bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Inhibition of malignant thyroid carcinoma cell proliferation by Ras and galectin-3 inhibitors
Authors: Menachem A , Bodner O , Pastor J , Raz A , Kloog Y 
Published: November 2015

AbstractAnaplastic Thyroid carcinoma is an extremely aggressive solid tumor that resists most treatments and is almost always fatal. Galectin-3 (Gal-3) is an important marker for thyroid carcinomas and a scaffold of the K-Ras protein. S-trans, transfarnesylthiosalicylic acid (FTS; Salirasib) is a Ras inhibitor that inhibits the active forms of Ras proteins. Modified citrus pectin (MCP) is a water-soluble citrus-fruit-derived polysaccharide fiber that specifically inhibits Gal-3. The aim of this study was to develop a novel drug combination designed to treat aggressive anaplastic thyroid carcinoma. Combined treatment with FTS and MCP inhibited anaplastic thyroid cells proliferation in vitro by inducing cell cycle arrest and increasing apoptosis rate. Immunoblot analysis revealed a significant decrease in Pan-Ras, K-Ras, Ras-GTP, p-ERK, p53, and Gal-3 expression levels and significant increase in p21 expression levels. In nude mice, treatment with FTS and MCP inhibited tumor growth. Levels of Gal-3, K-Ras-GTP, and p-ERK were significantly decreased. To conclude, our results suggest K-Ras and Gal-3 as potential targets in anaplastic thyroid tumors and herald a novel treatment for highly aggressive anaplastic thyroid carcinoma.
DNA damage induces a meiotic arrest in mouse oocytes mediated by the spindle assembly checkpoint
Authors: Collins Josie K. , Lane Simon I. R. , Merriman Julie A. , Jones Keith T. 
Published: November 2015

AbstractExtensive damage to maternal DNA during meiosis causes infertility, birth defects and abortions. However, it is unknown if fully grown oocytes have a mechanism to prevent the creation of DNA-damaged embryos. Here we show that DNA damage activates a pathway involving the spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC) in response to chemically induced double strand breaks, UVB and ionizing radiation. DNA damage can occur either before or after nuclear envelope breakdown, and provides an effective block to anaphase-promoting complex activity, and consequently the formation of mature eggs. This contrasts with somatic cells, where DNA damage fails to affect mitotic progression. However, it uncovers a second function for the meiotic SAC, which in the context of detecting microtubule–kinetochore errors has hitherto been labelled as weak or ineffectual in mammalian oocytes. We propose that its essential role in the detection of DNA damage sheds new light on its biological purpose in mammalian female meiosis.
BAG3 promotes pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma growth by activating stromal macrophages
Authors: Rosati Alessandra , Basile Anna , D’Auria Raffaella , d’Avenia Morena , De Marco Margot , Falco Antonia , Festa Michelina , Guerriero Luana , Iorio Vittoria , Parente Roberto , Pascale Maria , Marzullo Liberato , Franco Renato , Arra Claudio , Barbieri Antonio , Rea Domenica , Menichini Giulio , Hahne Michael , Bijlsma Maarten , Barcaroli Daniela , Sala Gianluca , di Mola Fabio Francesco , di Sebastiano Pierluigi , Todoric Jelena , Antonucci Laura , Corvest Vincent , Jawhari Anass , Firpo Matthew A , Tuveson David A , Capunzo Mario , Karin Michael , De Laurenzi Vincenzo , Turco Maria Caterina 
Published: November 2015

AbstractThe incidence and death rate of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) have increased in recent years, therefore the identification of novel targets for treatment is extremely important. Interactions between cancer and stromal cells are critically involved in tumour formation and development of metastasis. Here we report that PDAC cells secrete BAG3, which binds and activates macrophages, inducing their activation and the secretion of PDAC supporting factors. We also identify IFITM-2 as a BAG3 receptor and show that it signals through PI3K and the p38 MAPK pathways. Finally, we show that the use of an anti-BAG3 antibody results in reduced tumour growth and prevents metastasis formation in three different mouse models. In conclusion, we identify a paracrine loop involved in PDAC growth and metastatic spreading, and show that an anti-BAG3 antibody has therapeutic potential.
A zebrafish model of Poikiloderma with Neutropenia recapitulates the human syndrome hallmarks and traces back neutropenia to the myeloid progenitor
Authors: Colombo Elisa A. , Carra Silvia , Fontana Laura , Bresciani Erica , Cotelli Franco , Larizza Lidia 
Published: November 2015

AbstractPoikiloderma with Neutropenia (PN) is an autosomal recessive genodermatosis characterized by early-onset poikiloderma, pachyonychia, hyperkeratosis, bone anomalies and neutropenia, predisposing to myelodysplasia. The causativeC16orf57/USB1gene encodes a conserved phosphodiesterase that regulates the stability of spliceosomal U6-RNA. The involvement ofUSB1in splicing has not yet allowed to unveil the pathogenesis of PN and how the gene defects impact on skin and bone tissues besides than on the haematological compartment. We established a zebrafish model of PN using a morpholino-knockdown approach with two different splicing morpholinos. Bothusb1-depleted embryos displayed developmental abnormalities recapitulating the signs of the human syndrome. Besides the pigmentation and osteochondral defects,usb1-knockdown caused defects in circulation, manifested by a reduced number of circulating cells. The overall morphant phenotype was also obtained by co-injecting sub-phenotypic dosages of the two morpholinos and could be rescued by humanUSB1RNA. Integratedin situand real-time expression analyses of stage-specific markers highlighted defects of primitive haematopoiesis and traced back the dramatic reduction in neutrophil myeloperoxidase to the myeloid progenitors showing down-regulatedpu.1expression. Our vertebrate model of PN demonstrates the intrinsic requirement ofusb1in haematopoiesis and highlights PN as a disorder of myeloid progenitors associated with bone marrow dysfunction.
Transition and Damping of Collective Modes in a Trapped Fermi Gas between BCS and Unitary Limits near the Phase Transition
Authors: Dong Hang , Zhang Wenyuan , Zhou Li , Ma Yongli 
Published: November 2015

AbstractWe investigate the transition and damping of low-energy collective modes in a trapped unitary Fermi gas by solving the Boltzmann-Vlasov kinetic equation in a scaled form, which is combined with both the T-matrix fluctuation theory in normal phase and the mean-field theory in order phase. In order to connect the microscopic and kinetic descriptions of many-body Feshbach scattering, we adopt a phenomenological two-fluid physical approach and derive the coupling constants in the order phase. By solving the Boltzmann-Vlasov steady-state equation in a variational form, we calculate two viscous relaxation rates with the collision probabilities of fermion’s scattering including fermions in the normal fluid and fermion pairs in the superfluid. Additionally, by considering the pairing and depairing of fermions, we get results of the frequency and damping of collective modes versus temperature and s-wave scattering length. Our theoretical results are in a remarkable agreement with the experimental data, particularly for the sharp transition between collisionless and hydrodynamic behaviour and strong damping between BCS and unitary limits near the phase transition. The sharp transition originates from the maximum of viscous relaxation rate caused by fermion-fermion pair collision at the phase transition point when the fermion depair, while the strong damping due to the fast varying of the frequency of collective modes from BCS limit to unitary limit.
Terahertz-induced acceleration of massive Dirac electrons in semimetal bismuth
Authors: Minami Yasuo , Araki Kotaro , Dao Thang Duy , Nagao Tadaaki , Kitajima Masahiro , Takeda Jun , Katayama Ikufumi 
Published: November 2015

AbstractDirac-like electrons in solid state have been of great interest since they exhibit many peculiar physical behaviors analogous to relativistic mechanics. Among them, carriers in graphene and surface states of topological insulators are known to behave as massless Dirac fermions with a conical band structure in the two-dimensional momentum space, whereas electrons in semimetal bismuth (Bi) are expected to behave as massive Dirac-like fermions in the three-dimensional momentum space, whose dynamics is of particular interest in comparison with that of the massless Dirac fermions. Here, we demonstrate that an intense terahertz electric field transient accelerates the massive Dirac-like fermions in Bi from classical Newtonian to the relativistic regime; the electrons are accelerated approaching the effective “speed of light” with the “relativistic” beta β = 0.89 along the asymptotic linear band structure. As a result, the effective electron mass is enhanced by a factor of 2.4.
Universal Stochastic Multiscale Image Fusion: An Example Application for Shale Rock
Authors: Gerke Kirill M. , Karsanina Marina V. , Mallants Dirk 
Published: November 2015

AbstractSpatial data captured with sensors of different resolution would provide a maximum degree of information if the data were to be merged into a single image representing all scales. We develop a general solution for merging multiscale categorical spatial data into a single dataset using stochastic reconstructions with rescaled correlation functions. The versatility of the method is demonstrated by merging three images of shale rock representing macro, micro and nanoscale spatial information on mineral, organic matter and porosity distribution. Merging multiscale images of shale rock is pivotal to quantify more reliably petrophysical properties needed for production optimization and environmental impacts minimization. Images obtained by X-ray microtomography and scanning electron microscopy were fused into a single image with predefined resolution. The methodology is sufficiently generic for implementation of other stochastic reconstruction techniques, any number of scales, any number of material phases and any number of images for a given scale. The methodology can be further used to assess effective properties of fused porous media images or to compress voluminous spatial datasets for efficient data storage. Practical applications are not limited to petroleum engineering or more broadly geosciences, but will also find their way in material sciences, climatology and remote sensing.
Passband switchable microwave photonic multiband filter
Authors: Ge Jia , Fok Mable P. 
Published: November 2015

AbstractA reconfigurable microwave photonic (MWP) multiband filter with selectable and switchable passbands is proposed and experimentally demonstrated, with a maximum of 12 simultaneous passbands evenly distributed from 0 to 10 GHz. The scheme is based on the generation of tunable optical comb lines using a two-stage Lyot loop filter, such that various filter tap spacings and spectral combinations are obtained for the configuration of the MWP filter. Through polarization state adjustment inside the Lyot loop filter, an optical frequency comb with 12 different comb spacings is achieved, which corresponds to a MWP filter with 12 selectable passbands. Center frequencies of the filter passbands are switchable, while the number of simultaneous passbands is tunable from 1 to 12. Furthermore, the MWP multiband filter can either work as an all-block, single-band or multiband filter with various passband combinations, which provide exceptional operation flexibility. All the passbands have over 30 dB sidelobe suppression and 3-dB bandwidth of 200 MHz, providing good filter selectivity.
Obesity Leads to Tissue, but not Serum Vitamin A Deficiency
Authors: Trasino Steven E. , Tang Xiao-Han , Jessurun Jose , Gudas Lorraine J. 
Published: November 2015

AbstractObesity negatively affects multiple metabolic pathways, but little is known about the impact of obesity on vitamin A (VA)[retinol (ROL)], a nutrient that regulates expression of genes in numerous pathways essential for human development and health. We demonstrate that obese mice, generated from a high fat diet (HFD) or by genetic mutations (i.e., ob/ob; db/db), have greatly reduced ROL levels in multiple organs, including liver, lungs, pancreas and kidneys, even though their diets have adequate VA. However, obese mice exhibit elevated serum VA. Organs from obese mice show impaired VA transcriptional signaling, including reductions in retinoic acid receptor (RARα, RARβ2 and RARγ) mRNAs and lower intracellular ROL binding protein Crbp1 (RBP1) levels in VA-storing stellate cells. Reductions in organ VA signaling in obese mice correlate with increasing adiposity and fatty liver (steatosis), while with weight loss VA levels and signaling normalize. Consistent with our findings in obese mice, we show that increasing severity of fatty liver disease in humans correlates with reductions in hepatic VA, VA transcriptional signaling and Crbp1 levels in VA storing stellate cells. Thus, obesity causes a “silent” VA deficiency marked by reductions in VA levels and signaling in multiple organs, but not detected by serum VA.
Long Non Coding RNA MALAT1 Promotes Tumor Growth and Metastasis by inducing Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Zhou Xuan , Liu Su , Cai Guoshuai , Kong Lingping , Zhang Tingting , Ren Yu , Wu Yansheng , Mei Mei , Zhang Lun , Wang Xudong 
Published: November 2015

AbstractThe prognosis of advanced oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) patients remains dismal and a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms is critical for identifying effective targets with therapeutic potential to improve the survival of patients with OSCC. This study aims to clarify the clinical and biological significance of metastasis-associated long non-coding RNA, metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (MALAT1) in OSCC. We found that MALAT1 is overexpressed in OSCC tissues compared to normal oral mucosa by real-time PCR. MALAT1 served as a new prognostic factor in OSCC patients. When knockdown by small interfering RNA (siRNA) in OSCC cell lines TSCCA and Tca8113, MALAT1 was shown to be required for maintaining epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) mediated cell migration and invasion. Western blot and immunofluorescence staining showed that MALAT1 knockdown significantly suppressed N-cadherin and Vimentin expression but induced E-cadherin expression in vitro. Meanwhile, both nucleus and cytoplasm levels of β-catenin and NF-κB were attenuated, while elevated MALAT1 level triggered the expression of β-catenin and NF-κB. More importantly, targeting MALAT1 inhibited TSCCA cell-induced xenograft tumor growth in vivo. Therefore, these findings provide mechanistic insight into the role of MALAT1 in regulating OSCC metastasis, suggesting that MALAT1 is an important prognostic factor and therapeutic target for OSCC.
Quantum Oscillation Signatures of Pressure-induced Topological Phase Transition in BiTeI
Authors: Park Joonbum , Jin Kyung-Hwan , Jo Y. J. , Choi E. S. , Kang W. , Kampert E. , Rhyee J.-S. , Jhi Seung-Hoon , Kim Jun Sung 
Published: November 2015

AbstractWe report the pressure-induced topological quantum phase transition of BiTeI single crystals using Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations of bulk Fermi surfaces. The sizes of the inner and the outer FSs of the Rashba-split bands exhibit opposite pressure dependence up to P = 3.35 GPa, indicating pressure-tunable Rashba effect. Above a critical pressure P ~ 2 GPa, the Shubnikov-de Haas frequency for the inner Fermi surface increases unusually with pressure and the Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations for the outer Fermi surface shows an abrupt phase shift. In comparison with band structure calculations, we find that these unusual behaviors originate from the Fermi surface shape change due to pressure-induced band inversion. These results clearly demonstrate that the topological quantum phase transition is intimately tied to the shape of bulk Fermi surfaces enclosing the time-reversal invariant momenta with band inversion.
Strong optomechanical interactions in a sliced photonic crystal nanobeam
Authors: Leijssen Rick , Verhagen Ewold 
Published: November 2015

AbstractCoupling between mechanical and optical degrees of freedom is strongly enhanced by using subwavelength optical mode profiles. We realize an optomechanical system based on a sliced photonic crystal nanobeam, which combines such highly confined optical fields with a low-mass mechanical mode. Analyzing the transduction of motion and effects of radiation pressure we find the system exhibits a photon-phonon coupling rate g0 /2π ≈ 11.5 MHz, exceeding previously reported values by an order of magnitude. We show that the large optomechanical interaction enables detecting thermal motion with detection noise below that at the standard quantum limit, even in broad bandwidth devices, important for both sensor applications as well as measurement-based quantum control.
Spin-dependent transport properties of Fe3O4/MoS2/Fe3O4 junctions
Authors: Wu Han-Chun , Coileáin Cormac Ó , Abid Mourad , Mauit Ozhet , Syrlybekov Askar , Khalid Abbas , Xu Hongjun , Gatensby Riley , Jing Wang Jing , Liu Huajun , Yang Li , Duesberg Georg S. , Zhang Hong-Zhou , Abid Mohamed , Shvets Igor V. 
Published: November 2015

AbstractMagnetite is a half-metal with a high Curie temperature of 858 K, making it a promising candidate for magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs). Yet, initial efforts to exploit its half metallic nature in Fe3O4/MgO/Fe3O4MTJ structures have been far from promising. Finding suitable barrier layer materials, which keep the half metallic nature of Fe3O4at the interface between Fe3O4layers and barrier layer, is one of main challenges in this field. Two-dimensional (2D) materials may be good candidates for this purpose. Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) is a transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) semiconductor with distinctive electronic, optical and catalytic properties. Here, we show based on the first principle calculations that Fe3O4keeps a nearly fully spin polarized electron band at the interface between MoS2and Fe3O4. We also present the first attempt to fabricate the Fe3O4/MoS2/Fe3O4MTJs. A clear tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) signal was observed below 200 K. Thus, our experimental and theoretical studies indicate that MoS2can be a good barrier material for Fe3O4based MTJs. Our calculations also indicate that junctions incorporating monolayer or bilayer MoS2are metallic.
Changing fluxes of carbon and other solutes from the Mekong River
Authors: Li Siyue , Bush Richard T. 
Published: November 2015

AbstractRivers are an important aquatic conduit that connects terrestrial sources of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and other elements with oceanic reservoirs. The Mekong River, one of the world’s largest rivers, is firstly examined to explore inter-annual fluxes of dissolved and particulate constituents during 1923–2011 and their associated natural or anthropogenic controls. Over this period, inter-annual fluxes of dissolved and particulate constituents decrease, while anthropogenic activities have doubled the relative abundance of SO42−, Cl− and Na+. The estimated fluxes of solutes from the Mekong decrease as follows (Mt/y): TDS (40.4) > HCO3− (23.4) > Ca2+ (6.4) > SO42− (3.8) > Cl− (1.74)~Na+ (1.7) ~ Si (1.67) > Mg2+ (1.2) > K+ (0.5). The runoff, land cover and lithological composition significantly contribute to dissolved and particulate yields globally. HCO3− and TDS yields are readily predicted by runoff and percent of carbonate, while TSS yield by runoff and population density. The Himalayan Rivers, including the Mekong, are a disproportionally high contributor to global riverine carbon and other solute budgets and are of course underlined. The estimated global riverine HCO3− flux (Himalayan Rivers included) is 34014 × 109 mol/y (0.41 Pg C/y), 3915 Mt/y for solute load, including HCO3− and 13553 Mt/y for TSS. Thereby this study illustrates the importance of riverine solute delivery in global carbon cycling.
Tissue Plasminogen Activator for preclinical stroke research: Neither “rat” nor “human” dose mimics clinical recanalization in a carotid occlusion model
Authors: Tomkins Amelia J. , Hood Rebecca J. , Levi Christopher R. , Spratt Neil J. 
Published: November 2015

AbstractTissue plasminogen activator (tPA) is the only approved thrombolytic therapy for acute ischemic stroke, yet many patients do not recanalize. Enhancing thrombolytic efficacy of tPA is a major focus of stroke research. Traditionally, a “rat dose” of 10 mg/kg has been used in rodent models. Recent studies suggested that the clinical “human” dose (0.9 mg/kg) may better mimic clinical recanalization. These studies only compared the rat and clinical doses and so we aimed to test recanalization efficacy of multiple tPA doses ranging from 0.9 to 10 mg/kg in a model of endothelial injury and vessel stenosis. The common carotid artery of rats was crushed and stenosed to allow in-situ occlusive thrombus formation (Folt’s model of ‘physiological’ thrombus). Intravenous tPA was administered 60 minutes post-occlusion (n = 6-7/group). Sustained recanalization rates were 0%, 17%, 67% and 71%, for 0.9, 1.8, 4.5 and 10 mg/kg, respectively. Median time to sustained recanalization onset decreased with increasing dosage. We conclude that 10 mg/kg of tPA is too effective, whereas 0.9 mg/kg is ineffective for lysis of occlusive thrombi formed in situ. Neither dose mimics clinical tPA responses. A dose of 2x the clinical dose is a more appropriate mimic of clinical tPA recanalization in this model.
Production of viable trout offspring derived from frozen whole fish
Authors: Lee Seungki , Seki Shinsuke , Katayama Naoto , Yoshizaki Goro 
Published: November 2015

AbstractLong-term preservation of fish fertility is essential for the conservation of endangered fishes. However, cryopreservation techniques for fish oocytes and embryos have not yet been developed. In the present study, functional eggs and sperm were derived from whole rainbow trout that had been frozen in a freezer and stored without the aid of exogenous cryoprotectants. Type A spermatogonia retrieved from frozen-thawed whole trout remained viable after freezing duration up to 1,113 days. Long-term-frozen trout spermatogonia that were intraperitoneally transplanted into triploid salmon hatchlings migrated toward the recipient gonads, where they were incorporated and proliferated rapidly. Although all triploid recipients that did not undergo transplantation were functionally sterile, 2 of 12 female recipients and 4 of 13 male recipients reached sexual maturity. Eggs and sperm obtained from the salmon recipients were capable of producing donor-derived trout offspring. This methodology is thus a convenient emergency tool for the preservation of endangered fishes.