bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Flow cytometry as a rapid analytical tool to determine physiological responses to changing O2 and iron concentration by Magnetospirillum gryphiswaldense strain MSR-1
Authors: Fernández-Castané Alfred , Li Hong , Thomas Owen R. T. , Overton Tim W. 
Published: October 2017

AbstractMagnetotactic bacteria (MTB) are a diverse group of bacteria that synthesise magnetosomes, magnetic membrane-bound nanoparticles that have a variety of diagnostic, clinical and biotechnological applications. We present the development of rapid methods using flow cytometry to characterize several aspects of the physiology of the commonly-used MTB Magnetospirillum gryphiswaldense MSR-1. Flow cytometry is an optical technique that rapidly measures characteristics of individual bacteria within a culture, thereby allowing determination of population heterogeneity and also permitting direct analysis of bacteria. Scatter measurements were used to measure and compare bacterial size, shape and morphology. Membrane permeability and polarization were measured using the dyes propidium iodide and bis-(1,3-dibutylbarbituric acid) trimethine oxonol to determine the viability and ‘health’ of bacteria. Dyes were also used to determine changes in concentration of intracellular free iron and polyhydroxylakanoate (PHA), a bacterial energy storage polymer. These tools were then used to characterize the responses of MTB to different O2 concentrations and iron-sufficient or iron-limited growth. Rapid analysis of MTB physiology will allow development of bioprocesses for the production of magnetosomes, and will increase understanding of this fascinating and useful group of bacteria.
Fish perform like mammals and birds in inhibitory motor control tasks
Authors: Lucon-Xiccato Tyrone , Gatto Elia , Bisazza Angelo 
Published: October 2017

AbstractInhibitory control is an executive function that positively predicts performance in several cognitive tasks and has been considered typical of vertebrates with large and complex nervous systems such as primates. However, evidence is growing that some fish species have evolved complex cognitive abilities in spite of their relatively small brain size. We tested whether fish might also show enhanced inhibitory control by subjecting guppies,Poecilia reticulata, to the motor task used to test warm-blooded vertebrates. Guppies were trained to enter a horizontal opaque cylinder to reach a food reward; then, the cylinder was replaced by a transparent one, and subjects needed to inhibit the response to pass thought the transparency to reach the food. Guppies performed correctly in 58% trials, a performance fully comparable to that observed in most birds and mammals. In experiment 2, we tested guppies in a task with a different type of reward, a group of conspecifics. Guppies rapidly learned to detour a transparent barrier to reach the social reward with a performance close to that of experiment 1. Our study suggests that efficient inhibitory control is shown also by fish, and that its variation between-species is only partially explained by variation in brain size.
Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans not detected in U.S. survey of pet salamanders
Authors: Klocke Blake , Becker Matthew , Lewis James , Fleischer Robert C. , Muletz-Wolz Carly R. , Rockwood Larry , Aguirre A. Alonso , Gratwicke Brian 
Published: October 2017

AbstractWe engaged pet salamander owners in the United States to screen their animals for two amphibian chytrid fungal pathogens Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) and B. salamandrivorans (Bsal). We provided pet owners with a sampling kit and instructional video to swab the skin of their animals. We received 639 salamander samples from 65 species by mail, and tested them for Bd and Bsal using qPCR. We detected Bd on 1.3% of salamanders (95% CI 0.0053–0.0267) and did not detect Bsal (95% CI 0.0000–0.0071). If Bsal is present in the U.S. population of pet salamanders, it occurs at a very low prevalence. The United States Fish and Wildlife Service listed 201 species of salamanders as “injurious wildlife” under the Lacey Act (18 U.S.C. § 42) on January 28, 2016, a precautionary action to prevent the introduction of Bsal to the U.S. through the importation of salamanders. This action reduced the number of salamanders imported to the U.S. from 2015 to 2016 by 98.4%. Our results indicate that continued precautions should be taken to prevent the introduction and establishment of Bsal in the U.S., which is a hotspot of salamander biodiversity.
Brain activity to transitional objects in patients with borderline personality disorder
Authors: Kiefer Markus , Neff Ute , Schmid Markus M. , Spitzer Manfred , Connemann Bernhard J. , Schönfeldt-Lecuona Carlos 
Published: October 2017

AbstractAdult patients with borderline personality disorders (BPD) frequently have attachments to inanimate transitional objects (TOs) such as stuffed animals. Using event-related potential (ERP) recordings, we determined in patients with BPD the neural correlates of the processing of these attachment-relevant objects and their functional significance. Sixteen female patients with BPD viewed pictures of their TOs, other familiar stuffed toys (familiar objects, FOs), and unfamiliar objects (UOs). ERPs in the patients were compared to those in 16 matched healthy controls who possessed a stuffed animal of comparably high familiarity. Here, we found a specific increase of frontal P3/LPP amplitude in patients with BPD, which was related to attachment anxiety and depression scores. Attachment-related TO stimuli in patients with BPD specifically modulated stages of emotional stimulus evaluation reflecting processing of self-relevance. The relation of the frontal ERP effect to patients’ attachment anxiety and depression highlights the function of TOs for coping with anxiety about being abandoned by significant others and for dealing with depressive symptoms.
Maternal consumption of fish oil programs reduced adiposity in broiler chicks
Authors: Beckford Ronique C. , Howard Sarah J. , Das Suchita , Farmer Abigail T. , Campagna Shawn R. , Yu Jiali , Hettich Robert L. , Wilson Jeanna L. , Voy Brynn H. 
Published: October 2017

AbstractMaternal intake of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA; 20:5 n-3) and docosahexaenoic acid (22:6 n-3) has been associated with reduced adiposity in children, suggesting the possibility to program adipose development through dietary fatty acids before birth. This study determined if enriching the maternal diet in fish oil, the primary source of EPA and DHA, affected adipose development in offspring. Broiler chickens were used because they are obesity-prone, and because fatty acids provided to the embryo can be manipulated through the hen diet. Hens were fed diets supplemented (2.8% wt:wt) with corn oil (CO; n-6) or fish oil (FO; n-3) for 28 d. Chicks from both maternal diet groups were fed the same diet after hatch. Maternal FO consumption enriched chick adipose tissue in EPA and DHA and reduced adiposity by promoting more, but smaller, adipocytes. This adipocyte profile was paralleled by lower expression of the adipogenic regulator PPARG and its co-activator PPARGC1B, and elevated expression of LPL. Proteomics identified 95 differentially abundant proteins between FO and CO adipose tissue, including components of glucose metabolism, lipid droplet trafficking, and cytoskeletal organization. These results demonstrate that the maternal dietary fatty acid profile programs offspring adipose development.
Dielectric imaging for differentiation between cancer and inflammation in vivo
Authors: Lee Rimi , Lee Sun-Mi , Kim Hyung Joon , Kim Sook Young , Son Mina , Song Jun Ho , Lkhamsuren Khulan , Park In Ho , Choi In Hong , Park Young Nyun , Shin Jeon-Soo , Yoo Kyung-Hwa 
Published: October 2017

AbstractIn this study, we develop an in vivo dielectric imaging technique that measures capacitance using pin-type electrode arrays. Compared to normal tissues, cancer tissues exhibit higher capacitance values, allowing us to image the cancer region and monitor the chemotherapeutic effects of cancer in real-time. A comparison with the histopathological results shows that the in vivo dielectric imaging technique is able to detect small tumors (<3 mm) and tumor-associated changes. In addition, we demonstrate that cancer and inflammation may be distinguished by measuring the capacitance images at different frequencies. In contrast, the positron emission tomography using 2-[18F]-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose was not capable of discriminating between cancer and inflammation.
Monitoring cerebral hemodynamic change during transcranial ultrasound stimulation using optical intrinsic signal imaging
Authors: Kim Evgenii , Anguluan Eloise , Kim Jae Gwan 
Published: October 2017

AbstractTranscranial ultrasound stimulation (tUS) is a promising non-invasive approach to modulate brain circuits. The application is gaining popularity, however the full effect of ultrasound stimulation is still unclear and further investigation is needed. This study aims to apply optical intrinsic signal imaging (OISI) for the first time, to simultaneously monitor the wide-field cerebral hemodynamic change during tUS on awake animal with high spatial and temporal resolution. Three stimulation paradigms were delivered using a single-element focused transducer operating at 425 kHz in pulsed mode having the same intensity (ISPPA = 1.84 W/cm2, ISPTA = 129 mW/cm2) but varying pulse repetition frequencies (PRF). The results indicate a concurrent hemodynamic change occurring with all actual tUS but not under a sham stimulation. The stimulation initiated the increase of oxygenated hemoglobin (HbO) and decrease of deoxygenated hemoglobin (RHb). A statistically significant difference (p < 0.05) was found in the amplitude change of hemodynamics evoked by varying PRF. Moreover, the acoustic stimulation was able to trigger a global as well as local cerebral hemodynamic alteration in the mouse cortex. Thus, the implementation of OISI offers the possibility of directly investigating brain response in an awake animal during tUS through cerebral hemodynamic change.
Pectin methylesterases contribute the pathogenic differences between races 1 and 4 of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense
Authors: Fan Huiyun , Dong Honghong , Xu Chunxiang , Liu Jing , Hu Bei , Ye Jingwen , Mai Guiwan , Li Huaping 
Published: October 2017

AbstractPlant cell walls, which are mainly composed of pectin, play important roles in plant defence responses to pathogens. Pectin is synthesised in a highly esterified form and then de-esterified by pectin methylesterases (PMEs). Because of this, PMEs are directly involved in plant defence. However, the molecular mechanisms of their interactions with pectins remain unclear. In this study, we compared the expression level and enzyme activities of PMEs in a banana Cavendish cultivar (Musa AAA ‘Brazilian’) inoculated with Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense pathogenic races 1 (Foc1) and 4 (Foc4). We further examined the spatial distribution of PMEs and five individual homogalacturonans (HGs) with different degree of pectin methylesterification (DM). Results suggested that the banana roots infected with Foc1 showed lower PME activity than those infected with Foc4, which was consisted with observed higher level of pectin DM. The level of HGs crosslinked with Ca2+ was significantly higher in roots infected with Foc1 compared with those infected with Foc4. Therefore, banana exhibited significantly different responses to Foc1 and Foc4 infection, and these results suggest differences in PME activities, DM of pectin and Ca2+-bridged HG production. These differences could have resulted in observed differences in virulence between Foc1 and Foc4.
Flexible Semiconductor Technologies with Nanoholes-Provided High Areal Coverages and Their Application in Plasmonic-Enhanced Thin Film Photovoltaics
Authors: Wang Zhaozhao , Peng Linfa , Lin Zhongqin , Ni Jun , Yi Peiyun , Lai Xinmin , He Xiaolong , Lei Zeyu 
Published: October 2017

AbstractMechanical flexibility and advanced light management have gained great attentions in designing high performance, flexible thin film photovoltaics for the realization of building-integrated optoelectronic devices and portable energy sources. This study develops a soft thermal nanoimprint process for fabricating nanostructure decorated substrates integrated with amorphous silicon solar cells. Amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) solar cells have been constructed on nanoholes array textured polyimide (PI) substrates. It has been demonstrated that the nanostructures not only are beneficial to the mechanical flexibility improvement but also contribute to sunlight harvesting enhancement. The a-Si:H solar cells constructed on such nanopatterned substrates possess broadband-enhanced light absorption, high quantum efficiency and desirable power conversion efficiency (PCE) and still experience minimal PCE loss even bending around 180°. The PCE performance without antireflection coatings increases to 7.70% and it improves 40% compared with the planar devices. Although the advantages and feasibility of the schemes are demonstrated only in the application of a-Si:H solar cells, the ideas are able to extend to applications of other thin film photovoltaics and semiconductor devices.
How to prevent the detrimental effects of two months of bed-rest on muscle, bone and cardiovascular system: an RCT
Authors: Kramer Andreas , Gollhofer Albert , Armbrecht Gabriele , Felsenberg Dieter , Gruber Markus 
Published: October 2017

AbstractPhysical inactivity leads to a deconditioning of the skeletal, neuromuscular and cardiovascular system. It can lead to impaired quality of life, loss of autonomy, falls and fractures. Regular exercise would be a logical remedy, but the generally recommended high-volume endurance and strength training programs require a lot of time and equipment. In this randomized controlled study with 23 healthy participants, we established that a short, intensive jump training program can prevent the large musculoskeletal and cardiovascular deconditioning effects caused by two months of physical inactivity during bed rest, particularly the loss of bone mineral mass and density, lean muscle mass, maximal leg strength and peak oxygen uptake. The jump training group showed no significant changes with respect to these indicators of musculoskeletal and cardiovascular health after 60 days of bed rest, whereas the control group exhibited substantial losses: up to −2.6% in tibial bone mineral content and density, −5% in leg lean mass, −40% in maximal knee extension torque and −29% in peak oxygen uptake. Consequently, we recommend jump training as a very time-efficient and effective type of exercise for astronauts on long-term space missions, the elderly and sedentary populations in general.
Viscosity is an important factor of resistance to alcohol-based disinfectants by pathogens present in mucus
Authors: Hirose Ryohei , Nakaya Takaaki , Naito Yuji , Daidoji Tomo , Watanabe Yohei , Yasuda Hiroaki , Konishi Hideyuki , Itoh Yoshito 
Published: October 2017

AbstractAlcohol-based disinfectants play an important role in the prevention of healthcare-acquired infection (HAI). We investigated whether pathogens present in mucus acquire resistance to alcohol-based disinfectants, and elucidated the underlying mechanism. Both the resistance of influenza A virus and Escherichia coli to alcohol-based disinfectants or ultraviolet irradiation and the diffusion rate of ethanol were determined in artificial mucus or sputum samples obtained from 27 individuals with acute upper respiratory infection. Pathogens in mucus (artificial mucus or sputum samples) were not completely inactivated by alcohol-based disinfectants (survival rate >10%), suggesting that the alcohol-based disinfectants were ineffective. Pathogen survival and mucus viscosity were strongly correlated (correlation coefficient >0.7, P < 0.001). Additionally, the ethanol diffusion rate decreased with increasing mucus viscosity, which contributed to ethanol resistance. Pronase treatment of sputum samples significantly decreased sputum viscosity and increased the disinfectant effect (P < 0.001 for all). In contrast, complete inactivation was achieved by ultraviolet irradiation independently of mucus viscosity. Thus, mucus viscosity contributes to resistance of pathogens to alcohol-based disinfectants by decreasing the alcohol diffusion rate. These findings can provide a basis for developing new strategies, including improved disinfectants, for overcoming HAI.
Synthetic/ECM-inspired hybrid platform for hollow microcarriers with ROS-triggered nanoporation hallmarks
Authors: Milcovich Gesmi , Contessotto Paolo , Marsico Grazia , Ismail Siti , Pandit Abhay 
Published: October 2017

AbstractReactive oxygen species (ROS) are key pathological signals expressed in inflammatory diseases such as cancer, ischemic conditions and atherosclerosis. An ideal drug delivery system should not only be responsive to these signals but also should not elicit an unfavourable host response. This study presents an innovative platform for drug delivery where a natural/synthetic composite system composed of collagen type I and a synthesized polythioether, ensures a dual stimuli-responsive behaviour. Collagen type I is an extracellular matrix constituent protein, responsive to matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) cleavage per se. Polythioethers are stable synthetic polymers characterized by the presence of sulphur, which undergoes a ROS-responsive swelling switch. A polythioether was synthesised, functionalized and tested for cytotoxicity. Optimal conditions to fabricate a composite natural/synthetic hollow sphere construct were optimised by a template-based method. Collagen-polythioether hollow spheres were fabricated, revealing uniform size and ROS-triggered nanoporation features. Cellular metabolic activity of H9C2 cardiomyoblasts remained unaffected upon exposure to the spheres. Our natural/synthetic hollow microspheres exhibit the potential for use as a pathological stimuli-responsive reservoir system for applications in inflammatory diseases.
Phonon-assisted oscillatory exciton dynamics in monolayer MoSe2
Authors: Chow Colin M. , Yu Hongyi , Jones Aaron M. , Schaibley John R. , Koehler Michael , Mandrus David G. , Merlin R. , Yao Wang , Xu Xiaodong 
Published: October 2017

AbstractIn monolayer semiconductor transition metal dichalcogenides, the exciton–phonon interaction strongly affects the photocarrier dynamics. Here, we report on an unusual oscillatory enhancement of the neutral exciton photoluminescence with the excitation laser frequency in monolayer MoSe2. The frequency of oscillation matches that of the M-point longitudinal acoustic phonon, LA(M), suggesting the significance of zone-edge acoustic phonons and hence the deformation potential in exciton-phonon coupling in MoSe2. Moreover, oscillatory behavior is observed in the steady-state emission linewidth and in time-resolved PLE data, which reveals variation with excitation energy in the exciton lifetime. These results clearly expose the key role played by phonons in the exciton formation and relaxation dynamics of two-dimensional van der Waals semiconductors.
Reversible hysteresis inversion in MoS2 field effect transistors
Authors: Kaushik Naveen , Mackenzie David M. A. , Thakar Kartikey , Goyal Natasha , Mukherjee Bablu , Boggild Peter , Petersen Dirch Hjorth , Lodha Saurabh 
Published: October 2017

AbstractThe origin of threshold voltage instability with gate voltage in MoS2 transistors is poorly understood but critical for device reliability and performance. Reversibility of the temperature dependence of hysteresis and its inversion with temperature in MoS2 transistors has not been demonstrated. In this work, we delineate two independent mechanisms responsible for thermally assisted hysteresis inversion in gate transfer characteristics of contact resistance-independent multilayer MoS2 transistors. Variable temperature hysteresis measurements were performed on gated four-terminal van der Pauw and two-terminal devices of MoS2 on SiO2. Additional hysteresis measurements on suspended (~100 nm air gap between MoS2 and SiO2) transistors and under different ambient conditions (vacuum/nitrogen) were used to further isolate the mechanisms. Clockwise hysteresis at room temperature (300 K) that decreases with increasing temperature is shown to result from intrinsic defects/traps in MoS2. At higher temperatures a second, independent mechanism of charge trapping and de-trapping between the oxide and p+ Si gate leads to hysteresis collapse at ~350 K and anti-clockwise hysteresis (inversion) for temperatures >350 K. The intrinsic-oxide trap model has been corroborated through device simulations. Further, pulsed current–voltage (I–V) measurements were carried out to extract the trap time constants at different temperatures. Non-volatile memory and temperature sensor applications exploiting temperature dependent hysteresis inversion and its reversibility in MoS2 transistors have also been demonstrated.
Weak lensing magnification of SpARCS galaxy clusters
Authors: Tudorica A. , Hildebrandt H. , Tewes M. , Hoekstra H. , Morrison C. B. , Muzzin A. , Wilson G. , Yee H. K. C. , Lidman C. , Hicks A. , Nantais J. , Erben T. , van der Burg R. F. J. , Demarco R. 
Published: October 2017

Context. Measuring and calibrating relations between cluster observables is critical for resource-limited studies. The mass–richness relation of clusters offers an observationally inexpensive way of estimating masses. Its calibration is essential for cluster and cosmological studies, especially for high-redshift clusters. Weak gravitational lensing magnification is a promising and complementary method to shear studies, that can be applied at higher redshifts.
Aims. We aim to employ the weak lensing magnification method to calibrate the mass–richness relation up to a redshift of 1.4. We used the Spitzer Adaptation of the Red-Sequence Cluster Survey (SpARCS) galaxy cluster candidates (0.2 < z < 1.4) and optical data from the Canada France Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) to test whether magnification can be effectively used to constrain the mass of high-redshift clusters.
Methods. Lyman-break galaxies (LBGs) selected using the u-band dropout technique and their colours were used as a background sample of sources. LBG positions were cross-correlated with the centres of the sample of SpARCS clusters to estimate the magnification signal, which was optimally-weighted using an externally-calibrated LBG luminosity function. The signal was measured for cluster sub-samples, binned in both redshift and richness.
Results. We measured the cross-correlation between the positions of galaxy cluster candidates and LBGs and detected a weak lensing magnification signal for all bins at a detection significance of 2.6–5.5σ. In particular, the significance of the measurement for clusters with z> 1.0 is 4.1σ; for the entire cluster sample we obtained an average M200 of 1.28 -0.21+0.23 × 1014 M⊙.
Conclusions. Our measurements demonstrated the feasibility of using weak lensing magnification as a viable tool for determining the average halo masses for samples of high redshift galaxy clusters. The results also established the success of using galaxy over-densities to select massive clusters at z > 1. Additional studies are necessary for further modelling of the various systematic effects we discussed.