bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Soft‐Matter Engineering for Soft Robotics
Authors: Majidi Carmel 
Published: December 2018

AbstractSince its inception, the field of robotics has aimed to create machines that mimic the extraordinary capabilities of the human body. From as early as the 1940s, this has included efforts to engineer actuators and electronics out of elastomers, textiles, and other soft materials in order to mimic the compliance and deformability of natural biological tissue. In the decades since, there is extraordinary progress in the subdomain of soft robotics, with recent efforts focused on novel methods of actuation, sensing, and manufacturing. In this progress report, recent advancements within this field from the perspective of materials and mechanics are highlighted. Wherever possible, efforts in soft robotics are connected to progress in the broader field of soft‐matter engineering, which relates to the application of principles and practices in the soft‐matter sciences to create machines, electronics, and robotic systems out of fluids, elastomers, gels, and other soft materials. To close, the current challenges and future opportunities within the field of robotics are briefly discussed, with special attention toward the eventual goal of autonomous soft robots that are capable of operating without dependency on external hardware, tethers, or manual intervention.
Rational Design and Synthesis of Reversible Covalent PPARγ Antagonistic Ligands Inhibiting Ser273 Phosphorylation
Authors: Kim Hyunsoo , Jo Ala , Choi Sun‐Sil , Nam Hyunsung , Byun Wan Gi , Bae Hwan , Choi Jang Hyun , Park Seung Bum 
Published: December 2018

AbstractPeroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) has been a major therapeutic target for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. However, the use of PPARγ‐targeting drugs such as rosiglitazone and pioglitazone has significantly declined due to adverse effects caused by their classical transcriptional agonism. Meanwhile, blocking the obesity‐induced phosphorylation of PPARγ at Ser273 by Cdk5 has been proposed as the key to developing insulin‐sensitizing effects of PPARγ‐targeting drugs. In this study, we rationally designed and synthesized selective PPARγ phosphorylation inhibitor through a crystal structure‐based approach. During this process, we observed a distinct degradation pattern of the anilinic cyanoacrylamide moiety via the spontaneous retro‐aldol reaction. Thus, we developed a novel reversible covalent inhibitor of PPARγ phosphorylation, SB1495, containing aliphatic cyano‐acrylamide, through systematic structural modification, in silico docking studies, time‐dependent monitoring of stability in aqueous media, and in vitro kinase assay. We also demonstrated its inhibitory activity on PPARγ phosphorylation without classical transactivation in a cellular system as well as in an animal model.
The 28‐day survival rates of two cytokine‐adsorbing hemofilters for continuous renal replacement therapy: a single‐center retrospective comparative study
Authors: Kobashi Shuichi , Maruhashi Takaaki , Nakamura Tomoya , Hatabayashi Erika , Kon Akihide 
Published: December 2018

AimContinuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) with a cytokine‐adsorbing hemofilter (CAH) is effective in the treatment of sepsis. Two filter types, namely polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) and surface‐treated AN69 (AN69ST) hemofilters, have been successfully used for CRRT, but no direct comparisons have been published to date. This study compared the efficacy, as measured by 28‐day survival rates, of PMMA and AN69ST hemofilters in patients receiving CAH‐CRRT.MethodsThis retrospective observational study reviewed the medical records of 142 patients who received CAH‐CRRT between November 2013 and February 2015.ResultsThe 28‐day survival rates were higher in the AN69ST group than in the PMMA group for patients with or without sepsis (all patients, 79.4% versus 54.1%; patients with sepsis, 77.3% versus 50.0%; patients without sepsis, 83.3% versus 57.5%; P < 0.05). No significant differences were observed regarding 28‐day survival rates of patients with or without sepsis (AN69ST, 77.3% versus 83.3%; P = 0.51; PMMA, 50.0% versus 57.5%; P = 0.61) using the same hemofilter.ConclusionThe AN69ST hemofilter could be more effective than PMMA hemofilters for improving the survival outcomes of patients with or without sepsis.
Prediction Algorithm of the Cat Spinal Segments Lengths and Positions in Relation to the Vertebrae
Authors: Shkorbatova Polina.Y. , Lyakhovetskii Vsevolod A. , Merkulyeva Natalia S. , Veshchitskii Alexandr A. , Bazhenova Elena Y. , Laurens Jean , Pavlova Natalia V. , Musienko Pavel E. 
Published: December 2018

ABSTRACTDetailed knowledge of the topographic organization and precise access to the spinal cord segments is crucial for the neurosurgical manipulations as well as in vivo neurophysiological investigations of the spinal networks involved in sensorimotor and visceral functions. Because of high individual variability, accurate identification of particular portion of the lumbosacral enlargement is normally possible only during postmortem dissection. Yet, it is often necessary to determine the precise location of spinal segments prior to in vivo investigation, targeting spinal cord manipulations, neurointerface implantations, and neuronal activity recordings. To solve this problem, we have developed an algorithm to predict spinal segments locations based on their relation to vertebral reference points. The lengths and relative positions of the spinal cord segments (T13‐S3) and the vertebrae (VT13‐VL7) were measured in 17 adult cats. On the basis of these measurements, we elaborated the estimation procedure: the cubic regression of the ratio of the segment's length to the lengths of the VL2 vertebra was used for the determination of segment's length; and the quadratic regression of the ratio of their positions in relation to the VL2 rostral part was used to determine the position of the segments. The coefficients of these regressions were calculated at the training sample (nine cats) and were then confirmed at the testing sample (eight cats). Although the quality of the prediction is decreased in the caudal direction, we found high correlations between the regressions and real data. The proposed algorithm can be further translated to other species including human. Anat Rec, 302:1628–1637, 2019. © 2018 American Association for Anatomy
Financial decision making
Authors: Greenberg Adam Eric , Hershfield Hal E. 
Published: December 2018

AbstractFinancial decisions can have lasting consequences for consumer welfare and other important decisions. This review summarizes contemporary literature on financial decision making vis‐à‐vis the promotion of financial well‐being, outlining work on financial behaviors that contribute to financial well‐being, psychosocial determinants of financial well‐being, and the role of situational factors in financial well‐being. In addition to reviewing recent research, this article draws attention to some open questions in the field and proposes a trajectory for productive pathways of future research.
Challenges in lipid production from lignocellulosic biomass using Rhodosporidium sp.; A look at the role of lignocellulosic inhibitors
Authors: Osorio‐González Carlos S. , Hegde Krishnamoorthy , Brar Satinder K , Kermanshahipour Azadeh , Avalos‐Ramírez Antonio 
Published: December 2018

AbstractThe use of lignocellulosic biomass biofuels is an attractive alternative because they do not put food safety at risk, they are a renewable source, and their use is limited. The use of microorganisms has now become more widespread to take advantage of the carbohydrates present in this raw material (cellulose and hemicellulose) and the products of its hydrolysis (glucose, xylose, arabinose, galactose, and mannose). The fatty acids obtained from oleaginous microorganisms are potential sources for the production of drop‐in biofuels. Rhodosporidium sp. is an oleaginous yeast that accumulates up to 70% of its biomass in the form of lipids and is highly adaptable to different types of substrates. This review discusses the different factors and challenges (genetic modification of strains, pretreatments, and inhibitor effects) in obtaining lipid from lignocellulosic biomass using Rhodosporidium sp. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
An adaptive character skinning algorithm based on the property of real skin
Authors: Wu Huayue 
Published: December 2018

AbstractCurrent methods for character skinning usually include weight binding and automatic skinning such as linear blend skinning (LBS) and dual quaternion skinning (DQS). However, weight binding is a tedious work; LBS and DQS suffer from their own artifacts. The latest research studies could produce better effect; however, their application in real‐time situations is limited due to the requirement of a large amount of first‐phase preparations and huge computation. This paper proposed a new approach that uses the property of real skin for skinning, which could produce a more natural and realistic effect and could greatly promote skinning efficiency. An optimized mathematical model is also used to compute mesh deformation; therefore, the render speed is greatly promoted and the effect of bulging muscles and fat could also be simulated.
Impacts of Cys392, Asp393, and ATP on the FAD Binding, Photoreduction, and the Stability of the Radical State of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii Cryptochrome
Authors: Xu Lei , Wen Bin , Shao Wengui , Yao Pengcheng , Zheng Wei , Zhou Zhiqiang , Zhang Yao , Zhu Guoping 
Published: December 2018

AbstractPlant cryptochromes (CRYs) are blue‐light receptors that regulate light‐dependent growth, development, and circadian rhythms. A flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) cofactor is bound to the photolyase homology region (PHR) of plant CRYs and can be photoreduced to a neutral radical state under blue light. This photoreaction can trigger subsequent signal transduction. Plant CRYs can also bind an ATP molecule adjacent to FAD in a pocket of the PHR. Chlamydomonas reinhardtii contains a single plant CRY, named Chlamydomonas photolyase homologue 1 (CPH1). In CPH1, Cys392 and Asp393 are located near the FAD cofactor. Here we have shown that replacing Cys392 with Ser has little effect on the properties of CPH1. The C392N mutant, however, showed a faster photoreduction rate than wild‐type CPH1, together with a significantly lower oxidation rate of the neutral radical state. Substituting an Asn residue for Asp393 in CPH1 improved the binding affinity for FAD as well as the stability of the neutral radical, but photoreduction in the case of this mutant was severely inhibited. In the presence of ATP, CPH1 and its mutants exhibited significantly higher binding affinity for FAD and slower oxidation of the neutral radical. These results reveal that the residues at site 392 and the presence of ATP can tune the stability of the neutral radical, that the Asp residue at site 393 is crucial for photoreduction, and that the photoreduction rate is not determined merely by the stability of the neutral radical in CPH1.
Oxygen Vacancy‐rich Anatase TiO2 Hollow Spheres Via Liquid Nitrogen Quenching Process for Enhanced Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution
Authors: Wang Gan , Zhang Lijuan , Yan Baolin , Luo Jianmin , Su Xintai , Yue Fan 
Published: December 2018

AbstractDevelopment of novel methods to obtain highly active catalysts for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution is desired. This work reports a facile preannealing‐quenching strategy to synthesize oxygen vacancy‐rich anatase TiO2 hollow spheres. TiO2 hollow spheres are first synthesized via a versatile kinetics‐controlled coating method and then subjected to high temperature preannealing followed by rapid quenching in liquid‐nitrogen (−196 °C). The as‐quenched samples appear light grey suggesting the presence of abundant surface oxygen vacancies, which are subsequently confirmed by the comprehensive analyses of XRD, XPS and EPR spectra. The oxygen vacancies induced by quenching process are proved to have promoted the light adsorption and inhibited the recombination of photo‐induced charges for TiO2 hollow spheres, which obviously improve the photocatalytic performance of those samples. The results showed that the TiO2 hollow spheres quenched at 500 °C exhibited a robust stability and the most excellent photocatalytic performance for hydrogen evolution (413.5 μmol h−1) over other quenched samples and it displayed 1.51 times higher performance than that of samples normally cooled at 500 °C (273.7 μmol h−1). Herein, this liquid‐nitrogen quenching strategy presented here provides an effective route for the synthesis of high‐performance TiO2 for water splitting and have a promising prospect in the other application.
Electrocatalytic N2 Fixation over Hollow VO2 Microspheres at Ambient Conditions
Authors: Zhang Rong , Guo Haoran , Yang Li , Wang Yuan , Niu Zhiguo , Huang Hong , Chen Hongyu , Xia Li , Li Tingshuai , Shi Xifeng , Sun Xuping , Li Baihai , Liu Qian 
Published: December 2018

AbstractElectrochemical N2 fixation has gained much attention as an environmentally friendly and sustainable process for NH3 production at ambient conditions. Its efficiency depends greatly on identifying highly active electrocatalysts with good stability. In this work, we propose the use of VO2 hollow microspheres as a robust non‐precious metal catalyst for the N2 reduction reaction (NRR). The catalyst operates efficiently and stably at neutral pH to high Faradaic efficiency (3.97 %) and NH3 yield (14.85 μg h−1 mg−1cat.) under an applied potential of −0.7 V (vs. the reversible hydrogen electrode). Note that this catalyst also presents a high selectivity for NH3 synthesis without N2H4 generation. Density functional theory reveals that the energetically favorable pathway for NRR is *N2→*NNH→*NHNH→*NHNH2→*NH2NH2→*NH2+NH3→*NH3+NH3→2NH3, where the first hydrogenation step to form *NNH is the potential‐determining step.
Cellular organization and boundary formation in craniofacial development
Authors: Kindberg Abigail A. , Bush Jeffrey O. 
Published: December 2018

SummaryCraniofacial morphogenesis is a highly dynamic process that requires changes in the behaviors and physical properties of cells in order to achieve the proper organization of different craniofacial structures. Boundary formation is a critical process in cellular organization, patterning, and ultimately tissue separation. There are several recurring cellular mechanisms through which boundary formation and cellular organization occur including, transcriptional patterning, cell segregation, cell adhesion and migratory guidance. Disruption of normal boundary formation has dramatic morphological consequences, and can result in human craniofacial congenital anomalies. In this review we discuss boundary formation during craniofacial development, specifically focusing on the cellular behaviors and mechanisms underlying the self‐organizing properties that are critical for craniofacial morphogenesis.
New subcutaneous PowerFlow port results in cost and time‐savings in a busy outpatient apheresis clinic
Authors: Williams Lance A. , Arnesen Christine , Gunn Christina , Boshell Michael N. , Pham Huy P. , Guillory Bryan , Adamski Jill , Marques Marisa B. 
Published: December 2018

AbstractMany vascular access options, such as subcutaneous ports, are currently on the market for use in both medication infusion and for procedures, such as therapeutic plasma exchange and extracorporeal photopheresis. We compared the cost and time necessary to complete apheresis procedures using either Angiodynamic's Vortex or Bard's PowerFlow subcutaneous ports by reviewing our experience on two patients undergoing long‐term apheresis treatments with at least 10 procedures with each type of port. We analyzed the cost of needles and thrombolytic therapy, staff time, overall procedure length, and the total time the patient was in the apheresis unit. We also compared flow rates and alarm rates between the two ports. In this small pilot study, use of the PowerFlow port resulted in significant cost and time savings, with mixed results for flow rates. Our results need to be confirmed in a larger patient population prior to recommending wide implementation of Bard's PowerFlow port.
Effect of STOX1 on recurrent spontaneous abortion by regulating trophoblast cell proliferation and migration via the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway
Authors: Li Zhifang , Zhou Guiju , Jiang Longfan , Xiang Huifen , Cao Yunxia 
Published: December 2018

AbstractSTOX1 is a transcription factor that is implicated in the high prevalence of human gestational diseases. It has been studied in various types of gestational diseases using different molecular and cellular biological technologies. However, the effect and detailed mechanism of storkhead box 1 (STOX1) in recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA) remain unknown. This study aimed to explore the effect and detailed mechanism of STOX1 in human trophoblast cells. The result showed that downregulation of STOX1 by short hairpin RNA (shRNA) led to a decrease in proliferation and migration in HTR‐8/SVneo cells, while it induced the apoptosis of HTR‐8/SVneo cells. Moreover, the result showed that trophoblast cells expressed lower levels of pAKT and p85 subunits after treatment with STOX1 shRNA when compared with control. However, overexpression of STOX1 obviously increased the pAKT and p85 protein expressions. Transfection of pcDNA‐AKT plasmid increased cell proliferation and migration in HTR‐8/SVneo cells while suppressed the apoptosis of HTR‐8/SVneo cells. Furthermore, inhibition of the PI3K/Akt pathway by a specific inhibitor promoted cell apoptosis and aggravatedly suppressed cell proliferation and migration of HTR‐8/SVneo cells. On the other hand, upregulation of the PI3K/Akt pathway could increase the relative expression level of Bcl‐2 and decrease the relative expression levels of Bax and Bim, while inhibition of the PI3K/Akt pathway led to adverse results. Our results demonstrated that inhibition of STOX1 could suppress trophoblast cell proliferation and migration, while promote apoptosis through inhibiting the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. These findings might provide a new fundamental mechanism for regulating RSA and could be used to prevent and treat RSA in clinic.
A two‐CpG‐based prognostic signature for oral squamous cell carcinoma overall survival
Authors: Chen Yanping , Hei Naiheng , Zhao Jianguang , Peng Shixiong , Yang Kaicheng , Chen He , Cui Zifeng , Jin Linyu , Sun Ran , Guo Jingxin 
Published: December 2018

AbstractOral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) represents one of the most common head and neck cancer that with dire prognosis due partly to the lack of reliable prognostic biomarker. Here, we aimed to develop a CpG site–based prognostic signature through which we could accurately predict overall survival (OS) of patients with OSCC. We obtained OSCC‐related DNA methylation and gene expression data sets from the public accessible Gene Expression Omnibus. Correlations between methylation level of CpG sites and OS of patients with OSCC were assessed by univariate Cox regression analysis followed by robust likelihood‐based survival analysis on those CpG sites with permutation P < 0.05 for further screening the optimal CpG sites for OSCC OS prediction based on the risk score formula that composed of the methylation level of optimal CpG sites weighted by their regression coefficients. Besides, differential expression genes (DEGs) and differential methylation genes (DMGs) in OSCC samples compared with normal samples were obtained and shared genes were considered as vital genes in OSCC tumorgenesis and progression. As a result, two CpG sites including cg17892178 and cg17378966 that located in NID2 and IDO1, respectively, were identified as the optimal prognostic signatures for OSCC OS. In addition, 12 overlapping genes between DEGs and DMGs that closely associated with inflammation or blood and tissue development–related biological processes were obtained. In conclusions, this study should provide valuable signatures for OSCC diagnosis and treatment.
Clinical and molecular characteristics of bladder urothelial carcinoma subtypes
Authors: Li Ying , Yang Kai , Li Ke , Liu He , Zhao Siqi , Jiao Mingli , Fu Xinru 
Published: December 2018

AbstractBladder urothelial carcinoma (BLCA) is a common malignancy with high heterogeneity. A reasonable molecular subtyping can facilitate biological study and personalized therapy of BLCA. In this study, unsupervised consensus clustering was used to acquire the molecular subtypes of BLCA based on messenger RNA (mRNA) and microRNA (miRNA) data. Gene signature markers and canonical signaling pathways were compared between different subtypes. The Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery (DAVID) was used for the functional annotation of overexpressed genes in different subtypes for Gene Ontology (GO) terms and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways. Three molecular subtypes were identified including C1 (luminal‐P53 like), C2 (luminal‐other), and C3 (basal‐immune‐squamous). C2 was different from C1 and C3 in clinical characteristics, including younger, better prognosis, and a higher proportion of papillary, Asian, low‐grade, early‐stage, lymph node negative, and complete remission patients (P < 0.05). Three molecular subtypes also showed distinct mRNA and miRNA expression patterns. luminal and P53‐like markers were highly expressed in subtype C1, luminal markers were highly expressed in subtype C2, and basal, EMT/claudin‐low, immune and squamous‐differentiation markers were highly expressed in subtype C3. In addition, highly expressed genes in C1 were involved in extracellular signal transduction and cell‐cell interaction, highly expressed genes in C2 were associated with oxygen transport, energy and steroid metabolism, and highly expressed genes in C3 were related with inflammatory, immune, cytokine, and signal transduction. BLCA in different molecular subtypes showed different clinical and molecular characteristics and personalized therapy needed to be adopted according to the molecular subtypes.
Overexpressed circ_0029426 in glioblastoma forecasts unfavorable prognosis and promotes cell progression by sponging miR‐197
Authors: Zhang Guifang , Sun Weibo , Zhu Liangfu , Feng Yingpu , Wu Liheng , Li Tianxiao 
Published: December 2018

AbstractAccumulating studies indicates that circular RNAs (circRNAs) play an imperative role in modulating cancer progression and metastasis. In the previous study, elevated circ_0029426 was first observed in glioblastoma (GBM) tissues compared with normal tissues by circRNA microarray. Our aim is to study the function and mechanism of circ_0029426 in GBM. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction was used to detect relative circ_0029426 expression in GBM tissue samples and cells. Fisher's exact test was used to evaluate the expression of circ_0029426 and clinical parameters.The Kaplan‐Meier method and Cox regression were analyzed to evaluate the link between circ_0029426 expression and the overall survival of patients with GBM. Loss/gain‐of function experiments were performed to measure GBM cell growth, apoptosis, migration, and invasion. Dual luciferase reporter assays were applied to detect the binding ability between circ_0029426 and miR‐197. As a result, the circ_0029426 expression is tightly correlated with patients’ clinical severity and prognosis. Functionally, circ_0029426 strikingly promoted cell proliferation, migration and invasion, and inhibited cell apoptosis. Mechanistically, miR‐197 was predicted and verified to be sponged by circ_0029426. More importantly, the oncogenic functions of circ_0029426 are partially attributed to its suppression on miR‐197. Collectively, circ_0029426 may be taken as a potential therapeutic target for GBM.