bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparing the effects of uncoated nanostructured surfaces on primary neurons and astrocytes
Authors: Liliom Hanna , Lajer Panna , Bérces Zsófia , Csernyus Bence , Szabó Ágnes , Pinke Domonkos , Lőw Péter , Fekete Zoltán , Pongrácz Anita , Schlett Katalin
Published: June 2019

The long‐term application of central nervous system implants is currently limited by the negative response of the brain tissue, affecting both the performance of the device and the survival of nearby cells. Topographical modification of implant surfaces mimicking the structure and dimensions of the extracellular matrix may provide a solution to this negative tissue response and has been shown to affect the attachment and behavior of both neurons and astrocytes. In our study, commonly used neural implant materials, silicon, and platinum were tested with or without nanoscale surface modifications. No biological coatings were used in order to only examine the effect of the nanostructuring. We seeded primary mouse astrocytes and hippocampal neurons onto four different surfaces: flat polysilicon, nanostructured polysilicon, and platinum‐coated versions of these surfaces. Fluorescent wide‐field, confocal, and scanning electron microscopy were used to characterize the attachment, spreading and proliferation of these cell types. In case of astrocytes, we found that both cell number and average cell spreading was significantly larger on platinum, compared to silicon surfaces, while silicon surfaces impeded glial proliferation. Nanostructuring did not have a significant effect on either parameter in astrocytes but influenced the orientation of actin filaments and glial fibrillary acidic protein fibers. Neuronal soma attachment was impaired on metal surfaces while nanostructuring seemed to influence neuronal growth cone morphology, regardless of surface material. Taken together, the type of metals tested had a profound influence on cellular responses, which was only slightly modified by nanopatterning.
TNFRSF11A-Associated Dysosteosclerosis: A Report of the Second Case and Characterization of the Phenotypic Spectrum
Authors: Xue Jing-yi , Wang Zheng , Shinagawa Satoshi , Ohashi Hirofumi , Otomo Nao , Elcioglu Nursel H , Nakashima Tomoki , Nishimura Gen , Ikegawa Shiro , Guo Long
Published: June 2019

Dysosteosclerosis (DOS) is a distinct form of sclerosing bone disease characterized by irregular osteosclerosis and platyspondyly. DOS is genetically heterogeneous; however, only five cases with SLC29A3 mutations and a single case with a splice-site mutation of TNFRSF11A have been reported, and TNFRSF11A is also a causal gene for osteopetrosis, autosomal recessive 7 (OP-AR7). Thus, the causal genes of DOS and their genotype-phenotype associations remain unclear. In this study, we examined a Japanese patient with DOS and found a novel variant in TNFRSF11A. The homozygous variant was a G to T transversion at the first nucleotide of exon 9 (c.784G>T). Although the variant was predicted to cause a stop codon mutation (p.E262*), in silico evaluation of the exonic splicing elements followed by RT-PCR for the patient-derived cells showed that it caused aberrant splicing due to the change in the exonic splicing element and produced two types of aberrant transcripts: One caused a premature stop codon (p.E262Vfs*17) leading to nonsense mutation-mediated mRNA decay; the other produced a protein with interstitial deletion (p.E262_Q279del). The effects of the mutation on five splicing isoforms of TNFRSF11A were different from those in OP-AR7, but comparable with those in the first DOS with the TNFRSF11A mutation. Thus, we identified the second case of DOS caused by the TNFRSF11A splice-site mutation and confirmed the novel disease entity. © 2019 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
MicroRNA‐374c‐5p inhibits the development of breast cancer through TATA‐box binding protein associated factor 7‐mediated transcriptional regulation of DEP domain containing 1
Authors: Hao Shuai , Tian Wuguo , Chen Yi , Wang Lingli , Jiang Yan , Gao Bo , Luo Donglin
Published: June 2019

Breast cancer is the most pervasive cancer tormenting women, with increasing incidence and mortality rates year after year. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) with abnormal expression has various effects in biological processes and progression in diverse tumors. Nevertheless, it is vitally crucial for us to inspect more underlying molecular mechanisms for the therapy of patients with breast cancer. In the paper, we inquired the expression level and potential regulation mechanism of miR‐374c‐5p in breast cancer. Our research found out that miR‐374c‐5p was low‐level expressed in breast cancer. Upregulation of miR‐374c‐5p repressed cell proliferation, migration, and also epithelial‐mesenchymal transition (EMT), and induced cell apoptosis of breast cancer cells. Further, we concluded that miR‐374c‐5p interacted with TAF7 and downregulated its expression. Moreover, miR‐374c‐5p modulated DEP domain containing 1 (DEPDC1) through mediating TAF7. Finally, rescue assays represented that miR‐374c‐5p suppressed breast cancer development via TAF7‐mediated transcriptional regulation of DEPDC1. We uncovered that overexpressed miR‐374c‐5p inhibited the development of breast cancer via TAF7‐regulated transcriptional regulation of DEPDC1, which may be a novel and vital proportion of cancer diagnosis and treatment strategies.
lncRNA TUC338 is a potential diagnostic biomarker for bladder cancer
Authors: Li Gang , Zhang Yang , Mao Jing , Hu Peng , Chen Qiang , Ding Wei , Pu Rong
Published: June 2019

Although long noncoding RNA TUC338 has been characterized as an oncogene, its role in bladder cancer is unknown. The purpose of the present study is to investigate the function of TUC338 in bladder cancer. We found that TUC338 was upregulated in early‐stage bladder cancer patients and showed early diagnostic values. After surgical resection, plasma levels of TUC338 were significantly downregulated. Moreover, microRNA 10b (miR‐10b) was also upregulated in bladder cancer patients. TUC338 and miR‐10b were positive and significantly correlated in bladder cancer patients, but not in healthy controls. Bladder cancer cells with TUC338 overexpression showed upregulated miR‐10b, while miR‐10b overexpression failed to significantly affect TUC338. TUC338 and miR‐10b overexpression significantly promoted bladder cancer cell invasion and migration. Therefore, TUC338 may promote bladder cancer at least partially by upregulating miR‐10b.
A theoretical investigation on the excited state intramolecular single or double proton transfer mechanism of a salicyladazine system
Authors: Zhang Qiaoli , Zhao Zhongjian , Cheng Shibo , Yang Guang , Zhang Tianjie , Jia Min , Song Xiaoyan
Published: June 2019

Given the tremendous potential applications of excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) systems, ESIPT molecules have received widespread attention. In this work, based on density functional theory (DFT) and time‐dependent DFT (TDDFT) methods, we theoretically study the excited state dynamical behaviors of salicyladazine (SA) molecules. Our simulated results show that the double intramolecular hydrogen bonds of SA are strengthened in the S1 state via exploring bond distances, bond angles, and infrared (IR) vibrational spectra. Exploring the frontier molecular orbitals (MOs), we confirm that charge redistributions indeed have effects on excited state dynamical behaviors. The increased electronic densities on N atoms and the decreased electronic densities on O atoms imply that charge redistribution may trigger the ESPT process. Analyzing the constructed S0‐state and S1‐state potential energy surfaces (PESs), we confirm that only the excited state single proton transfer reaction can occur although SA possesses two intramolecular hydrogen bonds. In this work, we clarify the specific ESIPT mechanism, which may facilitate developing novel applications based on the SA system in future.
Implications of exosomes as diagnostic and therapeutic strategies in cancer
Authors: Aghebati‐Maleki Ali , Nami Sanam , Baghbanzadeh Amir , Karzar Bita H. , Noorolyai Saeed , Fotouhi Ali , Aghebati‐Maleki Leili
Published: June 2019

Exosomes offer a new perspective on the biology of cancer with both diagnostic and therapeutic concepts. Due to the cell‐to‐cell association, exosomes are involved in the progression, metastasis, and therapeutic efficacy of the tumor. They can be isolated from blood and other body fluids to determine the disease progression in the body, including cancer growth. In addition to being reservoirs of biochemical markers of cancer, exomes can be designed to restore tumor immunity. Tumor exosomes interact with different cells in the tumor microenvironment to confer beneficial modulations, responsible for stromal activity, angiogenesis, increased vascular permeability, and immune evasion. Exosomes also contribute to the metastasis with the aim of epithelial transmission to the mesenchyme and the formation of premetastatic niches. Moreover, exosomes protect cells against the cytotoxic effects of chemotherapeutic drugs and prevent the transmission of chemotherapy resistance to adjacent cells. Therefore, exosomes are essential for many fatal cancer agents, and understanding their origins and role in cancer is important. In this article, we attempted to clarify the potential of exosomes for the application in cancer diagnosis and therapy.
Cellular and physiological upregulation of inducible nitric oxide synthase, arginase, and inducible cyclooxygenase in wound healing
Authors: Abd El‐Aleem Seham A. , Abdelwahab Soha , AM‐Sherief Hany , Sayed Ahmed
Published: June 2019

Wound repair is regulated by overlapping cellular, physiological and biochemical events. Prostaglandins and nitric oxide have been a focus for inflammation research particularly since the discovery of their inducible isoforms nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase‐2 (COX‐2). Study of the cellular expression of iNOS and COX‐2 and arginase which competes with iNOS for its substrate, in an in vivo model of wound healing could reveal important roles for these enzymes in the physiological progression of wound repair. Adult male rats received full thickness dermal wounds which were harvested at different times. Protein levels and activities of the enzymes were assessed by western blot and biochemical assays respectively. The cellular distribution and the colocalization were assessed by immunostaining. The protein levels and activities of iNOS, arginase, and COX‐2 increased only during the inflammatory phase of wound. Immunocytochemistry showed that the three enzymes were coexpressed and the main cellular source was inflammatory cells mainly macrophages. iNOS was induced at the wound site and was the earliest to increase significantly (p < 0.05) for only up to 3 days postwounding. However, arginase and COX‐2 significant (
p < 0.05) upregulation started at a later time points and continued for up to 14 days postwounding. Therefore iNOS, compared with arginase and COX‐2, showed a temporal difference in expression during wound healing which could be explained by their products being required at different stages of the healing process. The coordinated expression of the three enzymes at different time points could account for the physiological progression of the healing process.
Psychology's own mindfulness: Ellen Langer and the social politics of scientific interest in “active noticing”
Authors: Fox Lee Shayna
Published: June 2019

Ellen Langer's mindfulness construct is presented as “indigenous” to disciplinary psychology. Langer's early work laid the foundations for the research program she would come to call the psychology of possibility. Studying inattentive behavior (mindlessness) and intentionally reflective cognition (mindfulness) placed her work directly in line with the theoretical priorities of the 1970s and influenced the direction of research in several subdisciplines related to social cognition. Positioning Langer's work at an intersection crossed by various discourse communities in psychology explains much of its influence within the discipline. However, its relevance is additionally related to a broader field of research and application also employing the terminology of mindfulness. While superficially synonymous, the majority of mindfulness research is distinguished from Langer's due to differences in origination, definition, and goals. Comparative assessments are used as a lens through which to interrogate the social politics of mindfulness theories’ burgeoning success over the past half century.
A convenient synthesis of the muscarinic cholinergic antagonist (R)‐[N‐methyl‐3H]quinuclidinyl benzilate methiodide
Authors: Filer Crist N. , Seguin Richard J.
Published: June 2019

A useful synthesis of (R)‐[N‐methyl‐3H]quinuclidinyl benzilate methiodide is described with the product characterized by thin‐layer chromatography (TLC), high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), tritium nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and mass spectrometry (MS). Several methods are provided to purify the radioligand, and its storage and stability are also discussed.
Validation of the Spanish Version of the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) for Elderly Patients With Total Knee Replacement
Authors: Lizaur‐Utilla Alejandro , Miralles‐Muñoz Francisco A. , Gonzalez‐Parreño Santiago , Lopez‐Prats Fernando A.
Published: June 2019

The purpose of this study was to validate the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) for elderly patients who undergo total knee replacement (TKR). The validated Spanish versions of the KOOS and Medical Outcomes Study 36‐Item Short‐Form Health Survey (SF‐36) questionnaires were applied to 137 patients (mean age 72.3, SD 7.5 years). Test–retest data were collected with an intermediate period of 1–2 weeks. To evaluate the clinimetric properties of the KOOS, internal consistency (Cronbach's α), reproducibility (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC]), construct validity (Spearman's correlation), responsiveness (effect sizes [ES], and standardized response mean [SRM]), and floor and ceiling effects (<15%) were assessed. As result, Cronbach's coefficients of the KOOS subscales ranged from 0.78 to 0.93, and ICC from 0.76 to 0.91. Construct validity was supported by the confirmation of the three predefined hypotheses involving expected correlations between KOOS subscale and SF‐36 physical health subscales. Spearman's correlations were strong between KOOS Pain and SF‐36 Bodily Pain (r = 0.81), KOOS Pain and SF‐36 Physical Functioning (r = 0.67), KOOS activities of daily living (ADL) and SF‐36 Bodily Pain (r = 0.69), KOOS ADL and SF‐36 Physical Functioning (r = 0.74), and KOOS Sports/Recreation and SF‐36 Physical Functioning (r = 0.76). Responsiveness at 1 year after TKR was large with the ES ranging from 0.81 to 2.12, and the SRM from 0.70 to 1.91. Floor and ceiling effects were low. In conclusion, the Spanish version of KOOS has successful psychometric characteristics and is a reliable and valid instrument for assessment of patient‐relevant outcomes in elderly patients with advanced OA who undergo TKR. © 2019 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 37:2157–2162, 2019
Epidemiology, Incidence, and Survival of Rhabdomyosarcoma Subtypes: SEER and ICES Database Analysis
Authors: Amer Kamil M. , Thomson Jennifer E. , Congiusta Dominick , Dobitsch Andrew , Chaudhry Ahmed , Li Matthew , Chaudhry Aisha , Bozzo Anthony , Siracuse Brianna , Aytekin Mahmut Nedim , Ghert Michelle , Beebe Kathleen S.
Published: June 2019

Rhabdomyosarcoma is the most common soft‐tissue sarcoma in children and adolescents and accounts for 3% of all pediatric tumors. Subtypes include alveolar, spindle cell, embryonal, mixed‐type, pleomorphic, and rhabdomyosarcoma with ganglionic differentiation. The National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database was queried for patients diagnosed with any type of rhabdomyosarcoma between 1973 and 2014. Patient demographics, tumor characteristics, and incidence were studied with χ2 analysis. Survival was modeled with Kaplan–Meier survival curves and Cox proportional hazards models were used to assess the effect of age and gender on survival. Pleomorphic subtype had higher grade and larger sized tumors compared to other subtypes (p < 0.05). Pleomorphic and alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma had the worst overall survival with a 26.6% and 28.9% 5‐year survival, respectively. Embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma had the highest 5‐year survival rate (73.9%). Tumor size was negatively correlated with survival months, indicating patients with larger tumors had shorter survival times (p < 0.05). Presence of higher‐grade tumors and metastatic disease at presentation were negatively correlated with survival months (p < 0.05). No significant differences in the survival were found between gender or race between all of the subtypes (p > 0.05). This study highlights key differences in the demographic and survival rates of the different types of rhabdomyosarcoma that can be used for more tailored patient counseling. We also demonstrate that large, population‐level databases provide sufficient data that can be used in the analysis of rare tumors. © 2019 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 37:2226–2230, 2019
Effects of microwave vacuum drying and conventional drying methods on the physicochemical and microstructural properties of squid shreds
Authors: Pankyamma Viji , Mokam Sumanth Yadav , Debbarma Jesmi , Rao B Madhusudana
Published: June 2019

BACKGROUND

Microwave vacuum drying is an innovative technology for drying fruits and vegetables. However, this technology has not been well explored for drying seafood. In the present study, the effects of microwave vacuum drying (MVD), hot air drying (HAD) and sun drying (SD) on the proximate composition, texture, rehydration, color and microstructure of squid shreds were investigated.

RESULTS

Proximate components of the samples dried by different methods were not significantly different, but the drying time was markedly lower for the MVD technique. The rehydration rate and water absorption index followed the order MVD > HAD > SD. The extent of browning as indicated by the b* value was significantly lower in MVD samples (14.38) compared with HAD (19.47) and SD (21.94) samples. MVD resulted in the lowest values for hardness, springiness and chewiness of both dried and rehydrated squid shreds, while SD recorded the highest values for the same. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of the muscle fiber indicated muscle shrinkage and more toughness in SD samples, whereas Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra revealed a small extent of protein degradation in MVD samples.

CONCLUSION

The study revealed that higher‐quality dried squid shreds can be prepared by microwave vacuum drying in a shorter time compared with the traditional methods of sun drying and hot air drying. Hence microwave vacuum drying can be used as an energy‐efficient and time‐saving technology to make dried seafood of superior quality. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry
Impacts of depectinization of pear juice on alcoholic fermentation and indole formation
Authors: Beezer Robert P , Mattinson D Scott , Fellman John K , Ewing Brianna L , Edwards Charles G
Published: June 2019

BACKGROUND

Recently, a producer of fermented ciders observed ‘vinyl’ off‐odors formed during fermentation of pear juice previously depectinized at ≥ 49 °C but not if depectinized at lower temperatures. The objective of this study was to investigate the source of this spoilage and evaluate factors that affect formation.

RESULTS

Analysis of untainted and tainted samples obtained from the producer determined the causative agent to be indole, a compound sometimes produced by yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) during fermentation. To mimic commercial depectinization conditions, pectinases were added to pear juices held at 35 °C for 45 min (Treatment A), 49 °C for 45 min (Treatment B), or 49 °C for 90 min (Treatment C). Juice processing conditions did not affect yeast growth nor progress of alcoholic fermentation. Although neither yeast strain (DV10 or MERIT) synthesized indole during fermentation of Treatment A juices, the compound was produced by MERIT in Treatments B (27.05 μg L−1) and C (469.9 μg L−1). Supplementation of Treatment C juice with pyridoxine (vitamin B6) prior to fermentation resulted in no detectable indole formed. However, juices from Treatments A, B, or C contained similar concentrations of pyridoxine and non‐detectable amounts of tryptophan, a potential precursor to indole. Furthermore, indole was not detected during fermentations of a synthetic pear juice medium without pyridoxine.

CONCLUSION

Supplementation of cider musts with pyridoxine prior to fermentation and choice of yeast strain can lower the risk of formation of off‐odors caused by indole. However, other unidentified factors are present which affect its formation in perry. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry
Styrene‐N‐phenylacrylamide co‐polymer modified silica monolith particles with an optimized mixing ratio of monomers as a new stationary phase for the separation of peptides in high performance liquid chromatography
Authors: Sun Genlin , Kim Jeong Soo , Kim Yune Sung , An Hyun Joo , Cheong Won Jo
Published: June 2019

A stationary phase was prepared by chemical derivatization of the support particles with a layer of copolymer composed of styrene and N‐phenyl acrylamide. Silica monolith particles of ca. 2.6 µm (volume‐based average) have been prepared as the support particles by sol‐gel reaction followed by differential sedimentation. The particles were reacted with 3‐chloropropyl trimethoxysilane followed by sodium diethyldithiocarbamate to introduce an initiator moiety. Then, the copolymer layer was immobilized via reversible addition‐fragmentation transfer polymerization. The resultant phase was packed in glass‐lined stainless‐steel micro‐columns (1 x 150 mm) and evaluated for the separation of a mixture composed of five peptides (Trp‐Gly, Thr‐Tyr‐Ser, angiotensin I, isotocin and bradykinin). The effect of monomer mixing ratio (styrene versus N‐phenyl acrylamide) on the chromatographic separation efficiency of the stationary phase was examined. A number of theoretical plates (N) as high as 33 600 plates/column (224 000 plates/m, 4.46 µm plate height) was achieved using the column packed with the optimized stationary phase. The column‐to‐column reproducibility based on three columns packed with three different batches of stationary phase was found satisfactory in separation efficiency, retention factor, and asymmetry factor.
Catalytically Active N‐Heterocyclic Carbene Release from Single‐Chain Nanoparticles Following a Thermolysis‐Driven Unfolding Strategy
Authors: Garmendia Sofiem , Lawrenson Stefan B. , Arno Maria C. , O'Reilly Rachel K. , Taton Daniel , Dove Andrew P.
Published: June 2019

The need for efficient, tailor‐made catalysts has inspired chemists to design synthetic macromolecular architectures for selective catalysis. To this purpose, herein the synthesis and in‐depth characterization of Ag(I)‐crosslinked single‐chain nanoparticles (SCNPs) is reported and their application as catalysts is demonstrated. Specifically, a copolymer of styrenic benzimidazolium chloride is synthesized as a linear precursor via reversible addition‐fragmentation chain‐transfer polymerization. Metalation of the benzimidazolium moieties by Ag(I) resulted in the intramolecular cross‐linking of single chains via the formation of silver‐N‐heterocyclic carbene (Ag‐NHC) linkages under dilute conditions. The successful formation of well‐defined, robust SCNPs is evidenced by size‐exclusion chromatography, dynamic light scattering, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. Finally, it is demonstrated that the Ag‐SCNPs can be used as NHC pre‐catalysts, by first indirectly evidencing the formation of the corresponding unfolded NHC‐CS2 polybetaine and then organocatalysing a benzoin condensation reaction.
Temporally‐Programmed Transient Supramolecular Gels
Authors: Panja Santanu , Patterson Courtenay , Adams Dave J.
Published: June 2019

In living systems, self‐assembly processes are driven by the consumption of chemical fuels. Synthetic adaptation of living systems can be achieved by coupling of competing pathways that drive the assembly and disassembly, respectively, under the influence of chemical fuels. Here, a pH‐responsive transient gel system is created by simultaneous incorporation of two triggers, of which one is responsible for the initiation of the self‐assembly by increasing the pH and the second trigger drives the disassembly by reducing the pH. This method allows us to prepare transient gels with a high degree of control over the self‐assembly lifetime as well as the mechanical properties of the transient gels.
Board size, social trust, and corporate risk taking: Evidence from China
Authors: Su Kun , Liu Heng , Zhang Han
Published: June 2019

This paper examines the relationship between board size and corporate risk taking, as well as the moderating effects of regional‐level social trust. Results show that larger boards have greater difficulty in achieving consensus on extreme decisions and thus tend to reduce firm risk taking in a Chinese context. Moreover, social trust had a significant moderating effect on the relationship between board size and corporate risk taking. This study contributes to the risk taking literature by testing the board size‐risk taking linkage in a Chinese context and offering an explanation based on internal board governance and external informal institution heterogeneity.
Tumor mutational signatures in sebaceous skin lesions from individuals with Lynch syndrome
Authors: Georgeson Peter , Walsh Michael D. , Clendenning Mark , Daneshvar Simin , Pope Bernard J. , Mahmood Khalid , Joo Jihoon E. , Jayasekara Harindra , Jenkins Mark A. , Winship Ingrid M. , Buchanan Daniel D.
Published: June 2019

Background

Muir‐Torre syndrome is defined by the development of sebaceous skin lesions in individuals who carry a germline mismatch repair (MMR) gene mutation. Loss of expression of MMR proteins is frequently observed in sebaceous skin lesions, but MMR‐deficiency alone is not diagnostic for carrying a germline MMR gene mutation.

Methods

Whole exome sequencing was performed on three MMR‐deficient sebaceous lesions from individuals with MSH2 gene mutations (Lynch syndrome) and three MMR‐proficient sebaceous lesions from individuals without Lynch syndrome with the aim of characterizing the tumor mutational signatures, somatic mutation burden, and microsatellite instability status. Thirty predefined somatic mutational signatures were calculated for each lesion.

Results

Signature 1 was ubiquitous across the six lesions tested. Signatures 6 and 15, associated with defective DNA MMR, were significantly more prevalent in the MMR‐deficient lesions from the MSH2 carriers compared with the MMR‐proficient non‐Lynch sebaceous lesions (mean ± SD=41.0 ± 8.2% vs. 2.3 ± 4.0%, p = 0.0018). Tumor mutation burden was, on average, significantly higher in the MMR‐deficient lesions compared with the MMR‐proficient lesions (23.3 ± 11.4 vs. 1.8 ± 0.8 mutations/Mb, p = 0.03). All four sebaceous lesions observed in sun exposed areas of the body demonstrated signature 7 related to ultraviolet light exposure.

Conclusion

Tumor mutational signatures 6 and 15 and somatic mutation burden were effective in differentiating Lynch‐related from non‐Lynch sebaceous lesions.
Well posedness and asymptotic behavior of a wave equation with distributed time‐delay and Neumann boundary conditions
Authors: Chentouf Boumediène , Guesmia Aissa
Published: June 2019

This paper is concerned with the asymptotic behavior analysis of solutions to a multidimensional wave equation. Assuming that there is no displacement term in the system and taking into consideration the presence of distributed or discrete time delay, we show that the solutions exponentially converge to their stationary state. The proof mainly consists in utilizing the resolvent method. The approach adopted in this work is also used to other physical systems.
Domain of existence for the solution of some IVP's and BVP's by using an efficient ninth‐order iterative method
Authors: Cevallos Fabricio , Hueso José L. , Martínez Eulalia , Howk Cory L.
Published: June 2019

In this paper, we consider the problem of solving initial value problems and boundary value problems through the point of view of its continuous form. It is well known that in most cases these types of problems are solved numerically by performing a discretization and applying the finite difference technique to approximate the derivatives, transforming the equation into a finite‐dimensional nonlinear system of equations. However, we would like to focus on the continuous problem, and therefore, we try to set the domain of existence and uniqueness for its analytic solution. For this purpose, we study the semilocal convergence of a Newton‐type method with frozen first derivative in Banach spaces. We impose only the assumption that the Fréchet derivative satisfies the Lipschitz continuity condition and that it is bounded in the whole domain in order to obtain appropriate recurrence relations so that we may determine the domains of convergence and uniqueness for the solution. Our final aim is to apply these theoretical results to solve applied problems that come from integral equations, ordinary differential equations, and boundary value problems.
Adaptive reduced basis strategy for rare‐event simulations
Authors: Gallimard L.
Published: June 2019

Monte Carlo methods are well suited to characterize events of which associated probabilities are not too low with respect to the simulation budget. For very seldom observed events, these approaches do not lead to accurate results. Indeed, the number of samples is often insufficient to estimate such low probabilities (at least 10n+2 samples are needed to estimate a probability of 10−n with 10% relative deviation of the Monte Carlo estimator). Even within the framework of reduced order methods, such as a reduced basis approach, it seems difficult to predict accurately low‐probability events. In this paper, we propose to combine a cross‐entropy method with a reduced basis algorithm to compute rare‐event (failure) probabilities.
Linear and appositional growth in children as indicators of social and economic change during the Medieval Islamic to Christian transition in Santarém, Portugal
Authors: Gooderham Ellie , Matias António , Liberato Marco , Santos Helena , Walshaw Sarah , Albanese John , Cardoso Hugo F.V.
Published: June 2019

This study explores whether child growth has signalled periods of social change between the Medieval Islamic and post‐Islamic Christian Periods in Santarém, Portugal. The social change is associated with the Christian conquest of Iberia and the fall of the Islamic Empire in Europe, which ceased the regional influence of the Golden Age of Islam. This may have caused a deterioration in living conditions brought by the Christian conquest, compared with the social improvements brought by the Medieval Islamic Empire. Forty‐two juvenile skeletons were taken from three Medieval Islamic and three Late Medieval Christian sites excavated in the city of Santarém, Portugal. Age was estimated from tooth length. Linear growth for all long bones and appositional growth of the femur midshaft were compared with expected growth from the Denver Growth Study, using z scores. Significant growth deficit was found throughout the Medieval Islamic and Christian Periods in Santarém, as well as a deficit in apposition of cortical bone. Although children in the post‐Islamic Christian period showed a trend towards greater linear and appositional growth deficits, these differences were not statistically significant. Children in Medieval Islamic and Late Medieval Christian Periods show significant growth disruption, suggesting that in Santarém, the post‐Islamic Medieval Christian period may not have witnessed a decrease in living conditions after the fall of Islamic rule in the territory. Further studies that incorporate more samples from the Islamic and Post‐Islamic Periods as well as pre‐Islamic population samples are needed to explore the possibility that the Islamic Period was more favourable for child growth.
Pandora's pregnancy: NIPT, CMA, and genome sequencing—A new era for prenatal genetic testing
Authors: Hashiloni‐Dolev Yael , Nov‐Klaiman Tamar , Raz Aviad
Published: June 2019

Objectives

We delineate in this article a shift from the “traditional” technologies of karyotyping in PND to the current phase of advanced genetic technologies including noninvasive prenatal testing (NIPT), chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA), and whole‐exome sequencing (WES) with their higher detection rate and related abundance of uncertain data.

Methods

Conceptual analysis based on seminal works that shaped the socioethical discourse surrounding the experiences of parents as well as professionals with prenatal diagnosis in the last 30 years.

Results

We consider the implications of this new era of PND for patients and health professionals by drawing on previous studies documenting how probability and uncertainty affect informed consent/choice, health risks communication, customer satisfaction and decision making, and parent‐child bonding.

Conclusions

We argue that these changes move us beyond the idioms and realities of the tentative pregnancy and moral pioneering, to uncertainty, probability‐based counseling, and moral/translational gambling. We conclude by discussing what is needed to maintain hope in the era of Pandora's pregnancy.
Cover Image, Volume 68, Issue 7
Authors: Archer William R , Hall Brady A , Thompson Tiffany N , Wadsworth Ophelia J , Schulz Michael D
Published: June 2019

The cover image is based on the Research Article Polymer Sequestrants for Biological and Environmental Applications by William R Archer et al. DOI: 10.1002/pi.5774.

image
Interfacial amino acids support Spa47 oligomerization and shigella type three secretion system activation
Authors: Demler Hannah J. , Case Heather B. , Morales Yalemi , Bernard Abram R. , Johnson Sean J. , Dickenson Nicholas E.
Published: June 2019

Like many Gram‐negative pathogens, Shigella rely on a type three secretion system (T3SS) for injection of effector proteins directly into eukaryotic host cells to initiate and sustain infection. Protein secretion through the needle‐like type three secretion apparatus (T3SA) requires ATP hydrolysis by the T3SS ATPase Spa47, making it a likely target for in vivo regulation of T3SS activity and an attractive target for small molecule therapeutics against shigellosis. Here, we developed a model of an activated Spa47 homo‐hexamer, identifying two distinct regions at each protomer interface that we hypothesized to provide intermolecular interactions supporting Spa47 oligomerization and enzymatic activation. Mutational analysis and a series of high‐resolution crystal structures confirm the importance of these residues, as many of the engineered mutants are unable to form oligomers and efficiently hydrolyze ATP in vitro. Furthermore, in vivo evaluation of Shigella virulence phenotype uncovered a strong correlation between T3SS effector protein secretion, host cell membrane disruption, and cellular invasion by the tested mutant strains, suggesting that perturbation of the identified interfacial residues/interactions influences Spa47 activity through preventing oligomer formation, which in turn regulates Shigella virulence. The most impactful mutations are observed within the conserved Site 2 interface where the native residues support oligomerization and likely contribute to a complex hydrogen bonding network that organizes the active site and supports catalysis. The critical reliance on these conserved residues suggests that aspects of T3SS regulation may also be conserved, providing promise for the development of a cross‐species therapeutic that broadly targets T3SS ATPase oligomerization and activation.
Structural, Dielectric, and Magneto‐Optical Properties of Al‐Cr Substituted M‐Type Barium Hexaferrite
Authors: Carol Trudel Tchouank Tekou , Mohammed Jibrin , Hafeez Hafeez Yusuf , Bhat Bilal Hamid , Godara Sachin Kumar , Srivastava Ajeet Kumar
Published: June 2019

M‐type barium hexaferrite, BaFe12‐2xAlxCrxO19 (x = 0.0, 0.2, 0.4), is prepared using sol–gel auto‐combustion method and calcined at 1000 °C for 7 h. The effects of Al‐Cr substitution on the properties of the barium hexaferrite are investigated through XRD, FTIR, FESEM, UV‐vis‐NIR, VSM, and impedance analyzer. XRD analysis reveals the formation of hexaferrites with single phase and no impurity phase is detected. FTIR spectra show bands at 437 and 590 cm−1 which indicate the possible of hexaferrites. The micrographs of FESEM shows agglomerated grains with hexagonal plate‐like shape while the EDX spectra confirm the composition of the synthesized samples. Dielectric constant decreases abruptly at lower frequencies and an increment in dielectric constant at much higher frequency region is observed. Grain boundaries dominate the AC conductivity at lower frequencies while the grains could be responsible for the observed dispersion at higher frequencies. The values of coercivity for all the samples are found to be greater than 1200 Oe; this makes the prepared samples useful for high‐density perpendicular magnetic recording media.
Characterization of 60 mm AlN Single Crystal Wafers Grown by the Physical Vapor Transport Method
Authors: Wang Qikun , Lei Dan , He Guangdong , Gong Jianchao , Huang Jiali , Wu Jason
Published: June 2019

Crack‐free bulk AlN single crystals up to 60 mm in diameter are successfully grown for the first time using a series of proprietary techniques by the physical vapor transport method. The single crystals are sliced into on‐axis (±0.2°) wafers and then lapped/polished following common wafering standards. The obtained wafers are characterized by Raman spectroscopy and high‐resolution X‐ray diffraction (HRXRD). The Raman spectra show an E2(high) full width at half maximum (FWHM) of 2.85–2.87 cm−1. The symmetric and asymmetric HRXRD rocking curves show FWHMs of 172–288 and 103–242 arcsec, respectively. The optical transmission spectra reveal that the entire wafers exhibit excellent ultraviolet (UV) transparency with absorption coefficients of 14–21 cm−1 in the UV range 4.43–4.77 eV (260–280 nm). The average etch pit density (EPD) determined by preferential chemical etching is about 2.3 × 105 cm−2. The major impurities determined by evolved gas analysis and glow discharge mass spectrometry are carbon at 7.4 × 1018 cm−3 (45 ppmw), oxygen at 1.2 × 1019 cm−3 (100 ppmw), and silicon at 6.8 × 1017 cm−3 (9.7 ppmw). The usable area of the 60 mm wafers exceeds 98%.
Location and Properties of Carrier Traps in mc‐Si Solar Cells Subjected to Degradation at Elevated Temperatures
Authors: Mchedlidze Teimuraz , Weber Joerg
Published: June 2019

Multi‐crystalline Si (mc‐Si) solar cells subjected to carrier‐induced efficiency degradation at elevated temperatures are studied using deep‐level transient spectroscopy (DLTS), capacitance‐voltage, and electroluminescence (EL) measurements. Commercially available passivated emitter and rear cell (PERC) mc‐Si solar cells are investigated after short annealing in the dark (at T = 200 °C for 20 min), after degradation by a constant forward current at 70 °C, and after regeneration annealing at 200 °C for 20 min. The degradation is detected in situ by EL imaging of the surface of the cell. Several n+p mesa‐diodes, selectively fabricated on the front surface of the solar cell, allow the characterization of locations with various levels of degradation and density of extended defects. The degree of the degradation correlates with the local active boron concentration. At all stages, traps associated with extended defects (i.e., dislocations, grain boundaries, precipitates, etc.) are detected by DLTS, and these traps are not affected by changes in the degree of degradation. Two minority‐carrier traps with energy level positions in the bandgap at Ec −0.19 eV and Ec −0.34 eV are detected only in the degraded solar cells in concentrations that correlate with the local degree of cell degradation.
P‐type Upgraded Metallurgical‐Grade Multicrystalline Silicon Heterojunction Solar Cells with Open‐Circuit Voltages over 690 mV
Authors: Vicari Stefani Bruno , Weigand William , Wright Matthew , Soeriyadi Anastasia , Yu Zhengshan (Jason) , Kim Moonyong , Chen Daniel , Holman Zachary , Hallam Brett
Published: June 2019

Herein, low‐cost p‐type upgraded metallurgical‐grade (UMG) multicrystalline silicon wafers are processed from the edge of the silicon cast using a multi‐stage defect‐engineering approach, incorporating gettering and hydrogenation to improve the wafer quality. Significant reductions in the concentration of interstitial iron and improvements in the bulk lifetime from 15 to 130 µs are observed. Subsequently, all the surface layers are removed and silicon heterojunction solar cells are fabricated. The cells exhibit an efficiency of 18.7%, and open‐circuit voltages over 690 mV is formed using wafers with initial lifetimes of <15 µs. This demonstration of such high voltages, the highest recorded for this material to date, indicates the power of the gettering and hydrogenation processes used and the potential of p‐type UMG silicon to fabricate heterojunction solar cells and other solar cell technologies capable of high open‐circuit voltages.
Electronic, Elastic, and Vibrational Properties of ZrBeSi via First Principles
Authors: Zhao Xiao‐Ge , Wang Yong , Zhao Lei , Lv Zhen‐Long , Wang Hai‐Yan
Published: June 2019

ZrBeSi is the prototype of the ZrBeSi‐type of crystals, but its fundamental properties have not been well studied till now. In this work, a systematic study on the electronic, elastic, and vibrational properties of ZrBeSi under zero and high pressures has been performed by first‐principles calculation. Calculated electronic properties indicate that ZrBeSi is metallic dictated mainly by the Zr 4d state. Its metallicity weakens as the pressure increases. Studies reveal that sp2 hybridization exists in the Be atoms and their 2p orbitals accept electrons from the Zr atoms, leading them to have an unusual negative valency. Calculated elastic properties imply that ZrBeSi is mechanically stable but anisotropic up to 175 GPa. It has a bulk modulus of 144.4 (142.5) GPa deduced from the third‐order Birch–Murnaghan equation of state (elastic constants) at 0 GPa. Its elastic moduli and elastic anisotropy increase with the rising pressure. Group theory analysis unveils that there are six infrared‐active and four Raman‐active modes at the Brillouin zone center of ZrBeSi. The vibrational patterns of these modes are presented and discussed. Studies further reveal that the frequencies of these modes increase with the rising pressure.
Effects of ginseng supplementation on selected markers of inflammation: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Mohammadi Hamed , Hadi Amir , Kord‐Varkaneh Hamed , Arab Arman , Afshari Masood , Ferguson Aaron J.R. , Ghaedi Ehsan
Published: June 2019

The present meta‐analysis was performed to evaluate the efficacy of ginseng administration on serum level of inflammatory biomarkers. We performed a systematic search of all available randomized controlled trials (RCTs) conducted up to June 2018 in the following electronic databases: PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane, and Google Scholar. RCTs that investigated the effect ginseng supplementation on high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein (hs‐CRP), tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α), and interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) were included for final analysis. A total of seven RCTs were included in the meta‐analysis. Results indicated significant reduction in IL‐6 (mean difference [MD]: −0.265 pg/ml, 95% CI [−0.396, −0.135], p < .001) and TNF‐α (MD: −2.471 pg/ml, 95% CI [−2.904, −2.039], p < .001) and no significant change in hs‐CRP (MD: −0.125 mg/L, 95% CI [−0.597, 0.347], p = .604). Although there was publication bias across studies, trim and fill analysis showed that results from unpublished studies could not change the results for CRP. However, removing one study in sensitivity analysis did reveal a significant reduction in CRP. We conclude that ginseng supplementation significantly lowered IL‐6 and TNF‐α but did not significantly lower CRP. However, these findings were not robust, because they showed sensitivity for CRP and IL‐6, and future long‐term well‐designed dose‐escalating trials are required.
L1 adaptive output‐feedback descriptor for multivariable nonlinear systems with measurement noises
Authors: Ma Tong , Cao Chengyu
Published: June 2019

In this paper, an L1 adaptive output‐feedback descriptor is designed for multivariable nonlinear systems with measurement noises. If the system is detectable, noises are bounded, and some rank conditions are satisfied, an L1 adaptive output‐feedback descriptor is constructed to asymptotically estimate states, nonlinear uncertainties, and measurement noises at the same time deliver a good tracking performance. The original system is augmented with all the system states and measurement noises; two design parameters provide additional degrees of freedom. The freedom of selecting these parameters allows us to choose the derivative gain to reduce the noise amplification and the proportional gain to ensure the stability of the estimated error dynamics. An adaptive law will update the adaptive parameters that represent the uncertainty estimates such that the estimation error between the predicted state and the real state is driven to zero at every integration time step. Of course, neglection of the unknowns for solving the error dynamic equations will introduce an estimation error in the adaptive parameters. The magnitude of this error can be lessened by choosing a proper sampling time. The two design parameters and adaptive law guarantee the performance bounds for the estimation errors, both states and control signals. A control law is designed to compensate the nonlinear uncertainties and deliver a good tracking performance with guaranteed robustness. Numerical examples are given to illustrate the design procedures, and the simulation results demonstrate the availability and feasibility of the developed framework.
The economic anthropology of water
Authors: Wutich Amber , Beresford Melissa
Published: June 2019

Anthropological research on water and economy has a long and rich history, especially among archaeologists and political economy scholars. In this review article, we discuss contemporary anthropological scholarship on water and economy to identify still‐active areas of long‐standing theoretical interest as well as novel theoretical approaches. We present five important threads of scholarship on the economic anthropology of water: (1) commodification, exchange, and diverse economies; (2) the political ecology of water; (3) resilience and sustainability; (4) institutions; and (5) water and health. We explain how these theoretical approaches fit into broader trends in anthropological scholarship on water, explore how they advance the economic anthropology of water specifically, and identify ways that economic anthropologists can make new contributions to these literatures.
The population‐attributable fraction for time‐dependent exposures and competing risks—A discussion on estimands
Authors: von Cube Maja , Schumacher Martin , Bailly Sébastien , Timsit Jean‐François , Lepape Alain , Savey Anne , Machut Anais , Wolkewitz Martin
Published: June 2019

The population‐attributable fraction (PAF) quantifies the public health impact of a harmful exposure. Despite being a measure of significant importance, an estimand accommodating complicated time‐to‐event data is not clearly defined. We discuss current estimands of the PAF used to quantify the public health impact of an internal time‐dependent exposure for data subject to competing outcomes. To overcome some limitations, we proposed a novel estimand that is based on dynamic prediction by landmarking. In a profound simulation study, we discuss interpretation and performance of the various estimands and their estimators. The methods are applied to a large French database to estimate the health impact of ventilator‐associated pneumonia for patients in intensive care.