bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Oncosuppressor-Mutated Cells as a Liquid Biopsy Test for Cancer-Screening
Authors: Abdouh Mohamed , Gao Zu-Hua , Arena Vincenzo , Arena Manuel , Burnier Miguel N. , Arena Goffredo Orazio 
Published: February 2019

AbstractWe reported on the ability of immortalized or oncosuppressor-mutated cells (OMCs) to uptake circulating cancer-factors and give tumors when transplanted into mice. This led to the first biological based liquid biopsy test, which we called MATER-D platform. In the present study, we showed for the first time that a different type of OMCs (PTEN-deficient human epithelial MCF10A cells) turn malignant when exposed to cancer patient’s sera, confirming the concept that different cells with diverse oncosuppressor mutations can uptake cancer factors and be used in biological based liquid biopsy tests. Our observations were confirmed in a large variety of solid and haematological malignancies. This test was able to detect dysplasia and carcinomas in situ lesions in different organs and circulating factors in cancer patients years after the removal of their lesions. To our knowledge, this ability is unique and not shared by other liquid biopsy platforms. Immunohistochemistry analysis of the xenotransplants revealed identical patterns of differentiation regardless of the cancer type, showing that differentiation through horizontal transfer might be dependent on the nature of the target cells rather than the type of cancer factors. These data strengthen the notion that OMC-based liquid biopsy tests might be promising platforms for cancer screening.
Explaining the unique nature of individual gait patterns with deep learning
Authors: Horst Fabian , Lapuschkin Sebastian , Samek Wojciech , Müller Klaus-Robert , Schöllhorn Wolfgang I. 
Published: February 2019

AbstractMachine learning (ML) techniques such as (deep) artificial neural networks (DNN) are solving very successfully a plethora of tasks and provide new predictive models for complex physical, chemical, biological and social systems. However, in most cases this comes with the disadvantage of acting as a black box, rarely providing information about what made them arrive at a particular prediction. This black box aspect of ML techniques can be problematic especially in medical diagnoses, so far hampering a clinical acceptance. The present paper studies the uniqueness of individual gait patterns in clinical biomechanics using DNNs. By attributing portions of the model predictions back to the input variables (ground reaction forces and full-body joint angles), the Layer-Wise Relevance Propagation (LRP) technique reliably demonstrates which variables at what time windows of the gait cycle are most relevant for the characterisation of gait patterns from a certain individual. By measuring the time-resolved contribution of each input variable to the prediction of ML techniques such as DNNs, our method describes the first general framework that enables to understand and interpret non-linear ML methods in (biomechanical) gait analysis and thereby supplies a powerful tool for analysis, diagnosis and treatment of human gait.
TRIB1 and TRPS1 variants, G × G and G × E interactions on serum lipid levels, the risk of coronary heart disease and ischemic stroke
Authors: Zhang Qing-Hui , Yin Rui-Xing , Chen Wu-Xian , Cao Xiao-Li , Wu Jin-Zhen 
Published: February 2019

AbstractThis study aimed to assess the association of the tribbles pseudokinase 1 (TRIB1) and transcriptional repressor GATA binding 1 (TRPS1) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and the gene-gene (G × G) and gene-environment (G × E) interactions with serum lipid levels, the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) and ischemic stroke (IS) in the Guangxi Han population. Genotyping of the rs2954029, rs2980880, rs10808546, rs231150, rs2737229 and rs10505248 SNPs was performed in 625 controls and 1146 unrelated patients (CHD, 593 and IS, 553). The genotypic and allelic frequencies of some SNPs were different between controls and patients (CHD, rs2954029 and rs231150; IS, rs2954029 and rs2980880; P < 0.05-0.01). Two SNPs were associated with increased risk of CHD (rs2954029 and rs231150) and IS (rs2954029) in different genetic models. Several SNPs in controls were associated with total cholesterol (rs2954029, rs2980880 and rs2737229), triglyceride (rs2954029 and rs10808546), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (rs2954029), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (rs2980880 and rs231150) and apolipoprotein A1 (rs2737229) levels. The rs2954029TA/AA-age (>60 year) interaction increased the risk of CHD, whereas the rs10808546CT/TT-drinking interaction decreased the risk of IS. The rs2954029A-rs2980880C-rs10808546C haplotype was associated with increased risk of CHD and IS. The rs2954029A-rs2980880T-rs10808546C haplotype was associated with increased risk of CHD. The rs2954029-rs231150 interactions had an increased risk of both CHD and IS. These results suggest that several TRIB1 and TRPS1 SNPs were associated with dyslipidemia and increased risk of CHD and IS in our study population. The G × G and G × E interactions on serum lipid levels, and the risk of CHD and IS were also observed.
Hydrophilic Quantum Dots Functionalized with Gd(III)-DO3A Monoamide Chelates as Bright and Effective T1-weighted Bimodal Nanoprobes
Authors: Pereira Maria I. A. , Pereira Goreti , Monteiro Camila A. P. , Geraldes Carlos F. G. C. , Cabral Filho Paulo E. , Cesar Carlos L. , de Thomaz André A. , Santos Beate S. , Pereira Giovannia A. L. , Fontes Adriana 
Published: February 2019

AbstractMagnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a powerful non-invasive diagnostic tool that enables distinguishing healthy from pathological tissues, with high anatomical detail. Nevertheless, MRI is quite limited in the investigation of molecular/cellular biochemical events, which can be reached by fluorescence-based techniques. Thus, we developed bimodal nanosystems consisting in hydrophilic quantum dots (QDs) directly conjugated to Gd(III)-DO3A monoamide chelates, a Gd(III)-DOTA derivative, allowing for the combination of the advantages of both MRI and fluorescence-based tools. These nanoparticulate systems can also improve MRI contrast, by increasing the local concentration of paramagnetic chelates. Transmetallation assays, optical characterization, and relaxometric analyses, showed that the developed bimodal nanoprobes have great chemical stability, bright fluorescence, and high relaxivities. Moreover, fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) analysis allowed us to distinguish nanosystems containing different amounts of chelates/QD. Also, inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP – OES) indicated a conjugation yield higher than 75%. Our nanosystems showed effective longitudinal relaxivities per QD and per paramagnetic ion, at least 5 times [per Gd(III)] and 100 times (per QD) higher than the r1 for Gd(III)-DOTA chelates, suitable for T1-weighted imaging. Additionally, the bimodal nanoparticles presented negligible cytotoxicity, and efficiently labeled HeLa cells as shown by fluorescence. Thus, the developed nanosystems show potential as strategic probes for fluorescence analyses and MRI, being useful for investigating a variety of biological processes.
A diet-change modulates the previously established bacterial gut community in juvenile brown trout (Salmo trutta)
Authors: Michl Stéphanie C. , Beyer Matt , Ratten Jenni-Marie , Hasler Mario , LaRoche Julie , Schulz Carsten 
Published: February 2019

AbstractThe aim of the present study was to investigate the impact of dietary plant proteins on the gut microbiome of first feeding brown trout (Salmo trutta) reproduced from wild stocks and to evaluate whether the initial microbiome of brown trout fry can be permanently manipulated by the first feeding diet. Therefore, brown trout fry was fed diets based on either 0%, 50% or 90% plant-derived proteins from first feeding onwards and via 16S rRNA gene sequencing a strong dietary influence on the bacterial gut community on phylum and order level was detected. Proteobacteria and Fusobacteria were significantly enhanced when fishmeal was integrated into the experimental diet, whereas plant-derived proteins significantly promoted Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes. In order to evaluate whether the first feeding diet had a permanent effect on the initially established microbial gut community of juvenile brown trout, a cross-over diet-change was applied 61 days post first feeding. 48 days after the diet-change, the gut microbiome of all dietary groups was significantly different from the one initially established after first feeding. Moreover, the first feeding diet had no statistically significant influence on the gut microbiome after the diet-change, demonstrating no permanent effect on the gut microbiome formation.
Aerosol emission and superemission during human speech increase with voice loudness
Authors: Asadi Sima , Wexler Anthony S. , Cappa Christopher D. , Barreda Santiago , Bouvier Nicole M. , Ristenpart William D. 
Published: February 2019

AbstractMechanistic hypotheses about airborne infectious disease transmission have traditionally emphasized the role of coughing and sneezing, which are dramatic expiratory events that yield both easily visible droplets and large quantities of particles too small to see by eye. Nonetheless, it has long been known that normal speech also yields large quantities of particles that are too small to see by eye, but are large enough to carry a variety of communicable respiratory pathogens. Here we show that the rate of particle emission during normal human speech is positively correlated with the loudness (amplitude) of vocalization, ranging from approximately 1 to 50 particles per second (0.06 to 3 particles per cm3) for low to high amplitudes, regardless of the language spoken (English, Spanish, Mandarin, or Arabic). Furthermore, a small fraction of individuals behaves as “speech superemitters,” consistently releasing an order of magnitude more particles than their peers. Our data demonstrate that the phenomenon of speech superemission cannot be fully explained either by the phonic structures or the amplitude of the speech. These results suggest that other unknown physiological factors, varying dramatically among individuals, could affect the probability of respiratory infectious disease transmission, and also help explain the existence of superspreaders who are disproportionately responsible for outbreaks of airborne infectious disease.
Mosaic dental morphology in a terminal Pleistocene hominin from Dushan Cave in southern China
Authors: Liao Wei , Xing Song , Li Dawei , Martinón-Torres María , Wu Xiujie , Soligo Christophe , Bermúdez de Castro José María , Wang Wei , Liu Wu 
Published: February 2019

AbstractRecent studies reveal high degrees of morphological diversity in Late Pleistocene humans from East Asia. This variability was interpreted as complex demographic patterns with several migrations and possible survival of archaic groups. However, lack of well-described, reliably classified and accurately dated sites has seriously limited understanding of human evolution in terminal Pleistocene. Here we report a 15,000 years-oldH. sapiens(Dushan 1) in South China with unusual mosaic features, such as large dental dimensions, cingulum-like structures at the dentine level in the posterior dentition and expression of a “crown buccal vertical groove complex”, all of which are uncommon in modern humans and more typically found in Middle Pleistocene archaic humans. They could represent the late survival of one of the earliest modern humans to settle in an isolated region of southern China and, hence, the retention of primitive-like traits. They could also represent a particularity of this group and, hence, reflect a high degree of regional variation. Alternatively, these features may be the result of introgression from some late-surviving archaic population in the region. Our study demonstrates the extreme variability of terminal Pleistocene populations in China and the possibility of a complex demographic story in the region.
The neurobiology of placebo effects in sports: EEG frontal alpha asymmetry increases in response to a placebo ergogenic aid
Authors: Broelz Ellen K. , Enck Paul , Niess Andreas M. , Schneeweiss Patrick , Wolf Sebastian , Weimer Katja 
Published: February 2019

AbstractThe performance enhancing (ergogenic) placebo effect is elicited by an inert treatment and caused by positive affective appraisal of effort perception. Frontal alpha asymmetry (FAA) is a neurobiological correlate of positive affect. This study investigates, whether receiving an ergogenic placebo increases FAA and whether scores on the behavioral inhibition and activation system (BIS/BAS) scales affect this increase in FAA. Nineteen competitive male cyclists (37.26 ± 9.82 years) performed two maximum effort time trials. The first served as baseline for the second intervention time trial, where athletes received a placebo ergogenic aid or no treatment. We recorded FAA using EEG throughout all time trials and assessed BIS/BAS by questionnaire. There was a significant difference in change from baseline to intervention time trial in FAA during cycling in response to the placebo ergogenic aid compared to the control group. BIS, the BAS subscale Drive and the BAS-BIS difference score significantly co-varied with the change in FAA from baseline to intervention time trial in response to the placebo ergogenic aid. Administering a placebo ergogenic aid significantly influenced FAA during maximum effort cycling. Those athletes with a more pronounced goal seeking persistence and an overall dominance of the BAS over the BIS showed a significantly greater increase in FAA in response to a placebo ergogenic aid. A more pronounced BIS, however, seems to antagonize the increase in FAA associated with the ergogenic placebo response.
Nitrogen availability alters flavonoid accumulation in Cyclocarya paliurus via the effects on the internal carbon/nitrogen balance
Authors: Deng Bo , Li Yuanyuan , Xu Dandan , Ye Qingqing , Liu Guihua 
Published: February 2019

AbstractCyclocarya paliurus has traditionally been used in medicines and nutraceutical foods. The aims of this study were to determine whether flavonoid accumulation in C. paliurus is dependent on nitrogen (N) availability and to investigate the internal C (carbon)/N balance under controlled conditions. One-year-old seedlings were grown under five increasing available N level treatments (N1–5) and were harvested throughout the 15-d experimental period. The greatest total chlorophyll amount and photosynthetic rate were achieved during the intermediate N treatments (N3 and N4). The greatest starch level was detected in N3. The total C level was relatively stable, but the total N and free amino acid levels increased, which resulted in a decreased C:N ratio. The flavonoid contents in roots and stalks decreased, while leaves showed a different pattern (peaking in N3). The flavonoid level was closely correlated with flavanone-3-hydroxylase activity, which displayed a similar variation pattern, and their levels were significantly positively correlated with those of total C and starch. Thus, the partitioning of C among primary and secondary metabolisms could be responsible for flavonoid biosynthesis and provide the basis for maintaining high yields, which increases the nutritional values of crops and medicinal plants.
Extreme sensitivity in Snowball Earth formation to mountains on PaleoProterozoic supercontinents
Authors: Walsh Amber , Ball Thomas , Schultz David M. 
Published: February 2019

AbstractDuring the PaleoProterozoic 2.45 to 2.2 billion years ago, several glaciations may have produced Snowball Earths. These glacial cycles occurred during large environmental change when atmospheric oxygen was increasing, a supercontinent was assembled from numerous landmasses, and collisions between these landmasses formed mountain ranges. Despite uncertainties in the composition of the atmosphere and reconstruction of the landmasses, paleoclimate model simulations can test the sensitivity of the climate to producing a Snowball Earth. Here we present a series of simulations that vary the atmospheric methane concentration and latitudes of west–east-oriented mountain ranges on an idealised supercontinent. For a given methane concentration, the latitudes of mountains control whether a Snowball Earth forms or not. Significantly, mountains in middle latitudes inhibited Snowball Earth formation, and mountains in low latitudes promoted Snowball Earth formation, with the supercontinent with mountains at ±30° being most conducive to forming a Snowball Earth because of reduced albedo at low latitudes. We propose that the extreme sensitivity of a Snowball Earth to reconstructions of the paleogeography and paleoatmospheric composition may explain the observed glaciations, demonstrating the importance of high-quality reconstructions to improved understanding of this early period in Earth’s history.
Members of the endocannabinoid system are distinctly regulated in inflammatory bowel disease and colorectal cancer
Authors: Grill Magdalena , Högenauer Christoph , Blesl Andreas , Haybaeck Johannes , Golob-Schwarzl Nicole , Ferreirós Nerea , Thomas Dominique , Gurke Robert , Trötzmüller Martin , Köfeler Harald C. , Gallé Birgit , Schicho Rudolf 
Published: February 2019

AbstractPreclinical studies have demonstrated that the endocannabinoid system (ECS) plays an important role in the protection against intestinal inflammation and colorectal cancer (CRC); however, human data are scarce. We determined members of the ECS and related components of the ‘endocannabinoidome’ in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and CRC, and compared them to control subjects. Anandamide (AEA) and oleoylethanolamide (OEA) were increased in plasma of ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease (CD) patients while 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) was elevated in patients with CD, but not UC. 2-AG, but not AEA, PEA and OEA, was elevated in CRC patients. Lysophosphatidylinositol (LPI) 18:0 showed higher levels in patients with IBD than in control subjects whereas LPI 20:4 was elevated in both CRC and IBD. Gene expression in intestinal mucosal biopsies revealed different profiles in CD and UC. CD, but not UC patients, showed increased gene expression for the 2-AG synthesizing enzyme diacylglycerol lipase alpha. Transcripts of CNR1 and GPR119 were predominantly decreased in CD. Our data show altered plasma levels of endocannabinoids and endocannabinoid-like lipids in IBD and CRC and distinct transcript profiles in UC and CD. We also report alterations for less known components in intestinal inflammation, such as GPR119, OEA and LPI.
Green light irradiation during sex differentiation induces female-to-male sex reversal in the medaka Oryzias latipes
Authors: Hayasaka Oki , Takeuchi Yutaka , Shiozaki Kazuhiro , Anraku Kazuhiko , Kotani Tomonari 
Published: February 2019

AbstractThis study investigated whether irradiation of a specific light wavelength could affect the sex differentiation of fish. We first found that the photoreceptor genes responsible for receiving red, green, and ultraviolet light were expressed in the eyes of medaka during the sex differentiation period. Second, we revealed that testes developed in 15.9% of genotypic females reared under green light irradiation. These female-to-male sex-reversed fish (i.e. neo-males) showed male-specific secondary sexual characteristics and produced motile sperm. Finally, progeny tests using the sperm of neo-males (XX) and eggs of normal females (XX) revealed that all F1 offspring were female, indicating for the first time in animals that irradiation with light of a specific wavelength can trigger sex reversal.
Measurement of Regional 2D Gas Transport Efficiency in Rabbit Lung Using Hyperpolarized 129Xe MRI
Authors: Ruppert Kai , Xin Yi , Hamedani Hooman , Amzajerdian Faraz , Loza Luis , Achekzai Tahmina , Duncan Ian F. , Profka Harrilla , Siddiqui Sarmad , Pourfathi Mehrdad , Sertic Federico , Cereda Maurizio F. , Kadlecek Stephen , Rizi Rahim R. 
Published: February 2019

AbstractWhile hyperpolarized xenon-129 (HXe) MRI offers a wide array of tools for assessing functional aspects of the lung, existing techniques provide only limited quantitative information about the impact of an observed pathology on overall lung function. By selectively destroying the alveolar HXe gas phase magnetization in a volume of interest and monitoring the subsequent decrease in the signal from xenon dissolved in the blood inside the left ventricle of the heart, it is possible to directly measure the contribution of that saturated lung volume to the gas transport capacity of the entire lung. In mechanically ventilated rabbits, we found that both xenon gas transport and transport efficiency exhibited a gravitation-induced anterior-to-posterior gradient that disappeared or reversed direction, respectively, when the animal was turned from supine to prone position. Further, posterior ventilation defects secondary to acute lung injury could be re-inflated by applying positive end expiratory pressure, although at the expense of decreased gas transport efficiency in the anterior volumes. These findings suggest that our technique might prove highly valuable for evaluating lung transplants and lung resections, and could improve our understanding of optimal mechanical ventilator settings in acute lung injury.
Water-accelerated π-Stacking Reaction in Benzene Cluster Cation
Authors: Tachikawa Hiroto , Iura Ryoshu , Kawabata Hiroshi 
Published: February 2019

AbstractSingle molecule electron devices (SMEDs) have been widely studied through both experiments and theoretical calculations because they exhibit certain specific properties that general macromolecules do not possess. In actual SMED systems, a residual water molecule strongly affects the electronic properties of the SMED, even if only one water molecule is present. However, information about the effect of H2O molecules on the electronic properties of SMEDs is quite limited. In the present study, the effect of H2O on the ON-OFF switching property of benzene-based molecular devices was investigated by means of a direct ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) method. T- and H-shaped benzene dimers and trimers were examined as molecular devices. The present calculations showed that a H2O molecule accelerates the π-stacking formation in benzene molecular electronic systems. The times of stacking formation in a benzene dimer cation (n = 2) were calculated to be 460 fs (H2O) and 947 fs (no-H2O), while those in a trimer cation (n = 3) were 551 fs (H2O) and 1019 fs (no-H2O) as an average of the reaction time. This tendency was not dependent on the levels of theory used. Thus, H2O produced positive effects in benzene-based molecular electronics. The mechanism of π-stacking was discussed based on the theoretical results.