bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Toll like Receptor 2 engagement on CD4+ T cells promotes TH9 differentiation and function
Authors: Karim Ahmad Faisal , Reba Scott M. , Li Qing , Boom W. Henry , Rojas Roxana E. 
Published: June 2017

AbstractWe have recently demonstrated that mycobacterial ligands engage Toll like receptor 2 (TLR2) on CD4+ T cells and up‐regulate T‐cell receptor (TCR) triggered Th1 responses in vitro and in vivo. To better understand the role of T‐cell expressed TLR2 on CD4+ T‐cell differentiation and function, we conducted a gene expression analysis of murine naïve CD4+ T‐cells stimulated in the presence or absence of TLR2 co‐stimulation. Unexpectedly, naïve CD4+ T‐cells co‐stimulated via TLR2 showed a significant up‐regulation of Il9 mRNA compared to cells co‐stimulated via CD28. Under TH9 differentiation, we observed up‐regulation of TH9 differentiation, evidenced by increases in both percent of IL‐9 secreting cells and IL‐9 in culture supernatants in the presence of TLR2 agonist both in polyclonal and Ag85B cognate peptide specific stimulations. Under non‐polarizing conditions, TLR2 engagement on CD4+ T‐cells had minimal effect on IL‐9 secretion and TH9 differentiation, likely due to a prominent effect of TLR2 signaling on IFN‐γ secretion and TH1 differentiation. We also report that, TLR2 signaling in CD4+ T cells increased expression of transcription factors BATF and PU.1, known to positively regulate TH9 differentiation. These results reveal a novel role of T‐cell expressed TLR2 in enhancing the differentiation and function of TH9 T cells.
CD1b‐mycolic acid tetramers demonstrate T‐cell fine specificity for mycobacterial lipid tails
Authors: Van Rhijn Ildiko , Iwany Sarah K. , Fodran Peter , Cheng Tan‐Yun , Gapin Laurent , Minnaard Adriaan J. , Moody D. Branch 
Published: June 2017

AbstractMycobacterium tuberculosis synthesizes a thick cell wall comprised of mycolic acids (MA), which are foreign antigens for human T cells. T‐cell clones from multiple donors were used to determine the fine specificity of MA recognition by human αβ T cells. Most CD1‐presented lipid antigens contain large hydrophilic head groups comprised of carbohydrates or peptides that dominate patterns of T‐cell specificity. MA diverges from the consensus antigen motif in that it lacks a head group. Using multiple forms of natural and synthetic MA and MA‐specific T‐cells with different T‐cell receptors, we found that, unlike antigens with larger head groups, lipid length strongly controlled T‐cell responses to MA. In addition, the three forms of MA that naturally occur in M. tuberculosis that differ in modifications on the lipid tail, differ in their potency for activating MA‐specific T‐cell clones. Thus, naturally occurring MA forms should be considered as separate, partly cross‐reactive antigens. Two of the three forms of MA could be loaded onto human CD1b proteins, creating working CD1b‐MA tetramers. The creation of CD1b‐MA tetramers represents a new tool for future studies that track the effector functions and kinetics of MA‐specific T‐cells ex vivo.
Extraction of dynamic functional connectivity from brain grey matter and white matter for MCI classification
Authors: Chen Xiaobo , Zhang Han , Zhang Lichi , Shen Celina , Lee Seong‐Whan , Shen Dinggang 
Published: June 2017

AbstractBrain functional connectivity (FC) extracted from resting‐state fMRI (RS‐fMRI) has become a popular approach for diagnosing various neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD) and its prodromal stage, mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Current studies mainly construct the FC networks between grey matter (GM) regions of the brain based on temporal co‐variations of the blood oxygenation level‐dependent (BOLD) signals, which reflects the synchronized neural activities. However, it was rarely investigated whether the FC detected within the white matter (WM) could provide useful information for diagnosis. Motivated by the recently proposed functional correlation tensors (FCT) computed from RS‐fMRI and used to characterize the structured pattern of local FC in the WM, we propose in this article a novel MCI classification method based on the information conveyed by both the FC between the GM regions and that within the WM regions. Specifically, in the WM, the tensor‐based metrics (e.g., fractional anisotropy [FA], similar to the metric calculated based on diffusion tensor imaging [DTI]) are first calculated based on the FCT and then summarized along each of the major WM fiber tracts connecting each pair of the brain GM regions. This could capture the functional information in the WM, in a similar network structure as the FC network constructed for the GM, based only on the same RS‐fMRI data. Moreover, a sliding window approach is further used to partition the voxel‐wise BOLD signal into multiple short overlapping segments. Then, both the FC and FCT between each pair of the brain regions can be calculated based on the BOLD signal segments in the GM and WM, respectively. In such a way, our method can generate dynamic FC and dynamic FCT to better capture functional information in both GM and WM and further integrate them together by using our developed feature extraction, selection, and ensemble learning algorithms. The experimental results verify that the dynamic FCT can provide valuable functional information in the WM; by combining it with the dynamic FC in the GM, the diagnosis accuracy for MCI subjects can be significantly improved even using RS‐fMRI data alone.Hum Brain Mapp 38:5019–5034, 2017. ©2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Variability in the vertical hyporheic water exchange affected by hydraulic conductivity and river morphology at a natural confluent meander bend
Authors: Song Jinxi , Zhang Guotao , Wang Weize , Liu Qi , Jiang Weiwei , Guo Weiqiang , Tang Bin , Bai Haifeng , Dou Xinyi 
Published: June 2017

AbstractRiver confluences and their associated tributaries are key morphodynamic nodes that play important roles in controlling hydraulic geometry and hyporheic water exchange in fluvial networks. However, the existing knowledge regarding hyporheic water exchange associated with river confluence morphology is relatively scarce. On January 14 and 15, 2016, the general hydraulic and morphological characteristics of the confluent meander bend (CMB) between the Juehe River and the Haohe River in the southern region of Xi'an City, Shaanxi Province, China, were investigated. The patterns and magnitudes of vertical hyporheic water exchange (VHWE) were estimated based on a one‐dimensional heat steady‐state model, whereas the sediment vertical hydraulic conductivity (Kv) was calculated via in situ permeameter tests. The results demonstrated that 6 hydrodynamic zones and their extensions were observed at the CMB during the test period. These zones were likely controlled by the obtuse junction angle and low momentum flux ratio, influencing the sediment grain size distribution of the CMB. The VHWE patterns at the test site during the test period mostly showed upwelling flow dominated by regional groundwater discharging into the river. The occurrence of longitudinal downwelling and upwelling patterns along the meander bend at the CMB was likely subjected to the comprehensive influences of the local sinuosity of the meander bend and regional groundwater discharge and finally formed regional and local flow paths. Additionally, in dominated upwelling areas, the change in VHWE magnitudes was nearly consistent with that in Kv values, and higher values of both variables generally occurred in erosional zones near the thalweg paths of the CMB, which were mostly made up of sand and gravel. This was potentially caused by the erosional and depositional processes subjected to confluence morphology. Furthermore, lower Kv values observed in downwelling areas at the CMB were attributed to sediment clogging caused by local downwelling flow. The confluence morphology and sediment Kv are thus likely the driving factors that cause local variations in the VHWE of fluvial systems.
DNA decontamination methods for internal quality management in clinical PCR laboratories
Authors: Wu Yingping , Wu Jianyong , Zhang Zhihui , Cheng Chen 
Published: June 2017

BackgroundThe polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique, one of the most commonly applied methods in diagnostic and molecular biology, has a frustrating downside: the occurrence of false‐positive signals due to contamination. In previous research, various DNA decontamination methods have been developed to overcome this limitation. Unfortunately, the use of random or poorly focused sampling methods for monitoring air and/or object surfaces leads to the incomplete elimination during decontamination procedures. We herein attempted to develop a novel DNA decontamination method (environmental surveillance, including surface and air sampling) and quality management program for clinical molecular diagnostic laboratories (or clinical PCR laboratories).MethodsHere, we performed a step‐by‐step evaluation of current DNA decontamination methods and developed an effective procedure for assessing the presence of decontaminating DNA via PCR analysis. Performing targeted environmental surveillance by sampling, which reached optimal performance over 2 weeks, and the decontamination process had been verified as reliable. Additionally, the process was validated to not affect PCR amplification efficiency based on a comparative study.ResultsIn this study, effective guidelines for DNA decontamination were developed. The method employed ensured that surface DNA contamination could be effectively identified and eliminated. Furthermore, our study highlighted the importance of overall quality assurance and good clinical laboratory practices for preventing contamination, which are key factors for compliance with regulatory or accreditation requirements.ConclusionsTaken together, we provided the evidence that the presented scheme ranged from troubleshooting to the elimination of surface contamination, could serve as critical foundation for developing regular environmental surveillance guidelines for PCR laboratories.
Phosphate recovery from treated municipal wastewater using hybrid anion exchangers containing hydrated ferric oxide nanoparticles
Authors: You Xialei , Valderrama César , Soldatov Vladimir , Cortina José Luis 
Published: June 2017

AbstractBACKDROUNDThis study presents the evaluation of two ion exchangers (granular and fibrous) impregnated with nanoparticles of hydrated ferric oxide (HFO) as selective sorbents for phosphate recovery from aqueous solutions. The hybrid impregnated anion exchangers combine the durability and mechanical strength of a polymeric weak base anion exchange resin with the high sorption affinity of HFO towards phosphate species. Dynamic experiments were carried out and data obtained were fitted to a well‐known fixed‐bed sorption model.RESULTSThe theoretical sorption capacities reported by the Thomas model were in good agreement with the breakthrough experimental capacities determined from the sorption data. The sorption capacity decreased when using wastewater treatment plant secondary effluents in comparison with synthetic water mainly owing to the presence of organic matter and suspended solids. The phosphate sorbed on the impregnated ion exchangers was efficiently desorbed by using a 0.5 mol L‐1 sodium hydroxide solution, reporting up to 90% of recovery.CONCLUSIONThe reusability of sorbents was evaluated through five sorption–desorption working cycles. Fiban‐As was able to operate up to three consecutive cycles with good sorption performance while a significant decrease of sorption capacity after the first cycle was observed for FO36 resin. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry
Synthesis and Antimicrobial Activity of a New Class of Benzazolyl Pyrazoles
Authors: Suram Durgamma , Thatha Sreenivasulu , Venkatapuram Padmavathi , Adivireddy Padmaja 
Published: June 2017

A new class of benzazolyl pyrazoles were prepared from the simple substrates benzoxazol‐2‐thiol, benzothiazol‐2‐thiol, 1H‐benzimidazol‐2‐thiol and cinnamoyl chloride and tested for antimicrobial activity. The compounds 2‐(benzothiazol‐2‐ylthio)‐1‐(3‐(benzothiazol‐2‐ylthio)‐5‐phenyl‐1H‐pyrazol‐1‐yl)ethanone and 2‐(benzothiazol‐2‐ylamino)‐1‐(3‐(benzothiazol‐2‐ylthio)‐5‐phenyl‐1H‐pyrazol‐1‐yl)ethanone showed pronounced antibacterial activity against Klebsiella pneumoniae whereas 2‐(1H‐benzimidazol‐2‐ylthio)‐1‐(3‐(1H‐benzimidazol‐2‐ylthio)‐5‐phenyl‐1H‐pyrazol‐1‐yl)ethanone and 2‐(1H‐benzimidazol‐2‐ylamino)‐1‐(3‐(1H‐benzimidazol‐2‐ylthio)‐5‐phenyl‐1H‐pyrazol‐1‐yl) ethanone displayed excellent antifungal activity against Penicillium chrysogenum.
Design, Synthesis, and In Vitro Anti‐mycobacterial Evaluation 1H‐1,2,3‐triazole‐tethered Ciprofloxacin and Isatin Conjugates
Authors: Hu Yuan‐Qiang , Meng Ling‐Dan , Qiang Min , Song Xu‐Feng 
Published: June 2017

Eight novel 1H‐1,2,3‐triazole‐tethered ciprofloxacin (CPFX) isatin conjugates 5a–h with greater lipophilicity compared with CPFX were designed, synthesized, and evaluated for their in vitro anti‐mycobacterial activity against Mycobacterium smegmatis and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) H37Rv. The preliminary results showed that all hybrids (MIC: 12.5–100 μg/mL) exhibited considerable activity against M. smegmatis, but less active than the parent CPFX (MIC: 6.25 μg/mL) and the reference INH (MIC: 0.78 μg/mL). Against MTB H37Rv, all hybrids displayed excellent inhibitory activity with MICs ranging from 1.56 to 25 μg/mL, particularly, 5h (MIC: 1.56 μg/mL) was twofold more active CPFX (MIC: 3.12 μg/mL), warrant further investigations.
Efficient Synthesis of Novel 3‐Phenyl‐5‐thioxo‐3,4,5,6‐tetrahydroimidazo[4,5‐c]pyrazole‐2(1H)‐carbothioamide Derivatives Using a CeO2–MgO Catalyst and Evaluation of Antimicrobial Activity
Authors: Moydeen Meera , Al‐Deyab Salem S. , Kumar Radhakrishnan Surendra , Idhayadhulla Akbar 
Published: June 2017

Imidazo[4,5‐c]pyrazole derivatives (3a–f, 4a–f, and 5a–f) were efficiently synthesized by one‐pot three‐component reactions using CeO2–MgO as the catalyst. The synthesized compounds were characterized by IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and mass spectroscopic analyses. The in vitro antimicrobial activity of the synthesized compounds against various bacterial and fungal strains was screened. Compound 3b was highly active [minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC): 0.5 μg/mL] against Gram‐positive Staphylococcus aureus, and compounds 3b, 3f, 4d, and 4e were highly active (MIC: 0.5, 2, 2, and 0.5 μg/mL, respectively) against Gram‐negative Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumoniae, relative to standard ciprofloxacin in the antibacterial activity screening. Compounds 3b and 4f were highly active (MIC: 4 and 0.5 μg/mL, respectively) against Aspergillus fumigatus and Microsporum audouinii in the antifungal activity screening compared with the clotrimazole standard.
Betaine and arginine supplementation of low protein diets improves plasma lipids but does not affect hepatic fatty acid composition and related gene expression profiling in pigs
Authors: Madeira Marta S , Rolo Eva A , Lopes Paula A , Ramos Denis A , Alfaia Cristina M , Pires Virgínia MR , Martins Susana V , Pinto Rui MA , Prates José AM 
Published: June 2017

AbstractBACKGROUNDThe individual and combined effects of betaine and arginine supplemented to reduced protein diets were investigated on plasma metabolites, hepatic fatty acid composition and mRNA levels of lipid‐sensitive factors in commercial pigs. Betaine has previously been shown to reduce carcass fat deposition and arginine improves meat quality of finishing pigs. Forty male crossbred pigs were randomly assigned to one of five diets (n = 8): 160 g kg−1 of crude protein (NPD), 130 g kg−1 of crude protein (RPD), RPD with 3.3 g kg−1 of betaine, RPD with 15 g kg−1 of arginine, and RPD with 3.3 g kg−1 of betaine and 15 g kg−1 of arginine.RESULTSThe restriction of dietary protein increased total lipids (P < 0.001), total cholesterol (P < 0.001), high‐density lipoprotein‐cholesterol (P < 0.001) and low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (P < 0.001). Betaine and arginine, individually or combined, reduced the majority of plasma lipids (P < 0.05) without affecting total fatty acids in the liver and the overall gene expression pattern.CONCLUSIONThese findings suggest a positive effect of betaine and arginine, singly or combined, by reversing plasma lipids increase promoted by dietary protein restriction. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry
Prey in oceanic sound scattering layers organize to get a little help from their friends
Authors: Benoit‐Bird Kelly J. , Moline Mark A. , Southall Brandon L. 
Published: June 2017

AbstractGroup formation in animals is a widespread phenomenon driven by food acquisition, reproduction, and defense. Life in the ocean is characteristically aggregated into horizontally extensive layers as a result of strong vertical gradients in the environment. Each day, animals in high biomass aggregations called “deep scattering layers” migrate vertically, comprising the largest net animal movement on earth. This movement is commonly thought of as a predator avoidance tactic, however, the aggregation of animals into layers has been viewed as an incidental outcome of similar responses by many individuals to the risk of visual predation coupled with the location of resources including food and oxygen rather than active, socially mediated congregation for defense purposes. Here, using a newly adapted autonomous vehicle to measure individual characteristics, we provide the first measures of the internal layer structure, demonstrating that these features are made up of many topologically scaled, mono‐specific aggregations, or “schools” rather than an indiscriminate mix of sizes and species. Schools responded to predators using behavior much like flash compression while neighboring aggregations increased their spacing to maintain coherent layers. Rather than simply an incidental outcome, the formation of layers of life in the sea is a highly organized process driven, at least in part, by biotic pressures for cohesion with broad adaptive significance for the myriad species that inhabit these ubiquitous features. These observations highlight the range of spatial scales we must examine in order to understand the strong impacts these high‐biomass layers have on ecological and biogeochemical processes in the sea.
Examination of factor structure of the inventory of complicated grief (ICG) in a sample of bereaved military family members with persistent and elevated grief
Authors: Fisher Joscelyn E. , Mauro Christine , Cozza Stephen J. , Wall Melanie , Simon Naomi M. , Ortiz Claudio D. , Harrington‐LaMorie Jill , Wang Yuanjia , Fullerton Carol S. , Ursano Robert J. , Katherine Shear M. 
Published: June 2017

AbstractKnowledge about the effect of a US service member's death on surviving family members is limited. In order to identify their grief‐related health care needs, a first step is to identify the characteristics of persistent and elevated grief in a military family sample. The present study identified military family members (n = 232) bereaved more than six months who endorsed an elevated level of grief. A confirmatory factor analysis and test of measurement invariance of factor structure were used to compare the factor structure of their Inventory of Complicated Grief (ICG) responses to that of a bereaved non‐military‐related clinical research sample with similar grief levels. Results confirmed an equivalent five‐factor structure of the ICG in both the military family sample and the clinical research sample. The similarity in factor structure was present despite differences in demographic characteristics and bereavement experiences between samples. Thus, the ICG reliably measures persistent and elevated grief in military family samples and provides grief symptom profiles that facilitates better understanding of their grief‐related needs.
A populational—based survey on the prevalence, incidence, and risk factors of urinary incontinence in older adults—results from the “SABE STUDY”
Authors: Tamanini José Tadeu Nunes , Pallone Letícia Valério , Sartori Marair Grácio Ferreira , Girão Manoel João Batista Castello , dos Santos Jair Lício Ferreira , de Oliveira Duarte Yeda Aparecida , van Kerrebroeck Philip E.V.A. 
Published: June 2017

AimsTo estimate the prevalence and incidence of urinary incontinence (UI) and identify the associated risk factors in a cohort of elderly individuals in Brazil.MethodsIn 2006, individuals aged ≥60 years were selected from the SABE Study (Health, Well‐being, and Aging). The dependent variable was reported UI in 2009. UI was assessed using the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire Urinary Incontinence‐Short Form (ICIQ‐UI SF). Incidence was measured in units of 1000 person‐years, and Cox regression was applied for data analysis. Multivariate analysis was used to assess risk factors for UI. Incidence risk ratio (IRR) was used for comparison.ResultsThis is the first study to examine the incidence of UI in Brazilian elderly individuals. In total, 1413 individuals were included; the mean age was 74.5 years, and 864 (61.8%) participants were female. The risk of UI was greater among women with cancer (other than skin) and among those with diabetes. In men, the risk of UI was greater for those in Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) category “5‐8” and those who self‐reported a “fair” health status. The prevalence of UI was 14.2% and 28.2% for men and women, respectively. The incidence rate of UI was 25.6 and 39.3 (×1000 person‐years) for men and women, respectively.ConclusionsThe incidence rate of UI among older adults in the Brazilian community was high for elderly individuals. The identified risk factors were diabetes and IADL category 5‐8 (women) as well as cancer (other than skin) and self‐reported health status (male).
Stable 3D XFEM/vector level sets for non‐planar 3D crack propagation and comparison of enrichment schemes
Authors: Agathos Konstantinos , Ventura Giulio , Chatzi Eleni , Bordas Stéphane P. A. 
Published: June 2017

SummaryWe present a three‐dimensional vector level set method coupled to a recently developed stable extended finite element method (XFEM). We further investigate a new enrichment approach for XFEM adopting discontinuous linear enrichment functions in place of the asymptotic near‐tip functions. Through the vector level set method, level set values for propagating cracks are obtained via simple geometrical operations, eliminating the need for solution of differential evolution equations. The first XFEM variant ensures optimal convergence rates by means of geometrical enrichment, ie, the use of enriched elements in a fixed volume around the crack front, without giving rise to conditioning problems. The linear enrichment approach, significantly simplifies implementation and reduces the computational cost associated with numerical integration, while providing nonoptimal convergence rates similar to standard finite elements. The 2 dicretization schemes are tested for different benchmark problems, and their combination to the vector level set method is verified for nonplanar crack propagation problems.