bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Bilateral Uveitis Following Typhoid Fever: Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Levinson Joshua D. , Garfinkel Richard A. , Lai Michael M. 
Published: June 2017

Purpose: To report a case of presumed immune-mediated bilateral uveitis following infection with typhoid fever. Methods: Retrospective case report. Results: A 70-year-old Caucasian man developed typhoid fever while on vacation in Jamaica which was successfully treated with antibiotic therapy. Three weeks after onset of fever, he developed bilateral blurred vision and floaters. Clinical examination demonstrated anterior chamber cell, 1 to 2+ vitritis, and cotton wool spots bilaterally. The patient was diagnosed with postinfectious uveitis and started on prednisone 80 mg/d (1 mg/kg) which was slowly tapered by 10 mg/d/wk. By week 4 of steroid therapy, visual symptoms and evidence of intraocular inflammation had resolved. The patient successfully completed the steroid taper without recurrence of inflammation. Conclusion: Immune-mediated uveitis may occur 3 to 6 weeks following acute infection with typhoid fever. Post-typhoid uveitis is responsive to high-dose systemic steroids. Patients presenting with new-onset uveitis should be questioned for recent febrile illness or travel history.
Alcohol-induced miR-155 and HDAC11 inhibit negative regulators of the TLR4 pathway and lead to increased LPS responsiveness of Kupffer cells in alcoholic liver disease
Authors: Bala Shashi , Csak Timea , Kodys Karen , Catalano Donna , Ambade Aditya , Furi Istvan , Lowe Patrick , Cho Yeonhee , Iracheta-Vellve Arvin , Szabo Gyongyi 
Published: June 2017

Abstract
Inflammation promotes the progression of alcoholic liver disease. Alcohol sensitizes KCs to gut-derived endotoxin (LPS); however, signaling pathways that perpetuate inflammation in alcoholic liver disease are only partially understood. We found that chronic alcohol feeding in mice induced miR-155, an inflammatory miRNA in isolated KCs. We hypothesized that miR-155 might increase the responsiveness of KCs to LPS via targeting the negative regulators of LPS signaling. Our results revealed that KCs that were isolated from alcohol-fed mice showed a decrease in IRAK-M, SHIP1, and PU.1, and an increase in TNF-α levels. This was specific to KCs, as no significant differences were observed in these genes in hepatocytes. We found a causal effect of miR-155 deficiency on LPS responsiveness, as KCs that were isolated from miR-155 KO mice showed a greater induction of IRAK-M, SHIP1, and suppressor of cytokine signaling 1 after LPS treatment. C/EBPβ, a validated miR-155 target, stimulates IL-10 transcription. We found a higher induction of C/EBPβ and IL-10 in KCs that were isolated from miR-155 KO mice after LPS treatment. Gain- and loss-of-function studies affirmed that alcohol-induced miR-155 directly regulates IRAK-M, SHIP1, suppressor of cytokine signaling 1, and C/EBPβ, as miR-155 inhibition increased and miR-155 overexpression decreased these genes in LPS or alcohol-pretreated wild-type KCs. HDAC11, a regulator of IL-10, was significantly increased and IL-10 was decreased in KCs that were isolated from alcohol-fed mice. Functionally, knockdown of HDAC11 with small interfering RNA resulted in an IL-10 increase in LPS or alcohol-pretreated Mϕ. We found that acetaldehyde and NF-κB pathways regulate HDAC11 levels. Collectively, our results indicate that the alcohol-induced responsiveness of KCs to LPS, in part, is governed by miR-155 and HDAC11.
ARHGAP42 is activated by Src-mediated tyrosine phosphorylation to promote cell motility
Authors: Luo Weifeng , Janoštiak Radoslav , Tolde Ondřej , Ryzhova Larisa M. , Koudelková Lenka , Dibus Michal , Brábek Jan , Hanks Steven K. , Rosel Daniel 
Published: June 2017

ABSTRACT
The tyrosine kinase Src acts as a key regulator of cell motility by phosphorylating multiple protein substrates that control cytoskeletal and adhesion dynamics. In an earlier phosphotyrosine proteomics study, we identified a novel Rho-GTPase activating protein, now known as ARHGAP42, as a likely biologically relevant Src substrate. ARHGAP42 is a member of a family of RhoGAPs distinguished by tandem BAR-PH domains lying N-terminal to the GAP domain. Like other family members, ARHGAP42 acts preferentially as a GAP for RhoA. We show that Src principally phosphorylates ARHGAP42 on tyrosine 376 (Tyr-376) in the short linker between the BAR-PH and GAP domains. The expression of ARHGAP42 variants in mammalian cells was used to elucidate its regulation. We found that the BAR domain is inhibitory toward the GAP activity of ARHGAP42, such that BAR domain deletion resulted in decreased active GTP-bound RhoA and increased cell motility. With the BAR domain intact, ARHGAP42 GAP activity could be activated by phosphorylation of Tyr-376 to promote motile cell behavior. Thus, phosphorylation of ARHGAP42 Tyr-376 is revealed as a novel regulatory event by which Src can affect actin dynamics through RhoA inhibition.
Arf6 and Rab22 mediate T cell conjugate formation by regulating clathrin-independent endosomal membrane trafficking
Authors: Johnson Debra L. , Wayt Jessica , Wilson Jean M. , Donaldson Julie G. 
Published: June 2017

ABSTRACT
Endosomal trafficking can influence the composition of the plasma membrane and the ability of cells to polarize their membranes. Here, we examined whether trafficking through clathrin-independent endocytosis (CIE) affects the ability of T cells to form a cell–cell conjugate with antigen-presenting cells (APCs). We show that CIE occurs in both the Jurkat T cell line and primary human T cells. In Jurkat cells, the activities of two guanine nucleotide binding proteins, Arf6 and Rab22 (also known as Rab22a), influence CIE and conjugate formation. Expression of the constitutively active form of Arf6, Arf6Q67L, inhibits CIE and conjugate formation, and results in the accumulation of vacuoles containing lymphocyte function-associated antigen 1 (LFA-1) and CD4, molecules important for T cell interaction with the APC. Moreover, expression of the GTP-binding defective mutant of Rab22, Rab22S19N, inhibits CIE and conjugate formation, suggesting that Rab22 function is required for these activities. Furthermore, Jurkat cells expressing Rab22S19N were impaired in spreading onto coverslips coated with T cell receptor-activating antibodies. These observations support a role for CIE, Arf6 and Rab22 in conjugate formation between T cells and APCs.
A simple mathematical approach to the analysis of polypharmacology and polyspecificity data
Authors: Maggiora Gerry , Gokhale Vijay 
Published: June 2017

There many possible types of drug-target interactions, because there are a surprising number of ways in which drugs and their targets can associate with one another. These relationships are expressed as polypharmacology and polyspecificity. Polypharmacology is the capability of a given drug to exhibit activity with respect to multiple drug targets, which are not necessarily in the same activity class. Adverse drug reactions (‘side effects’) are its principal manifestation, but polypharmacology is also playing a role in the repositioning of existing drugs for new therapeutic indications. Polyspecificity, on the other hand, is the capability of a given target to exhibit activity with respect to multiple, structurally dissimilar drugs. That these concepts are closely related to one another is, surprisingly, not well known. It will be shown in this work that they are, in fact, mathematically related to one another and are in essence ‘two sides of the same coin’. Hence, information on polypharmacology provides equivalent information on polyspecificity, and vice versa. Networks are playing an increasingly important role in biological research. Drug-target networks, in particular, are made up of drug nodes that are linked to specific target nodes if a given drug is active with respect to that target. Such networks provide a graphic depiction of polypharmacology and polyspecificity. However, by their very nature they can obscure information that may be useful in their interpretation and analysis. This work will show how such latent information can be used to determine bounds for the degrees of polypharmacology and polyspecificity, and how to estimate other useful features associated with the lack of completeness of most drug-target datasets.
The art of eating soon after coronary artery bypass grafting: an interview study
Authors: Bratt Annika , Thylefors Josefine , Jensen Anna-Lena Törnqvist 
Published: June 2017

Objective: Appetite often becomes impaired following coronary artery bypass grafting, but little is known about how patients experience this. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore patients' experience of their appetite in the early days after grafting. This study included 17 patients, who were interviewed using a semi-structured interview guide. The answers were subjected to content analysis. All patients had a somewhat reduced appetite. The factors that reduced the appetite were: nausea, pain, fatigue and if the bowels had not opened. The patients reported that the visual impression of the food and its taste and smell were not appetising. The fixed times for the meals and the environment around the meals also negatively affected the appetite. Several factors that negatively affected appetite may be ameliorated by changing the composition and the setting of the meals.
Leveraging triple helix and system intermediaries to enhance effectiveness of protected spaces and strategic niche management for transitioning to circular economy
Authors: Barrie Jack , Zawdie Girma , João Elsa 
Published: June 2017

Abstract
The transition to circular economy has been heralded as a vision to overcome the challenges of rapid population growth, economic stagnation and environmental degradation. A promising policy tool for accelerating such a transition is strategic niche management (SNM), the central tenet of which is the formation of ‘protected spaces’ to support the growth of sustainable innovation. Studies have demonstrated that current top–down policy approaches to governing protected spaces have led to the unintended consequences of network tensions, low quality learning processes and low innovation adoption rates outside protected spaces. This limits the impact of SNM as a transition tool. Through a detailed literature review, this article looks into a novel devolved governance framework for protected spaces in the context of transition to circular economy. The framework addresses current limitations of SNM by acknowledging the synergistic relationship with the triple helix innovation system; and innovation intermediation. Transition to circular economy turns on the achievement of ‘triple helix consensus’ across ‘protected spaces’ to provide the requisite platform for sustained innovation and for the recurrent choice of knowledge and market systems that are consistent with the circular economy growth trajectory.
Towards a Consistent, Quantitative Evaluation of MicroRNA Evolution
Authors: Yazbeck Ali M. , Tout Kifah R. , Stadler Peter F. , Hertel Jana 
Published: June 2017

Abstract
The miRBase currently reports more than 25,000 microRNAs in several hundred genomes that belong to more than 1000 families of homologous sequences. Quantitative investigations of miRNA gene evolution requires the construction of data sets that are consistent in their coverage and include those genomes that are of interest in a given study. Given the size and structure of data, this can be achieved only with the help of a fully automatic pipeline that improves the available seed alignments, extends the set of available sequences by homology search, and reliably identifies true positive homology search results. Here we describe the current progress towards such a system, emphasizing the task of improving and completing the initial seed alignment.
Study Using Elements from Group IIA as Barriers for Dopant Penetration into Gate Dielectrics and Getters for Metallic Ion Contamination
Authors: Zubkov Vladimir , Sun Grace , Aronowitz Sheldon , Gabriel Margaret A. 
Published: June 2017

AbstractVarious mechanical and chemical processes may introduce contamination, such as metallic ions, during the creation of an integrated circuit. This can cause device degradation and leakage current. Neutral dopants such as boron can penetrate the silicon substrate from a highly doped polysilicon gate during anneal cycles causing leakage and threshold voltage shifts. Quantum mechanical modeling using periodic boundary conditions and a cluster approximation were performed in a search for a modification of silicon dioxide that would attract or trap ions and fast diffusing dopant species to reduce or eliminate such problems. Examination of calcium and strontium interactions with some metal ions in silicon dioxide was conducted. Strong metal ion attraction to both calcium and strontium was found. Interaction of calcium with boron and fluorine in oxide and calcium interaction with boron in other dielectric materials was also studied. Attraction was predicted to occur between calcium and boron whether they were distributed in silicon dioxide, hafnium or zirconium orthosilicate. This study leads us to propose incorporation of calcium or strontium into critical dielectric layers as a promising approach to trap ions and reduce boron penetration through the gate oxide. Predictions were used to design relevant experiments which revealed that calcium implanted into oxide traps boron and fluorine.
Thin HfO2 Films Deposited via Alternating Pulses of Hf(NO3)4 and HfCl4
Authors: Conley J.F. , Ono Y. , Solanki R. , Tweet D.J. 
Published: June 2017

AbstractA novel technique for deposition of metal oxide films is demonstrated in which alternating pulses of metal-nitrate and metal-chloride precursors are used. The metal nitrate, Hf(NO3)4, acts as the oxidizing agent, avoiding the use of a separate oxidizing species such as H2O. This method results in greater than one monolayer per cycle deposition rate of HfO2 films compared to the use of a single precursor and enables deposition directly on H-terminated Si due to the reactivity of Hf(NO3)4. It was found that performing a short in-situ anneal after every deposition cycle increases film density and improves electrical characteristics. Films are characterized via capacitance vs. voltage, current vs. voltage, spectroscopic ellipsometry, and x-ray diffraction and reflectivity.
Relaxed SiGe Layers with High Ge Content by Compliant Substrates
Authors: Yin H. , Peterson R.L. , Hobart K.D. , Shieh S.R. , Duffy T.S. , Sturm J.C. 
Published: June 2017

AbstractRelaxed, high Ge content SiGe layers have been realized using stress balance on a compliant borophosphorosilicate glass (BPSG). A 30-nm fully-strained Si0.7Ge0.3 layer was transferred onto a 1 μm BPSG film by wafer-bonding and Smart-cut® processes, after which the continuous Si0.7Ge0.3 film was patterned into small islands to allow for lateral expansion. After the strain in Si0.7Ge0.3 islands was released by the lateral expansion resulting from the flow of the BPSG, a Si0.4Ge0.6 layer was commensurately deposited under compression. Upon equilibrium after an annealing, stress balance was formed between the SiGe films, resulting in a larger in-plane lattice constant than that of relaxed Si0.7Ge0.3. With a thiner (6 nm) Si0.7Ge0.3 starting film, an in-plane lattice constant equivalent to fully-relaxed Si0.45Ge0.55 has been obtained.
Low Resistivity Nickel Germanosilicide Contacts to Ultra-shallow Junctions Formed by the Selective Si1-xGexTechnology for Nanoscale CMOS
Authors: Liu Jing , Mo Hongxiang , Öztürk Mehmet C. 
Published: June 2017

AbstractIn this paper, we present our recent results on nickel germanosilicide contacts formed on p+-n and n+-p junctions formed by selective deposition of in-situ doped Si1-xGexalloys. Our results show that ultra-thin, low resistivity NiSi1-xGexcontacts can be formed at temperatures as low as 300°C on both boron and phosphorus doped Si1-xGexlayers. Ultra-shallow junctions with excellent reverse leakage behavior and a contact resistivity ∼ of 10-8ohm-cm2were successfully demonstrated. The thermal stability of NiSi1-xGexwas found to be limited to 500°C on p+-Si1-xGexand 600°C onn+-Si1-xGex. It was found that by inserting a thin Pt interlayer between Ni and Si1-xGex, the quality of the NiSi1-xGexcontacts could be significantly improved. The Pt interlayer was found to improve the interface morphology, which was found to have a direct impact on the electrical properties of the contacts.
Performance of Pt-based Low Schottky Barrier Silicide Contacts on Weakly Doped Silicon
Authors: Larrieu Guilhem , Dubois Emmanuel , Wallart Xavier 
Published: June 2017

AbstractOne of the grand challenge imposed by CMOS down-scaling is the optimisation of the source/drain (S/D) architecture, e.g., dopant activation above solid solubility, steep dopant profiling, low silicide specific contact resistivity. Recently, the concept of very low Schottky barrier S/D MOSFET has emerged as a possible alternative to conventional architecture using highly doped S/D and midgap silicide ohmic contacts. For p-MOSFETs integration, platinum silicide is an excellent candidate because of its very low barrier to holes. This enables the use of a weakly doped substrate that inherently solves the aforementioned challenges due to highly doped S/D. This paper proposes a detailed study of the platinum silicidation reaction obtained by rapid thermal annealing. The analysis is based on X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS), transmission electron miscrocopy (TEM) and low temperature-dependent current-voltage measurements. Using XPS analysis, it is shown that: i) an initial silicide layer is formed at room temperature, ii) three stable phases Pt, Pt2Si, PtSi can not coexist providing that iii) the annealing ambience is strictly controlled to avoid the formation of a SiO2 barrier due to oxygen penetration into the platinum overlayer. Starting from an initial 15 nm thick Pt layer subsequently annealing at 300°C, TEM cross-sections reveal that homogeneous 32 nm PtSi layers with a uniform grain size distribution are formed. Finally, current-voltage characteristics have been measured on a special test structure that accounts for the lateral disposition of S/D regions in a typical MOSFET architecture. It consists in two back-to-back Schottky contacts separated by a narrow silicon gap both on bulk silicon and Silicon-On-Insulator (SOI) substrates. Based on temperature-dependent electrical measurements (Arrhenius plot), it is shown that field emission is involved in the current transport mechanism, in addition to thermionic emission. An excellent current drive performance of 220 μA per micron width has been obtained for a 45 nm silicon gap on a 10 nm thick SOI substrate.
Die Reg van die Kind op Kontak met Beide Ouers: Opmerkings na Aanleiding van Onlangse Ontwikkelinge in die Nederlandse Reg
Authors: Van der Linde A , Van Schalkwyk N 
Published: June 2017

This contribution discusses the amendment to section 1: 377a lid 1 BW of 1 March 2009, in Dutch law. According to this provision a child has the right to have contact with both parents as well as with those who have sufficient close personal links with the child. The parent who is not responsible for the physical care of the child has the right and obligation to have contact with the child. The question whether the South African law, through the provisions of section 28 of the Constitution and the Children's Act, provides such a right and obligation, is investigated. Even though the conclusion is reached that the South African law indirectly provides such right and obligation, it is argued that the explicit recognition thereof in the Children's Act would provide a statutory legal duty on parents to have and maintain contact with their child. This would enhance legal certainty. Attention is also given to the enforcement of such right of the child.
State of regional lymph nodes and prognosis in stomach cancer
Authors: Bazhanov A B , Tsyplakov D E 
Published: June 2017

Aim. Multiparameter analysis of the state of regional lymph nodes of stomach cancer to reveal prognostic criteria of patients’ 5-year survival.
Methods. The regional lymph nodes removed during surgery for stomach cancer in 170 oncologic patients were studied by means of histologic, immunohistochemical, electron microscopy and morphometric methods. The 5-year survival was calculated by the direct method.
Results. It was revealed that 5-year survival directly depends on the amount of involved lymph nodes. Detection of even single tumor cells in one regional lymph node worsens the prognosis for a patient’s life. The more metastases there are in lymph tissue, the worse the prognosis is. Immunomorphologic reactions and ultrastructural changes are of substantial significance. High 5-year survival was characteristic for hyperplasia of paracortical area with increased number of CD3(+) T-cells, the ultrastructure of which corresponds to activated (immune) lymphocytes, and for sinus histiocytosis as well with increased number of CD68(+) free macrophages in regional lymph nodes with pronounced phagocytic activity. Prognosis is worse in lymphoid follicular hyperplasia with high content of CD20(+) B-cells and plasmocytes. The lowest 5-year survival was accompanied by degenerative sinus histiocytosis, atrophy or sclerolipomatosis transformation of lymphoid tissue with hypoplasia of paracortical area and lymphoid follicles. Under an electron microscope active fibroblasts are seen synthesizing collagen and large number of degenerating cell forms, particularly, lymphocytes.
Conclusion. The 5-year survival of oncologic patients with stomach cancer is determined by the amount of metastatic regional lymph nodes, presence or absence of metastases, their volume in lymphoid tissue, histologic pattern and ultrastructural cell changes; comparative analysis of these criteria allows developing prognostic algorithm.
Frequency of genetic polymorphism of calcium channels gene CACNA1C in healthy individuals and patients with arterial hypertension
Authors: Pushkarev B S , Bol’shakova O V , Sibiryakova T V , Emel’yanov A S , Gerasimov A A , Vitkovskiy Yu A 
Published: June 2017

Aim. To determine the frequency of polymorphism of calcium channels gene CACNA1C (rs1006737) in healthy individuals and patients with hypertension.
Methods. 94 patients with arterial hypertension and 102 healthy residents were examined. The age ranged from 18 to 35 years. Detection of SNP calcium channel genes CACNA1C (rs1006737) was performed by real time PCR. Checking of sampling genotypes’ for being in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium and χ2-test were performed, and hazards ratio (OR) was evaluated as well.
Results. It was established that allele G of CACNA1C gene (rs1006737) was 1,3 times less frequent in patients with hypertension compared to control group, and its frequency was 0.58 vs. 0.76, respectively (χ2=14.42, р=0.0001). In patients with hypertension allele A was detected 1.75 times more often with the frequency 0.42, and in healthy individuals the frequency was 0.24 (χ2=14.42, р=0.0001). Use of general inheritance model demonstrated that G/G genotype was 1.5 times less frequent and A/A genotype was 3.2 times more frequent in patients with hypertension than in healthy individuals (χ2=12.75, р=0.002). The risk of hypertension development was higher in carriers of allele A (HR=2.3, 95% CI 1.49-3.53, p=0.0001) and genotype A/A (HR=3.9, 95% CI 1.49-9.68, p=0.002) of SNP gene of CACNA1C molecule (rs1006737).
Conclusion. Allele A and genotype A/A SNP CACNA1C (rs1006737) are predisposing factors to the development of arterial hypertension, carriership of G allele and genotype G/G CACNA1C (rs1006737) reduces the risk of hypertension development.