bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Work participation in young Norwegians: a 19-year follow up in a registry-based life-course cohort
Authors: Kristensen Petter , Hanvold Therese N. , Hasting Rachel L. , Merkus Suzanne L. , Hoff Rune , Mehlum Ingrid S.
Published: May 2020

Aims: The study objectives were to provide a quantitative description of work participation among young adults, and to outline the relations between work participation and social, educational and health-related characteristics throughout the life-course. Methods: We collected data in several national registries for all 318,705 individuals born in Norway 1967–1971 who were national residents on 1 January 1993. The criterion for work was annual occupational income above the boundary which identifies the core workforce. We analysed associations between social, educational and health-related characteristics, and the number of years at work and the risk of never working during 19 years of follow-up (1993–2011; age 22–44 years). Results: The overall work participation was high, with a median of 14 years and a 0.074 risk of never working. Women worked fewer years than men (medians 11 v. 16 years) and had higher risk of never working (0.103 v. 0.047). Combined educational and health problems before 1993 had a strong influence on subsequent work participation. The educational gradient in risks of never working was considerably stronger for women than for men. Diagnostic groups of mental disorders had high risks of never working, ranging from affective (risk 0.150) and stress-related disorders (risk 0.163) to intellectual disability (risk 0.933). Conclusions: The complex problems characterising individuals with low work participation suggest that preventive measures should take sex into account and be targeted at social, educational and mental issues in early life, and focusing on identified vulnerable groups.
Bayesian analysis of Turkish Income and Living Conditions data, using clustered longitudinal ordinal modelling with Bridge distributed random effects
Authors: Asar Özgür
Published: May 2020

This article is motivated by the panel surveys, called Statistics on Income and Living Conditions (SILC), conducted annually on (randomly selected) country representative households to monitor EU 2020 aims on poverty reduction. We particularly consider the surveys conducted in Turkey within the scope of integration to the EU. Our main interests are on health aspects of economic and living conditions. The outcome is self-reported health that is clustered longitudinal ordinal, since repeated measures of it are nested within individuals and individuals are nested within families. Economic and living conditions have been measured through a number of individual- and family-level explanatory variables. The questions of interest are on the marginal relationships between the outcome and covariates that we address using a polytomous logistic regression with Bridge distributed random effects. This choice of distribution allows us to directly obtain marginal inferences in the presence of random effects. Widely used Normal distribution is also considered as the random effects distribution. Samples from the joint posterior densities of parameters and random effects are drawn using Markov Chain Monte Carlo. Interesting findings from the public health point of view are that differences were found between the subgroups of employment status, income level and panel year in terms of odds of reporting better health.
Characterization of damage on precast pre-stressed concrete composite slabs under static loading based on acoustic emission parameters
Authors: Shan Wenchen , Liu Jiepeng , Li Jiang , Hu Huifeng , Chen Y Frank
Published: May 2020

Precast pre-stressed concrete composite slabs have been widely used in recent years owing to excellent mechanical properties and cost savings. The low accuracy of visual observation and the complexity of actual measurement make the determination of the precise information of structural safety difficult. This article presents an acoustic emission study on the precast pre-stressed concrete composite slab under static loading. First, the correlation between acoustic emission hits (or energy) and crack width (or deflection) was obtained and compared in detail. Second, the stiffness of this composite slab was predicted using the acoustic emission amplitude. Third, a novel analysis method for damage fracture classification is proposed, which is based on the traditional parameter and fuzzy C-means clustering. This method can be used to determine visual crack emerging, rebar yielding, and eventual failure mode by an acoustic emission parametric analysis without involving visual inspection or mechanical measurement. It can be effectively used for fracture characterization and health monitoring of composite slabs.
Physician thoughts on unnecessary noninvasive imaging and decision support software: A qualitative study
Authors: Winchester David E , Freytes Ivette M. , Schmitzberger Magda , Findley Kimberly , Beyth Rebecca J
Published: May 2020

Objective

Gather information from physicians about factors contributing to unnecessary noninvasive imaging and impact of possible solutions.

Methods

Qualitative study of 14 physicians using a phenomenological approach and the Theoretical Domains Framework.

Results

Most participants ( n = 9) self-reported that >10% of the imaging tests they order are unnecessary. External sources of pressure included: peer-review, patient demands, nursing expectations, specialist requests (social demands), as well as prior experience with patient advocates, and the compensation and pension system (environmental context). Internal sources of pressure included reliance on anecdote (emotion), self-doubt about diagnoses (beliefs about capabilities), and fear of missing a diagnosis and of professional liability (beliefs about consequences). Participants expressed both optimism and concern about potential solutions, such as adopting decision support software.

Conclusion

Physicians are under pressure from multiple sources to order unnecessary imaging. Peer review, nursing expectations, and perceptions about Veteran compensation and pension are newly reported contributing factors.
Preparation of auxetic warp-knitted spacer fabric impregnated with shear thickening fluid for low-velocity impact resistance
Authors: Xu Wanli , Yan Biao , Hu Dongmei , Ma Pibo
Published: May 2020

This paper reports the preparation of auxetic warp-knitted spacer fabric impregnated with shear thickening fluid and studied its impact behavior under low-velocity impact loading. The shear thickening fluids have been prepared by mechanically dispersing 12 nm silica particles with weight fraction of 10, 15, 20, and 25% in various carriers (PEG200, PEG400, and PEG600). Rheological results indicate that shear thickening fluid experiences shear thickening transition at a specific shear rate. The critical shear rate reduces, and initial viscosity and maximum viscosity increase with the increase of silica weight fraction. The higher molecular weight of polyethylene glycols can lead to lower critical shear rate. The impact process of composite under impact loading can be divided into three stages. The warp-knitted spacer fabric with different negative Poisson’s ratio has a significant effect on the impact behavior. The warp-knitted spacer fabric with better auxetic performance endows composite better impact resistance, the specific performance is the deformation depth, and energy absorption and peak load increase with the increase of auxetic effect of fabric. The silica weight fraction of shear thickening fluid can increase the energy absorption of composite due to the shear thickening transition of shear thickening fluid. Shear thickening fluid has a synergistic effect with the auxetic warp-knitted spacer fabric on impact resistance of composite. The various carriers have no obvious influence on the overall energy absorption and impact load of composites.
Ribophorin II is upregulated in myelodysplastic syndromes and prevents apoptosis and cell cycle progression
Authors: Ren Jinhai , Wang Ying , Wang Lihua , Guo Xiaoling , Guo Xiaonan
Published: May 2020

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDSs) are a series of heterogeneous diseases affecting hematopoietic stem cells that result in hematopoiesis disturbance and leukemic transformation. As an essential cell cycle regulator, ribophorin II (RPN2) has been extensively identified as a prospective predictor of prognosis in diverse malignant tumors. However, its effects on MDS are unclear. We observed increased mRNA expression RPN2 in samples from MDS patients, compared with samples from normal healthy controls. RPN2 overexpression promoted the proliferation of Ontario Cancer Institute OCI-acute myeloid leukemia 3 (OCI-AML3) cells, whereas RPN2 silencing clearly suppressed the proliferation of OCI-AML3 cells. Furthermore, RPN2 silencing caused G1/S cell cycle arrest and cell apoptosis. In addition, RPN2 overexpression led to a higher proportion of cells in the G2/M phase and reduced cell apoptosis. RPN2 overexpression downregulated enhancer of zeste homolog-2 (EZH2) expression, whereas RPN2 downregulation increased EZH2 expression in a dose-dependent manner. Co-immunoprecipitation showed an interaction between RPN2 and EZH2. Additionally, the administration of 3-deazaneplanocin A, an EZH2 inhibitor, reversed the function of RPN2 silencing in cell cycle arrest and apoptosis induction in OCI-AML3 cells. Hence, RPN2 is an essential regulator of cell proliferation. This study described the etiology of OCI-AML3 cell proliferation regulated by RPN2 and EZH2.

Impact statement

This study explored the role of ribophorin II (RPN2) in myelodysplastic syndromes (MDSs) cell proliferation and growth and revealed that RPN2 knockdown suppressed OCI-AML3 cell growth and proliferation and triggered cell cycle arrest and elicited apoptosis in OCI-AML3 cells. In addition, it shed light on the etiology of RPN2’s role in MDS cell proliferation that RPN2 can negatively impact enhancer of zeste homolog-2 (EZH2) expression, which in turn is able to modulate the cell cycle location and death in OCI-AML3 cells. Hence, RPN2 expression could be a latent predictor of prognosis in patients with MDS.
Pushing the Limits of Increased Casino Advantage on Slots: An Examination of Performance Effects and Customer Reactions
Authors: Lucas Anthony F. , Spilde Katherine
Published: May 2020

This field study examined performance data from reel slot games located in two casinos. The paired design incorporated games that appeared identical to the players but featured substantially different, yet concealed, pars (i.e., prices). The results revealed significantly elevated revenues for the high-par games, despite egregious price hikes, while also failing to provide compelling evidence of rational play migration to the low-par games. The latter result suggested that frequently visiting players were not able to detect differences in the pars of games, even over lengthy sample periods. These outcomes were produced by the greatest par gaps of any paired-design study. These expanded gaps also generated the greatest revenue gains within this research stream. Increasing pars may represent a rare opportunity for operators to increase revenues, without concern for eventual brand damage or loss of market share. Limitations regarding the current uses of reel pars are also revealed.
Encoding Information From Rotations Too Rapid To Be Consciously Perceived as Rotating: A Replication of the Motion Bridging Effect on a Liquid Crystal Display
Authors: Stein Maximilian , Fendrich Robert , Mattler Uwe
Published: May 2020

A ring of points that is rotated so rapidly is perceived as a stationary outline circle that can induce an illusory rotation with the same spin direction in a subsequently presented ring of stationary points. This motion bridging effect (MBE) demonstrates that motion information can be conveyed by temporal frequencies generally thought to exceed the processing capabilities of the human visual system. It was first described in displays shown with an analog oscilloscope, but the rapid rotation rates needed to produce the MBE have heretofore prevented it from being investigated with conventional raster scan monitors. Here, we demonstrate the MBE can be reliably generated using the new generation of 240 Hz LCD gaming monitors, and exhibits basic characteristics similar to those reported previously. These monitors therefore provide a readily available resource for research on the MBE and the studies of the visual processing rapid motions in general.
Validation of the Kidney Failure Risk Equation in Kidney Transplant Recipients
Authors: Tangri Navdeep , Ferguson Thomas W. , Wiebe Chris , Eng Frederick , Nash Michelle , Astor Brad C. , Lam Ngan N. , Ye Feng , Shin Jung-Im , Whitlock Reid , Yuen Darren A.
Published: May 2020

Background:

Predicting allograft failure in kidney transplant recipients can help plan renal replacement therapy and guide patient-provider communication. The kidney failure risk equation (KFRE) accurately predicts the need for dialysis in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), but has not been validated in kidney transplant recipients.

Objective:

We sought to validate the 4-variable KFRE (age, sex, estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR], and urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio [ACR]) for prediction of 2- and 5-year death-censored allograft failure.

Design:

Retrospective cohort study.

Setting:

Four independent North American Cohorts from Ontario, Canada; Alberta, Canada; Manitoba, Canada; and Wisconsin, United States, between January 1999 and December 2017.

Patients:

Adult kidney transplant patients at 1-year posttransplantation.

Measurements:

Kidney failure risk as measured by the KFRE (eGFR, urine ACR, age, and sex).

Methods:

We included all adult patients who had at least 1 serum creatinine and at least 1 urine ACR measurement approximately 1 year following kidney transplantation. The performance of the KFRE was evaluated using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (C-statistic). C-statistics from the 4 cohorts were meta-analyzed using random-effects models.

Results:

A total of 3659 patients were included. Pooled C-statistics were good in the entire population, at 0.81 (95% confidence interval: 0.72-0.91) for the 2-year KFRE and 0.73 (0.67-0.80) for the 5-year KFRE. Discrimination improved among patients with poorer kidney function (eGFR < 45 mL/min/1.73 m2), with a C-statistic of 0.88 (0.78-0.98) for the 2-year KFRE and 0.83 (0.74-0.91) for the 5-year KFRE.

Limitations:

The KFRE does not predict episodes of acute rejection and there was heterogeneity between cohorts.

Conclusions:

The KFRE accurately predicts kidney failure in kidney transplant recipients at 1-year posttransplantation. Further validation in larger cohorts with longer follow-up times can strengthen the case for clinical implementation.
The struggle is real: Theorising community justice restructuring agonistically
Authors: Buchan Jamie
Published: May 2020

This article is a novel use of the ‘agonistic framework’ – a theory of penal change developed in the US, which emphasises the role of hidden conflict – to analyse recent organisational reforms to probation in Scotland. It begins by drawing on recent empirical data to analyse the role of conflict between centralising and localist interests in driving these reforms. This is contrasted with a Scottish policy consensus over decarceration through diversion to community penalties, which despite broad support has been unsuccessful. To explain this contradictory situation, the article builds on recent agonistic literature on the exclusion of some conflicts from penal fields, adding new insights about the circumscription of smaller penal fields. It argues that together these factors serve to ‘crowd out’ debates necessary for substantive change. This new development of the agonistic framework helps explain Scotland’s lack of progress towards decarceration, with policy relevance for other smaller jurisdictions.
The Real-World Writing Project for Public Health Students: A Description and Evaluation
Authors: Anderson Olivia S. , August Ella
Published: May 2020

Writing is a key skill for Public Health students, but instructors are not necessarily trained in how to teach writing. The Real-World Writing Project requires students to produce a writing project proposed by a community partner, for example, a report. The project includes multiple assignments that incorporate recommended characteristics for effective assigned writing. This article describes implementation of this project in two Public Health undergraduate courses at a large Midwestern University, including the type of products students produced, the number and type of community partners who participated, and student and community partner evaluations. Anonymous online evaluation surveys were distributed to community partners and students. We received responses from 19 community partners and 53 students. Partners were satisfied with the quality of 94% of the student products and were satisfied with their overall experience with the Real-World Writing Project (mean rating 5.14 on 6-point Likert-type scale, where 6 = extremely satisfied). Partners rated 85% of students as having satisfactory communication with them and were satisfied with the professionalism of 94% of students. Ninety-four percent of students reported being satisfied with the final product they produced and 84% of students indicated that working with their community partner was “very easy.” Students reported that the Real-World Writing Project was beneficial to them versus a more traditional assignment (mean response of 8.0 [ SD 2.3], where 1 represented the least and 10 represented the most satisfaction). Future work will include an evaluation of the project within graduate-level courses.
Down-regulated miR-495 can target programmed cell death 10 in ankylosing spondylitis
Authors: Ni Wen-Juan , Leng Xiao-Min
Published: May 2020

Background

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play crucial roles in regulating eukaryotic gene expression. Recent studies indicated that aberrantly expressed miRNAs are involved in the pathogenesis of ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Indeed, hsa-miR-495-3p (miR-495) has been reported as an anti-oncogene in different cancers. However, the role of miR-495 in AS is still unknown.

Methods

In this study, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to detect the expression of miR-495 in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), whole blood, and serum of patients with AS. Bisulfite-specific PCR sequencing and methylated DNA immunoprecipitation were used to detect the methylation in the promoter region of miR-495. To determine the influence of miR-495 expression on the target gene, programmed cell death 10 (PDCD10), dual luciferase reporter assays together with an adenoviral vector containing the miR-495 locus were used. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to evaluate the efficacy of miR-495 as a diagnostic biomarker of AS. Gene Ontology, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis, and western blotting were used to explore the potential role of miR-495 in AS pathogenesis and the mechanism by which it facilitates AS pathogenesis.

Results

miR-495 is down-regulated and the promoter region of miR-495 is highly methylated in AS. The expression of miR-495 is negatively associated with PDCD10 expression in both patients with AS and healthy controls. Further experiments showed that PDCD10 can be targeted by miR-495. The ROC curves of miR-495 suggested that it is a very specific and sensitive biomarker for AS diagnosis. Bioinformatics analysis and signal pathway studies indicated that miR-495 can down-regulate β-catenin and transforming growth factor-β1.

Conclusions

Our studies indicated that down-regulation of miR-495 can be used as a potential molecular marker for the diagnosis and treatment of AS, thus providing new insights into the role of miRNAs in AS pathology.
Study on the flexural behavior of poplar beams externally strengthened by BFRP strips
Authors: Liu Qing , Ma Shengqiang , Han Xia
Published: May 2020

Poplar plants with peculiar characteristics grow extensively and naturally in the Northern Hemisphere, and such poplar is the main timber material in Xinjiang, China. However, poplar has defects that affect its ultimate bearing capacity. This study investigates the flexural behavior of the timber members from poplar. Three lengths of basalt fiber-reinforced polymer (BFRP) strips were used to strengthen timber beams from poplar with rectangular cross-sections. From the experimental data, the timber beams strengthened by 1900-mm-long and 50-mm-wide BFRP strips showed the best ultimate bearing capacity and maximum deflection of mid-span compared with the other two strengthened beams. The increments were 77.8% and 110.1% compared with the control beam. The assumption “plane section remains plane” remains practicable in the poplar beams bonded by BFRP strips, and the neutral axis of the strengthened beams had a tendency to move toward the tensile zone. Furthermore, the processes of the flexural behavior of the specimens were simulated by finite element analysis modeling, but all the analyzed values of ultimate bearing capacity and deflection of the beams are higher than those of the experiment. These values can roughly be used as reference for experimental results. However, accurate modeling should be developed and modified in subsequent research on timber beams from Xinjiang poplar.
Subdiagnosis, but not presence of vestibular symptoms, predicts balance impairment in migraine patients – a cross sectional study
Authors: Zorzin Letícia , Carvalho Gabriela F. , Kreitewolf Jens , Teggi Roberto , Pinheiro Carina F. , Moreira Jéssica R. , Dach Fabíola , Bevilaqua-Grossi Débora
Published: May 2020

Background

Vestibular symptoms and balance changes are common in patients with migraine, especially in the ones with aura and chronic migraine. However, it is not known if the balance changes are determined by the presence of vestibular symptoms or migraine subdiagnosis. Therefore, the aim of this study was to verify if the migraine subdiagnosis and/or the presence of vestibular symptoms can predict balance dysfunction in migraineurs.

Methods

The study included 49 women diagnosed with migraine with aura, 53 without aura, 51 with chronic migraine, and 54 headache-free women. All participants answered a structured questionnaire regarding migraine features and presence of vestibular symptoms, such as dizziness/vertigo. The participants performed the Modified Sensory Organization Test on an AMTI© force plate. The data were analysed using a linear mixed-effect regression model.

Results

The presence of vestibular symptoms did not predict postural sway, but the subdiagnosis was a significant predictor of postural sway. Migraine with aura patients exhibited more sway than migraine patients without aura when the surface was unstable. Additionally, we found high effect sizes (ES > 0.79) for postural sway differences between patients with chronic migraine or with aura compared to controls or migraine without aura, suggesting that these results are clinically relevant.

Conclusions

The subdiagnosis of migraine, instead of the presence of vestibular symptoms, can predict postural control impairments observed in migraineurs. This lends support to the notion that balance instability is related to the presence of aura and migraine chronicity, and that it should be considered even in patients without vestibular symptoms.
Bioabsorbable magnesium screw versus conventional titanium screw fixation for medial malleolar fractures
Authors: May Hasan , Alper Kati Yusuf , Gumussuyu Gurkan , Yunus Emre Tuluhan , Unal Melih , Kose Ozkan
Published: May 2020

Background

It is still unknown whether bioabsorbable magnesium (Mg) screws provide an advantage over titanium screws in the treatment of medial malleolar (MM) fractures. The purpose of this retrospective study is to compare the clinical and radiological outcomes of MM fractures fixed with either bioabsorbable Mg screws or conventional titanium screws.

Materials and methods

A cohort of 48 patients with MM fractures who underwent compression screw fixation was retrospectively reviewed. Twenty-three patients (16 male, 7 female; mean age: 37.9 ± 17.7 years) were treated with bioabsorbable Mg screws, and 25 patients (14 male, 11 female; mean age: 45.0 ± 15.7 years) were treated with conventional titanium screw fixation. All patients were followed up for at least 1 year, with a mean time of 24.6 ± 10.5 months (12–53 months). The American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) scale was used to evaluate the clinical results. The Kellgren–Lawrence (KL) osteoarthritis grading was used to evaluate posttraumatic osteoarthritis on final ankle radiographs. Fracture union, rate of implant removal, and complications were recorded. Comparative analysis of two independent groups was performed using the chi-squared test and the Mann–Whitney U-test.

Results

The two groups were comparable concerning demographic and clinical characteristics. Age (p = 0.146), sex (p = 0.252), side (p = 0.190), MM fracture type (p = 0.500), associated fractures (p = 0.470), and follow-up period (p = 0.903) were similar between the groups. At final follow-up examination, AOFAS score (p = 0.191) was similar between groups. Fracture union was achieved in all cases. Grade of posttraumatic osteoarthritis, according to KL, was equally distributed in both groups (p = 0.074). No deep infection or osteomyelitis was seen. Five patients in the titanium screw group underwent implant removal, due to pain in three of them and difficulty in wearing shoes in the other two (p = 0.031). Implant removal was performed after a mean of 14.2 ± 3.1 months (12–19 months).

Conclusions

Bioabsorbable Mg and titanium screws had similar therapeutic efficacy in MM fracture fixation regarding functional and radiological outcomes. However, the rate of implant removal was higher with titanium screws. Bioabsorbable Mg screws may be a favorable fixation option since secondary implant removal procedures can be prevented.

Level of evidence

Level IV, Retrospective case series.
Targeted Gene Silencing BRAF Synergized Photothermal Effect Inhibits Hepatoma Cell Growth Using New GAL-GNR-siBRAF Nanosystem
Authors: Liu Yanling , Tan Manman , Zhang Yujuan , Huang Wei , Min Liangliang , Peng Shanshan , Yuan Keng , Qiu Li , Min Weiping
Published: May 2020

Liver cancer is one of the most common malignancies worldwide. The RAF kinase inhibitors are effective in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC); therefore, inhibition of the BRAF/MEK/ERK pathway has become a new therapeutic strategy for novel HCC therapy. However, targeted specific delivery systems for tumors are still significant obstacle to clinical applications. Galactose (GAL) can target the asialoglycoprotein receptor (ASGPR) that is highly expressed on liver cancer cells. In this study, we designed a novel multifunctional nanomaterial GAL-GNR-siBRAF which consists of three parts, GAL as the liver cancer-targeting moiety, golden nanorods (GNR) offering photothermal capability under near infrared light, and siRNA specifically silencing BRAF (siBRAF). The nanocarrier GAL-GNR-siBRAF showed high siRNA loading capacity and inhibited the degradation of siRNA in serum. Compared with naked gold nanorods, GAL-GNR-siBRAF possessed lower biotoxicity and higher efficacy of gene silencing. Treatment with GAL-GNR-siBRAF significantly downregulated the expression of BRAF and impaired proliferation, migration, and invasion of liver cancer cells. Moreover, combinatorial photothermal effects and BRAF knockdown by GAL-GNR-siBRAF effectively given rise to tumor cell death. Therefore, our study developed a new type of targeted multi-functional nanomaterial GAL-GNR-siBRAF for the treatment of liver cancer, which provides ideas for the development of new clinical treatment methods.
Improved SERS Performance and Catalytic Activity of Dendritic Au/Ag Bimetallic Nanostructures Based on Ag Dendrites
Authors: Cheng Zi-Qiang , Li Zhi-Wen , Yao Rui , Xiong Kuang-Wei , Cheng Guang-Ling , Zhou Yan-Hong , Luo Xin , Liu Zhi-Min
Published: May 2020

Bimetallic nanomaterials, which exhibit a combination of the properties associated with two different metals, have enabled innovative applications in nanoscience and nanotechnology. Here, we introduce the fabrication of dendritic Au/Ag bimetallic nanostructures for surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) and catalytic applications. The dendritic Au/Ag bimetallic nanostructures were prepared by combining the electrochemical deposition and replacement reaction. The formation of Au nanoparticle shell on the surface of Ag dendrites greatly improves the stability of dendritic nanostructures, followed by a significant SERS enhancement. In addition, these dendritic Au/Ag bimetallic nanostructures are extremely efficient in degrading 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) compared with the initial dendritic Ag nanostructures. These experimental results indicate the great potential of the dendritic Au/Ag bimetallic nanostructures for the development of excellent SERS substrate and highly efficient catalysts.
ZrO2 Ferroelectric Field-Effect Transistors Enabled by the Switchable Oxygen Vacancy Dipoles
Authors: Liu Huan , Peng Yue , Han Genquan , Liu Yan , Zhong Ni , Duan Chungang , Hao Yue
Published: May 2020

This paper investigates the impacts of post-rapid thermal anneal (RTA) and thickness of ZrO2 on the polarization P and electrical characteristics of TaN/ZrO2/Ge capacitors and FeFETs, respectively. After the RTA ranging from 350 to 500 °C, TaN/ZrO2/Ge capacitors with 2.5 and 4 nm-thick amorphous ZrO2 film exhibit the stable P. It is proposed that the ferroelectric behavior originates from the migration of the voltage-driven dipoles formed by the oxygen vacancies and negative charges. FeFETs with 2.5 nm, 4 nm, and 9 nm ZrO2 demonstrate the decent memory window (MW) with 100 ns program/erase pulses. A 4-nm-thick ZrO2 FeFET has significantly improved fatigue and retention characteristics compared to devices with 2.5 nm and 9 nm ZrO2. The retention performance of the ZrO2 FeFET can be improved with the increase of the RTA temperature. An MW of ~ 0.46 V is extrapolated to be maintained over 10 years for the device with 4 nm ZrO2.
Variation on the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Ti-Al-N Films Induced by RF-ICP Ion Source Enhanced Reactive Nitrogen Plasma Atmosphere
Authors: Li Dongke , Xia Lixia , Yan Lian , Cao Yunqing , Zhai Zhangyin , Chen Guibin
Published: May 2020

Acquiring the optimum growth conditions of Ti-Al-N films, the effects of gas atmosphere, especially the reactive plasma on the material microstructures, and mechanical properties are still a fundamental and important issue. In this study, Ti-Al-N films are reactively deposited by radio frequency inductively coupled plasma ion source (RF-ICPIS) enhanced sputtering system. Different nitrogen gas flow rates in letting into the ion source are adopted to obtain nitrogen plasma densities and alter deposition atmosphere. It is found the nitrogen element contents in the films are quite influenced by the nitrogen plasma density, and the maximum value can reach as high as 67.8% at high gas flow circumstance. XRD spectra and FESEM images indicate that low plasma density is benefit for the film crystallization and dense microstructure. Moreover, the mechanical properties like hardness and tribological performance are mutually enhanced by adjusting the nitrogen atmosphere.
Recent advances in mass spectrometry based clinical proteomics: applications to cancer research
Authors: Macklin Andrew , Khan Shahbaz , Kislinger Thomas
Published: May 2020

Cancer biomarkers have transformed current practices in the oncology clinic. Continued discovery and validation are crucial for improving early diagnosis, risk stratification, and monitoring patient response to treatment. Profiling of the tumour genome and transcriptome are now established tools for the discovery of novel biomarkers, but alterations in proteome expression are more likely to reflect changes in tumour pathophysiology. In the past, clinical diagnostics have strongly relied on antibody-based detection strategies, but these methods carry certain limitations. Mass spectrometry (MS) is a powerful method that enables increasingly comprehensive insights into changes of the proteome to advance personalized medicine. In this review, recent improvements in MS-based clinical proteomics are highlighted with a focus on oncology. We will provide a detailed overview of clinically relevant samples types, as well as, consideration for sample preparation methods, protein quantitation strategies, MS configurations, and data analysis pipelines currently available to researchers. Critical consideration of each step is necessary to address the pressing clinical questions that advance cancer patient diagnosis and prognosis. While the majority of studies focus on the discovery of clinically-relevant biomarkers, there is a growing demand for rigorous biomarker validation. These studies focus on high-throughput targeted MS assays and multi-centre studies with standardized protocols. Additionally, improvements in MS sensitivity are opening the door to new classes of tumour-specific proteoforms including post-translational modifications and variants originating from genomic aberrations. Overlaying proteomic data to complement genomic and transcriptomic datasets forges the growing field of proteogenomics, which shows great potential to improve our understanding of cancer biology. Overall, these advancements not only solidify MS-based clinical proteomics’ integral position in cancer research, but also accelerate the shift towards becoming a regular component of routine analysis and clinical practice.
Distribution of 31 endocrine-disrupting compounds in the Taihu Lake and application of the fish plasma model
Authors: Bao Yifan , Huang Wenping , Hu Xialin , Yin Daqiang
Published: May 2020

Background

The successful application of Fish plasma model (FPM) will greatly simplify the risk assessment of drugs. At present, the FPM has been applied to the risk assessment of several human drugs with high hydrophobicity. However, its applicability to a wide variety of compounds needs to be tested. Field work about distribution characteristics of endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) in water and in fish plasma plays a key role in promoting the successful application of FPM. However, there are few reports on the distribution of EDCs in fish, especially in wild fish plasma.

Results

The distribution of 31 EDCs, including seven estrogens, eight androgens, six progesterones, five glucocorticoids, and five industrial compounds, in water and plasma of five categories of wild fishes in Taihu Lake was studied and the typical FPM was tested by the field data. The detected concentration of most compounds is relatively low (< 10 ng/L), and the industrial compounds are the predominant pollutants with the highest concentration up to 291.7 ng/L (Bisphenol A) in water. In general, glucocorticoids were detected at the highest concentrations in plasma of all kinds of fishes, followed by industrial compounds and estrogens. Except for glucocorticoids (up to 43.61 for Cortisone), the average concentrations of the other four categories of EDCs in fish plasma were generally low (< 10 μg/L). The available measured bioaccumulation factors (BAFs) of 20 kinds of EDCs were in the range of 0 to 5626. The bioaccumulation of EDCs in fish plasma is not only hydrophobicity-dependent, but is also both fish species-specific and compound-dependent. The classical FPM was tested and the results indicated that the good coincides of measured log BAFs and the theoretical log BCFs were only observed for limited EDCs (7 out of 20). The present available FPM generally underestimated the Log BAFs of most hydrophilic EDCs (log Kow < 3.87, 11 out of 20) whereas overestimated the Log BAFs of several high hydrophobic EDCs (Log Kow > 3.87) in fish plasma.

Conclusion

Although the present FPM is barely satisfactory, it is still promising for predicting the accumulation of EDCs in fish plasma and for further environmental risk assessment.
Risk assessment methodology for iron stability under water quality factors based on fuzzy comprehensive evaluation
Authors: Wang Jiaying , Yan Hexiang , Xin Kunlun , Tao Tao
Published: May 2020

Background

Changing water quality was prevalent in the current water supply. The fluctuation of iron stability due to changing water quality followed four characteristics: objectivity, relativity, predictability, and controllability. Therefore, it was necessary to study the stability of iron in the pipe network by integrating different water quality factors.

Results

The iron stability risk evaluation system was established according to the different water quality factors in the drinking water distribution systems (DWDSs). Meanwhile, an improved fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method was established to evaluate the risk of iron. Chloride, sulfate, dissolved organic matter (DOM) and pH were selected as the risk assessment index. The divisions of different evaluation levels were carried out through the values of water quality factor. On the basis of expert scoring, the weight and membership degree of water quality factors were analyzed by structural entropy method. In addition, risk analysis was established by using the optimized risk assessment system. According to the results of the comprehensive evaluation, DOM and pH were identified as two of the most important factors in the evaluation of the iron stability. In addition, compared with the traditional fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method, the optimized method had a higher degree of fit which could more clearly prove the relationship between the risk value and the iron concentration.

Conclusion

The uncertainty between the factors was eliminated by establishment of the fuzzy evaluation method combined with the different effects of water factors on iron stability. The method could be used as a comprehensive evaluation and be beneficial to the analysis of iron risk in water supply network.
Characteristics of antibiotics and antibiotic resistance genes in Qingcaosha Reservoir in Yangtze River Delta, China
Authors: Xu Ting , Zhao Wanting , Guo Xueping , Zhang Hongchang , Hu Shuangqing , Huang Zhifeng , Yin Daqiang
Published: May 2020

Background

Aquatic ecosystems are considered to be among the most important reservoirs of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). Drinking water sources could serve as critical points of ARGs transfer from environment to human. In this study, the distribution of antibiotics and ARGs across Qingcaosha Reservoir located in the Yangtze River Delta during three seasons was investigated to characterize the pollution patterns.

Results

Sulfamethoxazole, sulfamonomethoxine and penicillin G potassium salt were the dominant antibiotics in this reservoir. Sulfonamide resistance genes (sul1andsul2) were the most prevalent and predominant genes. Higher total relative abundance of the ARGs was detected in the site closest to the inflow than those in other sites. Overall, the concentrations of antibiotics in May were relatively lower than those in November and February. Correlation analysis indicatedsul1,ermBandmphAhad positive correlation with corresponding antibiotics in February andsul1,sul2,ermBandmphAwas also positively correlated tointI1.

Conclusion

In conclusion, antibiotics and ARGs were widespread in Qingcaosha Reservoir. Our results indicated that the drinking water reservoir might serve as gene reservoir for antibiotic resistance and mobile gene elementintI1can serve as a medium to contribute to the widespread of various ARGs. As the ARGs abundance was found to be higher in the inflow of the reservoir compared to the outflow, it is considered that reservoir could serve as a functional area contributing to the elimination or dilution of ARGs.
Immunogenicity and protective efficacy of a live, oral cholera vaccine formulation stored outside-the-cold-chain for 140 days
Authors: Xian Tew Hui , Sinniah Kurunathan , Yean Chan Yean , Krishnamoorthy Venkateskumar , Bahari Mohd Baidi , Ravichandran Manickam , Prabhakaran Guruswamy
Published: May 2020

Background

Cholera, an acute watery diarrhoeal disease caused by Vibrio cholerae serogroup O1 and O139 across the continents. Replacing the existing WHO licensed killed multiple-dose oral cholera vaccines that demand ‘cold chain supply’ at 2–8 °C with a live, single-dose and cold chain-free vaccine would relieve the significant bottlenecks and cost determinants in cholera vaccination campaigns. In this direction, a prototype cold chain-free live attenuated cholera vaccine formulation (LACV) was developed against the toxigenic wild-type (WT) V. cholerae O139 serogroup. LACV was found stable and retained its viability (5 × 106 CFU/mL), purity and potency at room temperature (25 °C ± 2 °C, and 60% ± 5% relative humidity) for 140 days in contrast to all the existing WHO licensed cold-chain supply (2–8 °C) dependent killed oral cholera vaccines.

Results

The LACV was evaluated for its colonization potential, reactogenicity, immunogenicity and protective efficacy in animal models after its storage at room temperature for 140 days. In suckling mice colonization assay, the LACV recorded the highest recovery of (7.2 × 107 CFU/mL) compared to those of unformulated VCUSM14P (5.6 × 107 CFU/mL) and the WT O139 strain (3.5 × 107 CFU/mL). The LACV showed no reactogenicity even at an inoculation dose of 104–106 CFU/mL in a rabbit ileal loop model. The rabbits vaccinated with the LACV or unformulated VCUSM14P survived a challenge with WT O139 and showed no signs of diarrhoea or death in the reversible intestinal tie adult rabbit diarrhoea (RITARD) model. Vaccinated rabbits recorded a 275-fold increase in anti-CT IgG and a 15-fold increase in anti-CT IgA antibodies compared to those of rabbits vaccinated with unformulated VCUSM14P. Vibriocidal antibodies were increased by 31-fold with the LACV and 14-fold with unformulated VCUSM14P.

Conclusion

The vaccine formulation mimics a natural infection, is non-reactogenic and highly immunogenic in vivo and protects animals from lethal wild-type V. cholerae O139 challenge. The single dose LACV formulation was found to be stable at room temperature (25 ± 2 °C) for 140 days and it would result in significant cost savings during mass cholera vaccination campaigns.
Efficient dual-negative selection for bacterial genome editing
Authors: Cianfanelli Francesca Romana , Cunrath Olivier , Bumann Dirk
Published: May 2020

Background

Gene editing is key for elucidating gene function. Traditional methods, such as consecutive single-crossovers, have been widely used to modify bacterial genomes. However, cumbersome cloning and limited efficiency of negative selection often make this method slower than other methods such as recombineering.

Results

Here, we established a time-effective variant of consecutive single-crossovers. This method exploits rapid plasmid construction using Gibson assembly, a convenient E. coli donor strain, and efficient dual-negative selection for improved suicide vector resolution. We used this method to generate in-frame deletions, insertions and point mutations in Salmonella enterica with limited hands-on time. Adapted versions enabled efficient gene editing also in Pseudomonas aeruginosa and multi-drug resistant (MDR) Escherichia coli clinical isolates.

Conclusions

Our method is time-effective and allows facile manipulation of multiple bacterial species including MDR clinical isolates. We anticipate that this method might be broadly applicable to additional bacterial species, including those for which recombineering has been difficult to implement.
Transitions in wheat endosperm metabolism upon transcriptional induction of oil accumulation by oat endosperm WRINKLED1
Authors: Grimberg Åsa , Wilkinson Mark , Snell Per , De Vos Rebecca P. , González-Thuillier Irene , Tawfike Ahmed , Ward Jane L. , Carlsson Anders S. , Shewry Peter , Hofvander Per
Published: May 2020

Background

Cereal grains, including wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), are major sources of food and feed, with wheat being dominant in temperate zones. These end uses exploit the storage reserves in the starchy endosperm of the grain, with starch being the major storage component in most cereal species. However, oats (Avena sativa L.) differs in that the starchy endosperm stores significant amounts of oil. Understanding the control of carbon allocation between groups of storage compounds, such as starch and oil, is therefore important for understanding the composition and hence end use quality of cereals. WRINKLED1 is a transcription factor known to induce triacylglycerol (TAG; oil) accumulation in several plant storage tissues.

Results

An oat endosperm homolog of WRI1 (AsWRI1) expressed from the endosperm-specific HMW1Dx5 promoter resulted in drastic changes in carbon allocation in wheat grains, with reduced seed weight and a wrinkled seed phenotype. The starch content of mature grain endosperms of AsWRI1-wheat was reduced compared to controls (from 62 to 22% by dry weight (dw)), TAG was increased by up to nine-fold (from 0.7 to 6.4% oil by dw) and sucrose from 1.5 to 10% by dw. Expression of AsWRI1 in wheat grains also resulted in multiple layers of elongated peripheral aleurone cells. RNA-sequencing, lipid analyses, and pulse-chase experiments using 14C-sucrose indicated that futile cycling of fatty acids could be a limitation for oil accumulation.

Conclusions

Our data show that expression of oat endosperm WRI1 in the wheat endosperm results in changes in metabolism which could underpin the application of biotechnology to manipulate grain composition. In particular, the striking effect on starch synthesis in the wheat endosperm indicates that an important indirect role of WRI1 is to divert carbon allocation away from starch biosynthesis in plant storage tissues that accumulate oil.
Transcriptome analysis of lateral buds from Phyllostachys edulis rhizome during germination and early shoot stages
Authors: Shou Yuting , Zhu Yihua , Ding Yulong
Published: May 2020

Background

The vegetative growth is an important stage for plants when they conduct photosynthesis, accumulate and collect all resources needed and prepare for reproduction stage. Bamboo is one of the fastest growing plant species. The rapid growth of Phyllostachys edulis results from the expansion of intercalary meristem at the basal part of nodes, which are differentiated from the apical meristem of rhizome lateral buds. However, little is known about the major signaling pathways and players involved during this rapid development stage of bamboo. To study this question, we adopted the high-throughput sequencing technology and compared the transcriptomes of Moso bamboo rhizome buds in germination stage and late development stage.

Results

We found that the development of Moso bamboo rhizome lateral buds was coordinated by multiple pathways, including meristem development, sugar metabolism and phytohormone signaling. Phytohormones have fundamental impacts on the plant development. We found the evidence of several major hormones participating in the development of Moso bamboo rhizome lateral bud. Furthermore, we showed direct evidence that Gibberellic Acids (GA) signaling participated in the Moso bamboo stem elongation.

Conclusion

Significant changes occur in various signaling pathways during the development of rhizome lateral buds. It is crucial to understand how these changes are translated to Phyllostachys edulis fast growth. These results expand our knowledge on the Moso bamboo internodes fast growth and provide research basis for further study.