bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The effect of urban particulate matter on cultured human nasal fibroblasts
Authors: Lee Dong Chang , Choi Hyunsu , Oh Jeong‐Min , Hong Yupyo , Jeong Su Hee , Kim Choung Soo , Kim Dong‐Kee , Cho Won‐Kyung , Kim Sung Won , Kim Soo Whan , Cho Jin Hee , Lee Joohyung
Published: July 2018

Background

Exposure to urban particulate matter (UPM) has been linked to aggravation of various health problems. Although the effects of UPM on the lower respiratory tract have been extensively studied, more research is required on the impact of UPM on the upper respiratory tract and the underlying mechanisms. Thus, we investigated the cytotoxic effects of UPM on cultured human nasal fibroblasts, the underlying signaling pathways involved, and changes in cytokine levels.

Methods

Human turbinate tissue specimens were collected during partial turbinectomies performed on 6 patients, and then cultured. The effect of UPM on nasal fibroblast viability was explored. Real‐time reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction was used to measure the mRNA levels of genes encoding cytokines and chemokines (interleukin [IL]‐4, IL‐6, IL‐8, and tumor necrosis factor‐α) before and after 24 hours of UPM treatment. Enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assays were employed to measure IL‐6 and IL‐8 levels. The status of the p38 and nuclear factor (NF)‐κB signaling pathways was analyzed by Western blotting.

Results

UPM reduced cell viability in a dose‐dependent manner and increased IL‐6 and IL‐8 expression at both the mRNA and protein levels. UPM induced the phosphorylation of p38 and NF‐κB p65; inhibitors of the actions of these proteins repressed phosphorylation and the expression of IL‐6 and IL‐8.

Conclusion

UPM induced IL‐6 and IL‐8 expression by fibroblasts via p38 and NF‐κB classical signaling, suggesting that UPM can induce or aggravate allergic and/or chronic rhinitis.
The lamina push test: an alternative to the globe push test for identifying the medial orbit during endoscopic sinus surgery
Authors: Shah Ravi R. , Thomas William W. , Kuan Edward C. , Kennedy David W.
Published: July 2018

Background

Aside from endoscopic and image guidance confirmation, the standard method of identifying the lamina involves the surgeon or an assistant applying gentle pressure on the globe externally. This globe push test requires the surgeon to remove one instrument from the endoscopic field or an assistant to press on the globe, and the test is most useful when either the periorbita or periorbital fat is exposed. We propose an alternative, equally accurate, and more efficient technique dubbed the lamina push test.

Methods

A blunt instrument is used to gently apply lateral pressure in the expected location of the medial orbital wall. If the lamina has been adequately skeletonized, the entire lamina will be seen to move as a unit. If residual ethmoid partitions are present, no movement or only localized movement is observed.

Results

Using the lamina push test, we have been able to safely identify the lamina papyracea in all patients undergoing endoscopic sinus surgery, without injury to the lamina or orbital contents. The use of direct pressure significantly increases the movement of an intact lamina.

Conclusion

The lamina push test is a safe and effective technique for identification of the medial orbital wall, confirmation of removal of all lateral ethmoid partitions, and verification of lamina integrity. It enables more consistent identification of an intact lamina, allows the surgeon to keep both instruments in the endonasal surgical field, and does not require an assistant.
Enantioselektive Nazarov‐Cyclisierungen, die von einer axial‐chiralen, C6F5‐substituierten Bor‐Lewis‐Säure katalysiert werden
Authors: Süsse Lars , Vogler Maria , Mewald Marius , Kemper Benedict , Irran Elisabeth , Oestreich Martin
Published: July 2018

Es wird gezeigt, dass eine chirale Variante von B(C6F5)3 mit einem 3,3′‐disubstituierten Binaphthylrückgrat Nazarov‐Cyclisierungen mit hoher Enantio‐ und Diastereokontrolle katalysiert. Die Stammverbindung B(C6F5)3 vermittelt diese Ringschlüsse ebenfalls effizient. Diese Elektrocyclisierung ist ein weiteres Beispiel einer noch immer kleinen Gruppe an C‐C‐Bindungsknüpfungen, die von B(C6F5)3 als Katalysator bewerkstelligt werden.
A new empirical scaling equation for accurate prediction of gaseous species equilibrium adsorption on activated carbon
Authors: Erfani Gahrooei Hamid Reza , Joonaki Edris
Published: July 2018

Adsorption models have many applications in industry such as in gas separation and/purification, natural gas storage, and CO2 capture. In this work, a simple and robust method is introduced for calculation of natural gas and biogas adsorption on activated carbon, which is not only less complex than existing models but also not limited to isothermal condition. The proposed equation collapses the experimental data at different temperatures into a single linear curve, from which the adsorbed amounts at equilibrium can be calculated for any desired pressure and temperature in the range of experimental data. Model parameters are also calculated and presented for different gas components on activated carbon, and the accuracy of the proposed model is compared with that of three most common adsorption isotherms. As a result, the proposed scaling equation approach is shown to be more accurate and robust than the Langmuir and Sips models. Also, although application of these models is limited to isothermal condition, the proposed model is temperature dependent. It is shown that the proposed model predicts the experimental data with less than 4% error in term of sum of squared errors, and with correlation factors (R2) higher than 0.95, which demonstrate the applicability of the developed approach. Proposed scaling equation scheme could help adsorption‐based process design and separation or purification of mainly CH4 from natural gas and/or biogas streams with distinct CO2‐based contents along with a decrease in necessity of experimental data to address these purposes.
Rhodium(III)‐Catalyzed C−H Alkynylation of N‐Methylsulfoximines
Authors: Wang Tao , Wang Yi‐Ning , Wang Rui , Wang Xi‐Sheng
Published: July 2018

A rhodium(III)‐catalyzed direct C−H alkynylation of a wide range of N‐methylsulfoximines with (bromoethynyl)triisopropylsilane has been developed. This protocol is compatible with both (S,S)‐diaryl sulfoximines and (S,S)‐alkyl aryl sulfoximines, and shows mild conditions, and good functional group tolerance. The synthetic utility of this method has been demonstrated by subsequent various transformations of the products.
Comparison of recovery of volatile fatty acids and mixed ketones as alternative downstream processes for acetogenisis fermentation
Authors: Petersen Abdul M. , Franco Telma , Görgens Johann F.
Published: July 2018

Carboxylates produced by the acetogenisis fermentation of pre‐treated lignocelluloses are precursors to bio‐based products that are alternatives to second‐generation biofuels for biomass valorization. This paper compares the techno‐economic indicators for recovering either mixed ketones or mixed volatile fatty acid (VFA) products from the carboxylates in a fermentation broth through process simulation and financial modeling.

This study considers scenarios for (i) an efficient process for ketone production (K‐P) involving dehydration, thermal conversion, and condensation already established in the literature; (ii) VFA production (VFA‐P) with conventional methods of carboxylate acidification and separation; and (iii) advanced VFA acidification and separation methods. In conventional acidification, using mineral acids and calcium alkalis results in wastes; while in advanced acidification, the acids and bases are regenerated. Conventional separation relies on ethyl‐acetate extraction, while advanced separation relies on amine extraction.

Scenarios are compared in terms of energy and chemical use, and the internal rates of return (IRR) determined with price ranges assumed for mixed VFAs and mixed ketones.

Thus, with optimistic product prices, K‐P and VFA‐P with conventional acidification‐separation have indentical IRRs at 35%, but K‐P is favorable due to the chemical‐intensiveness and waste generation of the VFA‐P. Using advanced acidification and separation could possibly improve the IRR of VFA‐P to 39%, with a capital investment of 2% above that of K‐P, which was estimated at US$ 293 million. Otherwise, a previously patented scheme that integrated acidification and separation based on amine complexation could also produce a VFA process that is environmentally and economically feasible. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
Transport mechanism of ursodeoxycholic acid in human placental BeWo cells
Authors: Xia Yanming , Dong Ying , Zhao Xiaoli , Di Liuqing , Li Junsong
Published: July 2018

Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) is a first‐line drug to treat intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP). However, its effects on the fetus are not clearly known. To better guide its clinical use, we aimed to study the mechanism underlying the placental transport of UDCA. The uptake and efflux of UDCA across placental apical membranes were studied using BeWo cells; effects of different exposure durations, UDCA concentrations, temperatures, and inhibitors of transporters were studied. A transwell assay was performed, and UDCA concentration in both fetal and maternal sides was measured using LC–MS/MS. Higher unidirectional transport of UDCA was observed in the basolateral‐to‐apical direction than in the apical‐to‐basolateral direction. Ko143 and verapamil, which are typical inhibitors of efflux transporters, significantly increased UDCA transport from different directions. UDCA uptake from the apical membrane of BeWo cells was time‐dependent, but sodium‐independent. It was inhibited by inhibitors of energy metabolism and of organic anion transporters, indicating an active transport mechanism. UDCA uptake from the apical membranes of BeWo cells could be mediated by organic anion‐transporting polypeptides, whereas its efflux could be mediated by breast cancer resistance protein and multidrug resistant protein 3. The results of the present study may provide a basis for UDCA use in pregnancy.
Azide‐ and Alkyne‐Bearing Metabolic Chemical Reporters of Glycosylation Show Structure‐Dependent Feedback Inhibition of the Hexosamine Biosynthetic Pathway
Authors: Walter Lisa A. , Batt Anna R. , Darabedian Narek , Zaro Balyn W. , Pratt Matthew R.
Published: July 2018

Metabolic chemical reporters (MCRs) of protein glycosylation are analogues of natural monosaccharides that bear reactive groups, like azides and alkynes. When they are added to living cells and organisms, these small molecules are biosynthetically transformed into nucleotide donor sugars and then used by glycosyltransferases to modify proteins. Subsequent installation of tags by bioorthogonal chemistries can then enable the visualization and enrichment of these glycoproteins. Although this two‐step procedure is powerful, the use of MCRs has the potential to change the endogenous production of the natural repertoire of donor sugars. A major route for the generation of these glycosyltransferase substrates is the hexosamine biosynthetic pathway (HBP), which results in uridine diphosphate N‐acetylglucosamine (UDP‐GlcNAc). Interestingly, the rate‐determining enzyme of the HBP, glutamine fructose‐6‐phosphate amidotransferase (GFAT), is feedback inhibited by UDP‐GlcNAc. This raises the possibility that a build‐up of UDP‐MCRs would block the biosynthesis of UDP‐GlcNAc, resulting in off target effects. Here, we directly test this possibility with recombinant human GFAT and a small panel of synthetic UDP‐MCRs. We find that MCRs with larger substitutions at the N‐acetyl position do not inhibit GFAT, whereas those with modifications of the 2‐ or 6‐hydroxy group do. These results further illuminate the considerations that should be applied to the use of MCRs.
Reversible Segregation of Ni in LaFe0.8Ni0.2O3±δ During Coke Removal
Authors: Steiger Patrick , Nachtegaal Maarten , Kröcher Oliver , Ferri Davide
Published: July 2018

The deactivation of supported nickel catalysts by coking is an important technological subject for many chemical processes, especially when high concentrations of unsaturated hydrocarbons are present in the feed gas. Here, the reversible segregation of Ni from a LaFeO3±δ perovskite‐type host lattice was exploited to completely recover a LaFe0.8Ni0.2O3±δ catalyst after it had been deliberately subjected to severe carbon deposition during CO2 methanation in ethylene rich feed gas for several hours. Temperature programmed reduction, X‐ray diffraction, electron microscopy, X‐ray absorption spectroscopy and catalytic activity tests were used to follow the catalyst structure along the various steps of reduction, reaction, coking and subsequent regeneration, while Raman spectroscopy and electron microscopy were used to characterize the nature of the carbon deposits. It is shown that upon reduction Ni atoms segregate to the surface of the perovskite to form catalytic active Ni particles. Oxidation stimulates Ni atoms to readopt the coordination environment of Fe in the perovskite matrix. This property persisted after severe catalyst deactivation by filamentous, partially graphitic carbon. It is demonstrated that simple catalyst reoxidation can be applied to oxidize all carbon deposits while additionally reverting segregated Ni back into the host lattice, thus protecting Ni from particle growth and resultant long‐term loss of catalyst activity over multiple regeneration cycles.
Insight by In Situ Gas Electron Microscopy on the Thermal Behaviour and Surface Reactivity of Cobalt Nanoparticles
Authors: Dembélé Kassiogé , Bahri Mounib , Melinte Georgian , Hirlimann Charles , Berliet Adrien , Maury Sylvie , Gay Anne‐Sophie , Ersen Ovidiu
Published: July 2018

Here the thermal behaviour and the surface reactivity of cobalt catalysts supported by alumina‐silica and promoted by platinum were investigated by in situ transmission electron microscopy (in situ TEM) in a syngas environment. At the standard operating temperature of 220 °C, atomic diffusion and sintering processes onto the support are quite limited on the time scale of the TEM experiment. At temperatures between 350 and 450 °C, particles encapsulation occurred due to a higher CO dissociation and conversion into graphitic layers. Beyond 500 °C, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) growth is activated and the particles undergo (i) morphological changes through continuous elongation and contraction; and (ii) microstructural changes with the appearance of cobalt carbide. By comparing reactions under pure CO and a mixture CO−H2, it was shown that the addition of dihydrogen to CO increased the rate of CNTs growth and modified the structure of the nanotubes. These results clearly demonstrate the strong ability of the in situ TEM to provide the main lines of the reactivity synopsis of nanocatalysts at a nanometric scale under temperature and reactive gas.
Strong Metal Support Interaction as a Key Factor of Au Activation in CO Oxidation
Authors: Klyushin Alexander Yu. , Jones Travis E. , Lunkenbein Thomas , Kube Pierre , Li Xuan , Hävecker Michael , Knop‐Gericke Axel , Schlögl Robert
Published: July 2018

We address the question of the nature of Au NP activation and through a combination of experimental and theoretical techniques. In‐situ XPS measurements of Au/TiO2 during CO oxidation show high catalytic activity can be associated with the formation of an ionic Au species. DFT calculations performed on Au/TiO2 show that the formation of such ionic Au is due to a strong metal‐support interaction between Au and reduced and defective TiO2. TEM supports these findings, indicating the formation of an overlayer of transition metal oxide support on Au NPs after CO oxidation. These results suggest TiO2 lattice oxygen is involved directly in CO oxidation, which was confirmed with labeled 18O2 experiments.
Interfacial Friction Factor Prediction in Vertical Annular Flow Based on the Interface Roughness
Authors: Sun Baojiang , Zhang Zhennan , Wang Zhiyuan , Xiang Hua
Published: July 2018

Correlations for the interface roughness are proposed for conditions without or with disturbance waves for vertical annular flow. The decisive role of interface roughness in the interfacial friction factor is specified through a comparison of ten correlations for the interfacial friction factor with an experimental database. The effect of the disturbance wave on the interface roughness is analyzed to figure out the influence parameters, which are the superficial gas and liquid Reynolds numbers for conditions without disturbance waves and gas core and liquid film Reynolds numbers for conditions with disturbance waves. The proposed correlations improve the prediction precision of the interfacial friction factor, especially in smooth and transitional regimes.
Microreactor Technology as a Tool for the Synthesis of a Glitazone Drug Intermediate
Authors: Pinheiro Danilo da Silva , Silva Renan Rodrigues de Oliveira , Calvo Paulo Victor Cuesta , Fernandes da Silva Milena , Converti Attilio , Palma Mauri Sergio Alves
Published: July 2018

One of the bottlenecks in the pharmaceutical industry is drug production scale‐up, which can be performed by microreactor technology. Such an approach was applied to the synthesis of (Z)‐5‐(4‐hydroxybenzylidene)thiazolidine‐2,4‐dione, a bioactive aromatic heterocyclic compound belonging to the class of glitazones. n‐Propanol was the best solvent and piperidine the best catalyst for the batch reaction, which was completed in only 5.5 h. In the microreactor, the productivity was almost independent of solvent. The microreactor behaved as a plug‐flow reactor and operated at a steady state for ten hours without efficiency loss. The results suggest that microreactors may replace batch reactors in scaling up drug production.
Opportunities for Low‐Cost Particulate Matter Sensors in Filter Emission Measurements
Authors: Schwarz Almuth D. , Meyer Jörg , Dittler Achim
Published: July 2018

Commercial low‐cost sensors for particulate matter measurements are a fast growing market and find many applications in the particulate matter (PM) immission characterization in the environment. This application includes uncontrolled factors such as humidity, making the devices more prone to errors. These factors are controllable in closed emission control applications, turning these affordable sensors into potential monitoring devices for exhaust concentrations. Time‐resolved PM emissions of a surface filter were measured at various concentration levels. The suitability and limitations of a SDS011 PM2.5 low‐cost sensor were evaluated by comparing its PM readings to a welas® 2100 sensor by Palas®. Experimental setup and results are presented and further discussed in this paper.
Polymorphic Phase Transitions in Carbamazepine and 10,11‐Dihydrocarbamazepine
Authors: Clout Alexander E. , Buanz Asma B. M. , Gaisford Simon , Williams Gareth R.
Published: July 2018

Temperature‐induced phase transitions in carbamazepine (CBZ) and 10,11‐dihydrocarbamazepine (DHC) were studied by simultaneous differential scanning calorimetry–X‐ray diffraction in this work. The transitions generally involve a transitional melt phase which is quickly followed by recrystallisation. The expansions of the unit cell as a function of temperature could be quantified and allow us to determine a directional order of stability in relation to the lattice constants. Dihydrocarbamazepine form II undergoes a conversion to form I by a localised melt phase. Carbamazepine (CBZ) form IV converts to form I at 182 °C, again by a localised intermediate melt phase. CBZ form II converted to form I at 119 °C by a pathway that appears to have included some melting, and form III underwent a part melt‐recrystallisation and a part sublimation‐recrystallisation to form I.
Near‐Infrared Light Responsive Imaging‐Guided Photothermal and Photodynamic Synergistic Therapy Nanoplatform Based on Carbon Nanohorns for Efficient Cancer Treatment
Authors: Gao Cunji , Dong Pei , Lin Zhaoxing , Guo Xiaolu , Jiang Bang‐Ping , Ji Shichen , Liang Hong , Shen Xing‐Can
Published: July 2018

Indocyanine green (ICG) is an effective light absorber for laser‐mediated photodynamic therapy. However, applications of ICG are limited due to its rapid degradation and poor photostability in water. Herein, we report the development of a multifunctional nanoplatform by coating ICG on the surface of single‐walled carbon nanohorns (SWNHs) through π–π stacking, obtaining SWNH‐ICGs with high solubility and stability under physiological conditions. The SWNH‐ICGs could be used as a single nanoplatform to simultaneously produce satisfactory hyperthermia and reactive oxygen species under near‐infrared (NIR) laser irradiation. In addition, the SWNH‐ICGs not only improved the photostability of ICG in different media, but also protected it from light degradation. The SWNH‐ICGs exhibited highly efficient thermal/photoacoustic (PA) imaging‐guided photothermal therapy (PTT) and photodynamic therapy (PDT) effects, even under low‐power laser irradiation (0.3 W cm−2) in vitro. Combined PTT and PDT effectively killed triple‐negative breast cancer 4T1 cells, demonstrating a markedly improved and synergistic therapeutic effect compared to PTT or PDT alone. Furthermore, significant tumor growth inhibition as well as tumor cell death were observed following PTT/PDT at 808 nm laser irradiation, confirming the synergistic effects of SWNH‐ICGs over free ICG in vivo. This facile and simple methodology for thermal/PA imaging‐guided PTT/PDT suggests that SWNH‐ICGs may serve as an effective nanoplatform for cancer therapy.
Iridium‐Induced Regioselective B−H and C−C Activations at Azo‐Substituted o‐Carboranes
Authors: Gao Yang , Cui Peng‐Fei , Aznarez Francisco , Jin Guo‐Xin
Published: July 2018

Invited for the cover of this issue is the group of Guo‐Xin Jin at Fudan University. The image depicts the process by which a caterpillar becomes a butterfly through struggle and effort. Read the full text of the article at 10.1002/chem.201801381.
Photodissociation of Sodium Iodide Clusters Doped with Small Hydrocarbons
Authors: Bersenkowitsch Nina K. , Ončák Milan , Heller Jakob , van der Linde Christian , Beyer Martin K.
Published: July 2018

Marine aerosols consist of a variety of compounds and play an important role in many atmospheric processes. In the present study, sodium iodide clusters with their simple isotope pattern serve as model systems for laboratory studies to investigate the role of iodide in the photochemical processing of sea‐salt aerosols. Salt clusters doped with camphor, formate and pyruvate are studied in a Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer (FT‐ICR MS) coupled to a tunable laser system in both UV and IR range. The analysis is supported by ab initio calculations of absorption spectra and energetics of dissociative channels. We provide quantitative analysis of IRMPD measurements by reconstructing one‐photon spectra and comparing them with the calculated ones. While neutral camphor is adsorbed on the cluster surface, the formate and pyruvate ions replace an iodide ion. The photodissociation spectra revealed several wavelength‐specific fragmentation pathways, including the carbon dioxide radical anion formed by photolysis of pyruvate. Camphor and pyruvate doped clusters absorb in the spectral region above 290 nm, which is relevant for tropospheric photochemistry, leading to internal conversion followed by intramolecular vibrational redistribution, which leads to decomposition of the cluster. Potential photodissociation products of pyruvate in the actinic region may be formed with a cross section of <2×10−20 cm2, determined by the experimental noise level.
A Bifunctional MOF Catalyst Containing Metal–Phosphine and Lewis Acidic Active Sites
Authors: Prasad Ram R. R. , Dawson Daniel M. , Cox Paul A. , Ashbrook Sharon E. , Wright Paul A. , Clarke Matthew L.
Published: July 2018

Post‐synthetic modification of the hafnium metal–organic framework MOF‐808(Hf) to include triarylphosphine ligands is reported. Sulfonated phenylphosphines are incorporated without oxidation to give a “MOF ligand” that can complex late transition metals such as Ir and Rh to give a bifunctional catalyst containing both metal–phosphine complexes and the Lewis acidic framework hafnium metal sites. The metallated phosphine‐bearing MOFs act as fully heterogeneous bifunctional catalysts for tandem reductive amination and hydroaminomethylation reactions.
Bayesian MAP estimation using Gaussian and diffused‐gamma prior
Authors: Goh Gyuhyeong , Dey Dipak K.
Published: July 2018

For sparse and high‐dimensional data analysis, a valid approximation of‐norm has played a key role. However, there is not much study on the‐norm approximation in the Bayesian literature. In this article, we introduce a new prior, called Gaussian and diffused‐gamma prior, which leads to a nice‐norm approximation under the maximum a posteriori estimation. To develop a general likelihood function, we utilize a general class of divergence measures, called Bregman divergence. Due to the generality of Bregman divergence, our method can handle various types of data such as count, binary, continuous, etc. In addition, our Bayesian approach provides many theoretical and computational advantages. To demonstrate the validity and reliability, we conduct simulation studies and real data analysis.The Canadian Journal of Statistics46: 399–415; 2018 © 2018 Statistical Society of Canada
Power and performance optimization in FPGA‐accelerated clouds
Authors: Tesfatsion Selome Kostentions , Proaño Julio , Tomás Luis , Caminero Blanca , Carrión Carmen , Tordsson Johan
Published: July 2018

Energy management has become increasingly necessary in data centers to address all energy‐related costs, including capital costs, operating expenses, and environmental impacts. Heterogeneous systems with mixed hardware architectures provide both throughput and processing efficiency for different specialized application types and thus have a potential for significant energy savings. However, the presence of multiple and different processing elements increases the complexity of resource assignment. In this paper, we propose a system for efficient resource management in heterogeneous clouds. The proposed approach maps applications' requirement to different resources reducing power usage with minimum impact on performance. A technique that combines the scheduling of custom hardware accelerators, in our case, Field‐Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) and optimized resource allocation technique for commodity servers, is proposed. We consider an energy‐aware scheduling technique that uses both the applications' performance and their deadlines to control the assignment of FPGAs to applications that would consume the most energy. Once the scheduler has performed the mapping between a VM and an FPGA, an optimizer handles the remaining VMs in the server, using vertical scaling and CPU frequency adaptation to reduce energy consumption while maintaining the required performance. Our evaluation using interactive and data‐intensive applications compare the effectiveness of the proposed solution in energy savings as well as maintaining applications performance, obtaining up to a 32% improvement in the performance‐energy ratio on a mix of multimedia and e‐commerce applications.
Store‐Operated Calcium Entry Mediated by ORAI and STIM
Authors: Nguyen Nhung T. , Han Weidong , Cao Wen‐Ming , Wang Youjun , Wen Shufan , Huang Yun , Li Minyong , Du Lupei , Zhou Yubin
Published: July 2018

The calcium release‐activated calcium (CRAC) channel, composed of ORAI and stromal interaction molecules (STIM), represents a prototypical example of store‐operated calcium entry in mammals. The ORAI‐STIM signaling occurs at membrane contact sites formed by close appositions between the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and the plasma membrane. ORAI1 is a four‐pass transmembrane protein that forms a highly calcium‐selective ion channel in the plasma membrane. STIM1 is an ER‐resident, a single‐pass transmembrane protein that serves as a calcium sensor within the ER lumen and a potent activator of ORAI1 calcium channels. The intricate interplay between ORAI and STIM controls calcium entry into cells to regulate a myriad of physiological processes. We highlight herein the current knowledge on the structure‐function relationship of CRAC channel, with a focus on key structural elements that mediate STIM1 conformational switch and the dynamic coupling between STIM1 and ORAI1. Furthermore, we discuss the physiological roles of STIM‐ORAI signaling in various tissues and organs, as well as major pathological conditions arising from loss‐ or gain‐of‐function mutations in human ORAI1 and STIM1. © 2017 American Physiological Society.Compr Physiol8:981‐1002, 2018.
Intestinal Nucleoside Transporters: Function, Expression, and Regulation
Authors: Pastor‐Anglada Marçal , Urtasun Nerea , Pérez‐Torras Sandra
Published: July 2018

The gastrointestinal tract is the absorptive organ for nutrients found in foods after digestion. Nucleosides and, to a lesser extent nucleobases, are the late products of nucleoprotein digestion. These metabolites are absorbed by nucleoside (and nucleobase) transporter (NT) proteins. NTs are differentially distributed along the gastrointestinal tract showing also polarized expression in epithelial cells. Concentrative nucleoside transporters (CNTs) are mainly located at the apical side of enterocytes, whereas equilibrative nucleoside transporters (ENTs) facilitate the basolateral efflux of nucleosides and nucleobases to the bloodstream. Moreover, selected nucleotides and the bioactive nucleoside adenosine act directly on intestinal cells modulating purinergic signaling. NT‐polarized insertion is tightly regulated. However, not much is known about the modulation of intestinal NT function in humans, probably due to the lack of appropriate cell models retaining CNT functional expression. Thus, the possibility of nutritional regulation of intestinal NTs has been addressed using animal models. Besides the nutrition‐related role of NT proteins, orally administered drugs also need to cross the intestinal barrier, this event being a major determinant of drug bioavailability. In this regard, NT proteins might also play a role in pharmacology, thereby allowing the absorption of nucleoside‐ and nucleobase‐derived drugs. The relative broad selectivity of these membrane transporters also suggests clinically relevant drug‐drug interactions when using combined therapies. This review focuses on all these physiological and pharmacological aspects of NT protein biology. © 2017 American Physiological Society.Compr Physiol8:1003‐1017, 2018.
Efficient hardware implementations of point multiplication for binary Edwards curves
Authors: Rashidi Bahram
Published: July 2018

This paper presents efficient and fast hardware implementations of the complete point multiplication on binary Edwards curves (BECs). The implementations are based on extremely fast complete differential addition and doubling formulas. These new complete differential addition formulas are performed for general and special cases of BECs with cost of 5M + 4S + 2Dand 5M + 4S + 1D, respectively, where,M,S, andDdenote the costs of a field multiplication, a field squaring and a field multiplication by a constant, respectively. In the general case of the BECs, proposed structures are implemented based on 3 and 1 pipelined digit‐serial Gaussian normal basis multipliers. In the design by 3 multipliers, computation of point addition and point doubling is performed concurrently. But in the second implementation for low‐cost design with low number of hardware resources, these computations are implemented by 1 multiplier. Also, in the special case of BECs, 2 structures are proposed for achieving the highest degree of parallelization and utilization of resources by using 3 and 2 field multipliers. Implementation results of the proposed architectures based on Virtex‐5 XC5VLX110, Virtex‐4 XC4VLX100, and Arria‐10 10AX115U4F45I3SG FPGAs for 2 fieldsandare achieved. The results show improvements in terms of execution time, area, and efficiency for the proposed structures compared with previous works.
An automatic analysis of sleep stage 2 based on the Fujimori method
Authors: Kawashima Yuka , Yoshida Takashi , Hayashi Mitsuo , Aikawa Naoyuki
Published: July 2018

Afternoon sleepiness in daily life reduces arousal level, performance, concentration, and so on. It is well known that short naps are effective to cancel the sleepiness and sleep stage 2 is one of the important factors about sleeping especially in a short time nap. Therefore, it is desired to the detailed analysis of sleep EEG to clarify the relationship between length and quality of nap. Some methods are proposed to detect sleep spindles automatically that based on the Fourier transform or Wavelet transform. However, they could not analyze the ream of waves because of frame processing. In this paper, we propose a sleep spindle detection method for the automatic EEG analysis method based on the method of visual scoring. In the proposed method, sleep spindle waves are detected using the enhanced terms of detecting sleep spindles in Fujimori's method and cumulative sum charts. Through example, the proposed method can detect the sleep spindles with 97.32% sensitivity compared with a medical specialist.
C–H Bond Activation by a Ruthenium(II) β‐Diketonate Complex: A Mechanistic Study
Authors: Briš Anamarija , Turel Iztok , Roithová Jana
Published: July 2018

Ruthenium(II)‐catalysed C–H bond activation of arenes containing a functional directing group depends on the ligand coordinated to ruthenium(II). In this study, 2‐phenylpyridine C–H activation catalysed by a “piano‐stool“ ruthenium(II) complex containing a fluorinated β‐diketonate ligand was examined by ESI‐MS in combination with CID experiments. [Ru(β‐diketonate)(CTPhPy)Cl]+ was identified as an active intermediate, and its collisional activation leads to C–H activation. CID analysis indicates proton transfer from the phenylpyridine to the chlorine anion, showing HCl elimination, while the β‐diketonate ligand is retained in the complex together with the activated phenylpyridine. Furthermore, DFT calculations were performed for the neutral analogue [Ru(β‐diketonate)(PhPy)Cl] to identify all ruthenium intermediates along the C–H activation reaction pathway. The results suggest that the most stable structure of [Ru(β‐diketonate)(PhPy)Cl] has pre‐activated 2‐phenylpyridine with a partly developed Ru–H bond. Further, we show that K2CO3 is not directly involved in the C–H activation step and it serves in the reaction as a base.
Pain location and widespread pain in youth with orthopaedic conditions: Exploration of the reliability and validity of a body map
Authors: Foxen‐Craft E. , Scott E.L. , Kullgren K.A. , Philliben R. , Hyman C. , Dorta M. , Murphy A. , Voepel‐Lewis T.
Published: July 2018

Background

Pain location and widespread pain are important but underexamined dimensions of paediatric pain. Body map tools to assess pain location in youth have been used for several decades, but few studies have established reliability and validity of these measures. The purpose of this study was to explore the reliability and validity of a pain body map among youth with orthopaedic conditions before surgery.

Method

Youth ages 10–17 years completed the body map and other self‐reported outcomes at their preoperative clinic visit and at their day of surgery.

Results

Most (91.7%) youth had small discrepancy between body map scores at preoperative clinic visit (baseline) and day of surgery (second assessment), and site‐to‐site agreement ranged from 78% to 98%. Those with back and lower extremity diagnoses had high correspondence between body map sites and diagnostic sites. Body map scores and widespread pain were associated with other dimensions of pain, as well as other patient‐reported outcomes. Higher pain intensity and widespread pain predicted greater discrepancy between body map scores.

Conclusions

These results support the use of body map tools in further research examining widespread pain among youth by demonstrating adequate reliability, descriptive validity and associative validity.

Significance

These results contribute to the limited information regarding psychometric properties of paediatric pain body maps, provide novel information about widespread pain among youth undergoing orthopaedic surgeries, and pave the way for improved assessment and treatment of paediatric pain.
Levels of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in the Korean metropolitan population are declining: A trend from 2001 to 2013
Authors: Kim Jongchul , Kang Jung-Ho , Choi Sung-Deuk , Zhu Jiping , Chang Yoon-Seok
Published: July 2018

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) have been banned or voluntarily withdrawn from commerce worldwide. Declining levels of PBDEs in humans have been reported elsewhere, but not in Korea. We monitored 7 individual PBDE congeners (BDE-28, BDE-47, BDE-99, BDE-100, BDE-153, BDE-154, and BDE-183) in 103 human serum samples collected in 2006. The arithmetic mean and median values for the sum of the 7 PBDEs (∑PBDEs) were 7.13 and 6.70 ng/g lipid, respectively. In addition, 6 pooled human serum samples collected in 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012, and 2013 were analyzed. A decrease in PBDE levels was observed, as reflected by the median value of ∑PBDEs from 5.98 in 2006 to 2.98 ng/g lipid in 2013 as well as in the pooled samples. The levels of individual congeners also decreased but at different declining rates. Based on these results and previously reported data, a definite decline in PBDE levels in the Korean metropolitan population could be observed from 2001 to 2013, providing the first evidence in Korea of the same decline observed elsewhere in the world. Environ Toxicol Chem 2018;37:2323–2330. © 2018 SETAC
Effects of hydrodynamic conditions and temperature on polar organic chemical integrative sampling rates
Authors: Djomte Valerie Toteu , Taylor Raegyn B. , Chen Sunmao , Booij Kees , Chambliss C. Kevin
Published: July 2018

The effects of changing hydrodynamic conditions and changing temperatures on polar organic chemical integrative sampler (POCIS) sampling rates (Rs) were investigated for 12 crop protection chemicals. Exposure concentration was held constant in each laboratory experiment, and flow velocities were calculated from measured mass transfer coefficients of the water boundary layer near the surface of POCIS devices. At a given temperature Rs generally increased by a factor of 2 to 5 between a stagnant condition and higher flow velocities (6–21 cm/s), but Rs for most compounds was essentially constant between the higher flow velocities. When temperature was varied between 8 and 39 °C for a given flow condition, Rs increased linearly. In general, Rs increased by a factor of 2 to 4 and 2 to 8 over this temperature range under flow and stagnant conditions, respectively. An Arrhenius model was used to describe the dependence of POCIS sampling rates on temperature. Adjustments of Rs for temperature did not fully explain observed differences between time-weighted average concentrations of atrazine determined from POCIS and from composite water sampling in a field setting, suggesting that the effects of other competing factors still need to be evaluated. Environ Toxicol Chem 2018;37:2331–2339. © 2018 SETAC
Effects of urban stormwater and iron-enhanced sand filtration on Daphnia magna and Pimephales promelas
Authors: Westerhoff Benjamin M. , Fairbairn David J. , Ferrey Mark L. , Matilla Adriana , Kunkel Jordan , Elliott Sarah M. , Kiesling Richard L. , Woodruff Dustin , Schoenfuss Heiko L.
Published: July 2018

Urban stormwater is an important but incompletely characterized contributor to surface-water toxicity. The present study used 5 bioassays of 2 model organisms (Daphnia magna and fathead minnow, Pimephales promelas) to investigate stormwater toxicity and mitigation by full-scale iron-enhanced sand filters (IESFs). Stormwater samples were collected from major stormwater conveyances and full-scale IESFs during 4 seasonal events (winter snowmelt and spring, early summer, and late summer rainfalls) and analyzed for a diverse range of contaminants of emerging concern including pharmaceuticals, personal care products, industrial chemicals, and pesticides. Concurrently, stormwater samples were collected for toxicity testing. Seasonality appeared more influential and consistent than site type for most bioassays. Typically, biological consequences were least in early summer and greatest in late summer and winter. In contrast with the unimproved and occasionally reduced biological outcomes in IESF-treated and late summer samples, water chemistry indicated that numbers and total concentrations of detected organic chemicals, metals, and nutrients were reduced in late summer and in IESF-treated stormwater samples. Some potent toxicants showed more specific seasonality (e.g., high concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and industrial compounds in winter, pesticides in early summer and spring, flame retardants in late summer), which may have influenced outcomes. Potential explanations for insignificant or unexpected stormwater treatment outcomes include confounding effects of complex stormwater matrices, IESF nutrient removal, and, less likely, unmonitored toxicants. Environ Toxicol Chem 2018;37:2645–2659. © 2018 SETAC
Retracted: Talent management, absorptive capacity, and firm performance: Does it work in China and Russia?
Authors: Latukha Marina , Veselova Anna
Published: July 2018

This article investigates the relationship between talent management (TM), absorptive capacity (AC), and firm performance. We build a theoretical framework and examine the mediating role of a firm's AC in TM–performance relationships in the contexts of China and Russia. We use a sample of 120 Chinese and Russian firms to provide empirical evidence of our hypotheses. Our results show for both Chinese and Russian firms, a well‐developed TM system positively influences a firm's ability to acquire, assimilate, and exploit knowledge as well as increase the overall level of a firm's AC. We also found support for the argument that TM has an indirect positive effect on firm performance through its AC; moreover, the effect is stronger for Chinese firms, specifically, within the link between AC and performance.
Effect of land cover and hydro‐meteorological controls on soil water DOC concentrations in a high‐elevation tropical environment
Authors: Pesántez Juan , Mosquera Giovanny M. , Crespo Patricio , Breuer Lutz , Windhorst David
Published: July 2018

Páramo soils store high amounts of organic carbon. However, the effects of climate change and changes in land cover and use (LC/LU) in this high‐elevation tropical ecosystem may cause a decrease in their carbon storage capacity. Therefore, better understanding of the factors influencing the Páramo soils' carbon storage and export is urgently needed. To fill this knowledge gap, we investigated the differences in dissolved organic carbon (DOC) content in the soil water of four LC/LU types (tussock grass, natural forest, pine plantations, and pasture) and the factors controlling its variability in the Quinuas Ecohydrological Observatory in south Ecuador. Weekly measurements of soil water DOC concentrations, meteorological variables, soil water content, and temperature from various depths and slope positions were monitored within the soils' organic and mineral horizons between October 2014 and January 2017. These data were used to generate regression trees and random forest statistical models to identify the factors controlling soil water DOC concentrations. From high to low concentrations, natural forest depict the highest DOC concentrations followed by pasture, tussock grass, and pine forest. For all LC/LU types, DOC concentrations increase with decreasing soil moisture. Our results also show that LC/LU is the most important predictor of soil water DOC concentrations, followed by sampling depth and soil moisture. Interestingly, atmospheric variables and antecedent evapotranspiration and precipitation conditions show only little influence on DOC concentrations during the monitoring period. Our findings provide unique information that can help improve the management of soil and water resources in the Páramo and other peat dominated ecosystems elsewhere.
The role of fog, orography, and seasonality on precipitation in a semiarid, tropical island
Authors: Schmitt Sarah R. , Riveros‐Iregui Diego A. , Hu Jia
Published: July 2018

Isotopes of water (2H/1H and 18O/16O) are commonly used to trace hydrological processes such as moisture recycling, evaporation loss, and moisture source region and often vary temporally in a given region. This study provides a first‐ever characterization of temporally variable precipitation mechanisms of San Cristóbal Island, Galápagos. We collected fog, rain, and throughfall samples over three field seasons to understand the mechanisms driving seasonal‐ and event‐based variability in the isotopic composition of precipitation in Galápagos. We establish that fog is a common phenomenon in San Cristóbal, especially during the dry season, and we found that fog, compared with cocollected rainfall, is consistently enriched. We further suggest that the relative contribution of fog formed via different mechanisms (orographic, advective, radiation) varied seasonally. We found that the source region is the most dominant control of the isotopic composition of rainfall in the Galápagos at both the seasonal and event scales, but subcloud evaporative processes (the nontraditional manifestation of the amount effect) became a dominant control on the isotopic composition of rainfall during the dry season. Overall, our findings suggest that understanding seasonally variable water‐generating mechanisms is required for effective water resource management in San Cristóbal Island and other semiarid island ecosystems under current and future regimes of climate change.
Toremifene, rather than tamoxifen, might be a better option for the adjuvant endocrine therapy in CYP2D6*10T/T genotype breast cancer patients in China
Authors: Lan Bo , Ma Fei , Chen Shanshan , Wang Wenna , Li Qiao , Fan Ying , Luo Yang , Cai Ruigang , Wang Jiayu , Yuan Peng , Zhang Pin , Li Qing , Xu Binghe
Published: July 2018

Toremifene (TOR) is a valid and safe alternative to tamoxifen (TAM) for adjuvant endocrine therapy in breast cancer patients with a metabolic pathway that differs from that of TAM. TOR might have a therapeutic advantage in certain subgroups of patients, such as Chinese women with the CYP2D6 *10 (c.100C > T) T/T genotype, who would get less benefit when receiving adjuvant TAM treatment. A total of 230 breast cancer patients who received adjuvant TAM (n= 115) or TOR (n= 115) at the National Cancer Center were analyzed. The CYP2D6 *10 genotype was not significantly associated with DFS in patients who received TOR (p= 0.737). Patients treated with TOR had a higher 5‐year disease‐free survival (DFS) rate than those treated with TAM (89.6% vs. 80.9%,p= 0.009). TOR treatment remained an independent prognostic marker of DFS in multivariate analysis compared with TAM (hazard ratio = 0.51;p= 0.014). For all of the 50 CYP2D6 *10 T/T genotype patients, TOR treatment group had a significantly higher 5‐year DFS rate than TAM group (90.9% vs. 67.9%,p= 0.031). For the remaining 170 CYP2D6 *10 C/C or C/T genotype patients, there was no significant difference between the 5‐year DFS rates of the TOR and TAM groups (89.2% vs. 85.1%,p= 0.188). The advantage of adjuvant TOR over TAM in Chinese breast cancer patients might be caused by the significant benefit obtained by the CYP2D6 *10 T/T patients, who accounted for one‐fifth of the overall population. TOR might be a good option for adjuvant endocrine therapy in this subgroup of patients in China.