bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Mucin Glycopeptide‐Protein Conjugates – Promising Antitumor Vaccine Candidates
Authors: Palitzsch Björn , Glaffig Markus , Kunz Horst 
Published: February 2015

AbstractRecent efforts towards the development of synthetic glycopeptide vaccines, which aim at the active immunization of patients against their own tumor tissues, are outlined. To achieve sufficient tumor selectivity, glycopeptides of the tandem repeat region of tumor‐associated mucin, MUC1, have been synthesized. Since the endogenous structures usually exert low immunogenicity, these glycopeptide antigens, as B‐cell epitopes, were conjugated with immunostimulating components. In the present short review, work is outlined in which the MUC1 B‐cell epitope peptides are conjugated with bovine serum albumin (BSA), keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH), or tetanus toxoid (TTox). In particular, the synthetic vaccines based on tetanus toxoid induce very strong tolerance‐breaking immune responses in mice. The induced antibodies of the IgG type indicate the installation of an immunological memory. In addition, these antibodies strongly bind to human breast tumor cells in culture, demonstrated by flow cytometry experiments, and also to the tumor cells in mammary carcinoma tissues.
Comparison of image‐based and reconstruction‐based respiratory motion correction for golden radial phase encoding coronary MR angiography
Authors: Paschke Nadia K. , Dössel Olaf , Schaeffter Tobias , Prieto Claudia , Kolbitsch Christoph 
Published: February 2015

PurposeTo evaluate two commonly used respiratory motion correction techniques for coronary magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) regarding their dependency on motion estimation accuracy and final image quality and to compare both methods to the respiratory gating approach used in clinical practice.Materials and MethodsTen healthy volunteers were scanned using a non‐Cartesian radial phase encoding acquisition. Respiratory motion was corrected for coronary MRA according to two motion correction techniques, image‐based (IMC) and reconstruction‐based (RMC) respiratory motion correction. Both motion correction approaches were compared quantitatively and qualitatively against a reference standard navigator‐based respiratory gating (RG) approach. Quantitative comparisons were performed regarding visible vessel length, vessel sharpness, and total acquisition time. Two experts carried out a visual scoring of image quality. Additionally, numerical simulations were performed to evaluate the effect of motion estimation inaccuracy on RMC and IMC.ResultsRMC led to significantly better image quality than IMC (P's paired Student's t‐test were smaller than 0.001 for vessel sharpness and visual scoring). RMC did not show a statistically significant difference compared to reference standard RG (vessel length [99% confidence interval]: 86.913 [83.097–95.015], P = 0.107; vessel sharpness: 0.640 [0.605–0.802], P = 0.012; visual scoring: 2.583 [2.410–3.424], P = 0.018) in terms of vessel visualization and image quality while reducing scan times by 56%. Simulations showed higher dependencies for RMC than for IMC on motion estimation inaccuracies.ConclusionRMC provides a similar image quality as the clinically used RG approach but almost halves the scan time and is independent of subjects' breathing patterns. Clinical validation of RMC is now desirable. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2015;42:964–971.
Inverse Chirality Probe in Poly(3‐alkylthiophene) Derivative
Authors: Destri Silvia , Barba Luisa , Gelmetti Ilario , Di Bari Lorenzo , Porzio William 
Published: February 2015

The preparation and study of a new poly(3‐alkyloxythiophene)—bearing a chiral center—is presented, with particular reference to the evolution of optical activity in passing from solution to solid state. The combination of optical analysis, electronic circular dichroism, and X‐ray diffraction of powders or films supplies strong indications of a possible use of this material as an inverse chiral probe.image
Microbial diversity and abundance in the Xinjiang Luliang long‐term water‐flooding petroleum reservoir
Authors: Gao Peike , Tian Huimei , Li Guoqiang , Sun Hongwen , Ma Ting 
Published: February 2015

AbstractMicrobial populations associated with microbial enhanced oil recovery (MEOR) and their abundance in the Xinjiang Luliang water‐flooding petroleum reservoir were investigated using 16S rRNA, nitrate reductases, dissimilatory sulfate reductase, and methyl coenzyme‐M reductase‐encoded genes to provide ecological information for the potential application of MEOR. 16S rRNA gene miseq sequencing revealed that this reservoir harbored large amounts of taxa, including 155 bacterial and 7 archeal genera. Among them, Arcobacter, Halomonas, Marinobacterium, Marinobacter, Sphingomonas, Rhodococcus, Pseudomonas, Dietzia, Ochrobactrum, Hyphomonas, Acinetobacter, and Shewanella were dominant, and have the potential to grow using hydrocarbons as carbon sources. Metabolic gene clone libraries indicated that the nitrate‐reducing bacteria (NRB) mainly belonged to Pseudomonas, Azospirillum, Bradyrhizobium, Thauera, Magnetospirillum, Sinorhizobium, Azoarcus, and Rhodobacter; the sulfate‐reducing bacteria (SRB) were Desulfarculus, Desulfomonile, Desulfosarcina, Desulfotignum, Desulfacinum, Desulfatibacillum, Desulfatibacillum, Desulfomicrobium, and Desulfovibrio; while the methanogens were archaea and belonged to Methanomethylovorans, Methanosaeta, Methanococcus, Methanolobus, and Methanobacterium. Real‐time quantitative PCR analysis indicated that the number of bacterial 16S rRNA reached 106 copies/mL, while the metabolic genes of NRB, SRB, and methanogens reached 104 copies/mL. These results show that the Luliang reservoir has abundant microbial populations associated with oil recovery, suggesting that the reservoir has potential for MEOR.
Highly fluorescent polycaprolactones decorated with di(thiophene‐2‐yl)‐diketopyrrolopyrrole: A covalent strategy of tuning fluorescence properties in solid states
Authors: Wang Kai , Luo Yimin , Huang Shuo , Yang Hongbin , Liu Bin , Wang Mingfeng 
Published: February 2015

ABSTRACTWell‐defined 1,4‐diketo‐3,6‐di(thiophen‐2‐yl)pyrrolo[3,4‐c]pyrrole (DTDPP) labeled polycaprolactones (PCL) with different chain lengths were synthesized and characterized. The effect of polymer chain lengths on the optical properties of DTDPP in solid states was studied by UV‐Vis absorption spectroscopy as well as steady‐state and dynamic fluorescence spectroscopies. Our results indicate that when the PCL side chain is extended to a certain length, the intermolecular aggregation of DTDPP units can be reduced significantly due to segregation effect of PCL. This approach offers a new facile strategy to address the common problem of aggregation‐caused quenching existing in organic fluorophores. These highly fluorescent biodegradable PCL polymers may find broad biomedical applications such as fluorescence‐based bioimaging and tissue engineering. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci. Part A: Polym. Chem. 2015, 53, 1032–1042
Quantitative delineation of how breathing motions open ligand migration channels in myoglobin and its mutants
Authors: Na Hyuntae , Song Guang 
Published: February 2015

ABSTRACTLigand migration and binding are central to the biological functions of many proteins such as myoglobin (Mb) and it is widely thought that protein breathing motions open up ligand channels dynamically. However, how a protein exerts its control over the opening and closing of these channels through its intrinsic dynamics is not fully understood. Specifically, a quantitative delineation of the breathing motions that are needed to open ligand channels is lacking. In this work, we present and apply a novel normal mode‐based method to quantitatively delineate what and how breathing motions open ligand migration channels in Mb and its mutants. The motivation behind this work springs from the observation that normal mode motions are closely linked to the breathing motions that are thought to open ligand migration channels. In addition, the method provides a direct and detailed depiction of the motions of each and every residue that lines a channel and can identify key residues that play a dominating role in regulating the channel. The all‐atom model and the full force‐field employed in the method provide a realistic energetics on the work cost required to open a channel, and as a result, the method can be used to efficiently study the effects of mutations on ligand migration channels and on ligand entry rates. Our results on Mb and its mutants are in excellent agreement with MD simulation results and experimentally determined ligand entry rates. Proteins 2015; 83:757–770. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Jadomycin breast cancer cytotoxicity is mediated by a copper‐dependent, reactive oxygen species–inducing mechanism
Authors: Hall Steven R. , Blundon Heather L. , Ladda Matthew A. , Robertson Andrew W. , Martinez‐Farina Camilo F. , Jakeman David L. , Goralski Kerry B. 
Published: February 2015

AbstractJadomycins are natural products biosynthesized by the bacteria Streptomyces venezuelae which kill drug‐sensitive and multidrug‐resistant breast cancer cells in culture. Currently, the mechanisms of jadomycin cytotoxicity are poorly understood; however, reactive oxygen species (ROS)–induced DNA cleavage is suggested based on bacterial plasmid DNA cleavage studies. The objective of this study was to determine if and how ROS contribute to jadomycin cytotoxicity in drug‐sensitive MCF7 (MCF7‐CON) and taxol‐resistant MCF7 (MCF7‐TXL) breast cancer cells. As determined using an intracellular, fluorescent, ROS‐detecting probe, jadomycins B, S, SPhG, and F dose dependently increased intracellular ROS activity 2.5‐ to 5.9‐fold. Cotreatment with the antioxidant N‐acetyl cysteine lowered ROS concentrations to below baseline levels and decreased the corresponding cytotoxic potency of the four jadomycins 1.9‐ to 3.3‐fold, confirming a ROS‐mediated mechanism. Addition of CuSO4 enhanced, whereas addition of the Cu(II)‐chelator d‐penicillamine reduced, the ROS generation and cytotoxicity of each jadomycin. Specific inhibitors of the antioxidant enzymes, superoxide dismutase 1, glutathione S‐transferase, and thioredoxin reductase, but not catalase, enhanced jadomycin‐mediated ROS generation and anticancer activity. In conclusion, the results indicate that jadomycin cytotoxicity involves the generation of cytosolic superoxide via a Cu(II)‐jadomycin reaction, a mechanism common to all jadomycins tested and observed in MCF7‐CON and drug‐resistant MCF7‐TXL cells. The superoxide dismutase 1, glutathione, and peroxiredoxin/thioredoxin cellular antioxidant enzyme pathways scavenged intracellular ROS generated by jadomycin treatment. Blocking these antioxidant pathways could serve as a strategy to enhance jadomycin cytotoxic potency in drug‐sensitive and multidrug‐resistant breast cancers.
Collaborative Professional Development
Authors: Steeg Susanna M. , Lambson Dawn 
Published: February 2015

AbstractThis article describes how one elementary school's professional development model helped both new and veteran teachers grow in their knowledge and practice of balanced literacy. Created in partnership between university faculty, school administration, and elementary teachers, this multifaceted whole‐school PD effort enabled teachers to learn in whole‐group, small‐group, and individual settings. Significant elements of the PD included learning conversations, demonstration lessons, book studies, and case studies of readers. In describing elements of the professional development and particular learning outcomes for several teachers, the article casts a vision for what is possible in supporting school‐wide professional learning for both teachers and administrators.
Differences in plasma metabolomics between sows feddl-methionine and its hydroxy analogue reveal a strong association of milk composition and neonatal growth with maternal methionine nutrition
Authors: Zhang Xiaoling , Li Hao , Liu Guangmang , Wan Haifeng , Mercier Yves , Wu Caimei , Wu Xiuqun , Che Lianqiang , Lin Yan , Xu Shengyu , Tian Gang , Chen Daiwen , Wu De , Fang Zhengfeng 
Published: February 2015

The aim of the present study was to determine whether increased consumption of methionine asdl-methionine (DLM) or its hydroxy analoguedl-2-hydroxy-4-methylthiobutanoic acid (HMTBA) could benefit milk synthesis and neonatal growth. For this purpose, eighteen cross-bred (Landrace × Yorkshire) primiparous sows were fed a control (CON), DLM or HMTBA diet (n6 per diet) from 0 to 14 d post-partum. At postnatal day 14, piglets in the HMTBA group had higher body weight (P= 0·02) than those in the CON group, tended (P= 0·07) to be higher than those in the DLM group, and had higher (P< 0·05) mRNA abundance of jejunal fatty acid-binding protein 2, intestinal than those in the CON and DLM groups. Compared with the CON diet-fed sows, milk protein, non-fat solid, and lysine, histidine and ornithine concentrations decreased in the DLM diet-fed sows (P< 0·05), and milk fat, lactose, and cysteine and taurine concentrations increased in the HMTBA diet-fed sows (P< 0·05). Plasma homocysteine and urea N concentrations that averaged across time were increased (P< 0·05) in sows fed the DLM diet compared with those fed the CON diet. Metabolomic results based on1H NMR spectroscopy revealed that consumption of the HMTBA and DLM diets increased (P< 0·05) both sow plasma methionine and valine levels; however, consumption of the DLM diet led to lower (P< 0·05) plasma levels of lysine, tyrosine, glucose and acetate and higher (P< 0·05) plasma levels of citrate, lactate, formate, glycerol,myo-inositol andN-acetyl glycoprotein in sows. Collectively, neonatal growth and milk synthesis were regulated by dietary methionine levels and sources, which resulted in marked alterations in amino acid, lipid and glycogen metabolism.
Serotonin transporter linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) genotype moderates the longitudinal impact of early caregiving on externalizing behavior
Authors: Brett Zoë H. , Humphreys Kathryn L. , Smyke Anna T. , Gleason Mary Margaret , Nelson Charles A. , Zeanah Charles H. , Fox Nathan A. , Drury Stacy S. 
Published: February 2015

AbstractWe examined caregiver report of externalizing behavior from 12 to 54 months of age in 102 children randomized to care as usual in institutions or to newly created high-quality foster care. At baseline no differences by group or genotype in externalizing were found. However, changes in externalizing from baseline to 42 months of age were moderated by the serotonin transporter linked polymorphic region genotype and intervention group, where the slope for short–short (S/S) individuals differed as a function of intervention group. The slope for individuals carrying the long allele did not significantly differ between groups. At 54 months of age, S/S children in the foster care group had the lowest levels of externalizing behavior, while children with the S/S genotype in the care as usual group demonstrated the highest rates of externalizing behavior. No intervention group differences were found in externalizing behavior among children who carried the long allele. These findings, within a randomized controlled trial of foster care compared to continued care as usual, indicate that the serotonin transporter linked polymorphic region genotype moderates the relation between early caregiving environments to predict externalizing behavior in children exposed to early institutional care in a manner most consistent with differential susceptibility.
Religion priming and an oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) polymorphism interact to affect self-control in a social context
Authors: Sasaki Joni Y. , Mojaverian Taraneh , Kim Heejung S. 
Published: February 2015

AbstractUsing a genetic moderation approach, this study examines how an experimental prime of religion impacts self-control in a social context, and whether this effect differs depending on the genotype of an oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) polymorphism (rs53576). People with different genotypes ofOXTRseem to have different genetic orientations toward sociality, which may have consequences for the way they respond to religious cues in the environment. In order to determine whether the influence of religion priming on self-control is socially motivated, we examine whether this effect is stronger for people who haveOXTRgenotypes that should be linked to greater rather than less social sensitivity (i.e., GG vs. AA/AG genotypes). The results showed that experimentally priming religion increased self-control behaviors for people with GG genotypes more so than people with AA/AG genotypes. Furthermore, this Gene × Religion interaction emerged in a social context, when people were interacting face to face with another person. This research integrates genetic moderation and social psychological approaches to address a novel question about religion's influence on self-control behavior, which has implications for coping with distress and psychopathology. These findings also highlight the importance of the social context for understanding genetic moderation of psychological effects.
Early life adversity and serotonin transporter gene variation interact to affect DNA methylation of the corticotropin-releasing factor gene promoter region in the adult rat brain
Authors: van der Doelen Rick H. A. , Arnoldussen Ilse A. , Ghareh Hussein , van Och Liselot , Homberg Judith R. , Kozicz Tamás 
Published: February 2015

AbstractThe interaction between childhood maltreatment and the serotonin transporter (5-HTT) gene linked polymorphic region has been associated with increased risk to develop major depression. This Gene × Environment interaction has furthermore been linked with increased levels of anxiety and glucocorticoid release upon exposure to stress. Both endophenotypes are regulated by the neuropeptide corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) or hormone, which is expressed by the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus, the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, and the central amygdala (CeA). Therefore, we hypothesized that altered regulation of the expression of CRF in these areas represents a major neurobiological mechanism underlying the interaction of early life stress and5-HTTgene variation. The programming of gene transcription by Gene × Environment interactions has been proposed to involve epigenetic mechanisms such as DNA methylation. In this study, we report that early life stress and5-HTTgenotype interact to affect DNA methylation of theCrfgene promoter in the CeA of adult male rats. Furthermore, we found that DNA methylation of a specific site in theCrfpromoter significantly correlated with CRF mRNA levels in the CeA. Moreover, CeA CRF mRNA levels correlated with stress coping behavior in a learned helplessness paradigm. Together, our findings warrant further investigation of the link ofCrfpromoter methylation and CRF expression in the CeA with behavioral changes that are relevant for psychopathology.
Endemic birds of the Fynbos biome: a conservation assessment and impacts of climate change
Authors: LEE ALAN T. K. , BARNARD PHOEBE 
Published: February 2015

SummaryThe South African Fynbos biome, a global biodiversity hotspot with high endemism and species richness, has six endemic bird species. These are important not only intrinsically, but also for ecological functioning and as flagships for South Africa’s economically valuable avitourism sector. Little is known about population sizes or realised distribution ranges of these six species, but projected range modelling based on occurrence from the South African Bird Atlas Project (SABAP) has suggested these species are vulnerable to climate change. We estimate global population sizes for these six endemics based on densities calculated from two intensive biome-wide point count surveys in 2012. We modelled regions of suitable climatic space, from which we established that mean annual temperature and the temperature of the warmest quarter of the year appear to limit Cape Rock-jumperChaetops frenatusand Protea CanarySerinus leucopterusranges. Both species have seen an apparent > 30% decrease in range and reporting rates (a proxy for abundance) in the twenty years between SABAP atlas periods (1987–1991 and 2007–ongoing). The Cape Rock-jumper result is unexpected: encounter rates are higher in shorter vegetation, dry slopes and habitats with more recent occurrence of fire – all proxies for proximate causes of climate change on the Fynbos. Although coastal plains are highly transformed, mountain Fynbos is the best protected of all the world’s Mediterranean-climate habitats, with relatively little anthropogenic land transformation. Long term weather datasets from the Fynbos demonstrate significant warming since 1960. We conclude from these lines of evidence that these decreases are consistent with the loss of suitable climate space and inability of these species to adjust physiologically to increasing temperatures.
Molecular typing of the major histocompatibility complex B microsatellite haplotypes in Cameroon chicken
Authors: Hako Touko B.A. , Keambou C.T. , Han J.-M. , Bembidé C. , Skilton Robert A. , Ogugo M. , Manjeli Y. , Osama S. , Cho C.-Y. , Djikeng A. 
Published: February 2015

SummaryThe chicken major histocompatibility complex B (MHC-B) – a cluster of genes associated with natural disease resistance or susceptibility – has been investigated in experimental and inbred lines by serological typing. However, that method showed some weaknesses for its use on out breeds. This study aims to explore the genetic diversity of the MHC-B of Cameroon indigenous chicken through molecular typing with LEI0258 and MCW0371 microsatellite markers. MHC-B haplotypes of 290 chickens from four agro-ecological zones were identified and compared with published haplotypes. Alleles were analysed for genetic diversity and relationship among Cameroon chicken populations. Hypothetically new LEI0258 alleles and haplotypes were detected. Overall, polymorphism parameters were relatively high in the Cameroon western highlands. The analysis of molecular variance revealed great variability (80.00 percent) between individuals than among and within ecotypes. The inbreeding coefficients of overall populations (FIT), among population (FST) and within population (FIS) were 0.26, 0.04 and 0.22, respectively, and all were highly significant (P&lt; 0.001). A UPGMA tree based on Nei'sDAgenetic distances showed a clear distinction between Cameroon and out-groups and a structuring of within-country populations into three clusters. There is a great genetic diversity of the MHC-B in Cameroon native chicken and also a need of sequencing of the identified alleles for an accurate identification prior to their assessment for natural disease resistance and responsiveness to vaccination.