bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
O tráfico de escravos, despovoamento e sacrifícios humanos na historia de Benin
Authors: Graham James D.
Published: April 2020

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Um afro-brasileiro introdutor da cultura da cana-de-açúcar e da indústria açucareira na Nigéria do Norte
Authors: Lewicki Tadeusz
Published: April 2020

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Maria Bibiana do Espírito Santo – Senhora
Authors: UFBA Centro de Estudos Afro-Orientais -
Published: April 2020

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O fumo da Bahia e o tráfico dos escravos do Golfo de Benim
Authors: UFBA Centro de Estudos Afro-Orientais -
Published: April 2020

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Etnônimos africanos e formas ocorrentes no Brasil
Authors: Castro Yêda Pessoa
Published: April 2020

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Estudos orientais na América Latina - Musicologia - Semana da Nigéria ? Associação de Amizade Brasil-Nigéria - Divindades africanas em painel - Pesquisa em Portugal ? 80º aniversario da Abolição ? Universidade de Dacar - Exposição de Gana - Pesquisa em Áf
Authors: UFBA Centro de Estudos Afro-Orientais -
Published: April 2020

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Perspectiva histórica do desenvolvimento cultural na Etiópia
Authors: Davis William B.
Published: April 2020

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O pensamento político de Gandhi
Authors: Guimarães Ary
Published: April 2020

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O VERBO LEVAR: UMA PROPOSTA DE GRAMATICALIZAÇÃO NUMA PERSPECTIVA FORMAL
Authors: Alves Daniela , Figueiredo Cristina
Published: April 2020

Este trabalho apresenta uma descrição sintático-semântica do verbo levar com o objetivo de verificar se, em construções de verbo leve, levar é, de fato, um item funcional, resultante de um processo de gramaticalização, tendo em vista abordagens formais (ROBERTS, 2007; MARANTZ, 1997; VIOTTI, 1998; VITRAL; RAMOS, 2006). Para tanto, comparamos construções coletadas em sites da internet com construções coletadas em dois manuscritos do século XIV. Argumentamos que levar, no português arcaico, ocorre apenas em sua versão plena, significando transportar algo/alguém, enquanto que, no português atual, ocorre tanto em sua versão plena, quanto em sua versão leve, porém, nesse último, com um sujeito que sofre uma ação. O comportamento leve de levar acaba interferindo não somente em seu significado, mas também na capacidade de estabelecer relação predicativa com os elementos que o acompanham.
Roadside diversity in relation to age and surrounding source habitat: evidence for long time lags in valuable green infrastructure
Authors: Auffret Alistair G. , Lindgren Evelina
Published: April 2020

1. The severe and ongoing decline in semi‐natural grassland habitat during the past two centuries means that it is important to consider how other, marginal grassland habitat elements can contribute to landscape‐level biodiversity, and under what circumstances.

2. To examine how habitat age and the amount of core grassland habitat in the surrounding landscape affect diversity in green infrastructure, we carried out inventories of 36 rural road verges that were either historical (pre‐1901) or modern (established post‐1901 and before 1975), and were surrounded by relatively high (>15%) or low (<5%) levels of grassland habitat. We recorded the number of plant species, grassland specialists, grassland conservation species and the fraction of the landscape's species and specialists found in the road verge.

3. Road verge communities were characterised by high levels of grassland specialist species (35% of the 161 species recorded), with road verge sites supporting 15–20% of the specialist species found in the surrounding 25 km2 landscape.

4. Richness of species and specialists were more closely related to road age than to the amount of surrounding habitat. Higher diversity in historical roads, despite the majority of modern roads being at least 60 years old, suggests a long time lag in the establishment of grassland communities in marginal grassland habitats. We identified no effect of historical surrounding land use on present day diversity in road verges.

5. Road verge richness was not affected by the amount of surrounding grassland. This could be due to the relatively low amounts of grassland remaining in all landscapes, together with dispersal limitation commonly found in grassland plant communities contributing to a potential time lag.

6. We identified road verges as potentially very important habitats for grassland communities. Because of the high levels of grassland specialists present, these and other marginal grasslands and grassland green infrastructure should be explicitly considered in landscape‐scale conservation management. Practitioners looking to identify the most species‐rich road verges should aim to find the oldest possible, while long time lags in community assembly suggests that seed sowing could be appropriate to enhance roadside diversity, even in decades‐old road verges.
Precision Medicine With Leflunomide: Consideration of the DHODH Haplotype and Plasma Teriflunomide Concentration and Modification of Outcomes in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis
Authors: Wiese Michael D. , Hopkins Ashley M. , King Catherine , Wechalekar Mihir D. , Lee Anita , Spargo Llewellyn , Metcalf Robert , McWilliams Leah , Hill Catherine , Cleland Leslie G. , Proudman Susanna M.
Published: April 2020

Objective

Leflunomide is a commonly used disease‐modifying drug in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Its effects are mediated via inhibition of dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH) by its active metabolite teriflunomide, and the pharmacokinetics of teriflunomide are highly variable. Our objective was to examine the association between the DHODH haplotype and plasma teriflunomide concentration with response to leflunomide in patients with RA where leflunomide was added to an existing disease‐modifying drug regimen after failure to achieve an adequate response with conventional triple therapy.

Methods

Patients with RA who were taking, or were about to initiate, leflunomide were included. Participant characteristics, including the DHODH haplotype, were determined. Up to 5 plasma samples were collected after leflunomide was initiated for assays of total and free teriflunomide concentration. Disease activity was determined via the 28‐joint Disease Activity Score (DAS28). The association between DAS28 scores and patient covariates was determined by linear mixed‐effects modeling.

Results

A total of 67 patients were included in the study. The DAS28 score after initiation of leflunomide was associated with the baseline DAS28 score (β = 0.70, P < 0.001) and was higher in those who carried the DHODH haplotype 2 (β = 0.56. P = 0.01) and did not carry the shared epitope (β = 0.56, P = 0.013). As total and free plasma teriflunomide concentration increased, the DAS28 score was significantly lower (P < 0.001 and P = 0.001, respectively). When considering threshold concentrations, teriflunomide concentrations >16 mg/liter were associated with a DAS28 score that was 0.33 lower, and when free teriflunomide concentration was >35 µg/liter, the DAS28 score was 0.32 lower.

Conclusion

Teriflunomide concentration and carriage of the DHODH haplotype 2 are associated with response to leflunomide in patients with RA, and a total plasma teriflunomide concentration of at least 16 mg/liter is needed to maximize the likelihood of response.
A Biomimetic Biphasic Osteochondral Scaffold with Layer‐Specific Release of Stem Cell Differentiation Inducers for the Reconstruction of Osteochondral Defects
Authors: Liu Xuemin , Wei Yingqi , Xuan Chengkai , Liu Lei , Lai Chen , Chai Muyuan , Zhang Zhaoguo , Wang Lin , Shi Xuetao
Published: April 2020

There is a great challenge in regenerating osteochondral defects because they involve lesions of both cartilage and subchondral bone, which have remarkable differences in their chemical compositions and biological lineages. Thus, considering the complicated requirements in osteochondral reconstruction, a biomimetic biphasic osteochondral scaffold (BBOS) with the layer‐specific release of stem cell differentiation inducers are developed. The cartilage regeneration layer (cartilage scaffold, CS) in the BBOS contains a hyaluronic acid hydrogel to mimic the composition of cartilage, which is mechanically enhanced by host–guest supramolecular units to control the release of kartogenin (KGN). Additionally, a 3D‐printed hydroxyapatite (HAp) scaffold releasing alendronate (ALN) is employed as the bone‐regeneration layer (bone scaffold, BS). The two layers are bound by semi‐immersion and could regulate the hierarchical targeted differentiation behavior of the stem cells. Compared to the drug‐free scaffold, the MSCs in the BBOS could be promoted to differentiate into both chondrocytes and osteoblasts. The in vivo results demonstrate the strong promotion of cartilage or bone regeneration in their respective layers. It is expected that this BBOS with layer‐specific inducer release can become a new strategy for osteochondral regeneration.
Dual‐Controlled Release of Icariin/Mg2+ from Biodegradable Microspheres and Their Synergistic Upregulation Effect on Bone Regeneration
Authors: Yuan Zuoying , Wan Zhuo , Wei Pengfei , Lu Xin , Mao Jianping , Cai Qing , Zhang Xu , Yang Xiaoping
Published: April 2020

Current scaffolds applied for bone tissue engineering are still lacking sufficient osteogenic capacity to induce efficient bone regeneration. Biodegradable microsphere‐type scaffolds are designed to achieve the dual‐controlled release of a Chinese medicine (i.e., icariin, ICA) and a bioactive ion (i.e., Mg2+), in order to achieve their synergistic effect on inducing osteogenesis. The hydrophobic icariin is preloaded onto MgO/MgCO3 (1:1 in weight ratio) particles at different amounts and then the particles are encapsulated into biodegradable poly(lactide‐co‐glycolide) (PLGA) microspheres (PMI) at a fixed fraction (20 wt%). Continuous releases of Mg2+ ion and icariin from the microspheres are detected, showing dependence on icariin amounts. At an optimized moderate loading amount, the resulting PMI‐M microspheres display the strongest activation effect on cell biological behaviors among all the designs. By implanting the PMI‐M microspheres into rat calvarial defects for 16 weeks, it is found that they can effectively enhance new bone formation, presenting significantly higher capacity in inducing osteogenesis than PMg (containing MgO/MgCO3 but without icariin) and blank PLGA microspheres. Clearly, the released Mg2+ ions are beneficial to osteogenesis, and the coincorporation of icariin exerts supplemental effects in inducing new bone formation, which suggest a promising strategy to regenerate severe bone injuries by designing a dual‐release system.
Implantable Therapeutic Reservoir Systems for Diverse Clinical Applications in Large Animal Models
Authors: Duffy Garry P. , Robinson Scott T. , O'Connor Raymond , Wylie Robert , Mauerhofer Ciaran , Bellavia Gabriella , Straino Stefania , Cianfarani Francesca , Mendez Keegan , Beatty Rachel , Levey Ruth , O'Sullivan Janice , McDonough Liam , Kelly Helena , Roche Ellen T. , Dolan Eimear B.
Published: April 2020

Regenerative medicine approaches, specifically stem cell technologies, have demonstrated significant potential to treat a diverse array of pathologies. However, such approaches have resulted in a modest clinical benefit, which may be attributed to poor cell retention/survival at the disease site. A delivery system that facilitates regional and repeated delivery to target tissues can provide enhanced clinical efficacy of cell therapies when localized delivery of high doses of cells is required. In this study, a new regenerative reservoir platform (Regenervoir) is described for use in large animal models, with relevance to cardiac, abdominal, and soft tissue pathologies. Regenervoir incorporates multiple novel design features essential for clinical translation, with a focus on scalability, mechanism of delivery, fixation to target tissue, and filling/refilling with a therapeutic cargo, and is demonstrated in an array of clinical applications that are easily translated to human studies. Regenervoir consists of a porous reservoir fabricated from a single material, a flexible thermoplastic polymer, capable of delivering cargo via fill lines to target tissues. A radiopaque shear thinning hydrogel can be delivered to the therapy reservoir and multiple fixation methods (laparoscopic tacks and cyanoacrylate bioadhesive) can be used to secure Regenervoir to target tissues through a minimally invasive approach.
Structure Engineering of a Lanthanide‐Based Metal–Organic Framework for the Regulation of Dynamic Ranges and Sensitivities for Pheochromocytoma Diagnosis
Authors: Hao Ji‐Na , Niu Dechao , Gu Jinlou , Lin Shaoliang , Li Yongsheng , Shi Jianlin
Published: April 2020

Exploring innovative technologies to precisely quantify biomolecules is crucial but remains a great challenge for disease diagnosis. Unfortunately, the humoral concentrations of most biotargets generally vary within rather limited scopes between normal and pathological states, while most literature‐reported biosensors can detect large spans of targets concentrations, but are less sensitive to small concentration changes, which consequently make them mostly unsatisfactory or even unreliable in distinguishing positives from negatives. Herein, a novel strategy of precisely quantifying the small concentration changes of a certain biotarget by editing the dynamic ranges and sensitivities of a lanthanide‐based metal–organic framework (Eu‐ZnMOF) biosensor is reported. By elaborately tailoring the biosensor's structure and surface areas, the tunable Eu‐ZnMOF is developed with remarkably enhanced response slope within the “optimized useful detection window,” enabling it to serve as a powerful signal amplifier (87.2‐fold increase) for discriminating the small concentration variation of urinary vanillylmandelic acid (an early pathological signature of pheochromocytoma) within only three times between healthy and diseased subjects. This study provides a facile approach to edit the biosensors' performances through structure engineering, and exhibits promising perspectives for future clinical application in the non‐invasive and accurate diagnosis of severe diseases.
Chemical Sensing with Atomically Thin Platinum Templated by a 2D Insulator
Authors: Kim Kyung Ho , He Hans , Rodner Marius , Yakimova Rositsa , Larsson Karin , Piantek Marten , Serrate David , Zakharov Alexei , Kubatkin Sergey , Eriksson Jens , Lara‐Avila Samuel
Published: April 2020

Boosting the sensitivity of solid‐state gas sensors by incorporating nanostructured materials as the active sensing element can be complicated by interfacial effects. Interfaces at nanoparticles, grains, or contacts may result in nonlinear current–voltage response, high electrical resistance, and ultimately, electric noise that limits the sensor read‐out. This work reports the possibility to prepare nominally one atom thin, electrically continuous platinum layers by physical vapor deposition on the carbon zero layer (also known as the buffer layer) grown epitaxially on silicon carbide. With a 3–4 Å thin Pt layer, the electrical conductivity of the metal is strongly modulated when interacting with chemical analytes, due to charges being transferred to/from Pt. The strong interaction with chemical species, together with the scalability of the material, enables the fabrication of chemiresistor devices for electrical read‐out of chemical species with sub part‐per‐billion (ppb) detection limits. The 2D system formed by atomically thin Pt on the carbon zero layer on SiC opens up a route for resilient and high sensitivity chemical detection, and can be the path for designing new heterogenous catalysts with superior activity and selectivity.
Anodes and Sodium‐Free Cathodes in Sodium Ion Batteries
Authors: Yang Xuming , Rogach Andrey L.
Published: April 2020

The increase in electricity generation poses growing demands on energy storage systems, thus offering a chance for the success of the reliable and cost‐effective energy storage technologies. Sodium ion batteries are emerging as such a technology, which is however not yet mature enough to enter the market. At the crux of building practical sodium ion batteries is the development of electrode materials that promise sufficient cost‐ and performance‐competitiveness. As such, herein, all typical sodium storage materials are discussed, considering their fabrication methods and sodiation mechanisms in detail. A comprehensive cross‐literature and cross‐material comparison, which also includes the related thermodynamic analysis of their sodiation products, is also provided. The review focusses particularly on anodes and sodium‐free cathodes, as they both play the role of the acceptor rather than the donor of sodium ions in their operation in batteries; their difference lies in the (de‐)sodiation voltage. In the discussion, special attention is paid to contradictory observations and interpretations in contemporary sodium ion battery research, since debates on these controversies are likely to fuel future sodium battery research.
Selectfluor® Radical Dication (TEDA2+.) – A Versatile Species in Modern Synthetic Organic Chemistry
Authors: Aguilar Troyano Francisco José , Merkens Kay , Gómez‐Suárez Adrián
Published: April 2020

Abstract: In radical processes involving Selectfluor®, TEDA2+. (N‐(chloromethyl)triethylenediamine) is often generated after an electron or fluorine transfer step. This is a highly reactive species that displays different and unique reactivity when compared to Selectfluor®: It can act as a hydrogen atom transfer (HAT), halogen atom transfer (XAT), or aminating reagent, as well as a powerful single electron oxidant. Despite this versatility, the use of TEDA2+. in synthetic processes remains highly underexplored. This minireview, which covers recent applications of TEDA2+. to promote a wide range of C‐heteroatom and C−C bond formations, aims to highlight the potential of this interesting species in organic chemistry. Particular attention is paid to mechanistic aspects involving how TEDA2+. is generated and the different reactivity patterns that it can display.
Recent Advances of Cinnamic Acids in Organic Synthesis
Authors: Chen Lihua , Zhang Ling , Yan Guobing , Huang Dayun
Published: April 2020

The great success of cinnamic acids was rooted in their multiple functional groups. Herein, reactions triggered by the radical addition, electrophilic addition, Michael addition and reactions of acids were thoroughly discussed and summarized. Multi‐component reactions, rearrangements, stereoselective synthesis, coupling, additions will be depicted in detail. This review focused on advances of cinnamic acids in the last decade (2010–2020). We hope this review will be good for a better understanding of these reagents and future research.
Characterization of the Zwitterionic Intermediate in 1,1‐Carboboration of Alkynes
Authors: Bismuto Alessandro , Nichol Gary S. , Duarte Fernanda , Cowley Michael J. , Thomas Stephen P.
Published: April 2020

The reaction of a Lewis acidic borane with an alkyne is a key step in a diverse range of main group transformations. Alkyne 1,1‐carboboration, the Wrackmeyer reaction, is an archetypal transformation of this kind. 1,1‐Carboboration has been proposed to proceed through a zwitterionic intermediate. We report the isolation and spectroscopic, structural and computational characterization of the zwitterionic intermediates generated by reaction of B(C6F5)3 with alkynes. The stepwise reactivity of the zwitterion provides new mechanistic insight for 1,1‐carboboration and wider B(C6F5)3 catalysis. Making use of intramolecular stabilization by a ferrocene substituent, we have characterized the zwitterionic intermediate in the solid state and diverted reactivity towards alkyne cyclotrimerization.
Catalytic Asymmetric Iodoesterification of Simple Alkenes
Authors: Arai Takayoshi , Horigane Kodai , Suzuki Takumi K. , Itoh Ryosuke , Yamanaka Masahiro
Published: April 2020

Catalytic asymmetric iodoesterification of simple alkenes was achieved using a dinuclear zinc‐3,3′‐(R,S,S)‐bis(aminoimino)binaphthoxide (di‐Zn) complex. For iodoesterification using p‐methoxybenzoic acid, the N‐iodonaphthalenimide (NIN)‐I2 system was effective for producing iodoesters in a highly enantioselective manner. The synthetic utility of chiral iodo‐p‐methoxybenzoates was also demonstrated. The quartet of metal ionic bond, hydrogen bond, halogen bond, and π‐π stacking is harmonized on the single reaction sphere of di‐Zn catalyst for enabling the highly enantioselective catalytic asymmetric iodoesterification of simple alkenes for the first time.
Synthesis and Structural Analysis of Aspergillus fumigatus Galactosaminogalactans Featuring α‐Galactose, α‐Galactosamine and α‐N‐Acetyl Galactosamine Linkages
Authors: Zhang Yongzhen , Gómez‐Redondo Marcos , Jiménez‐Osés Gonzalo , Arda Ana , Overkleeft Herman S. , van der Marel Gijsbert A. , Jiménez‐Barbero Jesús , Codée Jeroen D. C.
Published: April 2020

Galactosaminogalactan (GAG) is a prominent cell wall component of the opportunistic fungal pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus. GAG is a heteropolysaccharide composed of α‐1,4‐linked galactose, galactosamine and N‐acetylgalactosamine residues. To enable biochemical studies, a library of GAG‐fragments was constructed featuring specimens containing α‐galactose‐, α‐galactosamine and α‐N‐acetyl galactosamine linkages. Key features of the synthetic strategy include the use of di‐tert‐butylsilylidene directed α‐galactosylation methodology and regioselective benzoylation reactions using benzoyl‐hydroxybenzotriazole (Bz‐OBt). Structural analysis of the Gal, GalN and GalNAc oligomers by a combination of NMR and MD approaches revealed that the oligomers adopt an elongated, almost straight, structure, stabilized by inter‐residue H‐bonds, one of which is a non‐conventional C−H⋅⋅⋅O hydrogen bond between H5 of the residue (i+1) and O3 of the residue (i). The structures position the C‐2 substituents almost perpendicular to the oligosaccharide main chain axis, pointing to the bulk solvent and available for interactions with antibodies or other binding partners.
Determination of the Absolute Configuration of Super‐Carbon‐Chain Compounds by a Combined Chemical, Spectroscopic, and Computational Approach: Gibbosols A and B
Authors: Li Wan‐Shan , Yan Ren‐Jie , Yu Yi , Shi Zhi , Mándi Attila , Shen Li , Kurtán Tibor , Wu Jun
Published: April 2020

Marine dinoflagellates produce remarkable organic molecules, particularly those with polyoxygenated long‐carbon‐chain backbones, namely super‐carbon‐chain compounds (SCCCs), characterized by the presence of numerous stereogenic carbon centers on acyclic polyol carbon chains. Even today, it is a challenge to determine the absolute configurations of these compounds. In this work, the planar structures and absolute configurations of two highly flexible SCCCs, featuring either a C69‐ or C71‐linear carbon backbone, gibbosols A and B, respectively, each containing thirty‐seven stereogenic carbon centers, were unambiguously established by a combined chemical, spectroscopic, and computational approach. The discovery of gibbosols A and B with two hydrophilic acyclic polyol chains represents an unprecedented class of SCCCs. A reasonable convergent strategy for the biosynthesis of these SCCCs was proposed.
Challenges and Strategies for High‐Energy Aqueous Electrolyte Rechargeable Batteries
Authors: Zhang Huang , Liu Xu , Li Huihua , Hasa Ivana , Passerini Stefano
Published: April 2020

Aqueous rechargeable batteries are becoming increasingly important to the development of renewable energy sources, because they promise to meet cost‐efficiency, energy and power demands for stationary applications. Over the past decade, efforts have been devoted to the improvement of electrode materials and their use in combination with highly concentrated aqueous electrolytes. Here the latest ground‐breaking advances in using such electrolytes to construct aqueous battery systems efficiently storing electrical energy, i.e., offering improved energy density, cyclability and safety, are highlighted. This Review aims to timely provide a summary of the strategies proposed so far to overcome the still existing hurdles limiting the present aqueous batteries technologies employing concentrated electrolytes. Emphasis is placed on aqueous batteries for lithium and post‐lithium chemistries, with potentially improved energy density, resulting from the unique advantages of concentrated electrolytes.
Two Diterpene Synthases from Chryseobacterium: Chryseodiene Synthase and Wanjudiene Synthase
Authors: Lauterbach Lukas , Goldfuss Bernd , Dickschat Jeroen S.
Published: April 2020

Two bacterial diterpene synthases (DTSs) from Chryseobacterium were characterised. The first enzyme yielded the new compound chryseodiene that closely resembles the known fusicoccane diterpenes from fungi, but its experimentally and computationally studied cyclisation mechanism is fundamentally different to the mechanism of fusicoccadiene synthase. The second enzyme produced wanjudiene, a diterpene hydrocarbon with a new skeleton, besides traces of the enantiomer of bonnadiene that was recently discovered from Allokutzneria albata.
Interfacial mechanical properties of graphene/titanium in composites based on beam search algorithm
Authors: Zhang Zaiyu , Liang Yilong
Published: April 2020

The interface mechanical properties of graphene and titanium composites in traditional studies lack molecular dynamics simulation and cannot construct composite interface model. A method for studying the interfacial mechanical properties of graphene/titanium in composite materials based on beam search algorithm is proposed, using the beam search algorithm to simulate the tensile deformation of graphene and titanium to establish the graphene/titanium single and dual interface model. Using the molecular dynamics method to simulate the mechanical behavior of multilayer graphene interface, the interface model of graphene/titanium composites is constructed according to the simulation results, and the calculation formula of interface interaction energy is obtained. The experimental results show that using the proposed method, the graphene/titanium dual interface model has higher interlayer electron density than the single interface model, the electronic characteristics are smoother at the interface transition, and the interface is more stable. Graphene has an interfacial interaction with the titanium atoms adjacent to the upper and lower layers, and has the strongest covalent interaction with the nearest titanium atom layer, which is beneficial to reduce the energy of the composite system and improve the stability of the graphene/titanium composites.
Compatibilizer/graphene/carboxylated acrylonitrile butadiene rubber (XNBR)/ethylenepropylenediene monomer (EPDM) nanocomposites: Morphology, compatibility, rheology and mechanical properties
Authors: Azizli Mohammad Javad , Mokhtary Masoud , Khonakdar Hossein Ali , Goodarzi Vahabodin
Published: April 2020

In this study, nanocomposites based on different blends of XNBR/EPDM with 0, 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, and 1 phr graphene were prepared on a two‐roll mill. The role of EPDM‐grafted maleic anhydride compatibilizer (EPDM‐g‐MAH) and the effect of graphene on morphology, curing characteristics, and mechanical properties were investigated. The curing behavior of the nanocomposites was studied using a rubber curing rheometer. Also, microstructure of the nanocomposites was observed by transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. With increasing the graphene content in the composite, in addition to the torque, the curing time and scorch time were increased. Fracture surface morphological studies indicated that the presence of EPDM‐g‐MAH improved the graphene dispersion within the XNBR/EPDM matrix and a uniform dispersion with a small amount of aggregation was observed. On the other hand, the presence of graphene in the matrix created a rough fracture surface. In addition, with adding EPDM‐g‐MAH compatibilizer and increasing the graphene, the dispersed phase size of EPDM in the XNBR matrix became smaller and a uniform dispersion was obtained. Also, hardness, tensile strength, fatigue, modulus, and elongation‐at‐break of XNBR/EPDM nanocomposite showed a significant increase by the addition of compatibilizer and increasing the graphene content.
Co‐doped Pt Nanowire Networks with Clean Surfaces for Enhanced Oxygen Reduction Reactions
Authors: Zhong Yanfei , Huang Liping , Zhang Jiacheng , Xiang Dong , Li Peng , Yuan Xiaoyou , Zhu Manzhou
Published: April 2020

Surfactants or capping agents are usually employed to control the shapes and sizes of metal nanowires (NWs). Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and oleylamine (OAm) are the most common capping agents used in the synthesis of metal nanowires. However, these capping agents bind strongly onto the surface of the nanowires and severely prevent the reactant molecules from entering the active sites. In the present research, a facile acetic acid/NaBH4 treatment technology is reported to effectively remove PVP and OAm from the surface of the co‐doped Pt NWs. Interestingly, the morphology of poor crystalline platinum nanowires treated with NaBH4 solution is transformed into nanowire networks (NWNs) with higher crystallinity. Furthermore, in comparison with the commercial Pt/C catalyst, the catalytic activity of co‐doped Pt NWNs with clean surfaces shows improvements of up to 4.1 times for mass activity and 5.1 times for specific activity, respectively.
Pulsed Laser Deposition‐based Thin Film Microbatteries
Authors: Fenech Michael , Sharma Neeraj
Published: April 2020

Emerging applications for robust small format or distributed devices feature a need for power and rechargeable lithium‐ion batteries could play a significant role. This review focuses on a high precision technique to controllably grow thin‐film electrodes or full all‐solid‐state batteries, that is, pulsed laser deposition (PLD). The technique and solid‐state batteries are introduced followed by a detailed showcase of the depth of PLD‐based growth undertaken on cathodes, electrolytes, anodes and whole microbatteries. Emphasis is placed on the various characterization techniques available to study PLD grown components and devices, and how interfaces become both critical and arguably easier to probe in PLD grown films or devices. This work provides a perspective on the techniques, its opportunities for electrodes and devices, and how to probe the resulting growth and its evolution in batteries.
Tailored Silicon/Carbon Compounds for Printed Li–Ion Anodes
Authors: Sukkurji Parvathy Anitha , Issac Ibrahim , Singaraju Surya Abhishek , Velasco Leonardo , Hagmann Jasmin Aghassi , Bessler Wolfgang , Hahn Horst , Botros Miriam , Breitung Ben
Published: April 2020

Silicon (Si) has turned out to be a promising active material for next‐generation lithium‐ion battery anodes. Nevertheless, the issues known from Si as electrode material (pulverization effects, volume change etc.) are impeding the development of Si anodes to reach market maturity. In this study, we are investigating a possible application of Si anodes in low‐power printed electronic applications. Tailored Si inks are produced and the impact of carbon coating on the printability and their electrochemical behavior as printed Si anodes is investigated. The printed Si anodes contain active material loadings that are practical for powering printed electronic devices, like electrolyte gated transistors, and are able to show high capacity retentions. A capacity of 1754 mAh/gSi is achieved for a printed Si anode after 100 cycles. Additionally, the direct applicability of the printed Si anodes is shown by successfully powering an ink‐jet printed transistor.
Three‐dimensional biofilm image reconstruction for assessing structural parameters
Authors: Ben‐Sahil Ahmed , Mohamed Abdelrhman , Beyenal Haluk
Published: April 2020

Parameters representing three‐dimensional (3D) biofilm structure are quantified from confocal laser‐scanning microscope (CLSM) images. These 3D parameters describe the distribution of biomass pixels within the space occupied by a biofilm; however, they lack a direct connection to biofilm activity. As a result, researchers choose a handful of parameters without there being a consensus on a standard set of parameters. We hypothesized that a select 3D parameter set could be used to reconstruct a biofilm image and that the reconstructed and original biofilm images would have similar activities. To test this hypothesis, an algorithm was developed to reconstruct a biofilm image with parameters identical to those of the original CLSM image. We introduced an objective method to assess the reconstruction algorithm by comparing the activities of the original and reconstructed biofilm images. We found that biofilm images with identical structural parameters showed nearly identical activities and substrate concentration profiles. This implies that the set containing all common structural parameters can successfully describe biofilm structure. This finding is significant, as it opens the door to the next step, of finding a smaller standard set of biofilm structural parameters that can be used to compare biofilm structure.
Prediction of surgical difficulty in minimally invasive surgery for rectal cancer by use of MRI pelvimetry
Authors: Yamamoto T , Kawada K , Kiyasu Y , Itatani Y , Mizuno R , Hida K , Sakai Y
Published: April 2020

Background

Technical difficulties in rectal surgery are often related to dissection in a limited surgical field. This study investigated the clinical value of MRI pelvimetry in the prediction of surgical difficulty associated with minimally invasive rectal surgery.

Methods

Patients with rectal cancer who underwent laparoscopic or robotic total mesorectal excision between 2005 and 2017 were reviewed retrospectively and categorized according to surgical difficulty on the basis of duration of surgery, conversion to an open procedure, use of the transanal approach, postoperative hospital stay, blood loss and postoperative complications. Preoperative clinical and MRI-related parameters were examined to develop a prediction model to estimate the extent of surgical difficulty, and to compare anastomotic leakage rates in the low- and high-grade surgical difficulty groups. Prognosis was investigated by calculating overall and relapse-free survival, and cumulative local and distant recurrence rates.

Results

Of 121 patients analysed, 104 (86·0 per cent) were categorized into the low-grade group and 17 (14·0 per cent) into the high-grade group. Multivariable analysis indicated that high-grade surgical difficulty was associated with a BMI above 25 kg/m2 (odds ratio (OR) 4·45, P = 0·033), tumour size 45 mm or more (OR 5·42, P = 0·042), anorectal angle 123° or more (OR 5·98, P = 0·028) and pelvic outlet less than 82·7 mm (OR 6·62, P = 0·048). All of these features were used to devise a four-variable scoring model to predict surgical difficulty. In patients categorized as high grade for surgical difficulty, the anastomotic leakage rate was 53 per cent (9 of 17 patients), compared with 9·6 per cent (10 of 104) in the low-grade group (P < 0·001). The high-grade group had a significantly higher local recurrence rate than the low-grade group (P = 0·002).

Conclusion

This study highlights the impact of clinical variables and MRI pelvimetry in the prediction of surgical difficulty in minimally invasive rectal surgery.
Do investors value companies' mandatory nonfinancial risk disclosure? An empirical analysis of the Italian context after the EU Directive
Authors: Veltri Stefania , De Luca Francesco , Phan Ho‐Tan‐Phat
Published: April 2020

In October 2014, the European Union adopted Directive 2014/95/EU (hereafter, EU Directive), mandating companies of a certain size to draft and publish corporate nonfinancial information (NFI) regarding society and the environment. In this study, we examine the mandatory disclosure of nonfinancial (NF) risks by listed Italian companies, as required by the EU Directive, focusing on both the state‐of‐the‐art of such disclosure and its usefulness for investors. For this purpose, the study adopts a two‐staged research approach; in the first stage, we employed a manual meaning‐oriented content analysis to investigate the NF declarations (NFDs) of the listed Italian companies that were obliged to disclose NFI, returning a quality NF risks disclosure index. In the second stage, we used the value relevance methodology to investigate whether the disclosed NF risk information affects the levels of equity prices, through a modified Ohlson model. Our research is one of the first to investigate the value relevance of mandatory disclosures of NF risks following the implementation of the EU Directive, in the Italian context. The research was carried out in 2017, the first year of the directive's application for listed Italian companies. The main findings support a positive association between NF risk information disclosure levels and companies' market value. Moreover, they provide evidence of a significant mediating effect of NF risk on the relationship between financial risks and market value.
Preparing for the unseen threat of infectious disease
Authors: Rahn Josh
Published: April 2020

The spread of COVID‐19, the contagious respiratory disease that's brought the country to a halt, isn't the first, and won't be the last, time institutions of higher learning have to respond to the danger of rapidly spreading infection. Keeping students, faculty, and staff protected from this invisible threat is typically the job of an interdisciplinary team that includes campus public safety, health services, and, often, local agency partners.
A comparative study of hBM‐MSCs' differentiation toward osteogenic lineage in the presence of progesterone and estrogen hormones separately and concurrently in vitro
Authors: Soltanyzadeh Maryam , Ghollasi Marzieh , Halabian Raheleh , Shams Mehdi
Published: April 2020

Promising cell sources for tissue engineering comprise bone marrow derived‐mesenchymal stem cells (BM‐MSCs) that have multiple differentiation potentials. Also, sex hormones act as important elements in bone development and maintenance, and the roles of two female sex steroid hormones known as estrogen (17‐β estradiol) and progesterone in osteogenic differentiation of human BM‐MSCs (hBM‐MSCs) are studied. For this purpose, hBM‐MSCs were treated with a 1 × 10−6 M concentration of 17‐β estradiol and progesterone separately and simultaneously while the optimum concentrations were obtained by 3‐(4,5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐2,5‐diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Osteogenic differentiation tests including measurement of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) enzyme activity, the content of total mineral calcium, mineralized matrix staining by Alizarin Red and Von Kossa solutions, real‐time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR), and immunofluorescence staining were carried out on Days 7 and 14 of differentiation. To exhibit the morphology of the cells, the BM‐MSCs were stained with acridine orange (AO) solution. In this study, the results of ALP activity assay, calcium content and real‐time RT‐PCR assay and also all tests of differentiation staining have shown that 17‐β estradiol has been recognized as an enhancing factor of osteogenic differentiation. Furthermore, MTT assay and AO staining revealed progesterone as a factor that seriously improved the proliferation of hBM‐MSCs. Generally, the 17‐β estradiol individually or in the presence of progesterone has more effects on BM‐MSCs' osteogenic differentiation compared to progesterone alone. In this study, it is indicated that the effect of the 17‐β estradiol and progesterone concurrently was the same as individual 17‐β estradiol on the differentiation of hBM‐MSCs.
Long noncoding RNA SNHG12 promotes vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation and migration via regulating miR‐199a‐5p/HIF‐1α
Authors: Sun Yao , Zhao Jin‐Tao , Chi Bao‐Jin , Wang Kai‐feng
Published: April 2020

The dysregulation of proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) contributes to atherosclerosis (AS) and accumulating reports indicate the crucial role of long noncoding RNA in AS. However, the role of small nucleolar RNA host gene 12 (SNHG12) in regulating the phenotypes of VSMCs and AS remains largely unknown. Quantitative reverse‐transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT‐PCR) was used to detect the expression levels of SNHG12 and miR‐199a‐5p in an in vivo AS model and VSMCs treated by oxidized low‐density lipoprotein (ox‐LDL). The proliferation ability, migration ability, and apoptosis of VSMCs were tested by cell counting kit‐8, Transwell assay, and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling assay, respectively. StarBase database was used to predict the binding sites between miR‐199a‐5p and SNHG12. The interaction between miR‐199a‐5p and SNHG12 was validated by qRT‐PCR, western blot, and luciferase reporter assay. Western blot was used to examine the effects of SNHG12 and miR‐199a‐5p on the expression of hypoxia‐inducible factor 1α (HIF‐1α). We found that the expression level of SNHG12 was significantly increased in the animal model and VSMCs treated by ox‐LDL. Knockdown of SNHG12 suppressed the proliferation and migration abilities of VSMCs, while overexpression of SNHG12 had the opposite effects. Mechanically, we validated that miR‐199a‐5p was a target of SNHG12, and the target gene of miR‐199a‐5p, HIF‐1α could be indirectly and positively regulated by SNHG12. In conclusion, SHNG12 targeting miR‐199a‐5p/HIF‐1α contributed to the pathophysiological process of AS by regulating the phenotypes of VSMCs, and could be a potential therapy target for this disease.
APPL1 as an important regulator of insulin and adiponectin‐signaling pathways in the PCOS: A narrative review
Authors: Artimani Tayebe , Najafi Rezvan
Published: April 2020

Adaptor protein containing a PH domain, PTB domain and leucine zipper motif 1 (APPL1) plays a central role as the main contributing factor in the adiponectin and insulin signaling. This review aims to discuss previous and recent findings concerning the role of APPL1 in the polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) patients with conclusions regarding more efficient therapeutic approaches. A literature review was performed in PubMed, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, Scopus, and Google Scholar from August 1999 to May 2020. This study reveals that APPL1 has a key role in adiponectin, insulin, and follicle‐stimulating hormone signaling pathways occurring within the ovaries. Recent studies in mouse model systems have indicated that APPL1 can prevent diabetes, endothelial disorders, and insulin resistance. In contrast, APPL1 deficiency can lead to the metabolic and vascular disorders. APPL1 due to its potential roles in different signaling pathways might be suggested as a novel diagnostic and therapeutic option for prediction of ovarian dysfunctions and treatment of reproductive disorders, especially PCOS.
In vitro and in vivo studies of cancer cell behavior under nutrient deprivation
Authors: Ahmadiankia Naghmeh
Published: April 2020

Cancer cells are confronted with nutrient deprivation because of high proliferation rate, especially at the early stage of their development. There is a frequent assumption that nutrient deprivation decreases the basal activity of cancer cells. Contrarily, there are recent evidence suggesting that cancer cells are able to modulate signaling pathways to adapt with new condition and continue their survival. This property of cancer cells is believed to be one of the prerequisites for cancer progression and chemoresistance. Moreover, recent experiments show that serum starvation in vitro as a mimic situation of nutrient deprivation in vivo triggers different signaling pathways leading to changes in cancer cell behavior, which may interfere with experimental results. Considering these facts, a better understanding of the effect of nutrient deprivation on cancer cell behavior will help us to give more accurate conclusions regarding results of in vitro studies and also to develop new strategies to treat different cancers in vivo.
Dasatinib‐induced hypoglycemia in a patient with acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Authors: Lundholm Michelle D. , Charnogursky Gerald A.
Published: April 2020

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors can cause significant hypoglycemia in patients with diabetes on other antihyperglycemic medications. These patients should be monitored, and their medications adjusted accordingly.
Development of Plasmonic Photocatalyst by Site‐selective Loading of Bimetallic Nanoparticles of Au and Ag on Titanium(IV) Oxide
Authors: Zheng Zhi , Murakami Naoya , Liu Jingjing , Teng Zhenyuan , Zhang Qitao , Cao Yu , Cheng Honghui , Ohno Teruhisa
Published: April 2020

Morphology‐controlled rutile titanium(IV) oxide (TiO2) and anatase TiO2 were prepared by a hydrothermal method and their surfaces were selectively loaded with Au, Ag and AuAg bimetallic nanoparticles (NPs) by photo‐deposition in order to obtain visible‐light responsive photocatalysts. With the help of local surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) of noble metal NPs, the photocatalytic activity of noble metal‐loaded TiO2 under visible‐light irradiation was improved compared to that of bare TiO2. The enhancement of LSPR on the photocatalytic activity of rutile TiO2 was larger than that of anatase TiO2 with optimum amount of Au or AuAg. In addition, the reusability (stability) of AuAg‐loaded TiO2 was much better than that of Ag‐loaded TiO2. Double‐beam photoacoustic results confirmed different trap energy level distribution lead to different electron transfer ways, resulting in different oxidizing capabilities and they gave one of important strategies for designing visible‐light responsive TiO2.
How to Engineer Organic Solvent Resistant Enzymes: Insights from Combined Molecular Dynamics and Directed Evolution Study
Authors: Cui Haiyang , Stadtmüller Tom H. J. , Jiang Qianjia , Jaeger Karl‐Erich , Schwaneberg Ulrich , Davari Mehdi D.
Published: April 2020

Expanding synthetic capabilities to routinely employ enzymes in organic solvents (OSs) is a dream for protein engineers and synthetic chemists. Despite significant advances in the field of protein engineering, general and transferable design principles to improve the OS resistance of enzymes are poorly understood. Herein, we report a combined computational and directed evolution study of Bacillus subtlis lipase A (BSLA) in three OSs (i. e., 1,4‐dioxane, dimethyl sulfoxide, 2,2,2‐trifluoroethanol) to devise a rational strategy to guide engineering OS resistant enzymes. Molecular dynamics simulations showed that OSs reduce BSLA activity and resistance in OSs by (i) stripping off essential water molecules from the BLSA surface mainly through H‐bonds binding; and (ii) penetrating the substrate binding cleft leading to inhibition and conformational change. Interestingly, integration of computational results with “BSLA‐SSM” variant library (3439 variants; all natural diversity with amino acid exchange) revealed two complementary rational design strategies: (i) surface charge engineering, and (ii) substrate binding cleft engineering. These strategies are most likely applicable to stabilize other lipases and enzymes and assist experimentalists to design organic solvent resistant enzymes with reduced time and screening effort in lab experiments.