bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Suppression on plant-parasitic nematodes using a soil fumigation strategy based on ammonium bicarbonate and its effects on the nematode community
Authors: Su Lanxi , Ruan Yunze , Yang Xiujuan , Wang Kang , Li Rong , Shen Qirong 
Published: December 2015

AbstractBanana production is severely hindered by plant-parasitic nematodes in acidic, sandy soil. This study investigated the possibility of applying a novel fumigation agent based on ammonium bicarbonate as a strategy for controlling plant-parasitic nematodes under sealed conditions. Moreover, its effects on the nematode community in pot and field experiments were also measured using morphology and feeding-habit based classification and the PCR-DGGE method. Results showed that a mixture (LAB) of lime (L) and ammonium bicarbonate (AB) in suitable additive amounts (0.857 g kg−1 of L and 0.428 g kg−1 of AB) showed stronger nematicidal ability than did the use of AB alone or the use of ammonium hydroxide (AH) and calcium cyanamide (CC) with an equal nitrogen amount. The nematode community was altered by the different fumigants and LAB showed an excellent plant-parasitic nematicidal ability, especially for Meloidogyne and Rotylenchulus, as revealed by morphology and feeding-habit based classification and for Meloidogyne, as revealed by the PCR-DGGE method. Fungivores and omnivore-predators were more sensitive to the direct effects of the chemicals than bacterivores. This study explored a novel fumigation agent for controlling plant-parasitic nematodes based on LAB and provides a potential strategy to ensure the worldwide development of the banana industry.
Isolation and characterization of two novel halotolerant Catechol 2, 3-dioxygenases from a halophilic bacterial consortium
Authors: Guo Guang , Fang Tingting , Wang Chongyang , Huang Yong , Tian Fang , Cui Qijia , Wang Hui 
Published: December 2015

AbstractStudy of enzymes in halophiles will help to understand the mechanism of aromatic hydrocarbons degradation in saline environment. In this study, two novel catechol 2,3-dioxygenases (C23O1 and C23O2) were cloned and overexpressed from a halophilic bacterial consortium enriched from an oil-contaminated saline soil. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the novel C23Os and their relatives formed a new branch in subfamily I.2.A of extradiol dioxygenases and the sequence differences were further analyzed by amino acid sequence alignment. Two enzymes with the halotolerant feature were active over a range of 0–30% salinity and they performed more stable at high salinity than in the absence of salt. Surface electrostatic potential and amino acids composition calculation suggested high acidic residues content, accounting for their tolerance to high salinity. Moreover, two enzymes were further characterized. The enzymes activity both increased in the presence of Fe3+, Fe2+, Cu2+ and Al3+ and showed no significant inhibition by other tested metal ions. The optimal temperatures for the C23Os were 40 °C and 60 °C and their best substrates were catechol and 4-methylcatechol respectively. As the firstly isolated and characterized catechol dioxygenases from halophiles, the two halotolerant C23Os presented novel characteristics suggesting their potential application in aromatic hydrocarbons biodegradation.
Inhibition of Osteoclastogenesis and Bone Resorption in vitro and in vivo by a prenylflavonoid xanthohumol from hops
Authors: Li Jing , Zeng Li , Xie Juan , Yue Zhiying , Deng Huayun , Ma Xueyun , Zheng Chunbing , Wu Xiushan , Luo Jian , Liu Mingyao 
Published: December 2015

AbstractExcessive RANKL signaling leads to superfluous osteoclast formation and bone resorption, is widespread in the pathologic bone loss and destruction. Therefore, targeting RANKL or its signaling pathway has been a promising and successful strategy for this osteoclast-related diseases. In this study, we examined the effects of xanthohumol (XN), an abundant prenylflavonoid from hops plant, on osteoclastogenesis, osteoclast resorption and RANKL-induced signaling pathway using both in vitro and in vivo assay systems. In mouse and human, XN inhibited osteoclast differentiation and osteoclast formation at the early stage. Furthermore, XN inhibited osteoclast actin-ring formation and bone resorption in a dose-dependent manner. In ovariectomized-induced bone loss mouse model and RANKL-injection-induced bone resorption model, we found that administration of XN markedly inhibited bone loss and resorption by suppressing osteoclast activity. At the molecular level, XN disrupted the association of RANK and TRAF6, resulted in the inhibition of NF-κB and Ca2+/NFATc1 signaling pathway during osteoclastogenesis. As a results, XN suppressed the expression of osteoclastogenesis-related marker genes, including CtsK, Nfatc1, Trap, Ctr. Therefore, our data demonstrated that XN inhibits osteoclastogenesis and bone resorption through RANK/TRAF6 signaling pathways. XN could be a promising drug candidate in the treatment of osteoclast-related diseases such as postmenopausal osteoporosis.
Patterns of relative magnitudes of soil energy channels and their relationships with environmental factors in different ecosystems in Romania
Authors: Ciobanu Marcel , Popovici Iuliana , Zhao Jie , Stoica Ilie-Adrian 
Published: December 2015

AbstractThe percentage compositions of soil herbivorous, bacterivorous and fungivorous nematodes in forests, grasslands and scrubs in Romania was analysed. Percentages of nematode abundance, biomass and metabolic footprint methods were used to evaluate the patterns and relative size of herbivory, bacterial- and fungal-mediated channels in organic and mineral soil horizons. Patterns and magnitudes of herbivore, bacterivore and fungivore energy pathways differed for a given ecosystem type and soil depth according to the method used. The relevance of herbivore energy channel increased with soil depth due to higher contribution of root-feeders. Ectoparasites, sedentary parasites and epidermal cell and root hair feeders were the most important contributors to the total biomass and metabolic footprints of herbivores. Metabolic footprint method revealed the general dominance of bacterial-based energy channel in all five types of ecosystems. The influence of altitude and climatic factors on percentages of abundance, biomass and metabolic footprints of herbivores, bacterivores and fungivores decreased with soil depth, whereas the influence of humus content, cation-exchange capacity and base saturation increased. Vegetation, altitude, climate and soil physico-chemical characteristics are important factors that influenced the abundance, biomass and metabolic footprints of herbivores, bacterivores and fungivores.
Multilayered Graphene Nano-Film for Controlled Protein Delivery by Desired Electro-Stimuli
Authors: Choi Moonhyun , Kim Kyung-Geun , Heo Jiwoong , Jeong Hyejoong , Kim Sung Yeol , Hong Jinkee 
Published: December 2015

AbstractRecent research has highlighted the potential use of “smart” films, such as graphene sheets, that would allow for the controlled release of a variety of therapeutic drugs. Taking full advantage of these versatile conducting sheets, we investigated the novel concept of applying graphene oxide (GO) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) materials as both barrier and conducting layers that afford controlled entrapment and release of any molecules of interest. We fabricated multilayered nanofilm architectures using a hydrolytically degradable cationic poly(β-amino ester) (PAE), a model protein antigen, ovalbumin (OVA) as a building block along with the GO and rGO. We successfully showed that these multilayer films are capable of blocking the initial burst release of OVA and they can be triggered to precisely control the release upon the application of electrochemical potential. This new drug delivery platform will find its usefulness in various transdermal drug delivery devices where on-demand control of drug release from the surface is necessary.
The standalone aminopeptidase PepN catalyzes the maturation of blasticidin S from leucylblasticidin S
Authors: Yu Guiyang , Li Li , Liu Xiangyang , Liu Guang , Deng Zixin , Zabriskie Mark T. , Jiang Ming , He Xinyi 
Published: December 2015

AbstractThe peptidyl nucleoside blasticidin S (BS) isolated from Streptomyces griseochromogenes was the first non-mercurial fungicide used on a large scale to prevent rice blast. In the biosynthesis of BS, leucylblasticidin S (LBS) was suggested as the penultimate metabolite with 20-fold less inhibitory activity than the final product BS. Incomplete conversion of LBS to BS at a variable efficiency ranging from 10% to 90% was observed either in the native strain S. griseochromogenes or a heterologous producer Streptomyces lividans WJ2. In this study, we determined that maturation of BS from LBS is not a spontaneous process but is governed by a standalone peptidase PepN, which hydrolyzes LBS in a pH-sensitive way with most appropriate of pH 7~8 but is inactive when the pH is below 5 or above 10. PepN1 and PepN2, two neighboring PepN homologs from Streptomyces lividans were purified in E. coli but displayed ca.100-fold difference in LBS hydrolytic activity. Overexpression of pepN1 in WJ2 enhanced BS yield by 100% and lowered the ratio of LBS to BS from 2:1 to 2:3. This work presents the expansion of the biological role for PepN in antibiotic maturation and the first report of hydrolysis of beta amide linkage by this conserved enzyme.
Lactic acid is a sperm motility inactivation factor in the sperm storage tubules
Authors: Matsuzaki Mei , Mizushima Shusei , Hiyama Gen , Hirohashi Noritaka , Shiba Kogiku , Inaba Kazuo , Suzuki Tomohiro , Dohra Hideo , Ohnishi Toshiyuki , Sato Yoshikatsu , Kohsaka Tetsuya , Ichikawa Yoshinobu , Atsumi Yusuke , Yoshimura Takashi , Sasanami Tomohiro 
Published: December 2015

AbstractAlthough successful fertilization depends on timely encounters between sperm and egg, the decoupling of mating and fertilization often confers reproductive advantages to internally fertilizing animals. In several vertebrate groups, postcopulatory sperm viability is prolonged by storage in specialized organs within the female reproductive tract. In birds, ejaculated sperm can be stored in a quiescent state within oviductal sperm storage tubules (SSTs), thereby retaining fertilizability for up to 15 weeks at body temperature (41 °C); however, the mechanism by which motile sperm become quiescent within SSTs is unknown. Here, we show that low oxygen and high lactic acid concentrations are established in quail SSTs. Flagellar quiescence was induced by lactic acid in the concentration range found in SSTs through flagellar dynein ATPase inactivation following cytoplasmic acidification (<pH 6.0). The long-term preservation of sperm morphology under hypoxic and high temperature conditions indicates that a combination of these factors enables sperm cells to survive during the ovulation cycles. Our findings suggested a novel physiological role for lactic acid in promoting sperm quiescence in SSTs and opened up a new opportunity for technological improvement in prolonging sperm longevity at ambient or body temperature.
Fisetin and luteolin protect human retinal pigment epithelial cells from oxidative stress-induced cell death and regulate inflammation
Authors: Hytti Maria , Piippo Niina , Korhonen Eveliina , Honkakoski Paavo , Kaarniranta Kai , Kauppinen Anu 
Published: December 2015

AbstractDegeneration of retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells is a clinical hallmark of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of blindness among aged people in the Western world. Both inflammation and oxidative stress are known to play vital roles in the development of this disease. Here, we assess the ability of fisetin and luteolin, to protect ARPE-19 cells from oxidative stress-induced cell death and to decrease intracellular inflammation. We also compare the growth and reactivity of human ARPE-19 cells in serum-free and serum-containing conditions. The absence of serum in the culture medium did not prevent ARPE-19 cells from reaching full confluency but caused an increased sensitivity to oxidative stress-induced cell death. Both fisetin and luteolin protected ARPE-19 cells from oxidative stress-induced cell death. They also significantly decreased the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines into the culture medium. The decrease in inflammation was associated with reduced activation of MAPKs and CREB, but was not linked to NF- κB or SIRT1. The ability of fisetin and luteolin to protect and repair stressed RPE cells even after the oxidative insult make them attractive in the search for treatments for AMD.
Evidence for transcriptional interference in a dual-luciferase reporter system
Authors: Wu Guo-Qing , Wang Xiao , Zhou Hong-Ying , Chai Ke-Qun , Xue Qian , Zheng Ai-Hong , Zhu Xiu-Ming , Xiao Jian-Yong , Ying Xu-Hua , Wang Fu-Wei , Rui Tao , Xu Li-Yun , Zhang Yong-Kui , Liao Yi-Ji , Xie Dan , Lu Li-Qin , Huang Dong-Sheng 
Published: December 2015

AbstractThe dual-luciferase reporter assay is widely used for microRNA target identification and the functional validation of predicted targets. To determine whether curcumin regulates expression of the histone methyltransferase enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) by targeting its 3′untranslated region (3′UTR), two luciferase reporter systems containing exactly the same sequence of the EZH2 3′UTR were used to perform dual-luciferase reporter assays. Surprisingly, there were certain discrepancies between the luciferase activities derived from these two reporter constructs. We normalized luciferase activity to an internal control to determine the amount of the reporter construct successfully transfected into cells, induced a transcriptional block with flavopiridol, quantified renilla luciferase mRNA levels and compared the absolute luciferase activity among the different groups. The results suggested that curcumin promoted the transcription of the luciferase genes located downstream of the simian vacuolating virus 40 (SV40) early enhancer/promoter, but not those located downstream of the human cytomegalovirus (CMV) immediate-early or the herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (HSV-TK) promoters. These results explain the discrepancies between the two luciferase reporter systems. The current study underscores the importance of taking caution when interpreting the results of dual-luciferase reporter assays and provides strategies to overcome the potential pitfall accompanying dual-luciferase reporter systems.
Role of emotional processing in depressive responses to sex-hormone manipulation: a pharmacological fMRI study
Authors: Henningsson S , Madsen K H , Pinborg A , Heede M , Knudsen G M , Siebner H R , Frokjaer V G 
Published: December 2015

AbstractSex-hormone fluctuations may increase risk for developing depressive symptoms and alter emotional processing as supported by observations in menopausal and pre- to postpartum transition. In this double-blinded, placebo-controlled study, we used blood−oxygen level dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate if sex-steroid hormone manipulation with a gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa) influences emotional processing. Fifty-six healthy women were investigated twice: at baseline (follicular phase of menstrual cycle) and 16±3 days post intervention. At both sessions, fMRI-scans during exposure to faces expressing fear, anger, happiness or no emotion, depressive symptom scores and estradiol levels were acquired. The fMRI analyses focused on regions of interest for emotional processing. As expected, GnRHa initially increased and subsequently reduced estradiol to menopausal levels, which was accompanied by an increase in subclinical depressive symptoms relative to placebo. Women who displayed larger GnRHa-induced increase in depressive symptoms had a larger increase in both negative and positive emotion-elicited activity in the anterior insula. When considering the post-GnRHa scan only, depressive responses were associated with emotion-elicited activity in the anterior insula and amygdala. The effect on regional activity in anterior insula was not associated with the estradiol net decline, only by the GnRHa-induced changes in mood. Our data implicate enhanced insula recruitment during emotional processing in the emergence of depressive symptoms following sex-hormone fluctuations. This may correspond to the emotional hypersensitivity frequently experienced by women postpartum.
Temperature–humidity–bias testing on insulated‐gate bipolartransistor modules – failure modes and acceleration due to high voltage
Authors: Zorn Christian , Kaminski Nando 
Published: December 2015

The temperature–humidity–bias (THB) test is the standard for accelerated stress testing with respect to corrosion and other humidity driven degradation mechanisms. Usually, 1000 h tests at 85°C and 85% relative humidity are used to predict up to 25 years of operation. The bias is usually limited to 80 V in order to fulfil the respective standards. Nevertheless, THB tests on 1700 V insulated‐gate bipolar transistor (IGBT)‐modules have shown that higher bias is a more severe test condition. The failure analysis confirmed Cu‐ and Ag‐dendrites and corrosion of the aluminium (Al)‐chip‐metallisation as the relevant failure mechanisms. To determine the acceleration factor due to voltage, 1200 V IGBT modules were tested in THB at 780 V (65% of VCES) and 1080 V (90% of VCES). A characteristic degradation consisting of three phases has been identified. The second phase seems to be determined by Al corrosion and an acceleration factor of about two has been estimated from 780 to 1080 V. Within the third phase, the devices stabilised probably due to localised self‐heating. Thus, this degradation mechanism is kind of self‐limiting, but the higher leakage also increases the risk of thermal runaway especially when biased close to the rated collector–emitter voltage.
Inadequate Surgical Decompression in Patients with Cervical Myelopathy: A Retrospective Review
Authors: Bhalla Amandeep , Rolfe Kevin W. 
Published: December 2015

Study Design Retrospective study. Objective We reviewed cases of surgically treated cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) or chronic, degenerative myelopathy of the subaxial cervical spine to study the incidence of inadequate surgical decompression. Methods We included all persons treated at our institution after a first surgical decompression for CSM over a 3-year period. Inadequate original surgical decompression was defined as neurologic decline within 12 months postoperatively and ongoing impingement of the spinal cord with <1-mm change in anteroposterior canal dimension from pre- to postoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) leading to revision decompressive surgery. Revisions for other reasons were not counted as inadequate. Results Of 50 patients, 5 (10%) required revision decompression for neurologic decline and inadequate change in space available for the cord on postoperative imaging; 4 patients declined within the first 6 months and 1 patient at 8 months postoperatively. None of the 5 declined further after posterior revision, but none recovered from the interval loss. All 5 had undergone anterior approaches, for an anterior inadequacy rate of 23% (5 of 22). None of the 28 patients having posterior or combined approach declined at 2 years or had <1-mm change on postoperative MRI. The difference between anterior and posterior approaches was statistically significant ( p = 0.018). Conclusions The rate of inadequate surgical decompression for CSM was greater than expected in this series and directly associated with an anterior approach. No cases of inadequacy occurred for posterior or combined approaches. Postoperative neuroradiographic imaging such as MRI should be entertained routinely for this entity or at least for anterior-only approaches.
History of the ribosome and the origin of translation
Authors: Petrov Anton S. , Gulen Burak , Norris Ashlyn M. , Kovacs Nicholas A. , Bernier Chad R. , Lanier Kathryn A. , Fox George E. , Harvey Stephen C. , Wartell Roger M. , Hud Nicholas V. , Williams Loren Dean 
Published: December 2015

Significance
The ribosome, in analogy with a tree, contains a record of its history, spanning 4 billion years of life on earth. The information contained within ribosomes connects us to the prehistory of biology. Details of ribosomal RNA variation, observed by comparing three-dimensional structures of ribosomes across the tree of life, form the basis of our molecular-level model of the origins and evolution of the translational system. We infer many steps in the evolution of translation, mapping out acquisition of structure and function, revealing much about how modern biology originated from ancestral chemical systems.
Neural evidence that three dimensions organize mental state representation: Rationality, social impact, and valence
Authors: Tamir Diana I. , Thornton Mark A. , Contreras Juan Manuel , Mitchell Jason P. 
Published: December 2015

Significance
This study uses advanced functional neuroimaging analyses to test both existing and novel psychological theories about how we understand others’ minds. Analyses show that three dimensions—rationality, social impact, and valence—account for almost half of the variation in the neural representation of mental states, the most comprehensive theory to date regarding our ability to think about others’ minds. These findings both inform long-standing debates within social psychology about theory of mind and generate testable predictions about how our neural hardware supports our ability to mentalize.
ClpB N-terminal domain plays a regulatory role in protein disaggregation
Authors: Rosenzweig Rina , Farber Patrick , Velyvis Algirdas , Rennella Enrico , Latham Michael P. , Kay Lewis E. 
Published: December 2015

Significance
ClpB/Hsp100 chaperones protect cells from the devastating effects of protein inactivation and aggregation arising from extreme stress. This function is accomplished first by binding to the aggregates and then forcibly unraveling individual proteins by passing them through the central channel in the hexameric chaperones. Here, we investigate the role of the ClpB/Hsp100 N-terminal domain (NTD) in protein disaggregation. Our results demonstrate that ClpB recognizes exposed hydrophobic stretches in unfolded or aggregated client proteins via a substrate-binding groove in its NTD. We further show that the NTD has regulatory roles that include blocking the translocation channel in the absence of substrate and destabilizing client proteins upon binding, thus priming them for subsequent unfolding and disaggregation.
Direct mapping of local director field of nematic liquid crystals at the nanoscale
Authors: Xia Yu , Serra Francesca , Kamien Randall D. , Stebe Kathleen J. , Yang Shu 
Published: December 2015

Significance
It has been challenging to directly probe the molecular-scale organization of nonglassy nematic liquid crystal (LC) molecules without altering the LC directors. Here, we design and synthesize a new type of stable nematic liquid crystal monomer (LCM) system with strong dipole–dipole interactions. The new LCMs can achieve faithful anchoring and alignment control at various boundaries, analogous to that of small molecule LCs. Upon photo-cross-linking, the orientational order of mesogens is effectively and faithfully locked, allowing for direct visualization of the LC director field and defect structures by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with 100-nm resolution. Further, we use SEM imaging to calculate the extrapolation length of the LCM for planar and homeotropic anchoring.