bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Analysis and design of an integrated RF energy harvester for ultra low‐power environments
Authors: Caselli Michele , Tonelli Matteo , Boni Andrea 
Published: May 2019

SummaryRadio‐frequency (RF) energy harvesting must cope with the limited availability and high variability of the energy source. In this paper, the available RF power in three typical environments (urban, semi‐urban, and rural) is investigated. Measurements show that in the surveyed urban and semi‐urban environments, an average input power above −22 and −29 dBm, respectively, is available in the [700, 1,000] MHz band.A mathematical model of the interface between the RF rectifier and the DC‐DC converter is provided. The analysis demonstrates that the energy can be efficiently transferred to the external accumulator coupling the rectifier with a strobed, input control DC‐DC converter.Based on the measurements and the analysis, an RF harvester architecture has been designed in 65 nm Complementary Metal‐Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) technology to operate over the [−40, 85]oC temperature and the [1.1, 2.5] V battery voltage ranges. The input control strategy adopted for the converter allows the adaptation of the harvester to the available RF power and enables a real maximum power point tracking (MPPT).Post‐layout simulation of the harvester, recharging a large capacitor, precharged at 2 V, at 950 MHz of input frequency returned a 33.4% peak efficiency with an input power of 15 μW (−18 dBm). The minimum input power leading to a positive energy balance is −30 dBm with an output voltage of 1.1 V.
A nonparametric Bayesian model for system identification based on a super‐Gaussian distribution
Authors: Tanji Hiroki , Murakami Takahiro , Kamata Hiroyuki 
Published: May 2019

AbstractIn the acoustic signal processing applications of finite impulse response (FIR) system identification, it is important to develop the identification method that is robust to super‐Gaussian noises. Moreover, the identification method that estimates the FIR coefficients and the order of the unknown system is required, because the order of the unknown system is unavailable in advance. Therefore, in this paper, we propose a nonparametric Bayesian (NPB) model for FIR system identification using a super‐Gaussian likelihood and the beta‐Bernoulli process. In the proposed NPB model, we employ the hyperbolic secant distribution for the likelihood function. Then, we derive the inference algorithm to simultaneously estimate the FIR coefficients and the order of the unknown system. Our inference algorithm based on a hybrid inference approach combining the majorization‐minimization (MM) algorithm and the Gibbs sampler. The simulation results suggest that the proposed method outperforms the conventional identification algorithms in a super‐Gaussian noise environment.
Left out in the cold: temperature‐dependence of defense in an African ant–plant mutualism
Authors: Tamashiro Ryan A. , Milligan Patrick D. , Palmer Todd M. 
Published: May 2019

AbstractMany tropical plants are defended by ants, and the costs and benefits of these mutualisms can vary across gradients of herbivory, soil fertility, latitude, and other environmental factors. Yet despite an abundant literature documenting thermal constraints on ant activity and behavior, we know little about whether temperature variation can influence the benefits conferred by ants to plants. We evaluated the effects of dawn‐to‐dusk fluctuations in temperature on patrolling and aggressive behavior in four arboreal ant mutualists of Acacia drepanolobium trees in central Kenya. We found that ant aggressive behavior significantly increased with branch surface temperature, primarily in the two most aggressive ant species: Crematogaster mimosae and C. nigriceps workers attacked a simulated herbivore at higher rates as surface temperature rose. In a browsing experiment, we found that goats browsed more frequently and for longer durations on C. mimosae‐defended trees during cooler times of day, while goat browsing on plants from which ants had been removed was not affected by temperature. Our study demonstrates temperature‐dependence in the efficacy of ant defense against herbivory and suggests that these ant‐plants may be more vulnerable to herbivory during cooler hours of the day, when many native browsers are most active.
microDecon: A highly accurate read‐subtraction tool for the post‐sequencing removal of contamination in metabarcoding studies
Authors: McKnight Donald T. , Huerlimann Roger , Bower Deborah S. , Schwarzkopf Lin , Alford Ross A. , Zenger Kyall R. 
Published: May 2019

AbstractContamination is a ubiquitous problem in microbiome research and can skew results, especially when small amounts of target DNA are available. Nevertheless, no clear solution has emerged for removing microbial contamination. To address this problem, we developed the R package microDecon (https://github.com/donaldtmcknight/microDecon), which uses the proportions of contaminant operational taxonomic units (OTUs) or amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) in blank samples to systematically identify and remove contaminant reads from metabarcoding data sets. We rigorously tested microDecon using a series of computer simulations and a sequencing experiment. We also compared it to the common practice of simply removing all contaminant OTUs/ASVs and other methods for removing contamination. Both the computer simulations and our sequencing data confirmed the utility of microDecon. In our largest simulation (100,000 samples), using microDecon improved the results in 98.1% of samples. Additionally, in the sequencing data and in simulations involving groups, it enabled accurate clustering of groups as well as the detection of previously obscured patterns. It also produced more accurate results than the existing methods for identifying and removing contamination. These results demonstrate that microDecon effectively removes contamination across a broad range of situations. It should, therefore, be widely applicable to microbiome studies, as well as to metabarcoding studies in general.
Pain and posttraumatic stress disorder in refugees who survived torture: The role of pain catastrophizing and trauma‐related beliefs
Authors: Nordin Linda , Perrin Sean 
Published: May 2019

AbstractBackgroundTraumatized refugees with comorbid pain report more severe posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), respond less well to PTSD‐focused treatments and exhibit greater disability. A mutually maintaining relationship may exist between pain and PTSD, that may be partly accounted for by depression, but no prior studies have tested this assumption in traumatized refugees.MethodSelf‐report measures of pain, PTSD, depression, disability, pain catastrophizing (PC) and trauma‐related beliefs (TRBs) were administered to 197 refugees referred to the Danish Institute Against Torture (DIGNITY) prior to treatment. The contribution of pain, depression, PC, and TRBs to the overall variance in PTSD severity was examined. We also examined whether the relationship between pain and PTSD was mediated by PC and TRBs, after controlling for depression.ResultsDepression, pain severity, PC and TRBs together accounted for 66% of the overall variance in PTSD, with depression being the primary contributor (57%). In univariate tests, both PC and TRBs significantly mediated the relationship between pain interference/severity and PTSD. However, after controlling for depression only PC mediated this relationship.ConclusionsNegative beliefs about pain and the trauma made small, but additive contributions to the relationship between pain and PTSD severity, after controlling for depression. Longitudinal studies with refugees, involving tests of more complex mutual maintenance models, are warranted.SignificanceAfter controlling for symptoms of depression, pain catastrophizing and negative trauma‐related beliefs partly mediated the relationship between pain and PTSD in tortured refugees. The results suggest that all three variables are important in a mutual mediation model of pain and PTSD, and as targets for treatment, in traumatized refugees.
De novo variants in SETD1B cause intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorder, and epilepsy with myoclonic absences
Authors: Hiraide Takuya , Hattori Ayako , Ieda Daisuke , Hori Ikumi , Saitoh Shinji , Nakashima Mitsuko , Saitsu Hirotomo 
Published: May 2019

AbstractEpilepsy with myoclonic absences is a specific seizure type characterized by bilateral rhythmic clonic jerks with impairment of consciousness. Here, we report an individual with epilepsy with myoclonic absences, mild intellectual disabilities, language disorder, and autism spectrum disorder. His interictal electroencephalogram revealed a spike‐and‐slow wave complex dominant in the frontal area. His ictal polygraphic and video‐electroencephalogram showed a characteristic diffuse synchronous 3‐Hz spike‐and‐wave burst associated with bilateral upper limb myoclonic jerks with impairment of consciousness. Using whole‐exome sequencing, we found a novel de novo variant, c.386T>G, p.(Val129Gly), in SETD1B (SET domain containing 1B). We previously reported that two individuals with a de novo SETD1B variant showed intellectual disability, epilepsy, and autism. Of note, one of those individuals and the present case showed epilepsy with myoclonic absences. Therefore, this report supports the indication that SETD1B may be a causative gene for neurodevelopmental disorders and suggests that epilepsy with myoclonic absences may be a characteristic feature of SETD1B‐related disorders.
Supplemental Security Income enrollment and health care and social assistance employment and wages
Authors: Pellegrini Lawrence C. , Geissler Kimberley H. 
Published: May 2019

SummaryWe examine the relationship between disabled working‐age Supplemental Security Income (SSI) enrollment and health care and social assistance employment and wages. County‐level data are gathered from government and other publicly available sources for 3144 US counties (2012 to 2015). Population‐weighted linear regression analyses examine associations between each health care and social assistance employment and wage measure and SSI enrollment, controlling for factors associated with health care and social assistance employment and wages. Results show positive associations between county‐level percent of the population enrolled in the SSI program and health care and social assistance employment and wages with strong associations identified for social assistance employment. A one standard deviation increase in SSI enrollment is associated with a 5.6% increase in the health care and social assistance sector employment percent compared with the mean and 9.7% and 7.3% increases in health care and social assistance sector employment and wage shares, respectively, when compared with the means. We find working‐age adult SSI enrollment is positively associated with employment outcomes, primarily in the social assistance organization subsector and in lower wage paying jobs. Evolving federal disability policy may influence existing and future SSI enrollment, which has implications for health care workforce employment and composition.
A novel long noncoding RNA FAF inhibits apoptosis via upregulating FGF9 through PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in ischemia–hypoxia cardiomyocytes
Authors: Shi Hao‐Jie , Wang Ming‐Wei , Sun Jia‐Teng , Wang Hao , Li Ya‐Fei , Chen Bing‐Rui , Fan Yi , Wang Si‐Bo , Wang Zi‐Mu , Wang Qi‐Ming , Wang Lian‐Sheng 
Published: May 2019

AbstractLong noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been increasingly considered to play an important role in the pathological process of various cardiovascular diseases, which often bind to the proximal promoters of the protein‐coding gene to regulate the protein expression. However, the functions and mechanisms of lncRNAs in cardiomyocytes have not been fully elucidated. High‐throughput RNA sequencing was performed to identify the differently expressed lncRNAs and messenger RNAs (mRNAs) between acute myocardial infarction (AMI) rats and healthy controls. One novel lncRNA FGF9‐associated factor (termed FAF) and mRNAs in AMI rats were verified by bioinformatics, real‐time polymerase chain reaction or western blot. Moreover, RNA fluorescence in situ hybridization was performed to determine the location of lncRNA. Subsequently, a series of in vitro assays were used to observe the functions of lncRNA FAF in cardiomyocytes. The expression of lncRNA FAF and FGF9 were remarkably decreased in ischemia–hypoxia cardiomyocytes and heart tissues of AMI rats. Overexpression of FAF could significantly inhibit cardiomyocytes apoptosis induced by ischemia and hypoxia. Conversely, knockdown of lncRNA FAF could promote apoptosis in ischemia–hypoxia cardiomyocytes. Moreover, overexpression of lncRNA FAF could also increase the expression of FGF9. Knockdown of the FGF9 expression could promote apoptosis in cardiomyocytes with the insult of ischemia and hypoxia, which was consistent with the effect of lncRNA FAF overexpression on cardiomyocyte apoptosis. Mechanistically, FGF9 inhibited cardiomyocytes apoptosis through activating signaling tyrosine kinase FGFR2 via phosphoinositide 3‐kinase/protein kinase B signaling pathway. Thus, lncRNA FAF plays a protective role in ischemia–hypoxia cardiomyocytes and may serve as a treatment target for AMI.
Expression analysis of circulating plasma long noncoding RNAs in colorectal cancer: The relevance of lncRNAs ATB and CCAT1 as potential clinical hallmarks
Authors: Abedini Paria , Fattahi Azam , Agah Shahram , Talebi Atefeh , Beygi Amir Hossein , Amini Seyed Mohammad , Mirzaei Alireza , Akbari Abolfazl 
Published: May 2019

AbstractLong noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been demonstrated to regulate a variety of cell processes and involve in the development and progression of colorectal cancer (CRC). Recently, the circulating lncRNAs have emerged as minimally invasive biomarkers for cancer diagnosis and prognosis. We aimed to examine the plasma expression level of long noncoding RNAs lnc‐ATB, lnc‐CCAT1, and lnc‐OCC‐1 in CRC patients and evaluate the clinical values. A total of 74 pretreatment CRC and 74 healthy blood biopsies were subjected to differentially evaluate the expression levels of three lncRNAs (OCC‐1, CCAT1, and ATB). Briefly, after plasma separation and total RNA extraction, RNAs were reversely transcribed to complementary DNA followed by amplification using a quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction technique for lncRNA expression analysis. The results showed that the expression levels of lnc‐ATB (p < 0.001) and CCAT1 (p = 0.024), but not OCC‐1 (p = 0.24), were significantly upregulated in the CRC compared with the healthy group. The calculated AUC of ROC was 0.78 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.811–0.94) for lnc‐ATB and 0.64 (95% CI: 0.811–0.94) for CCAT1, which were indicative of a high discriminatory power (p < 0.001). The highest accuracy for lncRNA‐ATB was obtained at a cutoff point of 2.5, which corresponded to sensitivity and specificity of 82% and 75%, respectively. Our results suggested a significant accuracy of lncRNA‐ATB and lncRNA‐CCAT1 in distinguishing CRC patients from healthy individuals.
STRIP2 silencing inhibits vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation and migration via P38–AKT–MMP‐2 signaling pathway
Authors: Dai Li , Zhou Jun , Li Tiantian , Qian Yuanyuan , Jin Lai , Zhu Chao , Li Shengnan 
Published: May 2019

AbstractSTRIP2 (FAM40B) was reported to regulate tumor cell migration. Our study aims to discuss the effect of STRIP2 in mouse aortic smooth muscle cell (MOVAS) proliferation and migration processes, which contributes greatly to atherosclerosis formation. In MOVAS cells, STRIP2 depletion suppressed cell proliferation and migration, which were related to a remarkable decrease in matrix metalloproteinases‐2 (MMP‐2)/MMP‐9 expression. Additionally, P38 mitogen‐activated protein kinases and Protein kinase B (AKT) are inactivated while extracellular signal‐regulated kinase (ERK1/2) and jun N‐terminal kinase (JNK) are activated upon STRIP2 silencing. SB203580 (P38 inhibitor) further reduced AKT phosphorylation (p‐AKT) while dehydrocorydaline chloride (Dc; P38 activator) reversed this effect. Furthermore, Dc significantly recovered MMP‐2 expression in STRIP2‐knockdown cells. As expected, overexpressing STRIP2 exhibited a contrary effect. Dc and AKT activator SC79 reversed the inhibition of cell proliferation and migration induced by STRIP2 silencing. Interestingly, STRIP2 depletion increased vascular endothelial growth factor level significantly. Taken together, STRIP2 contributed to cell proliferation and migration through P38–AKT–MMP‐2 signaling in MOVAS cells, indicating the importance of STRIP2 in atherosclerosis.
CDG and immune response: From bedside to bench and back
Authors: Pascoal Carlota , Francisco Rita , Ferro Tiago , dos Reis Ferreira Vanessa , Jaeken Jaak , Videira Paula A. 
Published: May 2019

AbstractGlycosylation is an essential biological process that adds structural and functional diversity to cells and molecules, participating in physiological processes such as immunity. The immune response is driven and modulated by protein‐attached glycans that mediate cell‐cell interactions, pathogen recognition and cell activation. Therefore, abnormal glycosylation can be associated with deranged immune responses. Within human diseases presenting immunological defects are congenital disorders of glycosylation (CDG), a family of around 130 rare and complex genetic diseases. In this review, we have identified 23 CDG with immunological involvement, characterized by an increased propensity to—often life‐threatening—infection. Inflammatory and autoimmune complications were found in 7 CDG types. CDG natural history(ies) and the mechanisms behind the immunological anomalies are still poorly understood. However, in some cases, alterations in pathogen recognition and intracellular signaling (eg, TGF‐β1, NFAT, and NF‐κB) have been suggested. Targeted therapies to restore immune defects are only available for PGM3‐CDG and SLC35C1‐CDG. Fostering research on glycoimmunology may elucidate the involved pathophysiological mechanisms and open new therapeutic avenues, thus improving CDG patients' quality of life.
Stanmore noninvasive extendible endoprosthesis in the treatment of bone sarcoma in the preadolescent
Authors: Sambri Andrea , Staals Eric , Medellin Manuel Ricardo , Abudu Adesegun , Gikas Panagiotis , Pollock Rob , Briggs Tim WR , Donati Davide Maria , Manfrini Marco 
Published: May 2019

AbstractAimsThe aim of this study is to assess outcomes of patients ≤12 years who undergo Stanmore noninvasive extendible endoprosthetic replacement of the distal femur (DF NIEPR).Patients and MethodsA total of 101 children (mean age 9.6 years) were included. All complications which required further surgery were recorded. Clinical and functional outcomes were evaluated with Musculoskeletal Tumor Society (MSTS) scores at a mean follow‐up of 64 months (range 6‐174).ResultsThirty‐one (30.7%) patients died at a mean of 33 months. Forty had prosthesis removed after a mean of 43 months (range, 7‐103). Attaining of the full lengthening potential before skeletal maturity was the most frequent reason for revision surgery, particularly in those with smaller lengthening potential (P  =  0.039). Implant survival rate for other causes was 61.7% at 5 years and 45.0% at 10 years. At final follow‐up mean MSTS score was 26 (range, 13‐29). Twenty‐two (21.5%) patients had a final limb‐length discrepancy (LLD)  > 2 cm.ConclusionsDF NIEPR produces a good functional outcome, with the prevention of major LLD at skeletal maturity in the majority of the cases. We suggest patient selection criteria to account for the stage of the disease due to the high cost of the NIEPR, and high percentage requiring revision, and a 60% mortality rate in those patients presenting with distant disease burden.
The impact of the multidisciplinary tumor board on head and neck cancer outcomes
Authors: Liu Jeffrey C. , Kaplon Adam , Blackman Elizabeth , Miyamoto Curtis , Savior Deric , Ragin Camille 
Published: May 2019

Objectives/HypothesisAlthough the multidisciplinary tumor board (MTB) is accepted as best practice for the management of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), there is limited evidence showing its impact on survival. Our goal was to investigate the impact of an MTB following the hiring of a fellowship‐trained head and neck surgeon and implementation of an MTB at our institution. We hypothesized that these changes would demonstrate an improvement in survival.Study DesignRetrospective chart review.MethodsA review of HNSCC treated at our institution between October 2006 and May 2015 was performed. The cohort was divided into pre‐MTB (October 2006–February 2011) and post‐MTB (February 2011–May 2015) cohorts. Patient demographics, cancer stage, and treatment outcomes were reviewed. Univariate, multivariate, and survival analysis were performed.ResultsThe study included 224 patients, 98 in the pre‐MTB cohort and 126 in the post‐MTB cohort. Of total patients, 139 (62%) were black and 91 (40%) were on Medicaid or uninsured. Average follow‐up time was 2.8 years, and most cases were advanced stage (68%). On Kaplan‐Meier evaluation, overall survival and disease‐specific survival were significantly improved in the post‐MTB cohort compared with the pre‐MTB cohort, with a 5‐year disease‐specific survival of 52% vs. 75% (P = .003). A matched cohort analysis showed that the post‐MTB cohort had significantly lower risk of death (hazard ratio: 0.48).ConclusionsOur study demonstrates that treatment of HNSCC by a dedicated multidisciplinary team results in improved survival. Multidisciplinary care should be considered best practice in the care of HNSCC.Level of Evidence3b Laryngoscope, 130:946–950, 2020
Recyclable Vinyl‐Functionalized Polyesters via Chemoselective Organopolymerization of Bifunctional α‐Methylene‐δ‐Valerolactone
Authors: Xu Tie‐Qi , Yu Zhi‐Qi , Zhang Xue‐Min 
Published: May 2019

Abstractα‐Methylene‐δ‐valerolactone (MVL) is a bifunctional monomer comprising of a highly stable six‐membered δ‐valerolactone ring and highly reactive CC bond. Previously, the vinyl‐addition polymerization (VAP) product, namely P(MVL)VAP, has been formed exclusively. In this study, this conventional chemoselectivity is reversed, wherein organic catalysts are used to enable the first ring‐opening polymerization (ROP) of MVL, exclusively affording a metal‐free, unsaturated polyester, namely P(MVL)ROP. This challenging goal is achieved by investigating different catalysts, initiators, and reaction conditions. In addition, the formation of two polymers, namely P(MVL)ROP and P(MVL)VAP, is easily regulated by varying the polymerization solvent. The resulting P(MVL)ROP can be easily post‐functionalized to form crosslinked or sulfurized materials; notably, it can be almost completely converted into its monomer thermochemically.