bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Altered gene expression and metabolism in fetal umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells correspond with differences in 5-month-old infant adiposity gain
Authors: Baker Peter R. , Patinkin Zachary W. , Shapiro Allison L. B. , de la Houssaye Becky A. , Janssen Rachel C. , Vanderlinden Lauren A. , Dabelea Dana , Friedman Jacob E. 
Published: December 2017

AbstractThe intrauterine period is a critical time wherein developmental exposure can influence risk for chronic disease including childhood obesity. Using umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (uMSC) from offspring born to normal-weight and obese mothers, we tested the hypothesis that changes in infant body composition over the first 5 months of life correspond with differences in cellular metabolism and transcriptomic profiles at birth. Higher long-chain acylcarnitine concentrations, lipid transport gene expression, and indicators of oxidative stress in uMSC-adipocytes were related to higher adiposity at 5 months of age. In uMSC-myocytes, lower amino acid concentrations and global differential gene expression for myocyte growth, amino acid biosynthesis, and oxidative stress were related to lower infant percent fat-free mass at 5 months of age, particularly in offspring of obese mothers. This is the first evidence of human infant adipocyte- or myocyte-related alterations in cellular metabolic pathways that correspond with increased adiposity and lower fat-free mass in early infancy. These pathways might reflect the effects of an adverse maternal metabolic environment on the fetal metabolome and genome. Our findings suggest that programmed differences in infant stem cell metabolism correspond with differences in body composition in early life, a known contributor to obesity risk.
Magnetization jump in one dimensional J − Q
2 model with anisotropic exchange
Authors: Mao Bin-Bin , Cheng Chen , Chen Fu-Zhou , Luo Hong-Gang 
Published: December 2017

AbstractWe investigate the adiabatic magnetization process of the one-dimensional J − Q2 model with XXZ anisotropy g in an external magnetic field h by using density matrix renormalization group (DMRG) method. According to the characteristic of the magnetization curves, we draw a magnetization phase diagram consisting of four phases. For a fixed nonzero pair coupling Q, (i) when g < −1, the ground state is always ferromagnetic in spite of h; (ii) when g > −1 but still small, the whole magnetization curve is continuous and smooth; (iii) if further increasing g, there is a macroscopic magnetization jump from partially- to fully-polarized state; (iv) for a sufficiently large g, the magnetization jump is from non- to fully-polarized state. By examining the energy per magnon and the correlation function, we find that the origin of the magnetization jump is the condensation of magnons and the formation of magnetic domains. We also demonstrate that while the experienced states are Heisenberg-like without long-range order, all the jumped-over states have antiferromagnetic or Néel long-range orders, or their mixing.
Effects of prey density, temperature and predator diversity on nonconsumptive predator-driven mortality in a freshwater food web
Authors: Veselý Lukáš , Boukal David S. , Buřič Miloš , Kozák Pavel , Kouba Antonín , Sentis Arnaud 
Published: December 2017

AbstractNonconsumptive predator-driven mortality (NCM), defined as prey mortality due to predation that does not result in prey consumption, is an underestimated component of predator-prey interactions with possible implications for population dynamics and ecosystem functioning. However, the biotic and abiotic factors influencing this mortality component remain largely unexplored, leaving a gap in our understanding of the impacts of environmental change on ecological communities. We investigated the effects of temperature, prey density, and predator diversity and density on NCM in an aquatic food web module composed of dragonfly larvae (Aeshna cyanea) and marbled crayfish (Procambarus fallaxf.virginalis) preying on common carp (Cyprinus carpio) fry. We found that NCM increased with prey density and depended on the functional diversity and density of the predator community. Warming significantly reduced NCM only in the dragonfly larvae but the magnitude depended on dragonfly larvae density. Our results indicate that energy transfer across trophic levels is more efficient due to lower NCM in functionally diverse predator communities, at lower resource densities and at higher temperatures. This suggests that environmental changes such as climate warming and reduced resource availability could increase the efficiency of energy transfer in food webs only if functionally diverse predator communities are conserved.
The sleep EEG spectrum is a sexually dimorphic marker of general intelligence
Authors: Ujma Péter P. , Konrad Boris N. , Gombos Ferenc , Simor Péter , Pótári Adrián , Genzel Lisa , Pawlowski Marcel , Steiger Axel , Bódizs Róbert , Dresler Martin 
Published: December 2017

AbstractThe shape of the EEG spectrum in sleep relies on genetic and anatomical factors and forms an individual “EEG fingerprint”. Spectral components of EEG were shown to be connected to mental ability both in sleep and wakefulness. EEG sleep spindle correlates of intelligence, however, exhibit a sexual dimorphism, with a more pronounced association to intelligence in females than males. In a sample of 151 healthy individuals, we investigated how intelligence is related to spectral components of full-night sleep EEG, while controlling for the effects of age. A positive linear association between intelligence and REM anterior beta power was found in females but not males. Transient, spindle-like “REM beta tufts” are described in the EEG of healthy subjects, which may reflect the functioning of a recently described cingular-prefrontal emotion and motor regulation network. REM sleep frontal high delta power was a negative correlate of intelligence. NREM alpha and sigma spectral power correlations with intelligence did not unequivocally remain significant after multiple comparisons correction, but exhibited a similar sexual dimorphism. These results suggest that the neural oscillatory correlates of intelligence in sleep are sexually dimorphic, and they are not restricted to either sleep spindles or NREM sleep.
Construction of engineered corpus cavernosum with primary mesenchymal stem cells in vitro
Authors: Xie Xiaoshuai , Du Xiaohang , Li Kailin , Chen Yuan , Guan Yong , Zhao Xiaofei , Niu Guangzhu , Luan Yun , Zhang Denglu , Sun Chao , Cheng Guanghui , Wang Jue , Xin Qian , Xue Aibing , Wang Peng , Kong Feng , Liu Xiaoli , Wang Hongwei , Liu Yuqiang , Tian Chuan , Yuan Mingzhen , Liu Shuangde , Zhao Shengtian 
Published: December 2017

AbstractVarious methods have been used to reconstruct the penis. The objective of this study was to investigate the feasibility of constructing engineered corpus cavernosum with primary mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in a rabbit model in vitro. Acellular corporal matrices (ACMs) were obtained from adult rabbit penile tissues through an established decellularization procedure. MSCs were separated, purified, and then seeded on ACMs to construct engineered corpus cavernosum. The seeded ACMs were subsequently cultured in an incubator for 14 days. Histological analyses showed that MSCs seeded on the ACMs had proliferated and were well distributed. Detection of CD31, vWF, smooth muscle actin (SMA), and myosin protein as well as vWF and myosin mRNA revealed that the MSCs had differentiated into endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells. In addition, cell morphology of the engineered corpus cavernosum was directly observed by transmission electron microscopy. This study demonstrated that engineered corpus cavernosum could be successfully constructed using primary MSCs in vitro. This technology represents another step towards developing engineered corpus cavernosum in vitro.
Urotensin II-induced store-operated Ca2+ entry contributes to glomerular mesangial cell proliferation and extracellular matrix protein production under high glucose conditions
Authors: Soni Hitesh , Adebiyi Adebowale 
Published: December 2017

AbstractGlomerular mesangial cell (GMC) proliferation and matrix expansion are pathological hallmarks of a wide range of kidney diseases, including diabetic nephropathy. Although the circulating level of peptide hormone urotensin II (UII) and kidney tissue expression of UII and UII receptors (UTR) are increased in diabetic nephropathy, it remains unclear whether UII regulates GMC growth and extracellular matrix (ECM) accumulation. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that UII-induced Ca2+ signaling controls GMC proliferation and ECM production under normal and high glucose conditions. Mouse GMCs cultured under normal glucose conditions proliferated and synthesized ECM proteins in response to stimulation by mouse UII. UII-induced GMC proliferation and ECM protein synthesis were dependent on TRPC4 channel-mediated store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE) and sequential activation of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) and Ca2+/cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) transcription factor. Under high glucose conditions, GMCs synthesized UII. Moreover, proliferation and ECM production in high glucose-challenged GMCs were attenuated by selective UTR antagonist, TRPC4 channel blocker, and CaMKII and CREB-binding protein/p300 inhibitors. These findings indicate that UII-induced SOCE via TRPC4 channels stimulates CaMKII/CREB-dependent GMC proliferation and ECM protein production. Our data also suggest that UII synthesis contributes to GMC proliferation and ECM accumulation under high glucose conditions.
Cropping System Conversion led to Organic Carbon Change in China’s Mollisols Regions
Authors: Tong Yuxin , Liu Jianguo , Li Xiaolin , Sun Jing , Herzberger Anna , Wei Dan , Zhang Weifeng , Dou Zhengxia , Zhang Fusuo 
Published: December 2017

AbstractLand use change driven by diet, globalization, and technology advancement have greatly influenced agricultural production and environment in the mollisols region of China, with a marked impact on the depletion of soil organic matter, a signature property of mollisols. Here we report findings on soil organic carbon (SOC) change in three different cropping systems (soybean, soybean/maize, corn) in Northeast China during a 10-year time span. The results indicated that the decline rate of SOC in recent ten years (0.27 g kg−1 yr−1) has slowed down considerably compared to previous decades (1.12 g kg−1 yr−1). Crop system conversion from soybean monocropping to corn monocropping or break system was the critical factor for SOC change, and the background SOC was the second influence factor. When approaching a SOC turning point, conversion from low carbon input crop system (soybeans monocropping) to high carbon input crop system helped slow down the SOC decline (break crop) or even improve SOC (corn monocropping) in mollisols regions. This result implied that imported soybean has brought benefit for Northeast China. But for sustainable goal in China’s mollisols region, straw returning, optimized nitrogen fertilization and no tillage are all necessary whatever in continues maize or rotation system.
Integrated transcriptional analysis unveils the dynamics of cellular differentiation in the developing mouse hippocampus
Authors: Iacono Giovanni , Benevento Marco , Dubos Aline , Herault Yann , van Bokhoven Hans , Nadif Kasri Nael , Stunnenberg Hendrik G. 
Published: December 2017

AbstractThe ability to assign expression patterns to the individual cell types that constitute a tissue is a major challenge. This especially applies to brain, given its plethora of different, functionally interconnected cell types. Here, we derived cell type-specific transcriptome signatures from existing single cell RNA data and integrated these signatures with a newly generated dataset of expression (bulk RNA-Seq) of the postnatal developing mouse hippocampus. This integrated analysis allowed us to provide a comprehensive and unbiased prediction of the differentiation drivers for 11 different hippocampal cell types and describe how the different cell types interact to support crucial developmental stages. Our results provide a reliable resource of predicted differentiation drivers and insights into the multifaceted aspects of the cells in hippocampus during development.
Thy-1 dependent uptake of mesenchymal stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles blocks myofibroblastic differentiation
Authors: Shentu Tzu-Pin , Huang Tse-Shun , Cernelc-Kohan Mateja , Chan Joy , Wong Simon S. , Espinoza Celia R. , Tan Chunting , Gramaglia Irene , van der Heyde Henri , Chien Shu , Hagood James S. 
Published: December 2017

AbstractBone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) have been promoted for multiple therapeutic applications. Many beneficial effects of MSCs are paracrine, dependent on extracellular vesicles (EVs). Although MSC-derived EVs (mEVs) are beneficial for acute lung injury and pulmonary fibrosis, mechanisms of mEV uptake by lung fibroblasts and their effects on myofibroblastic differentiation have not been established. We demonstrate that mEVs, but not fibroblast EVs (fEVs), suppress TGFβ1-induced myofibroblastic differentiation of normal and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) lung fibroblasts. MEVs display increased time- and dose-dependent cellular uptake compared to fEVs. Removal or blocking of Thy-1, or blocking Thy-1-beta integrin interactions, decreased mEV uptake and prevented suppression of myofibroblastic differentiation. MicroRNAs (miRs) 199a/b-3p, 21-5p, 630, 22-3p, 196a-5p, 199b-5p, 34a-5p and 148a-3p are selectively packaged in mEVs. In silico analyses indicated that IPF lung fibroblasts have increased expression of genes that are targets of mEV-enriched miRs. MiR-630 mimics blocked TGFβ1 induction of CDH2 in normal and IPF fibroblasts, and antagomiR-630 abrogated the effect of mEV on CDH2 expression. These data suggest that the interaction of Thy-1 with beta integrins mediates mEV uptake by lung fibroblasts, which blocks myofibroblastic differentiation, and that mEVs are enriched for miRs that target profibrotic genes up-regulated in IPF fibroblasts.
Functional shift with maintained regenerative potential following portal vein ligation
Authors: Kovács Tibor , Máthé Domokos , Fülöp András , Jemnitz Katalin , Bátai-Konczos Attila , Veres Zsuzsanna , Török György , Veres Dániel Sándor , Horváth Ildikó , Szigeti Krisztián , Homolya László , Szijártó Attila 
Published: December 2017

AbstractSelective portal vein ligation (PVL) allows the two-stage surgical resection of primarily unresectable liver tumours by generating the atrophy and hypertrophy of portally ligated (LL) and non-ligated lobes (NLL), respectively. To evaluate critically important underlying functional alterations, present study characterised in vitro and vivo liver function in male Wistar rats (n = 106; 210–250 g) before, and 24/48/72/168/336 h after PVL. Lobe weights and volumes by magnetic resonance imaging confirmed the atrophy-hypertrophy complex. Proper expression and localization of key liver transporters (Ntcp, Bsep) and tight junction protein ZO-1 in isolated hepatocytes demonstrated constantly present viable and well-polarised cells in both lobes. In vitro taurocholate and bilirubin transport, as well as in vivo immunohistochemical Ntcp and Mrp2 expressions were bilaterally temporarily diminished, whereas LL and NLL structural acinar changes were divergent. In vivo bile and bilirubin-glucuronide excretion mirrored macroscopic changes, whereas serum bilirubin levels remained unaffected. In vivo functional imaging (indocyanine-green clearance test; 99mTc-mebrofenin hepatobiliary scintigraphy; confocal laser endomicroscopy) indicated transitionally reduced global liver uptake and -excretion. While LL functional involution was permanent, NLL uptake and excretory functions recovered excessively. Following PVL, functioning cells remain even in LL. Despite extensive bilateral morpho-functional changes, NLL functional increment restores temporary declined transport functions, emphasising liver functional assessment.
Successful reconstruction of whole mitochondrial genomes from ancient Central America and Mexico
Authors: Morales-Arce Ana Y. , Hofman Courtney A. , Duggan Ana T. , Benfer Adam K. , Katzenberg M. Anne , McCafferty Geoffrey , Warinner Christina 
Published: December 2017

AbstractThe northern and southern peripheries of ancient Mesoamerica are poorly understood. There has been speculation over whether borderland cultures such as Greater Nicoya and Casas Grandes represent Mesoamerican outposts in the Isthmo-Colombian area and the Greater Southwest, respectively. Poor ancient DNA preservation in these regions challenged previous attempts to resolve these questions using conventional genetic techniques. We apply advanced in-solution mitogenome capture and high-throughput sequencing to fourteen dental samples obtained from the Greater Nicoya sites of Jícaro and La Cascabel in northwest Costa Rica (n = 9; A.D. 800–1250) and the Casas Grandes sites of Paquimé and Convento in northwest Mexico (n = 5; A.D. 1200–1450). Full mitogenome reconstruction was successful for three individuals from Jícaro and five individuals from Paquimé and Convento. The three Jícaro individuals belong to haplogroup B2d, a haplogroup found today only among Central American Chibchan-speakers. The five Paquimé and Convento individuals belong to haplogroups C1c1a, C1c5, B2f and B2a which, are found in contemporary populations in North America and Mesoamerica. We report the first successfully reconstructed ancient mitogenomes from Central America, and the first genetic evidence of ancestry affinity of the ancient inhabitants of Greater Nicoya and Casas Grandes with contemporary Isthmo-Columbian and Greater Southwest populations, respectively.
Intraindividual Behavioral Variability Predicts Foraging Outcome in a Beach-dwelling Jumping Spider
Authors: Lichtenstein James L. L. , Chism Gregory T. , Kamath Ambika , Pruitt Jonathan N. 
Published: December 2017

AbstractAnimal personality, defined as consistent differences between individuals in behavior, has been the subject of hundreds if not thousands of papers. However, little work explores the fitness consequences of variation in behavior within individuals, or intraindividual variability (IIV). We probe the effects of behavioral IIV on predator-prey interaction outcomes in beach-dwelling jumping spiders (Terralonus californicus). Prior studies have found that spiders with higher body condition (body mass relative to size) behave more variably. Thus, we hypothesized that jumping spider activity level IIV would relate positively to foraging performance. To address this, we tested for associations between activity IIV, average activity level, and two measures of foraging success in laboratory mesocosms: change in spider mass and the number of prey killed. Activity IIV positively correlated with the mass that spiders gained from prey, but not with the number of prey killed. This suggests that spiders with high IIV consumed a greater proportion of their prey or used less energy. Interestingly, average activity level (personality) predicted neither metric of foraging success, indicating that behavioral IIV can predict metrics of success that personality does not. Therefore, our findings suggest that IIV should be considered alongside personality in studies of predator-prey interactions.
RNA-Seq reveals seven promising candidate genes affecting the proportion of thick egg albumen in layer-type chickens
Authors: Wan Yi , Jin Sihua , Ma Chendong , Wang Zhicheng , Fang Qi , Jiang Runshen 
Published: December 2017

AbstractEggs with a much higher proportion of thick albumen are preferred in the layer industry, as they are favoured by consumers. However, the genetic factors affecting the thick egg albumen trait have not been elucidated. Using RNA sequencing, we explored the magnum transcriptome in 9 Rhode Island white layers: four layers with phenotypes of extremely high ratios of thick to thin albumen (high thick albumen, HTA) and five with extremely low ratios (low thick albumen, LTA). A total of 220 genes were differentially expressed, among which 150 genes were up-regulated and 70 were down-regulated in the HTA group compared with the LTA group. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis revealed that the up-regulated genes in HTA were mainly involved in a wide range of regulatory functions. In addition, a large number of these genes were related to glycosphingolipid biosynthesis, focal adhesion, ECM-receptor interactions and cytokine-cytokine receptor interactions. Based on functional analysis, ST3GAL4, FUT4, ITGA2, SDC3, PRLR, CDH4 and GALNT9 were identified as promising candidate genes for thick albumen synthesis and metabolism during egg formation. These results provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms of egg albumen traits and may contribute to future breeding strategies that optimise the proportion of thick egg albumen.
Topological guiding of elastic waves in phononic metamaterials based on 2D pentamode structures
Authors: Guo Yuning , Dekorsy Thomas , Hettich Mike 
Published: December 2017

AbstractA topological state with protected propagation of elastic waves is achieved by appropriately engineering a phononic metamaterial based on 2D pentamode structures in silicon. Gapless edge states in the designed structure, which are characterized by pseudospin-dependent transport, provide backscattering-immune propagation of the elastic wave along bend paths. The role of the states responsible for forward and backward transfer can be interchanged by design.
RNA-seq identifies a diminished differentiation gene signature in primary monolayer keratinocytes grown from lesional and uninvolved psoriatic skin
Authors: Swindell William R. , Sarkar Mrinal K. , Liang Yun , Xing Xianying , Baliwag Jaymie , Elder James T. , Johnston Andrew , Ward Nicole L. , Gudjonsson Johann E. 
Published: December 2017

AbstractKeratinocyte (KC) hyper-proliferation and epidermal thickening are characteristic features of psoriasis lesions, but the specific contributions of KCs to plaque formation are not fully understood. This study used RNA-seq to investigate the transcriptome of primary monolayer KC cultures grown from lesional (PP) and non-lesional (PN) biopsies of psoriasis patients and control subjects (NN). Whole skin biopsies from the same subjects were evaluated concurrently. RNA-seq analysis of whole skin identified a larger number of psoriasis-increased differentially expressed genes (DEGs), but analysis of KC cultures identified more PP- and PN-decreased DEGs. These latter DEG sets overlapped more strongly with genes near loci identified by psoriasis genome-wide association studies and were enriched for genes associated with epidermal differentiation. Consistent with this, the frequency of AP-1 motifs was elevated in regions upstream of PN-KC-decreased DEGs. A subset of these genes belonged to the same co-expression module, mapped to the epidermal differentiation complex, and exhibited differentiation-dependent expression. These findings demonstrate a decreased differentiation gene signature in PP/PN-KCs that had not been identified by pre-genomic studies of patient-derived monolayers. This may reflect intrinsic defects limiting psoriatic KC differentiation capacity, which may contribute to compromised barrier function in normal-appearing uninvolved psoriatic skin.