bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
CRISPR/Cas9-derived models of ovarian high grade serous carcinoma targeting Brca1, Pten and Nf1, and correlation with platinum sensitivity
Authors: Walton Josephine B. , Farquharson Malcolm , Mason Susan , Port Jennifer , Kruspig Bjorn , Dowson Suzanne , Stevenson David , Murphy Daniel , Matzuk Martin , Kim Jaeyeon , Coffelt Seth , Blyth Karen , McNeish Iain A. 
Published: November 2017

AbstractTransplantable murine models of ovarian high grade serous carcinoma (HGSC) remain an important research tool. We previously showed that ID8, a widely-used syngeneic model of ovarian cancer, lacked any of the frequent mutations in HGSC, and used CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing to generate derivatives with deletions in Trp53 and Brca2. Here we have used one ID8 Trp53−/− clone to generate further mutants, with additional mutations in Brca1, Pten and Nf1, all of which are frequently mutated or deleted in HGSC. We have also generated clones with triple deletions in Trp53, Brca2 and Pten. We show that ID8 Trp53−/−;Brca1−/− and Trp53−/−;Brca2−/− cells have defective homologous recombination and increased sensitivity to both platinum and PARP inhibitor chemotherapy compared to Trp53−/−. By contrast, loss of Pten or Nf1 increases growth rate in vivo, and reduces survival following cisplatin chemotherapy in vivo. Finally, we have also targeted Trp53 in cells isolated from a previous transgenic murine fallopian tube carcinoma model, and confirmed that loss of p53 expression in this second model accelerates intraperitoneal growth. Together, these CRISPR-generated models represent a new and simple tool to investigate the biology of HGSC, and the ID8 cell lines are freely available to researchers.
Cortical organization restored by cochlear implantation in young children with single sided deafness
Authors: Polonenko Melissa Jane , Gordon Karen Ann , Cushing Sharon Lynn , Papsin Blake Croll 
Published: November 2017

AbstractEarly treatment of single sided deafness in children has been recommended to protect from neurodevelopmental preference for the better hearing ear and from social and educational deficits. A fairly homogeneous group of five young children (≤3.6 years of age) with normal right sided hearing who received a cochlear implant to treat deafness in their left ears were studied. Etiology of deafness was largely cytomegalovirus (n = 4); one child had an enlarged vestibular aqueduct. Multi-channel electroencephalography of cortical evoked activity was measured repeatedly over time at: 1) acute (0.5 ± 0.7 weeks); 2) early chronic (1.1 ± 0.2 months); and 3) chronic (5.8 ± 3.4 months) cochlear implant stimulation. Results indicated consistent responses from the normal right ear with marked changes in activity from the implanted left ear. Atypical distribution of peak amplitude activity from the implanted ear at acute stimulation marked abnormal lateralization of activity to the ipsilateral left auditory cortex and recruitment of extra-temporal areas including left frontal cortex. These abnormalities resolved with chronic implant use and contralateral aural preference emerged in both auditory cortices. These findings indicate that early implantation in young children with single sided deafness can rapidly restore bilateral auditory input to the cortex needed to improve binaural hearing.
The interfacial nature of proximity-induced magnetism and the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction at the Pt/Co interface
Authors: Rowan-Robinson R. M. , Stashkevich A. A. , Roussigné Y. , Belmeguenai M. , Chérif S.-M. , Thiaville A. , Hase T. P. A. , Hindmarch A. T. , Atkinson D. 
Published: November 2017

AbstractThe Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction has been shown to stabilise Nèel domain walls in magnetic thin films, allowing high domain wall velocities driven by spin current effects. The interfacial Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction (IDMI) occurs at the interface between ferromagnetic and heavy metal layers with strong spin-orbit coupling, but details of the interaction remain to be understood and the role of proximity induced magnetism (PIM) in the heavy metal is unknown. Here IDMI and PIM are reported in Pt determined as a function of Au and Ir spacer layers in Pt/Co/Au,Ir/Pt. Both interactions are found to be sensitive to sub-nanometre changes in the spacer thickness, correlating over sub-monolayer spacer thicknesses, but not for thicker spacers where IDMI continues to change even after PIM is lost.
Environmental DNA reveals tropical shark diversity in contrasting levels of anthropogenic impact
Authors: Bakker Judith , Wangensteen Owen S. , Chapman Demian D. , Boussarie Germain , Buddo Dayne , Guttridge Tristan L. , Hertler Heidi , Mouillot David , Vigliola Laurent , Mariani Stefano 
Published: November 2017

AbstractSharks are charismatic predators that play a key role in most marine food webs. Their demonstrated vulnerability to exploitation has recently turned them into flagship species in ocean conservation. Yet, the assessment and monitoring of the distribution and abundance of such mobile species in marine environments remain challenging, often invasive and resource-intensive. Here we pilot a novel, rapid and non-invasive environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding approach specifically targeted to infer shark presence, diversity and eDNA read abundance in tropical habitats. We identified at least 21 shark species, from both Caribbean and Pacific Coral Sea water samples, whose geographical patterns of diversity and read abundance coincide with geographical differences in levels of anthropogenic pressure and conservation effort. We demonstrate that eDNA metabarcoding can be effectively employed to study shark diversity. Further developments in this field have the potential to drastically enhance our ability to assess and monitor elusive oceanic predators, and lead to improved conservation strategies.
Aerobic exercise and a BDNF-mimetic therapy rescue learning and memory in a mouse model of Down syndrome
Authors: Parrini Martina , Ghezzi Diego , Deidda Gabriele , Medrihan Lucian , Castroflorio Enrico , Alberti Micol , Baldelli Pietro , Cancedda Laura , Contestabile Andrea 
Published: November 2017

AbstractDown syndrome (DS) is caused by the triplication of human chromosome 21 and represents the most frequent genetic cause of intellectual disability. The trisomic Ts65Dn mouse model of DS shows synaptic deficits and reproduces the essential cognitive disabilities of the human syndrome. Aerobic exercise improved various neurophysiological dysfunctions in Ts65Dn mice, including hippocampal synaptic deficits, by promoting synaptogenesis and neurotransmission at glutamatergic terminals. Most importantly, the same intervention also prompted the recovery of hippocampal adult neurogenesis and synaptic plasticity and restored cognitive performance in trisomic mice. Additionally, the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) was markedly decreased in the hippocampus of patients with DS. Since the positive effect of exercise was paralleled by increased BDNF expression in trisomic mice, we investigated the effectiveness of a BDNF-mimetic treatment with 7,8-dihydroxyflavone at alleviating intellectual disabilities in the DS model. Pharmacological stimulation of BDNF signaling rescued synaptic plasticity and memory deficits in Ts65Dn mice. Based on our findings, Ts65Dn mice benefit from interventions aimed at promoting brain plasticity, and we provide evidence that BDNF signaling represents a potentially new pharmacological target for treatments aimed at rescuing cognitive disabilities in patients with DS.
Effect of consolidation chemotherapy following definitive chemoradiotherapy in patients with esophageal squamous cell cancer
Authors: Wu Sheng-Xi , Li Xu-Yuan , Xu Hong-Yao , Xu Qi-Ni , Luo He-San , Du Ze-Sen , Huang He-Cheng , Wu Zhi-Yong 
Published: November 2017

AbstractDefinitive chemoradiotherapy (dCRT) is a treatment option for patients with localized esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). We investigated consolidation chemotherapy (CCT) in patients with ESCC who attained clinical complete response after dCRT. Between January 2009 and December 2012, medical records of ESCC patients treated with dCRT were retrospectively reviewed, and those who attained CCR were identified. Progression-free survival and overall survival rates were estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method. The Cox regression model was used to determine prognostic factors. Of the 522 patients treated with dCRT, 209 patients achieved CCR, with 67 receiving consolidation chemotherapy (the CCT group) and 142 receiving dCRT alone (the control group). CCT did not prolong progression-free survival (33.0 vs 18.0 months, P = 0.07, HR = 0.70, 95% CI, 0.48–1.04); however, CCT improved the median overall survival (53.4 vs 27.0 months, P = 0.04, HR = 0.67, 95% CI, 0.44–0.99) compared with dCRT alone. CCT remained a favorable prognostic factor for overall survival in a multivariate analysis (HR = 0.59, P = 0.02); however, a propensity score analysis failed to show an additional overall survival benefit with CCT. In the present analysis, CCT did not improve progression-free survival but may have extended overall survival in ESCC patients who achieved complete clinical response after dCRT.
Reduced cell size, chromosomal aberration and altered proliferation rates are characteristics and confounding factors in the STHdh cell model of Huntington disease
Authors: Singer Elisabeth , Walter Carolin , Weber Jonasz J. , Krahl Ann-Christin , Mau-Holzmann Ulrike A. , Rischert Nadine , Riess Olaf , Clemensson Laura E. , Nguyen Huu P. 
Published: November 2017

AbstractHuntington disease is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder caused by a CAG repeat expansion in the gene encoding the huntingtin protein. Expression of the mutant protein disrupts various intracellular pathways and impairs overall cell function. In particular striatal neurons seem to be most vulnerable to mutant huntingtin-related changes. A well-known and commonly used model to study molecular aspects of Huntington disease are the striatum-derived STHdh cell lines generated from wild type and huntingtin knock-in mouse embryos. However, obvious morphological differences between wild type and mutant cell lines exist, which have rarely been described and might not have always been considered when designing experiments or interpreting results. Here, we demonstrate that STHdh cell lines display differences in cell size, proliferation rate and chromosomal content. While the chromosomal divergence is considered to be a result of the cells’ tumour characteristics, differences in size and proliferation, however, were confirmed in a second non-immortalized Huntington disease cell model. Importantly, our results further suggest that the reported phenotypes can confound other study outcomes and lead to false conclusions. Thus, careful experimental design and data analysis are advised when using these cell models.
Hydrogen and the Light-Induced Bias Instability Mechanism in Amorphous Oxide Semiconductors
Authors: Li Hongfei , Guo Yuzheng , Robertson John 
Published: November 2017

AbstractHydrogen is known to be present as an impurity in amorphous oxide semiconductors at the 0.1% level. Using amorphous ZnO as a simplified model system, we show that the hydrogens pair up at oxygen vacancies in the amorphous network, where they form metal-H-metal bridge bonds. These bonds are shown to create filled defect gap states lying just above the valence band edge and they are shown to give a consistent mechanism to explain the negative bias illumination stress instability found in oxide semiconductors like In-Ga-Zn-O (IGZO).
Fluorescence brightness and photostability of individual copper (I) oxide nanocubes
Authors: Zohora Nafisa , Kandjani Ahmad Esmaielzadeh , Orth Antony , Brown Hannah M. , Hutchinson Mark R. , Gibson Brant C. 
Published: November 2017

AbstractConventional organic fluorophores lose their ability to fluoresce after repeated exposure to excitation light due to photobleaching. Therefore, research into emerging bright and photostable nanomaterials has become of great interest for a range of applications such as bio-imaging and tracking. Among these emerging fluorophores, metal oxide-based nanomaterials have attracted significant attention as a potential multifunctional material with photocatalytic and angeogenisis abilities in addition to fluorescnce applications. However, most of these applications are highly dependent on size, morphology, and chemo-physical properties of individual particles. In this manuscript, we present a method to study the intrinsic optical characteristics of individual copper (I) oxide (Cu2O) nanocubes. When excited at 520 nm using only 11 µW excitation power (1.7 W/cm2), individual nanocubes were observed to emit light with peak wavelengths ~760 nm which is conveniently within the near-infrared 1 (NIR1) biological window where tissue autofluorescence is minimal. Bright and photostable fluorescence was observed with intensities up to 487 K counts/s under constant illumination for at least 2 minutes with a brightness approximately four times higher than the autofluorescence from a fixed cumulus-oocyte complex. With near-IR emission, high fluorescence brightness, and outstanding photostability, Cu2O nanocubes are attractive candidates for long-term fluorescent bioimaging applications.
Femtosecond-Resolved Excited State Relaxation Dynamics of Copper (II) Tetraphenylporphyrin (CuTPP) After Soret Band Excitation
Authors: Jeong Dahyi , Kang Dong-gu , Joo Taiha , Kim Sang Kyu 
Published: November 2017

AbstractExcited state relaxation dynamics of Copper (II) tetraphenylporphyrin (CuTPP) after Soret band excitation have been investigated in various solvents by femtosecond broadband transient absorption spectroscopy. Significant role of charge transfer state has been confirmed from fast relaxation of triplet CuTPP in pyridine, giving τ ~ 26.5 ps. In piperidine, the transient measured at 480 nm shows biexponential behavior with distinct time constants of 300 fs and 27.4 ps. The fast component with τ ~ 300 fs is attributed to relaxation of the CuTPP-piperidine adduct populated in the ground state, giving the intrinsic relaxation rate of the CuTPP exciplex for the first time. For CuTPP in O-coordinating solvents of 1,4-dioxane and tetrahydrofuran (THF), a completely new relaxation channel via the 2[dz2, dx2−y2] state is opened. As the exciplex formation is diffusion controlled, triplet CuTPP lifetimes in pure solvents employed here are all measured to be more or less same to give ~30 ps, whereas the 2[dz2, dx2−y2] exciplex formed by the ligation with O-coordinating solvents is found to relax much slowly to the ground state, giving lifetimes of ~360 and ~270 ps in 1,4-dioxane and THF, respectively.
High expression of β-catenin contributes to the crizotinib resistant phenotype in the stem-like cell population in neuroblastoma
Authors: Alshareef Abdulraheem , Gupta Nidhi , Zhang Hai-Feng , Wu Chengsheng , Haque Moinul , Lai Raymond 
Published: November 2017

AbstractALK has been identified as a novel therapeutic target in neuroblastoma (NB), but resistance to ALK inhibitors (such as crizotinib) is well recognized. We recently published that the crizotinib sensitivity in NB cells strongly correlates with the crizotinib—ALK binding, and β-catenin effectively hinders this interaction and confers crizotinib resistance. Here, we asked if these observations hold true for the stem-like cells in NB cells, which were purified based on their responsiveness to a Sox2 reporter. Compared to bulk, reporter unresponsive (RU) cells, reporter responsive (RR) cells had significantly higher neurosphere formation ability, expression of CD133/nestin and chemo-resistance. Using the cellular thermal shift assay, we found that RR cells exhibited significantly weaker crizotinib—ALK binding and higher crizotinib resistance than RU cells. The suboptimal crizotinib—ALK binding in RR cells can be attributed to their high β-catenin expression, since siRNA knockdown of β-catenin restored the crizotinib—ALK binding and lowered the crizotinib resistance to the level of RU cells. Enforced expression of β-catenin in RU cells resulted in the opposite effects. To conclude, high expression of β-catenin in the stem-like NB cells contributes to their crizotinib resistance. Combining β-catenin inhibitors and ALK inhibitors may be useful in treating NB patients.
Transcriptomic profiling of the human brain reveals that altered synaptic gene expression is associated with chronological aging
Authors: Dillman Allissa A. , Majounie Elisa , Ding Jinhui , Gibbs J. Raphael , Hernandez Dena , Arepalli Sampath , Traynor Bryan J. , Singleton Andrew B. , Galter Dagmar , Cookson Mark R. 
Published: November 2017

AbstractAging is a biologically universal event, and yet the key events that drive aging are still poorly understood. One approach to generate new hypotheses about aging is to use unbiased methods to look at change across lifespan. Here, we have examined gene expression in the human dorsolateral frontal cortex using RNA- Seq to populate a whole gene co-expression network analysis. We show that modules of co-expressed genes enriched for those encoding synaptic proteins are liable to change with age. We extensively validate these age-dependent changes in gene expression across several datasets including the publically available GTEx resource which demonstrated that gene expression associations with aging vary between brain regions. We also estimated the extent to which changes in cellular composition account for age associations and find that there are independent signals for cellularity and aging. Overall, these results demonstrate that there are robust age-related alterations in gene expression in the human brain and that genes encoding for neuronal synaptic function may be particularly sensitive to the aging process.
Preparation and characterisation of silver nanoparticles in an aqueous suspension of TETA modified graphene oxide and their antibacterial activity
Authors: Luo Ran , Xu Zhiyao , Lin Xuemei 
Published: November 2017

A simple method to prepare silver nanoparticles (AgNPs)/triethylenetetramine (TETA)‐functionalised graphene oxide (TGO) nanomaterial via electrostatic self‐assemble, exploring the structure and antimicrobial properties of the as‐prepared AgNPs/TGO composite is presented. This composite was characterised by Fourier transform infrared spectra, UV–Vis, X‐ray powder diffraction, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). TEM image suggested the formation of spherical AgNPs with a narrow size distribution at ∼ 30 nm. The nanocomposites showed high bactericidal activity against Escherichia coli bacteria and Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. This work provides a simple, scalable and environmentally friendly approach to the preparation of AgNPs/TGO nanocomposite with promising antibacterial properties, which could be used as an artificial biomedical material or wound healing.
The NIKA2 large-field-of-view millimetre continuum camera for the 30 m IRAM telescope
Authors: Adam R. , Adane A. , Ade P. A. R. , André P. , Andrianasolo A. , Aussel H. , Beelen A. , Benoît A. , Bideaud A. , Billot N. , Bourrion O. , Bracco A. , Calvo M. , Catalano A. , Coiffard G. , Comis B. , De Petris M. , Désert F.-X. , Doyle S. , Driessen E. F. C. , Evans R. , Goupy J. , Kramer C. , Lagache G. , Leclercq S. , Leggeri J.-P. , Lestrade J.-F. , Macías-Pérez J. F. , Mauskopf P. , Mayet F. , Maury A. , Monfardini A. , Navarro S. , Pascale E. , Perotto L. , Pisano G. , Ponthieu N. , Revéret V. , Rigby A. , Ritacco A. , Romero C. , Roussel H. , Ruppin F. , Schuster K. , Sievers A. , Triqueneaux S. , Tucker C. , Zylka R. 
Published: November 2017

Context. Millimetre-wave continuum astronomy is today an indispensable tool for both general astrophysics studies (e.g. star formation, nearby galaxies) and cosmology (e.g. cosmic microwave background and high-redshift galaxies). General purpose, large-field-of-view instruments are needed to map the sky at intermediate angular scales not accessible by the high-resolution interferometers (e.g. ALMA in Chile, NOEMA in the French Alps) and by the coarse angular resolution space-borne or ground-based surveys (e.g. Planck, ACT, SPT). These instruments have to be installed at the focal plane of the largest single-dish telescopes, which are placed at high altitude on selected dry observing sites. In this context, we have constructed and deployed a three-thousand-pixel dual-band (150 GHz and 260 GHz, respectively 2 mm and 1.15 mm wavelengths) camera to image an instantaneous circular field-of-view of 6.5 arcmin in diameter, and configurable to map the linear polarisation at 260 GHz.
Aims. First, we are providing a detailed description of this instrument, named NIKA2 (New IRAM KID Arrays 2), in particular focussing on the cryogenics, optics, focal plane arrays based on Kinetic Inductance Detectors, and the readout electronics. The focal planes and part of the optics are cooled down to the nominal 150 mK operating temperature by means of an adhoc dilution refrigerator. Secondly, we are presenting the performance measured on the sky during the commissioning runs that took place between October 2015 and April 2017 at the 30-m IRAM telescope at Pico Veleta, near Granada (Spain).
Methods. We have targeted a number of astronomical sources. Starting from beam-maps on primary and secondary calibrators we have then gone to extended sources and faint objects. Both internal (electronic) and on-the-sky calibrations are applied. The general methods are described in the present paper.
Results. NIKA2 has been successfully deployed and commissioned, performing in-line with expectations. In particular, NIKA2 exhibits full width at half maximum angular resolutions of around 11 and 17.5 arcsec at respectively 260 and 150 GHz. The noise equivalent flux densities are, at these two respective frequencies, 33±2 and 8±1 mJy s1/2. A first successful science verification run was achieved in April 2017. The instrument is currently offered to the astronomy community and will remain available for at least the following ten years.
Small Bowel Volvulus due to Mesenteric Lymphatic Malformation: MDCT Demonstration of Counterclockwise Barber Pole Sign
Authors: Vinay V. , Bhat Venkatraman , Pramod G. , Rao Sanjay , Ramaiah Srinivas 
Published: November 2017

AbstractCounterclockwise barber pole sign (also known as reverse barber pole sign) is an angiographic sign described in patients with small bowel volvulus due to counterclockwise twisting of mesenteric vessels around the superior mesenteric artery (SMA). The sign was first described in a catheter angiographic examination; however, the concept can be translated to the display methods of computed tomography (CT). This sign can be depicted clearly on multiplanar and three-dimensionally rendered images of multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) examination. In the current report, the reverse barber pole sign is illustrated in a child with partial small bowel volvulus secondary to mesenteric lymphatic malformation. The clinical course, management, and imaging appearances are presented, highlighting the observation of counterclockwise barber pole sign on MDCT imaging. The importance of the sign in identification of volvulus and implications for patient management are emphasized.