bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Functional Expression of Gloeobacter Rhodopsin in Synechocystis sp. PCC6803
Authors: Chen Que , Arents Jos , Ganapathy Srividya , de Grip Willem J. , Hellingwerf Klaas J. 
Published: May 2017

AbstractProteorhodopsins are light‐driven proton pumps that occur widespread in Nature, where they function predominantly in environments with high incident irradiance. Their maximal absorbance is usually in the blue range, but can be extended into the (far)red range of the electromagnetic spectrum. Because they can be expressed heterologously, they may be exploited in studies aimed at increasing the efficiency of photosynthesis. Here we report further studies toward this goal, by comparing the expression of two different bacterial rhodopsins (Proteorhodopsin and Gloeobacter rhodopsin) in the model cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC6803. In particular, we investigated the pigments bound by the respective apo‐opsins, and the oligomeric state of the corresponding holo‐rhodopsins, both in Escherichia coli and in the cyanobacterial membranes. We conclude that the two proton‐pumping rhodopsins are predominantly present in an oligomeric state (hexamers for Proteorhodopsin and trimers for Gloeobacter rhodopsin). Furthermore, Gloeobacter rhodopsin is able to bind an antenna carotenoid (in addition to retinal) and has the highest pumping rate at given light intensity. However, its lower expression level will decrease its physiological effectiveness. It remains to be established which of these two bacterial rhodopsins is best in stimulating the growth rate of its cyanobacterial host.
Long‐lasting β‐aminobutyric acid‐induced resistance protects tomato fruit against Botrytis cinerea
Authors: Wilkinson S. W. , Pastor V. , Paplauskas S. , Pétriacq P. , Luna E. 
Published: May 2017

Minimizing losses to pests and diseases is essential for producing sufficient food to feed the world's rapidly growing population. The necrotrophic fungus Botrytis cinerea triggers devastating pre‐ and post‐harvest yield losses in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). Current control methods are based on the pre‐harvest use of fungicides, which are limited by strict legislation. This investigation tested whether induction of resistance by β‐aminobutyric acid (BABA) at different developmental stages provides an alternative strategy to protect post‐harvest tomato fruit against B. cinerea. Soil‐drenching plants with BABA once fruit had already formed had no impact on tomato susceptibility to B. cinerea. However, BABA application to seedlings significantly reduced post‐harvest infection of fruit. This resistance response was not associated with a yield reduction; however, there was a delay in fruit ripening. Untargeted metabolomics revealed differences between fruit from water‐ and BABA‐treated plants, demonstrating that BABA triggered a defence‐associated metabolomics profile that was long lasting. Targeted analysis of defence hormones suggested a role of abscisic acid (ABA) in the resistance phenotype. Post‐harvest application of ABA to the fruit of water‐treated plants induced susceptibility to B. cinerea. This phenotype was absent from the ABA‐exposed fruit of BABA‐treated plants, suggesting a complex role of ABA in BABA‐induced resistance. A final targeted metabolomic analysis detected trace residues of BABA accumulated in the red fruit. Overall, it was demonstrated that BABA induces post‐harvest resistance in tomato fruit against B. cinerea with no penalties in yield.
Induction of telomere‐mediated chromosomal truncation and behavior of truncated chromosomes in Brassica napus
Authors: Yan Xiaohong , Li Chen , Yang Jie , Wang Lijun , Jiang Chenghong , Wei Wenhui 
Published: May 2017

SummaryEngineered minichromosomes could be stably inherited and serve as a platform for simultaneously transferring and stably expressing multiple genes. Chromosomal truncation mediated by repeats of telomeric sequences is a promising approach for the generation of minichromosomes. In the present work, direct repetitive sequences of Arabidopsis telomere were used to study telomere‐mediated truncation of chromosomes in Brassica napus. Transgenes containing alien Arabidopsis telomere were successfully obtained, and Southern blotting and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) results show that the transgenes resulted in successful chromosomal truncation in B. napus. In addition, truncated chromosomes were inherited at rates lower than that predicted by Mendelian rules. To determine the potential manipulations and applications of the engineered chromosomes, such as the stacking of multiple transgenes and the Cre/lox and FRT/FLP recombination systems, both amenable to genetic manipulations through site‐specific recombination in somatic cells, were tested for their ability to undergo recombination in B. napus. These results demonstrate that alien Arabidopsis telomere is able to mediate chromosomal truncation in B. napus. This technology would be feasible for chromosomal engineering and for studies on chromosome structure and function in B. napus.
Red blood cell transfusions during sickle cell anemia vaso‐occlusive crises: a report from the magnesium in crisis (MAGiC) study
Authors: Hulbert Monica L. , Panepinto Julie A. , Scott J. Paul , Liem Robert I. , Cook Lawrence J. , Simmons Timothy , Brousseau David C. ,   Pediatric Emergency Care and Research Network Sickle Cell Disease Working Group
Published: May 2017

BACKGROUNDLittle is known about red blood cell (RBC) transfusion practices for children hospitalized for a sickle cell vaso‐occlusive pain crisis (VOC). We hypothesized that transfusion would be associated with the development of acute chest syndrome (ACS), lower hemoglobin (Hb) concentration, and lack of hydroxyurea therapy.STUDY DESIGN AND METHODSThis is a secondary analysis of all children admitted for a sickle cell pain crisis enrolled in the Magnesium in Crisis (MAGiC) randomized trial; all had HbSS or S‐β0 thalassemia. ACS development and transfusion administration were prospectively collected during the parent trial. All Hb values during the hospitalization were recorded, as was parent report of child receiving hydroxyurea. Relative risks (RRs) of transfusion were compared between groups.RESULTSOf 204 enrolled children, 40 (19.6%) received a transfusion. Of the 30 children who developed ACS, 22 (73.3%) received transfusions compared to 18 of 174 (10.3%) without ACS: the RR of transfusion in children with ACS was 7.1 (95% confidence interval [CI], 4.4‐11.5). Among those without ACS, the lowest Hb was most strongly associated with transfusions: RR was 3.1 (95% CI 2.0 – 4.7) for each 1 g/dL decrease in lowest Hb. In a binary recursive partitioning model for those without ACS, a lowest recorded Hb level of less than 6.3 g/dL was significantly associated with transfusion during admission (p < 0.01). Hydroxyurea use was not associated with transfusions in any analysis.CONCLUSIONACS increased the RR of transfusion in children hospitalized for VOC sevenfold. In children without ACS, transfusion was associated with lowest Hb concentration, particularly Hb concentration of less than 6.3 g/dL.
Enrichment and Physiological Characterization of a Cold-Adapted Nitrite-Oxidizing Nitrotoga sp. from an Eelgrass Sediment
Authors: Ishii Kento , Fujitani Hirotsugu , Soh Kentaro , Nakagawa Tatsunori , Takahashi Reiji , Tsuneda Satoshi 
Published: May 2017

ABSTRACT

Nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB) are responsible for the second step of nitrification in natural and engineered ecosystems. The recently discovered genus
Nitrotoga
belongs to the
Betaproteobacteria
and potentially has high environmental importance. Although environmental clones affiliated with
Nitrotoga
are widely distributed, the limited number of cultivated
Nitrotoga
spp. results in a poor understanding of their ecophysiological features. In this study, we successfully enriched the nonmarine cold-adapted
Nitrotoga
sp. strain AM1 from coastal sand in an eelgrass zone and investigated its physiological characteristics. Multistep-enrichment approaches led to an increase in the abundance of AM1 to approximately 80% of the total bacterial population. AM1 was the only detectable NOB in the bacterial community. The 16S rRNA gene sequence of AM1 was 99.6% identical to that of “
Candidatus
Nitrotoga arctica,” which was enriched from permafrost-affected soil. The highest nitrogen oxidation rate of AM1 was observed at 16°C. The half-saturation constant (

K
m

) and the generation time were determined to be 25 μM NO
2
−
and 54 h, respectively. The nitrite oxidation rate of AM1 was stimulated at concentrations of <30 mM NH
4
Cl but completely inhibited at 50 mM NH
4
Cl. AM1 can grow well under specific environmental conditions, such as low temperature and in the presence of a relatively high concentration of free ammonia. These results help improve our comprehension of the functional importance of
Nitrotoga
.

IMPORTANCE
Nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB) are key players in the second step of nitrification, which is an important process of the nitrogen cycle. Recent studies have suggested that the organisms of the novel NOB genus
Nitrotoga
were widely distributed and played a functional role in natural and engineered ecosystems. However, only a few
Nitrotoga
enrichments have been obtained, and little is known about their ecology and physiology. In this study, we successfully enriched a
Nitrotoga
sp. from sand in a shallow coastal marine ecosystem and undertook a physiological characterization. The laboratory experiments showed that the
Nitrotoga
enrichment culture could adapt not only to low temperature but also to relatively high concentrations of free ammonia. The determination of as-yet-unknown unique characteristics of
Nitrotoga
contributes to the improvement of our insights into the microbiology of nitrification.
Improving Baculovirus Infectivity by Efficiently Embedding Enhancing Factors into Occlusion Bodies
Authors: Yang Shili , Zhao Lijuan , Ma Ruipeng , Fang Wei , Hu Jia , Lei Chengfeng , Sun Xiulian 
Published: May 2017

ABSTRACT

The relatively low infectivity of baculoviruses to their host larvae limits their use as insecticidal agents on a larger scale. In the present study, a novel strategy was developed to efficiently embed foreign proteins into
Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus
(AcMNPV) occlusion bodies (OBs) to achieve stable expression of foreign proteins and to improve viral infectivity. A recombinant AcMNPV bacmid was constructed by expressing the 150-amino-acid (aa) N-terminal segment of polyhedrin under the control of the
p10
promoter and the remaining C-terminal 95-aa segment under the control of the
polyhedrin
promoter. The recombinant virus formed OBs in
Spodoptera frugiperda
9 cells, in which the occlusion-derived viruses were embedded in a manner similar to that for wild-type AcMNPV. Next, the 95-aa polyhedrin C terminus was fused to enhanced green fluorescent protein, and the recombinant AcMNPV formed fluorescent green OBs and was stably passaged
in vitro
and
in vivo
. The AcMNPV recombinants were further modified by fusing truncated
Agrotis segetum granulovirus
enhancin or truncated
Cydia pomonella granulovirus
ORF13 (GP37) to the C-terminal 95 aa of polyhedrin, and both recombinants were able to form normal OBs. Bioactivity assays indicated that the median lethal concentrations of these two AcMNPV recombinants were 3- to 5-fold lower than that of the control virus. These results suggest that embedding enhancing factors in baculovirus OBs by use of this novel technique may promote efficient and stable foreign protein expression and significantly improve baculovirus infectivity.

IMPORTANCE
Baculoviruses have been used as bioinsecticides for over 40 years, but their relatively low infectivity to their host larvae limits their use on a larger scale. It has been reported that it is possible to improve baculovirus infectivity by packaging enhancing factors within baculovirus occlusion bodies (OBs); however, so far, the packaging efficiency has been low. In this article, we describe a novel strategy for efficiently embedding foreign proteins into AcMNPV OBs by expressing N- and C-terminal (dimidiate) polyhedrin fragments (150 and 95 amino acids, respectively) as fusions to foreign proteins under the control of the
p10
and
polyhedrin
promoters, respectively. When this strategy was used to embed an enhancing factor (enhancin or GP37) into the baculovirus OBs, 3- to 5-fold increases in baculoviral infectivity were observed. This novel strategy has the potential to create an efficient protein expression system and a highly efficient virus-based system for insecticide production in the future.
Cardiorespiratory fitness and physical function in children with cancer from diagnosis throughout treatment
Authors: Thorsteinsson Troels , Larsen Hanne Baekgaard , Schmiegelow Kjeld , Thing Lone Friis , Krustrup Peter , Pedersen Mogens Theisen , Christensen Karl Bang , Mogensen Pernille Rudebeck , Helms Anne Sofie , Andersen Lars Bo 
Published: May 2017

BackgroundChildren with cancer experience severe reductions in physical fitness and functionality during and following intensive treatment. This may negatively impact their quality of life.PurposeTo describe the physical capacity and functionality of children with cancer during and after treatment as well as the feasibility of physical activity intervention in the Rehabilitation including Social and Physical activity and Education in Children and Teenagers with Cancer study.Patients and methodsThe study included children diagnosed from January 2013 to April 2016 with paediatric cancer or Langerhans cell histiocytosis, all treated with chemotherapy. Seventy-five of 78 consecutively eligible children (96.2%) were included. Median age was 11 years (range 6‒18). The physical capacity and function were assessed based on testing of physical strength, balance and cardiorespiratory fitness. Children were tested at diagnosis, 3 and 6 months after diagnosis and 1 year after cessation of treatment. The feasibility evaluation was inspired by the criteria for reporting the development and evaluation of complex interventions in healthcare.ResultsAll children participated in the physical intervention programme with no dropouts. Strenuous physical exercise and physiological testing during paediatric cancer treatment was safe and feasible, with only five minor adverse events during the intervention. Cardiorespiratory fitness was significantly lower in children with cancer than norms for healthy age-matched children at diagnosis (difference 19.1 mL/kg/min, 95% CI 15.4 to 22.7; p <0.0001), during treatment 3 and 6 months from diagnosis (difference 21.0 mL/kg/min, 95% CI 17.4 to 24.6; p <0.0001 and difference 21.6 mL/kg/min, 95% CI 17.3 to 25.8; p <0.0001, respectively) and 1 year after cessation of treatment (difference 6.9 mL/kg/min, 95% CI 1.1 to 12.7; p <0.0072). Furthermore, children with cancer experienced a pronounced decline in physical function.ConclusionThis study shows that it is safe and feasible to perform strenuous physical exercise and testing during paediatric cancer treatment and that children with cancer have significantly lower physical capacity and functionality than healthy age-matched norms.Trial registration numberClinicalTrials.gov:NCT01772862.
Detection of pneumothoraces in patients with multiple blunt trauma: use and limitations of eFAST
Authors: Sauter Thomas C , Hoess Simon , Lehmann Beat , Exadaktylos Aristomenis K , Haider Dominik G 
Published: May 2017

BackgroundExtended focused assessment with sonography for trauma (eFAST) has been shown to have moderate sensitivity for detection of pneumothorax in trauma. Little is known about the location or size of missed pneumothoraces or clinical predictors of pneumothoraces in patients with false-negative eFAST.MethodsThis retrospective cross-sectional study includes all patients with multiple blunt trauma diagnosed with pneumothorax who underwent both eFAST and CT performed in the ED of a level 1 trauma centre in Switzerland between 1 June 2012 and 30 September 2014. Sensitivity of eFAST for pneumothorax was determined using CT as the gold standard. Demographic and clinical characteristics of those who had a pneumothorax detected by eFAST and those who did not were compared using the Mann-Whitney U or Pearson’s χ2tests. Univariate binary logistic regression models were used to identify predictors for pneumothoraces in patients with negative eFAST examination.ResultsThe study included 109 patients. Overall sensitivity for pneumothorax on eFAST was 0.59 and 0.81 for pneumothoraces requiring treatment. Compared with those detected by eFAST, missed pneumothoraces were less likely to be ventral (30 (47.6%) vs 4 (9.3%), p <0.001) and more likely to be apical and basal (7 (11.1%) vs 15 (34.9%), p=0.003; 11 (17.5%) vs 18 (41.9%), p=0.008, respectively). The missed pneumothoraces were smaller than the detected pneumothoraces (left side: 30.7±17.4 vs 12.1±13.9 mm; right side: 30.2±10.1 vs 6.9±10.2 mm, both p <0.001). No clinical variables were identified which predicted pneumothoraces in falsely negative eFAST. Among those pneumothoraces missed by eFAST, 30% required tube thoracostomy compared with 88.9% of those detected with eFAST.ConclusionIn our study, pneumothoraces missed by eFAST were smaller and in atypical locations compared with those detected by eFAST and needed thoracic drainage less often.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in Scottish military veterans
Authors: Bergman Beverly P , Mackay D F , Pell J P 
Published: May 2017

IntroductionSmoking is a major risk factor for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Serving military personnel have previously been shown to be more likely to smoke, and to smoke more heavily, than civilians, but there is no clear consensus as to whether in later life, as veterans, they experience a higher prevalence and mortality from COPD than do non-veterans. We examined the risk of COPD in Scottish veterans and assessed the impact of changes in military smoking.MethodsRetrospective 30-year cohort study of 56 205 veterans born 1945–1985, and 172 741 people with no record of military service, matched for age, sex and area of residence, using Cox proportional hazard models to examine the association between veteran status, birth cohort, length of service and risk of COPD resulting in hospitalisation or death.ResultsThere were 1966 (3.52%) cases of COPD meeting the definition in veterans, compared with 5434 (3.19%) in non-veterans. The difference was statistically significant (p=0.001) in the unadjusted model although it became non-significant after adjusting for deprivation. The highest risk was seen in the oldest (1945–1949) birth cohort and in veterans with the shortest service (Early Service Leavers). The risk was significantly reduced in veterans born from 1960, and in those with over 12 years' service.ConclusionsOur findings are consistent with falling rates of military smoking since the 1960s, and with the reduction in smoking with longer service. The oldest veterans, and those with the shortest service, are least likely to have benefited from this, as reflected in their higher risk for COPD.
Resistance to RET-Inhibition in RET-Rearranged NSCLC Is Mediated By Reactivation of RAS/MAPK Signaling
Authors: Nelson-Taylor Sarah K. , Le Anh T. , Yoo Minjae , Schubert Laura , Mishall Katie M. , Doak Andrea , Varella-Garcia Marileila , Tan Aik-Choon , Doebele Robert C. 
Published: May 2017

Abstract
Oncogenic rearrangements in RET are present in 1%–2% of lung adenocarcinoma patients. Ponatinib is a multi-kinase inhibitor with low-nanomolar potency against the RET kinase domain. Here, we demonstrate that ponatinib exhibits potent antiproliferative activity in RET fusion–positive LC-2/ad lung adenocarcinoma cells and inhibits phosphorylation of the RET fusion protein and signaling through ERK1/2 and AKT. Using distinct dose escalation strategies, two ponatinib-resistant LC-2/ad cell lines, PR1 and PR2, were derived. PR1 and PR2 cell lines retained expression, but not phosphorylation of the RET fusion and lacked evidence of a resistance mutation in the RET kinase domain. Both resistant lines retained activation of the MAPK pathway. Next-generation RNA sequencing revealed an oncogenic NRAS p.Q61K mutation in the PR1 cell. PR1 cell proliferation was preferentially sensitive to siRNA knockdown of NRAS compared with knockdown of RET, more sensitive to MEK inhibition than the parental line, and NRAS dependence was maintained in the absence of chronic RET inhibition. Expression of NRAS p.Q61K in RET fusion expressing TPC1 cells conferred resistance to ponatinib. PR2 cells exhibited increased expression of EGFR and AXL. EGFR inhibition decreased cell proliferation and phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and AKT in PR2 cells, but not LC-2/ad cells. Although AXL inhibition enhanced PR2 sensitivity to afatinib, it was unable to decrease cell proliferation by itself. Thus, EGFR and AXL cooperatively rescued signaling from RET inhibition in the PR2 cells. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that resistance to ponatinib in RET-rearranged lung adenocarcinoma is mediated by bypass signaling mechanisms that result in restored RAS/MAPK activation. Mol Cancer Ther; 16(8); 1623–33. ©2017 AACR.
Increased Thromboembolic Events With Dabigatran Compared With Vitamin K Antagonism in Left Ventricular Assist Device Patients
Authors: Andreas Martin , Moayedifar Roxana , Wieselthaler Georg , Wolzt Michael , Riebandt Julia , Haberl Thomas , Angleitner Philipp , Schlöglhofer Thomas , Wiedemann Dominik , Schima Heinrich , Laufer Guenther , Zimpfer Daniel 
Published: May 2017

Background—
Left ventricular assist device–supported patients are usually anticoagulated with a combination of aspirin and vitamin K antagonists. Long-term vitamin K antagonist therapy can be complicated by unstable international normalized ratio values and patient-related compliance problems. Therefore, direct thrombin inhibitors may represent an alternative to vitamin K antagonists.

Methods and Results—

Thirty HeartWare ventricular assist device patients with stable renal function were planned for this prospective, randomized, open-label, single-center study. Patients were randomized to receive either phenprocoumon or dabigatran in addition to aspirin for long-term anticoagulation. Treatment duration was scheduled for 1 year and stopped after observation of a primary end point. Dabigatran dose was 110 and 75 mg BID in patients with normal or impaired renal function (glomerular filtration rate >80 mL/min or between 80 and 30 mL/min, respectively). The study was stopped prematurely for safety reasons after 16 patients (61±8 years, 1 female) were randomized. Thromboembolic events occurred in 4 subjects receiving dabigatran (50%) and in 1 receiving phenprocoumon (13%;
P
=0.28). No major bleeding was recorded, and no patient died during the study. Median time to treatment termination was significantly shorter in dabigatran patients (8.5 versus 12.0 months;
P
=0.015).

Conclusions—
Thromboembolic events on dabigatran led to early termination of a randomized controlled trial of dabigatran versus phenprocoumon in left ventricular assist device patients.

Clinical Trial Registration—

https://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier: NCT02872649.