bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Statistical prediction of typhoon‐induced accumulated rainfall over the Korean Peninsula based on storm and rainfall data
Authors: Kim Hye‐Ji , Moon Il‐Ju , Kim Minyeong
Published: October 2019

A statistical model for typhoon‐induced accumulated rainfall (TAR) prediction over the Korean Peninsula using track, intensity and rainfall data of 91 typhoons affecting the peninsula during the period 1977–2014 is developed. The statistical estimation of the TAR consists of three steps: (1) estimating the TAR at 56 observational weather stations for the 91 typhoons; (2) selecting typhoons whose tracks are similar to that of the target typhoon within the area of 32–40 ° N and 120–138 ° E using a fuzzy C‐mean clustering method; and (3) calculating the mean TAR for the 16 selected typhoons based on track similarity after an intensity correction of the TAR using a linear regression between the TAR and intensity anomaly. To validate the model, real case predictions were performed on typhoons Chan‐hom and Goni in 2015 and compared with the observed TARs as well as with those from local and global operational models. The result showed that when the best‐track data are used, the present statistical model can predict the TAR with the accuracy of mean root mean square errors (RMSEs) of 33 mm (Chan‐hom) and 29 mm (Goni) at the 56 stations, which were much less than the results of the local model. With the predicted track and intensity data for the two typhoons, the present model also showed an overall good performance with RMSEs of 30–34 mm (Chan‐hom) and 29–49 mm (Goni), depending on the accuracy of the predicted track and intensity, which were generally less than the results of the global model.
Association of soluble CD40 levels with ‐1 C > T CD40 polymorphism and chronic kidney disease in systemic lupus erythematosus
Authors: Tapia‐Llanos Raziel , Muñoz‐Valle José F. , Román‐Fernández Ilce V. , Marín‐Rosales Miguel , Salazar‐Camarena Diana C. , Cruz Alvaro , Orozco‐Barocio Gerardo , Guareña‐Casillas Jorge A. , Oregon‐Romero Edith , Palafox‐Sánchez Claudia A.
Published: October 2019

Background

CD40 is a transmembrane protein mainly expressed on the antigen‐presenting cells surface. CD40 plays a crucial role in immunoglobulin class switching and antibodies production. Genetic polymorphisms in the CD40 gene have been associated with increased risk of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in several populations. This study aimed to evaluate the association of CD40 polymorphisms (−1 C > T, rs1883832 and 6,048 G > T, rs4810485) with SLE susceptibility, as well as with mRNA expression and soluble CD40 (sCD40) levels.

Methods

The study included 293 patients with SLE and 294 control subjects (CS). Genotyping was performed by PCR‐RFLP method. CD40 mRNA expression was determined by quantitative real‐time PCR, and ELISA quantified sCD40 levels.

Results

The CD40 polymorphisms −1 C > T and 6,048 G > T were associated with SLE susceptibility. There was no difference between CD40 mRNA expression and CD40 polymorphisms. The sCD40 levels were lower in SLE patients with TT haplotype, whereas higher sCD40 levels were associated with damage and impaired renal function according to SLICC and KDIGO. The sCD40 levels were negatively correlated with eGFR.

Conclusion

The CD40 gene polymorphisms increase the risk of SLE in the western Mexican population. The sCD40 levels are associated with −1 C > T polymorphism and chronic kidney disease.
Chaperones in sporadic inclusion body myositis—Validation of proteomic data
Authors: Güttsches Anne‐Katrin , Jacobsen Frank , Schreiner Anja , Mertens‐Rill Janine , Tegenthoff Martin , Marcus Katrin , Vorgerd Matthias , Kley Rudolf A.
Published: October 2019

Introduction

Sporadic inclusion body myositis (sIBM) is characterized by myopathological features including rimmed vacuoles (RVs) and proteins associated with protein aggregation, autophagy, and inflammation. Previous proteomic studies of RV areas revealed an overrepresentation of several chaperones and subunits of the T‐complex protein 1 (TCP‐1), which is involved in prevention of protein aggregation.

Methods

To validate our proteomic findings, immunofluorescence analyses of selected chaperones and quantitative Western blot analysis of TCP‐1 proteins were performed in five sIBM patients and five healthy controls.

Results

Immunofluorescence studies confirmed increased immunoreactivity for VCP, UNC45B, GRP‐75, αB‐crystallin, LAMP‐2, Rab‐7a, and TCP‐1α and TCP‐θ in RVs. Quantitative Western blot analysis revealed a significantly higher level of TCP‐1 in sIBM muscle tissue when compared with healthy controls.

Discussion

Our study findings validate new insights in protein quality control and degradation processes that seem to be relevant in sIBM. These data provide an important basis for future functional and therapeutic studies.
Intraday and interday reliability of pelvic floor muscles electromyography in continent woman
Authors: Scharschmidt Ronja , Derlien Steffen , Siebert Tobias , Herbsleb Marco , Stutzig Norman
Published: October 2019

Aims

Vaginal surface electromyography (sEMG) is a tool used for the diagnosis and therapeutic intervention of urinary incontinence. Current sEMG systems differ in regard to electrode arrangement and data reproducibility. The aim of this study was to determine the intrasession, intraday, and interday reliabilities of sEMG parameters using a probe with circumferential electrode‐position.

Methods

The intrasession, intraday, and interday reliabilities of maximum isometric voluntary contractions (MVC) of the pelvic floor muscles were assessed for 19 healthy continent women. Three sEMG parameters that are used to describe muscle activity were verified: maximal EMG (EMGmax), mean over 500 ms around EMGmax (EMGA0.5), and mean over 2 seconds during MVC plateau (EMGA2‐4). Relative and absolute reliability parameters were calculated, and the statistical methods described by Bland and Altman were applied to the data.

Results

We observed substantial reliabilities for all obtained parameters (EMGmax, EMGA2‐4, and EMGA0.5) in regard to the intrasession measurements (ICC = 0.93‐0.97; CI = 0.86‐0.99). Overall, the intraday reliability has been moderate (ICC = 0.64‐0.75; CI = 0.27‐0.90). EMGmax (ICC = 0.75; CI = 0.45‐0.90) and EMGA2‐4 (ICC = 0.73, CI = 0.42‐0.89) were higher than EMGA0.5 (ICC = 0.64; CI = 0.27‐0.85). However, the interday reliability was only fair for EMGmax (ICC = 0.48; CI = 0.04‐0.77) and EMGA0.5 (ICC = 0.51; CI = 0.07‐0.78) but moderate for EMGA2‐4 (ICC = 0.65; CI = 0.28‐0.85).

Conclusions

This intrasession, intraday, and interday reliability results are similar to the results reported in the literature using probes with longitudinally oriented bars. The mean sEMG signal over 2 seconds (EMGA2‐4) exhibited the highest reliability and is recommended for further studies. The interday reliability might be enhanced by considering the menstruation cycle.
Complete implicit stress integration algorithm with extended subloading surface model for elastoplastic deformation analysis
Authors: Anjiki Takuya , Oka Masanori , Hashiguchi Koichi
Published: October 2019

The subloading surface model released from a purely elastic domain is capable of describing not only monotonic but also cyclic loading behaviors accurately. It is expected that elastoplastic deformation analyses can be performed with high accuracy and efficiency by the complete implicit stress integration algorithm with a return‐mapping projection. Various implicit stress integration algorithms for the subloading surface model have been proposed. However, they are applicable only to the monotonic loading behavior since they adopt the incorrect loading criterion presuming that the subloading surface expands in the plastic loading process. In fact, however, the plastic strain rate is induced even when the subloading surface contracts in the elastic trial step. Therefore, erroneous results in the descriptions of unloading‐reloading and cyclic loading behaviors are caused in the calculations with the existing algorithms. The complete implicit stress integration method is formulated adopting the rigorous loading criterion and implemented in Abaqus in this study. Numerical analyses for the elastoplastic deformation behaviors in the single‐element are performed by the present and the existing algorithms. In addition, the deformation analysis of the R‐notched cylinder is performed by the present algorithm. High performability of the present algorithm is confirmed by these numerical calculation results.
Adjoint Hamiltonian Monte Carlo algorithm for the estimation of elastic modulus through the inversion of elastic wave propagation data
Authors: Koch Michael C. , Fujisawa Kazunori , Murakami Akira
Published: October 2019

Efficient inversion of noisy seismic waveform data produced due to elastic wave propagation for the estimation of a high‐dimensional elastic modulus vector is achieved. Estimation is carried out in a Bayesian framework using Hamiltonian Monte Carlo (HMC) that enables efficient statistical estimation over high‐dimensional parameters. The truncated Karhunen‐Loève (K‐L) expansion is introduced to reduce the dimensionality of the elastic modulus vector. Expensive computations of the gradient of the state vector with respect to the parameter vector at every step are also eliminated through the adjoint method, which is developed from a general one‐step discretization of the governing second‐order ordinary differential equations (ODEs). An Adjoint HMC algorithm that employs a truncated K‐L expansion of the elastic modulus vector is presented. The efficacy of the algorithm is investigated with respect to two representative problems with varying geometric complexity. Adjoint HMC offers a significant speed up in gradient calculation time over the direct differentiation counterpart as the number of terms in the K‐L expansion increases. The algorithm is able to estimate the true elastic modulus within the credible intervals for both cases.
A numerical integration approach for fractional‐order viscoelastic analysis of hereditary‐aging structures
Authors: Beltempo Angela , Bonelli Alessio , Bursi Oreste S. , Zingales Massimiliano
Published: October 2019

In this paper, a novel numerical integration scheme is proposed for fractional‐order viscoelastic analysis of hereditary‐aging structures. More precisely, the idea of aging is first introduced through a new phenomenological viscoelastic model characterized by variable‐order fractional operators. Then, the presented fractional‐order viscoelastic model is included in a variational formulation, conceived for any viscous kernel and discretized in time by employing a discontinuous Galerkin method. The accuracy of the resulting finite element (FE) scheme is analyzed through a model problem, whose exact solution is known; and the most significant variables affecting the solution quality, such as the number of Gaussian quadrature points and time subintervals, are then investigated in terms of error and computational cost. Moreover, the proposed FE integration scheme is applied to study the short‐ and long‐term behavior of concrete structures, which, due to the severe aging exhibited during their service life, represents one of the most challenging time‐dependent behavior to be investigated. Eventually, also the Euler implicit method, commonly used in commercial software, is compared.
Distributed optimal control of viscous Burgers' equation via a high‐order, linearization, integral, nodal discontinuous Gegenbauer‐Galerkin method
Authors: Elgindy Kareem T. , Karasözen Bülent
Published: October 2019

We developed a novel direct optimization method to solve distributed optimal control of viscous Burgers' equation over a finite‐time horizon by minimizing the distance between the state function and a desired target state profile along with the energy of the control. Through a novel linearization strategy, well‐conditioned integral reformulations, optimal Gegenbauer barycentric quadratures, and nodal discontinuous Galerkin discretizations, the method reduces such optimal control problems into finite‐dimensional, nonlinear programming problems subject to linear algebraic system of equations and discrete mixed path inequality constraints that can be solved easily using standard optimization software. The proposed method produces “an auxiliary control function” that provides a useful model to explicitly define the optimal controller of the state variable. We present an error analysis of the semidiscretization and full discretization of the weak form of the reduced equality constraint system equations to demonstrate the exponential convergence of the method. The accuracy of the proposed method is examined using two numerical examples for various target state functions in the existence/absence of control bounds. The proposed method is exponentially convergent in both space and time, thus producing highly accurate approximations using a significantly small number of collocation points.
Synthetic Activators of Cell Migration Designed by Constructive Machine Learning
Authors: Bruns Dominique , Merk Daniel , Santhana Kumar Karthiga , Baumgartner Martin , Schneider Gisbert
Published: October 2019

Constructive machine learning aims to create examples from its learned domain which are likely to exhibit similar properties. Here, a recurrent neural network was trained with the chemical structures of known cell‐migration modulators. This machine learning model was used to generate new molecules that mimic the training compounds. Two top‐scoring designs were synthesized, and tested for functional activity in a phenotypic spheroid cell migration assay. These computationally generated small molecules significantly increased the migration of medulloblastoma cells. The results further corroborate the applicability of constructive machine learning to the de novo design of druglike molecules with desired properties.
An Afrocentric exploration of Jacob Zuma's anti Apartheid stance: The question of Israeli–Palestinian struggle
Authors: Rapanyane Makhura Benjamin
Published: October 2019

In this article, the author utilizes interdisciplinary critical discourse analysis to analyse the state of South Africa–Israel relations under the Zuma‐led African National Congress (ANC). The author ground roots this article on Afrocentricity as the alternative theoretical framework to identify the position of the ANC in relation to the unfolding events in Israel and broadly analyse this position in order to make sense of it. This is done within the context of the Zuma‐led ANC in order to tease out major contradictions, which characterizes the administration of Zuma's stance on attested Apartheid Israel. The central question engaged with in this article is to determine whether political and ideological counterstatements to those the ANC communicated, by some of the opposition political parties such as African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP), had any major implications on South Africa's foreign policy on the Apartheid Israel. In this article, the author argues extensively that Zuma's foreign policy on Israel can best be understood when located into his entire term as president of South Africa and the NASREC resolution of 2017.
Insights revealed by the co‐crystal structure of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae histidine phosphotransfer protein Ypd1 and the receiver domain of its downstream response regulator Ssk1
Authors: Branscum Katie M. , Menon Smita K. , Foster Clay A. , West Ann H.
Published: October 2019

Two‐component signaling systems are the primary means by which bacteria, archaea, and certain plants and fungi react to their environments. The model yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, uses the Sln1 signaling pathway to respond to hyperosmotic stress. This pathway contains a hybrid histidine kinase (Sln1) that autophosphorylates and transfers a phosphoryl group to its own receiver domain (R1). The phosphoryl group is then transferred to a histidine phosphotransfer protein (Ypd1) that finally passes it to the receiver domain (R2) of a downstream response regulator (Ssk1). Under normal conditions, Ssk1 is constitutively and preferentially phosphorylated in the phosphorelay. Upon detecting hyperosmotic stress, Ssk1 rapidly dephosphorylates and activates the high‐osmolarity glycerol (HOG) pathway, initiating a response. Despite their distinct physiological roles, both Sln1 and Ssk1 bind to Ypd1 at a common docking site. Co‐crystal structures of response regulators in complex with their phosphorelay partners are scarce, leaving many mechanistic and structural details uncharacterized for systems like the Sln1 pathway. In this work, we present the co‐crystal structure of Ypd1 and a near wild‐type variant of the receiver domain of Ssk1 (Ssk1‐R2‐W638A) at a resolution of 2.80 Å. Our structural analyses of Ypd1‐receiver domain complexes, biochemical determination of binding affinities for Ssk1‐R2 variants, in silico free energy estimates, and sequence comparisons reveal distinctive electrostatic properties of the Ypd1/Ssk1‐R2‐W638A complex that may provide insight into the regulation of the Sln1 pathway as a function of dynamic osmolyte concentration.
IsCT‐based analogs intending better biological activity
Authors: Acevedo Isabel Cristina Chica , Silva Jr Pedro Ismael , Silva Fernanda Dias , Araújo Iris , Alves Flávio Lopes , Oliveira Cyntia Silva , Oliveira Jr Vani Xavier
Published: October 2019

IsCT1‐NH2 is a cationic antimicrobial peptide isolated from the venom of the scorpion Opisthacanthus madagascariensis that has a tendency to form an α‐helical structure and shows potent antimicrobial activity and also inopportunely shows hemolytic effects. In this study, five IsCT1 (ILGKIWEGIKSLF)‐based analogs with amino acid modifications at positions 1, 3, 5, or 8 and one analog with three simultaneous substitutions at the 1, 5, and 8 positions were designed. The net charge of each analog was between +2 and +3. The peptides obtained were characterized by mass spectrometry and analyzed by circular dichroism for their structure in different media. Studies of antimicrobial activity, hemolytic activity, and stability against proteases were also carried out.

Peptides with a substitution at position 3 or 5 ([L]3‐IsCT1‐NH2, [K]3‐IsCT1‐NH2, or [F]5‐IsCT1‐NH2) showed no significant change in an activity relative to IsCT1‐NH2. The addition of a proline residue at position 8 ([P]8‐IsCT1‐NH2) reduced the hemolytic activity as well as the antimicrobial activity (MIC ranging 3.13‐50 μmol L−1), and the addition of a tryptophan residue at position 1 ([W]1‐IsCT1‐NH2) increased the hemolytic activity (MHC = 1.56 μmol L−1) without an improvement in antimicrobial activity. The analog [A]1[F]5[K]8‐IsCT1‐NH2, which carries three simultaneous modifications, presented increasing or equivalent values in antimicrobial activity (MIC approximately 0.38 and 12.5 μmol L−1) with a reduction in hemolytic activity. In addition, this analog presented the best resistance against proteases. This kind of strategy can find functional hotspots in peptide molecules in an attempt to generate novel potent peptide antibiotics.
Nature of mercury inclusion in intermediate 6‐valence electron [M@Au8Hgx(PPh3)8]n+ (M = Au, Pd, Pt; x = 0‐2) protected gold superatoms: Insights from relativistic density functional theory calculations
Authors: Quintana Constanza G. , Ocayo Fernanda , Guajardo Maturana Raul , Hurtado John J. , Muñoz‐Castro Alvaro
Published: October 2019

Superatomic clusters offer useful templates displaying distinctive physical and chemical characteristics. Here, we explore the [M@Au8(PPh3)8]n+ (M = Au, n = 3; Pd, Pt, n = 2) robust framework to gain an understanding of the nature of the inclusion of mercury atoms at Au4 faces, leading to [M@Au8Hgx(PPh3)8]n+ (x = 1, 2). Our results show a weak interaction of about 25 kcal mol−1 per Hg atom, which is mainly of electrostatic character, followed by orbital and London dispersion‐type interactions. This weak interaction can be understood as the formation of host‐guest species, for which the inherent electronic and optical properties of the [M@Au8(PPh3)8] cluster along the series do not vary to a large extent. This demonstrates that, in [M@Au8Hgx(PPh3)8], each Hg can be considered an inclusion atom rather than a dopant element, where the parent cluster is able to act as a Lewis acid host. Furthermore, the viable formation of such species can serve as useful examples to stimulate future experimental characterization of inclusion complexes involving related superatomic structures with available open faces.
CO2‐Philic Separation Membrane: Deep Eutectic Solvent Filled Graphene Oxide Nanoslits
Authors: Lin Hanqing , Gong Ke , Ying Wen , Chen Danke , Zhang Jun , Yan Youguo , Peng Xinsheng
Published: October 2019

CO2 capture and sequestration is an energy‐intensive industry to deal with the global greenhouse effect. Membrane separation is considered a cost‐effective method to mitigate the emission of CO2. Though good separation performance and stability have been reported, supported ionic liquid membranes are still not widely applied for CO2 separation due to the high cost. As a novel analogous solvent to ionic liquid, deep eutectic solvent retains the excellent merits of ionic liquid and is cheap with facile preparation. Herein, a highly CO2‐philic separation membrane is constructed by nanoconfining choline chloride/ethylene glycol (ChCl/EG) deep eutectic solvent into graphene oxide nanoslits. Molecular dynamic simulation results indicate that the confinement makes a difference to the structure of the nanoconfined ChCl/EG liquid from their bulk, which remarkably facilitates CO2 transport. By tuning the molar ratio of ChCl/EG and thickness of the membrane, the resultant membrane exhibits outstanding separation performance for CO2 with excellent selectivity over other light gases, good long‐term durability, and thermal stability. This makes it a promising membrane for selective CO2 separation.
Structural Characterization of Controlled Decrystallization of Cassava Starch
Authors: Lin Ri‐Hui , Fan Yan‐Ye , Liu Tao , Yang Hui , Ma Li‐Juan , Huang Xia‐Jie , Liu Yue
Published: October 2019

Native starch granule has a complex crystalline structure. Controlled decrystallization cassava starch (CDCS) was prepared by the alcohol–alkali method. Polarized microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis of the CDCS are carried out to investigate its structural information. The results show that the relative crystallinity (RC) of the processed cassava starches can be reduced from 25.56% to 17.90% by adjusting the concentration of sodium hydroxide while keeping the integrity of the starch granule. During the decrystallization process, as the sodium hydroxide concentration is increased from 0.25 to 1.25 mol L−1, the polarized light of the starch granules disappear from the inside to the outside, and the X‐ray diffraction peaks of native cassava starch (NCS) disappear sequentially from 17.16°, 23.04°, 15.08°, to 17.83°. On the other hand, the FTIR peaks of the NCS centered at 1645 cm−1 is shifted to about 1600 cm−1, and the intensity of the peaks at 3424, 2929, 1645, and 1017 cm−1 become weaker with decrystallization process. This study provides valuable data and a theoretical basis to understand the mechanism of the controlled decrystallization of cassava starch.
Ecosystem engineers: Biofilms and the ontogeny of glacier floodplain ecosystems
Authors: Roncoroni Matteo , Brandani Jade , Battin Tom I. , Lane Stuart N.
Published: October 2019

The term “ecosystem engineering” emerged in the 1990s and is commonly used to refer to the activities of larger organisms like beavers and trees in rivers and streams. The focus on larger organisms may be motivated by their more visible effects on the environment. However, while it may be intuitive to suggest that the bigger the organism the bigger its potential engineering effects, there may be microscale organisms who through their number rather than their size can act simultaneously to result in significant impacts. This paper considers biofilms as a candidate ecosystem engineer. It is well known that biofilms play an important role in enriching the sediment matrix of nutrients and in stabilizing sediments. Biofilms may be critical in increasing the habitability of the benthic substratum. In this paper, we consider their potential role in the ontogeny of ecosystems in recently deglaciated terrain. We show how by changing sediment stoichiometry, decreasing sediment erodibility, and reducing surface sediment permeability they may promote primary succession on lateral, incised terraces, which are less perturbed compared with the main active floodplain.

This article is categorized under:

Water and Life > Nature of Freshwater Ecosystems

Science of Water > Water and Environmental Change
Nitrogen release and plant available nitrogen of composted and un‐composted biosolids
Authors: Oladeji Olawale , Tian Guanglong , Lindo Pauline , Kumar Kuldip , Cox Albert , Hundal Lakhwinder , Zhang Heng , Podczerwinski Edward
Published: October 2019

The nitrogen (N) release from composted and un‐composted biosolids and plant available N (PAN) of the biosolids were quantified to evaluate if composting can contribute to stabilize biosolids N and reduce the nitrate () leaching potential in biosolids‐amended soil. Biosolids were composted at >55°C for 21 days after mixing the biosolids with yard waste at 1:1 (w/w) ratio. In the N release study, we installed field lysimeters filled with soil (sand and clay) amended with composted and un‐composted biosolids at two rates (30 and 150 dry Mg/ha) and measured the inorganic N in leachate after each rainfall and soil inorganic N monthly. The N released from composted biosolids during the two‐year study period were lower (6% of organic N added for clay and 11% for sandy loam soil) as compared to un‐composted biosolids (14% of organic N added for clay and 21% for sandy soils). Composted biosolids showed a lower N release rate constant k value of 0.0014 and 0.0027 month−1 for clay and sandy soil, respectively, compared to corresponding values of 0.0035 and 0.0068 month−1 for un‐composted biosolids. We used greenhouse bioassay with corn (Zea mays), ryegrass (Lolium perenne), and Miscanthus (Miscanthus giganteus) as test plants grown for six months with reference to N chemical fertilizer ranging from 0, 75, 150 to 300 kg N/ha to evaluate the PAN of the biosolids. Based on our study, plant growth was not affected by using either composted or un‐composted biosolids but the PAN was lower in composted biosolids (4.0%–5.9%) than un‐composted biosolids (11.4%–13.6%). Composting results in higher N‐retention efficiency in biosolids and composted biosolids are a valuable source of N to support the plant growth with lower N released to the environment. Thus, the potential of N leaching would still be low in the situations where a high rate of biosolids needs to be applied for land reclamation or landscaping soil reconstruction.

Practitioner points

Composting enhances N‐retention efficiency in biosolids and composted biosolids are a valuable source of N to support the plant growth with lower N released to the environment.

Potential of N leaching would still be low in the situations where a high rate of biosolids needs to be applied for land reclamation or landscaping soil reconstruction.

N released from composted and un‐composted biosolids can be adequately described by first‐order kinetic model.
Forward osmosis with an algal draw solution to concentrate municipal wastewater and recover resources
Authors: Rood Brent , Zhang Chiqian , Inniss Enos , Hu Zhiqiang
Published: October 2019

This study aimed to concentrate and recover resources from municipal wastewater with a novel forward osmosis (FO) system. The FO system used synthetic seawater as the draw solution (DS) to extract water from the feed solution (FS) (synthetic raw municipal wastewater). Because ammonium passed through the FO membrane from the FS to the DS, we cultivated an algal strain (Chlorella vulgaris) in the DS to remove and recover ammonium. For three consecutive FO cycles, the algal FO system removed 35.4% of the ammonium from the DS, increased the concentrations of COD and in the FS by 43.0%, and achieved a water flux of 11.59 ± 0.49 L m−2 hr−1. Throughout the FO cycles, the algal biomass concentration of the DS stayed at 606 ± 29 mg COD/L due to simultaneous algal growth and DS dilution. This FO process may be feasible to implement for full‐scale applications to concentrate wastewater and recover resources.

Practitioner points

A novel forward osmosis (FO) system with an algal draw solution (DS) concentrated municipal wastewater and recovered resources (ammonium).

Ammonium but not organic matter or phosphate diffused across the FO membrane from the feed solution (FS) to the DS.

The algal FO system increased COD/phosphate concentration in the FS by 43.0% and removed 35.4% of ammonium from the DS.

The water fluxes in the algal FO system and the control were 11.59 and 12.02 L m−2 hr−1, respectively.

The novel algal FO process has the potential to improve full‐scale efficiency by concentrating municipal wastewater and recovering nutrients.
Theranostic small interfering RNA nanoparticles in cancer precision nanomedicine
Authors: Chen Zhihang , Krishnamachary Balaji , Pachecho‐Torres Jesus , Penet Marie‐France , Bhujwalla Zaver M.
Published: October 2019

Due to their ability to effectively downregulate the expression of target genes, small interfering RNA (siRNA) have emerged as promising candidates for precision medicine in cancer. Although some siRNA‐based treatments have advanced to clinical trials, challenges such as poor stability during circulation, and less than optimal pharmacokinetics and biodistribution of siRNA in vivo present barriers to the systemic delivery of siRNA. In recent years, theranostic nanomedicine integrating siRNA delivery has attracted significant attention for precision medicine. Theranostic nanomedicine takes advantage of the high capacity of nanoplatforms to ferry cargo with imaging and therapeutic capabilities. These theranostic nanoplatforms have the potential to play a major role in gene specific treatments. Here we have reviewed recent advances in the use of theranostic nanoplatforms to deliver siRNA, and discussed the opportunities as well as challenges associated with this exciting technology.

This article is categorized under:

Diagnostic Tools > In Vivo Nanodiagnostics and Imaging

Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Nanomedicine for Oncologic Disease

Implantable Materials and Surgical Technologies > Nanomaterials and Implants
Current overview on viroid–host interactions
Authors: Adkar‐Purushothama Charith Raj , Perreault Jean‐Pierre
Published: October 2019

Viroids are one of the most enigmatic highly structured, circular, single‐stranded RNA phytopathogens. Although they are not known to code for any peptide, viroids induce visible symptoms in susceptible host plants that resemble those associated with many plant viruses. It is known that viroids induce disease symptoms by direct interaction with host factors; however, the precise mechanism by which this occurs remains poorly understood. Studies on the host's responses to viroid infection, host susceptibility and nonhost resistance have been underway for several years, but much remains to be done in order to fully understand the complex nature of viroid–host interactions. Recent progress using molecular biology techniques combined with computational algorithms, in particular evidence of the role of viroid‐derived small RNAs in the RNA silencing pathways of a disease network, has widened the knowledge of viroid pathogenicity. The complexity of viroid–host interactions has been revealed in the past decades to include, but not be limited to, the involvement of host factors, viroid structural complexity, and viroid‐induced ribosomal stress, which is further boosted by the discovery of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs). In this review, the current understanding of the viroid–host interaction has been summarized with the goal of simplifying the complexity of viroid biology for future research.

This article is categorized under:

RNA in Disease and Development > RNA in Disease
Synthesis and Characterization of Salts of the 3,6‐Dinitro‐[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3‐b][1,2,4]triazolate Anion: Insensitive Energetic Materials Available From Economical Precursors
Authors: Gettings Matthew L. , Zeller Matthias , Byrd Edward , Piercey Davin G.
Published: October 2019

In this work, the treatment of 3,6,7‐triamino‐[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3‐b][1,2,4]triazole (TATOT)[1] with sulfuric acid and sodium nitrite results in elimination of the N‐amine and the formation of the new energetic anion 3,6‐dinitro‐[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3‐b][1,2,4]triazolate (DNTT) via nitro‐Sandmeyer chemistry. This new energetic anion is available in a convenient and inexpensive three‐step process from inexpensive commercial starting materials. Several nitrogen rich salts of this material have been prepared and their chemical (infrared, Raman, NMR, single‐crystal X‐ray) and energetic (impact, friction, thermal) properties determined. As a rule, this class of energetic salts are insensitive energetic materials.
Radiogenic backgrounds in the NEXT double beta decay experiment
Authors:   The NEXT collaboration, Novella P. , Palmeiro B. , Sorel M. , Usón A. , Ferrario P. , Gómez-Cadenas J. J. , Adams C. , Álvarez V. , Arazi L. , Arnquist I. J. , Azevedo C. D. R , Bailey K. , Ballester F. , Benlloch-Rodríguez J. M. , Borges F. I. G. M. , Byrnes N. , Cárcel S. , Carrión J. V. , Cebrían S. , Church E. , Conde C. A. N. , Contreras T. , Díaz G. , Díaz J. , Diesburg M. , Escada J. , Esteve R. , Felkai R. , Fernandes A. F. M. , Fernandes L. M. P. , Ferreira A. L. , Freitas E. D. C. , Generowicz J. , Ghosh S. , Goldschmidt A. , Gonźalez-Díaz D. , Guenette R. , Gutiérrez R. M. , Haefner J. , Hafidi K. , Hauptman J. , Henriques C. A. O. , Hernando Morata J. A. , Herrero P. , Herrero V. , Ifergan Y. , Johnston S. , Jones B. J. P. , Kekic M. , Labarga L. , Laing A. , Lebrun P. , López-March N. , Losada M. , Mano R. D. P. , Martín-Albo J. , Martínez A. , Martínez-Lema G. , McDonald A. D. , Monrabal F. , Monteiro C. M. B. , Mora F. J. , Muñoz Vidal J. , Nygren D. R. , Para A. , Pérez J. , Psihas F. , Querol M. , Renner J. , Repond J. , Riordan S. , Ripoll L. , Rodríguez García Y. , Rodríguez J. , Rogers L. , Romeo B. , Romo-Luque C. , Santos F. P. , dos Santos J. M. F. , Simón A. , Sofka C. , Stiegler T. , Toledo J. F. , Torrent J. , Veloso J. F. C. A. , Webb R. , Weiss-Babai R. , White J. T. , Woodruff K. , Yahlali N.
Published: October 2019

Abstract

Natural radioactivity represents one of the main backgrounds in the search for neutrinoless double beta decay. Within the NEXT physics program, the radioactivity- induced backgrounds are measured with the NEXT-White detector. Data from 37.9 days of low-background operations at the Laboratorio Subterráneo de Canfranc with xenon depleted in 136Xe are analyzed to derive a total background rate of (0.84±0.02) mHz above 1000 keV. The comparison of data samples with and without the use of the radon abatement system demonstrates that the contribution of airborne-Rn is negligible. A radiogenic background model is built upon the extensive radiopurity screening campaign conducted by the NEXT collaboration. A spectral fit to this model yields the specific contributions of 60Co, 40K, 214Bi and 208Tl to the total background rate, as well as their location in the detector volumes. The results are used to evaluate the impact of the radiogenic backgrounds in the double beta decay analyses, after the application of topological cuts that reduce the total rate to (0.25±0.01) mHz. Based on the best-fit background model, the NEXT-White median sensitivity to the two-neutrino double beta decay is found to be 3.5σ after 1 year of data taking. The background measurement in a Q
ββ

±100 keV energy window validates the best-fit background model also for the neutrinoless double beta decay search with NEXT-100. Only one event is found, while the model expectation is (0.75±0.12) events.
Unified web for expansions of amplitudes
Authors: Zhou Kang
Published: October 2019

Abstract

In this paper, we demonstrate that using differential operators one can construct the complete unified web for expansions of amplitudes for a wide range of theories. We first re-derive the expansion of multi-trace Einstein-Yang-Mills amplitudes to Kleiss-Kuijf basis of color-ordered Yang-Mills amplitudes, by applying proper differential operators which modify the coefficients in the recursive expansion of single-trace Einstein- Yang-Mills amplitudes. Next, through differential operators which act on amplitudes only, we obtain expansions of amplitudes of Yang-Mills theory, Yang-Mills-scalar theory, ϕ
4 theory, non-linear sigma model, bi-adjoint scalar theory, Born-Infeld theory, Dirac-Born-Infeld theory and special Galileon theory. Then, together with other results in literatures, the complete unified web is achieved. This web for expansions is the dual version of the unified web for differential operators. Thus, connections among amplitudes of a variety of theories, which are reflected by Cachazo-He-Yuan integrands and differential operators previously, can also be represented by expansions. We also find that amplitudes of all theories in the web can be expanded to double color-ordered bi-adjoint scalar amplitudes in the double copy formula.
The Selfish Higgs
Authors: Giudice G.F. , Kehagias A. , Riotto A.
Published: October 2019

Abstract

We propose a mechanism to solve the Higgs naturalness problem through a cosmological selection process. The discharging of excited field configurations through membrane nucleation leads to discrete jumps of the cosmological constant and the Higgs mass, which vary in a correlated way. The resulting multitude of universes are all empty, except for those in which the cosmological constant and the Higgs mass are both nearly vanishing. Only under these critical conditions can inflation be activated and create a non-empty universe.
Kähler moduli stabilization from ten dimensions
Authors: Bena Iosif , Graña Mariana , Kovensky Nicolas , Retolaza Ander
Published: October 2019

Abstract

We describe the back-reaction of gaugino condensates in supersymmetric AdS4 Type II String Theory compactifications with fluxes. We use generalized complex geometry to capture the modification of the ten-dimensional supersymmetry equations and show that the cosmological constant prevents the cycle wrapped by the branes with gaugino condensation from shrinking to zero size. Thus, unlike in ordinary geometric transitions in flat space, the volume of this cycle remains finite. For D7 branes with gaugino condensation, this gives a ten-dimensional account of Kähler moduli stabilization. Furthermore, by matching the ten-dimensional supergravity solutions near and far from the cycle wrapped by the D7 branes, we find a relation between the size of this cycle and the cosmological constant. This relation agrees with the supersymmetric AdS vacuum condition obtained by KKLT using effective field theory.
Impacts of genomic research on soybean improvement in East Asia
Authors: Li Man-Wah , Wang Zhili , Jiang Bingjun , Kaga Akito , Wong Fuk-Ling , Zhang Guohong , Han Tianfu , Chung Gyuhwa , Nguyen Henry , Lam Hon-Ming
Published: October 2019

It has been commonly accepted that soybean domestication originated in East Asia. Although East Asia has the historical merit in soybean production, the USA has become the top soybean producer in the world since 1950s. Following that, Brazil and Argentina have been the major soybean producers since 1970s and 1990s, respectively. China has once been the exporter of soybean to Japan before 1990s, yet she became a net soybean importer as Japan and the Republic of Korea do. Furthermore, the soybean yield per unit area in East Asia has stagnated during the past decade. To improve soybean production and enhance food security in these East Asian countries, much investment has been made, especially in the breeding of better performing soybean germplasms. As a result, China, Japan, and the Republic of Korea have become three important centers for soybean genomic research. With new technologies, the rate and precision of the identification of important genomic loci associated with desired traits from germplasm collections or mutants have increased significantly. Genome editing on soybean is also becoming more established. The year 2019 marked a new era for crop genome editing in the commercialization of the first genome-edited plant product, which is a high-oleic-acid soybean oil. In this review, we have summarized the latest developments in soybean breeding technologies and the remarkable progress in soybean breeding-related research in China, Japan, and the Republic of Korea.
Combining alpha radiation-based brachytherapy with immunomodulators promotes complete tumor regression in mice via tumor-specific long-term immune response
Authors: Domankevich Vered , Cohen Adi , Efrati Margalit , Schmidt Michael , Rammensee Hans-Georg , Nair Sujit S. , Tewari Ashutosh , Kelson Itzhak , Keisari Yona
Published: October 2019

Diffusing alpha-emitters radiation therapy (DaRT) is the only known method for treating solid tumors with highly destructive alpha radiation. More importantly, as a monotherapy, DaRT has been shown to induce a systemic antitumor immune response following tumor ablation. Here, immunomodulatory strategies to boost the antitumor immune response induced by DaRT, and the response specificity, were investigated in the colon cancer CT26 mouse model. Local treatment prior to DaRT, with the TLR3 agonist poly I:C, was sufficient to inhibit tumor growth relative to poly I:C or DaRT alone. DaRT used in combination with the TLR9 agonist CpG, or with the TLR1/2 agonist XS15 retarded tumor growth and increased tumor-rejection rates, compared to DaRT alone, curing 41% and 20% of the mice, respectively. DaRT in combination with CpG, the Treg inhibitor cyclophosphamide, and the MDSC inhibitor sildenafil, cured 51% of the animals, compared to only 6% and 0% cure when immunomodulation or DaRT was used alone, respectively. Challenge and Winn assays revealed that these high cure rates involved a specific immunological memory against CT26 antigens. We suggest that DaRT acts in synergy with immunomodulation to induce a specific and systemic antitumor immune response. This strategy may serve as a safe and efficient method not only for tumor ablation, but also for in situ vaccination of cancer patients.
Are There Ideal Small Bowel Limb Lengths for One‐Anastomosis Gastric Bypass (OAGB) to Obtain Optimal Weight Loss and Remission of Comorbidities with Minimal Nutritional Deficiencies?
Authors: Ruiz‐Tovar Jaime , Carbajo Miguel A. , Jimenez Jose M. , Luque‐de‐Leon Enrique , Ortiz‐de‐Solorzano Javier , Castro Maria J.
Published: October 2019

Background

Ideal jejunal and ileal lengths in bariatric/metabolic procedures to be left in alimentary continuity still remain unclear. We aimed to evaluate different lengths of biliopancreatic limb (BPL) and common limb (CL) performed in a series of patients submitted to OAGB, and correlate them with weight loss and nutritional deficits.

Patients and methods

A prospective observational study of 350 consecutive morbidly obese patients undergoing OAGB was performed. BPL and CL lengths were determined intraoperatively; BPL/TBL and CL/TBL ratios were then calculated. Anthropometric variables, remission of comorbidities and specific supplementation needs were recorded at 1, 2 and 5 years after surgery.

Results

Three hundred patients were included for final analysis. BPL length and BPL/TBL ratio directly correlated with Units of BMI lost (UBMIL). Conversely, CL length and CL/TBL ratio showed an inverse correlation with UBMIL. Establishing a BMI ≤ 25 kg/m2 as ideal, the most accurate AUC, to predict achieving an ideal BMI at 1, 2 and 5 years after surgery, was obtained for the CL/TBL ratio, followed by the CL length at 1, 2 and 5 years. An ideal range was established between 0.40 and 0.43 for the CL/TBL ratio, and 200 to 220 cm for the CL length. Among these ranges, there were no cases of protein or calorie malnutrition.

Conclusion

TBL measurement is essential to obtain optimal outcomes after OAGB, both in terms of excellent weight loss and remission/improvement of comorbidities, as well as with a low risk of nutritional deficiencies. The CL/TBL ratio, followed by CL length, are the most accurate parameters to predict a 5‐year postoperative BMI ≤ 25 kg/m2.
Concentration and size distribution of microbial aerosol in the historical objects in Kraków as a potential health risk and biodeterioration factor
Authors: Chmiel Maria , Kral Iga , Lenart-Boroń Anna
Published: October 2019

Historical facilities such as churches, crypts, libraries and museums are crucial for preserving cultural heritage but at the same time, they are frequently visited tourist objects and working environment. The aim of this study was to assess whether there are differences in the concentration and size distribution of bacterial and fungal aerosol in the mentioned groups of historical objects in Kraków, as well as to determine if there is tendency for seasonal fluctuations of bioaerosol concentrations, and what environmental parameters affect them most significantly. The concentrations of bacterial and fungal aerosol were measured in ten historical objects—churches, crypts, libraries and museums—using a six-stage Andersen impactor. Microbiological analyses were accompanied by measurements of particulate matter (PM10, PM4, PM2.5 and PM1) and microclimatic parameters. The results showed that the studied objects differ in terms of bioaerosol levels, but the differences were not drastic and in terms of bacterial aerosol concentrations the objects can be arranged as follows: churches > libraries > museums > crypts, while for fungal aerosol the order would be: churches > museums > crypts > libraries. The concentrations of bioaerosol did not exceed the safety levels for human exposure, but the levels suggesting possible threat of biodeterioration and the presence of internal source of contamination were exceeded in nearly all sites. The share of respirable fraction of bioaerosol was high (42.1–90.5% for bacteria and 80.7–94.7% for fungi). Bioaerosol concentration was most significantly associated with indoor temperature, and the impact of particulate matter was only moderate.
Extinction risk and conservation gaps for Aloe (Asphodelaceae) in the Horn of Africa
Authors: Bachman Steven P. , Wilkin Paul , Reader Tom , Field Richard , Weber Odile , Nordal Inger , Demissew Sebsebe
Published: October 2019

Identification of conservation priorities is essential for conservation planning, especially as the biodiversity crisis develops. We aimed to support conservation prioritisation by addressing knowledge gaps for the genus Aloe in the Horn of Africa. Specifically, we developed a dataset of herbarium voucher specimens and occurrence data to estimate geographic distribution of 88 species of Aloe and used this to estimate extinction risk and establish the major threats to Aloe in this region. The resulting assessments, each published on the IUCN Red List, show that 39% of the species are threatened with extinction, and the principal threats are the expansion and intensification of crop farming and livestock farming, gathering of plants, and unintentional effects of logging and wood harvesting. We review ex situ conservation in botanic gardens and seed banks, revealing gaps in coverage and urgent priorities for collection, with 25 threatened Aloe species currently unrepresented in seed banks. Protected areas in the region offer limited coverage of Aloe distributions and the most recently designated protected areas are increasingly in regions that do not overlap with Aloe distributions. However, we show with a simple optimisation approach that even a modest increase in protected area of 824 square kilometres would allow representation of all Aloe species, although further data are needed to test the area required to ensure long-term persistence (resilience) of Aloe species.