bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Scale morphology and squamation pattern of Guiyu oneiros provide new insights into early osteichthyan body plan
Authors: Cui Xindong , Qiao Tuo , Zhu Min 
Published: March 2019

AbstractScale morphology and squamation play an important role in the study of fish phylogeny and classification. However, as the scales of the earliest osteichthyans or bony fishes are usually found in a disarticulated state, research into squamation patterns and phylogeny has been limited. Here we quantitatively describe the scale morphology of the oldest articulated osteichthyan, the 425-million-year-oldGuiyu oneiros, based on geometric morphometrics and high-resolution computed tomography. Based on the cluster analysis of the scales in the articulated specimens, we present a squamation pattern ofGuiyu oneiros, which divides the body scales into 4 main belts, comprising 16 areas. The new pattern reveals that the squamation of early osteichthyans is more complicated than previously known, and demonstrates that the taxa near the crown osteichthyan node in late Silurian had a greater degree of squamation zonation compared to more advanced forms. This study offers an important reference for the classification of detached scales of early osteichthyans, provides new insights into the early evolution of osteichthyan scales, and adds to our understanding of the early osteichthyan body plan.
Corosolic acid isolated from Eriobotrya japonica leaves reduces glucose level in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells, zebrafish and rats
Authors: Xu Shuwen , Wang Gang , Peng Wei , Xu Yandi , Zhang Yu , Ge Ying , Jing Yue , Gong Zhunan 
Published: March 2019

AbstractType 2 diabetes (T2D) with high morbidity and mortality is characterized by abnormal glucose and lipid metabolism due in part to insulin resistance in liver, which lead to elevated hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia. This study sough to explore the effects of corosolic acid (CA) in different T2D models and explored the underlying mechanism. Separated from Eriobotrya japonica leaves, CA purity was above 95% measured by a HPLC method. Compared with cAMP and DEX induced T2D HepG2 model, CA significantly stimulated glucose consumption and improved glycogen accumulation by inhibiting PEPCK mRNA expression. And in cAMP and DEX induced T2D zebrafish model, CA reduced glycogen degradation and increased glucose consumption by regulating some key enzymes in carbon metabolism including GLUT1, GLUT2, GLUT3, LDHA, LDHB, GP, G6Pase, GYS1, and PFKFB3. In addition, insulin receptor signals were also involved in CA-regulated hypoglycemic action. Furthermore, in STZ-induced T2D rat model, compared with diabetic control groups, CA remarkably downregulated the levels of serum lipid, blood glucose, ICAM-1, malonaldehyde and insulin resistance index, while upregulated SOD activity and impaired glucose tolerance. In a conclusion, CA can regulate glucose and lipid metabolic adaptation in T2D like HepG2, zebrafish and rat models partly through reducing inflammation and oxidative stress and suppressing PEPCK.
The MurG glycosyltransferase provides an oligomeric scaffold for the cytoplasmic steps of peptidoglycan biosynthesis in the human pathogen Bordetella pertussis
Authors: Laddomada Federica , Miyachiro Mayara M. , Jessop Matthew , Patin Delphine , Job Viviana , Mengin-Lecreulx Dominique , Le Roy Aline , Ebel Christine , Breyton Cécile , Gutsche Irina , Dessen Andréa 
Published: March 2019

AbstractPeptidoglycan is a major component of the bacterial cell wall and thus a major determinant of cell shape. Its biosynthesis is initiated by several sequential reactions catalyzed by cytoplasmic Mur enzymes. Mur ligases (MurC, -D, -E, and -F) are essential for bacteria, metabolize molecules not present in eukaryotes, and are structurally and biochemically tractable. However, although many Mur inhibitors have been developed, few have shown promising antibacterial activity, prompting the hypothesis that within the cytoplasm, Mur enzymes could exist as a complex whose architecture limits access of small molecules to their active sites. This suggestion is supported by the observation that in many bacteria, mur genes are present in a single operon, and pairs of these genes often are fused to generate a single polypeptide. Here, we explored this genetic arrangement in the human pathogen Bordetella pertussis and show that MurE and MurF are expressed as a single, bifunctional protein. EM, small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), and analytical centrifugation (AUC) revealed that the MurE–MurF fusion displays an elongated, flexible structure that can dimerize. Moreover, MurE–MurF interacted with the peripheral glycosyltransferase MurG, which formed discrete oligomers resembling 4- or 5-armed stars in EM images. The oligomeric structure of MurG may allow it to play a bona fide scaffolding role for a potential Mur complex, facilitating the efficient conveyance of peptidoglycan-building blocks toward the inner membrane leaflet. Our findings shed light on the structural determinants of a peptidoglycan formation complex involving Mur enzymes in bacterial cell wall formation.
Metabolite profiling characterises chemotypes of Musa diploids and triploids at juvenile and pre-flowering growth stages
Authors: Drapal Margit , de Carvalho Elisabete Barros , Rouard Mathieu , Amah Delphine , Sardos Julie , Van den Houwe Ines , Brown Allan , Roux Nicolas , Swennen Rony , Fraser Paul D. 
Published: March 2019

AbstractBananas (Musa spp.) are consumed worldwide as dessert and cooking types. Edible banana varieties are for the most part seedless and sterile and therefore vegetatively propagated. This confers difficulties for breeding approaches against pressing biotic and abiotic threats and for the nutritional enhancement of banana pulp. A panel of banana accessions, representative of the diversity of wild and cultivated bananas, was analysed to assess the range of chemotypes available globally. The focus of this assessment was banana leaves at two growth stages (juvenile and pre-flowering), to see when during the plant growth metabolic differences can be established. The metabolic data corresponded to genomic trends reported in previous studies and demonstrated a link between metabolites/pathways and the genomes of M. acuminata and M. balbisiana. Furthermore, the vigour and resistance traits of M. balbisiana was connected to the phenolic composition and showed differences with the number of B genes in the hybrid accessions. Differences in the juvenile and pre-flowering data led to low correlation between the growth stages for prediction purposes.
Mice overexpressing hepcidin suggest ferroportin does not play a major role in Mn homeostasis
Authors: Jin Lian , Frazer David M , Lu Yan , Wilkins Sarah J , Ayton Scott , Bush Ashley , Anderson Gregory J 
Published: March 2019

Abstract
Manganese is an essential metal that is required for a wide range of biological functions. Ferroportin (FPN), the only known cellular exporter of iron, has also been proposed to play a role in manganese export, but this relationship is incompletely understood. To investigate this in more detail in vivo, we examined the relative distributions of manganese and iron in TMPRSS6 deficient mice, which are characterized by constitutively high expression of the iron regulatory hormone hepcidin and, consequently, very low FPN levels in their tissues. Tmprss6−/− mice showed frank iron deficiency and reduced iron levels in most tissues, consistent with FPN playing an important role in the distribution of this metal, but manganese levels were largely unaffected. Associated studies using intestine-specific FPN knockout mice showed that loss of FPN significantly reduced the dietary absorption of iron, but had no effect on manganese intake. Taken together, our data suggest that FPN does not play a major role in Mn transport in vivo. They do not exclude a minor role for FPN in manganese homeostasis, nor the possibility that the transporter may be relevant at high Mn levels, but at physiological levels of this metal, other transport proteins appear to be more important.
Metabolomic analysis reveals metabolic characteristics of children with short stature caused by growth hormone deficiency
Authors: Xu Rui , Zhu Hongwei , Zhang Cuiying , Shen Guiping , Feng Jianghua 
Published: March 2019

AbstractThe diagnosis of short stature (SS) is of widespread importance for later treatment. In the present paper, a metabolomic method was used to analyze the metabolic characteristics of SS children caused by endocrine metabolic diseases in order to understand the underlying biochemical mechanism and provide a potential intervention strategy for SS. According to the clinical diagnosis and family investigation, all patients with SS were confirmed to be due to the endocrine disorders, especially GH deficiency (GHD). A nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-based metabolomic analysis of serum was used to identify the metabolic changes in 45 SS children from the 35 healthy controls (HCs). The disturbed metabolic network related to SS was correspondingly derived from the differential metabolites. The SS children demonstrated higher serum levels of citrate, phenylalanine, creatinine, and tyrosine and lower serum levels of glucose, serine, betaine, inositol, lysine, glycerol, and glutamine compared with the HCs. The results demonstrated that the disturbed glucose metabolism and metabolism and biosynthesis of amino acids are typical metabolic features of SS, and the lower levels of lysine and glutamine are the metabolic characterization of the affected growth axes and stress state of SS, respectively. The significant changes of those serum metabolites are able to be regarded as potential biomarkers for the diagnosis of SS. Accordingly, supplemental betaine in dietary pattern, the improvement of glycometabolism, and endogenous replenishment of lysine and glutamine allow the possible treatment strategy for SS.
Responses to Semantically Neutral Words in Varying Emotional Intonations
Authors: Krestar Maura L. , McLennan Conor T. 
Published: March 2019

Purpose
Recent research on perception of emotionally charged material has found both an “emotionality effect” in which participants respond differently to emotionally charged stimuli relative to neutral stimuli in some cognitive–linguistic tasks and a “negativity bias” in which participants respond differently to negatively charged stimuli relative to neutral and positively charged stimuli. The current study investigated young adult listeners' bias when responding to neutral-meaning words in 2 tasks that varied attention to emotional intonation.

Method
Half the participants completed a word identification task in which they were instructed to type a word they had heard presented binaurally through Sony stereo MDR-ZX100 headphones. The other half of the participants completed an intonation identification task in which they were instructed to use a SuperLab RB-740 button box to identify the emotional prosody of the same words over headphones. For both tasks, all auditory stimuli were semantically neutral words spoken in happy, sad, and neutral emotional intonations. Researchers measured percent correct and reaction time (RT) for each word in both tasks.

Results
In the word identification task, when identifying semantically neutral words spoken in happy, sad, and neutral intonations, listeners' RTs to words in a sad intonation were longer than RTs to words in a happy intonation. In the intonation identification task, when identifying the emotional intonation of the same words spoken in the same emotional tones of voice, listeners' RTs to words in a sad intonation were significantly faster than those in a neutral intonation.

Conclusions
Results demonstrate a potential attentional negativity bias for neutral words varying in emotional intonation. Such results support an attention-based theoretical account. In an intonation identification task, an advantage emerged for words in a negative (sad) intonation relative to words in a neutral intonation. Thus, current models of emotional speech should acknowledge the amount of attention to emotional content (i.e., prosody) necessary to complete a cognitive task, as it has the potential to bias processing.
Controlled islanding of transmission system using synchrophasor measurements
Authors: Raj Akhil , Gajjar Gopal , Soman Shreevardhan Arunchandra 
Published: March 2019

The authors propose a smart transmission system islanding scheme during an out‐of‐step (OOS) condition using PMU data. An OOS condition leads to the formation of electrical centers on a few transmission lines. The distance relays on the lines misinterpret it as a bolted three‐phase fault and trip leading to an uncontrolled system separation. The load‐rich islands can blackout due to massive generation‐load imbalance. Recent research has shown that the evolution of electrical centers can be tracked by PMUs and hence, distance relays on these lines can be temporarily blocked from operation. The authors now propose an adaptive islanding scheme wherein (i) the islands contain coherent generators and (ii) overall load shed is minimised. In other words, the authors propose a simple and efficient method for determining the optimal cutset using PMU data. The method does not require explicit coherency determination of generators and can be implemented within the time interval of two PMU frames (40 ms in India). Simulation results on the 16‐generator system and the Indian power system demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed method.
Template‐free synthesis of novel urchin‐like nickel microstructures with enhanced ferromagnetic properties
Authors: Sun Jiale , Wang Jinpeng , Chen Huiyu , Xu Chunju 
Published: March 2019

Novel urchin‐like nickel microstructures were prepared at 150°C via a facile hydrothermal method. Such urchin‐like particle is constructed by a spherical core and many spear‐shaped branches with length of 200–300 nm radiated from the centre. The synthetic process involved the chemical reduction of nickel ions by hydrazine hydrate and the oriented growth of nickel nanostructures under kinetic control independent of surfactant or external magnetic field. The magnetic properties were investigated at room temperature and the results demonstrated that the sample presented ferromagnetic properties with saturation magnetisation and coercivity values of ca. 44.6 emu/g and 257.7 Oe, respectively. These urchin‐like nickel microstructures are expected to bring new opportunities in application of magnetic storage and catalysis.
Bluttransfusion: ein Leitfaden für die klinische Entscheidungsfindung
Authors: Tanner Linda , Müller Markus 
Published: March 2019

ZusammenfassungDie Transfusion von Blutprodukten hat für jede medizinische Fachrichtung eine hohe Relevanz. Die Indikation muss allerdings sehr genau gestellt werden – besonders unter dem Aspekt, dass Blutprodukte nicht unbegrenzt verfügbar sind. Dieser Beitrag soll helfen, im Klinikalltag und in der Notfallmedizin richtige Entscheidungen zu treffen, Komplikationen zu erkennen und gegebenenfalls Alternativen zur Transfusion anwenden zu können.
Den Schalter umlegen
Authors: Gundacker Stefanie 
Published: March 2019

SummaryDie Trigeminusneuralgie tritt häufig mit plötzlichen heftigen Schmerzattacken auf, die Lebensqualität und Schlaf massiv beeinträchtigen – so auch in dem hier vorgestellten Fall. 50–70-mal pro Tag schoss der Schmerz bei Leon L. mit hoher Intensität in den Gesichtsbereich ein – nach einer erfolglosen Behandlung mit Antiepileptika stand eine komplizierte Operation bevor. Eine Kombination aus hochdosierten Vitaminen, Schmerzöl, Blutegeltherapie und Hypnose konnte die Zahl und Intensität der Anfälle auf ein annehmbares Maß reduzieren und einen chirurgischen Eingriff entbehrlich machen.
Kindlein schlaf (endlich)
Authors: Gärtner Helmine Thiele- 
Published: March 2019

SummaryWenn Kinder ab einem Alter von 6–12 Monaten nur verzögert und nur mithilfe der Eltern einschlafen können oder in den meisten Nächten mehr als dreimal aufwachen, spricht man von einer Schlafstörung. Zu den häufigen Ursachen von Schlafstörungen bei Kindern zählen Ängste der Eltern, ein unphysiologischer Tagesrhythmus, Mangelzustände, Schwangerschafts- oder Geburtstraumata. Ist die Ursache von Schlafstörungen bei Kindern erkannt, lassen sich die Störungen wirksam zum Beispiel mit Homöopathika und Schüßler-Salzen behandeln, wie Fallbeispiele verdeutlichen.
Labordiagnostik bei infektassoziierten Arthritiden
Authors: Krause Andreas 
Published: March 2019

ZusammenfassungVirale Arthritiden präsentieren sich typischerweise mit der Trias Polyarthritis, Exanthem und Fieber. Die Diagnose wird durch den Nachweis Erreger-spezifischer IgM-Antikörper unterstützt. Die seltenen septischen Arthritiden sind medizinische Notfälle. Labordiagnostisch ist der Erregernachweis im Gelenkpunktat mittels Gram-Präparat und Kultur entscheidend. Reaktive Arthritiden gehören zur Gruppe der Spondyloarthritiden und treten nach gelenkfernen, bakteriellen Infektionen meist im Urogenital- oder Gastrointestinaltrakt auf. Die Diagnose wird anamnestisch (auslösende Infektion) und klinisch (charakteristische Manifestationen) gestellt. Die serologische Diagnostik ist aufgrund methodischer Probleme und einer hohen Seroprävalenz von geringem diagnostischen Wert. Die Lyme-Arthritis wird durch eine Gelenkinfektion mit Borrelia burgdorferi hervorgerufen, meistens sind große Gelenke unter Einbeziehung der Kniegelenke betroffen. Infektionsserologisch ist zur Diagnosestellung der Nachweis spezifischer IgG-Antikörper zu fordern. Aufgrund einer hohen, altersabhängigen Seroprävalenz besitzt der Antikörpernachweis jedoch nur eine geringe Spezifität und ist nur bei ausreichender Prätestprävalenz (Ausschluss anderer Ursachen) diagnostisch hilfreich.
Antinukleäre Antikörper
Authors: Jansen Verena 
Published: March 2019

ZusammenfassungBei der Diagnose und Klassifikation systemischer autoimmuner rheumatischer Erkrankungen kommt dem positiven Nachweis Antinukleärer Antikörper (ANA) große Bedeutung zu. Als methodischer Goldstandard hat sich der Indirekte Immunfluoreszenztest (IIFT) unter Verwendung der HEp2-Zelle als Substrat durchgesetzt, mit dem bei Vorliegen von ANA charakteristische Fluoreszenzmuster mikroskopisch unterschieden werden können. Um ANA-Befunde besser vergleichen zu können, wurde von einer internationalen Initiative, dem International Consensus on Antinuclear Antibody Patterns (ICAP), ein Standard entwickelt, mit dem die Muster beschrieben und nummeriert werden. Die Zielsetzung der ICAP-Initiative, die neue Nomenklatur, Maßnahmen der Qualitätssicherung und noch offene Fragen sollen hier vorgestellt werden.
Stabilität eines neuen Stiftsystems: Glasfaserstift mit und ohne Tophead im Vergleich
Authors: Grolig Jeanne , Rzanny Angelika , Nietzsche Sandor , Küpper Harald 
Published: March 2019

ZusammenfassungZiel der In-vitro-Studie war es, festzustellen, ob sich die Haftkräfte und Versagensmechanismen des Glasfaserstifts FiberMaster (NTI) durch Kombination mittels Tophead verändern. Als Referenz wurden 2 weitere Glasfaserstifte untersucht. Hierbei handelte es sich um den DT LIGHT- (VDW) sowie den Rebilda Post-Stift (VOCO). Getestet wurden Biegefestigkeit und Elastizitätsmodul der Stifte nach 1 Tag Lagerung in destilliertem Wasser sowie nach künstlicher Alterung. Außerdem wurde die Bruchfestigkeit und Durchbiegung der Stifte nach Insertion in einer Haltevorrichtung sowie nach adhäsiver Befestigung in extrahierten humanen Versuchszähnen untersucht. Rasterelektronenmikroskopische Untersuchungen zeigen die Querschnitte sowie Bruchflächen der frakturierten Glasfaserstifte.
Sperm Epigenetics and Its Impact on Male Fertility, Pregnancy Loss, and Somatic Health of Future Offsprings
Authors: Hotaling Jim , Ibrahim Yetunde 
Published: March 2019

AbstractSperm epigenetic programming is tailored to meet the need of this specialized cell, which include its interaction with the oocyte during fertilization and early embryo development. The unique nature of the sperm epigenome has resulted in multiple studies investigating how perturbations in epigenetics might impact male fertility and early embryo development. In addition, sperm epigenetics appear to be altered by specific environmental exposures, which could provide a link for investigating the role of these triggers in somatic health of off springs produced. This has the potential of explaining otherwise missing heritability factors seen with several diseases. While this field of investigation is new and with limited validation, it is intriguing and further studies are warranted.
Nineteenth-Century Homeopathic Materia Medica Texts Predict Source Materials Whose Physiological Actions Influence Thyroid Activity
Authors: Block Janice 
Published: March 2019

Introduction The homeopathic materia medica contains hundreds of thousands of observations collected over the course of two centuries. It includes both clinical observations of potentized medicines and observations of the actions of potentized medicines on healthy subjects (provings). This current study was undertaken to determine the degree to which observations within the materia medica were associated with the physiological mechanisms for thyroid activity-inhibiting substances in their undiluted state.
Materials and Methods Four specific symptoms for iodine deficiency were selected to describe the hypothyroid state: (1) generalized aggravation by or sensitivity to cold; (2) chronic painless hoarseness; (3) goiter; (4) painless diffuse non-scarring alopecia. Symptom representation for the four selected symptoms within the homeopathic materia medica was compared for 2 halogen inhibitors, for 3 substances that influence thyroid hormone target tissues, for 6 substances known or suspected to increase thyroid-stimulating hormone or decrease thyroid hormone levels, and for 11 substances not known to inhibit thyroid activity. To avoid knowledge bias, only those compilations of materia medica whose publication dates preceded the discoveries of crucial aspects of thyroid physiology were used as source materials for investigation.
Results Homeopathic medicines derived from 11 substances with mechanisms for inhibition of thyroid activity were more likely to exhibit selected symptoms than the medicines derived from the 11 substances without known physiological mechanisms for thyroid activity inhibition. The difference between groups was analyzed via the Mann–Whitney non-parametric U test and was statistically significant to p < 0.01. After observations obtained from provings alone were removed from analysis, the difference remained significant to p < 0.01. Only the two halogen inhibitors of iodine (bromine and fluoric acid) and one of the influencers of thyroid hormone target tissue (calcium carbonate) were significantly goitrogenic.
Conclusions With respect to thyroid activity inhibition, there is a statistically significant association between observations recorded within the homeopathic materia medica and the expected physiological mechanisms for the corresponding undiluted substances.