bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Migration of exotic species of ammonites during highstands of sea level
Authors: Young Keith 
Published: January 2018

In northeastern Chihuahua and Trans-Pecos Texas, in the early Late Albian zone of Hysteroceras varicosum occurs the Boeseites romeri (Haas) fauna with B. romeri (Hass), B. perarmata (Hass), B. aff. barbouri (Haas), B. cf. howelli (Haas), B.proteus (Haas), Prohysteroceras cf. P. hanhaense Haas, Elobiceras sp., and Dipoloceras (?) sp. B. perarmata has also been collected at Cerro Mercado, near Monclova, Coahuila. Haas originally described this fauna from Angola. Now, from rocks in the same zone in the Sierra Mojada, Coahuila, Mexico, there is a form related to if not identical with Hysteroceras famelicum Van Hoepen, also originally described from Angola and also from the zone of Hysteroceras varicosum.These fossils are known only from southern North America and Angola; they have not been described from the European Tethys. In 1984 I suggested that during the highstand of sea level of the early Late Albian (Hysteroceras varicosum zone) these ammonites migrated from Angola to Mexico and Trans-Pecos Texas via an epeiric seaway extending across the sag between South America and Africa proposed by Kennedy and Cooper. This would be twelve to fifteen million years prior to an oceanic connection between the North and South Atlantic.I would now ask, can similar epeiric seas and highstands of sea level explain the migration of successive European, Tethyan, Jurassic ammonite faunas down the Mozambique Channel and around the horn of Africa into the Neuquen Basin of Argentina before Africa and Antarctica separated, as proposed by Spath.
Multiplex glycan bead array for high throughput and high content analyses of glycan binding proteins
Authors: Purohit Sharad , Li Tiehai , Guan Wanyi , Song Xuezheng , Song Jing , Tian Yanna , Li Lei , Sharma Ashok , Dun Boying , Mysona David , Ghamande Sharad , Rungruang Bunja , Cummings Richard D. , Wang Peng George , She Jin-Xiong 
Published: January 2018

AbstractGlycan-binding proteins (GBPs) play critical roles in diverse cellular functions such as cell adhesion, signal transduction and immune response. Studies of the interaction between GBPs and glycans have been hampered by the availability of high throughput and high-content technologies. Here we report multiplex glycan bead array (MGBA) that allows simultaneous analyses of 384 samples and up to 500 glycans in a single assay. The specificity, sensitivity and reproducibility of MGBA are evaluated using 39 plant lectins, 13 recombinant anti-glycan antibodies, and mammalian GBPs. We demonstrate the utility of this platform by the analyses of natural anti-glycan IgM and IgG antibodies in 961 human serum samples and the discovery of anti-glycan antibody biomarkers for ovarian cancer. Our data indicate that the MGBA platform is particularly suited for large population-based studies that require the analyses of large numbers of samples and glycans.
Intermittent C1-Inhibitor Deficiency Associated with Recessive Inheritance: Functional and Structural Insight
Authors: Caccia Sonia , Suffritti Chiara , Carzaniga Thomas , Berardelli Romina , Berra Silvia , Martorana Vincenzo , Fra Annamaria , Drouet Christian , Cicardi Marco 
Published: January 2018

AbstractC1-inhibitor is a serine protease inhibitor (serpin) controlling complement and contact system activation. Gene mutations result in reduced C1-inhibitor functional plasma level causing hereditary angioedema, a life-threatening disorder. Despite a stable defect, the clinical expression of hereditary angioedema is unpredictable, and the molecular mechanism underlying this variability remains undisclosed. Here we report functional and structural studies on the Arg378Cys C1-inhibitor mutant found in a patient presenting reduced C1-inhibitor levels, episodically undergoing normalization. Expression studies resulted in a drop in mutant C1-innhibitor secretion compared to wild-type. Notwithstanding, the purified proteins had similar features. Thermal denaturation experiments showed a comparable denaturation profile, but the mutant thermal stability decays when tested in conditions reproducing intracellular crowding.Our findings suggest that once correctly folded, the Arg378Cys C1-inhibitor is secreted as an active, although quite unstable, monomer. However, it could bear a folding defect, occasionally promoting protein oligomerization and interfering with the secretion process, thus accounting for its plasma level variability. This defect is exacerbated by the nature of the mutation since the acquired cysteine leads to the formation of non-functional homodimers through inter-molecular disulphide bonding. All the proposed phenomena could be modulated by specific environmental conditions, rendering this mutant exceptionally vulnerable to mild stress.
Sertraline, Paroxetine, and Chlorpromazine Are Rapidly Acting Anthelmintic Drugs Capable of Clinical Repurposing
Authors: Weeks Janis C. , Roberts William M. , Leasure Caitlyn , Suzuki Brian M. , Robinson Kristin J. , Currey Heather , Wangchuk Phurpa , Eichenberger Ramon M. , Saxton Aleen D. , Bird Thomas D. , Kraemer Brian C. , Loukas Alex , Hawdon John M. , Caffrey Conor R. , Liachko Nicole F. 
Published: January 2018

AbstractParasitic helminths infect over 1 billion people worldwide, while current treatments rely on a limited arsenal of drugs. To expedite drug discovery, we screened a small-molecule library of compounds with histories of use in human clinical trials for anthelmintic activity against the soil nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. From this screen, we found that the neuromodulatory drugs sertraline, paroxetine, and chlorpromazine kill C. elegans at multiple life stages including embryos, developing larvae and gravid adults. These drugs act rapidly to inhibit C. elegans feeding within minutes of exposure. Sertraline, paroxetine, and chlorpromazine also decrease motility of adult Trichuris muris whipworms, prevent hatching and development of Ancylostoma caninum hookworms and kill Schistosoma mansoni flatworms, three widely divergent parasitic helminth species. C. elegans mutants with resistance to known anthelmintic drugs such as ivermectin are equally or more susceptible to these three drugs, suggesting that they may act on novel targets to kill worms. Sertraline, paroxetine, and chlorpromazine have long histories of use clinically as antidepressant or antipsychotic medicines. They may represent new classes of anthelmintic drug that could be used in combination with existing front-line drugs to boost effectiveness of anti-parasite treatment as well as offset the development of parasite drug resistance.
The neural correlates of the unified percept of alcohol-related craving: a fMRI and EEG study
Authors: Huang Yuefeng , Mohan Anusha , De Ridder Dirk , Sunaert Stefan , Vanneste Sven 
Published: January 2018

AbstractAlcohol addiction is accompanied by aberrant neural activity. Previously, task-based fMRI and resting-state EEG studies have revealed that craving, a critical component of addiction, is linked to abnormal activity in cortical regions including the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC), nucleus accumbens (NAcc), posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) and pregenual anterior cingulate cortex (pgACC), etc. In this study, we combine these two imaging techniques to investigate a group of alcohol-addicted patients and provide convergent evidence for the neural correlates of craving not only in alcohol but substance abuse in general. We observe abnormal BOLD signal levels in the dACC, NAcc, pgACC, PCC, amygdala, and parahippocampus (PHC) in a cue-reactivity fMRI experiment. These findings are consistent with increased beta-band activity in the dACC and pgACC in resting-state EEG. We further observe desynchronization characterized by decreased functional connectivity in cue-based fMRI and hypersynchronization characterized by increased functional connectivity between these regions in the theta frequency band. The results of our study show a consistent pattern of alcohol craving elicited by external cues and internal desires. Given the advantage of superior spatial and temporal resolution, we hypothesize a “central craving network” that integrates the different aspects of alcohol addiction into a unified percept.
A novel α-conopeptide Eu1.6 inhibits N-type (CaV2.2) calcium channels and exhibits potent analgesic activity
Authors: Liu Zhuguo , Bartels Peter , Sadeghi Mahsa , Du Tianpeng , Dai Qing , Zhu Cui , Yu Shuo , Wang Shuo , Dong Mingxin , Sun Ting , Guo Jiabin , Peng Shuangqing , Jiang Ling , Adams David J. , Dai Qiuyun 
Published: January 2018

AbstractWe here describe a novel α-conopeptide, Eu1.6 from Conus eburneus, which exhibits strong anti-nociceptive activity by an unexpected mechanism of action. Unlike other α-conopeptides that largely target nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs), Eu1.6 displayed only weak inhibitory activity at the α3β4 and α7 nAChR subtypes and TTX-resistant sodium channels, and no activity at TTX-sensitive sodium channels in rat dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons, or opiate receptors, VR1, KCNQ1, L- and T-type calcium channels expressed in HEK293 cells. However, Eu1.6 inhibited high voltage-activated N-type calcium channel currents in isolated mouse DRG neurons which was independent of GABAB receptor activation. In HEK293 cells expressing CaV2.2 channels alone, Eu1.6 reversibly inhibited depolarization-activated Ba2+ currents in a voltage- and state-dependent manner. Inhibition of CaV2.2 by Eu1.6 was concentration-dependent (IC50 ~1 nM). Significantly, systemic administration of Eu1.6 at doses of 2.5–5.0 μg/kg exhibited potent analgesic activities in rat partial sciatic nerve injury and chronic constriction injury pain models. Furthermore, Eu1.6 had no significant side-effect on spontaneous locomotor activity, cardiac and respiratory function, and drug dependence in mice. These findings suggest α-conopeptide Eu1.6 is a potent analgesic for the treatment of neuropathic and chronic pain and opens a novel option for future analgesic drug design.
Expression and subcellular localisation of AID and APOBEC3 in adenoid and palatine tonsils
Authors: Seishima Noriko , Kondo Satoru , Wakae Kousho , Wakisaka Naohiro , Kobayashi Eiji , Kano Makoto , Moriyama-Kita Makiko , Nakanishi Yosuke , Endo Kazuhira , Imoto Tomoko , Ishikawa Kazuya , Sugimoto Hisashi , Hatano Miyako , Ueno Takayoshi , Koura Miki , Kitamura Koichi , Muramatsu Masamichi , Yoshizaki Tomokazu 
Published: January 2018

AbstractActivation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) and apolipoprotein B mRNA-editing catalytic polypeptide 3 (A3) family are cytidine deaminases that play critical roles in B-cell maturation, antiviral immunity and carcinogenesis. Adenoids and palatine tonsils are secondary lymphoid immune organs, in which AID and A3s are thought to have several physiological or pathological roles. However, the expression of AID or A3s in these organs has not been investigated. Therefore, we investigated the expression profiles of AID and A3s, using 67 samples of adenoids and palatine tonsils from patients, with reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and immunohistochemical analyses. AID and A3s expression levels in the adenoids and the palatine tonsils of the same individual significantly correlated with each other. Of note, AID expression level in the adenoids negatively correlated with the age (r = −0.373, P = 0.003). The younger group with adenoid vegetation and tonsillar hypertrophy showed more abundant AID expression than the older group with recurrent tonsillitis and peritonsillar abscesses (P = 0.026). Moreover, immunohistochemical analysis revealed the distribution of AID and A3s in the epithelial cells as well as germinal centres. The localisation of AID expression and its relation to age may contribute to adenoid vegetation and inflammation.
Multi-wavelength growth of nanosecond laser-induced surface damage on fused silica gratings
Authors: Chambonneau Maxime , Lamaignère Laurent 
Published: January 2018

AbstractThe nanosecond laser-induced damage growth phenomenon on the exit surface of fused silica grating is investigated at 1064 nm and 355 nm separately and also simultaneously. Experiments are first carried out on damage sites on a plane fused silica sample showing two different morphologies, and a damage type is selected for ensuring the repeatability of the subsequent tests. Comparing the mono-wavelength growth results on a grating and a plane fused silica sample, the periodic surface structure is found to be an aggravating factor for damage growth. This is highly supported by calculations of the enhancement of the optical electric field intensity thanks to Finite-Difference Time-Domain simulations. Finally, the mono-wavelength results enable us to quantify a coupling occurring in the multi-wavelength configuration, which could originate from the heating of the plasma (more likely produced in the ultraviolet) preferentially by the infrared pulse. This study provides interesting results about the involvement of the surface topography in damage growth, and paves the way towards the comprehension of this phenomenon at high-energy nanosecond laser facilities where fused silica gratings are simultaneously irradiated at several wavelengths.
Mitochondrial Mutations in Cholestatic Liver Disease with Biliary Atresia
Authors: Koh Hong , Park Gun-Seok , Shin Sun-Mi , Park Chang Eon , Kim Seung , Han Seok Joo , Pham Huy Quang , Shin Jae-Ho , Lee Dong-Woo 
Published: January 2018

AbstractBiliary atresia (BA) results in severe bile blockage and is caused by the absence of extrahepatic ducts. Even after successful hepatic portoenterostomy, a considerable number of patients are likely to show progressive deterioration in liver function. Recent studies show that mutations in protein-coding mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) genes and/or mitochondrial genes in nuclear DNA (nDNA) are associated with hepatocellular dysfunction. This observation led us to investigate whether hepatic dysfunctions in BA is genetically associated with mtDNA mutations. We sequenced the mtDNA protein-coding genes in 14 liver specimens from 14 patients with BA and 5 liver specimens from 5 patients with choledochal cyst using next-generation sequencing. We found 34 common non-synonymous variations in mtDNA protein-coding genes in all patients examined. A systematic 3D structural analysis revealed the presence of several single nucleotide polymorphism-like mutations in critical regions of complexes I to V, that are involved in subunit assembly, proton-pumping activity, and/or supercomplex formation. The parameters of chronic hepatic injury and liver dysfunction in BA patients were also significantly correlated with the extent of hepatic failure, suggesting that the mtDNA mutations may aggravate hepatopathy. Therefore, mitochondrial mutations may underlie the pathological mechanisms associated with BA.
Determinants of population responses to environmental fluctuations
Authors: Vilar Jose M. G. , Rubi J. Miguel 
Published: January 2018

AbstractEnvironmental fluctuations, such as changing conditions and variable nutrient availability, are an unavoidable component of the dynamics of virtually all populations. They affect populations in ways that are often difficult to predict and sometimes lead to paradoxical outcomes. Here, we present a general analytical approach to examine how populations respond to fluctuations. We show that there exist general explicit conditions that determine to what extent fluctuations propagate to the variability of the responses and how they change the behavior of the system, including whether they promote proliferation or death and whether they facilitate coexistence or exclusion of competing species. These conditions depend on linear and nonlinear terms of the growth rate and on the characteristic times of the fluctuations. We validated our general approach through computational experiments for both stochastic and chaotic fluctuations and for multiple types of systems. From an applied point of view, our results provide an avenue for the precise control of the population behavior through fluctuations in addition to just through average properties.
Decoupled in-plane Dipole Resonance Modulated Colorimetric Assay-Based Optical Ruler for Ultra-Trace Gold (Au) Detection
Authors: Mandal Ajoy , Bhattacharya Maireyee , Kuznetsov Denis V. , Ghosh Tapas , Das Chakraborty Sudeshna , Satpati Biswarup , Mazov Vsevolod , Senapati Dulal 
Published: January 2018

AbstractDecoupling of different plasmon resonance modes (in-plane, and out-of-plane dipole and quadrupole resonances) by tuning nanoparticle’s size and shape offers a new field of plasmonics as colorimetric assay-based optical-ruler for ultra-trace sensing. Driven by its low cost, easy to perform and efficient way to measure trace level (up to 30 ppt in presence of common mining elements in natural gold ore) abundance, this study develops a highly selective and ultrasensitive turn-on colorimetric sensor to detect gold-ion from environmental samples. Different level of gold-ion tracer makes size variable spherical- and disc-shaped silver nanoparticles when added to a ‘growth solution’ which results decoupling of in-plane dipole resonance from in-plane quadrupole and out-of-plane dipole resonances with a wide range of in-plane dipole plasmon tunability to generate different colors. This color-coded sensing of gold-ion shows high selectivity and ultrasensitivity over other metal ions in the ppt level with an impurity aberration limit of 1 ppm. A plausible explanation explains the possible role of catalytic gold-ion to initiate unfavorable silver ion (Ag+) reduction by ascorbic acid to generate silver nanoparticles. Proposed technology has been applied in real mining sample (Bugunda Gold Deposit, Tajikistan) to detect gold concentration from ores to find potential application in mining technology.
A patient-specific lumped-parameter model of coronary circulation
Authors: Duanmu Zheng , Yin Min , Fan Xueling , Yang Xilan , Luo Xiaoyu 
Published: January 2018

AbstractA new lumped-parameter model for coronary hemodynamics is developed. This model is developed for the whole coronary network based on CT scans of a patient-specific geometry including the right coronary tree, which is absent in many previous mathematical models. The model adopts the structured tree model boundary conditions similar to the work of Olufsen et al., thus avoiding the necessity of invasive perfusion measurements. In addition, we also incorporated the effects of the head loss at the two inlets of the large coronary arteries for the first time. The head loss could explain the phenomenon of a sudden increase of the resistance at the inlet of coronary vessel. The estimated blood pressure and flow rate results from the model agree well with the clinical measurements. The computed impedances also match the experimental perfusion measurement. The effects of coronary arterial stenosis are considered and the fractional flow reserve and relative flow in the coronary vessels for a stenotic vessel computed in this model show good agreement with published experimental data. It is believed that the approach could be readily translated to clinical practice to facilitate real time clinical diagnosis.
Drug self-assembly for synthesis of highly-loaded antimicrobial drug-silica particles
Authors: Stewart Cameron A. , Finer Yoav , Hatton Benjamin D. 
Published: January 2018

AbstractAntimicrobial drug release from biomaterials for orthopedic repair and dental restorations can prevent biofilm growth and caries formation. Carriers for drug incorporation would benefit from long-term drug storage, controlled release, and structural stability. Mesoporous silica, synthesized through a co-assembly of silica and surfactant template, is an ideal drug encapsulation scaffold that maintains structural integrity upon release. However, conventional loading of drug within meso-silica pores via concentration-gradient diffusion limits the overall payload, concentration uniformity, and drug release control. Herein we demonstrate the co-assembly of an antimicrobial drug (octenidine dihydrochloride, OCT), and silica, to form highly-loaded (35% wt.) OCT-silica nanocomposite spheres of 500 nm diameter. Drug release significantly outlasted conventional OCT-loaded mesoporous silica, closely fit Higuchi models of diffusive release, and was visualized via electron microscopy. Extension of this concept to the broad collection of self-assembling drugs grants biomedical community a powerful tool for synthesizing drug-loaded inorganic nanomaterials from the bottom-up.
Differential tissue specific, temporal and spatial expression patterns of the Aggrecan gene is modulated by independent enhancer elements
Authors: Li Ian M. H. , Liu Ke , Neal Alice , Clegg Peter D. , De Val Sarah , Bou-Gharios George 
Published: January 2018

AbstractThe transcriptional mechanism through which chondrocytes control the spatial and temporal composition of the cartilage tissue has remained largely elusive. The central aim of this study was to identify whether transcriptional enhancers played a role in the organisation of the chondrocytes in cartilaginous tissue. We focused on the Aggrecan gene (Acan) as it is essential for the normal structure and function of cartilage and it is expressed developmentally in different stages of chondrocyte maturation. Using transgenic reporter studies in mice we identified four elements, two of which showed individual chondrocyte developmental stage specificity. In particular, one enhancer (−80) distinguishes itself from the others by being predominantly active in adult cartilage. Furthermore, the −62 element uniquely drove reporter activity in early chondrocytes. The remaining chondrocyte specific enhancers, +28 and −30, showed no preference to chondrocyte type. The transcription factor SOX9 interacted with all the enhancers in vitro and mutation of SOX9 binding sites in one of the enhancers (−30) resulted in a loss of its chondrocyte specificity and ectopic enhancer reporter activity. Thus, the Acan enhancers orchestrate the precise spatiotemporal expression of this gene in cartilage types at different stages of development and adulthood.
Three-dimensional migration behavior of juvenile salmonids in reservoirs and near dams
Authors: Li Xinya , Deng Zhiqun D. , Fu Tao , Brown Richard S. , Martinez Jayson J. , McMichael Geoffrey A. , Trumbo Bradly A. , Ahmann Martin L. , Renholds Jon F. , Skalski John R. , Townsend Richard L. 
Published: January 2018

AbstractTo acquire 3-D tracking data on juvenile salmonids, Juvenile Salmon Acoustic Telemetry System (JSATS) cabled hydrophone arrays were deployed in the forebays of two dams on the Snake River and at a mid-reach reservoir between the dams. The depth distributions of fish were estimated by statistical analyses performed on large 3-D tracking data sets from ~33,500 individual acoustic tagged yearling and subyearling Chinook salmon and juvenile steelhead at the two dams in 2012 and subyearling Chinook salmon at the two dams and the mid-reach reservoir in 2013. This research investigated the correlation between vertical migration behavior and passage routes. The depth distributions of fish within the forebays of the dams were significantly different from fish passing the mid-reach reservoir. Fish residing deeper in the forebay tended to pass the dam using deeper powerhouse routes. This difference in depth distributions indicated that the depth distribution of fish at the mid-reach reservoir was not related to behaviors of fish passing through certain routes of the adjacent dams. For fish that were detected deeper than 17.5 m in the forebays, the probability of powerhouse passage (i.e., turbine) increased significantly. Another important finding was the variation in depth distributions during dam passage associated with the diel period, especially the crepuscular periods.