bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Environmental Interaction and Engagement
Authors: Coles Richard
Published: May 2019

This chapter considers the ways that individuals interact with the environment within the wider context of supporting wellbeing, presenting information regarding how the environment is perceived and the nature of the sensory inputs involved, emphasizing the need to consider the totality of bodily experience—including memory—which gives meaning to encounters. Drawing upon original research, with which the author has been involved over many years, a range of literature is discussed and a series of case studies presented describing encounters with the urban and other environments. These are used to explore the notion of wellbeing and how it might be supported.
Income and Wellbeing
Authors: Kennelly Brendan
Published: May 2019

This chapter contains a selective review of the relationship between income and subjective wellbeing. Some of the more serious methodological issues with measurement of subjective wellbeing are discussed. The distinction between measures evaluating life and measures of experienced affective emotions is explored. The balance of recent empirical evidence suggests that, on average, more income is better for individuals. I argue that great caution should be exercised before income measures are replaced or complemented by measures of subjective wellbeing for policy purposes.
Inverted papilloma with multifocal attachment is associated with increased recurrence
Authors: Tong Charles C. L. , Patel Neil N. , Maina Ivy W. , Triantafillou Vasiliki , Yan Carol H. , Kuan Edward C. , Kohanski Michael A. , Papagiannopoulos Peter , Workman Alan D. , Cohen Noam A. , Kennedy David W. , Adappa Nithin D. , Palmer James N.
Published: May 2019

Background

Inverted papilloma (IP) is a benign sinonasal tumor with a well‐known propensity to recur, especially at its bony attachment site. Anecdotal evidence suggests lower rate of recurrence in primary resection. We also aimed to evaluate the effect of multifocal vs single focus of attachment in disease control.

Methods

This work is a retrospective review of 535 IP resections performed during the period from 2006 to 2016 at a tertiary‐care center. Demographic data, tumor location and attachment sites, and follow‐up duration data were obtained.

Results

Two hundred ten patients were eligible for analysis. The mean age was 57 years, with an average postoperative surveillance of 36.4 months. Patients who had a previous procedure at an outside institution have a recurrence rate of 22.3%, compared with 12.4% for patients who had primary surgery at our institution. The most common site of attachment was maxillary sinus (47.6%), followed by ethmoid sinus (39%). Individual tumor review showed 50% of the patients to have multifocal attachment disease, of which there is a higher prevalence in secondary cases when compared with primary cases (53.7% vs 44.9%). Multiple tumor attachment sites had a significant effect on recurrence (odds ratio, 3.5; 95% confidence interval, 1.6‐7.6; p = 0.002).

Conclusion

Primary resection and single‐focus attachment of inverted papilloma are associated with lower recurrence rates at 3‐year follow‐up.
Produktive Modifikationen von Cyaninfarbstoff‐π‐Netzwerken
Authors: Usama Syed Muhammad , Thompson Tye , Burgess Kevin
Published: May 2019

Polymethinbrücken in Cyaninfarbstoffen können durch Einbau in kantenverknüpfte Ringsysteme sterisch fixiert oder aber durch Konjugation mit Heterocyclen expandiert werden. Neuere Studien haben gezeigt, dass solche Modifikationen zu deutlich helleren Farbstoffen mit rotverschobenen Absorptions‐ und Emissionsmaxima führen können.
Electrolytes for Rechargeable Lithium–Air Batteries
Authors: Lai Jingning , Xing Yi , Chen Nan , Li Li , Wu Feng , Chen Renjie
Published: May 2019

Lithium–air batteries are promising devices for electrochemical energy storage because of their ultrahigh energy density. However, it is still challenging to achieve practical Li–air batteries because of their severe capacity fading and poor rate capability. Electrolytes are the prime suspects for cell failure. In this Review, we focus on the opportunities and challenges of electrolytes for rechargeable Li–air batteries. A detailed summary of the reaction mechanisms, internal compositions, instability factors, selection criteria, and design ideas of the considered electrolytes is provided to obtain appropriate strategies to meet the battery requirements. In particular, ionic liquid (IL) electrolytes and solid‐state electrolytes show exciting opportunities to control both the high energy density and safety.
Zusätzliche Schienenspannungen aus Langzeitverformungen von Eisenbahnbrücken mit Fester Fahrbahn – Modell und Realität
Authors: Wenner Marc , Marx Steffen , Koca Matthias
Published: May 2019

Die Langzeitverformungen des Überbaus aus Temperaturänderungen sowie aus Kriechen und Schwinden bei Betonbrücken sind für einen wesentlichen Teil der zusätzlichen Schienenspannungen bei lückenloser Führung der Schiene über die Brücke verantwortlich. In diesem Aufsatz werden die Ergebnisse umfangreicher Messungen an langen Talbrücken mit Fester Fahrbahn analysiert, um die aktuellen Modelle zur Berechnung der zusätzlichen Schienenspannungen auf Brücken zu überprüfen. In einem ersten Schritt werden der Umfang und die Konzeption der Messung sowie die Methodik der Auswertung und die Plausibilisierung der Daten vorgestellt. Im nächsten Schritt werden die Daten in Hinblick auf die in der Berechnung anzusetzenden Temperaturen analysiert. Der Schwerpunkt des Aufsatzes liegt auf der Auswertung der über fast zwei Jahre erfassten Langzeitdaten der Schienenspannungen und ‐verschiebungen sowie auf deren Vergleich mit den Modellen. Durch das gewählte Messlayout konnten aus den Messergebnissen auch Rückschlüsse auf den sich einstellenden Längsverschiebewiderstand unter den Realbedingungen der Strecke, der bei der Festen Fahrbahn den maßgebenden Parameter für die auftretenden Schienenspannungen darstellt, gezogen werden. Die im Aufsatz vorgestellten Ergebnisse liefern wichtige Erkenntnisse über die Berechnung der zusätzlichen Schienenspannungen bei Fester Fahrbahn.
Stabilization of cyclohexanone monooxygenase by computational and experimental library design
Authors: Fürst Maximilian J. L. J. , Boonstra Marjon , Bandstra Selle , Fraaije Marco W.
Published: May 2019

Enzymes often by far exceed the activity, selectivity, and sustainability achieved with chemical catalysts. One of the main reasons for the lack of biocatalysis in the chemical industry is the poor stability exhibited by many enzymes when exposed to process conditions. This dilemma is exemplified in the usually very temperature‐sensitive enzymes catalyzing the Baeyer–Villiger reaction, which display excellent stereo‐ and regioselectivity and offer a green alternative to the commonly used, explosive peracids. Here we describe a protein engineering approach applied to cyclohexanone monooxygenase from Rhodococcus sp. HI‐31, a substrate‐promiscuous enzyme that efficiently catalyzes the production of the nylon‐6 precursor ε‐caprolactone. We used a framework for rapid enzyme stabilization by computational libraries (FRESCO), which predicts protein‐stabilizing mutations. From 128 screened point mutants, approximately half had a stabilizing effect, albeit mostly to a small degree. To overcome incompatibility effects observed upon combining the best hits, an easy shuffled library design strategy was devised. The most stable and highly active mutant displayed an increase in unfolding temperature of 13°C and an approximately 33x increase in half‐life at 30°C. In contrast to the wild‐type enzyme, this thermostable 8x mutant is an attractive biocatalyst for biotechnological applications.
Effect of UV Radiation on Fluorescent RNA Aptamers’ Functional and Templating Ability
Authors: Saha Ranajay , Chen Irene A.
Published: May 2019

Damage from ultraviolet (UV) radiation was likely to be an important selection pressure during the origin of life. RNA is believed to have been central to the origin of life and might form the basis for simple synthetic cells. Although photodamage of DNA has been extensively studied, photodamage is highly dependent on local molecular context, and damage to functional RNAs has been relatively under‐studied. We irradiated two fluorescent RNA aptamers and monitored the loss of activity, folding, and the kinetics of lesion accumulation. The loss of activity differed depending on the aptamer, with the Spinach2 aptamer retaining substantial activity after long exposure times. The binding pocket was particularly susceptible to damage, and melting of the duplex regions increased susceptibility; this is consistent with the view that duplex formation is protective. At the same time, susceptibility varied greatly depending on context, thus emphasizing the importance of studying many different RNAs to understand UV hardiness.
Trichogin GA IV Alignment and Oligomerization in Phospholipid Bilayers
Authors: Salnikov Evgeniy S. , De Zotti Marta , Bobone Sara , Mazzuca Claudia , Raya Jesus , Siano Alvaro S. , Peggion Cristina , Toniolo Claudio , Stella Lorenzo , Bechinger Burkhard
Published: May 2019

Trichogin GA IV is a short peptaibol with antimicrobial activity. This uncharged, but amphipathic, sequence is aligned at the membrane interface and undergoes a transition to an aggregated state that inserts more deeply into the membrane, an assembly that predominates at a peptide‐to‐lipid ratio (P/L) of 1:20. In this work, the natural trichogin sequence was prepared and reconstituted into oriented lipid bilayers. The 15N NMR chemical shift is indicative of a well‐defined alignment of the peptide parallel to the membrane surface at P/Ls of 1:120 and 1:20. When the P/L is increased to 1:8, an additional peptide topology is observed that is indicative of a heterogeneous orientation, with helix alignments ranging from around the magic angle to perfectly in‐plane. The topological preference of the trichogin helix for an orientation parallel to the membrane surface was confirmed by attenuated total reflection FTIR spectroscopy. Furthermore, 19F CODEX experiments were performed on a trichogin sequence with 19F‐Phe at position 10. The CODEX decay is in agreement with a tetrameric complex, in which the 19F sites are about 9–9.5 Å apart. Thus, a model emerges in which the monomeric peptide aligns along the membrane surface. When the peptide concentration increases, first dimeric and then tetrameric assemblies form, made up from helices oriented predominantly parallel to the membrane surface. The formation of these aggregates correlates with the release of vesicle contents including relatively large molecules.
Utilizing the Alterable Solubility of Chitosan in Aqueous Solution to Synthesize Nanosized Sulfur for High Performance Li–S Batteries
Authors: Zhang Yu , Li Wen‐Cui , He Bin , Yu Xiao‐Fei , Hou Lu , Lu An‐Hui
Published: May 2019

Summary of main observation and conclusion

We demonstrate the synthesis of cathode material with nanosized sulfur by a precipitation method making use of the alterable solubility of chitosan (CTS) in aqueous solution. Mesoporous Ketjen Black (KB) and carbon nanotube (CNT) are added as conductive agents to provide the three‐dimensional electric channels. This method can reduce the size of the sulfur particles, thus the nanosized sulfur obtained can fully contact with the conductive agent, which could increase the utilization of sulfur and improve the capacity of Li‐S batteries. Moreover, CTS with abundant hydroxyl and amine groups has strong interaction with polysulfides, which can improve the stability of Li‐S batteries. As a result, the obtained CTS/C‐S cathode containing 76 wt% sulfur delivers an impressively initial discharge specific capacity of 1141.6 mA·h·g–1 at 0.5 C and maintains a capacity of 842.3 mA·h·g–1 after 300 cycles. Our finding paves a way for the rational design of high‐performance sulfur cathodes for advanced Li‐S batteries.
Multifunctional Ultra‐Small Nanocomplexes Capping Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles for Multimodal Imaging and Chemo‐Photothermal Therapy
Authors: Li Xianglong , Luo Kai , Lin Xucong , Zhu Chunling
Published: May 2019

To achieve the clinical application of photothermal nanomaterials in tumor treatment, developing photothermal therapeutic agents with a strong photothermal therapeutic effect, good photostability and rapid clearance or dissociation abilities are urgently desired. Herein, epigallocatechin gallate‐iron coordination nanocomplexes with high photothermal conversion capability, magnetic resonance (MR)/photoacoustic (PA) imaging ability and rapid degradation ability under high GSH condition were prepared. (abbreviated as EGCG‐Fe/PVP NCs). The EGCG‐Fe/PVP NCs were composed through a coordination reaction between Fe3+ and EGCG upon the protection of polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP). For its application in the biomedical field, using electronegativity from the polyhydroxy characteristics of EGCG, these complexes were controlled to cap the pores of the DOX‐loaded and aminated mesoporous silica nanoparticles via electrostatic attraction to form a multimodal imaging‐guided combined chemo and photothermal therapy nanoplatform (abbreviated as MDEF NPs). The prepared MDEF NPs exhibit high drug loading efficiency and favorable pH‐dependent drug release capacity. In vitro cytotoxicity data showed that MDEF NPs in the laser exposure group exhibited stronger cytotoxicity than other groups. Therefore, this work may expand the application of MSNs and EGCG‐Fe/PVP NCs in the biological field.
A generic paradigm for mining human mobility patterns based on the GPS trajectory data using complex network analysis
Authors: Wang Shuangyan , Mei Gang , Cuomo Salvatore
Published: May 2019

The mining of human mobility can be exploited to support the design of traffic planning, route recommendations, urban planning, emergency management, and land use. Currently, various methods such as the machine learning algorithms, statistical methods, and semantic analysis are widely applied to identify and extract human mobility patterns. In this paper, we propose a simple and generic paradigm for mining human mobility patterns based on the GPS trajectory data using complex network analysis. The essential ideas behind the proposed paradigm mainly include (1) creating weighted complex networks of GPS trajectories and (2) extracting the human mobility patterns by analyzing the structures and metrics of the created complex networks of GPS trajectories. To evaluate the performance of the proposed paradigm, we design five groups of experiments and identify the mobility patterns of the selected five persons based on the selected five network analysis metrics. Experimental results indicate that (1) the proposed paradigm is effective and (2) the quite interesting potential information about the human mobility can be mined easily. The proposed paradigm is simple and generic, which can be employed to rapidly identify the human mobility patterns based on the GPS trajectory data.
Privacy protection based on many‐objective optimization algorithm
Authors: Zhang Jiangjiang , Xue Fei , Cai Xingjuan , Cui Zhihua , Chang Yu , Zhang Wensheng , Li Wuzhao
Published: May 2019

It is difficult to protect users' privacy and to process private information due to the complexity and uncertainty of such information. To protect private information quickly and accurately, a many‐objective optimization algorithm framework based on the hybrid elite selection strategy is proposed in this paper. First, a mating selection mechanism combined with the achievement scale function and angle information index is used to generate elite offspring of the internal population. Then, the balanceable fitness estimation method is employed to select and update the external archive. To test performance, the proposed algorithm is tested on many‐objective optimization problems (MaOPs) and compared with five state‐of‐the‐art algorithms. Experimental simulation results show that the proposed algorithm is more effective in solving MaOPs and can inspire development of a better privacy protection strategy.
Strong Pancake 2e/12c Bond in π‐Stacking Phenalenyl Derivatives Avoiding Bond Conversion
Authors: Zhong Rong‐Lin , Gao Feng‐Wei , Xu Hong‐Liang , Su Zhong‐Min
Published: May 2019

The nature of the 2e/12c bond and its conversion to a carbon‐carbon single bond in phenalenyl dimers have prompted a great deal of interests recently. In this work, we theoretically investigated a series of π‐stacking phenalenyl derivatives with 2e/12c bonding character by density functional theory (DFT) calculations to elucidate origin of this unusual bond conversion. Results show that bond‐conversion of the phenalenyl dimer easily occurs at room‐temperature both dynamically and thermodynamically. However, bond‐conversion of hetero π‐stacking adducts, in which the two center carbon atoms were substituted by boron and nitrogen atoms, respectively, is much more difficult, because the 2e/12c bond is stabilized by its charge transfer character. Consequently, the bond‐conversion is an endothermic process, albeit with a low conversion barrier. Interestingly, Lewis acid‐base interactions would be induced by substitution of the center nitrogen atom to phosphorus atom. The 2e/12c bond is further stabilized by 5.9 kcal mol−1 and its conversion is also thermodynamically unfavorable.
Binary Colloidal Nanoparticles with a Large Size Ratio in Analytical Ultracentrifugation
Authors: Xu Xufeng , Cölfen Helmut
Published: May 2019

Sedimenting colloidal particles may feel a surprisingly strong buoyancy in a mixture with other particles of a considerably larger size. In this paper we investigated the buoyancy of colloidal particles in a concentrated binary suspension in situ in a centrifugal field. After dispersing two different fluorescence‐labeled silica nanoparticles with a large size ratio (90 nm and 30 nm, size ratio: 3) in a refractive index matching solvent, we used a multi‐wavelength analytical ultracentrifuge to measure the concentration gradients of both particles in situ. The concentration of the 90 nm silica nanoparticles was used to calculate the effective solvent density for the 30 nm silica nanoparticles. The exponential Boltzmann equation for the sedimentation‐diffusion equilibrium with locally varying effective solvent density was then used to theoretically predict the concentration gradient of 30 nm silica nanoparticles, which describes the experimental results very well. This finding proves the validity of effective buoyancy in colloidal mixtures and provides a good model to study sedimenting polydisperse colloids.
Engineering the Surface of a Polymeric Photocatalyst for Stable Solar‐to‐Chemical Fuel Conversion from Seawater
Authors: Mishra Biswajit , Mishra Sabyasachi , Satpati Biswarup , Chaudhary Yatendra S.
Published: May 2019

The design of an efficient and highly selective organic polymeric semiconductor photocatalyst consisting of Earth‐abundant elements for solar fuel generation using seawater, and also deionized water, as a proton source is reported. The mesoporous g‐C3N4 synthesized using a conventional precursor (urea) shows significant H2 generation (ca. 33 000 μmol h−1 g−1) and drives the photoreduction of CO2 to CH4, along with trace amount of methanol. However, when the chosen precursor cyanamide is used, drastic improvement in H2 generation (ca. 41 600 μmol h−1 g−1) and CO2 photoreduction is observed. The introduction of a surface nitrogen deficiency and modification of the surface with Cu0 further enhances solar H2 generation (ca. 50 000 μmol h−1 g−1) and CO2 photoreduction (3.12 μmol h−1 g−1) activity, respectively, owing to improvement in light harvesting and charge separation, as revealed by a shorter average lifetime of 3.52 ns and higher Stern–Volmer quenching constant value of approximately 11.2 m−1. In addition, improved selectivity in CO2 photoreduction to only CH4 is also observed. The designed photocatalytic system is stable, with the solar H2 generation rate increasing even after 20 h under continuous illumination with a turnover number of 6500. When seawater used instead of deionized water, the overall solar fuel generation efficiencies of all photocatalysts marginally decreased owing to a decrease in the photogenerated charge‐carrier separation efficacy.
Hox genes: Downstream “effectors” of retinoic acid signaling in vertebrate embryogenesis
Authors: Nolte Christof , De Kumar Bony , Krumlauf Robb
Published: May 2019

One of the major regulatory challenges of animal development is to precisely coordinate in space and time the formation, specification, and patterning of cells that underlie elaboration of the basic body plan. How does the vertebrate plan for the nervous and hematopoietic systems, heart, limbs, digestive, and reproductive organs derive from seemingly similar population of cells? These systems are initially established and patterned along the anteroposterior axis (AP) by opposing signaling gradients that lead to the activation of gene regulatory networks involved in axial specification, including the Hox genes. The retinoid signaling pathway is one of the key signaling gradients coupled to the establishment of axial patterning. The nested domains of Hox gene expression, which provide a combinatorial code for axial patterning, arise in part through a differential response to retinoic acid (RA) diffusing from anabolic centers established within the embryo during development. Hence, Hox genes are important direct effectors of retinoid signaling in embryogenesis. This review focuses on describing current knowledge on the complex mechanisms and regulatory processes, which govern the response of Hox genes to RA in several tissue contexts including the nervous system during vertebrate development.
Carbon control on terrestrial ecosystem function across contrasting site productivities: the carbon connection revisited
Authors: Dove Nicholas C. , Stark John M. , Newman Gregory S. , Hart Stephen C.
Published: May 2019

Understanding how altered soil organic carbon (SOC) availability affects microbial communities and their function is imperative in predicting impacts of global change on soil carbon (C) storage and ecosystem function. However, the response of soil microbial communities and their function to depleted C availability in situ is unclear. We evaluated the role of soil C inputs in controlling microbial biomass, community composition, physiology, and function by (1) experimentally excluding plant C inputs in situ for 9 yr in four temperate forest ecosystems along a productivity gradient in Oregon, USA; and (2) integrating these findings with published data from similar C‐exclusion studies into a global meta‐analysis. Excluding plant C inputs for 9 yr resulted in a 13% decrease in SOC across the four Oregon sites and an overall shift in the microbial community composition, with a 45% decrease in the fungal : bacterial ratio and a 13% increase in Gram‐positive : Gram‐negative bacterial ratio. Although gross N mineralization decreased under C exclusion, decreases in gross N immobilization were greater, resulting in increased net N mineralization rates in all but the lowest‐productivity site. Microbial biomass showed a variable response to C exclusion that was method dependent; however, we detected a 29% decrease in C‐use efficiency across the sites, with greater declines occurring in less‐productive sites. Although extracellular enzyme activity increased with C exclusion, C exclusion resulted in a 31% decrease in microbial respiration across all sites. Our meta‐analyses of published data with similar C‐exclusion treatments were largely consistent with our experimental results, showing decreased SOC, fungal : bacterial ratios, and microbial respiration, and increased Gram‐positive : Gram‐negative bacterial ratio following exclusion of C inputs to soil. Effect sizes of SOC and respiration correlated negatively with the duration of C exclusion; however, there were immediate effects of C exclusion on microbial community composition and biomass that were unaltered by duration of treatment. Our field‐based experimental results and analyses demonstrate unequivocally the dominant control of C availability on soil microbial biomass, community composition, and function, and provide additional insight into the mechanisms for these effects in forest ecosystems.
Metal‐Free and Visible‐Light‐Promoted C‐3 Thiocyanation of 2‐Arylquinolin‐4‐ones
Authors: Chauhan Parul , Ritu  , Preeti  , Kumar Sharvan , Jain Nidhi
Published: May 2019

A C‐3 thiocyanation of 2‐aryl‐quinolin‐4‐ones in the presence of eosin‐Y and visible light has been developed. The methodology allows easy access to a variety of 2‐aryl‐3‐thiocyano‐quinolin‐4‐ones in moderate to high yields. Regioselective para‐thiocyanation of anilines has also been achieved under these conditions. The reaction is operationally simple, metal‐free, requires air as the oxidant, and proceeds smoothly at room temperature.
Synthesis and Functionalization of 4‐Quinolones – A Progressing Story
Authors: Ghosh Prasanjit , Das Sajal
Published: May 2019

4‐Quinolone derivatives are serving as active components in diverse families of drugs such as antibacterial, antiviral, antimalarial, anticancer, antitumor and anti‐HIV agents. They have also attracted the significant attention in synthetic chemistry due to their prolific development, pharmacokinetic properties and good tolerability. Recent years have observed an upsurge in the modification of the 4‐quinolone scaffold. This review covers (2002 to 2019) the progress of the developments in the syntheses as well as functionalization of 4‐quinolones in different positions.
BF3·SMe2 for Thiomethylation, Nitro Reduction and Tandem Reduction/SMe Insertion of Nitrogen Heterocycles
Authors: Söderström Marcus , Zamaratski Edouard , Odell Luke R.
Published: May 2019

Herein, a general, solvent‐free and straightforward thiomethylation of electron deficient heterocycles using BF3·SMe2 as a dual thiomethyl source and Lewis acidic activator is presented. A range of heterocycles including pyrimidine, pyrazine, pyridazine, thiazole and purine derivatives were successfully substituted using this method. An unexpected reductive property of BF3·SMe2 towards nitropyridines was also discovered including an intriguing tandem reduction/SMe insertion process in certain substrates. Notable features of the present work include its convenience and use of a non‐malodorous reagent while the discovery of novel chemical transformations using BF3·SMe2 provides fundamental new insights into the reactivity of this commonly employed reagent.
Intramolecular C(sp3)–H Imination towards Benzimidazoles Using Tetrabutylammonium Iodide and tBuOOH
Authors: Bose Anima , Sau Sudip , Mal Prasenjit
Published: May 2019

Development of sustainable and economically viable methods is challenging but desired in organic synthesis. Herein, intramolecular C(sp3)–H imination between a free amine group and N‐methylene group is established using TBAI (20 mol %)‐TBHP (3.0 equiv.) in DMSO which is found to be an inexpensive replacement of PhI‐mCPBA in HFIP.
Production of bioalcohols and antioxidant compounds by acid hydrolysis of lignocellulosic wastes and fermentation of hydrolysates with Hansenula polymorpha
Authors: Martínez‐Cartas Mª Lourdes , Olivares Mª Inmaculada , Sánchez Sebastián
Published: May 2019

The effect of the H2SO4 concentration in the hydrolysis of sunflower‐stalk waste, at 95ºC and using a liquid/solid relation of 20, was studied. In a later stage, the hydrolysates were fermented at different temperatures with the aim of ethanol and xylitol production. A total conversion of the hemicellulose at the acid concentration of 0.5 mol/L was achieved; whereas an acid concentration of 2.5 mol/L was needed to reach the maximum value in the conversion of the cellulose fraction. The analysis of the hydrolysis kinetics has enabled to determine the apparent reaction order, which was 1.3. The hydrolysates from hydrolysis process with H2SO4 0.5 mol/L, once detoxified, were fermented at pH 5.5, temperatures 30, 40, and 50ºC with the yeast Hansenula polymorpha (ATCC 34438), resulting in a sequential uptake of sugars. In relation to ethanol and xylitol yields, the best results were observed at 50°C ( = 0.11 g/g;  = 0.12 g/g). Instantaneous xylitol yields were higher than in ethanol, at the three temperatures essayed. Different phenolic compounds were analyzed in the hydrolysates; hydroxytyrosol was the most abundant (3.79 mg/L). The recovery of these compounds entails the elimination of inhibitors in the fermentation process and the production of high value‐added antioxidant products.
Enhanced time‐slotted channel hopping
Authors: Hammoudi Sarra , Aliouat Zibouda , Harous Saad
Published: May 2019

With the development of technology for the Internet of Things (IoT), a large number of mobile, intelligent sensors are being connected to the Internet. The IoT is a heterogeneous environment. In industrial environments, wireless technologies coexist on the same frequency and generate different kinds of traffic. The use of different wireless technologies that are not designed to be compatible with each other causes an external interference problem, which degrades the system performance. The medium access control (MAC) sublayer protocols must be carefully designed to overcome such a problem. The time‐slotted channel‐hopping (TSCH) mode, which is dedicated for industrial applications, can mitigate such a problem because it uses the channel‐hopping technique. Because these channels are subjected to different levels of interference, this may greatly degrade the system performance when wireless sensors with mobility devices hop blindly from one channel to another. This paper improves the reliability of communications of the TSCH MAC sublayer protocol, proposed by the IEEE 802.15.4e standard, in wireless sensor networks, by applying a new, dynamic blacklisting technique. The technique selects and uses only high‐quality channels and blacklists those with low quality. The proposed solution has been simulated using Network Simulator 3. The results show significant improvements in terms of throughput, energy, and reliability.
Solute dynamics across the stream‐to‐riparian continuum under different flood waves
Authors: Liu Dongsheng , Zhao Jian , Jeon Woo‐Hyun , Lee Jin‐Yong
Published: May 2019

To enhance the understanding of solute dynamics within the stream‐to‐riparian continuum during flood event‐driven water fluctuation (i.e., flood wave), a variable saturated groundwater flow and solute transport model were developed and calibrated against in situ measurements of the Inbuk stream, Korea, where seasonal flooding prevails. The solute dynamics were further investigated for flood waves (varying by amplitude [A], duration [T], roundness [r], and skewness [tp]) that were parameterised by real‐time stream stage fluctuations. We found that the solute transferred faster and farther in the riparian zone, especially within the phreatic zone, above which in the variable saturated zone the concentration required a significantly longer time, particularly at higher altitudes, to return to the initial state. By comparison, solute transferred shallowly in the streambed where the solute plume exhibited an exponential growth trend from the centre to the bank. The dynamic changes of solute flux and mass along the stream–aquifer interface and stream concentration were linked to the shape of flood wave. As the flood wave became higher (A↗), wider (T↗), rounder (r↘), and less skewed (tp↗), the maximum solute storage in aquifer increased. Maximum stream concentration (Cstrˍmax) not only presented a positive linear relationship with A or tp but also showed a negative logarithmic trend with increasing T or r. The sensitivity of Cstr_max to A was approximately two times that of tp, and between these values, the r was slightly more sensitive than T. Cstrˍmax linearly increased as hydraulic conductivity increased and logarithmically increased as longitudinal dispersivity increased. The former relationship was more sensitive than the latter.
Exploring the effect of inhibitor AKB‐9778 on VE‐PTP by molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation
Authors: Liu Wen‐Shan , Wang Rui‐Rui , Sun Ying‐Zhan , Li Wei‐Ya , Li Hong‐Lian , Liu Chi‐Lu , Ma Ying , Wang Run‐Ling
Published: May 2019

Diabetic macular edema, also known as diabetic eye disease, is mainly caused by the overexpression of vascular endothelial protein tyrosine phosphatase (VE‐PTP) at hypoxia/ischemic. AKB‐9778 is a known VE‐PTP inhibitor that can effectively interact with the active site of VE‐PTP to inhibit the activity of VE‐PTP. However, the binding pattern of VE‐PTP with AKB‐9778 and the dynamic implications of AKB‐9778 on VE‐PTP system at the molecular level are poorly understood. Through molecular docking, it was found that the AKB‐9778 was docked well in the binding pocket of VE‐PTP by the interactions of hydrogen bond and Van der Waals. Furthermore, after molecular dynamic simulations on VE‐PTP system and VE‐PTP
AKB‐9778 system, a series of postdynamic analyses found that the flexibility and conformation of the active site undergone an obvious transition after VE‐PTP binding with AKB‐9778. Moreover, by constructing the RIN, it was found that the different interactions in the active site were the detailed reasons for the conformational differences between these two systems. Thus, the finding here might provide a deeper understanding of AKB‐9778 as VE‐PTP Inhibitor.
Histone deacetylases inhibitor MS‐275 suppresses human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma cell growth and progression via the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway
Authors: Ma Shanshan , Liu Tengfei , Xu Ling , Wang Yaping , Zhou Jiankang , Huang Tuanjie , Li Peng , Liu Hongtao , Zhang Yanting , Zhou Xinkui , Cui Yuanbo , Zang Xingxing , Wang Yuming , Guan Fangxia
Published: May 2019

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is a malignant tumor with low survival rate, so new therapies are urgently needed. Histone deacetylases (HDACs) play a critical role in tumorigenesis, and HDACs inhibition is a potential therapeutic target in ESSC. In our study, we evaluated the effect and molecular mechanism of MS‐275 (an inhibitor of HDACs) on ESCC cells. We found that HDAC1 and HDAC2 were overexpressed in ESCC tissues and related with clinical pathological features of patients with ESCC. MS‐275 markedly reduced HDAC1 and HDAC2 expression, whereas increased the level of AcH3 and AcH2B. MS‐275 suppressed proliferation and clonogenicity of ESCC cells in a concentration‐dependent manner. In addition, MS‐275 induced apoptosis, arrested cell cycle, and inhibited migration, epithelial–mesenchymal transition, and sphere‐forming ability of ESCC cells in vitro. Moreover, p‐Akt1 and p‐mTOR were downregulated by MS‐275. Finally, MS‐275 significantly inhibited tumor growth in vivo. Taken together, HDAC1 and HDAC2 are associated with the progression of ESCC, and MS‐275 hinders the progression and stemness of ESCC cells by suppressing the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway. Our findings show that MS‐275 inhibits ESCC cells growth in vitro and in vivo, which is a potential drug for the ESCC therapy.
When the balance is broken: X-linked gene dosage from two X chromosomes and female-biased autoimmunity
Authors: Syrett Camille M , Anguera Montserrat C
Published: May 2019

Women and men exhibit differences in innate and adaptive immunity, and women are more susceptible to numerous autoimmune disorders. Two or more X chromosomes increases the risk for some autoimmune diseases, and increased expression of some X-linked immune genes is frequently observed in female lymphocytes from autoimmune patients. Evidence from mouse models of autoimmunity also supports the idea that increased expression of X-linked genes is a feature of female-biased autoimmunity. Recent studies have begun to elucidate the correlation between abnormal X-chromosome inactivation (XCI), an essential mechanism female somatic cells use to equalize X-linked gene dosage between the sexes, and autoimmunity in lymphocytes. In this review, we highlight research describing overexpression of X-linked immunity-related genes and female-biased autoimmunity in both humans and mouse models, and make connections with our recent work elucidating lymphocyte-specific mechanisms of XCI maintenance that become altered in lupus patients.
Distortion‐free imaging: A double encoding method (DIADEM) combined with multiband imaging for rapid distortion‐free high‐resolution diffusion imaging on a compact 3T with high‐performance gradients
Authors: In Myung‐Ho , Tan Ek Tsoon , Trzasko Joshua D. , Shu Yunhong , Kang Daehun , Yarach Uten , Tao Shengzhen , Gray Erin M. , Huston John , Bernstein Matt A.
Published: May 2019

Background

Distortion‐free, high‐resolution diffusion imaging using DIADEM (Distortion‐free Imaging: A Double Encoding Method), proposed recently, has great potential for clinical applications. However, it can suffer from prolonged scan times and its reliability for quantitative diffusion imaging has not been evaluated.

Purpose

To investigate the clinical feasibility of DIADEM‐based high‐resolution diffusion imaging on a novel compact 3T (C3T) by evaluating the reliability of quantitative diffusion measurements and utilizing both the high‐performance gradients (80 mT/m, 700 T/m/s) and the sequence optimization with the navigator acquisition window reduction and simultaneous multislice (multiband) imaging.

Study Type

Prospective feasibility study.

Phantom/Subjects

Diffusion quality control phantom scans to evaluate the reliability of quantitative diffusion measurements; 36 normal control scans for B0‐field mapping; six healthy and two patient subject scans with a brain tumor for comparisons of diffusion and anatomical imaging.

Field Strength/Sequence

3T; the standard single‐shot echo‐planar‐imaging (EPI), multishot DIADEM diffusion, and anatomical (2D‐FSE [fast‐spin‐echo], 2D‐FLAIR [fluid‐attenuated‐inversion‐recovery], and 3D‐MPRAGE [magnetization prepared rapid acquisition gradient echo]) imaging.

Assessment

The scan time reduction, the reliability of quantitative diffusion measurements, and the clinical efficacy for high‐resolution diffusion imaging in healthy control and brain tumor volunteers.

Statistical Test

Bland–Altman analysis.

Results

The scan time for high in‐plane (0.86 mm2) resolution, distortion‐free, and whole brain diffusion imaging were reduced from 10 to 5 minutes with the sequence optimizations. All of the mean apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values in phantom were within the 95% confidence interval in the Bland–Altman plot. The proposed acquisition with a total off‐resonance coverage of 597.2 Hz wider than the expected bandwidth of 500 Hz in human brain could yield a distortion‐free image without foldover artifacts. Compared with EPI, therefore, this approach allowed direct image matching with the anatomical images and enabled improved delineation of the tumor boundaries.

Data Conclusion

The proposed high‐resolution diffusion imaging approach is clinically feasible on C3T due to a combination of hardware and sequence improvements.

Level of Evidence

3

Technical Efficacy

Stage 1 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2020;51:296–310.
Cartilage Damage Is Related to ACL Stiffness in a Porcine Model of ACL Repair
Authors: Beveridge Jillian E. , Proffen Benedikt L. , Karamchedu Naga Padmini , Chin Kaitlyn E. , Sieker Jakob T. , Badger Gary J. , Kiapour Ata M. , Murray Martha M. , Fleming Braden C.
Published: May 2019

Inferior anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) structural properties may inadequately restrain tibiofemoral joint motion following surgery, contributing to the increased risk of post‐traumatic osteoarthritis. Using both a direct measure of ACL linear stiffness and an in vivo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) T2*‐based prediction model, we hypothesized that cartilage damage and ACL stiffness would increase over time, and that an inverse relationship between cartilage damage and ACL stiffness would emerge at a later stage of healing. After either 6, 12, or 24 weeks (w) of healing after ACL repair, ACL linear stiffness was determined from the force–displacement relationship during tensile testing ex vivo and predicted in vivo from the MRI T2*‐based multiple linear regression model in 24 Yucatan minipigs. Tibiofemoral cartilage was graded postmortem. There was no relationship between cartilage damage and ACL stiffness at 6 w (R2 = 0.04;p = 0.65), 12 w (R2 = 0.02;p = 0.77), or when the data from all animals were pooled (R2 = 0.02;p = 0.47). A significant inverse relationship between cartilage damage and ACL stiffness based on both ex vivo measurement (R2 = 0.90;p < 0.001) and in vivo MRI prediction (R2 = 0.78;p = 0.004) of ACL stiffness emerged at 24 w. This result suggests that 90% of the variability in gross cartilage changes is associated with the repaired ACL linear stiffness at 6 months of healing. Clinical Significance: Techniques that provide a higher stiffness to the repaired ACL may be required to mitigate the post‐traumatic osteoarthritis commonly seen after ACL injury, and MRI T2* can be used as a noninvasive estimation of ligament stiffness. © 2019 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 37:2249–2257, 2019
Performance of nitrification inhibitors with different nitrogen fertilizers and soil textures
Authors: Barth Gabriel , von Tucher Sabine , Schmidhalter Urs , Otto Rafael , Motavalli Peter , Ferraz-Almeida Risely , Meinl Schmiedt Sattolo Thales , Cantarella Heitor , Vitti Godofredo Cesar
Published: May 2019

Nitrification inhibitors (NIs), DCD (dicyandiamide), and DMPP (3,4‐dimethylpyrazole phosphate), in combination with urea (UR) and ammonium sulfate nitrate (ASN) fertilizers were studied under contrasting soil textures (sand, loam, and clay) from cultivated soils collected in Brazil and Germany. Soil samples were incubated over 50 days and the content of ammonium (
), nitrate (
), and soil pH were measured periodically. Applied NIs delayed the nitrification process across all soil textures. Correlation analysis indicated that combining ASN with NIs resulted in higher
content and efficiency in delaying the nitrification process with high N‐conversion rate (r = –0.82). The combination of ASN+ DMPP increased the efficiency of the N‐conversion rate (r = –0.86) due to H+ release in soil, while UR+DCD (r = –0.50) had an efficiency of the N‐conversion rate similar to UR (r = –0.42). All the NIs had a better performance in reducing
formation in sandy soils as compared to the loam and clay textured soils. Use of DMPP with an N fertilizer results in a soil pH decrease and can be an option to increase the efficiency of the N‐conversion rate, reducing N losses in soil. Overall, our results suggest that NIs have a better performance in reducing
formation in sandy soils as compared to that of the loam and clay textured soils. Use of DMPP with ASN results in a soil pH decrease and can be an option to reduce N losses in soil.
An effective antioxidant defense provides protection against zinc deficiency‐induced oxidative stress in Zn‐efficient maize plants
Authors: Tewari Rajesh K. , Kumar Praveen , Sharma Parma Nand
Published: May 2019

Maize plants (Zea mays L. cv. Ganga 2 and cv. Jaunpuri satha) were grown in solution culture under glasshouse conditions at deficient (0 µM) and normal (1 µM) levels of Zn supply. Appearance of visible effects characteristic of Zn deficiency, depression in plant growth, and dry matter yield of the plants indicated that Ganga 2 was more susceptible to Zn deficiency than Jaunpuri satha. Higher susceptibility of Ganga 2 to Zn deficiency was also manifested by a greater decrease in plant dry mass and an increased accumulation of TBARS (thiobarbituric acid reactive substance, describing lipid peroxidation). While total SOD activity was decreased in Zn deficient plants of Ganga 2, it was increased marginally in case of Jaunpuri satha. The marginal increase in total SOD activity in the Zn‐deficient Jaunpuri satha plants was a result of a marked increase in non‐CuZn SOD and only a slight decrease in CuZn SOD. Though Zn deficiency increased H2O2 concentration and the activities of H2O2‐scavenging enzymes in both the cultivars, there was less increase in H2O2 concentration and the activities of peroxidase, ascorbate peroxidase and glutathione reductase were more prominently increased in the Zn‐efficient Jaunpuri satha. Plants of the susceptible variety, Ganga 2, accumulated higher concentrations of glutathione disulfide. It is concluded that the significant decreases in the activities of CuZn SOD (CN‐sensitive SOD) and glutathione reductase, and high concentrations of H2O2 predisposed Zn‐deficient Ganga 2 plants to more severe oxidative stress than those of Jaunpuri satha and, therefore, contributed to a greater decrease in dry matter production.
Raman band widths of anhydrite II reveal the burning history of high‐fired medieval gypsum mortars
Authors: Schmid Thomas , Jungnickel Robert , Dariz Petra
Published: May 2019

When used as a mineral binder, gypsum is thermally dehydrated and mixed with water, resulting in a paste hardening in the backreaction to calcium sulphate dihydrate (CaSO4 · 2 H2O). Although nowadays mainly hemihydrate‐based (CaSO4 · ½ H2O) binders are employed, higher firing temperatures in medieval kilns yielded anhydrite II (CaSO4). Except for the discrimination of the metastable phases anhydrite III and I due to different crystal structures, variations within the production temperature range of anhydrite II (approximately 300 to 1180°C) were not analytically accessible until recently. This study describes the development of an analytical technique, which is based on steady changes of band widths in room‐temperature Raman spectra of anhydrite II as a function of burning temperature. Raman microspectroscopic mapping experiments enable to pinpoint individual unreacted grains of thermal anhydrite in mortars and to discriminate them from natural anhydrites originating from the raw gypsum. The determination of band full widths at half maximum of down to 3 cm−1 and differences between them of a few tenths of wavenumbers is not a trivial task. Thus, a focus of this work is on peak fitting and strategies for correction of instrument‐dependent band broadening, which is often neglected also beyond the field of mortar analysis. Including other potential influences on band widths, burning temperatures of 400 to 900°C can be retraced in high‐fired medieval gypsum mortars with an uncertainty of approximately ± 50 K, as demonstrated with sample material of a stucco sculpture dated around 1400.
Production of coffee (Coffea arabica) inoculated with yeasts: impact on quality
Authors: Martins Pâmela Mynsen Machado , Ribeiro Luciana Silva , Miguel Maria Gabriela da Cruz Pedrozo , Evangelista Suzana Reis , Schwan Rosane Freitas
Published: May 2019

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of yeasts Saccharomyces cerevisiae CCMA 0200 and Torulaspora delbrueckii CCMA 0684 in Mundo Novo and Catuaí varieties processed by the wet method and the impact on sensory quality and compounds profile. The microbiota was evaluated by surface plating, and the compounds were evaluated by high‐performance liquid chromatography and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Sensorial analysis was performed using the cupping test (Specialty Coffee Association).

RESULTS

T. delbrueckii CCMA 0684 was better adapted to the process and remained for up to 72 h of drying. Eighteen volatile compounds were detected in green coffee and 75 in roasted coffee. 2‐Furanmethanol propanoate and 2‐ethyl‐3,5‐dimethylpyrazine were identified only in the inoculated treatments, and these are important contributors to the coffee aroma. All treatments received scores greater than 80 in the sensory analysis.

CONCLUSION

T. delbrueckii CCMA 0684 presented better results in relation to the sensorial analysis and is preferable for the varieties and processing method studied. The use of starter cultures is a viable method with which to obtain high‐quality coffees with a distinct flavor and thus add to value to the product. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry