bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Membrane capacitance recordings resolve dynamics and complexity of receptor-mediated endocytosis in Wnt signalling
Authors: Bandmann Vera , Mirsanaye Ann Schirin , Schäfer Johanna , Thiel Gerhard , Holstein Thomas , Mikosch-Wersching Melanie 
Published: September 2019

AbstractReceptor-mediated endocytosis is an essential process in signalling pathways for activation of intracellular signalling cascades. One example is the Wnt signalling pathway that seems to depend on endocytosis of the ligand-receptor complex for initiation of Wnt signal transduction. To date, the roles of different endocytic pathways in Wnt signalling, molecular players and the kinetics of the process remain unclear. Here, we monitored endocytosis in Wnt3a and Wnt5a-mediated signalling with membrane capacitance recordings of HEK293 cells. Our measurements revealed a swift and substantial increase in the number of endocytic vesicles. Extracellular Wnt ligands specifically triggered endocytotic activity, which started immediately upon ligand binding and ceased within a period of ten minutes. By using specific inhibitors, we were able to separate Wnt-induced endocytosis into two independent pathways. We demonstrate that canonical Wnt3a is taken up mainly by clathrin-independent endocytosis whereas noncanonical Wnt5a is exclusively regulated via clathrin-mediated endocytosis. Our findings show that membrane capacitance recordings allow the resolution of complex cellular processes in plasma membrane signalling pathways in great detail.
Concentrations of macronutrients, minerals and heavy metals in home-prepared diets for adult dogs and cats
Authors: Pedrinelli Vivian , Zafalon Rafael Vessecchi Amorim , Rodrigues Roberta Bueno Ayres , Perini Mariana Pamplona , Conti Renata Maria Consentino , Vendramini Thiago Henrique Annibale , de Carvalho Balieiro Júlio César , Brunetto Márcio Antonio 
Published: September 2019

AbstractPet owners often don’t acknowledge the need for home-prepared diet formulation by a trained professional and may use recipes from sources such as the internet. Macronutrient and mineral composition of home-prepared diets were analyzed and compared to NRC and FEDIAF recommendations, and heavy metal concentrations were analyzed and compared to FDA maximum tolerable levels (MTL) for dogs and cats. Recipes of home-prepared diets for adult dogs (n = 75) and cats (n = 25) were evaluated. Analyses of protein, fat, and fiber were performed according to AOAC, and mineral and heavy metal analyses were performed using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). None of the diets supplied recommended levels of all nutrients evaluated, and more than 84.0% of diets presented three or more nutrients below recommendations. Nutrients with most levels below recommendations were calcium and potassium in recipes for dogs and iron and zinc in recipes for cats. As for heavy metals, levels of lead, cobalt, mercury, uranium, and vanadium were above MTLs. Results suggest that home-prepared diets may be a health risk to dogs and cats if not properly formulated. Furthermore, the chronic heavy metal intake must be better elucidated in order to understand the full impact of results.
Crystallization properties of arsenic doped GST alloys
Authors: Madhavan Vinod E. , Carignano Marcelo , Kachmar Ali , Sangunni K. S. 
Published: September 2019

AbstractWe present the enhanced properties observed in the phase change memory alloy Ge2Sb2Te5 (GST) when doped with arsenic. Although arsenic is known as a toxic element, our observations show that significant improvement can be obtained in GST systems on thermal stability, transition temperature between amorphous and crystalline phases and switching behaviors when doping with arsenic. Though both the GST and arsenic doped GST are amorphous in the as-deposited state, only GST alloy turns to crystalline NaCl-type structure after annealing at 150 °C for 1 h. Results from the resistance versus temperature study show a systematic increase in the transition temperature and resistivity in the amorphous and crystalline states when the arsenic percentage in the GST alloy increases. The crystallization temperature (Tc) of (GST)0.85As0.15 is higher than the Tc observed in GST. Optical band gap (Eopt) values of the as-deposited films show a clear increasing trend; 0.6 eV for GST to 0.76 eV for (GST)0.85As0.15. The decreases in Eopt for the samples annealed at higher temperatures shows significant optical contrast between the as-deposited and annealed samples. Though all (GST)1−xAsx alloys show memory switching behaviors, threshold switching voltages (VT) of the studied alloys show an increasing trend with arsenic doping. For (GST)0.85As0.15, VT is about 5.2 V, which is higher than GST (4.0 V). Higher transition temperature and higher threshold switching values show arsenic doping in GST can enhance the memory device properties by improving the thermal stability and data readability. Understanding the doping effect on the GST is important to understand its crystallization properties. Structure properties of amorphous GST, Ge2Sb2−0.3As0.3Te5 and (GST)0.85As0.15 models were studied using first principles molecular dynamics simulations, compared their partial radial distribution functions, and q parameter order. Arsenic doping into GST features interesting structural and electronic effects revealed by the radial distribution functions, q order parameter and band gap value, in line with the experimental findings.
Fabellar prevalence, degeneration and association with knee osteoarthritis in the Chinese population
Authors: Hou Weikun , Xu Lin , Wang Jingbo , Wang Bo , Liu Lin , Xu Ke , Cai Yuanzhen , Guo Hao , Xu Peng 
Published: September 2019

AbstractThe fabella is a sesamoid bone of the knee that can degenerate in some patients with osteoarthritis. The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence and degeneration grades of fabellae in the Chinese population and to analyse their relationships with subject ages and knee osteoarthritis grades. The anteroposterior and lateral knee roentgenograms of 1150 subjects were recruited from the institutional database. The Kellgren-Lawrence scoring system was used to evaluate knee osteoarthritis. The degeneration grades of fabellae were scored in lateral roentgenograms by screening their shapes, sizes, subchondral sclerosis and osteophyte formation. The prevalence and degeneration of fabellae among ages, genders and knee sides were analysed by the Pearson Chi-Square test, and their relationships with knee osteoarthritis were analysed by the Spearman nonparametric correlation test. The overall prevalence of fabellae was 48.6% in 1359 knees. There was no significant difference in fabellar prevalence between the two sides (χ² = 0.025, P = 0.87437) and genders (χ² = 3.647, P = 0.05617), while the prevalence increased with the increasing ages of the subjects (χ² = 213.868, P < 0.001). The fabellar degeneration grades were correlated with age (r = 0.5288, P < 0.001) and knee osteoarthritis scores (r = 0.6892, P < 0.001). These results suggested that the fabellar prevalence and degeneration grades were correlated with age and knee osteoarthritis scores.
Environmentally benign fabrication of SnO2-CNT nanohybrids and their multifunctional efficiency as an adsorbent, catalyst and antimicrobial agent for water decontamination
Authors: Ahmaruzzaman Md. , Mohanta Dipyaman , Nath Abhijit 
Published: September 2019

AbstractHerein, we described a biogenic, additive fee, eco-friendly synthesized SnO2-CNT nanohybrid as an efficient, re-collectable and reusable material for onsite water remediation. We demonstrated that the SnO2-CNTs can provide a one stop solution for water remediation as it effectively accomplished the major treatment tasks like adsorption, catalytic transformation/degradation and disinfection. The structural, morphological, surface chemical compositions of the nanocomposite and the adsorption, catalytic and antimicrobial properties were investigated using common characterization and instrumental techniques. The results revealed the brilliant efficiency of SnO2-CNT nanoadsorbent towards As (III) and a maximum Langmuir adsorption capacity of 106.95 mg/g was observed at high arsenite concentration (C0 = 1 mg/L). The nanoadsorbent was also found to be equally efficient in low arsenite concentration ranges (C0 = 100 μg/L) as it could bring down the arsenic concentration below maximum permissible limit. Moreover, using model pollutants like p-nitrophenol, Alizarin red S, Metronidazole, bacterial strains (Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Streptococcus pneumonia etc.), and fungal strains (Aspergillus niger and Candida albicans), the multifunctional capability of SnO2-CNT towards water decontamination has been established. Our results suggested the promising potential of hierarchical nano-heterojunctions for engineering efficient water treatment processes.
Interpretation of the Top-of-Atmosphere Energy Flux for Future Arctic Warming
Authors: Hwang Jiwon , Choi Yong-Sang , Yoo Changhyun , Wang Yuan , Su Hui , Jiang Jonathan H. 
Published: September 2019

AbstractWith the trend of amplified warming in the Arctic, we examine the observed and modeled top-of-atmosphere (TOA) radiative responses to surface air-temperature changes over the Arctic by using TOA energy fluxes from NASA’s CERES observations and those from twelve climate models in CMIP5. Considerable inter-model spreads in the radiative responses suggest that future Arctic warming may be determined by the compensation between the radiative imbalance and poleward energy transport (mainly via transient eddy activities). The poleward energy transport tends to prevent excessive Arctic warming: the transient eddy activities are weakened because of the reduced meridional temperature gradient under polar amplification. However, the models that predict rapid Arctic warming do not realistically simulate the compensation effect. This role of energy compensation in future Arctic warming is found only when the inter-model differences in cloud radiative effects are considered. Thus, the dynamical response can act as a buffer to prevent excessive Arctic warming against the radiative response of 0.11 W m−2 K−1 as measured from satellites, which helps the Arctic climate system retain an Arctic climate sensitivity of 4.61 K. Therefore, if quantitative analyses of the observations identify contribution of atmospheric dynamics and cloud effects to radiative imbalance, the satellite-measured radiative response will be a crucial indicator of future Arctic warming.
Novel instrumented frame for standing exercising of users with complete spinal cord injuries
Authors: Zoulias Ioannis D. , Armengol Monica , Poulton Adrian , Andrews Brian , Gibbons Robin , Harwin William S. , Holderbaum William 
Published: September 2019

AbstractThis paper describes a Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) standing system for rehabilitation of bone mineral density (BMD) in people with Spinal Cord Injury (SCI). BMD recovery offers an increased quality of life for people with SCI by reducing their risk of fractures. The standing system developed comprises an instrumented frame equipped with force plates and load cells, a motion capture system, and a purpose built 16-channel FES unit. This system can simultaneously record and process a wide range of biomechanical data to produce muscle stimulation which enables users with SCI to safely stand and exercise. An exergame provides visual feedback to the user to assist with upper-body posture control during exercising. To validate the system an alternate weight-shift exercise was used; 3 participants with complete SCI exercised in the system for 1 hour twice-weekly for 6 months. We observed ground reaction forces over 70% of the full body-weight distributed to the supporting leg at each exercising cycle. Exercise performance improved for each participant by an increase of 13.88 percentage points of body-weight in the loading of the supporting leg during the six-month period. Importantly, the observed ground reaction forces are of higher magnitude than other studies which reported positive effects on BMD. This novel instrumentation aims to investigate weight bearing standing therapies aimed at determining the biomechanics of lower limb joint force actions and postural kinematics.
Sensing by wireless reading Ag/AgCl redox conversion on RFID tag: universal, battery-less biosensor design
Authors: Larpant Nutcha , Pham Anh Duc , Shafaat Atefeh , Gonzalez-Martinez Juan F. , Sotres Javier , Sjöholm Johan , Laiwattanapaisal Wanida , Faridbod Farnoush , Ganjali Mohammad Reza , Arnebrant Thomas , Ruzgas Tautgirdas 
Published: September 2019

AbstractMassive integration of biosensors into design of Internet-of-Things (IoT) is vital for progress of healthcare. However, the integration of biosensors is challenging due to limited availability of battery-less biosensor designs. In this work, a combination of nanomaterials for wireless sensing of biological redox reactions is described. The design exploits silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) as part of the RFID tag antenna. We demonstrate that a redox enzyme, particularly, horseradish peroxidase (HRP), can convert AgNPs into AgCl in the presence of its substrate, hydrogen peroxide. This strongly changes the impedance of the tag. The presented example exploits gold nanoparticle (AuNP)-assisted electron transfer (ET) between AgNPs and HRP. We show that AuNP is a vital intermediate for establishing rapid ET between the enzyme and AgNPs. As an example, battery-less biosensor-RFID tag designs for H2O2 and glucose are demonstrated. Similar battery-less sensors can be constructed to sense redox reactions catalysed by other oxidoreductase enzymes, their combinations, bacteria or other biological and even non-biological catalysts. In this work, a fast and general route for converting a high number of redox reaction based sensors into battery-less sensor-RFID tags is described.
Antioxidant and phytochemical activities of Amaranthus caudatus L. harvested from different soils at various growth stages
Authors: Jimoh Muhali Olaide , Afolayan Anthony Jide , Lewu Francis Bayo 
Published: September 2019

AbstractThis study aimed at profiling the biological activities of Amaranthus caudatus cultivated on different soils in a glasshouse experiment. Five soil types namely; sandy clay loam, silty clay loam, clayey loam, loam and control (unfractionated soil) were experimentally formulated from primary particles of clay, sand and silt following the United State Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) soil triangle technique. After harvesting at pre-flowering (61 days after planting), flowering (71 days after planting) and post-flowering (91 days after planting) stages, crude extracts were obtained with water and ethanol. Total flavonoids, phenolic and proanthocyanidin contents of the extracts, as well as their biological activities, were determined using 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS), 2,2 diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl ethanol (DPPH), nitric oxide and phosphomolybdate assays. It was observed that biological activity of A. caudatus varied with soil types, stages of maturity and solvents of extraction. The highest phytochemical yield was recorded in ethanolic extracts of clayey loam harvested prior to flowering and the same trend was replicated in the antioxidant properties of the plant. For optimal biological activity, it is recommended that clayey loam soil should be used for cultivation of A. caudatus and harvest should be made near flowering to capture high phytochemical yield from the species.
Role of POMC and AgRP neuronal activities on glycaemia in mice
Authors: Üner Aykut Göktürk , Keçik Onur , Quaresma Paula G. F. , De Araujo Thiago M. , Lee Hyon , Li Wenjing , Kim Hyun Jeong , Chung Michelle , Bjørbæk Christian , Kim Young-Bum 
Published: September 2019

AbstractLeptin regulates both feeding and glycaemia primarily through its receptors expressed on agouti-related peptide (AgRP) and pro-opiomelanocortin-expressing (POMC) neurons; however, it is unknown whether activity of these neuronal populations mediates the regulation of these processes. To determine this, we injected Cre-dependent designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs (DREADD) viruses into the hypothalamus of normoglycaemic and diabetic AgRP-ires-cre and POMC-cre mice to chemogenetically activate or inhibit these neuronal populations. Despite robust changes in food intake, activation or inhibition of AgRP neurons did not affect glycaemia, while activation caused significant (P = 0.014) impairment in insulin sensitivity. Stimulation of AgRP neurons in diabetic mice reversed leptin’s ability to inhibit feeding but did not counter leptin’s ability to lower blood glucose levels. Notably, the inhibition of POMC neurons stimulated feeding while decreasing glucose levels in normoglycaemic mice. The findings suggest that leptin’s effects on feeding by AgRP neurons are mediated by changes in neuronal firing, while the control of glucose balance by these cells is independent of chemogenetic activation or inhibition. The firing-dependent glucose lowering mechanism within POMC neurons is a potential target for the development of novel anti-diabetic medicines.
High Resolution Micro-patterning of Stretchable Polymer Electrodes through Directed Wetting Localization
Authors: Kang Sujie , Lee Bo-Yeon , Lee Sin-Hyung , Lee Sin-Doo 
Published: September 2019

AbstractA microarray of conducting polymer electrodes with high resolution and high pattern-fidelity is developed on a stretchable substrate through the directed wetting localization (DWL) by the differential hydrophobicity. The large difference in the surface energy between the wetting and dewetting regions serves as the major determinant of the pattern resolution and the pattern-fidelity, yielding the full surface coverage in the stretchable electrode array (SEA) with 30 μm in width. The electrical characteristics of the SEA are well preserved under different types of elastic deformations. All-solution-processed polymer light-emitting diodes (except for the cathode) based on our patterned stretchable electrodes show no appreciable degradation of the performance under stretching. The DWL provides a simple and effective way of building up diverse stretchable electrical and optoelectronic devices in advanced wearable and bio-integrated electronics.
Ant-mealybug mutualism modulates the performance of co-occurring herbivores
Authors: Xu Chong , Su Jia , Qu Xiaobin , Zhou Aiming 
Published: September 2019

AbstractMutualism between ants and honeydew producing hemipterans has been extensively studied. However, little is known on how ant-hemipteran mutualism impacts the co-occurring herbivores, which in turn affect the mutual relationship in ecosystems. Herein, we investigated the effect of ant-mealybug mutualism on the oviposition preference and spatial distribution of cotton leaf rollerSylepta derogata, a polyphagous herbivore, and inApantetes derogataeperformance, a larvae parasitoid ofS. derogata. Leaf rollers constructed shelters for mealybugs to prevent them from enemy attack and preferred to lay eggs on plants with ant-mealybug mutualism. Egg abundance on mutualism-present plants was higher than on mutualism-absent plants. Leaf roller parasitoidA. derogataeshowed higher parasitism on mutualism-absent plants. No obvious change in leaf roller egg abundance was observed whenA. derogataewas excluded, suggesting that the parasitic pressure can also regulate the oviposition behavior ofS. derogate.Apantetes derogataeshowed higher aggressiveness in parasitizing leaf roller larvae at the absence of the mutualism. There was a definite correlation between leaf roller egg abundance and the number of patrolling ants on plants. Without ant-mealybug mutualism,S. derogataeggs showed a significantly aggregated distribution pattern, but a uniform distribution pattern was observed when the mutualism was present. Ant workers showed a consistently uniform distribution on plants. The results reveal a novel mediation effect of ant-mealybug association on the composition and structure of food webs in cotton field, which may contribute to a better understanding of the cascading effects of ant-hemipteran mutualism on other niche-related species in ecosystem.
Succession of oral microbiota community as a tool to estimate postmortem interval
Authors: Dong Kaikai , Xin Ye , Cao Fangqi , Huang Zhiwei , Sun Jing , Peng Min , Liu Wenbin , Shi Ping 
Published: September 2019

AbstractThe establishment of postmortem interval is one of the most important aspects of forensic expertise. Microbes may provide a novel way to estimate the postmortem intervals in order to avoid many of these limitations. The oral cavity harbors one of the most diverse microbiomes that play a key role in the decomposition of corpses. In this study, the oral bacterial community showed obvious changes in relative abundance during the process of mice decomposition. Meanwhile, at different taxonomic levels, specific bacteria were found to be significantly correlated with the postmortem interval. Linear regression models between relative abundance and the postmortem interval were constructed. Among these species, Gamma-proteobacteria andProteuswere the best ones that can be used to infer the postmortem interval, especially late postmortem interval. Therefore, we suggest that succession of oral microbial community can be developed as a forensic tool for estimating the postmortem interval.
Pro-Cellular Exhaustion Markers are Associated with Splenic Microarchitecture Disorganization and Parasite Load in Dogs with Visceral Leishmaniasis
Authors: de Souza Tainã Luís , da Silva Aurea Virginia Andrade , Pereira Luiza de Oliveira Ramos , Figueiredo Fabiano Borges , Mendes Junior Artur Augusto Velho , Menezes Rodrigo Caldas , Mendes-da-Cruz Daniella Areas , Boité Mariana Côrtes , Cupolillo Elisa , Porrozzi Renato , Morgado Fernanda Nazaré 
Published: September 2019

AbstractIn canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL), splenic white pulp (SWP) disorganization has been associated with disease progression, reduced cytokine and chemokine expression and failure to control the parasite load. This profile is compatible with the cellular exhaustion previously shown in human visceral leishmaniasis. The present study aimed to evaluate the in situ expression of cellular exhaustion markers and their relation to clinical signs, SWP disorganization and parasite load. Forty dogs naturally infected by Leishmania infantum were grouped according to levels of SWP organization and parasite load. SWP disorganization was associated with reductions in the periarteriolar lymphatic sheath and lymphoid follicles/mm2 and worsening of the disease. Apoptotic cells expressing CTLA-4+ increased in dogs with disorganized SWP and a high parasite load. In the same group, PD-L1 and LAG-3 gene expression were reduced. A higher number of CD21+TIM-3+ B cells was detected in disorganized spleens than in organized spleens. Apoptosis is involved in periarteriolar lymphatic sheath reduction and lymphoid follicle atrophy and is associated with CTLA-4+ cell reductions in the splenic tissue of dogs with visceral leishmaniasis (VL). Failure to control the parasite load was observed, suggesting that cell exhaustion followed by T and B cell apoptosis plays a role in the immunosuppression observed in CVL.