bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Variations of the plantar tarsometatarsal ligaments
Authors: Won Hyung‐Jin , Oh Chang‐Seok
Published: March 2019

This study investigated the morphological variations of the plantar tarsometatarsal ligaments of the foot by classifying them based on their ligamentous components. Fifty embalmed feet from 27 adult Korean cadavers were used. The plantar tarsometatarsal ligaments comprised nine components (medial cuneiform‐first metatarsal, pCn1‐M1; medial cuneiform‐second metatarsal, pCn1‐M2; medial cuneiform‐second and third metatarsals, pCn1‐M2,3; median cuneiform‐second metatarsal, pCn2‐M2; lateral cuneiform‐third metatarsal, pCn3‐M3; lateral cuneiform‐fourth metatarsal, pCn3‐M4; lateral cuneiform‐third and fourth metatarsals, pCn3‐M3,4; cuboid‐fourth metatarsal, pCb‐M4; and cuboid‐fifth metatarsal, pCb‐M5). pCn1‐M2 was newly observed in the present study. The number of the bands composing the ligament was one in the pCn1‐M2, pCn2‐M2, pCn3‐M3, and pCn3‐M4 components, and one or two in the pCn1‐M1, pCn1‐M2,3, pCn3‐M3,4, pCb‐M4, and pCb‐M5 components. The plantar tarsometatarsal ligaments were classified into five types based on the combination of their components. The pCn1‐M1, pCn1‐M2,3, and pCn2‐M2 components were consistently observed in types I–IV (88%), along with pCn3‐M3,4 in type I, pCn3‐M4 and pCb‐M5 in type II, and pCn3‐M3 in type IV. In type V (12%), the pCn1‐M1 and pCb‐M5 components were consistently present. Improved comprehension of the variations in plantar tarsometatarsal ligament anatomy is expected to help diagnose diverse injuries to this region, better understand the structural pathomechanism of the injuries, and contribute to successful treatment. Clin. Anat. 32:699–705, 2019. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Genetic diversity and amino acid sequence polymorphism in Helicobacter pylori CagL hypervariable motif and its association with virulence markers and gastroduodenal diseases
Authors: Yadegar Abbas , Mohabati Mobarez Ashraf , Zali Mohammad Reza
Published: March 2019

Genetic variability in cagL gene especially within the Helicobacter pylori CagL hypervariable motif (CagLHM) may affect the development of gastric cancer. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the association of CagL diversity with clinical outcomes and with H pylori virulence markers. A total of 126 patients with different gastric diseases including non‐ulcer dyspepsia (NUD), peptic ulcer disease (PUD), gastric erosion (GE), and gastric cancer (GC) were enrolled. H pylori was cultured from gastric biopsies, and the isolates were screened for the presence of cagL, cagA, vacA, babA2, sabA, and cagPAI integrity by PCR. The amino acid polymorphisms of cagL were analyzed using DNA sequencing. We isolated 61 (48.4%) H pylori strains from 36 NUD, eight PUD, 12 GE, and five GC patients. Almost all isolates were cagL positive (97%), and their RGD, RHS, and SKIIVK motifs were highly conserved. Among 10 CagLHM variants identified, NEIGQ and NKIGQ were detected as the most prevalent sequences. Interestingly, a significant association was found between the presence of NKMGK and PUD (P = 0.002). Notably, the NEIGQ isolates with multiple C‐type EPIYA repeat that carried intact cagPAI correlated with disease risk for PUD, GE, and GC (P = 0.021). In conclusion, we identified novel variants of H pylori CagLHM sequences in Iranian population such as NKMGK, which was associated with disease risk for PUD. Further studies using a large number of strains are required to better clarify the function of certain CagLHM motifs in gastric carcinogenesis and disease outcome.
Serum biomarker panels for the diagnosis of gastric cancer
Authors: Wu Dan , Zhang Pinglu , Ma Ji , Xu Jinbo , Yang Li , Xu Weidan , Que Haifeng , Chen Meifen , Xu Hongtao
Published: March 2019

Gastric cancer is a leading cause of mortality due to neoplastic disease. Although early detection of gastric cancers can decrease the mortality rate, it remains a diagnostic challenge because of the lack of effective biomarkers. In this study, fifteen gastric cancer patients and ten healthy subjects were recruited to assess novel serum biomarkers for gastric cancer using antibody microarray technology. ELISA was utilized to validate the antibody array results. As a result, compared to the controls, eleven cytokines were found to be significantly increased in gastric cancer, including interferon gamma receptor 1 (IFNGR1), neurogenic locus notch homolog protein 3 (Notch‐3), tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily member 19L (TNFRSF19L), growth hormone receptor (GHR), signaling lymphocytic activation molecule family 8 (SLAMF8), folate receptor beta (FR‐beta), integrin alpha 5, galectin‐8, erythropoietin‐producing hepatocellular A1 (EphA1), epiregulin, and fibroblast growth factor 12 (FGF‐12) with P < 0.05. ELISA validation supported the results of the antibody array. More importantly, most of these eleven cytokines, including IFNGR1, TNFRSF19L, GHR, SLAMF8, FR‐beta, and integrin alpha 5 were discovered to be elevated in gastric cancer serum samples for the first time in this study, suggesting that these proteins may serve as novel biomarkers for the early diagnosis and prognosis determination of gastric cancer.
Readily Available Immobilized Pd Catalysts for Suzuki‐Miyaura Coupling under Continuous‐flow Conditions
Authors: Ichitsuka Tomohiro , Suzuki Naoto , Sairenji Masaki , Koumura Nagatoshi , Onozawa Shun‐ya , Sato Kazuhiko , Kobayashi Shū
Published: March 2019

Highly efficient immobilized catalysts for continuous‐flow cross‐coupling reactions that show better productivity than those for the corresponding batch reactions are increasingly in demand. For practical use, such catalysts should have highly catalytic activity and high leaching resistance. To find catalysts suitable for continuous‐flow conditions, we have developed a consistent method for evaluating the catalytic performance of commercially available immobilized Pd catalysts. Monitoring of the change in turnover frequency over time under excess substrate loading conditions revealed the limitation of these catalysts. On the basis of the evaluation results, we have successfully developed a new immobilized Pd catalyst that exhibited highly efficient and robust catalytic performance.
A Composite Catalyst Based on Perovskites for Overall Water Splitting in Alkaline Conditions
Authors: Bu Yunfei , Kim Seona , Kwon Ohhun , Zhong Qin , Kim Guntae
Published: March 2019

Electrochemical water splitting is considered a sustainable way to produce H2. However, it is still a challenge to develop efficient and stable electrocatalysts. Here, a bifunctional composite catalyst for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) was constructed by using a facile in situ growth route, which combines the carbonization on exsolved alloy nanoparticles and sulfurization in one continues step. This composite catalyst contains Ruddlesden‐Popper‐type S‐adsorbed (Nd0.6Sr0.4)3((Co,Fe)0.85Nb0.15)2O7, metal sulfides, and hollow S‐doped carbon fibers. Compared to the untreated catalyst, Nd0.6Sr0.4Co0.6Fe0.3Nb0.1O3‐δ, the composite catalyst leads to significantly enhanced OER and HER activities as well as excellent stability (more than 400 h without inactivation) during overall water splitting. Our research offers a new route to fabricate hetero‐architecture materials with S‐doped hollow carbon fibers on alloy nanoparticles of perovskite oxides.
Strategy to Induce Multiferroic Property in (RTiO3)n/(RVO3)n Superlattices: A First‐Principles Study
Authors: Yao Fen , Meng Junling , Zhang Lifang , Liu Xiaojuan , Meng Jian , Zhang Hongjie
Published: March 2019

By first‐principles calculations, lanthanide contraction is applied on a 1/1 (with symmetric center) and a 2/2 (with non‐centrosymmetric polar structure) RTiO3/RVO3 superlattices to realize quasi‐continuous structural distortion modulation. The strong correlations of microscopic structural distortion, magnetic coupling and charge disproportionation accompanying metal‐insulator transition (MIT) are clarified. It is found that the effect of lanthanide contraction on the 1/1 and 2/2 RTiO3/RVO3 superlattices can induce ferromagnetic to antiferromagnetic transition within ab VO2 plane and the MIT occurs within these superlattices. And the MIT phenomenon is attributed to the charge disproportionation on V sites caused by the magnetic coupling transition. More structural distortion in the 2/2 RTiO3/RVO3 superlattice is necessary than that of the 1/1 RTiO3/RVO3 superlattice to induce the similar magnetic and MIT transition originating from the smaller interface/volume ratio. Based on these results, combining lanthanide contraction and epitaxial strain effects, multiferroic property is realized on 2/2 YTiO3/YVO3 superlattice. Among all the structural parameters, aspect ratio c/a and Ti−O−V bond angles along the [001] direction are found to play the vital roles in the relevant transition process. Therefore, our calculations provide a microscopic guidance to design and synthesize new multiferroic materials.
Pancreatic Blood Flow with Special Emphasis on Blood Perfusion of the Islets of Langerhans
Authors: Jansson Leif , Carlsson Per‐Ola
Published: March 2019

The pancreatic islets are more richly vascularized than the exocrine pancreas, and possess a 5‐ to 10‐fold higher basal and stimulated blood flow, which is separately regulated. This is reflected in the vascular anatomy of the pancreas where islets have separate arterioles. There is also an insulo‐acinar portal system, where numerous venules connect each islet to the acinar capillaries. Both islets and acini possess strong metabolic regulation of their blood perfusion. Of particular importance, especially in the islets, is adenosine and ATP/ADP. Basal and stimulated blood flow is modified by local endothelial mediators, the nervous system as well as gastrointestinal hormones. Normally the responses to the nervous system, especially the parasympathetic and sympathetic nerves, are fairly similar in endocrine and exocrine parts. The islets seem to be more sensitive to the effects of endothelial mediators, especially nitric oxide, which is a permissive factor to maintain the high basal islet blood flow. The gastrointestinal hormones with pancreatic effects mainly influence the exocrine pancreatic blood flow, whereas islets are less affected. A notable exception is incretin hormones and adipokines, which preferentially affect islet vasculature. Islet hormones can influence both exocrine and endocrine blood vessels, and these complex effects are discussed. Secondary changes in pancreatic and islet blood flow occur during several conditions. To what extent changes in blood perfusion may affect the pathogenesis of pancreatic diseases is discussed. Both type 2 diabetes mellitus and acute pancreatitis are conditions where we think there is evidence that blood flow may contribute to disease manifestations. © 2019 American Physiological Society.Compr Physiol9:799‐837, 2019.
A Practical Guide to Genome Editing Using Targeted Nuclease Technologies
Authors: Porter Shaina N. , Levine Rachel M. , Pruett‐Miller Shondra M.
Published: March 2019

Genome engineering using programmable nucleases is a rapidly evolving technique that enables precise genetic manipulations within complex genomes. Although this technology first surfaced with the creation of meganucleases, zinc finger nucleases, and transcription activator‐like effector nucleases, CRISPR‐Cas9 has been the most widely adopted platform because of its ease of use. This comprehensive review presents a basic overview of genome engineering and discusses the major technological advances in the field. In addition to nucleases, we discuss CRISPR‐derived base editors and epigenetic modifiers. We also delve into practical applications of these tools, including creating custom‐edited cell and animal models as well as performing genetic screens. Finally, we discuss the potential for therapeutic applications and ethical considerations related to employing this technology in humans. © 2019 American Physiological Society.Compr Physiol9:665‐714, 2019.
Studying Human Neurological Disorders Using Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells: From 2D Monolayer to 3D Organoid and Blood Brain Barrier Models
Authors: Logan Sarah , Arzua Thiago , Canfield Scott G. , Seminary Emily R. , Sison Samantha L. , Ebert Allison D. , Bai Xiaowen
Published: March 2019

Neurological disorders have emerged as a predominant healthcare concern in recent years due to their severe consequences on quality of life and prevalence throughout the world. Understanding the underlying mechanisms of these diseases and the interactions between different brain cell types is essential for the development of new therapeutics. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are invaluable tools for neurological disease modeling, as they have unlimited self‐renewal and differentiation capacity. Mounting evidence shows: (i) various brain cells can be generated from iPSCs in two‐dimensional (2D) monolayer cultures; and (ii) further advances in 3D culture systems have led to the differentiation of iPSCs into organoids with multiple brain cell types and specific brain regions. These 3D organoids have gained widespread attention asin vitrotools to recapitulate complex features of the brain, and (iii) complex interactions between iPSC‐derived brain cell types can recapitulate physiological and pathological conditions of blood‐brain barrier (BBB). As iPSCs can be generated from diverse patient populations, researchers have effectively applied 2D, 3D, and BBB models to recapitulate genetically complex neurological disorders and reveal novel insights into molecular and genetic mechanisms of neurological disorders. In this review, we describe recent progress in the generation of 2D, 3D, and BBB models from iPSCs and further discuss their limitations, advantages, and future ventures. This review also covers the current status of applications of 2D, 3D, and BBB models in drug screening, precision medicine, and modeling a wide range of neurological diseases (e.g., neurodegenerative diseases, neurodevelopmental disorders, brain injury, and neuropsychiatric disorders). © 2019 American Physiological Society.Compr Physiol9:565‐611, 2019.
Transcriptome‐Wide Mapping of m6A and m6Am at Single‐Nucleotide Resolution Using miCLIP
Authors: Hawley Ben R. , Jaffrey Samie R.
Published: March 2019

The most prevalent modified base in mRNA, N6‐methyladenosine (m6A), is found in several thousand transcripts, typically near the stop codon, although it can occur anywhere in the mRNA. In addition, the highly similar nucleotide N6,2′‐O‐dimethyladenosine (m6Am), which is difficult to distinguish from m6A, occurs as the first transcribed nucleotide of certain transcripts. Both the m6A and m6Am modifications have been implicated in numerous biological processes, and their precise mapping is crucial to understanding their functions. To address this need, we developed miCLIP, a method that maps both m6A and m6Am at individual nucleotide resolution. Here we describe the miCLIP protocol, with slight improvements to the initially published protocol for both the experimental methodology and bioinformatics analysis. © 2019 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
A study of corporate social responsibility practices of the top Bombay Stock Exchange 500 companies in India and their alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals
Authors: Poddar Anushree , Narula Sapna A. , Zutshi Ambika
Published: March 2019

This paper highlights the organic link that exists between the corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities undertaken by the Indian corporate sector and their alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) from 2014–2016; the period after mandatory CSR came into existence as per Indian Companies Act. In this study, we identify critical areas pertaining to SDG goals neglected by corporate sector as far as CSR investments are concerned. We find that more  CSR investments must be drawn towards climate change, biodiversity, Sustainable consumption and production, marine life and conserving flora and fauna. The sectoral analysis reveals that the companies falling under sectors that have a higher environmental footprint and impact are more concerned about taking up initiatives through CSR. The geographic analysis revealed that efforts need to be made to increase CSR expenditure in seven north‐eastern states, Jammu and Kashmir, and Union Territories. This paper recommends that the system needs to be further reviewed in light of the current observations.
Decline in abundance and apparent survival rates of fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus) in the northern Gulf of St. Lawrence
Authors: Schleimer Anna , Ramp Christian , Delarue Julien , Carpentier Alain , Bérubé Martine , Palsbøll Per J. , Sears Richard , Hammond Philip S.
Published: March 2019

Estimates of abundance and survivorship provide quantifiable measures to monitor populations and to define and understand their conservation status. This study investigated changes in abundance and survival rates of fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus) in the northern Gulf of St. Lawrence in the context of anthropogenic pressures and changing environmental conditions. A long‐term data set, consisting of 35 years of photo‐identification surveys and comprising more than 5,000 identifications of 507 individuals, formed the basis of this mark–recapture study. Based on model selection using corrected Akaike Information Criterion, the most parsimonious Cormack–Jolly–Seber model included a linear temporal trend in noncalf apparent survival rates with a sharp decline in the last 5 years of the study and a median survival rate of 0.946 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.910–0.967). To account for capture heterogeneity due to divergent patterns of site fidelity, agglomerative hierarchical cluster analysis was employed to categorize individuals based on their annual and survey site fidelity indices. However, the negative trend in survivorship remained and was corroborated by a significant decline in the estimated super‐population size from 335 (95% CI 321–348) individuals in 2004–2010 to 291 (95% CI 270–312) individuals in 2010–2016. Concurrently, a negative trend was estimated in recruitment to the population, supported by a sharp decrease in the number of observed calves. Ship strikes and changes in prey availability are potential drivers of the observed decline in fin whale abundance. The combination of clustering methods with mark–recapture represents a flexible way to investigate the effects of site fidelity on demographic variables and is broadly applicable to other individual‐based studies.
Major disturbances test resilience at a long‐term boreal forest monitoring site
Authors: Weldon James , Grandin Ulf
Published: March 2019

The impact of disturbances on boreal forest plant communities is not fully understood, particularly when different disturbances are combined, and regime shifts to alternate stable states are possible after disturbance. A long‐term monitored semi‐natural forest site subject to intense combined storm and bark beetle damage beginning in 2005 provided an opportunity to investigate the postdisturbance development of the vegetation community. Previous studies suggest that a shift from Picea abies to Fagus sylvatica domination was possible.

We analyzed pre‐ and postdisturbance vegetation data to investigate to what extent vascular plant species abundances, diversity, traits, and community composition have changed. We were particularly interested in differences between remaining apparently unaffected areas (potential refugia) and disturbed areas, and in signs of consistent change over time in community composition in response to disturbance that could indicate an impending regime shift.

We found that the vegetation community present in the refuge areas has remained substantially intact through the period of disturbance. Nonrefuge areas diverged from the refuges in community composition and showed increased taxonomic and functional diversity. Despite this, and an increase in deciduous tree species (particularly F. sylvatica), P. abies has shown strong postdisturbance regeneration. The refuges may be important in the apparent ongoing recovery of the disturbed areas to a P. abies‐dominated state similar to that found predisturbance. This fast recovery is interpreted as evidence of a system resilient to a potential shift to a deciduous‐dominated state.

Synthesis: Our results show that even powerful combined disturbances in a system with multiple stable states can be insufficient to initiate a regime shift. Resilience of the P. abies‐dominated forest community is increased by the survival of refuge areas functioning as a form of ecological memory of the previous ecosystem state. The results also demonstrate the value of data generated by long‐term monitoring programs.
Solid‐State Emissive Diaminomaleimide Dimers and a Polymer – Syntheses, Structures and Optical Properties
Authors: Imoto Hiroaki , Fujii Ryosuke , Naka Kensuke
Published: March 2019

Among solid‐state emissive maleimide dyes, aminomaleimide dyes are attracting much attention due to the variety of emission colors and functions. We recently reported 3,4‐diaminomaleimides, which show photoluminescence (PL) at long wavelengths (> 600 nm) despite their simple structures. In this work, 3,4‐diaminomaleimides were connected through a phenylene linker to form p‐ or m‐linked dimers. The PL properties were affected by the linking positions as well as the introduced amino groups. In addition, polymerization was conducted, and the emission color of the obtained polymer was dependent on the morphology.
Decadal behaviour of a washover fan, Skallingen Denmark
Authors: Aagaard Troels , Kroon Aart
Published: March 2019

In this study, the decadal evolution of a washover fan on the west coast of Denmark is examined from its initial generation in 1990 until 2015. Since its inception, the bare and flat washover fan surface has recovered and accreted slowly due to re‐activation by overwash during surges and due to aeolian activity and dune formation, stimulated by vegetation growth.

The volume of sand on the washover has increased steadily at an average rate of about 23 m3/yr per unit length of shoreline, and a total of 175,000 m3 of sand is now deposited on the fan, while at the same time the shoreline has receded by some 250 m. The evolution can be divided into three stages: 1) An initiation phase when storm surge levels and energetic wave conditions caused a breach in the foredunes and overwash processes formed a washover fan with a relatively low elevation above mean sea level; 2) An initial recovery phase during which waves supplied sand to the fan during frequent overwash activity and winds transported this sand into marginal dunes surrounding the fan; and 3) A later recovery phase when the surface of the fan had accreted to a level where vegetation could survive and trap sediment into new foredune growth across the fan. The rate of accretion has been overall linear but scales with neither annual overwash frequency, nor with aeolian transport potential. Instead, the linear accretion is more closely related to the steady onshore migration of nearshore bars that weld to the beach and provide a sand supply for transfer to the fan. The fan evolution demonstrates the importance of washover fans in preserving barrier resilience during transgressional phases caused by increasing mean sea level. © 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Game theoretic efficient radio resource allocation in 5G resilient networks: A data driven approach
Authors: Mudassir Ahmad , Hassan Syed Ali , Pervaiz Haris , Akhtar Saleem , Kamel Hesham , Tafazolli Rahim
Published: March 2019

In recent years, 5G resilient networks have gained significant attention in the wireless industry. The prime concern of commercial networks is to maximize network capacity to increase their revenue. However, in disaster situations during outages when cell sites are down, instead of capacity, coverage becomes predominant. In this paper, we propose a game theory–based optimal resource allocation scheme, while aiming to maximize the sum rate and coverage probability for the uplink transmissions in disaster situations. The proposed hierarchical game theoretical framework optimizes the uplink performance in multitier heterogeneous network with pico base stations and femto access points overlaid under a macro base station. The test simulations are based on a real‐time data set obtained for a predefined amount of time. The data statistics are then manipulated to create practical disaster situations. The solution for the noncooperative game has been obtained by using pure strategy Nash equilibrium. We perform simulations with different failure rates and the results show that the proposed scheme improves the sum rate and outage probability by significant margin with or without disaster scenario.
Cancer‐associated fibroblasts promote PD‐L1 expression in mice cancer cells via secreting CXCL5
Authors: Li Ziqian , Zhou Jiawang , Zhang Junjie , Li Shiying , Wang Hongsheng , Du Jun
Published: March 2019

Cancer‐associated fibroblasts (CAFs) play a key role in orchestrating the tumor malignant biological properties within tumor microenvironment and evidences demonstrate that CAFs are a critical regulator of tumoral immunosuppression of the T cell response. However, the functions and regulation of CAFs in the expression of programmed death‐ligand 1 (PD‐L1) in melanoma and colorectal carcinoma (CRC) are not completely understood. Herein, by scrutinizing the expression of α‐SMA and PD‐L1 in melanoma and CRC tissues, we found that CAFs was positive correlated with PD‐L1 expression. Further analyses showed that CAFs promoted PD‐L1 expression in mice tumor cells. By detecting a majority of cytokines expression in normal mice fibroblasts and CAFs, we determined that CXCL5 was abnormal high expression in CAFs and the immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization confirmed that were CAFs which were expressing CXCL5. In addition, CXCL5 promoted PD‐L1 expression in B16, CT26, A375 and HCT116. The silencing of CXCR2, the receptor of CXCL5, inhibited the PD‐L1 expression induced by CAFs in turn. Functionally, CXCL5 derived by CAFs promoted PD‐L1 expression in mice tumor cells through activating PI3K/AKT signaling. LY294002, the inhibitor of PI3K, confirmed that CXCL5 forested an immunosuppression microenvironment by promoting PD‐L1 expression via PI3K/AKT signaling. Meanwhile, the B16/CT26 xenograft tumor models were used and both CXCR2 and p‐AKT were found to be positively correlated with PD‐L1 in the xenograft tumor tissues. The immunosuppressive action of CAFs on tumor cells is probably reflective of them being a potential therapeutic biomarker for melanoma and CRC.
Temporary, inconsistent, and null effects of a moral story and instruction on honesty
Authors: Sauter Jessica A. , Stocco Corey S. , Luczynski Kevin C. , Moline Adam D.
Published: March 2019

Lying during childhood is a common concern for caregivers. Lee et al. (2014) showed that a moral story and instruction implying reinforcers for honesty produced statistically significant improvements in children admitting a transgression. We evaluated the influence of this moral story and instruction on the consistency of honest reports when reinforcement favored lying in the context of reporting answers to math problems. The moral story and instruction produced temporary, inconsistent, or null effects across participants. However, reinforcing accurate reports produced consistent improvements in telling the truth.
Human bone marrow‐derived mesenchymal stromal cells in combination with silymarin regulate hepatocyte growth factor expression and genotoxicity in carbon tetrachloride induced hepatotoxicity in Wistar rats
Authors: Aithal Ashwini P. , Bairy Laxminarayana K. , Seetharam Raviraja N. , Rao Mohandas KG.
Published: March 2019

Background

To evaluate the antimutagenic potential of combination treatment of human bone marrow‐derived mesenchymal stromal cells (BM‐MSCs) and silymarin and its effect on hepatocyte growth factor levels in CCl4 induced hepatotoxicity in Wistar rats.

Methods

Hepatotoxicity was induced in adult female Wistar rats using carbon tetrachloride (CCl4). Thirty‐six rats were randomly divided into six groups with six rats in each group: Group 1 (normal control group), Group 2 (received only CCl
4), Group 3 (CCl
4+low dose BM‐MSCs), Group 4 (CCl
4+high dose BM‐MSCs), Group 5 (CCl
4 + silymarin), Group 6 (CCl
4+silymarin+high dose BM‐MSCs). Thirty days after the treatment, blood samples were collected for hepatocyte growth factor estimation. The rats were then killed, bone marrow was extracted for chromosomal aberration assay. Liver tissue was processed for evaluating the DNA fragmentation assay, histopathology, and scanning electron microscopy study.

Results

Combination treatment of silymarin and high dose BM‐MSCs significantly (P < 0.05) restored the plasma hepatocyte growth factor levels which were comparable with normal levels and exhibited significant antimutagenic and antiapoptotic activity by decreasing the frequency of structural chromosomal aberrations and suppressing the DNA fragmentation in liver tissue samples. The combination treatment produced significant hepatoprotective effect which was supported by histopathology and scanning electron microscopy study.

Conclusion

Results indicate that the treatment of BM‐MSCs in combination with silymarin had a better hepatoprotective and antimutagenic effect and represents a novel strategy for the treatment of hepatotoxicity.
Improving the Pharmacology Curriculum at a German Medical School: A Structured Plan Based on a Student‐Guided Large‐Scale Study
Authors: Steffen Julius , Lenski Markus , Herrmann Florian E. , Mückter Harald , Dimitriadis Konstantinos , Fischer Martin R.
Published: March 2019

With rapid progress in medicine, a thorough understanding of pharmacology remains crucial. Currently, lecturers are implementing competency‐based learning objectives in medical curricula around the world. Advancing teaching modalities need to be integrated into pharmacology courses in a reasonable way. At Ludwig‐Maximilians‐Universität (LMU) Munich Medical Faculty, a systematic evidence‐based approach was used to modernize pharmacology classes. The needs assessment was conducted by final‐year students. It included focus groups and a large‐scale online survey, which was distributed among all medical students at LMU, with 1018 students participating (response rate 20%). Survey results showed that most of the students (92%) aimed to become pharmacology‐adept doctors. Also, a majority (88%) stated that their goal was to understand the material most critical to application of pharmacology concepts as well as prescribing practice. Only 38% of the students reported satisfaction with the current curriculum, and 93% supported modernization. Thus far, pharmacology teaching at LMU Munich had mainly consisted of lectures attended by 200 students. Now, students advocated for a stronger integration of clinical pharmacology teaching into clinical subjects in the last 2 years of medical school. Specifically, they called for classes with smaller groups of students including problem‐based learning as well as video podcasts. These results provided the foundation for change in curriculum at the LMU medical school. In conclusion, a structured approach for curriculum development that considers students’ views is feasible and can reveal their actual goals and demands. The approach has proven successful at LMU Munich and is transferrable to other universities.
Alexander Bain'sMind and Body(1872): An underappreciated contribution to early neuropsychology
Authors: Harper Kate
Published: March 2019

Alexander Bain (1818–1903) is well known for his two influential textbooks,The senses and the intellect(1855) andThe emotions and the will(1859). In comparison, Bain'sMind and body: The theories of their relation(1872) has been of limited interest to historians, and it is here where he presents one of the first neural network models. This paper addresses the historical foundations of Bain's neural network model and explores some of his primary influences. Additionally, this study addresses some of the reasons Bain'sMind and Bodydid not receive the historical notice his earlier works garnered.
Creating shared value in an industrial conurbation: Evidence from the North Staffordshire ceramics cluster
Authors: Jackson Ian , Limbrick Lorraine
Published: March 2019

The real benefit of Porter and Kramer's Creating Shared Value may be to assess past events in capitalism rather than to predict the future. The claims by Porter and Kramer that the concept of creating shared value is an effective way of reinventing modern capitalism by releasing an upsurge in innovation is misleading because it maintains self‐interest principally of large corporations at the center of the economic system. The long‐term development of the North Staffordshire Ceramics cluster suggests that firms such as Wedgwood were developing a primitive form of CSV over 250 years ago at the start of capitalism as opposed to a recent way of reinventing modern capitalism. The evidence of competitive forces remains strong and the resilience of firms in the cluster is much more in line with Schumpeterian “perennial gale of creative destruction” than a “wave of innovation and growth” offered by Porter and Kramer.
Enhancing shared value and sustainability practices of global firms: The case of samsung electronics
Authors: Lee Yeon W.
Published: March 2019

Samsung became involved in social programs that could effectively tackle the problems at stake while linking them to firm's benefits. Korean firms, particularly the chaebol, urgently adopted the shared value concepts as part of their solutions to ease social tension while garnering efforts to enhance corporate value. Samsung has engaged in sustainability practices that mainly derived from the firm's motivations to improve corporate image. It needs to approach shared value by realigning the firm's value chain activities with social issues, focusing on core areas, and engaging other for sustainable shared value practices.
Synergistic effects of phosphate ionic liquids and octadecylaminen‐oleoyl sarcosinate as lubricating grease additives
Authors: Wang Zeyun , Chang Jun , Wu Wei
Published: March 2019

A detailed study on the synergistic effects of phosphate ionic liquids (ILs) and rust inhibitor (octadecylaminen‐oleoyl sarcosinate (T711)) in the complex lithium grease (G) at room temperature and 100°C is presented in this paper. The results indicate that the hybrid additives (T711‐ILs‐G) showed better friction‐reducing and antiwear properties than single additives (T711‐G and ILs‐G). In the case of T711‐ILs‐G, the presence of T711 can prevent rustiness of the worn surface so the ILs can easily react with the exposed substrate surface and form tribological films on the sliding surfaces.
The equity implications of e‐commerce: A note
Authors: Eleftheriou Konstantinos , Polemis Michael L.
Published: March 2019

We develop a simple model with heterogeneous agents and search frictions to study how increases in matching intensity between buyers and retailers as a result of e‐commerce determine the level of income inequality among retailers. Our findings indicate that a reduction in search frictions leads to higher inequality and induces buyers to purchase goods and services only from specialized retailers.
Spatial distribution of secular trends in rainfall indices of Peninsular Malaysia in the presence of long‐term persistence
Authors: Khan Najeebullah , Pour Sahar Hadi , Shahid Shamsuddin , Ismail Tarmizi , Ahmed Kamal , Chung Eun‐Sung , Nawaz Nadeem , Wang Xiaojun
Published: March 2019

The presence of long‐term persistence (LTP) in hydroclimatic time series can lead to considerable change in the significance of trend. Therefore, past findings of climatic trend analysis without considering LTP in time series has become a disputable issue. The objective of this study was to assess the spatial patterns in the trends of annual and seasonal rainfall amounts and extremes in Peninsular Malaysia considering LTP. Daily rainfall data of APHRODITE (Asian Precipitation – Highly‐Resolved Observational Data Integration Towards Evaluation) for the period 1951–2007 was used to assess the trends using the classical Mann–Kendall (MK) test and the modified version of the MK test, which can remove the influence of LTP in the significance of trends. The results indicate that significant trends in different rainfall indices of Peninsular Malaysia obtained using the MK test reduced drastically when LTP was taken into consideration. There was almost no change in annual and seasonal rainfall amounts, which contradicts the findings of previous studies. The field significance of regional trends revealed an increase in wet spells at an average rate of 4.8 and 4.9 days/decade in the southeast and the southwest respectively during the northeast monsoon, and a decrease in rainy days by −1.4 days/decade in the north and an increase both in dry spells by 1.0 day/decade in the southeast and in the maximum 1 day rainfall by 1.7 mm/decade on the west coast during the southwest monsoon. The results indicate that the trends in rainfall indices reported in the maritime continent in previous studies should be re‐evaluated as most of them are due to LTP.
Analysis of biological effects of cell phone radiation on human body using specific absorption rate and thermoregulatory response
Authors: Rashid Tanghid B. , Song Heather H.
Published: March 2019

Health and science have reached a point of intersection which has never existed before. With the recent rapid increase in the use of cellular phones and long periods of usage of these devices near the human body, public concern regarding potential health hazards due to absorption of electromagnetic energy has been growing. To address these issues, this research evaluates the average Specific Absorption Rate in different human tissues by varying source to antenna distance and radiated power using the ANSYS 3D human body model. The Pennes bioheat transfer equation was solved analytically to calculate the longtime exposure effect and temperature rise. The results show that regardless of the frequency, if the antenna radiated power is low (less than 125 mW), temperature increase within the human tissues is low; however if the antenna operates at high radiated power (1 W), temperature tends to increase eight and a half times.
An energy‐based discontinuous Galerkin method for coupled elasto‐acoustic wave equations in second‐order form
Authors: Appelö Daniel , Wang Siyang
Published: March 2019

We consider wave propagation in a coupled fluid‐solid region separated by a static but possibly curved interface. The wave propagation is modeled by the acoustic wave equation in terms of a velocity potential in the fluid, and the elastic wave equation for the displacement in the solid. At the fluid solid interface, we impose suitable interface conditions to couple the two equations. We use a recently developed energy‐based discontinuous Galerkin method to discretize the governing equations in space. Both energy conserving and upwind numerical fluxes are derived to impose the interface conditions. The highlights of the developed scheme include provable energy stability and high order accuracy. We present numerical experiments to illustrate the accuracy property and robustness of the developed scheme.
Modification of proline‐based 2,5‐diketopiperazines by anionic ring‐opening polymerization
Authors: Tezgel Özgül , Puchelle Valentin , Du Haiqin , Illy Nicolas , Guégan Philippe
Published: March 2019

2,5‐Diketopiperazines (DKPs) are the smallest cyclic dipeptides found in nature with various attractive properties. In this study, we have demonstrated the successful modification of proline‐based DKPs using anionic ring‐opening polymerization (AROP) as a direct approach. Four different proline‐based DKPs with various side chains and increasing steric hindrance were used as initiating species for the polymerization of 1,2‐epoxybutane or ethoxyethyl glycidyl ether in the presence of t‐BuP4 phosphazene base. The addition of a Lewis acid, tri‐isobutyl aluminum, to the reaction mixture strongly decreased the occurrence of side reactions. Impact of the DKP side‐chain functionalities on molar mass control and dispersity was successfully evidenced. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2019, 57, 1008–1016
Vapor Pressure of Linear Nitrate Esters Determined by Transpiration Method in Combination with VO‐GC/MS
Authors: Härtel Martin A. C. , Klapötke Thomas M. , Stierstorfer Jörg , Zehetner Leopold
Published: March 2019

Gas phase detection of explosives is an ongoing trend in the detection sciences. The conception of gas phase detection devices requires knowledge about gas phase concentration of the target analytes. Nitrate esters are well performing explosives with a high potential for misuse in improvised explosive devices that need to be detected at vulnerable infrastructures. With respect to this the six nitrate esters, ethyl nitrate (1), ethylene glycol dinitrate (2), glycerol trinitrate (3), meso‐erythritol tetranitrate (4), d‐mannitol hexanitrate (5) and pentaerythritol tetranitrate (6) were investigated in terms of detectability by vacuum outlet‐GC/MS as potential components in improvised explosive devices. All compounds besides 5 could be detected using vacuum outlet GC/MS and their limits of detection were determined according to DIN 32645 : 2008. The vapor pressure of 2–4 was measured using the transpiration method. It was observed that the introduction of a CHONO2 unit lowers the vapor pressure of the nitrate esters by about two orders of magnitude. For compound 4 the saturation concentration (73 ng L−1) was compared with a vapor pressure based estimation of its concentration in diffusion equilibrium (0.385 pg L−1).
Conformation dynamics of cyclic disulfides and selenosulfides in CXXC(U) (X = Gly, Ala) tetrapeptide redox motifs
Authors: Bayse Craig A. , Pollard Deanna B.
Published: March 2019

Thioredoxin fold proteins often contain a Cys‐(Xxx)n‐Cys(Sec) or CXnC(U) motif, where the active cysteine (C) or selenocysteine (U) is bridged by X residues, which vary with protein function. The effect of the X residues on the conformation space of the oxidized disulfide and selenosulfide forms of the CXXC(U) motif has been investigated using molecular dynamics (MD) and density functional theory. Multi‐microsecond‐length MD simulations of the CGGC, CGAC, and CAGC cyclic peptides show that CGGC rings readily exchange between several conformations over the course of the simulation, but steric interactions with the methyl group of Ala limit the conformation space available to the cyclic peptide, especially for CGAC. The potential for the motif to be reduced, as measured by the energy of the lowest unoccupied molecular orbitals, is dependent upon the ring conformation. These results suggest that control of available conformations by the bridging residues and the protein tertiary structure may be important for defining the function of the CXXC motif. Theoretical 77Se chemical shifts of the selenosulfide moiety are dependent upon the conformation and/or intramolecular Se···O interactions with the backbone carbonyl group of the C‐terminal U residue.
A technique to quantify morphological damage of the flute profile in the midplane of corrugated fibreboard
Authors: Jamsari Mohamad Aiman , Kueh Celia , Gray‐Stuart Eli , Martinez‐Hermosilla Gonzalo A. , Dahm Karl , Bronlund John E.
Published: March 2019

This research presents a technique to quantify morphological damage to flutes in corrugated fibreboard (CFB). The method involves laser cutting thin samples and analysing digital images of the flute profiles. The surface profiles of creased CFB before and after laser cutting were measured using fringe projection and showed that the sample preparation does not significantly affect the flute profile. After imaging the laser cut samples, skeleton analysis was used to derive a digitised profile of the flute shape. To characterise the level of damage to the flute profile, a similarity factor (SF) was introduced to quantify the relative difference between test sample and reference flute profiles. Validation of this analysis technique was done by generating known images of flute profile with variations that include distortions that could occur to CFB. These images were then fed into the skeleton analysis, and the results were compared with the original profile. This comparison showed good agreement between the initial and skeleton‐analysed flutes. A demonstration of the skeleton analysis on purposefully damaged actual CFB flute profiles shows that the SF reduces as the level of crushing increases, showing that the technique could be used to enumerate morphological damage to CFB during manufacture, conversion, and use.
Event‐triggered tracking control of heterogeneous multiagent systems based on two kinds of observers with asymmetric delay
Authors: Wang Zehua , Liu Quanli , Wang Dong , Guo Ge , Wang Wei
Published: March 2019

In this paper, we consider the output tracking problem of a multiagent system with asymmetric delays and a switching topology. The multiagent system contains a leader and some followers, the dynamics of which are heterogeneous, and the output of the leader is available to only a subset of followers. We propose two types of observers to estimate states of the leader and reduce communication cost. For the informed followers that can directly obtain information of the leader, a common observer is given to reduce the complexity of observer design. Meanwhile, for the rest of the followers, a distributed observer with asymmetric communication delays for each follower is designed. The observer error system is transformed into a switched system. Through designing the average dwell‐time switching law and constructing multiple Lyapunov functionals, some sufficient conditions for stability of the observer error system are obtained. Furthermore, a distributed controller for followers based on the relative information is developed to track the output of the leader. Finally, an example is given to validate the effectiveness of the proposed results.
Minimizing environmental impact whilst securing drinking water quantity and quality demands from a reservoir
Authors: Weber Michael , Boehrer Bertram , Rinke Karsten
Published: March 2019

Complying with the demands of drinking water supply whilst minimizing environmental impact poses a great challenge in water management. This study investigates the potential of withdrawal management of drinking water reservoirs to alleviate the disruption of the river continuum by a reservoir dam with respect to temperature and discharge. The aim is the identification of an optimal withdrawal strategy to provide a near‐natural discharge temperature and flow for the downstream river without jeopardizing drinking water production. First, we identify the applicability of new withdrawal regimes for raw water security and downstream river demands. Second, we search for an ideal withdrawal regime in scenario simulations using a numerical reservoir model (“General Lake Model”). The scenarios on a drinking water reservoir in Germany demonstrate that we are able to derive an optimized reservoir management. The numerical model is provided for operators as a simple and efficient tool for optimizing the withdrawal strategy within reservoir management.
Empower staff members to step away, with the greater goal of enhancing leadership
Authors: Skipworth Stan
Published: March 2019

Current technology makes people and information instantly available and accessible by phone, from news, sports scores, music, television, and movies to sending and receiving documents. The descriptions of the very devices we choose to access these various information sources and systems highlight their speed: A computer with significantly greater memory and an enhanced processor and faster internet service create the expectation we are capable of handling greater amounts of data, will have a more enjoyable online experience, and will be more effective at work.
Did college radio station violate coach's contract?
Authors: Gelpi Aileen
Published: March 2019

The plaintiff became the head women's basketball coach and assistant athletic director at Northland College in 2009.