bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Discovery of an antibody for pan-ebolavirus therapy
Authors: Furuyama Wakako , Marzi Andrea , Nanbo Asuka , Haddock Elaine , Maruyama Junki , Miyamoto Hiroko , Igarashi Manabu , Yoshida Reiko , Noyori Osamu , Feldmann Heinz , Takada Ayato 
Published: February 2016

AbstractDuring the latest outbreak of Ebola virus disease in West Africa, monoclonal antibody therapy (e.g., ZMapp) was utilized to treat patients. However, due to the antigenic differences among the five ebolavirus species, the current therapeutic monoclonal antibodies are only effective against viruses of the species Zaire ebolavirus. Although this particular species has indeed caused the majority of human infections in Central and, recently, West Africa, other ebolavirus species (e.g., Sudan ebolavirus and Bundibugyo ebolavirus) have also repeatedly caused outbreaks in Central Africa and thus should not be neglected in the development of countermeasures against ebolaviruses. Here we report the generation of an ebolavirus glycoprotein-specific monoclonal antibody that effectively inhibits cellular entry of representative isolates of all known ebolavirus species in vitro and show its protective efficacy in mouse models of ebolavirus infections. This novel neutralizing monoclonal antibody targets a highly conserved internal fusion loop in the glycoprotein molecule and prevents membrane fusion of the viral envelope with cellular membranes. The discovery of this highly cross-neutralizing antibody provides a promising option for broad-acting ebolavirus antibody therapy and will accelerate the design of improved vaccines that can selectively elicit cross-neutralizing antibodies against multiple species of ebolaviruses.
Nanoscopic substructures of raft-mimetic liquid-ordered membrane domains revealed by high-speed single-particle tracking
Authors: Wu Hsiao-Mei , Lin Ying-Hsiu , Yen Tzu-Chi , Hsieh Chia-Lung 
Published: February 2016

AbstractLipid rafts are membrane nanodomains that facilitate important cell functions. Despite recent advances in identifying the biological significance of rafts, nature and regulation mechanism of rafts are largely unknown due to the difficulty of resolving dynamic molecular interaction of rafts at the nanoscale. Here, we investigate organization and single-molecule dynamics of rafts by monitoring lateral diffusion of single molecules in raft-containing reconstituted membranes supported on mica substrates. Using high-speed interferometric scattering (iSCAT) optical microscopy and small gold nanoparticles as labels, motion of single lipids is recorded via single-particle tracking (SPT) with nanometer spatial precision and microsecond temporal resolution. Processes of single molecules partitioning into and escaping from the raft-mimetic liquid-ordered (Lo) domains are directly visualized in a continuous manner with unprecedented clarity. Importantly, we observe subdiffusion of saturated lipids in the Lo domain in microsecond timescale, indicating the nanoscopic heterogeneous molecular arrangement of the Lo domain. Further analysis of the diffusion trajectory shows the presence of nano-subdomains of the Lo phase, as small as 10 nm, which transiently trap the lipids. Our results provide the first experimental evidence of non-uniform molecular organization of the Lo phase, giving a new view of how rafts recruit and confine molecules in cell membranes.
Temporal dynamics of choice behavior in rats and humans: an examination of pre- and post-choice latencies
Authors: Fam Justine , Westbrook Fred , Arabzadeh Ehsan 
Published: February 2016

AbstractIdentifying similarities and differences in choice behavior across species is informative about how basic mechanisms give rise to more complex processes. In the present study, we compared pre- and post-choice latencies between rats and humans under two paradigms. In Experiment 1, we used a cued choice paradigm where subjects were presented with a cue that directed them as to which of two options to respond for rewards. In Experiment 2, subjects were free to choose between two options in order to procure rewards. In both Experiments rewards were delivered with distinct probabilities. The trial structure used in these experiments allowed the choice process to be decomposed into pre- and post-choice processes. Overall, post-choice latencies reflected the difference in reward probability between the two options, where latencies for the option with higher probability of reward were longer than those for the option with lower probability of reward. An interesting difference between rats and humans was observed: the choice behavior for humans, but not rats, was sensitive to the free-choice aspect of the tasks, such that in free-choice trials post-choice latencies no longer reflected the difference in reward probabilities between the two options.
The Indispensable Role of Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 1 in Skeletal Development
Authors: Saito Masanori , Mulati Mieradili , Talib S. Zakiah A. , Kaldis Philipp , Takeda Shu , Okawa Atsushi , Inose Hiroyuki 
Published: February 2016

AbstractSkeletal development is tightly regulated through the processes of chondrocyte proliferation and differentiation. Although the involvement of transcription and growth factors on the regulation of skeletal development has been extensively studied, the role of cell cycle regulatory proteins in this process remains elusive. To date, through cell-specific loss-of-function experiments in vivo, no cell cycle regulatory proteins have yet been conclusively shown to regulate skeletal development. Here, we demonstrate that cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (Cdk1) regulates skeletal development based on chondrocyte-specific loss-of-function experiments performed in a mouse model. Cdk1 is highly expressed in columnar proliferative chondrocytes and is greatly downregulated upon differentiation into hypertrophic chondrocytes. Cdk1 is essential for proper chondrocyte proliferation and deletion of Cdk1 resulted in accelerated differentiation of chondrocytes. In vitro and ex vivo analyses revealed that Cdk1 is an essential cell cycle regulatory protein for parathyroid hormone-related peptide (PTHrP) signaling pathway, which is critical to chondrocyte proliferation and differentiation. These results demonstrate that Cdk1 functions as a molecular switch from proliferation to hypertrophic differentiation of chondrocytes and thus is indispensable for skeletal development. Given the availability of inhibitors of Cdk1 activity, our results could provide insight for the treatment of diseases involving abnormal chondrocyte proliferation, such as osteoarthritis.
Vacuum template synthesis of multifunctional nanotubes with tailored nanostructured walls
Authors: Filippin A. Nicolas , Macias-Montero Manuel , Saghi Zineb , Idígoras Jesús , Burdet Pierre , Barranco Angel , Midgley Paul , Anta Juan A. , Borras Ana 
Published: February 2016

AbstractA three-step vacuum procedure for the fabrication of vertical TiO2 and ZnO nanotubes with three dimensional walls is presented. The method combines physical vapor deposition of small-molecules, plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition of inorganic functional thin films and layers and a post-annealing process in vacuum in order to remove the organic template. As a result, an ample variety of inorganic nanotubes are made with tunable length, hole dimensions and shapes and tailored wall composition, microstructure, porosity and structure. The fabrication of multishell nanotubes combining different semiconducting oxides and metal nanoparticles is as well explored. This method provides a feasible and reproducible route for the fabrication of high density arrays of vertically alligned nanotubes on processable substrates. The emptying mechanism and microstructure of the nanotubes have been elucidated through SEM, STEM, HAADF-STEM tomography and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. In this article, as a proof of concept, it is presented the straightforward integration of ZnO nanotubes as photoanode in a photovoltaic cell and as a photonic oxygen gas sensor.
Nanometer resolution optical coherence tomography using broad bandwidth XUV and soft x-ray radiation
Authors: Fuchs Silvio , Rödel Christian , Blinne Alexander , Zastrau Ulf , Wünsche Martin , Hilbert Vinzenz , Glaser Leif , Viefhaus Jens , Frumker Eugene , Corkum Paul , Förster Eckhart , Paulus Gerhard G. 
Published: February 2016

AbstractOptical coherence tomography (OCT) is a non-invasive technique for cross-sectional imaging. It is particularly advantageous for applications where conventional microscopy is not able to image deeper layers of samples in a reasonable time, e.g. in fast moving, deeper lying structures. However, at infrared and optical wavelengths, which are commonly used, the axial resolution of OCT is limited to about 1 μm, even if the bandwidth of the light covers a wide spectral range. Here, we present extreme ultraviolet coherence tomography (XCT) and thus introduce a new technique for non-invasive cross-sectional imaging of nanometer structures. XCT exploits the nanometerscale coherence lengths corresponding to the spectral transmission windows of, e.g., silicon samples. The axial resolution of coherence tomography is thus improved from micrometers to a few nanometers. Tomographic imaging with an axial resolution better than 18 nm is demonstrated for layer-type nanostructures buried in a silicon substrate. Using wavelengths in the water transmission window, nanometer-scale layers of platinum are retrieved with a resolution better than 8 nm. XCT as a nondestructive method for sub-surface tomographic imaging holds promise for several applications in semiconductor metrology and imaging in the water window.
Boosting the Transparency of Thin Layers by Coatings of Opposing Susceptibility: How Metals Help See Through Dielectrics
Authors: Shakhs Mohammed Al , Augusto Lucian , Markley Loïc , Chau Kenneth J. 
Published: February 2016

AbstractWe propose a hypothesis that a very thin layer can be made more transparent by adding a thin coating with susceptibility of opposing sign. Two experimental tests backed by a theoretical model support this hypothesis. First, we show that the visible and near-infrared transmission through a semi-transparent silver film can be enhanced by up to ~70% and spectrally tailored depending on the type and thickness of the dielectric coating. Material types explored as dielectric coating layers include conventional metal oxides (titanium dioxide) and lesser-explored elemental semiconductors (undoped silicon, p-type silicon and germanium). Second and more surprisingly, we show that coating a 50-nm-thick silicon nitride membrane with a 10-nm-thick silver layer can modestly enhance the transmission by up to 6 ± 1% in the blue part of the spectrum. Transmission enhancements are observed for three silver-coated membranes in different configurations. Thinner silver coatings are theoretically capable of enhancement factors greater than 10%, but implementation is restricted by challenges in making smooth and continuous silver films below 10 nm in thickness. This study is important because it is the first demonstration of reciprocity with respect to the transmission enhancements achieved by combining thin metallic and dielectric layers.
Doped and undoped graphene platforms: the influence of structural properties on the detection of polyphenols
Authors: Chng Chu’Er , Sofer Zdenek , Pumera Martin , Bonanni Alessandra 
Published: February 2016

AbstractThere is a huge interest in doped graphene and how doping can tune the material properties for the specific application. It was recently demonstrated that the effect of doping can have different influence on the electrochemical detection of electroactive probes, depending on the analysed probe, on the structural characteristics of the graphene materials and on the type and amount of heteroatom used for the doping. In this work we wanted to investigate the effect of doping on graphene materials used as platform for the detection of catechin, a standard probe which is commonly used for the measurement of polyphenols in food and beverages. To this aim we compared undoped graphene with boron-doped graphene and nitrogen doped graphene platforms for the electrochemical detection of standard catechin oxidation. Finally, the material providing the best electrochemical performance was employed for the analysis of real samples. We found that the undoped graphene, possessing lower amount of oxygen functionalities, higher density of defects and larger electroactive surface area provided the best electroanalytical performance for the determination of catechin in commercial beer samples. Our findings are important for the development of novel graphene platforms for the electrochemical assessment of food quality.
Standardizing Flow Cytometry Immunophenotyping Analysis from the Human ImmunoPhenotyping Consortium
Authors: Finak Greg , Langweiler Marc , Jaimes Maria , Malek Mehrnoush , Taghiyar Jafar , Korin Yael , Raddassi Khadir , Devine Lesley , Obermoser Gerlinde , Pekalski Marcin L. , Pontikos Nikolas , Diaz Alain , Heck Susanne , Villanova Federica , Terrazzini Nadia , Kern Florian , Qian Yu , Stanton Rick , Wang Kui , Brandes Aaron , Ramey John , Aghaeepour Nima , Mosmann Tim , Scheuermann Richard H. , Reed Elaine , Palucka Karolina , Pascual Virginia , Blomberg Bonnie B. , Nestle Frank , Nussenblatt Robert B. , Brinkman Ryan Remy , Gottardo Raphael , Maecker Holden , McCoy J Philip 
Published: February 2016

AbstractStandardization of immunophenotyping requires careful attention to reagents, sample handling, instrument setup, and data analysis, and is essential for successful cross-study and cross-center comparison of data. Experts developed five standardized, eight-color panels for identification of major immune cell subsets in peripheral blood. These were produced as pre-configured, lyophilized, reagents in 96-well plates. We present the results of a coordinated analysis of samples across nine laboratories using these panels with standardized operating procedures (SOPs). Manual gating was performed by each site and by a central site. Automated gating algorithms were developed and tested by the FlowCAP consortium. Centralized manual gating can reduce cross-center variability, and we sought to determine whether automated methods could streamline and standardize the analysis. Within-site variability was low in all experiments, but cross-site variability was lower when central analysis was performed in comparison with site-specific analysis. It was also lower for clearly defined cell subsets than those based on dim markers and for rare populations. Automated gating was able to match the performance of central manual analysis for all tested panels, exhibiting little to no bias and comparable variability. Standardized staining, data collection, and automated gating can increase power, reduce variability, and streamline analysis for immunophenotyping.
High C3 photosynthetic capacity and high intrinsic water use efficiency underlies the high productivity of the bioenergy grass Arundo donax
Authors: Webster Richard J. , Driever Steven M. , Kromdijk Johannes , McGrath Justin , Leakey Andrew D. B. , Siebke Katharina , Demetriades-Shah Tanvir , Bonnage Steve , Peloe Tony , Lawson Tracy , Long Stephen P. 
Published: February 2016

AbstractArundo donax has attracted interest as a potential bioenergy crop due to a high apparent productivity. It uses C3 photosynthesis yet appears competitive with C4 grass biomass feedstock’s and grows in warm conditions where C4 species might be expected to be that productive. Despite this there has been no systematic study of leaf photosynthetic properties. This study determines photosynthetic and photorespiratory parameters for leaves in a natural stand of A. donax growing in southern Portugal. We hypothesise that A. donax has a high photosynthetic potential in high and low light, stomatal limitation to be small and intrinsic water use efficiency unusually low. High photosynthetic rates in A. donax resulted from a high capacity for both maximum Rubisco (Vc,max 117 μmol CO2 m−2 s−1) and ribulose-1:5-bisphosphate limited carboxylation rate (Jmax 213 μmol CO2 m−2 s−1) under light-saturated conditions. Maximum quantum yield for light-limited CO2 assimilation was also high relative to other C3 species. Photorespiratory losses were similar to other C3 species under the conditions of measurement (25%), while stomatal limitation was high (0.25) resulting in a high intrinsic water use efficiency. Overall the photosynthetic capacity of A. donax is high compared to other C3 species and comparable to C4 bioenergy grasses.
Gastric microbiota and predicted gene functions are altered after subtotal gastrectomy in patients with gastric cancer
Authors: Tseng Ching-Hung , Lin Jaw-Town , Ho Hsiu J. , Lai Zi-Lun , Wang Chang-Bi , Tang Sen-Lin , Wu Chun-Ying 
Published: February 2016

AbstractSubtotal gastrectomy (i.e., partial removal of the stomach), a surgical treatment for early-stage distal gastric cancer, is usually accompanied by highly selective vagotomy and Billroth II reconstruction, leading to dramatic changes in the gastric environment. Based on accumulating evidence of a strong link between human gut microbiota and host health, a 2-year follow-up study was conducted to characterize the effects of subtotal gastrectomy. Gastric microbiota and predicted gene functions inferred from 16S rRNA gene sequencing were analyzed before and after surgery. The results demonstrated that gastric microbiota is significantly more diverse after surgery. Ralstonia and Helicobacter were the top two genera of discriminant abundance in the cancerous stomach before surgery, while Streptococcus and Prevotella were the two most abundant genera after tumor excision. Furthermore, N-nitrosation genes were prevalent before surgery, whereas bile salt hydrolase, NO and N2O reductase were prevalent afterward. To our knowledge, this is the first report to document changes in gastric microbiota before and after surgical treatment of stomach cancer.
Climate and Fuel Controls on North American Paleofires: Smoldering to Flaming in the Late-glacial-Holocene Transition
Authors: Han Y.M. , Peteet D.M. , Arimoto R. , Cao J.J. , An Z.S. , Sritrairat S. , Yan B.Z. 
Published: February 2016

AbstractSmoldering and flaming fires, which emit different proportions of organic (OC) and black carbon (BC, in the form of char and soot), have long been recognized in modern wildfire observations but never in a paleo-record, and little is known about their interactions with climate. Here we show that in the late glacial-early Holocene transition period, when the climate was moist, relatively high quantities of char were deposited in Linsley Pond, Connecticut, USA while soot was more abundant during the warmer and drier early Holocene interval. The highest soot mass accumulation rates (MARs) occurred at the beginning of the Holocene as fuel availability increased through the climatic transition when boreal forests were locally extirpated. These variations with time are related to the different formation pathways of char and soot, which are governed by combustion efficiency. This study provides an approach for differentiating smoldering from flaming combustion in paleo-wildfire reconstructions. Our results suggest that climate and fuel loads control the occurrence of different wildfire types and precipitation may play a key role.
Anisotropic structural and optical properties of semi-polar (11–22) GaN grown on m-plane sapphire using double AlN buffer layers
Authors: Zhao Guijuan , Wang Lianshan , Yang Shaoyan , Li Huijie , Wei Hongyuan , Han Dongyue , Wang Zhanguo 
Published: February 2016

AbstractWe report the anisotropic structural and optical properties of semi-polar (11–22) GaN grown on m-plane sapphire using a three-step growth method which consisted of a low temperature AlN buffer layer, followed by a high temperature AlN buffer layer and GaN growth. By introducing double AlN buffer layers, we substantially improve the crystal and optical qualities of semi-polar (11–22) GaN and significantly reduce the density of stacking faults and dislocations. The high resolution x-ray diffraction measurement revealed that the in-plane anisotropic structural characteristics of GaN layer are azimuthal dependent. Transmission electron microscopy analysis showed that the majority of dislocations in the GaN epitaxial layer grown on m-sapphire are the mixed-type and the orientation of GaN layer was rotated 58.4° against the substrate. The room temperature photoluminescence (PL) spectra showed the PL intensity and wavelength have polarization dependence along parallel and perpendicular to the [1–100] axis (polarization degrees ~ 0.63). The realization of a high polarization semi-polar GaN would be useful to achieve III-nitride based lighting emission device for displays and backlighting.
Complex-shaped three-dimensional multi-compartmental microparticles generated by diffusional and Marangoni microflows in centrifugally discharged droplets
Authors: Hayakawa Masayuki , Onoe Hiroaki , Nagai Ken H. , Takinoue Masahiro 
Published: February 2016

AbstractWe report a versatile method for the generation of complex-shaped three-dimensional multi-compartmental (3D-MC) microparticles. Complex-shaped microparticles have recently received much attention for potential application in self-assemblies, micromachines and biomedical and environmental engineering. Here, we have developed a method based on 3D nonequilibrium-induced microflows (Marangoni and diffusional flows) of microdroplets that are discharged from the tip of a thin capillary in a simple centrifugal microfluidic device. The microparticle shapes can be tuned by the partial dissolution of specific compartments and by the deformation of the precursor microdroplets by manipulating the 3D microflows. We believe that this method will have wide applications in nano- and microscience and technologies.
Structure-Property-Function Relationship in Humic Substances to Explain the Biological Activity in Plants
Authors: García Andrés Calderín , de Souza Luiz Gilberto Ambrosio , Pereira Marcos Gervasio , Castro Rosane Nora , García-Mina José María , Zonta Everaldo , Lisboa Francy Junior Gonçalves , Berbara Ricardo Luis Louro 
Published: February 2016

AbstractKnowledge of the structure-property-function relationship of humic substances (HSs) is key for understanding their role in soil. Despite progress, studies on this topic are still under discussion. We analyzed 37 humic fractions with respect to their isotopic composition, structural characteristics, and properties responsible for stimulating plant root parameters. We showed that regardless of the source of origin of the carbon (C3or C4), soil-extracted HSs and humic acids (HAs) are structurally similar to each other. The more labile and functionalized HS fraction is responsible for root emission, whereas the more recalcitrant and less functionalized HA fraction is related to root growth. Labile structures promote root stimulation at lower concentrations, while recalcitrant structures require higher concentrations to promote a similar stimulus. These findings show that lability and recalcitrance, which are derived properties of humic fractions, are related to the type and intensity of their bioactivity. In summary, the comparison of humic fractions allowed a better understanding of the relationship between the source of origin of plant carbon and the structure, properties, and type and intensity of the bioactivity of HSs in plants. In this study, scientific concepts are unified and the basis for the agronomic use of HSs is established.