bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A comparative study of the effect of submicron porous and smooth ultrafine‐grained Ti‐20Mo surfaces on osteoblast responses
Authors: Gui Na , Xu Wei , Abraham Amanda N. , Myers Damian E. , Mayes Edwin L. H. , Xia Kenong , Shukla Ravi , Qian Ma
Published: March 2018

The surface of an orthopaedic implant plays a crucial role in determining the adsorption of proteins and cell functions. A detailed comparative study has been made of thein vitroosteoblast responses to coarse‐grained (grain size: 500 μm), ultrafine‐grained (grain size: 100 nm), coarse‐porous (pore size: 350 nm), and fine‐porous (pore size: 155 nm) surfaces of Ti‐20Mo alloy. The purpose was to provide essential experimental data for future design of orthopaedic titanium implants for rapid osseointegration. Systematic original experimental data was produced for each type of surfaces in terms of surface wettability, cell morphology, adhesion, growth, and differentiation. Microscopic evidence was collected to reveal the detailed interplay between each characteristic surface with proteins or cells. Various new observations were discussed and compared with literature data. It was concluded that the coarse‐porous surfaces offered the optimum topographical environment for osteoblasts and that the combination of ultrafine grains and considerable grain boundary areas is not an effective way to enhance cell growth and osteogenic capacity. Moreover, pore features (size and depth) have a greater effect than smooth surfaces on cell growth and osteogenic capacity. It proves that cells can discern the difference in pore size in the range of 100–350 nm. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 106A: 2020–2033, 2018.
Immobilized lipase catalyzed synthesis of n‐amyl acetate: parameter optimization, heterogeneous kinetics, continuous flow operation and reactor modeling
Authors: Mathpati Ashwini C , Kalghatgi Saurabh G , Mathpati Channamallikarjun S , Bhanage Bhalchandra M
Published: March 2018

BACKGROUND

The work describes the synthesis of n‐amyl acetate from n‐amyl alcohol, a byproduct of the sugar industry. The synthesis was carried out using Burkholderia cepacia lipase immobilized on a hydrophobic polymer support containing hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose and polyvinyl alcohol. The reaction conditions were optimized and intrinsic kinetics were evaluated. An immobilized lipase‐coated film reactor was designed and evaluated for continuous flow synthesis. An attempt has been made to model the coated film reactor based on axial dispersion method.

RESULTS

The reaction conditions were optimized using a central composite design‐based response surface method. The optimum conditions for a maximum conversion of 99.5% were an acyl donor : alcohol ratio of 2:1, temperature 50 °C and catalyst loading 40 mg in n‐hexane. The intrinsic kinetics of reaction were fitted using an order bi–bi model with alcohol inhibition. The continuous flow synthesis was carried out in a coated film reactor with residence times ranging from 12 min to 60 min with per pass conversions of 5.6% and 22%, respectively. The catalyst was successfully recycled for five cycles.

CONCLUSION

The activation energy of the reaction was found to be 15.48 kJ mol−1. The productivity from batch and continuous flow reactor were found to be 8.16 and 6.54 mmol g−1 h−1. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry
Nonsterilized fermentative production of poly‐γ‐glutamic acid from cassava starch and corn steep powder by a thermophilic Bacillus subtilis
Authors: Zeng Wei , Chen Guiguang , Wu Yange , Dong Mengna , Zhang Bin , Liang Zhiqun
Published: March 2018

BACKGROUND

Poly‐γ‐glutamic acid (γ‐PGA) is a homopolymer obtained by microbial fermentation, which has wide potential applications in many fields. However, costs of raw materials and the fermentation process are still a limiting factor in the commercial‐scale production of γ‐PGA. Thus, it is necessary to continue to optimize its production by developing a cost‐effective fermentation process.

RESULTS

Bacillus subtilis GXC‐36 was proven to be able to produce γ‐PGA efficiently by nonsterilized fermentation. The yield of γ‐PGA reached 36.38 ± 0.81 g L−1 with a high productivity of 1.65 g L−1 h−1 by nonsterilized batch fermentation in a 10 L fermenter using glucose and yeast extract (YE) as carbon and nitrogen source. Furthermore, B. subtilis GXC‐36 could produce γ‐PGA efficiently using cassava starch (CS) and corn steep powder (CSP) instead of glucose and YE for γ‐PGA production, and the yield of γ‐PGA also reached 33.51 ± 0.72 g L−1 with productivity of 1.52 g L−1 h−1 in a 10 L fermenter. Fermentative benefits evaluation indicated that the fermentation cost of nonsterilized fermentation using CS and CSP was only 60.6% of sterilized fermentation using glucose and YE.

CONCLUSION

This study provides an economical and simple process for γ‐PGA production by nonsterilized fermentation with low‐cost raw materials. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry
Fetal hydrometrocolpos and congenital imperforate hymen: Prenatal and postnatal imaging features
Authors: Garcia Rodriguez Raquel , Pérez González Julio , Garcia Delgado Raquel , Rodriguez Guedes Azahara , de Luis Alvarado María , Medina Castellano Margarita , Garcia Hernandez Jose Angel
Published: March 2018

Congenital imperforate hymen is probably the most common obstructive anomaly of the female reproductive tract. The accumulation of fluid in the genital tract leads to a distended uterus and vagina, causing hydrometrocolpos. Prenatal diagnosis of fetal hydrometrocolpos is uncommon, with only 22 cases reported in the literature and only a few cases of prenatal imaging of this condition available to date. The main ultrasound finding is a fetal pelvic mass posterior to the bladder and anterior to the rectum. We present the case of a 37‐week female fetus with a fetal pelvic mass detected in a routine obstetric ultrasound examination, and the correlation between the prenatal and postnatal findings.
Transglutaminase 2: Friend or foe? The discordant role in neurons and astrocytes
Authors: Quinn Breandan R. , Yunes‐Medina Laura , Johnson Gail V. W.
Published: March 2018

Members of the transglutaminase family catalyze the formation of isopeptide bonds between a polypeptide‐bound glutamine and a low molecular weight amine (e.g., spermidine) or the ɛ‐amino group of a polypeptide‐bound lysine. Transglutaminase 2 (TG2), a prominent member of this family, is unique because in addition to being a transamidating enzyme, it exhibits numerous other activities. As a result, TG2 plays a role in many physiological processes, and its function is highly cell type specific and relies upon a number of factors, including conformation, cellular compartment location, and local concentrations of Ca2+ and guanine nucleotides. TG2 is the most abundant transglutaminase in the central nervous system (CNS) and plays a pivotal role in the CNS injury response. How TG2 affects the cell in response to an insult is strikingly different in astrocytes and neurons. In neurons, TG2 supports survival. Overexpression of TG2 in primary neurons protects against oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD)‐induced cell death and in vivo results in a reduction in infarct volume subsequent to a stroke. Knockdown of TG2 in primary neurons results in a loss of viability. In contrast, deletion of TG2 from astrocytes results in increased survival following OGD and improved ability to protect neurons from injury. Here, a brief overview of TG2 is provided, followed by a discussion of the role of TG2 in transcriptional regulation, cellular dynamics, and cell death. The differing roles TG2 plays in neurons and astrocytes are highlighted and compared to how TG2 functions in other cell types.
Changing the focus of locus (of control): A targeted review of the locus of control literature and agenda for future research
Authors: Galvin Benjamin M. , Randel Amy E. , Collins Brian J. , Johnson Russell E.
Published: March 2018

Locus of control—a fundamental individual difference variable that reflects individuals' beliefs about the degree of control they have over events in their lives—has been formally studied for more than 50 years. Early scholarship demonstrated that locus of control was a key predictor of various work‐related outcomes, ranging from job attitudes and affect to motivation and behavior. Despite this evidence, the majority of contemporary organizational research has moved away from examining locus of control as an independent construct. Instead, locus of control is now commonly examined as a component of core self‐evaluation. However, recent research suggests that locus of control is in fact an independent, distinct concept and that core self‐evaluation research should continue without incorporating locus of control in future work. This presents an opportunity to theoretically review locus of control as a distinct construct and explicate its salient characteristics. Accordingly, this review aims to further clarify the construct of locus of control, provide a foundation upon which research may build, and elucidate fruitful avenues for future research.
Passive warming effect on soil microbial community and humic substance degradation in maritime Antarctic region
Authors: Kim Dockyu , Park Ha Ju , Kim Jung Ho , Youn Ui Joung , Yang Yung Hun , Casanova‐Katny Angélica , Vargas Cristina Muñoz , Venegas Erick Zagal , Park Hyun , Hong Soon Gyu
Published: March 2018

Although the maritime Antarctic has undergone rapid warming, the effects on indigenous soil‐inhabiting microorganisms are not well known. Passive warming experiments using open‐top chamber (OTC) have been performed on the Fildes Peninsula in the maritime Antarctic since 2008. When the soil temperature was measured at a depth of 2–5 cm during the 2013–2015 summer seasons, the mean temperature inside OTC (OTC‐In) increased by approximately 0.8 °C compared with outside OTC (OTC‐Out), while soil chemical and physical characteristics did not change. Soils (2015 summer) from OTC‐In and OTC‐Out were subjected to analysis for change in microbial community and degradation rate of humic substances (HS, the largest pool of recalcitrant organic carbon in soil). Archaeal and bacterial communities in OTC‐In were minimally affected by warming compared with those in OTC‐Out, with archaeal methanogenic Thermoplasmata slightly increased in abundance. The abundance of heterotrophic fungi Ascomycota was significantly altered in OTC‐In. Total bacterial and fungal biomass in OTC‐In increased by 20% compared to OTC‐Out, indicating that this may be due to increased microbial degradation activity for soil organic matter (SOM) including HS, which would result in the release of more low‐molecular‐weight growth substrates from SOM. Despite the effects of warming on the microbial community over the 8‐years‐experiments warming did not induce any detectable change in content or structure of polymeric HS. These results suggest that increased temperature may have significant and direct effects on soil microbial communities inhabiting maritime Antarctic and that soil microbes would subsequently provide more available carbon sources for other indigenous microbes.
Modelling serial clustering and inter‐annual variability of European winter windstorms based on large‐scale drivers
Authors: Walz Michael A. , Befort Daniel J. , Kirchner‐Bossi Nicolas Otto , Ulbrich Uwe , Leckebusch Gregor C.
Published: March 2018

Winter windstorms are known to be among the most dangerous and loss intensive natural hazards in Europe. In order to gain a better understanding of their variability and driving mechanisms, this study analyses the temporal variability which is often referred to as serial or seasonal clustering. This is realized by developing a statistical model relating the winter storm counts to known teleconnection patterns affecting European weather and climate conditions (e.g., North Atlantic Oscillation [NAO], Scandinavian pattern [SCA], etc.). The statistical model is developed via a stepwise Poisson regression approach that is applied to windstorm counts and large‐scale indices retrieved from the ERA‐20C reanalysis. Significant large‐scale drivers accountable for the inter‐annual variability of storms for several European regions are identified and compared. In addition to the SCA and the NAO which are found to be the essential drivers for most areas within the European domain, other teleconnections (e.g., East Atlantic pattern) are found to be more significant for the inter‐annual variability in certain regions.

Furthermore, the statistical model allows an estimation of the expected number of storms per winter season and also whether a season has the characteristic of being what we define an active or inactive season. The statistical model reveals high skill particularly over British Isles and central Europe; however, even for regions with less frequent storm events (e.g., southern and eastern Europe) the model shows adequate positive skill. This feature could be of specific interest for the actuarial sector.
Increasing concurrent drought and heat during the summer maize season in Huang–Huai–Hai Plain, China
Authors: Wang Lijun , Liao Shuhua , Huang Shoubing , Ming Bo , Meng Qingfeng , Wang Pu
Published: March 2018

Although an individual climate event may not be severe, the concurrence of climate events could have a significant impact on crop production. Investigating concurrent climate extremes during crop growth is important to formulate corresponding strategies for crop production. To assess the occurrence risk of concurrent drought and heat events in the Huang–Huai–Hai Plain (HHHP), China during the summer maize season, we analysed the temporal and spatial patterns of precipitation, standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index (SPEI), drought frequency, and extreme degree days (EDD) during the critical growth period. We used daily data from 41 meteorological stations in the region from 1980 to 2015. We determined that concurrent drought and heat events increased from northeast to southwest. The combined events mainly occurred during the vegetative period, and they significantly increased in 2006–2015 relative to 1981–1990. The spatial distribution of precipitation increased from northwest to southeast, while drought displayed no significant trends. The EDD displayed a rising trend and was intensified after 2000 in different growth periods. Its spatial distribution increased from east to west during the vegetative period and from northeast to southwest during the reproductive period. Although we focused on the combined extreme events for maize in HHHP, similar phenomenon should receive more attention in globally important crop areas and other ecosystems.
Relationship between weather conditions advantageous for the development of urban heat island and atmospheric macrocirculation changes
Authors: László Elemér , Salavec Péter
Published: March 2018

Urban heat island (UHI) and climate change belong to two separate scientific fields within meteorology nowadays. Climate change, however, may affect the characteristics of UHI as well. Various atmospheric macrocirculation conditions determine the frequency of certain weather conditions at a given area, thus they influence the frequency of the occurrence of conditions advantageous for UHI development. In the present research, the time series data of conditions advantageous for UHI (advantageous meteorological conditions [AMC]) were determined in the case of Debrecen (Hungary) and similar patterns existing in the AMC time series were searched in those of North Atlantic Oscillation, East Atlantic Oscillation, East Atlantic (EA)/Western Russia (WR) Pattern and Scandinavian Oscillation indices for the period between 1961 and 2010 using Gábor–Morlet wavelet transformations. Several significantly coherent oscillations were found. The occurrence frequency of AMC can be approximated from macrocirculation conditions in these periods, according to the concept of heat island. These estimations are consistent with the calculated AMC time series. This proves that there is some relationship between macrocirculation and heat island development. Based on the results, using seasonal and climate models the changes of UHIs at seasonal and climatic scales may become predictable.
Estimation of near‐surface air temperature lapse rates over continental Spain and its mountain areas
Authors: Navarro‐Serrano F. , López‐Moreno J. I. , Azorin‐Molina C. , Alonso‐González E. , Tomás‐Burguera M. , Sanmiguel‐Vallelado A. , Revuelto J. , Vicente‐Serrano S. M.
Published: March 2018

Although the mean environmental lapse rate (MELR) value (a linear decrease of −6.5 °C/km) is the most widely used, near‐surface (i.e., non‐free atmosphere) air temperature lapse rates (NSLRs; measured at ~1.5 m height) are variable in space and time because of their dependence on topography and meteorological conditions. In this study we conducted the first analysis of the spatial and temporal variability of NSLRs for continental Spain and their relationship to synoptic atmospheric circulation (circulation weather types [CWTs]), focusing on major mountain areas including the Pyrenees, Cantabrian, Central, Baetic, and Iberian ranges.

The results showed that the NSLR varied markedly at spatial and seasonal scales and depended on the dominant atmospheric conditions. The median NSLR values were weaker (less negative) than the MELR for the mountain areas (Pyrenees −5.17 °C/km; Cantabrian range −5.22 °C/km; Central range −5.78 °C/km; Baetic range −4.83 °C/km; Iberian range −5.79 °C/km) and for the entire continental Spain (−5.28 °C/km). For the entire continental Spain the steepest NSLR values were found in April (−5.80 °C/km), May (−5.58 °C/km), and October (−5.54 °C/km) because of the dominance of northerly and westerly advections of cold air. The weakest NSLR values were found in July (−4.67 °C/km) and August (−4.78 °C/km) because of the inland heating, and in winter because of the occurrence of thermal inversions. As the use of the MELR involves the assumption of large errors, we propose 1 zonal, 12 monthly, 11 CWTs, and 132 hybrid monthly–CWTs NSLRs for each of the mountain ranges and for the entire continental Spain. More regional studies are urgently needed to accurately assess the NSLR as a function of atmospheric circulation conditions.
Spatio‐temporal November and March snowfall trends in the Lake Michigan region
Authors: Clark Craig A. , Ganesh‐Babu Bharath , Elless Travis J. , Lyza Anthony W. , Koning Dana M. , Carne Alexander R. , Boney Holly A. , Sink Amanda M. , Barrick Justin M.
Published: March 2018

This study has investigated the spatio‐temporal variability of November and March Lake Michigan snowfall for the period 1950–2013. Snowfall characteristics were assessed using time series analysis, geographic information systems, and visualization. Results indicate significant temporal decreases of November and March snowfall, peak inter‐annual variability within the lake‐effect belt, modest concurrent and lagged sensitivity to teleconnection indices, and strong dependence of snowfall on temperature. The decreased snowfall is in contrast to December–February snowfall and associated with a decreasing fraction of November and March precipitation days occurring as snow days, rather than changes in precipitation frequency. The decreasing fraction of precipitation days occurs as snowfall is consistent with synoptic‐scale disturbances producing rain rather than snow and lake‐effect rain falling in lieu of snow.
Long‐term erythemal ultraviolet radiation in Novi Sad (Serbia) reconstructed by neural network modelling
Authors: Malinovic‐Milicevic Slavica , Vyklyuk Yaroslav , Radovanovic Milan M. , Petrovic Marko D.
Published: March 2018

In this article, we proposed a simple neural network (NN) technique for estimating erythemal ultraviolet (UV) radiation in Novi Sad (Serbia) using available input parameters. The technique implies the use of one of two models depending on the availability of the input parameter: (a) NN model 1 (NNM1) which uses global solar radiation, clearness index, cloudiness and air mass; and (b) NN model 2 (NNM2) which adds total ozone content (TOC) to the NNM1 inputs. The three feed‐forward NNs with different internal structures and back propagation learning method for each NN model were used in modelling. The parallel calculation was used for learning each NN. The results showed that the NNM1 provides satisfactory estimate (R = 0.975, MBE = −0.614%, MAPE = 12.580%, RMSE = 17.716%) and that additional use of TOC NNM2 considerably improves the results (R = 0.982, MBE = −0.726%, MAPE = 10.161%, RMSE = 14.509%). The performances of developed NNMs become significantly better if warm part of the year is isolated (MAPE = 10.981 and 8.958; RMSE = 13.889 and 11.709, for NNM1 and NNM2, respectively). Variations of reconstructed annual averages of daily doses in the period 1949–2012 indicate ability of the technique to model the relationship between erythemal UV radiation and the affecting atmospheric factors. The analysis showed that the increasing trend during the warm part of the year in the period 1981–1996 was mainly caused by TOC, while the increase after 1996 was to a greater extent caused by cloudiness.
Extreme high‐temperature event in southern China in 2016 and the possible role of cross‐equatorial flows
Authors: Ding Ting , Gao Hui , Li Weijing
Published: March 2018

An extreme high‐temperature (HT) event occurred in China in the summer of 2016. Northwestern and southern China experienced more than 20 HT days with a daily maximum temperature (DMT) greater than 35 °C. Compared with the average local climatology, southern China experienced 10–15 more HT days with temperatures greater than 35 °C and 5–10 more HT days with temperatures greater than 38 °C. The extreme HT event in 2016 in southern China began on July 20, responding to the end of the Chinese Mei‐yu in the region. The HT event lasted for approximately 2 weeks until August 2. The western Pacific subtropical high (WPSH) in the summer of 2016 was much stronger and more westwards than normal owing to a strong El Niño event. During the HT period, the WPSH shifted further westwards. Its western boundary reached 106°E, and it covered most parts of southern China. It was more westwards than its average position during the 1981–2010 reference period and the previous Mei‐yu period. The high experienced a notable shift northwards covering all regions south of the Yangtze River valley. The South Asian high moved eastwards covering the East Asian continent. Thus, the upwards flow at the lower tropospheric levels over southern China in the previous period was replaced by a much stronger downwards flow. The Chinese Mei‐yu ended and southern China therefore entered a dry and hot period. During the HT period, the Somalia cross‐equatorial flow (CEF), the Bay of Bengal (BOB) CEF, and the westerly flow over the tropical Indian Ocean weakened clearly. Lag correlation analyses indicate that the WPSH had a close relationship with zonal wind over the ocean. This suggests that the westwards extension of the subtropical high corresponding to the HT event was caused mainly by the weakening of the CEFs and the westerly flow over the tropical Indian Ocean. Case of 2017 HT event and composed circulations of 28 HT cases since 1981 also supported this result. In August 2016, the MJO was much active over the western Pacific, which weakened the WPSH and finally ended the extreme HT event.
Preparation of citrus pectin gels by power ultrasound and its application as an edible coating in strawberries
Authors: Muñoz‐Labrador Ana , Moreno Rodrigo , Villamiel Mar , Montilla Antonia
Published: March 2018

BACKGROUND

Pectin is heteropolysaccharide found in cell walls originating mainly from by‐products, as well as citrus peels, apple and sugar beet pulp, and presenting biological and techno‐functional properties. In the present study, a general and structural characterisation of industrial citrus pectins was performed together with a study of impact of power ultrasound (US) on their rheological properties, with the aim of using them as edible coatings for fresh strawberries.

RESULTS

The results obtained indicated that pure pectin showed a methylesterification degree greater than 50% and galacturonic acid content > 65%, supporting its consideration as additive E‐440; such conditions were not achieved in pectin with sugar addition. Furthermore, in the rheological study, pectin gels showed a non‐Newtonian flow and pseudoplastic behaviour and presented different viscosity ranges depending on the preparation methods, including power US. Gels were used as edible coatings for fresh strawberries aiming to improve their quality during storage over a period of 5 days, controlling quality characteristics such as humidity loss, acidity and colour parameters (L*, a*, b*, C, h°, ΔE).

CONCLUSION

The results obtained demonstrate that US treatments give rise to pectin gels that can improve the quality of strawberries over their lifetime. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry
Production of d‐mannose from d‐glucose by co‐expression of d‐glucose isomerase and d‐lyxose isomerase in Escherichia coli
Authors: Huang Jiawei , Yu Lina , Zhang Wenli , Zhang Tao , Guang Cuie , Mu Wanmeng
Published: March 2018

BACKGROUND

d‐Mannose is not only the epimer of d‐glucose at the C‐2 position, but also the aldose isomer of d‐fructose. Because of its physiological properties and health benefits, d‐mannose has attracted public interest. It has been confirmed that d‐mannose has broad applications in food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical industries. According to the Izumoring strategy, d‐glucose isomerase (d‐GI) and d‐lyxose isomerase (d‐LI) play important roles in the conversions of d‐fructose from d‐glucose and of d‐mannose from d‐fructose respectively. In this study, a one‐step enzyme process of d‐mannose production from d‐glucose has been constructed by co‐expression of the d‐GI from Acidothermus cellulolyticus and d‐LI from Thermosediminibacter oceani in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3) cells.

RESULTS

The co‐expression system exhibits maximum activity at pH 6.5 and 65 °C with Co2+ supplement. It is relatively thermostable at less than 65 °C. When the reaction reaches equilibrium, the ratio of d‐glucose, d‐fructose, and d‐mannose is approximately 34 : 49.6 : 16.4. By using this co‐expression system, about 60.0 g L−1 d‐mannose is obtained from 400 g L−1 d‐glucose in 8 h.

CONCLUSION

This co‐expression of d‐GI and d‐LI system provides a novel and efficient approach for d‐mannose production. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry
From ‘green’ technologies to ‘red’ antioxidant compounds extraction of purple corn: a combined ultrasound–ultrafiltration–purification approach
Authors: Jiang Tian , Zhan Shaoying , Li Shuyi , Zhu Zhenzhou , He Jingren , Lorenzo Jose M , Barba Francisco J
Published: March 2018

BACKGROUND

A pilot scale process consisting of ultrasound‐assisted extraction, ammonium sulfate precipitation, cross‐flow ultrafiltration and AB‐8 macroporous resins purification aiming to recover anthocyanins and zein from purple corn (PC) was optimized and scaled‐up. The effects of five independent variables (ethanol concentration, liquid to solid ratio, ultrasound temperature, time and power) were discussed and the most influential factors were optimized.

RESULTS

The highest total anthocyanin (0.45 ± 0.01 g kg−1) and zein (17.14 ± 1.73 g kg−1) contents from purple corn were obtained using an ultrasound power of 105 W, an extraction time of 90 min, an ethanol concentration of 74% and a liquid to solid ratio of 26:1, at 70 °C, and this was consistent with the predicted values (0.46 and 17.36 g kg−1, for anthocyanin and zein, respectively). Subsequently, ammonium sulfate precipitation was used to isolate anthocyanins and zein. After cross‐flow ultrafiltration, zein (6.30 g) was obtained with 80% purity. Anthocyanins were purified by AB‐8 macroporous resins, resulting in 1.60 g of anthocyanins. High‐performance liquid chromatography‐electrospray ionization‐mass spectrometry analysis revealed eight different anthocyanins in purple corn extracts.

CONCLUSION

From the results obtained in the present study, it can be concluded that the proposed extraction–separation–filtration–purification method applied under the optimal conditions could be scaled‐up to recover anthocyanins and zein simultaneously. Moreover, under the selected conditions, no significant degradation of anthocyanins was observed. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry
Predictive factors in 995 stapes surgeries for primary otosclerosis
Authors: Khorsandi A. Mohammad T. , Jalali Mir M. , Shoshi D. Vahideh
Published: March 2018

Objectives/Hypothesis

This study sought to identify the predictors of outcome in patients with otosclerosis undergoing primary stapes surgery.

Study Design

Retrospective analysis of medical records.

Methods

A total of 995 patients with otosclerosis who underwent primary stapes surgery by a single surgeon between January 2006 and December 2016 were included. Logistic regression analysis was performed to examine factors affecting postoperative hearing thresholds at individual frequencies. A postoperative air‐bone gap (ABG) closure ≤ 10 dB in the stapes surgery was considered as excellent outcome.

Results

Stapedotomies and stapedectomies were conducted in 823 and 172 ears, respectively. The surgeries had an overall success rate of 93.6%. Univariate analysis showed a significantly higher success rate in patients with larger prostheses (diameter = 0.6 mm). According to the results of multivariate logistic regression analysis, preoperative ABG (B coefficient = −0.10), bilaterality (odds ratio [OR] = 2.09), right ear involvement (OR = 2.00), female gender (OR = 1.81), and nonobliterative footplate (OR = 3.69) were significant prognostic factors predicting excellent outcome.

Conclusions

Our findings indicated that the functional results were generally good. Based on logistic regression analysis, preoperative ABG and nonobliterative footplate were the most important predictors of hearing outcome after stapes surgery for otosclerosis. The success of the surgery did not depend on the procedure types (stapedotomy vs. stapedectomy) or the diameter of the prosthesis (0.4 mm vs. 0.6 mm).

Level of Evidence

4. Laryngoscope, 128:2403–2407, 2018
Generating Power Enhancement of Flexible PVDF Generator by Incorporation of CNTs and Surface Treatment of PEDOT:PSS Electrodes
Authors: Lee Sunwoo , Lim Youngtaek
Published: March 2018

Two approaches are proposed for enhancing the generating power of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) flexible generator by incorporating carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and ethylene glycol (EG) treatment of the poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) electrodes. By incorporating CNTs into the PVDF polymer, higher portion of β‐phase PVDF can be obtained, which shows higher piezoelectricity resulting in higher electric charge generating performance. Higher conductivity is also obtained by surface treatment of the PEDOT:PSS electrodes using EG solvent due to the removal of excess PSS in the electrodes. Highly conductive electrode makes effective mobility of charges generated from the CNT/PVDF film, resulting in higher generating performance. Consequently, higher generating performance can be achieved by collaborating the above two approaches.
Semi‐linear wave models with power non‐linearity and scale‐invariant time‐dependent mass and dissipation, II
Authors: Palmieri Alessandro , Reissig Michael
Published: March 2018

This paper is a continuation of our recent paper . We will consider the semi‐linear Cauchy problem for wave models with scale‐invariant time‐dependent mass and dissipation and power non‐linearity. The goal is to study the interplay between the coefficients of the mass and the dissipation term to prove global existence (in time) of small data energy solutions assuming suitable regularity on the L2 scale with additional L1 regularity for the data. In order to deal with this L2 regularity in the non‐linear part, we will develop and employ some tools from Harmonic Analysis.
A Temperature‐Controlled, Conductive PANI@CNFs/MEO2MA/PEGMA Hydrogel for Flexible Temperature Sensors
Authors: Liu Liu , Luo Sha , Qing Yan , Yan Ning , Wu Yiqiang , Xie Xinfeng , Hu Feiyu
Published: March 2018

Electrically conductive, yet stimuli‐responsive hydrogels are highly desirable for many technological applications. However, the discontinuous conductivity of hydrogels during the response process has become a bottleneck that limits their application. To overcome this constraint, a linearly tunable, electrically conductive hydrogel is prepared using in‐situ polymerized polyaniline (PANI) on a CNFs/MEO2MA/PEGMA hydrogel (PANI@CMP hydrogel) substrate. The PANI@CMP hydrogel exhibits temperature‐tunable electrical conductivity due to the liner relationship between thermosensitivity and temperature of the CMP hydrogel substrate. Furthermore, the stiffness and elasticity of the resultant hydrogel after PANI introduction is enhanced via physical interactions, and the compression load is improved by 42%. A highly sensitive temperature sensor is therefore fabricated with PANI@CMP hydrogel as the flexible induction element, and this sensor achieves temperature monitoring from 20 to 60 °C. This new temperature‐controllable conductive hydrogel has excellent mechanical properties, showing great potential for applications in flexible smart sensors, conductive fillers, and medical devices.
LDHA is a direct target of miR‐30d‐5p and contributes to aggressive progression of gallbladder carcinoma
Authors: He Yuting , Chen Xiaolong , Yu Yan , Li Juan , Hu Qiuyue , Xue Chen , Chen Jianan , Shen Shen , Luo Yonggang , Ren Fang , Li Chao , Bao Jie , Yan Jingya , Qian Guowu , Ren Zhigang , Sun Ranran , Cui Guangying
Published: March 2018

Gallbladder cancer (GBC) is the most general biliary tract malignancy, with poor prognosis due to rapid tumor progression and lack of specific symptoms. Lactate dehydrogenase‐A (LDHA) can promote Warburg effect to produce lactate and Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) in aerobic condition, which contributes to oncogenesis metastasis and drug resistance in various cancers. However, the expression and functional role of LDHA in GBC are largely unknown. We determined that LDHA was over‐expressed in GBC tumor tissues compared with normal tissues, which was also an independent prognostic factor for the overall survival of GBC patients by tissue microarrays analysis. In addition, RNAi‐mediated LDHA silencing could suppress the GBC cell proliferation, invasion, colony formation and glycolysis while promoting cell apoptosis in vitro. Similar results were observed in GBC cells treated with LDHA specific inhibitor FX11. Moreover, we confirmed that knockdown of LDHA could inhibit tumor growth in vivo. Additionally, we found that the 3′‐untranslated region (3′‐UTR) of LDHA mRNA was the direct target of microRNA‐30d‐5p (miR‐30d‐5p), which was low expressed in GBC tissues and associated with poor prognosis of GBC patients. Our findings disclose a novel role for miR‐30d‐5p/LDHA axis contribute to aggressive progression by reprogramming the metabolic process in GBC cells, and suggest a potential application of miR‐30d‐5p/LDHA axis in prognosis prediction and GBC treatment.
Long‐term safety and efficacy of levodopa‐carbidopa intestinal gel in advanced Parkinson's disease
Authors: Fernandez Hubert H. , Boyd James T. , Fung Victor S. C. , Lew Mark F. , Rodriguez Ramon L. , Slevin John T. , Standaert David G. , Zadikoff Cindy , Vanagunas Arvydas D. , Chatamra Krai , Eaton Susan , Facheris Maurizio F. , Hall Coleen , Robieson Weining Z. , Benesh Janet , Espay Alberto J.
Published: March 2018

Background: Levodopa‐carbidopa intestinal gel (designated as carbidopa‐levodopa enteral suspension in the United States) provides stable plasma levodopa concentrations and reduces motor fluctuations in advanced Parkinson's disease patients through continuous delivery of levodopa via percutaneous endoscopic gastrojejunostomy. We report long‐term safety and efficacy outcomes from an open‐label phase 3 treatment program.

Methods: PD patients (n = 262) who completed a 12‐week double‐blind study and its 52‐week open‐label extension or a separate 54‐week open‐label study were enrolled in this ongoing phase 3 open‐label, multinational study (NCT00660673). Safety and efficacy assessments were collected every 6 months.

Results: Mean total duration of exposure to levodopa‐carbidopa intestinal gel was 4.1 years (range, 1.2 to 6.9 years). The overall discontinuation rate was 34% (average annual discontinuation rate, 10%). Although most patients (94%) reported an adverse event, the rate of adverse events decreased over time; 53% experienced a serious adverse event. Of patients in this extension study, 54% required jejunal tube replacement during the study, and 37% required percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube replacement. Most patients were on levodopa monotherapy. Patients maintained reductions in “off” time and increases in mean “on” time without dyskinesia from initial levodopa‐carbidopa intestinal gel infusion to he study end point (P < 0.001; n = 81). Activities of daily living and quality‐of‐life assessments demonstrated significant improvements that persisted through the study.

Conclusions: This long‐term study demonstrates sustained and clinically meaningful benefits from levodopa‐carbidopa intestinal gel in advanced PD patients. Although adverse event rates decreased over time, vigilance is required for device‐related complications and adverse events. © 2018 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society
Well‐posedness of a generalized time‐harmonic transport equation for acoustics in flow
Authors: Bensalah A. , Joly P. , Mercier J.‐F.
Published: March 2018

We study a generalized time‐harmonic transport equation, which appears in the Goldstein equations and allows us to model the acoustic radiation in a flow. We investigate the well‐posedness of this transport problem. The result will be established under the assumption of a Ω‐filling flow, which, in 2D, is simply equivalent to a flow that does not vanish. The approach relies on the method of characteristics, which leads to the resolution of the transport equation along the streamlines, and on general results of functional analysis. The theoretical results are illustrated with numerical results obtained with a Streamline Upwind Petrov‐Galerkin finite element scheme.
Counting and enumerating partial Latin rectangles by means of computer algebra systems and CSP solvers
Authors: Falcón Raúl M. , Falcón Óscar J. , Núñez Juan
Published: March 2018

This paper provides an in‐depth analysis of how computer algebra systems and CSP solvers can be used to deal with the problem of enumerating and distributing the set of r×s partial Latin rectangles based on n symbols according to their weight, shape, type, or structure. The computation of Hilbert functions and triangular systems of radical ideals enables us to solve this problem for all r,s,n≤6. As a by‐product, explicit formulas are determined for the number of partial Latin rectangles of weight up to 6. Further, to illustrate the effectiveness of the computational method, we focus on the enumeration of 3 subsets: (1) noncompressible and regular, (2) totally symmetric, and (3) totally conjugate orthogonal partial Latin squares. In particular, the former enables us to enumerate the set of seminets of point rank up to 8 and to prove the existence of 2 new configurations of point rank 8. Finally, as an illustrative application, it is also exposed a method to construct totally symmetric partial Latin squares that gives rise, under certain conditions, to new families of Lie partial quasigroup rings.
Precision and Relative Effectiveness of a Purse Seine for Sampling Age-0 River Herring in Lakes
Authors: Devine Matthew T. , Roy Allison H. , Whiteley Andrew R. , Gahagan Benjamin I. , Armstrong Michael P. , Jordaan Adrian
Published: March 2018

Stock assessments for anadromous river herring, collectively Alewife Alosa pseudoharengus and Blueback Herring A. aestivalis, lack adequate demographic information, particularly with respect to early life stages. Although sampling adult river herring is increasingly common throughout their range, currently no standardized, field-based, analytical methods exist for estimating juvenile abundance in freshwater lakes. The objective of this research was to evaluate the relative effectiveness and sampling precision of a purse seine for estimating densities of age-0 river herring in freshwater lakes. We used a purse seine to sample age-0 river herring in June–September 2015 and June–July 2016 in 16 coastal freshwater lakes in the northeastern USA. Sampling effort varied from two seine hauls to more than 50 seine hauls per lake. Catch rates were highest in June and July, and sampling precision was maximized in July. Sampling at night (versus day) in open water (versus littoral areas) was most effective for capturing newly hatched larvae and juveniles up to ca. 100 mm TL. Bootstrap simulation results indicated that sampling precision of CPUE estimates increased with sampling effort, and there was a clear threshold beyond which increased effort resulted in negligible increases in precision. The effort required to produce precise CPUE estimates, as determined by the CV, was dependent on lake size; river herring densities could be estimated with up to 10 purse-seine hauls (one-two nights) in a small lake (<50 ha) and 15–20 hauls (two-three nights) in a large lake (>50 ha). Fish collection techniques using a purse seine as described in this paper are likely to be effective for estimating recruit abundance of river herring in freshwater lakes across their range.
T2, T1ρ and TRAFF4 detect early regenerative changes in mouse ischemic skeletal muscle
Authors: Laakso Hanne , Wirth Galina , Korpisalo Petra , Ylä‐Herttuala Elias , Michaeli Shalom , Ylä‐Herttuala Seppo , Liimatainen Timo
Published: March 2018

The identification of areas with regenerative potential in ischemic tissues would allow the targeting of treatments supporting tissue recovery. The regeneration process involves the activation of several cellular and molecular responses which could be detected using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). However, to date, magnetic resonance (MR) relaxation parameters have received little attention in the diagnosis and follow‐up of limb ischemia. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of different MRI relaxation and diffusion tensor imaging parameters in the detection of areas showing early signs of regeneration in ischemic mouse skeletal muscles. T2 and T1ρ relaxation time constants, together with TRAFFn, T1 and diffusion tensor imaging, were evaluated to differentiate areas of regeneration in a mouse hind limb ischemia model before and 0, 1, 4, 7, 14 and 30 days after ischemia. All the measured relaxation times were longer in the areas of early regeneration compared with normal muscle tissue. The relaxation times increased after ischemia in the ischemic muscles, reaching a maximum at 4–7 days after occlusion, coinciding with the appearance of early signs of regeneration. Fractional anisotropy decreased significantly (p < 0.05) on days 1–4, whereas mean diffusivity, λ1 and λ2 decreased later, starting at day 7 after ischemia compared with the pre‐operational time point. The percentages of areas with different tissue morphologies were determined based on histological analysis of the ischemic muscle cross‐sections, and correlations between the percentages obtained and different relaxation times were calculated. The highest correlation between relaxation times and histology was achieved with T2, T1ρ and TRAFF4 (R2 = 0.96, R2 = 0.92 and R2 = 0.84, respectively, p < 0.01). Early regenerative changes were visible using T2, T1ρ and TRAFF4 MR relaxation time constants in skeletal muscle after ischemia. These markers could potentially be used for the identification of targets for therapies supporting muscle regeneration after ischemic injury.
Estimating B1+ in the breast at 7 T using a generic template
Authors: van Rijssel Michael J. , Pluim Josien P. W. , Luijten Peter R. , Gilhuijs Kenneth G. A. , Raaijmakers Alexander J. E. , Klomp Dennis W. J.
Published: March 2018

Dynamic contrast‐enhanced MRI is the workhorse of breast MRI, where the diagnosis of lesions is largely based on the enhancement curve shape. However, this curve shape is biased by RF transmit (B1+) field inhomogeneities. B1+ field information is required in order to correct these. The use of a generic, coil‐specific B1+ template is proposed and tested.

Finite‐difference time‐domain simulations for B1+ were performed for healthy female volunteers with a wide range of breast anatomies. A generic B1+ template was constructed by averaging simulations based on four volunteers. Three‐dimensional B1+ maps were acquired in 15 other volunteers. Root mean square error (RMSE) metrics were calculated between individual simulations and the template, and between individual measurements and the template. The agreement between the proposed template approach and a B1+ mapping method was compared against the agreement between acquisition and reacquisition using the same mapping protocol.

RMSE values (% of nominal flip angle) comparing individual simulations with the template were in the range 2.00‐4.01%, with mean 2.68%. RMSE values comparing individual measurements with the template were in the range8.1‐16%, with mean 11.7%. The agreement between the proposed template approach and a B1+ mapping method was only slightly worse than the agreement between two consecutive acquisitions using the same mapping protocol in one volunteer: the range of agreement increased from ±16% of the nominal angle for repeated measurement to ±22% for the B1+ template.

With local RF transmit coils, intersubject differences in B1+ fields of the breast are comparable to the accuracy of B1+ mapping methods, even at 7 T. Consequently, a single generic B1+ template suits subjects over a wide range of breast anatomies, eliminating the need for a time‐consuming B1+ mapping protocol.
Understanding deregulated cellular and molecular dynamics in the haematopoietic stem cell niche to develop novel therapeutics for bone marrow fibrosis
Authors: Gleitz Hélène FE , Kramann Rafael , Schneider Rebekka K
Published: March 2018

Bone marrow fibrosis is the continuous replacement of blood‐forming cells in the bone marrow with excessive scar tissue, leading to failure of the body to produce blood cells and ultimately to death. Myofibroblasts are fibrosis‐driving cells and are well characterized in solid organ fibrosis, but their role and cellular origin in bone marrow fibrosis have remained obscure. Recent work has demonstrated that Gli1+ and leptin receptor+ mesenchymal stromal cells are progenitors of fibrosis‐causing myofibroblasts in the bone marrow. Genetic ablation or pharmacological inhibition of Gli1+ mesenchymal stromal cells ameliorated fibrosis in mouse models of myelofibrosis. Conditional deletion of the platelet‐derived growth factor (PDGF) receptor‐α (PDGFRA) gene (Pdgfra) and inhibition of PDGFRA by imatinib in leptin receptor+ stromal cells suppressed their expansion and ameliorated bone marrow fibrosis. Understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms in the haematopoietic stem cell niche that govern the mesenchymal stromal cell‐to‐myofibroblast transition and myofibroblast expansion will be critical to understand the pathogenesis of bone marrow fibrosis in both malignant and non‐malignant conditions, and will guide the development of novel therapeutics. In this review, we summarize recent discoveries of mesenchymal stromal cells as part of the haematopoietic niche and as myofibroblast precursors, and discuss potential therapeutic strategies in the specific targeting of fibrotic transformation in bone marrow fibrosis. © 2018 The Authors. The Journal of Pathology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.