bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Serum Galanin Levels in Young Healthy Lean and Obese Non-Diabetic Men during an Oral Glucose Tolerance Test
Authors: Sandoval-Alzate Héctor Fabio , Agudelo-Zapata Yessica , González-Clavijo Angélica María , Poveda Natalia E. , Espinel-Pachón Cristian Felipe , Escamilla-Castro Jorge Augusto , Márquez-Julio Heidy Lorena , Alvarado-Quintero Hernando , Rojas-Rodríguez Fabián Guillermo , Arteaga-Díaz Juan Manuel , Eslava-Schmalbach Javier Hernando , Garcés-Gutiérrez Maria Fernanda , Vrontakis Maria , Castaño Justo P. , Luque Raul M. , Diéguez Carlos , Nogueiras Rubén , Caminos Jorge E. 
Published: August 2016

AbstractGalanin (GAL) is a neuropeptide involved in the homeostasis of energy metabolism. The objective of this study was to investigate the serum levels of GAL during an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) in lean and obese young men. This cross-sectional study included 30 obese non-diabetic young men (median 22 years; mean BMI 37 kg/m2) and 30 healthy lean men (median 23 years; mean BMI 22 kg/m2). Serum GAL was determined during OGTT. The results of this study include that serum GAL levels showed a reduction during OGTT compared with basal levels in the lean subjects group. Conversely, serum GAL levels increased significantly during OGTT in obese subjects. Serum GAL levels were also higher in obese non-diabetic men compared with lean subjects during fasting and in every period of the OGTT (p < 0.001). Serum GAL levels were positively correlated with BMI, total fat, visceral fat, HOMA–IR, total cholesterol, triglycerides and Leptin. A multiple regression analysis revealed that serum insulin levels at 30, 60 and 120 minutes during the OGTT is the most predictive variable for serum GAL levels (p < 0.001). In conclusion, serum GAL levels are significantly higher in the obese group compared with lean subjects during an OGTT.
Photonic microstructures for energy-generating clear glass and net-zero energy buildings
Authors: Vasiliev Mikhail , Alghamedi Ramzy , Nur-E-Alam Mohammad , Alameh Kamal 
Published: August 2016

AbstractTransparent energy-harvesting windows are emerging as practical building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV), capable of generating electricity while simultaneously reducing heating and cooling demands. By incorporating spectrally-selective diffraction gratings as light deflecting structures of high visible transparency into lamination interlayers and using improved spectrally-selective thin-film coatings, most of the visible solar radiation can be transmitted through the glass windows with minimum attenuation. At the same time, the ultraviolet (UV) and a part of incident solar infrared (IR) radiation energy are converted and/or deflected geometrically towards the panel edge for collection by CuInSe2 solar cells. Experimental results show power conversion efficiencies in excess of 3.04% in 10 cm × 10 cm vertically-placed clear glass panels facing direct sunlight, and up to 2.08% in 50 cm × 50 cm installation-ready framed window systems. These results confirm the emergence of a new class of solar window system ready for industrial application.
The ABC transporter YejABEF is required for resistance to antimicrobial peptides and the virulence of Brucella melitensis
Authors: Wang Zhen , Bie Pengfei , Cheng Jie , Lu Lin , Cui Buyun , Wu Qingmin 
Published: August 2016

AbstractThe ability to resist the killing effects of host antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) plays a vital role in the virulence of pathogens. TheBrucella melitensisNI genome has a gene cluster that encodes ABC transport. In this study, we constructedyejA1,yejA2,yejB,yejE, yejFand wholeyejoperon deletion mutants, none of which exhibited discernible growth defect in TSB or minimal medium. Unlike their parental strain, the mutants showed a significantly increased sensitivity to acidic stress. The NIΔyejEand NIΔyejABEFmutants were also more sensitive thanB. melitensisNI to polymyxin B and the expression ofyejoperon genes was induced by polymyxin B. Moreover, cell and mouse infection assays indicated that NIΔyejEand NIΔyejABEFhave restricted invasion and replication abilities inside macrophages and are rapidly cleared from the spleens of infected mice. These findings indicate that the ABC transporter YejABEF is required for the virulence ofBrucella, suggesting that resistance to host antimicrobials is a key mechanism forBrucellato persistently survivein vivo. This study provided insights that led us to further investigate the potential correlation of AMP resistance with the mechanisms of immune escape and persistent infection by pathogens.
All-optical analog comparator
Authors: Li Pu , Yi Xiaogang , Liu Xianglian , Zhao Dongliang , Zhao Yongpeng , Wang Yuncai 
Published: August 2016

AbstractAn analog comparator is one of the core units in all-optical analog-to-digital conversion (AO-ADC) systems, which digitizes different amplitude levels into two levels of logical ‘1’ or ‘0’ by comparing with a defined decision threshold. Although various outstanding photonic ADC approaches have been reported, almost all of them necessitate an electrical comparator to carry out this binarization. The use of an electrical comparator is in contradiction to the aim of developing all-optical devices. In this work, we propose a new concept of an all-optical analog comparator and numerically demonstrate an implementation based on a quarter-wavelength-shifted distributed feedback laser diode (QWS DFB-LD) with multiple quantum well (MQW) structures. Our results show that the all-optical comparator is very well suited for true AO-ADCs, enabling the whole digital conversion from an analog optical signal (continuous-time signal or discrete pulse signal) to a binary representation totally in the optical domain. In particular, this all-optical analog comparator possesses a low threshold power (several mW), high extinction ratio (up to 40 dB), fast operation rate (of the order of tens of Gb/s) and a step-like transfer function.
HIV-1 Vpr reactivates latent HIV-1 provirus by inducing depletion of class I HDACs on chromatin
Authors: Romani Bizhan , Kamali Jamil Razieh , Hamidi-Fard Mojtaba , Rahimi Pooneh , Momen Seyed Bahman , Aghasadeghi Mohammad Reza , Allahbakhshi Elham 
Published: August 2016

AbstractHIV-1 Vpr is an accessory protein that induces proteasomal degradation of multiple proteins. We recently showed that Vpr targets class I HDACs on chromatin for proteasomal degradation. Here we show that Vpr induces degradation of HDAC1 and HDAC3 in HIV-1 latently infected J-Lat cells. Degradation of HDAC1 and HDAC3 was also observed on the HIV-1 LTR and as a result, markers of active transcription were recruited to the viral promoter and induced viral activation. Knockdown of HDAC1 and HDAC3 activated the latent HIV-1 provirus and complementation with HDAC3 inhibited Vpr-induced HIV-1 reactivation. Viral reactivation and degradation of HDAC1 and HDAC3 was conserved among Vpr proteins of HV-1 group M. Serum Vpr isolated from patients or the release of virion-incorporated Vpr from viral lysates also activated HIV-1 in latently infected cell lines and PBMCs from HIV-1 infected patients. Our results indicate that Vpr counteracts HIV-1 latency by inducing proteasomal degradation of HDAC1 and 3 leading to reactivation of the viral promoter.
Pregnane X Receptor Regulates Pathogen-Induced Inflammation and Host Defense against an Intracellular Bacterial Infection through Toll-like Receptor 4
Authors: Qiu Zhijuan , Cervantes Jorge L. , Cicek Basak B. , Mukherjee Subhajit , Venkatesh Madhukumar , Maher Leigh A. , Salazar Juan C. , Mani Sridhar , Khanna Kamal M. 
Published: August 2016

AbstractThe nuclear pregnane X receptor (PXR) plays a central role in regulating xenobiotic metabolism. We now report a novel role for PXR as a critical negative regulator of innate immunity after infection. Pxr−/− mice exhibited remarkably elevated pro-inflammatory cytokine and chemokine production following infection with Listeria monocytogenes (Lm). Despite the more robust innate immune response, Pxr−/− mice were highly susceptible to Lm infection. Surprisingly, disruption of the Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) but not TLR2 signaling restored the inflammation to normal levels and the ability to clear Lm in Pxr−/− mice. Mechanistically, the heightened inflammation in Pxr−/− mice resulted in the death of inflammatory monocytes that led to the enhanced susceptibility to Lm infection. These data demonstrated that PXR regulated pathogen-induced inflammation and host defense against Lm infection through modulating the TLR4 pathway. In summary, we discovered an apical role for PXR in regulating innate immunity. In addition, we uncovered a remarkable negative impact of the TLR4 pathway in controlling the quality of the inflammatory response and host defense against a gram-positive bacterial infection.
Inputs to prefrontal cortex support visual recognition in the aging brain
Authors: Gilbert Jessica R. , Moran Rosalyn J. 
Published: August 2016

AbstractPredictive coding models of brain function propose that top-down cortical signals promote efficient neural codes by carrying predictions of upcoming sensory events. We hypothesized that older brains would employ these codes more prominently given their longer repertoire of sensory experience. We measured the connectivity underlying stimulus-evoked responses in cortical visual networks using electroencephalography and dynamic causal modeling and found that in young adults with reported normal or corrected-to-normal vision, signals propagated from early visual regions and reverberated along reciprocal connections to temporal, parietal and frontal cortices, while in contrast, the network was driven by both early visual and prefrontal inputs in older adults with reported normal or corrected-to-normal vision. Previously thought of as exceptions to the rule of bottom-up signal propagation, our results demonstrate a prominent role for prefrontal inputs in driving vision in aged brains in line with lifespan-dependent predictive neural codes.
Staircase Quantum Dots Configuration in Nanowires for Optimized Thermoelectric Power
Authors: Li Lijie , Jiang Jian-Hua 
Published: August 2016

AbstractThe performance of thermoelectric energy harvesters can be improved by nanostructures that exploit inelastic transport processes. One prototype is the three-terminal hopping thermoelectric device where electron hopping between quantum-dots are driven by hot phonons. Such three-terminal hopping thermoelectric devices have potential in achieving high efficiency or power via inelastic transport and without relying on heavy-elements or toxic compounds. We show in this work how output power of the device can be optimized via tuning the number and energy configuration of the quantum-dots embedded in parallel nanowires. We find that the staircase energy configuration with constant energy-step can improve the power factor over a serial connection of a single pair of quantum-dots. Moreover, for a fixed energy-step, there is an optimal length for the nanowire. Similarly for a fixed number of quantum-dots there is an optimal energy-step for the output power. Our results are important for future developments of high-performance nanostructured thermoelectric devices.
Transcriptome and proteome characterization of surface ectoderm cells differentiated from human iPSCs
Authors: Qu Ying , Zhou Bo , Yang Wei , Han Bingchen , Yu-Rice Yi , Gao Bowen , Johnson Jeffery , Svendsen Clive N. , Freeman Michael R. , Giuliano Armando E. , Sareen Dhruv , Cui Xiaojiang 
Published: August 2016

AbstractSurface ectoderm (SE) cells give rise to structures including the epidermis and ectodermal associated appendages such as hair, eye and the mammary gland. In this study, we validate a protocol that utilizes BMP4 and the γ-secretase inhibitor DAPT to induce SE differentiation from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs). hiPSC-differentiated SE cells expressed markers suggesting their commitment to the SE lineage. Computational analyses using integrated quantitative transcriptomic and proteomic profiling reveal that TGFβ superfamily signaling pathways are preferentially activated in SE cells compared with hiPSCs. SE differentiation can be enhanced by selectively blocking TGFβ-RI signaling. We also show that SE cells and neural ectoderm cells possess distinct gene expression patterns and signaling networks as indicated by functional Ingenuity Pathway Analysis. Our findings advance current understanding of early human SE cell development and pave the way for modeling of SE-derived tissue development, studying disease pathogenesis and development of regenerative medicine approaches.
Indoxyl sulfate potentiates skeletal muscle atrophy by inducing the oxidative stress-mediated expression of myostatin and atrogin-1
Authors: Enoki Yuki , Watanabe Hiroshi , Arake Riho , Sugimoto Ryusei , Imafuku Tadashi , Tominaga Yuna , Ishima Yu , Kotani Shunsuke , Nakajima Makoto , Tanaka Motoko , Matsushita Kazutaka , Fukagawa Masafumi , Otagiri Masaki , Maruyama Toru 
Published: August 2016

AbstractSkeletal muscle atrophy, referred to as sarcopenia, is often observed in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients, especially in patients who are undergoing hemodialysis. The purpose of this study was to determine whether uremic toxins are involved in CKD-related skeletal muscle atrophy. Among six protein-bound uremic toxins, indole containing compounds, indoxyl sulfate (IS) significantly inhibited proliferation and myotube formation in C2C12 myoblast cells. IS increased the factors related to skeletal muscle breakdown, such as reactive oxygen species (ROS) and inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6 and TGF-β1) in C2C12 cells. IS also enhanced the production of muscle atrophy-related genes, myostatin and atrogin-1. These effects induced by IS were suppressed in the presence of an antioxidant or inhibitors of the organic anion transporter and aryl hydrocarbon receptor. The administered IS was distributed to skeletal muscle and induced superoxide production in half-nephrectomized (1/2 Nx) mice. The chronic administration of IS significantly reduced the body weights accompanied by skeletal muscle weight loss. Similar to the in vitro data, IS induced the expression of myostatin and atrogin-1 in addition to increasing the production of inflammatory cytokines by enhancing oxidative stress in skeletal muscle. These data suggest that IS has the potential to accelerate skeletal muscle atrophy by inducing oxidative stress-mediated myostatin and atrogin-1 expression.
Structural basis for the CsrA-dependent modulation of translation initiation by an ancient regulatory protein
Authors: Altegoer Florian , Rensing Stefan A. , Bange Gert 
Published: August 2016

Significance
CsrA proteins are repressors of translation that target the Shine–Dalgarno sequence of the ribosome-binding site. Small noncoding RNAs competitively sequester CsrA by offering multiple binding sites that mimic the Shine–Dalgarno. Antagonism of CsrA by small noncoding RNAs is a widely conserved mechanism of posttranscriptional regulation. Here we present the first crystal structure of protein FliW, which allosterically regulates CsrA in a highly specific manner. Our phylogenetic analysis reveals that the FliW–CsrA regulon is subject to coevolution and represents the ancestral state in flagellated bacteria.
Endogenous macrophage migration inhibitory factor reduces the accumulation and toxicity of misfolded SOD1 in a mouse model of ALS
Authors: Leyton-Jaimes Marcel F. , Benaim Clara , Abu-Hamad Salah , Kahn Joy , Guetta Amos , Bucala Richard , Israelson Adrian 
Published: August 2016

SignificanceAmyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) can be caused by mutations in superoxide dismutase (SOD1), which lead to the accumulation of misfolded SOD1 proteins and to the death of motor neurons. Here we show that endogenous macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) acts as a chaperone for misfolded SOD1 in vivo, because completely eliminating MIF in a mutant SOD1 mouse model of familial ALS enhanced the accumulation of misfolded SOD1, accelerated disease onset and late disease progression, and shortened the lifespan of mice expressing mutant SOD1. This study thus sheds light on the important implications of modulating MIF levels and provides insight into the potential therapeutic role of MIF in suppressing the selective accumulation of misfolded SOD1 in ALS.
Nutrition mediates the expression of cultivar–farmer conflict in a fungus-growing ant
Authors: Shik Jonathan Z. , Gomez Ernesto B. , Kooij Pepijn W. , Santos Juan C. , Wcislo William T. , Boomsma Jacobus J. 
Published: August 2016

Significance
Early subsistence farming implied significant physiological challenges for Neolithic farmers until they genetically isolated their crops through artificial selection and polyploidization. The attine ants faced analogous challenges when they adopted fungus farming 55–60 Mya. Whereas evolutionarily derived attine lineages irreversibly domesticated cultivars approximately 25 Mya and ultimately realized industrial-scale farming, basal lineages retained small-scale farming, diversified, and now coexist with advanced fungus-farmers in most New World tropical ecosystems. We show that management of independent sexual reproduction in cultivars constrained farming productivity, echoing early human farming of unspecialized low-productivity crops. Loss of cultivar gene exchange with nondomesticated relatives likely reduced host–symbiont conflict over reproduction, fostering the rise of ecologically dominant ant-agriculture.
Processing and properties of CuAl2 intermetallic coatings
Authors: Abbasi M. , Verdian M. M. 
Published: August 2016

CuAl2 intermetallic powders were consolidated using an atmospheric plasma spraying process. Based on X-ray diffractometry results, no phase change occurred during thermal spraying. The investigation of optical micrographs showed that about 7% porosity was present in the microstructure of the coatings. The coatings showed hardness value up to 575 HV(50 g). The polarisation tests and electrochemical spectroscopy measurements were utilised for electrochemical investigation of the coatings in 1 M H2SO4 and 3.5% NaCl media. In H2SO4 environment, the coated and uncoated samples showed similar corrosion rates. However, the coating showed a lower corrosion rate than the substrate in NaCl solution by an order of magnitude. Corrosion of the steel substrate occurred in the NaCl solution, no corrosion was observed in the H2SO4. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT
Identification of types of landings after blocking in volleyball associated with risk of ACL injury
Authors: Zahradnik David , Jandacka Daniel , Farana Roman , Uchytil Jaroslav , Hamill Joseph 
Published: August 2016

AbstractLanding with a low knee flexion angle after volleyball block jumps may be associated with an increased risk of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. The aim of the present study was to identify the types of volleyball landings after blocks where the knee flexion angle is found to be under a critical knee flexion angle value of 30° at the instant of the first peak of the ground reaction force (GRF). Synchronized kinematic and kinetic data were collected for each trial. T‐tests were used to determine if each knee flexion angle at the instant of the peak GRF was significantly different from the critical value of 30°. A repeated measures ANOVA was used to compare knee flexion angle, time to first peak and the magnitude of the first peak of the resultant GRF and knee stiffness. Significantly lower knee flexion angles were found in the “go” landing (p = .01, ES = 0.6) and the “reverse” landing (p = .02, ES = 0.6) only. The results for knee flexion angle and GRF parameters indicated a significant difference between a “reverse” and “go” and other types of landings, except the “side stick” landing for GRF. The “reverse” and “go” landings may present a risk for ACL injury due to the single‐leg landing of these activities that have an associated mediolateral movement.
Visualising the electron density structure of blobs and studying its possible effect on neutral turbulence
Authors: de la Cal E. 
Published: August 2016

Abstract
The electron density n
e of turbulent coherent structures (blobs) has been measured at the edge plasma of the TJ-II stellarator using the helium line ratio technique. A spectroscopic high-speed camera set-up allowed 2D imaging of n
e with spatial resolutions of a few millimetres and exposure times down to 15 µs. The turbulent plasma density structures have been compared with the raw helium emission structures, which in principle should be similar due to the expected relation between both, and although generally positive (negative) emission structures correspond to n
e blobs (holes), we see that the shape is different and that in some cases there is even no correspondence at all. A possible explanation could be that the neutral distribution, which relates the intensity emission with the n
e, varies on the same spatio-temporal scale as the plasma turbulence. This would be the case if the local n
e variations of blobs and holes regulated the neutral density through ionisation, making it also turbulent within our experimental frequency (<100 kHz) and spatial scale (>1 cm). To study this point we simulate the neutrals with a simple transport model to reconstruct the corresponding measured emission profiles using the experimentally obtained n
e and T
e radial profiles. We do this for two cases: one where the neutral distribution is stationary and another where the atoms respond to the measured n
e blob and get locally depleted through ionisation. Comparing the simulated and experimental emission profiles and looking at the characteristic ionisation times we find clear indications that point to the fact that slow thermal neutrals could react to the plasma fluctuations in the 10–100 kHz frequency range, also becoming turbulent.
Des tribades et des godemichés: mollesses viriles dans le
Recueil des dames
de Brantôme
Authors: Maira Daniel 
Published: August 2016

Abstract

Dans le
Recueil des dames
, Brantôme s’intéresse aux pratiques sexuelles des tribades, perçues comme des femmes viriles qui usurpent la vigueur sexuelle des mâles et qui trahissent, par conséquent, leur genre. Brantôme interroge les enjeux liés à la virilité: deux femmes qui s’amusent entre elles, resteraient-elles deux sujets féminins à part entière, ou faudra-t-il plutôt que l’une d’entre elles soit virile ou se virilise afin de se conformer à un modèle de performativité sexuelle qui reproduit le binarisme masculin/féminin et actif/passif? Cet article s’intéresse à la notion renaissante de mollesse par le biais de la représentation et de la construction du masculin dans des scènes qui racontent les relations (homo)sexuelles féminines. Est étudié d’abord le flottement du genre dans les relations lesbiennes: comment les frontières du masculin/féminin sont-elles obligées à se repositionner à chaque fois qu’on s’écarte du modèle qui plaide pour une hétérosexualité obligatoire et androcentrique? Peut-on parler d’un trouble de l’identification masculine, dans le sens que le masculin pourrait se sentir déstabilisé s’il devient remplaçable dans l’une des fonctions qui définissent sa virilité? La performativité du masculin sera ainsi abordée à partir d’une ‘technosexualité’, en l’occurrence avec des godemichés, qui multiplie et diversifie les formes de l’érotisme féminin.
On Seed Transmissibility of Soybean vein necrosis-associated virus in Symptomless Soybean Seedlings
Authors: Hajimorad M. R. 
Published: August 2016

A letter regarding a recent PLoS One paper, in which Groves et al (2016) claims that Soybean vein necrosis-associated virus (SVNaV) was seed transmissible in symptomless seedlings derived from a seed lot of a field-grown soybean variety with symptoms indicative of virus infection. Accepted for publication 28 July 2016.