bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Bats: Body mass index, forearm mass index, blood glucose levels and SLC2A2 genes for diabetes
Authors: Meng Fanxing , Zhu Lei , Huang Wenjie , Irwin David M. , Zhang Shuyi 
Published: July 2016

AbstractBats have an unusually large volume of endocrine tissue, with a large population of beta cells and an elevated sensitivity to glucose and insulin. This makes them excellent animal models for studying diabetes mellitus. We evaluated bats as models for diabetes in terms of lifestyle and genetic factors. For lifestyle factors, we generated data sets of 149 body mass index (BMI) and 860 forearm mass index (FMI) measurements for different species of bats. Both showed negative inter-species correlations with blood glucose levels in sixteen bats examined. The negative inter-species correlations may reflect adaptation of a small insectivorous ancestor to a larger frugivore. We identified an 11 bp deletion in the proximal promoter of SLC2A2 that we predicted would disrupt binding sites for the transcription repressor ZNF354C. In frugivorous bats this could explain the relatively high expression of this gene, resulting in a better capacity to absorb glucose and decrease blood glucose levels.
Functional and modular analyses of diverse endoglucanases from Ruminococcus albus 8, a specialist plant cell wall degrading bacterium
Authors: Iakiviak Michael , Devendran Saravanan , Skorupski Anna , Moon Young Hwan , Mackie Roderick I. , Cann Isaac 
Published: July 2016

AbstractRuminococcus albus 8 is a specialist plant cell wall degrading ruminal bacterium capable of utilizing hemicellulose and cellulose. Cellulose degradation requires a suite of enzymes including endoglucanases, exoglucanases and β-glucosidases. The enzymes employed by R. albus 8 in degrading cellulose are yet to be completely elucidated. Through bioinformatic analysis of a draft genome sequence of R. albus 8, seventeen putatively cellulolytic genes were identified. The genes were heterologously expressed in E. coli and purified to near homogeneity. On biochemical analysis with cellulosic substrates, seven of the gene products (Ra0185, Ra0259, Ra0325, Ra0903, Ra1831, Ra2461 and Ra2535) were identified as endoglucanases, releasing predominantly cellobiose and cellotriose. Each of the R. albus 8 endoglucanases, except for Ra0259 and Ra0325, bound to the model crystalline cellulose Avicel, confirming functional carbohydrate binding modules (CBMs). The polypeptides for Ra1831 and Ra2535 were found to contain distantly related homologs of CBM65. Mutational analysis of residues within the CBM65 of Ra1831 identified key residues required for binding. Phylogenetic analysis of the endoglucanases revealed three distinct subfamilies of glycoside hydrolase family 5 (GH5). Our results demonstrate that this fibrolytic bacterium uses diverse GH5 catalytic domains appended with different CBMs, including novel forms of CBM65, to degrade cellulose.
Tunable angle-independent refractive index sensor based on Fano resonance in integrated metal and graphene nanoribbons
Authors: Pan Meiyan , Liang Zhaoxing , Wang Yu , Chen Yihang 
Published: July 2016

AbstractWe propose a novel mechanism to construct a tunable and ultracompact refractive index sensor by using the Fano resonance in metal-graphene hybrid nanostructure. Plasmon modes in graphene nanoribbons and waveguide resonance modes in the slits of metal strip array coexist in this system. Strong interference between the two different modes occurs when they are spectrally overlapped, resulting in a Fano-type asymmetrically spectral lineshape which can be used for detecting the variations of ambient refractive index. The proposed sensor has a relatively high figure of merit (FOM) over 20 and its sensing performance shows a good tolerance to roughness. In addition to the wide range measurement enabled by the electrical tuning of graphene plasmon modes, such ultracompact system also provides an angle-independent operation and therefore, it can efficiently work for the detection of gas, liquid, or solids. Such optical nanostructure may also be applied to diverse fields such as temperature/pressure metering, medical detection and mechanical precision measurement.
Identification of a diazinon-metabolizing glutathione S-transferase in the silkworm, Bombyx mori
Authors: Yamamoto Kohji , Yamada Naotaka 
Published: July 2016

AbstractThe glutathione S-transferase superfamily play key roles in the metabolism of numerous xenobiotics. We report herein the identification and characterization of a novel glutathione S-transferase in the silkworm, Bombyx mori. The enzyme (bmGSTu2) conjugates glutathione to 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene, as well as metabolizing diazinon, one of the organophosphate insecticides. Quantitative reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction analysis of transcripts demonstrated that bmGSTu2 expression was induced 1.7-fold in a resistant strain of B. mori. Mutagenesis of putative amino acid residues in the glutathione-binding site revealed that Ile54, Glu66, Ser67 and Asn68 are crucial for enzymatic function. These results provide insights into the catalysis of glutathione conjugation in silkworm by bmGSTu2 and into the detoxification of organophosphate insecticides.
New Magnetic Resonance Imaging Index for Renal Fibrosis Assessment: A Comparison between Diffusion-Weighted Imaging and T1 Mapping with Histological Validation
Authors: Friedli I. , Crowe L. A. , Berchtold L. , Moll S. , Hadaya K. , de Perrot T. , Vesin C. , Martin P.-Y. , de Seigneux S. , Vallée J.-P. 
Published: July 2016

AbstractA need exists to noninvasively assess renal interstitial fibrosis, a common process to all kidney diseases and predictive of renal prognosis. In this translational study, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) T1 mapping and a new segmented Diffusion-Weighted Imaging (DWI) technique, for Apparent Diffusion Coefficient (ADC), were first compared to renal fibrosis in two well-controlled animal models to assess detection limits. Validation against biopsy was then performed in 33 kidney allograft recipients (KARs). Predictive MRI indices, ΔT1 and ΔADC (defined as the cortico-medullary differences), were compared to histology. In rats, both T1 and ADC correlated well with fibrosis and inflammation showing a difference between normal and diseased kidneys. In KARs, MRI indices were not sensitive to interstitial inflammation. By contrast, ΔADC outperformed ΔT1 with a stronger negative correlation to fibrosis (R2 = 0.64 against R2 = 0.29 p < 0.001). ΔADC tends to negative values in KARs harboring cortical fibrosis of more than 40%. Using a discriminant analysis method, the ΔADC, as a marker to detect such level of fibrosis or higher, led to a specificity and sensitivity of 100% and 71%, respectively. This new index has potential for noninvasive assessment of fibrosis in the clinical setting.
Playing the role of weak clique property in link prediction: A friend recommendation model
Authors: Ma Chuang , Zhou Tao , Zhang Hai-Feng 
Published: July 2016

AbstractAn important fact in studying link prediction is that the structural properties of networks have significant impacts on the performance of algorithms. Therefore, how to improve the performance of link prediction with the aid of structural properties of networks is an essential problem. By analyzing many real networks, we find a typical structural property: nodes are preferentially linked to the nodes with the weak clique structure (abbreviated as PWCS to simplify descriptions). Based on this PWCS phenomenon, we propose a local friend recommendation (FR) index to facilitate link prediction. Our experiments show that the performance of FR index is better than some famous local similarity indices, such as Common Neighbor (CN) index, Adamic-Adar (AA) index and Resource Allocation (RA) index. We then explain why PWCS can give rise to the better performance of FR index in link prediction. Finally, a mixed friend recommendation index (labelled MFR) is proposed by utilizing the PWCS phenomenon, which further improves the accuracy of link prediction.
Caloric restriction of db/db mice reverts hepatic steatosis and body weight with divergent hepatic metabolism
Authors: Kim Kyung Eun , Jung Youngae , Min Soonki , Nam Miso , Heo Rok Won , Jeon Byeong Tak , Song Dae Hyun , Yi Chin-ok , Jeong Eun Ae , Kim Hwajin , Kim Jeonghyun , Jeong Seon-Yong , Kwak Woori , Ryu Do Hyun , Horvath Tamas L. , Roh Gu Seob , Hwang Geum-Sook 
Published: July 2016

AbstractNon-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is one of the most frequent causes of liver disease and its prevalence is a serious and growing clinical problem. Caloric restriction (CR) is commonly recommended for improvement of obesity-related diseases such as NAFLD. However, the effects of CR on hepatic metabolism remain unknown. We investigated the effects of CR on metabolic dysfunction in the liver of obese diabetic db/db mice. We found that CR of db/db mice reverted insulin resistance, hepatic steatosis, body weight and adiposity to those of db/m mice. 1H-NMR- and UPLC-QTOF-MS-based metabolite profiling data showed significant metabolic alterations related to lipogenesis, ketogenesis, and inflammation in db/db mice. Moreover, western blot analysis showed that lipogenesis pathway enzymes in the liver of db/db mice were reduced by CR. In addition, CR reversed ketogenesis pathway enzymes and the enhanced autophagy, mitochondrial biogenesis, collagen deposition and endoplasmic reticulum stress in db/db mice. In particular, hepatic inflammation-related proteins including lipocalin-2 in db/db mice were attenuated by CR. Hepatic metabolomic studies yielded multiple pathological mechanisms of NAFLD. Also, these findings showed that CR has a therapeutic effect by attenuating the deleterious effects of obesity and diabetes-induced multiple complications.
In vivo blockade of acetylcholinesterase increases intraovarian acetylcholine and enhances follicular development and fertility in the rat
Authors: Urra Javier , Blohberger Jan , Tiszavari Michelle , Mayerhofer Artur , Lara Hernan E. 
Published: July 2016

AbstractGrowth and differentiation of ovarian follicles are regulated by systemic and local factors, which may include acetylcholine (ACh). Granulosa cells (GCs) of growing follicles and luteal cells produce ACh and in cultured GCs it exerts trophic actions via muscarinic receptors. However, such actions were not studied in vivo. After having established that rat ovarian GCs and luteal cells express the ACh-metabolizing enzyme ACh esterase (AChE), we examined the consequences of local application of an AChE inhibitor, huperzine A (HupA), by osmotic minipump delivery into the ovarian bursa of hemiovariectomized rats. Saline was used in the control group. Local delivery of HupA for 4 weeks increased ovarian ACh content. Estrus cyclicity was not changed indicating a locally restricted range of HupA action. The number of primordial and primary follicles was unaffected, but small secondary follicles significantly increased in the HupA group. Furthermore, a significant increase in the number of corpora lutea suggested increased ovulatory events. In support, as shown upon mating, HupA-treated females had significantly increased implantation sites and more pups. Thus the data are in support of a trophic role of ACh in follicular development and ovulation and point to an important role of ACh in female fertility.
A genome-wide imaging-based screening to identify genes involved in synphilin-1 inclusion formation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Authors: Zhao Lei , Yang Qian , Zheng Ju , Zhu Xuefeng , Hao Xinxin , Song Jia , Lebacq Tom , Franssens Vanessa , Winderickx Joris , Nystrom Thomas , Liu Beidong 
Published: July 2016

AbstractSynphilin-1 is a major component of Parkinson’s disease (PD) inclusion bodies implicated in PD pathogenesis. However, the machinery controlling synphilin-1 inclusion formation remains unclear. Here, we investigated synphilin-1 inclusion formation using a systematic genome-wide, high-content imaging based screening approach (HCI) in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. By combining with a secondary screening for mutants showing significant changes on fluorescence signal intensity, we filtered out hits that significantly decreased the expression level of synphilin-1. We found 133 yeast genes that didn’t affect synphilin-1 expression but that were required for the formation of synphilin-1 inclusions. Functional enrichment and physical interaction network analysis revealed these genes to encode for functions involved in cytoskeleton organization, histone modification, sister chromatid segregation, glycolipid biosynthetic process, DNA repair and replication. All hits were confirmed by conventional microscopy. Complementation assays were performed with a selected group of mutants, results indicated that the observed phenotypic changes in synphilin-1 inclusion formation were directly caused by the loss of corresponding genes of the deletion mutants. Further growth assays of these mutants showed a significant synthetic sick effect upon synphilin-1 expression, which supports the hypothesis that matured inclusions represent an end stage of several events meant to protect cells against the synphilin-1 cytotoxicity.
Nitrogen and hydrophosphate affects glycolipids composition in microalgae
Authors: Wang Xin , Shen Zhouyuan , Miao Xiaoling 
Published: July 2016

AbstractGlycolipids had received increasing attention because of their uses in various industries like cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, food and machinery manufacture. Microalgae were competitive organisms to accumulate metabolic substance. However, using microalgae to produce glycolipid was rare at present. In this study, glycolipid content of Chlorella pyrenoidosa and Synechococcus sp. under different nitrate and hydrophosphate levels were investigated. The highest glycolipid contents of 24.61% for C. pyrenoidosa and 15.37% for Synechococcus sp. were obtained at nitrate absence, which were 17.19% for C. pyrenoidosa and 10.99% for Synechococcus sp. at 0.01 and 0 g L−1 hydrophosphate, respectively. Glycolipid productivities of two microalgae could reach at more than 10.59 mg L−1 d−1. Nitrate absence induced at least 8.5% increase in MGDG, DGDG and SQDG, while hydrophosphate absence resulted in over 21.2% increase in DGDG and over 48.4% increase in SQDG and more than 22.2% decrease in MGDG in two microalgae. Simultaneous nitrate and hydrophosphate limitation could make further improvement of glycolipid accumulation, which was more than 25% for C. pyrenoidosa and 21% for Synechococcus sp. These results suggest that nitrogen and phosphorus limitation or starvation should be an efficient way to improve microalgal glycolipid accumulation.
Multibody cofactor and substrate molecular recognition in the myo-inositol monophosphatase enzyme
Authors: Ferruz Noelia , Tresadern Gary , Pineda-Lucena Antonio , De Fabritiis Gianni 
Published: July 2016

AbstractMolecular recognition is rarely a two-body protein-ligand problem, as it often involves the dynamic interplay of multiple molecules that together control the binding process. Myo-inositol monophosphatase (IMPase), a drug target for bipolar disorder, depends on 3 Mg2+ ions as cofactor for its catalytic activity. Although the crystallographic pose of the pre-catalytic complex is well characterized, the binding process by which substrate, cofactor and protein cooperate is essentially unknown. Here, we have characterized cofactor and substrate cooperative binding by means of large-scale molecular dynamics. Our study showed the first and second Mg2+ ions identify the binding pocket with fast kinetics whereas the third ion presents a much higher energy barrier. Substrate binding can occur in cooperation with cofactor, or alone to a binary or ternary cofactor-IMPase complex, although the last scenario occurs several orders of magnitude faster. Our atomic description of the three-body mechanism offers a particularly challenging example of pathway reconstruction, and may prove particularly useful in realistic contexts where water, ions, cofactors or other entities cooperate and modulate the binding process.
Distal, not proximal, colonic acetate infusions promote fat oxidation and improve metabolic markers in overweight/obese men
Authors: van der Beek Christina M. , Canfora Emanuel E. , Lenaerts Kaatje , Troost Freddy J. , Olde Damink Steven W.M. , Holst Jens J. , Masclee Ad A.M. , Dejong Cornelis H.C. , Blaak Ellen E. 
Published: July 2016

Gut microbial-derived short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) are believed to affect host metabolism and cardiometabolic risk factors. The present study aim was to investigate the effects of proximal and distal colonic infusions with the SCFA acetate on fat oxidation and other metabolic parameters in men. In this randomized, double-blind crossover trial, six overweight/obese men [body mass index (BMI) 25–35 kg/m2] underwent two experimental periods: one with distal and one with proximal colonic sodium acetate infusions. A feeding catheter was endoscopically positioned at the beginning of each period and remained in the colon for three consecutive test days, enabling colonic acetate (100 or 180 mmol/l) or placebo infusion during fasting conditions and after an oral glucose load (postprandial). Fat oxidation and energy expenditure were measured using an open-circuit ventilated hood system and blood samples were repeatedly collected for 2 h during fasting and postprandial conditions. Distal colonic 180 mmol/l acetate infusions increased fasting fat oxidation (1.78±0.28 compared with −0.78±0.89 g fat 2 h−1, P=0.015), fasting peptide YY (PYY, P=0.01) and postprandial glucose and insulin concentrations (P&lt;0.05), and tended to increase fasting plasma acetate (P=0.069) compared with placebo. Distal 100 mmol/l acetate administration tended to decrease fasting tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α; P=0.067) compared with placebo. In contrast, proximal colonic acetate infusions showed no effects on substrate metabolism, circulating hormones or inflammatory markers. In conclusion distal colonic acetate infusions affected whole-body substrate metabolism, with a pronounced increase in fasting fat oxidation and plasma PYY. Modulating colonic acetate may be a nutritional target to treat or prevent metabolic disorders.
Cytochrome P450 associated with insecticide resistance catalyzes cuticular hydrocarbon production in
Anopheles gambiae
Authors: Balabanidou Vasileia , Kampouraki Anastasia , MacLean Marina , Blomquist Gary J. , Tittiger Claus , Juárez M. Patricia , Mijailovsky Sergio J. , Chalepakis George , Anthousi Amalia , Lynd Amy , Antoine Sanou , Hemingway Janet , Ranson Hilary , Lycett Gareth J. , Vontas John 
Published: July 2016

Significance
Malaria incidence has halved since 2000, with 80% of the reduction attributable to the use of insecticides, which now are under threat of resistance. Understanding the mechanisms of insecticide resistance is a key step in delaying and tackling the phenomenon. This study provides evidence of a cuticular mechanism that slows the uptake of pyrethroids, contributing to the resistance phenotype and potentially broadening resistance to multiple insecticide classes, thus providing additional challenges to resistance management. Quantitative modification of cuticular hydrocarbons is associated with increased expression of a 4G cytochrome P450 enzyme, CYP4G16, which catalyzes epicuticular hydrocarbon biosynthesis. This work improves our understanding of insecticide resistance and may facilitate the development of insecticides with greater specificity to mosquitoes and greater potency.
Increased enzyme production under liquid culture conditions in the industrial fungus Aspergillus oryzae by disruption of the genes encoding cell wall α-1,3-glucan synthase
Authors: Miyazawa Ken , Yoshimi Akira , Zhang Silai , Sano Motoaki , Nakayama Mayumi , Gomi Katsuya , Abe Keietsu 
Published: July 2016

Abstract
Under liquid culture conditions, the hyphae of filamentous fungi aggregate to form pellets, which reduces cell density and fermentation productivity. Previously, we found that loss of α-1,3-glucan in the cell wall of the fungus Aspergillus nidulans increased hyphal dispersion. Therefore, here we constructed a mutant of the industrial fungus A. oryzae in which the three genes encoding α-1,3-glucan synthase were disrupted (tripleΔ). Although the hyphae of the tripleΔ mutant were not fully dispersed, the mutant strain did form smaller pellets than the wild-type strain. We next examined enzyme productivity under liquid culture conditions by transforming the cutinase-encoding gene cutL1 into A. oryzae wild-type and the tripleΔ mutant (i.e. wild-type-cutL1, tripleΔ-cutL1). A. oryzae tripleΔ-cutL1 formed smaller hyphal pellets and showed both greater biomass and increased CutL1 productivity compared with wild-type-cutL1, which might be attributable to a decrease in the number of tripleΔ-cutL1 cells under anaerobic conditions.
Cortisone and dexamethasone inhibit myogenesis by modulating the AKT/mTOR signaling pathway in C2C12
Authors: Kim Jonggun , Park Min Young , Kim Hyung Kwan , Park Yeonhwa , Whang Kwang-Youn 
Published: July 2016

AbstractMyogenesis occurs in both the prenatal and postnatal periods and the prenatal myogenesis is related to the postnatal myogenesis and the incidence of disease later in life. Glucocorticoids used as therapeutic agents for many diseases, but cause adverse effects on muscle homeostasis, including defects in fetal muscle development. The action of glucocorticoids on differentiated skeletal muscle was well studied, but their effects on myotube formation have not been well investigated. Dexamethasone (DEX) and cortisone (COR), two synthetic therapeutic glucocorticoids, suppress myotube formation in C2C12 cells. Both COR and DEX attenuated myotube formation through modulation of myogenic regulatory factors. In addition, they affected the IGF/PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway, resulting in increased proteolytic protein (atrogin-1 and MURF1) for muscle degradation and decreased ribosomal S6 phosphorylation. The current results conclude that COR and DEX inhibit myotube formation in C2C12 cells by modulating both the myogenic program via MRFs and protein metabolism via IGF/PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway.