bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
LysGH15 kills Staphylococcus aureus without being affected by the humoral immune response or inducing inflammation
Authors: Zhang Lei , Li Dong , Li Xinwei , Hu Liyuan , Cheng Mengjun , Xia Feifei , Gong Pengjuan , Wang Bin , Ge Jinli , Zhang Hao , Cai Ruopeng , Wang Yanmei , Sun Changjiang , Feng Xin , Lei Liancheng , Han Wenyu , Gu Jingmin 
Published: July 2016

AbstractThe lysin LysGH15, derived from the staphylococcal phage GH15, exhibits a wide lytic spectrum and highly efficient lytic activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Here, we found that LysGH15 did not induce resistance in MRSA or methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA) strains after repeated treatment. Although LysGH15 triggered the generation of LysGH15-specific antibodies in mice, these antibodies did not block lytic activity in vitro (nor the binding capacity of LysGH15). More importantly, when the antibody titre was highest in mice immunized with LysGH15, a single intravenous injection of LysGH15 was sufficient to protect mice against lethal infection with MRSA. These results indicated that LysGH15-specific antibodies did not affect the killing efficiency of LysGH15 against MRSA in vitro or in vivo. LysGH15 also reduced pro-inflammatory cytokines in mice with lethal infections. Furthermore, a high-dose LysGH15 injection did not cause significant adverse effects or pathological changes in the main organs of treated animals. These results provide further evidence for the administration of LysGH15 as an alternative strategy for the treatment of infections caused by MRSA.
Plio-Pleistocene evolution of Bohai Basin (East Asia): demise of Bohai Paleolake and transition to marine environment
Authors: Yi Liang , Deng Chenglong , Tian Lizhu , Xu Xingyong , Jiang Xingyu , Qiang Xiaoke , Qin Huafeng , Ge Junyi , Chen Guangquan , Su Qiao , Chen Yanping , Shi Xuefa , Xie Qiang , Yu Hongjun , Zhu Rixiang 
Published: July 2016

AbstractThe Bohai Basin was transformed to an inner shelf sea hundreds of thousands years ago. This youngest land-sea transition participated in the significant modification of the distribution of fresh water, sediment fluxes and climate in East Asia and played an important role in the origin of the Asian marginal seas. Here we present the results of a magnetostratigraphic investigation and propose a conceptual model for the land-sea transition. Our findings indicate that the transition probably started several million years ago, from a fluvial system during the late Miocene and early Pliocene, to a lacustrine environment between the late Pliocene and Middle Pleistocene and finally to a marine system in the late Pleistocene. Comparison of our results with previous research suggests that the Bohai Paleolake was initiated from the late Pliocene, was fully developed prior to ~1.0 Ma and terminated around the late Middle Pleistocene. The Miaodao Islands formed the eastern “barrier” of the basin and since the Pliocene or earlier they played a significant role in blocking the lake water and sediments. They deformed from ~1.0 Ma, subsided significantly at ~0.3 Ma and completely by ~0.1 Ma, resulting in the maturation of the basin as an inner shelf sea.
Increased frequency of self-fertile isolates in Phytophthora infestans may attribute to their higher fitness relative to the A1 isolates
Authors: Zhu Wen , Shen Lin-Lin , Fang Zhi-Guo , Yang Li-Na , Zhang Jia-Feng , Sun Dan-Li , Zhan Jiasui 
Published: July 2016

AbstractKnowledge of population dynamics of mating types is important for better understanding pathogen’s evolutionary potential and sustainable management of natural and chemical resources such as host resistances and fungicides. In this study, 2250 Phytophthora infestans isolates sampled from 61 fields across China were assayed for spatiotemporal dynamics of mating type frequency. Self-fertile isolates dominated in ~50% of populations and all but one cropping region with an average frequency of 0.64 while no A2 isolates were detected. Analyses of 140 genotypes consisting of 82 self-fertile and 58 A1 isolates indicated that on average self-fertile isolates grew faster, demonstrated higher aggressiveness and were more tolerant to fungicides than A1 isolates; Furthermore, pattern of association between virulence complexity (defined as the number of differential cultivars on which an isolate can induce disease) and frequency was different in the two mating types. In A1 isolates, virulence complexity was negatively correlated (r = −0.515, p = 0.043) with frequency but this correlation was positive (r = 0.532, p = 0.037) in self-fertile isolates. Our results indicate a quick increase of self-fertile isolates possibly attributable to their higher fitness relative to A1 mating type counterpart in the field populations of P. infestans in China.
Fabrication of InGaN thin-film transistors using pulsed sputtering deposition
Authors: Itoh Takeki , Kobayashi Atsushi , Ueno Kohei , Ohta Jitsuo , Fujioka Hiroshi 
Published: July 2016

AbstractWe report the first demonstration of operational InGaN-based thin-film transistors (TFTs) on glass substrates. The key to our success was coating the glass substrate with a thin amorphous layer of HfO2, which enabled a highly c-axis-oriented growth of InGaN films using pulsed sputtering deposition. The electrical characteristics of the thin films were controlled easily by varying their In content. The optimized InGaN-TFTs exhibited a high on/off ratio of ~108, a field-effect mobility of ~22 cm2 V−1 s−1 and a maximum current density of ~30 mA/mm. These results lay the foundation for developing high-performance electronic devices on glass substrates using group III nitride semiconductors.
Conformational Heterogeneity of Bax Helix 9 Dimer for Apoptotic Pore Formation
Authors: Liao Chenyi , Zhang Zhi , Kale Justin , Andrews David W. , Lin Jialing , Li Jianing 
Published: July 2016

AbstractHelix α9 of Bax protein can dimerize in the mitochondrial outer membrane (MOM) and lead to apoptotic pores. However, it remains unclear how different conformations of the dimer contribute to the pore formation on the molecular level. Thus we have investigated various conformational states of the α9 dimer in a MOM model — using computer simulations supplemented with site-specific mutagenesis and crosslinking of the α9 helices. Our data not only confirmed the critical membrane environment for the α9 stability and dimerization, but also revealed the distinct lipid-binding preference of the dimer in different conformational states. In our proposed pathway, a crucial iso-parallel dimer that mediates the conformational transition was discovered computationally and validated experimentally. The corroborating evidence from simulations and experiments suggests that, helix α9 assists Bax activation via the dimer heterogeneity and interactions with specific MOM lipids, which eventually facilitate proteolipidic pore formation in apoptosis regulation.
Molecular basis of the remarkable species selectivity of an insecticidal sodium channel toxin from the African spider Augacephalus ezendami
Authors: Herzig Volker , Ikonomopoulou Maria , Smith Jennifer J. , Dziemborowicz Sławomir , Gilchrist John , Kuhn-Nentwig Lucia , Rezende Fernanda Oliveira , Moreira Luciano Andrade , Nicholson Graham M. , Bosmans Frank , King Glenn F. 
Published: July 2016

AbstractThe inexorable decline in the armament of registered chemical insecticides has stimulated research into environmentally-friendly alternatives. Insecticidal spider-venom peptides are promising candidates for bioinsecticide development but it is challenging to find peptides that are specific for targeted pests. In the present study, we isolated an insecticidal peptide (Ae1a) from venom of the African spider Augacephalus ezendami (family Theraphosidae). Injection of Ae1a into sheep blowflies (Lucilia cuprina) induced rapid but reversible paralysis. In striking contrast, Ae1a was lethal to closely related fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) but induced no adverse effects in the recalcitrant lepidopteran pest Helicoverpa armigera. Electrophysiological experiments revealed that Ae1a potently inhibits the voltage-gated sodium channel BgNaV1 from the German cockroach Blattella germanica by shifting the threshold for channel activation to more depolarized potentials. In contrast, Ae1a failed to significantly affect sodium currents in dorsal unpaired median neurons from the American cockroach Periplaneta americana. We show that Ae1a interacts with the domain II voltage sensor and that sensitivity to the toxin is conferred by natural sequence variations in the S1–S2 loop of domain II. The phyletic specificity of Ae1a provides crucial information for development of sodium channel insecticides that target key insect pests without harming beneficial species.
Impairment of autophagy by TTR V30M aggregates: in vivo reversal by TUDCA and curcumin
Authors: Teixeira Cristina A. , Almeida Maria do Rosário , Saraiva Maria João 
Published: July 2016

Transthyretin (TTR)-related amyloidoses are diseases characterized by extracellular deposition of amyloid fibrils and aggregates in tissues composed of insoluble misfolded TTR that becomes toxic. Previous studies have demonstrated the ability of small compounds in preventing and reversing TTR V30M deposition in transgenic mice gastrointestinal (GI) tract as well as lowering biomarkers associated with cellular stress and apoptotic mechanisms. In the present study we aimed to study TTR V30M aggregates effect in autophagy, a cellular mechanism crucial for cell survival that has been implicated in the development of several neurodegenerative diseases. We were able to demonstrate in cell culture that TTR V30M aggregates cause a partial impairment of the autophagic machinery as shown by p62 accumulation, whereas early steps of the autophagic flux remain unaffected as shown by autophagosome number evaluation and LC3 turnover assay. Our studies performed in TTR V30M transgenic animals demonstrated that tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA) and curcumin effectively reverse p62 accumulation in the GI tract pointing to the ability of both compounds to modulate autophagy additionally to mitigate apoptosis. Overall, our in vitro and in vivo studies establish an association between TTR V30M aggregates and autophagy impairment and suggest the use of autophagy modulators as an additional and alternative therapeutic approach for the treatment of TTR V30M-related amyloidosis.
Adaptation of the MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventories for Spanish Children With Down Syndrome: Validity and Reliability Data for Vocabulary
Authors: Galeote Miguel , Checa Elena , Sánchez-Palacios Concepción , Sebastián Eugenia , Soto Pilar 
Published: July 2016

PurposeThe MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventories are widely used to study early language and communicative development. We recently developed a Spanish version for children with Down syndrome (the CDI-Down) adapted to their particular profile of linguistic and communicative development. The principal aims of this study are to assess the concurrent validity and test–retest reliability of the vocabulary section of this adaptation.MethodValidation for productive vocabulary (Study 1) was achieved by correlating CDI-Down scores on expressive vocabulary and measures on the basis of spontaneous speech samples (n= 29). Validation for receptive vocabulary (Study 2) was achieved by correlating CDI-Down scores on receptive vocabulary and measures derived from language items of the Brunet-Lézine Scale (Josse, 1997;n= 70). Reliability (Study 3) was measured with a subset of parents who completed the same inventory 4 months after the original sampling (n= 26).ResultsCDI-Down expressive and receptive vocabulary scores showed a significant positive relationship with their comparison measures, thereby demonstrating convergent validity. A significant positive relationship was also found between test–retest measures for productive and receptive vocabularies, thus supporting the reliability of the adaptation.ConclusionThe results demonstrate that the CDI-Down is a valid and reliable tool that could be useful for parents, teachers, clinicians, and researchers.
Pantomime Production by People With Aphasia: What Are Influencing Factors?
Authors: van Nispen Karin , van de Sandt-Koenderman Mieke , Mol Lisette , Krahmer Emiel 
Published: July 2016

Purpose
The present article aimed to inform clinical practice on whether people with aphasia (PWA) deploy pantomime techniques similarly to participants without brain damage (PWBD) and if not, what factors influence these differences.

Method

We compared 38 PWA to 20 PWBD in their use of 6 representation techniques (
handling, enact, object, shape, deictic,
and
other
) when pantomiming objects, and determined whether PWA used the same defaults as PWBD. We assessed the influence of
(non-)dominant arm use, ideomotor apraxia, semantic processing, aphasia severity,
and
oral naming.

Results
PWA used various pantomime techniques. Enact, deictic, and other were used infrequently. No differences were found for the use of shape techniques, but PWA used fewer handling and object techniques than PWBD and they did not use these for the same objects as PWBD did. No influence was found for (non-)dominant arm use. All other variables correlated with the use of handling, object, and defaults.

Conclusion
In our study, PWA were able to use various pantomime techniques. As a group, they used these techniques differently from PWBD and relied more heavily on the use of shape techniques. This was not influenced by a hemiparesis, but seemed dependent on semantic processing. Clinical implications are discussed.
Sentence Processing in Traumatic Brain Injury: Evidence From the P600
Authors: Key-DeLyria Sarah E. 
Published: July 2016

Purpose
Sentence processing can be affected following a traumatic brain injury (TBI) due to linguistic or cognitive deficits. Language-related event-related potentials (ERPs), particularly the P600, have not been described in individuals with TBI history.

Method
Four young adults with a history of closed head injury participated. Two had severe injuries, and 2 had mild–moderate injuries more than 24 months prior to testing. ERPs were recorded while participants read sentences designed to be grammatically correct or incorrect. Participants also completed cognitive and sentence comprehension measures.

Results
One participant with TBI was significantly different than the control group on several behavioral sentence measures and 1 cognitive measure. However, none of the participants with TBI had a reliable P600 effect. Nonparametric bootstrapping indicated that the ERP was reliable in 10 control participants but no participants with TBI history.

Conclusions
There were few behavioral differences between individuals with TBI history and the control group, though all reported subjective difficulty with reading. The P600 was absent in the TBI group in this study. Given the heterogeneity of individuals with TBI and the difficulty in assessing subtle language impairments, exploring the P600 further may provide useful insight into language processing difficulties.

Supplemental Material

https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.14963817
Sparse polynomial approximation of parametric elliptic PDEs.
Part I: affine coefficients
Authors: Bachmayr Markus , Cohen Albert , Migliorati Giovanni 
Published: July 2016

We consider the linear elliptic equation −
div(a∇u) = f on
some bounded domain D, where a has the affine form a = a(y) = ā + ∑j≥1yjψj for some parameter vector y =
(yj)j ≥ 1 ∈
U = [−1,1]N. We study the summability
properties of polynomial expansions of the solution map
y → u(y) ∈ V := H01(D)

. We consider both Taylor series and Legendre series.
Previous results [A. Cohen, R. DeVore and C. Schwab, Anal. Appl. 9
(2011) 11–47] show that, under a uniform ellipticity assuption, for any
0 <p<
1, the ℓp summability of the
(∥ψj∥L∞)j ≥
1 implies the ℓp summability of the
V-norms of
the Taylor or Legendre coefficients. Such results ensure convergence rates n−
s of polynomial approximations obtained by best
n-term
truncation of such series, with s = (1/p)−1
in L∞(U,V) or
s = (1/p)−(1/2)

in L2(U,V). In this paper
we considerably improve these results by providing sufficient conditions of
ℓp summability of the
coefficient V-norm sequences expressed in terms of the pointwise
summability properties of the (|ψj|)j ≥
1. The approach in the present paper strongly differs from that
of [A. Cohen, R. DeVore and C. Schwab, Anal. Appl. 9 (2011)
11–47], which is based on individual estimates of the coefficient norms obtained by the
Cauchy formula applied to a holomorphic extension of the solution map. Here, we use
weighted summability estimates, obtained by real-variable arguments. While the obtained
results imply those of [7] as a particular case,
they lead to a refined analysis which takes into account the amount of overlap between the
supports of the ψj. For instance, in
the case of disjoint supports, these results imply that for all 0 <p< 2, the
ℓp summability of the
coefficient V-norm sequences follows from the weaker assumption
that (∥ψj∥L∞)j ≥
1 is ℓq summable for
q = q(p) := 2p/(2−p)
. We provide a simple analytic example showing that this
result is in general optimal and illustrate our findings by numerical experiments. The
analysis in the present paper applies to other types of linear PDEs with similar affine
parametrization of the coefficients, and to more general Jacobi polynomial expansions.
Cellular heterogeneity mediates inherent sensitivity–specificity tradeoff in cancer targeting by synthetic circuits
Authors: Morel Mathieu , Shtrahman Roman , Rotter Varda , Nissim Lior , Bar-Ziv Roy H. 
Published: July 2016

Significance
The recent advance in the use of viral vectors for gene delivery, combined with the design of synthetic gene circuits to diagnose and target cells, brings opportunities for effective treatment of cancer. So far, gene circuits have been considered logical devices capable of discriminating normal from malignant cells as discrete states, ignoring cellular heterogeneity in cancer expression markers. We addressed the inherent limitations heterogeneity imposes on the precision of targeting circuits. Using molecular parameters to control circuit gain amplification and threshold, we show an inherent tradeoff emerges between specificity and sensitivity. In light of this tradeoff, the molecular optimization of targeting circuits will be an important step for effective implementation of personalized gene therapy.
A Framework for Assessing the Feasibility of Native Fish Conservation Translocations: Applications to Threatened Bull Trout
Authors: Galloway Benjamin T. , Muhlfeld Clint C. , Guy Christopher S. , Downs Christopher C. , Fredenberg Wade A. 
Published: July 2016

Abstract
There is an urgent need to consider more aggressive and direct interventions for the conservation of freshwater fishes that are threatened by invasive species, habitat loss, and climate change. Conservation introduction (moving a species outside its indigenous range to other areas where conditions are predicted to be more suitable) is one type of translocation strategy that fisheries managers can use to establish new conservation populations in areas of refugia. To date, however, there are few examples of successful conservation-based introductions. Many attempts fail to establish new populations—in part because environmental factors that might influence success are inadequately evaluated before the translocation is implemented. We developed a framework to assess the feasibility of rescuing threatened fish populations through translocation into historically unoccupied stream and lake habitats. The suitability of potential introduction sites was evaluated based on four major components: the recipient habitat, recipient community, donor population, and future threats. Specific questions were then developed to evaluate each major component. The final assessment was based on a scoring system that addressed each question by using criteria developed from characteristics representative of highly suitable habitats and populations. This framework was used to evaluate the proposed within-drainage translocation of three Bull Trout Salvelinus confluentus populations in Glacier National Park, Montana. Our results indicated that within-drainage translocation is a feasible strategy for conserving locally adapted populations of Bull Trout through the creation of new areas of refugia in Glacier National Park. The framework provides a flexible platform that can help managers make informed decisions for moving threatened fishes into new areas of refugia for conservation and recovery programs.
Received April 26, 2015; accepted January 17, 2016 Published online July 7, 2016
Exploring the Effectiveness of a Fisheries Simulation Model for Communicating Stock Assessment Information
Authors: Fisher Emily A. , Hesp S. Alex , Hall Norman G. 
Published: July 2016

Abstract
The effectiveness of graphical user interfaces for conveying stock assessment information within a fisheries simulation model was explored. Assessments of stock status for different species and exploitation states were presented to workshop participants via alternative user interfaces of the same model. Participants then decided how to manage these fisheries using various management controls, including size and bag limits and temporal and spatial closures. The management decisions made by participants for a range of different scenarios were subjected to multivariate analyses. When the initial level of exploitation of a stock was high, participants typically made stronger and more varied management decisions using a wider range of controls than when exploitation was less. Although these decisions led to substantial reductions in fishing mortality, stock status outcomes were more varied and less optimal than those observed for scenarios of low and moderate levels of initial exploitation. The trends in decisions made by workshop participants probably reflect those that often occur for real-life fisheries, in that as fishing pressure increases, management often becomes more complex and thus its overall effectiveness may become less predictable. Unexpectedly, there were no detectable differences between the decisions made by users of alternative interfaces, which varied in the amount and complexity of stock assessment outputs provided, indicating that the simpler interfaces were as effective as more complex interfaces in communicating stock status information. This study demonstrates the value of scenario-testing experiments for understanding decision making in fisheries management and for assessing whether stock assessment information is conveyed to fishery stakeholders in ways that can be readily understood.
Received August 14, 2015; accepted February 27, 2016 Published online July 7, 2016