bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Silencing a sugar transporter gene reduces growth and fecundity in the brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens (Stål) (Hemiptera: Delphacidae)
Authors: Ge Lin-Quan , Jiang Yi-Ping , Xia Ting , Song Qi-Sheng , Stanley David , Kuai Peng , Lu Xiu-Li , Yang Guo-Qing , Wu Jin-Cai 
Published: July 2015

AbstractThe brown planthopper (BPH), Nilaparvata lugens, sugar transporter gene 6 (Nlst6) is a facilitative glucose/fructose transporter (often called a passive carrier) expressed in midgut that mediates sugar transport from the midgut lumen to hemolymph. The influence of down regulating expression of sugar transporter genes on insect growth, development and fecundity is unknown. Nonetheless, it is reasonable to suspect that transporter-mediated uptake of dietary sugar is essential to the biology of phloem-feeding insects. Based on this reasoning, we posed the hypothesis that silencing, or reducing expression, of a BPH sugar transporter gene would be deleterious to the insects. To test our hypothesis, we examined the effects of Nlst6 knockdown on BPH biology. Reducing expression of Nlst6 led to profound effects on BPHs. It significantly prolonged the pre-oviposition period, shortened the oviposition period, decreased the number of eggs deposited and reduced body weight, compared to controls. Nlst6 knockdown also significantly decreased fat body and ovarian (particularly vitellogenin) protein content as well as vitellogenin gene expression. Experimental BPHs accumulated less fat body glucose compared to controls. We infer that Nlst6 acts in BPH growth and fecundity and has potential as a novel target gene for control of phloem-feeding pest insects.
Simple method for the generation of multiple homogeneous field volumes inside the bore of superconducting magnets
Authors: Chou Ching-Yu , Ferrage Fabien , Aubert Guy , Sakellariou Dimitris 
Published: July 2015

AbstractStandard Magnetic Resonance magnets produce a single homogeneous field volume, where the analysis is performed. Nonetheless, several modern applications could benefit from the generation of multiple homogeneous field volumes along the axis and inside the bore of the magnet. In this communication, we propose a straightforward method using a combination of ring structures of permanent magnets in order to cancel the gradient of the stray field in a series of distinct volumes. These concepts were demonstrated numerically on an experimentally measured magnetic field profile. We discuss advantages and limitations of our method and present the key steps required for an experimental validation.
Steering light by a sub-wavelength metallic grating from transformation optics
Authors: Xu Yadong , Fu Yangyang , Chen Huanyang 
Published: July 2015

AbstractTransformation optics has shown great ability in designing devices with novel functionalities, such as invisibility cloaking. A recent work shows that it can also be used to design metasurfaces which usually come from the concept of phase discontinuities. However, metasurfaces from transformation optics have very complicated material parameters. Here in this work, we propose a practical design, a sub-wavelength metallic grating with discrete and gradient index materials. Such a design not only inherits some functionalities of metasurfaces from phase discontinuities, but also shows richer physics. Our work will also provide a guidance to recent activities of acoustic metasurfaces, especially for those made of extremely anisotropic metamaterials.
Improved Oocyte Isolation and Embryonic Development of Outbred Deer Mice
Authors: Choi Jung Kyu , He Xiaoming 
Published: July 2015

AbstractIn this study, we improved the protocol for isolating cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) from the outbred deer mice by using only one hormone (instead of the widely used combination of two hormones) with reduced dose. Moreover, we identified that significantly more metaphase II (MII) oocytes could be obtained by supplementing epidermal growth factor (EGF) and leukemia inhibition factor (LIF) into the previously established medium for in vitro maturation (IVM) of the COCs. Furthermore, we overcame the major challenge of two-cell block during embryonic development of deer mice after either in vitro fertilization (IVF) or parthenogenetic activation (PA) of the MII oocytes, by culturing the two-cell stage embryos on the feeder layer of inactivated mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) in the medium of mouse embryonic stem cells. Collectively, this work represents a major step forward in using deer mice as an outbred animal model for biomedical research on reproduction and early embryonic development.
Prognostic value of the primary lesion apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) in nasopharyngeal carcinoma: a retrospective study of 541 cases
Authors: Zhang Yuan , Liu Xu , Zhang Yun , Li Wen-Fei , Chen Lei , Mao Yan-Ping , Shen Jing-Xian , Zhang Fan , Peng Hao , Liu Qing , Sun Ying , Ma Jun 
Published: July 2015

AbstractThe prognostic value of the primary lesion pretreatment apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), which is obtained by diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MR-DWI), remains unknown in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Thus, to investigate whether the pretreatment ADC value as measured from the primary site on MR-DWI is an independent prognostic factor in NPC, we retrospectively reviewed a cohort of 541 patients with histologically-proven stage I-IVB NPC. All patients underwent MRI using a 3-Tesla system (Trio Tim; Siemens, Erlangen Germany). To calculate ADC, the primary lesion was designated on the ADC map at the level of the largest tumor diameter to cover most of the lesion, avoiding cystic or necrotic components. Median and mean (±SD) pretreatment ADC were 0.713 and 0.716 ± 0.079 × 10−3 mm2/s, respectively. Univariate and multivariate analysis confirmed high pretreatment ADC was a good prognostic factor for poor local relapse-free survival and disease-free survival. Furthermore, the area under the ROC curve for prediction of local failure significantly increased when pretreatment ADC was combined with T classification (P = 0.004). Thus, pretreatment ADC might provide useful information for predicting outcome and selecting high-risk patients appropriate for more aggressive therapy. Further studies are warranted to investigate the biological basis of this observation.
Pandemic HIV-1 Vpu overcomes intrinsic herd immunity mediated by tetherin
Authors: Iwami Shingo , Sato Kei , Morita Satoru , Inaba Hisashi , Kobayashi Tomoko , Takeuchi Junko S. , Kimura Yuichi , Misawa Naoko , Ren Fengrong , Iwasa Yoh , Aihara Kazuyuki , Koyanagi Yoshio 
Published: July 2015

AbstractAmong the four groups of HIV-1 (M, N, O and P), HIV-1M alone is pandemic and has rapidly expanded across the world. However, why HIV-1M has caused a devastating pandemic while the other groups remain contained is unclear. Interestingly, only HIV-1M Vpu, a viral protein, can robustly counteract human tetherin, which tethers budding virions. Therefore, we hypothesize that this property of HIV-1M Vpu facilitates human-to-human viral transmission. Adopting a multilayered experimental-mathematical approach, we demonstrate that HIV-1M Vpu confers a 2.38-fold increase in the prevalence of HIV-1 transmission. When Vpu activity is lost, protected human populations emerge (i.e., intrinsic herd immunity develops) through the anti-viral effect of tetherin. We also reveal that all Vpus of transmitted/founder HIV-1M viruses maintain anti-tetherin activity. These findings indicate that tetherin plays the role of a host restriction factor, providing ‘intrinsic herd immunity’, whereas Vpu has evolved in HIV-1M as a tetherin antagonist.
The detection of EpCAM+ and EpCAM– circulating tumor cells
Authors: Wit Sanne de , Dalum Guus van , Lenferink Aufried T. M. , Tibbe Arjan G. J. , Hiltermann T. Jeroen N. , Groen Harry J. M. , van Rijn Cees J. M. , Terstappen Leon W. M. M. 
Published: July 2015

AbstractEpCAM expressing circulating tumor cells, detected by CellSearch, are predictive of short survival in several cancers and may serve as a liquid biopsy to guide therapy. Here we investigate the presence of EpCAM+ CTC detected by CellSearch and EpCAM– CTC discarded by CellSearch, after EpCAM based enrichment. EpCAM– CTC were identified by filtration and fluorescent labelling. This approach was validated using different cell lines spiked into blood and evaluated on blood samples of 27 metastatic lung cancer patients. The majority of spiked EpCAM+ cells could be detected with CellSearch, whereas most spiked cells with EpCAMlow or EpCAM– expression were detected using filtration. Five or more CTC were detected in 15% of the patient samples, this increased to 41% when adding the CTC detected in the discarded blood. The number of patients with CTC and the number of CTC detected were doubled by the presence of EpCAM– CTC. In this pilot study, the presence of EpCAM+ CTC was associated with poor outcome, whereas the EpCAM– CTC were not. This observation will need to be confirmed in larger studies and molecular characterization needs to be conducted to elucidate differences between EpCAM– and EpCAM+ CTC.
MiR-135b-5p and MiR-499a-3p Promote Cell Proliferation and Migration in Atherosclerosis by Directly Targeting MEF2C
Authors: Xu Zhiliang , Han Yeming , Liu Jiying , Jiang Fan , Hu Huili , Wang Yan , Liu Qiji , Gong Yaoqin , Li Xi 
Published: July 2015

AbstractProliferation and migration of endothelial cells (ECs) and vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) are critical processes involved in atherosclerosis. Recent studies have revealed that microRNAs (miRNAs) can be detected in circulating blood with a stable form and the expression profiles differ in many cellular processes associated with coronary artery disease (CAD). However, little is known about their role, especially serum-derived miRNAs, in ECs and VSMCs phenotype modulation during atherosclerosis. We compared the miRNA expressions in serum samples from 13 atherosclerotic CAD patients and 5 healthy control subjects and identified 36 differentially expressed miRNAs. The expression of selected miRNAs (miR-135b-5p and miR-499a-3p) was further validated in 137 serum samples. Interestingly, miR-135b-5p and miR-499a-3p directly regulated a common target gene: myocyte enhancer factor 2C (MEF2C) which plays an important role in modulating cell phenotype of cardiovascular systems. Furthermore, our results indicated that the 2 elevated miRNAs could jointly promote ECs and VSMCs proliferation and migration by repressing MEF2C expression. Together, our findings demonstrated a serum-based miRNA expression profile for atherosclerotic CAD patients, potentially revealing a previously undocumented mechanism for cell proliferation and migration mediated by miR-135b-5p and miR-499a-3p and might provide novel insights into the role of circulating miRNAs in atherosclerosis pathogenesis.
Differences Among Patients That Make Their Tinnitus Worse or Better
Authors: Pan Tao , Tyler Richard S. , Ji Haihong , Coelho Claudia , Gogel Stephanie A. 
Published: July 2015

Purpose
Our objective was to identify activities that influence tinnitus and to determine if conditional probabilities exist among such variables.

Method
Two hundred fifty-eight patients were asked the following two questions: “When you have your tinnitus, which of the following makes it worse?” and “Which of the following reduces your tinnitus?”

Results
Things that made tinnitus better included noise (31%) and relaxation (15%). Things that made tinnitus worse included being in a quiet place (48%), stress (36%), being in a noisy place (32%), and lack of sleep (27%). Almost 6% of patients suggested coffee/tea and 4% said certain foods made their tinnitus worse. Conditional probabilities indicated that for those whose tinnitus is not worse in quiet, it is usually not reduced by noise. For those whose tinnitus is not worse in noise, it is usually not reduced in quiet.

Conclusion
There are dramatic differences among patients. Such differences need to be considered in planning treatments.
Formulaic Language in Parkinson's Disease and Alzheimer's Disease: Complementary Effects of Subcortical and Cortical Dysfunction
Authors: Van Lancker Sidtis Diana , Choi JiHee , Alken Amy , Sidtis John J. 
Published: July 2015

PurposeThe production of formulaic expressions (conversational speech formulas, pause fillers, idioms, and other fixed expressions) is excessive in the left hemisphere and deficient in the right hemisphere and in subcortical stroke. Speakers with Alzheimer's disease (AD), having functional basal ganglia, reveal abnormally high proportions of formulaic language. Persons with Parkinson's disease (PD), having dysfunctional basal ganglia, were predicted to show impoverished formulaic expressions in contrast to speakers with AD. This study compared participants with PD, participants with AD, and healthy control (HC) participants on protocols probing production and comprehension of formulaic expressions.MethodSpontaneous speech samples were recorded from 16 individuals with PD, 12 individuals with AD, and 18 HC speakers. Structured tests were then administered as probes of comprehension.ResultsThe PD group had lower proportions of formulaic expressions compared with the AD and HC groups. Comprehension testing yielded opposite contrasts: participants with PD showed significantly higher performance compared with participants with AD and did not differ from HC participants.ConclusionsThe finding that PD produced lower proportions of formulaic expressions compared with AD and HC supports the view that subcortical nuclei modulate the production of formulaic expressions. Contrasting results on formal testing of comprehension, whereby participants with AD performed significantly worse than participants with PD and HC participants, indicate differential effects on procedural and declarative knowledge associated with these neurological conditions.
Multiscale Analysis of River Networks using the R Package linbin
Authors: Welty Ethan Z. , Torgersen Christian E. , Brenkman Samuel J. , Duda Jeffrey J. , Armstrong Jonathan B. 
Published: July 2015

Abstract
Analytical tools are needed in riverine science and management to bridge the gap between GIS and statistical packages that were not designed for the directional and dendritic structure of streams. We introduce linbin, an R package developed for the analysis of riverscapes at multiple scales. With this software, riverine data on aquatic habitat and species distribution can be scaled and plotted automatically with respect to their position in the stream network or—in the case of temporal data—their position in time. The linbin package aggregates data into bins of different sizes as specified by the user. We provide case studies illustrating the use of the software for (1) exploring patterns at different scales by aggregating variables at a range of bin sizes, (2) comparing repeat observations by aggregating surveys into bins of common coverage, and (3) tailoring analysis to data with custom bin designs. Furthermore, we demonstrate the utility of linbin for summarizing patterns throughout an entire stream network, and we analyze the diel and seasonal movements of tagged fish past a stationary receiver to illustrate how linbin can be used with temporal data. In short, linbin enables more rapid analysis of complex data sets by fisheries managers and stream ecologists and can reveal underlying spatial and temporal patterns of fish distribution and habitat throughout a riverscape.
Received November 13, 2014; accepted April 14, 2015
Coordination and Crisis in Monetary Unions*
Authors: Aguiar Mark , Amador Manuel , Farhi Emmanuel , Gopinath Gita 
Published: July 2015

Abstract
We study fiscal and monetary policy in a monetary union with the potential for rollover crises in sovereign debt markets. Member-country fiscal authorities lack commitment to repay their debt and choose fiscal policy independently. A common monetary authority chooses inflation for the union, also without commitment. We first describe the existence of a fiscal externality that arises in the presence of limited commitment and leads countries to overborrow; this externality rationalizes the imposition of debt ceilings in a monetary union. We then investigate the impact of the composition of debt in a monetary union, that is the fraction of high-debt versus low-debt members, on the occurrence of self-fulfilling debt crises. We demonstrate that a high-debt country may be less vulnerable to crises and have higher welfare when it belongs to a union with an intermediate mix of high- and low-debt members, than one where all other members are low-debt. This contrasts with the conventional wisdom that all countries should prefer a union with low-debt members, as such a union can credibly deliver low inflation. These findings shed new light on the criteria for an optimal currency area in the presence of rollover crises.
Edible Active Coatings Based on Pectin, Pullulan, and Chitosan Increase Quality and Shelf Life of Strawberries (Fragaria ananassa)
Authors: Treviño‐Garza Mayra Z. , García Santos , del Socorro Flores‐González Ma. , Arévalo‐Niño Katiushka 
Published: July 2015

AbstractEdible active coatings (EACs) based on pectin, pullulan, and chitosan incorporated with sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate were employed to improve the quality and shelf life of strawberries. Fruits were washed, disinfected, coated by dipping, packed, and stored at 4 °C for 15 d. Application of EACs reduced (P < 0.05) weight loss and fruit softening and delayed alteration of color (redness) and total soluble solids content. In contrast, pH and titratable acidity were not affected (P > 0.05) throughout storage, and ascorbic acid content was maintained in pectin‐EAC coated strawberries. Microbiological analyses showed that application of EACs reduced (P < 0.05) microbial growth (total aerobic counts, molds, and yeasts) on strawberries. Chitosan‐EAC coated strawberries presented the best results in microbial growth assays. Sensory quality (color, flavor, texture, and acceptance) improved and decay rate decreased (P < 0.05) in pectin‐EAC, pullulan‐EAC, and chitosan‐EAC coated strawberries. In conclusion, EACs based on polysaccharides improved the physicochemical, microbiological, and sensory characteristics, increasing the shelf life of strawberries from 6 (control) to 15 d (coated fruits).
Recent Research Trends on the Enzymatic Synthesis of Structured Lipids
Authors: Kim Byung Hee , Akoh Casimir C. 
Published: July 2015

AbstractStructured lipids (SLs) are lipids that have been chemically or enzymatically modified from their natural biosynthetic form. Because SLs are made to possess desired nutritional, physicochemical, or textural properties for various applications in the food industry, many research activities have been aimed at their commercialization. The production of SLs by enzymatic procedures has a great potential in the future market because of the specificity of lipases and phospholipases used as the biocatalysts. The aim of this review is to provide concise information on the recent research trends on the enzymatic synthesis of SLs of commercial interest, such as medium‐ and long‐chain triacylglycerols, human milk fat substitutes, cocoa butter equivalents, trans‐free or low‐trans plastic fats (such as margarines and shortenings), low‐calorie fats/oils, health‐beneficial fatty acid‐rich fats/oils, mono‐ or diacylglycerols, and structurally modified phospholipids. This limited review covers 108 research articles published between 2010 and 2014 which were searched in Web of Science.
Pseudomonas spp. and Serratia liquefaciens as Predominant Spoilers in Cold Raw Milk
Authors: Machado Solimar G. , da Silva Fernanda L. , Bazzolli Denise M.S. , Heyndrickx Marc , Costa Paulo M. de A. , Vanetti Maria Cristina D. 
Published: July 2015

AbstractThe storage of fresh raw milk at low temperature does not prevent proliferation of psychrotrophic bacteria that can produce heat‐resistant proteolytic enzymes contributing to the reduced shelf life of dairy products. This study aimed to identify the dominant psychrotrophic proteolytic enzyme‐producing population of raw milk from Brazil. Raw milk samples collected in 3 different cooling tanks in Brazil were stored at optimal (45 h at 4 °C followed by 3 h at 7 °C) and suboptimal (45 h at 7 °C followed by 3 h at 10 °C) conditions to simulate farm storage and transportation allowed by Brazilian laws. The highly proteolytic enzyme‐producing strains isolated from stored cold raw milk were characterized by repetitive sequence‐based Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) analysis. This clustering resulted in 8 different clusters and 4 solitary fingerprints. The most proteolytic isolates from each rep‐cluster were selected for identification using miniaturized kit, 16S rDNA and rpoB gene sequencing. Serratia liquefaciens (73.9%) and Pseudomonas spp. (26.1%) were identified as the dominant psychrotrophic microorganisms with high spoilage potential. The knowledge of milk spoilage microbiota will contribute to improved quality of milk and dairy products.
Trace DNA from insect skins: a comparison of five extraction protocols and direct PCR on chironomid pupal exuviae
Authors: Kranzfelder Petra , Ekrem Torbjørn , Stur Elisabeth 
Published: July 2015

AbstractInsect skins (exuviae) are of extracellular origin and shed during moulting. The skins do not contain cells or DNA themselves, but epithelial cells and other cell‐based structures might accidentally attach as they are shed. This source of trace DNA can be sufficient for PCR amplification and sequencing of target genes and aid in species identification through DNA barcoding or association of unknown life stages. Species identification is essential for biomonitoring programs, as species vary in sensitivities to environmental factors. However, it requires a DNA isolation protocol that optimizes the output of target DNA. Here, we compare the relative effectiveness of five different DNA extraction protocols and direct PCR in isolation of DNA from chironomid pupal exuviae. Chironomidae (Diptera) is a species‐rich group of aquatic macroinvertebrates widely distributed in freshwater environments and considered a valuable bioindicator of water quality. Genomic DNA was extracted from 61.2% of 570 sampled pupal exuviae. There were significant differences in the methods with regard to cost, handling time, DNA quantity, PCR success, sequence success and the ability to sequence target taxa. The NucleoSpin® Tissue XS Kit, DNeasy® Blood and Tissue kit, and QuickExtract™ DNA Extraction Solution provided the best results in isolating DNA from single pupal exuviae. Direct PCR and DTAB/CTAB methods gave poor results. While the observed differences in DNA isolation methods on trace DNA will be relevant to research that focuses on aquatic macroinvertebrate ecology, taxonomy and systematics, they should also be of interest for studies using environmental barcoding and metabarcoding of aquatic environments.
China and the Great Doubling: Racing to the Top or Bottom of Global Labour Standards?
Authors: Whitfield Edward 
Published: July 2015

AbstractThis article draws from the wealth of literature surrounding China's role in global markets. In particular it focuses on the debate regarding China's Lewis turning point and burgeoning market share. This article constructs a theoretical framework surrounding globalisation theory and Richard Freeman's ‘great doubling’ thesis, and assesses the implications of China's reserve‐labour surplus for global labour standards. It reviews a wide range of the literature on related topics, assessing the validity of the data therein. Market signals suggesting the depletion of China's reserve‐labour surplus are distorted due to state policy known as hukou, which itself may cause China's Lewis turning point to be pushed further into the future. There is evidence that China can catch up with advanced economies in terms of capital intensive production (although they remain some way from doing so) and that China's crowding out of neighbouring economies’ market shares might be seen more accurately as redirection, rather than outright displacement. Finally, this article highlights evidence of a race to the bottom.