bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Aspirin and atenolol enhance metformin activity against breast cancer by targeting both neoplastic and microenvironment cells
Authors: Talarico Giovanna , Orecchioni Stefania , Dallaglio Katiuscia , Reggiani Francesca , Mancuso Patrizia , Calleri Angelica , Gregato Giuliana , Labanca Valentina , Rossi Teresa , Noonan Douglas M. , Albini Adriana , Bertolini Francesco 
Published: January 2016

AbstractMetformin can induce breast cancer (BC) cell apoptosis and reduce BC local and metastatic growth in preclinical models. Since Metformin is frequently used along with Aspirin or beta-blockers, we investigated the effect of Metformin, Aspirin and the beta-blocker Atenolol in several BC models. In vitro, Aspirin synergized with Metformin in inducing apoptosis of triple negative and endocrine-sensitive BC cells and in activating AMPK in BC and in white adipose tissue (WAT) progenitors known to cooperate to BC progression. Both Aspirin and Atenolol added to the inhibitory effect of Metformin against complex I of the respiratory chain. In both immune-deficient and immune-competent preclinical models, Atenolol increased Metformin activity against angiogenesis, local and metastatic growth of HER2+ and triple negative BC. Aspirin increased the activity of Metformin only in immune-competent HER2+ BC models. Both Aspirin and Atenolol, when added to Metformin, significantly reduced the endothelial cell component of tumor vessels, whereas pericytes were reduced by the addition of Atenolol but not by the addition of Aspirin. Our data indicate that the addition of Aspirin or of Atenolol to Metformin might be beneficial for BC control and that this activity is likely due to effects on both BC and microenvironment cells.
Femtosecond laser combined with non-chopping rotation phacoemulsification technique for soft-nucleus cataract surgery: a prospective study
Authors: Chen Hui , Lin Haotian , Chen Wan , Zhang Bo , Xiang Wu , Li Jing , Chen Weirong , Liu Yizhi 
Published: January 2016

AbstractSoft-lens cataract surgeries are becoming increasingly common for cataract surgeons and chopping the soft nucleus using conventional techniques is problematic. We introduced a femtosecond laser combined with a non-chopping rotation phacoemulsification technique for soft-nucleus cataract surgery and evaluated the safety and efficacy of using this technique. Sixty-six patients with soft-nucleus cataracts ranging from grade 1~3 were divided into 3 groups based on nuclear staging. Those groups were further divided into three subgroups: femtosecond laser pretreatment combined with a non-chopping rotation phacoemulsification technique (subgroup 1), conventional manual cataract surgery with a non-chopping rotation technique (subgroup 2) and conventional manual cataract surgery with a quick-chop technique (subgroup 3).Patients were followed up at 1, 7 and 30 days after surgery. There was an 84.6% and a 63.34% reduction in ultrasound time and cumulative dissipated energy, respectively, between the subgroup 1 and the subgroup 3; and this was associated with a 36.1% and 29.7% reduction in endothelial cell loss and aqueous flare. There were no adverse events at the follow-up times. With its reduced ultrasound energy, endothelial cell loss and aqueous flare, the femtosecond laser pretreatment combined with a non-chopping rotation technique was more efficient than conventional manual cataract surgery for soft-nucleus cataracts.
Experimental and theoretical investigation of the precise transduction mechanism in giant magnetoresistive biosensors
Authors: Lee Jung-Rok , Sato Noriyuki , Bechstein Daniel J. B. , Osterfeld Sebastian J. , Wang Junyi , Gani Adi Wijaya , Hall Drew A. , Wang Shan X. 
Published: January 2016

AbstractGiant magnetoresistive (GMR) biosensors consisting of many rectangular stripes are being developed for high sensitivity medical diagnostics of diseases at early stages, but many aspects of the sensing mechanism remain to be clarified. Using e-beam patterned masks on the sensors, we showed that the magnetic nanoparticles with a diameter of 50 nm located between the stripes predominantly determine the sensor signals over those located on the sensor stripes. Based on computational analysis, it was confirmed that the particles in the trench, particularly those near the edges of the stripes, mainly affect the sensor signals due to additional field from the stripe under an applied field. We also demonstrated that the direction of the average magnetic field from the particles that contributes to the signal is indeed the same as that of the applied field, indicating that the particles in the trench are pivotal to produce sensor signal. Importantly, the same detection principle was validated with a duplex protein assay. Also, 8 different types of sensor stripes were fabricated and design parameters were explored. According to the detection principle uncovered, GMR biosensors can be further optimized to improve their sensitivity, which is highly desirable for early diagnosis of diseases.
Curcumin modulates cell death and is protective in Huntington’s disease model
Authors: Chongtham Anjalika , Agrawal Namita 
Published: January 2016

AbstractHuntington’s disease (HD) is a progressive, dominantly inherited neurological disorder caused by an abnormal expansion of polyglutamine (polyQ) repeat within the Huntingtin (Htt) protein with no disease modifying treatments. In a Drosophila model of HD, expression of mutant Huntingtin (Htt) protein with expanded polyQ leads to formation of inclusion bodies (IBs), increase in cellular toxicity, progression of motor disabilities and reduced viability. Multiple cellular events such as oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, inflammation and transcriptional dysregulation are reported to contribute to pathology, however, till date there are no disease-modifying treatments with least side effects. Therefore, we investigated effect of the phytochemical curcumin on HD pathogenesis. Curcumin, a phytochemical and commonly used ingredient in Asian food has a wide spectrum of anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrilogenic properties. In this study, we provide evidence that curcumin significantly ameliorates disease symptoms in a Drosophila model of HD by suppressing cell death and can be a key to halting the progression of Huntington’s disease with least side effects.
Poly (dopamine) coated superparamagnetic iron oxide nanocluster for noninvasive labeling, tracking and targeted delivery of adipose tissue-derived stem cells
Authors: Liao Naishun , Wu Ming , Pan Fan , Lin Jiumao , Li Zuanfang , Zhang Da , Wang Yingchao , Zheng Youshi , Peng Jun , Liu Xiaolong , Liu Jingfeng 
Published: January 2016

AbstractTracking and monitoring of cells in vivo after transplantation can provide crucial information for stem cell therapy. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) combined with contrast agents is believed to be an effective and non-invasive technique for cell tracking in living bodies. However, commercial superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) applied to label cells suffer from shortages such as potential toxicity, low labeling efficiency and low contrast enhancing. Herein, the adipose tissue-derived stem cells (ADSCs) were efficiently labeled with SPIONs coated with poly (dopamine) (SPIONs cluster@PDA), without affecting their viability, proliferation, apoptosis, surface marker expression, as well as their self-renew ability and multi-differentiation potential. The labeled cells transplanted into the mice through tail intravenous injection exhibited a negative enhancement of the MRI signal in the damaged liver-induced by carbon tetrachloride and subsequently these homed ADSCs with SPIONs cluster@PDA labeling exhibited excellent repair effects to the damaged liver. Moreover, the enhanced target-homing to tissue of interest and repair effects of SPIONs cluster@PDA-labeled ADSCs could be achieved by use of external magnetic field in the excisional skin wound mice model. Therefore, we provide a facile, safe, noninvasive and sensitive method for external magnetic field targeted delivery and MRI based tracking of transplanted cells in vivo.
A diffusion model for the coordination of DNA replication in Schizosaccharomyces pombe
Authors: Pichugina T. , Sugawara T. , Kaykov A. , Schierding W. , Masuda K. , Uewaki J. , Grand R. S. , Allison J. R. , Martienssen R. A. , Nurse P. , Ueno M. , O’Sullivan J. M. 
Published: January 2016

AbstractThe locations of proteins and epigenetic marks on the chromosomal DNA sequence are believed to demarcate the eukaryotic genome into distinct structural and functional domains that contribute to gene regulation and genome organization. However, how these proteins and epigenetic marks are organized in three dimensions remains unknown. Recent advances in proximity-ligation methodologies and high resolution microscopy have begun to expand our understanding of these spatial relationships. Here we use polymer models to examine the spatial organization of epigenetic marks, euchromatin and heterochromatin and origins of replication within the Schizosaccharomyces pombe genome. These models incorporate data from microscopy and proximity-ligation experiments that inform on the positions of certain elements and contacts within and between chromosomes. Our results show a striking degree of compartmentalization of epigenetic and genomic features and lead to the proposal of a diffusion based mechanism, centred on the spindle pole body, for the coordination of DNA replication in S. pombe.
Generation and Characterization of a MYF5 Reporter Human iPS Cell Line Using CRISPR/Cas9 Mediated Homologous Recombination
Authors: Wu Jianbo , Hunt Samuel D. , Xue Haipeng , Liu Ying , Darabi Radbod 
Published: January 2016

AbstractHuman iPS cells hold great promise for disease modeling and treatment of degenerative disorders including muscular dystrophies. Although a few research groups have used them for skeletal muscle differentiation, most were based on gene over-expression or long-term mesenchymal differentiation and retrospective identification of myogenic cells. Therefore, this study was aimed to generate a knock-in reporter human iPS cell line for MYF5, as an early myogenic specification gene, to allow prospective identification and purification of myogenic progenitors from human iPS cells. By using a CRISPR/Cas9 double nickase strategy, a 2A-GFP reporter was inserted before the stop codon of the MYF5 gene using homologous recombination. This approach allowed for highly efficient in-frame targeting of MYF5 in human iPS cells. Furthermore, in order to prove the reporter function, endogenous MYF5 expression was induced using a novel dead Cas9-VP160 transcriptional activator. Induced clones demonstrated appropriate MYF5-GFP co-expression. Finally, to confirm the differentiation potential, reporter human iPS clones were differentiated through embryoid body method and MYF5-GFP+ myogenic cells were sorted and characterized. These data provides valuable guidelines for generation of knock-in reporter human iPS cell lines for myogenic genes which can be used for disease modeling, drug screening, gene correction and future in vivo applications.
Evidence for the presence of biogenic magnetic particles in the nocturnal migratory brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens
Authors: Pan Weidong , Wan Guijun , Xu Jingjing , Li Xiaoming , Liu Yuxin , Qi Liping , Chen Fajun 
Published: January 2016

AbstractBiogenic magnetic particles have been detected in some migratory insects, which implies the basis of magnetoreception mechanism for orientation and navigation. Here, the biogenic magnetic particles in the migratory brown planthopper (BPH),Nilaparvata lugenswere qualitatively measured by SQUID magnetometry and their characteristics were further determined by Prussian Blue staining, electron microscopy and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. The results indicate that there were remarkable magnetic materials in the abdomens and not in the head or thorax of the 3rd–5thinstar nymphs and in macropterous and brachypterous female and male adults of BPH. The size of magnetic particles was shown to be between 50–450 nm with a shape factor estimate of between 0.8–1.0 for all the tested BPHs. Moreover, the amount of magnetic particles was associated with the developmental stage (the 3rd–5thinstar), wing form (macropterous vs. brachypterous) and sex. The macropterous female adults had the largest amount of magnetic particles. Although the existence of magnetic particles in the abdomens of BPH provides sound basis for the assumption of magnetic orientation, further behavioral studies and complementary physical characterization experiments should be conducted to determine whether the orientation behavior of BPH is associated with the magnetic particles detected in this study.
Horizontal Heat Impact of Urban Structures on the Surface Soil Layer and Its Diurnal Patterns under Different Micrometeorological Conditions
Authors: Zhou Hongxuan , Hu Dan , Wang Xiaolin , Han Fengsen , Li Yuanzheng , Wu Xiaogang , Ma Shengli 
Published: January 2016

AbstractThe temperature of the surface soil layer around different orientation walls was investigated horizontally along several construction-soil micro-gradients in Beijing, China. On a diurnal scale, similar fluctuating trends in T0 and T50 (temperature of surface soil layer, 0 and 0.5 m from the building baseline) adjacent to the external walls of buildings with the same orientation usually appeared under similar micrometeorological conditions. The difference between T0 and T50 (ΔT0–50) can be considered an indicator of the intensity of the horizontal heat effects: higher ΔT0–50 values correspond to greater intensities. The values of ΔT0–50 for south-, north-, east- and west-facing sides of buildings were highest on sunny days in summer and exhibited values of 6.61 K, 1.64 K, 5.93 K and 2.76 K, respectively. The scope of horizontal heat impacts (Sh) changed on a diurnal scale between zero and the maximum, which fluctuated with the micrometeorological conditions. The maximum values of Sh were 0.30, 0.15, 0.20 and 0.20 m for south-, north-, east- and west-facing walls. The ΔT0–50 was related to solar radiation, horizontal heat flux, relative humidity, wind speed, soil moisture differences and air temperature; the relative importance of these factors was 36.22%, 31.80%, 19.19%, 2.67%, 3.68% and 6.44%, respectively.
Antiferromagnetism and superconductivity in the half-Heusler semimetal HoPdBi
Authors: Pavlosiuk Orest , Kaczorowski Dariusz , Fabreges Xavier , Gukasov Arsen , Wiśniewski Piotr 
Published: January 2016

AbstractWe observed the coexistence of superconductivity and antiferromagnetic order in the single-crystalline ternary pnictide HoPdBi, a plausible topological semimetal. The compound orders antiferromagnetically at TN = 1.9 K and exhibits superconductivity below Tc = 0.7 K, which was confirmed by magnetic, electrical transport and specific heat measurements. The specific heat shows anomalies corresponding to antiferromagnetic ordering transition and crystalline field effect, but not to superconducting transition. Single-crystal neutron diffraction indicates that the antiferromagnetic structure is characterized by the "Equation missing" propagation vector. Temperature variation of the electrical resistivity reveals two parallel conducting channels of semiconducting and metallic character. In weak magnetic fields, the magnetoresistance exhibits weak antilocalization effect, while in strong fields and temperatures below 50 K it is large and negative. At temperatures below 7 K Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations with two frequencies appear in the resistivity. These oscillations have non-trivial Berry phase, which is a distinguished feature of Dirac fermions.
Enhancement of Thermoelectric Properties of PEDOT:PSS and Tellurium-PEDOT:PSS Hybrid Composites by Simple Chemical Treatment
Authors: Jin Bae Eun , Hun Kang Young , Jang Kwang-Suk , Yun Cho Song 
Published: January 2016

AbstractThe thermoelectric properties of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) and tellurium-PEDOT:PSS (Te-PEDOT:PSS) hybrid composites were enhanced via simple chemical treatment. The performance of thermoelectric materials is determined by their electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity and Seebeck coefficient. Significant enhancement of the electrical conductivity of PEDOT:PSS and Te-PEDOT:PSS hybrid composites from 787.99 and 11.01 to 4839.92 and 334.68 S cm−1, respectively was achieved by simple chemical treatment with H2SO4. The power factor of the developed materials could be effectively tuned over a very wide range depending on the concentration of the H2SO4 solution used in the chemical treatment. The power factors of the developed thermoelectric materials were optimized to 51.85 and 284 μW m−1 K−2, respectively, which represent an increase of four orders of magnitude relative to the corresponding parameters of the untreated thermoelectric materials. Using the Te-PEDOT:PSS hybrid composites, a flexible thermoelectric generator that could be embedded in textiles was fabricated by a printing process. This thermoelectric array generates a thermoelectric voltage of 2 mV using human body heat.
Gold nanoparticles supported on mesoporous silica: origin of high activity and role of Au NPs in selective oxidation of cyclohexane
Authors: Wu Pingping , Bai Peng , Yan Zifeng , Zhao George X. S. 
Published: January 2016

AbstractHomogeneous immobilization of gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) on mesoporous silica has been achieved by using a one-pot synthesis method in the presence of organosilane mercapto-propyl-trimethoxysilane (MPTMS). The resultant Au NPs exhibited an excellent catalytic activity in the solvent-free selective oxidation of cyclohexane using molecular oxygen. By establishing the structure-performance relationship, the origin of the high activity of mesoporous supported Au catalyst was identified to be due to the presence of low-coordinated Au (0) sites with high dispersion. Au NPs were confirmed to play a critical role in the catalytic oxidation of cyclohexane by promoting the activation of O2 molecules and accelerating the formation of surface-active oxygen species.
Coherent beam control with an all-dielectric transformation optics based lens
Authors: YI Jianjia , Burokur Shah Nawaz , Piau Gérard-Pascal , de Lustrac André 
Published: January 2016

AbstractTransformation optics (TO) concept well known for its huge possibility in patterning the path of electromagnetic waves is exploited to design a beam steering lens. The broadband directive in-phase emission in a desired off-normal direction from an array of equally fed radiators is numerically and experimentally reported. Such manipulation is achieved without the use of complex and bulky phase shifters as it is the case in classical phased array antennas. The all-dielectric compact low-cost lens prototype presenting a graded permittivity profile is fabricated through three-dimensional (3D) polyjet printing technology. The array of radiators is composed of four planar microstrip antennas realized using standard lithography techniques and is used as excitation source for the lens. To validate the proposed lens, we experimentally demonstrate the broadband focusing properties and in-phase directive emissions deflected from the normal direction. Both the far-field radiation patterns and the near-field distributions are measured and reported. Measurements agree quantitatively and qualitatively with numerical full-wave simulations and confirm the corresponding steering properties. Such experimental validation paves the way to inexpensive easy-made all-dielectric microwave lenses for beam forming and collimation.
Room Temperature Quantum Spin Hall Insulator in Ethynyl-Derivative Functionalized Stanene Films
Authors: Zhang Run-wu , Zhang Chang-wen , Ji Wei-xiao , Li Sheng-shi , Yan Shi-shen , Hu Shu-jun , Li Ping , Wang Pei-ji , Li Feng 
Published: January 2016

AbstractQuantum spin Hall (QSH) insulators feature edge states that topologically protected from backscattering. However, the major obstacles to application for QSH effect are the lack of suitable QSH insulators with a large bulk gap. Based on first-principles calculations, we predict a class of large-gap QSH insulators in ethynyl-derivative functionalized stanene (SnC2X; X = H, F, Cl, Br, I), allowing for viable applications at room temperature. Noticeably, the SnC2Cl, SnC2Br and SnC2I are QSH insulators with a bulk gap of ~0.2 eV, while the SnC2H and SnC2F can be transformed into QSH insulator under the tensile strains. A single pair of topologically protected helical edge states is established for the edge of these systems with the Dirac point locating at the bulk gap and their QSH states are confirmed with topological invariant Z2 = 1. The films on BN substrate also maintain a nontrivial large-gap QSH effect, which harbors a Dirac cone lying within the band gap. These findings may shed new light in future design and fabrication of large-gap QSH insulators based on two-dimensional honeycomb lattices in spintronics.
EBP50 induces apoptosis in macrophages by upregulating nitric oxide production to eliminate intracellular Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Authors: Guo Yang , Deng Yating , Huang Zikun , Luo Qing , Peng Yiping , Chen Jie , Jiang Hong , Ye Jianqing , Li Junming 
Published: January 2016

AbstractMycobacterium bovis BCG is known to have the capacity to inhibit the positioning of iNOS on BCG-containing phagosomes by interfering with EBP50, a scaffolding protein that controls the recruitment of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) at the vicinity of phagosomes in macrophages. However, knockdown of the expression of EBP50 still facilitates the intracellular survival of BCG, which suggested that EBP50 may have some other unknown antimycobacterial properties. In this study we show that overexpression of EBP50 by a recombinant lentivirus had no effect on the iNOS recruitment to M.tuberculosis-containing phagosomes, but significantly promoted the elimination of intracellular M.tuberculosis. We revealed in the present study that the enhancement of intracellular killing to M. tuberculosis upon EBP50 overexpression was due to the increased level of apoptosis in macrophages. We showed that EBP50 overexpression significantly increased the expression of iNOS and generation of nitric oxide (NO) and EBP50-induced apoptosis was NO-dependent and mediated by Bax and caspase-3. We found that M. tuberculosis decreases while Mycobacterium smegmatis increases the expression of EBP50 in RAW264.7 cells, which suggested that virulent mycobacteria are capable of modulating the antimycobacterial properties of macrophages by inhibiting the expression and interfering with the function of EBP50.