bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Universal Tree of Life
Authors: Forterre Patrick , Da Cunha Violette , Gaïa Morgan 
Published: June 2018

Abstract

The first tree of life based on the comparison of ribosomal RNA (ribonucleic acid) allowed classifying all ribosome‐encoding organisms into three domains: Archaea, Bacteria and Eukarya. Phylogenomics analyses later on show that these domains probably emerged from a last universal common ancestor (LUCA) simpler than modern organisms. Different results are however still obtained regarding the relationships between Archaea and Eukarya when relying on concatenations of universal proteins. Recent analyses have revealed that the topology obtained in these studies is strongly dependent on the universal proteins and species data sets. On the basis of this observation, our recent phylogenetic analyses presently support the sisterhood of Archaea and Eukarya. Viruses, defined as virion‐encoding organisms, cannot be formally located in the tree of life but populate it entirely from its trunk to the leaves.

Key Concepts

Ribosome‐encoding organisms have been classified into three domains based on their 16S ribosomal RNA sequences.

The last universal common ancestor (LUCA) was probably much simpler than modern organisms.

The tree of life can be theoretically determined from the phylogenetic analysis of universal proteins.

Different universal proteins strongly favour opposite scenarios for the origin of eukaryotes.

The addition of fast‐evolving organisms to species data sets favours the branching of eukaryotes within archaea.

Phylogenies of RNA polymerases, the largest universal proteins, support the monophyly of the three domains and the sisterhood of Archaea and Eukarya.

Viruses cannot be formally located in the universal tree of life, but infect the universal tree from the trunk to the leaves.
Sulfur Metabolism in Plants
Authors: Jobe Timothy O , Kopriva Stanislav 
Published: June 2018

Abstract

Sulfur is an essential element found in plants in a variety of compounds with many different functions. The sulfur‐containing amino acids cysteine and methionine are essential components of proteins. Sulfur is the active component of many coenzymes, such as iron–sulfur centres, lipoic acid or coenzyme A, and metabolites important for plant defence against biotic and abiotic stress, for example glutathione or glucosinolates. In addition, the sulfur‐containing natural compounds glucosinolates and alliins are important for human food and health. Sulfur is taken up as inorganic sulfate from the soil, reduced to sulfide and incorporated into amino acid cysteine, which serves as a donor of reduced sulfur for other metabolites. Sulfate uptake and assimilation are highly regulated by sulfur supply and demand. Research into plant sulfur nutrition has been boosted by the growing appearance of sulfur‐deficiency syndromes in crops, which lowers grain quality and increases disease susceptibility, caused by a reduction in atmospheric sulfur dioxide emissions.

Key Concepts

Sulfur is an essential nutrient for all organisms, and a large portion of sulfur in nature exists in bioorganic compounds.

Sulfur is a very mobile element moving between oceans, atmosphere and terrestrial ecosystems often undergoing transformations of its chemical state in the biosphere.

In the sulfate assimilation pathway, sulfate taken up by sulfate transporters, is reduced to sulfide and incorporated into bioorganic compounds, forming the amino acid cysteine.

The sulfate assimilation pathway is present in bacteria, fungi, plants and algae but not in metazoans or in most parasitic microorganisms.

Sulfate assimilation is a highly regulated process requiring coordination with carbon and nitrogen metabolism across a range of tissues and in multiple subcellular organelles.

Sulfate assimilation is regulated in a demand‐driven manner through a robust transcriptional network, but also includes post‐transcriptional and post‐translational regulation.

In Arabidopsis, Sulfur LIMitation 1 (SLIM1) is a transcriptional activator of many sulfate transporters and genes involved in the sulfur starvation response.

The sulfur‐containing tripeptide glutathione is important as redox buffer, acts as a storage and transport form of reduced sulfur and regulates the cell cycle and protein translation.

Sulfur‐containing natural compounds glucosinolates and alliins are responsible for the smell and taste of cruciferous and allium family vegetables and for the benefits of these vegetables for human health.
Dendritic Cell Therapy
Authors: Dastmalchi Farhad , Karachi Aida , Mitchell Duane , Rahman Maryam 
Published: June 2018

Abstract

The role of immunology is now critical for the understanding of cancer pathophysiology and treatment. Dendritic cells (DCs) are immune cells that serve the unique purpose of bridging innate immunity with the adaptive immune response. Owing to their specialised role, they have been leveraged to deliver immunotherapy for cancer.

Key Concepts

Dendritic cells are antigen presenting cells that present antigens to naïve T cells serving as a link between the innate and adaptive immune response.

Dendritic cells can be generated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells, loaded with an antigen and given back to the patient as a vaccine.

Dendritic cells can various antigens including non-infectious antigens related to disease such as cancer.

Several dendritic cell vaccines have been tested for efficacy in cancer and one is currently FDA approved for prostate cancer.

Dendritic cell vaccines have been tested in patients with cancer with promising results.
Molecular Genetics of Essential Tremor
Authors: Houle Gabrielle , Dion Patrick A , Rouleau Guy A 
Published: June 2018

Abstract

Essential tremor (ET) is a movement disorder characterised by involuntary and rhythmic shaking, especially in the hands. The primary symptom associated with ET is an action tremor, which occurs with the purposeful use of a body part, like the hand. ET has a strong genetic component as 50–70% of cases have a familial history where transmission is typically autosomal dominant. The high rate of misdiagnosis, which is in part due to the absence of biomarkers, imaging or genetic markers, complicates the identification of genetic risk factors. Another challenging aspect is the overlapping clinical and pathological features between ET and Parkinson's disease (PD), along with the evidence of increased odds of developing PD when affected by ET. Decades of research have identified several ET loci and candidate genes, albeit replication studies, when available, yielded mixed results, and in most cases, evidence supporting variant causality remains poor. Nonetheless, these associations provide valuable insights into the complexity of the genetics underlying the disorder.

Key Concepts

Essential tremor is a neurological disorder characterised by involuntary and rhythmic shaking.

The causes of essential tremor are unknown.

Strong evidence supports high heritability for essential tremor.

Decades of research have suggested multiple
loci
and genes associated with the disorder.

Few of these genetic associations have been replicated in independent cohorts.
Olfactory dysfunction in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Authors: Viguera Cristina , Wang Jiangxia , Mosmiller Elizabeth , Cerezo Aiana , Maragakis Nicholas J. 
Published: June 2018

AbstractWe utilized the well‐validated University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT) to examine whether olfactory dysfunction occurs in ALS participants. After adjusting for relevant confounders in a multiple linear regression model, ALS participants scored significantly lower on the UPSIT compared with control participants, with an estimated mean difference of 2.31 points (P = 0.015). ALS participants also had twice the rate of olfactory dysfunction (microsmia or anosmia). This study suggests that olfactory dysfunction exists in ALS patients, which expands our understanding of the extramotor findings in ALS. Future investigations could determine whether there are correlations between olfactory dysfunction and specific ALS phenotypes.
Learning‐based iterative modular adaptive control for nonlinear systems
Authors: Benosman Mouhacine , Farahmand Amir‐Massoud , Xia Meng 
Published: June 2018

SummaryIn this paper, we study the problem of adaptive trajectory tracking control for a class of nonlinear systems with structured parametric uncertainties. We propose to use an iterative modular approach: we first design a robust nonlinear state feedback that renders the closed‐loop input‐to‐state stable (ISS). Here, the input is considered to be the estimation error of the uncertain parameters, and the state is considered to be the closed‐loop output tracking error. Next, we propose an iterative adaptive algorithm, where we augment this robust ISS controller with an iterative data‐driven learning algorithm to estimate online the parametric uncertainties of the model. We implement this method with two different learning approaches. The first one is a data‐driven multiparametric extremum seeking method, which guarantees local convergence results, and the second is a Bayesian optimization‐based method called Gaussian Process Upper Confidence Bound, which guarantees global results in a compact search set. The combination of the ISS feedback and the data‐driven learning algorithms gives a learning‐based modular indirect adaptive controller. We show the efficiency of this approach on a two‐link robot manipulator numerical example.
Macroscopic Layered Organogel–Hydrogel Hybrids with Controllable Wetting and Swelling Performance
Authors: Zhao Tianyi , Wang Guangyan , Hao Dezhao , Chen Lie , Liu Kesong , Liu Mingjie 
Published: June 2018

AbstractSoft gels that integrate the water retention of hydrogels and the water swelling resistance of organogels are sought by researchers. Such materials have useful properties and potential applications in stretchable and biointegrated fields, such as tissue engineering, microfluidics, and biomedical devices. This study reports a simple yet versatile method for assembling hydrogels and organogels into covalently tethered hybrids to provide robust properties, such as excellent stretchability, tough interfacial bonds, enduring antiswelling, and low dehydration. The proposed method is simple and can generally be applied to hydrogels that contain hydroxyl terminal groups and commonly used organogels that can copolymerize with double‐bond groups. The unique property of being externally hydrophobic and internally hydrophilic enables the organogel–hydrogel hybrids to be applied to many fields, such as mobility control of water droplets, printing, and 3D structure development. The organogel hydrogel hybrids not only present superior wettability performances, such as water retention and swelling resistance, but also present applicable functions that make them useful in tissue engineering and biomedical devices in vivo.
Single‐Atom Engineering of Directional Charge Transfer Channels and Active Sites for Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution
Authors: Cao Shaowen , Li Han , Tong Tong , Chen Hsiao‐Chien , Yu Anchi , Yu Jiaguo , Chen Hao Ming 
Published: June 2018

AbstractEfficiency of layered photocatalysts such as graphitic carbon nitride (g‐CN) is still too low due to the poor utilization of photoexcited‐charge carriers. The major drawback is that the weak van der Waals force among g‐CN layers is unfavorable for the charge transfer between the adjacent layers and the intrinsically π‐conjugated planes with inefficient random in‐plane charge migration. Herein, an atomically dispersed Pd layered photocatalyst with both bridged sites of adjacent layers and surface‐sites of g‐CN is demonstrated, providing directional charge‐transfer channels and targeting active sites for photocatalytic water reduction. Both theoretical prediction and empirical characterizations are conducted to achieve the successful synthesis of single‐atom engineered Pd/g‐CN hybrid and the excellent separation of charge transfer as well as the efficient photocatalytic hydrogen evolution, much better than that of the optimized Pt/g‐CN benchmark. The finding in this work provides a rational way for tailoring the performance and engineering of single‐atomic noble metal.
Redox‐Activated Near‐Infrared‐Responsive Polyoxometalates Used for Photothermal Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease
Authors: Ma Mengmeng , Gao Nan , Sun Yuhuan , Du Xiubo , Ren Jinsong , Qu Xiaogang 
Published: June 2018

AbstractAdjustable structure, excellent physiochemical properties, and good biocompatibility render polyoxometalates (POMs) as a suitable drug agent for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, previous works using POMs against AD just focus on the inhibition of amyloid‐β (Aβ) monomer aggregation. In consideration that both Aβ fibrils and reactive oxygen species (ROS) are closely associated with clinical development of AD symptoms, it would be more effective if POMs can disaggregate Aβ fibrils and eliminate ROS as well. Herein, a redox‐activated near‐infrared (NIR) responsive POMs‐based nanoplaform (rPOMs@MSNs@copolymer) is developed with high photothermal effect and antioxidant activity. The rPOMs@MSNs@copolymer can generate local hyperthermia to disaggregate Aβ fibrils under NIR laser irradiation because of POMs (rPOMs) with strong NIR absorption. Furthermore, Aβ‐induced ROS can be scavenged by the antioxidant activity of rPOMs. To the authors' knowledge, there is no report of using rPOMs for NIR photothermal treatment of AD. This work may promote the development of multifunctional inorganic agents for biomedical applications.
Adsorption and Detection of Hazardous Trace Gases by Metal–Organic Frameworks
Authors: Woellner Michelle , Hausdorf Steffen , Klein Nicole , Mueller Philipp , Smith Martin W. , Kaskel Stefan 
Published: June 2018

AbstractThe quest for advanced designer adsorbents for air filtration and monitoring hazardous trace gases has recently been more and more driven by the need to ensure clean air in indoor, outdoor, and industrial environments. How to increase safety with regard to personal protection in the event of hazardous gas exposure is a critical question for an ever‐growing population spending most of their lifetime indoors, but is also crucial for the chemical industry in order to protect future generations of employees from potential hazards. Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are already quite advanced and promising in terms of capacity and specific affinity to overcome limitations of current adsorbent materials for trace and toxic gas adsorption. Due to their advantageous features (e.g., high specific surface area, catalytic activity, tailorable pore sizes, structural diversity, and range of chemical and physical properties), MOFs offer a high potential as adsorbents for air filtration and monitoring of hazardous trace gases. Three advanced topics are considered here, in applying MOFs for selective adsorption: (i) toxic gas adsorption toward filtration for respiratory protection as well as indoor and cabin air, (ii) enrichment of hazardous gases using MOFs, and (iii) MOFs as sensors for toxic trace gases and explosives.
Development of Bismuth Ferrite as a Piezoelectric and Multiferroic Material by Cobalt Substitution
Authors: Hojo Hajime , Oka Kengo , Shimizu Keisuke , Yamamoto Hajime , Kawabe Ryo , Azuma Masaki 
Published: June 2018

AbstractBismuth ferrite (BiFeO3) is the most widely studied multiferroic material with robust ferroelectricity and antiferromagnetic ordering at room temperature. One of the possible device applications of this material is one that utilizes the ferroelectric/piezoelectric property itself such as ferroelectric memory components, actuators, and so on. Other applications are more challenging and make full use of its multiferroic property to realize novel spintronics and magnetic memory devices, which can be addressed electrically as well as magnetically. This progress report summarizes the recent attempt to control the piezoelectric and magnetic properties of BiFeO3 by cobalt substitution.
Emerging Hierarchical Aerogels: Self‐Assembly of Metal and Semiconductor Nanocrystals
Authors: Cai Bin , Sayevich Vladimir , Gaponik Nikolai , Eychmüller Alexander 
Published: June 2018

AbstractAerogels assembled from colloidal metal or semiconductor nanocrystals (NCs) feature large surface area, ultralow density, and high porosity, thus rendering them attractive in various applications, such as catalysis, sensors, energy storage, and electronic devices. Morphological and structural modification of the aerogel backbones while maintaining the aerogel properties enables a second stage of the aerogel research, which is defined as hierarchical aerogels. Different from the conventional aerogels with nanowire‐like backbones, those hierarchical aerogels are generally comprised of at least two levels of architectures, i.e., an interconnected porous structure on the macroscale and a specially designed configuration at local backbones at the nanoscale. This combination “locks in” the inherent properties of the NCs, so that the beneficial genes obtained by nanoengineering are retained in the resulting monolithic hierarchical aerogels. Herein, groundbreaking advances in the design, synthesis, and physicochemical properties of the hierarchical aerogels are reviewed and organized in three sections: i) pure metallic hierarchical aerogels, ii) semiconductor hierarchical aerogels, and iii) metal/semiconductor hybrid hierarchical aerogels. This report aims to define and demonstrate the concept, potential, and challenges of the hierarchical aerogels, thereby providing a perspective on the further development of these materials.
Recent Advances in Morphology Optimization for Organic Photovoltaics
Authors: Lee Hansol , Park Chaneui , Sin Dong Hun , Park Jong Hwan , Cho Kilwon 
Published: June 2018

AbstractOrganic photovoltaics are an important part of a next‐generation energy‐harvesting technology that uses a practically infinite pollutant‐free energy source. They have the advantages of light weight, solution processability, cheap materials, low production cost, and deformability. However, to date, the moderate photovoltaic efficiencies and poor stabilities of organic photovoltaics impede their use as replacements for inorganic photovoltaics. Recent developments in bulk‐heterojunction organic photovoltaics mean that they have almost reached the lower efficiency limit for feasible commercialization. In this review article, the recent understanding of the ideal bulk‐heterojunction morphology of the photoactive layer for efficient exciton dissociation and charge transport is described, and recent attempts as well as early‐stage trials to realize this ideal morphology are discussed systematically from a morphological viewpoint. The various approaches to optimizing morphologies consisting of an interpenetrating bicontinuous network with appropriate domain sizes and mixed regions are categorized, and in each category, the recent trends in the morphology control on the multilength scale are highlighted and discussed in detail. This review article concludes by identifying the remaining challenges for the control of active layer morphologies and by providing perspectives toward real application and commercialization of organic photovoltaics.
Necklace‐Like Structures Composed of Fe3N@C Yolk–Shell Particles as an Advanced Anode for Sodium‐Ion Batteries
Authors: Li Zhen , Fang Yongjin , Zhang Jintao , Lou Xiong Wen (David) 
Published: June 2018

AbstractIt is of great importance to develop cost‐effective electrode materials for large‐scale use of Na‐ion batteries. Here, a binder‐free electrode based on necklace‐like structures composed of Fe3N@C yolk–shell particles as an advanced anode for Na‐ion batteries is reported. In this electrode, every Fe3N@C unit has a novel yolk–shell structure, which can accommodate the volumetric changes of Fe3N during the (de)sodiation processes for superior structural integrity. Moreover, all reaction units are threaded along the carbon fibers, guaranteeing excellent kinetics for the electrochemical reactions. As a result, when evaluated as an anode material for Na‐ion batteries, the Fe3N@C nano‐necklace electrode delivers a prolonged cycle life over 300 cycles, and achieves a high C‐rate capacity of 248 mAh g−1 at 2 A g−1.
Unlockable Nanocomplexes with Self‐Accelerating Nucleic Acid Release for Effective Staged Gene Therapy of Cardiovascular Diseases
Authors: Nie Jing‐Jun , Qiao Bokang , Duan Shun , Xu Chen , Chen Boya , Hao Wenjing , Yu Bingran , Li Yulin , Du Jie , Xu Fu‐Jian 
Published: June 2018

AbstractNucleic acid (NA)‐based therapy is proposed to address serious diseases such as cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Powerful NA delivery vehicles are essential for effective gene therapy. Herein, a novel type of delivery vehicle, an unlockable core–shell nanocomplex (Hep@PGEA) with self‐accelerating NA release, is structurally designed. Hep@PGEA is composed of disulfide‐bridged heparin nanoparticle (HepNP) core and low‐toxicity PGEA cationic shell. In comparison with NA, heparin, a negatively charged polysaccharide macromolecule, exhibits stronger interactions with cationic species. Upon the breakdown of redox‐responsive HepNP cores, unlocked heparin would interact with the outer cationic shells and replace the condensed NA to facilitate NA release. Such unique Hep@PGEA is successfully explored for effective miRNA–pDNA staged gene therapy of myocardial infarction (MI), one of the most serious CVDs. With the progression of MI, glutathione amounts in heart tissues increase. MiR‐499 (for the inhibition of cardiomyocyte apoptosis) and plasmid encoding vascular endothelial growth factor (for the promotion of angiogenesis) are sequentially delivered for systemic treatment of MI. Such treatment produces impressive results in restoring heart function and suppressing cardiac hypertrophy. Due to the wide existence of redox agents in cells, the proposed unlockable delivery nanovehicle and staged therapy strategy can provide new methods to effectively treat different serious diseases.
High‐Mobility p‐Type and n‐Type Copper Nitride Semiconductors by Direct Nitriding Synthesis and In Silico Doping Design
Authors: Matsuzaki Kosuke , Harada Kou , Kumagai Yu , Koshiya Shogo , Kimoto Koji , Ueda Shigenori , Sasase Masato , Maeda Akihiro , Susaki Tomofumi , Kitano Masaaki , Oba Fumiyasu , Hosono Hideo 
Published: June 2018

AbstractThin‐film photovoltaics (PV) have emerged as a technology that can meet the growing demands for efficient and low‐cost large‐scale cells. However, the photoabsorbers currently in use contain expensive or toxic elements, and the difficulty in bipolar doping, particularly in a device structure, requires elaborate optimization of the heterostructures for improving the efficiency. This study shows that bipolar doping with high hole and electron mobilities in copper nitride (Cu3N), composed solely of earth‐abundant and environmentally benign elements, is readily available through a novel gaseous direct nitriding reaction applicable to uniform and large‐area deposition. A high‐quality undoped Cu3N film is essentially an n‐type semiconductor, while p‐type conductivity is realized by interstitial fluorine doping, as predicted using density functional theory calculations and directly proven by atomically resolved imaging. The synthetic methodology for high‐quality p‐type and n‐type films paves the way for the application of Cu3N as an alternative absorber in thin‐film PV.