bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Vitamin D modulates the allergic phenotype of dendritic cells in children with atopic dermatitis
Authors: Cristi Francisca , Perez‐Mateluna Guillermo , Vera‐Kellet Cristián , Silva‐Valenzuela Sergio , Iturriaga Carolina , Hoyos‐Bachiloglu Rodrigo , Navarrete‐Dechent Cristián , Cifuentes Lorena , Camargo Carlos A. , Kalergis Alexis M. , Borzutzky Arturo 
Published: January 2019

AbstractVitamin D (VD) deficiency has been associated with increased incidence and severity of atopic dermatitis (AD), but the mechanisms through which VD may ameliorate AD are unclear. We compared the phenotypic characteristics of circulating myeloid and plasmacytoid dendritic cells (mDCs and pDCs, respectively) of children with AD vs healthy controls (HC) and evaluated if VD can modulate the allergic phenotype of circulating DCs in AD patients. Although there was no difference in frequency of circulating DCs between groups, among children with AD there was an inverse correlation between SCORAD and circulating total DCs and mDCs. In AD, serum IgE concentration correlated with FcεRI and surface‐bound IgE expression on mDCs and pDCs; pDCs expressing FcεRI and IgE were significantly increased compared to HC. Ex vivo, 1,25(OH)2D3 significantly decreased FcεRI expression on mDCs and surface‐bound IgE on mDCs and pDCs. Oral VD supplementation reduced expression of surface‐bound IgE on pDCs in children with AD. In summary, VD decreases the allergic phenotype of circulating DCs in children with AD, a potential mechanism for how VD supplementation may improve AD severity. Future studies are needed to further assess the role of VD supplementation as an immunomodulatory therapy for AD.
Cep128 associates with Odf2 to form the subdistal appendage of the centriole
Authors: Kashihara Hiroka , Chiba Shuhei , Kanno Shin‐ichiro , Suzuki Koya , Yano Tomoki , Tsukita Sachiko 
Published: January 2019

AbstractThe mother centriole in a cell has two appendages, the distal appendage (DA) and subdistal appendage (SDA), which have roles in generating cilia and organizing the cellular microtubular network, respectively. In the knockout (KO) cells of Odf2, the component of the DA and SDA, both appendages simultaneously disappear. However, the molecular mechanisms by which the DA and SDA form independently but close to each other downstream of Odf2 are unknown. Here, using super‐resolution structured illumination microscopy (SR‐SIM), we found that the signal for GFP‐tagged Odf2 overlapped considerably with that of immunofluorescently labeled Cep128. We further found that Cep128 knockdown (KD) caused the dissociation of other SDA components from the centriole, including centriolin, Ndel1, ninein and Cep170, whereas Odf2 was still associated with the centriole. In contrast, the DA components remained associated with the centriole in Cep128 KD cells. Consistent with this observation, we identified Cep128 as an Odf2‐interacting protein by immunoprecipitation. Taken with the finding that Cep128 deletion decreased the stability of centriolar microtubules, our results indicate that Cep128 associates with Odf2 in the hierarchical assembly of SDA components to elicit the microtubule‐organizing function.
The first observation of the association of Merkel cell polyomavirus and Merkel cell carcinoma in Brazil
Authors: Neto Cyro Festa , Oliveira Walmar R. P. , Costa Pedro V. A. , Cardoso Melina K. , Barreto Paula G. , Romano Camila M. , Urbano Paulo R. 
Published: January 2019

AbstractBackgroundMerkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare but aggressive primary cutaneous carcinoma with high mortality rates. The present study intends to delineate the epidemiological profile of patients with MCC seen at the Clinics Hospital of the Medical School at the University of São Paulo, Brazil, and its association with Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV).MethodsThis is a retrospective study. A search was performed in the hospital's medical index for all cases of MCC from January 1994 to December 2012. Among patients with MCC, the available tumoral skin specimens were analyzed with two different techniques of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) (conventional and real‐time) for detection of MCPyV DNA. Additionally, paraffin‐embedded samples of patients with non‐MCC skin cancers were also analyzed. Analyses suitable for categorical data (i.e., x² of Fisher) were used to compare the proportion of patients in each group.ResultsNineteen patients with MCC and 20 patients with non‐MCC skin cancers entered the study. All MCC samples available (13) tested positive for the presence of MCPyV DNA; however, in the non‐MCC skin cancer samples, the MCPyV DNA was detected in 4 of 20 samples (20%). MCPyV DNA detection rate was higher in patients with MCC than in the other group, and its analysis was statistically significant (P < 0.01).ConclusionsThis study demonstrates the association of MCPyV in Brazilian patients with MCC. However, further studies are necessary to determine the exact involvement of MCPyV in MCC pathogenesis and to define the significance of viral DNA detection in non‐MCC skin cancers.
Electrophysiological abnormalities in induced pluripotent stem cell‐derived cardiomyocytes generated from Duchenne muscular dystrophy patients
Authors: Eisen Binyamin , Ben Jehuda Ronen , Cuttitta Ashley J. , Mekies Lucy N. , Shemer Yuval , Baskin Polina , Reiter Irina , Willi Lubna , Freimark Dov , Gherghiceanu Mihaela , Monserrat Lorenzo , Scherr Michaela , Hilfiker‐Kleiner Denise , Arad Michael , Michele Daniel E. , Binah Ofer 
Published: January 2019

AbstractDuchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is an X‐linked progressive muscle degenerative disease, caused by mutations in the dystrophin gene and resulting in death because of respiratory or cardiac failure. To investigate the cardiac cellular manifestation of DMD, we generated induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and iPSC‐derived cardiomyocytes (iPSC‐CMs) from two DMD patients: a male and female manifesting heterozygous carrier. Dystrophin mRNA and protein expression were analysed by qRT‐PCR, RNAseq, Western blot and immunofluorescence staining. For comprehensive electrophysiological analysis, current and voltage clamp were used to record transmembrane action potentials and ion currents, respectively. Microelectrode array was used to record extracellular electrograms. X‐inactive specific transcript (XIST) and dystrophin expression analyses revealed that female iPSCs underwent X chromosome reactivation (XCR) or erosion of X chromosome inactivation, which was maintained in female iPSC‐CMs displaying mixed X chromosome expression of wild type (WT) and mutated alleles. Both DMD female and male iPSC‐CMs presented low spontaneous firing rate, arrhythmias and prolonged action potential duration. DMD female iPSC‐CMs displayed increased beat rate variability (BRV). DMD male iPSC‐CMs manifested decreased If density, and DMD female and male iPSC‐CMs showed increased ICa,L density. Our findings demonstrate cellular mechanisms underlying electrophysiological abnormalities and cardiac arrhythmias in DMD.
Listeria monocytogenes risk associated with chicken at slaughter and biocontrol with three new bacteriophages
Authors: Cufaoglu Gizem , Ayaz Naim Deniz 
Published: January 2019

AbstractThe aim of this study was to isolate Listeria monocytogenes from chicken neck skins and lytic bacteriophages from poultry slaughterhouse wastewaters, and following the characterization of the isolates, biocontrol of L. monocytogenes was investigated on chicken drumsticks with the isolated phages. L. monocytogenes prevalence was detected 12.3% in the chicken samples and the dominant serotype was determined as 1/2a (92.5%). Expression levels of major virulence genes were revealed by real‐time RT‐PCR. Ten different DNA profiles were detected by ERIC‐PCR fingerprinting. According to the MIC results, LM‐P75 was defined as MDR by showing resistance to antibiotics in six different groups. Besides, five lytic listeriophages were isolated from wastewaters and treated with Cla1 and Sac1. Taking EoP, TEM, in vitro, and in vivo analyses results into consideration, three bacteriophages were used for the biocontrol assay. The application of the bacteriophages on drumsticks achieved a reduction up to 3.3 log CFU/ml in L. monocytogenes count in 3 hr of incubation at 4°C.Practical applicationsOur results showed that in spite of the developments in hygiene practices during slaughtering, chicken meat is still a potential source for L. monocytogenes. On the other hand, the phage cocktail that used in this study can be an effective tool to reduce L. monocytogenes in chicken carcasses at final wash or at cooling step in poultry slaughtering process, as well as in decontamination of chicken meat parts.
MicroRNAs transcriptionally regulate promoter activity in Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Yang Guodong , Li Yuanyuan , Wu Binjiang , Zhang Kaiyue , Gao Lei , Zheng Chengchao 
Published: January 2019

SummaryMicroRNAs (miRNAs) are vital regulators that repress gene expression in the cytoplasm in two main ways: mRNA degradation and translational inhibition. Several animal studies have shown that miRNAs also target promoters, thereby activating expression. Whether this miRNA action also occurs in plants is unknown. In this study, we demonstrated that several miRNAs regulate target promoters in Arabidopsis thaliana. For example, miR5658 was predominantly present in the nucleus and activated the expression of AT3G25290 directly by binding to its promoter. Our observations suggest that this mode of action may be a general feature of plant miRNAs, and thus provide insight into the vital roles of plant miRNAs in the nucleus.
Age‐related survival disparity in stage IB and IIB cervical cancer patients
Authors: Sakakibara Atsuko , Matsui Kunihiko , Katayama Toshiro , Higuchi Toshihiro , Terakawa Koichi , Konishi Ikuo 
Published: January 2019

AbstractAimWhether young cervical cancer patients have poorer prognosis compared to older ones has remained controversial over the past half century. The last three decades have seen a rise in morbidity and mortality among young Japanese women with cervical cancer. This reflects the fact that the importance of prevention has not been fully recognized due to limited clinical studies. We examined the relationship between age and prognosis in cervical cancer.MethodsWe retrospectively examined medical records of consecutive patients with International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage IB and IIB cervical cancer at a hospital in Japan. Patients were divided into two age groups: less than or equal to 39 years (adolescent and young adult [AYA] group) and greater than or equal to 40 years (older adult group). We compared prognosis and clinical factors associated with prognosis between AYA and older adult patients.ResultsData from 182 patients (AYA n = 71; older adults n = 111) treated between 2004 and 2011 were analyzed. The proportion of loss to follow‐up was 6.0%. Significant differences were observed in stage and lymph node metastasis between the two groups at baseline. However, despite the older adult group having a higher proportion of advanced cancer patients, the overall survival rate of stage IIB patients in the AYA group at the 3‐year follow‐up was significantly lower (AYA 53.6%, older adults 86.3%, P < 0.05). Multivariate analysis adjusted for clinical factors revealed that AYA patients had a 3.7–3.9 times greater mortality risk compared to older adults.ConclusionAYA patients with stage IB and IIB cervical cancer may have a prognostic disadvantage.
Melatonin modulates daytime‐dependent synaptic plasticity and learning efficiency
Authors: Jilg Antje , Bechstein Philipp , Saade Anastasia , Dick Moritz , Li Tian Xiao , Tosini Gianluca , Rami Abdelhaq , Zemmar Ajmal , Stehle Jörg H. 
Published: January 2019

AbstractMechanisms of hippocampus‐related memory formation are time‐of‐day‐dependent. While the circadian system and clock genes are related to timing of hippocampal mnemonic processes (acquisition, consolidation, and retrieval of long‐term memory [LTM]) and long‐term potentiation (LTP), little is known about temporal gating mechanisms. Here, the role of the neurohormone melatonin as a circadian time cue for hippocampal signaling and memory formation was investigated in C3H/He wildtype (WT) and melatonin receptor‐knockout () mice. Immunohistochemical and immunoblot analyses revealed the presence of melatonin receptors on mouse hippocampal neurons. Temporal patterns of time‐of‐day‐dependent clock gene protein levels were profoundly altered in mice compared to WT animals. On the behavioral level, WT mice displayed better spatial learning efficiency during daytime as compared to nighttime. In contrast, high error scores were observed in mice during both, daytime and nighttime acquisition. Day‐night difference in LTP, as observed in WT mice, was absent in mice and in WT animals, in which the sympathetic innervation of the pineal gland was surgically removed to erase rhythmic melatonin synthesis. In addition, treatment of melatonin‐deficient C57BL/6 mice with melatonin at nighttime significantly improved their working memory performance at daytime. These results illustrate that melatonin shapes time‐of‐day‐dependent learning efficiency in parallel to consolidating expression patterns of clock genes in the mouse hippocampus. Our data suggest that melatonin imprints a time cue on mouse hippocampal signaling and gene expression to foster better learning during daytime.
The effect of copper nanoparticles and copper (II) salt on redox reactions and epigenetic changes in a rat model
Authors: Ognik Katarzyna , Cholewińska Ewelina , Juśkiewicz Jerzy , Zduńczyk Zenon , Tutaj Krzysztof , Szlązak Radosław 
Published: January 2019

AbstractThe aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of a diet containing different levels of Cu in two different chemical forms (carbonate and nanoparticles) on redox reactions and epigenetic changes in a rat model. For 4 weeks, five experimental groups (eight rats in each) were fed diets with two dosages of added Cu (standard—6.5 mg/kg or half of the standard dosage—3.25 mg/kg, and as a negative control no additional Cu in the mineral mixture) in two forms (standard—CuCO3 and copper nanoparticles). Addition of Cu nanoparticles resulted in higher Cp (ceruloplasmin) activity and LOOH (lipid peroxides) and MDA (malondialdehyde) content, as well as decrease the CAT (catalase) activity and level of PC (protein carbonyl), 3‐NT (3‐nitrotyrosine), 8‐OHdG (8‐hydroxydeoxyguanosine), GSH + GSSG (total glutathione) and DNA methylation. Reducing the dose of copper resulted in a decrease in the level of LOOH and GSH + GSSG as well as CAT activity, but increased the level of PC and methylated DNA. Based on these evidence, we concluded that addition of copper nanoparticles in the diet reduces protein oxidation and nitration as well as DNA oxidation and methylation. Lowering the level of Cu in the diet increases the oxidation of proteins and DNA methylation.
Linking understory species diversity, community‐level traits and productivity in a Chinese boreal forest
Authors: Liu Bo , Chen Han Y. H. , Yang Jian 
Published: January 2019

AbstractQuestionThe consensus has been growing over the past decade that functional traits and diversity are better to explain forest overstory diversity–productivity relationships (DPRs) than species diversity. Although the understory accounts for the majority of plant diversity in forests, it remains unclear how understory aboveground biomass production (UABP) is influenced by its species diversity and community‐level functional traits.LocationGreat Xing'an Mountains of ortheastern China.MethodsWe quantified the effects of species richness, community aggregated traits (community weighted mean trait values,CWM) and functional diversity (functional dispersion,FDis) onUABPusing structural equation modeling (SEM), which simultaneously accounted for the effects of overstory tree basal area, stand age, and soil fertility.ResultsIn the full model, species richness had a negative direct, a positive indirect and no total effect onUABP. Furthermore,CWMandFDis, respectively, exhibited positive and no effect onUABP. Among the covariates, soil fertility, stand age, and overstory tree basal area had, respectively, positive, negative, and no effect onUABP. In the model without species richness, all trait variables had similar effects onUABPto those in the full model. In the richness‐only model without traits, species richness, soil fertility and stand age had no effect onUABP.ConclusionsOur results suggest that the selection effect largely determined understoryDPRs due to the stronger effects ofCWMonUABPthanof FDis. Soil fertility exhibited the strongest influence on understoryDPRs due to its parallel influences on traits, diversity, and productivity. The increase in resource availability induced by overstory tree litter‐fall likely promoted soil fertility as the main driver of the understoryDPRs. Stand age exhibited a negative effect onUABP, which may have contributed to the increases in shrub dominance and decreases in production due to limited resources.
Interaction of cardiac implantable electronic device and patent foramen ovale in ischemic stroke: A case‐only study
Authors: Agboola Kolade M. , Lee Jin‐Moo , Liu Xiaoyan , Novak Eric , Cuculich Phillip S. , Cooper Daniel H. , Noheria Amit 
Published: January 2019

AbstractBackgroundCardiovascular implantable electronic device (CIED) leads are a nidus for right atrial thrombi. Right‐to‐left thromboembolism across a patent foramen ovale (PFO) is a putative mechanism for ischemic stroke and PFO has been associated with stroke. We used a novel unbiased case‐only study design to assess the effect modification of PFO‐associated ischemic stroke risk by presence of CIED. We hypothesized that presence of CIED, as a nidus for right atrial thrombus formation, magnifies the PFO‐ischemic stroke relationship; therefore, among hospitalized ischemic stroke patients we would find a higher prevalence of CIED in patients with PFO.MethodsWe included consecutive first ischemic stroke patients admitted to our hospital from 2006 to 2015, who were enrolled in a prospectively maintained stroke registry. PFO was ascertained from documentation on echocardiography, and presence of CIED at time of stroke was determined from chest radiography reports at or prior to hospitalization. We measured distributions of CIED within PFO and control groups and used Fisher's exact test to evaluate the PFO‐CIED association among ischemic stroke patients.ResultsWe included 7089 patients (age: 64.5 ± 14.9 years, 51% female). Echocardiography diagnosed PFO in 760 (10.7%) patients and CIED was reported on chest radiography in 752 (10.6%) patients. Prevalence of CIED was lower in the PFO (61/760, 8.0%) compared to control group (691/6329, 10.9%), P = 0.015.ConclusionAmong admitted ischemic stroke patients, we did not find a higher prevalence of CIED in patients with PFO compared to controls. Therefore, in the underlying source population, the presence of CIED did not increase the PFO‐associated ischemic stroke risk.
Dressing the boundary: On soliton solutions of the nonlinear Schrödinger equation on the half‐line
Authors: Zhang Cheng 
Published: January 2019

AbstractBased on the theory of integrable boundary conditions (BCs) developed by Sklyanin, we provide a direct method for computing soliton solutions of the focusing nonlinear Schrödinger equation on the half‐line. The integrable BCs at the origin are represented by constraints of the Lax pair, and our method lies on dressing the Lax pair by preserving those constraints in the Darboux‐dressing process. The method is applied to two classes of solutions: solitons vanishing at infinity and self‐modulated solitons on a constant background. Half‐line solitons in both cases are explicitly computed. In particular, the boundary‐bound solitons, which are static solitons bounded at the origin, are also constructed. We give a natural inverse scattering transform interpretation of the method as evolution of the scattering data determined by the integrable BCs in space.
Disabling of nephrogenesis in porcine embryos via CRISPR/Cas9‐mediated SIX1 and SIX4 gene targeting
Authors: Wang Junzheng , Liu Manling , Zhao Lihua , Li Yanru , Zhang Manling , Jin Yong , Xiong Qiang , Liu Xiaorui , Zhang Lining , Jiang Haibin , Chen Qiaoyu , Wang Chenyu , You Zhihuan , Yang Haiyuan , Cao Changchun , Dai Yifan , Li Rongfeng 
Published: January 2019

AbstractSIX1 and SIX4 genes play critical roles in kidney development. We evaluated the effect of these genes on pig kidney development by generating SIX1−/− and SIX1−/−/SIX4−/− pig foetuses using CRISPR/Cas9 and somatic cell nuclear transfer. We obtained 3 SIX1−/− foetuses and 16 SIX1−/−/SIX4−/− foetuses at different developmental stages. The SIX1−/− foetuses showed a migration block of the left kidney and a smaller size for both kidneys. The ureteric bud failed to form the normal branching and collecting system. Abnormal expressions of kidney development‐related genes (downregulation of PAX2, PAX8, and BMP4 and upregulation of EYA1 and SALL1) were also observed in SIX1−/− foetal kidneys and confirmed in vitro in porcine kidney epithelial cells (PK15) following SIX1 gene deletion. The SIX1−/−/SIX4−/− foetuses exhibited more severe phenotypes, with most foetuses showing retarded development at early stages of gestation. The kidney developed only to the initial stage of metanephros formation. These results demonstrated that SIX1 and SIX4 are key genes for porcine metanephros development. The creation of kidney‐deficient porcine foetuses provides a platform for generating human kidneys inside pigs using blastocyst complementation.
Social and academic integration strategies for retention of nursing students: a scoping review protocol
Authors: Mitchell Kim M. , Chorney Meagen A. , Gural Deborah M. , Simmons-Swinden Joanna M. , Picheca Lory , Baxter Catherine E. 
Published: January 2019

Review question:
The review question is: what are the types of formal and informal social and academic integration strategies that have been explored to influence nursing student persistence and increase retention in nursing programs? A secondary review objective is to address how the described strategies have specifically been implemented with minority nursing students.