bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Speakers' Corner
Authors: Roberts John Michael
Published: April 2019

Speakers' Corner is located in the northeast corner of Hyde Park, London. This entry shows that its origins lie in Tyburn hanging tree, which, in early modern England, was also situated in the northeast corner of Hyde Park. Interestingly, many onlookers in the Tyburn crowd frequently rioted in favor of the condemned body, seeing the hanging spectacle as unjust. Tyburn therefore carved out a public space at Hyde Park for regular debate and discussion. While Tyburn was disbanded by 1783, nineteenth‐century social and political movements, for example Chartism, used this public space for radical forms of free speech. In 1872 the government passed the Parks Regulation Act, allowing people the right of “public address” in Hyde Park. Subsequent activists in the twentieth century subverted the meaning of “public address” by making it refer to a more inclusive and populist place for free speech, which gradually became known as Speakers' Corner.
Sunbelt
Authors: Rushing Wanda
Published: April 2019

The sunbelt phenomenon resulted from a massive post‐World War II migration of people from the Northeast and Midwest to emerging metropolitan areas in the South and Southwest. As of 2015, all of the 11 large metropolitan areas in the United States with the greatest population gains are located in the sunbelt. These areas include four cities in Texas – Houston, Dallas, Austin, and San Antonio – and two in Florida – Tampa and Orlando. The emergence of a postwar economy based on high tech consumer electronics, research and development, aerospace, oil and gas extraction, and the growth of global tourism heightened interregional competition. The prospects of shorter and warmer winters and air‐conditioning‐cooled summers made the climate more welcoming to developing new industries and forms of prosperity in residential and industrial spaces. Population migration to the area has increased the national political power of Southern and Southwestern states. Although federal infrastructure investments laid the groundwork for the rise of the sunbelt, priming the South and the Southwest for postwar investment, these expenditures have fueled conservative opposition to government spending. The growth of binational cities on the sunbelt's border with Mexico and the influx of Latino/a immigrants have produced contentious debates about citizenship and foreign policy.
Code of the Street
Authors: Anderson Elijah
Published: April 2019

Of all the problems besetting the poor inner city black community, none is more pressing than that of interpersonal violence and aggression. Simply living in such an environment places young people at special risk of falling victim to aggressive behavior. Although there are often forces in the community which can counteract the negative influences – by far the most powerful being a strong, loving, “decent” family committed to middle‐class values – the despair is pervasive enough to have spawned an oppositional culture, that of “the streets,” whose norms are often consciously opposed to those of mainstream society. Street culture has evolved what may be called a code of the street, which amounts to a set of informal rules governing interpersonal public behavior, including violence. At the heart of the code is the issue of respect – or “street cred” – loosely defined as being treated “right,” or granted the deference one deserves.
Weber,Max
Authors: Kemper Jan
Published: April 2019

Although many textbooks name Max Weber as one of the field's canonical authors, what contemporary urban and regional studies actually owe him remains vague and contested. In contrast to other branches of social science, neither Weber's sociohistorical writing nor his sociotheoretical attempts launched an explicit or enduring Weberian tradition in research on cities, space, and society. Nevertheless, through his writings on the Western European medieval city or through his concept of class and social stratification, Weber has been influential. A “neo‐Weberian” strand in British urban studies, which flourished in the 1970s and 1980s, and, more recently, the discourse on the “European city” demonstrate that, despite the lack of a clearly formulated Weber paradigm in urban and regional studies, Max Weber's themes and concepts can be a point of departure for theoretical approaches to the city and for empirical methods of understanding urban social reality.
Broken Windows/Zero‐Tolerance Policing
Authors: Wolff Kevin T. , Intravia Jonathan
Published: April 2019

Broken windows or zero‐tolerance policing is an aggressive policing strategy focused on enforcing minor crimes and public order offenses. Most commonly associated with the New York Police Department (NYPD), zero‐tolerance policing is often credited for the dramatic drop in serious crime that occurred in New York City during the 1990s. This entry begins by reviewing the theoretical propositions underlying this policing approach to crime and disorder. Next, the empirical findings related to the impact of zero‐tolerance policing on rates of crime are discussed. Following this, the potential for aggressive policing strategies to have unintended yet harmful consequences for both individuals and communities is summarized. The current entry ends with a discussion of future directions for policing more generally.
B
urgess,
E
rnest
Authors: Kivisto Peter
Published: April 2019

Ernest Burgess (1886–1966) is chiefly known for his collaboration with Robert E. Park, the latter being viewed as the “ideas” person and Burgess considered the “details” person. While partially true, this oversimplifies the prominent role Burgess played in the institutionalization of sociology in America, his promotion of interdisciplinary work, and his contributions to injecting sociology into policy circles.
Global City
Authors: Jacobs Andrew J.
Published: April 2019

Global citiesare expansive urban agglomerations of capital, firms, people, and infrastructure that have served as important centers of state authority, corporate governance, and culture. Moreover, each city‐region has its own unique political, economic, social, and geospatial context. Over the past 30 years, the growth patterns and functions of global cities have been chronicled in great detail by scholars. In addition, a torrent of studies have sought to uncover the primary determinants driving development outcomes in these vast conurbations. In the process, a hot debate has arisen over which areas should qualify as global cities and over the supposed convergence or continued diversity among them. As a result, those interested in studying the world's largest conurbations have a wide assortment of theories and empirical sites to choose from.
Heritage Tourism/Urban Conservation
Authors: Zarlenga Matías I. , Morató Arturo Rodríguez
Published: April 2019

The concepts
heritage tourism
and
urban conservation
relate to the preservation and conservation strategies of buildings or urban areas. They differ from each other because of the historical contexts in which they emerge and the purposes and uses that are given to the buildings and urban areas conserved. Interest in urban conservation emerged during the twentieth century and expanded in the postwar period, especially during the 1960s. It relates to the reuse and enhancement of certain areas of the city. Heritage tourism appears to be associated with the contemporary phase of conservation. It assumes a connection between the preservation of the past and its intrinsic value as a resource for the modern community as a commercial activity. The emergence and proliferation of heritage tourism is related to social, economic, political, and cultural transformations that have occurred in Western societies since the 1980s.
Inner Suburbs
Authors: Sierra Angélica Camargo
Published: April 2019

“Inner suburbs” refers to areas located beyond the inner city but before the peripheral regions. In the United States, the inner suburbs had their greatest growth after World War
II
, and in Latin American cities during the 1960s and 1970s. In general terms, cities are undergoing a back‐to‐the‐city process: the central areas are being repopulated and inner suburbs are growing faster than the far peripheries. However, the inner suburbs are facing a process of decline; aging of both population and urban infrastructure, and deterioration and devaluation of housing are some of the most common problems in these territories. They require attention from both local and national governments primarily aimed at rehabilitation and revitalization.
J
erusalem
Authors: Rokem Jonathan , Vaughan Laura
Published: April 2019

Jerusalem represents a rather exceptional urban case study because of its unique position as the global center of the three largest monotheistic religions since biblical times. Jerusalem is both a symbolic and a tangible focal point in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict; and competing religious and political narratives have affected its development. This brief entry attempts to capture some of the main themes in Jerusalem's planning history over the past century, navigating through the city toward its contemporary urban reality.
Informal Housing
Authors: Mosiane Ngaka Ben
Published: April 2019

Although informal housing is not a solution to housing problems, it is one option through which low income people in African cities and those of the Global South in general create a sense of belonging for themselves and produce their own urbanisms. A review of the existing literature on urban informal housing in Africa shows that the themes of public housing and self‐help housing and the norms and standards for land subdivisions and building construction have constituted this research topic from the 1960s. Additional themes are land and the characteristics of land markets, environmental interactions and change, household savings and community banks, and rental housing. A key feature across these elements of the housing research tradition is that housing interventions by the state and international development institutions have reached only a limited number of intended beneficiaries. Recently, informal housing has come to take center stage in urban studies. It is part of the theory of informality, which is used not only to deepen understandings of the dominant logics of the market, but also to call attention to the ethic of collective commitment to social development. It is also used to reflect on Africa's own experimentation with city‐making.
Swahili Coast
Authors: Wynne‐Jones Stephanie
Published: April 2019

The Swahili coast of Eastern Africa has been home to an urban tradition for over a thousand years. Since the seventh centuryce, sites along this coast have been trading across the Indian Ocean with partners in the Islamic world. These sites developed into stonetowns, characterized by a vernacular architectural tradition that used coral and lime and flourished from Somalia to Mozambique, from the eleventh to the sixteenth centuries. The successors of this urban tradition are the modern towns of Zanzibar, Lamu, and Mombasa, which share many features with precolonial towns and have been used as analogues of past societies. This entry reviews the character of urbanism on the Swahili coast, touching on historical, archaeological, and linguistic evidence. The history of research is also discussed, together with early colonial visions of the Swahili coast and the ways these have been debunked in modern scholarship. Finally, more recent movements in the archaeology of the Swahili coast are presented – such as the move to consider towns within their regions and the archaeologists' attempt to reconstruct daily life in early towns.
M
oscow
Authors: Harris Adrienne M.
Published: April 2019

This entry traces the development of Moscow from its origins as a provincial, medieval East Slavic village to its status as the capital of the Russian Federation, one of today's most populous world capitals. It considers the central position of the Russian Orthodox Church in the city's premodern history as well as the role of the Communist Party in the twentieth century. In addition to urban improvements related to housing and transportation, the article notes key cultural developments across centuries.
Block Clubs
Authors: Seligman Amanda I.
Published: April 2019

Block clubs are very small organizations in which neighbors work together for local improvements. They were created by the National Urban League in the early twentieth century, and in the twenty‐first century members of different demographic groups use them. Most block clubs are organized by a parent group, but some are truly indigenous efforts. They have especially strong roots in Chicago, where they supplement the work of government and private property owners to create a desirable environment.
Ferrimagnetic Nanochains‐Based Mesenchymal Stem Cell Engineering for Highly Efficient Post‐Stroke Recovery
Authors: Zhang Tianyuan , Li Fangyuan , Xu Qianhao , Wang Qiyue , Jiang Xinchi , Liang Zeyu , Liao Hongwei , Kong Xianglei , Liu Jianan , Wu Honghui , Zhang Danping , An Changhua , Dong Liang , Lu Yang , Cao Hongcui , Kim Dokyoon , Sun Jihong , Hyeon Taeghwan , Gao Jianqing , Ling Daishun
Published: April 2019

Unsatisfactory post‐stroke recovery has long been a negative factor in the prognosis of ischemic stroke due to the lack of pharmacological treatments. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs)‐based therapy has recently emerged as a promising strategy redefining stroke treatment; however, its effectiveness has been largely restricted by insufficient therapeutic gene expression and inadequate cell numbers in the ischemic cerebrum. Herein, a non‐viral and magnetic field‐independent gene transfection approach is reported, using magnetosome‐like ferrimagnetic iron oxide nanochains (MFIONs), to genetically engineer MSCs for highly efficient post‐stroke recovery. The 1D MFIONs show efficient cellular uptake by MSCs, which results in highly efficient genetic engineering of MSCs to overexpress brain‐derived neurotrophic factor for treating ischemic cerebrum. Moreover, the internalized MFIONs promote the homing of MSCs to the ischemic cerebrum by upregulating CXCR4. Consequently, a pronounced recovery from ischemic stroke is achieved using MFION‐engineered MSCs in a mouse model.
Homogeneous Doping of Substitutional Nitrogen/Carbon in TiO2 Plates for Visible Light Photocatalytic Water Oxidation
Authors: Wu Tingting , Niu Ping , Yang Yongqiang , Yin Li‐Chang , Tan Jun , Zhu Huaze , Irvine John T. S. , Wang Lianzhou , Liu Gang , Cheng Hui‐Ming
Published: April 2019

Extending the light absorption range of wide‐bandgap photocatalysts into the visible light region is significant in terms of fully harvesting and converting solar light. The desirable band‐to‐band redshift of the absorption edge of semiconducting binary metal oxides such as prototypical photocatalyst TiO2 by doping is long targeted but remains a challenge, up to date. Here, by taking the advantage of abundant 1D diffusion channels with rhombus‐like cross‐sections along the c‐axis in the crystal structure of titanium oxalate hydrate to promote the entrance of nitrogen dopant species into the bulk and subsequent thermal topotactic transition in an atmosphere of gaseous ammonia, homogeneous doping of substitutional carbon/nitrogen for oxygen in the TiO2 decahedral plates with a dominant anatase phase is obtained for the first time. The resultant TiO2−x(CN)y with an unusual band‐to‐band visible light absorption spectrum can induce photocatalytic water oxidation to release oxygen under visible light irradiation. This study provides not only a promising visible light–responsive TiO2 photocatalyst, but also an important strategy for developing other solar‐driven photocatalysts.
Lead‐Free Cs2BiAgBr6 Double Perovskite‐Based Humidity Sensor with Superfast Recovery Time
Authors: Weng Zhenhua , Qin Jiajun , Umar Akrajas Ali , Wang Jiao , Zhang Xin , Wang Haoliang , Cui Xiaolei , Li Xiaoguo , Zheng Lirong , Zhan Yiqiang
Published: April 2019

Lead halide perovskites have demonstrated outstanding achievements in photoelectric applications owing to their unique properties. However, the moisture sensitivity of lead halide perovskite has rarely been developed into an applicable humidity sensor due to the intrinsic instability and toxicity issue. Herein, as a highly stable lead‐free perovskite, a Cs2BiAgBr6 thin film is chosen to be the active material for humidity sensor due to its extraordinary humidity‐dependent electrical properties and good stability. This Cs2BiAgBr6 thin film humidity sensor demonstrates a superfast response time (1.78 s) and recovery time (0.45 s). The superfast response and recovery properties can be attributed to the reversible physisorption of water molecules, which can be easily adsorbed onto or desorbed from the thin film surface. Moreover, the sensor also shows an excellent reliability and stability properties as well as logarithmic linearity in a relative humidity's range of 15% to 78%. The lead‐free Cs2BiAgBr6 perovskite possesses great potential for application in real‐time humidity sensing.
P‐Glycoprotein Antibody Decorated Porous Hydrogel Particles for Capture and Release of Drug‐Resistant Tumor Cells
Authors: Ma Xiaoyan , Zhao Ze , Wang Huan , Liu Yuxiao , Xu Yueshuang , Zhang Jing , Chen Baoan , Li Ling , Zhao Yuanjin
Published: April 2019

Multidrug resistance is one of the leading causes of chemotherapy failure in cancer patients. Early detection and capture of drug‐resistant tumor cells can facilitate the monitoring of the therapy process and improve the prognosis of patients. In this study, novel P‐glycoprotein (P‐gp) antibody modified porous hydrogel particles are proposed for drug‐resistant tumor cells capture. The hydrogel particles employ a highly biocompatible hydrogel, methacrylate gelatin (GelMA), as the carrier and replicate from the silica colloidal crystal beads. By the modification of P‐gp antibody probes on their surfaces, the hydrogel particles are endowed with the ability to capture drug‐resistant tumor cells, which overexpress specific components of P‐gp on their membranes. Additionally, the acquired ordered porous nanostructure of the particles can provide not only more surface area for antibody immobilization but also a nanopatterned platform for highly efficient target cell capture. The above advantages make the porous hydrogel particles ideal for efficient capture and detection of the drug‐resistant tumor cells, which can be expected to facilitate the point‐of‐care pharmacotherapy and promisingly improve the patient outcomes.
Magnetic Hydrogel with Optimally Adaptive Functions for Breast Cancer Recurrence Prevention
Authors: Gao Fei , Xie Wensheng , Miao Yuqing , Wang Dan , Guo Zhenhu , Ghosal Anujit , Li Yongsan , Wei Yen , Feng Si‐Shen , Zhao Lingyun , Fan Hai Ming
Published: April 2019

Engineering biocompatible hydrogels using functional nanoparticles has attracted considerable attention because of their uniquely appealing cooperative effects that can enable multimodality imaging and treatment with improved efficacy against serious diseases. However, the effects of high‐content nanoparticle dopants on the rheological properties of hydrogels frequently lead to an unsatisfactory therapeutic result, which is particularly notable in the design of magnetic hydrogel formulations for cancer therapy. Herein is reported a novel magnetic hydrogel functionalized by ferromagnetic vortex‐domain iron oxide (FVIOs) with optimally adaptive functions for prevention of breast cancer recurrence. The FVIOs can perfectly incorporate into the dynamic hydrogel networks with an extremely low concentration (0.6 mg mL−1), 17 times lower than that of conventional superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles with sufficient heating capacity. Such magnetic hydrogels exhibit high inductive heating and remarkable rheological properties simultaneously. Moreover, the self‐healing, self‐conformal ability, controlled release of loaded doxorubicin, biodegradation, and pH‐responsiveness of the magnetic hydrogel project their efficient sustainable therapeutic ability. In vivo postoperative treatment has further demonstrated the high efficacy of FVIO‐based magnetic hydrogels, as evidenced by the significant suppression of the local tumor recurrences compared to chemotherapy or hyperthermia alone. This unique magnetic hydrogel formulation with optimally adaptive functions shows strong potential in preventing relapses of various cancers.
Superelastic Hard Carbon Nanofiber Aerogels
Authors: Yu Zhi‐Long , Qin Bing , Ma Zhi‐Yuan , Huang Jin , Li Si‐Cheng , Zhao Hao‐Yu , Li Han , Zhu Yin‐Bo , Wu Heng‐An , Yu Shu‐Hong
Published: April 2019

Superelastic carbon aerogels have been widely explored by graphitic carbons and soft carbons. These soft aerogels usually have delicate microstructures with good fatigue resistance but ultralow strength. Hard carbon aerogels show great advantages in mechanical strength and structural stability due to the sp3‐C‐induced turbostratic “house‐of‐cards” structure. However, it is still a challenge to fabricate superelastic hard carbon‐based aerogels. Through rational nanofibrous structural design, the traditional rigid phenolic resin can be converted into superelastic hard carbon aerogels. The hard carbon nanofibers and abundant welded junctions endow the hard carbon aerogels with robust and stable mechanical performance, including superelasticity, high strength, extremely fast recovery speed (860 mm s−1), low energy‐loss coefficient (<0.16), long cycle lifespan, and heat/cold‐endurance. These emerging hard carbon nanofiber aerogels hold a great promise in the application of piezoresistive stress sensors with high stability and wide detection range (50 kPa), as well as stretchable or bendable conductors.
Dearomatizative and Decarboxylative Reaction Cascade in the Aminocatalytic Synthesis of 3,4‐Dihydrocoumarins
Authors: Bojanowski Jan , Skrzyńska Anna , Albrecht Anna
Published: April 2019

Within the performed study, a dearomatizative and decarboxylative reaction cascade for the synthesis of biologically relevant 3,4‐dihydrocoumarins has been developed. It utilizes 2‐alkyl‐3‐furfural derivatives that under aminocatalytic conditions are transformed into dienamine‐like intermediates in a process that involves dearomatization of the furan ring. Subsequent [4+2]‐cycloaddition with coumarin‐3‐carboxylic acids proceeds with rearomatization of the furan moiety. In the last step of the cascade, the aminocatalyst is released via decarboxylative deamination to give target 3,4‐dihydrocoumarins with excellent enantio‐ and diastereocontrol.
Molecular Swings as Highly Active Ion Transporters
Authors: Ren Changliang , Chen Feng , Ye Ruijuan , Ong Yong Siang , Lu Hongfang , Lee Su Seong , Ying Jackie Y. , Zeng Huaqiang
Published: April 2019

Ions are transported across membrane mostly via carrier or channel mechanisms. Herein, a unique class of molecular‐machine‐inspired membrane transporters, termed molecular swings is reported that utilize a previously unexplored swing mechanism for promoting ion transport in a highly efficient manner. In particular, the molecular swing, which carries a 15‐crown‐5 unit as the ion‐binding and transporting unit, exhibits extremely high ion‐transport activities with EC50 values of 46 nm (a channel:lipid molar ratio of 1:4800 or 0.021 mol % relative to lipid) and 110 nm for K+ and Na+ ions, respectively. Remarkably, such ion transport activities remain high in a cholesterol‐rich environment, with EC50 values of 130 (0.045 mol % relative to lipid/cholesterol) and 326 nm for K+ and Na+ ions, respectively.
Metalloradicals Supported by a meta‐Carborane Ligand
Authors: Cui Peng‐Fei , Gao Yang , Guo Shu‐Ting , Lin Yue‐Jian , Li Zhen‐Hua , Jin Guo‐Xin
Published: April 2019

In this work, a pincer‐type complex [Cp*Ir‐(SNPh)(SNHPh)(C2B10H9)] (2) was synthesized and its reactivity studied in detail. Interestingly, molecular hydrogen can induce the transformation between the metalloradical [Cp*Ir‐(SNPh)2(C2B10H9)] (5.) and 2. A mixed‐valence complex, [(Cp*Ir)2‐(SNPh)2(C2B10H8)] (7.+), was also synthesized by one‐electron oxidation. Studies show that 7.+ is fully delocalized, possessing a four‐centered‐one‐electron (S‐Ir‐Ir‐S) bonding interaction. DFT calculations were also in good agreement with the experimental results.
Generating New Cross‐Relaxation Pathways by Coating Prussian Blue on NaNdF4 To Fabricate Enhanced Photothermal Agents
Authors: Yu Zhongzheng , Hu Wenbo , Zhao Hui , Miao Xiaofei , Guan Yan , Cai Weizheng , Zeng Zhiping , Fan Quli , Tan Timothy Thatt Yang
Published: April 2019

Cross‐relaxation among sensitizers is commonly regarded as deleterious in fluorescent materials, although favorable in photothermal agents. Herein, we coated Prussian blue (PB) on NaNdF4 nanoparticles to fabricate core–shell nanocomplexes with new cross relaxation pathways between the ladder‐like energy levels of Nd3+ ions and continuous energy band of PB. The photothermal conversion efficiency was improved exceptionally and the mechanism of the enhanced photothermal effect was investigated. In vivo photoacoustic imaging and photothermal therapy demonstrated the potential of the enhanced photothermal agents. Moreover, the concept of generating new cross‐relaxation pathways between different materials is proposed to contribute to the design of all kinds of enhanced photothermal agents.
Oxygen Evolution Reaction at Carbon Edge Sites: Investigation of Activity Evolution and Structure–Function Relationships with Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons
Authors: Lin Yangming , Lu Qing , Song Feihong , Yu Linhui , Mechler Anna K. , Schlögl Robert , Heumann Saskia
Published: April 2019

The abundance of available surface chemical information and edge structures of carbon materials have attracted tremendous interest in catalysis. For the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), the edge effects of carbon materials have rarely been studied in detail because of the complexity of various coexisting edge configurations and the controversy between carbon corrosion and carbon catalysis. Herein, the exact roles of common carbon active edge sites in the OER were interrogated using polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) with designated configurations (zigzag and armchair) as model probe molecules, with a focus on structure–function relationships. Zigzag configurations of PAHs showed high activity for the OER while also showing a good stability at a reasonable potential. They show a TOF value of 0.276 s−1 in 0.1 m KOH. The catalytic activity of carbon edge sites was further effectively regulated by extending the π conjugation structure at a molecular level.
Mechanical properties and drug release rate of poly(vinyl alcohol)/poly(ethylene glycol)/clay nanocomposite hydrogels: Correlation with structure and physical properties
Authors: Ghanaatian Effat , Entezam Mehdi
Published: April 2019

Poly(vinyl alcohol)/poly(ethylene glycol) hydrogels containing curcumin as a drug and the various amounts of a montmorillonite nanoclay are prepared using the freezing–thawing method. Nanoclay quantity influence on the physicomechanical properties and the drug release rate of the hydrogel as well as relationship between them is investigated. X‐Ray diffraction and Atomic force microscopy analysis reveal the nanoclays have an intercalation structure in the hydrogel, and the hydrogel crystallization decreases with increasing the nanoclay inclusion. From the SEM micrographs observation, it was revealed that due to the presence of the nanoclay in the hydrogel, its porosity decreased. The naonoclay has an amount‐depended dual effect on the hydrogel swelling. The swelling mechanism is a normal Fickian diffusion for all the hydrogel samples. Strong physical interactions between the nanoclays and the polymer chains in the nanocomposite hydrogels are evidenced by the rheological studies. These interactions lead to significant reinforcement of the hydrogel tensile strength, intensified by the nanoclay amount. Interestingly, the nanoclays show the capability of accelerating and, also, decelerating the drug release of the hydrogel. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019, 136, 47843.
Chlorinated cyanurates in drinking water: Measurement bias, stability, and disinfectant byproduct formation
Authors: Wahman David G. , Alexander Matthew T. , Dugan Alison G.
Published: April 2019

Two chlorinated cyanurates, commonly referred to as dichlor (anhydrous sodium dichloroisocyanurate or sodium dichloroisocyanurate dihydrate) and trichlor (trichloroisocyanuric acid), may be approved for use in U.S. drinking water systems as chlorine sources. One complication with dichlor or trichlor's application in drinking water is that the actual free chlorine concentration in these systems cannot be quantified accurately by currently approved methods. Based on known water chemistry, two hypothesized advantages of dichlor or trichlor use are potential increased residual chlorine stability and decreased regulated disinfectant byproduct (DBP) formation. To inform these practical considerations, the current research investigated measurement bias in N,N‐diethyl‐p‐phenylenediamine (colorimetric and portable parallel analyzer), indophenol, amperometric titration, and amperometric electrode free chlorine methods. In addition, hold studies using a surface water and dosed with either free chlorine only, dichlor, or trichlor provided the first side‐by‐side comparisons of disinfectant residual stability and regulated DBP formation.
Lignocellulose solubilization and conversion by extremely thermophilic Caldicellulosiruptor bescii improves by maintaining metabolic activity
Authors: Straub Christopher T. , Khatibi Piyum A. , Otten Jonathan K. , Adams Michael W. W. , Kelly Robert M.
Published: April 2019

The extreme thermophile Caldicellulosiruptor bescii solubilizes and metabolizes the carbohydrate content of lignocellulose, a process that ultimately ceases because of biomass recalcitrance, accumulation of fermentation products, inhibition by lignin moieties, and reduction of metabolic activity. Deconstruction of low loadings of lignocellulose (5 g/L), either natural or transgenic, whether unpretreated or subjected to hydrothermal processing, by C. bescii typically results in less than 40% carbohydrate solubilization. Mild alkali pretreatment (up to 0.09 g NaOH/g biomass) improved switchgrass carbohydrate solubilization by C. bescii to over 70% compared to less than 30% for no pretreatment, with two‐thirds of the carbohydrate content in the treated switchgrass converted to acetate and lactate. C. bescii grown on high loadings of unpretreated switchgrass (50 g/L) retained in a pH‐controlled bioreactor slowly purged (τ = 80 hr) with growth media without a carbon source improved carbohydrate solubilization to over 40% compared to batch culture at 29%. But more significant was the doubling of solubilized carbohydrate conversion to fermentation products, which increased from 40% in batch to over 80% in the purged system, an improvement attributed to maintaining the bioreactor culture in a metabolically active state. This strategy should be considered for optimizing solubilization and conversion of lignocellulose by C. bescii and other lignocellulolytic microorganisms.
Sensitive detection of glucagon aggregation using amyloid fibril‐specific antibodies
Authors: Stimple Samuel D. , Kalyoncu Sibel , Desai Alec A. , Mogensen Jesper E. , Spang Lotte T. , Asgreen Désirée J. , Staby Arne , Tessier Peter M.
Published: April 2019

Sensitive detection of protein aggregates is important for evaluating the quality of biopharmaceuticals and detecting misfolded proteins in several neurodegenerative diseases. However, it is challenging to detect extremely low concentrations (<10 ppm) of aggregated protein in the presence of high concentrations of soluble protein. Glucagon, a peptide hormone used in the treatment of extreme hypoglycemia, is aggregation‐prone and forms amyloid fibrils. Detection of glucagon fibrils using conformation‐specific antibodies is an attractive approach for identifying such aggregates during process and formulation development. Therefore, we have used yeast surface display and magnetic‐activated cell sorting to sort single‐chain antibody libraries to identify antibody variants with high conformational specificity for glucagon fibrils. Notably, we find several high‐affinity antibodies that display excellent selectivity for glucagon fibrils, and we have integrated these antibodies into a sensitive immunoassay. Surprisingly, the sensitivity of our assay—which involves direct (nonantibody mediated) glucagon immobilization in microtiter plates—can be significantly enhanced by pretreating the microtiter plates with various types of globular proteins before glucagon immobilization. Moreover, increased total concentrations of glucagon peptide also significantly improve the sensitivity of our assay, which appears to be due to the strong seeding activity of immobilized fibrils at high glucagon concentrations. Our final assay is highly sensitive (fibril detection limit of ~0.5–1 ppm) and is >20 times more sensitive than detection using a conventional, amyloid‐specific fluorescent dye (Thioflavin T). We expect that this type of sensitive immunoassay can be readily integrated into the drug development process to improve the generation of safe and potent peptide therapeutics.
Exploring the molecular genetic foundations of cancer biology and how biomedical advances are made in an advanced undergraduate course
Authors: Alexander Stephen , Hannink Mark
Published: April 2019

We describe an advanced, inquiry driven undergraduate course in Cancer Biology that combines faculty lectures typical of undergraduate courses with literature‐driven discussions typical of graduate courses. As a capstone course, one goal of this course is to integrate knowledge from previous coursework in physiology, cell and molecular biology, genetics, and chemistry, so that students acquire a state‐of‐the‐art understanding of cancer and cancer treatment. A related goal is for students to learn, from the primary literature, how science is performed and how new scientific knowledge is used to improve cancer treatment. We report on the development of this course and the methods used to accomplish the course goals. We present the results of a 5‐year survey that provides a detailed picture of the demographics of the class and demonstrates that the course results in improved understanding of both cancer biology and how science is performed. Student responses to our survey strongly support the use of original literature as a teaching tool. We suggest that incorporation of primary literature into advanced undergraduate science courses is an effective approach for improving scientific literacy. © 2019 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 47(4):408–416, 2019.
Learn how to steer clear of costly Clery compliance potholes
Authors: Hanson Hayley
Published: April 2019

Trends in recent Clery Act audits provide institutions with a roadmap for the biggest Clery potholes institutions can avoid. The U.S. Department of Education's continued focus on Clery is undisputed. In January 2019, ED raised the fine per Clery violation to $57,317. And fines have increased by more than $22,000 per violation in approximately the past three years, making it the largest three‐year increase since the law's 1990 inception.
Was student wrongly dismissed for academic reasons?
Authors: Gelpi Aileen
Published: April 2019

The plaintiff enrolled in the Nurse Anesthesia Program at the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 2014. Not long after she began a clinical rotation in August 2016, two evaluators wrote negative reviews of her performance.
Major hemorrhage in chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients in the US Veterans Health Administration system in the pre‐ibrutinib era: Incidence and risk factors
Authors: Georgantopoulos Peter , Yang Huiying , Norris LeAnn B. , Bennett Charles L.
Published: April 2019

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patients are at increased risk for major hemorrhage (MH). We examined incidence of and risk factors for MH in CLL patients before introduction of newer CLL therapies such as ibrutinib, which includes bleeding risk. This study included 24 198 CLL patients treated in the VA system before FDA approval of ibrutinib as CLL therapy. Data came from VA databases from 1999 to 2013. MH incidence was 1.9/100 person‐years (95% CI: 1.8‐1.9), with cumulative incidences of 2.3%, 5.2%, and 7.3% by year 1, 3, and 5, respectively. Median time from CLL diagnosis to MH was 2.8 years (range: 0‐15.7 years). In multivariate analyses, concurrent anticoagulant and antiplatelet use (HR: 4.2; 95% CI: 3.2‐5.6), anticoagulant use only (HR: 2.6; 95% CI: 2.3‐3.1), and antiplatelet use only (HR: 1.5; 95% CI: 1.3‐1.7) increased MH risk vs not receiving those medications; being nonwhite, male, having MH history, renal impairment, anemia, thrombocytopenia, and alcohol abuse were associated with increased MH risk. These pre‐ibrutinib data are important for providing context for interpreting MH risk in ibrutinib‐treated patients. As ibrutinib clinical use is increasing, updated analyses of MH risk among ibrutinib‐treated VA patients with CLL may provide additional useful insight.
The impact of husbands' involvement in goal‐setting training on women's empowerment: First evidence from an intervention among female microfinance borrowers in Sri Lanka
Authors: Huis Marloes Anne , Hansen Nina , Otten Sabine , Lensink Robert
Published: April 2019

Offering women access to microcredit and business training is a prominent approach to stimulate women's empowerment. Whereas men seem to profit from business training, women do not. We adjusted a goal‐setting training session on the basis of women's needs in collaboration with a women organization in Sri Lanka. We invited female microfinance borrowers and their husbands to the training as both parties should be involved to change existing gender roles with respect to their income‐generating activity. We investigated the impact of the training on goal‐setting skills, self‐esteem, and the couples' interaction in a subsequent task. In two field experiments, female borrowers and their husbands (nstudy1 = 68; nstudy2 = 76) were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: (a) goal‐setting training and setting goals as couple, (b) goal‐setting training and setting goals individually, or (c) no training (control condition). Participation in the training increased women's SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, time bound) goal‐setting skills. We coded couples' interactions in a subsequent decision‐making task to assess signs of women's empowerment. Descriptively, we found some initial evidence of increased women's empowerment in the interaction (Study 2). We critically discuss results and how gendered power imbalances may need to be addressed to stimulate social change towards gender equity.
Considerations on Probe Design for Affinity‐Guided Protein Conjugation
Authors: Mortensen Michael R. , Skovsgaard Mikkel B. , Gothelf Kurt V.
Published: April 2019

The plethora of methods developed for the creation of protein conjugates often differs significantly with regard to the heterogeneity of the resulting products, in the degree of genetic manipulation of the protein required, and in the technical skills required to perform the conjugation procedure. Affinity‐guided protein conjugation is a protein labeling methodology based on noncovalent binding interactions between a labeling probe and the protein of interest. These interactions increase the local concentration of a reactive group in the probe on the protein surface thus facilitating the conjugation in proximity of the complexation site. The ability to produce high‐quality conjugates from nongenetically modified proteins both in vitro, but also in cells, demonstrates the power of affinity‐guided protein conjugation. Here, we present the progress of affinity‐guided protein conjugation in relation to selective protein labeling in living systems and the formation of high‐quality protein conjugates. Furthermore, the probe design will be discussed in relation to the utility of the probe for labeling in vitro or in living systems.
ATP Inhibits the Transcription Factor STAT5b
Authors: Berg Angela , Sperl Bianca , Berg Thorsten
Published: April 2019

Although naturally occurring low‐molecular‐weight compounds have many known roles within the cell, these do not usually involve the direct inhibition of protein–protein interactions. Based on the results of high‐throughput screening of a library of bioactive compounds and neurotransmitters, we report here that the four nucleoside triphosphates ATP, GTP, CTP and UTP inhibit the SH2 domain of the tumor‐related transcription factor STAT5b. ATP and GTP are the most active nucleoside triphosphates and show specificity for STAT5b over STAT5a, STAT3, STAT6 and the p53‐binding protein HDM2. As the inhibition constant of ATP against STAT5b is significantly lower than published values for the intracellular ATP concentration, our data suggest that ATP might inhibit the protein–protein interactions of STAT5b in living cells.
Chemoenzymatic Synthesis of Fragrance Compounds from Stearic Acid
Authors: Meng Shuaiqi , Guo Jia , Nie Kaili , Tan Tianwei , Xu Haijun , Liu Luo
Published: April 2019

Fatty acids are versatile precursors for fuels, fine chemicals, polymers, perfumes, etc. The properties and applications of fatty acid derivatives depend on chain length and on functional groups and their positions. To tailor fatty acids for desired properties, an engineered P450 monooxygenase has been employed here for enhanced selective hydroxylation of fatty acids. After oxidation of the hydroxy groups to the corresponding ketones, Baeyer–Villiger oxidation could be applied to introduce an oxygen atom into the hydrocarbon chains to form esters, which were finally hydrolyzed to afford either hydroxylated fatty acids or dicarboxylic fatty acids. Using this strategy, we have demonstrated that the high‐value‐added flavors exaltolide and silvanone supra can be synthesized from stearic acid through a hydroxylation/carbonylation/esterification/hydrolysis/lactonization reaction sequence with isolated yields of about 36 % (for ω−1 hydroxylated stearic acid; 100, 60, 80, 75 % yields for the individual reactions, respectively) or 24 % (for ω−2 hydroxylated stearic acid). Ultimately, we obtained 7.91 mg of exaltolide and 13.71 mg of silvanone supra from 284.48 mg stearic acid.
Adverse events and modes of failure related to the FilterWire EZ Embolic Protection System: Lessons learned from an analytic review of the FDA MAUDE database
Authors: Khalid Nauman , Javed Hasan , Rogers Toby , Hashim Hayder , Shlofmitz Evan , Chen Yuefeng , Khan Jaffar M. , Musallam Anees , Torguson Rebecca , Bernardo Nelson L. , Waksman Ron
Published: April 2019

Objectives

To assess the commonly reported complications and failure modes for FilterWire EZ Embolic Protection Devices (EPD) by analyzing the postmarketing surveillance data from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Manufacturer and User Facility Device Experience (MAUDE) database.

Background

EPDs prevent distal embolization of atheroembolic materials during percutaneous interventions resulting in reduced microvascular obstruction and improved microcirculation while maintaining tissue perfusion. The FilterWire EZ EPD (Boston Scientific, Natick, MA) is approved for use in interventions of de novo saphenous vein grafts (SVG) and carotid artery stenosis. Robust data on the commonly reported complications and failure modes associated with the FilterWire EZ device are limited.

Methods

The MAUDE database was queried from September 1, 2008, through September 30, 2018, for FilterWire EZ system, yielding 474 reports. After exclusion of duplicate and incomplete reports, 464 device reports were included in the final analysis.

Results

Device‐related adverse events were most commonly reported for carotid (n = 281) and SVG (n = 101) interventions. The most commonly reported major complications were: ischemic stroke (n = 57), vessel perforation or dissection (n = 12), death (n = 8), and myocardial infarction (n = 5). Minor complications included: hypotension (n = 68), bradycardia (n = 41), and vasospasm (n = 27). The most commonly reported failure modes were: detachment and/or damage of the device components (n = 118), device entrapment (n = 90), and stent‐related issues (n = 46).

Conclusions

Analysis of the MAUDE dataset is helpful in identifying the commonly reported adverse events and failure modes of FilterWire EZ devices. This platform serves as an important tool for both physicians and manufacturers to optimize device performance and clinical outcomes.
Blend Time Measurement in the Confined Impeller Stirred Tank
Authors: Jairamdas Khilesh , Bhalerao Akshay , Machado Marcio Bezerra , Kresta Suzanne M.
Published: April 2019

An image processing technique is applied to measure the blend time in a confined impeller stirred tank (CIST). An acid‐base reaction is used to track mixing. The blend time is defined as the time taken to 95 % or 99 % of the pixels change color from purple to yellow. Six sets of impellers are employed: Rushtons, A310s, pitched‐blade turbines (PBTs; three different combinations of up‐ and down‐pumping), and Intermigs. Variation of the Reynolds number Re showed that the blend time becomes shorter with increasing Re and longer with higher viscosity. As Re drops below 225, compartmentalization becomes apparent and the decolorization percentage increases suddenly when the acid reaches each communication point between the impellers.
Intramolecular [2+2] Photocycloaddition of Cyclic Enones: Selectivity Control by Lewis Acids and Mechanistic Implications
Authors: Poplata Saner , Bauer Andreas , Storch Golo , Bach Thorsten
Published: April 2019

The intramolecular [2+2] photocycloaddition of 3‐alkenyl‐2‐cycloalkenones was performed in an enantioselective fashion (nine representative examples, 54–86 % yield, 76–96 % ee) upon irradiation at λ=366 nm in the presence of an AlBr3‐activated oxazaborolidine as the Lewis acid. An extensive screening of proline‐derived oxazaborolidines showed that the enantioface differentiation depends strongly on the nature of the aryl group at the 3‐position of the heterocycle. DFT calculations of the Lewis acid–substrate complex indicate that attractive dispersion forces may be responsible for a change of the binding mode. The catalytic [2+2] photocycloaddition was shown to proceed on the triplet hypersurface with a quantum yield of 0.05. The positive effect of Lewis acids on the outcome of a given intramolecular [2+2] photocycloaddition was illustrated by optimizing the key step in a concise total synthesis of the sesquiterpene (±)‐italicene.
Synthesis and Thermal Decomposition of Heavy Tetrylenes Bearing N‐Aminocarbazolyl Substituents
Authors: Hinz Alexander
Published: April 2019

The synthesis of the N‐aminocarbazole R‐NH2 (2) is reported. Subsequent reaction with bis[bis(trimethylsilyl)amido]tetrylenes E[N(SiMe3)2]2 (E=Ge, Sn, or Pb) allowed the isolation of formal hydrazidotetrylene derivatives, R−N(H)EN(SiMe3)2 (3) that includes the first example of a hydrazidoplumbylene to date. Thermal decomposition of these compounds resulted in the elimination of “NH” and afforded the tetrylenes R‐EN(SiMe3)2 (4).
Intramolecular Hydroamination of Selenoalkynes to 2‐Selenylindoles in the Absence of Catalyst
Authors: Coelho Felipe L. , Gil Eduarda S. , Gonçalves Paulo F. B. , Campo Leandra F. , Schneider Paulo H.
Published: April 2019

In this work, a series of 2‐chalcogenylindoles was synthesized by an efficient methodology, starting from chalcogenoalkynes, including a previously unreported tellurium indole derivative. For the first time, these 2‐substituted chalcogenylindoles were obtained in the absence of metal catalyst or base, under thermal conditions only. In addition, the results described herein represent a methodology with inverse regioselectivity for the chalcogen functionalization of indoles.