bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
I2/K2S2O8 Mediated Direct Oxidative Annulation of Alkylazaarenes with Amidines for the Synthesis of Substituted 1,3,5‐Triazines
Authors: Zhang Jun , Zheng Tingting , Zhang Jidong
Published: January 2020

A direct method for the synthesis of heteroaryl‐substituted 1,3,5‐triazines from readily available methyl‐azaarenes and amidines has been developed. The present method involves iodine mediated cascade aerobic C(sp3)–H oxidative amination and following condensation, cyclization with amidine. Both of methyl quinoline, pyridine and benzothiazole derivatives could be well tolerated to react with various amidines leading to corresponding products in good to excellent yields.
Cobalt(III)‐Catalyzed Synthesis of Fused Quinazolinones by C–H/N–H Annulation of 2‐Arylquinazolinones with Alkynes
Authors: Kumaran Subramani , Parthasarathy Kanniyappan
Published: January 2020

A convenient and efficient CoIII‐catalyzed cyclization of 2‐arylquinazolinones with alkynes is described. The electron donating as well as withdrawing groups and also halide substituted quinazolinones are compatible with this reaction. This catalytic reaction is highly regioselective with unsymmetrical alkynes. A possible mechanism, involves a formation of five‐membered metallacycle I by metal‐catalyzed aromatic C–H bond activation, alkyne insertion, seven‐membered metallacycle intermediates followed by reductive elimination to give a final product.
University of Miami leader's efforts unite around improving yield rates
Authors: Enos Gary
Published: January 2020

Message consistency has been a foundational theme for Jay Jacobs in his role as Director of Enrollment Management and Admission Operations at the University of Miami. This principle has applied to both working with the 30‐person staff he oversees and communicating with prospective students, with one key metric in mind above all.
Meander‐line‐based defected ground microstrip antenna slotted with split‐ring resonator for terahertz range
Authors: Ghosh Soham , Das Sohom , Samantaray Diptiranjan , Bhattacharyya Somak
Published: January 2020

In this article, the performance of a meander‐line‐based microstrip patch antenna with split‐ring resonator (SRR)‐based slots and defected ground is analyzed at the terahertz frequency range. The designed antenna shows a multiband application within a frequency range of 3.77 to 6.60 THz and operates over six different frequencies (viz. 3.83 THz, 4.24 THz, 5.12 THz, 5.50 THz, 5.95 THz, and 6.50 THz). A maximum return loss of 37 is achieved over the band of 5.85 to 6.18 THz, while a maximum realized gain of 7.54 dBi and a total efficiency of 54% is obtained at 4.24 THz. The ground and radiating elements of the antenna are made of gold. Silicon dioxide is used as a substrate material. The antenna simulation is performed and reported in this study. The proposed antenna finds its applications in the detection of colon cancer, skin cancer, brain tumor, drug detection, and communication fields for point‐to‐point communication purposes.
Tutorial overview of simple, stratified, and parametric bootstrapping
Authors: Shankar P. M.
Published: January 2020

Students pursuing baccalaureate degrees in electrical engineering and computer engineering are required to take a course in probability and statistics. While the course continues to be mostly conceptual, author started initiatives to introduce data analytics in this course with special emphasis on machine vision applications. Topics such as receiver operating characteristics curves and hypothesis testing are covered through examples and exercises with students having individual datasets. Continuing with this theme, bootstrapping and associated methodologies have now been introduced to facilitate interpretation of machine vision experiments. A demo created that illustrates simple, stratified, and parametric bootstrapping as a means to understand the statistics of a machine vision sensor is presented. It encompasses a number of conceptual topics such as random variables, densities, parameter estimation, chi square testing, etc. alongside data analytics offering a holistic picture of machine learning and machine vision to the undergraduate students.
A New Solid‐State Zinc–Air Battery for Fast Charge
Authors: Zhao Siyuan , Wang Keliang , Tang Shuxian , Liu Xiaotian , Peng Kelin , Xiao Yu , Chen Yu
Published: January 2020

Rechargeable zinc–air batteries (ZAB) with solid‐state electrolyte are a potential power source for flexible electronic devices. However, solid electrolytes for the battery at large currents remain a challenge in bubble removal at the electrode surface and the small contact area of the electrolyte–electrode interface, as well as low conductivity itself. Herein, a three‐electrode structure is proposed for the solid‐state rechargeable ZAB, where the sodium polyacrylate (PAA‐Na) hydrogel serving as the electrolyte exhibits good mechanical properties, excellent water retention ability, and high conductivity (0.19 S cm−1) after being soaked in potassium hydroxide and zinc acetate solution. The zinc electrode of porous structure is sandwiched by the electrolyte on both sides, facilitating ion transport during charge/discharge. MnO2/C, as the catalyst of the air electrode, is in contact with the hydrogel, increasing the catalyst active area. Nickel mesh is the charging electrode which facilitates the removal of the evolved bubbles. The results demonstrate that rechargeable ZAB with the PAA‐Na hydrogel electrolyte can release a maximum power density of 100.7 mW cm−2 and run for 183 cycles at a current density of 10 mA cm−2, which can be a strong competitor in the flexible energy‐storage field.
Flexible Piezoelectric Nanofibers/Polydimethylsiloxane‐Based Pressure Sensor for Self‐Powered Human Motion Monitoring
Authors: Hou Xiaojuan , Zhang Shengnan , Yu Junbin , Cui Min , He Jian , Li Li , Wang Xiangdong , Chou Xiujian
Published: January 2020

Self‐powered wearable devices have attracted significantly increased attention in human motion monitoring. These flexible physical sensors conformally attach to the surface of the skin to provide new applications in human‐activity monitoring. Herein, a highly ﬂexible and self‐powered piezoelectric pressure sensor for real‐time human motion detecting using a piezoelectric thin film with high filling ratio of lead zirconate titanate (PZT) nanofibers (NFs) in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is reported. Due to the large dielectric constant of PZT and elastic properties of PDMS, the sensor performs in a wide linear region (1.25–250 kPa) with great linearity (pressure–voltage 0.9909) and good reproducibility over 2000 cycles. Using the sensor, various human body motions are detected, including joint bending, subtle/large wrist deformations, wrist and some common sporting movements. In addition, a sensor array is successfully developed to realize motion tracking, showing strong potential for application in personal recognition.
Effects of cutting the blade on the performance and pressure pulsation of a centrifugal pump
Authors: Zhang Ning , Gao Bo , Wang Xiaojun , Liu Xiaokai , Ni Dan
Published: January 2020

To solve the severe flow‐induced vibration during the pump operation, the impeller cut is a reasonable and operable approach. In the present study, effects of cutting the blade on the pump performance, especially for pressure pulsations, are conducted by experiments, and numerical results are used to discuss the relation between the internal flow and pressure pulsation. Three cutting angles are investigated, and the obtained results are compared with the original pump. Pressure transducers are mounted on the volute wall and outlet to capture pressure signals of different pumps. Results show that at the cutting angle φ = 15°, pump heads at low flow rates are decreased, which are little affected at high flow rates. With the cutting angles increasing to φ = 25° and φ = 35°, cutting the blade contributes to the reductions of pump heads at all the measured flow rates. Pressure pulsations are significantly affected by cutting the blade. For major measuring points on the volute wall, pressure amplitudes at the blade passing frequency fBPF are attenuated by cutting the blade, especially at high flow rates. Mean pressure amplitude at fBPF is decreased by 38.6% at φ = 15°, which is caused by the increasing gap between the tongue and the blade. From comparison, it is suggested that the cut angle φ = 15° can be used to reduce pressure pulsation considering its little influence on the pump head during application. The obtained results will be useful during the pump operation to reduce pressure pulsations by the blade cut approach.
Genesis of pale microgranular masses in ophiolitic chromite deposits in northern Xinjiang: Analysis of the micro‐area composition of altered minerals using LA‐ICP‐MS
Authors: Wang Yu‐Wang , Xie Hongjing , Guo Boran , Shi Yu , Zhou Guochao
Published: January 2020

The petrographic characteristics and micro‐area composition of altered minerals in pale microgranular masses (PMMs) that were discovered in the chromite mines of northern Xinjiang, China, were studied via laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA‐ICP‐MS). There are six lithotypes of PMMs, namely, rodingitized vitrobasalt, gabbro‐diabase, ultramafite, tuff‐clastic rock, rodingite or skarn, and metasomatite. The texture, composition, and geochemical affinities of a series of altered minerals, such as clinopyroxenes, garnets, serpentines, and chlorites, show that the incompatible elements actively migrate with the Fe, Mg, alkali leaching losses, and Ca aggregates during the course of the alteration process. The geochemical characteristics of the major trace elements in the altered minerals are mostly influenced by the types of protoliths and minerals and have roughly inherited those properties from the protoliths. A marked difference exists between the serpentine geochemical characteristics of the major trace elements in the surrounding peridotites and the PMMs and/or metasomatite. This observation suggests that the two differences are derived from the altered protolith minerals instead of from the fluid metasomatism. Furthermore, the chlorite in the metasomatites inherits the properties of the chlorite component in the PMMs. This study examines the development of PMMs that might undergo two different mechanisms or (at least) two different periods of genesis, i.e., early ultramafic magma xenoliths and metasomatism, as indicated by the rock fabric, and late rodingitization, as indicated by the assemblage of altered minerals and the suite of geochemical affinities. The mechanism by which PMMs develop in peridotites reveals that some podiform chromite in this area may also be xenoliths that formed after chromite was captured by ultramafic magmas in early times.
Petrology, geochemistry, and zircon U–Pb isotopes of Xintian Complex in Yanbian area, Northeast China: Evidence for magma mixing and geodynamics processes
Authors: Liu Yang , Zhang Yong , Sun Jinggui , Xu Zhikai , Liu Yuming , Zhang Xinwen , Pan Yuedong , Han Jilong , Chu Xiaolei
Published: January 2020

Mixing/mingling of magmas is an important mode of magmatic evolution, crust–mantle interaction, and compositional exchanges, and the mafic microgranular enclaves (MMEs) in the host granites are commonly generated by the injection of hot mafic magmas into felsic reservoir at the crustal level. However, the exhaustion of most mafic melts causes the absence of the critical mantle marks after homogenization. The Xintian Complex in Yanbian area is composed of the gabbro diorite and granitic rocks enclosing the abundant MMEs, which likely provides the significant, but rare mantle end‐member information. On the basis of geochronology study, both MMEs (126.3 ± 1.2 Ma) and granodiorite (126.0 ± 2.0 Ma) were formed in the Early Cretaceous, which is coincident with the earlier emplacement of gabbro diorite (128.5 ± 1.0 Ma) within the errors. Geochemically, all of these distinguished phases have arc affinities related to subduction of oceanic slabs. Nevertheless, the dominant granodiorite rocks, typical high‐K calc‐alkaline I‐type granites, have the source of partial melting of mafic lower crust modified by subducted sediment melts, with additions of mafic melts as indicated by high Mg# values (48–56) and special textures (acicular apatite and re‐equilibrium plagioclase) of minerals in the hosted MMEs. In contrast, gabbro diorites are typical of calc‐alkaline affinities with deficit of the incompatible Zr and Hf, which were formed by re‐melting with low degree (3–10%) of mantle wedges metasomatized by subduction fluids with the crystallization of dominant pyroxene minerals. However, the MMEs is characterized by higher SiO2 (55.71–56.02 wt%), Cr (546–569 ppm), Ni (83.7–92.8 ppm), MgO (6.03–6.63 wt%), and heavy rare earth element (HREE) (546–569 ppm) with weak enrichment in Zr and Hf and lower (La/Yb)N values (17.98–20.93) compared to gabbro diorite. Therefore, the MMEs and host granodiorite are the products of heterogeneous mixing of weakly evolved mafic melts and subsolid felsic melts in the shallow storages, and this crust–mantle interaction is under a back‐arc extensional setting related to rollback of subducting palaeo‐Pacific slab.
Skepticism of globalization and global strategy: Increasing regulations and countervailing strategies
Authors: Cuervo‐Cazurra Alvaro , Doz Yves , Gaur Ajai
Published: January 2020

Academic abstract

We analyze how skepticism of globalization, the socially constructed vulnerability that emanates from global interdependencies, affects global strategy. We argue that inequality, identity, and influence drive this skepticism and propose that the increase in rhetoric against globalization and for new regulations do not seem to result in significant reductions in cross‐border economic flows. We explain this discrepancy by proposing that multinationals' strategies counteract the impact of politicians' regulatory reactions to the skepticism of globalization. Specifically, we propose that firms increase flexibility in global value chains in response to skepticism of cross‐border trade, rework the localization of global operations to deal with skepticism of cross‐border investment, use lobbying in global finance to address skepticism of cross‐border finance, nativize the global workforce in reaction to skepticisms of cross‐border labor, and protect global knowledge to solve the skepticisms of cross‐border knowledge flows.

Managerial abstract

We study how the increases in negative attitudes toward globalization, which we call skepticism of globalization, influence the global strategy of firms. We explain that inequality, identity, and influence drive this skepticism and propose that the increases in rhetoric and government regulations do not seem to have resulted in significant reductions in cross‐border economic flows because companies have redesigned strategies to counter the effect of rising skepticism of globalization. Specifically, we explain how the regulations of cross border trade, investment, finance, labor, and knowledge flows that accompany increases in skepticism of globalization are countered by multinationals' strategic changes in the flexibility in global value chains, localization of global operations, lobbying in global financing, nativization of global workforce, and protection of global innovations.
The impact of reducing pharmaceutical industry payments on physician prescribing
Authors: Parker‐Lue Sara
Published: January 2020

Policymakers in the U.S. have expressed the hope that reducing payments from pharmaceutical companies to physicians will result in lower drug expenditures by reducing branded prescribing. This paper analyzes how the overall use and charges for generic and branded prescriptions change in an inpatient setting after a physician has had a payment from a pharmaceutical company reduced or cut off entirely. This research analyzes the impact of a pharmaceutical company cutting speaking payments to physicians in order to use fewer physicians more often, so the removal of payments is unrelated to a change in the company's product offering. Using hospital discharge data from New Jersey, this research employs a within‐physician differences‐in‐differences design and finds that physicians who have payments reduced do not alter the number of or charges for prescriptions relative to unpaid physicians, neither do physicians who have their payments cut off but are still being paid by other pharmaceutical companies. Physicians who have their payments cut but who are not being paid by other companies, however, increase in the charges for and number of prescriptions written (both branded and generic) relative to their unpaid peers.
PRESENT STATUS AND FUTURE PROSPECTS OF DRAINAGE IN RELATION TO THE ICID VISION 2030
Authors: Vlotman Willem F.
Published: January 2020

The International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID) regularly updates the areas drained and irrigated in the world based on information provided via their national committees (www.icid.org). Modern land drainage planning, design and implementation include making drainage environmentally sustainable and achieve this through enhanced water balance assessments at regional and field scale, prevent excess water except for leaching salts, support ecological water requirements, and then, if any excess water remains, design a drainage system. The less water mobilized through the root zone, the better the quality of drainage water. No matter how efficiently our crops are watered, sooner or later we need to have a well‐functioning drainage system for complete in‐field water management. Agricultural land drainage should include various approaches to assessment and prevention of waterlogging and salinity problems, consider the water–food–energy nexus approach and give due attention to social, environmental and financial considerations (triple bottom line, TBL) for the best sustainable results. The most important consideration to be included in drainage system planning and design is the consideration of cause and effect. Waterlogging and salinity problems are the effect of something that is occurring most likely upstream; the cause. © 2020 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Thermosensitive hydrogels loaded with human‐induced pluripotent stem cells overexpressing growth differentiation factor‐5 ameliorate intervertebral disc degeneration in rats
Authors: Hu Annan , Xing Rong , Jiang Libo , Li Zefang , Liu Peng , Wang Houlei , Li Xilei , Dong Jian
Published: January 2020

To evaluate the effects of thermosensitive hydrogels loaded with human‐induced pluripotent stem cells transfected with the growth differentiation factor‐5 (GDF5‐hiPSCs) on rat intervertebral disc regeneration. GDF5‐hiPSCs were cocultured with rat nucleus pulposus (NP) cells in vitro. Real‐time PCR and western blot were used to determine the differentiation of hiPSCs. Rat caudal intervertebral discs were punctured using a needle under X‐ray, and groups of coccygeal (Co) discs were subject to various treatments: Puncture group (Co6/7, punctured without treatment); Hydrogel group (Co7/8, 2 μl of hydrogel injected without cells); GDF5‐hiPSCs + Hydrogel group (Co8/9, 2 μl of GDF5‐hiPSCs‐loaded hydrogel injected); and Normal control (Co5/6). X‐ray, MRI, and histological evaluations were performed at 1, 2, and 3 months after cell transplantation and relative changes in the disc height index (DHI%) and voxel count were calculated and compared. GDF5‐hiPSCs were successfully differentiated to a chondrogenic linage after cocultured with rat NP cells. In terms of X‐ray, MRI, and HE staining scores, the GDF5‐hiPSCs + Hydrogel group was significantly superior to the Puncture and Hydrogel groups (p < .05). Compared with the Normal group, the MRI‐based voxel count of the GDF5‐hiPSCs + Hydrogel group was significantly lower at 1, 2, and 3 months after cell transplantation (p < .05). However, there were no significant differences in histological scores at 1 and 2 months after cell transplantation compared with the Normal group (p > .05). In conclusion, thermosensitive hydrogel‐encapsulated hiPSCs overexpressing the GDF5 gene ameliorated intervertebral disc degeneration.
miR‐125a regulates HAS1 and inhibits the proliferation, invasion and metastasis by targeting STAT3 in non–small cell lung cancer cells
Authors: Huang Hu , Huang Jingyu , Yao Jie , Li Na , Yang Zhenzhou
Published: January 2020

MicroRNA‐125a (miR‐125a) is related to the occurrence, development, and prognosis of various cancers according to relevant reports. However, its function role and mechanism in non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is yet to be explored. Herein, we investigated the role and preliminary mechanism of miR‐125a in NSCLC. First, miR‐125a was noticeably downregulated in NSCLC tissues in contrast to adjacent normal tissues through the real‐time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT‐qPCR) assay. The inverted result was observed on the STAT3 and HAS1 expressions. Moreover, miR‐125a was expressed at highest level in A549 among four human NSCLC cell lines. Second, functional studies indicated miR‐125a restrained proliferation, invasion, migration, metastasis, and advocated apoptosis of NSCLC cells, but had no obvious effect on cell cycle. Next, results indicated that a target of miR‐125a was STAT3 on the basis of prediction and confirmation by the dual‐luciferase reporter assay. RT‐qPCR and Western blot assays displayed that miR‐125a overexpression conspicuously constrained STAT3 expression at messenger RNA and protein levels. Finally, the binding between HAS1 promoter region and STAT3 was predicted by PROMO database analysis and verified by chromatin immunoprecipitation assay, suggesting that STAT3 was bound with the HAS1 promoter regions. STAT3 overexpression exerted positive effects on HAS1 expression at protein and mRNA levels. Additionally, HAS1‐related functional studies illustrated HAS1 pronouncedly suppressed the proliferative, invasive, and migratory potential of NSCLC cells in vitro. Collectively, our findings demonstrated that miR‐125a prohibited the proliferation, invasion, and migration of NSCLC cells by HAS1 expression reduction as a result of inhibiting STAT3 expression in NSCLC. This study indicated that miR‐125a might be of potential or value for NSCLC treatment.
lncRNA‐H19/miR‐29a axis affected the viability and apoptosis of keloid fibroblasts through acting upon COL1A1 signaling
Authors: Wang Zhi , Feng Cheng , Song Kexin , Qi Zheng , Huang Weiqing , Wang Youbin
Published: January 2020

This study was intended to clarify the potential of applying the long‐chain noncoding RNA H19/miR‐29a axis in keloid treatment by elucidating its correlation with the activity of fibroblasts. In this study, 80 keloid tissues, 63 normal fibrous tissues, and 91 normal skin tissues were collected in advance, and concurrently, fibroblasts separated from the tissues were cultured. Besides this, the si‐H19, pcDNA3.1‐H19, miR‐29a mimic, and miR‐29a inhibitor were transfected to keloid fibroblasts, whose proliferation, apoptosis, and metastasis were appraised by employing the colony formation assay, flow cytometry, and transwell assay. In addition, the luciferase reporter gene assay was carried out to determine whether targeted regulation was present between H19 and miR‐29a, as well as between miR‐29a and COL1A1. The study results demonstrated that keloid tissues and fibroblasts exhibited observably upregulated H19 expression and downregulated miR‐29a expression, relative to normal skin tissues and fibroblasts (P < .05). Also observed was a negative correlation between H19 expression and miR‐29a expression among the gathered keloid tissues (rs = −.267, P = .017). Furthermore, in vitro transfection of pcDNA3.1‐H19 or miR‐29a inhibitor could intensify viability, proliferation, migration, and invasion of the fibroblasts (P < .05), while silencing of H19 and overexpression of miR‐29a hindered both metastasis and multiplication of the fibroblasts significantly (P < .05). In addition, H19 was capable of altering miR‐29a expression within fibroblasts by directly sponging it, and overexpression of COL1A1 could deter the impact of miR‐29a on viability, proliferation, migration, and invasion of fibroblasts (P < .05). In conclusion, H19 might facilitate proliferation and metastasis of fibroblasts by modifying downstream miR‐29a and COL1A1, which was expected to allow for development of keloid‐targeted treatments.
Correcting electrostatic artifacts due to net‐charge changes in the calculation of ligand binding free energies
Authors: Öhlknecht Christoph , Lier Bettina , Petrov Drazen , Fuchs Julian , Oostenbrink Chris
Published: January 2020

Alchemically derived free energies are artifacted when the perturbed moiety has a nonzero net charge. The source of the artifacts lies in the effective treatment of the electrostatic interactions within and between the perturbed atoms and remaining (partial) charges in the simulated system. To treat the electrostatic interactions effectively, lattice‐summation (LS) methods or cutoff schemes in combination with a reaction‐field contribution are usually employed. Both methods render the charging component of the calculated free energies sensitive to essential parameters of the system like the cutoff radius or the box side lengths. Here, we discuss the results of three previously published studies of ligand binding. These studies presented estimates of binding free energies that were artifacted due to the charged nature of the ligands. We show that the size of the artifacts can be efficiently calculated and raw simulation data can be corrected. We compare the corrected results with experimental estimates and nonartifacted estimates from path‐sampling methods. Although the employed correction scheme involves computationally demanding continuum‐electrostatics calculations, we show that the correction estimate can be deduced from a small sample of configurations rather than from the entire ensemble. This observation makes the calculations of correction terms feasible for complex biological systems. To show the general applicability of the proposed procedure, we also present results where the correction scheme was used to correct independent free energies obtained from simulations employing a cutoff scheme or LS electrostatics. In this work, we give practical guidelines on how to apply the appropriate corrections easily.
A pilot investigation of universal school‐based prevention programs for anxiety and depression symptomology in children: A randomized controlled trial
Authors: Johnstone Kristy M. , Middleton Tracey , Kemps Eva , Chen Junwen
Published: January 2020

Objective

The current study aimed to provide a preliminary evaluation of two universal school‐based prevention programs, Emotion Regulation (ER) and Behavioral Activation (BA), by increasing resilience to manage excessive worry, a transdiagnostic feature across anxiety and depression.

Method

Primary school children (N = 295; 52.5% female; 8–13 years) from five Australian schools were cluster randomized to an ER, BA or usual class control condition. Outcome measures included resilience, worry, anxiety, and depression symptomology; ER and BA were measured as potential mediators. Participants completed measures at pre‐ and postprogram, and at 6‐month follow‐up.

Results

Children in the BA condition showed increased resilience at 6 months. Expressive suppression mediated the effects of both programs on worry.

Conclusion

The current study aimed to provide a preliminary evaluation of two universal school‐based prevention programs, ER and BA, by increasing resilience to manage excessive worry, a transdiagnostic feature across anxiety and depression.
Repeatability of low scan rate cyclic voltammetry in bioelectrochemical systems and effects on their performance
Authors: Ruiz Yolanda , Baeza Juan A , Montpart Nuria , Moral‐Vico Javier , Baeza Mireia , Guisasola Albert
Published: January 2020

Background

Cyclic voltammetry (CV) has become a standard tool in the study of bioelectrochemical systems (BES) because it is a nondestructive technique that provides useful information on the electron transfer capacity of these systems. When applied to the large‐surface electrodes typically found in BES, the scan rate must be severely diminished or otherwise the capacitive current masks the faradaic current. Decreasing the scan rate results in an increase in the duration of the experiments, which can lead to a significant alteration of the initial system conditions.

Results

The repeatability of low scan rate cyclic voltammetry (LSCV) in air cathode microbial fuel cells (AC‐MFCs) operating in batch mode was examined. Consecutive LSCVs at 0.1 mV s−1 were recorded with and without prior renewal of the culture medium. Significant deviations in CV replicates were observed when the medium was not replaced (as high as 40% of maximum intensity). These deviations decreased (<18%) when the medium was refreshed, indicating that significant changes in the culture medium composition occurred during LSCVs. Additional electrochemical tests showed that the peak in the forward scan was probably the result of an accumulation of charge in the anodic system.

Conclusion

LSCV can affect the response of AC‐MFCs working in batch mode and cast doubt on the repeatability of these experiments, observing differences as high as 40% in maximum intensity. Renewing the culture medium is recommended to improve the repeatability of LSCV replicates. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry
Use of fish scales as an adsorbent of organic matter present in the treatment of landfill leachate
Authors: Poblete Rodrigo , Cortes Ernesto , Bakit José , Luna‐Galiano Yolanda
Published: January 2020

This study focuses on the removal of organic pollutants present in landfill leachate (LL) using an adsorption process with activated carbon (AC) obtained from fish scales, and subsequently evaluates the reduction of toxicity in the wastewater obtained from the process. The AC obtained is a mesoporous material, with a cumulative pore area of 1.57 m2 g−1, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) of 1.8329 m2 g−1 and adsorption average pore width of 12.79833 nm. The maximum removal of pollutants was achieved at natural pH (6.71) of the LL, with a load of 3 g L−1, resulting in 60.1% colour and 37.3% chemical oxygen demand (COD). The rate of COD removal per g of AC increase had a maximum value of 5.6 at pH 10 when passing from 0.5 to 1 g AC. The lowest rate of 0.6 occurred for the same pH when it passed from 1 to 2 g AC. At pH 3 the second lowest rate of 3.3 was observed when passing from 2 to 3 g AC. At pH 3 there was always an increase in the rate as more AC was added. Conversely, at natural pH 6.71 the rate tended to decrease. At pH 10 the rate first decreased and then increased. At acidic pH, because it is the one with the lowest COD removal, it would be expected that by adding more AC the rate would continue to increase as there are easily accessible sites still available. Langmuir isotherms fitted adequately with the experimental data, providing an R2 of 0.9657, which is consistent with a monolayer adsorption pattern. The LL before the adsorption process had an inhibition ratio of 20.4%, due to the fact that leachate can be toxic because of the presence of hazardous organic compounds. After adsorption processes at pH 6.71, the inhibition ratios were 16.9%, 13.8%, 12.2% and 10.9% at AC loads of 0.5, 1, 2 and 3 g L−1, respectively, due to decreasing COD and colour of the LL over the course of the treatment. It was observed that the reduction of the inhibition ratio was greater at higher loads of adsorbent. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry
Exercise before pregnancy attenuates the effects of prenatal stress in adult mice in a sex‐dependent manner
Authors: Luft Carolina , Levices Isadora Perez , da Costa Mariana Severo , Haute Gabriela Viegas , Grassi‐Oliveira Rodrigo , de Oliveira Jarbas Rodrigues , Donadio Márcio Vinícius Fagundes
Published: January 2020

The present study aimed to investigate the long‐term effects of exercise before pregnancy on changes induced by prenatal stress. Female and male Balb/c mice were divided into three groups: control (CON), prenatal restraint stress (PNS), and exercise before the gestational period plus PNS (EX + PNS). As adult, fear/anxiety behavior, corticosterone secretion, expression of hypothalamic‐pituitary‐adrenal (HPA)‐related genes, as well as epigenetic modifications were evaluated. Exercise before gestation did not prevent the increased fear/anxiety behavior in PNS mice. A nearly significant (p = .06) basal corticosterone increase was observed in PNS males and the exercise before pregnancy reduced the stress‐induced corticosterone increase in PNS females. In addition, an increase on prefrontal cortex (PFC) CRHR1 gene expression was observed in PNS females, which was attenuated by the exercise before gestation. We have also found a glucocorticoid receptor (GR) gene expression decrease in the prefrontal cortex in PNS males, as well as a histone H3 acetylation decrease (p = .06) close to the significance level. In conclusion, pregestational exercise may attenuate developmental changes induced by prenatal stress in a sex‐dependent manner.
X‐linked adrenoleukodystrophy: Pathology, pathophysiology, diagnostic testing, newborn screening and therapies
Authors: Turk Bela R. , Theda Christiane , Fatemi Ali , Moser Ann B.
Published: January 2020

Adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) is a rare X‐linked disease caused by a mutation of the peroxisomal ABCD1 gene. This review summarizes our current understanding of the pathogenic cell‐ and tissue‐specific roles of lipid species in the context of experimental therapeutic strategies and provides an overview of critical historical developments, therapeutic trials and the advent of newborn screening in the USA. In ALD, very long‐chain fatty acid (VLCFA) chain length‐dependent dysregulation of endoplasmic reticulum stress and mitochondrial radical generating systems inducing cell death pathways has been shown, providing the rationale for therapeutic moiety‐specific VLCFA reduction and antioxidant strategies. The continuing increase in newborn screening programs and promising results from ongoing and recent therapeutic investigations provide hope for ALD.
Three‐component electrosynthesis of spirooxindole‐pyran derivatives through a simple and efficient method
Authors: Makarem Somayeh
Published: January 2020

An eco‐friendly and highly efficient process has been applied to synthesize spirooxindole‐pyran derivatives in a one‐pot container via a three‐component reaction of isatins, malononitrile, and an enolizable CH‐activated compound of diethyl 3‐oxopentanedioate under constant current in n‐propanol under a temperature of 50°C. The proposed method shows high yields through green reaction conditions along with other significant advantages. Among which stand out applying clean electrons as a reproducible source of energy instead of an organic catalyst, using an environmentally friendly solvent for instance propanol, a multicomponent reaction with mild condition happening in a one‐pot container, and no chromatographic separation.
Bangladesh farmers push for temporary flooding to correct Dutch polder failure
Authors: Hanlon Joseph
Published: January 2020

Controlling floods and raising rice production in Bangladesh have been the centres of struggle for nearly a century—between North and South, and between engineering solutions and local knowledge. Decades of disastrous construction of dikes and polders led first to local protests, including cutting dikes, and then to a structured local solution known as tidal river management, which won the support of Bangladeshi scientists and academics. Suddenly, the global North has noticed and is rushing to catch up—asking what local farmers knew and their hydraulic engineers did not, while trying to maintain the dominance of aid industry engineers and technicians in Bangladesh.
Targeted cerebrospinal fluid analysis for inborn errors of metabolism on an LC‐MS/MS analysis platform
Authors: Klinke Glynis , Richter Sylvia , Monostori Péter , Schmidt‐Mader Brigitte , García‐Cazorla Angels , Artuch Rafael , Christ Stine , Opladen Thomas , Hoffmann Georg F. , Blau Nenad , Okun Jürgen G.
Published: January 2020

Background

Laboratory investigations of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) are essential when suspecting an inborn error of metabolism (IEM) involving neurological features. Available tests are currently performed on different analytical platforms, requiring a large sample volume and long turnaround time, which often delays timely diagnosis. Therefore, it would be preferable to have an “one‐instrument” targeted multi‐metabolite approach.

Method

A liquid chromatography‐tandem mass spectrometry (LC‐MS/MS) platform, based on two different methods for analysing 38 metabolites using positive and negative electrospray ionisation modes, was established. To allow for platform extension, both methods were designed to use the same CSF sample preparation procedure and to be run on the same separation column (ACE C18‐PFP).

Results

Assessment of the LC‐MS/MS platform methods was first made by analytical validation, followed by the establishment of literature‐based CSF cut‐off values and reference ranges, and by the measurement of available samples obtained from patients with confirmed diagnoses of aromatic l‐amino acid decarboxylase deficiency, guanidinoacetate methyltransferase deficiency, ornithine aminotransferase deficiency, cerebral folate deficiency and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase deficiency.

Conclusion

An extendable targeted LC‐MS/MS platform was developed for the analysis of multiple metabolites in CSF, thereby distinguishing samples from patients with IEM from non‐IEM samples. Reference concentrations for several biomarkers in CSF are provided for the first time. By measurement on a single analytical platform, less sample volume is required (200 μL), diagnostic results are obtained faster, and preanalytical issues are reduced.

Synopsis

LC‐MS/MS platform for CSF analysis consisting of two differentially designed methods.
Top 10 Reviewer Critiques of Radiology Artificial Intelligence (AI) Articles: Qualitative Thematic Analysis of Reviewer Critiques of Machine Learning/Deep Learning Manuscripts Submitted to JMRI
Authors: Gregory Jules , Welliver Sara , Chong Jaron
Published: January 2020

Background

Classical machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) articles have rapidly captured the attention of the radiology research community and comprise an increasing proportion of articles submitted to JMRI, of variable reporting and methodological quality.

Purpose

To identify the most frequent reviewer critiques of classical ML and DL articles submitted to JMRI.

Study Type

Qualitative thematic analysis.

Population

In all, 1396 manuscript journal articles submitted to JMRI for consideration in 2018, with thematic analysis performed of reviewer critiques of 38 artificial intelligence (AI) articles, comprised of 24 ML and 14 DL articles, from January 9, 2018 to June 2, 2018.

Field Strength/Sequence

N/A.

Assessment

After identifying and sampling ML and DL articles, and collecting all reviews, qualitative thematic analysis was performed to identify major and minor themes of reviewer critiques.

Statistical Tests

Descriptive statistics provided of article characteristics, and thematic review of major and minor themes.

Results

Thirty‐eight articles were sampled for thematic review: 24 (63.2%) focused on classical ML and 14 (36.8%) on DL. The overall acceptance rate of classical ML/DL articles was 28.9%, similar to the overall 2017–2019 acceptance rate of 23.1–28.1%. These articles resulted in 72 reviews analyzed, yielding a total 713 critiques that underwent formal thematic analysis consensus encoding. Ten major themes of critiques were identified, with 1‐Lack of Information as the most frequent, comprising 268 (37.6%) of all critiques. Frequent minor themes of critiques concerning ML/DL‐specific recommendations included performing basic clinical statistics such as to ensure similarity of training and test groups (N = 26), emphasizing strong clinical Gold Standards for the basis of training labels (N = 19), and ensuring strong radiological relevance of the topic and task performed (N = 16).

Data Conclusion

Standardized reporting of ML and DL methods could help address nearly one‐third of all reviewer critiques made.

Level of Evidence: 4

Technical Efficacy Stage: 1

J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2020;52:248–254.
Prevalence and genotype distribution of human papillomavirus in women with cervical cancer or cervical intraepithelial neoplasia in Henan province, central China
Authors: Chen Guanghui , Zheng Peiming , Gao Lan , Zhao Jing , Wang Ying , Qin Wangsen
Published: January 2020

To evaluate the prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and its genotype among women with cervical lesions in Henan Province, central China. A total of 1317     cervical scrapes from patients with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia 1 (CIN1) (n = 91), CIN2/3 (n = 466), and cervical cancer (CC; n = 760) were collected from 2013 to 2018, and then tested for HPV genotypes using polymerase chain reaction followed by flow‐through hybridization assay. The prevalence of HPV was 62.64% for patients with CIN1, 86.91% for patients with CIN2/3%, and 89.21% for patients with CC. In total, the HPV prevalence was 86.56%, and the most common HPV type was HPV16 (58.77%) followed by HPV58 (10.33%), 18 (7.67%), 52 (6.61%), and 33 (5.54%). In this study, the high‐risk HPV cumulative attribution rate of nine‐valent vaccine coverage was markedly higher than that of bivalent or quadrivalent vaccine coverage in each histopathological category or overall (P < .001). Single HPV infection was the main infection category in each histopathological diagnosis, and the total infection rate was 65.83% (867/1317; P < .001). The prevalence of HPV16 or single HPV infection increased with the severity of cervical lesions (P < .001). HPV16, 58, 18, 52, and 33 may be predominant high‐risk factors for cervical lesions in Henan Province. The nine‐valent prophylactic HPV vaccine is more effective than a bivalent or quadrivalent vaccine for protecting women from CC in the region.
Improving the dynamical seasonal prediction of western Pacific warm pool sea surface temperatures using a physical–empirical model
Authors: Chen Ping , Sun Bo
Published: January 2020

The western Pacific warm pool (WPWP) has a profound impact on the global climate. In this study, the forecast skill of ENSEMBLES model for predicting the WPWP sea surface temperature (SST) for the period 1960–2006 is evaluated, where a WPWP index (WPWPI) is defined to represent the interannual variability of WPWP SST. The result indicates that the ENSEMBLES exhibit a poor skill in predicting the WPWPI during January–April (2‐ to 5‐month forecasts starting on November 1). To improve the ENSEMBLES‐predicted WPWP SSTs during January–April, a physical–empirical (PE) model is developed based on two predictors, using the year‐to‐year increment method and the linear regression method. The two predictors include the ENSEMBLES‐predicted sea level pressure during January and the observed northern tropical Atlantic SSTs during the preceding August. The mechanisms associated with the two predictors are illuminated. The 1‐year‐out cross‐validation and the independent hindcast indicate that this PE model may notably improve the WPWPI prediction of ENSEMBLES, with a correlation coefficient (CC) above 0.6 between the PE‐model‐predicted WPWPI and the observed WPWPI during January–April. The physical mechanisms expounded in this study and the PE model utilized in this study can be considered to improve the prediction of WPWP SST of numerical models in the future.
Decadal climatology of the spatial and vertical distributions of tropospheric aerosol over the Arabian Sea based on satellite observations
Authors: Tandule Chakradhar Rao , Kalluri Raja Obul Reddy , Gugamsetty Balakrishnaiah , Kotalo Rama Gopal , Thotli Lokeswara Reddy , Rajuru Ramakrishna Reddy , Vaddin Shalini
Published: January 2020

The climatology of aerosol optical properties is retrieved and analysed for the period from June 2006 to November 2017 over the Arabian Sea from the Cloud‐Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP) onboard Cloud‐Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations (CALIPSO) and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) onboard Aqua satellite. Strong seasonality and latitudinal gradients in the columnar aerosol optical depth, dust aerosol optical depth (DOD) over the Arabian Sea are observed. Most of the aerosols over the North Arabian Sea (NAS) and the Central Arabian Sea are confined to the surface (i.e., 0–3 km). However, the seasonal mean high extinction coefficient is found during summer over the Arabian Sea. The high vertical extent of aerosols (with higher extinction coefficient) at altitudes >4 km emphasizes the continental aerosol effluence from the southwestern peninsular Indian subcontinent during winter, spring and autumn seasons. The contribution of dust extinction coefficient to the total columnar DOD has been observed to be high over NAS (>35%) at 0–1 km altitude bin during all the seasons and it is lowest (<15%) at the altitude range of 5–6 km. Dust fraction (DF) shows a clear latitudinal variation with a peak over NAS and diminishes towards SAS. The highest DF is observed over NAS during spring (82%) even though the dust extinction coefficient attained maximum during summer (0.81 ± 0.07 km−1). This is due to the strong westerly winds over NAS from the coast of Oman during spring. A positive difference between DF derived from MODIS and CALIPSO is noticed, and it might be due to the limitation of MODIS in discriminating the aerosol and the cloud from its passive sensor reliable than an active sensor like lidar in CALIPSO. The outcomes of the present study will serve as a reliable source for future studies of dust‐regional scale climate interactions over the Arabian Sea.
Changes in the frequency of hot, humid days and nights in the Mississippi River Basin
Authors: Tavakol Ameneh , Rahmani Vahid , Harrington John
Published: January 2020

The severe impacts of climate change on human health will rise from the co‐occurrence of extreme humid and hot conditions. In this study, six indices associated with high humidity, maximum and minimum daytime and nighttime temperature and the heat index (HI) values were analysed to assess temporal changes in hot, humid conditions in the Mississippi River Basin (MRB), USA, for the period 1948–2017. The frequencies of extreme humid days and nights have significant upward trends over 97 and 93% of MRB, respectively. Trends of day‐time HI were mainly upward (63%), except for eastern regions of MRB. More of the upward trends for the frequency of hot nights were significant than the trends for hot days either for the entire period (72% of MRB for hot nights and 4% for hot days) or after a significant change‐point (26% of MRB for hot nights and 20% for hot days). Except for minimum HI, other indices including extreme maximum and minimum temperature and specific humidity as well as maximum HI had an upward trend after the 1980s and 1990s for the majority of grid‐cells. Central and southern areas of the MRB were identified as regions most at risk for an extreme HI value during both days and nights.