bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Repurposing Thioridazine (TDZ) as an anti-inflammatory agent
Authors: Baig Mirza S. , Roy Anjali , Saqib Uzma , Rajpoot Sajjan , Srivastava Mansi , Naim Adnan , Liu Dongfang , Saluja Rohit , Faisal Syed M. , Pan Qiuwei , Turkowski Kati , Darwhekar Gajanan N. , Savai Rajkumar 
Published: August 2018

AbstractNuclear factor-kB (NF-kB) is a crucial transcription factor in the signal transduction cascade of the inflammatory signaling. Activation of NF-κB depends on the phosphorylation of IκBα by IκB kinase (IKKβ) followed by subsequent ubiquitination and degradation. This leads to the nuclear translocation of the p50- p65 subunits of NF-κB, and further triggers pro-inflammatory cytokine gene expression. Thus, in the need of a more effective therapy for the treatment of inflammatory diseases, specific inhibition of IKKβ represents a rational alternative strategy to the current therapies. A computer-aided drug identification protocol was followed to identify novel IKKβ inhibitors from a database of over 1500 Food and Drug Administration (FDA) drugs. The best scoring compounds were compared with the already known high-potency IKKβ inhibitors for their ability to bind and inhibit IKKβ by evaluating their docking energy. Finally, Thioridazinehydrochloride (TDZ), a potent antipsychotic drug against Schizophrenia was selected and its efficiency in inhibiting IκBα protein degradation and NF-κB activation was experimentally validated. Our study has demonstrated that TDZ blocks IκBα protein degradation and subsequent NF-κB activation to inhibit inflammation. Thus, it is a potential repurposed drug against inflammation.
Image-Assisted Microvessel-on-a-Chip Platform for Studying Cancer Cell Transendothelial Migration Dynamics
Authors: Bertulli Cristina , Gerigk Magda , Piano Nicholas , Liu Ye , Zhang Duo , Müller Thomas , Knowles Tuomas J. , Huang Yan Yan Shery 
Published: August 2018

AbstractWith the push to reduce in vivo approaches, the demand for microphysiological models that recapitulate the in vivo settings in vitro is dramatically increasing. Here, we present an extracellular matrix-integrated microfluidic chip with a rounded microvessel of ~100 µm in diameter. Our system displays favorable characteristics for broad user adaptation: simplified procedure for vessel creation, minimised use of reagents and cells, and the ability to couple live-cell imaging and image analysis to study dynamics of cell-microenvironment interactions in 3D. Using this platform, the dynamic process of single breast cancer cells (LM2-4175) exiting the vessel lumen into the surrounding extracellular matrix was tracked. Here, we show that the presence of endothelial lining significantly reduced the cancer exit events over the 15-hour imaging period: there were either no cancer cells exiting, or the fraction of spontaneous exits was positively correlated with the number of cancer cells in proximity to the endothelial barrier. The capability to map the z-position of individual cancer cells within a 3D vessel lumen enabled us to observe cancer cell transmigration ‘hot spot’ dynamically. We also suggest the variations in the microvessel qualities may lead to the two distinct types of cancer transmigration behaviour. Our findings provide a tractable in vitro model applicable to other areas of microvascular research.
Stiff auxetics: Hierarchy as a route to stiff, strong lattice based auxetic meta-materials
Authors: Rayneau-Kirkhope D. 
Published: August 2018

AbstractUsing a combination of analytic and computational methods, we examine the effect of adding hierarchical substructure to an auxetic lattice. Our novel methodology, involving a coarse grain approach, allows for the analysis of hierarchically sub-structured lattices where direct computation would prove intractable. We show that through hierarchy one can create ultra-lightweight auxetic meta-materials of high strength and stiffness. Through scaling law arguments, we show that the benefits of hierarchical design can also be obtained in the general class of bending-dominated lattices. Furthermore, we show that the hierarchical structures presented show a wide range of tailorability in their mechanical properties, and exhibit increased strength when optimised for buckling resistance. Auxetic materials have a broad range of potential applications, and thus the creation of ultra-light auxetic meta-materials with enhanced stiffness and strength is undoubtedly of practical importance.
Statistical optimization for cadmium removal using Ulva fasciata biomass: Characterization, immobilization and application for almost-complete cadmium removal from aqueous solutions
Authors: El-Naggar Noura El-Ahmady , Hamouda Ragaa A. , Mousa Ibrahim E. , Abdel-Hamid Marwa S. , Rabei Nashwa H. 
Published: August 2018

AbstractCadmium is a global heavy metal pollutant. Marine green algae were used as efficient, low cost and eco-friendly biosorbent for cadmium ions removal from aqueous solutions. Plackett-Burman design was applied to determine the most significant factors for maximum cadmium removal from aqueous solutions using dry Ulva fasciata biomass. The most significant factors affecting cadmium removal process were further optimized by the face centered central composite design. The results indicated that 4 g of dry Ulva fasciata biomass was found to successfully remove 99.96% of cadmium from aqueous solution under the conditions of 200 mg/L of initial cadmium concentration at pH 5, 25 °C for 60 min of contact time with static condition. Dry Ulva fasciata biomass samples before and after cadmium biosorption were analyzed using SEM, EDS and FTIR. Furthermore, the immobilized biomass in sodium alginate-beads removed 99.98% of cadmium from aqueous solution at an initial concentration of 200 mg/L after 4 h which is significantly higher than that for control using sodium alginate beads without incorporation of the algal biomass (98.19%). Dry biomass of Ulva fasciata was proven to be cost-effective and efficient to eliminate heavy metals especially cadmium from aquatic effluents and the process is feasible, reliable and eco-friendly.
Stable and scalable 1T MoS2 with low temperature-coefficient of resistance
Authors: Sharma Chithra H. , Surendran Ananthu P. , Varghese Abin , Thalakulam Madhu 
Published: August 2018

AbstractMonolithic realization of metallic 1T and semiconducting 2H phases makes MoS2 a potential candidate for future microelectronic circuits. A method for engineering a stable 1T phase from the 2H phase in a scalable manner and an in-depth electrical characterization of the 1T phase is wanting at large. Here we demonstrate a controllable and scalable 2H to 1T phase engineering technique for MoS2 using microwave plasma. Our method allows lithographically defining 1T regions on a 2H sample. The 1T samples show excellent temporal and thermal stability making it suitable for standard device fabrication techniques. We conduct both two-probe and four-probe electrical transport measurements on devices with back-gated field effect transistor geometry in a temperature range of 4 K to 300 K. The 1T samples exhibit Ohmic current-voltage characteristics in all temperature ranges without any dependence to the gate voltage, a signature of a metallic state. The sheet resistance of our 1T MoS2 sample is considerably lower and the carrier concentration is a few orders of magnitude higher than that of the 2H samples. In addition, our samples show negligible temperature dependence of resistance from 4 K to 300 K ruling out any hoping mediated or activated electrical transport.
Symmetry-restoring quantum phase transition in a two-dimensional spinor condensate
Authors: Chudnovskiy A. L. , Cheianov V. 
Published: August 2018

AbstractBose Einstein condensates of spin-1 atoms are known to exist in two different phases, both having spontaneously broken spin-rotation symmetry, a ferromagnetic and a polar condensate. Here we show that in two spatial dimensions it is possible to achieve a quantum phase transition from a polar condensate into a singlet phase symmetric under rotations in spin space. This can be done by using particle density as a tuning parameter. Starting from the polar phase at high density the system can be tuned into a strong-coupling intermediate-density point where the phase transition into a symmetric phase takes place. By further reducing the particle density the symmetric phase can be continuously deformed into a Bose-Einstein condensate of singlet atomic pairs. We calculate the region of the parameter space where such a molecular phase is stable against collapse.
Enhanced hot electron lifetimes in quantum wells with inhibited phonon coupling
Authors: Esmaielpour Hamidreza , Whiteside Vincent R. , Piyathilaka Herath P. , Vijeyaragunathan Sangeetha , Wang Bin , Adcock-Smith Echo , Roberts Kenneth P. , Mishima Tetsuya D. , Santos Michael B. , Bristow Alan D. , Sellers Ian R. 
Published: August 2018

AbstractHot electrons established by the absorption of high-energy photons typically thermalize on a picosecond time scale in a semiconductor, dissipating energy via various phonon-mediated relaxation pathways. Here it is shown that a strong hot carrier distribution can be produced using a type-II quantum well structure. In such systems it is shown that the dominant hot carrier thermalization process is limited by the radiative recombination lifetime of electrons with reduced wavefunction overlap with holes. It is proposed that the subsequent reabsorption of acoustic and optical phonons is facilitated by a mismatch in phonon dispersions at the InAs-AlAsSb interface and serves to further stabilize hot electrons in this system. This lengthens the time scale for thermalization to nanoseconds and results in a hot electron distribution with a temperature of 490 K for a quantum well structure under steady-state illumination at room temperature.
Perspective-dependent reactivity of sensorimotor mu rhythm in alpha and beta ranges during action observation: an EEG study
Authors: Angelini Monica , Fabbri-Destro Maddalena , Lopomo Nicola Francesco , Gobbo Massimiliano , Rizzolatti Giacomo , Avanzini Pietro 
Published: August 2018

AbstractDuring action observation, several visual features of observed actions can modulate the level of sensorimotor reactivity in the onlooker. Among possibly relevant parameters, one of the less investigated in humans is the visual perspective from which actions are observed. In the present EEG study, we assessed the reactivity of alpha and beta mu rhythm subcomponents to four different visual perspectives, defined by the position of the observer relative to the moving agent (identifying first-person, third-person and lateral viewpoints) and by the anatomical compatibility of observed effectors with self- or other individual’s body (identifying ego- and allo-centric viewpoints, respectively). Overall, the strongest sensorimotor responsiveness emerged for first-person perspective. Furthermore, we found different patterns of perspective-dependent reactivity in rolandic alpha and beta ranges, with the former tuned to visuospatial details of observed actions and the latter tuned to action-related parameters (such as the direction of actions relative to the observer), suggesting a higher recruitment of beta motor rhythm in face-to-face interactions. The impact of these findings on the selection of most effective action stimuli for “Action Observation Treatment” neurorehabilitative protocols is discussed.
Selective Elimination of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Using Medium with High Concentration of L-Alanine
Authors: Nagashima Takunori , Shimizu Kazunori , Matsumoto Ryo , Honda Hiroyuki 
Published: August 2018

AbstractHuman pluripotent stem cells, including human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs), serve as highly valuable sources for both cell-based therapies and basic research, owing to their abilities to self-renew and differentiate into any cell type of the human body. However, tumorigenic risks of residual undifferentiated stem cells limit the clinical application of hiPSCs, necessitating methods to eliminate undifferentiated hiPSCs from differentiated cells. Here, we found that undifferentiated hiPSCs were more sensitive to the treatment with a medium supplemented with high concentration of L-alanine than human fibroblasts (hFBs), human skeletal muscle cells (hSkMCs), hiPSC-derived cardiomyocytes (iCMs) or hiPSC-derived fibroblast-like cells (iFLCs), which were used as differentiated cells. Undifferentiated hiPSCs co-cultured with differentiated cells were selectively eliminated following treatment. In addition, we found that the medium supplemented with high concentration of D-alanine or β-alanine also induced cell death of hiPSCs and the treatment at 4 °C didn’t induce cell death of hiPSCs. The cell death induced would be associated partly with high osmotic pressure of the medium supplemented with L-alanine. As L-alanine is a component of proteins in human body and popular ingredient of cell culture media, treatment with high concentration of L-alanine may be useful for eliminating tumorigenic residual hiPSCs for stem cell-based therapies.
A numerical treatment of MHD radiative flow of Micropolar nanofluid with homogeneous-heterogeneous reactions past a nonlinear stretched surface
Authors: Lu Dianchen , Ramzan M. , Ahmad Shafiq , Chung Jae Dong , Farooq Umer 
Published: August 2018

AbstractThe impact of nonlinear thermal radiation in the flow of micropolar nanofluid past a nonlinear vertically stretching surface is investigated. The electrically conducting fluid is under the influence of magnetohydrodynamics, heat generation/absorption and mixed convection in the presence of convective boundary condition. The system of differential equations is solved numerically using the bvp4c function of MATLAB. To authenticate our results, two comparisons with already studied problems are also conducted and an excellent concurrence is found; hence reliable results are being presented. Complete deliberation for magnetite nanofluid with Ferric Oxide (Fe3O4) nanoparticles in the water-based micropolar nanofluid is also given to depict some stimulating phenomena. The effect of assorted parameters on velocity, homogeneous-heterogeneous reactions, temperature and micropolar velocity profiles are discussed and examined graphically. Moreover, graphical illustrations for the Nusselt number and Skin friction are given for sundry flow parameters. It is examined that temperature distribution and its associated boundary layer thickness increase for mounting values of the magnetic parameter. Additionally, it is detected that the Nusselt number decays when we increase the values of the Biot number.
A Bayesian state-space model using age-at-harvest data for estimating the population of black bears (Ursus americanus) in Wisconsin
Authors: Allen Maximilian L. , Norton Andrew S. , Stauffer Glenn , Roberts Nathan M. , Luo Yanshi , Li Qing , MacFarland David , Van Deelen Timothy R. 
Published: August 2018

AbstractPopulation estimation is essential for the conservation and management of fish and wildlife, but accurate estimates are often difficult or expensive to obtain for cryptic species across large geographical scales. Accurate statistical models with manageable financial costs and field efforts are needed for hunted populations and using age-at-harvest data may be the most practical foundation for these models. Several rigorous statistical approaches that use age-at-harvest and other data to accurately estimate populations have recently been developed, but these are often dependent on (a) accurate prior knowledge about demographic parameters of the population, (b) auxiliary data, and (c) initial population size. We developed a two-stage state-space Bayesian model for a black bear (Ursus americanus) population with age-at-harvest data, but little demographic data and no auxiliary data available, to create a statewide population estimate and test the sensitivity of the model to bias in the prior distributions of parameters and initial population size. The posterior abundance estimate from our model was similar to an independent capture-recapture estimate from tetracycline sampling and the population trend was similar to the catch-per-unit-effort for the state. Our model was also robust to bias in the prior distributions for all parameters, including initial population size, except for reporting rate. Our state-space model created a precise estimate of the black bear population in Wisconsin based on age-at-harvest data and potentially improves on previous models by using little demographic data, no auxiliary data, and not being sensitive to initial population size.
Iridium-based probe for luminescent nitric oxide monitoring in live cells
Authors: Wu Chun , Wu Ke-Jia , Kang Tian-Shu , Wang Hui-Min David , Leung Chung-Hang , Liu Jin-Biao , Ma Dik-Lung 
Published: August 2018

AbstractNitric oxide (NO) is an intra- and extracellular messenger with important functions during human physiology process. A long-lived luminescent iridium(III) complex probe1has been designed and synthesized for the monitoring of NO controllably released from sodium nitroprusside (SNP). Probe1displayed a 15-fold switch-on luminescence in the presence of SNP at 580 nm. The probe exhibited a linear response towards SNP between 5 to 25 μM with detection limit at 0.18 μM. Importantly, the luminescent switch-on detection of NO in HeLa cells was demonstrated. Overall, complex1has the potential to be applied for NO tracing in complicated cellular environment.
Development of Bacillus methanolicus methanol dehydrogenase with improved formaldehyde reduction activity
Authors: Yi Jiyeun , Lee Jinhyuk , Sung Bong Hyun , Kang Du-Kyeong , Lim GyuTae , Bae Jung-Hoon , Lee Seung-Goo , Kim Sun Chang , Sohn Jung-Hoon 
Published: August 2018

AbstractMethanol dehydrogenase (MDH), an NAD+-dependent oxidoreductase, reversibly converts formaldehyde to methanol. This activity is a key step for both toxic formaldehyde elimination and methanol production in bacterial methylotrophy. We mutated decameric Bacillus methanolicus MDH by directed evolution and screened mutants for increased formaldehyde reduction activity in Escherichia coli. The mutant with the highest formaldehyde reduction activity had three amino acid substitutions: F213V, F289L, and F356S. To identify the individual contributions of these residues to the increased reduction activity, the activities of mutant variants were evaluated. F213V/F289L and F213V/F289L/F356S showed 25.3- and 52.8-fold higher catalytic efficiency (kcat/Km) than wild type MDH, respectively. In addition, they converted 5.9- and 6.4-fold more formaldehyde to methanol in vitro than the wild type enzyme. Computational modelling revealed that the three substituted residues were located at MDH oligomerization interfaces, and may influence oligomerization stability: F213V aids in dimer formation, and F289L and F356S in decamer formation. The substitutions may stabilise oligomerization, thereby increasing the formaldehyde reduction activity of MDH.
Comparison of Simulated Keratometry and Total Refractive Power for Keratoconus According to the Stage of Amsler-Krumeich Classification
Authors: Kamiya Kazutaka , Kono Yusuke , Takahashi Masahide , Shoji Nobuyuki 
Published: August 2018

AbstractThis study was aimed to assess the simulated keratometry (Sim K) and the total corneal refractive power (TCRP) in eyes with keratoconus with respect to the Amsler-Krumeich classification. We enrolled 100 eyes of 100 keratoconic patients and 25 age-matched normal eyes. The Sim K and TCRP were measured with a rotating Scheimpflug system (Pentacam HR, Oculus). The differences between Sim K and TCRP in the keratoconus group were significantly larger than those in the control group (p < 0.001). The differences between Sim K and TCRP became larger in the progressive stages of the disease (p = 0.191 for stage 1, p = 0.008 for stage 2, p < 0.001 for stage 3, p < 0.001 for stage 4). We found a significant correlation of Sim K with the differences between Sim K and TCRP in keratoconic patients (r = 0.497, p < 0.001). The differences between Sim K and TCRP for keratoconus were significantly larger than those for normal eyes, and the differences between Sim K and TCRP tended to become larger in the progressive stages of the disease. It is suggested that the Sim K readings overestimate the TCRP, especially in advanced keratoconus, and that this discrepancy is a possible source of a hyperopic refractive error after cataract surgery.
Amplitude-scan classification using artificial neural networks
Authors: Dansingani Kunal K. , Vupparaboina Kiran Kumar , Devarkonda Surya Teja , Jana Soumya , Chhablani Jay , Freund K. Bailey 
Published: August 2018

AbstractOptical coherence tomography (OCT) images semi-transparent tissues noninvasively. Relying on backscatter and interferometry to calculate spatial relationships, OCT shares similarities with other pulse-echo modalities. There is considerable interest in using machine learning techniques for automated image classification, particularly among ophthalmologists who rely heavily on diagnostic OCT. Artificial neural networks (ANN) consist of interconnected nodes and can be employed as classifiers after training on large datasets. Conventionally, OCT scans are rendered as 2D or 3D human-readable images of which the smallest depth-resolved unit is the amplitude-scan reflectivity-function profile which is difficult for humans to interpret. We set out to determine whether amplitude-scan reflectivity-function profiles representing disease signatures could be distinguished and classified by a feed-forward ANN. Our classifier achieved high accuracies after training on only 24 eyes, with evidence of good generalization on unseen data. The repertoire of our classifier can now be expanded to include rare and unseen diseases and can be extended to other disciplines and industries.
Statistical Learning and Spelling
Authors: Treiman Rebecca 
Published: August 2018

Purpose
The purpose of this article is to provide a tutorial on statistical learning and its role in learning to spell and to discuss the implications of the research for educators.

Method
The tutorial begins with a discussion of statistical learning and its characteristics. It then discusses research on how statistical learning plays out in learning to spell, how spelling should be taught, and similarities and differences among learners. The focus is on the learning of English, although studies of other alphabetic writing systems are also considered. Research shows that, from an early age, children use their statistical learning skills to learn about the visual characteristics of written words. Children also use their statistical learning skills to help learn about the relations between visual units and units of language, supplementing what they are explicitly taught in school.

Conclusion
Statistical learning plays an important role in learning to spell, and this can help to explain why some aspects of spelling are more difficult to learn than others. If children are to learn to spell effectively and efficiently, structured instruction is also important.