bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Effect of feed restriction and refeeding on performance and metabolism of European and Caribbean growing pigs in a tropical climate
Authors: Poullet Nausicaa , Bambou Jean-Christophe , Loyau Thomas , Trefeu Christine , Feuillet Dalila , Beramice David , Bocage Bruno , Renaudeau David , Gourdine Jean-Luc 
Published: March 2019

AbstractReduction in feed intake is a common physiological response of growing pigs facing stressful environmental conditions. The present experiment aims to study (1) the effects of a short-term feed restriction and refeeding on pig performance and metabolism and (2) the differential response between two breeds, Large White (LW), which has been selected for high performance, and Creole (CR), which is adapted to tropical conditions. A trial of 36 castrated male pigs (18 LW and 18 CR) was carried out. For each breed, half of the animals were restrictively fed at 50% of the standard feed allowance for 6 days and then fed normally for the next 14 days. Growth performance, thermoregulatory responses, plasma hormones and metabolites were measured. Results showed that, for all traits, the difference in response between the two breeds was small and rarely significant, which may be due to the short duration of the feed restriction. Irrespective of breed, feed restriction induced a reduction of growth rate and feed efficiency that was rapidly compensated for upon refeeding. Feed restriction also reduced skin temperature, rectal temperature and respiratory rate, as well as blood urea and cholesterol, which are of interest as potential biomarkers for feed restriction.
The development of a hairless phenotype in barley roots treated with gold nanoparticles is accompanied by changes in the symplasmic communication
Authors: Milewska-Hendel Anna , Witek Weronika , Rypień Aleksandra , Zubko Maciej , Baranski Rafal , Stróż Danuta , Kurczyńska Ewa U. 
Published: March 2019

AbstractUptake of water and nutrients by roots affects the ontogenesis of the whole plant. Nanoparticles, e.g. gold nanoparticles, have a broad range of applications in many fields which leads to the transfer of these materials into the environment. Thus, the understanding of their impact on the growth and development of the root system is an emerging issue. During our studies on the effect of positively charged gold nanoparticles on the barley roots, a hairless phenotype was found. We investigated whether this phenotype correlates with changes in symplasmic communication, which is an important factor that regulates, among others, differentiation of the rhizodermis into hair and non-hair cells. The results showed no restriction in symplasmic communication in the treated roots, in contrast to the control roots, in which the trichoblasts and atrichoblasts were symplasmically isolated during their differentiation. Moreover, differences concerning the root morphology, histology, ultrastructure and the cell wall composition were detected between the control and the treated roots. These findings suggest that the harmful effect of nanoparticles on plant growth may, among others, consist in disrupting the symplasmic communication/isolation, which leads to the development of a hairless root phenotype, thus limiting the functioning of the roots.
Single-photon transistor based on cavity electromagnetically induced transparency with Rydberg atomic ensemble
Authors: Hao Y. M. , Lin G. W. , Lin X. M. , Niu Y. P. , Gong S. Q. 
Published: March 2019

AbstractA scheme is presented to realize a single-photon transistor based on cavity quantum electrodynamics (QED) with Rydberg atomic ensemble. By combining the advantages of the cavity-enhanced interaction and Rydberg blockade, we achieve a high gain single-photon transistor. The numerical calculation shows that by using one single gate photon more than one thousand source photons can be switched.
North-south dipole in winter hydroclimate in the western United States during the last deglaciation
Authors: Hudson Adam M. , Hatchett Benjamin J. , Quade Jay , Boyle Douglas P. , Bassett Scott D. , Ali Guleed , De los Santos Marie G. 
Published: March 2019

AbstractDuring the termination of the last glacial period the western U.S. experienced exceptionally wet conditions, driven by changes in location and strength of the mid-latitude winter storm track. The distribution of modern winter precipitation is frequently characterized by a north-south wet/dry dipole pattern, controlled by interaction of the storm track with ocean-atmosphere conditions over the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. Here we show that a dipole pattern of similar geographic extent persisted and switched sign during millennial-scale abrupt climate changes of the last deglaciation, based on a new lake level reconstruction for pluvial Lake Chewaucan (northwestern U.S.), and a compilation of regional paleoclimate records. This suggests the dipole pattern is robust, and one mode may be favored for centuries, thereby creating persistent contrasting wet/dry conditions across the western U.S. The TraCE-21k climate model simulation shows an equatorward enhancement of winter storm track activity in the northeastern Pacific, favoring wet conditions in southwestern U.S. during the second half of Heinrich Stadial 1 (16.1–14.6 ka) and consistent with paleoclimate evidence. During the Bølling/Allerød (14.6–12.8 ka), the northeastern Pacific storm track contracted poleward, consistent with wetter conditions concentrated poleward toward the northwest U.S.
Rapid genetic and phenotypic changes in Pseudomonas aeruginosa clinical strains during ventilator-associated pneumonia
Authors: Persyn Elise , Sassi Mohamed , Aubry Marc , Broly Martin , Delanou Sandie , Asehnoune Karim , Caroff Nathalie , Crémet Lise 
Published: March 2019

AbstractTreatment with antibiotics leads to the selection of isolates with increased resistance. We investigated if evolution towards resistance was associated with virulence changes, in the context of P. aeruginosa ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). Four patients were selected because they had multiple VAP episodes during short periods (12 days to 5 weeks), with emergence of resistance. We performed whole-genome sequencing of 12 P. aeruginosa from bronchoalveolar lavages or blood culture (3 isolates per patient). Production of quorum sensing-dependent virulence factors, serum resistance, cytotoxicity against A549 cells, biofilm production, and twitching motility were studied. Each patient was infected with a unique strain. For all patients, resistance development was explained by genetic events in ampD, mexR or oprD. Additional variations were detected in virulence- and/or fitness-associated genes (algB, gacA, groEL, lasR, mpl, pilE, pilM, rhlR) depending on the strain. We noticed a convergence towards quorum sensing deficiency, correlated with a decrease of pyocyanin and protease production, survival in serum, twitching motility and cytotoxicity. In one patient, changes in pilM and pilE were related to enhanced twitching. We show that the emergence of resistance in P. aeruginosa is associated with virulence modification, even in acute infections. The consequences of this short-term pathoadaptation need to be explored.
Reconfigurable Acrylic-tape Hybrid Microfluidics
Authors: Ren Yundong , Ray Subhrodeep , Liu Yuxiang 
Published: March 2019

AbstractThere is a great interest in low-cost, versatile microfluidic platforms of which the fabrication processes are rapid, straightforward, and translatable to industrial mass productions. In addition, it is beneficial for microfluidic devices to be reconfigurable in the field, so that multiple functions can be realized by a minimum number of devices. Here, we present a versatile acrylic-tape platform which allows highly accessible rapid prototyping of microfluidic devices, as well as device reconfiguration to realize different functions. The clean-room-free fabrication and sealing process only requires a laser cutter, acrylic, and tapes and can be done by an untrained person in the field. We experimentally characterized the relationship between the capillary flow speed and the channel height, the latter of which can be well controlled by the fabrication process. Reconfiguration of microfluidic functions was demonstrated on a single acrylic-tape device, thanks to the reversible sealing enabled by functional tapes. Different pumping mechanisms, including on-chip pumps for better portability and syringe pumps for precise fluid control, have been employed for the demonstration of two-phase flow and droplet generation, respectively. The low-cost and versatile acrylic-tape microfluidic devices are promising tools for applications in a wide range of fields, especially for point-of-care biomedical and clinical applications.
Genetic dissection of seedling vigour in a diverse panel from the 3,000 Rice (Oryza sativa L.) Genome Project
Authors: Chen Kai , Zhang Qiang , Wang Chun-Chao , Liu Zhi-Xia , Jiang Yi-Jun , Zhai Lai-Yuan , Zheng Tian-Qing , Xu Jian-Long , Li Zhi-Kang 
Published: March 2019

AbstractSeedling vigour (SV) is important for direct seeding rice (Oryza sativa L.), especially in a paddy-direct seeding system, but the genetic mechanisms behind the related traits remain largely unknown. Here, we used 744 germplasms, having at least two subsets, for the detection of quantitative trait loci (QTLs) affecting the SV-related traits tiller number, plant height, and aboveground dry weight at three sampling stages, 27, 34, and 41 d after sowing. A joint map based on GAPIT and mrMLM produced a satisfying balance between type I and II errors. In total, 42 QTL regions, containing 18 (42.9%) previously reported overlapping QTL regions and 24 new ones, responsible for SV were detected throughout the genome. Four QTL regions, qSV1a, qSV3e, qSV4c, and qSV7c, were delimited and harboured quantitative trait nucleotides that are responsible for SV-related traits. Favourable haplotype mining for the candidate genes within these four regions, as well as the early SV gene OsGA20ox1, was performed, and the favourable haplotypes were presented with donors from the 3,000 Rice Genome Project. This work provides new information and materials for the future molecular breeding of direct seeding rice, especially in paddy-direct seeding cultivation systems.
Direction control of quasi-stokeslet induced by thermoplasmonic heating of a water vapor microbubble
Authors: Namura Kyoko , Imafuku Souki , Kumar Samir , Nakajima Kaoru , Sakakura Masaaki , Suzuki Motofumi 
Published: March 2019

AbstractWe investigate the control of flow direction around a water vapor bubble using the thermoplasmonic effect of a gold nanoisland film (GNF) under laser irradiation with multiple spots. By focusing a laser spot on the GNF immersed in degassed water, a water vapor bubble with a diameter of ~10 μm is generated. Simultaneously, a sub laser spot was focused next to the bubble to yield a temperature gradient in the direction parallel to the GNF surface. Consequently, rapid flow was generated around the bubble, whose flow direction was dependent on the power of the sub laser spot. The observed flow was well-described using a stokeslet; the latter contained components normal and parallel to the GNF surface and was set to 10 μm above the GNF. This technique allows us to apply a significant force on the microfluid at the vicinity of the wall in the direction parallel to the wall surface, where the flow speed is generally suppressed by viscosity. It is expected to be useful for microfluidic pumping and microfluidic thermal management.
Elovl4a participates in LC-PUFA biosynthesis and is regulated by PPARαβ in golden pompano Trachinotus ovatus (Linnaeus 1758)
Authors: Zhu Ke-Cheng , Song Ling , Guo Hua-Yang , Guo Liang , Zhang Nan , Liu Bao-Suo , Jiang Shi-Gui , Zhang Dian-Chang 
Published: March 2019

AbstractThe elongases of very long-chain fatty acids (Elovls) are responsible for the rate-limiting elongation process in long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LC-PUFA) biosynthesis. The transcription factor, PPARα, regulates lipid metabolism in mammals; however, the detailed mechanism whereby PPARαb regulates Elovls remains largely unknown in fish. In the present study, we report the full length cDNA sequence of Trachinotus ovatus Elovl4a (ToElovl4a), which encodes a 320 amino acid polypeptide that possesses five putative membrane-spanning domains, a conserved HXXHH histidine motif and an ER retrieval signal. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the deduced protein of ToElovl4a is highly conserved with the Oreochromis niloticus corresponding homologue. Moreover, functional characterization by heterologous expression in yeast indicated that ToElovl4a can elongate C18 up to C20 polyunsaturated fatty acids. A nutritional study showed that the protein expressions of ToElovl4a in the brain and liver were not significantly affected among the different treatments. The region from PGL3-basic-Elovl4a-5 (−148 bp to +258 bp) is defined as the core promoter via a progressive deletion mutation of ToElovl4a. The results from promoter activity assays suggest that ToElovl4a transcription is positively regulated by PPARαb. Mutation analyses indicated that the M2 binding site of PPARαb is functionally important for protein binding, and transcriptional activity of the ToElovl4a promoter significantly decreased after targeted mutation. Furthermore, PPARαb RNA interference reduced ToPPARαb and ToElovl4a expression at the protein levels in a time-dependent manner. In summary, PPARαb may promote the biosynthesis of LC-PUFA by regulating ToElovl4a expression in fish.
N-(1-carbamoyl-2-phenylethyl) butyramide reduces antibiotic-induced intestinal injury, innate immune activation and modulates microbiota composition
Authors: Lama Adriano , Annunziata Chiara , Coretti Lorena , Pirozzi Claudio , Di Guida Francesca , Nitrato Izzo Allegra , Cristiano Claudia , Mollica Maria Pina , Chiariotti Lorenzo , Pelagalli Alessandra , Lembo Francesca , Meli Rosaria , Mattace Raso Giuseppina 
Published: March 2019

AbstractThe use/misuse of antibiotics leads to pathological features referring to antibiotic-induced intestinal injury (AIJ), a clinical issue that plays a prominent role in the development of severe digestive disturbances. AIJ is characterized by loss of intestinal architecture and function, dysbiosis and bacterial translocation into the liver, triggering hepatic inflammation. This study aimed at determining the beneficial effect of N-(1-carbamoyl-2-phenylethyl) butyramide (FBA), a butyrate releasing compound, in ceftriaxone-induced intestinal injury. To this purpose, mice receiving ceftriaxone (8 g∙kg−1/die, per os) for five days, were treated with FBA (212,5 mg∙kg−1/die, per os) for five or fifteen days. FBA modulated key players of innate immunity in antibiotic-injured gut tissues, reducing inflammatory process and improving the anti-inflammatory and resolving pattern. FBA also improved colonic architecture and intestinal integrity. Interestingly, we also observed a remodeling of gut microbiota composition related to an increase of metabolic pathways related to lactate and butyrate production. At mechanistic level, FBA induced histone acetylation and increased the expression of GPR43 and monocarboxylate transporter 1 in colon. Our data clearly demonstrated that FBA has multiple converging mechanisms in limiting intestinal and hepatic alterations to counteract AIJ.
Specific modification at the C-terminal lysine residue of the green fluorescent protein variant, GFPuv, expressed in Escherichia coli
Authors: Nakatani Takahiro , Yasui Norihisa , Tamura Issei , Yamashita Atsuko 
Published: March 2019

AbstractGreen fluorescent protein (GFP) is amenable to recombinant expression in various kinds of cells and is widely used in life science research. We found that the recombinant expression of GFPuv, a commonly-used mutant of GFP, in E. coli produced two distinct molecular species as judged by in-gel fluorescence SDS-PAGE. These molecular species, namely form I and II, could be separately purified by anion-exchange chromatography without any remarkable differences in the fluorescence spectra. Mass spectrometric analyses revealed that the molecular mass of form I is almost the same as the calculated value, while that of form II is approximately 1 Da larger than that of form I. Further mass spectrometric top-down sequencing pinpointed the modification in GFPuv form II, where the ε-amino group of the C-terminal Lys238 residue is converted into the hydroxyl group. No equivalent modification was observed in the native GFP in jellyfish Aequorea victoria, suggesting that this modification is not physiologically relevant. Crystal structure analysis of the two species verified the structural identity of the backbone and the vicinity of the chromophore. The modification found in this study may also be generated in other GFP variants as well as in other recombinant expression systems.
Molecular characterization and antiapoptotic function analysis of the duck plague virus Us5 gene
Authors: Zhao Chuankuo , He Tianqiong , Xu Yang , Wang Mingshu , Cheng Anchun , Zhao XinXin , Zhu Dekang , Chen Shun , Liu Mafeng , Yang Qiao , Jia Renyong , Chen Xiaoyue , wu Ying , Zhang Shaqiu , Liu Yunya , Yu Yanling , Zhang Ling 
Published: March 2019

AbstractThus far, there have been no reports on the molecular characterization and antiapoptotic function of the DPV Us5 gene. To perform molecular characterization of DPV Us5, RT-PCR and pharmacological inhibition tests were used to ascertain the kinetic class of the Us5 gene. Western blotting and an indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) were used to analyze the expression level and subcellular localization of Us5 in infected cells at different time points. Us5 in purified DPV virions was identified by mass spectrometry. The results of RT-PCR, Western blotting, and pharmacological inhibition tests revealed that Us5 is transcribed mainly in the late stage of viral replication. The IFA results revealed that Us5 was localized throughout DPV-infected cells but was localized only to the cytoplasm of transfected cells. Mass spectrometry and Western blot analysis showed that Us5 was a virion component. Next, to study the antiapoptotic function of DPV Us5, we found that DPV CHv without gJ could induce more apoptosis cells than DPV-CHv BAC and rescue virus. we constructed a model of apoptosis in duck embryo fibroblasts (DEFs) induced by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Transfected cells expressing the Us5 gene were protected from apoptosis induced by H2O2, as measured by a TUNEL assay, a caspase activation assay and Flow Cytometry assay. The TUNEL assay and Flow Cytometry assay results showed that the recombinant plasmid pCAGGS-Us5 could inhibit apoptosis induced by H2O2 in DEF cells. However, caspase-3/7 and caspase-9 protein activity upregulated by H2O2 was significantly reduced in cells expressing the recombinant plasmid pCAGGS-Us5. Overall, these results show that the DPV Us5 gene is a late gene and that the Us5 protein is a component of the virion, is localized in the cytoplasm, and can inhibit apoptosis induced by H2O2 in DEF cells.
Microstructural Evolution of Hybrid Perovskites Promoted by Chlorine and its Impact on the Performance of Solar Cell
Authors: Lee Byungho , Hwang Taehyun , Lee Sangheon , Shin Byungha , Park Byungwoo 
Published: March 2019

AbstractThe role of Cl in halide hybrid perovskites CH3NH3PbI3(Cl) (MAPbI3(Cl)) on the augmentation of grain size is still unclear although many reports have referred to these phenomena. Herein, we synthesized MAPbI3(Cl) perovskite films by using excess MACl-containing precursors, which exhibited approximately an order of magnitude larger grain size with higher <110>-preferred orientation compared with that from stoichiometric precursors. Comprehensive mechanisms for the large grain evolution by Cl incorporation were elucidated in detail by correlating the changes in grain orientation, distribution of grain size, and the remaining Cl in the perovskite during thermal annealing. In the presence of Cl, <110>- and <001>-oriented grains grew faster than other grains at the initial stage of annealing. Further annealing led to the dissipation of Cl, resulting in the shrinkage of <001> grains while <110> grains continuously grew, as analyzed by x-ray rocking curve and diffraction. As a result of reduced grain boundaries and enhanced <110> texture, the trap density of perovskite solar cells diminished by ~10% by incorporating MACl in the precursor, resulting in a fill factor more than 80%.
Persistence and continuous evolution of the human respiratory syncytial virus in northern Taiwan for two decades
Authors: Chi Hsin , Hsiao Kuang-Liang , Weng Li-Chuan , Liu Chang-Pan , Liu Hsin-Fu 
Published: March 2019

AbstractThe study aimed to characterize the molecular epidemiology, phylogenetic relationship, and population dynamics of the G protein gene in clinical respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) strains isolated from northern Taiwan. We analyzed a total of 160 and 116 G protein gene sequences of RSV-A and RSV-B representative strains, respectively, from 804 clinical viral stocks collected between July 2000 and June 2016. Population dynamic patterns of the RSV G protein gene were analyzed using Bayesian inference through the Markov chain Monte Carlo framework. A phylogenetic analysis revealed that RSV-A from Taiwan could be categorized into GA2, GA5, and GA7 lineages. GA2 of RSV-A could be further divided into NA1, NA2, NA4, and ON1 clades. These RSV-A lineages has been replaced over time, whereas RSV-B strains from Taiwan continually evolved from a single lineage with significant time-dependent waves. Four putative positive selection sites were observed in both RSV-A and RSV-B. The Bayesian skyline plot revealed that the local population dynamics of RSV were associated with lineage displacement events. Both circulating subtypes and population dynamics represented a unique local pattern. Our results affirm the necessity of continuing molecular surveillance of RSV to attain a more comprehensive understanding of epidemics.
Stability of radiomics features in apparent diffusion coefficient maps from a multi-centre test-retest trial
Authors: Peerlings Jurgen , Woodruff Henry C. , Winfield Jessica M. , Ibrahim Abdalla , Van Beers Bernard E. , Heerschap Arend , Jackson Alan , Wildberger Joachim E. , Mottaghy Felix M. , DeSouza Nandita M. , Lambin Philippe 
Published: March 2019

AbstractQuantitative radiomics features, extracted from medical images, characterize tumour-phenotypes and have been shown to provide prognostic value in predicting clinical outcomes. Stability of radiomics features extracted from apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC)-maps is essential for reliable correlation with the underlying pathology and its clinical applications. Within a multicentre, multi-vendor trial we established a method to analyse radiomics features from ADC-maps of ovarian (n = 12), lung (n = 19), and colorectal liver metastasis (n = 30) cancer patients who underwent repeated (<7 days) diffusion-weighted imaging at 1.5 T and 3 T. From these ADC-maps, 1322 features describing tumour shape, texture and intensity were retrospectively extracted and stable features were selected using the concordance correlation coefficient (CCC > 0.85). Although some features were tissue- and/or respiratory motion-specific, 122 features were stable for all tumour-entities. A large proportion of features were stable across different vendors and field strengths. By extracting stable phenotypic features, fitting-dimensionality is reduced and reliable prognostic models can be created, paving the way for clinical implementation of ADC-based radiomics.