bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Self‐Assembled DNA Nanoclews for the Efficient Delivery of CRISPR–Cas9 for Genome Editing
Authors: Sun Wujin , Ji Wenyan , Hall Jordan M. , Hu Quanyin , Wang Chao , Beisel Chase L. , Gu Zhen 
Published: August 2015

AbstractCRISPR–Cas9 represents a promising platform for genome editing, yet means for its safe and efficient delivery remain to be fully realized. A novel vehicle that simultaneously delivers the Cas9 protein and single guide RNA (sgRNA) is based on DNA nanoclews, yarn‐like DNA nanoparticles that are synthesized by rolling circle amplification. The biologically inspired vehicles were efficiently loaded with Cas9/sgRNA complexes and delivered the complexes to the nuclei of human cells, thus enabling targeted gene disruption while maintaining cell viability. Editing was most efficient when the DNA nanoclew sequence and the sgRNA guide sequence were partially complementary, offering a design rule for enhancing delivery. Overall, this strategy provides a versatile method that could be adapted for delivering other DNA‐binding proteins or functional nucleic acids.
Stoichiometric Sensing to Opt between Gelation and Crystallization
Authors: Vidyasagar Adiyala , Sureshan Kana M. 
Published: August 2015

AbstractA new class of organogelators having a cyclohexane‐1a,3a‐diol motif capable of congealing non‐polar liquids was developed. These gelators underwent crystallization at low concentration and gelation above the critical gelation concentration (CGC) in the same solvent. The crystals and gel fibers were analyzed by single crystal XRD and PXRD respectively, which revealed their different modes of assembly. The XRD studies and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) confirmed that the crystals contain a water of crystallization whereas the gel fibers do not. A systematic study revealed that when the concentration of the gelator exceeds that of adventitious water in the solvent, it congeals the solvent and when the concentration of the gelator is less than water, it undergoes crystallization. This unprecedented stoichiometric sensing behavior in deciding the mode of self‐assembly offers a handle to opt between mutually competing gelation and crystallization. We have confirmed that the system can be biased to congeal or crystallize by varying the amount of water.
Rapid polymer fiber airbrushing: Impact of a device design on the fiber fabrication and matrix quality
Authors: Tutak Wojtek , Gelven Grant , Markle Chris , Palmer Xavier‐Lewis 
Published: August 2015

ABSTRACTPolymer fiber matrixes can be used in a variety of applications, including electronics, tissue engineering, or coatings. Polymer airbrushing (air‐blast spinning) has the potential to overcome some of the limitations of electrospinning and has the advantage of depositing nanofibers directly on various materials. The airbrushing technique has yet to be better evaluated and optimized to achieve a higher fiber reproducibility and bulk material quality. In this study, a gravity‐fed brush (commercial airbrush) and syringe‐pump‐operated brush [custom‐built airbrush (CBA)] were compared to determine the effect of the coaxial brush design on the efficacy of fiber fabrication. At comparable fiber deposition rates, gas pressures, and polymer concentrations, the CBA produced smaller and more uniform fibers with a lower average size of polymer beads. The obtained data suggest that capillary pinching was the dominant mechanism responsible for fiber formation when we used the CBA. The estimated pinching energy was lower for the CBA at the compared polymer concentrations and at a high gas pressure. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015, 132, 42813.
Thermoplastic polyurethanes with isosorbide chain extender
Authors: Javni Ivan , Bilić Olivera , Bilić Nikola , Petrović Zoran S. , Eastwood Eric A. , Zhang Fan , Ilavský Jan 
Published: August 2015

ABSTRACTIsosorbide, a renewable diol derived from starch, was used alone or in combination with butane diol (BD) as the chain extender in two series of thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPU) with 50 and 70% polytetramethylene ether glycol (PTMEG) soft segment concentration (SSC), respectively. In the synthesized TPUs, the hard segment composition was systematically varied in both series following BD/isosorbide molar ratios of 100 : 0; 75 : 25; 50 : 50; 25 : 75, and 0 : 100 to examine in detail the effect of chain extenders on properties of segmented polyurethane elastomers with different morphologies. We found that polyurethanes with 50% SSC were hard elastomers with Shore D hardness of around 50, which is consistent with assumed co‐continuous morphology. Polymers with 70% SSC displayed lower Shore A hardness of 74–79 (Shore D around 25) as a result of globular hard domains dispersed in the soft matrix. Insertion of isosorbide increased rigidity, melting point and glass transition temperature of hard segments and tensile strength of elastomers with 50% SSC. These effects were weaker or non‐existent in 70% SSC series due to the short hard segments and low content of isosorbide. We also found that the thermal stability was lowered by increasing isosorbide content in both series. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015, 132, 42830.
Increased Risk of Autism Spectrum Disorders in Children Born to Women With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: Results From a Large Population‐Based Cohort
Authors: Vinet Évelyne , Pineau Christian A. , Clarke Ann E. , Scott Susan , Fombonne Éric , Joseph Lawrence , Platt Robert W. , Bernatsky Sasha 
Published: August 2015

ObjectiveIn utero exposure to maternal antibodies and cytokines are potential risk factors for autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). The aim of this study was to determine whether children born to mothers with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) have an increased risk of ASD compared to children born to mothers without SLE.MethodsThe study population was derived from the Offspring of SLE Mothers Registry (OSLER), a large population‐based cohort identified through healthcare databases in Quebec (1989–2009) comprising all women who had ≥1 hospitalization for a delivery (stillbirth or live birth) after SLE diagnosis. As general population controls, a randomly selected group of women without SLE was matched ≥4:1 to the mothers with SLE for age and year of delivery. Children born live to mothers with SLE and those born live to matched controls were identified, and a recorded diagnosis of ASD was ascertained for each child. Multivariate analyses were performed to adjust for parents’ demographic characteristics, sex, birth order of the child, maternal comorbidities, and obstetric complications.ResultsIn total, 509 women with SLE had 719 children, and 5,824 matched controls had 8,493 children. Children born to women with SLE were more frequently found to have a diagnosis of ASD compared to controls (frequency of recorded ASDs 1.4% [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.8–2.5] versus 0.6% [95% CI 0.5–0.8]), a difference of 0.8% (95% CI 0.1–1.9). The mean age at ASD diagnosis was younger in offspring of SLE mothers (mean 3.8 years, 95% CI 1.8–5.8) compared to offspring of controls (mean 5.7 years, 95% CI 4.9–6.5). In primary multivariate analysis, SLE offspring had a substantially increased risk of ASD compared to controls (odds ratio 2.19, 95% CI 1.09–4.39).ConclusionCompared to children from the general population, children born to women with SLE have an increased risk of ASD, although, in absolute terms, it represents a rare outcome. These hypothesis‐generating data provide direction for additional studies of maternal autoimmunity and ASD risk.
Comparative Risk of Hospitalized Infection Associated With Biologic Agents in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients Enrolled in Medicare
Authors: Yun Huifeng , Xie Fenglong , Delzell Elizabeth , Levitan Emily B. , Chen Lang , Lewis James D. , Saag Kenneth G. , Beukelman Timothy , Winthrop Kevin L. , Baddley John W. , Curtis Jeffrey R. 
Published: August 2015

ObjectiveThe risks of hospitalized infection associated with biologic agents used to treat rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are unclear. The aim of this study was to determine whether the associated risk of hospitalized infections differed between specific biologic agents used to treat RA.MethodsIn a retrospective cohort study using Medicare data from 2006–2011 for all enrolled patients with RA, new episodes of treatment with etanercept, adalimumab, certolizumab, golimumab, infliximab, abatacept, rituximab, and tocilizumab were identified. Patients were required to have received another biologic agent previously and to have been continuously enrolled in Medicare medical and pharmacy plans during the baseline period and throughout followup. Followup started on the date of initiation of treatment with the new biologic agent (after previous treatment with a different biologic agent) and ended on the date of the earliest hospitalized infection, at 12 months, after an exposure gap of >30 days, or at the time of death or loss of Medicare coverage. Cox regression analysis was used to calculate the adjusted hazard ratio (HR) for hospitalized infection, adjusting for an infection risk score and other confounders.ResultsOf 31,801 new biologic treatment episodes in patients who had previously received another biologic agent, 12.0% were with etanercept, 15.2% with adalimumab, 5.9% with certolizumab, 4.4% with golimumab, 12.4% with infliximab, 28.9% with abatacept, 14.8% with rituximab, and 6.3% with tocilizumab. During followup, we identified 2,530 hospitalized infections; incidence rates ranged from 13.1 per 100 person‐years (abatacept) to 18.7 per 100 person‐years (rituximab). After adjustment, etanercept (HR 1.24, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.07–1.45), infliximab (HR 1.39, 95% CI 1.21–1.60), and rituximab (HR 1.36, 95% CI 1.21–1.53) had significantly higher HRs for hospitalized infection compared with abatacept.ConclusionIn RA patients with prior exposure to a biologic agent, exposure to etanercept, infliximab, or rituximab was associated with a greater 1‐year risk of hospitalized infection compared with the risk associated with exposure to abatacept.
Guidance Laws With Input Constraints and Actuator Failures
Authors: Fei Liao , Haibo Ji 
Published: August 2015

AbstractA novel three‐dimensional fault‐tolerant control guidance law is proposed for interception of maneuvering targets in the presence of external disturbances, actuator failures, and control input constraints. The input‐to‐state stability (ISS) method is introduced to design the fault‐tolerant control guidance law to guarantee robust tracking of a maneuvering target. Then, a saturated fault‐tolerant control guidance law is constructed using a modified saturation function to ensure the resulting control signal will never incur input constraints, and the convergence to a small neighborhood of origin is ensured in theory. Simulation results show that the presented approach is effective in achieving a successful interception against target maneuvers, external disturbances, actuator failures, and control input constraints.
Gait Generation and Stabilization for Nearly Passive Dynamic Walking Using Auto‐distributed Impulses
Authors: Moon Jae‐Sung , Stipanović Dušan M. , Spong Mark W. 
Published: August 2015

AbstractWe propose a state feedback control design via linearization for flexible walking on flat ground. First, we generate nearly passive limit cycles, being stable or not, using impulsive toe‐off actuations. The term ‘nearly passive’ means that the dynamics is completely passive almost everywhere except at the toe‐off moment. A feature of our gait generation method is that walking gaits are characterized only by amounts of supplied energy, and we observe that other variables, including input torques, are auto‐balanced via our method. After gait generation, we design a feedback controller considering robustness and input saturation. As a result, each limit cycle can be matched with its respective controller classified only by energy levels. We have verified that walking speeds monotonically increase by adding more energy, and the ankle joint plays a significant role in compass‐gait walking. Finally, instead of applying impulsive torques, we discuss a practical issue regarding realistic control inputs that ensure stable gait transitions as energy levels are elevated.
Instandsetzung einer Fußgängerbrücke im Zuge der SÜDEUROPA‐PIPELINE zur Erhöhung der Erdbebensicherheit
Authors: Chanonier Christophe , Raulet Christophe , Martin François , Carde Christophe , Resplendino Jacques 
Published: August 2015

AbstractAls Teil der Wiederinbetriebnahme der PL1‐Pipeline, die Raffinerien und petrochemische Standorte auf der Achse Fos‐Lyon‐Karlsruhe versorgt, wurden im Rahmen des sog. DIADES‐Projekts Untersuchungen im Zusammenhang mit der Verstärkung, Instandsetzung sowie der Erdbebensicherheit einer Fußgängerbrücke durchgeführt, die die Überquerung der Flussaue der Durance ermöglicht. Die Brücke liegt südlich von Avignon und besteht aus acht vorgespannten Abschnitten mit einer Gesamtlänge von etwa 300 Metern. Das Hauptziel des Projekts war die Neubewertung der Erdbebengefahr unter besonderer Berücksichtigung neuerer französischer Vorschriften sowie die entsprechende Ertüchtigung des Bauwerks. Hierzu wurde eine neuartige Kopplung entwickelt, mithilfe derer die Instandsetzung durchgeführt werden konnte. Der vorliegende Beitrag fasst die erfolgreiche Umsetzung der Maßnahme zusammen.Southern Europe Pipeline: new life of a 1960s pipelineAs part of the re‐commissioning of the PL1 pipeline that supplies refineries and petrochemical sites on the Fos‐Lyon‐Karlsruhe axis, DIADES project managed, on behalf of SPSE, the studies into and the works relating to the reinforcement /rehabilitation and seismic compliance of a footbridge permitting the aerial crossing of the floodplain of the Durance. This study is based on the structural diagnosis performed by the laboratory of the LERM.This bridge, located south of Avignon, is a structure of eight prestressed isostatic spans with a total length of about 300 m.The main objectives of this project included its capacity to respect seismic compliance, taking into account the re‐evaluation of seismic hazard in France. This work was carried out through a fully removable additional prestressed coupling to ensure the heavy maintenance of the pipeline.Using an original example of design and execution to make it possible to sustain the structure during the seismic compliance works, this presentation shows the value of the additional prestressing in the rehabilitation of existing structures, by emphasizing the importance of the diagnosis phase, focusing on the existing prestressing. It emphasizes the reliability of the various assumptions which are helpful for reinforcement dimensioning; these assumptions are based on the results of the pathological analysis of the structure including various structural investigations and inspections.
Anwendung von kathodischen Korrosionsschutzmaßnahmen bei 30 Spannbetonbrücken in den Niederlanden
Authors: van den Hondel Hans , Klamer Ernst L. , Gulikers Joost , Polder Rob B. 
Published: August 2015

AbstractDie oberste niederländische Straßen‐ und Wasserbaubehörde (Rijkswaterstaat) hat im Hinblick auf die langfristige Instandhaltung ihrer Infrastruktureinrichtungen über 1500 Endverankerungsbereiche von Spannbetonbrückenträgern instandgesetzt und einer kathodischen Korrosionsschutzbehandlung (KKS) unterzogen. Die Endbereiche wiesen mäßige bis starke Schäden durch Bewehrungskorrosion auf. Verursacht wurde die Korrosion durch Chloride, die über undichte Fugen eingedrungen waren. Durch den kathodischen Korrosionsschutz konnte der fortschreitende Korrosionsprozess unterbunden werden. Damit wurde das Risiko einer weiteren Zustandsverschlechterung der Spannbetonträger und eines möglichen Bruchs der Spannglieder auf ein Mindestmaß reduziert. Letztlich konnte die Nutzungsdauer von 30 betrachteten Brücken um mehr als 20 Jahre verlängert werden. Der vorliegende Beitrag skizziert die gewählte Herangehensweise.Application of cathodic protection on 30 concrete bridges with pre‐stressing steel: remaining service life extended with more than 20 yearsIn view of long term maintenance of its infrastructure facilities the Dutch Highway Administration (Rijkswaterstaat) has repaired over 1.500 heads of prestressed beams and provided them with cathodic protection (CP). The heads of these beams showed moderate to severe damage due to reinforcement corrosion caused by the penetration of chlorides from leaking joints, which required adequate intervention on the short term. By means of cathodic protection the corrosion process has been halted, so that the risk of further degradation of the beams and possible failure of the pre‐stressing steel tendons has been minimized. In addition, the concrete repairs in the chloride contaminated parts of the beams will be durable.
Multicentre study of robotic intersphincteric resection for low rectal cancer
Authors:   Korean Laparoscopic Colorectal Surgery Study Group, Park J S , Kim N K , Kim S H , Lee K Y , Lee K Y , Shin J Y , Kim C N , Choi G-S 
Published: August 2015

Abstract

Background
There is a lack of information regarding the oncological safety of robotic intersphincteric resection (ISR) with coloanal anastomosis. The objective of this study was to compare the long-term feasibility of robotic compared with laparoscopic ISR.

Methods
Between January 2008 and May 2011, consecutive patients who underwent robotic or laparoscopic ISR with coloanal anastomosis from seven institutions were included. Propensity score analyses were performed to compare outcomes for groups in a 1 : 1 case-matched cohort. The primary endpoint was 3-year disease-free survival.

Results
A total of 334 patients underwent ISR with coloanal anastomosis, of whom 212 matched patients (106 in each group) formed the cohort for analysis. The overall rate of conversion to open surgery was 0·9 per cent in the robotic ISR group and 1·9 per cent in the laparoscopic ISR group. Nine patients (8·5 per cent) in the laparoscopic group and three (2·8 per cent) in the robotic ISR group still had a stoma at last follow-up (P = 0·075). Total mean hospital costs were significantly higher for robotic ISR (€12 757 versus €9223 for laparoscopic ISR; P = 0·037). Overall 3-year local recurrence rates were similar in the two groups (6·7 per cent for robotic and 5·7 per cent for laparoscopic resection; P = 0·935). The combined 3-year disease-free survival rates were 89·6 (95 per cent c.i. 84·1 to 95·9) and 90·5 (85·4 to 96·6) per cent respectively (P = 0·298).

Conclusion
Robotic ISR with coloanal anastomosis for rectal cancer has reasonable oncological outcomes, but is currently too expensive with no short-term advantages.
Pharmacokinetics of tecomin in rats after intragastric and intravenous administration
Authors: Guo Lina , Peng Yushuai , Zhao Can , Yang Xin , Liu Lijia , Wang Rufeng 
Published: August 2015

AbstractThe pharmacokinetics of tecomin, which is a potential bioactive compound from the flowers of Trollius chinensis, was studied. The results showed that this compound was easily absorbed and rapidly metabolized into veratric acid in vivo, and then the latter was eliminated slowly. In addition, the simulant in vitro gastrointestinal transformation experiments demonstrated that the basic enteral environment and intestinal bacterial flora also contributed to the metabolism of tecomin to veratric acid. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Qualification and application of a liquid chromatography–quadrupole time‐of‐flight mass spectrometric method for the determination of trastuzumab in rat plasma
Authors: Park Min‐Ho , Lee Min‐Woo , Shin Young G. 
Published: August 2015

AbstractAn liquid chromatography–quadrupole time‐of‐flight (QqTOF) mass spectrometric method was developed for the determination of humanized or human monoclonal antibodies in rat plasma at the early drug discovery stage. Trastuzumab was used as a model monoclonal antibody. The method consisted of immunoprecipitation followed by tryptic digestion for sample preparation and LC‐TOF‐MS/MS analysis of specific signature peptides in the positive ion mode using electrospray ionization for analysis. A stable isotope‐labeled signature peptide was also used as internal standard. A quadratic regression (weighted 1/concentration2), with an equation y = ax2 + bx + c, was used to fit calibration curves over the concentration range of 0.500–100 µg/mL for trastuzumab. Samples from a pharmacokinetic study in rat were analyzed by this qualified LC‐TOF‐MS/MS method and concentrations were compared with those generated by enzyme linked immunosorbent assays method. The LC‐TOF‐MS/MS method was accurate and precise, with quantitative results comparable with those of ELISA. The qualification run met the acceptance criteria of ±25% accuracy and precision values for quality control samples. Within‐run accuracy ranged from 1.53 to 9.20% with precision values ≤10.29%. This LC‐TOF‐MS/MS method approach could be used as a complementary method for humanized or human monoclonal antibodies at the early drug discovery stage. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Vanadium‐Substituted Tungstophosphoric Acids as Efficient Catalysts for Visible‐Light‐Driven Oxygenation of Cyclohexane by Dioxygen
Authors: Tang Senpei , Wu Wenfeng , Fu Zaihui , Zou Shuai , Liu Yachun , Zhao Haihong , Kirk Steven Robert , Yin Dulin 
Published: August 2015

AbstractThis paper discloses that the oxygenation of cyclohexane by dioxygen (O2) to cyclohexanol and cyclohexanone over three vanadium‐substituted tungstophosphoric acids (PW11V1, PW10V2, PW9V3) can occur in MeCN under visible‐light irradiation, but provides very low cyclohexane conversion (0.8–2.4 %) with modest cyclohexanone selectivity (51–58.3 %). Importantly, an HCl aqueous solution was found to drastically promote this photooxygenation catalyzed by PW10V2 and especially PW9V3 acids, respectively providing approximately 20.4 and 23.4 % cyclohexane conversion and approximately 82.5 and 87.1 % cyclohexanone selectivity, with a concomitant formation of a small amount of chlorocyclohexane. However, such promoting effect was negligible in the PW11V1‐ photocatalyzed oxygenation and the other acids and the chlorine‐containing salts did not show any promotion effect on the present photocatalysis reaction. Notably, the HCl‐promoted photocatalytic oxygenation was significantly influenced by the amount of water. The cyclohexanone selectivity continuously and significantly increased with water amount, but photooxygenation efficiency drastically decreased if a slight excess amount of water was added. Based on these findings and the UV/Vis spectral and cyclic voltammetric measurements, a free‐radical mechanism initiated by the Cl atoms generated in the present photocatalysis system was proposed.
A Practical and Fast Method To Predict the Thermodynamic Preference of ω‐Transaminase‐Based Transformations
Authors: Meier Robert J. , Gundersen Maria T. , Woodley John M. , Schürmann Martin 
Published: August 2015

AbstractA simple, easy‐to‐use, and fast approach method is proposed and validated that can predict whether a transaminase reaction is thermodynamically unfavourable. This allowed us to deselect, in the present case, at least 50% of the reactions because they were thermodynamically unfavourable as confirmed by experiment. Once a larger data base is established, in silico screening of several new reactions (new target molecules) can easily be performed each day.