bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of gene mutations on treatment response and prognosis of acute myeloid leukemia secondary to myeloproliferative neoplasms
Authors: Venton Geoffroy , Courtier Frédéric , Charbonnier Aude , D'incan Evelyne , Saillard Colombe , Mohty Bilal , Mozziconacci Marie‐Joëlle , Birnbaum Daniel , Murati Anne , Vey Norbert , Rey Jérôme
Published: November 2017

Acute myeloid leukemias secondary (sAML) to myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) have variable clinical courses and outcomes, but remain almost always fatal. Large cohorts of sAML to MPN are difficult to obtain and there is very little scientific literature or prospective trials for determining robust prognostic markers and efficient treatments. We analyzed event‐free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) of 73 patients with MPN who progressed to sAML, based on their epidemiological characteristics, the preexisting MPN, the different treatments received, the different prognostic groups and the responses achieved according to the ELN, and their mutational status determined by next‐generation DNA sequencing (NGS). For 24 patients, we were able to do a comparative NGS analysis at both MPN and sAML phase. After acute transformation EFS and OS were respectively of 2.9 months (range: 0‐48.1) and 4.7 months (range: 0.1‐58.8). No difference in EFS or OS regarding the previous MPN, the ELN2017 prognostic classification, the first‐line therapy or the response was found. After univariate analysis, three genes, TP53, SRSF2 and TET2, impacted pejoratively sAML prognosis at sAML time. In multivariate analysis, TP53 (P = .0001), TET2 (P = .011) and SRSF2 (P = .018) remained independent prognostic factors. Time to sAML transformation was shorter in SRSF2‐mutated patients (51.2 months, range: 14.7‐98) than in SRSF2‐unmutated patients (133.8 months, range: 12.6‐411.2) (P < .001). Conventional clinical factors (age, karyotype, ELN2017 prognostic classification, treatments received, treatments response, Allo‐SCT…) failed to predict the patients' outcome. Only the mutational status appeared relevant to predict patients' prognosis at sAML phase.
An Expeditious Approach for the Synthesis of β‐Carboline−Pyrazole‐Based Molecular Hybrids
Authors: Singh Dharmender , Sharma Pooja , Kumar Rakesh , Pandey Satyendra K. , Malakar Chandi C. , Singh Virender
Published: November 2017

A simple and highly efficient one‐pot, metal‐free approach has been developed for the synthesis of β‐carboline−pyrazole/−pyrazoline‐based molecular hybrids. The synthesis of C1‐tethered β‐carboline−(N‐acetyl)pyrazolines was achieved by using a cyclocondensation approach, whilst β‐carboline‐substituted pyrazoles were synthesized through an I2‐mediated oxidative condensation reaction. This procedure provides easy access to biologically interesting di‐ and trisubstituted pyrazoles that are decorated with β‐carboline frameworks.
Natural history of infantile‐onset spinal muscular atrophy
Authors: Kolb Stephen J. , Coffey Christopher S. , Yankey Jon W. , Krosschell Kristin , Arnold W. David , Rutkove Seward B. , Swoboda Kathryn J. , Reyna Sandra P. , Sakonju Ai , Darras Basil T. , Shell Richard , Kuntz Nancy , Castro Diana , Parsons Julie , Connolly Anne M. , Chiriboga Claudia A. , McDonald Craig , Burnette W. Bryan , Werner Klaus , Thangarajh Mathula , Shieh Perry B. , Finanger Erika , Cudkowicz Merit E. , McGovern Michelle M. , McNeil D. Elizabeth , Finkel Richard , Iannaccone Susan T. , Kaye Edward , Kingsley Allison , Renusch Samantha R. , McGovern Vicki L. , Wang Xueqian , Zaworski Phillip G. , Prior Thomas W. , Burghes Arthur H.M. , Bartlett Amy , Kissel John T. ,   the NeuroNEXT Clinical Trial Network on behalf of the NN101 SMA Biomarker Investigators
Published: November 2017

Objective

Infantile‐onset spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is the most common genetic cause of infant mortality, typically resulting in death preceding age 2. Clinical trials in this population require an understanding of disease progression and identification of meaningful biomarkers to hasten therapeutic development and predict outcomes.

Methods

A longitudinal, multicenter, prospective natural history study enrolled 26 SMA infants and 27 control infants aged <6 months. Recruitment occurred at 14 centers over 21 months within the NINDS‐sponsored NeuroNEXT (National Network for Excellence in Neuroscience Clinical Trials) Network. Infant motor function scales (Test of Infant Motor Performance Screening Items [TIMPSI], The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Infant Test for Neuromuscular Disorders, and Alberta Infant Motor Score) and putative physiological and molecular biomarkers were assessed preceding age 6 months and at 6, 9, 12, 18, and 24 months with progression, correlations between motor function and biomarkers, and hazard ratios analyzed.

Results

Motor function scores (MFS) and compound muscle action potential (CMAP) decreased rapidly in SMA infants, whereas MFS in all healthy infants rapidly increased. Correlations were identified between TIMPSI and CMAP in SMA infants. TIMPSI at first study visit was associated with risk of combined endpoint of death or permanent invasive ventilation in SMA infants. Post‐hoc analysis of survival to combined endpoint in SMA infants with 2 copies of SMN2 indicated a median age of 8 months at death (95% confidence interval, 6, 17).

Interpretation

These data of SMA and control outcome measures delineates meaningful change in clinical trials in infantile‐onset SMA. The power and utility of NeuroNEXT to provide “real‐world,” prospective natural history data sets to accelerate public and private drug development programs for rare disease is demonstrated. Ann Neurol 2017;82:883–891
Dynamic Cross‐Exchange in Halophosphonium Species: Direct Observation of Stereochemical Inversion in the Course of an SN2 Process
Authors: Nikitin Kirill , Jennings Elizabeth V. , Al Sulaimi Sulaiman , Ortin Yannick , Gilheany Declan G.
Published: November 2017

The complex fluxional interconversions between otherwise very similar phosphonium bromides and chlorides R3PX+X− (R=Alk, Ar, X=Cl or Br) were studied by NMR techniques. Their energy barriers are typically ca. 11 kcal mol−1, but rise rapidly as bulky groups are attached to phosphorus, revealing the importance of steric factors. In contrast, electronic effects, as measured by Hammett analysis, are modest (ρ 1.46) but still clearly indicate negative charge flow towards phosphorus in the transition state. Most significantly, detailed analysis of the exchange pathways unequivocally, and for the first time in any such process, shows that nucleophilic attack of the nucleophilic anion on the tetrahedral centre results in inversion of configuration.
Can Coordination‐Driven Supramolecular Self‐Assembly Reactions Be Conducted from Fully Aliphatic Linkers?
Authors: Elsayed Moussa Mehdi , Evariste Sloane , Krämer Barbara , Réau Régis , Scheer Manfred , Lescop Christophe
Published: November 2017

The reaction between a preassembled CuI bimetallic molecular clip with a short intermetallic distance and a series of fully aliphatic cyano‐capped ditopic linkers with increasing lengths was investigated. It is shown that, depending on the length of the ditopic linkers, the rational design of unprecedented supramolecular compact metallacycles containing fully aliphatic walls is possible. The specific preorganized molecular arrangement of the molecular clip used favors stabilizing interlinker London dispersion interactions, which allow, as the length of the linkers increases, the selective formation of discrete compact metallacycles at the expense of 1D coordination polymers. The generalizability of this approach was demonstrated by the reaction of fully aliphatic cyano‐capped linkers with two other types of preassembled CuI bimetallic molecular clips that also had short intermetallic distances.
The Weakly Coordinating Tris(trichlorosilyl)silyl Anion
Authors: Olaru Marian , Hesse Maxie F. , Rychagova Elena , Ketkov Sergey , Mebs Stefan , Beckmann Jens
Published: November 2017

Closely following the procedure for the preparation of the base‐stabilized dichlorosilylene complex NHCDipp⋅SiCl2 reported by Roesky, Stalke, and co‐workers (Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2009, 48, 5683–5686), a few crystals of the salt [NHCDipp−H⋅⋅⋅Cl⋅⋅⋅H−NHCDipp]Si(SiCl3)3 were isolated, aside from the reported byproduct [NHCDipp−H+⋅⋅⋅Cl−], and characterized by X‐ray crystallography (NHCDipp=N,N‐di(2,6‐diisopropylphenyl)imidazo‐2‐ylidene). They contain the weakly coordinating anion Si(SiCl3)3−, which was also obtained in high yields upon deprotonation of the conjugate Brønsted acid HSi(SiCl3)3 with NHCDipp or PMP (PMP=1,2,2,6,6‐pentamethylpiperidine). The acidity of HSi(SiCl3)3 was estimated by DFT calculations to be substantially higher than those of other H‐silanes. Further DFT studies on the electronic structure of Si(SiCl3)3−, including the electrostatic potential and the electron localizability, confirmed its low basicity and nucleophilicity compared with other silyl anions.
Comparative study of acid yellow 119 adsorption onto activated carbon prepared from lemon wood and ZnO nanoparticles loaded on activated carbon
Authors: Jamshidi Hadis , Ghaedi Mehrorang , Sabzehmeidani Mohammad Mehdi , Bagheri Ahmad Reza
Published: November 2017

Activated carbon from lemon wood (AC) and ZnO nanoparticles loaded on activated carbon (ZnO‐NP‐AC) were prepared and their efficiency for effective acid yellow 199 (AY 199) removal under various operational conditions was investigated. The dependence of removal efficiency on variables such as AY 199 concentration, amount of adsorbent and contact time was optimized using response surface methodology and Design‐Expert. ZnO nanoparticles and ZnO‐NP‐AC were studied using various techniques such as scanning electron microscopy, X‐ray diffraction and energy‐dispersive X‐ray analysis. The optimum pH was studied using one‐at‐a‐time method to achieve maximum dye removal percentage. Small amounts of the proposed adsorbents (0.025 and 0.025 g) were sufficient for successful removal of AY 199 in short times (4.0 and 4.0 min) with high adsorption capacity (85.51 and 116.29 mg g−1 for AC and ZnO‐NPs‐AC, respectively). Fitting the empirical equilibrium data to several conventional isotherm models at optimum conditions indicated the appropriateness of the Langmuir model with high correlation coefficient (0.999 and 0.978 for AC and ZnO‐NPs‐AC, respectively) for representation and explanation of experimental data. Kinetics evaluation of experiments at various time intervals revealed that adsorption processes can be well predicted and fitted by pseudo‐second‐order and Elovich models. This study revealed that the combination of ZnO nanoparticles and AC following simple loading led to significant improvement in the removal process in short adsorption time which was enhanced by mixing the media via sonication.
Novel organometallic chalcones functionalized with a crown ether fragment as optical ion chemosensors
Authors: Godoy Fernando , Maldonado Tamara , Flores Erick , Agurto Nicolás , González Rodrigo , Ferraudi Guillermo , Lappin Graham
Published: November 2017

We previously reported the synthesis and characterization of new organometallic chalcones derived from ferrocene, cyrhetrene and cymantrene functionalized with a benzo‐15‐crown‐5 fragment. The ferrocene and cyrhetrene chalcones have been investigated as chemosensors for metal ions with optical response in acetonitrile. Several metal ions were selected considering the diameter of the cavity and the charge‐to‐radius ratio of the cation. The stoichiometry of the complexes was determined using Job's method. It was found that Na+ and Ca2+ complexes have a 1:1 stoichiometry while a 2:1 (metaloligand‐to‐cation) stoichiometry was determined for Ba2+ and Pb2+ complexes. The association constants were calculated according to the stoichiometry of the complex and the results showed that they are directly affected by the electron‐withdrawing nature of the organometallic fragment. Moreover, complexes of ferrocenyl chalcone have larger association constants than those of the cyrhetrenyl analogue. This experimental observation is consistent with the electronic properties of the ferrocenyl fragment.
Nanosized rhodium oxide for water oxidation: An organometallic precursor for the preparation of rhodium oxide
Authors: Najafpour Mohammad Mahdi , Aghakhanpour Reza Babadi , Madadkhani Sepideh , Bagheri Robabeh , Song Zhenlun
Published: November 2017

Electrochemical production of hydrogen from water splitting is a promising process to allow storage of intermittent energies. However, anodic water oxidation, which is a complicated four‐proton, four‐electron transfer process, affects the efficiency of hydrogen generation due to the need to apply large overpotentials. Herein, we synthesized nanosized rhodium(III) oxide by the thermal decomposition of a known rhodium organometallic precursor and characterized it using scanning and transmission electron microscopies, powder X‐ray diffraction, energy‐dispersive X‐ray, diffuse reflectance infrared and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopies, and electrochemical methods. The results showed that the nanosized rhodium oxide is a promising catalyst for water oxidation.
Pd immobilized on polyamide based on melamine and terephalic acid as an efficient and recyclable catalyst for Suzuki‐Miyaura coupling reaction
Authors: Chen Jian , Zhang Ju , Sun Weiting , Song Kunpeng , Zhu Dajian , Li Tao
Published: November 2017

A simple synthetic strategy of polyamide was described from melamine and terephalic acid via one‐step polycondensation. PdCl2 was then immobilized on the polyamide (denoted as Pd/MPA). Melamine and terephalic acid not only acted as monomers but also provided the ligand sites to help the polyamide to coordinate with Pd(II). The Pd/MPA catalyst was characterized by FT‐IR, TGA, SEM, TEM, XPS, N2 adsorption‐desorption and atomic absorption spectroscopy. The catalyst was used in Suzuki‐Miyaura coupling reaction of various aryl halides, including less reactive chlorobenzene and benzyl chloride, to give the coupling products in moderate to excellent yields. High turnover frequencies (TOF) up to 29400 h‐1 can be also obtained. In addition, it behaved truly as a heterogeneous catalyst with high reusability after being recycled 6 times and palladium leaching was negligible during the process. This work provides a practical polyamide support to develop heterogeneous palladium catalysts with simple synthetic procedure and low cost.
Ferrocenyl bisoxazoline as an efficient non‐phosphorus ligand for palladium‐catalyzed copper‐free Sonogashira reaction in aqueous solution
Authors: Yu Shuyan , Wu Jingxin , He Xinwei , Shang Yongjia
Published: November 2017

Pd(OAc)2‐catalyzed Sonogashira coupling reactions of alkynes and a variety of aryl halides with 1,3‐bis(5‐ferrocenylisoxazoline‐3‐yl)benzene as an efficient non‐phosphorus ligand under copper‐free conditions are presented. The main advantages over previous methodologies include low catalyst loading (0.2 mol% Pd(OAc)2 and 0.4 mol% ferrocenyl bisoxazoline ligand are sufficient for these coupling reactions), less problematic reaction medium (water–dimethylformamide) and more convenient operation (no requirement for nitrogen protection).
A new efficient adsorbent in the preconcentration studies of the Cr(III) and Fe(III) ions
Authors: Karabörk Muharrem , Sami Helan Zeyad , Tümer Mehmet
Published: November 2017

In this study, the imine‐graphene hybrid material (HM) was used as an adsorbent for removal of Fe(III) and Cr(III) metal ions from the drinking waters. The adsorbent material (HM) was prepared at three steps. At the first step, the graphite was oxidized by Hummer's method for preparation of graphene oxide (GO), in the second step, the silanization derivative (GO‐APTES) was obtained from the reaction of the 3‐(trimethoxysilyl) propylamine and GO. In the final step, the hybrid material (HM) was synthesized from the reaction of the 3,5‐diiodosalicylaldehyde and GO‐APTES. The chemical structures of three materials GO, GO‐APTES and HB were characterized by using the FT‐IR, XRD, EDX, SEM, TEM and UV‐vis methods. Thermal properties of the materials GO, GO‐APTES and HB were investigated by TGA/DTA methods in the 25–1000°C temperature range. Adsorption and desorption studies of the hybrid material toward Fe(III) and Cr(III) metal ions were investigated using the Batch method. The effect of pH, contact time, temperature, concentration on the adsorption properties of the hybrid material were investigated by ICP‐OES. The Fe(III) and Cr(III) ions have the maximum adsorption at the pH 7. The adsorption capacity decreases with the increase in pH values because above pH 9 the adsorption decreases due to the precipitation of metal hydroxide.
Silver sequestration of halides for the activation of Pd(OAc)2 catalyzed Mizoroki‐Heck reaction of 1,1 and 1,2 ‐ Disubstituted alkenes
Authors: Bangar Pronnoy G. , Jawalkar Priyanka R. , Dumbre Swapnil R. , Patil Dharmaraj J. , Iyer Suresh
Published: November 2017

A ligand free catalytic system consisting of Pd(OAc)2 (cat) and stoichiometric quantities of silver salts, AgOAc or AgBF4, exhibit high efficiency in the Mizoroki‐Heck arylation, transforming aryl iodides and 1,1 as well as 1,2 disubstituted alkenes into 1,1,2 – trisubstituted aryl alkenes in excellent yields in very short reaction times.
Enhanced adsorption performance of a novel Fe‐Mn‐Zr metal oxide nanocomposite adsorbent for anionic dyes from binary dye mix: Response surface optimization and neural network modeling
Authors: Singh Nahakpam Hitler , Kezo Kethonulu , Debnath Animesh , Saha Biswajit
Published: November 2017

A novel adsorbent, Fe‐Mn‐Zr metal oxide nanocomposite was synthesized and investigated for removal of methyl orange (MO) and eosin yellow (EY) dyes from binary dye solution. The magnetic nanocomposite has shown surface area of 143.01 m2/g and saturation magnetization of 15.29 emu/g. Optimization was carried out via response surface methodology (RSM) for optimizing process variables, and optimum dye removal of 99.26% and 99.55% were obtained for MO and EY dye, respectively with contact time 62 min, adsorbent dose 0.45 g/l, initial MO concentration 11.0 mg/l, and initial EY concentration 25.0 mg/l. A feed forward back propagation neural network model has shown better prediction ability than RSM model for predicting MO and EY dye removal (%). Adsorption process strictly follows Langmuir isotherm model, and enhanced adsorption capacities of 196.07 and 175.43 mg/g were observed for MO and EY dye, respectively due to synergistic effects of physicochemical properties of trimetal oxides. Surface adsorption and pore diffusions are the mechanisms involved in the adsorption as revealed from kinetic studies.
Magnetically recoverable AlFe/Te nanocomposite as a new catalyst for the facile esterification reaction under neat conditions
Authors: Alavi Seyed Jamal , Sadeghian Hamid , Seyedi Seyed Mohammad , Eshghi Hossein , Salimi Alireza
Published: November 2017

In this work, a new Fe3O4/AlFe/Te nanocomposite was synthesized by a one‐step sol–gel method. The Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) were prepared and then mixed with aluminum telluride (Al2Te3) in an alkali medium to produce the desired catalyst. After characterization of the Fe3O4/AlFe/Te nanocomposite by SEM, TEM, EDS, XRD, and ICP analyses, it was used in the esterification reaction. This heterogeneous catalyst showed high catalytic activity in the esterification of commercially available carboxylic acids with various alcohols to produce the desired esters at high conversions under neat conditions. The Fe3O4/AlFe/Te nanocomposites were separated from the reaction mixture via an external magnet and re‐used 8 times without significant loss of catalytic activity.
Synthesis, characterization and immobilization of a novel mononuclear vanadium (V) complex on modified magnetic nanoparticles as catalyst for epoxidation of allyl alcohols
Authors: Azarkamanzad Zahra , Farzaneh Faezeh , Maghami Mahboobeh , Simpson Jim , Azarkish Mohammad
Published: November 2017

The 2,4,6‐tris(2‐pyridyl)‐1,3,5‐triazine (tptz) undergoes hydrolysis in the presence of VO(SO4) in an alkaline solution, affording mainly the bis(2‐pyridyl carbonyl)amid) VO2 complex, designated as [VO2(bpca)]. Single‐crystal X‐ray crystallography revealed that the coordination of V in complex is a distorted square‐pyramid coordinated with three nitrogen of bis(2‐pyridyl carbonyl)amid) ligand and two binding oxygen atoms. The prepared complex which successfully supported on modified Fe3O4 nanoparticles using tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) and (3‐aminopropyl)trimethoxysilane(APTMS)was designated as Fe3O4@SiO2@APTMS@[VO2(bpca)] complex (nanocatalyst). The complex and nanocatalyst were characterized by means of FT‐IR, XRD, VSM, SEM and TEM. The catalytic activity of [VO2(bpca)] complex and Fe3O4@SiO2@APTMS@complex as catalysts 1 and 2 were evaluated by the epoxidation of geraniol, 3‐methyl‐2‐buten‐1‐ol,
trans‐2‐hexen‐1‐ol and
1‐octen‐3‐ol with 70–98% conversions and 95–100% selectivities. Based on the obtained results, the heterogeneity and reusability of the catalyst seems promising. In addition, the in vitro antibacterial activity of [VO2 (bpca)] complex have also been evaluated and compared to the activities of other vanadium complexes, tptz ligand and two standard antibacterial drugs, Nalidixic acid and Vancomycin.
A gleam of hope for the critically endangered Isoëtes malinverniana: Use of small‐scale translocations to guide conservation planning
Authors: Abeli Thomas , Cauzzi Paolo , Rossi Graziano , Pistoja Fausto , Mucciarelli Marco
Published: November 2017

Results of the first documented reintroduction of the endangered endemic quillwort Isoëtes malinverniana are presented 1 year after transplanting. This represents the most complete report of a quillwort translocation globally.

A new population of I. malinverniana was established in a protected area in Lombardy (northern Italy) after several years of investigation of the ecology, biology and genetics of this species. The selected site was restored before the trial release in March 2016 of 20 individuals of the target species.

Although modelling for the selection of suitable release sites for the target species indicated that the selected site was not suitable for the species, I. malinverniana exhibited a survival of 60% 1 year after reintroduction. This trial indicates that with very rare species, experimental trialling of a few individuals can test the feasibility of translocation at a larger scale. Although the model was constructed using a wide variety of ecological and phenological parameters, it was unreliable because of intrinsically low statistical power, which is a limitation of modelling associated with very rare species.

Although mature spores were dispersed in autumn 2016, sporelings have not yet been observed. Ultimately, reintroduction of I. malinverniana will rely on the evidence of self‐recruitment; however, this translocation effort promoted understanding of ecological tolerance and facilitated focused conservation management. For instance, a protocol for in vitro reproduction of the species was successfully developed, resulting in long‐term survival of ex situ collections that exist in two botanical gardens in Pavia and Turin.

Considering that many isoëtid species are threatened worldwide, the techniques applied here may have broad applicability to other endangered species.
Lentiviral Vectors and Adeno‐Associated Virus Vectors: Useful Tools for Gene Transfer in Pain Research
Authors: Zheng Chen‐Xi , Wang Sheng‐Ming , Bai Yun‐Hu , Luo Ting‐Ting , Wang Jia‐Qi , Dai Chun‐Qiu , Guo Bao‐Lin , Luo Shi‐Cheng , Wang Dong‐Hui , Yang Yan‐Ling , Wang Ya‐Yun
Published: November 2017

Pain, especially chronic pain, has always been a heated point in both basic and clinical researches since it puts heavy burdens on both individuals and the whole society. A better understanding of the role of biological molecules and various ionic channels involved in pain can shed light on the mechanism under pain and advocate the development of pain management. Using viral vectors to transfer specific genes at targeted sites is a promising method for both research and clinical applications. Lentiviral vectors and adeno‐associated virus (AAV) vectors which allow stable and long‐term expression of transgene in non‐dividing cells are widely applied in pain research. In this review, we thoroughly outline the structure, category, advantages and disadvantages and the delivery methods of lentiviral and AAV vectors. The methods through which lentiviral and AAV vectors are delivered to targeted sites are closely related with the sites, level and period of transgene expression. Focus is placed on the various delivery methods applied to deliver vectors to spinal cord and dorsal root ganglion both of which play important roles in primary nociception. Our goal is to provide insight into the features of these two viral vectors and which administration approach can be chosen for different pain researches. Anat Rec, 301:825–836, 2018. © 2017 The Authors. The Anatomical Record published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Association of Anatomists.
National scientific performance evolution patterns: Retrenchment, successful expansion, or overextension
Authors: Thelwall Mike , Levitt Jonathan M.
Published: November 2017

National governments would like to preside over an expanding and increasingly high‐impact science system but are these two goals largely independent or closely linked? This article investigates the relationship between changes in the share of the world's scientific output and changes in relative citation impact for 2.6 million articles from 26 fields in the 25 countries with the most Scopus‐indexed journal articles from 1996 to 2015. There is a negative correlation between expansion and relative citation impact, but their relationship varies. China, Spain, Australia, and Poland were successful overall across the 26 fields, expanding both their share of the world's output and its relative citation impact, whereas Japan, France, Sweden, and Israel had decreased shares and relative citation impact. In contrast, the USA, UK, Germany, Italy, Russia, The Netherlands, Switzerland, Finland, and Denmark all enjoyed increased relative citation impact despite a declining share of publications. Finally, India, South Korea, Brazil, Taiwan, and Turkey all experienced sustained expansion but a recent fall in relative citation impact. These results may partly reflect changes in the coverage of Scopus and the selection of fields.
Effectiveness of OpenAIRE, BASE, Recolecta, and Google Scholar at finding spanish articles in repositories
Authors: Abad‐García Maria‐Francisca , González‐Teruel Aurora , González‐Llinares Javier
Published: November 2017

This paper explores the usefulness of OpenAIRE, BASE, Recolecta, and Google Scholar (GS) for evaluating open access (OA) policies that demand a deposit in a repository. A case study was designed focusing on 762 financed articles with a project of FIS‐2012 of the Instituto de Salud Carlos III, the Spanish national health service's main management body for health research. Its finance is therefore subject to the Spanish Government OA mandate. A search was carried out for full‐text OA copies of the 762 articles using the four tools being evaluated and with identification of the repository housing these items. Of the 762 articles concerned, 510 OA copies were found of 353 unique articles (46.3%) in 68 repositories. OA copies were found of 81.9% of the articles in PubMed Central and copies of 49.5% of the articles in an institutional repository (IR). BASE and GS identified 93.5% of the articles and OpenAIRE 86.7%. Recolecta identified just 62.2% of the articles deposited in a Spanish IR. BASE achieved the greatest success, by locating copies deposited in IR, while GS found those deposited in disciplinary repositories. None of the tools identified copies of all the articles, so they need to be used in a complementary way when evaluating OA policies.
CRISPR‐Cas Expands Dynamic Range of Gene Expression From T7RNAP Promoters
Authors: McCutcheon Sean R. , Chiu Kwan Lun , Lewis Daniel D. , Tan Cheemeng
Published: November 2017

Reducing leaky gene expression is critical for improving protein yield of recombinant bacteria and stability of engineered cellular circuits in synthetic biology. Leaky gene expression occurs when a genetic promoter is not fully repressed, leading to unintended protein synthesis in the absence of stimuli. Existing work have devised specific molecular strategies for reducing leaky gene expression of each promoter. In contrast, we describe a repurposed, modular CRISPRi system that attenuates leaky gene expression using a series of single‐guide RNAs targeting the PT7/LacO1 promoter. Furthermore, we demonstrate the efficacy of CRISPRi to significantly increase the dynamic range of T7 RNA Polymerase (T7RNAP) promoters. In addition, we demonstrate that the CRISPRi system can be applied to enhance growth of bacteria that suffer from leaky expression of a toxic protein. Our work establishes a new application of CRISPRi in genomic engineering to improve the control of recombinant gene expression. The approach is potentially generalizable to other gene expression system by changing the single‐guide RNAs.
A Ratiometric Fluorescent Probe for Selective Detection of Hypochlorite Anion
Authors: Ou Zhijian , Shi Lei , Huang Wenli , Gong Shengzhao , Liang Haomei , Hong Haojia
Published: November 2017

A new fluorescent probe based on rhodamine and naphthalimide was synthesized for the discrimination of hypochlorite anion. Upon addition of NaClO, the emission intensities ratio (I576 nm/I528 nm) of the probe 1 increased quickly accompanied with the obvious change of color. The probe 1 also exhibited highly selectivity and fast response to hypochlorite anion. Furthermore, the newly proposed probe has been applied for natural water samples, and a satisfied result was obtained.
Determination of telbivudine in the plasma of chronic hepatitis B patients in long‐term treatment by high‐performance liquid chromatographic–tandem mass spectrometry
Authors: Chen Bicui , Chen Li , Cheng Cai , Zhong Mingkang , Shi Xiaojin , Zhang Jiming , Wang Bin
Published: November 2017

Creatine kinase elevation is commonly reported in telbivudine‐treated patients. However, little is known about the relationship between this adverse drug reaction and plasma concentration. In this study, a sensitive, rapid and safe quantitative bioanalytical method has been established by using LC‐MS/MS for the determination of telbivudine in a clinical study of chronic hepatitis B patients. The assay was linear in a dynamic 10–10,000 ng/mL range (r2> 0.999) and total analysis time was 6 min in this method. The validated method was applied to quantitatively determine plasma concentration in chronic hepatitis B patients during long‐term telbivudine treatment. The results revealed that telbivudine concentration in the creatine kinase‐elevated group (707.92–2788.78 ng/mL) was significantly higher than those with normal creatine kinase (412.63–1108.32 ng/mL). This method was adapted for therapeutic drug monitoring.
Metabolic study of paeoniflorin and total paeony glucosides from Paeoniae Radix Rubra in rats by high‐performance liquid chromatography coupled with sequential mass spectrometry
Authors: Zhu Lijun , Sun Shanshan , Hu Yanxi , Liu Yufeng
Published: November 2017

A clear understanding of the metabolism of Traditional Chinese Medicines is extremely important in their rational clinical application and effective material foundation research. A novel and reliable strategy was performed to find more metabolites of paeoniflorin, determine the metabolites of total paeony glucosides (TPG) by means of determining those metabolites of paeoniflorin, and compare the metabolism differences between paeoniflorin and TPG by intragastric administration. This strategy was characterized as follows. Firstly, the rats were divided into two groups (the paeoniflorin group and the TPG group) to find differences in metabolism mechanisms between paeoniflorin and TPG. Secondly, UPLC‐FT‐ICR MS and UPLC‐Q‐TOF MS2 were applied to obtain accurate molecular weight and structural information, respectively. Thirdly, the metabolites were tentatively identified by a combination of data‐processing methods including mass defect screening, characteristic neutral loss screening and product ion screening. Finally, a comparative study was employed in the metabolism of paeoniflorin and TPG. Based on the strategy, 18 metabolites of paeoniflorin (including four new compounds) and 11 metabolites of TPG (including two new compounds) were identified. In all of the identified metabolites of paeoniflorin, two metabolites in rat plasma, four metabolites in rat urine and six metabolites in rat feces were found for the first time after paeoniflorin administration. The results indicate that hydrolyzation of the ester bond and glucosidic band and conjugation with glucuronide were the major metabolic pathways of paeoniflorin. The metabolites of paeoniflorin and TPG in rat plasma, urine and feces have been detected for the first time after intragastric administration. The results may contribute to a better understanding of the metabolism mechanism and provide a scientific rationale for researching the material basis of paeoniflorin and TPG in vivo.
Determination of cefoperazone and sulbactam in serum by HPLC‐MS/MS: An adapted method for therapeutic drug monitoring in children
Authors: Wu Xiu‐Jun , Huang Xin , Shi Hai‐Yan , Chen Xing‐Kai , Dong Qian , Hao Guo‐Xiang , Li Yan , Zheng Yi , Zhao Wei
Published: November 2017

A rapid, accurate and specific high‐performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry method has been validated for the simultaneous determination of cefoperazone and sulbactam in a small volume sample for children. A Shim‐pack XR‐ODS C18 column with gradient elution of water (0.1% formic acid) and acetonitrile (0.1% formic acid) solution was used for separation at a flow rate of 0.3 mL/min. The calibration curves of two analytes in serum showed excellent linearity over the concentration ranges of 0.03–10 μg/mL for cefoperazone, and 0.01–3 μg/mL for sulbactam, respectively. This method involves simple sample preparation steps and was validated according to standard US Food and Drug Administration and European Medicines Agency guidelines in terms of selectivity, linearity, detection limits, matrix effects, accuracy, precision, recovery and stability. This assay can be easily implemented in clinical practice to determine concentrations of cefoperazone and sulbactam in children.
Effects of Tao‐Hong‐Si‐Wu decoction on acute blood stasis in rats based on a LC‐Q/TOF‐MS metabolomics and network approach
Authors: Ma Qi , Li Peng‐Ling , Hua Yong‐Li , Ji Peng , Yao Wan‐Ling , Zhang Xiao‐Song , Zhong Li‐Jia , Wei Yan‐Ming
Published: November 2017

A novel approach using metabolomics coupled with a metabolic network was used to investigate the effects of Tao‐Hong‐Si‐Wu decoction (THSWD) on the rat model of acute blood stasis syndrome. Acute blood stasis syndrome was induced by placing the rats in ice‐cold water following two injections with epinephrine. The hemorheological indicators [whole blood viscosity (WBV) and plasma viscosity (PV)] and the blood coagulation indicators [thrombin time (TT), prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) and fibrinogen (FIB)] were detected. The nonparametric univariate method and multivariate statistical analysis were performed for determining the potential biomarkers. A correlation map was structured between biochemical indicators and hub metabolites to explain the effects mechanism of THSWD. After the administration of THSWD, the levels of WBV, PV, TT, APTT and FIB returned to levels observed in the control group. According to metabolomics coupled with metabolic network analysis, the intervention of THSWD in rats with acute blood stasis syndrome induced substantial and characteristic changes in their metabolic profiles. Fifteen metabolites were screened, which mainly involved 10 pathways and five hub metabolites, namely, l‐glutamate, l‐phenylalanine, N‐acylsphingosine, arachidonic acid and phosphatidate. The biochemical indicators and hub metabolites could be adjusted to close to normal levels by THSWD. Therefore, combining metabolomics and metabolic network helped to evaluate the effects of THSWD on acute blood stasis.
Sex hormone‐binding globulin (SHBG) is a potential early diagnostic biomarker for gastric cancer
Authors: Cheng Chao‐Wen , Chang Che‐Chang , Patria Yudha Nur , Chang Ruei‐Ting , Liu Yun‐Ru , Li Fu‐An , Shih Hsiu‐Ming , Lin Ching‐Yu
Published: November 2017

The use of blood plasma biomarkers in gastric cancer (GC) management is limited due to a lack of reliable biomarkers. An LC‐MS/MS assay and a bioinformatic analysis were performed to identify blood plasma biomarkers in a GC discovery cohort. The data obtained were verified and validated by western blotting and an ELISA in an independent study cohort. A label‐free quantification analysis of the MS data using PEAKS7 software found that four plasma proteins of apolipoprotein C‐1, gelsolin, sex hormone‐binding globulin (SHBG), and complement component C4‐A were significantly overexpressed in GC patients. A western blot assay of these plasma proteins showed that only SHBG was consistently overexpressed in the patient group. ELISA measurement of SHBG blood plasma levels confirmed that the patient group had significantly higher SHBG levels than the control group. SHBG levels in the patient group remained significantly higher after being stratified by gender, age, and disease stage. These findings show that LC‐MS/MS is powerful and highly sensitive for plasma biomarker discovery, and SHBG could be a potential plasma biomarker for GC management.
New WS9326A Derivatives and One New Annimycin Derivative with Antimalarial Activity are Produced by Streptomyces asterosporus DSM 41452 and Its Mutant
Authors: Zhang Songya , Zhu Jing , Zechel David L. , Jessen‐Trefzer Claudia , Eastman Richard T. , Paululat Thomas , Bechthold Andreas
Published: November 2017

In this study, we report that Streptomyces asterosporus DSM 41452 is a producer of new molecules related to the nonribosomal cyclodepsipeptide WS9326A and the polyketide annimycin. S. asterosporus DSM 41452 is shown to produce six cyclodepsipeptides and peptides, WS9326A to G. Notably, the compounds WS9326F and WS9326G have not been described before. The genome of S. asterosporus DSM 41452 was sequenced, and a putative WS9326A gene cluster was identified. Gene‐deletion experiments confirmed that this cluster was responsible for the biosynthesis of WS9326A to G. Additionally, a gene‐deletion experiment demonstrated that sas16 encoding a cytochrome P450 monooxygenase was involved in the synthesis of the novel (E)‐2,3‐dehydrotyrosine residue found in WS9326A and its derivatives. An insertion mutation within the putative annimycin gene cluster led to the production of a new annimycin derivative, annimycin B, which exhibited modest inhibitory activity against Plasmodium falciparum.
NAD+‐Dependent Dehydrogenase PctP and Pyridoxal 5′‐Phosphate Dependent Aminotransferase PctC Catalyze the First Postglycosylation Modification of the Sugar Intermediate in Pactamycin Biosynthesis
Authors: Hirayama Akane , Chu Jinmiao , Goto Ena , Kudo Fumitaka , Eguchi Tadashi
Published: November 2017

The unique five‐membered aminocyclitol core of the antitumor antibiotic pactamycin originates from d‐glucose, so unprecedented enzymatic modifications of the sugar intermediate are involved in the biosynthesis. However, the order of the modification reactions remains elusive. Herein, we examined the timing of introduction of an amino group into certain sugar‐derived intermediates by using recombinant enzymes that were encoded in the pactamycin biosynthesis gene cluster. We found that the NAD+‐dependent alcohol dehydrogenase PctP and pyridoxal 5′‐phosphate dependent aminotransferase PctC converted N‐acetyl‐d‐glucosaminyl‐3‐aminoacetophonone into 3′‐amino‐3′‐deoxy‐N‐acetyl‐d‐glucosaminyl‐3‐aminoacetophenone. Further, N‐acetyl‐d‐glucosaminyl‐3‐aminophenyl‐β‐oxopropanoic acid ethyl ester was converted into the corresponding 3′‐amino derivative. However, PctP did not oxidize most of the tested d‐glucose derivatives, including UDP‐GlcNAc. Thus, modification of the GlcNAc moiety in pactamycin biosynthesis appears to occur after the glycosylation of aniline derivatives.
MCP2 activates NF‐κB signaling pathway promoting the migration and invasion of ESCC cells
Authors: Zhou Jian , Zheng Shutao , Liu Tao , Liu Qing , Chen Yumei , Tan Doudou , Ma Rong , Lu Xiaomei
Published: November 2017

MCP2, aliased CCL8, has been suggested to be implicated in the metastasis of cancer cells; however, no direct evidence has been established in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). In our present study, to investigate the role MCP2 played in the metastasis of ESCC cells; in vitro cell co‐culture system was established. Wound‐healing and Transwell assays were used to evaluate the migratory and invasive variation of ESCC cells before and after treatment with recombinant human MCP2. It was shown that MCP2 was able to activate the NF‐κB signaling pathway inducing the epithelial‐mesenchymal transition (EMT) and promoting the migration and invasion of ESCC cells in vitro. Our study provides an alternative working mechanism for M2 macrophage mediated the metastasis in tumor microenvironment in ESCC.
Peri‐procedural myocardial infarction: Plaques and patients “at‐risk”
Authors: Goldstein James A.
Published: November 2017

Key Points

Patients with acute coronary syndrome are at risk for peri‐procedural myocardial infarction (PMI)

Lipid‐laden plaques with thinned disrupted fibrous caps are most prone to PMI

PMI is associated with worse outcome over time, though whether such damaging events are causal or instead reflect patients prone to future instability from non‐culprit vulnerable plaques requires further delineation
What can intracoronary pressure measurements tell us about CFR? Now comes pb‐CFR
Authors: Nakamura Kenta , Dean Larry S.
Published: November 2017

Key Points

Pressure‐bound (pb) coronary flow reserve (CFR) is a novel estimation of CFR, calculated from easily obtained baseline and hyperemic pressure assessment

Validation of pb‐CFR in previously reported lesions showed accuracy of 84% to CFR with sensitivity of 96% and specificity of 60%

FFR >0.75 and low pb‐CFR in DEFER was associated with increased angina and complications compared to high pb‐CFR and this risk was not modified by elective revascularization.
Recurrent coarctation of aorta after Norwood operation in single ventricle patients; the case of the missing ideal stent
Authors: Parekh Dhaval R. , Krajcer Zvonimir
Published: November 2017

Key Points

Recurrent coarctation postoperative Norwood is poorly tolerated in single ventricle patients.

Although transcatheter balloon angioplasty is considered first line, it often leads to inadequate or non‐durable relief of obstruction.

Transcatheter stent implantation provides excellent relief of obstruction but necessitates staged redilation to account for somatic growth in children.

Stent technology, delivery systems, and procedural techniques will need to evolve to obviate reported adverse events mainly due to patient size.
Morphology‐Controlled Synthesis of Molybdenum Disulfide Wrapped Single‐Walled Carbon Nanotubes for the Hydrogen Evolution Reaction
Authors: Chen Lin , Zeng Min , Zhang Wenqing , He Lin , He Wenya , Yang Fengchun , Zhang Xin
Published: November 2017

The synthesis of new nanohybrid catalysts with a tunable structure and the exploration of their synergistic behaviors have captured substantial attention. In this work, amorphous molybdenum disulfide/single‐walled carbon nanotubes (MoS2/SWNTs) composites are synthesized by a facile hydrothermal process with the assistance of l‐cysteine. We varied the mass ratio of sodium molybdate (the in situ Mo source) to SWNTs, this method provides a well‐defined pathway to enable the morphological control over the evolution of MoS2 from nanospheres to nanofilaments, nanorods, and nanosheets. Among the as‐obtained samples, the MoS2/SWNTs (1:1) hybrids, which displayed a 3 D architecture that consisted of nanorods, exhibited the highest activity in the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Compared with pure MoS2, the MoS2 nanosheets that decorate the SWNTs have more highly exposed active edges, and the SWNTs in the center of the MoS2/SWNTs nanorods can enhance the conductivity. We regulated the ratio between MoS2 and SWNTs to obtain a balance between the number of active sites and the conductivity of MoS2/SWNTs. Here, MoS2/SWNTs nanorods exhibited a low overpotential of 195 mV at 20 mA cm−2 and a low Tafel slope of 41 mV dec−1 for MoS2‐based HER catalysts.
In Situ Confined Synthesis of Ti4O7 Supported Platinum Electrocatalysts with Enhanced Activity and Stability for the Oxygen Reduction Reaction
Authors: Duma Alemayehu Dubale , Wu Yi‐Chen , Su Wei‐Nien , Pan Chun‐Jern , Tsai Meng‐Che , Chen Hung‐Ming , Lee Jyh‐Fu , Sheu Hwo‐Shuenn , Ho Van Thi Thanh , Hwang Bing‐Joe
Published: November 2017

Herein, an in situ confined synthesis of highly conductive titanium oxide supported Pt catalysts is successfully employed. The method involves crystallization and formation of TiO2 particles inside the inert silica shell introduced by using hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS). The conductivity of titania is found to be greatly enhanced by increased annealing temperature, whereas the inevitable decrease in the specific surface area was effectively inhibited by the confining silica shell derived from HMDS. The optimal catalyst (20Pt 850 FHST), exhibited better oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity with a maximum current density of 0.049 mA cm−2 at 0.9 V (vs. normal hydrogen electrode (NHE)) and an onset potential of 0.86 V (vs. NHE). The prolonged cycling test demonstrated superior stability compared with Pt/C (JM 20). Moreover, X‐ray absorption spectroscopy asserts that the increased electron population in the Pt 5d orbital, emanating from the strong metal–support interaction, improves the electrochemical performance in the ORR. The in situ HMDS‐assisted synthesis can also be extended to other oxide‐supported catalytic systems.
Pd‐Catalyzed β‐C(sp3)−H Arylation of Propionic Acid and Related Aliphatic Acids
Authors: Ghosh Kiron K. , van Gemmeren Manuel
Published: November 2017

A generally applicable Pd‐catalyzed protocol for the β‐C(sp3)−H arylation of propionic acid and related α‐branched aliphatic acids is reported. Enabled by the use of N‐acetyl‐β‐alanine as ligand our protocol delivers a broad range of arylation products. Notably, the highly challenging substrate, propionic acid, which lacks any acceleration through the Thorpe–Ingold effect, can be employed as substrate with synthetically useful yields. Furthermore, the scalability and synthetic applicability of the protocol are demonstrated.
Business Forecasting of Double‐trend Time Series: An Improved PLS‐based Time‐varying Weight Combination Approach
Authors: Luo Biao , Wan Liang , Li Tieshan , Liang Liang
Published: November 2017

Business forecasting with double‐trend time series (long‐term trends and seasonal volatility) has been challenging due to its complexity. Neither a single time series model nor a fixed‐weight combination approach can fully capture the comprehensive information. We address this issue by proposing an improved partial least squares (PLS) based time‐varying weight combination approach. The proposed method can handle the relations both between the single models involved and between single models and time ordering with time‐varying weights. The test on 20 simulated datasets demonstrates the better and more robust performance of the method. We also apply it to three real datasets. The results show that our approach represents a significant improvement over the existing methods in terms of data fitness and prediction accuracy. Copyright © 2017 ASAC. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.