bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Simultaneous Detection of Tyrosine and Structure‐Specific Intrinsic Fluorescence in the Fibrillation of Alzheimer's Associated Peptides
Authors: Singh Anurag , Khatun Suparna , Nath Gupta Amar
Published: October 2020

Understanding of the structural changes during their aggregation and interaction is a prerequisite for establishing the precise clinical relevance of human islet amyloid polypeptide (hIAPP) (involved in Type‐II Diabetes Mellitus) in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease stemmed from beta‐amyloid (Aβ). Herein, we show that the steady‐state emission spectra obtained from photoluminescence (PL) simultaneously capture both the tyrosine derivative (tyrosinate) and the structure‐specific intrinsic fluorescence during the aggregation of Aβ and hIAPP. We observe multiple peaks in the emission spectra which exist for structure‐specific intrinsic fluorescence, and use the second derivative UV‐Vis spectra and the shift in the tyrosine peak as a quantitative measure of the dissimilitude in the electronic states and the fibril growth. We further applied these techniques to detect the static electric field (0, 40, 120, 200 V/cm) induced promotion and inhibition of fibrillation in Aβ, hIAPP and their electric field dependent role in the fibrillation of Aβ : hIAPP(1 : 1). The results were corroborated by field‐emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and the determinations of secondary structures by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The results indicate that the emission spectrum can be used as a sensor to detect the presence of fibrils; hence for screening potential inhibitors of amyloid fibrillation.
Risk factors for myocardial injury in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 in China
Authors: Fan Qin , Zhu Hongling , Zhao Jiaxin , Zhuang Lingfang , Zhang Hang , Xie Hongyang , Zhang Ruiyan , Granada Juan F. , Xiang Xiaogang , Hu Weiguo , Yan Xiaoxiang
Published: October 2020

Aims

In patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19), the involvement of the cardiovascular system significantly relates to poor prognosis. However, the risk factors for acute myocardial injury have not been sufficiently studied. Thus, we aimed to determine the characteristics of myocardial injury and define the association between routine blood markers and cardiac troponin I, in order to perform a predictive model.

Methods and results

This retrospective cohort study included patients with confirmed COVID‐19 from Wuhan Tongji Hospital (Wuhan, China). Data were compared between those with and without myocardial injury. Kaplan–Meier analysis and Cox regression models were used to describe the association between myocardial injury and poor prognosis. Simple correlation analyses were used to find factors associated with high‐sensitivity cardiac troponin I levels. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression methods were used to explore the risk factors associated with myocardial injury. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was used to determine the predictive value of the model. Of 353 patients included in the study, 79 presented myocardial injury. Patients with myocardial injury had higher levels of inflammation markers, poorer liver and kidney function, and more complications compared with patients without myocardial injury. High‐sensitivity cardiac troponin I levels were significantly associated with neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio, creatinine, d‐dimer, lactate dehydrogenase, and inflammatory cytokines and negatively associated with oxygen saturation. It was significantly associated with poor prognosis after adjusting for age, sex, and complications. Multivariate regression showed that myocardial injury was associated with a high neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (odds ratio 2.30, 95% CI 1.11–4.75, per standard deviation increase, P = 0.02), creatinine (3.58, 1.35–8.06, P = 0.01), and lactate dehydrogenase (3.39, 1.42–8.06, P = 0.01) levels. Using a predictive model, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.92 (0.88–0.96).

Conclusions

In patients with COVID‐19, neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio, creatinine, and lactate dehydrogenase are blood markers that could help identify patients with a high risk of myocardial injury at an early stage.
Optimal timing of echocardiography for heart failure inpatients in Japanese institutions: OPTIMAL Study
Authors: Tanaka Hidekazu , Nabeshima Yosuke , Kitano Tetsuji , Nagumo Sakura , Tsujiuchi Miki , Ebato Mio , Mataki Hiroyuki , Takada Masanori , Hayashi Taichi , Sato Daisuke , Miyasaka Yoko , Araki Keiko , Iwahashi Noriaki , Takeuchi Masaaki , Nakatani Satoshi ,   OPTIMAL investigators
Published: October 2020

Aims

Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic heart failure (HF) provided by the European Society of Cardiology state that echocardiography is recommended for the assessment of the myocardial structure and function of subjects with suspected HF including HF with reduced (HFrEF), mid‐range (HFmrEF), and preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) as class I of recommendation and level C of evidence. However, the impact of timing of echocardiography on survival for hospitalized HF patients or the prevalence of echocardiography during their stay has not yet been fully investigated. Therefore, we designed and conducted a prospective multicentre study, Optimal Timing of Echocardiography for Heart Failure Inpatients in Japanese Institutions (OPTIMAL) study, to investigate and evaluate the prevalence of echocardiography during the in‐hospital stay of HF patients, and the impact of timing of echocardiography on their survival.

Methods and results

OPTIMAL was based on a nationwide, prospective, multicentre registry at 10 institutions in Japan endorsed by the Japanese Society of Echocardiography. A total of 601 patients hospitalized with HF were enrolled between August 2016 and July 2018 at the participating centres. Their mean age was 73.9 ± 13.0 years, left ventricular ejection fraction was 37.0% (26.0–50.0), and 256 patients (42.6%) were female. Admission echocardiography (admission echo) was categorized as either standard or point‐of‐care echocardiography performed within 3 days of admission, as was pre‐discharge echocardiography (pre‐discharge echo) within 3 days of discharge. The primary endpoint was defined as cardiovascular death over a median follow‐up period of 18.9 months (9.3–26.5 months). Admission echo was performed for 476 patients (79.2%) and pre‐discharge echo for 216 patients (35.9%). The primary endpoint of cardiovascular death occurred in 65 patients (10.8%). Kaplan–Meier curve findings indicated that survival of patients with pre‐discharge echo was significantly better than that of patients without it (log‐rank P < 0.001), and the same findings were obtained for patients with HFrEF, HFmrEF, and HFpEF. However, survival of patients with and without admission echo was similar (log‐rank P = 0.33).

Conclusions

This OPTIMAL study prospectively showed the importance of pre‐discharge echo for hospitalized HF patients. Careful attention is needed regarding the haemodynamic status of HF patients by administering pre‐discharge echo to avoid HF re‐hospitalization after discharge, and pre‐discharge echo may provide additional information for deciding the appropriate discharge time. Our findings may thus offer a new insight into the management of hospitalized HF patients.
Synthesis of g‐C3N4/InVO4 Semiconductor for Improved Photocatalytic and Photoelectrochemical Applications
Authors: Sariket Debasis , Ray Debasish , Baduri Swarnendu , Ghosh Sangeeta , Maity Arjun , Bhattacharya Chinmoy
Published: October 2020

In this paper, graphite‐like carbon nitride‐indium vanadate (g‐C3N4/InVO4) composites have been synthesized via a mixing‐calcination method. Physico‐chemical and photocatalytic experiments suggested that the optimized g‐C3N4/InVO4 composite demonstrates highest photo‐activity in degrading Rhodamine B and para‐nitrophenol as target pollutants. The electrochemical impedance spectroscopic (Mott‐Schottky) analysis confirms n‐type semiconductivity for these materials whereas the composite material exhibited highest 13 μA/cm2 photocurrent under periodic UV‐Visible irradiation for water oxidation. The relative band positions indicate inter‐band interactions between heterojunctions of g‐C3N4 and InVO4 facilitating the separation and migration of photogenerated electron‐hole pairs and a stable performance was reported.
Effects of Dissolved Organic Carbon, Ultraviolet Light and their Co-Exposure on Deepwater Horizon crude oil acute toxicity to larval red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus)
Authors: Bonatesta Fabrizio , Leads Rachel R , Price Edwin R. , Roberts Aaron P. , Mager Edward M.
Published: October 2020

In the aquatic environment, ubiquitous natural factors such as ultraviolet light (UV) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) are likely to influence crude oil toxicity. The present study examined the interactive effects of DOC, UV, and DOC–UV co-exposure on the acute toxicity of Deepwater Horizon crude oil in larval red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus). Although DOC alone did not influence crude oil toxicity, it mildly reduced UV photo-enhanced toxicity. Environ Toxicol Chem 2020;39:2509–2515. © 2020 SETAC

Abstract

Emulating environmental conditions in a laboratory setting: ultraviolet (UV), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and crude oil co-exposure to Sicaenops ocellatus. Although DOC alone did not influence acute crude oil toxicity, it mildly reduced the UV photo-enhanced toxicity of crude oil.
Fire Suppression Agents Combined with Gasoline in Aquatic Ecosystems: A Mixture Approach
Authors: Daniel Gabriela , Silva Ana Rita R. , de Souza Abessa Denis Moledo , Loureiro Susana
Published: October 2020

Fire suppression agents are recommended for extinguishing fires by flammable liquids and frequently end in water bodies, combined with the fuels. There is a lack of toxicity information on these commercial formulations and the effects of mixtures of fire suppression agents and fuels. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the toxic effects of different fire suppression agents, the gasoline water-soluble fraction (GWSF), and mixtures of each fire suppression agent and GWSF. Individual tests were performed with Daphnia similis and Artemia sp.; the most toxic fire suppression agents to D. similis and Artemia sp. were F-500®, Cold Fire®, Agefoam®, and Kidde Sintex® 1%; the GWSF was the least toxic. The concentration addition model was used to predict the mixture effects and evaluate synergism/antagonism, dose ratio dependence, and dose level dependence. Cold Fire with GWSF showed dose level deviation to D. similis, marked mainly by synergism; for Artemia sp., the dose ratio pattern was predicted, with a synergistic response mainly by Cold Fire. Agefoam and GWSF behaved additively for D. similis and dose ratio for Artemia sp., with synergism being caused by Agefoam. Kidde Sintex 1% with GWSF were dose ratio for both organisms, with Kidde Sintex 1% being responsible for synergism. Our results show that some mixtures of fire suppression agents and GWSF may cause toxicity to aquatic organisms, posing risk in a real environmental scenario, such as a major fire combat. Environ Toxicol Chem 2021;40:767–779. © 2020 SETAC
Development and physicochemical characterization of a new grass pea (Lathyrus sativus L.) miso
Authors: Santos Rafaela , Mansidão Ana , Mota Mariana , Raymundo Anabela , Prista Catarina
Published: October 2020

BACKGROUND

Western consumers interest in Eastern fermented foods has been growing, due to their nutritional and healthy properties. In this study, new sweet misos and salty misos were produced using grass pea (Lathyrus sativus L.) – traditional Portuguese legume from local producers – to promote its consumption and preservation. The evolution of the new misos was evaluated in comparison to traditional miso (made from soybean), through analysis of the chemical composition, colour, texture and linear viscoelastic behaviour.

RESULTS

Throughout the fermentation process, the ascorbic acid and phenolic compounds content – with important nutritional value – increased in all misos, mainly in misos produced using grass pea, besides, grass pea sweet miso presented the fastest evolution and darkest colour. The texture parameters (firmness and adhesiveness) of misos decreased over time: grass pea sweet miso showed the highest firmness reduction (51.63 N to 6.52 N) and soybean sweet miso the highest adhesiveness reduction (27.76 N to 3.11 N). Viscoelastic moduli also decreased, reflecting a reduction in the degree of internal structuring for all misos. However, grass pea misos presented more structured internal systems with faster maturation kinetics than soybean misos, for which stabilization started earlier.

CONCLUSION

Two innovative misos were developed from grass pea. After 4 months, the texture parameters and viscoelastic moduli for grass pea misos, were similar to the control misos made from soybean, showing that grass pea can be used as a raw material to produce a sustainable miso with potentially healthy properties. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry
Rapid detection of green‐pea adulteration in pistachio nuts using Raman spectroscopy and chemometrics
Authors: Taylan Osman , Cebi Nur , Yilmaz Mustafa Tahsin , Sagdic Osman , Ozdemir Durmus , Balubaid Mohammed
Published: October 2020

BACKGROUND

Ground pistachio nut is prone to adulteration because of its high economic value and wide usage. Green pea is known as the main adulterant in frauds involving pistachio nuts. The present study developed a new, rapid, reliable and low‐cost methodology by using a portable Raman spectrometer in combination with chemometrics for the detection of green pea in pistachio nuts.

RESULTS

Three different methods of Raman spectroscopy‐based chemometrics analysis were developed for the determination of green‐pea adulteration in pistachio nuts. The first method involved the development of hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) and principal component analysis (PCA), which differentiated authentic pistachio nuts from green pea and green pea‐adulterated samples. The best classification pattern was observed in the adulteration range of 20–80% (w/w). In addition to classification methods, partial least squares regression (PLSR) and genetic algorithm‐based inverse least squares (GILS) were also used to develop multivariate calibration models to determine quantitatively the degree of green‐pea adulteration in grounded pistachio nuts. The spectral range of 1790–283 cm−1 was used in the case of multivariate data analysis. A green‐pea adulteration level of 5–80% (w/w) was successfully identified by PLSR and GILS. The correlation coefficient of determination (R2) was determined as 0.91 and 0.94 for the PLSR and GILS analyses, respectively.

CONCLUSION

A Raman spectrometer combined with chemometrics has a high capability with regard to the detection of adulteration in pistachio nuts, combined with low cost, strong reliability, a high level of accuracy, rapidity of analysis, and minimum sample preparation. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry
Production of an innovative mixed Qu (fermentation starter) for waxy maize brewing and comparison of the quality of different waxy maize wines
Authors: Liu Chang , Hou Hui , Lu Xiaoshuo , Chen Xin , Fang Donglu , Hu Qiuhui , Zhao Liyan
Published: October 2020

BACKGROUND

Waxy maize (Zea mays L. sinensis Kulesh) is a good material for brewing. Waxy maize wine, a kind of Chinese rice wine, is strongly affected by a fermentation starter named Qu. In this study, an innovative mixed Qu, consisting of two yeasts and three molds, was produced and the raw‐starch brewing method was applied in winemaking. Three other waxy maize wines fermented by three kinds of commercial Qu were also analyzed for comparison.

RESULTS

Due to superb growth and fermentation characteristics, Saccharomyces cerevisiae CICC1009 and Pichia anomala CICC1851 were chosen to produce yeast Qu. The addition amount of yeast Qu was determined to be 30 g kg−1. In terms of chemical properties, mixed Qu was more suitable for making maize wine by the raw‐starch brewing method than the three kinds of commercial Qu with which it was compared. The most influential components for the overall aroma profile in maize wines fermented by mixed Qu and Mifeng Qu were ethyl butyrate and β‐damascenone, respectively, while in maize wines fermented by Angel Qu and Like Qu the most influential component was ethyl octanoate. Obvious differences were found among four maize wines regarding bitterness, umami, richness, saltiness, and sourness by the electronic tongue. The olfactory characteristics of maize wine fermented by Mifeng Qu were quite different from the other three according to the electronic nose.

CONCLUSION

The innovative mixed Qu can be considered as an excellent starter for raw‐starch brewing of waxy maize. The chemical indices and volatile flavor compounds of waxy maize wines were greatly affected by different kinds of Qu. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry
Valorization of orange bagasse through one‐step physical and chemical combined processes to obtain a cellulose‐rich material
Authors: Mantovan Janaina , Giraldo Gina A G , Marim Beatriz M , Kishima João O F , Mali Suzana
Published: October 2020

BACKGROUND

Orange bagasse (OB) is an agroindustrial residue of great economic importance that has been little explored for the extraction of cellulose. The present study aimed to investigate different combinations of chemical (sodium hydroxide, peracetic acid and alkaline peroxide) and physical (autoclaving and ultrasonication) treatments performed in one‐step processes for cellulose extraction from OB and to characterize the materials obtained according to their composition, morphology, crystallinity and thermal stability.

RESULTS

The processing yields ranged from 140 to 820 g kg−1, with a recovery of 720–1000 g kg−1 of the original cellulose. Treatments promoted morphological changes in the fiber structure, resulting in materials with higher porosity, indicating partial removal of the noncellulosic fractions. The use of combined chemical treatments (NaOH and peracetic acid) with autoclaving was more efficient for obtaining samples with the highest cellulose contents.

CONCLUSION

Therefore, ACSH (processed by autoclaving with NaOH) was the most effective one‐step treatment, resulting in 71.1% cellulose, 0% hemicellulose and 19.0% lignin, with a crystallinity index of 42%. The one‐step treatments were able to obtain materials with higher cellulose contents and yields, reducing reaction times and the quantity of chemical reagents employed in the overall processes compared to multistep conventional processes. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry
A Rare Cause of Extremely Loud Expiratory Stridor in a 11‐Year‐Old Patient
Authors: Cantarella Giovanna , Ciabatta Anna Clara
Published: October 2020

Stridor can be a very alarming symptom in children, as it is typically caused by turbulent airflow through a partially obstructed airway, due to an organic cause. An abnormal respiratory sound can induce the suspicion of a life‐threatening clinical condition and requires an immediate diagnostic assessment. The aim of this article is to describe a very peculiar case of loud expiratory stridor, with an abrupt onset and no other associated symptoms, occurring in an 11‐year‐old girl. The stridor sounds ceased only during sleep at night. Videolaryngoscopy demonstrated that the anatomy and patency of the larynx were normal, and expiratory noise was generated by vibration of the supraglottic structures. Voice therapy led to remission of stridor within 3 weeks. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of expiratory stridor with such striking volume and characteristics related to psychological causes. This peculiar clinical condition needs to be taken into consideration in the differential diagnosis of pediatric stridor to avoid unnecessary and invasive procedures and treatments. Laryngoscope, 131:E929–E931, 2021
Molecular characterization of clinical isolates from vascular access infection: A single‐institution study
Authors: Tseng Yuan‐Hsi , Wong Min Yi , Huang Tsung‐Yu , Lin Bor‐Shyh , Tung Chun‐Wu , Huang Yao‐Kuang
Published: October 2020

Hemodialysis requires repeated, reliable access to the systemic circulation; therefore, a well‐functioning vascular access (VA) procedure is crucial for stable hemodialysis. VA infections (VAIs) constitute the most challenging complication and cause considerable morbidity, loss of access, and even death. In this study, we investigated the molecular profiles of different bacterial isolates retrieved from various types of VA grafts. We collected clinical isolates from hemodialysis patients with VAIs in our institution for the period between 2013 and 2018. We identified the bacterial isolates using standard biochemical procedures; we used a polymerase chain reaction for coagulase‐negative staphylococci (CoNS) and Burkholderia cepacia complex (BCC) species identification. The antibiotic resistance and molecular profile were analyzed using the disk diffusion method and multilocus sequence typing, respectively. We studied 150 isolates retrieved from patients with VAI and observed that Staphylococcus aureus was the predominant bacterial species, followed by S. argenteus, BCC, and CoNS. According to multilocus sequence typing data, we identified a wide variety of sequence types (STs) in S. aureus isolates, with ST59, ST45, and ST239 being the predominant types. Burkholderia cepacia with two new ST types, namely ST1723 and ST1724, accounted for most of the BCC infections, along with ST102 B. contaminans, which were mainly isolated from infected tunneled‐cuffed catheters. In summary, the increased incidence of S. argenteus and BCC infections provides insights into their potential clinical effects in VAIs. The various STs identified in different bacterial species indicate the high genetic diversity of bacterial species isolated from VAIs in our institution.
Animal model and bioinformatics analyses suggest the TIMP1/MMP9 axis as a potential biomarker in oral squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Xu Guoqiang , Wei Jianing , Huangfu Bing , Gao Jiping , Wang Xiaotang , Xiao Lanfei , Xuan Ruijing , Chen Zhaoyang , Song Guohua
Published: October 2020

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a common malignant tumor of the head and neck. However, the molecular mechanism underlying its development and progression is yet unclear. Genes that are differentially expressed, that is, differentially expressed genes (DEGs), between normal and diseased tissues are believed to be involved in disease development and progression. To identify the DEGs in OSCC and explore their role in occurrence and progression, we established a Chinese hamster OSCC model, determined the DEG, screened the identified DEGs, and performed Gene Ontology (GO) and KEGG enrichment analyses. A protein–protein interaction (PPI) network was generated to screen potential candidate genes. We then analyzed the expression, tumor stage and prognosis of candidate genes using the Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA) database. Finally, we verified the candidate DEGs by quantitative real‐time PCR and Gene Expression Omnibus analysis. The results showed 194 significantly DEGs, 140 enriched GO terms, and 8 KEGG pathways, which suggested that OSCC was closely related to the immune system, cell migration, and extracellular matrix. GEPIA and PPI network analysis revealed that SPP1, TNC, and ACTA1 were significantly related to tumor staging; SPP1, tissue inhibitors of matrix metallopeptidases (MMPs) 1 (TIMP1), and ACTA1 were closely related to prognosis. The scores for the top five highest degree genes were close, and the TIMP1/MMP9 axis appeared to be at the center of the PPI network, indicating that expression changes in the TIMP1/MMP9 axis and related genes may be involved in tumor invasion and metastasis. These findings provide novel insights into the mechanism of oral cancer.
Cerebrospinal Fluid Levels of Prodynorphin‐Derived Peptides are Decreased in Huntington's Disease
Authors: Al Shweiki MHD Rami , Oeckl Patrick , Pachollek Adrian , Steinacker Petra , Barschke Peggy , Halbgebauer Steffen , Anderl‐Straub Sarah , Lewerenz Jan , Ludolph Albert C. , Bernhard Landwehrmeyer Georg , Otto Markus
Published: October 2020

RESULTS

Huntingtonʼs disease (HD) is a devastating neurodegenerative disorder characterized by a selective loss of striatal medium spiny projection neurons (MSNs). Prodynorphin (PDYN) is enriched in a subpopulation of striatal MSNs. Postmortem brains of HD patients and rodent models have been demonstrated to have reduced levels of PDYN transcripts and the neuropeptide dynorphin.

RESULTS

Given the unmet need for novel pharmacodynamic HD biomarkers in the context of experimental huntingtin (htt)‐lowering therapies, we investigated the levels of PDYN‐derived peptides and neurofilament light (NfL) chain in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from HD patients (n = 16), matched controls (n = 55), and patients with other neurodegenerative disorders (n = 70).

Results

PDYN‐derived peptide levels were found to be substantially decreased in HD patients (P < 0.0001 in comparison to controls), whereas the NfL levels were elevated in all neurodegenerative disorders.

Conclusions

Our study suggests decreased PDYN‐derived peptide levels in the CSF as a more specific biomarker for HD in comparison to NfL. © 2020 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.
Spatializing immigrant integration outcomes
Authors: Gilmartin Mary , Dagg Jennifer
Published: October 2020

Measurements of immigrant integration outcomes generally occur at the national scale and, to a lesser extent, at the urban scale. This paper argues that immigrant integration outcomes should be measured at other scales in order to better understand how the process of integration is affected by where people live. It uses existing large‐scale data sets for the Republic of Ireland to show differences in integration outcomes, measured using the Zaragoza indicators, for three of the country's eight NUTS 3 regions. The analysis shows that there are marked differences in immigrant integration outcomes across regions and highlights the different regional barriers to and enablers of integration. The paper concludes that geographers should advocate for a more nuanced understanding of immigrant integration as a spatialized process and should insist on the importance of making relevant data available at a range of spatial scales.
Airflow‐induced high‐speed separation method for stacked paper labels and its mechanism
Authors: He Xin , Huang Ning , Li Xiaoping , Zhou Yihao
Published: October 2020

An airflow‐induced separation method for stacked paper labels is proposed with a stream of compressed air used to jet vertically onto the side of the stacked labels and force constraints applied to the two ends of the labels. Its mechanism is revealed that the viscous force caused by airflow is the main driving force for the initial separation of labels and the vertical force is the main factor for the formation of successive separation channels. Theoretical and experimental analyses are implemented to ensure the effects of airflow velocity, label characteristics, label stress, and other factors on label separation and show that a stable separation gap can be generated with separation efficiency of more than 3600 sheets per minute and reliability of 99.99%. A complete airflow‐induced label separation device is designed, which can be integrated into the existing packaging machine, and the physical feasibility of the stack label separation method is verified by experiments.
POMzites: A roadmap for inverse design in metal oxide chemistry
Authors: Vilà‐Nadal Laia
Published: October 2020

Computationally exploring the space generated by the self‐assembly of known molecular metal oxides and the ability to predict new architectures is a challenging task. As a proof of concept, here, we propose narrowing it down to a new family of all‐inorganic porous materials named POMzites. Structures with new topologies, but aiming for pure inorganic systems, will be targeted initially. POMzites are composed of ring‐shaped tungsten oxide building blocks connected with transition metal linkers forming zero to three dimensional frameworks. Despite POMzites and zeolites having similar structures, the library of POMzites is an order of magnitude smaller than that of zeolites (14 POMzites vs 213 zeolites). The idea proposed in this perspective article is to accelerate the discovery of new POMzite porous frameworks materials using inverse design approaches.
Maximum Power Point Tracking for Stand‐Alone Wind Energy Conversion System Using FLC‐P&O Method
Authors: Chaicharoenaudomrung Koson , Areerak Kongpan , Areerak Kongpol , Bozhko Serhiy , Hill Christopher Ian
Published: October 2020

The perturbation and observation method (P&O method) is commonly used for maximum power point tracking in wind energy conversion systems. However, the selection of a suitable step size for this method is the key challenge when employing this technique. To address this, the paper presents a new method, called the FLC‐P&O method, in which a combination of fuzzy logic control (FLC) and the conventional P&O method is used. Both simulation and experimental results are presented in order to demonstrate the performance of the proposed MPPT method. Experimental testing is performed on both a laboratory wind simulator and a practical wind turbine. The results confirm that the FLC‐P&O method can provide better maximum power point tracking performance compared to the conventional P&O method. Moreover, the implementation and testing of the proposed technique on a practical wind turbine can extract more energy compared to conventional P&O. All findings are verified experimentally. © 2020 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.
A Cooperative Voltage Control Method for Distribution Network Based on DSTATCOM and ES
Authors: Zhang Jian , Ma Gang , Lyu Jie , Li Mengyue , Wang Jiashu , Zhong Zetian , Xu Jie
Published: October 2020

In recent years, with the large‐scale access of distributed generation (DG), the line voltage of the distribution network will be offset, which will adversely affect users. This paper aims at the voltage adjustment of the distribution network. Firstly, the reactive power control methods of distributed static synchronous compensator (DSTATCOM) and electric spring (ES) are studied separately, and then a layered cooperative control strategy based on them is proposed, which combines centralized compensation and distributed compensation to stabilize the entire line voltage. The upper layer aims at optimizing the comprehensive factors including voltage offset, user comfort and cost, and applies the dynamic adaptive particle swarm optimization (DAPSO) algorithm to study the optimal scheme of voltage adjustment. The lower layer designs the control loops of the compensation devices in response to the reactive power instruction. Finally, simulation results show that the voltage of the distribution network is effectively controlled. © 2020 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.
Looking Ahead: China Becoming a High-Income Economy
Authors: Zhou Shaojie , Hu Angang
Published: October 2020

Nearly four decades of reform and opening-up shows that China is one of the few successful cases of development. First, sustained high growth became a reality in China. China’s GNP grew by 32.19 times from 1978 to 2016 at constant prices, that is, an annual increase of 9.6%, of which the annual GDP growth hit 9.9% and 7.8% from 1978 to 2010 (high-speed growth) and from 2011 to 2016 (moderately high-speed growth) respectively on average.
Dynamic scale anomalous transport in QCD with electromagnetic background
Authors: Kawaguchi Mamiya , Matsuzaki Shinya , Huang Xu-Guang
Published: October 2020

Abstract

We discuss phenomenological implications of the anomalous transport induced by the scale anomaly in QCD coupled to an electromagnetic (EM) field, based on a dilaton effective theory. The scale anomalous current emerges in a way perfectly analogous to the conformal transport current induced in a curved spacetime background, or the Nernst current in Dirac and Weyl semimetals — both current forms are equivalent by a “Weyl transformation”. We focus on a spatially homogeneous system of QCD hadron phase, which is expected to be created after the QCD phase transition and thermalization. We find that the EM field can induce a dynamic oscillatory dilaton field which in turn induces the scale anomalous current. As the phenomenological applications, we evaluate the dilepton and diphoton productions induced from the dynamic scale anomalous current, and find that those productions include a characteristic peak structure related to the dynamic oscillatory dilaton, which could be tested in heavy ion collisions. We also briefly discuss the out-of-equilibrium particle production created by a nonadiabatic dilaton oscillation, which happens in a way of the so-called tachyonic preheating mechanism.
A long neck principle for Riemannian spin manifolds with positive scalar curvature
Authors: Cecchini Simone
Published: October 2020

We develop index theory on compact Riemannian spin manifolds with boundary in the case when the topological information is encoded by bundles which are supported away from the boundary. As a first application, we establish a “long neck principle” for a compact Riemannian spin n-manifold with boundary X, stating that if $${{\,\mathrm{scal}\,}}(X)\ge n(n-1)$$

scal

(
X
)
≥
n
(
n
-
1
)

and there is a nonzero degree map into the sphere $$f:X\rightarrow S^n$$

f
:
X
→

S
n

which is strictly area decreasing, then the distance between the support of $$\text {d}f$$

d
f

and the boundary of X is at most $$\pi /n$$

π
/
n

. This answers, in the spin setting and for strictly area decreasing maps, a question recently asked by Gromov. As a second application, we consider a Riemannian manifold X obtained by removing k pairwise disjoint embedded n-balls from a closed spin n-manifold Y. We show that if $${{\,\mathrm{scal}\,}}(X)>\sigma >0$$

scal

(
X
)
>
σ
>
0

and Y satisfies a certain condition expressed in terms of higher index theory, then the radius of a geodesic collar neighborhood of $$\partial X$$

∂
X

is at most $$\pi \sqrt{(n-1)/(n\sigma )}$$

π

(
n
-
1
)
/
(
n
σ
)

. Finally, we consider the case of a Riemannian n-manifold V diffeomorphic to $$N\times [-1,1]$$

N
×
[
-
1
,
1
]

, with N a closed spin manifold with nonvanishing Rosenebrg index. In this case, we show that if $${{\,\mathrm{scal}\,}}(V)\ge \sigma >0$$

scal

(
V
)
≥
σ
>
0

, then the distance between the boundary components of V is at most $$2\pi \sqrt{(n-1)/(n\sigma )}$$

2
π

(
n
-
1
)
/
(
n
σ
)

. This last constant is sharp by an argument due to Gromov.
A novel fungal gene regulation system based on inducible VPR-dCas9 and nucleosome map-guided sgRNA positioning
Authors: Schüller Andreas , Wolansky Lisa , Berger Harald , Studt Lena , Gacek-Matthews Agnieszka , Sulyok Michael , Strauss Joseph
Published: October 2020

Programmable transcriptional regulation is a powerful tool to study gene functions. Current methods to selectively regulate target genes are mainly based on promoter exchange or on overexpressing transcriptional activators. To expand the discovery toolbox, we designed a dCas9-based RNA-guided synthetic transcription activation system for Aspergillus nidulans that uses enzymatically disabled “dead” Cas9 fused to three consecutive activation domains (VPR-dCas9). The dCas9-encoding gene is under the control of an estrogen-responsive promoter to allow induction timing and to avoid possible negative effects by strong constitutive expression of the highly active VPR domains. Especially in silent genomic regions, facultative heterochromatin and strictly positioned nucleosomes can constitute a relevant obstacle to the transcriptional machinery. To avoid this negative impact and to facilitate optimal positioning of RNA-guided VPR-dCas9 to targeted promoters, we have created a genome-wide nucleosome map from actively growing cells and stationary cultures to identify the cognate nucleosome-free regions (NFRs). Based on these maps, different single-guide RNAs (sgRNAs) were designed and tested for their targeting and activation potential. Our results demonstrate that the system can be used to regulate several genes in parallel and, depending on the VPR-dCas9 positioning, expression can be pushed to very high levels. We have used the system to turn on individual genes within two different biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) which are silent under normal growth conditions. This method also opens opportunities to stepwise activate individual genes in a cluster to decipher the correlated biosynthetic pathway.

Keypoints

• An inducible RNA-guided transcriptional regulator based on VPR-dCas9 was established in Aspergillus nidulans.

• Genome-wide nucleosome positioning maps were created that facilitate sgRNA positioning.

• The system was successfully applied to activate genes within two silent biosynthetic gene clusters.
Intersecting Lorenz curves and aversion to inverse downside inequality
Authors: Chiu W. Henry
Published: October 2020

This paper defines and characterizes the concept of an increase in inverse downside inequality and show that, when the Lorenz curves of two income distributions intersect, how the change from one distribution to the other is judged by an inequality index exhibiting inverse downside inequality aversion often depends on the relative strengths of its aversion to inverse downside inequality and inequality aversion. For the class of linear inequality indices, of which the Gini coefficient is a member, a measure characterizing the strength of an index’s aversion to inverse downside inequality against its own inequality aversion is shown to determine the ranking by the index of two distributions whose Lorenz curves cross once. The precise condition under which the same result generalizes to the case of multiple-crossing Lorenz curves is also identified.
Effects and moderators of the Olweus bullying prevention program (OBPP) in Germany
Authors: Ossa Fanny Carina , Jantzer Vanessa , Eppelmann Lena , Parzer Peter , Resch Franz , Kaess Michael
Published: October 2020

Bullying is a common and significant risk factor for mental and physical health problems. The aim of the outlined study was to evaluate the German version of the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program (OBPP) and to investigate potential moderators of its effectiveness. 23 schools started with the implementation and all students were invited to complete the Olweus Bullying Questionnaire annually. For our analyses, the data from grades 5 to 9 were used (t0: n = 5759; t1: n = 5416; t2: n = 4894). 16 out of the 23 schools completed the 18-months implementation period. The effectiveness of the program statistically depended on its complete implementation (χ2(2) = 7.62, p = 0.022). In the group of non-completers, the prevalence of victimization did not change during the observation period of 2 years (χ2(2) = 4.64, p = 0.099). In the group of the completer schools, a significant decrease in bullying between t0 and t1 was found for victims (t0: 9.14%; t1: 6.87%; OR = 0.74; 95% CI 0.62–0.88; p = 0.001) and perpetrators (t0: 6.16%; t1: 4.42%; OR = 0.70; 95% CI 0.55–0.89; p = 0.004). After 24 months (t2), this decrease could be retained (victims: t2: 6.83%; OR = 0.73; 95%CI = 0.61–0.88; p = 0.001; perpetrators: t2: 4.63%; OR = 0.72; 95% CI 0.57–0.92; p = 0.009). Furthermore, we found the following moderators of program effectiveness in the completer schools: (1) gender (with a stronger decrease among victimized girls; p = 0.004) and (2) school grade (with a stronger decrease of victimization among grades 5–7; p = 0.028). The German version of the OBPP significantly reduced the bullying prevalence in the completer schools. Effective prevention needs time and resources: fulfilling the 18-months implementation period was the basis for positive results.
Insight into the influence of local streambed heterogeneity on hyporheic-zone flow characteristics
Authors: Earon Robert , Riml Joakim , Wu Liwen , Olofsson Bo
Published: October 2020

Interaction between surface water and groundwater plays a fundamental role in influencing aquatic chemistry, where hyporheic exchange processes, distribution of flow paths and residence times within the hyporheic zone will influence the transport of mass and energy in the surface-water/groundwater system. Geomorphological conditions greatly influence hyporheic exchange, and heterogeneities such as rocks and clay lenses will be a key factor for delineating the hyporheic zone. Electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) and ground-penetrating radar (GPR) were used to investigate the streambed along a 6.3-m-long reach in order to characterise geological layering and distinct features which may influence parameters such as hydraulic conductivity. Time-lapse ERT measurements taken during a tracer injection demonstrated that geological features at the meter-scale played a determining role for the hyporheic flow field. The penetration depth of the tracer into the streambed sediment displayed a variable spatial pattern in areas where the presence of highly resistive anomalies was detected. In areas with more homogeneous sediments, the penetration depth was much more uniformly distributed than observed in more heterogeneous sections, demonstrating that ERT can play a vital role in identifying critical hydraulic features that may influence hyporheic exchange processes. Reciprocal ERT measurements linked variability and thus uncertainty in the modelled resistivity to the spatial locations, which also demonstrated larger variability in the tracer penetration depth, likely due to local heterogeneity in the hydraulic conductivity field.
Evolution as a Solution: Franco Andrea Bonelli, Lamarck, and the Origin of Man in Early-Nineteenth-Century Italy
Authors: Forgione Fabio
Published: October 2020

Franco Andrea Bonelli, a disciple of Lamarck, was one of the few naturalists who taught and disseminated transformism in Italy in the early nineteenth century. The explanation of the history of life on Earth offered by Lamarck’s theory was at odds with the Genesis narrative, while the issue of man’s place in nature raised heated debates. Bonelli sought to reconcile science and religion through his original interpretation of the variability of species, but he also focused on anthropological subjects. Following Blumenbach’s studies, he investigated the differences within the human species and explored the topic of humans’ alleged superiority over animals. The origin of human beings, their history, and their relationship with the rest of life were thus read in light of transformism. According to Bonelli, such questions would not do irreparable damage to the new theory. On the contrary, he considered evolution not only acceptable but even necessary to protect the Holy Texts from certain dangerous trends in anthropological and zoological research.
On homotopies of morphisms and admissible mappings
Authors: Dzedzej Zdzisław , Gzella Tomasz
Published: October 2020

The notion of homotopy in the category of morphisms introduced by Górniewicz and Granas is proved to be equivalence relation which was not clear for years. Some simple properties are proved and a coincidence point index is described.
BRD4 modulates vulnerability of triple-negative breast cancer to targeting of integrin-dependent signaling pathways
Authors: Zhang Yang , Xu Bingwei , Shi Junfeng , Li Jieming , Lu Xinlan , Xu Li , Yang Helen , Hamad Nevean , Wang Chi , Napier Dana , He Shuixiang , Liu Chunming , Liu Zeyi , Qian Hai , Chen Li , Wei Xiaowei , Zheng Xucai , Huang Jian-An , Thibault Olivier , Craven Rolf , Wei Dongping , Pan Yueyin , Zhou Binhua P. , Wu Yadi , Yang Xiuwei H.
Published: October 2020

Purpose

Stemming from a myriad of genetic and epigenetic alterations, triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is tied to poor clinical outcomes and aspires for individualized therapies. Here we investigated the therapeutic potential of co-inhibiting integrin-dependent signaling pathway and BRD4, a transcriptional and epigenetic mediator, for TNBC.

Methods

Two independent patient cohorts were subjected to bioinformatic and IHC examination for clinical association of candidate cancer drivers. The efficacy and biological bases for co-targeting these drivers were interrogated using cancer cell lines, a protein kinase array, chemical inhibitors, RNAi/CRISPR/Cas9 approaches, and a 4 T1-Balb/c xenograft model.

Results

We found that amplification of the chromosome 8q24 region occurred in nearly 20% of TNBC tumors, and that it coincided with co-upregulation or amplification of c-Myc and FAK, a key effector of integrin-dependent signaling. This co-upregulation at the mRNA or protein level correlated with a poor patient survival (p < 0.0109 or p < 0.0402, respectively). Furthermore, we found that 14 TNBC cell lines exhibited high vulnerabilities to the combination of JQ1 and VS-6063, potent pharmacological antagonists of the BRD4/c-Myc and integrin/FAK-dependent pathways, respectively. We also observed a cooperative inhibitory effect of JQ1 and VS-6063 on tumor growth and infiltration of Ly6G+ myeloid-derived suppressor cells in vivo. Finally, we found that JQ1 and VS-6063 cooperatively induced apoptotic cell death by altering XIAP, Bcl2/Bcl-xl and Bim levels, impairing c-Src/p130Cas-, PI3K/Akt- and RelA-associated signaling, and were linked to EMT-inducing transcription factor Snail- and Slug-dependent regulation.

Conclusion

Based on our results, we conclude that the BRD4/c-Myc- and integrin/FAK-dependent pathways act in concert to promote breast cancer cell survival and poor clinical outcomes. As such, they represent promising targets for a synthetic lethal-type of therapy against TNBC.
Einflussgrößen auf die Bestimmung des Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme (ACE) bei pulmonalen und extrapulmonalen Erkrankungen
Authors: Oremek G. M. , Passek K. , Bendels M. H. , Ohlendorf D.
Published: October 2020

Im Rahmen der Serie „Biomarker“, die im Zentralblatt für Arbeitsmedizin und Ergonomie publiziert wird, ist das Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme (ACE) zugehörig als häufiger Marker in der Diagnostik von pulmonalen und extrapulmonalen Erkrankungen. Die Bestimmung von ACE stellt einen wesentlichen Bestandteil der Diagnostik von pulmonalen und extrapulmonalen Erkrankungen dar. Der Einfluss von Tabakkonsum, Medikamenten, Zink-Chelatoren auf die ACE-Konzentration wird eruiert. ACE erwies sich als Marker mit einer hohen Sensitivität und Spezifität bei Lungenerkrankungen.
Radical Flexibility and Relationality as Responses to Education in Times of Crisis
Authors: Veletsianos George , Houlden Shandell
Published: October 2020

As educational institutions negotiate numerous challenges resulting from the current pandemic, many are beginning to wonder what the future of education may look like. We contribute to this conversation by arguing for flexible education and considering how it can support better—more equitable, just, accessible, empowering, imaginative—educational futures. At a time of historical disorder and uncertainty, we argue that what we need is a sort of radical flexibility as a way to create life-sustaining education, not just for some, but for all, and not just for now, but far into the future. We argue that such an approach is relational, and centers justice and trust. Furthermore, we note that radical flexibility is systemic and hopeful, and requires wide-ranging changes in practices in addition to the application of new technologies.
Post-Kantian Historicism as American Theology
Authors: Dorrien Gary
Published: October 2020

I am grateful for this rich and sumptuously detailed book by Elizabeth A. Clark on a neglected subject. Her splendid book is a reminder that although the early twentieth-century liberal and modernist scholars of early Christian history are largely forgotten—and tend to be derided when remembered—they strove with integrity and intelligence to be good historicists. I appreciate that the liberals of this period wanted Christianity to play a constructive role in society and tried to secure a place in the academy for the study of early Christian history. Still, they believed so intently in the superiority of their white middle-class culture that they could not see this belief as a form of prejudice.