bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Automated formation of multicomponent‐encapuslating vesosomes using continuous flow microcentrifugation
Authors: Jang Huisoo , Hu Peichi C. , Jung Sungho , Kim Won Young , Kim Sun Min , Malmstadt Noah , Jeon Tae‐Joon 
Published: July 2013

AbstractVesosomes – hierarchical assemblies consisting of membrane‐bound vesicles of various scales – are potentially powerful models of cellular compartmentalization. Current methods of vesosome fabrication are labor intensive, and offer little control over the size and uniformity of the final product. In this article, we report the development of an automated vesosome formation platform using a microfluidic device and a continuous flow microcentrifuge. In the microfluidic device, water‐in‐oil droplets containing nanoscale vesicles in the water phase were formed using T‐junction geometry, in which a lipid monolayer is formed at the oil/water interface. These water‐in‐oil droplets were then immediately transferred to the continuous flow microcentrifuge. When a water‐in‐oil droplet passed through a second lipid monolayer formed in the continuous flow microcentrifuge, a bilayer‐encapsulated vesosome was created, which contained all of the contents of the aqueous phase encapsulated within the vesosome. Encapsulation of nanoscale liposomes within the outer vesosome membrane was confirmed by fluorescence microscopy. Laser diffraction analysis showed that the vesosomes we fabricated were uniform (coefficient of variation of 0.029). The yield of the continuous flow microcentrifuge is high, with over 60% of impinging water droplets being converted to vesosomes. Our system provides a fully automatable route for the generation of vesosomes encapsulating arbitrary contents. The method employed in this work is simple and can be readily applied to a variety of systems, providing a facile platform for fabricating multicomponent carriers and model cells.
Guided reconstitution of membrane protein fragments
Authors: Cohen Leah S. , Arshava Boris , Kauffman Sarah , Mathew Elizabeth , Fracchiolla Katrina E. , Ding Fa‐Xiang , Dumont Mark E. , Becker Jeffrey M. , Naider Fred 
Published: July 2013

ABSTRACTStructural analysis by NMR of G protein‐coupled receptors (GPCRs) has proven to be extremely challenging. To reduce the number of peaks in the NMR spectra by segmentally labeling a GPCR, we have developed a Guided Reconstitution method that includes the use of charged residues and Cys activation to drive heterodimeric disulfide bond formation. Three different cysteine‐activating reagents: 5‐5′‐dithiobis(2‐nitrobenzoic acid) [DTNB], 2,2′‐dithiobis(5‐nitropyridine) [DTNP], and 4,4′‐dipyridyl disulfide [4‐PDS] were analyzed to determine their efficiency in heterodimer formation at different pHs. Short peptides representing the N‐terminal (NT) and C‐terminal (CT) regions of the first extracellular loop (EL1) of Ste2p, the Saccharomyces cerevisiae alpha‐factor mating receptor, were activated using these reagents and the efficiencies of activation and rates of heterodimerization were analyzed. Activation of NT peptides with DTNP and 4‐PDS resulted in about 60% yield, but heterodimerization was rapid and nearly quantitative. Double transmembrane domain protein fragments were biosynthesized and used in Guided Reconstitution reactions. A 102‐residue fragment, 2TM‐tail [Ste2p(G31‐I120C)], was heterodimerized with CT‐EL1‐tailDTNP at pH 4.6 with a yield of ∼75%. A 132‐residue fragment, 2TMlong‐tail [Ste2p(M1‐I120C)], was expressed in both unlabeled and 15N‐labeled forms and used with a peptide comprising the third transmembrane domain, to generate a 180‐residue segmentally labeled 3TM protein that was found to be segmentally labeled using [15N,1H]‐HSQC analysis. Our data indicate that the Guided Reconstitution method would be applicable to the segmental labeling of a membrane protein with 3 transmembrane domains and may prove useful in the preparation of an intact reconstituted GPCR for use in biophysical analysis and structure determination. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers (Pept Sci) 102: 16–29, 2014.
Design, synthesis, and characterization of cyclic analogues of the iron regulatory peptide hormone hepcidin
Authors: Clark Richard J. , Preza Gloria C. , Tan Chia Chia , van Dijk Johannes W. A. , Fung Eileen , Nemeth Elizabeta , Ganz Tomas , Craik David J. 
Published: July 2013

ABSTRACTThe peptide hormone hepcidin is a key regulator of iron homeostasis in vertebrates. Hepcidin acts by binding to ferroportin, the sole known iron exporter, causing it to be internalized and thus trapping iron within the cell. Dysregulation of hepcidin concentrations is associated with a range of iron‐related diseases and hepcidin‐based therapeutics could be developed as candidate treatments for these diseases. However peptide‐based drugs, despite their many advantages, are often limited by their susceptibility to degradation within the body. Here we describe the design, synthesis and characterization of a series of backbone cyclized hepcidin analogues as an approach to produce stable hepcidin‐based leads. The cyclic peptides were shown by NMR to be structurally analogous to native hepcidin. Comparison of the stability of hepcidin with one of the cyclic analogues in human serum revealed that 77% of the cyclic peptide but only 18% of linear hepcidin remained after 24 h. The cyclic peptides were tested for their ability to induce internalization of GFP‐ferroportin in vitro but were all found to be inactive. This study demonstrates that backbone cyclization of disulfide‐rich peptides is a suitable approach for increasing stability. However, careful consideration of a number of factors, including location of important residues and their bioactive conformation, is required to generate biologically active lead molecules. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers (Pept Sci) 100: 519–526, 2013.
Toxicity of Binary Mixtures of Enantiomers in Chiral Organophosphorus Insecticides: The Significance of Joint Effects Between Enantiomers
Authors: Zhang Quan , Wang Cui 
Published: July 2013

ABSTRACTThe existence of enantiomer‐enriched mixtures of chiral pesticides in the environment is overwhelmingly positive. However, interactions between enantiomers have not been considered so far in risk assessments. Here, we chose three organophosphorus pesticides as representative chiral pesticides to investigate the possible interaction mode between each pair of enantiomers both in in vivo and in vitro. Data show that the enantiomers of methamidophos and profenofos have a simple additive effect, <zaq;1> whereas fensulfothion acts as an antagonist in AChE‐inhibition model. In contrast, enantiomers of methamidophos and fensulfothion had an additive effect in an acute toxicity test against Daphnia magna. A synergistic effect was observed in the joint toxicity of the profenofos enantiomers. The ability for enantiospecific biodegradation in the in vivo model contributed to the different interaction observed between the in vitro and in vivo models. Moreover, binding affinities were suspected as another reason for the different mode of action of mixture enantiomers. Our study recommends using a joint research model to treat chiral compounds in the real environment. Chirality 25:787–792, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Residence proximity to benzene release sites is associated with increased incidence of non‐Hodgkin lymphoma
Authors: Bulka Catherine , Nastoupil Loretta J. , McClellan William , Ambinder Alexander , Phillips Adrienne , Ward Kevin , Bayakly A. Rana , Switchenko Jeffrey M. , Waller Lance , Flowers Christopher R. 
Published: July 2013

BACKGROUNDAn increased risk of non‐Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) has been observed among individuals with occupational exposure to benzene, but the risk among those living near benzene release sites has not been well described.METHODSTo investigate the spatial patterns of NHL incidence and the association between NHL incidence and distance to benzene release sites, the authors linked and geocoded data on benzene release sites in Georgia from 1988 to 1998 using the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Toxics Release Inventory (TRI), census tract level population statistics, and NHL incidence from the Georgia Comprehensive Cancer Registry (GCCR) from 1999 to 2008. Standardized incidence ratios were mapped by census tract, and a Poisson regression was performed on NHL and NHL subtype incidence data using the mean distance between the tract centroids and release sites as markers of exposure. Cluster analyses were conducted at the global, local, and focal levels.RESULTSPoisson regression indicated that, for every mile the average distance to benzene release sites increased, there was an expected 0.31% decrease in the risk of NHL. Similar results were observed for all NHL subtypes analyzed. Clusters of NHL were spatially associated with benzene release sites located in metropolitan areas, but not with release sites in other areas of the state.CONCLUSIONSNHL incidence was significantly higher in census tracts that were closer, on average, to benzene release sites. Additional studies are needed to examine spatial patterns of NHL incidence in other geographic regions and interactions between benzene and other exposures. Cancer 2013;119:3309–17. © 2013 American Cancer Society.
*Ir4+ ion‐free 12CaO·7Al2O3 single crystal grown by the CZ method
Authors: Sun Jinchao , Xu Yanling , Wang Rui , Liu Xinrong , Qu Yunfei 
Published: July 2013

Ir4+ ion‐free 12CaO•7Al2O3 (C12A7) single crystals that were colorless and transparent have been grown by the CZ method under 0.5% oxygen‐containing nitrogen atmospheres for the first time. Powder X‐ray diffraction patterns and X‐ray single‐crystal diffraction were used to investigate the microstructure and quality of the C12A7 single crystal. The results show that the crystal was a C12A7 single crystal with tetragonal symmetry. The content of Ir4+ in the C12A7 single crystal was tested by ICP along with visible‐light transmittance. There was no Ir4+ in the C12A7 crystal grown in a 0.5% oxygen‐containing nitrogen atmosphere. Contents of Ir4+ in C12A7 crystal grown under 1% and 2% oxygen‐containing nitrogen atmospheres were 500 ppm and 400 ppm, respectively. The microstructure of C12A7 single crystal was determined by the content of oxygen in the growth process: the occurrence of bubbles and color increase when the content of oxygen is increased. Bubbles and color decrease when the oxygen content is lowered, bubbles disappeared and the color of C12A7 turns into transparent when the content of oxygen is 0.5%, the C12A7 phase decomposed when the content of oxygen was lower than 0.5%. So, the content of oxygen was responsible for the bubbles, color and cracking, and these also can be limited by controlling the content of oxygen.
Modeling geochemical reactions in wellbore cement: assessing pre‐injection integrity in a site for CO2 geological storage
Authors: Gherardi Fabrizio , Audigane Pascal 
Published: July 2013

AbstractWe present numerical simulations of isothermal reactive flow which might be induced by fluid migration at the caprock‐cement interface of an idealized abandoned well in an area considered for geological sequestration of CO2 in the Paris Basin, France. The calculations are aimed at identifying the mineralogical transformations likely occurring in the cement during the working life and after the closure of the wells present in the area, before the injection of CO2. Field evidence, experimental data, and previous numerical simulations have been used to constrain the initial geochemical conditions and the hydraulic parameters of the model. Significant mineralogical transformations in the cement (portlandite and katoite dissolution, CSH, ettringite, hydrotalcite precipitation), and minor modifications of the initial clayrock mineralogical assemblage (quartz, montmorillonite and illite dissolution, and precipitation of cement‐like phases) are predicted at the caprock‐cement interface. Associated with these mineralogical transformations, measurable variations in porosity are also computed. Although Portland cement is predicted to retain its integrity at some distance from the interface, calculations confirm the general view that material alteration at the interfaces is of major concern for the minimization of the risks of CO2 leakage from storage zones. Numerical outputs are sensitive with respect to poorly constrained physical and transport parameters, such as the spatial distribution of interconnected porosity in the cement. Different degrees of portlandite dissolution/carbonate precipitation can be predicted during in situ ageing under conditions similar to the Paris Basin, depending on the adopted gridding scheme, i.e. on the conceptualization of the cement as a homogeneous or dual‐porosity medium. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
Bidirectional effects on interhemispheric resting‐state functional connectivity induced by excitatory and inhibitory repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation
Authors: Watanabe Takamitsu , Hanajima Ritsuko , Shirota Yuichiro , Ohminami Shinya , Tsutsumi Ryosuke , Terao Yasuo , Ugawa Yoshikazu , Hirose Satoshi , Miyashita Yasushi , Konishi Seiki , Kunimatsu Akira , Ohtomo Kuni 
Published: July 2013

AbstractSeveral recent studies using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) have shown that repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) affects not only brain activity in stimulated regions but also resting‐state functional connectivity (RSFC) between the stimulated region and other remote regions. However, these studies have only demonstrated an effect of either excitatory or inhibitory rTMS on RSFC, and have not clearly shown the bidirectional effects of both types of rTMS. Here, we addressed this issue by performing excitatory and inhibitory quadripulse TMS (QPS), which is considered to exert relatively large and long‐lasting effects on cortical excitability. We found that excitatory rTMS (QPS with interstimulus intervals of 5 ms) decreased interhemispheric RSFC between bilateral primary motor cortices, whereas inhibitory rTMS (QPS with interstimulus intervals of 50 ms) increased interhemispheric RSFC. The magnitude of these effects on RSFC was significantly correlated with that of rTMS‐induced effects on motor evoked potential from the corresponding muscle. The bidirectional effects of QPS were also observed in the stimulation over prefrontal and parietal association areas. These findings provide evidence for the robust bidirectional effects of excitatory and inhibitory rTMSs on RSFC, and raise a possibility that QPS can be a powerful tool to modulate RSFC. Hum Brain Mapp 35:1896–1905, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Long‐term results of surgical treatment for advanced oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Bastos de Souza Tânia Regina , Pinto Clovis Antonio Lopes , da Cunha Mercante Ana Maria , Nishimoto Ines Nobuko , Brasilino de Carvalho Marcos , Kowalski Luiz Paulo 
Published: July 2013

ABSTRACTBackgroundThe purpose of this study was to review the oncologic and functional outcomes of patients with clinical stage III or IV squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the oropharynx submitted to tumor resection and neck dissection with or without postoperative radiotherapy (PORT).MethodsWe conducted a retrospective review of medical charts of 256 consecutive patients.ResultsFatal postoperative complications were registered in 5 patients (1.9%). During follow‐up, there were 74 local recurrences (29%), 27 neck recurrences (10.5%), and 19 distant metastases (7.4%). The 5‐year overall survival (OS) was 43.0%. The Cox multivariate model identified pT3 and pT4, pN2 and pN3, and an intense lymphocytic infiltrate as independent prognostic markers for OS. The 5‐year disease‐free survival (DFS) rate was 54.5%.ConclusionSurgical treatment for oropharyngeal carcinoma can be performed with a low‐risk of postoperative mortality but with a risk of long‐term use of tracheostomy and feeding tubes. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 36: 1146–1154, 2014
Differences between sexes in dissociation and spontaneity of smile in facial paralysis reanimation with the masseteric nerve
Authors: Hontanilla Bernardo , Marre Diego 
Published: July 2013

AbstractBackgroundA patient's sex is likely to play an important role in facial paralysis reanimation, with women being superior in terms of development of brain plasticity after reanimation. The purpose of this study was to compare the rate of movement dissociation and spontaneity of men versus women reanimated with gracilis transfer neurotized to the masseteric nerve.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective chart review of 27 patients who underwent facial paralysis reanimation with microvascular gracilis transplants neurotized to the ipsilateral masseteric nerve. Patients were classified by sex, comparing age at surgery, denervation time, and follow‐up, as well as the rates of movement dissociation and smile spontaneity.ResultsAfter reanimation with gracilis to masseteric nerve, movement dissociation and spontaneity were higher in women during the first year after onset of facial movement (p = .02 and p = .01, respectively).ConclusionAfter reanimation with masseteric nerve, women seem to be able to smile spontaneously and independently from teeth clenching earlier than men. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 36: 1176–1180, 2014
The biochemistry of the metabolic poison propionate 3‐nitronate and its conjugate acid, 3‐nitropropionate
Authors: Francis Kevin , Smitherman Crystal , Nishino Shirley F. , Spain Jim C. , Gadda Giovanni 
Published: July 2013

Abstract3‐Nitropropionate (3‐NPA) is a nitro aliphatic compound found in numerous plants and fungi. The nitro compound exists in equilibrium with its conjugate base, propionate 3‐nitronate (P3N) and has a pKa approaching the physiological range of 9.1. Since 1920, more than 30 species of plant and fungi have been identified as producing 3‐NPA as a means of defense from herbivores. Glycoside products containing moieties of 3‐NPA found in parts of the plants most accessible to herbivores can be easily hydrolyzed to free 3‐NPA by bacterial enzymes in the gut of animals. In addition to providing a defense mechanism, the nitro compound is an intermediate in the nitrification process of leguminous plants. The synthesis of 3‐NPA in these plants and fungi is poorly understood. P3N, which readily forms from 3‐NPA at physiological pH, is a potent inhibitor of the key enzyme succinate dehydrogenase in the Krebs cycle and electron transport chain. Inhibition of succinate dehydrogenase in humans and livestock causes neurotoxicity and in some cases death. Several enzymes catalyze the oxidation of 3‐NPA or P3N; all contain a noncovalently bound flavin cofactor and are found in the organisms that produce 3‐NPA. With kcat/Km values of >106 M−1 s−1, nitronate monooxygenases can quickly and efficiently oxidize P3N to malonic semialdehyde as a means of protecting the organism from killing itself. Although it was discovered almost a century ago, the biochemistry and physiological role of 3‐NPA/P3N are just emerging. © 2013 IUBMB Life, 65(9):759–768, 2013
Nemo‐Like Kinase (NLK) Inhibits the Progression of NSCLC via Negatively Modulating WNT Signaling Pathway
Authors: Lv Liting , Wan Chunhua , Chen Buyou , Li Mei , Liu Yifei , Ni Tingting , Yang Yi , Liu Yanhua , Cong Xia , Mao Guoxin , Xue Qun 
Published: July 2013

ABSTRACTNemo‐like kinase (NLK), an evolutionarily conserved serine/threonine kinase, is a critical regulator of various cancers. NLK expression was evaluated by Western blot in 8 paired fresh non‐small‐cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tissues and immunohistochemistry (IHC) on 83 paraffin‐embedded slices. NLK was lowly expressed in NSCLC and significantly associated with NSCLC histological differentiation, clinical stage, lymph node status, and Ki‐67. Multivariate analysis indicated that low NLK expression was an independent prognostic factor for NSCLC patients' low survival rate. In vitro, after the release of NSCLC cell line A549 from serum starvation, the expression of NLK was downregulated, whereas the cell‐cycle‐related proteins were upregulated. In addition, we used RNA interference to knock down NLK expression, then observed its effects on NSCLC's growth in vitro. Western blot analyses indicated that deletion of NLK was positively correlated with cell‐cycle‐related proteins. The present investigation demonstrated that suppression of NLK expression resulted in significant promotion of proliferation in NSCLC cells. And flow cytometry further indicated that loss of NLK promoted cell proliferation by facilitating S‐phase and mitotic entry. Besides, the transcription activity of β‐catenin/TCF in A549 cells was remarkably enhanced when NLK was knocked down, which suggested that NLK participated in NSCLC cell proliferation via medulating Wnt signaling pathway. Based on these findings, we can provide a potential strategy for NSCLC therapy. J. Cell. Biochem. 115: 81–92, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Integrating workplace aggression research: Relational, contextual, and method considerations
Authors: Hershcovis M. Sandy , Reich Tara C. 
Published: July 2013

SummaryThe present article takes an integrative perspective on the field of workplace aggression to highlight areas of ambiguity and opportunities for future research. First, by simultaneously examining the perpetrator‐ and target‐focused literatures, we identify a great deal of overlap between predictors and outcomes in the two literatures, giving rise to the question of whether key constructs are predictors, outcomes, or both. Second, we determine that the question of “who is the perpetrator?” and “who is the target?” is considerably more ambiguous than implied within each of these independent literatures. Third, our examination suggests that a greater focus on the relational aspect of workplace aggression is particularly important to enable a more comprehensive understanding of this phenomenon. We examine and critique current methods and measurement and propose different approaches to explore workplace aggression in a more dynamic and contextualized way. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
TusA (YhhP) and IscS are required for molybdenum cofactor‐dependent base‐analog detoxification
Authors: Kozmin Stanislav G. , Stepchenkova Elena I. , Schaaper Roel M. 
Published: July 2013

AbstractLack of molybdenum cofactor (Moco) in Escherichia coli leads to hypersensitivity to the mutagenic and toxic effects of N‐hydroxylated base analogs, such as 6‐N‐hydroxylaminopurine (HAP). This phenotype is due to the loss of two Moco‐dependent activities, YcbX and YiiM, that are capable of reducing HAP to adenine. Here, we describe two novel HAP‐sensitive mutants containing a defect in iscS or tusA (yhhP) gene. IscS is a major L‐cysteine desulfurase involved in iron–sulfur cluster synthesis, thiamine synthesis, and tRNA thiomodification. TusA is a small sulfur‐carrier protein that interacts with IscS. We show that both IscS and TusA operate within the Moco‐dependent pathway. Like other Moco‐deficient strains, tusA and iscS mutants are HAP sensitive and resistant to chlorate under anaerobic conditions. The base‐analog sensitivity of iscS or tusA strains could be suppressed by supplying exogenous L‐cysteine or sulfide or by an increase in endogenous sulfur donors (cysB constitutive mutant). The data suggest that iscS and tusA mutants have a defect in the mobilization of sulfur required for active YcbX/YiiM proteins as well as nitrate reductase, presumably due to lack of functional Moco. Overall, our data imply a novel and indispensable role of the IscS/TusA complex in the activity of several molybdoenzymes.