bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Relationship between white matter integrity and serum inflammatory cytokine levels in drug-naive patients with major depressive disorder: diffusion tensor imaging study using tract-based spatial statistics
Authors: Sugimoto Koichiro , Kakeda Shingo , Watanabe Keita , Katsuki Asuka , Ueda Issei , Igata Natsuki , Igata Ryohei , Abe Osamu , Yoshimura Reiji , Korogi Yukunori 
Published: August 2018

AbstractRecently, accumulated evidence has indicated a role of inflammation in the pathogenesis of major depressive disorder (MDD). Therefore, we evaluated the relationship between white matter integrity and serum cytokine levels during the first depressive episode in drug-naive MDD patients, using a tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) method. A total of 35 drug-naive MDD patients with a first depressive episode and 35 healthy subjects (HS) underwent diffusion tensor imaging, and an analysis was conducted using TBSS. We measured serum cytokine levels (interleukin [IL]-1β, IL-6, interferon-γ, and tumor necrosis factor-α). Fractional anisotropy (FA) values of the bilateral inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus (IFOF) and genu of the corpus callosum in MDD patients were decreased significantly to the HS (p < 0.05 with family-wise error [FWE] correction) and were significantly inversely correlated with the IL-1β levels (p < 0.05, with FWE correction). No regions showed a correlation between FA values and other serum cytokine levels. Our results suggested that the microstructural changes in IFOF and genu of the corpus callosum are associated with the high IL-1β levels in the early stage of MDD.
Selective killing of human T-ALL cells: an integrated approach targeting redox homeostasis and the OMA1/OPA1 axis
Authors: Silic-Benussi Micol , Scattolin Gloria , Cavallari Ilaria , Minuzzo Sonia , del Bianco Paola , Francescato Samuela , Basso Giuseppe , Indraccolo Stefano , D’Agostino Donna M. , Ciminale Vincenzo 
Published: August 2018

AbstractApproximately 20% of pediatric T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) patients are currently incurable due to primary or secondary resistance to glucocorticoid-based therapies. Here we employed an integrated approach to selectively kill T-ALL cells by increasing mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) using NS1619, a benzimidazolone that activates the K+ (BK) channel, and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), which blunts ROS scavenging through inhibition of the pentose phosphate pathway. These compounds selectively killed T-ALL cell lines, patient-derived xenografts and primary cells from patients with refractory T-ALL, but did not kill normal human thymocytes. T-ALL cells treated with NS1619 and DHEA showed activation of the ROS-responsive transcription factor NRF2, indicating engagement of antioxidant pathways, as well as increased cleavage of OPA1, a mitochondrial protein that promotes mitochondrial fusion and regulates apoptosis. Consistent with these observations, transmission electron microscopy analysis indicated that NS1619 and DHEA increased mitochondrial fission. OPA1 cleavage and cell death were inhibited by ROS scavengers and by siRNA-mediated knockdown of the mitochondrial protease OMA1, indicating the engagement of a ROS-OMA1-OPA1 axis in T-ALL cells. Furthermore, NS1619 and DHEA sensitized T-ALL cells to TRAIL-induced apoptosis. In vivo, the combination of dexamethasone and NS1619 significantly reduced the growth of a glucocorticoid-resistant patient-derived T-ALL xenograft. Taken together, our findings provide proof-of-principle for an integrated ROS-based pharmacological approach to target refractory T-ALL.
Evaluating protective and therapeutic effects of alpha-lipoic acid on cisplatin-induced ototoxicity
Authors: Kim Kyung-Hee , Lee Byeonghyeon , Kim Ye-Ri , Kim Min-A , Ryu Nari , Jung Da Jung , Kim Un-Kyung , Baek Jeong-In , Lee Kyu-Yup 
Published: August 2018

AbstractCisplatin, a small platinum-containing molecule, is a widely used, highly effective anticancer drug. However, severe side effects have been found in cancer patients treated with cisplatin, including nephrotoxicity, neurotoxicity, and ototoxicity. These cisplatin-induced side effects can have a major impact on patient quality of life, including social development problems in pediatric patients that develop hearing loss. Previous studies have suggested that the major cause of cisplatin-induced ototoxicity is abnormal accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and oxidative stress. Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA), one of the most effective antioxidants, is known to be involved in the cellular antioxidant system and may have a protective effect on cisplatin-induced ototoxicity. However, the therapeutic effect of ALA on damaged hearing function and its detailed mechanism of action are not fully understood. This study focused on determining whether ALA has a potential as a protective and/or therapeutic agent for cisplatin-induced ototoxicity. Histological and physiological analyses were performed using cisplatin-treated mouse cochlea and HEI-OC1 culture cells in pre- and post-treatment with ALA in vitro and in vivo. We found that ALA contributes to protecting mitochondrial function by preventing ROS accumulation and inhibiting apoptotic cell death. Importantly, post-treatment with ALA consistently showed an almost equal restorative effect to pretreatment, in vitro and in vivo, supporting the possible use of ALA as a therapeutic agent for cisplatin-induced ototoxicity. This study is the first report on a strong therapeutic potential of ALA to rescue ototoxic hearing loss caused by cisplatin, and our data provide key evidence that ALA may act as a reducing agent for glutathione disulfide to increase glutathione levels on behalf of glutathione reductase. This result was consistent in both cultured cells and the mouse model, which improves the clinical value of ALA for therapy of cisplatin-induced ototoxicity.
Field- and temperature-dependent quantum tunnelling of the magnetisation in a large barrier single-molecule magnet
Authors: Ding You-Song , Yu Ke-Xin , Reta Daniel , Ortu Fabrizio , Winpenny Richard E. P. , Zheng Yan-Zhen , Chilton Nicholas F. 
Published: August 2018

AbstractUnderstanding quantum tunnelling of the magnetisation (QTM) in single-molecule magnets (SMMs) is crucial for improving performance and achieving molecule-based information storage above liquid nitrogen temperatures. Here, through a field- and temperature-dependent study of the magnetisation dynamics of [Dy(tBuO)Cl(THF)5][BPh4]·2THF, we elucidate the different relaxation processes: field-independent Orbach and Raman mechanisms dominate at high temperatures, a single-phonon direct process dominates at low temperatures and fields >1 kOe, and a field- and temperature-dependent QTM process operates near zero field. Accounting for the exponential temperature dependence of the phonon collision rate in the QTM process, we model the magnetisation dynamics over 11 orders of magnitude and find a QTM tunnelling gap on the order of 10−4to 10−5 cm−1. We show that removal of Dy nuclear spins does not suppress QTM, and argue that while internal dipolar fields and hyperfine coupling support QTM, it is the dynamic crystal field that drives efficient QTM.
Tunable inverse spin Hall effect in nanometer-thick platinum films by ionic gating
Authors: Dushenko Sergey , Hokazono Masaya , Nakamura Kohji , Ando Yuichiro , Shinjo Teruya , Shiraishi Masashi 
Published: August 2018

AbstractElectric gating can strongly modulate a wide variety of physical properties in semiconductors and insulators, such as significant changes of conductivity in silicon, appearance of superconductivity in SrTiO3, the paramagnet–ferromagnet transition in (In,Mn)As, and so on. The key to such modulation is charge accumulation in solids. Thus, it has been believed that such modulation is out of reach for conventional metals where the number of carriers is too large. However, success in tuning the Curie temperature of ultrathin cobalt gave hope of finally achieving such a degree of control even in metallic materials. Here, we show reversible modulation of up to two orders of magnitude of the inverse spin Hall effect—a phenomenon that governs interconversion between spin and charge currents—in ultrathin platinum. Spin-to-charge conversion enables the generation and use of electric and spin currents in the same device, which is crucial for the future of spintronics and electronics.
Exploration of PET and MRI radiomic features for decoding breast cancer phenotypes and prognosis
Authors: Huang Shih-ying , Franc Benjamin L. , Harnish Roy J. , Liu Gengbo , Mitra Debasis , Copeland Timothy P. , Arasu Vignesh A. , Kornak John , Jones Ella F. , Behr Spencer C. , Hylton Nola M. , Price Elissa R. , Esserman Laura , Seo Youngho 
Published: August 2018

AbstractRadiomics is an emerging technology for imaging biomarker discovery and disease-specific personalized treatment management. This paper aims to determine the benefit of using multi-modality radiomics data from PET and MR images in the characterization breast cancer phenotype and prognosis. Eighty-four features were extracted from PET and MR images of 113 breast cancer patients. Unsupervised clustering based on PET and MRI radiomic features created three subgroups. These derived subgroups were statistically significantly associated with tumor grade (p = 2.0 × 10−6), tumor overall stage (p = 0.037), breast cancer subtypes (p = 0.0085), and disease recurrence status (p = 0.0053). The PET-derived first-order statistics and gray level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM) textural features were discriminative of breast cancer tumor grade, which was confirmed by the results of L2-regularization logistic regression (with repeated nested cross-validation) with an estimated area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.76 (95% confidence interval (CI) = [0.62, 0.83]). The results of ElasticNet logistic regression indicated that PET and MR radiomics distinguished recurrence-free survival, with a mean AUC of 0.75 (95% CI = [0.62, 0.88]) and 0.68 (95% CI = [0.58, 0.81]) for 1 and 2 years, respectively. The MRI-derived GLCM inverse difference moment normalized (IDMN) and the PET-derived GLCM cluster prominence were among the key features in the predictive models for recurrence-free survival. In conclusion, radiomic features from PET and MR images could be helpful in deciphering breast cancer phenotypes and may have potential as imaging biomarkers for prediction of breast cancer recurrence-free survival.
Evaluation of platelet indices as diagnostic biomarkers for colorectal cancer
Authors: Zhu Xianjin , Cao Yingping , Lu Pingxia , Kang Yanli , Lin Zhen , Hao Taisen , Song Yanfang 
Published: August 2018

AbstractAltered platelet indices, including platelet count (PC), mean platelet volume (MPV), platelet distribution width (PDW), and plateletcrit (PCT), have been found in various cancer types. This study aimed to evaluate the role of platelet indices as potential biomarkers for the diagnosis of colorectal cancer (CRC), and to assess the association between platelet indices and CRC clinicopathological characteristics. The study included 783 subjects with CRC, 463 subjects with colorectal adenomas (CA), and 689 control subjects from June 2015 to October 2017. All participants’ clinicopathological characteristics were collected and analyzed. Here, we found that PC, MPV and PCT levels in CRC patients were significantly higher than those in CA patients and healthy participants (p < 0.001); however, PDW level in CRC patients was significantly higher than that in healthy participants while lower than that in CA patients. Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) analysis indicated that combined detection of PCT and CEA appears to be a more effective marker to distinguish CRC patients from CA patients, with 70% sensitivity and 83% specificity. Among CRC patients, PC and PCT levels were associated with TNM stages and tumor size; MPV and PCT levels were associated with vascular invasion. Our findings suggest that altered PC, MPV and PCT levels might serve as potential biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis of CRC.
The parasitoid complex of D. suzukii and other fruit feeding Drosophila species in Asia
Authors: Girod Pierre , Borowiec Nicolas , Buffington Matthew , Chen Guohua , Fang Yuan , Kimura Masahito T. , Peris-Felipo Francisco Javier , Ris Nicolas , Wu Hao , Xiao Chun , Zhang Jinping , Aebi Alexandre , Haye Tim , Kenis Marc 
Published: August 2018

AbstractDrosophila suzukii is an invasive fly of East Asian origin that has become a serious fruit pest worldwide. Classical biological control through the introduction of parasitoids from Asia could help reduce populations of D. suzukii in invaded regions. Little is known about the native parasitoids of the fly in Asia. Therefore, surveys for larval parasitoids of D. suzukii were carried out in China and Japan between 2015 and 2017. Parasitoids of D. suzukii and other fruit-inhabiting drosophilids (D. pulchrella and D. subpulchrella) that are probably attacked by the same parasitoid complex were found in four Chinese provinces and four Japanese prefectures. Larval parasitoids were obtained at most sites where D. suzukii was found, with parasitism varying from 0.0 to 75.6%. At least eight parasitoid species were reared. The most abundant and frequent parasitoids were the Figitidae Ganaspis cf. brasiliensis and Leptopilina japonica, but another Leptopilina species and at least five Braconidae species belonging to the genera Areotetes, Asobara and Tanycarpa were obtained in low numbers. Due to its likely restricted host range, the most promising parasitoid for biological control is Ganaspis cf. brasiliensis. However, its exact specificity and taxonomic status require future research.
Alpha-band sensory entrainment alters the duration of temporal windows in visual perception
Authors: Ronconi Luca , Busch Niko A. , Melcher David 
Published: August 2018

AbstractThe phase and frequency of neural oscillations in the alpha band (8–12 Hz) have been recently proposed as key parameters for the temporal resolution of visual perception. Here, we tested the possible causal links between these oscillatory features and temporal integration/segregation. The individual alpha frequency (IAF) peak as obtained from resting-state electroencephalography was used to set the frequency of sensory (audio-visual) entrainment for the lower (IAF − 2 Hz) and upper (IAF + 2 Hz) alpha. Entrainment at IAF ± 2 Hz was administered in the prestimulus interval to align oscillations to a faster or slower rhythm. We densely sampled in time the accuracy for integration/segregation by using identical stimuli with different instructions. The spectral peaks of performance fluctuations over time were found in the upper or lower alpha band for the IAF + 2 and IAF − 2 Hz entrainment, respectively, implying that faster entrainment resulted in faster behavioral fluctuations. Moreover, the entrainment frequency had opposite effects on temporal resolution: faster entrainment improved segregation while slower entrainment improved integration. Performance fluctuations were almost in anti-phase between the two tasks, such that highest integration performance coincided with lowest segregation performance. These findings provide evidence for a direct link between changes in the alpha band and the temporal resolution of perception.
RNA-seq-based analysis of the hypertrophic scarring with and without pressure therapy in a Bama minipig model
Authors: Liu Baimei , Liu Yang , Wang Li , Hou Chunsheng , An Meiwen 
Published: August 2018

AbstractPressure therapy has been proved to be an effective treatment for hypertrophic scars in a clinical setting. However, evidence-based data are controversial and the precise mechanism of action of this technique remains unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential molecular mechanisms of pressure therapy for hypertrophic scars. We established a Bama minipig (Sus scrofa) model of hypertrophic scarring in which the scars were treated with pressure to explore the mechanism of action of the treatment. There were 568 differentially expressed genes (289 upregulated, 279 downregulated) after pressure therapy at 90 days post-injury, whereas only 365 genes were differentially expressed (250 upregulated, 115 downregulated) at 120 days post-injury. These genes were associated with metabolic pathways, ECM-receptor interaction, the PI3K-Akt and MAPK signaling pathways, focal adhesion and cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction. In addition, the qRT-PCR results indicated that the trend of gene expression following pressure therapy was mostly consistent across the two methods. In conclusion, our systematic analysis of the transcriptome has provided a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in pressure therapy and offers an important basis for further studies of the complex signaling pathways regulated by the treatment.
A semi-automated virtual workflow solution for the design and production of intraoral molding plates using additive manufacturing: the first clinical results of a pilot-study
Authors: Grill Florian D. , Ritschl Lucas M. , Bauer Franz X. , Rau Andrea , Gau Dominik , Roth Maximilian , Eblenkamp Markus , Wolff Klaus-Dietrich , Loeffelbein Denys J. 
Published: August 2018

AbstractComputer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) technology has been implemented in the treatment of cleft lip and palates (CLP) by several research groups. This pilot study presents a technique that combines intraoral molding with a semi-automated plate generation and 3D-printing. The clinical results of two intraoral molding approaches are compared. This is the first clinical investigation of semi-automated intraoral molding. Our study included newborns with unilateral CLP. Plaster models were digitalized and measured by two independent observers. Two methods of CAD/CAM-assisted intraoral molding were compared: (i) stepwise manual design of molding plates (conventional CAD/CAM-intraoral molding) and (ii) a semi-automated approach with an automated detection of alveolar ridges (called RapidNAM) assisted by a graphical user interface (GUI). Both approaches significantly narrowed the clefts and resulted in a harmonic alveolar crest alignment. The GUI was easy to use and generated intraoral molding devices within minutes. The presented design solution is an efficient technical refinement with good clinical results. The semi-automated plate generation with a feasible GUI is fast but allows individual adaptations. This promising technique might facilitate and foster the more widespread use of CAD/CAM-technology in intraoral molding therapy.
Active Transport of Peptides Across the Intact Human Tympanic Membrane
Authors: Kurabi Arwa , Schaerer Daniel , Noack Volker , Bernhardt Marlen , Pak Kwang , Alexander Thomas , Husseman Jacob , Nguyen Quyen , Harris Jeffrey P. , Ryan Allen F. 
Published: August 2018

AbstractWe previously identified peptides that are actively transported across the intact tympanic membrane (TM) of rats with infected middle ears. To assess the possibility that this transport would also occur across the human TM, we first developed and validated an assay to evaluate transport in vitro using fragments of the TM. Using this assay, we demonstrated the ability of phage bearing a TM-transiting peptide to cross freshly dissected TM fragments from infected rats or from uninfected rats, guinea pigs and rabbits. We then evaluated transport across fragments of the human TM that were discarded during otologic surgery. Human trans-TM transport was similar to that seen in the animal species. Finally, we found that free peptide, unconnected to phage, was transported across the TM at a rate comparable to that seen for peptide-bearing phage. These studies provide evidence supporting the concept of peptide-mediated drug delivery across the intact TM and into the middle ears of patients.
Citrobacter freundii fitness during bloodstream infection
Authors: Anderson Mark T. , Mitchell Lindsay A. , Zhao Lili , Mobley Harry L. T. 
Published: August 2018

AbstractSepsis resulting from microbial colonization of the bloodstream is a serious health concern associated with high mortality rates. The objective of this study was to define the physiologic requirements of Citrobacter freundii in the bloodstream as a model for bacteremia caused by opportunistic Gram-negative pathogens. A genetic screen in a murine host identified 177 genes that contributed significantly to fitness, the majority of which were broadly classified as having metabolic or cellular maintenance functions. Among the pathways examined, the Tat protein secretion system conferred the single largest fitness contribution during competition infections and a putative Tat-secreted protein, SufI, was also identified as a fitness factor. Additional work was focused on identifying relevant metabolic pathways for bacteria in the bloodstream environment. Mutations that eliminated the use of glucose or mannitol as carbon sources in vitro resulted in loss of fitness in the murine model and similar results were obtained upon disruption of the cysteine biosynthetic pathway. Finally, the conservation of identified fitness factors was compared within a cohort of Citrobacter bloodstream isolates and between Citrobacter and Serratia marcescens, the results of which suggest the presence of conserved strategies for bacterial survival and replication in the bloodstream environment.
Zn1−xTex Ovonic Threshold Switching Device Performance and its Correlation to Material Parameters
Authors: Koo Yunmo , Hwang Hyunsang 
Published: August 2018

AbstractWe have experimentally demonstrated a strong correlation between the electrical properties of Zn1−xTex Ovonic threshold switching (OTS) selector device and the material properties analysed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), spectroscopic ellipsometry, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The correlation and the key material parameters determining the device performances were investigated. By comparing the experimental data with the calculation results from various analytical models previously developed for OTS materials, the electrical properties of the device were shown to be dependent on the key material parameters; the concentration of sub-gap trap states and the bandgap energy of the OTS material. This study also experimentally demonstrated that those key parameters have determined the device performance as expected from the analytical model. The origin of the OTS phenomenon and conduction mechanism were explained both experimentally and theoretically. This leads to better understanding of the conduction mechanism of OTS devices, and an insight for process improvement to optimize device performance for selector application.
A simple all-fiber comb filter based on the combined effect of multimode interference and Mach-Zehnder interferometer
Authors: Zhou Guorui , Kumar Rahul , Wu Qiang , Ng Wai Pang , Binns Richard , Lalam Nageswara , Miao Xinxiang , Niu Longfei , Yuan Xiaodong , Semenova Yuliya , Farrell Gerald , Yuan Jinhui , Yu Chongxiu , Sang Xinzhu , Xin Xiangjun , Liu Bo , Lv Haibing , Fu Yong Qing 
Published: August 2018

AbstractA polarization-dependent all-fiber comb filter based on a combination effect of multimode interference and Mach-Zehnder interferometer was proposed and demonstrated. The comb filter was composed with a short section of multimode fiber (MMF) fusion spliced with a conventional single mode fiber on the one side and a short section of a different type of optical fiber on the other side. The second type of optical fiber is spliced to the MMF with a properly designed misalignment. Different types and lengths of fibers were used to investigate the influence of fiber types and lengths on the performance of the comb filter. Experimentally, several comb filters with free spectral range (FSR) values ranging from 0.236 to 1.524 nm were achieved. The extinction ratio of the comb filter can be adjusted from 6 to 11.1 dB by varying polarization states of the input light, while maintaining the FSR unchanged. The proposed comb filter has the potential to be used in optical dense wavelength division multiplexing communication systems.