bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Notch signal strength controls cell fate in the haemogenic endothelium
Authors: Gama-Norton Leonor , Ferrando Eva , Ruiz-Herguido Cristina , Liu Zhenyi , Guiu Jordi , Islam Abul B. M. M. K. , Lee Sung-Uk , Yan Minhong , Guidos Cynthia J. , López-Bigas Nuria , Maeda Takahiro , Espinosa Lluis , Kopan Raphael , Bigas Anna 
Published: October 2015

AbstractAcquisition of the arterial and haemogenic endothelium fates concurrently occur in the aorta–gonad–mesonephros (AGM) region prior to haematopoietic stem cell (HSC) generation. The arterial programme depends on Dll4 and the haemogenic endothelium/HSC on Jag1-mediated Notch1 signalling. How Notch1 distinguishes and executes these different programmes in response to particular ligands is poorly understood. By using two Notch1 activation trap mouse models with different sensitivity, here we show that arterial endothelial cells and HSCs originate from distinct precursors, characterized by different Notch1 signal strengths. Microarray analysis on AGM subpopulations demonstrates that the Jag1 ligand stimulates low Notch strength, inhibits the endothelial programme and is permissive for HSC specification. In the absence of Jag1, endothelial cells experience high Dll4-induced Notch activity and select the endothelial programme, thus precluding HSC formation. Interference with the Dll4 signal by ligand-specific blocking antibodies is sufficient to inhibit the endothelial programme and favour specification of the haematopoietic lineage.
Phosphoinositide 3-kinase enables phagocytosis of large particles by terminating actin assembly through Rac/Cdc42 GTPase-activating proteins
Authors: Schlam Daniel , Bagshaw Richard D. , Freeman Spencer A. , Collins Richard F. , Pawson Tony , Fairn Gregory D. , Grinstein Sergio 
Published: October 2015

AbstractPhagocytosis is responsible for the elimination of particles of widely disparate sizes, from large fungi or effete cells to small bacteria. Though superficially similar, the molecular mechanisms involved differ: engulfment of large targets requires phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), while that of small ones does not. Here, we report that inactivation of Rac and Cdc42 at phagocytic cups is essential to complete internalization of large particles. Through a screen of 62 RhoGAP-family members, we demonstrate that ARHGAP12, ARHGAP25 and SH3BP1 are responsible for GTPase inactivation. Silencing these RhoGAPs impairs phagocytosis of large targets. The GAPs are recruited to large—but not small—phagocytic cups by products of PI3K, where they synergistically inactivate Rac and Cdc42. Remarkably, the prominent accumulation of phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate characteristic of large-phagosome formation is less evident during phagocytosis of small targets, accounting for the contrasting RhoGAP distribution and the differential requirement for PI3K during phagocytosis of dissimilarly sized particles.
RelB activation in anti-inflammatory decidual endothelial cells: a master plan to avoid pregnancy failure?
Authors: Masat Elisa , Gasparini Chiara , Agostinis Chiara , Bossi Fleur , Radillo Oriano , De Seta Francesco , Tamassia Nicola , Cassatella Marco A. , Bulla Roberta 
Published: October 2015

AbstractIt is known that excessive inflammation at fetal-maternal interface is a key contributor in a compromised pregnancy. Female genital tract is constantly in contact with microorganisms and several strategies must be adopted to avoid pregnancy failure. Decidual endothelial cells (DECs) lining decidual microvascular vessels are the first cells that interact with pro-inflammatory stimuli released into the environment by microorganisms derived from gestational tissues or systemic circulation. Here, we show that DECs are hypo-responsive to LPS stimulation in terms of IL-6, CXCL8 and CCL2 production. Our results demonstrate that DECs express low levels of TLR4 and are characterized by a strong constitutive activation of the non-canonical NF-κB pathway and a low responsiveness of the canonical pathway to LPS. In conclusion, DECs show a unique hypo-responsive phenotype to the pro-inflammatory stimulus LPS in order to control the inflammatory response at feto-maternal interface.
Boosting thermoelectric efficiency using time-dependent control
Authors: Zhou Hangbo , Thingna Juzar , Hänggi Peter , Wang Jian-Sheng , Li Baowen 
Published: October 2015

AbstractThermoelectric efficiency is defined as the ratio of power delivered to the load of a device to the rate of heat flow from the source. Till date, it has been studied in presence of thermodynamic constraints set by the Onsager reciprocal relation and the second law of thermodynamics that severely bottleneck the thermoelectric efficiency. In this study, we propose a pathway to bypass these constraints using a time-dependent control and present a theoretical framework to study dynamic thermoelectric transport in the far from equilibrium regime. The presence of a control yields the sought after substantial efficiency enhancement and importantly a significant amount of power supplied by the control is utilised to convert the wasted-heat energy into useful-electric energy. Our findings are robust against nonlinear interactions and suggest that external time-dependent forcing, which can be incorporated with existing devices, provides a beneficial scheme to boost thermoelectric efficiency.
Connecting marine productivity to sea-spray via nanoscale biological processes: Phytoplankton Dance or Death Disco?
Authors: O’Dowd Colin , Ceburnis Darius , Ovadnevaite Jurgita , Bialek Jakub , Stengel Dagmar B. , Zacharias Merry , Nitschke Udo , Connan Solene , Rinaldi Matteo , Fuzzi Sandro , Decesari Stefano , Cristina Facchini Maria , Marullo Salvatore , Santoleri Rosalia , Dell’Anno Antonio , Corinaldesi Cinzia , Tangherlini Michael , Danovaro Roberto 
Published: October 2015

AbstractBursting bubbles at the ocean-surface produce airborne salt-water spray-droplets, in turn, forming climate-cooling marine haze and cloud layers. The reflectance and ultimate cooling effect of these layers is determined by the spray’s water-uptake properties that are modified through entrainment of ocean-surface organic matter (OM) into the airborne droplets. We present new results illustrating a clear dependence of OM mass-fraction enrichment in sea spray (OMss) on both phytoplankton-biomass, determined from Chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) and Net Primary Productivity (NPP). The correlation coefficient for OMss as a function of Chl-a increased form 0.67 on a daily timescale to 0.85 on a monthly timescale. An even stronger correlation was found as a function of NPP, increasing to 0.93 on a monthly timescale. We suggest the observed dependence is through the demise of the bloom, driven by nanoscale biological processes (such as viral infections), releasing large quantities of transferable OM comprising cell debris, exudates and other colloidal materials. This OM, through aggregation processes, leads to enrichment in sea-spray, thus demonstrating an important coupling between biologically-driven plankton bloom termination, marine productivity and sea-spray modification with potentially significant climate impacts.
Reference of Temperature and Time during tempering process for non-stoichiometric FTO films
Authors: Yang J. K. , Liang B. , Zhao M. J. , Gao Y. , Zhang F. C. , Zhao H. L. 
Published: October 2015

AbstractIn order to enhance the mechanical strength of Low-E glass, Fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) films have to be tempered at high temperatures together with glass substrates. The effects of tempering temperature (600 °C ~ 720 °C) and time (150 s ~ 300 s) on the structural and electrical properties of FTO films were investigated. The results show all the films consist of non-stoichiometric, polycrystalline SnO2 without detectable amounts of fluoride. 700 °C and 260 s may be the critical tempering temperature and time, respectively. FTO films tempered at 700 °C for 260 s possesses the resistivity of 7.54 × 10−4 Ω•cm, the average transmittance in 400 ~ 800 nm of ~80% and the calculated emissivity of 0.38. Hall mobility of FTO films tempered in this proper condition is mainly limited by the ionized impurity scattering. The value of [O]/[Sn] at the film surface is much higher than the stoichiometric value of 2.0 of pure crystalline SnO2.
Intraperitoneal Administration of a Novel TAT-BDNF Peptide Ameliorates Cognitive Impairments via Modulating Multiple Pathways in Two Alzheimer’s Rodent Models
Authors: Wu Yuanyuan , Luo Xiaobin , Liu Xinhua , Liu Deyi , Wang Xiong , Guo Ziyuan , Zhu Lingqiang , Tian Qing , Yang Xifei , Wang Jian-Zhi 
Published: October 2015

AbstractAlthough Alzheimer’s disease (AD) has been reported for more than 100 years, there is still a lack of effective cures for this devastating disorder. Among the various obstacles that hold back drug development, the blood-brain barrier (BBB) is one of them. Here, we constructed a novel fusion peptide by linking the active domain of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) with an HIV-encoded transactivator of transcription (TAT) that has a strong membrane-penetrating property. After intraperitoneal injection, the eGFP-TAT could be robustly detected in different brain regions. By using scopolamine-induced rats and APPswe mice representing AD-like cholinergic deficits and amyloidosis, respectively, we found that intraperitoneal administration of the peptide significantly improved spatial memory with activation of the TrkB/ERK1/2/Akt pathway and restoration of several memory-associated proteins in both models. Administration of the peptide also modulated β-amyloid and tau pathologies in APPswe mice and it increased the amount of M receptor with modulation of acetylcholinesterase in scopolamine-induced rats. We conclude that intraperitoneal administration of our TAT-BDNF peptide could efficiently target multiple molecular pathways in the brain and improve the cognitive functions in AD-like rodent models.
Stability and conductivity of self assembled wires in a transverse electric field
Authors: Stephenson C. , Hubler A. 
Published: October 2015

AbstractSelf assembling wire networks typically evolve to minimize the resistance across electrical contacts which are frequently used in a manner comparable to Hebbian learning. In this work, we demonstrate that electrical fields can also be used to cause an increase in the resistance of the wire network. We show that if such a wire is exposed to a transverse electric field, the wire is deformed in a way that depends on it’s tensile strength. We measure the wire resistance as a function of transverse field for several field strengths and show that by deforming the wire, the amplitude of the resulting shape can be modified in a controllable fashion. At a critical value of the transverse field, we show that the wire loses stability. At this point we observe thresholding behavior in that the resistance increases abruptly to a maximum value and the wire is destroyed. This thresholding behavior suggests that self assembled wires may be manipulated via an transverse electric field and demonstrates that a mechanism exists for the destruction of undesirable connections.
Stimulation of Toll-Like Receptors profoundly influences the titer of polyreactive antibodies in the circulation
Authors: Gunti Sreenivasulu , Messer Ronald J. , Xu Chengfu , Yan Ming , Coleman William G. , Peterson Karin E. , Hasenkrug Kim J. , Notkins Abner L. 
Published: October 2015

AbstractPolyreactive antibodies are a major component of the natural antibody repertoire and bind to a variety of structurally unrelated molecules. These antibodies are thought to provide a first line of defense against bacterial infections and play a major role in the clearance of apoptotic cells. What triggers the secretion of these antibodies has remained an enigma. Using a surrogate assay for measuring polyreactive antibodies, we found that about 50% of serum IgM is polyreactive and that stimulation of TLR4+/+, but not TLR4−/−, mice resulted in a 40 fold increase in polyreactive antibodies. Stimulation of TLRs 3, 7, 9 also increased the secretion of polyreactive antibodies. Infection with a virus or tissue damage induced by a toxin similarly led to an increase in polyreactive antibodies in MyD88+/+, but not MyD88−/− mice. We conclude that stimulation of TLRs is a key link in the mechanism of polyreactive antibody secretion into the circulation.
Generation of three-dimensional multiple spheroid model of olfactory ensheathing cells using floating liquid marbles
Authors: Vadivelu Raja K. , Ooi Chin H. , Yao Rebecca-Qing , Tello Velasquez Johana , Pastrana Erika , Diaz-Nido Javier , Lim Filip , Ekberg Jenny A. K. , Nguyen Nam-Trung , St John James A. 
Published: October 2015

AbstractWe describe a novel protocol for three-dimensional culturing of olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs), which can be used to understand how OECs interact with other cells in three dimensions. Transplantation of OECs is being trialled for repair of the paralysed spinal cord, with promising but variable results and thus the therapy needs improving. To date, studies of OEC behaviour in a multicellular environment have been hampered by the lack of suitable three-dimensional cell culture models. Here, we exploit the floating liquid marble, a liquid droplet coated with hydrophobic powder and placed on a liquid bath. The presence of the liquid bath increases the humidity and minimises the effect of evaporation. Floating liquid marbles allow the OECs to freely associate and interact to produce OEC spheroids with uniform shapes and sizes. In contrast, a sessile liquid marble on a solid surface suffers from evaporation and the cells aggregate with irregular shapes. We used floating liquid marbles to co-culture OECs with Schwann cells and astrocytes which formed natural structures without the confines of gels or bounding layers. This protocol can be used to determine how OECs and other cell types associate and interact while forming complex cell structures.
The Expression of c-Myb Correlates with the Levels of Rhabdomyosarcoma-specific Marker Myogenin
Authors: Kaspar Petr , Zikova Martina , Bartunek Petr , Sterba Jaroslav , Strnad Hynek , Kren Leos , Sedlacek Radislav 
Published: October 2015

AbstractThe transcription factor c-Myb is required for modulation of progenitor cells in several tissues, including skeletal muscle and its upregulation is observed in many human malignancies. Rhabdomyosarcomas (RMS) are a heterogeneous group of mesodermal tumors with features of developing skeletal muscle. Several miRNAs are downregulated in RMS, including miR-150, a negative regulator of c-Myb expression. Using the C2C12 myoblast cell line, a cellular model of skeletal muscle differentiation, we showed that miR-150 controls c-Myb expression mainly at the level of translation. We hypothesized that a similar mechanism of c-Myb regulation operates in RMS tumors. We examined expression of c-Myb by immunohistochemistry and revealed c-Myb positivity in alveolar and embryonal tumors, the two most common subgroups of RMS. Furthermore, we showed direct correlation between c-Myb production and myogenin expression. Interestingly, high myogenin levels indicate poor prognosis in RMS patients. c-Myb could, therefore, contribute to the tumor phenotype by executing its inhibitory role in skeletal muscle differentiation. We also showed that c-Myb protein is abundant in migratory C2C12 myoblasts and its ectopic expression potentiates cell motility. In summary, our results implicate that metastatic properties of some RMS subtypes might be linked to c-Myb function.
Progressive structural changes of Avicel, bleached softwood and bacterial cellulose during enzymatic hydrolysis
Authors: Kafle Kabindra , Shin Heenae , Lee Christopher M. , Park Sunkyu , Kim Seong H. 
Published: October 2015

AbstractA comprehensive picture of structural changes of cellulosic biomass during enzymatic hydrolysis is essential for a better understanding of enzymatic actions and development of more efficient enzymes. In this study, a suite of analytical techniques including sum frequency generation (SFG) spectroscopy, infrared (IR) spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction (XRD) and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were employed for lignin-free model biomass samples—Avicel, bleached softwood and bacterial cellulose—to find correlations between the decrease in hydrolysis rate over time and the structural or chemical changes of biomass during the hydrolysis reaction. The results showed that the decrease in hydrolysis rate over time appears to correlate with the irreversible deposition of non-cellulosic species (either reaction side products or denatured enzymes, or both) on the cellulosic substrate surface. The crystallinity, degree of polymerization and meso-scale packing of cellulose do not seem to positively correlate with the decrease in hydrolysis rate observed for all three substrates tested in this study. It was also found that the cellulose Iα component of the bacterial cellulose is preferentially hydrolyzed by the enzyme than the cellulose Iβ component.
Bacterial growth, detachment and cell size control on polyethylene terephthalate surfaces
Authors: Wang Liyun , Fan Daming , Chen Wei , Terentjev Eugene M. 
Published: October 2015

AbstractIn medicine and food industry, bacterial colonisation on surfaces is a common cause of infections and severe illnesses. However, the detailed quantitative information about the dynamics and the mechanisms involved in bacterial proliferation on solid substrates is still lacking. In this study we investigated the adhesion and detachment, the individual growth and colonisation and the cell size control of Escherichia coli (E. coli) MG1655 on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) surfaces. The results show that the bacterial growth curve on PET exhibits the distinct lag and log phases, but the generation time is more than twice longer than in bulk medium. Single cells in the lag phase are more likely to detach than clustered ones in the log phase; clustered bacteria in micro-colonies have stronger adhesive bonds with surfaces and their neighbours with the progressing colonisation. We show that the cell size is under the density-dependent pathway control: when the adherent cells are at low density, the culture medium is responsible for coordinating cell division and cell size; when the clustered cells are at high population density, we demonstrate that the effect of quorum sensing causes the cell size decrease as the cell density on surfaces increases.
Writable electrochemical energy source based on graphene oxide
Authors: Wei Di 
Published: October 2015

AbstractGraphene oxide (GO) was mainly used as raw material for various types of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) as a cost effective method to make graphene like materials. However, applications of its own unique properties such as extraordinary proton conductivity and super-permeability to water were overlooked. Here GO based battery-like planar energy source was demonstrated on arbitrary insulating substrate (e.g. polymer sheet/paper) by coating PEDOT, GO ink and rGO on Ag charge collectors. Energy from such GO battery depends on its length and one unit cell with length of 0.5 cm can generate energy capacity of 30 Ah/L with voltage up to 0.7 V when room temperature ionic liquid (RTIL) is added. With power density up to 0.4 W/cm3 and energy density of 4 Wh/L, GO battery was demonstrated to drive an electrochromic device. This work is the first attempt to generate decent energy using the fast transported water molecules inside GO. It provides very safe energy source that enables new applications otherwise traditional battery technology can not make including building a foldable energy source on paper and platform for futuristic wearable electronics. A disposable energy source made of GO was also written on a plastic glove to demonstrate wearability.
Teeth loss, teeth brushing and esophageal carcinoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Chen Hui , Nie Shuping , Zhu Yuhui , Lu Ming 
Published: October 2015

AbstractEsophageal carcinoma (EC) is a serious malignancy and its epidemiologic etiology is not fully explained. We performed this review to investigate the association between teeth loss and teeth brushing and the risk of EC. A systematic search was conducted to identify all relevant studies. The Q test and I2 statistic were used to examine between-study heterogeneity. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were considered by fixed or random effects models. Furthermore, we conducted subgroup analyses based on study design, the studies’ geographic regions and case type of origin. Modified Egger linear regression test was used to estimate publication bias. Ten articles were included. Pooled analyses indicated that teeth loss was associated with an increased risk of EC for Asians (OR, 1.52; 95% CI: 1.30, 1.78) and high frequency of teeth brushing was associated with a lower incidence of EC (OR, 0.62; 95%CI: 0.43, 0.89). Subgroup analyses showed consistent results and no publication bias existed. Teeth loss and teeth brushing play potential roles in the progressing of EC. People should take care of their oral health in daily life. And large well-designed researches are needed to fully describe the association between teeth health and EC risk.
Meat, dairy and plant proteins alter bacterial composition of rat gut bacteria
Authors: Zhu Yingying , Lin Xisha , Zhao Fan , Shi Xuebin , Li He , Li Yingqiu , Zhu Weiyun , Xu Xinglian , Li Chunbao , Zhou Guanghong 
Published: October 2015

AbstractLong-term consumption of red meat has been considered a potential risk to gut health, but this is based on clinic investigations, excessive intake of fat, heme and some injurious compounds formed during cooking or additions to processed meat products. Whether intake of red meat protein affects gut bacteria and the health of the host remains unclear. In this work, we compared the composition of gut bacteria in the caecum, by sequencing the V4-V5 region of 16S ribosomal RNA gene, obtained from rats fed with proteins from red meat (beef and pork), white meat (chicken and fish) and other sources (casein and soy). The results showed significant differences in profiles of gut bacteria between the six diet groups. Rats fed with meat proteins had a similar overall structure of caecal bacterial communities separated from those fed non-meat proteins. The beneficial genus Lactobacillus was higher in the white meat than in the red meat or non-meat protein groups. Also, rats fed with meat proteins and casein had significantly lower levels of lipopolysaccharide-binding proteins, suggesting that the intake of meat proteins may maintain a more balanced composition of gut bacteria, thereby reducing the antigen load and inflammatory response in the host.