bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Multiple polycomb epigenetic regulatory proteins are active in normal and regenerating adult olfactory epithelium
Authors: Goldstein Bradley J. , Choi Rhea , Goss Garrett M. 
Published: September 2018

ObjectivesTo investigate epigenetic mechanisms contributing to regulation of cellular renewal and neurogenesis in adult olfactory epithelium (OE).Study DesignProspective basic science study.MethodsOlfactory basal cell cultures were prepared from adult mice per established protocols. in vivo studies were performed using the mouse methimazole lesion–regeneration paradigm. Nasal tissue sections were prepared from adult mice 7 days following lesion, or from unlesioned controls. Polycomb proteins were assessed by Western blot from culture or nasal tissue lysates, and by gene expression studies from cultures. In addition, in vivo expression patterns of Polycomb proteins were examined using immunohistochemistry. Chromosome immunoprecipitation (ChIP) was performed to investigate epigenetic modifications and specific chromatin interactions for Polycomb proteins in olfactory basal cells.ResultsSubunits of Polycomb Repressive Complex 1 (PRC1) and Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2) were identified in basal cell cultures and in vivo. In regenerating OE, basal progenitor cells identified by expression of the c–KIT receptor were found to coexpress the PRC2 protein EZH2. Because multiple variants of PRC1 subunits give rise to diverse PRC1 complexes serving different functions, expression of specific PRC1 variants was further examined. We identified PRC1 components including MEL18 (PCGF2) in immature neurons, and confirm BMI1 (PCGF4) expression in mature neurons. Moreover, we identified CBX8 as a neuron–specific PRC1 subunit. ChIP assays from OE cells demonstrated binding of PRC proteins to regulatory regions of specific transcription factors, consistent with PRC–mediated epigenetic silencing mechanisms active in adult OE.ConclusionsMultiple Polycomb proteins have cell type–specific expression patterns in the adult OE. Findings presented here, together with evidence from prior studies, suggest that PRC–mediated epigenetic silencing contributes to regulation of cellular renewal and tissue homeostasis in the OE. Efforts to define the mechanisms that regulate repair in the OE are essential for development of new therapeutic strategies for olfactory disorders.Level of EvidenceN/A
Living in a browning environment: Effects on Daphnia’s growth and fatty acid pattern
Authors: Nova Clarice Casa , Bozelli Reinaldo Luiz , Spitzy Alejandro , Müller‐Navarra Dörthe 
Published: September 2018

AbstractTo assess whether different concentrations of dissolved organic matter (DOM) rich in humic substances (HS) affect growth rates, reproduction and fatty acids (FA) composition of Daphnia pulex under bright light, we performed microcosms controlled laboratory trials. Experiments were run using two microalgae as food source, Cryptomonas erosa and Scenedesmus acutus at four DOM additions (0 mg C L−1, 15 mg C L−1, 30 mg C L−1, and 60 mg C L−1) under unlimited food concentrations. Results show that daphnids’ growth rates were significantly higher feeding on Scenedesmus than on Cryptomonas, but were not significantly affected by the HS‐rich‐DOM concentrations. In contrast, clutch sizes increased with increasing concentrations of HS‐rich‐DOM, with nonsignificant differences between both food treatments. As expected, FA in daphnids were mainly impacted by the food. Irrespectively of food, the content of total FA and especially saturated FA were lower in the treatments with the highest addition of HS‐rich‐DOM. In the Scenedesmus trial, certain highly unsaturated FA (HUFA) susceptible to UV degradation could only be observed in the treatments with higher concentrations of HS‐rich‐DOM (e.g., eicosapentaenoic acid [EPA] and arachidonic acid [ARA] at 30, and EPA, ARA and docosahexaenoic acid [DHA] only at 60 mg L−1). In the Cryptomonas trial, DHA levels increased with increasing concentrations of HS‐rich‐DOM. Our results show that FA mediated food quality impacted how HS‐rich‐DOM affected Daphnias’ growth. As the high dietary content in HUFA probably caused daphnids lower growth rates under UV exposure, there seems to be a trade‐off between beneficial and potential detrimental effects of feeding on a diet rich in HUFA.
Methodological review and meta‐analysis of dilution assays for estimates of virus‐ and grazer‐mediated phytoplankton mortality
Authors: Staniewski M. A. , Short S. M. 
Published: September 2018

AbstractThis manuscript reviews methodological differences among modified dilution assay studies used to partition phytoplankton mortality into virus‐ and grazer‐mediated fractions, and discusses their implications. A meta‐analysis is also described, based on virus‐ and grazer‐mediated mortality and instantaneous growth rates extracted from these studies. As the α value used to assess the significance of these rates was not consistent across studies, metadata was re‐analyzed (i.e., rates were re‐calculated) using three levels of significance: α = 0.05, α = 0.1, and α‐not‐considered. The average virus‐mediated mortality rate observed for each re‐analysis was 0.04 d−1, 0.10 d−1, and 0.08 d−1, respectively. Further, 80%, 74%, and 56% of virus‐mediated mortality rates were between −0.1 d−1 and 0.1 d−1. Power analysis was used to demonstrate that typical modified dilution assays lack the sensitivity to consistently detect small virus‐mediated mortality rates, and shows how dilution scheme modifications can affect power. Rates of virus‐mediated mortality were also discriminated based on salinity, depth, use of nutrient amendments, and choice of technique for estimating apparent growth rates. For all three re‐analyses, a significant positive correlation was observed between virus‐mediated mortality (d−1) and instantaneous growth rate (d−1) (Pearson r = 0.72, 0.74, 0.32, all p values < 0.01), suggesting that virally mediated mortality is intimately linked to host growth. This manuscript highlights the need for greater standardization in the analysis and presentation of information when using the modified dilution approach for estimating phytoplankton mortality, and provides recommendations for the application of future assays.
Effects of transcranial photobiomodulation with near‐infrared light on sexual dysfunction
Authors: Cassano Paolo , Dording Christina , Thomas Garrett , Foster Simmie , Yeung Albert , Uchida Mai , Hamblin Michael R. , Bui Eric , Fava Maurizio , Mischoulon David , Iosifescu Dan V. 
Published: September 2018

ObjectivesTranscranial photobiomodulation (t‐PBM) consists of the delivery of near‐infrared (NIR) or red light to the scalp designed to penetrate to subjacent cortical areas of the brain. NIR t‐PBM has recently emerged as a potential therapy for brain disorders. This study assessed the efficacy of repeated sessions of NIR t‐PBM on sexual dysfunction.MethodsWe performed a secondary analysis of a double‐blind clinical trial on t‐PBM for major depressive disorder (MDD). Twenty individuals received NIR t‐PBM (n = 9) or sham therapy (n = 11) twice a week for 8 weeks. Sexual desire, arousal, and orgasm were assessed using the Systematic Assessment for Treatment‐Emergent Effects‐Specific Inquiry (SAFTEE‐SI).ResultsThe mean improvement in sexual function (decrease in SAFTEE sex total score) in subjects receiving t‐PBM in NIR‐mode was significantly greater than in subjects receiving sham‐mode in the whole sample (NIR [n = 9] −2.55 ± 1.88 vs. sham [n = 11] −0.45 ± 1.21; z = 2.548, P = 0.011]) and in the completers (NIR [n = 5] −3.4 ± 1.95 vs. sham [n = 7] −0.14 ± 1.21; z = 2.576, P = 0.010]).ConclusionThis exploratory study with a small sample size indicates that repeated sessions of NIR t‐PBM may be associated with therapeutic effects on sexual dysfunction. The latter appeared unrelated to the antidepressant effect of t‐PBM in our cohort. Lasers Surg. Med. 51:127–135, 2019. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Comparative metagenomics of the gut microbiota in wild greylag geese (Anser anser) and ruddy shelducks (Tadorna ferruginea)
Authors: Wang Wen , Zheng Sisi , Li Laixing , Yang Yongsheng , Liu Yingbao , Wang Aizhen , Sharshov Kirill , Li Yao 
Published: September 2018

AbstractGut microbiome contributes to host health by maintaining homeostasis, increasing digestive efficiency, and facilitating the development of immune system. Wild greylag geese (Anser anser) and ruddy shelducks (Tadorna ferruginea), migrating along the central Asian flyway, appear to be one of the most popular species in the rare birds rearing industries of China. However, the structure and function of the gut microbial communities associated with these two bird species remain poorly understood. Here, for the first time, we compared gut metagenomes from greylag geese to ruddy shelducks and investigated the similarities and differences between these two bird species in detail. Taxonomic classifications revealed the top three bacterial phyla, Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, and Fusobacteria, in both greylag geese and ruddy shelducks. Furthermore, between the two species, 12 bacterial genera were found to be more abundant in ruddy shelducks and 41 genera were significantly higher in greylag geese. A total of 613 genera (approximately 70%) were found to be present in both groups. Metabolic categories related to carbohydrate metabolism, metabolism of cofactors and vitamins, lipid metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and glycan biosynthesis and metabolism were significantly more abundant in ruddy shelducks, while greylag geese were enriched in nucleotide metabolism and energy metabolism. The herbivorous greylag geese gut microbiota harbored more carbohydrate‐active enzymes than omnivorous ruddy shelducks. In our study, a range of antibiotic resistance categories were also identified in the gut microbiota of greylag geese and ruddy shelducks. In addition to providing a better understanding of the composition and function of wild birds gut microbiome, this comparative study provides reference values of the artificial domestication of these birds.
The relationships between urinary glycosaminoglycan levels and phenotypes of mucopolysaccharidoses
Authors: Lin Hsiang‐Yu , Lee Chung‐Lin , Lo Yun‐Ting , Wang Tuan‐Jen , Huang Sung‐Fa , Chen Tzu‐Lin , Wang Yu‐Shan , Niu Dau‐Ming , Chuang Chih‐Kuang , Lin Shuan‐Pei 
Published: September 2018

AbstractBackgroundThe aim of this study was to use the liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC‐MS/MS) method to quantitate levels of three urinary glycosaminoglycans (GAGs; dermatan sulfate [DS], heparan sulfate [HS], and keratan sulfate [KS]) to help make a correct diagnosis of mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS).MethodsWe analyzed the relationships between phenotypes and levels of urinary GAGs of 79 patients with different types of MPS.ResultsThe patients with mental retardation (n = 21) had significantly higher levels of HS than those without mental retardation (n = 58; 328.8 vs. 3.2 μg/ml, p < 0.001). The DS levels in the patients with hernia, hepatosplenomegaly, claw hands, coarse face, valvular heart disease, and joint stiffness were higher than those without. Twenty patients received enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) for 1–12.3 years. After ERT, the KS level decreased by 90% in the patients with MPS IVA compared to a 31% decrease in the change of dimethylmethylene blue (DMB) ratio. The DS level decreased by 79% after ERT in the patients with MPS VI compared to a 66% decrease in the change of DMB ratio.ConclusionsThe measurement of GAG fractionation biomarkers using the LC‐MS/MS method is a more sensitive and reliable tool than the DMB ratio for MPS high‐risk screening, diagnosis, subclass identification, and monitoring the efficacy of ERT.
A novel real‐time computational framework for detecting catheters and rigid guidewires in cardiac catheterization procedures
Authors: Ma YingLiang , Alhrishy Mazen , Narayan Srinivas Ananth , Mountney Peter , Rhode Kawal S. 
Published: September 2018

PurposeCatheters and guidewires are used extensively in cardiac catheterization procedures such as heart arrhythmia treatment (ablation), angioplasty, and congenital heart disease treatment. Detecting their positions in fluoroscopic X‐ray images is important for several clinical applications, for example, motion compensation, coregistration between 2D and 3D imaging modalities, and 3D object reconstruction.MethodsFor the generalized framework, a multiscale vessel enhancement filter is first used to enhance the visibility of wire‐like structures in the X‐ray images. After applying adaptive binarization method, the centerlines of wire‐like objects were extracted. Finally, the catheters and guidewires were detected as a smooth path which is reconstructed from centerlines of target wire‐like objects. In order to classify electrode catheters which are mainly used in electrophysiology procedures, additional steps were proposed. First, a blob detection method, which is embedded in vessel enhancement filter with no additional computational cost, localizes electrode positions on catheters. Then the type of electrode catheters can be recognized by detecting the number of electrodes and also the shape created by a series of electrodes. Furthermore, for detecting guiding catheters or guidewires, a localized machine learning algorithm is added into the framework to distinguish between target wire objects and other wire‐like artifacts. The proposed framework were tested on total 10,624 images which are from 102 image sequences acquired from 63 clinical cases.ResultsDetection errors for the coronary sinus (CS) catheter, lasso catheter ring and lasso catheter body are 0.56 ± 0.28 mm, 0.64 ± 0.36 mm, and 0.66 ± 0.32 mm, respectively, as well as success rates of 91.4%, 86.3%, and 84.8% were achieved. Detection errors for guidewires and guiding catheters are 0.62 ± 0.48 mm and success rates are 83.5%.ConclusionThe proposed computational framework do not require any user interaction or prior models and it can detect multiple catheters or guidewires simultaneously and in real‐time. The accuracy of the proposed framework is sub‐mm and the methods are robust toward low‐dose X‐ray fluoroscopic images, which are mainly used during procedures to maintain low radiation dose.
Autocalibrated multiband CAIPIRINHA with through‐time encoding: Proof of principle and application to cardiac tissue phase mapping
Authors: Ferrazzi Giulio , Bassenge Jean Pierre , Wink Clarissa , Ruh Alexander , Markl Michael , Moeller Steen , Metzger Gregory J. , Ittermann Bernd , Schmitter Sebastian 
Published: September 2018

AbstractPurposeIn conventional multiband (MB) CAIPIRINHA, additional reference scans are acquired to allow the separation of the excited slices. In this study, an acquisition‐reconstruction technique that makes use of the MB data to calculate these reference data is presented. The method was integrated into a 2D time‐resolved phase‐contrast MR sequence used to assess velocities of the myocardium.MethodsThe RF phases of the MB pulse are cycled through time so that consecutive cardiac phases can be grouped to form reference scans at a lower temporal resolution. These reference data are subsequently used to separate the original slices at the original, high temporal resolution using slice/split‐slice GRAPPA algorithms. Slice separation performances are evaluated and compared with conventional methods at 3 T, and 3 different strategies for the calibration of the kernels are proposed and compared. Finally, 6 subjects were scanned to assess velocities of the myocardium.ResultsBecause the acquisition of external references is not needed, no additional breath‐holds are required and the full MB acceleration could be exploited. Because the reference and MB data have the same resolution and phase structure, better slice separation was achieved when comparing the proposed technique to conventional workflows. Finally, time‐resolved velocities of the myocardial tissue were successfully quantified from MB data, showing good agreement with single‐band measurements.ConclusionOur built‐in reference method allows the full exploitation of the MB acceleration and it limits the number of breath‐holds.
Carbon Dots/Cu2O Composite with Intrinsic High Protease‐Like Activity for Hydrolysis of Proteins under Physiological Conditions
Authors: Li Bin , Chen Daomei , Nie Minfang , Wang Jiaqiang , Li Yizhou , Yang Yepeng 
Published: September 2018

AbstractWhereas a variety of inorganic nanomaterials possessing intrinsic peroxidase‐like activity have recently attracted considerable interest, little attention is given to explore their intrinsic protease‐mimic activities. And the construction of efficient enzyme mimetics for the hydrolysis of peptide bonds in proteins still represents a major technical challenge due to the high stability of peptide bonds and the importance of proteases in biology and industry. Herein, it is described for the first time that Cu2O‐decorated carbon quantum dots (CQDs/Cu2O) possess an intrinsic protease‐mimic activity to hydrolyze proteins including bovine serum albumin (BSA) and casein under physiological conditions. CQDs/Cu2O also features a desirable stability and good reusability. CQDs/Cu2O has a much higher affinity for BSA than trypsin. To the best of knowledge, this is the first example of protein hydrolysis by stable composite nanomaterials under physiological conditions which may open this catalytic system for a multitude of potential applications in biological systems.
Partial enzymatic reactions: A missed opportunity in proteomics research
Authors: Deng Jingren , Julian Morgan H. , Lazar Iulia M. 
Published: September 2018

RationaleBiological studies are conducted at ever‐increasing rates by relying on proteomic workflows. Although data acquisition by mass spectrometry is highly automated and rapid, sample preparation continues to be the bottleneck of developing high‐throughput workflows. Enzymatic protein processing, in particular, involves time‐consuming protocols that can extend from one day to another. To address this gap, we developed and evaluated simple, in‐solution tryptic enzymatic reactions that unfold within a few minutes, and demonstrate the utility of the methodology for the rapid analysis of proteins originating from cancer cell extracts.MethodsTryptic enzymatic reactions were conducted for 7–60 min, and the results were compared with that of a routine approach conducted for 18 h. No other reaction conditions were changed relative to the 18 h procedure. The reaction products were analyzed by nanospray high‐performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (nano‐HPLC/MS/MS), and the quality of the products was assessed in terms of peptide/protein identifications, sequence coverage, peptide length, missed‐cleavage sites, quality of generated ions, and peptide hydrophilic/hydrophobic properties.ResultsThe results demonstrate that brief, and therefore incomplete, enzymatic processes lead to a large number of peptide fragments that improve protein sequence and proteome coverage, that the tandem mass spectra produced from these peptides are of high quality for reliable protein identifications, and that the physical properties of peptides are prone to supporting the development of alternative multi‐dimensional separations and middle‐down proteomics analysis strategies. The reproducibility of generating the same peptides within a few minutes of enzymatic digestion was remarkably close to that obtained from 18 h long reactions, and the combined results of short and long reactions increased proteome coverage by ~40%.ConclusionsWe demonstrate that partial enzymatic reactions conducted on short time‐scales represent a valuable asset to proteomic studies, and propose their implementation either as simple, cost‐effective, stand‐alone protocols for substantially streamlining the analysis of biological samples, or as complementary protocols, for improving protein sequence and proteome coverage.
Finite‐time fault‐tolerant formation control for multiquadrotor systems with actuator fault
Authors: Zhao Xinyi , Zong Qun , Tian Bailing , Wang Dandan , You Ming 
Published: September 2018

SummaryThis paper investigates the distributed tracking control of a group of underactuated quadrotors in the presence of actuator faults in three‐dimensional space. Using consensus protocol and sliding mode algorithm, a distributed finite‐time fault‐tolerant formation control scheme is developed. The whole closed‐loop system is composed by position loop, attitude loop, and propeller speed loop. A propeller speed fault‐tolerant controller is developed to deal with the unexpected faults of quadrotors. The finite‐time stability of the closed‐loop system is guaranteed through Lyapunov analysis. Finally, the efficiency of the proposed algorithm is illustrated by some numerical simulations.
Physicochemical Studies on Nafion® Modified ZnO Interlayers for Enhanced Electron Transport in the Inverted Polymer Solar Cells
Authors: Remya R. , Gayathri P. T. G. , Unni K. N. N. , Deb Biswapriya 
Published: September 2018

AbstractElectron selective intermediate layers are crucial for both efficiency and stability of the inverted polymer solar cells (I‐PSCs). In this paper, an established low‐temperature (<130 °C) recipe to fabricate nano zinc oxide (ZnO) layers (L‐ZnO) exhibited typical values of power conversion efficiency (PCE∼3.3%) with the standard P3HT:PC61BM blend. However, PCEs showed further improvement up to ∼24% (∼ 4.08%) when these layers were annealed at 300 °C (H‐ZnO). This annealing step can be bypassed by adopting a slightly different chemistry using Nafion as a modifier (NM‐ZnO). I‐PSCs fabricated with NM‐ZnO showed nearly 40% increase in the PCE (∼4.62%) with PEDOT:PSS hole transport layers (HTL) that matches the so far highest recorded value for such a system. For the low‐bandgap polymer blend PBDTT‐FTTE:PC71BM, a peak efficiency of ∼6.77% was obtained compared to ∼5.34% with L‐ZnO (∼28% increase). Our experiments revealed that these enhancements were due to a combination of benefits obtained from Nafion modification such as favourable positioning of work function (WF), high band gap (Eg) and better transport characteristics through the layer interfaces.
A sample validation of the Adolescent Stress Questionnaire (ASQ) in New Zealand
Authors: Sotardi Valerie A. , Watson Penelope W. St J. 
Published: September 2018

AbstractThe Adolescent Stress Questionnaire (ASQ) is a 56‐item scale measuring stress in 10 domains. The scale has been tested in a number of countries worldwide with mixed support. The current study tested the factor structure, construct validity, and reliability in a sample (n = 1,601) comprising a general population of adolescents in New Zealand. Support was found for the 10‐factor structure with adequate internal consistency as well as strong factorial invariance between male and female participants. Significant inverse correlations were found between all ASQ domains and both life satisfaction and perceived academic achievement. Most ASQ domains revealed gender differences, with female participants reporting greater stress than males. Toward a nonbinary perspective of gender, gender‐neutral participants reported greater stress than males and females in certain stress domains. Results based on regression analyses indicate that nonacademic ASQ domains were generally related to life satisfaction whereas academic ASQ domains were related to perceived academic achievement. Positive and negative interaction effects were observed between gender and ASQ domains on life satisfaction and academic achievement. Overall, the current results indicate that the ASQ appears to be a reliable, valid instrument for adolescent stress in New Zealand with relevance to perceived life satisfaction and achievement.