bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
High incentive salience promotes motivation and pleasure experience
Authors: Zhang Yi‐Jing , Wang Jiao , Huang Jia , Chan Raymond C.K.
Published: July 2019

The present study aimed to examine the effect of incentive salience on the motivational behavior and pleasure experience of 35 healthy participants during reward pursuits. The findings suggest that high incentive salience promotes motivation in effort‐expenditure decision‐making, effort exertion, and pleasure experience.
Impact of pharmacy services on cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator modulator prescribing at a pediatric cystic fibrosis center
Authors: Wright Brittany A. , Singh Sachinkumar B. , Schultz Jordan L. , Ramsey Laura J. , Spading Kimberly A. , Mascardo Lisa A. , Starner Timothy D.
Published: July 2019

Background

This study was undertaken to determine if the presence of a clinical pharmacy team impacted patients’ access to cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) modulators.

Methods

A retrospective chart review of electronic medical records from the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics (UIHC) was conducted. Data were collected regarding the timing of prior authorization (PA) submissions and approvals from 2012 to 2018. The Wilcoxon rank‐sum test was used to compare the meantime (days) between prescription and PA submission dates, and PA submission and approval date for all patients included in the analysis. Comparisons were made for pre‐ and postpharmacy services eras as well as the UIHC Specialty Pharmacy versus a non‐UIHC Specialty Pharmacy.

Results

Sixty‐three patients were included in the final analysis. The average time between prescription date and PA submission was 12.5 days (standard deviation [SD] = 17.4 days) in the preclinical pharmacy services era and 3.5 days (SD = 5.8 days; P = .028) in the postclinical pharmacy services era. The average time to PA submission significantly decreased from 9.8 days (SD = 13.1 days) to 1.3 days (SD = 4.2 days; P < .0001) when prescriptions were filled by the UIHC Specialty Pharmacy vs a non‐UIHC Specialty Pharmacy.

Conclusions

There was a significant benefit to CFTR modulator prescribing when clinical pharmacy services were incorporated in our cystic fibrosis (CF) care team, which will become increasingly important with the anticipation of new CF medications in the near future.
Structural basis for −35 element recognition by σ4 chimera proteins and their interactions with PmrA response regulator
Authors: Lou Yuan‐Chao , Chou Chun‐Chi , Yeh Hsin‐Hong , Chien Chia‐Yu , Sadotra Sushant , Hsu Chun‐Hua , Chen Chinpan
Published: July 2019

In class II transcription activation, the transcription factor normally binds to the promoter near the −35 position and contacts the domain 4 of σ factors (σ4) to activate transcription. However, σ4 of σ70 appears to be poorly folded on its own. Here, by fusing σ4 with the RNA polymerase β‐flap‐tip‐helix, we constructed two σ4 chimera proteins, one from σ70 and another from σS of Klebsiella pneumoniae. The two chimera proteins well folded into a monomeric form with strong binding affinities for −35 element DNA. Determining the crystal structure of in complex with −35 element DNA revealed that adopts a similar structure as σ4 in the Escherichia coli RNA polymerase σS holoenzyme and recognizes −35 element DNA specifically by several conserved residues from the helix‐turn‐helix motif. By using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), was demonstrated to recognize −35 element DNA similar to . Carr‐Purcell‐Meiboom‐Gill relaxation dispersion analyses showed that the N‐terminal helix and the β‐flap‐tip‐helix of have a concurrent transient α‐helical structure and DNA binding reduced the slow dynamics on . Finally, only was shown to interact with the response regulator PmrA and its promoter DNA. The chimera proteins are capable of −35 element DNA recognition and can be used for study with transcription factors or other factors that interact with domain 4 of σ factors.
Ligand nanovectorization using graphene to target cellular death receptors of cancer cell
Authors: Arroyo Nicolas , Herlem Guillaume , Picaud Fabien
Published: July 2019

Tumor necrosis factor‐related apoptosis‐inducing ligand (TRAIL) is nowadays envisaged as a natural cytokine useful in nanomedicine to eradicate the cancer cells and not the healthy surrounding ones. However, it suffers from cell resistance and strong dispersion in body to prove its efficiency. The understanding at the molecular level of the TRAIL interaction with death receptors (DRs) on cancer cells is thus of fundamental importance to improve its action. We demonstrate here via molecular simulations that TRAIL can bind to its both agonistic DRs (ie, DR4 and DR5) with a preference for DR4. In this study, the role of a graphene nanoflake as a potential cargo for TRAIL is examined. Furthermore, both TRAIL self‐assembling and TRAIL affinity when adsorbed on graphene are considered to enhance efficacy toward the targeted cancer cell. Our modelization results show that TRAIL can bind to DR4 and DR5 when transported by graphene nanoflake, as a proof of concept.
Thermal Stability of Defect‐Enhanced Ge on Si Quantum Dot Luminescence upon Millisecond Flash Lamp Annealing
Authors: Spindlberger Lukas , Prucnal Slawomir , Aberl Johannes , Brehm Moritz
Published: July 2019

The intentional merging of epitaxial Ge on Si(001) quantum dots with optically active defect sites promises low‐cost applications such as room temperature (RT) light emitters in Si photonics. Despite recent progress in this field, important benchmarks, for example, the thermal stability of such a combination of low‐dimensional nanosystems, as well as the curing of parasitic charge‐carrier recombination channels, have been barely investigated thus far. Herein, the structural robustness of defect‐enhanced quantum dots (DEQDs) is examined under millisecond flash lamp annealing (FLA), carried out at sample temperatures up to 800 °C. Changes in the optical DEQD properties are investigated using photoluminescence spectroscopy performed in a sample temperature range from 10 to 300 K. It is demonstrated that FLA—in contrast to in situ thermal annealing—leads to only negligible modifications of the electronic band alignment. Moreover, upon proper conditions of FLA, the RT emission intensity of DEQDs is improved by almost 50% with respect to untreated reference samples.
Outliers detection using an iterative strategy for semi‐supervised learning
Authors: Frumosu Flavia D. , Kulahci Murat
Published: July 2019

As a direct consequence of production systems' digitalization, high‐frequency and high‐dimensional data has become more easily available. In terms of data analysis, latent structures‐based methods are often employed when analyzing multivariate and complex data. However, these methods are designed for supervised learning problems when sufficient labeled data are available. Particularly for fast production rates, quality characteristics data tend to be scarcer than available process data generated through multiple sensors and automated data collection schemes. One way to overcome the problem of scarce outputs is to employ semi‐supervised learning methods, which use both labeled and unlabeled data. It has been shown that it is advantageous to use a semi‐supervised approach in case of labeled data and unlabeled data coming from the same distribution. In real applications, there is a chance that unlabeled data contain outliers or even a drift in the process, which will affect the performance of the semi‐supervised methods. The research question addressed in this work is how to detect outliers in the unlabeled data set using the scarce labeled data set. An iterative strategy is proposed using a combined Hotelling's T2 and Q statistics and applied using a semi‐supervised principal component regression (SS‐PCR) approach on both simulated and real data sets.
δ15N analysis of ammonium in freeze‐dried natural groundwater samples by precipitation with sodium tetraphenylborate
Authors: Stock Patricia , Hösch Andreas , Burghardt Diana
Published: July 2019

Rationale

To perform the δ15N isotopic analysis of ammonium (NH4+) with an elemental analyzer (EA) coupled to an isotope‐ratio mass spectrometer, it is necessary to isolate the NH4+ prior to the analysis. Existing methods are work‐intensive and time‐consuming. For broader applicability in the environmental sciences, it is desirable to simplify the sample preparation process. The method used here is based on the insolubility of ammonium tetraphenylborate ((C6H5)4BNH4) in water. Its suitability for the stable isotope measurement of δ15N values for NH4+ has already been proven (Howa et al. Rapid Commun Mass Spectrom. 2014;28:1530‐1534). However, there are no studies on the usability of the method for the analysis of ammonium‐containing water samples. In this study, the method was tested for its applicability to natural groundwater samples.

Methods

To achieve the necessary high NH4+ concentrations for complete (C6H5)4BNH4 precipitation, the water samples were first freeze‐dried and then prepared for the analysis. To precipitate the NH4+, sodium tetraphenylborate ((C6H5)4BNa) was added to the samples. The precipitate was then separated from the water by filtration using a membrane filter and analyzed using an EA interfaced with an isotope ratio mass spectrometer to determine the nitrogen isotope ratio.

Results

A consistent 15N enrichment of +0.65‰ was found in the measured isotope ratios. No significant effect due to other ions in the water samples could be identified. There was no significant difference between the isotope ratios of the natural groundwater samples determined from the tetraphenylborate (TPB) method and those determined from the diffusion method (DM). This indicates that the TPB method can easily be used for natural groundwater samples.

Conclusions

The TPB method in combination with freeze‐drying is an efficient technique for the precise δ15N measurement of NH4+ in natural groundwater samples. The laboratory effort required for sample preparation is very low, and the repeatability of the measurements is very high.
On time‐varying formation feasibility and reference function of time‐delayed linear multiagent systems with switching digraphs
Authors: Dong Xiwang , Hua Yongzhao , Hu Guoqiang , Li Qingdong , Ren Zhang
Published: July 2019

Time‐varying formation feasibility and formation reference function of linear multiagent systems with both time‐varying delays and switching directed topologies are studied. For a given linear multiagent system, not all the time‐varying formations can be realized due to the dynamic restriction of each agent. The formation feasibility constraint reveals the requirement on the desired time‐varying formation to be compatible with the agent dynamics. Formation reference is a representation for the macroscopic movement of the whole multiagent system. Novel features of the formation feasibility constraint and the formation reference are the main focus of this paper. Firstly, a time‐delayed formation control protocol with switching directed topologies is constructed using local neighboring information. Then, a time‐varying formation feasibility constraint is derived based on nonsingular transformations. It is proven that the time‐varying formation feasibility constraint is independent of the time‐varying delays and the switching directed topologies. Moreover, an explicit expression of the formation reference function is proposed. It is shown that neither the time‐varying delays nor the switching directed topologies has influence on the obtained formation reference function. Finally, comparative examples are provided to demonstrate the obtained results.
Distribution of Botia superciliaris (Günther, 1892) ichthyoplankton in the upper mainstem of the Yangtze River preimpoundment and postimpoundment of the upstream dam cascade
Authors: Wang Zhen , Cheng Fei , Hou Gang , Song Yiqing , Thundiparambil Sathrajith Arunjith , Xie Songguang
Published: July 2019

Dam cascades have been a major threat to fishes of the upper Yangtze River. The remaining lotic river segment of the upper mainstem between the Xiangjiaba Dam (XJD) and the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) may serve as a critical refuge for endemic fishes. We investigated distribution of ichthyoplankton Botia superciliaris, an endemic species, at three sections preimpoundment and postimpoundment of the XJD, that is, Yibin (close to the XJD), Zhuyang (in the middle of the segment), and Mudong (in the tail of the TGR). Preimpoundment of the XJD, larvae occurred in all three sections, and their abundance tended to be highest at Yibin and lowest at Mudong. Postimpoundment, larval abundance dramatically decreased in all three sections. In particular, no larvae were found at Yibin, and larval abundance tended to be higher at Zhuyang than at Mudong. Eggs were collected from all three sections, and those from Zhuyang accounted for over 90% of the total. Initiation of egg occurrence at Yibin was approximately 1 month later than at Zhuyang and Mudong. Water temperature was lower, and water transparency was higher at Yibin than at Zhuyang and Mudong postimpoundment. We suggest that the decrease in abundance and delayed presence of ichthyoplankton at Yibin postimpoundment of the XJD reflected the impact of upstream dam discharge and that the lower abundance of ichthyoplankton at Mudong compared with Zhuyang both preimpoundment and postimpoundment of the XJD reflected the influence of inundation by the TGR. We recommend that the river sections around Zhuyang become high‐priority conservation areas
Lowland stream restoration by sand addition: Impact, recovery, and beneficial effects on benthic invertebrates
Authors: dos Reis Oliveira Paula C. , Kraak Michiel H.S. , Verdonschot Piet F.M. , Verdonschot Ralf C.M.
Published: July 2019

Up to now, most lowland stream restoration projects were unsuccessful in terms of ecological recovery. Aiming to improve the success of stream restoration projects, a novel approach to restore sandy‐bottom lowland streams degraded by channel incision was launched, consisting of the addition of sand to the stream channel in combination with the introduction of coarse woody debris. Yet it remained unknown whether this novel measure of sand addition is actually effective in terms of biodiversity improvements. The aim of the present study was therefore to evaluate if sand addition can improve hydromorphological stream complexity on the short term leading to an increase in macroinvertebrate biodiversity. To this end, particle transport, water depth, current velocity, dissolved oxygen dynamics, and sediment composition were measured. The response of the macroinvertebrate community composition was determined at different stages during the disturbance and short‐term recovery process. Immediately downstream the sand addition site, transport and sedimentation of the sand were initially intense, until an equilibrium was reached and the physical conditions stabilized. The stream section matured fast as habitat formation took place within a short term. Macroinvertebrate diversity decreased initially but recovered rapidly following stabilization. Moreover, an increase in rheophilic taxa was observed in the newly formed habitats. Thus, although sand addition initially disturbed the stream, a relatively fast physical and biological recovery occurred, leading to improved instream conditions for a diverse macroinvertebrate community, including rheophilic taxa. Therefore, we concluded that sand addition is a promising restoration measure for incised lowland streams.
Designed Construction of Hierarchical CuCo2S4@Co(OH)2 Core‐Shell Nanoarrays as Electrode Materials for High‐Performance Supercapacitors
Authors: Sun Xueying , Sun Xiulun , Zhou Sicheng , Luo Guang , Liu Rongmei , Li Siqi , Li Anran , Zhu Xiandong
Published: July 2019

In this paper, a novel three‐dimensional (3D) hierarchical structure of CuCo2S4@Co(OH)2 core‐shell hybrid electrode was reported. It uses self‐supporting nanoneedles CuCo2S4 without organic binders synthesized by hydrothermal method as ideal conductive supports for Co(OH)2 nanosheets. The prepared CuCo2S4@Co(OH)2 composite electrode has good electrochemical performance with a specific capacitance of 2066 F⋅g−1 at 1 A⋅g−1 (highest specific capacity of 258 mAh⋅g−1) and a high capacitance retention rate (over 82.76% at 10 A⋅g−1 after 1000 cycles). The asymmetric supercapacitor device (CuCo2S4@Co(OH)2//AC) has an energy density of 37.58 Wh⋅kg−1 at 795.8 W⋅kg−1, and a high capacitance retention rate over 84.10% after 5000 cycles at 10 A⋅g−1, which exhibits the enormous potential of this hybrid nanostructure as high performance supercapacitor electrode material.
Water‐Mediated, Highly‐Efficient and Improved Protocol for the Synthesis of Vesamicol, Its Analogues and β‐Blockers through the Highly‐Chemoselective Aminolysis of Epoxides
Authors: Agarwal Jyoti , Peddinti Rama Krishna
Published: July 2019

An efficient, eco‐friendly and cost‐effective protocol has been developed for the synthesis of vesamicol, benzovesamicol, spirovesamicol, their analogues and drug molecules such as Naftopidil and SR 59230 A. In this reaction, water has played dual role i. e. of i) bifunctional catalyst and ii) reaction medium. Except reactants, no other chemical reagent/promotor is required to afford the products. Reaction follows 100% atom economy and has been found to be highly chemo‐selective. All studied reactions worked well to yield the corresponding products in excellent to near quantitative yields without following the tedious and time consuming column chromatography as purification step. Thus, this protocol provides the vesamicol and other products without generating any chemical waste to the environment. Furthermore, this methodology has been successfully applied for 15 gm scale also.
New Cobalt(II) and Copper(II) Thiocyanate Complexes of 2,5‐Bis(pyridin‐2‐yl)‐1,3,4‐oxadiazole Ligand: Synthesis, Crystal Structures, Spectral Properties and Hirshfeld Surface Analysis
Authors: Rhoufal Ferdaousse , Laachir Abdelhakim , Guesmi Salaheddine , Jouffret Laurent , Sergent Nicolas , Obbade Saïd , Akkurt Mehmet , Bentiss Fouad
Published: July 2019

The synthesis and characterization of two new mononuclear coordination complexes based on 2,5‐bis(pyridin‐2‐yl)‐1,3,4‐oxadiazole (bpox) and thiocyanate ion as coligand, [M(bpox)2(SCN)2]nH2O (M=Co, n=1 for complex 1; M=Cu, n=0 for complex 2), are described. The obtained complexes crystallize in the monoclinic crystal system with space group C 2/c for complex 1 and P 21/n for complex 2. UV/Vis, FTIR and Raman data indicated the presence of bpox and thiocyanate groups, in isolated compounds. This finding has been confirmed by crystallographic studies, which shows that the two metals Co(II) and Cu(II), have an octahedral environment in complex 1 and complex 2, respectively, with both bpox ligands in equatorial sites and terminal SCN− in axial positions. The crystal structure cohesion of each compound is ensured by intramolecular metal‐nitrogen M–N (M= Co, Cu) interactions, by π–π stacking interactions and by different intermolecular‐hydrogen bonds, such as C–H⋯π, O–H⋯N, O–H⋯O, C–H⋯N, and/or C–H⋯S. The three‐dimensional Hirshfeld surface analysis and the two‐dimensional fingerprint plots reveal that the structure is dominated by C⋯H/H⋯C contacts.
Iron, Cobalt, and Nitrogen Tri‐Doped Ordered Mesoporous Carbon as a Highly Efficient Electrocatalyst for Oxygen Reduction Reaction
Authors: Ran Wu , Dong Jing , Sun Tingting , Chen Jianfeng , Xu Lianbin
Published: July 2019

Many heteroatom‐doped carbon materials have recently been fabricated to enhance the electrocatalytic oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) performance as promising alternatives to the scarce and high cost Pt‐based catalysts. Herein, Fe, Co, N‐tri‐doped ordered mesoporous carbon materials (Fe‐Co−N‐OMCs) are synthesized by a facile templating technique using ordered close‐packed silica nanospheres as a hard template and ferric chloride hexahydrate (FeCl3⋅6H2O), cobalt chloride hexahydrate (CoCl2⋅6H2O), dicyandiamide (DCDA), and sucrose as Fe, Co, N and C source, respectively. This method can be easily extended to synthesize a variety of doped carbon‐based materials containing ordered mesopores. The results show that the bimetallic doping in this carbon‐based materials is more favorable than single metal doping in catalyzing the ORR process. The best performing catalyst (Fe‐Co−N‐OMC (1:1)) exhibits comparable ORR activity with a half‐wave potential of 0.83 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE) and superior stability to the commercial 20 wt% Pt/C in alkaline medium. The enhanced ORR performance of Fe‐Co−N‐OMC (1:1) could be attributed to the tri‐doping of Fe, Co and N into the carbon skeleton for catalytic reactions and the ordered mesoporous structure for facile mass transport and more exposed active sites.
A Novel Protective Strategy on High‐Voltage LiCoO2 Cathode for Fast Charging Applications: Li1.6Mg1.6Sn2.8O8 Double Layer Structure via SnO2 Surface Modification
Authors: Wang Mengcheng , Feng Xuyong , Xiang Hongfa , Feng Yuezhan , Qin Changdong , Yan Pengfei , Yu Yan
Published: July 2019

Surface corrosion from electrolyte and reconstruction of layer‐structure LiCoO2 are the most important reasons for capacity decay and charging kinetics limitation. Spinel‐type material forms on the surface of LiCoO2 after cycling, which is more stable than the layer‐structure. To stabilize the surface and suppress the reconstruction, double layer structure Li1.6Mg1.6Sn2.8O8 matching LiCoO2 well is introduced to protect Mg‐doped LiCoO2 and restrain the structure change. With a simple surface coating of SnO2 and further high temperature treatment, Mg2+ in LiCoO2 and partly Li+ are extracted out and reacted with SnO2 to form double layer Li1.6Mg1.6Sn2.8O8. Meanwhile, Co3+ in pristine LiCoO2 is partly oxidized and electronic conductivity enhanced after surface modification. The Li1.6Mg1.6Sn2.8O8 coating efficiently stabilizes the surface structure of LiCoO2, with less structure change, less cracks appearing on the surface, and much better cycling performance. In addition, stable surface and higher electronic conductivity of LiCoO2 lead to better rate performance.
Preparation and Characterization of Amphiphilic Composites Made with Double‐Modified (Etherified and Esterified) Potato Starches
Authors: He Xin , Gong Xuechen , Li Wenfeng , Cao Wenling , Yan Jianghao , Guo Ruijie , Niu Baolong , Jia Lan
Published: July 2019

Starch has been widely explored in food additives such as thickeners, stabilizers, and gelling agents due to its excellent properties. However, the poor dispersion and emulsification of starch limit direct applications. To overcome this challenge, starch is extracted from potatoes and etherified to carboxymethyl starch sodium (CMS) to form a cold water soluble starch, which is prepared as an amphiphilic colloid by esterification with lauric acid using Novozym 435 catalyst. As a result of the new groups introduced and concomitant changes produced in the granule structure, carboxymethyl starch sodium laurate starch (CMS‐LS) typically shows strong emulsifying properties, low surface tension, and good amphiphilic properties. Characterizations by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), Scanning Electron microscope (SEM), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) show that CMS‐LS is successfully prepared. The results of water solubility, surface tension, contact angle measurement, and emulsification test indicate that CMS‐LS is an excellent emulsifier, amphiphilic polymer and surfactant. Therefore, CMS‐LS is successfully synthesized and esterified, which can be widely used in food, cosmetics, and biomedicine fields.
Application of stem cells and chitosan in the repair of spinal cord injury
Authors: Hu Xinyuan , Zhou Xinru , Li Yang , Jin Qian , Tang Wenjuan , Chen Qun , Aili Dilhumar , Qian Hui
Published: July 2019

Cytology and histology obstacles have been the main barriers to multiple tissues injury repair. In search of the most promising treatment strategies for spinal cord injury (SCI), stem cell‐based transplantation coupled with various materials/technologies have been explored extensively to enhance SCI repair. Chitosan (CS) has demonstrated immense potential for widespread application in the form of scaffolds and micro‐particles for SCI repair. The current review summarizes the evidences for stem cell‐based transplantation and CS in SCI repair. Stem cells transplantation, which plays a key role in the repair of SCI, mainly results from its neural differentiation potential and neurotrophic effects. Application of CS enhances the survival of grafted stem cells, upregulates the expression level of neurotrophic factors and heightens the neural differentiation of stem cells as well as the functional recovery of spinal cord. Meanwhile, CS can also be exploited as growth factors/RNA carriers to control the release of regenerating molecules which are beneficial to damage spinal cord repair.
Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Detects Between-Group Differences in Neural Activation Among Men with Delayed Orgasm Compared with Normal Controls: Preliminary Report
Authors: Flannigan Ryan , Heier Linda , Voss Henning , Chazen J. Levi , Paduch Darius A.
Published: July 2019

Background

Mechanisms underlying delayed orgasm (DO) are poorly understood; however, known effects of psychotropic medications on sexual function provides a rationale for aberrant central nervous system signaling as a cause.

Aim

To compare brain activation between men with normal orgasm and those with lifelong DO during sexual stimulation using brain fMRI algorithms.

Methods

3 subjects with self-reported life-long DO and 6 normal controls were included in this study. The International Index of Erectile Function, Male Sexual Health Questionnaire, and self-reported time to orgasm were used to assess sexual function. Subjects underwent a 3-T fMRI study while viewing 3 video clips: a neutral control (NC), a positive emotional control (EC), and a sexual condition (SC). Each video sequence was repeated 5 times, with 50-second clips presented in a randomized fashion. fMRI data were analyzed in a block design manner to determine areas of differential brain activation between groups. The Allen Brain Atlas of gene expression in the human brain was used to identify signaling pathways in the areas of differential fMRI activation between the DO and control groups.

Outcomes

The primary outcome was differential activation of fMRI neural activation between groups.

Results

Analysis of differential activation in the SC compared with the NC and EC revealed increased activation in the right frontal operculum (P = .003), right prefrontal gyrus (P = .003), and inferior occipital gyrus (P = .003). Increased activation in the right fusiform gyrus of the occipital lobe and the right hippocampus (P = .0004) was seen in the DO group compared with controls. Using the Allen Atlas of Human Brain Expression, we identified corresponding neurotransmitter receptors to this region, including adenosine receptors, muscarinic and nicotinic cholinergic receptors, cannabinoid receptors, and dopamine receptors, among others.

Clinical Implications

Lifelong DO in men may be due to abnormal neurotransmitter signaling leading to poor progression of arousal due to aberrant processing of sexual cues. Identification of neurotransmitter pathways by fMRI will aid the development of pharmacotherapeutic agents.

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths of this study include the novel application of functional neuroimaging to investigate the pathogenesis of DO. Limitations include the small sample size, making this study exploratory in nature.

Conclusion

This study revealed differences in brain activation on visualization of sexual stimuli in men with a history of DO compared with controls. Identified regions are rich in numerous neurotransmitter receptor subtypes and may be amenable to pharmacologic targeting to identify novel therapies for these men.
Sexual Function in Patients Treated With Stereotactic Radiotherapy For Prostate Cancer: A Systematic Review of the Current Evidence
Authors: Loi Mauro , Wortel Ruud C. , Francolini Giulio , Incrocci Luca
Published: July 2019

Introduction

Sexual function can be impaired by all prostate cancer treatment modalities, but studies specifically addressing the impact of stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) on sexual function are scarce.

Aim

To systematically evaluate sexual outcomes in patients treated by SBRT for prostate cancer and determine clinical factors associated with erectile dysfunction (ED).

Methods

A systematic review of the available literature was performed on PubMed/Medline, Scopus, and Cochrane Library databases in June 2017 according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis statement. Only articles providing data on baseline and post-treatment sexual function after SBRT (≥5 Gy/fraction) were included in this analysis (n = 12).

Main Outcome Measure

Sexual function deteriorates after SBRT of the prostate.

Results

Deterioration of sexual health was found, with Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite–26 sexual domain scores showing a median decrease of 9.2 at 12 months and a median decrease of the Sexual Health Inventory for Men subdomain score by 2.7 at 12 months (from baseline median value of 56.3 and 16, respectively). At 60 months, ED was reported by 26–55% of previously sexually functioning patients in 5 of the 12 studies.

Clinical Implications

ED affects ≤55% of previously sexually functioning patients at 5 years, as reported for other non-surgical treatment modalities.

Strengths & Limitations

This study enforced strict inclusion criteria of selected studies and exclusion of patients receiving concurrent androgen deprivation therapy. However, inconsistencies in the choice of assessment tool and definition of ED hamper a robust meta-analysis of pooled data.

Conclusion

Sexual function decline after SBRT for prostate cancer appears to be similar to other modalities and should be specifically addressed in future studies.
Testosterone Levels Are Not Associated With Magnitude of Deformity in Men With Peyronie’s Disease
Authors: Mulhall John P. , Matsushita Kazuhito , Nelson Christian J.
Published: July 2019

Introduction

There are some data suggesting that there is a relationship between the magnitude of Peyronie’s disease (PD)–associated penile curvature and low serum testosterone.

Aim

To evaluate the relationship between PD associated penile deformity and total testosterone (TT) and free testosterone (FT) levels.

Methods

We identified patients diagnosed with PD who had early morning TT measurements. Because laboratories have different reference values, we analyzed testosterone values 2 ways, as raw values and as standardized values (TT and FT values converted into z-scores for each laboratory). Deformity assessment was conducted during an intracavernosal injection–induced rigid erection. The association between T levels and magnitude of penile curvature was analyzed in a number of ways. First, an independent measure t-test tested differences in curvature degree by TT groups (low T: <300 ng/dL; normal T: ≥300 ng/dL). Second, an association was sought between T levels based on quartiles of the normal range (<300, 300–450, 450–600, and >600 ng/dL). These analyses were conducted for both TT and FT levels and using both raw and standardized T values. Third, multivariable analysis using multiple linear regression was performed in an attempt to define predictors of the degree of penile curvature. Factors entered into the model included: TT level, FT level, patient age, race (white vs other), number of co-morbidities, body mass index, presence of erectile dysfunction, duration of PD, and prostatectomy (yes vs no).

Main Outcome Measures

The relationship between T levels and the magnitude of penile curvature.

Results

184 subjects met all study criteria. Average age was 54 ± 12 years. Mean TT level was 425 ± 176 ng/dL, and mean curvature magnitude was 35° ± 19°. The percent of subjects in the first through fourth TT quartiles was 26%, 34%, 24%, and 16%. As a continuous variable, there was no association between TT levels (r = −0.01, P = .95) or FT levels (r = −0.08, P = .30) and the curvature magnitude. When examining TT groups, there was no difference in mean curvature between the low TT group and the normal TT group (35.4° ± 17° vs 34° ± 20°, P = .70). When analyzing the TT and FT levels standardized into z-scores, there was no association between degree of curvature and TT z-scores (r = −0.003, P = .95) and FT z-scores (r = −0.08, P = .43). There was also no association between testosterone levels and degree of curvature in the multivariable model.

Conclusions

There does not appear to be any association between testosterone levels and the magnitude of PD-associated penile deformity.
An optical glass plane angle measuring system with photoelectric autocollimator
Authors: Huang Yinguo , Yang Yong , Liang Jiaqi , Miao Zhengqing , Zhao Meirong , Zheng Yelong
Published: July 2019

Optical glass is the most widely used optical material. It is necessary to measure its geometric characteristic quickly and reliably to meet the quality of optical glass. A vision measuring system combining photoelectric autocollimation system with high-precision rotary stage is designed to measure the parallelism and angle of optical glass plane. A novel method is proposed to overcome the difficulty of measuring parallelism of optical glass. The model of parallelism and angle measurement is established and the feasibility is analyzed. The image processing algorithm combining Steger algorithm with the least square method is selected. The uncertainty of angle measurement system for angle measurement is 3.0″. The system can solve the problem of measuring the angle of optical glass with high precision and has important significance for optical system.
Yeo Woon Taek v. New Nippon Steel Corporation
Authors: Lee Seokwoo , Lee Seryon
Published: July 2019

On October 30, 2018, the South Korean Supreme Court, in an 11–2 decision, upheld the judgment of the lower court, which ordered New Nippon Steel Corporation, a Japanese company, to provide KRW 100 million (approximately USD 84,000) in compensation to each of the four plaintiffs, who were forced to work at Japanese steel mills during World War II. In an earlier 2012 decision, the Supreme Court remanded the case after holding that the claims were not precluded by the Agreement on the Settlement of Problems Concerning Property and Claims and the Economic Cooperation Between the Republic of Korea and Japan (Claims Agreement). The Supreme Court held that the Claims Agreement was not a result of negotiation about compensation for Japanese colonization, but rather was a political agreement the purpose of which was to resolve the financial and civil debt/credit relationship between Korea and Japan. On the final appeal, the Supreme Court concluded that plaintiffs’ claims were directly related to the illegality of Japan's colonial rule over the Korean Peninsula and that the rights of the victims of forced labor to make a compensation claim did not fall within the scope of the Claims Agreement.
Mainstreaming Foreign Law in the Asian Law School Curriculum
Authors: DE VISSER Maartje , HARDING Andrew
Published: July 2019

Exposure to foreign law is immensely valuable as it expands students’ argumentative and analytical terrain. More pragmatically, there has been a discernable shift towards rule-of-law thinking in furthering regional integration and a flurry of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) involving Asian countries. Law schools ought to capitalize on this reality. The preferred educational strategy to adopt, we argue, entails systematically integrating foreign law across the traditional components that make up undergraduate curricula. Asian law schools should simultaneously offer general comparative courses that train students in comparative methodology and theory, enabling them to become discerning consumers of and sensible contributors to comparative research, including in the context of domestic law reform. In advocating such mainstreaming of foreign law, we further suggest a broad understanding of this notion as encompassing all rules that do not have their origins in the municipal legal order, including those produced by regional organizations like the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). Unlike Europe's law schools, which have been laggards in adapting law school curricula to changes in their wider regional environment, Asia's law schools have the opportunity to anticipate the growing relevance of foreign law in practice and thereby ensure that they remain germane to the legal industry and society at large.
Do sound symbolism effects for written words relate to individual phonemes or to phoneme features?
Authors: MONAGHAN PADRAIC , FLETCHER MATTHEW
Published: July 2019

abstract

The sound of words has been shown to relate to the meaning that the words denote, an effect that extends beyond morphological properties of the word. Studies of these sound-symbolic relations have described this iconicity in terms of individual phonemes, or alternatively due to acoustic properties (expressed in phonological features) relating to meaning. In this study, we investigated whether individual phonemes or phoneme features best accounted for iconicity effects. We tested 92 participants’ judgements about the appropriateness of 320 nonwords presented in written form, relating to 8 different semantic attributes. For all 8 attributes, individual phonemes fitted participants’ responses better than general phoneme features. These results challenge claims that sound-symbolic effects for visually presented words can access broad, cross-modal associations between sound and meaning, instead the results indicate the operation of individual phoneme to meaning relations. Whether similar effects are found for nonwords presented auditorially remains an open question.
JURISDICTION AND FREEZING INJUNCTIONS: A REASSESSMENT
Authors: Saranovic Filip
Published: July 2019

The existing international scope of English freezing injunctions in support of foreign proceedings is excessively claimant-friendly and inconsistent with the need for a level playing field in litigation. The English courts must reconsider the current boundaries of relief by taking into account an international systemic perspective of the purpose of private international law rules. This requires a multilateral and horizontal approach to the existence of jurisdiction rather than the unilateral and vertical approach that exists under the rules of jurisdiction of English national law. The traditional justifications for the availability of collateral freezing injunctions with respect to assets located abroad rest on a series of fundamental theoretical flaws. This article proposes a range of reforms with the aim of strengthening the equality of the parties and eliminating encroachment on the sovereignty of foreign States.
Synthesizing Nile crocodileCrocodylus niloticusattack data and historical context to inform mitigation efforts in South Africa and eSwatini (Swaziland)
Authors: Pooley Simon , Botha Hannes , Combrink Xander , Powell George
Published: July 2019

Conflicts with wildlife are a major challenge for conservation across Africa, and Nile crocodilesCrocodylus niloticusare allegedly responsible for more attacks on people than any other species; however, there is a lack of data regarding such attacks. We analysed reported attacks on people by Nile crocodiles in South Africa and eSwatini (Swaziland) during 1949–2016, identifying spatial and temporal patterns in attack incidence, as well as victim demographics. Through a literature review and archival searches we identified records of 214 attacks. Most attacks occurred in natural water bodies, with attacks in dams increasing since 2000. Most victims were attacked while swimming or bathing, others while fishing, doing domestic chores, and crossing waterways. There was a significant relationship between gender and activity when attacked. Children (< 16 years old) accounted for 51% of all attacks, with a higher fatality rate compared to adults. Most victims were male (65%), with teenage boys being the largest individual category. We make recommendations for conservation policy and management to mitigate attacks by Nile crocodiles.
Trunk-like Soft Actuator: Design, Modeling, and Experiments
Authors: Bao Guanjun , Chen Lingfeng , Zhang Yaqi , Cai Shibo , Xu Fang , Yang Qinghua , Zhang Libin
Published: July 2019

In recent years, soft robotics is widely considered as the most promising field for both research and application. First of all, the actuator is fundamental for designing, modeling, and controlling of soft robots. This paper presents a new type of pneumatic trunk-like soft actuator, which contains a chamber for stiffness adjustment in addition to three chambers for driving. Thus, the salient feature of the proposed actuator is the ability of stiffness self-regulation. The structure of the proposed actuator is described in detail. Then the theoretical models for elongation and bending motion of the actuator are established. The elongation as well as single-chamber and multi-chamber driving bending of the actuator were tested to verify the mathematical models. Finally, a dual-segment soft robot based on the proposed trunk-like soft actuator was developed and tested by experiments, which implies its potential application in practice.
Using Red Font Influences the Emotional Perception of Critical Performance Feedback
Authors: Bertrams Alex , Althaus Lea , Boss Tina , Furrer Patricia , Jegher Ladina C. , Soszynska Paulina , Tschumi Vinzenz
Published: July 2019

Abstract. The color red has been shown to affect psychological functioning. In performance settings, it is associated with negative emotions, avoidance motivation, and cognitive restriction. Because red is frequently used in written performance feedback, we examined whether it represents an external form aspect that can adversely influence the perception of critical feedback by the receiver, independent of the verbal content of the feedback. To this end, we conducted a web-based experiment in which 171 participants performed an alleged attention test and were then given moderately critical feedback, including hints for improvement. Per random assignment, either some of the words within the feedback were presented in red letters or all words were presented in standard black. The participants’ subsequent evaluation of the feedback revealed that using red in the feedback caused the feedback to be perceived as relatively less emotionally positive. There was no direct effect of using a red font in how the feedback was cognitively perceived (i.e., how helpful, fair, or comprehensible it was). However, preliminary evidence suggests that using a red font indirectly had an adverse effect on the cognitive feedback perception, mediated via the emotional feedback perception. As a practical implication, red should be used cautiously in critical feedback in order to avoid compromising the functions of feedback.
Protection of wear resistance behaviour of enamel against electron beam irradiation
Authors: Hegde Mithra N. , Gatti Priya , Hegde Nidarsh D.
Published: July 2019

Introduction

Irradiation is known to cause oxidation process among the tissue-altering the properties of teeth leading to tissue necrosis and caries formation. Hence protection of the oral cavity is a major concern to deal with therapy side effects.

Aim

Evaluation of wear resistance property of Enamel against electron beam radiation and analysing the radio protective effects of natural organic compounds.

Materials and methods

Total of 36 healthy extracted human molar teeth were collected, four samples were used as control, and remaining 32 were divided into four groups (N = 8 each): radiation control group and three groups treated with organic compounds during radiation treatment. The enamel samples were tested for FTIR spectroscopy, XRD analysis, SEM and EDAX analysis before and after 70 Gy radiation treatment.

Results and discussion

The particle size of radiation control samples had increased showing decrease in its crystallinity index. Calcium to Phosphorous ratio had also decreased along with structural changes as observed by SEM analysis. But groups treated with organic compounds has maintained tooth integrity in comparable to control groups after radiation treatment.

Conclusion

Virgin coconut oil, vitamin E oil and curcumin has potential radioprotective action against radiation in protecting tissue properties. Hence, with further advanced research, these natural substances should emerge as a topical applicator during radiotherapy to oral cancer patients.
Structural definition of a neutralization epitope on the N-terminal domain of MERS-CoV spike glycoprotein
Authors: Zhou Haixia , Chen Yingzhu , Zhang Shuyuan , Niu Peihua , Qin Kun , Jia Wenxu , Huang Baoying , Zhang Senyan , Lan Jun , Zhang Linqi , Tan Wenjie , Wang Xinquan
Published: July 2019

Most neutralizing antibodies against Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) target the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the spike glycoprotein and block its binding to the cellular receptor dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4). The epitopes and mechanisms of mAbs targeting non-RBD regions have not been well characterized yet. Here we report the monoclonal antibody 7D10 that binds to the N-terminal domain (NTD) of the spike glycoprotein and inhibits the cell entry of MERS-CoV with high potency. Structure determination and mutagenesis experiments reveal the epitope and critical residues on the NTD for 7D10 binding and neutralization. Further experiments indicate that the neutralization by 7D10 is not solely dependent on the inhibition of DPP4 binding, but also acts after viral cell attachment, inhibiting the pre-fusion to post-fusion conformational change of the spike. These properties give 7D10 a wide neutralization breadth and help explain its synergistic effects with several RBD-targeting antibodies.
Blockade of leukemia inhibitory factor as a therapeutic approach to KRAS driven pancreatic cancer
Authors: Wang Man-Tzu , Fer Nicole , Galeas Jacqueline , Collisson Eric A. , Kim Sung Eun , Sharib Jeremy , McCormick Frank
Published: July 2019

KRAS mutations are present in over 90% of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (PDAC), and drive their poor outcomes and failure to respond to targeted therapies. Here we show that Leukemia Inhibitory Factor (LIF) expression is induced specifically by oncogenic KRAS in PDAC and that LIF depletion by genetic means or by neutralizing antibodies prevents engraftment in pancreatic xenograft models. Moreover, LIF-neutralizing antibodies synergize with gemcitabine to eradicate established pancreatic tumors in a syngeneic, KrasG12D-driven, PDAC mouse model. The related cytokine IL-6 cannot substitute for LIF, suggesting that LIF mediates KRAS-driven malignancies through a non-STAT-signaling pathway. Unlike IL-6, LIF inhibits the activity of the Hippo-signaling pathway in PDACs. Depletion of YAP inhibits the function of LIF in human PDAC cells. Our data suggest a crucial role of LIF in KRAS-driven pancreatic cancer and that blockade of LIF by neutralizing antibodies represents an attractive approach to improving therapeutic outcomes.