bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Ion Charge States and Potential Geoeffectiveness: The Role of Coronal Spectroscopy for Space‐Weather Forecasting
Authors: Owens M. J. , Lockwood M. , Barnard L. A. 
Published: June 2018

AbstractSevere space weather is driven by interplanetary coronal mass ejections (ICMEs), episodic eruptions of solar plasma, and magnetic flux that travel out through the heliosphere and can perturb the Earth's magnetosphere and ionosphere. In order for space‐weather forecasts to allow effective mitigating action, forecasts must be made as early as possible, necessitating identification of potentially “geoeffective” ICMEs close to the Sun. This presents two challenges. First, geoeffectiveness is primarily determined by the magnetic field intensity and orientation, both of which are difficult to measure close to the Sun. Second, the magnetic field evolves in transit between the Sun and the Earth, sometimes in a highly nonlinear way. Conversely, solar wind ion charge states, such as the ratio of O7+ to O6+, are fixed by the electron temperature at the coronal height where ion‐electron collisions are last possible as the ICME erupts. After this point, they are said to be “frozen in” as they do not evolve further as the ICME propagates through the solar wind. In this study we show that ion charge states, while not geoeffective in and of themselves, act as strong markers for the geoeffectiveness of the ICME. The probability of severe space weather is around 7 times higher in “hot” ICMEs than “cold” ICMEs, as defined by O7+/O6+. We suggest that coronal spectroscopy of ICMEs could complement current forecasting techniques, providing valuable additional information about potential geoeffectiveness.
Parasitic insect-derived miRNAs modulate host development
Authors: Wang Zhi-zhi , Ye Xi-qian , Shi Min , Li Fei , Wang Ze-hua , Zhou Yue-nan , Gu Qi-juan , Wu Xiao-tong , Yin Chuan-lin , Guo Dian-hao , Hu Rong-min , Hu Na-na , Chen Ting , Zheng Bo-ying , Zou Jia-ni , Zhan Le-qing , Wei Shu-jun , Wang Yan-ping , Huang Jian-hua , Fang Xiao-dong , Strand Michael R. , Chen Xue-xin 
Published: June 2018

AbstractParasitic wasps produce several factors including venom, polydnaviruses (PDVs) and specialized wasp cells named teratocytes that benefit the survival of offspring by altering the physiology of hosts. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms for the alterations remain unclear. Here we find that the teratocytes of Cotesia vestalis, an endoparasitoid of the diamondback moth Plutella xylostella, and its associated bracovirus (CvBV) can produce miRNAs and deliver the products into the host via different ways. Certain miRNAs in the parasitized host are mainly produced by teratocytes, while the expression level of miRNAs encoded by CvBV can be 100-fold greater in parasitized hosts than non-parasitized ones. We further show that one teratocyte-produced miRNA (Cve-miR-281-3p) and one CvBV-produced miRNA (Cve-miR-novel22-5p-1) arrest host growth by modulating expression of the host ecdysone receptor (EcR). Altogether, our results show the first evidence of cross-species regulation by miRNAs in animal parasitism and their possible function in the alteration of host physiology during parasitism.
A novel atypical sperm centriole is functional during human fertilization
Authors: Fishman Emily L. , Jo Kyoung , Nguyen Quynh P. H. , Kong Dong , Royfman Rachel , Cekic Anthony R. , Khanal Sushil , Miller Ann L. , Simerly Calvin , Schatten Gerald , Loncarek Jadranka , Mennella Vito , Avidor-Reiss Tomer 
Published: June 2018

AbstractThe inheritance of the centrosome during human fertilization remains mysterious. Here we show that the sperm centrosome contains, in addition to the known typical barrel-shaped centriole (the proximal centriole, PC), a surrounding matrix (pericentriolar material, PCM), and an atypical centriole (distal centriole, DC) composed of splayed microtubules surrounding previously undescribed rods of centriole luminal proteins. The sperm centrosome is remodeled by both reduction and enrichment of specific proteins and the formation of these rods during spermatogenesis. In vivo and in vitro investigations show that the flagellum-attached, atypical DC is capable of recruiting PCM, forming a daughter centriole, and localizing to the spindle pole during mitosis. Altogether, we show that the DC is compositionally and structurally remodeled into an atypical centriole, which functions as the zygote’s second centriole. These findings now provide novel avenues for diagnostics and therapeutic strategies for male infertility, and insights into early embryo developmental defects.
Learning local, quenched disorder in plasticity and other crackling noise phenomena
Authors: Papanikolaou Stefanos 
Published: June 2018

AbstractWhen far from equilibrium, many-body systems display behavior that strongly depends on the initial conditions. A characteristic such example is the phenomenon of plasticity of crystalline and amorphous materials that strongly depends on the material history. In plasticity modeling, the history is captured by a quenched, local and disordered flow stress distribution. While it is this disorder that causes avalanches that are commonly observed during nanoscale plastic deformation, the functional form and scaling properties have remained elusive. In this paper, a generic formalism is developed for deriving local disorder distributions from field-response (e.g., stress/strain) timeseries in models of crackling noise. We demonstrate the efficiency of the method in the hysteretic random-field Ising model and also, models of elastic interface depinning that have been used to model crystalline and amorphous plasticity. We show that the capacity to resolve the quenched disorder distribution improves with the temporal resolution and number of samples.
Mouse medulloblastoma driven by CRISPR activation of cellular Myc
Authors: Vo BaoHan T. , Kwon Jin Ah , Li Chunliang , Finkelstein David , Xu Beisi , Orr Brent A. , Sherr Charles J. , Roussel Martine F. 
Published: June 2018

AbstractMYC-driven Group 3 (G3) medulloblastoma (MB) is the most aggressive of four molecular subgroups classified by transcriptome, genomic landscape and clinical outcomes. Mouse models that recapitulate human G3 MB all rely on retroviral vector-induced Myc expression driven by viral regulatory elements (Retro-Myc tumors). We used nuclease-deficient CRISPR/dCas9-based gene activation with combinatorial single guide RNAs (sgRNAs) to enforce transcription of endogenous Myc in Trp53-null neurospheres that were orthotopically transplanted into the brains of naïve animals. Three combined sgRNAs linked to dCas9-VP160 induced cellular Myc expression and large cell anaplastic MBs (CRISPR-Myc tumors) which recapitulated the molecular characteristics of mouse and human G3 MBs. The BET inhibitor JQ1 suppressed MYC expression in a human G3 MB cell line (HD-MB03) and CRISPR-Myc, but not in Retro-Myc MBs. This G3 MB mouse model in which Myc expression is regulated by its own promoter will facilitate pre-clinical studies with drugs that regulate Myc transcription.
Lysosomal Targeting Enhancement by Conjugation of Glycopeptides Containing Mannose-6-phosphate Glycans Derived from Glyco-engineered Yeast
Authors: Kang Ji-Yeon , Shin Keun Koo , Kim Ha Hyung , Min Jeong-Ki , Ji Eun Sun , Kim Jin Young , Kwon Ohsuk , Oh Doo-Byoung 
Published: June 2018

AbstractMany therapeutic enzymes for lysosomal storage diseases require a high content of mannose-6-phosphate (M6P) glycan, which is important for cellular uptake and lysosomal targeting. We constructed glyco-engineered yeast harboring a high content of mannosylphosphorylated glycans, which can be converted to M6P glycans by uncapping of the outer mannose residue. In this study, the cell wall of this yeast was employed as a natural M6P glycan source for conjugation to therapeutic enzymes. The extracted cell wall mannoproteins were digested by pronase to generate short glycopeptides, which were further elaborated by uncapping and α(1,2)-mannosidase digestion steps. The resulting glycopeptides containing M6P glycans (M6PgPs) showed proper cellular uptake and lysosome targeting. The purified M6PgPs were successfully conjugated to a recombinant acid α-glucosidase (rGAA), used for the treatment of Pompe disease, by two-step reactions using two hetero-bifunctional crosslinkers. First, rGAA and M6PgPs were modified with crosslinkers containing azide and dibenzocyclooctyne, respectively. In the second reaction using copper-free click chemistry, the azide-functionalized rGAA was conjugated with dibenzocyclooctyne-functionalized M6PgPs without the loss of enzyme activity. The M6PgP-conjugated rGAA had a 16-fold higher content of M6P glycan than rGAA, which resulted in greatly increased cellular uptake and efficient digestion of glycogen accumulated in Pompe disease patient fibroblasts.
Harvesting electrical energy from torsional thermal actuation driven by natural convection
Authors: Kim Shi Hyeong , Sim Hyeon Jun , Hyeon Jae Sang , Suh Dongseok , Spinks Geoffrey M. , Baughman Ray H. , Kim Seon Jeong 
Published: June 2018

AbstractThe development of practical, cost-effective systems for the conversion of low-grade waste heat to electrical energy is an important area of renewable energy research. We here demonstrate a thermal energy harvester that is driven by the small temperature fluctuations provided by natural convection. This harvester uses coiled yarn artificial muscles, comprising well-aligned shape memory polyurethane (SMPU) microfibers, to convert thermal energy to torsional mechanical energy, which is then electromagnetically converted to electrical energy. Temperature fluctuations in a yarn muscle, having a maximum hot-to-cold temperature difference of about 13 °C, were used to spin a magnetic rotor to a peak torsional rotation speed of 3,000 rpm. The electromagnetic energy generator converted the torsional energy to electrical energy, thereby producing an oscillating output voltage of up to 0.81 V and peak power of 4 W/kg, based on SMPU mass.
Development of quantitation method for glycated aminophospholipids at the molecular species level in powdered milk and powdered buttermilk
Authors: Kodate Ai , Otoki Yurika , Shimizu Naoki , Ito Junya , Kato Shunji , Umetsu Naoki , Miyazawa Teruo , Nakagawa Kiyotaka 
Published: June 2018

AbstractThe Maillard reaction is a nonenzymatic glycation reaction between a reducing sugar and a free amino group, known to naturally occur during heat processing of food. In this study, we especially focused on phosphatidylethanolamine (PE)-linked Amadori products (Amadori-PE) in powdered milk, since the analysis of these products at the molecular species level has not yet been evaluated. Analysis of Amadori-PE was conducted by using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry in three different modes. The main Amadori-PE species in a powdered milk sample were first identified as 34:1, 36:1, 36:2 and 36:3 in the total ion current mode. Additionally, by using the characteristic product ions observed in the presence of sodium, we quantified the main Amadori-PE species in the multiple reaction monitoring mode, and evaluated their total concentrations in the precursor ion scan (PIS) mode for the first time. Powdered milk contained much Amadori-PE with concentrations ranging from 4.3 to 8239 mg/100 g, quantified by the PIS mode. The newly developed methods represent powerful tools for detailed analysis of glycated lipids including Amadori-PE in powdered milk, which may further be applied to research relating to infant food and nutrition.
Pyrimidine synthesis inhibition enhances cutaneous defenses against antibiotic resistant bacteria through activation of NOD2 signaling
Authors: Jatana Samreen , Homer Craig R. , Madajka Maria , Ponti András K. , Kabi Amrita , Papay Francis , McDonald Christine 
Published: June 2018

AbstractMultidrug-resistant bacterial strains are a rapidly emerging healthcare threat; therefore it is critical to develop new therapies to combat these organisms. Prior antibacterial strategies directly target pathogen growth or viability. Host-directed strategies to increase antimicrobial defenses may be an effective alternative to antibiotics and reduce development of resistant strains. In this study, we demonstrated the efficacy of a pyrimidine synthesis inhibitor, N-phosphonacetyl-l-aspartate (PALA), to enhance clearance of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Acinetobacter baumannii strains by primary human dermal fibroblasts in vitro. PALA did not have a direct bactericidal effect, but enhanced cellular secretion of the antimicrobial peptides human β-defensin 2 (HBD2) and HBD3 from fibroblasts. When tested in porcine and human skin explant models, a topical PALA formulation was efficacious to enhance MRSA, P. aeruginosa, and A. baumannii clearance. Topical PALA treatment of human skin explants also resulted in increased HBD2 and cathelicidin (LL-37) production. The antimicrobial actions of PALA required expression of nucleotide-binding, oligomerization domain 2 (NOD2), receptor-interacting serine/threonine-protein kinase 2 (RIP2), and carbamoyl phosphatase synthase II/aspartate transcarbamylase/dihydroorotase (CAD). Our results indicate that PALA may be a new option to combat multidrug-resistant bacterial infections of the skin through enhancement of an integral pathway of the cutaneous innate immune defense system.
Therapeutic positioning of secretory acetylated APE1/Ref-1 requirement for suppression of tumor growth in triple-negative breast cancer in vivo
Authors: Lee Yu Ran , Park Myoung Soo , Joo Hee Kyoung , Kim Ki Mo , Kim Jeryong , Jeon Byeong Hwa , Choi Sunga 
Published: June 2018

AbstractTriple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) represents a relatively small proportion of all BCs but a relatively large proportion of BC-related death. Thus, more effective therapeutic strategies are needed for the management of TNBC. We demonstrated that the stimulation of apoptosis by the binding of secreted acetylated-apurinic apyrimidinic endonuclease 1/redox factor-1 (Ac-APE1/Ref-1) to the receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) was essential for TNBC cell death in response to hyperacetylation. The aim of the present study was to assess the potential therapeutic efficacy of secretory Ac-APE1/Ref-1 in orthotopic TNBC xenografts in vivo. We found that hyperacetylation in xenografts caused secretion of Ac-APE1/Ref-1 into the blood, where the factor bound directly to RAGE in hyperacetylated tumor tissues. Hyperacetylation in the TNBC xenografts induced strong inhibition of tumor growth and development, leading to apoptotic cell death, accompanied by increased RAGE expression and generation of reactive oxygen species. Tissues exhibited markedly higher counts of apoptotic bodies, a reduced proliferation index, and reduced neovascularization compared with control tumors. Ac-APE1/Ref-1-stimulated apoptosis was markedly reduced in RAGE-knockdown tumors compared with RAGE-overexpressing tumors, even in the presence of hyperacetylation. The function of secreted Ac-APE1/Ref-1 was confirmed in other hyperacetylated TNBCs xenografts using BT-549 and MDA-MB-468 cells, demonstrating its relevance as an anti-cancer molecule.
28-homobrassinolide regulates antioxidant enzyme activities and gene expression in response to salt- and temperature-induced oxidative stress in Brassica juncea
Authors: Kaur Harpreet , Sirhindi Geetika , Bhardwaj Renu , Alyemeni M. N. , Siddique Kadambot H. M , Ahmad Parvaiz 
Published: June 2018

AbstractBrassinosteroids (BRs) are a group of naturally occurring plant steroid hormones that can induce plant tolerance to various plant stresses by regulating ROS production in cells, but the underlying mechanisms of this scavenging activity by BRs are not well understood. This study investigated the effects of 28-homobrassinolide (28-HBL) seed priming on Brassica juncea seedlings subjected to the combined stress of extreme temperatures (low, 4 °C or high, 44 °C) and salinity (180 mM), either alone or supplemented with 28-HBL treatments (0, 10−6, 10−9, 10−12 M). The combined temperature and salt stress treatments significantly reduced shoot and root lengths, but these improved when supplemented with 28-HBL although the response was dose-dependent. The combined stress alone significantly increased H2O2 content, but was inhibited when supplemented with 28-HBL. The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APOX), glutathione reductase (GR), dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR) and monodehydroascorbate reductase (MDHAR) increased in response to 28-HBL. Overall, the 28-HBL seed priming treatment improved the plant’s potential to combat the toxic effects imposed by the combined temperature and salt stress by tightly regulating the accumulation of ROS, which was reflected in the improved redox state of antioxidants.
Angiogenic Factors produced by Hypoxic Cells are a leading driver of Anastomoses in Sprouting Angiogenesis–a computational study
Authors: Moreira-Soares Maurício , Coimbra Rita , Rebelo Luís , Carvalho João , D. M. Travasso Rui 
Published: June 2018

AbstractAngiogenesis - the growth of new blood vessels from a pre-existing vasculature - is key in both physiological processes and on several pathological scenarios such as cancer progression or diabetic retinopathy. For the new vascular networks to be functional, it is required that the growing sprouts merge either with an existing functional mature vessel or with another growing sprout. This process is called anastomosis. We present a systematic 2D and 3D computational study of vessel growth in a tissue to address the capability of angiogenic factor gradients to drive anastomosis formation. We consider that these growth factors are produced only by tissue cells in hypoxia, i.e. until nearby vessels merge and become capable of carrying blood and irrigating their vicinity. We demonstrate that this increased production of angiogenic factors by hypoxic cells is able to promote vessel anastomoses events in both 2D and 3D. The simulations also verify that the morphology of these networks has an increased resilience toward variations in the endothelial cell’s proliferation and chemotactic response. The distribution of tissue cells and the concentration of the growth factors they produce are the major factors in determining the final morphology of the network.
Behaviour of aqueous sulfamethizole solution and temperature effects in cold plasma oxidation treatment
Authors: Sokolov Alexander , Louhi-Kultanen Marjatta 
Published: June 2018

AbstractThe increase in volume and variety of pharmaceuticals found in natural water bodies has become an increasingly serious environmental problem. The implementation of cold plasma technology, specifically gas-phase pulsed corona discharge (PCD), for sulfamethizole abatement was studied in the present work. It was observed that sulfamethizole is easily oxidized by PCD. The flow rate and pH of the solution have no significant effect on the oxidation. Treatment at low pulse repetition frequency is preferable from the energy efficiency point of view but is more time-consuming. The maximum energy efficiency was around 120 g/kWh at half-life and around 50 g/kWh at the end of the treatment. Increasing the solution temperature from room temperature to 50 °C led to a significant reaction retardation of the process and decrease in energy efficiency. The pseudo-first order reaction rate constant (k1) grows with increase in pulse repetition frequency and does not depend on pH. By contrast, decreasing frequency leads to a reduction of the second order reaction rate constant (k2). At elevated temperature of 50 °C, thek1,k2values decrease 2 and 2.9 times at 50 pps and 500 pps respectively. Lower temperature of 10 °C had no effect on oxidation efficiency compared with room temperature.
Widespread abiotic methane in chromitites
Authors: Etiope G. , Ifandi E. , Nazzari M. , Procesi M. , Tsikouras B. , Ventura G. , Steele A. , Tardini R. , Szatmari P. 
Published: June 2018

AbstractRecurring discoveries of abiotic methane in gas seeps and springs in ophiolites and peridotite massifs worldwide raised the question of where, in which rocks, methane was generated. Answers will impact the theories on life origin related to serpentinization of ultramafic rocks, and the origin of methane on rocky planets. Here we document, through molecular and isotopic analyses of gas liberated by rock crushing, that among the several mafic and ultramafic rocks composing classic ophiolites in Greece, i.e., serpentinite, peridotite, chromitite, gabbro, rodingite and basalt, only chromitites, characterized by high concentrations of chromium and ruthenium, host considerable amounts of 13C-enriched methane, hydrogen and heavier hydrocarbons with inverse isotopic trend, which is typical of abiotic gas origin. Raman analyses are consistent with methane being occluded in widespread microfractures and porous serpentine- or chlorite-filled veins. Chromium and ruthenium may be key metal catalysts for methane production via Sabatier reaction. Chromitites may represent source rocks of abiotic methane on Earth and, potentially, on Mars.
First Report on High Entropy Alloy Nanoparticle Decorated Graphene
Authors: Rekha M. Y. , Mallik Nitin , Srivastava Chandan 
Published: June 2018

AbstractThis is the first report on synthesis of multimetal high entropy alloy (HEA) nanoparticle-few layer graphene composite. A two-step methodology for synthesizing multi-component HEA nanoparticle-graphene composite is provided. In the first step, high purity graphite powder was mechanically milled with metal powders (Ni, Cr, Co, Cu, Fe) to produce multimetal-graphite composite. This composite was then sonicated with sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS) for 2 hours to produce a dispersion of graphene decorated with multi-component nanoparticles with face centred cubic structure. Potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy methods revealed that the HEA nanoparticle graphene composite possess excellent corrosion resistance properties which was better than the corrosion resistance exhibited by milled and exfoliated graphene. The HEA nanoparticle-graphene composite can be used for corrosion resistant coating applications.
The association between chemical-induced porphyria and hepatic cancer
Authors: Smith Andrew G. , Foster John R. 
Published: June 2018

Abstract
The haem biosynthetic pathway is of fundamental importance for cellular metabolism both for the erythroid and nonerythroid tissues. There are several genetic variants of the pathway in the human population that cause dysfunction of one or other of the enzymes resulting in porphyrias of varying severity. Serious chronic hepatic and systemic diseases may result. Some of these can be precipitated by exposure to drugs including hormones, barbiturates and antibiotics, as well as alcohol and particular chlorinated aromatic chemicals. In experimental animals some of the steps of this pathway can also be severely disrupted by a variety of environmental chemicals, potential drugs and pesticides, especially in the liver, leading to the accumulation of uroporphyrins derived from the intermediate uroporphyrinogens or protoporphyrin IX, the immediate precursor of haem. With some of these chemicals this also leads to cholestasis and liver cell injury and eventually hepatic tumours. The review evaluates the available evidence linking hepatic porphyria with carcinogenesis in naturally occurring human genetic conditions and in chemically-induced porphyrias in laboratory animals. The existing data showing gender, strain, and species differences in sensitivity to the chemical-induced porphyrias, liver injury and liver tumours are discussed and the role that transgenically altered mouse models have played in defining the varying mechanisms. Finally, the review proposes a novel, unifying hypothesis linking the hepatotoxicity induced by the accumulation of various porphyrins, with the increased risk of developing hepatic cancer as a long term consequence.