bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Brain functional network integrity sustains cognitive function despite atrophy in presymptomatic genetic frontotemporal dementia
Authors: Tsvetanov Kamen A. , Gazzina Stefano , Jones P. Simon , van Swieten John , Borroni Barbara , Sanchez‐Valle Raquel , Moreno Fermin , Laforce Robert , Graff Caroline , Synofzik Matthis , Galimberti Daniela , Masellis Mario , Tartaglia Maria Carmela , Finger Elizabeth , Vandenberghe Rik , de Mendonça Alexandre , Tagliavini Fabrizio , Santana Isabel , Ducharme Simon , Butler Chris , Gerhard Alexander , Danek Adrian , Levin Johannes , Otto Markus , Frisoni Giovanni , Ghidoni Roberta , Sorbi Sandro , Rohrer Jonathan D. , Rowe James B. ,   the Genetic FTD Initiative, GENFI
Published: November 2020

Introduction

The presymptomatic phase of neurodegenerative disease can last many years, with sustained cognitive function despite progressive atrophy. We investigate this phenomenon in familial frontotemporal dementia (FTD).

Methods

We studied 121 presymptomatic FTD mutation carriers and 134 family members without mutations, using multivariate data‐driven approach to link cognitive performance with both structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging. Atrophy and brain network connectivity were compared between groups, in relation to the time from expected symptom onset.

Results

There were group differences in brain structure and function, in the absence of differences in cognitive performance. Specifically, we identified behaviorally relevant structural and functional network differences. Structure‐function relationships were similar in both groups, but coupling between functional connectivity and cognition was stronger for carriers than for non‐carriers, and increased with proximity to the expected onset of disease.

Discussion

Our findings suggest that the maintenance of functional network connectivity enables carriers to maintain cognitive performance.
The APOE gene cluster responds to air pollution factors in mice with coordinated expression of genes that differs by age in humans
Authors: Haghani Amin , Thorwald Max , Morgan Todd E. , Finch Caleb E.
Published: November 2020

Little is known of gene–environment interactions for Alzheimer's disease (AD) risk factors. Apolipoprotein E (APOE) and neighbors on chromosome 19q13.3 have variants associated with risks of AD, but with unknown mechanism. This study describes novel links among the APOE network, air pollution, and age‐related diseases. Mice exposed to air pollution nano‐sized particulate matter (nPM) had coordinate responses of Apoe‐Apoc1‐Tomm40 in the cerebral cortex. In humans, the AD vulnerable hippocampus and amygdala had stronger age decline in APOE cluster expression than the AD‐resistant cerebellum and hypothalamus. Using consensus weighted gene co‐expression network, we showed that APOE has a conserved co‐expressed network in rodent and primate brains. SOX1, which has AD‐associated single nucleotide polymorphisms, was among the co‐expressed genes in the human hippocampus. Humans and mice shared 87% of potential binding sites for transcription factors in APOE cluster promoter, suggesting similar inducibility and a novel link among environment, APOE cluster, and risk of AD.
Radikalische Funktionalisierung von α‐C(sp3)‐H‐Bindungen in Amiden durch Translokations‐induzierende arylierende Gruppen
Authors: Radhoff Niklas , Studer Armido
Published: November 2020

Die radikalische α‐C‐H‐Arylierung in N‐Alkylamiden durch Translokations‐induzierende arylierende (RTA) Gruppen auf Basis von 2‐Iodarylsulfonylchloriden wird beschrieben. Die Methode ermöglicht den Aufbau α‐quartärer Kohlenstoffzentren in Amiden. Verschiedene mono‐ und disubstituierte RTA‐Gruppen finden Anwendung in der Arylierung von primären, sekundären und tertiären α‐C(sp3)‐H‐Bindungen. Diese Radikalkaskaden verlaufen mit guten bis exzellenten Ausbeuten über einen 1,6‐Wasserstoffatomtransfer‐Prozess, gefolgt von einer 1,4‐Arylmigration mit anschließender SO2‐Fragmentierung.
Palladium (II)‐catalyzed homogeneous alcohol oxidations: Disclosing the crucial contribution of palladium nanoparticles in catalysis
Authors: Zeng Miao , Lou Chenlin , Xue Jing‐Wen , Jiang Hongwu , Li Kaiwen , Chen Zhuqi , Fu Shitao , Yin Guochuan
Published: November 2020

Versatile redox catalysts play the significant roles in alcohol oxidations, in which the mechanisms for homogeneous and heterogeneous alcohol oxidations are generally different. This work introduced a Lewis acid (LA) promoted homogeneous alcohol oxidation with Pd (OAc)2 catalyst by using oxygen balloon as the oxidant source. It was found that adding Lewis acid such as Sc (OTf)3 significantly accelerated Pd (II)‐catalyzed alcohol oxidations; notably, the time courses of oxidations monitored by GC and 1H NMR disclosed that there existed two processes including the initial sluggish oxidation followed by a rapid oxidation. The promotional effect of Lewis acid was attributed to the formation of heterobimetallic Pd (II)/LA species, which improved the oxidizing power of the palladium (II) species, thus accelerating alcohol oxidation in the induction period. Correlating the sizes of in situ generated palladium nanoparticles with the time course of alcohol oxidation further disclosed that the loosely, spherically large nanoparticles, which were composed of many tiny nanoparticles having the size less than 10 nm, were responsible for the rapid oxidation, whereas those highly dispersed, tiny nanoparticles having the size less than 10 nm were not responsible for the rapid oxidation.
Paleoneurology of Baurusuchus (Crocodyliformes: Baurusuchidae), ontogenetic variation, brain size, and sensorial implications
Authors: Dumont Jr Marcos V. , Santucci Rodrigo M. , de Andrade Marco Brandalise , de Oliveira Carlos Eduardo Maia
Published: November 2020

Knowledge on crocodyliform paleoneurology has significantly improved with development of computed tomography. However, studies so far have been able to reconstruct brain endocasts based only on single specimens for each taxon. Here for the first time, we reconstructed brain endocasts for multiple fossil specimens of the same crocodyliform taxon (Baurusuchus), consisting of complete skulls of two medium sized specimens, one large adult, and a late juvenile. In addition, we were able to reconstruct the inner ear anatomy of a fragmentary skull using microtomography. We present estimates of brain size using simple models, based on modern Crocodylia, able to adapt brain to endocranial cavity ratios to expected ontogenetic variation instead of using fixed ratios. We also analyzed relative brain sizes, olfactory ratios, facial sensation, alert head posture, best hearing frequencies, and hearing range. The calculated endocranial volumes showed that they can be greatly altered by taphonomic processes, altering both total and partial endocranial volumes. Reconstructed endocasts are compatible with different degrees of occupation along the endocranial cavity and some of their characteristics might be useful as phylogenetic characters. The relative brain size of Baurusuchus seems to be small in comparison to modern crocodilians. Sensorial abilities were somewhat similar to modern crocodilians and hearing ranges and best mean frequencies remarkably similar to modern taxa, whereas olfactory ratio values are a little higher. Differing from its modern relatives, Baurusuchus hypothesized alert head posture is compatible with a terrestrial habit.
Enhancing keyphrase extraction from microblogs using human reading time
Authors: Zhang Yingyi , Zhang Chengzhi
Published: November 2020

The premise of manual keyphrase annotation is to read the corresponding content of an annotated object. Intuitively, when we read, more important words will occupy a longer reading time. Hence, by leveraging human reading time, we can find the salient words in the corresponding content. However, previous studies on keyphrase extraction ignore human reading features. In this article, we aim to leverage human reading time to extract keyphrases from microblog posts. There are two main tasks in this study. One is to determine how to measure the time spent by a human on reading a word. We use eye fixation durations (FDs) extracted from an open source eye‐tracking corpus. Moreover, we propose strategies to make eye FD more effective on keyphrase extraction. The other task is to determine how to integrate human reading time into keyphrase extraction models. We propose two novel neural network models. The first is a model in which the human reading time is used as the ground truth of the attention mechanism. In the second model, we use human reading time as the external feature. Quantitative and qualitative experiments show that our proposed models yield better performance than the baseline models on two microblog datasets.
Optimal decision‐theoretic sampling plan for two exponential distributions under joint censoring scheme
Authors: Prajapati Deepak , Mondal Shuvashree , Kundu Debasis
Published: November 2020

In statistical quality control, decision‐theoretic approach draws a significant amount of attention due to its economic considerations. In reliability life testing, decision‐theoretic approach has been used quite extensively under different censoring schemes. All these implementations are based on single sample of products coming from a particular source. In this work we study decision‐theoretic approach on two sample of products coming from two different sources under a joint censoring scheme when the life times are exponentially distributed. The major advantage of such implementation is to take decision on the acceptance or rejection of one or both the batches in a single life testing experiment. Decision making is performed based on minimizing the Bayes risk with respect to a given loss function. It is observed that under certain set‐ups, the joint censoring scheme is preferable over the two separate single sample censoring schemes in decision making.
The Short‐Term Effect of Occupational Levels of 50 Hz Electromagnetic Field on Human Heart Rate Variability
Authors: Binboğa Erdal , Tok Serdar , Munzuroğlu Mustafa
Published: November 2020

Previous studies have indicated that there is no consensus on the effects of extremely low‐frequency electromagnetic (ELF‐EMF) exposure on the cardiovascular system. This study aimed to explore the short‐term effect of ELF‐EMF exposure on heart rate (HR) and HR variability (HRV). The sample consisted of 34 healthy males aged 18–27 years. The participants were randomly assigned to the EMF (n = 17) or the Sham group (n = 17). We employed a double‐blind repeated‐measures design consisting of three 5 min experimental periods. The chest region of each individual in the EMF group was exposed to 50 Hz, 28 μT, linear polarized, continuous EMF during the EMF exposure period. HR and HRV data were recorded continuously by using a photoplethysmography sensor. Within‐subject statistical analysis indicated a significant HR deceleration in both the EMF and Sham groups. However, the standard deviation of the NN intervals (SDNN), root mean square of successive differences (RMSSD), low‐frequency (LF), and high‐frequency (HF) powers increased only in the EMF group and remained stable in the Sham group. We also compared the same HRV indices measured during the EMF and Sham periods between the two experimental groups. The between‐subject analysis results demonstrated significantly higher SDNN, RMSSD, LF, and HF values in the EMF group than in the Sham group. The LF/HF ratio did not change significantly within and between groups. On the basis of these results, we concluded that short‐term exposure of the chest region to ELF‐EMF could potentially enhance parasympathetic predominance during the resting condition. Bioelectromagnetics. 2021;42:60–75. © 2020 Bioelectromagnetics Society.
Strangers look sicker (with implications in times of COVID‐19)
Authors: Bressan Paola
Published: November 2020

We animals have evolved a variety of mechanisms to avoid conspecifics who might be infected. It is currently unclear whether and why this “behavioral immune system” targets unfamiliar individuals more than familiar ones. Here I answer this question in humans, using publicly available data of a recent study on 1969 participants from India and 1615 from the USA. The apparent health of a male stranger, as estimated from his face, and the comfort with contact with him were a direct function of his similarity to the men in the local community. This held true regardless of whether the face carried overt signs of infection. I conclude that our behavioral immune system is finely tuned to degrees of outgroupness — and that cues of outgroupness are partly processed as cues of infectiousness. These findings, which were consistent across the two cultures, support the notion that the pathogens of strangers are perceived as more dangerous.
Engineered Microbes for Producing Anticholinergics
Authors: Courdavault Vincent , Cassereau Julien , Papon Nicolas
Published: November 2020

The tropane alkaloids (TAs) hyoscyamine and scopolamine function as acetylcholine receptor antagonists and are used clinically as parasympatholytics to treat neuromuscular disorders in humans. While TAs are synthesized in a small subset of plant families, these specialized metabolites are only accumulated in limited quantities in plant organs. The complex chemical structures of these compounds make their industrial production by chemical synthesis very challenging, Therefore, the supply of these TAs still relies on intensive farming of Duboisia shrubs in tropical countries. Many adverse factors such as climate fluctuations and pandemics can thus influence annual world production. Based on the landmark microbial production of the antimalarial semi‐synthetic artemisinin, the Smolke group recently developed a yeast cell factory capable of de novo synthesizing hyoscyamine and scopolamine, thus paving the way for an alternative production of these compounds.
Neutral Chiral Tetrakis‐Iodo‐Triazole Halogen‐Bond Donor for Chiral Recognition and Enantioselective Catalysis
Authors: Ostler Florian , Piekarski Dariusz G. , Danelzik Tobias , Taylor Mark S. , García Mancheño Olga
Published: November 2020

Halogen bonding represents a powerful tool in the field of noncovalent interactions. However, applications in enantioselective recognition and catalysis remain almost nonexistent, due in part to the distinct features of halogen bonds, including long covalent and noncovalent bond distances and high directionality. Herein, this work presents a novel chiral tetrakis‐iodo‐triazole structure as a neutral halogen bond donor for both chiral anion‐recognition and enantioinduction in ion‐pair organocatalysis. NMR‐titration studies revealed significant differences in anion affinity between the halogen bonding receptor and its hydrogen bonding parent. Selective recognition of chiral dicarboxylates and asymmetric induction in a benchmark organocatalytic reaction were demonstrated using the halogen bond donor. Inversions in the absolute sense of chiral recognition, enantioselectivity, and chiroptical properties relative to the related hydrogen donor were observed. Computational modeling suggested that these effects were the result of distinct anion‐binding modes for the halogen‐ versus hydrogen‐bond donors.
Fine needle aspiration of salivary gland carcinomas with high‐grade transformation: A multi‐institutional study of 22 cases and review of the literature
Authors: Nakaguro Masato , Faquin William C. , Baloch Zubair W. , Cantley Richard L. , Compton Margaret L. , Ely Kim A. , Holmes Brittany J. , Hu Rong , Kerr Darcy A. , Montone Kathleen T. , Nishino Michiya , Pantanowitz Liron , Rossi Esther Diana , Sadow Peter M.
Published: November 2020

Background

High‐grade transformation (HGT) is a rare process whereby conventional low‐ to intermediate‐grade salivary gland carcinomas (SGC) transform into high‐grade, poorly or undifferentiated malignancies with focal or complete loss of their conventional histomorphologic features. Because tumors with HGT are associated with a worse prognosis than their conventional counterparts, preoperative recognition of HGT may be of benefit for optimal patient management. Using a multi‐institutional approach, we describe the largest fine needle aspiration (FNA) cohort of salivary gland carcinomas with HGT.

Methods

The archives of 9 large academic medical centers were searched, and 22 cases of SGC with HGT were identified by surgical excision accompanied by preoperative FNA. Clinical and cytomorphologic features were retrospectively reviewed.

Results

The male‐to‐female ratio was 14:8, and the mean patient age was 60.2 years. The average tumor size was 3.6 cm, and 19 cases were from the parotid gland. Acinic cell carcinoma with HGT was the most common tumor subtype, comprising 12 cases with HGT, followed by adenoid cystic carcinoma, secretory carcinoma, and other subtypes. Eighteen cases were classified as malignant; however, a specific diagnosis of HGT was not made. Sixteen cases contained a high‐grade cytologic component, and 7 cases had a mixture of both conventional and high‐grade components retrospectively.

Conclusions

SGC with HGT should be considered in the differential diagnosis of a salivary gland aspirate exhibiting high‐grade cytomorphologic features. The presence of distinct tumor populations, conventional and high‐grade, should prompt consideration of HGT, especially when the conventional component is acinic cell carcinoma or adenoid cystic carcinoma.
Kinetic Analysis of the Hydrolysis of Pentose‐1‐phosphates through Apparent Nucleoside Phosphorolysis Equilibrium Shifts**
Authors: Kaspar Felix , Neubauer Peter , Kurreck Anke
Published: November 2020

Herein, we report an addition to the toolbox for the monitoring and quantification of the hydrolytic decay of pentose‐1‐phosphates, which are known to be elusive and difficult to quantify. This communication describes how apparent equilibrium shifts of a nucleoside phosphorolysis reaction can be employed to calculate hydrolytic loss of pentose‐1‐phosphates based on the measurement of post‐hydrolysis equilibrium concentrations of a nucleoside and a nucleobase. To demonstrate this approach, we assessed the stability of the relatively stable ribose‐1‐phosphate at 98 °C and found half‐lives of 1.8–11.7 h depending on the medium pH. This approach can be extended to other sugar phosphates and related reaction systems to quantify the stability of UV‐inactive and hard‐to‐detect reaction products and intermediates.
Charge‐Tagged N‐Heterocyclic Carbenes (NHCs): Revealing the Hidden Side of NHC‐Catalysed Reactions through Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry
Authors: Salvitti Chiara , Chiarotto Isabella , Pepi Federico , Troiani Anna
Published: November 2020

N‐heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) are key intermediates in a variety of chemical reactions. Owing to their transient nature, the interception and characterization of these reactive species have always been challenging. Similarly, the study of reaction mechanisms in which carbenes act as catalysts is still an active research field. This Minireview describes the contribution of electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI‐MS) to the detection of charge‐tagged NHCs resulting from the insertion of an ionic group into the molecular scaffold. The use of different mass spectrometric techniques, combined with the charge‐tagging strategy, allowed clarification of the involvement of NHCs in archetypal reactions and the study of their intrinsic chemistry.
A micromorphological/microbiological pilot study assessing three methods for the maintenance of the implant patient
Authors: Polizzi Elisabetta , D'orto Bianca , Tomasi Simone , Tetè Giulia
Published: November 2020

Objective

The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of the ultrasonic piezoelectric inserts of EMS Steel Tip A, EMS Peek, and IS‐TiP‐STS‐3E© in reducing peri‐implant bacterial load without compromising the surface of implants during professional oral hygiene in the follow‐up.

Materials and methods

Thirteen implants were examined (Winsix, Biosafin, Ancona, Italy). The implants were divided into five groups and analyzed with a SEM microscope and microbiological analysis to evaluate the possible modification of structure and the bacterial load reduction.

Results

The control and A, B, and C test groups were initially contaminated in vitro with Streptococcus mutans. Subsequently, the A, B, and C test groups were treated by an only expert operator in standard conditions. Test groups A, B, and C were inoculated for 3 hr and, furthermore, microbiologically analyzed.

Conclusion

The gold standard of an implant maintenance is a significant reduction of the bacterial load without becoming aggressive. According to our results, despite the limitations of the study, the authors recommend the least aggressive IS‐TiP‐STS‐3E©, but combined with an antimicrobial agent to reduce the bacterial load, because the IS‐TiP‐STS‐3E© did not show appreciable results versus the EMS Peek in reducing the bacterial load.
The impact of diabetology consultations on length of stay in hospitalized patients with diabetes
Authors: Sheahan Kelsey H. , Atherly Adam , Dayman Caitlyn , Schnure Joel
Published: November 2020

Introduction

Both hyperglycaemia and hypoglycaemia in hospitalized patients have been shown to be associated with a longer length of stay, higher readmission rates, and higher rates of morbidity and mortality. With 25%‐30% of all hospitalized patients carrying a diagnosis of diabetes, it is important to optimize glycaemic control. Current guidelines for care of inpatients with diabetes now suggest consulting a specialized diabetes team for all patients when possible.

Aim

This study was a retrospective cohort study to evaluate the impact of an inpatient diabetology consult within 48 hours of admission on patients’ length of stay.

Methods

All patients admitted to the general medicine service between 2013 and 2018 with a diagnosis of diabetes in their medical record were included, which consisted of 11 477 inpatient stays. We looked at the effect of an inpatient diabetology consultation within the first 48 hours on length of stay, complications and 30‐day readmission rates.

Results

We found that patients whose care included a diabetology consult within 48 hours of admission had a statistically significant shorter length of stay by 1.56 days compared to the remainder of the group. There was no difference in complications or 30‐day readmission rates between the groups.

Conclusion

Among general medicine patients with a diagnosis of diabetes, timely diabetology consultations reduced patients’ length of stay and have the potential to improve their care and lessen the economic impact.
Sponging up diversity: Evaluating metabarcoding performance for a taxonomically challenging phylum within a complex cryptobenthic community
Authors: Timmers Molly A. , Vicente Jan , Webb Maryann , Jury Christopher P. , Toonen Robert J.
Published: November 2020

Despite their ecological importance, sponges are often avoided in biodiversity studies and monitoring programs because they are notoriously difficult to identify using morphological or molecular methods. Here, we investigate the metabarcoding performance of universal degenerate cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) primers in detecting species from this challenging phylum in a cryptobenthic community. Twenty‐two modified Autonomous Reef Monitoring Structures (ARMS) were deployed for 2 years in mesocosms receiving unfiltered seawater from an adjacent reef slope. Upon recovery, each unit was inspected by a marine sponge taxonomist who used a combination of taxonomy, imagery, and DNA barcoding (28S rRNA and COI) to identify sponges and generate a validated taxonomic richness value for each ARMS unit. A total of 69 unique sponge barcoded morphologies (BMs) were identified from the classes Calcarea, Demospongiae, and Homoscleromorpha. Metabarcoding identified 41 unique sponge molecular operational taxonomic units (MOTUs) from Demospongiae and Homoscleromorpha but the primers failed to amplify any species from the class Calcarea which comprised 22% of the BMs. Sponge richness did not differ between BMs and MOTUs assigned to the classes Demospongiae and Homoscleromorpha. However, assignments at the order and family level in Demospongiae underscore known limitations in sponge taxonomic resolution using the COI gene. The prevalence of false positives within the order Suberitida and the pervasiveness of false negatives within the order Haplosclerida highlighted both technical and biological constraints in the metabarcoding method. Overall, these results confirm the need for discretion in sponge MOTU assignments using universal degenerate barcoding primers that target a short fragment of the COI gene. However, they also demonstrate that COI metabarcoding is capable of capturing sponge richness from a complex natural community.
Highly Interconnected Nanochannel and Silver, Nitrogen Co‐Doped Carbon Aerogel via Metal Organic Knot–Modifying as Active Polysulfide Immobilizer for Lithium–Sulfur Battery
Authors: Gao Wei , Li Xueliang , Ye Jinjin , Zhu Yunyun , Cheng Sheng , Ding Yunsheng
Published: November 2020

The interconnected nanochannel and nitrogen, silver co‐doping carbon aerogels (CAs) are successfully prepared by in situ and sol–gel strategy. The as‐prepared materials with spherical structure show excellent sulfur loading of 72.6 wt% and specific surface area of 2064.5 m2 g−1. The active material as cathode for lithium sulfur battery can effectively suppress shuttle effect and display remarkable electrochemical performance due to the modification of tetra‐nuclear silver metal organic knots and polyethylene glycol for CA, the special modifiers provide more nanochannels for CA to significantly restrict the loss of sulfur. The prominent performance mainly benefits from the synergistic effect of interconnected nanochannel network structure and transition metal sulfide (Ag2S) and nitrogen doping. Especially, the PEG‐Ag‐CA material delivers discharge capacity of 1313.6 mAh g−1 at a rate of 0.2C in first cycle, and retains 1143.8 mAh g−1 after 100 cycles. In addition, the theoretical calculations by density functional theory (DFT) further confirm the excellent absorption ability between prepared material and lithium polysulfide, and fully prove the absorption mechanism.
Pseudo‐dynamic and quasi‐static testing of hinged truss with all‐steel buckling‐restrained braces at base
Authors: Yang Xiaoyan , Wu Jing , Pang Xixi , Alam M. Shahria , Zhang Jinyang , Zhang Meng
Published: November 2020

Hinged truss with buckling‐restrained braces at base (HTBB) is composed of a rocking steel braced frame system and two replaceable all‐steel buckling‐restrained braces (BRBs) installed symmetrically on both sides at the bottom of the rocking steel braced frame. BRBs are used as hysteretic energy‐dissipating devices and damage is concentrated in BRBs. The rocking steel braced frame remains in an elastic state to control the deformation mode of the structure. Pseudodynamic testing and quasi‐static testing were conducted on a 1/3‐scale HTBB test specimen to investigate its seismic performance. The test program also includes the retrofitting process and replacement process. Pseudodynamic testing revealed that the HTBB effectively controlled the deformation pattern. The quasi‐static cyclic testing demonstrated that the system behaved in a ductile and stable manner with no strength degradation, even up to 2.5% roof drift. The damage was concentrated in the BRBs, and no damage to the hinged truss was observed throughout the testing. The failure was governed by the fracture of the BRBs. The effectiveness of the displacement‐controlled retrofitting solutions was verified and the function of the test specimen can be restored by replacing the damaged BRBs, which indicated that HTBB belongs to a resilient structural system. Finally, a finite‐element model was developed to simulate the seismic response of the test specimen. Comparisons showed good agreement between the numerical results and the pseudodynamic test results.
Screening of dominant strains in red sour soup from Miao nationality and the optimization of inoculating fermentation conditions
Authors: Xiong Kexin , Han Fei , Wang Zehan , Du Ming , Chen Yan , Tang Yang , Wang Zhenyu
Published: November 2020

Red sour soup is a traditional fermented product in southwest China. Currently, the existing production process mainly adopts the method of natural fermentation, with long fermentation cycles and poor stability between batches. Rapid establishment of dominant strains can accelerate the formation of lactic acid, which can inhibit the growth of miscellaneous bacteria. It is also helpful for the inhibition of nitrite accumulation, shortening of fermentation. In this study, the dominant strain H9, with lactic acid‐producing ability, was isolated from the natural fermented red sour soup, and was identified as Lactobacillus buchneri, based on the 16s rRNA sequence analysis and biochemical identification. Then, the optimization of fermentation conditions was performed using L. buchneri H9 strain as external bacteria. The optimized fermentation conditions were temperature of 22°C, starch dosage of 11.24 g/L, and initial inoculation of 3.5 × 108 cfu/L. The concentration of lactic acid reached 8.029 g/L after 8 days of inoculating fermentation, which exceeded 6.221 g/L for 20 days of natural fermentation. Compared with natural fermentation, the peak of nitrite during inoculating fermentation appeared earlier and the peak height was lower. While the nitrite content in inoculating fermentation decreased to safety threshold more quickly. The volatile flavor compounds analysis showed that 41 types of volatile compounds were detected in the inoculating fermentation product, while 45 in the natural fermentation product. Over 88% compounds were overlapped, which means similar flavor between two fermentation products. These results provide a sufficient scientific basis for the industrialized production of inoculating fermentation of red sour soup.
High‐resolution gridded climate data for Europe based on bias‐corrected EURO‐CORDEX: The ECLIPS dataset
Authors: Chakraborty Debojyoti , Dobor Laura , Zolles Anita , Hlásny Tomáš , Schueler Silvio
Published: November 2020

Climate is an important driver of many ecological and social processes; the availability of high‐resolution climate data is thus one of the key presumptions for knowledge‐based decisions. We created a new climate dataset for Europe referred to as ECLIPS (European CLimate Index ProjectionS), which contains gridded data for 80 annual, seasonal and monthly climate variables for two past (1961–1990 and 1991–2010) and five future (2011–2020, 2021–2140, 2041–2060, 2061–2080 and 2081–2100) periods. The future data are based on five regional climate models (RCMs) driven by two greenhouse gas concentration scenarios, RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5. Two ECLIPS versions were developed: ECLIPS 1.1 with a spatial resolution of 0.11° × 0.11°, which is the resolution of the underlying RCMs, and ECLIPS 2.0 downscaled to the resolution of 30 arcsec employing the delta approach. Both ECLIPS versions were tested against independent station data from the European Climate Assessment (ECA) dataset. Correlations of the ECA and ECLIPS 1.1 data ranged from 0.63 to 0.78, depending on the tested variable. The correlations increased to 0.78–0.93 for ECLIPS 2.0, suggesting substantial improvement of the match with station data due to the downscaling. A large number of climate projections, periods and indices as well as the availability of these data at two different spatial resolutions can support diverse studies across a range of disciplines and thus extend our understanding of climate‐sensitive dynamics of many social and ecological systems.
Conflict of interest in regulatory investigations on medical professionals
Authors: Bhattacharya Sayan , Kark QC Tom
Published: November 2020

Medical professionals’ practices may be investigated by their employers. Biased and flawed investigations impact badly on clinicians’ lives and careers but also reduce the quality of patient care provided, which in turn result in serious financial costs for the National Health Service. This article considers the importance of excluding conflict of interest while organising regulatory investigations. It explores the harmful effects that a biased and badly conducted investigation may have on staff and the possible ways of ensuring that investigations are fair and unbiased, with reference to Fit and Proper Persons Test and overarching responsibility of the Trust Board of Directors.
Animal models of rheumatoid arthritis‐associated interstitial lung disease
Authors: Xiong Li , Xiong Liang , Ye Hong , Ma Wan‐Li
Published: November 2020

Background

Rheumatoid arthritis‐associated interstitial lung disease (RA‐ILD) is an irreversible pathologic condition of unknown cause, commonly involving the joint and the lung with variable amounts of fibrotic change. In contrast to rheumatoid arthritis or other chronic interstitial lung diseases such as interstitial pulmonary fibrosis, there is so far no extensively accepted or implemented animal model for this disease.

Aims

To provide guidance for those who are investigating the pathogenesis of RA‐ILD with animal models.

Materials and Methods

An analysis of papers from PubMed during 1978‐2020.

Results

We outline the present status quo for animal models of RA‐ILD about their modeling methods and pathogenesis, compare their pros and cons with respect to their ability to mimic the clinical and histological features of human disease and discuss their applicability for future research.

Discussion

There is no doubt that these animal models do provide valuable information relating to the pathogenesis of RA‐ILD and the development of effective therapeutic drugs. Nevertheless, these animal models can not entirely recapitulate clinical pathology and have some limitations in experimental research application. Therefore, it should be emphasized that we should improve and explore animal models in more accordance with the pathogenesis and clinical characteristics of human RA‐ILD.

Conclusion

These established animal models of the disease can significantly progress our understanding of the etiology of RA‐ILD, the fundamental mechanisms of its pathogenesis and the identification of new bio‐markers, and can contribute to the development and implementation of novel treatment strategies.
A new alkanol from the endolichenic fungus Daldinia childiae
Authors: Zhou Xuan , Yang Cailing , Meng Qingfeng , Liu Le , Fu Shaobin
Published: November 2020

One new alkanol, 2,4,5‐heptanetriol(1), together with four compounds, 6‐heptene‐2,4,5‐triol (2), rel‐(1S, 4S, 5R, 7R, 10R)‐10‐desmethyl‐1‐methyl‐11‐eudesmene (3), 2,3‐dihydro‐5‐hydroxy‐2‐methyl‐4H‐1‐benzopyran‐4‐one (4), (−)‐regiolone (5) were isolated from the ethyl acetate extract of rice solid‐substrate cultures of endolichenic fungus Daldinia childiae for the first time. Compounds 1, 2, and 3 were separated firstly from the genus Daldinia. Their structures were elucidated by spectral data and compound 3 exhibited α‐amylase inhibitory activity.
Distinguishing Constructs from Variables in Designing Research
Authors: Calder Bobby J. , Brendl C. Miguel , Tybout Alice M. , Sternthal Brian
Published: November 2020

Current research practices often conflate theoretical constructs and explanatory hypotheses with variables and predicted effects, to the detriment of research progress. This has led to the use of procedures such as manipulation checks, mediation analysis, and boundary conditions predicated on the idea that matching constructs to variables is necessary to validate that a theory corresponds to an effect . An alternative perspective, Inference to the Best Explanation (IBE), calls for designing research to exploit the power of distinguishing constructs from variables, hypotheses from predictions, and theory from effects. IBE calls for stating hypotheses (Hs) about construct‐to‐construct relationships and, separately, the predictions (Ps) about variable‐to‐variable effects that are explained by the hypotheses. In addition, articles should include disparate effects, a single explanation covering all studies, and a discussion of the use of the research in specific problem contexts. The application of IBE is illustrated with research investigating when judgments are based on a feeling about the ease of information retrieval versus the information content itself.
Performance of a membrane bioreactor and a moving bed biofilm reactor–membrane bioreactor treating table olive processing wastewater: a comparative study
Authors: Patsios Sotiris I , Kontogiannopoulos Konstantinos N , Pouliou Niki , Karabelas Anastasios J
Published: November 2020

BACKGROUND

Two laboratory‐scale experimental systems – a membrane bioreactor (MBR) and a moving bed biofilm reactor–membrane bioreactor (MBBR‐MBR), both treating real high‐strength, saline wastewater from a table olive processing plant – were operated under identical conditions to comparatively evaluate their performance for three different hydraulic retention times (HRTs) of 88, 96 and 104 h.

RESULTS

The biological process of both systems, after appropriate biomass acclimatization, was stable and the removal efficiencies were rather high; i.e., regarding total organic carbon (TOC) ≥86.4% and ≥85.6% for the MBR and MBBR‐MBR, respectively, and ≥89.1% regarding total polyphenols (TPh) for both systems. Concerning TOC and TPh removal, no statistically significant difference (p < 0.05) was observed between the two systems. Reduction of HRT resulted in a slight decrease in mean TOC removal efficiency, but the mean TPh removal was practically unchanged. No membrane chemical cleaning was applied to either system during the 85‐day long continuous operation.

CONCLUSION

The comparative assessment showed that both systems (i.e., MBR and MBBR‐MBR) are effective for the advanced biological treatment of table olive processing wastewater and can achieve quite high removal efficiencies of organic matter and TPh. However, direct effluent reuse for irrigation purposes seems to be hindered by its high salinity. No significant differences were observed in the performance of these systems, apart from the increased aeration (and related energy costs), which is necessary to keep the biofilm carriers floating in the case of the MBBR‐MBR. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry
Proton Resonance Frequency Shift Thermometry: A Review of Modern Clinical Practices
Authors: Blackwell James , Kraśny Marcin J. , O'Brien Aoife , Ashkan Keyoumars , Galligan Josette , Destrade Michel , Colgan Niall
Published: November 2020

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has become a popular modality in guiding minimally invasive thermal therapies, due to its advanced, nonionizing, imaging capabilities and its ability to record changes in temperature. A variety of MR thermometry techniques have been developed over the years, and proton resonance frequency (PRF) shift thermometry is the current clinical gold standard to treat a variety of cancers. It is used extensively to guide hyperthermic thermal ablation techniques such as high‐intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) and laser‐induced thermal therapy (LITT). Essential attributes of PRF shift thermometry include excellent linearity with temperature, good sensitivity, and independence from tissue type. This noninvasive temperature mapping method gives accurate quantitative measures of the temperature evolution inside biological tissues. In this review, the current status and new developments in the fields of MR‐guided HIFU and LITT are presented with an emphasis on breast, prostate, bone, uterine, and brain treatments.

Level of Evidence

5

Technical Efficacy Stage

3
Optimum Olsen Phosphorus/ZincDTPA ratio for the initial growth of maize in agricultural soils of the Mediterranean region
Authors: Sacristán Daniel , González‐Guzmán Adrián , Torrent José , del Campillo María Carmen
Published: November 2020

BACKGROUND

Zinc (Zn) deficiency in crops is commonly aggravated by high levels of phosphorus (P) in soil. In this work, the initial performance of pot‐growing maize in response to the available P and Zn in soils with low available Zn and to the application of P and Zn fertilizers was investigated.

RESULTS

The soils (six non‐calcareous and 14 calcareous) ranged widely in available P (Olsen P: 5.5–37.9 mg kg−1), were poor in available Zn [diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid‐extractable Zn (ZnDTPA): 0.20–0.84 mg kg−1] and had an Olsen P/ZnDTPA ratio of 13 to 111 mg mg−1. Soil P application generally increased aerial dry matter (ADM) yield; Zn increased ADM yield mostly when applied in combination with P; and the sole application of Zn increased yield only in a soil with a high (28 mg kg−1) Olsen P and a low (0.36 mg kg−1) ZnDTPA. The increase in ADM yield resulting from optimal application of P and/or Zn to the soil was modest in soils where the Olsen P/ZnDTPA ratio was 30–60 and Olsen P was >14 mg kg−1. Zinc uptake by the control plants was correlated with the ZnDTPA of the soil. For a certain ZnDTPA value, the level of plant available Zn was higher in non‐calcareous than in calcareous soils.

CONCLUSION

Soil application of fertilizer P and Zn, in soils with low levels of available Zn, should not only aim at increasing the available P and Zn levels but also balancing them at the appropriate Olsen P/ZnDTPA ratio, which was found to lie in the 30–60 range in the present study. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry
Establishment of a cultivation method for leaf lettuce (Lactuca sativa var. crispa) and komatsuna (Brassica rapa var. perviridis) with high zinc content for patients with zinc deficiency and evaluation of its effectiveness
Authors: Atsushi Ogawa , Ikumi Kudo , Kyoko Toyofuku
Published: November 2020

BACKGROUND

Insufficient intake of zinc is associated with various diseases worldwide. To overcome this problem, we aimed to establish a method for cultivating leafy vegetables with high zinc content in hydroponics without inhibiting their growth. Furthermore, we evaluated the effectiveness of the cultivated leafy vegetables with high zinc content in zinc‐deficient mice.

RESULTS

By adjusting the zinc concentration in the hydroponic solution to 5 mg L−1 starting from 7 days before harvesting, the zinc content in leaf lettuce increased eight times of that in the control, without any inhibition of the growth. Furthermore, when oxidized glutathione (GSSG) was added simultaneously with zinc to the hydroponic solution, the zinc content further doubled (16 times of that in the control). Similar results were obtained with komatsuna and red leaf lettuce, although there was a difference in the effect of GSSG treatment. The effectiveness of leafy vegetables with high zinc content in ameliorating zinc deficiency was evaluated by feeding lettuce with high zinc content to zinc‐deficient mice. High zinc content lettuce significantly increased the zinc content in the liver, kidneys, gastrocnemius, and tibia of these mice.

CONCLUSION

We established a cultivation method for lettuce and komatsuna with high zinc content without inhibiting growth by adjusting the zinc concentration in the hydroponic solution at an appropriate concentration for an appropriate period. The result of feeding test indicates that the intake of leafy vegetables with high zinc content can ameliorate zinc deficiency and might be useful in protection from several diseases associated with this deficiency. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry
Changes in Muscle Mass in Patients With Renal Transplants Based on Ultrasound
Authors: Chen Yang , Wang Bo , Xiao Lian , Li Yongjie , Luo Yan
Published: November 2020

Objectives

This original research aimed to investigate the value of ultrasound (US), including grayscale US and shear wave elastography (SWE), in quantitatively evaluating muscle mass after kidney transplantation.

Methods

A total of 52 patients and 54 healthy control participants were recruited. High‐frequency US was used to evaluate the echo intensity and muscle morphologic features. Muscle stiffness in the rectus femoris was assessed with SWE. Interclass and intraclass correlation coefficients were used for evaluating measurement reliability. The diagnostic performance of SWE was determined by a receiver operating characteristic curve analysis.

Results

The intraobserver and interobserver repeatability was excellent (all correlation coefficients >0.940; P < .05). The best evaluation point after right iliac fossa transplantation was at the lower third of the right leg. In patients, the skin (0.154 versus 0.192 cm) and rectus femoris (0.700 versus 0.905 cm) were thinner, and the pinnate angle (6.500° versus 8.000°) and area (0.965 versus 1.270 cm2) were smaller (all P < .05). The US results showed that, compared with the controls, all patients' rectus femoris echo intensity (P < .001 in the transverse section) and elastic modulus (P < .001 in the Young modulus and shear wave speed) increased significantly. The cutoff values were 10.05 and 10.37, and the areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves were 0.843 and 0.845 for predicting kidney transplant and sarcopenia, respectively.

Conclusions

This noninvasive and convenient technique might be effective for objectively evaluating the muscle mass of patients after kidney transplantation.
Exploring combustion chemistry of 1‐pentene: Flow reactor pyrolysis at various pressures and development of a detailed combustion model
Authors: Cao Chuangchuang , Li Wei , Chen Weiye , Ahmad Hafiz , Yang Jiuzhong , Li Yuyang
Published: November 2020

The pyrolysis of 1‐pentene was investigated in a flow reactor over temperatures of 900–1300 K and pressures of 0.04 and 1 atm using synchrotron vacuum ultraviolet photoionization mass spectrometry (SVUV‐PIMS). Pyrolysis products, especially radicals and cyclic compounds, were identified, and their mole fraction profiles were quantified. A detailed kinetic model of 1‐pentene combustion was developed and validated against the new data in this work. Modeling analysis including rate of production analysis and sensitivity analysis was performed to reveal the key pathways in the decomposition of 1‐pentene and the formation of pyrolysis products. Due to the presence of CC double bond in 1‐pentene molecule, the allylic CC bond dissociation reaction and the retro‐ene reaction play important roles in the formation of dominant pyrolysis products such as small alkenes. Besides, the formation of cyclic products including 1,3‐cyclopentadiene, fulvene, benzene, and toluene is dominated by the reactions of C3 intermediates with C2–C4 intermediates. The model was further validated against the previous data of 1‐pentene combustion, including the ignition delay times and laminar burning velocities over a wide range of pressures, temperatures, and equivalence ratios. Modeling analysis shows that C0–C3 reactions and fuel‐specific reactions are important for the ignition process of 1‐pentene, while C0–C2 reactions play significant roles in the laminar flame propagation of 1‐pentene.