bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Medicare and the care of First Nations, Métis and Inuit
Authors: Lavoie Josée G. 
Published: February 2018

AbstractTheCanada Health Act1984 (CHA) is considered foundational to Canada’s publicly funded health care system (known as Medicare). The CHA provides for the federal transfer of funding to the provinces/territories, in exchange for provincial/territorial adherence to Medicare’s key principles of universality; comprehensiveness; portability; accessibility; and, public administration. Medicare is a decentralized health care system, managed independently by Canada’s 10 provincial and three territorial governments, allowing for regional adaptations to fit varying degrees of urbanity, remoteness and needs. The Act is silent on its relationship to the Indigenous health care system – what some have described as Canada’s 14th health care system. The CHA has not kept pace with Indigenous self-government activities that have since spread across Canada. It has unfortunately crystallized the federal/provincial/territorial/Indigenous jurisdictional fragmentation that perpetuates health inequities and has failed to clarify these jurisdictions’ obligations towards Indigenous peoples. As a result of these omissions, access to health services remains a concern for many Indigenous Canadians, resulting in poorer outcomes and premature mortality. In this paper, I argue that Medicare renewal must: make an explicit commitment to Indigenous health equity; clarify jurisdictional obligations; establish effective mechanisms for addressing areas of jurisdictional dispute and/or confusion; and explicitly recognize First Nations and Inuit health care services as integral yet distinct systems, that nevertheless must be welcomed to seamlessly work with provincial health care systems to ensure continuity of care.
Non-coding RNA dysregulation in the amygdala region of schizophrenia patients contributes to the pathogenesis of the disease
Authors: Liu Yichuan , Chang Xiao , Hahn Chang-Gyu , Gur Raquel E. , Sleiman Patrick A. M. , Hakonarson Hakon 
Published: February 2018

AbstractSchizophrenia (SCZ) is a neuropsychiatric disorder with a complex genetic etiology. The redundancy of the gene networks underlying SCZ indicates that many gene combinations have the potential to cause a system dysfunction that can manifest as SCZ or a related neurodevelopmental disorder. Recent studies show that small non-coding microRNA (miRNA) and long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) are important factors in shaping these networks and are dynamically regulated by neuronal activation. We investigated the genome-wide transcription profiles of 46 human amygdala samples obtained from 22 SCZ patients and 24 healthy controls. Using RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), we determined lncRNA expression levels in all samples and generated miRNA profiles for 27 individuals (13 cases and 14 controls). Previous studies have identified differentially expressed miRNAs in SCZ, including miR-132, miR-212, and miR-34a/miR-34c. Here we report differential expression of a novel miRNA, miR1307, in SCZ. Notably, miR1307 maps to a locus previously associated with SCZ through GWAS. Additionally, one lncRNA that was overexpressed in SCZ, AC005009.2, also maps to a region previously associated with SCZ based on GWAS and overlapped SCZ-related genes. The results were replicated in a large independent data set of 254 dorsolateral prefrontal cortex samples from the CommonMind consortium. Taken together, these results suggest that miRNA and lncRNAs are important contributors to the pathogenesis of SCZ.
Bipolar disorder with binge eating behavior: a genome-wide association study implicates PRR5-ARHGAP8
Authors: McElroy Susan L. , Winham Stacey J. , Cuellar-Barboza Alfredo B. , Colby Colin L. , Ho Ada Man-Choi , Sicotte Hugues , Larrabee Beth R. , Crow Scott , Frye Mark A. , Biernacka Joanna M. 
Published: February 2018

AbstractBipolar disorder (BD) is associated with binge eating behavior (BE), and both conditions are heritable. Previously, using data from the Genetic Association Information Network (GAIN) study of BD, we performed genome-wide association (GWA) analyses of BD with BE comorbidity. Here, utilizing data from the Mayo Clinic BD Biobank (969 BD cases, 777 controls), we performed a GWA analysis of a BD subtype defined by BE, and case-only analysis comparing BD subjects with and without BE. We then performed a meta-analysis of the Mayo and GAIN results. The meta-analysis provided genome-wide significant evidence of association between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in PRR5-ARHGAP8 and BE in BD cases (rs726170 OR = 1.91, P = 3.05E-08). In the meta-analysis comparing cases with BD with comorbid BE vs. non-BD controls, a genome-wide significant association was observed at SNP rs111940429 in an intergenic region near PPP1R2P5 (p = 1.21E-08). PRR5-ARHGAP8 is a read-through transcript resulting in a fusion protein of PRR5 and ARHGAP8. PRR5 encodes a subunit of mTORC2, a serine/threonine kinase that participates in food intake regulation, while ARHGAP8 encodes a member of the RhoGAP family of proteins that mediate cross-talk between Rho GTPases and other signaling pathways. Without BE information in controls, it is not possible to determine whether the observed association reflects a risk factor for BE in general, risk for BE in individuals with BD, or risk of a subtype of BD with BE. The effect of PRR5-ARHGAP8 on BE risk thus warrants further investigation.
21st Century drought-related fires counteract the decline of Amazon deforestation carbon emissions
Authors: Aragão Luiz E. O. C. , Anderson Liana O. , Fonseca Marisa G. , Rosan Thais M. , Vedovato Laura B. , Wagner Fabien H. , Silva Camila V. J. , Silva Junior Celso H. L. , Arai Egidio , Aguiar Ana P. , Barlow Jos , Berenguer Erika , Deeter Merritt N. , Domingues Lucas G. , Gatti Luciana , Gloor Manuel , Malhi Yadvinder , Marengo Jose A. , Miller John B. , Phillips Oliver L. , Saatchi Sassan 
Published: February 2018

AbstractTropical carbon emissions are largely derived from direct forest clearing processes. Yet, emissions from drought-induced forest fires are, usually, not included in national-level carbon emission inventories. Here we examine Brazilian Amazon drought impacts on fire incidence and associated forest fire carbon emissions over the period 2003–2015. We show that despite a 76% decline in deforestation rates over the past 13 years, fire incidence increased by 36% during the 2015 drought compared to the preceding 12 years. The 2015 drought had the largest ever ratio of active fire counts to deforestation, with active fires occurring over an area of 799,293 km2. Gross emissions from forest fires (989 ± 504 Tg CO2 year−1) alone are more than half as great as those from old-growth forest deforestation during drought years. We conclude that carbon emission inventories intended for accounting and developing policies need to take account of substantial forest fire emissions not associated to the deforestation process.
A transcriptomic atlas of aged human microglia
Authors: Olah Marta , Patrick Ellis , Villani Alexandra-Chloe , Xu Jishu , White Charles C. , Ryan Katie J. , Piehowski Paul , Kapasi Alifiya , Nejad Parham , Cimpean Maria , Connor Sarah , Yung Christina J. , Frangieh Michael , McHenry Allison , Elyaman Wassim , Petyuk Vlad , Schneider Julie A. , Bennett David A. , De Jager Philip L. , Bradshaw Elizabeth M. 
Published: February 2018

AbstractWith a rapidly aging global human population, finding a cure for late onset neurodegenerative diseases has become an urgent enterprise. However, these efforts are hindered by the lack of understanding of what constitutes the phenotype of aged human microglia—the cell type that has been strongly implicated by genetic studies in the pathogenesis of age-related neurodegenerative disease. Here, we establish the set of genes that is preferentially expressed by microglia in the aged human brain. This HuMi_Aged gene set captures a unique phenotype, which we confirm at the protein level. Furthermore, we find this gene set to be enriched in susceptibility genes for Alzheimer’s disease and multiple sclerosis, to be increased with advancing age, and to be reduced by the protective APOEε2 haplotype. APOEε4 has no effect. These findings confirm the existence of an aging-related microglial phenotype in the aged human brain and its involvement in the pathological processes associated with brain aging.
Inhibition of overactive TGF-β attenuates progression of heterotopic ossification in mice
Authors: Wang Xiao , Li Fengfeng , Xie Liang , Crane Janet , Zhen Gehua , Mishina Yuji , Deng Ruoxian , Gao Bo , Chen Hao , Liu Shen , Yang Ping , Gao Manman , Tu Manli , Wang Yiguo , Wan Mei , Fan Cunyi , Cao Xu 
Published: February 2018

AbstractAcquired heterotopic ossification (HO) is a painful and debilitating disease characterized by extraskeletal bone formation after injury. The exact pathogenesis of HO remains unknown. Here we show that TGF-β initiates and promotes HO in mice. We find that calcified cartilage and newly formed bone resorb osteoclasts after onset of HO, which leads to high levels of active TGF-β that recruit mesenchymal stromal/progenitor cells (MSPCs) in the HO microenvironment. Transgenic expression of active TGF-β in tendon induces spontaneous HO, whereas systemic injection of a TGF-β neutralizing antibody attenuates ectopic bone formation in traumatic and BMP-induced mouse HO models, and in a fibrodysplasia ossificans progressive mouse model. Moreover, inducible knockout of the TGF-β type II receptor in MSPCs inhibits HO progression in HO mouse models. Our study points toward elevated levels of active TGF-β as inducers and promoters of ectopic bone formation, and suggest that TGF-β might be a therapeutic target in HO.
AhR and SHP regulate phosphatidylcholine and S-adenosylmethionine levels in the one-carbon cycle
Authors: Kim Young-Chae , Seok Sunmi , Byun Sangwon , Kong Bo , Zhang Yang , Guo Grace , Xie Wen , Ma Jian , Kemper Byron , Kemper Jongsook Kim 
Published: February 2018

AbstractPhosphatidylcholines (PC) and S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) are critical determinants of hepatic lipid levels, but how their levels are regulated is unclear. Here, we show that Pemt and Gnmt, key one-carbon cycle genes regulating PC/SAM levels, are downregulated after feeding, leading to decreased PC and increased SAM levels, but these effects are blunted in small heterodimer partner (SHP)-null or FGF15-null mice. Further, aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is translocated into the nucleus by insulin/PKB signaling in the early fed state and induces Pemt and Gnmt expression. This induction is blocked by FGF15 signaling-activated SHP in the late fed state. Adenoviral-mediated expression of AhR in obese mice increases PC levels and exacerbates steatosis, effects that are blunted by SHP co-expression or Pemt downregulation. PEMT, AHR, and PC levels are elevated in simple steatosis patients, but PC levels are robustly reduced in steatohepatitis-fibrosis patients. This study identifies AhR and SHP as new physiological regulators of PC/SAM levels.
The lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio is a superior predictor of overall survival compared to established biomarkers in HCC patients undergoing liver resection
Authors: Yang Yu-Ting , Jiang Jing-Hang , Yang Hao-Jie , Wu Zhi-jun , Xiao Ze-Min , Xiang Bang-De 
Published: February 2018

AbstractThe aim of this study was to investigate the prognostic value of the lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR) in patients undergoing hepatectomy and to compare it to established biomarkers including the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR). Medical records were retrospectively analyzed for 652 HCC patients undergoing hepatectomy at the Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Guangxi Medical University and the First People’s Hospital of Changde between April 2004 to April 2012. The correlation between the LMR and clinical variables were analyzed in Kaplan-Meier log-rank survival analysis and then multivariate Cox regression models trying to find relation with disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). The area under the ROC curve (AUC) of the LMR(AUC:0.627) for predicting long-term survival was greater than that of the NLR(AUC:0.600) and the PLR(AUC:0.520).Multivariate analysis showed LMR to be an independent risk factor for OS (P = 0.002), and the NLR and PLR were not independently significant. Subgroup analysis also showed that LMR was significantly associated with poor DFS and OS in patients positive for HBsAg or with cirrhosis (both P < 0.001).Elevated preoperative LMR is an independently associated with poor OS and DFS in HCC patients following curative resection and appears to be superior to NLR and PLR.
Ginkgolic acid, a sumoylation inhibitor, promotes adipocyte commitment but suppresses adipocyte terminal differentiation of mouse bone marrow stromal cells
Authors: Liu Huadie , Li Jianshuang , Lu Di , Li Jie , Liu Minmin , He Yuanzheng , Williams Bart O. , Li Jiada , Yang Tao 
Published: February 2018

AbstractSumoylation is a post-translational modification process having an important influence in mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) differentiation. Thus, sumoylation-modulating chemicals might be used to control MSC differentiation for skeletal tissue engineering. In this work, we studied how the differentiation of mouse bone marrow stromal cells (mBMSCs) is affected by ginkgolic acid (GA), a potent sumoylation inhibitor also reported to inhibit histone acetylation transferase (HAT). Our results show that GA promoted the differentiation of mBMSCs into adipocytes when cultured in osteogenic medium. Moreover, mBMSCs pre-treated with GA showed enhanced pre-adipogenic gene expression and were more efficiently differentiated into adipocytes when subsequently cultured in the adipogenic medium. However, when GA was added at a later stage of adipogenesis, adipocyte maturation was markedly inhibited, with a dramatic down-regulation of multiple lipogenesis genes. Moreover, we found that the effects of garcinol, a HAT inhibitor, differed from those of GA in regulating adipocyte commitment and adipocyte maturation of mBMSCs, implying that the GA function in adipogenesis is likely through its activity as a sumoylation inhibitor, not as a HAT inhibitor. Overall, our studies revealed an unprecedented role of GA in MSC differentiation and provide new mechanistic insights into the use of GA in clinical applications.
Cross-Scale Molecular Analysis of Chemical Heterogeneity in Shale Rocks
Authors: Hao Zhao , Bechtel Hans A. , Kneafsey Timothy , Gilbert Benjamin , Nico Peter S. 
Published: February 2018

AbstractThe organic and mineralogical heterogeneity in shale at micrometer and nanometer spatial scales contributes to the quality of gas reserves, gas flow mechanisms and gas production. Here, we demonstrate two molecular imaging approaches based on infrared spectroscopy to obtain mineral and kerogen information at these mesoscale spatial resolutions in large-sized shale rock samples. The first method is a modified microscopic attenuated total reflectance measurement that utilizes a large germanium hemisphere combined with a focal plane array detector to rapidly capture chemical images of shale rock surfaces spanning hundreds of micrometers with micrometer spatial resolution. The second method, synchrotron infrared nano-spectroscopy, utilizes a metallic atomic force microscope tip to obtain chemical images of micrometer dimensions but with nanometer spatial resolution. This chemically “deconvoluted” imaging at the nano-pore scale is then used to build a machine learning model to generate a molecular distribution map across scales with a spatial span of 1000 times, which enables high-throughput geochemical characterization in greater details across the nano-pore and micro-grain scales and allows us to identify co-localization of mineral phases with chemically distinct organics and even with gas phase sorbents. This characterization is fundamental to understand mineral and organic compositions affecting the behavior of shales.
Mud Banks along the southwest coast of India are not too muddy for plankton
Authors: Jyothibabu R. , Balachandran K. K. , Jagadeesan L. , Karnan C. , Arunpandi N. , Naqvi S. W. A. , Pandiyarajan R. S. 
Published: February 2018

AbstractConsidering Alappuzha Mud Bank in the southern Kerala coast as a typical case of biologically productive Mud Banks that form along the southwest coast of India during the Southwest Monsoon (June - September), the present study addresses several pertinent missing links between the physical environment in Mud Banks and their influence on plankton stock. This study showed that very strong coastal upwelling prevails in the entire study domain during the Southwest Monsoon, which manifests itself in the form of significantly cool, hypoxic and nitrate-rich waters surfacing near the coast. The upwelled water persisting throughout the Southwest Monsoon period was found to have fuelled the exceptionally high phytoplankton stock in the entire study area, including the Mud Bank region. Having accepted that Mud Banks are special because of the calm sea surface conditions and relatively high turbidity level in the water column around them, the present study showed that except at points close to the sea bottom, turbidity level in the Alappuzha Mud Bank was below the critical level to inhibit the plankton stock. The suspended sediments that form in the Mud Bank occasionally could be attributed to the disturbance of the bottom fluid muddy layer and their vertical spurts.
Akt regulates neurite growth by phosphorylation-dependent inhibition of radixin proteasomal degradation
Authors: Jin Eun-Ju , Ko Hyo Rim , Hwang Inwoo , Kim Byeong-Seong , Choi Jeong-Yun , Park Kye Won , Cho Sung-Woo , Ahn Jee-Yin 
Published: February 2018

AbstractNeurite growth is controlled by a complex molecular signaling network that regulates filamentous actin (F-actin) dynamics at the growth cone. The evolutionarily conserved ezrin, radixin, and moesin family of proteins tether F-actin to the cell membrane when phosphorylated at a conserved threonine residue and modulate neurite outgrowth. Here we show that Akt binds to and phosphorylates a threonine 573 residue on radixin. Akt-mediated phosphorylation protects radixin from ubiquitin-dependent proteasomal degradation, thereby enhancing radixin protein stability, which permits proper neurite outgrowth and growth cone formation. Conversely, the inhibition of Akt kinase or disruption of Akt-dependent phosphorylation reduces the binding affinity of radixin to F-actin as well as lowers radixin protein levels, resulting in decreased neurite outgrowth and growth cone formation. Our findings suggest that Akt signaling regulates neurite outgrowth by stabilizing radixin interactions with F-actin, thus facilitating local F-actin dynamics.
Development of a mouse IgA monoclonal antibody-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent sandwich assay for the analyses of RBP4
Authors: Lee Nam Seok , Kim Han Soo , Park Se Eun , Blüher Matthias , Park Cheol-Young , Youn Byung-Soo 
Published: February 2018

AbstractElevated circulating Retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4) has been associated with insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, and hypertension. However, many commonly used RBP4 ELISAs have limited dynamic range. We therefore developed an enzyme-linked immunosorbent sandwich assay (ELISA) employing a novel immunoglobulin A (IgA)-type capture mAb called AG102 instead of IgG subtypes, which was selected for its stability, capture efficiency, and specificity for human RBP 4. These features of RBP4 have hampered the development of quantitative immunological assays. Molecular analysis of AG102 revealed IgA heavy and light chains and a J chain, as expected. AG102 demonstrated notable detection of both bacterial- and HEK293-expressed RBP4 in Western blots. Serial and internal deletion experiments suggested that a putative epitope may be located in the first 35 amino acids of the mature RBP4. Compared with commercial ELISAs, the AG102-based system exhibited more significant recovery of RBP4 from serum or urine at any given dilution factor. To substantiate its quantitation capacity, comparison between RBP4 measurements from quantitative western blots and the AG102-based ELISA demonstrated a significant correlation (R2 = 0.859). After measurement for those analytes, our data suggested that IgA-based ELISA could be adapted for quantitative measurement of those analytes existing as major serum proteins or as multi-protein complexes like RBP4.
Molecular detection of field predation among larvae of two ladybird beetles is partially predicted from laboratory experiments
Authors: Rondoni Gabriele , Fenjan Saleh , Bertoldi Valeria , Ielo Fulvio , Djelouah Khaled , Moretti Chiaraluce , Buonaurio Roberto , Ricci Carlo , Conti Eric 
Published: February 2018

AbstractDespite the fact that natural enemies can synergistically contribute to herbivore pest suppression, sometimes predators engage in intraguild predation (IGP) that might dampen trophic cascades. DNA-based gut-content analysis has become common in assessing trophic connections and biocontrol potential by predators in field systems. Here, we developed a molecular technique that can be used to unravel predation among two ladybirds, Coccinella septempunctata and Hippodamia variegata, and their shared prey, Aphis gossypii. Both ladybirds may provide effective control of the pest. Therefore, understanding their likelihood to engage in IGP is crucial for conservation biological control. Ladybird specimens were collected in melon crop. DNA extraction, primer design and evaluation were conducted. Detectability of prey DNA did not differ significantly between the two ladybirds. H. variegata exhibited higher predation on A. gossypii than C. septempunctata (90.6% vs. 70.9%) and data correction based on DNA detectability confirmed this ranking. IGP was similar among the two species, although corrected data might suggest a stronger predation by C. septempunctata. Intriguingly, IGP by C. septempunctata was lower than predicted by laboratory bioassays, possibly due to the high complexity that arises under field conditions. Implications of our results for biological control and perspectives for ecological network analysis are discussed.
Fly ash incorporated with biocement to improve strength of expansive soil
Authors: Li Mengmeng , Fang Chaolin , Kawasaki Satoru , Achal Varenyam 
Published: February 2018

AbstractMicrobially induced calcium carbonate precipitation (MICP) results in the formation of biocement (BC). This process, also known as biocementation, is recently widely used to improve the strength and durability of building materials including soils. In the present study, effectiveness of biocement as admixture with fly ash (FA) was investigated as first few studies to improve geotechnical properties of expansive soils. Biocement precipitated by Bacillus megaterium was blend with four formulations of fly ash at concentrations of 0, 10, 25 and 50%, namely 0% FABC, 10% FABC, 25% FABC, and 50% FABC, respectively. These formulations were separately added to expansive soils. Specimens with 25% FABC resulted in significant improvement in unconfined compressive strength of expansive soil that was more than two-times higher than control. Further, scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses characterized microstructures of soil specimens, and depicted the process of MICP in improving strength of expansive soils. This research indicates that incorporation of biocement in fly ash is an effective means of increasing the strength of expansive soils.