bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Inter-individual variation in genes governing human hippocampal progenitor differentiation in vitro is associated with hippocampal volume in adulthood
Authors: Powell Timothy R. , Murphy Tytus , Lee Sang H. , Duarte Rodrigo R. R. , Lee Hyun Ah , Smeeth Demelza , Price Jack , Breen Gerome , Thuret Sandrine 
Published: November 2017

AbstractHippocampal volumes are smaller in psychiatric disorder patients and lower levels of hippocampal neurogenesis are the hypothesized cause. Understanding which molecular processes regulate hippocampal progenitor differentiation might aid in the identification of novel drug targets that can promote larger hippocampal volumes. Here we use a unique human cell line to assay genome-wide expression changes when hippocampal progenitor cells differentiate. RNA was extracted from proliferating cells versus differentiated neural cells and applied to Illumina Human HT-12 v4 Expression BeadChips. Linear regressions were used to determine the effect of differentiation on probe expression and we assessed enrichment for gene ontology (GO) terms. Genetic pathway analysis (MAGMA) was used to evaluate the relationship between hippocampal progenitor cell differentiation and adult hippocampal volume, using results from the imaging genomics consortium, ENIGMA. Downregulated transcripts were enriched for mitotic processes and upregulated transcripts were enriched for cell differentiation. Upregulated (differentiation) transcripts specifically, were also predictive of adult hippocampal volume; with Early growth response protein 2 identified as a hub transcription factor within the top GO term, and a potential drug target. Our results suggest that genes governing differentiation, rather than mitosis, have an impact on adult hippocampal volume and that these genes represent important drug targets.
Chemical and cellular oxidant production induced by naphthalene secondary organic aerosol (SOA): effect of redox-active metals and photochemical aging
Authors: Tuet Wing Y. , Chen Yunle , Fok Shierly , Gao Dong , Weber Rodney J. , Champion Julie A. , Ng Nga L. 
Published: November 2017

AbstractExposure to air pollution is a leading global health risk. Secondary organic aerosol (SOA) constitute a large portion of ambient particulate matter (PM). In this study, the water-soluble oxidative potential (OP) determined by dithiothreitol (DTT) consumption and intracellular reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS/RNS) production was measured for SOA generated from the photooxidation of naphthalene in the presence of iron sulfate and ammonium sulfate seed particles. The measured intrinsic OP varied for aerosol formed using different initial naphthalene concentrations, however, no trends were observed between OP and bulk aerosol composition or seed type. For all experiments, aerosol generated in the presence of iron-containing seed induced higher ROS/RNS production compared to that formed in the presence of inorganic seed. This effect was primarily attributed to differences in aerosol carbon oxidation state $${\boldsymbol{(}}{\bar{{\bf{O}}{\bf{S}}}}_{{\bf{c}}}{\boldsymbol{)}}$$
(

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. In the presence of iron, radical concentrations are elevated via iron redox cycling, resulting in more oxidized species. An exponential trend was also observed between ROS/RNS and $${\boldsymbol{(}}{\bar{{\bf{O}}{\bf{S}}}}_{{\bf{c}}}{\boldsymbol{)}}$$
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for all naphthalene SOA, regardless of seed type or aerosol formation condition. This may have important implications as aerosol have an atmospheric lifetime of a week, over which $${\boldsymbol{(}}{\bar{{\bf{O}}{\bf{S}}}}_{{\bf{c}}}{\boldsymbol{)}}$$
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increases due to continued photochemical aging, potentially resulting in more toxic aerosol.
The lipid raft-dwelling protein US9 can be manipulated to target APP compartmentalization, APP processing, and neurodegenerative disease pathogenesis
Authors: Brandimarti Renato , Hill Gordon S. , Geiger Jonathan D. , Meucci Olimpia 
Published: November 2017

AbstractThe trafficking behavior of the lipid raft-dwelling US9 protein from Herpes Simplex Virus strikingly overlaps with that of the amyloid precursor protein (APP). Both US9 and APP processing machinery rely on their ability to shuttle between endosomes and plasma membranes, as well as on their lateral accumulation in lipid rafts. Therefore, repurposing US9 to track/modify these molecular events represents a valid approach to investigate pathological states including Alzheimer’s disease and HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders where APP misprocessing to amyloid beta formation has been observed. Accordingly, we investigated the cellular localization of US9-driven cargo in neurons and created a US9-driven functional assay based on the exogenous enzymatic activity of Tobacco Etch Virus Protease. Our results demonstrate that US9 can direct and control cleavage of recombinant proteins exposed on the luminal leaflet of transport vesicles. Furthermore, we confirmed that US9 is associated with lipid-rafts and can target functional enzymes to membrane microdomains where pathologic APP-processing is thought to occur. Overall, our results suggest strongly that US9 can serve as a molecular driver that targets functional cargos to the APP machinery and can be used as a tool to study the contribution of lipid rafts to neurodegenerative disease conditions where amyloidogenesis has been implicated.
Binding of mycotoxins to proteins involved in neuronal plasticity: a combined in silico/wet investigation
Authors: Scafuri Bernardina , Varriale Antonio , Facchiano Angelo , D’Auria Sabato , Raggi Maria Elisabetta , Marabotti Anna 
Published: November 2017

AbstractWe have applied a combined computational procedure based on inverse and direct docking in order to identify putative protein targets of a panel of mycotoxins and xenobiotic compounds that can contaminate food and that are known to have several detrimental effects on human health. This procedure allowed us to identify a panel of human proteins as possible targets for aflatoxins, gliotoxin, ochratoxin A and deoxynivalenol. Steady-state fluorescence and microscale thermophoresis experiments allowed us to confirm the binding of some of these mycotoxins to acetylcholinesterase and X-linked neuroligin 4, two proteins involved in synapse activity and, particularly for the second protein, neuronal plasticity and development. Considering the possible involvement of X-linked neuroligin 4 in the etiopathogenesis of autism spectrum syndrome, this finding opens up a new avenue to explore the hypothetical role of these xenobiotic compounds in the onset of this pathology.
IL-6/IL-12 Cytokine Receptor Shuffling of Extra- and Intracellular Domains Reveals Canonical STAT Activation via Synthetic IL-35 and IL-39 Signaling
Authors: Floss D. M. , Schönberg M. , Franke M. , Horstmeier F. C. , Engelowski E. , Schneider A. , Rosenfeldt E. M. , Scheller J. 
Published: November 2017

AbstractIL-35 and IL-39 are recently discovered shared members of the IL-6- and IL-12–type cytokine family with immune-suppressive capacity. IL-35 has been reported to induce the formation of four different receptor complexes: gp130:IL-12β2, gp130:gp130, IL-12β2:IL-12β2, and IL-12β2:WSX-1. IL-39 was proposed to form a gp130:IL-23R receptor complex. IL-35, but not IL-39, has been reported to activate non-conventional STAT signaling, depending on the receptor complex and target cell. Analyses of IL-35 and IL-39 are, however, hampered by the lack of biologically active recombinant IL-35 and IL-39 proteins. Therefore, we engineered chimeric cytokine receptors to accomplish synthetic IL-35 and IL- 39 signaling by shuffling the extra- and intracellular domains of IL-6/IL-12–type cytokine receptors, resulting in biological activity for all previously described IL-35 receptor complexes. Moreover, we found that the proposed IL-39 receptor complex is biologically active and discovered two additional biologically active synthetic receptor combinations, gp130/IL-12Rβ1 and IL-23R/IL-12Rβ2. Surprisingly, synthetic IL-35 activation led to more canonical STAT signaling of all receptor complexes. In summary, our receptor shuffling approach highlights an interchangeable, modular domain structure among IL-6- and IL-12–type cytokine receptors and enabled synthetic IL-35 and IL-39 signaling.
The biomechanical coordination during oropharyngeal swallowing: an evaluation with a non-invasive sensing system
Authors: Li Qiang , Minagi Yoshitomo , Ono Takahiro , Chen Yongjin , Hori Kazuhiro , Fujiwara Shigehiro , Maeda Yoshinobu 
Published: November 2017

AbstractSwallowing is a very important and complex physiological behaviour. The dynamic of swallowing has created great interest as any procedural abnormality will result in dysphagia and even lower quality of life. However, a non-invasive evaluation of biomechanical coordination during oropharyngeal swallowing, which includes the activities of the tongue, the hyoid and swallowing-related muscles, has not yet been achieved. In the present study, we recruited fifteen subjects, and a non-invasive sensing system composed of a pressure sensor, a bend sensor, surface electrodes and a microphone was created to simultaneously monitor tongue pressure, hyoid motion, and surface EMG of swallowing-related muscles, as well as take sound recordings, when the subjects swallowed 5 ml of water. In addition to obtaining the durations of certain motor events, the considerable time (beginning, peak and ending time) of tongue pressure production, suprahyoid and infrahyoid muscle activity and hyoid motion were successfully measured. Moreover, the significant correlations between swallowing-related muscles, tongue pressure, and the hyoid were confirmed. These findings suggest that the non-invasive sensing system has potential as a good candidate for monitoring and evaluating the oropharyngeal process of swallowing, which may be useful in clinical work involving dysphagia evaluation and rehabilitation.
Ordered and Disordered Phases in Mo1−xWxS2 Monolayer
Authors: Tan Wei , Wei Zhipeng , Liu Xiaomin , Liu Jialin , Fang Xuan , Fang Dan , Wang Xiaohua , Wang Dengkui , Tang Jilong , Fan Xiaofeng 
Published: November 2017

AbstractWith special quasirandom structure approach and cluster expansion method combined with first-principle calculations, we explore the structure and electronic properties of monolayer Mo1−xWxS2 alloy with disordered phase and ordered phase. The phase transition from ordered phase to disordered phase is found to happen at 41 K and 43 K for x = 1/3 and x = 2/3, respectively. The band edge of VBM is just related with the composition x, while the band edge of CBM is sensitive to the degree of order, besides the concentration of W. Near the CBM band edge, there are two bands with the Mo-character and W-character, respectively. It is found that in disordered phase the Mo-character band is mixed with the W-character band, while the opposite happens in ordered phase. This result leads to that the splitting of two bands near CBM in ordered phase is larger than in disordered phase and gives rise to the smaller band gap in ordered phase compared to the disordered phase. The electron effective mass in ordered phase is smaller than in disordered phase, while the heavy hole effective mass in ordered phase is larger than that in disordered phase.
A common neonicotinoid pesticide, thiamethoxam, alters honey bee activity, motor functions, and movement to light
Authors: Tosi S. , Nieh J. C. 
Published: November 2017

AbstractHoney bees provide key ecosystem services. To pollinate and to sustain the colony, workers must walk, climb, and use phototaxis as they move inside and outside the nest. Phototaxis, orientation to light, is linked to sucrose responsiveness and the transition of work from inside to outside the nest, and is also a key component of division of labour. However, the sublethal effects of pesticides on locomotion and movement to light are relatively poorly understood. Thiamethoxam (TMX) is a common neonicotinoid pesticide that bees can consume in nectar and pollen. We used a vertical arena illuminated from the top to test the effects of acute and chronic sublethal exposures to TMX. Acute consumption (1.34 ng/bee) impaired locomotion, caused hyperactivity (velocity: +109%; time moving: +44%) shortly after exposure (30 min), and impaired motor functions (falls: +83%; time top: −43%; time bottom: +93%; abnormal behaviours: +138%; inability to ascend: +280%) over a longer period (60 min). A 2-day chronic exposure (field-relevant daily intakes of 1.42–3.48 ng/bee/day) impaired bee ability to ascend. TMX increased movement to light after acute and chronic exposure. Thus, TMX could reduce colony health by harming worker locomotion and, potentially, alter division of labour if bees move outside or remain outdoors.
Neural-specific deletion of mitochondrial p32/C1qbp leads to leukoencephalopathy due to undifferentiated oligodendrocyte and axon degeneration
Authors: Yagi Mikako , Uchiumi Takeshi , Sagata Noriaki , Setoyama Daiki , Amamoto Rie , Matsushima Yuichi , Kang Dongchon 
Published: November 2017

AbstractMitochondrial dysfunction is a critical step in the pathogenesis of many neurodegenerative diseases. The p32/ C1qbp gene functions as an essential RNA and protein chaperone in mitochondrial translation, and is indispensable for embryonic development. However, little is known about the consequences of mitochondrial dysfunction of p32 deletion in the brain development. Here, we found that mice lacking p32 in the central nervous system (p32cKO mice) showed white matter degeneration accompanied by progressive oligodendrocyte loss, axon degeneration and vacuolation in the mid brain and brain stem regions. Furthermore, p32cKO mice died within 8 weeks of birth. We also found that p32-deficient oligodendrocytes and neurons showed reduced oligodendrocyte differentiation and axon degeneration in primary culture. We show that mitochondrial disruption activates an adaptive program known as the integrated stress response (ISR). Mitochondrial respiratory chain function in oligodendrocytes and neurons is, therefore, essential for myelination and axon maintenance, respectively, suggesting that mitochondrial respiratory chain dysfunction in the central nervous system contributes to leukoencephalopathy.
Transcriptomic and epigenetic responses to short-term nutrient-exercise stress in humans
Authors: Laker R. C. , Garde C. , Camera D. M. , Smiles W. J. , Zierath J. R. , Hawley J. A. , Barrès R. 
Published: November 2017

AbstractHigh fat feeding impairs skeletal muscle metabolic flexibility and induces insulin resistance, whereas exercise training exerts positive effects on substrate handling and improves insulin sensitivity. To identify the genomic mechanisms by which exercise ameliorates some of the deleterious effects of high fat feeding, we investigated the transcriptional and epigenetic response of human skeletal muscle to 9 days of a high-fat diet (HFD) alone (Sed-HFD) or in combination with resistance exercise (Ex-HFD), using genome-wide profiling of gene expression and DNA methylation. HFD markedly induced expression of immune and inflammatory genes, which was not attenuated by Ex. Conversely, Ex markedly remodelled expression of genes associated with muscle growth and structure. We detected marked DNA methylation changes following HFD alone and in combination with Ex. Among the genes that showed a significant association between DNA methylation and gene expression changes were PYGM, which was epigenetically regulated in both groups, and ANGPTL4, which was regulated only following Ex. In conclusion, while short-term Ex did not prevent a HFD-induced inflammatory response, it provoked a genomic response that may protect skeletal muscle from atrophy. These epigenetic adaptations provide mechanistic insight into the gene-specific regulation of inflammatory and metabolic processes in human skeletal muscle.
Plasmonic Chromatic Electrode with Low Resistivity
Authors: Moon Young Gyu , Do Yun Seon , Lee Min Ho , Hwang Bo Yeon , Jeong Dong Jun , Ju Byeong-Kwon , Choi Kyung Cheol 
Published: November 2017

AbstractWe report on the optical and electrical properties of a novel plasmonic chromatic electrode (PCE). The PCE was composed of a metallic nano-hole array and ITO layer as a dielectric for electrical property. The structure design was optimized to obtain the matched condition between surface plasmon modes at the top and bottom metal-dielectric interfaces for high transmittance. The fabricated PCEs have high transmittance of 25~40% and low resistivity (level of 10−5 Ωcm) compared to conventional electrodes. Due to the multi-functionality and simple structure of PCEs, we predict the PCEs can be applied for advanced industrial use such as, high resolution, flexible, and stretchable devices.
Influence of Precipitation and Crop Germination on Resource Selection by Mule Deer (Odocoileus hemionus) in Southwest Colorado
Authors: Carrollo Emily M. , Johnson Heather E. , Fischer Justin W. , Hammond Matthew , Dorsey Patricia D. , Anderson Charles , Vercauteren Kurt C. , Walter W. David 
Published: November 2017

AbstractMule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) populations in the western United States provide many benefits to local economies but can also cause considerable damage to agriculture, particularly damage to lucrative crops. Limited information exists to understand resource selection of mule deer in response to annual variation in crop rotation and climatic conditions. We tested the hypothesis that mule deer select certain crops, and in particular sunflower, based on annual climatic variability. Our objective was to use movements, estimates of home range, and resource selection analysis to identify resources selected by mule deer. We used annually-derived crop-specific datasets along with Global Positioning System collars to monitor 14 mule deer in an agricultural area near public lands in southwestern Colorado, USA. We estimated home ranges for two winter seasons that ranged between 7.68 and 9.88 km2, and for two summer seasons that ranged between 5.51 and 6.24 km2. Mule deer selected areas closer to forest and alfalfa for most periods during 2012, but selected areas closer to sunflower in a majority of periods during 2013. Considerable annual variation in climate patterns and precipitation levels appeared to influence selection by mule deer because of variability in crop rotation and success of germination of specific crops.
Synergistic combinations of short high-voltage pulses and long low-voltage pulses enhance irreversible electroporation efficacy
Authors: Yao Chenguo , Lv Yanpeng , Zhao Yajun , Dong Shoulong , Liu Hongmei , Ma Jianhao 
Published: November 2017

AbstractIrreversible electroporation (IRE) uses ~100 μs pulsed electric fields to disrupt cell membranes for solid tumor ablation. Although IRE has achieved exciting preliminary clinical results, implementing IRE could be challenging because of volumetric limitations at the ablation region. Combining short high-voltage (SHV: 1600V, 2 μs, 1 Hz, 20 pulses) pulses with long low-voltage (LLV: 240–480 V, 100 μs, 1 Hz, 60–80 pulses) pulses induces a synergistic effect that enhances IRE efficacy. Here, cell cytotoxicity and tissue ablation were investigated. The results show that combining SHV pulses with LLV pulses induced SKOV3 cell death more effectively, and compared to either SHV pulses or LLV pulses applied alone, the combination significantly enhanced the ablation region. Particularly, prolonging the lag time (100 s) between SHV and LLV pulses further reduced cell viability and enhanced the ablation area. However, the sequence of SHV and LLV pulses was important, and the LLV + SHV combination was not as effective as the SHV + LLV combination. We offer a hypothesis to explain the synergistic effect behind enhanced cell cytotoxicity and enlarged ablation area. This work shows that combining SHV pulses with LLV pulses could be used as a focal therapy and merits investigation in larger pre-clinical models and microscopic mechanisms.
Detecting abnormality in heart dynamics from multifractal analysis of ECG signals
Authors: Shekatkar Snehal M. , Kotriwar Yamini , Harikrishnan K. P. , Ambika G. 
Published: November 2017

AbstractThe characterization of heart dynamics with a view to distinguish abnormal from normal behavior is an interesting topic in clinical sciences. Here we present an analysis of the Electro-cardiogram (ECG) signals from several healthy and unhealthy subjects using the framework of dynamical systems approach to multifractal analysis. Our analysis differs from the conventional nonlinear analysis in that the information contained in the amplitude variations of the signal is being extracted and quantified. The results thus obtained reveal that the attractor underlying the dynamics of the heart has multifractal structure and the variations in the resultant multifractal spectra can clearly separate healthy subjects from unhealthy ones. We use supervised machine learning approach to build a model that predicts the group label of a new subject with very high accuracy on the basis of the multifractal parameters. By comparing the computed indices in the multifractal spectra with that of beat replicated data from the same ECG, we show how each ECG can be checked for variations within itself. The increased variability observed in the measures for the unhealthy cases can be a clinically meaningful index for detecting the abnormal dynamics of the heart.
Measuring the Conformational Distance of GPCR-related Proteins Using a Joint-based Descriptor
Authors: Thangappan Jayaraman , Madan Bharat , Wu Sangwook , Lee Sun-Gu 
Published: November 2017

AbstractJoint-based descriptor is a new level of macroscopic descriptor for protein structure using joints of secondary structures as a basic element. Here, we propose how the joint-based descriptor can be applied to examine the conformational distances or differences of transmembrane (TM) proteins. Specifically, we performed three independent studies that measured the global and conformational distances between GPCR A family and its related structures. First, the conformational distances of GPCR A family and other 7TM proteins were evaluated. This provided the information on the distant and close families or superfamilies to GPCR A family and permitted the identification of conserved local conformations. Second, computational models of GPCR A family proteins were validated, which enabled us to estimate how much they reproduce the native conformation of GPCR A proteins at global and local conformational level. Finally, the conformational distances between active and inactive states of GPCR proteins were estimated, which identified the difference of local conformation. The proposed macroscopic joint-based approach is expected to allow us to investigate structural features, evolutionary relationships, computational models and conformational changes of TM proteins in a more simplistic manner.