bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The antinociception of oxytocin on colonic hypersensitivity in rats was mediated by inhibition of mast cell degranulation via Ca2+-NOS pathway
Authors: Gong Liping , Li Jing , Tang Yan , Han Ting , Wei Chuanfei , Yu Xiao , Li Jingxin , Wang Rong , Ma Xuelian , Liu Kejing , Geng Lingyun , Liu Shaozhuang , Yan Bing , Liu Chuanyong 
Published: August 2016

AbstractThis study was conducted to investigate the effects of oxytocin (OT) on visceral hypersensitivity/pain and mast cell degranulation and the underlying mechanisms. We found that oxytocin receptor (OTR) was expressed in colonic mast cells in humans and rats, as well as in human mast cell line-1 (HMC-1), rat basophilic leukemia cell line (RBL-2H3) and mouse mastocytoma cell line (P815). OT decreased 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced visceral hypersensitivity, colonic mast cell degranulation and histamine release after mast cell degranulation in rats. Also, OT attenuated the compound 48/80 (C48/80)-evoked histamine release in P815 cells and inward currents, responsible for the mast cell degranulation, in HMC-1, RBL-2H3 and P815 cells. Moreover, these protective effects of OT against visceral hypersensitivity and mast cell degranulation were eliminated by coadministration of OTR antagonist atosiban or a nonselective inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase (NOS), NG-Methyl-L-arginine acetate salt (L-NMMA). Notably, OT evoked a concentration-dependent increase of intracellular Ca2+ in HMC-1, RBL-2H3 and P815 cells, which was responsible for the activation of neuronal NOS (NOS1) and endothelial NOS (NOS3). Our findings strongly suggest that OT might exert the antinociception on colonic hypersensitivity through inhibition of mast cell degranulation via Ca2+-NOS pathway.
Ichnological evidence of Megalosaurid Dinosaurs Crossing Middle Jurassic Tidal Flats
Authors: Razzolini Novella L. , Oms Oriol , Castanera Diego , Vila Bernat , Santos Vanda Faria dos , Galobart Àngel 
Published: August 2016

AbstractA new dinosaur tracksite in the Vale de Meios quarry (Serra de Aire Formation, Bathonian, Portugal)preserves more than 700 theropod tracks. They are organized in at least 80 unidirectional trackways arranged in a bimodal orientation pattern (W/NW and E/SE). Quantitative and qualitative comparisons reveal that the large tridactyl, elongated and asymmetric tracks resemble the typical Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous Megalosauripus ichnogenus in all morphometric parameters. Few of the numerous tracks are preserved as elite tracks while the rest are preserved as different gradients of modified true tracks according to water content, erosive factors, radial fractures and internal overtrack formations. Taphonomical determinations are consistent with paleoenvironmental observations that indicate an inter-tidal flat located at the margin of a coastal barrier. The Megalosauripus tracks represent the oldest occurrence of this ichnotaxon and are attributed to large megalosaurid dinosaurs. Their occurrence in Vale de Meios tidal flat represents the unique paleoethological evidence of megalosaurids moving towards the lagoon, most likley during the low tide periods with feeding purposes.
Saving Moore’s Law Down To 1 nm Channels With Anisotropic Effective Mass
Authors: Ilatikhameneh Hesameddin , Ameen Tarek , Novakovic Bozidar , Tan Yaohua , Klimeck Gerhard , Rahman Rajib 
Published: August 2016

AbstractScaling transistors’ dimensions has been the thrust for the semiconductor industry in the last four decades. However, scaling channel lengths beyond 10 nm has become exceptionally challenging due to the direct tunneling between source and drain which degrades gate control, switching functionality, and worsens power dissipation. Fortunately, the emergence of novel classes of materials with exotic properties in recent times has opened up new avenues in device design. Here, we show that by using channel materials with an anisotropic effective mass, the channel can be scaled down to 1 nm and still provide an excellent switching performance in phosphorene nanoribbon MOSFETs. To solve power consumption challenge besides dimension scaling in conventional transistors, a novel tunnel transistor is proposed which takes advantage of anisotropic mass in both ON- and OFF-state of the operation. Full-band atomistic quantum transport simulations of phosphorene nanoribbon MOSFETs and TFETs based on the new design have been performed as a proof.
A magnetic synapse: multilevel spin-torque memristor with perpendicular anisotropy
Authors: Lequeux Steven , Sampaio Joao , Cros Vincent , Yakushiji Kay , Fukushima Akio , Matsumoto Rie , Kubota Hitoshi , Yuasa Shinji , Grollier Julie 
Published: August 2016

AbstractMemristors are non-volatile nano-resistors which resistance can be tuned by applied currents or voltages and set to a large number of levels. Thanks to these properties, memristors are ideal building blocks for a number of applications such as multilevel non-volatile memories and artificial nano-synapses, which are the focus of this work. A key point towards the development of large scale memristive neuromorphic hardware is to build these neural networks with a memristor technology compatible with the best candidates for the future mainstream non-volatile memories. Here we show the first experimental achievement of a multilevel memristor compatible with spin-torque magnetic random access memories. The resistive switching in our spin-torque memristor is linked to the displacement of a magnetic domain wall by spin-torques in a perpendicularly magnetized magnetic tunnel junction. We demonstrate that our magnetic synapse has a large number of intermediate resistance states, sufficient for neural computation. Moreover, we show that engineering the device geometry allows leveraging the most efficient spin torque to displace the magnetic domain wall at low current densities and thus to minimize the energy cost of our memristor. Our results pave the way for spin-torque based analog magnetic neural computation.
SGO1 is involved in the DNA damage response in MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma cells
Authors: Murakami-Tonami Yuko , Ikeda Haruna , Yamagishi Ryota , Inayoshi Mao , Inagaki Shiho , Kishida Satoshi , Komata Yosuke , Jan Koster  , Takeuchi Ichiro , Kondo Yutaka , Maeda Tohru , Sekido Yoshitaka , Murakami Hiroshi , Kadomatsu Kenji 
Published: August 2016

AbstractShugoshin 1 (SGO1) is required for accurate chromosome segregation during mitosis and meiosis; however, its other functions, especially at interphase, are not clearly understood. Here, we found that downregulation of SGO1 caused a synergistic phenotype in cells overexpressing MYCN. Downregulation of SGO1 impaired proliferation and induced DNA damage followed by a senescence-like phenotype only in MYCN-overexpressing neuroblastoma cells. In these cells, SGO1 knockdown induced DNA damage, even during interphase and this effect was independent of cohesin. Furthermore, MYCN-promoted SGO1 transcription and SGO1 expression tended to be higher in MYCN- or MYC-overexpressing cancers. Together, these findings indicate that SGO1 plays a role in the DNA damage response in interphase. Therefore, we propose that SGO1 represents a potential molecular target for treatment of MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma.
A calcium sensor – protein kinase signaling module diversified in plants and is retained in all lineages of Bikonta species
Authors: Beckmann Linda , Edel Kai H. , Batistič Oliver , Kudla Jörg 
Published: August 2016

AbstractCalcium (Ca2+) signaling is a universal mechanism of signal transduction and involves Ca2+ signal formation and decoding of information by Ca2+ binding proteins. Calcineurin B-like proteins (CBLs), which upon Ca2+ binding activate CBL-interacting protein kinases (CIPKs) regulate a multitude of physiological processes in plants. Here, we combine phylogenomics and functional analyses to investigate the occurrence and structural conservation of CBL and CIPK proteins in 26 species representing all major clades of eukaryotes. We demonstrate the presence of at least singular CBL-CIPK pairs in representatives of Archaeplastida, Chromalveolates and Excavates and their general absence in Opisthokonta and Amoebozoa. This denotes CBL-CIPK complexes as evolutionary ancient Ca2+ signaling modules that likely evolved in the ancestor of all Bikonta. Furthermore, we functionally characterize the CBLs and CIPK from the parabasalid human pathogen Trichomonas vaginalis. Our results reveal strict evolutionary conservation of functionally important structural features, preservation of biochemical properties and a remarkable cross-kingdom protein-protein interaction potential between CBLs and CIPKs from Arabidopsis thaliana and T. vaginalis. Together our findings suggest an ancient evolutionary origin of a functional CBL-CIPK signaling module close to the root of eukaryotic evolution and provide insights into the initial evolution of signaling networks and Ca2+ signaling specificity.
Organotypic culture in three dimensions prevents radiation-induced transformation in human lung epithelial cells
Authors: El-Ashmawy Mariam , Coquelin Melissa , Luitel Krishna , Batten Kimberly , Shay Jerry W. 
Published: August 2016

AbstractThe effects of radiation in two-dimensional (2D) cell culture conditions may not recapitulate tissue responses as modeled in three-dimensional (3D) organotypic culture. In this study, we determined if the frequency of radiation-induced transformation and cancer progression differed in 3D compared to 2D culture. Telomerase immortalized human bronchial epithelial cells (HBECs) with shTP53 and mutant KRas expression were exposed to various types of radiation (gamma, +H, 56Fe) in either 2D or 3D culture. After irradiation, 3D structures were dissociated and passaged as a monolayer followed by measurement of transformation, cell growth and expression analysis. Cells irradiated in 3D produced significantly fewer and smaller colonies in soft agar than their 2D-irradiated counterparts (gamma P = 0.0004; +H P = 0.049; 56Fe P < 0.0001). The cell culture conditions did not affect cell killing, the ability of cells to survive in a colony formation assay, and proliferation rates after radiation—implying there was no selection against cells in or dissociated from 3D conditions. However, DNA damage repair and apoptosis markers were increased in 2D cells compared to 3D cells after radiation. Ideally, expanding the utility of 3D culture will allow for a better understanding of the biological consequences of radiation exposure.
Intravital assessment of myelin molecular order with polarimetric multiphoton microscopy
Authors: Turcotte Raphaël , Rutledge Danette J. , Bélanger Erik , Dill Dorothy , Macklin Wendy B. , Côté Daniel C. 
Published: August 2016

AbstractMyelin plays an essential role in the nervous system and its disruption in diseases such as multiple sclerosis may lead to neuronal death, thus causing irreversible functional impairments. Understanding myelin biology is therefore of fundamental and clinical importance, but no tools currently exist to describe the fine spatial organization of myelin sheathsin vivo. Here we demonstrate intravital quantification of the myelin molecular structure using a microscopy method based on polarization-resolved coherent Raman scattering. Developmental myelination was imaged noninvasively in live zebrafish. Longitudinal imaging of individual axons revealed changes in myelin organization beyond the diffraction limit. Applied to promyelination drug screening, the method uniquely enabled the identification of focal myelin regions with differential architectures. These observations indicate that the study of myelin biology and the identification of therapeutic compounds will largely benefit from a method to quantify the myelin molecular organizationin vivo.
Thermo-tunable hybrid photonic crystal fiber based on solution-processed chalcogenide glass nanolayers
Authors: Markos Christos 
Published: August 2016

AbstractThe possibility to combine silica photonic crystal fiber (PCF) as low-loss platform with advanced functional materials, offers an enormous range of choices for the development of fiber-based tunable devices. Here, we report a tunable hybrid silica PCF with integrated As2S3 glass nanolayers inside the air-capillaries of the fiber based on a solution-processed glass approach. The deposited high-index layers revealed antiresonant transmission windows from ~500 nm up to ~1300 nm. We experimentally demonstrate for the first time the possibility to thermally-tune the revealed antiresonances by taking advantage the high thermo-optic coefficient of the solution-processed nanolayers. Two different hybrid fiber structures, with core diameter 10 and 5 μm, were developed and characterized using a supercontinuum source. The maximum sensitivity was measured to be as high as 3.6 nm/°C at 1300 nm. The proposed fiber device could potentially constitute an efficient route towards realization of monolithic tunable fiber filters or sensing elements.
Maintenance of electrostatic stabilization in altered tubulin lateral contacts may facilitate formation of helical filaments in foraminifera
Authors: Bassen David M. , Hou Yubo , Bowser Samuel S. , Banavali Nilesh K. 
Published: August 2016

AbstractMicrotubules in foraminiferan protists (forams) can convert into helical filament structures, in which longitudinal intraprotofilament interactions between tubulin heterodimers are thought to be lost, while lateral contacts across protofilaments are still maintained. The coarse geometric features of helical filaments are known through low-resolution negative stain electron microscopy (EM). In this study, geometric restraints derived from these experimental data were used to generate an average atomic-scale helical filament model, which anticipated a modest reorientation in the lateral tubulin heterodimer interface. Restrained molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of the nearest neighbor interactions combined with a Genalized Born implicit solvent model were used to assess the lateral, longitudinal, and seam contacts in 13-3 microtubules and the reoriented lateral contacts in the helical filament model. This electrostatic analysis suggests that the change in the lateral interface in the helical filament does not greatly diminish the lateral electrostatic interaction. After longitudinal dissociation, the 13-3 seam interaction is much weaker than the reoriented lateral interface in the helical filament model, providing a plausible atomic-detail explanation for seam-to-lateral contact transition that enables the transition to a helical filament structure.
Practical Quantum Private Database Queries Based on Passive Round-Robin Differential Phase-shift Quantum Key Distribution
Authors: Li Jian , Yang Yu-Guang , Chen Xiu-Bo , Zhou Yi-Hua , Shi Wei-Min 
Published: August 2016

AbstractA novel quantum private database query protocol is proposed, based on passive round-robin differential phase-shift quantum key distribution. Compared with previous quantum private database query protocols, the present protocol has the following unique merits: (i) the user Alice can obtain one and only one key bit so that both the efficiency and security of the present protocol can be ensured and (ii) it does not require to change the length difference of the two arms in a Mach-Zehnder interferometer and just chooses two pulses passively to interfere with so that it is much simpler and more practical. The present protocol is also proved to be secure in terms of the user security and database security.
Glucosidase II β-subunit, a novel substrate for caspase-3-like activity in rice, plays as a molecular switch between autophagy and programmed cell death
Authors: Cui Jing , Chen Bing , Wang Hongjuan , Han Yue , Chen Xi , Zhang Wei 
Published: August 2016

AbstractEndoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress activates unfolded protein response (UPR) and autophagy. However, prolonged, severe stresses activate programmed cell death (PCD) in both animal and plant cells. Compared to the well-studied UPR pathway, the molecular mechanisms of ER-stress-induced PCD are less understood. Here, we report the identification of Gas2, the glucosidase II β subunit in the ER, as a potential switch between PCD and autophagy in rice. MS analysis identified Gas2, GRP94, and HSP40 protein in a purified caspase-3-like activity from heat stressed rice cell suspensions. The three corresponding genes were down-regulated under DTT-induced ER stress. Gas2 and GRP94 were localized to the ER, while HSP40 localized to the cytoplasm. Compared to wild-type, a Gas2 RNAi cell line was much sensitive to DTT treatment and had high levels of autophagy. Both caspase-3 and heat-stressed cell suspension lysate could cleave Gas2, producing a 14 kDa N-terminal fragment. Conditional expression of corresponding C-terminal fragment resulted in enhanced caspase-3-like activity in the protoplasts under heat stress. We proposed that mild ER stress causes down-regulation of Gas2 and induces autophagy, while severe stress results in Gas2 cleavage by caspase-3-like activity and the cleavage product amplifies this activity, possibly participating in the initiation of PCD.
Cellular growth defects triggered by an overload of protein localization processes
Authors: Kintaka Reiko , Makanae Koji , Moriya Hisao 
Published: August 2016

AbstractHigh-level expression of a protein localized to an intracellular compartment is expected to cause cellular defects because it overloads localization processes. However, overloads of localization processes have never been studied systematically. Here, we show that the expression levels of green fluorescent proteins (GFPs) with localization signals were limited to the same degree as a toxic misfolded GFP in budding yeast cells, and that their high-level expression caused cellular defects associated with localization processes. We further show that limitation of the exportin Crm1 determined the expression limit of GFP with a nuclear export signal. Although misfolding of GFP with a vesicle-mediated transport signal triggered endoplasmic reticulum stress, it was not the primary determinant of its expression limit. The precursor of GFP with a mitochondrial targeting signal caused a cellular defect. Finally, we estimated the residual capacities of localization processes. High-level expression of a localized protein thus causes cellular defects by overloading the capacities of localization processes.
Nerve Growth Factor Secretion From Pulp Fibroblasts is Modulated by Complement C5a Receptor and Implied in Neurite Outgrowth
Authors: Chmilewsky Fanny , Ayaz Warda , Appiah James , About Imad , Chung Seung-Hyuk 
Published: August 2016

AbstractGiven the importance of sensory innervation in tooth vitality, the identification of signals that control nerve regeneration and the cellular events they induce is essential. Previous studies demonstrated that the complement system, a major component of innate immunity and inflammation, is activated at the injured site of human carious teeth and plays an important role in dental-pulp regeneration via interaction of the active Complement C5a fragment with pulp progenitor cells. In this study, we further determined the role of the active fragment complement C5a receptor (C5aR) in dental nerve regeneration in regards to local secretion of nerve growth factor (NGF) upon carious injury. Using ELISA and AXIS co-culture systems, we demonstrate that C5aR is critically implicated in the modulation of NGF secretion by LTA-stimulated pulp fibroblasts. The NGF secretion by LTA-stimulated pulp fibroblasts, which is negatively regulated by C5aR activation, has a role in the control of the neurite outgrowth length in our axon regeneration analysis. Our data provide a scientific step forward that can guide development of future therapeutic tools for innovative and incipient interventions targeting the dentin-pulp regeneration process by linking the neurite outgrowth to human pulp fibroblast through complement system activation.
Graphene oxide-enhanced sol-gel transition sensitivity and drug release performance of an amphiphilic copolymer-based nanocomposite
Authors: Hu Huawen , Wang Xiaowen , Lee Ka I , Ma Kaikai , Hu Hong , Xin John H. 
Published: August 2016

AbstractWe report the fabrication of a highly sensitive amphiphilic copolymer-based nanocomposite incorporating with graphene oxide (GO), which exhibited a low-intensity UV light-triggered sol-gel transition. Non-cytotoxicity was observed for the composite gels after the GO incorporation. Of particular interest were the microchannels that were formed spontaneously within the GO-incorporated UV-gel, which expedited sustained drug release. Therefore, the present highly UV-sensitive, non-cytotoxic amphiphilic copolymer-based composites is expected to provide enhanced photothermal therapy and chemotherapy by means of GO’s unique photothermal properties, as well as through efficient passive targeting resulting from the sol-gel transition characteristic of the copolymer-based system with improved sensitivity, which thus promises the enhanced treatment of patients with cancer and other diseases.
Penta-BxNy sheet: a density functional theory study of two-dimensional material
Authors: Li Jiao , Fan Xinyu , Wei Yanpei , Chen Gang 
Published: August 2016

AbstractBy using density functional theory with generalized gradient approximation, we have carried out detailed investigations of two-dimensional BxNynanomaterials in the Cairo pentagonal tiling geometry fully composed of pentagons (penta-BxNy). Onlypenta-BN and BN2planar structures are dynamically stable without imaginary modes in their phonon spectra. Their stabilities have been further evaluated by formation energy analysis, first-principles molecular dynamics simulation, and mechanical stability analysis.Penta-BN2is superior topenta-BN in structural stability. Its stability analysis against oxidization and functional group adsorption as well as its synthesizing reaction path analysis show possibilities in fabricatingpenta-BN2on experiment. Furthermore, thepenta-BN2could be transferred from metallic to semiconducting by ionizing or covalently binding an electron per dinitrogen. Also, it has been found to have superior mechanical properties, such as the negative Poisson’s ratio and the comparable stiffness as that of hexagonalh-BN sheet. These studies on the stabilities, electronic properties, and mechanical properties suggestpenta-BN2as an attractive material to call for further studies on both theory and experiment.
Phonon triggered rhombohedral lattice distortion in vanadium at high pressure
Authors: Antonangeli Daniele , Farber Daniel L. , Bosak Alexei , Aracne Chantel M. , Ruddle David G. , Krisch Michael 
Published: August 2016

AbstractIn spite of the simple body-centered-cubic crystal structure, the elements of group V, vanadium, niobium and tantalum, show strong interactions between the electronic properties and lattice dynamics. Further, these interactions can be tuned by external parameters, such as pressure and temperature. We used inelastic x-ray scattering to probe the phonon dispersion of single-crystalline vanadium as a function of pressure to 45 GPa. Our measurements show an anomalous high-pressure behavior of the transverse acoustic mode along the (100) direction and a softening of the elastic modulus C44 that triggers a rhombohedral lattice distortion occurring between 34 and 39 GPa. Our results provide the missing experimental confirmation of the theoretically predicted shear instability arising from the progressive intra-band nesting of the Fermi surface with increasing pressure, a scenario common to all transition metals of group V.