bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Selective Diffraction with Complex Amplitude Modulation by Dielectric Metasurfaces
Authors: Song Xu , Huang Lingling , Tang Chengchun , Li Junjie , Li Xiaowei , Liu Juan , Wang Yongtian , Zentgraf Thomas
Published: January 2018

Metasurfaces have attracted extensive interest due to their ability to locally manipulate optical parameters of light and easy integration to complex optical systems. Particularly, metasurfaces can provide a novel platform for splitting and diffracting light into several beams with desired profile, which is in contrast to traditional gratings. Here, a novel method for generating independently selective diffraction orders is proposed and demonstrated. This method is based on complex amplitude modulation with ultrathin dielectric metasurfaces. By tailoring the geometric parameters of silicon nanofin structures, the geometric and dynamic phase as well as the amplitude simultaneously can be controlled spatially. The results are compared with a metasurface that uses a phase‐only modulation, to verify such selective diffraction can be solely efficiently achieved with complex amplitude modulation. Besides, the diffraction angles of each order have been measured, which are consistent with standard grating theory. The method developed for achieving selective diffraction with metasurfaces has potential applications in beam shaping, parallel laser fabrication, and nanoscale optical detection.
Novel Optoelectronic Devices: Transition‐Metal‐Dichalcogenide‐Based 2D Heterostructures
Authors: Zeng Qingsheng , Liu Zheng
Published: January 2018

Over the past decade, graphene and other 2D materials have attracted much attention in both fundamental studies and potential applications due to their extraordinary properties. In particular, heterostructures based on these van der Waals (vdW) materials have become one of the leading hot topics in the electronic and optoelectronic field. As representative photoactive 2D materials, transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) play a critical role in the creation of 2D optoelectronic heterojunctions themselves or in combination with other 2D materials. Here, the optoelectronics of three types of TMD‐based 2D heterostructures are reviewed: (1) heterostructures between different TMDs, including vertical vdW heterojunctions fabricated by mechanical transfer and direct synthesis, and lateral in‐plane heterostructures formed via epitaxial growth; (2) heterostructures between TMDs and graphene built by stacking, vdW epitaxy, and lateral assembly; (3) heterostructures between TMDs and other novel 2D materials, such as black phosphorus and GaTe. The operation mechanism of all these optoelectronic devices is discussed.
Ru–Prolinamide‐Catalyzed Asymmetric Transfer Hydrogenation of Racemic β‐Heterosubstituted Cycloalkanones Driven by Dynamic Kinetic Resolution
Authors: Vyas Vijyesh K. , Bhanage Bhalchandra M.
Published: January 2018

A ruthenium–prolinamide catalytic system has been applied for the first time in dynamic kinetic resolution/asymmetric transfer hydrogenation reactions (DKR/ATH) in aqueous medium to synthesize cis‐β‐heterosubstituted cycloalkanols with two contiguous chiral centers. The effect of various prolinamide ligands in DKR/ATH has been studied on different racemic‐β‐heterosubstituted cycloalkanones. A prolinamide ligand with a bulky substituent at an ortho position proves to be more effective than the previously reported ruthenium–TsDPEN catalytic system in aqueous medium, producing up to 99.1 % enantioselectivity and 99:1 diastereoselectivity.
Biological distance at the Ryan Mound site
Authors: Weiss Elizabeth
Published: January 2018

Objectives

The Ryan Mound site in California spans 2000 years and has been utilized in over 200 studies. The Ryan Mound has been assumed to be a culturally and, therefore, a biologically continuous population over time. This study attempts to determine whether adults at the Ryan Mound consisted of a continuous population over the span of three temporal periods by using nonmetric skeletal traits.

Materials and Methods

Thirty‐eight nonmetric cranial traits and four nonmetric post‐cranial traits were scored on adults. Trait correlations were assessed for sex and age using chi‐square and Fisher's exact tests. For bilateral traits, data were recorded for both sides, but only results from the left side are reported. Most data were recorded as present or absent. Twelve traits had scores that had more than two nominal categories, which were converted to binary values to enable mean measure of divergence (MMD) statistical analyses.

Results

After data reduction, 36 traits remained. Using these traits, standardized MMD analyses revealed that the oldest temporal period and the most recent temporal period individuals were significantly different.

Conclusion

This study illustrates the importance of testing for biological continuity. Nonmetric studies provide a way to examine relationships within a sample to determine biological continuity. For the Ryan Mound, new populations may have moved into the region early on as part of the Meganos intrusion, or new populations may have moved into the region later, between AD 1500 and AD 1800. Comparative data from nearby sites further support the Meganos intrusion theory.
Influence of fruit and invertebrate consumption on the gut microbiota of wild white‐faced capuchins (Cebus capucinus)
Authors: Mallott Elizabeth K. , Amato Katherine R. , Garber Paul A. , Malhi Ripan S.
Published: January 2018

Objectives

Invertebrate consumption is thought to be an integral part of early hominin diets, and many modern human populations regularly consume insects and other arthropods. This study examines the response of gut microbial community structure and function to changes in diet in wild white‐faced capuchins (Cebus capucinus), a primate that incorporates a large proportion of invertebrates in its diet. The goal of the study is to better understand the role of both fruit and invertebrate prey consumption on shaping primate gut microbiomes.

Materials and methods

Fecal samples (n = 169) and dietary data were collected over 12 months. The V3‐V5 region of microbial 16S rRNA genes was amplified and sequenced. The IM‐TORNADO pipeline was used to analyze sequences.

Results

White‐faced capuchin gut bacterial communities were characterized primarily by Firmicutes (41.6%) and Proteobacteria (39.2%). There was a significant relationship between the invertebrate diet composition of individual capuchins and their gut microbiome composition. However, there was no relationship between the fruit diet composition of individual capuchins and their gut microbiome composition, even when examining multiple timescales.

Discussion

The results of our study indicate that there is a stronger relationship between gut microbial community structure and invertebrate diet composition than between gut microbial community structure and fruit consumption. As invertebrates and other animal prey play an important role in the diet of many primates, these results give important insight into the role of faunivory in shaping the evolution of host‐microbe interactions in primates.
Development and validation of LC‐MS/MS method for simultaneous determination of sofosbuvir and daclatasvir in human Plasma: Application to pharmacokinetic study
Authors: Abdallah Ola M. , Abdel‐Megied Ahmed M. , Gouda Amira S.
Published: January 2018

A simple and highly sensitive liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC‐MS/MS) bioanalytical method was developed and fully validated for the first time for the simultaneous determination of newly discovered antiviral drugs, namely sofosbuvir (SOF) and daclatasvir (DAC) in human plasma. Tadalafil (TAD) was used as internal standard (IS). SOF, DAC and TAD (IS) were extracted from plasma using liquid–liquid extraction technique with methyl tert‐butyl ether. The chromatographic separation was carried out using ZorbaxSB‐C18 column (4.6 × 50 mm,5 μm) and 5 mm ammonium formate buffer (pH 3.5)–acetonitrile (50:50, v/v) as mobile phase in an isocratic elution mode pumped at a flow rate 0.7 mL min−1. The quantitation was performed on API4500 triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometer with positive electrospray ionization interface in multiple reaction monitoring mode. Validation was applied according to US Food and Drug Administration guidelines for bio‐analytical methodswith respect to linearity, precision, accuracy, selectivity, carry‐over, stability and dilution integrity. Linearity was obtained over concentration ranges of 0.3–3000 and 3–3000 ng mL−1 for SOF and DAC, respectively, by applying a weighted least‐squares linear regression method (1/x2). The proposed method could be applied successfully in bioequivalence and/or clinical studies for therapeutic drug monitoring of patients undergoing dual combination therapy as the latter combination proved more efficacious and powerful tool for the complete treatment of hepatitis C genotype 3 within 16 weeks. The suggested method has been applied successfully to pharmacokinetic studies with excellent assay ruggedness and reproducibility.
Efficient Synthesis of Ditopic Polyamide Receptors for Cooperative Ion Pair Recognition in Solution and Solid States
Authors: Ray Sumit Kumar , Homberg Alexandre , Vishe Mahesh , Besnard Céline , Lacour Jérôme
Published: January 2018

Following a late‐stage functionalization strategy, a series of heteroditopic cryptand receptors were prepared in three steps only from 1,4‐dioxane. As evidenced by 1H NMR spectroscopic and solid state analyses, these polyamide–crown ether conjugates present general ion pair binding capacity towards salts of monovalent cations and linear triatomic anions.
Spin Selectivity in Chiral Linked Systems
Authors: Ageeva Aleksandra A. , Khramtsova Ekaterina A. , Magin Ilya M. , Rychkov Denis A. , Purtov Peter A. , Miranda Miguel A. , Leshina Tatyana V.
Published: January 2018

This work has shown spin selectivity in electron transfer (ET) of diastereomers of (R,S)‐naproxen‐(S)‐N‐methylpyrrolidine and (R,S)‐naproxen‐(S)‐tryptophan dyads. Photoinduced ET in these dyads is interesting because of the still unexplained phenomenon of stereoselectivity in the drug activity of enantiomers. The chemically induced dynamic nuclear polarization (CIDNP) enhancement coefficients of (R,S)‐diastereomers are double those of the (S,S)‐analogue. These facts are also interesting because spin effects are among the most sensitive, even to small changes in spin and molecular dynamics of paramagnetic particles. Therefore, CIDNP reflects the difference in magnetoresonance parameters (hyperfine interaction constants (HFIs), g‐factor difference) and lifetimes of the paramagnetic forms of (R,S)‐ and (S,S)‐diastereomers. The difference in HFI values for diastereomers has been confirmed by a comparison of CIDNP experimental enhancement coefficients with those calculated. Additionally, the dependence of the CIDNP enhancement coefficients on diastereomer concentration has been observed for the naproxen‐N‐methylpyrrolidine dyad. This has been explained by the participation of ET in homo‐(R,S‐R,S or S,S‐S,S) and hetero‐(R,S‐S,S) dimers of dyads. In this case, the effectivity of ET, and consequently, CIDNP, is supposed to be different for (R,S)‐ and (S,S)‐homodimers, heterodimers, and monomers. The possibility of dyad dimer formation has been demonstrated by using high‐resolution X‐ray and NMR spectroscopy techniques.
Coping, thought suppression, and perceived stress in currently depressed, previously depressed, and never depressed individuals
Authors: Thimm Jens C. , Wang Catharina E.A. , Waterloo Knut , Eisemann Martin , Halvorsen Marianne
Published: January 2018

Background

Previous research shows that depression is associated with an increase in stressful life events and perceived stress as well as dysfunctional ways of coping with stress. However, knowledge about coping in previously depressed individuals is scant.

Methods

This study compared perceived stress, coping, and thought suppression in a sample of 30 currently depressed, 63 previously depressed, and 42 never depressed individuals.

Results

Analysis of variance revealed that previously depressed individuals showed less wishful thinking and thought suppression than the currently depressed individuals, but scored significantly higher on these strategies than the never depressed individuals. However, the group differences became nonsignificant when controlling for perceived stress and intrusions.

Conclusions

This study shows that both current depression and previous depression is related to avoidant coping (wishful thinking and thought suppression). However, these associations might be explained by the higher level of perceived stress among individuals with current or previous depression.
Influence of ambient pressure on the performance of an arc discharge plasma actuator
Authors: Gan Tian , Jin Di , Guo Shangguang , Wu Yun , Li Yinghong
Published: January 2018

The arc discharge plasma actuator (ADPA) has wide application prospects in high‐speed flow control because of its local heating effect and strong disturbance. In this paper, the influence of ambient pressure, which ranges from 3 to 20 kPa, on the performance of a two‐electrode ADPA is investigated by a schlieren system. The duration of the arc heated region, as well as its area, is extracted by image processing. As the ambient pressure increases, different flow field evolutions occur. The duration of the ADPA heated region increases with the ambient pressure. The maximum duration reaches 1185.3 µs at 20 kPa. The velocity of the discharge‐induced blast shock wave first decreases gradually and then remains at 345 m/s for all air pressures. The blast shock wave has a higher velocity at lower pressures when it is freshly produced. A maximum blast shock wave velocity of 582 m/s is observed at the pressure of 7 kPa. The arc heated region is not sensitive to ambient pressure, but the deposited energy from the arc increases when the pressure increases.
Mitochondrial DNA variation reveals maternal origins and demographic dynamics of Ethiopian indigenous goats
Authors: Tarekegn Getinet Mekuriaw , Tesfaye Kassahun , Mwai Okeyo Ally , Djikeng Appolinaire , Dessie Tadelle , Birungi Josephine , Osama Sarah , Zergaw Netsanet , Alemu Alubel , Achieng Gloria , Tutah Jack , Mutai Collins , Njuguna Joyce , Mwacharo Joram M.
Published: January 2018

The Horn of Africa forms one of the two main historical entry points of domestics into the continent and Ethiopia is particularly important in this regard. Through the analysis of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) d‐loop region in 309 individuals from 13 populations, we reveal the maternal genetic variation and demographic dynamics of Ethiopian indigenous goats. A total of 174 variable sites that generated 231 haplotypes were observed. They defined two haplogroups that were present in all the 13 study populations. Reference haplotypes from the six globally defined goat mtDNA haplogroups show the two haplogroups present in Ethiopia to be A and G, the former being the most predominant. Although both haplogroups are characterized by an increase in effective population sizes (Ne) predating domestication, they also have experienced a decline in Ne at different time periods, suggesting different demographic histories. We observed seven haplotypes, six were directly linked to the central haplotypes of the two haplogroups and one was central to haplogroup G. The seven haplotypes were common between Ethiopia, Kenya, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia populations, suggesting common maternal history and the introduction of goats into East Africa via Egypt and the Arabian Peninsula, respectively. While providing new mtDNA data from a historically important region, our results suggest extensive intermixing of goats mediated by human socio‐cultural and economic interactions. These have led to the coexistence of the two haplogroups in different geographic regions in Ethiopia resulting in a large caprine genetic diversity that can be exploited for genetic improvement.
Symbiont‐conferred reproduction and fitness benefits can favour their host occurrence
Authors: Zhang Yan‐Kai , Yang Kun , Zhu Yu‐Xi , Hong Xiao‐Yue
Published: January 2018

Double infections of Wolbachia and Spiroplasma are frequent in natural populations of Tetranychus truncatus, a polyphagous mite species that has been a dominant species in China since 2009. However, little is known about the causes and ecological importance of such coexistences. In this study, we established T. truncatus strains with different infection types and then inferred the impact of the two endosymbionts on host reproduction and fitness. Double infection induced cytoplasmic incompatibility, which was demonstrated by reduction in egg hatchability of incompatible crosses. However, doubly infected females produced more eggs relative to other strains. Wolbachia and Spiroplasma did not affect host survival, whereas doubly infected females and males developed faster than other strains. Such reproduction and fitness benefits provided by double infections may be associated with the lower densities of each symbiont, and the quantitative results also confirmed competition between Wolbachia and Spiroplasma in doubly infected females. These symbiont‐conferred beneficial effects maintain stable prevalence of the symbionts and also help drive T. truncatus outbreaks in combination with other environmental factors.
The interaction of sex, height, and QRS duration on the effects of cardiac resynchronization therapy on morbidity and mortality: an individual‐patient data meta‐analysis
Authors: Linde Cecilia , Cleland John G.F. , Gold Michael R. , Claude Daubert J. , Tang Anthony S.L. , Young James B. , Sherfesee Lou , Abraham William T.
Published: January 2018

Aims

To explore possible associations that may explain the greater benefit from cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) reported amongst women.

Methods and results

In an individual‐patient data meta‐analysis of five randomized controlled trials, all‐cause mortality and the composite of all‐cause mortality or first hospitalization for heart failure (HF) were compared among 794 women and 2702 men assigned to CRT or a control group. Multivariable analyses were performed to assess the impact of sex, QRS duration, HF aetiology, left ventricular end‐diastolic diameter (LVEDD), and height on outcome. Women were shorter, had smaller LVEDD, more often left bundle branch block, and less often ischaemic heart disease, but QRS duration was similar between sexes. Women tended to obtain greater benefit from CRT but sex was not an independent predictor of either outcome. For all‐cause mortality, QRS duration was the only independent predictor of CRT benefit. For the composite outcome, height and QRS duration, but not sex, were independent predictors of CRT benefit. Further analysis suggested increasing benefit with increasing QRS duration amongst shorter patients, of whom a great proportion were women.

Conclusions

In this individual‐patient data meta‐analysis, CRT benefit was greater in shorter patients, which may explain reports of enhanced CRT benefit among women. Further analyses are required to determine whether recommendations on the QRS threshold for CRT should be adjusted for height.

(ClinicalTrials.gov numbers: NCT00170300, NCT00271154, NCT00251251).
Seismic performance and damage evaluation of a waffle‐flat plate structure with hysteretic dampers through shake‐table tests
Authors: Benavent‐Climent Amadeo , Donaire‐Avila Jesús , Oliver‐Sáiz Elena
Published: January 2018

Reinforced concrete waffle‐flat plate (WFP) structures present 2 important drawbacks for use as a main seismic resisting system: low lateral stiffness and limited ductility. Yet the former can serve a positive purpose when, in parallel, the flexible WFP structure is combined with a stiff system lending high‐energy dissipation capacity, to form a “flexible‐stiff mixed structure.” This paper experimentally investigates the seismic performance of WFP structures (flexible system) equipped with hysteretic dampers (stiff system) through shake‐table tests conducted on a 2/5‐scale test specimen. The WFP structure was designed only for gravitational loads. The lateral strength and stiffness provided by the dampers at each story were, respectively, about 3 and 7 times greater than those of the bare WFP structure. The mixed system was subjected to a sequence of seismic simulations representing frequent to very rare ground motions. Under the seismic simulations associated with earthquakes having return periods ranging from 93 to 1894 years, the WFP structure performed in the level of “immediate occupancy,” with maximum interstory drifts up to about 1%. The dampers dissipated most (75%) of the energy input by the earthquake.
Differentially categorized structural brain hubs are involved in different microstructural, functional, and cognitive characteristics and contribute to individual identification
Authors: Wang Xindi , Lin Qixiang , Xia Mingrui , He Yong
Published: January 2018

Very little is known regarding whether structural hubs of human brain networks that enable efficient information communication may be classified into different categories. Using three multimodal neuroimaging data sets, we construct individual structural brain networks and further identify hub regions based on eight widely used graph‐nodal metrics, followed by comprehensive characteristics and reproducibility analyses. We show the three categories of structural hubs in the brain network, namely, aggregated, distributed, and connector hubs. Spatially, these distinct categories of hubs are primarily located in the default‐mode system and additionally in the visual and limbic systems for aggregated hubs, in the frontoparietal system for distributed hubs, and in the sensorimotor and ventral attention systems for connector hubs. These categorized hubs exhibit various distinct characteristics to support their differentiated roles, involving microstructural organization, wiring costs, topological vulnerability, functional modular integration, and cognitive flexibility; moreover, these characteristics are better in the hubs than nonhubs. Finally, all three categories of hubs display high across‐session spatial similarities and act as structural fingerprints with high predictive rates (100%, 100%, and 84.2%) for individual identification. Collectively, we highlight three categories of brain hubs with differential microstructural, functional and, cognitive associations, which shed light on topological mechanisms of the human connectome.
Flow control with electrode bank arrangements by electrohydrodynamics force for heat transfer enhancement in a porous medium
Authors: Saneewong Na Ayuttaya Suwimon , Chaktranond Chainarong , Rattanadecho Phadungsak
Published: January 2018

Active flow control with electrohydrodynamics (EHD) force in the channel flow has been numerically investigated for enhancing heat transfer. This study focuses on the effect of electrode bank arrangements and the number of electrodes on corona wind and fluid flow for heat transfer onto a porous medium. Aligned and staggered configurations of electrode banks are compared. The numerical results show that electric field intensity depends on electrical voltage and the number of electrodes. Shear flow is increased with larger numbers of electrodes and in the aligned configuration, resulting in the enhancement of vortex strength. The swirling flow from staggered configurations spread wider than that of aligned configurations, but the aligned configuration produced more turbulence. In addition, the temperature distribution in the channel flow is increased with increasing numbers of electrodes. With the effect of swirling flow, airflow above the porous sample surface is faster leads the heat to more transfer to the porous sample surface. This causes the temperature of porous medium to increase rapidly so the convective heat transfer coefficient on porous medium surface is increased. Finally, the modified case of the numerical results is validated against the experimental results. The experimental flow visualization is based on the incense smoke technique, in order to verify the accuracy of the swirling flow pattern subjected to the electric field. It is shown that the comparison results in both techniques are in good agreement.
Mouse model of postsurgical primary tumor recurrence and regional lymph node metastasis progression in HPV‐related head and neck cancer
Authors: Mermod Maxime , Hiou‐Feige Agnès , Bovay Esther , Roh Vincent , Sponarova Jana , Bongiovanni Massimo , Vermeer Daniel W. , Lee John H. , Petrova Tatiana V. , Rivals Jean‐Paul , Monnier Yan , Tolstonog Genrich V. , Simon Christian
Published: January 2018

HPV‐positive head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is increasingly frequent. Management is particularly debated in the case of postsurgical high‐risk features, that is, positive surgical margins and extracapsular spread (ECS). In this increasingly complex emerging framework of HNSCC treatment, representative preclinical models are needed to support future clinical trials and advances in personalized medicine. Here, we present an immunocompetent mouse model based on the implantation of mouse tonsil epithelial HPV16‐E6/E7‐expressing cancer cells into the submental region of the floor‐of‐the‐mouth. Primary tumors were found to replicate the patterns of human HNSCC local invasion and lymphatic dissemination. To study disease progression after surgery, tumors were removed likely leaving behind residual disease. Surgical resection of tumors was followed by a high rate of local recurrences (>90%) within the first 2–3 weeks. While only 50% of mice had lymph node metastases (LNM) at time of primary tumor excision, all mice with recurrent tumors showed evidence of LNM. To study the consecutive steps of LNM progression and distant metastasis development, LNs from tumor‐bearing mice were transplanted into naïve recipient mice. Using this approach, transplanted LNs were found to recapitulate all stages and relevant histological features of regional metastasis progression, including ECS and metastatic spread to the lungs. Altogether, we have developed an immunocompetent HPV‐positive HNSCC mouse model of postsurgical local recurrence and regional and distant metastasis progression suitable for preclinical studies.
Atopic allergic conditions and pancreatic cancer risk: Results from the Multiethnic Cohort Study
Authors: Huang Brian Z. , Le Marchand Loic , Haiman Christopher A. , Monroe Kristine R. , Wilkens Lynne R. , Zhang Zuo‐Feng , Setiawan Veronica Wendy
Published: January 2018

Previous case–control studies have suggested that atopic allergic conditions (AACs) are inversely associated with pancreatic cancer, but this relationship has not been supported in many prospective settings. In this study, we investigated the influence of AACs (asthma, hay fever, or allergy) and the treatment of these conditions on pancreatic cancer risk among participants of the Multiethnic Cohort Study (MEC). AACs and antihistamine use were assessed via a baseline questionnaire when participants joined the MEC in 1993–1996. Risk ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for pancreatic cancer incidence by AACs and antihistamines were calculated using Cox regression, adjusting for age, sex, ethnicity, education, smoking status, family history of pancreatic cancer, body mass index, diabetes, and alcohol intake. We further evaluated associations among subgroups defined by age, sex, ethnicity, follow‐up time, and known pancreatic cancer risk factors. During an average 16‐year follow‐up, 1,455 incident cases of pancreatic cancer were identified among 187,226 white, African American, Latino, Japanese American, and Native Hawaiian men and women. AACs (RR 1.00, 95% CI 0.88–1.12) and antihistamines (RR 0.92, 95% CI 0.78–1.07) were not clearly associated with pancreatic cancer incidence. While these associations were also null for most subgroups, we did observe protective associations of AACs (RR 0.74, 95% CI 0.56–0.98) and antihistamines (RR 0.66, 95% CI 0.45–0.96) among the oldest participants (70+). Our results, in agreement with past prospective studies, suggest that AACs are not associated with pancreatic cancer in general, but the observed protective associations among the oldest age group may warrant future investigation.
Clinical and hematological data to group different chronic kidney disease patients: A practical approach to establish different groups of patients
Authors: Péterle Vinícius B. , Souza Jéssica de O. , Busato Fernanda de O. , Eutrópio Frederico J. , da Costa Gisele de A. P. , Olivieri David N. , Tadokoro Carlos E.
Published: January 2018

Background

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is the convergent point of several pathological processes, and its evolution is insidious and characterized by a progressive and irreversible loss of kidney function. This impaired function induces the accumulation of uremic toxins and individuals with terminal CKD often have altered physiological responses, including a persistent state of immuno‐suppression and development of diseases. A better characterization and stratification of these patients with CKD in different immuno‐compromised groups would contribute to more effective and personalized treatments. The focus of this study was to use two parameters to stratify patients with CKD into four separate groups that are representative of different immunological status.

Methods

Patients with CKD were chosen randomly and stratified into four separate groups according to the period of time receiving dialysis treatment and leukocyte blood counts. The amount of apoptotic CD4 T cells were measured in each group of patients, and clinical/hematological parameters were correlated by multivariate analysis with each group.

Results

Observations reveal that one of the four groups of patients with CKD (group 3) had more apoptotic CD4 T cells than the other group; this group also had an increased malnutrition inflammation score (MIS), an elevated Kt/V, and a higher incidence of smoking.

Conclusion

A simple two‐parameter‐based stratification strategy could be used to design effective immunological therapies that differentiate the degrees of immuno‐suppression across groups of patients with CKD.
An Expedient Method for the Synthesis of 1,2,4‐Triazolo‐fused 1,5‐Benzodiazepine, 1,5‐Benzoxazepine, and 1,5‐Benzothiazepine Scaffolds: A Novel Seven‐membered Ring System of Biological Interest
Authors: Sharma Aruna , Kishore Dharma , Singh Bhawani
Published: January 2018

New heterocyclic compounds 1‐(3‐methyl‐9H‐dibenzo[b,f][1,2,4]triazolo[4,3‐d][1,4]diazepin‐6‐yl)ethanone 8a, 1‐(3‐methyldibenzo[b,f][1,2,4]triazolo[4,3‐d][1,4]oxazepin‐6‐yl)ethanone 8b, and 1‐(3‐methyldibenzo[b,f][1,2,4]triazolo[4,3‐d][1,4]thiazepin‐6‐yl)ethanone 8c are synthesized from benzodiazepinone, benzoxazepinone, and benzothiazepinone derivatives. These heterocyclic scaffolds have wide medicinal importance. Best results were obtained in antibacterial screening against Escherichia coli, Enterobacter cloacae, and Staphylococcus aureus and antifungal screening against Candida albicans and Fusarium oxysporum. 1,1‐Diphenyl‐2‐picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activities of compounds 6c, 7c, and 8c were tested in doses 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 μg/mL and were expressed as IC50 values and percent of inhibition with means ± standard deviation of three different concentrations of synthesized compounds. The assignment of the structures of synthesized compounds was made by thin‐layer chromatography, elemental analysis, IR, 1H‐NMR, 13C‐NMR, and liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry.
In‐vitro oxidation model for UHMWPE incorporating synovial fluid lipids
Authors: Oral Ebru , Fung Mitchell , Rowell Shannon L. , Muratoglu Orhun K.
Published: January 2018

Post‐irradiation melting of ultra‐high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) reduced the oxidation potential of UHMWPE in vivo. After mid‐term (5–10 years) use in vivo, there is detectable oxidation in irradiated and melted joint implant retrievals. The absorption of the synovial fluid lipid squalene was identified as a possible factor initiating oxidation. We investigated the role of lipids in UHMWPE oxidation by asking: (1) Do other synovial fluid lipids initiate oxidation in irradiated and melted UHMWPE?; (2) What is the effect of the absorption of multiple lipids on UHMWPE oxidation?; (3) How does lipid‐initiated oxidation in vitro compare to what is observed in long‐term retrievals? We diffused emulsified single and mixed lipids into irradiated and melted UHMWPE and accelerated aged them. We analyzed the oxidation in these samples and in four long‐term highly crosslinked, irradiated, and melted Longevity™ UHMWPE liner retrievals (in vivo for up to 190 months) using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). We showed that lipids other than squalene could initiate oxidation in UHMWPE and that the types of absorbed lipids determined the amount of resultant oxidation. Although mixed lipids doping and accelerated aging reproduced the average and maximum oxidation values and oxidation products observed in vivo, the oxidation depth profile and its effect on cross‐link density was different. One reason for this was the variability of oxidation in retrievals, suggesting additional factors contributing to oxidation. The understanding of oxidative processes in vivo and the development of clinically relevant in vitro protocols to evaluate implant materials is crucial for their long‐term performance. © 2018 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 36:1833–1839, 2018.
Detection and classification of citrus green mold caused by Penicillium digitatum using multispectral imaging
Authors: Ghanei Ghooshkhaneh Narges , Golzarian Mahmood Reza , Mamarabadi Mojtaba
Published: January 2018

BACKGROUND

Fungal decay is a prevalent condition that mainly occurs during transportation of products to consumers (from harvest to consumption) and adversely affects postharvest operations and sales of citrus fruit. There are a variety of methods to control pathogenic fungi, including UV‐assisted removal of fruit with suspected infection before storage, which is a time‐consuming task and associated with human health risks. Therefore it is essential to adopt efficient and dependable alternatives for early decay detection. In this study, detection of orange decay caused by Penicillium genus fungi was examined using spectral imaging, a novel automated inspection technique for agricultural products.

RESULTS

The reflectance parameter (including mean reflectance) and reflectance distribution parameters (including standard deviation and skewness) of surfaces were extracted from decayed and rotten regions of infected samples and healthy regions of non‐infected samples. The classification accuracy of rotten, decayed and healthy regions at 4 and 5 days after fungal inoculation was 98.6 and 100% respectively using the mean and skewness of 500 nm, 800 nm, 900 nm and modified normalized difference vegetation index (MNDVI) spectra.

CONCLUSION

Comparison of results between healthy and infected samples showed that early real‐time detection of Penicillium digitatum using multispectral imaging was possible within the near‐infrared (NIR) range. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry
Stable isotope labeling‐assisted GC/MS/MS method for determination of methyleugenol in food samples
Authors: Li Jincheng , Liu Huan , Wang Chaoying , Yang Jien , Han Gang
Published: January 2018

BACKGROUND

Methyleugenol is a common phenylpropanoid compound found in many plants and has been widely used as a flavoring agent in people's daily life. In this study, a stable isotope dilution assay‐coupled gas chromatography/triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (SIDA‐GC/MS/MS) method was developed for the quantitative determination of methyleugenol in food samples. Methyleugenol‐D3 was synthesized and used as an isotope internal standard for the determination of methyleugenol. The QuEChERS (quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged and safe) method was applied to the clean‐up of food sample extracts. Confirmation and quantification were carried out by GC/MS/MS.

RESULTS

The analytical performance of the method was validated. The determination range of methyleugenol was linear from 4 to 500 µg L−1. Method detection limits for solid food samples, semi‐solid food samples and liquid beverages were 50, 50 and 1 µg kg−1 respectively. Satisfactory recoveries in the range 94.29–100.27% were obtained. Intra‐ and inter‐day precision was also validated and the values were all lower than 9%. The method was successfully applied to quantify methyleugenol in different kinds of food samples.

CONCLUSION

This article describes a new method for the accurate quantification of methyleugenol in food samples based on a stable isotope labeling‐assisted GC/MS/MS method. Methyleugenol‐D3 was synthesized and used as an isotope internal standard for the determination of methyleugenol. Excellent results were generated with the method, and the detection sensitivity and accuracy of the method were good. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry
Efficacy of type I thyroplasty after endoscopic cordectomy for early‐stage glottic cancer: Literature review
Authors: Bertelsen Caitlin , Reder Lindsay
Published: January 2018

Objective

As phonomicrosurgical techniques have evolved, endoscopic cordectomy (EC) has been used more commonly for early‐stage glottic cancer. Patients undergoing more extensive surgery often experience significant postoperative dysphonia for which there is no standard treatment. Surgical options include injection laryngoplasty and thyroplasty. We reviewed the literature to evaluate the efficacy of thyroplasty after EC.

Methods

A comprehensive literature search was conducted to identify studies of adults undergoing thyroplasty for dysphonia after EC for glottic cancer. Primary outcomes included voice, as measured subjectively by the voice handicap index (VHI) and objectively by aerodynamics—specifically maximum phonation time (MPT). Secondary outcomes included additional acoustic and aerodynamic measurements, variations in the technical aspects of thyroplasty, and a description of adverse events.

Results

Seven articles met inclusion criteria. Each study allowed 6 to 12 months after EC before performing thyroplasty. General anesthesia frequently was used rather than monitored anesthesia care . Implants varied between centers and were chosen based on surgeon preference. Of the three studies including statistical analysis, one reported improvement in VHI and grade. The second reported improvement in VHI; grade, roughness, breathiness, asthenia, strain; jitter; shimmer; noise‐to‐harmonic ratio (NHR); and MPT. The third reported improvements in jitter, shimmer, NHR, fundamental frequency, MPT, and sound pressure level. The most frequent adverse events were hematoma, infection, and implant extrusion.

Conclusion

Optimizing voice after EC remains a clinical challenge. Our review suggests that thyroplasty is one potentially beneficial option in appropriately selected patients. More controlled studies are needed to assess efficacy of thyroplasty in this context. Laryngoscope, 128:690–696, 2018
Case report: HPV‐related carcinoma with adenoid cystic‐like features of the sinonasal tract
Authors: Chouake Robert J. , Cohen Molly , Iloreta Alfred‐Marc
Published: January 2018

Human papillomavirus‐related carcinoma with adenoid cystic‐like features is a newly described histologic variant of sinonasal tract carcinoma. The implications of this sinonasal malignancy is still being evaluated. There are a limited number of cases reported in the literature, and thus we seek to further characterize this patient population and review the histologic features of this malignancy with the following two cases. The behavior of this entity is as yet uncertain. Laryngoscope, 128:1515–1517, 2018
Computer Simulation of DNA Condensation by PAMAM Dendrimer
Authors: Su Yunxiang , Quan Xuebo , Li Libo , Zhou Jian
Published: January 2018

In this study, dissipative particle dynamics is employed to investigate the complexation of poly(amido amine) dendrimer and single‐stranded DNA (ssDNA). A coarse‐grained model for ssDNA is constructed, which reproduces correctly the conformational behavior of the ssDNA molecules. The effects of pH, dendrimer generation, ionic strength, and dendrimer/ssDNA charge ratio on DNA–dendrimer complexes are explored. Simulation results show that ssDNA molecules can be significantly condensed by dendrimers and stable complexes are obtained by regulating the pH value. The ssDNA chain penetration would complicate its release from dendrimer, while this can be tuned by different generations of dendrimer. Salt concentration affects the size and stability of the complexes through ion screening effect. Dendrimer/ssDNA charge ratio can be used to control the size and morphology of the complex. This work can help design dendrimer‐based gene vectors.
Swelling behavior and chemical stability of chitosan/nanocellulose biocomposites
Authors: Mohaiyiddin Muhammad Safwan , Ong Hui Lin , Othman Muhammad Bisyrul Hafi , Julkapli Nurhidayatullaili Muhd. , Villagracia Al Rey C. , Md. Akil Hazizan
Published: January 2018

We investigated the chemical stability and swelling behaviour of synthesized biocomposites with varying concentrations of oil palm frond (OPF) nanocellulose and chitosan (Cs) for biomedical applications. Nanocellulose were extracted via acid hydrolysis method from OPFs and commercialized (COM) cellulose for comparative analysis. Condensation polymerization process was implemented to incorporate the nanocellulose and N, N’‐Methylenebisacrylamide (MBA) crosslinker into the Cs. Flory‐Huggin model was used to test their swelling behavior. Biocomposites in wet condition was observed through a variable pressure scanning electron microscopy (VP‐SEM). Results showed that increasing the amount of nanocellulose on the biocomposites can reduce the swelling of the Cs, and it is significantly reduced (up to 420% at pH 4, up to 576% at pH 7, up to 305% at pH 10) with the use of OPF nanocellulose. Moreover, adding OPF nanocellulose to Cs has improved its stability in acidic medium, basic medium, aprotic solvent, polar solvent, non‐polar solvent up to 90, 23, 23, 18, 22%, respectively. The swelling resistance and chemical stability of Cs biocomposites with OPF nanocellulose were better than using COM nanocellulose. POLYM. COMPOS., 39:E561–E572, 2018. © 2018 Society of Plastics Engineers
Intrinsically microporous polyimides containing spirobisindane and phenazine units: Synthesis, characterization and gas permeation properties
Authors: Shrimant Bharat , Dangat Yuvraj , Kharul Ulhas K. , Wadgaonkar Prakash P.
Published: January 2018

A new diamine containing spirobisindane and phenazine units, namely, 3,3,3′,3′‐tetramethyl‐2,2′,3,3′‐tetrahydro‐1,1′‐spirobi[cyclopenta[b]phenazine]‐7,7′‐diamine (TTSBIDA) was synthesized starting from commercially available 5,5′,6,6′‐tetrahydroxy‐3,3,3′,3′‐tetramethyl‐1,1′‐spirobisindane (TTSBI). TTSBI was oxidized to 3,3,3′,3′‐tetramethyl‐2,2′,3,3′‐tetrahydro‐1,1′‐spirobi[indene]‐5,5′,6,6′‐tetraone (TTSBIQ) which was subsequently condensed with 4‐nitro‐1,2‐phenylenediamine to obtain 3,3,3′,3′‐tetramethyl‐7,7′‐dinitro‐2,2′,3,3′‐tetrahydro‐1,1′‐spirobi[cyclopenta[b]phenazine] (TTSBIDN). TTSBIDN was converted into TTSBIDA by reduction of the nitro groups using hydrazine hydrate in the presence of Pd/C as the catalyst. A series of new polyimides of intrinsic microporosity (PIM‐PIs) were synthesized by polycondensation of TTSBIDA with commercially available aromatic dianhydrides. PIM‐PIs exhibited amorphous nature, high thermal stability (T10 > 480 °C) and intrinsic microporosity (BET surface area = 59–289 m2/g). The gas permeation characteristics of films of selected PIM‐PIs were evaluated and they exhibited appreciable gas permeability as well as high selectivity. The CO2 and O2 permeability of PIM‐PIs were in the range 185.4–39.2 and 30.6–6.2 Barrer, respectively. Notably, polyimide derived from TTSBIDA and 4,4′‐(hexafluoroisopropylidene)diphthalic anhydride (PIM‐PI‐6FDA) exhibited high CO2 and O2 permeability of 185.4 and 30.6 Barrer with CO2/CH4 and O2/N2 selectivity of 43.1 and 5.1, respectively. The data of PIM‐PI‐6FDA for CO2/CH4 and O2/N2 gas pairs were located near Robeson upper bound. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2018, 56, 766–775
Airway inflammation in sickle cell disease—A translational perspective
Authors: De Aliva , Manwani Deepa , Rastogi Deepa
Published: January 2018

Asthma and sickle cell disease (SCD) are common chronic conditions in children of African ancestry that are characterized by cough, wheeze, and obstructive patterns on pulmonary function. Pulmonary function testing in children with SCD has estimated a prevalence of obstructive lung disease ranging from 13% to 57%, and airway hyper‐responsiveness of up to 77%, independent of a diagnosis of asthma. Asthma co‐existing with SCD is associated with increased risk of acute chest syndrome (ACS), respiratory symptoms, pain episodes, and death. However, there are inherent differences in the pathophysiology of SCD and asthma. While classic allergic asthma in the general population is associated with a T‐helper 2 cell (Th‐2 cells) pattern of cell inflammation, increased IgE levels and often positive allergy testing, inflammation in SCD is associated with different inflammatory pathways, involving neutrophilic and monocytic pathways, which have been explored to a limited extent in mouse models and with a dearth of human studies. The current review summarizes the existent literature on sickle cell related airway inflammation and its cross roads with allergic asthma‐related inflammation, and discusses the importance of further elucidating and understanding these common and divergent inflammatory pathways in human studies to facilitate development of targeted therapy for children with SCD and pulmonary morbidity.
Regional stability of two‐dimensional nonlinear polynomial Fornasini‐Marchesini systems
Authors: Osowsky Jefferson , de Souza Carlos E. , Coutinho Daniel
Published: January 2018

This paper addresses the problem of regional stability analysis of 2‐dimensional nonlinear polynomial systems represented by the Fornasini‐Marchesini second state‐space model. A method based on a polynomial Lyapunov function is proposed to ensure local asymptotic stability and provide an estimate of the domain of attraction of the system zero equilibrium point. The proposed results that build on recursive algebraic representations of the polynomial vector function of the system dynamics and Lyapunov function are tailored via linear matrix inequalities that are required to be satisfied at the vertices of a given bounded convex polyhedral region of the state space. Numerical examples demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Detection of cannabinoids and cannabinoid metabolites using gas chromatography with vacuum ultraviolet spectroscopy
Authors: Leghissa Allegra , Smuts Jonathan , Qiu Changling , Hildenbrand Zacariah L. , Schug Kevin A.
Published: January 2018

Relatively new technology vacuum ultraviolet absorption spectroscopic (120–240 nm) detection for gas chromatography, was evaluated and shown to successfully differentiate cannabinoids, their metabolites, and derivatives thereof. The possibility to deconvolute co‐eluting peaks due to additivity of overlapping absorbance spectra of the analytes was also demonstrated. This feature allows the use of faster temperature ramps, faster analysis time, and reduces the need to baseline resolve all analytes, without sacrificing sensitivity. The combination of vacuum ultraviolet spectroscopy with gas chromatography allows for the analysis of cannabinoids that have similar structures and molecular weight, and whose chromatographic separation can be difficult to obtain. The sensitivity of the approach (low ppm; low ng on‐column) is currently sufficient for tracking cannabinoids in plant material, but significant sample enrichment would be needed to target cannabinoids and metabolites in biological samples.