxalase I and glyoxalase II, detoxify MG into D-lactate with the help of reduced glutathione. However, DJ-1/PfpI domain(s) containing DJ-1/ Hsp31 proteins do the same in a single step, and thus termed as “glyoxalase III”. A comprehensive genome-wide analysis of soybean identified eleven putative glyoxalase III proteins with DJ-1/PfpI domain encoded by seven genes. Most of these proteins are predicted to be mitochondria and chloroplast localized. In spite of similar function, a differential evolution pattern was observed between Hsp31 and DJ-1 proteins. Expression of GmDJ-1A, GmDJ-1B, and GmDJ-1D2 transcripts was found to be constitutive in different tissues and developmental stages. Transcript profiling revealed the strong substrate-specific upregulation of GmDJ-1 genes in response to exogenous methylglyoxal exposure. Out of seven genes, GmDJ-1D1 and GmDJ-1D2 showed maximum upregulation against salinity, dehydration, and oxidative stresses. Moreover, GmDJ-1D2 showed functional glyoxalase III enzyme activity by utilizing MG as a substrate. Overall, this study identifies some novel tissue-specific and abiotic stress-responsive GmDJ-1 genes that could be investigated further.
Publisher Correction: Artificial selection for improved energy efficiency is reaching its limits in broiler chickens
Authors: Tallentire C. W. , Leinonen I. , Kyriazakis I.
Published: March 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.
Characterization of intestinal microbiota in alcoholic patients with and without alcoholic hepatitis or chronic alcoholic pancreatitis
Authors: Ciocan Dragos , Rebours Vinciane , Voican Cosmin Sebastian , Wrzosek Laura , Puchois Virginie , Cassard Anne-Marie , Perlemuter Gabriel
Published: March 2018

Excessive alcohol consumption leads to severe alcoholic hepatitis (sAH) or chronic alcoholic pancreatitis (CAP) only in a subset of patients. We aimed to characterize the intestinal microbiota profiles of alcoholic patients according to the presence and nature of the complications observed: sAH or CAP. Eighty two alcoholic patients were included according to their complications: CAP (N = 24), sAH (N = 13) or no complications (alcoholic controls, AC, N = 45). We analyzed the intestinal microbiota by high-throughput sequencing. Bacterial diversity was lower in patients with CAP, who had a global intestinal microbiota composition different from that of AC. The intestinal microbiota composition of these two groups differed for 17 genera, eight of which were more frequent in patients with CAP (e.g. Klebsiella, Enterococcus and Sphingomonas). There was no significant difference in bacterial diversity between the sAH and CAP groups. However, 16 taxa were more frequent in sAH patients, and 10 were more frequent in CAP patients. After adjustment for confounding factors sAH patients were found to have higher levels of Haemophilus. For alcoholic patients, specific intestinal microbiota signatures are associated with different complications. Patients with CAP and sAH also display specific dysbiosis relative to AC.
Dynamic metabolic patterns tracking neurodegeneration and gliosis following 26S proteasome dysfunction in mouse forebrain neurons
Authors: Geiszler Philippine C. , Ugun-Klusek Aslihan , Lawler Karen , Pardon Marie-Christine , Yuchun Ding , Bai Li , Daykin Clare A. , Auer Dorothee P. , Bedford Lynn
Published: March 2018

Metabolite profiling is an important tool that may better capture the multiple features of neurodegeneration. With the considerable parallels between mouse and human metabolism, the use of metabolomics in mouse models with neurodegenerative pathology provides mechanistic insight and ready translation into aspects of human disease. Using 400 MHz nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy we have carried out a temporal region-specific investigation of the metabolome of neuron-specific 26S proteasome knockout mice characterised by progressive neurodegeneration and Lewy-like inclusion formation in the forebrain. An early significant decrease in N-acetyl aspartate revealed evidence of neuronal dysfunction before cell death that may be associated with changes in brain neuroenergetics, underpinning the use of this metabolite to track neuronal health. Importantly, we show early and extensive activation of astrocytes and microglia in response to targeted neuronal dysfunction in this context, but only late changes in myo-inositol; the best established glial cell marker in magnetic resonance spectroscopy studies, supporting recent evidence that additional early neuroinflammatory markers are needed. Our results extend the limited understanding of metabolite changes associated with gliosis and provide evidence that changes in glutamate homeostasis and lactate may correlate with astrocyte activation and have biomarker potential for tracking neuroinflammation.
Application of paclobutrazol affect maize grain yield by regulating root morphological and physiological characteristics under a semi-arid region
Authors: Kamran Muhammad , Wennan Su , Ahmad Irshad , Xiangping Meng , Wenwen Cui , Xudong Zhang , Siwei Mou , Khan Aaqil , Qingfang Han , Tiening Liu
Published: March 2018

A field experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of paclobutrazol on ear characteristics and grain yield by regulating root growth and root-bleeding sap of maize crop. Seed-soaking at rate of 0 (CK1), 200 (S1), 300 (S2), and 400 (S3) mg L−1, and seed-dressing at rate of 0 (CK2), 1.5 (D1), 2.5 (D2), and 3.5 (D3) g kg−1 were used. Our results showed that paclobutrazol improved the ear characteristics and grain yield, and were consistently higher than control during 2015–2016. The average grain yield of S1, S2 and S3 were 18.9%, 61.3%, and 45.9% higher, while for D1, D2 and D3 were 20.2%, 33.3%, and 45.2%, compared to CK, respectively. Moreover, paclobutrazol-treated maize had improved root-length density (RLD), root-surface area density (RSD) and root-weight density (RWD) at most of the soil profiles (0–70 cm for seed-soaking, 0–60 cm for seed-dressing) and was attributed to enhancing the grain yield. In addition, root-activity, root-bleeding sap, root dry weight, diameter and root/shoot ratio increased by paclobutrazol, with highest values achieved in S2 and D3 treatments, across the whole growth stages in 2015–2016. Our results suggested that paclobutrazol could efficiently be used to enhance root-physiological and morphological characteristics, resulting in higher grain yield.
Highly Dispersible Buckled Nanospring Carbon Nanotubes for Polymer Nano Composites
Authors: Lee Y. J. , Ham S. R. , Kim J. H. , Yoo T. H. , Kim S. R. , Lee Y. T. , Hwang D. K , Angadi B. , Seo W. S. , Ju B. K. , Choi W. K.
Published: March 2018

We propose the unique structure of highly dispersible single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) in various solvents and polymers using the ZnO nano particle template. Buckled nanospring-shaped carbon nanotubes (NS-CNTs) were synthesized by a chemical reaction of ZnO nanoparticles with acid-treated SWCNTs and then dissolving ZnO through chemical etching. The unique structure of distorted hexagonal NS-CNTs encircled around ZnO nanoparticles was formed by the bending of SWCNTs caused by the agglomeration of chemically adsorbed Zn(OH)2, which is further crystallized as the polycrystalline ZnO inner core. The highly dispersible NS-CNTs could be incorporated in the poly[(vinylidenefluoride-co-trifluoroethylene] [P(VDF-TrFE)] copolymer, one of widely studied ferro- and piezo-electric polymer, up to the value of 15 wt% as nanofillers. The relative dielectric constant (K) of polymer nanocomposite, at 1 kHz, was greatly enhanced from 12.7 to the value of 62.5 at 11 wt% of NS-CNTs, corresponding to a 492% increase compared to that of pristine P(VDF-TrFE) with only a small dielectric loss tangent (D) of 0.1.
Analysis of the association between Fc receptor family gene polymorphisms and ocular Behçet’s disease in Han Chinese
Authors: Zhang Donglei , Qin Jieying , Li Lin , Su Guannan , Huang Guo , Cao Qingfeng , Kijlstra Aize , Yang Peizeng
Published: March 2018

Fc receptors are known to have a pivotal role in the initiation and regulation of many immunological and inflammatory processes. This study aimed to investigate the association of Fc receptor family gene polymorphisms with ocular Behçet’s disease (BD) in Han Chinese. A two stage case–control study was performed in 1022 BD cases and 1803 healthy controls. Twenty-three SNPs were genotyped using the MassARRAY system (Sequenom), TaqMan SNP Genotyping Assay and polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method. The expression of FCGR3A was examined by real-time PCR and cytokine production was measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). A significantly higher frequency of the FCGR3A/rs428888 CT genotype (Pc = 1.96 × 10−7, OR = 1.897) and a lower frequencies of CC genotype and C allele (Pc = 1.96 × 10−7, OR = 0.527; Pc = 7.22 × 10−7, OR = 0.554 respectively) were found in ocular BD as compared with controls. Functional experiments showed an increased FCGR3A expression (P = 0.005) and increased cytokine protein expressions of MCP-1, IL-1β and TNF-α by LPS stimulated PBMCs in CT carriers of FCGR3A rs428888 compared to CC carriers (P = 0.034; P = 0.025; P = 0.04; respectively). Our findings demonstrate that FCGR3A/rs428888 confers genetic susceptibility for ocular BD in Han Chinese.
Vitamin D alleviates lead induced renal and testicular injuries by immunomodulatory and antioxidant mechanisms in rats
Authors: BaSalamah Mohammad A. , Abdelghany Abdelghany Hassan , El-Boshy Mohamed , Ahmad Jawwad , Idris Shakir , Refaat Bassem
Published: March 2018

This study measured the effects of vitamin D (VD) supplementation on the underlying molecular pathways involved in renal and testicular damage induced by lead (Pb) toxicity. Thirty two adult male Wistar rats were divided equally into four groups that were treated individually or simultaneously, except the negative control, for four weeks with lead acetate in drinking water (1,000 mg/L) and/or intramuscular VD (1,000 IU/kg; 3 days/week). Pb toxicity markedly reduced serum VD and Ca2+, induced substantial renal and testicular injuries with concomitant significant alterations in the expression of VD metabolising enzymes, its receptor and binding protein, and the calcium sensing receptor. Pb also significantly promoted lipid peroxidation and pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-4 and TNF-α) in the organs of interest concomitantly with declines in several anti-oxidative markers (glutathione, glutathione peroxidase and catalase) and the anti-inflammatory cytokine, IL-10. The co-administration of VD with Pb markedly mitigated renal and testicular injuries compared with positive controls. This was associated with restoration of the expression of VD related molecules, promotion of anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory markers, but tissue Pb concentrations were unaffected. In conclusion, this report is the first to reveal potential protective effects for VD against Pb-induced renal and testicular injuries via anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative mechanisms.
Correlation between evolution of inclusions and pitting corrosion in 304 stainless steel with yttrium addition
Authors: Shi Weining , Yang Shufeng , Li Jingshe
Published: March 2018

Effects of the evolution of inclusions on the pitting corrosion resistance of 304 stainless steel with different contents of the rare-earth element yttrium (Y) were studied using thermodynamic calculations, accelerated immersion tests, and electrochemical measurements. The experimental results showed that regular Y2O3 inclusions demonstrated the best pitting resistance, followed in sequence by (Al,Mn)O inclusions, the composite inclusions, and irregular Y2O3 inclusions. The pitting resistance first decreased, then increased, and then decreased again with increasing Y content, because sulfide inclusions were easily generated when the Y content was low and YN inclusions were easily generated at higher Y contents. The best pitting corrosion resistance was obtained for 304 stainless steel with addition of 0.019% Y.
Dissection of the Role of VIMP in Endoplasmic Reticulum-Associated Degradation of CFTRΔF508
Authors: Hou Xia , Wei Hongguang , Rajagopalan Carthic , Jiang Hong , Wu Qingtian , Zaman Khalequz , Xie Youming , Sun Fei
Published: March 2018

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-associated protein degradation (ERAD) is an important quality control mechanism that eliminates misfolded proteins from the ER. The Derlin-1/VCP/VIMP protein complex plays an essential role in ERAD. Although the roles of Derlin-1 and VCP are relatively clear, the functional activity of VIMP in ERAD remains to be understood. Here we investigate the role of VIMP in the degradation of CFTRΔF508, a cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) mutant known to be a substrate of ERAD. Overexpression of VIMP markedly enhances the degradation of CFTRΔF508, whereas knockdown of VIMP increases its half-life. We demonstrate that VIMP is associated with CFTRΔF508 and the RNF5 E3 ubiquitin ligase (also known as RMA1). Thus, VIMP not only forms a complex with Derlin-1 and VCP, but may also participate in recruiting substrates and E3 ubiquitin ligases. We further show that blocking CFTRΔF508 degradation by knockdown of VIMP substantially augments the effect of VX809, a drug that allows a fraction of CFTRΔF508 to fold properly and mobilize from ER to cell surface for normal functioning. This study provides insight into the role of VIMP in ERAD and presents a potential target for the treatment of cystic fibrosis patients carrying the CFTRΔF508 mutation.
Realization of an Ultra-thin Metasurface to Facilitate Wide Bandwidth, Wide Angle Beam Scanning
Authors: Bah Alpha O. , Qin Pei-Yuan , Ziolkowski Richard W. , Cheng Qiang , Guo Y. Jay
Published: March 2018

A wide bandwidth, ultra-thin, metasurface is reported that facilitates wide angle beam scanning. Each unit cell of the metasurface contains a multi-resonant, strongly-coupled unequal arm Jerusalem cross element. This element consists of two bent-arm, orthogonal, capacitively loaded strips. The wide bandwidth of the metasurface is achieved by taking advantage of the strong coupling within and between its multi-resonant elements. A prototype of the proposed metasurface has been fabricated and measured. The design concept has been validated by the measured results. The proposed metasurface is able to alleviate the well-known problem of impedance mismatch caused by mutual coupling when the main beam of an array is scanned. In order to validate the wideband and wide scanning ability of the proposed metasurface, it is integrated with a wideband antenna array as a wide angle impedance matching element. The metasurface-array combination facilitates wide angle scanning over a 6:1 impedance bandwidth without the need for bulky dielectrics or multi-layered structures.
Pupil dilation tracks the dynamics of mnemonic interference resolution
Authors: Johansson Roger , Pärnamets Philip , Bjernestedt Amanda , Johansson Mikael
Published: March 2018

Mnemonic interference refers to the inability to retrieve a goal-relevant memory due to interference from goal-irrelevant memories. Understanding the causes of such interference and how it is overcome has been a central goal in the science of memory for more than a century. Here, we shed new light on this fundamental issue by tracking participants’ pupil response when they encode and retrieve memories in the face of competing goal-irrelevant memories. We show that pupil dilation systematically increased in accordance with interference from competing memory traces when participants retrieved previously learned information. Moreover, our results dissociate two main components in the pupillary response signal: an early component, which peaked in a time window where the pupillary waveform on average had its maximum peak, and a late component, which peaked towards the end of the retrieval task. We provide evidence that the early component is specifically modulated by the cognitive effort needed to handle interference from competing memory traces whereas the late component reflects general task engagement. This is the first demonstration that mnemonic interference resolution can be tracked online in the pupil signal and offers novel insight into the underlying dynamics.
Phylogenetic analysis of the CDGSH iron-sulfur binding domain reveals its ancient origin
Authors: Sengupta Soham , Nechushtai Rachel , Jennings Patricia A. , Onuchic Jose’ N. , Padilla Pamela A. , Azad Rajeev K. , Mittler Ron
Published: March 2018

The iron-sulfur (2Fe-2S) binding motif CDGSH appears in many important plant and animal proteins that regulate iron and reactive oxygen metabolism. In human it is found in CISD1-3 proteins involved in diabetes, obesity, cancer, aging, cardiovascular disease and neurodegeneration. Despite the important biological role of the CDGSH domain, its origin, evolution and diversification, are largely unknown. Here, we report that: (1) the CDGSH domain appeared early in evolution, perhaps linked to the heavy use of iron-sulfur driven metabolism by early organisms; (2) a CISD3-like protein with two CDGSH domains on the same polypeptide appears to represent the ancient archetype of CDGSH proteins; (3) the origin of the human CISD3 protein is linked to the mitochondrial endosymbiotic event; (4) the CISD1/2 type proteins that contain only one CDGSH domain, but function as homodimers, originated after the divergence of bacteria and archaea/eukaryotes from their common ancestor; and (5) the human CISD1 and CISD2 proteins diverged about 650–720 million years ago, and CISD3 and CISD1/2 share their descent from an ancestral CISD about 1–1.1 billion years ago. Our findings reveal that the CDGSH domain is ancient in its origin and shed light on the complex evolutionary path of modern CDGSH proteins.
Cognitive Function and Ophthalmological Diseases: The Beijing Eye Study
Authors: Jonas Jost B. , Wei Wen Bin , Zhu Li Ping , Xu Liang , Wang Ya Xing
Published: March 2018

To examine associations between cognitive function and ophthalmological parameters, the population-based Beijing Eye Study examined ophthalmologically and physically 3127 individuals (mean age: 64.2 ± 9.8 years). Using the mini–mental state examination, cognitive function was assessed as cognitive function score (CFS). Mean CFS was 26.3 ± 3.7 (median: 27; range: 2–30). Prevalence of mild (CFS: 23–19), moderate (CFS: 18–10) and severe cognitive dysfunction was 9.6% (95% confidence interval (CI): 8.5, 10.6), 3.2% (95% CI: 2.6, 3.9) and 0.6% (95% CI: 0.4,0.9), respectively. In multivariate analysis, better cognition (i.e., higher CFS) was significantly associated with better best corrected visual acuity (r2 = 0.38), smaller amount of undercorrected visual acuity, lower prevalence of primary angle-closure glaucoma, and thicker subfoveal choroidal thickness. Prevalence of age-related macular degeneration, open-angle glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, any type of cataract, retinal vein occlusions or pseudoexfoliation was not significantly correlated with CFS. Though the causal relationship is unclear, the associations of lower cognitive function with undercorrected visual acuity suggest the need for earlier and more regular refraction testing in the elderly so that providing adequate glasses to the elderly can be provided and vision-associated cognitive decline can be reduced. Associations of cognitive function with primary angle-closure glaucoma and leptochoroid should be further explored.
Whole genome and whole transcriptome genomic profiling of a metastatic eccrine porocarcinoma
Authors: Thibodeau My Linh , Bonakdar Melika , Zhao Eric , Mungall Karen L. , Reisle Caralyn , Zhang Wei , Bye Morgan H. , Thiessen Nina , Bleile Dustin , Mungall Andrew J. , Ma Yussanne P. , Jones Martin R. , Renouf Daniel J. , Lim Howard J. , Yip Stephen , Ng Tony , Ho Cheryl , Laskin Janessa , Marra Marco A. , Schrader Kasmintan A. , Jones Steven J. M.
Published: March 2018

Eccrine porocarcinomas (EPs) are rare malignant tumours of the intraepidermic sweat gland duct and most often arise from benign eccrine poromas. Some recurrent somatic genomic events have been identified in these malignancies, but very little is known about the complexity of their molecular pathophysiology. We describe the whole genome and whole transcriptome genomic profiling of a metastatic EP in a 66-year-old male patient with a previous history of localized porocarcinoma of the scalp. Whole genome and whole transcriptome genomic profiling was performed on the metastatic EP. Whole genome sequencing was performed on blood-derived DNA in order to allow a comparison between germline and somatic events. We found somatic copy losses of several tumour suppressor genes including APC, PTEN and CDKN2A, CDKN2B and CDKN1A. We identified a somatic hemizygous CDKN2A pathogenic splice site variant. De novo transcriptome assembly revealed abnormal splicing of CDKN2A p14ARF and p16INK4a. Elevated expression of oncogenes EGFR and NOTCH1 was noted and no somatic mutations were found in these genes. Wnt pathway somatic alterations were also observed. In conclusion, our results suggest that the molecular pathophysiology of malignant EP features high complexity and subtle interactions of multiple key genes. Cell cycle dysregulation and CDKN2A loss of function was found to be a new potential driver in EP tumourigenesis. Moreover, the combination of somatic copy number variants and abnormal gene expression perhaps partly related to epigenetic mechanisms, all likely contribute to the development of this rare malignancy in our patient.
GlobTherm, a global database on thermal tolerances for aquatic and terrestrial organisms
Authors: Bennett Joanne M. , Calosi Piero , Clusella-Trullas Susana , Martínez Brezo , Sunday Jennifer , Algar Adam C. , Araújo Miguel B. , Hawkins Bradford A. , Keith Sally , Kühn Ingolf , Rahbek Carsten , Rodríguez Laura , Singer Alexander , Villalobos Fabricio , Ángel Olalla-Tárraga Miguel , Morales-Castilla Ignacio
Published: March 2018

How climate affects species distributions is a longstanding question receiving renewed interest owing to the need to predict the impacts of global warming on biodiversity. Is climate change forcing species to live near their critical thermal limits? Are these limits likely to change through natural selection? These and other important questions can be addressed with models relating geographical distributions of species with climate data, but inferences made with these models are highly contingent on non-climatic factors such as biotic interactions. Improved understanding of climate change effects on species will require extensive analysis of thermal physiological traits, but such data are both scarce and scattered. To overcome current limitations, we created the GlobTherm database. The database contains experimentally derived species’ thermal tolerance data currently comprising over 2,000 species of terrestrial, freshwater, intertidal and marine multicellular algae, plants, fungi, and animals. The GlobTherm database will be maintained and curated by iDiv with the aim to keep expanding it, and enable further investigations on the effects of climate on the distribution of life on Earth.
A dataset on human navigation strategies in foreign networked systems
Authors: Kőrösi Attila , Csoma Attila , Rétvári Gábor , Heszberger Zalán , Bíró József , Tapolcai János , Pelle István , Klajbár Dávid , Novák Márton , Halasi Valentina , Gulyás András
Published: March 2018

Humans are involved in various real-life networked systems. The most obvious examples are social and collaboration networks but the language and the related mental lexicon they use, or the physical map of their territory can also be interpreted as networks. How do they find paths between endpoints in these networks? How do they obtain information about a foreign networked world they find themselves in, how they build mental model for it and how well they succeed in using it? Large, open datasets allowing the exploration of such questions are hard to find. Here we report a dataset collected by a smartphone application, in which players navigate between fixed length source and destination English words step-by-step by changing only one letter at a time. The paths reflect how the players master their navigation skills in such a foreign networked world. The dataset can be used in the study of human mental models for the world around us, or in a broader scope to investigate the navigation strategies in complex networked systems.
MoS2 nanohybrid as a fluorescence sensor for highly selective detection of dopamine
Authors: Pallikkarathodi Mani Neema , Ganiga Manjunatha , Cyriac Jobin
Published: March 2018

A simple and facile strategy is developed for the selective and sensitive detection of dopamine, using luminescent MoS2 nanohybrid particles.
Cells on hierarchically-structured platforms hosting functionalized nanoparticles
Authors: Simitzi Chara , Harimech Pascal , Spanou Syrago , Lanara Christina , Heuer-Jungemann Amelie , Manousaki Aleka , Fotakis Costas , Ranella Anthi , Kanaras Antonios G. , Stratakis Emmanuel
Published: March 2018

In this work, we report on a novel approach to develop hierarchically-structured cell culture platforms incorporating functionalized gold nanoparticles (AuNPs).
Enriching lanthanide single-ion magnetism through symmetry and axiality
Authors: Gupta Sandeep K. , Murugavel Ramaswamy
Published: March 2018

A brief account of the recent frenzy in the field of molecular magnets that is driven by the effects of crystal field and molecular symmetry is presented, apart from commenting on newer synthetic strategies.
Multi-channel dynamics in high harmonic generation of aligned CO2: ab initio analysis with time-dependent B-spline algebraic diagrammatic construction
Authors: Ruberti M. , Decleva P. , Averbukh V.
Published: March 2018

Electron-correlation effects on the multi-channel dynamics underlying strong-field HHG response of CO2 molecule were demonstrated by ab initio ADC study.
Safety considerations of plant polysaccharides for food use: a case study on phenolic-rich softwood galactoglucomannan extract
Authors: Pitkänen Leena , Heinonen Marina , Mikkonen Kirsi S.
Published: March 2018

A growing population and concern over the sufficiency of natural resources for feeding this population have motivated researchers and industries to search for alternative and complementary sources of food ingredients and additives.
Highly efficient near-infrared light photocatalytic hydrogen evolution over MoS2 supported Ta2O5 combined with an up-conversion luminescence agent (β-Tm3+,Yb3+:NaYF4/MoS2–Ta2O5 nanocomposite)
Authors: Shu Xiaoqing , Zhao Cheng , Zhang Xu , Liu Xudong , Xing Zhiqiang , Fang Dawei , Wang Jun , Song Youtao
Published: March 2018

The photocatalytic hydrogen evolution activity of Ta2O5 can be greatly enhanced by adding up-conversion luminescence agent (β-Tm3+,Yb3+:NaYF4) and co-catalyst (MoS2).
nCVTs: a hybrid smart tumour targeting platform
Authors: Goh Wei Jiang , Zou Shui , Czarny Bertrand , Pastorin Giorgia
Published: March 2018

A hybrid drug delivery platform involving the fusion of cell membranes from U937 monocytes and synthetic lipids to create nano–cell vesicle technology systems (nCVTs) is designed.
Self-propagated combustion synthesis of few-layered graphene: an optical properties perspective
Authors: Mohandoss Manonmani , Sen Gupta Soujit , Kumar Ramesh , Islam Md Rabiul , Som Anirban , Mohd Azhardin Ganayee , Pradeep T. , Maliyekkal Shihabudheen M.
Published: March 2018

This paper describes a labour-efficient and cost-effective strategy to prepare few-layered reduced graphene oxide like sheets from graphite.
Determination of quantum yields of semiconductor nanocrystals at the single emitter levelviafluorescence correlation spectroscopy
Authors: Abbandonato Gerardo , Hoffmann Katrin , Resch-Genger Ute
Published: March 2018

A microscopy-based method to determine fluorescence quantum yieldsΦFof dispersed semiconductor nanocrystals at ultralow concentration with fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) is presented.
Effects of combined pretreatment of dilute acid pre-extraction and chemical-assisted mechanical refining on enzymatic hydrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass
Authors: Liu Wei , Chen Wei , Hou Qingxi , Wang Si , Liu Fang
Published: March 2018

The combined pretreatment of dilute acid pre-extraction and mechanical refining significantly improved the enzymatic hydrolysis performance of lignocellulosic biomass.
The impact of microRNA-122 and its target gene Sestrin-2 on the protective effect of ghrelin in angiotensin II-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis
Authors: Wang Xiaotong , Yang Chunyan , Liu Xueyan , Yang Ping
Published: March 2018

Inhibition of microRNA-122 and overexpression of Sestrin-2 alleviated angiotensin II-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis and enhanced the protective effect of ghrelin.
Determination of six organophosphorus pesticides in water samples by three-dimensional graphene aerogel-based solid-phase extraction combined with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry
Authors: Sun P. , Gao Y. L. , Xu C. , Lian Y. F.
Published: March 2018

3D graphene aerogel fabricated via chemical reduction followed by freeze-drying treatment was used as SPE sorbent to extract OPPs from water sample.
The synthesis of axially disubstituted silicon phthalocyanines, their quaternized derivatives and first inhibitory effect on human cytosolic carbonic anhydrase isozymes hCA I and II
Authors: Arslan Tayfun , Biyiklioglu Zekeriya , Şentürk Murat
Published: March 2018

In this study a novel silicon(iv) phthalocyanine bearing [(2E)-3-[4-(dimethylamino)phenyl]-1-(4-phenoxy)prop-2-en-1-one] group and its quaternized derivative at their axial positions were synthesized for the first time.
The characterization of cognitive processes involved in chemical kinetics using a blended processing framework
Authors: Bain Kinsey , Rodriguez Jon-Marc G. , Moon Alena , Towns Marcy H.
Published: March 2018

Chemical kinetics is a highly quantitative content area that involves the use of multiple mathematical representations to model processes and is a context that is under-investigated in the literature. This qualitative study explored undergraduate student integration of chemistry and mathematics during problem solving in the context of chemical kinetics. Using semi-structured interviews, participants were asked to make their reasoning and thinking explicit as they described provided equations and as they worked though chemical kinetics problems. Here we describe the results from our study, which included thirty-six general chemistry students, five physical chemistry students, and three chemical engineering students. Analysis and findings are framed in terms of blended processing, a theory from cognitive science that characterizes human knowledge integration. Themes emerged relating to contexts that were commonly discussed when blending occurred. Variation in the depth and directionality of blending was also observed and characterized. Results provide implications for supporting student problem solving and the modeling of chemical processes.
Rational design of a water-soluble NIR AIEgen, and its application in ultrafast wash-free cellular imaging and photodynamic cancer cell ablation
Authors: Wang Dong , Su Huifang , Kwok Ryan T. K. , Hu Xianglong , Zou Hang , Luo Qianxin , Lee Michelle M. S. , Xu Wenhan , Lam Jacky W. Y. , Tang Ben Zhong
Published: March 2018

The first water-soluble NIR AIEgen was synthesized and used for ultrafast wash-free cellular imaging and photodynamic cancer cell ablation.
Facile fabrication of a 3D network composed of N-doped carbon-coated core–shell metal oxides/phosphides for highly efficient water splitting
Authors: Hu Qi , Liu Xiufang , Tang Chaoyun , Fan Liangdong , Chai Xiaoyan , Zhang Qianling , Liu Jianhong , He Chuanxin
Published: March 2018

An efficient and alkaline electrolyzer based on a network comprising N-doped carbon-coated core–shell NiFeOx@NiFe–P was successfully constructed for efficient overall water splitting.
Discrete element simulation studies of angles of repose and shear flow of wet, flexible fibers
Authors: Guo Y. , Wassgren C. , Ketterhagen W. , Hancock B. , Curtis J.
Published: March 2018

The mechanics of wet and flexible fiber flows is better understood by analyzing agglomeration and solid phase stresses.
Finite-temperature property-maps of Li–Mn–Ni–O cathode materials from ab initio calculations
Authors: Albina Jan-Michael , Marusczyk Anika , Hammerschmidt Thomas , Eckl Thomas , Drautz Ralf
Published: March 2018

Property map of the voltage for Li–Mn–Ni–O electrode materials as a function of the ratio of Li2MnO3·LiMnO2 and the Ni content in LiMnO2 at T = 300 K.
A review of centrifugal microfluidics in environmental monitoring
Authors: Maguire I. , O'Kennedy R. , Ducrée J. , Regan F.
Published: March 2018

There is currently a gap in the use of centrifugal microfluidics in the field of environmental sensing.
Reduction-responsive amphiphilic polymeric prodrugs of camptothecin–polyphosphoester for cancer chemotherapy
Authors: Jin Hua , Sun Mo , Shi Leilei , Zhu Xinyuan , Huang Wei , Yan Deyue
Published: March 2018

Schematic illustration of the synthesis, self-assembly and reduction-responsive drug release of amphiphilic polymeric prodrugs (PCPTSP-co-PEEPs).
Dynamic kinetic resolution of bis-aryl succinic anhydrides: enantioselective synthesis of densely functionalised γ-butyrolactones
Authors: Claveau Romain , Twamley Brendan , Connon Stephen J.
Published: March 2018

The efficient Dynamic Kinetic Resolution (DKR) of disubstituted anhydrides has been shown to be possible for the first time.
Palladium-catalyzed dehydrogenative coupling of cyclic enones with thiophenes: a rapid access to β-heteroarylated cyclic enones
Authors: Wen Zhen-Kang , Song Ting-Ting , Liu Yu-Fang , Chao Jian-Bin
Published: March 2018

A dehydrogenative coupling reaction of cyclic enones with thiophenes through palladium-catalyzed C–H functionalization is reported herein. Further molecular transformations of the coupling products to synthetically useful meta-heteroarylated phenols are also demonstrated.
An organocatalytic enantioselective direct α-heteroarylation of aldehydes with isoquinoline N-oxides
Authors: Bertuzzi Giulio , Pecorari Daniel , Bernardi Luca , Fochi Mariafrancesca
Published: March 2018

An enantioselective direct α-heteroarylation of aldehydes with isoquinoline N-oxides has been realized. High enantiomeric excesses and moderate to good yields were achieved for a variety of α-heteroarylated aldehydes.
Tuning the structure and magnetic behavior of Ni–Ir-based nanoparticles in ionic liquids
Authors: M. da Silva Kácris I. , Bernardi Fabiano , Abarca Gabriel , Baptista Daniel L. , Leite Santos Marcos José , Fernández Barquín Luis , Dupont Jairton , de Pedro Imanol
Published: March 2018

We report on a simple preparation of extremely small diameter (ca. 2 nm) Ni–Ir-based NPs with either core–shell like or alloy-like microstructures.
A self-assembly route to porous polyaniline/reduced graphene oxide composite materials with molecular-level uniformity for high-performance supercapacitors
Authors: Wu Jifeng , Zhang Qin’e , Wang Jingjing , Huang Xiaoping , Bai Hua
Published: March 2018

Two-step self-assembly between polyaniline and graphene oxide leads to a porous composite with high uniformity and excellent rate performance.
Membrane distillation at the water-energy nexus: limits, opportunities, and challenges
Authors: Deshmukh Akshay , Boo Chanhee , Karanikola Vasiliki , Lin Shihong , Straub Anthony P. , Tong Tiezheng , Warsinger David M. , Elimelech Menachem
Published: March 2018

This critical review investigates the potential for membrane distillation to desalinate high-salinity waters using low-grade heat at the water-energy nexus.
Oxidative removal of quinclorac by permanganate through a rate-limiting [3 + 2] cycloaddition reaction
Authors: Song Dean , Cheng Hanyang , Jiang Xiaohua , Sun Huiqing , Kong Fanyu , Liang Rongning , Qiang Zhimin , Liu Huijuan , Qu Jiuhui
Published: March 2018

The degradation mechanism of quinclorac through a rate-limiting [3 + 2] cycloaddition reaction has been investigated for the first time.
Networks of micronized fat crystals grown under static conditions
Authors: Nikolaeva T. , Adel R. den , Velichko E. , Bouwman W. G. , Hermida-Merino D. , Van As H. , Voda A. , van Duynhoven J.
Published: March 2018

Dispersions of micronized fat crystals (MFCs) in oil form a weak-interaction network organized by crystal aggregates in a continuous net of crystalline nanoplatelets.
3D computer-aided nanoprinting for solid-state nanopores
Authors: Ding Haibo , Zhang Qiming , Gu Zhongze , Gu Min
Published: March 2018

Solid-state nanopores with controllable sizes and shapes were generated by direct laser writing using a computer-aided two-photon polymerization process.
A common anchor facilitated GO-DNA nano-system for multiplex microRNA analysis in live cells
Authors: Yu Jiantao , He Sihui , Shao Chen , Zhao Haoran , Li Jing , Tian Leilei
Published: March 2018

A reliable graphene-oxide-DNA nano-system for the multiplex detection of microRNAs in live cells facilitated by graft/base-pairing construction.
Polydopamine nanoparticles for the treatment of acute inflammation-induced injury
Authors: Zhao He , Zeng Zhandong , Liu Lin , Chen Jiawen , Zhou Huiting , Huang Lili , Huang Jie , Xu Hua , Xu Yunyun , Chen Zhengrong , Wu Yi , Guo Wanliang , Wang Jiang Huai , Wang Jian , Liu Zhuang
Published: March 2018

Nanotechnology-mediated anti-inflammatory therapy is emerging as a novel strategy for the treatment of inflammation-induced injury.
Janus quantum dot vesicles generated through membrane fusion
Authors: Li Huimei , Zhang Aidi , Li Ke , Huang Wei , Mai Yiyong , Zhou Yongfeng , Yan Deyue
Published: March 2018

Janus vesicles containing different fluorescent quantum dots in two hemispheres are prepared through a membrane fusion method.
An efficient yellow thermally activated delayed fluorescence emitter with universal applications in both doped and non-doped organic light-emitting diodes
Authors: Chen Xiaojie , Yang Zhan , Xie Zongliang , Zhao Juan , Yang Zhiyong , Zhang Yi , Aldred Matthew. P. , Chi Zhenguo
Published: March 2018

A yellow TADF emitter enabling universal applications in both doped and non-doped OLEDs with high device performance is presented.
Copper catalyzed cyanation through CC bond cleavage of gem-aryl dibromide followed by second cyanation of iodoarene by a released CN unit
Authors: Maity Pintu , Kundu Debasish , Ghosh Tubai , Ranu Brindaban C.
Published: March 2018

A new approach for the synthesis of aryl cyanides through CC cleavage of styrenyl gem-dibromide has been achieved.
Pd-Catalyzed disilylation: an efficient route to 2,2′-bis(trimethylsilyl)biphenyls via trapping transient dibenzopalladacyclopentadienes with hexamethyldisilane
Authors: Li Wenguang , Xiao Genhua , Deng Guobo , Liang Yun
Published: March 2018

A palladium-catalyzed disilylation reaction of 2-iodobiphenyls with hexamethyldisilane via trapping transient dibenzopalladacyclopentadienes has been achieved.
Fullerene-modified magnetic silver phosphate (Ag3PO4/Fe3O4/C60) nanocomposites: hydrothermal synthesis, characterization and study of photocatalytic, catalytic and antibacterial activities
Authors: Sepahvand Shahnaz , Farhadi Saeed
Published: March 2018

Fullerene-modified magnetic silver phosphate (Ag3PO4/Fe3O4/C60) nanocomposites prepared by a hydrothermal route were used as photocatalysts/catalysts for the efficient degradation and reduction of MB dye and 4-nitrophenol, respectively.
Photoelectrocatalytic application of palladium decorated zinc oxide-expanded graphite electrode for the removal of 4-nitrophenol: experimental and computational studies
Authors: Umukoro Eseoghene H. , Peleyeju Moses G. , Idris Azeez O. , Ngila Jane C. , Mabuba Nonhlangabezo , Rhyman Lydia , Ramasami Ponnadurai , Arotiba Omotayo A.
Published: March 2018

Band diagram for the mechanism of charge transfer involved in the photo-electrocatalytic degradation activity of Pd-ZnO-expanded graphite (EG) photoanode on 4-nitrophenol removal.
Facile one-step fabrication of upconversion fluorescence carbon quantum dots anchored on graphene with enhanced nonlinear optical responses
Authors: Zheng Chan , Huang Li , Guo Qiaohang , Chen Wenzhe , Li Wei , Wang Haiyan
Published: March 2018

A novel nanocomposite hybrid, carbon quantum dots (CQD)/graphene oxide (GO), which combines the favorable optical properties of both its components, is synthesized by a facile one-step electrochemical method.
Synthesis of gemini basic ionic liquids and their application in anion exchange membranes
Authors: Wang Dan , Wang Yifu , Wan Heting , Wang Jilin , Wang Lulu
Published: March 2018

A gemini-type basic morpholine ionic liquid ([Nbmd][OH]) was synthesizedviaa two-step method with morpholine, bromododecane and 1,4-dibromobutane as raw materials, and its structure was characterized by1H NMR and FT-IR spectroscopy.
Highly efficient synthesis of arbutin esters catalyzed by whole cells ofCandida parapsilosis
Authors: Li Xiaofeng , Xu Haixia , Zhao Guanglei , Wu Hui , Yu Yigang , Lai Furao , Xiao Xinglong
Published: March 2018

Acylation modification of phenol glycosides is currently of great interest due to the improved bioavailability and multiple functions.