bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Knockdown of AMP-activated protein kinase α2 impairs epithelial-mesenchymal transition in rat renal tubular epithelial cells by downregulating v-ets erythroblastosis virus E26 oncogene homolog-1 and ribosomal protein S6 kinase A1
Authors: Yin Xiaoming , Ma Fujiang , Fan Xu , Zhao Qi , Liu Xin , Yang Yi
Published: December 2019

Background. Epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) plays an important regulatory role in obstructive nephropathy and renal fibrosis. As an intracellular energy sensor, AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is essential in the process of EMT. The aim of this study was to reveal changes in the expression of AMPKα2 and to elucidate which AMPKα2 genes play a role during EMT. Methods. In this study, TGF-β1 was used to induce EMT in normal rat renal tubular epithelial (NRK-52E) cells. The shAMPKα2 lentivirus was used to interfere with AMPKα2 expression in EMT-derived NRK-52E cells, where AMPKα2 expression and EMT were detected. Differential gene expression after the AMPKα2 knockdown in EMT-derived NRK-52E cells was examined using a gene microarray. Possible regulatory pathways were analyzed using ingenuity pathway analysis (IPA) and differentially expressed genes were partially verified by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and western blotting. Results. It was found that AMPKα2 was upregulated in TGF-β1-induced EMT-derived NRK-52E cells. EMT progression was significantly inhibited after the expression of AMPKα2 was downregulated by the shAMPKα2 lentivirus. A total of 1,588 differentially expressed genes were detected after the AMPKα2 knockdown in NRK-52E cells in which EMT occurred. The ERK/MAPK pathway was significantly impaired after the AMPKα2 knockdown, as indicated by the IPA analysis. Furthermore, qRT-PCR and western blot results revealed that the expression of AMPKα2, v-ets erythroblastosis virus E26 oncogene homolog-1 (ETS1), and ribosomal protein S6 kinase A1 (RPS6KA1) was upregulated after EMT in NRK-52E cells, while expression of ETS1 and RPS6KA1 was downregulated after the AMPKα2 knockdown. Conclusions. AMPKα2 plays an important role in the regulation of rat renal tubular EMT, which may be achieved by modulating ETS1 and RPS6KA1 in the ERK/MAPK pathway.
An integrin/MFG-E8 shuttle loads HIV-1 viral-like particles onto follicular dendritic cells in mouse lymph node
Authors: Park Chung , Kehrl John H
Published: December 2019

During human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) infection lymphoid organ follicular dendritic cells (FDCs) serve as a reservoir for infectious virus and an obstacle to curative therapies. Here, we identify a subset of lymphoid organ sinus lining macrophage (SMs) that provide a cell-cell contact portal, which facilitates the uptake of HIV-1 viral-like particles (VLPs) by FDCs and B cells in mouse lymph node. Central for portal function is the bridging glycoprotein MFG-E8. Using a phosphatidylserine binding domain and an RGD motif, MFG-E8 helps target HIV-1 VLPs to αv integrin bearing SMs. Lack of MFG-E8 or integrin blockade severely limits HIV-1 VLP spread onto FDC networks. Direct SM-FDC virion transfer also depends upon short-lived FDC network abutment, likely triggered by SCSM antigen uptake. This provides a mechanism for rapid FDC loading broadening the opportunity for rare, antigen reactive follicular B cells to acquire antigen, and a means for HIV virions to accumulate on the FDC network.
Coronary arterial development is regulated by a Dll4-Jag1-EphrinB2 signaling cascade
Authors: Travisano Stanislao Igor , Oliveira Vera Lucia , Prados Belén , Grego-Bessa Joaquim , Piñeiro-Sabarís Rebeca , Bou Vanesa , Gómez Manuel J , Sánchez-Cabo Fátima , MacGrogan Donal , de la Pompa José Luis
Published: December 2019

Coronaries are essential for myocardial growth and heart function. Notch is crucial for mouse embryonic angiogenesis, but its role in coronary development remains uncertain. We show Jag1, Dll4 and activated Notch1 receptor expression in sinus venosus (SV) endocardium. Endocardial Jag1 removal blocks SV capillary sprouting, while Dll4 inactivation stimulates excessive capillary growth, suggesting that ligand antagonism regulates coronary primary plexus formation. Later endothelial ligand removal, or forced expression of Dll4 or the glycosyltransferase Mfng, blocks coronary plexus remodeling, arterial differentiation, and perivascular cell maturation. Endocardial deletion of Efnb2 phenocopies the coronary arterial defects of Notch mutants. Angiogenic rescue experiments in ventricular explants, or in primary human endothelial cells, indicate that EphrinB2 is a critical effector of antagonistic Dll4 and Jag1 functions in arterial morphogenesis. Thus, coronary arterial precursors are specified in the SV prior to primary coronary plexus formation and subsequent arterial differentiation depends on a Dll4-Jag1-EphrinB2 signaling cascade.
The MADS-box transcription factor PHERES1 controls imprinting in the endosperm by binding to domesticated transposons
Authors: Batista Rita A , Moreno-Romero Jordi , Qiu Yichun , van Boven Joram , Santos-González Juan , Figueiredo Duarte D , Köhler Claudia
Published: December 2019

MADS-box transcription factors (TFs) are ubiquitous in eukaryotic organisms and play major roles during plant development. Nevertheless, their function in seed development remains largely unknown. Here, we show that the imprinted Arabidopsis thaliana MADS-box TF PHERES1 (PHE1) is a master regulator of paternally expressed imprinted genes, as well as of non-imprinted key regulators of endosperm development. PHE1 binding sites show distinct epigenetic modifications on maternal and paternal alleles, correlating with parental-specific transcriptional activity. Importantly, we show that the CArG-box-like DNA-binding motifs that are bound by PHE1 have been distributed by RC/Helitron transposable elements. Our data provide an example of the molecular domestication of these elements which, by distributing PHE1 binding sites throughout the genome, have facilitated the recruitment of crucial endosperm regulators into a single transcriptional network.
Role of Opioid-Involved Drug Interactions in Chronic Pain Management
Authors: Bain Kevin T. , Knowlton Calvin H.
Published: December 2019

The use of opioids for chronic pain management is extraordinarily common despite substantial evidence of only modest benefits, when compared with nonopioid analgesics. Opioid use is also associated with serious risks, including overdose and death. A growing body of evidence suggests that opioids are involved in significant drug interactions that often go unrecognized in clinical practice. Understanding opioid-involved drug interactions is of great practical importance for all health care professionals caring for patients with chronic pain. In this article, we describe the mechanisms of opioid-involved drug interactions and their potential consequences, which have major public health implications. Additionally, this article provides practical strategies to aid health care professionals in avoiding and mitigating opioid-involved drug interactions in order to obtain a favorable balance in the risk-benefit ratio associated with opioid use. These strategies include using osteopathic principles for chronic pain management, separating the times of administration of the opioid(s) from the nonopioid(s) involved in the interaction, changing the opioid(s) adversely affected by the interaction, changing the nonopioid(s) causing the interaction, and partnering with pharmacists in clinical practice.
Blonda själar: Johan Runius, maskulinitet, nation och genre i litteraturhistorien
Authors: Cullhed Anna
Published: December 2019

‘Blond Souls’: Johan Runius, Masculinity, Nation and Genre in Literary HistoryThis paper shows that the historiographical accounts of Johan Runius (1679–1713) remain remarkably stable, from the early stages of national literary history of the nineteenth century to the late twentieth century, despite the radical theoretical shifts taking place during the period. The poet Runius is generally described as an occasional poet, a rhyme virtuoso, a good-tempered man, and as a precursor of the celebrated Carl Michael Bellman, considered a uniquely Swedish genius. These features are connected to nineteenth- and early twentieth-century ideals of masculinity and the nation. Whereas Runius in the early nineteenth century was described as childish, during the later nineteenth century his good temper was interpreted as an ideal, steadfast masculinity in the face of the hardships of early eighteenth-century Sweden. Further, the historiographical tradition set greater store by poems defined as lyrical. The hailed poems were, in fact, occasional poems, but they were recontextualised by the literary historians as proof of Runius’ personal feelings. The article ends with new suggestions for reading Runius beyond nation as the ordering principle of literary history.
The Meaning of Urban Centrality in a Medium-Sized Eighteenth-Century Town
Authors: Savolainen Panu
Published: December 2019

During the last two decades, the spatial culture of urban societies has been explored with Geographical Information Systems (GIS) tools. This article explores the meanings of ‘centrality’, substantial in the field of urban geography but relatively seldom studied by urban historians, through the simultaneous interpretation of quantitative and qualitative spatial descriptions and datasets from the eighteenth-century Swedish town of Turku (Åbo). The concept of ‘city centre’ and ‘centrality’ emerged only at the end of the nineteenth century, and the article strives to understand how eighteenth-century townspeople conceptualised their city and how various quantifiable phenomena exhibit the spatial hierarchies, differences and thresholds of the urban topography. The empirical material consists of court minutes, newspapers, academic dissertations, various tax registers and documents of the town administration. The simultaneous examination of linguistic descriptions of the topography, the spatial distribution of property values and restaurant entrepreneurs, and spatial practices of control unveils how the town was spatially structured, experienced and conceptualised. The study reveals the different and changing patterns of geographical centrality and, moreover, raises the recently highlighted importance of spatial culture in the early modern urban experience.
Editorial: humour and its use in tourism contexts
Authors: Pabel Anja
Published: December 2019

Editorial
Modified Ridge Regression Estimator with the Application of Peanut Production in Pakistan
Authors: Mubeen Asifa , Jamal Nasir , Hanif Muhammad , Shahzad Usman
Published: December 2019

The main objective of the present study was to develop a new ridge regression estimator and fit the ridge regression model to the peanut production data of Pakistan. Peanut production data has been used to analyze the results. The data has been taken peanut production and growth rate of Pakistan. The mean square error of the proposed estimator is compared with some existing ridge regression estimators. In this study, we proposed a ridge regression estimator. The properties of proposed estimators are also discussed. The real data set of peanut production is used for assuming the performance of proposed and existing estimators. Numerical results of real data set show that proposed ridge regression estimator provides best results as compare to reviewed ones.
Prevalence of Urogenital Schistosomiasis in Four Communities in Ogbia Local Government Area, Bayelsa State, Nigeria
Authors: Gbonhinbor J. , Abah A. E.
Published: December 2019

Schistosomiasis is one of the most important neglected tropical diseases in terms of morbidity and mortality and it is endemic in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of urogenital schistosomiasis in four communities (Agbura, Otakeme, Otuagela and Otuokpoti) in Ogbia Local Government Area, Bayelsa State, Nigeria using Filtration and Sedimentation technique. Snails collected were identified by the shape of their outer shell.  Basic statistics method and ANOVA was used to analyze the data. Out of the 276 urine samples examined, 36 (13.0%) tested positive for Schistosoma haematobium. The age- related infection showed that the age-group 10-14 years (26.9%) had the highest rate of infection, followed by 5-9 years 7 (19.4%).  Age-group 50 years and above had a zero infection rate. Sex - related infection showed that an overall prevalence rate of 71.6% was recorded among males and 39.4% for females indicating that infection was higher in males than in females in all the communities; In Otuokpoti, males 8(33.3%) to females 5 (15.1%), In Otakeme, males had 6 (12.8%) than females 5 (15.6%), in Otuagela males had 7 (16.7%) than females 2 (8.7%) and in Agbura males had 3 (8.8%) than females 1 (9.1%). Primary school children had the highest 16 (21.9%) while retired civil servants had 0(0.0%). The difference was significant. Bulinus globosus was the only snail intermediate host identified in both ponds and streams. Human water contact activities observed around the water bodies were recreational activities (washing, bathing, fishing) and harvesting of freshwater snails. Variance (ANOVA) of the age- specific prevalence of urogenital schistosomiasis in the four communities showed no significant difference at P<0.05 (P=0.082) among sampled population and also no significant difference at P<0.05 (P=0.55) across the infected population in the four communities.

In conclusion, urogenital schistosomiasis is still prevalent and remains a public health challenge in Ogbia, Bayelsa state. It is strongly recommended that health education and provision of safe water should be stepped up as a control measure of the infection in the area.
Diagnostic Performance of Blood Film Microscopy and PfHRP2-based RDT in a Routine Clinical Setting of a Secondary Health Facility in Ghana
Authors: Agyapong Francis O. , Ansong Daniel , Owusu-Ofori Alex , Martin-Peprah Ruby
Published: December 2019

Background: Malaria remains a major public health threat claiming many lives particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. Light microscopy and RDT are the mainstay tests in the clinical settings for malaria diagnosis. Many studies report varying levels of validity of these tests compared to molecular methods like PCR. Documentation on such comparative study involving the use of molecular techniques as reference test is scanty in Ghana. This study therefore assesses the diagnostic performance of these tests compared to PCR.

Methods: Blood film microscopy (thin and thick), RDT and nested PCR were run on blood samples from a total of 188 malaria suspected patients. The accuracy indices of the microscopy and RDT were calculated using the results of the PCR as the reference test.

Results: A total of 188 patients were recruited with females constituting the majority 128 (68%). The paediatric age group 1-10 years carried the largest burden of malaria by means of all the 3 tests. A sensitivity of 47.37% (95% ci, 37.03 – 57.88%) was shown by both the microscopy and RDT with specificity of 93.55% (95% ci, 86.48 – 97.60) and 100% (95% ci, 96.11 – 100.00%) and kappa co – efficient of 0.41 and 0.47 respectively.

Conclusion: Both microscopy and RDT exhibited high level of specificity but low sensitivity. Significant number of malaria parasitaemic patients as revealed by the PCR was missed by both the RDT and blood film microscopy and thus went undiagnosed.
On-station Evaluation of Family Drip Irrigation System in North-West Ethiopia
Authors: Mekonen Tiku Kasa , Hagoes Shushay , Yohanes Berhane
Published: December 2019

The study was carried out at the effect of drip and surface irrigation (Furrow irrigation) methods on onion and sesame crops from December 2011 to May 2012 in the Tigray region of Northwest Ethiopia. The objective was to evaluate the family drip irrigation system in comparison with furrow irrigation system in terms of irrigation water productivity (using 100% ETc for both commodities). The water saved in drip irrigation over furrow irrigation was found to be 33% for onion and sesame crops. The irrigation water productivity of onion was 0.9 kg/m3 and 0.55 kg/m3 under drip and furrow irrigation methods respectively. The irrigation water productivity of sesame was 0.14 kg/m3 and 0.045 kg/m3 under drip and furrow irrigation methods respectively.
New Standard Floor Assemble Simulation Approach for Abaqus Building Structures
Authors: Wu Dongyue , Chen Wei
Published: December 2019

The mechanical analysis of integral building structure needs the proper ABAQUS finite element analysis, but due to the ABAQUS software function limits the building structure modelling is a great workload and how to model integral structure more quickly and efficiently become a difficult problem. To reduce the workloads in ABAQUS analysis of integral structure models, the new ABAQUS standard floor assemble modelling approach and the program computational algorithm were proposed based on ABAQUS model data structure, nodes geometry transformation and horizontal surface coordinate value distinguish rule. Afterward one example engineering structure model using this standard floor assemble approach and the linear perturbation analysis were completed. The lateral displacement distribution from analysis indicated that each floor lateral displacements distributed continuously without any significant mutation and the standard floor assemble model can successfully achieve the continuous connection of the upper and the lower floors. By comparing the results of ABAQUS standard floor assemble model with that from PKPM SATWE analysis, it is proved that the ABAQUS standard floor assemble modelling is more accurate and can be applied in structure analysis.
Validation of Siddha Diagnostic Procedure of Manikkadai nool for Gunmam Patients at Government Siddha Medical College & Hospital, Palayamkottai
Authors: Raveendran Rakulini , Rajarajeshwari A. , Victoria S.
Published: December 2019

Introduction: Siddha Medicine is a system of traditional medicine originating in ancient Tamil Nadu in South India and Sri Lanka. Traditionally, it is taught that the siddhas laid the foundation for this system of medicine. Siddha system has a unique diagnostic method to identify the diseases and their causes. Manikkadai Nool is one of the diagnostic tool. It is explained in the Agasthiyar Soodamani Kajiru Soothiram by Saint Veadammamuni in Pathinen Siddhar Naadi Nool.

Aim: The primary aim of this study was to validate the Siddha diagnostic procedure of Manikkadai nool for gunmam patients.

Study Setting: Government Siddha Medical College, Palayamkottai from April to August 2019.

Methodology: It is an observational study. After identifying the eligible subjects, Data will be collected by using the interview administrated questionnaire & relevant data will be collected by measurement. Collected data were processed and statistically analysed by a simple statistical method using Microsoft Excel.

Results and Discussion: Gunmam symptoms are included in 10, 9 ½, 8 ¾, 8, 7 ½, 7, 6 ½ & 6 ¼ Manikkadai measurements according to the siddha literatures. Researcher has been divided the gunmam conditions as mild moderate and severe condition according to the evidence of literatures, Researcher has been included Premonitory symptoms as Mild Condition, Common signs and symptoms as Moderate Condition and complications as Severe condition. Mild condition is in 10-9 fbs Manikkadai measurements. Moderate condition is in 8 ¾-7 ¾ fbs Manikkadai measurements. Severe condition is in 7 ½-6 ½ > Manikkadai measurements. 55% (11) of right hand Manikkadai measurements in male and 53% (16) of Right hand Manikkadai measurements in female have been correlated with the siddha literatures in the diagnosis of gunmam. Pearson correlation value implies that negative correlation between the chronicity of gunmam and Manikkadai measurement. This data showed the negative relationship between the severity of gunmam, & manikkadai measurements.

Conclusion: Majority of the gunmam subjects were females (60%). The maximum number of subjects was observed in Pitha Kaalam. Majority of the gunmam subjects had vali azhal naadi (38%) and azhal vali naadi (32%). Nei kuri was observed as vali azhal & azhal vali in gunmam subjects. Siddha Physicians could be diagnosed the gunmam fifty percentage with the help of Manikkadai measurements. Pearson correlation value implies that negative correlation between the chronicity of gunmam and Manikkadai measurement. This data showed the negative relationship between the severity of gunmam & manikkadai measurements. Out of 50 gunmam subjects, 45 were in the assumed assessment criteria range. So further study is essential to validate this assumed assessment of criteria of manikkadai measurement in diagnosis of gunmam.
Extraction Procedure Optimization of Atenolol from Dried Plasma Spots
Authors: Chernonosov A. A. , Koval V. V.
Published: December 2019

Aims: Atenolol is one of the β-blockers widely used for the treatment of hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases. To simplify the methods for determining of drugs concentrations in blood and plasma the dried spots assays (dried blood spots or dried plasma spots) could be used. In this case high sensitive detector like mass-spectrometer is required as well as high level of drug recovery from dried spot. In this study the extraction of atenolol from dried plasma spots (DPS) was studied to offer the optimum parameters of extraction method.

Study Design: Short research articles.

Place and Duration of Study: Core Facility of Mass Spectrometric Analysis, Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine SB RAS, between January and October 2019.

Methodology: The organic extraction method was chosen for evaluation as the most suitable for LC-MS assay. Several parameters: % of organic solvent, presence or absence of 0.1% formic acid, time, volume and temperature of extraction were investigated to find the best combination for atenolol recovery from DPS for further LC-MS analysis.

Results: Results showed that the solvent composition and temperature has main influence on the extraction. The effect of extraction time and volume of solvent have no significant influence on atenolol recovery. Pure acetonitrile is the worst solvent for atenolol extraction from DPS. The solvents: MeOH:H2O (60:40, v:v), MeOH:0.1% FA in H2O (60:40, v:v), ACN:0.1% FA in H2O (50:50, v:v) or ACN:MeOH (60:40, v:v) provide the best recovery of atenolol . The optimum extraction temperature is 40°C, time of extraction is 15-30 min and volume of solvent - 200-300 μL.

Conclusion: Several solvents acceptable for LC-MS analysis with optimized recovery parameter from DPS can be used for routine extraction of atenolol.
Design of Automobile Digital Tire Pressure Detector
Authors: Cao Yunyu , Dang Jinjin , Cao Chenxu
Published: December 2019

According to vast statistics, more than half of traffic accidents are related to the failure of car tire pressure. This paper investigated the design scheme of the existing tire pressure monitoring system, then selected the appropriate sensor, converted the tire pressure signal into the corresponding voltage signal and outputed it. Finally displayed the measurement result by the digital display tube. The main problem to be solved is that selecting a suitable pressure sensor requires accurate measurement of the required pressure parameters; completing the conversion of the analog signal and the digital signal; setting an appropriate threshold value. When the value is exceeded, the audible and visual alarm signal is emitted. This design adopted the design scheme of direct tire pressure monitoring system. Firstly, the circuit diagram is designed in the Altium desigener software environment and the corresponding simulation experiment is completed. Then, according to a successful experimental scheme, the PCB circuit board is processed to complete the welding of the physical object. At the same time, writing the running program in the C language environment and use Keil software to burn the program into the single-chip microcomputer. Finally, the debugging and modification of the physical object of the single-chip microcomputer completed the expected function.
A High‐Voltage, Dendrite‐Free, and Durable Zn–Graphite Battery
Authors: Wang Gang , Kohn Benjamin , Scheler Ulrich , Wang Faxing , Oswald Steffen , Löffler Markus , Tan Deming , Zhang Panpan , Zhang Jian , Feng Xinliang
Published: December 2019

The intrinsic advantages of metallic Zn, like high theoretical capacity (820 mAh g−1), high abundance, low toxicity, and high safety have driven the recent booming development of rechargeable Zn batteries. However, the lack of high‐voltage electrolyte and cathode materials restricts the cell voltage mostly to below 2 V. Moreover, dendrite formation and the poor rechargeability of the Zn anode hinder the long‐term operation of Zn batteries. Here a high‐voltage and durable Zn–graphite battery, which is enabled by a LiPF6‐containing hybrid electrolyte, is reported. The presence of LiPF6efficiently suppresses the anodic oxidation of Zn electrolyte and leads to a super‐wide electrochemical stability window of 4 V (vs Zn/Zn2+). Both dendrite‐free Zn plating/stripping and reversible dual‐anion intercalation into the graphite cathode are realized in the hybrid electrolyte. The resultant Zn–graphite battery performs stably at a high voltage of 2.8 V with a record midpoint discharge voltage of 2.2 V. After 2000 cycles at a high charge–discharge rate, high capacity retention of 97.5% is achieved with ≈100% Coulombic efficiency.
High‐Performance Polycrystalline Silicon Thin‐Film Transistors without Source/Drain Doping by Utilizing Anisotropic Conductivity of Bridged‐Grain Lines
Authors: Zhang Meng , Lin Haotao , Deng Sunbin , Chen Rongsheng , Li Guijun , Han Su‐Ting , Zhou Ye , Yan Yan , Zhou Wei , Wong Man , Kwok Hoi‐Sing
Published: December 2019

By utilizing anisotropic conductivity of bridged‐grain (BG) lines, a polycrystalline silicon (poly‐Si) thin‐film transistor (TFT) without source/drain (S/D) doping is designed, simulated, and fabricated. In the new design, the current is made to flow along the BG lines in the S/D region and flow perpendicularly to the BG lines in the channel. By taking advantage of the anisotropic conductivity of the BG lines, the S/D doping process is eliminated and the fabrication process cost is reduced. Meanwhile, the advantages of adopting BG lines are maintained. The as‐fabricated TFTs without S/D doping exhibit excellent device characteristics, compared with normal TFTs. The reliability of TFTs without S/D doping is also evaluated under hot carrier stress and negative/positive bias stress. Additionally, the proposed new TFT structure allows a wider range of dopant activation conditions.
White cement and burnt brick powder catalyzed pyrolysis of waste polystyrene for production of liquid and gaseous fuels
Authors: Hussain Zahid , Imtiaz Maria , Khan Khalid M. , Naz Muhammad Yasin , Khaled Usama , Khan Yasin
Published: December 2019

In this study, two types of clinkered materials were used for the catalytic pyrolysis of wasted polystyrene. The objective of the work was to convert waste into useful resource using low cost but effective catalysts. The wasted polystyrene was used as a feedstock for pyrolysis. The catalytic and noncatalytic pyrolysis were carried out in a custom‐made pyrolysis reactor. Optimum conditions for the pyrolysis were investigated by varying the temperature, catalyst amount, and time of reaction. The used catalysts showed notable influence on the progress of pyrolysis reaction as compared with the noncatalyzed reaction. The gaseous fractions, produced during pyrolysis, were analyzed using different chemical tests. The oil fractions were analyzed through gas chromatography mass spectrometry analysis. The oil contained styrene as a major constituent along with some other derivatives of benzene. The oil product was separated into compounds through fractional distillation by generating the distillation profile.
Optimized production of a high‐performance hybrid biomaterial: biomineralized spider silk for bone tissue engineering
Authors: Dellaquila Alessandra , Greco Gabriele , Campodoni Elisabetta , Mazzocchi Mauro , Mazzolai Barbara , Tampieri Anna , Pugno Nicola M. , Sandri Monica
Published: December 2019

Silks have been widely used as biomaterials due to their biocompatibility, biodegradability, and excellent mechanical properties. In the present work, native spider silk was used as organic template for controlled nucleation of hydroxyapatite (HA) nano‐coating that can act as biomimetic interface. Different bio‐inspired neutralization methods and process parameters were evaluated to optimize the silk functionalization. The morphology and chemical composition were investigated by scanning electron microscopy, energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and X‐ray diffraction analysis and mechanical properties were studied through tensile tests. Results showed that the optimized protocol enabled a controlled and homogeneous nucleation of apatite nano‐crystals while maintaining silk mechanical performances after mineralization. This study reports the optimization of a simple and effective bio‐inspired nucleation process for precise nucleation of HA onto spider silk templates, suitable to develop high‐performance hybrid interfaces for bone tissue engineering. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2020, 137, 48739.
Magnitude effect contributes to the domain specificity in delay discounting
Authors: Sawicki Przemysław , Markiewicz Łukasz , Białek Michał
Published: December 2019

Discounting is a useful framework for understanding temporal choices. A person who prefers $50 immediately over $100 in 1 month exhibits a higher discount rate than a person deciding to wait for the higher payoff. Although previous research shows that discount rates are domain‐specific, we propose an alternative to the domain specificity account. We suggest that differences in discounting alternatives across various domains may result not so much from the domains' nature per se but from differences in perceived attractiveness of the discounted alternatives. We replicated that an illustrative study evidencing domain specificity in discounting (Experiment 1) showed that people's subjective values of the payoffs in domains discounted in this experiment were different (Experiment 2) and used a novel method to match the attractiveness of the available alternatives across domains (Experiment 3). Finally, Experiment 4 showed that when matching was applied, the domain effect disappeared. We conclude that a magnitude effect can, at least partially, explain domain specificity in delay discounting.
The Statistical Style of Reasoning and the Invention of Bose‐Einstein Statistics
Authors: Monaldi Daniela
Published: December 2019

This paper is a preliminary exploration of the connections between the statistical style of reasoning and the research practices of statistical mechanics in the early period of the long quantum revolution. It suggests that before 1925 the instantiations of the statistical style in physics went through two phases. The first phase consisted of the formulation of the Maxwell‐Boltzmann statistics on the basis of the population‐gas analogy. The second phase was characterized by the generalization of the Maxwell‐Boltzmann statistics through analogies between ideal gas molecules and other microphysical entities, analogies that shaped and were shaped by the rise of quantum theory. Einstein's invention of the Bose‐Einstein statistics started a third phase and created the conditions of possibility for a new classification of microphysical entities according to their different statistics.
Efficacy of drug‐coated balloon angioplasty in early versus late occurring drug‐eluting stent restenosis: A pooled analysis from the randomized ISAR DESIRE 3 and DESIRE 4 trials
Authors: Koch Tobias , Cassese Salvatore , Xhepa Erion , Mayer Katharina , Tölg Ralph , Hoppmann Petra , Laugwitz Karl‐Ludwig , Byrne Robert A. , Kastrati Adnan , Kufner Sebastian
Published: December 2019

Background

Whether there exist differences concerning clinical outcomes between patients presenting with early versus late DES‐ISR undergoing treatment with drug‐coated balloons (DCB) remains a scientific knowledge gap.

Methods

This is a pooled analysis including patients with DES‐ISR assigned to treatment with DCB in the setting of the ISAR DESIRE 3 and 4 trials. Clinical outcomes were evaluated according to time of occurrence of ISR after DES implantation, in patients presenting with early (≤12 months) versus late DES‐ISR (>12 months) undergoing treatment with DCB. The primary endpoint of this analysis was major adverse cardiac event (MACE), defined as the combined incidence of death, myocardial infarction and target lesion revascularization (TLR) at 12 months after DCB treatment. Secondary endpoints included the incidence of death, myocardial infarction, TLR and target lesion thrombosis at 12 months after DCB treatment.

Results

This analysis included 352 patients, 199 patients presented with early‐ISR, 153 patients with late‐ISR. Concerning the primary endpoint, patients with early‐DES‐ISR as compared those with late‐DES‐ISR showed significant higher risk (25.9% vs. 17.0%; p = .04). In a multivariate analysis including diabetic status, clinical presentation, previous coronary bypass graft and diameter stenosis after DCB‐treatment, the adjusted hazard ratio showed significant higher risk for MACE of early‐DES‐ISR as compared to late‐DES‐ISR (HRadj = 1.8, [95% CI = 1.1–3.0], p = .02).

Conclusion

Clinical outcome at 12 months after treatment of DES‐ISR with DCB, showed significant higher clinical event rates in patients presenting with early DES restenosis, as compared with patients presenting with late DES restenosis.
Polymer‐Assisted Co‐Assembly towards Synthesis of Mesoporous Titania Encapsulated Monodisperse PdAu for Highly Selective Hydrogenation of Phenylacetylene
Authors: Hu Mingzhen , Jin Lei , Su Xingsong , Bamonte Scott , Lu Xingxu , Gao Puxian , Suib Steven L. , Liu Ben , He Jie
Published: December 2019

Bimetallic nanoalloys have attracted great research interest in the past decades by virtue of their tunable metal‐metal synergies. The preparation of well‐defined bimetallic nanoalloys largely relies on the use of capping ligands, which brings a great challenge to utilize the surface‐accessible active sites and/or tailor bimetallic‐support interactions. In the current paper, surface‐clean, thermally stable and monodisperse PdAu nanoalloys confined in mesoporous TiO2 (PdAu@mTiO2) were prepared using evaporation‐induced self‐assembly with two colloidal templates. The hydrogenation activity of PdAu@mTiO2 was demonstrated to be approximately 6 times higher than that of PdAu nanoalloys supported on mesoporous silica due to the bimetallic‐support interactions. Our method is expected to open up new opportunities to synthesize ligand‐free and stable bimetallic nanoalloys with tailored bimetallic‐support interactions for highly efficient catalysis.
Affect in Daily Career Decision Self‐Efficacy and Career Choice Anxiety
Authors: Park In‐Jo , Lee Junehee , Kim Minhee , Kim Ji‐Yeon , Jahng Seungmin
Published: December 2019

The authors investigated the impact of emotional intelligence on 2 career decision variables: daily career decision self‐efficacy and daily career choice anxiety. They also examined the mediating effects of daily positive affect on these variables. At baseline, 103 Korean undergraduate and graduate students completed questionnaires about emotional intelligence. Using a daily diary method, the authors also collected data on participants’ daily positive affect, daily career decision self‐efficacy, and daily career choice anxiety for 21 consecutive days. Hierarchical linear model analyses indicated that emotional intelligence predicted daily career decision self‐efficacy and daily career choice anxiety. These findings suggest that fostering emotional intelligence and daily positive affect could help students determine their future career. For individuals experiencing difficulty in the career decision process, counselors may foster career decision self‐efficacy and reduced career choice anxiety via enhancing clients’ emotional intelligence and daily positive affect.
Risk of atrial fibrillation in patients with pneumoconiosis: A nationwide study in Taiwan
Authors: Hu Wei‐Syun , Lin Cheng‐Li
Published: December 2019

Background

To investigate the incidence of new‐onset atrial fibrillation (AF) among subjects with pneumoconiosis using the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database.

Hypothesis

Pneumoconiosis patients are at an increased risk of AF.

Methods

A total of 12 209 pneumoconiosis patients were in the exposure cohort. Patients without pneumoconiosis were included as the comparison cohort. Both cohorts were matched by gender, age, comorbidity, and index year in a 1:1 manner. Multivariable cox proportional hazard model was used to calculate the adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) after adjustment for age, sex, and all comorbidities.

Results

The risk of AF in pneumoconiosis patients was 1.30‐fold higher than that of controls (95% CI = 1.17‐1.44) was the key finding.

Conclusions

Pneumoconiosis is associated with increased risk of incident AF.
Response Surface Modeling and Optimization of Microwave‐Activated Persulfate Oxidation of Olive Oil Mill Wastewater
Authors: Genç Nevim , Durna Elif , Kayapinar Cicigün Hatice Kübra
Published: December 2019

Olive oil mill wastewater (OMW) is environmentally hazardous not only because it contains high recalcitrant and toxic compounds, but also due to its high organic load and turbidity. In this study, oxidation of OMW by microwave (MW)‐activated persulfate is investigated. Box–Behnken design is applied to investigate the effects of operating conditions on operating cost, organic matter, and color removal. Multi response optimization is performed according to minimum operating cost, maximum organic matter and color removal efficiencies. At optimum conditions (persulfate anion dose of 266 g L−1, oxidation duration of 23.58 min, MW power of 567 W, and initial pH 2), chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal of 63.38%, color removal of 94.85%, and operating cost of 0.0633 Euro/g total organic carbon (TOC) removal are found. The biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5)/COD ratio is increased from 0.144 to 0.285. Results of Pareto analysis show individual effect of MW power is 92.81% for TOC removal, 15.52% for color removal, 68.99% for operating cost, respectively. According to the results, it is not recommended to use this process as an ultimate treatment unit due to the high amount of oxidizing agent consumed. Instead, it is recommended to be used as a pre‐ or post‐treatment step.
The impact of miR‐183/182/96 gene regulation on the maturation, survival, and function of photoreceptor cells in the retina
Authors: Amini‐Farsani Zeinab , Asgharzade Samira
Published: December 2019

MicroRNAs (MiRNAs) play important roles in posttranscriptional processes to regulate gene expression. MiRNAs control various biological processes, such as growth, development, and differentiation. The continuous physiological function of photoreceptors and retinal pigment epithelium requires precise regulation to maintain their homeostasis and function; hence, these cells are highly susceptible to premature death in retinal degenerative disorders. MiRNAs are essential for the retinal cell maturation and function; the miR‐183 cluster represents one of the most important regulatory factors for the photoreceptor cells. Various studies together with bioinformatics analyses have shown that many genes contributing to the differentiation pathway of photoreceptors are targets of the miR‐183 cluster, and the miR‐183 cluster dysregulation causes certain defects in the differentiation of the photoreceptors and other retinal neurons by influencing the expression of target genes. Misexpression of miR‐183 cluster in the human retinal epithelial cells leads to the reprogramming and transformation of these cells to neuron‐ and photoreceptor‐like cells, which are associated with the expression of neuron‐ and photoreceptor‐specific markers in human retinal pigment epitheliums cells. The knockout of this cluster causes the destruction of the outer segment of the photoreceptors, which subsequently causes the cells to exhibit severe susceptibility to light and eventually degenerate. Hundreds of target genes in this family are likely to affect the development and maintenance of the retina. Identifying the genes that are regulated by the miRNA‐183 cluster provides researchers with important insights into the complex development and regeneration mechanism of the retina and may offer a new way for maintaining and regenerating photoreceptor cells in neurodegenerative diseases.
An improved term weighting scheme for text classification
Authors: Tang Zhong , Li Wenqiang , Li Yan
Published: December 2019

Text representation is a necessary and primary procedure in performing text classification (TC), which first needs to be obtained through an information‐rich term weighting scheme to achieve higher TC performance. So far, term frequency‐inverse document frequency (TF‐IDF) is the most widely used term weighting scheme, but it suffers from two deficiencies. First, the global weighting factors IDF in TF‐IDF approaches infinity if a certain term does not occur in a text. Second, the IDF is equal to zero if a certain term appears in any text. To offset these drawbacks, we first conduct an in‐depth analysis of the current term weighting schemes, and subsequently, an improved term weighting scheme called term frequency‐inverse exponential frequency (TF‐IEF) and its various variants are proposed. The proposed method replaces IDF with the new global weighting factor IEF to characterize the global weighting factor log‐like IDF in the corpus, which can greatly reduce the effect of feature (term) with high local weighting factor TF in term weighting. As a result, a more representative feature can be generated. We carried out a series of experiments on two commonly used data sets (corpora) utilizing Naïve Bayes and support vector machine classifiers to validate the performance of our proposed schemes. Experimental results explicitly reveal that the proposed term weighting schemes come with better performance than the compared schemes.
The effectiveness of stabilization appliance therapy among patients with myalgia
Authors: Noguchi Tomoyasu , Kashiwagi Kosuke , Fukuda Kenichi
Published: December 2019

Background

The efficacy of stabilization appliance therapy for masticatory muscle pain is debated. Therefore, there are currently no clear usage standards. We analyzed patient factors influencing its efficacy and characterized masticatory muscle pain subtypes to determine appropriate therapy candidates.

Methods

This case series study recruited patients diagnosed with local myalgia or myofascial pain and used variables related to temporomandibular disorders in the analysis. We used temporary appliance to screen patients for sleep bruxism for 2 weeks. Afterwards, we initiated therapy with stabilization appliances. Efficacy was evaluated via tenderness intensity during muscle palpation and the treatment satisfaction score after 2 months of treatment.

Results

We analyzed 62 (91%) patients. Tenderness upon muscle palpation was mitigated in 27 patients. Mitigated tenderness odds ratios were 0.035 for myofascial pain, 0.804 for 15‐item Patient Health Questionnaire scores, and 1.915 for facet length. Thirty‐nine patients expressed satisfaction; satisfaction odds ratios were 0.855 for 9‐item Patient Health Questionnaire scores, 1.606 for facet length, and 4.023 for awake bruxism awareness.

Conclusions

Stabilization appliance therapy is most effective for patients with awake bruxism awareness, local myalgia, long facets, and no psychosocial risk factors.
Ion‐induced PCR strategy for mercury detection
Authors: Chen Gangyi , Wang Wei , Yuan Yi , Dong Juan , Cui Xin , Huang Xin , Deng Yun , Tang Zhuo
Published: December 2019

Mercury contamination is one of the most serious environmental problems. It can cause serious effects on the human health, such as case damage in the brain, nervous system, immune system, and kidney failure. Therefore, development of an accurate, sensitive, and simple operational detection method for mercury is very necessary. Herein, we report a new strategy for mercury ion detection based on commonly used PCR technique. High selectivity and sensitivity were achieved by the formation of the thymine‐Hg‐thymine (T‐Hg‐T) unnatural base pair at the 3’‐end of PCR primers. The detection results of PCR amplification in presence of mercury ion could be reported either by using agarose gel analysis or through real‐time fluorometric dye tracing for different detection purposes. To our knowledge, this study represents the first application of PCR based technique to the detection of metal ions.
Effect of enzyme‐assisted hydrolysis on protein pattern, technofunctional, and sensory properties of lupin protein isolates using enzyme combinations
Authors: Schlegel Katharina , Sontheimer Katharina , Eisner Peter , Schweiggert‐Weisz Ute
Published: December 2019

The modification of lupin protein isolates (LPI) by means of enzymatic hydrolysis (Lupinus angustifolius cultivar Boregine) was performed with four enzyme preparations (Alcalase 2.4 L, Papain, Corolase 7089, and Neutrase 0.8 L) in a one‐ and two‐step process to determine the efficacy for the destruction of major IgE‐reactive polypeptides and the evaluation of the technofunctional and sensory properties of lupin protein hydrolysates. Combinations of Alcalase 2.4 L and Papain were most effective in the degradation of polypeptides in L. angustifolius as measured by sodium dodecylsulfate–polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The enzymatic hydrolysis of the LPI increased their technofunctional properties such as protein solubility, foam activity, and emulsifying capacity almost independently of the enzyme preparation used. The sensory results showed a significant increase in bitterness from 1.9 for LPI to 5.7 for the combination of Alcalase 2.4 L and Papain in one‐step process. The aroma attributes of the hydrolysates were very similar to untreated LPI. The results of this study show the possibility of enzymatic hydrolysis of LPI to destroy the major IgE‐reactive polypeptides that increase the technofunctional properties of the isolates and thus their use in human nutrition as food ingredients.
Accelerating Fuel Cell Development with Additive Manufacturing Technologies: State of the Art, Opportunities and Challenges
Authors: Tai X. Y. , Zhakeyev A. , Wang H. , Jiao K. , Zhang H. , Xuan J.
Published: December 2019

In recent years, the use of additive manufacturing (AM) has been demonstrated in the fabrication of components in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell, solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC), microbial fuel cell (MFC) and laminar flow‐based fuel cell (LFFC). Various AM technologies have been successfully demonstrated in fuel cell manufacturing include material extrusion, powder bed fusion, vat photopolymerization and binder jetting. One of the unique advantages of AM is the ability to handle sophisticated design with features ranging from macro to micro scales, which are inaccessible by conventional manufacturing technologies. Well‐designed complex 3D structures were reported to have the potential for increasing the performance of fuel cells. Therefore, AM presents itself as a promising fabrication method to promote the development of fuel cells. Besides, AM also showed its specialty in time‐saving, flexibility, and on‐demand manufacturability in the fabrication of fuel cell components. In spite of the prospects of AM in fuel cells, more studies and researches are required to overcome challenges, such as availability of material, manufacturing quality, and the costs. This review focuses on the advantages and applications of additive manufacturing that enable improvement in fuel cell performance. The critical challenges and directions for future development are also highlighted.