bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nuclear factor of activated T cells 2 is required for osteoclast differentiation and function in vitro but not in vivo
Authors: Yu Jungeun , Zanotti Stefano , Schilling Lauren , Canalis Ernesto
Published: July 2018

Nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) c2 is important for the immune response and it compensates for NFATc1 for its effects on osteoclastogenesis, but its role in this process is not established. To study the function of NFATc2 in the skeleton, Nfatc2loxP/loxP mice, where the Nfact2 exon 2 is flanked by loxP sequences, were created and mated with mice expressing the Cre recombinase under the control of the Lyz2 promoter. Bone marrow–derived macrophage (BMM) from Lyz2Cre/WT;Nfatc2Δ/Δ mice cultured in the presence of macrophage‐colony stimulating factor and receptor activator of NF‐κB ligand exhibited a decrease in the number and size of osteoclasts and a smaller sealing zone when compared to BMMs from Nfatc2loxP/loxP littermate controls. Bone resorption was decreased in osteoclasts from Lyz2Cre/WT;Nfatc2Δ/Δ mice. This demonstrates that NFATc2 is necessary for optimal osteoclast maturation and function in vitro. Male and female Lyz2Cre/WT;Nfatc2Δ/Δ mice did not exhibit an obvious skeletal phenotype by microcomputed tomography (μCT) at either 1 or 4 months of age when compared to Nfatc2loxP/loxP sex‐matched littermates. Bone histomorphometry confirmed the μCT results, and conditional 4‐month‐old Lyz2Cre/WT;Nfatc2Δ/Δ mice did not exhibit changes in parameters of bone histomorphometry. In conclusion, NFATc2 is necessary for optimal osteoclastogenesis in vitro, but its downregulation in the myeloid lineage has no consequences in skeletal remodeling in vivo.
Efficient synthesis of the key chiral alcohol intermediate of Crizotinib using dual‐enzyme@CaHPO4 hybrid nanoflowers assembled by mimetic biomineralization
Authors: Chen Xinxin , Xu Liqing , Wang Anming , Li Huimin , Wang Chenhui , Pei Xiaolin , Zhang Pengfei , Wu Stephen G
Published: July 2018

BACKGROUND

To develop an environment‐friendly approach for the synthesis of (S)‐1‐(2,6‐dichloro‐3‐fluorophenyl) ethyl alcohol, an intermediate of anti‐cancer drug Crizotinib, aldehyde ketone reductase and alcohol dehydrogenase were overexpressed in Escherichia coli Rosetta (DE3) and purified via chromatography. Subsequently, they were co‐crystalized with CaHPO4 at 4°C to form dual‐enzyme@CaHPO4 hybrid nanoflowers (hNFs) which was then used to catalyze the synthesis of (S)‐1‐(2,6‐dichloro‐3‐fluorophenyl) ethyl alcohol along with the evaluation of its thermal stability and recycling stability.

RESULTS

At optimum pH of 7.0, the activities of AKR and ADH confined in the dual‐enzyme@CaHPO4 hybrid nanoflowers were 3.3‐ and 2.1‐fold that of the corresponding free one. The thermos‐stability of confined enzymes was also significantly improved: both enzymes within the hNFs remained more than 80% of initial activities after incubation at 60°C for 8 h, while free enzymes only retained 20% of initial activities under the same treatment conditions. Moreover, AKR and ADH immobilized with a mole ratio of 3:1 confined in hybrid nanoflowers exhibited the highest catalytic activity for the synthesis of chiral ethyl alcohol with a yield up to 90.8% after 12 h. Besides, the final product (S)‐1‐(2,6‐dichloro‐3‐fluorophenyl) ethyl alcohol showed a high ee value of 99.99%. Further, the hybrid nanoflowers retained their initial activity after 16 recycling cycles of synthesis reaction.

CONCLUSION

The dual‐enzyme@CaHPO4 hybrid nanoflowers efficiently catalyzed synthesis of the chiral compound (S)‐1‐(2,6‐dichloro‐3‐fluorophenyl) ethyl alcohol. The method can also be applied to other multi‐enzyme systems and facilitate their cascade reactions and substrate channeling. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry
Children infected by human herpesvirus 6B with febrile seizures are more likely to develop febrile status epilepticus: A case‐control study in a referral hospital in Zambia
Authors: Tembo John , Chandwe Kanta , Kabwe Mwila , Chilufya Moses , Ciccone Ornella , Mpabalwani Evans , Ablashi Dharam , Zumla Alimuddin , Chen Tie , Bates Matthew
Published: July 2018

Background

Human herpesvirus 6B (HHV‐6B) is the causative agent of Roseola infantum, and has also been suggested to play a role in the pathogenesis of febrile seizures in young children, a percentage of whom go on to develop febrile status epilepticus (FSE), but the existing data is conflicting and inconclusive. HHV‐6A is a distinct species, rarely detected in most parts of the world, but prior studies suggest a higher prevalence in febrile African children. We describe a case‐control study comparing the frequency of HHV‐6A and/or HHV‐6B infections in children with febrile seizures (including FSE) and a control group of febrile children without seizures.

Methods

We recruited children aged 6 to 60 months admitted with a febrile illness with (cases) or without (controls) seizures presenting within 48 hours of commencement of fever. Three milliliters of whole blood was centrifuged and plasma stored at −80°C for pooled screening for HHV‐6B and HHV‐6A by Taqman real‐time polymerase chain reaction.

Results

102 cases and 95 controls were recruited. The prevalence of HHV‐6B DNA detection did not differ significantly between cases (5.8% (6/102)) and controls (10.5% (10/95)) but HHV‐6B infection was associated with FSE (OR, 15; 95% CI, [1.99–120]; P= 0.009). HHV‐6A was not detected.

Conclusion

Prevalence of HHV‐6B was similar among cases and controls. Within the FS group, HHV‐6B infection was associated with FSE, suggesting HHV‐6B infections could play a role in the pathogenesis of FSE.
Application strategies of serum HBV DNA detection in HBV infection patients: A retrospective study of 5611 specimens
Authors: Liu Can , Wu Wennan , Shang Shongyan , Huang Er , Xun Zhen , Lin Jinpiao , Chen Tianbin , Yang Bin , Chen Jing , Ou Qishui
Published: July 2018

The detection of hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA plays a critical role in determining the level of viral replication in HBV‐infected patients. However, how to select appropriate HBV DNA detection method, low‐sensitivity (ls) and hypersensitivity (hs) remains unclear. In this study, hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), hepatitis B e‐antigen (HBeAg), alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), and hs HBV DNA titers in serum of 5611 cases with suspected HBV infection were reviewed. Besides, the dynamic changes of HBV DNA and HBsAg in 85 chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients receiving peginterferon α (PegIFNα) or entecavir (ETV) were observed. The results showed the positive rate of HBV DNA was 32.8%, of which low viral load (20 to 500 IU/mL) accounted for 51.8%. In the 5611 cases, when the HBsAg was less than 1000 IU/mL, the proportion of low viral load was 76.3%. Moreover, in patients receiving antiviral treatment, when HBsAg was less than 2000 IU/mL (PegIFNα) or HBsAg was less than 3500 IU/mL (ETV), the proportion of patients with low viral load was 79.5% or 78.0%, respectively. We developed a strategy of serum HBV DNA detection in HBV‐infected patients. When HBsAg was negative, HBV DNA detection should be unnecessary. When HBsAg was 0.05 to 1000 IU/mL, hs HBV DNA should be detected in patients with abnormal level of ALT, AST, or HBeAg. While HBsAg was greater than or equal to 1000 IU/mL, ls HBV DNA was recommended. Moreover, the cutoff value of HBsAg increased during antiviral therapy of CHB patients. In conclusion, hs HBV DNA is of great value in HBV‐infected patients with low viral load. HBV DNA detection methods should be selected reasonably according to the levels of HBsAg, HBeAg, ALT, and AST.
Creative Thinking Strategies for Life: A Course for Professional Adults Using Art
Authors: Hoffmann Jessica D. , Ivcevic Zorana , Maliakkal Nadine
Published: July 2018

To thrive in today's economy and the workforce of the future, individuals need creativity and problem‐solving skills. Emotion skills have been increasingly discussed as well, with companies listing emotional intelligence as one of the top skills needed for professional success. The present paper describes a course designed to teach professional adults two sets of creativity skills (problem finding and idea generation) and two sets of emotional intelligence skills (using emotions to facilitate thinking and understanding emotions) using visual art as a medium. The course consisted of eight, 60‐min sessions in which professional adults participated in art observation and art engagement activities. Fifty‐six professional adults completed measures of creative abilities and emotional intelligence skills in a pretest, posttest, and 2‐month follow‐up design. Participants who engaged in the course showed significant gains in the originality of their ideas on divergent thinking and problem construction tasks, as well as their self‐reported creative behavior compared with controls. No significant changes in emotion understanding were detected. We discuss the course's distinct value to creativity and emotion skills training research.
Chemical and physicochemical characterization of orange by‐products derived from industry
Authors: Pacheco M Teresa , Moreno F Javier , Villamiel Mar
Published: July 2018

BACKGROUND

Industrial extraction of orange juice produces a large amount of waste that affects the environment and gives rise to important economic losses; at the same time, information about the composition of the waste is still limited. The present study carried out an exhaustive chemical and physicochemical characterization of the residues in the waste, aiming to increase their potential application for the extraction of functional ingredients.

RESULTS

Four different products (three solids and one liqueur) were provided by the industry. The overall characterization indicated that carbohydrates comprised the main components. During processing, carbohydrate derivatives were formed such as those corresponding to the initial steps of the Maillard reaction. In this sense, furosine was demonstrated to be a suitable indicator with respect to the control of the process. Although the phenolic content substantially decreased (by up to 57%) as the processing proceeded, the antioxidant capacity was affected to a much lesser extent (∼10%). Dehydrated products were rich in galacturonic acid and hardly any change was detected during their elaboration. The liqueur by‐product was found to have a much higher level of fructose than glucose and sucrose.

CONCLUSION

Orange juice waste obtained industrially under the conditions described in the present study could be used as a source of pectic derivatives or fructose in the case of solid or liquid by‐products, respectively. The results reported here could diversify the present application of these products as a source of food ingredients, contributing to an improvement in their utilization. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry
Corrosion behavior of aluminide diffusion coatings in low temperature molten carbonate electrolysis environments
Authors: Frangini Stefano , Della Seta Livia , Paoletti Claudia , Felici Claudio , Turchetti Luca , Bellucci Alessandra
Published: July 2018

Interest on low‐temperature molten carbonate electrolysis processes (T < 600 °C) for advanced energy conversion and storage applications appears to be progressively growing in literature. However, the corrosion of metallic materials in molten carbonate salts in equilibrium with the acidic CO2‐rich electrolysis gas atmospheres has been scarcely studied. In this work, the corrosion stability of a low‐activity FeAl aluminide diffusion coated 316 L stainless steel has been tested in a ternary carbonate eutectic mixture Li2CO3‐Na2CO3‐K2CO3 by 48 h‐immersion tests at 500 °C under CO2 atmosphere. Before the corrosion testing, the coated steel samples were pre‐oxidized in air at 750 °C in order to generate a protective thin alumina film on the aluminide coating surface. The salt immersion results indicate that FeAl aluminide coatings are not stable in acid molten carbonate environments due to rapid transformation of the pre‐existing alumina film into a non‐protective mixed Fe‐Al oxide crystalline layer. Corrosion degradation has been found to consist of both general and localized forms of attack. Factors affecting FeAl aluminide coating corrosion have been analyzed and discussed in detail.
Semianalytical method for the identification of inclusions by air‐cored coil interaction in ferromagnetic media
Authors: Vafeas Panayiotis , Skarlatos Anastassios , Theodoulidis Theodoros , Lesselier Dominique
Published: July 2018

The magnetostatic harmonic fields scattered by a near‐surface air inclusion of arbitrary shape, embedded in a conductive ferromagnetic medium and illuminated by a current‐carrying coil, are investigated. The scattering domain is separated into homogeneous subdomains under the assumption of a suitable truncation at a long distance from the incident source, whereas a perfect magnetic boundary condition is implied. The introduced methodology addresses the full coupling between the two interfaces, ie, the plane that distinguishes the half‐space ferromagnetic material from the open air and the arbitrary surface among the inclusion and the ferromagnetic region. Therein, continuity conditions are applied in a rigorous way, while the expected behavior of the fields, either as ascending or as descending, are taken into account. The potentials associated with the half‐space are expanded via cylindrical harmonic eigenfunctions, while those related with the inclusion's arbitrary geometry admit generalized‐type formalism. However, since the transmission conditions involve potentials with different eigenexpansions, we are obliged to rewrite cylindrical to generalized functions and vice versa, obtaining handy relationships in terms of easy‐to‐handle integrals, where orthogonality then is feasible. Once done, the calculation of the exact solutions leads to infinite linear algebraic systems, manipulated through standard cut‐off techniques. Thus, we obtain the implicated fields in a general analytical and compact fashion, independent of the inclusion's geometry. We demonstrate the efficiency of the analytical model approach, assuming the degenerate case of a spherical inclusion, whereas the air‐cored coil simulation via a numerical procedure validates our method. The calculation is very fast, rendering it suitable for use with parametric inversion algorithms.
Effect of T1 relaxation on ventilation mapping using hyperpolarized 129Xe multiple breath wash‐out imaging
Authors: Morgado Felipe , Couch Marcus J. , Stirrat Elaine , Santyr Giles
Published: July 2018

Purpose

To investigate the effect of incorporating T1 as a function of wash‐out breath number (T1(n)) on estimation of fractional ventilation (r) using hyperpolarized 129Xe multiple breath wash‐out (MBWO) imaging in rats.

Methods

MBWO imaging was performed in 8 healthy mechanically ventilated rats at several inter‐image delay times (τ) and tidal volumes (TV). r maps were calculated from the imaging data using a model of T1(n) (assuming that the longitudinal relaxation rate of 129Xe in the lung is directly proportional to pAO2) and compared to r maps obtained by assuming a fixed T1 measured before wash‐out breaths (r′).

Results

Fractional ventilation was overestimated by up to 19.3% when T1 was fixed. An inverse relationship between bias (Δr) and ventilation was observed at all τ and TV. Additionally, Δr significantly increased when TV was decreased (F statistic F(2,7) = 48.97, P < 10−4). Histograms from r′ maps were significantly more skewed toward lower values as compared to r histograms at all τ and TV (P < 0.05) except TV = Vdose – 1 mL.

Conclusion

Analysis of hyperpolarized 129Xe MBWO imaging using a model incorporating T1(n) corrects for an overestimating bias in the mapping of fractional ventilation in mechanically ventilated rats introduced by assuming a fixed T1.
Feasibility of quantitative ultrashort echo time (UTE)‐based methods for MRI of peripheral nerve
Authors: Fan Shu‐Juan , Wong Jonathan , Cheng Xin , Ma Ya‐Jun , Chang Eric Y. , Du Jiang , Shah Sameer B.
Published: July 2018

Peripheral nerves are a composite tissue consisting of neurovascular elements packaged within a well‐organized extracellular matrix. Their composition, size, and anatomy render nerves a challenging medical imaging target. In contrast to morphological MRI, which represents the predominant approach to nerve imaging, quantitative MRI sequences can provide information regarding tissue composition. Here, we applied standard clinical Carr‐Purcell‐Meiboom‐Gill (CPMG) and experimental three‐dimensional (3D) ultrashort echo time (UTE) Cones sequences for quantitative nerve imaging including T2 measurement with single‐component analysis, T2* measurement with single‐component and bi‐component analyses, and magnetization transfer ratio (MTR) analysis. We demonstrated the feasibility and the high quality of single‐component T2*, bi‐component T2*, and MTR approaches to analyze nerves imaged with clinically deployed 3D UTE Cones pulse sequences. For 24 single fascicles from eight nerves, we measured a mean single‐component T2* of 22.6 ±8.9 ms, and a short T2* component (STC) with a mean T2* of 1.7 ±1.0 ms and a mean fraction of (6.74 ±4.31)% in bi‐component analysis. For eight whole nerves, we measured a mean single‐component T2* of 16.7 ±2.2 ms, and an STC with a mean T2* of 3.0 ±1.0 ms and a mean fraction of (15.56 ±7.07)% in bi‐component analysis. For nine fascicles from three healthy nerves, we measured a mean MTR of (25.2 ±1.9)% for single fascicles and a mean MTR of (23.6 ±0.9)% for whole nerves. No statistically significant correlation was observed between any MRI parameter and routine histological outcomes, perhaps due to the small sample size and lack of apparent sample pathology. Overall, we have successfully demonstrated the feasibility of measuring quantitative MR outcomes ex vivo, which might reflect features of nerve structure and macromolecular content. These methods should be validated comprehensively on a larger and more diverse set of nerve samples, towards the interpretation of in vivo outcomes. These approaches have new and broad implications for the management of nerve disease, injury, and repair.
Intragastric balloon therapy leads to normalization of brain magnetic resonance spectroscopic markers of diabetes in morbidly obese patients
Authors: Gazdzinski Stefan P. , Gaździńska Agata P. , Orzeł Jarosław , Redlisz‐Redlicki Grzegorz , Pietruszka Maciej , Mojkowska Aleksandra , Pacho Ryszard A. , Wylezol Mariusz
Published: July 2018

Elevated brain myo‐inositol (m‐Ins) concentration (a putative marker of neuroinflammation) has been reported in patients suffering from type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Obesity alone and T2DM have been found to be associated with a lower concentration of N‐acetyloaspartate and N‐acetylaspartylglutamate (tNAA, a marker of neuronal integrity, reflecting neuronal loss or metabolic derangement). It is not clear if these changes reverse with weight loss. The intra‐gastric balloon (IGB) is an endoscopic bariatric therapy that leads to massive weight loss and improvement of glycemic control. In this study we evaluated if tNAA/tCr and m‐Ins/tCr metabolite ratios are affected by weight loss, where tCr is the signal of creatine containing compounds. Twenty‐three morbidly obese patients, 12 of them with T2DM (OD) and 11 without T2DM (OB), as well as 11 healthy controls of normal weight (CON), underwent single voxel spectroscopy at 3 T. Spectra were obtained within a region in the left parietal white matter one month before IGB insertion, three months after IGB insertion, and one month after IGB removal. Before IGB insertion, m‐Ins/tCr was 15% higher in OD than in OB (p = 0.005) and 12% higher in OD than in CON (p = 0.03). m‐Ins/tCr decreased significantly by 8% over the first three months after IGB insertion (p = 0.01) and remained normal after IGB removal. tNAA/tCr was normal in all groups throughout the study, pointing to normal brain metabolism. Normalization of m‐Ins/tCr is consistent with remission of neuroinflammation in patients with T2DM. An evaluation of long‐term effects of IGB treatment is necessary.
Enhancing IoT security through network softwarization and virtual security appliances
Authors: Molina Zarca Alejandro , Bernal Bernabe Jorge , Farris Ivan , Khettab Yacine , Taleb Tarik , Skarmeta Antonio
Published: July 2018

Billions of Internet of Things (IoT) devices are expected to populate our environments and provide novel pervasive services by interconnecting the physical and digital world. However, the increased connectivity of everyday objects can open manifold security vectors for cybercriminals to perform malicious attacks. These threats are even augmented by the resource constraints and heterogeneity of low‐cost IoT devices, which make current host‐based and static perimeter‐oriented defense mechanisms unsuitable for dynamic IoT environments. Accounting for all these considerations, we reckon that the novel softwarization capabilities of Telco network can fully leverage its privileged position to provide the desired levels of security. To this aim, the emerging software‐defined networking (SDN) and network function virtualization (NFV) paradigms can introduce new security enablers able to increase the level of IoT systems protection. In this paper, we design a novel policy‐based framework aiming to exploit SDN/NFV‐based security features, by efficiently coupling with existing IoT security approaches. A proof of concept test bed has been developed to assess the feasibility of the proposed architecture. The presented performance evaluation illustrates the benefits of adopting SDN security mechanisms in integrated IoT environments and provides interesting insights in the policy enforcement process to drive future research.
Use data to drive success for each student
Authors: Hope Joan
Published: July 2018

“It's hard to be totally student‐centered inside traditional universities. They're not built for that,” said Marni Baker Stein, Ph.D., provost and chief academic officer at Western Governors University.
Role of ACE inhibitors in anthracycline‐induced cardiotoxicity: A randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled trial
Authors: Gupta Vineeta , Kumar Singh Sunil , Agrawal Vikas , Bali Singh Tej
Published: July 2018

Background

Several measures including drugs have been tried to reduce anthracycline cardiotoxicity. The lack of randomized trials prompted this study to assess the role of an angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor (enalapril) in anthracycline‐induced cardiotoxicity in children with hematological malignancies.

Methods

A randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled trial was conducted on 84 patients with leukemia (41) and lymphoma (43) who received anthracyclines (doxorubicin and/or daunorubicin) at cumulative dose ≥200 mg/m2. The patients were randomized to receive either enalapril [group A (n = 44)] or placebo [group B (n = 40)] for 6 months. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and cardiac biomarkers (cardiac troponin I [cTnI], probrain natriuretic peptide [proBNP], and creatine kinase MB [CK‐MB]) were assessed at baseline and 6 months. The primary outcome was a measured decrease in LVEF (≥20%). Secondary outcome measures were changes in cardiac biomarkers and the development of heart failure or arrhythmias.

Results

LVEF decreased in both groups at 6 months, more so in group B (62.25 ± 5.49 vs 56.15 ± 4.79, P < 0.001). A ≥20% decrease was seen in 3 patients in group B but none in group A (P = 0.21). Cardiac biomarkers increased more in group B at 6 months, and the increase was significant for proBNP (49.60 ± 35.97 vs 98.60 ± 54.24, P < 0.001) and cTnI (0.01 ± 0.00 vs 0.011 ± 0.003, P = 0.035) but not significant for CK‐MB (1.08 ± 0.18 vs 1.21 ± 0.44, P = 0.079). In group A, 9.1% of the patients showed an increase in proBNP level ≥100 compared with 37.5% in group B (P < 0.001). No patient developed heart failure or arrhythmia.

Conclusion

Enalapril has a role in reducing cardiac toxicity after anthracycline administration.
Surveillance imaging for high‐grade childhood brain tumors: What to do 10 years after completion of treatment?
Authors: Otth Maria , Scheinemann Katrin
Published: July 2018

Brain tumors are the second most common childhood cancer. Treatment protocols for high‐grade pediatric brain tumors recommend regular follow‐up imaging for up to 10 years. We review maximal time to recurrence and minimal time to radiologically detectable long‐term sequelae such as secondary malignancies, vascular complications, and white matter disease. No tumors recurred after the 10‐year point, but radiological long‐term sequelae grew more common as the treatment completion date receded. We do not recommend regular imaging more than 10 years after treatment has ended, unless there are clinical symptoms.
Bronchodilator responsiveness assessed by forced oscillometry and multiple breath washout techniques in preschool children
Authors: Friedman Nicholas L. , McDonough Joseph M. , Zhang Xuemei , Hysinger Erik B. , Adams Kelly M. , Allen Julian L.
Published: July 2018

Importance

The forced oscillation (FOT) and multiple breath washout (MBW) techniques are passive tests of lung function, and are reliable for preschool‐age children. There has not been comparison testing to determine which test could more accurately differentiate between healthy controls and poorly controlled asthmatics, or differentiate a response to bronchodilator administration.

Objective

To determine whether the MBW and/or FOT could differentiate between healthy controls and poorly controlled asthmatics, and whether the two tests could detect a response to bronchodilator administration.

Methods

Twenty‐eight healthy controls and 23 poorly controlled asthmatics 3–6 years of age participated. All subjects were administered the MBW followed by the FOT. A bronchodilator was then administered and testing was repeated. Wilcoxon Rank Sum tests were used to compare the difference between healthy controls and poorly controlled asthmatics. Wilcoxon Signed Rank tests were used to compare the pre‐ and post‐bronchodilator values.

Results

Neither MBW nor FOT differentiated healthy controls from poorly controlled asthmatics (pre‐bronchodilator data); both groups had similar baseline gas mixing and airway mechanics. There was no improvement in any MBW outcomes post‐bronchodilator administration. FOT detected a significant and similar degree of improvement in the airway mechanics in both groups.

Interpretation

Neither MBW nor FOT differentiated between poorly controlled asthmatics (when well) and healthy controls. MBW did not detect a significant bronchodilator response in either subject group, whereas FOT detected a similar degree of bronchodilator responsiveness in both groups. This discrepancy may reflect differential changes in airway mechanics and gas mixing properties in response to bronchodilators.
Encapsulation of hydrophobic vitamins by polylactide stereocomplexation and their release study
Authors: Wojtczak Edyta , Gadzinowski Mariusz , Makowski Tomasz , Maresz Katarzyna , Kubisa Przemysław , Bednarek Melania , Pluta Mirosław
Published: July 2018

Among different drug‐containing formulations prepared from biodegradable polymers, those based on polylactide (PLA) (usually block copolymers with poly(ethylene glycol)) are the most frequently developed and improved. A new easy method of such drug delivery system preparation with the application of PLA stereocomplexation is presented. The encapsulation of hydrophobic vitamins such as D3, E and A by spontaneous precipitation of microparticles with an average diameter of 1–2 µm led to a loading of about 10 wt% and an encapsulation efficiency in the range 27%–45% when a vitamin:PLA weight ratio of 3:10 was applied. SEM, TEM, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy and nitrogen absorption analysis of neat and vitamin‐loaded microparticles indicate a porous structure of the microparticles and confirm the presence of vitamins inside with an enriched surface layer. The release of vitamins into a phosphate buffer (pH 7.4) at 37 °C takes place at a low rate according to almost zero‐order kinetics (35%–60% of vitamin over 4 weeks). © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry
Tweets That Resonate: Information Flows and the Growth of Twitter's Universal Basic Income Discussion Space
Authors: Hemsley Jeff , Garcia‐Murillo Martha , MacInnes Ian P.
Published: July 2018

Social media are an important space for people to discuss novel policy innovations. In particular, Twitter, whose user base is skewed toward those who disproportionately affect news coverage, and by extension the public agenda, represents a particularly useful platform for policy advocates wishing to grow their audience. This article extends theoretical understandings of information flows and the growth of networked discussion spaces by examining the online discussion space around a Universal Basic Income (UBI), which has been proposed to alleviate social tensions relating to joblessness resulting from technological advances. Using content analysis and statistical methods, we show that tweets in the UBI discussion space that inform others are the most likely to be shared, but tweets that emotionally resonate with users are the most likely to reach new audiences and therefore bring new actors into the discussion space. These findings contribute to the literature on viral events and dynamic networks, providing insight into how policies like UBI are discussed and diffuse on social media platforms like Twitter.
Big Data for Policymaking: Great Expectations, but with Limited Progress?
Authors: Poel Martijn , Meyer Eric T. , Schroeder Ralph
Published: July 2018

While talk of “Big Data” is now prevalent in many sectors, there are still relatively few examples of Big Data being used to shape public policy. This article reports an international study of Big Data for policy initiatives to understand the role played by data‐driven approaches in the policy process. Drawing on evidence (including policy analysis and interviews with stakeholders) from 58 initiatives, we find that some policy areas, notably efforts to improve government transparency, are far more represented than others, such as use of social media data for policy evaluation. We also find Big Data used more often in the policy cycle for foresight and agenda setting, or interim evaluation and monitoring, rather than for policy implementation and ex post evaluation. Many different types of data are used in the policy process, with traditional sources such as government statistics still favored over new and emerging sources. We find that use of Big Data for public policy is therefore at an early stage, with expectations far outstripping the current reality.
NRH:quinone oxidoreductase 2 (NQO2) and glutaminase (GLS) both play a role in large extracellular vesicles (LEV) formation in preclinical LNCaP‐C4‐2B prostate cancer model of progressive metastasis
Authors: Dorai Thambi , Shah Ankeeta , Summers Faith , Mathew Rajamma , Huang Jing , Hsieh Tze‐chen , Wu Joseph M.
Published: July 2018

In the course of studies aimed at the role of oxidative stress in the development of metastatic potential in the LNCaP‐C4‐2B prostate cancer progression model system, we found a relative decrease in the level of expression of the cytoplasmic nicotinamide riboside: quinone oxidoreductase (NQO2) and an increase in the oxidative stress in C4‐2B cells compared to that in LNCaP or its derivatives C4 and C4‐2. It was also found that C4‐2B cells specifically shed large extracellular vesicles (LEVs) suggesting that these LEVs and their cargo could participate in the establishment of the osseous metastases. The level of expression of caveolin‐1 increased as the system progresses from LNCaP to C4‐2B. Since NQO2 RNA levels were not changed in LNCaP, C4, C4‐2, and C4‐2B, we tested an altered cellular distribution hypothesis of NQO2 being compartmentalized in the membrane fractions of C4‐2B cells which are rich in lipid rafts and caveolae. This was confirmed when the detergent resistant membrane fractions were probed on immunoblots. Moreover, when the LEVs were analyzed for membrane associated caveolin‐1 as possible cargo, we noticed that the enzyme NQO2 was also a component of the cargo along with caveolin‐1 as seen in double immunofluorescence studies. Molecular modeling studies showed that a caveolin‐1 accessible site is present in NQO2. Specific interaction between NQO2 and caveolin‐1 was confirmed using deletion constructs of caveolin‐1 fused with glutathione S‐transferase (GST). Interestingly, whole cell lysate and mitochondrial preparations of LNCaP, C4, C4‐2, and C4‐2B showed an increasing expression of glutaminase (GLS, kidney type). The extrusion of LEVs appears to be a specific property of the bone metastatic C4‐2B cells and this process could be inhibited by a GLS specific inhibitor BPTES, suggesting the critical role of a functioning glutamine metabolism. Our results indicate that a high level of expression of caveolin‐1 in C4‐2B cells contributes to an interaction between caveolin‐1 and NQO2 and to their packaging as cargo in the shed LEVs. These results suggest an important role of membrane associated oxidoreductases in the establishment of osseous metastases in prostate cancer.
Rapid Synthesis of Undoped and Er Doped MoO3 Layered Plates by Resistive Heating of Molybdenum: Structural and Optical Properties
Authors: Mallet Anne‐Flore , Cebriano Teresa , Méndez Bianchi , Piqueras Javier
Published: July 2018

Resistive heating of molybdenum wires is used for the synthesis of alpha‐MoO3 layered nano‐ and microplates. A high density of MoO3 plates grow on the surface of the metallic wire in 2–3 min when an electric current density of the order of 104 Acm−2 flows through the Mo wire. During the current flow, a temperature gradient along the wire appears due to the heat dissipation at the electric contacts at both ends of the wire. The plates grow preferentially in the region heated at 450–500 °C. The synthesized MoO3 plates are characterized by micro Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, electron backscatter diffraction, cathodoluminescence, and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy. In addition, this quick synthesis approach enables the doping of the nanoplates. Setting in contact the Mo wire with Er2O3 powders during the resistive heating, Er doping of the resulting MoO3 is achieved. The Er incorporation during growth is revealed in the cathodoluminescence spectra of the plates, which show the characteristic emission lines of Er3+ions. Diffusion mechanisms related to the very rapid and effective growth by resistive heating of the undoped and Er doped molybdenum oxide plates, as compared with other thermal methods, are discussed.
Reduction of Microwave Loss by Mobile Fluxons in Grooved Nb Films
Authors: Dobrovolskiy Oleksandr V. , Sachser Roland , Bevz Volodymyr M. , Lara Antonio , Aliev Farkhad G. , Shklovskij Valerij A. , Bezuglyj Alexei I. , Vovk Ruslan V. , Huth Michael
Published: July 2018

In the mixed state of type II superconductors penetrated by an external magnetic field in the form of a lattice of Abrikosov vortices, the dc resistance is known to increase with increasing velocity of the vortex lattice. Accordingly, vortex pinning sites impeding the vortex motion are widely used to preserve the low‐dissipative response of the system. Here, while subjecting superconducting Nb films with nanogrooves to a high‐frequency ac current stimulus and tuning the number of mobile and pinned vortices by varying the magnetic field around the so‐called matching values, we observe a completely opposite effect. Namely, the vortex‐related microwave excess loss for mobile vortices becomes smaller than for pinned vortices in a certain range of power levels at ac current frequencies above 100 MHz. Our findings appeal for the development of a theory of microwave‐stimulated superconductivity in the vortex state.
Protective and therapeutic potential of ginger (Zingiber officinale) extract and [6]‐gingerol in cancer: A comprehensive review
Authors: de Lima Rosália Maria Tôrres , dos Reis Antonielly Campinho , de Menezes Ag‐Anne Pereira Melo , Santos José Victor de Oliveira , Filho José Williams Gomes de Oliveira , Ferreira José Roberto de Oliveira , de Alencar Marcus Vinícius Oliveira Barros , da Mata Ana Maria Oliveira Ferreira , Khan Ishaq N. , Islam Amirul , Uddin Shaikh Jamal , Ali Eunüs S. , Islam Muhammad Torequl , Tripathi Swati , Mishra Siddhartha Kumar , Mubarak Mohammad S. , Melo‐Cavalcante Ana Amélia de Carvalho
Published: July 2018

Natural dietary agents have attracted considerable attention due to their role in promoting health and reducing the risk of diseases including cancer. Ginger, one of the most ancient known spices, contains bioactive compounds with several health benefits. [6]‐Gingerol constitutes the most pharmacologically active among such compounds. The aim of the present work was to review the literature pertaining to the use of ginger extract and [6]‐gingerol against tumorigenic and oxidative and inflammatory processes associated with cancer, along with the underlying mechanisms of action involved in signaling pathways. This will shed some light on the protective or therapeutic role of ginger derivatives in oxidative and inflammatory regulations during metabolic disturbance and on the antiproliferative and anticancer properties. Data collected from experimental (in vitro or in vivo) and clinical studies discussed in this review indicate that ginger extract and [6]‐gingerol exert their action through important mediators and pathways of cell signaling, including Bax/Bcl2, p38/MAPK, Nrf2, p65/NF‐κB, TNF‐α, ERK1/2, SAPK/JNK, ROS/NF‐κB/COX‐2, caspases‐3, ‐9, and p53. This suggests that ginger derivatives, in the form of an extract or isolated compounds, exhibit relevant antiproliferative, antitumor, invasive, and anti‐inflammatory activities.
Isoproterenol‐induced cardiac ischemia and fibrosis: Plant‐based approaches for intervention
Authors: Allawadhi Prince , Khurana Amit , Sayed Nilofer , Kumari Preeti , Godugu Chandraiah
Published: July 2018

Heart is the most active and incumbent organ of the body, which maintains blood flow, but due to various pathological reasons, several acute and chronic cardiac complications arise out of which myocardial infarction is one of the teething problems. Isoproterenol (ISP)‐induced myocardial ischemia is a classical model to screen the cardioprotective effects of various pharmacological interventions. Phytochemicals present a novel option for treating various human maladies including those of the heart. A large number of plant products and their active ingredients have been screened for efficacy in ameliorating ISP‐induced myocardial ischemia including coriander, curcumin, Momordica, quercetin, and Withania somnifera. These phytochemicals constituents may play key role in preventing disease and help in cardiac remodeling. Reactive oxygen species scavenging, antiinflammatory, and modulation of various molecular pathways such as Nrf2, NFкB, p‐21 activated kinase 1 (PAK1), and p‐smad2/3 signaling modulation have been implicated behind the claimed protection. In this review, we have provided a focused overview on the utility of ISP‐induced cardiotoxicity, myocardial ischemia, and cardiac fibrosis for preclinical research. In addition, we have also surveyed molecular mechanism of various plant‐based interventions screened for cardioprotective effect in ISP‐induced cardiotoxicity, and their probable mechanistic profile is summarized.
(−)‐Epigallocatechin gallate derivatives reduce the expression of both urokinase plasminogen activator and plasminogen activator inhibitor‐1 to inhibit migration, adhesion, and invasion of MDA‐MB‐231 cells
Authors: Shin Sunhye , Kim Mi Kyoung , Jung Woong , Chong Youhoon
Published: July 2018

Urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) and its inhibitor plasminogen activator inhibitor‐1 (PAI‐1) are established independent biomarkers for high metastasis risk in breast cancer. In this study, we investigated the regulatory activity of (−)‐epigallocatechin‐3‐gallate (EGCG) and its derivatives on uPA and PAI‐1 expression and thereby their anti‐metastatic potential. EGCG showed only marginal effects on the uPA system and on the metastatic behavior of breast cancer cells (MDA‐MB‐231). However, the EGCG derivative 3e with a methyl‐substituted carbonate substituent at the 4″‐position showed potent inhibition of PAI‐1 (62%) and uPA (50%) expression. The Ras‐extracellular‐signal‐regulated kinase (ERK), p38 mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK), and phosphatidylinositol‐3‐kinase (PI3K)/Akt/NF‐κB pathways, which regulate uPA and PAI‐1 expression, were also affected by 3e (25%, 45%, and 25% reduction, respectively). In line with these findings, substantial reduction in metastatic behavior of MDA‐MB‐231 cells, such as adhesion (40%), invasion (56%), and migration (40%), was observed in the presence of 3e. It is also noteworthy that, in MDA‐MB‐231 cells, 3e did not exert any beneficial effect on the expression of matric metalloprotein (MMP) 2 and 9, which indicates that the anti‐metastatic activity of 3e in MDA‐MB‐231 cells is not related to its regulation of the expression of MMPs. Taken together, we have shown that the EGCG derivative 3e could suppress the metastatic behavior of MDA‐MB‐231 cells through regulation of uPA and PAI‐1.
Development of oxide nanofiber–tipped cantilever as a substrate for cross‐sectional transmission electron microscopy analysis
Authors: Watanabe Kouki , Sharma Subash , Araby Mona Ibrahim , Shima Masahide , Harada Takumi , Rosmi Mohamad Saufi , Kalita Golap , Kitazawa Masashi , Tanemura Masaki
Published: July 2018

A development of the technique that enables the simple, rapid, and damage‐free sample preparation for cross‐sectional transmission electron microscopy (X‐TEM) analyses is quite important. Here, we propose a silicon (Si) oxide nanofiber (SON) formed on a tip of an atomic force microscope cantilever as a substrate onto which materials in question are deposited for X‐TEM analyses. Based on the technique for the ion‐irradiation–induced carbon nanofiber (CNF) fabrication onto atomic force microscope cantilever tips, Si‐included CNFs (Si‐CNFs) were fabricated onto cantilever tips. The prepared Si‐CNFs were then annealed at 1000°C in atmospheric ambient to form SON‐tipped cantilevers. Si oxide nanofiber, consisting of mostly Si and O, was linear in shape and was amorphous in crystalline structure. The high performance of the SON‐tipped cantilever was demonstrated for the X‐TEM analyses of ZnO films deposited thereon by an arc plasma deposition method, suggesting that it is promising as a substrate for X‐TEM analyses.
Synaptic Device Network Architecture with Feature Extraction for Unsupervised Image Classification
Authors: Kim Sungho , Choi Bongsik , Lim Meehyun , Kim Yeamin , Kim Hee‐Dong , Choi Sung‐Jin
Published: July 2018

For the efficient recognition and classification of numerous images, neuroinspired deep learning algorithms have demonstrated their substantial performance. Nevertheless, current deep learning algorithms that are performed on von Neumann machines face significant limitations due to their inherent inefficient energy consumption. Thus, alternative approaches (i.e., neuromorphic systems) are expected to provide more energy‐efficient computing units. However, the implementation of the neuromorphic system is still challenging due to the uncertain impacts of synaptic device specifications on system performance. Moreover, only few studies are reported how to implement feature extraction algorithms on the neuromorphic system. Here, a synaptic device network architecture with a feature extraction algorithm inspired by the convolutional neural network is demonstrated. Its pattern recognition efficacy is validated using a device‐to‐system level simulation. The network can classify handwritten digits at up to a 90% recognition rate despite using fewer synaptic devices than the architecture without feature extraction.
Wide‐Bandgap Small Molecular Acceptors Based on a Weak Electron‐Withdrawing Moiety for Efficient Polymer Solar Cells
Authors: Gong Yanting , Kan Zhipeng , Xu Weidong , Wang Yang , AlShammari Sanaa H. , Laquai Frédéric , Lai Wen‐Yong , Huang Wei
Published: July 2018

Narrow‐bandgap small molecular acceptors (SMAs) with absorption extending into the near‐infrared spectral region such as ITIC derivatives are widely investigated, while the development of their wide‐bandgap counterparts remains largely unexplored. Wide‐bandgap non‐fullerene acceptors (NFAs) are highly desirable and beneficial for constructing efficient device layouts such as ternary blend and tandem solar cells that require multiple light‐harvesting materials with different regions of absorption. In this contribution, the design and synthesis of two wide‐bandgap SMAs (IDT‐TBA and IDDT‐TBA), consisting of a weak electron‐withdrawing moiety (1,3‐diethyl‐2‐thiobarbituric acid, TBA) is presented. Compared to ITIC, this molecular design strategy results in energetically down‐shifted HOMO levels and hence much enlarged bandgaps of 1.91 eV for IDT‐TBA and 1.78 eV for IDDT‐TBA, respectively. Further photovoltaic performance evaluation demonstrates power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of 6.5% for IDT‐TBA and 7.5% for IDDT‐TBA, respectively, when using PBDB‐T as the electron donor polymer. In addition, time‐delayed collection field (TDCF) experiments suggest that both IDT‐TBA and IDDT‐TBA based cells exhibit field‐independent charge generation with external charge generation efficiencies exceeding 90%, implying negligible geminate recombination losses. The results demonstrate that TBA units are promising and attractive building blocks as weak electron‐withdrawing acceptors to construct wide‐bandgap high‐efficiency SMAs for efficient organic photovoltaic devices.
Prediction of the upper and lower bounds of electric potentials in a steady‐state current field with uncertain‐but‐bounded parameters
Authors: Wang Pengbo , Wang Jingxuan
Published: July 2018

Uncertainty is ubiquitous in practical engineering and scientific research. The uncertainties in parameters can be treated as uncertain but bounded parameters, i.e. interval numbers. The prediction of upper and lower bounds of the response of a system including uncertain parameters is of immense significance in uncertainty analysis. This paper aims to evaluate the upper and lower bounds of electric potentials in a steady‐state current field with uncertain but bounded parameters efficiently. The uncertain parameters are represented by interval notations. By performing Taylor series expansion on the electric potentials obtained from the equilibrium governing equation and by using the properties of interval mathematics, we calculate the upper and lower bounds of the electric potentials of a steady‐state current field. In order to evaluate the accuracy and efficiency of the proposed method, two numerical examples are used. The results illustrate that the precision of the proposed method is acceptable for engineering applications, and the computation time of the proposed method is significantly less than that of Monte Carlo simulation, which is the most widely used method related to uncertainties. Monte Carlo simulation requires a large number of samplings, and this leads to significant increase in runtime. © 2018 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Overview of Engineering Mathematics Education for STEM in Georgia
Authors: Natroshvili David
Published: July 2018

The three-cycle higher education (HE) system has been introduced in Georgia in 2005, when Georgia became a member of the Bologna Process at the Bergen Summit. Bachelor, Master and Doctoral programs have already been introduced in all stately recognised higher education institutions (HEIs), as well as ECTS and Diploma Supplement. All students below doctoral level are enrolled in a two-cycle degree system (except for certain specific disciplines such as medicine and dental medicine education)—one cycle education and with its learning outcomes corresponding to the Master’s level.