bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Utility of the Phenacyl Protecting Group in Traceless Protein Semisynthesis through Ligation–Desulfurization Chemistry
Authors: Matveenko Maria , Hackl Stefanie , Becker Christian F. W. 
Published: January 2018

AbstractSemisynthesis of proteins via expressed protein ligation is a widely applicable method, even more so because of the possibility of ligation at non‐cysteine sites using β‐mercapto amino acids that can be converted to the corresponding native amino acids by desulfurization. A drawback of this ligation– desulfurization approach is the removal of any unprotected native cysteine residues within the ligated protein segments. Here, we show that the phenacyl (PAc) moiety can be successfully used to protect cysteines within recombinantly generated protein segments. As such, this group was selectively appended onto cysteine side chains within bacterially expressed polypeptides following intein cleavage, which reveals a rather sensitive thioester at the C‐terminus. The PAc group proved to be compatible with native chemical ligation, radical desulfurization, and reverse‐phase HPLC conditions, and was smoothly removed at the end. The utility of the PAc protecting group was then demonstrated by the ‘traceless’ semisynthesis of two proteins containing one or two native cysteines: human small heat shock protein Hsp27 and murine prion protein.
Preparation of mesoporous SBA‐15/polymer‐copper(II) composites in supercritical CO2 and their multiple applications
Authors: Cao Liqin , Chi Hui , Hao Youwei , Wang Jide 
Published: January 2018

Novel organic–inorganic mesoporous SBA‐15composites containing nitrogen heterocyclic ring–copper complexes were prepared in supercritical carbon dioxide. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy revealed that the composites consisted of SBA‐15 and poly(Pya‐co‐AA)–Cu(II). X‐ray diffraction results indicated that the obtained composite possessed a two‐dimensional hexagonal‐ordered mesoporous structure. The specific surface areas of the composites were determined by Brunauer–Emmett–Teller method during nitrogen gas adsorption. The morphology of the composite was characterized by transmission electron microscopy. The effects of operating parameters, such as pressure, adsorption time, and monomer concentration, were also investigated. High‐yield, uniform composites with large aspect ratios were obtained at moderate concentration and pressure at a certain time. In addition, the adsorption behaviors of bovine serum albumin and the catalytic oxidation of benzylalcohol by the composites were evaluated. The adsorption capacities and catalytic performance of composites were 442.5 mg L−1 and 54.4%, respectively. POLYM. COMPOS., 40:823–831, 2019. © 2018 Society of Plastics Engineers
Flexible Transparent and Free‐Standing SiC Nanowires Fabric: Stretchable UV Absorber and Fast‐Response UV‐A Detector
Authors: Sun Bo , Sun Yong , Wang Chengxin 
Published: January 2018

AbstractTransparent and flexible materials are desired for the construction of photoelectric multifunctional integrated devices and portable electronics. Herein, 2H‐SiC nanowires are assembled into a flexible, transparent, self‐standing nanowire fabric (FTS‐NWsF). The as‐synthesized ultralong nanowires form high‐quality crystals with a few stacking faults. The optical transmission spectra reveal that FTS‐NWsF absorbs most incident 200–400 nm light, but remains transparent to visible light. A polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)–SiC fabric–PDMS sandwich film device exhibits stable electrical output even when repeatedly stretched by up to 50%. Unlike previous SiC nanowires in which stacking faults are prevalent, the transparent, stretchable SiC fabric shows considerable photoelectric activity and exhibits a rapid photoresponse (rise and decay time < 30 ms) to 340–400 nm light, covering most of the UV‐A spectral region. These advances represent significant progress in the design of functional optoelectronic SiC nanowires and transparent and stretchable optoelectronic systems.
The Effect of Human‐Immunodeficiency Virus Status on Outcomes in Penetrating Abdominal Trauma: An Interim Analysis
Authors: McPherson Deidre , Neuhaus Valentin , Dhar Rohin , Edu Sorin , Nicol Andrew J. , Navsaria Pradeep H. 
Published: January 2018

AbstractBackgroundThe purpose of this study was to determine whether the outcomes of hemodynamically stable patients undergoing exploratory laparotomy for penetrating abdominal trauma differed as a result of their HIV status.MethodsThis was an observational, prospective study from February 2016 to May 2017. All hemodynamically stable patients with penetrating abdominal trauma requiring a laparotomy were included. The mechanism of injury, the HIV status, age, the penetrating abdominal trauma index (PATI), and the revised trauma score (RTS) were entered into a binary logistic regression model. Outcome parameters were in‐hospital death, morbidity, admission to intensive care unit (ICU), relaparotomy within 30 days, and length of stay longer than 30 days.ResultsA total of 209 patients, 94% male, with a mean age of 29 ± 10 years were analysed. Twenty‐eight patients (13%) were HIV positive. The two groups were comparable. Ten (4.8%) laparotomies were negative. There were two (0.96%) deaths, both in the HIV negative group. The complication rate was 34% (n = 72). Twenty‐nine patients (14%) were admitted to the ICU. A higher PATI, older age, and a lower RTS were significant risk factors for ICU admission. After 30 days, 12 patients (5.7%) were still in hospital. Twenty‐four patients (11%) underwent a second laparotomy. The PATI score was the single independent predictor for complications, relaparotomy, and hospital stay longer than 30 days.ConclusionsPreliminary results reveal that HIV status does not influence outcomes in patients with penetrating abdominal trauma.
Hiding in Plain Sight: Contaminated Ice Machines Are a Potential Source for Dissemination of Gram-Negative Bacteria and Candida Species in Healthcare Facilities
Authors: Kanwar Anubhav , Cadnum Jennifer L. , Xu Dongyan , Jencson Annette L. , Donskey Curtis J. 
Published: January 2018

BACKGROUNDContaminated ice machines have been linked to transmission of pathogens in healthcare facilities.OBJECTIVETo determine the frequency and sites of contamination of ice machines in multiple healthcare facilities and to investigate potential mechanisms of microorganism dispersal from contaminated ice machines to patients.DESIGNMulticenter culture survey and simulation study.SETTINGThe study took place in 5 hospitals and 2 nursing homes in northeastern Ohio.METHODSWe cultured multiple sites on ice machines from patient care areas. To investigate potential mechanisms of microbial dispersal from contaminated ice machines, we observed the use of ice machines and conducted simulations using a fluorescent tracer and cultures.RESULTSSamples from 64 ice machines in the 5 hospitals and 2 nursing homes (range, 3–16 per facility) were cultured. Gram-negative bacilli and/or Candida spp were recovered from 100% of drain pans, 52% of ice and/or water chutes, and 72% of drain-pan grilles. During the operation of ice machines, ice often fell through the grille, resulting in splattering, with dispersal of contaminated water from the drain pan to the drain-pan grille, cups, and the hands of those using the ice machine. Contamination of the inner surface of the ice chute resulted in contamination of ice cubes exiting the chute.CONCLUSIONSOur findings demonstrate that ice machines in healthcare facilities are often contaminated with gram-negative bacilli and Candida species, and provide a potential mechanism by which these organisms may be dispersed. Effective interventions are needed to reduce the risk of dissemination of pathogenic organisms from ice machines.Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2018;39:253–258
Robust adaptive output feedback tracking control for flexible-joint robot manipulators based on singularly perturbed decoupling
Authors: Liu Huashan , Huang Yong 
Published: January 2018

SUMMARYThis paper presents a robust adaptive output feedback tracking controller for the flexible-joint robot manipulators to deal with the unknown upper bounds of parameter uncertainties and external disturbances. With applying the singular perturbation theory and integral manifold concept, the complex nonlinear coupled system of the flexible-joint robot manipulators is divided into a slow subsystem and a fast subsystem. A robust adaptive control scheme based on an improved linear parameterization expression is designed for the slow subsystem, and a saturation function is applied in the robust control term to make the torque output smooth. In the meantime, different from the previous approaches, the second-order derivative term of elastic torque is avoided by using the proposed computed torque method, which simplifies the implementation of the fast control law. Moreover, to carry out the whole control system with only position measurements, an approximate differential filter is involved to generate pseudo velocity signals for links and joint motors. In addition, an explicit but strict stability proof of the control system based on the theory of singularly perturbed systems is presented. Finally, simulation results verify the superior dynamic performance of the proposed controller.
In the weeds: distinguishing organic farmers who want information about ecological weed management from those who need it
Authors: Bessette Doug , Zwickle Sarah , Wilson Robyn 
Published: January 2018

AbstractThe benefits of farming organically in the USA are increasingly known; however, organic farmers also encounter considerable risks, especially from weeds. Without herbicides, organic farmers can rely only on crop rotations, mechanical cultivation, manual weeding, beneficial insects and other cultural practices, termed ecological weed management (EWM), to control weeds. Despite promising results and the many ways in which EWM can be employed, it remains poorly adopted by the organic community. Organic farmers resist research and recommendations from University scientists and Extension, instead preferring to rely on local family and friends and their own experience to guide decisions. Here we investigate factors that may lead organic farmers to recognize that they need additional information about EWM and to seek that information out. Using a national survey of organic farmers (n= 554) and a risk-information seeking and processing model, we show that farmers’ risk and benefit perceptions, worry, social norms encouraging seeking out information, and farmers’ own perceived knowledge gaps, particularly with respect to their most problematic weed, influence information-seeking behavior. Identifying characteristics that may distinguish those organic farmers who need and want additional information, we provide recommendations to Extension and University scientists about how best to communicate, build trust and provide decision support to the organic community with respect to EWM.
Transforming growth factor-β in stem cells and tissue homeostasis
Authors: Xu Xin , Zheng Liwei , Yuan Quan , Zhen Gehua , Crane Janet L. , Zhou Xuedong , Cao Xu 
Published: January 2018

AbstractTGF-β 1–3 are unique multi-functional growth factors that are only expressed in mammals, and mainly secreted and stored as a latent complex in the extracellular matrix (ECM). The biological functions of TGF-β in adults can only be delivered after ligand activation, mostly in response to environmental perturbations. Although involved in multiple biological and pathological processes of the human body, the exact roles of TGF-β in maintaining stem cells and tissue homeostasis have not been well-documented until recent advances, which delineate their functions in a given context. Our recent findings, along with data reported by others, have clearly shown that temporal and spatial activation of TGF-β is involved in the recruitment of stem/progenitor cell participation in tissue regeneration/remodeling process, whereas sustained abnormalities in TGF-β ligand activation, regardless of genetic or environmental origin, will inevitably disrupt the normal physiology and lead to pathobiology of major diseases. Modulation of TGF-β signaling with different approaches has proven effective pre-clinically in the treatment of multiple pathologies such as sclerosis/fibrosis, tumor metastasis, osteoarthritis, and immune disorders. Thus, further elucidation of the mechanisms by which TGF-β is activated in different tissues/organs and how targeted cells respond in a context-dependent way can likely be translated with clinical benefits in the management of a broad range of diseases with the involvement of TGF-β.
Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase is critical for suppression of cardiac hypertrophy by H2S
Authors: Chhabra Aastha , Mishra Shalini , Kumar Gaurav , Gupta Asheesh , Keshri Gaurav Kumar , Bharti Brij , Meena Ram Niwas , Prabhakar Amit Kumar , Singh Dinesh Kumar , Bhargava Kalpana , Sharma Manish 
Published: January 2018

AbstractHydrogen Sulfide (H2S), recently identified as the third endogenously produced gaseous messenger, is a promising therapeutic prospect for multiple cardio-pathological states, including myocardial hypertrophy. The molecular niche of H2S in normal or diseased cardiac cells is, however, sparsely understood. Here, we show that β-adrenergic receptor (β-AR) overstimulation, known to produce hypertrophic effects in cardiomyocytes, rapidly decreased endogenous H2S levels. The preservation of intracellular H2S levels under these conditions strongly suppressed hypertrophic responses to adrenergic overstimulation, thus suggesting its intrinsic role in this process. Interestingly, unbiased global transcriptome sequencing analysis revealed an integrated metabolic circuitry, centrally linked by NADPH homeostasis, as the direct target of intracellular H2S augmentation. Within these gene networks, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), the first and rate-limiting enzyme (producing NADPH) in pentose phosphate pathway, emerged as the critical node regulating cellular effects of H2S. Utilizing both cellular and animal model systems, we show that H2S-induced elevated G6PD activity is critical for the suppression of cardiac hypertrophy in response to adrenergic overstimulation. We also describe experimental evidences suggesting multiple processes/pathways involved in regulation of G6PD activity, sustained over extended duration of time, in response to endogenous H2S augmentation. Our data, thus, revealed H2S as a critical endogenous regulator of cardiac metabolic circuitry, and also mechanistic basis for its anti-hypertrophic effects.
Optical imaging of strain in two-dimensional crystals
Authors: Mennel Lukas , Furchi Marco M. , Wachter Stefan , Paur Matthias , Polyushkin Dmitry K. , Mueller Thomas 
Published: January 2018

AbstractStrain engineering is widely used in material science to tune the (opto-)electronic properties of materials and enhance the performance of devices. Two-dimensional atomic crystals are a versatile playground to study the influence of strain, as they can sustain very large deformations without breaking. Various optical techniques have been employed to probe strain in two-dimensional materials, including micro-Raman and photoluminescence spectroscopy. Here we demonstrate that optical second harmonic generation constitutes an even more powerful technique, as it allows extraction of the full strain tensor with a spatial resolution below the optical diffraction limit. Our method is based on the strain-induced modification of the nonlinear susceptibility tensor due to a photoelastic effect. Using a two-point bending technique, we determine the photoelastic tensor elements of molybdenum disulfide. Once identified, these parameters allow us to spatially image the two-dimensional strain field in an inhomogeneously strained sample.
Chitosan nanoparticles having higher degree of acetylation induce resistance against pearl millet downy mildew through nitric oxide generation
Authors: Siddaiah Chandra Nayaka , Prasanth Keelara Veerappa Harish , Satyanarayana Niranjan Raj , Mudili Venkataramana , Gupta Vijai Kumar , Kalagatur Naveen Kumar , Satyavati Tara , Dai Xiao-Feng , Chen Jie-Yin , Mocan Andrei , Singh Bhim Pratap , Srivastava Rakesh Kumar 
Published: January 2018

AbstractDowny mildew of pearl millet caused by the biotrophic oomycete Sclerospora graminicola is the most devastating disease which impairs pearl millet production causing huge yield and monetary losses. Chitosan nanoparticles (CNP) were synthesized from low molecular weight chitosan having higher degree of acetylation was evaluated for their efficacy against downy mildew disease of pearl millet caused by Sclerospora graminicola. Laboratory studies showed that CNP seed treatment significantly enhanced pearl millet seed germination percentage and seedling vigor compared to the control. Seed treatment with CNP induced systemic and durable resistance and showed significant downy mildew protection under greenhouse conditions in comparison to the untreated control. Seed treatment with CNP showed changes in gene expression profiles wherein expression of genes of phenylalanine ammonia lyase, peroxidase, polyphenoloxidase, catalase and superoxide dismutase were highly upregulated. CNP treatment resulted in earlier and higher expression of the pathogenesis related proteins PR1 and PR5. Downy mildew protective effect offered by CNP was found to be modulated by nitric oxide and treatment with CNP along with NO inhibitors cPTIO completely abolished the gene expression of defense enzymes and PR proteins. Further, comparative analysis of CNP with Chitosan revealed that the very small dosage of CNP performed at par with recommended dose of Chitosan for downy mildew management.
Tunable Open Circuit Voltage by Engineering Inorganic Cesium Lead Bromide/Iodide Perovskite Solar Cells
Authors: Ng Chi Huey , Ripolles Teresa S. , Hamada Kengo , Teo Siow Hwa , Lim Hong Ngee , Bisquert Juan , Hayase Shuzi 
Published: January 2018

AbstractPerovskite solar cells based on series of inorganic cesium lead bromide and iodide mixture, CsPbBr3-xI
x
, where x varies between 0, 0.1, 0.2, and 0.3 molar ratio were synthesized by two step-sequential deposition at ambient condition to design the variations of wide band gap light absorbers. A device with high overall photoconversion efficiency of 3.98 % was obtained when small amount of iodide (CsPbBr2.9I0.1) was used as the perovskite and spiro-OMeTAD as the hole transport material (HTM). We investigated the origin of variation in open circuit voltage, Voc which was shown to be mainly dependent on two factors, which are the band gap of the perovskite and the work function of the HTM. An increment in Voc was observed for the device with larger perovskite band gap, while keeping the electron and hole extraction contacts the same. Besides, the usage of bilayer P3HT/MoO3 with deeper HOMO level as HTM instead of spiro-OMeTAD, thus increased the Voc from 1.16 V to 1.3 V for CsPbBr3 solar cell, although the photocurrent is lowered due to charge extraction issues. The stability studies confirmed that the addition of small amount of iodide into the CsPbBr3 is necessarily to stabilize the cell performance over time.
Spiroplasma affects host aphid proteomics feeding on two nutritional resources
Authors: Guidolin Aline Sartori , Cataldi Thaís Regiani , Labate Carlos Alberto , Francis Frederic , Cônsoli Fernando Luis 
Published: January 2018

AbstractBacterial symbionts are broadly distributed among insects, influencing their bioecology to different degrees. Aphids carry a number of secondary symbionts that can influence aphid physiology and fitness attributes. Spiroplasma is seldom reported as an aphid symbiont, but a high level of infection has been observed in one population of the tropical aphid Aphis citricidus. We used sister isolines of Spiroplasma-infected (Ac-BS) and Spiroplasma-free (Ac-B) aphids reared on sweet orange (optimum host) and orange jasmine (suboptimum host) to demonstrate the effects of Spiroplasma infection in the aphid proteome profile. A higher number of proteins were differently abundant in aphids feeding on orange jasmine, indicating an impact of host plant quality. In both host plants, the majority of proteins affected by Spiroplasma infection were heat shock proteins, proteins linked to cell function and structure, and energy metabolism. Spiroplasma also induced changes in proteins involved in antimicrobial activity, carbohydrate processing and metabolism, amino acid synthesis and metabolism in aphids feeding on orange jasmine. We discuss on how the aphid host proteome is differentially affected by Spiroplasma infection when the host is exploiting host plants with different nutritional values.
Differential Impact of Interference on Internally- and Externally-Directed Attention
Authors: Ziegler David A. , Janowich Jacqueline R. , Gazzaley Adam 
Published: January 2018

AbstractAttention can be oriented externally to the environment or internally to the mind, and can be derailed by interference from irrelevant information originating from either external or internal sources. However, few studies have explored the nature and underlying mechanisms of the interaction between different attentional orientations and different sources of interference. We investigated how externally- and internally-directed attention was impacted by external distraction, how this modulated internal distraction, and whether these interactions were affected by healthy aging. Healthy younger and older adults performed both an externally-oriented visual detection task and an internally-oriented mental rotation task, performed with and without auditory sound delivered through headphones. We found that the addition of auditory sound induced a significant decrease in task performance in both younger and older adults on the visual discrimination task, and this was accompanied by a shift in the type of distractions reported (from internal to external). On the internally-oriented task, auditory sound only affected performance in older adults. These results suggest that the impact of external distractions differentially impacts performance on tasks with internal, as opposed to external, attentional orientations. Further, internal distractibility is affected by the presence of external sound and increased suppression of internal distraction.
Novel global effector mining from the transcriptome of early life stages of the soybean cyst nematode Heterodera glycines
Authors: Gardner Michael , Dhroso Andi , Johnson Nathan , Davis Eric L. , Baum Thomas J. , Korkin Dmitry , Mitchum Melissa G. 
Published: January 2018

AbstractSoybean cyst nematode (SCN) Heterodera glycines is an obligate parasite that relies on the secretion of effector proteins to manipulate host cellular processes that favor the formation of a feeding site within host roots to ensure its survival. The sequence complexity and co-evolutionary forces acting upon these effectors remain unknown. Here we generated a de novo transcriptome assembly representing the early life stages of SCN in both a compatible and an incompatible host interaction to facilitate global effector mining efforts in the absence of an available annotated SCN genome. We then employed a dual effector prediction strategy coupling a newly developed nematode effector prediction tool, N-Preffector, with a traditional secreted protein prediction pipeline to uncover a suite of novel effector candidates. Our analysis distinguished between effectors that co-evolve with the host genotype and those conserved by the pathogen to maintain a core function in parasitism and demonstrated that alternative splicing is one mechanism used to diversify the effector pool. In addition, we confirmed the presence of viral and microbial inhabitants with molecular sequence information. This transcriptome represents the most comprehensive whole-nematode sequence currently available for SCN and can be used as a tool for annotation of expected genome assemblies.