bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Interaction of the EGFR signaling pathway with porcine cumulus oocyte complexes and oviduct cells in a coculture system
Authors: Lee Seok Hee , Oh Hyun Ju , Kim Min Jung , Setyawan Erif maha Nugraha , Lee Byeong Chun 
Published: September 2018

AbstractIt has become increasingly recognized that coculture has a beneficial effect on the in vitro maturation (IVM) of oocytes and embryo development in many species. However, these effects of coculture on IVM have been documented only for their positive conditioning roles without any evidence on the precise mechanisms underlying the action of coculture systems on the development of cumulus oocyte complexes (COCs). It has been suggested that the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling pathway is important for development of COCs, mediated by several epidermal growth factor (EGF)‐like proteins with downstream mitogen‐activated protein kinase 1/3 signaling. Therefore, we hypothesized that canine oviduct cells (OCs) in a coculture system, which shows improvement of oocyte quality in several species, are associated with EGFR signaling by exposure to progesterone (P4; imitating its production before ovulation and its continuous increase while oocytes reside in the oviduct to complete maturation in dogs). We designed three experimental groups: control, OCs coculture exposed to P4, and OCs coculture without exposure to P4. The result showed that the OCs coculture exposed to P4 strongly expressed EGF‐like proteins and significantly improved COCs and subsequent embryo development. Furthermore, the expression of EGFR‐related genes in cumulus cells and GDF9 and BMP15 in oocytes was upregulated in the P4‐treated group. This study provides the first evidence that OCs exposed to P4 can induce strong expression of EGF‐like proteins, and OCs effectively mediate improved porcine COCs development and subsequent embryo development by altering EGFR signaling related mRNA expression.
Calanus finmarchicus seasonal cycle and diapause in relation to gene expression, physiology, and endogenous clocks
Authors: Häfker N. Sören , Teschke M. , Last K. S. , Pond D. W. , Hüppe L. , Meyer B. 
Published: September 2018

AbstractThe copepod Calanus finmarchicus plays a crucial role in the north Atlantic food web. Its seasonal life cycle involves reproduction and development in surface waters before overwintering in diapause at depth. Although diapause has been studied for more than a century, the factors responsible for the initiation and termination of it are still unclear. Endogenous clocks have been identified as potent tools for photoperiod measurement and seasonal rhythmicity in many terrestrial species, but knowledge of these remains scarce in the marine realm. Focusing on the dominant CV copepodid stage, we sampled a population of C. finmarchicus from a Scottish sea loch to characterize population dynamics, several physiological parameters, and diel and seasonal expression rhythms of 35 genes representing different metabolic pathways, including the circadian clock machinery. This generated a detailed overview of the seasonal cycle of C. finmarchicus including the most extensive field dataset on circadian clock gene expression in a marine species to date. Gene expression patterns revealed distinct gene clusters upregulated at different phases of the copepod's seasonal cycle. While diel clock cycling was restricted to the active spring/summer phase, many clock genes exhibited the highest expression during diapause. Our results provide new insights into diapause on physiological and genetic levels. We suggest that photoperiod, in interaction with internal and external factors (lipid content, temperature, food availability) and the endogenous clock mechanism, plays an important role in the timing of diapause in C. finmarchicus.
Multienergy element‐resolved cone beam CT (MEER‐CBCT) realized on a conventional CBCT platform
Authors: Shen Chenyang , Li Bin , Lou Yifei , Yang Ming , Zhou Linghong , Jia Xun 
Published: September 2018

PurposeCone beam CT (CBCT) has been widely used in radiation therapy. However, its main application is still to acquire anatomical information for patient positioning. This study proposes a multienergy element‐resolved (MEER) CBCT framework that employs energy‐resolved data acquisition on a conventional CBCT platform and then simultaneously reconstructs images of x‐ray attenuation coefficients, electron density relative to water (rED), and elemental composition (EC) to support advanced applications.MethodsThe MEER‐CBCT framework is realized on a Varian TrueBeam CBCT platform using a kVp‐switching scanning scheme. A simultaneous image reconstruction and elemental decomposition model is formulated as an optimization problem. The objective function uses a least square term to enforce fidelity between x‐ray attenuation coefficients and projection measurements. Spatial regularization is introduced via sparsity under a tight wavelet‐frame transform. Consistency is imposed among rED, EC, and attenuation coefficients and inherently serves as a regularization term along the energy direction. The EC is further constrained by a sparse combination of ECs in a dictionary containing tissues commonly existing in humans. The optimization problem is solved by a novel alternating‐direction minimization scheme. The MEER‐CBCT framework was tested in a simulation study using an NCAT phantom and an experimental study using a Gammex phantom.ResultsMEER‐CBCT framework was successfully realized on a clinical Varian TrueBeam onboard CBCT platform with three energy channels of 80, 100, and 120 kVp. In the simulation study, the attenuation coefficient image achieved a structural similarity index of 0.98, compared to 0.61 for the image reconstructed by the conventional conjugate gradient least square (CGLS) algorithm, primarily because of reduction in artifacts. In the experimental study, the attenuation image obtained a contrast‐to‐noise ratio ≥60, much higher than that of CGLS results (~16) because of noise reduction. The median errors in rED and EC were 0.5% and 1.4% in the simulation study and 1.4% and 2.3% in the experimental study.ConclusionWe proposed a novel MEER‐CBCT framework realized on a clinical CBCT platform. Simulation and experimental studies demonstrated its capability to simultaneously reconstruct x‐ray attenuation coefficient, rED, and EC images accurately.
I‐Tiao‐Gung extract through its active component daidzin improves cyclophosphamide‐induced bladder dysfunction in rat model
Authors: Wu Kung‐Chieh , Chiang Bing‐Juin , Tsai Wen‐Hsin , Chung Shiu‐Dong , Chien Chiang‐Ting 
Published: September 2018

AimsWe explored the therapeutic potential of intragastric administration traditional Chinese medicine Glycine tomentella Hayata (I‐Tiao‐Gung, ITG) extract and its active component Daidzin on cyclophosphamide (CYP)‐induced cystitis and bladder hyperactivity in rats.MethodsFemale Wistar rats were divided into control, CYP (200 mg/kg), CYP + ITG (1.17 g/kg/day), CYP + Daidzin (12.5 mg/kg/day), and 1 week of ITG preconditioning with CYP (ITG + CYP) groups. We determined the trans cystometrogram associated with external urethral sphincter electromyogram, and the expression of M2 and M3 muscarinic and P2 × 2 and P2 × 3 purinergic receptors by Western blot in these animals.ResultsITG extract contains 1.07% of Daidzin and 0.77% of Daidzein by high‐performance liquid chromatography. Daidzin was more efficient than Daidzein in scavenging H2O2 activity by a chemiluminescence analyzer. CYP induced higher frequency, shorter intercontraction interval, lower maximal voiding pressure, lower threshold pressure, and Phase‐2 emptying contraction with a depressed external urethral sphincter electromyogram activity, and hemorrhagic cystitis in the bladders. The altered parameters by CYP were significantly improved in CYP + ITG, CYP + Daidzin, and ITG + CYP groups. The P2 × 2 and P2 × 3 expressions were significantly upregulated in CYP group, but were depressed in CYP + ITG, CYP + Daidzin, and ITG + CYP groups. The M2 expression was not significantly different among these five groups. The M3 expression was significantly upregulated in CYP group, but was significantly depressed in CYP + ITG, CYP + Daidzin, and ITG + CYP groups.ConclusionsThese data suggest that ITG extract through its active component Daidzin effectively improved CYP‐induced cystitis by the action of restoring Phase 2 activity and inhibiting the expressions of P2 × 2, P2 × 3, and M3 receptors.
Cardiac electrophysiology catheters for electrophysiological assessments of the lower urinary tract—A proof of concept ex vivo study in viable ureters
Authors: Haeberlin Andreas , Schürch Klaus , Niederhauser Thomas , Sweda Romy , Schneider Marc P. , Obrist Dominik , Burkhard Fiona , Clavica Francesco 
Published: September 2018

AimsTo explore the feasibility of minimally invasive catheter‐based electrophysiology studies in the urinary tract. This is a well‐known method used in cardiology to investigate and treat arrhythmias.MethodsWe developed an experimental platform which allows electrophysiological recordings with cardiac catheters and conventional needle electrodes in ex vivo pig ureters. The action potential was triggered by a stimulating electrode. We considered 13 porcine ureters (freshly collected and harvested in organ bath), 7 of which were used to optimize the setup and define the stimulation parameters; we performed the recordings in the remaining six ureters. The electrical propagation of the generated action potential was tracked with multiple sensing electrodes, from which propagation directions, velocities, refractory periods, and pacing thresholds were extracted.ResultsWe recorded propagating electrical activity in four ureters using needle electrodes and in two ureters using cardiac catheters. Propagation velocities for forward direction (from kidney to bladder) derived by the two methods were similar (15.1 ± 2.6 mm/s for cardiac catheters, 15.6 ± 2.3 mm/s for needle recordings). Pacing thresholds, activation patters, and refractory times were provided for the ureteric smooth muscle. Retrograde propagations and corresponding velocities were also observed and measured.ConclusionsThis study is a proof‐of‐concept showing that electrical activity can be measured “from the inside” of urinary cavities using catheters and that obtained results are comparable with the more invasive needle recordings. Catheter‐based electrophysiology may allow, in the clinical setting, for: i) a more differentiated understanding of urological disorders such as overactive bladder and ii) new therapeutic approaches (e.g., targeted tissue ablation).
Modified mixed least‐squares finite element formulations for small and finite strain plasticity
Authors: Igelbüscher Maximilian , Schwarz Alexander , Steeger Karl , Schröder Jörg 
Published: September 2018

SummaryIn this contribution, we propose mixed least‐squares finite element formulations for elastoplastic material behavior. The resulting two‐field formulations depending on displacements and stresses are given through the
‐norm minimization of the residuals of the first‐order system of differential equations. The residuals are the balance of momentum and the constitutive equation. The advantage of using mixed methods for an elastoplastic material description lies in the direct approximation of the stresses as an unknown variable. In addition to the standard least‐squares formulation, an extension of the least‐squares functional as well as a modified formulation is done. The modification by means of a varied first variation of the functional is necessary to guarantee a continuous weak form, which is not automatically given within the elastoplastic least‐squares approach. For the stress approximation, vector‐valued Raviart‐Thomas functions are chosen. On the other hand, standard Lagrange polynomials are taken into account for the approximation of the displacements. We consider classical J2 plasticity for a small and a large deformation model for the proposed formulations. For the description of the elastic material response, we choose for the small strain model Hooke's law and for finite deformations a hyperelastic model of Neo‐Hookean type. The underlying plastic material response is defined by an isotropic von Mises yield criterion with linear hardening.
Structures and Properties of LaFe0.8Cu0.2O3−δ and BaFe0.8Cu0.2O3−δ as Cobalt‐Free Perovskite‐Type Cathode Materials for the Oxygen Reduction Reaction
Authors: Idrees Asim , Jiang Xuening , Liu Gang , Luo Hao , Jia Guoqiang , Zhang Qingyu , Jiang Lei , Li Xiangnan , Xu Baomin 
Published: September 2018

AbstractPerovskite oxides with mixed electronic–ionic conduction are important catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). Here, two cobalt‐free perovskite oxides, LaFe0.8Cu0.2O3−δ (LFCuO) and BaFe0.8Cu0.2O3−δ (BFCuO), were synthesized and comparatively studied with respect to their phase structures, oxygen contents, chemical defects, thermal expansion coefficient (TEC), as well as electrical and electrochemical properties. Different structures and properties have been found for each oxide, which have been interpreted based on their tolerance factors and chemical defects. LFCuO showed much better overall performance than BFCuO, and it proved to be a promising cobalt‐free cathode material of intermediate‐temperature SOFCs with a low TEC (12.0×10−6 °C−1) that matches well with TECs of the electrolytes, high catalytic activity for the oxygen reduction reaction characterized by low area specific resistances (0.090 Ω cm2 at 800 °C and 0.20 Ω cm2 at 750 °C), and high‐temperature chemical stability with electrolytes.
Influence of microbiota in the susceptibility of parasitic wasps to abamectin insecticide: deep sequencing, esterase and toxicity tests
Authors: Fernández María del Mar , Meeus Ivan , Billiet Annelies , Van Nieuwerburgh Filip , Deforce Dieter , Vandamme Peter , Viñuela Elisa , Smagghe Guy 
Published: September 2018

AbstractBACKGROUNDThe parasitic wasps Eretmocerus mundus, Eretmocerus eremicus and Encarsia formosa are important natural enemies of whiteflies. A broad understanding of their biology, ecology and behavior has been achieved, but the composition and role of their microbiota is not fully determined. The knowledge of the bacteria present in insects might be useful to manage species of human concern such as natural enemies or pests. Here, we performed a residual contact test to study a possible change in the susceptibility of E. mundus adults to abamectin insecticide after antibiotic treatment. Moreover, we assessed the microbiota present in adults of E. eremicus, E. formosa and two strains of E. mundus by MiSeq 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. Finally, enzymatic tests were done to determine the influence of Arthrobacter species in the susceptibility of E. mundus to pesticides.RESULTSThe assays showed that when E. mundus adults were pretreated with antibiotic, the toxicity of abamectin was significantly higher. Among the different bacteria associated with parasitic wasps, Arthrobacter has been shown to be involved in the degradation of several kinds of pesticides. Four Arthrobacter species were detected in all the studied insects and the presence of esterases in this bacterial species was confirmed.CONCLUSIONSThe results suggest that the microbiota can modify the susceptibility of E. mundus to pesticides, which in turn supports the importance of the microbial community in natural enemies that it should be considered as a factor in risk assessment tests of pesticides. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry
Quantum mechanical studies of full‐shell noble metal nanoclusters in water
Authors: Xia Xiuli , Shao Yuanzhi 
Published: September 2018

AbstractWater–metal interfaces are ubiquitous, but their underlying physicochemical principles remain elusive. In this work, we performed scalar‐relativistic and dispersion‐corrected first‐principle calculations for full‐shell noble metal nanoclusters in water for characterizing their electronic interactions. With increasing nanocluster (NC) size, the average bond lengths of Ag and Au NCs decrease due to their strong relative effects, while those of Pd and Pt NCs increase normally. The calculated Löwdin net atomic charges show that naked full‐shell M
x (M is denoting Ag, Au, Pd, and Pt with x = 13, 55, 147, respectively) nanoclusters have core‐shell charge separations with positively charged core and negatively charged surface. Ag and Au NCs have higher charge separations with their well delocalized s‐electrons as compared with Pd and Pt NCs. The charged surface noble metal atoms of nanoclusters gain a small amount of electrons from neighbor oxygen atoms of water. The electronic structure analysis manifests a mixing state of hybrid s‐p‐d orbitals of noble metal nanoclusters with O_p states of water, which gives rise to the electronic interactions of dative‐bond character between noble metal nanoclusters and water. Such a kind of electronic interaction leads to charge transfer from neighbor oxygen atoms of water to surface noble metal atoms. These findings have an implication for those researches and applications in association with noble metal nanoclusters in liquid environments.
Resilient RMPC for polytopic uncertain systems under TOD protocol: A switched system approach
Authors: Zhu Kaiqun , Song Yan , Ding Derui 
Published: September 2018

SummaryThis paper addresses the resilient robust model predictive control (RMPC) problem for a class of polytopic uncertain systems under the try‐once‐discard (TOD) protocol. At each transmission instant, only one sensor node obtains the privilege to access the shared communication network in order to prevent the data from collision. The measurements transmission order of the sensor nodes is orchestrated, and a switched system is constructed according to the underlying TOD protocol. The aim of this paper is to design a set of desired resilient dynamic output feedback controllers in the framework RMPC such that the switched system with the underlying TOD protocol is exponentially stable. By taking the influence of the TOD protocol into account, sufficient conditions are provided to guarantee the recursive feasibility of the RMPC strategy and the stability of the established closed‐loop system in terms of the average dwell time method. Moreover, the effective resilient controllers in RMPC framework are derived by solving an online constrained optimization problem. Finally, a network‐based direct current motor example is utilized to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed model predictive control strategy.
An exact LMI condition for the strong delay‐independent stability analysis of neutral delay systems
Authors: Souza Fernando O. 
Published: September 2018

SummaryThis paper concentrates on strong delay‐independent stability of neutral linear time‐invariant delay systems with multiple commensurate time delays. The stability analysis of linear neutral systems is complicated by the need to locate the roots of a transcendental characteristic equation and to take into account the global hyperbolicity of an associated difference system. In this paper, we propose a convex necessary and sufficient condition for testing strong delay‐independent stability. This result mainly follows from Kronecker sum properties and the Kalman‐Yakubovich‐Popov lemma, which allows us to present the main result in terms of a single linear matrix inequality feasibility test. The paper is closed by showing numerical examples that illustrate the applicability and effectiveness of the proposed method.
Easy functionalization process applied to develop super‐hydrophobic and oleophobic properties on ASTM 1200 aluminum surface
Authors: Rocha Canella Carneiro Andreia , de Souza Ferreira Fábio Augusto , Houmard Manuel 
Published: September 2018

Super‐hydrophobic and oleophobic surfaces on ASTM 1200 H14 aluminum alloy substrates were achieved by chemical etching followed by deposition of organically modified silicate (ORMOSIL) coatings synthesized through sol‐gel method. The chemical etching using FHH solutions (FeCl3 + HCl + H2O2) was adapted for the studied aluminum alloy by varying the concentration of iron (III) chloride and the etching time in order to increase the surface roughness of the material. This chemical etching produces rough surfaces exhibiting superficial square pores with edges about 1 to 2 μm. The chemical modifications with ORMOSIL solutions based on 1H,1H,2H,2H‐perfluorooctyltriethoxysilane (PFOTES) and hexadecyltrimethoxysilane sol‐gel precursors induced water contact angles about 154° and 150°, respectively, and sliding angles smaller than 5°, on the previously optimized etched surface. Moreover, the surface modification with ORMOSIL based on PFOTES reached also an oleophobic character with an oil contact angle about 136° due to air entrapment in the surface roughness at the oil‐aluminum interface. Finally, ORMOSIL coatings produced with varied concentrations of PFOTES and tetraethoxyorthosilane precursors proved that the super‐hydrophobic and oleophobic properties can be maintained with an important decrease of the PFOTES precursor, which should significantly decrease the cost production of such functional surfaces and could favour its mechanical durability.
Neutral Genetic and Phenotypic Variation within and among Isolated Headwater Populations of Brook Trout
Authors: Weathers T. Casey , Kazyak David C. , Stauffer Jay R. , Kulp Matt A. , Moore Stephen E. , King Tim L. , Carlson John E. 
Published: September 2018

AbstractIsolated populations are challenging to manage and conserve, as they are particularly vulnerable to genetic drift, allelic fixation, and inbreeding and may express markedly reduced phenotypic variability. We sought to improve our understanding of how spatial isolation, occupancy range, and restricted gene flow influence contemporary phenotypic variation within and among native populations of Brook Trout Salvelinus fontinalis by examining the neutral genetic and phenotypic characteristics of 35 isolated headwater populations from Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Across a suite of 13 neutral microsatellite loci, we observed high levels of allelic fixation and considerable genetic differentiation among populations, subwatersheds, and watersheds that were consistent with patterns of isolation. We found significant positive correlations between allelic diversity and estimates of effective population size. In contrast, we observed considerably less phenotypic structure among streams, subwatersheds, and watersheds. Much of the observed phenotypic variation occurred among individuals within populations. Pairwise Mann–Whitney tests revealed no significant phenotypic differences among the populations of Brook Trout we examined. Similarly, there was no significant relationship between the amount of phenotypic variation within populations and any of the examined measures of genetic diversity or the amount of occupied habitat sampled, which suggests that unmeasured variables may be influencing morphometric and meristic variation within isolated populations. The observed patterns of isolation, genetic drift, and allelic fixation highlight the importance of enhancing population connectivity but also suggest that considerable phenotypic variability may persist within small, fragmented populations. Our results elucidate some challenges associated with managing and conserving isolated populations of Brook Trout and reinforce the importance of conducting genetic studies on fragmented populations to inform management decisions.