bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Increased NRG1-ErbB4 signaling in human symptomatic epilepsy
Authors: Zhu Jun-Ming , Li Ke-Xin , Cao Shu-Xia , Chen Xiao-Juan , Shen Chen-Jie , Zhang Ying , Geng Hong-Yan , Chen Bi-Qing , Lian Hong , Zhang Jian-Min , Li Xiao-Ming 
Published: March 2017

AbstractPrevious studies have shown that the neuregulin 1 (NRG1)-ErbB4 signaling pathway may regulate the excitability of fast-spiking neurons in the frontal cortex and participate in primary epilepsy pathogenesis. However, the exact roles and mechanism for NRG1/ErbB4 in human symptomatic epilepsy are still unclear. Using fresh human symptomatic epilepsy tissues, we found that the protein levels of NRG1 and ErbB4 were significantly increased in the temporal cortex. In addition, NRG1-ErbB4 signaling suppressed phosphorylation of GluN2B at position 1472 by Src kinase, and decreased levels of phosphorylation level of GluN2B and Src were detected in human symptomatic epilepsy tissues. Our study revealed a critical role of the NRG1-ErbB4 signaling pathway in symptomatic epilepsy, which is different from that in primary epilepsy, and we propose that the NRG1-ErbB4 signaling may act as a homeostasis modulator that protects the brain from aggravation of epileptiform activity.
Plasticity, elasticity, and adhesion energy of plant cell walls: nanometrology of lignin loss using atomic force microscopy
Authors: Farahi R. H. , Charrier A. M. , Tolbert A. , Lereu A. L. , Ragauskas A. , Davison B. H. , Passian A. 
Published: March 2017

AbstractThe complex organic polymer, lignin, abundant in plants, prevents the efficient extraction of sugars from the cell walls that is required for large scale biofuel production. Because lignin removal is crucial in overcoming this challenge, the question of how the nanoscale properties of the plant cell ultrastructure correlate with delignification processes is important. Here, we report how distinct molecular domains can be identified and how physical quantities of adhesion energy, elasticity, and plasticity undergo changes, and whether such quantitative observations can be used to characterize delignification. By chemically processing biomass, and employing nanometrology, the various stages of lignin removal are shown to be distinguished through the observed morphochemical and nanomechanical variations. Such spatially resolved correlations between chemistry and nanomechanics during deconstruction not only provide a better understanding of the cell wall architecture but also is vital for devising optimum chemical treatments.
Arterial graft with elastic layer structure grown from cells
Authors: Yokoyama Utako , Tonooka Yuta , Koretake Ryoma , Akimoto Taisuke , Gonda Yuki , Saito Junichi , Umemura Masanari , Fujita Takayuki , Sakuma Shinya , Arai Fumihito , Kaneko Makoto , Ishikawa Yoshihiro 
Published: March 2017

AbstractShortage of autologous blood vessel sources and disadvantages of synthetic grafts have increased interest in the development of tissue-engineered vascular grafts. However, tunica media, which comprises layered elastic laminae, largely determines arterial elasticity, and is difficult to synthesize. Here, we describe a method for fabrication of arterial grafts with elastic layer structure from cultured human vascular SMCs by periodic exposure to extremely high hydrostatic pressure (HP) during repeated cell seeding. Repeated slow cycles (0.002 Hz) between 110 and 180 kPa increased stress-fiber polymerization and fibronectin fibrillogenesis on SMCs, which is required for elastic fiber formation. To fabricate arterial grafts, seeding of rat vascular SMCs and exposure to the periodic HP were repeated alternatively ten times. The obtained medial grafts were highly elastic and tensile rupture strength was 1451 ± 159 mmHg, in which elastic fibers were abundantly formed. The patch medial grafts were sutured at the rat aorta and found to be completely patent and endothelialized after 2.5 months, although tubular medial constructs implanted in rats as interpositional aortic grafts withstood arterial blood pressure only in early acute phase. This novel organized self-assembly method would enable mass production of scaffold-free arterial grafts in vitro and have potential therapeutic applications for cardiovascular diseases.
Local entrainment of oscillatory activity induced by direct brain stimulation in humans
Authors: Amengual Julià L. , Vernet Marine , Adam Claude , Valero-Cabré Antoni 
Published: March 2017

AbstractIn a quest for direct evidence of oscillation entrainment, we analyzed intracerebral electroencephalographic recordings obtained during intracranial electrical stimulation in a cohort of three medication-resistant epilepsy patients tested pre-surgically. Spectral analyses of non-epileptogenic cerebral sites stimulated directly with high frequency electrical bursts yielded episodic local enhancements of frequency-specific rhythmic activity, phase-locked to each individual pulse. These outcomes reveal an entrainment of physiological oscillatory activity within a frequency band dictated by the rhythm of the stimulation source. Our results support future uses of rhythmic stimulation to elucidate the causal contributions of synchrony to specific aspects of human cognition and to further develop the therapeutic manipulation of dysfunctional rhythmic activity subtending the symptoms of some neuropsychiatric conditions.
High Operating Temperature and Low Power Consumption Boron Nitride Nanosheets Based Broadband UV Photodetector
Authors: Rivera Manuel , Velázquez Rafael , Aldalbahi Ali , Zhou Andrew F. , Feng Peter 
Published: March 2017

AbstractWe extend our work on the use of digitally controlled pulsed laser plasma deposition (PLPD) technique to synthesize high quality, 2-dimensional single crystalline boron nitride nanosheets (BNNSs) at a low substrate temperature for applications in high-performance deep UV photodetectors. The obtained sample consists of a large amount of BNNSs partially overlapping one another with random orientations. Each sheet is composed of a few (from 2 to 10) stacked atomic layers exhibiting high transparency due to its highly ordered hBN crystallinity. Deep UV detectors based on the obtained BNNSs were designed, fabricated, and tested. The bias and temperature effects on the photocurrent strength and the signal-to-noise ratio have been carefully characterized and discussed. A significant shift in the cut off wavelength of the BNNSs based photodetectors was observed suggesting a band gap reduction as a result of the BNNSs’ collective structure. The newly designed photodetector presented exceptional properties: a high sensitivity to weak intensities of radiation in both UVC and UVB range while remaining visible-blind, and a high signal-to-noise ratio operation even at temperatures as high as 400 °C. In addition, the BNNSs based photodetector exhibited potential for self-powered operation.
TRIP13-deficient tubular epithelial cells are susceptible to apoptosis following acute kidney injury
Authors: Pressly Jeffrey D. , Hama Taketsugu , Brien Shannon O’ , Regner Kevin R. , Park Frank 
Published: March 2017

AbstractDamage to renal tubular epithelial cells by genetic, environmental, or biological insults can initiate complex signaling mechanisms that promote kidney repair and functional recovery. In this study, we demonstrated that thyroid receptor interacting protein 13 (TRIP13) is a critical modulator of tubular epithelial cell repair following ischemia‐reperfusion injury (IRI), a common type of renal stressor. InTrip13Gt/Gthypomorph mice treated with unilateral renal IRI, persistent tubular epithelial cell damage was determined in the IRI-treated kidney throughout the 168 hours of experimental period compared to the contralateral kidneys. The damaged epithelial cells were associated with increased levels of DNA damage (ɣH2AX) and apoptotic markers (p53, cleaved caspase-7, and TUNEL-positive cells). Correspondingly, TRIP13 was found to directly interact with Tetratricopeptide Repeat Domain 5 (TTC5), a p53 co‐factor, and genetic knockdown of TRIP13 in murine inner medullary collecting duct cells in the presence of hydrogen peroxide showed increased activity of p53 at Serine 15. In all, these studies suggest that insufficient TRIP13 increased the susceptibility of damaged tubular epithelial cells to progress towards apoptotic cell death.
Arsenite oxidation regulator AioR regulates bacterial chemotaxis towards arsenite in Agrobacterium tumefaciens GW4
Authors: Shi Kaixiang , Fan Xia , Qiao Zixu , Han Yushan , McDermott Timothy R. , Wang Qian , Wang Gejiao 
Published: March 2017

AbstractSome arsenite [As(III)]-oxidizing bacteria exhibit positive chemotaxis towards As(III), however, the related As(III) chemoreceptor and regulatory mechanism remain unknown. The As(III)-oxidizing bacterium Agrobacterium tumefaciens GW4 displays positive chemotaxis towards 0.5–2 mM As(III). Genomic analyses revealed a putative chemoreceptor-encoding gene, mcp, located in the arsenic gene island and having a predicted promoter binding site for the As(III) oxidation regulator AioR. Expression of mcp and other chemotaxis related genes (cheA, cheY2 and fliG) was inducible by As(III), but not in the aioR mutant. Using capillary assays and intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence spectra analysis, Mcp was confirmed to be responsible for chemotaxis towards As(III) and to bind As(III) (but not As(V) nor phosphate) as part of the sensing mechanism. A bacterial one-hybrid system technique and electrophoretic mobility shift assays showed that AioR interacts with the mcp regulatory region in vivo and in vitro, and the precise AioR binding site was confirmed using DNase I foot-printing. Taken together, these results indicate that this Mcp is responsible for the chemotactic response towards As(III) and is regulated by AioR. Additionally, disrupting the mcp gene affected bacterial As(III) oxidation and growth, inferring that Mcp may exert some sort of functional connection between As(III) oxidation and As(III) chemotaxis.
Modulation of circular current and associated magnetic field in a molecular junction: A new approach
Authors: Patra Moumita , Maiti Santanu K. 
Published: March 2017

AbstractA new proposal is given to control local magnetic field in a molecular junction. In presence of finite bias a net circular current is established in the molecular ring which induces a magnetic field at its centre. Allowing a direct coupling between two electrodes, due to their close proximity, and changing its strength we can regulate circular current as well as magnetic field for a wide range, without disturbing any other physical parameters. We strongly believe that our proposal is quite robust compared to existing approaches of controlling local magnetic field and can be verified experimentally.
GS-5734 and its parent nucleoside analog inhibit Filo-, Pneumo-, and Paramyxoviruses
Authors: Lo Michael K. , Jordan Robert , Arvey Aaron , Sudhamsu Jawahar , Shrivastava-Ranjan Punya , Hotard Anne L. , Flint Mike , McMullan Laura K. , Siegel Dustin , Clarke Michael O. , Mackman Richard L. , Hui Hon C. , Perron Michel , Ray Adrian S. , Cihlar Tomas , Nichol Stuart T. , Spiropoulou Christina F. 
Published: March 2017

AbstractGS-5734 is a monophosphate prodrug of an adenosine nucleoside analog that showed therapeutic efficacy in a non-human primate model of Ebola virus infection. It has been administered under compassionate use to two Ebola patients, both of whom survived, and is currently in Phase 2 clinical development for treatment of Ebola virus disease. Here we report the antiviral activities of GS-5734 and the parent nucleoside analog across multiple virus families, providing evidence to support new indications for this compound against human viruses of significant public health concern.
Foreign Plastid Sequences in Plant Mitochondria are Frequently Acquired Via Mitochondrion-to-Mitochondrion Horizontal Transfer
Authors: Gandini C. L. , Sanchez-Puerta M. V. 
Published: March 2017

AbstractAngiosperm mitochondrial genomes (mtDNA) exhibit variable quantities of alien sequences. Many of these sequences are acquired by intracellular gene transfer (IGT) from the plastid. In addition, frequent events of horizontal gene transfer (HGT) between mitochondria of different species also contribute to their expanded genomes. In contrast, alien sequences are rarely found in plastid genomes. Most of the plant-to-plant HGT events involve mitochondrion-to-mitochondrion transfers. Occasionally, foreign sequences in mtDNAs are plastid-derived (MTPT), raising questions about their origin, frequency, and mechanism of transfer. The rising number of complete mtDNAs allowed us to address these questions. We identified 15 new foreign MTPTs, increasing significantly the number of those previously reported. One out of five of the angiosperm species analyzed contained at least one foreign MTPT, suggesting a remarkable frequency of HGT among plants. By analyzing the flanking regions of the foreign MTPTs, we found strong evidence for mt-to-mt transfers in 65% of the cases. We hypothesize that plastid sequences were initially acquired by the native mtDNA via IGT and then transferred to a distantly-related plant via mitochondrial HGT, rather than directly from a foreign plastid to the mitochondrial genome. Finally, we describe three novel putative cases of mitochondrial-derived sequences among angiosperm plastomes.
Effect of predatory bacteria on the gut bacterial microbiota in rats
Authors: Shatzkes Kenneth , Tang Chi , Singleton Eric , Shukla Sean , Zuena Michael , Gupta Shilpi , Dharani Sonal , Rinaggio Joseph , Connell Nancy D. , Kadouri Daniel E. 
Published: March 2017

AbstractBdellovibrio bacteriovorus and Micavibrio aeruginosavorus are Gram-negative proteobacteria that are obligate predators of other Gram-negative bacteria and are considered potential alternatives to antibiotics. Most studies focusing on predatory bacteria have been performed in vitro, thus the effect of predatory bacteria on a live host, including the impact on the ecology of the native microbiota, has yet to be fully examined. In this study, intrarectal inoculations of Sprague-Dawley rats with predatory bacteria were performed. Additionally, feces were collected for seven days post-inoculation to determine the effect on gut bacterial diversity. Rat colonic tissue exhibited no abnormal histopathological effects due to predatory bacteria. A modest increase in pro-inflammatory cytokines was measured in the colons of rats inoculated with predatory bacteria by 24 and 48 hours, with all but IL-13 returning to baseline by seven days. V4 16S rRNA gene sequencing of fecal DNA demonstrated minimal shifts in taxonomic representation over the week due to predatory bacteria. Changes in bacterial populations due to exposure to B. bacteriovorus are predicted to contribute to health, however, an overgrowth of Prevotella was observed due to exposure to M. aeruginosavorus. This study further addresses safety concerns associated with the potential use of predatory bacteria to treat infections.
The influence of population stratification on genetic markers associated with type 1 diabetes
Authors: Gomes Karla Fabiana Brasil , Santos Aritânia Sousa , Semzezem Cintia , Correia Márcia Regina , Brito Luciano Abreu , Ruiz Marcelo Ortega , Fukui Rosa Tsuneshiro , Matioli Sergio Russo , Passos-Bueno Maria Rita , Silva Maria Elizabeth Rossi da 
Published: March 2017

AbstractEthnic admixtures may interfere with the definition of type 1 diabetes (T1D) risk determinants. The role of HLA, PTPN22, INS-VNTR, and CTLA4 in T1D predisposition was analyzed in Brazilian T1D patients (n = 915), with 81.7% self-reporting as white and 789 controls (65.6% white). The results were corrected for population stratification by genotyping 93 ancestry informative markers (AIMs) (BeadXpress platform). Ancestry composition and structural association were characterized using Structure 2.3 and STRAT. Ethnic diversity resulted in T1D determinants that were partially discordant from those reported in Caucasians and Africans. The greatest contributor to T1D was the HLA-DR3/DR4 genotype (OR = 16.5) in 23.9% of the patients, followed by -DR3/DR3 (OR = 8.9) in 8.7%, -DR4/DR4 (OR = 4.7) in 6.0% and -DR3/DR9 (OR = 4.9) in 2.6%. Correction by ancestry also confirmed that the DRB1*09-DQB1*0202 haplotype conferred susceptibility, whereas the DRB1*07-DQB1*0202 and DRB1*11-DQB1*0602 haplotypes were protective, which is similar to reports in African-American patients. By contrast, the DRB1*07-DQB1*0201 haplotype was protective in our population and in Europeans, despite conferring susceptibility to Africans. The DRB1*10-DQB1*0501 haplotype was only protective in the Brazilian population. Predisposition to T1D conferred by PTPN22 and INS-VNTR and protection against T1D conferred by the DRB1*16 allele were confirmed. Correcting for population structure is important to clarify the particular genetic variants that confer susceptibility/protection for T1D in populations with ethnic admixtures.
Functional annotation of sixty-five type-2 diabetes risk SNPs and its application in risk prediction
Authors: Wu Yiming , Jing Runyu , Dong Yongcheng , Kuang Qifan , Li Yan , Huang Ziyan , Gan Wei , Xue Yue , Li Yizhou , Li Menglong 
Published: March 2017

AbstractGenome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified more than sixty single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with increased risk for type 2 diabetes (T2D). However, the identification of causal risk SNPs for T2D pathogenesis was complicated by the factor that each risk SNP is a surrogate for the hundreds of SNPs, most of which reside in non-coding regions. Here we provide a comprehensive annotation of 65 known T2D related SNPs and inspect putative functional SNPs probably causing protein dysfunction, response element disruptions of known transcription factors related to T2D genes and regulatory response element disruption of four histone marks in pancreas and pancreas islet. In new identified risk SNPs, some of them were reported as T2D related SNPs in recent studies. Further, we found that accumulation of modest effects of single sites markedly enhanced the risk prediction based on 1989 T2D samples and 3000 healthy controls. The AROCvalue increased from 0.58 to 0.62 by only using genotype score when putative risk SNPs were added. Besides, the net reclassification improvement is 10.03% on the addition of new risk SNPs. Taken together, functional annotation could provide a list of prioritized potential risk SNPs for the further estimation on the T2D susceptibility of individuals.
Disruption of Endothelial Cell Homeostasis Plays a Key Role in the Early Pathogenesis of Coronary Artery Abnormalities in Kawasaki Disease
Authors: Ueno Kentaro , Ninomiya Yumiko , Hazeki Daisuke , Masuda Kiminori , Nomura Yuichi , Kawano Yoshifumi 
Published: March 2017

AbstractDisruption of endothelial cell homeostasis may be associated with the pathogenesis of coronary artery abnormalities (CAA) in Kawasaki disease (KD). We sought to clarify the poorly understood pathogenic role of endothelial cell survival and death in KD vasculitis. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) stimulated with sera from KD patients, compared with sera from patients with bacterial infections, exhibited significant increases in cytotoxicity, high mobility group box protein 1 (HMGB-1), and caspase-3/7 and a decrease in phosphorylated Akt/Akt (pAkt/Akt) ratios. HUVECs stimulated with sera from KD patients treated with immunoglobulin (IG) showed significantly decreased cytotoxicity, HMGB-1, and caspase-3/7 levels and increased pAkt/Akt ratios, as compared with results for untreated HUVECs (P < 0.001, P = 0.008, P = 0.040, and P < 0.001, respectively). In HUVECs stimulated with sera from KD patients, the increased cytotoxicity levels and the suppression of increased pAkt/Akt ratios after subsequent IG treatment were closely related to the development of CAA (P = 0.002 and P = 0.035). Our data reveal that shifting the balance toward cell death rather than survival appears to perturb endothelial cell homeostasis and is closely related to the development of CAA. The cytoprotective effects of IG treatment appear to ameliorate endothelial cell homeostasis.
Fundamental limits of ultrathin metasurfaces
Authors: Arbabi Amir , Faraon Andrei 
Published: March 2017

AbstractWe present a set of universal relations which relate the local transmission, reflection, and polarization conversion coefficients of a general class of non-magnetic passive ultrathin metasurfaces. We show that these relations are a result of equal forward and backward scattering by single layer ultrathin metasurfaces, and they lead to confinement of the transmission, reflection, and polarization conversion coefficients to limited regions of the complex plane. Using these relations, we investigate the effect of the presence of a substrate, and show that the maximum polarization conversion efficiency for a transmissive metasurface decreases as the refractive index contrast between the substrate and cladding layer increases. Furthermore, we demonstrate that a single layer reflective metasurface can achieve full 2π phase shift coverage without altering the polarization if it is illuminated from the higher refractive index material. We also discuss two approaches for achieving asymmetric scattering from metasurfaces, and realizing metasurfaces which overcome the performance limitations of single layer ultrathin metasurfaces.
Urodynamic prognostic factors for large post-void residual urine volume after intravesical injection of onabotulinumtoxinA for overactive bladder
Authors: Hsiao Sheng-Mou , Lin Ho-Hsiung , Kuo Hann-Chorng 
Published: March 2017

AbstractThe aim of this study was to identify factors predicting large post-void residual (PVR) (defined as ≥200 mL), an important unsolved problem, after an intravesical injection of onabotulinumtoxinA in patients with overactive bladder syndrome. The data showed that 133 of 290 patients had a large PVR after treatment. Multivariate analysis found that the baseline 3-day daytime frequency episodes and voiding efficiency were independent predictors for postoperative large PVR. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis showed the following optimum cut-off values: (1) 3-day daytime frequency episodes = 25, which has a ROC area of 0.72; and (2) voiding efficiency = 89%, which has a ROC area being 0.66. The predicted logit transformation of probability of large PVR, logit(p), for a given 3-day daytime frequency episodes (a) and voiding efficiency (b%) can be denoted by logit(p) = −5.18 + 0.07 × a + 0.04 × b, with a cutoff value of logit(p) = 0.34 and a ROC area of 0.79. The median value of the persistent large PVR interval was 5 months. In conclusion, low 3-day daytime frequency episodes (<25) and low voiding efficiency (<89%) are associated with large PVR. Besides, logit(p) <0.34 can be used to predict large PVR for its higher ROC area.