bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development of glass micro-electrodes for local electric field, electrical conductivity, and pH measurements
Authors: Doi Kentaro , Asano Naoki , Kawano Satoyuki
Published: March 2020

In micro- and nanofluidic devices, liquid flows are often influenced by ionic currents generated by electric fields in narrow channels, which is an electrokinetic phenomenon. Various technologies have been developed that are analogous to semiconductor devices, such as diodes and field effect transistors. On the other hand, measurement techniques for local electric fields in such narrow channels have not yet been established. In the present study, electric fields in liquids are locally measured using glass micro-electrodes with 1-μm diameter tips, which are constructed by pulling a glass tube. By scanning a liquid poured into a channel by glass micro-electrodes, the potential difference in a liquid can be determined with a spatial resolution of the size of the glass tip. As a result, the electrical conductivity of sample solutions can be quantitatively evaluated. Furthermore, combining two glass capillaries filled with buffer solutions of different concentrations, an ionic diode that rectifies the proton conduction direction is constructed, and the possibility of pH measurement is also demonstrated. Under constant-current conditions, pH values ranging from 1.68 to 9.18 can be determined more quickly and stably than with conventional methods that depend on the proton selectivity of glass electrodes under equilibrium conditions.
Post-treatment FDG PET-CT in head and neck carcinoma: comparative analysis of 4 qualitative interpretative criteria in a large patient cohort
Authors: Zhong Jim , Sundersingh Moses , Dyker Karen , Currie Stuart , Vaidyanathan Sriram , Prestwich Robin , Scarsbrook Andrew
Published: March 2020

There is no consensus regarding optimal interpretative criteria (IC) for Fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) Positron Emission Tomography – Computed Tomography (PET-CT) response assessment following (chemo)radiotherapy (CRT) for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). The aim was to compare accuracy of IC (NI-RADS, Porceddu, Hopkins, Deauville) for predicting loco-regional control and progression free survival (PFS). All patients with histologically confirmed HNSCC treated at a specialist cancer centre with curative-intent non-surgical treatment who underwent baseline and response assessment FDG PET-CT between August 2008 and May 2017 were included. Metabolic response was assessed using 4 different IC harmonised into 4-point scales (complete response, indeterminate, partial response, progressive disease). IC performance metrics (sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), accuracy) were compared. Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazards regression analyses were performed for survival analysis. 562 patients were included (397 oropharynx, 53 hypopharynx, 48 larynx, 64 other/unknown primary). 420 patients (75%) received CRT and 142 (25%) had radiotherapy alone. Median follow-up was 26 months (range 3–148). 156 patients (28%) progressed during follow-up. All IC were accurate for prediction of primary tumour (mean NPV 85.0% (84.6–85.3), PPV 85.0% (82.5–92.3), accuracy 84.9% (84.2–86.0)) and nodal outcome (mean NPV 85.6% (84.1–86.6), PPV 94.7% (93.8–95.1), accuracy 86.8% (85.6–88.0)). Number of indeterminate scores for NI-RADS, Porceddu, Deauville and Hopkins were 91, 25, 20, 13 and 55, 70, 18 and 3 for primary tumour and nodes respectively. PPV was significantly reduced for indeterminate uptake across all IC (mean PPV primary tumour 36%, nodes 48%). Survival analyses showed significant differences in PFS between response categories classified by each of the four IC (p <0.001). All four IC have similar diagnostic performance characteristics although Porceddu and Deauville scores offered the best trade off of minimising indeterminate outcomes whilst maintaining a high NPV.
Highly Sensitive Closed Loop Enclosed Split Ring Biosensor With High Field Confinement for Aqueous and Blood-Glucose Measurements
Authors: Kandwal Abhishek , Igbe Tobore , Li Jingzhen , Liu Yuhang , Li Sinan , Liu Louis W. Y. , Nie Zedong
Published: March 2020

This paper presents a highly sensitive closed loop enclosed split ring biosensor operating in microwave frequencies for measuring blood glucose levels in the human body. The proposed microwave glucose biosensor, working on the principle of high field confinement and concentrated energy, has been tested using both in-vitro and in-vivo methods. This principle allows the sensor to concentrate energy at the surface which results in improved accuracy of measurements. For in-vitro measurements, the biosensor has been tested using de-ionized water glucose solutions of different concentrations. The miniaturized micrometer scale biosensor is fabricated over a thin Si-substrate using photolithographic technique. The biosensor has been designed in a way to operate at desired microwave frequencies. Highly confined fields and concentrated energy inside the closed loop line containing the split ring resonators are responsible for the sensitivity enhancement. This new biosensor has obtained a high sensitivity of 82 MHz/mgmL−1 within the clinical diabetic range during in-vivo testing over the human body. In addition, the subjects (undergoing experiments) steady state has been continuously monitored throughout the experiment which helps in improving the accuracy of the results. The proposed biosensor has further obtained a low detection limit of <0.05 wt.% and can be useful for continuous non-invasive blood glucose monitoring.
Delineation of Genotype-by-Environment interactions for identification and validation of resistant genotypes in mungbean to root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita) using GGE biplot
Authors: Singh Bansa , Das Arpita , Parihar A. K. , Bhagawati B. , Singh Deepak , Pathak K. N. , Dwivedi Kusum , Das Niranjan , Keshari Nishi , Midha R. L. , Kumar Raju , Pratap Aditya , Kumar Vaibhav , Gupta Sanjeev
Published: March 2020

Susceptibility to root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.) is one of the major factors limiting mungbean production in South and South-East Asia. Host-pest-environment interaction in mungbean and root-knot nematode (M. incognita) was investigated in multi-location field evaluation using 38 promising mungbean genotypes extracted from initial evaluation of 250 genotypes under sick plots considering second stage freshly hatched juvenile as inoculants. The extent of environmental and genotype-by-environment interactions (GGE) was assessed to comprehend the dynamism of resistance and identification of durable resistant mungbean genotypes. Among environmental factors, nematode activity was highly influenced by rainfall and minimum temperature. The GGE biplot and multiple comparison tests detected a higher proportion of genotype × environment (GE) interaction followed by genotype and environment on number of nematode galls, gall index and reproduction factor. The first two principal components (PCs) explained 64.33% and 66.99% of the total variation of the environment-centered gall scoring and reproduction factor data, respectively. The high GE variation indicated the presence of non-cross over interactions which justify the necessities of multi-location testing. Detection of non-redundant testing locations would expedite optimum resource utilization in future. The GGE biplot analysis identified genotypes such as PM-10-12, IPM-410-3 and NVL-641 as the outperforming and desirable genotypes with durable resistance against M. incognita which can be exploited in mungbean breeding programmes globally. On the contrary, the highest gall scoring and reproduction factor were recorded in genotype IPM-9901-8. Computation of confidence interval (CI) at 95% level through bootstrapping increased precision of GGE biplot towards genotype recommendation. Furthermore, total phenol content, ascorbic acid, phenlylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activities were also higher in identified resistant genotypes and this information would be useful for devising mungbean breeding strategies in future for resistance against root-knot nematodes.
Interface Chemistry of Graphene/Cu Grafted By 3,4,5-Tri-Methoxyphenyl
Authors: Ambrosio Gina , Drera Giovanni , Di Santo Giovanni , Petaccia Luca , Daukiya Lakshya , Brown Anton , Hirsch Brandon , De Feyter Steven , Sangaletti Luigi , Pagliara Stefania
Published: March 2020

Chemical reaction with diazonium molecules has revealed to be a powerful method for the surface chemical modification of graphite, carbon nanotubes and recently also of graphene. Graphene electronic structure modification using diazonium molecules is strongly influenced by graphene growth and by the supporting materials. Here, carrying on a detailed study of core levels and valence band photoemission measurements, we are able to reconstruct the interface chemistry of trimethoxybenzenediazonium-based molecules electrochemically grafted on graphene on copper. The band energy alignment at the molecule-graphene interface has been traced revealing the energy position of the HOMO band with respect to the Fermi level.
Photoinduced damage of AsLOV2 domain is accompanied by increased singlet oxygen production due to flavin dissociation
Authors: Petrenčáková Martina , Filandr František , Hovan Andrej , Yassaghi Ghazaleh , Man Petr , Kožár Tibor , Schwer Marc-Simon , Jancura Daniel , Plückthun Andreas , Novák Petr , Miškovský Pavol , Bánó Gregor , Sedlák Erik
Published: March 2020

Flavin mononucleotide (FMN) belongs to the group of very efficient endogenous photosensitizers producing singlet oxygen, 1O2, but with limited ability to be targeted. On the other hand, in genetically-encoded photosensitizers, which can be targeted by means of various tags, the efficiency of FMN to produce 1O2 is significantly diminished due to its interactions with surrounding amino acid residues. Recently, an increase of 1O2 production yield by FMN buried in a protein matrix was achieved by a decrease of quenching of the cofactor excited states by weakening of the protein-FMN interactions while still forming a complex. Here, we suggest an alternative approach which relies on the blue light irradiation-induced dissociation of FMN to solvent. This dissociation unlocks the full capacity of FMN as 1O2 producer. Our suggestion is based on the study of an irradiation effect on two variants of the LOV2 domain from Avena sativa; wild type, AsLOV2 wt, and the variant with a replaced cysteine residue, AsLOV2 C450A. We detected irradiation-induced conformational changes as well as oxidation of several amino acids in both AsLOV2 variants. Detailed analysis of these observations indicates that irradiation-induced increase in 1O2 production is caused by a release of FMN from the protein. Moreover, an increased FMN dissociation from AsLOV2 wt in comparison with AsLOV2 C450A points to a role of C450 oxidation in repelling the cofactor from the protein.
Preoperative Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy to Portal Vein Tumour Thrombus in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Clinical and Pathological Analysis
Authors: Kishi Noriko , Kanayama Naoyuki , Hirata Takero , Ohira Shingo , Wada Kentaro , Kawaguchi Yoshifumi , Konishi Koji , Nagata Shigenori , Nakatsuka Shin-ichi , Marubashi Shigeru , Tomokuni Akira , Wada Hiroshi , Kobayashi Shogo , Tomita Yasuhiko , Teshima Teruki
Published: March 2020

The prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with portal vein tumour thrombus (PVTT) is poor. We conducted a prospective study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of tri-modality therapy, including preoperative stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) and surgery, followed by hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC) in HCC patients with PVTT. In this report, we investigated the pathology of the irradiated PVTT specimen in resected cases and SBRT-related acute toxicity. A total of 8 HCC patients with PVTT received preoperative SBRT targeting the PVTT at a dose of 48 Gy in 4 fractions at our institute from 2012 to 2016. Of the eight patients, six underwent surgery, while the remaining two did not because of disease progression. At the pathological examination, all patients’ irradiated PVTT specimens showed necrotic tissue, and three of six patients showed complete pathological response. Two patients showed 30% necrosis with high degeneration and one patient, with 30% necrosis without degeneration, was the only recurrent case found during the follow-up period (median: 22.5, range: 5.9–49.6 months). No SBRT-related acute toxicity worse than grade 2 was observed from SBRT to surgery. In conclusion, the preoperative SBRT for HCC was pathologically effective and the acute toxicities were tolerable.
(Cu2O-Au) – Graphene - Au layered structures as efficient near Infra - Red SERS substrates
Authors: Nair Radhika V. , Murukeshan V. M.
Published: March 2020

Near Infra-Red Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (NIR SERS) has gained huge attention in recent years as the conventional visible SERS suffers from overwhelming fluorescence background from the fluorophore resulting in the masking of Raman signals. In this paper, we propose a novel multi-layered SERS substrate- (Cu2O - Au) - Graphene – Au - for efficient NIR SERS applications. The proposed structure has a monolayer of Cu2O - Au core-shell particles on a Au substrate with 1 nm thick graphene spacer layer. Mie simulations are used to optimize the aspect ratios of core-shell particles to shift their plasmon resonances to NIR region using MieLab software. Further, Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) simulations using Lumerical software are used for the design of the multiparticle layered SERS substrate as MieLab software works only for single particle systems. Designed structure is shown to provide high field enhancement factor of the order of 108 at an excitation of 1064 nm thus ensuring the possibility of using the proposed structure as efficient NIR SERS substrate which could probably be used for various NIR sensing applications.
Patterns and predictors of co-morbidities in Tuberculosis: A cross-sectional study in the Philippines
Authors: White Laura V. , Edwards Tansy , Lee Nathaniel , Castro Mary C. , Saludar Naomi R. , Calapis Rugaiya W. , Faguer Benjamin N. , Fuente Nelson Dela , Mayoga Ferdinand , Saito Nobuo , Ariyoshi Koya , Garfin Anna Marie Celina G. , Solon Juan A. , Cox Sharon E.
Published: March 2020

Diabetes and undernutrition are common risk factors for TB, associated with poor treatment outcomes and exacerbated by TB. We aimed to assess non-communicable multimorbidity (co-occurrence of two or more medical conditions) in Filipino TB outpatients, focusing on malnutrition and diabetes. In a cross-sectional study, 637 adults (70% male) from clinics in urban Metro Manila (N = 338) and rural Negros Occidental (N = 299) were enrolled. Diabetes was defined as HbA1c of ≥6.5% and/or current diabetes medication. Study-specific HIV screening was conducted. The prevalence of diabetes was 9.2% (54/589, 95%CI: 7.0–11.8%) with 52% newly diagnosed. Moderate/severe undernutrition (body mass index (BMI) <17 kg/2) was 20.5% (130/634, 95%CI: 17.4–23.9%). Forty percent of participants had at least one co-morbidity (diabetes, moderate/severe undernutrition or moderate/severe anaemia (haemoglobin <11 g/dL)). HIV infection (24.4%, 74/303) was not associated with other co-morbidities (but high refusal in rural clinics). Central obesity assessed by waist-to-hip ratio was more strongly associated with diabetes (Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) = 6.16, 95%CI: 3.15–12.0) than BMI. Undernutrition was less common in men (AOR = 0.44, 95%CI: 0.28–0.70), and associated with previous history of TB (AOR = 1.97, 95%CI: 1.28–3.04) and recent reduced food intake. The prevalence of multimorbidity was high demonstrating a significant unmet need. HIV was not a risk factor for increased non-communicable multimorbidity.
Effects of chloromethylisothiazolinone/methylisothiazolinone (CMIT/MIT) on Th2/Th17-related immune modulation in an atopic dermatitis mouse model
Authors: Go Han-Na , Lee Seung-Hwa , Cho Hyun-Ju , Ahn Jae-Rin , Kang Mi-Jin , Lee So-Yeon , Hong Soo-Jong
Published: March 2020

Exposure to chloromethylisothiazolinone/methylisothiazolinone (CMIT/MIT) has been associated with allergic contact dermatitis and occupational asthma. Despite this association however, no study has investigated the effects of CMIT/MIT exposure on the development of atopic dermatitis (AD). This study was conducted to investigate the influence of epicutaneous exposure to CMIT/MIT on AD in a mouse model and the underlying biological mechanisms. BALB/C mice were exposed to CMIT/MIT for 3 weeks and AD was developed using ovalbumin (OVA) epidermal sensitization. CMIT/MIT epicutaneous exposure in normal mice significantly enhanced AD-like phenotypes (e.g., transepidermal water loss, clinical score, total serum immunoglobulin E level and infiltration of inflammatory cells). In addition, CMIT/MIT exposure significantly augmented the mRNA expression level of T helper (Th) 2-related cytokines (thymic stromal lymphopoietin, interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-13), Th2 chemokine (chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 17) and the population of CD4+IL-4+ cells in the skin. Moreover, mice exposed to CMIT/MIT in the OVA challenge had greater AD-like phenotypes, higher IL-4 and IL-17A skin mRNA expression levels, and a larger population of CD4+IL-4+- and IL-17A+-producing cells in the skin-draining lymph nodes. Our current findings in a mouse model thus suggest that CMIT/MIT exposure may cause AD symptoms through the dysregulation of Th2/Th17-related immune responses.
Alterations in histamine responses between juvenile and adult urinary bladder urothelium, lamina propria and detrusor tissues
Authors: Stromberga Zane , Chess-Williams Russ , Moro Christian
Published: March 2020

Inflammatory mediators may have a role in various lower urinary tract disorders. Histamine is known to induce significant increases in both the tension and frequency of spontaneous phasic contractions in both urothelium with lamina propria (U&LP) and detrusor muscle via the activation of H1 receptor in juvenile animal models. However, it is unclear whether age affects these contractile responses to histamine. This study assessed the histamine receptor subtypes mediating contraction in juvenile and adult porcine bladders and compared the urothelium with lamina propria and detrusor responses to histamine. Isolated tissue bath studies were conducted using strips of porcine U&LP and detrusor obtained from juvenile (6 months) and adult (3 years) animals exposed to histamine receptor agonists and antagonists. Treatment with histamine (100 µM) in U&LP of juvenile animals caused increases in baseline tension by 47.84 ± 6.52 mN/g (p < 0.001, n = 51) and by 50.76 ± 4.10 mN/g (p < 0.001, n = 55) in adult animals. Furthermore, the frequency of spontaneous phasic contractions was significantly enhanced in response to histamine in U&LP of both juvenile and adult tissues (p < 0.001 for both age groups). Treatment with an H2 agonist in U&LP of juvenile animals decreased baseline tension by 13.97 ± 3.45 mN/g (n = 12, p < 0.05), but had no effect in adult animals. Inhibition of H1 receptors resulted in significantly reduced contractile responses of U&LP and detrusor to histamine in both juvenile and adult animals (p < 0.05). Treatment with an H2 receptor antagonist significantly enhanced contractions in juvenile preparations (n = 10, p < 0.05) but had no effect in adult preparations (n = 8). In detrusor, treatment with histamine (100 µM) in juvenile tissues showed a significantly higher increase in baseline tension of 19.10 ± 4.92 mN/g (n = 51) when compared to adult tissues exhibiting increases of 8.21 ± 0.89 mN/g (n = 56, p < 0.05). The increases in the baseline tension were significantly inhibited by the presence of H1 receptor antagonists in both juvenile and adult detrusor preparations. Treatment with either the H2 receptor antagonist or agonist in detrusor had no effect on both juvenile and adult tissues. Therefore, the histamine receptor system may play an essential role in the maintenance of bladder function or in bladder dysfunction observed in some lower urinary tract disorders.
A pilot trial of Convolution Neural Network for automatic retention-monitoring of capsule endoscopes in the stomach and duodenal bulb
Authors: Gan Tao , Liu Shuaicheng , Yang Jinlin , Zeng Bing , Yang Li
Published: March 2020

The retention of a capsule endoscope (CE) in the stomach and the duodenal bulb during the examination is a troublesome problem, which can make the medical staff spend several hours observing whether the CE enters the descending segment of the duodenum (DSD). This paper investigated and evaluated the Convolution Neural Network (CNN) for automatic retention-monitoring of the CE in the stomach or the duodenal bulb. A trained CNN system based on 180,000 CE images of the DSD, stomach, and duodenal bulb was used to assess its recognition of the accuracy by calculating the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC-AUC), sensitivity and specificity. The AUC for distinguishing the DSD was 0.984. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of the CNN were 97.8%, 96.0%, 96.1% and 97.8%, respectively, at a cut-off value of 0.42 for the probability score. The deviated rate of the time into the DSD marked by the CNN at less than ±8 min was 95.7% (P < 0.01). These results indicate that the CNN for automatic retention-monitoring of the CE in the stomach or the duodenal bulb can be used as an efficient auxiliary measure in the clinical practice.
Estimating the price at which hepatitis C treatment with direct-acting antivirals would be cost-saving in Japan
Authors: Zhuo Yueran , Hayashi Tomoyuki , Chen Qiushi , Aggarwal Rakesh , Hutin Yvan , Chhatwal Jagpreet
Published: March 2020

In Japan, 1.5–2 million people are chronically infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. New direct-acting antiviral agents (DAA) offer an unprecedented opportunity to cure HCV. While the price of HCV treatment decreased recently in most countries, it remains one of the highest in Japan. Our objective was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of HCV treatment in patients of different age groups and to estimate the price at which DAAs become cost-saving in Japan. A previously developed microsimulation model was adapted to the Japanese population and updated with Japan-specific health utilities and costs. Our model showed that compared with no treatment, the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of DAAs at a price USD 41,046 per treatment was USD 9,080 per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) gained in 60-year-old patients. HCV treatment became cost-effective after 9 years of starting treatment. However, if the price of DAAs is reduced by 55–85% (USD 6,730 to 17,720), HCV treatment would be cost-saving within a 5 to 20-year time horizon, which should serve to increase the uptake of DAA-based HCV treatment. The payers of health care in Japan could examine ways to procure DAAs at a price where they would be cost-saving.
Characterization of tomato protein kinases embedding guanylate cyclase catalytic center motif
Authors: Rahman Hafizur , Wang Xin-Yao , Xu You-Ping , He Yu-Han , Cai Xin-Zhong
Published: March 2020

Guanylate cyclases (GCs) are enzymes that catalyze the reaction to produce cyclic GMP (cGMP), a key signaling molecule in eukaryotes. Nevertheless, systemic identification and functional analysis of GCs in crop plant species have not yet been conducted. In this study, we systematically identified GC genes in the economically important crop tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) and analyzed function of two putative tomato GC genes in disease resistance. Ninety-nine candidate GCs containing GC catalytic center (GC-CC) motif were identified in tomato genome. Intriguingly, all of them were putative protein kinases embedding a GC-CC motif within the protein kinase domain, which was thus tentatively named as GC-kinases here. Two homologs of Arabidopsis PEPRs, SlGC17 and SlGC18 exhibited in vitro GC activity. Co-silencing of SlGC17 and SlGC18 genes significantly reduced resistance to tobacco rattle virus, fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, and bacterium Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato (Pst) DC3000. Moreover, co-silencing of these two genes attenuated PAMP and DAMP-triggered immunity as shown by obvious decrease of flg22, chitin and AtPep1-elicited Ca2+ and H2O2 burst in SlGC-silenced plants. Additionally, silencing of these genes altered the expression of a set of Ca2+ signaling genes. Furthermore, co-silencing of these GC-kinase genes exhibited stronger effects on all above regulations in comparison with individual silencing. Collectively, our results suggest that GC-kinases might widely exist in tomato and the two SlPEPR-GC genes redundantly play a positive role in resistance to diverse pathogens and PAMP/DAMP-triggered immunity in tomato. Our results provide insights into composition and functions of GC-kinases in tomato.
Digoxin-amiodarone Combination is Associated With Excess All-cause Mortality in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation
Authors: Chiang Jiun-Yang , Chen Pau-Chung , Yang Yao-Hsu , Chang Chin-Hao , Chu Fang-Ying , Chen Jien-Jiun , Wu Cho-Kai , Hwang Juey-Jen , Chiang Fu-Tien , Lin Lian-Yu , Lin Jiunn-Lee
Published: March 2020

Combination use of digoxin and other medications might lead to worse outcomes in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). We sought to investigate whether digoxin-amiodarone combination would lead to worse outcome than digoxin alone in patients with AF. Adult patients with AF and received digoxin treatment from random samples of 1,000,000 individuals covered by the National Health Insurance in Taiwan were included. Baseline characteristics including risk factors and medications were matched by propensity score (PS) in those with and without addition of amiodarone treatment. A total of 5,040 AF patients taking digoxin therapy was included. PS matching identified 1,473 patients receiving digoxin-amiodarone combination and 2,660 patients receiving digoxin with a median follow-up of 1,331 days. Digoxin-amiodarone combination was associated with increased all-cause mortality (adjusted hazard ratio (HR): 1.640, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.470–1.829, P < 0.001). The risk of mortality increased regardless of duration of combination. Risk of sudden cardiac death was not increased in the combination group (HR: 1.304, 95% CI: 1.049–1.622, P = 0.017). Death due to non-arrhythmic cardiac disease, cerebrovascular disease, and other vascular disease were higher in the combination group than the digoxin group. In conclusion, in patients with AF, digoxin-amiodarone combination therapy is associated with excess mortality than digoxin alone.
Genome composition analysis of multipartite BNYVV reveals the occurrence of genetic re-assortment in the isolates of Asia Minor and Thrace
Authors: Yüksel Özmen Canan , Khabbazi Saber Delpasand , Khabbazi Afsaneh Delpasand , Gürel Songül , Kaya Rıza , Oğuz Muhammet Çağrı , Turan Ferzat , Rezaei Fereshteh , Kibar Umut , Gürel Ekrem , Ergül Ali
Published: March 2020

Beet necrotic yellow vein virus (BNYVV) is the cause of rhizomania, an important disease of sugar beet around the world. The multipartite genome of the BNYVV contains four or five single-stranded RNA that has been used to characterize the virus. Understanding genome composition of the virus not only determines the degree of pathogenicity but also is required to development of resistant varieties of sugar beet. Resistance to rhizomania has been conferred to sugar beet varieties by conventional breeding methods or modern genome engineering tools. However, over time, viruses undergo genetic alterations and develop new variants to break crop resistance. Here, we report the occurrence of genetic reassortment and emergence of new variants of BNYVV among the isolates of Thrace and Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey). Our findings indicate that the isolates harbor European A-type RNA-2 and RNA-3, nevertheless, RNA-5 is closely related to East Asian J-type. Furthermore, RNA-1 and RNA-4 are either derived from A, B, and P-types or a mixture of them. The RNA-5 factor which enhance the pathogenicity, is rarely found in the isolates studied (20%). The creation of new variants of the virus emphasizes the necessity to develop new generation of resistant crops. We anticipate that these findings will be useful for future genetic characterization and evolutionary studies of BNYVV, as well as for developing sustainable strategies for the control of this destructive disease.
Interface treatment using amorphous-carbon and its applications
Authors: Choi Myung Sik , Na Han Gil , Bang Jae Hoon , Choi Sun-Woo , Kim Sang Sub , Lee Kyu Hyoung , Kim Hyoun Woo , Jin Changhyun
Published: March 2020

Breakthrough process technologies have been introduced that can increase the chemical sensitivity of an interface at which reactions occur without significantly altering the physico-chemical properties of the material. Such an interfacial treatment method is based on amorphous-carbon as a base so that fluids can be deposited, and the desired thickness and quality of the deposition can be ensured irrespective of the interface state of the material. In addition, side effects such as diffusion and decreasing strength at the interface can be avoided. This is simpler than existing vacuum-based deposition technology and it has an unmatched industrial advantage in terms of economics, speed, accuracy, reliability, accessibility, and convenience. In particular, this amorphous-carbon interface treatment technology has been demonstrated to improve gas-sensing characteristics of NO2 at room temperature.
Relative tail length correlates with body condition in male but not in female crowned leafnose snakes (Lytorhynchus diadema)
Authors: Sivan Jaim , Hadad Shlomo , Tesler Itay , Rosenstrauch Avi , Allan Degen Abraham , Kam Michael
Published: March 2020

Reproductive success is the ultimate measure of individual quality; however, it is difficult to determine in free-living animals. Therefore, indirect measures that are related to reproduction are generally employed. In snakes, males typically possess longer tails than females and this sexual size dimorphism in tail length (TL) has generally been attributed to the importance of the tail in mating and reproduction. Thus, intra-sexual differences in tail length, specifically within males, were hypothesized to reflect individual quality. We used a body condition index (BCI) as a measure of quality in snakes and predicted that tail length would be correlated with BCI in males. We tested our prediction by determining BCI in the free-ranging adult male and female crowned leafnose snake (Lytorhynchus diadema), a colubrid species that inhabits mainly desert sand dunes. The relative TL was correlated positively and significantly to BCI in males (F1,131 = 11.05; r2adj = 0.07;P < 0.01) but not in females, thus supporting our prediction. This is the first time that the relationship between TL and body condition was tested in a free-ranging species. In addition, sexual size dimorphism of TL increased intra-specifically with body size, which was also found in interspecific analyses following Rensch’s rule.
Effects of ayahuasca on mental health and quality of life in naïve users: A longitudinal and cross-sectional study combination
Authors: Jiménez-Garrido Daniel F. , Gómez-Sousa María , Ona Genís , Dos Santos Rafael G. , Hallak Jaime E. C. , Alcázar-Córcoles Miguel Ángel , Bouso José Carlos
Published: March 2020

Ayahuasca is a hallucinogenic decoction used as a traditional medicine in several Amazonian regions. The ritualistic use of ayahuasca has spread throughout many countries, making it necessary to study its risks and benefits. Two sub-studies were designed for this investigation. In sub-study 1, a psychiatric interview and a battery of questionnaires were administered to subjects (n = 40) before their first ayahuasca use. Two follow-ups were conducted at 1 and 6 months. In sub-study 2, the same interview and battery of questionnaires were administered to long-term ayahuasca users (n = 23) and their scores were compared with those of the ayahuasca-naïve group. In the first assessment, nearly half (45%) of the naïve users were found to meet the diagnostic criteria for a psychiatric disorder. After the ayahuasca use, more than 80% of those subjects showed clinical improvements that persisted at 6 months. The questionnaires showed significant reductions in depression and psychopathology. Regarding sub-study 2, long-term users showed lower depression scores, and higher scores for self-transcendence and quality of life, as compared to their peers in sub-study 1. Further controlled and observational naturalistic studies assessing the eventual risks and potential benefits of ayahuasca are warranted.
Gene presence-absence variation associates with quantitative Verticillium longisporum disease resistance in Brassica napus
Authors: Gabur Iulian , Chawla Harmeet Singh , Lopisso Daniel Teshome , von Tiedemann Andreas , Snowdon Rod J. , Obermeier Christian
Published: March 2020

Although copy number variation (CNV) and presence-absence variation (PAV) have been discovered in selected gene families in most crop species, the global prevalence of these polymorphisms in most complex genomes is still unclear and their influence on quantitatively inherited agronomic traits is still largely unknown. Here we analyze the association of gene PAV with resistance of oilseed rape (Brassica napus) against the important fungal pathogenVerticillium longisporum, as an example for a complex, quantitative disease resistance in the strongly rearranged genome of a recent allopolyploid crop species. Using Single Nucleotide absence Polymorphism (SNaP) markers to efficiently trace PAV in breeding populations, we significantly increased the resolution of loci influencingV. longisporumresistance in biparental and multi-parental mapping populations. Gene PAV, assayed by resequencing mapping parents, was observed in 23–51% of the genes within confidence intervals of quantitative trait loci (QTL) forV. longisporumresistance, and high-priority candidate genes identified within QTL were all affected by PAV. The results demonstrate the prominent role of gene PAV in determining agronomic traits, suggesting that this important class of polymorphism should be exploited more systematically in future plant breeding.
Photoelectrochemical solar fuels from carbon dioxide, water and sunlight
Authors: Galan-Mascaros Jose Ramon
Published: March 2020

It is science, not magic. Solar fuels can be obtained from sunlight, water and carbon dioxide.
Adsorption and anti-corrosion characteristics of vanillin Schiff bases on mild steel in 1 M HCl: experimental and theoretical study
Authors: Satpati Sanjoy , Saha Sourav Kr. , Suhasaria Aditya , Banerjee Priyabrata , Sukul Dipankar
Published: March 2020

Two Schiff base derivatives of vanillin and divanillin with 2-picolylamine are synthesized and their anti-corrosive propensity for mild steel in aqueous HCl are compared.
Dielectric and electrical properties of annealed ZnS thin films. The appearance of the OLPT conduction mechanism in chalcogenides
Authors: Koaib J. , Bouguila N. , Abassi H. , Moutia N. , Kraini M. , Timoumi A. , Vázquez-Vázquez C. , Khirouni K. , Alaya S.
Published: March 2020

The annealing temperature (Ta) dependence of the structural, morphological, electrical and dielectric properties of ZnS thin films was investigated.
Nystatin-mediated bismuth oxide nano-drug synthesis using gamma rays for increasing the antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities against some pathogenic bacteria andCandidaspecies
Authors: El-Batal Ahmed I. , Nada Hanady G. , El-Behery Reham R. , Gobara Mohamed , El-Sayyad Gharieb S.
Published: March 2020

The four common mechanisms of the antimicrobial activity of Bi2O3NPs-Nystatin.
Platinum(ii) non-covalent crosslinkers for supramolecular DNA hydrogels
Authors: Zhang Kaka , Yam Vivian Wing-Wah
Published: March 2020

We report a serendipitous finding of platinum(ii) complexes serving as non-covalent crosslinkers for the fabrication of supramolecular DNA hydrogels.
Efficient light-harvesting, energy migration, and charge transfer by nanographene-based nonfullerene small-molecule acceptors exhibiting unusually long excited-state lifetime in the film state
Authors: Umeyama Tomokazu , Igarashi Kensho , Sasada Daiki , Tamai Yasunari , Ishida Keiichi , Koganezawa Tomoyuki , Ohtani Shunsuke , Tanaka Kazuo , Ohkita Hideo , Imahori Hiroshi
Published: March 2020

A nonfullerene acceptor, TACIC, showed efficient light-harvesting, exciton diffusion, and charge transfer.
Clickable iron oxide NPs based on catechol derived ligands: synthesis and characterization
Authors: Pozo-Torres Esther , Caro Carlos , Avasthi Ashish , Páez-Muñoz Jose María , García-Martín María Luisa , Fernández Inmaculada , Pernia Leal Manuel
Published: March 2020

Clickable magnetic NPs for nanomedical applications were prepared using a high-yield synthetic route based on a modular hetero bi-functional PEG spacer with an azide group and catechol anchor moieties with different stereo-electronic features.
An SDS-PAGE based method for the quantification of carbon black in biological samples
Authors: Liu Keyang , Wan Bin
Published: March 2020

Quantification of Carbon Black (CB) in bio-samples was made available through SDS-PAGE gel electrophoresis.
Extracellular pH-manipulated in situ reconfiguration of aptamer functionalized DNA monomer enables specifically improved affinity, detection and drug delivery
Authors: Zou Shanzi , Lei Yanli , Ma Wenjie , Chen Biao , Cheng Hong , Jia Ruichen , Li Zenghui , He Xiaoxiao , Wang Kemin
Published: March 2020

Acidic pHe-manipulated assembly of AptDMs for specifically improved binding, detection and drug delivery.
Short and modular synthesis of tetraarylsalicylaldehydes
Authors: Tejedor David , Delgado-Hernández Samuel , Santamaría-Peláez Blanca , García-Tellado Fernando
Published: March 2020

Each one of the 15 possible different substitution geometries of tetraarylated salicylaldehyde molecules is accessible through a 5-step modular strategy.
Hierarchical phenomena in multicomponent liquids: simulation methods, analysis, chemistry
Authors: Servis Michael J. , Martinez-Baez Ernesto , Clark Aurora E.
Published: March 2020

Complex, multicomponent, liquids benefit from a hierarchical understanding of solution speciation, collective organization and dynamics.
A fast species redistribution approach to accelerate the kinetic Monte Carlo simulation for heterogeneous catalysis
Authors: Cao Xiao-Ming , Shao Zheng-Jiang , Hu P.
Published: March 2020

A fast species redistribution (FSR) method is proposed to overcome the stiffness problem for accelerating the heterogeneous catalytic kMC simulation.
From CO or CO2?: space-resolved insights into high-pressure CO2hydrogenation to methanol over Cu/ZnO/Al2O3
Authors: Gaikwad Rohit , Reymond Helena , Phongprueksathat Nat , Rudolf von Rohr Philipp , Urakawa Atsushi
Published: March 2020

The temperature and pressure dependent reaction pathways of high-pressure CO2hydrogenation over a Cu/ZnO/Al2O3catalyst were studied through the gradients of reactants/products concentrations and catalyst temperature within the reactor.
Spiers Memorial Lecture : Carbon nanostructures by macromolecular design – from branched polyphenylenes to nanographenes and graphene nanoribbons
Authors: Qiu Zijie , Narita Akimitsu , Müllen Klaus
Published: March 2020

Nanographenes and graphene nanoribbons are unique connectors between the domains of 1D-conjugated polymers and 2D-graphenes. They can be synthesized with high precision in solution and on-surface, and serve as ideal objects for nanoscience.
Charge-assisted hydrogen bond and nitrile⋯nitrile interaction directed supramolecular associations in Cu(ii) and Mn(ii) coordination complexes: anticancer, hematotoxicity and theoretical studies
Authors: Sharma Pranay , Gogoi Anshuman , Verma Akalesh K. , Frontera Antonio , Bhattacharyya Manjit K.
Published: March 2020

Charge-assisted H-bonds and nitrile⋯nitrile interactions directed assemblies in Cu(ii) and Mn(ii) complexes have been analyzed by MEP surface and NCI plot index. Anticancer activities and hematotoxictiy have been investigated.
Mechanoresponsive, proteolytically stable and biocompatible supergelators from ultra short enantiomeric peptides with sustained drug release propensity
Authors: Mehra Radha Rani , Basu Anindya , Christman Ryann M. , Harjit Jeena , Mishra Anil K. , Tiwari Amit K. , DuttKonar Anita
Published: March 2020

This report describes the discovery of a set of decanoic acid based amphiphilic derivatives that serves as a template for the stabilization of hydrogel nanoparticles for the sustained release of model drugs.
Nanoscale rotational dynamics of four independent rotators confined in crowded crystalline layers
Authors: Rodríguez-Fortea Antonio , Canadell Enric , Wzietek Pawel , Lemouchi Cyprien , Allain Magali , Zorina Leokadiya , Batail Patrick
Published: March 2020

Car–Parrinello molecular dynamics unravels a microscopic model of correlated motion within a set of four rotors whose similar rotational barriers (at 6 kcal mol−1) are encapsulated within a broad 1H spin–lattice relaxation maximum.
Synthesis, properties and reactivity of BCl2 aza-BODIPY complexes and salts of the aza-dipyrrinato scaffold
Authors: Diaz-Rodriguez Roberto M. , Burke Luke , Robertson Katherine N. , Thompson Alison
Published: March 2020

Conversion of F-aza-BODIPYs to Cl-aza-BODIPYs enables facile substitution at boron using aryl Grignard reagents as well as controlled deborylative deprotection to give the parent azadipyrrin.
A polymer coated MNP scaffold for targeted drug delivery and improvement of rheumatoid arthritis
Authors: Malaekehpoor Seyedeh Mina , Derakhshandeh Katayon , Haddadi Rasool , Nourian Alireza , Ghorbani-Vaghei Ramin
Published: March 2020

DHAA–Fe3O4@HA as a nano-carrier was synthesized for targeted sulfasalazine delivery in specific inflammatory joint tissues with improvement in RA disease.
Synthesis and application in asymmetric catalysis of P-stereogenic pincer–metal complexes
Authors: Xiang Yijun , Ge Qianyi , Wu Shulei , Zheng Xing , Yang Zehua
Published: March 2020

P-stereogenic pincer: synthesis and application in asymmetric catalysis.
A study on the tribological property of MoS2/Ti–MoS2/Si multilayer nanocomposite coating deposited by magnetron sputtering
Authors: Kong Ning , Wei Boyu , Li Dongshan , Zhuang Yuan , Sun Guopeng , Wang Bo
Published: March 2020

Pure MoS2 coatings are easily affected by oxygen and water vapor to form MoO3 and H2SO4 which cause a higher friction coefficient and shorter service life.
Long non-coding RNA FENDRR inhibits migration and invasion of cutaneous malignant melanoma cells
Authors: Chen Xu-e , Chen Pu , Chen Shanshan , Lu Jin , Ma Ting , Shi Guang , Sheng Liang
Published: March 2020

The present study aimed to investigate the effects of lncRNA FENDRR on the migration and invasion of malignant melanoma (MM) cells. The expression levels of FENDRR in MM tissues and MM cell lines were detected using qRT-PCR, followed by construction of FENDRR-knocked down and overexpressed stable cells. Then the effects of FENDRR on cell proliferation, migration and invasion were detected using MTT assay and Transwell assay. The protein expression levels of matrix metallopeptidase 2 (MMP2), MMP9, and related factors in JNK/c-Jun pathway were detected using Western blot. FENDRR was down-regulated in MM tissues and cell lines. Besides, its expression levels in different MM cells were diverse. Knockdown of FENDRR facilitated MM cells proliferation, migration and invasion in A375 cells, while overexpressing FENDRR had reverse results. In addition, MMPs and JNK/c-Jun pathway involved in the FENDRR-mediated regulation of MM cell proliferation, migration and invasion. Our results demonstrated that FENDRR mediated the metastasis phenotype of MM cells by inhibiting the expressions of MMP2 and MMP9 and antagonizing the JNK/c-Jun pathway.
ALMA chemical survey of disk-outflow sources in Taurus (ALMA-DOT)
Authors: Garufi A. , Podio L. , Codella C. , Rygl K. , Bacciotti F. , Facchini S. , Fedele D. , Miotello A. , Teague R. , Testi L.
Published: March 2020

The chemical composition of planets is determined by the distribution of the various molecular species in the protoplanetary disk at the time of their formation. To date, only a handful of disks have been imaged in multiple spectral lines with high spatial resolution. As part of a small campaign devoted to the chemical characterization of disk-outflow sources in Taurus, we report on new ALMA Band 6 (~1.3 mm) observations with ~0.15′′ (20 au) resolution toward the embedded young star DG Tau B. Images of the continuum emission reveals a dust disk with rings and, putatively, a leading spiral arm. The disk, as well as the prominent outflow cavities, are detected in CO, H2CO, CS, and CN; instead, they remain undetected in SO2, HDO, and CH3OH. From the absorption of the back-side outflow, we inferred that the disk emission is optically thick in the inner 50 au. This morphology explains why no line emission is detected from this inner region and poses some limitations toward the calculation of the dust mass and the characterization of the inner gaseous disk. The H2CO and CS emission from the inner 200 au is mostly from the disk, and their morphology is very similar. The CN emission significantly differs from the other two molecules as it is observed only beyond 150 au. This ring-like morphology is consistent with previous observations and the predictions of thermochemical disk models. Finally, we constrained the disk-integrated column density of all molecules. In particular, we found that the CH3OH/H2CO ratio must be smaller than ~2, making the methanol non-detection still consistent with the only such ratio available from the literature (1.27 in TW Hya).
Reconstruction of the ground-layer adaptive-optics point spread function for MUSE wide field mode observations
Authors: Fusco T. , Bacon R. , Kamann S. , Conseil S. , Neichel B. , Correia C. , Beltramo-Martin O. , Vernet J. , Kolb J. , Madec P.-Y.
Published: March 2020

Context. Here we describe a simple, efficient, and most importantly fully operational point-spread-function (PSF)-reconstruction approach for laser-assisted ground layer adaptive optics (GLAO) in the frame of the Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer (MUSE) wide field mode.

Aims. Based on clear astrophysical requirements derived by the MUSE team and using the functionality of the current ESO Adaptive Optics Facility we aim to develop an operational PSF-reconstruction (PSFR) algorithm and test it both in simulations and using on-sky data.

Methods. The PSFR approach is based on a Fourier description of the GLAO correction to which the specific instrumental effects of MUSE wide field mode (pixel size, internal aberrations, etc.) have been added. It was first thoroughly validated with full end-to-end simulations. Sensitivity to the main atmospheric and AO system parameters was analysed and the code was re-optimised to account for the sensitivity found. Finally, the optimised algorithm was tested and commissioned using more than one year of on-sky MUSE data.

Results. We demonstrate with an on-sky data analysis that our algorithm meets all the requirements imposed by the MUSE scientists, namely an accuracy better than a few percent on the critical PSF parameters including full width at half maximum and global PSF shape through the kurtosis parameter of a Moffat function.

Conclusions. The PSFR algorithm is publicly available and is used routinely to assess the MUSE image quality for each observation. It can be included in any post-processing activity which requires knowledge of the PSF.