bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Screen‐printable Electrochromic Polymer Inks and Ion Gel Electrolytes for the Design of Low‐power, Flexible Electrochromic Devices
Authors: Santiago Sara , Aller Miguel , del Campo F. Javier , Guirado Gonzalo
Published: May 2019

We have developed electrochromic inks and electrolyte materials to enable mass production of flexible electrochromic displays (ECDs) and other optoelectronic devices by screen printing. Here we present a new screen‐printable ink incorporating electrochromic polymer, poly(3,4‐propylenedioxythiophene)bis(ethylhexyloxy), referred to here as ECP‐Magenta, and antimony‐doped tin oxide (ATO/TiO2) particles to facilitate electron transport. Their dispersion in a P(VDF‐co‐HFP) binder leads to the formation of a new electrochromic ink that is suitable for screen printing. This strategy opens the door to the preparation of similar electrochromic inks based on other organic or polymeric compounds. This approach is scalable and can applied to different fields. Ion gels (IGs) composed of P(VDF‐co‐HFP) and room temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) are promising solid‐state electrolytes with high ionic conductivity, flexibility, elasticity and eco‐friendliness. The electrochemical features of different ion gels were analyzed as a function of composition and nature of the ionic liquid. Hence, new formulations of IGs were developed, evaluated by Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy, Cyclic Voltammetry, before being incorporated into ECDs. The electrochromic performance of ECP‐Magenta ink combined with the RTIL‐based IG was evaluated by terms of spectroelectrochemistry showing that fully flexible ECD operating at voltages below 1 V can be screen‐printed.
Development of a simultaneous bioreactor system for characterization of gas production kinetics of methanogenic archaea at high pressure
Authors: Pappenreiter Patricia Anna , Zwirtmayr Sara , Mauerhofer Lisa‐Maria , Rittmann Simon Karl‐Maria Rasso , Paulik Christian
Published: May 2019

Cultivation of methanogens under high pressure offers a great opportunity in biotechnological processes, one of which is the improvement of the gas‐liquid transfer of substrate gases into the medium broth. This article describes a newly developed simultaneous bioreactor system consisting of four identical cultivation vessels suitable for investigation of microbial activity at pressures up to 50 bar and temperatures up to 145°C. Initial pressure studies at 10 and 50 bar of the autotrophic and hydrogenotrophic methanogens Methanothermobacter marburgensis, Methanobacterium palustre, and Methanobacterium thermaggregans were performed to evaluate the reproducibility of the system as well as to test the productivity of these strains. The strains were compared with respect to gas conversion (%), methane evolution rate (MER) (mmol L‐1 h−1), turnover rate (h−1), and maximum conversion rate (kmin) (bar h−1). A pressure drop that can be explained by the reaction stoichiometry showed that all tested strains were active under pressurized conditions. Our study sheds light on the production kinetics of methanogenic strains under high‐pressure conditions. In addition, the simultaneous bioreactor system is a suitable first step screening system for analyzing the substrate uptake and/or production kinetics of gas conversion and/or gas production processes for barophilic or barotolerant microbes.
Toward enhanced hyperforin production in St. John's wort root cultures
Authors: Gaid Mariam , Grosch Jan‐Hendrik , Möller Steve , Beerhues Ludger , Krull Rainer
Published: May 2019

During the past decades, several trials targeted a stable, sustainable and economic production of St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum) extract. The value of this extract stems from its use to treat depression and skin irritation due to its hyperforin content. Previously, hyperforin‐forming in vitro root cultures were established. Here, detailed growth and production kinetics have been analyzed over 40 days of cultivation. In the first 10 days, sucrose was completely hydrolyzed to glucose and fructose. The ammonium consumption supported the increase in the biomass and hyperforin production. When sucrose was replaced with glucose/fructose, the linear growth phase started 6 days earlier and resulted in a higher space‐time‐yield. The maximum hyperforin production was 0.82 mg L−1 day−1, which was 67 % higher than in the sucrose‐supplemented standard cultivation. Buffering the sucrose‐supplemented medium with phosphate caused a 2.7‐fold increase in the product to biomass yield coefficient. However, the combination of monosaccharides and buffering conditions did not cause an appreciable improvements in the production performance of the shake flask approaches. A potential scalability from flask to lab‐scale stirred bioreactors has been demonstrated. The results obtained offer a basis for a scalable production of hyperforin and a sustainable source for a tissue culture‐based phytomedicine.
Additive‐Manufactured Ordered Porous Structures Made of Ceria for Concentrating Solar Applications
Authors: Hoes Marie , Ackermann Simon , Theiler David , Furler Philipp , Steinfeld Aldo
Published: May 2019

Porous structures made of redox active ceria are attractive for high‐temperature concentrating solar applications and particularly for the thermochemical splitting of H2O and CO2 as their enhanced heat and mass transport properties lead to fast reaction rates, especially with regard to the absorption of concentrated solar radiation during the endothermic reduction step. Hierarchically ordered porous structures, fabricated by the Schwartzwald replica method on 3D‐printed polymer scaffolds, are experimentally assessed for their ability to volumetrically absorb high‐flux irradiation of up to 670 suns. Temperature distributions across the porosity‐gradient path are measured (peak 1724 K) and compared with that obtained for a reticulated porous ceramic (RPC) structure with a uniform porosity. To assist the analysis, a Monte Carlo ray‐tracing model is developed for pore‐level numerical simulations of the ordered geometries and applied to analyze the absorbing–emitting–scattering exchange and determine the radiation attenuation and the temperature distribution at a radiative equilibrium. In contrast to the Bouguer's law exponential‐decay attenuation of incident radiation observed for the RPC, the ordered structures with a porosity gradient exhibit a step‐wise radiative attenuation that leads to a more uniform temperature distribution across the structure. This in turn predicts a superior redox performance.
Evaluation of the Separation Process for the Production of Electrode Sheets
Authors: Jansen Tobias , Kandula Maja W. , Blass David , Hartwig Sven , Haselrieder Wolfgang , Dilger Klaus
Published: May 2019

The recent development of individual mobility is characterized by a resource‐saving and environmentally friendly technology policy. Electromobility has the greatest potential to meet these demands. Due to the high volumetric power density at both the cell as well as the battery levels, pouch cells are addressed as a target cell format. As a separation of the electrodes is absolutely necessary for this cell design, the separation of the electrodes constitutes a basic operation of the pouch cell production. The established separation methods, such as die and laser cutting, are compared in this work with regard to their physical cutting‐edge quality. For reproducible evaluation, the occurring cutting‐edge characteristics are defined to clearly describe the quality of the separated electrode. Furthermore, the influence of the photonically and mechanically produced cutting edge on the electrochemical performance is presented. The results show that the delamination of the active materials and the bending of the collector and the metal spatter have the greatest influence on the electrochemical performance of the cell.
Louis Pasteur, Chemical Linguist: Founding the Language of Stereochemistry
Authors: Gal Joseph
Published: May 2019

Pasteur’s major discovery in chemistry was the recognition of molecular chirality, in 1848. He understood that his new science needed its own language, and introduced new terminology and nomenclature, thereby launching modern stereochemical language. He was eminently prepared for this task as a refined user of language, skills recognized by his election to the Académie française, the supreme institution for the protection and promotion of the French language. The terms chiral and chirality did not exist at the time and he adopted the French word dissymmétrie (dissymmetry) for the phenomenon of handedness. Although in his time almost nothing was known about molecular constitution and configuration, his insights allowed him to create useful language some of which is still used today in stereochemistry, e. g., racemic for the 1 : 1 mixture of the two enantiomers, and the use of the prefixes levo‐ and dextro‐ in the names of optically active substances. On the other hand, the limitations in the knowledge of organic chemistry at the time prevented him from creating some needed terms, e. g., for the phenomenon of diastereoisomerism. He also failed to adopt the enantio terminology introduced in the 1850s by German mineralogist Carl Friedrich Naumann. Analysis of Pasteur’s linguistic innovations is of interest from the point of view of the history of chemistry and is also useful in throwing light on the fundamental nature of the concepts of stereochemistry. Such understanding has acquired a new relevance due to the considerable misuse and misunderstanding of this language seen in the literature today.
Plin3 protects against alcoholic liver injury by facilitating lipid export from the endoplasmic reticulum
Authors: Gu Yu , Yang Ying , Cao Xiangmei , Zhao Yuanlin , Gao Xing , Sun Chao , Zhang Feng , Yuan Yuan , Xu Yuqiao , Zhang Jin , Xiao Liming , Ye Jing
Published: May 2019

Hepatic lipid accumulation is the most common pathological characteristic of alcoholic liver disease (ALD). In mammalian cells, excess neutral lipids are stored in lipid droplets (LDs). As a member of perilipin family proteins, Plin3 was recently found to regulate the LD biogenesis. However, the roles and mechanism of Plin3 in ALD progression remain unclear.

Herein, we found that alcohol stimulated Plin3 expression in both mouse livers and cultured AML12 mouse hepatic cells, which was accompanied by excess LD accumulation in hepatocytes. The elevations of Plin3 in alcohol‐treated hepatocytes paralleled with the levels of both PPARα and γ, and the protein degradation of Plin3 was also reduced after alcohol exposure. Moreover, Plin3 knockdown increased cellular sensitivity to alcohol‐induced apoptosis, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, and inflammatory cytokines release, including TNF‐α, IL‐1, and IL‐6β. Notably, alcohol exacerbated triglycerides (TG) accumulation in the ER and caused ER dilation in Plin3‐knockdown AML12 cells. Finally, we observed that Plin3 interacted with dynein subunit Dync1i1 and mediated the colocalization of LDs and microtubules, while high concentration of alcohol disrupted microtubules and caused dispersion of excess small LDs in cytoplasm.

Summarily, Plin3 promotes lipid export from the ER and reduces ER lipotoxic stress, thereby, protecting against alcoholic liver injury. Moreover, Plin3 could be an adapter protein mediating LD transport by microtubules. This study explored the roles of Plin3 in alcohol‐induced hepatic injury, suggesting Plin3 as a potential target for the prevention of ALD progression.
LncRNA Erbb4‐IR promotes esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) by downregulating miR‐145
Authors: Zhang Yan , Zhang Li , Wang Ruimin , Wang Bin , Hua Peiyan , Li Jindong
Published: May 2019

Erbb4‐IR is a recently identified lncRNA with pivotal functions in renal injury. The present study investigated the roles of Erbb4‐IR in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). It was observed that Erbb4‐IR was upregulated in tumor tissues of patients with ESCC. Plasma levels of Erbb4‐IR in patients with ESCC were positively correlated with expression levels of Erbb4‐IR in tumor tissues. MicroRNA‐145 (miR‐145) was downregulated in tumor tissues and inversely correlated with Erbb4‐IR only in tumor tissues. Erbb4‐IR overexpression led to downregulated miR‐145, and increased rates of ECSS cell proliferation and decreased rates of ECSS cell apoptosis. Overexpression of miR‐145 showed no significant effects on Erbb4‐IR expression, but played an opposite role on cancer cell proliferation and apoptosis. In addition, miR‐145 overexpression attenuated the effects of Erbb4‐IR overexpression. Therefore, lncRNA Erbb4‐IR may promote ESCC by downregulating miR‐145.
LncRNA‐MEG3 inhibits cell proliferation and invasion by modulating Bmi1/RNF2 in cholangiocarcinoma
Authors: Li Jinglin , Jiang Xingming , Li Chunlong , Liu Yueping , Kang Pengcheng , Zhong Xiangyu , Cui Yunfu
Published: May 2019

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a mortal cancer with gradually increasing incidences all over the world, whereas effective diagnosis and treatment for this disease are still lacking. As a classical long noncoding RNA (lncRNA), maternally expressed gene 3 (MEG3) has been reported to exhibit pivotal regulatory roles in the occurrence and development of various digestive system tumors. Nevertheless, the clinical relevance and biological function of MEG3 in CCA remain largely unclear. In this study, MEG3 expression was significantly downregulated in both CCA tissues and cells in comparison with that in nontumor controls, respectively, and this downexpression was prominently associated with advanced TNM stage, lymph node invasion, and poor survival. Moreover, decreased MEG3 was an independent forecaster of poor prognosis for CCA patients. Functionally, MEG3 overexpression inhibited CCA growth in vitro and in vivo. Enhanced MEG3 also suppressed migration and invasion of CCLP‐1 and QBC939 cells by reversing epithelial‐mesenchymal transition (EMT) process. On the contrary, the proliferation, metastasis, and EMT were facilitated via knocking down MEG3. In addition, the expression of B lymphoma Mo‐MLV insertion region 1 (Bmi1) and RING finger protein 2 was impacted by gain or loss of MEG3, furthermore, the malignant processes induced by MEG3 knockdown were rescued by means of silencing Bmi1. These data suggested that MEG3 caused tumor suppressive effects partly through mediating polycomb repressive complex 1. Our findings elucidate that MEG3 exerts critical functions in CCA development and likely acts as a promising tumor indicator or intervention target for CCA.
MiR‐92b‐3p promotes neurite growth and functional recovery via the PTEN/AKT pathway in acute spinal cord injury
Authors: Chen Zixian , Li Zheng , Jiang Chang , Jiang Xiaoxing , Zhang Jian
Published: May 2019

Emerging evidence indicates that microRNAs play an important role in neural remodeling, including neurite growth, after acute spinal cord injury (ASCI). This study aims to identify the mechanism by which miR‐92b‐3p regulates neurite growth in vivo and in vitro. Adult Sprague–Dawley rats were selected to establish the ASCI model, and the expressions of miR‐92b‐3p and phosphate and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome ten (PTEN) were quantified at different time points. The interaction between miR‐92b‐3p and PTEN was further detected in the PC12 cell line and dual‐luciferase reporter assay. Neurite growth proteins (GAP43 and NF‐200) were assessed by western blotting after miR‐92b‐3p mimics treatment. The PTEN/AKT pathway‐related proteins and their roles in miR‐92b‐3p regulation were also identified using western blotting and immunofluorescence in vitro through LY294002, an AKT inhibitor. The effect of miR‐92b‐3p was further determined in vivo according to the Basso‐Beattie‐Bresnahan (BBB) Scale and GAP43 and NF‐200 expressions. miR‐92b‐3p was downregulated after ASCI, while PTEN showed a simultaneous opposing trend. Overexpression of miR‐92b‐3p downregulated PTEN expression and promoted phosphorylation of AKT, as well as the expression of GAP43 and NF‐200 in PC12 cells. Furthermore, the dual‐luciferase reporter assay revealed that miR‐92b‐3p exerted its effect by targeting PTEN's 3ʹ‐untranslated regions and that this effect could be counteracted by AKT phosphorylation blocker LY294002 through western blotting and immunofluorescence. Moreover, miR‐92b‐3p could also improve the BBB scale as well as GAP43 and NF‐200 expression levels in vivo. Collectively, these results indicate that miR‐92b‐3p promotes neurite growth and functional recovery through the PTEN/AKT pathway in ASCI.
Hydrothermal synthesis of a two‐dimensional g‐C3N4/MoS2/MnOOH composite material and its potential application as photocatalyst
Authors: Jiménez‐Rangel Kristel Yurien , Lartundo‐Rojas Luis , García‐García Alejandra , Cipagauta‐Díaz Sandra , Mantilla Angeles , Samaniego‐Benítez José Enrique
Published: May 2019

BACKGROUND

Environmental pollution and energy crisis are nowadays considered among the most important problems facing humanity. Several strategies have been proposed to solve them, being photocatalysis a very promising one because of its ease of application and low cost. In the search for active photocatalysts, those based on graphite‐like carbon nitride (g‐C3N4) are becoming good alternatives for various reactions. In this work, the properties of g‐C3N4/MoS2/MnOOH composite material and its photocatalytic behavior for the production of hydrogen (H2) under UV radiation were investigated.

RESULTS

The composite material was synthesized by applying a combination of thermal condensation and hydrothermal methods. According to the results of X‐ray diffraction (XRD), ultraviolet diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV‐DRS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), good dispersion of the phases and the formation of a heterojunction were observed. The band gap value of the composite material, calculated by the Kubelka–Munk equation using the values obtained from UV‐DRS analysis, was lower than those of the individual components, while it also had a much longer electron–hole recombination time, according to photoluminescence analysis. As a consequence of a synergistic effect, the activity of the proposed composite photocatalyst was superior in the reaction of water splitting, with a kinetic constant of 466 μmol h−1 and a production rate of 1750 μmol H2 h−1 (50 and 21% higher than those obtained with MoS2 and g‐C3N4, respectively).

CONCLUSION

Because of its high activity and stability, g‐C3N4/MoS2/MnOOH composite photocatalyst is an excellent alternative for H2 production by the water splitting reaction. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry
A novel silica xerogel synthesized from volcanic tuff as an adsorbent for high‐efficient removal of methylene blue: parameter optimization using Taguchi experimental design
Authors: Guzel Kaya Gülcihan , Yilmaz Elif , Deveci Huseyin
Published: May 2019

BACKGROUND

In this study, silica xerogel was synthesized using volcanic tuff instead of expensive silica precursors at ambient pressure drying. The mesoporous silica xerogel with unique structural and textural properties was evaluated as an adsorbent for methylene blue (MB) removal from aqueous solution. Taguchi method was applied to optimize controllable factors (contact time, initial MB concentration, silica xerogel dose, temperature and pH) for MB removal.

RESULTS

The temperature was determined as the most significant factor with percentage contribution of 54.50%. MB removal efficiency was 96.18% at optimum conditions (contact time: 60 min, initial MB concentration: 20 ppm, silica xerogel dose: 0.0016 g mL−1, temperature: 40 °C, pH: 5). The experimental data fitted with the Langmuir isotherm, yielding a maximum adsorption capacity of 51.967 mg g−1. MB desorption process was performed depending on eluent concentration and contact time. Maximum desorption efficiency was specified as 88% using 1 M hydrochloric acid for 4 h. The silica xerogel was easily recycled with retaining approximately 70% of adsorption efficiency after five cycles.

CONCLUSION

In the light of the promising results, the silica xerogel can be used as an effective adsorbent in many environmental applications. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry
Pathophysiology of propionic and methylmalonic acidemias. Part 2: Treatment strategies
Authors: Haijes Hanneke A. , van Hasselt Peter M. , Jans Judith J. M. , Verhoeven‐Duif Nanda M.
Published: May 2019

Despite realizing increased survival rates for propionic acidemia (PA) and methylmalonic acidemia (MMA) patients, the current therapeutic regimen is inadequate for preventing or treating the devastating complications that still can occur. The elucidation of pathophysiology of these complications allows us to evaluate and rethink treatment strategies. In this review we display and discuss potential therapy targets and we give a systematic overview on current, experimental and unexplored treatment strategies in order to provide insight in what we have to offer PA and MMA patients, now and in the future. Evidence on the effectiveness of treatment strategies is often scarce, since none were tested in randomized clinical trials. This raises concerns, since even the current consensus on best practice treatment for PA and MMA is not without controversy. To attain substantial improvements in overall outcome, gene, mRNA or enzyme replacement therapy is most promising since permanent reduction of toxic metabolites allows for a less strict therapeutic regime. Hereby, both mitochondrial‐associated and therapy induced complications can theoretically be prevented. However, the road from bench to bedside is long, as it is challenging to design a drug that is delivered to the mitochondria of all tissues that require enzymatic activity, including the brain, without inducing any off‐target effects. To improve survival rate and quality of life of PA and MMA patients, there is a need for systematic (re‐)evaluation of accepted and potential treatment strategies, so that we can better determine who will benefit when and how from which treatment strategy.
TIMP2 Polymorphisms Association With Curve Initiation and Progression of Thoracic Idiopathic Scoliosis in the Caucasian Females
Authors: Andrusiewicz Mirosław , Harasymczuk Piotr , Janusz Piotr , Biecek Przemysław , Żbikowska Aleksandra , Kotwicka Małgorzata , Kotwicki Tomasz
Published: May 2019

Idiopathic scoliosis (IS) etiology remains unclear, but strong genetic background is suggested. Previously reported TIMP2 study indicates an association of genic rs8179090 with IS progression in a Han Chinese population. However, there has been a lack of investigation into intragenic TIMP2 polymorphisms in IS patients. We recruited 100 Caucasian females with IS and 100 controls. Patients were subdivided accordingly to: progression rate, curve severity, joint mobility, and curve pattern. Allele‐specific‐polymerase chain reaction based on fluorescence resonance energy transfer was applied to evaluate nine TIMP2 polymorphisms. Distribution of genotype and allele frequency in only one polymorphism (rs11658743) differed in case–control study. Four of the polymorphisms (rs2277700, rs11077401, rs2376999, and rs4789934) showed non‐equal distributions either in genotype or/and allele distributions in the patients of different progression rates. The rs11077401 was related to curve severity patients distinction and the rs8179090 distinguished patients with different joint mobility level. Two polymorphisms either differed statistically in case of curve patterns subgrouping (rs8068674 and rs8179090) or showed a slight tendency toward significance in the recessive model of allele distributions (rs9916809 and rs8179090). The remaining two polymorphisms (rs2377005, rs11658743) showed no association with either clinical or radiographic IS characteristics. The influence of the G allele of the rs8179090 on the clinical course of IS has not yet been confirmed. We identified four TIMP2 polymorphisms (rs11077401, rs2376999, rs2277700, and rs4789934) that were associated with a higher risk of the progressive IS form. Further genetic association studies based on suggested clinical criteria would be necessary to validate TIMP2 polymorphisms associated with the curve progression. © 2019 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 37:2217–2225, 2019
Long‐billed curlew nest site selection and success in the Intermountain West
Authors: Coates Stephanie E. , Wright Benjamin W. , Carlisle Jay D.
Published: May 2019

Grassland birds have experienced steeper population declines between 1966 and 2015 than any other bird group on the North American continent, and migratory grassland birds may face threats in all stages of their annual cycle. The grassland‐associated long‐billed curlew (Numenius americanus) is experiencing population declines in regional and local portions of their North American breeding range. The nesting period is an important portion of the annual cycle when curlews may face demographic rate limitations from a suite of threats including predators and anthropogenic disturbance. We compared nest sites to random sites within breeding territories to examine nest site selection, and modeled correlates of nesting success for 128 curlew nests at 5 Intermountain West sites. Nest sites were 6 times more likely than random sites to be situated adjacent to existing cowpies. Additionally, curlews selected nest sites with shorter vegetation, and less bare ground, grass, and shrub cover than at random sites within their territories. Nest success varied widely among sites and ranged from 12% to 40% in a season with a mean of 27% for all nests during the 2015 and 2016 seasons. Higher nest success probability was associated with higher curlew densities in the area, greater percent cover of conspicuous objects (cowpies, rocks) near the nest, and higher densities of black‐billed magpies (Pica hudsonia) and American crows (Corvus brachyrhynchos) at the site. We also found increased probability of nesting success with increased distance from a nest to the nearest potential perch in that territory. Given the central role of working lands to curlews in much of the Intermountain West, understanding limitations to nesting success in these diverse landscapes is necessary to guide adaptive management strategies in increasingly human‐modified habitats. We suggest some grazing and irrigation practices already provide suitable nesting conditions for curlews, and others may require only minor temporal shifts to improve compatibility. © 2019 The Wildlife Society.
Practice patterns and outcomes following radiation dose de‐escalation for oropharyngeal cancer
Authors: White Richard , Abel Stephen , Hasan Shaakir , Verma Vivek , Greenberg Larisa , Colonias Athanasios , Wegner Rodney E.
Published: May 2019

Objectives/Hypothesis

Numerous trials are evaluating radiotherapy (RT) de‐escalation for human papillomavirus (HPV)‐mediated (HPV+) oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC). Herein, we evaluated the degree to which de‐escalated RT is delivered in the United States, as well as comparative outcomes with full‐dose RT as stratified for HPV status.

Study Design

Retrospective database review.

Methods

We identified patients diagnosed with OPSCC in the National Cancer Database, excluding those with stage I/II disease, unknown HPV status, receiving surgery or not receiving external beam radiation therapy to the primary site, receipt of radiation doses >75 or <54 Gy, radiation treatment course duration <25 or >75 days, and unknown or inadequate (<2 months) follow‐up. Multivariable logistic regression analysis identified variables associated with delivery of de‐escalated RT (<66 Gy). Overall survival of HPV+ and non–HPV‐mediated (HPV−) disease was compared between full‐dose and de‐escalated approaches.

Results

Altogether, 617 and 551 patients were HPV+ and HPV−, respectively. De‐escalated RT was delivered in 16.9% HPV+ and 15.2% of HPV− disease, respectively. Older patients and omission of systemic therapy were more likely to receive de‐escalated RT. In HPV+ patients, 3‐ and 5‐year survival rates were 83% and 80% in the de‐escalated cohort versus 83% and 78% in the full‐dose group (P = .83). In HPV− patients, corresponding 3‐ and 5‐year survival rates were 29% and 23% versus 61% and 51% (P = .001).

Conclusions

National utilization of de‐escalated RT for OPSCC is low (15%–20%), but does not seem to impact overall survival in HPV+ (but not HPV−) patients. The caveats of this heterogeneous, retrospective analysis require corroboration from a number of ongoing randomized trials.

Level of Evidence

2c Laryngoscope, 130:E171–E176, 2020
Cyclohexane, naphthalene, and diesel fuel increase oxidative stress, CYP153, sodA, and recA gene expression in Rhodococcus erythropolis
Authors: Sazykin Ivan , Makarenko Maksim , Khmelevtsova Ludmila , Seliverstova Ekaterina , Rakin Alexander , Sazykina Marina
Published: May 2019

In this study, we compared the expression of CYP153, sodA, sodC, and recA genes and ROS generation in hydrocarbon‐degrading Rhodococcus erythropolis in the presence of cyclohexane, naphthalene, and diesel fuel. The expression of cytochrome P450, sodA (encoding Fe/Mn superoxide dismutase), recA, and superoxide anion radical generation rate increased after the addition of all studied hydrocarbons. The peak of CYP153, sodA, and recA gene expression was registered in the presence of naphthalene. The same substrate upregulated the Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase gene, sodC. Cyclohexane generated the highest level of superoxide anion radical production. Hydrogen peroxide accumulated in the medium enriched with diesel fuel. Taken together, hydrocarbon biotransformation leads to oxidative stress and upregulation of antioxidant enzymes and CYP153 genes, and increases DNA reparation levels in R. erythropolis cells.
A method for computation of scattering amplitudes and Green functions of whole axis problems
Authors: Castillo Pérez Raúl , Kravchenko Vladislav V. , Torba Sergii M.
Published: May 2019

A method for the computation of scattering data and of the Green function for the one‐dimensional Schrödinger operator
with a decaying potential is presented. It is based on representations for the Jost solutions in the case of a compactly supported potential obtained in terms of Neumann series of Bessel functions (NSBF). The representations are used for calculating a complete orthonormal system of generalized eigenfunctions of the operator H, which in turn allow one to compute the scattering amplitudes and the Green function of the operator H−λ with
.
Hydrangea serrata Tea Enhances Running Endurance and Skeletal Muscle Mass
Authors: Jang Young Jin , Ahn Jisong , Son Hyo Jeong , Jung Chang Hwa , Ahn Jiyun , Ha Tae Youl
Published: May 2019

Scope

Skeletal muscle mass and quality can be negatively affected by aging, inactivity, and disease, while a loss of muscle mass is associated with chronic disease status, falls, and mortality. We investigate the effects of Hydrangea serrata on skeletal muscle mass and function, along with the underlying mechanisms.

Methods and results

H. serrata, identified through MyoD transcription activity screening, increases myogenic differentiation via Akt and p38. C57BL/6 mice are fed a 0.25% or 0.5% H. serrata diet for 8 weeks. H. serrata increased treadmill running distance and maximum speed, as well as skeletal muscle mass. H. serrata promotes the expression of myosin heavy chain 1 (MHC1) and MHC2A but not MHC2B. H. serrata also upregulates the protein expression of peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor δ (PPARδ) and mitochondrial complexes, and enhances citrate synthase and mitochondrial complex І activity. Transforming growth factor‐β (TGF‐β), myostatin, and growth differentiation factor 11 (GDF11) are attenuated by H. serrata, together with associated downstream signaling factors including phospho‐Smad3 and NADPH oxidase 4 (NOX4).

Conclusion

H. serrata enhances exercise endurance by upregulating PPARδ and downregulating TGF‐β, myostatin, and GDF11. H. serrata is a potential candidate for the development of functional food to maintain skeletal muscle mass and function.
Long‐wavelength infrared characteristics of multifunctional microfibrous thin films of Parylene C
Authors: Chandraprakash C. , Venugopal Vijayakumar C. , Lakhtakia Akhlesh , Awadelkarim Osama O.
Published: May 2019

Calculations show that structurally chiral, three‐dimensionally periodic, microfibrous thin films (μFTFs) of Parylene‐C can function as both polarization‐insensitive and circular‐polarization‐selective photonic crystals in the long‐wavelength infrared regime. Careful engineering is required for bandstop filters in order to avoid the numerous absorption peaks of bulk Parylene‐C. The photonic functionality of the Parylene‐C μFTFs is in addition to their phononic, hydrophobic, and biomedical functionalities.
Design and analysis of m‐segment fractal boundary antennas
Authors: Jayasinghe Jeevani , Saraereh Omar , Khokle Rajas , Esselle Karu
Published: May 2019

This article investigates the resonant behavior of a novel family of fractal boundary antennas at the fundamental mode of operation. The miniaturization patterns over iterations as well as over the number of segments on the boundary have been studied by simulating the fractal antennas in High Frequency Structure Simulator (HFSS). The antennas are fed by a 50‐Ω coaxial probe, which is placed at the best position on the patch, with impedance matching and S11 < −10 dB. Analysis of the resonant frequency with respect to the square‐shaped fractal generator resulted in curve‐fit expressions that vary with a single variable of either iteration or number of segments on the boundary. The derived equations are independent from the substrate thickness. They are useful to design miniature patch antennas within a specified area in order to resonate at a desired frequency by simply changing the boundary or the fractal iteration.
Fatty Acid Binding to Human Serum Albumin in Blood Serum Characterized by EPR Spectroscopy
Authors: Haeri Haleh H. , Schunk Bettina , Tomaszewski Jörg , Schimm Heike , Gelos Marcos J. , Hinderberger Dariush
Published: May 2019

One of the functions of Human Serum Albumin (HSA) is binding and transport of fatty acids. This ability could be altered by the presence of several blood components such as toxins or peptides – which in turn alters the functionality of the protein. We aim at characterizing HSA and its fatty acid binding in native serum environment. Native ligand binding and deviations from normal function can be monitored by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy using spin labeled fatty acids (FAs). Blood serum from healthy individuals is used to examine healthy HSA in its natural physiological conditions at different loading ratios of protein to FAs. Among the EPR spectroscopic parameters (like hyperfine coupling, line shape, rotational correlation time and population of different binding sites) the rotational correlation time is found to differ significantly between binding sites of the protein, especially at loading ratios of four FAs per HSA. Although differences are observed between individual samples, a general trend regarding the dynamics of healthy HSA at different loading ratios could be obtained and compared to a reference of purified commercially available HSA in buffer.
Nonparametric cost‐minimized Shewhart‐type process monitoring with restricted false alarm probability
Authors: Li Chenglong , Mukherjee Amitava
Published: May 2019

Traditional Duncan‐type models for cost‐efficient process monitoring often inflate type I error probability. Nevertheless, controlling the probability of type I error or false alarms is one of the key issues in sequential monitoring of specific process characteristics. To this end, researchers often recommend economic‐statistical designs. Such designs assign an upper bound on type I error probability to avoid excessive false alarms while achieving cost optimality. In the context of process monitoring, there is a plethora of research on parametric approaches of controlling type I error probability along with the cost optimization. In the nonparametric setup, most of the existing works on process monitoring address one of the two issues but not both simultaneously. In this article, we present two distribution‐free cost‐efficient Shewhart‐type schemes for sequentially monitoring process location with restricted false alarm probability, based, respectively, on the sign and Wilcoxon rank‐sum statistics. We consider the one‐sided shift in location parameter in an unknown continuous univariate process. Nevertheless, one can easily extend our proposed schemes to monitor the two‐sided process shifts. We evaluate and compare the actual performance of the two monitoring schemes employing extensive computer simulation based on Monte Carlo. We investigate the effects of the size of the reference sample and the false alarm constraint. Finally, we provide two illustrative examples, each based on a realistic situation in the industry.
Ten complementary measures to assist with environmental watering programs in the Murray–Darling river system, Australia
Authors: Baumgartner Lee J. , Gell Peter , Thiem Jason D. , Finlayson Colin (Max) , Ning Nathan
Published: May 2019

Restoration programmes for degraded aquatic ecosystems frequently focus on flow restoration or reinstatement, including recovery targets for volumes of water to be used for environmental benefit. Australia's Murray–Darling Basin is an example of a major system undergoing substantial water reform to balance the needs of competing users, including the environment, within the constraints of an arid climate. This reform revolves around accounting for finite volumes of water that have been shared amongst water users. We argue that while recovering water will provide good outcomes, as a sole intervention, it is not enough to deliver the desired environmental benefits of the reform given the significantly altered state of the catchment. Here, we present 10 measures that could be used to complement planned water recovery actions. These “complementary measures” integrate recovery actions, which when strategically combined with water delivery would significantly enhance water reform efforts to generate environmental outcomes in a highly modified system.
The Influence of Structural Variations on the Heteroacenes Containing Dihydropyrrolo[3,2‐b]pyrrole Core on Their OFET Performances
Authors: Wang Xiao , Wang Hanlin , Li Chenchen , Qiu Li , Liu Yunqi , Li Liang , Wan Xiaobo
Published: May 2019

Heteroacenes containing a dihydropyrrolo[3,2‐b]pyrrole core such as 5,10‐dihydroindolo[3,2‐b]indole (DBPP) and dinaphtho [2,3‐b:2’,3’‐f]pyrrolo[3,2‐b]pyrrole(DNPP) are potential p‐type semiconductors for organic field‐effect transistors (OFETs) owing to their electron‐rich and easy‐to‐modify core structure. Here we report that how the structural variations such as ring fusion pattern, heteroatom introduction and chlorination influence the crystallinity, orientation and morphology of this type of heteroacenes hence their OFET performance. It is revealed that angular fused C8‐iso‐DNPP has a higher HOMO energy level with matches better with the work‐function of Au and shows better crystallinity and more uniformed morphology compared to the linearly fused isomer C8‐DNPP. Thus it exhibits very similar hole mobility to C8‐DNPP but much smaller threshold voltages. On the other hand, the introduction of extra N atoms into DNPP affords an analogue DQPP and greatly alters the orientation of the crystalline film from “edge‐on” to “face‐on”, which results in a two‐order decrease of the hole mobility. Our result also shows that heavily chlorinated DBPP (TClDBPP) leads to the completely loss of the hole transport capability due to the large π‐π distance imposed by the large chlorine atoms.
aUse of Epichlorohydrin as a New, Inexpensive and Highly Efficient Linker for Magnetization of Nano‐metal Oxides: The Extension of using a Covalent Linker as a Third Methodology
Authors: Bitaraf Mehrnoosh , Amoozadeh Ali
Published: May 2019

Epichlorohydrin has been successfully used for coupling nano metal oxides by covalent linkage. Applying this method, a highly efficient and magnetically separable catalyst was synthesized using n‐Fe3O4 and n‐TiO2. This approach is the extension of the third methodology for magnetization of nanoparticles. Stability and catalytic properties of the novel catalyst was investigated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE‐SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). Also, the catalytic activity and selectivity were tested for the oxidation reaction of sulfides to sulfoxides. The catalyst exhibited superior recyclability and reusability. It accomplished six consecutive runs, thoroughly with negligible loss of activity.
Directing Gold Nanoparticles into Free‐Standing Honeycomb‐Like Ordered Mesoporous Superstructures
Authors: Wu Xiaotong , Chen Jinping , Xie Lin , Li Jing , Shi Jing , Luo Shuiping , Zhao Xixia , Deng Kerong , He Dongsheng , He Jiaqing , Luo Jun , Wang Zhongwu , Quan Zewei
Published: May 2019

2D mesoporous materials fabricated via the assembly of nanoparticles (NPs) not only possess the unique properties of nanoscale building blocks but also manifest additional collective properties due to the interactions between NPs. In this work, reported is a facile and designable way to prepare free‐standing 2D mesoporous gold (Au) superstructures with a honeycomb‐like configuration. During the fabrication process, Au NPs with an average diameter of 5.0 nm are assembled into a superlattice film on a diethylene glycol substrate. Then, a subsequent thermal treatment at 180 °C induces NP attachment, forming the honeycomb‐like ordered mesoporous Au superstructures. Each individual NP connects with three neighboring NPs in the adjacent layer to form a tetrahedron‐based framework. Mesopores confined in the superstructure have a uniform size of 3.5 nm and are arranged in an ordered hexagonal array. The metallic bonding between Au NPs increases the structural stability of architected superstructures, allowing them to be easily transferred to various substrates. In addition, electron energy‐loss spectroscopy experiments and 3D finite‐difference time‐domain simulations reveal that electric field enhancement occurs at the confined mesopores when the superstructures are excited by light, showing their potential in nano‐plasmonic applications.
Active Self‐Assembly of Train‐Shaped DNA Nanostructures via Catalytic Hairpin Assembly Reactions
Authors: Xing Chao , Dai Junduan , Huang Yuqing , Lin Yuhong , Zhang Kai‐Long , Lu Chunhua , Yang Huanghao
Published: May 2019

Biomolecular self‐assembly is a powerful approach for fabricating supramolecular architectures. Over the past decade, a myriad of biomolecular assemblies, such as self‐assembly proteins, lipids, and DNA nanostructures, have been used in a wide range of applications, from nano‐optics to nanoelectronics and drug delivery. The method of controlling when and where the self‐assembly starts is essential for assembly dynamics and functionalization. Here, train‐shaped DNA nanostructures are actively self‐assembled using DNA tiles as artificial “carriages,” hairpin structures as “couplers,” and initiators of catalytic hairpin assembly (CHA) reactions as “wrenches.” The initiator wrench can selectively open the hairpin couplers to couple the DNA tile carriages with high product yield. As such, DNA nanotrains are actively prepared with two, three, four, or more carriages. Furthermore, by flexibly modifying the carriages with “biotin seats” (biotin‐modified DNA tiles), streptavidin “passengers” are precisely arranged in corresponding seats. The applications of the CHA‐triggered self‐assembly mechanism are also extended for assembling the large DNA origami dimer. With the creation of 1D architectures established, it is thought that this CHA‐triggered self‐assembly mechanism may provide a new element of control for complex autonomous assemblies from a variety of starting materials with specific sites and times.
Long‐Term Outcome After Conventional Two‐Stage Hepatectomy Versus Tourniquet‐ALPPS in Colorectal Liver Metastases: A Propensity Score Matching Analysis
Authors: Robles‐Campos Ricardo , Brusadin Roberto , López‐Conesa Asunción , López‐López Víctor , Navarro‐Barrios Álvaro , López‐Espín José J. , Arévalo‐Pérez Julio , Parrilla Pascual
Published: May 2019

Background

To compare the overall survival (OS) and disease‐free survival (DFS) of Tourniquet‐ALPPS (T‐ALPPS) and conventional two‐stage hepatectomy (TSH) in patients with colorectal liver metastases (CRLM).

Methods

A retrospective study from a prospectively collected database was performed between October 2000 and July 2016. TSH was performed before September 2011, after which time T‐ALPPS became the technique of choice. A propensity score matching (PSM) was performed based on a 1:1 ratio with consideration of the following variables: number and size of metastases, bilobar disease presence, and chemotherapy received.

Results

Thirty‐four patients received T‐ALPPS; 41 patients received TSH. After PSM, 21 patients remained in each group, with 100% resectability in the T‐ALPPS group and 90.5% resectability in the TSH group. The median OS for TSH was 41 months; for T‐ALPPS, the median OS was 36 months (P = 0.925). The median DFS was 16 months in the TSH group; the median DFS was 9 months in the T‐ALPPS group (P = 0.930). The 1‐, 3‐, and 5‐year OS for TSH was 81%, 66.7%, and 23.8% vs. 76.2%, 57.1%, and 22.9% for T‐ALPPS, respectively. The 1‐, 3‐, and 5‐year DFS for TSH was 66.7%, 9.5%, and 5% vs. 44.6%, 11.1%, and 11.1% for T‐ALPPS, respectively. The volume increase with T‐ALPPS was superior to that with TSH (68% vs. 39%; P = 0.018). There were no differences in morbidity and mortality after stages 1 and 2.

Conclusions

T‐ALPPS produces a similar outcome to TSH, indicating that it could be a safe and effective alternative for curative hepatectomy for all patients.
Removing Depth-Order Cycles Among Triangles: An Algorithm Generating Triangular Fragments
Authors: de Berg Mark
Published: May 2019

More than 25 years ago, inspired by applications in computer graphics, Chazelle et al. studied the following question: is it possible to cut any set of n lines or other objects in $${\mathbb R}^3$$

R

3

into a subquadratic number of fragments such that the resulting fragments admit a depth order? They managed to prove an $$O(n^{9/5})$$

O
(

n

9
/
5

)

bound on the number of fragments, but only for the very special case of bipartite weavings of lines. Since then only little progress was made, until a breakthrough in 2016 by Aronov and Sharir, who showed that $$O(n^{3/2}{{\,\mathrm{polylog}\,}}n)$$

O
(

n

3
/
2

polylog

n
)

fragments suffice for any set of lines. In a follow-up paper Aronov et al. proved an $$O(n^{3/2+\varepsilon })$$

O
(

n

3
/
2
+
ε

)

bound for triangles, but their method uses high- (albeit constant-) degree algebraic arcs to perform the cuts. Hence, the resulting pieces have curved boundaries. Thus the following natural version of the problem is still wide open: is it possible to cut any collection of n disjoint triangles in $${\mathbb R}^3$$

R

3

into a subquadratic number of triangular fragments that admit a depth order? And if so, can we compute the cuts efficiently? We answer this question by presenting an algorithm that cuts any set of n disjoint triangles in $${\mathbb R}^3$$

R

3

into $$O(n^{7/4}{{\,\mathrm{polylog}\,}}n)$$

O
(

n

7
/
4

polylog

n
)

triangular fragments that admit a depth order. The running time of our algorithm is $$O(n^{3.69})$$

O
(

n

3.69

)

. We also prove a refined bound that depends on the number, K, of intersections between the projections of the triangle edges onto the xy-plane: we show that $$O(n^{1+\varepsilon } + n^{1/4} K^{3/4}{{\,\mathrm{polylog}\,}}n)$$

O
(

n

1
+
ε

+

n

1
/
4

K

3
/
4

polylog

n
)

fragments suffice to obtain a depth order. This result extends to xy-monotone surface patches bounded by a constant number of bounded-degree algebraic arcs in general position, constituting the first subquadratic bound for surface patches.