bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Childhood maltreatment and its effect on neurocognitive functioning: Timing and chronicity matter
Authors: Cowell Raquel A. , Cicchetti Dante , Rogosch Fred A. , Toth Sheree L. 
Published: May 2015

AbstractChildhood maltreatment represents a complex stressor, with the developmental timing, duration, frequency, and type of maltreatment varying with each child (Barnett, Manly, & Cicchetti, 1993; Cicchetti & Manly, 2001). Multiple brain regions and neural circuits are disrupted by the experience of child maltreatment (Cicchetti & Toth, in press; DeBellis et al., 2002; McCrory & Viding, 2010; Teicher, Anderson, & Polcari, 2012). These neurobiological compromises indicate the impairment of a number of important cognitive functions, including working memory and inhibitory control. The present study extends prior research by examining the effect of childhood maltreatment on neurocognitive functioning based on developmental timing of maltreatment, including onset, chronicity, and recency, in a sample of 3- to 9-year-old nonmaltreated (n= 136) and maltreated children (n= 223). Maltreated children performed more poorly on inhibitory control and working-memory tasks than did nonmaltreated children. Group differences between maltreated children based on the timing of maltreatment and the chronicity of maltreatment also were evident. Specifically, children who were maltreated during infancy, and children with a chronic history of maltreatment, exhibited significantly poorer inhibitory control and working-memory performance than did children without a history of maltreatment. The results suggest that maltreatment occurring during infancy, a period of major brain organization, disrupts normative structure and function, and these deficits are further instantiated by the prolonged stress of chronic maltreatment during the early years of life.
Plasticity of risky decision making among maltreated adolescents: Evidence from a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Weller Joshua A. , Leve Leslie D. , Kim Hyoun K. , Bhimji Jabeene , Fisher Philip A. 
Published: May 2015

AbstractChildhood maltreatment has lasting negative effects throughout the life span. Early intervention research has demonstrated that these effects can be remediated through skill-based, family-centered interventions. However, less is known about plasticity during adolescence, and whether interventions are effective many years after children experience maltreatment. This study investigated this question by examining adolescent girls' ability to make advantageous decisions in the face of risk using a validated decision-making task; performance on this task has been associated with key neural regions involved in affective processing and executive functioning. Maltreated foster girls (n= 92), randomly assigned at age 11 to either an intervention designed to prevent risk-taking behaviors or services as usual (SAU), and nonmaltreated age and socioeconomic status matched girls living with their biological parent(s) (n= 80) completed a decision-making task (at age 15–17) that assessed risk taking and sensitivity to expected value, an index of advantageous decision making. Girls in the SAU condition demonstrated the greatest decision-making difficulties, primarily for risks to avoid losses. In the SAU group, frequency of neglect was related to greater difficulties in this area. Girls in the intervention condition with less neglect performed similarly to nonmaltreated peers. This research suggests that early maltreatment may impact decision-making abilities into adolescence and that enriched environments during early adolescence provide a window of plasticity that may ameliorate these negative effects.
Adversity in preschool-aged children: Effects on salivary interleukin-1β
Authors: Tyrka Audrey R. , Parade Stephanie H. , Valentine Thomas R. , Eslinger Nicole M. , Seifer Ronald 
Published: May 2015

AbstractExposure to early life adversity is linked to impaired affective, cognitive, and behavioral functioning and increases risk for various psychiatric and medical conditions. Stress-induced increases in pro-inflammatory cytokines may be a biological mechanism of these effects. Few studies have examined cytokine levels in children experiencing early life adversity, and very little research has investigated cytokines or other markers of inflammation in saliva. In the present study, we examined salivary interleukin (IL)-1β and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in relation to stress exposure in 40 children aged 3 to 5 years who were enrolled in a larger study of early life adversity. Childhood maltreatment status was assessed via review of child welfare records. Contextual stress exposure, traumatic life event history, and symptoms of psychopathology were assessed via caregiver interviews at a home visit. In a subsequent visit, salivary IL-1β and CRP were obtained before and after participation in four emotion-eliciting tasks. The number of past-month contextual stressors, lifetime contextual stressors, and traumatic life events each demonstrated a significant main effect on IL-1β. Baseline IL-1β was positively associated with each of the significant main-effect adversities. Postchallenge IL-1β displayed positive associations with each adversity variable, but these were not significant. CRP was not significantly associated with any of the adversity variables. Given the evidence suggesting the involvement of IL-1β in the neuropathology of psychiatric conditions, these results may have important implications for developmental outcomes.
Environmental Constitutionalism in South Asia: Analyzing the Experiences of Nepal and Sri Lanka
Authors: Gellers Joshua C. 
Published: May 2015

AbstractWhy do some countries adopt constitutional environmental rights while others do not? This article uses qualitative content analysis of interviews conducted in Kathmandu (Nepal) and Colombo (Sri Lanka) to analyze the cases of Nepal, which adopted a constitutional environmental right in the 2007 Interim Constitution, and Sri Lanka, which has not enacted such a right in any of its governing charters. It finds that the presence of a constitutional environmental right in Nepal and the absence of such a right in Sri Lanka can be best explained directly with reference to domestic political conditions and structures, and indirectly in terms of the international normative environment in which the constitution was written. The article outlines a research agenda which focuses on evaluating the impacts of constitutional environmental rights. This research provides important insights into the process of constitutional design in developing states and the translation of international norms in domestic contexts.
Ischemic brain injury in cerebral amyloid angiopathy
Authors: Reijmer Yael D , van Veluw Susanne J , Greenberg Steven M 
Published: May 2015

Cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) is a common form of cerebral small vessel disease and an important risk factor for intracerebral hemorrhage and cognitive impairment. While the majority of research has focused on the hemorrhagic manifestation of CAA, its ischemic manifestations appear to have substantial clinical relevance as well. Findings from imaging and pathologic studies indicate that ischemic lesions are common in CAA, including white-matter hyperintensities, microinfarcts, and microstructural tissue abnormalities as detected with diffusion tensor imaging. Furthermore, imaging markers of ischemic disease show a robust association with cognition, independent of age, hemorrhagic lesions, and traditional vascular risk factors. Widespread ischemic tissue injury may affect cognition by disrupting white-matter connectivity, thereby hampering communication between brain regions. Challenges are to identify imaging markers that are able to capture widespread microvascular lesion burden in vivo and to further unravel the etiology of ischemic tissue injury by linking structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) abnormalities to their underlying pathophysiology and histopathology. A better understanding of the underlying mechanisms of ischemic brain injury in CAA will be a key step toward new interventions to improve long-term cognitive outcomes for patients with CAA.
The low-affinity complex of cytochrome c and its peroxidase
Authors: Van de Water Karen , Sterckx Yann G. J. , Volkov Alexander N. 
Published: May 2015

AbstractThe complex of yeast cytochrome c peroxidase and cytochrome c is a paradigm of the biological electron transfer (ET). Building on seven decades of research, two different models have been proposed to explain its functional redox activity. One postulates that the intermolecular ET occurs only in the dominant, high-affinity protein–protein orientation, while the other posits formation of an additional, low-affinity complex, which is much more active than the dominant one. Unlike the high-affinity interaction—extensively studied by X-ray crystallography and NMR spectroscopy—until now the binding of cytochrome c to the low-affinity site has not been observed directly, but inferred mainly from kinetics experiments. Here we report the structure of this elusive, weak protein complex and show that it consists of a dominant, inactive bound species and an ensemble of minor, ET-competent protein–protein orientations, which summarily account for the experimentally determined value of the ET rate constant.
Hierarchically mesoporous CuO/carbon nanofiber coaxial shell-core nanowires for lithium ion batteries
Authors: Park Seok-Hwan , Lee Wan-Jin 
Published: May 2015

AbstractHierarchically mesoporous CuO/carbon nanofiber coaxial shell-core nanowires (CuO/CNF) as anodes for lithium ion batteries were prepared by coating the Cu2(NO3)(OH)3 on the surface of conductive and elastic CNF via electrophoretic deposition (EPD), followed by thermal treatment in air. The CuO shell stacked with nanoparticles grows radially toward the CNF core, which forms hierarchically mesoporous three-dimensional (3D) coaxial shell-core structure with abundant inner spaces in nanoparticle-stacked CuO shell. The CuO shells with abundant inner spaces on the surface of CNF and high conductivity of 1D CNF increase mainly electrochemical rate capability. The CNF core with elasticity plays an important role in strongly suppressing radial volume expansion by inelastic CuO shell by offering the buffering effect. The CuO/CNF nanowires deliver an initial capacity of 1150 mAh g−1 at 100 mA g−1 and maintain a high reversible capacity of 772 mAh g−1 without showing obvious decay after 50 cycles.
Design, Synthesis and Inhibitory Activity of Photoswitchable RET Kinase Inhibitors
Authors: Ferreira Rubén , Nilsson Jesper R. , Solano Carlos , Andréasson Joakim , Grøtli Morten 
Published: May 2015

AbstractREarranged during Transfection (RET) is a transmembrane receptor tyrosine kinase required for normal development and maintenance of neurons of the central and peripheral nervous systems. Deregulation of RET and hyperactivity of the RET kinase is intimately connected to several types of human cancers, most notably thyroid cancers, making it an attractive therapeutic target for small-molecule kinase inhibitors. Novel approaches, allowing external control of the activity of RET, would be key additions to the signal transduction toolbox. In this work, photoswitchable RET kinase inhibitors based on azo-functionalized pyrazolopyrimidines were developed, enabling photonic control of RET activity. The most promising compound displays excellent switching properties and stability with good inhibitory effect towards RET in cell-free as well as live-cell assays and a significant difference in inhibitory activity between its two photoisomeric forms. As the first reported photoswitchable small-molecule kinase inhibitor, we consider the herein presented effector to be a significant step forward in the development of tools for kinase signal transduction studies with spatiotemporal control over inhibitor concentration in situ.
Local adaptation of Gymnocypris przewalskii (Cyprinidae) on the Tibetan Plateau
Authors: Zhang Renyi , Ludwig Arne , Zhang Cunfang , Tong Chao , Li Guogang , Tang Yongtao , Peng Zuogang , Zhao Kai 
Published: May 2015

AbstractDivergent selection among environments affects species distributions and can lead to speciation. In this article, we investigated the transcriptomes of two ecotypes of scaleless carp (Gymnocypris przewalskii przewalskii and G. p. ganzihonensis) from the Tibetan Plateau. We used a transcriptome sequencing approach to screen approximately 250,000 expressed sequence tags (ESTs) from the gill and kidney tissues of twelve individuals from the Ganzi River and Lake Qinghai to understand how this freshwater fish has adapted to an ecological niche shift from saline to freshwater. We identified 9,429 loci in the gill transcriptome and 12,034 loci in the kidney transcriptome with significant differences in their expression, of which 242 protein-coding genes exhibited strong positive selection (Ka/Ks > 1). Many of the genes are involved in ion channel functions (e.g., Ca2+-binding proteins), immune responses (e.g., nephrosin) or cellular water absorption functions (e.g., aquaporins). These results have potentially broad importance in understanding shifts from saline to freshwater habitats. Furthermore, this study provides the first transcriptome of G. przewalskii, which will facilitate future ecological genomics studies and aid in the identification of genes underlying adaptation and incipient ecological speciation.
Direct Electrochemistry of Glucose Oxidase on Novel Free-Standing Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Nanospheres@Carbon Nanofibers Composite Film
Authors: Zhang Xueping , Liu Dong , Li Libo , You Tianyan 
Published: May 2015

AbstractWe have proposed a novel free-standing nitrogen-doped carbon nanospheres@carbon nanofibers (NCNSs@CNFs) composite film with high processability for the investigation of the direct electron transfer (DET) of glucose oxidase (GOx) and the DET-based glucose biosensing. The composites were simply prepared by controlled thermal treatment of electrospun polypyrrole nanospheres doped polyacrylonitrile nanofibers (PPyNSs@PAN NFs). Without any pretreatment, the as-prepared material can directly serve as a platform for GOx immobilization. The cyclic voltammetry of immobilized GOx showed a pair of well-defined redox peaks in O2-free solution, indicating the DET of GOx. With the addition of glucose, the anodic peak current increased, while the cathodic peak current decreased, which demonstrated the DET-based bioelectrocatalysis. The detection of glucose based on the DET of GOx was achieved, which displayed high sensitivity, stability and selectivity, with a low detection limit of 2 μM and wide linear range of 12–1000 μM. These results demonstrate that the as-obtained NCNSs@CNFs can serve as an ideal platform for the construction of the third-generation glucose biosensor.
Laser-pointer-induced self-focusing effect in hybrid-aligned dye-doped liquid crystals
Authors: Wang Jing , Aihara Yosuke , Kinoshita Motoi , Mamiya Jun-ichi , Priimagi Arri , Shishido Atsushi 
Published: May 2015

AbstractNonlinear optics deals with phenomena where “light controls light”; e.g., there is mediation by an intensity-dependent medium through which light propagates. This field has attracted much attention for its immense potential in applications dependent on nonlinear processes, such as frequency conversion, multiple-photon absorption, self-phase modulation and so on. However, such nonlinearities are typically only observed at very high light intensities and thus they require costly lasers. Here, we report on a self-focusing effect induced with a 1 mW handheld laser pointer. We prepared polymer-stabilized dye-doped liquid crystals, in which the molecular director orientation gradually changes from homeotropic at one surface to homogeneous at the other. This is referred to as hybrid alignment. In such films, the threshold intensity needed to form diffraction rings was reduced by a factor of 8.5 compared to that in conventional homeotropic cells, which enabled the induction of the self-focusing effect with a laser pointer.
Journey of water in pine cones
Authors: Song Kahye , Yeom Eunseop , Seo Seung-Jun , Kim Kiwoong , Kim Hyejeong , Lim Jae-Hong , Joon Lee Sang 
Published: May 2015

AbstractPine cones fold their scales when it rains to prevent seeds from short-distance dispersal. Given that the scales of pine cones consist of nothing but dead cells, this folding motion is evidently related to structural changes. In this study, the structural characteristics of pine cones are studied on micro-/macro-scale using various imaging instruments. Raindrops fall along the outer scales to the three layers (bract scales, fibers and innermost lignified structure) of inner pine cones. However, not all the layers but only the bract scales get wet and then, most raindrops move to the inner scales. These systems reduce the amount of water used and minimize the time spent on structural changes. The result shows that the pine cones have structural advantages that could influence the efficient motion of pine cones. This study provides new insights to understand the motion of pine cones and would be used to design a novel water transport system.
Dynamic evolution and biogenesis of small RNAs during sex reversal
Authors: Liu Jie , Luo Majing , Sheng Yue , Hong Qiang , Cheng Hanhua , Zhou Rongjia 
Published: May 2015

AbstractUnderstanding origin, evolution and functions of small RNA (sRNA) genes has been a great challenge in the past decade. Molecular mechanisms underlying sexual reversal in vertebrates, particularly sRNAs involved in this process, are largely unknown. By deep-sequencing of small RNA transcriptomes in combination with genomic analysis, we identified a large amount of piRNAs and miRNAs including over 1,000 novel miRNAs, which were differentially expressed during gonad reversal from ovary to testis via ovotesis. Biogenesis and expressions of miRNAs were dynamically changed during the reversal. Notably, phylogenetic analysis revealed dynamic expansions of miRNAs in vertebrates and an evolutionary trajectory of conserved miR-17-92 cluster in theEukarya. We showed that the miR-17-92 cluster in vertebrates was generated through multiple duplications from ancestor miR-92 in invertebratesTetranychus urticaeandDaphnia pulexfrom theChelicerataaround 580 Mya. Moreover, we identified the sexual regulatorDmrt1as a direct target of the members miR-19a and -19b in the cluster. These data suggested dynamic biogenesis and expressions of small RNAs during sex reversal and revealed multiple expansions and evolutionary trajectory of miRNAs from invertebrates to vertebrates, which implicate small RNAs in sexual reversal and provide new insight into evolutionary and molecular mechanisms underlying sexual reversal.
Mutual reinforcement of inflammation and carcinogenesis by the Helicobacter pylori CagA oncoprotein
Authors: Suzuki Nobumi , Murata-Kamiya Naoko , Yanagiya Kohei , Suda Wataru , Hattori Masahira , Kanda Hiroaki , Bingo Atsuhiro , Fujii Yumiko , Maeda Shin , Koike Kazuhiko , Hatakeyama Masanori 
Published: May 2015

AbstractHelicobacter pylori cagA-positive strain delivers the CagA oncoprotein into gastric epithelial cells and at the same time elicits stomach inflammation. To experimentally investigate the pathophysiological interplay between CagA and inflammation, transgenic mice systemically expressing the bacterial cagA gene were treated with a colitis inducer, dextran sulfate sodium (DSS). Compared with control mice, DSS-induced colitis was markedly deteriorated in cagA-transgenic mice. In the colonic epithelia of cagA-transgenic mice, there was a substantial decrease in the level of IκB, which binds and sequesters NF-κB in the cytoplasm. This IκB reduction was due to CagA-mediated inhibition of PAR1, which may stimulate IκB degradation by perturbing microtubule stability. Whereas the CagA-mediated IκB reduction did not automatically activate NF-κB, it lowered the threshold of NF-κB activation by inflammogenic insults, thereby contributing to colitis exacerbation in cagA-transgenic mice. CagA also activates inflammasomes independently of NF-κB signaling, which further potentiates inflammation. The incidence of colonic dysplasia was elevated in DSS-treated cagA-transgenic mice due to a robust increase in the number of pre-cancerous flat-type dysplasias. Thus, CagA deteriorated inflammation, whereas inflammation strengthened the oncogenic potential of CagA. This work revealed that H. pylori CagA and inflammation reinforce each other in creating a downward spiral that instigates neoplastic transformation.
Structural and biochemical characterization of novel bacterial α-galactosidases belonging to glycoside hydrolase family 31
Authors: Miyazaki Takatsugu , Ishizaki Yuichi , Ichikawa Megumi , Nishikawa Atsushi , Tonozuka Takashi 
Published: May 2015

Glycoside hydrolase family 31 (GH31) proteins have been reportedly identified as exo-α-glycosidases with activity for α-glucosides and α-xylosides. We focused on a GH31 subfamily, which contains proteins with low sequence identity (&lt;24%) to the previously reported GH31 glycosidases and characterized two enzymes from Pedobacter heparinus and Pedobacter saltans. The enzymes unexpectedly exhibited α-galactosidase activity, but were not active on α-glucosides and α-xylosides. The crystal structures of one of the enzymes, PsGal31A, in unliganded form and in complexes with D-galactose or L-fucose and the catalytic nucleophile mutant in unliganded form and in complex with p-nitrophenyl-α-D-galactopyranoside, were determined at 1.85–2.30 Å (1 Å=0.1 nm) resolution. The overall structure of PsGal31A contains four domains and the catalytic domain adopts a (β/α)8-barrel fold that resembles the structures of other GH31 enzymes. Two catalytic aspartic acid residues are structurally conserved in the enzymes, whereas most residues forming the active site differ from those of GH31 α-glucosidases and α-xylosidases. PsGal31A forms a dimer via a unique loop that is not conserved in other reported GH31 enzymes; this loop is involved in its aglycone specificity and in binding L-fucose. Considering potential genes for α-L-fucosidases and carbohydrate-related proteins within the vicinity of Pedobacter Gal31, the identified Gal31 enzymes are likely to function in a novel sugar degradation system. This is the first report of α-galactosidases which belong to GH31 family.
The role of Cas8 in type I CRISPR interference
Authors: Cass Simon D.B. , Haas Karina A. , Stoll Britta , Alkhnbashi Omer S. , Sharma Kundan , Urlaub Henning , Backofen Rolf , Marchfelder Anita , Bolt Edward L. 
Published: May 2015

CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat) systems provide bacteria and archaea with adaptive immunity to repel invasive genetic elements. Type I systems use ‘cascade’ [CRISPR-associated (Cas) complex for antiviral defence] ribonucleoprotein complexes to target invader DNA, by base pairing CRISPR RNA (crRNA) to protospacers. Cascade identifies PAMs (protospacer adjacent motifs) on invader DNA, triggering R-loop formation and subsequent DNA degradation by Cas3. Cas8 is a candidate PAM recognition factor in some cascades. We analysed Cas8 homologues from type IB CRISPR systems in archaea Haloferax volcanii (Hvo) and Methanothermobacter thermautotrophicus (Mth). Cas8 was essential for CRISPR interference in Hvo and purified Mth Cas8 protein responded to PAM sequence when binding to nucleic acids. Cas8 interacted physically with Cas5–Cas7–crRNA complex, stimulating binding to PAM containing substrates. Mutation of conserved Cas8 amino acid residues abolished interference in vivo and altered catalytic activity of Cas8 protein in vitro. This is experimental evidence that Cas8 is important for targeting Cascade to invader DNA.