bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Proteomic and immunochemical approaches to understanding the glycation behaviour of the casein and β-lactoglobulin fractions of flavoured drinks under UHT processing conditions
Authors: Geicu Ovidiu I. , Stanca Loredana , Dinischiotu Anca , Serban Andreea I. 
Published: August 2018

AbstractDairy technology used to produce sweetened milk products might introduce additional advanced glycation end products (AGEs) into the diet. These molecular messengers are linked to detrimental health effects. Using a model accurate to the thermal treatment, reducing sugars, main protein content, and prolonged storage of ultra-high-temperature-sterilized (UHT) milk, we studied the behaviour of milk proteins during glycation. Two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) profiles and western blots of glycated total casein revealed the major contributions of αs2-casein and β-casein and the relatively minor contributions of κ-casein towards the formation of Nε-carboxymethyllysine (CML)-positive aggregates. Glycated κ-casein had the lowest furosine (FUR), 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) and AGEs content. Conversely, the α-casein fraction demonstrated a high susceptibility to glycation, having the highest FUR, HMF and AGE levels. The gel-filtration elution profiles and the corresponding fraction fluorescence revealed that glycated casein aggregates were highly fluorescent, while the β-lactoglobulin glycation profile was similar to that of bovine serum albumin, and fluorescence was detected mainly in tetramers. Although CML is not a cross-linking AGE, it was only detected in large molecular aggregates and not in glycated monomers. Our results also indicate that in casein, glycation-induced changes in the UHT conditions were less deleterious than the subsequent 90 day storage period.
HIV-1 Transmissions Among Recently Infected Individuals in Southwest China are Predominantly Derived from Circulating Local Strains
Authors: Li Jianjun , Feng Yi , Shen Zhiyong , Li Yingxin , Tang Zhenzhu , Xiong Runsong , Zhang Hongman , Wei Jing , Zhou Xinjuan , Deng Yueqin , Fang Ningye , Lan Guanghua , Liang Shujia , Zhu Qiuying , Xing Hui , Ruan Yuhua , Shao Yiming 
Published: August 2018

AbstractAlthough the Guangxi region accounts for 10% of all HIV-1 cases new reported in 2011 in China, the sources of the transmitted HIV-1 strains are virtually unknown. To determine the extent to which recent HIV infections were derived from already circulating local strains as opposed to recently introduced strains, we performed a cross-sectional molecular epidemiological investigation of recent infections across Guangxi during 2012–2013. HIV-1 nucleotide sequences were amplified and sequenced. Phylogenetic analyses of pol gene regions were used to determine HIV-1 transmission source strains. Based on 229 sequences generated, the subtype/CRF distribution was as follows: CRF01_AE (61.1%), CRF07_BC (18.8%), CRF08_BC (16.6%), CRF55_01B (3.1%), and subtype B′ (0.4%). In total, 213 of 229 (93.0%) sequenced transmission strains were derived from already-circulating local strains. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that only an age of 18–25 years was significantly associated with transmission from outside Guangxi (compared to >25 years, AOR: 5.15, 95% CI: 1.18–22.48, p < 0.01). This is the first study to use a Bayesian discrete phylogeographic approach to analyze transmission source strains in China. Our results provide useful data for designing evidence-based prevention strategies and methods for combating the rapid spread of sexually transmitted HIV in Guangxi.
Genome-wide Identification of PP2C Genes and Their Expression Profiling in Response to Drought and Cold Stresses in Medicago truncatula
Authors: Yang Qi , Liu Kun , Niu Xiaocui , Wang Qi , Wan Yongqing , Yang Feiyun , Li Guojing , Wang Yufen , Wang Ruigang 
Published: August 2018

AbstractType 2 C protein phosphatases (PP2Cs) represent the major group of protein phosphatases in plants and play important roles in various plant processes. In this study, 94 MtPP2C genes were identified from Medicago truncatula and further phylogenetically classified into 13 subfamilies, as supported by exon-intron organization and conserved motif composition. Collinearity analysis indicated that segmental duplication events played a crucial role in the expansion of MtPP2C gene families in M. truncatula. Furthermore, the expression profiles of MtPP2Cs under different abiotic treatments were analyzed using qRT-PCR. Results showed that these MtPP2Cs genes displayed different expression patterns in response to drought, cold and ABA stress conditions and some of the key stress responsive MtPP2Cs genes have been identified. Our study presents a comprehensive overview of the PP2C gene family in M. truncatula, which will be useful for further functional characterization of MtPP2Cs in plant drought and cold stress responses.
Photoresponsivity of an all-semimetal heterostructure based on graphene and WTe2
Authors: Liu Yujie , Liu Chuan , Wang Xiaomu , He Liang , Wan Xiangang , Xu Yongbing , Shi Yi , Zhang Rong , Wang Fengqiu 
Published: August 2018

AbstractHeterostructures based on two-dimensional (2D) materials have sparked wide interests in both fundamental physics and applied devices. Recently, Dirac/Weyl semimetals are emerging as capable functional materials for optoelectronic devices. However, thus far the interfacial coupling of an all-semimetal 2D heterostructure has not been investigated, and its effects on optoelectronic properties remain less well understood. Here, a heterostructure comprising of all semi-metallic constituents, namely graphene and WTe2, is fabricated. Standard photocurrent measurements on a graphene/WTe2 phototransistor reveal a pronounced photocurrent enhancement (a photoresponsivity ~8.7 A/W under 650 nm laser illumination). Transport and photocurrent mapping suggest that both photovoltaic and photothermoelectric effects contribute to the enhanced photoresponse of the hybrid system. Our results help to enrich the understanding of new and emerging device concepts based on 2D layered materials.
Rapid Regeneration and Reuse of Silica Columns from PCR Purification and Gel Extraction Kits
Authors: Zhou Ying , Zhang Yang , He Wei , Wang Juan , Peng Feixia , Huang Liyun , Zhao Shasha , Deng Wensheng 
Published: August 2018

AbstractSilica columns from PCR purification and gel extraction kits are widely used in laboratories worldwide to assist in gene cloning. However, the use of these columns can generate plastic waste that has an environmental impact due to their one-off design and massive consumption. Thus, it is important to develop a novel method that can reduce the utilization of silica columns but not affect research efficiency. In this study, various chemical and nonchemical reagents were used to eliminate residual DNA within used columns from PCR purification and gel extraction kits. We show that phosphoric acid is the most effective reagent among those tested to remove DNA contamination from used columns. Columns regenerated using 1 M phosphoric acid have a DNA purification capability that is comparable to that of fresh columns. We demonstrate that silica columns can be regenerated and reused a minimum of five times. The lab-made buffers are compatible with the regenerated columns for DNA purification, and DNA that is prepared with the regenerated columns can be used for gene cloning without affecting the gene cloning efficiency. Thus, the use of this novel method greatly reduces the production of laboratory waste and benefits numerous laboratories worldwide.
Detection and Categorization of Diarrheagenic Escherichia coli with Auto-microfluidic Thin-film Chip Method
Authors: Yun Zhenyu , Zeng Lian , Huang Weijian , Wu Qi , Fan Yiling , Zheng Shigang , Peng Liping , Han Jiayu , Huang Ying , Zhou Hang , Chen Haodong 
Published: August 2018

AbstractDiarrheagenic Escherichia coli (DEC) causes human diarrhea symptom in both healthy and immunocompromised individuals. An auto-microfluidic thin-film chip (AMTC) instrument integrating one-step multiplex PCR (mPCR) with reverse dot blot hybridization (RDBH) was developed for high-throughput detection of DEC. The novel mPCR method was developed by designing 14 specific primers and corresponding probes. 14 indexes including an endogenous gene (uidA) and 13 pathogenic genes (stx1, stx2, escV, ipaH, invE, estB, lt, pic, aggR, astA, bfpB, sth and stp) of DEC were detected. This one-step mPCR + RDBH approach is useful for simultaneous detection of numerous target genes in a single sample, whose specificity and availability have been confirmed on the positive control of 11 DEC strains. In addition, with 300 diarrheal stool samples being detected by this method, 21 were found to contain five major DEC strains. Compared with monoplex PCR and previous one-step mPCR approach, this method could detect ipaH and estB, and compared with current commercial kit, the relevance ratio of DEC detected by the AMTC method was increased by 1% in stool samples. Furthermore, the novel integration AMTC device could be a valuable detection tool for categorization of E. coli.
Acoustic cloak based on Bézier scatterers
Authors: Lu Zhimiao , Sanchis Lorenzo , Wen Jihong , Cai Li , Bi Yafeng , Sánchez-Dehesa José 
Published: August 2018

AbstractAmong the different approaches proposed to design acoustic cloaks, the one consisting on the use of an optimum distribution of discrete scatters surrounding the concealing object has been successfully tested. The feasibility of acoustic cloaks mainly depends on the number and shape of the scatterers surrounding the object to be cloaked. This work presents a method allowing the reduction of the number of discrete scatterers by optimizing their external shape, which is here defined by a combination of cubic Bézier curves. Based on scattering cancellation, a two-dimensional directional cloak consisting of just 20 Bézier scatters has been designed, fabricated and experimentally characterized. The method of fundamental solutions has been implemented to calculate the interaction of an incident plane wave with scatterers of arbitrary shape. The acoustic cloak here proposed shows a performance, in terms of averaged visibility, similar to that consisting of 120 scatterers with equal circular cross sections. The operational frequency of the proposed cloak is 5940 Hz with a bandwidth of about 110 Hz.
A miR172 target-deficient AP2-like gene correlates with the double flower phenotype in roses
Authors: François Léa , Verdenaud Marion , Fu Xiaopeng , Ruleman Darcy , Dubois Annick , Vandenbussche Michiel , Bendahmane Abdelhafid , Raymond Olivier , Just Jérémy , Bendahmane Mohammed 
Published: August 2018

AbstractOne of the well-known floral abnormalities in flowering plants is the double-flower phenotype, which corresponds to flowers that develop extra petals, sometimes even containing entire flowers within flowers. Because of their highly priced ornamental value, spontaneous double-flower variants have been found and selected for in a wide range of ornamental species. Previously, double flower formation in roses was associated with a restriction of AGAMOUS expression domain toward the centre of the meristem, leading to extra petals. Here, we characterized the genomic region containing the mutation associated with the switch from simple to double flowers in the rose. An APETALA2-like gene (RcAP2L), a member of the Target Of EAT-type (TOE-type) subfamily, lies within this interval. In the double flower rose, two alleles of RcAP2L are present, one of which harbours a transposable element inserted into intron 8. This insertion leads to the creation of a miR172 resistant RcAP2L variant. Analyses of the presence of this variant in a set of simple and double flower roses demonstrate a correlation between the presence of this allele and the double flower phenotype. These data suggest a role of this miR172 resistant RcAP2L variant in regulating RcAGAMOUS expression and double flower formation in Rosa sp.
Lower body mass index and mortality in older adults starting dialysis
Authors: Polinder-Bos Harmke A. , Diepen Merel van , Dekker Friedo W. , Hoogeveen Ellen K. , Franssen Casper F. M. , Gansevoort Ron T. , Gaillard Carlo A. J. M. 
Published: August 2018

AbstractLower body mass index (BMI) has consistently been associated with mortality in elderly in the general and chronic disease populations. Remarkably, in older incident dialysis patients no association of BMI with mortality was found. We performed an in-depth analysis and explored possible time-stratified effects of BMI. 908 incident dialysis patients aged ≥65 years of the NECOSAD study were included, and divided into tertiles by baseline BMI (<23.1 (lower), 23.1–26.0 (reference), ≥26.0 (higher) kg/m2). Because the hazards changed significantly during follow-up, the effect of BMI was modeled for the short-term (<1 year) and longer-term (≥1 year after dialysis initiation). During follow-up (median 3.8 years) 567 deaths occurred. Lower BMI was associated with higher short-term mortality risk (adjusted-HR 1.63 [1.14–2.32] P = 0.007), and lower longer-term mortality risk (adjusted-HR 0.81 [0.63–1.04] P = 0.1). Patients with lower BMI who died during the first year had significantly more comorbidity, and worse self-reported physical functioning compared with those who survived the first year. Thus, lower BMI is associated with increased 1-year mortality, but conditional on surviving the first year, lower BMI yielded a similar or lower mortality risk compared with the reference. Those patients with lower BMI, who had limited comorbidity and better physical functioning, had better survival.
In vivo Diffusion Tensor Imaging, Diffusion Kurtosis Imaging, and Tractography of a Sciatic Nerve Injury Model in Rat at 9.4T
Authors: Andersson Gustav , Orädd Greger , Sultan Fahad , Novikov Lev N. 
Published: August 2018

AbstractPeripheral nerve injuries result in severe loss of sensory and motor functions in the afflicted limb. There is a lack of standardised models to non-invasively study degeneration, regeneration, and normalisation of neuronal microstructure in peripheral nerves. This study aimed to develop a non-invasive evaluation of peripheral nerve injuries, using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI), and tractography on a rat model of sciatic nerve injury. 10 female Sprague Dawley rats were exposed to sciatic nerve neurotmesis and studied using a 9.4 T magnet, by performing DTI and DKI of the sciatic nerve before and 4 weeks after injury. The distal nerve stump showed a decrease in fractional anisotropy (FA), mean kurtosis (MK), axonal water fraction (AWF), and radial and axonal kurtosis (RK, AK) after injury. The proximal stump showed a significant decrease in axial diffusivity (AD) and increase of MK and AK as compared with the uninjured nerve. Both mean diffusivity (MD) and radial diffusivity (RD) increased in the distal stump after injury. Tractography visualised the sciatic nerve and the site of injury, as well as local variations of the diffusion parameters following injury. In summary, the described method detects changes both proximal and distal to the nerve injury.
Distinct systemic microbiome and microbial translocation are associated with plasma level of anti-CD4 autoantibody in HIV infection
Authors: Xu Wanli , Luo Zhenwu , Alekseyenko Alexander V. , Martin Lisa , Wan Zhuang , Ling Binhua , Qin Zhiqiang , Heath Sonya L. , Maas Kendra , Cong Xiaomei , Jiang Wei 
Published: August 2018

AbstractMicrobial signals have been linked to autoantibody induction. Recently, we found that purified anti-CD4 autoantibodies from the plasma of chronic HIV-1-infected patients under viral-suppressed antiretroviral therapy (ART) play a pathologic role in poor CD4+ T cell recovery. The purpose of the study was to investigate the association of systemic microbiome and anti-CD4 autoantibody production in HIV. Plasma microbiome from 12 healthy controls and 22 HIV-infected subjects under viral-suppressed ART were analyzed by MiSeq sequencing. Plasma level of autoantibodies and microbial translocation (LPS, total bacterial 16S rDNA, soluble CD14, and LPS binding protein) were analyzed by ELISA, limulus amebocyte assay, and qPCR. We found that plasma level of anti-CD4 IgGs but not anti-CD8 IgGs was increased in HIV+ subjects compared to healthy controls. HIV+ subjects with plasma anti-CD4 IgG > 50 ng/mL (high) had reduced microbial diversity compared to HIV+ subjects with anti-CD4 IgG ≤ 50 ng/mL (low). Moreover, plasma anti-CD4 IgG level was associated with elevated microbial translocation and reduced microbial diversity in HIV+ subjects. The Alphaproteobacteria class was significantly enriched in HIV+ subjects with low anti-CD4 IgG compared to patients with high anti-CD4 IgG even after controlling for false discovery rate (FDR). The microbial components were different from the phylum to genus level in HIV+ subjects with high anti-CD4 IgGs compared to the other two groups, but these differences were not significant after controlling for FDR. These results suggest that systemic microbial translocation and microbiome may associate with anti-CD4 autoantibody production in ART-treated HIV disease.
Fluoxetine does not enhance the effect of perceptual learning on visual function in adults with amblyopia
Authors: Huttunen Henri J. , Palva J. Matias , Lindberg Laura , Palva Satu , Saarela Ville , Karvonen Elina , Latvala Marja-Leena , Liinamaa Johanna , Booms Sigrid , Castrén Eero , Uusitalo Hannu 
Published: August 2018

AbstractAmblyopia is a common visual disorder that is treatable in childhood. However, therapies have limited efficacy in adult patients with amblyopia. Fluoxetine can reinstate early-life critical period-like neuronal plasticity and has been used to recover functional vision in adult rats with amblyopia. We conducted a Phase 2, randomized (fluoxetine vs. placebo), double-blind, multicenter clinical trial examined whether or not fluoxetine can improve visual acuity in amblyopic adults. This interventional trial included 42 participants diagnosed with moderate to severe amblyopia. Subjects were randomized to receive either 20 mg fluoxetine (n = 22) or placebo (n = 20). During the 10-week treatment period, all subjects performed daily computerized perceptual training and eye patching. At the primary endpoint, the mean treatment group difference in visual acuity improvement was only 0.027 logMAR units (95% CI: −0.057 to 0.110; p = 0.524). However, visual acuity had significantly improved from baseline to 10 weeks in both fluoxetine (−0.167 logMAR; 95% CI: −0.226 to −0.108; p < 0.001) and placebo (−0.194 logMAR; 95% CI: −0.254 to −0.133; p < 0.001) groups. While this study failed to provide evidence that fluoxetine enhances neuroplasticity, our data support other recent clinical studies suggesting that improvement of vision can be accomplished in adults with amblyopia.
An interaction network driven approach for identifying biomarkers for progressing cervical intraepithelial neoplasia
Authors: Suman Shikha , Mishra Ashutosh 
Published: August 2018

AbstractOverlapping genes across high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (CIN2 and 3) and cancer may serve as potential biomarkers for this progressive disease. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of dysplastic (CIN2 and CIN3) and cancer cells were identified by microarray data analysis. Gene interaction network was constructed using the 98 common DEGs among the dysplastic and cancer cells and analysed for the identification of common modules, hubs and significant motifs. Two significant modules and 10 hubs of the common gene interaction network, with 125 nodes and 201 edges were found. DEGs namely NDC80, ZWINT, CDC7, MCM4, MCM2 and MCM6 were found to be common in both the significant modules as well as the hubs. Of these, ZWINT, CDC7, MCM4, MCM2 and MCM6 were further identified to be part of most significant motifs. This overlapping relationship provides a list of common disease related genes among pre-cancerous and cancer stages which could help in targeting the proliferating cancerous cells during onset. Capitalizing upon and targeting Minichromosome maintenance protein complex - specifically the MCM2, MCM4 and MCM6 subunits, ZWINT and CDC7 for experimental validation, may provide valuable insights in understanding and detection of progressing cervical neoplasia to cervical cancer at an early stage.
Theta-burst stimulation causally affects side perception in the Deutsch’s octave illusion
Authors: Capotosto Paolo , della Penna Stefania , Pizzella Vittorio , Zappasodi Filippo , Romani Gian Luca , Ilmoniemi Risto J. , Brancucci Alfredo 
Published: August 2018

AbstractDeutsch’s octave illusion is produced by a sequence of two specular dichotic stimuli presented in alternation to the left and right ear causing an illusory segregation of pitch (frequency) and side (ear of origin). Previous studies have indicated that illusory perception of pitch takes place in temporo-frontal areas, whereas illusory perception of side is primarily associated to neural activity in parietal cortex and in particular in the inferior parietal lobule (IPL). Here we investigated the causal role of left IPL in the perception of side (ear of origin) during the octave illusion by following its inhibition through continuous theta-burst stimulation (cTBS), as compared to the left posterior intraparietal sulcus (pIPS), whose activity is thought to be unrelated to side perception during the illusion. We observed a prolonged modification in the side of the illusory perceived tone during the first 10 minutes following the stimulation. Specifically, while after cTBS over the left IPS subjects reported to perceive the last tone more often at the right compared to the left ear, cTBS over left IPL significantly reverted this distribution, as the number of last perceived tones at the right ear was smaller than at the left ear. Such alteration was not maintained in the successive 10 minutes. These results provide the first evidence of the causal involvement of the left IPL in the perception of side during the octave illusion.
The Effects of Intra-membrane Viscosity on Lipid Membrane Morphology: Complete Analytical Solution
Authors: Zeidi Mahdi , Kim Chun Il 
Published: August 2018

AbstractWe present a linear theory of lipid membranes which accommodates the effects of intra-membrane viscosity into the model of deformations. Within the Monge parameterization, a linearized version of the shape equation describing membrane morphology is derived. Admissible boundary conditions are taken from the existing non-linear model but reformulated and adopted to the present framework. We obtain a complete analytical expression illustrating the deformations of lipid membrane subjected to the influences of intra-membrane viscosity. The result predicts wrinkle phenomena in the event of membrane-substrate interactions. Finally, we mention that the obtained solutions reduce to those from the classical shape equation when the viscosity effects are removed.
Effect of Polarization Coulomb Field Scattering on Electrical Properties of the 70-nm Gate-Length AlGaN/GaN HEMTs
Authors: Cui Peng , Lv Yuanjie , Fu Chen , Liu Huan , Cheng Aijie , Luan Chongbiao , Zhou Yang , Lin Zhaojun 
Published: August 2018

AbstractThis research presents the first experimental observation of the enhancement of the polarization Coulomb field (PCF) scattering by aggressive lateral scaling of GaN HEMTs. By decreasing the source-drain distance to 300 nm through n+-GaN ohmic regrowth, 70-nm gate AlGaN/GaN HEMTs achieved an extremely low electron mobility. Different from the electron mobility of the traditional device, which was determined by polar optical phonon scattering, the electron mobility of the 70-nm gate AlGaN/GaN HEMTs was dominated by PCF scattering due to the enhanced nonuniform strain distribution of the AlGaN barrier layer. Furthermore, compared with the parasitic access resistance at gate-source voltage VGS = 0 V, the parasitic access resistance at VGS = −2.5 V showed an increase of approximately 700%, which was also responsible for the enhanced PCF scattering.