bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Chemical‐Free Pest Control by Dielectric Heating with Radio Waves and Microwaves: Thermal Effects
Authors: Hoyer Christian , Pfütze Christian , Plarre Rudy , Trommler Ulf , Steinbach Steffen , Klutzny Kerstin , Holzer Frank , Rabe Carsten , Höhlig Björn , Schmidt Detlef , Roland Ulf
Published: October 2017

Thermal pest control with hot air is widely accepted as an alternative to chemical methods. However, it requires relatively long treatment times owing to the low thermal conductivity of wood. Direct dielectric heating that applies radio waves or microwaves has the advantage of more homogeneous heating. However, sound experimental data on this technique are currently rare. Therefore, the thermal treatment of wood‐destroying insects with radio waves and microwaves was studied with two model pests, Anobium punctatum and Hylotrupes bajulus, and with Tenebrio molitor as a reference. The secure elimination of pests was achieved, and the corresponding treatment time was in the range of a few minutes. Temperature profiles were more homogeneous when applying radio waves.
Firefly Luciferin‐Inspired Biocompatible Chemistry for Protein Labeling and In Vivo Imaging
Authors: Wang Yuqi , An Ruibing , Luo Zhiliang , Ye Deju
Published: October 2017

Biocompatible reactions have emerged as versatile tools to build various molecular imaging probes that hold great promise for the detection of biological processes in vitro and/or in vivo. In this Minireview, we describe the recent advances in the development of a firefly luciferin‐inspired biocompatible reaction between cyanobenzothiazole (CBT) and cysteine (Cys), and highlight its versatility to label proteins and build multimodality molecular imaging probes. The review starts from the general introduction of biocompatible reactions, which is followed by briefly describing the development of the firefly luciferin‐inspired biocompatible chemistry. We then discuss its applications for the specific protein labeling and for the development of multimodality imaging probes (fluorescence, bioluminescence, MRI, PET, photoacoustic, etc.) that enable high sensitivity and spatial resolution imaging of redox environment, furin and caspase‐3/7 activity in living cells and mice. Finally, we offer the conclusions and our perspective on the various and potential applications of this reaction. We hope that this review will contribute to the research of biocompatible reactions for their versatile applications in protein labeling and molecular imaging.
Lewis Acid‐Catalyzed Intramolecular [3+2] Cross‐Cycloaddition of Aziridine 2,2‐Diesters with Conjugated Dienes for Construction of Aza‐[n.2.1] Skeletons
Authors: Zhan Yizhou , Liu Tao , Ren Jun , Wang Zhongwen
Published: October 2017

A novel Lewis acid‐catalyzed [3+2] intramolecular cross‐cycloaddition (IMCC) between aziridine 2,2‐diesters and conjugated dienes has been developed. This is the first regiospecific IMCC of intramolecular 1,3‐dipolar cycloadditions of azomethine ylides with carbon=carbon double bonds, and supplies a general and efficient strategy for construction of structurally complex and diverse aza‐[n.2.1] skeletons. The [3+2]IMCC could be carried out under mild conditions and in gram scale. More importantly, 3‐alkyl‐substituted aziridines were also successful. The excellent structural diversity, the facile operation and the versatile post‐modifications will support the applications of the [3+2]IMCC in natural products synthesis and drugs discovery.
Accelerated Decolorization of Congo Red by Powdered Termite Mound
Authors: Ayanda Olushola S. , Odo Ekundare A. , Malomo Dosu , Sodeinde Kehinde O. , Lawal Olaide S. , Ebenezer Oluwapese T. , Nelana Simphiwe M. , Naidoo Eliazer B.
Published: October 2017

The decolorization of congo red (CR) in aqueous solution is investigated in a batch mode using termite mound as an adsorbent. Elemental analysis and identification of the mineral composition/phases in the termite mound sample is carried out by means of X‐ray fluorescence and X‐ray diffraction. The optimal percentage removal and equilibrium adsorption capacity of CR by the termite mound achieved is found to be 95.68% and 2.30 mg g−1, respectively, when 0.5 g of termite mound is added to 30 mL of 40 mg L−1 CR for 60 min−1 at 400  rpm. The decolorization of CR increases with an increase in the termite mound dosage, contact time, stirring speed, pH, and temperature; however, the adsorption capacity decreases with an increase in the initial CR concentration. The adsorption process shows that CR obeys the Freundlich adsorption model with a 0.9355 coefficient of regression, denoting multilayer formation onto the termite mound. The adsorption kinetics follow the pseudo‐second‐order model with a coefficient of regression value of 0.9966, showing that chemisorption is the main rate limiting step. ΔG is negative, an indication that the adsorption of CR onto termite mound is spontaneous. Approximately 86.6% chemical oxygen demand reduction is achieved with real textile wastewater. This study shows how termite mound can be harnessed for the treatment of textile wastewater before discharged into the environment.
Variation in the benefits of multiple mating on female fertility in wild stalk‐eyed flies
Authors: Meade Lara , Harley Elisabeth , Cotton Alison , Howie James M. , Pomiankowski Andrew , Fowler Kevin
Published: October 2017

Polyandry, female mating with multiple males, is widespread across many taxa and almost ubiquitous in insects. This conflicts with the traditional idea that females are constrained by their comparatively large investment in each offspring, and so should only need to mate once or a few times. Females may need to mate multiply to gain sufficient sperm supplies to maintain their fertility, especially in species in which male promiscuity results in division of their ejaculate among many females. Here, we take a novel approach, utilizing wild‐caught individuals to explore how natural variation among females and males influences fertility gains for females. We studied this in the Malaysian stalk‐eyed fly species Teleopsis dalmanni. After an additional mating, females benefit from greatly increased fertility (proportion fertile eggs). Gains from multiple mating are not uniform across females; they are greatest when females have high fecundity or low fertility. Fertility gains also vary spatially, as we find an additional strong effect of the stream from which females were collected. Responses were unaffected by male mating history (males kept with females or in male‐only groups). Recent male mating may be of lesser importance because males in many species, including T. dalmanni, partition their ejaculate to maintain their fertility over many matings. This study highlights the importance of complementing laboratory studies with data on wild‐caught populations, where there is considerable heterogeneity between individuals. Future research should focus on environmental, demographic and genetic factors that are likely to significantly influence variation in individual female fecundity and fertility.
Broadening the voice of science: Promoting scientific communication in the undergraduate classroom
Authors: Cirino Lauren A. , Emberts Zachary , Joseph Paul N. , Allen Pablo E. , Lopatto David , Miller Christine W.
Published: October 2017

Effective and accurate communication of scientific findings is essential. Unfortunately, scientists are not always well trained in how to best communicate their results with other scientists nor do all appreciate the importance of speaking with the public. Here, we provide an example of how the development of oral communication skills can be integrated with research experiences at the undergraduate level. We describe our experiences developing, running, and evaluating a course for undergraduates that complemented their existing undergraduate research experiences with instruction on the nature of science and intensive training on the development of science communication skills. Students delivered science talks, research monologues, and poster presentations about the ecological and evolutionary research in which they were involved. We evaluated the effectiveness of our approach using the CURE survey and a focus group. As expected, undergraduates reported strong benefits to communication skills and confidence. We provide guidance for college researchers, instructors, and administrators interested in motivating and equipping the next generation of scientists to be excellent science communicators.
Larval body condition regulates predator‐induced life‐history variation in a dragonfly
Authors: Moore Michael P. , Lis Cassandra , Martin Ryan A.
Published: October 2017

Organisms with complex life cycles commonly exhibit adaptive plasticity in the timing of transitions between life stages. While the threat of predation is predicted to induce earlier transitions, empirical support has been equivocal. When predation risk affects both the propensity to transition to the next life stage and the ability to reach the energetic thresholds necessary to complete the transition, only those individuals in the best physiological condition may be able to accelerate development and emerge earlier. To test this hypothesis, we followed uniquely marked dragonfly larvae (Pachydiplax longipennis) through emergence in pools where we factorially manipulated the presence of a large heterospecific predator (Anax junius) and cannibalism risk via conspecific size variation. Consistent with our hypothesis, high‐condition larvae were more likely to emerge in the presence of the heterospecific predator than in its absence, and low‐condition larvae were more likely to emerge in its absence than in its presence. Moreover, high‐condition larvae emerged earlier when cannibalism risk was high than when it was low. Predation risk therefore has condition‐dependent effects on emergence. As predation risk frequently affects resource accumulation, similar mechanisms across taxa could commonly underlie the incongruence between empirical results and theoretical expectations for predator‐induced life‐history variation.
Intramyocardial inflammation predicts adverse outcome in patients with cardiac AL amyloidosis
Authors: Siegismund Christine S. , Escher Felicitas , Lassner Dirk , Kühl Uwe , Gross Ulrich , Fruhwald Friedrich , Wenzel Philip , Münzel Thomas , Frey Norbert , Linke Reinhold P. , Schultheiss Heinz‐Peter
Published: October 2017

Aims

To evaluate the influence of endomyocardial biopsy (EMB)‐proven intramyocardial inflammation on mortality in patients with cardiac transthyretin amyloid (ATTR) or amyloid light‐chain (AL) amyloidosis.

Methods and results

We included 54 consecutive patients (mean age 68.83 ± 9.59 years; 45 men) with EMB‐proven cardiac amyloidosis. We followed up patients from first diagnostic biopsy to as long as 36 months (mean 11.5 ± 12 months) and compared their outcome with information on all‐cause mortality with or without proof of inflammation on EMB. Intramyocardial inflammation was assessed by quantitative immunohistology. Patients suffering from amyloidosis revealed a significant poor prognosis with proof of intramyocardial inflammation in contrast to those without inflammation (log‐rank P = 0.019). Re‐grouping of patients indicated AL amyloidosis to have a significant impact on all‐cause mortality (log‐rank P = 0.012). The detailed subgroup analysis showed that patients suffering from AL amyloidosis with intramyocardial inflammation have a significantly worse prognosis compared with AL amyloidosis without inflammation and ATTR with or without inflammation, respectively (log‐rank P = 0.014, contingency Fisher's exact test, P = 0.008).

Conclusion

Our study reports for the first time a high incidence (48.1%) of intramyocardial inflammation in a series of patients with EMB‐proven cardiac amyloidosis and could show that in patients with AL amyloidosis, intramyocardial inflammation correlated significantly with increased mortality. Our data have a direct clinical impact because one can hypothesize that additional immunomodulating/anti‐inflammatory treatment regimens in patients with biopsy‐proven inflammation of heart muscle tissue could be beneficial for patients suffering from cardiac AL amyloidosis.
What have we learned about heart failure with mid‐range ejection fraction one year after its introduction?
Authors: Nauta Jan F. , Hummel Yoran M. , van Melle Joost P. , van der Meer Peter , Lam Carolyn S.P. , Ponikowski Piotr , Voors Adriaan A.
Published: October 2017

The 2016 European Society of Cardiology heart failure guidelines introduced the term ‘heart failure with mid‐range ejection fraction’ (HFmrEF) to refer to patients with heart failure and a mildly reduced ejection fraction of 40–49%. About 20% of heart failure patients fall in this category. One of the main reasons for the introduction of this category was to stimulate research into this grey area. This review aims to highlight the key findings that have been published so far. Firstly, HFmrEF more closely resembles heart failure with reduced (HFrEF) than preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) with regard to ischaemic aetiology, which is more frequent in both HFmrEF and HFrEF compared to HFpEF. Secondly, changes in ejection fraction over time are common, and seem to be more important than baseline ejection fraction alone. Patients who progress from HFmrEF to HFrEF have a worse prognosis than those who remain stable or transition to HFpEF. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, retrospective analyses from a randomized trial suggest that patients with HFmrEF seem to benefit from therapies that have shown to improve outcome in HFrEF, whereas no such benefit was seen in patients with HFpEF.
Use of prospective and retrospective risk assessment methods that simplify chemical mixtures associated with treated domestic wastewater discharges
Authors: Diamond Jerome , Altenburger Rolf , Coors Anja , Dyer Scott D. , Focazio Michael , Kidd Karen , Koelmans Albert A. , Leung Kenneth M. Y. , Servos Mark R. , Snape Jason , Tolls Johannes , Zhang Xiaowei
Published: October 2017

A framework is presented that is intended to facilitate the evaluation of potential aquatic ecological risks resulting from discharges of down-the-drain chemicals. A scenario is presented using representatives of many of the types of chemicals that are treated domestically. Predicted environmental chemical concentrations are based on reported loading rates and routine removal rates for 3 types of treatment: trickling filter, activated sludge secondary treatment, and activated sludge plus advanced oxidation process as well as instream effluent dilution. In tier I, predicted effluent concentrations were compared with the lowest predicted-no-effect concentration (PNEC) obtained from the literature using safety factors as needed. A cumulative risk characterization ratio (cumRCR) < 1.0 indicates that risk is unlikely and no further action is needed. Otherwise, a tier 2 assessment is used, in which PNECs are based on trophic level. If tier 2 indicates a possible risk, then a retrospective assessment is recommended. In tier 1, the cumRCR was > 1.0 for all 3 treatment types in our scenario, even though no chemical exceeded a hazard quotient of 1.0 in activated sludge or advanced oxidation process. In tier 2, activated sludge yielded a lower cumRCR than trickling filter because of higher removal rates, and the cumRCR in the advanced oxidation process was << 1.0. Based on the maximum cumulative risk ratio (MCR), more than one-third of the predicted risk was accounted for by one chemical, and at least 90% was accounted for by 3 chemicals, indicating that few chemicals influenced the mixture risk in our scenario. We show how a retrospective assessment can test whether certain chemicals hypothesized as potential drivers in the prospective assessment could have, or are having, deleterious effects on aquatic life. Environ Toxicol Chem 2018;37:690–702. © 2017 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of SETAC.
Serie: Migration und Flucht / Teil 3
Authors: Übelmesser Silke
Published: October 2017

Was macht es Menschen leichter, ihre Heimat zu verlassen und ihr Heil und Glück in der Ferne zu suchen? Und was hindert sie daran? Dass Sprache und Sprachkenntnisse zu den wichtigsten Anreizen oder aber Barrieren einer jeden Migration gehören – diesem Zusammenhang geht der dritte Teil unserer Serie nach. Dabei steht freilich nicht das Deutsch‐Können hier im Fokus, sondern das Deutsch‐Lernen in den jeweiligen Heimatländern. Und so ungewohnt der Wechsel der Perspektive, so ungewöhnlich auch das Material: Die Jahrbücher der Goethe‐Institute in aller Welt sind die Grundlage dieser volkswirtschaftlichen Annäherung. Dazu auch dieses Mal eine Kurzvorstellung weiterer DFGgeförderter Projekte zu Migrationserleichterungen und ‐hindernissen.
Periostin promotes malignant potential by induction of epithelial‐mesenchymal transition in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma
Authors: Mino Masaaki , Kanno Keishi , Okimoto Kousuke , Sugiyama Akiko , Kishikawa Nobusuke , Kobayashi Tomoki , Ono Junya , Izuhara Kenji , Kobayashi Tsuyoshi , Ohigashi Toshikazu , Ohdan Hideki , Tazuma Susumu
Published: October 2017

Periostin, a secreted matricellular protein, has been reported to induce epithelial‐mesenchymal transition (EMT), which increases motility and invasiveness in various epithelial cancer cells. Periostin is also overexpressed in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) and suggested to be a biomarker for tumor progression and poor prognosis; however, its functional role in ICC is not fully understood. Here, we investigated whether periostin influences malignant potential through the induction of EMT in ICC. Analyses of surgical resected ICC specimens revealed that the gene expression of periostin was significantly higher in ICC tumors than in adjacent nontumor liver tissues and was closely correlated with the expression of mesenchymal markers, including N‐cadherin, vimentin, and fibronectin. However, the expression level of periostin varied in each case. Consistently, the expression of periostin in HuH28 (an undifferentiated ICC cell) was markedly higher than in HuCCT‐1 (a moderately differentiated ICC cell). In addition, high‐level secretion of periostin into culture media was observed in HuH28 but not in HuCCT‐1. To identify the biological significance of periostin in EMT, gene silencing of periostin by small interfering RNA was performed in HuH28 cells. Periostin knockdown in HuH28 cells significantly down‐regulated mesenchymal markers and up‐regulated epithelial markers, suggesting the reversal of EMT, namely mesenchymal‐epithelial transition. Along with these changes, cell proliferation was significantly suppressed by 52%. In addition, cell migration and invasion were significantly suppressed by 62% and 61%, respectively, with reduced gene expression of matrix metalloproteinase 2. Interestingly, chemosensitivity to gemcitabine was also significantly improved by periostin depletion. Conclusion: Periostin plays an important role in the regulation of malignant potential through EMT and is suggested to be a novel target for the treatment of ICC. (Hepatology Communications 2017;1:1099–1109)
THE QUALITY OF FATHER–CHILD ROUGH‐AND‐TUMBLE PLAY AND TODDLERS’ AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR IN CHINA
Authors: Anderson Sheila , Qiu Wei , Wheeler Shanalyn J.
Published: October 2017

The purpose of this study was to explore the influence of the quality of early father–child rough‐and‐tumble play (RTP) on toddler aggressive behaviors and more fully understand how child, mother, and father characteristics were associated with higher quality father–child RTP among contemporary urban Chinese families. Participants included 42 families in Changsha, China. Play observations of fathers and their children were coded for RTP quality. The specific RTP quality of father–child reciprocity of dominance was associated with fewer toddler aggressive behaviors, as rated by both fathers and mothers. Mothers’ democratic parenting attitudes were associated with higher quality father–child RTP. These findings suggest that higher quality father–child RTP may be one way in which some fathers influence children's expression of aggressive behaviors, and the quality of father–child RTP may be influenced by the broader family, social, and cultural contexts.
Anti‐fibrotic function of Cu‐bearing stainless steel for reducing recurrence of urethral stricture after stent implantation
Authors: Zhao Jing , Ren Ling , Liu Meixia , Xi Tong , Zhang Bingchun , Yang Ke
Published: October 2017

Recurrent stenosis is the main reason inducing the failure of urethral stricture treatment. Our previous study has found that the 316L type Cu bearing stainless steel (316L‐Cu SS) showed antimicrobial activity and anti‐encrustation performance when it was used for relieving urethral obstructer. However, whether it can reduce the occurrence of fibrosis or not, we need further investigation to compare the cellular and molecular responses of human urethral scar fibroblast cells (USFCs) on 316L‐Cu SS and medical grade 316L stainless (316L SS, as a control). [3‐(4,5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐5‐(3‐carboxymethoxyphenyl)‐2‐(4‐ sulfophenyl)‐ 2H‐tetrazolium (MTS) and Transwell were used to assess the cellular responses, which confirmed that 316L‐Cu SS could inhibit proliferation and migration of USFCs. Molecular expressions of fibrosis were evaluated by western blot, real‐time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), and Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (CuZnSOD) measurement. The results indicated that up‐regulating of CuZnSOD attenuated the transforming growth factor‐β1 expression and phosphorylation of Smad3 after exposure to 316L‐Cu SS. Besides, the content of collagen type I (COL1) and collagen type III (COL3) secreting into the culture medium measured by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay were in accord with the results of messenger ribonucleic acids. Both of them exhibited lower levels of COL1/COL3 exposure to 316L‐Cu SS, demonstrating the inhibitory performance of 316L‐Cu SS against fibrosis. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 106B: 2019–2028, 2018.
Nanostructured gemini‐based supramolecular solvent coupled with ultrasound‐assisted back extraction as a preconcentration step before GC–MS
Authors: Feizi Neda , Yamini Yadollah , Moradi Morteza , Salamat Qamar
Published: October 2017

Liquid‐phase microextraction based on gemini‐based supramolecular solvent was successfully applied as a preconcentration step before gas chromatography with mass spectrometry. To eliminate the interferences of gemini surfactant, the analytes were back‐extracted into an immiscible organic solvent in the presence of ultrasonic sound waves. Three phthalate esters (di‐n‐butyl‐, butylbenzyl‐, bis(2‐ethylhexyl)‐, and di‐n‐octyl phthalatic esters) were used as target analytes. The effective parameters on extraction efficiency of the target analytes (i.e., the amount of surfactant and volume of propanol as major components making up the supramolecular solvent, ionic strength, hexane volume, and ultrasound time) were investigated and optimized by a one‐variable‐at‐a‐time method. Under the optimum conditions, the preconcentration factors of the analytes were in the range of 95–182. The linear dynamic range of 0.05–200.00 μg/L with a correlation of determination of (R2) ≥ 0.9935 was obtained. The proposed method had an excellent limit of detection (S/N = 3) of 0.01 for di‐n‐octyl and 0.02 μg/L for butylbenzyl‐ and di‐n‐butyl‐phthalatic ester. Good relative recoveries in the range of 85.7–105.2% guaranteed the accuracy of the amount of phthalates distinguished in the nonspiked samples.
Comparative study on chemical components and anti‐inflammatory effects of Panax notoginseng flower extracted by water and methanol
Authors: Ma Li‐Juan , Liu Fang , Zhong Zhang‐Feng , Wan Jian‐Bo
Published: October 2017

Methanol and water are commonly used solvents for chemical analysis and traditional decoction, respectively. In the present study, a high‐performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection method was developed to quantify 11 saponins in Panax notoginseng flower extracted by aqueous solution and methanol, and chemical components and anti‐inflammatory effects of these two extracts were compared. The separation of 11 saponins, including notoginsenoside Fc and ginsenoside Rc, was well achieved on a Zorbax SB C18 column. This developed method provides an adequate linearity (r2 > 0.999), repeatability (RSD < 4.26%), inter‐ and intraday variations (RSD < 3.20%) with recovery (94.7–104.1%) of 11 saponins concerned. Our data indicated that ginsenoside biotransformation in PNF was found, when water was used as the extraction solvent, but not methanol. Specifically, the major components of Panax notoginseng flower, ginsenosides Rb1, Rc, Rb2, Rb3, and Rd, can be near completely transformed to the minor components, gypenoside XVII, notoginsenoside Fe, ginsenoside Rd2, notoginsenoside Fd, and ginsenoside F2, respectively. Total protein isolated from Panax notoginseng flower is responsible for this ginsenoside biotransformation. Additionally, methanol extract exerted the stronger anti‐inflammatory effects than water extract in lipopolysaccharide‐induced RAW264.7 cells. This difference in anti‐inflammatory action might be attributed to their chemical difference of saponins.
Simultaneous determination of furfural and its degradation products, furoic acid and maleic acid, in transformer oil by the reversed‐phase vortex‐assisted liquid–liquid microextraction followed by high‐performance liquid chromatography
Authors: Wang Yifan , Li Haiyan , Yang Zhen , Zhang Weijie , Hua Jia
Published: October 2017

To explore why the use of furfural as a transformer oil‐paper insulation aging characteristic is problematic in real world application, we developed a method for the simultaneous determination of furfural, furoic acid, and maleic acid in transformer oil by reversed‐phase vortex‐assisted liquid–liquid microextraction combined with high‐performance liquid chromatography. The conditions for the proposed method were optimized, and the obtained extract can be directly analyzed by high‐performance liquid chromatography. The detection limits (signal‐to‐noise ratio = 3) of the method ranged from 1.0 to 4.6 μg/L, the enrichment factors for furfural, furoic acid, maleic acid, and fumaric acid were 4.6, 25.1, 15.6, and 17.5, respectively, and the recovery rates for three analytes (fumaric acid was undetected) range from 82.1 to 106.2%. The contents of furfural, furoic acid, and maleic acid resulted from accelerated aging of transformer insulation oil‐paper were measured using the present method for the first time, and the aging samples were analyzed by liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry for the identification of furoic acid and maleic acid in the aging transformer oil samples. Using the optimal method, the target products of samples at different aging time were tracked and measured.
Covalent Incorporation of Heparin Improves Chondrogenesis in Photocurable Gelatin‐Methacryloyl Hydrogels
Authors: Brown Gabriella C. J. , Lim Khoon S. , Farrugia Brooke L. , Hooper Gary J. , Woodfield Tim B. F.
Published: October 2017

Multicomponent gelatin‐methacryloyl (GelMA) hydrogels are regularly adopted for cartilage tissue engineering (TE) applications, where optimizing chemical modifications for preserving biofunctionality is often overlooked. This study investigates the biological effect of two different modification methods, methacrylation and thiolation, to copolymerize GelMA and heparin. The native bioactivity of methacrylated heparin (HepMA) and thiolated heparin (HepSH) is evaluated via thromboplastin time and heparan sulfate‐deficient myeloid cell‐line proliferation assay, demonstrating that thiolation is superior for preserving anticoagulation and growth factor signaling capacity. Furthermore, incorporating either HepMA or HepSH in chondrocyte‐laden GelMA hydrogels, cultured for 5 weeks under chondrogenic conditions, promotes cell viability and chondrocyte phenotype. However, only GelMA‐HepSH hydrogels yield significantly greater differentiation and matrix deposition in vitro compared to GelMA. This study demonstrates that thiol‐ene chemistry offers a favorable strategy for incorporating bioactives into gelatin hydrogels as compared to methacrylation while furthermore highlighting GelMA‐HepSH hydrogels as candidates for cartilage TE applications.
R‐based Tool for a Pairwise Structure‐activity Relationship Analysis
Authors: Klimenko Kyrylo
Published: October 2017

The Structure‐Activity Relationship analysis is a complex process that can be enhanced by computational techniques. This article describes a simple tool for SAR analysis that has a graphic user interface and a flexible approach towards the input of molecular data. The application allows calculating molecular similarity represented by Tanimoto index & Euclid distance, as well as, determining activity cliffs by means of Structure‐Activity Landscape Index. The calculation is performed in a pairwise manner either for the reference compound and other compounds or for all possible pairs in the data set. The results of SAR analysis are visualized using two types of plot. The application capability is demonstrated by the analysis of a set of COX2 inhibitors with respect to Isoxicam. This tool is available online: it includes manual and input file examples.
Simultaneous QSM and metabolic imaging of the brain using SPICE
Authors: Peng Xi , Lam Fan , Li Yudu , Clifford Bryan , Liang Zhi‐Pei
Published: October 2017

Purpose

To map brain metabolites and tissue magnetic susceptibility simultaneously using a single three‐dimensional 1H‐MRSI acquisition without water suppression.

Methods

The proposed technique builds on a subspace imaging method called spectroscopic imaging by exploiting spatiospectral correlation (SPICE), which enables ultrashort echo time (TE)/short pulse repetition time (TR) acquisitions for 1H‐MRSI without water suppression. This data acquisition scheme simultaneously captures both the spectral information of brain metabolites and the phase information of the water signals that is directly related to tissue magnetic susceptibility variations. In extending this scheme for simultaneous QSM and metabolic imaging, we increase k‐space coverage by using dual density sparse sampling and ramp sampling to achieve spatial resolution often required by QSM, while maintaining a reasonable signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR) for the spatiospectral data used for metabolite mapping. In data processing, we obtain high‐quality QSM from the unsuppressed water signals by taking advantage of the larger number of echoes acquired and any available anatomical priors; metabolite spatiospectral distributions are reconstructed using a union‐of‐subspaces model.

Results

In vivo experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method can produce susceptibility maps at a resolution higher than 1.8 × 1.8 × 2.4 mm3 along with metabolite spatiospectral distributions at a nominal spatial resolution of 2.4 × 2.4 × 2.4 mm3 from a single 7‐min MRSI scan. The estimated susceptibility values are consistent with those obtained using the conventional QSM method with 3D multi‐echo gradient echo acquisitions.

Conclusion

This article reports a new capability for simultaneous susceptibility mapping and metabolic imaging of the brain from a single 1H‐MRSI scan, which has potential for a wide range of applications. Magn Reson Med 79:13–21, 2018. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.
Effect of morphology development on the crystallization behavior, dynamic mechanical properties, and toughness of the PA‐6/plasticized PVB/organoclay nanocomposites
Authors: Zanjanijam Ali Reza , Hakim Shokoufeh , Azizi Hamed
Published: October 2017

PA‐6/PVB blends and related nanocomposites with organoclay were prepared via melt‐processing and structure‐property relationships were comprehensively investigated. The SEM observations showed that blend composition and organoclay content play significant roles in the development of morphology. The differential scanning calorimetry results revealed occurrence of fractionated crystallization in the blends due to development of co‐continuous morphology. In contrast, the degree of fractionated crystallization decreased in the nanocomposites owing to role of the nanoclay as heterogeneous nucleating agent. It was found that there is an interesting relationship between morphology development and dynamic mechanical properties of the blends. Furthermore, the effects of the morphology development and nanoclay on the viscoelastic behavior of the nanocomposites were synergistic and/or counteracting depending on the Cloisite 30B content. The PA‐6/PVB blends with co‐continuous morphology showed outstanding toughness. In addition, the PA‐6/PVB50 blend with low nanoclay concentration exhibited high impact strength, which was originated from low interparticle distance between PVB domains in the matrix. POLYM. COMPOS., 40:E242–E254, 2019. © 2017 Society of Plastics Engineers
Centrifugally spun of alginate‐riched submicron fibers from alginate/polyethylene oxide blends
Authors: Lu Yishen , Li Xianglong , Hou Teng , Yang Bin
Published: October 2017

Alginate ultrafine fibers are promising materials for tissue engineering applications. However, the alginate content in electrospun alginate/PEO composite fibers is limited to 85 wt%. PEO is proven to be inoperative and dispensable in cell culture experiments, because it keeps cells from attaching to the surrounding area before it is released from fibrous mats. Here, alginate ultrafine fibers are fabricated by centrifugal spinning in which alginate content is dramatically increased to 97.5 wt%. We investigate the correlation between centrifugal spinnability and alginate solution properties together with processing parameters, specifically including alginate/PEO mass ratios, PEO molecular weights, surfactant mass ratios and heater temperature. Results show that the solvent evaporation rate is a critical factor that regulates the centrifugal spinnability of aqueous alginate/PEO system. The role of PEO is to form hydrogen bonds to alginate, and thus to weaken the interactions between alginate and water. In view of the biocompatibility and biodegradability of alginate, the alginate‐riched ultrafine fibers fabricated in this article may be in favor of applications in tissue engineering. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 58:1644–1651, 2018. © 2017 Society of Plastics Engineers
Implementing risk‐based inspection approach: Is it beneficial for pressure equipment in Malaysia industries?
Authors: Mohamed Ramuna , Che Hassan Che Rosmani , Hamid Mahar Diana
Published: October 2017

The transition from time‐based inspection to risk–based inspection (RBI) in Malaysian industry began in June 2014 with the gazette of Factories and Machinery (Special Scheme of Inspection) (Risk‐Based Inspection) Regulations 2014 (SSI 2014). Under the new regulations, owners shall express their commitment and provide proof of their ability to ensure safety, integrity, and operability of relevant equipment. The regulation does not prescriptively mention methods to implement the RBI approach, but does spell out minimum requirements. Upon successful demonstration of compliance to the authority, the Certificate of Fitness of pressurized equipment may be extended to maximum 72 months.

This paper aims to establish the benefits which may accrue from the adoption of RBI approach and ascertain the potential difficulties associated with the implementation of this approach. The paper first presents a review of the literature, establishing the major reasons for, and the benefits of, RBI implementation. This is followed by the results of a Malaysian survey on the implementation of RBM approach. An audit was conducted in the Malaysian petrochemical and chemical industries in April 2016. The audit results highlight the reasons for and benefits of implementing RBI. The paper concludes with a discussion and recommendations for the implementation of the RBI approach. © 2017 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Process Saf Prog 37: 194–204, 2018
The VMAT2 inhibitors: New hope for an old scourge
Authors: Price Lawrence H.
Published: October 2017

A scourge, to be sure, of our own making. I'm referring in the title of this commentary to tardive dyskinesia (TD), one of the most debilitating side effects of the first‐generation antipsychotics (FGAs). Although TD was first recognized as an adverse effect of these drugs in the 1950s, it was decades before our field fully embraced the implications. In no small part, this reflected our reluctance to find fault with a class of drugs that had revolutionized treatment for millions of people. The incidence of TD has declined significantly since the introduction of the second‐generation antipsychotics (SGAs) in the 1990s — not fortuitously, since reducing the risk of TD was a key driver in the development of the SGAs.
An inquiry into the structure of situational interests
Authors: Azevedo Flávio S.
Published: October 2017

I advance theoretically and empirically grounded arguments for broadening how we frame and understand situational interests. A situational interest refers to the short‐term spike in a person's attention and participation in an activity and it is triggered in the interactions between the person and environment features (e.g., novelty and surprise). As represented in the literature, extant conceptions of the phenomenon frame it fundamentally as a discontinuity in a person's experiences. Put differently, a situational interest denotes a moment in which a new object or activity is first brought into a person's stream of experiences and its triggering marks the boundary between two qualitatively distinct moments—a before‐and‐after—in one's ongoing activity participation. In contrast, I conjecture that situational interests are best understood as phenomena that combine both discontinuous and continuous dimensions of experience. To argue this point, I use three in‐depth videotaped case studies of the triggering and (when available) retriggering of situational interests in STEM‐based practices and show that the continuity + discontinuity lens provides a fine‐grained and more accountable description of the phenomenon, its triggering process, and its eventual uptake and development (or not).
Report of the International Stem Cell Banking Initiative Workshop Activity: Current Hurdles and Progress in Seed-Stock Banking of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells
Authors: Kim Jung-Hyun , Kurtz Andreas , Yuan Bao-Zhu , Zeng Fanyi , Lomax Geoff , Loring Jeanne F. , Crook Jeremy , Ju Ji Hyeon , Clarke Laura , Inamdar Maneesha S. , Pera Martin , Firpo Meri T. , Sheldon Michael , Rahman Nafees , O’Shea Orla , Pranke Patricia , Zhou Qi , Isasi Rosario , Rungsiwiwut Ruttachuk , Kawamata Shin , Oh Steve , Ludwig Tenneille , Masui Tohru , Novak Thomas J. , Takahashi Tsuneo , Fujibuchi Wataru , Koo Soo Kyung , Stacey Glyn N.
Published: October 2017

This article summarizes the recent activity of the International Stem Cell Banking Initiative (ISCBI) held at the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) in California (June 26, 2016) and the Korean National Institutes for Health in Korea (October 19–20, 2016). Through the workshops, ISCBI is endeavoring to support a new paradigm for human medicine using pluripotent stem cells (hPSC) for cell therapies. Priority considerations for ISCBI include ensuring the safety and efficacy of a final cell therapy product and quality assured source materials, such as stem cells and primary donor cells. To these ends, ISCBI aims to promote global harmonization on quality and safety control of stem cells for research and the development of starting materials for cell therapies, with regular workshops involving hPSC banking centers, biologists, and regulatory bodies. Here, we provide a brief overview of two such recent activities, with summaries of key issues raised.
Water Tolerant and Reusable Sulfonated Hyperbranched Poly(aryleneoxindole) Acid Catalyst for Solvent‐Free Esterification
Authors: Verheyen Thomas , Smet Mario , De Borggraeve Wim M.
Published: October 2017

The synthesis of esters directly from alcohols and carboxylic acids plays an important role in organic synthesis because of its utility in diverse fields both in academia and in industry. Innovations to further improve the efficiency and sustainability of the esterification process are highly desirable. To accomplish a green esterification protocol, we used a recoverable sulfonated hyperbranched poly(aryleneoxindole) acid catalyst in the condensation of various alcohols with acids. The protocol allows high conversion with equimolar amounts of reagents, recovery and reuse up to at least five times with solvent free conditions thus simplifying purification steps and reducing redundancy. Furthermore the reaction medium was deliberately spiked with water to evaluate its influence on the activity of the acid catalyst and excellent tolerance was observed.
One‐Pot Two Step Nazarov‐Schmidt Rearrangement for the Synthesis of Fused δ‐Lactam Systems
Authors: Thigulla Yadagiri , Ranga Santosh , Ghosal Subhas , Subbalakshmi Jayanty , Bhattacharya Anupam
Published: October 2017

In this article we have described a method to synthesize fused δ‐lactam compounds from chalcones, via a one pot two step route, involving consecutive application of Nazarov and Schmidt rearrangement reactions. Initial studies were done on 3‐phenyl‐1‐(thiophen‐3‐yl)prop‐2‐en‐1‐one, using polyphosphoric acid (PPA) and sodium azide at 120°C, whence the unexpected N‐alkyl amide product was obtained, instead of usual N‐aryl analogue. With diverse 3‐aryl substituted‐1‐(thiophen‐3‐yl)prop‐2‐en‐1‐one and 3‐aryl substituted‐1‐(thiophen‐2‐yl)prop‐2‐en‐1‐one as substrates, corresponding N‐alkyl amide compounds were obtained in modest to good yields. Interestingly, with 3‐aryl substituted phenylprop‐2‐en‐1‐one as substrates under the optimized conditions, N‐aryl amide compounds were formed as the final products instead of corresponding N‐alkyl analogues.
Proton Sponge Analogue of the Tröger's Base: A Compound with Remarkable Enantiomeric Stability
Authors: Ozeryanskii Valery A. , Vlasenko Marina P. , Pozharskii Alexander F. , Sergeyev Sergey , Maes Bert U. W. , Franck Philippe , Herrebout Wouter A.
Published: October 2017

Proton sponge analogue of the Tröger's base (4) has been obtained upon treatment of 1‐amino‐4,5‐bis(dimethylamino)naphthalene with paraformaldehyde. It was found that in contrast to classical Tröger's base 1, protonation of 4 occurs, at least thermodynamically, exclusively on peri‐NMe2 groups producing a dication with two chelated [NHN]+ hydrogen bonds. This prevents the protonation of the bridge nitrogen atoms, which is responsible for rather easy racemization of 1. Indeed, two enantiomers of 4 were resolved by chiral chromatography and their much higher stability in acidic media as compared to 1 has been confirmed. Some other properties of base 4 including structure, basicity, dynamic NMR behavior, host‐guest interactions and reactions with electrophiles are also discussed.
Solidification Behavior of CaO–SiO2–Al2O3 Mold Fluxes Containing MgO and Low TiO2 Content Using Single Hot Thermocouple Technique (SHTT): Continuous‐Cooling‐Transformation (CCT) and Viscosity Analysis
Authors: dos Reis Silva Daniel , Vilela Antônio Cezar Faria , Heck Nestor Cezar , Heller Hans‐Peter , Volkova Olena
Published: October 2017

The effect of MgO and low TiO2 content on the solidification of CaO–SiO2–Al2O3 based mold fluxes is investigated. The crystallization and viscosity behaviors are analyzed using single hot thermocouple technique (SHTT) and rotating viscometer, respectively. Continuous‐cooling‐transformation (CCT) results point to an increase of critical cooling rate (CCR) with increasing MgO content. Conversely, the presence of TiO2 seems to mitigate the effect of MgO on the crystallization due to the strong glass former characteristic of titanium dioxide. Viscosity measurements show an increase with increasing MgO content in slags containing TiO2. Break temperatures (Tbr) are compared to the onset crystallization temperatures from CCT experiments. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X‐ray diffraction (XRD) analysis results indicate the presence of melilite (Al2Ca2Mg0.5O7Si1.5) for all samples of mold flux containing both MgO and TiO2.
The Pericytic Phenotype of Adipose Tissue-Derived Stromal Cells Is Promoted by NOTCH2
Authors: Terlizzi Vincenzo , Kolibabka Matthias , Burgess Janette Kay , Hammes Hans Peter , Harmsen Martin Conrad
Published: October 2017

Long-term diabetes leads to macrovascular and microvascular complication. In diabetic retinopathy (DR), persistent hyperglycemia causes permanent loss of retinal pericytes and aberrant proliferation of microvascular endothelial cells (ECs). Adipose tissue-derived stromal cells (ASCs) may serve to functionally replace retinal pericytes and normalize retinal microvasculature during disease progression. We hypothesized that Notch signaling in ASC underlies regulation and stabilization of dysfunctional retinal microvascular networks such as in DR. ASC prominently and constitutively expressed NOTCH2. Genetic knockdown of NOTCH2 in ASC (SH-NOTCH2) disturbed the formation of vascular networks of human umbilical cord vein endothelial cells both on monolayers of ASC and in organotypical three-dimensional cocultures with ASC. On ASC SH-NOTCH2, cell surface platelet-derived growth factor receptor beta was downregulated which disrupted their migration toward the chemoattractant platelet-derived growth factor beta subunits (PDGF-BB) as well as to conditioned media from EC and bovine retinal EC. This chemoattractant is secreted by pro-angiogenic EC in newly formed microvascular networks to attract pericytes. Intravitreal injected ASC SH-NOTCH2 in oxygen-induced retinopathy mouse eyes did not engraft in the preexisting retinal microvasculature. However, the in vivo pro-angiogenic capacity of ASC SH-NOTCH2 did not differ from controls. In this respect, multifocal electroretinography displayed similar b-wave amplitudes in the avascular zones when either wild type ASC or SH-NOTCH2 ASC were injected. In conclusion, our results indicate that NOTCH2 is essential to support in vitro vasculogenesis via juxtacrine interactions. In contrast, ongoing in vivo angiogenesis is influenced by paracrine signaling of ASC, irrespective of Notch signaling.
Survivin Is Required for Mouse and Human Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stromal Cell Function
Authors: Singh Pratibha , Fukuda Seiji , Liu Liqiong , Chitteti Brahmananda Reddy , Pelus Louis M.
Published: October 2017

Although mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) have significant potential in cell-based therapies, little is known about the factors that regulate their functions. While exploring regulatory molecules potentially involved in MSC activities, we found that the endogenous multifunctional factor Survivin is essential for MSC survival, expansion, lineage commitment, and migration. Pharmacological or genetic blockade of Survivin expression in mouse and human bone marrow MSC enhances caspase 3 and 7 expression and reduces proliferation resulting in fewer MSC and clonogenic colony-forming unit-fibroblasts (CFU-F), whereas ectopic Survivin overexpression in MSC results in their expansion. Survivin is also required for the MSC proliferative responses to basic fibroblast growth factor and platelet derived growth factor. In a wound healing model, Survivin inhibition results in suppression of MSC migration to the wound site. In addition, loss of Survivin in MSCs compromises their hematopoiesis-supporting capacity. These results demonstrate that Survivin is a key regulator of mouse and human MSC function, and suggest that targeted modulation of Survivin in MSCs may have clinical utility to enhance MSC recovery and activity following insult or stress.