bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Media Reports on China’s Economy: A Critical Discourse Analysis
Authors: Wang Sue
Published: November 2019

Today, the news reports by the mainstream media in Britain and the United States play an important role in the international arena. As a research area of critical discourse analysis, news discourse has attracted much attention. This study selected research materials from a series of reports by The Economist, a well-known international business and finance magazine, on China’s economic development. The appraisal theory and its three subsystems are used as the analysis framework. The study explores the discourse resource choices and the characteristics of the magazine’s evaluation resources in its economic reports on China. By analyzing and understanding the evaluation resources of foreign media on China’s economy reports, the study attempts to demonstrate the implicit messages behind the discourse resources so as to help the readers better understand the evaluation of foreign media on China’s economy, and analyze the channels for their realization, so as to improve readers’ critical reading ability.
The Translatability of Metaphor in Eliot’s The Waste Land: A Comparative Approach
Authors: Ayassrah Mohamed Ayed Ibrahim , Azmi Mohd Nazri Latiff
Published: November 2019

There is an obvious gap in studying the translatability of metaphor in modern English poetry, particularly in Eliot’s The Waste Land. Furthermore, it is observed that most previous studies about metaphor are in and for English, and only few ones have tackled the translatability of metaphor into another language. However, the current study aims to explore this phenomenon in Eliot’s The Waste Land and three of its Arabic translations. All metaphors of The Waste Land and its three translations are identified, studied and classified into juxtaposed tables to facilitate the comparative process. Then, an assessment of each translation is made to be compared to the original text and the other translations. This comparison aims at identifying the translatability of metaphor in The Waste Land, the most and least used strategy and how the three translators have dealt with the original text. The study also shows that the three translators could translate most of Eliot’s metaphors into Arabic analogous metaphors; Lu’lu’ah uses this strategy the most and Raghib the least. Furthermore, the strategy of paraphrasing the metaphor is used more than the second one (11 cases). Finally, this study suggests three recommendations for further upcoming studies. The first one is: Conducting a comparative study on using metaphor in the spoken languages or dialects of two different societies (the Jordanian and British, for instance). The second is: Exploring this phenomenon in students’ everyday language; and the third is: Investigating the ability of English language students in rendering metaphor from English into Arabic.
Gender Budgeting Implementation in Italian Regional Governments: Institutional Behavior for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment
Authors: Gesso Carla Del
Published: November 2019

Gender budgeting has great potential to promote the United Nations 2030 Agenda concerning gender equality and women’s empowerment. This article shares some reflections on the need to implement and institutionalize gender budgeting at the regional level, both by embedding gender issues into the overall regional government budgetary process and by promoting gender equality disclosures. An empirical insight into the institutional behavior of Italian regional governments is provided. The study seeks to understand how the gender perspective is integrated into the governmental strategy that informs the entire budgetary cycle of Italian regional governments, by performing a thematic analysis of the key regional planning documents. The local promotion of gender budgeting implementation through institutional norms and the practice of gender performance reporting in Italian regional governments are also addressed. The results highlight that although there are differing degrees of commitment to gender equality and women’s advancement within the regions, the gender perspective is quite homogeneously integrated into the governmental strategy. Four gendered transversal thematic priorities are identified: the encouragement of women’s employment, the promotion of equal gender opportunities, the enhancement of social inclusion, and the combatting of gender-based violence. Furthermore, although nine regional laws establish gender performance reporting, additional reporting tools integrating non-financial information on gender issues are included solely in a small part of the regional government performance reporting systems. A greater organizational and cultural commitment to the institutionalization of the gender budgeting idea is needed in order to allow stakeholders to appreciate the government’s value outcomes in all their dimensions, including the gender-related social dimension.
Review of The Routledge Handbook of Metaphor and Language
Authors: Wang Fanju , Xu Zhiyuan
Published: November 2019

The Routledge Handbook of Metaphor and Language co-authored by Elena Semino & Zsófia Demjén (2017) comprehensively outlines the most recent advancements on research on metaphor and language from an interdisciplinary and multidimensional perspective. This article first makes an introduction of the book, then comments on its strengths and limitations.
Sustainability Index of Mining: A Case Study in Two Companies
Authors: Pereira Aline Aparecida Silva , Salgado Eduardo Gomes , Mincato Ronaldo Luiz , Alvarenga Augusto Duarte , Borges Luis Antônio Coimbra
Published: November 2019

Since the inclusion of mineral exploration as an activity with sustainable potential in Agenda 21, the development of metrics to evaluate and monitor the sector has been deemed necessary. Thus, to obtain accurate information and to develop an evaluation index, a set of indicators based on the Triple Bottom Line was selected. The methodology based on Gravity, Urgency and Trend (GUT Matrix), developed in 1981 by Kepner and Tregoe, was used to evaluate the weights assigned to the indicators. The results were organized according to the level of relevance of the environmental, social and economic criteria at levels 4, 3 and 2, respectively. A ranking was created among the indicators of each criterion that gave rise to the proposed evaluation index. Through a qualitative analysis, it was possible to validate the proposed index as to its efficiency, applicability, ability to reverse the current situation of the sector and monitoring of the exploration activity, proposing improvements & enabling the minimization of negative impacts. Finally, understand that it is possible to accept mining as a sustainable activity.
A Contextual Review on the Evolution of Corporate Social Responsibility
Authors: Teck Tan Seng , Ayadurai Selvamalar , Chua William
Published: November 2019

This article attempts the perilous tasks of reviewing corporate social responsibility. Reviewing those literatures is a notorious challenge because corporate social responsibility has developed inconsistently. Authors that insist a precise definition are often disappointed because corporate social responsibility is a relative concept. It has never assumed a stagnated role. To encaptivate this review, this article peruses corporate social responsibility from a contextual approach. It reviews the development of corporate social responsibility at every stage of its evolution by addressing three contextual conundrums. Firstly, it peruses the motivational construct at every stage of development. This provides a critical insight on why corporate social responsibility was fashioned as such by analysing them contextually. Secondly, this review examines stakeholder inclusiveness at each epoch of development. This again critically exposes the category of beneficiaries included in each stage of progress categorising the evolution of their beneficiaries. Lastly, this work examines the extent of instutionalisation of corporate social responsibility illustrating the pattern in which the concept received legal and social acclamation. By addressing these three scopes, this article hopes to protrude categorically the contextual influence on corporate social responsibility so that reader(s) might understand at a deeper level the contextual reasoning and deduction on how the concept is shaped and reshaped.
Metaplastic Breast Carcinoma: Update on Histopathology and Molecular Alterations
Authors: McMullen Emily R. , Zoumberos Nicholas A. , Kleer Celina G.
Published: November 2019

Context—

Metaplastic carcinoma is a rare, triple-negative carcinoma of the breast that exhibits transformation of part or all of its glandular carcinomatous component into a nonglandular, or metaplastic, component. The World Health Organization currently recognizes 5 variants of metaplastic carcinoma based on their histologic appearance.

Objective—

To review the histologic classifications, differential diagnosis, prognosis, and recent laboratory studies of metaplastic breast carcinoma.

Data Sources.—

We reviewed recently published studies that collectively examine metaplastic carcinomas, including results from our own research.

Conclusions.—

Metaplastic breast carcinoma has a broad spectrum of histologic patterns, often leading to a broad differential diagnosis. Diagnosis can typically be rendered by a combination of morphology and immunohistochemical staining for high-molecular-weight cytokeratins and p63. Recent studies elucidate new genes and pathways involved in the pathogenesis of metaplastic carcinoma, including the downregulation of CCN6 and WNT pathway gene mutations, and provide a novel MMTV-Cre;Ccn6fl/fl knockout disease-relevant mouse model to test new therapies.
ViSiElse: An innovative R-package to visualize raw behavioral data over time
Authors: Garnier Elodie M , Fouret Nastasia , Descoins Médéric
Published: November 2019

The scientific community encourages the use of raw data graphs to improve the reliability and transparency of the results presented in articles. However, the current methods used to visualize raw data are limited to one or two numerical variables per graph and/or small sample sizes. In the behavioral sciences, numerous variables must be plotted together in order to gain insight into the behavior in question. In this paper, we present ViSiElse, an R-package offering a new approach in the visualization of raw data. ViSiElse was developed with the open-source software R to visualize behavioral observations over time based on raw time data extracted from visually recorded sessions of experimental observations. ViSiElse gives a global overview of a process by creating a visualization of the timestamps for multiple actions and all participants into a single graph; individual or group behavior can then be easily assessed. Additional features allow users to further inspect their data by including summary statistics and time constraints.
Asymmetrical diversification of the receptor-ligand interaction controlling self-incompatibility in Arabidopsis
Authors: Chantreau Maxime , Poux Céline , Lensink Marc F , Brysbaert Guillaume , Vekemans Xavier , Castric Vincent
Published: November 2019

How two-component genetic systems accumulate evolutionary novelty and diversify in the course of evolution is a fundamental problem in evolutionary systems biology. In the Brassicaceae, self-incompatibility (SI) is a spectacular example of a diversified allelic series in which numerous highly diverged receptor-ligand combinations are segregating in natural populations. However, the evolutionary mechanisms by which new SI specificities arise have remained elusive. Using in planta ancestral protein reconstruction, we demonstrate that two allelic variants segregating as distinct receptor-ligand combinations diverged through an asymmetrical process whereby one variant has retained the same recognition specificity as their (now extinct) putative ancestor, while the other has functionally diverged and now represents a novel specificity no longer recognized by the ancestor. Examination of the structural determinants of the shift in binding specificity suggests that qualitative rather than quantitative changes of the interaction are an important source of evolutionary novelty in this highly diversified receptor-ligand system.
Introducing a new tool to navigate, understand and use International Codes of Nomenclature
Authors: Vlachos Evangelos
Published: November 2019

Background

In order to designate the various concepts of taxa in biology, evolution and paleontology, scientists have developed various rules on how to create unique names for taxa. Different Codes of Nomenclature have been developed for animals, plants, fungi, bacteria etc., with standard sets of Rules that govern the formation, publication and application of the nomina of extant and extinct species. These Codes are the result of decades of discussions, workshops, publications and revisions. The structure and complexity of these Codes have been criticized many times by zoologists. This project aims, using the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature as a case study, to show that the structure of these Codes is better reflected and understood as networks.

Methods

The majority of the text of the Code has been divided into hundreds of Nodes of different types, connected to each other with different types of Edges to form a network. The various mathematical descriptors of the entire system, as well as for the elements of the network, have been conceptually framed to help describing and understanding the Code as a network.

Results

The network of the Code comprises 1,379 Nodes, which are connected with 11,276 Edges. The structure of the Code can be accurately described as a network, a mathematical structure that is better suited than any kind of linear text publication to reflect its structure.

Discussion

Thinking of the Code as a network allows a better, in-depth understanding of the Code itself, as the user can navigate in a more efficient way, as well as to depict and analyze all the implied connections between the various parts of the Code that are not visible immediately. The network of the Code is an open access tool that could also help teaching, using and disseminating the Code. More importantly, this network is a powerful tool that allows identifyinga priorithe parts of the Code that could be potentially affected by upcoming amendment and revisions. This kind of analysis is not limited to nomenclature, as it could be applied to other fields that use complex textbooks with long editing history, such as Law, Medicine and Linguistics.
Prelacteal Feeding Practices of Mothers Attending Infant Welfare Clinic in a Tertiary Hospital in Port Harcourt, Nigeria
Authors: Opara P. I. , Alex-Hart B. A.
Published: November 2019

Background: Breastfeeding pattern established in the immediate neonatal period is a determinant of long term breastfeeding behaviour.

Objectives: To determine prelacteal feeding practices of mothers attending the Infant Welfare Clinic of a tertiary hospital in Port Harcourt, Nigeria.

Subjects and Methods: This was a cross sectional hospital based study carried out over a 3 month period. A structured, self-administered questionnaire was distributed to mothers whose babies were 0 to 6 months old, who visited the infant welfare clinics of the hospital for any of the child health services such as immunization, nutrition counselling, weighing and vitamin A supplementation. Questions asked included socio-demographics, the first feeds given immediately after birth, how long it took to commence breastfeeding and reasons for giving any feeds other than breast milk.

Results: A total of 207 mothers participated in this study, mean age 30.73±4.129SD. 146 (70.5%) mothers gave breast milk as the first feeds to their babies while 61(29.5%) gave prelacteal feeds. Fifty eight (28%) of the babies were put to breast within 2-12 hours after delivery. There was a significant positive relationship between time to first breast feed and administration of prelacteal feeds (p = 0.000).

Reasons for giving substances other than breast milk included poor or no lactation and caesarian section delivery. The commonest reason for not giving breast milk as the first feed was because breast milk did not flow. Factors which positively influenced giving breastmilk as the first feed included maternal level of education (p=0.018), delivery in government health facilities (p=0.00) and having vaginal delivery (p=0.008). 

Conclusion: Prelacteal feeding practice is common among mothers in Port Harcourt. Time to first breast feed, mode of delivery and place of delivery were some of the factors that influenced use of prelacteal feeds.
The Mgr2 subunit of the TIM23 complex regulates membrane insertion of marginal stop‐transfer signals in the mitochondrial inner membrane
Authors: Lee Seoeun , Lee Hunsang , Yoo Suji , Ieva Raffaele , van der Laan Martin , von Heijne Gunnar , Kim Hyun
Published: November 2019

The TIM23 complex mediates membrane insertion of presequence‐containing mitochondrial proteins via a stop‐transfer mechanism. Stop‐transfer signals consist of hydrophobic transmembrane segments and flanking charges. Mgr2 functions as a lateral gatekeeper of the TIM23 complex. However, it remains elusive which features of stop‐transfer signals are discriminated by Mgr2. To determine the effects of Mgr2 on the TIM23‐mediated stop‐transfer pathway, we measured membrane insertion of model transmembrane segments of varied hydrophobicity and flanking charges in Mgr2‐deletion or ‐overexpression yeast strains. We found that upon deletion of Mgr2, the threshold hydrophobicity for membrane insertion, as well as the requirement for matrix‐facing positive charges, is reduced. These results imply that the Mgr2‐mediated gatekeeper function is important for controlling membrane sorting of marginal stop‐transfer signals.
Understanding Film Thickness‐Dependent Block Copolymer Self‐Assembly by Controlled Polymer Dewetting on Prepatterned Surfaces
Authors: Brassat Katharina , Kool Daniel , Nallet Colin G. A. , Lindner Jörg K. N.
Published: November 2019

Block copolymer (BCP) lithography is a versatile bottom‐up approach for the creation of regular nanoscale patterns on large surface areas. The pattern morphology evolving during the microphase separation of a BCP is strongly dependent on the polymer film thickness. Thus, surface wetting as well as interfacial energies between polymer and substrate determine the polymer behavior, however, the complex interplay of those effects is not yet fully understood. In this work, a model describing the film thickness dependence of BCP self‐assembly on prepatterned surfaces is proposed. Polymer dewetting on nanohole‐patterned surfaces is controlled using different prepattern dimensions, polymer amounts, and microphase‐separation temperatures. This is found to allow for a precise local film thickness modulation and thus allows to guide BCP self‐assembly into arrays of tailored hierarchical nanoarchitectures. Analytical calculations of the total surface free energies of the microphase‐separated polymer of different film thicknesses confined inside nanoholes confirm the model. The insights contribute to the understanding of fundamental processes in polymer dewetting and BCP self‐assembly and allow for the controlled creation of advanced hierarchical nanostructures on large areas for applications in optics, plasmonics, and biomedical devices.
Diffusion‐Limited C‐Rate: A Fundamental Principle Quantifying the Intrinsic Limits of Li‐Ion Batteries
Authors: Heubner Christian , Schneider Michael , Michaelis Alexander
Published: November 2019

The critical challenge for the user acceptance of electric vehicles is the simultaneous improvement of the driving range and fast charging capabilities, which are related to the energy and power density of the storage device. Lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) are currently the most promising candidate to push electric vehicles toward the mass market. However, they suffer from a tradeoff between energy and power density, forbidding arbitrary combinations of high storage capacity and fast charging capability. Herein, a simple electrochemical principle describing the intrinsic limits of LIBs is reported. It is deduced that the tradeoff between energy and power density originates from diffusion limitations in the electrolyte. The electrochemical approach of diffusion‐limited current density is adapted to porous Li‐ion insertion electrodes, resulting in the “diffusion‐limited C‐rate” (DLC). The theoretical considerations are in excellent agreement with experimentally observed rate limitations of a large number of electrodes with different active materials and varying design parameters. While the C‐rate drawn from an LIB cannot be higher than the DLC without significant capacity decline, parameter variations that improve the DLC reduce the nominal specific capacity. This relationship makes the DLC a fundamental quantity revealing the most expedient optimization approaches and promising directions for future battery research and development.
1,1‐Diphenylvinylsulfide as a Functional AIEgen Derived from the Aggregation‐Caused‐Quenching Molecule 1,1‐Diphenylethene through Simple Thioetherification
Authors: Wang Bo‐Wen , Jiang Kai , Li Jian‐Xiao , Luo Shi‐He , Wang Zhao‐Yang , Jiang Huan‐Feng
Published: November 2019

An efficient and readily scalable thioetherification between 1,1‐diphenylethene (DPE) and sodium arylsulfinate was developed for the synthesis of 1,1‐diphenylvinylsulfide (DPVS) with the yield up to 99 %. The photophysical properties of DPVS show that the introduction of arylsulfenyl groups onto the parent molecule DPE makes DPVS a novel type of aggregation‐induced emission (AIE) luminogen (AIEgen) with large Stoke's shift (up to 188 nm). These DPVS possess AIE properties due to restriction of intramolecular motions (RIM), as demonstrated by crystal structure analysis. Importantly, the AIE performance of DPVS can be applied to sense the nitroaromatic explosive picric acid in aqueous systems through a “turn‐off” response.
Aromaticity‐promoted CO2 Capture by P/N‐Based Frustrated Lewis Pairs: A Theoretical Study
Authors: Zhuang Danling , Rouf Alvi Muhammad , Li Yuanyuan , Dai Chenshu , Zhu Jun
Published: November 2019

Carbon dioxide (CO2, a common combustion pollutant) releasing continuously into the atmosphere is primarily responsible for the rising atmospheric temperature. Therefore, CO2 sequestration has been an indispensable area of research for the past several decades. On the other hand, the concept of aromaticity is often employed in designing chemical reactions and metal‐free frustrated Lewis pairs (FLPs) have proved ideal reagents to achieve CO2 reduction. However, considering FLP and aromaticity together is less developed in CO2 capture. Here we report theoretical investigations on the aromaticity‐promoted CO2 activation, involving heterocyclopentadiene‐bridged P/N‐FLPs. The calculations reveal that furan‐ and pyrrole‐bridged P/N‐FLPs can make CO2 capture both thermodynamically and kinetically favorable (with activation energies of 5.4–7.7 kcal mol−1) due to the aromatic stabilization of the transition states and products. Our findings could open an avenue to the design of novel FLPs for CO2 capture.
Applications of Activity‐Based Protein Profiling (ABPP) and Bioimaging in Drug Discovery
Authors: Xu Jiaqian , Li Xiaoqian , Ding Ke , Li Zhengqiu
Published: November 2019

Activity‐based protein profiling (ABPP) and bioimaging have been developed in recent years as powerful technologies in drug discovery. Specifically, both approaches can be applied in critical steps of drug development, such as therapy target discovery, high‐throughput drug screening and target identification of bioactive molecules. We have been focused on the development of various strategies that enable simultaneous activity‐based protein profiling and bioimaging studies, thus facilitating an understanding of drug actions and potential toxicities. In this Minireview, we summarize these novel strategies and applications, with the aim of promoting these technologies in drug discovery.
Removal of Heavy Metals from Water Using Chicken Egg Shell Powder as a Bio‐Adsorbent
Authors: Kim Daeik , Hwang Sun‐Jin , Kim Youngjung , Jeong Cheol Ho , Hong Yong Pyo , Ryoo Keon Sang
Published: November 2019

Chicken egg shell powder (CESP) was exploited as a bio‐adsorbent to get rid of heavy metals such as Pb2+, Cd2+, and Cr3+ from water. The BET surface area, surface image and elemental information, mineral type, and thermal changes of CESP were examined by BET surface analyzer, field emission scanning electron microscope/energy dispersive X‐ray spectrometer (FESEM/EDX), X‐ray diffractometer (XRD), and thermal gravimetric analysis (TG‐DTA), respectively. The batch adsorption experiments of heavy metals on CESP were investigated by varying initial heavy metal concentrations, contact time and CESP dosage. At initial heavy metal concentration of 50 mg/L tested, the adsorption rate of Pb2+ was much faster than Cd2+ and Cr3+ and its removal efficiency showed more than 99% at 2.5 g of CESP dosage and 4 h of contact time. In the studied conditions, the adsorption capacity of CESP followed the order of Pb2+ > Cr3+ > Cd2+ in system mixed with three heavy metals. The experimental data for adsorption kinetics and isotherm were evaluated by using pseudo‐first‐order and pseudo‐second‐order kinetic models and Freundlich and Langmuir isotherm models, respectively. The overall outcomes showed that the pseudo‐second‐order kinetics and the Langmuir isotherm models were applied well to the adsorption experimental data acquired in this study. Through this study, the CESP are thought to be an effective bio‐adsorbent material on heavy metals because of the low‐cost, the high adsorption capacity, the easy acquisition, and the absence of pretreatment for surface modification.
Quantitative flow ratio virtual stenting and post stenting correlations to post stenting fractional flow reserve measurements from the DOCTORS (Does Optical Coherence Tomography Optimize Results of Stenting) study population
Authors: Rubimbura Vladimir , Guillon Benoit , Fournier Stéphane , Amabile Nicolas , Chi Pan Chan , Combaret Nicolas , Eeckhout Eric , Kibler Marion , Silvain Johanne , Wijns William , Schiele Francois , Muller Olivier , Meneveau Nicolas , Adjedj Julien
Published: November 2019

Objective

We sought to evaluate the correlations of pre‐PCI QFR analysis with virtual PCI called residual QFR and post‐PCI QFR compared to post‐PCI FFR.

Background

Quantitative flow ratio (QFR) is a computation of fractional flow reserve (FFR) based on angiography without use of a pressure wire. The ability to evaluate post‐PCI FFR using pre‐PCI QFR analysis with a virtual PCI and the correlation between post‐PCI QFR compared to post‐PCI FFR remains unknown.

Methods

From the DOCTORS (Does Optical Coherence Tomography Optimize Results of Stenting) study population, we blindly analyzed residual QFR and post‐PCI QFR from angiographies and compared them to post‐PCI FFR.

Results

Ninety‐three post‐PCI QFR measurements and 84 pre‐PCI residual QFR measurements were compared to post‐PCI FFR measurements. No significant difference were observed between mean post‐PCI FFR value (0.92 ± 0.05) compared to mean residual (0.93 ± 0.05) QFR and between mean post‐PCI FFR value compared to mean post‐PCI QFR values were (0.93 ± 0.05) (p > .05 for both). The correlation coefficient of residual QFR with post‐PCI FFR was 0.68 (95% CI: 0.53–0.78) and the correlation coefficient of post‐PCI‐QFR with post‐PCI FFR was 0.79 (95% CI: 0.70–0.86).

Conclusions

Residual QFR corresponding to pre‐PCI QFR analysis with virtual PCI, and post‐PCI QFR analysis, correlated well with post‐PCI FFR. Further studies are needed to prospectively validate a QFR‐guided PCI strategy.
Computational NMR Spectra of o‐Benzyne and Stable Guests and Their Hemicarceplexes
Authors: Castro Abril C. , Romero‐Rivera Adrian , Osuna Sílvia , Houk K. N. , Swart Marcel
Published: November 2019

The incarceration of o‐benzyne and 27 other guest molecules within hemicarcerand 1, as reported experimentally by Warmuth, and Cram and co‐workers, has been studied by density functional theory (DFT). The 1H NMR chemical shifts, rotational mobility, and conformational preference of the guests within the supramolecular cage were determined, which showed intriguing correlations of the chemical shifts with structural parameters of the host–guest system. Furthermore, based on the computed chemical shifts reassignments of some NMR signals are proposed. This affects, in particular, the putative characterization of the volatile benzyne molecule inside a hemicarcerand, for which our CCSD(T) and KT2 results indicate that the experimentally observed signals are most likely not resulting from an isolated o‐benzyne within the supramolecular host. Instead, it is shown that the guest reacted with an aromatic ring of the host, and this adduct is responsible for the experimentally observed signals.
Anion‐Coordination‐Assisted Assembly of Supramolecular Charge‐Transfer Complexes Based on Tris(urea) Ligands
Authors: Zhang Dan , Hou Le‐Kai , Zhang Qiang , He Jia‐Wei , Feng Hong‐Jian , Würthner Frank , Yang Xiao‐Juan , Wu Biao
Published: November 2019

Charge‐transfer (CT) complexes, formed by noncovalent bonding between electron‐rich (donor, D) and electron‐deficient (acceptor, A) molecules (or moieties) have attracted considerable attention due to their fascinating structures and potential applications. Herein, we demonstrate that anion coordination is a promising strategy to promote CT complex formation between anion‐binding, electron‐rich tris(urea) donor ligands (D) and electron‐deficient viologen cation acceptors (A), which form co‐crystals featuring infinite ⋅⋅⋅DADA⋅⋅⋅ or discrete (circular DADA or three‐decker DAD) π‐stacking interactions. These CT complexes were studied by X‐ray diffraction, UV/Vis spectroscopy, electric conductivity measurements, charge displacement curve (CDC) calculations, and DFT computations.
Effect of substrate geometry and flow condition on the turbulence generation after a monolith
Authors: Cornejo Ivan , Nikrityuk Petr , Hayes Robert E.
Published: November 2019

This paper reports a study of turbulence generation after a monolith honeycomb. Large eddy simulation is used to analyze the turbulence generated when steady, turbulent, or pulsating flow leaves a monolith channel. Substrates with different cell densities, wall thicknesses, and channel cross‐sectional shapes are investigated. The results show that the magnitude of the turbulence generated depends on the wall thickness and monolith void fraction, though not much on the cell density. For pulsating flow, different frequency of the pulsations produced only slightly different results, however, the amplitude of the pulsations is proportional to the magnitude of the turbulence generated. The outflow of the channels can act as a jet and trigger turbulence along a distance from 10 to 30 channel diameters, significantly affecting the total pressure drop and the inlet conditions for elements in series downstream, such as particulate filters or other substrates.
Highly Porous Hybrid Metal–Organic Nanoparticles Loaded with Gemcitabine Monophosphate: a Multimodal Approach to Improve Chemo‐ and Radiotherapy
Authors: Li Xue , Porcel Erika , Menendez‐Miranda Mario , Qiu Jingwen , Yang Xiaomin , Serre Christian , Pastor Alexandra , Desmaële Didier , Lacombe Sandrine , Gref Ruxandra
Published: November 2019

Nanomedicine recently emerged as a novel strategy to improve the performance of radiotherapy. Herein we report the first application of radioenhancers made of nanoscale metal‐organic frameworks (nanoMOFs), loaded with gemcitabine monophosphate (Gem‐MP), a radiosensitizing anticancer drug. Iron trimesate nanoMOFs possess a regular porous structure with oxocentered Fe trimers separated by around 5 Å (trimesate linkers). This porosity is favorable to diffuse the electrons emitted from nanoMOFs due to activation by γ radiation, leading to water radiolysis and generation of hydroxyl radicals which create nanoscale damages in cancer cells. Moreover, nanoMOFs act as “Trojan horses”, carrying their Gem‐MP cargo inside cancer cells to interfere with DNA repair. By displaying different mechanisms of action, both nanoMOFs and incorporated Gem‐MP contribute to improve radiation efficacy. The radiation enhancement factor of Gem‐MP loaded nanoMOFs reaches 1.8, one of the highest values ever reported. These results pave the way toward the design of engineered nanoparticles in which each component plays a role in cancer treatment by radiotherapy.
Self‐Assembly and Neurotoxicity of β‐Amyloid (21–40) Peptide Fragment: The Regulatory Role of GxxxG Motifs
Authors: Sarkar Dibakar , Chakraborty Ipsita , Condorelli Marcello , Ghosh Baijayanti , Mass Thorben , Weingarth Markus , Mandal Atin K , La Rosa Carmelo , Subramanian Vivekanandan , Bhunia Anirban
Published: November 2019

The three GxxxG repeating motifs from the C‐terminal region of β‐amyloid (Aβ) peptide play a significant role in regulating the aggregation kinetics of the peptide. Mutation of these glycine residues to leucine greatly accelerates the fibrillation process but generates a varied toxicity profile. Using an array of biophysical techniques, we demonstrated the uniqueness of the composite glycine residues in these structural repeats. We used solvent relaxation NMR spectroscopy to investigate the role played by the surrounding water molecules in determining the corresponding aggregation pathway. Notably, the conformational changes induced by Gly33 and Gly37 mutations result in significantly decreased toxicity in a neuronal cell line. Our results indicate that G33xxxG37 is the primary motif responsible for Aβ neurotoxicity, hence providing a direct structure–function correlation. Targeting this motif, therefore, can be a promising strategy to prevent neuronal cell death associated with Alzheimer's and other related diseases, such as type II diabetes and Parkinson's.
Cytoarchitecture and myeloarchitecture of the entorhinal cortex of the common marmoset monkey (Callithrix jacchus)
Authors: de Góis Morais Paulo L. A. , de Lima Ruthnaldo R. M. , Ríos‐Flórez Jorge A. , Melo Túlio F. V. , Clascá Francisco , de Souza Cavalcante Jeferson , Guzen Fausto P. , Cavalcanti José R. L. P. , Nascimento Junior Expedito S.
Published: November 2019

The entorhinal cortex (EC) is associated with impaired cognitive function such as in the case of Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and Huntington's disease. The present study provides a detailed analysis of the cytoarchitectural and myeloarchitectural organization of the EC in the common marmoset Callithrix jacchus. Data were collected using Nissl and fiber stained preparations, supplemented with acetylcholinesterase and parvalbumin immunohistochemistry. The EC layers and subfields in the marmoset seem to be architectonically similar to those that have been proposed in nonhuman primates and humans to date; however, slight differences could be revealed using the present techniques. Throughout its rostrocaudal length, the entorhinal cortex presents a clear six‐layered pattern. The entorhinal cortex is divided into six fields, named mainly in accordance to their rostrocaudal and mediolateral positions. At rostral levels, the neurons tend to be organized in patches that are surrounded by large, thick, radially oriented bundles of fibers, and the deep layers are poorly developed. At caudal levels, the divisions are more laminated in appearance. AChE staining at the borders of adjacent fields are consistent with the changes in layering revealed in Nissl‐stained sections, of which the lateral regions of the EC display denser AChE staining than that of the medial banks. PV immunoreactivity was found in the labeled somata, dendrites, and axons in all layers and subdivisions. Additionally, we distinguished three subtypes of PV‐immunoreactive neurons: multipolar, bipolar and spherical‐shaped neurons, based on the shape of the somata and the disposition of the dendrites.
Genetic Risk Scores
Authors: Igo Robert P. , Kinzy Tyler G. , Cooke Bailey Jessica N.
Published: November 2019

Genome‐wide variation data with millions of genetic markers have become commonplace. However, the potential for interpretation and application of these data for clinical assessment of outcomes of interest, and prediction of disease risk, is currently not fully realized. Many common complex diseases now have numerous, well‐established risk loci and likely harbor many genetic determinants with effects too small to be detected at genome‐wide levels of statistical significance. A simple and intuitive approach for converting genetic data to a predictive measure of disease susceptibility is to aggregate the effects of these loci into a single measure, the genetic risk score. Here, we describe some common methods and software packages for calculating genetic risk scores and polygenic risk scores, with focus on studies of common complex diseases. We review the basic information needed, as well as important considerations for constructing genetic risk scores, including specific requirements for phenotypic and genetic data, and limitations in their application. © 2019 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Long‐term effects of Na+/Ca2+ exchanger inhibition with ORM‐11035 improves cardiac function and remodelling without lowering blood pressure in a model of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction
Authors: Primessnig Uwe , Bracic Taja , Levijoki Jouko , Otsomaa Leena , Pollesello Piero , Falcke Martin , Pieske Burkert , Heinzel Frank R.
Published: November 2019

Aims

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is increasingly common but there is currently no established pharmacological therapy. We hypothesized that ORM‐11035, a novel specific Na+/Ca2+ exchanger (NCX) inhibitor, improves cardiac function and remodelling independent of effects on arterial blood pressure in a model of cardiorenal HFpEF.

Methods and results

Rats were subjected to subtotal nephrectomy (NXT) or sham operation. Eight weeks after intervention, treatment for 16 weeks with ORM‐11035 (1 mg/kg body weight) or vehicle was initiated. At 24 weeks, blood pressure measurements, echocardiography and pressure–volume loops were performed. Contractile function, Ca2+ transients and NCX‐mediated Ca2+ extrusion were measured in isolated ventricular cardiomyocytes. NXT rats (untreated) showed a HFpEF phenotype with left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy, LV end‐diastolic pressure (LVEDP) elevation, increased brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels, preserved ejection fraction and pulmonary congestion. In cardiomyocytes from untreated NXT rats, early relaxation was prolonged and NCX‐mediated Ca2+ extrusion was decreased. Chronic treatment with ORM‐11035 significantly reduced LV hypertrophy and cardiac remodelling without lowering systolic blood pressure. LVEDP [14 ± 3 vs. 9 ± 2 mmHg; NXT (n = 12) vs. NXT + ORM (n = 12); P = 0.0002] and BNP levels [71 ± 12 vs. 49 ± 11 pg/mL; NXT (n = 12) vs. NXT + ORM (n = 12); P < 0.0001] were reduced after ORM treatment. LV cardiomyocytes from ORM‐treated rats showed improved active relaxation and diastolic cytosolic Ca2+ decay as well as restored NCX‐mediated Ca2+ removal, indicating NCX modulation with ORM‐11035 as a promising target in the treatment of HFpEF.

Conclusion

Chronic inhibition of NCX with ORM‐11035 significantly attenuated cardiac remodelling and diastolic dysfunction without lowering systemic blood pressure in this model of HFpEF. Therefore, long‐term treatment with selective NCX inhibitors such as ORM‐11035 should be evaluated further in the treatment of heart failure.
The IL‐12‐STAT4 axis in the pathogenesis of human systemic lupus erythematosus
Authors: Ueno Hideki
Published: November 2019

Generation of autoantibodies is a hallmark of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). As demonstrated in a number of lupus mouse models, recent evidence suggests that both GC and extrafollicular pathways contribute to the generation of autoantibodies also in human SLE, and that CD11c+ IgD−CD27−(double negative:DN) B cells play a central role in the latter pathway. In this mini‐review, the author will first briefly summarize the features of CD11c+ DN B cells in human SLE, and discuss how the IL‐12‐STAT4 axis might contribute to the generation of autoantibodies in SLE. In addition, various types of CD4+ helper T cell subsets promoting the generation of autoantibodies in SLE will be described, and finally it will be discussed how these recent discoveries contribute to understanding of SLE pathogenesis and treatment of SLE patients.
Fine‐Tuning: Advances in Chlorine‐Free Blue‐Light‐Generating Pyrotechnics
Authors: Glück Johann , Klapötke Thomas M. , Küblböck Teresa
Published: November 2019

One of the most challenging tasks in the field of light‐producing pyrotechnics is the generation of saturated blue light with high spectral purity. Only copper salts in combination with chlorine seem to be high‐performing blue light emitters. However, in modern pyrotechnics the application of chlorine should be avoided. Different strategies are presented to further fine‐tune literature‐known chlorine‐free blue‐light‐emitting pyrotechnical compositions. The copper iodate as well as the copper bromate systems have been studied by using small amounts of nitrogen‐rich compounds like 1,2,4‐triazole, 5‐amino‐1H‐tetrazole or 3‐nitro‐1H‐1,2,4‐triazole. To overcome sensitivity issues, a two‐component epoxy binder system was introduced. The application of both copper(I) iodide and copper(I) bromide in the same pyrotechnical formulation were considered as blue‐light‐emitting species. Further, a quite new approach by using copper(I) nitrogen‐rich coordination compounds was investigated to give a blue flame color. All relevant formulations were characterized with respect to their dominant wavelength and spectral purity as well as impact and friction sensitivity.
A verifiable hidden policy CP‐ABE with decryption testing scheme and its application in VANET
Authors: Zhao Yang , Zhang Xing , Xie Xin , Ding Yi , Kumar Sachin
Published: November 2019

As a new kind of cryptographic primitive, attribute‐based encryption (ABE) is widely used in various complex scenarios because it has the characteristic of access control while encrypting messages. However, the existing ciphertext policy ABE (CP‐ABE) encryption schemes have some inherent defects, such as the lack of privacy‐preserving and inefficient decryption. These weak points make them difficult to play a role in scenarios with high real‐time and high data confidentiality requirements, for example, vehicle ad hoc network (VANET). Therefore, we proposed a verifiable hidden policy CP‐ABE with decryption testing scheme (or VHPDT, for short). It has the following features: hidden policy to privacy‐preserving and outsourced decryption testing can verify the correctness of the decrypted result. Furthermore, we apply it into VANET.
Medicaid expansion and opioid deaths
Authors: Averett Susan L. , Smith Julie K. , Wang Yang
Published: November 2019

The United States is in the midst of an opioid epidemic, and drug overdose deaths are becoming a leading cause of death. Meanwhile, in 2010, the United States passed comprehensive health care reform providing access to care for millions of individuals who previously lacked care. Part of the new access came from expanding Medicaid, the insurance program for low‐income individuals. Expanding Medicaid was optional for states. Those individuals living in expansion states gained prescription drug coverage and hence more access to opioid pain‐relievers that are known to be addictive. However, they also gained access to medication‐assisted treatment for addiction. This paper uses a difference‐in‐differences approach and state‐level data from 2010 to 2017 to compare opioid death rates in expansion and non‐expansion states to determine if Medicaid expansion was a potential cause of rising opioid deaths. We find no evidence that Medicaid expansion is related to opioid deaths.
The influence of nanoporous anodic aluminum oxide on the initial adhesion of Streptococcus mitis and mutans
Authors: Taxis Juergen , von Wilmowsky Cornelius , Pedimonte Birgit J. , Beuscher Horst‐Ulrich , Ries Jutta , Kesting Marco , Moest Tobias
Published: November 2019

The use of nanoscale surface modifications offers a possibility to regulate the bacterial adherence behavior. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of nanoporous anodic aluminum oxide of different pore diameters on the bacterial species Streptococcus mitis and Streptococcus mutans. Nanoporous anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) surfaces with an average pore diameter of 15 and 40 nm, polished pure titanium and compact aluminum oxide (alumina) samples as reference material were investigated. S. mitis and mutans were evaluated for initial adhesion and viability after an incubation period of 30 and 120 min. After 30 min a significantly reduced growth of S. mitis and mutans on 15 nm samples compared to specimens with 40 nm pore diameter, alumina and titanium surfaces could be observed (p < .001). Even after 120 min incubation there was a significant difference between the surfaces with 15 nm pore diameter and the remaining samples (p < .001). AAO surfaces with a small pore diameter have an inhibitory effect on the initial adhesion of S. mitis and mutans. The use of such pore dimensions in the area of the implant shoulder represents a possibility to reduce the adhesion behavior of these bacterial species.
Isolation and Identification of Current Biosurfactant‐Producing Microbacterium maritypicum ABR5 as a Candidate for Oily Sludge Recovery
Authors: Akbari Elham , Beheshti‐Maal Keivan , Rasekh Behnam , Emami‐Karvani Zarrindokht , Omidi Meisam
Published: November 2019

Biosurfactants have a wide range of applications in different areas, including petroleum microbiology and environmental biotechnology. In this study, removing and recovering oil from oily sludge using microbactan‐producing bacteria have been investigated. The best biosurfactant‐producing isolate was obtained from a petroleum reservoir and was identified by 16S rDNA analysis as Microbacterium maritypicum ABR5. Its 16S rDNA sequence was deposited in GenBank, NCBI under the accession number MK100468. Chemical analysis using thin‐layer chromatography and Fourier Transform Infrared confirmed that the produced biosurfactant was glycolipoprotein. The strain reduced surface tension from 72 to 34.6 mN m−1. The addition of 5 mg L ZnO nanoparticles to the biosurfactant‐producing medium showed no bacterial toxicity effect and raised the emulsification index to 25.7%. Higher concentrations of ZnO nanoparticles, such as 10 and 100 mg L, decreased the bacterial growth rate and biosurfactant production. The mixing of M. maritypicum ABR5 culture medium and oily sludge increased the oil recovery from oily sludge by up to 70% after 5 days of incubation. This is the first report of biosurfactant production by a newly identified strain, M. maritypicum ABR5, isolated from a petroleum reservoir. We proposed that the isolated biosurfactant‐producing strain could be considered an economical asset for oil recovery from oily sludge in the petroleum industry and environmental biotechnology.
Cost‐efficient numerical algorithm for solving the linear inverse problem of finding a variable magnetization
Authors: Akimova Elena N. , Martyshko Petr S. , Misilov Vladimir E. , Miftakhov Valeriy O.
Published: November 2019

The paper is devoted to developing an original cost‐efficient algorithm for solving the inverse problem of finding a variable magnetization in a rectangular parallelepiped. The problem is ill‐posed and is described by the integral Fredholm equation.

It is shown that after discretization of the area and approximation of the integral operator, this problem is reduced to solving a system of linear algebraic equations with the Toeplitz‐block‐Toeplitz matrix. We have constructed the memory efficient variant of the stabilized biconjugate gradient method BiCGSTABmem. This optimized algorithm exploits the special structure of the matrix to reduce the memory requirements and computing time.

The efficient implementation is developed for multicore CPU and GPU. A series of the model problems with synthetic and real magnetic data are solved. Investigation of efficiency and speedup of parallel algorithm is performed.