bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Predicting the location of the hip joint centres, impact of age group and sex
Authors: Hara Reiko , McGinley Jennifer , Briggs Chris , Baker Richard , Sangeux Morgan
Published: November 2016

Clinical gait analysis incorporating three-dimensional motion analysis plays a key role in planning surgical treatments in people with gait disability. The position of the Hip Joint Centre (HJC) within the pelvis is thus critical to ensure accurate data interpretation. The position of the HJC is determined from regression equations based on anthropometric measurements derived from relatively small datasets. Current equations do not take sex or age into account, even though pelvis shape is known to differ between sex, and gait analysis is performed in populations with wide range of age. Three dimensional images of 157 deceased individuals (37 children, 120 skeletally matured) were collected with computed tomography. The location of the HJC within the pelvis was determined and regression equations to locate the HJC were developed using various anthropometrics predictors. We determined if accuracy improved when age and sex were introduced as variables. Statistical analysis did not support differentiating the equations according to sex. We found that age only modestly improved accuracy. We propose a range of new regression equations, derived from the largest dataset collected for this purpose to date.
Hepatic SATB1 induces paracrine activation of hepatic stellate cells and is upregulated by HBx
Authors: Gong Jin , Tu Wei , Han Jian , He Jiayi , Liu Jingmei , Han Ping , Wang Yunwu , Li Mengke , Liu Mei , Liao Jiazhi , Tian Dean
Published: November 2016

Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a major cause of chronic liver diseases, but its involvement in hepatic fibrogenesis remains unclear. Special AT-rich binding protein 1 (SATB1) has been implicated in reprogramming chromatin organization and transcription profiles in many cancers and non-cancer-related conditions. We found that hepatic SATB1 expression was significantly up-regulated in fibrotic tissues from chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV)-infected patients and HBV transgenic (HBV-Tg) mouse model. Knockdown of SATB1 in the liver significantly alleviated CCl4-induced fibrosis in HBV-Tg mouse model. Moreover, we suggested HBV encoded x protein (HBx) induced SATB1 expression through activation of JNK and ERK pathways. Enforced expression of SATB1 in hepatocytes promoted the activation and proliferation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) by secretion of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and platelet derived growth factor-A (PDGF-AA). Our findings demonstrated that HBx upregulated hepatic SATB1 which exerted pro-fibrotic effects by paracrine activation of stellate cells in HBV-related fibrosis.
GapmeR cellular internalization by macropinocytosis induces sequence-specific gene silencing in human primary T-cells
Authors: Fazil Mobashar Hussain Urf Turabe , Ong Seow Theng , Chalasani Madhavi Latha Somaraju , Low Jian Hui , Kizhakeyil Atish , Mamidi Akshay , Lim Carey Fang Hui , Wright Graham D. , Lakshminarayanan Rajamani , Kelleher Dermot , Verma Navin Kumar
Published: November 2016

Post-transcriptional gene silencing holds great promise in discovery research for addressing intricate biological questions and as therapeutics. While various gene silencing approaches, such as siRNA and CRISPR-Cas9 techniques, are available, these cannot be effectively applied to “hard-to-transfect” primary T-lymphocytes. The locked nucleic acid-conjugated chimeric antisense oligonucleotide, called “GapmeR”, is an emerging new class of gene silencing molecule. Here, we show that GapmeR internalizes into human primary T-cells through macropinocytosis. Internalized GapmeR molecules can associate with SNX5-positive macropinosomes in T-cells, as detected by super-resolution microscopy. Utilizing the intrinsic self-internalizing capability of GapmeR, we demonstrate significant and specific depletion (>70%) of the expression of 5 different endogenous proteins with varying molecular weights (18 kDa Stathmin, 80 kDa PKCε, 180 kDa CD11a, 220 kDa Talin1 and 450 kDa CG-NAP/AKAP450) in human primary and cultured T-cells. Further functional analysis confirms CG-NAP and Stathmin as regulators of T-cell motility. Thus, in addition to screening, identifying or verifying critical roles of various proteins in T-cell functioning, this study provides novel opportunities to silence individual or multiple genes in a subset of purified human primary T-cells that would be exploited as future therapeutics.
Authenticity screening of stained glass windows using optical spectroscopy
Authors: Meulebroeck Wendy , Wouters Hilde , Nys Karin , Thienpont Hugo
Published: November 2016

Civilized societies should safeguard their heritage as it plays an important role in community building. Moreover, past technologies often inspire new technology. Authenticity is besides conservation and restoration a key aspect in preserving our past, for example in museums when exposing showpieces. The classification of being authentic relies on an interdisciplinary approach integrating art historical and archaeological research complemented with applied research. In recent decades analytical dating tools are based on determining the raw materials used. However, the traditional applied non-portable, chemical techniques are destructive and time-consuming. Since museums oftentimes only consent to research actions which are completely non-destructive, optical spectroscopy might offer a solution. As a case-study we apply this technique on two stained glass panels for which the 14th century dating is nowadays questioned. With this research we were able to identify how simultaneous mapping of spectral signatures measured with a low cost optical spectrum analyser unveils information regarding the production period. The significance of this research extends beyond the re-dating of these panels to the 19th century as it provides an instant tool enabling immediate answering authenticity questions during the conservation process of stained glass, thereby providing the necessary data for solving deontological questions about heritage preservation.
Lipid Coated Microbubbles and Low Intensity Pulsed Ultrasound Enhance Chondrogenesis of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells in 3D Printed Scaffolds
Authors: Aliabouzar Mitra , Zhang Lijie Grace , Sarkar Kausik
Published: November 2016

Lipid-coated microbubbles are used to enhance ultrasound imaging and drug delivery. Here we apply these microbubbles along with low intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) for the first time to enhance proliferation and chondrogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) in a 3D printed poly-(ethylene glycol)-diacrylate (PEG-DA) hydrogel scaffold. The hMSC proliferation increased up to 40% after 5 days of culture in the presence of 0.5% (v/v) microbubbles and LIPUS in contrast to 18% with LIPUS alone. We systematically varied the acoustic excitation parameters—excitation intensity, frequency and duty cycle—to find 30 mW/cm2, 1.5 MHz and 20% duty cycle to be optimal for hMSC proliferation. A 3-week chondrogenic differentiation results demonstrated that combining LIPUS with microbubbles enhanced glycosaminoglycan (GAG) production by 17% (5% with LIPUS alone), and type II collagen production by 78% (44% by LIPUS alone). Therefore, integrating LIPUS and microbubbles appears to be a promising strategy for enhanced hMSC growth and chondrogenic differentiation, which are critical components for cartilage regeneration. The results offer possibilities of novel applications of microbubbles, already clinically approved for contrast enhanced ultrasound imaging, in tissue engineering.
Holding-on: co-evolution between infant carrying and grasping behaviour in strepsirrhines
Authors: Peckre Louise , Fabre Anne-Claire , Wall Christine E. , Brewer David , Ehmke Erin , Haring David , Shaw Erin , Welser Kay , Pouydebat Emmanuelle
Published: November 2016

The origin and evolution of manual grasping remain poorly understood. The ability to cling requires important grasping abilities and is essential to survive in species where the young are carried in the fur. A previous study has suggested that this behaviour could be a pre-adaptation for the evolution of fine manipulative skills. In this study we tested the co-evolution between infant carrying in the fur and manual grasping abilities in the context of food manipulation. As strepsirrhines vary in the way infants are carried (mouth vs. fur), they are an excellent model to test this hypothesis. Data on food manipulation behaviour were collected for 21 species of strepsirrhines. Our results show that fur-carrying species exhibited significantly more frequent manual grasping of food items. This study clearly illustrates the potential novel insights that a behaviour (infant carrying) that has previously been largely ignored in the discussion of the evolution of primate manipulation can bring.
The microRNA toolkit of insects
Authors: Ylla Guillem , Fromm Bastian , Piulachs Maria-Dolors , Belles Xavier
Published: November 2016

Is there a correlation between miRNA diversity and levels of organismic complexity? Exhibiting extraordinary levels of morphological and developmental complexity, insects are the most diverse animal class on earth. Their evolutionary success was in particular shaped by the innovation of holometabolan metamorphosis in endopterygotes. Previously, miRNA evolution had been linked to morphological complexity, but astonishing variation in the currently available miRNA complements of insects made this link unclear. To address this issue, we sequenced the miRNA complement of the hemimetabolan Blattella germanica and reannotated that of two other hemimetabolan species, Locusta migratoria and Acyrthosiphon pisum, and of four holometabolan species, Apis mellifera, Tribolium castaneum, Bombyx mori and Drosophila melanogaster. Our analyses show that the variation of insect miRNAs is an artefact mainly resulting from poor sampling and inaccurate miRNA annotation, and that insects share a conserved microRNA toolkit of 65 families exhibiting very low variation. For example, the evolutionary shift toward a complete metamorphosis was accompanied only by the acquisition of three and the loss of one miRNA families.
Anti-high mobility group box-1 (HMGB1) antibody attenuates delayed cerebral vasospasm and brain injury after subarachnoid hemorrhage in rats
Authors: Haruma Jun , Teshigawara Kiyoshi , Hishikawa Tomohito , Wang Dengli , Liu Keyue , Wake Hidenori , Mori Shuji , Takahashi Hideo Kohka , Sugiu Kenji , Date Isao , Nishibori Masahiro
Published: November 2016

Although delayed cerebral vasospasm (DCV) following subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is closely related to the progression of brain damage, little is known about the molecular mechanism underlying its development. High mobility group box-1 (HMGB1) plays an important role as an initial inflammatory mediator in SAH. In this study, an SAH rat model was employed to evaluate the effects of anti-HMGB1 monoclonal antibody (mAb) on DCV after SAH. A vasoconstriction of the basilar artery (BA) associated with a reduction of nuclear HMGB1 and its translocation in vascular smooth muscle cells were observed in SAH rats, and anti-HMGB1 mAb administration significantly suppressed these effects. Up-regulations of inflammation-related molecules and vasoconstriction-mediating receptors in the BA of SAH rats were inhibited by anti-HMGB1 mAb treatment. Anti-HMGB1 mAb attenuated the enhanced vasocontractile response to thrombin of the isolated BA from SAH rats and prevented activation of cerebrocortical microglia. Moreover, locomotor activity and weight loss recovery were also enhanced by anti-HMGB1 mAb administration. The vasocontractile response of the BA under SAH may be induced by events that are downstream of responses to HMGB1-induced inflammation and inhibited by anti-HMGB1 mAb. Anti-HMGB1 mAb treatment may provide a novel therapeutic strategy for DCV and early brain injury after SAH.
Acidic mammalian chitinase is a proteases-resistant glycosidase in mouse digestive system
Authors: Ohno Misa , Kimura Masahiro , Miyazaki Haruko , Okawa Kazuaki , Onuki Riho , Nemoto Chiyuki , Tabata Eri , Wakita Satoshi , Kashimura Akinori , Sakaguchi Masayoshi , Sugahara Yasusato , Nukina Nobuyuki , Bauer Peter O. , Oyama Fumitaka
Published: November 2016

Chitinases are enzymes that hydrolyze chitin, a polymer of β-1, 4-linked N-acetyl-D-glucosamine (GlcNAc). Chitin has long been considered as a source of dietary fiber that is not digested in the mammalian digestive system. Here, we provide evidence that acidic mammalian chitinase (AMCase) can function as a major digestive enzyme that constitutively degrades chitin substrates and produces (GlcNAc)2 fragments in the mouse gastrointestinal environment. AMCase was resistant to endogenous pepsin C digestion and remained active in the mouse stomach extract at pH 2.0. The AMCase mRNA levels were much higher than those of four major gastric proteins and two housekeeping genes and comparable to the level of pepsinogen C in the mouse stomach tissues. Furthermore, AMCase was expressed in the gastric pepsinogen-synthesizing chief cells. The enzyme was also stable and active in the presence of trypsin and chymotrypsin at pH 7.6, where pepsin C was completely degraded. Mouse AMCase degraded polymeric colloidal and crystalline chitin substrates in the gastrointestinal environments in presence of the proteolytic enzymes. Thus, AMCase can function as a protease-resistant major glycosidase under the conditions of stomach and intestine and degrade chitin substrates to produce (GlcNAc)2, a source of carbon, nitrogen and energy.
Measuring intratumor heterogeneity by network entropy using RNA-seq data
Authors: Park Youngjune , Lim Sangsoo , Nam Jin-Wu , Kim Sun
Published: November 2016

Intratumor heterogeneity (ITH) is observed at different stages of tumor progression, metastasis and reouccurence, which can be important for clinical applications. We used RNA-sequencing data from tumor samples, and measured the level of ITH in terms of biological network states. To model complex relationships among genes, we used a protein interaction network to consider gene-gene dependency. ITH was measured by using an entropy-based distance metric between two networks, nJSD, with Jensen-Shannon Divergence (JSD). With nJSD, we defined transcriptome-based ITH (tITH). The effectiveness of tITH was extensively tested for the issues related with ITH using real biological data sets. Human cancer cell line data and single-cell sequencing data were investigated to verify our approach. Then, we analyzed TCGA pan-cancer 6,320 patients. Our result was in agreement with widely used genome-based ITH inference methods, while showed better performance at survival analysis. Analysis of mouse clonal evolution data further confirmed that our transcriptome-based ITH was consistent with genetic heterogeneity at different clonal evolution stages. Additionally, we found that cell cycle related pathways have significant contribution to increasing heterogeneity on the network during clonal evolution. We believe that the proposed transcriptome-based ITH is useful to characterize heterogeneity of a tumor sample at RNA level.
Unravelling the dynamical origin of below- and near-threshold harmonic generation of H2+ in an intense NIR laser field
Authors: Heslar John , Chu Shih-I.
Published: November 2016

Recently, the study of near- and below- threshold regime harmonics as a potential source of intense coherent vacuum-ultraviolet radiation has received considerable attention. However, the dynamical origin of these lower harmonics, particularly for the molecular systems, is less understood and largely unexplored. Here we perform the first fully ab initio and high precision 3D quantum study of the below- and near-threshold harmonic generation of "Equation missing" molecules in an intense 800-nm near-infrared (NIR) laser field. Combining with a synchrosqueezing transform of the quantum time-frequency spectrum and an extended semiclassical analysis, we explore in-depth the roles of various quantum trajectories, including short- and long trajectories, multiphoton trajectories, resonance-enhanced trajectories, and multiple rescattering trajectories of the below- and near- threshold harmonic generation processes. Our results shed new light on the dynamical
origin of the below- and near-threshold harmonic generation and various quantum trajectories for diatomic molecules for the first time.
Cycles of circadian illuminance are sufficient to entrain and maintain circadian locomotor rhythms in Drosophila
Authors: Cho Eunjoo , Oh Ji Hye , Lee Euna , Do Young Rag , Kim Eun Young
Published: November 2016

Light at night disrupts the circadian clock and causes serious health problems in the modern world. Here, we show that newly developed four-package light-emitting diodes (LEDs) can provide harmless lighting at night. To quantify the effects of light on the circadian clock, we employed the concept of circadian illuminance (CIL). CIL represents the amount of light weighted toward the wavelengths to which the circadian clock is most sensitive, whereas visual illuminance (VIL) represents the total amount of visible light. Exposure to 12 h:12 h cycles of white LED light with high and low CIL values but a constant VIL value (conditions hereafter referred to as CH/CL) can entrain behavioral and molecular circadian rhythms in flies. Moreover, flies re-entrain to phase shift in the CH/CL cycle. Core-clock proteins are required for the rhythmic behaviors seen with this LED lighting scheme. Taken together, this study provides a guide for designing healthful white LED lights for use at night, and proposes the use of the CIL value for estimating the harmful effects of any light source on organismal health.
Spatial mapping of lichen specialized metabolites using LDI-MSI: chemical ecology issues for Ophioparma ventosa
Authors: Le Pogam Pierre , Legouin Béatrice , Geairon Audrey , Rogniaux Hélène , Lohézic-Le Dévéhat Françoise , Obermayer Walter , Boustie Joël , Le Lamer Anne-Cécile
Published: November 2016

Imaging mass spectrometry techniques have become a powerful strategy to assess the spatial distribution of metabolites in biological systems. Based on auto-ionisability of lichen metabolites using LDI-MS, we herein image the distribution of major secondary metabolites (specialized metabolites) from the lichen Ophioparma ventosa by LDI-MSI (Mass Spectrometry Imaging). Such technologies offer tremendous opportunities to discuss the role of natural products through spatial mapping, their distribution patterns being consistent with previous chemical ecology reports. A special attention was dedicated to miriquidic acid, an unexpected molecule we first reported in Ophioparma ventosa. The analytical strategy presented herein offers new perspectives to access the sharp distribution of lichen metabolites from regular razor blade-sectioned slices.
Environmental Intervention as a Therapy for Adverse Programming by Ancestral Stress
Authors: McCreary J. Keiko , Erickson Zachary T. , Hao YongXin , Ilnytskyy Yaroslav , Kovalchuk Igor , Metz Gerlinde A. S.
Published: November 2016

Ancestral stress can program stress sensitivity and health trajectories across multiple generations. While ancestral stress is uncontrollable to the filial generations, it is critical to identify therapies that overcome transgenerational programming. Here we report that prenatal stress in rats generates a transgenerationally heritable endocrine and epigenetic footprint and elevated stress sensitivity which can be alleviated by beneficial experiences in later life. Ancestral stress led to downregulated glucocorticoid receptor and prefrontal cortex neuronal densities along with precocious development of anxiety-like behaviours. Environmental enrichment (EE) during adolescence mitigated endocrine and neuronal markers of stress and improved miR-182 expression linked to brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) regulation in stressed lineages. Thus, EE may serve as a powerful intervention for adverse transgenerational programming through microRNA-mediated regulation of BDNF and NT-3 pathways. The identification of microRNAs that mediate the actions of EE highlights new therapeutic strategies for mental health conditions and psychiatric disease.
“Cerebellar contribution to visuo-attentional alpha rhythm: insights from weightlessness”
Authors: Cebolla A. M. , Petieau M. , Dan B. , Balazs L. , McIntyre J. , Cheron G.
Published: November 2016

Human brain adaptation in weightlessness follows the necessity to reshape the dynamic integration of the neural information acquired in the new environment. This basic aspect was here studied by the electroencephalogram (EEG) dynamics where oscillatory modulations were measured during a visuo-attentional state preceding a visuo-motor docking task. Astronauts in microgravity conducted the experiment in free-floating aboard the International Space Station, before the space flight and afterwards. We observed stronger power decrease (~ERD: event related desynchronization) of the ~10 Hz oscillation from the occipital-parietal (alpha ERD) to the central areas (mu ERD). Inverse source modelling of the stronger alpha ERD revealed a shift from the posterior cingulate cortex (BA31, from the default mode network) on Earth to the precentral cortex (BA4, primary motor cortex) in weightlessness. We also observed significant contribution of the vestibular network (BA40, BA32, and BA39) and cerebellum (lobule V, VI). We suggest that due to the high demands for the continuous readjustment of an appropriate body posture in free-floating, this visuo-attentional state required more contribution from the motor cortex. The cerebellum and the vestibular network involvement in weightlessness might support the correction signals processing necessary for postural stabilization, and the increased demand to integrate incongruent vestibular information.
Quality of Life and Cost-Effectiveness of Radiofrequency Ablation versus Open Surgery for Benign Thyroid Nodules: a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Yue Wen-Wen , Wang Shu-Rong , Lu Feng , Li Xiao-Long , Xu Hui-Xiong , Sun Li-Ping , Guo Le-Hang , He Ya-Ping , Wang Dan , Yin Zhi-Qiang
Published: November 2016

This study is to compare the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and cost-effectiveness of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and open thyroidectomy (OT) for benign thyroid nodules (BTNs) treatment. HRQoL and utility were assessed for 404 BTN patients immediately before treatments (RFA:OT = 137:267) and at 6-month visit. A cost-effectiveness analysis was performed from societal perspective in the China context. Resource use (hospitalization, sick leaves) was collected. We used the net monetary benefit approach and computed cost-effectiveness acceptability curves for RFA and OT. Sensitivity analyses of costs of RFA were performed. At 6-month visit, patients treated with RFA had significantly better HRQoL than patients treated with OT on general health (68.5 versus 66.7, P = 0.029), vitality (71.3 versus 67.5, P < 0.001) and mental health (80.9 versus 79.3, P = 0.038). RFA was more effective than OT in terms of quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs; 0.01QALY/patient) but more expensive (US$823/patient). The probability that RFA would be cost effective at a US$50,000/QALY threshold was 15.5% in China, and it would be increased to 88.4% when price of the RFA device was lowered by 30%. RFA exhibited a significant improvement of HRQoL relative to OT, but is unlikely to be cost effective at its current price in short time.
A CRISPR-Cas9 Assisted Non-Homologous End-Joining Strategy for One-step Engineering of Bacterial Genome
Authors: Su Tianyuan , Liu Fapeng , Gu Pengfei , Jin Haiying , Chang Yizhao , Wang Qian , Liang Quanfeng , Qi Qingsheng
Published: November 2016

Homologous recombination-mediated genome engineering has been broadly applied in prokaryotes with high efficiency and accuracy. However, this method is limited in realizing larger-scale genome editing with numerous genes or large DNA fragments because of the relatively complicated procedure for DNA editing template construction. Here, we describe a CRISPR-Cas9 assisted non-homologous end-joining (CA-NHEJ) strategy for the rapid and efficient inactivation of bacterial gene (s) in a homologous recombination-independent manner and without the use of selective marker. Our study show that CA-NHEJ can be used to delete large chromosomal DNA fragments in a single step that does not require homologous DNA template. It is thus a novel and powerful tool for bacterial genomes reducing and possesses the potential for accelerating the genome evolution.
Upconversion nanoparticle as elemental tag for the determination of alpha-fetoprotein in human serum by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry
Authors: Liu Zhengru , Yang Bin , Chen Beibei , He Man , Hu Bin
Published: November 2016

We incorporated UCNPs into an immunoassay with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS) detection for the determination of specific proteins, e.g., alpha-fetoprotein (AFP).
HTS-FTIR spectroscopy allows the classification of polyphenols according to their differential effects on the MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell line
Authors: Mignolet A. , Mathieu V. , Goormaghtigh E.
Published: November 2016

FTIR-based classification of the effect of polyphenols on a breast cancer cell line.
Construction of cyclic arrays of Zn-porphyrin units and their guest binding at the solid–liquid interface
Authors: Iritani Kohei , Tahara Kazukuni , Hirose Keiji , De Feyter Steven , Tobe Yoshito
Published: November 2016

Cyclic arrays of six zinc-porphyrin units are formed on which fullerene molecules are immobilized at the solid/liquid interface.
Umpolung synthesis of branched α-functionalized amines from imines via photocatalytic three-component reductive coupling reactions
Authors: Fuentes de Arriba Angel L. , Urbitsch Felix , Dixon Darren J.
Published: November 2016

A three component reductive coupling reaction of a (hetero)aromatic amine, a (hetero)aromatic aldehyde and an electron deficient olefin catalysed by eosin Y under green LED light irradiation, for the direct generation of γ-amino acid derivatives, is described.
Intracellular water – an overlooked drug target? Cisplatin impact in cancer cells probed by neutrons
Authors: Marques M. P. M. , Batista de Carvalho A. L. M. , Sakai V. Garcia , Hatter L. , Batista de Carvalho L. A. E.
Published: November 2016

Intracellular water as a secondary pharmacological target?
Surface induced vibrational modes in the fluorescence spectra of PTCDA adsorbed on the KCl(100) and NaCl(100) surfaces
Authors: Paulheim A. , Marquardt C. , Sokolowski M. , Hochheim M. , Bredow T. , Aldahhak H. , Rauls E. , Schmidt W. G.
Published: November 2016

We report a combined experiment-theory study on low energy vibrational modes in fluorescence spectra of perylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic acid dianhydride (PTCDA) molecules.
Supramolecular assembly of a thermoresponsive steroidal surfactant with an oppositely charged thermoresponsive block copolymer
Authors: di Gregorio M. C. , Gubitosi M. , Travaglini L. , Pavel N. V. , Jover A. , Meijide F. , Vázquez Tato J. , Sennato S. , Schillén K. , Tranchini F. , De Santis S. , Masci G. , Galantini L.
Published: November 2016

Mixtures of an oppositely charged block copolymer and a surfactant, both thermoresponsive, provide systems with a complex thermosensitivity.
An optimized charge penetration model for use with the AMOEBA force field
Authors: Rackers Joshua A. , Wang Qiantao , Liu Chengwen , Piquemal Jean-Philip , Ren Pengyu , Ponder Jay W.
Published: November 2016

Inclusion of charge penetration corrects the short-range error in the electrostatic model of the AMOEBA force field, and improves the accuracy of interactions ranging from nucleic acid base stacking to protein–ligand binding.
Electrovariable gold nanoparticle films at liquid–liquid interfaces: from redox electrocatalysis to Marangoni-shutters
Authors: Gschwend Grégoire C. , Smirnov Evgeny , Peljo Pekka , Girault Hubert H.
Published: November 2016

Control over the physical properties of nanoparticle assemblies at a liquid–liquid interface is a key technological advancement to realize the dream of smart electrovariable nanosystems. Electrified interfaces, such as the interface between two immiscible electrolytes solutions (ITIES), are almost an ideal platform for realizing this dream. Here, we show that the Galvani potential difference across soft interfaces can be effectively used to manipulate: (i) the reactivity of gold nanoparticle assemblies through varying the Fermi level (both chemically and electrochemically); (ii) the location distribution of the nanoparticles at the liquid–liquid interface. In the first case, in addition to our previous studies on electron transfer reactions (ET) across the ITIES, we used intensity modulated photocurrent spectroscopy (IMPS) to study the kinetics of photo-induced electrochemical reactions at the ITIES. As expected, the direct adsorption of gold nanoparticles at the interface modifies the kinetics of the ET reaction (so-called, interfacial redox electrocatalysis), however it did not lead to an increased photocurrent by “plasmonic enhancement”. Rather, we found that the product separation depends on double layer effects while the product recombination is controlled by the Galvani potential difference between the two phases. In the second case, we demonstrated that polarizing the ITIES caused migration of gold nanoparticles from the middle region of the cell to its periphery. We called such systems “Marangoni-type shutters”. This type of electrovariable plasmonic system did not experience diffusion limitation in terms of the adsorption/desorption of nanoparticles and the entire movement of nanoparticle assemblies happened almost instantly (within a second). It opens a fresh view on electrovariable plasmonics and presents new opportunities to create smart nanosystems at the ITIES driven with an electric field.
Development of a point-of-care diagnostic for influenza detection with antiviral treatment effectiveness indication
Authors: Murdock Richard C. , Gallegos Karen M. , Hagen Joshua A. , Kelley-Loughnane Nancy , Weiss Alison A. , Papautsky Ian
Published: November 2016

A novel, point-of-care style influenza μPAD with the ability to determine strain antiviral susceptibility for enhanced treatment decision.
Out-of-plane integration of a multimode optical fiber for single particle/cell detection at multiple points on a microfluidic device with applications to particle/cell counting, velocimetry, size discrimination and the analysis of single cell lysate injections
Authors: Sadeghi Jalal , Patabadige Damith E. W. , Culbertson Anne H. , Latifi Hamid , Culbertson Christopher T.
Published: November 2016

An optical fiber tunneling mode is used to create 2 excitation/detection points from a single fiber.
Synthesis of polymeric dyes based on UV curable multifunctional waterborne polyurethane for textile coating
Authors: Mao Haiyan , Qiang Siyu , Xu Yan , Wang Chaoxia
Published: November 2016

Novel UVPDs based on multifunctional waterborne polyurethane have been synthesized to overcome the drawbacks of polymeric dyes and polyurethane coatings.
Chemoenzymatic synthesis of para-nitrophenol (pNP)-tagged α2–8-sialosides and high-throughput substrate specificity studies of α2–8-sialidases
Authors: Tasnima Nova , Yu Hai , Li Yanhong , Santra Abhishek , Chen Xi
Published: November 2016

para-Nitrophenyl α2–8-sialosides containing different sialic acid forms were chemoenzymatically synthesized and used as effective probes for high-throughput substrate specificity studies of the α2–8-sialidase activities of human and bacterial sialidases.
A multifunctionalized strategy of indoles to C2-quaternary indolin-3-ones via a TEMPO/Pd-catalyzed cascade process
Authors: Deng Zhongfu , Peng Xiangjun , Huang Panpan , Jiang Lili , Ye Dongnai , Liu Liangxian
Published: November 2016

A method for combinative oxidative homo dimerization and cyanomethylation of free indole derivatives catalysed by TEMPO and Pd(OAc)2 was demonstrated for the first time.
Characterization of dissolution process during brine injection in Berea sandstones: an experiment study
Authors: Jiang Lanlan , Yu Minghao , Wu Bohao , Suekane Tetsuya , Li Weizhong , Song Yongchen
Published: November 2016

A clear understanding of the mass transfer properties during fluid injection into porous media is of importance to the safety of CO2 storage.
Improved electromembrane microextraction efficiency of chloramphenicol in dairy products: the cooperation of reduced graphene oxide and a cationic surfactant
Authors: Fashi Armin , Khanban Fatemeh , Yaftian Mohammad Reza , Zamani Abbasali
Published: November 2016

The cooperation effect of reduced graphene oxide in the SLM and CTAB in the donor solution improves the EME performance.
Fabrication of high performance flexible all-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitors with a three dimensional disc-like WO3/stainless steel electrode
Authors: Shinde Pragati A. , Chodankar Nilesh R. , Lokhande Vaibhav C. , Patil Amar M. , Ji Taeksoo , Kim Jin H. , Lokhande Chandrakant D.
Published: November 2016

The schematic of steps involved in fabrication of flexible MnO2//WO3 ASCs device.
Synthesis of nickel sulfide as a promising electrode material for pseudocapacitor application
Authors: Gaikar Paresh , Pawar Samadhan P. , Mane Rajaram S. , Nuashad Mu. , Shinde Dipak V.
Published: November 2016

Synthesis of NiS thin films on Ti foil by CBD process.
Optimization and bioavailability evaluation of self-microemulsifying drug delivery system of the daidzein–nicotinamide complex
Authors: Huang Zun , Xia Jing , Li Jing , Gao Xuan , Wang Yiyue , Shen Qi
Published: November 2016

In this study, a DDZ–NCT complex SMEDDS was prepared and optimized to improve the oral bioavailability of the poorly water-soluble drug.
Effects of cytotoxicity of erythromycin on PAH-degrading strains and degrading efficiency
Authors: Huang Ying , Yang Chen , Li Yiyi , Guo Chuling , Dang Zhi
Published: November 2016

The MIC of erythromycin of pyrene degrading strain ofMycobacterium gilvumCP13.
A wide band gap polymer based on indacenodithieno[3,2-b]thiophene for high-performance bulk heterojunction polymer solar cells
Authors: Lee Woosung , Jung Jae Woong
Published: November 2016

A novel wide band gap polymer (PIDTT-TT) has been synthesized to use in efficient polymer solar cells with power conversion efficiencies up to 7.10%.
Hollow carbon spheres and a hollow carbon sphere/polyvinylpyrrolidone composite as ammonia sensors
Authors: Mutuma Bridget K. , Rodrigues Rafael , Ranganathan Kamalakannan , Matsoso Boitumelo , Wamwangi Daniel , Hümmelgen Ivo A. , Coville Neil J.
Published: November 2016

Hollow carbon sphere sensors were used to determine NH3in a humid environment using a tristimulus pattern recognition approach.
Facile fabrication of bioactive ultra-small protein–hydroxyapatite nanoconjugates via liquid-phase laser ablation and their enhanced osteogenic differentiation activity
Authors: Rodio Marina , Coluccino Luca , Romeo Elisa , Genovese Alessandro , Diaspro Alberto , Garau Gianpiero , Intartaglia Romuald
Published: November 2016

Ultra-small protein–hydroxyapatite nanoconjugates promote the osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells.
Upconversion nanoparticles loaded with eIF4E siRNA and platinum(iv) prodrug to sensitize platinum based chemotherapy for laryngeal cancer and bioimaging
Authors: Teng Bo , Ma Ping'an , Yu Chang , Zhang Xinyang , Feng Qingjie , Wen Lianji , Li Chunxia , Cheng Ziyong , Jin Dayong , Lin Jun
Published: November 2016

Eukaryotic translation initiation factor (eIF) 4E is a valuable marker in cancer prognostics in many human cancers.
Receiver of FTN signal with oversampling
Authors: Wang Ke , Liu Aijun , Liang Xiaohu , Peng Siming
Published: November 2016

Faster‐than‐Nyquist (FTN) signalling, as a bandwidth‐efficient modulation format, attracts many researchers’ attention. However, the symbol rates of FTN signal are increasing when the packing ratios decreases. Moreover, the FTN signal with small packing ratios requires a high‐rate analogue‐to‐digital converter. Since the bandwidth of FTN signal remains the same, the samples taken at Nyquist sampling rate do not suffer information loss. However, the variable packing ratios induce extra memory‐consumption when the FTN signal is sampled at Nyquist sampling rate. To reduce the sampling rate and the memory‐consumption, a new receiver of FTN signal with oversampling is proposed. Simulation results show that the receiver can perform close to the convolution code line. At the same time, the sampling rate and the memory‐consumption can be reduced by adjusting the oversampling factors according to the packing ratios.
Comparison of ground cover estimates from experiment plots in cotton, sorghum and sugarcane based on images and ortho-mosaics captured by UAV
Authors: Duan Tao , Zheng Bangyou , Guo Wei , Ninomiya Seishi , Guo Yan , Chapman Scott C.
Published: November 2016

Ground cover is an important physiological trait affecting crop radiation capture, water-use efficiency and grain yield. It is challenging to efficiently measure ground cover with reasonable precision for large numbers of plots, especially in tall crop species. Here we combined two image-based methods to estimate plot-level ground cover for three species, from either an ortho-mosaic or undistorted (i.e. corrected for lens and camera effects) images captured by cameras using a low-altitude unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). Reconstructed point clouds and ortho-mosaics for the whole field were created and a customised image processing workflow was developed to (1) segment the ‘whole-field’ datasets into individual plots, and (2) ‘reverse-calculate’ each plot from each undistorted image. Ground cover for individual plots was calculated by an efficient vegetation segmentation algorithm. For 79% of plots, estimated ground cover was greater from the ortho-mosaic than from images, particularly when plants were small, or when older/taller in large plots. While there was a good agreement between the ground cover estimates from ortho-mosaic and images when the target plot was positioned at a near-nadir view near the centre of image (cotton: R2 = 0.97, sorghum: R2 = 0.98, sugarcane: R2 = 0.84), ortho-mosaic estimates were 5% greater than estimates from these near-nadir images. Because each plot appeared in multiple images, there were multiple estimates of the ground cover, some of which should be excluded, e.g. when the plot is near edge within an image. Considering only the images with near-nadir view, the reverse calculation provides a more precise estimate of ground cover compared with the ortho-mosaic. The methodology is suitable for high throughput phenotyping for applications in agronomy, physiology and breeding for different crop species and can be extended to provide pixel-level data from other types of cameras including thermal and multi-spectral models.
Daily diary study of adult men’s and women’s event-level sexual motivations and sexual behaviour
Authors: Hensel Devon J. , He Fei , Harezlak Jarek , Fortenberry J. Dennis
Published: November 2016

Background
Understanding people’s sexual motivations has long been of public health and health promotion interest. We used daily diaries to examine how adult men’s and women’s event-specific affective sexual motivations were linked to the types and combinations of sexual behaviours chosen in a given sexual event. Methods: Adult men (n = 156) and women (n = 192) completed thrice-daily electronic diaries assessing individual- and partner-specific attributes and non-coital or coital sexual behaviours. Sexual motivations were: interest in sex, feeling in love with partner, wanted to have sex and partner wanted to have sex. The outcome variable was: sexual behaviour type (no sex, one vaginal sex event, one vaginal sex event + any other sex types, multiple vaginal sex events, any other sex types). Mixed-effect multinomial logistic regression modelled the influence of each sexual motivation on sexual behaviour type (Stata; all p < 0.05). ‘No sex’ was the referent in all models; all models controlled for gender. Results: Participants contributed 14 856 total partner-associated diary entries. Most (54%; women: 56.5%, men: 51.2%) were associated with no sex; when sex occurred, the most common behaviour type was one vaginal sex event (13.1%) for women and other sex types (16.4%) for men. Wanting to have sex or perceiving a partner wanted to have sex were the strongest predictors of sexual behaviour type, and were associated with a greater number of reported sexual behaviours. Conclusions: Event-specific sexual motivations are associated with the choice to have sex, and with variation in the chosen sexual behaviours.
Seed tolerance to heating is better predicted by seed dormancy than by habitat type in Neotropical savanna grasses
Authors: Ramos Desirée M. , Liaffa Ana B. S. , Diniz Pedro , Munhoz Cássia B. R. , Ooi Mark K. J. , Borghetti Fabian , Valls José F. M.
Published: November 2016

Open savannas and wet grasslands are present under the same seasonal macro-climate in central Brazil. However, in open savannas, temperatures during fires are higher than in wet grasslands. Grasses dominate both ecosystems and exhibit large variation in seed dormancy. We hypothesise that seeds of grass species from open savannas are more tolerant to heating than those of wet grasslands. Also, assuming that dormant seeds remain longer in the soil than non-dormant seeds – thus being more likely to burn – we expect that dormant seeds are more tolerant to heating than non-dormant seeds. We tested the effects of heating at 80 and 110°C for 2.5 and 5.0 min on the survival of seeds of 14 species, seven from each community, containing dormant and non-dormant species. Seeds of most species survived at 80°C, but seeds from open savannas maintained greater survival for 5 min than seeds from wet grasslands. Seeds of most species died at 110°C, but dormant seeds survived more than non-dormant seeds. We conclude that species with seed dormancy experience selection for covarying characteristics that allow tolerance to heating in hotter fires. Our findings suggest that both seed dormancy and habitat-specific fire temperatures may contribute to the evolution of seed fire tolerance in Neotropical savannas.
Accurate and scalable social recommendation using mixed-membership stochastic block models
Authors: Godoy-Lorite Antonia , Guimerà Roger , Moore Cristopher , Sales-Pardo Marta
Published: November 2016

Significance

Recommendation systems are designed to predict users’ preferences and provide them with recommendations for items such as books or movies that suit their needs. Recent developments show that some probabilistic models for user preferences yield better predictions than latent feature models such as matrix factorization. However, it has not been possible to use them in real-world datasets because they are not computationally efficient. We have developed a rigorous probabilistic model that outperforms leading approaches for recommendation and whose parameters can be fitted efficiently with an algorithm whose running time scales linearly with the size of the dataset. This model and inference algorithm open the door to more approaches to recommendation and to other problems where matrix factorization is currently used.
Enhanced stochastic fluctuations to measure steep adhesive energy landscapes
Authors: Haider Ahmad , Potter Daniel , Sulchek Todd A.
Published: November 2016

Significance

Intermolecular interactions are governed by complex energy landscapes that give rise to their kinetic behavior and nanoscale properties. These properties have been measured, but the underlying energy landscapes for many stable interactions have not, as soft springs are commonly unable to fully measure strong interactions. We used atomic force microscopy with a white-noise excited cantilever to overcome this challenge, observing highly adhesive silicon nitride–mica interactions in water, and reconstructing the interaction energy as a function of tip–sample distance. Confirming our method with established models, we found an ideal excitation energy that allowed the cantilever to explore the full depth and contour of the energy landscape, demonstrating a capability for directly measuring highly adhesive interactions.
An α/β-hydrolase fold protein in the biosynthesis of thiostrepton exhibits a dual activity for endopeptidyl hydrolysis and epoxide ring opening/macrocyclization
Authors: Zheng Qingfei , Wang Shoufeng , Duan Panpan , Liao Rijing , Chen Dandan , Liu Wen
Published: November 2016

Significance

The superfamily of α/β-hydrolase fold proteins consists of more than 60,000 different members that share a common Nucleophile-His-Acid catalytic triad at individual active sites. These enzymes function diversely in specific biochemical processes, many of which in fact remain poorly understood. In this study, we characterized a distinct α/β-hydrolase fold protein, TsrI, which exhibits the unprecedented dual activity for endopeptidyl hydrolysis and epoxide ring opening/macrocyclization. TsrI uses a same Ser-His-Asp catalytic triad to catalyze cascade C-N bond cleavage and formation, not only highlighting the versatility of α/β-hydrolase fold proteins, which apparently has not been fully appreciated thus far, but also providing insights into the biosynthesis of thiostrepton-type bicyclic thiopeptide members for side-ring system construction and molecular maturation.
Genomic sequencing-based mutational enrichment analysis identifies motility genes in a genetically intractable gut microbe
Authors: Bae Sena , Mueller Olaf , Wong Sandi , Rawls John F. , Valdivia Raphael H.
Published: November 2016

Significance

There is broad interest in the role microbial communities play in human health. Although DNA-sequencing technologies enabled a broad assessment of microbial diversity and genomic content, our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying microbe–microbe and microbe–host interactions has proceeded much more slowly because only a small fraction of microbes are amenable to molecular genetic manipulation. We describe a method, independent of recombinant DNA tools, to perform genetic analysis in any cultivatable microbial species. We identified determinants of motility in a member of the vertebrate microbiome, the Firmicutes
Exiguobacterium acetylicum
, and experimentally determined a role for motility in animal colonization by this previously uncharacterized commensal bacteria that is important for host nutrient homeostasis.
MyTH4-FERM myosins have an ancient and conserved role in filopod formation
Authors: Petersen Karl J. , Goodson Holly V. , Arthur Ashley L. , Luxton G. W. Gant , Houdusse Anne , Titus Margaret A.
Published: November 2016

Significance

Filopodia are actin-based structures used by cells to sense chemical stimuli and promote adhesion to the extracellular environment during the development of multicellular organisms. Filopod formation in evolutionarily distant organisms requires MyTH4-FERM (myosin tail homology 4-band 4.1, ezrin, radixin, moesin; MF) myosins that consist of a motor domain paired with a tail domain that binds cytoskeletal and membrane proteins. Mutational analysis identified the minimal requirements for MF myosin function in filopod formation and revealed that the key features are conserved between amoebozoan and metazoan MF myosins. These findings have implications for understanding the fundamental principles of how filopodia form and how MF myosins function in phylogenetically distant organisms.