bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The Bacterial Product Violacein Exerts an Immunostimulatory Effect Via TLR8
Authors: Venegas Francisco A. , Köllisch Gabriele , Mark Kerstin , Diederich Wibke E. , Kaufmann Andreas , Bauer Stefan , Chavarría Max , Araya Juan J. , García-Piñeres Alfonso J. 
Published: September 2019

AbstractViolacein, an indole-derived, purple-colored natural pigment isolated fromChromobacterium violaceumhas shown multiple biological activities. In this work, we studied the effect of violacein in different immune cell lines, namely THP-1, MonoMac 6, ANA-1, Raw 264.7 cells, as well as in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). A stimulation of TNF-α production was observed in murine macrophages (ANA-1 and Raw 264.7), and in PBMCs, IL-6 and IL-1β secretion was detected. We obtained evidence of the molecular mechanism of activation by determining the mRNA expression pattern upon treatment with violacein in Raw 264.7 cells. Incubation with violacein caused activation of pathways related with an immune and inflammatory response. Our data utilizing TLR-transfected HEK-293 cells indicate that violacein activates the human TLR8 (hTLR8) receptor signaling pathway and not human TLR7 (hTLR7). Furthermore, we found that the immunostimulatory effect of violacein in PBMCs could be suppressed by the specific hTLR8 antagonist, CU-CPT9a. Finally, we studied the interaction of hTLR8 with violaceinin silicoand obtained evidence that violacein could bind to hTLR8 in a similar fashion to imidazoquinoline compounds. Therefore, our results indicate that violacein may have some potential in contributing to future immune therapy strategies.
Light-induced changes of the subretinal space of the temporal retina observed via optical coherence tomography
Authors: Messner Alina , Werkmeister René M. , Seidel Gerald , Stegmann Hannes , Schmetterer Leopold , Aranha dos Santos Valentin 
Published: September 2019

AbstractPhotoreceptor function is impaired in many retinal diseases like age-related macular degeneration. Currently, assessment of the photoreceptor function for the early diagnosis and monitoring of these diseases is either subjective, as in visual field testing, requires contact with the eye, like in electroretinography, or relies on research prototypes with acquisition speeds unattained by conventional imaging systems. We developed an objective, noncontact method to monitor photoreceptor function using a standard optical coherence tomography system. This method can be used with various white light sources for stimulation. The technique was applied in five volunteers and detected a decrease of volume of the subretinal space associated with light adaptation processes of the retina.
Antimicrobial activity and mechanism of action of a novel peptide present in the ecdysis process of centipede Scolopendra subspinipes subspinipes
Authors: Chaparro-Aguirre Elisa , Segura-Ramírez Paula J. , Alves Flavio L. , Riske Karin A. , Miranda Antonio , Silva Júnior Pedro I. 
Published: September 2019

AbstractOne of the most important cellular events in arthropods is the moulting of the cuticle (ecdysis). This process allows them to grow until they reach sexual maturity. Nevertheless, during this stage, the animals are highly exposed to pathogens. Consequently, it can be assumed that arthropods counter with an efficient anti-infective strategy that facilitates their survival during ecdysis. Herein, we characterized a novel antimicrobial peptide called Pinipesin, present in the exuviae extract of the centipede Scolopendra subspinipes subspinipes. The antimicrobial activity of Pinipesin was tested. The haemolytic activity of the peptide was evaluated and its possible mechanism of action was investigated. Identification was carried out by mass spectrometry analysis. Pinipesin displayed potent antimicrobial effects against different microorganisms and showed low haemolytic effects against human erythrocytes at high concentrations. It has a monoisotopic mass of 1213.57 Da, its sequence exhibited high similarity with some cuticular proteins, and it might act intracellularly by interfering with protein synthesis. Our data suggest that Pinipesin might be part of a prophylactic immune response during the ecdysis process of centipedes. Therefore, it is a promising candidate for the development of non-conventional antibiotics that could help fight infectious diseases and represents an exciting discovery for this taxon.
Radiochemical examination of transthyretin (TTR) brain penetration assisted by iododiflunisal, a TTR tetramer stabilizer and a new candidate drug for AD
Authors: Rios Xabier , Gómez-Vallejo Vanessa , Martín Abraham , Cossío Unai , Morcillo Miguel Ángel , Alemi Mobina , Cardoso Isabel , Quintana Jordi , Jiménez-Barbero Jesús , Cotrina Ellen Y. , Valencia Gregorio , Arsequell Gemma , Llop Jordi 
Published: September 2019

AbstractIt is well settled that the amyloidogenic properties of the plasma protein transporter transthyretin (TTR) can be modulated by compounds that stabilize its native tetrameric conformation. TTR is also present in cerebrospinal fluid where it can bind to Aβ-peptides and prevent Aβ aggregation. We have previously shown that treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) model mice with iododiflunisal (IDIF), a TTR tetramer stabilizing compound, prevents AD pathologies. This evidence positioned IDIF as a new lead drug for AD. In dissecting the mechanism of action of IDIF, we disclose here different labeling strategies for the preparation of 131I-labeled IDIF and 131I- and 124I-labeled TTR, which have been further used for the preparation of IDIF-TTR complexes labeled either on the compound or the protein. The biodistribution of all labeled species after intravenous administration has been investigated in mice using ex vivo and in vivo techniques. Our results confirm the capacity of TTR to cross the blood brain barrier (BBB) and suggest that the formation of TTR-IDIF complexes enhances BBB permeability of both IDIF and TTR. The increased TTR and IDIF brain concentrations may result in higher Aβ-peptide sequestration capacity with the subsequent inhibition of AD symptoms as we have previously observed in mice.
Cooperation in an Assortative Matching Prisoners Dilemma Experiment with Pro-Social Dummies
Authors: Yang Chun-Lei , Yue Ching-Syang Jack 
Published: September 2019

AbstractAssortative matching (AM) can be theoretically an effective means to facilitate cooperation. We designed a controlled lab experiment with three treatments on multi-round prisoner’s dilemma. With matching based on weighted history (WH) as surrogate for AM, we show that adding pro-social dummies to the WH treatment may significantly improve cooperation, compared to both the random matching and the WH treatment. In society where assortative matching is effective and promoted by the underlying culture, institutional promotion of virtue role models can be interpreted as generating additional pro-social dummies, so as to move the initial state of cooperators into the basin of attraction for a highly cooperative polymorphic equilibrium.
Upregulation of the chromatin remodeler HELLS is mediated by YAP1 in Sonic Hedgehog Medulloblastoma
Authors: Robinson M. Hope , Maximov Victor , Lallani Shoeb , Farooq Hamza , Taylor Michael D. , Read Renee D. , Kenney Anna Marie 
Published: September 2019

AbstractMedulloblastoma is a malignant pediatric tumor that arises from neural progenitors in the cerebellum. Despite a five-year survival rate of ~70%, nearly all patients incur adverse side effects from current treatment strategies that drastically impact quality of life. Roughly one-third of medulloblastoma are driven by aberrant activation of the Sonic Hedgehog (SHH) signaling pathway. However, the scarcity of genetic mutations in medulloblastoma has led to investigation of other mechanisms contributing to cancer pathogenicity including epigenetic regulation of gene expression. Here, we show that Helicase, Lymphoid Specific (HELLS), a chromatin remodeler with epigenetic functions including DNA methylation and histone modification, is induced by Sonic Hedgehog (SHH) in SHH-dependent cerebellar progenitor cells and the developing murine cerebella. HELLS is also up-regulated in mouse and human SHH medulloblastoma. Others have shown that HELLS activity generally results in a repressive chromatin state. Our results demonstrate that increased expression of HELLS in our experimental systems is regulated by the oncogenic transcriptional regulator YAP1 downstream of Smoothened, the positive transducer of SHH signaling. Elucidation of HELLS as one of the downstream effectors of the SHH pathway may lead to novel targets for precision therapeutics with the promise of better outcomes for SHH medulloblastoma patients.
Glucagon-like peptide 1 and Glucagon-like peptide 2 in relation to osteoporosis in non-diabetic postmenopausal women
Authors: Montes Castillo María Cristina , Martínez Ramírez María José , Soriano Arroyo Rubén , Prieto Gomez Isabel , Segarra Robles Ana Belén , Garrido-Martínez Macarena , Santiago-Fernández Piedad , Delgado Rodríguez Miguel 
Published: September 2019

AbstractOsteoporosis results from an imbalance in bone remodeling, which is known to follow a circadian rhythm determined by a functional relationship between intestine and bone tissue. Specific intestinal peptides have been identified as mediators. Glucagon-like peptide 1 and glucagon-like peptide 2, have been associated with bone health. Our main objective was to determine whether postprandial plasma levels of glucagon-like peptide 1, glucagon-like peptide 2 and dipeptidyl-peptidase 4 activity, are associated with osteoporosis in non-diabetic postmenopausal women. We studied non-diabetic postmenopausal women with osteoporosis diagnosed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (cases, n = 43) and age-matched (±1 yr) controls without osteoporosis or a history of osteoporotic fracture (n = 43). We measured postprandial plasma levels of glucagon-like peptide 1, glucagon-like peptide 2, and dipeptidyl-peptidase 4 activity, bone mineral density, and baseline levels of bone remodeling markers and analyzed the food intake using a food-frequency questionnaire. Postprandial glucagon-like peptide 1 values were lower (p < 0.001) in cases, μ (SEM) = 116.25 (2.68), than in controls, μ (SEM) = 126.79 (2.68). Glucagon-like peptide 1 was associated with reduced osteoporosis risk in the crude logistic regression analysis [OR (95% CI) = 0.724 (0.53–0.97), p = 0.031] and adjusted analysis [OR = 0.603 (0.38–0.94), p = 0.027]. We found no association of glucagon-like peptide 2, or dipeptidyl-peptidase 4 activity with osteoporosis. Postprandial glucagon-like peptide 1 levels are related to osteoporosis and osteoporosis risk in non-diabetic postmenopausal women. Further studies are required to verify these findings.
Oxidative stress-dependent and -independent death of glioblastoma cells induced by non-thermal plasma-exposed solutions
Authors: Tanaka Hiromasa , Mizuno Masaaki , Katsumata Yuko , Ishikawa Kenji , Kondo Hiroki , Hashizume Hiroshi , Okazaki Yasumasa , Toyokuni Shinya , Nakamura Kae , Yoshikawa Nobuhisa , Kajiyama Hiroaki , Kikkawa Fumitaka , Hori Masaru 
Published: September 2019

AbstractNon-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma has been widely used for preclinical studies in areas such as wound healing, blood coagulation, and cancer therapy. We previously developed plasma-activated medium (PAM) and plasma-activated Ringer’s lactate solutions (PAL) for cancer treatments. Many in vitro and in vivo experiments demonstrated that both PAM and PAL exhibit anti-tumor effects in several types of cancer cells such as ovarian, gastric, and pancreatic cancer cells as well as glioblastoma cells. However, interestingly, PAM induces more intracellular reactive oxygen species in glioblastoma cells than PAL. To investigate the differences in intracellular molecular mechanisms of the effects of PAM and PAL in glioblastoma cells, we measured gene expression levels of antioxidant genes such as CAT, SOD2, and GPX1. Microarray and quantitative real-time PCR analyses revealed that PAM elevated stress-inducible genes that induce apoptosis such as GADD45α signaling molecules. PAL suppressed genes downstream of the survival and proliferation signaling network such as YAP/TEAD signaling molecules. These data reveal that PAM and PAL induce apoptosis in glioblastoma cells by different intracellular molecular mechanisms.
PCR-based Sepsis@Quick test is superior in comparison with blood culture for identification of sepsis-causative pathogens
Authors: Trung Ngo Tat , Thau Nguyen Sy , Bang Mai Hong , Song Le Huu 
Published: September 2019

AbstractSepsis is an acute, often fatal syndrome that requires early diagnosis and proper treatment. Blood culture (BC) is the gold standard for the identification of pathogens, however it has marked limitations, including that it is time-consuming (delaying treatment) and can only detect microbes that readily grow under culture conditions. Alternatively, non-culture-based methodologies like polymerase chain reaction (PCR) are faster but also have limitations; e.g., the reaction is often inhibited by the abundance of human DNA and thus can only detect limited known target pathogens. In our previous publication, we have demonstrated a proof-of-concept of a simple pre-analytical tool to remove human DNA from patients’ blood specimens, hence allowing downstream PCRs to detect rare bacterial genetic materials. In the current study, we reported a better performance of a novel prototype diagnosis kit named Sepsis@Quick that combines human DNA removal step with real-time PCRs compared to blood-culture for identifying sepsis causative bacteria. Our data showed that Sepsis@Quick is superior to blood culture in which the novel diagnostic kit could identify more pathogens and even polymicrobial infection, faster and less influenced by the empirical administration of broad spectrum antibiotic therapy (single administration or combination of cephalosporin III and fluoroquinolon). Additionally, for the first time, we demonstrated that positive results achieved by Sepsis@Quick are significantly associated with a reduction of sepsis-related mortality.
Preparation of β-CD-DPPE-Dox Nanomedicine and Its’ Application as the Anticancer and Antitumor Drug
Authors: Yan Miaomiao , Cai Anran , Li Jing , Xin Meixiu , Liu Mingying , Wang Chunhua , Wei Guangcheng 
Published: September 2019

Abstractβ-CD-DPPE molecule was synthesized through the conjugation of β-CD-NH2 and the DPPE molecule, and its’ water-solubility was more excellent than the traditional phospholipid molecule. The spherical micelles was formed by β-CD-DPPE molecule in aqueous solution, and the β-CD-DPPE-Dox nanomedicine can be prepared through loading Dox (Doxorubicin) into the micelles, and the Dox loading ratio was about 82.3 ± 7.27%. At the same time the Dox release behavior from the nanomedicine was sustained-release and pH controlled release, and the release test in vitro showed that the release rate of the Dox at the lower pH was faster than that of normal pH (pH = 7.4), which indicated that the rate of release in the tumor microenvironment is faster than in the normal tissue. Biological test showed that the micelles was low cytotoxicity, and the cytotoxicity of β-CD-DPPE-Dox nanomedicine was lower than the Dox under the same Dox concentration, and the β-CD-DPPE-Dox nanomedicine could effectively induce cancer cell apoptosis and inhibit the tumor growth.
Subphenotypes of Cardiac Arrest Patients Admitted to Intensive Care Unit: a latent profile analysis of a large critical care database
Authors: Zhang Zhongheng , Yao Min , Ho Kwok M. , Hong Yucai 
Published: September 2019

AbstractCardiac arrest (CA) may occur due to a variety of causes with heterogeneity in their clinical presentation and outcomes. This study aimed to identify clinical patterns or subphenotypes of CA patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). The clinical and laboratory data of CA patients in a large electronic healthcare database were analyzed by latent profile analysis (LPA) to identify whether subphenotypes existed. Multivariable Logistic regression was used to assess whether mortality outcome was different between subphenotypes. A total of 1,352 CA patients fulfilled the eligibility criteria were included. The LPA identified three distinct subphenotypes: Profile 1 (13%) was characterized by evidence of significant neurological injury (low GCS). Profile 2 (15%) was characterized by multiple organ dysfunction with evidence of coagulopathy (prolonged aPTT and INR, decreased platelet count), hepatic injury (high bilirubin), circulatory shock (low mean blood pressure and elevated serum lactate); Profile 3 was the largest proportion (72%) of all CA patients without substantial derangement in major organ function. Profile 2 was associated with a significantly higher risk of death (OR: 2.09; 95% CI: 1.30 to 3.38) whilst the mortality rates of Profiles 3 was not significantly different from Profile 1 in multivariable model. LPA using routinely collected clinical data could identify three distinct subphenotypes of CA; those with multiple organ failure were associated with a significantly higher risk of mortality than other subphenotypes. LPA profiling may help researchers to identify the most appropriate subphenotypes of CA patients for testing effectiveness of a new intervention in a clinical trial.
Effect of porosity enhancing agents on the electrochemical performance of high-energy ultracapacitor electrodes derived from peanut shell waste
Authors: Sylla N. F. , Ndiaye N. M. , Ngom B. D. , Momodu D. , Madito M. J. , Mutuma B. K. , Manyala N. 
Published: September 2019

AbstractIn this study, the synthesis of porous activated carbon nanostructures from peanut (Arachis hypogea) shell waste (PSW) was described using different porosity enhancing agents (PEA) at various mass concentrations via a two-step process. The textural properties obtained were depicted with relatively high specific surface area values of 1457 m2 g−1, 1625 m2 g−1 and 2547 m2 g−1 for KHCO3, K2CO3 and KOH respectively at a mass concentration of 1 to 4 which were complemented by the presence of a blend of micropores, mesopores and macropores. The structural analyses confirmed the successful transformation of the carbon-containing waste into an amorphous and disordered carbonaceous material. The electrochemical performance of the material electrodes was tested in a 2.5 M KNO3 aqueous electrolyte depicted its ability to operate reversibly in both negative and positive potential ranges of 0.90 V. The activated carbon obtained from the carbonized CPSW:PEA with a mass ratio of 1:4 yielded the best electrode performance for all featured PEAs. The porous carbons obtained using KOH activation displayed a higher specific capacitance and the lower equivalent series resistance as compared to others. The remarkable performance further corroborated the findings linked to the textural and structural properties of the material. The assembled device operated in a neutral electrolyte (2.5 M KNO3) at a cell potential of 1.80 V, yielded a ca. 224.3 F g−1 specific capacitance at a specific current of 1 A g−1 with a corresponding specific energy of 25.2 Wh kg−1 and 0.9 kW kg−1 of specific power. This device energy was retained at 17.7 Wh kg−1 when the specific current was quadrupled signifying an excellent supercapacitive retention with a corresponding specific power of 3.6 kW kg−1. These results suggested that peanut shell waste derived activated carbons are promising candidates for high-performance supercapacitors.
Measurements of electrically tunable refractive index of MoS2 monolayer and its usage in optical modulators
Authors: Kravets Vasyl G. , Wu Fan , Auton Gregory H. , Yu Tongcheng , Imaizumi Shinji , Grigorenko Alexander N. 
Published: September 2019

AbstractTwo-dimensional materials hold a great promise for developing extremely fast, compact and inexpensive optoelectronic devices. A molybdenum disulphide (MoS2) monolayer is an important example which shows strong, stable and gate tunable optical response even at room temperature near excitonic transitions. However, optical properties of a MoS2monolayer are not documented well. Here, we investigate the electric field effect on optical properties of a MoS2 monolayer and extract the dependence of MoS2 optical constants on gating voltage. The field effect is utilised to achieve ~10% visible light modulation for a hybrid electro-optical waveguide modulator based on MoS2. A suggested hybrid nanostructure consists of a CMOS compatible Si3N4 dielectric waveguide sandwiched between a thin gold film and a MoS2 monolayer which enables a selective enhancement of polarised electro-absorption in a narrow window of angles of incidence and a narrow wavelength range near MoS2 exciton binding energies. The possibility to modulate visible light with 2D materials and the robust nature of light modulation by MoS2 could be useful for creation of reliable ultra-compact electro-optical hybrid visible-light modulators.
RETRACTED: MicroRNA-367 promotes progression of hepatocellular carcinoma through
PTEN
/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway
Authors: Wang Zhihua , Luo Yu 
Published: September 2019

The study aimed to investigate the functional roles of micorRNA (miR)-367 in progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), as well as its regulation on PI3K/AKT pathway. The relative expression of miR-367 in HCC tissues and cell line was detected using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) method. Chi-square test was applied to analyze the relationship between miR-367 expression and clinical characterizes of HCC patients. The influences of miR-367 expression on cell proliferation, migration and invasion were analyzed using MTT and transwell assays respectively. Western blot assay was performed to for protein analysis. HCC tissues and cell lines exhibited significant up-regulation of miR-367. Moreover, the elevated expression of miR-367 was positively correlated with tumor size (P=0.005), metastasis (P=0.004) and TNM stage (P&lt;0.001). Knockdown of miR-367 expression could inhibit cell proliferation, migration and invasion in vitro. While, enhanced miR-367 expression exhibited opposite effects. Besides, inhibition of miR-367 might enhance PTEN expression, reduce the levels of p-GSK3β and p-AKT. PTEN might be a target of miR-367 in HCC. The inhibition of PTEN could reverse the anti-tumor action caused by the knockdown of miR-367. MiR-367 serves as an oncogene in HCC through activating the PI3K/AKT pathway by targeting PTEN.