bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Voters’ Left–Right Perception of Parties in Contemporary Japan: Removing the Noise of Misunderstanding
Authors: MIWA HIROFUMI 
Published: February 2015

AbstractThe prevailing theory states that either Japanese voters have stopped ideologically distinguishing parties or that the main political parties in Japan have become more centrist in recent years. These arguments are based on survey questions asking citizens to locate parties on an ideological scale. However, these questions may suffer from noise caused by respondents who misinterpret the question wording or answer the questions inappropriately to mask their misunderstanding of the terms ‘left’ and ‘right’. To address this problem by extracting only the views of those who know the meaning of left–right terms, this article develops a mixture model. Applying the model to an opinion poll conducted after the 2012 Japanese general election, I confirm that those who comprehend the left–right terminology – slightly over half of all voters – largely perceived parties’ ideologies in the same way as experts. Additionally, I find that even these voters face difficulties in placing ambiguous or new parties on the political spectrum. This study has implications not only for understanding trends in Japanese political ideology, but also for survey design and analysis of heterogeneous survey responses.
Making fair choices on the path to universal health coverage: a précis
Authors: Voorhoeve Alex , Ottersen Trygve , Norheim Ole F. 
Published: February 2015

AbstractWe outline key conclusions of the World Health Organisation's report 'Making Fair Choices on the Path to Universal Health Coverage (UHC)'. The Report argues that three principles should inform choices on the path to UHC: I. Coverage should be based on need, with extra weight given to the needs of the worse off; II. One aim should be to generate the greatest total improvement in health; III. Contributions should be based on ability to pay and not need. We describe how these principles determine which trade-offs are (un)acceptable. We also discuss which institutions contribute to fair and accountable choices.
Attitudes to Moonlighting Politicians: Evidence from the United Kingdom
Authors: Campbell Rosie , Cowley Philip 
Published: February 2015

AbstractResearch has explored the impact of politicians holding second jobs, or moonlighting, on their performance and recruitment, but less is known about how citizens respond to such behavior. Citizens may react negatively to Members of Parliament (MPs) moonlighting, viewing outside earnings as a conflict of interest or a distraction, or instead they might view MPs with second incomes positively, seeing them as a connection with the “real world” beyond politics. Utilizing a series of survey experiments, we assess how British citizens respond to MPs moonlighting. We demonstrate preferences more complex than those revealed by traditional survey instruments. Citizens respond to both size and source of income. They do not respond negatively to all second incomes; they are more sympathetic to the entrepreneur who continues to draw an income than medical doctors or lawyers who continue to practice. They are most hostile to politicians who take on part-time company directorships.
Chlorophyll f-driven photosynthesis in a cavernous cyanobacterium
Authors: Behrendt Lars , Brejnrod Asker , Schliep Martin , Sørensen Søren J , Larkum Anthony W D , Kühl Michael 
Published: February 2015

Abstract
Chlorophyll (Chl) f is the most recently discovered chlorophyll and has only been found in cyanobacteria from wet environments. Although its structure and biophysical properties are resolved, the importance of Chl f as an accessory pigment in photosynthesis remains unresolved. We found Chl f in a cyanobacterium enriched from a cavernous environment and report the first example of Chl f-supported oxygenic photosynthesis in cyanobacteria from such habitats. Pigment extraction, hyperspectral microscopy and transmission electron microscopy demonstrated the presence of Chl a and f in unicellular cyanobacteria found in enrichment cultures. Amplicon sequencing indicated that all oxygenic phototrophs were related to KC1, a Chl f-containing cyanobacterium previously isolated from an aquatic environment. Microsensor measurements on aggregates demonstrated oxygenic photosynthesis at 742 nm and less efficient photosynthesis under 768- and 777-nm light probably because of diminished overlap with the absorption spectrum of Chl f and other far-red absorbing pigments. Our findings suggest the importance of Chl f-containing cyanobacteria in terrestrial habitats.
Habitat-specific environmental conditions primarily control the microbiomes of the coral Seriatopora hystrix
Authors: Pantos Olga , Bongaerts Pim , Dennis Paul G , Tyson Gene W , Hoegh-Guldberg Ove 
Published: February 2015

Abstract
Reef-building corals form complex relationships with a range of microorganisms including bacteria, archaea, fungi and the unicellular microalgae of the genus Symbiodinium, which together form the coral holobiont. These symbionts are known to have both beneficial and deleterious effects on their coral host, but little is known about what the governing factors of these relationships are, or the interactions that exist between the different members of the holobiont and their environment. Here we used 16S ribosomal RNA gene amplicon sequencing to investigate how archaeal and bacterial communities associated with the widespread scleractinian coral Seriatopora hystrix are influenced by extrinsic (reef habitat and geographic location) and intrinsic (host genotype and Symbiodinium subclade) factors. Bacteria dominate the microbiome of S. hystrix, with members of the Alphaproteobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria and Bacteriodetes being the most predominant in all samples. The richness and evenness of these communities varied between reef habitats, but there was no significant difference between distinct coral host lineages or corals hosting distinct Symbiodinium subclades. The coral microbiomes correlated to reef habitat (depth) and geographic location, with a negative correlation between Alpha- and Gammaproteobacteria, driven by the key members of both groups (Rhodobacteraceae and Hahellaceae, respectively), which showed significant differences between location and depth. This study suggests that the control of microbial communities associated with the scleractinian coral S. hystrix is driven primarily by external environmental conditions rather than by those directly associated with the coral holobiont.
Structural characterization of a protective epitope spanning A(H1N1)pdm09 influenza virus neuraminidase monomers
Authors: Wan Hongquan , Yang Hua , Shore David A. , Garten Rebecca J. , Couzens Laura , Gao Jin , Jiang Lianlian , Carney Paul J. , Villanueva Julie , Stevens James , Eichelberger Maryna C. 
Published: February 2015

AbstractA(H1N1)pdm09 influenza A viruses predominated in the 2013–2014 USA influenza season, and although most of these viruses remain sensitive to Food and Drug Administration-approved neuraminidase (NA) inhibitors, alternative therapies are needed. Here we show that monoclonal antibody CD6, selected for binding to the NA of the prototypic A(H1N1)pdm09 virus, A/California/07/2009, protects mice against lethal virus challenge. The crystal structure of NA in complex with CD6 Fab reveals a unique epitope, where the heavy-chain complementarity determining regions (HCDRs) 1 and 2 bind one NA monomer, the light-chain CDR2 binds the neighbouring monomer, whereas HCDR3 interacts with both monomers. This 30-amino-acid epitope spans the lateral face of an NA dimer and is conserved among circulating A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses. These results suggest that the large, lateral CD6 epitope may be an effective target of antibodies selected for development as therapeutic agents against circulating H1N1 influenza viruses.
A rapid bioluminescence assay for measuring myeloperoxidase activity in human plasma
Authors: Goiffon Reece J. , Martinez Sara C. , Piwnica-Worms David 
Published: February 2015

AbstractMyeloperoxidase (MPO) is a circulating cardiovascular disease (CVD) biomarker used to estimate clinical risk and patient prognosis. Current enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) for MPO concentration are costly and time-intensive. Here we report a novel bioluminescence assay, designated MPO activity on a polymer surface (MAPS), for measuring MPO activity in human plasma samples using the bioluminescent substrate L-012. The method delivers a result in under an hour and is resistant to confounding effects from endogenous MPO inhibitors. In a pilot clinical study, we compared MAPS and two clinical ELISAs using 72 plasma samples from cardiac catheterization patients. Results from parallel MAPS and ELISAs were concordant within 2±11 μg l−1 MPO with similar uncertainty and reproducibility. Results between parallel MAPS and ELISA were in better agreement than those between independent ELISAs. MAPS may provide an inexpensive and rapid assay for determining MPO activity in plasma samples from patients with CVD or potentially other immune and inflammatory disorders.
Pseudomonas aeruginosa manipulates redox and iron homeostasis of its microbiota partner Aspergillus fumigatus via phenazines
Authors: Briard Benoit , Bomme Perrine , Lechner Beatrix E. , Mislin Gaëtan L. A. , Lair Virginie , Prévost Marie-Christine , Latgé Jean-Paul , Haas Hubertus , Beauvais Anne 
Published: February 2015

AbstractThe opportunistic fungal pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus is increasingly found as a coinfecting agent along with Pseudomonas aeruginosa in cystic fibrosis patients. Amongst the numerous molecules secreted by P. aeruginosa during its growth, phenazines constitute a major class. P. aeruginosa usually secreted four phenazines, pyocyanin (PYO), phenazine-1-carboxamide (PCN), 1-hydroxyphenazine (1-HP) and phenazine-1-carboxylic acid (PCA). These phenazines inhibited the growth of A. fumigatus but the underlying mechanisms and the impact of these four phenazines on A. fumigatus biology were not known. In the present study, we analyzed the functions of the four phenazines and their mode of action on A. fumigatus. All four phenazines showed A. fumigatus growth inhibitory effects by inducing production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), specifically O2·− and reactive nitrogen species (RNS), ONOO−. A. fumigatus Sod2p was the major factor involved in resistance against the ROS and RNS induced by phenazines. Sub-inhibitory concentrations of PYO, PCA and PCN promote A. fumigatus growth by an independent iron-uptake acquisition. Of the four phenazines 1-HP had a redox-independent function; being able to chelate metal ions 1-HP induced A. fumigatus iron starvation. Our data show the fine-interactions existing between A. fumigatus and P. aeruginosa, which can lead to stimulatory or antagonistic effects.
Comparison of growth texture in round Bi2212 and flat Bi2223 wires and its relation to high critical current density development
Authors: Kametani F. , Jiang J. , Matras M. , Abraimov D. , Hellstrom E. E. , Larbalestier D. C. 
Published: February 2015

AbstractWhy Bi2Sr2CaCu2Ox (Bi2212) allows high critical current density Jc in round wires rather than only in the anisotropic tape form demanded by all other high temperature superconductors is important for future magnet applications. Here we compare the local texture of state-of-the-art Bi2212 and Bi2223 ((Bi,Pb)2Sr2Ca2Cu3O10), finding that round wire Bi2212 generates a dominant a-axis growth texture that also enforces a local biaxial texture (FWHM <15°) while simultaneously allowing the c-axes of its polycrystals to rotate azimuthally along and about the filament axis so as to generate macroscopically isotropic behavior. By contrast Bi2223 shows only a uniaxial (FWHM <15°) c-axis texture perpendicular to the tape plane without any in-plane texture. Consistent with these observations, a marked, field-increasing, field-decreasing Jc(H) hysteresis characteristic of weak-linked systems appears in Bi2223 but is absent in Bi2212 round wire. Growth-induced texture on cooling from the melt step of the Bi2212 Jc optimization process appears to be the key step in generating this highly desirable microstructure.
Alteration in regional tissue oxygenation of preterm infants during placement in the semi-upright seating position
Authors: Petrova Anna , Mehta Rajeev 
Published: February 2015

AbstractWe investigated whether the cerebral (rSO2-C %) and renal (rSO2-R %) tissue oxygenation of preterm infants is altered by repositioning from the supine to semi-upright position for pre-discharge car seat testing. Near-infrared spectroscopy was used to measure rSO2-C and rSO2-R, which were recorded simultaneously with vital signs in 15 preterm infants for 30 minutes in supine, 60 minutes in the semi-upright (at 45 degrees in a car seat) and 30 minutes in the post-semi-upright (supine) position. Changes in rSO2-C and SO2-R were mostly within 1 Standard Deviation (SD) of baseline mean levels in the supine position. Decrease in rSO2-C and rSO2-R (more than 1SD below baseline mean) was recorded in 26.7% and 6.6% of infants respectively, which persisted even after adjustment for variation in heart and respiratory rate and pulse oximeter measured oxygen saturation (P, 0.0001). Re-positioning the infants from the car seat to supine position was associated with normalization of the rSO2-C. Alteration in rSO2-C and rSO2-R in a car seat was independent from the gestational and post-conception age, weight and presence of anemia. We concluded that approximately one-third of preterm infants show minor reduction of cerebral tissue oxygenation in the semi-upright (car seat) position.
Generation of retinal ganglion cells with functional axons from human induced pluripotent stem cells
Authors: Tanaka Taku , Yokoi Tadashi , Tamalu Fuminobu , Watanabe Shu-Ichi , Nishina Sachiko , Azuma Noriyuki 
Published: February 2015

AbstractWe generated self-induced retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) with functional axons from human induced pluripotent stem cells. After development of the optic vesicle from the induced stem cell embryoid body in three-dimensional culture, conversion to two-dimensional culture, achieved by supplementation with BDNF, resulted in differentiation of RGCs at a rate of nearly 90% as indicated by a marginal subregion of an extruded clump of cells, suggesting the formation of an optic vesicle. Axons extended radially from the margin of the clump. Induced RGCs expressed specific markers, such as Brn3b and Math5, as assessed using by quantitative PCR and immunohistochemistry. The long, prominent axons contained neurofilaments and tau and exhibited anterograde axonal transport and sodium-dependent action potentials. The ability to generate RGCs with functional axons uniformly and at a high rate may contribute to both basic and clinical science, including embryology, neurology, pathognomy and treatment of various optic nerve diseases that threaten vision.
Attentional modulations of the early and later stages of the neural processing of visual completion
Authors: Wu Xiang , Zhou Liang , Qian Cheng , Gan Lingyu , Zhang Daren 
Published: February 2015

AbstractThe brain effortlessly recognizes objects even when the visual information belonging to an object is widely separated, as well demonstrated by the Kanizsa-type illusory contours (ICs), in which a contour is perceived despite the fragments of the contour being separated by gaps. Such large-range visual completion has long been thought to be preattentive, whereas its dependence on top-down influences remains unclear. Here, we report separate modulations by spatial attention and task relevance on the neural activities in response to the ICs. IC-sensitive event-related potentials that were localized to the lateral occipital cortex were modulated by spatial attention at an early processing stage (130–166 ms after stimulus onset) and modulated by task relevance at a later processing stage (234–290 ms). These results not only demonstrate top-down attentional influences on the neural processing of ICs but also elucidate the characteristics of the attentional modulations that occur in different phases of IC processing.
Sirtinol Inhibits Neutrophil Elastase Activity and Attenuates Lipopolysaccharide-Mediated Acute Lung Injury in Mice
Authors: Tsai Yung-Fong , Yu Huang-Ping , Chang Wen-Yi , Liu Fu-Chao , Huang Zhen-Cheng , Hwang Tsong-Long 
Published: February 2015

AbstractEnhanced activity of neutrophil elastase leads to a protease–antiprotease imbalance and plays an essential pathogenic role in acute lung injury (ALI) and acute respiratory distress syndrome. We assayed the pharmacological effects and mechanisms of the action of sirtinol in human neutrophils and in neutrophil elastase (HNE)-induced paw edema and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-mediated ALI in mice. Sirtinol significantly inhibited the activity of HNE from human neutrophils in response to various stimulators. The inhibitory effects on HNE activity were not mediated through protein kinase A, calcium, extracellular-regulated kinase, c-Jun N-terminal kinase, p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase, Akt, or Src family kinases. Analysis of enzymatic activities showed that sirtinol inhibited HNE activity in a concentration-dependent manner. These results demonstrate that sirtinol does not affect neutrophil function and is an HNE inhibitor. In addition, administration of sirtinol significantly inhibited HNE-induced paw edema and attenuated the myeloperoxidase activity and reduced pulmonary wet/dry weight ratio in the LPS-induced ALI mouse model. Our study indicates that sirtinol has anti-inflammatory effects through direct inhibition of HNE activity and attenuates HNE-induced and LPS-mediated tissue or organ injury in vivo. Sirtinol is a novel HNE inhibitor and may have the potential for clinical application in the treatment of inflammatory lung diseases.
n and p type character of single molecule diodes
Authors: Zoldan Vinícius Claudio , Faccio Ricardo , Pasa André Avelino 
Published: February 2015

AbstractLooking for single molecule electronic devices, we have investigated the charge transport properties of individual tetra-phenylporphyrin molecules on different substrates by ultrahigh-vacuum scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy and by first-principles calculations. The tetra-phenylporphyrins with a Co atom (Co-TPP) or 2 hydrogens (H2-TPP) in the central macrocycle when deposited on Cu3Au(100) substrates showed a diode-like behavior with p and n type character, respectively. After removing the central hydrogens of H2-TPP molecule with the STM tip an ohmic behavior was measured. The rectifying effect was understood from the theoretical point of view by assuming for Co-TPP HOMO conduction and for H2-TPP LUMO conduction, both selectively elected by the hybridization of states between molecule and substrate surface.
Transferable neuronal mini-cultures to accelerate screening in primary and induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neurons
Authors: Niedringhaus Mark , Dumitru Raluca , Mabb Angela M. , Wang Yuli , Philpot Benjamin D. , Allbritton Nancy L. , Taylor Anne Marion 
Published: February 2015

AbstractThe effort and cost of obtaining neurons for large-scale screens has limited drug discovery in neuroscience. To overcome these obstacles, we fabricated arrays of releasable polystyrene micro-rafts to generate thousands of uniform, mobile neuron mini-cultures. These mini-cultures sustain synaptically-active neurons which can be easily transferred, thus increasing screening throughput by >30-fold. Compared to conventional methods, micro-raft cultures exhibited significantly improved neuronal viability and sample-to-sample consistency. We validated the screening utility of these mini-cultures for both mouse neurons and human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neurons by successfully detecting disease-related defects in synaptic transmission and identifying candidate small molecule therapeutics. This affordable high-throughput approach has the potential to transform drug discovery in neuroscience.
Prion Amplification and Hierarchical Bayesian Modeling Refine Detection of Prion Infection
Authors: Wyckoff A. Christy , Galloway Nathan , Meyerett-Reid Crystal , Powers Jenny , Spraker Terry , Monello Ryan J. , Pulford Bruce , Wild Margaret , Antolin Michael , VerCauteren Kurt , Zabel Mark 
Published: February 2015

AbstractPrions are unique infectious agents that replicate without a genome and cause neurodegenerative diseases that include chronic wasting disease (CWD) of cervids. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) is currently considered the gold standard for diagnosis of a prion infection but may be insensitive to early or sub-clinical CWD that are important to understanding CWD transmission and ecology. We assessed the potential of serial protein misfolding cyclic amplification (sPMCA) to improve detection of CWD prior to the onset of clinical signs. We analyzed tissue samples from free-ranging Rocky Mountain elk (Cervus elaphus nelsoni) and used hierarchical Bayesian analysis to estimate the specificity and sensitivity of IHC and sPMCA conditional on simultaneously estimated disease states. Sensitivity estimates were higher for sPMCA (99.51%, credible interval (CI) 97.15–100%) than IHC of obex (brain stem, 76.56%, CI 57.00–91.46%) or retropharyngeal lymph node (90.06%, CI 74.13–98.70%) tissues, or both (98.99%, CI 90.01–100%). Our hierarchical Bayesian model predicts the prevalence of prion infection in this elk population to be 18.90% (CI 15.50–32.72%), compared to previous estimates of 12.90%. Our data reveal a previously unidentified sub-clinical prion-positive portion of the elk population that could represent silent carriers capable of significantly impacting CWD ecology.
Fast Super-Resolution Imaging with Ultra-High Labeling Density Achieved by Joint Tagging Super-Resolution Optical Fluctuation Imaging
Authors: Zeng Zhiping , Chen Xuanze , Wang Hening , Huang Ning , Shan Chunyan , Zhang Hao , Teng Junlin , Xi Peng 
Published: February 2015

AbstractPrevious stochastic localization-based super-resolution techniques are largely limited by the labeling density and the fidelity to the morphology of specimen. We report on an optical super-resolution imaging scheme implementing joint tagging using multiple fluorescent blinking dyes associated with super-resolution optical fluctuation imaging (JT-SOFI), achieving ultra-high labeling density super-resolution imaging. To demonstrate the feasibility of JT-SOFI, quantum dots with different emission spectra were jointly labeled to the tubulin in COS7 cells, creating ultra-high density labeling. After analyzing and combining the fluorescence intermittency images emanating from spectrally resolved quantum dots, the microtubule networks are capable of being investigated with high fidelity and remarkably enhanced contrast at sub-diffraction resolution. The spectral separation also significantly decreased the frame number required for SOFI, enabling fast super-resolution microscopy through simultaneous data acquisition. As the joint-tagging scheme can decrease the labeling density in each spectral channel, thereby bring it closer to single-molecule state, we can faithfully reconstruct the continuous microtubule structure with high resolution through collection of only 100 frames per channel. The improved continuity of the microtubule structure is quantitatively validated with image skeletonization, thus demonstrating the advantage of JT-SOFI over other localization-based super-resolution methods.