bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Self‐assembling protein nanocages for modular enzyme assembly by orthogonal bioconjugation
Authors: Berckman Emily A. , Chen Wilfred 
Published: June 2021

AbstractThe wide variety of enzymatic pathways that can benefit from enzyme scaffolding is astronomical. While enzyme co‐localization based on protein, DNA, and RNA scaffolds has been reported, we still lack scaffolds that offer well‐defined and uniform three‐dimensional structures for enzyme organization. Here we reported a new approach for protein co‐localization using naturally occurring protein nanocages as a scaffold. Two different nanocages, the 25 nm E2 and the 34 nm heptatitis B virus, were used to demonstrate the successfully co‐localization of the endoglucanase CelA and cellulose binding domain using the robust SpyTag/SpyCatcher bioconjugation chemistry. Because of the simplicity of the assembly, this strategy is useful not only for in vivo enzyme cascading but also the potential for in vivo applications as well.
Social identities in consumer‐brand relationship: The case of the Hijab‐wearing Barbie doll in the United States
Authors: Mishra Suman , Bakry Amal 
Published: June 2021

AbstractThis study explores the role of social identities in consumer‐brand relationship through the case study of the first hijab‐wearing Barbie doll in the United States. Through a qualitative analysis of people's response to the announcement of the new Barbie doll on Twitter, the study reveals how ethnic‐identity based products influence consumers relationship with an iconic brand. Ethnic‐based products help in social identification and facilitate some consumers desire to buy the product however, they also elicit negative emotions, racism, and animosity in other group of consumers resulting in weakening of their ties with a once favored brand. Theoretical and managerial implications for multicultural marketing are discussed.
A State‐of‐the‐Art Review of Laser‐Assisted Bioprinting and its Future Research Trends
Authors: Dou Chaoran , Perez Victoria , Qu Jie , Tsin Andrew , Xu Ben , Li Jianzhi 
Published: June 2021

AbstractBioprinting is an additive manufacturing technology with great potential in medical applications. Among available bioprinting techniques, laser‐assisted bioprinting (LAB) is a promising technique due to its high resolution, high cell viability, and the capability to deposit high‐viscousity bioink. These characteristics allow the LAB technology to control cells precisely to reconstruct living organs. Recent developments of LAB technologies are reviewed in this paper, covering various designs of LAB printers, research progresses in energy‐absorbing layer (EAL), the physical phenomenon that triggers the printing process in terms of bubble formation and jet development, printing process parameters, and major factors related to the post‐printing cell viability. The latest studies on LAB technologies are highlighted, expounding their advantages and disadvantages, and some potential applications are presented. The potential technical challenges and future research trends for LAB technologies are also discussed.
Five‐year angiographic,OCTand clinical outcomes of a randomized comparison of everolimus and biolimus‐eluting coronary stents with everolimus‐eluting bioresorbable vascular scaffolds
Authors: Schukraft Sara , Arroyo Diego , Togni Mario , Goy Jean‐Jacques , Wenaweser Peter , Stadelmann Mathieu , Baeriswyl Gerard , Muller Olivier , Stauffer Jean‐Christophe , Puricel Serban , Cook Stéphane 
Published: June 2021

AbstractAimsTo compare 5‐year angiographic, optical coherence tomography (OCT), and clinical outcomes between patients treated with bioresorbable vascular scaffolds (BVS) and drug‐eluting stents (DES).MethodsThe EverBio‐2 trial (Comparison of Everolimus‐ and Biolimus‐Eluting Coronary Stents with Everolimus‐Eluting Bioresorbable Vascular Scaffold) was a single‐center, assessor‐blinded, randomized controlled trial in which 240 patients were randomly allocated (1:1:1) to BVS, everolimus‐eluting (EES) or biolimus‐eluting (BES) DES. Clinical follow‐up was scheduled up to 5 years. All patients, alive and who did not have repeat revascularization of the target lesion during follow‐up were asked to return for angiographic follow‐up at 5 years.ResultsFive‐year angiographic follow‐up was completed in 122 patients (51%) and OCT analysis was performed in 86 (36%) patients. In‐stent late lumen loss was similar in both groups with 0.50 ± 0.38 mm in BVS versus 0.58 ± 0.36 mm in EES/BES,p = 0.20. Clinical follow‐up was complete in 232 patients (97%) at 5 years. The rate of the device‐oriented endpoint was 22% in the BVS and 18% in the EES/BES group (p = 0.49). The patient‐oriented composite endpoint occurred in 40% of BVS‐ and 43% of EES/BES‐treated patients (p = 0.72) at 5 years. No acute coronary syndrome due to stent thrombosis was detected after 2 years. Complete BVS strut resorption was observed at 5 years in the OCT subgroup.ConclusionFive‐year clinical outcomes were similar between BVS and DES patients as well as angiographic outcomes in a selected subgroup. However, a definitive conclusion cannot be drawn because the EverBio‐2 trial was not powered for clinical and angiographic endpoints at 5 years of follow‐up.
Amine‐Terminated PAN Membranes as Anion‐Adsorber Materials
Authors: Glass Sarah , Mantel Tomi , Appold Michael , Sen Sitashree , Usman Muhammad , Ernst Mathias , Filiz Volkan 
Published: June 2021

AbstractAnion‐adsorbing membranes provide an interesting possibility to remove toxic arsenate and chromate from drinking water. A promising way to prepare anion‐exchange materials is to introduce positively charged amine groups on polymers. In this study, polyacrylonitrile (PAN) ultrafiltration membranes were modified with amine functionalities on the membranes. The success of the modifications was demonstrated using infrared spectroscopy and zeta potential measurements. Additionally, the arsenate adsorption was analyzed. The modified membrane showed arsenate adsorption 5 times higher than the pristine PAN membrane.
Analysis of KRAS G12/G13 in colorectal cancer using an economical digital PCR assay that unequivocally differentiates missense and synonymous alleles
Authors: Bidshahri Roza , Fakhfakh Kareem , McNeil Kelly , Won Jennifer R. , Wolber Robert , Hughesman Curtis , Haynes Charles 
Published: June 2021

AbstractGenotyping of the Kirsten Ras (KRAS) proto‐oncogene, particularly within its wild‐type (WT) codons G12 and G13, is used clinically to define courses of therapy for colorectal cancer (CRC). Stratification of CRC can be improved by genotyping BRAF in conjunction with KRAS, as missense (nonsynonymous) mutations (MTs) in BRAF V600 are frequently observed in MLH1‐deficient CRCs, and BRAF V600E‐positive tumours correlate with poor CRC patient outcomes. While next‐generation sequencing can be used to co‐genotype KRAS and BRAF, clinics could benefit from a faster, more cost‐effective assay of missense mutations in both KRAS and BRAF that unequivocally discriminates them from all known synonymous WT alleles. We previously reported a novel diagnostic technology that leverages the unique capabilities of droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) to achieve sensitive and quantitative detection of all known missense mutations in BRAF V600. Here, we report a ddPCR‐based method to co‐genotype KRAS G12/13 missense mutations and unequivocally differentiate them from all WT KRAS alleles. When combined with our test of BRAF status, the resulting inexpensive and rapid multiplex ddPCR assay accurately detects all known missense mutations in both KRAS G12/G13 and BRAF V600. The assay is applied to formalin‐fixed paraffin‐embedded tumour specimens from a cohort of 87 MLH1‐deficient CRC patients, and is shown to correctly identify BRAF V600 and KRAS G12/G13 missense mutations in each case. Two KRAS G12/13 mutation positive patients within the cohort are found to also carry a V600E missense mutation in BRAF. Pathological implications of this rarely observed co‐mutation are discussed.
National trends in repair for type B aortic dissection
Authors: Weissler E. Hope , Osazuwa‐Peters Oyomoare L. , Greiner Melissa A. , Hughes G. Chad , Long Chandler A. , Vemulapalli Sreekanth , Patel Manesh R. , Jones W. Schuyler 
Published: June 2021

AbstractBackgroundThoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) first gained in popularity for repair of type B aortic dissections (TBADs) in the early 2000's. We aimed to describe patients undergoing open repair, TEVAR, and no repair and analyze factors associated with repair within 14 days of presentation in the contemporary era.MethodsWe used the MarketScan database to find patients with TBAD between 2014 and 2017. To assess factors associated with early repair, univariable, and multivariable log‐binomial regression were used.ResultsThere were 2613 patients admitted with TBAD between 2014 and 2017 across the United States, of whom 38.4% underwent repair within 14 days of admission (25.3% open repair and 13.1% TEVAR). The incidence of repair within 14 days decreased over the study period (43% of the study cohort in 2014 to 26.4% in 2017) primarily due to a decrease in open repairs from 30.8% of patients in 2014 to 12.5% in 2017. In multivariable analysis, older age, Middle Atlantic location, diabetes mellitus, insulin use, antiplatelet use, and more recent year were associated with lower likelihood of early repair; male sex, peripheral vascular disease, and the presence of extremity ischemia, rupture, shock, and acidosis were associated with higher likelihood of repair.ConclusionsOverall, repair of TBAD within 14 days of presentation declined from 2014 to 2017, with a steady rate of TEVAR but declining rate of open repairs. Further investigation into provider‐ and hospital‐specific factors as they relate to likelihood of repair is needed.
Screening for New Inhibitors of Glycine Transporter 1 and 2 by Means of MS Binding Assays
Authors: Ackermann Thomas M. , Höfner Georg , Wanner Klaus T. 
Published: June 2021

AbstractA straightforward screening of a compound library comprising 2439 substances for the identification of new inhibitors for the neurotransmitter transporters GlyT1 and GlyT2 is described. Screening and full‐scale competition experiments were performed using recently developed GlyT1 and GlyT2 MS Binding Assays. That way for both targets, GlyT1 and GlyT2, ligands were identified, which exhibited affinities (pKi values) in the low micromolar to sub‐micromolar range. The majority of these binders exhibit new chemical scaffolds in the class of GlyT1 and GlyT2 inhibitors, which could be of interest for the development of new ligands with improved affinities for the target proteins. Additionally, compounds with excellent fluorescent properties were found for GlyT2, which renders them promising compounds for future fluorescence‐based techniques. All in all, this study demonstrates that MS Binding Assays represent a powerful technology platform also well suited for the screening of compound libraries in a highly reliable and effective manner.
Effect of temperature and single event transient on crosstalk in coupled single‐walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) bundle interconnects
Authors: Liu Baojun , Li Cheng , Li Chuang , Zhang Shuang 
Published: June 2021

AbstractAlthough they have better electrical and thermal properties, thermal issues have become an important challenge to design modern integrated circuits with single‐walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) bundle interconnects. The equivalent RLC model for SWCNT bundle interconnect is analyzed. Based on the proposed circuit for single event crosstalk (SEC), the influences of the length of line, nanotube diameter, metallic nanotube ratio, and technology node on SEC at different temperatures are studied. The potential impact mechanisms are also discussed. The simulation results show that, compared with one in copper line, peak voltage and pulse width of SEC in SWCNT interconnect are reduced by an average of 23.7% and 8.8%, respectively. The larger the diameter of SWCNT is or the more the ratio of metallic SWCNT is, the weaker the effect of SEC will be. With the increase of the length of line, the crosstalk effect will increase. The pulse width of SEC is more sensitive to the temperature when the length of line is longer. However, the peak voltage is more sensitive to the temperature when the length of line is shorter. As the technology node shrinks from 21 nm to 9.5 nm, the noise area of SEC increases from 0.55 V•ns to 1.89 V•ns, which results in that the crosstalk action time increases significantly.
Analysis and implementation of a new asymmetric double H‐bridge multilevel inverter
Authors: Siddique Marif Daula , Iqbal Atif , Sarwar Adil , Mekhilef Saad 
Published: June 2021

AbstractMultilevel inverters (MLI) have become an integral component in many industrial applications including drive systems and distributed generation grid integrated systems. Efficient and cost‐effective MLI topologies are required to enhance the performance of industrial systems. In the present work, an asymmetric double H‐bridge MLI is proposed, which incorporates and enhances the attributes of a modified T‐type converter and produces a superior output voltage waveform with the lesser component requirement. The proposed MLI can generate a 15‐level output. An extendable generalized topology (cascaded) based on the proposed configuration has also been proposed. The topology is compared with recently introduced MLI topologies based on various performance parameters, and results are presented. The output voltage control is achieved using nearest level control which is a low switching frequency modulation technique for lowering the switching losses in the inverter. The hardware is realized, and performance is evaluated under different dynamically changing loading conditions.
Interleukin‐18, IL‐18 binding protein and IL‐18 receptor expression in asthma: a hypothesis showing IL‐18 promotes epithelial cell differentiation
Authors: Kaur Davinder , Chachi Latifa , Gomez Edith , Sylvius Nicolas , Brightling Christopher E 
Published: June 2021

AbstractObjectiveIn asthma, genome‐wide association studies have shown that interleukin‐18 (IL‐18) receptor 1 gene (IL‐18R1) and sputum IL‐18 are increased during exacerbations. However, the role of the IL‐18 axis in bronchial epithelial function is unclear. To investigate IL‐18, IL‐18 binding protein (BP) and IL‐18R expression in bronchial biopsies and sputum samples from patients with asthma, and to determine its functional role using in vitro bronchial epithelial cells.MethodsThe expression of IL‐18, IL‐18BP and IL‐18Rα was examined in subjects with asthma and healthy controls in bronchial biopsies by immunohistochemistry and IL‐18 and IL‐18BP release in sputum. In epithelial cells, the mRNA and protein expression of IL‐18, IL‐18BP, IL‐18Rα and IL‐18Rβ was assessed by qPCR, flow cytometry, Western blotting and immunofluorescence respectively. IL‐18 function in epithelial cells was examined by intracellular calcium, wound repair, synthetic activation and epithelial differentiation changes.ResultsIn biopsies from subjects with asthma, the IL‐18 expression was not different in the lamina propria compared with controls but was decreased in the epithelium. In contrast, the IL‐18BP was decreased in the lamina propria in asthma and was absent in the bronchial epithelium. IL‐18 was released in sputum with IL‐18BP elevated in patients with asthma. The IL‐18Rα expression was not different between health and disease. In vitro, IL‐18‐stimulated bronchial epithelial cells increased intracellular calcium, wound repair, metabolic activity, morphological changes and epithelial cellular differentiation.ConclusionIn asthma, the dynamic interaction between IL‐18, its cognate receptor and natural inhibitor is complex, with differences between airway compartments. Upregulation of IL‐18 can promote epithelial activation and cellular differentiation.
An efficient and cost‐effective method for the purification of human basophils
Authors: He Cheng , Gao Sijia , Zhao Xinyi , Shi Yanbiao , Tang Yanyan , Cao Yiwei , Bai Ruixue , Ren Jinfeng , Zhao Shuli , Shi Zhixu , Wang Hui 
Published: June 2021

AbstractHuman basophils are terminally differentiated granulocytes that are least abundant in the peripheral blood but play important roles in allergic diseases. Studies on human basophils are limited by the high cost on the isolation of human basophils by magnetic‐activated cell sorting (MACS) for negative depletion of non‐basophils, followed by CD123‐based positive selection of basophils. Moreover, such CD123‐based purification of basophils may be limited by blocking of the binding of IL‐3/anti‐CD123 to the surface CD123. Here we identified SSClowCD4−CD127−HLA‐DR−CRTH2high as unique markers for the identification of human basophils through stringent flow cytometric analysis of leukocytes from buffy coat. We established an efficient and cost‐effective method for isolating human basophils from buffy coat based on positive magnetic selection of CRTH2+ cells followed by flow cytometric sorting of SSClowCD4−CD127−HLA‐DR−CRTH2high cells. Approximately 1 to 1.5 million basophils were isolated from one buffy coat with a purity of >97%. Basophils purified by this method were viable and efficiently responded to key regulators of basophils including IL‐3 and anti‐IgE. This method can be used for purifying human basophils for subsequent functional studies.
A guide for optimal iodine staining and high‐throughput diceCT scanning in snakes
Authors: Callahan Sean , Crowe‐Riddell Jenna M. , Nagesan Ramon S. , Gray Jaimi A. , Davis Rabosky Alison R. 
Published: June 2021

AbstractDiffusible iodine‐based contrast‐enhanced computed tomography (diceCT) visualizes soft tissue from micro‐CT (µCT) scans of specimens to uncover internal features and natural history information without incurring physical damage via dissection. Unlike hard‐tissue imaging, taxonomic sampling within diceCT datasets is currently limited. To initiate best practices for diceCT in a nonmodel group, we outline a guide for staining and high‐throughput µCT scanning in snakes. We scanned the entire body and one region of interest (i.e., head) for 23 specimens representing 23 species from the clades Aniliidae, Dipsadinae, Colubrinae, Elapidae, Lamprophiidae, and Viperidae. We generated 82 scans that include 1.25% Lugol's iodine stained (soft tissue) and unstained (skeletal) data for each specimen. We found that duration of optimal staining time increased linearly with body size; head radius was the best indicator. Postreconstruction of scans, optimal staining was evident by evenly distributed grayscale values and clear differentiation among soft‐tissue anatomy. Under and over stained specimens produced poor contrast among soft tissues, which was often exacerbated by user bias during “digital dissections” (i.e., segmentation). Regardless, all scans produced usable data from which we assessed a range of downstream analytical applications within ecology and evolution (e.g., predator‐prey interactions, life history, and morphological evolution). Ethanol destaining reversed the known effects of iodine on the exterior appearance of physical specimens, but required substantially more time than reported for other destaining methods. We discuss the feasibility of implementing diceCT techniques for a new user, including approximate financial and temporal commitments, required facilities, and potential effects of staining on specimens. We present the first high‐throughput workflow for full‐body skeletal and diceCT scanning in snakes, which can be generalized to any elongate vertebrates, and increases publicly available diceCT scans for reptiles by an order of magnitude.
Climate‐driven elevational variation in range sizes of vascular plants in the central Himalayas: A supporting case for Rapoport's rule
Authors: Liang Jianchao , Hu Huijian , Ding Zhifeng , Lie Ganwen , Zhou Zhixin , Singh Paras Bikram , Zhang Zhixiang , Ji Shengnan 
Published: June 2021

AbstractA fundamental yet controversial topic in biogeography is how and why species range sizes vary along spatial gradients. To advance our understanding of these questions and to provide insights into biological conservation, we assessed elevational variations in the range sizes of vascular plants with different life forms and biogeographical affinities and explored the main drivers underlying these variations in the longest valley in China's Himalayas, the Gyirong Valley. Elevational range sizes of vascular plants were documented in 96 sampling plots along an elevational gradient ranging from 1,800 to 5,400 m above sea level. We assessed the elevational variations in range size by averaging the range sizes of all recorded species within each sampling plot. We then related the range size to climate, disturbance, and the mid‐domain effect and explored the relative importance of these factors in explaining the range size variations using the Random Forest model. A total of 545 vascular plants were recorded in the sampling plots along the elevational gradient. Of these, 158, 387, 337, and 112 were woody, herbaceous, temperate, and tropical species, respectively. The range size of each group of vascular plants exhibited uniform increasing trends along the elevational gradient, which was consistent with the prediction of Rapoport's rule. Climate was the main driver of the increasing trends of vascular plant range sizes in the Gyirong Valley. The climate variability hypothesis and mean climate condition hypothesis could both explain the elevation–range size relationships. Our results reinforce the previous notion that Rapoport's rule applies to regions where the influence of climate is the most pronounced, and call for close attention to the impact of climate change to prevent species range contraction and even extinction due to global warming.
Assessment of ecological impairment of Arctic streams: Challenges and future directions
Authors: Medeiros A. S. , Williams A. , Milošević D. 
Published: June 2021

AbstractAs increased growth and development put pressure on freshwater systems in Arctic environments, there is a need to maintain a meaningful and feasible framework for monitoring water quality. A useful tool for monitoring the ecological health of aquatic systems is by means of the analysis and inferences made from benthic invertebrates in a biomonitoring approach. Biomonitoring of rivers and streams within the Arctic has been under‐represented in research efforts. Here, we investigate an approach for monitoring biological impairment in Arctic streams from anthropogenic land use at two streams with different exposure to urban development in Iqaluit, Nunavut, Arctic Canada. Sites upstream of development, at midpoint locations, and at the mouth of each waterbody were sampled during 6 campaigns (2008, 2009, 2014, 2015, 2018, and 2019) to address spatial and temporal variability of the macroinvertebrate community. The influence of taxonomic resolution scaling was also examined in order to understand the sensitivity of macroinvertebrates as indicators in Arctic aquatic systems. We demonstrate that standard biological metrics were effective in indicating biological impairment downstream of sources of point‐source pollutants. A mixed‐design ANOVA for repeated measures also found strong interannual variability; however, we did not detect intra‐annual variation from seasonal factors. When examining metrics at the highest taxonomic resolution possible, the sensitivity of metrics increased. Likewise, when trait‐based metrics (α functional diversity) were applied to indicators identified at high taxonomic resolution, a significant difference was found between reference and impacted sites. Our results show that even though Arctic systems have lower diversity and constrained life‐history characteristics compared to temperate ecosystems, biomonitoring is not only possible, but also equally effective in detecting trends from anthropogenic activities. Thus, biomonitoring approaches in Arctic environments are likely a useful means for providing rapid and cost‐effective means of assessing future environmental impact.