bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Role of IL-17A rs2275913 and IL-17F rs763780 polymorphisms in risk of cancer development: an updated meta-analysis
Authors: Dai Zhi-Ming , Zhang Tian-Song , Lin Shuai , Zhang Wang-Gang , Liu Jie , Cao Xing-Mei , Li Hong-Bao , Wang Meng , Liu Xing-Han , Liu Kang , Li Shan-Li , Dai Zhi-Jun 
Published: February 2016

AbstractSingle nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the interleukin-17 (IL-17) gene have been shown to be correlated with susceptibility to cancer. However, various studies report different results of this association. The aim of the present work was to clarify the effects of IL-17A G197A (rs2275913) and IL-17F T7488C (rs763780) polymorphisms on cancer risk. We performed systematic searches of the PubMed and CNKI databases to obtain relevant publications. Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to evaluate the association of rs2275913 and rs763780 polymorphisms with cancer risk. Data were extracted from the selected studies and statistical analysis was conducted using the STATA software. Our results indicated that rs2275913 and rs763780 polymorphisms significantly increase cancer risk, especially in gastric cancers. Subgroup analysis suggested the existence of a significant correlation between rs763780 polymorphism and cancer susceptibility in Caucasian populations. This updated meta-analysis confirms that rs2275913 and rs763780 polymorphisms are highly associated with increased risk for multiple forms of cancer.
Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker disease subtypes efficiently transmit in bank voles as genuine prion diseases
Authors: Pirisinu Laura , Di Bari Michele A. , D’Agostino Claudia , Marcon Stefano , Riccardi Geraldina , Poleggi Anna , Cohen Mark L. , Appleby Brian S. , Gambetti Pierluigi , Ghetti Bernardino , Agrimi Umberto , Nonno Romolo 
Published: February 2016

AbstractGerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker disease (GSS) is an inherited neurodegenerative disorder associated with mutations in the prion protein gene and accumulation of misfolded PrP with protease-resistant fragments (PrPres) of 6–8 kDa. With the exception of a few GSS cases characterized by co-accumulation of PrPres of 21 kDa, efforts to transmit GSS to rodents have been unsuccessful. As a result, GSS subtypes exclusively associated with 6–8 kDa PrPres have often been considered as non-transmissible proteinopathies rather than true prion diseases. We show that GSS with P102L, A117V and F198S mutations transmit efficiently and produce distinct pathological phenotypes in bank voles (M. glareolus), irrespective of the presence of 21 kDa PrPres in the inoculum, demonstrating that GSS is a genuine prion disease characterized by both transmissibility and strain variation.
A Sheet-like Carbon Matrix Hosted Sulfur as Cathode for High-performance Lithium-Sulfur Batteries
Authors: Lu Songtao , Chen Yan , Zhou Jia , Wang Zhida , Wu Xiaohong , Gu Jian , Zhang Xiaoping , Pang Aimin , Jiao Zilong , Jiang Lixiang 
Published: February 2016

AbstractLithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries are a promising candidate of next generation energy storage systems owing to its high theoretical capacity and energy density. However, to date, its commercial application was hindered by the inherent problems of sulfur cathode. Additionally, with the rapid decline of non-renewable resources and active appeal of green chemistry, the intensive research of new electrode materials was conducted worldwide. We have obtained a sheet-like carbon material (shaddock peel carbon sheets SPCS) from organic waste shaddock peel, which can be used as the conductive carbon matrix for sulfur-based cathodes. Furthermore, the raw materials are low-cost, truly green and recyclable. As a result, the sulfur cathode made with SPCS (SPCS-S), can deliver a high reversible capacity of 722.5 mAh g−1 at 0.2 C after 100 cycles with capacity recuperability of ~90%, demonstrating that the SPCS-S hybrid is of great potential as the cathode for rechargeable Li-S batteries. The high electrochemical performance of SPCS-S hybrid could be attributed to the sheet-like carbon network with large surface area and high conductivity of the SPCS, in which the carbon sheets enable the uniform distribution of sulfur, better ability to trap the soluble polysulfides and accommodate volume expansion/shrinkage of sulfur during repeated charge/discharge cycles.
Backward spoof surface wave in plasmonic metamaterial of ultrathin metallic structure
Authors: Liu Xiaoyong , Feng Yijun , Zhu Bo , Zhao Junming , Jiang Tian 
Published: February 2016

AbstractBackward wave with anti-parallel phase and group velocities is one of the basic properties associated with negative refraction and sub-diffraction image that have attracted considerable interest in the context of photonic metamaterials. It has been predicted theoretically that some plasmonic structures can also support backward wave propagation of surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs), however direct experimental demonstration has not been reported, to the best of our knowledge. In this paper, a specially designed plasmonic metamaterial of corrugated metallic strip has been proposed that can support backward spoof SPP wave propagation. The dispersion analysis, the full electromagnetic field simulation and the transmission measurement of the plasmonic metamaterial waveguide have clearly validated the backward wave propagation with dispersion relation possessing negative slope and opposite directions of group and phase velocities. As a further verification and application, a contra-directional coupler is designed and tested that can route the microwave signal to opposite terminals at different operating frequencies, indicating new application opportunities of plasmonic metamaterial in integrated functional devices and circuits for microwave and terahertz radiation.
The roles of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in phytoremediation and tree-herb interactions in Pb contaminated soil
Authors: Yang Yurong , Liang Yan , Han Xiaozhen , Chiu Tsan-Yu , Ghosh Amit , Chen Hui , Tang Ming 
Published: February 2016

AbstractUnderstanding the roles of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in plant interaction is essential for optimizing plant distribution to restore degraded ecosystems. This study investigated the effects of AMF and the presence of legume or grass herbs on phytoremediation with a legume tree, Robinia pseudoacacia, in Pb polluted soil. In monoculture, mycorrhizal dependency of legumes was higher than that of grass and AMF benefited the plant biomass of legumes but had no effect on grass. Mycorrhizal colonization of plant was enhanced by legume neighbors but inhibited by grass neighbor in co-culture system. N, P, S and Mg concentrations of mycorrhizal legumes were larger than these of non-mycorrhizal legumes. Legume herbs decreased soil pH and thereby increased the Pb concentrations of plants. The neighbor effects of legumes shifted from negative to positive with increasing Pb stress levels, whereas grass provided a negative effect on the growth of legume tree. AMF enhanced the competition but equalized growth of legume-legume under unpolluted and Pb stress conditions, respectively. In conclusion, (1) AMF mediate plant interaction through directly influencing plant biomass, and/or indirectly influencing plant photosynthesis, macronutrient acquisition, (2) legume tree inoculated with AMF and co-planted with legume herbs provides an effective way for Pb phytoremediation.
The influence of a caveolin-1 mutant on the function of P-glycoprotein
Authors: Lee Chih-Yuan , Lai Ting-Yu , Tsai Meng-Kun , Ou-Yang Pu , Tsai Ching-Yi , Wu Shu-Wei , Hsu Li-Chung , Chen Jin-Shing 
Published: February 2016

AbstractThe genetic heterogeneity in cancer cells has an increased chance in the acquisition of new mutant such as drug-resistant phenotype in cancer cells. The phenotype of drug resistance in cancer cells could be evaluated by the number or function of drug transporters on cell membranes, which would lead to decreased intracellular anti-cancer drugs concentration. Caveolae are flask-shaped invaginations on cell membrane that function in membrane trafficking, endocytosis and as a compartment where receptors and signaling proteins are concentrated. Caveolin-1 (CAV1) is the principal structural protein of caveolae and closely correlates with multidrug resistance in cancer cells. In a systematic study of the ubiquitin-modified proteome, lysine 176 of CAV1 was identified as a potential post-translational modification site for ubiquitination. In this article, we identified a mutation at lysine 176 to arginine (K176R) on CAV1 would interfere with the biogenesis of caveolae and broke the interaction of CAV1 with P-glycoprotein. Functional assays further revealed that K176R mutant of CAV1 in cancer cells increased the transport activity of P-glycoprotein and decreased the killing ability of anti-cancer drugs in non-small-cell lung cancer cell lines.
IgE-tailpiece associates with α-1-antitrypsin (A1AT) to protect IgE from proteolysis without compromising its ability to interact with FcεRI
Authors: Quinn Phyllis M. , Dunne David W. , Moore Shona C. , Pleass Richard J. 
Published: February 2016

AbstractSeveral splice variants of IgE exist in human plasma, including a variant called IgE-tailpiece (IgE-tp) that differs from classical IgE by the replacement of two carboxy-terminal amino acids with eight novel residues that include an ultimate cysteine. To date, the role of the secreted IgE-tp isoform in human immunity is unknown. We show that levels of IgE-tp are raised in helminth-infected donors and that both the classical form of IgE (IgE-c) and IgE-tp interact with polymers of the serine protease inhibitor alpha-1-antitrypsin (A1AT). The association of IgE-tp with A1AT polymers in plasma protects the antibody from serine protease-mediated degradation, without affecting the functional interaction of IgE-tp with important receptors, including FcεR1. That polymers of A1AT protect IgE from degradation by helminth proteases may explain why these common and normally non-disease causing polymorphic variants of A1AT have been retained by natural selection. The observation that IgE can be complexed with polymeric forms of A1AT may therefore have important consequences for our understanding of the pathophysiology of pulmonary diseases that arise either as a consequence of A1AT-deficiency or through IgE-mediated type 1 hypersensitivity responses.
Label-free Electrochemiluminescent Immunosensor for Detection of Prostate Specific Antigen based on Aminated Graphene Quantum Dots and Carboxyl Graphene Quantum Dots
Authors: Wu Dan , Liu Yixin , Wang Yaoguang , Hu Lihua , Ma Hongmin , Wang Guoqin , Wei Qin 
Published: February 2016

AbstractProstate-specific antigen (PSA) was used as the model, an ultrasensitive label-free electrochemiluminescent immunosensor was developed based on graphene quantum dots. Au/Ag-rGO was sythsized and used as electrode material to load a great deal of graphene quantum dots due to the large surface area and excellent electron conductivity. After aminated graphene quantum dots and acarboxyl graphene quantum dots were modified onto the electrode, the ECL intensity was much high using K2S2O8 as coreactant. Then, antibody of PSA was immobilized on the surface of modified electrode surface through the adsorption of Au/Ag toward proteins, leading to the decrease of the ECL intensity. As proven by ECL spectra test and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) analysis, the fabrication process of the immunosensor is successful. Under the optimal conditions, the ECL intensity decreased linearly with the logarithm of PSA concentration in the range of 1 pg/mL ~ 10 ng/mL. The detection limit achieved is 0.29 pg/mL. The immunosensor results were validated through the detection of PSA in serum samples with satisfactory results. Due to excellent stability, high sensitivity, acceptable repeatability and selectivity, the immunosensor has promising applications in disease and drug analysis.
A multi-zoned white organic light-emitting diode with high CRI and low color temperature
Authors: Zhang Tao , He Shou-Jie , Wang Deng-Ke , Jiang Nan , Lu Zheng-Hong 
Published: February 2016

AbstractWhite organic light emitting diodes (WOLEDs) is becoming a new platform technology for a range of applications such as flat-panel displays, solid-state lightings etc. and are under intensive research. For general solid-state illumination applications, a WOLED’s color rendering index (CRI) and correlated color temperature (CCT) are two crucial parameters. This paper reports that WOLED device structures can be constructed using four stacked emission layers which independently emit lights at blue, green, yellow and red color respectively. The intensity of each emission layer is then engineered by funneling excitons to the targeted emission layer to achieve an ultrahigh 92 CRI at 5000 cd/m2 and to reduce CCT to below 2500 K.
Elevated expression of ABCB5 in ocular surface squamous neoplasia
Authors: Jongkhajornpong Passara , Nakamura Takahiro , Sotozono Chie , Nagata Maho , Inatomi Tsutomu , Kinoshita Shigeru 
Published: February 2016

AbstractATP-binding cassette subfamily B member 5 (ABCB5) is a new member of the ATP-binding cassette superfamily and has been reported as a novel marker for limbal stem cell (LSC), which is essential for corneal homeostasis. ABCB5 expression has also been discovered in the subpopulation of several cancer cells containing the cancer stem cell (CSC). However, the pathogenetic relationship between LSC and CSC and ABCB5 in the ocular surface squamous neoplasm (OSSN) is still entirely unknown. To improve understanding of the role of ABCB5 in OSSN, we performed immunohistochemistry for ABCB5 in nine OSSN case series. While expression of ABCB5 is restricted to the basal epithelial cell layer in the normal limbus, elevated expressions of ABCB5 were clearly observed in all OSSN and there was some breadth in the range of intensity of ABCB5 expression. Interestingly, the elevated expression patterns of ABCB5 in OSSN could be classified in three categories: perivascular, marginal and diffuse patterns. Our findings demonstrated for the first time that the expression of ABCB5 was upregulated in OSSN and that elevated expression of ABCB5 may be involved in the pathogenesis of OSSN.
Multifunctional Nanocarpets for Cancer Theranostics: Remotely Controlled Graphene Nanoheaters for Thermo-Chemosensitisation and Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Authors: Ramachandra Kurup Sasikala Arathyram , Thomas Reju George , Unnithan Afeesh Rajan , Saravanakumar Balasubramaniam , Jeong Yong Yeon , Park Chan Hee , Kim Cheol Sang 
Published: February 2016

AbstractA new paradigm in cancer theranostics is enabled by safe multifunctional nanoplatform that can be applied for therapeutic functions together with imaging capabilities. Herein, we develop a multifunctional nanocomposite consisting of Graphene Oxide–Iron Oxide -Doxorubicin (GO-IO-DOX) as a theranostic cancer platform. The smart magnetic nanoplatform acts both as a hyperthermic agent that delivers heat when an alternating magnetic field is applied and a chemotherapeutic agent in a cancer environment by providing a pH-dependent drug release to administer a synergistic anticancer treatment with an enhanced T2 contrast for MRI. The novel GO-IO-DOX nanocomposites were tested in vitro and were observed to exhibit an enhanced tumoricidal effect through both hyperthermia and cancer cell-specific DOX release along with an excellent MRI performance, enabling a versatile theranostic platform for cancer. Moreover the localized antitumor effects of GO-IO-DOX increased substantially as a result of the drug sensitization through repeated application of hyperthermia.
Transfer into L3 English
Authors: Lloyd-Smith Anika , Gyllstad Henrik , Kupisch Tanja 
Published: February 2016

AbstractThis study is concerned with L3 acquisition in heritage speakers (HSs). The goals are to incorporate HSs into L3 acquisition research and investigate the role of language dominance for predicting L3 transfer. We analyze global accent in German-Turkish early bilinguals, HSs of Turkish, who acquired English as their L3. Twenty native-speaker judges determined accent strength and accent source in the speech of 18 bilinguals as well as 15 controls (L1 English, L1 German, L1 Turkish) when speaking English. Results show, firstly, that bilinguals are perceived as less accented than L1 Turkish speakers and similar to L1 German speakers. Secondly, unlike L1 controls, there is no uniform accent source for HSs when speaking their L3. Our results question the role of age of acquisition, while being generally consistent with the TPM. However, HSs seem to benefit from bilingual experience and structure-based transfer can be overpowered by high proficiency.
Main Pulmonary Arterial Wall Shear Stress Correlates with Invasive Hemodynamics and Stiffness in Pulmonary Hypertension
Authors: Schäfer Michal , Kheyfets Vitaly O. , Schroeder Joyce D. , Dunning Jamie , Shandas Robin , Buckner J. Kern , Browning James , Hertzberg Jean , Hunter Kendall S. , Fenster Brett E. 
Published: February 2016

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is associated with proximal pulmonary arterial remodeling characterized by increased vessel diameter, wall thickening, and stiffness. In vivo assessment of wall shear stress (WSS) may provide insights into the relationships between pulmonary hemodynamics and vascular remodeling. We investigated the relationship between main pulmonary artery (MPA) WSS and pulmonary hemodynamics as well as markers of stiffness. As part of a prospective study, 17 PH patients and 5 controls underwent same‐day four‐dimensional flow cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (4‐D CMR) and right heart catheterization. Streamwise velocity profiles were generated in the cross‐sectional MPA in 45° increments from velocity vector fields determined by 4‐D CMR. WSS was calculated as the product of hematocrit‐dependent viscosity and shear rate generated from the spatial gradient of the velocity profiles. In‐plane average MPA WSS was significantly decreased in the PH cohort compared with that in controls (0.18 ± 0.07 vs. 0.32 ± 0.08 N/m2; P = 0.01). In‐plane MPA WSS showed strong inverse correlations with multiple hemodynamic indices, including pulmonary resistance (ρ = –0.74, P < 0.001), mean pulmonary pressure (ρ = –0.64, P = 0.006), and elastance (ρ = –0.70, P < 0.001). In addition, MPA WSS had significant associations with markers of stiffness, including capacitance (ρ = 0.67, P < 0.001), distensibility (ρ = 0.52, P = 0.013), and elastic modulus (ρ = –0.54, P = 0.01). In conclusion, MPA WSS is decreased in PH and is significantly associated with invasive hemodynamic indices and markers of stiffness. 4‐D CMR‐based assessment of WSS may represent a novel methodology to study blood‐vessel wall interactions in PH.
Diagnosis of Pulmonary Hypertension from Magnetic Resonance Imaging–Based Computational Models and Decision Tree Analysis
Authors: Lungu Angela , Swift Andrew J. , Capener David , Kiely David , Hose Rod , Wild Jim M. 
Published: February 2016

Accurately identifying patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH) using noninvasive methods is challenging, and right heart catheterization (RHC) is the gold standard. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been proposed as an alternative to echocardiography and RHC in the assessment of cardiac function and pulmonary hemodynamics in patients with suspected PH. The aim of this study was to assess whether machine learning using computational modeling techniques and image‐based metrics of PH can improve the diagnostic accuracy of MRI in PH. Seventy‐two patients with suspected PH attending a referral center underwent RHC and MRI within 48 hours. Fifty‐seven patients were diagnosed with PH, and 15 had no PH. A number of functional and structural cardiac and cardiovascular markers derived from 2 mathematical models and also solely from MRI of the main pulmonary artery and heart were integrated into a classification algorithm to investigate the diagnostic utility of the combination of the individual markers. A physiological marker based on the quantification of wave reflection in the pulmonary artery was shown to perform best individually, but optimal diagnostic performance was found by the combination of several image‐based markers. Classifier results, validated using leave‐one‐out cross validation, demonstrated that combining computation‐derived metrics reflecting hemodynamic changes in the pulmonary vasculature with measurement of right ventricular morphology and function, in a decision support algorithm, provides a method to noninvasively diagnose PH with high accuracy (92%). The high diagnostic accuracy of these MRI‐based model parameters may reduce the need for RHC in patients with suspected PH.
Fusing geophysical signatures of locally recorded surface explosions to improve blast detection
Authors: Carmichael Joshua D. , Nemzek Robert , Arrowsmith Stephen , Sentz Kari 
Published: February 2016

AbstractWe recorded acoustic, seismic and radio-frequency signatures of 70 solid charge (∼2–12 kg) surface explosions (shots) at local distances (0.1–1.5 km) to determine if such signals could be fused for blast monitoring. We observed that each geophysical signature was sufficiently repeatable between similar shots to be identifiable with multichannel correlation detectors. Using template signals from a large explosion, we then processed heavily contaminated data recording a smaller shot with these detectors, and missed or marginally detected the resultant target signals. By then fusing the p-values of these statistics through Fisher's combined probability test, we clearly identified the same explosion signals at thresholds consistent with the false alarm on noise rates of the correlation detectors. This resulting Fisher test thereby provided high-probability detections, zero false alarms and higher theoretical detection capability.
Application of a predator–prey overlap metric to determine the impact of sub-grid scale feeding dynamics on ecosystem productivity
Authors: Greer Adam T. , Woodson C. Brock 
Published: February 2016

AbstractMarine ecosystem models assume spatially homogeneous population dynamics at sub-grid scale resolution, despite evidence that marine systems are highly structured on fine scales. This structuring can influence the predator–prey interactions driving trophic transfer and thereby overall ecosystem production. Here we apply a statistic, the AB ratio (ζAB), to quantify increased predator production due to fine-scale overlap with its prey. We calculated ζAB from available literature sources (spatial observations of predator and prey) and from data obtained with a towed plankton imaging system, demonstrating that organisms from a range of trophic levels and oceanographic regions tended to overlap with their prey both in the horizontal and vertical dimensions. The values of ζAB indicate that spatially homogeneous calculations underestimate productivity. This pattern was accentuated when accounting for swimming over a diel cycle and by increasing sampling resolution, especially when prey were highly aggregated. We recommend that ecosystem models incorporate more fine-scale information both to more accurately capture trophic transfer processes and to capitalize on the increasing sampling resolution, data volume, and data sharing platforms from empirical studies.