bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A longitudinal population-based study of carers of people with psychosis
Authors: Poon A. W. C. , Harvey C. , Mackinnon A. , Joubert L. 
Published: February 2016

Aims.Few studies have examined the experiences of carers of people with psychosis using a representative sample. Aiming to obtain generalisable results concerning carers in the context of increased emphasis on involving carers in Australian mental health service delivery and policy frameworks, this study recruited carers within the second Australian national survey of psychotic disorders (Survey of High Impact Psychosis, SHIP). Given that most SHIP participants had long-term illness and extended relationships with carers, the health and wellbeing of carers as a group were expected to be relatively stable. However, since it is unknown whether carers’ health and wellbeing would change, our main aim was to explore change and stability in carers’ health and wellbeing and the relationship between any changes experienced by individual carers and corresponding SHIP participants’ functioning over time.Methods.Ninety-eight caregivers of SHIP participants were recruited at baseline and completed validated instruments assessing their health and wellbeing. Seventy-eight carers were re-interviewed at 1-year follow-up. Clinical factors were extracted from the SHIP database. Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed-rank test and t-test were used to analyse changes in variables over time. Cross-lagged analyses were conducted to identify possible causative relationships in changes in SHIP participant and carer variables.Results.A substantial percentage of carers experienced social isolation (28.6%), psychological distress (37.7%) and poorer quality of life than population norms. There were no statistically significant changes between baseline and follow-up scores for almost all carers’ health and wellbeing variables, other than a poorer perception of their quality of life in relation to their physical health after 1 year. Cross-lagged analyses suggested that poorer functioning of people with psychosis influenced carers’ social isolation, grief and psychological distress.Conclusions.Findings show that carers’ perception of their health and wellbeing did not improve within current mental health service delivery frameworks over time. Carer's persistently poor health and wellbeing suggests a pressing need to enhance services that improve carers’ health and wellbeing especially their physical health and the functioning of people with psychosis whom they support.
The evolutionary dynamics of integrons in changing environments
Authors: Engelstädter Jan , Harms Klaus , Johnsen Pål J 
Published: February 2016

Abstract
Integrons are genetic elements that are common in bacteria and are hotspots for genome evolution. They facilitate the acquisition and reassembly of gene cassettes encoding a variety of functions, including drug resistance. Despite their importance in clinical settings, the selective forces responsible for the evolution and maintenance of integrons are poorly understood. We present a mathematical model of integron evolution within bacterial populations subject to fluctuating antibiotic exposures. Bacteria carrying a functional integrase that mediates reshuffling of cassette genes and thereby modulates gene expression patterns compete with bacteria without a functional integrase. Our results indicate that for a wide range of parameters, the functional integrase can be stably maintained in the population despite substantial fitness costs. This selective advantage arises because gene-cassette shuffling generates genetic diversity, thus enabling the population to respond rapidly to changing selective pressures. We also show that horizontal gene transfer promotes stable maintenance of the integrase and can also lead to de novo assembly of integrons. Our model generates testable predictions for integron evolution, including loss of functional integrases in stable environments and selection for intermediate gene-shuffling rates in changing environments. Our results highlight the need for experimental studies of integron population biology.
Patterns and processes in microbial biogeography: do molecules and morphologies give the same answers?
Authors: Santoferrara Luciana F , Grattepanche Jean-David , Katz Laura A , McManus George B 
Published: February 2016

Abstract
Our knowledge on microbial biogeography depends on the way we define and study diversity. In contrast to most microbes, some protist lineages have conspicuous structures that allow comparisons of diversity concepts and measures—those based on molecules and those based on morphology. We analyzed a group of shell-bearing planktonic ciliates, the tintinnids, in a coast-to-ocean gradient using high-throughput sequencing and microscopy. First, we compared molecular operational taxonomic units (OTUs) and morphospecies in terms of assemblage composition, distribution and relationships with the environment. OTUs revealed potentially novel and rare taxa, while morphospecies showed clearer correlations with environmental factors, and both approaches coincided in supporting a coastal versus oceanic pattern. Second, we explored which processes influence assembly across the environmental gradient examined. Assemblage fluctuations were associated with significant distance–decay and changes in morphospecies size and prey proxies, thus suggesting niche partitioning as a key structuring mechanism. Our conclusion is that molecules and morphologies generally agreed, but they provided complementary data, the first revealing hidden diversity, and the latter making better connections between distribution patterns and ecological processes. This highlights the importance of linking genotypes and phenotypes (using multidisciplinary analyses and/or reliable databases of barcoded species), to understand the diversity, biogeography and ecological roles of microbes.
Total biosynthesis of opiates by stepwise fermentation using engineered Escherichia coli
Authors: Nakagawa Akira , Matsumura Eitaro , Koyanagi Takashi , Katayama Takane , Kawano Noriaki , Yoshimatsu Kayo , Yamamoto Kenji , Kumagai Hidehiko , Sato Fumihiko , Minami Hiromichi 
Published: February 2016

AbstractOpiates such as morphine and codeine are mainly obtained by extraction from opium poppies. Fermentative opiate production in microbes has also been investigated, and complete biosynthesis of opiates from a simple carbon source has recently been accomplished in yeast. Here we demonstrate that Escherichia coli serves as an efficient, robust and flexible platform for total opiate synthesis. Thebaine, the most important raw material in opioid preparations, is produced by stepwise culture of four engineered strains at yields of 2.1 mg l−1 from glycerol, corresponding to a 300-fold increase from recently developed yeast systems. This improvement is presumably due to strong activity of enzymes related to thebaine synthesis from (R)-reticuline in E. coli. Furthermore, by adding two genes to the thebaine production system, we demonstrate the biosynthesis of hydrocodone, a clinically important opioid. Improvements in opiate production in this E. coli system represent a major step towards the development of alternative opiate production systems.
Monolayer-to-bilayer transformation of silicenes and their structural analysis
Authors: Yaokawa Ritsuko , Ohsuna Tetsu , Morishita Tetsuya , Hayasaka Yuichiro , Spencer Michelle J. S. , Nakano Hideyuki 
Published: February 2016

AbstractSilicene, a two-dimensional honeycomb network of silicon atoms like graphene, holds great potential as a key material in the next generation of electronics; however, its use in more demanding applications is prevented because of its instability under ambient conditions. Here we report three types of bilayer silicenes that form after treating calcium-intercalated monolayer silicene (CaSi2) with a BF4− -based ionic liquid. The bilayer silicenes that are obtained are sandwiched between planar crystals of CaF2 and/or CaSi2, with one of the bilayer silicenes being a new allotrope of silicon, containing four-, five- and six-membered sp3 silicon rings. The number of unsaturated silicon bonds in the structure is reduced compared with monolayer silicene. Additionally, the bandgap opens to 1.08 eV and is indirect; this is in contrast to monolayer silicene which is a zero-gap semiconductor.
Strong Photo-Amplification Effects in Flexible Organic Capacitors with Small Molecular Solid-State Electrolyte Layers Sandwiched between Photo-Sensitive Conjugated Polymer Nanolayers
Authors: Lee Hyena , Kim Jungnam , Kim Hwajeong , Kim Youngkyoo 
Published: February 2016

AbstractWe demonstrate strong photo-amplification effects in flexible organic capacitors which consist of small molecular solid-state electrolyte layers sandwiched between light-sensitive conjugated polymer nanolayers. The small molecular electrolyte layers were prepared from aqueous solutions of tris(8-hydroxyquinoline-5-sulfonic acid) aluminum (ALQSA3), while poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) was employed as the light-sensitive polymer nanolayer that is spin-coated on the indium-tin oxide (ITO)-coated poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) film substrates. The resulting capacitors feature a multilayer device structure of PET/ITO/P3HT/ALQSA3/P3HT/ITO/PET, which were mechanically robust due to good adhesion between the ALQSA3 layers and the P3HT nanolayers. Results showed that the specific capacitance was increased by ca. 3-fold when a white light was illuminated to the flexible organic multilayer capacitors. In particular, the capacity of charge storage was remarkably (ca. 250-fold) enhanced by a white light illumination in the potentiostatic charge/discharge operation and the photo-amplification functions were well maintained even after bending for 300 times at a bending angle of 180o.
Intracerebral hemorrhage and deep microbleeds associated with cnm-positive Streptococcus mutans; a hospital cohort study
Authors: Tonomura Shuichi , Ihara Masafumi , Kawano Tomohiro , Tanaka Tomotaka , Okuno Yoshinori , Saito Satoshi , Friedland Robert P. , Kuriyama Nagato , Nomura Ryota , Watanabe Yoshiyuki , Nakano Kazuhiko , Toyoda Kazunori , Nagatsuka Kazuyuki 
Published: February 2016

AbstractOral infectious diseases are epidemiologically associated with stroke. We previously showed that oral Streptococcus mutans with the cnm gene encoding a collagen-binding Cnm protein induced intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) experimentally and was also associated with cerebral microbleeds (CMBs) in our population-based cohort study. We therefore investigated the roles of cnm-positive Streptococcus mutans in this single hospital-based, observational study that enrolled 100 acute stroke subjects. The cnm gene in Streptococcus mutans isolated from saliva was screened using PCR techniques and its collagen-binding activities examined. CMBs were evaluated on T2* gradient-recalled echo MRI. One subject withdrew informed consent and 99 subjects (63 males) were analyzed, consisting of 67 subjects with ischemic stroke, 5 with transient ischemic attack and 27 with ICH. Eleven cases showed Streptococcus mutans strains positive for cnm. The presence of cnm-positive Streptococcus mutans was significantly associated with ICH [OR vs. ischemic stroke, 4.5; 95% CI, 1.17–19.1] and increased number of deep CMBs [median (IQR), 3 (2–9) vs. 0 (0–1), p = 0.0002]. In subjects positive for Streptococcus mutans, collagen binding activity was positively correlated with the number of deep CMBs (R2 = 0.405; p < 0.0001). These results provide further evidence for the key role of oral health in stroke.
Color tunable low cost transparent heat reflector using copper and titanium oxide for energy saving application
Authors: Dalapati Goutam Kumar , Masudy-Panah Saeid , Chua Sing Teng , Sharma Mohit , Wong Ten It , Tan Hui Ru , Chi Dongzhi 
Published: February 2016

AbstractMultilayer coating structure comprising a copper (Cu) layer sandwiched between titanium dioxide (TiO2) were demonstrated as a transparent heat reflecting (THR) coating on glass for energy-saving window application. The main highlight is the utilization of Cu, a low-cost material, in-lieu of silver which is widely used in current commercial heat reflecting coating on glass. Color tunable transparent heat reflecting coating was realized through the design of multilayer structure and process optimization. The impact of thermal treatment on the overall performance of sputter deposited TiO2/Cu/TiO2 multilayer thin film on glass substrate is investigated in detail. Significant enhancement of transmittance in the visible range and reflectance in the infra-red (IR) region has been observed after thermal treatment of TiO2/Cu/TiO2 multilayer thin film at 500 °C due to the improvement of crystal quality of TiO2. Highest visible transmittance of 90% and IR reflectance of 85% at a wavelength of 1200 nm are demonstrated for the TiO2/Cu/TiO2 multilayer thin film after annealing at 500 °C. Performance of TiO2/Cu/TiO2 heat reflector coating decreases after thermal treatment at 600 °C. The wear performance of the TiO2/Cu/TiO2 multilayer structure has been evaluated through scratch hardness test. The present work shows promising characteristics of Cu-based THR coating for energy-saving building industry.
BKM-120 (Buparlisib): A Phosphatidyl-Inositol-3 Kinase Inhibitor with Anti-Invasive Properties in Glioblastoma
Authors: Speranza Maria-Carmela , Nowicki Michal O. , Behera Prajna , Cho Choi-Fong , Chiocca E. Antonio , Lawler Sean E. 
Published: February 2016

AbstractGlioblastoma is an aggressive, invasive tumor of the central nervous system (CNS). There is a widely acknowledged need for anti-invasive therapeutics to limit glioblastoma invasion. BKM-120 is a CNS-penetrant pan-class I phosphatidyl-inositol-3 kinase (PI3K) inhibitor in clinical trials for solid tumors, including glioblastoma. We observed that BKM-120 has potent anti-invasive effects in glioblastoma cell lines and patient-derived glioma cells in vitro. These anti-migratory effects were clearly distinguishable from cytostatic and cytotoxic effects at higher drug concentrations and longer durations of drug exposure. The effects were reversible and accompanied by changes in cell morphology and pronounced reduction in both cell/cell and cell/substrate adhesion. In vivo studies showed that a short period of treatment with BKM-120 slowed tumor spread in an intracranial xenografts. GDC-0941, a similar potent and selective PI3K inhibitor, only caused a moderate reduction in glioblastoma cell migration. The effects of BKM-120 and GDC-0941 were indistinguishable by in vitro kinase selectivity screening and phospho-protein arrays. BKM-120 reduced the numbers of focal adhesions and the velocity of microtubule treadmilling compared with GDC-0941, suggesting that mechanisms in addition to PI3K inhibition contribute to the anti-invasive effects of BKM-120. Our data suggest the CNS-penetrant PI3K inhibitor BKM-120 may have anti-invasive properties in glioblastoma.
A semi-automatic computer-aided method for surgical template design
Authors: Chen Xiaojun , Xu Lu , Yang Yue , Egger Jan 
Published: February 2016

AbstractThis paper presents a generalized integrated framework of semi-automatic surgical template design. Several algorithms were implemented including the mesh segmentation, offset surface generation, collision detection, ruled surface generation, etc. and a special software named TemDesigner was developed. With a simple user interface, a customized template can be semi- automatically designed according to the preoperative plan. Firstly, mesh segmentation with signed scalar of vertex is utilized to partition the inner surface from the input surface mesh based on the indicated point loop. Then, the offset surface of the inner surface is obtained through contouring the distance field of the inner surface and segmented to generate the outer surface. Ruled surface is employed to connect inner and outer surfaces. Finally, drilling tubes are generated according to the preoperative plan through collision detection and merging. It has been applied to the template design for various kinds of surgeries, including oral implantology, cervical pedicle screw insertion, iliosacral screw insertion and osteotomy, demonstrating the efficiency, functionality and generality of our method.
Global prevalence of pre-existing HCV variants resistant to direct-acting antiviral agents (DAAs): mining the GenBank HCV genome data
Authors: Chen Zhi-wei , Li Hu , Ren Hong , Hu Peng 
Published: February 2016

AbstractDirect-acting antiviral agents (DAAs) against hepatitis C virus (HCV) proteins open a whole new era for anti-HCV therapy, but DAA resistance associated variants (RAVs) could jeopardize the effectiveness of DAAs. We reported the global prevalence of DAA RAVs using published GenBank data. 58.7% of sequences (854/1455) harbored at least one dominant resistance variant and the highest RAV frequency occurred in Asia (74.1%), followed by Africa (71.9%), America (53.5%) and Europe (51.4%). The highest RAV frequency was observed in genotype (GT) 6 sequences (99%), followed by GT2 (87.9%), GT4 (85.5%), GT1a (56%), GT3 (50.0%) and GT1b (34.3%). Furthermore, 40.0% and 29.6% of sequences were detected RAVs of non-structural (NS) 5A inhibitors and NS3 protease inhibitors, respectively. However, RAVs to NS5B nucleo(t)ide inhibitor (NI) and NI-based combinations were uncommon (<4% of sequences). As expected, combinations of multiple RAVs to the IFN-free regimens recommended by current guidelines were rarely detected (0.2%–2.0%). Our results showed that the overall global prevalence of DAA RAVs was high irrespective of geography or genotype. However, the NI-based multi-DAA regimens had a low RAV prevalence, suggesting that these regimens are the most promising strategies for cure of the long-term HCV infection.
The Spermatophore in Glossina morsitans morsitans: Insights into Male Contributions to Reproduction
Authors: Scolari Francesca , Benoit Joshua B. , Michalkova Veronika , Aksoy Emre , Takac Peter , Abd-Alla Adly M. M. , Malacrida Anna R. , Aksoy Serap , Attardo Geoffrey M. 
Published: February 2016

AbstractMale Seminal Fluid Proteins (SFPs) transferred during copulation modulate female reproductive physiology and behavior, impacting sperm storage/use, ovulation, oviposition and remating receptivity. These capabilities make them ideal targets for developing novel methods of insect disease vector control. Little is known about the nature of SFPs in the viviparous tsetse flies (Diptera: Glossinidae), vectors of Human and Animal African trypanosomiasis. In tsetse, male ejaculate is assembled into a capsule-like spermatophore structure visible post-copulation in the female uterus. We applied high-throughput approaches to uncover the composition of the spermatophore in Glossina morsitans morsitans. We found that both male accessory glands and testes contribute to its formation. The male accessory glands produce a small number of abundant novel proteins with yet unknown functions, in addition to enzyme inhibitors and peptidase regulators. The testes contribute sperm in addition to a diverse array of less abundant proteins associated with binding, oxidoreductase/transferase activities, cytoskeletal and lipid/carbohydrate transporter functions. Proteins encoded by female-biased genes are also found in the spermatophore. About half of the proteins display sequence conservation relative to other Diptera and low similarity to SFPs from other studied species, possibly reflecting both their fast evolutionary pace and the divergent nature of tsetse’s viviparous biology.
Dramatic enhancement of supercontinuum generation in elliptically-polarized laser filaments
Authors: Rostami Shermineh , Chini Michael , Lim Khan , Palastro John P. , Durand Magali , Diels Jean-Claude , Arissian Ladan , Baudelet Matthieu , Richardson Martin 
Published: February 2016

AbstractBroadband laser sources based on supercontinuum generation in femtosecond laser filamentation have enabled applications from stand-off sensing and spectroscopy to the generation and self-compression of high-energy few-cycle pulses. Filamentation relies on the dynamic balance between self-focusing and plasma defocusing – mediated by the Kerr nonlinearity and multiphoton or tunnel ionization, respectively. The filament properties, including the supercontinuum generation, are therefore highly sensitive to the properties of both the laser source and the propagation medium. Here, we report the anomalous spectral broadening of the supercontinuum for filamentation in molecular gases, which is observed for specific elliptical polarization states of the input laser pulse. The resulting spectrum is accompanied by a modification of the supercontinuum polarization state and a lengthening of the filament plasma column. Our experimental results and accompanying simulations suggest that rotational dynamics of diatomic molecules play an essential role in filamentation-induced supercontinuum generation, which can be controlled with polarization ellipticity.
Solid-state optical refrigeration to sub-100 Kelvin regime
Authors: Melgaard Seth D. , Albrecht Alexander R. , Hehlen Markus P. , Sheik-Bahae Mansoor 
Published: February 2016

AbstractSince the first demonstration of net cooling twenty years ago, optical refrigeration of solids has progressed to outperform all other solid-state cooling processes. It has become the first and only solid-state refrigerator capable of reaching cryogenic temperatures and now the first solid-state cooling below 100 K. Such substantial progress required a multi-disciplinary approach of pump laser absorption enhancement, material characterization and purification and thermal management. Here we present the culmination of two decades of progress, the record cooling to ≈ 91 K from room temperature.
Ultrasensitive Detection of Bacteria by Targeting Abundant Transcripts
Authors: Wang Xinhui , Li Xinran , Liu Shiwei , Ren Hang , Yang Mingjuan , Ke Yuehua , Huang Liuyu , Liu Chao , Liu Bo , Chen Zeliang 
Published: February 2016

AbstractMolecular detection assays are increasingly becoming routine diagnostic techniques for bacterial infection; however, their sensitivities are restricted by the low concentrations of bacteria in clinical samples. Here, we report a new paradigm for ultrasensitive detection of bacteria. The principle of this approach is that by choosing highly transcribed genes as signature sequences and detecting both DNA and its RNA transcripts, assay sensitivity can be greatly improved. First, signature genes with abundant transcripts were screened by RNA-Seq. We confirmed that RT-PCR efficiently amplifies both DNA and RNA, while PCR amplifies only DNA. Unexpectedly, we found that the RNA extraction efficiency is relatively low, while simplified denaturation was more appropriate for transcript detection. For highly transcribed genes, RT-PCR consistently generated lower cycle threshold (Ct) values than those of PCR. The sensitivity of RT-PCR targeting abundant transcripts could detect quantities as low as one bacterium, which was not possible using PCR. Amplification of different genes among several other common bacteria also confirmed that transcript detection by RT-PCR is more sensitive than is DNA detection by PCR. Therefore, abundant transcript detection represents a universal strategy for ultrasensitive detection of bacteria.