bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Increased cortical expression of the zinc transporter SLC39A12 suggests a breakdown in zinc cellular homeostasis as part of the pathophysiology of schizophrenia
Authors: Scarr Elizabeth , Udawela Madhara , Greenough Mark A , Neo Jaclyn , Suk Seo Myoung , Money Tammie T , Upadhyay Aradhana , Bush Ashley I , Everall Ian P , Thomas Elizabeth A , Dean Brian 
Published: March 2016

AbstractOur expression microarray studies showed messenger RNA (mRNA) for solute carrier family 39 (zinc transporter), member 12 (SLC39A12) was higher in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex from subjects with schizophrenia (Sz) in comparison with controls. To better understand the significance of these data we ascertained whether SLC39A12 mRNA was altered in a number of cortical regions (Brodmann’s area (BA) 8, 9, 44) from subjects with Sz, in BA 9 from subjects with mood disorders and in rats treated with antipsychotic drugs. In addition, we determined whether inducing the expression of SLC39A12 resulted in an increased cellular zinc uptake. SLC39A12 variant 1 and 2 mRNA was measured using quantitative PCR. Zinc uptake was measured in CHO cells transfected with human SLC39A12 variant 1 and 2. In Sz, compared with controls, SLC39A12 variant 1 and 2 mRNA was higher in all cortical regions studied. The were no differences in levels of mRNA for either variant of SLC39A12 in BA 9 from subjects with mood disorders and levels of mRNA for Slc39a12 was not different in the cortex of rats treated with antipsychotic drugs. Finally, expressing both variants in CHO-K1 cells was associated with an increase in radioactive zinc uptake. As increased levels of murine Slc39a12 mRNA has been shown to correlate with increasing cellular zinc uptake, our data would be consistent with the possibility of a dysregulated zinc homeostasis in the cortex of subjects with schizophrenia due to altered expression of SLC39A12.
Hydrophobic and Metallophobic Surfaces: Highly Stable Non-wetting Inorganic Surfaces Based on Lanthanum Phosphate Nanorods
Authors: Sankar Sasidharan , Nair Balagopal N. , Suzuki Takehiro , Anilkumar Gopinathan M. , Padmanabhan Moothetty , Hareesh Unnikrishnan Nair S. , Warrier Krishna G. 
Published: March 2016

AbstractMetal oxides, in general, are known to exhibit significant wettability towards water molecules because of the high feasibility of synergetic hydrogen-bonding interactions possible at the solid-water interface. Here we show that the nano sized phosphates of rare earth materials (Rare Earth Phosphates, REPs), LaPO4 in particular, exhibit without any chemical modification, unique combination of intrinsic properties including remarkable hydrophobicity that could be retained even after exposure to extreme temperatures and harsh hydrothermal conditions. Transparent nanocoatings of LaPO4 as well as mixture of other REPs on glass surfaces are shown to display notable hydrophobicity with water contact angle (WCA) value of 120° while sintered and polished monoliths manifested WCA greater than 105°. Significantly, these materials in the form of coatings and monoliths also exhibit complete non-wettability and inertness towards molten metals like Ag, Zn, and Al well above their melting points. These properties, coupled with their excellent chemical and thermal stability, ease of processing, machinability and their versatile photo-physical and emission properties, render LaPO4 and other REP ceramics utility in diverse applications.
Variations in SXT elements in epidemic Vibrio cholerae O1 El Tor strains in China
Authors: Wang Ruibai , Yu Dong , Yue Junjie , Kan Biao 
Published: March 2016

AbstractVibrio cholerae O1 El Tor biotype strains are responsible for three multiyear epidemics of cholera in China during the seventh ongoing pandemic. The presence of the integrative conjugative element SXT is strongly correlated with resistance to nalidixic acid, tetracycline, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole in these strains. Here, we sequenced the conserved genes of the SXT element, including eex, setR, and int, from 59 V. cholerae O1 El Tor strains and extracted and assembled the intact SXT sequences from the 11 genome sequenced strains. These elements had characteristics distinct from those of previously reported integrative conjugative elements (ICEs). They could be clearly divided into two types based on the clustering of conserved genes and gene structures of the elements, showing their possibly independent derivation and evolution. These two types were present before and after 2005, respectively, demonstrating the type substitution that occurred in 2005. Four to six antibiotic-resistant genes were found on the SXT elements, including genes resistant to tetracycline, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, and multiple drugs. In summary, our findings demonstrated the roles of the SXT element in the emergence of multidrug resistance in epidemic O1 El Tor V. cholerae strains in China.
A Targeted DNAzyme-Nanocomposite Probe Equipped with Built-in Zn2+ Arsenal for Combined Treatment of Gene Regulation and Drug Delivery
Authors: He Zhi-Mei , Zhang Peng-Hui , Li Xin , Zhang Jian-Rong , Zhu Jun-Jie 
Published: March 2016

AbstractAs catalytic nucleic acids, DNAzymes have been extensively used in the design of sensing platforms. However, their potentials as intelligent drug carriers for responsive drug release in gene therapy and chemotherapy were rarely explored. Herein, we report a dual-functional probe composed of gold nanoparticles (GNPs), catalytic Zn2+-dependent DNAzyme, anticancer drug doxorubicin (Dox), targeted AS1411 aptamer and acid-decomposable ZnO quantum dots (ZnO QDs) to achieve intracellular gene regulation and drug delivery in a controlled manner. By means of aptamer-guided targeting and receptor-mediated endocytosis, the probes were specifically internalized into the HeLa cells and trapped in the acidic endo-/lysosomes, where the ZnO QDs as the built-in Zn2+ arsenal were promptly dissolved to offer Zn2+, leading to the activation of DNAzyme to cleave the substrate strands, and subsequent drug release. Meanwhile, as designed, one part of the cleaved substrate, hybridized with the overexpressed miR-21 in the target cells, thereby declining its intracellular level. Taken together, the down-regulation of miR-21 has a synergistic effect with Dox to efficiently eradicate the cancer cells. Thus, the favorable biocompatibility, cancer cell specificity and combined treatment make the probe promising for therapy of multidrug-resistant cancer and in vivo application.
Full Polarization Conical Dispersion and Zero-Refractive-Index in Two-Dimensional Photonic Hypercrystals
Authors: Wang Jia-Rong , Chen Xiao-Dong , Zhao Fu-Li , Dong Jian-Wen 
Published: March 2016

AbstractPhotonic conical dispersion has been found in either transverse magnetic or transverse electric polarization and the predominant zero-refractive-index behavior in a two-dimensional photonic crystal is polarization-dependent. Here, we show that two-dimensional photonic hypercrystals can be designed that exhibit polarization independent conical dispersion at the Brillouin zone center, as two sets of triply-degenerate point for each polarization are accidentally at the same Dirac frequency. Such photonic hypercrystals consist of periodic dielectric cylinders embedded in elliptic metamaterials and can be viewed as full-polarized near zero-refractive-index materials around Dirac frequency by using average eigen-field evaluation. Numerical simulations including directional emissions and invisibility cloak are employed to further demonstrate the double-zero-index characteristics for both polarizations in the photonic hypercrystals.
Role of Moesin in Advanced Glycation End Products-Induced Angiogenesis of Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells
Authors: Wang Qian , Fan Aihui , Yuan Yongjun , Chen Lixian , Guo Xiaohua , Huang Xuliang , Huang Qiaobing 
Published: March 2016

AbstractDisorders of angiogenesis are related to microangiopathies during the development of diabetic vascular complications, but the effect of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) on angiogenesis and the mechanism has not been completely unveiled. We previous demonstrated that moesin belonging to the ezrin-radixin-moesin (ERM) protein family protein played a critical role in AGE-induced hyper-permeability in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Here, we investigated the impact of moesin on AGE-induced HUVEC proliferation, migration, and tubulogenesis. Silencing of moesin decreased cell motility and tube formation but not cell proliferation. It also attenuated cellular F-actin reassembly. Further, phosphorylation of threonine at the 558 amino acid residue (Thr 558) in moesin suppressed AGE-induced HUVEC proliferation, migration, and tube formation, while the activating mutation of moesin at Thr 558 enhanced HUVEC angiogenesis. Further, the inhibition of either RhoA activity by adenovirus or ROCK activation with inhibitor Y27632 decreased AGE-induced moesin phosphorylation and subsequently suppressed HUVEC angiogenesis. These results indicate that the Thr 558 phosphorylation in moesin mediates endothelial angiogenesis. AGEs promoted HUVEC angiogenesis by inducing moesin phosphorylation via RhoA/ROCK pathway.
General solution of 2D and 3D superconducting quasiclassical systems: coalescing vortices and nanoisland geometries
Authors: Amundsen Morten , Linder Jacob 
Published: March 2016

AbstractAn extension of quasiclassical Keldysh-Usadel theory to higher spatial dimensions than one is crucial in order to describe physical phenomena like charge/spin Hall effects and topological excitations like vortices and skyrmions, none of which are captured in one-dimensional models. We here present a numerical finite element method which solves the non-linearized 2D and 3D quasiclassical Usadel equation relevant for the diffusive regime. We show the application of this on three model systems with non-trivial geometries: (i) a bottlenecked Josephson junction with external flux, (ii) a nanodisk ferromagnet deposited on top of a superconductor and (iii) superconducting islands in contact with a ferromagnet. In case (i), we demonstrate that one may control externally not only the geometrical array in which superconducting vortices arrange themselves, but also to cause coalescence and tune the number of vortices. In case (iii), we show that the supercurrent path can be tailored by incorporating magnetic elements in planar Josephson junctions which also lead to a strong modulation of the density of states. The finite element method presented herein paves the way for gaining insight in physical phenomena which have remained largely unexplored due to the complexity of solving the full quasiclassical equations in higher dimensions.
Adaptive bill morphology for enhanced tool manipulation in New Caledonian crows
Authors: Matsui Hiroshi , Hunt Gavin R. , Oberhofer Katja , Ogihara Naomichi , McGowan Kevin J. , Mithraratne Kumar , Yamasaki Takeshi , Gray Russell D. , Izawa Ei-Ichi 
Published: March 2016

AbstractEarly increased sophistication of human tools is thought to be underpinned by adaptive morphology for efficient tool manipulation. Such adaptive specialisation is unknown in nonhuman primates but may have evolved in the New Caledonian crow, which has sophisticated tool manufacture. The straightness of its bill, for example, may be adaptive for enhanced visually-directed use of tools. Here, we examine in detail the shape and internal structure of the New Caledonian crow’s bill using Principal Components Analysis and Computed Tomography within a comparative framework. We found that the bill has a combination of interrelated shape and structural features unique within Corvus and possibly birds generally. The upper mandible is relatively deep and short with a straight cutting edge and the lower mandible is strengthened and upturned. These novel combined attributes would be functional for (i) counteracting the unique loading patterns acting on the bill when manipulating tools, (ii) a strong precision grip to hold tools securely and (iii) enhanced visually-guided tool use. Our findings indicate that the New Caledonian crow’s innovative bill has been adapted for tool manipulation to at least some degree. Early increased sophistication of tools may require the co-evolution of morphology that provides improved manipulatory skills.
Object-based Encoding in Visual Working Memory: Evidence from Memory-driven Attentional Capture
Authors: Gao Zaifeng , Yu Shixian , Zhu Chengfeng , Shui Rende , Weng Xuchu , Li Peng , Shen Mowei 
Published: March 2016

AbstractVisual working memory (VWM) adopts a specific manner of object-based encoding (OBE) to extract perceptual information: Whenever one feature-dimension is selected for entry into VWM, the others are also extracted. Currently most studies revealing OBE probed an ‘irrelevant-change distracting effect’, where changes of irrelevant-features dramatically affected the performance of the target feature. However, the existence of irrelevant-feature change may affect participants’ processing manner, leading to a false-positive result. The current study conducted a strict examination of OBE in VWM, by probing whether irrelevant-features guided the deployment of attention in visual search. The participants memorized an object’s colour yet ignored shape and concurrently performed a visual-search task. They searched for a target line among distractor lines, each embedded within a different object. One object in the search display could match the shape, colour, or both dimensions of the memory item, but this object never contained the target line. Relative to a neutral baseline, where there was no match between the memory and search displays, search time was significantly prolonged in all match conditions, regardless of whether the memory item was displayed for 100 or 1000 ms. These results suggest that task-irrelevant shape was extracted into VWM, supporting OBE in VWM.
Mechanical oscillations enhance gene delivery into suspended cells
Authors: Zhou Z. L. , Sun X. X. , Ma J. , Man C. H. , Wong A. S. T. , Leung A. Y. , Ngan A. H. W. 
Published: March 2016

AbstractSuspended cells are difficult to be transfected by common biochemical methods which require cell attachment to a substrate. Mechanical oscillations of suspended cells at certain frequencies are found to result in significant increase in membrane permeability and potency for delivery of nano-particles and genetic materials into the cells. Nanomaterials including siRNAs are found to penetrate into suspended cells after subjecting to short-time mechanical oscillations, which would otherwise not affect the viability of the cells. Theoretical analysis indicates significant deformation of the actin-filament network in the cytoskeleton cortex during mechanical oscillations at the experimental frequency, which is likely to rupture the soft phospholipid bilayer leading to increased membrane permeability. The results here indicate a new method for enhancing cell transfection.
Immune Infertility Should Be Positively Diagnosed Using an Accurate Method by Monitoring the Level of Anti-ACTL7a Antibody
Authors: Fu Jun , Yao Rongyan , Luo Yanyun , Yang Dantong , Cao Yang , Qiu Yi , Song Wei , Miao Shiying , Gu Yiqun , Wang Linfang 
Published: March 2016

AbstractInfertility is currently a major public health problem. Anti-sperm antibodies (ASAs) markedly reduce sperm quality, which can subsequently lead to male and/or female infertility. The accurate detection of ASAs derived from specific spermatozoa is, therefore, clinically useful. We have focused on the spermatozoa-specific expression protein ACTL7a for many years and have developed an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to detect the concentration of anti-ACTL7a antibodies in fertile sera (n = 267) and infertile sera (n = 193). Infertile sera were collected from the positive sera of tray agglutination tests (TAT), which is a routine ASA screening methodology. We found that the concentration of anti-ACTL7a antibodies was significantly higher in the infertile sera (than in the fertile sera, P < 0.0001) and much higher in the TAT ≥ 16 infertile sera. The ELISA was much better for male sera detection (AUC = 0.9899). If we set the standard at a strongly positive value (calculated by ROC curve), the positive predictive value of the antibody detection reached 100 percent, with a false positive rate of zero. The developed ELISA method for anti-ACTL7a antibody detection is therefore sensitive, accurate and easy to perform, making it an excellent potential tool for future clinical use.
Lung ventilation strategies for acute respiratory distress syndrome: a systematic review and network meta-analysis
Authors: Wang Changsong , Wang Xiaoyang , Chi Chunjie , Guo Libo , Guo Lei , Zhao Nana , Wang Weiwei , Pi Xin , Sun Bo , Lian Ailing , Shi Jinghui , Li Enyou 
Published: March 2016

AbstractTo identify the best lung ventilation strategy for acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), we performed a network meta-analysis. The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, EMBASE, MEDLINE, CINAHL and the Web of Science were searched and 36 eligible articles were included. Compared with higher tidal volumes with FiO2-guided lower positive end-expiratory pressure [PEEP], the hazard ratios (HRs) for mortality were 0.624 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.419–0.98) for lower tidal volumes with FiO2-guided lower PEEP and prone positioning and 0.572 (0.34–0.968) for pressure-controlled ventilation with FiO2-guided lower PEEP. Lower tidal volumes with FiO2-guided higher PEEP and prone positioning had the greatest potential to reduce mortality and the possibility of receiving the first ranking was 61.6%. Permissive hypercapnia, recruitment maneuver and low airway pressures were most likely to be the worst in terms of all-cause mortality. Compared with higher tidal volumes with FiO2-guided lower PEEP, pressure-controlled ventilation with FiO2-guided lower PEEP and lower tidal volumes with FiO2-guided lower PEEP and prone positioning ventilation are associated with lower mortality in ARDS patients. Lower tidal volumes with FiO2-guided higher PEEP and prone positioning ventilation and lower tidal volumes with pressure-volume (P–V) static curve-guided individual PEEP are potential optimal strategies for ARDS patients.
PEGylated substrates of NSP4 protease: A tool to study protease specificity
Authors: Wysocka Magdalena , Gruba Natalia , Grzywa Renata , Giełdoń Artur , Bąchor Remigiusz , Brzozowski Krzysztof , Sieńczyk Marcin , Dieter Jenne , Szewczuk Zbigniew , Rolka Krzysztof , Lesner Adam 
Published: March 2016

AbstractHerein we present the synthesis of a novel type of peptidomimetics composed of repeating diaminopropionic acid residues modified with structurally diverse heterobifunctional polyethylene glycol chains (abbreviated as DAPEG). Based on the developed compounds, a library of fluorogenic substrates was synthesized. Further library deconvolution towards human neutrophil serine protease 4 (NSP4) yielded highly sensitive and selective internally quenched peptidomimetic substrates.In silicoanalysis of the obtained peptidomimetics revealed the presence of an interaction network with distant subsites located on the enzyme surface.
A novel small-molecule inhibitor of influenza A virus acts by suppressing PA endonuclease activity of the viral polymerase
Authors: Yuan Shuofeng , Chu Hin , Singh Kailash , Zhao Hanjun , Zhang Ke , Kao Richard Y. T. , Chow Billy K. C. , Zhou Jie , Zheng Bo-Jian 
Published: March 2016

AbstractThe RNA-dependent RNA polymerase of influenza A virus comprises conserved and independently-folded subdomains with defined functionalities. The N-terminal domain of the PA subunit (PAN) harbors the endonuclease function so that it can serve as a desired target for drug discovery. To identify a class of anti-influenza inhibitors that impedes PAN endonuclease activity, a screening approach that integrated the fluorescence resonance energy transfer based endonuclease inhibitory assay with the DNA gel-based endonuclease inhibitory assay was conducted, followed by the evaluation of antiviral efficacies and potential cytotoxicity of the primary hits in vitro and in vivo. A small-molecule compound ANA-0 was identified as a potent inhibitor against the replication of multiple subtypes of influenza A virus, including H1N1, H3N2, H5N1, H7N7, H7N9 and H9N2, in cell cultures. Combinational treatment of zanamivir and ANA-0 exerted synergistic anti-influenza effect in vitro. Intranasal administration of ANA-0 protected mice from lethal challenge and reduced lung viral loads in H1N1 virus infected BALB/c mice. In summary, ANA-0 shows potential to be developed to novel anti-influenza agents.
All together now: Analogies between chimera state collapses and epileptic seizures
Authors: Andrzejak Ralph G. , Rummel Christian , Mormann Florian , Schindler Kaspar 
Published: March 2016

AbstractConceptually and structurally simple mathematical models of coupled oscillator networks can show a rich variety of complex dynamics, providing fundamental insights into many real-world phenomena. A recent and not yet fully understood example is the collapse of coexisting synchronous and asynchronous oscillations into a globally synchronous motion found in networks of identical oscillators. Here we show that this sudden collapse is promoted by a further decrease of synchronization, rather than by critically high synchronization. This strikingly counterintuitive mechanism can be found also in nature, as we demonstrate on epileptic seizures in humans. Analyzing spatiotemporal correlation profiles derived from intracranial electroencephalographic recordings (EEG) of seizures in epilepsy patients, we found a pronounced decrease of correlation at the seizure onsets. Applying our findings in a closed-loop control scheme to models of coupled oscillators in chimera states, we succeed in both provoking and preventing outbreaks of global synchronization. Our findings not only advance the understanding of networks of coupled dynamics but can open new ways to control them, thus offering a vast range of potential new applications.
Defect of zinc transporter ZRT1 ameliorates cadmium induced lipid accumulation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Authors: Rajakumar Selvaraj , Ravi Chidambaram , Nachiappan Vasanthi 
Published: March 2016

Abstract
Cadmium (Cd) is a non-essential divalent heavy metal that enters the cells by utilizing the transport pathways of the essential metals, like zinc (Zn), in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This work focuses on Cd accumulation and its impact on deletion of Zn transporters Zrt1p and Zrt2p and lipid homeostasis. Cd exposure reduces the Zn levels in the mutant strains, and the effect was higher in zrt2Δ cells. Upon Cd exposure, the wild-type and zrt2Δ cells follow a similar pattern, but an opposite pattern was observed in zrt1Δ cells. The Cd influx and ROS levels were high in both wild-type cells and zrt2Δ cells but significantly reduced in zrt1Δ cells. Cd exposure led to accumulation of triacylglycerol and lipid droplets in wild-type cells and zrt2Δ cells but these levels were decreased in zrt1Δ cells. Hence, these studies suggest that the zrt1Δ cells provide resistance towards Cd and aid in the maintenance of lipid homeostasis in yeast cells.