bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Activatable probes for diagnosing and positioning liver injury and metastatic tumors by multispectral optoacoustic tomography
Authors: Wu Yinglong , Huang Shuailing , Wang Jun , Sun Lihe , Zeng Fang , Wu Shuizhu 
Published: September 2018

AbstractOptoacoustic tomography (photoacoustic tomography) is an emerging imaging technology displaying great potential for medical diagnosis and preclinical research. Rationally designing activatable optoacoustic probes capable of diagnosing diseases and locating their foci can bring into full play the role of optoacoustic tomography (OAT) as a promising noninvasive imaging modality. Here we report two xanthene-based optoacoustic probes (C1X-OR1 and C2X-OR2) for temporospatial imaging of hepatic alkaline phosphatase (or β-galactosidase) for evaluating and locating drug-induced liver injury (or metastatic tumor). The probes rapidly respond to the disease-specific biomarkers by displaying red-shifted NIR absorption bands and generate prominent optoacoustic signals. Using multispectral optoacoustic tomography (MSOT), we can precisely localize the focus of drug-induced liver injury in mice using C1X-OR1, and the metastatic tumors using C2X-OR2. This work suggests that the activatable optoacoustic chromophores may potentially be applied for diagnosing and localizing disease foci, especially smaller and deeper ones.
A Novel iRFP-Incorporated in vivo Murine Atherosclerosis Imaging System
Authors: Kulathunga Kaushalya , Hamada Michito , Hiraishi Yukiko , Otake Mao , Tran Mai Thi Nhu , Cheng Olivia , Tanaka Junko , Sakasai Tomoki , Sakaguchi Shota , Sugiyama Yuka , Fleischmann Bernd K. , Takahashi Satoru , Miwa Yoshihiro 
Published: September 2018

AbstractBy using near-infrared fluorescent protein (iRFP)-expressing hematopoietic cells, we established a novel, quantitative, in vivo, noninvasive atherosclerosis imaging system. This murine atherosclerosis imaging approach targets macrophages expressing iRFP in plaques. Low-density lipoprotein receptor-deficient (LDLR−/−) mice transplanted with beta-actin promoter-derived iRFP transgenic (TG) mouse bone marrow (BM) cells (iRFP → LDLR−/−) were used. Atherosclerosis was induced by a nonfluorescent 1.25% cholesterol diet (HCD). Atherosclerosis was compared among the three differently induced mouse groups. iRFP → LDLR−/− mice fed a normal diet (ND) and LDLR−/− mice transplanted with wild-type (WT) BM cells were used as controls. The in vivo imaging system (IVIS) detected an enhanced iRFP signal in the thoracic aorta of HCD-fed iRFP → LDLR−/− mice, whereas iRFP signals were not observed in the control mice. Time-course imaging showed a gradual increase in the signal area, which was correlated with atherosclerotic plaque progression. Oil red O (ORO) staining of aortas and histological analysis of plaques confirmed that the detected signal was strictly emitted from plaque-positive areas of the aorta. Our new murine atherosclerosis imaging system can noninvasively image atherosclerotic plaques in the aorta and generate longitudinal data, validating the ability of the system to monitor lesion progression.
Two step porosification of biomimetic thin-film hydroxyapatite/alpha-tri calcium phosphate coatings by pulsed electron beam irradiation
Authors: Stuart Bryan W. , Murray James W. , Grant David M. 
Published: September 2018

AbstractHere we show a new and effective methodology for rapid/controllable porosification of thin-film ceramics, which may be applied in medical devices/electronics and membrane nano-filtration. Dense hydroxyapatite applied to Ti6Al4V by plasma-assisted PVD was electron-beam irradiated to induce flash melting/boiling. Deposited coatings contained amorphous and nano-crystalline/stoichiometric hydroxyapatite (~35 nm). Irradiation (voltages 13–29 kV) led to ablation (up to 45% mass loss) and average/maximum pore areas from (0.07–1.66)/(0.69–92.53) μm2, mimicking the human cortical bone. Vitrification above 1150 °C formed (~62–30 nm) crystallites of α-Tri Calcium Phosphate. Unique porosification resulted from irradiation-induced sub-surface boiling and limited thermal conductivity of hydroxyapatite, causing material to expand/explode through the more quickly solidified top surface. Commercially applicable, roughened Ti6Al4V exacerbated the heating and boiling explosion phenomenon in certain regions, producing an array of pore sizes. Scaffold-like morphologies were generated by interconnection of micron/sub-micron porosity, showing great potential for facile generation of a biomimetic surface treatment for osseointegration.
A study of the correlation between obesity and intestinal flora in school-age children
Authors: Gao Xiaolin , Jia Ruizhen , Xie Liang , Kuang Linghan , Feng Ling , Wan Chaomin 
Published: September 2018

AbstractWith the improvement of living standards and dietary changes, childhood obesity has increased worldwide. This study aimed to understand the differences of intestinal flora structure between obese and normal children at school-age. Using the next generation sequencing platform, Illumina Miseq, 16S rDNA high-throughput sequencing technology, we analyzed the diversity and relative abundance of intestinal flora in 39 obese and 38 normal control school-age children. First, we categorized gut bacteria on the basis of their Operational taxonomic units (OTUs) using the RDP 16s rRNA database in RDP classifier. The alpha (α) diversity was used to measure the diversity within a sample and is calculated as a value for each sample. The beta (β) diversity was used to compare different samples and to measure the dissimilarity between each other sample. Our results indicated that intestinal flora in obese children showed lower diversity than normal controls. Significant differences of relative abundance of intestinal flora were detected at multiple levels of classifications. Identification of intestinal flora with significant difference between obese and normal children may provide important information to uncover the roles of these specific bacteria in the development of obesity and find new strategy to prevent and treat obesity through intervening the intestinal flora.
A soft artificial muscle driven robot with reinforcement learning
Authors: Yang Tao , Xiao Youhua , Zhang Zhen , Liang Yiming , Li Guorui , Zhang Mingqi , Li Shijian , Wong Tuck-Whye , Wang Yong , Li Tiefeng , Huang Zhilong 
Published: September 2018

AbstractSoft robots driven by stimuli-responsive materials have their own unique advantages over traditional rigid robots such as large actuation, light weight, good flexibility and biocompatibility. However, the large actuation of soft robots inherently co-exists with difficulty in control with high precision. This article presents a soft artificial muscle driven robot mimicking cuttlefish with a fully integrated on-board system including power supply and wireless communication system. Without any motors, the movements of the cuttlefish robot are solely actuated by dielectric elastomer which exhibits muscle-like properties including large deformation and high energy density. Reinforcement learning is used to optimize the control strategy of the cuttlefish robot instead of manual adjustment. From scratch, the swimming speed of the robot is enhanced by 91% with reinforcement learning, reaching to 21 mm/s (0.38 body length per second). The design principle behind the structure and the control of the robot can be potentially useful in guiding device designs for demanding applications such as flexible devices and soft robots.
Genetic Diversity, Population Structure, and Botanical Variety of 320 Global Peanut Accessions Revealed Through Tunable Genotyping-by-Sequencing
Authors: Zheng Zheng , Sun Ziqi , Fang Yuanjin , Qi Feiyan , Liu Hua , Miao Lijuan , Du Pei , Shi Lei , Gao Wei , Han Suoyi , Dong Wenzhao , Tang Fengshou , Cheng Feng , Hu Haiyan , Huang Bingyan , Zhang Xinyou 
Published: September 2018

AbstractCultivated peanut (Arachis hypogaeaL.) were classified into six botanical varieties according to the morphological characteristics. However, their genetic evolutionary relationships at the genome-wide level were still unclear. A total of 320 peanut accessions, including four of the six botanical varieties, and 37,128 high-quality single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) detected by tunable genotyping-by-sequencing (tGBS) were used to reveal the evolutionary relationships among different botanical varieties and verify the phenotypic classification. A phylogenetic tree indicated that the tested accessions were grouped into three clusters. Almost all of the peanut accessions in cluster C1 belong to var.fastigiata, and clusters C2 and C3 mainly consisted of accessions from var.vulgarisand subsp.hypogaea, respectively. The results of a principal component analysis were consistent with relationships revealed in the phylogenetic tree. Population structure analysis showed that var.fastigiataand var.vulgariswere not separated when K = 2 (subgroup number), whereas they were clearly divided when K = 3. However, var.hypogaeaand var.hirsutacould not be distinguished from each other all the way. The nucleotide diversity (π) value implied that var.vulgarisexhibited the highest genetic diversity (0.048), followed by var.fastigiata(0.035) and subsp.hypogaea(0.012), which is consistent with the result of phylogenetic tree. Moreover, the fixation index (FST) value confirmed that var.fastigiataand var.vulgariswere closely related to each other (FST = 0.284), while both of them were clearly distinct from var.hypogaea(FST > 0.4). The present study confirmed the traditional botanical classifications of cultivated peanut at the genome-wide level. Furthermore, the reliable SNPs identified in this study may be a valuable resource for peanut breeders.
Live Cell Imaging of Bioorthogonally Labelled Proteins Generated With a Single Pyrrolysine tRNA Gene
Authors: Aloush Noa , Schvartz Tomer , König Andres I. , Cohen Sarit , Brozgol Eugene , Tam Benjamin , Nachmias Dikla , Ben-David Oshrit , Garini Yuval , Elia Natalie , Arbely Eyal 
Published: September 2018

AbstractGenetic code expansion enables the incorporation of non-canonical amino acids (ncAAs) into expressed proteins. ncAAs are usually encoded by a stop codon that is decoded by an exogenous orthogonal aminoacyl tRNA synthetase and its cognate suppressor tRNA, such as the pyrrolysine $${\bf{\text{synthetase}}}{\boldsymbol{/}}{{\bf{\text{tRNA}}}}_{{\bf{\text{CUA}}}}^{{\bf{\text{Pyl}}}}$$

synthetase

/

tRNA

CUA

Pyl

pair. In such systems, stop codon suppression is dependent on the intracellular levels of the exogenous tRNA. Therefore, multiple copies of the tRNAPyl gene (PylT) are encoded to improve ncAA incorporation. However, certain applications in mammalian cells, such as live-cell imaging applications, where labelled tRNAs contribute to background fluorescence, can benefit from the use of less invasive minimal expression systems. Accordingly, we studied the effect of tRNAPyl on live-cell fluorescence imaging of bioorthogonally-labelled intracellular proteins. We found that in COS7 cells, a decrease in PylT copy numbers had no measurable effect on protein expression levels. Importantly, reducing PylT copy numbers improved the quality of live-cell images by enhancing the signal-to-noise ratio and reducing an immobile tRNAPyl population. This enabled us to improve live cell imaging of bioorthogonally labelled intracellular proteins, and to simultaneously label two different proteins in a cell. Our results indicate that the number of introduced PylT genes can be minimized according to the transfected cell line, incorporated ncAA, and application.
The potential role of sciatic nerve stiffness in the limitation of maximal ankle range of motion
Authors: Andrade Ricardo J. , Freitas Sandro R. , Hug François , Le Sant Guillaume , Lacourpaille Lilian , Gross Raphäel , McNair Peter , Nordez Antoine 
Published: September 2018

AbstractIt is a long held belief that maximal joint range of motion (ROM) is restricted by muscle tension. However, it exists indirect evidence suggesting that this assumption may not hold true for some joint configurations where non-muscular structures, such as the peripheral nerves, are stretched. Direct evidences are lacking. This study aimed to determine whether a static stretching aiming to load the sciatic nerve without stretch within plantar flexors is effective to: (i) alter nerve stiffness; and (ii) increase the ankle’s maximal ROM. Passive maximal ankle ROM in dorsiflexion was assessed with the hip flexed at 90° (HIP-flexed) or neutral (HIP-neutral, 0°). Sciatic nerve stiffness was estimated using shear wave elastography. Sciatic nerve stretching induced both a 13.3 ± 7.9% (P < 0.001) decrease in the nerve stiffness and a 6.4 ± 2.6° increase in the maximal dorsiflexion ROM assessed in HIP-flexed. In addition, the decrease in sciatic nerve stiffness was significantly correlated with the change in maximal ROM in dorsiflexion (r = −0.571, P = 0.026). These effects occurred in the absence of any change in gastrocnemius medialis and biceps femoris stiffness, and ankle passive torque. These results demonstrate that maximal dorsiflexion ROM can be acutely increased by stretching the sciatic nerve, without altering the muscle stiffness.
Hemodynamic Responses to Simulated Long Working Hours with Short and Long Breaks in Healthy Men
Authors: Liu Xinxin , Ikeda Hiroki , Oyama Fuyuki , Wakisaka Keiko , Takahashi Masaya 
Published: September 2018

AbstractThis study aimed to examine hemodynamic responses and the necessity of breaks under long working hours. Thirty-eight healthy males conducted PC-based work from 9:10 to 22:00. Nine 10-minute short breaks and two long breaks (a 1-hour break and a 50-minute break) were provided, and hemodynamic responses were measured regularly during this period. The results showed that systolic blood pressure increased during the working hours and cardiovascular burden increased under long working hours. Cardiac responses decreased, but vascular responses increased continually during work periods without long breaks. The long breaks, however, benefitted workers by preventing excessive decreases in cardiac responses and increases in vascular responses, but this effect may decrease with the extension of working hours. In conclusion, long working hours increase cardiovascular burden, and taking long breaks is important for reducing these burdens when long working hours cannot be avoided.
Multilocus genetic risk score for diabetic retinopathy in the Han Chinese population of Taiwan
Authors: Liao Wen-Ling , Lin Jang-Ming , Chen Wen-Lu , Hsieh Ming-Chia , Wu Chia-Ming , Chang Ya-Wen , Huang Yu-Chuen , Tsai Fuu-Jen 
Published: September 2018

AbstractThe aim of this study is to explore the effect of genetic variation on diabetic retinopathy (DR) risk in a Taiwanese population. The logistic regression model was used to evaluate the relationship between DR status and risk factors, including the conventional parameters and genetic risk score (GRS). Candidate single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in GRS were selected based on previous reports with a combined P < 10−4 (genome-wide association) and P < 0.05 (meta-analysis). In total, 58 SNPs in 44 susceptibility loci were selected, and four were used to calculate GRS. After adjustment for age, systolic blood pressure, diabetes duration, and HbA1c, the DR risk was 4.95 times higher for patients in the top GRS third tile than for those in the bottom third tile (95% CI = 2.99–8.18; P < 0.001). The addition of genetic information improved DR prediction, increasing the area under the curve (AUC) from 0.72 to 0.77 (P = 0.0024) and improving the sensitivity of the model such that 40 more subjects were reclassified into DR status. The developed multivariate logistic regression model combining conventional risk factors and the multilocus GRS can predict DR, thus enabling timely treatment to reduce blindness in T2D patients.
Cytoplasmic location of NR4A1 in aggressive lymphomas is associated with a favourable cancer specific survival
Authors: Fechter Karoline , Feichtinger Julia , Prochazka Katharina , Unterluggauer Julia Judith , Pansy Katrin , Steinbauer Elisabeth , Pichler Martin , Haybaeck Johannes , Prokesch Andreas , Greinix Hildegard T. , Beham-Schmid Christine , Neumeister Peter , Thallinger Gerhard G. , Deutsch Alexander J. A. 
Published: September 2018

AbstractThe nuclear orphan receptorNR4A1functions as tumour suppressor in aggressive lymphomas by pro-apoptotic genomic and non-genomic effects. Here, we immunohistochemically studied the clinico-pathological relevance of NR4A1 protein expression patterns in a cohort of 60 diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) patients and non-neoplastic lymph nodes. We observed a significant association between high cytoplasmic NR4A1 and favourable cancer-specific survival and the germinal centre B cell-like subtype, respectively. Moreover, the percentage of lymphoma cells exhibiting cytoplasmic NR4A1 significantly correlated to those showing cleaved caspase 3. Complementary, functional profiling using gene set enrichment of Reactome pathways based on publicly available microarray data was applied to determine pathways potentially implicated in cytoplasmic localization of NR4A1 and validated by means of semi quantitative real-time PCR. The pathway analysis revealed changes in the ERK1/2 pathway, and this was corroborated by the finding that high cytoplasmic NR4A1 was associated with higher expression of ERK1/2 targets in our cohort. These data indicate that high cytoplasmic NR4A1 is associated with a favourable lymphoma-specific survival and highlights the importance of NR4A1 expression patterns as potential prognostic marker for risk assessment in aggressive lymphomas.
A minimal helical-hairpin motif provides molecular-level insights into misfolding and pharmacological rescue of CFTR
Authors: Krainer Georg , Treff Antoine , Hartmann Andreas , Stone Tracy A. , Schenkel Mathias , Keller Sandro , Deber Charles M. , Schlierf Michael 
Published: September 2018

AbstractOur meagre understanding of CFTR misfolding and its reversal by small-molecule correctors hampers the development of mechanism-based therapies of cystic fibrosis. Here we exploit a helical-hairpin construct—the simplest proxy of membrane-protein tertiary contacts—containing CFTR’s transmembrane helices 3 and 4 and its corresponding disease phenotypic mutant V232D to gain molecular-level insights into CFTR misfolding and drug rescue by the corrector Lumacaftor. Using a single-molecule FRET approach to study hairpin conformations in lipid bilayers, we find that the wild-type hairpin is well folded, whereas the V232D mutant assumes an open conformation in bilayer thicknesses mimicking the endoplasmic reticulum. Addition of Lumacaftor reverses the aberrant opening of the mutant hairpin to restore a compact state as in the wild type. The observed membrane escape of the V232D hairpin and its reversal by Lumacaftor complement cell-based analyses of the full-length protein, thereby providing in vivo and in vitro correlates of CFTR misfolding and drug-action mechanisms.
High isolation slot coupled antenna with integrated tunable self‐interference cancellation circuitry
Authors: Nawaz H. , Gürbüz Ö. , Tekin I. 
Published: September 2018

This letter presents a high interport isolation, compact dual polarised slot coupled monostatic patch antenna with integrated tunable analogue/RF self‐interference cancellation (SIC) circuitry for 2.4/2.5 GHz In Band Full Duplex wireless applications. The presented antenna deploys hybrid feeding for improved interport isolation through polarisation diversity and integrated single‐tap RF SIC circuitry provides additional isolation on top of antenna isolation. Brief mathematical description for deployed single‐tap RF SIC is also presented. The implemented prototype of the proposed antenna module provides around 80 dB interport isolation for 20 MHz bandwidth and better than 97 dB peak isolation when measured in a lab in the presence of environmental reflections. Moreover, 20 MHz SIC bandwidth with 80 dB interport isolation can be tuned within antenna's 10 dB return loss impedance bandwidth of 60 MHz.
Radial and vertical dust transport inhibit refractory carbon depletion in protoplanetary disks
Authors: Klarmann L. , Ormel C. W. , Dominik C. 
Published: September 2018

Context. The Earth is strongly depleted in carbon compared to the dust in the ISM, implying efficient removal of refractory carbon before parent body formation. It has been argued that grains get rid of their carbon through oxidation and photolysis in the exposed upper disk layers.
Aims. We assess the efficacy of these C-removal mechanisms, while accounting for the vertical and radial transport of grains.
Methods. We obtained the carbon and carbon free mass budget of solids by solving two 1D advection-diffusion equations, accounting for the dust grain size distribution and radial transport. The carbon removal acts on the fraction of the grains that are in the exposed layer and requires efficient vertical transport.
Results. In models without radial transport, oxidation and photolysis can destroy most of the refractory carbon in terrestrial planet formation region. But it only reaches the observed depletion levels for extreme parameter combinations and requires that parent body formation was delayed by 1 Myr. Adding radial transport of solids prevents the depletion entirely, leaving refractory carbon equally distributed throughout the disk.
Conclusions. It is unlikely that the observed carbon depletion can ultimately be attributed to mechanisms operating on small grains in the disk surface layers. Other mechanisms of removing carbon quickly and deeply must be studied, for example flash heating events or FU Ori outbursts. However, a sustained drift barrier or strongly reduced radial grain mobility is necessary to prevent replenishment of carbon from the outer disk.
Myasthenia gravis: aktuelle Antikörperdiagnostik und Aspekte zum therapierefraktären Verlauf
Authors: Wenninger Stephan , Schoser Benedikt 
Published: September 2018

ZusammenfassungDie erworbene Myasthenia gravis (MG) wird durch Antikörper gegen verschiedene Bestandteile der neuromuskulären Endplatte verursacht. In den meisten Fällen wird die typische belastungsabhängige Muskelschwäche durch Antikörper gegen den Acetylcholinrezeptor (AChR) verursacht, bei einem geringeren Anteil der Patienten finden sich seltenere Antikörper gegen Muskel-spezifische Kinase (MuSK) oder verwandte Proteine wie Agrin, Cortactin oder Low-Density-Lipoproteinrezeptor-verwandtes Protein 4 (LRP4). Durch fachgerechte und konsequente Behandlung kann in der überwiegenden Mehrheit der Patienten mit Acetylcholin-Rezeptor-Antikörper (AChR-AK) positiver Myasthenie eine nahezu Vollremission mit normaler Lebenserwartung und guter Lebensqualität erreicht werden. Etwa 10 bis 15 % der Patienten sprechen nicht adäquat auf aktuell empfohlene Therapien an und bilden die Gruppe der refraktären MG. Der Artikel gibt einen Überblick über die derzeitige Antikörperdiagnostik und Aspekte zum therapierefraktären Verlauf.