bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Inhibition of C298S mutant of human aldose reductase for antidiabetic applications: Evidence from in silico elementary mode analysis of biological network model
Authors: Khan Saif , Bhardwaj Tulika , Somvanshi Pallavi , Mandal Raju K. , Dar Sajad A. , Jawed Arshad , Wahid Mohd , Akhter Naseem , Lohani Mohtashim , Alouffi S. , Haque Shafiul
Published: April 2018

Human aldose reductase (hAR) is the key enzyme in sorbitol pathway of glucose utilization and is implicated in the etiology of secondary complications of diabetes, such as, cardiovascular complications, neuropathy, nephropathy, retinopathy, and cataract genesis. It reduces glucose to sorbitol in the presence of NADPH and the major cause of diabetes complications could be the change in the osmotic pressure due to the accumulation of sorbitol. An activated form of hAR (activated hAR or ahAR) poses a potential obstacle in the development of diabetes drugs as hAR‐inhibitors are ineffective against ahAR. The therapeutic efficacy of such drugs is compromised when a large fraction of the enzyme (hAR) undergoes conversion to the activated ahAR form as has been observed in the diabetic tissues. In the present study, attempts have been made to employ systems biology strategies to identify the elementary nodes of human polyol metabolic pathway, responsible for normal metabolic states, followed by the identification of natural potent inhibitors of the activated form of hAR represented by the mutant C298S for possible antidiabetic applications. Quantum Mechanical Molecular Mechanical docking strategy was used to determine the probable inhibitors of ahAR. Rosmarinic acid was found as the most potent natural ahAR inhibitor and warrants for experimental validation in the near future.
Low NR3C2 levels correlate with aggressive features and poor prognosis in non‐distant metastatic clear‐cell renal cell carcinoma
Authors: Zhao Zhijian , Zhang Mengping , Duan Xiaolu , Deng Tuo , Qiu Huijuan , Zeng Guohua
Published: April 2018

NR3C2 has previously been described as a tumor suppressor gene in several cancers; however the prognostic significance and biological function of NR3C2 in patients with non‐metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) remain largely unclear. The prognostic value of NR3C2 expression was evaluated using data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and 181 patients with non‐metastatic ccRCC undergoing nephrectomy in our center. Predictive nomograms were generated and identified independent prognosticators to assess ccRCC patient overall survival (OS) and progression free survival (PFS) at 1, 5, and 8 years. The functional involvement of NR3C2 in RCC was examined in both in vitro and in vivo models upon overexpression of NR3C2. NR3C2 was found to be downregulated in tumor tissues and was correlated with several clinicopathological parameters, including the T status (p <0.001) and histological Fuhrman grade (p = 0.002). Both Cox regression analysis and Kaplan‐Meier survival curves showed that low NR3C2 expression correlated with poor OS (HR = 2.21, p = 0.014) and PFS (HR = 1.71, p = 0.051). The incorporation of NR3C2 status into the T stage, UISS, or SSIGN scores helps to refine individual risk stratification. The newly built nomograms involving NR3C2 expression could better predict OS and PFS. Overexpression of NR3C2 inhibited RCC cell proliferation, colony formation, invasion, migration, and vasculogenic mimicry in vitro and reduced the growth of RCC xenografts in vivo. Together, these results suggest that NR3C2 may serve as a potential prognostic factor in non‐metastatic ccRCC patients after nephrectomy and is involved in RCC oncogenesis.
Testin was regulated by circRNA3175‐miR182 and inhibited endometrial epithelial cell apoptosis in pre‐receptive endometrium of dairy goats
Authors: Zhang Lei , Liu Xiaorui , Ma Xingna , Liu Yuexia , Che Sicheng , Cui Jiuzeng , An Xiaopeng , Cao Binyun , Song Yuxuan
Published: April 2018

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) in various tissues and cell types from mammalian sources have been studied. However, present knowledge on circRNAs in the development of pre‐receptive endometrium (PE) in dairy goats is limited. In the pre‐receptive endometrium of dairy goats, higher circRNA3175 (ciR3175) levels, lower miR‐182 levels and higher Testin (TES) levels were detected. And ciR3175 could decreased the miR‐182 levels by acting as a miRNA sponge, and miR‐182 could down‐regulated the expression level of TES via the predicted target site in endometrial epithelial cells (EECs) in vitro. Via this way, ciR3175 functioned as a competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNA) that sequestered miR‐182, thereby protecting TES transcripts from miR‐182‐mediated suppression in EECs in vitro. Further, TES inhibited EECs apoptosis by decreasing the expression level of BCL‐2/BAX via the MAPK pathway. Thus, a ciR3175‐miR182‐TES pathway in the endometrium was identified in EECs, and the modulation of which could emerge as a potential target in regulating the pre‐receptive endometrium development in dairy goats.
Mineralogical investigations using XRD, XRF, and Raman spectroscopy in a combined approach
Authors: Secchi Maria , Zanatta Marco , Borovin Evgeny , Bortolotti Mauro , Kumar Arun , Giarola Marco , Sanson Andrea , Orberger Beate , Daldosso Nicola , Gialanella Stefano , Mariotto Gino , Montagna Maurizio , Lutterotti Luca
Published: April 2018

The identification of mineralogical phases in drill cores is one of the most challenging tasks in the mining activity in view of an efficient metal extraction. This process requires the analytical characterization of large volumes of material to obtain a complete set of data in a minimum of time. None of the commonly used methods in mineralogical analyses, such as IR‐based techniques, X‐rays fluorescence, and hyperspectral imaging, is capable to provide a fully satisfactory response for several reasons, the main one being the complexity of the ores. Moreover, the characterization is often conducted in remote laboratories and only on selected samples to limit the time waste. A possible alternative solution requires a multianalytical approach exploiting on‐field techniques. This strategy is currently being developed within SOLSA, a joint EU H2020 project, and consists of an automatic expert system coupling sonic drilling, imaging, profilometer, hyperspectral cameras, and a combination of Raman spectroscopy, X‐rays fluorescence, and X‐rays diffraction. In this work, the principles on which this cooperative approach is based are discussed, with application to two specific test samples, showing the potential and novelty of the method. In particular, a case is considered in which the sample characterization by the separate use of a single technique fails, whereas the combination of the three analyses (Raman spectroscopy, X‐rays fluorescence, and X‐rays diffraction) works even if the system is very complex.
Understanding the effect of emulsifiers on bread aeration during breadmaking
Authors: Garzón Raquel , Hernando Isabel , Llorca Empar , Rosell Cristina M
Published: April 2018

BACKGROUND

Much research has been done to explain the action of emulsifiers during breadmaking, but there is still plenty unknown to elucidate their functionality despite their diverse chemical structure. The aim of the present study was to provide some light on the role of emulsifiers on air incorporation into the dough and gas bubbles progress during baking and their relationship with bread features. Emulsifiers like diacetyl tartaric acid ester of monoglycerides (DATEM), sodium stearoyl lactylate (SSL), distilled monoglyceride (DMG‐45 and DMG‐75), lecithin and polyglycerol esters of fatty acids (PGEF) were tested in very hydrated doughs.

RESULTS

Emulsifiers increase the maximum dough volume during proofing. Emulsifiers increase the number of bubbles incorporated during mixing, observing higher number of bubbles, particularly with PGEF. Major changes in dough occurred at 70 K when bubble size augmented, becoming more heterogeneous. DMG‐75 produced the biggest bubbles. As a consequence, emulsifiers tend to increase the number of gas cells with lower size in the bread crumb, but led to greater crumb firmness, which suggested different interactions between emulsifiers and gluten, affecting protein polymerization during baking.

CONCLUSION

The progress of the bubbles during baking allowed the differentiation of emulsifiers, which could explain their performance in breadmaking. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry
Gold lotion from citrus peel extract ameliorates imiquimod‐induced psoriasis‐like dermatitis in murine
Authors: Lin Chi‐Chien , Wu Jung‐Ju , Pan Yi‐Gen , Chao Ya‐Hsuan , Lin Fang‐Chu , Lee Ying‐Ray , Chu Ching‐Liang
Published: April 2018

BACKGROUND

Gold lotion (GL), a natural mixed product made from the peels of six citrus fruits, has recently been identified as possessing anti‐oxidative, anti‐inflammatory, and immunomodulatory effects. GL has been used to protect skin against UV‐induced damage, but its activity against psoriasis, a chronic autoimmune skin disease caused by dysregulation between immune cells and keratinocytes, is not known. We therefore evaluated the effect of GL on imiquimod (IMQ)‐induced psoriasis‐like inflammation in mice.

RESULTS

GL treatment significantly attenuated IMQ‐induced psoriasis‐like symptoms in mice. The inflammatory cytokines upregulated by IMQ in skin lesions were also inhibited by feeding GL. In addition, GL treatment reduced the infiltration of CD4+ T cells/neutrophils in skin lesions and the percentage of IL‐17‐/IL‐22‐producing T cells in lymph nodes. Furthermore, GL impaired IMQ‐induced type I interferon production by plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) in vitro.

CONCLUSION

Our results indicate GL can act to suppress the initiation of psoriasis and strongly suggest that GL may have potential to be applied to the treatment of psoriasis. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry
Simultaneous analysis of multiple urinary biomarkers for the evaluation of oxidative stress by automated online in‐tube solid‐phase microextraction coupled with negative/positive ion‐switching mode liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry
Authors: Saito Akihiro , Hamano Mariko , Kataoka Hiroyuki
Published: April 2018

This study described an automated online method for the simultaneous determination of 8‐isoprostane, 8‐hydroxy‐2′‐deoxyguanosine, and 3‐nitro‐l‐tyrosine in human urine. The method involves in‐tube solid‐phase microextraction using a Carboxen 1006 PLOT capillary column as an extraction device, followed by liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry using a CX column and detection in the negative/positive switching ion‐mode by multiple reaction monitoring. Using their stable isotope‐labeled internal standards, each of these oxidative stress biomarkers showed good linearity from 0.02 to 2.0 ng/mL. Their detection limits (S/N = 3) were 3.4–21.5 pg/mL, and their intra‐ and inter‐day precisions (relative standard deviations) were >3.9 and 6.5% (n = 5), respectively. This method was applied successfully to the analysis of urine samples, without any other pretreatment and interference peaks.
Reducing soil loss using surface application of stem juices
Authors: Wei Xia , Huang Chihua , Wei Ning , Zhao Hengce , Wang Tao
Published: April 2018

Controlling soil erosion is essential in maintaining and sustaining soil and water resources. Soil amendment is recognized to be an efficient approach for erosion limit. So far, very few studies quantified the effectiveness of plant stem juice, a natural by‐product from fibre extraction, as a soil amendment. The purpose of the research was to assess the effect of corn stem juice (CSJ) and grape stem juice (GSJ) on soil aggregation (mean weight diameter [MWD] and water stable aggregate), soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, runoff, and soil loss using a sequence of simulated rains at 60 min 50 mm hr−1, 20 min 25 mm hr−1, 10 min 75 mm hr−1, and 10 min 100 mm hr−1. Both CSJ and GSJ were uniformly applied on the 3 air‐dried soil surface of 0.96‐m2 soil boxes with 2 L of, respectively, 25% and 50% stem juice solution. All stem juice treatments increased soil MWD, water stable aggregate, soil organic carbon, and total nitrogen but reduced runoff and soil loss. CSJ was more effective than GSJ. As for instance, as compared with the control, CSJ increased MWD by 170%, and soil loss decreased from 82% to 95%, whereas GSJ increased MWD by 109–131% and reduced soil loss by 27–36% during the 60 min 50 mm hr−1 rain. The stronger effect of CSJ might have been caused by higher carbon and nutrient contents than those from GSJ. The results also pointed to temporary benefits of stem juice applications, which pointed to the need of reapplying CSJ after a period or targeting application during critical period for soil conservation.
Abnormally wide eustachian tubes involving the sphenoid bone: A collection
Authors: Falkenberg‐Jensen Benedicte , Heimdal Ketil R. , Høgevold Hans Erik , Jablonski Greg E. , Due‐Tønnessen Bernt J. , Hopp Einar
Published: April 2018

Objectives

To present nine patients with an abnormal widened bony Eustachian tube running anteriorly in the skull base through the sphenoid bone.

Methods

Patients with a particular anomaly in the bony Eustachian tube incidentally found on CT examinations were registered consecutively over a period of four years.

Results

Nine patients had the anomaly, eight unilaterally and one bilaterally. All our patients had additional anomalies involving the outer, middle, and/or inner ear.

Conclusion

The consequences of this anomaly remain unknown, but the presence of the widened, bony ET should increase the awareness for complex temporal bone deformities and vice versa.

Level of Evidence

4.
Cytidine‐5'‐Diphosphocholine Protects the Liver From Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury Preserving Mitochondrial Function and Reducing Oxidative Stress
Authors: Zazueta Cecilia , Buelna‐Chontal Mabel , Macías‐López Arturo , Román‐Anguiano Nadia G. , González‐Pacheco Héctor , Pavón Natalia , Springall Rashidi , Aranda‐Frausto Alberto , Bojalil Rafael , Silva‐Palacios Alejandro , Velázquez‐Espejel Rodrigo , Galvan Arzate Sonia , Correa Francisco
Published: April 2018

Cytidine‐5'‐diphosphocholine (CDP‐choline) participates as an intermediary in the synthesis of phosphatidylcholine, an essential component of cellular membranes. Citicoline treatment has shown beneficial effects in cerebral ischemia, but its potential to diminish reperfusion damage in liver has not been explored. In this work, we evaluated the hepatoprotective effect of citicoline and its possible association with inflammatory/oxidative stress and mitochondrial function because they are the main cellular features of reperfusion damage. Ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) in rat livers was performed with the Pringle's maneuver, clamping the 3 elements of the pedicle (hepatic artery, portal vein, and biliary tract) for 30 minutes and then removing the clamp to allow hepatic reperfusion for 60 minutes. The I/R + citicoline group received the compound before I/R. Liver injury was evaluated by measuring aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase as well as lactic acid levels in serum; proinflammatory cytokines, proresolving lipid mediators, and nuclear factor kappa B content were determined as indicators of the inflammatory response. Antioxidant effects were evaluated by measuring markers of oxidative stress and antioxidant molecules. Oxygen consumption and the activities of the respiratory chain were used to monitor mitochondrial function. CDP‐choline reduced aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), as well as lactic acid levels in blood samples from reperfused rats. Diminution in tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF‐α) and increase in the proresolving lipid mediator resolvin D1 were also observed in the I/R+citicoline group, in comparison with the I/R group. Oxidative/nitroxidative stress in hepatic mitochondria concurred with deregulation of oxidative phosphorylation, which was associated with the loss of complex III and complex IV activities. In conclusion, CDP‐choline attenuates liver damage caused by ischemia and reperfusion by reducing oxidative stress and maintaining mitochondrial function. Liver Transplantation XX XX‐XX 2018 AASLD.
Low Preoperative Platelet Count Predicts Risk of Subclinical Posthepatectomy Liver Failure in Right Lobe Donors for Liver Transplantation
Authors: Yoshino Kenji , Taura Kojiro , Ikeno Yoshinobu , Okuda Yukihiro , Nishio Takahiro , Yamamoto Gen , Seo Satoru , Yagi Shintaro , Hata Koichiro , Kaido Toshimi , Okajima Hideaki , Uemoto Shinji
Published: April 2018

Living donor right hepatectomy (LDRH) is a common procedure in adult‐to‐adult living donor liver transplantation, but it is associated with a higher risk of posthepatectomy liver failure (PHLF) compared with left hepatectomy because of a smaller remnant. We identified risk factors for PHLF and other complications in LDRH, verified the appropriateness of the criteria, and explored the possibility of adjusting the minimum remnant liver volume (RLV) based on individual risk. Between October 2005 and November 2017, 254 donors undergoing LDRH at Kyoto University Hospital were enrolled. Clinical data were collected retrospectively. All complications were graded according to the Clavien‐Dindo classification. No donors had grade 4 or 5 complications or clinically significant grade B or C PHLF. Grade A PHLF occurred in 30 donors (11.8%). Male sex (P = 0.01), lower preoperative platelet count (PLT; P = 0.01), higher prothrombin time–international normalized ratio (P = 0.03), higher total bilirubin (P = 0.01), smaller RLV (P = 0.03), and greater blood loss (P = 0.04) were associated with increased risk of PHLF in the univariate analysis, whereas PLT, RLV, and blood loss remained significant in the multivariate analysis. Grade 2 or 3 complications were observed in 32 (12.6%) donors. Higher body mass index (BMI; P = 0.002) and larger blood loss (P = 0.02) were identified as risk factors for complications (Clavien‐Dindo grade ≥ 2) in univariate analysis. Only BMI remained significant in the multivariate analysis. In conclusion, LDRH is performed safely with acceptable morbidity under the current criteria. Minimum RLV may be marginally adjusted by PLT and reducing intraoperative blood loss minimizes PHLF risk. Liver Transplantation 00 000–000 2018 AASLD.
Effect of prey‐taxis and diffusion on positive steady states for a predator‐prey system
Authors: Gao Jianping , Guo Shangjiang
Published: April 2018

In this paper, we consider a generalized predator‐prey system with prey‐taxis under the Neumann boundary condition. We investigate the local and global asymptotical stability of constant steady states (including trivial, semitrivial, and interior constant steady states). On the basis of a priori estimate and the fixed‐point index theory, several sufficient conditions for the nonexistence/existence of nonconstant positive solutions are given.
A mathematical model of skeletal muscle regeneration
Authors: Stephenson Elizabeth R. , Kojouharov Hristo V.
Published: April 2018

A novel mathematical model of skeletal muscle regeneration is introduced. It consists of a system of six ordinary differential equations modeling the response of healthy mammalian skeletal muscle tissue to sudden and severe damage. The system is studied analytically to determine its equilibria and their corresponding stability properties. A sensitivity analysis is also conducted to examine the parameters' influence on the system. A set of numerical simulations is performed to simulate various damage and healing scenarios, with and without medical intervention. This model can be used by medical doctors and scientists to forecast the outcomes of medicinal treatments prior to implementation and to guide future laboratory experiments.
Knowledge‐based automated planning for oropharyngeal cancer
Authors: Babier Aaron , Boutilier Justin J. , McNiven Andrea L. , Chan Timothy C.Y.
Published: April 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to automatically generate radiation therapy plans for oropharynx patients by combining knowledge‐based planning (KBP) predictions with an inverse optimization (IO) pipeline.

Methods

We developed two KBP approaches, the bagging query (BQ) method and the generalized principal component analysis‐based (gPCA) method, to predict achievable dose–volume histograms (DVHs). These approaches generalize existing methods by predicting physically feasible organ‐at‐risk (OAR) and target DVHs in sites with multiple targets. Using leave‐one‐out cross validation, we applied both models to a large dataset of 217 oropharynx patients. The predicted DVHs were input into an IO pipeline that generated treatment plans (BQ and gPCA plans) via an intermediate step that estimated objective function weights for an inverse planning model. The KBP predictions were compared to the clinical DVHs for benchmarking. To assess the complete pipeline, we compared the BQ and gPCA plans to both the predictions and clinical plans. To isolate the effect of the KBP predictions, we put clinical DVHs through the IO pipeline to produce clinical inverse optimized (CIO) plans. This approach also allowed us to estimate the complexity of the clinical plans. The BQ and gPCA plans were benchmarked against the CIO plans using DVH differences and clinical planning criteria. Iso‐complexity plans (relative to CIO) were also generated and evaluated.

Results

The BQ method tended to predict that less dose is delivered than what was observed in the clinical plans while the gPCA predictions were more similar to clinical DVHs. Both populations of KBP predictions were reproduced with inverse plans to within a median DVH difference of 3 Gy. Clinical planning criteria for OARs were satisfied most frequently by the BQ plans (74.4%), by 6.3% points more than the clinical plans. Meanwhile, target criteria were satisfied most frequently by the gPCA plans (90.2%), and by 21.2% points more than clinical plans. However, once the complexity of the plans was constrained to that of the CIO plans, the performance of the BQ plans degraded significantly. In contrast, the gPCA plans still satisfied more clinical criteria than both the clinical and CIO plans, with the most notable improvement being in target criteria.

Conclusion

Our automated pipeline can successfully use DVH predictions to generate high‐quality plans without human intervention. Between the two KBP methods, gPCA plans tend to achieve comparable performance as clinical plans, even when controlling for plan complexity, whereas BQ plans tended to underperform.
Motion‐compensated image reconstruction vs postreconstruction correction in respiratory‐binned SPECT with standard and reduced‐dose acquisitions
Authors: Song Chao , Yang Yongyi , Qi Wenyuan , Wernick Miles N. , Pretorius P. Hendrik , King Michael A.
Published: April 2018

Purpose

Cardiac perfusion images in single‐photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) can suffer from respiratory motion blur. We investigated a reconstruction approach for correcting respiratory motion in respiratory‐binned acquisitions and assessed the benefit of this approach in both standard dose and reduced dose.

Methods

We modeled the acquired data from different respiratory bins by a joint probability distribution which was parameterized with respect to a common reference bin. The acquired data from all the respiratory bins were then utilized simultaneously for determining the source distribution in the reference bin using maximum a posteriori (MAP) estimation. We evaluated this approach with simulated imaging data and ten sets of clinical acquisitions, and compared it with a postreconstruction motion correction approach developed previously. We quantified the accuracy of the reconstruction results both at standard dose and with imaging dose reduced by 50% and 75%, respectively.

Results

The proposed motion‐compensated reconstruction (MCR) approach led to improved reconstruction of the myocardium in terms of both noise level and LV wall resolution. Compared to traditional acquisition (without motion correction), the proposed approach reduced the mean squared error of the image intensity in the myocardium by 27.59%, 20.59%, and 12.05% at full, half‐, and quarter dose, respectively; the LV resolution, quantified by the full width at half‐maximum (FWHM), was improved by 17.34%, 14.35%, and 12.95% at full, half‐, and quarter dose, respectively; in addition, the proposed approach also improved the perfusion defect detectability at both full dose and reduced dose. Furthermore, with motion correction, the reconstruction results obtained at half‐dose were comparable to that obtained at full dose without correction. Similar improvements were also demonstrated in the clinical acquisitions at different dose levels.

Conclusions

Respiratory motion correction in perfusion SPECT can improve the reconstruction of the myocardium at both standard and reduced dose. At half‐dose, the results obtained with motion correction are comparable to that of traditional reconstruction obtained at full dose. MCR can be more accurate than postreconstruction correction.
A unified material decomposition framework for quantitative dual‐ and triple‐energy CT imaging
Authors: Zhao Wei , Vernekohl Don , Han Fei , Han Bin , Peng Hao , Yang Yong , Xing Lei , Min James K
Published: April 2018

Purpose

Many clinical applications depend critically on the accurate differentiation and classification of different types of materials in patient anatomy. This work introduces a unified framework for accurate nonlinear material decomposition and applies it, for the first time, in the concept of triple‐energy CT (TECT) for enhanced material differentiation and classification as well as dual‐energy CT (DECT).

Methods

We express polychromatic projection into a linear combination of line integrals of material‐selective images. The material decomposition is then turned into a problem of minimizing the least‐squares difference between measured and estimated CT projections. The optimization problem is solved iteratively by updating the line integrals. The proposed technique is evaluated by using several numerical phantom measurements under different scanning protocols. The triple‐energy data acquisition is implemented at the scales of micro‐CT and clinical CT imaging with commercial “TwinBeam” dual‐source DECT configuration and a fast kV switching DECT configuration. Material decomposition and quantitative comparison with a photon counting detector and with the presence of a bow‐tie filter are also performed.

Results

The proposed method provides quantitative material‐ and energy‐selective images examining realistic configurations for both DECT and TECT measurements. Compared to the polychromatic kV CT images, virtual monochromatic images show superior image quality. For the mouse phantom, quantitative measurements show that the differences between gadodiamide and iodine concentrations obtained using TECT and idealized photon counting CT (PCCT) are smaller than 8 and 1 mg/mL, respectively. TECT outperforms DECT for multicontrast CT imaging and is robust with respect to spectrum estimation. For the thorax phantom, the differences between the concentrations of the contrast map and the corresponding true reference values are smaller than 7 mg/mL for all of the realistic configurations.

Conclusions

A unified framework for both DECT and TECT imaging has been established for the accurate extraction of material compositions using currently available commercial DECT configurations. The novel technique is promising to provide an urgently needed solution for several CT‐based diagnostic and therapy applications, especially for the diagnosis of cardiovascular and abdominal diseases where multicontrast imaging is involved.
Identification and comparative analysis of the ovary and testis microRNAome of mud crab Scylla paramamosain
Authors: Jia Xiwei , Zhou Mingcan , Zou Zhihua , Lin Peng , Wang Yilei , Zhang Ziping
Published: April 2018

The role of microRNA (miRNA) in reproductive regulation is attracting increasingly more attention. In this study, we obtained 9,643,114 and 15,498,999 raw reads from the ovary and testis library of important farmed mud crab Scylla paramamosain, respectively. After data mining, a total of 4,096,464 and 11,737,973 mappable small RNA sequences remained for analysis. By mapping to the reference genome and expressed sequence tag (EST) of Daphnia pulex and other crabs, a total of 1,417 miRNAs were identified. On the basis of 1,417 miRNAs, 514 (36.3%) unique miRNAs coexpressed in the gonad of female and male libraries, and 336 (23.7%) and 567 (40%) expressed preferentially in female and male libraries, respectively. Analysis of library sequencing data resulted in the identiﬁcation of 108 miRNAs (out of 1,417; 7.6%) that showed signiﬁcant differential expression between the two samples. Of these, 13 miRNAs were expressed only in the testis, two miRNAs were expressed only in the ovary, and 93 miRNAs were coexpressed: 57 (61.3%) were upregulated (ovary/testis) and 36 (38.7%) were downregulated (ovary/testis). To confirm the expression patterns of the predicted miRNAs, we randomly selected 14 candidate miRNAs from 108 differentially expressed miRNAs and performed stem–loop real time quantitative PCR (RT‐qPCR) assays in five ovary developing stages. Five miRNAs showed similar expression patterns in almost every stage as those revealed by identification of differentially expressed genes (IDEG6) analysis. The above five miRNAs were predicted to match the 3′‐untranslated region of the published S. paramamosain gene. Four out of five miRNA had a regulation effect on many genes, especially the genes related to gonadal development.
Muscle‐ultrasound evaluation in healthy pediatric subjects: Age‐related normative data
Authors: Lori Silvia , Lolli Francesco , Molesti Elisabetta , Bastianelli Maria , Gabbanini Simonetta , Saia Valentina , Trapani Sara , Marinoni Marinella
Published: April 2018

Introduction: The muscle ultrasound examination (MUS) is a noninvasive and inexpensive technique for evaluating neuromyopathies. Standardized MUS normative data are incomplete in pediatric subjects. Methods: We performed a MUS study with 120 healthy children (59 males; mean age, 10.44 years; age range, 2–16 years). We measured the width and the echogenicity bilaterally in the following muscles: biceps brachii and brachialis, brachioradialis, forearm‐flexors, rectus femoris and vastus intermedius, tibialis anterior, extensor hallucis longus, lateral and medial gastrocnemius. Results: The muscle thickness increased with age for all muscles. Confidence limits were set for each age group muscle width. Echogenicity increased with age only in some muscles. Discussions: Our MUS study provides new data on physiological muscle structural changes in healthy children to address the limited available references in this age group. Muscle Nerve 58: 245–250, 2018
Anaesthetizing children—From a nurse anaesthetist's perspective—A qualitative study
Authors: Danielsson Lena , Lundström Marie‐Louise , Holmström Inger K. , Kerstis Birgitta
Published: April 2018

Aim

The aim of this study was to describe nurse anaesthetists' experiences of encountering and caring for children in connection to anaesthesia.

Design

Qualitative design.

Methods

Sixteen written narratives based on eight nurse anaesthetists' experiences of meeting children was analysed using qualitative content analysis.

Results

The overarching theme was: “anaesthetizing children is a complex caring situation, including interactions with the child and parents as well as ensuring patient safety, affected by the perioperative team and organizational prerequisites”. The nurses stated that in their interaction with the family, their goal was to ensure that children and parents felt secure and calm. “Striving to work in confidence” underlined the team and organizational influences. Encountering children involves more than knowledge about technical equipment, procedures and drugs. Knowledge about children's development and fears and parents' needs are essential for an optimal caring situation. Organizations need to realize that extra time, skills and resources are needed to safely anaesthetize children.
Statistical mixture design investigation for extraction and quantitation of aporphine alkaloids from the leaves of Unonopsis duckei R.E. Fr. by HPLC–MS/MS
Authors: Rocha Pablo R. N. , de Freitas Flávio A. , Angolini Célio F. F. , Vasconcelos Lucas‐Smith F. , da Silva Alaíde L. B. , Costa Emmanoel V. , da Silva Felipe M. A. , Eberlin Marcos N. , Bataglion Giovana A. , Soares Patrícia K. , Koolen Hector H. F.
Published: April 2018

Introduction

Alkaloids‐derived drugs are a billionaire world‐market and several phytochemical investigations aim the identification of new sources and/or structures. Thus, improving the way of extracting and methods to quantify them are of utmost importance.

Objective

To quantify isoquinoline‐derived alkaloids in Unonopsis duckei R.E. Fr. through a new validated high‐performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC–MS/MS) method in combination with a statistical mixture design that aimed a proper direct extraction of these compounds from leaves.

Methodology

Extracts were obtained with acetone, methanol, chloroform, and n‐hexane in different combinations and proportions. Chemometrics were applied in order to compare peak areas, and therefore evaluate synergism and antagonism effects between the solvents. After selection of extraction solvent, the quantification was validated and applied in the best solvent combination to quantify the main alkaloids in U. duckei.

Results

Chemometrics indicated a synergistic effect between chloroform and methanol solvents, thus improving alkaloid extraction and extract yield. Analytes were quantified in a 15‐min method, with limits of detection (LODs) between 0.5 and 5.2 ng/mL and limits of quantification (LOQs) between 1.6 and 17.2 ng/mL. The accuracy ranged between 80 and 120%. Coefficients of variation were lower than 17.42% at all concentrations. Concentrations of the alkaloids in U. duckei varied from 6.79 to 131.10 μg/g of dried leaf and glaziovine was found to be the main compound.

Conclusion

The integration of simplex centroid model and quantification by HPLC‐MS/MS is promising. Statistical optimisation of the alkaloid extraction and application of selective, sensitive and robust HPLC–MS/MS method will contribute to quality control applications in phytotherapeutic medicines.
Synthesis of furan dimer‐based polyamides with a high melting point
Authors: Miyagawa Naoki , Suzuki Toyoko , Okano Kentaro , Matsumoto Takuya , Nishino Takashi , Mori Atsunori
Published: April 2018

Polyamide composed of furan dimer, which is prepared from biomass‐derived organic molecule 2‐furfural, is synthesized. The reaction of 2,2′‐furan dimer 5,5′‐dicarbonyl chloride with several 1,ω‐diamines was carried out with a solution or interfacial polycondensation leading to the corresponding polyamide. Measurement of the melting point was performed resulting to exhibit a higher temperature compared with the related polyamide bearing a single furan ring composed of furan‐2,5‐dicarboxylic acid (FDCA). Thermal analyses (TG–DTA) also indicated higher temperatures of decomposition than those of FDCA‐derived polyamide. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2018, 56, 1516–1519
Global stabilization for a class of stochastic nonlinear systems with SISS‐like conditions and time delay
Authors: Zhang Weihai , Xue Lingrong , Jiang Xiushan
Published: April 2018

The global stabilization problem for a class of stochastic time‐delay nonlinear systems with stochastic‐input‐to‐state‐stable–like conditions is investigated. Different from the existing results, the nonlinear growing conditions are more general, and the existences of the state and input time delays make the work more challenging in the control design and stability analysis. By introducing an appropriate gain‐scaling method and using a homogeneous domain control strategy, a delay‐independent controller is constructed to ensure that the equilibrium at the origin of the closed‐loop system is globally asymptotically stable in probability. Examples are given to show the validness of the proposed method.
A new methodology to compute stabilizing control laws for continuous‐time LTV systems
Authors: Agulhari Cristiano M. , Garcia Germain , Tarbouriech Sophie , Peres Pedro L. D.
Published: April 2018

This paper is devoted to the problem of computing control laws for the stabilization of continuous‐time linear time‐varying systems. First, a necessary and sufficient condition to assess the stability of a linear time‐varying system based on the norm of the transition matrix computed over a sequence of successive finite‐time intervals is proposed. A link with a stability condition for an equivalent discrete‐time model is also established. Then, 3 approaches for the computation of stabilizing state‐feedback gains are proposed: a continuous‐time technique, ie, directly derived from the stability condition, not suitable for numerical implementation; a method based on the stabilization of the discrete‐time equivalent model along with a transformation to generate the desired continuous‐time gain; and the computation of stabilizing gains for a set of periodic discrete‐time systems. Finally, by adapting one of the existing methods for the stabilization of periodic discrete‐time systems, an algorithm for the computation of a stabilizing state‐feedback continuous‐time gain is proposed. A numerical example illustrates the validity of the technique.
Synthesis of Piperidines via Intramolecular Hydride Transfer from α‐Amino sp3 Carbon Atoms to Ethenetricarboxylate‐Derived Fragments and Further Cyclization
Authors: Yamazaki Shoko , Naito Taku , Tatsumi Taiki , Kakiuchi Kiyomi
Published: April 2018

The cyclization of amides derived from ethenetricarboxylic acid bearing tert‐amino groups has been examined. The amides were efficiently converted to piperidine derivatives (2‐piperidones) upon heating in a polar solvent (e. g., DMSO or DMF) via intramolecular hydride transfer and subsequent ring closure. The reaction was less efficient in the presence of a Lewis acid. The reactivity varies depending on the alkyl substituents of tert‐amino groups, probably due to steric effects. The hydride transfer/cyclization mechanism was investigated by DFT calculations. The reaction of the carboxylic acid and relatively bulky diamines such as diisopropyl‐substituted diamine in the presence of amide condensation reagents at 60 °C gave the piperidine derivatives in a one‐pot reaction. The reaction of the diisopropylamine substituted piperidine product with primary amines gave secondary amine‐substituted piperidines.
Three‐Dimensional Macroporous Graphitic Carbon for Supercapacitor Application
Authors: Salunkhe Rahul R. , Wang Jie , Alowasheeir Azhar , Lin Jianjian , Malgras Victor , Bando Yoshio , Zakaria Mohamed B. , Alshehri Abdulmohsen Ali , Kim Jeonghun , Yamauchi Yusuke , Wu Kevin C.‐W.
Published: April 2018

Two‐dimensional (2D) graphene materials have attracted great interest as promising electrode materials in supercapacitors due to their high electrical conductivity derived from sp2‐cabon network. These 2D layered materials, however, tend to stack with each other, which largely decreases the surface area. Here we report the design of highly graphitic macroporous carbon with large surface area suitable for supercapacitor applications. When benchmarked with other carbon materials, such as amorphous macroporous carbon, activated carbon, graphite or exfoliated graphene oxides, our graphitic macroporous carbon show superior capacitance.
3d expansions of 5d instanton partition functions
Authors: Nieri Fabrizio , Pan Yiwen , Zabzine Maxim
Published: April 2018

Abstract

We propose a set of novel expansions of Nekrasov’s instanton partition functions. Focusing on 5d supersymmetric pure Yang-Mills theory with unitary gauge group on

$$ {\mathrm{\mathbb{C}}}_{q,{t}^{-1}}^2\times {\mathbb{S}}^1 $$

ℂ

q
,

t

−
1

2

×

S
1

, we show that the instanton partition function admits expansions in terms of partition functions of unitary gauge theories living on the 3d subspaces

$$ {\mathrm{\mathbb{C}}}_q\times {\mathbb{S}}^1 $$

ℂ
q

×

S
1

,

$$ {\mathrm{\mathbb{C}}}_{t^{-1}}\times {\mathbb{S}}^1 $$

ℂ

t

−
1

×

S
1

and their intersection along

$$ {\mathbb{S}}^1 $$

S
1

. These new expansions are natural from the BPS/CFT viewpoint, as they can be matched with W

q,t
correlators involving an arbitrary number of screening charges of two kinds. Our constructions generalize and interpolate existing results in the literature.
Supertrace formulae for nonlinearly realized supersymmetry
Authors: Murli Divyanshu , Yamada Yusuke
Published: April 2018

Abstract

We derive the general supertrace formula for a system with N chiral superfields and one nilpotent chiral superfield in global and local supersymmetry. The nilpotent multiplet is realized by taking the scalar-decoupling limit of a chiral superfield breaking supersymmetry spontaneously. As we show, however, the modified formula is not simply related to the scalar-decoupling limit of the supertrace in linearly-realized supersymmetry. We also show that the supertrace formula reduces to that of a linearly realized supersymmetric theory with a decoupled sGoldstino if the Goldstino is the fermion in the nilpotent multiplet.
Collider tests of the Renormalizable Coloron Model
Authors: Bai Yang , Dobrescu Bogdan A.
Published: April 2018

Abstract

The coloron, a massive version of the gluon present in gauge extensions of QCD, has been searched for at the LHC as a dijet or top quark pair resonance. We point out that in the Renormalizable Coloron Model (ReCoM) with a minimal field content to break the gauge symmetry, a color-octet scalar and a singlet scalar are naturally lighter than the coloron because they are pseudo Nambu-Goldstone bosons. Consequently, the coloron may predominantly decay into scalar pairs, leading to novel signatures at the LHC. When the color-octet scalar is lighter than the singlet, or when the singlet mass is above roughly 1 TeV, the signatures consist of multi-jet resonances of multiplicity up to 12, including topologies with multi-prong jet substructure, slightly displaced vertices, and sometimes a top quark pair. When the singlet is the lightest ReCoM boson and lighter than about 1 TeV, its main decays (W
+
W
−, γZ, ZZ) arise at three loops. The LHC signatures then involve two or four boosted electroweak bosons, often originating from highly displaced vertices, plus one or two pairs of prompt jets or top quarks.
A UTP semantics for communicating processes with shared variables and its formal encoding in PVS
Authors: Shi Ling , Zhao Yongxin , Liu Yang , Sun Jun , Dong Jin Song , Qin Shengchao
Published: April 2018

CSP# (communicating sequential programs) is a modelling language designed for specifying concurrent systems by integrating CSP-like compositional operators with sequential programs updating shared variables. In this work, we define an observation-oriented denotational semantics in an open environment for the CSP# language based on the UTP framework. To deal with shared variables, we lift traditional event-based traces into mixed traces which consist of state-event pairs for recording process behaviours. To capture all possible concurrency behaviours between action/channel-based communications and global shared variables, we construct a comprehensive set of rules on merging traces from processes which run in parallel/interleaving. We also define refinement to check process equivalence and present a set of algebraic laws which are established based on our denotational semantics. We further encode our proposed denotational semantics into the PVS theorem prover. The encoding not only ensures the semantic consistency, but also builds up a theoretic foundation for machine-assisted verification of CSP# specifications.
Colonization with Multidrug‐Resistant Enterobacteriaceae is Associated with Increased Mortality Following Burn Injury in Sub‐Saharan Africa
Authors: Gallaher Jared R. , Banda Wone , Lachiewicz Anne M. , Krysiak Robert , Cairns Bruce A. , Charles Anthony G.
Published: April 2018

Background

Multidrug‐resistant (MDR) bacteria are an emerging international concern in low‐ and middle‐income countries that threaten recent public health gains. These challenges are exacerbated in immunocompromised hosts, such as those with burn injury. This study sought to describe the epidemiology and associated clinical outcomes of burn wound colonization in a Malawian tertiary burn center.

Methods

This is a prospective analysis of burn patients presenting to Kamuzu Central Hospital in Lilongwe, Malawi, within 72 h of burn injury. A swab of each patient’s primary wound was collected at admission and each subsequent week. The primary exposure was burn wound colonization with MDR bacteria, particularly Enterobacteriaceae. The primary outcome was in‐hospital mortality. A log binomial model estimated the association between the exposure and outcome, adjusted for confounders.

Results

Ninety‐nine patients were enrolled with a median age of 4 years (IQR 2–12) and a male preponderance (54%). Median total body surface area burn (TBSA) was 14% (IQR 9–25), and crude in‐hospital mortality was 19%. Enterobacteriaceae were the most common MDR bacteria with 36% of patients becoming colonized. Wound colonization with MDR Enterobacteriaceae was associated with increased in‐hospital mortality with a risk ratio of 1.86 (95% CI 1.38, 2.50, p < 0.001) adjusted for TBSA, burn type (scald vs. flame), sex, age, length of stay, and methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus colonization.

Conclusion

MDR bacteria, especially Enterobacteriaceae, are common and are associated with worse burn injury outcomes. In resource‐poor environments, a greater emphasis on prevention of MDR bacterial colonization, improved isolation precautions, affordable diagnostics, and antibiotic stewardship are imperative.
Using hardware counter-based performance model to diagnose scaling issues of HPC applications
Authors: Ding Nan , Xu Shiming , Song Zhenya , Zhang Baoquan , Li Jingmei , Zheng Zhigao
Published: April 2018

Performance diagnosing for HPC applications can be extremely difficult due to their complicated performance behaviors. One hand, developers used to identify the potential performance bottlenecks by conducting detailed instrumentation, which may introduce significant performance overheads or even performance deviations. On the other hand, developers can only conduct small numbers of application runs for profiling the performance with the limitations on both computing resources and time duration. Meanwhile, the performance bottlenecks of HPC applications may vary with the degree of parallelism. To address these challenges, our paper proposes a systematic performance diagnosing method focusing on building an accurate and interpretable performance model with performance counters. Our method is able to diagnose the HPC application scaling issues by predicting its runtime and performance behaviors in different functions. After applying this modeling method on three real-world HPC applications, HOMME, CICE and OpenFoam, our evaluations show that our diagnosing method based on the performance model has the ability to diagnose the potential scaling issues, which is typically missed by the traditional performance diagnosing method and achieves about 10% prediction errors in a scale of 4096 MPI ranks on two problem sizes.