bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Metabolomics identifies metabolite biomarkers associated with acute rejection after heart transplantation in rats
Authors: Lin Feng , Ou Yi , Huang Chuan-Zhong , Lin Sheng-Zhe , Ye Yun-Bin 
Published: November 2017

AbstractThe aim of this study was to identify metabolite biomarkers associated with acute rejection after heart transplantation in rats using a LC-MS-based metabolomics approach. A model of heterotopic cardiac xenotransplantation was established in rats, with Wistar rats as donors and SD rats as recipients. Blood and cardiac samples were collected from blank control rats (Group A), rats 5 (Group B) and 7 days (Group C) after heart transplantation, and pretreated rats 5 (Group D) and 7 days (Group E) post-transplantation for pathological and metabolomics analyses. We assessed International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation (ISHLT) grades 0, 3B, 4, 1 and 1 rejection in groups A to E. There were 15 differential metabolites between groups A and B, 14 differential metabolites between groups A and C, and 10 differential metabolites between groups B and C. In addition, four common differential metabolites, including D-tagatose, choline, C16 sphinganine and D-glutamine, were identified between on days 5 and 7 post-transplantation. Our findings demonstrate that the panel of D-tagatose, choline, C16 sphinganine and D-glutamine exhibits a high sensitivity and specificity for the early diagnosis of acute rejection after heart transplantation, and LC-MS-based metabolomics approach has a potential value for screening post-transplantation biomarkers.
Reductions in root hydraulic conductivity in response to clay soil and treated waste water are related to PIPs down-regulation in Citrus
Authors: Paudel Indira , Cohen Shabtai , Shlizerman Lyudmila , Jaiswal Amit K. , Shaviv Avi , Sadka Avi 
Published: November 2017

AbstractCitrus hydraulic physiology and PIP transcript levels were characterized in heavy (clay) and light (sandy loam) soils with and without treated waste water (TWW) irrigation after a summer irrigation season and at the end of a winter rainy season recovery period. Consistent reductions in clay soils compared to sandy loam were found for fresh water (FW) and TWW irrigation, respectively, in root water uptake, as well as in hydraulic conductivity of whole plant (Ksplant), stem (Ksstem) and root (Ksroot). Transcript levels of most PIPs down-regulated following TWW irrigation in both soils, but relative gene expression of three PIPs was significantly higher in summer for sandy soil and FW than for clay soil and TWW; their mRNA levels was significantly correlated to Ksroot. A pot experiment, which compared short term influences of saline and TWW found that both treatments, compared to FW, reduced root water uptake and PIPs mRNA levels by 2-fold after 20 days, and the decreases continued with time until the end of the experiment. These latter data indicated that salinity had an important influence. Our results suggest that plant hydraulic adjustment to soil texture and water quality occurs rapidly, i.e. within days, and is modulated by PIPs expression.
Tactile Frequency-Specific High-Gamma Activities in Human Primary and Secondary Somatosensory Cortices
Authors: Ryun Seokyun , Kim June Sic , Lee Hyeongrae , Chung Chun Kee 
Published: November 2017

AbstractHumans can easily detect vibrotactile stimuli up to several hundred hertz, but underlying large-scale neuronal processing mechanisms in the cortex are largely unknown. Here, we investigated the macroscopic neural correlates of various vibrotactile stimuli including artificial and naturalistic ones in human primary and secondary somatosensory cortices (S1 and S2, respectively) using electrocorticography (ECoG). We found that tactile frequency-specific high-gamma (HG, 50–140 Hz) activities are seen in both S1 and S2 with different temporal dynamics during vibration (>100 Hz). Stimulus-evoked S1 HG power, which exhibited short-delayed peaks (50–100 ms), was attenuated more quickly in vibration than in flutter (<50 Hz), and their attenuation patterns were frequency-specific within vibration range. In contrast, S2 HG power, which was activated much later than that of S1 (150–250 ms), strikingly increased with increasing stimulus frequencies in vibration range, and their changes were much greater than those in S1. Furthermore, these S1-S2 HG patterns were preserved in naturalistic stimuli such as coarse/fine textures. Our results provide persuasive evidence that S2 is critically involved in neural processing for high-frequency vibrotaction. Therefore, we propose that S1-S2 neuronal co-operation is crucial for full-range, complex vibrotactile perception in human.
Triplex-quadruplex structural scaffold: a new binding structure of aptamer
Authors: Bing Tao , Zheng Wei , Zhang Xin , Shen Luyao , Liu Xiangjun , Wang Fuyi , Cui Jie , Cao Zehui , Shangguan Dihua 
Published: November 2017

AbstractApart from the canonical Watson-Crick duplex, nucleic acids can often form other structures, e.g. G-quadruplex and triplex. These structures give nucleic acid additional functions besides coding for genetic information. Aptamers are one type of functional nucleic acids that bind to specific targets with high selectivity and affinity by folding into special tertiary structures. Despite the fact that numerous aptamers have been reported, only a few different types of aptamer structures are identified. Here we report a novel triplex-quadruplex hybrid scaffold formed by a codeine binding aptamer (CBA). CBA and its derivatives are G-rich DNA sequences. Codeine binding can induce the formation of a complex structure for this aptamer containing a G-quadruplex and a G·GC triplex, while codeine is located at the junction of the triplex and quadruplex. When split CBA into two moieties, codeine does not bind either moieties individually, but can bind them together by inducing the formation of the triplex-quadruplex scaffold. This structure formation induced by codeine binding is shown to inhibit polymerase reaction, which shows a potential application of the aptamer sequence in gene regulations.
Astrocyte elevated gene-1 promotes tumour growth and invasion by inducing EMT in oral squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Wang Yan , Wang Ting , Sun Yunduan , Sun Wenjing , Wang Xiumei 
Published: November 2017

AbstractOral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a common human malignancy with a high incidence rate and poor prognosis. Although astrocyte elevated gene 1 (AEG-1) expression is up-regulated in various human cancers and plays an important role in carcinogenesis and tumour progression, the impact of AEG-1 on the development and progression of OSCC remains unclear. Accordingly, this study aims to clarify the biological significance of AEG-1 in OSCC. We found AEG-1 to be overexpressed in OSCC tissues compared to normal oral mucosa. Knockdown or overexpression of AEG-1 in OSCC cell lines showed that AEG-1 is important for tumour growth, apoptosis, drug tolerance, and maintaining epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-mediated cell migration and invasion in vitro. Moreover, in a xenograft-mouse model generated by AEG-1-overexpressing SCC15 cells, we found that higher expression of AEG-1 promoted tumour growth, angiogenesis, and EMT in vivo. These findings provide mechanistic insight into the role of AEG-1 in regulating OSCC tumour growth, apoptosis, drug tolerance, and invasion, as well as AEG-1-induced activation of p38 and NF-κB signalling, suggesting that AEG-1 is an important prognostic factor and therapeutic target for OSCC.
Genetic relationships and evolution of old Chinese garden roses based on SSRs and chromosome diversity
Authors: Tan Jiongrui , Wang Jing , Luo Le , Yu Chao , Xu Tingliang , Wu Yuying , Cheng Tangren , Wang Jia , Pan Huitang , Zhang Qixiang 
Published: November 2017

AbstractOld Chinese garden roses are the foundation of the modern rose, which is one of the best-selling ornamental plants. However, the horticultural grouping and evolution of old Chinese garden roses are unclear. Simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers were employed to survey genetic diversity in old Chinese garden roses and genetic differentiation was estimated among different rose groups. Fluorescence in situ hybridization was used to study the physical localization of 5 S rDNA genes and a karyotype analysis was performed. The SSR data suggest that old Chinese garden roses could be divided into Old Blush group, Odorata group and Ancient hybrid China group. The Old Blush group had the most primitive karyotype. The Ancient hybrid China group and modern rose had the most evolved karyotypes and the highest genetic diversity. During the evolution of rose cultivars, 5 S rDNA increased in number, partially weakened in signal intensity and exhibited variation in distance from the centromere. In conclusion, rose cultivars evolved from the Old Blush Group to the Odorata group, the Ancient Hybrid China group and the modern rose. This work provides a basis for the collection, identification, conservation and innovation of rose germplasm resources.
Heart function and thoracic aorta gene expression profiling studies of ginseng combined with different herbal medicines in eNOS knockout mice
Authors: Qian Yuchen , Li Pan , Lv Bin , Jiang Xiaoqing , Wang Ting , Zhang Han , Wang Xiaoying , Gao Xiumei 
Published: November 2017

AbstractGinseng, a popular herbal remedy, is often used in combination with other drugs to achieve the maximum therapeutic response. Shenfu (SFI) and Shenmai injection (SMI) have been widely used to treat cardiovascular disease in China. Our study explored the cardiovascular protection of SFI and SMI in eNOS knockout mice to investigate the differences and similarities of the two ginseng-combinations. Transthoracic echocardiography was performed to evaluate the left ventricular structure and function at baseline and 3, 7, and 14 days after drug administration. Agilent Gene Expression microarrays were used to demonstrate the gene expression profiling of the thoracic aorta. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis was performed to evaluate the mechanism improved by SFI and SMI in eNOS knockout mice. Both SFI and SMI could modulate Gadd45 Signaling from TOP15 canonical pathways. Moreover, SFI showed a better effect in the early treatment stage and improved myocardial function via GATA4, GATA6 and COL3A1. Meanwhile, SMI exerted better protective effects at the chronic stage, which may be related to endothelium protection by VEGFA and ACE. The advantage of multi-target by drug combination in progression of complex diseases should be noticed. The appropriate adjustment of drug combination could lead to a better accurate medical care in clinic.
Design of dual-band cold mirrors
Authors: Wang Xiaodong , Chen Bo 
Published: November 2017

AbstractDual-band cold mirrors are designed based on third-order of 121.6 nm multilayers, and they are only composed of LaF3 and MgF2. The designed mirrors have a high reflectance at 121.6 nm and 280 nm, and a low reflectance in visible waveband; they also have a narrow bandwidth of 4 nm at 121.6 nm, and low sidelobe ripples of two stopbands. A broadband antireflection coating and an asymmetrically Gaussian-apodization of thickness-modulated design method are proposed to eliminate sidelobe ripples of the reflection zone.
Instability in CH3NH3PbI3 perovskite solar cells due to elemental migration and chemical composition changes
Authors: Ahmad Zubair , Najeeb Mansoor Ani , Shakoor R. A. , Alashraf Abdulla , Al-Muhtaseb Shaheen A. , Soliman Ahmed , Nazeeruddin M. K. 
Published: November 2017

AbstractOrganic-inorganic halide perovskites have rapidly grown as favorable materials for photovoltaic applications, but accomplishing long-term stability is still a major research problem. This work demonstrates a new insight on instability and degradation factors in CH3NH3PbI3 perovskite solar cells aging with time in open air. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) has been used to investigate the compositional changes caused by device degradation over the period of 1000 hrs. XPS spectra confirm the migration of metallic ions from the bottom electrode (ITO) as a key factor causing the chemical composition change in the perovskite layer besides the diffusion of oxygen. XPS results are in good agreement with the crystallographic marks. Glow discharge optical emission spectrometry (GD-OES) has also been performed on the samples to correlate the XPS results. Based on the experimental results, fundamental features that account for the instability in the perovskite solar cell is discussed.
Cold acclimation causes fiber type-specific responses in glucose and fat metabolism in rat skeletal muscles
Authors: Sepa-Kishi Diane M. , Sotoudeh-Nia Yass , Iqbal Ayesha , Bikopoulos George , Ceddia Rolando B. 
Published: November 2017

AbstractThis study investigated fiber type-specific metabolic responses and the molecular mechanisms that regulate glucose and fat metabolism in oxidative and glycolytic muscles upon cold acclimation. Male Wistar rats were exposed to cold (4 °C) for 7 days, and then glycogen synthesis and content, glucose and palmitate oxidation, and the molecular mechanisms underlying these metabolic pathways were assessed in soleus (Sol), extensor digitorum longus (EDL), and epitrochlearis (Epit) muscles. Cold acclimation increased glycogen synthesis, glycogen content, glucose oxidation, and reduced glycogen synthase (GS) phosphorylation only in Sol muscles. Protein kinase B (AKT), glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3), and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) phosphorylation increased in all three muscles upon cold acclimation. Cold acclimation increased palmitate oxidation, gene expression of the transcriptional co-activator Pgc-1α, lipoprotein lipase (Lpl), fatty acid transporter (Cd36), and Sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase (Serca) in Sol, EDL, and Epit muscles. Sarcolipin was only detected and had its content increased in Sol muscles. In conclusion, cold-induced thermogenesis activated similar signaling pathways in oxidative and glycolytic muscles, but the metabolic fate of glucose differed in skeletal muscles with distinct fiber type composition. Furthermore, only muscles rich in type I fibers appeared to have the capacity for sarcolipin-mediated SERCA uncoupling.
Jaw biodynamic data for 24 patients with chronic unilateral temporomandibular disorder
Authors: López-Cedrún José , Santana-Mora Urbano , Pombo María , Pérez Del Palomar Amaya , Alonso De la Peña Víctor , Mora María Jesús , Santana Urbano 
Published: November 2017

AbstractThis study assessed 24 adult patients, suffering from severe chronic unilateral pain diagnosed as temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder (TMD). The full dentate patients had normal occlusion and had never received an occlusal therapy, i.e., were with natural dental evolution/maturation. The following functional and dynamic factors were assessed: (1) chewing function; (2) TMJ remodeling or the condylar path (CP); and (3) lateral jaw motion or lateral guidance (LG). CPs were assessed using conventional axiography, and LG was assessed by K7 jaw tracking. Seventeen (71%) of the 24 (100%) patients consistently showed a habitual chewing side. The mean (standard deviation [SD]) of the CP angles was 47.90 (9.24) degrees. The mean (SD) of the LG angles was 42.95 (11.78) degrees. Data collection emerged from the conception of a new TMD paradigm where the affected side could be the habitual chewing side, the side with flatter lateral jaw motion or the side with an increased CP angle. These data may lead to improved diagnosis, therapy plans and evolution in TMD patients.
The Impact of Expiratory Muscle Strength Training on Speech Breathing in Individuals With Parkinson's Disease: A Preliminary Study
Authors: Darling-White Meghan , Huber Jessica E. 
Published: November 2017

Purpose
The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of expiratory muscle strength training on speech breathing and functional speech outcomes in individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD).

Method
Twelve individuals with PD were seen once a week for 8 weeks: 4 pretraining (baseline) sessions followed by a 4-week training period. Posttraining data were collected at the end of the 4th week of training. Maximum expiratory pressure, an indicator of expiratory muscle strength, and lung volume at speech initiation were the primary outcome measures. Secondary outcomes included lung volume at speech termination, lung volume excursion, utterance length, and vocal intensity. Data were collected during a spontaneous speech sample. Individual effect sizes > 1 were considered significant.

Results
Maximum expiratory pressure increased in a majority of participants after training. Training resulted in 2 main respiratory patterns: increasing or decreasing lung volume initiation. Lung volume termination and excursion, utterance length, and vocal loudness were not consistently altered by training.

Conclusions
Preliminary evidence suggests that the direct physiologic intervention of the respiratory system via expiratory muscle strength training improves speech breathing in individuals with PD, with participants using more typical lung volumes for speech following treatment.
Not All Pacifiers Are Created Equal: A Mechanical Examination of Pacifiers and Their Influence on Suck Patterning
Authors: Zimmerman Emily , Forlano Jaclene , Gouldstone Andrew 
Published: November 2017

PurposeMany pacifier companies advertise that their product is the “best choice” to support proper sucking, feeding, and dental development; however, very little evidence exists to support these claims. As the primary differences across pacifiers are structural and mechanical, the goals of this study were to measure such properties of commercially available pacifiers and to examine how these properties alter suck patterning in healthy, full-term infants.MethodSeven commonly utilized pacifiers were mechanically tested for pull and compression stiffness levels and categorized into nipple shape types based on their aspect ratio. Next, 3 pacifiers (Soothie, GumDrop, and Freeflow) with the most salient differences in pull stiffness levels with 2 different pacifier nipple types were tested clinically on 16 full-term infants (≤ 6 months old) while measuring non-nutritive suck (NNS).ResultsA repeated measures analysis of variance revealed significant differences between NNS burst duration (p= .002), NNS cycles per burst (p= .002), and NNS cycles per minute (p= .006) and pacifier type. With each significant dependent measure, pairwise comparisons showed that the GumDrop and Freeflow pacifiers differed significantly on these measures.ConclusionsPacifier compression, pull stiffness, and nipple shape type yield different NNS dynamics. These findings motivate further investigation into pacifier properties and suck patterning in young infants.
Intensive Treatment for Persisting Rhotic Distortions: A Case Series
Authors: Preston Jonathan L. , Leece Megan C. 
Published: November 2017

Purpose
The study explored changes in accuracy of American English rhotics as a result of an intensive 1-week therapy program for adolescents and young adults with residual speech sound errors that had not resolved with previous therapy.

Method
Four case reports are presented of individuals aged 13, 17, 21, and 22 years with residual /ɹ/ distortions. Each participant attended a 1-week intensive program consisting of pretreatment assessments, 14 hr of therapy, and posttreatment assessment. Treatment sessions included structured motor-based practice, ultrasound visual feedback of the tongue, and auditory speech perception training. To assess generalization, untreated words and sentences with rhotics were recorded before and after therapy; these were rated by listeners who were blind to when the recordings were taken.

Results
All participants showed measurable and statistically significant improvement in speech sound accuracy. Averaged across the 4 participants, rhotic accuracy at the word level improved from 35% to 83%. At the sentence level, rhotic accuracy increased from 11% pretreatment to 66% posttreatment in 1 week.

Conclusion
The promise of an intensive treatment program that includes motor-based practice, biofeedback, and auditory perception training is illustrated by the case presentations in which substantial improvements in speech sound accuracy were observed.

Supplemental Materials

https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.5561254
Infant-Directed Speech Enhances Attention to Speech in Deaf Infants With Cochlear Implants
Authors: Wang Yuanyuan , Bergeson Tonya R. , Houston Derek M. 
Published: November 2017

Purpose
Both theoretical models of infant language acquisition and empirical studies posit important roles for attention to speech in early language development. However, deaf infants with cochlear implants (CIs) show reduced attention to speech as compared with their peers with normal hearing (NH; Horn, Davis, Pisoni, & Miyamoto, 2005; Houston, Pisoni, Kirk, Ying, & Miyamoto, 2003), which may affect their acquisition of spoken language. The main purpose of this study was to determine (a) whether infant-directed speech (IDS) enhances attention to speech in infants with CIs, as compared with adult-directed speech (ADS), and (b) whether the degree to which infants with CIs pay attention to IDS is associated with later language outcomes.

Method
We tested 46 infants—12 prelingually deaf infants who received CIs before 24 months of age and had 12 months of hearing experience (CI group), 22 hearing experience–matched infants with NH (NH-HEM group), and 12 chronological age–matched infants with NH (NH-CAM group)—on their listening preference in 3 randomized blocks: IDS versus silence, ADS versus silence, and IDS versus ADS. We administered the Preschool Language Scale–Fourth Edition (PLS-4; Zimmerman, Steiner, & Pond, 2002) approximately 18 months after implantation to assess receptive and expressive language skills of infants with CIs.

Results
In the IDS versus silence block, all 3 groups looked significantly longer to IDS than to silence. In the ADS versus silence block, both the NH-HEM and NH-CAM groups looked significantly longer to ADS relative to silence; however, the CI group did not show any preference. In the IDS versus ADS block, whereas both the CI and NH-HEM groups preferred IDS over ADS, the NH-CAM group looked equally long to IDS and ADS. IDS preference quotient among infants with CIs in the IDS versus ADS block was associated with PLS-4 Auditory Comprehension and PLS-4 Expressive Communication measures.

Conclusions
Two major findings emerge: (a) IDS enhances attention to speech in deaf infants with CIs; (b) the degree of IDS preference over ADS relates to language development in infants with CIs. These results support a focus on input in developing intervention strategies to mitigate the effects of hearing loss on language development in infants with hearing loss.
Distributional Learning in College Students With Developmental Language Disorder
Authors: Hall Jessica , Owen Van Horne Amanda , McGregor Karla K. , Farmer Thomas 
Published: November 2017

PurposeThis study examined whether college students with developmental language disorder (DLD) could use distributional information in an artificial language to learn about grammatical category membership in a way similar to their typically developing (TD) peers.MethodSeventeen college students with DLD and 17 TD college students participated in this task. We used an artificial grammar in which certain combinations of words never occurred during training. At test, participants had to use knowledge of category membership to determine which combinations were allowable in the grammar, even though they had not been heard.ResultsCollege students with DLD performed similarly to TD peers in distinguishing grammatical from ungrammatical combinations.ConclusionDifferences in ratings between grammatical and ungrammatical items in this task suggest that college students with DLD can form grammatical categories from novel input and more broadly use distributional information.