bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Magnolol inhibits venous remodeling in mice
Authors: Kuk Hanna , Arnold Caroline , Meyer Ralph , Hecker Markus , Korff Thomas 
Published: December 2017

AbstractDue to gravity the venous vasculature in the lower extremities is exposed to elevated pressure levels which may be amplified by obesity or pregnancy. As a consequence, venules dilate and may be slowly transformed into varicose or spider veins. In fact, chronically elevated venous pressure was sufficient to cause the corkscrew-like enlargement of superficial veins in mice. We hypothesized that biomechanical activation of endothelial cells contributes to this process and investigated the inhibitory capacity of Magnolol in this context – a natural compound that features multiple properties counteracting cellular stress. While Magnolol did not influence endothelial capillary sprout formation, it interfered with proliferation, ERK1/2 activity, gelatinase activity as well as baseline production of reactive oxygen species in these cells or murine veins. The anti-oxidative and anti-proliferative capacity of Magnolol was mediated through stimulation of heme oxygenase-1 expression. Finally, local transdermal application of Magnolol attenuated pressure-mediated development of varicose/spider veins in mice and was accompanied by the absence of proliferating and MMP-2 positive endothelial cells. Collectively, our data identified Magnolol as a potent inhibitor of biomechanically evoked endothelial cell activity during pressure-mediated venous remodeling processes which contribute to the development of varicose and spider veins.
Industrial-age doubling of snow accumulation in the Alaska Range linked to tropical ocean warming
Authors: Winski Dominic , Osterberg Erich , Ferris David , Kreutz Karl , Wake Cameron , Campbell Seth , Hawley Robert , Roy Samuel , Birkel Sean , Introne Douglas , Handley Michael 
Published: December 2017

AbstractFuture precipitation changes in a warming climate depend regionally upon the response of natural climate modes to anthropogenic forcing. North Pacific hydroclimate is dominated by the Aleutian Low, a semi-permanent wintertime feature characterized by frequent low-pressure conditions that is influenced by tropical Pacific Ocean temperatures through the Pacific-North American (PNA) teleconnection pattern. Instrumental records show a recent increase in coastal Alaskan precipitation and Aleutian Low intensification, but are of insufficient length to accurately assess low frequency trends and forcing mechanisms. Here we present a 1200-year seasonally- to annually-resolved ice core record of snow accumulation from Mt. Hunter in the Alaska Range developed using annual layer counting and four ice-flow thinning models. Under a wide range of glacier flow conditions and layer counting uncertainty, our record shows a doubling of precipitation since ~1840 CE, with recent values exceeding the variability observed over the past millennium. The precipitation increase is nearly synchronous with the warming of western tropical Pacific and Indian Ocean sea surface temperatures. While regional 20th Century warming may account for a portion of the observed precipitation increase on Mt. Hunter, the magnitude and seasonality of the precipitation change indicate a long-term strengthening of the Aleutian Low.
Persistent social isolation reflects identity and social context but not maternal effects or early environment
Authors: Brent L. J. N. , Ruiz-Lambides A. , Platt M. L. 
Published: December 2017

AbstractIndividuals who are well integrated into society have greater access to resources and tend to live longer. Why some individuals are socially isolated and others are not is therefore puzzling from an evolutionary perspective. Answering this question requires establishing the mix of intrinsic and contextual factors that contribute to social isolation. Using social network data spanning up to half of the median adult lifespan in a gregarious primate, we found that some measures of social isolation were modestly repeatable within individuals, consistent with a trait. By contrast, social isolation was not explained by the identity of an animal’s mother or the group into which it was born. Nevertheless, age, sex and social status each played a role, as did kin dynamics and familiarity. Females with fewer close relatives were more isolated, and the more time males spent in a new group the less isolated they became, independent of their social status. These results show that social isolation results from a combination of intrinsic and environmental factors. From an evolutionary perspective, these findings suggest that social isolation could be adaptive in some contexts and partly maintained by selection.
Clearance of a persistent picornavirus infection is associated with enhanced pro-apoptotic and cellular immune responses
Authors: Stenfeldt Carolina , Eschbaumer Michael , Smoliga George R. , Rodriguez Luis L. , Zhu James , Arzt Jonathan 
Published: December 2017

AbstractLong-term persistent viral infections cause substantial morbidity and associated economic losses in human and veterinary contexts. Yet, the mechanisms associated with establishment of persistent infections are poorly elucidated. We investigated immunomodulatory mechanisms associated with clearance versus persistence of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) in micro-dissected compartments of the bovine nasopharynx by microarray. The use of laser-capture microdissection allowed elucidation of differential gene regulation within distinct anatomic compartments critical to FMDV infection. Analysis of samples from transitional and persistent phases of infection demonstrated significant differences in transcriptome profiles of animals that cleared infection versus those that became persistently infected carriers. Specifically, it was demonstrated that clearance of FMDV from the nasopharyngeal mucosa was associated with upregulation of targets associated with activation of T cell-mediated immunity. Contrastingly, gene regulation in FMDV carriers suggested inhibition of T cell activation and promotion of Th2 polarization. These findings were corroborated by immunofluorescence microscopy which demonstrated relative abundance of CD8+ T cells in the nasopharyngeal mucosa in association with clearance of FMDV. The findings presented herein emphasize that a critical balance between Th1 and Th2 -mediated immunity is essential for successful clearance of FMDV infection and should be considered for development of next-generation vaccines and antiviral products.
Measuring Temperature Induced Phase Change Kinetics in Subcutaneous Adipose Tissues Using Near Infrared Spectroscopy, MR Imaging and Spectroscopy and OCT
Authors: Sajjadi Amir Y. , Manstein Dieter , Carp Stefan A. 
Published: December 2017

AbstractMonitoring phase transition in adipose tissue and formation of lipid crystals is important in Cryo-procedures such as Selective Cryolipolysis (SC). We exploited a Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) method to monitor the onset of fat phase transition (freezing/melting) in human abdominal adipose tissue. The changes in optical scattering were compared to Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) measurements as the gold standard method for measuring phase transition. For some samples, concurrent in vitro measurements of optical scattering using NIRS and the MR signal parameters (T2*) as well as spectral parameters using MR Spectroscopy were performed in a 3 T MR scanner during a cooling/heating cycle. To further investigate phase-transition in adipose tissue in microscopic level, an identical cooling/heating procedure was replicated on a small piece of fat harvested from the same tissue while being imaged under Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT). For all methods, their relationship with temperature shows inflexions in a narrow range, characteristic of lipid phase transition. In particular, the good agreement between DSC and Optical measurements suggests that such NIRS methods can be used to improve dosimetry and to minimize variations of clinical outcome for cryo-procedures.
Extracting random numbers from quantum tunnelling through a single diode
Authors: Bernardo-Gavito Ramón , Bagci Ibrahim Ethem , Roberts Jonathan , Sexton James , Astbury Benjamin , Shokeir Hamzah , McGrath Thomas , Noori Yasir J. , Woodhead Christopher S. , Missous Mohamed , Roedig Utz , Young Robert J. 
Published: December 2017

AbstractRandom number generation is crucial in many aspects of everyday life, as online security and privacy depend ultimately on the quality of random numbers. Many current implementations are based on pseudo-random number generators, but information security requires true random numbers for sensitive applications like key generation in banking, defence or even social media. True random number generators are systems whose outputs cannot be determined, even if their internal structure and response history are known. Sources of quantum noise are thus ideal for this application due to their intrinsic uncertainty. In this work, we propose using resonant tunnelling diodes as practical true random number generators based on a quantum mechanical effect. The output of the proposed devices can be directly used as a random stream of bits or can be further distilled using randomness extraction algorithms, depending on the application.
Mast cells increase adult neural precursor proliferation and differentiation but this potential is not realized in vivo under physiological conditions
Authors: Wasielewska Joanna M. , Grönnert Lisa , Rund Nicole , Donix Lukas , Rust Ruslan , Sykes Alexander M. , Hoppe Anja , Roers Axel , Kempermann Gerd , Walker Tara L. 
Published: December 2017

AbstractThere is growing evidence that both peripheral and resident immune cells play an important part in regulating adult neural stem cell proliferation and neurogenesis, although the contribution of the various immune cell types is still unclear. Mast cells, a population of immune cells known for their role in the allergic response, have been implicated in the regulation of adult hippocampal neurogenesis. Mast cell-deficient c-kitW-sh/W-sh mice have previously been shown to exhibit significantly decreased adult hippocampal neurogenesis and associated learning and memory deficits. However, given that numerous other cell types also express high levels of c-kit, the utility of these mice as a reliable model of mast cell-specific depletion is questionable. We show here, using a different model of mast cell deficiency (Mcpt5CreR26DTA/DTA), that precursor proliferation and adult neurogenesis are not influenced by mast cells in vivo. Interestingly, when applied at supraphysiological doses, mast cells can activate latent hippocampal precursor cells and increase subventricular zone precursor proliferation in vitro, an effect that can be blocked with specific histamine-receptor antagonists. Thus, we conclude that while both mast cells and their major chemical mediator histamine have the potential to affect neural precursor proliferation and neurogenesis, this is unlikely to occur under physiological conditions.
Whole transcriptome profiling reveals major cell types in the cellular immune response against acute and chronic active Epstein-Barr virus infection
Authors: Zhong Huaqing , Hu Xinran , Janowski Andrew B. , Storch Gregory A. , Su Liyun , Cao Lingfeng , Yu Jinsheng , Xu Jin 
Published: December 2017

AbstractEpstein–Barr virus (EBV) is a common human pathogen that infects over 95% of the population worldwide. In the present study, the whole transcriptome microarray data were generated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells from Chinese children with acute infectious mononucleosis (AIM) and chronic active EBV infection (CAEBV) that were also compared with a publicly available microarray dataset from a study of American college students with AIM. Our study characterized for the first time a broad spectrum of molecular signatures in AIM and CAEBV. The key findings from the transcriptome profiling were validated with qPCR and flow cytometry assays. The most important finding in our study is the discovery of predominant γδ TCR expression and γδ T cell expansion in AIM. This finding, in combination with the striking up-regulation ofCD3,CD8 and CD94, suggests that CD8+ T cells and CD94+ NK cells may play a major role in AIM. Moreover, the unique up-regulation ofCD64A/Band its significant correlation with the monocyte markerCD14was observed in CAEBV and that implies an important role of monocytes in CAEBV. In conclusion, our study reveals major cell types (particularly γδ T cells) in the host cellular immune response against AIM and CAEBV.
Characterization of Soybean WRKY Gene Family and Identification of Soybean WRKY Genes that Promote Resistance to Soybean Cyst Nematode
Authors: Yang Yan , Zhou Yuan , Chi Yingjun , Fan Baofang , Chen Zhixiang 
Published: December 2017

AbstractWRKY proteins are a superfamily of plant transcription factors with important roles in plants. WRKY proteins have been extensively analyzed in plant species including Arabidopsis and rice. Here we report characterization of soybean WRKY gene family and their functional analysis in resistance to soybean cyst nematode (SCN), the most important soybean pathogen. Through search of the soybean genome, we identified 174 genes encoding WRKY proteins that can be classified into seven groups as established in other plants. WRKY variants including a WRKY-related protein unique to legumes have also been identified. Expression analysis reveals both diverse expression patterns in different soybean tissues and preferential expression of specific WRKY groups in certain tissues. Furthermore, a large number of soybean WRKY genes were responsive to salicylic acid. To identify soybean WRKY genes that promote soybean resistance to SCN, we first screened soybean WRKY genes for enhancing SCN resistance when over-expressed in transgenic soybean hairy roots. To confirm the results, we transformed five WRKY genes into a SCN-susceptible soybean cultivar and generated transgenic soybean lines. Transgenic soybean lines overexpressing three WRKY transgenes displayed increased resistance to SCN. Thus, WRKY genes could be explored to develop new soybean cultivars with enhanced resistance to SCN.
Higher plasticity in feeding preference of a generalist than a specialist: experiments with two closely related Helicoverpa species
Authors: Wang Yan , Ma Ying , Zhou Dong-Sheng , Gao Su-Xia , Zhao Xin-Cheng , Tang Qing-Bo , Wang Chen-Zhu , van Loon Joop J. A. 
Published: December 2017

AbstractHerbivorous insects have been categorized as generalists or specialists depending on the taxonomic relatedness of the plants they use as food or oviposition substrates. The plasticity in host plant selection behavior of species belonging to the two categories received little attention. In the present work, fifth instar caterpillars of the generalist herbivoreHelicoverpa armigeraand its closely related species, the specialistHelicoverpa assulta, were fed on common host plants or artificial diet, after which their feeding preference was assessed individually by using dual - and triple- plant choice assays. Results show both the twoHelicoverpaspecies have a preference hierarchy for host plants. Compared to the fixed preference hierarchy of the specialistH.assulta, the generalistH.armigeraexhibited extensive plasticity in feeding preference depending on the host plant experienced during larval development. Whereas the specialistH.assultaexhibited a rigid preference in both dual and triple-plant choice assays, our findings demonstrate that the generalistH.armigeraexpressed stronger preferences in the dual-plant choice assay than in the triple-plant choice assay. Our results provide additional evidence supporting the neural constraints hypothesis which predicts that generalist herbivores make less accurate decisions than specialists when selecting plants.
Diskussionsbeiträge von Mitgliedern des DKPM: Psychosomatische Medizin 2017
Authors: Deter Hans-Christian 
Published: December 2017

AbstraktDie Psychosomatik in Deutschland wird in den Anfängen im letzten Jahrhundert skizziert und mit dem aktuellen Zustand verglichen. Unterschiedliche Konzepte und Schwerpunkte haben sich entwickelt. Am Beispiel der Herausgabe eines Standardwerks der deutschen Psychosomatik werden die unterschiedlichen Sichtweisen charakterisiert und Chancen und Risiken dieser Entwicklung gewichtet.
Skeletal muscle cell contraction reduces a novel myokine, chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 10 (CXCL10): potential roles in exercise-regulated angiogenesis
Authors: Ishiuchi Yuri , Sato Hitoshi , Tsujimura Kazuki , Kawaguchi Hideo , Matsuwaki Takashi , Yamanouchi Keitaro , Nishihara Masugi , Nedachi Taku 
Published: December 2017

AbstractAccumulating evidence indicates that skeletal muscle secrets proteins referred to as myokines and that exercise contributes to their regulation. In this study, we propose that chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 10 (CXCL10) functions as a novel myokine. Initially, we stimulated differentiated C2C12 myotubes with or without electrical pulse stimulation (EPS) to identify novel myokines. Cytokine array analysis revealed that CXCL10 secretion was significantly reduced by EPS, which was further confirmed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis. Treadmill experiments in mice identified significant reduction of Cxcl10 gene expression in the soleus muscle. Additionally, contraction-dependent p38 MAPK activation appeared to be involved in this reduction. Furthermore, C2C12 conditioned medium obtained after applying EPS could induce survival of MSS31, a vascular endothelial cell model, which was partially attenuated by the addition of recombinant CXCL10. Overall, our findings suggest CXCL10 as a novel exercise-reducible myokine, to control endothelial cell viability.
An epigenetic breeding system in soybean for increased yield and stability
Authors: Kenchanmane Raju Sunil Kumar , Shao Mon-Ray , Sanchez Robersy , Xu Ying-Zhi , Sandhu Ajay , Graef George , Mackenzie Sally 
Published: December 2017

ABSTRACTEpigenetic variation has been associated with a wide range of adaptive phenotypes in plants, but there exist few direct means for exploiting this variation. RNAi suppression of the plant-specific gene,MutS HOMOLOG1(MSH1), in multiple plant species produces a range of developmental changes accompanied by modulation of defense, phytohormone, and abiotic stress response pathways. Thismsh1-conditioneddevelopmental reprogramming is retained independent of transgene segregation, giving rise to transgene-null ‘memory’ effects. An isogenic memory line crossed to wild type produces progeny families displaying increased variation in adaptive traits that respond to selection. This study investigates amenability of theMSH1system for inducing epigenetic variation in soybean that may be of value agronomically. We developed epi-line populations by crossing withmsh1-acquired soybean memory lines. Derived soybean epi-lines showed increase in variance for multiple yield-related traits including pods per plant, seed weight, and maturity time in both greenhouse and field trials. Selected epi-F2:4and epi-F2:5lines showed an increase in seed yield over wild type. By epi-F2:6, we observed a return of MSH1-derived enhanced growth back to wild type levels. Epi-populations also showed evidence of reduced epitype-by-environment (e × E) interaction, indicating higher yield stability. Transcript profiling of the soybean epi-lines identified putative signatures of enhanced growth behavior across generations. Genes related to cell cycle, abscisic acid biosynthesis, and auxin-response, particularly SMALL AUXIN UP RNAs (SAURs), were differentially expressed in epi-F2:4lines that showed increased yield when compared to epi-F2:6. These data support the potential ofmsh1-derived epigenetic variation in plant breeding for enhanced yield and yield stability.
Large scale gene duplication affected the European eel (Anguilla anguilla) after the 3R teleost duplication
Authors: Rozenfeld Christoffer , Blanca Jose , Gallego Victor , García-Carpintero Víctor , Herranz-Jusdado Juan Germán , Pérez Luz , Asturiano Juan F. , Cañizares Joaquín , Peñaranda David S. 
Published: December 2017

AbstractGenomic scale duplication of genes generates raw genetic material, which may facilitate new adaptations for the organism. Previous studies on eels have reported specific gene duplications, however a species-specific large-scale gene duplication has never before been proposed. In this study, we have assembled ade novoEuropean eel transcriptome and the data show more than a thousand gene duplications that happened, according to a 4dTv analysis, after the teleost specific 3R whole genome duplication (WGD). The European eel has a complex and peculiar life cycle, which involves extensive migration, drastic habitat changes and metamorphoses, all of which could have been facilitated by the genes derived from this large-scale gene duplication.Of the paralogs created, those with a lower genetic distance are mostly found in tandem repeats, indicating that they are young segmental duplications. The older eel paralogs showed a different pattern, with more extensive synteny suggesting that a Whole Genome Duplication (WGD) event may have happened in the eel lineage. Furthermore, an enrichment analysis of eel specific paralogs further revealed GO-terms typically enriched after a WGD. Thus, this study, to the best of our knowledge, is the first to present evidence indicating an Anguillidae family specific large-scale gene duplication, which may include a 4R WGD.
Force control approaches research for robotic machining based on particle swarm optimization and adaptive iteration algorithms
Authors: Chen Shouyan , Zhang Tie 
Published: December 2017

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to reduce the strain and vibration during robotic machining.

Design/methodology/approach
An intelligent approach based on particle swarm optimization (PSO) and adaptive iteration algorithms is proposed to optimize the PD control parameters in accordance with robotic machining state.

Findings
The proposed intelligent approach can significantly reduce robotic machining strain and vibration.

Originality value
The relationship between robotic machining parameters is studied and the dynamics model of robotic machining is established. In view of the complexity of robotic machining process, the PSO and adaptive iteration algorithms are used to optimize the PD control parameters in accordance with robotic machining state. The PSO is used to optimize the PD control parameters during stable-machining state, and the adaptive iteration algorithm is used to optimize the PD control parameters during cut-into state.