bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
BIX01294, an inhibitor of histone methyltransferase, induces autophagy-dependent differentiation of glioma stem-like cells
Authors: Ciechomska Iwona Anna , Przanowski Piotr , Jackl Judyta , Wojtas Bartosz , Kaminska Bozena 
Published: December 2016

AbstractGlioblastoma (GBM) contains rare glioma stem-like cells (GSCs) with capacities of self-renewal, multi-lineage differentiation, and resistance to conventional therapy. Drug-induced differentiation of GSCs is recognized as a promising approach of anti-glioma therapy. Accumulating evidence suggests that unique properties of stem cells depend on autophagy. Here we demonstrate that BIX01294, an inhibitor of a G9a histone methyltransferase (introducing H3K9me2 and H3K27me3 repressive marks) triggers autophagy in human glioma cells. Pharmacological or genetic inhibition of autophagy decreased LC3-II accumulation and GFP-LC3 punctation in BIX01294-treated cells. GSCs-enriched spheres originating from glioma cells and GBM patient-derived cultures express lower levels of autophagy related (ATG) genes than the parental glioma cell cultures. Typical differentiation inducers that upregulate neuronal and astrocytic markers in sphere cultures, increase the level of ATG mRNAs. G9a binds to the promoters of autophagy (LC3B, WIPI1) and differentiation-related (GFAP, TUBB3) genes in GSCs. Higher H3K4me3 (an activation mark) and lower H3K9me2 (the repressive mark) levels at the promoters of studied genes were detected in serum-differentiated cells than in sphere cultures. BIX01294 treatment upregulates the expression of autophagy and differentiation-related genes in GSCs. Pharmacological inhibition of autophagy decreases GFAP and TUBB3 expression in BIX01294-treated GSCs suggesting that BIX01294-induced differentiation of GSCs is autophagy-dependent.
Spatiotemporal processing of somatosensory stimuli in schizotypy
Authors: Ferri Francesca , Ambrosini Ettore , Costantini Marcello 
Published: December 2016

AbstractUnusual interaction behaviors and perceptual aberrations, like those occurring in schizotypy and schizophrenia, may in part originate from impaired remapping of environmental stimuli in the body space. Such remapping is contributed by the integration of tactile and proprioceptive information about current body posture with other exteroceptive spatial information. Surprisingly, no study has investigated whether alterations in such remapping occur in psychosis-prone individuals. Four hundred eleven students were screened with respect to schizotypal traits using the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire. A subgroup of them, classified as low, moderate, and high schizotypes were to perform a temporal order judgment task of tactile stimuli delivered on their hands, with both uncrossed and crossed arms. Results revealed marked differences in touch remapping in the high schizotypes as compared to low and moderate schizotypes. For the first time here we reveal that the remapping of environmental stimuli in the body space, an essential function to demarcate the boundaries between self and external world, is altered in schizotypy. Results are discussed in relation to recent models of ‘self-disorders’ as due to perceptual incoherence.
Timosaponin AIII induces antiplatelet and antithrombotic activity via Gq-mediated signaling by the thromboxane A2 receptor
Authors: Cong Yue , Wang Limei , Peng Renjun , Zhao Yang , Bai Fan , Yang Chao , Liu Xiaolan , Wang Daqian , Ma Baiping , Cong Yuwen 
Published: December 2016

AbstractThe thromboxane (Tx) A2 pathway is a major contributor to the amplification of initial platelet activation and is therefore a key drug target. To identify potent small-molecule inhibitors of the thromboxane prostaglandin (TP) receptor, we screened a small steroidal saponin library using U46619-induced rat platelet aggregation assays. Timosaponin AIII (TAIII) was identified as a potent inhibitor of U46619-induced rat platelet aggregation and exhibited superior selectivity for the TP receptor versus other G protein-coupled receptors and a PKC activator. TAIII inhibited U46619-induced rat platelet aggregation independent of increases in cAMP and cGMP and the inhibition of TxA2 production. Both PKC and PLC activators restored TAIII-inhibited platelet aggregation, whereas TAIII did not inhibit platelet aggregation induced by co-activation of the G12/13 and Gz pathways. Furthermore, TAIII did not affect the platelet shape change or ROCK2 phosphorylation evoked by low-dose U46619. In vivo, TAIII prolonged tail bleeding time, reduced the mortality of animals with acute pulmonary thromboembolism and significantly reduced venous thrombus weight. Our study suggests that TAIII, by preferentially targeting Gq-mediated PLC/PKC signaling from the TP receptor, induces stronger in vitro antiplatelet activity and in vivo antithrombotic effects and may be an excellent candidate for the treatment of thrombotic disorders.
Extensive genetic diversity of Rickettsiales bacteria in multiple mosquito species
Authors: Guo Wen-Ping , Tian Jun-Hua , Lin Xian-Dan , Ni Xue-Bing , Chen Xiao-Ping , Liao Yong , Yang Si-Yuan , Dumler J. Stephen , Holmes Edward C. , Zhang Yong-Zhen 
Published: December 2016

AbstractRickettsiales are important zoonotic pathogens, causing severe disease in humans globally. Although mosquitoes are an important vector for diverse pathogens, with the exception of members of the genus Wolbachia little is known about their role in the transmission of Rickettsiales. Herein, Rickettsiales were identified by PCR in five species of mosquitoes (Anopheles sinensis, Armigeres subalbatus, Aedes albopictus, Culex quinquefasciatus and Cu. tritaeniorhynchus) collected from three Chinese provinces during 2014–2015. Subsequent phylogenetic analyses of the rrs, groEL and gltA genes revealed the presence of Anaplasma, Ehrlichia, Candidatus Neoehrlichia, and Rickettsia bacteria in mosquitoes, comprising nine documented and five tentative species bacteria, as well as three symbionts/endosybionts. In addition, bacteria were identified in mosquito eggs, larvae, and pupae sampled from aquatic environments. Hence, these data suggest that Rickettsiales circulate widely in mosquitoes in nature. Also of note was that Ehrlichia and Rickettsia bacteria were detected in each life stage of laboratory cultured mosquitoes, suggesting that Rickettsiales may be maintained in mosquitoes through both transstadial and transovarial transmission. In sum, these data indicate that mosquitoes may have played an important role in the transmission and evolution of Rickettsiales in nature.
Changes in hippocampal AMPA receptors and cognitive impairments in chronic ketamine addiction models: another understanding of ketamine CNS toxicity
Authors: Ding Runtao , Li Yanning , Du Ao , Yu Hao , He Bolin , Shen Ruipeng , Zhou Jichuan , Li Lu , Cui Wen , Zhang Guohua , Lu Yan , Wu Xu 
Published: December 2016

AbstractKetamine has been reported to impair human cognitive function as a recreational drug of abuse. However, chronic effects of ketamine on central nervous system need to be further explored. We set out to establish chronic ketamine addiction models by giving mice a three or six month course of daily intraperitoneal injections of ketamine, then examined whether long-term ketamine administration induced cognition deficits and changed hippocampal post-synaptic protein expression in adult mice. Behavior tests results showed that mice exhibited dose- and time-dependent learning and memory deficits after long-term ketamine administration. Western blot results showed levels of GluA1, p-S845 and p-S831 proteins demonstrated significant decline with ketamine 60 mg/kg until six months administration paradigm. But levels of p-S845 and p-S831 proteins exhibited obvious increase with ketamine 60 mg/kg three months administration paradigm. NR1 protein levels significantly decrease with ketamine 60 mg/kg three and six months administration paradigm. Our results indicate that reduced expression levels and decreased phosphorylation levels of hippocampal post-synaptic membrane GluA1- containing AMPA receptors maybe involved in cognition impairment after long-term ketamine administration. These findings provide further evidence for the cognitive damage of chronic ketamine addiction as a recreational drug.
Ultrahigh-speed Si-integrated on-chip laser with tailored dynamic characteristics
Authors: Park Gyeong Cheol , Xue Weiqi , Piels Molly , Zibar Darko , Mørk Jesper , Semenova Elizaveta , Chung Il-Sug 
Published: December 2016

AbstractFor on-chip interconnects, an ideal light source should have an ultralow energy consumption per bandwidth (operating en-ergy) as well as sufficient output power for error-free detection. Nanocavity lasers have been considered the most ideal for smaller operating energy. However, they have a challenge in obtaining a sufficient output power. Here, as an alternative, we propose an ultrahigh-speed microcavity laser structure, based on a vertical cavity with a high-contrast grating (HCG) mirror for transverse magnetic (TM) polarisation. By using the TM HCG, a very small mode volume and an un-pumped compact optical feedback structure can be realised, which together tailor the frequency response function for achieving a very high speed at low injection currents. Furthermore, light can be emitted laterally into a Si waveguide. From an 1.54-μm optically-pumped laser, a 3-dB frequency of 27 GHz was obtained at a pumping level corresponding to sub-mA. Using measured 3-dB frequen-cies and calculated equivalent currents, the modulation current efficiency factor (MCEF) is estimated to be 42.1 GHz/mA1/2, which is superior among microcavity lasers. This shows a high potential for a very high speed at low injection currents or avery small heat generation at high bitrates, which are highly desirable for both on-chip and off-chip applications.
Accelerated craniofacial bone regeneration through dense collagen gel scaffolds seeded with dental pulp stem cells
Authors: Chamieh Frédéric , Collignon Anne-Margaux , Coyac Benjamin R. , Lesieur Julie , Ribes Sandy , Sadoine Jérémy , Llorens Annie , Nicoletti Antonino , Letourneur Didier , Colombier Marie-Laure , Nazhat Showan N. , Bouchard Philippe , Chaussain Catherine , Rochefort Gael Y. 
Published: December 2016

AbstractTherapies using mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) seeded scaffolds may be applicable to various fields of regenerative medicine, including craniomaxillofacial surgery. Plastic compression of collagen scaffolds seeded with MSC has been shown to enhance the osteogenic differentiation of MSC as it increases the collagen fibrillary density. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the osteogenic effects of dense collagen gel scaffolds seeded with mesenchymal dental pulp stem cells (DPSC) on bone regeneration in a rat critical-size calvarial defect model. Two symmetrical full-thickness defects were created (5 mm diameter) and filled with either a rat DPSC-containing dense collagen gel scaffold (n = 15), or an acellular scaffold (n = 15). Animals were imagedin vivoby microcomputer tomography (Micro-CT) once a week during 5 weeks, whereas some animals were sacrificed each week for histology and histomorphometry analysis. Bone mineral density and bone micro-architectural parameters were significantly increased when DPSC-seeded scaffolds were used. Histological and histomorphometrical data also revealed significant increases in fibrous connective and mineralized tissue volume when DPSC-seeded scaffolds were used, associated with expression of type I collagen, osteoblast-associated alkaline phosphatase and osteoclastic-related tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase. Results demonstrate the potential of DPSC-loaded-dense collagen gel scaffolds to benefit of bone healing process.
Stable C & N isotopes in 2100 Year-B.P. human bone collagen indicate rare dietary dominance of C4 plants in NE-Italy
Authors: Laffranchi Zita , Huertas Antonio Delgado , Jiménez Brobeil Sylvia A. , Torres Arsenio Granados , Riquelme Cantal Jose A. 
Published: December 2016

AbstractC4 plants (e.g. maize, millet), part of our current diet, are only endemic of reduced areas in South-Europe due to their need of warm climates. Since the first vestiges of agriculture in Europe remains of C4 plants were recorded but their overall proportion in the human diet remains unknown. Therefore, isotopic (δ13C and δ15N) composition of bone collagen from the skeletal remains (human and animals) of a Celtic population, Cenomani Gauls, from Verona (3rd to 1st century BC) in the NE Italy provide a new perspective on this matter. The δ13C collagen values of 90 human skeletal individuals range between −20.2‰ and −9.7‰ (V-PDB) with a mean value of −15.3‰. As present day C4 plants have δ13C values around −11‰, which is equivalent to −9.5‰ for samples of preindustrial age, the less negative δ13C values in these individuals indicate a diet dominated by C4 plants. This palaeodietary study indicates that some European populations predominantly consumed cultivated C4 plants 2100 year B.P. This is supported by the paleobotanical records and ancient Roman sources (e.g. Pliny the Elder), which indicate that millet was a staple food in South-Europe.
Cognitions about bodily purity attenuate stress perception
Authors: Kaspar Kai , Cames Sarah 
Published: December 2016

AbstractBased on the assumption that physical purity is associated with a clean slate impression, we examined how cognitions about bodily cleanliness modulate stress perception. Participants visualized themselves in a clean or dirty state before reporting the frequency of stress-related situations experienced in the past. In Study 1 (n = 519) and Study 2 (n = 647) cleanliness versus dirtiness cognitions reliably reduced stress perception. Further results and a mediation analysis revealed that this novel effect was not simply driven by participants’ cognitive engagement in stress recall. Moreover, we found that participants’ temporal engagement in the recall of past stressful events negatively correlated with the amount of perceived stress, indicating an ease-of-retrieval phenomenon. However, a direct manipulation of the number of recalled stressful events in Study 3 (n = 792) showed the opposite effect: few versus many recalled events increased the perceived frequency of past stress-related situations. Overall, these novel results indicate an interesting avenue for future research on cognitively oriented stress reduction interventions, add to the literature on purity-related clean slate effects, and may help to better understand washing rituals in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorders.
STRAP Acts as a Scaffolding Protein in Controlling the TLR2/4 Signaling Pathway
Authors: Huh Hyunbin D. , Ra Eun A. , Lee Taeyun A. , Kang Sujin , Park Areum , Lee Eunhye , Choi Junhee L. , Jang Eunji , Lee Ji Eun , Lee Sungwook , Park Boyoun 
Published: December 2016

AbstractThe WD40-repeat protein serine/threonine kinase receptor-associated protein (STRAP) is involved in the regulation of several biological processes, including cell proliferation and apoptosis, in response to various stresses. Here, we show that STRAP is a new scaffold protein that functions in Toll-like receptor (TLR)-mediated immune responses. STRAP specifically binds transforming growth factor β-activated kinase 1 (TAK1) and IκB kinase alpha (IKKα) along with nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) subunit p65, leading to enhanced association between TAK1, IKKα, and p65, and subsequent facilitation of p65 phosphorylation and nuclear translocation. Consequently, the depletion of STRAP severely impairs interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), and IL-1β production, whereas its overexpression causes a significant increase in the secretion of these pro-inflammatory cytokines by TLR2 or TLR4 agonist-stimulated macrophages. Notably, STRAP translocates to the nucleus and subsequently binds to NF-κB at later times after lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation, resulting in prolonged IL-6 mRNA production. Moreover, the C-terminal region of STRAP is essential for its functional activity in facilitating IL-6 production. Collectively, these observations suggest that STRAP acts as a scaffold protein that positively contributes to innate host defenses against pathogen infections.
High-throughput compound evaluation on 3D networks of neurons and glia in a microfluidic platform
Authors: Wevers Nienke R. , van Vught Remko , Wilschut Karlijn J. , Nicolas Arnaud , Chiang Chiwan , Lanz Henriette L. , Trietsch Sebastiaan J. , Joore Jos , Vulto Paul 
Published: December 2016

AbstractWith great advances in the field of in vitro brain modelling, the challenge is now to implement these technologies for development and evaluation of new drug candidates. Here we demonstrate a method for culturing three-dimensional networks of spontaneously active neurons and supporting glial cells in a microfluidic platform. The high-throughput nature of the platform in combination with its compatibility with all standard laboratory equipment allows for parallel evaluation of compound effects.
Association between gut microbiota and diapause preparation in the cabbage beetle: a new perspective for studying insect diapause
Authors: Liu Wen , Li Yi , Guo Shuang , Yin Han , Lei Chao-Liang , Wang Xiao-Ping 
Published: December 2016

AbstractGut microbiota mediate the nutritional metabolism and play important roles in human obesity. Diapausing insects accumulate large fat reserves and develop obese phenotypes in order to survive unfavorable conditions. However, the possibility of an association between gut microbiota and insect diapause has not been investigated. We used the Illumina MiSeq platform to compare gut bacterial community composition in nondiapause- (i.e. reproductive) and diapause-destined female cabbage beetles,Colaphellus bowringi, a serious pest of vegetables in Asia. Based on variation in the V3-V4 hypervariable region of 16S ribosomal RNA gene, we identified 99 operational taxonomic units and 17 core microbiota at the genus level. The relative abundance of the bacterial community differed between reproductive and diapause-destined female adults. Gut microbiota associated with human obesity, includingBacteroidetes,Firmicutes, andProteobacteria, showed a good correlation with diapause. This association between gut microbiota and diapause in the cabbage beetle may open a new avenue for studying insect diapause, as well as developing a natural insect obesity model with which to explore the mechanisms responsible for human obesity.
Verbal Working Memory in Older Adults: The Roles of Phonological Capacities and Processing Speed
Authors: Nittrouer Susan , Lowenstein Joanna H. , Wucinich Taylor , Moberly Aaron C. 
Published: December 2016

Purpose
This study examined the potential roles of phonological sensitivity and processing speed in age-related declines of verbal working memory.

Method
Twenty younger and 25 older adults with age-normal hearing participated. Two measures of verbal working memory were collected: digit span and serial recall of words. Processing speed was indexed using response times during those tasks. Three other measures were also obtained, assessing phonological awareness, processing, and recoding.

Results
Forward and reverse digit spans were similar across groups. Accuracy on the serial recall task was poorer for older than for younger adults, and response times were slower. When response time served as a covariate, the age effect for accuracy was reduced. Phonological capacities were equivalent across age groups, so we were unable to account for differences across age groups in verbal working memory. Nonetheless, when outcomes for only older adults were considered, phonological awareness and processing speed explained significant proportions of variance in serial recall accuracy.

Conclusion
Slowing in processing abilities accounts for the primary trajectory of age-related declines in verbal working memory. However, individual differences in phonological capacities explain variability among individual older adults.
The Impact of Social–Cognitive Stress on Speech Variability, Determinism, and Stability in Adults Who Do and Do Not Stutter
Authors: Jackson Eric S. , Tiede Mark , Beal Deryk , Whalen D. H. 
Published: December 2016

PurposeThis study examined the impact of social–cognitive stress on sentence-level speech variability, determinism, and stability in adults who stutter (AWS) and adults who do not stutter (AWNS). We demonstrated that complementing the spatiotemporal index (STI) with recurrence quantification analysis (RQA) provides a novel approach to both assessing and interpreting speech variability in stuttering.MethodTwenty AWS and 21 AWNS repeated sentences in audience and nonaudience conditions while their lip movements were tracked. Across-sentence variability was assessed via the STI; within-sentence determinism and stability were assessed via RQA.ResultsCompared with the AWNS, the AWS produced speech that was more variable across sentences and more deterministic and stable within sentences. Audience presence contributed to greater within-sentence determinism and stability in the AWS. A subset of AWS who were more susceptible to experiencing anxiety exhibited reduced across-sentence variability in the audience condition compared with the nonaudience condition.ConclusionsThis study extends the assessment of speech variability in AWS and AWNS into the social–cognitive domain and demonstrates that the characterization of speech within sentences using RQA is complementary to the across-sentence STI measure. AWS seem to adopt a more restrictive, less flexible speaking approach in response to social–cognitive stress, which is presumably a strategy for maintaining observably fluent speech.
Direct detection of a fast modulated terahertz light with a spectrally matched quantum‐well photodetector
Authors: Tan Zhiyong , Li Hua , Wan Wenjian , Fu Zhanglong , Wang Chang , Cao Juncheng 
Published: December 2016

A fast detection system based on a terahertz quantum‐well photodetector (QWP) and a fast modulated terahertz quantum‐cascade laser is presented. Response waveforms and eye diagrams under different modulation frequencies are acquired. Employing the current measurement system without any high speed optimisation obtains the highest response rate of 0.5 GHz. The experiment demonstrates that the QWP is potentially useful for fast detection and high speed communication applications.
Improving the timing accuracy of SiPMs by time‐walk compensation
Authors: Acconcia Giulia , Cariaggi Davide , Labanca Ivan , Rech Ivan , Ghioni Massimo 
Published: December 2016

Timing measurements with silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) are affected by the major issue of the so‐called time‐walk effect; this is due to the intrinsic architecture of SiPM devices. A new technique for time‐walk compensation in timing measurements with SiPMs is presented and discussed, feasible with a low‐complexity and low‐cost circuitry and able to improve the timing accuracy. The validity of the presented technique has been experimentally proven with a 3 × 3 mm2 Hamamatsu MPPC, achieving a jitter reduction of a factor 2.85 compared with the case without time‐walk compensation. To perform the experimental validation, a discrete‐components transimpedance amplifier is developed with large bandwidth and low jitter, specifically designed to read‐out and amplify the SiPM signal.