bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Hydrothermal synthesis and visible‐light‐driven oxygen production from water splitting of InVO4 micron–rods
Authors: Hu Bo , Wu Yafan , Yan Xu , Shi Weidong 
Published: September 2013

A new type of InVO4 micron–rods photocatalyst was successfully synthesised by a facile additive‐assisted hydrothermal method as a novel O2 evolution photocatalyst. The as‐obtained micro–rods are well‐crystallised with about 2 μm lengths and 500 nm widths. In the authors system, the sodium dodecyl sulfate amount, as well as the reaction time and temperature, plays an important role in the formation of the InVO4 micronrods. From the UV–vis absorption spectrum, the bandgap energy of as‐obtained InVO4 microrods is 2.3 eV. Under visible‐light irradiation, InVO4 microrods show excellent photocatalytic O2 production activity (2.663 mmol h−1 g−1) with AgNO3 as sacrifice reagents.
Design and analysis of large-scale biological rhythm studies: a comparison of algorithms for detecting periodic signals in biological data
Authors: Deckard Anastasia , Anafi Ron C. , Hogenesch John B. , Haase Steven B. , Harer John 
Published: September 2013

AbstractMotivation: To discover and study periodic processes in biological systems, we sought to identify periodic patterns in their gene expression data. We surveyed a large number of available methods for identifying periodicity in time series data and chose representatives of different mathematical perspectives that performed well on both synthetic data and biological data. Synthetic data were used to evaluate how each algorithm responds to different curve shapes, periods, phase shifts, noise levels and sampling rates. The biological datasets we tested represent a variety of periodic processes from different organisms, including the cell cycle and metabolic cycle in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, circadian rhythms in Mus musculus and the root clock in Arabidopsis thaliana.Results: From these results, we discovered that each algorithm had different strengths. Based on our findings, we make recommendations for selecting and applying these methods depending on the nature of the data and the periodic patterns of interest. Additionally, these results can also be used to inform the design of large-scale biological rhythm experiments so that the resulting data can be used with these algorithms to detect periodic signals more effectively.Contact: anastasia.deckard@duke.eduSupplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Altered States
Authors: Icaza Eduardo E. , Mashour George A. 
Published: September 2013

Abstract
The psychedelic experience has been reported since antiquity, but there is relatively little known about the underlying neural mechanisms. A recent neuroimaging study on psilocybin revealed a pattern of decreased cerebral blood flow and functional disconnections that is surprisingly similar to that caused by various anesthetics. In this article, the authors review historical examples of psychedelic experiences induced by general anesthetics and then contrast the mechanisms by which these two drug classes generate altered states of consciousness.
Histone Deacetylase Complex1 Expression Level Titrates Plant Growth and Abscisic Acid Sensitivity in Arabidopsis
Authors: Perrella Giorgio , Lopez-Vernaza Manuel A. , Carr Craig , Sani Emanuela , Gosselé Veronique , Verduyn Christoph , Kellermeier Fabian , Hannah Matthew A. , Amtmann Anna 
Published: September 2013

Abstract
Histone deacetylation regulates gene expression during plant stress responses and is therefore an interesting target for epigenetic manipulation of stress sensitivity in plants. Unfortunately, overexpression of the core enzymes (histone deacetylases [HDACs]) has either been ineffective or has caused pleiotropic morphological abnormalities. In yeast and mammals, HDACs operate within multiprotein complexes. Searching for putative components of plant HDAC complexes, we identified a gene with partial homology to a functionally uncharacterized member of the yeast complex, which we called Histone Deacetylation Complex1 (HDC1). HDC1 is encoded by a single-copy gene in the genomes of model plants and crops and therefore presents an attractive target for biotechnology. Here, we present a functional characterization of HDC1 in Arabidopsis thaliana. We show that HDC1 is a ubiquitously expressed nuclear protein that interacts with at least two deacetylases (HDA6 and HDA19), promotes histone deacetylation, and attenuates derepression of genes under water stress. The fast-growing HDC1-overexpressing plants outperformed wild-type plants not only on well-watered soil but also when water supply was reduced. Our findings identify HDC1 as a rate-limiting component of the histone deacetylation machinery and as an attractive tool for increasing germination rate and biomass production of plants.
Nonallergic comorbidities of atopic eczema: an overview of systematic reviews
Authors: Deckert S. , Kopkow C. , Schmitt J. 
Published: September 2013

AbstractThe aims of this overview are to synthesize the current evidence of published systematic reviews (SRs) on nonallergic comorbidities of atopic eczema (AE). EMBASE and MEDLINE were searched for SRs published from inception to November 2012. SRs were selected independently based on predefined inclusion criteria. Methodological quality of SRs included was assessed by two independent reviewers using the Revised Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews (R‐AMSTAR) checklist. Nine SRs met all inclusion criteria. Six reviews addressing the association between AE and cancer suggest a decreased risk of glioma, meningioma, and acute lymphoblastic leukemia in patients with current or previous AE. One SR reported a consistent positive association of AE with attention‐deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Diabetes mellitus type 1 and multiple sclerosis (MS) were not significantly related to AE in reviews based on cross‐sectional and case–control studies. Patients with AE appear to be at decreased risk of brain tumors. The relationship of AE with Th1‐ and Th17‐mediated (auto‐)inflammatory conditions such as diabetes mellitus type 1 and MS should be clarified in prospective observational studies. Children with AE are at increased risk of ADHD. SRs on the risk of depression and Th17‐mediated disorders such as inflammatory bowel disease of patients with AE are missing.
Multiple sclerosis and risk of Parkinson's disease: a Danish nationwide cohort study
Authors: Nielsen N. M. , Pasternak B. , Stenager E. , Koch‐Henriksen N. , Frisch M. 
Published: September 2013

Background and purposeCase reports have observed a co‐occurrence of multiple sclerosis (MS) and Parkinson's disease (PD) and it has been hypothesized that MS lesions could affect dopaminergic pathways causing parkinsonism. Our aim was to examine the association between MS and PD in a historically prospective cohort study using Danish nationwide register data.MethodsMultiple sclerosis patients identified in the Multiple Sclerosis Registry were followed for PD from 1977 to 2011 in the National Patient Register. As measures of relative risk, ratios of observed to expected incidence rates of first hospitalization for PD amongst persons with MS were used, i.e. standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs).ResultsAmongst 15 557 MS patients 26 cases of PD were observed versus 26.51 expected, reflecting no overall increased risk of PD (SIR 0.98, 95% CI 0.67–1.44). Similar estimates were seen for female (SIR 0.99, 95% CI 0.58–1.67) and male MS patients (SIR 0.97, 95% CI 0.55–1.72). Likewise, no increased risk of PD amongst MS patients was observed in a robustness analysis backdating the date of diagnosis of PD by 5 years to account for the time lag between disease onset and first hospital contact with PD (SIR 0.57, 95% CI 0.32–1.00).ConclusionOur data do not suggest an increased risk of PD amongst patients with MS.
Increased breast cancer risk for patients with multiple sclerosis: a nationwide population‐based cohort study
Authors: Sun L.‐M. , Lin C.‐L. , Chung C.‐J. , Liang J.‐A. , Sung F.‐C. , Kao C.‐H. 
Published: September 2013

Background and purposeStudies have suggested that multiple sclerosis (MS) might be linked to an overall reduced cancer rate, but a positive relationship is also found for several types of cancer. This study determines whether MS is associated with cancer risk in Taiwan.MethodsData from the National Health Insurance System of Taiwan were used to assess this issue. The MS cohort included 1292 patients, and each patient was randomly frequency‐matched with four participants without MS, based on their age, sex and index year (control cohort). Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was conducted to estimate the influence of MS on cancer risk.ResultsA significantly higher risk of developing overall cancer was found amongst the MS cohort compared with the control cohort [adjusted hazard ratio (HR) 1.85, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.26–2.74], as well as breast cancer (adjusted HR 2.23, 95% CI 1.11–4.46).ConclusionsThe nationwide population‐based cohort study revealed that Taiwanese patients with MS have a higher risk of developing overall cancer types and breast cancer in particular.
Characterization of Bacillus Licheniformis Strain Ta62bi as Potential Selective Plugging Agent for Enchanced Oil Recovery
Authors: Daud Fareh Nunizawati , Johari Mohd Nazrin , Bahar Arifah , Idris Ahmad Kamal , Yahya Adibah 
Published: September 2013

Bacterial plugging agents for microbial enhanced oil recovery were peviously studied using non-hydrocarbon substrate. They lacked the ability to survive and form stable plug at high concentration of hydrocarbon compounds. As an alternative, hydrocarbon was used as substrate to determine the bacterial potential as plugging agent. In this study, Bacillus licheniformis Ta62bi was used to study the potential of the bacteria as plugging agent in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)-rich condition. Three responses (growth, exopolysaccharides (EPS) and PAH consumption) were analyzed. The survivability pattern was observed at 72 hours. From the analysis, pyrene was the best PAH compared to naphthalene. It was based on increment of 214% (415 CFU/mL) in growth and 30% (0.759 g/L) in EPS production. However, the consumption of soluble PAH (0.002 to 0.015 mg/L) was low. The assimilation of hydrocarbon by potential bacterial plugging agent is the only means of survival. Otherwise, it would degrade to a great extent the oil components that would lead to the reduction of the oil quality. Next, a two-level factorial design was conducted to analyze the effects of different concentration of pyrene (0.1 to 10 g/L) and temperatures (27°C to 50°C) to the responses. The results showed that both factors significantly affect the responses (P < 0.05). Both factors inhibited growth of bacterium Ta62bi. As the PAH concentration was increased, the EPS production and PAH consumption was also found to increase at 27˚C. At 50°C, there was an increase in the EPS production but not in the PAH consumption. Therefore, EPS might be implied to having an important role in the tolerance of the TA62bi strain towards hydrocarbon. The findings will be further used in future research as a model to predict and control enhanced oil recovery plugging mechanism.
A Test for Normality in the Presence of Outliers
Authors: Ah Hin Pooi , Ching Soo Huei 
Published: September 2013

The Jarque-Bera test is a test based on the coefficients of skewness (S) and kurtosis (K) for testing whether the given random sample is from a normal population. When the random sample of size n contains m outliers, we use the remaining n-m observations to compute two statistics S* and K* which mimic the statistics S and K. The statistics S* and K* are next transformed to z1 and z2 which are uncorrelated and having standard normal distributions when the original population is normal. We show that the acceptance region given by a circle in the (z1, z2) plane is suitable for testing the normality assumption.
Model Perkongsian Pengetahuan dalam Organisasi Sektor Swasta di Malaysia dan Hubungannya dengan Inovasi dan Prestasi Organisasi
Authors: Md. Noor Noorazah , Salim Juhana 
Published: September 2013

Perkongsian pengetahuan merupakan kesediaan pekerja untuk menyumbang dan kemampuan beliau untuk mengumpul pengetahuan daripada pekerja lain dalam organisasi. Kajian lepas mendapati perkongsian pengetahuan yang berjaya akan menggalak inovasi pekerja dan meningkatkan prestasi organisasi. Namun, terdapat pelbagai halangan dalam perkongsian pengetahuan seperti faktor manusia dan teknologi. Matlamat kajian ini adalah untuk membina dan mengesahkan model perkongsian pengetahuan sektor swasta (MPS) yang menggabung dua pendekatan utama iaitu pendekatan teknikal dan bukan teknikal. Kajian ini bertujuan untuk memeriksa pengaruh individu, organisasi dan teknologi terhadap amalan perkongsian pengetahuan di kalangan pekerja serta hubungannya dengan inovasi dan prestasi organisasi. Tiga teori yang menyokong pembinaan model MPS bagi memeriksa tiga faktor pengaruh adalah Social Capital Theory, Institutional Theory dan Adaptive Structuration Theory. Kajian ini menggunakan kaedah kuantitatif dengan teknik soal selidik dan kaedah kualitatif dengan teknik temu bual. Data dianalisis menggunakan SPSS bagi analisis deskriptif dan demografi, manakala model disahkan mengguna Structural Equation Modelling. Kajian mendapati pengaruh individu; ‘berkongsi visi dan matlamat’ dan ‘kepercayaan antara pekerja’, pengaruh organisasi; ‘tugas saling bergantungan’ dan ‘sokongan pengurusan atasan’ dan pengaruh teknologi; ‘kesetiaan’ menggunakan sistem pengurusan pengetahuan mempengaruhi amalan perkongsian pengetahuan. Seterusnya, amalan perkongsian pengetahuan mempunyai hubungan yang signifikan dengan inovasi dan inovasi mempunyai hubungan yang signifikan ke atas prestasi organisasi.
Early and Late Trisporoids Differentially Regulate β-Carotene Production and Gene Transcript Levels in the Mucoralean Fungi Blakeslea trispora and Mucor mucedo
Authors: Sahadevan Yamuna , Richter-Fecken Mareike , Kaerger Kerstin , Voigt Kerstin , Boland Wilhelm 
Published: September 2013

ABSTRACT

The multistep cleavage of carotenoids in
Mucorales
during the sexual phase results in a cocktail of trisporic acid (C
18
) sex pheromones. We hypothesized that the C
18
trisporoid intermediates have a specific regulatory function for sex pheromone production and carotenogenesis that varies with genus/species and vegetative and sexual phases of their life cycles. Real-time quantitative PCR kinetics determined for
Blakeslea trispora
displayed a very high transcript turnover in the gene for carotenoid cleavage dioxygenase,
tsp3
, during the sexual phase. An
in vivo
enzyme assay and chromatographic analysis led to the identification of β-apo-12′-carotenal as the first apocarotenoid involved in trisporic acid biosynthesis in
B. trispora
. Supplementation of C
18
trisporoids, namely D'orenone, methyl trisporate C, and trisporin C, increased
tsp3
transcripts in the plus compared to minus partners. Interestingly, the
tsp1
gene, which is involved in trisporic acid biosynthesis, was downregulated compared to
tsp3
irrespective of asexual or sexual phase. Only the minus partners of both
B. trispora
and
Mucor mucedo
had enhanced β-carotene production after treatment with C
20
apocarotenoids, 15 different trisporoids, and their analogues. We conclude that the apocarotenoids and trisporoids influence gene transcription and metabolite production, depending upon the fungal strain, corresponding genus, and developmental phase, representing a “chemical dialect” during sexual communication.
Survival of Bactericidal Antibiotic Treatment by a Persister Subpopulation of Listeria monocytogenes
Authors: Knudsen Gitte M. , Ng Yin , Gram Lone 
Published: September 2013

ABSTRACT

Listeria monocytogenes
can cause the serious infection listeriosis, which despite antibiotic treatment has a high mortality. Understanding the response of
L. monocytogenes
to antibiotic exposure is therefore important to ensure treatment success. Some bacteria survive antibiotic treatment by formation of persisters, which are a dormant antibiotic-tolerant subpopulation. The purpose of this study was to determine whether
L. monocytogenes
can form persisters and how bacterial physiology affects the number of persisters in the population. A stationary-phase culture of
L. monocytogenes
was adjusted to 10
8
CFU ml
−1
, and 10
3
to 10
4
CFU ml
−1
survived 72-h treatment with 100 μg of norfloxacin ml
−1
, indicating a persister subpopulation. This survival was not caused by antibiotic resistance as regrown persisters were as sensitive to norfloxacin as the parental strain. Higher numbers of persisters (10
5
to 10
6
) were surviving when older stationary phase or surface-associated cells were treated with 100 μg of norfloxacin ml
−1
. The number of persisters was similar when a Δ
sigB
mutant and the wild type were treated with norfloxacin, but the killing rate was higher in the Δ
sigB
mutant. Dormant norfloxacin persisters could be activated by the addition of fermentable carbohydrates and subsequently killed by gentamicin; however, a stable surviving subpopulation of 10
3
CFU ml
−1
remained. Nitrofurantoin that has a growth-independent mode of action was effective against both growing and dormant cells, suggesting that eradication of persisters is possible. Our study adds
L. monocytogenes
to the list of bacterial species capable of surviving bactericidal antibiotics in a dormant stage, and this persister phenomenon should be borne in mind when developing treatment regimens.
Aerobic Biofilms Grown from Athabasca Watershed Sediments Are Inhibited by Increasing Concentrations of Bituminous Compounds
Authors: Yergeau Etienne , Lawrence John R. , Sanschagrin Sylvie , Roy Julie L. , Swerhone George D. W. , Korber Darren R. , Greer Charles W. 
Published: September 2013

ABSTRACT

Sediments from the Athabasca River and its tributaries naturally contain bitumen at various concentrations, but the impacts of this variation on the ecology of the river are unknown. Here, we used controlled rotating biofilm reactors in which we recirculated diluted sediments containing various concentrations of bituminous compounds taken from the Athabasca River and three tributaries. Biofilms exposed to sediments having low and high concentrations of bituminous compounds were compared. The latter were 29% thinner, had a different extracellular polysaccharide composition, 67% less bacterial biomass per μm
2
, 68% less cyanobacterial biomass per μm
2
, 64% less algal biomass per μm
2
, 13% fewer protozoa per cm
2
, were 21% less productive, and had a 33% reduced content in chlorophyll
a
per mm
2
and a 20% reduction in the expression of photosynthetic genes, but they had a 23% increase in the expression of aromatic hydrocarbon degradation genes. Within the
Bacteria
, differences in community composition were also observed, with relatively more
Alphaproteobacteria
and
Betaproteobacteria
and less
Cyanobacteria
,
Bacteroidetes
, and
Firmicutes
in biofilms exposed to high concentrations of bituminous compounds. Altogether, our results suggest that biofilms that develop in the presence of higher concentrations of bituminous compounds are less productive and have lower biomass, linked to a decrease in the activities and abundance of photosynthetic organisms likely due to inhibitory effects. However, within this general inhibition, some specific microbial taxa and functional genes are stimulated because they are less sensitive to the inhibitory effects of bituminous compounds or can degrade and utilize some bitumen-associated compounds.
Fungal Communities Associated with the Biodegradation of Polyester Polyurethane Buried under Compost at Different Temperatures
Authors: Zafar Urooj , Houlden Ashley , Robson Geoffrey D. 
Published: September 2013

ABSTRACT

Plastics play an essential role in the modern world due to their low cost and durability. However, accumulation of plastic waste in the environment causes wide-scale pollution with long-lasting effects, making plastic waste management expensive and problematic. Polyurethanes (PUs) are heteropolymers that made up ca. 7% of the total plastic production in Europe in 2011. Polyester PUs in particular have been extensively reported as susceptible to microbial biodegradation in the environment, particularly by fungi. In this study, we investigated the impact of composting on PUs, as composting is a microbially rich process that is increasingly being used for the processing of green waste and food waste as an economically viable alternative to landfill disposal. PU coupons were incubated for 12 weeks in fresh compost at 25°C, 45°C, and 50°C to emulate the thermophilic and maturation stages of the composting process. Incubation at all temperatures caused significant physical deterioration of the polyester PU coupons and was associated with extensive fungal colonization. Terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (TRFLP) analysis and pyrosequencing of the fungal communities on the PU surface and in the surrounding compost revealed that the population on the surface of PU was different from the surrounding compost community, suggesting enrichment and selection. The most dominant fungi identified from the surfaces of PU coupons by pyrosequencing was
Fusarium solani
at 25°C, while at both 45°C and 50°C,
Candida ethanolica
was the dominant species. The results of this preliminary study suggest that the composting process has the potential to biodegrade PU waste if optimized further in the future.
Assessment of Persistence of Bartonella henselae in Ctenocephalides felis
Authors: Bouhsira Emilie , Franc Michel , Boulouis Henri-Jean , Jacquiet Philippe , Raymond-Letron Isabelle , Liénard Emmanuel 
Published: September 2013

ABSTRACTBartonella henselae(Rhizobiales:Bartonellaceae) is a Gram-negative fastidious bacterium of veterinary and zoonotic importance. The cat fleaCtenocephalides felis(Siphonaptera: Pulicidae) is the main recognized vector ofB. henselae, and transmission among cats and humans occurs mainly through infected flea feces. The present study documents the use of a quantitative molecular approach to follow the daily kinetics ofB. henselaewithin the cat flea and its excreted feces after exposure to infected blood for 48 h in an artificial membrane system.B. henselaeDNA was detected in both fleas and feces for the entire life span of the fleas (i.e., 12 days) starting from 24 h after initiation of the blood meal.