bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Into the Future
Authors: Kneeland Timothy W.
Published: September 2020

This epilogue highlights efforts to dissuade people from building or rebuilding in the vicinity of the Susquehanna River, as well as efforts to buy out private homes and businesses located in persistent flood zones. Changes in the policy toward the Susquehanna River began after the first decade of the twenty-first century. Following Tropical Storm Lee in 2011, neither the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers nor the state of Pennsylvania showed interest in adding to or creating new flood walls along the Susquehanna River, the policy that had been preferred in the twentieth century. Instead, the state obtained grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which it used to purchase houses and businesses in the Wyoming Valley. Hundreds of people, tired of the perpetual flooding, sold their homes to the local government, which then cleared them off the floodplain and began to restore the river and floodplain to a natural state. The chapter then considers the even more radical idea of removing existing levees and dams along the Susquehanna.
Introduction
Authors: Johnson Matthew
Published: September 2020

This introductory chapter provides an overview of how elite universities responded to black campus activists by making racial inclusion and inequality compatible, focusing on the University of Michigan (UM). Since the 1960s, UM has gained national recognition for its racial inclusion programs. University and college leaders from around the country began visiting Ann Arbor because they saw UM as a model of inclusion. For the same reason, opponents of affirmative action and racial sensitivity training targeted UM in op-eds, books, and lawsuits. Given UM's reputation, it was no surprise when the university found itself at the center of two of the most famous affirmative action lawsuits of the twenty-first century: Gratz v. Bollinger and Grutter v. Bollinger (2003). In the eyes of black students, however, UM has never represented a model of racial inclusion. Black students' share of the student body has never matched blacks' share of the state or national population, and the majority of black students have never reported satisfaction with the university's racial climate. Nevertheless, black students' critiques never stopped UM leaders from claiming that racial inclusion was one of the university's core values.
The Michigan Mandate
Authors: Johnson Matthew
Published: September 2020

This chapter focuses on the Michigan Mandate, one of the most ambitious racial inclusion initiatives in the University of Michigan's (UM) history. The initiative responded to black student activists who, in 1987, led a campus-wide protest that threatened to shut down university operations. The Michigan Mandate allocated unprecedented resources to repair UM's racial climate and increase underrepresented minority students, faculty, and staff. However, the Mandate did not represent an institutional revolution; the Michigan Mandate represented a deliberate attempt to co-opt the student movement for racial justice on campus and gain administrative control of racial inclusion. Although the Mandate raised black enrollment and redistributed millions of dollars to inclusion initiatives, it sustained some of the most important pieces of co-optation. UM officials continued to protect the admissions policies that targeted middle-class black students living outside cities. Officials also continued to privilege the goal of combating white students' prejudice through interracial contact over addressing black students' social alienation. Diversity continued to serve as a key intellectual foundation in sustaining these priorities.
Home and Belonging in an Ethno-Nationalist Society
Authors: Liu-Farrer Gracia
Published: September 2020

This chapter explores how cultural backgrounds, migration experiences, socioeconomic circumstances, and social relationships as well as master narratives of nationhood and concepts of personhood affect immigrants' conception of home and belonging, perceived relationships with Japan, and future mobility intentions. While Japan has become home to some, others either attach their belonging to their homeland or gravitate toward a more localized and deplaced narrative of belonging. Intimate relationships, degrees of acculturation, metacultural narratives, and racial and ethnic characteristics affect immigrants' emotional geography, especially their ability to foster a sense of belonging in Japan. These mechanisms are obviously not mutually exclusive. Rather, they sometimes overlap, and other times are mutually causal. For example, the degree of acculturation has a lot to do with how much immigrants can begin to have meaningful social relationships with Japanese society. Race may also shape patterns of social inclusion. These conditions shape not only where one feels one belongs but also whether a sense of belonging can be fostered.
Introduction
Authors: Scott-Smith Tom
Published: September 2020

This introductory chapter tracks the development of humanitarian hunger relief. It begins with the construction of Victorian chef Alexis Soyer's model soup kitchen, with its steam-punk boilers and chained-down spoons, and how it later gave way to the fortified flours and regimented measurements of South Sudan's feeding schemes. It is a story that can be framed with reference to certain transitions—from collective to individual feeding, from vernacular to technical foods, and from local to international pursuit. In doing so the chapter constructs this book's central argument: that aid reflects the age. Humanitarianism, in other words, does not follow a simple, linear path of improvement and refinement, but is profoundly shaped by the conditions in which it takes place.
Governing the Diet in Victorian Institutions
Authors: Scott-Smith Tom
Published: September 2020

This chapter shows how modern nutritional science was put to the service of government and used to shape human conduct in institutions such as workhouses, schools, and industrial canteens. In this period the calorie became a widely used unit of energy, and the human body was conceived as a working machine. The chapter tracks the rise of the “labor science” of the 1880s, and an extension of dietary measurement to national productivity in general. From there, new concerns with energy and efficiency then seeped into older models of relief, illustrated through a generation of soup kitchens that updated Rumford's legacy. The high point of this movement came in the Edwardian period, when a colonial crisis attributed military failure to the meals of the British working class.
Social Nutrition at the League of Nations
Authors: Scott-Smith Tom
Published: September 2020

This chapter explains the golden age of humanitarian nutrition as undertaken by the League of Nations. It was golden not so much in results as in its ambition and scope, bringing nutrition to the center of international policy. The aspirations of this golden age of social nutrition became extensive, and its findings rose up the international agenda. A chain of positive reactions, its adherents claimed, would follow from better nutrition for all: improvements in health, which would lead to greater productivity, which would generate higher wages and stimulate demand for goods. This, in turn, would lead to economic growth and more trade across the globe. It was a vision that appealed to politicians from all parts of the political spectrum, who promoted new work on the management of malnutrition as well as examining the possibilities of social change. By the late 1930s, nutrients stood at the center of a vast network, with expanding connections around the world, but the imperatives of the coming war soon restricted these visions.
The Medicalization of Hunger and the Postwar Period
Authors: Scott-Smith Tom
Published: September 2020

This chapter looks at the experiments carried out on starving people in the 1940s, when hunger was medicalized and intricate examination regimes rolled out in emergency conditions. In this period, the expansive visions of the interwar period contracted and hunger, accordingly, became more narrowly conceived as a biochemical and medical problem. Many studies such as the Minnesota Starvation Experiment, which focused on human starvation, took place during the 1930s and 1940s. This chapter examines how they shared the same basic interest in the human biology of starvation, accumulating detailed information about starvation and its internal manifestations. In the process they reconfigured food as a medicine, hunger as a disease, and focused attention on the internal mechanics of the body.
Small-Scale Devices and the Low Modernist Legacy
Authors: Scott-Smith Tom
Published: September 2020

This chapter examines how low modernism did not just involve a commercial mentality, but also took a highly practical turn with the development of small-scale devices such as the MUAC band. Taking the story into the 1980s and 1990s, the chapter shows how a new generation of compact solutions began to act on the problem of measurement and micronutrient deficiencies. These were objects that worked on a smaller scale, such as Sprinkles and Plumpy'nut, and the chapter indicates both the hopes and the limitations of new technology. It also indicates a growing disillusionment with dominant paradigms. Indeed, after Donald McLaren had undermined the idea of a protein gap with his paper on the “Great Protein Fiasco” and Derrick Jelliffe had inspired suspicion of high modernist commerce and food technology, there was a concerted move toward smaller and more manageable interventions like the MUAC.
Conclusion
Authors: Scott-Smith Tom
Published: September 2020

This concluding chapter summarizes the major insights of the previous chapters and explores the balance of gains and losses modernity has created within the history of humanitarian nutrition. This “Faustian pact of modernity” produces incredible results, but exacts terrible costs. It generates wealth and opportunity, but leads to the destruction of tradition. It produces new freedoms, but imprisonment in bureaucratic machinery and selfish individualism. It creates material comforts, but the destruction of the natural environment. The chapter shows how this account of modernity makes for an excellent description of humanitarianism and its history. To conclude, the chapter presents some lessons and recommendations.
Blind and Delusional
Authors: Small Cathy A. , Kordosky Jason , Moore Ross
Published: September 2020

This chapter argues that when it comes to homeless people, the American public is blind and delusional. It reflects on how the economic policies in the United States have resulted in much greater gains for those with more than for those with less, while those in the bottom tier of the economic system have recently been losing ground not just relatively but absolutely. As a result, poor people are less well positioned than ever before in recent history to be able to afford basic needs, especially housing. What has happened to the country's poorest is that a growing percentage are “severely rent burdened.” This often makes it difficult to afford food, clothing, transportation, and medical care. Moreover, it leaves many in the vulnerable place where there is no way to save money and no way to weather even a small storm. Any misfortune can leave one short or late with their rent, often leading to eviction. All of this is why so many Americans live on the edge of homelessness. The chapter then considers “the high cost of being poor,” explaining how the poor depend on alternative financial services.
The Voice of an Incestuous Sister
Authors: Ishikawa Machiko
Published: September 2020

This chapter investigates the voice of the sister, Satoko, who has an incestuous relationship with Akiyuki. There is considerable discussion in both Japanese and English scholarship of Akiyuki's breaking the incest taboo with his half-sister as a substitute for patricide. Although a number of these commentaries reference Satoko, little attention has been given to her vulnerability or her response to the incest. Thus, this chapter profiles Satoko's subjectivity by considering her as a sister whose sexuality is exploited as a strategic weapon in Akiyuki's bitter conflict with his father. This conflict is shown as the son's attempt to bond with the father. Drawing on a study of male “homosociality,” this chapter discusses Satoko's subalternity as an object of dispute in her father and half-brother's homosocial bond. A key element of the chapter is the analysis of Nakagami's interpretation and, in turn, a reinterpretation of “Kyōdai shinjū” (“A brother–sister double suicide”), a folk song featured in the Akiyuki trilogy that implies the playing out of a mythic family tragedy in Kasuga.
Salinity impairs photosynthetic capacity and enhances carotenoid-related gene expression and biosynthesis in tomato (Solanum lycopersicumL. cv. Micro-Tom)
Authors: Leiva-Ampuero Andrés , Agurto Mario , Matus José Tomás , Hoppe Gustavo , Huidobro Camila , Inostroza-Blancheteau Claudio , Reyes-Díaz Marjorie , Stange Claudia , Canessa Paulo , Vega Andrea
Published: September 2020

Carotenoids are essential components of the photosynthetic antenna and reaction center complexes, being also responsible for antioxidant defense, coloration, and many other functions in multiple plant tissues. In tomato, salinity negatively affects the development of vegetative organs and productivity, but according to previous studies it might also increase fruit color and taste, improving its quality, which is a current agricultural challenge. The fruit quality parameters that are increased by salinity are cultivar-specific and include carotenoid, sugar, and organic acid contents. However, the relationship between vegetative and reproductive organs and response to salinity is still poorly understood. Considering this,Solanum lycopersicumcv. Micro-Tom plants were grown in the absence of salt supplementation as well as with increasing concentrations of NaCl for 14 weeks, evaluating plant performance from vegetative to reproductive stages. In response to salinity, plants showed a significant reduction in net photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, PSII quantum yield, and electron transport rate, in addition to an increase in non-photochemical quenching. In line with these responses the number of tomato clusters decreased, and smaller fruits with higher soluble solids content were obtained. Mature-green fruits also displayed a salt-dependent higher induction in the expression ofPSY1,PDS,ZDS, andLYCB, key genes of the carotenoid biosynthesis pathway, in correlation with increased lycopene, lutein, β-carotene, and violaxanthin levels. These results suggest a key relationship between photosynthetic plant response and yield, involving impaired photosynthetic capacity, increased carotenoid-related gene expression, and carotenoid biosynthesis.
Jatropha curcasortholog oftomato MADS-box gene 6(JcTM6) promoter exhibits floral-specific activity inArabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Wang Jing-Xian , Ming Xin , Tao Yan-Bin , Xu Zeng-Fu
Published: September 2020

Background

Jatropha curcasL., a perennial oilseed plant, is considered as a promising feedstock for biodiesel production. Genetic modification of flowering characteristics is critical forJatrophabreeding. However, analysis of floral-specific promoters inJatrophais limited.

Methods

In this study, we isolated theJatrophaortholog ofTM6(JcTM6) gene fromJatrophaflower cDNA library and detected the expression pattern ofJcTM6gene by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). We isolated a 1.8-kb fragment from the 5’ region of theJcTM6gene and evaluated its spatiotemporal expression pattern inArabidopsisusing theβ-glucuronidase(GUS) reporter gene andArabidopsis ATP/ADP isopentenyltransferase 4(AtIPT4) gene, respectively.

Results

JcTM6was identified as a flower-specific gene inJatropha. As expected,JcTM6promoter was only active in transgenicArabidopsisflowers with the strongest activity in stamens. Moreover,JcTM6:AtIPT4transgenicArabidopsisshowed a phenotype of large flowers without any alterations in other organs. Furthermore, deletion of the region from –1,717 to –876 bp resulted in the disappearance of promoter activity in stamens but an increase in promoter activity in young leaves, sepals, and petals. Deletion analysis suggests that the –1,717- to –876-bp promoter fragment contains regulatory elements that confer promoter activity in stamens and inhibit activity in young leaves, sepals, and petals.
Estimating the impact of lock-down, quarantine and sensitization in a COVID-19 outbreak: lessons from the COVID-19 outbreak in China
Authors: Collins Obiora C. , Duffy Kevin J.
Published: September 2020

In recent history, COVID-19 is one of the worst infectious disease outbreaks currently affecting humanity globally. Using real data on the COVID-19 outbreak from 22 January 2020 to 30 March 2020, we developed a mathematical model to investigate the impact of control measures in reducing the spread of the disease. Analyses of the model were carried out to determine the dynamics. The results of the analyses reveal that, using the data from China, implementing all possible control measures best reduced the rate of secondary infections. However, quarantine (isolation) of infectious individuals is shown to have the most dominant effect. This possibility emphasizes the need for extensive testing due to the possible prevalence of asymptomatic COVID-19 cases.
Role of reactive oxygen species and isoflavonoids in soybean resistance to the attack of the southern green stink bug
Authors: Sabljic Ivana , Barneto Jesica A. , Balestrasse Karina B. , Zavala Jorge A. , Pagano Eduardo A.
Published: September 2020

Southern green stink bugs (Nezara viridulaL.) are one of the major pests in many soybean producing areas. They cause a decrease in yield and affect seed quality by reducing viability and vigor. Alterations have been reported in the oxidative response and in the secondary metabolites in different plant species due to insect damage. However, there is little information available on soybean-stink bug interactions. In this study we compare the response of undamaged and damaged seeds byNezara viridulain two soybean cultivars, IAC-100 (resistant) and Davis (susceptible), grown under greenhouse conditions. Pod hardness, H2O2generation, enzyme activities in guaiacol peroxidase (GPOX), catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) as well as lipoxygenase expression and isoflavonoid production were quantified. Our results showed a greater resistance of IAC-100 to pod penetration, a decrease in peroxide content after stink bug attack, and higher GPOX, CAT and SOD activities in seeds due to the genotype and to the genotype-interaction with the herbivory treatment. Induction ofLOXexpression in both cultivars and higher production of isoflavonoids in IAC-100 were also detected. It was then concluded that the herbivory stink bug induces pathways related to oxidative stress and to the secondary metabolites in developing seeds of soybean and that differences between cultivars hold promise for a plant breeding program.
Patients at the end of life receiving palliative care: experiences of a multiprofessional team
Authors: Fernandes Maria Andréa , Borba Juliana Carla de Queiróz , Costa Solange Fátima Geraldo , Zaccara Ana Aline Lacet , Andrade Fernanda Ferreira , Marinho Hanna Louise Macedo
Published: September 2020

Objetivo: Investigar a vivência de uma equipe multiprofissional no que concerne a assistência aos pacientes sob cuidados paliativos em fase final de vida. Método: Trata-se de uma pesquisa exploratória com abordagem qualitativa. O estudo foi realizado em um hospital filantrópico, localizado na cidade de João Pessoa-Paraíba- Brasil, com 15 profissionais de uma equipe multiprofissional. Os depoimentos foram obtidos por meio de entrevista semiestruturada e organizados em categorias temáticas. Resultados: Da análise do material empírico emergiram duas categorias: I – cuidados paliativos na fase final de vida: ações e condutas da equipe multiprofissional e categoria II – desafios da equipe multiprofissional na promoção dos cuidados paliativos na fase final de vida: integração e capacitação. Conclusão: A equipe multiprofissional reconhece que uma maior integração facilite o processo de cuidado e a necessidade de se especializar para o desenvolvimento de competências com vistas à melhoria da qualidade da assistência paliativa.
Experimental evaluation of the structural performance of foundation beams under RC shear walls with door openings
Authors: Suzuki Suguru , Sanada Yasushi , Toshikatsu Ichinose , Kusuhara Fumio , Takahashi Susumu
Published: September 2020

The aspect ratio of a foundation beam under a multistory wall with door openings is extremely small, similar to those of beams between door openings in upper stories, and therefore the shear failure of such a foundation beam during an earthquake is a concern as it can lead to the failure of beams in upper stories. This study conducted static loading tests of foundation beam specimens under shear walls with door openings to investigate their structural performance. This paper reports the experimental results including the restoring force characteristics and cracking pattern in the beam specimens. Furthermore, an ultimate strength evaluation method for the foundation beams under shear walls with door openings is proposed.
Correlates of polyneuropathy in Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Kühn Eva , Averdunk Paulina , Huckemann Sophie , Müller Katharina , Biesalski Anne‐Sophie , Hof zum Berge Florian , Motte Jeremias , Fisse Anna Lena , Schneider‐Gold Christiane , Gold Ralf , Pitarokoili Kalliopi , Tönges Lars
Published: September 2020

Objective

Previous studies in Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients have demonstrated a high prevalence of polyneuropathy (PNP) and pronounced alpha‐Synuclein pathology in dermal nerve fibers already at early disease stages. The aim of this study was to analyze associations between the prevalence and severity of PNP with nonmotor and motor symptoms in PD patients.

Methods

Fifty PD patients were characterized comprehensively for the presence of clinical symptoms (nonmotor and motor), electrophysiologic alterations and – for the first time – using high‐resolution ultrasound of peripheral nerves.

Results

Sixty‐two percent of PD patients showed electrophysiological pathology of PNP. The prevalence of patient‐reported PNP symptoms was 86% and was particularly present in patients with longer disease duration, compromised scores of nonmotor and motor symptoms as well as with a negative evaluation of quality of life. Seventy‐five percent of patients showed morphologic alterations similar to axonal PNP in high‐resolution ultrasound compared to healthy controls.

Interpretation

The study demonstrates the high burden of peripheral nervous system disease in Parkinson's disease. It advocates further studies to delineate the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms in order to optimize treatment approaches for PD, including the associated PNP.
Ag2S Nanoheaters with Multiparameter Sensing for Reliable Thermal Feedback during In Vivo Tumor Therapy
Authors: Shen Yingli , Santos Harrisson D. A. , Ximendes Erving C. , Lifante José , Sanz‐Portilla Ana , Monge Luis , Fernández Nuria , Chaves‐Coira Irene , Jacinto Carlos , Brites Carlos D. S. , Carlos Luís D. , Benayas Antonio , Iglesias‐de la Cruz M. Carmen , Jaque Daniel
Published: September 2020

The emergence of luminescence nanothermometry in bio and nanomedicine has enabled achievements outside the reach of conventional techniques. For instance, it has provided real‐time monitoring of in vivo thermal therapies of tumors, a mandatory requirement for these techniques to work safely and efficiently. However, the reliability of intratumoral thermal readings is currently in question due to the presence of artefacts caused by the inhomogeneous optical properties of biological tissues. This work demonstrates how it is possible to avoid, under specific conditions, these artefacts and reach precise and reliable in vivo intratumoral thermal feedback during in vivo photothermal treatments. The method proposed is based on the use of luminescent nanoparticles capable of multiparametric thermal sensing. The results demonstrate how the convergence of the different thermal readouts becomes a solid indicator of their reliability. It is shown how this new approach makes possible precise (thermal uncertainties below 1 °C) intratumoral thermal feed‐back, while simple, efficient, and minimally invasive in vivo thermal treatments of surface tumors is carried out. Results included in this work provide an ingenious route toward the consolidation of luminescence nanothermometry as a convincing technique for high sensitivity preclinical thermal sensing, while also constituting a step toward improved photothermal therapies.
Phase Separation of Intrinsically Disordered Protein Polymers Mechanically Stiffens Fibrin Clots
Authors: Urosev Ivan , Lopez Morales Joanan , Nash Michael A.
Published: September 2020

Fibrin (Fb) networks self‐assemble through the coagulation cascade and serve as the structural foundation of blood clots. Following severe trauma or drug therapy, reduced integrity of Fb networks can lead to formation of clots with inadequate mechanical properties. A key feature of therapeutic interventions for hemostasis is therefore the ability to restore mechanical strength to clots formed under coagulopathic conditions. Here, an intrinsically disordered protein based on an elastin‐like polypeptide (ELP) sequence is described, which specifically binds Fb and modulates its mechanical properties. Hemostatic ELPs (hELPs) are designed containing N‐ and C‐terminal peptide tags that are selectivity recognized by human transglutaminase factor XIIIa and covalently linked into fibrin networks via the natural coagulation cascade. Phase separation of hELPs above their lower critical solution temperature leads to stiffening and rescue of clot biophysical properties under simulated conditions of dilutive coagulopathy. In addition to phase‐dependent stiffening, the resulting hELP‐Fb networks exhibit resistance to plasmin degradation, reduced pore sizes, and accelerated gelation rate following initiation of clotting. These results demonstrate the ability of protein‐based phase separation to modulate the physical and biochemical properties of blood clots and suggest protein phase separation as a new mechanism for achieving hemostasis in clinical settings.
Isoelectric Si Heteroatoms as Electron Traps for N2 Fixation and Activation
Authors: Zhai Guang‐Yao , Xu Dong , Zhang Shi‐Nan , Xue Zhong‐Hua , Su Hui , Yu Qiu‐Ying , Wang Hong‐Hui , Lin Xiu , Lin Yun‐Xiao , Sun Lu‐Han , Li Xin‐Hao , Chen Jie‐Sheng
Published: September 2020

Doping the host materials with either electron‐rich heteroatoms or electron‐deficient heteroatoms have been applied as a straightforward and main‐stream method to modify the electronic structures and boost the electrochemical activity for various reactions, including nitrogen reduction reactions (NRR). As the third type of dopants, isoelectric heteroatoms (exemplified with Si atoms in carbon framework in this work) have been designed as highly efficient active centers for NRR. As the same group element with a different size and electronegativity to carbon support, the isoelectric Si heteroatom (Iso‐e Si) creates localized singularities with a lone orbital that can act as an electron trap for pre‐adsorbed N2 molecules through coulomb interaction and thus facilitates the following activation process for NRR. Iso‐e Si atom thus functions as a special type of metal‐free single atom‐based electrocatalyst to largely boost the faradaic efficiency of pristine carbon support for NRR by a factor of 12, giving a remarkably high turnover frequency value of 0.52 h−1, comparable to atomically dispersed transition metal‐based electrocatalysts.
Impact of host genetics on gut microbiome: Take‐home lessons from human and mouse studies
Authors: Cahana Inbal , Iraqi Fuad A.
Published: September 2020

The intestinal microbiome has emerged as an important component involved in various diseases. Therefore, the interest in understanding the factors shaping its composition is growing. The gut microbiome, often defined as a complex trait, contains diverse components and its properties are determined by a combination of external and internal effects. Although much effort has been invested so far, it is still difficult to evaluate the extent to which human genetics shape the composition of the gut microbiota. However, in mouse studies, where the environmental factors are better controlled, the effect of the genetic background was significant. The purpose of this paper is to provide a current assessment of the role of human host genetics in shaping the gut microbiome composition. Despite the inconsistency of the reported results, it can be estimated that the genetic factor affects a portion of the microbiome. However, this effect is currently lower than the initial estimates, and it is difficult to separate the genetic influence from the environmental effect. Additionally, despite the differences between the microbial composition of humans and mice, results from mouse models can strengthen our knowledge of host genetics underlying the human gut microbial variation.
Plasmonic Hot Electrons from Oxygen Vacancies for Infrared Light‐Driven Catalytic CO2 Reduction on Bi2O3−x
Authors: Li Yingxuan , Wen Miaomiao , Wang Ying , Tian Guang , Wang Chuanyi , Zhao Jincai
Published: September 2020

Current plasmonic photocatalysts are mainly based on noble metal nanoparticles and rarely work in the infrared (IR) light range. Herein, cost‐effective Bi2O3−x with oxygen vacancies was formed in situ on commercial bismuth powder by calcination at 453.15 K in atmosphere. Interestingly, defects introduced into Bi2O3−x simultaneously induced a localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) in the wavelength range of 600–1400 nm and enhanced the adsorption for CO2 molecules, which enabled efficient photocatalysis of CO2‐to‐CO (ca. 100 % selectivity) even under low‐intensity near‐IR light irradiation. Significantly, the apparent quantum yield for CO evolution at 940 nm reached 0.113 %, which is approximately 4 times that found at 450 nm. We also showed that the unique LSPR allows for the realization of a nearly linear dependence of photocatalytic CO production rate on light intensity and operating temperature. Finally, based on an IR spectroscopy study, an oxygen‐vacancy induced Mars‐van Krevlen mechanism was proposed to understand the CO2 reduction reactions.
Targeting RNA G‐Quadruplex in SARS‐CoV‐2: A Promising Therapeutic Target for COVID‐19?
Authors: Zhao Chuanqi , Qin Geng , Niu Jingsheng , Wang Zhao , Wang Chunyu , Ren Jinsong , Qu Xiaogang
Published: September 2020

The COVID‐19 pandemic caused by SARS‐CoV‐2 has become a global threat. Understanding the underlying mechanisms and developing innovative treatments are extremely urgent. G‐quadruplexes (G4s) are important noncanonical nucleic acid structures with distinct biofunctions. Four putative G4‐forming sequences (PQSs) in the SARS‐CoV‐2 genome were studied. One of them (RG‐1), which locates in the coding sequence region of SARS‐CoV‐2 nucleocapsid phosphoprotein (N), has been verified to form a stable RNA G4 structure in live cells. G4‐specific compounds, such as PDP (pyridostatin derivative), can stabilize RG‐1 G4 and significantly reduce the protein levels of SARS‐CoV‐2 N by inhibiting its translation both in vitro and in vivo. This result is the first evidence that PQSs in SARS‐CoV‐2 can form G4 structures in live cells, and that their biofunctions can be regulated by a G4‐specific stabilizer. This finding will provide new insights into developing novel antiviral drugs against COVID‐19.
Activating Chalcogen Bonding (ChB) in Alkylseleno/Alkyltelluroacetylenes toward Chalcogen Bonding Directionality Control
Authors: Dhaka Arun , Jeannin Olivier , Jeon Ie‐Rang , Aubert Emmanuel , Espinosa Enrique , Fourmigué Marc
Published: September 2020

Activation of a deep electron‐deficient area on chalcogen atoms (Ch=Se, Te) is demonstrated in alkynyl chalcogen derivatives, in the prolongation of the (C≡)C−Ch bond. The solid‐state structures of 1,4‐bis(methylselenoethynyl)perfluorobenzene (1Se) show the formation of recurrent chalcogen‐bonded (ChB) motifs. Association of 1Se and the tellurium analogue 1Te with 4,4′‐bipyridine and with the stronger Lewis base 1,4‐di(4‐pyridyl)piperazine gives 1:1 co‐crystals with 1D extended structures linked by short and directional ChB interactions, comparable to those observed with the corresponding halogen bond (XB) donor, 1,4‐bis(iodoethynyl)‐perfluorobenzene. This “alkynyl” approach for chalcogen activation provides the crystal‐engineering community with efficient, and neutral ChB donors for the elaboration of supramolecular 1D (and potentially 2D or 3D) architectures, with a degree of strength and predictability comparable to that of halogen bonding in iodoacetylene derivatives.
A Unified Strategy for Arylsulfur(VI) Fluorides from Aryl Halides: Access to Ar‐SOF3 Compounds
Authors: Wang Lin , Cornella Josep
Published: September 2020

A convenient protocol to selectively access various arylsulfur(VI) fluorides from commercially available aryl halides in a divergent fashion is presented. Firstly, a novel sulfenylation reaction with the electrophilic N‐(chlorothio)phthalimide (Cl‐S‐Phth) and arylzinc reagents afforded the corresponding Ar‐S‐Phth compounds. Subsequently, the S(II) atom was selectively oxidized to distinct fluorinated sulfur(VI) compounds under mild conditions. Slight modifications on the oxidation protocol permit the chemoselective installation of 1, 3, or 4 fluorine atoms at the S(VI) center, affording the corresponding Ar‐SO2F, Ar‐SOF3, and Ar‐SF4Cl. Of notice, this strategy enables the effective introduction of the rare and underexplored ‐SOF3 moiety into various (hetero)aryl groups. Reactivity studies demonstrate that such elusive Ar‐SOF3 can be utilized as a linchpin for the synthesis of highly coveted aryl sulfonimidoyl fluorides (Ar‐SO(NR)F).
A New Class of NIR‐II Gold Nanocluster‐Based Protein Biolabels for In Vivo Tumor‐Targeted Imaging
Authors: Song Xiaorong , Zhu Wei , Ge Xiaoguang , Li Renfu , Li Shihua , Chen Xian , Song Jibin , Xie Jianping , Chen Xueyuan , Yang Huanghao
Published: September 2020

The design of bright NIR‐II luminescent nanomaterials that enable efficient labelling of proteins without disturbing their physiological properties in vivo is challenging. We developed an efficient strategy to synthesize bright NIR‐II gold nanoclusters (Au NCs) protected by biocompatible cyclodextrin (CD). Leveraging the ultrasmall size of Au NCs (<2 nm) and strong macrocycle‐based host–guest chemistry, the as‐synthesized CD‐Au NCs can readily label proteins/antibodies. Moreover, the labelled proteins/antibodies enable highly efficient in vivo tracking during blood circulation, without disturbing their biodistribution and tumor targeting ability, thus leading to a sensitive tumor‐targeted imaging. CD‐Au NCs are stable in the harsh biological environment and show good biocompatibility and high renal clearance efficiency. Therefore, the NIR‐II biolabels developed in this study provide a promising platform to monitor the physiological behavior of biomolecules in living organisms.
Polypropylene oxide/polyethylene oxide‐cellulose hybrid nanocomposite hydrogels as drug delivery vehicle
Authors: Prusty Kalyani , Swain Sarat K.
Published: September 2020

This article deals with the synthesis of hybrid nanocomposite hydrogels through the combination of cellulose (C), polypropylene oxide/poly ethylene oxide (PPO/PEO), and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) by in situ polymerization technique for the in vitro release of ornidazole drugs. The structure of the resulted materials is identified using SEM, XRD, FTIR, XPS, and TGA spectroscopic techniques. The resulting structure, morphology, thermo responsive property, water retention, and swelling behavior of hydrogels are investigated. The rheological measurement is studied to establish the enhancement of the viscoelasticity and stiffness of hydrogels. The antibacterial activity of the biodegradable silver hybrid nanocomposite hydrogel is investigated by inhibition zone method against gram positive and negative bacteria. Maximum drug release of 96.4% is recorded at 7.4 pH in 5 h. The biocompatibility and cytotoxicity of the hybrid nanocomposite hydrogel are verified using mouse fibroblast cell line L‐929 (ATCC CCL‐1) cells for their possible use as controlled drug delivery vehicles. The nontoxic nature makes the materials more biocompatible and suitable to apply in the biological systems. Therefore, nontoxic and biocompatible natures of present materials with improved thermal and rheological properties support for their possible uses as drug delivery vehicles.
CR composites with improved processing safety crosslinked via Heck's reaction
Authors: Dziemidkiewicz Anna , Maciejewska Magdalena
Published: September 2020

The aim of this study was to optimize the composition of the chloroprene rubber (CR) composites crosslinked via the Heck‐type reaction to ensure their safe processing at elevated temperature. The developed curing system consisting of iron (III) acetylacetonate (Fe(acac)) and triethanolamine (TEOA) demonstrates high activity and more eco‐friendly composition in comparison with metal oxide system, commercially used for CR crosslinking. However, the high activity of Fe(acac)/TEOA system results in a short scorch time, which is the greatest disadvantage regarding the safe processing of CR rubber and thus, must be improved. Therefore, CR compounds with Fe(acac) in the presence of different additives were studied. The longest scorch times (t02) were observed for rubber compounds with urotropine (U), N‐cyclohexyl‐2‐benzothiazole sulfenamide (CBS) or salicylic acid. Moreover, vulcanizates containing these additives exhibited higher tensile strengths and elongation at breaks compared to CR crosslinked with Fe(acac)/TEOA system.
Preoperative MRI for predicting pathological changes associated with surgical difficulty during laparoscopic cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis
Authors: Omiya K , Hiramatsu K , Kato T , Shibata Y , Yoshihara M , Aoba T , Arimoto A , Ito A
Published: September 2020

Background

Severe inflammation with necrosis and fibrosis of the gallbladder in acute cholecystitis increases operative difficulty during laparoscopic cholecystectomy. This study aimed to assess the use of preoperative MRI in predicting pathological changes of the gallbladder associated with surgical difficulty.

Methods

Patients who underwent both preoperative MRI and early cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis between 2012 and 2018 were identified retrospectively. On the basis of the layered pattern of the gallbladder wall on MRI, patients were classified into three groups: high signal intensity (HSI), intermediate signal intensity (ISI), and low signal intensity (LSI). The endpoint was the presence of pathological changes of the gallbladder associated with surgical difficulty, such as necrosis, abscess formation and fibrosis.

Results

Of 229 eligible patients, pathological changes associated with surgical difficulty were found in 17 (27 per cent) of 62 patients in the HSI group, 84 (85 per cent) of 99 patients in the ISI group, and 66 (97 per cent) of 68 patients in the LSI group (P < 0·001). For detecting these changes, intermediate to low signal intensity of the gallbladder wall had a sensitivity of 90 (95 per cent c.i. 84 to 94) per cent, specificity of 73 (60 to 83) per cent and accuracy of 85 (80 to 90) per cent.

Conclusion

Preoperative MRI predicted pathological changes associated with surgical difficulty during laparoscopic cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis.
Anterior cingulate gamma‐aminobutyric acid concentrations and electroconvulsive therapy
Authors: Erchinger Vera J. , Miller Jeremy , Jones Thomas , Kessler Ute , Bustillo Juan , Haavik Jan , Petrillo Jonathan , Ziomek Gregory , Hammar Åsa , Oedegaard Ketil J. , Calhoun Vince D. , McClintock Shawn M. , Ersland Lars , Oltedal Leif , Abbott Christopher C.
Published: September 2020

Objective

The anticonvulsant hypothesis posits that ECT’s mechanism of action is related to enhancement of endogenous anticonvulsant brain mechanisms. Results of prior studies investigating the role of the inhibitory neurotransmitter gamma‐aminobutyric acid (“GABA+”, GABA and coedited macromolecules) in the pathophysiology and treatment of depression remain inconclusive. The aim of our study was to investigate treatment‐responsive changes of GABA+ in subjects with a depressive episode receiving electroconvulsive therapy (ECT).

Methods

In total, 41 depressed subjects (DEP) and 35 healthy controls (HC) were recruited at two independent sites in Norway and the USA. MEGA‐PRESS was used for investigation of GABA+ in the anterior cingulate cortex. We assessed longitudinal and cross‐sectional differences between DEP and HC, as well as the relationship between GABA+ change and change in depression severity and number of ECTs. We also assessed longitudinal differences in cognitive performance and GABA+ levels.

Results

Depressive episode did not show a difference in GABA+ relative to HC (t71 = −0.36, p = .72) or in longitudinal analysis (t36 = 0.97, p = .34). Remitters and nonremitters did not show longitudinal (t36 = 1.12, p = .27) or cross‐sectional differences in GABA+. GABA+ levels were not related to changes in antidepressant response (t35 = 1.12, p = .27) or treatment number (t36 = 0.05, p = .96). An association between cognitive performance and GABA+ levels was found in DEP that completed cognitive effortful testing (t18 = 2.4, p = .03).

Conclusion

Our results failed to support GABA as a marker for depression and abnormal mood state and provide no support for the anticonvulsant hypothesis of ECT. ECT‐induced change in GABA concentrations may be related to change in cognitive function.
Use of focused intensive care echo in the diagnosis of primary cardiac angiosarcoma
Authors: Medhora Jasmine , Wilson Graham , Ronald Andrew , Allen Lee
Published: September 2020

Focused Intensive Care Echo can aid diagnosis in complex patients where initial investigations are non‐diagnostic. FICE is an essential skill for critical care physicians, and bedside echocardiography should be a standard investigation for all critical care patients.
Mitarbeiter führen, auch wenn es schwierig wird
Authors: Kraus Georg ,   Dr. Georg Kraus & Partner, Bruchsal
Published: September 2020

Wenn in einem Unternehmen plötzlich zum Beispiel die Umsätze und Erträge wegbrechen, wird auch dessen Führungsmannschaft auf eine harte Probe gestellt.
Expression of miRNAs in plasma exosomes derived from patients with atrial fibrillation
Authors: Wei Zhang , Bing Zhang , Shaohuan Qian , Yanran Wang , Shuo Sun , Bi Tang , Feiyu Zhu , Heng Zhang , Qin Gao , Pinfang Kang
Published: September 2020

Background

Studies have revealed the association between exosomes and cardiovascular diseases. However, the typical changes of plasma miRNAs in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) are still controversial, the use of exosomal miRNAs to diagnose and predict the prognosis of AF has not been described.

Hypothesis

We hypothesized that there were differences in the exosomal miRNAs between AF and normal sinus rhythm (SR) patients, which might be used as the novel biomarkers to reflect the progression of AF.

Methods

miRNAs were isolated from the plasma of patients, and the target genes of differential miRNAs via enrichment analysis to discover potential pathogenesis related to AF. Combined with high‐throughput sequencing results, real‐time PCR was used to verify the relative expression of target miRNAs in patients.

Results

This study confirmed that the expression of plasma‐derived exosomal miRNAs between patients with AF and SR were different. Target gene enrichment analysis suggested that the target genes of 20 miRNAs, which were significantly upregulated were mainly enriched in biological processes such as gene expression process, inflammation response, enzyme modification, etc. Meanwhile, mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK), mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), and other pathways were highly enriched. The expressions of miR‐92b‐3p, miR‐1306‐5p, and miR‐let‐7b‐3p had differences between patients with AF and SR.

Conclusion

These miRNAs and target genes were involved in the process of AF through affecting biological processes such as energy metabolism, lipid metabolism, inflammation, and enzyme activity. It suggested that the exosomal miRNAs might be used as the novel biomarkers to reflect the progression of AF.
Towards the Prediction of Antimicrobial Efficacy for Hydrogen Bonded, Self‐Associating Amphiphiles
Authors: Allen Nyasha , White Lisa J. , Boles Jessica E. , Williams George T. , Chu Dominique F. , Ellaby Rebecca J. , Shepherd Helena J. , Ng Kendrick K. L. , Blackholly Laura R. , Wilson Ben , Mulvihill Daniel P. , Hiscock Jennifer R.
Published: September 2020

Herein we report 50 structurally related supramolecular self‐associating amphiphilic (SSA) salts and related compounds. These SSAs are shown to act as antimicrobial agents, active against model Gram‐positive (methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus) and/or Gram‐negative (Escherichia coli) bacteria of clinical interest. Through a combination of solution‐state, gas‐phase, solid‐state and in silico measurements, we determine 14 different physicochemical parameters for each of these 50 structurally related compounds. These parameter sets are then used to identify molecular structure‐physicochemical property‐antimicrobial activity relationships for our model Gram‐negative and Gram‐positive bacteria, while simultaneously providing insight towards the elucidation of SSA mode of antimicrobial action.
Improving the accessibility and transferability of machine learning algorithms for identification of animals in camera trap images: MLWIC2
Authors: Tabak Michael A. , Norouzzadeh Mohammad S. , Wolfson David W. , Newton Erica J. , Boughton Raoul K. , Ivan Jacob S. , Odell Eric A. , Newkirk Eric S. , Conrey Reesa Y. , Stenglein Jennifer , Iannarilli Fabiola , Erb John , Brook Ryan K. , Davis Amy J. , Lewis Jesse , Walsh Daniel P. , Beasley James C. , VerCauteren Kurt C. , Clune Jeff , Miller Ryan S.
Published: September 2020

Motion‐activated wildlife cameras (or “camera traps”) are frequently used to remotely and noninvasively observe animals. The vast number of images collected from camera trap projects has prompted some biologists to employ machine learning algorithms to automatically recognize species in these images, or at least filter‐out images that do not contain animals. These approaches are often limited by model transferability, as a model trained to recognize species from one location might not work as well for the same species in different locations. Furthermore, these methods often require advanced computational skills, making them inaccessible to many biologists. We used 3 million camera trap images from 18 studies in 10 states across the United States of America to train two deep neural networks, one that recognizes 58 species, the “species model,” and one that determines if an image is empty or if it contains an animal, the “empty‐animal model.” Our species model and empty‐animal model had accuracies of 96.8% and 97.3%, respectively. Furthermore, the models performed well on some out‐of‐sample datasets, as the species model had 91% accuracy on species from Canada (accuracy range 36%–91% across all out‐of‐sample datasets) and the empty‐animal model achieved an accuracy of 91%–94% on out‐of‐sample datasets from different continents. Our software addresses some of the limitations of using machine learning to classify images from camera traps. By including many species from several locations, our species model is potentially applicable to many camera trap studies in North America. We also found that our empty‐animal model can facilitate removal of images without animals globally. We provide the trained models in an R package (MLWIC2: Machine Learning for Wildlife Image Classification in R), which contains Shiny Applications that allow scientists with minimal programming experience to use trained models and train new models in six neural network architectures with varying depths.