bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Grazing exclusion by fencing non-linearly restored the degraded alpine grasslands on the Tibetan Plateau
Authors: Wu Jianshuang , Feng Yunfei , Zhang Xianzhou , Wurst Susanne , Tietjen Britta , Tarolli Paolo , Song Chunqiao 
Published: November 2017

AbstractResilience is an important aspect of the non-linear restoration of disturbed ecosystems. Fenced grassland patches on the northern Tibetan Plateau can be used to examine the resistance and resilience of degraded alpine grasslands to grazing and to a changing climate. To examine the non-linearity of restoration, we used moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS) normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) as a proxy for productivity during a ten-year restoration by fencing. Degraded alpine grasslands exhibited three restoration trajectories: an equilibrium in meadows, a non-linear increase across steppes, and an abrupt impulse in desert-steppes following a slight increase in productivity. Combined with weather conditions, the ten-year grazing exclusion has successfully enhanced the NDVI on the most degraded steppes, but did not do so efficiently on either meadows or desert-steppes. Warming favors the NDVI enhancement of degraded meadows, but higher temperatures limited the restoration of degraded steppes and desert-steppes. Precipitation is necessary to restore degraded alpine grasslands, but more precipitation might be useless for meadows due to lower temperatures and for desert-steppes due to limitations caused by the small species pool. We suggest that detailed field observations of community compositional changes are necessary to better understand the mechanisms behind such non-linear ecological restorations.
Flexible Fe3O4@Carbon Nanofibers Hierarchically Assembled with MnO2 Particles for High-Performance Supercapacitor Electrodes
Authors: Iqbal Nousheen , Wang Xianfeng , Babar Aijaz Ahmed , Zainab Ghazala , Yu Jianyong , Ding Bin 
Published: November 2017

AbstractIncreasing use of wearable electronic devices have resulted in enhanced demand for highly flexible supercapacitor electrodes with superior electrochemical performance. In this study, flexible composite membranes with electrosprayed MnO2 particles uniformly anchored on Fe3O4 doped electrospun carbon nanofibers (Fe3O4@CNFMn) have been prepared as flexible electrodes for high-performance supercapacitors. The interconnected porous beaded structure ensures free movement of electrolyte within the composite membranes, therefore, the developed supercapacitor electrodes not only offer high specific capacitance of ~306 F/g, but also exhibit good capacitance retention of ~85% after 2000 cycles, which certify that the synthesized electrodes offer high and stable electrochemical performance. Additionally, the supercapacitors fabricated from our developed electrodes well maintain their performance under flexural stress and exhibit a very minute change in specific capacitance even up to 180° bending angle. The developed electrode fabrication strategy integrating electrospinning and electrospray techniques paves new insights into the development of potential functional nanofibrous materials for light weight and flexible wearable supercapacitors.
Differential T Cell Signaling Pathway Activation by Tacrolimus and Belatacept after Kidney Transplantation: Post Hoc Analysis of a Randomised-Controlled Trial
Authors: Kannegieter Nynke M. , Hesselink Dennis A. , Dieterich Marjolein , de Graav Gretchen N. , Kraaijeveld Rens , Baan Carla C. 
Published: November 2017

AbstractPharmacokinetic immunosuppressive drug monitoring poorly correlates with clinical outcomes after solid organ transplantation. A promising method for pharmacodynamic monitoring of tacrolimus (TAC) in T cell subsets of transplant recipients might be the measurement of (phosphorylated) p38MAPK, ERK1/2 and Akt (activated downstream of the T cell receptor) by phospho-specific flow cytometry. Here, blood samples from n = 40 kidney transplant recipients (treated with either TAC-based or belatacept (BELA)-based immunosuppressive drug therapy) were monitored before and throughout the first year after transplantation. After transplantation and in unstimulated samples, p-p38MAPK and p-Akt were inhibited in CD8+ T cells and p-ERK in CD4+ T cells but only in patients who received TAC-based therapy. After activation with PMA/ionomycin, p-p38MAPK and p-AKT were significantly inhibited in CD4+ and CD8+ T cells when TAC was given, compared to pre-transplantation. Eleven BELA-treated patients had a biopsy-proven acute rejection, which was associated with higher p-ERK levels in both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells compared to patients without rejection. In conclusion, phospho-specific flow cytometry is a promising tool to pharmacodynamically monitor TAC-based therapy. In contrast to TAC-based therapy, BELA-based immunosuppression does not inhibit key T cell activation pathways which may contribute to the high rejection incidence among BELA-treated transplant recipients.
Potential damaging mutation in LRP5 from genome sequencing of the first reported chimpanzee with the Chiari malformation
Authors: Solis-Moruno Manuel , de Manuel Marc , Hernandez-Rodriguez Jessica , Fontsere Claudia , Gomara-Castaño Alba , Valsera-Naranjo Cristina , Crailsheim Dietmar , Navarro Arcadi , Llorente Miquel , Riera Laura , Feliu-Olleta Olga , Marques-Bonet Tomas 
Published: November 2017

AbstractThe genus Pan is the closest related to humans (Homo sapiens) and it includes two species: Pan troglodytes (chimpanzees) and Pan paniscus (bonobos). Different characteristics, some of biomedical aspect, separate them from us. For instance, some common human medical conditions are rare in chimpanzees (menopause, Alzheimer disease) although it is unclear to which extent longevity plays an active role in these differences. However, both humans and chimpanzees present similar pathologies, thus, understanding traits in chimpanzees can help unravel the molecular basis of human conditions. Here, we sequenced the genome of Nico, a central chimpanzee diagnosed with a particular biomedical condition, the Chiari malformation. We performed a variant calling analysis comparing his genome to 25 whole genomes from healthy individuals (bonobos and chimpanzees), and after predicting the effects of the genetic variants, we looked for genes within the OMIM database. We found a novel, private, predicted as damaging mutation in Nico in LRP5, a gene related to bone density alteration pathologies, and we suggest a link between this mutation and his Chiari malformation as previously shown in humans. Our results reinforce the idea that a comparison between humans and chimpanzees can be established in this genetic frame of common diseases.
Induction of glucose uptake in skeletal muscle by central leptin is mediated by muscle β2-adrenergic receptor but not by AMPK
Authors: Shiuchi Tetsuya , Toda Chitoku , Okamoto Shiki , Coutinho Eulalia A. , Saito Kumiko , Miura Shinji , Ezaki Osamu , Minokoshi Yasuhiko 
Published: November 2017

AbstractLeptin increases glucose uptake and fatty acid oxidation (FAO) in red-type skeletal muscle. However, the mechanism remains unknown. We have investigated the role of β2-adrenergic receptor (AR), the major β-AR isoform in skeletal muscle, and AMPK in leptin-induced muscle glucose uptake of mice. Leptin injection into the ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH) increased 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2DG) uptake in red-type skeletal muscle in wild-type (WT) mice accompanied with increased phosphorylation of the insulin receptor (IR) and Akt as well as of norepinephrine (NE) turnover in the muscle. Leptin-induced 2DG uptake was not observed in β-AR-deficient (β-less) mice despite that AMPK phosphorylation was increased in the muscle. Forced expression of β2-AR in the unilateral hind limb of β-less mice restored leptin-induced glucose uptake and enhancement of insulin signalling in red-type skeletal muscle. Leptin increased 2DG uptake and enhanced insulin signalling in red-type skeletal muscle of mice expressing a dominant negative form of AMPK (DN-AMPK) in skeletal muscle. Thus, leptin increases glucose uptake and enhances insulin signalling in red-type skeletal muscle via activation of sympathetic nerves and β2-AR in muscle and in a manner independent of muscle AMPK.
Detection of genomic loci associated with chromosomal recombination using high-density linkage mapping in Setaria
Authors: Jia Guanqing , Wang Haigang , Tang Sha , Zhi Hui , Liu Sichen , Wen Qifen , Qiao Zhijun , Diao Xianmin 
Published: November 2017

AbstractMeiotic recombination is essential to sexual reproduction and the generation of genetic diversity. Variation in recombination rates is presently of particular interest due to efforts being made to increase the rate of genetic gain in agricultural crops by breaking up large linkage disequilibrium blocks containing both beneficial and detrimental alleles. Here, a high-density genetic linkage map of Setaria was constructed using tunable genotyping by sequencing (tGBS) analysis of a population of recombinant inbred lines (RILs). Several regions of the Setaria genome exhibited significant levels of segregation distortion (SD), and recombination crossovers (COs) were also detected. The regions with high SD generally tended to have fewer COs, particularly for pericentromeric chromosomal areas. Recombination crossovers detected in Setaria were unevenly distributed across the genome and occurred more often in intergenic regions. Quantitative trait loci (QTLs) contributing towards the recombination frequency (Type I) and occurrence of COs in designated loci (Type II) were identified, and Type II QTLs garnered higher statistical power. The result of this study suggest that QTLs analysis of Type II traits using RILs might provide an opportunity to further understand meiotic recombination using high throughput genome sequencing and genotyping technologies.
Field-relevant doses of the systemic insecticide fipronil and fungicide pyraclostrobin impair mandibular and hypopharyngeal glands in nurse honeybees (Apis mellifera)
Authors: Zaluski Rodrigo , Justulin Luis Antonio , Orsi Ricardo de Oliveira 
Published: November 2017

AbstractGlobal decreases in bee populations emphasize the importance of assessing how environmental stressors affect colony maintenance, especially considering the extreme task specialization observed in honeybee societies. Royal jelly, a protein secretion essential to colony nutrition, is produced by nurse honeybees, and development of bee mandibular glands, which comprise a reservoir surrounded by secretory cells and hypopharyngeal glands that are shaped by acini, is directly associated with production of this secretion. Here, we examined individual and combined effects of the systemic fungicide pyraclostrobin and insecticide fipronil in field-relevant doses (850 and 2.5 ppb, respectively) on mandibular and hypopharyngeal glands in nurse honeybees. Six days of pesticide treatment decreased secretory cell height in mandibular glands. When pyraclostrobin and fipronil were combined, the reservoir volume in mandibular glands also decreased. The total number of acini in hypopharyngeal glands was not affected, but pesticide treatment reduced the number of larger acini while increasing smaller acini. These morphological impairments appeared to reduce royal jelly secretion by nurse honeybees and consequently hampered colony maintenance. Overall, pesticide exposure in doses close to those experienced by bees in the field impaired brood-food glands in nurse honeybees, a change that could negatively influence development, survival, and colony maintenance.
The gene fmt, encoding tRNAfMet-formyl transferase, is essential for normal growth of M. bovis, but not for viability
Authors: Vanunu Miriam , Lang Ziv , Barkan Daniel 
Published: November 2017

AbstractMycobacterium tuberculosis is a major health threat, necessitating novel drug targets. Protein synthesis in bacteria uses initiator tRNAi charged with formylated methionine residue. Deletion of the formylase gene, tRNAfMet-formyl transferase (fmt), causes severe growth-retardation in E. coli and in S. pneumoniae, but not in P. aeruginosa or S. aureus. fmt was predicted to be essential in M. tuberculosis by transposon library analysis, but this was never formally tested in any mycobacteria. We performed a targeted deletion of fmt in M. smegmatis as well as Mtb-complex (M. bovis). In both cases, we created a mero-diploid strain, deleted the native gene by two-step allelic exchange or specialized-phage transduction, and then removed the complementing gene to create full deletion mutants. In M. smegmatis a full deletion strain could be easily created. In contrast, in M. bovis-BCG, a full deletion strain could only be created after incubation of 6 weeks, with a generation time ~2 times longer than for wt bacteria. Our results confirm the importance of this gene in pathogenic mycobacteria, but as the deletion mutant is viable, validity of fmt as a drug target remains unclear. Our results also refute the previous reports that fmt is essential in M. tuberculosis-complex.
Toxoplasma gondii tachyzoite-extract acts as a potent immunomodulator against allergic sensitization and airway inflammation
Authors: Drinić Mirjana , Wagner Angelika , Sarate Priya , Zwicker Christian , Korb Elke , Loupal Gerhard , Peschke Roman , Joachim Anja , Wiedermann Ursula , Schabussova Irma 
Published: November 2017

AbstractEpidemiological and experimental studies have shown an inverse relationship between infections with certain parasites and a reduced incidence of allergic diseases. We and others have shown that infection with Toxoplasma gondii prevents the development of allergy in mice. To establish whether this beneficial effect could be recapitulated by soluble products of this parasite, we tested an extract derived from T. gondii tachyzoites. Immunization of BALB/c mice with tachyzoites lysate antigen (TLA) elicited mixed Th1/Th2 responses. When TLA was applied together with the sensitizing ovalbumin (OVA), the development of allergic airway inflammation was reduced, with decreased airway hyperresponsiveness associated with reduced peribronchial and perivascular cellular infiltration, reduced production of OVA-specific Th2 cytokines in lungs and spleens and reduced levels of serum OVA-specific IgG1 as well as IgE-dependent basophil degranulation. Of note, TLA retained its immunomodulatory properties, inducing high levels of IL-6, TNFα, IL-10 and IL-12p70 in bone marrow-derived dendritic cells after heat-inactivation or proteinase K-treatment for disruption of proteins, but not after sodium metaperiodate-treatment that degrades carbohydrate structures, suggesting that carbohydrates may play a role in immunomodulatory properties of TLA. Here we show that extracts derived from parasites may replicate the benefits of parasitic infection, offering new therapies for immune-mediated disorders.
Unlocking the biomineralization style and affinity of Paleozoic fusulinid foraminifera
Authors: Dubicka Zofia , Gorzelak Przemysław 
Published: November 2017

AbstractFusulinids are the most diverse, abundant and geographically widespread Paleozoic foraminifera which are widely considered to possess a “homogeneously microgranular” test microstructure composed of subangular grains of several micrometers in size. However, this texture appears to be a diagenetic artifact. Here we describe well-preserved Devonian calcareous fusulinids (Nanicella) from the Holy Cross Mountains (HCM) in central Poland. Foraminifera from Poland in which the primary nature of tests have not been masked by diagenesis are composed of low magnesium calcite spherical grains up to about 100 nanometers in diameter, identical to those observed in Recent and fossil hyaline foraminifera (Rotaliida, Globothalamea). These data call the paradigm of microgranular test microstructure of Foraminifera into question, and suggest a possible phylogenetic relationship between globothalamids and some fusulinids.
The role of TLRs in cervical cancer with HPV infection: a review
Authors: Yang Xiao , Cheng Yanxiang , Li Chunsheng 
Published: November 2017

AbstractThe main cause of cervical cancer is persistent infection with high-risk human papilloma virus (HR-HPV), but not all human papilloma virus (HPV) infections lead to cervical cancer. The key factors that determine the outcome of HPV infection remain poorly understood, and how the host immune system protects against HPV infection is unclear. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are a group of pattern recognition receptors present in the cytoplasm and cell membrane, and can specifically recognize pathogen-associated molecular patterns. As the key molecules of innate and acquired immunity, TLRs not only play important roles in the immune defense against infectious diseases, but also are involved in the occurrence and development of a variety of malignant tumors. In cervical cancer caused by HR-HPV infection, TLRs have been found to regulate the local immune microenvironment. The role of TLRs in HR-HPV infection and HPV-induced cervical cancer and its relationship with HPV vaccine are reviewed in this article.
Bias non‐conservation characteristics of drain current noise of 40 nm n‐MOSFETs in high‐frequency band
Authors: Wang Jun 
Published: November 2017

The behaviours of drain current noise of 40 nm n‐MOSFETs are distinguished by comparing with 120 nm n‐MOSFETs over an extended range of bias voltages and temperature. The measurement results strongly indicate that the high‐frequency noise mechanism of 40 nm n‐MOSFETs is changed from suppressed shot noise to thermal noise on conditions of low‐voltage weak interaction.
Five to 25 Gb/s continuous time linear equaliser with transversal architecture
Authors: Zhang H. , Monaco E. , Bassi M. , Mazzanti A. 
Published: November 2017

Transceivers for backplane serial links operating up to 25 Gb/s demand flexible equalisers with high accuracy in matching the channel response. A continuous time linear equaliser (CTLE) with a transversal architecture features variable DC gain and two zeros that can be tuned independently. The transversal architecture yields a paraboloid mean‐square‐error surface, allowing optimal adaptation through gradient descent algorithms. The CTLE was realised in a 28 nm CMOS technology and measurements are presented at data rate from 5 to 25 Gb/s across 20 dB‐loss channels. Core power dissipation is 17 mW from 1 V supply and horizontal eye opening at BER 10−12 is equal or larger than 50%, comparing favourably against previously reported equalisers targeting similar data‐rate and channel loss.
First demonstration of commodity L2 switch‐based passive optical network
Authors: Nishimoto K. , Yamada T. , Kani J. , Otaka A. 
Published: November 2017

The ‘commoditisation’ (i.e. using commodity hardware or commodity device as a hardware platform for network equipment) and ‘softwarisation’ (i.e. implementing the network function of the target equipment by software) have recently become big trends among communication carriers struggling to balance cost‐efficiency and service flexibility. Especially in optical access networks, the concept of the commodity layer 2 (L2) switch‐based passive optical network (PON) is attracting attention, but performance demonstrations have not been reported. This Letter offers the first performance demonstration of the L2 switch‐based gigabit ethernet PON prototype constructed with an L2 switch and software‐based PON‐specific functions. The prototype achieves nearly 1 Gbps throughput in one‐way transmission. Moreover, an additional numerical analysis confirms that the authors proposed architecture can accommodate sufficient PON port number.
Copper-Catalyzed Oxidation of Hydrosilanes: A New Method for the Synthesis of Alkyl- and Siloxysilanols
Authors: Arzumanyan Ashot , Goncharova Irina , Novikov Roman , Milenin Sergey , Muzafarov Aziz 
Published: November 2017

A simple method for the preparation of silanols from the corresponding hydrosilanes is reported. The method employs a commercially available oxidizing system based on CuCO3/t-BuOOH(aq) under relatively mild conditions (80 °C, atmospheric pressure) with acetonitrile as the solvent. Furthermore, we present a method that permits the Si−H group to be oxidized to a Si−OH group not only in triethylsilane, but also in bis(trimethylsiloxy)methylsilane, a siloxy derivative of hydrosilane. The products were isolated in gram amounts in yields of 61–73%.
New and Emerging Therapies for Uterine Fibroids
Authors: Fritton Kate , Borahay Mostafa 
Published: November 2017

AbstractThe pain, bleeding, and anemia associated with uterine fibroids debilitate many women. In addition to limited efficacy, the side effects of the currently used medical therapies prevent long-term use and nearly all pregnancies. Thus, women hoping to achieve pregnancy have limited options and usually opt for myomectomy. Once completed childbearing, many patients proceed with hysterectomy despite its risks and costs. Thus, there is a clear need for a new medical treatment for fibroids that is safe and effective. To this end, researchers have investigated several new treatments over the recent years, including both hormonal and nonhormonal ones. Some examples include selective progesterone receptor modulators, vitamin D, aromatase inhibitors, gene therapy, simvastatin, nanoparticles, epigallocatechin gallate, and intratumor collagenase injections. The aim of this article is to review and critically analyze the evidence (both laboratory and clinical) for these emerging therapies. We will discuss strengths and weaknesses of studies, areas where further evidence is needed, and finally deliberate on novel targets potentially amenable for development of future therapeutics.
Origin of Uterine Fibroids: Conversion of Myometrial Stem Cells to Tumor-Initiating Cells
Authors: Elkafas Hoda , Qiwei Yang , Al-Hendy Ayman 
Published: November 2017

AbstractUterine fibroids (UFs) are the most frequent gynecologic tumors, affecting 70 to 80% of women over their lifetime, Although these tumors are benign, they can cause significant morbidity and may require invasive treatments such as myomectomy and hysterectomy in premenopausal women at a cost of up to $34 billion per year. Many risk factors for these tumors have been identified, including environmental exposures to endocrine-disrupting chemicals such as genistein and diethylstilbestrol (and other environmental agents) resulting in hyper-responsiveness to hormone in the adult uterus and promotion of hormone-dependent UFs. Although the molecular mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of UFs is largely unknown, a growing body of evidence implicates unfavorable early-life environmental exposure and multiple biological pathways express as potentially import contributors. In this article, we will review the role of genetic and epigenetics in the conversion of myometrial stem cells to tumor (fibroid) initiating cells, and their role in UF development.