bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Does adherence to the Mediterranean dietary pattern reduce asthma symptoms in children? A systematic review of observational studies
Authors: Papamichael Maria M , Itsiopoulos Catherine , Susanto Nugroho H , Erbas Bircan
Published: August 2017

Objective

The purpose of the present systematic review was to synthesize evidence from the literature to assess efficacy of the Mediterranean dietary pattern in childhood asthma.

Design/Setting

A systematic search of six databases, three clinical trial registries and hand-search of peer-reviewed articles was conducted up to 29 October 2016. Inclusion criteria included exposure to a Mediterranean dietary pattern, measurement of asthma symptoms and study population of children aged <18 years. Quality assessment was conducted. Due to significant heterogeneity, meta-analysis was not feasible.

Results

Of the 436 articles identified, after removal of duplicates and based on inclusion criteria, fifteen observational studies conducted in Mediterranean and non-Mediterranean countries were relevant. No randomized controlled trials were retrieved. Twelve studies reported an inverse association between adherence to a Mediterranean dietary pattern and asthma in children, two studies showed no association and one study showed an increase in asthma symptoms. In fourteen out of fifteen studies, quality assessment checks revealed good reliability and validity among study methodologies.

Conclusions

The current systematic review revealed a consistent inverse relationship (protective) between a Mediterranean dietary pattern and asthma in children. Future well-designed randomized controlled trials are needed to provide solid evidence. Nevertheless, the existing level of evidence adds to the public health message relating to the beneficial effects of a Mediterranean-type diet in children suffering with asthma.
Table Talk: development of an observational tool to assess verbal feeding communications in early care and education settings
Authors: Swindle Taren , Rutledge Julie M , Dix Belynda , Whiteside-Mansell Leanne
Published: August 2017

Objective

Children’s dietary intake impacts weight status and a range of short- and long-term health outcomes. Accurate measurement of factors that influence children’s diet is critical to the development and evaluation of interventions designed to improve children’s diets. The purpose of the current paper is to present the development of the Table Talk observational tool to measure early care and education teachers’ (ECET) verbal feeding communications.

Design

An observational tool to assess ECET verbal communication at mealtimes was deigned based on the extant literature. Trained observers conducted observations using the tool during lunch for both lead and assistant ECET. Descriptive statistics, test–retest for a subgroup, interclass correlations for each item, and comparisons between leads and assistants were conducted.

Setting

Head Start centres, Southern USA.

Subjects

Seventy-five Head Start educators.

Results

On average, 17·2 total verbal feeding communications (sd8·9) were observed per ECET. For lead ECET, the most prevalent Supportive Comment was Exploring Foods whereas for assistants Making Positive Comments was the most prevalent. Overall, lead ECET enacted more Supportive Comments than assistant ECET (F(2,72)=4·8,P=0·03). The most common Unsupportive Comment was Pressuring to Eat, with a mean of 3·8 (sd4·3) and a maximum of 25. There was no difference in Unsupportive Comments between lead and assistant ECET.

Conclusions

Table Talk may be a useful tool to assess verbal feeding communications of ECET, with potential applications such as informing ECET training and assessing intervention efforts.
BOUNDEDNESS OF GENERALIZED RIESZ POTENTIALS ON THE VARIABLE HARDY SPACES
Authors: ROCHA PABLO
Published: August 2017

We study the boundedness from $H^{p(\cdot )}(\mathbb{R}^{n})$ into $L^{q(\cdot )}(\mathbb{R}^{n})$ of certain generalized Riesz potentials and the boundedness from $H^{p(\cdot )}(\mathbb{R}^{n})$ into $H^{q(\cdot )}(\mathbb{R}^{n})$ of the Riesz potential, both results are achieved via the finite atomic decomposition developed in Cruz-Uribe and Wang [‘Variable Hardy spaces’, Indiana University Mathematics Journal63(2) (2014), 447–493].
Recruiting young people with a visible difference to the YP Face IT feasibility trial: a qualitative exploration of primary care staff experiences
Authors: Hamlet Claire , Williamson Heidi , Harcourt Diana
Published: August 2017

Background

Qualitative research methods embedded within feasibility trials are of significant value as they can provide important information for a definitive trial, often unable to be fulfilled by quantitative methods alone. In addition, such information can aid researchers running other trials or evaluating interventions on a similar topic.

Aim

This study aimed to explore GP and nurses’ experiences of recruiting to a trial exploring the feasibility of evaluating YP Face IT, a novel online psychosocial intervention to support young people with appearance-altering conditions.

Methods

During the recruitment period, a focus group with participating GPs and nurses explored recruitment challenges. In addition, at the end of the recruitment period, telephone interviews were conducted with eight GPs and nurses involved in recruiting to the study, in order to inform a definitive trial of YP Face IT. Transcripts were subjected to thematic analysis.

Findings

Despite reporting that the study was valuable and interesting, interviewees struggled to recruit in-consultation. They appeared to lack confidence in raising the sensitive issue of a visible difference and adopted strategies to avoid mentioning the topic. Participants felt the nature of the target population, as well as pressures of the primary care environment presented challenges to recruitment, but welcomed YP Face IT as an intervention that could address unmet support needs. Primary care staff may benefit from training to help them raise the subject of a visible difference with young people in order to identify those that require additional support.
Perspectives of patients, close relatives, nurses, and physicians on end-of-life medication management
Authors: Dees Marianne K. , Geijteman Eric C.T. , Dekkers Wim J.M. , Huisman Bregje A.A. , Perez Roberto S.G.M. , van Zuylen Lia , van der Heide Agnes , van Leeuwen Evert
Published: August 2017

Objective:

Our aim was to gain insight into the perspectives of patients, close relatives, nurses, and physicians on medication management for patients with a life expectancy of less than 3 months.

Method:

We conducted an empirical multicenter study with a qualitative approach, including in-depth interviews with patients, relatives, nurses, specialists, and general practitioners (GPs). We used the constant comparative method and ATLAS.ti (v. 7.1) software for our analysis.

Results:

Saturation occurred after 18 patient cases (76 interviews). Some 5 themes covering 18 categories were identified: (1) priorities in end-of-life care, such as symptom management and maintaining hope; (2) appropriate medication use, with attention to unnecessary medication and deprescription barriers; (3) roles in decision making, including physicians in the lead, relatives' advocacy, and pharmacists as suppliers; (4) organization and communication (e.g., transparency of tasks and end-of-life conversations); and (5) prerequisites about professional competence, accessibility and quality of medical records, and financial awareness. Patients, relatives, nurses, specialists, and GPs varied in their opinions about these themes.

Significance of Results:

This study adds to our in-depth understanding of the complex practice of end-of-life medication management. It provides knowledge about the diversity of the perspectives of patients, close relatives, nurses, and physicians regarding beliefs, attitudes, knowledge, skills, behavior, work setting, the health system, and cultural factors related to the matter. Our results might help to draw an interdisciplinary end-of-life medication management guide aimed at stimulating a multidisciplinary and patient-centered pharmacotherapeutic care approach.
Design of two-stage fish spear-shaped UWB bandpass filter with sharp selectivity and good out-of-band performances
Authors: Jhariya Dharmendra Kumar , Mohan Akhilesh , Sinha Manoranjan
Published: August 2017

In this paper, a novel two-stage fish spear-shaped multimode resonator (MMR)-based ultra wideband (UWB) bandpass filter (BPF) is presented. The fish spear-shaped MMR is loaded with stepped impedance resonator in order to improve the out-of-band performance of the proposed filter. The proposed UWB BPF filter has fractional bandwidth better than 110%. In order to validate the present design approach, the filter is fabricated on RT/Duroid 5880 having dielectric constant 2.2, thickness 0.787 mm and loss tangent of 0.0009. The measured passband bandwidth of the filter is from 3.3 to 11.85 GHz, with insertion loss of 1.5 dB and return loss better than 12 dB in the passband. The proposed filter has sharp selectivity and upper stopband with 20 dB attenuation from 12 to 24 GHz.
Placental Expressions of CDKN1C and KCNQ1OT1 in Monozygotic Twins with Selective Intrauterine Growth Restriction
Authors: Gou Chenyu , Liu Xiangzhen , Shi Xiaomei , Chai Hanjing , He Zhi-ming , Huang Xuan , Fang Qun
Published: August 2017

CDKN1C and KCNQ1OT1 are imprinted genes that might be potential regulators of placental development. This study investigated placental expressions of CDKN1C and KCNQ1OT1 in monozygotic twins with and without selective intrauterine growth restriction (sIUGR). Seventeen sIUGR and fifteen normal monozygotic(MZ) twin pairs were examined. Placental mRNA expressions of CDKN1C and KCNQ1OT1 were detected by real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR. CDKN1C protein expression was detected by immunohistochemical assay and Western-blotting. In the sIUGR group, smaller fetuses had a smaller share of the placenta, and CDKN1C protein expression was significantly increased while KCNQ1OT1 mRNA expression was significantly decreased. The CDKN1C/KCNQ1OT1 mRNA ratio was lower in the larger fetus than in the smaller fetus (p < .05). In the control group, CDKN1C protein expression showed no difference between larger and smaller fetuses, while KCNQ1OT1 mRNA expression was significantly lower in the larger fetus, and the CDKN1C/KCNQ1OT1 mRNA ratio was higher in the larger fetus than in the smaller fetus (p < .05). Our findings showed that pathogenesis of sIUGR may be related to the co-effect of the up-regulated protein expression of CDKN1C and down-regulated mRNA expression of KCNQ1OT1 in the placenta.
Implementation of a Behavioral Intervention in Consultation-Liaison With an International Family
Authors: Victor Elizabeth C. , Hamoda Hesham M. , Tsang Kevin K.
Published: August 2017

Pediatric psychologists are frequently consulted for inpatient concerns regarding disruptive behaviors (e.g., verbal and physical tantrum, defiance) that impact medical care. The purpose of this case study is to describe the implementation of a behavioral protocol for a young child in an inpatient medical setting. This study describes the application and challenges of utilizing a behavioral management plan to address tantrum behaviors associated with medical care in an Arabic-speaking 4-year-old child from the Middle East hospitalized for a chronic medical condition. Treatment included 32 contacts over the course of a 2-month hospitalization. The focus of these contacts included implementation of behavioral and parenting strategies to decrease tantrum behaviors during routine medical care. Challenges in implementing a behavior plan within a large medical setting are discussed, including issues associated with fidelity to behavioral interventions, psychoeducation about behavioral principles, and cultural factors and barriers relevant to this patient. These factors are highlighted to better examine their impact on the implementation of behavioral interventions for international patients in a tertiary care pediatric hospital. Further research is necessary to better understand cultural differences influencing behavioral management of patients with chronic medical conditions during prolonged medical stays.
Macrophage polarization and function: new prospects for fibrotic disease
Authors: Zhou Dexi , Yang Kui , Chen Lu , Wang Yaqin , Zhang Wen , Xu Zhenyu , Zuo Jian , Jiang Hui , Luan Jiajie
Published: August 2017

Fibrosis is commonly regarded as a pathological and dynamic process with the hallmarks of chronic inflammation and wound healing. Emerging evidence indicates that heterogeneous monocyte–macrophage lineage cells are indispensable for mounting either pro‐fibrotic or anti‐fibrotic responses in different stages during fibrotic pathogenesis. This review highlights the evolving roles of macrophage polarization and functions linked to fibrosis in multiple organs. In the future, identifying the molecular and cellular factors that influence the macrophage phenotypic balance may provide novel therapeutic approaches for fibrotic diseases.
Organic transistor platform with integrated microfluidics for in-line multi-parametric in vitro cell monitoring
Authors: Curto Vincenzo F. , Marchiori Bastien , Hama Adel , Pappa Anna-Maria , Ferro Magali P. , Braendlein Marcel , Rivnay Jonathan , Fiocchi Michel , Malliaras George G. , Ramuz Marc , Owens Róisín M.
Published: August 2017

Future drug discovery and toxicology testing could benefit significantly from more predictive and multi-parametric readouts from in vitro models. Despite the recent advances in the field of microfluidics, and more recently organ-on-a-chip technology, there is still a high demand for real-time monitoring systems that can be readily embedded with microfluidics. In addition, multi-parametric monitoring is essential to improve the predictive quality of the data used to inform clinical studies that follow. Here we present a microfluidic platform integrated with in-line electronic sensors based on the organic electrochemical transistor. Our goals are two-fold, first to generate a platform to host cells in a more physiologically relevant environment (using physiologically relevant fluid shear stress (FSS)) and second to show efficient integration of multiple different methods for assessing cell morphology, differentiation, and integrity. These include optical imaging, impedance monitoring, metabolite sensing, and a wound-healing assay. We illustrate the versatility of this multi-parametric monitoring in giving us increased confidence to validate the improved differentiation of cells toward a physiological profile under FSS, thus yielding more accurate data when used to assess the effect of drugs or toxins. Overall, this platform will enable high-content screening for in vitro drug discovery and toxicology testing and bridges the existing gap in the integration of in-line sensors in microfluidic devices.
Erratum: High-throughput quantitation of inorganic nanoparticle biodistribution at the single-cell level using mass cytometry
Authors: Yang Yu-Sang Sabrina , Atukorale Prabhani U , D. Moynihan Kelly , Bekdemir Ahmet , Rakhra Kavya , Tang Li , Stellacci Francesco , Irvine Darrell J
Published: August 2017

Nature Communications 8 Article number: 14069 (2017); Published 17 January 2017; Updated 14 August 2017 In Fig. 4d of this Article, the schematic was incorrectly illustrated with one SIINFEKL peptide detached from a MUS/OT nanoparticle surface. The correct version of Fig. 4 appears below as Fig. 1.
Correction: Corrigendum: Contribution of classical end-joining to PTEN inactivation in p53-mediated glioblastoma formation and drug-resistant survival
Authors: Kang Youn-Jung , Balter Barbara , Csizmadia Eva , Haas Brian , Sharma Himanshu , Bronson Roderick , Yan Catherine T
Published: August 2017

Nature Communications 8 Article: 14013 (2017); Published 17 January 2017; Updated 14 August 2017 ‘In the References section of this Article, the citation listed as reference 17 is incorrect, and should have referred to the following paper: Forbes, S. A. et al. COSMIC: exploring the world's knowledgeof somatic mutations in human cancer.
Correction: Corrigendum: Stereocilia-staircase spacing is influenced by myosin III motors and their cargos espin-1 and espin-like
Authors: Ebrahim Seham , Avenarius Matthew R. , Grati M’hamed , Krey Jocelyn F. , Windsor Alanna M. , Sousa Aurea D. , Ballesteros Angela , Cui Runjia , Millis Bryan A. , Salles Felipe T. , Baird Michelle A. , Davidson Michael W. , Jones Sherri M. , Choi Dongseok , Dong Lijin , Raval Manmeet H. , Yengo Christopher M. , Barr-Gillespie Peter G. , Kachar Bechara
Published: August 2017

Nature Communications 7 Article number: 10833 (2016). Published 1 March 2016; Updated 14 August 2017 Technical support for this Article was not fully acknowledged. The Acknowledgements should have included the following: We thank Drs Ronald Petralia and Ya-Xian Wang, members of the Advanced Imaging Core, National Institute of Deafness and other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), for the images in Fig.
A three enzyme system to generate the Strychnos alkaloid scaffold from a central biosynthetic intermediate
Authors: Tatsis Evangelos C. , Carqueijeiro Inês , Dugé de Bernonville Thomas , Franke Jakob , Dang Thu-Thuy T. , Oudin Audrey , Lanoue Arnaud , Lafontaine Florent , Stavrinides Anna K. , Clastre Marc , Courdavault Vincent , O’Connor Sarah E.
Published: August 2017

Monoterpene indole alkaloids comprise a diverse family of over 2000 plant-produced natural products. This pathway provides an outstanding example of how nature creates chemical diversity from a single precursor, in this case from the intermediate strictosidine. The enzymes that elicit these seemingly disparate products from strictosidine have hitherto been elusive. Here we show that the concerted action of two enzymes commonly involved in natural product metabolism—an alcohol dehydrogenase and a cytochrome P450—produces unexpected rearrangements in strictosidine when assayed simultaneously. The tetrahydro-β-carboline of strictosidine aglycone is converted into akuammicine, a Strychnos alkaloid, an elusive biosynthetic transformation that has been investigated for decades. Importantly, akuammicine arises from deformylation of preakuammicine, which is the central biosynthetic precursor for the anti-cancer agents vinblastine and vincristine, as well as other biologically active compounds. This discovery of how these enzymes can function in combination opens a gateway into a rich family of natural products.
Lapsyn controls branch extension and positioning of astrocyte-like glia in the Drosophila optic lobe
Authors: Richier Benjamin , Vijandi Cristina de Miguel , Mackensen Stefanie , Salecker Iris
Published: August 2017

Astrocytes have diverse, remarkably complex shapes in different brain regions. Their branches closely associate with neurons. Despite the importance of this heterogeneous glial cell type for brain development and function, the molecular cues controlling astrocyte branch morphogenesis and positioning during neural circuit assembly remain largely unknown. We found that in the Drosophila visual system, astrocyte-like medulla neuropil glia (mng) variants acquire stereotypic morphologies with columnar and layered branching patterns in a stepwise fashion from mid-metamorphosis onwards. Using knockdown and loss-of-function analyses, we uncovered a previously unrecognized role for the transmembrane leucine-rich repeat protein Lapsyn in regulating mng development. lapsyn is expressed in mng and cell-autonomously required for branch extension into the synaptic neuropil and anchoring of cell bodies at the neuropil border. Lapsyn works in concert with the fibroblast growth factor (FGF) pathway to promote branch morphogenesis, while correct positioning is essential for mng survival mediated by gliotrophic FGF signaling.
Genetic cargo and bacterial species set the rate of vesicle-mediated horizontal gene transfer
Authors: Tran Frances , Boedicker James Q.
Published: August 2017

Most bacteria release extracellular vesicles (EVs). Recent studies have found these vesicles are capable of gene delivery, however the consequences of vesicle-mediated transfer on the patterns and rates of gene flow within microbial communities remains unclear. Previous studies have not determined the impact of both the genetic cargo and the donor and recipient species on the rate of vesicle-mediated gene exchange. This report examines the potential for EVs as a mechanism of gene transfer within heterogeneous microbial populations. EVs were harvested from three species of Gram-negative microbes carrying different plasmids. The dynamics of gene transfer into recipient species was measured. This study demonstrates that vesicles enable gene exchange between five species of Gram-negative bacteria, and that the identity of the genetic cargo, donor strain, and recipient strain all influence gene transfer rates. Each species released and acquired vesicles containing genetic material to a variable degree, and the transfer rate did not correlate with the relatedness of the donor and recipient species. The results suggest that EVs may be a general mechanism to exchange non-specialized genetic cargo between bacterial species.
Promysalin is a salicylate-containing antimicrobial with a cell-membrane-disrupting mechanism of action on Gram-positive bacteria
Authors: Kaduskar Rahul D. , Scala Giulia Della , Al Jabri Zaaima J. H. , Arioli Stefania , Musso Loana , Oggioni Marco R. , Dallavalle Sabrina , Mora Diego
Published: August 2017

Promysalin was previously described as a narrow spectrum molecule with a unique species-specific activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Here we demonstrate that promysalin is active against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria using a microdilution assay. Promysalin acts on Gram-positive bacteria with a mechanism of action involving cell membrane damage with leakage of intracellular components. The evaluation of MICs and MBCs on 11 promysalin analogs, synthesized utilizing diverted total synthesis, allowed the identification of the structural moieties potentially involved in cell membrane interaction and damage. The mechanism of action of promysalin against Gram-negative bacteria is still not clarified, even if a synergistic effect with the bisguanidine chlorhexidine on cell membrane disruption has been observed.
Inconsistent estimates of forest cover change in China between 2000 and 2013 from multiple datasets: differences in parameters, spatial resolution, and definitions
Authors: Li Yan , Sulla-Menashe Damien , Motesharrei Safa , Song Xiao-Peng , Kalnay Eugenia , Ying Qing , Li Shuangcheng , Ma Zongwen
Published: August 2017

The Chinese National Forest Inventory (NFI) has reported increased forest coverage in China since 2000, however, the new satellite-based dataset Global Forest Change (GFC) finds decreased forest coverage. In this study, four satellite datasets are used to investigate this discrepancy in forest cover change estimates in China between 2000 and 2013: forest cover change estimated from MODIS Normalized Burn Ratio (NBR), existing MODIS Land Cover (LC) and Vegetation Continuous Fields (VCF) products, and the Landsat-based GFC. Among these satellite datasets, forest loss shows much better agreement in terms of total change area and spatial pattern than do forest gain. The net changes in forest cover as a proportion of China’s land area varied widely from increases of 1.56% in NBR, 1.93% in VCF, and 3.40% in LC to a decline of −0.40% in GFC. The magnitude of net forest increase derived from MODIS datasets (1.56–3.40%) is lower than that reported in NFI (3.41%). Algorithm parameters, different spatial resolutions, and inconsistent forest definitions could be important sources of the discrepancies. Although several MODIS datasets support an overall forest increase in China, the direction and magnitude of net forest change is still unknown due to the large uncertainties in satellite-derived estimates.
Structural and developmental expression of Ss-riok-2, an RIO protein kinase encoding gene of Strongyloides stercoralis
Authors: Lei Wei-Qiang , Lok James B. , Yuan Wang , Zhang Yue-Zhou , Stoltzfus Jonathan D. , Gasser Robin B. , He Si-Yuan , Zhou Huan , Zhou Rui , Zhao Jun-Long , Hu Min
Published: August 2017

RIO kinases are essential atypical protein kinases in diverse prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms, playing significant roles in yeast and humans. However, little is known about their functions in parasitic nematodes. In the present study, we have isolated and characterized the full-length cDNA, gDNA and a putative promoter of a RIOK-2 protein kinase (Ss-RIOK-2) encoding gene (Ss-riok-2) from Strongyloides stercoralis, a medically important parasitic nematode (Order Rhabditida). A three-dimensional structure (3D) model of Ss-RIOK-2 was generated using the Chaetomium thermophilum RIOK-2 protein kinase (Ct-RIOK-2) crystal structure 4GYG as a template. A docking study revealed some critical sites for ATP binding and metal binding. The putative promoter of Ss-riok-2 contains a number of conserved elements. RNAseq analysis revealed the highest levels of the Ss-riok-2 transcript in free-living females and parasitic females. To identify anatomical patterns of Ss-riok-2 expression in S. stercoralis, we observed expression patterns of a transgene construct encoding green fluorescent protein under the Ss-riok-2 promoter in post free-living S. stercoralis. Expression driven by this promoter predominated in intestinal cells. This study demonstrates significant advancement in molecular and cellular biological study of S. stercoralis and of parasitic nematodes generally, and provides a foundation for further functional genomic studies.
Transcriptome analysis reveals long intergenic non-coding RNAs involved in skeletal muscle growth and development in pig
Authors: Zou Cheng , Li Jingxuan , Luo Wenzhe , Li Long , Hu An , Fu Yuhua , Hou Ye , Li Changchun
Published: August 2017

Long intergenic non-coding RNAs (lincRNAs) play essential roles in numerous biological processes and are widely studied. The skeletal muscle is an important tissue that plays an essential role in individual movement ability. However, lincRNAs in pig skeletal muscles are largely undiscovered and their biological functions remain elusive. In this study, we assembled transcriptomes using RNA-seq data published in previous studies of our laboratory group and identified 323 lincRNAs in porcine leg muscle. We found that these lincRNAs have shorter transcript length, fewer exons and lower expression level than protein-coding genes. Gene ontology and pathway analyses indicated that many potential target genes (PTGs) of lincRNAs were involved in skeletal-muscle-related processes, such as muscle contraction and muscle system process. Combined our previous studies, we found a potential regulatory mechanism in which the promoter methylation of lincRNAs can negatively regulate lincRNA expression and then positively regulate PTG expression, which can finally result in abnormal phenotypes of cloned piglets through a certain unknown pathway. This work detailed a number of lincRNAs and their target genes involved in skeletal muscle growth and development and can facilitate future studies on their roles in skeletal muscle growth and development.
TRPM6 and TRPM7 differentially contribute to the relief of heteromeric TRPM6/7 channels from inhibition by cytosolic Mg2+ and Mg·ATP
Authors: Ferioli Silvia , Zierler Susanna , Zaißerer Joanna , Schredelseker Johann , Gudermann Thomas , Chubanov Vladimir
Published: August 2017

TRPM6 and its homologue TRPM7 are α-kinase-coupled divalent cation-selective channels activated upon reduction of cytosolic levels of Mg2+ and Mg·ATP. TRPM6 is vital for organismal Mg2+ balance. However, mechanistically the cellular role and functional nonredundancy of TRPM6 remain incompletely understood. Comparative analysis of native currents in primary cells from TRPM6- versus TRPM7-deficient mice supported the concept that native TRPM6 primarily functions as a constituent of heteromeric TRPM6/7 channels. However, heterologous expression of the human TRPM6 protein engendered controversial results with respect to channel characteristics including its regulation by Mg2+ and Mg·ATP. To resolve this issue, we cloned the mouse TRPM6 (mTRPM6) cDNA and compared its functional characteristics to mouse TRPM7 (mTRPM7) after heterologous expression. Notably, we observed that mTRPM6 and mTRPM7 differentially regulate properties of heteromeric mTRPM6/7 channels: In the presence of mTRPM7, the extreme sensitivity of functionally expressed homomeric mTRPM6 to Mg2+ is tuned to higher concentrations, whereas mTRPM6 relieves mTRPM7 from the tight inhibition by Mg·ATP. Consequently, the association of mTRPM6 with mTRPM7 allows for high constitutive activity of mTRPM6/7 in the presence of physiological levels of Mg2+ and Mg·ATP, thus laying the mechanistic foundation for constant vectorial Mg2+ transport specifically into epithelial cells.
Ecological speciation in a generalist consumer expands the trophic niche of a dominant predator
Authors: Thomas Stephen M. , Harrod Chris , Hayden Brian , Malinen Tommi , Kahilainen Kimmo K.
Published: August 2017

Ecological speciation – whereby an ancestral founder species diversifies to fill vacant niches – is a phenomenon characteristic of newly formed ecosystems. Despite such ubiquity, ecosystem-level effects of such divergence remain poorly understood. Here, we compared the trophic niche of European whitefish (Coregonus lavaretus) and their predators in a series of contrasting subarctic lakes where this species had either diversified into four ecomorphologically distinct morphs or instead formed monomorphic populations. We found that the trophic niche of whitefish was almost three times larger in the polymorphic than in the monomorphic lakes, due to an increase in intraspecific specialisation. This trophic niche expansion was mirrored in brown trout (Salmo trutta), a major predator of whitefish. This represents amongst the first evidence for ecological speciation directly altering the trophic niche of a predator. We suggest such mechanisms may be a common and important – though presently overlooked – factor regulating trophic interactions in diverse ecosystems globally.
Neuromodulatory circuit effects on Drosophila feeding behaviour and metabolism
Authors: Eriksson Anders , Raczkowska Marlena , Navawongse Rapeechai , Choudhury Deepak , Stewart James C. , Tang Yi Ling , Wang Zhiping , Claridge-Chang Adam
Published: August 2017

Animals have evolved to maintain homeostasis in a changing external environment by adapting their internal metabolism and feeding behaviour. Metabolism and behaviour are coordinated by neuromodulation; a number of the implicated neuromodulatory systems are homologous between mammals and the vinegar fly, an important neurogenetic model. We investigated whether silencing fly neuromodulatory networks would elicit coordinated changes in feeding, behavioural activity and metabolism. We employed transgenic lines that allowed us to inhibit broad cellular sets of the dopaminergic, serotonergic, octopaminergic, tyraminergic and neuropeptide F systems. The genetically-manipulated animals were assessed for changes in their overt behavioural responses and metabolism by monitoring eleven parameters: activity; climbing ability; individual feeding; group feeding; food discovery; both fed and starved respiration; fed and starved lipid content; and fed/starved body weight. The results from these 55 experiments indicate that individual neuromodulatory system effects on feeding behaviour, motor activity and metabolism are dissociated.
Transcriptional transitions in Alphonso mango (Mangifera indica L.) during fruit development and ripening explain its distinct aroma and shelf life characteristics
Authors: Deshpande Ashish B. , Anamika Krishanpal , Jha Vineet , Chidley Hemangi G. , Oak Pranjali S. , Kadoo Narendra Y. , Pujari Keshav H. , Giri Ashok P. , Gupta Vidya S.
Published: August 2017

Alphonso is known as the “King of mangos” due to its unique flavor, attractive color, low fiber pulp and long shelf life. We analyzed the transcriptome of Alphonso mango through Illumina sequencing from seven stages of fruit development and ripening as well as flower. Total transcriptome data from these stages ranged between 65 and 143 Mb. Importantly, 20,755 unique transcripts were annotated and 4,611 were assigned enzyme commission numbers, which encoded 142 biological pathways. These included ethylene and flavor related secondary metabolite biosynthesis pathways, as well as those involved in metabolism of starch, sucrose, amino acids and fatty acids. Differential regulation (p-value ≤ 0.05) of thousands of transcripts was evident in various stages of fruit development and ripening. Novel transcripts for biosynthesis of mono-terpenes, sesqui-terpenes, di-terpenes, lactones and furanones involved in flavor formation were identified. Large number of transcripts encoding cell wall modifying enzymes was found to be steady in their expression, while few were differentially regulated through these stages. Novel 79 transcripts of inhibitors of cell wall modifying enzymes were simultaneously detected throughout Alphonso fruit development and ripening, suggesting controlled activity of these enzymes involved in fruit softening.
ATF3 negatively regulates cellular antiviral signaling and autophagy in the absence of type I interferons
Authors: Sood Vikas , Sharma Kiran Bala , Gupta Vishal , Saha Dhurjhoti , Dhapola Parashar , Sharma Manish , Sen Utsav , Kitajima Shigetaka , Chowdhury Shantanu , Kalia Manjula , Vrati Sudhanshu
Published: August 2017

Stringent regulation of antiviral signaling and cellular autophagy is critical for the host response to virus infection. However, little is known how these cellular processes are regulated in the absence of type I interferon signaling. Here, we show that ATF3 is induced following Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) infection, and regulates cellular antiviral and autophagy pathways in the absence of type I interferons in mouse neuronal cells. We have identified new targets of ATF3 and show that it binds to the promoter regions of Stat1, Irf9, Isg15 and Atg5 thereby inhibiting cellular antiviral signaling and autophagy. Consistent with these observations, ATF3-depleted cells showed enhanced antiviral responses and induction of robust autophagy. Furthermore, we show that JEV replication was significantly reduced in ATF3-depleted cells. Our findings identify ATF3 as a negative regulator of antiviral signaling and cellular autophagy in mammalian cells, and demonstrate its important role in JEV life cycle.
Seeing biomass recalcitrance through fluorescence
Authors: Auxenfans Thomas , Terryn Christine , Paës Gabriel
Published: August 2017

Lignocellulosic biomass is the only renewable carbon resource available in sufficient amount on Earth to go beyond the fossil-based carbon economy. Its transformation requires controlled breakdown of polymers into a set of molecules to make fuels, chemicals and materials. But biomass is a network of various inter-connected polymers which are very difficult to deconstruct optimally. In particular, saccharification potential of lignocellulosic biomass depends on several complex chemical and physical factors. For the first time, an easily measurable fluorescence properties of steam-exploded biomass samples from miscanthus, poplar and wheat straw was shown to be directly correlated to their saccharification potential. Fluorescence can thus be advantageously used as a predictive method of biomass saccharification. The loss in fluorescence occurring after the steam explosion pretreatment and increasing with pretreatment severity does not originate from the loss in lignin content, but rather from a decrease of the lignin β-aryl-ether linkage content. Fluorescence lifetime analysis demonstrates that monolignols making lignin become highly conjugated after steam explosion pretreatment. These results reveal that lignin chemical composition is a more important feature to consider than its content to understand and to predict biomass saccharification.
How to achieve Tat transport with alien TatA
Authors: Hauer René Steffen , Freudl Roland , Dittmar Julia , Jakob Mario , Klösgen Ralf Bernd
Published: August 2017

TatA is an essential and structurally conserved component of all known Twin-arginine transport (Tat) machineries which are able to catalyse membrane transport of fully folded proteins. Here we have investigated if bacterial TatA, or chimeric pea/E. coli TatA derivatives, are capable of replacing thylakoidal TatA in function. While authentic E. coli TatA does not show any transport activity in thylakoid transport experiments, TatA chimeras comprising the transmembrane helix (TMH) of pea TatA are fully active. For minimal catalytic activity it is even sufficient to replace three residues within TMH of E. coli TatA by the corresponding pea residues. Almost any further substitution within TMH gradually raises transport activity in the thylakoid system, while functional characterization of the same set of TatA derivatives in E. coli yields essentially inverse catalytic activities. Closer inspection of the substituted residues suggests that the two transport systems have deviating demands with regard to the hydrophobicity of the transmembrane helix.
Rapid Dwarfing of an Insular Mammal – The Feral Cattle of Amsterdam Island
Authors: Rozzi Roberto , Lomolino Mark V.
Published: August 2017

The island rule describes a graded trend in insular populations of vertebrates from gigantism in small species to dwarfism in large species. The dwarfing of large mammals on islands has been observed both in the present fauna and in the fossil record. Elephants, hippopotami, deer, and other species became dwarfed on islands scattered all over the world, from the Mediterranean Sea to Indonesia, from the Eastern to Western Pacific Ocean, from the Caribbean to Canary Islands. The most rapid and well documented cases of island dwarfing known thus far took place over thousands of years. Here, we describe a rapid example of dwarfing of a large mammal - the feral cattle of Amsterdam Island, southern Indian Ocean, which dwarfed to about three quarters of its body size in slightly more than one century. This population provides us with a rare opportunity to assess the rapidity of demographic, life history, and morphological responses of large mammals to a very isolated and ecologically simple, insular environment.
Multi-tissue interactions in an integrated three-tissue organ-on-a-chip platform
Authors: Skardal Aleksander , Murphy Sean V. , Devarasetty Mahesh , Mead Ivy , Kang Hyun-Wook , Seol Young-Joon , Shrike Zhang Yu , Shin Su-Ryon , Zhao Liang , Aleman Julio , Hall Adam R. , Shupe Thomas D. , Kleensang Andre , Dokmeci Mehmet R. , Jin Lee Sang , Jackson John D. , Yoo James J. , Hartung Thomas , Khademhosseini Ali , Soker Shay , Bishop Colin E. , Atala Anthony
Published: August 2017

Many drugs have progressed through preclinical and clinical trials and have been available – for years in some cases – before being recalled by the FDA for unanticipated toxicity in humans. One reason for such poor translation from drug candidate to successful use is a lack of model systems that accurately recapitulate normal tissue function of human organs and their response to drug compounds. Moreover, tissues in the body do not exist in isolation, but reside in a highly integrated and dynamically interactive environment, in which actions in one tissue can affect other downstream tissues. Few engineered model systems, including the growing variety of organoid and organ-on-a-chip platforms, have so far reflected the interactive nature of the human body. To address this challenge, we have developed an assortment of bioengineered tissue organoids and tissue constructs that are integrated in a closed circulatory perfusion system, facilitating inter-organ responses. We describe a three-tissue organ-on-a-chip system, comprised of liver, heart, and lung, and highlight examples of inter-organ responses to drug administration. We observe drug responses that depend on inter-tissue interaction, illustrating the value of multiple tissue integration for in vitro study of both the efficacy of and side effects associated with candidate drugs.
Thermal acclimation mitigates cold-induced paracellular leak from the Drosophila gut
Authors: MacMillan Heath A. , Yerushalmi Gil Y. , Jonusaite Sima , Kelly Scott P. , Donini Andrew
Published: August 2017

Chill susceptible insects suffer tissue damage and die at low temperatures. The mechanisms that cause chilling injury are not well understood but a growing body of evidence suggests that a cold-induced loss of ion and water homeostasis leads to hemolymph hyperkalemia that depolarizes cells, leading to cell death. The apparent root of this cascade is the net leak of osmolytes down their concentration gradients in the cold. Many insects, however, are capable of adjusting their thermal physiology, and cold-acclimatedDrosophilacan maintain homeostasis and avoid injury better than warm-acclimated flies. Here, we test whether chilling causes a loss of epithelial barrier function in female adultDrosophila, and provide the first evidence of cold-induced epithelial barrier failure in an invertebrate. Flies had increased rates of paracellular leak through the gut epithelia at 0 °C, but cold acclimation reduced paracellular permeability and improved cold tolerance. Improved barrier function was associated with changes in the abundance of select septate junction proteins and the appearance of a tortuous ultrastructure in subapical intercellular regions of contact between adjacent midgut epithelial cells. Thus, cold causes paracellular leak in a chill susceptible insect and cold acclimation can mitigate this effect through changes in the composition and structure of transepithelial barriers.
Mineralization and Preservation of an extremotolerant Bacterium Isolated from an Early Mars Analog Environment
Authors: Gaboyer F. , Le Milbeau C. , Bohmeier M. , Schwendner P. , Vannier P. , Beblo-Vranesevic K. , Rabbow E. , Foucher F. , Gautret P. , Guégan R. , Richard A. , Sauldubois A. , Richmann P. , Perras A. K. , Moissl-Eichinger C. , Cockell C. S. , Rettberg P. , Marteinsson  , Monaghan E. , Ehrenfreund P. , Garcia-Descalzo L. , Gomez F. , Malki M. , Amils R. , Cabezas P. , Walter N. , Westall F.
Published: August 2017

The artificial mineralization of a polyresistant bacterial strain isolated from an acidic, oligotrophic lake was carried out to better understand microbial (i) early mineralization and (ii) potential for further fossilisation. Mineralization was conducted in mineral matrixes commonly found on Mars and Early-Earth, silica and gypsum, for 6 months. Samples were analyzed using microbiological (survival rates), morphological (electron microscopy), biochemical (GC-MS, Microarray immunoassay, Rock-Eval) and spectroscopic (EDX, FTIR, RAMAN spectroscopy) methods. We also investigated the impact of physiological status on mineralization and long-term fossilisation by exposing cells or not to Mars-related stresses (desiccation and radiation). Bacterial populations remained viable after 6 months although the kinetics of mineralization and cell-mineral interactions depended on the nature of minerals. Detection of biosignatures strongly depended on analytical methods, successful with FTIR and EDX but not with RAMAN and immunoassays. Neither influence of stress exposure, nor qualitative and quantitative changes of detected molecules were observed as a function of mineralization time and matrix. Rock-Eval analysis suggests that potential for preservation on geological times may be possible only with moderate diagenetic and metamorphic conditions. The implications of our results for microfossil preservation in the geological record of Earth as well as on Mars are discussed.
Helical edge states and edge-state transport in strained armchair graphene nanoribbons
Authors: Liu Zheng-Fang , Wu Qing-Ping , Chen Ai-Xi , Xiao Xian-Bo , Liu Nian-Hua , Miao Guo-Xing
Published: August 2017

A helical type edge state, which is generally supported only on graphene with zigzag boundaries, is found to also appear in armchair graphene nanoribbons in the presence of intrinsic spin-orbit coupling and a suitable strain. At a critical strain, there appears a quantum phase transition from a quantum spin Hall state to a trivial insulator state. Further investigation shows that the armchair graphene nanoribbons with intrinsic spin-orbit coupling, Rashba spin-orbit coupling, effective exchange fields and strains also support helical-like edge states with a unique spin texture. In such armchair graphene nanoribbons, the spin directions of the counterpropogating edge states on the same boundary are always opposite to each other, while is not conserved and the spins are canted away from the -direction due to the Rashba spin-orbit coupling, which is different from the case of the zigzag graphene nanoribbons. Moreover, the edge-state energy gap is smaller than that in zigzag graphene nanoribbons, even absent in certain cases.
Co-Registration of ex vivo Surgical Histopathology and in vivo T2 weighted MRI of the Prostate via multi-scale spectral embedding representation
Authors: Li Lin , Pahwa Shivani , Penzias Gregory , Rusu Mirabela , Gollamudi Jay , Viswanath Satish , Madabhushi Anant
Published: August 2017

Multi-modal image co-registration via optimizing mutual information (MI) is based on the assumption that intensity distributions of multi-modal images follow a consistent relationship. However, images with a substantial difference in appearance violate this assumption, thus MI directly based on image intensity alone may be inadequate to drive similarity based co-registration. To address this issue, we introduce a novel approach for multi-modal co-registration called Multi-scale Spectral Embedding Registration (MSERg). MSERg involves the construction of multi-scale spectral embedding (SE) representations from multimodal images via texture feature extraction, scale selection, independent component analysis (ICA) and SE to create orthogonal representations that decrease the dissimilarity between the fixed and moving images to facilitate better co-registration. To validate the MSERg method, we aligned 45 pairs of in vivo prostate MRI and corresponding ex vivo histopathology images. The dataset was split into a learning set and a testing set. In the learning set, length scales of 5 × 5, 7 × 7 and 17 × 17 were selected. In the independent testing set, we compared MSERg with intensity-based registration, multi-attribute combined mutual information (MACMI) registration and scale-invariant feature transform (SIFT) flow registration. Our results suggest that multi-scale SE representations generated by MSERg are found to be more appropriate for radiology-pathology co-registration.
Drought and exogenous abscisic acid alter hydrogen peroxide accumulation and differentially regulate the expression of two maize RD22-like genes
Authors: Phillips Kyle , Ludidi Ndiko
Published: August 2017

Increased biosynthesis of abscisic acid (ABA) occurs in plants in response to water deficit, which is mediated by changes in the levels of reactive oxygen species such as H2O2. Water deficit and ABA induce expression of some RD22-like proteins. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of water deficit and exogenous ABA (50 µM ABA applied every 24 hours for a total of 72 hours) on H2O2 content in Zea mays (maize) and to characterise genes encoding two putative maize RD22-like proteins (designated ZmRD22A and ZmRD22B). The expression profiles of the two putative maize RD22-like genes in response to water deficit and treatment with ABA were examined in leaves. In silico analyses showed that the maize RD22-like proteins share domain organisation with previously characterized RD22-like proteins. Both water deficit and exogenous ABA resulted in increased H2O2 content in leaves but the increase was more pronounced in response to water deficit than to exogenous ABA. Lignin content was not affected by exogenous ABA, whereas it was decreased by water deficit. Expression of both RD22-like genes was up-regulated by drought but the ZmRD22A gene was not influenced by exogenous ABA, whereas ZmRD22B was highly responsive to exogenous ABA.