bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Selective Atomic-Level Etching on Short S-Glass Fibres to Control Interfacial Properties for Restorative Dental Composites
Authors: Cho Kiho , Wang Guannan , Raju  , Fang Jian , Rajan Ginu , Stenzel Martina H. , Farrar Paul , Prusty B. Gangadhara 
Published: March 2019

AbstractInterfacial bonding between fibre and matrix is most critical to obtain enhanced mechanical properties of the resulting composites. Here we present a new surface tailoring method of selective wet etching and organosilicon monomers (3-(Trimethoxysilyl) propyl methacrylate, TMSPMA) deposition process on the short S-Glass fibre as a reinforcing material, resulting in increased mechanical retention and strong chemical bonding between glass fibres and polymer resin (a mixture of triethylene glycol dimethacrylate (TEGDMA) and urethane dimethacrylate (UDMA) monomers). The effect of surface modification on fibre matrix interfacial strength was investigated through microdroplet tests. An S-Glass fibre treated with piranha solution (a mixture of H2O2 and H2SO4) for 24 hours followed by TMSPMA surface silanization shows highest increase up to 39.6% in interfacial shear strength (IFSS), and critical fibre length could be reduced from 916.0 µm to 432.5 µm. We find the optimal surface treatment condition in that the flexural strength of dental composites reinforced by the S-Glass fibres enhanced up to 22.3% compared to the composites without fibre surface treatments. The significant elevation in strength is attributed to changes in the surface roughness of glass fibres at atomic scale, specifically by providing the multiplied spots of the chemical bridge and nano-mechanical interlocking. The findings offer a new strategy for advanced tailoring of short S-Glass fibres to maximise the mechanical properties of biomedical and dental composites.
Prognostic significance of CD103+ immune cells in solid tumor: a systemic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Kim Younghoon , Shin Yunjoo , Kang Gyeong Hoon 
Published: March 2019

AbstractCD103 is a transmembrane heterodimer complex that mediates cell adhesion, migration, and lymphocyte homing of cell through interaction with E-cadherin. Recently, CD103+ immune cells in human carcinoma has been investigated as a prognostic factor, however, the correlation between CD103+ immune cells and survival are still elusive. Therefore, a meta-analysis was performed to determine the prognostic value of CD103+ immune cells in solid tumor. Studies relevant to the subject was searched from PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science. Ten studies including 2,824 patients were eligible for the analysis. Tumors positive for CD103+ immune cells were associated with favorable overall survival, disease-free survival, and disease-specific survival. Subgroup analysis revealed that assessing CD103+ immune cells in epithelial and total (both epithelial and stromal) areas or using whole slide section were associated with good prognosis. Furthermore, stromal CD103+ immune cells or CD103+ immune cells evaluated by tissue microarrays were not always significantly prognostic. In conclusion, these results show that CD103+ immune cells are associated with prognosis in solid tumor. However, the region of assessment and selection of material for the evaluation could affect the value of CD103 as a prognostic biomarker.
Combined study of the ground and excited states in the transformation of nanodiamonds into carbon onions by electron energy-loss spectroscopy
Authors: Feng Zhenbao , Lin Yangming , Tian Cunwei , Hu Haiquan , Su Dangsheng 
Published: March 2019

AbstractThe electron momentum density and sp2/sp3 ratio of carbon materials in the thermal transformation of detonation nanodiamonds (ND) into carbon nano-onions are systematically studied by electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS). Electron energy-loss near-edge structures of the carbon K-ionization in the electron energy-loss spectroscopy are measured to determine the sp2 content of the ND-derived samples. We use the method developed by Titantah and Lamoen, which is based on the ability to isolate the π* spectrum and has been shown to give reliable and accurate results. Compton profiles (CPs) of the ND-derived carbon materials are obtained by performing EELS on the electron Compton scattering region. The amplitude of the CPs at zero momentum increases with increasing annealing temperature above 500 °C. The dramatic changes occur in the temperature range of 900–1300 °C, which indicates that the graphitization process mainly occurs in this annealing temperature region. Our results complement the previous work on the thermal transformation of ND-derived carbon onions and provide deeper insight into the evolution of the electronic properties in the graphitization process.
Characterisation of nonlinear receptive fields of visual neurons by convolutional neural network
Authors: Ukita Jumpei , Yoshida Takashi , Ohki Kenichi 
Published: March 2019

AbstractA comprehensive understanding of the stimulus-response properties of individual neurons is necessary to crack the neural code of sensory cortices. However, a barrier to achieving this goal is the difficulty of analysing the nonlinearity of neuronal responses. Here, by incorporating convolutional neural network (CNN) for encoding models of neurons in the visual cortex, we developed a new method of nonlinear response characterisation, especially nonlinear estimation of receptive fields (RFs), without assumptions regarding the type of nonlinearity. Briefly, after training CNN to predict the visual responses to natural images, we synthesised the RF image such that the image would predictively evoke a maximum response. We first demonstrated the proof-of-principle using a dataset of simulated cells with various types of nonlinearity. We could visualise RFs with various types of nonlinearity, such as shift-invariant RFs or rotation-invariant RFs, suggesting that the method may be applicable to neurons with complex nonlinearities in higher visual areas. Next, we applied the method to a dataset of neurons in mouse V1. We could visualise simple-cell-like or complex-cell-like (shift-invariant) RFs and quantify the degree of shift-invariance. These results suggest that CNN encoding model is useful in nonlinear response analyses of visual neurons and potentially of any sensory neurons.
Association between Dry Eye Disease and Psychological Stress among Paramedical Workers in Korea
Authors: Hyon Joon Young , Yang Hee Kyung , Han Sang Beom 
Published: March 2019

AbstractThis study was performed to evaluate the prevalence and risk factors of dry eye disease (DED) among paramedical workers at a university hospital in Korea. This cross-sectional study included 566 paramedical workers at a university hospital in Korea. Dry eye symptoms were assessed using a 9-item questionnaire, and DED was defined as having 1 or more dry eye symptoms often or all the time. A survey including demographic data and potential risk factors of DED was also performed. Psychological stress was measured using stress VAS and perceived stress scale 4 (PSS-4) questionnaires. Of the 566 paramedical workers, 232 (35 male and 197 female) completed the survey. Prevalence of DED was 42.7% (99/232). Univariate analysis revealed that female sex (P < 0.001), prolonged computer use (P = 0.003) and higher stress VAS (P < 0.001) and PSS-4 (P = 0.009) scores had significant association with DED. In multivariate analysis, DED had significant association with female sex (P = 0.003) and stress VAS (P = 0.013) after adjustment for sex, duration of computer use and stress VAS, and had significant association with female sex (P = 0.003) and durations of computer use (P = 0.029) after adjustment for sex, duration of computer use and PSS-4 score. In conclusion, DED was prevalent among paramedical workers in Korea. Its risk increased among females and workers with increased psychological stress. Prolonged use of computer was possibly associated with DED.
Indole Pulse Signalling Regulates the Cytoplasmic pH of E. coli in a Memory-Like Manner
Authors: Zarkan Ashraf , Caño-Muñiz Santiago , Zhu Jinbo , Al Nahas Kareem , Cama Jehangir , Keyser Ulrich F. , Summers David K. 
Published: March 2019

AbstractBacterial cells are critically dependent upon pH regulation. Here we demonstrate that indole plays a critical role in the regulation of the cytoplasmic pH ofEscherichia coli. Indole is an aromatic molecule with diverse signalling roles. Two modes of indole signalling have been described: persistent and pulse signalling. The latter is illustrated by the brief but intense elevation of intracellular indole during stationary phase entry. We show that under conditions permitting indole production, cells maintain their cytoplasmic pH at 7.2. In contrast, under conditions where no indole is produced, the cytoplasmic pH is near 7.8. We demonstrate that pH regulation results from pulse, rather than persistent, indole signalling. Furthermore, we illustrate that the relevant property of indole in this context is its ability to conduct protons across the cytoplasmic membrane. Additionally, we show that the effect of the indole pulse that occurs normally during stationary phase entry in rich medium remains as a “memory” to maintain the cytoplasmic pH until entry into the next stationary phase. The indole-mediated reduction in cytoplasmic pH may explain why indole providesE.coliwith a degree of protection against stresses, including some bactericidal antibiotics.
Considering tumour volume for motion corrected DWI of colorectal liver metastases increases sensitivity of ADC to detect treatment-induced changes
Authors: Pathak Ryan , Tian Jingduo , Thacker Neil A. , Morris David M. , Ragheb Hossein , Saunders Charles , Saunders Mark , Jackson Alan 
Published: March 2019

AbstractADC is a potential post treatment imaging biomarker in colorectal liver metastasis however measurements are affected by respiratory motion. This is compounded by increased statistical uncertainty in ADC measurement with decreasing tumour volume. In this prospective study we applied a retrospective motion correction method to improve the image quality of 15 tumour data sets from 11 patients. We compared repeatability of ADC measurements corrected for motion artefact against non-motion corrected acquisition of the same data set. We then applied an error model that estimated the uncertainty in ADC repeatability measurements therefore taking into consideration tumour volume. Test-retest differences in ADC for each tumour, was scaled to their estimated measurement uncertainty, and 95% confidence limits were calculated, with a null hypothesis that there is no difference between the model distribution and the data. An early post treatment scan (within 7 days of starting treatment) was acquired for 12 tumours from 8 patients. When accounting for both motion artefact and statistical uncertainty due to tumour volumes, the threshold for detecting significant post treatment changes for an individual tumour in this data set, reduced from 30.3% to 1.7% (95% limits of agreement). Applying these constraints, a significant change in ADC (5th and 20th percentiles of the ADC histogram) was observed in 5 patients post treatment. For smaller studies, motion correcting data for small tumour volumes increased statistical efficiency to detect post treatment changes in ADC. Lower percentiles may be more sensitive than mean ADC for colorectal metastases.
Src activation in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus may play an important role in pain hypersensitivity
Authors: Ma Hanpei , Yao Chunxu , Ma Peng , Zhou Ju , Gong Shan , Tao Jin , Yu Xian-Min , Jiang Xinghong 
Published: March 2019

AbstractSrc family of kinases (SFKs) has been found to play an important role in the regulation of nociception. However, how each member of this family acts in the central nervous system (CNS) structures involved in the relay and/or modulation of nociceptive signals, and thereby contributes to the formation and maintenance of pain hypersensitivity, is still a challenge. In this work, a combined study using biochemical, genetic and behavioral approaches was conducted. We found that the expression of activated SFKs in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus (ARC) area was significantly increased following the development of inflammation induced by injection of complete freund’s adjuvant (CFA) into the hind paw of rats. Furthermore, we identified that Src, but not Fyn or Lyn in the Src family, was activated, and that Src knockdown in the ARC area blocked the inflammation-induced increases in the expression of activated SFKs, the N-Methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) GluN2B subunit and phosphorylated GluN2B at Y1472 in this region. Moreover, the CFA injection-induced allodynia and hyperalgesia, and the analgesic effect produced by systemic application of the SFK inhibitor, SU6656, were significantly diminished. However, the Src knockdown did not induce any change in the expression of activated SFKs and the NMDAR GluN2B subunit in normal rats which were not injected with CFA. Neither the Src knockdown nor the systemic application of SU6656 affected the mechanical and thermal sensitivity of the normal rats. Thus, Src activation in the ARC may be a key event for formation and maintenance of pain hypersensitivity associated with peripheral inflammation.
Temporal road closures improve habitat quality for wildlife
Authors: Whittington Jesse , Low Petah , Hunt Bill 
Published: March 2019

AbstractIncreasing levels of human activity threaten wildlife populations through direct mortality, habitat degradation, and habitat fragmentation. Area closures can improve habitat quality for wildlife, but may be difficult to achieve where tourism or other economic drivers are a priority. Temporal closures that limit human use during specific times of day have potential to increase habitat quality for wildlife, while continuing to provide opportunities for human use. However, the effectiveness of daily temporal closures has not been tested. We assessed how implementation of a temporal road closure affected wildlife movements in Banff National Park. Parks Canada closed a popular 17 km stretch of road between 2000 and 0800 hours to improve habitat quality for wildlife. We assessed the effectiveness of the closure on nine mammal species using three sets of data: remote cameras, road surveys, and grizzly bear (Ursus arctos) GPS data. In all three analyses, wildlife detection rates on the road doubled during the closure while remaining unchanged in reference areas. Our strong and consistent results suggest temporal closures are an important conservation tool that can increase habitat quality for wildlife while minimizing effects on people.
Imitating the winner leads to discrimination in spatial prisoner’s dilemma model
Authors: Jensen Gorm Gruner , Bornholdt Stefan 
Published: March 2019

AbstractThe occurrence of discrimination is an important problem in the social and economical sciences. Much of the discrimination observed in empirical studies can be explained by the theory of in-group favouritism, which states that people tend to act more positively towards peers whose appearances are more similar to their own. Some studies, however, find hierarchical structures in inter-group relations, where members of low-status groups also favour the high-status group members. These observations cannot be understood in the light of in-group favouritism. Here we present an agent based model in which evolutionary dynamics can result in a hierarchical discrimination between two groups characterized by a meaningless, but observable binary label. We find that discriminating strategies end up dominating the system when the selection pressure is high, i.e. when agents have a much higher probability of imitating their neighbour with the highest payoff. These findings suggest that the puzzling persistence of hierarchical discrimination may result from the evolutionary dynamics of the social system itself, namely the social imitation dynamics. It also predicts that discrimination will occur more often in highly competitive societies.
Targeting Coagulation Factor Xa Promotes Regression of Advanced Atherosclerosis in Apolipoprotein-E Deficient Mice
Authors: Posthuma Jelle J. , Posma Jens J. N. , van Oerle Rene , Leenders Peter , van Gorp Rick H. , Jaminon Armand M. G. , Mackman Nigel , Heitmeier Stefan , Schurgers Leon J. , ten Cate Hugo , Spronk Henri M. H. 
Published: March 2019

AbstractAtherosclerosis is a progressive inflammatory vascular disorder, complicated by plaque rupture and subsequently atherothrombosis. In vitro studies indicate that key clotting proteases, such as factor Xa (FXa), can promote atherosclerosis, presumably mediated through protease activated receptors (PARs). Although experimental studies showed reduced onset of atherosclerosis upon FXa inhibition, the effect on pre-existing plaques has never been studied. Therefore, we investigated effects of FXa inhibition by rivaroxaban on both newly-formed and pre-existing atherosclerotic plaques in apolipoprotein-e deficient (ApoE−/−) mice. Female ApoE−/− mice (age: 8–9 weeks, n = 10/group) received western type diet (WTD) or WTD supplemented with rivaroxaban (1.2 mg/g) for 14 weeks. In a second arm, mice received a WTD for 14 weeks, followed by continuation with either WTD or WTD supplemented with rivaroxaban (1.2 mg/g) for 6 weeks (total 20 weeks). Atherosclerotic burden in aortic arch was assessed by haematoxilin & eosin immunohistochemistry (IHC); plaque vulnerability was examined by IHC against macrophages, collagen, vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). In addition, PAR1 and -2 expressions and their main activators thrombin and FXa in the plaque were determined in the plaque. Administration of rivaroxaban at human therapeutic concentrations reduced the onset of atherosclerosis (−46%, p < 0.05), and promoted a regression of pre-existing plaques in the carotids (−24%, p < 0.001). In addition, the vulnerability of pre-existing plaques was reduced by FXa inhibition as reflected by reduced macrophages (−39.03%, p < 0.05), enhanced collagen deposition (+38.47%, p < 0.05) and diminished necrotic core (−31.39%, p < 0.05). These findings were accompanied with elevated vascular smooth muscle cells and reduced MMPs. Furthermore, expression of PARs and their activators, thrombin and FXa was diminished after rivaroxaban treatment. Pharmacological inhibition of FXa promotes regression of advanced atherosclerotic plaques and enhances plaque stability. These data suggest that inhibition of FXa may be beneficial in prevention and regression of atherosclerosis, possibly mediated through reduced activation of PARs.
Characterizing the role of adjoining twins at grain boundaries in hexagonal close packed materials
Authors: Arul Kumar M. , Capolungo L. , McCabe R. J. , Tomé C. N. 
Published: March 2019

AbstractHexagonal close packed (HCP) Mg and Zr are being used in transportation and nuclear industries, respectively. The ductility and formability of these materials is significantly limited by the activation of prevalent deformation twinning. Twins in HCP polycrystals usually nucleate at grain boundaries (GBs), propagate into the grain, and they either terminate at opposing GBs (isolated-twins) or transmit into a neighboring grain (adjoining-twin-pairs: ATPs). Because twin interfaces provide a path for crack propagation, twin transmission is relevant to material ductility. This study combines electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) based statistical analysis of twinning microstructures and crystal plasticity modeling, to characterize twin thickening processes away from and near GBs. Analysis of deformed Mg and Zr microstructures reveals that local twin thicknesses at GBs are statistically larger for ATPs compared to isolated-twins. Further, thicknesses are found to decrease with increasing GB misorientation angle. Full-field Fast-Fourier-Transform micromechanics modeling shows that shear-transformation induced backstress are locally relaxed at GBs for ATPs, but not for isolated-twins. As a consequence, ATPs can thicken locally at GBs and the preferential site for twin thickening shifts from the middle of the twin to common GB.
Probing chemotaxis activity in Escherichia coli using fluorescent protein fusions
Authors: Roggo Clémence , Carraro Nicolas , van der Meer Jan Roelof 
Published: March 2019

AbstractBacterial chemotaxis signaling may be interesting for the development of rapid biosensor assays, but is difficult to quantify. Here we explore two potential fluorescent readouts of chemotactically active Escherichia coli cells. In the first, we probed interactions between the chemotaxis signaling proteins CheY and CheZ by fusing them individually with non-fluorescent parts of stable or unstable ‘split’-Green Fluorescent Protein. Wild-type chemotactic cells but not mutants lacking the CheA kinase produced distinguishable fluorescence foci, two-thirds of which localize at the cell poles with the chemoreceptors and one-third at motor complexes. Fluorescent foci based on stable split-eGFP displayed small fluctuations in cells exposed to attractant or repellent, but those based on an unstable ASV-tagged eGFP showed a higher dynamic behaviour both in the foci intensity changes and the number of foci per cell. For the second readout, we expressed the pH-sensitive fluorophore pHluorin in the cyto- and periplasm of chemotactically active E. coli. Calibrations of pHluorin fluorescence as a function of pH demonstrated that cells accumulating near a chemo-attractant temporally increase cytoplasmic pH while decreasing periplasmic pH. Both readouts thus show promise for biosensor assays based on bacterial chemotaxis activity.
Subacute to chronic Alzheimer-like alterations after controlled cortical impact in human tau transgenic mice
Authors: Zhang Yanchong , Wu Feng , Iqbal Khalid , Gong Cheng-Xin , Hu Wen , Liu Fei 
Published: March 2019

AbstractRepetitive traumatic brain injury (TBI) has been linked to late life development of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a neurodegenerative disorder histopathologically characterized by perivascular tangles of hyperphosphorylated tau at the depth of sulci to later widespread neurofibrillary pathology. Although tau hyperphosphorylation and neurofibrillary-like pathology have been observed in the brain of transgenic mice overexpressing human tau with aggregation-prone mutation after TBI, they have not been consistently recapitulated in rodents expressing wild-type tau only. Here, we characterized Alzheimer-like alterations behaviorally, biochemically and immunohistochemically 6 weeks and 7 months after unilateral mild-to-moderate controlled cortical impact (CCI) in 5–7-month-old Tg/htau mice, which express all six isoforms of non-mutated human tau in a mouse tau null background. We detected hyperphosphorylation of tau at multiple sites in ipsilateral hippocampus 6 weeks but not 7 months after CCI. However, neuronal accumulation of AT8 positive phospho-tau was sustained in the chronic phase, in parallel to prolonged astrogliosis, and decreased neural and synaptic markers. The mice with CCI also exhibited cognitive and locomotor impairment. These results indicate subacute to chronic Alzheimer-like alterations after CCI in Tg/htau mice. This is the first known study providing insight into the role of CCI in Alzheimer-like brain alterations in young adult mice expressing only non-mutated human tau.