bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Sickle cell detection using a smartphone
Authors: Knowlton S. M. , Sencan I. , Aytar Y. , Khoory J. , Heeney M. M. , Ghiran I. C. , Tasoglu S. 
Published: October 2015

AbstractSickle cell disease affects 25% of people living in Central and West Africa and, if left undiagnosed, can cause life threatening “silent” strokes and lifelong damage. However, ubiquitous testing procedures have yet to be implemented in these areas, necessitating a simple, rapid and accurate testing platform to diagnose sickle cell disease. Here, we present a label-free, sensitive and specific testing platform using only a small blood sample (<1 μl) based on the higher density of sickle red blood cells under deoxygenated conditions. Testing is performed with a lightweight and compact 3D-printed attachment installed on a commercial smartphone. This attachment includes an LED to illuminate the sample, an optical lens to magnify the image and two permanent magnets for magnetic levitation of red blood cells. The sample is suspended in a paramagnetic medium with sodium metabisulfite and loaded in a microcapillary tube that is inserted between the magnets. Red blood cells are levitated in the magnetic field based on equilibrium between the magnetic and buoyancy forces acting on the cells. Using this approach, we were able to distinguish between the levitation patterns of sickle versus control red blood cells based on their degree of confinement.
Spectrometry of the Earth using Neutrino Oscillations
Authors: Rott C. , Taketa A. , Bose D. 
Published: October 2015

AbstractThe unknown constituents of the interior of our home planet have provoked the human imagination and driven scientific exploration. We herein demonstrate that large neutrino detectors could be used in the near future to significantly improve our understanding of the Earth’s inner chemical composition. Neutrinos, which are naturally produced in the atmosphere, traverse the Earth and undergo oscillations that depend on the Earth’s electron density. The Earth’s chemical composition can be determined by combining observations from large neutrino detectors with seismic measurements of the Earth’s matter density. We present a method that will allow us to perform a measurement that can distinguish between composition models of the outer core. We show that the next-generation large-volume neutrino detectors can provide sufficient sensitivity to reject extreme cases of outer core composition. In the future, dedicated instruments could be capable of distinguishing between specific Earth composition models and thereby reshape our understanding of the inner Earth in previously unimagined ways.
Lysine-specific demethylase 1 mediates epidermal growth factor signaling to promote cell migration in ovarian cancer cells
Authors: Shao Genbao , Wang Jie , Li Yuanxia , Liu Xiuwen , Xie Xiaodong , Wan Xiaolei , Yan Meina , Jin Jie , Lin Qiong , Zhu Haitao , Zhang Liuping , Gong Aihua , Shao Qixiang , Wu Chaoyang 
Published: October 2015

AbstractEpigenetic abnormalities play a vital role in the progression of ovarian cancer. Lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1/KDM1A) acts as an epigenetic regulator and is overexpressed in ovarian tumors. However, the upstream regulator of LSD1 expression in this cancer remains elusive. Here, we show that epidermal growth factor (EGF) signaling upregulates LSD1 protein levels in SKOV3 and HO8910 ovarian cancer cells overexpressing both LSD1 and the EGF receptor. This effect is correlated with a decrease in the dimethylation of H3K4, a major substrate of LSD1, in an LSD1-dependent manner. We also show that inhibition of PI3K/AKT, but not MEK, abolishes the EGF-induced upregulation of LSD1 and cell migration, indicating that the PI3K/PDK1/AKT pathway mediates the EGF-induced expression of LSD1 and cell migration. Significantly, LSD1 knockdown or inhibition of LSD1 activity impairs both intrinsic and EGF-induced cell migration in SKOV3 and HO8910 cells. These results highlight a novel mechanism regulating LSD1 expression and identify LSD1 as a promising therapeutic target for treating metastatic ovarian cancer driven by EGF signaling.
Filament Geometry Induced Bipolar, Complementary and Unipolar Resistive Switching under the Same Set Current Compliance in Pt/SiOx/TiN
Authors: Lim Dong-Hyeok , Kim Ga-Yeon , Song Jin-Ho , Jeong Kwang-Sik , Ko Dae-Hong , Cho Mann-Ho 
Published: October 2015

AbstractThe decidedly unusual co-occurrence of bipolar, complementary and unipolar resistive switching (BRS, CRS and URS, respectively) behavior under the same high set current compliance (set-CC) is discussed on the basis of filament geometry in a Pt/SiOx/TiN stack. Set-CC-dependent scaling behavior with relations Ireset ~ R0–αand Vreset ~ R0–βdifferentiates BRS under low set-CC from other switching behaviors under high set-CC due to a low α and β involving a narrow filamentary path. Because such co-occurrence is observed only in the case of a high α and β involving a wide filamentary path, such a path can be classified into three different geometries according to switching behavior in detail. From the cyclic switching and a model simulation, we conclude that the reset of BRS originates from a narrower filamentary path near the top electrode than that of CRS due to the randomness of field-driven migration even under the same set-CC. Also, we conclude that URS originates from much narrower inversed conical filamentary path. Therefore, filament-geometry-dependent electric field and/or thermal effects can precisely describe the entire switching behaviors in this experiment.
Archived DNA reveals fisheries and climate induced collapse of a major fishery
Authors: Bonanomi Sara , Pellissier Loïc , Therkildsen Nina Overgaard , Hedeholm Rasmus Berg , Retzel Anja , Meldrup Dorte , Olsen Steffen Malskær , Nielsen Anders , Pampoulie Christophe , Hemmer-Hansen Jakob , Wisz Mary Susanne , Grønkjær Peter , Nielsen Einar Eg 
Published: October 2015

AbstractFishing and climate change impact the demography of marine fishes, but it is generally ignored that many species are made up of genetically distinct locally adapted populations that may show idiosyncratic responses to environmental and anthropogenic pressures. Here, we track 80 years of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) population dynamics in West Greenland using DNA from archived otoliths in combination with fish population and niche based modeling. We document how the interacting effects of climate change and high fishing pressure lead to dramatic spatiotemporal changes in the proportions and abundance of different genetic populations and eventually drove the cod fishery to a collapse in the early 1970s. Our results highlight the relevance of fisheries management at the level of genetic populations under future scenarios of climate change.
Racah materials: role of atomic multiplets in intermediate valence systems
Authors: Shick A. B. , Havela L. , Lichtenstein A. I. , Katsnelson M. I. 
Published: October 2015

AbstractWe address the long-standing mystery of the nonmagnetic insulating state of the intermediate valence compound SmB6. Within a combination of the local density approximation (LDA) and an exact diagonalization (ED) of an effective discrete Anderson impurity model, the intermediate valence ground state with the f-shell occupation 〈n4f〉 = 5.6 is found for the Sm atom in SmB6. This ground state is a singlet and the first excited triplet state ~3 meV higher in the energy. SmB6 is a narrow band insulator already in LDA, with the direct band gap of ~10 meV. The electron correlations increase the band gap which now becomes indirect. Thus, the many-body effects are relevant to form the indirect band gap, crucial for the idea of “topological Kondo insulator" in SmB6. Also, an actinide analog PuB6 is considered and the intermediate valence singlet ground state is found for the Pu atom. We propose that [Sm, Pu]B6 belong to a new class of the intermediate valence materials with the multi-orbital “Kondo-like" singlet ground-state. Crucial role of complex spin-orbital f  n–f  n+1 multiplet structure differently hybridized with ligand states in such Racah materials is discussed.
Phase Diagram and High-Temperature Superconductivity of Compressed Selenium Hydrides
Authors: Zhang Shoutao , Wang Yanchao , Zhang Jurong , Liu Hanyu , Zhong Xin , Song Hai-Feng , Yang Guochun , Zhang Lijun , Ma Yanming 
Published: October 2015

AbstractRecent discovery of high-temperature superconductivity (Tc = 190 K) in sulfur hydrides at megabar pressures breaks the traditional belief on the Tc limit of 40 K for conventional superconductors and opens up the doors in searching new high-temperature superconductors in compounds made up of light elements. Selenium is a sister and isoelectronic element of sulfur, with a larger atomic core and a weaker electronegativity. Whether selenium hydrides share similar high-temperature superconductivity remains elusive, but it is a subject of considerable interest. First-principles swarm structure predictions are performed in an effort to seek for energetically stable and metallic selenium hydrides at high pressures. We find the phase diagram of selenium hydrides is rather different from its sulfur analogy, which is indicated by the emergence of new phases and the change of relative stabilities. Three stable and metallic species with stoichiometries of HSe2, HSe and H3Se are identified above ~120 GPa and they all exhibit superconductive behaviors, of which the hydrogen-rich HSe and H3Se phases show high Tc in the range of 40–110 K. Our simulations established the high-temperature superconductive nature of selenium hydrides and provided useful route for experimental verification.
Diameter Dependence of Lattice Thermal Conductivity of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes: Study from Ab Initio
Authors: Yue Sheng-Ying , Ouyang Tao , Hu Ming 
Published: October 2015

AbstractThe effects of temperature, tube length, defects and surface functionalization on the thermal conductivity (κ) of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) were well documented in literature. However, diameter dependence of thermal conductivity of SWCNTs received less attentions. So far, diverse trends of the diameter dependence have been discussed by different methods and all the previous results were based on empirical interatomic potentials. In this paper, we emphasize to clarify accurate κ values of SWCNTs with different diameters and in-plane κ of graphene. All the studies were under the framework of anharmonic lattice dynamics and Boltzmann transport equation (BTE) based on first principle calculations. We try to infer the right trend of diameter dependent thermal conductivity of SWCNTs. We infer that graphene is the limitation as SWCNT with an infinite diameter. We analyzed the thermal conductivity contributions from each phonon mode in SWCNTs to explain the trend. Meanwhile, we also identify the extremely low thermal conductivity of ultra-thin SWCNTs.
Genome-wide protein-protein interactions and protein function exploration in cyanobacteria
Authors: Lv Qi , Ma Weimin , Liu Hui , Li Jiang , Wang Huan , Lu Fang , Zhao Chen , Shi Tieliu 
Published: October 2015

AbstractGenome-wide network analysis is well implemented to study proteins of unknown function. Here, we effectively explored protein functions and the biological mechanism based on inferred high confident protein-protein interaction (PPI) network in cyanobacteria. We integrated data from seven different sources and predicted 1,997 PPIs, which were evaluated by experiments in molecular mechanism, text mining of literatures in proved direct/indirect evidences and “interologs” in conservation. Combined the predicted PPIs with known PPIs, we obtained 4,715 no-redundant PPIs (involving 3,231 proteins covering over 90% of genome) to generate the PPI network. Based on the PPI network, terms in Gene ontology (GO) were assigned to function-unknown proteins. Functional modules were identified by dissecting the PPI network into sub-networks and analyzing pathway enrichment, with which we investigated novel function of underlying proteins in protein complexes and pathways. Examples of photosynthesis and DNA repair indicate that the network approach is a powerful tool in protein function analysis. Overall, this systems biology approach provides a new insight into posterior functional analysis of PPIs in cyanobacteria.
Direct association between diet and the stability of human atherosclerotic plaque
Authors: Gonçalves Isabel , Andersson Georgiadou Elisavet , Mattsson Sören , Skog Göran , Pedro Luís , Fernandes e Fernandes José , Dias Nuno , Engström Gunnar , Nilsson Jan , Stenström Kristina 
Published: October 2015

AbstractMediterranean diet has been suggested to explain why coronary heart disease mortality is lower in southern than northern Europe. Dietary habits can be revealed by isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) measurement of carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) in biological tissues. To study if diet is associated with human plaque stability, atherosclerotic plaques from carotid endarterectomy on 56 patients (21 Portuguese and 35 Swedish) were analysed by IRMS and histology. Plaque components affecting rupture risk were measured. Swedish plaques had more apoptosis, lipids and larger cores, as well as fewer proliferating cells and SMC than the Portuguese, conferring the Swedish a more rupture-prone phenotype. Portuguese plaques contained higher δ13C and δ15N than the Swedish, indicating that Portuguese plaques were more often derived from marine food. Plaque δ13C correlated with SMC and proliferating cells and inversely with lipids, core size, apoptosis. Plaque δ15N correlated with SMC and inversely with lipids, core size and apoptosis. This is the first observational study showing that diet is reflected in plaque components associated with its vulnerability. The Portuguese plaques composition is consistent with an increased marine food intake and those plaques are more stable than those from Swedish patients. Marine-derived food is associated with plaque stability.
Protective Efficacy and Mechanism of Passive Immunization with Polyclonal Antibodies in a Sepsis Model of Staphylococcus aureus Infection
Authors: Zhang Jinyong , Yang Feng , Zhang Xiaoli , Jing Haiming , Ren Chunyan , Cai Changzhi , Dong Yandong , Zhang Yudong , Zou Quanming , Zeng Hao 
Published: October 2015

AbstractStaphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is an opportunistic bacterial pathogen responsible for a diverse spectrum of human diseases, resulting in considerable yearly mortality rates. Due to its rapid acquisition of antibiotic resistance, it becomes increasingly difficult to cure S. aureus infections with conventional antibiotics. Immunotherapy represents a promising alternative strategy to prevent and/or treat the infection. In the present study, passive immunization with polyclonal antibodies targeting three possible S. aureus antigens, Hla, SEB and MntC (termed “SAvac-pcAb”) after challenge with lethal dose of S. aureus resulted in reduced bacterial loads, inflammatory cell infiltration and decreased pathology and was able to provide nearly complete protection in a murine sepsis model. In vitro studies confirmed the direct interaction of SAvac-pcAb with S. aureus bacteria. Additional studies validated that SAvac-pcAb contained both opsonic and neutralizing antibodies that contributed to its protective efficacy. The former mediated opsonophagocytosis in a neutrophil-dependent manner, while the later inhibited the biological functions of Hla and SEB, two major virulence factors secreted by S. aureus. Critically, we demonstrated that SAvac-pcAb was cross-reactive with different clinical strains of S. aureus. These results confirmed the efficacy for treatment of S. aureus infection by passive immunization as an important therapeutic option.
Mesenchymal Stem Cells Reduce Murine Atherosclerosis Development
Authors: Frodermann Vanessa , van Duijn Janine , van Pel Melissa , van Santbrink Peter J. , Bot Ilze , Kuiper Johan , de Jager Saskia C. A. 
Published: October 2015

AbstractMesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have regenerative properties, but recently they were also found to have immunomodulatory capacities. We therefore investigated whether MSCs could reduce atherosclerosis, which is determined by dyslipidaemia and chronic inflammation. We adoptively transferred MSCs into low-density lipoprotein-receptor knockout mice and put these on a Western-type diet to induce atherosclerosis. Initially after treatment, we found higher levels of circulating regulatory T cells. In the long-term, overall numbers of effector T cells were reduced by MSC treatment. Moreover, MSC-treated mice displayed a significant 33% reduction in circulating monocytes and a 77% reduction of serum CCL2 levels. Most strikingly, we found a previously unappreciated effect on lipid metabolism. Serum cholesterol was reduced by 33%, due to reduced very low-density lipoprotein levels, likely a result of reduced de novo hepatic lipogenesis as determined by a reduced expression of Stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1 and lipoprotein lipase. MSCs significantly affected lesion development, which was reduced by 33% in the aortic root. These lesions contained 56% less macrophages and showed a 61% reduction in T cell numbers. We show here for the first time that MSC treatment affects not only inflammatory responses but also significantly reduces dyslipidaemia in mice. This makes MSCs a potent candidate for atherosclerosis therapies.
Rearrangement of MICU1 multimers for activation of MCU is solely controlled by cytosolic Ca2+
Authors: Waldeck-Weiermair Markus , Malli Roland , Parichatikanond Warisara , Gottschalk Benjamin , Madreiter-Sokolowski Corina T. , Klec Christiane , Rost Rene , Graier Wolfgang F. 
Published: October 2015

AbstractMitochondrial Ca2+ uptake is a vital process that controls distinct cell and organelle functions. Mitochondrial calcium uptake 1 (MICU1) was identified as key regulator of the mitochondrial Ca2+ uniporter (MCU) that together with the essential MCU regulator (EMRE) forms the mitochondrial Ca2+ channel. However, mechanisms by which MICU1 controls MCU/EMRE activity to tune mitochondrial Ca2+ signals remain ambiguous. Here we established a live-cell FRET approach and demonstrate that elevations of cytosolic Ca2+ rearranges MICU1 multimers with an EC50 of 4.4 μM, resulting in activation of mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake. MICU1 rearrangement essentially requires the EF-hand motifs and strictly correlates with the shape of cytosolic Ca2+ rises. We further show that rearrangements of MICU1 multimers were independent of matrix Ca2+ concentration, mitochondrial membrane potential and expression levels of MCU and EMRE. Our experiments provide novel details about how MCU/EMRE is regulated by MICU1 and an original approach to investigate MCU/EMRE activation in intact cells.
Untangling the biological effects of cerium oxide nanoparticles: the role of surface valence states
Authors: Pulido-Reyes Gerardo , Rodea-Palomares Ismael , Das Soumen , Sakthivel Tamil Selvan , Leganes Francisco , Rosal Roberto , Seal Sudipta , Fernández-Piñas Francisca 
Published: October 2015

AbstractCerium oxide nanoparticles (nanoceria; CNPs) have been found to have both pro-oxidant and anti-oxidant effects on different cell systems or organisms. In order to untangle the mechanisms which underlie the biological activity of nanoceria, we have studied the effect of five different CNPs on a model relevant aquatic microorganism. Neither shape, concentration, synthesis method, surface charge (ζ-potential), nor nominal size had any influence in the observed biological activity. The main driver of toxicity was found to be the percentage of surface content of Ce3+ sites: CNP1 (58%) and CNP5 (40%) were found to be toxic whereas CNP2 (28%), CNP3 (36%) and CNP4 (26%) were found to be non-toxic. The colloidal stability and redox chemistry of the most and least toxic CNPs, CNP1 and CNP2, respectively, were modified by incubation with iron and phosphate buffers. Blocking surface Ce3+ sites of the most toxic CNP, CNP1, with phosphate treatment reverted toxicity and stimulated growth. Colloidal destabilization with Fe treatment only increased toxicity of CNP1. The results of this study are relevant in the understanding of the main drivers of biological activity of nanoceria and to define global descriptors of engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) bioactivity which may be useful in safer-by-design strategies of nanomaterials.
Structural and functional analysis of cell adhesion and nuclear envelope nano-topography in cell death
Authors: Kwon Hyuk-Kwon , Lee Jae-Hyeok , Shin Hyeon-Jun , Kim Jae-Ho , Choi Sangdun 
Published: October 2015

AbstractThe cell death mechanisms of necrosis and apoptosis generate biochemical and morphological changes in different manners. However, the changes that occur in cell adhesion and nuclear envelope (NE) topography, during necrosis and apoptosis, are not yet fully understood. Here, we show the different alterations in cell adhesion function, as well as the topographical changes occurring to the NE, during the necrotic and apoptotic cell death process, using the xCELLigence system and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Studies using xCELLigence technology and AFM have shown that necrotic cell death induced the expansion of the cell adhesion area, but did not affect the speed of cell adhesion. Necrotic nuclei showed a round shape and presence of nuclear pore complexes (NPCs). Moreover, we found that the process of necrosis in combination with apoptosis (termed nepoptosis here) resulted in the reduction of the cell adhesion area and cell adhesion speed through the activation of caspases. Our findings showed, for the first time, a successful characterization of NE topography and cell adhesion during necrosis and apoptosis, which may be of importance for the understanding of cell death and might aid the design of future drug delivery methods for anti-cancer therapies.
Valley depolarization in monolayer WSe2
Authors: Yan Tengfei , Qiao Xiaofen , Tan Pingheng , Zhang Xinhui 
Published: October 2015

AbstractWe have systematically examined the circular polarization of monolayer WSe2 at different temperature, excitation energy and exciton density. The valley depolarization in WSe2 is experimentally confirmed to be governed by the intervalley electron-hole exchange interaction. More importantly, a non-monotonic dependence of valley circular polarization on the excitation power density has been observed, providing the experimental evidence for the non-monotonic dependence of exciton intervalley scattering rate on the excited exciton density. The physical origination of our experimental observations has been proposed to be in analogy to the D′yakonov-Perel′ mechanism that is operative in conventional GaAs quantum well systems. Our experimental results are fundamentally important for well understanding the valley pseudospin relaxation in atomically thin transition metal dichalcogenides.