bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Surgical Care Capacity in Uganda: Government Versus Private Sector Investment
Authors: Nseyo Unwanaobong , Cherian Meena N. , Haglund Michael M. , Hudson Jessica , Sentumbwe-Mugisa Olive , Okello Margaret , Toliva Opar Bernard , Johnson Walter D.
Published: December 2018

Background:

Uganda is a low-income country with blended, tiered government health care facilities and private/non-governmental (NGO)/mission hospitals. The population is 84% rural; 100% of referral hospitals and majority of specialist physicians are urban.

Summary of background data:

This project compared various levels of government hospitals with private/NGO hospitals to determine adequacy to deliver emergency and essential surgical care (EESC) and anesthesia.

Methods:

Using the WHO Situational Analysis Tool, a representative selection of 38 hospitals (25% of Ugandan hospitals) was assessed for capacity to deliver surgical, anesthetic and obstetric care in 4 domains: infrastructure, human resources, surgeries performed or referred, and equipment.

Results:

In all facilities, laboratory availability was 86%; anesthesia machines, 66%; generators, 55%; and continuous running water, 42%; oxygen, 32%; and electricity, 26%. Resuscitator bags and mask/tubing were present less than 50% of health facilities. Only 84% of all health facilities had a stethoscope; sterilizers only at 50%. This situation was much more dismal in district hospitals. Surgeons were found at 71% of public hospitals and 63% of NGO/mission hospitals; 60% surgeons, and over 50% of anesthesiologists were only in teaching hospitals; obstetricians almost exclusively in higher-level hospitals.

Conclusions:

The infrastructure for surgical services and anesthesia were noticeably absent at district hospital level and below, yet were readily available at the tertiary care center level. Overall national and regional referral hospitals were better equipped than NGO facilities, suggesting the government is capable of fully equipping hospitals to provide surgical care. These surveys highlight potential for improvement in surgical care at all levels.
A Photoresponsive Hyaluronan Hydrogel Nanocomposite for Dynamic Macrophage Immunomodulation
Authors: Wang Haoyu , Morales Renee‐Tyler Tan , Cui Xin , Huang Jiongxian , Qian Weiyi , Tong Jie , Chen Weiqiang
Published: December 2018

Macrophages are a predominant immune cell population that drive inflammatory responses and exhibit transitions in phenotype and function during tissue remodeling in disease and repair. Thus, engineering an immunomodulatory biomaterial has significant implications for resolving inflammation. Here, a biomimetic and photoresponsive hyaluronan (HA) hydrogel nanocomposite with tunable 3D extracellular matrix (ECM) adhesion sites for dynamic macrophage immunomodulation is engineered. Photodegradative alkoxylphenacyl‐based polycarbonate (APP) nanocomposites are exploited to permit user‐controlled Arg–Gly–Asp (RGD) adhesive peptide release and conjugation to a HA‐based ECM for real‐time integrin activation of macrophages encapsulated in 3D HA–APP nanocomposite hydrogels. It is demonstrated that photocontrolled 3D ECM–RGD peptide conjugation can activate αvβ3 integrin of macrophages, and periodic αvβ3 integrin activation can enhance anti‐inflammatory M2 macrophage polarization. Altogether, an emerging use of biomimetic, photoresponsive, and bioactive HA–APP nanocomposite hydrogel is highlighted to command 3D cell–ECM interactions for modulating macrophage polarization, which may shed light on cell–ECM interactions in innate immunity and inspire new biomaterial‐based immunomodulatory therapies.
Architectural Design of 3D Printed Scaffolds Controls the Volume and Functionality of Newly Formed Bone
Authors: Entezari Ali , Roohani Iman , Li Guanglong , Dunstan Colin R. , Rognon Pierre , Li Qing , Jiang Xinquan , Zreiqat Hala
Published: December 2018

The successful regeneration of functional bone tissue in critical‐size defects remains a significant clinical challenge. To address this challenge, synthetic bone scaffolds are widely developed, but remarkably few are translated to the clinic due to poor performance in vivo. Here, it is demonstrated how architectural design of 3D printed scaffolds can improve in vivo outcomes. Ceramic scaffolds with different pore sizes and permeabilities, but with similar porosity and interconnectivity, are implanted in rabbit calvaria for 12 weeks, and then the explants are harvested for microcomputed tomography evaluation of the volume and functionality of newly formed bone. The results indicate that scaffold pores should be larger than 390 µm with an upper limit of 590 µm to enhance bone formation. It is also demonstrated that a bimodal pore topology—alternating large and small pores—enhances the volume and functionality of new bone substantially. Moreover, bone formation results indicate that stiffness of new bone is highly influenced by the scaffold's permeability in the direction concerned. This study demonstrates that manipulating pore size and permeability in a 3D printed scaffold architecture provides a useful strategy for enhancing bone regeneration outcomes.
Targeting Peptide‐Based Probes for Molecular Imaging and Diagnosis
Authors: Wang Weizhi , Hu Zhiyuan
Published: December 2018

A series of novel peptide‐based molecular probes for different biomarkers is highlighted herein. These probes can provide targeted recognition with high affinity, high specificity, high penetration, and rapid excretion ability. These sensitive peptides can achieve rapid and specific detection when they are conjugated with imaging moieties or are formed into nanoprobes, which can be adapted for in vivo molecular imaging in targeted diagnosis and therapy.
Porous Halide Perovskite–Polymer Nanocomposites for Explosive Detection with a High Sensitivity
Authors: Shan Xin , Zhang Songlin , Zhou Meng , Geske Thomas , Davis Melissa , Hao Ayou , Wang He , Yu Zhibin
Published: December 2018

A porous halide perovskite–polymer nanocomposite is developed using a freeze‐drying process. Such a composite shows strong fluorescence quenching after exposure to explosive nitroaromatics, nitroamines, and nitrate esters with a sensitivity of a few nanograms. In addition, this composite is robust against moisture and solvents, showing negligible change in fluorescence intensities after submersion in water, alcohol, and acid, base, and salt solutions. Transient absorption spectroscopy studies further disclose that the explosive chemical introduces more trap states into the perovskite that contributes to fluorescence quenching of the perovskite.
Significantly Enhanced Electrostatic Energy Storage Performance of Flexible Polymer Composites by Introducing Highly Insulating‐Ferroelectric Microhybrids as Fillers
Authors: Luo Suibin , Yu Junyi , Yu Shuhui , Sun Rong , Cao Liqiang , Liao Wei‐Hsin , Wong Ching‐Ping
Published: December 2018

A hybrid nanoparticle, consisting of BaTiO3 nanoparticles tightly embedded in bronnitride (BN) nanosheets, has been fabricated based on a daring supposition that BN may act as a host to incorporate ferroelectric nanoparticles to improve insulation and polarization under a high electric field. Using the hybrids as fillers in poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) composites, a high electric breakdown strength (Eb ≈580 kV/mm), which is 1.76 times of the PVDF film, is obtained when the filler content is 5 wt%. A large displacement (9.3 µC/cm2 under 580 kV/mm) is observed so as to obtain a high discharged energy density (Ud ≈17.6 J/cm3) of the BT@BN/PVDF composites, which is 2.8 times of the PVDF film. The enhancement ratio of Eb achieved in this study demonstrates the highest among the reported results. This hybrid structure of fillers provides an effective way to adjust and improve the energy storage properties of the polymer‐based dielectrics.
Highly Efficient Construction of Pentacyclic Carboline‐Containing Salts via a [Cp*RhCl2]2‐Catalyzed Tandem Reaction
Authors: Wang Zhuo , Li Tongyu , Xing Siyang , Zhu Bolin
Published: December 2018

A [Cp*RhCl2]2‐catalyzed tandem reaction of indolyl aldehydes, amines, and alkynes featuring the formation of two C−C bonds, two C−N bonds, and one C=N bond is described. This strategy involves double C−H activation and double insertion of alkynes, furnishing a series of pentacyclic carboline‐containing salts in good yields under mild conditions. It provides a good choice for rapidly constructing libraries of such pentacyclic carboline‐containing salts.
Physical restraints in intensive care units: a national questionnaire survey of physical restraint use for critically ill patients undergoing invasive mechanical ventilation in Japan
Authors: Unoki Takeshi , Sakuramoto Hideaki , Ouchi Akira , Fujitani Shigeki ,   Japanese Society of Education for Physicians and Trainees in Intensive Care (JSEPTIC) Nursing Research Group
Published: December 2018

Aims

Physical restraints are often used for patients undergoing mechanical ventilation to protect important medical equipment. However, they have adverse physical and psychological effects and could pose ethical hazards. Physical restraint use varies by country, but so far there is little understanding of the frequency of physical restraint use among intensive care unit (ICU) patients in Japan. The present study aims to describe the frequency of physical restraint use among Japanese patients undergoing mechanical ventilation. Additionally, it attempts to verify the hypothesis that insufficient human resources have increased the frequency of physical restraints.

Methods

We undertook a cross‐sectional online open anonymous survey of ICU nurses using a self‐administered questionnaire to examine the use of physical restraints for patients undergoing invasive mechanical ventilation in Japan.

Results

We obtained 175 responses, of which 46 were excluded. Of the respondents, 43% reported that physical restraints were used for more than 75% of mechanically ventilated patients. Intensive care units with a higher frequency of physical restraint use had a significantly greater number of beds per nurse compared to those with a lower frequency; however, after adjusting for the number of beds in the ICU and hospital type in a logistic regression analysis, the number of beds per nurse was no longer significantly related to the use of physical restraints.

Conclusions

Physical restraints are commonly used among patients undergoing mechanical ventilation in Japan. A systematic approach to reducing physical restraint use among mechanically ventilated patients is needed.
US alternative jet fuel deployment scenario analyses identifying key drivers and geospatial patterns for the first billion gallons,
Authors: Lewis Kristin C. , Newes Emily K. , Peterson Steven O. , Pearlson Matthew N. , Lawless Emily A. , Brandt Kristin , Camenzind Dane , Wolcott Michael P. , English Burton C. , Latta Gregory S. , Malwitz Andrew , Hileman James I. , Brown Nathan L. , Haq Zia
Published: December 2018

The aviation sector's commitments to carbon‐neutral growth in international aviation starting in 2020, and the desire to improve supply surety, price stability, and the environmental performance of aviation fuels, have led to broad interest in sustainable alternative jet fuels. Here, we use the system‐dynamics‐based biomass scenario model (BSM), focused on alternative jet fuel production capacity evolution, and the geospatially explicit Freight and Fuel Transportation Optimization Tool (FTOT), focused on optimal feedstock and fuel flows over the transportation system, to explore the incentive effects on alternative jet fuel production capacity trajectories and potential geospatial patterns of production and delivery in the USA. Scenarios presented here focus on readily available waste feedstocks (waste fats, oils and greases, municipal solid waste, and crop and forestry residues) and conversion technologies included in the ASTM D7566 synthesized aviation turbine fuels specification. The BSM modeling of possible deployment trajectories from 2015 to 2045 suggests that up to 8 billion gallons may be available by 2045 depending on the policies and incentives implemented. Both approaches suggest that 200 million to 1 billion gallons per year of alternative jet fuel production are possible in 2030 given multiple incentives and a favorable investment climate, and that capital costs and technology maturation rates will affect deployment of different fuel production technologies, and therefore the feedstocks needed. Further collaboration on these modeling approaches would reduce methodological blind spots while providing insights into future industry trajectories. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
Isolation and Characterization of Four Phosphorus Cluster Anions P73–, P144–, P162– and P264– from the Nucleophilic Functionalization of White Phosphorus with 1,4‐Dilithio‐1,3‐butadienes
Authors: Du Shanshan , Hu Jingyuan , Chai Zhengqi , Zhang Wen‐Xiong , Xi Zhenfeng
Published: December 2018

Summary of main observation and conclusion

Studies on the aggregation degrees of negatively charged phosphides derived from the nucleophilic P4 functionalization could help understand the pathway of phosphorus atoms degradation or aggregation. In this report, we have isolated and characterized four phosphorus cluster anions (P73–, P144–, P162–, and P264–) from the nucleophilic functionalization of P4 with 1,4‐dilithio‐1,3‐butadienes. These phosphorus clusters could be rationalized as the P‐atom‐containing products besides the main phospholyl lithium. Their structural features and 31P NMR behaviors are discussed based on single crystal X‐ray diffraction analysis and 31P{1H} COSY NMR analysis.
Effect of Fluoro Substituents on Polynitroarylenes: Design, Synthesis and Theoretical Studies of Fluorinated Nitrotoluenes
Authors: Zhang Junlin , Liu Yingzhe , Zhou Jing , Bi Fuqiang , Wang Bozhou
Published: December 2018

The replacement of traditional polynitroarylenes by their fluorinated derivatives has attracted great attention due to the improvements on detonation performance caused by the fluorine effect. A straightforward synthesis of three novel fluorinated nitrotoluenes with different degrees of nitration was achieved under selected high temperatures. The fluorine exerted remarkable influence on the nitration process through the electron‐withdrawing effect and a mechanism of the transformation was proposed according to the experimental results. Thermal decomposition behavior of the fluorinated nitrotoluenes was investigated by differential scanning calorimetry and all the compounds showed ideal low melt points for the melt‐cast process. X‐ray analysis of the fluorinated derivatives were carried out as well as density functional calculations to establish the electronic density and electrostatic potential on the molecular surface of the optimized structures. The good thermal and detonation properties make the newly developed fluorinated nitrotoluenes possible replacements for trinitrotoluene and dinitrotoluene in the formation of melt‐cast energetic materials.
Circuit modeling and efficiency analysis for wireless power transfer system with shielding
Authors: Chen Weiming , Lu Weiguo , Wang Xi
Published: December 2018

It is an effective way to use magnetic shielding scheme in magnetic coupled wireless power transfer (WPT) system to reduce magnetic flux leakage. However, the additional shielding material would affect the equivalent circuit model and the power transmission efficiency of WPT system. Although the impact of some common shielding materials on the transmission efficiency has been studied using finite element simulation, there is still a lack of understanding about the impact to the equivalent model in theory. In this paper, the equivalent circuit and transmission efficiency of WPT system are analyzed theoretically under the influence of different shielding materials, and the relationship between material electrical characteristics and transmission efficiency is presented. In our WPT prototype with two 166‐mm diameter coils under ferrite shielding and aluminum shielding, the achieved maximum transmission efficiencies are 95.7% for 100‐kHz resonant frequency and 97.9% for 1‐MHz resonant frequency under the ferrite shielding, and the efficiency errors between the analytical and experimental results are less than 5% for 100‐kHz resonant frequency and 10% for 1‐MHz resonant frequency.
A systematic review of gut‐immune‐brain mechanisms in Autism Spectrum Disorder
Authors: Azhari Atiqah , Azizan Farouq , Esposito Gianluca
Published: December 2018

Despite decades of research, the etiological origins of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) remain elusive. Recently, the mechanisms of ASD have encompassed emerging theories involving the gastrointestinal, immune, and nervous systems. While each of these perspectives presents its own set of supporting evidence, the field requires an integration of these modular concepts and an overarching view of how these subsystems intersect. In this systematic review, we have synthesized relevant evidences from the existing literature, evaluating them in an interdependent manner and in doing so, outlining their possible connections. Specifically, we first discussed gastrointestinal and immuno‐inflammation pathways in‐depth, exploring the relationships between microbial composition, bacterial metabolites, gut mucosa, and immune system constituents. Accounting for temporal differences in the mechanisms involved in neurodevelopment, prenatal and postnatal phases were further elucidated, where the former focused on maternal immune activation (MIA) and fetal development, while the latter addressed the role of immune dysregulation in contributing to atypical neurodevelopment. As autism remains, foremost, a neurodevelopmental disorder, this review presents an integration of disparate modules into a “Gut‐Immune‐Brain” paradigm. Existing gaps in the literature have been highlighted, and possible avenues for future research with an integrated physiological perspective underlying ASD have also been suggested.
Influence of fruit dispersal on genotypic diversity and migration rates of a clonal cactus from the Chihuahuan Desert
Authors: García‐Morales Erick , Carrillo‐Ángeles Israel G. , Golubov Jordan , Piñero Daniel , Mandujano María C.
Published: December 2018

The diverse offspring of clonal species differ in their dispersability, influencing genotypic diversity and clonal structure. Here, we determined dispersal patterns and their impact on genetic structure in Opuntia microdasys, a self‐incompatible cactus with three dispersal units (one sexual and two clonal). We analyzed dispersal, using experiments at three populations, and assessed multilocus genotypes (ISSR markers) of all individuals in 10 clumps per population with known reproductive origin (sexual or clonal). Genotype of all samples, population structure, and migration between clumps and populations were assessed with GenAlEx and GenoDive, assuming higher genotypic diversity and migration when sexual reproduction is more frequent. We determined the most likely number of genetic clusters with STRUCTURE and GENELAND. Dispersal differed among populations; primary dispersal occurred at short distances and was farthest on steep slopes, and dispersal distance increased after secondary dispersal. Clumps had 116 different multilocus genotypes in three spatially explicit genetic clusters. We detected genetic structure at small scale, genotypic diversity among clumps varied between populations; diversity decreased while clonal dominance increased, and the most variation occurred among clumps. Genetic structure was moderate, suggesting gene flow by seed dispersal allows slight differentiation among population at large scales. Genetic diversity within clumps was the lowest because dispersal of clonal propagules was limited and caused genotypic dominance at local scale. However, the combined dispersal pattern of sexual and clonal dispersal units is fine‐tuned by environmental factors, generating a range of genetic diversity among clusters and populations. This pattern suggests that genetic structure of clonal plants is more dynamic than thought, and dispersal of different types of offspring affects genetic structure at many scales.
Expression of Plet1 controls interstitial migration of murine small intestinal dendritic cells
Authors: Karrich Julien J. , Romera‐Hernández Mónica , Papazian Natalie , Veenbergen Sharon , Cornelissen Ferry , Aparicio‐Domingo Patricia , Stenhouse Frances H. , Peddie C. Diana , Hoogenboezem Remco M. , den Hollander Chelsea W. J. , Gaskell Terri , Medley Tanya , Boon Louis , Blackburn C. Clare , Withers David R. , Samsom Janneke N. , Cupedo Tom
Published: December 2018

Under homeostatic conditions, dendritic cells (DCs) continuously patrol the intestinal lamina propria. Upon antigen encounter, DCs initiate C‐C motif chemokine receptor 7 (CCR7) expression and migrate into lymph nodes to direct T cell activation and differentiation. The mechanistic underpinnings of DC migration from the tissues to lymph nodes have been largely elucidated, contributing greatly to our understanding of DC functionality and intestinal immunity. In contrast, the molecular mechanisms allowing DCs to efficiently migrate through the complex extracellular matrix of the intestinal lamina propria prior to antigen encounter are still incompletely understood. Here we show that small intestinal murine CD11b+CD103+ DCs express Placenta‐expressed transcript 1 (Plet1), a glycophoshatidylinositol (GPI)‐anchored surface protein involved in migration of keratinocytes during wound healing. In the absence of Plet1, CD11b+CD103+ DCs display aberrant migratory behavior, and accumulate in the small intestine, independent of CCR7 responsiveness. RNA‐sequencing indicated involvement of Plet1 in extracellular matrix‐interactiveness, and subsequent in‐vitro migration assays revealed that Plet1 augments the ability of DCs to migrate through extracellular matrix containing environments. In conclusion, our findings reveal that expression of Plet1 facilitates homeostatic interstitial migration of small intestinal DCs.
Evaluation of force‐based and displacement‐based out‐of‐plane seismic assessment methods for unreinforced masonry walls through refined model simulations
Authors: Godio Michele , Beyer Katrin
Published: December 2018

The performance of force‐based and displacement‐based seismic assessment methods for the life‐safety limit state check of out‐of‐plane loaded unreinforced masonry walls is evaluated on the basis of refined numerical simulations. For this purpose, a discrete element model of a vertically spanning wall is built and validated against experimental results from static and dynamic test conditions. The model is then analysed for a large range of wall configurations. For each configuration, a static pushover analysis and a series of incremental dynamic analyses are run, the latter permitting to determine the capacity of the wall under dynamic loading. The accuracy of the assessment methods in predicting the acceleration at which the walls collapse is evaluated. It is found that the displacement‐based method is more accurate, robust, and safe than the force‐based method. The comparison also shows that for walls characterised by a relatively high ratio of axial load to Euler's critical load, both assessment methods lead to an overestimation of the wall capacity. As a remedy, a modification to the methods based on a recently developed mechanical model is put forward and tested. For the force‐based method, it is additionally suggested to set for walls with relatively high overburden ratios the behaviour factor equal to 1. To ensure reproducibility of this study, all input and output files of the numerical simulations are made publicly available.
Promotion of skin wound healing using prevascularized oral mucosal cell sheet
Authors: Lee Jaewang , Shin Daiha , Roh Jong‐Lyel
Published: December 2018

Background

This study examined the potential use of our newly developed prevascularized oral mucosal cell sheet for the treatment of skin wounds.

Methods

Mucosal cell sheets containing cultured keratinocytes and plasma fibrin without (K sheet) or with a mixture of fibroblasts and endothelial progenitor cells (PV sheet) were transplanted into full‐thickness skin excisional wounds of nude mice.

Results

This technique was successful for in vitro culture; expanding keratinocytes, fibroblasts, and endothelial progenitor cells; and generating prevascularized mucosal cell sheets. Cell sheets promoted in vivo wound healing with rapid wound closure and less scarring compared to controls. This result was more apparent in the PV than the K sheet (P < .05). Wounds covered with cell sheets showed less expression of TGFB1, ACTA2, and FN1 mRNAs than the controls (P < .05).

Conclusion

The prevascularized mucosal cell sheet showed in vivo efficacy and tissue plasticity in cutaneous wounds by promoting accelerated healing.
Sowing social inclusion for marginalised residents of a social housing development through a community garden
Authors: Mmako Nkolika J. , Capetola Teresa , Henderson‐Wilson Claire
Published: December 2018

Issue addressed

In addition to food, physical activity, mental health and environmental benefits, community gardens (CGs) provide opportunities for social inclusion and increased social capital. These are particularly important to the socially isolated residents of social housing developments (SHDs). This scoping study explored the feasibility of a CG program for tenants of SHD in inner eastern Melbourne by assessing their interest in, and requirements for, inclusively designed CGs.

Methods

In this phenomenological enquiry, focus group discussions, supported by photo‐elicitation, were employed. Three focus groups (N = 19) were conducted with self‐selected participants who consented to participate. Two focus groups were conducted with English‐speaking tenants while a third focus group was conducted with Mandarin‐speaking tenants.

Results

There was a demand for CGs by the English‐speaking participants driven by desire for networking, social connectedness and inclusion; for improved access to fresh produce, connection with nature, physical activity and mental well‐being. Participants expressed interest in a garden located near their SHD with supportive physical and social environments including disability access, plot autonomy, fencing, socio‐cultural events, training programs and management opportunities. However, the Mandarin‐speaking tenants maintained that age, language difficulty and neighbourhood insecurity posed significant barriers to their participation.

Conclusion

Guided by the Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion, social inclusion and community development theories, the study recommends that to establish socially inclusive CGs, a dynamic relationship of the design principles of a CG and the socio‐ecological determinants of health should be established to address any barriers and successfully facilitate engagement. In addition, CG programs need to be guided by community development principles. Future research could employ community‐based participatory research models in the implementation and evaluation of a CG program for socially isolated population groups.
Reliability and Validity of the 6‐Minute Walk Test in Hypophosphatasia
Authors: Phillips Dawn , Tomazos Ioannis C , Moseley Scott , L'Italien Gil , Gomes da Silva Hugo , Lerma Lara Sergio
Published: December 2018

This investigation evaluated the reliability and validity of the 6‐Minute Walk Test (6MWT) in patients with pediatric hypophosphatasia (HPP). Children (aged 6 to 12 years; n = 11), adolescents (13 to 17 years; n = 4), and adults (18 to 65 years; n = 9) completed the 6MWT at screening and baseline in two clinical studies of asfotase alfa. Test‐retest reliability of the 6MWT, evaluated with Pearson's correlation coefficients (r) for screening versus baseline, was high for children (r = 0.95; p < 0.0001), adolescents (r = 0.81; p = 0.125), and adults (r = 0.94; p = 0.0001). The most conservative minimal clinically important differences, estimated using distribution‐based methods, were 31 m (children and adults) and 43 m (adolescents). In children, the 6MWT correlated significantly with scores on measures of skeletal disease, which included the Radiographic Global Impression of Change scale (r = 0.50; p < 0.0001) and the Rickets Severity Scale (r = −0.78; p < 0.0001), such that distance walked increased as the severity of skeletal disease decreased. Significant (p < 0.0001) correlations with the 6MWT distance walked were also observed for children with scores on parent‐reported measures of disability (r = −0.67), ability to function in activities of daily living (r = 0.71 to 0.77), and parent‐reported measures of pain (r = −0.39). In adolescents and adults, 6MWT distance walked correlated significantly (p < 0.05) with measures of lower extremity function (r = 0.83 and 0.60, respectively), total pain severity (r = −0.41 and −0.36, respectively), and total pain interference (r = −0.41 and −0.49, respectively). Collectively, these data indicate that the 6MWT is a reliable, valid measure of physical functioning in patients with pediatric HPP. © 2018 The Authors. JBMR Plus Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
miR‐505 acts as a tumor suppressor in gastric cancer progression through targeting HMGB1
Authors: Tian Liang , Wang Zheng‐Yu , Hao Jun , Zhang Xiao‐Yu
Published: December 2018

Gastric cancer (GC) is a frequent type of malignant tumor worldwide. GC metastasis results in the majority of clinical treatment failures. MicroRNAs (miRNA) are identified to exhibit crucial roles in GC. Our current study aimed to explore the biological roles of miR‐505 in GC progression. It was observed that miR‐505 was robustly decreased in GC cells compared with human normal gastric epithelial GES‐1 cells. Overexpression of miR‐505 was able to repress GC progression in AGS and BGC‐823 cells. In addition, high‐mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) has been identified as a crucial oncogene in several cancer types. By carrying out bioinformatics analysis, HMGB1 was predicted as a direct target of miR‐505. Meanwhile, HMGB1 was found to be significantly increased in GC cells and it was confirmed in our study that miR‐505 can directly target HMGB1 in vitro. miR‐505 mimics can inhibit HMGB1 messenger RNA and protein expression dramatically. Subsequently, knockdown of HMGB1 can inhibit GC cell proliferation, colony formation, and induce cell apoptosis. Furthermore, HMGB1 silence suppressed GC cell migration and invasion greatly in vitro. Finally, it was validated that miR‐505 can inhibit GC progression by targeting HMGB1 in vivo. Taken these together, it was indicated that miR‐505/HMGB1 axis was involved in the development of GC. miR‐505 can serve as a potential prognostic indicator in GC therapy.
5‐Hydroxytryptamine (5‐HT)‐exacerbated DSS‐induced colitis is associated with elevated NADPH oxidase expression in the colon
Authors: Dong Shizhen , Chen Menglu , Dai Faliang , Xuan Qingxia , Chen Pan , Feng Dandan , Gao Lei , Zhu Chendi , Chang Yongchao , Chu Fong‐Fong , Gao Qiang
Published: December 2018

Aim

This study investigated the impact of 5‐hydroxytryptamine (5‐HT) on the expression of NOXs in dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)‐induced colitis in mice.

Methods

C57BL/6J (B6) mice at 6 to 8 weeks of age were treated with 5‐HT, DSS, or DSS + 5‐HT. After 6‐day treatment, the severity of colitis, infiltration of leukocytes, and messenger RNA (mRNA) and/or protein levels of Nox1, Nox2, Nox4, and Duox2 were analyzed in the colon by real‐time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), immunohistochemistry (IHC), and Western blot analysis. The direct effect of 5‐HT on NOX gene and protein expression in HT‐29 colon cancer cells and in U‐937 macrophage cells were determined by qPCR and Western blot analysis.

Results

Mice treated with 5‐HT alone did not develop colitis, while those treated with 1.0% DSS or DSS + 5‐HT had mild and severe colitis, respectively. All treated mice had more myeloperoxidase‐positive cells in the colon compared with untreated control mice. Mice treated with 5‐HT or DSS alone had increased Nox2 and Nox4 mRNA and protein levels in the colon determined by qPCR, IHC, and Western blot analysis. These two Nox expressions were even higher in mice treated with DSS + 5‐HT, while the expression levels of epithelium‐localized Nox1 and Duox2 tended to decrease. Additionally, mice treated with 5‐HT alone had elevated Nox1 and Duox2 expression as shown by qPCR and IHC. However, these gene expressions were diminished in DSS + 5‐HT‐treated mice likely due to erosion of epithelium. Furthermore, 5‐HT induced NOX1 and DUOX2 gene and protein expression in HT‐29 colon cancer epithelial cells, whereas induced NOX2 and NOX4 gene and protein expression in U‐937 cells.

Conclusion

As 5‐HT induced NOX1 and DUOX2 gene and protein expression in colon epithelial and HT‐29 cells, NOX2 and NOX4 in the infiltrating leukocyte in mouse colon and in U‐937 cells, the exacerbate colitis induced by combined 5‐HT and DSS treatment might be relevant to increased NOX expression in mice colons.
Understanding contact patterns of protein structures from protein contact map and investigation of unique patterns in the globin‐like folded domains
Authors: Amala Arumugam , Emerson Isaac Arnold
Published: December 2018

Proteins are biochemical compounds made up of one or more polypeptides in a specific order, typically folded into a functionally active form. Proteins are categorized into four different structural classes according to the topology of α‐helices and β‐strands. In this study, we modeled these four structural classes as an undirected network depicting amino acids as nodes and interaction between them as edges. Results infer that basic protein classes can be easily recognized as well as distinguished by utilizing protein contact maps (PCM). Toward studying the globin‐like fold, the helix‐loop‐helix region contacts were seen to be of a unique pattern, and these remained in all the folds. Further, the averaged diagonal contacts were analyzed and identified those contacts in α/β proteins were higher in comparison with the other class. Interesting, we noticed that anti‐parallel beta sheets were dominant in all‐β and α + β classes that lead to similar diagonal patterns. Network properties of all four basic classes were analyzed and found to possess small‐world property. Findings infer that PCM may assist classify protein structure classes and it also helps in evaluating the predicted protein structures.
OVO homologue‐like 1 promotes osteoblast differentiation through BMP2 expression
Authors: Min Hyeon‐Young , Sung Young Kwan , Kim Eun‐Jung , Jang Won‐Gu
Published: December 2018

OVO homologue‐like 1 (OVOL1) encodes a C2H2 zinc finger protein and is an evolutionarily conserved gene in mammals. The OVOL1 expression is required for development. However, the function of OVOL1 in bone metabolism remains unreported. Here, we show for the first time the role of OVOL1 in osteoblast differentiation. To determine the role of OVOL1 in osteogenic differentiation, we analyzed OVOL1 expression in the preosteoblastic cell line. OVOL1 messenger RNA expression was induced during osteoblast differentiation. In addition, OVOL1 overexpression enhanced the expression of osteogenic genes including bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2), the inhibitor of DNA binding 1 (Id1), distal‐less homeobox 5 (Dlx5), runt‐related transcription factor 2 (Runx2), osteocalcin (OC), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP). Moreover, mineralization of the extracellular matrix was increased by OVOL1 overexpression in MC3T3‐E1 cells. Furthermore, knockdown of the OVOL1 experiment demonstrated that OVOL1 is required for osteoblast differentiation. Collectively, these results suggest that OVOL1 function as an important regulator of osteoblast differentiation by inducing BMP2 expression in MC3T3‐E1 cells.
The role of sphingosine‐1‐phosphate in skeletal muscle: Physiology, mechanisms, and clinical perspectives
Authors: Cordeiro André V. , Silva Vagner R. R. , Pauli José R. , da Silva Adelino S. R. , Cintra Dennys E. , Moura Leandro P. , Ropelle Eduardo R.
Published: December 2018

Sphingolipids were discovered more than a century ago and were simply considered as a class of cell membrane lipids for a long time. However, after the discovery of several intracellular functions and their role in the control of many physiological and pathophysiological conditions, these molecules have gained much attention. For instance, the sphingosine‐1‐phosphate (S1P) is a circulating bioactive sphingolipid capable of triggering strong intracellular reactions through the family of S1P receptors (S1PRs) spread in several cell types and tissues. Recently, the role of S1P in the control of skeletal muscle metabolism, atrophy, regeneration, and metabolic disorders has been widely investigated. In this review, we summarized the knowledge of S1P and its effects in skeletal muscle metabolism, highlighting the role of S1P/S1PRs axis in skeletal muscle regeneration, fatigue, ceramide accumulation, and insulin resistance. Finally, we discussed the physical exercise role in S1P/S1PRs signaling in skeletal muscle cells, and how this nonpharmacological strategy may be prospective for future investigations due to its ability to increase S1P levels.
One‐stage random effects meta‐analysis using linear mixed models for aggregate continuous outcome data
Authors: Papadimitropoulou Katerina , Stijnen Theo , Dekkers Olaf M. , le Cessie Saskia
Published: December 2018

The vast majority of meta‐analyses uses summary/aggregate data retrieved from published studies in contrast to meta‐analysis of individual participant data (IPD). When the outcome is continuous and IPD are available, linear mixed modelling methods can be employed in a one‐stage approach. This allows for flexible modelling of within‐study variability and between‐study effects and accounts for the uncertainty in the estimates of between‐study and within‐study residual variances. However, IPD are seldom available. For the normal outcome case, we present a method to generate pseudo IPD from aggregate data using group mean, standard deviation, and sample sizes within each study, ie, the sufficient statistics. Analyzing the pseudo IPD with likelihood‐based methods yields identical results as the analysis of the unknown true IPD. The advantage of this method is that we can employ the mixed modelling framework, implemented in many statistical software packages, and explore modelling options suitable for IPD, such as fixed study‐specific intercepts and fixed treatment effect model, fixed study‐specific intercepts and random treatment effects, and both random study and treatment effects and different options to model the within‐study residual variance. This allows choosing the most realistic (or potentially complex) residual variance structures across studies, instead of using an overly simple structure. We demonstrate these methods in two empirical datasets in Alzheimer disease, where an extensive model, assuming all within‐study variances to be free, fitted considerably better. In simulations, the pseudo IPD approach showed adequate coverage probability, because it accounted for small sample effects.
The unique ecological role of pyrosomes in the Eastern Tropical Pacific
Authors: Décima Moira , Stukel Michael R. , López‐López Lucía , Landry Michael R.
Published: December 2018

Pyrosomes are an important but often overlooked component of marine zooplankton communities, with limited existing information regarding their ecological and trophic roles in pelagic ecosystems. We present the first estimates of grazing and trophic interactions of the large tropical pyrosome,Pyrostremma spinosum, in the Eastern Tropical Pacific. While patchy in distribution,Pyrostremma spinosum'sgrazing impact was substantial, up to 17.5% of chlorophyllastanding stock d−1in certain areas. In contrast, these organisms cleared a very small percentage of the abundant picoplanktonSynechococcusspp. compared to the bulk zooplankton community. Stable isotopes (13C and15N) indicated that particulate organic matter (POM) from the surface mixed layer (0–20 m) constitutes the isotopic food‐web baseline for most of the zooplankton community, and zooplankton trophic interactions were size structured in some areas. Pyrosomes, doliolids, and appendicularians, along with the smallest size class of net‐collected zooplankton, had isotopic values closest to pure herbivory, while intermediate size classes, copepods, and salps showed substantial omnivory/carnivory. Euphausiids, chaetognaths, and > 2 mm zooplankton were the main carnivorous zooplankton in the plankton food web. Stable isotopes indicated thatPyrostremma spinosumis trophically distinct from the rest of the zooplankton community, grazing just below the mixed layer (20–40 m), as opposed to feeding on surface POM. Pyrosomes represent an additional, distinct pathway for material transfer up the plankton food web, by directly consuming POM sources not substantially grazed upon by the rest of the mesozooplankton community.
Stable isotope tracers: Enriching our perspectives and questions on sources, fates, rates, and pathways of major elements in aquatic systems
Authors: Glibert Patricia M. , Middelburg Jack J. , McClelland James W. , Jake Vander Zanden M.
Published: December 2018

Abstract

Stable isotope applications have evolved from simple characterizations of isotope composition in organisms and organic matter, to highly complex methodologies on scales ranging from individual compounds and cells, to broad ecosystem‐level approaches. New techniques are rapidly evolving, allowing novel, difficult, and inconvenient questions to be addressed. This article aims to provide an overarching perspective on how the field has evolved and where it is going with regard to aquatic systems, some of the oceanographic and limnological concepts derived from these approaches, and important challenges. To this end, we highlight a selection of natural abundance and tracer enrichment studies that represent a wide range of stable isotope applications. These include studies of rate processes and biogeochemical cycling, source tracking, food webs, and paleoenvironments. Our coverage of stable isotope applications is by no means complete, but by highlighting a mixture of classic and new applications across a wide range of research areas, our goal is to convey the power of stable isotope tools and the excitement in this rapidly expanding field, while also encouraging the scrutiny and healthy respect for limitations and assumptions necessary to take full advantage of these powerful tools.
Fibrinolysis Shutdown Is Associated With Thrombotic and Hemorrhagic Complications and Poorer Outcomes After Liver Transplantation
Authors: Nicolau‐Raducu Ramona , Beduschi Thiago , Vianna Rodrigo , Diez Christian , Sleem Mahmoud , Singh Bhavna P. , Vasileiou Georgia , Raveh Yehuda
Published: December 2018

Detrimental consequences of hypofibrinolysis, also known as fibrinolysis shutdown (FS), have recently arisen, and its significance in liver transplantation (LT) remains unknown. To fill this gap, this retrospective study included 166 adults who received transplants between 2016 and 2018 for whom baseline thromboelastography was available. On the basis of percent of clot lysis 30 minutes after maximal amplitude, patients were stratified into 3 fibrinolysis phenotypes: FS, physiologic fibrinolysis, and hyperfibrinolysis. FS occurred in 71.7% of recipients, followed by physiologic fibrinolysis in 19.9% and hyperfibrinolysis in 8.4%. Intraoperative and postoperative venous thrombosis events occurred exclusively in recipients with the FS phenotype. Intraoperative thrombosis occurred with an overall incidence of 4.8% and was associated with 25.0% in‐hospital mortality. Incidence of postoperative venous thrombosis within the first month was deep venous thrombosis/pulmonary embolism (PE; 4.8%) and portal vein thrombosis/hepatic vein thrombosis (1.8%). Massive transfusion of ≥20 units packed red blood cells was required in 11.8% of recipients with FS compared with none in the other 2 phenotype groups (P = 0.01). Multivariate analysis identified 2 pretransplant risk factors for FS: platelet count and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis/cryptogenic cirrhosis. Recursive partitioning identified a critical platelet cutoff value of 50 × 109/L to be associated with FS phenotype. The hyperfibrinolysis phenotype was associated with the lowest 1‐year survival (85.7%), followed by FS (95.0%) and physiologic fibrinolysis (97.0%). Infection/multisystem organ failure was the predominant cause of death; in the FS group, 1 patient died of exsanguination, and 1 patient died of massive intraoperative PE. In conclusion, there is a strong association between FS and thrombohemorrhagic complications and poorer outcomes after LT.
Optimal solutions for singular linear systems of Caputo fractional differential equations
Authors: Dassios Ioannis , Baleanu Dumitru
Published: December 2018

In this article, we focus on a class of singular linear systems of fractional differential equations with given nonconsistent initial conditions (IC). Because the nonconsistency of the IC can not lead to a unique solution for the singular system, we use two optimization techniques to provide an optimal solution for the system. We use two optimization techniques to provide the optimal solution for the system because a unique solution for the singular system cannot be obtained due to the non‐consistency of the IC. These two optimization techniques involve perturbations to the non‐consistent IC, specifically, an l2 perturbation (which seeks an optimal solution for the system in terms of least squares), and a second‐order optimization technique at an l1 minimum perturbation, (which includes an appropriate smoothing). Numerical examples are given to justify our theory. We use the Caputo (C) fractional derivative and two recently defined alternative versions of this derivative, the Caputo‐Fabrizio (CF) and the Atangana‐Baleanu (AB) fractional derivative.
A new double‐sided substrate‐integrated waveguide slot array antenna for 5G applications
Authors: Di Renna Roberto B. , Magri Souza Vanessa P. R. , Ferreira Tadeu N. , Matos Leni J. , Souza Jorge A. M. , Siqueira Glaucio L.
Published: December 2018

A double‐sided substrate‐integrated waveguide (SIW) slot antenna with stripline feed, as 4‐by‐4 SIW slot array antenna, operating in millimeter‐waves bands is proposed. The whole antenna and feeding system are fabricated on a single substrate with 2 dielectric layers and 3 copper layers, which takes some advantage, such as, small size, low profile, low cost, and 2 radiation direction propagations. The design process and experimental results are presented. The prototypes can be used in dual band frequency ranges, 25 and 28 GHz, with 8 dBi gain and 63° for half power beamwidth in both sides, front and back antenna sides, and 2 GHz bandwidth. Thus, this component can be applied for 5G indoor environments.