bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The oldest predaceous water bugs (Insecta, Heteroptera, Belostomatidae), with implications for paleolimnology of the Triassic Cow Branch Formation
Authors: Criscione Julia , Grimaldi David 
Published: September 2017

AbstractA new genus and species of predaceous water bugs,Triassonepa solensisn. gen. n. sp., is described from the Triassic Cow Branch Formation of Virginia and North Carolina (USA) based on ~36 adult specimens and 51 nymphs. This species is the oldest known member of the extant family Belostomatidae. It is placed in a new genus based on the unique structure of the raptorial foreleg, in which the tarsus is elongate and opposed to the tibia + femur. The fossil record of this family is reviewed and the paleoenvironmental implications of the species assemblage preserved in the Cow Branch Formation are discussed.
Attitudes to illegal behaviour and conservation in western Tanzania
Authors: Wilfred Paulo , Milner-Gulland E. J. , Travers Henry 
Published: September 2017

AbstractNatural resources in and around protected areas in many countries in Africa are under intense pressure as a result of illegal behaviour, such as fishing, hunting and logging. A better understanding of local people's perceptions of the nature of illegal behaviour and the relevance of conservation actions would be useful in informing conservation decisions. We gathered information on the attitudes and perceptions of communities in the vicinity of Ugalla Game Reserve in western Tanzania regarding illegal behaviour and the effectiveness of conservation practices, using household surveys, key informants, and focus groups. We found that local people use the Reserve illegally, especially for hunting (28 ± SE 6%) and logging (20 ± SE 5%). We explored behaviours that are problematic for conservation in the partially protected areas around Ugalla. Local communities reported feeling isolated, harassed and intimidated by approaches used to protect Ugalla. They were angered by the conservation of Ugalla as a trophy hunting site for foreigners, and the excessive force and beatings used by game rangers to keep them away from the Reserve. Improving local livelihoods (17%), participatory conservation (16%), and giving people land for agricultural activities (16%) were among the ways that local communities felt would reduce illegal activities. Our findings suggest the need for conservation measures to benefit local communities around Ugalla transparently and equitably. Outreach programmes would help to raise conservation awareness and attract positive attitudes towards conservation. To encourage local support for conservation, we also suggest that conservation authorities create and maintain good relations with people living near the Reserve.
Identification of fall predictors in the active elderly population from the routine medical records of general practitioners
Authors: Lastrucci Vieri , Lorini Chiara , Rinaldi Giada , Bonaccorsi Guglielmo 
Published: September 2017

Aim
To evaluate the possibility of determining predictors of falls in the active community-dwelling elderly from the routine medical records of the general practitioners (GPs).

Background
Time constraints and competing demands in the clinical encounters frequently undermine fall-risk evaluation. In the context of proactive primary healthcare, quick, and efficient tools for a preliminary fall-risk assessment are needed in order to overcome these barriers.

Methods
The study included 1220 subjects of 65 years of age or older. Data were extracted from the GPs’ patient records. For each subject, the following variables were considered: age, gender, diseases, and pharmacotherapy. Univariate and multivariable analyses have been conducted to identify the independent predictors of falls.

Findings
The mean age of the study population was 77.8±8.7 years for women and 74.9±7.3 years for men. Of the sample, 11.6% had experienced one or more falls in the previous year. The risk of falling was found to increase significantly (P&lt;0.05) with age (OR=1.03; 95% CI=1.01–1.05), generalized osteoarthritis (OR=2.01; 95% CI=1.23–3.30), tinnitus (OR=4.14; 95% CI=1.25–13.74), cognitive impairment (OR=4.12; 95% CI=2.18–7.80), and two or more co-existing diseases (OR=5.4; 95% CI=1.68–17.39). Results suggest that it is possible to identify patients at higher risk of falling by going through the current medical records, without adding extra workload on the health personnel. In the context of proactive primary healthcare, the analysis of fall predictors from routine medical records may allow the identification of which of the several known and hypothesized risk factors may be more relevant for developing quick and efficient tools for a preliminary fall-risk assessment.
Atomic structures of Coxsackievirus A6 and its complex with a neutralizing antibody
Authors: Xu Longfa , Zheng Qingbing , Li Shaowei , He Maozhou , Wu Yangtao , Li Yongchao , Zhu Rui , Yu Hai , Hong Qiyang , Jiang Jie , Li Zizhen , Li Shuxuan , Zhao Huan , Yang Lisheng , Hou Wangheng , Wang Wei , Ye Xiangzhong , Zhang Jun , Baker Timothy S. , Cheng Tong , Zhou Z. Hong , Yan Xiaodong , Xia Ningshao 
Published: September 2017

AbstractCoxsackievirus A6 (CVA6) has recently emerged as a major cause of hand, foot and mouth disease in children worldwide but no vaccine is available against CVA6 infections. Here, we demonstrate the isolation of two forms of stable CVA6 particles-procapsid and A-particle-with excellent biochemical stability and natural antigenicity to serve as vaccine candidates. Despite the presence (in A-particle) or absence (in procapsid) of capsid-RNA interactions, the two CVA6 particles have essentially identical atomic capsid structures resembling the uncoating intermediates of other enteroviruses. Our near-atomic resolution structure of CVA6 A-particle complexed with a neutralizing antibody maps an immune-dominant neutralizing epitope to the surface loops of VP1. The structure-guided cell-based inhibition studies further demonstrate that these loops could serve as excellent targets for designing anti-CVA6 vaccines.
p190RhoGAP proteins contain pseudoGTPase domains
Authors: Stiegler Amy L. , Boggon Titus J. 
Published: September 2017

AbstractThe two p190RhoGAP proteins, p190RhoGAP-A and -B, are key regulators of Rho GTPase signaling and are essential for actin cytoskeletal structure and contractility. Here we report the discovery of two evolutionarily conserved GTPase-like domains located in the ‘middle domain’, previously thought to be unstructured. Deletion of these domains reduces RhoGAP activity. Crystal structures, MANT-GTPγS binding, thermal denaturation, biochemical assays and sequence homology analysis all strongly support defects in nucleotide-binding activity. Analysis of p190RhoGAP proteins therefore indicates the presence of two previously unidentified domains which represent an emerging group of pseudoenzymes, the pseudoGTPases.
A single early-in-life macrolide course has lasting effects on murine microbial network topology and immunity
Authors: Ruiz Victoria E. , Battaglia Thomas , Kurtz Zachary D. , Bijnens Luc , Ou Amy , Engstrand Isak , Zheng Xuhui , Iizumi Tadasu , Mullins Briana J. , Müller Christian L. , Cadwell Ken , Bonneau Richard , Perez-Perez Guillermo I. , Blaser Martin J. 
Published: September 2017

AbstractBroad-spectrum antibiotics are frequently prescribed to children. Early childhood represents a dynamic period for the intestinal microbial ecosystem, which is readily shaped by environmental cues; antibiotic-induced disruption of this sensitive community may have long-lasting host consequences. Here we demonstrate that a single pulsed macrolide antibiotic treatment (PAT) course early in life is sufficient to lead to durable alterations to the murine intestinal microbiota, ileal gene expression, specific intestinal T-cell populations, and secretory IgA expression. A PAT-perturbed microbial community is necessary for host effects and sufficient to transfer delayed secretory IgA expression. Additionally, early-life antibiotic exposure has lasting and transferable effects on microbial community network topology. Our results indicate that a single early-life macrolide course can alter the microbiota and modulate host immune phenotypes that persist long after exposure has ceased.
The Candida albicans transcription factor Cas5 couples stress responses, drug resistance and cell cycle regulation
Authors: Xie Jinglin L. , Qin Longguang , Miao Zhengqiang , Grys Ben T. , Diaz Jacinto De La Cruz , Ting Kenneth , Krieger Jonathan R. , Tong Jiefei , Tan Kaeling , Leach Michelle D. , Ketela Troy , Moran Michael F. , Krysan Damian J. , Boone Charles , Andrews Brenda J. , Selmecki Anna , Ho Wong Koon , Robbins Nicole , Cowen Leah E. 
Published: September 2017

AbstractThe capacity to coordinate environmental sensing with initiation of cellular responses underpins microbial survival and is crucial for virulence and stress responses in microbial pathogens. Here we define circuitry that enables the fungal pathogen Candida albicans to couple cell cycle dynamics with responses to cell wall stress induced by echinocandins, a front-line class of antifungal drugs. We discover that the C. albicans transcription factor Cas5 is crucial for proper cell cycle dynamics and responses to echinocandins, which inhibit β-1,3-glucan synthesis. Cas5 has distinct transcriptional targets under basal and stress conditions, is activated by the phosphatase Glc7, and can regulate the expression of target genes in concert with the transcriptional regulators Swi4 and Swi6. Thus, we illuminate a mechanism of transcriptional control that couples cell wall integrity with cell cycle regulation, and uncover circuitry governing antifungal drug resistance.
Emergence of charge density waves and a pseudogap in single-layer TiTe2
Authors: Chen P. , Pai Woei Wu , Chan Y.-H. , Takayama A. , Xu C.-Z. , Karn A. , Hasegawa S. , Chou M. Y. , Mo S.-K. , Fedorov A.-V. , Chiang T.-C. 
Published: September 2017

AbstractTwo-dimensional materials constitute a promising platform for developing nanoscale devices and systems. Their physical properties can be very different from those of the corresponding three-dimensional materials because of extreme quantum confinement and dimensional reduction. Here we report a study of TiTe2 from the single-layer to the bulk limit. Using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy and scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy, we observed the emergence of a (2 × 2) charge density wave order in single-layer TiTe2 with a transition temperature of 92 ± 3 K. Also observed was a pseudogap of about 28 meV at the Fermi level at 4.2 K. Surprisingly, no charge density wave transitions were observed in two-layer and multi-layer TiTe2, despite the quasi-two-dimensional nature of the material in the bulk. The unique charge density wave phenomenon in the single layer raises intriguing questions that challenge the prevailing thinking about the mechanisms of charge density wave formation.
Randomized phase III trial evaluating the role of weight loss in adjuvant treatment of overweight and obese women with early breast cancer (Alliance A011401): study design
Authors: Ligibel Jennifer A. , Barry William T. , Alfano Catherine , Hershman Dawn L. , Irwin Melinda , Neuhouser Marian , Thomson Cynthia A. , Delahanty Linda , Frank Elizabeth , Spears Patty , Paskett Electra D. , Hopkins Judith , Bernstein Vanessa , Stearns Vered , White Julia , Hahn Olwen , Hudis Clifford , Winer Eric P. , Wadden Thomas A. , Goodwin Pamela J. 
Published: September 2017

AbstractExcess body weight is a poor prognostic factor in women with early breast cancer, but the effect of weight loss on the risk of breast cancer recurrence and mortality in women who are overweight or obese at the time of breast cancer diagnosis has not been evaluated. The Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology Breast Cancer Weight Loss trial, also known as A011401, is testing the impact of a telephone-based weight loss program on invasive disease-free survival in 3136 women with a body mass index ≥27 kg/m2who have recently been diagnosed with stage II-III, HER-2 negative breast cancer. Secondary outcomes of the trial include the impact of the weight loss intervention on overall survival, body weight, physical activity, dietary intakes, incidence of comorbidities, serum biomarkers and patient reported outcomes. Participants are randomized 1:1 to a 2-year, telephone-based weight loss intervention or to an education control group. The intervention is delivered through 42 telephone calls, delivered by health coaches based at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Calls are supplemented by an intervention workbook, as well as a number of tools to help facilitate weight loss. Intervention goals include loss of 10% of baseline body weight, achieved through caloric restriction and increased physical activity. This large-scale study testing the impact of purposeful weight loss after cancer diagnosis on the risk of breast cancer recurrence and mortality has the potential to make weight loss programs a standard part of breast cancer treatment.
Combination of tomographic ultrasound imaging and three-dimensional magnetic resonance imaging-based model to diagnose postpartum levator avulsion
Authors: Yan Yulin , Dou Chaoran , Wang Xia , Xi Yan , Hu Bing , Ma Li , Ying Tao 
Published: September 2017

AbstractVaginal delivery may cause levator avulsion, which may increase the risk of pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD). To explore the morphological changes of the levator ani muscle (including the puborectalis and iliococcygeus) and levator avulsion after vaginal delivery, translabial tomographic ultrasound imaging (TUI) was used to examine 80 women 45–60 days after their vaginal delivery. Subsequently, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed if at least one-sided puborectalis avulsion was found on TUI. The incidence of puborectalis avulsion in these postpartum women was 13.75% in this study. Both MRI and TUI can detect puborectalis avulsion well, and their results have good consistency. Iliococcygeus muscle injury is difficult to detect using TUI. However, MRI is a good way to observe the morphological changes of the iliococcygeus, which may also be damaged during vaginal delivery. Interestingly, our study reveals that iliococcygeus muscle injury is often associated with severe puborectalis muscle tear.
A de novo substructure generation algorithm for identifying the privileged chemical fragments of liver X receptorβ agonists
Authors: Peng He , Liu Zhihong , Yan Xin , Ren Jian , Xu Jun 
Published: September 2017

AbstractLiver X receptorβ (LXRβ) is a promising therapeutic target for lipid disorders, atherosclerosis, chronic inflammation, autoimmunity, cancer and neurodegenerative diseases. Druggable LXRβ agonists have been explored over the past decades. However, the pocket of LXRβ ligand-binding domain (LBD) is too large to predict LXRβ agonists with novel scaffolds based on either receptor or agonist structures. In this paper, we report ade novoalgorithm which drives privileged LXRβ agonist fragments by starting with individual chemical bonds (de novo) from every molecule in a LXRβ agonist library, growing the bonds into substructures based on the agonist structures with isomorphic and homomorphic restrictions, and electing the privileged fragments from the substructures with a popularity threshold and background chemical and biological knowledge. Using these privileged fragments as queries, we were able to figure out the rules to reconstruct LXRβ agonist molecules from the fragments. The privileged fragments were validated by building regularized logistic regression (RLR) and supporting vector machine (SVM) models as descriptors to predict a LXRβ agonist activities.
Expansion of cytotoxic natural killer cells using irradiated autologous peripheral blood mononuclear cells and anti-CD16 antibody
Authors: Lee Hong-Rae , Son Cheol-Hun , Koh Eun-Kyoung , Bae Jae-Ho , Kang Chi-Dug , Yang Kwangmo , Park You-Soo 
Published: September 2017

AbstractNatural killer (NK) cells are considered a promising strategy for cancer treatment. Various methods for large-scale NK cell expansion have been developed, but they should guarantee that no viable cells are mixed with the expanded NK cells because most methods involve cancer cells or genetically modified cells as feeder cells. We used an anti-CD16 monoclonal antibody (mAb) and irradiated autologous peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) (IrAPs) to provide a suitable environment (activating receptor-ligand interactions) for the NK cell expansion. This method more potently expanded NK cells, and the final product was composed of highly purified NK cells with lesser T-cell contamination. The expanded NK cells showed greater upregulation of various activation receptors, CD107a, and secreted larger amounts of interferon gamma. IrAPs expressed NKG2D ligands and CD48, and coengagement of CD16 with NKG2D and 2B4 caused potent NK cell activation and proliferation. The expanded NK cells were cytotoxic toward various cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, irradiation or a chemotherapeutic drug further enhanced this antitumor effect. Therefore, we developed an effective in vitro culture method for large-scale expansion of highly purified cytotoxic NK cells with potent antitumor activity using IrAPs instead of cancer cell-based feeder cells.
Structural Basis for the Bidirectional Activity of Bacillus nanoRNase NrnA
Authors: Schmier Brad J. , Nelersa Claudiu M. , Malhotra Arun 
Published: September 2017

AbstractNanoRNAs are RNA fragments 2 to 5 nucleotides in length that are generated as byproducts of RNA degradation and abortive transcription initiation. Cells have specialized enzymes to degrade nanoRNAs, such as the DHH phosphoesterase family member NanoRNase A (NrnA). This enzyme was originally identified as a 3′ → 5′ exonuclease, but we show here that NrnA is bidirectional, degrading 2–5 nucleotide long RNA oligomers from the 3′ end, and longer RNA substrates from the 5′ end. The crystal structure of Bacillus subtilis NrnA reveals a dynamic bi-lobal architecture, with the catalytic N-terminal DHH domain linked to the substrate binding C-terminal DHHA1 domain via an extended linker. Whereas this arrangement is similar to the structure of RecJ, a 5′ → 3′ DHH family DNase and other DHH family nanoRNases, Bacillus NrnA has gained an extended substrate-binding patch that we posit is responsible for its 3′ → 5′ activity.
The contrasting roles of creep and stress relaxation in the time-dependent deformation during in-situ cooling of a nickel-base single crystal superalloy
Authors: Panwisawas Chinnapat , D’Souza Neil , Collins David M. , Bhowmik Ayan 
Published: September 2017

AbstractTime dependent plastic deformation in a single crystal nickel-base superalloy during cooling from casting relevant temperatures has been studied using a combination of in-situ neutron diffraction, transmission electron microscopy and modelling. Visco-plastic deformation during cooling was found to be dependent on the stress and constraints imposed to component contraction during cooling, which mechanistically comprises creep and stress relaxation. Creep results in progressive work hardening with dislocations shearing the γ′ precipitates, a high dislocation density in the γ channels and near the γ/γ′ interface and precipitate shearing. When macroscopic contraction is restricted, relaxation dominates. This leads to work softening from a decreased dislocation density and the presence of long segment stacking faults in γ phase. Changes in lattice strains occur to a similar magnitude in both the γ and γ′ phases during stress relaxation, while in creep there is no clear monotonic trend in lattice strain in the γ phase, but only a marginal increase in the γ′ precipitates. Using a visco-plastic law derived from in-situ experiments, the experimentally measured and calculated stresses during cooling show a good agreement when creep predominates. However, when stress relaxation dominates accounting for the decrease in dislocation density during cooling is essential.
Microbes in Infant Gut Development: Placing Abundance Within Environmental, Clinical and Growth Parameters
Authors: Obermajer Tanja , Grabnar Iztok , Benedik Evgen , Tušar Tina , Robič Pikel Tatjana , Fidler Mis Nataša , Bogovič Matijašić Bojana , Rogelj Irena 
Published: September 2017

AbstractSound and timely microbial gut colonization completes newborn’s healthy metabolic programming and manifests in infant appropriate growth and weight development. Feces, collected at 3, 30, and 90 days after birth from 60 breastfed Slovenian newborns, was submitted to microbial DNA extraction and qPCR quantification of selected gut associated taxa. Multivariate regression analysis was applied to evaluate microbial dynamics with respect to infant demographic, environmental, clinical characteristics and first year growth data. Early microbial variability was marked by the proportion of Bacilli, but diminished and converged in later samples, as bifidobacteria started to prevail. The first month proportions of enterococci were associated with maternity hospital locality and supplementation of breastfeeding with formulae, while Enterococcus faecalis proportion reflected the mode of delivery. Group Bacteroides-Prevotella proportion was associated with infant weight and ponderal index at first month. Infant mixed feeding pattern and health issues within the first month revealed the most profound and extended microbial perturbations. Our findings raise concerns over the ability of the early feeding supplementation to emulate and support the gut microbiota in a way similar to the exclusively breastfed infants. Additionally, practicing supplementation beyond the first month also manifested in higher first year weight and weight gain Z-score.
Carbon sequestration potential and physicochemical properties differ between wildfire charcoals and slow-pyrolysis biochars
Authors: Santín Cristina , Doerr Stefan H. , Merino Agustin , Bucheli Thomas D. , Bryant Rob , Ascough Philippa , Gao Xiaodong , Masiello Caroline A. 
Published: September 2017

AbstractPyrogenic carbon (PyC), produced naturally (wildfire charcoal) and anthropogenically (biochar), is extensively studied due to its importance in several disciplines, including global climate dynamics, agronomy and paleosciences. Charcoal and biochar are commonly used as analogues for each other to infer respective carbon sequestration potentials, production conditions, and environmental roles and fates. The direct comparability of corresponding natural and anthropogenic PyC, however, has never been tested. Here we compared key physicochemical properties (elemental composition, δ13C and PAHs signatures, chemical recalcitrance, density and porosity) and carbon sequestration potentials of PyC materials formed from two identical feedstocks (pine forest floor and wood) under wildfire charring- and slow-pyrolysis conditions. Wildfire charcoals were formed under higher maximum temperatures and oxygen availabilities, but much shorter heating durations than slow-pyrolysis biochars, resulting in differing physicochemical properties. These differences are particularly relevant regarding their respective roles as carbon sinks, as even the wildfire charcoals formed at the highest temperatures had lower carbon sequestration potentials than most slow-pyrolysis biochars. Our results challenge the common notion that natural charcoal and biochar are well suited as proxies for each other, and suggest that biochar’s environmental residence time may be underestimated when based on natural charcoal as a proxy, and vice versa.