bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
C.B‐17SCIDmice develop epicardial calcinosis with unaltered cardiac function
Authors: Raghunathan Suchi , Reynolds Corey L. , Schwartz Robert J. , Stewart M. David , McConnell Bradley K. 
Published: June 2018

AbstractInbred mouse strains are the most widely used mammalian model organism in biomedical research owing to ease of genetic manipulation and short lifespan; however, each inbred strain possesses a unique repertoire of deleterious homozygous alleles that can make a specific strain more susceptible to a particular disease. In the current study, we report dystrophic cardiac calcinosis (DCC) in C.B‐17SCIDmale mice at 10 weeks of age with no significant change in cardiac function. Acquisition ofDCCwas characterized by myocardial injury, fibrosis, calcification, and necrosis of the tissue. At 10 weeks of age, 38% of the C.B‐17SCIDmice from two different commercial colonies exhibited significant calcinosis on the ventricular epicardium, predominantly on the right ventricle. The frequency of calcinosis was more than 50% for mice obtained from Taconic's Cambridge City colony and 25% for mice obtained from Taconic's German Town colony. Interestingly, theDCCphenotype did not affect cardiac function at 10 weeks of age. No differences in echocardiography or electrocardiography were observed between the calcinotic and non‐calcinotic mice from either colony. Our findings suggest that C.B‐17SCIDmice exhibitDCCas early as 10 weeks of age with no significant impact on cardiac function. This strain of mice should be cautiously considered for the study of cardiac physiology.
Threshold angle and valid fracture of the sectored flexural specimen
Authors: Oistad Brian A. , Wereszczak Andrew A. , Chen Branndon R. , Jadaan Osama M. 
Published: June 2018

AbstractThe sectored flexural specimen was developed over a decade ago to measure the strength of ceramic and glass tubes and cylinders in which flaws on a tube's or cylinder's outer surface are limiters of axial tensile failure stress. Using the specimen's geometry, the associated axial tensile failure stress can be analytically calculated from the failure force measured from simple uniaxial bending, and multiple specimens (and test data) can be harvested from a single tube or cylinder. The sector angles of specimens in previous studies were somewhat arbitrarily chosen and usually produced validly occurring fractures and data; however, if the angle used was too small (relative to the tube's or cylinder's geometry), then undesirable application‐irrelevant edge‐located failures resulted. To avoid such failures in specimen design, a threshold sector angle was identified to guide the selection of a minimum sector angle (and consequential cross section) for any arbitrary sector flexural specimen harvested from a tube or cylinder. If the sector angle of the specimen is larger than the threshold value, then fracture will not occur at a specimen's edge and the measured axial failure stress will be limited by surface‐located flaws on the tube's or cylinder's outer surface.
Reactive ion etching (CF4/Ar) and ion beam etching of various glasses for diffractive optical element fabrication
Authors: Schmitt Jana , Meier Andreas , Wallrabe Ulrike , Völklein Friedemann 
Published: June 2018

AbstractThe paper reports on the reactive ion etching (RIE) and ion beam etching (IBE) of commercially available glasses and their usability for the fabrication of diffractive optical elements as an alternative for expensive quartz glass. Fused quartz, borosilicate glasses BF33, BF40, D263, alkaline‐free aluminoborosilicate glasses AF45 and AF37, and alkaline‐alkaline‐earth silicate B270 were processed with RIE using CF4/Ar gas mixtures. EDX investigations displayed the dependence of the measured etch rates on nonvolatile reaction products. CF4/Ar flow rates influence the etch rates which show maximum values in the range 10‐20 sccm Ar flow. Etch rates as a function of etch depth were investigated as well. Variations in surface roughness are determined by AFM and SEM investigations. Etch rate, surface roughness, and structure shape depend on the alkaline and alkaline‐earth content of the various glass materials is displayed. The usability of the different glass types regarding optical performance was evaluated by comparison of simulated and measured diffraction efficiencies of IBE line gratings, since IBE provides comparable surface qualities. It offers a process alternative for the patterning of micro‐optical elements with high surface quality. Therefore, IBE etch rates were measured as well.
Significantly improved photoluminescence of the green‐emitting β‐sialon:Eu2+ phosphor via surface coating of TiO2
Authors: Zhang Chenning , Uchikoshi Tetsuo , Xie Rong‐Jun , Liu Lihong , Sakka Yoshio , Hirosaki Naoto 
Published: June 2018

AbstractThe β‐sialon:Eu2+ phosphor particles were successfully coated by TiO2 nanoparticles via the sol‐gel method. The TiO2‐coated β‐sialon:Eu2+ phosphor had a significantly improved photoluminescence (PL) performance under the 365 nm excitation, due to the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) at the interface between the TiO2 coating layer and phosphor surface. The emission intensity of the TiO2‐coated β‐sialon:Eu2+ prepared with the titanium (IV) tetrabutoxide (Ti(OC4H9)4, TTBO):H2O = 1:0.5 volume ratio was dramatically increased by ~24%. When the preparation temperature was 500°C, it was responsible for superior PL intensity by considering the important domination factors of higher anatase content and spherical particle shape of the TiO2 coating layer to the LSPR effect. The coating around the phosphor surface by the TiO2 nanoparticles would be an effective technique to improve the PL efficiency of phosphor for the application in the white light‐emitting diodes (LEDs), by utilizing the LSPR effect of the semiconductor coating layer, instead of conventional metal plasmonic materials.
Thermochemical model on the carbothermal reduction of oxides during spark plasma sintering of zirconium diboride
Authors: Pham David , Dycus Joseph H. , LeBeau James M. , Manga Venkateswara R. , Muralidharan Krishna , Corral Erica L. 
Published: June 2018

AbstractCarbon was used to reduce oxides in spark plasma sintered ZrB2 ultra‐high temperature ceramics. A thermodynamic model was used to evaluate the reducing reactions to remove B2O3 and ZrO2 from the powder. Powder oxygen content was measured and carbon additions of 0.5 and 0.75 wt% were used. A C–ZrO2 pseudo binary diagram, ZrO2–B2O3–C pseudo ternaries, and Zr–C–O potential phase diagrams were generated to show how the reactions can be related to an open system experiment in the tube furnace. Scanning transmission electron microscopy identified impurity phases composed of amorphous Zr–B–O with lamellar BN and a Zr–C–O ternary model was calculated under SPS sintering conditions at 1900°C and 6 Pa to understand how oxides can be retained in the microstructure.
Direct observation of Eu atoms in AlN lattice and the first‐principles simulations
Authors: Yin Liang‐Jun , Zhang Sheng‐Hui , Wang Hui , Jian Xian , Wang Xin , Xu Xin , Liu Ming‐Zhen , Fang Chang‐Ming 
Published: June 2018

AbstractRare‐earth metal (Eu)‐doped aluminum nitride has potential application as luminescence materials due to its unusual mechanical and physical properties, as well as high chemical stability. Here, we investigate the energetics, local structure and optical and electronic properties by means of a combination of experimental observations (XDR, SEM, HR‐TEM and XANES) and first‐principles simulations. Present study has revealed that Eu ions are likely to be co‐doped with O in the form of Eu–O pairs. Eu ions or Eu–O pairs favor participation at the surfaces of the AlN crystallites. Our analyses show dependences of the Eu valence and electronic/optical properties on the local chemical composition and structure. The obtained information helps us to realize tuning of the optical properties of the luminescent materials via composition and site occupation modification.
Structural complexity of hunting habitat and territoriality increase the reversed sexual size dimorphism in diurnal raptors
Authors: Pérez‐Camacho Lorenzo , Martínez‐Hesterkamp Sara , Rebollo Salvador , García‐Salgado Gonzalo , Morales‐Castilla Ignacio 
Published: June 2018

Despite numerous efforts and many hypotheses to explain the selective pressures that may have favoured reversed sexual dimorphism (RSD) in raptors – i.e. that the female is larger than the male – some drivers of RSD are still unknown.Here we analyse how much variation in RSD is explained by hunting habitat structure, territoriality or territory size. We do so using data on diurnal raptors from the New World and the Western Palearctic – i.e. Cathartidae, Pandionidae, Accipitridae and Falconidae, the largest bird group showing RSD – taking into account the phylogenetic relationships among species.Our results identify the type of the main prey as a major factor explaining RSD in raptors. We also found RSD to increase with increasing structural complexity in the hunting habitat from open or semi‐open habitats to forest interior. RSD also increased with increasing degree of territoriality of the species (non‐territorial < facultative < territorial). Finally, for territorial species RSD increased with increasing size of nesting territory. A model comprising only three predictor variables (prey type, structural complexity of hunting habitat and territoriality) explained up to 50% of the variation in RSD of European and American diurnal raptor species, and up to 40% of the variation in RSD when only territorial species were considered.Our results highlight the relevance of spatial facets of the niche – e.g. hunting habitat, territoriality and territory size – in exerting selective pressures on the body size of diurnal raptors. These selective pressures, joint with already known trophic factors – e.g. diet – are decisive for the evolution of the RSD, a key trait in the functional ecology of raptors. Our findings open up new perspectives in the study of sexual size divergence in birds.
Reliability of the hidradenitis suppurativa clinical response in the assessment of patients with hidradenitis suppurativa
Authors: Kimball A.B. , Ganguli A. , Fleischer A. 
Published: June 2018

AbstractBackgroundHidradenitis suppurativa clinical response (HiSCR) is a validated clinical end point for measuring response to treatment in patients with hidradenitis suppurativa (HS). Previous studies have reported on the validity, responsiveness and meaningfulness of the HiSCR.ObjectiveTo evaluate the HiSCR for inter‐ and intrarater reliability characteristics.MethodsA stand‐alone, two‐site, prospective, non‐interventional observational study consisted of 22 patients, with self‐reported severity between mild, moderate and severe HS. The Patient Global Impression of Change (PGI‐C) scale was completed by patients at Timepoint 2. Descriptive statistics of Hurley Stage, total abscesses, total draining fistulas, total inflammatory nodules and total AN count (sum of inflammatory nodules and lesions) were reported at two timepoints. Inter‐rater reliability and intrarater reliability for the HS lesion count tool were evaluated at two timepoints (baseline and Day 7) using the HS lesion count tool. Intraclass correlation (ICC) coefficients of lesion counts were calculated to evaluate inter‐ and intrarater reliability of lesion counts between pairs of dermatologists.ResultsThe majority of patients demonstrated either no change or minimally worse PGI‐C in HS scores. Descriptive statistics were similar between rater groups and timepoints assessed. Inter‐rater ICC coefficients for abscess count at Timepoints 1 and 2 were 0.38 and 0.67. The ICC coefficients for draining fistula and AN count were ≥0.61 at both timepoints. In an exploratory model, ICC coefficients were ≥0.68 for all evaluated lesion counts. The test–retest reliability using ICC coefficients was ≥0.70 for total abscess, draining fistula, inflammatory nodule and AN count.ConclusionThe HS lesion count tool had an acceptable inter‐ and intrarater reliability, indicating that HiSCR has a strong degree of reproducibility and consistency in the evaluation of patients with HS.
Sphingolipids and neuronal degeneration in lysosomal storage disorders
Authors: Grassi Sara , Chiricozzi Elena , Mauri Laura , Sonnino Sandro , Prinetti Alessandro 
Published: June 2018

AbstractCeramide, sphingomyelin, and glycosphingolipids (both neutral and acidic) are characterized by the presence in the lipid moiety of an aliphatic base known as sphingosine. Altogether, they are called sphingolipids and are particularly abundant in neuronal plasma membranes, where, via interactions with the other membrane lipids and membrane proteins, they play a specific role in modulating the cell signaling processes. The metabolic pathways determining the plasma membrane sphingolipid composition are thus the key point for functional changes of the cell properties. Unnatural changes of the neuronal properties are observed in sphingolipidoses, lysosomal storage diseases occurring when a lysosomal sphingolipid hydrolase is not working, leading to the accumulation of the substrate and to its distribution to all the cell membranes interacting with lysosomes. Moreover, secondary accumulation of sphingolipids is a common trait of other lysosomal storage diseases.
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This article is part of the Special Issue “Lysosomal Storage Disorders”.
A motor neuron strategy to save time and energy in neurodegeneration: adaptive protein stoichiometry
Authors: Zucchi Elisabetta , Lu Ching‐Hua , Cho Yunju , Chang Rakwoo , Adiutori Rocco , Zubiri Irene , Ceroni Mauro , Cereda Cristina , Pansarasa Orietta , Greensmith Linda , Malaspina Andrea , Petzold Axel 
Published: June 2018

AbstractNeurofilament proteins (Nf) are a biomarker of disease progression in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). This study investigated whether there are major differences in expression from in vivo measurements of neurofilament isoforms, from the light chain, NfL (68 kDa), compared with larger proteins, the medium chain (NfM, 150 kDa) and the heavy (NfH, 200‐210 kDa) chains in ALS patients and healthy controls. New immunological methods were combined with Nf subunit stoichiometry calculations and Monte Carlo simulations of a coarse‐grained Nf brush model. Based on a physiological Nf subunit stoichiometry of 7 : 3 : 2 (NfL:NfM:NfH), we found an ‘adaptive’ Nf subunit stoichiometry of 24 : 2.4 : 1.6 in ALS. Adaptive Nf stoichiometry preserved NfL gyration radius in the Nf brush model. The energy and time requirements for Nf translation were 56 ± 27k ATP (5.6 h) in control subjects compared to 123 ± 102k (12.3 h) in ALS with ‘adaptive’ (24:2.4:1.6) Nf stoichiometry (not significant) and increased significantly to 355 ± 330k (35.5 h) with ‘luxury’ (7:3:2) Nf subunit stoichiometry (p < 0.0001 for each comparison). Longitudinal disease progression‐related energy consumption was highest with a ‘luxury’ (7:3:2) Nf stoichiometry. Therefore, an energy and time‐saving option for motor neurons is to shift protein expression from larger to smaller (cheaper) subunits, at little or no costs on a protein structural level, to compensate for increased energy demands.
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Using Classification Techniques for Assigning Work Descriptions to Task Groups on the Basis of Construction Vocabulary
Authors: Martínez‐Rojas María , Soto‐Hidalgo Jose Manuel , Marín Nicolás , Vila M. Amparo 
Published: June 2018

AbstractConstruction project management produces a huge amount of documents in a variety of formats. The efficient use of the data contained in these documents is crucial to enhance control and to improve performance. A central pillar throughout the project life cycle is the Bill of Quantities (BoQ) document. It provides economic information and details a collection of work descriptions describing the nature of the different works needed to be done to achieve the project goal. In this work, we focus on the problem of automatically classifying such work descriptions into a predefined task organization hierarchy, so that it can be possible to store them in a common data repository. We describe a methodology for preprocessing the text associated to work descriptions to build training and test data sets and carry out a complete experimentation with several well‐known machine learning algorithms.
Resource Leveling Based on Line of Balance and Constraint Programming
Authors: Tang Yuanjie , Sun Quanxin , Liu Rengkui , Wang Futian 
Published: June 2018

AbstractThis study investigated resource leveling problems concerning linear construction projects based on the line of balance (LOB) technique and constraint programming. In addition, an LOB‐based scheduling optimization model for resource leveling is proposed. This model retains the advantages of the conventional models, including multiple‐resource management and natural rhythm concept, and showcases new abilities: scheduling optimization without specifying a fixed schedule; scheduling optimization on more comprehensive optimization objects and variable values; maintaining continuity of resource while completely eliminating the occurrence of idle time; handling more comprehensive constraints after the addition of logical constraints and explicit expression of certain new constraints. The flexibility, practicality, and solution quality of the proposed model were enhanced accordingly. Further, a scheduling system was developed to assist in schedule optimization and visualization. Lastly, effectiveness of the proposed model was verified based on four case studies involving three case projects investigated in extant LOB‐based studies.
A genetic screen for plant mutants with altered nodulation phenotypes in response to rhizobial glycan mutants
Authors: Liu Huijun , Sandal Niels , Andersen Kasper R. , James Euan K. , Stougaard Jens , Kelly Simon , Kawaharada Yasuyuki 
Published: June 2018

Summary

Nodule primordia induced by rhizobial glycan mutants often remain uninfected. To identify processes involved in infection and organogenesis we used forward genetics to identify plant genes involved in perception and responses to bacterial glycans.

To dissect the mechanisms underlying the negative plant responses to the Mesorhizobium loti R7AexoU and ML001cep mutants, a screen for genetic suppressors of the nodulation phenotypes was performed on a chemically mutagenized Lotus population.

Two mutant lines formed infected nitrogen‐fixing pink nodules, while five mutant lines developed uninfected large white nodules, presumably altered in processes controlling organogenesis. Genetic mapping identified a mutation in the cytokinin receptor Lhk1 resulting in an alanine to valine substitution adjacent to a coiled‐coil motif in the juxta‐membrane region of LHK1. This results in a spontaneous nodulation phenotype and increased ethylene production. The allele was renamed snf5, and segregation studies of snf5 together with complementation studies suggest that snf5 is a gain‐of‐function allele.

This forward genetic approach to investigate the role of glycans in the pathway synchronizing infection and organogenesis shows that a combination of plant and bacterial genetics opens new possibilities to study glycan responses in plants as well as identification of mutant alleles affecting nodule organogenesis.
MicroRNAs in Marchantia polymorpha
Authors: Lin Shih‐Shun , Bowman John L. 
Published: June 2018

Contents

Summary
409

I.
Introduction
409

II.
RNA silencing machinery in Marchantia polymorpha
410

III.
miRNA prediction by integrating omics approach
410

IV.
miRNAs and their targets in Marchantia polymorpha
410

V.
Mpo‐miR390‐mediated MpTAS3 tasiRNA biogenesis and potential tasiARF target MpARF2
414

VI.
Artificial miRNA and CRISPR‐CAS9 edited MIR gene in Marchantia polymorpha
414

VII.
Conclusions
415

Acknowledgements
415

References
415

SummaryThe liverwort Marchantia polymorpha occupies an important phylogenetic position for comparative studies of land plant gene regulation. Multiple gene regulatory pathways mediated by small RNAs, including microRNAs (miRNAs), trans‐acting short‐interfering RNAs, and heterochromatic siRNAs often associated with RNA‐dependent DNA methylation, have been characterized in flowering plants. Genes for essential components for all of these small RNA‐mediated gene silencing pathways are found in M. polymorpha as well as the moss Phsycomitrella patens, indicating that these pathways existed in the ancestral land plant. However, only seven miRNAs are conserved across land plants, with both ancestral and novel targets identified in M. polymorpha. There is little or no evidence that any of these conserved miRNAs are present in algae. As with other plants investigated, most miRNAs in M. polypmorpha exhibit lineage‐specific evolution. Application of artificial miRNA and CRISPR‐Cas9 technologies in genetic studies of M. polymorpha provide avenues to further investigate miRNA biology.
Epigenetic regulation of anthocyanin biosynthesis by an antagonistic interaction between H2A.Z and H3K4me3
Authors: Cai Hanyang , Zhang Man , Chai Mengnan , He Qing , Huang Xinyu , Zhao Lihua , Qin Yuan 
Published: June 2018

Summary

The accumulation of anthocyanins in response to specific developmental cues or environmental conditions plays a vital role in plant development and protection against stresses. Extensive research has examined the regulation of anthocyanin biosynthetic genes at the transcriptional and post‐transcriptional levels, but the role of chromatin in this regulation remains unknown.

Chromatin immunoprecipitation and quantitative reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction (qRT‐PCR) analyses were performed. Genetic interactions between trimethylation of lysine 4 on histone H3 (H3K4me3) and the chromatin remodeling complex SWR1 in the control of anthocyanin biosynthesis were further studied.

In this study, we provide evidence that a conserved histone H2 variant, H2A.Z, negatively regulates anthocyanin accumulation through deposition at a set of anthocyanin biosynthetic genes and consequently represses their expression in Arabidopsis thaliana. Our data indicate that the accumulation of anthocyanin in H2A.Z deposition‐deficient mutants is associated with increased H3K4me3, which is required for promotion of the expression of anthocyanin biosynthetic genes. We further provide evidence that H3K4me3 in anthocyanin biosynthetic genes is negatively associated with the presence of H2A.Z.

Our results reveal an antagonistic relationship between H2A.Z and H3K4me3 in the regulation of the expression of anthocyanin biosynthesis genes, adding another layer of regulation to anthocyanin biosynthesis genes and highlighting the role of chromatin in gene regulation.