bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Recommendations for acquisition, interpretation and reporting of whole body low dose CT in patients with multiple myeloma and other plasma cell disorders: a report of the IMWG Bone Working Group
Authors: Moulopoulos Lia A. , Koutoulidis Vassilis , Hillengass Jens , Zamagni Elena , Aquerreta Jesus D. , Roche Charles L. , Lentzsch Suzanne , Moreau Philippe , Cavo Michele , Miguel Jesus San , Dimopoulos Meletios A. , Rajkumar S. Vincent , Durie Brian G. M. , Terpos Evangelos , Delorme Stefan 
Published: October 2018

AbstractWhole Body Low Dose CT (WBLDCT) has important advantages as a first-line imaging modality for bone disease assessment in patients with plasma cell disorders and has been included in the 2014 International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG) criteria for multiple myeloma (MM) definition. Nevertheless, standardization guidelines for the optimal use of WBLDCT in MM patients are still lacking, preventing its more widespread use, both in daily practice and clinical trials. The aim of this report by the Bone Group of the IMWG is to provide practical recommendations for the acquisition, interpretation and reporting of WBLDCT in patients with multiple myeloma and other plasma cell disorders.
Ropeginterferon alpha-2b targets JAK2V617F-positive polycythemia vera cells in vitro and in vivo
Authors: Verger Emmanuelle , Soret-Dulphy Juliette , Maslah Nabih , Roy Lydia , Rey Jerome , Ghrieb Zineb , Kralovics Robert , Gisslinger Heinz , Grohmann-Izay Barbara , Klade Christoph , Chomienne Christine , Giraudier Stéphane , Cassinat Bruno , Kiladjian Jean-Jacques 
Published: October 2018

AbstractPolycythemia vera is characterized by the acquisition of the JAK2V617F mutation. Recommended treatments include hydroxyurea and interferon-alpha. Several groups have reported a reduction in the JAK2 mutant allele burden in interferon-treated patients, but significance of this observation is questioned. We characterized the activity of ropeginterferon alpha-2b, a novel form of interferon-alpha recently shown to be safe and efficacious in polycythemia vera. Ropeginterferon was able to inhibit the proliferation of the HEL, UKE-1, and UT-7 JAK2-mutant cell lines while sparing JAK2-wild-type UT-7 and normal CD34+ cells growth. In vitro treatment of erythroid progenitors derived from PV patients showed that ropeginterferon could considerably inhibit the growth of endogenous erythroid colonies, a hallmark of polycythemia vera. Finally, we could study in sequential samples the clonal architecture of erythroid progenitors derived from patients included in a randomized study comparing hydroxyurea to ropeginterferon. After 1 year of treatment with ropeginterferon, the ratio of JAK2-mutated to wild-type colonies grown from bone marrow progenitors was reduced by 64%, compared to 25% in patients receiving hydroxyurea. This study shows that ropeginterferon has a potent targeted activity against JAK2-mutant cells and is able to drastically reduce the proportion of malignant progenitors in patients treated with this drug.
A growing bacterial colony in two dimensions as an active nematic
Authors: Dell’Arciprete D. , Blow M. L. , Brown A. T. , Farrell F. D. C. , Lintuvuori J. S. , McVey A. F. , Marenduzzo D. , Poon W. C. K. 
Published: October 2018

AbstractHow a single bacterium becomes a colony of many thousand cells is important in biomedicine and food safety. Much is known about the molecular and genetic bases of this process, but less about the underlying physical mechanisms. Here we study the growth of single-layer micro-colonies of rod-shapedEscherichiacolibacteria confined to just under the surface of soft agarose by a glass slide. Analysing this system as a liquid crystal, we find that growth-induced activity fragments the colony into microdomains of well-defined size, whilst the associated flow orients it tangentially at the boundary. Topological defect pairs with charges$$\pm {\textstyle{1 \over 2}}$$±12are produced at a constant rate, with the$$+ {\textstyle{1 \over 2}}$$+12defects being propelled to the periphery. Theoretical modelling suggests that these phenomena have different physical origins from similar observations in other extensile active nematics, and a growing bacterial colony belongs to a new universality class, with features reminiscent of the expanding universe.
Compact folded metasurface spectrometer
Authors: Faraji-Dana MohammadSadegh , Arbabi Ehsan , Arbabi Amir , Kamali Seyedeh Mahsa , Kwon Hyounghan , Faraon Andrei 
Published: October 2018

AbstractAn optical design space that can highly benefit from the recent developments in metasurfaces is the folded optics architecture where light is confined between reflective surfaces, and the wavefront is controlled at the reflective interfaces. In this manuscript, we introduce the concept of folded metasurface optics by demonstrating a compact spectrometer made from a 1-mm-thick glass slab with a volume of 7 cubic millimeters. The spectrometer has a resolution of ~1.2 nm, resolving more than 80 spectral points from 760 to 860 nm. The device is composed of three reflective dielectric metasurfaces, all fabricated in a single lithographic step on one side of a substrate, which simultaneously acts as the propagation space for light. The folded metasystem design can be applied to many optical systems, such as optical signal processors, interferometers, hyperspectral imagers, and computational optical systems, significantly reducing their sizes and increasing their mechanical robustness and potential for integration.
MiR-34 inhibits polycomb repressive complex 2 to modulate chaperone expression and promote healthy brain aging
Authors: Kennerdell Jason R. , Liu Nan , Bonini Nancy M. 
Published: October 2018

AbstractAging is a prominent risk factor for neurodegenerative disease. Defining gene expression mechanisms affecting healthy brain aging should lead to insight into genes that modulate susceptibility to disease. To define such mechanisms, we have pursued analysis of miR-34 mutants in Drosophila. The miR-34 mutant brain displays a gene expression profile of accelerated aging, and miR-34 upregulation is a potent suppressor of polyglutamine-induced neurodegeneration. We demonstrate that Pcl and Su(z)12, two components of polycomb repressive complex 2, (PRC2), are targets of miR-34, with implications for age-associated processes. Because PRC2 confers the repressive H3K27me3 mark, we hypothesize that miR-34 modulates PRC2 activity to relieve silencing of genes promoting healthful aging. Gene expression profiling of the brains of hypomorphic mutants in Enhancer of zeste (E(z)), the enzymatic methyltransferase component of PRC2, revealed a younger brain transcriptome profile and identified the small heat shock proteins as key genes reduced in expression with age.
Singular sublimation of ice and snow crystals
Authors: Jambon-Puillet Etienne , Shahidzadeh Noushine , Bonn Daniel 
Published: October 2018

AbstractThe evaporation (sublimation) of ice and snow has a major impact on global climate, since the amount of ice and snow determines Earth’s albedo. Yet, due to their complex geometry with several sharp regions which are singular for the evaporation, the precise evaporation dynamics of snow and ice crystals remains challenging to predict. Here, we study the sublimation of snowflakes and pointy ice drops. We show that the evaporation rates of water and ice drops are similar; they are both limited by the diffusive transport of the vapour. This allows us to predict ice and snowflake evaporation quantitatively by solving the diffusive free-boundary problem, which correctly predicts the rapid self-similar evolution of sharp edges and points. Beyond providing a conceptual picture to understand the sublimation of ice crystals, our results are more generally applicable to other diffusion problems such as the dissolution of salt crystals or pharmaceuticals.
Complement receptor CD46 co-stimulates optimal human CD8+ T cell effector function via fatty acid metabolism
Authors: Arbore Giuseppina , West Erin E. , Rahman Jubayer , Le Friec Gaelle , Niyonzima Nathalie , Pirooznia Mehdi , Tunc Ilker , Pavlidis Polychronis , Powell Nicholas , Li Yuesheng , Liu Poching , Servais Aude , Couzi Lionel , Fremeaux-Bacchi Veronique , Placais Leo , Ferraro Alastair , Walsh Patrick R. , Kavanagh David , Afzali Behdad , Lavender Paul , Lachmann Helen J. , Kemper Claudia 
Published: October 2018

AbstractThe induction of human CD4+ Th1 cells requires autocrine stimulation of the complement receptor CD46 in direct crosstalk with a CD4+ T cell-intrinsic NLRP3 inflammasome. However, it is unclear whether human cytotoxic CD8+ T cell (CTL) responses also rely on an intrinsic complement-inflammasome axis. Here we show, using CTLs from patients with CD46 deficiency or with constitutively-active NLRP3, that CD46 delivers co-stimulatory signals for optimal CTL activity by augmenting nutrient-influx and fatty acid synthesis. Surprisingly, although CTLs express NLRP3, a canonical NLRP3 inflammasome is not required for normal human CTL activity, as CTLs from patients with hyperactive NLRP3 activity function normally. These findings establish autocrine complement and CD46 activity as integral components of normal human CTL biology, and, since CD46 is only present in humans, emphasize the divergent roles of innate immune sensors between mice and men.
First passage events in biological systems with non-exponential inter-event times
Authors: Castro Mario , López-García Martín , Lythe Grant , Molina-París Carmen 
Published: October 2018

AbstractIt is often possible to model the dynamics of biological systems as a series of discrete transitions between a finite set of observable states (or compartments). When the residence times in each state, or inter-event times more generally, are exponentially distributed, then one can write a set of ordinary differential equations, which accurately describe the evolution of mean quantities. Non-exponential inter-event times can also be experimentally observed, but are more difficult to analyse mathematically. In this paper, we focus on the computation of first passage events and their probabilities in biological systems with non-exponential inter-event times. We show, with three case studies from Molecular Immunology, Virology and Epidemiology, that significant errors are introduced when drawing conclusions based on the assumption that inter-event times are exponentially distributed. Our approach allows these errors to be avoided with the use of phase-type distributions that approximate arbitrarily distributed inter-event times.
Glucocorticoids Induce Stress Oncoproteins Associated with Therapy-Resistance in African American and European American Prostate Cancer Cells
Authors: Woods-Burnham Leanne , Cajigas-Du Ross Christina K. , Love Arthur , Basu Anamika , Sanchez-Hernandez Evelyn S. , Martinez Shannalee R. , Ortiz-Hernández Greisha L. , Stiel Laura , Durán Alfonso M. , Wilson Colwick , Montgomery Susanne , Roy Sourav , Casiano Carlos A. 
Published: October 2018

AbstractGlucocorticoid receptor (GR) is emerging as a key driver of prostate cancer (PCa) progression and therapy resistance in the absence of androgen receptor (AR) signaling. Acting as a bypass mechanism, GR activates AR-regulated genes, although GR-target genes contributing to PCa therapy resistance remain to be identified. Emerging evidence also shows that African American (AA) men, who disproportionately develop aggressive PCa, have hypersensitive GR signaling linked to cumulative stressful life events. Using racially diverse PCa cell lines (MDA-PCa-2b, 22Rv1, PC3, and DU145) we examined the effects of glucocorticoids on the expression of two stress oncoproteins associated with PCa therapy resistance, Clusterin (CLU) and Lens Epithelium-Derived Growth Factor p75 (LEDGF/p75). We observed that glucocorticoids upregulated LEDGF/p75 and CLU in PCa cells. Blockade of GR activation abolished this upregulation. We also detected increased GR transcript expression in AA PCa tissues, compared to European American (EA) tissues, using Oncomine microarray datasets. These results demonstrate that glucocorticoids upregulate the therapy resistance-associated oncoproteins LEDGF/p75 and CLU, and suggest that this effect may be enhanced in AA PCa. This study provides an initial framework for understanding the contribution of glucocorticoid signaling to PCa health disparities.
Improved safety standards are needed to better protect younger children at playgrounds
Authors: Li Xiaogai , Kleiven Svein 
Published: October 2018

AbstractPlayground-related traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) in children remain a considerable problem world-wide and current safety standards are being questioned due to historical reasons where the injury thresholds had been perpetuated from automobile industry. Here we investigated head injury mechanisms due to falls on playgrounds using a previously developed and validated age-scalable and positionable whole body child model impacted at front, back and side of the head simulating head-first falls from 1.59 meters (m). The results show that a playground material passing the current testing standards (HIC < 1000 and resultant linear acceleration <200 g) resulted in maximum strain in the brain higher than known injury thresholds, thus not offering sufficient protection especially for younger children. The analysis highlights the age dependence of head injuries in children due to playground falls and the youngest have a higher risk of brain injury and skull fracture. Further, the results provide the first biomechanical evidence guiding age-dependent injury thresholds for playground testing standards. The results also have direct implications for novel designs of playground materials for a better protection of children from TBIs. Only making the playground material thicker and more compliant is not sufficient. This study represents the first initiative of using full body human body models of children as a new tool to improve playground testing standards and to better protect the children at playgrounds.
Neck Lymph Node Metastasis as A Poor Prognostic Factor in Thoracic Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Patients Receiving Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy: A Propensity Score-Matched Analysis
Authors: Chen Yen-Hao , Lu Hung-I , Lo Chien-Ming , Wang Yu-Ming , Chou Shang-Yu , Hsiao Chang-Chun , Shih Li-Hsueh , Chen Su-Wei , Li Shau-Hsuan 
Published: October 2018

AbstractThe present study investigated the clinical impact of neck lymph node (LN) metastasis in locally advanced inoperable thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) patients who underwent concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) with a curative intent. There were 404 ESCC patients enrolled, including 35 patients with neck LN metastasis and 369 patients without such metastasis. Through the propensity score matching method, 35 patients of the 369 patients without neck LN metastasis were matched to the 35 patients with neck LN metastasis. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were found to be significantly worse in the neck LN metastasis group compared to the full non-neck LN metastasis group (9.8 months versus 5.9 months, P < 0.001, and 18.2 months versus 9.7 months, P = 0.001) and the matched non-neck LN metastasis group (9.9 months versus 5.9 months, P = 0.006, and 19.4 months versus 9.7 months, P = 0.007). In order to determine the difference between neck LN and supraclavicular LN metastasis, seventy patients with supraclavicular LN metastasis were also selected from the 369 patients without neck LN metastasis for comparison. Subsequently, when compared to the ESCC patients with supraclavicular LN metastasis, significantly worse PFS (8.5 months versus 5.9 months, P = 0.026) and OS (17.2 months versus 9.7 months, P = 0.047) were still found in the ESCC patients with neck LN metastasis. Our study indicates that neck LN metastasis is an independent poor prognostic factor for locally advanced inoperable thoracic ESCC patients who have undergone CCRT.
High temperature tribology of polymer derived ceramic composite coatings
Authors: Alvi Sajid Ali , Akhtar Farid 
Published: October 2018

AbstractPolymer derived ceramic (PDC) composite coatings were deposited on AISI 304 substrates using siloxane based preceramic polymer polymethlysilsquioxane (PMS) and ZrSi2as active filler or Ag as passive filler. The tribological performance of the composite coatings was evaluated at room temperature and moderately high temperatures (150 °C, 200 °C, 300 °C and 400 °C). The composite coatings showed low coefficient of friction (COF), µ, from 0.08 to 0.2 for SiOC-ZrSi2composite coatings, and from 0.02 to 0.3 for SiOC-Ag composite coatings, at room temperature with increasing normal load from 1 to 5 N. High temperature tribology tests showed high COF values from 0.4 to 1 but low wear for SiOC-ZrSi2coating, and low COF from 0.2 to 0.3 for SiOC-Ag coatings at lower temperature ranges. Low load friction tests at room temperature showed negligible wear in SiOC-ZrSi2coatings, suggesting good wear resistant and lubricating properties due to formation of t-ZrO2and carbon. Low COF and high amount of wear was observed in SiOC-Ag composite coatings at room temperature due to high ductility of Ag and smearing of wear debris in the wear track. The coatings and wear tracks were characterized to evaluate the lubrication and wear behavior.
Tolloid-like 1 genetic variants determine fibrosis regression in chronic hepatitis C patients with curative antivirals
Authors: Huang Chung-Feng , Yeh Ming-Lun , Huang Ching-I , Lin Zu-Yau , Chen Shinn-Cherng , Huang Jee-Fu , Dai Chia-Yen , Chuang Wan-Long , Chen Jyh-Jou , Yu Ming-Lung 
Published: October 2018

AbstractHepatitis C virus (HCV) eradication by antivirals promote fibrosis modification. Whether host genetics determined fibrosis regression in chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients with sustained virological response (SVR) is to be determined. One hundred and fifty-six SVR patients with paired liver biopsy before and after antivirals were enrolled. Host genetic factors including single nucleotide polymorphism rs17047200 of tolloid-like 1(TLL-1) were analyzed for their association with fibrosis modification. The proportions of improved, unchanged and worsening fibrotic stags were 39.1% (n = 61), 39.1% (n = 61), and 21.8% (n = 34), respectively. The rate of annual fibrotic improvement was 0.16 ± 0.79. There was a significant trend of increased fibrotic improvement rate in patients from F01 to F4 (P < 0.001). However, the rate of improvement seemed more limited in cirrhotic patients among those with advanced liver disease. Patients with fibrotic improvement had a significantly higher proportion of TLL-1 rs17047200 AA genotype compared to those without (92.5% vs. 79.3%, p = 0.039). Logistic regression analysis revealed that the TLL-1 rs17047200 AA genotype was the only independent factor associated with fibrosis improvement (odds ratio/95% confidence intervals: 3.2/1.01–10.12, p = 0.047). Compared with TLL-1 rs17047200 non-AA carriers, a significantly higher proportion of fibrosis improvement in AA genotype carriers was observed among patients with F0-2 (33.3% vs. 0%, p = 0.005) but not with F34 (70% vs. 80%, p = 1). We concluded that TLL-1 genetic variants determined fibrotic improvement in CHC with curative antivirals, particularly in patients with mild liver disease.
A generalised framework for detailed classification of swimming paths inside the Morris Water Maze
Authors: Vouros Avgoustinos , Gehring Tiago V. , Szydlowska Kinga , Janusz Artur , Tu Zehai , Croucher Mike , Lukasiuk Katarzyna , Konopka Witold , Sandi Carmen , Vasilaki Eleni 
Published: October 2018

AbstractThe Morris Water Maze is commonly used in behavioural neuroscience for the study of spatial learning with rodents. Over the years, various methods of analysing rodent data collected during this task have been proposed. These methods span from classical performance measurements to more sophisticated categorisation techniques which classify the animal swimming path into behavioural classes known as exploration strategies. Classification techniques provide additional insight into the different types of animal behaviours but still only a limited number of studies utilise them. This is primarily because they depend highly on machine learning knowledge. We have previously demonstrated that the animals implement various strategies and that classifying entire trajectories can lead to the loss of important information. In this work, we have developed a generalised and robust classification methodology to boost classification performance and nullify the need for manual tuning. We have also made available an open-source software based on this methodology.
Marine microalgae commercial production improves sustainability of global fisheries and aquaculture
Authors: Beal Colin M. , Gerber Léda N. , Thongrod Supis , Phromkunthong Wutiporn , Kiron Viswanath , Granados Joe , Archibald Ian , Greene Charles H. , Huntley Mark E. 
Published: October 2018

AbstractA method is described for saving 30% of the world fish catch by producing fishmeal and fish oil replacement products from marine microalgae, the natural source of proteins and oils in the marine food web. To examine the commercial aspects of such a method, we adapt a model based on results of microalgae production in Hawaii and apply it to Thailand, the world’s fourth largest producer of fishmeal. A model facility of 111 ha would produce 2,750 tonnes yr−1 of protein and 2,330 tonnes yr−1 of algal oil, at a capital cost of $29.3 M. Such a facility would generate $5.5 M in average annual net income over its 30-year lifetime. Deployment of 100 such facilities in Thailand would replace all domestic production of fishmeal, 10% of world production, on ~1.5% of the land now used to cultivate oil palm. Such a global industry would generate ~$6.5 billion in annual net income.
Non-invasive imaging of disrupted protein homeostasis induced by proteasome inhibitor treatment using chemical exchange saturation transfer MRI
Authors: Zhu Yanan , Ramasawmy Rajiv , Johnson Sean Peter , Taylor Valerie , Gibb Alasdair , Pedley R. Barbara , Chattopadhyay Nibedita , Lythgoe Mark F. , Golay Xavier , Bradley Daniel , Walker-Samuel Simon 
Published: October 2018

AbstractProteasome inhibitors (PIs) are now standard of care for several cancers, and noninvasive biomarkers of treatment response are critically required for early patient stratification and treatment personalization. The present study evaluated whether chemical exchange (CEST) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can provide measurements that can be used as the noninvasive biomarkers of proteasome inhibition, alongside diffusion MRI and relaxometry. The sensitivity of human colorectal carcinoma cells to the PI Ixazomib was assessed via in vitro and in vivo dose-response experiments. Acute in vivo response to Ixazomib was assessed at three dosing concentrations, using CEST MRI (amide, amine, hydroxyl signals), diffusion MRI (ADC) and relaxometry (T1, T2). These responses were further evaluated with the known histological markers for Ixazomib and Bradford assay ex vivo. The CEST signal from amides and amines increased in proportion to Ixazomib dose in colorectal cancer xenografts. The cell lines differed in their sensitivity to Ixazomib, which was reflected in the MRI measurements. A mild stimulation in tumor growth was observed at low Ixazomib doses. Our results identify CEST MRI as a promising method for safely and noninvasively monitoring disrupted tumor protein homeostasis induced by proteasome inhibitor treatment, and for stratifying sensitivity between tumor types.