bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Protective Role of PPARdelta in Lipoapoptosis of Pancreatic β Cells
Authors: Yang Yan , Ren Jiangong , Tong Yuzhen , Hu Xuejian , Lv Qingguo , Tong Nanwei 
Published: September 2016

AbstractLipoapoptosis plays an important role in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes. Peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor delta (PPARdelta), a vital regulator of glucose and lipid metabolism, may reduce fatty acid‐induced pancreatic β cell lipotoxicity in diabetes. However, the detailed molecular mechanisms underlying this process are not fully understood. In this study, we investigated the effect of activation of PPARdelta on palmitate‐induced β cell apoptosis, and we explored the potential mechanism of the antiapoptotic effect. The cell apoptosis was determined by DNA fragmentation analysis and Hoechst 33342 staining. The expressing of glucagon‐like peptide‐1 receptor (GLP‐1R) in INS‐1 cells was assessed by Western blotting, quantification of PCR, and was further confirmed by immunofluorescence staining. The potential of PPARdelta to interact with homologous PPRE in the GLP‐1R gene was determined by Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP). Our results showed that exposure of INS‐1 cells to palmitate for 24 h caused a significant increase in cell apoptosis, which was inhibited by GW501516. PPARdelta exerted anti‐apoptotic effects in pancreatic β cells via the PI3 K/PKB/FoxO1 signaling pathway. Moreover, PPARdelta upregulated the GLP‐1R expression under lipotoxic conditions. The ChIP assay revealed a direct binding of PPARdelta to a noncanonical PPRE motif of the GLP‐1R gene in INS‐1 cells. Our study suggested that the anti‐apoptotic action of PPARdelta may involve its transcriptional regulation of GLP‐1R and PI3 K/PKB/FoxO1 signaling. GW501516 and possible other GW‐based strategies may confer additional benefit beyond improved glycemic control.
Neural Representation of Subjective Sexual Arousal in Men and Women
Authors: Parada Mayte , Gérard Marina , Larcher Kevin , Dagher Alain , Binik Yitzchak M. 
Published: September 2016

ABSTRACT

Introduction
Studies investigating brain indices of sexual arousal have begun to elucidate the brain's role in processing subjective arousal; however, most research has focused on men, used discrete ratings of subjective arousal, and used stimuli too short to induce significant arousal in women.

Aim
To examine brain regions modulated by changes in subjective sexual arousal (SSA) rating intensity in men and women.

Methods
Two groups (20 men, 20 women) viewed movie clips (erotic or humorous) while continuously evaluating changes in their SSA using a Likert-like scale (0 = not aroused, 10 = most aroused) and answering discrete questions about liking the movies and wanting sexual stimulation. Brain activity was measured using functional magnetic resonance imaging.

Main Outcome Measures
Blood oxygen level-dependent responses and continuous and discrete measurements of sexual arousal.

Results
Erotic movies induced significant SSA in men and women. No sex difference in mean SSA was found in response to the erotic movies on continuous or discrete measurements. Several brain regions were correlated with changes in SSA. Parametric modulation with rating intensity showed a specific group of regions within the parietal lobe that showed significant differences in activity among low, medium, and high SSA.

Conclusion
Multiple regions were concordant with changes in SSA; however, a subset of regions in men and women was modulated by SSA intensity, a subset previously linked to attentional processes, monitoring of internal body representation, and processing of sensory information from the genitals. This study highlights that similar brain regions are activated during subjective assessment of sexual arousal in men and women. The data further highlight the fact that SSA is a complex phenomenon made up of multiple interoceptive and attentional processes.
Unpacking cyberterrorism discourse: Specificity, status, and scale in news media constructions of threat
Authors: Jarvis Lee , Macdonald Stuart , Whiting Andrew 
Published: September 2016

AbstractThis article explores original empirical findings from a research project investigating representations of cyberterrorism in the international news media. Drawing on a sample of 535 items published by 31 outlets between 2008 and 2013, it focuses on four questions. First, how individuated a presence is cyberterrorism given within news media coverage? Second, how significant a threat is cyberterrorism deemed to pose? Third, how is the identity of ‘cyberterrorists’ portrayed? And, fourth, who or what is identified as the referent – that which is threatened – within this coverage? The article argues that constructions of specificity, status, and scale play an important, yet hitherto under-explored, role within articulations of concern about the threat posed by cyberterrorism. Moreover, unpacking news coverage of cyberterrorism in this way leads to a more variegated picture than that of the vague and hyperbolic media discourse often identified by critics. The article concludes by pointing to several promising future research agendas to build on this work.
Turbulent flow over transitionally rough surfaces with varying roughness densities
Authors: MacDonald M. , Chan L. , Chung D. , Hutchins N. , Ooi A. 
Published: September 2016

We investigate rough-wall turbulent flows through direct numerical simulations of flow over three-dimensional transitionally rough sinusoidal surfaces. The roughness Reynolds number is fixed at $k^{+}=10$, where $k$ is the sinusoidal semi-amplitude, and the sinusoidal wavelength is varied, resulting in the roughness solidity $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6EC}$ (frontal area divided by plan area) ranging from 0.05 to 0.54. The high cost of resolving both the flow around the dense roughness elements and the bulk flow is circumvented by the use of the minimal-span channel technique, recently demonstrated by Chung et al. (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 773, 2015, pp. 418–431) to accurately determine the Hama roughness function, $\unicode[STIX]{x0394}U^{+}$. Good agreement of the second-order statistics in the near-wall roughness-affected region between minimal- and full-span rough-wall channels is observed. In the sparse regime of roughness ($\unicode[STIX]{x1D6EC}\lesssim 0.15$) the roughness function increases with increasing solidity, while in the dense regime the roughness function decreases with increasing solidity. It was found that the dense regime begins when $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6EC}\gtrsim 0.15{-}0.18$, in agreement with the literature. A model is proposed for the limit of $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6EC}\rightarrow \infty$, which is a smooth wall located at the crest of the roughness elements. This model assists with interpreting the asymptotic behaviour of the roughness, and the rough-wall data presented in this paper show that the near-wall flow is tending towards this modelled limit. The peak streamwise turbulence intensity, which is associated with the turbulent near-wall cycle, is seen to move further away from the wall with increasing solidity. In the sparse regime, increasing $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6EC}$ reduces the streamwise turbulent energy associated with the near-wall cycle, while increasing $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6EC}$ in the dense regime increases turbulent energy. An analysis of the difference of the integrated mean momentum balance between smooth- and rough-wall flows reveals that the roughness function decreases in the dense regime due to a reduction in the Reynolds shear stress. This is predominantly due to the near-wall cycle being pushed away from the roughness elements, which leads to a reduction in turbulent energy in the region previously occupied by these events.
Resources for Becoming Culturally Competent in a Multijurisdictional Practice: G20 Nations and Associated Legal Traditions
Authors: Kuehl Heidi Frostestad 
Published: September 2016

AbstractThis article provides an overview of the importance of cultural competency skills for multijurisdictional practice and a comprehensive list of resources for international business law for G20 nations. Law students today are certain to confront issues of cultural competency in both clinical settings during law school and also during their legal careers as a result of the increasingly global practice of law. This article focuses on cultural competency as an essential lawyering skill in the context of private international law. First, the article will provide a brief history of cultural competency and its inclusion as a type of skills training in a clinical legal education setting at some law schools. Then, the article includes a brief survey of current globalization offerings and initiatives at U.S. law schools. Finally, the article provides a comprehensive list of resources to aid cultural competency and understanding of the legal systems and, further, an authoritative survey of international business resources for G20 countries.
Soluble transferrin receptor levels are positively associated with insulin resistance but not with the metabolic syndrome or its individual components
Authors: Suárez-Ortegón Milton Fabian , McLachlan Stela , Wild Sarah H. , Fernández-Real José Manuel , Hayward Caroline , Polašek Ozren 
Published: September 2016

AbstractThe metabolic syndrome (MetS) is known to be associated with elevated serum ferritin levels. The possible association with other Fe markers has been less well studied. We aimed to investigate the cross-sectional association of soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR) and ferritin levels with the MetS components, insulin resistance and glycosylated Hb (HbA1C). The sample consisted of 725 adults, aged 19–93 years (284 men, 151 premenopausal and 290 postmenopausal women), from the Croatian island of Vis. Serum sTfR and ferritin levels were measured by immunoturbidimetry and electrochemiluminescence assays, respectively. The MetS was defined using modified international consensus criteria. Logistic and linear regression analyses were conducted to investigate the associations adjusting for age, fibrinogen, smoking status, alcohol consumption and BMI. Prevalence of the MetS was 48·7 %. Standardised values of ferritin were positively associated with all of the MetS components (except high blood pressure and waist circumference) in men (P<0·05). Ferritin was significantly associated with the MetS in men (adjusted OR 1·78 (95 % CI 1·31, 2·42)) and postmenopausal women (1·71 (95 % CI 1·12, 2·62)). Interestingly, sTfR was independently and positively associated with homoeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance in men (adjusted β=0·44 (95 % CI 0·14, 0·75), P=0·004) and postmenopausal women (adjusted β coefficient=0·34 (95 % CI 0·05, 0·63), P=0·020). However, there was no significant relationship between serum sTfR levels and the MetS or its components. Neither ferritin nor sTfR was significantly associated with HbA1C (P>0·05). sTfR levels could be spuriously elevated in subjects with insulin resistance and without association with the MetS or its components. We conclude that different markers of Fe metabolism are not consistently associated with cardiometabolic risk.
The effects of stress–tension on depression and anxiety symptoms: evidence from a novel twin modelling analysis
Authors: Davey C. G. , López-Solà C. , Bui M. , Hopper J. L. , Pantelis C. , Fontenelle L. F. , Harrison B. J. 
Published: September 2016

BackgroundNegative mood states are composed of symptoms of depression and anxiety, and by a third factor related to stress, tension and irritability. We sought to clarify the nature of the relationships between the factors by studying twin pairs.MethodA total of 503 monozygotic twin pairs completed the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS), an instrument that assesses symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress–tension. We applied a recently developed twin regression methodology – Inference about Causation from Examination of FAmiliaL CONfounding (ICE FALCON) – to test for evidence consistent with the existence of ‘causal’ influences between the DASS factors.ResultsThere was evidence consistent with the stress–tension factor having a causal influence on both the depression (p < 0.0001) and anxiety factors (p = 0.001), and for the depression factor having a causal influence on the anxiety factor (p < 0.001).ConclusionsOur findings suggest a critical role for stress–tension in the structure of negative mood states, and that interventions that target it may be particularly effective in reducing depression and anxiety symptoms.
Robust task-space control of robot manipulators using differential equations for uncertainty estimation
Authors: Izadbakhsh Alireza , Khorashadizadeh Saeed 
Published: September 2016

SUMMARYMost control algorithms for rigid-link electrically driven robots are given in joint coordinates. However, since the task to be accomplished is expressed in Cartesian coordinates, inverse kinematics has to be computed in order to implement the control law. Alternatively, one can develop the necessary theory directly in workspace coordinates. This has the disadvantage of a more complex robot model. In this paper, a robust control scheme is given to achieve exact Cartesian tracking without the knowledge of the manipulator kinematics and dynamics, actuator dynamics and nor computing inverse kinematics. The control design procedure is based on a new form of universal approximation theory and using Stone–Weierstrass theorem, to mitigate structured and unstructured uncertainties associated with external disturbances and actuated manipulator dynamics. It has been assumed that the lumped uncertainty can be modeled by linear differential equations. As the method is Model-Free, a broad range of manipulators can be controlled. Numerical case studies are developed for an industrial robot manipulator.
Vision-based obstacle avoidance system with fuzzy logic for humanoid
robots
Authors: Chiang Shu-Yin 
Published: September 2016

AbstractThis study presents the algorithm for a humanoid robot to accomplish an obstacle
run in the FIRA HuroCup competition. It includes the integration of image
processing and robot motion. DARwIn-OP (Dynamic Anthropomorphic Robot with
Intelligence–Open Platform) was used as the humanoid robot, and it is
equipped with a webcam as a vision system to obtain an image of what is in front
of the robot. Image processing skills such as erosion, dilation, and
eight-connected component labeling are applied to reduce image noise. Moreover,
we use navigation grids with filters to avoid the obstacles. Fuzzy logic rules
are used to implement the robot’s motion, allowing a humanoid robot to
access any routes using obstacle avoidance to perform the tasks in the
obstacle-run event.
Influence of war on hunting patterns and pressure in Sierra Leone
Authors: CONTEH ABU , GAVIN MICHAEL C. 
Published: September 2016

SUMMARYBushmeat hunting poses a huge challenge for biodiversity conservation, but bushmeat is also an important source of essential protein in many locations. Although war may have substantial impacts on hunting, how these effects vary across different spatial scales and over multiple stages of warfare remain largely unknown. In addition, despite serious conflicts that may have affected hunting patterns in West Africa, no studies have examined the impacts of war on hunting in Sierra Leone. We used the randomized response technique together with semi-structured interviews to examine variations in hunting techniques and the proportion of the population that engages in hunting over three time periods (before, during and after war) among different communities bordering a protected area. At the scale of the whole protected area, the proportion of people hunting did not vary significantly over time. Similarly, the methods used for hunting were generally consistent over time and space. However, within each community, the proportion of the population hunting varied significantly over time, and the locations with the greatest participation rates in hunting changed at each time period. Access to alternative livelihood options and the severity of the war's impact shaped patterns of change in hunting participation across different communities. Our results point to the importance of adaptive management approaches that can adjust management strategies in order to account for spatial or temporal variations in hunting behaviour.
Thrombospondin-1 signaling through CD47 inhibits cell cycle progression and induces senescence in endothelial cells
Authors: Gao Qi , Chen Kexin , Gao Lu , Zheng Yang , Yang Yong-Guang 
Published: September 2016

AbstractCD47 signaling in endothelial cells has been shown to suppress angiogenesis, but little is known about the link between CD47 and endothelial senescence. Herein, we demonstrate that the thrombospondin-1 (TSP1)-CD47 signaling pathway is a major mechanism for driving endothelial cell senescence. CD47 deficiency in endothelial cells significantly improved their angiogenic function and attenuated their replicative senescence. Lack of CD47 also suppresses activation of cell cycle inhibitors and upregulates the expression of cell cycle promoters, leading to increased cell cycle progression. Furthermore, TSP1 significantly accelerates replicative senescence and associated cell cycle arrest in a CD47-dependent manner. These findings demonstrate that TSP1-CD47 signaling is an important mechanism driving endothelial cell senescence. Thus, TSP1 and CD47 provide attractive molecular targets for treatment of aging-associated cardiovascular dysfunction and diseases involving endothelial dysregulation.
Atg5-dependent autophagy contributes to the development of acute myeloid leukemia in an MLL-AF9-driven mouse model
Authors: Liu Qiang , Chen Longgui , Atkinson Jennifer M , Claxton David F , Wang Hong-Gang 
Published: September 2016

AbstractAcute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a hierarchical hematopoietic malignancy originating from leukemic stem cells (LSCs). Autophagy is a lysosomal degradation pathway that is hypothesized to be important for the maintenance of AML as well as contribute to chemotherapy response. Here we employ a mouse model of AML expressing the fusion oncogene MLL-AF9 and explore the effects of Atg5 deletion, a key autophagy protein, on the malignant transformation and progression of AML. Consistent with a transient decrease in colony-forming potential in vitro, the in vivo deletion of Atg5 in MLL-AF9-transduced bone marrow cells during primary transplantation prolonged the survival of recipient mice, suggesting that autophagy has a role in MLL-AF9-driven leukemia initiation. In contrast, deletion of Atg5 in malignant AML cells during secondary transplantation did not influence the survival or chemotherapeutic response of leukemic mice. Interestingly, autophagy was found to be involved in the survival of differentiated myeloid cells originating from MLL-AF9-driven LSCs. Taken together, our data suggest that Atg5-dependent autophagy may contribute to the development but not chemotherapy sensitivity of murine AML induced by MLL-AF9.
Rare variant phasing and haplotypic expression from RNA sequencing with phASER
Authors: Castel Stephane E. , Mohammadi Pejman , Chung Wendy K. , Shen Yufeng , Lappalainen Tuuli 
Published: September 2016

AbstractHaplotype phasing of genetic variants is important for clinical interpretation of the genome, population genetic analysis and functional genomic analysis of allelic activity. Here we present phASER, an accurate approach for phasing variants that are overlapped by sequencing reads, including those from RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), which often span multiple exons due to splicing. Using diverse RNA-seq data we demonstrate that this provides more accurate phasing of rare variants compared with population-based phasing and allows phasing of variants in the same gene up to hundreds of kilobases away that cannot be obtained from DNA sequencing (DNA-seq) reads. We show that in the context of medical genetic studies this improves the resolution of compound heterozygotes. Additionally, phASER provides measures of haplotypic expression that increase power and accuracy in studies of allelic expression. In summary, phasing using RNA-seq and phASER is accurate and improves studies where rare variant haplotypes or allelic expression is needed.
Layer-specific cholinergic control of human and mouse cortical synaptic plasticity
Authors: Verhoog Matthijs B. , Obermayer Joshua , Kortleven Christian A. , Wilbers René , Wester Jordi , Baayen Johannes C. , De Kock Christiaan P. J. , Meredith Rhiannon M. , Mansvelder Huibert D. 
Published: September 2016

AbstractIndividual cortical layers have distinct roles in information processing. All layers receive cholinergic inputs from the basal forebrain (BF), which is crucial for cognition. Acetylcholinergic receptors are differentially distributed across cortical layers, and recent evidence suggests that different populations of BF cholinergic neurons may target specific prefrontal cortical (PFC) layers, raising the question of whether cholinergic control of the PFC is layer dependent. Here we address this issue and reveal dendritic mechanisms by which endogenous cholinergic modulation of synaptic plasticity is opposite in superficial and deep layers of both mouse and human neocortex. Our results show that in different cortical layers, spike timing-dependent plasticity is oppositely regulated by the activation of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) either located on dendrites of principal neurons or on GABAergic interneurons. Thus, layer-specific nAChR expression allows functional layer-specific control of cortical processing and plasticity by the BF cholinergic system, which is evolutionarily conserved from mice to humans.
Integrating highly quantitative proteomics and genome-scale metabolic modeling to study pH adaptation in the human pathogen Enterococcus faecalis
Authors: Großeholz Ruth , Koh Ching-Chiek , Veith Nadine , Fiedler Tomas , Strauss Madlen , Olivier Brett , Collins Ben C , Schubert Olga T , Bergmann Frank , Kreikemeyer Bernd , Aebersold Ruedi , Kummer Ursula 
Published: September 2016

AbstractGenome-scale metabolic models represent the entirety of metabolic reactions of an organism based on the annotation of the respective genome. These models commonly allow all reactions to proceed concurrently, disregarding the fact that at no point all proteins will be present in a cell. The metabolic reaction space can be constrained to a more physiological state using experimentally obtained information on enzyme abundances. However, high-quality, genome-wide protein measurements have been challenging and typically transcript abundances have been used as a surrogate for protein measurements. With recent developments in mass spectrometry-based proteomics, exemplified by SWATH-MS, the acquisition of highly quantitative proteome-wide data at reasonable throughput has come within reach. Here we present methodology to integrate such proteome-wide data into genome-scale models. We applied this methodology to study cellular changes in Enterococcus faecalis during adaptation to low pH. Our results indicate reduced proton production in the central metabolism and decreased membrane permeability for protons due to different membrane composition. We conclude that proteomic data constrain genome-scale models to a physiological state and, in return, genome-scale models are useful tools to contextualize proteomic data.