bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Real-time divergent evolution in plants driven by pollinators
Authors: Gervasi Daniel D. L. , Schiestl Florian P 
Published: March 2017

AbstractPollinator-driven diversification is thought to be a major source of floral variation in plants. Our knowledge of this process is, however, limited to indirect assessments of evolutionary changes. Here, we employ experimental evolution with fast cycling Brassica rapa plants to demonstrate adaptive evolution driven by different pollinators. Our study shows pollinator-driven divergent selection as well as divergent evolution in plant traits. Plants pollinated by bumblebees evolved taller size and more fragrant flowers with increased ultraviolet reflection. Bumblebees preferred bumblebee-pollinated plants over hoverfly-pollinated plants at the end of the experiment, showing that plants had adapted to the bumblebees’ preferences. Plants with hoverfly pollination became shorter, had reduced emission of some floral volatiles, but increased fitness through augmented autonomous self-pollination. Our study demonstrates that changes in pollinator communities can have rapid consequences on the evolution of plant traits and mating system.
Single-cell tracking of flavivirus RNA uncovers species-specific interactions with the immune system dictating disease outcome
Authors: Douam Florian , Hrebikova Gabriela , Albrecht Yentli E. Soto , Sellau Julie , Sharon Yael , Ding Qiang , Ploss Alexander 
Published: March 2017

AbstractPositive-sense RNA viruses pose increasing health and economic concerns worldwide. Our limited understanding of how these viruses interact with their host and how these processes lead to virulence and disease seriously hampers the development of anti-viral strategies. Here, we demonstrate the tracking of (+) and (−) sense viral RNA at single-cell resolution within complex subsets of the human and murine immune system in different mouse models. Our results provide insights into how a prototypic flavivirus, yellow fever virus (YFV-17D), differentially interacts with murine and human hematopoietic cells in these mouse models and how these dynamics influence distinct outcomes of infection. We detect (−) YFV-17D RNA in specific secondary lymphoid compartments and cell subsets not previously recognized as permissive for YFV replication, and we highlight potential virus–host interaction events that could be pivotal in regulating flavivirus virulence and attenuation.
Familial STAG2 germline mutation defines a new human cohesinopathy
Authors: Soardi Fernanda C. , Machado-Silva Alice , Linhares Natália D. , Zheng Ge , Qu Qianhui , Pena Heloísa B. , Martins Thaís M. M. , Vieira Helaine G. S. , Pereira Núbia B. , Melo-Minardi Raquel C. , Gomes Carolina C. , Gomez Ricardo S. , Gomes Dawidson A. , Pires Douglas E. V. , Ascher David B. , Yu Hongtao , Pena Sérgio D. J. 
Published: March 2017

AbstractWe characterize a novel human cohesinopathy originated from a familial germline mutation of the gene encoding the cohesin subunit STAG2, which we propose to call STAG2-related X-linked Intellectual Deficiency. Five individuals carry a STAG2 p.Ser327Asn (c.980 G > A) variant that perfectly cosegregates with a phenotype of syndromic mental retardation in a characteristic X-linked recessive pattern. Although patient-derived cells did not show overt sister-chromatid cohesion defects, they exhibited altered cell cycle profiles and gene expression patterns that were consistent with cohesin deficiency. The protein level of STAG2 in patient cells was normal. Interestingly, STAG2 S327 is located at a conserved site crucial for binding to SCC1 and cohesin regulators. When expressed in human cells, the STAG2 p.Ser327Asn mutant is defective in binding to SCC1 and other cohesin subunits and regulators. Thus, decreased amount of intact cohesin likely underlies the phenotypes of STAG2-SXLID. Intriguingly, recombinant STAG2 p.Ser327Asn binds normally to SCC1, WAPL, and SGO1 in vitro, suggesting the existence of unknown in vivo mechanisms that regulate the interaction between STAG2 and SCC1.
Interfacial orbital preferential occupation induced controllable uniaxial magnetic anisotropy observed in Ni/NiO(110) heterostructures
Authors: Zhang Yu-Jun , Wu Liang , Ma Ji , Zhang Qing-Hua , Fujimori Atsushi , Ma Jing , Lin Yuan-Hua , Nan Ce-Wen , Sun Nian-Xiang 
Published: March 2017

AbstractUnexpected physical phenomena could emerge at heterostructure interfaces, and interface effects are also capable of giving rise to magnetic anisotropy. In this work, a peculiar uniaxial magnetic anisotropy in (polycrystalline Ni)/(epitaxial NiO)/SrTiO3(110) heterostructures is investigated. Thickness dependence of the anisotropy confirms its interfacial effect nature. The NiO antiferromagnetic ordering induced interface exchange coupling should not be responsible for the anisotropy according to the temperature dependence. Our soft X-ray linear dichroism and magnetic circular dichroism results show a preferential occupation of orbital parallel to in-plane [100] at Ni/NiO interface and the origin of this uniaxial anisotropy is closely related to the occupation of Ni 3d orbitals at the interface. The magnetocrystalline anisotropy and piezoelectric strain could be utilized to manipulate this uniaxial anisotropy and realize controllable in-plane easy axis switching, which could be promising in future application of spintronics devices.
Hsp90 dependence of a kinase is determined by its conformational landscape
Authors: Luo Qi , Boczek Edgar E. , Wang Qi , Buchner Johannes , Kaila Ville R. I. 
Published: March 2017

AbstractHeat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) is an abundant molecular chaperone, involved in the folding and activation of 60% of the human kinome. The oncogenic tyrosine kinase v-Src is one of the most stringent client proteins of Hsp90, whereas its almost identical homolog c-Src is only weakly affected by the chaperone. Here, we perform atomistic molecular simulations andin vitrokinase assays to explore the mechanistic differences in the activation of v-Src and c-Src. While activation in c-Src is strictly controlled by ATP-binding and phosphorylation, we find that activating conformational transitions are spontaneously sampled in Hsp90-dependent Src mutants. Phosphorylation results in an enrichment of the active conformation and in an increased affinity for Hsp90. Thus, the conformational landscape of the mutated kinase is reshaped by a broken “control switch”, resulting in perturbations of long-range electrostatics, higher activity and increased Hsp90-dependence.
Prospects of target nanostructuring for laser proton acceleration
Authors: Lübcke Andrea , Andreev Alexander A. , Höhm Sandra , Grunwald Ruediger , Ehrentraut Lutz , Schnürer Matthias 
Published: March 2017

AbstractIn laser-based proton acceleration, nanostructured targets hold the promise to allow for significantly boosted proton energies due to strong increase of laser absorption. We used laser-induced periodic surface structures generated in-situ as a very fast and economic way to produce nanostructured targets capable of high-repetition rate applications. Both in experiment and theory, we investigate the impact of nanostructuring on the proton spectrum for different laser–plasma conditions. Our experimental data show that the nanostructures lead to a significant enhancement of absorption over the entire range of laser plasma conditions investigated. At conditions that do not allow for efficient laser absorption by plane targets, i.e. too steep plasma gradients, nanostructuring is found to significantly enhance the proton cutoff energy and conversion efficiency. In contrast, if the plasma gradient is optimized for laser absorption of the plane target, the nanostructure-induced absorption increase is not reflected in higher cutoff energies. Both, simulation and experiment point towards the energy transfer from the laser to the hot electrons as bottleneck.
Fast selective homogeneous extraction of UO22+ with carboxyl-functionalised task-specific ionic liquids
Authors: Ao Yinyong , Chen Jian , Xu Min , Peng Jing , Huang Wei , Li Jiuqiang , Zhai Maolin 
Published: March 2017

AbstractThe carboxyl-functionalised task-specific ionic liquid of 1-carboxymethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethyl-sulfonyl)imide ([HOOCmim][NTf2]) was used as solvent and extractant for UO22+ extraction from aqueous solution. A homogeneous phase of [HOOCmim][NTf2]-H2O system could be achieved at 75 °C, and 86.8 ± 4.8% of UO22+ was separated from the aqueous solution after vibrating for only 1 min. Furthermore, nearly 97.3 ± 2.9% of UO22+ was stripped from [HOOCmim][NTf2] phase by 1 M HNO3 solution. K+, Na+, Mg2+, Dy3+, La3+, and Eu3+ have little influence on the homogeneous extraction of UO22+, and the extraction efficiency of UO22+ still remained at ca. 80%. Experimental and theoretical study on the selectivity of [HOOCmim][NTf2]-H2O system were performed for the first time. Density functional theory calculation indicates that the solvent effect plays a significant role on the selectivity of [HOOCmim][NTf2]-H2O.
A potential and novel type transgenic corn plant for control of the Corn Borer
Authors: Yue Zhen , Li Xiangrui , Zhang Enyan , Liu Xiaoxia , Zhao Zhangwu 
Published: March 2017

AbstractThe corn borer is a world-wide agricultural pest. In this study, a full-length neuropeptide F (npf) gene in Ostrinia furnacalis was sequenced and cloned from a cDNA library, in which the npf gene produces two splicing mRNA variants - npf1 and npf2 (with a 120 bp segment inserted into the npf1 sequence to generate npf2). A spatio-temporal expression analysis showed that the highest expression level of npf was in the midgut of 5th instar larvae (the gluttony period), and their npf expression and food consumption were significantly promoted after food deprivation for 6 h. When npf was knocked down by double-stranded RNA for NPF, larval food intake, weight and body size were effectively inhibited through changes of a biosynthesis and metabolism pathway; i.e. gene silencing of NPF causes decreases of total lipid and glycogen and increases of trehalose production. Moreover, we produced transgenic corn plants with stably expressed dsNPF. Results showed that O. furnacalis larvae fed on these transgenic leaves had lower food consumption and smaller body size compared to controls. These results indicate that NPF is important in the feeding control of O. furnacalis and valuable for production of potential transgenic corn.
Experimental evidences for reducing Mg activation energy in high Al-content AlGaN alloy by MgGa δ doping in (AlN)m/(GaN)n superlattice
Authors: Wang Xiao , Wang Wei , Wang Jingli , Wu Hao , Liu Chang 
Published: March 2017

AbstractP-type doping in high Al-content AlGaN alloys is a main challenge for realizing AlGaN-based deep ultraviolet optoelectronics devices. According to the first-principles calculations, Mg activation energy may be reduced so that a high hole concentration can be obtained by introducing nanoscale (AlN)5/(GaN)1 superlattice (SL) in Al0.83Ga0.17N disorder alloy. In this work, experimental evidences were achieved by analyzing Mg doped high Al-content AlGaN alloys and Mg doped AlGaN SLs as well as MgGa δ doped AlGaN SLs. Mg acceptor activation energy was significantly reduced from 0.378 to 0.331 eV by using MgGa δ doping in SLs instead of traditional doping in alloys. This new process was confirmed to be able to realize high p-type doping in high Al-content AlGaN.
Abrupt response of chemical weathering to Late Quaternary hydroclimate changes in northeast Africa
Authors: Bastian Luc , Revel Marie , Bayon Germain , Dufour Aurélie , Vigier Nathalie 
Published: March 2017

AbstractChemical weathering of silicate rocks on continents acts as a major sink for atmospheric carbon dioxide and has played an important role in the evolution of the Earth’s climate. However, the magnitude and the nature of the links between weathering and climate are still under debate. In particular, the timescale over which chemical weathering may respond to climate change is yet to be constrained at the continental scale. Here we reconstruct the relationships between rainfall and chemical weathering in northeast Africa for the last 32,000 years. Using lithium isotopes and other geochemical proxies in the clay-size fraction of a marine sediment core from the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, we show that chemical weathering in the Nile Basin fluctuated in parallel with the monsoon-related climatic evolution of northeast Africa. We also evidence strongly reduced mineral alteration during centennial-scale regional drought episodes. Our findings indicate that silicate weathering may respond as quickly as physical erosion to abrupt hydroclimate reorganization on continents. Consequently, we anticipate that the forthcoming hydrological disturbances predicted for northeast Africa may have a major impact on chemical weathering patterns and soil resources in this region.
The development of loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assays for the rapid authentication of five forbidden vegetables in strict vegetarian diets
Authors: Lee Meng-Shiou , Su Ting-Ying , Lien Yi-Yang , Sheu Shyang-Chwen 
Published: March 2017

AbstractPlant-based food ingredients such as garlic, Chinese leek, Chinese onion, green onion and onion are widely used in many cuisines around the world. However, these ingredients known as the “five forbidden vegetables” (FFVs) are not allowed in some vegetarian diets. In this study, a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay was developed for the detection of FFVs using five respective LAMP primer sets. The specific primers targeted the ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 nuclear ribosomal DNA sequence regions among the five vegetables. The results demonstrated that the identification of FFVs using the newly developed LAMP assay is more sensitive than the traditional PCR method. Using pepper, basil, parsley, chili and ginger as references, established LAMP primer sets showed high specificity for the identification of the FFV species. Moreover, when FFVs were mixed with other plant ingredients at different ratios (100:0, 50:50, 20:80, 10:90, 5:95, 2:98, and 1:99), no cross-reactivity was evident using LAMP. Finally, genomic DNAs extracted from boiled and steamed FFVs in processed foods were used as templates; the performance of the LAMP reaction was not influenced using validated LAMP primers. Not only can FFV ingredients be identified but commercial foods containing FFVs can also be authenticated. This LAMP method will be useful for the authentication of FFVs in practical food markets in the future.
Investigation on treatment strategy, prognostic factors, and risk factors for early death in elderly Taiwanese patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma
Authors: Cho Shih-Feng , Liu Yi-Chang , Hsiao Hui-Hua , Huang Chiung-Tang , Tsai Yu-Fen , Wang Hui-Ching , Lin Sheng-Fung , Liu Ta-Chih 
Published: March 2017

AbstractThis study aimed to investigate the treatment strategy, prognostic factors, and risk factors of early death in elderly patients (age ≥ 65 years) with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) in the rituximab era. Data from elderly patients diagnosed with DLBCL between 2008 and 2014 were collected for analysis. Patients who were younger and had a better performance status were more likely to receive intensive frontline treatment. The median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival were 15 and 21 months, respectively. Anthracycline-containing chemotherapy achieved a higher remission rate and showed a trend towards better overall survival but a higher risk of severe neutropenia. Multivariate analysis revealed that very old age (≥81 years), a high-risk age-adjusted international prognostic index (aaIPI) score, and bone marrow involvement were associated with poorer PFS and overall survival. Progression of lymphoma was the major cause of death in the study population. In addition, approximately 25% of patients died within 120 days of being diagnosed. The risk factors for early mortality included very old age, a high-risk aaIPI score, and bone marrow involvement. The appearance of symptoms or signs of tumour lysis syndrome at diagnosis was associated with a trend towards early death.
Identification of accessory olfactory system and medial amygdala in the zebrafish
Authors: Biechl Daniela , Tietje Kristin , Ryu Soojin , Grothe Benedikt , Gerlach Gabriele , Wullimann Mario F. 
Published: March 2017

AbstractZebrafish larvae imprint on visual and olfactory cues of their kin on day 5 and 6 postfertilization, respectively. Only imprinted (but not non-imprinted) larvae show strongly activated crypt (and some microvillous) cells demonstrated by pERK levels after subsequent exposure to kin odor. Here, we investigate the olfactory bulb of zebrafish larvae for activated neurons located at the sole glomerulus mdG2 which receives crypt cell input. Imprinted larvae show a significantly increased activation of olfactory bulb cells compared to non-imprinted larvae after exposure to kin odor. Surprisingly, pERK activated Orthopedia-positive cell numbers in the intermediate ventral telencephalic nucleus were higher in non-imprinted, kin odor stimulated larvae compared to control and to kin-odor stimulated imprinted larvae and control. Moreover, DiI tracing experiments in adult zebrafish show a neuronal circuit from crypt/microvillous olfactory sensory neurons via dorsomedial olfactory bulb and intermediate ventral telencephalic nucleus (thus, arguably the teleostean medial amygdala) to tuberal hypothalamus, demonstrating for the first time an accessory olfactory system in teleosts.
Glassy dynamics of nanoparticles in semiflexible ring polymer nanocomposite melts
Authors: Zhou Xiaolin , Jiang Yangwei , Deng Zhenyu , Zhang Linxi 
Published: March 2017

AbstractBy employing molecular dynamics simulations, we explore the dynamics of NPs in semiflexible ring polymer nanocomposite melts. A novel glass transition is observed for NPs in semiflexible ring polymer melts as the bending energy (Kb) of ring polymers increases. For NPs in flexible ring polymer melts (Kb = 0), NPs move in the classic diffusive behavior. However, for NPs in semiflexible ring polymer melts with large bending energy, NPs diffuse very slowly and exhibit the glassy state in which the NPs are all irreversibly caged be the neighbouring semiflexible ring polymers. This glass transition occurs well above the classical glass transition temperature at which microscopic mobility is lost, and the topological interactions of semiflexible ring polymers play an important role in this non-classical glass transition. This investigation can help us understand the nature of the glass transition in polymer systems.
High binding affinity of repressor IolR avoids costs of untimely induction of myo-inositol utilization by Salmonella Typhimurium
Authors: Hellinckx Jessica , Heermann Ralf , Felsl Angela , Fuchs Thilo M. 
Published: March 2017

AbstractGrowth of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium strain 14028 with myo-inositol (MI) is characterized by a bistable phenotype that manifests with an extraordinarily long (34 h) and variable lag phase. When cells were pre-grown in minimal medium with MI, however, the lag phase shortened drastically to eight hours, and to six hours in the absence of the regulator IolR. To unravel the molecular mechanism behind this phenomenon, we investigated this repressor in more detail. Flow cytometry analysis of the iolR promoter at a single cell level demonstrated bistability of its transcriptional activation. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays were used to narrow the potential binding region of IolR and identified at least two binding sites in most iol gene promoters. Surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy quantified IolR binding and indicated its putative oligomerization and high binding affinity towards specific iol gene promoters. In competitive assays, the iolR deletion mutant, in which iol gene repression is abolished, showed a severe growth disadvantage of ~15% relative to the parental strain in rich medium. We hypothesize that the strong repression of iol gene transcription is required to maintain a balance between metabolic flexibility and fitness costs, which follow the inopportune induction of an unusual metabolic pathway.
Sensitivity to oxazolone induced dermatitis is transferable with gut microbiota in mice
Authors: Zachariassen Line Fisker , Krych Lukasz , Engkilde Kåre , Nielsen Dennis Sandris , Kot Witold , Hansen Camilla Hartmann Friis , Hansen Axel Kornerup 
Published: March 2017

AbstractAtopic Dermatitis (AD) has been associated with gut microbiota (GM) dysbiosis in humans, indicating a causative role of GM in AD etiology. Furthermore, the GM strongly correlates to essential disease parameters in the well-known oxazolone-induced mouse model of AD. Here, we demonstrate that it is possible to transfer both a high-responding and a low-responding AD phenotype with GM from conventional mice to germ-free mice. The mice inoculated with the high-responding GM had significantly higher clinical score, increased ear thickness, and increased levels of IL-1β, TNFα, IL-4, IL-5, and IL-6 compared to the mice inoculated with the low-responding GM. The inter-individual variation was in general not affected by this increase in effect size. Germ-free mice induced with AD revealed a high disease response as well as high inter-individual variation indicating protective properties of certain microbial taxa in this model. This study underlines that the GM has a strong impact on AD in mouse models, and that the power of studies may be increased by the application of mice inoculated with a specific GM from high responders to increase the effect size.
Direct observation of spinodal decomposition phenomena in InAlN alloys during in-situ STEM heating
Authors: Palisaitis J. , Hsiao C.-L. , Hultman L. , Birch J. , Persson P. O. Å. 
Published: March 2017

AbstractThe spinodal decomposition and thermal stability of thin In0.72Al0.28N layers and In0.72Al0.28N/AlN superlattices with AlN(0001) templates on Al2O3(0001) substrates was investigated by in-situ heating up to 900 °C. The thermally activated structural and chemical evolution was investigated in both plan-view and cross-sectional geometries by scanning transmission electron microscopy in combination with valence electron energy loss spectroscopy. The plan-view observations demonstrate evidence for spinodal decomposition of metastable In0.72Al0.28N after heating at 600 °C for 1 h. During heating compositional modulations in the range of 2–3 nm-size domains are formed, which coarsen with applied thermal budgets. Cross-sectional observations reveal that spinodal decomposition begin at interfaces and column boundaries, indicating that the spinodal decomposition has a surface-directed component.
An mRNA decapping mutant deficient in P body assembly limits mRNA stabilization in response to osmotic stress
Authors: Huch Susanne , Nissan Tracy 
Published: March 2017

AbstractYeast is exposed to changing environmental conditions and must adapt its genetic program to provide a homeostatic intracellular environment. An important stress for yeast in the wild is high osmolarity. A key response to this stress is increased mRNA stability primarily by the inhibition of deadenylation. We previously demonstrated that mutations in decapping activators (edc3∆ lsm4∆C), which result in defects in P body assembly, can destabilize mRNA under unstressed conditions. We wished to examine whether mRNA would be destabilized in the edc3∆ lsm4∆C mutant as compared to the wild-type in response to osmotic stress, when P bodies are intense and numerous. Our results show that the edc3∆ lsm4∆C mutant limits the mRNA stability in response to osmotic stress, while the magnitude of stabilization was similar as compared to the wild-type. The reduced mRNA stability in the edc3∆ lsm4∆C mutant was correlated with a shorter PGK1 poly(A) tail. Similarly, the MFA2 mRNA was more rapidly deadenylated as well as significantly stabilized in the ccr4∆ deadenylation mutant in the edc3∆ lsm4∆C background. These results suggest a role for these decapping factors in stabilizing mRNA and may implicate P bodies as sites of reduced mRNA degradation.