bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An N100-P300 Spelling Brain-Computer Interface with Detection of Intentional Control
Authors: Sato Hikaru , Washizawa Yoshikazu
Published: December 2016

A brain-computer interface (BCI) is a tool to communicate with a computer via brain signals without the user making any physical movements, thus enabling disabled people to communicate with their environment and with others. P300-based ERP spellers are a widely used spelling visual BCI using the P300 component of event-related potential (ERP). However, they have a technical problem in that at least 2 N flashes are required to present N characters. This prevents the improvement of accuracy and restricts the typing speed. To address this issue, we propose a method that uses N100 in addition to P300. We utilize novel stimulus images to detect the user’s gazing position by using N100. By using both P300 and N100, the proposed visual BCI reduces the number of flashes and improves the accuracy of the P300 speller. We also propose using N100 to classify non-control (NC) and intentional control (IC) states. In our experiments, the detection accuracy of N100 was significantly higher than that of P300 and the proposed method exhibited a higher information transfer rate (ITR) than the P300 speller.
Maximum Entropy Production Is Not a Steady State Attractor for 2D Fluid Convection
Authors: Bartlett Stuart , Virgo Nathaniel
Published: December 2016

Multiple authors have claimed that the natural convection of a fluid is a process that exhibits maximum entropy production (MEP). However, almost all such investigations were limited to fixed temperature boundary conditions (BCs). It was found that under those conditions, the system tends to maximize its heat flux, and hence it was concluded that the MEP state is a dynamical attractor. However, since entropy production varies with heat flux and difference of inverse temperature, it is essential that any complete investigation of entropy production allows for variations in heat flux and temperature difference. Only then can we legitimately assess whether the MEP state is the most attractive. Our previous work made use of negative feedback BCs to explore this possibility. We found that the steady state of the system was far from the MEP state. For any system, entropy production can only be maximized subject to a finite set of physical and material constraints. In the case of our previous work, it was possible that the adopted set of fluid parameters were constraining the system in such a way that it was entirely prevented from reaching the MEP state. Hence, in the present work, we used a different set of boundary parameters, such that the steady states of the system were in the local vicinity of the MEP state. If MEP was indeed an attractor, relaxing those constraints of our previous work should have caused a discrete perturbation to the surface of steady state heat flux values near the value corresponding to MEP. We found no such perturbation, and hence no discernible attraction to the MEP state. Furthermore, systems with fixed flux BCs actually minimize their entropy production (relative to the alternative stable state, that of pure diffusive heat transport). This leads us to conclude that the principle of MEP is not an accurate indicator of which stable steady state a convective system will adopt. However, for all BCs considered, the quotient of heat flux and temperature difference F / Δ T —which is proportional to the dimensionless Nusselt number—does appear to be maximized.
EEG-Based Person Authentication Using a Fuzzy Entropy-Related Approach with Two Electrodes
Authors: Mu Zhendong , Hu Jianfeng , Min Jianliang
Published: December 2016

Person authentication, based on electroencephalography (EEG) signals, is one of the directions possible in the study of EEG signals. In this paper, a method for the selection of EEG electrodes and features in a discriminative manner is proposed. Given that EEG signals are unstable and non-linear, a non-linear analysis method, i.e., fuzzy entropy, is more appropriate. In this paper, unlike other methods using different signal sources and patterns, such as rest state and motor imagery, a novel paradigm using the stimuli of self-photos and non-self-photos is introduced. Ten subjects are selected to take part in this experiment, and fuzzy entropy is used as a feature to select the minimum number of electrodes that identifies individuals. The experimental results show that the proposed method can make use of two electrodes (FP1 and FP2) in the frontal area, while the classification accuracy is greater than 87.3%. The proposed biometric system, based on EEG signals, can provide each subject with a unique key and is capable of human recognition.
Does Financial Development Drive Private Investment in Ghana?
Authors: Sakyi Daniel , Kofi Boachie Micheal , Immurana Mustapha
Published: December 2016

There is ample evidence from economic growth literature that investment accelerates economic growth and development of developing countries, of which Ghana is not an exception. Based on this, recent growth and development policies in Ghana have focused more on encouraging private sector investment through the development of the financial sector. This paper investigates the short- and long-run impact of financial development on private investment in Ghana for the years 1970–2014. Additionally, to find out whether the measurement of financial development matters for private investment, several indicators of financial development are used. The results, based on the ARDL bounds testing approach to cointegration, suggest that financial development has not been a key driver of private investment in the long run, while, in the short run, the effect of financial development on private investment depends on how financial development is measured. Given these results, policy makers should be circumspect regarding the choice of financial development indicator used as a policy instrument in the design and implementation of private investment policies for Ghana.
Remittances, Development Level, and Long-Run Economic Growth
Authors: Matuzeviciute Kristina , Butkus Mindaugas
Published: December 2016

This paper seeks to enrich the field of research on the topic of the impact of remittances on long-run economic growth. Using an unbalanced panel data covering a sample of 116 countries with different development levels over the period 1990–2014, we studied the interaction between remittances and the level of economic development, as well as its impact on long-run economic growth—because the impact of remittances could be influenced by the development level of the receiving countries. In parallel, we explored the hypothesis about diminishing a country’s capacity to use remittances for promoting long-run economic growth as the abundance of remittances increases. To control the endogeneity while estimating the impact of remittances on long-run economic growth, we used OLS (ordinary least squares) with FD (first differences) transformation and FE (fixed effects) approaches and other controls of long-run growth. Our results showed that in general remittances have a positive impact on long-run economic growth, but the impact differs based on the country’s economic development level and the abundance of remittances in the economy.
Forecasting Crude Oil Price Using EEMD and RVM with Adaptive PSO-Based Kernels
Authors: Li Taiyong , Zhou Min , Guo Chaoqi , Luo Min , Wu Jiang , Pan Fan , Tao Quanyi , He Ting
Published: December 2016

Crude oil, as one of the most important energy sources in the world, plays a crucial role in global economic events. An accurate prediction for crude oil price is an interesting and challenging task for enterprises, governments, investors, and researchers. To cope with this issue, in this paper, we proposed a method integrating ensemble empirical mode decomposition (EEMD), adaptive particle swarm optimization (APSO), and relevance vector machine (RVM)—namely, EEMD-APSO-RVM—to predict crude oil price based on the “decomposition and ensemble” framework. Specifically, the raw time series of crude oil price were firstly decomposed into several intrinsic mode functions (IMFs) and one residue by EEMD. Then, RVM with combined kernels was applied to predict target value for the residue and each IMF individually. To improve the prediction performance of each component, an extended particle swarm optimization (PSO) was utilized to simultaneously optimize the weights and parameters of single kernels for the combined kernel of RVM. Finally, simple addition was used to aggregate all the predicted results of components into an ensemble result as the final result. Extensive experiments were conducted on the crude oil spot price of the West Texas Intermediate (WTI) to illustrate and evaluate the proposed method. The experimental results are superior to those by several state-of-the-art benchmark methods in terms of root mean squared error (RMSE), mean absolute percent error (MAPE), and directional statistic (Dstat), showing that the proposed EEMD-APSO-RVM is promising for forecasting crude oil price.
Numerical Investigation on the Effect of Cementing Properties on the Thermal and Mechanical Stability of Geothermal Wells
Authors: Won Jongmuk , Choi Hyun-Jun , Lee Hyobum , Choi Hangseok
Published: December 2016

In this paper, a two-dimensional (2-D) Finite Element (FE) analysis of a geothermal well was performed with respect to five different cross-sections corresponding to the design specifications for the geothermal well that is currently constructed in Pohang, South Korea. Among the essential components (such as ground formation, casing, and cementing) of a geothermal well, the thermal and mechanical stability of the cementing component was discussed based on a series of parametric studies with consideration of the thermal conductivity and Young’s modulus of the cementing component. With increasing number of casing layers, the cementing component experiences less stress concentration. In addition, the lower thermal conductivity of the cementing material is advantageous for effectively controlling radial displacement. Consequently, it should be noted in geothermal well cementing construction that long-term strength degradation of the cementing might cause the severe structural instability of an entire geothermal well.
Perceptions of Socio-Ecological Changes and Their Implications on Changes in Farming Practises and Agricultural Land Uses in the Savannahs of Northeast Ghana
Authors: Boateng Peter , Appiah Divine , Adjei Prince , Mensah Henry
Published: December 2016

This study assesses the perceptions of local farming households in the savannahs of northeast Ghana about the patterns of ecological and social changes happening around them over the years. It then unpacks how those perceptions are influencing farming practices and agricultural land use changes. Theoretical and empirical understandings of the value of local resource users’ perceptual judgements about changes in their socio-ecological environment and how they respond to those changes have far-reaching implications for design of agricultural development and sustainable land management policies. Consideration of local perceptions offers more informed basis to design and implement agricultural development policies in ways that encourage active local participation, sustainable livelihoods development, and responsiveness to changing conditions. This departs from current conventional implementation systems, which are usually top-down and based on technical and political aspects of agricultural land management, but do not necessarily comprehend processes influencing the agency of local communities in shaping various agricultural land use outcomes.
Performance of Strengthened Non-Uniformly Corroded Reinforced SCC-RAP Members
Authors: Abdel-Mohti Ahmed , Shen Hui
Published: December 2016

This research examines the performance of strengthened non-uniformly corroded reinforced self-consolidating concrete (SCC) members. This paper focuses on three aspects of concrete including corrosion, concrete cover loss, and repair technique. Up to a 50% corrosion level is considered in this study. Corrosion was experimentally induced and was simulated in other cases. Twenty-six reinforced concrete (RC) members with various corrosion levels or simulated corrosion levels were constructed and investigated. The beams with corrosion problems including those that had experimentally induced corrosion or simulated corrosion, with or without concrete cover, were repaired using carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) sheets and U-wraps. Two line loads were applied to all of the non-repaired and repaired beams constructed in this study until failure. It was found that it is conservative to model the actual corrosion by simulating the equivalent area of steel reinforcing for up to a 20% level of corrosion. For corrosion levels over 20%, the simulated corrosion over predicts the load capacity of the actual corrosion cases. When the concrete cover was lost and for a corrosion level larger than 10%, the repaired beam did not reach similar performance to that of a repaired beam with a concrete cover that was still intact. It appears that using two layers of CFRP sheet did not improve the load capacity further, but rather improved the ductility of the deteriorated RC member.
Divergent Expression Patterns in Two Vernicia Species Revealed the Potential Role of the Hub Gene VmAP2/ERF036 in Resistance to Fusarium oxysporum in Vernicia montana
Authors: Zhang Qiyan , Gao Ming , Wu Liwen , Wang Yangdong , Chen Yicun
Published: December 2016

Tung oil tree (Vernicia fordii) is a promising industrial oil crop; however, this tree is highly susceptible to Fusarium wilt disease. Conversely, Vernicia montana is resistant to the pathogen. The APETALA2/ethylene-responsive element binding factor (AP2/ERF) transcription factor superfamily has been reported to play a significant role in resistance to Fusarium oxysporum. In this study, comprehensive analysis identified 75 and 81 putative Vf/VmAP2/ERF transcription factor-encoding genes in V. fordii and V. montana, respectively, which were divided into AP2, ERF, related to ABI3 and VP1 (RAV) and Soloist families. After F. oxysporum infection, a majority of AP2/ERF superfamily genes showed strong patterns of repression in both V. fordii and V. montana. We then identified 53 pairs of one-to-one orthologs in V. fordii and V. montana, with most pairs of orthologous genes exhibiting similar expression in response to the pathogen. Further investigation of Vf/VmAP2/ERF gene expression in plant tissues indicated that the pairs of genes with different expression patterns in response to F. oxysporum tended to exhibit different tissue profiles in the two species. In addition, VmAP2/ERF036, showing the strongest interactions with 666 genes, was identified as a core hub gene mediating resistance. Moreover, qRT-PCR results indicated VmAP2/ERF036 showed repressed expression while its orthologous gene VfAP2/ERF036 had the opposite expression pattern during pathogen infection. Overall, comparative analysis of the Vf/VmAP2/ERF superfamily and indication of a potential hub resistance gene in resistant and susceptible Vernicia species provides valuable information for understanding the molecular basis and selection of essential functional genes for V. fordii genetic engineering to control Fusarium wilt disease.
H-NS, Its Family Members and Their Regulation of Virulence Genes in Shigella Species
Authors: Picker Michael , Wing Helen
Published: December 2016

The histone-like nucleoid structuring protein (H-NS) has played a key role in shaping the evolution of Shigella spp., and provides the backdrop to the regulatory cascade that controls virulence by silencing many genes found on the large virulence plasmid. H-NS and its paralogue StpA are present in all four Shigella spp., but a second H-NS paralogue, Sfh, is found in the Shigella flexneri type strain 2457T, which is routinely used in studies of Shigella pathogenesis. While StpA and Sfh have been proposed to serve as “molecular backups” for H-NS, the apparent redundancy of these proteins is questioned by in vitro studies and work done in Escherichia coli. In this review, we describe the current understanding of the regulatory activities of the H-NS family members, the challenges associated with studying these proteins and their role in the regulation of virulence genes in Shigella.
Transcriptome Analysis of the Tadpole Shrimp (Triops longicaudatus) by Illumina Paired-End Sequencing: Assembly, Annotation, and Marker Discovery
Authors: Seong Jiyeon , Kang Se , Patnaik Bharat , Park So , Hwang Hee , Chung Jong , Song Dae , Noh Mi , Park Seung-Hwan , Jeon Gwang , Kong Hong , Kim Soonok , Hwang Ui , Park Hong , Han Yeon , Lee Yong
Published: December 2016

The tadpole shrimp (Triops longicaudatus) is an aquatic crustacean that helps control pest populations. It inhabits freshwater ponds and pools and has been described as a living fossil. T. longicaudatus was officially declared an endangered species South Korea in 2005; however, through subsequent protection and conservation management, it was removed from the endangered species list in 2012. The limited number of available genetic resources on T. longicaudatus makes it difficult to obtain valuable genetic information for marker-aided selection programs. In this study, whole-transcriptome sequencing of T. longicaudatus generated 39.74 GB of clean data and a total of 269,822 contigs using the Illumina HiSeq 2500 platform. After clustering, a total of 208,813 unigenes with an N50 length of 1089 bp were generated. A total of 95,105 unigenes were successfully annotated against Protostome (PANM), Unigene, Eukaryotic Orthologous Groups (KOG), Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) databases using BLASTX with a cut-off of 1E−5. A total of 57,731 unigenes were assigned to GO terms, and 7247 unigenes were mapped to 129 KEGG pathways. Furthermore, 1595 simple sequence repeats (SSRs) were detected from the unigenes with 1387 potential SSR markers. This is the first report of high-throughput transcriptome analysis of T. longicaudatus, and it provides valuable insights for genetic research and molecular-assisted breeding of this important species.
Phylogenetic Relationships of the Fern Cyrtomium falcatum (Dryopteridaceae) from Dokdo Island Based on Chloroplast Genome Sequencing
Authors: Raman Gurusamy , Choi Kyoung , Park SeonJoo
Published: December 2016

Cyrtomium falcatum is a popular ornamental fern cultivated worldwide. Native to the Korean Peninsula, Japan, and Dokdo Island in the Sea of Japan, it is the only fern present on Dokdo Island. We isolated and characterized the chloroplast (cp) genome of C. falcatum, and compared it with those of closely related species. The genes trnV-GAC and trnV-GAU were found to be present within the cp genome of C. falcatum, whereas trnP-GGG and rpl21 were lacking. Moreover, cp genomes of Cyrtomium devexiscapulae and Adiantum capillus-veneris lack trnP-GGG and rpl21, suggesting these are not conserved among angiosperm cp genomes. The deletion of trnR-UCG, trnR-CCG, and trnSeC in the cp genomes of C. falcatum and other eupolypod ferns indicates these genes are restricted to tree ferns, non-core leptosporangiates, and basal ferns. The C. falcatum cp genome also encoded ndhF and rps7, with GUG start codons that were only conserved in polypod ferns, and it shares two significant inversions with other ferns, including a minor inversion of the trnD-GUC region and an approximate 3 kb inversion of the trnG-trnT region. Phylogenetic analyses showed that Equisetum was found to be a sister clade to Psilotales-Ophioglossales with a 100% bootstrap (BS) value. The sister relationship between Pteridaceae and eupolypods was also strongly supported by a 100% BS, but Bayesian molecular clock analyses suggested that C. falcatum diversified in the mid-Paleogene period (45.15 ± 4.93 million years ago) and might have moved from Eurasia to Dokdo Island.
A Rapid, Accurate, and Efficient Method to Map Heavy Metal-Contaminated Soils of Abandoned Mine Sites Using Converted Portable XRF Data and GIS
Authors: Suh Jangwon , Lee Hyeongyu , Choi Yosoon
Published: December 2016

The use of portable X-ray fluorescence (PXRF) and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) increases the rapidity and accuracy of soil contamination mapping, respectively. In practice, it is often necessary to repeat the soil contamination assessment and mapping procedure several times during soil management within a limited budget. In this study, we have developed a rapid, inexpensive, and accurate soil contamination mapping method using a PXRF data and geostatistical spatial interpolation. To obtain a large quantity of high quality data for interpolation, in situ PXRF data analyzed at 40 points were transformed to converted PXRF data using the correlation between PXRF and ICP-AES data. The method was applied to an abandoned mine site in Korea to generate a soil contamination map for copper and was validated for investigation speed and prediction accuracy. As a result, regions that required soil remediation were identified. Our method significantly shortened the time required for mapping compared to the conventional mapping method and provided copper concentration estimates with high accuracy similar to those measured by ICP-AES. Therefore, our method is an effective way of mapping soil contamination if we consistently construct a database based on the correlation between PXRF and ICP-AES data.
Examining the Cervical Screening Behaviour of Women Aged 50 or above and Its Predicting Factors: A Population-Based Survey
Authors: Chan Carmen , Choi Kai , Wong Rosa , Chow Ka , So Winnie , Leung Doris , Lam Wendy , Goggins William
Published: December 2016

Under-screening may increase the risk of cervical cancer in middle-aged women. This study aimed to investigate cervical cancer screening behaviour and its predictors among women aged 50 years or above. A population-based sample of 959 women was recruited by telephone from domestic households in Hong Kong, using random methods, and a structured questionnaire developed to survey participants. Multivariable logistic regressions were performed to examine the factors independently associated with cervical screening behaviour. Nearly half the sample (48%) had never had a cervical smear test. Multivariable analyses showed that age, educational level, marital status, family history of cancer, smoking status, use of complementary therapy, recommendation from health professionals, and believing that regular visits to a doctor or a Chinese herbalist were good for their health were predictors of cervical screening behaviour. Misconceptions concerned with menopause may reduce women’s perceived susceptibility to cervical cancer, especially if they are 50 or above, and exert a negative effect on their screening behaviour. Healthcare professionals should actively approach these high-risk groups–older unmarried women, smokers, those less educated and who are generally not much concerned with their health.
Parity, Age at First Birth, and Risk of Death from Bladder Cancer: A Population-Based Cohort Study in Taiwan
Authors: Chiu Hui-Fen , Chen Brian , Yang Chun-Yuh
Published: December 2016

The evidence is limited on the relationship between reproductive factors and bladder cancer (BC). We studied 1,292,462 women who had a first and singleton delivery between 1 January 1978 and 31 December 1987. Each woman in the study cohort was tracked from their first childbirth to 31 December 2009. Vital status of the women was determined by crosswalking records with a computerized mortality database. We used Cox proportional hazard regression models to estimate the hazard ratios (HRs) of death from BC associated with maternal age at first birth and parity. The data showed 63 BC deaths during 34,980,246 person-years of follow-up. BC mortality rate was 0.90 cases for every 100,000 person-years. Compared with women who gave birth under the age of 23, the adjusted HR was 1.24 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.66–2.35) for women who gave birth between age 23 and 26 and 2.30 (95% CI = 1.21–4.39) for women who gave birth over the age of 26. Increasing age at first birth (p for trend = 0.01) is associated with a trend in increasing risk of BC mortality. Relative to women who had a single childbirth, the adjusted HRs were 1.17 (95% CI = 0.51–2.69) for women who gave birth to two children, and 1.31 (95% CI = 0.56–3.10) for women with three or more childbirths, respectively. These results were not statistically significant. Study results suggests that giving birth at an early age may confer a protective effect on the risk of death from BC.
Indoor Air Quality in the Metro System in North Taiwan
Authors: Chen Ying-Yi , Sung Fung-Chang , Chen Mei-Lien , Mao I-Fang , Lu Chung-Yen
Published: December 2016

Indoor air pollution is an increasing health concern, especially in enclosed environments such as underground subway stations because of increased global usage by urban populations. This study measured the indoor air quality of underground platforms at 10 metro stations of the Taipei Rapid Transit system (TRTS) in Taiwan, including humidity, temperature, carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO2), formaldehyde (HCHO), total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs), ozone (O3), airborne particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), bacteria and fungi. Results showed that the CO2, CO and HCHO levels met the stipulated standards as regulated by Taiwan’s Indoor Air Quality Management Act (TIAQMA). However, elevated PM10 and PM2.5 levels were measured at most stations. TVOCs and bacterial concentrations at some stations measured in summer were higher than the regulated standards stipulated by Taiwan’s Environmental Protection Administration. Further studies should be conducted to reduce particulate matters, TVOCs and bacteria in the air of subway stations.
Closing the Skill Gap of Cloud CRM Application Services in Cloud Computing for Evaluating Big Data Solutions
Authors: Chen You-Shyang , Lin Chien-Ku , Chuang Huan-Ming
Published: December 2016

Information systems (IS) continually motivate various improvements in the state-of-the-art of issues and solutions for advanced geo-information technologies in cloud computing. Reducing IS project risks and improving organizational performance has become an important issue. This study proposes a research framework, constructed from the Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) framework, in order to address the issues comprising the stimulus of project risk, the organism of project management, and the response of organizational performance for cloud service solutions. Cloud customer relationship management (cloud CRM) experts, based on cloud computing, with many years of project management experience, were selected for the interview sample in this study. Decision Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory–based analytical network process (DEMATEL based-ANP, DANP) is a multiple-criteria decision-making (MCDM) analysis tool that does not have prior assumptions and it was used to experience the dynamic relationships among project risk, project management, and organizational performance. The study results include three directions: (a) Improving the internal business process performance can improve the efficiency of cloud CRM project processes and activities; (b) The emphasis on financial performance management can reduce the cost of a cloud CRM project so that the project can be completed within the approved budget; (c) Meeting user needs can improve user risk and reduce negative cloud CRM user experience. The scientific value of this study can be extended in order to study different projects, through research methods and frameworks, in order to explore project risk management and corporate performance improvements.
Describing Geospatial Assets in the Web of Data: A Metadata Management Scenario
Authors: Fugazza Cristiano , Pepe Monica , Oggioni Alessandro , Tagliolato Paolo , Pavesi Fabio , Carrara Paola
Published: December 2016

Metadata management is an essential enabling factor for geospatial assets because discovery, retrieval, and actual usage of the latter are tightly bound to the quality of these descriptions. Unfortunately, the multi-faceted landscape of metadata formats, requirements, and conventions makes it difficult to identify editing tools that can be easily tailored to the specificities of a given project, workgroup, and Community of Practice. Our solution is a template-driven metadata editing tool that can be customised to any XML-based schema. Its output is constituted by standards-compliant metadata records that also have a semantics-aware counterpart eliciting novel exploitation techniques. Moreover, external data sources can easily be plugged in to provide autocompletion functionalities on the basis of the data structures made available on the Web of Data. Beside presenting the essentials on customisation of the editor by means of two use cases, we extend the methodology to the whole life cycle of geospatial metadata. We demonstrate the novel capabilities enabled by RDF-based metadata representation with respect to traditional metadata management in the geospatial domain.
Immune-Related Gene Expression Patterns in GPV- or H9N2-Infected Goose Spleens
Authors: Chen Shun , Wang Anqi , Sun Lipei , Liu Fei , Wang Mingshu , Jia Renyong , Zhu Dekang , Liu Mafeng , Yang Qiao , Wu Ying , Sun Kunfeng , Chen Xiaoyue , Cheng Anchun
Published: December 2016

Goose parvovirus (GPV) and avian influenza virus subtype H9N2 are single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) and single-stranded RNA (ssRNA) viruses, respectively, both of which can spread in goslings and cause a significant economic loss. To explore the comprehensive transcriptome of GPV- or H9N2-infected goose spleens and to understand the immune responses induced by a DNA virus (GPV) or a RNA virus (H9N2), RNA-seq was performed on the spleens of goslings at the fifth day post infection. In the present study, 2604 and 2409 differentially expressed unigenes were identified in the GPV- and H9N2-infected groups, respectively. Through KEGG pathway enrichment analyses, the up-regulated transcripts in the two virus-infected groups were mainly involved in immune-related pathways. In addition, the two virus-infected groups displayed similar expression patterns in the immune response pathways, including pattern-recognition receptor signaling pathways, the antigen processing and presentation pathway, the NF-κB signaling pathway and the JAK-STAT signaling pathway, as well as cytokines. Furthermore, most of the immune-related genes, particularly TLR7, TRAF3, Mx, TRIM25, CD4, and CD8α, increased in response to GPV and H9N2 infection. However, the depression of NF-κB signaling may be a mechanism by which the viruses evade the host immune system or a strategy to achieve immune homeostasis.
Autoimmune Regulator Expression in DC2.4 Cells Regulates the NF-κB Signaling and Cytokine Expression of the Toll-Like Receptor 3 Pathway
Authors: Sun Jitong , Niu Kunwei , Fu Haiying , Li Haijun , Li Yi , Yang Wei
Published: December 2016

Autoimmune regulator (Aire) mutations result in autoimmune polyendocrinopathy candidiasis ectodermal dystrophy (APECED), which manifests as multi-organ autoimmunity and chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis (CMC). Indendritic cells (DCs), pattern recognition receptors (PRR), such as Toll-like receptors (TLRs), are closely involved in the recognition of various pathogens, activating the intercellular signaling pathway, followed by the activation of transcription factors and the expression of downstream genes, which take part in mediating the immune response and maintaining immune tolerance. In this study, we found that Aire up-regulated TLR3 expression and modulated the downstream cytokine expression and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) of the TLR3 signaling pathway.
Immunopathogenic Mechanisms of Autoimmune Hepatitis: How Much Do We Know from Animal Models?
Authors: Christen Urs , Hintermann Edith
Published: December 2016

Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is characterized by a progressive destruction of the liver parenchyma and a chronic fibrosis. The current treatment of autoimmune hepatitis is still largely dependent on the administration of corticosteroids and cytostatic drugs. For a long time the development of novel therapeutic strategies has been hampered by a lack of understanding the basic immunopathogenic mechanisms of AIH and the absence of valid animal models. However, in the past decade, knowledge from clinical observations in AIH patients and the development of innovative animal models have led to a situation where critical factors driving the disease have been identified and alternative treatments are being evaluated. Here we will review the insight on the immunopathogenesis of AIH as gained from clinical observation and from animal models.
Comprehensive Analysis of miRNome Alterations in Response to Sorafenib Treatment in Colorectal Cancer Cells
Authors: Pehserl Anna-Maria , Ress Anna , Stanzer Stefanie , Resel Margit , Karbiener Michael , Stadelmeyer Elke , Stiegelbauer Verena , Gerger Armin , Mayr Christian , Scheideler Marcel , Hutterer Georg , Bauernhofer Thomas , Kiesslich Tobias , Pichler Martin
Published: December 2016

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are master regulators of drug resistance and have been previously proposed as potential biomarkers for the prediction of therapeutic response in colorectal cancer (CRC). Sorafenib, a multi-kinase inhibitor which has been approved for the treatment of liver, renal and thyroid cancer, is currently being studied as a monotherapy in selected molecular subtypes or in combination with other drugs in metastatic CRC. In this study, we explored sorafenib-induced cellular effects in Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog olog (KRAS) wild-type and KRAS-mutated CRC cell lines (Caco-2 and HRT-18), and finally profiled expression changes of specific miRNAs within the miRNome (>1000 human miRNAs) after exposure to sorafenib. Overall, sorafenib induced a time- and dose-dependent growth-inhibitory effect through S-phase cell cycle arrest in KRAS wild-type and KRAS-mutated CRC cells. In HRT-18 cells, two human miRNAs (hsa-miR-597 and hsa-miR-720) and two small RNAs (SNORD 13 and hsa-miR-3182) were identified as specifically sorafenib-induced. In Caco-2 cells, nine human miRNAs (hsa-miR-3142, hsa-miR-20a, hsa-miR-4301, hsa-miR-1290, hsa-miR-4286, hsa-miR-3182, hsa-miR-3142, hsa-miR-1246 and hsa-miR-720) were identified to be differentially regulated post sorafenib treatment. In conclusion, we confirmed sorafenib as a potential anti-neoplastic treatment strategy for CRC cells by demonstrating a growth-inhibitory and cell cycle–arresting effect of this drug. Changes in the miRNome indicate that some specific miRNAs might be relevant as indicators for sorafenib response, drug resistance and potential targets for combinatorial miRNA-based drug strategies.
Natural Non-Mulberry Silk Nanoparticles for Potential-Controlled Drug Release
Authors: Wang Juan , Yin Zhuping , Xue Xiang , Kundu Subhas , Mo Xiumei , Lu Shenzhou
Published: December 2016

Natural silk protein nanoparticles are a promising biomaterial for drug delivery due to their pleiotropic properties, including biocompatibility, high bioavailability, and biodegradability. Chinese oak tasar Antheraea pernyi silk fibroin (ApF) nanoparticles are easily obtained using cations as reagents under mild conditions. The mild conditions are potentially advantageous for the encapsulation of sensitive drugs and therapeutic molecules. In the present study, silk fibroin protein nanoparticles are loaded with differently-charged small-molecule drugs, such as doxorubicin hydrochloride, ibuprofen, and ibuprofen-Na, by simple absorption based on electrostatic interactions. The structure, morphology and biocompatibility of the silk nanoparticles in vitro are investigated. In vitro release of the drugs from the nanoparticles depends on charge-charge interactions between the drugs and the nanoparticles. The release behavior of the compounds from the nanoparticles demonstrates that positively-charged molecules are released in a more prolonged or sustained manner. Cell viability studies with L929 demonstrated that the ApF nanoparticles significantly promoted cell growth. The results suggest that Chinese oak tasar Antheraea pernyi silk fibroin nanoparticles can be used as an alternative matrix for drug carrying and controlled release in diverse biomedical applications.
Preparation of a Bis-GMA-Free Dental Resin System with Synthesized Fluorinated Dimethacrylate Monomers
Authors: Luo Shuzhen , Zhu Wenbin , Liu Fang , He Jingwei
Published: December 2016

With the aim of reducing human exposure to Bisphenol A (BPA) derivatives in dentistry, a fluorinated dimethacrylate monomer was synthesized to replace 2,2-bis[4-(2-hydroxy-3-methacryloy-loxypropyl)-phenyl]propane (Bis-GMA) as the base monomer of dental resin. After mixing with reactive diluent triethyleneglycol dimethacrylate (TEGDMA), fluorinated dimethacrylate (FDMA)/TEGDMA was prepared and compared with Bis-GMA/TEGDMA in physicochemical properties, such as double bond conversion (DC), volumetric shrinkage (VS), water sorption (WS) and solubility (WSL), flexural strength (FS) and modulus (FM). The results showed that, when compared with Bis-GMA based resin, FDMA-based resin had several advantages, such as higher DC, lower VS, lower WS, and higher FS after water immersion. All of these revealed that FDMA had potential to be used as a substitute for Bis-GMA. Of course, many more studies, such as biocompatibility testing, should be undertaken to prove whether FDMA could be applied in clinic.
Light/Dark Shifting Promotes Alcohol-Induced Colon Carcinogenesis: Possible Role of Intestinal Inflammatory Milieu and Microbiota
Authors: Bishehsari Faraz , Saadalla Abdulrahman , Khazaie Khashayarsha , Engen Phillip , Voigt Robin , Shetuni Brandon , Forsyth Christopher , Shaikh Maliha , Vitaterna Martha , Turek Fred , Keshavarzian Ali
Published: December 2016

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is associated with the modern lifestyle. Chronic alcohol consumption—a frequent habit of majority of modern societies—increases the risk of CRC. Our group showed that chronic alcohol consumption increases polyposis in a mouse mode of CRC. Here we assess the effect of circadian disruption—another modern life style habit—in promoting alcohol-associated CRC. Method: TS4Cre × adenomatous polyposis coli (APC)lox468 mice underwent (a) an alcohol-containing diet while maintained on a normal 12 h light:12 h dark cycle; or (b) an alcohol-containing diet in conjunction with circadian disruption by once-weekly 12 h phase reversals of the light:dark (LD) cycle. Mice were sacrificed after eight weeks of full alcohol and/or LD shift to collect intestine samples. Tumor number, size, and histologic grades were compared between animal groups. Mast cell protease 2 (MCP2) and 6 (MCP6) histology score were analyzed and compared. Stool collected at baseline and after four weeks of experimental manipulations was used for microbiota analysis. Results: The combination of alcohol and LD shifting accelerated intestinal polyposis, with a significant increase in polyp size, and caused advanced neoplasia. Consistent with a pathogenic role of stromal tryptase-positive mast cells in colon carcinogenesis, the ratio of mMCP6 (stromal)/mMCP2 (intraepithelial) mast cells increased upon LD shifting. Baseline microbiota was similar between groups, and experimental manipulations resulted in a significant difference in the microbiota composition between groups. Conclusions: Circadian disruption by Light:dark shifting exacerbates alcohol-induced polyposis and CRC. Effect of circadian disruption could, at least partly, be mediated by promoting a pro-tumorigenic inflammatory milieu via changes in microbiota.
Human Intervention Study to Assess the Effects of Supplementation with Olive Leaf Extract on Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cell Gene Expression
Authors: Boss Anna , Kao Chi , Murray Pamela , Marlow Gareth , Barnett Matthew , Ferguson Lynnette
Published: December 2016

Olive leaf extract (OLE) has been used for many years for its putative health benefits, but, to date, scientific evidence for the basis of these effects has been weak. Although recent literature has described a link between ailments such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer and a protective effect of polyphenols in the OLE, the mode of action is still unclear. Here, we describe a double-blinded placebo (PBO)-controlled trial, in which gene expression profiles of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from healthy male volunteers (n = 29) were analysed to identify genes that responded to OLE, following an eight-week intervention with 20 mL daily consumption of either OLE or PBO. Differences between groups were determined using an adjusted linear model. Subsequent analyses indicated downregulation of genes important in inflammatory pathways, lipid metabolism and cancer as a result of OLE consumption. Gene expression was verified by real-time PCR for three genes (EGR1, COX-2 and ID3). The results presented here suggest that OLE consumption may result in health benefits through influencing the expression of genes in inflammatory and metabolic pathways. Future studies with a larger study group, including male and female participants, looking into direct effects of OLE on lipid metabolism and inflammation are warranted.
Targeting on Asymmetric Dimethylarginine-Related Nitric Oxide-Reactive Oxygen Species Imbalance to Reprogram the Development of Hypertension
Authors: Tain You-Lin , Hsu Chien-Ning
Published: December 2016

Adult-onset diseases, including hypertension, can originate from early life, known as the developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD). Because the developing kidney is vulnerable to early-life insults, renal programming is considered key in the developmental programming of hypertension. Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), an endogenous nitric oxide (NO) synthase inhibitor, can regulate the NO–reactive oxygen species (ROS) balance, and is involved in the development of hypertension. Reprogramming interventions aimed at NO-ROS balance can be protective in both genetic and developmentally programmed hypertension. Here we review several emergent themes of the DOHaD approach regarding the impact of ADMA-related NO-ROS imbalance on programmed hypertension. We focus on the kidney in the following areas: mechanistic insights to interpret programmed hypertension; the impact of ADMA-related NO-ROS imbalance in both genetic and acquired animal models of hypertension; alterations of the renal transcriptome in response to ADMA in the developing kidney; and reprogramming strategies targeting ADMA-related NO-ROS balance to prevent programmed hypertension.
Addendum: Bedoya-Pérez, L.P. et al. Role of UPR Pathway in Defense Response of Aedes aegypti against Cry11Aa Toxin from Bacillus thuringiensis. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2013, 14, 8467–8478
Authors: Bedoya-Pérez Leidy , Cancino-Rodezno Angeles , Flores-Escobar Biviana , Soberón Mario , Bravo Alejandra
Published: December 2016

The authors would like to indicate that Dr. Angeles Cancino-Rodezno and Leidy P. Bedoya-Pérez participated equally in their paper published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences [1].[...]
Secondary Structure Adopted by the Gly-Gly-X Repetitive Regions of Dragline Spider Silk
Authors: Gray Geoffrey , Van der Vaart Arjan , Guo Chengchen , Jones Justin , Onofrei David , Cherry Brian , Lewis Randolph , Yarger Jeffery , Holland Gregory
Published: December 2016

Solid-state NMR and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are presented to help elucidate the molecular secondary structure of poly(Gly-Gly-X), which is one of the most common structural repetitive motifs found in orb-weaving dragline spider silk proteins. The combination of NMR and computational experiments provides insight into the molecular secondary structure of poly(Gly-Gly-X) segments and provides further support that these regions are disordered and primarily non-β-sheet. Furthermore, the combination of NMR and MD simulations illustrate the possibility for several secondary structural elements in the poly(Gly-Gly-X) regions of dragline silks, including β-turns, 310-helicies, and coil structures with a negligible population of α-helix observed.
Comparative Evaluation of TRAIL, FGF-2 and VEGF-A-Induced Angiogenesis In Vitro and In Vivo
Authors: Cartland Siân , Genner Scott , Zahoor Amna , Kavurma Mary
Published: December 2016

Tumor necrosis-factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) has been implicated in angiogenesis; the growth of new blood vessels from an existing vessel bed. Our aim was to compare pro-angiogenic responses of TRAIL, vascular endothelial growth-factor-A (VEGF-A) and fibroblast growth-factor-2 (FGF-2) either separately (10 ng/mL) or in combination, followed by the assessment of proliferation, migration and tubule formation using human microvascular endothelial-1 (HMEC-1) cells in vitro. Angiogenesis was also measured in vivo using the Matrigel plug assay. TRAIL and FGF-2 significantly augmented HMEC-1 cell proliferation and migration, with combination treatment having an enhanced effect on cell migration only. In contrast, VEGF-A did not stimulate HMEC-1 migration at 10 ng/mL. Tubule formation was induced by all three factors, with TRAIL more effective compared to VEGF-A, but not FGF-2. TRAIL at 400 ng/mL, but not VEGF-A, promoted CD31-positive staining into the Matrigel plug. However, FGF-2 was superior, stimulating cell infiltration and angiogenesis better than TRAIL and VEGF-A in vivo. These findings demonstrate that each growth factor is more effective at different processes of angiogenesis in vitro and in vivo. Understanding how these molecules stimulate different processes relating to angiogenesis may help identify new strategies and treatments aimed at inhibiting or promoting dysregulated angiogenesis in people.
Checkpoints to the Brain: Directing Myeloid Cell Migration to the Central Nervous System
Authors: Harrison-Brown Meredith , Liu Guo-Jun , Banati Richard
Published: December 2016

Myeloid cells are a unique subset of leukocytes with a diverse array of functions within the central nervous system during health and disease. Advances in understanding of the unique properties of these cells have inspired interest in their use as delivery vehicles for therapeutic genes, proteins, and drugs, or as “assistants” in the clean-up of aggregated proteins and other molecules when existing drainage systems are no longer adequate. The trafficking of myeloid cells from the periphery to the central nervous system is subject to complex cellular and molecular controls with several ‘checkpoints’ from the blood to their destination in the brain parenchyma. As important components of the neurovascular unit, the functional state changes associated with lineage heterogeneity of myeloid cells are increasingly recognized as important for disease progression. In this review, we discuss some of the cellular elements associated with formation and function of the neurovascular unit, and present an update on the impact of myeloid cells on central nervous system (CNS) diseases in the laboratory and the clinic. We then discuss emerging strategies for harnessing the potential of site-directed myeloid cell homing to the CNS, and identify promising avenues for future research, with particular emphasis on the importance of untangling the functional heterogeneity within existing myeloid subsets.