bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Genome-wide identification and characterization of CKIN/SnRK gene family in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii
Authors: Colina Francisco , Amaral Joana , Carbó María , Pinto Gloria , Soares Amadeu , Cañal María Jesús , Valledor Luis 
Published: January 2019

AbstractThe SnRK (Snf1-Related protein Kinase) gene family plays an important role in energy sensing and stress-adaptive responses in plant systems. In this study, Chlamydomonas CKIN family (SnRK in Arabidopsis) was defined after a genome-wide analysis of all sequenced Chlorophytes. Twenty-two sequences were defined as plant SnRK orthologs in Chlamydomonas and classified into two subfamilies: CKIN1 and CKIN2. While CKIN1 subfamily is reduced to one conserved member and a close protein (CKIN1L), a large CKIN2 subfamily clusters both plant-like and algae specific CKIN2s. The responsiveness of these genes to abiotic stress situations was tested by RT-qPCR. Results showed that almost all elements were sensitive to osmotic stress while showing different degrees of sensibility to other abiotic stresses, as occurs in land plants, revealing their specialization and the family pleiotropy for some elements. The regulatory pathway of this family may differ from land plants since these sequences shows unique regulatory features and some of them are sensitive to ABA, despite conserved ABA receptors (PYR/PYL/RCAR) and regulatory domains are not present in this species. Core Chlorophytes and land plant showed divergent stress signalling, but SnRKs/CKINs share the same role in cell survival and stress response and adaption including the accumulation of specific biomolecules. This fact places the CKIN family as well-suited target for bioengineering-based studies in microalgae (accumulation of sugars, lipids, secondary metabolites), while promising new findings in stress biology and specially in the evolution of ABA-signalling mechanisms.
Deciphering the Potential Pharmaceutical Mechanism of GUI-ZHI-FU-LING-WAN on Systemic Sclerosis based on Systems Biology Approaches
Authors: Wang Qiao , Shi Guoshan , Zhang Yun , Lu Feilong , Xie Duoli , Wen Chengping , Huang Lin 
Published: January 2019

AbstractSystemic sclerosis (SSc; scleroderma) is a complicated idiopathic connective tissue disease with seldom effective treatment. GUI-ZHI-FU-LING-WAN (GFW) is a classic Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) formula widely used for the treatment of SSc. However, the mechanism of how the GFW affects SSc remains unclear. In this study, the system biology approach was utilized to analyze herb compounds and related targets to get the general information of GFW. The KEGG enrichment analysis of 1645 related targets suggested that the formula is involved in the VEGF signaling pathway, the Toll-like receptor signaling pathway, etc. Quantitative and qualitative analysis of the relationship among the 3 subsets (formula targets, drug targets and disease genes) showed that the formula targets overlapped with 38.0% drug targets and 26.0% proteins encoded by disease genes. Through the analysis of SSc related microarray statistics from the GEO database, we also validated the consistent expression behavior among the 3 subsets before and after treatment. To further reveal the mechanism of prescription, we constructed a network among 3 subsets and decomposed it into 24 modules to decipher how GFW interfere in the progress of SSc. The modules indicated that the intervention may come into effect through following pathogenic processes: vasculopathy, immune dysregulation and tissue fibrosis. Vitro experiments confirmed that GFW could suppress the proliferation of fibroblasts and decrease the Th1 cytokine (TNF-α, MIP-2 and IL-6) expression for lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and bleomycin (BLM) stimulation in macrophages, which is consistent with previous conclusion that GFW is able to relieve SSc. The systems biology approach provides a new insight for deepening understanding about TCM.
Graphene Oxide as a Multifunctional Platform for Intracellular Delivery, Imaging, and Cancer Sensing
Authors: Campbell E. , Hasan Md. Tanvir , Pho Christine , Callaghan K. , Akkaraju G. R. , Naumov A. V. 
Published: January 2019

AbstractGraphene oxide (GO), the most common derivative of graphene, is an exceptional nanomaterial that possesses multiple physical properties critical for biomedical applications. GO exhibits pH-dependent fluorescence emission in the visible/near-infrared, providing a possibility of molecular imaging and pH-sensing. It is also water soluble and has a substantial platform for functionalization, allowing for the delivery of multiple therapeutics. GO physical properties are modified to enhance cellular internalization, producing fluorescent nanoflakes with low (<15%) cytotoxicity at the imaging concentrations of 15 μg/mL. As a result, at lower flake sizes GO rapidly internalizes into HeLa cells with the following 70% fluorescence based clearance at 24 h, assessed by its characteristic emission in red/near-IR. pH-dependence of GO emission is utilized to provide the sensing of acidic extracellular environments of cancer cells. The results demonstrate diminishing green/red (550/630 nm) fluorescence intensity ratios for HeLa and MCF-7 cancer cells in comparison to HEK-293 healthy cells suggesting a potential use of GO as a non-invasive optical sensor for cancer microenvironments. The results of this work demonstrate the potential of GO as a novel multifunctional platform for therapeutic delivery, biological imaging and cancer sensing.
Structural Changes and Operational Deterioration of the Uf Polyethersulfone (Pes) Membrane Due to Chemical Cleaning
Authors: Malczewska Beata , Żak Andrzej 
Published: January 2019

AbstractMicrofiltration (MF) and ultrafiltration (UF) membranes are capable of rejecting most of particulate and colloidal matter from natural water. The major impediment to their applications is fouling caused by contaminants that accumulate on and/or inside the membrane. Therefore, most membranes are subjected to chemical cleaning procedures as one of the methods to control fouling. Exposure to chemical cleaning agents can reduce the performance and lead to the degradation of polyethersulfone (PES) ultrafiltration membranes. This study was conducted in order to evaluate the effect of cleaning agents on the properties of the PES membranes during exposure to short-term foulant and a cleaning agent. The cleaning agents evaluated were NaOH, HCl and NaOCl. The accelerated static cleaning conditions showed significant changes in PES flat sheet membrane properties in case of cleaning with NaOCl. These changes were analyzed using SEM microscopy, FTIR spectroscopy, contact angle measurement and hydraulic membrane performance evaluation.
An integrative modeling approach to the age-performance relationship in mammals at the cellular scale
Authors: Berthelot Geoffroy , Bar-Hen Avner , Marck Adrien , Foulonneau Vincent , Douady Stéphane , Noirez Philippe , Zablocki-Thomas Pauline B. , da Silva Antero Juliana , Carter Patrick A. , Di Meglio Jean-Marc , Toussaint Jean-François 
Published: January 2019

AbstractPhysical and cognitive performances change across lifespan. Studying cohorts of individuals in specific age ranges and athletic abilities remains essential in assessing the underlying physiological mechanisms that result in such a drop in performance. This decline is now viewed as a unique phenotypic biomarker and a hallmark of the aging process. The rates of decline are well documented for sets of traits such as running or swimming but only a limited number of studies have examined the developmental and senescent phases together. Moreover, the few attempts to do so are merely descriptive and do not include any meaningful biological features. Here we propose an averaged and deterministic model, based on cell population dynamics, replicative senescence and functionality loss. It describes the age-related change of performance in 17 time-series phenotypic traits, including human physical and cognitive skills, mouse lemur strength, greyhound and thoroughbred speed, and mouse activity. We demonstrate that the estimated age of peak performance occurs in the early part of life (20.5% ± 6.6% of the estimated lifespan) thus emphasizing the asymmetrical nature of the relationship. This model is an initial attempt to relate performance dynamics to cellular dynamics and will lead to more sophisticated models in the future.
Temporal and demographic variation in partial migration of the North Atlantic right whale
Authors: Gowan Timothy A. , Ortega-Ortiz Joel G. , Hostetler Jeffrey A. , Hamilton Philip K. , Knowlton Amy R. , Jackson Katharine A. , George R. Clay , Taylor Cynthia R. , Naessig Patricia J. 
Published: January 2019

AbstractAnimal movement plays a fundamental role in the ecology of migratory species, and understanding migration patterns is required for effective management. To evaluate intrinsic and environmental factors associated with probabilities of endangered North Atlantic right whalesEubalaena glacialismigrating to a wintering ground off the southeastern United States (SEUS), we applied a multistate temporary emigration capture-recapture model to 22 years of photo-identification data. Migration probabilities for juveniles were generally higher yet more variable than those for adults, and non-calving adult females were the least likely group to migrate. The highest migration probabilities for juveniles and adult males coincided with years of relatively high calving rates, following years of higher prey availability in a fall feeding ground. Right whale migration to the SEUS can be classified as condition-dependent partial migration, which includes skipped breeding partial migration for reproductive females, and is likely influenced by tradeoffs among ecological factors such as reproductive costs and foraging opportunities that vary across individuals and time. The high variability in migration reported in this study provides insight into the ecological drivers of migration but presents challenges to right whale monitoring and conservation strategies.
3D printing of sacrificial templates into hierarchical porous materials
Authors: Alison Lauriane , Menasce Stefano , Bouville Florian , Tervoort Elena , Mattich Iacopo , Ofner Alessandro , Studart André R. 
Published: January 2019

AbstractHierarchical porous materials are widespread in nature and find an increasing number of applications as catalytic supports, biological scaffolds and lightweight structures. Recent advances in additive manufacturing and 3D printing technologies have enabled the digital fabrication of porous materials in the form of lattices, cellular structures and foams across multiple length scales. However, current approaches do not allow for the fast manufacturing of bulk porous materials featuring pore sizes that span broadly from macroscopic dimensions down to the nanoscale. Here, ink formulations are designed and investigated to enable 3D printing of hierarchical materials displaying porosity at the nano-, micro- and macroscales. Pores are generated upon removal of nanodroplets and microscale templates present in the initial ink. Using particles to stabilize the droplet templates is key to obtain Pickering nanoemulsions that can be 3D printed through direct ink writing. The combination of such self-assembled templates with the spatial control offered by the printing process allows for the digital manufacturing of hierarchical materials exhibiting thus far inaccessible multiscale porosity and complex geometries.
N-glycans of the microalga Chlorella vulgaris are of the oligomannosidic type but highly methylated
Authors: Mócsai Réka , Figl Rudolf , Troschl Clemens , Strasser Richard , Svehla Elisabeth , Windwarder Markus , Thader Andreas , Altmann Friedrich 
Published: January 2019

AbstractMicroalgae of the genus Chlorella vulgaris are candidates for the production of lipids for biofuel production. Besides that, Chlorella vulgaris is marketed as protein and vitamin rich food additive. Its potential as a novel expression system for recombinant proteins inspired us to study its asparagine-linked oligosaccharides (N-glycans) by mass spectrometry, chromatography and gas chromatography. Oligomannosidic N-glycans with up to nine mannoses were the structures found in culture collection strains as well as several commercial products. These glycans co-eluted with plant N-glycans in the highly shape selective porous graphitic carbon chromatography. Thus, Chlorella vulgaris generates oligomannosidic N-glycans of the structural type known from land plants and animals. In fact, Man5 (Man5GlcNAc2) served as substrate for GlcNAc-transferase I and a trace of an endogenous structure with terminal GlcNAc was seen. The unusual more linear Man5 structure recently found on glycoproteins of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii occurred - if at all - in traces only. Notably, a majority of the oligomannosidic glycans was multiply O-methylated with 3-O-methyl and 3,6-di-O-methyl mannoses at the non-reducing termini. This modification has so far been neither found on plant nor vertebrate N-glycans. It’s possible immunogenicity raises concerns as to the use of C. vulgaris for production of pharmaceutical glycoproteins.
Modifying the transition temperature, 120 K ≤ Tc ≤ 1150 K, of amorphous Fe90−xCoxSc10 with simultaneous alteration of fluctuation of exchange integral up to zero
Authors: Fang Y. N. , Hahn H. , Kobe S. , Witte R. , Singh S. P. , Feng T. , Ghafari M. 
Published: January 2019

AbstractAmorphous (a-) Fe90−xCoxSc10 alloys have been produced by rapid quenching from the melt. The Curie temperature, TC, was determined using both mean field theory and Landau’s theory of second-order phase transitions in zero and non-zero external fields. The dependence of TC on the atomic spacing can be explained by the empirical Bethe-Slater curve. The value of TC of a- Fe5Co85Sc10, determined by the above theoretical approaches is 1150 K, which is the highest TC ever measured for amorphous alloys. The flattening of the measured normalized magnetization, M(T)/M(0), as a function of the reduced temperature, T/TC, is explained within the framework of the Handrich- Kobe model. According to this model the fluctuation of the exchange integral is the main reason for the flattening of M(T)/M(0). In the case of a-Fe90Sc10 without Co, however, the fluctuation of the exchange integral is dominant only at zero external field, Bex = 0. At Bex = 9 T, however, the fluctuation of the exchange integral has no conspicuous effect on the reduction of the magnetization. It is shown that at Bex = 9 T the frozen magnetic clusters control the behaviour of the reduced magnetization as function of T/TC. In contrast to other ferromagnetic alloys, where the flattening of M(T)/M(0) is characteristic for an amorphous structure, the a- Fe5Co85Sc10 does not exhibit any trace of the fluctuation of the exchange integral.
Explaining Evaporation-Triggered Wetting Transition Using Local Force Balance Model and Contact Line-Fraction
Authors: Annavarapu Rama Kishore , Kim Sanha , Wang Minghui , Hart A. John , Sojoudi Hossein 
Published: January 2019

AbstractUnderstanding wettability and mechanisms of wetting transition are important for design and engineering of superhydrophobic surfaces. There have been numerous studies on the design and fabrication of superhydrophobic and omniphobic surfaces and on the wetting transition mechanisms triggered by liquid evaporation. However, there is a lack of a universal method to examine wetting transition on rough surfaces. Here, we introduce force zones across the droplet base and use a local force balance model to explain wetting transition on engineered nanoporous microstructures, utilizing a critical force per unit length (FPL) value. For the first time, we provide a universal scale using the concept of the critical FPL value which enables comparison of various superhydrophobic surfaces in terms of preventing wetting transition during liquid evaporation. In addition, we establish the concept of contact line-fraction theoretically and experimentally by relating it to area-fraction, which clarifies various arguments about the validity of the Cassie-Baxter equation. We use the contact line-fraction model to explain the droplet contact angles, liquid evaporation modes, and depinning mechanism during liquid evaporation. Finally, we develop a model relating a droplet curvature to conventional beam deflection, providing a framework for engineering pressure stable superhydrophobic surfaces.
Patho- physiological role of BDNF in fibrin clotting
Authors: Amadio Patrizia , Porro Benedetta , Sandrini Leonardo , Fiorelli Susanna , Bonomi Alice , Cavalca Viviana , Brambilla Marta , Camera Marina , Veglia Fabrizio , Tremoli Elena , Barbieri Silvia S. 
Published: January 2019

AbstractCirculating levels of Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) are lower in coronary heart disease (CHD) than in healthy subjects and are associated with coronary events and mortality. However, the mechanism(s) underling this association is not fully understood. We hypothesize that BDNF may influence fibrin fiber structure and clot stability, favoring clot lysis and thrombus resolution. We showed that recombinant BDNF (rh-BDNF) influenced with clot formation in a concentration-dependent manner in both purified fibrinogen and plasma from healthy subjects. In particular, rh-BDNF reduced the density of fibrin fibers, the maximum clot firmness (MCF) and the maximum clot turbidity, and affected the lysis of clot. In addition, both thrombin and reptilase clotting time were prolonged by rh-BDNF, despite the amount of thrombin formed was greater. Intriguingly, CHD patients had lower levels of BDNF, greater fibrin fibers density, higher MCF than control subjects, and a negative correlation between BDNF and MCF was found. Of note, rh-BDNF markedly modified fibrin clot profile restoring physiological clot morphology in CHD plasma. In conclusion, we provide evidence that low levels of BDNF correlate with the formation of bigger thrombi (in vitro) and that this effect is mediated, at least partially, by the alteration of fibrin fibers formation.
An improved yeast surface display platform for the screening of nanobody immune libraries
Authors: Uchański Tomasz , Zögg Thomas , Yin Jie , Yuan Daopeng , Wohlkönig Alexandre , Fischer Baptiste , Rosenbaum Daniel M. , Kobilka Brian K. , Pardon Els , Steyaert Jan 
Published: January 2019

AbstractFusions to the C-terminal end of the Aga2p mating adhesion of Saccharomyces cerevisiae have been used in many studies for the selection of affinity reagents by yeast display followed by flow cytometric analysis. Here we present an improved yeast display system for the screening of Nanobody immune libraries where we fused the Nanobody to the N-terminal end of Aga2p to avoid steric hindrance between the fused Nanobody and the antigen. Moreover, the display level of a cloned Nanobody on the surface of an individual yeast cell can be monitored through a covalent fluorophore that is attached in a single enzymatic step to an orthogonal acyl carrier protein (ACP). Additionally, the displayed Nanobody can be easily released from the yeast surface and immobilised on solid surfaces for rapid analysis. To prove the generic nature of this novel Nanobody discovery platform, we conveniently selected Nanobodies against three different antigens, including two membrane proteins.
Asymmetric total synthesis of rotenoids via organocatalyzed dynamic kinetic resolution
Authors: Perveen Saima , Yang Shuang , Meng Miao , Xu Weici , Zhang Guoxiang , Fang Xinqiang 
Published: January 2019

AbstractIncreasing effort has been made towards the asymmetric total synthesis of rotenoid natural products owing to their impressive biological and pharmaceutical activities. Here we report the modular asymmetric total synthesis of rotenoid natural products. The concise construction of the cis-fused tetrahydrochromeno[3,4-b]chromene core structure of rotenoids through N-heterocyclic carbene-catalyzed dynamic kinetic resolution is achieved, and a series of annulation products containing rotenoid key structures are rapidly assembled using this method. More importantly, the protocol enables the modular synthesis of a variety of rotenoid natural products in a highly convergent fashion, and the concise asymmetric total synthesis of tephrosin, the first asymmetric total synthesis of 12a-hydroxymunduserone, milletosin, and 12a-hydroxyrotenone, and the formal synthesis of deguelin are accomplished.
A super compact self-powered device based on paper-like supercapacitors
Authors: Luo Zhiling , Liu Changhong , Fan Shoushan 
Published: January 2019

A novel self-powered device was fabricated by adding one small piece of metal foil onto a supercapacitor. The device can be self-charged to more than 0.7 V when touched by a wet swab. This slender device demonstrates impressive output performance and can drive a vibrating motor. This study provides a novel energy source for self-powered wearable electronics.
Rotational spectroscopy of malononitrile and its corresponding monoisocyanide isomer, isocyanoacetonitrile
Authors: Motiyenko R. A. , Armieieva I. A. , Margulès L. , Alekseev E. A. , Guillemin J.-C. 
Published: January 2019

Context. Nitriles constitute almost 20% of the molecules observed in the interstellar medium, whereas only one dinitrile and one isocyanonitrile compound have been detected up to now. The lack of detections of such compounds may be partially explained by the lack of accurate spectroscopic data on their rotational spectra.Aims. Two small seven-atom dinitriles, malononitrile NCCH2CN and isocyanoacetonitrile NCCH2NC, were chosen as target species for this study. For malononitrile the goal of the study is to systematize all the previous measurements, and to extend the measurements to the sub-millimeter wavelength range. The spectrum of isocyanoacetonitrile has not been studied before.Methods. The rotational spectra of the two molecules were measured in the frequency range 150–660 GHz using the Lille fast-scan spectrometer. The spectroscopic study was supported by high-level theoretical calculations on the structure of these molecules and their harmonic force field.Results. Accurate frequency predictions for malononitrile and isocyanoacetonitrile were calculated on the basis of the analysis of their rotational spectra. The influence of the spin statistics on the intensities of the lines of malononitrile was taken into account. The provided line lists and sets of molecular parameters meet the needs of astrophysical searches for the two molecules.