bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Vitamin D supplement use and associated demographic, dietary and lifestyle factors in 8024 South Asians aged 40–69 years: analysis of the UK Biobank cohort
Authors: Darling Andrea L , Blackbourn David J , Ahmadi Kourosh R , Lanham-New Susan A
Published: June 2018

Objective

Vitamin D deficiency (serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D<25 nmol/l) is extremely common in Western-dwelling South Asians but evidence regarding vitamin D supplement usage in this group is very limited. This work identifies demographic, dietary and lifestyle predictors associated with vitamin D supplement use.

Design

Cross-sectional analysis of baseline vitamin D supplement use data.

Setting

UK Biobank cohort.

Subjects

In total, 8024 South Asians (Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani), aged 40–69 years.

Results

Twenty-three per cent of men and 39 % of women (P<0·001) (22 % of Bangladeshis, 32 % of Indians, 25 % of Pakistanis (P<0·001)) took a vitamin-D-containing supplement. Median vitamin D intakes from diet were low at 1·0–3·0 µg/d, being highest in Bangladeshis and lowest in Indians (P<0·001). Logistic regression modelling showed that females had a higher odds of vitamin D supplement use than males (OR=2·02; 95 % CI 1·79, 2·28). A lower supplement usage was seen in younger persons (40–60 years v. >60 years: OR=0·75; 95 % CI 0·65, 0·86) and in those living outside Greater London (OR=0·53 to 0·77), with borderline trends for a lower BMI, higher oily fish intake and higher household income associated with increased odds of vitamin D supplement use.

Conclusions

Vitamin D supplements were not used by most South Asians and intakes from diet alone are likely to be insufficient to maintain adequate vitamin D status. Public health strategies are now urgently required to promote the use of vitamin D supplements in these specific UK South Asian subgroups.
A Comment on Henry Gao, ‘Dictum on Dicta: Obiter Dicta in WTO Disputes’
Authors: SACERDOTI GIORGIO
Published: June 2018

In 2016, the US objected to the reappointment of a member of the WTO Appellate Body, ‘accusing’ him inter alia of having participated in a decision where the Appellate Body had indulged in unnecessary analysis in the nature of obiter dicta. Henry Gao has used the occasion to investigate, with a fresh approach, the very concept of obiter dicta in international jurisprudence.
Mesospheric Nitric Acid Enhancements During Energetic Electron Precipitation Events Simulated by WACCM‐D
Authors: Orsolini Yvan J. , Smith‐Johnsen Christine , Marsh Daniel R. , Stordal Frode , Rodger Craig J. , Verronen Pekka T. , Clilverd Mark A.
Published: June 2018

While observed mesospheric polar nitric acid enhancements have been attributed to energetic particle precipitation through ion cluster chemistry in the past, this phenomenon is not reproduced in current whole‐atmosphere chemistry‐climate models. We investigate such nitric acid enhancements resulting from energetic electron precipitation events using a recently developed variant of the Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model (WACCM) that includes a sophisticated ion chemistry tailored for the D‐layer of the ionosphere (50–90 km), namely, WACCM‐D. Using the specified dynamics mode, that is, nudging dynamics in the troposphere and stratosphere to meteorological reanalyses, we perform a 1‐year‐long simulation (July 2009–June 2010) and contrast WACCM‐D with the standard WACCM. Both WACCM and WACCM‐D simulations are performed with and without forcing from medium‐to‐high energy electron precipitation, allowing a better representation of the energetic electrons penetrating into the mesosphere. We demonstrate the effects of the strong particle precipitation events which occurred during April and May 2010 on nitric acid and on key ion cluster species, as well as other relevant species of the nitrogen family. The 1‐year‐long simulation allows the event‐related changes in neutral and ionic species to be placed in the context of their annual cycle. We especially highlight the role played by medium‐to‐high energy electrons in triggering ion cluster chemistry and ion‐ion recombinations in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere during the precipitation event, leading to enhanced production of nitric acid and raising its abundance by 2 orders of magnitude from 10−4 to a few 10−2 ppb.
Epithelial cell adhesion efficacy of a novel peptide identified by panning on a smooth titanium surface
Authors: Kihara Hidemichi , Kim David M. , Nagai Masazumi , Nojiri Toshiki , Nagai Shigemi , Chen Chia-Yu , Lee Cliff , Hatakeyama Wataru , Kondo Hisatomo , Da Silva John
Published: June 2018

Epithelial attachment via the basal lamina on the tooth surface provides an important structural defence mechanism against bacterial invasion in combating periodontal disease. However, when considering dental implants, strong epithelial attachment does not exist throughout the titanium-soft tissue interface, making soft tissues more susceptible to peri-implant disease. This study introduced a novel synthetic peptide (A10) to enhance epithelial attachment. A10 was identified from a bacterial peptide display library and synthesized. A10 and protease-activated receptor 4-activating peptide (PAR4-AP, positive control) were immobilized on commercially pure titanium. The peptide-treated titanium showed high epithelial cell migration ability during incubation in platelet-rich plasma. We confirmed the development of dense and expanded BL (stained by Ln5) with pericellular junctions (stained by ZO1) on the peptide-treated titanium surface. In an adhesion assay of epithelial cells on A10-treated titanium, PAR4-AP-treated titanium, bovine root and non-treated titanium, A10-treated titanium and PAR4-AP-treated titanium showed significantly stronger adhesion than non-treated titanium. PAR4-AP-treated titanium showed significantly higher inflammatory cytokine release than non-treated titanium. There was no significant difference in inflammatory cytokine release between A10-treated and non-treated titanium. These results indicated that A10 could induce the adhesion and migration of epithelial cells with low inflammatory cytokine release. This novel peptide has a potentially useful application that could improve clinical outcomes with titanium implants and abutments by reducing or preventing peri-implant disease.
Biological processes and signal transduction pathways regulated by the protein methyltransferase SETD7 and their significance in cancer
Authors: Batista Inês de Albuquerque Almeida , Helguero Luisa Alejandra
Published: June 2018

Protein methyltransferases have been shown to methylate histone and non-histone proteins, leading to regulation of several biological processes that control cell homeostasis. Over the past few years, the histone-lysine N-methyltransferase SETD7 (SETD7; also known as SET7/9, KIAA1717, KMT7, SET7, SET9) has emerged as an important regulator of at least 30 non-histone proteins and a potential target for the treatment of several human diseases. This review discusses current knowledge of the structure and subcellular localization of SETD7, as well as its function as a histone and non-histone methyltransferase. This work also underlines the putative contribution of SETD7 to the regulation of gene expression, control of cell proliferation, differentiation and endoplasmic reticulum stress, which indicate that SETD7 is a candidate for novel targeted therapies with the aim of either stimulating or inhibiting its activity, depending on the cell signaling context.
High-performance bifunctional porous non-noble metal phosphide catalyst for overall water splitting
Authors: Yu Fang , Zhou Haiqing , Huang Yufeng , Sun Jingying , Qin Fan , Bao Jiming , Goddard William A. , Chen Shuo , Ren Zhifeng
Published: June 2018

Water electrolysis is an advanced energy conversion technology to produce hydrogen as a clean and sustainable chemical fuel, which potentially stores the abundant but intermittent renewable energy sources scalably. Since the overall water splitting is an uphill reaction in low efficiency, innovative breakthroughs are desirable to greatly improve the efficiency by rationally designing non-precious metal-based robust bifunctional catalysts for promoting both the cathodic hydrogen evolution and anodic oxygen evolution reactions. We report a hybrid catalyst constructed by iron and dinickel phosphides on nickel foams that drives both the hydrogen and oxygen evolution reactions well in base, and thus substantially expedites overall water splitting at 10 mA cm−2 with 1.42 V, which outperforms the integrated iridium (IV) oxide and platinum couple (1.57 V), and are among the best activities currently. Especially, it delivers 500 mA cm−2 at 1.72 V without decay even after the durability test for 40 h, providing great potential for large-scale applications.
2D transition metal dichalcogenides with glucan multivalency for antibody-free pathogen recognition
Authors: Kang Tae Woog , Han Juhee , Lee Sin , Hwang In-Jun , Jeon Su-Ji , Ju Jong-Min , Kim Man-Jin , Yang Jin-Kyoung , Jun Byoengsun , Lee Chi Ho , Lee Sang Uck , Kim Jong-Ho
Published: June 2018

The ability to control the dimensions and properties of nanomaterials is fundamental to the creation of new functions and improvement of their performances in the applications of interest. Herein, we report a strategy based on glucan multivalent interactions for the simultaneous exfoliation and functionalization of two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) in an aqueous solution. The multivalent hydrogen bonding of dextran with bulk TMDs (WS2, WSe2, and MoSe2) in liquid exfoliation effectively produces TMD monolayers with binding multivalency for pathogenic bacteria. Density functional theory simulation reveals that the multivalent hydrogen bonding between dextran and TMD monolayers is very strong and thermodynamically favored (ΔEb = −0.52 eV). The resulting dextran/TMD hybrids (dex-TMDs) exhibit a stronger affinity (Kd = 11 nM) to Escherichia coli O157:H7 (E. coli) than E. coli-specific antibodies and aptamers. The dex-TMDs can effectively detect a single copy of E. coli based on their Raman signal.
Home Use of a Neural-connected Sensory Prosthesis Provides the Functional and Psychosocial Experience of Having a Hand Again
Authors: Graczyk Emily L. , Resnik Linda , Schiefer Matthew A. , Schmitt Melissa S. , Tyler Dustin J.
Published: June 2018

The loss of a hand has many psychosocial repercussions. While advanced multi-articulated prostheses can improve function, without sensation, they cannot restore the full experience and connection of a hand. Direct nerve interfaces can restore naturalistic sensation to amputees. Our sensory restoration system produced tactile and proprioceptive sensations on the hand via neural stimulation through chronically implanted electrodes. In this study, upper limb amputees used a sensory-enabled prosthesis in their homes and communities, autonomously and unconstrained to specific tasks. These real-life conditions enabled us to study the impact of sensation on prosthetic usage, functional performance, and psychosocial experience. We found that sensory feedback fundamentally altered the way participants used their prosthesis, transforming it from a sporadically-used tool into a readily and frequently-used hand. Functional performance with sensation improved following extended daily use. Restored sensation improved a wide range of psychosocial factors, including self-efficacy, prosthetic embodiment, self-image, social interaction, and quality of life. This study demonstrates that daily use of a sensory-enabled prosthesis restores the holistic experience of having a hand and more fully reconnects amputees with the world.
Costs of injury for scent signalling in a strepsirrhine primate
Authors: Harris Rachel L. , Boulet Marylène , Grogan Kathleen E. , Drea Christine M.
Published: June 2018

Honesty is crucial in animal communication when signallers are conveying information about their condition. Condition dependence implies a cost to signal production; yet, evidence of such cost is scarce. We examined the effects of naturally occurring injury on the quality and salience of olfactory signals in ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta). Over a decade, we collected genital secretions from 23 (13 male, 10 female) adults across 34 unique injuries, owing primarily to intra-group fights. Using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, we tested for differences in the chemical composition of secretions across pre-injury, injury and recovery, in animals that did and did not receive antibiotics. Lemur genital secretions were significantly dampened and altered during injury, with patterns of change varying by sex, season and antibiotics. Using behavioural bioassays (excluding odorants from antibiotic-treated animals), we showed that male ‘recipients’ discriminated injury status based on scent alone, directing more competitive counter marking towards odorants from injured vs. uninjured male ‘signallers.’ That injured animals could not maintain their normal signatures provides rare evidence of the energetic cost to signal production. That conspecifics detected olfactory-encoded ‘weakness’ suggests added behavioural costs: By influencing the likelihood of intra- or inter-sexual conflict, condition-dependent signals could have important implications for socio-reproductive behaviour.
Electrical Stimulation with a Conductive Polymer Promotes Neurite Outgrowth and Synaptogenesis in Primary Cortical Neurons in 3D
Authors: Zhang Qingsheng , Beirne Stephen , Shu Kewei , Esrafilzadeh Dorna , Huang Xu-Feng , Wallace Gordon G.
Published: June 2018

Deficits in neurite outgrowth and synaptogenesis have been recognized as an underlying developmental aetiology of psychosis. Electrical stimulation promotes neuronal induction including neurite outgrowth and branching. However, the effect of electrical stimulation using 3D electrodes on neurite outgrowth and synaptogenesis has not been explored. This study examined the effect of 3D electrical stimulation on 3D primary cortical neuronal cultures. 3D electrical stimulation improved neurite outgrowth in 3D neuronal cultures from both wild-type and NRG1-knockout (NRG1-KO) mice. The expression of synaptophysin and PSD95 were elevated under 3D electrical stimulation. Interestingly, 3D electrical stimulation also improved neural cell aggregation as well as the expression of PSA-NCAM. Our findings suggest that the 3D electrical stimulation system can rescue neurite outgrowth deficits in a 3D culturing environment, one that more closely resembles the in vivo biological system compared to more traditionally used 2D cell culture, including the observation of cell aggregates as well as the upregulated PSA-NCAM protein and transcript expression. This study provides a new concept for a possible diagnostic platform for neurite deficits in neurodevelopmental diseases, as well as a viable platform to test treatment options (such as drug delivery) in combination with electrical stimulation.
Synergistic interaction of sprouting and intussusceptive angiogenesis during zebrafish caudal vein plexus development
Authors: karthik Swapna , Djukic Tijana , Kim Jun-Dae , Zuber Benoît , Makanya Andrew , Odriozola Adolfo , Hlushchuk Ruslan , Filipovic Nenad , Jin Suk Won , Djonov Valentin
Published: June 2018

Intussusceptive angiogenesis (IA) is a complementary method to sprouting angiogenesis (SA). The hallmark of IA is formation of trans-capillary tissue pillars, their fusion and remodeling of the vascular plexus. In this study, we investigate the formation of the zebrafish caudal vein plexus (CVP) in Tg(fli1a:eGFP)y7 and the synergistic interaction of IA and SA in crafting the archetypical angio-architecture of the CVP. Dynamic in vivo observations and quantitative analyses revealed that the primitive CVP during development was initiated through SA. Further vascular growth and remodeling occurred by IA. Intussusception contributed to the expansion of the CVP by formation of new pillars. Those pillars arose in front of the already existing ones; and in a subsequent step the serried pillars elongated and fused together. This resulted in segregation of larger vascular segments and remodelling of the disorganized vascular meshwork into hierarchical tree-like arrangement. Blood flow was the main driving force for IA, particularly shear stress geometry at the site of pillar formation and fusion. Computational simulations based on hemodynamics showed drop in shear stress levels at locations of new pillar formation, pillar elongation and fusion. Correlative 3D serial block face scanning electron microscopy confirmed the morphological substrate of the phenomena of the pillar formation observed in vivo. The data obtained demonstrates that after the sprouting phase and formation of the primitive capillary meshwork, the hemodynamic conditions enhance intussusceptive segregation of hierarchical vascular tree i.e. intussusceptive arborization resulting in complex vascular structures with specific angio-architecture.
Genetic Factors and Genotype-Environment Interactions Contribute to Variation in Melanin Production in the Fungal Pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans
Authors: Samarasinghe Himeshi , Aceituno-Caicedo David , Cogliati Massimo , Kwon-Chung Kyung J. , Rickerts Volker , Velegraki Aristea , Akcaglar Sevim , Xu Jianping
Published: June 2018

Cryptococcosis is a common opportunistic fungal infection that often disseminates into the central nervous system, leading to meningitis. Production of melanin pigments during infections is one of the most important virulence factors of its causal agent, the human pathogenic yeast Cryptococcus neoformans species complex. However, almost nothing is known about the patterns of variation in melanin production among clinical and environmental strains and the potential effects of such variations on virulence. In this study, we assembled a global collection of C. neoformans var. neoformans strains and investigated their patterns of melanin variation and potential contributors to such variations. Our analyses revealed that genetic differences and genotype-environment interactions explained up to 59% and 43% of the population’s melanin variance respectively, depending on the tested environments. In comparison, environmental factors alone contributed relatively little to melanin variance. We also identified specific changes within the LAC1 gene, whose protein product catalyzes melanin synthesis, to be associated with variable melanin levels. This study provides fresh insights into the origin and evolution of virulence traits in fungal pathogens while highlighting the complex interplay between genetic and environmental factors that lead to phenotypic variance.
A qualitative analysis of the bud ontogeny of Dracaena marginata using high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging
Authors: Hesse Linnea , Leupold Jochen , Speck Thomas , Masselter Tom
Published: June 2018

The development of the branch-stem-attachment of Dracaena marginata was analyzed to clarify how a load-adapted arrangement of mechanically relevant tissues, i.e. the vascular bundles with fiber caps, is established during ontogeny. For this purpose, 3D images of four intact and developing buds of D. marginata were repetitively acquired in vivo within the time span of 180 days using high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging, as this method allows for non-invasive and non-destructive image acquisition. This methodical approach enabled the classification of distinct ontogenetic stages revealing the complex ontogeny of the branch-stem-attachment in D. marginata and the establishment of a load-adapted tissue arrangement within the junction between branch and main stem. This further allows for a first biomimetic abstraction and the transfer into a technical implementation of the form-structure-function principles found in branchings in D. marginata.
Root order-based traits of Manchurian walnut & larch and their plasticity under interspecific competition
Authors: Salahuddin  , Rewald Boris , Razaq Muhammad , Lixue Yang , Li Ji , Khan Farmanullah , Jie Zhang
Published: June 2018

Manchurian walnut and larch are key timber species of northeast China but information on (fine) root traits of both species is scarce. Plasticity of root traits in mixed plantations has been studied rarely although this could give important insights into mechanisms of root competition. This study examined root traits by branching order in 30-yr-old monocultures and their plasticity in mixed plantations. In monocultures, Manchurian walnut and larch differed in key fine root traits. Larch roots hold more absorptive root orders, larger diameter and lower specific root length/area. Walnut root orders featured greater cortex:stele ratios, N-concentrations and respiration rates. Under interspecific competition, the proportion of walnut root tips increased, the biomass/length of larch root orders 1–3 decreased. Larch possessed a greater morphological and anatomical plasticity of terminal root orders than walnut. Mycorrhizal colonization rates of walnut were reduced. Both species differed fundamentally in their fine root properties. Absorptive fine root orders reacted plastic under interspecific competition while traits of higher root orders remained unchanged. In mixture, larch roots possessed a greater plasticity in traits related to resource uptake (efficiency) than walnut roots whose reaction norm is suggested to be predominantly based on interference competition via juglone exudation.
The pial vasculature of the mouse develops according to a sensory-independent program
Authors: Adams Matthew D. , Winder Aaron T. , Blinder Pablo , Drew Patrick J.
Published: June 2018

The cerebral vasculature is organized to supply the brain’s metabolic needs. Sensory deprivation during the early postnatal period causes altered neural activity and lower metabolic demand. Neural activity is instructional for some aspects of vascular development, and deprivation causes changes in capillary density in the deprived brain region. However, it is not known if the pial arteriole network, which contains many leptomeningeal anastomoses (LMAs) that endow the network with redundancy against occlusions, is also affected by sensory deprivation. We quantified the effects of early-life sensory deprivation via whisker plucking on the densities of LMAs and penetrating arterioles (PAs) in anatomically-identified primary sensory regions (vibrissae cortex, forelimb/hindlimb cortex, visual cortex and auditory cortex) in mice. We found that the densities of penetrating arterioles were the same across cortical regions, though the hindlimb representation had a higher density of LMAs than other sensory regions. We found that the densities of PAs and LMAs, as well as quantitative measures of network topology, were not affected by sensory deprivation. Our results show that the postnatal development of the pial arterial network is robust to sensory deprivation.
A Donor Quality Index for liver transplantation: development, internal and external validation
Authors: Winter Audrey , Féray Cyrille , Audureau Etienne , Azoulay Daniel , Antoine Corinne , Daurès Jean-Pierre , Landais Paul
Published: June 2018

Organ shortage leads to using non-optimal liver grafts. Thus, to determine the graft quality, the Donor Risk Index and the Eurotransplant Donor Risk Index have been proposed. In a previous study we showed that neither could be validated on the French database. Our aim was then dedicated to propose an adaptive Donor Quality Index (DQI) using data from 3961 liver transplantation (LT) performed in France between 2009 and 2013, with an external validation based on 1048 French LT performed in 2014. Using Cox models and three different methods of selection, we developed a new score and defined groups at risk. Model performance was assessed by means of three measures of discrimination corrected by the optimism using a bootstrap procedure. An external validation was also performed in order to evaluate its calibration and discrimination. Five donor covariates were retained: age, cause of death, intensive care unit stay, lowest MDRD creatinine clearance, and liver type. Three groups at risk could be discriminated. The performances of the model were satisfactory after internal validation. Calibration and discrimination were preserved in the external validation dataset. The DQI exhibited good properties and is potentially adaptive as an aid for better guiding decision making for LT.
Motion-induced position shift in early Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Ye Fei , Ye Maobin , An Jun , Wang Dong , Wang Qin , Chen Yanlin , Peng Xiapei
Published: June 2018

The localization of object position in space is one of the most important visual abilities in humans. Motion-induced position shift is a perceptual illusion in which the position of a moving object is perceived to be shifted in the direction of motion. In this study, we wanted to explore whether and how Alzheimer’s disease (AD) affects this illusion. We recruited a group of patients with early AD and a group of age-matched healthy controls. In our experiments, two drifting Gabor patches moving in opposite directions were presented and participants were asked to report whether the upper Gabor appeared rightwards or leftwards of the lower one. We measured the psychometric functions, of which the point of subjective alignment was taken as the magnitude of motion-induced position shift. We compared the position shift across the two groups at three different retinal eccentricities. We found that position shifts were systematically smaller in the AD group as comparing to the elderly control group. Our data demonstrated that AD patients were less prone to motion-induced position shift. The results add to the existing knowledge of perceptual deficits in AD patients. We suggest that motion induced position shift may be effective as a new behavioral indicator for AD identification.
Semi-metals as potential thermoelectric materials
Authors: Markov Maxime , Hu Xixiao , Liu Han-Chun , Liu Naiming , Poon S. Joseph , Esfarjani Keivan , Zebarjadi Mona
Published: June 2018

The best thermoelectric materials are believed to be heavily doped semiconductors. The presence of a band gap is assumed to be essential to achieve large thermoelectric power factor and figure of merit. In this work, we propose semi-metals with large asymmetry between conduction and valence bands as an alternative class of thermoelectric materials. To illustrate the idea, we study semi-metallic HgTe in details experimentally and theoretically. We employ ab initio calculations with hybrid exchange-correlation functional to accurately describe the electronic band structure in conjunction with the Boltzmann Transport theory to investigate the electronic transport properties. We calculate the lattice thermal conductivity using first principles calculations and evaluate the overall figure of merit. To validate our theoretical approach, we prepare semi-metallic HgTe samples and characterize their transport properties. Our first-principles calculations agree well with the experimental data. We show that intrinsic HgTe, a semimetal with large disparity in its electron and hole masses, has a high thermoelectric power factor that is comparable to the best known thermoelectric materials. Finally, we propose other possible materials with similar band structures as potential candidates for thermoelectric applications.
Potential Application of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Rhizobium Immobilized in Multi Walled Carbon Nanotubes to Adsorb Hexavalent Chromium
Authors: Sathvika T. , Soni Amitesh , Sharma Kriti , Praneeth Malipeddi , Mudaliyar Manasi , Rajesh Vidya , Rajesh N.
Published: June 2018

The presence of harmful contaminants in the waste stream is an important concern worldwide. The convergence of biotechnology and nanoscience offers a sustainable alternative in treating contaminated waters. Hexavalent chromium, being carcinogenic deserves effective and sustainable methods for sequestration. Here in, we report the immobilization of a prokaryote (Rhizobium) and eukaryote (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) in multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) for the effective adsorption of hexavalent chromium. The carboxylic groups were introduced into the MWCNTs during oxidation using potassium permanganate and were subjected to EDC-HOBT coupling to bind with microbial cell surface. FTIR, TGA, BET, FESEM-EDAX, HRTEM, XPS and confocal microscopy were the investigative techniques used to characterize the developed biosorbents. Experimental variables such as pH, adsorbent dosage, kinetics, isotherms and thermodynamics were investigated and it was observed that the system follows pseudo second order kinetics with a best fit for Langmuir isotherm. Electrostatic interactions between the functional groups in the microbial cell wall and hydrochromate anion at pH 2.0 propel the adsorption mechanism. The lab scale column studies were performed with higher volumes of the Cr(VI) contaminated water. Sodium hydroxide was used as the desorbing agent for reuse of the biosorbents. The sustainable biosorbents show prospects to treat chromium contaminated water.
Ultra-broadband and compact graphene-on-silicon integrated waveguide mode filters
Authors: Xing Peng , Ooi Kelvin J. A. , Tan Dawn T. H.
Published: June 2018

Increasing bandwidth demands in optical communications necessitates the introduction of mode-division multiplexing (MDM) on top of the existing wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) systems. Simultaneous management of both multiplexing systems will be a complex task, and there is the possibility of signal degradation through modal crosstalk. Here, we propose graphene-on-silicon (GOS) integrated waveguide mode filters to suppress the propagation of spurious waveguide modes at the telecommunications wavelength. Graphene’s high fabrication tolerance potentially enables surgical tailoring and deployment at targeted segments on the waveguide to absorb the undesired TE0 or TE1 modes. The proposed GOS waveguide mode filters can potentially improve the performance and reduce the device footprint of MDM systems.
Photophysical properties of cationic dyes captured in the mesoscale channels of micron-sized metal-organic framework crystals
Authors: Choi In-Hwan , Bin Yoon Suk , Huh Seong , Kim Sung-Jin , Kim Youngmee
Published: June 2018

The optical properties of dye molecules in confined spaces can differ from the solution phase due to confinement effects. Pre-organized mesoscale channels of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are very suited for hosting various dyes, and the robust frameworks often render the encapsulated dyes with certain preferential geometries, which are different from those found in solution. Furthermore, pre-organized open channels can efficiently guide the uniform and unique spatial distribution of dye molecules in a controlled manner, which are otherwise difficult to achieve. Thus, sufficiently large dye molecules can avoid the formation of complex aggregates when captured inside open channels. In contrast, small dye molecules can form well-defined dimers or aggregates. The resulting dye-encapsulated MOFs can display unusual photophysical properties of the captured dyes. An anionic framework of In-BTB with mesoscale 3D channels is utilized for the efficient encapsulation of various cationic dyes through cation-exchange processes. Six different cationic dyes are encapsulated in the anionic framework of In-BTB, and their crystal structures are completely solved. Novel photophysical properties of these spatially distributed dye molecules in dye@In-BTBs are investigated.
Protein Secondary Structure Prediction Based on Data Partition and Semi-Random Subspace Method
Authors: Ma Yuming , Liu Yihui , Cheng Jinyong
Published: June 2018

Protein secondary structure prediction is one of the most important and challenging problems in bioinformatics. Machine learning techniques have been applied to solve the problem and have gained substantial success in this research area. However there is still room for improvement toward the theoretical limit. In this paper, we present a novel method for protein secondary structure prediction based on a data partition and semi-random subspace method (PSRSM). Data partitioning is an important strategy for our method. First, the protein training dataset was partitioned into several subsets based on the length of the protein sequence. Then we trained base classifiers on the subspace data generated by the semi-random subspace method, and combined base classifiers by majority vote rule into ensemble classifiers on each subset. Multiple classifiers were trained on different subsets. These different classifiers were used to predict the secondary structures of different proteins according to the protein sequence length. Experiments are performed on 25PDB, CB513, CASP10, CASP11, CASP12, and T100 datasets, and the good performance of 86.38%, 84.53%, 85.51%, 85.89%, 85.55%, and 85.09% is achieved respectively. Experimental results showed that our method outperforms other state-of-the-art methods.
mPEG-PLA and PLA-PEG-PLA nanoparticles as new carriers for delivery of recombinant human Growth Hormone (rhGH)
Authors: Ghasemi Rohollah , Abdollahi Mahdi , Emamgholi Zadeh Elaheh , Khodabakhshi Khosrow , Badeli Ali , Bagheri Hamed , Hosseinkhani Saman
Published: June 2018

mPEG-PLA and PLA-PEG-PLA copolymeric nanoparticles with three different PLA to PEG ratios are synthesized and used for encapsulation of recombinant human Growth hormone (rhGH). The structure and composition of the synthesized copolymers were analyzed by 1H NMR and GPC techniques. Moreover, morphology, encapsulation efficiency (EE), cytotoxicity, release profile and stability of the encapsulated rhGH were measured. Structural analysis of the prepared copolymers showed that they were successfully synthesized with approximately expected molecular weight and relatively low size distribution. It was also revealed that by increasing amounts of PLA/PEG ratio, EE content and size of nanoparticles were increased. Release profile evaluation of rhGH from both formulations indicated that copolymeric nanoparticles of Di-B2 and Tri-B2 exhibited the best results among the synthesized nanospheres, by having initial burst release of 17.5% and 28% and then slow and constant release of rhGH up to 65% and 77% of the encapsulated drug, respectively. Furthermore, results of HPLC, SDS-PAGE and CD analyses showed stability of rhGH during encapsulation and release from nanoparticles. Finally, the results showed that these two formulations provided safe and efficient sustained release of rhGH for more than a month and they have the potential to do further studies under in vivo conditions.
Hypothesis on monochromatic vision in scorpionflies questioned by new transcriptomic data
Authors: Böhm Alexander , Meusemann Karen , Misof Bernhard , Pass Günther
Published: June 2018

In the scorpionfly Panorpa, a recent study suggested monochromatic vision due to evidence of only a single opsin found in transcriptome data. To reconsider this hypothesis, the present study investigates opsin expression using transcriptome data of 21 species including representatives of all major lineages of scorpionflies (Mecoptera) and of three families of their closest relatives, the fleas (Siphonaptera). In most mecopteran species investigated, transcripts encode two opsins with predicted peak absorbances in the green, two in the blue, and one in the ultraviolet spectral region. Only in groups with reduced or absent ocelli, like Caurinus and Apteropanorpa, less than four visual opsin messenger RNAs have been identified. In addition, we found a Rh7-like opsin in transcriptome data derived from larvae of the mecopteran Nannochorista, and in two flea species. Peropsin expression was observed in two mecopterans. In light of these new data, we question the hypothesis on monochromatic vision in the genus Panorpa. In a broader phylogenetic perspective, it is suggested that the common ancestor of the monophyletic taxon Antliophora (Diptera, Mecoptera and Siphonaptera) possessed the full set of visual opsins, a Rh7-like opsin, and in addition a pteropsin as well as a peropsin. In the course of evolution individual opsins were likely lost in several lineages of this clade.
Age-related differences in humoral and cellular immune responses after primary immunisation: indications for stratified vaccination schedules
Authors: Wagner Angelika , Garner-Spitzer Erika , Jasinska Joanna , Kollaritsch Herwig , Stiasny Karin , Kundi Michael , Wiedermann Ursula
Published: June 2018

Immunosenescence is characterised by reduced B and T cell responses. Evidence shows that booster vaccinations are less effective in elderly people, but data on the efficacy of primary immunisation are sparse. We conducted a monocentric, open label, phase IV trial to compare immune responses to primary vaccinations using the inactivated, adjuvanted Japanese Encephalitis vaccine by 30 elderly people (mean 69, range 61–78 years) and 30 younger people (mean 24, range 18–30 years). Humoral and cellular immune responses were analysed in relation to age and cytomegalovirus (CMV) seropositivity. Vaccine-specific antibody titres were significantly lower in elderly participants and 47% of them were non- or low responders after the two doses of the vaccine neo-antigen. The reduced humoral immune responses in elderly people correlated with reduced cytokine production, such as interferon gamma (IFN-γ) in vitro, as well as higher frequencies of late-differentiated effector and effector memory T cells and T regulatory cells. These cellular changes and lower antibody titres were particularly prominent in CMV-seropositive elderly participants. If primary vaccination before the age of 60 is not possible, elderly patients may require different vaccination strategies to ensure sufficient long-lasting immunity, such as adapted or accelerated schedules and the use of different adjuvants.
Circulating miR-30a-5p as a prognostic biomarker of left ventricular dysfunction after acute myocardial infarction
Authors: Maciejak Agata , Kostarska-Srokosz Edyta , Gierlak Wlodzimierz , Dluzniewski Miroslaw , Kuch Marek , Marchel Michal , Opolski Grzegorz , Kiliszek Marek , Matlak Krzysztof , Dobrzycki Slawomir , Lukasik Anna , Segiet Agnieszka , Sygitowicz Grazyna , Sitkiewicz Dariusz , Gora Monika , Burzynska Beata
Published: June 2018

Left ventricular (LV) dysfunction after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is associated with an increased risk of heart failure (HF) development. Diverse microRNAs (miRNAs) have been shown to appear in the bloodstream following various cardiovascular events. The aim of this study was to identify prognostic miRNAs associated with LV dysfunction following AMI. Patients were divided into subgroups comprising patients who developed or not LV dysfunction within six months of the infarction. miRNA profiles were determined in plasma and serum samples of the patients on the first day of AMI. Levels of 14 plasma miRNAs and 16 serum miRNAs were significantly different in samples from AMI patients who later developed LV dysfunction compared to those who did not. Two miRNAs were up-regulated in both types of material. Validation in an independent group of patients, using droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) confirmed that miR-30a-5p was significantly elevated on admission in those patients who developed LV dysfunction and HF symptoms six months after AMI. A bioinformatics analysis indicated that miR-30a-5p may regulate genes involved in cardiovascular pathogenesis. This study demonstrates, for the first time, a prognostic value of circulating miR-30a-5p and its association with LV dysfunction and symptoms of HF after AMI.
The airway inflammation induced by nasal inoculation of PM2.5 and the treatment of bacterial lysates in rats
Authors: Shen Yang , Zhang Zhi-Hai , Hu Di , Ke Xia , Gu Zheng , Zou Qi-Yuan , Hu Guo-Hua , Song Shang-Hua , Kang Hou-Yong , Hong Su-Ling
Published: June 2018

Particulate matter (PM) is one of the most important environmental issues in China. This study aimed to explore the correlation between PM2.5 and airway inflammation in healthy rats. The PM2.5 group was given an intranasal instillation of PM2.5 suspension on 15 consecutive days, and each received oral saline from day 16 to 90. The BV intervention group was treated as the PM2.5 exposure group, except that BV instead of saline was given daily. A histopathologic examination was performed to evaluate the airway inflammation. The prevalence and function of Th1/Th2/Treg/Th17 cells were detected by flow cytometry and ELISA. The expression of AhR was detected by western blot and real-time PCR. We found that epithelial damage and increased infiltration of inflammatory cell were present in the airways after PM2.5 exposure; there was an immune imbalance of Th cells in the PM2.5 group; the expression of AhR was increased in the airways after PM2.5 exposure. In the PM2.5 + BV group, we demonstrated alleviated immune imbalance and reduced inflammatory cell infiltration in the airways. Our study showed that exposure to PM2.5 induced airway inflammation. The imbalance of Th1/Th2/Treg/Th17 in PM2.5-induced airway inflammation might be associated with activation of the AhR pathway. Oral BV reduces PM2.5-induced airway inflammation and regulates systemic immune responses in rats.
The Predictive Value of Head Circumference Growth during the First Year of Life on Early Child Traits
Authors: Dupont Caroline , Castellanos-Ryan Natalie , Séguin Jean R. , Muckle Gina , Simard Marie-Noëlle , Shapiro Gabriel D. , Herba Catherine M. , Fraser William D. , Lippé Sarah
Published: June 2018

Atypical head circumference (HC) growth has been associated with neurodevelopmental disorders. However, whether it is associated with specific aspects of development in early childhood in the general population is unknown. The objective of this study was to assess the predictive value of HC growth as an early biomarker of behavioral traits. We examined longitudinal associations between HC growth from 0 to 12 months and temperament, cognitive, and motor development at 24 months. A subsample of healthy children (N = 756) was drawn from the 3D (Design, Develop, Discover) cohort study. Early HC growth was modeled with latent growth curve analysis. Greater postnatal HC growth predicted lower temperamental effortful control and lower surgency/extraversion in boys. HC growth did not predict cognitive or fine motor scores, but did predict greater gross motor skills in boys. No significant effect of HC growth was found in girls. This study is the first to demonstrate an association between postnatal HC growth and specific aspects of child development in a healthy population. Results suggest HC growth overshadows brain mechanisms involved in behavioral traits in early infancy. Whether links are maintained throughout development and the mechanisms involved correspond to traits found in atypical populations remains to be studied.
Visual cues do not enhance sea lion pups’ response to multimodal maternal cues
Authors: Wierucka Kaja , Charrier Isabelle , Harcourt Robert , Pitcher Benjamin J.
Published: June 2018

Mammals use multiple sensory cues for mother-offspring recognition. While the role of single sensory cues has been well studied, we lack information about how multiple cues produced by mothers are integrated by their offspring. Knowing that Australian sea lion (Neophoca cinerea) pups recognise their mother’s calls, we first tested whether visual cues are used by pups to discriminate between conspecifics of different age classes (adult female vs pup). We then examined if adding a visual stimulus to an acoustic cue enhances vocal responsiveness of Australian sea lion pups, by presenting wild individuals with either a visual cue (female 3D-model), an acoustic cue (mother’s call), or both simultaneously, and observing their reaction. We showed that visual cues can be used by pups to distinguish adult females from other individuals, however we found no enhancement effect of these cues on the response in a multimodal scenario. Audio-only cues prompted a similar reaction to audio-visual cues that was significantly stronger than pup response to visual-only cues. Our results suggest that visual cues are dominated by acoustic cues and that pups rely on the latter in mother recognition.
Impact of varying levels of hyperglycemia on clinicoradiographic outcomes after endovascular reperfusion treatment
Authors: Lee Seong-Joon , Hwang Yang-Ha , Hong Ji Man , Choi Jin Wook , Yoon Bok Seon , Kang Dong-Hun , Kim Yong-Won , Kim Yong-Sun , Hong Jeong-Ho , Yoo Joonsang , Kim Chang-Hyun , Ovbiagele Bruce , Demchuk Andrew M. , Sohn Sung-Il , Lee Jin Soo
Published: June 2018

We evaluated the effects of admission hyperglycemia with different cut-off levels on 3-month outcomes, infarct growth, and hemorrhagic transformation in acute stroke patients with large artery occlusion of anterior circulation who received endovascular treatment (EVT). Between January 2011 and May 2016, patients that underwent EVT with pre-procedural and post-procedural diffusion-weighted imaging were identified from a multicenter registry. Normoglycemia was defined as a glucose level ≤ 110 mg/dL, moderate hyperglycemia as >110 and ≤170 mg/dL, and overt hyperglycemia as >170 mg/dL. Its effects on poor outcomes (3-month modified Rankin Scale score 3–6), infarct growth, and parenchymal hematoma type 2 were analyzed. Of 720 patients encountered, 341 patients were eligible. There was a statistically significant difference in glycated hemoglobin levels between the normoglycemia/moderate hyperglycemia and overt hyperglycemia groups (p < 0.001). Moderate hyperglycemia (odds ratio 2.37 [95% confidence interval 1.26–4.45], p = 0.007) and overt hyperglycemia (2.84 [1.19–6.81], p = 0.019) were associated with poor outcomes. Post-procedural infarct volumes were significantly greater in hyperglycemic patients (padjusted = 0.003). Only overt hyperglycemia (9.28 [1.66–51.88], p = 0.011) was associated with parenchymal hematoma type 2. Overall hyperglycemia was associated with poor outcomes and infarct growth, whereas overt hyperglycemia was associated with parenchymal hematoma type 2.
Role of the hippocampal CA1 region in incremental value learning
Authors: Jeong Yeongseok , Huh Namjung , Lee Joonyeup , Yun Injae , Lee Jong Won , Lee Inah , Jung Min Whan
Published: June 2018

It is generally believed that the hippocampus plays a crucial role in declarative memory—remembering facts and events—but not in gradual stimulus-response association or incremental value learning. Based on the finding that CA1 conveys strong value signals during dynamic foraging, we investigated the possibility that the hippocampus contributes to incremental value learning. Specifically, we examined effects of inactivating different subregions of the dorsal hippocampus on behavioral performance of mice performing a dynamic foraging task in a modified T-maze. A reinforcement learning model-based analysis indicated that inactivation of CA1, but not dentate gyrus, CA3, or CA2, impaired trial-by-trial updating of chosen value without affecting value-dependent action selection. As a result, it took longer for CA1-inactivated mice to bias their choices toward the higher-reward-probability target after changes in reward probability. Our results indicate, contrary to the traditional view, that the hippocampus, especially CA1, might contribute to incremental value learning under certain circumstances.