bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Microalgal flocculation: Global research progress and prospects for algal biorefinery
Authors: Malik Sana , Khan Fahad , Atta Zahida , Habib Nida , Haider Muhammad Nabeel , Wang Ning , Alam Asraful , Jambi Ebtihaj Jamaluddin , Gull Munazza , Mehmood Muhammad Aamer , Zhu Hui
Published: October 2019

Microalgal research has made significant progress due to versatile and high‐value industrial applications of microalgal biomass or its derivatives. However, to explore their full potential and to achieve commercial robustness, microalgal biorefinery needs cost‐effective technologies to produce, harvest, and process the microalgal biomass on large scale as higher production and harvesting cost is one of the key hindrances in the commercialization of algae‐based products. Among several other algal biomass harvesting technologies, self‐flocculation seems to be an attractive, low‐cost, and eco‐friendly harvesting technology. This review covers various flocculation‐based methods that have been employed to harvest microalgal biomass with a special emphasis on self‐flocculation in microalgae. Moreover, genetic engineering approaches to induce self‐flocculation in non‐flocculating microalgae along with the factors affecting self‐flocculation and recent research trends have also been discussed. It is concluded that self‐flocculation is the most desired approach for the energy‐ and environment‐efficient harvesting of microalgal biomass. However, its poorly understood genetic basis needs to be deciphered through detailed studies to harness its potential for the algal biorefinery.
Anatomical variations in distal portion of the thoracic duct—A systematic review
Authors: Bellier Alexandre , Pardo Vargas Juan Sebastian , Cassiba Julie , Desbrest Paul , Guigui Alicia , Chaffanjon Philippe
Published: October 2019

The objective of this study was to identify and analyze the anatomical variations in the termination of the thoracic duct (TD) in cadavers or patients by anatomical dissections and surgical or radiological procedures for better knowledge of the interindividual variations through a systematic review. The search strategy included PubMed and reference tracking. Studies were identified by searching the electronic Medline databases. The search terms included “TD,” “Jugular Vein,” “Subclavian Vein,” or “Cervical,” and the protocol used is reported herein. These search results yielded 20 qualitative review articles out of the 275 articles consulted. We collected all the important data from these 20 articles with 1,352 TD analyzed by varying sources in our search. Regarding the characteristics of the studies and the anatomy of the TD, the results were heterogeneous. The TD most commonly terminates in the internal jugular vein in 54.05% of cases (95% confidence interval [CI]: 54.03; 54.07), in the jugular‐venous angle in 25.79% (95% CI: 25.77; 25.81), and in the subclavian vein in 8.16% of cases (95% CI: 8.14;8.18). Other terminations were found in 12% of cases. This systematic review provided an overview of the variations in the distal portion of the TD. This study can be helpful for surgeons in selecting the most appropriate methods to achieve successful surgical results and avoid complications, such as chylothorax; it also offers detailed information on the cervical termination of the TD in new diagnostic and therapeutic methods involving the TD. Clin. Anat. 32:99–107, 2019. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Three‐Dimensional Computed Tomographic Analysis of Normal and Aneurysmal Aortic Roots: Is There a Specific Geometric Pattern in the Aortic Root?
Authors: Ju Min Ho , Oh Sang Young , Choo Suk Jung , Yang Dong Hyun , Kang Joon‐Won , Kim Joon Bum , Shinn Sung Ho , Lee Jae Won , Lim Tae‐Hwan
Published: October 2019

Current knowledge of the aortic root geometric anatomy and its surgical implications remain limited. We analyzed multiple predefined parameters of the aortic root to increase our understanding of the geometric changes that occur in normal and aneurysmal transformations. Between November 2003 and September 2015, the aortic roots of 107 healthy subjects (control group) and 105 annuloaortic ectasia (AAE) patients (AAE group) were analyzed using multiplanar reformatted computed tomographic images. The intercommissural distance (ICD), sinus width (SW), and sinus volume (SV) of the left (LCS), right (RCS), and noncoronary sinuses (NCS) of Valsalva were adopted as study parameters. In the control group, all study parameters of the LCS were smaller than those of the RCS and the NCS. In the AAE group, all parameters of the LCS were significantly smaller than those of the RCS or NCS, but the RCS and NCS parameters were similar. Proportionately less LCS enlargement relative to either the RCS or NCS was observed in root aneurysm(AAE group) than in the control group. We observed a distinct aortic root geometric pattern which was characterized by the LCS being smaller than either the RCS or NCS, while the latter were similar. This geometric configuration was significantly accentuated in AAE patients due to the greater disproportionate disparity in the LCS relative to either the RCS or NCS than in the roots of normal control subjects. Clin. Anat. 32:117–123, 2019. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Modified subintimal transcatheter withdrawal: A novel technique for hematoma decompression to facilitate distal reentry during coronary chronic total occlusion recanalization
Authors: Vo Minh N. , Brilakis Emmanouil S. , Pershad Ashish , Grantham J. Aaron
Published: October 2019

A controlled antegrade dissection and reentry technique is the most commonly employed crossing strategy for long coronary chronic total occlusions. The development of compressive hematoma is a recognized complication and results in the impairment of distal vessel visualization and hinders successful reentry attempts. We describe a novel technique utilizing a widely available microcatheter to decompress the subintimal hematoma to restore distal visualization and allow successful reentry.
Tri‐ and Tetranuclear Metal‐String Complexes with Metallophilic d10–d10 Interactions
Authors: Olaru Marian , Kögel Julius F. , Aoki Risa , Sakamoto Ryota , Nishihara Hiroshi , Lork Enno , Mebs Stefan , Vogt Matthias , Beckmann Jens
Published: October 2019

The reaction of 2,6‐F2C6H3SiMe3 with Ph2PLi provided 2,6‐(Ph2P)2C6H3SiMe3 (1), which can be regarded as precursor for the novel anionic tridentate ligand [2,6‐(Ph2P)2C6H3]− (PCP)−. The reaction of 1 with [AuCl(tht)] (tht=tetrahydrothiophene) afforded 2,6‐(Ph2PAuCl)2C6H3SiMe3 (2). The subsequent reaction of 2 with CsF proceeded with elimination of Me3SiF and yielded the neutral tetranuclear complex linear‐[Au4Cl2(PCP)2] (3) comprising a string‐like arrangement of four Au atoms. Upon chloride abstraction from 3 with NaBArF4 (ArF=3,5‐(CF3)2C6H3) in the presence of tht, the formation of the dicationic tetranuclear complex linear‐[Au4(PCP)2(tht)2](BArF4)2 (4) was observed, in which the string‐like structural motif is retained. Irradiation of 4 with UV light triggered a facile rearrangement in solution giving rise to the dicationic tetranuclear complex cyclo‐[Au4(PCP)2(tht)2](BArF4) (5), which comprises a rhomboidal motif of four Au atoms. In 3–5, the Au atoms are associated by a number of significant aurophilic interactions. The atom‐economic and selective reaction of 3 with HgCl2 yielded the neutral trinuclear bimetallic complex [HgAu2Cl3(PCP)] (6) comprising significant metallophilic interactions between the Au and Hg atoms. Therefore, 6 may be also regarded as a metallopincer complex [ClHg(AuCAu)] between HgII and the anionic tridentate ligand [2,6‐(Ph2PAuCl)2C6H3]− (AuCAu)− containing a central carbanionic binding site and two “gold‐arms” contributing pincer‐type chelation trough metallophilic interactions. Compounds 1–6 were characterized experimentally by multinuclear NMR spectroscopy and X‐ray crystallography and computationally using a set of real‐space bond indicators (RSBIs) derived from electron density (ED) methods including Atoms In Molecules (AIM), the Electron Localizability Indicator (ELI‐D) as well as the Non‐Covalent Interaction (NCI) Index.
Anticancer Potential of Diiron Vinyliminium Complexes
Authors: Rocco Dalila , Batchelor Lucinda K. , Agonigi Gabriele , Braccini Simona , Chiellini Federica , Schoch Silvia , Biver Tarita , Funaioli Tiziana , Zacchini Stefano , Biancalana Lorenzo , Ruggeri Marina , Pampaloni Guido , Dyson Paul J. , Marchetti Fabio
Published: October 2019

Invited for the cover of this issue is the group of Fabio Marchetti at the Università di Pisa and Paul J. Dyson at Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL). Read the full text of the article at 10.1002/chem.201902885.
Unravelling the genetic causes of mosaic islet morphology in congenital hyperinsulinism
Authors: Houghton Jayne AL , Banerjee Indraneel , Shaikh Guftar , Jabbar Shamila , Laver Thomas W , Cheesman Edmund , Chinnoy Amish , Yau Daphne , Salomon‐Estebanez Maria , Dunne Mark J , Flanagan Sarah E
Published: October 2019

Congenital hyperinsulinism (CHI) causes dysregulated insulin secretion which can lead to life‐threatening hypoglycaemia if not effectively managed. CHI can be sub‐classified into three distinct groups: diffuse, focal and mosaic pancreatic disease. Whilst the underlying causes of diffuse and focal disease have been widely characterised, the genetic basis of mosaic pancreatic disease is not known. To gain new insights into the underlying disease processes of mosaic‐CHI we studied the islet tissue histopathology derived from limited surgical resection from the tail of the pancreas in a patient with CHI. The underlying genetic aetiology was investigated using a combination of high depth next‐generation sequencing, microsatellite analysis and p57kip2 immunostaining. Histopathology of the pancreatic tissue confirmed the presence of a defined area associated with marked islet hypertrophy and a cytoarchitecture distinct from focal CHI but compatible with mosaic CHI localised to a discrete region within the pancreas. Analysis of DNA extracted from the lesion identified a de novo mosaic ABCC8 mutation and mosaic paternal uniparental disomy which were not present in leukocyte DNA or the surrounding unaffected pancreatic tissue. This study provides the first description of two independent disease‐causing somatic genetic events occurring within the pancreas of an individual with localised mosaic CHI. Our findings increase knowledge of the genetic causes of islet disease and provide further insights into the underlying developmental changes associated with β‐cell expansion in CHI.
Relevance of Antibody Validation for Flow Cytometry
Authors: Kalina Tomas , Lundsten Kelly , Engel Pablo
Published: October 2019

Antibody reagents are the key components of multiparametric flow cytometry analysis. Their quality performance is an absolute requirement for reproducible flow cytometry experiments. While there is an enormous body of antibody reagents available, there is still a lack of consensus about which criteria should be evaluated to select antibody reagents with the proper performance, how to validate antibody reagents for flow cytometry, and how to interpret the validation results. The achievements of cytometry moved the field to a higher number of measured parameters, large data sets, and computational data analysis approaches. These advancements pose an increased demand for antibody reagent performance quality. This review summarizes the codevelopment of cytometry, antibody development, and validation strategies. It discusses the diverse issues of the specificity, cross‐reactivity, epitope, titration, and reproducibility features of antibody reagents, and this review discusses the validation principles and methods that are currently available and those that are emerging. We argue that significant efforts should be invested by antibody users, developers, manufacturers, and publishers to increase the quality and reproducibility of published studies. More validation data should be presented by all stakeholders; however, the data should be presented in sufficient experimental detail to foster reproducibility, and community effort shall lead to the public availability of large data sets that can serve as a benchmark for antibody performance. © 2019 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry
The evolution of climate tolerance in conifer‐feeding aphids in relation to their host's climatic niche
Authors: Arnal Pierre , Coeur d'acier Armelle , Favret Colin , Godefroid Martin , Qiao Ge‐Xia , Jousselin Emmanuelle , Sanchez Meseguer Andrea
Published: October 2019

Climate adaptation has major consequences in the evolution and ecology of all living organisms. Though phytophagous insects are an important component of Earth's biodiversity, there are few studies investigating the evolution of their climatic preferences. This lack of research is probably because their evolutionary ecology is thought to be primarily driven by their interactions with their host plants. Here, we use a robust phylogenetic framework and species‐level distribution data for the conifer‐feeding aphid genus Cinara to investigate the role of climatic adaptation in the diversity and distribution patterns of these host‐specialized insects. Insect climate niches were reconstructed at a macroevolutionary scale, highlighting that climate niche tolerance is evolutionarily labile, with closely related species exhibiting strong climatic disparities. This result may suggest repeated climate niche differentiation during the evolutionary diversification of Cinara. Alternatively, it may merely reflect the use of host plants that occur in disparate climatic zones, and thus, in reality the aphid species' fundamental climate niches may actually be similar but broad. Comparisons of the aphids' current climate niches with those of their hosts show that most Cinara species occupy the full range of the climatic tolerance exhibited by their set of host plants, corroborating the hypothesis that the observed disparity in Cinara species' climate niches can simply mirror that of their hosts. However, 29% of the studied species only occupy a subset of their hosts' climatic zone, suggesting that some aphid species do indeed have their own climatic limitations. Our results suggest that in host‐specialized phytophagous insects, host associations cannot always adequately describe insect niches and abiotic factors must be taken into account.
Stereocontrolled Synthesis as an Enabling Tool for the Configurational Assignment of Marine Polyketide Natural Products
Authors: Lam Nelson Y. S. , Paterson Ian
Published: October 2019

Marine polyketide natural products represent a fertile area of chemical space for the continual discovery of promising drug candidates. Advancements in spectroscopic and computational techniques have allowed for the increasingly facile structural and stereochemical determination of these biologically active molecules. However, their inherent architectural complexity often precludes a complete assignment even by the most discerning isolation chemists. This Minireview highlights how carefully conceived synthetic plans, employing highly stereocontrolled reactions, have enabled the configurational assignment of several polyketide natural products.
Differential Pulse Voltammetric Determination of 2‐Methyl‐4,6‐Dinitrophenol using Bismuth Bulk Electrode
Authors: Majidian Mahsa , Raoof Jahan Bakhsh , Fischer Jan , Barek Jiri
Published: October 2019

This work reports the application of bismuth bulk electrode (BiBE) for the determination of 2‐methyl‐4,6‐dinitrophenol (MDNP) by differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) in Britton‐Robinson buffer of pH 12.0 as an optimal medium. BiBE was prepared by transferring molten bismuth into a glass tube under constant stream of nitrogen. The linear concentration dependences were measured from 1 to 10 μmol ⋅ L−1 and from 10 to 100 μmol ⋅ L−1 by using optimum accumulation potential of −0.7 V and optimum accumulation time 30 s. Under these conditions limit of determination and limit of quantification was 0.45 and 1.5 μmol ⋅ L−1, respectively. The developed method was successfully applied for the analysis of tap water as a model sample.
A New Sensor with Increased Lifetime Based on a Mixed Diazonium Thick Film/Gold Nanoparticles Interface for Hg(II) Trace Detection
Authors: Fezai Fatma , Séverac Childérick , Gros Pierre , Meireles Martine , Evrard David
Published: October 2019

This work describes a novel strategy for surface functionalization, the aim of which is to significantly increase the lifetime of an electrochemical sensor dedicated to Hg(II) trace determination. In order to tailor stable mixed organic/inorganic interfaces, gold nanoparticles were electrodeposited onto a glassy carbon electrode previously functionalized by a thick 4‐thiophenol diazonium film, which affords a good anchoring to the nanoparticles. AFM and FEG‐SEM were used to characterize the film thickness and the nanoparticles average size and density, respectively. By using square wave anodic stripping voltammetry, the sensor exhibited a linear response between 1 and 10 nM Hg(II) and a normalized sensitivity 0.03 μA nM−1 min−1. Compared to previous works, the storage lifetime of the interface was at least three times longer, being more than three weeks.
A novel approach for protein identification from complex cell proteome using modified peptide mass fingerprinting algorithm
Authors: Singh Sumit Kumar , Goel Garvit , Rathore Anurag S.
Published: October 2019

A unique peptide based search algorithm for identification of protein mixture using PMF is proposed. The proposed search algorithm utilizes binary search and heapsort programs to generate frequency chart depicting the unique peptides corresponding to all proteins in a proteome. The use of binary search program significantly reduces the time for frequency chart preparation to ∼2 s for a proteome comprising ∼23 000 proteins. The algorithm was applied to a three‐protein mixture identification, host cell protein (HCP) analysis, and a simulation‐generated data set. It was found that the algorithm could identify at least one unique peptide of a protein even in the presence of fourfold higher concentration of another protein. In addition, two HCPs that are known to be difficult to remove were missed by MS/MS approach and were exclusively identified using the presented algorithm. Thus, the proposed algorithm when used along with standard proteomic approaches present avenues for enhanced protein identification efficiency, particularly for applications such as HCP analysis in biopharmaceutical research, where identification of low‐abundance proteins are generally not achieved due to dynamic range limitations between the target product and HCPs.
Nitrogen and Sulfur Co‐Doped Graphene‐Like Carbon from Industrial Dye Wastewater for Use as a High‐Performance Supercapacitor Electrode
Authors: Lin Yannan , Chen Hui , Shi Yulin , Wang Gang , Chen Long , Wang Fu , Li Shiqi , Yu Feng , Zhang Lili
Published: October 2019

Nitrogen and sulfur co‐doped graphene‐like carbon (N,S‐GLC) is successfully prepared in a one‐step hydrothermal reaction of glucose with industrial dye wastewater followed by chemical activation. The nitrogen and sulfur are sourced entirely from the industrial wastewater. The process not only provides an alternative way of treating industry wastewater, but also offers a green route for recovering energy from the waste in the form of chemicals. The resultant N,S‐GLC shows a good degree of graphitization, a high specific surface area (1734 m2 g−1), and moderate heteroatom doping (N: 2.1 at%, S: 0.7 at%). The N,S‐GLC electrode displays high specific capacitance of 275 F g−1 at a current density of 0.5 A g−1 with a retention of 65.4% at 20 A g−1 in 6 m KOH. Moreover, the assembled symmetrical supercapacitor cell shows a capacitance of 38 F g−1 at a current density of 0.5 A g−1, which is equivalent to an energy density of 6.4 Wh kg−1 at a power density of 275.0 W kg−1. This approach provides an alternative and sustainable way of fabricating heteroatom‐doped graphene‐like carbon materials for use in high‐performance supercapacitors.
At the Limit – Soft‐ground tunnelling under the city highway of Toronto
Authors: Urschitz Gerhard J.
Published: October 2019

During the Design‐Build‐Finance procurement of the “RER Highway 401 Rail Tunnel”, the option with two single SEM tunnels was selected as preferred alternative. The challenges of this project lie not only in the conditions and requirements by the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario, the owner of the highway above and the existing tunnel beside the new tunnels, but also in construction beneath one of the busiest highways in North America. Pre‐support measures for tunnel excavation, which cannot involve any type of grouting directly beneath the roadway surface, were evaluated based on their risk exposure, resulting in the selection of a pipe jacked umbrella above the tunnel crowns. A sophisticated monitoring programme is implemented with online access at any time to allow for immediate response and implementation of pre‐determined mitigation measures as required.
Application of artificial neural networks for Underground construction – Chances and challenges – Insights from the BBT exploratory tunnel Ahrental Pfons
Authors: Erharter Georg H. , Marcher Thomas , Reinhold Chris
Published: October 2019

The interaction of tunnel boring machines with the rock mass is highly influenced by human, technical and geological factors. Interpretation of geological observations and TBM data is currently done on a subjective basis. Technologies based on Artificial Intelligence research, can be used to automatically classify TBM data into rock mass behaviour types. Albeit first results look promising, any technology poses the threat of malicious use that deliberately harms / benefits one or another party.

This paper shows how an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) can be trained to achieve the best possible rock mass behaviour classification, or how such a system can be misused to yield a more optimistic, respectively pessimistic classification to fortify the interests of one party. However, ANN also pose the chance to serve as an independent objective opinion and to improve the self‐consistency of geological classifications.
Vienna Underground, Neubaugasse Station – Preparatory works and challenges on the surface
Authors: Nebois Christian , Gartner Ilse , Herzfeld Thomas
Published: October 2019

The U2 station Neubaugasse will become one of the busiest interchange stations in the Vienna underground network, with passengers changing between the existing line U3 running along under the Mariahilfer Straße and the new line U2 crossing the Mariahilfer Straße. The Mariahilfer Straße, one of the best known shopping streets in Vienna with shopping centres and high numbers of passers‐by in the middle of a densely built‐up residential area, and its side streets have been redesigned in the last few years with the aim of traffic calming and creating new public spaces.

The building of an underground railway station in such surroundings thus poses a great challenge. Extensive soil investigations, house strengthening measures and utility diversions were carried out in advance. The shafts were constructed top‐down in restricted space conditions. Due to the scarcity of available site facilities areas, deliveries to the site are only possible “just‐in‐time”. Access for local inhabitants and delivery traffic to the side streets, and also for emergency services, has to be maintained during the construction period.
Long‐term experiences for the safety Assessment of exisiting retaining structures in Styria
Authors: Nöhrer Franz , Rebhan Matthias J. , Saurug Bernhard , Marte Roman , Grubinger Stefan S. , Mauerhofer Gottfried
Published: October 2019

The road network of the Austrian state of Styria, comprises of about 5,000 retaining structures along a total distance of about 5,100 km. In order to be able to carry out a useful and efficient inspection methode to this number of structures, a risk management (priority management) concept has been developed in collaboration with a university. This is based on the recording of significant parameters regarding the stability of these structures. In addition, the damage potential resulting from a failure of a structure is given, which enables an estimation of the associated risk. These documents can also be used as a design basis or for the determination of necessary inspection measures. The approach presented here is the first version of this concept for existing retaining structures in the state road network and is currently in a phase of trial and validation.
Quantitation of in vivo brain glutathione conformers in cingulate cortex among age‐matched control, MCI, and AD patients using MEGA‐PRESS
Authors: Shukla Deepika , Mandal Pravat Kumar , Tripathi Manjari , Vishwakarma Gayatri , Mishra Ritwick , Sandal Kanika
Published: October 2019

Oxidative stress (OS) plays an important role in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and glutathione (GSH) mitigates this effect by maintaining redox‐imbalance and free‐radical neutralization. Quantified brain GSH concentration provides distinct information about OS among age‐matched normal control (NC), mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and AD patients. We report alterations of in vivo GSH conformers, along with the choline, creatine, and N‐acetylaspartate levels in the cingulate cortex (CC) containing anterior (ACC) and posterior (PCC) regions of 64 (27 NC, 19 MCI, and 18 AD) participants using MEscher–GArwood‐Point‐RESolved spectroscopy sequence. Result indicated, tissue corrected GSH depletion in PCC among MCI (p = .001) and AD (p = .028) and in ACC among MCI (p = .194) and AD (p = .025) as compared to NC. Effects of the group, region, and group × region on GSH with age and gender as covariates were analyzed using a generalized linear model with Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons. A significant effect of group with GSH depletion in AD and MCI was observed as compared to NC. Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) analysis of GSH level in CC differentiated between MCI and NC groups with an accuracy of 82.8% and 73.5% between AD and NC groups. Multivariate ROC analysis for the combined effect of the GSH alteration in both ACC and PCC regions provided improved diagnostic accuracy of 86.6% for NC to MCI conversion and 76.4% for NC to AD conversion. We conclude that only closed GSH conformer depletion in the ACC and PCC regions is critical and constitute a potential biomarker for AD.
Understanding the natural history of papillary thyroid cancer: Case series
Authors: Lin Jonathan K. , Sakoda Lori C. , Darbinian Jeanne , Chiao Whitney , Calixto Nathaniel , Gurushanthaiah Deepak , Wang Kevin H. , Durr Megan
Published: October 2019

Background

Papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) incidence continues to rise. We describe the natural history of untreated PTC patients.

Methods

Retrospective case series of 31 untreated PTC patients.

Results

We identified 31 untreated patients from the Kaiser Permanente Cancer Registry with PTC from 1973 to 2010. Patients were categorized as low risk (n = 16), high risk (n = 12), or low risk but medically contraindicated for surgery (n = 3). At diagnosis, 7 (58.3%) in the high‐risk group had cervical lymph node metastases and 5 (41.7%) had distant metastases, compared to none in the low‐risk group. Among the latter, three (18.8%) patients developed tumor growth >3 mm and one (6.3%) developed regional lymph node metastases without distant metastases. The 10‐year overall survival was 71% and 35% for the low‐risk and high‐risk groups, respectively.

Conclusions

Patients with low‐risk untreated PTC were less likely to develop new regional or distant metastases and had better overall survival than patients with high‐risk untreated PTC.

Level of Evidence

4
Has multiple trace theory been refuted?
Authors: Sutherland Robert J. , Lee Justin Q. , McDonald Robert J. , Lehmann Hugo
Published: October 2019

Multiple trace theory (Nadel & Moscovitch, Current Opinion in Neurobiology, 1997, 7, 217–227) has proven to be one of the most novel and influential recent memory theories, and played an essential role in shifting perspective on systems‐level memory consolidation. Here, we briefly review its impact and testable predictions and focus our discussion primarily on nonhuman animal experiments. Perhaps, the most often supported claim is that episodic memory tasks should exhibit comparable severity of retrograde amnesia (RA) for recent and remote memories after extensive damage to the hippocampus (HPC). By contrast, there appears to be little or no experimental support for other core predictions, such as temporally limited RA after extensive HPC damage in semantic memory tasks, temporally limited RA for episodic memories after partial HPC damage, or the existence of storage of multiple HPC traces with repeated reactivations. Despite these shortcomings, it continues to be a highly cited HPC memory theory.
Long noncoding RNA TC0101441 induces epithelial–mesenchymal transition in epithelial ovarian cancer metastasis by downregulating KiSS1
Authors: Qiu Jun‐Jun , Lin Xiao‐Jing , Tang Xiao‐Yan , Zheng Ting‐Ting , Zhang Xu‐yin , Hua Ke‐Qin
Published: October 2019

Peritoneal metastasis is a critical feature and clinical challenge in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). We previously identified a novel long noncoding RNA (lncRNA, TC0101441) in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) using microarrays. However, the impact of TC0101441 on EOC metastasis and prognosis remains unclear. TC0101441 expression in EOC tissues and its correlation with clinicopathological factors and prognosis were examined. A series of in vitro and in vivo assays were performed to elucidate the roles and mechanism of TC0101441 in EOC metastasis. We found that TC0101441 levels were elevated in EOC tissues compared with those in normal controls and significantly correlated with an advanced clinical stage and lymph node metastasis. TC0101441 was determined to be an independent prognostic predictor of overall survival (OS) and disease‐free survival (DFS). Furthermore, loss‐of‐function assays showed that TC0101441 promoted the invasive and metastatic capacities of EOC cells both in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, the prometastatic effects of TC0101441 were linked to the induction of epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT). Importantly, KiSS1 was identified as a downstream target gene of TC0101441 and was downregulated by TC0101441 in EOC cells. After TC0101441 was silenced, the corresponding phenotypes of EOC cell invasion and EMT were reversed by the overexpression of KiSS1. Taken together, our data suggest that TC0101441 functions as a potential promigratory/invasive oncogene by promoting EMT and metastasis in EOC through downregulation of KiSS1, which may represent a novel prognostic marker and therapeutic target in EOC.
Oral human papillomavirus prevalence and type distribution by country (Brazil, Mexico and the United States) and age among HPV infection in men study participants
Authors: Bettampadi Deepti , Villa Luisa L. , Ponce Eduardo L. , Salmeron Jorge , Sirak Bradley A. , Abrahamsen Martha , Rathwell Julie A. , Reich Richard R. , Giuliano Anna R.
Published: October 2019

Incidence of human papillomavirus (HPV) attributable oropharyngeal cancers (OPCs) has been increasing globally, especially among men in high‐income countries. There is a lack of studies comparing oral HPV prevalence by age and country among healthy men. The purpose of our study was to assess oral HPV prevalence by country and age. Participants of the HPV Infection in Men Study (HIM), a cohort of 3,098 healthy men from São Paulo, Brazil, Cuernavaca, Mexico and Tampa, USA, were studied. Oral HPV prevalence and type distribution were assessed using the SPF10 PCR‐DEIA‐LiPA25 system. The prevalence of any HPV in Brazil, Mexico and the US was 8.7% (95% CI: 7.1%, 10.4%), 10.0% (95% CI: 8.3%, 12.1%) and 7.6% (95% CI: 5.9%, 9.5%), respectively, while the prevalence of high‐risk HPV was 5.3% (95% CI: 4.1%, 6.7%), 7.3% (95% CI: 5.7%, 9.0%) and 5.4% (95% CI: 4.0%, 7.0%), respectively. No significant differences in prevalence of grouped HPV types were observed by country despite significant differences in sexual behaviors. However, the age‐specific prevalence of oral HPV differed by country. Brazilian (6.0% [95% CI: 3.4%, 9.7%]) and Mexican (9.2% [95% CI: 5.6%, 14.0%]) participants had peak high‐risk HPV prevalence among men aged 41–50 years whereas the US participants had peak prevalence at ages 31–40 years (11.0% [95% CI: 6.4%, 17.3%]). In conclusion, oral HPV prevalence was low with no difference in overall prevalence observed by country. Factors associated with the differences in oral HPV age‐patterning by country and sexual orientation require further study.
Unique and redundant roles of SOX2 and SOX17 in regulating the germ cell tumor fate
Authors: Jostes Sina V. , Fellermeyer Martin , Arévalo Lena , Merges Gina E. , Kristiansen Glen , Nettersheim Daniel , Schorle Hubert
Published: October 2019

Embryonal carcinomas (ECs) and seminomas are testicular germ cell tumors. ECs display expression of SOX2, while seminomas display expression of SOX17. In somatic differentiation, SOX17 drives endodermal cell fate. However, seminomas lack expression of endoderm markers, but show features of pluripotency. Here, we use chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing to report and compare the binding pattern of SOX17 in seminoma‐like TCam‐2 cells to SOX17 in somatic cells and SOX2 in EC‐like 2102EP cells. In seminoma‐like cells, SOX17 was detected at canonical (SOX2/OCT4), compressed (SOX17/OCT4) and noncomposite SOX motifs. SOX17 regulates TFAP2C, PRDM1 and PRDM14, thereby maintaining latent pluripotency and suppressing somatic differentiation. In contrast, in somatic cells canonical motifs are rarely bound by SOX17. In sum, only 12% of SOX17‐binding sites overlap in seminoma‐like and somatic cells. This illustrates that binding site choice is highly dynamic and cell type specific. Deletion of SOX17 in seminoma‐like cells resulted in loss of pluripotency, marked by a reduction of OCT4 protein level and loss of alkaline phosphatase activity. Furthermore, we found that in EC‐like cells SOX2 regulates pluripotency‐associated genes, most likely by partnering with OCT4. In conclusion, SOX17 (in seminomas) functionally replaces SOX2 (in ECs) to maintain expression of the pluripotency cluster.
Inflammatory serum markers and risk and severity of prostate cancer: The PROCA‐life study
Authors: Stikbakke Einar , Richardsen Elin , Knutsen Tore , Wilsgaard Tom , Giovannucci Edward L. , McTiernan Anne , Eggen Anne Elise , Haugnes Hege Sagstuen , Thune Inger
Published: October 2019

Whether chronic inflammation mirrored by high levels of systemic inflammatory markers such as high sensitive‐CRP (hs‐CRP) and white blood cell count (WBC) are associated with prostate cancer development remains unclear. In the Prostate Cancer Study throughout Life (PROCA‐life), a prospective population‐based cohort study, 7,356 men were included. Prediagnostic WBC and hs‐CRP were assessed from blood collected at study entry; 2,210 participants also had a second CRP measure during follow‐up. During a mean 11.8 years follow‐up, 509 men developed prostate cancer (mean age at diagnosis 71.7 years). Multivariable Cox proportional hazard regression models were used to study whether individual biomarkers (WBC, hs‐CRP), a combined score based on analyte tertiles (score range 2–6), or change in CRP were associated with risk and severity of prostate cancer. We observed a positive dose–response relationship between hs‐CRP and prostate cancer risk with a Hazard Ratio (HR) per mg/l of 1.3, 95% CI 1.00–1.07. Men with an increase in hs‐CRP between two measurements (Δhs‐CRP) of ≥1.00 mg/l had a 36% increased risk of prostate cancer (HR 1.36, 95% CI 1.02–1.82), compared to men with no change or decrease in hs‐CRP. Men with a systemic inflammatory score of 5 or 6 had a 68% higher risk of being diagnosed with metastatic disease (HR 1.68, 95% CI, 1.04–2.73) compared to men with lower scores. Our study supports that hs‐CRP including repeated measurements alone or in combination with WBC may be a useful inflammation‐related biomarker for prostate cancer risk and prognosis.
Order/Disorder in Protein and Peptide‐Based Biomaterials
Authors: Ulijn Rein V. , Lampel Ayala
Published: October 2019

Nature utilizes both order and disorder (or controlled disorder) to achieve exceptional materials properties and functions, while synthetic supramolecular materials mostly exploit just supramolecular order, thus limiting the structural diversity, responsiveness and consequent adaptive functions that can be accessed. Herein, we review the emerging field of supramolecular biomaterials where disorder and order deliberately co‐exist, and can be dynamically regulated by considering both entropic and enthalpic factors in design. We focus on sequence‐structure relationships that govern the (cooperative) assembly pathways of protein and peptide building blocks in these materials. Increasingly, there is an interest in introducing dynamic features in protein and peptide‐based structures, such as the remarkable thermo‐responsiveness and exceptional mechanical properties of elastin materials. Simultaneously, advances in the field of intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) give new insights about their involvement in intracellular liquid‐liquid phase separation and formation of disordered, dynamic coacervate structures. These have inspired efforts to design biomaterials with similar dynamic properties. These hybrid ordered/disordered materials employ a combination of intramolecular and supramolecular order/disorder features for construction of assemblies that are dynamically reconfigurable. The assembly of these dynamic structures is mainly entropy‐driven, relying on electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions and is mediated in part through the adopted (unstructured) protein conformation or by introducing an oppositely charged guest for peptide building blocks. Examples include design of protein building blocks composed of disordered repeat sequences of elastin‐like polypeptides in combination with ordered regions that adopt a secondary structure, the co‐assembly of proteins with peptide amphiphiles to achieve reconfigurable, yet highly stable membranes or tyrosine‐containing tripeptides with sequence‐controlled order/disorder that upon enzymatic oxidation give rise to melanin‐like polymeric pigments with customizable properties. The resulting hybrid materials with controlled disorder can be metastable, and sensitive to various external stimuli giving rise to insights that are especially attractive for the design of responsive and adaptive materials.
Long noncoding RNA PTENP1 affects the recovery of spinal cord injury by regulating the expression of miR‐19b and miR‐21
Authors: Wang Zhan , Song Yuxin , Han Xingwen , Qu Peng , Wang Wenji
Published: October 2019

Exosomes derived from differentiated P12 cells and MSCs were proved to suppress apoptosis of neuron cells, and phosphatase and tensin homolog pseudogene 1 (PTENP1) was reported to inhibit cell proliferation. In this study, we aimed to investigate the role of PTENP1 in the process of post‐spinal cord injury (SCI) recovery, so as to evaluate the therapeutic effects of exosomes derived from MSCs transfected with PTENP1 short hairpin RNA (shRNA), as a type of novel biomarkers in the treatment of SCI. Electron microscopy was used to observe the morphology of different exosomes. Real‐time polymerase chain reaction and western blot, 3‐(4,5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐2,5‐diphenyltetrazolium bromide assays, flow cytometry, Nissl staining, immunohistochemistry assay, and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling assay were conducted to investigate and validate the underlying molecular signaling pathway. PTENP1‐shRNA downregulated PTENP1 and PTEN while upregulating miR‐21 and miR‐19b. PTENP1‐shRNA also accelerated cell apoptosis and reduced cell viability. In addition, PTENP1 reduced the miR‐21 and miR‐19b expression by directly targeting miR‐21 and miR‐19b. Meanwhile, both miR‐21 and miR‐19b reduced the expression of PTEN by directly targeting the 3′‐untranslated region of PTEN. Furthermore, PTEN level and apoptosis index of neuron cells was the highest in the SCI group, while the treatment with exosomes+PTENP1‐shRNA reduced the PTEN expression to a level similar to that in the sham group. Finally, PTENP1 inhibited miR‐21 and miR‐19b expression but upregulated PTEN expression. The upregulation of miR‐21/miR‐19b also suppressed the apoptosis of neuron cells by downregulating the PTEN expression. PTENP1 is involved in the recovery of SCI by regulating the expression of miR‐19b and miR‐21, and exosomes from PTENP1‐shRNA‐transfected cells may be used as a novel biomarker in SCI treatment.
Pollen morphology of Aletris L. (Nartheciaceae) and its systematic significance
Authors: Song Yuanyuan , Zhao Chunhai , Zhao Yunyun , Liu Jiaxi
Published: October 2019

In this paper, we studied pollen morphologies of seven species in genus Aletris in detail by light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Of these, six species were reported for the first time. The palynological characteristics do not support the infrageneric classification into two clades. The results indicated that pollen grains of Aletris are small or medium with the P/E ratio of 0.36–0.59. They are elliptic or long‐elliptic in the polar view with blunt, round or acute ends and bilateral symmetric with a monosulcate, narrow or wide, deep colpus that has length extending to the ends of pollen grains, obvious or absent colpus membranes. The pollen ornamentation is gemmate, perforated, or reticulate. The sexine is slightly or quite thicker than the nexine.
Green approach for the synthesis of 3‐methyl‐1‐phenyl‐4‐((2‐phenyl‐1H‐indol 3‐yl)methylene)‐1H‐pyrazole‐5(4H)‐ones and their DNA Cleavage, antioxidant, and antimicrobial activities
Authors: Modi Madhuri , Jain Meenakshi
Published: October 2019

3‐Methyl‐1‐phenyl‐4‐((2‐phenyl‐1H‐indol‐3‐yl)methylene)‐1H‐pyrazol‐5(4H)‐ones (5a‐i) was prepared by the condensation reaction of different 3‐formyl‐2‐phenylindole derivatives (2a‐i) and 3‐methyl‐1‐phenyl‐2‐pyrazoline‐5‐one in quantitative yield by applying various green synthetic methods as grinding, microwave irradiation using different catalysts under solvent‐free mild reaction conditions with high product yields. The structures of the synthesized compounds were characterized on the basis of elemental analysis, infrared, 1HNMR, 13C NMR, and mass spectral data. The synthesized compounds were screened for free radical scavenging, antimicrobial, and DNA cleavage activities. Most of the tested compounds belonging to the 3‐methyl‐1‐phenyl‐4‐((2‐phenyl‐1H‐indol‐3‐yl)methylene)‐1H‐pyrazol‐5(4H)‐ones series exhibited promising activities.
Ribavirin induces hepatitis C virus genome mutations in chronic hepatitis patients who failed to respond to prior daclatasvir plus asunaprevir therapy
Authors: Saito Yuhei , Imamura Michio , Uchida Takuro , Osawa Mitsutaka , Teraoka Yuji , Fujino Hatsue , Nakahara Takashi , Ono Atsushi , Murakami Eisuke , Kawaoka Tomokazu , Miki Daiki , Tsuge Masataka , Serikawa Masahiro , Aikata Hiroshi , Abe‐Chayama Hiromi , Hayes C. Nelson , Chayama Kazuaki
Published: October 2019

Ribavirin (RBV) induces nucleotide (nt) substitutions in hepatitis C virus (HCV) genome nonstructural (NS) regions. Although emergence of drug resistance‐associated variants is associated with direct‐acting antiviral treatment failure, the effect of RBV on genome substitutions in such patients is unknown. Genotype 1b HCV subgenomic replicon cells were treated with RBV for 120 hours. Six patients with chronic genotype 1b with HCV‐infected patients who failed to respond to prior daclatasvir plus asunaprevir (DCV/ASV) therapy were treated with 12 weeks of sofosbuvir and ledipasvir plus RBV after 4 weeks of RBV monotherapy. RBV‐induced genome mutations in the HCV NS region (nt3493‐9301) in replicon cells and in patients during 4 weeks of RBV monotherapy were analyzed by deep sequencing. RBV‐associated G‐to‐A and C‐to‐U transitions increased in a dose‐dependent manner in HCV replicon cells after the RBV treatment. In patients with prior DCV/ASV treatment failures, the median serum HCV RNA level was 6.25 ± 0.31 log IU/mL at the start of RBV therapy and decreased significantly to 5.95 ± 0.4 log IU/mL (P = .03) after 4 weeks of RBV monotherapy. Although predominant HCV genome substitutions rates were similar between nontreatment and RBV‐treatment periods (0.042 and 0.031 per base pair, respectively; P  = .248), the frequencies of G‐to‐A and C‐to‐U transitions significantly increased after RBV monotherapy. These transitions were enriched, particularly within the HCV NS3 region in all patients. RBV treatment induces G‐to‐A and C‐to‐U transitions in the HCV genome even in chronic patients with hepatitis C with prior DCV/ASV treatment failures.
Impact of El Niño Modoki on Indian summer monsoon rainfall: Role of western north Pacific circulation in observations and CMIP5 models
Authors: Dandi Ramu A. , Chowdary Jasti S. , Pillai Prasanth A. , Sidhan N. S. Sradhara , K Koteswararao , S.S.V.S. Ramakrishna
Published: October 2019

The Indian summer monsoon (ISM) rainfall is often influenced by El Niño‐Southern Oscillation (ENSO) on the interannual time scale. Physical mechanisms that link the canonical El Niño and ISM rainfall have been well documented. Very few studies have discussed the pathways that link El Niño Modoki and ISM rainfall variations. In this study using long period (1901–2014) reanalysis and observed rainfall data, it is found that rainfall anomalies are negative over the southern peninsular India and positive over the central parts of India during El Niño Modoki years. Detailed analysis suggests that the El Niño Modoki modulates ISM rainfall by inducing changes in the western north Pacific (WNP) low‐level circulation. The weak positive rainfall over the monsoon trough region is due to weak moisture convergence associated with the westward extension of WNP cyclonic circulation corroborated by lows and depressions. Anomalous WNP cyclonic circulation is induced by the central Pacific Sea Surface Temperature (SST) warming associated with the El Niño Modoki. Further, strong moisture divergence over south peninsular India caused negative rainfall anomalies during the El Niño Modoki years. Thus, WNP circulation plays a critical role in determining the ISM rainfall patterns during the El Niño Modoki years as evidenced by significant correlation between WNP circulation pattern and EMI. These regional rainfall patterns over the Indian subcontinent corresponding to El Niño Modoki are not well explained in previous studies. It is found that many Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) models displayed poor skill in representing the relation between ISM rainfall and El Niño Modoki events due to unrealistic simulation of SST and circulation patterns over the Indo‐Pacific region. This suggests that CMIP5 models tend to have a large diversity in representing the El Niño Modoki teleconnections to ISM rainfall.
Evaluation of multi‐RCM high‐resolution hindcast over the CORDEX East Asia Phase II region: Mean, annual cycle and interannual variations
Authors: Yu Ke , Hui Pinhong , Zhou Weidan , Tang Jianping
Published: October 2019

Based on the Coordinated Regional Downscaling Experiment‐East Asia second phase (CORDEX‐EA‐II) with higher resolution, model results driven by ERA‐Interim reanalysis using WRF, RegCM4 and CCLM are evaluated against the observational datasets including CN05.1, CRU and GPCP during the period of 1989–2009. The results show that the RCMs have the capability to simulate the annual and seasonal mean surface air temperature and precipitation, however, some biases are produced. The biases are highly dependent on the geophysical locations and the RCMs applied, and CCLM agrees better with the observed precipitation over ocean. CCLM also outperforms the other two RCMs in simulating the interannual variations of temperature and precipitation in most sub‐regions, which can be attributed to its better presentation of the interannual variation of large scale circulation. Generally, all the three RCMs can well reproduce the seasonal cycles of the surface air temperature in most sub‐regions, however, only in the northern regions of China can the RCMs well reproduce the seasonal cycles of precipitation.