bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Ambivalent Sexism Inventory: Adaptation to Basque Population and Sexism as a Risk Factor of Dating Violence
Authors: Ibabe Izaskun , Arnoso Ainara , Elgorriaga Edurne 
Published: November 2016

AbstractThere is currently a consensus that sexism is one of the most important causes of intimate partner violence, but this has yet to be empirically demonstrated conclusively. The key objective of the study was to adapt Ambivalent Sexism Inventory (ASI) and to validate it to the Basque language. It also aims to analyze the prevalence of violence in dating relationships and verify if ambivalent sexism in young men and women is a valid predictor of perpetration and/or victimization in their dating relationships. Ambivalent Sexism Inventory and Dating Relationship Questionnaire were administered to 1378 undergraduate students (66% women and 45% Basque), aged between 17 and 30. The psychometric properties of the Basque and Spanish versions of the ASI are deemed to be acceptable. Sufficient guarantees are provided to be used as an instrument for measuring ambivalent sexism in adult Basque speakers. Ambivalent sexism among young men and women are both positively associated with the perpetration of violence and victimization in their dating relationships. However, ambivalent sexism or two sub-types of sexism (hostile and benevolent) are not relevant risk factors to be perpetrator or victim of violence in dating relationships, due to accounting for 3% or less of variance in dating violence.
Long-term coding of personal and universal associations underlying the memory web in the human brain
Authors: De Falco Emanuela , Ison Matias J. , Fried Itzhak , Quian Quiroga Rodrigo 
Published: November 2016

AbstractNeurons in the medial temporal lobe (MTL), a critical area for declarative memory, have been shown to change their tuning in associative learning tasks. Yet, it is unclear how durable these neuronal representations are and if they outlast the execution of the task. To address this issue, we studied the responses of MTL neurons in neurosurgical patients to known concepts (people and places). Using association scores provided by the patients and a web-based metric, here we show that whenever MTL neurons respond to more than one concept, these concepts are typically related. Furthermore, the degree of association between concepts could be successfully predicted based on the neurons’ response patterns. These results provide evidence for a long-term involvement of MTL neurons in the representation of durable associations, a hallmark of human declarative memory.
Microbe-mediated host defence drives the evolution of reduced pathogen virulence
Authors: Ford Suzanne A. , Kao Damian , Williams David , King Kayla C. 
Published: November 2016

AbstractMicrobes that protect their hosts from pathogens are widespread in nature and are attractive disease control agents. Given that pathogen adaptation to barriers against infection can drive changes in pathogen virulence, ‘defensive microbes’ may shape disease severity. Here we show that co-evolving a microbe with host-protective properties (Enterococcus faecalis) and a pathogen (Staphylococcus aureus) withinCaenorhabditis eleganshosts drives the evolution of reduced pathogen virulence as a by-product of adaptation to the defensive microbe. Using both genomic and phenotypic analyses, we discover that the production of fewer iron-scavenging siderophores by the pathogen reduces the fitness of the defensive microbe and underpins the decline in pathogen virulence. These data show that defensive microbes can shape the evolution of pathogen virulence and that the mechanism of pathogen resistance can determine the direction of virulence evolution.
Directed transport of neutrophil-derived extracellular vesicles enables platelet-mediated innate immune response
Authors: Rossaint Jan , Kühne Katharina , Skupski Jennifer , Van Aken Hugo , Looney Mark R. , Hidalgo Andres , Zarbock Alexander 
Published: November 2016

AbstractThe innate immune response to bacterial infections requires the interaction of neutrophils and platelets. Here, we show that a multistep reciprocal crosstalk exists between these two cell types, ultimately facilitating neutrophil influx into the lung to eliminate infections. Activated platelets adhere to intravascular neutrophils through P-selectin/P-selectin glycoprotein ligand-1 (PSGL-1)-mediated binding, a primary interaction that allows platelets glycoprotein Ibα (GPIbα)-induced generation of neutrophil-derived extracellular vesicles (EV). EV production is directed by exocytosis and allows shuttling of arachidonic acid into platelets. EVs are then specifically internalized into platelets in a Mac1-dependent fashion, and relocated into intracellular compartments enriched in cyclooxygenase1 (Cox1), an enzyme processing arachidonic acid to synthesize thromboxane A2 (TxA2). Finally, platelet-derived-TxA2 elicits a full neutrophil response by inducing the endothelial expression of ICAM-1, intravascular crawling, and extravasation. We conclude that critical substrate–enzyme pairs are compartmentalized in neutrophils and platelets during steady state limiting non-specific inflammation, but bacterial infection triggers regulated EV shuttling resulting in robust inflammation and pathogen clearance.
Granulocyte-Colony Stimulating Factor (G-CSF) for stroke: an individual patient data meta-analysis
Authors: England Timothy J. , Sprigg Nikola , Alasheev Andrey M. , Belkin Andrey A. , Kumar Amit , Prasad Kameshwar , Bath Philip M. 
Published: November 2016

AbstractGranulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) may enhance recovery from stroke through neuroprotective mechanisms if administered early, or neurorepair if given later. Several small trials suggest administration is safe but effects on efficacy are unclear. We searched for randomised controlled trials (RCT) assessing G-CSF in patients with hyperacute, acute, subacute or chronic stroke, and asked Investigators to share individual patient data on baseline characteristics, stroke severity and type, end-of-trial modified Rankin Scale (mRS), Barthel Index, haematological parameters, serious adverse events and death. Multiple variable analyses were adjusted for age, sex, baseline severity and time-to-treatment. Individual patient data were obtained for 6 of 10 RCTs comprising 196 stroke patients (116 G-CSF, 80 placebo), mean age 67.1 (SD 12.9), 92% ischaemic, median NIHSS 10 (IQR 5–15), randomised 11 days (interquartile range IQR 4–238) post ictus; data from three commercial trials were not shared. G-CSF did not improve mRS (ordinal regression), odds ratio OR 1.12 (95% confidence interval 0.64 to 1.96, p = 0.62). There were more patients with a serious adverse event in the G-CSF group (29.6% versus 7.5%, p = 0.07) with no significant difference in all-cause mortality (G-CSF 11.2%, placebo 7.6%, p = 0.4). Overall, G-CSF did not improve stroke outcome in this individual patient data meta-analysis.
An iron detection system determines bacterial swarming initiation and biofilm formation
Authors: Lin Chuan-Sheng , Tsai Yu-Huan , Chang Chih-Jung , Tseng Shun-Fu , Wu Tsung-Ru , Lu Chia-Chen , Wu Ting-Shu , Lu Jang-Jih , Horng Jim-Tong , Martel Jan , Ojcius David M. , Lai Hsin-Chih , Young John D. 
Published: November 2016

AbstractIron availability affects swarming and biofilm formation in various bacterial species. However, how bacteria sense iron and coordinate swarming and biofilm formation remains unclear. Using Serratia marcescens as a model organism, we identify here a stage-specific iron-regulatory machinery comprising a two-component system (TCS) and the TCS-regulated iron chelator 2-isocyano-6,7-dihydroxycoumarin (ICDH-Coumarin) that directly senses and modulates environmental ferric iron (Fe3+) availability to determine swarming initiation and biofilm formation. We demonstrate that the two-component system RssA-RssB (RssAB) directly senses environmental ferric iron (Fe3+) and transcriptionally modulates biosynthesis of flagella and the iron chelator ICDH-Coumarin whose production requires the pvc cluster. Addition of Fe3+, or loss of ICDH-Coumarin due to pvc deletion results in prolonged RssAB signaling activation, leading to delayed swarming initiation and increased biofilm formation. We further show that ICDH-Coumarin is able to chelate Fe3+ to switch off RssAB signaling, triggering swarming initiation and biofilm reduction. Our findings reveal a novel cellular system that senses iron levels to regulate bacterial surface lifestyle.
Protein Inhibitor of Activated STAT3 Suppresses Oxidized LDL-induced Cell Responses during Atherosclerosis in Apolipoprotein E-deficient Mice
Authors: Wang Rong , Zhang Yanjin , Xu Liran , Lin Yan , Yang Xiaofeng , Bai Liang , Chen Yulong , Zhao Sihai , Fan Jianglin , Cheng Xianwu , Liu Enqi 
Published: November 2016

AbstractAtherosclerosis is a serious public health concern. Excessive inflammatory responses of vascular cells are considered a pivotal pathogenesis mechanism underlying atherosclerosis development. It is known that Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (JAK/STAT3) signalling plays an important role in atherosclerosis progression. Protein inhibitor of activated STAT3 (PIAS3) is the key negative regulator of JAK/STAT3 signalling. However, its effect on atherogenesis is unknown. Here, we observed that PIAS3 levels are reduced in atherosclerotic lesions and that PIAS3 expression decreases in conjunction with increases in interleukin-6 expression and atherosclerosis severity. Oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL), an atherogenic stimulus, reduced PIAS3 expression, an effect that may be attributed to nitric oxide synthesis upregulation. In turn, PIAS3 overexpression effectively suppressed ox-LDL-induced inflammation, lipid accumulation and vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation. These results indicate that PIAS3 is a critical repressor of atherosclerosis progression. The findings of this study have contributed to our understanding on the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and have provided us with a potential target through which we can inhibit atherosclerosis-related cellular responses.
Magnetic Modes in Rare Earth Perovskites: A Magnetic-Field-Dependent Inelastic Light Scattering study
Authors: Saha Surajit , Cao Bing-Chen , Motapothula M. , Cong Chun-Xiao , Sarkar Tarapada , Srivastava Amar , Sarkar Soumya , Patra Abhijeet , Ghosh Siddhartha , Ariando  , Coey J. M. D. , Yu Ting , Venkatesan T. 
Published: November 2016

AbstractHere, we report the presence of defect-related states with magnetic degrees of freedom in crystals of LaAlO3 and several other rare-earth based perovskite oxides using inelastic light scattering (Raman spectroscopy) at low temperatures in applied magnetic fields of up to 9 T. Some of these states are at about 140 meV above the valence band maximum while others are mid-gap states at about 2.3 eV. No magnetic impurity could be detected in LaAlO3 by Proton-Induced X-ray Emission Spectroscopy. We, therefore, attribute the angular momentum-like states in LaAlO3 to cationic/anionic vacancies or anti-site defects. Comparison with the other rare earth perovskites leads to the empirical rule that the magnetic-field-sensitive transitions require planes of heavy elements (e.g. lanthanum) and oxygen without any other light cations in the same plane. These magnetic degrees of freedom in rare earth perovskites with useful dielectric properties may be tunable by appropriate defect engineering for magneto-optic applications.
Potential costs of heterospecific sexual interactions in golden orbweb spiders (Nephila spp.)
Authors: Quiñones-Lebrón Shakira G. , Kralj-Fišer Simona , Gregorič Matjaž , Lokovšek Tjaša , Čandek Klemen , Haddad Charles R. , Kuntner Matjaž 
Published: November 2016

AbstractThough not uncommon in other animals, heterospecific mating is rarely reported in arachnids. We investigated sexual interactions among four closely related and syntopical African golden orbweb spiders, Nephila inaurata, N. fenestrata, N. komaci, and N. senegalensis. In two South African localities, female webs were often inhabited by heterospecific males that sometimes outnumbered conspecifics. Species association of males with females was random in nature. In subsequent laboratory choice experiments, N. inaurata males chose heterospecific females in 30% of trials. We also observed natural mating interactions between N. inaurata males and N. komaci females, and between N. komaci males and N. inaurata females in laboratory experiments. While heterospecific mating in the laboratory never produced offspring, conspecific mating did. We discuss potential ecological and evolutionary consequences of heterospecific mating interactions in Nephila that may be particularly costly to the rarer species.
Sex-Specific Effects of Testosterone on the Sexually Dimorphic Transcriptome and Epigenome of Embryonic Neural Stem/Progenitor Cells
Authors: Bramble Matthew S. , Roach Lara , Lipson Allen , Vashist Neerja , Eskin Ascia , Ngun Tuck , Gosschalk Jason E. , Klein Steven , Barseghyan Hayk , Arboleda Valerie A. , Vilain Eric 
Published: November 2016

AbstractThe mechanisms by which sex differences in the mammalian brain arise are poorly understood, but are influenced by a combination of underlying genetic differences and gonadal hormone exposure. Using a mouse embryonic neural stem cell (eNSC) model to understand early events contributing to sexually dimorphic brain development, we identified novel interactions between chromosomal sex and hormonal exposure that are instrumental to early brain sex differences. RNA-sequencing identified 103 transcripts that were differentially expressed between XX and XY eNSCs at baseline (FDR = 0.10). Treatment with testosterone-propionate (TP) reveals sex-specific gene expression changes, causing 2854 and 792 transcripts to become differentially expressed on XX and XY genetic backgrounds respectively. Within the TP responsive transcripts, there was enrichment for genes which function as epigenetic regulators that affect both histone modifications and DNA methylation patterning. We observed that TP caused a global decrease in 5-methylcytosine abundance in both sexes, a transmissible effect that was maintained in cellular progeny. Additionally, we determined that TP was associated with residue-specific alterations in acetylation of histone tails. These findings highlight an unknown component of androgen action on cells within the developmental CNS, and contribute to a novel mechanism of action by which early hormonal organization is initiated and maintained.
Fasting and Feeding Signals Control the Oscillatory Expression of Angptl8 to Modulate Lipid Metabolism
Authors: Dang Fabin , Wu Rong , Wang Pengfei , Wu Yuting , Azam Md. Shofiul , Xu Qian , Chen Yaqiong , Liu Yi 
Published: November 2016

AbstractEmerging evidence implies a key role of angiopoietin-like protein 8 (Angptl8) in the metabolic transition between fasting and feeding, whereas much less is known about the mechanism of its own expression. Here we show that hepatic Angptl8 is rhythmically expressed, which involving the liver X receptor alpha (LXRα) and glucocorticoid receptor (GR) modulation during feeding and fasting periods, respectively. In addition, Angptl8 mRNA is very unstable, which contributes to the nature of its daily rhythmicity by rapidly responding to fasting/feeding transition. To explore its pathological function in dexamethasone (DEX)-induced fatty liver, we reversed its suppression by glucocorticoids through adenoviral delivery of Angptl8 gene in mouse liver. Surprisingly, hepatic overexpression of Angptl8 dramatically elevated plasma triglyceride (TG) and non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA) levels in DEX-treated mice, suggesting a metabolic interaction between Angptl8 and glucocorticoid signaling. Moreover, intracellular hepatic Angptl8 is implicated in the regulation of lipid homeostasis by the experiments with ectopic expression of a nonsecreted Angptl8 mutant (Δ25-Angptl8). Altogether, our data demonstrate the molecular mechanism of the diurnal rhythm of Angptl8 expression regulated by glucocorticoid signaling and LXRα pathway, and provide new evidence to understand the role of Angptl8 in maintaining plasma TG homeostasis.
Core-shell microstructured nanocomposites for synergistic adjustment of environmental temperature and humidity
Authors: Zhang Haiquan , Yuan Yanping , Zhang Nan , Sun Qingrong , Cao Xiaoling 
Published: November 2016

AbstractThe adjustment of temperature and humidity is of great importance in a variety of fields. Composites that can perform both functions are prepared by mixing phase change materials (PCMs) with hygroscopic materials. However, the contact area between the adsorbent and humid air is inevitably decreased in such structures, which reduces the number of mass transfer channels for water vapor. An approach entailing the increase in the mass ratio of the adsorbent is presented here to improve the adsorption capacity. A core-shell CuSO4/polyethylene glycol (PEG) nanomaterial was developed to satisfy the conflicting requirements of temperature control and dehumidification. The results show that the equilibrium adsorption capacity of the PEG coating layer was enhanced by a factor of 188 compared with that of the pure PEG powder. The coating layer easily concentrates vapor, providing better adsorption properties for the composite. Furthermore, the volume modification of the CuSO4 matrix was reduced by 80% by the PEG coated layer, a factor that increases the stability of the composite. For the phase change process, the crystallization temperature of the coating layer was adjusted between 37.2 and 46.3 °C by interfacial tension. The core-shell CuSO4/PEG composite reported here provides a new general approach for the simultaneous control of temperature and humidity.
Bacterial meningitis in diabetes patients: a population-based prospective study
Authors: van Veen Kiril E. B. , Brouwer Matthijs C. , van der Ende Arie , van de Beek Diederik 
Published: November 2016

AbstractDiabetes mellitus is associated with increased infection rates. We studied clinical features and outcome of community-acquired bacterial meningitis in diabetes patients. Patients were selected from a nationwide, prospective cohort on community-acquired bacterial meningitis performed from March 2006 to October 2014. Data on patient history, symptoms and signs on admission, treatment, and outcome were prospectively collected. A total of 183 of 1447 episodes (13%) occurred in diabetes patients. The incidence of bacterial meningitis in diabetes patients was 3.15 per 100,000 patients per year and the risk of acquiring bacterial meningitis was 2.2-fold higher for diabetes patients. S. pneumoniae was the causative organism in 139 of 183 episodes (76%) and L. monocytogenes in 11 of 183 episodes (6%). Outcome was unfavourable in 82 of 183 episodes (45%) and in 43 of 183 episodes (23%) the patient died. Diabetes was associated with death with an odds ratio of 1.63 (95% CI 1.12–2.37, P = 0.011), which remained after adjusting for known predictors of death in a multivariable analysis (OR 1.98 [95% CI 1.13–3.48], P = 0.017). In conclusion, diabetes is associated with a 2-fold higher risk of acquiring bacterial meningitis. Diabetes is a strong independent risk factor for death in community-acquired adult bacterial meningitis.
Aberrant SSEA-4 upregulation mediates myofibroblast activity to promote pre-cancerous oral submucous fibrosis
Authors: Yu Cheng-Chia , Yu Chuan-Hang , Chang Yu-Chao 
Published: November 2016

AbstractOral submucous fibrosis (OSF), regarded as a precancerous condition, is characterized by juxta-epithelial inflammatory reaction followed by fibro-elastic change in the lamina properia and epithelial atrophy. The pathologic mechanisms of OSF still need to be further clarified. In the study, we investigated the functional expression of SSEA-4, which is a well-known stemness marker, in myofibroblast activity and the clinical significance in OSF tissues. The expression of SSEA-4 in OSF was evaluated by immunohistochemical staining. Functional analysis of SSEA-4 on myofibroblast activity of OSF was achieved by lentiviral silencing ST3GAL2. Immunohisitochemistry demonstrated that SSEA-4 expression was significantly higher expression in areca quid chewing-associated OSF tissues than those of normal oral mucosa tissues. From flow cytometry analysis, arecoline dose-dependently activated SSEA-4 expression in primary human normal buccal mucosal fibroblasts (BMFs). Sorted SSEA-4-positive cells from fibrotic BMFs (fBMFs) have higher colony-forming unit, collagen gel contraction, and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) expression than SSEA-4-negative subset. Knockdown of ST3GAL2 in fBMFs suppressed SSEA-4 expression, collagen contraction, migration, invasiveness, and wound healing capability. Consistently, silencing ST3GAL2 was found to repress arecoline-induced myofibroblast activity in BMFs. The study highlights SSEA-4 as a critical marker for therapeutic intervention to mediate myofibroblast transdifferentiation in areca quid chewing-associated OSF.
Intrinsic K-Ras dynamics: A novel molecular dynamics data analysis method shows causality between residue pair motions
Authors: Vatansever Sezen , Gümüş Zeynep H. , Erman Burak 
Published: November 2016

AbstractK-Ras is the most frequently mutated oncogene in human cancers, but there are still no drugs that directly target it in the clinic. Recent studies utilizing dynamics information show promising results for selectively targeting mutant K-Ras. However, despite extensive characterization, the mechanisms by which K-Ras residue fluctuations transfer allosteric regulatory information remain unknown. Understanding the direction of information flow can provide new mechanistic insights for K-Ras targeting. Here, we present a novel approach –conditional time-delayed correlations (CTC) – using the motions of all residue pairs of a protein to predict directionality in the allosteric regulation of the protein fluctuations. Analyzing nucleotide-dependent intrinsic K-Ras motions with the new approach yields predictions that agree with the literature, showing that GTP-binding stabilizes K-Ras motions and leads to residue correlations with relatively long characteristic decay times. Furthermore, our study is the first to identify driver-follower relationships in correlated motions of K-Ras residue pairs, revealing the direction of information flow during allosteric modulation of its nucleotide-dependent intrinsic activity: active K-Ras Switch-II region motions drive Switch-I region motions, while α-helix-3L7 motions control both. Our results provide novel insights for strategies that directly target mutant K-Ras.