bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Probiotic legacy effects on gut microbial assembly in tilapia larvae
Authors: Giatsis Christos , Sipkema Detmer , Ramiro-Garcia Javier , Bacanu Gianina M. , Abernathy Jason , Verreth Johan , Smidt Hauke , Verdegem Marc 
Published: September 2016

AbstractThe exposure of fish to environmental free-living microbes and its effect on early colonization in the gut have been studied in recent years. However, little is known regarding how the host and environment interact to shape gut communities during early life. Here, we tested whether the early microbial exposure of tilapia larvae affects the gut microbiota at later life stages. The experimental period was divided into three stages: axenic, probiotic and active suspension. Axenic tilapia larvae were reared either under conventional conditions (active suspension systems) or exposed to a single strain probiotic (Bacillus subtilis) added to the water. Microbial characterization by Illumina HiSeq sequencing of 16S rRNA gene amplicons showed the presence of B. subtilis in the gut during the seven days of probiotic application. Although B. subtilis was no longer detected in the guts of fish exposed to the probiotic after day 7, gut microbiota of the exposed tilapia larvae remained significantly different from that of the control treatment. Compared with the control, fish gut microbiota under probiotic treatment was less affected by spatial differences resulting from tank replication, suggesting that the early probiotic contact contributed to the subsequent observation of low inter-individual variation.
High throughput cell-based assay for identification of glycolate oxidase inhibitors as a potential treatment for Primary Hyperoxaluria Type 1
Authors: Wang Mengqiao , Xu Miao , Long Yan , Fargue Sonia , Southall Noel , Hu Xin , McKew John C. , Danpure Christopher J. , Zheng Wei 
Published: September 2016

AbstractGlycolate oxidase (GO) and alanine:glyoxylate aminotransferase (AGT) are both involved in the peroxisomal glyoxylate pathway. Deficiency in AGT function causes the accumulation of intracellular oxalate and the primary hyperoxaluria type 1 (PH1). AGT enhancers or GO inhibitors may restore the abnormal peroxisomal glyoxylate pathway in PH1 patients. With stably transformed cells which mimic the glyoxylate metabolic pathway, we developed an indirect glycolate cytotoxicity assay in a 1,536-well plate format for high throughput screening. This assay can be used to identify compounds that reduce indirect glycolate-induced cytotoxicity by either enhancing AGT activity or inhibiting GO. A pilot screen of 4,096 known compounds identified two membrane permeable GO inhibitors: dichromate salt and colistimethate. We also developed a GO enzyme assay using the hydrogen peroxide-Amplex red reporter system. The IC50 values of potassium dichromate, sodium dichromate and colistimethate sodium were 0.096, 0.108 and 2.3 μM in the GO enzyme assay, respectively. Further enzyme kinetic study revealed that both types of compounds inhibit GO activity by the mixed linear inhibition. Our results demonstrate that the cell-based assay and GO enzyme assay developed in this study are useful for further screening of large compound libraries for drug development to treat PH1.
Systematic meta-analyses and field synopsis of genetic and epigenetic studies in paediatric inflammatory bowel disease
Authors: Li Xue , Song Peige , Timofeeva Maria , Meng Xiangrui , Rudan Igor , Little Julian , Satsangi Jack , Campbell Harry , Theodoratou Evropi 
Published: September 2016

AbstractWe provide a comprehensive field synopsis of genetic and epigenetic associations for paediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). A systematic review was performed and included 84 genetic association studies reporting data for 183 polymorphisms in 71 genes. Meta-analyses were conducted for 20 SNPs in 10 genes of paediatric Crohn’s disease (CD) and for 8 SNPs in 5 genes of paediatric ulcerative colitis (UC). Five epigenetic studies were also included, but formal meta-analysis was not possible. Venice criteria and Bayesian false discovery probability test were applied to assess the credibility of associations. Nine SNPs in 4 genes were considered to have highly credible associations with paediatric CD, of which four variants (rs2066847, rs12521868, rs26313667, rs1800629) were not previously identified in paediatric GWAS. Differential DNA methylation in NOD2 and TNF-α, dysregulated expression in let-7 and miR-124 were associated with paediatric IBD, but not as yet replicated. Highly credible SNPs associated with paediatric IBD have also been implicated in adult IBD, with similar magnitudes of associations. Early onset and distinct phenotypic features of paediatric IBD might be due to distinct epigenetic changes, but these findings need to be replicated. Further progress identifying genetic and epigenetic susceptibility of paediatric IBD will require international collaboration, population diversity and harmonization of protocols.
Inverted Silicon Nanopencil Array Solar Cells with Enhanced Contact Structures
Authors: Liang Xiaoguang , Shu Lei , Lin Hao , Fang Ming , Zhang Heng , Dong Guofa , Yip SenPo , Xiu Fei , Ho Johnny C. 
Published: September 2016

AbstractAlthough three-dimensional nanostructured solar cells have attracted extensive research attention due to their superior broadband and omnidirectional light-harvesting properties, majority of them are still suffered from complicated fabrication processes as well as disappointed photovoltaic performances. Here, we employed our newly-developed, low-cost and simple wet anisotropic etching to fabricate hierarchical silicon nanostructured arrays with different solar cell contact design, followed by systematic investigations of their photovoltaic characteristics. Specifically, nano-arrays with the tapered tips (e.g. inverted nanopencils) are found to enable the more conformal top electrode deposition directly onto the nanostructures for better series and shunt conductance, but its insufficient film coverage at the basal plane would still restrict the charge carrier collection. In contrast, the low-platform contact design facilitates a substantial photovoltaic device performance enhancement of ~24%, as compared to the one of conventional top electrode design, due to the shortened current path and improved lateral conductance for the minimized carrier recombination and series resistance. This enhanced contact structure can not only maintain excellent photon-trapping behaviors of nanostructures, but also help to eliminate adverse impacts of these tapered nano-morphological features on the contact resistance, providing further insight into design consideration in optimizing the contact geometry for high-performance nanostructured photovoltaic devices.
Bartonella quintana lipopolysaccharide (LPS): structure and characteristics of a potent TLR4 antagonist for in-vitro and in-vivo applications
Authors: Malgorzata-Miller Gosia , Heinbockel Lena , Brandenburg Klaus , van der Meer Jos W. M. , Netea Mihai G. , Joosten Leo A. B. 
Published: September 2016

AbstractThe pattern recognition receptor TLR4 is well known as a crucial receptor during infection and inflammation. Several TLR4 antagonists have been reported to inhibit the function of TLR4. Both natural occurring antagonists, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from Gram-negative bacteria as well as synthetic compounds based on the lipid A structure of LPS have been described as potent inhibitors of TLR4. Here, we have examined the characteristics of a natural TLR4 antagonist, isolated from Bartonella quintana bacterium by elucidating its chemical primary structure. We have found that this TLR4 antagonist is actually a lipooligosaccharide (LOS) instead of a LPS, and that it acts very effective, with a high inhibitory activity against triggering by the LPS-TLR4 system in the presence of a potent TLR4 agonist (E. coli LPS). Furthermore, we demonstrate that B. quintana LPS is not inactivated by polymyxin B, a classical cyclic cationic polypeptide antibiotic that bind the lipid A part of LPS, such as E. coli LPS. Using a murine LPS/D-galactosamine endotoxaemia model we showed that treatment with B. quintana LPS could improve the survival rate significantly. Since endogenous TLR4 ligands have been associated with several inflammatory- and immune-diseases, B. quintana LPS might be a novel therapeutic strategy for TLR4-driven pathologies.
Monocytic MKP-1 is a Sensor of the Metabolic Environment and Regulates Function and Phenotypic Fate of Monocyte-Derived Macrophages in Atherosclerosis
Authors: Kim Hong Seok , Tavakoli Sina , Piefer Leigh Ann , Nguyen Huynh Nga , Asmis Reto 
Published: September 2016

AbstractDiabetes promotes the S-glutathionylation, inactivation and subsequent degradation of mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphatase 1 (MKP-1) in blood monocytes, and hematopoietic MKP-1-deficiency in atherosclerosis-prone mice accelerates atherosclerotic lesion formation, but the underlying mechanisms were not known. Our aim was to determine the mechanisms through which MKP-1 deficiency in monocytes and macrophages promotes atherogenesis. Transplantation of MKP-1-deficient bone marrow into LDL-R−/− (MKP-1LeuKO) mice accelerated high-fat diet (HFD)-induced atherosclerotic lesion formation. After 12 weeks of HFD feeding, MKP-1LeuKO mice showed increased lesion size in both the aortic root (1.2-fold) and the aorta (1.6-fold), despite reduced plasma cholesterol levels. Macrophage content was increased in lesions of MKP-1LeuKO mice compared to mice that received wildtype bone marrow. After only 6 weeks on a HFD, in vivo chemotactic activity of monocytes was already significantly increased in MKP-1LeuKO mice. MKP-1 deficiency in monocytes and macrophages promotes and accelerates atherosclerotic lesion formation by hyper-sensitizing monocytes to chemokine-induced recruitment, predisposing macrophages to M1 polarization, decreased autophagy and oxysterol-induced cell death whereas overexpression of MKP-1 protects macrophages against metabolic stress-induced dysfunction. MKP-1 serves as a master-regulator of macrophage phenotype and function and its dysregulation by metabolic stress may be a major contributor to atherogenesis and the progression of atherosclerotic plaques.
Reproductive switching analysis of Daphnia similoides between sexual female and parthenogenetic female by transcriptome comparison
Authors: Zhang Ya-Nan , Zhu Xiu-Yun , Wang Wen-Ping , Wang Yi , Wang Lu , Xu Xiao-Xue , Zhang Kun , Deng Dao-Gui 
Published: September 2016

AbstractThe water flea Daphnia are planktonic crustaceans commonly found in freshwater environment that can switch their reproduction mode from parthenogenesis to sexual reproduction to adapt to the external environment. As such, Daphnia are great model organisms to study the mechanism of reproductive switching, the underlying mechanism of reproduction and development in cladocerans and other animals. However, little is known about the Daphnia’s reproductive behaviour at a molecular level. We constructed a genetic database of the genes expressed in a sexual female (SF) and a parthenogenetic female (PF) of D. similoides using Illumina HiSeq 2500. A total of 1,763 differentially expressed genes (865 up- and 898 down-regulated) were detected in SF. Of the top 30 up-regulated SF unigenes, the top 4 unigenes belonged to the Chitin_bind_4 family. In contrast, of the top down-regulated SF unigenes, the top 3 unigenes belonged to the Vitellogenin_N family. This is the first study to indicate genes that may have a crucial role in reproductive switching of D. similoides, which could be used as candidate genes for further functional studies. Thus, this study provides a rich resource for investigation and elucidation of reproductive switching in D. similoides.
Unveiling the propagation dynamics of self-accelerating vector beams
Authors: Bar-David Jonathan , Voloch-Bloch Noa , Mazurski Noa , Levy Uriel 
Published: September 2016

AbstractWe study theoretically and experimentally the varying polarization states and intensity patterns of self-accelerating vector beams. It is shown that as these beams propagate, the main intensity lobe and the polarization singularity gradually drift apart. Furthermore, the propagation dynamics can be manipulated by controlling the beams’ acceleration coefficients. We also demonstrate the self-healing dynamics of these accelerating vector beams for which sections of the vector beam are being blocked by an opaque or polarizing obstacle. Our results indicate that the self-healing process is almost insensitive for the obstacles’ polarization direction. Moreover, the spatial polarization structure also shows self- healing properties and it is reconstructed as the beam propagates further beyond the perturbation plane. These results open various possibilities for generating, shaping and manipulating the intensity patterns and space variant polarization states of accelerating vector beams.
Effects of post-traumatic growth on the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex after a disaster
Authors: Nakagawa Seishu , Sugiura Motoaki , Sekiguchi Atsushi , Kotozaki Yuka , Miyauchi Carlos Makoto , Hanawa Sugiko , Araki Tsuyoshi , Takeuchi Hikaru , Sakuma Atsushi , Taki Yasuyuki , Kawashima Ryuta 
Published: September 2016

AbstractThe relating to others factor of post-traumatic growth (PTG), which involves mutual help and a strong sense of connection with humanity, is important for young people who are coping with stress. The prefrontal cortex (PFC), especially the dorsolateral PFC (DLPFC), may play an important role in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with regard to coping and resilience. We hypothesized that the neural correlates of PTG may be responsible for resilience to the correlates of PTSD. Our study tested this hypothesis by examining whether measures of PTG, particularly the measures of relating to others after a disaster, were associated with increased regional grey matter volume (rGMV) in the PFC by assessing individuals who had experienced the East Japan Great Earthquake. We calculated the delta-rGMV by subtracting the rGMV obtained 3 months before the disaster from the rGMV obtained after this disaster using voxel-based morphometry. The magnetic resonance imaging data obtained from 26 subjects (M/F: 21/5; age: 21.2 ± 1.6 yrs.) showed that the total scores on a PTG inventory and the subscore for relating to others at the post-assessment were positively and significantly associated with the delta-rGMV in the right DLPFC. The DLPFC seems to be the main neural correlate of PTG.
Animal choruses emerge from receiver psychology
Authors: Greenfield Michael D. , Esquer-Garrigos Yareli , Streiff Réjane , Party Virginie 
Published: September 2016

AbstractSynchrony and alternation in large animal choruses are often viewed as adaptations by which cooperating males increase their attractiveness to females or evade predators. Alternatively, these seemingly composed productions may simply emerge by default from the receiver psychology of mate choice. This second, emergent property hypothesis has been inferred from findings that females in various acoustic species ignore male calls that follow a neighbor’s by a brief interval, that males often adjust the timing of their call rhythm and reduce the incidence of ineffective, following calls and from simulations modeling the collective outcome of male adjustments. However, the purported connection between male song timing and female preference has never been tested experimentally and the emergent property hypothesis has remained speculative. Studying a distinctive katydid species genetically structured as isolated populations, we conducted a comparative phylogenetic analysis of the correlation between male call timing and female preference. We report that across 17 sampled populations male adjustments match the interval over which females prefer leading calls; moreover, this correlation holds after correction for phylogenetic signal. Our study is the first demonstration that male adjustments coevolved with female preferences and thereby confirms the critical link in the emergent property model of chorus evolution.
Targeting anandamide metabolism rescues core and associated autistic-like symptoms in rats prenatally exposed to valproic acid
Authors: Servadio M , Melancia F , Manduca A , di Masi A , Schiavi S , Cartocci V , Pallottini V , Campolongo P , Ascenzi P , Trezza V 
Published: September 2016

AbstractAutism spectrum disorders (ASD) are characterized by altered sociability, compromised communication and stereotyped/repetitive behaviors, for which no specific treatments are currently available. Prenatal exposure to valproic acid (VPA) is a known, although still underestimated, environmental risk factor for ASD. Altered endocannabinoid activity has been observed in autistic patients, and endocannabinoids are known to modulate behavioral traits that are typically affected in ASD. On this basis, we tested the hypothesis that changes in the endocannabinoid tone contribute to the altered phenotype induced by prenatal VPA exposure in rats, with focus on behavioral features that resemble the core and associated symptoms of ASD. In the course of development, VPA-exposed rats showed early deficits in social communication and discrimination, compromised sociability and social play behavior, stereotypies and increased anxiety, thus providing preclinical proof of the long-lasting deleterious effects induced by prenatal VPA exposure. At the neurochemical level, VPA-exposed rats displayed altered phosphorylation of CB1 cannabinoid receptors in different brain areas, associated with changes in anandamide metabolism from infancy to adulthood. Interestingly, enhancing anandamide signaling through inhibition of its degradation rescued the behavioral deficits displayed by VPA-exposed rats at infancy, adolescence and adulthood. This study therefore shows that abnormalities in anandamide activity may underlie the deleterious impact of environmental risk factors on ASD-relevant behaviors and that the endocannabinoid system may represent a therapeutic target for the core and associated symptoms displayed by autistic patients.
No effect of glucose administration in a novel contextual fear generalization protocol in rats
Authors: Luyten L , Schroyens N , Luyck K , Fanselow M S , Beckers T 
Published: September 2016

AbstractThe excessive transfer of fear acquired for one particular context to similar situations has been implicated in the development and maintenance of anxiety disorders, such as post-traumatic stress disorder. Recent evidence suggests that glucose ingestion improves the retention of context conditioning. It has been speculated that glucose might exert that effect by ameliorating hippocampal functioning, and may hold promise as a therapeutic add-on in traumatized patients because improved retention of contextual fear could help to restrict its generalization. However, direct data regarding the effect of glucose on contextual generalization are lacking. Here, we introduce a new behavioral protocol to study such contextual fear generalization in rats. In adult Wistar rats, our procedure yields a gradient of generalization, with progressively less freezing when going from the original training context, over a perceptually similar generalization context, to a markedly dissimilar context. Moreover, we find a flattening of the gradient when the training-test interval is prolonged with 1 week. We next examine the effect of systemic glucose administration on contextual generalization with this novel procedure. Our data do not sustain generalization-reducing effects of glucose and question its applicability in traumatic situations. In summary, we have developed a replicable contextual generalization procedure for rats and demonstrate how it is a valuable tool to examine the neurobiological correlates and test pharmacological interventions pertaining to an important mechanism in the etiology of pathological anxiety.
Identifying and Prioritizing Diseases Important for Detection in Adult Hearing Health Care
Authors: Kleindienst Samantha J. , Dhar Sumitrajit , Nielsen Donald W. , Griffith James W. , Lundy Larry B. , Driscoll Colin , Neff Brian , Beatty Charles , Barrs David , Zapala David A. 
Published: September 2016

Purpose
The purpose of this research note is to identify and prioritize diseases important for detection in adult hearing health care delivery systems.

Method
Through literature review and expert consultation, the authors identified 195 diseases likely to occur in adults complaining of hearing loss. Five neurotologists rated the importance of disease on 3 dimensions related to the necessity of detection prior to adult hearing aid fitting.

Results
Ratings of adverse health consequences, diagnostic difficulty, and presence of nonotologic symptoms associated with these diseases resulted in the identification of 104 diseases potentially important for detection prior to adult hearing aid fitting.

Conclusions
Current and evolving health care delivery systems, including direct-to-consumer sales, involve inconsistent means of disease detection vigilance prior to device fitting. The first steps in determining the safety of these different delivery methods are to identify and prioritize which diseases present the greatest risk for poor health outcomes and, thus, should be detected in hearing health care delivery systems. Here the authors have developed a novel multidimensional rating system to rank disease importance. The rankings can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of alternative detection methods and to inform public health policy. The authors are currently using this information to validate a consumer questionnaire designed to accurately identify when pre- fitting medical evaluations should be required for hearing aid patients.
Integrity and its counterfeits: Shakespeare’s Henriad
Authors: Robinson Simon 
Published: September 2016

AbstractThe article will briefly and critically review philosophical views on integrity, focusing on integration, identity, standing up for moral principles and ethical decision-making practice. It will explore integrity as Aristotle’s virtue of truthfulness, noting how this leads to engagement with the self and the social network. This demands the practice of responsibility, involving: critical agency (developing authorship of the ethical narrative), accountability (involving plural and mutual dialogue), and creative (positive) responsibility (involving both narrative and dialogue around action). In light of this dynamic and social view of integrity the second part the article explores counterfeit integrity. It distinguishes counterfeit integrity based in unexamined ideology and identity from counterfeit integrity based in intentional deception of others about beliefs, values and motives. Each of these is illustrated by figures from Shakespeare’s Henriad, and parallel cases in business and sport. This article is published as part of a collection on integrity and its counterfeits.
Trisaccharide containing α2,3-linked sialic acid is a receptor for mumps virus
Authors: Kubota Marie , Takeuchi Kaoru , Watanabe Shumpei , Ohno Shinji , Matsuoka Rei , Kohda Daisuke , Nakakita Shin-ichi , Hiramatsu Hiroaki , Suzuki Yasuo , Nakayama Tetsuo , Terada Tohru , Shimizu Kentaro , Shimizu Nobutaka , Shiroishi Mitsunori , Yanagi Yusuke , Hashiguchi Takao 
Published: September 2016

Significance
Despite the availability of an effective vaccine, mumps virus (MuV) still causes outbreaks even in highly vaccinated populations worldwide. MuV affects the salivary glands, testicles, ovaries, pancreas, meninges, and brain. This characteristic tropism to glandular tissues and the central nervous system remains to be explained. Here, using X-ray crystallography, computational energy calculations, isothermal titration calorimetry, glycan-binding assays, and MuV glycoprotein-mediated cell fusion assays, we show that the trisaccharide containing an α2,3-linked sialic acid on the cell surface acts as a receptor for MuV. In conjunction with elucidation of the distribution of structurally different sialylated glycans in tissues and organs, this finding will lead to a better understanding of MuV tropism and pathogenesis.