bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Surface‐Plasmonic‐Field‐Induced Photoredox Catalysis and Mediated Electron Transfer for Washing‐Free DNA Detection
Authors: Kim Jihyeon , Park Jongkyoon , Park Seonhwa , Seo Jeongwook , Kwon Jeongwook , Lee Hyunsoo , Kim Seungchul , Yang Haesik
Published: June 2020

Distance‐dependent electromagnetic radiation and electron transfer have been commonly employed in washing‐free fluorescence and electrochemical bioassays, respectively. In this study, we combined the two distance‐dependent phenomena for sensitive washing‐free DNA detection. A distance‐dependent surface plasmonic field induces rapid photoredox catalysis of surface‐bound catalytic labels, and distance‐dependent mediated electron transfer allows for rapid electron transfer from the surface‐bound labels to the electrode. An optimal system consists of a chemically reversible acceptor (Ru(NH3)63+), a chemically reversible photoredox catalyst (eosin Y), and a chemically irreversible donor (triethanolamine). Side reactions with O2 do not significantly decrease the efficiency of photoredox catalysis. Energy transfer quenching between the electrode and the label can be lowered by increasing the distance between them. Washing‐free DNA detection had a detection limit of approximately 0.3 nm in buffer and 0.4 nm in serum without a washing step.
Nonlinear influences of process parameters on mechanical properties of physically foamed, fiber‐reinforced polypropylene parts
Authors: Kastner Clemens , Steinbichler Georg , Kahlen Susanne , Jerabek Michael , Lummerstorfer Thomas
Published: June 2020

The importance of foam injection molded components in industrial applications increases, above all driven by sustainability concerns. In practice, their applicability almost exclusively depends on their mechanical behavior, which is still difficult to predict based on their microstructure. This work aims to present an approach based upon phenomenological observations. From a processing perspective, the objective is to describe the direct processing‐properties‐relationship. Therefore, this work focuses on the effects of different processing parameters on selected final mechanical properties of foam injection molded components using glass fiber‐reinforced polypropylene. A full factorial, central composite design allows for the detection of nonlinear effects, the application of response surface methodology, and the creation of contour plots. Considering three important process parameters (mold temperature, degree of foaming, delay time) and—for the automotive industry—highly important mechanical properties in bi‐ and uniaxial bending, the results show a detailed picture of individual dependences, but also two‐dimensional interactions between the different process parameters. Improvements of more than 140% in absorbed energy and flexural stiffness were obtained at constant part weight. Modulus and strength were increased by 37 and 44%, respectively.
Association of Anti–Topoisomerase I Antibodies of the IgM Isotype With Disease Progression in Anti–Topoisomerase I–Positive Systemic Sclerosis
Authors: Boonstra Maaike , Bakker Jaap A. , Grummels Annette , Ninaber Maarten K. , Ajmone Marsan Nina , Wortel Corrie M. , Huizinga Tom W. J. , Jordan Suzana , Hoffman‐Vold Anna‐Maria , Distler Oliver , Toes René E. M. , Scherer Hans Ulrich , de Vries‐Bouwstra Jeska K.
Published: June 2020

Objective

Anti–topoisomerase I (anti–topo I) autoantibodies in systemic sclerosis (SSc) are associated with diffuse skin involvement and interstitial lung fibrosis. Thus far, however, the relationship between anti–topo I antibody response and disease course has not yet been fully evaluated. This study was undertaken to gain insight into the association between characteristics of the anti–topo I antibody response and clinical disease course in SSc patients positive for anti–topo I antibodies.

Methods

Levels of anti–topo I IgG, anti–topo I IgM, and anti–topo I IgA were assessed in consecutive serum samples obtained from patients at baseline who were positive for anti–topo I IgG in the Leiden Combined Care In Systemic Sclerosis (CCISS) cohort. One‐year disease progression was defined by a relevant increase in modified Rodnan skin thickness score (MRSS), decline in pulmonary function, development of digital ulcers, renal crisis, and pulmonary hypertension, and/or mortality. Validation was performed in SSc patients who were positive for anti–topo I from the Oslo University Hospital and University Hospital Zurich.

Results

Of the 103 patients with anti–topo I IgG in the CCISS cohort, clinical data were available to assess 1‐year disease progression in 81 patients. Of these 81 patients, 23 (28%) had disease progression. At baseline, patients with disease progression were significantly more often anti–topo I IgM–positive than those who did not experience disease progression (21 [91%] of 23 versus 33 [57%] of 58; P < 0.01). This finding was confirmed in the independent validation samples.

Conclusion

In SSc patients who were anti–topo I IgG–positive, presence of anti–topo I IgM, which might be considered as a surrogate for an ongoing autoreactive B cell immune response, is associated with disease progression.
Side‐chain thioamides as fluorescence quenching probes
Authors: Robkis D. Miklos , Hoang Eileen M. , Po Pengse , Deutsch Carol J. , Petersson E. James
Published: June 2020

Thioamides, single atom oxygen‐to‐sulfur substitutions of canonical amide bonds, can be valuable probes for protein folding and protease studies. Here, we investigate the fluorescence quenching properties of thioamides incorporated into the side‐chains of amino acids. We synthesize and incorporate Fmoc‐protected, solid‐phase peptide synthesis building blocks for introducing Nε‐thioacetyl‐lysine and γ‐thioasparagine. Using rigid model peptides, we demonstrate the distance‐dependent fluorescence quenching of these thioamides. Furthermore, we describe attempts to incorporate of Nε‐thioacetyl‐lysine into proteins expressed in Escherichia coli using amber codon suppression.
Consolidated bioprocessing performance of a two‐species microbial consortium for butanol production from lignocellulosic biomass
Authors: Jiang Yujia , Lv Yang , Wu Ruofan , Lu Jiasheng , Dong Weiliang , Zhou Jie , Zhang Wenming , Xin Fengxue , Jiang Min
Published: June 2020

Consolidated bioprocessing (CBP) by using microbial consortium was considered as a promising approach to achieve direct biofuel production from lignocellulose. In this study, the interaction mechanism of microbial consortium consisting of Thermoanaerobacterium thermosaccharolyticum M5 and Clostridium acetobutylicum NJ4 was analyzed, which could achieve efficient butanol production from xylan through CBP. Strain M5 possesses efficient xylan degradation capability, as 19.73 g/L of xylose was accumulated within 50 hr. The efficient xylose utilization capability of partner strain NJ4 could relieve the substrate inhibition to hydrolytic enzymes of xylanase and xylosidase secreted by strain M5. In addition, the earlier solventogenesis of strain NJ4 was observed due to the existence of butyrate generated by strain M5. The mutual interaction of these two strains finally gave 13.28 g/L of butanol from 70 g/L of xylan after process optimization, representing a relatively high butanol production from hemicellulose. Moreover, 7.61 g/L of butanol was generated from untreated corncob via CBP. This successfully constructed microbial consortium exhibits efficient cooperation performance on butanol production from lignocellulose, which could provide a platform for the emerging butanol production from lignocellulose.
Introducing innovative technologies in higher education: An experience in using geographic information systems for the teaching‐learning process
Authors: Pérez‐delHoyo Raquel , Mora Higinio , Martí‐Ciriquián Pablo , Pertegal‐Felices María L. , Mollá‐Sirvent Rafael
Published: June 2020

In today's world, new technologies are being used for the teaching‐learning process in the classroom. Their use to support learning can provide significant advantages for the teaching‐learning process and have potential benefits for students, as many of these technologies are a part of the work life of many current professions. The aim of this study is to analyse the use of innovative technologies for engineering and science education after examining the data obtained from students in their learning process and experiences. The study has been focused on computational geographic information systems, which allow access to and management of large volumes of information and data, and on the assessment of this tool as a basis for a suitable methodology to enhance the teaching‐learning process, taking into account the great social impact of big data. The results allow identifying the main advantages, opportunities, and drawbacks of using these technological tools for educational purposes. Finally, a set of initiatives has been proposed to complement the teaching activity and to improve user experience in the educational field.
A case of bullous pemphigoid showing antigenic competition‐like phenomenon
Authors: Fukuda Masahiro , Nobeyama Yoshimasa , Sekiyama Hiroko , Asahina Akihiko
Published: June 2020

Antigenic competition in the skin is a phenomenon in which the current dermatitis is distributed away from the area of previously existing dermatitis. Bullous pemphigoid may present such phenomenon, even if the responsible antigen was the same.
Exfoliated Single Layers of Layered Cobalt Hydroxide for Ultrafine Co3O4 Nanoparticles on Graphene Nanosheets as an Efficient Electrocatalyst for Oxygen Reduction
Authors: Kwon Sunglun , Lee Hyung Tae , Lee Jong Hyeon
Published: June 2020

A highly effective way to produce an oxygen reduction electrocatalyst was developed through the self‐assembly of exfoliated single layers of cobalt hydroxide (Co(OH)2) and graphene oxide (GO). These 2D materials have complete contact with one another because of their physical flexibility and the electrostatic attraction between negatively charged GO and positively charged Co(OH)2 layers. The strong coupling induces transformation of the Co(OH)2 single layer into a discrete nanocrystal of spinel Co3O4 with an average size of 8 nm on reduced GO (RGO) during calcination, which could not be obtained with bulk‐layered cobalt hydroxide because of its rapid layer collapse. The ultrafine Co3O4/RGO hybrid exhibited not only comparable performance in the oxygen reduction reaction but also higher durability compared with the commercial 20 wt % Pt/C catalyst.
Ni[B2(SO4)4] and Co[B2(SO4)4]: Unveiling Systematic Trends in Phyllosilicate Analogue Borosulfates
Authors: Pasqualini Leonard C. , Janka Oliver , Olthof Selina , Huppertz Hubert , Liedl Klaus R. , Pöttgen Rainer , Podewitz Maren , Bruns Jörn
Published: June 2020

Borosulfates are compounds analogous to silicates, with heteropolyanionic subunits of vertex‐linked (SO4)‐ and (BO4)‐tetrahedra. In contrast to the immense structural diversity of silicates, the number of borosulfates is yet very limited and the extent of their properties is still unknown. This is particularly true for representatives with phyllosilicate and tectosilicate analogue anionic substructures. Herein, we present Ni[B2(SO4)4] and Co[B2(SO4)4], two new borosulfates with phyllosilicate analogue topology. While the anionic subunits of both structures are homeotypic, the positions of the charge compensating cations differ significantly: NiII is located between the borosulfate layers, while CoII—in contrast—is embedded within the layer. Detailed analysis of these two structures based on single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction, magnetochemical investigations, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and quantum chemical calculations, unveiled the reasons for this finding. By in silico comparison with other divalent borosulfates, we uncovered systematic trends for phyllosilicate analogues leading to the prediction of new species.
Functionalized Surfaces
Authors: Heinzerling Peter
Published: June 2020

Im Beitrag werden schulgerechte Experimente mit beschichtetem Glas vorgestellt. Diese führen zu nanoskaligen Oberflächen mit neuen Eigenschaften. Bei Beschichtungen mithilfe des Sol‐Gel‐Verfahrens auf der Basis von Tetraorthoethylsilikat (TEOS) kann man Antikkratz‐ und Antireflex‐Eigenschaften erzeugen, wie sie auf Kunststoff‐Brillengläsern zu finden sind. Diese werden mit einfachen Methoden untersucht. Beschichtungen mit Titandioxid führen zu photokatalytischen Eigenschaften, wie man sie bei selbst reinigenden Fenstergläsern findet. Diese Eigenschaften werden durch die Entfärbung von Methylenblau nachgewiesen. Ein weiteres Verfahren ist die Reaktion geeigneter Materialien mit Trichlormethylsilan, was zu superhydrophoben Eigenschaften führt.
Mutable locks: Combining the best of spin and sleep locks
Authors: Marotta Romolo , Tiriticco Davide , Di Sanzo Pierangelo , Pellegrini Alessandro , Ciciani Bruno , Quaglia Francesco
Published: June 2020

In this article, we present mutable locks, a synchronization construct with the same semantic of traditional locks (such as spin locks or sleep locks), but with a self‐tuned optimized trade‐off between responsiveness and CPU‐time usage during threads' wait phases. Mutable locks tackle the need for efficient synchronization supports in the era of multicore machines, where the run‐time performance should be optimized while reducing resource usage. This goal should be achieved with no intervention by the programmers. Our proposal is intended for exploitation in generic concurrent applications, where scarce or no knowledge is available about the underlying software/hardware stack and the workload. This is an adverse scenario for static choices between spinning and sleeping, which is tackled by our mutable locks thanks to their hybrid waiting phase and self‐tuning capabilities.
Centerband‐Only Detection of Exchange NMR with Natural‐Abundance Correction Reveals an Expanded Unit Cell in Phenylalanine Crystals
Authors: Xue Kai , Dervisoglu Riza , Sowa Heidrun , Andreas Loren B.
Published: June 2020

The NMR pulse sequence CODEX (centerband‐only detection of exchange) is a widely used method to report on the number of magnetically inequivalent spins that exchange magnetization via spin diffusion. For crystals, this rules out certain symmetries, and the rate of equilibration is sensitive to distances. Here we show that for 13C CODEX, consideration of natural abundance spins is necessary for crystals of high complexity, demonstrated here with the amino acid phenylalanine. The NMR data rule out the C2 space group that was originally reported for phenylalanine, and are only consistent with a larger unit cell containing eight magnetically inequivalent molecules. Such an expanded cell was recently described based on single crystal data. The large unit cell dictates the use of long spin diffusion times of more than 200 seconds, in order to equilibrate over the entire unit cell volume of 1622 Å3.
Acid‐Stable Ester Linkers for the Solid‐Phase Synthesis of Immobilized Peptides
Authors: Pícha Jan , Buděšínský Miloš , Mitrová Katarína , Jiráček Jiří
Published: June 2020

A series of N‐terminally Fmoc‐protected linkers of the general formula Fmoc‐X−CO−O−Y−COOH have been prepared, where X is −NH−CH2−CH2‐ or ‐p‐(aminomethyl)phenyl‐ and Y is −(CH2)n− (n is 1 or 4) or ‐p‐(methyl)phenyl‐. These linkers can easily be covalently attached via their C‐terminal carboxyl group to a resin bearing a free amino group. After cleavage of the N‐terminal Fmoc group, the linkers can be extended by standard solid‐phase peptide synthesis techniques. These ester linkers are acid‐stable and resistant to the base‐mediated diketopiperazine formation that often occurs during the synthesis of ester‐bound peptides; they are stable at neutral pH in aqueous buffers for days but can be effectively cleaved with 0.1 m NaOH or aq. ammonia within minutes or hours, respectively. These properties make these ester handles well suited for use as linkers for the solid‐phase peptide synthesis of immobilized peptides when the stable on‐resin immobilization of the peptides and the testing of their biological properties in aqueous buffers at neutral pH are necessary.
African and Asian origin pearl millet populations: Genetic diversity pattern and its association with yield heterosis
Authors: Patil K. Sudarshan , Gupta Shashi Kumar , Marathi Balram , Danam Shashibhushan , Thatikunta Ramesh , Rathore Abhishek , Das Roma Rani , Dangi Kuldeep Singh , Yadav Om Parkash
Published: June 2020

Pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum(L.) R. Br.] is a staple food crop of arid and semi‐arid regions of Asia and Africa. Forty‐five pearl millet populations of Asian and African origin were assessed for genetic diversity using 29 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. The SSR‐based clustering and structure analyses showed that Asian origin–Asian bred (As‐As) and African origin–African bred (Af‐Af) populations were distributed across seven clusters, indicating no strong relationship among populations with their geographical origin. Most of the African origin–Asian bred (Af‐As) populations had a higher average number of alleles per locus than As‐As or Af‐Af populations, and the majority of them clustered separately from As‐As or Af‐Af populations, indicating that introgression of African origin breeding materials led to the development of new gene pools adapted to the Asian region. Fourteen populations representing seven clusters were crossed according to a diallel mating design to generate 91 population hybrids (seeds of direct and reciprocal crosses were mixed) and evaluated at three locations in 2016. All the 91 hybrids when partitioned into three groups based on genetic distance (GD) between parental combinations (low, moderate, and high), revealed no correlation between GD and panmictic midparent heterosis in any of the groups, indicating that grain yield heterosis cannot be predicted based on GD. Two population hybrids (GB 8735 × ICMP 87307 and Sudan I × Ugandi) exhibited high levels of yield heterosis over standard checks and can be further utilized using different breeding schemes to develop high‐yielding pearl millet cultivars.
A single gate oxide level shifter for denser digital domain integration in multiple‐supply‐voltage applications
Authors: Cuevas Nestor , Gomez Hector , Roa Elkim
Published: June 2020

Modern system‐on‐chip (SoC) applications usually employ multiple voltage domains to save power consumption according to the required circuit performance. Typical multivoltage approaches use level shifters (LSs) to establish communication among voltage domains. The use of commercial standard‐cell and multiple gate oxide MOS LSs implies a nonoptimal place‐and‐route process. Here, we introduce a single gate oxide level shifter (SGOLS) that enables full integration into low‐voltage domains. We tested the proposed idea using a commercial digital‐flow tool for a two‐domain SoC integration, achieving an enhancement in the total integration area occupied by LSs of 54% regarding the conventional LS approaches. The proposed SGOLS was implemented in both 65‐ and 180‐nm CMOS nodes, handling voltage differences between the nominal and I/O domain supplies by using just single gate oxide devices. We validated the circuit performance through process, voltage, and temperature (PVT) variations for wide frequency and supply voltage ranges, disclosing an energy‐per‐transition of 416 fJ@180 nm and 93 fJ@65 nm. The introduced LS extends the integration of multiple voltage domains into denser SoCs.
Interleukin (IL)‐33: an orchestrator of immunity from host defence to tissue homeostasis
Authors: Zhou Zekun , Yan Fei , Liu Ousheng
Published: June 2020

Interleukin (IL)‐33, a member of the IL‐1 superfamily, functions as an alarm signal, which is released upon cell injury or tissue damage to alert the immune system. It has emerged as a chief orchestrator in immunity and has a broad pleiotropic action that influences differentiation, maintenance and function of various immune cell types via the ST2 receptor. Although it has been strongly associated with immunopathology, critically, IL‐33 is involved in host defence, tissue repair and homeostasis. In this review, we provide an overview of the signalling pathway of IL‐33 and highlight its regulatory functions in immune cells. Furthermore, we attempt a broader discussion of the emerging functions of IL‐33 in host defence, tissue repair, metabolism, inflammatory disease and cancer, suggesting potential avenues to manoeuvre IL‐33/ST2 signalling as treatment options.
A web service‐based internet of things framework for mobile resource augmentation
Authors: Anitha Subbarayan , Padma Theagarajan
Published: June 2020

Mobile devices are the primary communication tool in day to day life of the people. Nowadays, the enhancement of the mobile applications namely IoTApps and their exploitation in various domains like healthcare monitoring, home automation, smart farming, smart grid, and smart city are crucial. Though mobile devices are providing seamless user experience anywhere, anytime, and anyplace, their restricted resources such as limited battery capacity, constrained processor speed, inadequate storage, and memory are hindering the development of resource‐intensive mobile applications and internet of things (IoT)‐based mobile applications. To solve this resource constraint problem, a web service‐based IoT framework is proposed by exploiting fuzzy logic methodologies. This framework augments the resources of mobile devices by offloading the resource‐intensive subtasks from mobile devices to the service providing entities like Arduino, Raspberry PI controller, edge cloud, and distant cloud. Based on the recommended framework, an online Repository of Instructional Talk (RIoTalk) is successfully implemented to store and analyze the classroom lectures given by faculty in our study site. Simulation results show that there is a significant reduction in energy consumption, execution time, bandwidth utilization, and latency. The proposed research work significantly increases the resources of mobile devices by offloading the resource‐intensive subtasks from the mobile device to the service provider computing entities thereby providing Quality of Service (QoS) and Quality of Experience (QoE) to mobile users.
Severe and enduring anorexia nervosa: Fertile ground for iatrogenic development
Authors: Olmsted Marion P.
Published: June 2020

Care providers and individuals with severe and enduring anorexia nervosa (SE‐AN) are weathering a perfect storm in which the sickest patients receive the least evidence‐based treatment and iatrogenic factors play a significant role. Examining access to treatment from an ethical perspective is one strategy for developing more objective protocols related to the care of individuals with SE‐AN.
Effect of fading on the k‐coverage of wireless sensor networks
Authors: Imani Amir Hosein , Eslami Mohsen , Haghighat Javad , Noori Moslem
Published: June 2020

In a Wireless Sensor Network (WSN), coverage performance of the network is affected by multiple factors such as source power, sensitivity of sensors, and the quality of the channel between the source and the sensors. In most existing works on WSNs, only path‐loss of the wireless channel is considered, that with further assumption of absence of obstacles in the sensing region of a sensor, results in circular‐type of coverage for each node. However, in some WSN applications, the channel is not line‐of‐sight and exhibits multipath fading. In this paper, effect of the multipath fading on k‐coverage of randomly deployed WSNs is analytically investigated via techniques from stochastic geometry. More specifically, the k‐coverage probability is analytically derived under Rayleigh, Rician, and Nakagami fading assumptions. Numerical results are also presented to compare the derived k‐coverage probability with the commonly used k‐coverage models that do not consider the fading effect. These results reveal the level of the k‐coverage degradation due to multipath fading compared to the case of no fading (fixed range), which in some cases is shown to be very significant.
Synthetic periprosthetic synovial fluid development for in vitro cell‐tribocorrosion testing using the Taguchi array approach
Authors: Wiegand Michael J. , Khullar Piyush , Mercuri Jeremy J. , Gilbert Jeremy L.
Published: June 2020

Synovial fluid is dynamic in vivo with biological components changing in ratio and size depending on the health of the joint space, making it difficult to model in vitro. Previous efforts to develop synthetic synovial fluid have typically focused on single organic‐tribological interactions with implant surfaces, thus ignoring interplay between multiple solution components. Using a Taguchi orthogonal array, we were able to isolate the individual effects of five independent synovial fluid composition variables: ratios of (1) hyaluronic acid to phospholipids (HA:PL) and (2) albumin to globulin (A:G), and concentrations of (3) hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), (4) cobalt (Co2+) and (5) chromium (Cr3+) ions on macrophage viability and reduced glutathione production, local solution pH and the comprehensive CoCrMo alloy electrochemical response. While no single synovial fluid variable significantly affected the collective response, HA:PL ratio resulted in the largest impact factor (Δ) on 12 of the 13 measured responses with significant effects (p < .05) on the average macrophage survival rate and electrochemical capacitive state of the CoCrMo surface. Cluster analysis separated significant responses from all trials into three groups, corresponding to healthy, mild, or severely inflamed fluids, respectively; with the healthy synovial fluid composition having mid‐range HA:PL ratios with no Co2+ ions, and the severely inflamed fluids consisting of low and high HA:PL ratios with H2O2 and Co2+ ions. By utilizing the Taguchi approach in combination with cluster analysis, we were able to advance our knowledge of complex multivariate synthetic synovial fluids influence on macrophage and electrochemical behavior at the cell‐solution‐metal interface.
Evolutionary transformation of the subcutaneous muscle in rodents of Ctenohystrica (Rodentia: Diatomyidae, Ctenodactylidae, and Hystricognathi)
Authors: Zherebtsova Olga , Platonov Vladimir
Published: June 2020

The present study examined the subcutaneous muscle (m. cutaneus trunci) in a relict species Laonastes aenigmamus (Diatomyidae) and in two ctenodactylids (Ctenodactylidae: Ctenodactylus gundi and Pectinator spekei), which are closely related to Laonastes according to current phylogenetic hypotheses. The comparative morphological analysis also included four representatives of Hystricognathi: Echimys sp., Proechimys sp., Cercomys cunicularis, and Hystrix indica. Laonastes and ctenodactylids have a number of common ancestral traits in the morphology of m. cutaneus trunci. This suggests that they are probably related to the ancestral forms of Ctenohystrica. However, the structural similarity of the subcutaneous muscle in Diatomyidae and Ctenodactylidae is based not only on plesiomorphic (presence of the medial head of m. cutaneus trunci), but also on an apomorphic (the development of the thoracoabdominal portion) feature which is common to both branches of Ctenohystrica (Ctenodactiloidea and Hystricognathi). The results of the comparative analysis suggest a new scenario for the evolutionary transformations of m. cutaneus trunci within the clade Ctenohystrica. This scenario differs from earlier suggestions and proposes initial differentiation of the subcutaneous muscle and possibly its secondary simplification, but on a new basis. On this new basis a further secondary increase in complexity of subcutaneous muscle appears possible in response to various adaptations in hystricognaths.
Discrimination of common isomerides of methyl nucleosides by collision‐induced dissociation tandem mass spectrometry
Authors: Li Yanru , Zhou Jiang , Yuan Gu
Published: June 2020

The methyl‐modified nucleosides (methyladenosine, methylguanosine, methylcytidine, and methyluridine) occur widely in nucleic acids and serve as biomarkers for a variety of types of diseases. Their isomers have the same parent ions in MS spectra and need further discrimination. Here, electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI‐MS) coupled with collision induced dissociation (CID) was used to distinguish the common isomerides of methyl‐nucleosides. The various fragmentation patterns had been discussed in comparison of the different methyl modified nucleosides and were studied as a function of normalized collision energy. Then, structurally relevant fragments were obtained to efficiently identify characterization of methyl‐nucleoside isomerides by collision induced dissociation. Therefore, this study provides a promising method using CID‐MS for the discrimination of the isomeric methyl nucleosides, which could be useful to quantitative study of methyl nucleosides and detect of unknown methyl nucleosides.
Tocilizumab in patients with severe COVID‐19: A single‐center observational analysis
Authors: Knorr John P , Colomy Veronika , Mauriello Christine M , Ha Seung
Published: June 2020

Patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) may develop severe respiratory distress, thought to be mediated by cytokine release. Elevated proinflammatory markers have been associated with disease severity. Tocilizumab, an interleukin‐6 receptor antagonist, may be beneficial for severe COVID‐19, when cytokine storm is suspected. This is a retrospective single‐center analysis of the records of patients diagnosed with COVID‐19 who received tocilizumab. Outcomes, including clinical improvement, mortality and changes in oxygen‐support at 24, 48, and 72 hours, and 7, 14, and 28 days post‐tocilizumab, are reported. Patients were evaluated by baseline pre‐tocilizumab oxygenation status and changes in proinflammatory markers within 7 days post‐tocilizumab are reported. Sixty‐six patients received tocilizumab at a mean dose of 724 mg (7.4 mg/kg), 3.7 days from admission. At baseline, 53% of patients were on ventilation support and all had elevated proinflammatory markers, including c‐reactive protein (CRP). Common comorbidities were diabetes mellitus (43%) and hypertension (74%). Most patients received concomitant glucocorticoids and hydroxychloroquine. Seven days after tocilizumab, ten patients (15.2%) had clinical improvement in their oxygenation status, and there was a 95% decrease in CRP. Within 14 days of treatment, 29% of patients had clinical improvement, 20% had minimal or no improvement, 17% worsened, 27% died, and 7% were transferred to an outside hospital. Ultimately, 42% of all patients that received tocilizumab expired and 49% were discharged. This study found limited clinical improvement in patients that received tocilizumab in the setting of severe COVID‐19. Clinical trials are ongoing to further evaluate tocilizumab's benefit in this patient population.
Hydroxychloroquine treatment in COVID‐19: A descriptive observational analysis of 30 cases from a single center in Wuhan, China
Authors: Xue Huiying , Liu Yi , Luo Pan , Liu Xiulan , Qiu Lin , Liu Dong , Li Juan
Published: June 2020

Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) garnered scientific attention in early February following publication of reports showing in vitro activity of chloroquine (CQ) against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19). While studies are mixed on this topic, the therapeutic effect of HCQ or CQ still need more valid clinical evidence. In this descriptive observational study, we aimed to discuss the treatment response of HCQ in COVID‐19 infected patients and 30 cases were included. The demographic, treatment, laboratory parameters of C‐reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) before and after HCQ therapy and clinical outcome in the 30 patients with COVID‐19 were assessed. To evaluate the effect of mediation time point, we also divided these cases into two groups, patients began administrated with HCQ within 7 days hospital (defined as early delivery group) and 7 days after hospital (defined as later delivery group). We found that, the elevated IL‐6, a risk factor in severe patients were reduced to normal level after HCQ treatment. More importantly, patients treated with HCQ at the time of early hospital recovered faster than those who treated later or taken as second line choose for their obvious shorter hospitalization time. In summary, early use of HCQ was better than later use and the effect of IL‐6 and CRP level cannot be ruled out.
Impact of Preoperative Short‐Term Parenteral Nutrition Support on the Clinical Outcome of Gastric Cancer Patients: A Propensity Score Matching Analysis
Authors: Xu Li‐Bin , Huang Ze‐Xin , Zhang Hui‐Hui , Chen Xiao‐Dong , Zhang Wei‐Teng , Shi Ming‐Ming , Ma Yu‐Ning , Shen Xin‐Chen , Lin Jiang‐Tao , Cai Yi‐Qi , Shen Xian
Published: June 2020

Objectives

Nutrition status is of great significance to the clinical outcome after major abdominal surgery. However, the effect of preoperative short‐term parenteral nutrition (PN) support among gastric cancer (GC) patients remains unknown and was evaluated in the current study.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed 455 nutritionally at‐risk GC patients after radical resection from 2010 to 2016. We matched patients with 3–7 days of PN support to those without PN support. χ2 And Mann‐Whitney U tests were used to compare differences between the PN and control groups.

Results

The propensity‐matched sample included 368 GC patients (PN group, n = 184; control group, n = 184). The PN and control groups did not differ regarding postoperative complications (P = .528). The incidence of anastomotic leakage in the PN group was lower than in the control group (P = .011), whereas other complications were not found to differ between the groups. The hospitalization cost of the PN group was significantly higher than that of the control group (P < .001), whereas other outcome indicators were similar. Subgroup analysis showed that short‐term PN support may have an improved benefit for patients with serum albumin level <35 g/L, but not at the level of statistical significance (P = .17).

Conclusion

Short‐term PN support did not significantly improve the short‐term clinical outcomes of nutritionally at‐risk GC patients, with the exception of a lower incidence of anastomotic leakage. Considering that short‐term PN support increases economic burden, PN should not be the preferred method among these patients.
Clinical significance of subcentimeter pulmonary nodules in patients undergoing hepatectomy for colorectal liver metastases
Authors: Kawakatsu Shoji , Mise Yoshihiro , Hiratsuka Makiko , Inoue Yosuke , Ito Hiromichi , Takahashi Yu , Mun Mingyon , Okumura Sakae , Matsueda Kiyoshi , Nagino Masato , Saiura Akio
Published: June 2020

Background and Objectives

The clinical significance of lung metastases regarded as subcentimeter pulmonary nodules (SPN) before hepatectomy for colorectal liver metastases (CLM) has not been assessed well.

Methods

The data from 569 patients undergoing hepatectomy for CLM from 2010 to 2016 were reviewed. The presence and final diagnosis of SPN were analyzed for their association with overall survival (OS).

Results

A total of 143 patients had SPN (25.1%). SPN were proved to be lung metastases in 43 patients (30.1%). Before hepatectomy, lung metastases were suspected in 25 patients (sensitivity: 58%; specificity: 100%). The 5‐year OS of patients with lung metastases (45.4%) was worse than that of those with no pulmonary nodules (60.9%, P = .003). There was no significant difference in the 5‐year OS between the patients with lung metastases diagnosed after hepatectomy (48.7%) and before hepatectomy (41.2%, P = .432). The 5‐year OS of patients who underwent surgery for lung metastases after hepatectomy (60.5%) was similar to that of those with no pulmonary nodules and benign pulmonary nodules (60.9%, P = .6310; 44.0%, P = .899).

Conclusion

Although diagnostic sensitivity for SPN before hepatectomy is low, timing of diagnosis does not affect OS. Conclusive lung resection offers OS similar to that of patients without lung metastases.
Retroperitoneal sarcoma perioperative risk stratification: A United States Sarcoma Collaborative evaluation of the ACS‐NSQIP risk calculator
Authors: Schwartz Patrick B. , Stahl Christopher C. , Ethun Cecilia , Marka Nicholas , Poultsides George A. , Roggin Kevin K. , Fields Ryan C. , Howard John H. , Clarke Callisia N. , Votanopoulos Konstantinos I. , Cardona Kenneth , Abbott Daniel E.
Published: June 2020

Background

The ACS‐NSQIP risk calculator predicts perioperative risk. This study tested the calculator's ability to predict risk for outcomes following retroperitoneal sarcoma (RPS) resection.

Methods

The United States Sarcoma Collaborative database was queried for adults who underwent RPS resection. Estimated risk for outcomes was calculated twice in the risk calculator, once using sarcoma‐specific CPT codes and once using codes indicative of most comorbid organ resection (eg nephrectomy). ROC curves were generated, with area under the curve (AUC) and Brier scores reported to assess discrimination and calibration. An AUC < 0.6 was considered ineffective discrimination. A negative ▲ Brier indicated improved performance relative to baseline outcome rates.

Results

In total, 482 patients were identified with a 42.3% 90‐day complication rate. Discrimination was poor for all outcomes except “all complications” and “renal failure.” Baseline outcome rates were better predictors than calculator estimates except for “discharge to nursing or rehab facility” and “renal failure.” Replacing sarcoma‐specific CPT codes with resection‐specific codes did not improve performance.

Conclusion

The ACS‐NSQIP risk calculator poorly predicted outcomes following RPS resection. Changing sarcoma‐specific CPT to resection‐specific codes did not improve performance. Comorbidities in the calculator may not effectively capture perioperative risk. Future work should evaluate a sarcoma‐specific calculator.
Volumetric Analysis of the Vocal Folds Using Computed Tomography: Effects of Age, Height, and Gender
Authors: Alexander Nicole L. , Wang Kevin Y. , Jiang Kevin Z. , Ongkasuwan Julina , Lincoln Christie M.
Published: June 2020

Objective

The goal of this study was to use computed tomography (CT) volumetric analysis to assess the effect of age, gender, height, body mass index (BMI), and ethnicity on vocal fold volume in patients with normal larynges.

Study Design

Retrospective cross‐sectional study.

Methods

Vocal fold length, width, and height were measured in a total of 105 patients without a history of laryngeal or thyroid pathology on thin‐section soft‐tissue neck CTs. The product of the three dimensions was used to calculate vocal fold volume. Simple and multiple linear regression analyses were used to assess for an association between vocal fold volume and age, gender, height, BMI, and ethnicity. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were estimated to evaluate the degree interobserver and intraobserver agreement.

Results

Vocal fold volume was not associated with age, BMI, or ethnicity. Gender‐adjusted height (P = .002) and height‐adjusted gender (P = .016) were significantly associated with volume. Height remained significantly associated with volume after stratifying by gender (P < 0.001). There was moderate‐to‐good correlation in both interobserver (ICC = 0.690 to 0.761) and intraobserver (ICC = 0.733 to 0.873) agreement.

Conclusion

Age was not associated with vocal fold volume, which is in accordance with several prior negative studies. Age‐related vocal fold atrophy may not substantially contribute to presbyphonia symptoms, but other processes such as changes in the extracellular matrix may play a larger role. However, both gender and height were independently associated with vocal fold volume.

Level of Evidence

4 Laryngoscope, 131:E240–E247, 2021
Evaluation of the Efficacy of Ultrapulsed CO2 Laser in Chronic Wounds
Authors: Jiang Bo , Tang Rui , Zheng Danyu , Yang Yuting , Li Ying , Yang Ruxi , Liu Ligang , Yan Hong
Published: June 2020

Background and Objectives

Chronic wound repair is a major problem in wound treatment. Recently, several studies have suggested that carbon dioxide (CO2) laser can be used to improve the healing of chronic wounds. The aim of the present study was to preliminarily investigate the efficacy of laser debridement in treating chronic wound through a comparison of traditional instrument/surgical debridement with the ultrapulsed CO2 laser debridement in terms of wound healing, wound infection control, and wound blood perfusion.

Study Design/Materials and Methods

Patients with chronic wound admitted to the Wound Repair Clinic at The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University (Luzhou, China) between February 2019 and May 2019 were enrolled. They were randomly divided into two groups. The patients in one group were treated with traditional sharp instrument/surgical debridement (RT group; number of wounds: 28), while the patients in the other group were treated with ultrapulsed CO2 laser debridement (LT group; number of wounds: 26). An intergroup comparison was performed based on parameters, such as wound healing, wound infection control, and changes in wound blood perfusion.

Results

The wound healing rate and the total time to achieve healing were significantly better in the LT group versus the RT group at 7, 14, 21, and 28 days after treatment. The wound exudation scores were significantly higher in the LT group versus the RT group at 7, 14, and 28 days after treatment. The positive rate of pre‐debridement bacterial culture was significantly lower in the LT group versus the RD group at 14 and 28 days after treatment. The percentage of wound perfusion/normal periwound skin perfusion was significantly higher in the LT group versus the RT group at 1, 7, and 14 days after treatment.

Conclusion

For the treatment of chronic refractory wounds, the ultrapulsed CO2 laser exhibits higher accuracy, more effectively controls wound infection, promotes an increase in wound blood perfusion, and achieves faster wound healing compared with traditional sharp instrument/surgical debridement. Lasers Surg. Med. © 2020 Wiley Periodicals LLC
Core–Sheath Wet Electrospinning of Nanoporous Polycaprolactone Microtubes to Mimic Fenestrated Capillaries
Authors: Zhou Yingge , Tan George Z.
Published: June 2020

Formation of capillary vessel structures in scaffolds is critical for engineering various tissues and organs. Various biofabrication techniques are developed in recent years to create scaffolds integrated with perfusion channels. However, rapid fabrication of artificial capillary vessels (<10 µm) still remains challenging. In this study, a novel electrospinning approach is developed to fabricate nanoporous polycaprolactone microtubes as potential functional capillaries. The results show that ambient environment parameters and solution properties affect the pore formation and tube morphology. Porous microbeads, helical fibers, and microtubes were fabricated under different processing conditions. The optimal tubular structure is obtained with consistent viscosities between the core and the sheath solutions. The biomimetic nanoporous microtubes hold great potential for vascularization in tissue engineering.
Comparison of suspected Lynch syndrome patients carrying BRCA and BRCA‐like variants with Lynch syndrome probands: Phenotypic characteristics and pedigree analyses
Authors: Xu Yun , Li Cong , Wang Zhimin , Liu Fangqi , Xu Ye
Published: June 2020

Background

Colorectal cancer (CRC) patients diagnosed with Lynch syndrome (LS) are recommended genetic testing. Increasing numbers of germline variants involved in homologous recombination have been identified in suspected LS patients. This study compared phenotypic the characteristics of suspected LS patients carrying BRCA and BRCA‐like variants with those of LS patients.

Methods

Forty‐two patients carrying pathogenic variants of DNA mismatch repair (MMR) genes (MMR group), 9 carrying BRCA variants, and 11 carrying BRCA‐like variants (BRCA/BRCA‐like group) who met LS clinical criteria were enrolled in this study. Clinical characteristics, pedigrees, and survival rates were compared and BRCA variants were analyzed.

Results

The earliest CRC‐onset age and tumor differentiation were higher in the BRCA/BRCA‐like group than in the MMR group. Metachronous CRCs were more numerous in the MMR group, resulting in a higher progression‐free survival rate in the BRCA/BRCA‐like group. Extra‐colorectal cancers were more frequently observed in the BRCA/BRCA‐like group. BRCA2 and BRCA1 variants were clustered in exons 11 and 4/7, respectively.

Conclusion

BRCA and BRCA‐like variants in CRC patients with LS showed moderate penetrance. BRCA/BRCA‐like variant carriers had a higher risk for extra‐colorectal cancers. Surveillance of susceptible organs other than the intestine should be performed for probands and affected family members.
Feasibility and analysis of CNN‐based candidate beam generation for robotic radiosurgery
Authors: Gerlach Stefan , Fürweger Christoph , Hofmann Theresa , Schlaefer Alexander
Published: June 2020

Purpose

Robotic radiosurgery offers the flexibility of a robotic arm to enable high conformity to the target and a steep dose gradient. However, treatment planning becomes a computationally challenging task as the search space for potential beam directions for dose delivery is arbitrarily large. We propose an approach based on deep learning to improve the search for treatment beams.

Methods

In clinical practice, a set of candidate beams generated by a randomized heuristic forms the basis for treatment planning. We use a convolutional neural network to identify promising candidate beams. Using radiological features of the patient, we predict the influence of a candidate beam on the delivered dose individually and let this prediction guide the selection of candidate beams. Features are represented as projections of the organ structures which are relevant during planning. Solutions to the inverse planning problem are generated for random and CNN‐predicted candidate beams.

Results

The coverage increases from 95.35% to 97.67% for 6000 heuristically and CNN‐generated candidate beams, respectively. Conversely, a similar coverage can be achieved for treatment plans with half the number of candidate beams. This results in a patient‐dependent reduced averaged computation time of 20.28%–45.69%. The number of active treatment beams can be reduced by 11.35% on average, which reduces treatment time. Constraining the maximum number of candidate beams per beam node can further improve the average coverage by 0.75 percentage points for 6000 candidate beams.

Conclusions

We show that deep learning based on radiological features can substantially improve treatment plan quality, reduce computation runtime, and treatment time compared to the heuristic approach used in clinics.