bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Biogenic silver nanoparticles-modified forward osmosis membranes with mitigated internal concentration polarization and enhanced antibacterial properties
Authors: Wu Xing , Fang Fang , Zhang Bifeng , Wu Jun Jie , Zhang Kaisong 
Published: September 2022

AbstractThin-film composite forward osmosis (TFC-FO) membranes show the potential to be applied in water treatment applications. However, the TFC-FO membrane performance was limited by internal concentration polarization (ICP) and membrane fouling. In this study, a well-functioning TFC-FO membrane was produced by embedding biogenic silver nanoparticles (BioAg) into the polysulfone (PSf) substrate of a FO membrane. Effects of BioAg on membrane structure, filtration performance, antifouling, and antibacterial properties of the as-prepared FO membranes were examined. Results indicated that BioAg-modified FO membranes achieved improved surface hydrophilicity, higher porosity, and mitigated ICP, resulting in 2.5–4.4 times higher water flux than the pristine FO membranes. The BioAg-modified FO membrane also showed significantly improved antifouling and antibacterial ability. Moreover, the release velocity of silver nanoparticles in FO membranes was significantly slowed down by the construction of the polyamide layer. After 30 days of immersion in an aqueous solution, 96.5% of silver was retained in the optimized BioAg-modified FO membrane. The study offers an effective approach to simultaneously mitigate ICP and enhance the antifouling property of TFC-FO membranes through substrate modification.
Temperature dependent in vitro binding and release of target DNA by Cas9 enzyme
Authors: David Serene Rose , Maheshwaram Sumanth Kumar , Shet Divya , Lakshminarayana Mahesh B. , Soni Gautam V. 
Published: September 2022

AbstractThe CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9) system has proven to be a powerful technology for genome editing in a wide variety of in vivo and in vitro applications. CRISPR–Cas9, when loaded with the guide RNA, cleaves the DNA at the target position as recognized by the guide RNA sequence. For successful application of this technology, it is important to study the biophysical parameters affecting its function. Temperature dependence of the Cas9 binding as well as energetics of product release after cleavage has not been well reported in the literature. In this work, we study the binding properties of Cas9 enzyme to the sequence specific target DNA at a range of temperatures and, surprisingly, find that the Cas9 enzyme, in our study, can find and bind its target DNA with 90 ± 20% efficiency at temperatures as low as 4 °C. Further, we show that the cleaved DNA products remain bound to the Cas9 enzyme strongly and is released from the enzyme only at higher temperatures. Using the gel shift assays, we quantify the rate of Cas9 binding to target DNA to be 0.8 ± 0.2 min−1 at 37 °C. We also tested denaturant (SDS) dependent release of cleaved product which showed a similar release pattern with a dissociation constant of 0.23 ± 0.04 mM. Our results of heat and denaturant dependence on Cas9–DNA binding and release mechanics will provide valuable insights for developing temperature dependent applications of the CRISPR–Cas9 technology.
Machine learning in project analytics: a data-driven framework and case study
Authors: Uddin Shahadat , Ong Stephen , Lu Haohui 
Published: September 2022

AbstractThe analytic procedures incorporated to facilitate the delivery of projects are often referred to as project analytics. Existing techniques focus on retrospective reporting and understanding the underlying relationships to make informed decisions. Although machine learning algorithms have been widely used in addressing problems within various contexts (e.g., streamlining the design of construction projects), limited studies have evaluated pre-existing machine learning methods within the delivery of construction projects. Due to this, the current research aims to contribute further to this convergence between artificial intelligence and the execution construction project through the evaluation of a specific set of machine learning algorithms. This study proposes a machine learning-based data-driven research framework for addressing problems related to project analytics. It then illustrates an example of the application of this framework. In this illustration, existing data from an open-source data repository on construction projects and cost overrun frequencies was studied in which several machine learning models (Python’s Scikit-learn package) were tested and evaluated. The data consisted of 44 independent variables (from materials to labour and contracting) and one dependent variable (project cost overrun frequency), which has been categorised for processing under several machine learning models. These models include support vector machine, logistic regression, k-nearest neighbour, random forest, stacking (ensemble) model and artificial neural network. Feature selection and evaluation methods, including the Univariate feature selection, Recursive feature elimination, SelectFromModel and confusion matrix, were applied to determine the most accurate prediction model. This study also discusses the generalisability of using the proposed research framework in other research contexts within the field of project management. The proposed framework, its illustration in the context of construction projects and its potential to be adopted in different contexts will significantly contribute to project practitioners, stakeholders and academics in addressing many project-related issues.
Impact of TP53 mutations in Triple Negative Breast Cancer
Authors: Mitri Zahi I. , Abuhadra Nour , Goodyear Shaun M. , Hobbs Evthokia A. , Kaempf Andy , Thompson Alastair M. , Moulder Stacy L. 
Published: September 2022

AbstractIdentifying triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients expected to have poor outcomes provides an opportunity to enhance clinical management. We applied an Evolutionary Action Score to functionally characterize TP53 mutations (EAp53) in 96 TNBC patients and observed that EAp53 stratification may identify TP53 mutations associated with worse outcomes. These findings merit further exploration in larger TNBC cohorts and in patients treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy regimens.
Cytotoxicity survey of commercial graphene materials from worldwide
Authors: Malhotra Ritika , Halbig Christian Eberhard , Sim Yu Fan , Lim Chwee Teck , Leong David Tai , Neto A. H. Castro , Garaj Slaven , Rosa Vinicius 
Published: September 2022

AbstractGraphene and other 2D materials are having a profound impact on science and technology. Unfortunately, progress in this area has not been followed by strict quality controls and toxicity benchmarks. Herein, we report a survey of the cytotoxicity of 36 products nominally labeled as “graphene.” These are available from suppliers worldwide and synthesized through various techniques. Detailed characterization suggests that these products represent a heterogeneous class of materials with varying physicochemical properties and a noticeable quantity of contaminants. We demonstrate that the cellular toxicity of these products is not related to a particular characteristic of graphene; rather, it is fundamentally determined by the presence of impurities in the commercially available graphene family materials tested.
All inkjet-printed electronics based on electrochemically exfoliated two-dimensional metal, semiconductor, and dielectric
Authors: Song Okin , Rhee Dongjoon , Kim Jihyun , Jeon Youngseo , Mazánek Vlastimil , Söll Aljoscha , Kwon Yonghyun Albert , Cho Jeong Ho , Kim Yong-Hoon , Sofer Zdeněk , Kang Joohoon 
Published: September 2022

AbstractInkjet printing is a cost-effective and scalable way to assemble colloidal materials into desired patterns in a vacuum- and lithography-free manner. Two-dimensional (2D) nanosheets are a promising material category for printed electronics because of their compatibility with solution processing for stable ink formulations as well as a wide range of electronic types from metal, semiconductor to insulator. Furthermore, their dangling bond-free surface enables atomically thin, electronically-active thin films with van der Waals contacts which significantly reduce the junction resistance. Here, we demonstrate all inkjet-printed thin-film transistors consisting of electrochemically exfoliated graphene, MoS2, and HfO2 as metallic electrodes, a semiconducting channel, and a high-k dielectric layer, respectively. In particular, the HfO2 dielectric layer is prepared via two-step; electrochemical exfoliation of semiconducting HfS2 followed by a thermal oxidation process to overcome the incompatibility of electrochemical exfoliation with insulating crystals. Consequently, all inkjet-printed 2D nanosheets with various electronic types enable high-performance, thin-film transistors which demonstrate field-effect mobilities and current on/off ratios of ~10 cm2 V−1 s−1 and >105, respectively, at low operating voltage.
Detecting motor symptom fluctuations in Parkinson’s disease with generative adversarial networks
Authors: Ramesh Vishwajith , Bilal Erhan 
Published: September 2022

AbstractParkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by several motor symptoms that develop gradually: tremor, bradykinesia, limb rigidity, and gait and balance problems. While there is no cure, levodopa therapy has been shown to mitigate symptoms. A patient on levodopa experiences cycles in the severity of their symptoms, characterized by an ON state—when the drug is active—and an OFF state—when symptoms worsen as the drug wears off. The longitudinal progression of the disease is monitored using episodic assessments performed by trained physicians in the clinic, such as the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS). Lately, there has been an effort in the field to develop continuous, objective measures of motor symptoms based on wearable sensors and other remote monitoring devices. In this work, we present an effort towards such a solution that uses a single wearable inertial sensor to automatically assess the postural instability and gait disorder (PIGD) of a Parkinson’s disease patient. Sensor data was collected from two independent studies of subjects performing the UPDRS test and then used to train and validate a convolutional neural network model. Given the typical limited size of such studies we also employed the use of generative adversarial networks to improve the performance of deep-learning models that usually require larger amounts of data for training. We show that for a 2-min walk test, our method’s predicted PIGD scores can be used to identify a patient’s ON/OFF states better than a physician evaluated on the same criteria. This result paves the way for more reliable, continuous tracking of Parkinson’s disease symptoms.
Higher sensitivity monitoring of reactions to COVID-19 vaccination using smartwatches
Authors: Guan Grace , Mofaz Merav , Qian Gary , Patalon Tal , Shmueli Erez , Yamin Dan , Brandeau Margaret L. 
Published: September 2022

AbstractMore than 12 billion COVID-19 vaccination shots have been administered as of August 2022, but information from active surveillance about vaccine safety is limited. Surveillance is generally based on self-reporting, making the monitoring process subjective. We study participants in Israel who received their second or third Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 vaccination. All participants wore a Garmin Vivosmart 4 smartwatch and completed a daily questionnaire via smartphone. We compare post-vaccination smartwatch heart rate data and a Garmin-computed stress measure based on heart rate variability with data from the patient questionnaires. Using a mixed effects panel regression to remove participant-level fixed and random effects, we identify considerable changes in smartwatch measures in the 72 h post-vaccination even among participants who reported no side effects in the questionnaire. Wearable devices were more sensitive than questionnaires in determining when participants returned to baseline levels. We conclude that wearable devices can detect physiological responses following vaccination that may not be captured by patient self-reporting. More broadly, the ubiquity of smartwatches provides an opportunity to gather improved data on patient health, including active surveillance of vaccine safety.
Human lung-resident mucosal-associated invariant T cells are abundant, express antimicrobial proteins, and are cytokine responsive
Authors: Meermeier Erin W. , Zheng Christina L. , Tran Jessica G. , Soma Shogo , Worley Aneta H. , Weiss David I. , Modlin Robert L. , Swarbrick Gwendolyn , Karamooz Elham , Khuzwayo Sharon , Wong Emily B. , Gold Marielle C. , Lewinsohn David M. 
Published: September 2022

AbstractMucosal-associated Invariant T (MAIT) cells are an innate-like T cell subset that recognize a broad array of microbial pathogens, including respiratory pathogens. Here we investigate the transcriptional profile of MAIT cells localized to the human lung, and postulate that MAIT cells may play a role in maintaining homeostasis at this mucosal barrier. Using the MR1/5-OP-RU tetramer, we identified MAIT cells and non-MAIT CD8+ T cells in lung tissue not suitable for transplant from human donors. We used RNA-sequencing of MAIT cells compared to non-MAIT CD8+ T cells to define the transcriptome of MAIT cells in the human lung. We show that, as a population, lung MAIT cells are polycytotoxic, secrete the directly antimicrobial molecule IL-26, express genes associated with persistence, and selectively express cytokine and chemokine- related molecules distinct from other lung-resident CD8+ T cells, such as interferon-γ- and IL-12- receptors. These data highlight MAIT cells’ predisposition to rapid pro-inflammatory cytokine responsiveness and antimicrobial mechanisms in human lung tissue, concordant with findings of blood-derived counterparts, and support a function for MAIT cells as early sensors in the defense of respiratory barrier function.
Arsenal of nanobodies shows broad-spectrum neutralization against SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern in vitro and in vivo in hamster models
Authors: Rossotti Martin A. , van Faassen Henk , Tran Anh T. , Sheff Joey , Sandhu Jagdeep K. , Duque Diana , Hewitt Melissa , Wen Xiaoxue , Bavananthasivam Jegarubee , Beitari Saina , Matte Kevin , Laroche Geneviève , Giguère Patrick M. , Gervais Christian , Stuible Matthew , Guimond Julie , Perret Sylvie , Hussack Greg , Langlois Marc-André , Durocher Yves , Tanha Jamshid 
Published: September 2022

AbstractNanobodies offer several potential advantages over mAbs for the control of SARS-CoV-2. Their ability to access cryptic epitopes conserved across SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VoCs) and feasibility to engineer modular, multimeric designs, make these antibody fragments ideal candidates for developing broad-spectrum therapeutics against current and continually emerging SARS-CoV-2 VoCs. Here we describe a diverse collection of 37 anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein nanobodies extensively characterized as both monovalent and IgG Fc-fused bivalent modalities. The nanobodies were collectively shown to have high intrinsic affinity; high thermal, thermodynamic and aerosolization stability; broad subunit/domain specificity and cross-reactivity across existing VoCs; wide-ranging epitopic and mechanistic diversity and high and broad in vitro neutralization potencies. A select set of Fc-fused nanobodies showed high neutralization efficacies in hamster models of SARS-CoV-2 infection, reducing viral burden by up to six orders of magnitude to below detectable levels. In vivo protection was demonstrated with anti-RBD and previously unreported anti-NTD and anti-S2 nanobodies. This collection of nanobodies provides a potential therapeutic toolbox from which various cocktails or multi-paratopic formats could be built to combat multiple SARS-CoV-2 variants.
Genetic and microenvironmental intra-tumor heterogeneity impacts colorectal cancer evolution and metastatic development
Authors: Sobral Daniel , Martins Marta , Kaplan Shannon , Golkaram Mahdi , Salmans Michael , Khan Nafeesa , Vijayaraghavan Raakhee , Casimiro Sandra , Fernandes Afonso , Borralho Paula , Ferreira Cristina , Pinto Rui , Abreu Catarina , Costa Ana Lúcia , Zhang Shile , Pawlowski Traci , Godsey Jim , Mansinho André , Macedo Daniela , Lobo-Martins Soraia , Filipe Pedro , Esteves Rui , Coutinho João , Costa Paulo Matos , Ramires Afonso , Aldeia Fernando , Quintela António , So Alex , Liu Li , Grosso Ana Rita , Costa Luis 
Published: September 2022

AbstractColorectal cancer (CRC) is a highly diverse disease, where different genomic instability pathways shape genetic clonal diversity and tumor microenvironment. Although intra-tumor heterogeneity has been characterized in primary tumors, its origin and consequences in CRC outcome is not fully understood. Therefore, we assessed intra- and inter-tumor heterogeneity of a prospective cohort of 136 CRC samples. We demonstrate that CRC diversity is forged by asynchronous forms of molecular alterations, where mutational and chromosomal instability collectively boost CRC genetic and microenvironment intra-tumor heterogeneity. We were able to depict predictor signatures of cancer-related genes that can foresee heterogeneity levels across the different tumor consensus molecular subtypes (CMS) and primary tumor location. Finally, we show that high genetic and microenvironment heterogeneity are associated with lower metastatic potential, whereas late-emerging copy number variations favor metastasis development and polyclonal seeding. This study provides an exhaustive portrait of the interplay between genetic and microenvironment intra-tumor heterogeneity across CMS subtypes, depicting molecular events with predictive value of CRC progression and metastasis development.
Integrated multi-omics reveal important roles of gut contents in intestinal ischemia–reperfusion induced injuries in rats
Authors: Dai Die , Dai Fandie , Chen Jingchao , Jin Menglu , Li Mingyue , Hu Desheng , Liu Zhi , Zhang Zunjian , Xu Fengguo , Chen Wei-Hua 
Published: September 2022

AbstractIntestinal ischemia–reperfusion (IIR) is a life-threatening clinical event with damaging signals whose origin and contents are unclear. Here we observe that IIR significantly affect the metabolic profiles of most organs by unbiased organ-wide metabolic analysis of gut contents, blood, and fifteen organs in rats (n = 29). Remarkably, correlations between gut content metabolic profiles and those of other organs are the most significant. Gut contents are also the only ones to show dynamic correlations during IIR. Additionally, according to targeted metabolomics analysis, several neurotransmitters are considerably altered in the gut during IIR, and displayed noteworthy correlations with remote organs. Likewise, metagenomics analysis (n = 35) confirm the effects of IIR on gut microbiota, and identify key species fundamental to the changes in gut metabolites, particularly neurotransmitters. Our multi-omics results establish key roles of gut contents in IIR induced remote injury and provide clues for future exploration.
SLITRK1-mediated noradrenergic projection suppression in the neonatal prefrontal cortex
Authors: Hatayama Minoru , Katayama Kei-ichi , Kawahara Yukie , Matsunaga Hayato , Takashima Noriko , Iwayama Yoshimi , Matsumoto Yoshifumi , Nishi Akinori , Yoshikawa Takeo , Aruga Jun 
Published: September 2022

AbstractSLITRK1 is an obsessive-compulsive disorder spectrum-disorders-associated gene that encodes a neuronal transmembrane protein. Here we show that SLITRK1 suppresses noradrenergic projections in the neonatal prefrontal cortex, and SLITRK1 functions are impaired by SLITRK1 mutations in patients with schizophrenia (S330A, a revertant of Homo sapiens-specific residue) and bipolar disorder (A444S). Slitrk1-KO newborns exhibit abnormal vocalizations, and their prefrontal cortices show excessive noradrenergic neurites and reduced Semaphorin3A expression, which suppresses noradrenergic neurite outgrowth in vitro. Slitrk1 can bind Dynamin1 and L1 family proteins (Neurofascin and L1CAM), as well as suppress Semaphorin3A-induced endocytosis. Neurofascin-binding kinetics is altered in S330A and A444S mutations. Consistent with the increased obsessive-compulsive disorder prevalence in males in childhood, the prefrontal cortex of male Slitrk1-KO newborns show increased noradrenaline levels, and serotonergic varicosity size. This study further elucidates the role of noradrenaline in controlling the development of the obsessive-compulsive disorder-related neural circuit.
Integrative and comparative single-cell analysis reveals transcriptomic difference between human tumefactive demyelinating lesion and glioma
Authors: Chen Xiao-Yong , Chen Yue , Fang Wen-Hua , Wu Zan-Yi , Wang Deng-Liang , Xu Ya-Wen , Yu Liang-Hong , Lin Yuan-Xiang , Kang De-Zhi , Ding Chen-Yu 
Published: September 2022

AbstractTumefactive demyelinating lesion (TDL) is an immune-mediated disease which can be misdiagnosed as glioma. At present, there is no study comparing difference between the two disorders at the cellular level. Here, we perform integrative and comparative single-cell RNA sequencing (ScRNA-seq) transcriptomic analysis on TDL and glioma lesions. At single-cell resolution, TDL is comprised primarily of immune cells, which is completely different from glioma. The integrated analysis reveals a TDL-specific microglial subset involving in B cell activation and proliferation. Comparative analysis highlights remyelination function of glial cells and demyelination function of T cells in TDL. Subclustering and pseudotime trajectory analysis of T cells in TDL reveal their heterogeneity and diverse functions involving in TDL pathogenesis and recovery process. Our study identifies substantial differences between TDL and glioma at single-cell resolution. The observed heterogeneity and potentially diverse functions of cells in TDL may be critical in disease progression.
TOB1 attenuates IRF3-directed antiviral responses by recruiting HDAC8 to specifically suppress IFN-β expression
Authors: Yu Zhongxia , Wang Lijuan , Zhao Jing , Song Hui , Zhao Chunyuan , Zhao Wei , Jia Mutian 
Published: September 2022

AbstractInterferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3) is a key transcription factor required for the secretion of type I interferons (IFN-α/β) and initiation of antiviral immune response. However, the negative feedback regulator of IRF3-directed antiviral response remains unknown. In this study, we demonstrated that viral infection induced the interaction of the transducer of ERBB2.1 (TOB1) with IRF3, which bound to the promoter region of Ifnb1 in macrophages. TOB1 inhibited Ifnb1 transcription by disrupting IRF3 binding and recruiting histone deacetylase 8 (HDAC8) to the Ifnb1 promoter region. Consequently, TOB1 attenuated IRF3-directed IFN-β expression in virus-infected macrophages. Tob1 deficiency enhanced antiviral response and suppressed viral replication in vivo. Thus, we identified TOB1 as a feedback inhibitor of host antiviral innate immune response and revealed a mechanism underlying viral immune escape.
Best practices in lithium battery cell preparation and evaluation
Authors: Dai Fang , Cai Mei 
Published: September 2022

AbstractImproved lithium batteries are in high demand for consumer electronics and electric vehicles. In order to accurately evaluate new materials and components, battery cells need to be fabricated and tested in a controlled environment. For the commonly used coin and small pouch cells, certain key factors and parameters substantially influence the final cell quality and performance. Therefore, to achieve accurate and reliable data on new materials for batteries, repeatability, and quality of cell fabrication are critical to ensure reproducible findings. Here, we discuss the key factors and parameters which influence cell fabrication and testing, including electrode uniformity, component dryness, electrode alignment, internal and external pressure, electrolyte amount control, and cell fixture with pressure control. We also provide general guidelines for reliable cell preparation.