bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Silencing of long noncoding RNA XIST attenuated Alzheimer's disease‐related BACE1 alteration through miR‐124
Authors: Yue Du , Guanqun Gao , Jingxin Li , Sen Suo , Shuang Liu , Yan Sun , Minxue Zhang , Ping Yin , Chong Lu , Zhuobo Zhang , Yafen Wei
Published: November 2019

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a chronic progressive neurodegenerative disorder. However, its pathogenetic mechanism is still poorly understood. An increasing number of studies have evidenced the important role of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in AD. The aim of the current study was to investigate the effect and molecular mechanism of the lncRNA X‐inactive specific transcript (XIST) in AD. Bilateral common carotid artery occlusion (2VO) was used to induce an AD model in mice. Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) was used to induce an AD model in N2a cells. The lncRNA XIST, miR‐124, and BACE1 messenger RNA expression levels were detected by a real‐time polymerase chain reaction. The BACE1 protein expression level was detected by western blot and immunofluorescence assay. The Aβ1–42 expression level was detected using an enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay kit. The expression level of lncRNA XIST was significantly upregulated in AD models, both in vivo and in vitro. Silencing of lncRNA XIST negatively regulated miR‐124 and positively regulated BACE1 expression in N2a cells, which is attenuated by cotransfection of anti‐miR‐124 oligodeoxyribonucleotide (AMO‐124). Silencing of lncRNA XIST reversed the effect of H2O2 on miR‐124, BACE1, and Aβ1–42 expression in N2a cells, which was reversed by cotransfection of AMO‐124. Silencing of lncRNA XIST attenuated AD‐related BACE1 alteration through miR‐124. LncRNA XIST may be a new potential target for the treatment of AD.
Rolando fracture
Authors: Windsor T. Andrew , Blosser Kelly M. , Richardson Adam C.
Published: November 2019

Rolando fractures are associated with poor prognosis and when they occur on the dominant hand potential for disability is even greater. Timely imaging, placement into a thumb spica splint, and orthopedic surgery evaluation are integral to ensuring the best possible outcome for the patient.
Design, Synthesis and Characterization of Nickel‐Functionalized Covalent Organic Framework NiCl@RIO‐12 for Heterogeneous Suzuki–Miyaura Catalysis
Authors: Maia Renata A. , Berg Fabienne , Ritleng Vincent , Louis Benoît , Esteves Pierre M.
Published: November 2019

A series of nickel‐decorated covalent organic frameworks, NiCl@RIO‐12, were prepared using the post‐synthetic modification strategy, that is, by reacting NiCl2 with pristine RIO‐12 under alkaline conditions. Interestingly, they retained their crystallinity and the amount of nickel incorporated could be tuned from 3.6 to 25 wt % according to the reaction conditions. The incorporation of a higher amount of nickel in NiCl@RIO‐12 consistently led to a lower Brunauer–Emmett–Teller surface area. Additionally, no agglomeration of nickel particles was found and a relatively homogeneous dispersion of nickel could be ascertained by SEM and TEM‐EDS. The paramagnetic material exhibited promising catalytic activity in Suzuki–Miyaura cross‐coupling under microwave heating. Thus, NiCl@RIO‐12 notably demonstrated good thermal stability and its recyclability showed no substantial loss of activity after 3 cycles.
Covalent Organic Frameworks: A Sustainable Photocatalyst toward Visible‐Light‐Accelerated C3 Arylation and Alkylation of Quinoxalin‐2(1H)‐Ones
Authors: Tian Miao , Liu Shuyang , Bu Xiubin , Yu Jipan , Yang Xiaobo
Published: November 2019

Invited for the cover of this issue is the group of Xiaobo Yang at the Shenyang Normal University. The image depicts the covalent organic frameworks photocatalyst (2D‐COF‐1) acting as a bridge between the substrate and product. Read the full text of the article at 10.1002/chem.201903523.
Spectroscopic Characterisation of a Bio‐Inspired Ni‐Based Proton Reduction Catalyst Bearing a Pentadentate N2S3 Ligand with Improved Photocatalytic Activity
Authors: Gotico Philipp , Moonshiram Dooshaye , Liu Cunming , Zhang Xiaoyi , Guillot Régis , Quaranta Annamaria , Halime Zakaria , Leibl Winfried , Aukauloo Ally
Published: November 2019

Inspired by the sulfur‐rich environment found in active hydrogenase enzymes, a Ni‐based proton reduction catalyst with pentadentate N2S3 ligand was synthesised. When coupled with [Ru(bpy)3]2+ (bpy=2,2′‐bipyridine) as photosensitiser and ascorbate as electron donor in a 1:1 mixture of dimethylacetamide and aqueous ascorbic acid/ascorbate buffer, the catalyst showed improved photocatalytic activity compared with a homologous counterpart bearing a tetradentate N2S2 ligand. The mechanistic pathway of photoinduced hydrogen evolution was comprehensively analysed through optical transient absorption and time‐resolved X‐ray absorption spectroscopy, which revealed important electronic and structural changes in the catalytic system during photoirradiation. The NiII catalyst undergoes a photoinduced metal‐centred reduction to form a NiI intermediate with distorted square‐bipyramidal geometry. Further kinetic analyses revealed differences in charge‐separation dynamics between the pentadentate and tetradentate forms.
Influence of outlet orientation and variable tube length on high temperature zones of U‐tube trisection helical baffle electric heaters
Authors: Gu Huaduo , Chen Yaping , Wu Jiafeng , Song Ning , Yang Shifan
Published: November 2019

Numerical simulation was performed to optimize temperature distribution especially at high temperature zones at the rear part of U‐tube bundle electric heaters with unique one‐plus‐two U‐tube layouts. The influences of variable tube lengths and different outlet nozzle orientations on flow and thermal features on axial separation trisection helical baffle schemes in contrast to segmental schemes were investigated. The results show that the variable tube length schemes can effectively ameliorate high temperature zones and obtain more uniform temperature fields. The mean heat transfer coefficient, h.t.c., and tube wall temperature, Tw, of the variable tube length scheme HV15(10)°‐180° are respectively 0.7% higher and 3.1 K lower than those of the normal scheme H15(10)°‐180°. The optimal relative position of the outlet and tube bundle for helical schemes is that the outlet axis is not only tangent to the last straight edge of the baffle but is also on the side near it, while the optimum outlet angle for the segmental scheme is 90° within the research scope. Compared with segmental scheme S200‐90°, the averaged heat transfer coefficients, h.t.c.s, and comprehensive indexes, h · Δp−1/3, of the helical baffle schemes HV15(10)°‐180°/HV15(10)°‐Ax respectively rise by 14.6/11.8% and 16.1/13.8%, while the average Tw declines by 40.7/33.3 K.
Assessing the effect of patient navigator assistance for psychosocial support services on health‐related quality of life in a randomized clinical trial in Latino breast, prostate, and colorectal cancer survivors
Authors: Ramirez Amelie G. , Choi Byeong Yeob , Munoz Edgar , Perez Arely , Gallion Kipling J. , Moreno Patricia I. , Penedo Frank J.
Published: November 2019

Background

After a diagnosis of prostate, breast, or colorectal cancer, Latinos experience higher mortality rates and lower health‐related quality of life (HRQOL) in comparison with other ethnic/racial groups. Patient navigation (PN) and lay community health workers or promotores are effective in increasing cancer screening and early‐stage diagnosis among Latinos. However, little is known about the effect of PN on HRQOL among Latino cancer survivors.

Methods

Latinos previously diagnosed with breast, prostate, or colorectal cancer (n = 288) were randomized to 1 of 2 conditions: 1) the Patient Navigator LIVESTRONG Cancer Navigation Services (PN‐LCNS) survivor care program or 2) PN only. HRQOL was measured with the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy–General, and cancer‐specific HRQOL was measured with the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy–Breast, the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy–Prostate, and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy–Colorectal for breast, prostate, and colorectal cancer survivors, respectively, at the baseline and at 3 follow‐up time points. Generalized estimating equation analyses were conducted to estimate the effect of condition on HRQOL with adjustments for covariates and baseline HRQOL.

Results

PN‐LCNS demonstrated a significant improvement in HRQOL in comparison with PN only for colorectal cancer survivors but not for breast and prostate cancer survivors.

Conclusions

Enhanced PN improves HRQOL among Latino colorectal cancer survivors. Future research should identify the best strategies for engaging Latino survivors in PN programs. PN programs should also be adapted to address HRQOL concerns among Latina breast cancer survivors.
High‐dose chemotherapy plus peripheral blood stem cell transplantation for patients with relapsed germ cell tumors and active brain metastases
Authors: Kalra Maitri , Adra Nabil , Hanna Nasser , Abonour Rafat , Einhorn Lawrence H.
Published: November 2019

Background

The optimal management of progressive brain metastases in patients with germ cell tumors (GCTs) remains unsettled. This study reports the management of 25 consecutive patients with relapsed GCTs and progressive brain metastases undergoing high‐dose chemotherapy (HDCT) with peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSCT) at Indiana University from 2006 to 2016.

Methods

All patients were planned to undergo HDCT, which consisted of carboplatin at 700 mg/m2 on days 1 to 3 plus etoposide at 750 mg/m2 on days 1 to 3, followed by PBSCT on day 5 for 2 cycles. Patients were treated with brain metastectomy, stereotactic radiotherapy or whole‐brain radiotherapy, HDCT alone, or a combination thereof. All 25 patients had progressive brain metastases at the time of initiating HDCT. Patient and disease characteristics, management of brain metastases, and outcomes were measured. Platelet transfusions were given to maintain platelet counts > 30,000/µL; the goal was >50,000/µL when there were signs of prior or active hemorrhaging.

Results

Twenty‐two of 25 patients completed both courses of HDCT. The median α‐fetoprotein level was 7.5 ng/mL (range, 1.6‐1130 ng/mL), and the human chorionic gonadotropin level was 31.3 IU/mL (range, 0.5‐25,601 IU/mL). At a median follow‐up of 24.5 months (range, 0.4‐117 months), 11 patients (44%) were alive with no evidence of disease, 2 patients were alive with relapsed disease, and 12 patients had died of disease progression or complications from HDCT. Fifteen patients developed progressive brain metastases despite radiation and/or craniotomy before HDCT, and 8 of these patients were alive without evidence of disease. There were no intracranial hemorrhagic events leading to death.

Conclusions

Patients with relapsed GCTs and progressive brain metastases are curable with multimodality therapy that includes HDCT and peripheral blood stem cell transplantation.
Pitfalls of FNA diagnosis of thymic tumors
Authors: Wang Minhua , Kundu Uma , Gong Yun
Published: November 2019

Background

Fine‐needle aspiration (FNA), a minimally invasive and cost‐effective procedure, often is used in the initial diagnosis of thymic lesions. However, the diagnosis can be challenging. Knowledge of the diagnostic pitfalls is important to improve diagnostic accuracy.

Methods

The authors retrospectively searched the pathology database of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center for FNA cases using the keywords “thymoma” or “thymic” in cytologic diagnoses or in corresponding final histologic diagnoses rendered from January 2002 to June 2018. The authors reviewed the FNA diagnostic accuracy and pitfalls in comparison with the final histologic diagnoses.

Results

A total of 118 FNA cases were identified from 115 patients. The FNA diagnoses were concordant with the final pathologic diagnoses in 110 cases (93.2%), including thymoma (97 cases), atypical thymoma (5 cases), and thymic carcinoma (8 cases). Discrepant FNA and final diagnoses were noted in 8 tumors (6.8%): thymoma versus atypical thymoma/thymic carcinoma (3 tumors), thymoma versus lymphoma (2 tumors), suspicious for lymphoma versus thymoma (1 tumor), and T‐lymphoblastic lymphoma versus thymoma (2 tumors). Factors contributing to misinterpretation included intrinsic limitations of the FNA sample (sampling error and a lack of histologic architecture information) and similarities of the cytologic and immunophenotypic features of lymphocyte‐rich thymoma and T‐lymphoblastic lymphoma.

Conclusions

An accurate FNA diagnosis of thymic tumors can be rendered in the majority of cases. Diagnostic pitfalls can be encountered in rare cases. It is important to handle each case carefully to avoid erroneous diagnoses that may lead to inappropriate treatment.
Adult neurogenesis and gliogenesis in the dorsal and ventral canine hippocampus
Authors: Bekiari Chryssa , Grivas Ioannis , Tsingotjidou Anastasia , Papadopoulos Georgios C.
Published: November 2019

Dentate gyrus (DG) of the mammalian hippocampus gives rise to new neurons and astrocytes all through adulthood. Canine hippocampus presents many similarities in fetal development, anatomy, and physiology with human hippocampus, establishing canines as excellent animal models for the study of adult neurogenesis. In the present study, BrdU‐dated cells of the structurally and functionally dissociated dorsal (dDG) and ventral (vDG) adult canine DG were comparatively examined over a period of 30 days. Each part's neurogenic potential, radial glia‐like neural stem cells (NSCs) proliferation and differentiation, migration, and maturation of their progenies were evaluated at 2, 5, 14, and 30 days post BrdU administration, with the use of selected markers (glial fibrillary acidic protein, doublecortin, calretinin and calbindin). Co‐staining of BrdU+ cells with NeuN or S100B permitted the parallel study of the ongoing neurogenesis and gliogenesis. Our findings reveal the comparatively higher populations of residing granule cells, proliferating NSCs and BrdU+ neurons in the dDG, whereas newborn neurons of the vDG showed a prolonged differentiation, migration, and maturation. Newborn astrocytes were found all along the dorso‐ventral axis, counting however for only 11% of newborn cell population. Comparative evaluation of adult canine and rat neurogenesis revealed significant differences in the distribution of resident and newborn granule cells along the dorso‐ventral axis, division pattern of adult NSCs, maturation time plan of newborn neurons, and ongoing gliogenesis. Concluding, spatial and temporal features of adult canine neurogenesis are similar to that of other gyrencephalic species, including humans, and justify the comparative examination of adult neurogenesis across mammalian species.
Heuristics for concurrent task scheduling on GPUs
Authors: López‐Albelda B. , Lázaro‐Muñoz A. J. , González‐Linares J. M. , Guil Nicolas
Published: November 2019

Concurrent execution of tasks in GPUs can reduce the computation time of a workload by overlapping data transfer and execution commands. However, it is difficult to implement an efficient runtime scheduler that minimizes the workload makespan as many execution orderings should be evaluated. In this paper, we employ scheduling theory to build a model that takes into account the device capabilities, workload characteristics, constraints, and objective functions. In our model, GPU tasks scheduling is reformulated as a flow shop scheduling problem, which allow us to apply and compare well‐known heuristics already developed in the operations research field. In addition, we develop a new heuristic, specifically focused on executing GPU commands, that achieves better scheduling results than previous ones. It leverages on a precise GPU command execution model for both computation and data transfers to carry out more advantageous scheduling decisions. A comprehensive evaluation, showing the suitability and robustness of this new approach, is conducted in three different NVIDIA architectures (Kepler, Maxwell, and Pascal). Results confirm the proposed heuristic achieves the best results in more than 90% of the experiments. Furthermore, a comparison has been made with MPS (Multi‐Process Service), the NVIDIA API that deals with the execution of concurrent tasks, which shows that our solution obtains speed‐ups ranging from 1.15 to 1.20.
Effect of enclosure on reproductive allocation of wheatgrass Agropyron mongolicum populations in desert steppes
Authors: Li Guoqi , Zhao Panpan , Shao Wenshan , Jin Changqing , Song Lixiao , Chen Yanyun
Published: November 2019

Plants generally adopt different reproductive strategies to adapt to their environments and increase their fitness. Here, we studied the effects of enclosure cultivation on the reproductive allocation of a wheatgrass species Agropyron mongolicum in the Desert steppes of Northern China. The results showed that: (a) after enclosure cultivation, the height, clump width, coverage, and clump biomass of A. mongolicum significantly increased by 78.96% (p = .040), 63.50% (p = .013), 50.89% (p = .032), and 205.38% (p = .022), respectively, whereas density did not show a significant change (p = .330). (b) Enclosure cultivation significantly affected the biomass of A. mongolicum. Compared with cultivation outside the fence, root, leaf, and spike biomass of A. mongolicum inside the fence significantly increased by 183.52% (p = .020), 334.09% (p = .011), and 381.25% (p = .005), respectively. In addition, root biomass was the highest among the components (38.53 and 13.59 g inside and outside the fence, respectively) and spike biomass was the lowest (6.16 and 1.28 g inside and outside the fence, respectively). (c) Enclosure cultivation affected elemental nutrient allocation and the caloric values of various components of A. mongolicum, and the caloric values are positively correlated with carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus contents. Enclosure cultivation significantly reduced carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus in the roots, as well as nitrogen and phosphorus in the spikes, but significantly increased nitrogen in the spikes by 9.78%. The caloric values of A. mongolicum inside and outside the fence in decreasing order were as follows: spikes > leaves > stems > roots. Comparison of cultivation effects between inside and outside the fence showed that the caloric values of the spikes and roots significantly increased by 0.92% and 1.60%, respectively, whereas those of the leaves significantly decreased by 0.70%. Our results demonstrate that the reproductive allocation of elemental nutrients and caloric values in nonreproductive and reproductive organs are plastic to arid environments.
Comprehensive Identification of Principal Lipid Classes and Tocochromanols in Silkworm (Antheraea pernyi and Bombyx mori) Pupae Oils
Authors: Wang Weifei , Xu Long , Zou Yuxiao , Pang Daorui , Shi Wei , Mu Lixia , Li Erna , Lan Dongming , Wang Yonghua , Liao Sentai
Published: November 2019

A comprehensive identification of lipid compositions and tocochromanols in Antheraea pernyi (A. pernyi) and Bombyx mori (B. mori) pupae oil is reported in the present study. Fatty acid profiling shows that both oils contain high levels (79.67% vs 71.11%) of unsaturated fatty acids, especially linoleic acid and linolenic acid. Moreover, linolenic acid is preferentially enriched at the sn‐2 positions of triacylglycerols (TAGs). Liquid chromatograph‐mass spectrometry (LC‐MS) analysis demonstrates that POO (TAG with one palmitoyl and two oleoyls) is the primary TAG form with percentages of 20.18% in A. pernyi and 15.00% in B. mori. The dominating phospholipid species are phosphatidylcholine (PC, 30.40% vs 54.61%) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE, 34.82% vs 20.39%). Four sterol constituents with total contents of 382.56 ± 3.12 and 371.65 ± 2.98 µg g−1 are identified and analyzed quantitatively. Additionally, the levels of tocochromanols (20.15 ± 0.89 vs 17.15 ± 0.71 mg g−1) are quantified in both silkworm pupae oils. Overall, silkworm oil acts as an enriched source of functional lipids and tocochromanols.

Practical Applications: A systematic investigation on the principal lipid classes and tocochromanols of Antheraea pernyi pupae and Bombyx mori pupae oil is reported in this study. The informative data provide supporting evidence for comprehensive utilization of silkworm oil for production of nutritional and healthy products.
A Novel Ketonitrile Synthesis by Palladium‐Catalyzed Carbonylative Coupling Reactions of Amides with Arylboronic Acids
Authors: Mai Wen‐Peng , Liu Yang , Sui Hong‐Dai , Xiao Yong‐Mei , Mao Pu , Lu Kui
Published: November 2019

A novel, efficient, and simple procedure to synthesize diverse ketonitriles by palladium‐catalyzed Suzuki coupling of amides through N–C cleavage has been developed. This procedure features mild conditions, a broad substrate scope, and easily prepared substrates, providing a simple and efficient access to a variety of ketonitriles.
Microporous Solids En Route to Heterogeneous Electrocatalysis: The Oxygen Reduction Reaction
Authors: Haikal Rana R. , Hassan Mohamed H. , Alkordi Mohamed H.
Published: November 2019

The recent progress and challenges in developing highly active microporous materials as heterogeneous electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) are discussed. Due to the slow kinetics of ORR, the search for novel highly stable catalysts that can outperform Pt‐based ones is a growing demand. Functional microporous materials and exceptional chemical stability are of great interest due to their unique catalytic properties. The crucial rule of porosity and catalyst design strategies are thoroughly discussed with emphasis on the influence of the degree of microporosity on the material's intrinsic catalytic activity and the current best practice for catalyst testing and activity reporting. This Review focuses on microporous materials, which are classified into crystalline as metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), covalent–organic frameworks (COFs), or amorphous porous–organic polymers (POPs) as to their recent utilization in constructing efficient ORR electrocatalysts. The fundamental challenges in obtaining stable catalysts with appreciable kinetics from non‐noble metal ions, and ways to form them utilizing microporous solids as catalyst matrices, are reviewed. The fundamental criteria for future generation ORR catalysts based on microporous solids, including stability in acidic medium, high electrical conductivity, and accessibility of the active sites within the matrix are highlighted for guidance to future works.
Prostate Cancer Phenotype Influences Bone Mineralization at Metastasis: A Study Using an In Vitro Prostate Cancer Metastasis Testbed
Authors: Molla MD Shahjahan , Katti Dinesh R , Iswara Jairam , Venkatesan Renugopalakrishnan , Paulmurugan Ramasamy , Katti Kalpana S
Published: November 2019

In this study, two types of prostate cancer cell lines, highly metastatic PC‐3 and low metastatic MDA PCa 2b (PCa) were cultured on bone mimetic scaffolds to recapitulate metastasis to bone. A unique in vitro 3D tumor model that uses a sequential culture (SC) of human mesenchymal stem cells followed by seeding with cancer cells after bone formation was initiated to study the phenotype‐specific interaction between prostate cancer cells and bone microenvironment. The PCa cells were observed to be less prolific and less metastatic, and to form multicellular tumoroids in the bone microenvironment, whereas PC‐3 cells were more prolific and were highly metastatic, and did not form multicellular tumoroids in the bone microenvironment. The metastatic process exhibited by these two prostate cancer cell lines showed a significant and different effect on bone mineralization and extracellular matrix formation. Excessive bone formation in the presence of PC‐3 and significant osteolysis in the presence of PCa were observed, which was also indicated by osteocalcin and MMP‐9 expression as measured by ELISA and qRT‐PCR. The field emission scanning electron microscopy images revealed that the structure of mineralized collagen in the presence of PC‐3 is different than the one observed in healthy bone. All experimental results indicated that both osteolytic and osteoblastic bone lesions can be recapitulated in our tumor testbed model and that different cancer phenotypes have a very different influence on bone at metastasis. The 3D in vitro model presented in this study provides an improved, reproducible, and controllable system that is a useful tool to elucidate osteotropism of prostate cancer cells. © 2019 The Authors. JBMR Plus published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Generation and phenotype analysis of CysLTR1 L118F mutant mice
Authors: Hu Xiaojun , Mao Junjie , Zhou Bin , Zhang Huitao , Li Bing , Pang Pengfei , Shan Hong
Published: November 2019

Cysteinyl leukotrienes (CysLTs) are a group of eicosanoids that regulate the pathogenesis of various human diseases, mainly by signaling through the cysteinyl leukotriene receptor 1 (CysLTR1). The aim of this study was to generate and examine the phenotype of CysLTR1 L118F mutant mice. CysLTR1 L118F mutant mice were generated by the simultaneous microinjection of single guide RNA, Cas9 messenger RNA, and donor plasmid into fertilized mouse eggs. The morphological and behavioral characteristics of the resultant CysLTR1 L118F mutant mice were analyzed using an animal phenotype analysis platform, which included the assessment of body length, tail length, grip strength, and locomotor activity. Immunoprecipitation coupled with mass spectrometry was performed to identify CysLTR1‐interacting proteins, and the intracellular calcium levels were determined using fluorometric imaging plate reader assays. The body length and tail length of CysLTR1 L118F mutant mice were significantly increased compared with wild‐type mice. In addition, the grip strength and locomotor activity were remarkably elevated in L118F mutant mice compared with wild‐type mice. Only three proteins were found to interact with both wild‐type and CysLTR1 L118F proteins, whereas 4 and 13 additional proteins interacted exclusively with wild‐type and mutant CysLTR1, respectively. Lastly, the responsiveness of cardiac muscle cells to CysLTs were significantly impaired by the L118F substitution in CysLTR1 proteins. The CysLTR1 L118F point mutation induced significant changes in the mouse morphology and behavior, which might be mediated by alterations of its protein interaction profile.
Combinatorial screening of polymer nanoparticles for their ability to recognize epitopes of AAV‐neutralizing antibodies
Authors: Piletska Elena V. , Mirkes Eugeny , Piletsky Stanislav S. , Abosoglu Hasan , Cassim Alfeshani , Chu Edmund , Doughty Simon , Eganda Shaun‐Jones , Fuchigami Hikari , Hussein Aleah , Olickal Meedhu , Parmar Neelay , Sebastian Akhil , Piletsky Sergey A.
Published: November 2019

A library of 17 nanoparticles made of acrylate and methacrylate copolymers is prepared, characterized, and screened against six epitopes of adeno‐associated viruses (AAV)‐neutralizing antibodies to assess their affinity and specificity. Peptide epitopes are immobilized onto the surface of glass beads, packed in filtration microplates, and incubated with fluorescein‐labelled nanoparticles. Following intense washing, the affinity of nanoparticles to immobilized epitopes is assessed by measuring the fluorescence of captured nanoparticles. The results show that polar monomers, acrylic acid in particular, have a positive impact on polymer affinity towards all peptides used in this study. The presence of hydrophobic monomers, on other hand, has a negative impact on polymer binding. The composition of peptides used in this study has no noticeable impact on the affinity of synthesized nanoparticles. The affinity of nanoparticles with the highest affinity to peptide targets does not exceed millimolar level. Overall, it is found that the synthesized library showed modest affinity but lacked specificity, which should be further “tuned,” for example, by using molecular imprinting to achieve an acceptable level of affinity and specificity for practical application.
Norovirus‐associated gastroenteritis, Pernambuco, Northeast Brazil, 2014‐2017
Authors: Guarines Klarissa M. , Mendes Renata P. G. , de Magalhães Jurandy J. F. , Pena Lindomar
Published: November 2019

Norovirus (NoV) is currently the leading cause of nonbacterial gastroenteritis. In Brazil, few studies have characterized the molecular, epidemiological and clinical features of NoV‐associated gastroenteritis. This study aimed to describe the molecular and clinicoepidemiological findings of NoV infections in patients of all ages throughout Pernambuco state, Northeast Brazil. Thus, 1135 stool samples were analyzed from patients with gastroenteritis from Pernambuco state. NoV was detected by enzyme immunoassay in 125 (11.01%) samples. Regarding gender distribution, 55 (44.00%) patients were female and 70 (56.00%) male. Their ages ranged from 5 days to 87 years, and the group most affected by NoV infection (88.00%) was children under 3 years. Complete clinical information was available for 88 out of 125 NoV‐positive patients. Diarrhea was present in all patients and vomiting was reported in 60 patients (68.68%). Nine patients (10.22%) had bloody stools and 46 (52.27%) had a fever, with temperatures ranging from 37.90°C to 39.90°C (mean 38.20°C). NoV was detected mainly in the summer‐autumn seasons. Genome sequencing and phylogenetic analyses identified four different NoV GII genotypes circulating in this area of the country. Therefore, our study provided valuable information about the clinics and epidemiology of NoV infection in tropical settings and will assist health authorities to develop better control strategies against this important pathogen.
The biomechanics of subscapularis repair in reverse shoulder arthroplasty: The effect of lateralization and insertion site
Authors: Eno Jonathan‐James T. , Kontaxis Andreas , Novoa‐Boldo Alejandro , Windsor Eric , Chen Xiang , Erickson Brandon J. , Warren Russell F. , Dines David M. , Dines Joshua S. , Gulotta Lawrence V. , Taylor Samuel A.
Published: November 2019

Functional outcomes of subscapularis (SSc) repair following reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA) remains controversial. SSc repair in combination with glenosphere lateralization was reported to yield worse clinical outcomes compared with the non‐lateralized glenosphere. The aim of this biomechanical study was to investigate how glenosphere lateralization and different re‐insertion sites can affect the biomechanics of the SSc after RSA. Nine patient‐specific RSA shoulder models were created from patients' computed tomography scans. Moment arms and SSc length were calculated for abduction, forward flexion, and internal rotation in 20° and 90° abduction for three configurations of glenosphere lateralization (standard/+0, +5, and +10 mm) and three SSc repair sites (native, superior, and inferior) and compared with the native shoulder. When compared with the native shoulder, RSA resulted in large adducting SSc moment arms that were antagonistic to the deltoid. Glenosphere lateralization had no effect on SSc moment arms in any motion. However, lateralization increased SSc tension beyond its anatomic length for +5 and +10 mm of lateralization when attached to its native insertion. A superior SSc repair site created the least adductive moment arm as well as the least amount of SSc lengthening. Increased glenosphere lateralization showed a significant increase in the SSc length, which in combination with its adductive moment arm can be antagonistic to deltoid function. However, a superior SSc repair site may help reduce the adductive SSc moment arm and allow for reduced tension on the repair as its length in that location is less than that of the native SSc. © 2019 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 38:888‐894, 2020
Exploring the environmental strategy of big energy companies to drive sustainability
Authors: Ruka Anna , Rashidirad Mona
Published: November 2019

The purpose of this research is to provide an in‐depth evaluation of the environmental strategy of the biggest energy companies to drive sustainability, i.e., for both business and the environment as a collective entity. Rooted in the theory of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), a secondary data analysis was conducted on the top five energy companies (i.e., British Petroleum (BP), Exxon Mobil, Gazprom, Sinopec and Saudi Aramco) as published by Enercom (2016) to investigate their approach to sustainable development. To do so, each company's environmental strategy was evaluated in order to gain a clear understanding of their implemented procedures for sustainable development towards future. This research paper gives an insight into the main energy companies' impact on nature and assesses how sustainable their strategies are towards environmental issues. Through this evaluation, we clearly identified how climate change forces companies to be responsible towards society, the economy, and the environment. This study's finding contributes to the present body of knowledge and highlights how the big energy companies have taken responsibility for their actions towards environmental issues.
Vitis vinifera Turkish grape cultivar Karaerik. Part I: anthocyanin composition, and identification of a newly found anthocyanin†
Authors: Hermosín‐Gutiérrez Isidro , Gómez‐Alonso Sergio , Pérez‐Navarro José , Kurt Aynur , Colak Nesrin , Akpınar Erdal , Hayirlioglu‐Ayaz Sema , Ayaz Faik Ahmet
Published: November 2019

BACKGROUND

Grape berries exhibit various beneficial health effects due to the potent antioxidant roles of their phenolic compounds. A new Vitis vinifera grape cultivar (Karaerik) grown in Turkey has attracted growing interest due to its antioxidant phenolic compounds, which have still not been investigated. The phenolic/anthocyanin profile needs to be investigated to ascertain its potential health benefits and market value in the region. The present study therefore involves a detailed characterization of the anthocyanin composition of ‘Karaerik’ grape berries in conjunction with a determination of the antioxidant capacity value of the phenolics present in the skin and the whole berry.

RESULTS

Total phenolic compounds (average 8.56 and 2.88 g gallic acid equivalent kg−1 fresh weight) and anthocyanin (7.48 and 1.66 g mv‐3‐glc equivalent kg−1 fresh weight) contents varied significantly in the skin and whole berry. Malvidin‐based anthocyanins made the highest contribution to the pigment content of the berry. Accordingly, the major anthocyanin in the skin (average 42.08 mol%) and whole berry (39.98 mol%) was malvidin‐3‐glucoside (mv‐3‐glc). In addition, we found strong evidence of the occurrence of sometimes reported malvidin‐3‐pentoside and particularly of the not previously reported feruloyl derivative of malvidin‐3‐(6″‐feruloyl)‐glucoside (mv‐3‐ferglc) for V. vinifera grapes.

CONCLUSION

The current study is the first report to profile the anthocyanins of the grape with a detailed description of the rare and novel anthocyanin in V. vinifera grapes. The berry is also a potential source of phenolics/anthocyanins with a high antioxidant capacity value and is worthy of comparison with other V. vinifera grapes. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry
Aroma compounds in mini‐watermelon fruits from different grafting combinations
Authors: Tripodi Gianluca , Condurso Concetta , Cincotta Fabrizio , Merlino Maria , Verzera Antonella
Published: November 2019

BACKGROUND

In recent years, mini‐watermelons have increased in popularity. To maintain production and quality standards, various agronomic techniques have been applied. For the Cucurbitaceae family, grafting technique has been used to improve resistance to abiotic stresses, crop productivity and fruit qualitative characteristics. There is some previous literature on this matter, but no information on the influence of grafting on the aroma compounds of mini‐watermelons is available. Hence, our research aimed to evaluate the effect of some rootstocks, which were selected on the basis of their tolerance to pathogens, on the quality of mini‐watermelons, with particular attention to the volatile aroma compounds.

RESULTS

Volatile aroma compounds were analysed using solid‐phase microextraction–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. The most represented compounds were C6 and C9 aldehydes and alcohols, which characterize the fruit aroma of the Cucurbitaceae family: (Z)‐2‐nonenal, (E,Z)‐2,6‐nonadienal, (Z)‐3‐nonen‐1‐ol and (Z,Z)‐3,6‐nonadien‐1‐ol were prevalent. Quantitative differences resulted in relation to the various selected rootstocks. Among these, the RS841 rootstock was found to be the most suitable for maintaining yield, quality parameters, sensory characteristics and volatile aroma compounds of mini‐watermelon fruits.

CONCLUSIONS

The results highlighted that the rootstock, as for other Cucurbitaceae varieties, influences fruit quality and plant yield also for the mini‐water melon; the results show the importance of screening for rootstock/scion combinations in order to select a graft able to provide resistance to abiotic stresses, and at the same time improve yield and fruit quality. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry
Physiological and genomic features of Paraoceanicella profunda gen. nov., sp. nov., a novel piezophile isolated from deep seawater of the Mariana Trench
Authors: Liu Ping , Ding Wanzhen , Lai Qiliang , Liu Rulong , Wei Yuli , Wang Li , Xie Zhe , Cao Junwei , Fang Jiasong
Published: November 2019

A novel piezophilic alphaproteobacterium, strain D4M1T, was isolated from deep seawater of the Mariana Trench. 16S rRNA gene analysis showed that strain D4M1T was most closely related to Oceanicella actignis PRQ‐67T (94.2%), Oceanibium sediminis O448T (94.2%), and Thioclava electrotropha ElOx9T (94.1%). Phylogenetic analyses based on both 16S rRNA gene and genome sequences showed that strain D4M1T formed an independent monophyletic branch paralleled with the genus Oceanicella in the family Rhodobacteraceae. Cells were Gram‐stain‐negative, aerobic short rods, and grew optimally at 37°C, pH 6.5, and 3.0% (w/v) NaCl. Strain D4M1T was piezophilic with the optimum pressure of 10 MPa. The principal fatty acids were C18:1 ω7c/C18:1 ω6c and C16:0, major respiratory quinone was ubiquinone‐10, and predominant polar lipids were phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, and an unidentified aminophospholipid. The complete genome contained 5,468,583‐bp with a G + C content of 70.2 mol% and contained 4,855 protein‐coding genes and 78 RNA genes. Genomic analysis revealed abundant clues on bacterial high‐pressure adaptation and piezophilic lifestyle. The combined evidence shows that strain D4M1T represents a novel species of a novel genus in the family Rhodobacteraceae, for which the name Paraoceanicella profunda gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed (type strain D4M1T = MCCC 1K03820T = KCTC 72285T).
Evaluating the potential of vaccine‐induced type replacement for high‐risk human papillomaviruses
Authors: Saldaña Fernando , Barradas Ignacio
Published: November 2019

Persistent infection with human papillomavirus (HPV) is the main cause of cervical cancer. Current HPV vaccines protect against both HPV‐16 and ‐18, which are known to cause approximately 70% of cervical cancer cases worldwide. These vaccines have shown to be highly effective in preventing infection by their targeted types. However, there is a broad diversity of HPV types not targeted by the vaccines, and there is controversy about a possible increase in the prevalence of these non‐targeted types after a vaccination program. Here, we propose a within‐host metapopulation model to study the possibility of vaccine‐induced type replacement for oncogenic types. It is generally believed that the theoretical possibility of type replacement strongly depends on the existence of natural type competition mechanisms. Nevertheless, our results suggest that type replacement is viable at the within‐host level if the degree of cross‐protection induced by the vaccine is low, even if there is no underlying competition among HPV types. Consequently, the impact of current HPV vaccines at both the immunological and epidemiological levels rely upon the level of cross‐protection.
Integrating soft and hard dose‐volume constraints into hierarchical constrained IMRT optimization
Authors: Mukherjee Sovanlal , Hong Linda , Deasy Joseph O. , Zarepisheh Masoud
Published: November 2019

Purpose

Dose‐volume constraints (DVCs) continue to be common features in intensity‐modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) prescriptions, but they are non‐convex and difficult to incorporate. We propose computationally efficient methods to incorporate dose‐volume constraints (DVCs) into automated IMRT planning.

Methods

We propose a two‐phase approach: in phase‐1, we solve a convex approximation with DVCs. Although this convex approximation does not guarantee DVC satisfaction, it provides crucial initial information about voxels likely to receive doses below DVC thresholds. Subsequently, phase‐2 solves an optimization problem with maximum dose constraints imposed on those subthreshold voxels. We further categorize DVCs into hard‐ and soft‐DVCs, where hard‐DVCs are strictly enforced by the optimization and soft‐DVCs are encouraged in the objective function. We tested this approach in our automated treatment planning system which is based on hierarchical constrained optimization. Performance is demonstrated on a series of paraspinal, lung, oligometastasis, and prostate cases as well as a small paraspinal case for which we can computationally afford to obtain a ground‐truth by solving a non‐convex optimization problem.

Results

The proposed algorithm successfully meets all the hard‐DVCs while increasing the overall computational time of the baseline planning process (without DVCs) by 20%, 10%, and 11% for paraspinal, oligometastasis, and prostate cases, respectively. For a soft‐DVC applied to the lung case, the dose‐volume histogram curve moves toward the desired direction and the computational time is increased by 11%. For a low‐resolution paraspinal case, the ground‐truth solution process using mixed‐integer programming methods required 15 h while the proposed algorithm converges in only 2 min with a proximal solution.

Conclusions

A computationally tractable algorithm to handle hard‐ and soft‐DVCs is developed which is capable of satisfying DVCs without any parameter tweaking. Although the algorithm is demonstrated in our in‐house developed automated treatment planning system, it can potentially be used in any constrained optimization framework.
Improved fetal blood oxygenation and placental estimated measurements of diffusion‐weighted MRI using data‐driven Bayesian modeling
Authors: Flouri Dimitra , Owen David , Aughwane Rosalind , Mufti Nada , Maksym Kasia , Sokolska Magdalena , Kendall Giles , Bainbridge Alan , Atkinson David , Vercauteren Tom , Ourselin Sebastien , David Anna L. , Melbourne Andrew
Published: November 2019

Purpose

Motion correction in placental DW‐MRI is challenging due to maternal breathing motion, maternal movements, and rapid intensity changes. Parameter estimates are usually obtained using least‐squares methods for voxel‐wise fitting; however, they typically give noisy estimates due to low signal‐to‐noise ratio. We introduce a model‐driven registration (MDR) technique which incorporates a placenta‐specific signal model into the registration process, and we present a Bayesian approach for Diffusion‐rElaxation Combined Imaging for Detailed placental Evaluation model to obtain individual and population trends in estimated parameters.

Methods

MDR exploits the fact that a placenta signal model is available and thus we incorporate it into the registration to generate a series of target images. The proposed registration method is compared to a pre‐existing method used for DCE‐MRI data making use of principal components analysis. The Bayesian shrinkage prior (BSP) method has no user‐defined parameters and therefore measures of parameter variation in a region of interest are determined by the data alone. The MDR method and the Bayesian approach were evaluated on 10 control 4D DW‐MRI singleton placental data.

Results

MDR method improves the alignment of placenta data compared to the pre‐existing method. It also shows a further reduction of the residual error between the data and the fit. BSP approach showed higher precision leading to more clearly apparent spatial features in the parameter maps. Placental fetal oxygen saturation (FO2) showed a negative linear correlation with gestational age.

Conclusions

The proposed pipeline provides a robust framework for registering DW‐MRI data and analyzing longitudinal changes of placental function.
Remote Control of the Synthesis of a [2]Rotaxane and its Shuttling via Metal‐Ion Translocation
Authors: Paul Indrajit , Ghosh Amit , Bolte Michael , Schmittel Michael
Published: November 2019

Remote control in an eight‐component network commanded both the synthesis and shuttling of a [2]rotaxane via metal‐ion translocation, the latter being easily monitored by distinct colorimetric and fluorimetric signals. Addition of zinc(II) ions to the red colored copper‐ion relay station rapidly liberated copper(I) ions and afforded the corresponding zinc complex that was visualized by a bright sky blue fluorescence at 460 nm. In a mixture of all eight components of the network, the liberated copper(I) ions were translocated to a macrocycle that catalyzed formation of a rotaxane by a double‐click reaction of acetylenic and diazide compounds. The shuttling frequency in the copper‐loaded [2]rotaxane was determined to k298=30 kHz (ΔH≠=62.3±0.6 kJ mol−1, ΔS≠=50.1±5.1 J mol−1 K−1, ΔG≠298=47.4 kJ mol−1). Removal of zinc(II) ions from the mixture reversed the system back generating the metal‐free rotaxane. Further alternate addition and removal of Zn2+ reversibly controlled the shuttling mode of the rotaxane in this eight‐component network where the ion translocation status was monitored by the naked eye.
An Investigation of Low Velocity Impact Properties of Rotationally Molded Skin–Foam–Skin Sandwich Structure
Authors: Saifullah Abu , Thomas Ben , Cripps Robert , Tabeshfar Kamran , Wang Lei
Published: November 2019

In this study, the low velocity impact properties of rotationally molded skin–foam–skin sandwich structures were investigated experimentally since there is a need for a greater understanding of the impact behavior of these composites in service to extend the range of their applications. Polyethylene rotationally molded sandwich structures were manufactured at various skin and core layer thickness combinations and tested using an instrumented low velocity drop weight impact testing machine at 20–100 J impact energy levels, at room temperature. This allowed the identification of the impact response, failure mode, and the effects of the skin and core layer thickness on impact resistance. Force–deflection curves, maximum force, contact time, maximum deflection versus impact energy curves were analyzed. Samples were seen to fail due to the indentation dart piercing the upper and lower skins, with crushing and consolidation seen in the core foamed layer. Delamination at the core/skin interface was not observed. It was found that fracture initiates from the lower skin and then continues to grow to the upper skin via the foamed core layer. The impact resistance was noted to increase with increasing skin and core layer thickness; though an increase in skin layer thickness had a greater contribution than an increase in the core layer thickness. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 60: 387–397, 2019. © 2019 Society of Plastics Engineers