bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Iron oxide‐humic acid coprecipitates as iron source for cucumber plants
Authors: Di Iorio Erika , Colombo Claudio , Angelico Ruggero , Terzano Roberto , Porfido Carlo , Valentinuzzi Fabio , Pii Youry , Mimmo Tanja , Cesco Stefano
Published: August 2019

In soil, iron (Fe) solubility depends on complex interactions between Fe minerals and organic matter, but very little is known about plant availability of Fe present in Fe oxides associated with humic substances. For this purpose, this study investigates the effect of Fe mineral crystallinity in the presence of humic acids (HA) on Fe availability to plants. Four Fe–HA mineral coprecipitates were prepared, either in the presence or absence of oxygen, i.e., two goethite (G)‐HA samples containing large amounts of Fe as nanocrystalline goethite and ferrihydrite mixed phases, and two magnetite (M)‐HA samples containing crystalline magnetite. Bioavailability studies were conducted in hydroponic systems on cucumber plants (Cucumis sativus L.) grown under Fe deficient conditions and supplied with the Fe–HA coprecipitates containing goethite or magnetite. Results showed that plants grown in the presence of Fe–HA coprecipitates exhibited a complete recovery from Fe deficiency, albeit less efficiently than plants resupplied with Fe‐chelate fertilizer used as control (Fe‐diethylene triamine penta acetic acid, Fe‐DTPA). However, the supply with either G‐ or M–HA coprecipitates produced different effects on plants: G–HA‐treated plants showed a higher Fe content in leaves, while M–HA‐treated plants displayed a higher leaf biomass and SPAD (Soil–Plant Analysis Development) index recovery, as compared to Fe‐DTPA. The distribution of macronutrients in the leaves, as imaged by micro X‐ray fluorescence (µXRF) spectroscopy, was different in G–HA and M–HA‐treated plants. In particular, plants supplied with the poorly crystalline G–HA coprecipitate with a lower Fe/HA ratio showed features more similar to those of fully recovered plants (supplied with Fe‐DTPA). These results highlight the importance of mineral crystallinity of Fe–HA coprecipitates on Fe bioavailability and Fe uptake in hydroponic experiments. In addition, the present data demonstrate that cucumber plants can efficiently mobilize Fe, even from goethite and ferrihydrite mixed phases and magnetite, which are usually considered unavailable for plant nutrition.
Recurrent laryngeal nerve monitoring with surface electrodes in pediatric thyroid surgery
Authors: Propst Evan Jon , Gorodensky Jonah , Wasserman Jonathan Daniel , Glazman Ethan Forde , Tilis Leona Ariel , Wolter Nikolaus Ernst
Published: August 2019

Objective

To prospectively evaluate 1) use of endotracheal tube (ETT) surface electrodes for recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) monitoring in thyroid surgery in children, and 2) effects of thyroid surgery on the RLN in children.

Methods

Patients <18 years old undergoing thyroidectomy were included. Vocal cord mobility was assessed pre‐ and postoperatively. RLNs were monitored using adhesive or integrated electrodes. Recordings were made before and after dissection, and area under the curve and latency were compared using mixed models.

Results

Twenty‐five children (44 nerves at risk), mean (standard deviation) age 13.1 (3.4) years (range 4.5–17.4 years), underwent thyroidectomy. Twelve (46%) monitors were adhesive. One nerve had unobtainable responses. Nerveäna Power Index (NPI) (Neurovision Medical Products, Ventura, CA) decreased, and latency increased pre‐ versus postdissection at all amplitudes (P < 0.0001), with change in slope of NPI affected by tumor size (P < 0.05). Postdissection, the NPI was lower, and the latency was longer when stimulating low in the neck versus near the cricothyroid joint at all stimulating amplitudes (P < 0.0001), with change in NPI related to tumor size (P < 0.0001). Changes were not associated with decreased vocal cord mobility, aspiration, or voice change. One patient had a temporary unilateral paresis that resolved by 7 weeks, and another had normal movement 3 weeks postoperatively and developed a paresis 2 months postoperatively.

Conclusion

ETT surface electrodes are reliable for RLN monitoring in thyroid surgery in children. Thyroid surgery is associated with a decrease in RLN stimulability that is related to tumor size. The site of RLN stimulation matters when evaluating the nerve.

Level of Evidence

4 Laryngoscope, 130:1583–1589, 2020
Biodegradable Electrospun Poly(lactic acid) Nanofibers for Effective PM 2.5 Removal
Authors: Zhang Jinxi , Gong Shaobo , Wang Chenchen , Jeong Dae‐Yong , Wang Zhong Lin , Ren Kailiang
Published: August 2019

In addition to the rapid urbanization and industrialization around the world, air pollution due to particulate matter is a substantial threat to human health. A considerable research effort has been devoted to the development of electrospun polymer nanofibers for air filter applications. Among these new technologies, electrostatic charge‐assisted air filtration is a promising technology for removing small particulate matter (PM). In this investigation, biodegradable electrospun poly(l‐lactic acid) (PLLA) polymer nanofibers are employed for air filter applications. Electrostatic charges generated from the PLLA nanofiber can significantly enhance air filter applications. Compared with a 3M commercial respirator filter, electrospun PLLA fibrous filters exhibit a high efficiency of 99.3%. Even after 6 h of filtration time, the PLLA filtration membrane still exhibits a 15% improvement in quality factor for PM 2.5 particles than the 3M respirator. This is mainly attributed to the electrostatic force generated from the electrospun PLLA nanofibers, which significantly benefit submicron particle absorption. Due to their biodegradability, ease of fabrication, and relatively high efficiency, electrospun PLLA nanofibers show great promise in applications such as air cleaning systems and personal air purifier applications.
Large‐scale distribution of bacterial communities in the Qaidam Basin of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau
Authors: Xing Rui , Gao Qing‐bo , Zhang Fa‐qi , Wang Jiu‐li , Chen Shi‐long
Published: August 2019

Many studies have investigated patterns of soil microbial communities over large spatial scales. However, these studies mainly focused on a few sites. Here, we studied the near‐surface (0–30 cm) soil microbial communities of 35 soil samples collected from most of the areas of the Qaidam Basin, which is the largest basin on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau. A total of 32 phyla and 838 genera were detected from all the samples, in which Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Acidobacteria were the most dominant and cosmopolitan phyla. The most abundant phyla (relative abundance > 5%) detected in all 35 soil samples were also the most dominant, which could be explained by their great dispersal ability. The microbial community structures correlated strongly with variations in pH and Mg2+ and were distinct between the high Mg2+ content (>20 g/kg) samples and other samples (Acidobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Chloroflexi were significantly less abundant in the high Mg2+ content group, but the abundance of Firmicutes was significantly greater). Finally, the microbial spatial pattern was influenced by both the local environment and spatial distance, but environmental factors were the primary drivers of microbial spatial patterns in the Qaidam Basin.
Corporate governance and firm performance relationship: Implications for risk‐adjusted return behavior
Authors: Dash Saumya Ranjan , Raithatha Mehul
Published: August 2019

We examine the impact of corporate governance on firm performance and stock return behavior using panel data for Indian listed firms for 2006 to 2015. Our results suggest that corporate governance improves firm performance. However, corporate governance information fails to provide excess risk‐adjusted returns to investors, as governance information is well assimilated in prevailing stock prices. In addition to extending the scant literature focused on emerging markets, our findings will prove useful to investors, fund managers, and rating agencies in making investment decisions and regulators in assessing the impact of governance norms.
Stability of a thermoelastic laminated system subject to a neutral delay
Authors: Seghour Lamia , Tatar Nasser‐eddine , Berkani Amirouche
Published: August 2019

In this work, we consider a system of two identical beams of uniform thickness modeled as a Timoshenko system. The slip between the beams is taken into account, and the system is coupled with a heat equation. Moreover, the slip equation is subject to a distributed delay of neutral type. Delays are known to be of a destructive nature in general. Therefore, here, the delay will compete with a frictional damping and the dissipation produced by the heat equation. We provide sufficient conditions ensuring exponential and polynomial stability of the structure.
Tomatidine Reduces Palmitate‐Induced Lipid Accumulation by Activating AMPK via Vitamin D Receptor‐Mediated Signaling in Human HepG2 Hepatocytes
Authors: Kusu Hikari , Yoshida Hiroki , Kudo Michiko , Okuyama Mai , Harada Naoki , Tsuji‐Naito Kentaro , Akagawa Mitsugu
Published: August 2019

Scope

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has emerged as the most common chronic liver disease worldwide, defined by hepatic over‐accumulation of lipids without significant ethanol consumption. Pharmacological or bioactive food ingredients that suppress hepatic lipid accumulation through AMP‐activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling, which plays a critical role in the regulation of lipid metabolism, are searched.

Methods and results

It is found that tomatidine, the aglycone of α‐tomatine abundant in green tomatoes, significantly inhibits palmitate‐provoked lipid accumulation and stimulates phosphorylation of AMPK and acetyl‐CoA carboxylase 1 (ACC1) in human HepG2 hepatocytes. The results also indicate that tomatidine can enhance triglyceride turnover and decline in lipogenesis by upregulating adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) and downregulating fatty acid synthase (FAS) via the AMPK signaling‐dependent regulation of transcription factors, element‐binding protein‐1c (SREBP‐1c) and forkhead box protein O1 (FoxO1). Furthermore, mechanistic studies demonstrate that tomatidine‐stimulated AMPK phosphorylation is due to CaMKKβ activation in response to an increase in intracellular Ca2+ concentration. Finally, it is discovered that tomatidine functions as an agonist for vitamin D receptor to elicit AMPK‐dependent suppression of lipid accumulation.

Conclusion

The in vitro study suggests the potential efficacy of tomatidine as a preventive and therapeutic treatment in obesity‐related fatty liver diseases.
In vivo potassium MRI of the human heart
Authors: Wenz Daniel , Nagel Armin Michael , Lott Johanna , Kuehne Andre , Niesporek Sebastian Christian , Niendorf Thoralf
Published: August 2019

Purpose

Potassium ions (K+) play a critical role in cardiac electrophysiology, and changes in their concentration reflect pathophysiological processes related to cardiovascular diseases. Here, we investigated the feasibility of in vivo 39K MRI of the human heart. To achieve this, we developed, evaluated, and applied a 39K/1H RF coil, which is tailored for 39K MRI of human heart at 7.0T.

Methods

The performance of the 39K/1H RF coil was evaluated by electromagnetic field and specific absorption ratio simulations using 2 (male/female) human voxel models. The RF coil was evaluated at the bench and applied in an in vivo proof‐of‐principle study involving 7 healthy volunteers. The experiments were performed using a 7.0T whole‐body MR system in conjunction with a 3D density‐adapted projection reconstruction imaging technique.

Results

For in vivo 39K MRI of the human heart, a nominal spatial resolution of 14.5 × 14.5 × 14.5 mm3 within a total scan time of 30 min was achieved. The average SNR within the heart was 9.6 ± 2.4.

Conclusion

This work validates the design of a 39K/1H RF coil for cardiac MR at 7.0T and demonstrates for the first time in vivo the feasibility of 39K MRI of the human heart.
American Thoracic Society 2019 Pediatric Core Curriculum
Authors: Moore Paul E. , Boyer Debra , Perkins Ryan , Katz Eliot S. , Castro‐Codesal Maria L. , MacLean Joanna E. , Akil Nour , Esther Charles R. , Kaslow Jacob , Lewis Toby C. , Krone Katie A. , Quizon Annabelle , Simpson Ryne , Benscoter Dan , Spielberg David R. , Melicoff Ernestina , Kuklinski Cadence A. , Blatter Joshua A. , Dy Jamie , Rettig Jordan S. , Horani Amjad , Gross Jane
Published: August 2019

The American Thoracic Society Pediatric Core Curriculum updates clinicians annually in pediatric pulmonary disease in a 3 to 4 year recurring cycle of topics. The 2019 course was presented in May during the Annual International Conference. An American Board of Pediatrics Maintenance of Certification module and a continuing medical education exercise covering the contents of the Core Curriculum can be accessed online at www.thoracic.org.
Telomere length and lung function in a population‐based cohort of children and mid‐life adults
Authors: Nguyen Minh Thien , Saffery Richard , Burgner David , Lycett Kate , Vryer Regan , Grobler Anneke , Dwyer Terence , Ranganathan Sarath , Wake Melissa
Published: August 2019

Objective

Telomere length is associated with poorer lung health in older adults, possibly from cumulative risk factor exposure, but data are lacking in pediatric and population‐based cohorts. We examined associations of telomere length with lung function in children and mid‐life adults.

Methods

Data were drawn from a population‐based cross‐sectional study of 11 to 12 year‐olds and mid‐life adults. Lung function was assessed by spirometric FEV1, FVC, FEV
1/FVC ratio, and MMEF
25‐75. Telomere length was measured by quantitative polymerase chain reaction from blood and expressed as the amount of telomeric genomic DNA to the beta‐globin gene (T/S ratio). Associations of telomere length with spirometric parameters were tested by linear and logistic regression models, adjusting for potential confounders of sex, age, body mass index, socioeconomic position, physical activity, inflammation, asthma, pubertal status, and smoking.

Results

Mean T/S ratio was 1.09 (n = 1206; SD 0.55) in children and 0.81 (n = 1343; SD 0.38) in adults. In adults, for every additional unit in T/S ratio, FEV
1/FVC and MMEF
25‐75 z‐scores were higher (β 0.21 [95% confidence interval, CI; 0.06‐0.36] and 0.23 [95% CI; 0.08‐0.38], respectively), and the likelihood of being in the lowest quartile for FEV
1/FVC and MMEF
25‐75 z‐scores was lower (odds ratios 0.59 [95% CI, 0.39‐0.89] and 0.64 [95% CI, 0.41‐0.99], respectively). No evidence of association was seen for adult FEV
1 or FVC, or any childhood spirometric index after adjustments.

Conclusion

Shorter telomere length showed moderate associations with poorer airflow parameters, but not vital capacity (lung volume) in mid‐life adults. However, there was no convincing evidence of associations in children.
Antibiotic dispensing following pediatric visits in the US emergency departments and outpatient settings from 2006 to 2016
Authors: Agiro Abiy , Sridhar Gayathri , Gordon Aliza , Brown Jeffrey , Haynes Kevin
Published: August 2019

This study measured rates and trends in antibiotic dispensing for emergency department (ED) and outpatient visits by age groups. This retrospective analysis used data from the National Institutes of Health Collaboratory Distributed Research Network. The analysis included children (aged > 3 months to <12 years) and adolescents (aged 12 to <19 years) with or without an antibiotic dispensed within 3 days following visits for infectious diagnoses occurring from 2006 to 2016, with no antibiotic fills 90 days prior. Diagnoses were classified as: 1) respiratory tract infections (RTIs) for which antibiotics are mostly indicated; 2) RTIs for which antibiotics are mostly not indicated; 3) respiratory conditions for which antibiotics are never indicated; 4) infectious conditions beyond RTIs regardless of antibiotic indication. The largest annual decrease in any dispensed antibiotics (5% per year) was seen in ED visits for not indicated RTIs and never indicated respiratory conditions (incidence rate ratio [IRR] 0.95, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.95‐0.96). In outpatient settings, a 2% per year decrease was seen for not indicated RTIs and never indicated respiratory conditions (IRR 0.98, 95% CI 0.98‐0.98). Broad‐spectrum antibiotics had a 1% per year increase in outpatient settings for mostly indicated RTIs (IRR 1.01, 95% CI 1.01‐1.01). Compared with adolescents, broad‐spectrum antibiotic dispensing rates and trends were consistently higher for children regardless of diagnosis or care setting. Using national claims data, this real‐world analysis found uneven decreases in potentially inappropriate antibiotic dispensing, suggesting the need for antibiotic stewardship interventions to become more common in outpatient settings.
Chemical Vapor Deposition Growth of BN Thin Films Using B2H6 and NH3
Authors: Yamada Hisashi , Inotsume Sho , Kumagai Naoto , Yamada Toshikazu , Shimizu Mitsuaki
Published: August 2019

The use of chemical vapor deposition (CVD) for the growth of BN thin films on Al2O3 substrates using B2H6 and NH3 is investigated. The simultaneous supply of B2H6 and NH3 at a growth temperature of 1360 °C under a pressure of 100 mbar results in a rough surface, indicating 3D island growth, regardless of the V/III ratio. Furthermore, a significant decrease in growth rate is observed at high V/III ratios, owing to parasitic reactions between the B2H6 and NH3 sources. In contrast, alternating the supply of B2H6 and NH3 results in BN films with honeycomb‐like wrinkle patterns. The X‐ray diffraction peak intensities from the (002) and (004) planes of hexagonal boron nitride (h‐BN) increase as the number of supply cycles is increased. The BN film deposited with 1000 supply cycles shows a Raman shift at 1369 cm−1 with a full width at half maximum of 20 cm−1, corresponding to the first‐order E2g symmetry vibrational mode in h‐BN.
Terrain‐adaptive wheel speed control on the Curiosity Mars rover: Algorithm and flight results
Authors: Toupet Olivier , Biesiadecki Jeffrey , Rankin Arturo , Steffy Amanda , Meirion‐Griffith Gareth , Levine Dan , Schadegg Maximilian , Maimone Mark
Published: August 2019

NASA's Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity rover landed in August 2012 and began experiencing higher rates of wheel damage beginning in October 2013. While the wheels were designed to accumulate considerable damage, the unexpected damage rate raised concerns regarding wheel lifetime. In response, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory developed and deployed mobility flight software on Curiosity that reduces the forces on the wheels. The new algorithm adapts each wheel's speed to fit the terrain topography in real time, by leveraging the rover's measured attitude rates and rocker/bogie suspension angles and rates. Together with a rigid‐body kinematics model, it estimates the real‐time wheel‐terrain contact angles and commands idealized, no‐slip wheel angular rates. In addition, free‐floating “wheelies” are detected and autonomously corrected. Ground test data indicate that the forces on the wheels are reduced by 19% for leading wheels and 11% for middle leading wheels. On the ground, the required data volume increased by up to 129%, and drive duration increased by up to 25%. In flight, data collected over 3.6 km and 149 drives confirmed a reduction in wheel current, correlated with wheel torque, of 18.7%. The new algorithm proved to use fewer resources in flight than ground estimates suggested, as only a 10% increase in drive duration and double the drive data volume were experienced. These data indicate the promise of the new algorithm to extend the life of the wheels for the Curiosity rover. This paper describes the algorithm, its ground testing campaign and associated challenges, and its validation, implementation, and performance in flight.
One‐Step Hydrothermal Method to Prepare Flower‐Like QDs CdSe‐Loaded BiOCl Sheets as a Promising Tool for Photodegradation
Authors: Sun Yuwei , Tang Qian , Tian Tao , Kang Chunli
Published: August 2019

The overcommitting Rhodamine has aroused widely attention for the mainly organic pollutant in dying and pringting process, which is difficultly to remove the contaminate in totally. Thus, the BiOCl‐based semiconductors with relatively high photocatalytic properties toward water pullution were well defined. However, the limitted application of BiOCl due to the wider band gap, which can only be irradiated by UV light. In this work, we further introduced CdSe quantum dots (QDs), for the small‐size effect, specific surface area, special absorbability, designed for anchoring on BiOCl surface. A facial one‐step hydrothermal synthesis was developed for flower‐like BiOCl‐CdSe composites. The photodegradation of 20 mg/L RhB research under UV‐vis irradiation, 10 wt% CdSe‐BiOCl semiconductors displayed well photocatalytic abilities. From the electrochemical analysis, the effective separation of e− and h+ occured on the CdSe‐BiOCl composites. And the main work radicals during the photocatalytic produre were the e+, h+ and •O2− by the ESR analysis. The CdSe‐BiOCl composites have an immense prospective as the photocatalysts in pratical application.
Antioxidant Activity and Hepatotoxicity of Flavonoids and Their Metal Complexes Through Co‐Administration of β‐Cyclodextrin
Authors: Jabeen Erum , Janjua Naveed K. , Ahmed Safeer , Ali Tahir , Murtaza Iram , Ashraf Zaman , Masood Nosheen , Kalsoom Saima
Published: August 2019

The in vivo determination of radical scavenging activity of flavonoids (Fls) and their metal complexes (M‐Fls) through co‐administration of 2‐hydroxypropyl beta‐cyclodextrin (HP‐βCD) was determined. The flavonoids morin (mo), quercetin (quer), primuletin (prim), their Cu (II) and Fe (III) complexes were selected to explore their radical scavenging potential. Metal complexes of flavonoids (M‐Fls) showed better radical scavenging activity RSA when injected to rats than corresponding flavonoids. The RSA is improved in the presence of HP‐βCD. This increase in RSA was assisted by enhanced enzymatic activity of catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity. The compounds displayed hepatoprotection against alloxan induced liver damage as flavonoid injected group displayed lower levels of enzymes and intermediates aspartate/alanine transaminase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), Lipid peroxidation (MDA), Hydroxyproline (HYP), Sailic acid (SA) and higher albumin and total proteins level compared with alloxan treated group. It was evaluated by histopathological investigations that M‐Fls restored the hepatic damage caused by alloxan. The binding constants values of the compounds with human plasma (n‐HP) revealed the order of 103‐104 L−1. The binding interactions of the compounds with human plasma in the presence of HP‐βCD is decreased which in turns increased the RSA as well as CAT and SOD activities. Based upon our results, it was concluded that radical scavenging activities and hepatoprotective activities of M‐Fls is increased when co‐administrated with HP‐βCD.
Effect of Lithium/Transition‐Metal Ratio on the Electrochemical Properties of Lithium‐Rich Cathode Materials with Different Nickel/Manganese Ratios for Lithium‐Ion Batteries
Authors: Konishi Hiroaki , Terada Shohei , Okumura Takefumi
Published: August 2019

A lithium‐rich nickel‐manganese‐based material (Li1.2Ni0.2Mn0.6O2) exhibited a high discharge capacity at a low C‐rate. However, this material has problems in that it has a poor rate performance, large potential hysteresis, and poor cycle performance. Although increasing the Ni/Mn ratio for Li1.2Ni0.2Mn0.6O2 ameliorated these problems, it decreased the discharge capacity. In this study, the lithium/transition‐metal (Li/TM) ratios for lithium‐rich layer‐structured cathodes with different Ni/Mn ratios were controlled to attain a high discharge capacity, high rate performance, small potential hysteresis, and high cycle performance. For a low‐Ni/Mn‐ratio (Li1.2Ni0.2Mn0.6O2) cathode, a decrease in the Li/TM ratio deteriorated the discharge capacity. Conversely, for cathodes with a high Ni/Mn ratio (Li1.2Ni0.25Mn0.55O2 and Li1.2Ni0.3Mn0.5O2), the decreases in the Li/TM ratios improved the discharge capacity. In addition, for the high‐Ni/Mn‐ratio cathodes, the decrease in the Li/TM ratio from 1.2/0.8 to 1.18/0.82 increased the discharge capacity at a high C‐rate (3 C) from 157 to 183 Ah kg‐1 (Li1.2Ni0.25Mn0.55O2) and from 139 to 156 Ah kg‐1 (Li1.2Ni0.3Mn0.5O2). Furthermore, the decrease in the Li/TM ratio suppressed potential hysteresis and capacity degradation during cycling for the high‐Ni/Mn‐ratio cathodes.
Synthesis of N‐(phenoxyalkyl)‐, N‐{2‐[2‐(phenoxy)ethoxy]ethyl}‐ or N‐(phenoxyacetyl)piperazine Derivatives and Their Activity Within the Central Nervous System
Authors: Pańczyk Katarzyna , Pytka Karolina , Jakubczyk Magdalena , Rapacz Anna , Siwek Agata , Głuch‐Lutwin Monika , Gryboś Anna , Słoczyńska Karolina , Koczurkiewicz Paulina , Ryszawy Damian , Pękala Elżbieta , Budziszewska Bogusława , Starek‐Świechowicz Beata , Suraj‐Prażmowska Joanna , Walczak Maria , Żesławska Ewa , Nitek Wojciech , Bucki Adam , Kołaczkowski Marcin , Żelaszczyk Dorota , Francik Renata , Marona Henryk , Waszkielewicz Anna M.
Published: August 2019

Depression, anxiety and epilepsy share some etiology factors, causing frequently observed multimodal activity of centrally active compounds. This might raise the risk of central adverse effects of potential drugs, but on the other hand ‐ in a light of common comorbidity of these diseases ‐ also make an opportunity for avoiding polypragmasy. The presented study combines rational drug design methods, chemical synthesis, receptor studies and in vivo pharmacological screening (mice, i. p.) in order to obtain new centrally active piperazine derivatives in a context of their potential multimodality, investigate the mechanism of their activity and establish relationship between their structure, molecular mechanism and in vivo central activity(‐ies). The most promising pharmacological profile showed 1‐(2‐(2,5‐dimethylphenoxy)ethyl)‐4‐phenylpiperazine dihydrochloride (1), which was active in the four‐plate test (anxiolytic‐like activity) at 1.25 mg/kg b.w. and possessed high affinities towards several tested molecular targets (5‐HT1A Ki=35 nM ‐ weak antagonist, 5‐HT2A Ki=121 nM, 5‐HT7 Ki=130 nM ‐ weak antagonist, α1 Ki=82 nM, μ Ki=240 nM).
A Copper‐Catalyzed Three‐Component Reaction for the Preparation of Polysubstituted Pyrroles from Alkynyl Ketones, Amines and Isocyanoacetates
Authors: Shan Yingying , Li Jianming , Zhao Yutong , Chen Dianpeng , Li Qinyu , You Jinmao
Published: August 2019

An efficient route for the synthesis of polysubstituted pyrrole derivatives via a copper‐catalyzed three‐component reaction was described. Easily available starting materials, mild conditions, and a wide substrate scope make this approach potentially useful.
Unlocking the Potential of Magnetotactic Bacteria as Magnetic Hyperthermia Agents
Authors: Gandia David , Gandarias Lucía , Rodrigo Irati , Robles‐García Joshua , Das Raja , Garaio Eneko , García José Ángel , Phan Manh‐Huong , Srikanth Hariharan , Orue Iñaki , Alonso Javier , Muela Alicia , Fdez‐Gubieda M. Luisa
Published: August 2019

Magnetotactic bacteria are aquatic microorganisms that internally biomineralize chains of magnetic nanoparticles (called magnetosomes) and use them as a compass. Here it is shown that magnetotactic bacteria of the strain Magnetospirillum gryphiswaldense present high potential as magnetic hyperthermia agents for cancer treatment. Their heating efficiency or specific absorption rate is determined using both calorimetric and AC magnetometry methods at different magnetic field amplitudes and frequencies. In addition, the effect of the alignment of the bacteria in the direction of the field during the hyperthermia experiments is also investigated. The experimental results demonstrate that the biological structure of the magnetosome chain of magnetotactic bacteria is perfect to enhance the hyperthermia efficiency. Furthermore, fluorescence and electron microscopy images show that these bacteria can be internalized by human lung carcinoma cells A549, and cytotoxicity studies reveal that they do not affect the viability or growth of the cancer cells. A preliminary in vitro hyperthermia study, working on clinical conditions, reveals that cancer cell proliferation is strongly affected by the hyperthermia treatment, making these bacteria promising candidates for biomedical applications.
Influence of Tempering Temperature on the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of a Cr–Ni–Mo‐Alloyed Steel for Rock Drill Applications
Authors: Zhao Ming-Chun , Unenbayar Tuguldur , Zhao Ying-Chao , Liu Chao , Tian Yan , Yin Dengfeng , Atrens Andrej
Published: August 2019

This research investigates the mechanical properties of a Cr–Ni–Mo‐alloyed rock drill steel tempered at different temperatures from 150 to 550 °C. The highest strength, hardness, and impact energy occur when the steel is tempered at 180 °C. Strength, hardness, and impact energy decrease with increasing tempering temperature from 180 to 400 °C. For tempering temperatures higher than 400 °C, the steel exhibits: 1) an increase in impact energy; 2) an increase in strength and hardness when tempered at 420, 450, and 480 °C; and 3) a gradual decrease in strength and hardness when tempered at temperature higher than 480 °C. The mechanism of the changes of impact energy and hardness with tempering temperature is proposed.
Digital image correlation strain measurement of ultra‐high‐performance concrete‐prisms under static and cyclic bending‐tensile stress
Authors: Harenberg Stefan , Pahn Matthias , Malárics‐Pfaff Viktória , Dehn Frank , Caggiano Antonio , Schicchi Diego S. , Yang Sha , Koenders Eddie
Published: August 2019

This paper provides experimental results on investigations for the validation of photogrammetric strain measurements of ultra‐high‐performance concrete (UHPC)‐prisms subjected to static and cyclic bending‐tensile stress. For this purpose, 4 static and 5 cyclic test series were performed. Damage progresses during loading are monitored by means of a digital image correlation (DIC) system and a clip gauge. The control of the DIC by trigger lists and the measurement noise as a function of the measurement rate are examined. All static tests were performed force controlled with the same testing speed and the same measuring rate of DIC and clip gauge. All cyclic tests were performed with the same upper and lower stress levels but with different loading rates.

During the static tests, the DIC can be used to make accurate strain measurements before UHPC failure. In the cyclic tests, the measurement noise of the DIC decreases with an increasing measuring rate. The tests performed confirm the control of the DIC by trigger lists for cyclic tests on UHPC‐prisms and show that the measurement noise is negligible in static and cyclic tests.
Low‐dose in utero exposure to finasteride promotes developmental changes in both male and female gerbil prostates
Authors: Maldarine Juliana S. , Sanches Bruno D. A. , Santos Vitória A. , Amaro Gustavo M. , Calmon Marília F. , Rahal Paula , Góes Rejane M. , Vilamaior Patricia S. L. , Taboga Sebastião R.
Published: August 2019

The prostate is an accessory reproductive gland that is sensitive to the action of exogenous compounds known as endocrine disrupters that alter normal hormonal function. Finasteride is a widely used chemical that acts to inhibit the conversion of testosterone in its most active form, dihydrotestosterone. It is known that intrauterine exposure to finasteride causes changes in the male prostate even at low dosages; however, it is not known whether these dosages are capable of causing changes in the female prostate, which is present in a large number of mammalian species, including humans. In the present study, histochemistry, immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, serological dosages, and three‐dimensional reconstruction techniques were employed to evaluate the effects of intrauterine exposure to a low dose of finasteride (100 μg.BW/d) on postnatal prostate development in male and female Mongolian gerbils. The results indicate that the gerbil female prostate also undergoes alterations following intrauterine exposure to finasteride, exhibiting a thickening of periductal smooth muscle and increased stromal proliferation. There are also intersex differences in the impact of exposure on the expression of the androgen receptor, which was increased in males, and of the estrogen‐α receptor, which was decreased in the male prostate but unchanged in females. Altogether, this study indicates there are sex differences in the effects of finasteride exposure even at low dosages.
Growing extra dimensions in AdS/CFT
Authors: Alday Luis F. , Perlmutter Eric
Published: August 2019

What is the dimension of spacetime? We address this question in the context of the AdS/CFT Correspondence. We give a prescription for computing the number of large bulk dimensions, D, from strongly-coupled CFT
d
data, where “large” means parametrically of order the AdS scale. The idea is that unitarity of 1-loop AdS amplitudes, dual to non-planar CFT correlators, fixes D in terms of tree-level data. We make this observation rigorous by deriving a positive-definite sum rule for the 1-loop double-discontinuity in the flat space/bulk-point limit. This enables us to prove an array of AdS/CFT folklore, and to infer new properties of large N CFTs at strong coupling that ensure consistency of emergent large extra dimensions with string/M-theory. We discover an OPE universality at the string scale: to leading order in large N, heavy-heavy-light three-point functions, with heavy operators that are parametrically lighter than a power of N, are linear in the heavy conformal dimension. We explore its consequences for supersymmetric CFTs and explain how emergent large extra dimensions relate to a Sublattice Weak Gravity Conjecture for CFTs. Lastly, we conjecture, building on a claim of [1], that any CFT with large higher-spin gap and no global symmetries has a holographic hierarchy: D = d + 1.
Quenched coupling, entangled equilibria, and correlated composite operators: a tale of two O(N) models
Authors: Banerjee Souvik , Engelsöy Julius , Larana-Aragon Jorge , Sundborg Bo , Thorlacius Larus , Wintergerst Nico
Published: August 2019

Abstract

A macroscopic version of Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen entanglement is obtained by quenching a quadratic coupling between two O(N) vector models. A quench of the mixed vacuum produces an excited entangled state, reminiscent of purified thermal equilibrium, whose properties can be studied analytically in the free limit of the individual field theories. The decoupling of different wavelength modes in free field theory prevents true thermalisation but a more subtle difference is that the density operator obtained by a partial trace does not commute with the post-quench Hamiltonian. Generalized thermal behaviour is obtained at late times, in the limit of weak initial mixing or a smooth but rapid quench. More surprisingly, late-time correlation functions of composite operators in the post-quench free field theory share interesting properties with correlators in strongly coupled systems. We propose a holographic interpretation of our result.
Stressful life events and identity development in early and mid‐adolescence
Authors: de Moor Elisabeth L. , Van der Graaff Jolien , Van Dijk Marloes P.A. , Meeus Wim , Branje Susan
Published: August 2019

Introduction

In the past, stressful life events have been consistently linked to developmental outcomes such as well‐being and psychopathological problems. Theory on identity postulates that stressful life events may also predict a regression in identity development. While some support for this link has been found in adult populations, it is important to examine this in adolescence, a time marked by identity development as well as stressful transitions and experiences.

Methods

In the present study, we examined whether having to repeat a grade and death of a family member or friend were related to regressive change in educational and relational identity in a sample of 840 Dutch adolescents (49% female, Mage W1 = 12.4) drawn from a large ongoing longitudinal study. We also investigated whether the impact of the events was moderated by neuroticism, and parental and peer support. All analyses were controlled for age, educational level, and sex.

Results

Results of latent difference score models indicated that experiencing an event did not predict regressions in identity. Congruence between the domain of the event and identity (i.e., educational or relational) did not affect the strength of the effects. Neuroticism and parental and peer support did not significantly moderate this link. However, social support was related to relational and educational identity.

Conclusions

The link between stressful events and identity may not be as straightforward as would be expected based on identity theory, as our results did not show evidence for a link between these events and change in identity for all adolescents.
Robust automated computational approach for classifying frontotemporal neurodegeneration: Multimodal/multicenter neuroimaging
Authors: Donnelly‐Kehoe Patricio Andres , Pascariello Guido Orlando , García Adolfo M. , Hodges John R. , Miller Bruce , Rosen Howie , Manes Facundo , Landin‐Romero Ramon , Matallana Diana , Serrano Cecilia , Herrera Eduar , Reyes Pablo , Santamaria‐Garcia Hernando , Kumfor Fiona , Piguet Olivier , Ibanez Agustin , Sedeño Lucas
Published: August 2019

Introduction

Timely diagnosis of behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) remains challenging because it depends on clinical expertise and potentially ambiguous diagnostic guidelines. Recent recommendations highlight the role of multimodal neuroimaging and machine learning methods as complementary tools to address this problem.

Methods

We developed an automatic, cross‐center, multimodal computational approach for robust classification of patients with bvFTD and healthy controls. We analyzed structural magnetic resonance imaging and resting‐state functional connectivity from 44 patients with bvFTD and 60 healthy controls (across three imaging centers with different acquisition protocols) using a fully automated processing pipeline, including site normalization, native space feature extraction, and a random forest classifier.

Results

Our method successfully combined multimodal imaging information with high accuracy (91%), sensitivity (83.7%), and specificity (96.6%).

Discussion

This multimodal approach enhanced the system's performance and provided a clinically informative method for neuroimaging analysis. This underscores the relevance of combining multimodal imaging and machine learning as a gold standard for dementia diagnosis.
Patients following lower limb amputation: A retrospective cohort study showing how to improve survival and rehabilitation outcomes
Authors: Pande Shrikant D. , Kamal Aliah , Zaw Eimon , Tin Aung Soe
Published: August 2019

ABSTRACT

Background:

Increasing number of people are undergoing lower limb amputation as a result of complications of diabetes and peripheral vascular disease. Prosthetic rehabilitation is in these group of people is important in order to reduce dependency and maximize their function in society. Successful prosthetic outcome is dependent on associated comorbidities, which also affects survival.

Objective:

To assess the survival rates in patients with lower limb amputation.

Study design:

Retrospective analytic study of dysvascular lower limb amputation patients of age above 21 years discharged from rehabilitation facility in Singapore between March 2008 to November 2016.

Results:

Seventy patients were followed up, of which 45 (64%) were men and 25 (36%) were women, with mean age of 62.7 (35–88) years. These patients were diagnosed with diabetes mellitus (DM), hypertension (HTN), ischaemic heart disease (IHD), or peripheral vascular disease (PVD), and had vascular interventions. At the time of amputation, patients have either normal renal function, chronic kidney disease (CKD), acute kidney injury, or end-stage renal failure (ESRF), of which some were on haemodialysis (HD). Significant comorbidities associated with mortality were IHD 4.44 (95%CI- 1.61–12.27, p value-0.003), CKD 8.31 (1.74, 39.75); p = 0.003, ESRF/HD, HR = 5.6 (0.65, 28.24); p = 0.083, combined CKD (stage 3,4) and ESRF/HD 10.49 (2.75, 40.1); p = 0.001.

Conclusion:

From our study, lower limb amputation survival rate at 1 year was 84.13% and at 5 years was 48.6%. Mortality was significantly associated with ischaemic heart disease, CKD and those with ESRF with haemodialysis. This may indicate complications related to IHD and CKD rather than amputation itself.

Clinical relevance statement:

Proactive management of ischaemic heart disease and chronic kidney disease is very important in dysvascular lower limb amputation as this affects the prosthetic rehabilitation outcomes. A multidisciplinary approach should be considered in patients with these comorbidities to improve survival and functional outcomes following prosthesis.

Highlights:
When haute couture fashion meets biomimetic design
Authors: Borchert Benedikt
Published: August 2019

Complex components in medium to high volume require lean manufacturing technologies that allow for efficient material usage as well as precise and reproducible production. Thanks to 150 years’ experience in haute couture embroidery, BIONTEC efficiently produces CFRP components in high volume.
Innovation in biosafety oversight: The Harvard Catalyst Common Reciprocal IBC Reliance Authorization Agreement
Authors: Caruso Rebecca , Myatt Theodore , Bierer Barbara E.
Published: August 2019

Increasingly, basic, translational, and clinical research has become more collaborative, resulting in multi-institutional studies that involve common approaches to a central question. For multi-institutional projects that involve recombinant or synthetic nucleic acids, Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) review is generally required at each separate site. Duplicative review may result in both administrative costs and delays, without evidence of increased safety or protections, and investigator frustration. To address these inefficiencies, IBC leaders drafted a collaborative IBC Reliance Authorization Agreement. The Agreement allows one or more institutions to cede IBC review to a reviewing IBC that accepts the responsibility. The ability to cede IBC review, and the ability to rely on one decision on behalf of all collaborating institutions for a given protocol, removes delays in approval of multi-center protocols, and collaborating principal investigators are able to focus on research rather than administrative tasks. In the process, we found promotion of this collaborative model led to stronger connections among institutions and among IBC members. The requirement for IBC member representation from the local community, however, limits its broader dissemination; we make several recommendations to mitigate this challenge.
Distributional chaos in multifractal analysis, recurrence and transitivity
Authors: CHEN AN , TIAN XUETING
Published: August 2019

There is much research on the dynamical complexity on irregular sets and level sets of ergodic average from the perspective of density in base space, the Hausdorff dimension, Lebesgue positive measure, positive or full topological entropy (and topological pressure), etc. However, this is not the case from the viewpoint of chaos. There are many results on the relationship of positive topological entropy and various chaos. However, positive topological entropy does not imply a strong version of chaos, called DC1. Therefore, it is non-trivial to study DC1 on irregular sets and level sets. In this paper, we will show that, for dynamical systems with specification properties, there exist uncountable DC1-scrambled subsets in irregular sets and level sets. Meanwhile, we prove that several recurrent level sets of points with different recurrent frequency have uncountable DC1-scrambled subsets. The major argument in proving the above results is that there exists uncountable DC1-scrambled subsets in saturated sets.
All smoke, no fire? Sharing practices and political investment in two Italian cities
Authors: Polizzi Emanuele , Bassoli Matteo
Published: August 2019

The practice of sharing products, services, and other activities among people living in the same city has emerged as one of the most important waves of social innovation in recent years. However, the public and scientific debate have, to date, been mostly rhetoric and rarely relied on empirical evidence. A study of the role played by local institutions in governing the phenomenon is still lacking. This paper addresses the issue of the relationship between local governments and private actors in the sharing economy sector, exploiting the ‘political exchange’ approach. Departing from this governance perspective, it appraises the political exchange – and its outputs in terms of co-operation – underlying the governing structures in two Italian cases between 2014 and 2018. We thus bridge the gap between a theoretical understanding of the sharing economy and empirical cases, providing scholars with a framework to study this phenomenon which highlights the crucial impact of the political investment of public institutions.
Low-order modelling of wake meandering behind turbines
Authors: Gupta Vikrant , Wan Minping
Published: August 2019

Based on recent numerical simulations and field experiments, the mechanism behind wake meandering is increasingly accepted to be through the amplification of upstream disturbances owing to the convectively unstable nature of the flow. In this paper, we deduce a low-order phenomenological model for the far-wake region, which is based on a modified form of the complex Ginzburg–Landau (CGL) equation for flows that are in the amplifier regime, i.e. are only convectively unstable. The model reproduces the main qualitative features of wake meandering: (i) its origin via amplification of upstream structures, (ii) dependence of oscillation frequency on the upstream disturbance amplitude (higher amplitudes lead to lower frequencies), (iii) shift towards lower frequencies as the wake flow evolves in the streamwise direction and, to an extent, (iv) the transfer of energy from very low frequencies towards relatively higher frequencies. Additionally, the model also predicts the increase in the meandering amplitude and an advancement in its onset with increasing thrust coefficient. To our knowledge, this is the first low-order dynamical system in the literature that models wake meandering. The model coefficients are obtained from the mean flow local stability results that we show correctly account for the changing operating conditions and thus pave way for the prediction of wake meandering features. Its low order makes it suitable to use inside an energy farm design model, where it can help to mitigate the adverse effects of wake meandering.
Non-Newtonian slender drops in a nonlinear extensional flow
Authors: Favelukis Moshe
Published: August 2019

In this theoretical report we explore the deformation and stability of a power-law non-Newtonian slender drop embedded in a Newtonian liquid undergoing a nonlinear extensional creeping flow. The dimensionless parameters describing this problem are: the capillary number $(Ca\gg 1)$, the viscosity ratio $(\unicode[STIX]{x1D706}\ll 1)$, the power-law index $(n)$ and the nonlinear intensity of the flow $(|E|\ll 1)$. Asymptotic analytical solutions were obtained near the centre and close to the end of the drop suggesting that only Newtonian and shear thinning drops $(n\leqslant 1)$ with pointed ends are possible. We described the shape of the drop as a series expansion about the centre of the drop, and performed a stability analysis in order to distinguish between stable and unstable stationary states and to establish the breakup point. Our findings suggest: (i) shear thinning drops are less elongated than Newtonian drops, (ii) as non-Newtonian effects increase or as $n$ decreases, breakup becomes more difficult, and (iii) as the flow becomes more nonlinear, breakup is facilitated.