bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fe/Mn oxide decorated polyacrylonitrile hollow fiber membrane as heterogeneous Fenton reactor for methylene blue decolorization
Authors: Xu Naiku , Guo Dongyan , Xiao Changfa
Published: July 2019

A very distinctive modification route was schemed to fabricate a membrane reactor that could heterogeneously catalyze Fenton reactions to decolorize dye wastewater in the process of filtration. Through this route, porogen‐free polyacrylonitrile (PAN) hollow fiber membrane was decorated with in situ generated well‐distributed Fe/Mn composite oxide, and the so‐called membrane reactor was finally acquired. Its performance of decolorizing dye wastewater was evaluated by feeding methylene blue (MB) aqueous solution into its lumen side and analyzing the permeate gained from its shell side. The results showed that about 97.4% of MB could be removed from its aqueous solution as the solution passed through the shell side of hollow fiber membrane, and this removal efficiency would keep unchanged when operation period was lengthened. The membrane reactor presented excellent capability to decolorize MB aqueous solution and could be used repeatedly without any loss in decolorization efficiency. Finally, the mechanism of causing MB decolorization was proposed by comparing decolorization performance of modified and unmodified membranes, measuring total organic carbon, and analyzing UV–Vis spectra. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019, 136, 48217.
Preparation and characterization of cysteine‐formaldehyde cross‐linked complex for CO2 capture
Authors: Guo Tianxiang , Xu Junpeng , Fan Zeng , Du Yarong , Pan Yuanfeng , Xiao Huining , Eić Mladen , Qin Gengjie , Guo Yuchen , Hu Yunfeng
Published: July 2019

This work focused on the preparation and characterization of cysteine‐formaldehyde cross‐linked complex derived from cysteine hydrochloride and formaldehyde. The cross‐linked complex was prepared based on the nucleophilic substitution reaction of cysteine with formaldehyde accompanied by π bond breakage of carbonyl from formaldehyde. Meanwhile, its surface morphology, element composition, group distribution, and thermodynamics were experimentally investigated by means of SEM, XRD, EA, EDS, 1H‐NMR, FTIR, BET, and TGA as well as an analysis of the characteristics of CO2 adsorption. The results indicated that the as‐prepared cross‐linked complex exhibited a rod‐shaped hollow crystal structure with a lateral distribution of sulphur and nitrogen atoms toward the crystal surface. As a mesoporous crystal material, the cross‐linked complex presented a four‐step (amide forming, fast pyrolysis, slow pyrolysis, and dehydrogenation) pyrolysis above 430 K, yet possessed a relatively acceptable thermodynamic stability below 430 K. In addition, the interaction mechanism between the cysteine hydrochloride and formaldehyde was revealed by characteristics and simulation.
Rose Bengal Immobilized on Supported Ionic‐Liquid‐like Phases: An Efficient Photocatalyst for Batch and Flow Processes
Authors: Valverde David , Porcar Raul , Izquierdo Diana , Burguete M. Isabel , Garcia‐Verdugo Eduardo , Luis Santiago V.
Published: July 2019

The catalytic activity of Rose Bengal (RB) immobilized on supported ionic liquid (IL)‐like phases was evaluated as a polymer‐supported photocatalyst. In these systems, the polymer was designed to play a pivotal role. The polymeric backbone adequately modified with IL‐like moieties (supported IL‐like phases, SILLPs) was not just an inert support for the dye but controlled the accessibility of reagents/substrates to the active sites and provided specific microenvironments for the reaction. The structure of SILLPs could be finetuned to adjust the catalytic efficiency of the RB‐SILLP composites, achieving systems that were more active and stable than the related systems in the absence of IL‐like units.
Power efficient low latency architecture for decoder: Breaking the ACS bottleneck
Authors: Radha Subramanyam , Shylu David Sundararaj , Nagabushanam Perattur
Published: July 2019

Viterbi decoder (VD) is the majority used decoder for convolutional codes which play a role in WLAN and WSN applications. The trellis in VD needs proper analysis to calculate the metric at each stage to obtain a shortest path from every state to the next state. Existing techniques in VD design are namely (a) pipelined architecture, (b) modular ACS and buffers technique, and (c) quasi cyclic trellis technique. The key challenge of the VD trellis circuit is to attain high throughput and better latency performance with low power consumption without affecting hardware complexity of VD. This paper presents several of conventional methods used in VD. We also proposed a new method for VD with K the constraint length as multiple of M, the radix in trellis to calculate the shortest survival path to travel in trellis. The proposed VD is simulated using Xilinx. Use of a trace back approach in the proposed Viterbi decoder with capacitive and resistive feedback yields better throughput, latency, and power consumption with respect to other techniques. The static power outputs obtained in RE, shift update, and selective update methods using Libero IDE are also compared.
Flow Cytometric Detection of Circulating Osteosarcoma Cells in Dogs
Authors: Wright Tanya , Brisson Brigitte A. , Wood Geoffrey A. , Oblak Michelle , Mutsaers Anthony J. , Sabine Victoria , Skowronski Karolina , Belanger Catherine , Tiessen Angela , Bienzle Dorothee
Published: July 2019

Osteosarcoma (OSA) is a malignant tumor of middle‐aged dogs and adolescent humans. The clinical outcome of OSA has not improved over more than three decades, and dogs typically succumb to metastatic disease within 6 months despite tumor resection through limb amputation and adjuvant chemotherapy. Therefore, undetectable tumor cells with potential to form metastases are present at diagnosis. An assay to identify canine immortalized and primary OSA cells through flow cytometric detection of intracellular collagen 1 (Col I) and osteocalcin was optimized, and applied to blood samples from tumor‐bearing dogs for detection of circulating tumor cells (CTCs). Spiking variable number of OSA cells into normal dog blood recovered 50–60% of Col I positive cells with high forward and variable side light scatter. An algorithm to exclude nonviable, doublet, and autofluorescent cells was applied to sequential blood samples from three dogs obtained prior to and after limb amputation, and at approximately, triweekly intervals over 121, 142, and 183 days of chemotherapy, respectively. Dogs had >100 CTC/106leukocytes prior to amputation, variably frequent CTC during chemotherapy, and an increase up to 4,000 CTC/106leukocytes within 4 weeks before overt metastases or death. Sorted CTCs were morphologically similar to direct tumor aspirates and positive for Col I. Although preliminary, findings suggest that CTCs are frequent in canine OSA, more numerous than carcinoma CTC in humans, and that an increase in CTC frequency may herald clinical deterioration. This assay may enable enumeration and isolation of OSA CTC for prognostic and functional studies, respectively. © 2019 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry
Targeted Lipidomics Investigation of N‐acylethanolamines in a Transgenic Mouse Model of AD: A Longitudinal Study
Authors: Piscitelli Fabiana , Coccurello Roberto , Totaro Antonio , Leuti Alessandro , Giacovazzo Giacomo , Verde Roberta , Rossi Emanuela , Podaliri Vulpiani Michele , Ferri Nicola , Giacominelli Stuffler Roberto , Di Marzo Vincenzo , Oddi Sergio , Bisogno Tiziana , Maccarrone Mauro
Published: July 2019

In the present work, mice overexpressing mutant amyloid precursor protein (Tg2576), a transgenic model of Alzheimer's disease (AD), are used to investigate a specific lipid profile over the course of disease progression. Using a targeted lipidomic approach, plasma levels of N‐acylethanolamines with different length and unsaturation at presymptomatic, mild‐symptomatic, and symptomatic disease stages are measured. Moreover, N‐acylethanolamines are also assessed in the brain areas most affected in AD. The ethanolamides of palmitic, oleic, arachidonic, eicosapentaenoic, and docosahexaenoic acids do not show any significant alteration in blood of Tg2576 mice at the different stages analyzed, as compared to wild‐type. Except for N‐docosahexaenoylethanolamine, a general tendency to decrease is instead detected for all measured N‐acylethanolamines in the cortex, hippocampus, striatum, and cerebellum of symptomatic Tg2576 mice. Together, the data can help to redefine the range of lipid‐associated signals in Alzheimer pathophysiology.

Practical Application: The development of novel therapies for AD is strongly narrowed not only by the lack of a full comprehension of underlying pathophysiological mechanisms but also by the absence of affordable, reliable, and noninvasive biomarkers. Hence, there is the practical necessity to acquire accessible blood biomarkers to provide rapid, cost‐effective, and critical information to timely identify disease stage and implement preventive strategies aimed at slowing down cognitive decline. In this study, a targeted lipidomics investigation of N‐acylethanolamines at different stages of disease progression, clearly indicates that the discovery of innovative blood biomarkers should be refocused on different indices of deranged lipid metabolism for a realistic prediction of the risk of AD.

It is investigated that potential alterations of N‐acylethanolamines content during disease development in a transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Circulating and central N‐acylethanolamine levels did not show any alteration in Tg2576 mice at different disease stages.
The Dietary Addition of Fish Oil or Sunflower Oil Plus Starch Differently Modulates the Lipid Classes in Plasma of Lactating Cows and Goats
Authors: Delavaud Carole , Fougère Hélène , Chilliard Yves , Bernard Laurence
Published: July 2019

Plasma lipid content and composition are studied in dairy cows and goats fed similar diets inducing milk fat depression (MFD) only in cows. Twelve cows and 15 goats are fed a diet without additional lipids (control), or supplemented with fish oil (FO), or supplemented with sunflower oil plus starch (SOS) in a 3 × 3 Latin square design. A high‐performance thin‐layer chromatography (HP‐TLC) methodology is used to separate and quantify the following plasma lipid classes: cholesterol esters (CE), triglycerides (TG), free fatty acids (FFA), cholesterol (Chol), and phospholipids (PL). The plasma lipid composition reveales that TG concentration is 193% higher in the goats compared to the cows. For cows and goats, FO increases CE (+31%) and Chol levels (+33.7%) compared to the control. The TG concentration is differentially regulated by FO between cows (−23.5%) and goats (no change). In the goats, SOS increases CE (+25.7%), Chol (+46.7%), and FFA levels (+71.7%) compared to the control. These results suggest the existence of different mechanisms of lipid digestion, absorption, and transport between cows and goats and contribute to better understand the differences in the regulation of milk fat secretion responses to lipid supplementation between cows and goats.

Practical Applications: A robust HP‐TLC methodology for plasma lipid separation and analysis in automated and reproducible conditions is developed which constitutes an original part of the present study. It has been shown that intake of plant‐derived lipids associated with starch‐rich diets decreases the milk fat content in cows but not in goats. Therefore, the direct species comparison model used in the present study constitutes an interesting tool to compare the responses of plasma lipid concentrations and FA composition in cows and goats fed fish oil or sunflower oil and starch supplemented diets. The direct comparison between cows and goats in plasma lipid class composition is reported for the first time in the present study, with in addition new information about the contribution of intermediary metabolism to differences between the two species in the regulation of milk fat secretion in response to lipid supplementation.

Direct comparisons of plasma lipid classes between dairy cows and goats fed similar diets is studied using high‐performance thin‐layer chromatography (HP‐TLC) methodology and demonstrates significantly higher concentration of triglycerides (TG) in plasma of goats compared to cows, whereas the total analyzed lipid content is higher in cows than in goats. In addition, for both species, diets supplemented with fish oil or sunflower oil plus starch modulates the composition in plasma lipid classes.
Effect of the vertical stress on CO2 flow behavior and permeability variation in coalbed methane reservoirs
Authors: Ding Ziwei , Jia Jindui , Feng Ruimin
Published: July 2019

Given that in situ stress evolution is of great importance in characterizing coalbed methane reservoirs during gas production, CO2 sequestration, and reservoir fracturing, a series of laboratory measurements were conducted to investigate the role of the vertical stress on gas flow behavior and permeability evolution of San Juan Basin coal. Due to the difficulty in maintaining a steady‐state flow when testing coals with tight structure, the pressure transient technique was employed and experiments were conducted under different boundary conditions: uniaxial strain condition and lateral stress‐controlled condition. The results indicated that the vertical stress has a negative role in permeability enhancement. To verify this finding, one more set of experiments under the vertical stress‐controlled condition was carried out. In addition, the application of CO2 injection on reservoir fracturing was theoretically analyzed. The results indicated that both CO2 injection and the vertical stress can exert positive effects on reservoir fracturing. This study contributes to the understanding of the effect of the vertical stress on permeability variation during CO2 injection, which has practical significance for permeability modeling and reservoir fracturing operation in the field.
Maximizing energy efficiency in SC‐FDMA uplink with QoS guarantees and user satisfaction
Authors: Braga Jr Iran M. , Lima F. Rafael M. , Maciel Tarcisio F. , Cavalcanti F. Rodrigo P.
Published: July 2019

Despite the advent of fifth‐generation mobile networks in the next years, the Long‐Term Evolution system still have an important role in the mobile communication scenario. Moreover, the development of solutions that fulfill the demand of new multimedia applications as well as provide an efficient use of the energy resources is one of the drivers of future networks. Therefore, in this article, we deal with the total energy efficiency maximization problem subject to minimum satisfaction constraints per service and quality of service in the uplink of Long‐Term Evolution using single‐carrier frequency‐division multiple access. Although the formulated problem is a nonlinear combinatorial optimization problem, we obtain the optimal solution through algebraic manipulations and by using an iterative method. Motivated by the high computational complexity to obtain the optimal solution, we propose a heuristic solution with lower computational complexity. Realistic system‐level simulations indicate that the proposed solution presents good performance regarding both outage rate and energy efficiency.
Optimized ultrasonic‐assisted extraction of papaya seed oil from Hainan/Eksotika variety
Authors: Zhang Weimin , Pan Yong‐Gui , Huang Wuyang , Chen Haiming , Yang Hong
Published: July 2019

Hainan/Eksotika papaya is a popular cultivated plant in Hainan Island, China. Papaya seed oil (PSO) contains functional compounds with good antioxidant activity, especially monounsaturated fatty acids. In this work, the ultrasound‐assisted extraction (UAE) of PSO was optimized using response surface methodology. It was found that the optimal extraction performance was realized when the elevated time was set to 20 min, the ultrasound power was set to 250 W, and the n‐hexane‐to‐sample ratio was set to 16:1 (v/w). The highest yield of PSO (32.27%) was obtained under the optimal conditions, and PSO showed good oxidative stability. Differential scanning calorimetry analysis showed that the melting point of Hainan/Eksotika PSO was low, while its crystallization temperature was high. FTIR and NMR were used to analyze the chemical structure of PSO, which also proved that PSO possessed good stability without oxidative degradation. In addition, scanning electron micrograph was employed to investigate the change in seed microscopic structure. The results showed UAE caused serious structural damage of sample cell membranes and walls, which help oil access to the solvent with a high extraction ratio. The results indicated that UAE is an efficient environmental‐friendly, and promising technique could be applied to produce PSO or other edible oil with a better health‐beneficial value in food industry.
A multiparametric analysis of white matter maturation during late childhood and adolescence
Authors: Geeraert Bryce L. , Lebel Robert Marc , Lebel Catherine
Published: July 2019

White matter development has been well described using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), but the microstructural processes driving development remain unclear due to methodological limitations. Here, using neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging (NODDI), inhomogeneous magnetization transfer (ihMT), and multicomponent driven equilibrium single‐pulse observation of T1/T2 (mcDESPOT), we describe white matter development at the microstructural level in a longitudinal cohort of healthy 6–15 year olds. We evaluated age and gender‐related trends in fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), neurite density index (NDI), orientation dispersion index (ODI), quantitative ihMT (qihMT), myelin volume fraction (VFm), andg‐ratio. We found age‐related increases of VFmin most regions, showing ongoing myelination in vivo during late childhood and adolescence for the first time. No relationship was observed between qihMT and age, suggesting myelin volume increases are driven by increased water content. Age‐related increases were observed for NDI, suggesting axonal packing is also occurring during this time.g‐ratio decreased with age in the uncinate fasciculus, implying changes in communication efficiency are ongoing in this region. FA increased and MD decreased with age in most regions. Gender effects were present in the left cingulum for FA, and an age‐by‐gender interaction was found for MD in the left uncinate fasciculus. These findings suggest that FA and MD remain useful markers of gender‐related processes, and gender differences are likely driven by factors other than myelin. We conclude that white matter development during late childhood and adolescence is driven by a combination of axonal packing and myelin volume increases.
Liver‐Targeted Toll‐Like Receptor 7 Agonist Combined With Entecavir Promotes a Functional Cure in the Woodchuck Model of Hepatitis B Virus
Authors: Korolowizc Kyle E. , Li Bin , Huang Xu , Yon Changsuek , Rodrigo Evelyn , Corpuz Manny , Plouffe David M. , Kallakury Bhaskar V. , Suresh Manasa , Wu Tom Y.‐H. , Miller Andrew T. , Menne Stephan
Published: July 2019

Current therapeutics for chronic infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) rarely induce functional cure due to the immunotolerant status of patients. Small molecule agonists targeting toll‐like receptor 7 (TLR7) have been shown to elicit a functional cure in animal models of HBV but sometimes with poor tolerability due to immune‐related toxicities. In an effort to increase the therapeutic window of TLR7 agonists to treat chronic hepatitis B (CHB), we developed an oral TLR7 agonist, APR002, designed to act locally in the gastrointestinal tract and liver, thus minimizing systemic exposure and improving tolerability. Here, we describe the pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) profile of APR002 in mice and uninfected woodchucks as well as the safety and antiviral efficacy in combination with entecavir (ETV) in woodchucks with CHB. Treatment of woodchucks chronically infected with woodchuck hepatitis virus (WHV) with weekly oral doses of APR002 was well‐tolerated. While APR002 and ETV single agents did not elicit sustained viral control, combination therapy resulted in durable immune‐mediated suppression of the chronic infection. These woodchucks also had detectable antibodies to viral antigens, enhanced interferon‐stimulated gene expression, and loss of WHV covalently closed circular DNA. Conclusion: APR002 is a novel TLR7 agonist exhibiting a distinct PK/PD profile that in combination with ETV can safely attain a functional cure in woodchucks with chronic WHV infection. Our results support further investigation of liver‐targeted TLR7 agonists in human CHB.
Bacterial wobble modifications of NNA‐decoding tRNAs
Authors: Nilsson Emil M. , Alexander Rebecca W.
Published: July 2019

Nucleotides of transfer RNAs (tRNAs) are highly modified, particularly at the anticodon. Bacterial tRNAs that read A‐ending codons are especially notable. The U34 nucleotide canonically present in these tRNAs is modified by a wide range of complex chemical constituents. An additional two A‐ending codons are not read by U34‐containing tRNAs but are accommodated by either inosine or lysidine at the wobble position (I34 or L34). The structural basis for many N34 modifications in both tRNA aminoacylation and ribosome decoding has been elucidated, and evolutionary conservation of modifying enzymes is also becoming clearer. Here we present a brief review of the structure, function, and conservation of wobble modifications in tRNAs that translate A‐ending codons. © 2019 IUBMB Life, 2019 © 2019 IUBMB Life, 71(8):1158–1166, 2019
Comparisons of standardized and interview‐informed synthesized reinforcement contingencies relative to functional analysis
Authors: Greer Brian D. , Mitteer Daniel R. , Briggs Adam M. , Fisher Wayne W. , Sodawasser Andrew J.
Published: July 2019

We compared the functions of problem behavior identified by (a) a functional analysis (FA), (b) an interview‐informed synthesized contingency analysis (IISCA) that was informed by the results of an open‐ended interview and a structured observation, and (c) a standardized‐synthesized contingency analysis (SSCA) in which we synthesized three common functions of problem behavior across 12 individuals in a controlled consecutive case series. We then compared outcomes across assessments. The FA was sufficient in identifying the variables maintaining problem behavior for 11 of the 12 participants, replicating the findings of Fisher, Greer, Romani, Zangrillo, and Owen (2016). Error type (i.e., false positives, false negatives) and error prevalence were similar across functions identified by the IISCA and the SSCA, calling into question the utility of the open‐ended interview and the structured observation that informed the IISCA.
Single‐dose etoposide is an effective and safe protocol for stem cell mobilization in patients with multiple myeloma
Authors: Park Yong , Kim Dae Sik , Jeon Min Ji , Lee Byung‐Hyun , Yu Eun Sang , Kang Ka‐Won , Lee Se Ryeon , Sung Hwa Jung , Nam Myung‐Hyun , Yoon Soo‐Young , Choi Chul Won , Kang Eun‐Suk , Cho Duck , Kim Kihyun , Kim Byung Soo , Kim Dae‐Won , Kim Seok Jin
Published: July 2019

Background

Single‐dose etoposide was used an outpatient‐based protocol for mobilization in patients with multiple myeloma (MM) for autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). Thus, we retrospectively analyzed the efficacy and safety of our one‐day protocol in comparison with that of previous methods.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed 168 patients with MM who underwent peripheral blood stem cell collection for upfront ASCT between 2008 and 2018. The mobilization protocols included G‐CSF alone (G‐mobilization), one‐day 375 mg/m2 of etoposide (E375), two‐days of 375 mg/m2 of etoposide (E750), or one‐day high‐dose (3.5 g/m2) cyclophosphamide (HD CY). For comparison of efficacy of each protocol, collected CD34+ cells over 4 × 106/kg and under 2 × 106/kg were defined as “adequate harvest” and “harvest failure,” respectively.

Results

The median number of collected CD34+ cells was 5.58 × 106/kg in patients receiving single‐dose etoposide, and the percentage of uncomplicated optimal harvest of E375 (65.6%, 21/32) was significantly higher than that of E750 (41.9%, 13/31) and HD CY (31.3%, 15/48). The E375 showed the highest rate of adequate harvest (96.9%, 31/32) compared to that of E750 (87.1%), HD CY (75.0%), and G‐mobilization (59.6%). Most E375 patients achieved adequate harvest without complication (29/32, 90.6%), the CD34+ cell collection yield on apheresis days one and two of E375 was not significantly different from that of E750, and no harvest failures occurred for E375. Neutrophil and platelet engraftments were significantly faster in E375 than other groups (P < .001).

Conclusions

The use of single‐dose etoposide could be an effective and safe method for mobilization in patients with MM.
In vivo tibiofemoral cartilage strain mapping under static mechanical loading using continuous GRASP‐MRI
Authors: Menon Rajiv G. , Zibetti Marcelo V.W. , Regatte Ravinder R.
Published: July 2019

Background

Quantification of dynamic biomechanical strain in articular cartilage in vivo; in situ using noninvasive MRI techniques is desirable and may potentially be used to assess joint pathology.

Purpose

To demonstrate the use of static mechanical loading and continuous 3D‐MRI acquisition of the human knee joint in vivo to measure the strain in the tibiofemoral articular cartilage.

Study Type

Prospective.

Subjects

Five healthy human volunteers (four women, one man; age 25.6 ± 1.7) underwent MRI at rest, under static mechanical loading condition, and during recovery.

Field Strength/Sequence

A field strength of 3T was used. The sequence used was 3D‐continuous golden angle radial sparse parallel (GRASP) MRI and compressed sensing (CS) reconstruction.

Assessment

Tibiofemoral cartilage deformation maps under loading and during recovery were calculated using an optical flow algorithm. The corresponding Lagrangian strain was calculated in the articular cartilage.

Statistical Tests

Range of displacement and strain in each subject, and the resulting mean and standard deviation, were calculated.

Results

During the loading condition, the cartilage displacement in the direction of loading ranged from a minimum of –673.6 ± 121.9 μm to a maximum of 726.5 ± 169.5 μm. Corresponding strain ranged from a minimum of –7.0 ± 4.2% to a maximum of 5.4 ± 1.6%. During the recovery condition, the cartilage displacement in the same direction reduced to a minimum of –613.0 ± 129.5 μm and a maximum of 555.7 ± 311.4 μm. The corresponding strain range reduced to a minimum of –1.6 ± 7.5% to a maximum of 4.2 ± 2.6%.

Data Conclusion

This study shows the feasibility of using static mechanical loading with continuous GRASP‐MRI acquisition to measure the strain in the articular cartilage. By measuring strain during the loading and recovery phases, dynamic strain information in the articular cartilage might be able to be investigated.

Level of Evidence: 2

Technical Efficacy: Stage 1

J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2020;51:426–434.
Phenotype onset in Huntington’s disease knock‐in mice is correlated with the incomplete splicing of the mutant huntingtin gene
Authors: Franich Nicholas R. , Hickey Miriam A. , Zhu Chunni , Osborne Georgina F. , Ali Nadira , Chu Tiffany , Bove Nicholas H. , Lemesre Vincent , Lerner Renata P. , Zeitlin Scott O. , Howland David , Neueder Andreas , Landles Christian , Bates Gillian P. , Chesselet Marie‐Francoise
Published: July 2019

Huntington’s disease (HD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder caused by an expanded CAG repeat within the huntingtin (HTT) gene. The Q140 and HdhQ150 knock‐in HD mouse models were generated such that HdhQ150 mice have an expanded CAG repeat inserted into the mouse Htt gene, whereas in the Q140s, mouse exon 1 Htt was replaced with a mutated version of human exon 1. By standardizing mouse strain background, breeding to homozygosity and employing sensitive behavioral tests, we demonstrate that the onset of behavioral phenotypes occurs earlier in the Q140 than the HdhQ150 knock‐in mouse models and that huntingtin (HTT) aggregation appears earlier in the striata of Q140 mice. We have previously found that the incomplete splicing of mutant HTT from exon 1 to exon 2 results in the production of a small polyadenylated transcript that encodes the highly pathogenic mutant HTT exon 1 protein. In this report, we have identified a functional consequence of the sequence differences between these two models at the RNA level, in that the level of incomplete splicing, and of the mutant exon 1 HTT protein, are greater in the brains of Q140 mice. While differences in the human and mouse exon 1 HTT proteins (e.g., proline rich sequences) could also contribute to the phenotypic differences, our data indicate that the incomplete splicing of HTT and approaches to lower the levels of the exon 1 HTT transcript should be pursued as therapeutic targets.
Effect of Changes in Intravascular Volume on Inferior Vena Cava and Aorta Diameters and the Caval/Aorta Index in Healthy Volunteers
Authors: Bilgin Serkan , Topal Fatih Esad , Yamanoğlu Adnan , Payza Umut , Karakaya Zeynep , Akyol Pınar Yesim , Tahtaci Rezan , Topal Firdes
Published: July 2019

Objectives

Although inferior vena cava diameter (IVCD) measurement can be useful as a noninvasive method for monitoring the volume status, the benefit of abdominal aorta diameter (AAD) measurement is unclear. The purpose of this study was to determine the value of the combined use of the IVCD and AAD in blood loss monitoring.

Methods

This prospective observational study was conducted at the blood donor center of a training and research hospital. Standard blood donation criteria were followed during volunteer enrollment. Vital signs and ultrasound IVCD and AAD measurements were obtained before and after blood donation and after fluid resuscitation with 500 mL of 0.9% sodium chloride. Measurements before and after blood donation and after fluid resuscitation were compared by the paired t and Wilcoxon matched‐pair tests.

Results

Thirty‐nine volunteers were included in the study. With 500 mL of blood loss, percent changes in the shock index (SI; mean ± SD, 7% ± 6%), IVCD (6% ± 2%), and caval/aorta index (IVCD/AAD; 6.1% ± 3%) were similar and were higher (P < .001 for all parameters) than the changes in the pulse rate (3% ± 4%), AAD (0.5% ± 1.5%), systolic blood pressure (3% ± 4%), and diastolic blood pressure (2% ± 7%). Although IVCD and SI values changed significantly (P < .001 for both) after 500 mL of 0.9% sodium chloride resuscitation, no significant change was observed in the IVCD/AAD (P = .059).

Conclusions

The IVCD/AAD, SI, and IVCD may have similar success rates in diagnosing early blood loss. Additionally, the SI and IVCD may be superior to the IVCD/AAD in bleeding patients requiring simultaneous fluid resuscitation.
Comparison of hydrodynamic characteristics between circumferential and transversal microgrooved journal bearings
Authors: Han Yanxiang , Fu Yonghong
Published: July 2019

Surface texture has been proved to be an effective method to improve lubrication performance in lubrication contact. However, there exists the controversy about the influence of surface texture on lubrication performance of journal bearings. Moreover, the effect of texture position is not fully understood in current literatures. In the present work, a mass conservation Reynolds equation is employed to investigate the lubrication performance of journal bearings. Bearing characteristics such as the maximum pressure, load‐carrying capacity, friction force, friction coefficient are predicted with elliptical grooves. Two types of microgrooves are comprehensively investigated. The transversal groove in the divergent region (θg = 210° in the case) almost does not influence the lubrication performance. The grooves in the inlet and maximum pressure region provide a potential possibility to improve the lubrication performance of journal bearings. In the cases, full grooves yield negative influence on lubrication performance. In addition, the influence of groove configuration is also investigated under different operating conditions. The dimensionless performance parameters for the microgroove in the maximum pressure region (θg = 120° in the case) are more sensitive to the microgroove configuration.
One decade ago, one decade ahead in progressive supranuclear palsy
Authors: Stamelou Maria , Giagkou Nikolaos , Höglinger Günter U
Published: July 2019

Fifty‐five years have passed from the first description of PSP, but it is in the last decade that there has been a revolutionary change in understanding both clinical and pathophysiological aspects of this disease. Ten years ago, our knowledge about the clinical spectrum and pathophysiology of the disease was quite limited, and there was no credible clinical study on any drug treatment for this devastating disease. Today, we have discovered the wide clinical spectrum of PSP, and this led to the development of new diagnostic criteria in 2017, aiming to diagnose the disease earlier and include more phenotypes into clinical studies. Moreover, just over the past 10 years, numerous large, double‐blind, clinical trials with disease‐modifying agents have been conducted that provided important novel insights into disease biomarkers and progression. These studies were possible because of gained novel insights into pathophysiological processes of the disease and pave the way for the near future. In the next decade, we dare to predict the discovery of biomarkers for PSP, improvements in diagnosis using the new criteria in combination with these biomarkers, and ultimately the development of a neuroprotective therapy that could be applied to patients in a prodromal stage and spare them from this devastating disorder. © 2019 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society
Development of grading scales of pedal sensory loss using Mokken scale analysis on the Rotterdam Diabetic Foot Study Test Battery data
Authors: Rinkel Willem D. , Aziz M. Hosein , Van Neck Johan W. , Cabezas Manuel Castro , van der Ark L. Andries , Coert J. Henk
Published: July 2019

Introduction

Loss of sensation due to diabetes‐related neuropathy often leads to diabetic foot ulceration. Several test instruments are used to assess sensation, such as static and moving 2‐point discrimination (S2PD, M2PD), monofilaments, and tuning forks.

Methods

Mokken scale analysis was applied to the Rotterdam Diabetic Foot Study data to select hierarchies of tests to construct measurement scales.

Results

We developed 39‐item and 31‐item scales to measure loss of sensation for research purposes and a 13‐item scale for clinical practice. All instruments were strongly scalable and reliable. The 39 items can be classified into 5 hierarchically ordered core clusters: S2PD, M2PD, vibration sense, monofilaments, and prior ulcer or amputation.

Discussion

Guided by the presented scales, clinicians may better classify the grade of sensory loss in diabetic patients’ feet. Thus, a more personalized approach concerning individual recommendations, intervention strategies, and patient information may be applied.
Don't throw the baby teeth out with the bathwater: Estimating subadult age using tooth wear in commingled archaeological assemblages
Authors: Beck Jess , Smith B. Holly
Published: July 2019

Commingled assemblages of fragmentary human skeletal remains are a common feature of many archaeological sites and pose significant analytical problems for bioarchaeologists. Such deposits often contain a high volume of the teeth of subadults for which it is challenging to estimate age, including developing permanent teeth with damaged roots, articulated teeth with roots obscured by alveolar bone, and deciduous teeth with completed root apices.

Here, we present a new method for more precisely estimating age for the developmentally ambiguous teeth of subadults from archaeological contexts. We used a sample of articulated subadult dentition from the Copper Age site of Marroquíes in Jaén, Spain, to build linear models of the relationship between dental age and tooth wear for deciduous and permanent molars. We tested three different strategies for identifying and removing outliers to build a linear model with the strongest relationship between age and wear. The Adjusted Residual strategy, which used diagnostic plots of linear regression residuals in the statistical package R to identify and remove outliers, was found to produce the strongest linear model. The linear model developed using the Adjusted Residual strategy was then used to provide estimated midpoint ages and upper and lower age bounds based on the wear scores from the sample of developmentally ambiguous teeth.

This study demonstrates that it is possible to estimate the age of developmentally ambiguous deciduous and permanent molars with reference to an adequate sample of subadult dentition with estimated ages from the same population. This new method is valuable as it extracts information from developmentally ambiguous teeth that would otherwise be inaccessible, allows for rapid data collection, employs standard macroscopic dental scoring methods, and can be used for sites from other regions and periods. We conclude by discussing the applications of this new method within bioarchaeology and identify directions for future research on subadult dental wear.
Intersecting urban forestry and botanical gardens to address big challenges for healthier trees, people, and cities
Authors: Cavender Nicole , Donnelly Gerard
Published: July 2019

Societal Impact Statement

The need for urban greening increases with global urbanization. Trees are major assets to livable urban areas, providing valuable environmental services to combat challenges such as pollution, urban heat, and flooding, as well as to improve social cohesion, human health, and well‐being. Investments in tree planting and arboriculture yield valuable returns, but trees face many challenges in the unnatural and stressful urban environment and in a rapidly changing climate. Botanical gardens have expertise in growing plants in designed landscapes. We urge their increased involvement with urban forestry to improve sustainability of cities and human lives.

Summary

Improving urban forests is one of the solutions to achieving several of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and making cities healthier and more livable for people. Priority should be given to protecting mature trees and promoting long‐lived trees in the future. Achievement of this goal requires recognition of the myriad stresses trees face in built landscapes as well as the challenges related to climate change. Because all people living in communities are affected by the urban forest, developing solutions and forestry action plans should be a social endeavor and include diverse partnerships. Botanical gardens and arboreta can provide key resources in support of these efforts. They have a significant public reach, maintain a strong professional network, and can make important contributions to address key priorities including (a) protecting existing trees; (b) improving tree selection, diversity, and age structure; and (c) improving planning, standards, training, and management. A focus on below‐ground aspects, such as root development and soil composition, is a critical component for success. Horticultural and scientific knowledge combined with extensive public reach make botanical gardens and arboreta important potential partners in achieving urban forest objectives, but a greater call to action is needed.
Catch me if you can: the influence of refuge / trap design, previous feeding experience, and semiochemical lures on vine weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) monitoring success
Authors: Roberts Joe M , Jahir Akib , Graham Juliane , Pope Tom W
Published: July 2019

BACKGROUND

Vine weevil, Otiorhynchus sulcatus F. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), is one of the most economically important pest species of berry and ornamental crops globally. Monitoring this nocturnal pest can be difficult and time consuming and the efficacy of current tools is uncertain. Without effective monitoring tools, implementation of integrated pest management strategies is challenging. This study tests the relative efficacy of a range of vine weevil monitoring tools. Whether host‐plant volatiles and weevil feeding experience influence vine weevil capture is also tested.

RESULTS

Monitoring tool efficacy differed overall between the six monitoring tool designs tested and ranged from catches of 0.4% to 26.7% under semi‐field conditions. Previous feeding experience influenced vine weevil behavior. In yew conditioned populations, 39% of the weevils responded to and were retained in the trap baited with yew foliage while 37% of weevils from Euonymus fortunei conditioned populations responded to and were retained in the trap baited with E. forunei foliage. A simple synthetic lure consisting of (Z)‐2‐pentenol + methyl eugenol also increased vine weevil catches compared with an unbaited trap.

CONCLUSION

Demonstrating differences in the efficacy of different monitoring tool designs is an important first step for developing improved methods for monitoring vine weevil populations within crops. This study presents the first direct comparison of vine weevil monitoring tool designs and indicates that trap efficacy can be improved by baiting with host‐plant material or a synthetic lure based on host‐plant volatiles. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry
A field‐tested robotic harvesting system for iceberg lettuce
Authors: Birrell Simon , Hughes Josie , Cai Julia Y. , Iida Fumiya
Published: July 2019

Agriculture provides an unique opportunity for the development of robotic systems; robots must be developed which can operate in harsh conditions and in highly uncertain and unknown environments. One particular challenge is performing manipulation for autonomous robotic harvesting. This paper describes recent and current work to automate the harvesting of iceberg lettuce. Unlike many other produce, iceberg is challenging to harvest as the crop is easily damaged by handling and is very hard to detect visually. A platform called Vegebot has been developed to enable the iterative development and field testing of the solution, which comprises of a vision system, custom end effector and software. To address the harvesting challenges posed by iceberg lettuce a bespoke vision and learning system has been developed which uses two integrated convolutional neural networks to achieve classification and localization. A custom end effector has been developed to allow damage free harvesting. To allow this end effector to achieve repeatable and consistent harvesting, a control method using force feedback allows detection of the ground. The system has been tested in the field, with experimental evidence gained which demonstrates the success of the vision system to localize and classify the lettuce, and the full integrated system to harvest lettuce. This study demonstrates how existing state‐of‐the art vision approaches can be applied to agricultural robotics, and mechanical systems can be developed which leverage the environmental constraints imposed in such environments.
Meyniel's conjecture holds for random d‐regular graphs
Authors: Prałat Paweł , Wormald Nicholas
Published: July 2019

In the game of cops and robber, the cops try to capture a robber moving on the vertices of the graph. The minimum number of cops required to win on a given graph G is called the cop number of G. The biggest open conjecture in this area is the one of Meyniel, which asserts that for some absolute constant C, the cop number of every connected graph G is at most . In a separate paper, we showed that Meyniel's conjecture holds asymptotically almost surely for the binomial random graph. The result was obtained by showing that the conjecture holds for a general class of graphs with some specific expansion‐type properties. In this paper, this deterministic result is used to show that the conjecture holds asymptotically almost surely for random d‐regular graphs when d = d(n) ≥ 3.
Balanced allocation on graphs: A random walk approach
Authors: Pourmiri Ali
Published: July 2019

We propose algorithms for allocating n sequential balls into n bins that are interconnected as a d‐regular n‐vertex graph G, where d ≥ 3 can be any integer. In general, the algorithms proceeds in n succeeding rounds. Let ℓ > 0 be an integer, which is given as an input to the algorithms. In each round, ball 1 ≤ t ≤ n picks a node of G uniformly at random and performs a nonbacktracking random walk of length ℓ from the chosen node and simultaneously collects the load information of a subset of the visited nodes. It then allocates itself to one of them with the minimum load (ties are broken uniformly at random). For graphs with sufficiently large girths, we obtain upper and lower bounds for the maximum number of balls at any bin after allocating all n balls in terms of ℓ, with high probability.
Science and Social Media
Authors: Regenberg Alan
Published: July 2019

He Jiankui et al. conducted an experiment that resulted in the birth of the first human babies with germline gene editing. Initial and predominant communications of their work occurred via social media and outside of the norms for reviewing, approving, and engaging around work in science. This case provides an opportunity to reflect on the evolving and increasing presence of social media in science, its strengths, weaknesses, and the potential to develop applications that improve how we review, approve, and engage around the work of science. Social media use in science presents significant challenges. The potential benefits of addressing these challenges and developing new social media tools include greater transparency, access, and engagement—and could nurture the public's trust. Stem Cells Translational Medicine  2019;8:1226&1229
Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Anno 2019: Dawn of the Therapeutic Era? Concise Review
Authors: Hoogduijn Martin J. , Lombardo Eleuterio
Published: July 2019

2018 was the year of the first marketing authorization of an allogeneic stem cell therapy by the European Medicines Agency. The authorization concerns the use of allogeneic adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) for treatment of complex perianal fistulas in Crohn’s disease. This is a breakthrough in the field of MSC therapy. The last few years have, furthermore, seen some breakthroughs in the investigations into the mechanisms of action of MSC therapy. Although the therapeutic effects of MSCs have largely been attributed to their secretion of immunomodulatory and regenerative factors, it has now become clear that some of the effects are mediated through host phagocytic cells that clear administered MSCs and in the process adapt an immunoregulatory and regeneration supporting function. The increased interest in therapeutic use of MSCs and the ongoing elucidation of the mechanisms of action of MSCs are promising indicators that 2019 may be the dawn of the therapeutic era of MSCs and that there will be revived interest in research to more efficient, practical, and sustainable MSC-based therapies. Stem Cells Translational Medicine  2019;8:1126–1134
A study on the accuracy of force analogy method in nonlinear static analysis
Authors: Safaei Shayan , Taslimi Arsam , Tehrani Payam
Published: July 2019

In this paper, the accuracy of the force analogy method (FAM) for nonlinear static (pushover) analysis is investigated. Hence, after explanation of the concept of FAM by a new approach, 12 2D steel special moment resisting frames with different configurations were derived from two different 3D archetypes and modeled using four various methods of capturing nonlinearity including SAP2000 super elements, OpenSees force‐based and displacement‐based fiber method, and FAM. In addition, a MATLAB code was developed for modeling and analyzing the frames by FAM. The accuracy of FAM in predictions of pushover curves, base shear forces, and plastic rotation of the critical hinges was investigated. The results indicated that in general, the predictions obtained using the FAM had a good agreement and compatibility with those from other methods of analysis currently used in practice for seismic performance assessment of structures.