bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Desalination of Produced Water by Membrane Distillation: Effect of the Feed Components and of a Pre-treatment by Fenton Oxidation
Authors: Ricceri Francesco , Giagnorio Mattia , Farinelli Giulio , Blandini Giulia , Minella Marco , Vione Davide , Tiraferri Alberto 
Published: October 2019

AbstractThe treatment of produced waters (by-products of oil and gas extraction) with the innovative process of membrane distillation is challenging, because these highly saline streams contain high concentrations of organic compounds and hydrocarbons that cause membrane wetting and impairment of performance. To design the most compact treatment scheme and with the aim of obtaining an easier management of produced water for reuse purposes, Fenton oxidation is here investigated as a feed pre-treatment that may produce an effluent easily handled by membrane distillation. In high-recovery membrane distillation tests, we systematically investigate the detrimental effects of individual contaminants in a synthetic produced water mimicking the composition of a real sample. The recovery rate depends strongly on the initial salinity, which eventually causes scaling and pore blocking. Surfactants are found to be mainly responsible for membrane wetting, but volatile and hydrophobic organics also spoil the quality of the product water. A Fenton oxidation pre-treatment is thus performed to degrade the target organics, with the aim of enhancing the effectiveness of the following membrane distillation and to improve the quality of the final product. The combined oxidation-membrane distillation scheme has both advantages and limitations, which need to be carefully evaluated and further investigated.
A systemic study of indoxacarb resistance in Spodoptera litura revealed complex expression profiles and regulatory mechanism
Authors: Shi Li , Shi Yao , Zhang Ya , Liao Xiaolan 
Published: October 2019

AbstractThe tobacco cutworm, Spodoptera litura, is an important pest of crop and vegetable plants worldwide, and its resistance to insecticides have quickly developed. However, the resistance mechanisms of this pest are still unclear. In this study, the change in mRNA and miRNA profiles in the susceptible, indoxacarb-resistant and field indoxacarb-resistant strains of S. litura were characterized. Nine hundred and ten co-up-regulated and 737 co-down-regulated genes were identified in the resistant strains. Further analysis showed that 126 co-differentially expressed genes (co-DEGs) (cytochrome P450, carboxy/cholinesterase, glutathione S-transferase, ATP-binding cassette transporter, UDP-glucuronosyl transferase, aminopeptidase N, sialin, serine protease and cuticle protein) may play important roles in indoxacarb resistance in S. litura. In addition, a total of 91 known and 52 novel miRNAs were identified, and 10 miRNAs were co-differentially expressed in the resistant strains of S. litura. Furthermore, 10 co-differentially expressed miRNAs (co-DEmiRNAs) had predicted co-DEGs according to the expected miRNA-mRNA negative regulation pattern and 37 indoxacarb resistance-related co-DEGs were predicted to be the target genes. These results not only broadened our understanding of molecular mechanisms of insecticide resistance by revealing complicated profiles, but also provide important clues for further study on the mechanisms of miRNAs involved in indoxacarb resistance in S. litura.
Designing and optimization of an electrochemical substitute for the MTT (3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) cell viability assay
Authors: Mazloum-Ardakani Mohammad , Barazesh Behnaz , Moshtaghioun Seyed Mohammad , Sheikhha Mohammad Hasan 
Published: October 2019

AbstractFor the first time ever, this paper reports the development of an easily operated and cost-effective electrochemical assay to be used as an appropriate substitute for the MTT (3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) cell viability assay. The proposed assay is based on the electrochemical reaction ofSaccharomyces cerevisiae(S.cerevisiae) with toxic materials, and it overcomes most of the limitations of MTT such as evaporation of volatile solvents, cytotoxic effects of MTT reagents, high cost, and sensitivity to light. The novel electrochemical assay can be used to detect diazinon in the range of 10−6g mL−1to 10−2g mL−1with the detection limit of 1.5 × 10−7g mL−1.
Type I interferon signaling before hematopoietic stem cell transplantation lowers donor T cell activation via reduced allogenicity of recipient cells
Authors: Fischer Julius C. , Bscheider Michael , Göttert Sascha , Thiele Orberg Erik , Combs Stephanie E. , Bassermann Florian , Heidegger Simon , Haas Tobias , Poeck Hendrik 
Published: October 2019

AbstractRecent studies highlight immunoregulatory functions of type I interferons (IFN-I) during the pathogenesis of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). We demonstrated that selective activation of IFN-I pathways including RIG-I/MAVS and cGAS/STING prior to allo-HSCT conditioning therapy can ameliorate the course of GVHD. However, direct effects of IFN-Is on immune cells remain ill characterized. We applied RIG-I agonists (3pRNA) to stimulate IFN-I production in murine models of conditioning therapy with total body irradiation (TBI) and GVHD. Using IFN-I receptor-deficient donor T cells and hematopoietic cells, we found that endogenous and RIG-I-induced IFN-Is do not reduce GVHD by acting on these cell types. However, 3pRNA applied before conditioning therapy reduced the ability of CD11c+ recipient cells to stimulate proliferation and interferon gamma expression of allogeneic T cells. Consistently, RIG-I activation before TBI reduced the proliferation of transplanted allogeneic T-cells. The reduced allogenicity of CD11c+ recipient cells was dependent on IFN-I signaling. Notably, this immunosuppressive function of DCs was restricted to a scenario where tissue damage occurs. Our findings uncover a context (damage by TBI) and IFN-I dependent modulation of T cells by DCs and extend the understanding about the cellular targets of IFN-I during allo-HSCT and GVHD.
Speckle Noise Removal in Image-based Detection of Refractive Index Changes in Porous Silicon Microarrays
Authors: Ren Ruyong , Guo Zhiqing , Jia Zhenhong , Yang Jie , Kasabov Nikola K. , Li Chuanxi 
Published: October 2019

AbstractBased on porous silicon (PSi) microarray images, we propose a new method called the phagocytosis algorithm (PGY) for removing the influence of speckle noise on image gray values. In a theoretical analysis, speckle noise of different intensities is added to images, and a suitable denoising method is developed to restore the image gray level. This method can be used to reduce the influence of speckle noise on the gray values of PSi microarray images to improve the accuracy of detection and increase detection sensitivity. In experiments, the method is applied to detect refractive index changes in PSi microcavity images, and a good linear relationship between the gray level change and the refractive index change is obtained. In addition, the algorithm is applied to a PSi microarray image, and good results are obtained.
The wild-type flagellar filament of the Firmicute Kurthia at 2.8 Å resolution in vivo
Authors: Blum Thorsten B. , Filippidou Sevasti , Fatton Mathilda , Junier Pilar , Abrahams Jan Pieter 
Published: October 2019

AbstractBacteria swim and swarm by rotating the micrometers long, helical filaments of their flagella. They change direction by reversing their flagellar rotation, which switches the handedness of the filament’s supercoil. So far, all studied functional filaments are composed of a mixture of L- and R-state flagellin monomers. Here we show in a study of the wild type Firmicute Kurthia sp., that curved, functional filaments can adopt a conformation in vivo that is closely related to a uniform, all-L-state. This sheds additional light on transitions of the flagellar supercoil and uniquely reveals the atomic structure of a wild-type flagellar filament in vivo, including six residues showing clearly densities of O-linked glycosylation.
Acceleration in the DNA methylation age in breast cancer tumours from very young women
Authors: Oltra Sara S. , Peña-Chilet Maria , Flower Kirsty , Martinez María Teresa , Alonso Elisa , Burgues Octavio , Lluch Ana , Flanagan James M. , Ribas Gloria 
Published: October 2019

AbstractBreast cancer in very young women (≤35 years; BCVY) presents more aggressive and complex biological features than their older counterparts (BCO). Our aim was to evaluate methylation differences between BCVY and BCO and their DNA epigenetic age. EPIC and 450k Illumina methylation arrays were used in 67 breast cancer tumours, including 32 from BCVY, for methylation study and additionally we analysed their epigenetic age. We identified 2 219 CpG sites differently-methylated in BCVY vs. BCO (FDR < 0.05; β-value difference ± 0.1). The signature showed a general hypomethylation profile with a selective small hypermethylation profile located in open-sea regions in BCVY against BCO and normal tissue. Strikingly, BCVY presented a significant increased epigenetic age-acceleration compared with older women. The affected genes were enriched for pathways in neuronal-system pathways, cell communication, and matrix organisation. Validation in an independent sample highlighted consistent higher expression of HOXD9, and PCDH10 genes in BCVY. Regions implicated in the hypermethylation profile were involved in Notch signalling pathways, the immune system or DNA repair. We further validated HDAC5 expression in BCVY. We have identified a DNA methylation signature that is specific to BCVY and have shown that epigenetic age-acceleration is increased in BCVY.
Lignan enriched fraction (LRF) of Phyllanthus amarus promotes apoptotic cell death in human cervical cancer cells in vitro
Authors: Paul Subhabrata , Patra Debashis , Kundu Rita 
Published: October 2019

Abstract

Phyllanthus amarus is widely grown in this sub-continent and used traditionally to treat many common ailments. In the present study, lignan rich fraction of P. amarus extract was used on cervical cancer cell lines (HeLa, SiHa and C33A) to study it’s mechanism of cell death induction. As the cells were treated with IC50 doses of LRF, characteristic apoptotic features were observed. Increased sub G0 population were observed both in Hela and C33 cells, while G1/S arrest was observed in SiHa cells than their untreated counterparts. Increased production of ROS and change in MMP were also detected in the treated cells. Presence of γH2AX, was observed by immunofluorescence. Reduced expression of HPV (16/18) as well as ET-1, an autocrine growth substance, were observed in the treated cells. Immunoblotting as well as ICFC studies showed enhanced expressions of BAX, Caspase 3 and PARP (cleaved) in the treated cells. A major lignan, phyllanthin was isolated from the chloroform fraction and showed strong irreversible affinities for viral E6 and MDM2 in in silico analysis. The study conclusively indicates that LRF has the potential to induce apoptotic cell death in cervical cancer cells by activation of p53 and p21 against DNA damage.
Visual assessment of causality in the Poisson effect
Authors: Kawabe Takahiro 
Published: October 2019

AbstractWhen a material is stretched along a spatial axis, it is causally compressed along the orthogonal axis, as quantified in the Poisson effect. The present study examined how human observers assess this causality. Stimuli were video clips of a white rectangular region that was horizontally stretched while it was vertically compressed, with spatially sinusoidal modulation of the magnitude of vertical compressions. It was found that the Poisson’s ratio—a well-defined index of the Poisson effect—was not an explanatory factor for the degree of reported causality. Instead, reported causality was explained by image features related to deformation magnitudes. Comparing a material’s shape before and after deformation was not always required for the causality assessment. This suggests that human observers determine causality in the Poisson effect by using heuristics based on image features not necessarily related to the physical properties of the material.
Elevated FGF23 and disordered renal mineral handling with reduced bone mineralization in chronically erythropoietin over-expressing transgenic mice
Authors: Daryadel Arezoo , Natale Luciano , Seebeck Petra , Bettoni Carla , Schnitzbauer Udo , Gassmann Max , Wagner Carsten A. 
Published: October 2019

AbstractFibroblast Growth Factor 23 (FGF23) is a phosphaturic factor causing increased renal phosphate excretion as well as suppression of 1,25 (OH)2-vitamin D3. Highly elevated FGF23 can promote development of rickets and osteomalacia. We and others previously reported that acute application of erythropoietin (EPO) stimulates FGF23 production. Considering that EPO is clinically used as chronic treatment against anemia, we used here the Tg6 mouse model that constitutively overexpresses human EPO in an oxygen-independent manner, to examine the consequences of long-term EPO therapy on mineral and bone metabolism. Six to eight weeks old female Tg6 mice showed elevated intact and C-terminal fragment of FGF23 but normal plasma levels of PTH, calcitriol, calcium and phosphate. Renal function showed moderate alterations with higher urea and creatinine clearance and mild albuminuria. Renal phosphate excretion was normal whereas mild hypercalciuria was found. Renal expression of the key proteins TRPV5 and calbindin D28k involved in active calcium reabsorption was reduced in Tg6 mice. Plasma levels of the bone turnover marker osteocalcin were comparable between groups. However, urinary excretion of deoxypyridinoline (DPD) was lower in Tg6 mice. MicroCT analysis showed reduced total, cortical, and trabecular bone mineral density in femora from Tg6 mice. Our data reveal that chronic elevation of EPO is associated with high FGF23 levels and disturbed mineral homeostasis resulting in reduced bone mineral density. These observations imply the need to study the impact of therapeutically applied EPO on bone mineralization in patients, especially those suffering from chronic kidney disease.
Cancer-derived small extracellular vesicles promote angiogenesis by heparin-bound, bevacizumab-insensitive VEGF, independent of vesicle uptake
Authors: Ko Song Yi , Lee WonJae , Kenny Hilary A. , Dang Long H. , Ellis Lee M. , Jonasch Eric , Lengyel Ernst , Naora Honami 
Published: October 2019

AbstractCancer-derived small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) induce stromal cells to become permissive for tumor growth. However, it is unclear whether this induction solely occurs through transfer of vesicular cargo into recipient cells. Here we show that cancer-derived sEVs can stimulate endothelial cell migration and tube formation independently of uptake. These responses were mediated by the 189 amino acid isoform of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) on the surface of sEVs. Unlike other common VEGF isoforms, VEGF189 preferentially localized to sEVs through its high affinity for heparin. Interaction of VEGF189 with the surface of sEVs profoundly increased ligand half-life and reduced its recognition by the therapeutic VEGF antibody bevacizumab. sEV-associated VEGF (sEV-VEGF) stimulated tumor xenograft growth but was not neutralized by bevacizumab. Furthermore, high levels of sEV-VEGF were associated with disease progression in bevacizumab-treated cancer patients, raising the possibility that resistance to bevacizumab might stem in part from elevated levels of sEV-VEGF.
Spin supercurrent in two-dimensional superconductors with Rashba spin-orbit interaction
Authors: He James Jun , Hiroki Kanta , Hamamoto Keita , Nagaosa Naoto 
Published: October 2019

AbstractSpin current is a central theme in spintronics, and its generation is a keen issue. The spin-polarized current injection from the ferromagnet, spin battery, and spin Hall effect have been used to generate spin current, but Ohmic currents in the normal state are involved in all of these methods. On the other hand, the spin and spin current manipulation by the supercurrent in superconductors is a promising route for dissipationless spintronics. Here we show theoretically that, in two-dimensional superconductors with Rashba spin-orbit interaction, the generation of dissipationless bulk spin current by charge supercurrent becomes highly efficient, exceeding that in normal states in the dilute limit, i.e. when the chemical potential is close to the band edge, although the spin density becomes small there. This result manifests the possibility of creating new spintronic devices with long-range coherence.
Impaired l-arginine-nitric oxide pathway contributes to the pathogenesis of resistant hypertension
Authors: Rajapakse Niwanthi W. , Giam Beverly , Kuruppu Sanjaya , Head Geoffrey A. , Kaye David M. 
Published: October 2019

Abstract
The precise mechanisms underlying resistant hypertension remain elusive. Reduced nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability is frequently documented in chronic kidney disease, obesity, diabetes and advanced age, all of which are risk factors for resistant hypertension. Sympathetic overactivity and chronic activation of the renin–angiotensin system are salient features of resistant hypertension. Interestingly, recent data indicate that renal sympathetic overactivity can reduce the expression of neuronal nitric oxide synthase in the paraventricular nucleus. Reduced NO levels in the paraventricular nucleus can increase sympathetic outflow and this can create a vicious cycle contributing to resistant hypertension. Angiotensin II can reduce l-arginine transport and hence NO production. Reduced NO levels may reduce the formation of angiotensin 1-7 dampening the cardio-protective effects of the renin–angiotensin system contributing to resistant hypertension. In addition, interleukin-6 (IL-6) is demonstrated to be independently associated with resistant hypertension, and IL-6 can reduce NO synthesis. Despite this, NO levels have not been quantified in resistant hypertension. Findings from a small proof of concept study indicate that NO donors can reduce blood pressure in patients with resistant hypertension but more studies are required to validate these preliminary findings. In the present paper, we put forward the hypothesis that reduced NO bioavailability contributes substantially to the development of resistant hypertension.
Low dust emissivities and radial variations in the envelopes of Class 0 protostars: possible signature of early grain growth
Authors: Galametz M. , Maury A. J. , Valdivia V. , Testi L. , Belloche A. , André Ph. 
Published: October 2019

Context. Analyzing the properties of dust and its evolution in the early phases of star formation is crucial to put constraints on the collapse and accretion processes as well as on the pristine properties of planet-forming seeds.
Aims. In this paper, we aim to investigate the variations of the dust grain size in the envelopes of the youngest protostars.
Methods. We analyzed Plateau de Bure interferometric observations at 1.3 and 3.2 mm for 12 Class 0 protostars obtained as part of the CALYPSO survey. We performed our analysis in the visibility domain and derived dust emissivity index (β1−3mm) profiles as a function of the envelope radius at 200–2000 au scales.
Results. Most of the protostellar envelopes show low dust emissivity indices decreasing toward the central regions. The decreasing trend remains after correction of the (potentially optically thick) central region emission, with surprisingly low β1−3mm < 1 values across most of the envelope radii of NGC 1333-IRAS 4A, NGC 1333-IRAS 4B, SVS13B, and Serpens-SMM4.
Conclusions. We discuss the various processes that could explain such low and varying dust emissivity indices at envelope radii 200–2000 au. Our observations of extremely low dust emissivity indices could trace the presence of large (millimeter-size) grains in Class 0 envelopes, in which case our results would point to a radial increase of the dust grain size toward the inner envelope regions. While it is expected that large grains in young protostellar envelopes could be built via grain growth and coagulation, we stress that the typical timescales required to build millimeter grains in current coagulation models are at odds with the youth of our Class 0 protostars. Additional variations in the dust composition could also partly contribute to the low β1−3mm we observe. We find that the steepness of the β1−3mm radial gradient depends strongly on the envelope mass, which might favor a scenario in which large grains are built in high-density protostellar disks and transported to the intermediate envelope radii, for example with the help of outflows and winds.
Nachweis der Kastration weiblicher Katzen durch LH-Schnelltest
Authors: Betz Daniela Simon 
Published: October 2019

Morrow LD, Gruffydd-Jones TJ, Skillings E et al. Field study assessing the performance of a patient-side blood test to determine neuter status in female cast based on detection of luteinizing hormone. J Fel Med Surg 2019; 21 (6): 553–558.
Der derzeitige Goldstandard zur Klärung eines unbekannten Kastrationsstatus weiblicher Katzen ist die explorative Laparotomie, ein invasives, kostenintensives und mit Morbidität für das Tier verbundenes Verfahren. Die Suche nach einer Operationsnarbe im Bereich des Nabels oder der Flanke birgt Unsicherheiten und das Risiko einer Fehlinterpretation. Daher besteht großes Interesse an der Entwicklung eines kostengünstigen Bluttests zur Kastrationsbestimmung. Bei unkastrierten Kätzinnen liegt außer zum Ovulationszeitpunkt eine niedrige LH-Konzentration im Serum vor, während kastrierte Katzen einen höheren Wert aufweisen. In dieser Studie wurde untersucht, inwiefern sich mit einem Schnelltest zur LH-Bestimmung im Serum der Kastrationsstatus von Kätzinnen akkurat ermitteln lässt.
Novel Missense ALDH3A2 Mutation in a Patient with Sjögren–Larsson Syndrome
Authors: Tagiyev Anar , Cavdarli Busranur , Konuskan Bahadir , Topaloglu Haluk 
Published: October 2019

AbstractAn 11-year-old boy presented with toe-walking, hyperkeratosis of the skin, dysarthric speech, and mild mental retardation. On neurological examination, mild fasciculation in the eyelids and bilateral end-point nystagmus were noted. Speech quality was dysarthric, muscle tone, strength, and deep tendon reflexes increased tone, reflexes, and mild weakness (4/5), and bilateral Babinski sign was noted in the lower extremities. Cranial magnetic resonance imaging revealed a T2-signal increase in the right temporal lobe. Sjögren–Larsson syndrome based on clinical and neurological findings was confirmed with the identification of a homozygous c.983T˃C(p.Met328Thr) mutation in the ALDH3A2 gene; both parents were heterozygous for the same mutation.
Thoracic Endodermal Sinus Tumor with Root Compression Mimicking Guillain–Barre Syndrome in Clinical Presentation, CSF Studies, and EMG/NCV Findings
Authors: Barbut Gal , Brosgol Yuri , Celiker Mahmut , Stein Evan G. , McAbee Gary N. 
Published: October 2019

AbstractA 2-year-old boy who presented with clinical, cerebrospinal fluid, and electrophysiological findings consistent with Guillain–Barre syndrome (GBS) was found to have a thoracic spinal cord mass due to a yolk sac tumor. On examination, he had an absent anal wink and flaccid anal ring which is atypical for GBS. This case demonstrates the need for a thorough physical examination on presentation of a child with a clinical and laboratory presentation of GBS and highlights the importance of prompt imaging studies when clinical suspicion arises because of atypical clinical signs, such as absent anal wink or low rectal tone.