bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
fNIRS can robustly measure brain activity during memory encoding and retrieval in healthy subjects
Authors: Jahani Sahar , Fantana Antoniu L. , Harper David , Ellison James M. , Boas David A. , Forester Brent P. , Yücel Meryem A. 
Published: August 2017

AbstractEarly intervention in Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) requires novel biomarkers that can capture changes in brain activity at an early stage. Current AD biomarkers are expensive and/or invasive and therefore unsuitable for use as screening tools, but a non-invasive, inexpensive, easily accessible screening method could be useful in both clinical and research settings. Prior studies suggest that especially paired-associate learning tasks may be useful in detecting the earliest memory impairment in AD. Here, we investigated the utility of functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy in measuring brain activity from prefrontal, parietal and temporal cortices of healthy adults (n = 19) during memory encoding and retrieval under a face-name paired-associate learning task. Our findings demonstrate that encoding of novel face-name pairs compared to baseline as well as compared to repeated face-name pairs resulted in significant activation in left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex while recalling resulted in activation in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex bilaterally. Moreover, brain response to recalling was significantly higher than encoding in medial, superior and middle frontal cortices for novel faces. Overall, this study shows that fNIRS can reliably measure cortical brain activation during a face-name paired-associate learning task. Future work will include similar measurements in populations with progressing memory deficits.
Nanoceria-mediated delivery of doxorubicin enhances the anti-tumour efficiency in ovarian cancer cells via apoptosis
Authors: Das Joydeep , Choi Yun-Jung , Han Jae Woong , Reza Abu Musa Md Talimur , Kim Jin-Hoi 
Published: August 2017

AbstractNanocarriers are widely used for effective delivery of anticancer drugs to tumours with potential to improve cancer treatment. Here, we developed a nanoceria (CeO2)-based system for delivery of the anti-cancer drug doxorubicin (DOX) to human ovarian cancer cells. Negatively charged nanoceria could conjugate with the cationic DOX via electrostatic interaction under physiological conditions, forming DOX-loaded nanoceria (CeO2/DOX). CeO2/DOX particles displayed nearly spherical shapes, along with superior drug-loading content (22.41%), loading efficiency (99.51%), and higher cellular uptake and drug release behaviours compared to free DOX. Moreover, DOX was released faster from CeO2/DOX under reductive acidic conditions (pH 5.0, 10 mM glutathione) than under physiological conditions (pH 7.4). The initial intracellular DOX concentration was higher in the free DOX groups than in the CeO2/DOX groups, but quickly reduced to 25% of the initial concentration after 24-h culture. By contrast, CeO2/DOX showed sustained DOX release over time and maintained a high intracellular DOX concentration for up to 72 h. In vitro assays showed that CeO2/DOX exhibited higher cell proliferation inhibition and apoptosis compared with free DOX. These results highlight DOX-loaded nanoceria as a promising therapeutic agent for cancer treatment.
Chemometric analysis of cow dung ash as an adsorbent for purifying biodiesel from waste cooking oil
Authors: Avinash A. , Murugesan A. 
Published: August 2017

AbstractTaraditionally, the water-soluble contaminants of biodiesel are treated by water wash method. However, water wash method ends up in an aqueous effluent, which might then cause a harmful environmental impact. As a consequence, waterless purification of biodiesel has triggered primary interest in biodiesel manufacturing process. To address this issue, an endeavour has been made in this work to investigate the waterless purification of biodiesel from waste cooking oil using cow dung ash at different concentration of 1, 2, 3 and 4 wt/wt %. The optimum concentration of cow dung ash for biodiesel purification was found through chemometric analysis by comparing the Fourier transform infrared transmission (FTIR) spectral characteristics of cow dung ash with the water treated FTIR. It was observed from the experimental study that 1 wt/wt % of cow dung ash exhibited similar structural characteristics as that of traditional water treated method of biodiesel purification. Therefore, bio-waste cow dung ash is an effective adsorbent in purifying biodiesel analogous to traditional water washing technology.
Simultaneous emission of Gaussian-like and parabolic-like pulse waveforms in an erbium-doped dual-wavelength fiber laser
Authors: Li Xing , Dai Shenggan , Zou Weiwen , Chen Jianping , Nie Qiuhua , Dai Shixun 
Published: August 2017

AbstractWe report on the observation of different pulse formation dynamics in a nonlinear polarization evolution (NPE)-based broadband erbium-doped fiber laser when the net cavity group-velocity dispersion (GVD) is managed to be close to zero. The fiber laser can generate pulses with a single wavelength or dual wavelengths by adjusting the waveplates. When the laser operates in dual-wavelength emission, the output pulses corresponding to the two wavelengths exhibit Gaussian- and parabolic-like waveforms, respectively, indicating that the laser can simultaneously operate in stretched-pulse and self-similar regimes. The generation of dual-wavelength emission with different pulse waveforms can be attributed to an overdriven NPE switch acting on a chirped broadband pulse and different dispersion mechanisms. These findings provide a good foundation for comprehensively studying pulse formation dynamics in laser cavities.
Enhancement of mesenchymal stem cell chondrogenesis with short-term low intensity pulsed electromagnetic fields
Authors: Parate Dinesh , Franco-Obregón Alfredo , Fröhlich Jürg , Beyer Christian , Abbas Azlina A. , Kamarul Tunku , Hui James H. P. , Yang Zheng 
Published: August 2017

AbstractPulse electromagnetic fields (PEMFs) have been shown to recruit calcium-signaling cascades common to chondrogenesis. Here we document the effects of specified PEMF parameters over mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) chondrogenic differentiation. MSCs undergoing chondrogenesis are preferentially responsive to an electromagnetic efficacy window defined by field amplitude, duration and frequency of exposure. Contrary to conventional practice of administering prolonged and repetitive exposures to PEMFs, optimal chondrogenic outcome is achieved in response to brief (10 minutes), low intensity (2 mT) exposure to 6 ms bursts of magnetic pulses, at 15 Hz, administered only once at the onset of chondrogenic induction. By contrast, repeated exposures diminished chondrogenic outcome and could be attributed to calcium entry after the initial induction. Transient receptor potential (TRP) channels appear to mediate these aspects of PEMF stimulation, serving as a conduit for extracellular calcium. Preventing calcium entry during the repeated PEMF exposure with the co-administration of EGTA or TRP channel antagonists precluded the inhibition of differentiation. This study highlights the intricacies of calcium homeostasis during early chondrogenesis and the constraints that are placed on PEMF-based therapeutic strategies aimed at promoting MSC chondrogenesis. The demonstrated efficacy of our optimized PEMF regimens has clear clinical implications for future regenerative strategies for cartilage.
Expression and role of VLA-1 in resident memory CD8 T cell responses to respiratory mucosal viral-vectored immunization against tuberculosis
Authors: Haddadi Siamak , Thanthrige-Don Niroshan , Afkhami Sam , Khera Amandeep , Jeyanathan Mangalakumari , Xing Zhou 
Published: August 2017

AbstractLung resident memory T cells (TRM) characterized by selective expression of mucosal integrins VLA-1 (α1β1) and CD103 (αEβ7) are generated following primary respiratory viral infections. Despite recent progress, the generation of lung TRM and the role of mucosal integrins following viral vector respiratory mucosal immunization still remains poorly understood. Here by using a replication-defective viral vector tuberculosis vaccine, we show that lung Ag-specific CD8 T cells express both VLA-1 and CD103 following respiratory mucosal immunization. However, VLA-1 and CD103 are acquired in differential tissue sites with the former acquired during T cell priming in the draining lymph nodes and the latter acquired after T cells entered the lung. Once in the lung, Ag-specific CD8 T cells continue to express VLA-1 at high levels through the effector/expansion, contraction, and memory phases of T cell responses. Using a functional VLA-1 blocking mAb, we show that VLA-1 is not required for trafficking of these cells to the lung, but it negatively regulates them in the contraction phase. Furthermore, VLA-1 plays a negligible role in the maintenance of these cells in the lung. Our study provides new information on vaccine-inducible lung TRM and shall help develop effective viral vector respiratory mucosal tuberculosis vaccination strategies.
A robust superhydrophobic TiO2 NPs coated cellulose sponge for highly efficient oil-water separation
Authors: Zhang Hui , Li Yuqi , Lu Zexiang , Chen Lihui , Huang Liulian , Fan Mizi 
Published: August 2017

AbstractOil-water separation has recently become a worldwide concern because of the increasing oil spill accidents and industrial oily wastewater generation. Herein, a facile method with the combined superhydrophobic coating and adhesive was used to fabricate superhydrophobic TiO2 NPs coated cellulose sponge. The developed materials exhibited excellent superhydrophobicity (WCA = 171°) and superoleophilicity (OCA = 0°), which can separate a variety of oil-water mixtures, including chloroform, toluene, kerosene and other contaminations. A high separation efficiency up to 98.5% for chloroform-water mixture was achieved when used for gravity-driven oil/water separation test. More importantly, the as-prepared samples exhibited excellent chemical stability and mechanical abrasion resistance even towards various corrosive oil/water mixtures (such as strong acid, alkali solution and salt-water environment) or a strong abrasion by aluminium oxide sandpaper of 600 mesh. In addition, the separation efficiency remained above 93% even after 40 scratch cycles, and the materials could be reused with a stable hydrophobicity, indicating a strong potential for industrial application.
Modeling acute toxicity of metal mixtures to wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) using the biotic ligand model-based toxic units method
Authors: Wu Mingyan , Wang Xuedong , Jia Zhiguo , De Schamphelaere Karel , Ji Dongxue , Li Xiaoxiu , Chen Xiaolin 
Published: August 2017

AbstractThe combined toxic effects of copper (Cu) and cobalt (Co) were predicted using the biotic ligand model (BLM) for different concentrations of magnesium (Mg2+) and pH levels, with parameters derived from Cu-only and Co-only toxicity data. The BLM-based toxic unit (TU) approach was used for prediction. Higher activities of Mg2+ linearly increased the EC50 of Cu and Co, supporting the concept of competitive binding of Mg2+ and metal ions in toxic action. The effects of pH on Cu and Co toxicity were related not only to free Cu2+ and Co2+ activity, respectively, but also to inorganic metal complexes. Stability constants for the binding of Cu2+, CuHCO3+, CuCO3(aq), CuOH+, Mg2+, Co2+, CoHCO3+ and Mg2+ with biotic ligands were logKCuBL 5.87, $$\mathrm{log}\,{K}_{{{\rm{CuHCO}}}_{3}{\rm{BL}}}$$
log

K

CuHCO

3

BL

5.67, $$\mathrm{log}\,{K}_{{{\rm{CuCO}}}_{3}{\rm{BL}}}$$
log

K

CuCO

3

BL

5.44, logKCuOHBL 5.07, logKMgBL 2.93, logKCoBL 4.72, $$\mathrm{log}\,{K}_{{{\rm{CoHCO}}}_{3}{\rm{BL}}}$$
log

K

CoHCO

3

BL

5.81 and logKMgBL 3.84, respectively. The combinations of Cu and Co showed additive effects under different conditions. When compared with the FIAM-based TU model (root mean square error [RMSE = 16.31, R2 = 0.84]), the BLM-based TU model fitted the observed effects better (RMSE = 6.70, R2 = 0.97). The present study supports the BLM principles, which indicate that metal speciation and major cations competition need to be accounted for when predicting toxicity of both single metals and mixtures of metals.
Effects of drying and wetting cycles on the transformations of extraneous inorganic N to soil microbial residues
Authors: Zhang Wei , Liang Chao , Kao-Kniffin Jenny , He Hongbo , Xie Hongtu , Zhang Xudong 
Published: August 2017

AbstractThe incorporation of extraneous nitrogen (N) into amino sugars (AS) could reflect the contribution of microbial residues to soil N transformation. Investigating the impact of drying-wetting (DW) on dynamics of newly-produced AS is critical because this represents microbial-driven N retention/losses in soil. A 36-day incubation of soil samples was conducted under different drying intensities, using 15N-labelled-(NH4)2SO4 as an N source together with/without glucose addition. There were multiple DW periods and they ranged from a constant moisture content treatment, to a one day drying (low-drying-intensity, LD), a two day drying (medium-drying-intensity, MD), or a three day drying event (severe-drying-intensity, SD). The immobilization of added-N was restricted in DW when available carbon was not added, thus glucose addition increased the effect of DW on the incorporation of added-N into AS. The response of total 15N-AS to DW varied depending on drying intensities. The MD was beneficial to the incorporation of added-N into total 15N-AS, while total 15N-AS contents were low in SD treatment. The effect of DW on contribution of bacterial and fungal residues to N transformation was also related to drying intensities. Our study indicated that DW altered microbial transformation of added-N, and the effect was drying intensity-specific, and available carbon-dependent.
EnSVMB: Metagenomics Fragments Classification using Ensemble SVM and BLAST
Authors: Jiang Yuan , Wang Jun , Xia Dawen , Yu Guoxian 
Published: August 2017

AbstractMetagenomics brings in new discoveries and insights into the uncultured microbial world. One fundamental task in metagenomics analysis is to determine the taxonomy of raw sequence fragments. Modern sequencing technologies produce relatively short fragments and greatly increase the number of fragments, and thus make the taxonomic classification considerably more difficult than before. Therefore, fast and accurate techniques are called to classify large-scale fragments. We propose EnSVM (Ensemble Support Vector Machine) and its advanced method called EnSVMB (EnSVM with BLAST) to accurately classify fragments. EnSVM divides fragments into a large confident (or small diffident) set, based on whether the fragments get consistent (or inconsistent) predictions from linear SVMs trained with different k-mers. Empirical study shows that sensitivity and specificity of EnSVM on confident set are higher than 90% and 97%, but on diffident set are lower than 60% and 75%. To further improve the performance on diffident set, EnSVMB takes advantage of best hits of BLAST to reclassify fragments in that set. Experimental results show EnSVM can efficiently and effectively divide fragments into confident and diffident sets, and EnSVMB achieves higher accuracy, sensitivity and more true positives than related state-of-the-art methods and holds comparable specificity with the best of them.
Population mechanics: A mathematical framework to study T cell homeostasis
Authors: Arias Clemente F. , Herrero Miguel A. , Acosta Francisco J. , Fernandez-Arias Cristina 
Published: August 2017

AbstractUnlike other cell types, T cells do not form spatially arranged tissues, but move independently throughout the body. Accordingly, the number of T cells in the organism does not depend on physical constraints imposed by the shape or size of specific organs. Instead, it is determined by competition for interleukins. From the perspective of classical population dynamics, competition for resources seems to be at odds with the observed high clone diversity, leading to the so-called diversity paradox. In this work we make use of population mechanics, a non-standard theoretical approach to T cell homeostasis that accounts for clone diversity as arising from competition for interleukins. The proposed models show that carrying capacities of T cell populations naturally emerge from the balance between interleukins production and consumption. These models also suggest remarkable functional differences in the maintenance of diversity in naïve and memory pools. In particular, the distribution of memory clones would be biased towards clones activated more recently, or responding to more aggressive pathogenic threats. In contrast, permanence of naïve T cell clones would be determined by their affinity for cognate antigens. From this viewpoint, positive and negative selection can be understood as mechanisms to maximize naïve T cell diversity.
Fe-based hybrid electrocatalysts for nonaqueous lithium-oxygen batteries
Authors: Lee Seun , Lee Gwang-Hee , Lee Hack Jun , Dar Mushtaq Ahmad , Kim Dong-Wan 
Published: August 2017

AbstractLithium–oxygen batteries promise high energy densities, but are confronted with challenges, such as high overpotentials and sudden death during discharge–charge cycling, because the oxygen electrode is covered with the insulating discharge product, Li2O2. Here, we synthesized low–cost Fe–based nanocomposites via an electrical wire pulse process, as a hybrid electrocatalyst for the oxygen electrode of Li–O2batteries. Fe3O4-Fe nanohybrids–containing electrodes exhibited a high discharge capacity (13,890 mA h gc−1at a current density of 500 mA gc−1), long cycle stability (100 cycles at a current rate of 500 mA gc−1and fixed capacity regime of 1,000 mA h gc−1), and low overpotential (1.39 V at 40 cycles). This superior performance resulted from the good electrical conductivity of the Fe metal nanoparticles during discharge–charge cycling, which could enhance the oxygen reduction reaction and oxygen evolution reaction activities. We have demonstrated the increased electrical conductivity of the Fe3O4-Fe nanohybrids using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy.
Efficacy of Laropiprant in Minimizing Brain Injury Following Experimental Intracerebral Hemorrhage
Authors: Ahmad Abdullah Shafique , Mendes Monique , Hernandez Damian , Doré Sylvain 
Published: August 2017

AbstractIntracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is one of the most devastating and disabling forms of stroke, yet effective treatments are still lacking. Prostaglandins and their receptors have been implicated in playing vital roles in ICH outcomes. Recently, laropiprant, a DP1 receptor antagonist, has been used in combination with niacin to abolish the prostaglandin D2-(PGD2)-induced flushing. Here, we test the hypothesis that laropiprant limits bleeding and rescues the brain from ICH. Wildtype (WT) and DP1−/− mice were subjected ICH and neurologic deficits and hemorrhagic lesion outcomes were evaluated at 72 hours after the ICH. To test the therapeutic potential of laropiprant, WT mice subjected to ICH were treated with laropiprant at 1 hour after the ICH. The putative effect of laropiprant on limiting hematoma expansion was tested by an in vivo tail bleeding cessation method and an ex vivo coagulation method. Finally, the roles of laropiprant on gliosis and iron accumulation were also investigated. A significant decrease in the injury volume was observed in DP1−/− as well as laropiprant-treated WT mice. The tail bleeding time was significantly lower in laropiprant group as compared with the vehicle group. Significantly lower Iba-1 and Perls’ iron staining in DP1−/− and laropiprant-treated WT groups were observed. Altogether, the data suggest that laropiprant treatment post-ICH attenuates brain damage by targeting primary as well as secondary injuries.
Biochips for Direct Detection and Identification of Bacteria in Blood Culture-Like Conditions
Authors: Templier V. , Livache T. , Boisset S. , Maurin M. , Slimani S. , Mathey R. , Roupioz Y. 
Published: August 2017

AbstractBloodstream bacterial infections are life-threatening conditions necessitating prompt medical care. Rapid pathogen identification is essential for early setting of the best anti-infectious therapy. However, the bacterial load in blood samples from patients with bacteremia is too low and under the limit of detection of most methods for direct identification of bacteria. Therefore, a preliminary step enabling the bacterial multiplication is required. To do so, blood cultures still remain the gold standard before bacteremia diagnosis. Bacterial identification is then usually obtained within 24 to 48 hours -at least- after blood sampling. In the present work, the fast and direct identification of bacteria present in blood cultures is completed in less than 12 hours, during bacterial growth, using an antibody microarray coupled to a Surface Plasmon Resonance imager (SPRi). Less than one bacterium (Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis) per milliliter of blood sample is successfully detected and identified in blood volumes similar to blood tests collected in clinics (i.e. several milliliters). This proof of concept demonstrates the workability of our method for human samples, despite the highly complex intrinsic nature of unprocessed blood. Our label-free method then opens new perspectives for direct and faster bacterial identification in a larger range of clinical samples.
FISH-based mitotic and meiotic diakinesis karyotypes of Morus notabilis reveal a chromosomal fusion-fission cycle between mitotic and meiotic phases
Authors: Xuan Yahui , Li Chaoshuo , Wu Yue , Ma Bi , Liu Ruiling , Xiang Zhonghuai , He Ningjia 
Published: August 2017

AbstractMulberry (Morus spp.), in family Moraceae, is a plant with important economic value. Many polyploid levels of mulberry have been determined. In the present study, the fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) technique was applied in Morus notabilis, using four single-copy sequences, telomere repeats, and 5S and 25S rDNAs as probes. All the mitotic chromosomes were clearly identified and grouped into seven pairs of homologous chromosomes. Three dot chromosome pairs were distinguished by the FISH patterns of the 25S rDNA probe and a simple sequence repeat (SSR2524). According to the FISH signals, chromosome length and morphology, detailed meiotic diakinesis karyotype was constructed. Interestingly, only six bivalent chromosomes were observed in diakinesis cells. The 25S rDNA probe was used to illustrate chromosome alterations. The results indicated that mitotic chromosomes 5 and 7 fused into diakinesis chromosome 5 during the meiotic phase. In mitotic cells, the fused chromosome 5 broke into chromosomes 5 and 7. A chromosomal fusion-fission cycle between the meiotic and mitotic phases in the same individual is reported here for the first time. This finding will contribute to the understanding of karyotype evolution in plants.