bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
HNF1A/CASC2 regulates pancreatic cancer cell proliferation through PTEN/Akt signaling
Authors: Yu Yaqun , Liang Shuai , Zhou Yingqiong , Li Shuqun , Li Yixiong , Liao Weijia 
Published: September 2017

AbstractPancreatic cancer (PC) has a high mortality rate in all cancers worldwide. According to recent studies, long noncoding RNA‐CASC2 is involved in the development and progression of many malignant tumors; in the present study, we demonstrated that lncRNA‐CASC2 was specifically downregulated in PC tissues and cell lines, and a lower CASC2 expression in PC was related with a poorer prognosis. CASC2 suppressed PC cell proliferation. Hepatocyte nuclear factor 1 alpha (HNF1A) is a transcription factor known to regulate pancreatic differentiation and maintain the homeostasis of the endocrine pancreas. Recently, HNF1A is considered to be a possible tumor suppressor in PC. In the present study, we observed that HNF1A positively regulated CASC2 expression. Through luciferase assays, we demonstrated that CASC2 gene possessed an HNF1A‐responsive element (CASC2‐HNF1A RE); HNF1A could promote CASC2 expression through direct binding to CASC2‐HNF1A RE. Further, PTEN/Akt signaling was involved in HNF1A regulation of CASC2. Finally, we evaluated the expression level of HNF1A in PC tissues; lower HNF1A expression was correlated with shorter overall survival in patients with PC. Taken together, these findings will shed light on the role and mechanism of HNF1A/CASC2 in regulating PC cells proliferation through PTEN/Akt signaling. CASC2 may serve as a potential therapeutic target in PC in the future.
Investigation on the absolute and relative photoionization cross sections of 3 potential propargylic fuels
Authors: Winfough Matthew , Meloni Giovanni 
Published: September 2017

AbstractAbsolute photoionization cross sections for 2 potential propargylic fuels (propargylamine and dipropargyl ether) along with the partial ionization cross sections for their dissociative fragments are measured and presented for the first time via synchrotron photoionization mass spectrometry. The experimental setup consists of a multiplexed orthogonal time‐of‐flight mass spectrometer and is located at the Advanced Light Source facility of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in Berkeley, California. Data for a third propargylic compound (propargyl alcohol) were taken; however, because of its low signal, due to its weakly bound cation, only the dissociative ionization fragment from the H‐loss channel is observed and presented. Suggested pathways leading to formation of dissociative photoionization fragments along with CBS‐QB3 calculated adiabatic ionization energies and appearance energies for the dissociative fragments are also presented.
Fragmentation of 2‐aroylbenzofuran derivatives by electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry
Authors: Dias Herbert J. , Vieira Tatiana M. , Crevelin Eduardo J. , Donate Paulo M. , Vessecchi Ricardo , Crotti Antônio E.M. 
Published: September 2017

AbstractWe investigated the gas‐phase fragmentation reactions of a series of 2‐aroylbenzofuran derivatives by electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (ESI‐MS/MS). The most intense fragment ions were the acylium ions m/z 105 and [M+H–C6H6]+, which originated directly from the precursor ion as a result of 2 competitive hydrogen rearrangements. Eliminations of CO and CO2 from [M+H–C6H6]+ were also common fragmentation processes to all the analyzed compounds. In addition, eliminations of the radicals •Br and •Cl were diagnostic for halogen atoms at aromatic ring A, whereas eliminations of •CH3 and CH2O were useful to identify the methoxyl group attached to this same ring. We used thermochemical data, obtained at the B3LYP/6‐31+G(d) level of theory, to rationalize the fragmentation pathways and to elucidate the formation of E, which involved simultaneous elimination of 2 CO molecules from B.
Economic tradeoffs of managing for timber production or wildlife habitat
Authors: Davis Phillip Brock , Munn Ian A. , Henderson James E. , Strickland Bronson K. 
Published: September 2017

ABSTRACTLittle quantitative information is available to nonindustrial‐private forest (NIPF) owners regarding economic tradeoffs between managing pine plantations for timber production or wildlife habitat. We modeled loblolly (Pinus taeda) pine plantations to quantify economic tradeoffs for competing management scenarios using densities aimed at wildlife habitat or timber production in the Lower Coastal Plain and Coastal Flatwoods regions of Mississippi, USA. Scenarios contained a range of site indices, planting densities, thinning densities and frequencies, and rotation lengths for timber maximization and white‐tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) or northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) habitat production. Land expectation values (LEVs) were highest for timber scenarios, followed by joint deer and timber, joint quail and timber, deer, and quail management scenarios. Comparison to the regional hunting lease rate revealed that compensatory lease rates from the study could be realized, making wildlife management as valuable as timber management. The results of this study could help landowners be more informed about economic tradeoffs when making management decisions on their property. © 2017 The Wildlife Society.
Sinonasal quality of life after endoscopic resection of malignant sinonasal and skull base tumors
Authors: Glicksman Jordan T. , Parasher Arjun K. , Brooks Steven G. , Workman Alan D. , Lambert Justina L. , Bergman Jenna E. , Palmer James N. , Adappa Nithin D. 
Published: September 2017

ObjectivesImprovement in sinonasal quality of life (QoL) following sinus surgery has been well‐documented across the literature. To our knowledge, only one series has evaluated long‐term QoL in patients undergoing tumor resection, and that study demonstrated no improvement in rhinologic QoL following malignant tumor resection at 2‐year follow‐up. The objective of the present study was to evaluate QoL in the 2 years following endoscopic malignant tumor resection.MethodsA prospective cohort study was performed, including patients with both malignant and benign sinonasal tumors in a tertiary academic medical center. Patients undergoing endoscopic tumor resection who had completed Sinonasal Outcome Test 22 (SNOT‐22) questionnaires were included in the cohort. SNOT‐22 questionnaires were administered preoperatively and over a 2‐year follow‐up period at clinic visits. Longitudinal linear mixed‐effects regression was used to compare preoperative QoL to QoL over the 2 years following surgery.ResultsAmong 145 patients included in this study, 64 had malignant tumors. There was a statistically significant improvement in SNOT‐22 score from baseline to 2 years for patients with both malignant tumors (37.0, 95% confidence Interval [CI] 32.0–42.1 at baseline; 26.5 95% CI 20.8–32.2 at 2 years; P < 0.001) and benign tumors (26.5, 95% CI 21.4–30.4 at baseline; 12.9 95% CI 7.6–18.2 at 2 years; P < 0.001).ConclusionIn contrast to previously reported series, in this cohort endoscopic resection of sinonasal tumors appears to be followed by an improvement in QoL, which is sustained over a 2‐year period.Level of Evidence2b. Laryngoscope, 128:789–793, 2018
Soil Sealing: Quantifying Impacts on Soil Functions by a Geospatial Decision Support System
Authors: Piero Manna , Angelo Basile , Antonello Bonfante , Amedeo D'Antonio , Carlo De Michele , Michela Iamarino , Giuliano Langella , Florindo Mileti Antonio , Paolo Pileri , Simona Vingiani , Fabio Terribile 
Published: September 2017

AbstractSoil sealing is considered among the most dangerous of land degradation processes on global, European and national scales. Despite important policy documents aiming to mitigate this soil threat, it currently shows no signs of abating, and current efforts often do not result in appropriate implementation of soil sealing mitigation in spatial planning, which represents the subject area governing soil sealing. In this paper, we show a spatial decision support system – based on a Geospatial Cyberinfrastructure – with the aim of applying it as an operational instrument aiming towards soil sealing mitigation. The system has the ambition to impact on those who take decision over soil sealing; typically, these are not agriculture experts but rather spatial planners.This tool, focusing on mitigating such crucial land degradation, allows the users – via the Web – to produce ‘what‐if’ land planning scenarios thanks to the ‘on‐the‐fly’ modelling engines. Therefore, integrated geospatial quantitative data and procedures may be directly and freely used by planners.The tool has been applied to and tested in an area in the South of Italy. Results from two applications are reported: one addressing municipal planning and the other on a more detailed spatial scale. Furthermore, results include quantification of rural fragmentation, loss of soil ecosystem services and an estimate of soil sealing evolution over time.The tool was developed with the help of end users and indirectly explores a change of paradigm where soil science and landscape/urban planning work together to provide operational instruments that may be adopted by local communities in addressing soil sealing issues with a proactive approach. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Synthesis of amphiphilic homopolymers and their self‐assembly into acid‐responsive polymeric micelles
Authors: Noh Hyeongju , Kim Ho‐Joong , Yang Si Kyung 
Published: September 2017

ABSTRACTThis contribution presents a strategy for preparing amphiphilic homopolymers as building blocks for self‐assembly into supramolecular nanostructures. The synthesis begins with norbornene monomers containing oligoethylene glycols on the side chains. Ring‐opening metathesis polymerization of the monomers and subsequent dihydroxylation afford water‐soluble dihydroxylated poly(norbornene)s (PNBs). Amphiphilic modifications of the hydrophilic PNBs can be achieved by reacting 1,2‐diols on the backbones with hydrophobic dodecanals to form acetal linkages. The self‐assembly of the resulting amphiphilic PNB homopolymers affords polymeric micelles whose morphologies can be tuned by breaking the acetal linkages under acidic conditions. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2017, 55, 3804–3808
Synthesis and one‐dimensional assembly of cylindrical polymer nanoparticles prepared from tricomponent bottlebrush copolymers
Authors: Onbulak Sebla , Rzayev Javid 
Published: September 2017

ABSTRACTBiological systems feature controlled assembly of well‐defined building blocks at different length scales. While major progress has been achieved in directing the assembly of synthetic molecular building blocks, controlled organization of nanostructured units into micro‐ and macroscale aggregates remains a challenge. Herein, we report the synthesis of well‐defined nanostructured building blocks, cylindrical polymeric nanoparticles with controlled dimensions and inner surface chemistry, and their dynamic anisotropic organization into one‐dimensional assemblies. Nanoparticle building blocks were produced by molecular templating of cylindrical bottlebrush copolymers featuring tricomponent side chains. The produced nanostructures were composed of a nonionic and bioinert polyethylene glycol (PEG) shell and stimuli‐responsive poly(methacrylic acid) (PMA) chains grafted on the interior. We show that pH‐dependent interactions between PMA chains exposed only at the nanoparticle ends lead to anisotropic end‐to‐end association of parent cylindrical nanostructures into elongated superstructures. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2017, 55, 3868–3874
Alkyl side chain length dependent compatibility of poly(4‐n‐alkylstyrene)s and 1,4‐rich polyisoprene blends
Authors: Matsushima Satoru , Takano Atsushi , Matsushita Yushu 
Published: September 2017

ABSTRACTWe investigated the compatibility of blends of 1,4‐rich polyisoprene (1,4‐PI) and poly(4‐n‐alkylstyrene)s with six kinds of n‐alkyl side groups, that is, methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, hexyl, and octyl focusing on carbon number of alkyl groups. Poly(4‐methylstyrene)/1,4‐PI blend was turned out to be immiscible at all temperature range adopted in this work and poly(4‐ethylstyrene)/1,4‐PI blend revealed UCST type phase behavior, while the others were found to be compatible. The phase diagrams of poly(4‐ethylstyrene)/1,4‐PI blends were obtained by optical microscopy, and the temperature dependence of the Flory‐Huggins interaction parameter χ has been estimated to be χ = −0.036 + 24/T by applying lattice theory, where T is the absolute temperature. From this relationship χ value at room temperature (298 K) was calculated to be 0.045, the value is reasonably low for miscible polymers system. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2017, 55, 1791–1797
Thermal actuation of hydrogels from PNIPAm, alginate, and carbon nanofibres
Authors: Warren Holly , in het Panhuis Marc , Spinks Geoffrey M. , Officer David L. 
Published: September 2017

ABSTRACTComposite ionic‐covalent entanglement (ICE) hydrogel networks were prepared from poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide), alginate, and carbon nanofibres. An optimised triple network hydrogel with 86% water content exhibited a compressive strength of 3.0 ± 0.1 MPa and 66 ± 13 mS/cm electrical conductivity. Thermal actuation was shown to have a shorter response time for gels containing nanofibres, compared to those which did not and hydrogel samples more than halved in volume within 1 minute when placed in a 60 °C water bath. Controlled dye release was demonstrated as a potential application and used to further quantify thermal actuation over short times. Joule heating techniques were used to electronically actuate the hydrogel samples, removing the traditional requirements for immersion in a temperature controlled liquid. It is expected that devices based on these materials will find potential applications in soft robotics and micro fluidics. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2018, 56, 46–52
Reduced stress‐optical coefficient of polycarbonate by antiplasticization
Authors: Nobukawa Shogo , Hasunuma Seiki , Sako Takumi , Miyagawa Azusa , Yamaguchi Masayuki 
Published: September 2017

ABSTRACTWe have investigated the effect of antiplasticization on the stress‐optical behavior of polycarbonate (PC) containing terphenyls (tPh) and di(2‐ethylhexyl)adipate (DEHA). Addition of the three tPhs (p‐, o‐, and m‐tPh) and DEHA at contents of 5–10 wt % increases the tensile storage modulus (E') of PC owing to the antiplasticization effect. In particular, p‐tPh increases E' more than the other additives, suggesting that the rod‐like shape matches the free volume of PC in the glassy state. The three tPh isomers improve the glassy birefringence of PC while DEHA does not change the glassy birefringence, which corresponds to the polarizability anisotropy. The stress‐optical coefficient, a ratio of stress and birefringence, of PC decreases with increasing additive content in order of p‐tPh ≫ o‐tPh > m‐tPh = DEHA. This result is agreement with a restricted rotational motion of additive molecule in PC, which is observed in dynamic mechanical and birefringence data. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2017, 55, 1837–1842
Arginine‐rich membrane‐permeable peptides are seriously toxic
Authors: Li Qian , Xu Mengchuan , Cui Yali , Huang Chunqian , Sun Manji 
Published: September 2017

AbstractThe membrane‐permeable peptides (MPP) such as undecapeptides TAT (YGRKKRRQRRR) and CTP (YGRRARRRRRR) have been receiving much attention for delivering various kinds of low membrane‐permeability materials in vitro and in vivo. We have successfully used MPP in carrying various proteins through blood‐brain barrier (BBB) in treatment of many kinds of nervous diseases. However, people always concentrate their mind on the efficacy and the mechanism of permeation of the conjugates across BBB, but overlook the toxicity of the membrane‐permeable peptide itself. Once we injected intravenously not very large amounts of gamma‐aminobutyric acid‐MPP (GABA‐MPP) to the mice, to our great surprise, the mice died within seconds with seizure, whereas the GABA control mice well survived. Thus, the importance of the toxicity of MPPs and their conjugates comes into the field of our vision. The low LD50 values of arginine‐rich TAT (27.244 mg kg−1) and CTP (21.345 mg kg−1) per se in mice indicate that they all fall within the range of highly toxic chemicals. Among the arginine‐rich peptides, R11 (RRRRRRRRRRR), a peptide composed purely of arginine residues, has the lowest LD50 value (16.5 mg kg−1) and manifests the highest toxicity, whereas TD (ACSSSPSKHCG), a peptide without arginine residue, shows a much lower toxicity and higher survival rate in mice. The mass percentage of arginine‐rich MPP in the conjugate is critically important, the mass radio of arginine in the MPP appears a linear correlation with the toxicity. Thus we conclude, the arginine‐rich MPPs are more suitable for using in the macro‐molecular conjugates, but not in the small‐molecular one.
Possible use of a H3R antagonist for the management of nonmotor symptoms in the Q175 mouse model of Huntington's disease
Authors: Whittaker Daniel S. , Wang Huei‐Bin , Loh Dawn H. , Cachope Roger , Colwell Christopher S. 
Published: September 2017

AbstractHuntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant, neurodegenerative disorder characterized by motor as well as nonmotor symptoms for which there is currently no cure. The Q175 mouse model of HD recapitulates many of the symptoms identified in HD patients including disruptions of the sleep/wake cycle. In this study, we sought to determine if the daily administration of the histamine‐3 receptor (H3R) antagonist/inverse agonist 6‐[(3‐cyclobutyl‐2,3,4,5‐tetrahydro‐1H‐3‐benzazepin‐7‐yl)oxy]‐N‐methyl‐3‐pyridinecarboxamide hydrochloride (GSK189254) would improve nonmotor symptoms in the Q175 line. This class of drugs acts on autoreceptors found at histaminergic synapses and results in increased levels of histamine (HA). HA is a neuromodulator whose levels vary with a daily rhythm with peak release during the active cycle and relatively lower levels during sleep. H3Rs are widely expressed in brain regions involved in cognitive processes and activation of these receptors promotes wakefulness. We administered GSK189254 nightly to homozygote and heterozygote Q175 mice for 4 weeks and confirmed that the plasma levels of the drug were elevated to a therapeutic range. We demonstrate that daily treatment with GSK189254 improved several behavioral measures in the Q175 mice including strengthening activity rhythms, cognitive performance and mood as measured by the tail suspension test. The treatment also reduced inappropriate activity during the normal sleep time. The drug treatment did not alter motor performance and coordination as measured by the challenging beam test. Our findings suggest that drugs targeting the H3R system may show benefits as cognitive enhancers in the management of HD.
Genetic analysis of tropical maize inbred lines for resistance to maize lethal necrosis disease
Authors: Beyene Yoseph , Gowda Manje , Suresh L. M. , Mugo Stephen , Olsen Michael , Oikeh Sylvester O. , Juma Collins , Tarekegne Amsal , Prasanna Boddupalli M. 
Published: September 2017

AbstractMaize lethal necrosis (MLN) disease is a recent outbreak in eastern Africa and has emerged as a significant threat to maize production in the region. The disease is caused by the co-infection of Maize chlorotic mottle virus and any member of potyviridae family. A total of 28 maize inbred lines with varying levels of tolerance to MLN were crossed in a half-diallel mating design, and the resulting 340 F1 crosses and four commercial checks were evaluated under MLN artificial inoculation at Naivasha, Kenya in 2015 and 2016 using an alpha lattice design with two replications. The objectives of the study were to (i) investigate the magnitude of general combining ability variance (σ
GCA
2
) and specific combining ability variance (σ
SCA
2
) and their interaction with years; (ii) evaluate the efficiencies of GCA based prediction and hybrid performance by means of a cross-validation procedure; (iii) estimate trait correlations in the hybrids; and (iv) identify the MLN tolerant single cross hybrids to be used as female parents for three-way cross hybrids. Results of the combined analysis of variance revealed that both GCA and SCA effects were significant (P < 0.05) for all traits except for ear rot. For MLN scores at early and late stages, GCA effects were 2.5–3.5 times higher than SCA effects indicating that additive gene action is more important than non-additive gene action. The GCA based prediction efficiency for MLN resistance and grain yield accounted for 67–90% of the variations in the hybrid performance suggesting that GCA-based prediction can be proposed to predict MLN resistance and grain yield prior to field evaluation. Three parents, CKDHL120918, CML550, and CKLTI0227 with significant GCA effects for GY (0.61–1.21; P < 0.05) were the most resistant to MLN. Hybrids “CKLTI0227 × CML550”, “CKDHL120918 × CKLTI0138”, and “CKDHL120918 × CKLTI0136” ranked among the best performing hybrids with grain yield of 6.0–6.6 t/ha compared with mean yield of commercial check hybrids (0.6 t/ha). The MLN tolerant inbred lines and single cross hybrids identified in this study could be used to improve MLN tolerance in both public and private sector maize breeding programs in eastern Africa.
Phospholipase D Activity in Relation to the Size of Substrate Micelles
Authors: Dreßler Lars , Ulbrich‐Hofmann Renate 
Published: September 2017

AbstractThe activity of phospholipase D (PLD) is strongly dependent on the aggregation state of its substrate. Artificial substrates, such as phosphatidyl‐p‐nitrophenol (PpNP), are preferably used in a mixture with Triton® X‐100 (Serva) and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) in the form of mixed micelles. In this paper the activities of PLD from cabbage (PLDcab), which needs Ca2+ ions for its activity, and PLD from Streptomyces sp. (PLDStr), which is independent of Ca2+ ions, are compared as a function of the detergent and substrate concentrations. While the variation of the Triton® X‐100 and PpNP contents changed the activities of both enzymes in similar way, SDS showed activation effects on plant PLD but inactivation effects on microbial PLD. The activity decreased to 50% at a 7‐tenfold molar excess of Triton® X‐100 related to PpNP. SDS induced a strong activation (up to fourfold) of PLDcab but decreased the activity of PLDStr with increasing concentration. Activity‐substrate profiles of both PLDs passed optima at 3–4 mM PpNP. In all experiments, the activity changes correlated with changes of the micelle sizes determined by dynamic light scattering. These results highlight the immense importance of the micelle structure, which is not considered in most studies.