bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Optimal treatment strategy of fremanezumab in migraine prevention: a systematic review with network meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials
Authors: Huang I-Hsin , Wu Po-Chien , Lee Ya-Han , Kang Yi-No
Published: October 2020

Identifying the optimal fremanezumab treatment strategy is crucial in treating patients with migraines. The optimal strategy was investigated by assessing the cumulative 50% reduction rate (50%CRR), cumulative 75% reduction rate (75%CRR), reduction in the number of migraine days, treatment-related adverse events, and serious adverse events in patients treated with fremanezumab 225 mg monthly (225 mg), 675 mg monthly (675 mg), 900 mg monthly (900 mg), a single high dose of 675 mg (S675mg), 675 mg at baseline with 225 mg monthly (675/225 mg), and placebo. Biomedical databases were searched for randomized controlled trials on this topic, and data were individually extracted. Risk ratios and mean differences were used to present the pooled results. The surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA) was used to determine the effects of the medication strategies of fremanezumab. Five trials (n = 3404) were used to form a six-node network meta-analysis. All fremanezumab medication strategies displayed significantly higher cumulative 50% reduction rates than the placebo. The SUCRA revealed that treatment with 675 mg yielded the highest 50%CRR value (mean rank = 2.5). S675 mg was the only treatment with significantly higher 75%CRR reduction rate than placebo, whereas the SUCRA for 225 mg displayed the highest mean rank (2.2). Moreover, 225 mg (mean rank = 2.2) and S675 mg (mean rank = 2.2) presented lower probabilities of serious adverse events. Collectively, S675mg and 225 mg exhibited the optimal balance between efficacy and safety within three months. Long-term efficacy and safety remain unclear, and future studies should further evaluate the long-term outcomes.
The influence of afferent input on somatosensory suppression during grasping
Authors: Broda Maximilian Davide , Fiehler Katja , Voudouris Dimitris
Published: October 2020

The processing of somatosensory information is hampered on a moving limb. This suppression has been widely attributed to sensorimotor predictions that suppress the associated feedback, though postdictive mechanisms are also involved. Here, we investigated the extent to which suppression on a limb is influenced by backward somatosensory signals, such as afferents associated with forces that this limb applies. Participants grasped and lifted objects of symmetric and asymmetric mass distributions using a precision grip. We probed somatosensory processing at the moment of the grasp by presenting a vibrotactile stimulus either on the thumb or index finger and asked participants to report if they felt this stimulus. Participants applied greater forces with the thumb and index finger for objects loaded to the thumb’s or index finger’s endpoint, respectively. However, suppression was not influenced by the different applied forces. Suppression on the digits remained constant both when grasping heavier objects, and thus applying even greater forces, and when probing suppression on the skin over the muscle that controlled force application. These results support the idea that somatosensory suppression is predictive in nature while backward masking may only play a minor role in somatosensory processing on the moving hand, at least in this context.
The incidence and clinical features of PEGylated filgrastim-induced acute aortitis in patients with breast cancer
Authors: Lee Sang Yoon , Kim Eun Kyoung , Kim Ji-Yeon , Park Taek-kyu , Choi Seung-Hyuk , Im Young-Hyuck , Kim Min Yeong , Park Yeon Hee , Kim Duk-Kyung
Published: October 2020

Although PEGylated filgrastim-induced aortitis is very rare and unknown clinically, some cases were reported and increasing, especially in breast cancer patients. The present study investigated the prevalence, clinical features and treatment of aortitis induced by PEGylated filgrastim in patients with breast cancer. A total of 2068 consecutive patients who underwent neoadjuvant/adjuvant chemotherapy with PEGylated filgrastim for breast cancer were enrolled. From the medical record, clinical, laboratory, medication, and imaging evaluation findings were collected. PEGylated filgrastim-induced aortitis was established in 0.3% of the study population. Common clinical presentations included extremely high fever and chest/back pain with high levels of inflammatory markers without any signs of infection. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography scans revealed typical enhancing wall thickening and periaortic soft tissue infiltration at various levels of aorta. All patients improved rapidly after treatment with modest doses of prednisolone (0.5 mg/kg/day) without any complications. Clinicians should be aware of aortitis as a possible complication of granulocyte-colony stimulating factor therapy, especially PEGylated filgrastim, given the frequent misdiagnoses in neutropenic patients undergoing chemotherapy.
The effects of background music on neural responses during reading comprehension
Authors: Du Meng , Jiang Jun , Li Zhemin , Man Dongrui , Jiang Cunmei
Published: October 2020

The effects of background speech or noise on visually based cognitive tasks has been widely investigated; however, little is known about how the brain works during such cognitive tasks when music, having a powerful function of evoking emotions, is used as the background sound. The present study used event-related potentials to examine the effects of background music on neural responses during reading comprehension and their modulation by musical arousal. Thirty-nine postgraduates judged the correctness of sentences about world knowledge without or with background music (high-arousal music and low-arousal music). The participants’ arousal levels were reported during the experiment. The results showed that the N400 effect, elicited by world knowledge violations versus correct controls, was significantly smaller for silence than those for high- and low-arousal music backgrounds, with no significant difference between the two musical backgrounds. This outcome might have occurred because the arousal levels of the participants were not affected by the high- and low-arousal music throughout the experiment. These findings suggest that background music affects neural responses during reading comprehension by increasing the difficulty of semantic integration, and thus extend the irrelevant sound effect to suggest that the neural processing of visually based cognitive tasks can also be affected by music.
Bidirectional rotation control of a carbon fiber in nematic liquid crystal using AC electric field
Authors: Lee Jun-Yong , Yu Jeong-Seon , Kim Jong-Hyun
Published: October 2020

Colloidal particles dispersed in nematic liquid crystals are aligned along the orientation that minimizes the elastic free energy. Through applying an electric field to a nematic colloidal system, the orientation of the director can change. Consequently, colloidal particles realign to minimize the total free energy, which is the sum of the elastic and electric free energies. Herein, we demonstrate that if the preferred rotation directions given by the electric and elastic free energies are different during realignment, the rotation direction of the particle can be controlled by how we apply the electric field. When the strength of the electric field gradually increases, the particles rotate in the same direction as the rotation of the director. However, when a sufficiently high electric field is suddenly applied, the particles rotate in the opposite direction. In this study, we analyzed the effect of free energy on the bidirectional rotation behavior of the particles using a theoretical model. This study provides an effective approach to control the rotational behavior of colloidal particles over a wide-angle range between two orientational local minima.
The pathogenic S688Y mutation in the ligand-binding domain of the GluN1 subunit regulates the properties of NMDA receptors
Authors: Skrenkova Kristyna , Song Jae-man , Kortus Stepan , Kolcheva Marharyta , Netolicky Jakub , Hemelikova Katarina , Kaniakova Martina , Krausova Barbora Hrcka , Kucera Tomas , Korabecny Jan , Suh Young Ho , Horak Martin
Published: October 2020

Although numerous pathogenic mutations have been identified in various subunits of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs), ionotropic glutamate receptors that are central to glutamatergic neurotransmission, the functional effects of these mutations are often unknown. Here, we combined in silico modelling with microscopy, biochemistry, and electrophysiology in cultured HEK293 cells and hippocampal neurons to examine how the pathogenic missense mutation S688Y in the GluN1 NMDAR subunit affects receptor function and trafficking. We found that the S688Y mutation significantly increases the EC50 of both glycine and d-serine in GluN1/GluN2A and GluN1/GluN2B receptors, and significantly slows desensitisation of GluN1/GluN3A receptors. Moreover, the S688Y mutation reduces the surface expression of GluN3A-containing NMDARs in cultured hippocampal neurons, but does not affect the trafficking of GluN2-containing receptors. Finally, we found that the S688Y mutation reduces Ca2+ influx through NMDARs and reduces NMDA-induced excitotoxicity in cultured hippocampal neurons. These findings provide key insights into the molecular mechanisms that underlie the regulation of NMDAR subtypes containing pathogenic mutations.
Bioanalysis of doxorubicin aglycone metabolites in human plasma samples–implications for doxorubicin drug monitoring
Authors: Siebel Christian , Lanvers-Kaminsky Claudia , Würthwein Gudrun , Hempel Georg , Boos Joachim
Published: October 2020

The widespread clinical use of the cytostatic doxorubicin together with the induction of chronic cardiomyopathy necessitates the conduct of further pharmacokinetic trials. Novel analytical technologies suitable for point-of-care applications can facilitate drug level analyses but might be prone to interferences from structurally similar compounds. Besides the alcohol metabolite doxorubicinol, aglycone metabolites of doxorubicin might affect its determination in plasma. To evaluate their analytical relevance, a validated HPLC method for the quantification of doxorubicin, doxorubicinol and four aglycones was used. The degradation pattern of doxorubicin in plasma under long-term storage was analysed with respect to the formation of aglycone products. In addition, overall 50 clinical samples obtained within the EPOC-MS-001-Doxo trial were analysed. Substantial degradation of doxorubicin in plasma occurred within a storage period of one year, but this did not lead to the formation of aglycones. In clinical samples, 7-deoxydoxorubicinolone was the major aglycone detectable in 35/50 samples and a concentration range of 1.0–12.7 µg L−1. If at all, the other aglycones were only determined in very low concentrations. Therefore, analytical interferences from aglycones seem to be unlikely with the exception of 7-deoxydoxorubicinolone whose concentration accounted for up to 65% of the doxorubicin concentration in the clinical samples analysed.
A comparative investigation of normal and inverted exchange bias effect for magnetic fluid hyperthermia applications
Authors: Tsopoe S. P. , Borgohain C. , Fopase Rushikesh , Pandey Lalit M. , Borah J. P.
Published: October 2020

Exchange bias (EB) of magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) in the nanoscale regime has been extensively studied by researchers, which have opened up a novel approach in tuning the magnetic anisotropy properties of magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) in prospective application of biomedical research such as magnetic hyperthermia. In this work, we report a comparative study on the effect of magnetic EB of normal and inverted core@shell (CS) nanostructures and its influence on the heating efficiency by synthesizing Antiferromagnetic (AFM) NiO (N) and Ferrimagnetic (FiM) Fe3O4 (F). The formation of CS structures for both systems is clearly authenticated by XRD and HRTEM analyses. The magnetic properties were extensively studied by Vibrating Sample Magnetometer (VSM). We reported that the inverted CS NiO@Fe3O4 (NF) MNPs have shown a greater EB owing to higher uncompensated spins at the interface of the AFM, in comparison to the normal CS Fe3O4@NiO (FN) MNPs. Both the CS systems have shown higher SAR values in comparison to the single-phased F owing to the EB coupling at the interface. However, the higher surface anisotropy of F shell with more EB field for NF enhanced the SAR value as compared to FN system. The EB coupling is hindered at higher concentrations of NF MNPs because of the enhanced dipolar interactions (agglomeration of nanoparticles). Both the CS systems reach to the hyperthermia temperature within 10 min. The cyto-compatibility analysis resulted in the excellent cell viability (> 75%) for 3 days in the presence of the synthesized NPs upto 1 mg/ml. These observations endorsed the suitability of CS nanoassemblies for magnetic fluid hyperthermia applications.
Capabilities of multi-pinhole SPECT with two stationary detectors for in vivo rat imaging
Authors: Janssen Jan P. , Hoffmann Jan V. , Kanno Takayuki , Nose Naoko , Grunz Jan-Peter , Onoguchi Masahisa , Chen Xinyu , Lapa Constantin , Buck Andreas K. , Higuchi Takahiro
Published: October 2020

We aimed to investigate the image quality of the U-SPECT5/CT E-Class a micro single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) system with two large stationary detectors for visualization of rat hearts and bones using clinically available 99mTc-labelled tracers. Sensitivity, spatial resolution, uniformity and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) of the small-animal SPECT scanner were investigated in phantom studies using an ultra-high-resolution rat and mouse multi-pinhole collimator (UHR-RM). Point source, hot-rod, and uniform phantoms with 99mTc-solution were scanned for high-count performance assessment and count levels equal to animal scans, respectively. Reconstruction was performed using the similarity-regulated ordered-subsets expectation maximization (SROSEM) algorithm with Gaussian smoothing. Rats were injected with ~ 100 MBq [99mTc]Tc-MIBI or ~ 150 MBq [99mTc]Tc-HMDP and received multi-frame micro-SPECT imaging after tracer distribution. Animal scans were reconstructed for three different acquisition times and post-processed with different sized Gaussian filters. Following reconstruction, CNR was calculated and image quality evaluated by three independent readers on a five-point scale from 1 = “very poor” to 5 = “very good”. Point source sensitivity was 567 cps/MBq and radioactive rods as small as 1.2 mm were resolved with the UHR-RM collimator. Collimator-dependent uniformity was 55.5%. Phantom CNR improved with increasing rod size, filter size and activity concentration. Left ventricle and bone structures were successfully visualized in rat experiments. Image quality was strongly affected by the extent of post-filtering, whereas scan time did not have substantial influence on visual assessment. Good image quality was achieved for resolution range greater than 1.8 mm in bone and 2.8 mm in heart. The recently introduced small animal SPECT system with two stationary detectors and UHR-RM collimator is capable to provide excellent image quality in heart and bone scans in a rat using standardized reconstruction parameters and appropriate post-filtering. However, there are still challenges in achieving maximum system resolution in the sub-millimeter range with in vivo settings under limited injection dose and acquisition time.
Modified aptamers as reagents to characterize recombinant human erythropoietin products
Authors: Jankowski Wojciech , Lagassé H. A. Daniel , Chang William C. , McGill Joseph , Jankowska Katarzyna I. , Gelinas Amy D. , Janjic Nebojsa , Sauna Zuben E.
Published: October 2020

Reliable and reproducible monitoring of the conformational state of therapeutic protein products remains an unmet technological need. This need is amplified by the increasing number of biosimilars entering the drug development pipeline as many branded biologics are reaching the end of their market exclusivity period. Availability of methods to better characterize protein conformation may improve detection of counterfit and unlicensed therapeutic proteins. In this study, we report the use of a set of modified DNA aptamers with enhanced chemical diversity to probe the conformational state of 12 recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) therapeutic protein products; one FDA-licensed rHuEPO originator biological product, three rHuEPO products that are approved for marketing in the US or EU as biosimilars, and eight rHuEPO products that are not approved for marketing in the US or EU. We show that several of these modified aptamers are able to distinguish rHuEPO reference products or approved biosimilars from non-licensed rHuEPO products on the basis of differences in binding kinetics and equilibrium affinity constants. These reagents exhibit sensitivity to the conformational integrity of various forms of rHuEPO and as such represent powerful, simple-to-use analytical tools to monitor the conformational integrity of therapeutic-proteins during manufacture and to screen for and identify both substandard and counterfeit products.
Author Correction: A System of Cytokines Encapsulated in ExtraCellular Vesicles
Authors: Fitzgerald Wendy , Freeman Michael L. , Lederman Michael M. , Vasilieva Elena , Romero Roberto , Margolis Leonid
Published: October 2020

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.
Local ancestry inference provides insight into Tilapia breeding programmes
Authors: Avallone Alex , Bartie Kerry L. , Selly Sarah-Louise C. , Taslima Khanam , Campos Mendoza Antonio , Bekaert Michaël
Published: October 2020

Tilapia is one of the most commercially valuable species in aquaculture with over 5 million tonnes of Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus, produced worldwide every year. It has become increasingly important to keep track of the inheritance of the selected traits under continuous improvement (e.g. growth rate, size at maturity or genetic gender), as selective breeding has also resulted in genes that can hitchhike as part of the process. The goal of this study was to generate a Local Ancestry Interence workflow that harnessed existing tilapia genotyping-by-sequencing studies, such as Double Digest RAD-seq derived Single-Nucleotide Polymorphism markers. We developed a workflow and implemented a suite of tools to resolve the local ancestry of each chromosomal locus based on reference panels of tilapia species of known origin. We used tilapia species, wild populations and breeding programmes to validate our methods. The precision of the pipeline was evaluated on the basis of its ability to identify the genetic makeup of samples of known ancestry. The easy and inexpensive application of local ancestry inference in breeding programmes will facilitate the monitoring of the genetic profile of individuals of interest, the tracking of the movement of genes from parents to offspring and the detection of hybrids and their origin.
Ultra-fast kinematic vortices in mesoscopic superconductors: the effect of the self-field
Authors: Cadorim Leonardo Rodrigues , de Oliveira Junior Alexssandre , Sardella Edson
Published: October 2020

Within the framework of the generalized time-dependent Ginzburg–Landau equations, we studied the influence of the magnetic self-field induced by the currents inside a superconducting sample driven by an applied transport current. The numerical simulations of the resistive state of the system show that neither material inhomogeneity nor a normal contact smaller than the sample width are required to produce an inhomogeneous current distribution inside the sample, which leads to the emergence of a kinematic vortex–antivortex pair (vortex street) solution. Further, we discuss the behaviors of the kinematic vortex velocity, the annihilation rates of the supercurrent, and the superconducting order parameters alongside the vortex street solution. We prove that these two latter points explain the characteristics of the resistive state of the system. They are the fundamental basis to describe the peak of the current–resistance characteristic curve and the location where the vortex–antivortex pair is formed.
Obese cardiogenic arrest survivors with significant coronary artery disease had worse in-hospital mortality and neurological outcomes
Authors: Sung Chih-Wei , Huang Chien-Hua , Chen Wen-Jone , Chang Wei-Tien , Wang Chih-Hung , Wu Yen-Wen , Chen Wei-Ting , Chang Jia-How , Tsai Min-Shan
Published: October 2020

Cardiogenic arrest is the major cause of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), accounting for 20% of all deaths annually. The association between obesity and outcomes in cardiac arrest survivors is debatable. However, the effect of obesity on the prognosis of patients with significant coronary artery disease (CAD) successfully resuscitated from cardiogenic arrest is unclear. Thus, the association between body mass index (BMI) and outcomes in cardiogenic arrest survivors with significant CAD was investigated. This multicentre retrospective cohort study recruited 201 patients from January 2011 to September 2017. The eligible cardiogenic arrest survivors were non-traumatic adults who had undergone emergency coronary angiography after sustained return of spontaneous circulation and had significant coronary artery stenosis. BMI was used to classify the patients into underweight, normal-weight, overweight, and obese groups (< 18.5, 18.5–24.9, 25.0–29.9, and ≥ 30 kg/m2; n = 9, 87, 72, and 33, respectively). In-hospital mortality and unsatisfactory neurological outcomes (cerebral performance scale scores = 3–5) were compared among the groups. The obese group presented higher in-hospital mortality and unsatisfactory neurological outcome risks than the normal-weight group (in-hospital mortality: adjusted hazard ratio = 4.27, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.87–12.04, P = 0.008; unsatisfactory neurological outcomes: adjusted odds ratio = 3.33, 95% CI 1.42–8.78, P = 0.009). Subgroup analysis showed significantly higher in-hospital mortality in the obese patients than in the others in each clinical characteristic. In cardiogenic arrest survivors with significant CAD, obesity was associated with high risks of mortality and unsatisfactory neurological recovery.
Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) detection is associated with shorter progression-free survival in advanced melanoma patients
Authors: Marczynski Gabriella Taques , Laus Ana Carolina , dos Reis Mariana Bisarro , Reis Rui Manuel , Vazquez Vinicius de Lima
Published: October 2020

BRAF, NRAS and TERT mutations occur in more than 2/3 of melanomas. Its detection in patient’s blood, as circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), represents a possibility for identification and monitoring of metastatic disease. We proposed to standardize a liquid biopsy platform to identify hotspot mutations in BRAF, NRAS and TERT in plasma samples from advanced melanoma patients and investigate whether it was associated to clinical outcome. Firstly, we performed digital polymerase chain reaction using tumor cell lines for validation and determination of limit of detection (LOD) of each assay and screened plasma samples from healthy individuals to determine the limit of blank (LOB). Then, we selected 19 stage III and IV patients and determined the somatic mutations status in tumor tissue and track them in patients’ plasma. We established a specific and sensitive methodology with a LOD ranging from 0.13 to 0.37%, and LOB ranging from of 0 to 5.201 copies/reaction. Somatic mutations occurred in 17/19 (89%) patients, of whom seven (41%) had ctDNA detectable their paired plasma. ctDNA detection was associated with shorter progression free survival (p = 0.01). In conclusion, our data support the use of ctDNA as prognosis biomarker, suggesting that patients with detectable levels have an unfavorable outcome.
Dough rheology, antioxidants, textural, physicochemical characteristics, and sensory quality of pizza base enriched with onion (Allium cepa L.) skin powder
Authors: Sagar Narashans Alok , Pareek Sunil
Published: October 2020

In the present research, wheat flour was replaced with onion skin powder (OSP) in 2%, 3.5%, and 5% concentration along with control to produce different pizza base variants. Prepared pizza doughs and base were investigated for different quality parameters. Rheology revealed that increased concentration of OSP elevated the storage modulus (G’) (solid nature) of pizza doughs. Colour measurement of both the doughs and pizza base exhibited lightness in control (L* 86.46 ± 0.39) and darkness in 5% OSP variant (L* 46.43 ± 0.69). Physicochemical investigation showed no significant difference however, a gradual increase was obtained in fiber, water, and oil holding capacity of pizza base. Texture properties showed that the addition of OSP imparted an increased trend of hardness i.e. 5% OSP variant had maximum hardness (14.87 ± 0.20 N). A higher level of total phenols, total flavonoids, and antioxidant activity was obtained in fortified products, which exhibits onion skin as a natural source of antioxidants for functional foods. Sensory evaluation revealed OSP 2% as the most accepted variant in terms of overall acceptability. The storage study of the pizza base revealed that controlled environment was the best-suited atmosphere for a longer shelf-life of pizza base.
Comprehensive biomechanical analysis of three clinically used fixation constructs for posterior malleolar fractures using cadaveric and finite element analysis
Authors: Anwar Adeel , Hu Zhenwei , Adnan Atif , Gao Yanming , Li Bing , Nazir Muhammad Umar , Tian Cong , Wang Yanfeng , Lv Decheng , Zhao Zhi , Zhang Zhen , Zhang Hu , Tong Changgui , Lv Gang
Published: October 2020

Different fixation modalities are available for fixation of posterior malleolar fractures (PMFs), but the best method is still unclear. The purpose of this study was to carry out a comparative biomechanical analysis of three commonly used fixation constructs for PMFs using experimental and finite element analysis (FEA). 15 human cadaveric ankle specimens were randomly divided into three groups. Specimens in group-A were fixed with two anteroposterior (AP) lag screws, group-B with two posteroanterior (PA) lag screws, and for group-C, a posterior plate was used. Each model was subjected to axial load. Outcomes included loads for 0.5 mm, 1 mm, 1.5 mm, and 2 mm vertical displacements of posterior fragments were noted. 3D FE models were reconstructed from computed tomography (CT) images and subjected to vertical loads. The model’s stress, fracture step-off, and resultant strains in implants were also studied in 3D FE models. Significantly higher amounts of mean compressive loads were observed to cause the same amount of vertical displacements in plate group (265 ± 60.21 N, 796 ± 57.27 N, 901.18 ± 8.88 N, 977.26 ± 13.04 N) than AP (102.7 ± 16.78 N, 169.5 ± 19.91 N, 225.32 ± 15.92 N, 269.32 ± 17.29 N) and PA (199.88 ± 31.43 N, 362.80 ± 28.46 N, 431.3 ± 28.12 N, 541.86 ± 36.05 N) lag screws respectively (P < 0.05). Simulated micro-motion analysis demonstrated that fracture step-off values in plate group (0.03 ± 0.001 mm, 0.06 ± 0.003 mm and 0.13 ± 0.010 mm) were the lowest among the three groups (P < 0.001). The cancellous bone showed the highest amount of stress in AP and PA lag groups respectively, whereas the lowest stress was noted in the plate-group. This biomechanical study concluded that posterior plating is biomechanically the most stable fixation construct for PMFs fixation. AP and PA lag screws with higher bone stress and fracture step-off values have a high tendency of bone cut-through and loss of fixation respectively.
The Chemical Biology of Phosphorus
Authors: Walsh Christopher T
Published: October 2020

Alexander Todd, the 1957 Nobel laureate in chemistry is credited with the statement: “where there is life, there is phosphorus”. Phosphorus chemical biology underlies most of life’s reactions and processes, from the covalent bonds that hold RNA and DNA together, to the making and spending 75 kg of ATP every day, required to run almost all metabolic and mechanical events in cells. Authored by a renowned biochemist, The Chemical Biology of Phosphorus provides an in-depth, unifying chemical approach to the logic and reactivity of inorganic phosphate and its three major derivatives (anhydrides, mono- and diesters) throughout biology to examine why life depends on phosphorus. Covering the breadth of phosphorus chemistry in biology, this book is ideal for biochemistry students, postgraduates and researchers interested in the chemical logic of phosphate metabolites, energy generation, biopolymer accumulation and phosphoproteomics.
Efficient synthesis of 2-aryl-2H-indazoles by base-catalyzed benzyl C–H deprotonation and cyclization
Authors: Jin Guo-Qing , Gao Wen-Xia , Zhou Yun-Bing , Liu Miao-Chang , Wu Hua-Yue
Published: October 2020

A facile method for the synthesis of 2-aryl-2H-indazoles by base-catalyzed benzyl C–H deprotonation and cyclization is developed.
A ratiometric fluorescent probe based on AIEgen for detecting HClO in living cells
Authors: Zhang Weijie , Wang He , Li Feng , Chen Yuncong , Kwok Ryan T. K. , Huang Yuhua , Zhang Jianglei , Hou Jianquan , Tang Ben Zhong
Published: October 2020

A high performance ratiometric fluorescent probe, namely TPE-RNS, has been developed for detecting exogenous and endogenous HClO/ClO− in living cells and discriminating cancer cells from normal cells.
Iron-catalyzed acylation-functionalization of unactivated alkenes with aldehydes
Authors: Tian Tian , Wang Xin , Lv Leiyang , Li Zhiping
Published: October 2020

Herein, an iron-catalyzed acylation-functionalization of unactivated alkenes with aldehydes via distal group ipso-migration is reported.
Cobalt phosphide (Co2P) encapsulated in nitrogen-rich hollow carbon nanocages with fast rate potassium ion storage
Authors: Das Debanjan , Sarkar Debasish , Nagarajan Sudhan , Mitlin David
Published: October 2020

Co2P nanoparticles encapsulated in N-doped carbon nanocages (Co2P@NCCs) as potassium ion battery anodes with state-of-the-art electrochemical performance.
Cu/graphene interdigitated electrodes with various copper thicknesses for UV-illumination-enhanced gas sensors at room temperature
Authors: Zhao Min , Falak Attia , Tian Yi , Yan Lanqin , Liu Rujun , Chen Weijun , Wang Hanfu , Wu Tao , Chen Peipei , Chu Weiguo
Published: October 2020

High efficiency detection of NO2 and NH3 by 8 nm Cu/graphene sensor at room temperature under UV light illumination.
Transmembrane potential in vesicles formed by catanionic surfactant mixtures in an aqueous salt solution
Authors: Emelyanova Ksenia A. , Sorina Polina O. , Victorov Alexey I.
Published: October 2020

Simple theory shows the effects of vesicle structure and the composition of the medium on the transmembrane potential.
Production of isobutyric acid from methanol by Clostridium luticellarii
Authors: Petrognani Camille , Boon Nico , Ganigué Ramon
Published: October 2020

Clostridium luticellarii can produce up to 5.0 g L−1 isobutyric acid from methanol with acetic and butyric acid supplementation.
Deep-LUMEN assay – human lung epithelial spheroid classification from brightfield images using deep learning
Authors: Abdul Lyan , Rajasekar Shravanthi , Lin Dawn S. Y. , Venkatasubramania Raja Sibi , Sotra Alexander , Feng Yuhang , Liu Amy , Zhang Boyang
Published: October 2020

Deep-learning uncovered measurement of epithelial networks (Deep-LUMEN) is an open-source algorithm that can automatically uncover subtle differences in lung alveolar epithelial spheroid morphology from brightfield images.
Imine–carbene-based ruthenium complexes for dye-sensitized solar cells: the effect of isomeric mixture on the photovoltaic performance
Authors: Tingare Yogesh S. , Su Chaochin , Shen Ming-Tai , Tsai Sheng-Han , Ho Shih-Yu , Chakroborty Subhendu , Li Wen-Ren
Published: October 2020

New isomeric sensitizers containing an imine–carbene (IC)-based ancillary ligand, isomers IC101 and IC102, were designed for application in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs).
Regioselectivity in the adiabatic photocleavage of DNA-based oxetanes
Authors: Blasco-Brusola Alejandro , Vayá Ignacio , Miranda Miguel A.
Published: October 2020

The photocleavage of oxetanes composed of benzophenone and uracil or thymine derivatives takes place through an adiabatic process, which is markedly affected by the oxetane regiochemistry and by the nucleobase substitutions at positions 1 and 5.
Enhancing the solubility of 1,4-diaminoanthraquinones in electrolytes for organic redox flow batteries through molecular modification
Authors: Geysens Pieter , Evers Jorik , Dehaen Wim , Fransaer Jan , Binnemans Koen
Published: October 2020

The redox-active 1,4-diaminoanthraquinone structure was modified with several side chains in order to increase the solubility in organic electrolytes for redox flow batteries.
Synergistic effect of proton irradiation and strain on the mechanical properties of polyimide fibers
Authors: Dandan Ju , Chengyue Sun , Hao Wang , Xinmin Wang , Yiyong Wu , Zhixin Dong , Xuepeng Qiu
Published: October 2020

Compared with the single irradiated sample, the tensile strength and elongation at break after the combination of proton irradiation and strain increased, indicating that introducing strain during irradiation will weaken the damage of irradiation.
Highly rapid and non-enzymatic detection of cholesterol based on carbon nitride quantum dots as fluorescent nanoprobes
Authors: Chen Ying , Yang Gege , Gao Shanshan , Zhang Liangliang , Yu Mengdi , Song Chunxia , Lu Ying
Published: October 2020

Highly rapid and non-enzymatic method for the detection of cholesterol was constructed based on carbon nitride quantum dots (CNQDs) as fluorescent nanoprobes. The fluorescence of CNQDs could be effectively and rapidly quenched by cholesterol.
Mono-faceted WO3−x nanorods in situ hybridized in carbon nanosheets for ultra-fast/stable sodium-ion storage
Authors: Zeng Fanyan , Cheng Wanting , Pan Yang , Yu Maohui , Qu Yaohui , Yuan Cailei
Published: October 2020

In situ hybridized composites of mono-faceted WO3−x nanorods in N-doped carbon nanosheets (WO3−x NRs/N-CNSs) were developed for ultra-fast/stable sodium-ion storage.
Correction: Improving the brightness and photostability of NIR fluorescent silica nanoparticles through rational fine-tuning of the covalent encapsulation methods
Authors: Jiao Long , Song Fengling , Zhang Biyou , Ning Houfu , Cui Jingnan , Peng Xiaojun
Published: October 2020

Correction for ‘Improving the brightness and photostability of NIR fluorescent silica nanoparticles through rational fine-tuning of the covalent encapsulation methods’ by Long Jiao et al., J. Mater. Chem. B, 2017, 5, 5278–5283, DOI: 10.1039/C7TB00856B.
A-loop interactions in Mer tyrosine kinase give rise to inhibitors with two-step mechanism and long residence time of binding
Authors: Pflug Alexander , Schimpl Marianne , Nissink J. Willem M. , Overman Ross C. , Rawlins Philip B. , Truman Caroline , Underwood Elizabeth , Warwicker Juli , Winter-Holt Jon , McCoull William
Published: October 2020

The activation loop (A-loop) plays a key role in regulating the catalytic activity of protein kinases. Phosphorylation in this region enhances the phosphoryl transfer rate of the kinase domain and increases its affinity for ATP. Furthermore, the A-loop possesses autoinhibitory functions in some kinases, where it collapses onto the protein surface and blocks substrate binding when unphosphorylated. Due to its flexible nature, the A-loop is usually disordered and untraceable in kinase domain crystal structures. The resulting lack of structural information is regrettable as it impedes the design of drug A-loop contacts, which have proven favourable in multiple cases. Here, we characterize the binding with A-loop engagement between type 1.5 kinase inhibitor ‘example 172’ (EX172) and Mer tyrosine kinase (MerTK). With the help of crystal structures and binding kinetics, we portray how the recruitment of the A-loop elicits a two-step binding mechanism which results in a drug-target complex characterized by high affinity and long residence time. In addition, the type 1.5 compound possesses excellent kinome selectivity and a remarkable preference for the phosphorylated over the dephosphorylated form of MerTK. We discuss these unique characteristics in the context of known type 1 and type 2 inhibitors and highlight opportunities for future kinase inhibitor design.
Cooperative adaptive cruise control and intelligent traffic signal interaction: a field operational test with platooning on a suburban arterial in real traffic
Authors: Calvert Simeon C. , van Arem Bart
Published: October 2020

It is becoming increasingly important to gain real‐life insights into the effects of vehicle automation with the continued introduction of cooperative and automated vehicles (CAV). This study reports on the findings of a field operational test (FOT) of cooperative adaptive cruise control (CACC) vehicles on an arterial corridor with other traffic. The FOT demonstrated that that CACC vehicles can operate well under such conditions and can operate in platoons at lower time‐headways than human driven vehicles. Platoon disengagement and cut‐ins were analysed and showed that although many platoon break‐ups are unavoidable, CACC operation was carried out without incident with frequent recoupling of platoons occurring. Most cut‐ins occurred near to intersections, where vehicles are required to merge or need to change lanes to turn off the main corridor. It was not possible to derive potential traffic flow improvements from the FOT, due to a limited overall penetration rate and limitations of the intelligent traffic signals. The findings offer greater insights into the performance of CAV technology in a suburban environment and can aid road authorities to prepare infrastructure for the broader introduction of CAVs as well as the development of modelling tools to improve impact analysis of CAVs in urban environments.
Modelling and simulation of hierarchical scheduling of real‐time responsive customised bus
Authors: Han Shuang , Fu Hui , Zhao Jiahong , Lin Junzhou , Zeng Weiliang
Published: October 2020

A real‐time responsive customised bus (RTRCB) provides demand‐oriented and shared‐ride service for passengers with random travel demands. Unlike other works in the literature, the authors developed a hierarchical methodology to optimise the RTRCB schedule. It involves a trade‐off between the interests of the transporter and those of the passengers. After minimising the initial travel distance while maintaining a wide service range, the bus routes are planned holistically based on the main travel locations. Based on the initial routes, the buses are dispatched to satisfy the real‐time travel demands. The procedure for solving the proposed problem is developed by modifying the genetic algorithm (GA) and non‐dominated sorting GA with elite strategy. The proposed method is applied to a real‐life problem in the city of Shenzhen, and certain extensional analyses are performed to demonstrate their feasibility. The computational results show that: (i) the travel distance limitation and tortuosity ratio of the bus route play the most important roles in planning bus routes; (ii) the designation of all the initial bus stops as the control stops results in comparatively stable service for more passengers; and (iii) a better service performance can be achieved by introducing the soft time window strategy with an acceptable delivery delay.
Study on the opening soil knife cutting soil process of 3PF‐240 small grape covering machine
Authors: Guang‐Chen Xu , Wen‐Wu Zhang , Liang Han , Shi‐Wu Huo
Published: October 2020

Grape covering machine as key equipment casing mechanised grape winter is drawing more and more attention. To analyse the performance of the grape covering machine, the soil cutting process of opening soil knife with a 3PF‐240 grape covering machine is studied. Based on the finite‐element analysis software ABAQUS, the three‐dimensional dynamic contact non‐linear finite‐element analysis of the soil cutting process was carried out, and the cutting force curve of the cutting tool in the case of the tool was obtained. To verify the correctness of the simulation results, the grounding work of the prototype was carried out. The experimental results show that the established mechanical model of the opening soil knife is correct, which provides a theoretical basis for the further development and optimisation design of the grape cover.
Posteriore Dekompressionstechniken an der Halswirbelsäule bei spondylogener zervikaler Myelopathie
Authors: Schmeiser G. , Kothe R.
Published: October 2020

Die Dekompression des cervicalen Rückenmarks ist über einen ventralen oder dorsalen Zugangsweg möglich. Bei cervicaler Myelopathie, der häufigsten Ursache für eine Funktionsstörung des Rückenmarks, bieten sich insbesondere für Multilevelstenosen dorsale Verfahren an. Die Laminektomie mit Fusion stellt das Standardverfahren zur posterioren Dekompression dar, während die alleinige Laminektomie in deutschsprachigen Ländern weitgehend verlassen wurde. Die Indikationsstellung zum dorsalen, ventralen oder kombinierten Zugang wird beispielhaft anhand eines Algorithmus beschrieben. In diesem Artikel werden insbesondere die Operations-Techniken der Laminektomie mit dorsaler Spondylodese und der Laminoplastie beschrieben. Beide Verfahren haben Vor- und Nachteile sowie ein spezifisches Risikoprofil, insbesondere bez. postoperativer Nackenschmerzsymptomatik, C5-Parese und Infektionsneigung. Die Indikation zur Laminoplastie sollte nur bei beweglicher HWS und natürlicher Lordose gestellt werden, das Standardverfahren der Laminektomie mit Fusion kennt diese Einschränkung nicht.

Dorsale Dekompressionsverfahren an der Halswirbelsäule können bei richtiger Indikationsstellung mit einem niedrigen Risikoprofil sicher angewandt werden.
Bandscheiben-Prothese bei zervikaler Myelopathie
Authors: Mehren Christoph , Storzer Bastian
Published: October 2020

Die klinische Diagnose einer zervikalen Myelopathie kann sich aus einer Vielzahl von unterschiedlichen Pathologien an der Halswirbelsäule ergeben. Die sich daraus ableitenden operativen Behandlungsoptionen sind ebenso vielfältig und unterscheiden sich sowohl in Bezug auf die Lokalisation des Zugangs (ventral oder dorsal) als auch in der Philosophie eines stabilisierenden-fusionierenden Verfahrens bzw. eines bewegungserhaltenden Verfahrens. Die zervikale Bandscheibenprothese ist v. a. im Bereich der degenerativen Bandscheibenerkrankungen eine inzwischen anerkannte Operationsmethode mit sehr guten klinischen Ergebnissen auch im Langzeit-Follow-up. Unter Berücksichtigung der Kontraindikationen kann diese auch eine zuverlässige Option bei der operativen Behandlung einer zervikalen Myelopathie darstellen. Jedoch muss klar festgehalten werden, dass das Vorliegen einer Myelopathie in den meisten Fällen auf Pathologien beruht, die eine Non-Fusion-Philosophie nicht zulassen.
Reconfigurable slow light in phase change photonic crystal waveguide
Authors: Wang Rongzi , Cao Tun
Published: October 2020

Experimental demonstration of light propagation with ultralow group velocity, i.e., slow light, allows for revolutionary solutions for time-domain processing and buffering of optical signals. It can spatially compress optical energy, which lessens the device footprint and enhances linear and nonlinear optical effects. Photonic crystal waveguides (PCWs) are appealing for producing slow light since they can be on-chip integrated and operated under room temperature. However, most PCW slow-light devices are restricted to the narrow spectral range of material resonance, leading to a small delay-bandwidth product, which restricts the maximum data rate, operation frequency, and storage capacity. Furthermore, the lack of broadly tunable slow light hinders practical applications in tunable photonic devices. We propose a reconfigurable slow-light device using a PCW based on a prototypical chalcogenide glass, Ge2Sb2Te5 (GST225) to solve the problems. We find that the operating wavelength of the slow light within the structure can be reversibly switched between 3575 and 4905 nm by changing the structural state of GST225 between amorphous and crystalline ones. The corresponding average group indices are 40.8 and 54.4, respectively. We experimentally illustrate that the reversible phase transition of GST225 between amorphous and crystalline ones can be realized in nanoseconds. Our proof of concept may provide a platform for actively engineering slow light that might otherwise be difficult to obtain in photonic systems. We expect it to improve the device performance in the fields of nonlinearity and sensing.
High-performance graphene/InSb heterojunction photodetectors for high-resolution mid-infrared image sensors
Authors: Shimatani Masaaki , Fukushima Shoichiro , Okuda Satoshi , Ogawa Shinpei
Published: October 2020

Graphene/semiconductor heterojunction photodetectors have the potential to outperform conventional infrared (IR) sensors. A high-performance graphene/indium antimonide (InSb) heterojunction photodetector for high-resolution mid-IR image sensors was developed using an undoped InSb substrate with low carrier density. The width of the depletion layer at the graphene/InSb interface was increased because of the low carrier density of undoped InSb, which resulted in a low dark current for the proposed device. In addition, the low carrier density resulted in an increased capacitance change due to photocarrier generation for the depletion layer upon light irradiation. As a result, the carrier density modulation effect of graphene was also amplified owing to the photogating effect. Consequently, low dark currents on the order of nanoamperes and high responsivities of over 2 A/W were achieved over a wide voltage range of −0.05 to −0.5 V using our proposed photodetector. The best performance achieved for the developed photodetector corresponded to a specific detectivity (D*) of 2.28 × 1010 cm Hz1/2/W and a noise-equivalent-power of 0.13 pW/Hz1/2, which makes these detectors suitable for use in mid-IR image sensors, realizing a low dark current of just −7.5 nA over the wide wavelength range of 3–5 μm. These results demonstrate that an IR image sensor with detection performance better than those developed using existing graphene-based photodetectors can be obtained by adopting a simple graphene/InSb heterojunction with undoped InSb, owing to the photogating effect.