bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Strain-specific Fibril Propagation by an Aβ Dodecamer
Authors: Dean Dexter N. , Das Pradipta K. , Rana Pratip , Burg Franklin , Levites Yona , Morgan Sarah E. , Ghosh Preetam , Rangachari Vijayaraghavan 
Published: January 2017

AbstractLow molecular weight oligomers of amyloid-β (Aβ) have emerged as the primary toxic agents in the etiology of Alzheimer disease (AD). Polymorphism observed within the aggregation end products of fibrils are known to arise due to microstructural differences among the oligomers. Diversity in aggregate morphology correlates with the differences in AD, cementing the idea that conformational strains of oligomers could be significant in phenotypic outcomes. Therefore, it is imperative to determine the ability of strains to faithfully propagate their structure. Here we report fibril propagation of an Aβ42 dodecamer called large fatty acid-derived oligomers (LFAOs). The LFAO oligomeric strain selectively induces acute cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) in neonatally-injected transgenic CRND8 mice. Propagation in-vitro occurs as a three-step process involving the association of LFAO units. LFAO-seeded fibrils possess distinct morphology made of repeating LFAO units that could be regenerated upon sonication. Overall, these data bring forth an important mechanistic perspective into strain-specific propagation of oligomers that has remained elusive thus far.
Fiber-Laser-Based Ultrasound Sensor for Photoacoustic Imaging
Authors: Liang Yizhi , Jin Long , Wang Lidai , Bai Xue , Cheng Linghao , Guan Bai-Ou 
Published: January 2017

AbstractPhotoacoustic imaging, especially for intravascular and endoscopic applications, requires ultrasound probes with miniature size and high sensitivity. In this paper, we present a new photoacoustic sensor based on a small-sized fiber laser. Incident ultrasound waves exert pressures on the optical fiber laser and induce harmonic vibrations of the fiber, which is detected by the frequency shift of the beating signal between the two orthogonal polarization modes in the fiber laser. This ultrasound sensor presents a noise-equivalent pressure of 40 Pa over a 50-MHz bandwidth. We demonstrate this new ultrasound sensor on an optical-resolution photoacoustic microscope. The axial and lateral resolutions are 48 μm and 3.3 μm. The field of view is up to 1.57 mm2. The sensor exhibits strong resistance to environmental perturbations, such as temperature changes, due to common-mode cancellation between the two orthogonal modes. The present fiber laser ultrasound sensor offers a new tool for all-optical photoacoustic imaging.
Tunable diffraction-free array in nonlinear photonic crystal
Authors: Liu Dongmei , Wei Dunzhao , Zhang Yong , Chen Zhenhua , Ni Rui , Yang Bo , Hu Xiaopeng , Qin Y. Q. , Zhu S. N. , Xiao Min 
Published: January 2017

AbstractDiffraction-free beams have attracted increasing research interests because of their unique performances and broad applications in various fields. Although many methods have been developed to produce such beams, it is still challenging to realize a tunable non-diffracting beam. Here, we report the generation of a tunable diffraction-free array through second-harmonic generation in a nonlinear photonic crystal, i.e., a 2D periodically-poled LiTaO3 crystal. In such a crystal, the second-harmonic wave is engineered by properly designing the domain structure based on the Huygens-Fresnel principle. The characteristics of the generated diffraction-free array including its period, propagation length, and wavelength can be tuned by simply changing the input wavelength. Our observation not only enriches the diffraction-free optics, but also has potential applications for photolithography and imaging.
Microbial succession in the gastrointestinal tract of dairy cows from 2 weeks to first lactation
Authors: Dill-McFarland Kimberly A. , Breaker Jacob D. , Suen Garret 
Published: January 2017

AbstractDevelopment of the dairy calf gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and its associated microbiota are essential for survival and milk production, as this community is responsible for converting plant-based feeds into accessible nutrients. However, little is known regarding the establishment of microbes in the calf GIT. Here, we measured fecal-associated bacterial, archaeal, and fungal communities of dairy cows from 2 weeks to the middle of first lactation (>2 years) as well as rumen-associated communities from weaning (8 weeks) to first lactation. These communities were then correlated to animal growth and health. Although succession of specific operational taxonomic units (OTUs) was unique to each animal, beta-diversity decreased while alpha-diversity increased as animals aged. Calves exhibited similar microbial families and genera but different OTUs than adults, with a transition to an adult-like microbiota between weaning and 1 year of age. This suggests that alterations of the microbiota for improving downstream milk production may be most effective during, or immediately following, the weaning transition.
Novel synthesis of ZnO/PMMA nanocomposites for photocatalytic applications
Authors: Di Mauro Alessandro , Cantarella Maria , Nicotra Giuseppe , Pellegrino Giovanna , Gulino Antonino , Brundo Maria Violetta , Privitera Vittorio , Impellizzeri Giuliana 
Published: January 2017

AbstractThe incorporation of nanostructured photocatalysts in polymers is a strategic way to obtain novel water purification systems. This approach takes the advantages of: (1) the presence of nanostructured photocatalyst; (2) the flexibility of polymer; (3) the immobilization of photocatalyst, that avoids the recovery of the nanoparticles after the water treatment. Here we present ZnO-polymer nanocomposites with high photocatalytic performance and stability. Poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) powders were coated with a thin layer of ZnO (80 nm thick) by atomic layer deposition at low temperature (80 °C). Then the method of sonication and solution casting was performed so to obtain the ZnO/PMMA nanocomposites. A complete morphological, structural, and chemical characterization was made by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analyses. The remarkable photocatalytic efficiency of the nanocomposites was demonstrated by the degradation of methylene blue (MB) dye and phenol in aqueous solution under UV light irradiation. The composites also resulted reusable and stable, since they maintained an unmodified photo-activity after several MB discoloration runs. Thus, these results demonstrate that the proposed ZnO/PMMA nanocomposite is a promising candidate for photocatalytic applications and, in particular, for novel water treatment.
Dopamine promotes NMDA receptor hypofunction in the retina through D1 receptor-mediated Csk activation, Src inhibition and decrease of GluN2B phosphorylation
Authors: Socodato Renato , Santiago Felipe N. , Portugal Camila C. , Domith Ivan , Encarnação Thaísa G. , Loiola Erick C. , Ventura Ana L. M. , Cossenza Marcelo , Relvas João B. , Castro Newton G. , Paes-de-Carvalho Roberto 
Published: January 2017

AbstractDopamine and glutamate are critical neurotransmitters involved in light-induced synaptic activity in the retina. In brain neurons, dopamine D1 receptors (D1Rs) and the cytosolic protein tyrosine kinase Src can, independently, modulate the behavior of NMDA-type glutamate receptors (NMDARs). Here we studied the interplay between D1Rs, Src and NMDARs in retinal neurons. We reveal that dopamine-mediated D1R stimulation provoked NMDAR hypofunction in retinal neurons by attenuating NMDA-gated currents, by preventing NMDA-elicited calcium mobilization and by decreasing the phosphorylation of NMDAR subunit GluN2B. This dopamine effect was dependent on upregulation of the canonical D1R/adenylyl cyclase/cAMP/PKA pathway, of PKA-induced activation of C-terminal Src kinase (Csk) and of Src inhibition. Accordingly, knocking down Csk or overexpressing a Csk phosphoresistant Src mutant abrogated the dopamine-induced NMDAR hypofunction. Overall, the interplay between dopamine and NMDAR hypofunction, through the D1R/Csk/Src/GluN2B pathway, might impact on light-regulated synaptic activity in retinal neurons.
Controllable Synthesis of TiO2@Fe2O3 Core-Shell Nanotube Arrays with Double-Wall Coating as Superb Lithium-Ion Battery Anodes
Authors: Zhong Yan , Ma Yifan , Guo Qiubo , Liu Jiaqi , Wang Yadong , Yang Mei , Xia Hui 
Published: January 2017

AbstractHighlighted by the safe operation and stable performances, titanium oxides (TiO2) are deemed as promising candidates for next generation lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). However, the pervasively low capacity is casting shadow on desirable electrochemical behaviors and obscuring their practical applications. In this work, we reported a unique template-assisted and two-step atomic layer deposition (ALD) method to achieve TiO2@Fe2O3 core-shell nanotube arrays with hollow interior and double-wall coating. The as-prepared architecture combines both merits of the high specific capacity of Fe2O3 and structural stability of TiO2 backbone. Owing to the nanotubular structural advantages integrating facile strain relaxation as well as rapid ion and electron transport, the TiO2@Fe2O3 nanotube arrays with a high mass loading of Fe2O3 attained desirable capacity of ~520 mA h g−1, exhibiting both good rate capability under uprated current density of 10 A g−1 and especially enhanced cycle stability (~450 mA h g−1 after 600 cycles), outclassing most reported TiO2@metal oxide composites. The results not only provide a new avenue for hybrid core-shell nanotube formation, but also offer an insight for rational design of advanced electrode materials for LIBs.
Flexible and Wavelength-Selective MoS2 Phototransistors with Monolithically Integrated Transmission Color Filters
Authors: Yoo Geonwook , Choi Sol Lea , Park Sang Jin , Lee Kyu-Tae , Lee Sanghyun , Oh Min Suk , Heo Junseok , Park Hui Joon 
Published: January 2017

AbstractColor-selective or wavelength-tunable capability is a crucial feature for two-dimensional (2-D) semiconducting material-based image sensor applications. Here, we report on flexible and wavelength-selective molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) phototransistors using monolithically integrated transmission Fabry-Perot (F-P) cavity filters. The fabricated multilayer MoS2phototransistors on a polyarylate substrate exhibit decent electrical characteristics (μFE > 64.4 cm2/Vs, on/off ratio > 106), and the integrated F-P filters, being able to cover whole visible spectrum, successfully modulate the spectral response characteristics of MoS2phototransistors from ~495 nm (blue) to ~590 nm (amber). Furthermore, power dependence of both responsivity and specific detectivity shows similar trend with other reports, dominated by the photogating effect. When combined with large-area monolayer MoS2for optical property enhancement and array processing, our results can be further developed into ultra-thin flexible photodetectors for wearables, conformable image sensor, and other optoelectronic applications.
Unique Bacteria Community Composition and Co-occurrence in the Milk of Different Ruminants
Authors: Li Zhipeng , Wright André-Denis G. , Yang Yifeng , Si Huazhe , Li Guangyu 
Published: January 2017

AbstractLactation provides the singular source of nourishment to the offspring of mammals. This nutrition source also contains a diverse microbiota affecting the development and health of the newborn. Here, we examined the milk microbiota in water deer (Hydropotes inermis, the most primitive member of the family Cervidae), reindeer (Rangifer tarandus, the oldest semi-domesticated cervid), and the dairy goat (Capra aegagrus, member of the family Bovidae), to determine if common milk microbiota species were present across all three ruminant species. The results showed that water deer had the highest bacterial diversity, followed by reindeer, and then goat. Unifrac distance and correspondence analyses revealed that water deer harbored an increased abundance of Pseudomonas spp. and Acinetobacter spp., while milk from reindeer and goat was dominated by unclassified bacteria from the family Hyphomicrobiaceae and Bacillus spp., respectively. These data indicate significant differences in the composition of milk-based bacterial communities. The presence of Halomonas spp. in three distinct co-occurrence networks of bacterial interactions revealed both common and unique features in milk niches. These results suggest that the milk of water deer and reindeer harbor unique bacterial communities compared with the goat, which might reflect host microbial adaptation caused by evolution.
Dose-dependency and reversibility of radiation-induced injury in cardiac explant-derived cells of mice
Authors: Luo Lan , Yan Chen , Urata Yoshishige , Hasan Al Shaimaa , Goto Shinji , Guo Chang-Ying , Zhang Shouhua , Li Tao-Sheng 
Published: January 2017

AbstractWe evaluated the dose-dependency and reversibility of radiation-induced injury in cardiac explant-derived cells (CDCs), a mixed cell population grown from heart tissues. Adult C57BL/6 mice were exposed to 0, 10, 50 and 250 mGy γ-rays for 7 days and atrial tissues were collected for experiments 24 hours after last exposure. The number of CDCs was significantly decreased by daily exposure to over 250 mGy. Interestingly, daily exposure to over 50 mGy significantly decreased the c-kit expression and telomerase activity, increased 53BP1 foci in the nuclei of CDCs. However, CD90 expression and growth factors production in CDCs were not significantly changed even after daily exposure to 250 mGy. We further evaluated the reversibility of radiation-induced injury in CDCs at 1 week and 3 weeks after a single exposure to 3 Gy γ-rays. The number and growth factors production of CDCs were soon recovered at 1 week. However, the increased expression of CD90 were retained at 1 week, but recovered at 3 weeks. Moreover, the decreased expression of c-kit, impaired telomerase activity, and increased 53BP1 foci were poorly recovered even at 3 weeks. These data may help us to find the most sensitive and reliable bio-parameter(s) for evaluating radiation-induced injury in CDCs.
Association of Genome-Wide Association Study (GWAS) Identified SNPs and Risk of Breast Cancer in an Indian Population
Authors: Nagrani Rajini , Mhatre Sharayu , Rajaraman Preetha , Chatterjee Nilanjan , Akbari Mohammad R. , Boffetta Paolo , Brennan Paul , Badwe Rajendra , Gupta Sudeep , Dikshit Rajesh 
Published: January 2017

AbstractTo date, no studies have investigated the association of the GWAS-identified SNPs with BC risk in Indian population. We investigated the association of 30 previously reported and replicated BC susceptibility SNPs in 1,204 cases and 1,212 controls from a hospital based case-control study conducted at the Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai. As a measure of total susceptibility burden, the polygenic risk score (PRS) for each individual was defined by the weighted sum of genotypes from 21 independent SNPs with weights derived from previously published estimates of association odds-ratios. Logistic regression models were used to assess risk associated with individual SNPs and overall PRS, and stratified by menopausal and receptor status. A total of 11 SNPs from eight genomic regions (FGFR2, 9q31.2, MAP3K, CCND1, ZM1Z1, RAD51L11, ESR1 and UST) showed statistically significant (p-value ≤ 0.05) evidence of association, either overall or when stratified by menopausal status or hormone receptor status. BC SNPs previously identified in Caucasian population showed evidence of replication in the Indian population mainly with respect to risk of postmenopausal and hormone receptor positive BC.
BAY 11-7082 inhibits the NF-κB and NLRP3 inflammasome pathways and protects against IMQ-induced psoriasis
Authors: Irrera Natasha , Vaccaro Mario , Bitto Alessandra , Pallio Giovanni , Pizzino Gabriele , Lentini Maria , Arcoraci Vincenzo , Minutoli Letteria , Scuruchi Michele , Cutroneo Giuseppina , Anastasi Giuseppe Pio , Ettari Roberta , Squadrito Francesco , Altavilla Domenica 
Published: January 2017

BAY 11-7082 antagonizes I-κB kinase-β preventing nuclear translocation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB); it also inhibits NOD-like receptor family, pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome activation. NF-κB is involved in psoriasis, whereas the role of NLRP3 is controversial. We investigated BAY 11-7082 effects in an experimental model of psoriasis-like dermatitis. Psoriasis-like lesions were induced by a topical application of imiquimod (IMQ) cream (62.5 mg/day) on the shaved back skin of C57BL/6 and NLRP3 knockout (KO) mice for 7 consecutive days. Sham psoriasis animals were challenged with Vaseline cream. Sham and IMQ animals were randomized to receive BAY 11-7082 (20 mg/kg/i.p.) or its vehicle (100 μl/i.p of 0.9% NaCl). Skin of IMQ animals developed erythema, scales, thickening and epidermal acanthosis. IMQ skin samples showed increased expression of pNF-κB and NLRP3 activation. BAY 11-7082 blunted epidermal thickness, acanthosis and inflammatory infiltrate. BAY 11-7082 reduced pNF-κB, NLRP3, tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-1β expression, blunted the phosphorylation of signal transducer and activators of transcription 3 (STAT3) and decreased IL-23 levels. In addition, BAY 11-7082 reawakened the apoptotic machinery. NLRP3 KO animals showed a reduced total histological score but persistent mild acanthosis, dermal thickness and expression of pNF-κB and pSTAT3, following IMQ application. Our data suggest that BAY 11-7082 might represent an interesting approach for the management of psoriasis-like dermatitis depending on the dual inhibition of NF-κB and NLRP3.
Infrastructure mitigates the sensitivity of child growth to local agriculture and rainfall in Nepal and Uganda
Authors: Shively Gerald E. 
Published: January 2017

Significance
Incorporating agriculture into nutrition policy requires an understanding of how agricultural performance, rainfall, and the economic and physical environments in which children reside relate to linear growth and weight gain. This paper combines anthropometric data from children below the age of 5 y in Nepal and Uganda with rainfall data and other information to measure these connections. Anthropometric outcomes are positively correlated with rainfall prior to birth, during the first year, and during agricultural growing seasons preceding child measurement. High rainfall is found to be deleterious to child growth in some settings. Evidence points to the need for agricultural adaptation to low rainfall, as well as broadly based economic development, including continued investments in health and transport infrastructure, to help improve child nutrition.
Bilateral recruitment of prefrontal cortex in working memory is associated with task demand but not with age
Authors: Höller-Wallscheid Melanie S. , Thier Peter , Pomper Jörn K. , Lindner Axel 
Published: January 2017

Significance
One principle of human cerebral cortex is its lateralized functional architecture supporting processes such as language, precise motor control of the hands, and working memory. It has been shown that in elderly subjects such lateralized activations of dorsolateral and anterior prefrontal cortex vanish in working memory tasks, which is due to the corecruitment of corresponding regions in the other cerebral hemisphere. We show that such corecruitment of cross-hemispheric counterparts in prefrontal cortex is associated with subjectively demanding working memory tasks but not with age. This result suggests that prefrontal areas support us to maintain performance in challenging circumstances by additionally recruiting their non-specialized counterpart in the contralateral hemisphere.
Holocene ENSO-related cyclic storms recorded by magnetic minerals in speleothems of central China
Authors: Zhu Zongmin , Feinberg Joshua M. , Xie Shucheng , Bourne Mark D. , Huang Chunju , Hu Chaoyong , Cheng Hai 
Published: January 2017

Significance
High-resolution reconstructions of storm history and storms’ underlying mechanisms in inland areas are critical but limited by a paucity of suitable paleoproxies. Here we use soil-derived magnetic minerals preserved in a stalagmite as a new paleohydrological proxy. This proxy enables us to rebuild decadal resolution storm records in the eastern Asian monsoon area since 8.6 ky. Variance of storms in central China was found to exhibit close correlation with El Niño−Southern Oscillation activity at millennial and centennial time scales, and also occur on a significant 500-y cycle related to periodic solar activity. These findings shed light on the forecasting of future floods and improve our understanding of the potential mechanism of strong precipitation in monsoon regions.
Crystal structure of Pistol, a class of self-cleaving ribozyme
Authors: Nguyen Laura A. , Wang Jimin , Steitz Thomas A. 
Published: January 2017

Significance
Based on the “RNA world” theory, ribozymes likely carried out biochemical reactions long before organisms evolved to use protein enzymes as biocatalysts. The continued discovery of new structures for small self-cleaving ribozymes has shed light on conserved mechanisms in evolution, such as acid–base catalysis for self-cleavage reaction. Here, we present the crystal structure of a newly discovered class of self-cleaving ribozymes called Pistol and how it likely uses the phosphoester transfer mechanism for self-cleavage. The results presented here suggest that Pistol uses an evolutionarily conserved cleavage mechanism that is like other self-cleaving ribozymes, such as Twister, Hammerhead, Hairpin, and Hepatitis Delta Virus ribozymes.
Prion replication without host adaptation during interspecies transmissions
Authors: Bian Jifeng , Khaychuk Vadim , Angers Rachel C. , Fernández-Borges Natalia , Vidal Enric , Meyerett-Reid Crystal , Kim Sehun , Calvi Carla L. , Bartz Jason C. , Hoover Edward A. , Agrimi Umberto , Richt Jürgen A. , Castilla Joaquín , Telling Glenn C. 
Published: January 2017

Significance
To study mechanisms of interspecies prion transmission, we used transgenic mice that recapitulate natural disease susceptibilities. Predictably, prions from a particular species inefficiently caused disease in mice expressing prion proteins from different species. However, in contrast to the expected adaptation that allows efficient prion replication in the new host, we discovered a process in which pathogenic prions, despite causing disease on primary passage, failed to adapt for sustained propagation in the new host, instead preserving the strain and host range characteristics of the original prions. Our findings provide insights into how prions replicate during species transitions, help clarify unresolved epidemiological features of prion disorders, and have considerable bearing on future disease risk assessments.
Zero-index structures as an alternative platform for quantum optics
Authors: Liberal Iñigo , Engheta Nader 
Published: January 2017

Significance
Metamaterials provide additional venues for routing and shaping waves, as well as manipulating wave–matter interactions. In principle, similar concepts and techniques could be applied to engineer the properties of quantized fields. Here, we theoretically demonstrate that structures with a near-zero refractive index are capable of inhibiting and then selectively exciting electric field vacuum fluctuations. This effect might offer different pathways to manipulate quantized fields with metamaterials. We illustrate this point by investigating the decay dynamics of a quantum emitter embedded in a zero-index shell. For this particular example, we theoretically show how the distinctive features of zero-index media enable unique phenomena, such as a direct modulation of the vacuum Rabi frequency by deforming the zero-index shell.