bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Acute Exposure to Commonly Ingested Emulsifiers Alters Intestinal Mucus Structure and Transport Properties
Authors: Lock Jaclyn Y. , Carlson Taylor L. , Wang Chia-Ming , Chen Albert , Carrier Rebecca L. 
Published: June 2018

AbstractThe consumption of generally regarded as safe emulsifiers has increased, and has been associated with an increased prevalence of inflammatory bowel and metabolic diseases, as well as an altered microbiome. The mucus barrier, which selectively controls the transport of particulates and microorganisms to the underlying epithelial layer, has been previously shown to be altered by dietary salts and lipids. However, the potential impact of emulsifiers on the protective mucus barrier, its permeability, and associated structural changes are not clear. In this study, we analyzed changes in the mucus barrier to both passively diffusing nanoparticles and actively swimming E. coli upon exposure to two emulsifiers, carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) and polysorbate 80 (Tween). When exposed to CMC, mucus pore size decreased, which resulted in significantly slower E. coli speed and particle diffusion rates through mucus. Tween exposure minimally impacted mucus microstructure and particle diffusion, but increased E. coli speed in mucus. Moreover, both emulsifiers appeared to alter mucus amount and thickness in rat intestinal tissue and mucus-producing cell cultures. These results indicate that acute exposure to emulsifiers impacts barrier and structural properties of intestinal mucus, modulating interactions between intestinal lumen contents, microbes, and underlying tissue, which may contribute to development of intestinal inflammation.
Angiogenin and Osteoprotegerin are type II muscle specific myokines protecting pancreatic beta-cells against proinflammatory cytokines
Authors: Rutti Sabine , Dusaulcy Rodolphe , Hansen Jakob S. , Howald Cédric , Dermitzakis Emmanouil T. , Pedersen Bente K. , Pinget Michel , Plomgaard Peter , Bouzakri Karim 
Published: June 2018

AbstractTissue cross-talk is emerging as a determinant way to coordinate the different organs implicated in glucose homeostasis. Among the inter-organ communication factors, muscle-secreted myokines can modulate the function and survival of pancreatic beta-cells. Using primary human myotubes from soleus, vastus lateralis and triceps brachii muscles, we report here that the impact of myokines on beta-cells depends on fiber types and their metabolic status. We show that Type I and type II primary myotubes present specific mRNA and myokine signatures as well as a different sensitivity to TNF-alpha induced insulin resistance. Finally, we show that angiogenin and osteoprotegerin are triceps specific myokines with beta-cell protective actions against proinflammatory cytokines. These results suggest that type I and type II muscles could impact insulin secretion and beta-cell mass differentially in type 2 diabetes through specific myokines secretion.
The piecewise parabolic method for elastic-plastic flow in solids
Authors: Zhang Wei , Chen Cheng , Liu Kun , Bai Jing-Song , Li Ping , Wan Zhen-Hua , Sun De-Jun 
Published: June 2018

AbstractA numerical technique of high-order piecewise parabolic method in combination of HLLD (”D” denotes Discontinuities) Riemann solver is developed for the numerical simulation of elastic-plastic flow. The introduction of the plastic effect is realized by decomposing the total deformation gradient tensor as the product of elastic and plastic deformation gradient tensors and adding plastic source term to the conservation law model equation with the variable of the elastic deformation gradient tensor. For the solution of the resulting inhomogeneous equation system, a temporal splitting strategy is adopted and a semi-implicit scheme is performed to solve the ODES in the plastic step, which is conducted to account for the contributions from plastic source terms. As seen from the results of test cases involving large deformation and high strain rate, the computational model used can reflect the characteristics of constitutive relation of material under strong impact action and our numerical method can realize the exact simulation of the elastic-plastic behavior of solid material, especially the accurate capture of the elastic-plastic waves. Further, it could also deal with high-speed impact problems with multi-material components, catching material interfaces correctly and keeping the interfaces sharp, when combined with interface tracking technique such as the level-set algorithm.
Optimal neural inference of stimulus intensities
Authors: Monk Travis , Savin Cristina , Lücke Jörg 
Published: June 2018

AbstractIn natural data, the class and intensity of stimuli are correlated. Current machine learning algorithms ignore this ubiquitous statistical property of stimuli, usually by requiring normalized inputs. From a biological perspective, it remains unclear how neural circuits may account for these dependencies in inference and learning. Here, we use a probabilistic framework to model class-specific intensity variations, and we derive approximate inference and online learning rules which reflect common hallmarks of neural computation. Concretely, we show that a neural circuit equipped with specific forms of synaptic and intrinsic plasticity (IP) can learn the class-specific features and intensities of stimuli simultaneously. Our model provides a normative interpretation of IP as a critical part of sensory learning and predicts that neurons can represent nontrivial input statistics in their excitabilities. Computationally, our approach yields improved statistical representations for realistic datasets in the visual and auditory domains. In particular, we demonstrate the utility of the model in estimating the contrastive stress of speech.
Collagen Fingerprinting and the Earliest Marine Mammal Hunting in North America
Authors: Hofman Courtney A. , Rick Torben C. , Erlandson Jon M. , Reeder-Myers Leslie , Welch Andreanna J. , Buckley Michael 
Published: June 2018

AbstractThe submersion of Late Pleistocene shorelines and poor organic preservation at many early archaeological sites obscure the earliest effects of humans on coastal resources in the Americas. We used collagen fingerprinting to identify bone fragments from middens at four California Channel Island sites that are among the oldest coastal sites in the Americas (~12,500-8,500 cal BP). We document Paleocoastal human predation of at least three marine mammal families/species, including northern elephant seals (Mirounga angustirostris), eared seals (Otariidae), and sea otters (Enhydra lutris). Otariids and elephant seals are abundant today along the Pacific Coast of North America, but elephant seals are rare in late Holocene (<1500 cal BP) archaeological sites. Our data support the hypotheses that: (1) marine mammals helped fuel the peopling of the Americas; (2) humans affected marine mammal biogeography millennia before the devastation caused by the historic fur and oil trade; and (3) the current abundance and distribution of recovering pinniped populations on the California Channel Islands may mirror a pre-human baseline.
Quasi-Periodic Patterns of Neural Activity improve Classification of Alzheimer’s Disease in Mice
Authors: Belloy Michaël E. , Shah Disha , Abbas Anzar , Kashyap Amrit , Roßner Steffen , Van der Linden Annemie , Keilholz Shella D. , Keliris Georgios A. , Verhoye Marleen 
Published: June 2018

AbstractResting state (rs)fMRI allows measurement of brain functional connectivity and has identified default mode (DMN) and task positive (TPN) network disruptions as promising biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Quasi-periodic patterns (QPPs) of neural activity describe recurring spatiotemporal patterns that display DMN with TPN anti-correlation. We reasoned that QPPs could provide new insights into AD network dysfunction and improve disease diagnosis. We therefore used rsfMRI to investigate QPPs in old TG2576 mice, a model of amyloidosis, and age-matched controls. Multiple QPPs were determined and compared across groups. Using linear regression, we removed their contribution from the functional scans and assessed how they reflected functional connectivity. Lastly, we used elastic net regression to determine if QPPs improved disease classification. We present three prominent findings: (1) Compared to controls, TG2576 mice were marked by opposing neural dynamics in which DMN areas were anti-correlated and displayed diminished anti-correlation with the TPN. (2) QPPs reflected lowered DMN functional connectivity in TG2576 mice and revealed significantly decreased DMN-TPN anti-correlations. (3) QPP-derived measures significantly improved classification compared to conventional functional connectivity measures. Altogether, our findings provide insight into the neural dynamics of aberrant network connectivity in AD and indicate that QPPs might serve as a translational diagnostic tool.
Enteric Species F Human Adenoviruses use Laminin-Binding Integrins as Co-Receptors for Infection of Ht-29 Cells
Authors: Rajan Anandi , Persson B. David , Frängsmyr Lars , Olofsson Annelie , Sandblad Linda , Heino Jyrki , Takada Yoshikazu , Mould A. Paul , Schnapp Lynn M. , Gall Jason , Arnberg Niklas 
Published: June 2018

AbstractThe enteric species F human adenovirus types 40 and 41 (HAdV-40 and -41) are the third most common cause of infantile gastroenteritis in the world. Knowledge about HAdV-40 and -41 cellular infection is assumed to be fundamentally different from that of other HAdVs since HAdV-40 and -41 penton bases lack the αV-integrin-interacting RGD motif. This motif is used by other HAdVs mainly for internalization and endosomal escape. We hypothesised that the penton bases of HAdV-40 and -41 interact with integrins independently of the RGD motif. HAdV-41 transduction of a library of rodent cells expressing specific human integrin subunits pointed to the use of laminin-binding α2-, α3- and α6-containing integrins as well as other integrins as candidate co-receptors. Specific laminins prevented internalisation and infection, and recombinant, soluble HAdV-41 penton base proteins prevented infection of human intestinal HT-29 cells. Surface plasmon resonance analysis demonstrated that HAdV-40 and -41 penton base proteins bind to α6-containing integrins with an affinity similar to that of previously characterised penton base:integrin interactions. With these results, we propose that laminin-binding integrins are co-receptors for HAdV-40 and -41.
3D Maps of Mineral Composition and Hydroxyapatite Orientation in Fossil Bone Samples Obtained by X-ray Diffraction Computed Tomography
Authors: Mürer Fredrik K. , Sanchez Sophie , Álvarez-Murga Michelle , Di Michiel Marco , Pfeiffer Franz , Bech Martin , Breiby Dag W. 
Published: June 2018

AbstractWhether hydroxyapatite (HA) orientation in fossilised bone samples can be non-destructively retrieved and used to determine the arrangement of the bone matrix and the location of muscle attachments (entheses), is a question of high relevance to palaeontology, as it facilitates a detailed understanding of the (micro-)anatomy of extinct species with no damage to the precious fossil specimens. Here, we report studies of two fossil bone samples, specifically the tibia of a 300-million-year-old tetrapod,Discosauriscus austriacus, and the humerus of a 370-million-year-old lobe-finned fish,Eusthenopteron foordi, using XRD-CT – a combination of X-ray diffraction (XRD) and computed tomography (CT). Reconstructed 3D images showing the spatial mineral distributions and the local orientation of HA were obtained. ForDiscosauriscus austriacus, details of the muscle attachments could be discerned. ForEusthenopteron foordi, the gross details of the preferred orientation of HA were deduced using three tomographic datasets obtained with orthogonally oriented rotation axes. For both samples, the HA in the bone matrix exhibited preferred orientation, with the unit cellc-axis of the HA crystallites tending to be parallel with the bone surface. In summary, we have demonstrated that XRD-CT combined with an intuitive reconstruction procedure is becoming a powerful tool for studying palaeontological samples.
Striatonigral neurons divide into two distinct morphological-physiological phenotypes after chronic L-DOPA treatment in parkinsonian rats
Authors: Fieblinger T. , Zanetti L. , Sebastianutto I. , Breger L. S. , Quintino L. , Lockowandt M. , Lundberg C. , Cenci M. A. 
Published: June 2018

AbstractDendritic regression of striatal spiny projection neurons (SPNs) is a pathological hallmark of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Here we investigate how chronic dopamine denervation and dopamine replacement with L-DOPA affect the morphology and physiology of direct pathway SPNs (dSPNS) in the rat striatum. We used a lentiviral vector optimized for retrograde labeling (FuG-B-GFP) to identify dSPNs in rats with 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) lesions. Changes in morphology and physiology of dSPNs were assessed through a combination of patch-clamp recordings and two photon microscopy. The 6-OHDA lesion caused a significant reduction in dSPN dendritic complexity. Following chronic L-DOPA treatment, dSPNs segregated into two equal-sized clusters. One group (here called “cluster-1”), showed sustained dendritic atrophy and a partially normalized electrophysiological phenotype. The other one (“cluster-2”) exhibited dendritic regrowth and a strong reduction of intrinsic excitability. Interestingly, FosB/∆FosB induction by L-DOPA treatment occurred preferentially in cluster-2 dSPNs. Our study demonstrates the feasibility of retrograde FuG-B-GFP labeling to study dSPNs in the rat and reveals, for the first time, that a subgroup of dSPNs shows dendritic sprouting in response to chronic L-DOPA treatment. Investigating the mechanisms and significance of this response will greatly improve our understanding of the adaptations induced by dopamine replacement therapy in PD.
Pirfenidone decreases mesothelioma cell proliferation and migration via inhibition of ERK and AKT and regulates mesothelioma tumor microenvironment in vivo
Authors: Li Chang , Rezov Veronika , Joensuu Emmi , Vartiainen Ville , Rönty Mikko , Yin Miao , Myllärniemi Marjukka , Koli Katri 
Published: June 2018

AbstractMalignant mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer with poor prognosis. It is characterized by prominent extracellular matrix, mesenchymal tumor cell phenotypes and chemoresistance. In this study, the ability of pirfenidone to alter mesothelioma cell proliferation and migration as well as mesothelioma tumor microenvironment was evaluated. Pirfenidone is an anti-fibrotic drug used in the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and has also anti-proliferative activities. Mesothelioma cell proliferation was decreased by pirfenidone alone or in combination with cisplatin. Pirfenidone also decreased significantly Transwell migration/invasion and 3D collagen invasion. This was associated with increased BMP pathway activity, decreased GREM1 expression and downregulation of MAPK/ERK and AKT/mTOR signaling. The canonical Smad-mediated TGF-β signaling was not affected by pirfenidone. However, pirfenidone blocked TGF-β induced upregulation of ERK and AKT pathways. Treatment of mice harboring mesothelioma xenografts with pirfenidone alone did not reduce tumor proliferation in vivo. However, pirfenidone modified the tumor microenvironment by reducing the expression of extracellular matrix associated genes. In addition, GREM1 expression was downregulated by pirfenidone in vivo. By reducing two major upregulated pathways in mesothelioma and by targeting tumor cells and the microenvironment pirfenidone may present a novel anti-fibrotic and anti-cancer adjuvant therapy for mesothelioma.
Transcranial focused ultrasound neuromodulation of the human primary motor cortex
Authors: Legon Wynn , Bansal Priya , Tyshynsky Roman , Ai Leo , Mueller Jerel K. 
Published: June 2018

AbstractTranscranial focused ultrasound is an emerging form of non-invasive neuromodulation that uses acoustic energy to affect neuronal excitability. The effect of ultrasound on human motor cortical excitability and behavior is currently unknown. We apply ultrasound to the primary motor cortex in humans using a novel simultaneous transcranial ultrasound and magnetic stimulation paradigm that allows for concurrent and concentric ultrasound stimulation with transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). This allows for non-invasive inspection of the effect of ultrasound on motor neuronal excitability using the motor evoked potential (MEP). We test the effect of ultrasound on single pulse MEP recruitment curves and paired pulse protocols including short interval intracortical inhibition (SICI) and intracortical facilitation (ICF). In addition, we test the effect of ultrasound to motor cortex on a stimulus response reaction time task. Results show ultrasound inhibits the amplitude of single-pulse MEPs and attenuates intracortical facilitation but does not affect intracortical inhibition. Ultrasound also reduces reaction time on a simple stimulus response task. This is the first report of the effect of ultrasound on human motor cortical excitability and motor behavior and confirms previous results in the somatosensory cortex that ultrasound results in effective neuronal inhibition that confers a performance advantage.
Antibody responses to α-Gal in African children vary with age and site and are associated with malaria protection
Authors: Aguilar Ruth , Ubillos Itziar , Vidal Marta , Balanza Núria , Crespo Núria , Jiménez Alfons , Nhabomba Augusto , Jairoce Chenjerai , Dosoo David , Gyan Ben , Ayestaran Aintzane , Sanz Hèctor , Campo Joseph J. , Gómez-Pérez Gloria P. , Izquierdo Luis , Dobaño Carlota 
Published: June 2018

AbstractNaturally-acquired antibody responses to malaria parasites are not only directed to protein antigens but also to carbohydrates on the surface ofPlasmodiumprotozoa. Immunoglobulin M responses to α-galactose (α-Gal) (Galα1-3Galβ1-4GlcNAc-R)-containing glycoconjugates have been associated with protection fromP. falciparuminfection and, as a result, these molecules are under consideration as vaccine targets; however there are limited field studies in endemic populations. We assessed a wide breadth of isotype and subclass antibody response to α-Gal in children from Mozambique (South East Africa) and Ghana (West Africa) by quantitative suspension array technology. We showed that anti-α-Gal IgM, IgG and IgG1–4levels vary mainly depending on the age of the child, and also differ in magnitude in the two sites. At an individual level, the intensity of malaria exposure toP. falciparumand maternally-transferred antibodies affected the magnitude of α-Gal responses. There was evidence for a possible protective role of anti-α-Gal IgG3 and IgG4 antibodies. However, the most consistent findings were that the magnitude of IgM responses to α-Gal was associated with protection against clinical malaria over a one-year follow up period, especially in the first months of life, while IgG levels correlated with malaria risk.
Neandertal fire-making technology inferred from microwear analysis
Authors: Sorensen A. C. , Claud E. , Soressi M. 
Published: June 2018

AbstractFire use appears to have been relatively common among Neandertals in the Middle Palaeolithic. However, the means by which Neandertals procured their fire—either through the collection of natural fire, or by producing it themselves using tools—is still a matter of debate. We present here the first direct artefactual evidence for regular, systematic fire production by Neandertals. From archaeological layers attributed to late Mousterian industries at multiple sites throughout France, primarily to the Mousterian of Acheulean Tradition (MTA) technoculture (ca. 50,000 years BP), we identify using microwear analysis dozens of late Middle Palaeolithic bifacial tools that exhibit macroscopic and microscopic traces suggesting repeated percussion and/or forceful abrasion with a hard mineral material. Both the locations and nature of the polish and associated striations are comparable to those obtained experimentally by obliquely percussing fragments of pyrite (FeS2) against the flat/convex sides of a biface to make fire. The striations within these discrete use zones are always oriented roughly parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tool, allowing us to rule out taphonomic origins for these traces. We therefore suggest that the occasional use of bifaces as ‘strike-a-lights’ was a technocultural feature shared among the late Neandertals in France.
Characterization of the second- and third-harmonic optical susceptibilities of atomically thin tungsten diselenide
Authors: Rosa Henrique G. , Ho Yi Wei , Verzhbitskiy Ivan , Rodrigues Manuel J. F. L. , Taniguchi Takashi , Watanabe Kenji , Eda Goki , Pereira Vitor M. , Gomes José C. V. 
Published: June 2018

AbstractWe report the first detailed characterization of the sheet third-harmonic optical susceptibility, χ(3)s, of tungsten diselenide (WSe2). With a home-built multiphoton microscope setup developed to study harmonics generation, we map the second and third-harmonic intensities as a function of position in the sample, pump power and polarization angle, for single- and few-layers flakes of WSe2. We register a value of |χ(3)s| ≈ 0.9 × 10−28 m3 V−2 at a fundamental excitation frequency of ℏω = 0.8 eV, which is comparable in magnitude to the third-harmonic susceptibility of other group-VI transition metal dichalcogenides. The simultaneously recorded sheet second-harmonic susceptibility is found to be |χ(2)s| ≈ 0.7 × 10−19 m2 V−1 in very good agreement on the order of magnitude with recent reports for WSe2, which asserts the robustness of our values for |χ(3)s|.
Adolescent social stress increases anxiety-like behavior and ethanol consumption in adult male and female C57BL/6J mice
Authors: Caruso M. J. , Seemiller L. R. , Fetherston T. B. , Miller C. N. , Reiss D. E. , Cavigelli S. A. , Kamens H. M. 
Published: June 2018

AbstractExposure to social stress is an important risk factor for comorbid affective disorders and problem alcohol use. To better understand mechanisms involved in social stress-induced affective disorder and alcohol use co-morbidity, we studied the effects of adolescent social stress on anxiety- and depression-like behaviors and binge-like ethanol consumption. Male and female C57BL/6J mice were exposed to chronic variable social stress (CVSS) or control conditions throughout adolescence (postnatal days, PND, 25–59) and then tested for anxiety-like behavior in the elevated plus maze and a novel open field environment, or depression-like behavior using the forced swim test on PND 64–66. Mice were then tested for binge-like ethanol consumption using the Drinking-in-the-Dark model. Male and female mice exposed to adolescent CVSS had increased adult anxiety-like behavior and increased locomotor adaptation to a novel environment. Further, CVSS mice consumed significantly more ethanol, but not saccharin, than controls. Despite group differences in both anxiety-like behavior and ethanol consumption, there was no relationship between these outcomes within individual mice. These data suggest that exposure to adolescent social stress is an important risk factor for later alcohol use and affective behaviors, but that social stress does not necessarily dictate co-morbidity of these outcomes.