bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Molecular Identification of Crude Oil-Degrading Bacteria and Screening for Catechol 2, 3 Dioxygenase (C23O) Gene
Authors: Oluwatoyin Folake Olukunle,
Published: January 2020

Aims: To identify crude oil-degrading bacteria isolated from polluted soils and waters and screen the presence of catechol 2, 3 dioxygenase (C23O) gene encoding oil-degradation in the strains with the highest degradative activity.

Study Design: Laboratory-experimental design was used in this study.

Place and Duration of Study: Crude oil polluted soils and waters were collected from Awoye, Mese and Oluwa villages in Ondo State, Nigeria and three different flow stations (Agbada-Aluu shell, Obite, and Bonny) in Rivers State, Nigeria.

Methodology: The identities of the isolates were confirmed by extracting their total genomic DNA using standard DNA protocols while a portion of 16S bacterial gene of their DNA was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using the primers E9F and U1510R and sequenced using Sanger method. Degenerate primers were used to isolate and identify the gene encoding C23O, responsible for the degradation of oil. Molecular cloning of the gene was done by transforming into Escherichia coli DHα. The correct inserts from the selected clones were performed by colony PCR. The isolated gene was sequenced with a Dye terminator sequencing kit and the product was analyzed with Prism DNA sequencer.

Results: The results obtained from the conserved sequence of the 16S rRNA coupled with the nucleotide sequence revealed ten (10) crude oil-degrading bacteria, with CFfab 14 and CFfab 12 having the highest and lowest degrading activity of  78.92 ± 0.9 Unit/mL/h and 43.89 ± 1.3 Unit/mL/h on day 3 respectively.

Conclusion: The gene C23O responsible for the production of catechol 2, 3 dioxygenase was isolated from strains CFfab 5, CFfab 14 and CFfab 15. The nucleotide base sequence of the gene was determined to be 238 bp. It is expected that in bioremediation, indigenous microorganisms from polluted environments should be screened for the possible existence of this unique gene sequence for effectiveness. Further studies could be conducted on the possibility of cloning this C23O gene into other bacteria for more efficiency and effectiveness in the bioremediation process.
Prevalence of Plasmodium falciparum Chloroquine Resistance Transporter (Pfcrt76T) Mutation Associated with Antimalarial Drug Resistance in Two Different Epidemiological Setting (Banfora and Saponé) in Burkina Faso Few Years after the Implementation of Artemisnine Based Combination Therapy (ACTs)
Authors: Nikiema Séni , Sindié Sermé Samuel , Sombié Salif , Diarra Amidou , Bere Henry Noelie , Salimata Badoum Emilie , Aboubacar Coulibaly Sam , Maurice Ouattara San , Moise Kaboré Jean , Wendkuuni Djigma Florencia , Bienvenu Sirima Sodiomon , Simpore Jacques , Soulama Issiaka
Published: January 2020

Introduction: In spite of considerable progress, malaria remains a public health problem in many areas, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. One major complexity of malaria disease is caused by the development and the spread of vector and parasite resistance to insecticides and antimalarial drugs respectively. The Pfcrt76T gene mutation has been validated as a marker conferring resistance to chloroquine and other antimalarial drugs. The extension of Plasmodium falciparum resistance to commonly used antimalarial drugs (chloroquine, sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine) led to the adoption and the use of artemisinin-based combinations in Burkina Faso since 2005.

Aims: The present study was initiated to assess the prevalence of the Pfcrt76T mutation in two different malaria epidemiological setting after a decade of introduction of artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) in Burkina Faso. 

Methodology:  The study population consisted of 181 uncomplicated malaria patients recruited in Banfora and Saponé health districts in 2012 and 2013. Blood samples were collected from finger prick on filter paper, dried and sent to the Molecular Biology Laboratory at Centre National de Recherche et de Formation sur le Paludisme (CNRFP) for molecular analyzes. DNA of Plasmodium falciparum was extracted with DNA extraction kit (Qiagen®) and the Pfcrt76T mutation was determined based on Polymerase Chain Reaction / Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism technique (RFLP).

Results:  The results of this study showed that the frequency of the pfcrt76T mutant allele (33.7%) was statistically lower than the Pfcrt76K wild-type allele (57.4%) in the study area. Moreover, the prevalence of Pfcrt76T mutation was neither associated with the patient age nor with the parasite density while a significant difference was observed between the two epidemiological setting, Banfora and Saponé.

Conclusion: The findings of this study has shown a drop in the prevalence of mutant parasites Pfcrt76T in both the study area eight years after the introduction of ACTs compared to previous studies.
Performance of the New Ridge Regression Parameters
Authors: Muhammed Al-Kassab Mowafaq , Qasim Al-Awjar Mohammed
Published: January 2020

A new approach is presented to find the ridge parameter k when the multiple regression model suffers from multicollinearity. This approach studied two cases, for the value k, scalar, and matrix. A comparison between this proposed ridge parameter and other well-known ridge parameters evaluated elsewhere, in terms of the mean squares error criterion, is given. Examples from several research papers are conducted to illustrate the optimality of this proposed ridge parameter k.
Access to Breast Cancer Care in Jos, North Central
Authors: Ale Alexander Femi , Isichei Mercy Wakili , Misauno Michael Ayedima
Published: January 2020

Aims: This paper seeks to evaluate the extent to which breast cancer patients from two tertiary health care centers in Jos were able to access the different components of breast cancer care.

Background: Breast cancer in low- and middle-income countries is associated with poor outcomes when compared with high-income countries. Numerous studies have identified factors responsible for this, one of them being a lack of access to the various components of breast cancer care. Breast cancer care requires a multimodal approach involving prevention, early detection, diagnosis and treatment, rehabilitation and palliative care. Access to the various modalities of care is key to a good outcome.

Study Design: This study is a retrospective study.

Place and Duration of the Study: The study was carried out at Jos University Teaching Hospital, and FOMAS Hospital which are both tertiary health care centers located in the city of Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria. The study spanned January 2016 to June 2019.We applied descriptive statistics for data analysis.

Methodology: We included all patients who were diagnosed with breast cancer between January 2016 and December 2017. Patients were followed up for a minimum of one and a half years (from January 2018 to June 2019). The project team performed a review of medical records and charts for data elements which included; sex, age, site of tumor, stage of tumor at presentation, and access to the different treatment modalities. Data was entered into a pre-designed proforma and analyzed on the SPSS 20 Chicago, Illinois. We applied descriptive statistics to the demographic data and clinical information of patients.

Results: The total number of patients was 110. Forty-four (40%) patients had access to immunohistochemistry (IHC). Eighty-nine (81%) patients were eligible for chemotherapy. Twenty-one (19%) patients were not fit for chemotherapy. Ten (9%) patients received radiotherapy.  A total of 73 (66%) patients had different forms of breast surgeries. Three (3%) patients declined surgery, while 34 (31%) were not fit for surgery. Thirty-four (31%) patients were treated with hormonal therapy.

Conclusion: This study examined access to the various components of breast cancer care within two tertiary health centers. It shows that in our environment, there is limited access to immunohistochemistry, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and targeted therapy.
Comparing Poultry Manure to Inorganic Fertilizer and Their Combination on the Growth and Yield Performance of Omankwa Maize Variety
Authors: Afriyie-Debrah C. , Yeboah E. Obeng , Ribeiro P. Francisco
Published: January 2020

Aims: Major effect of soil fertility decline is the observed reduced food production in most African countries, including Ghana.  In order to sustain soil and crop productivity, it is necessary to explore alternative soil fertility replenishment strategies, which are effective and affordable to farmers, especially the smallholder farmer.

Study Design: A RCBD in three replications with each block with dimension 4 m × 3 m using spacing of 0.75 m and 0.4 m inter and intra and inter-row.

Place and Duration of Study: The research work was conducted at the CSIR-Crops Research Institute, Kumasi between April 2016 - December 2016 using Omankwa a released maize variety from CSIR-Crops Research Institute, Kumasi, Ghana.

Methodology: There were six treatments per rep and each rep was randomized. Treatments were as follows; control (no fertilizer or poultry manure); T1 (100% Poultry manure two weeks after planting of maize), T2 (100% (N.P.K) two weeks after planting of maize), T3 (25% Poultry manure and 75% NPK fertilizer), T4 (50% Poultry manure and 50% NPK fertilizer) and T5 (75% Poultry manure and 25% NPK fertilizer). 

Results: Results from the study showed that Omankwa performed better under treatment T1 better than other treatments T4 and T5 even though T4 and T5 perform better in other parameters measure for the experiment but did not results in grain yield for Omankwa.

Conclusion: The use of poultry manure still remains to be the best source as alternative to soil nutrient used for often better yield of crop production but for lack or availability of poultry manure, the poultry manure con be supplemented with NPK a synthetic fertilizer to obtain optimum grain yield in maize production.
Comparison of Cranial and External Morphology of Tree Squirrels (Funiscurus leucogenys) in Selected Locations of Rainforest in Nigeria
Authors: O. Bamidele A. , I. Akinpelu A.
Published: January 2020

This study looked at the differences in cranial morphology of tree squirrel species (F. leucogenys) from four different locations in Rainforest part of Nigeria. The squirrels were captured through the use of locally fabricated live traps made of wire-mesh and steel. Trapped specimens were immediately transferred to the laboratory in captivity cages, where they were euthanized in a bell-jar containing chloroform-soaked cotton wool. Specimens were then preliminarily identified to the generic level, using an identification key. The skull of 131 tree squirrels were prepared using Long Island Natural History Museum guide and the sex of the specimens was determined by visual inspection of the external genitalia. The skull and other body parameters were measured using digital venier caliper. The results showed that the body parameters (HBL, TL, TBL, EL, HFL and BW) measured were slightly different from one location to another. Also, the cranial measure showed some similarities among some locations (Ile-Ife, Emure-Ekiti and Ado-Ekiti), while measurement on squirrels from Sekona was different from other three locations. In conclusion, the cranial measurements of the tree squirrels shows there was no new species of F. leucogeny from the sampled locations.
Predicting Remission Among Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis Starting Tocilizumab Monotherapy: Model Derivation and Remission Score Development
Authors: Collins Jamie E. , Johansson Fredrik D. , Gale Sara , Kim Seoyoung , Shrestha Swastina , Sontag David , Stratton Jacklyn , Trinh Huong , Xu Chang , Losina Elena , Solomon Daniel H.
Published: January 2020

Objective

Most patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) strive to consolidate their treatment from methotrexate combinations. The objective of this analysis was to identify patients with RA most likely to achieve remission with tocilizumab (TCZ) monotherapy by developing and validating a prediction model and associated remission score.

Methods

We identified four TCZ monotherapy randomized controlled trials in RA and chose two for derivation and two for internal validation. Remission was defined as a Clinical Disease Activity Index score less than 2.8 at 24 weeks post randomization. We used logistic regression to assess the association between each predictor and remission. After selecting variables and assessing model performance in the derivation data set, we assessed model performance in the validation data set. The cohorts were combined to calculate a remission prediction score.

Results

The variables selected included younger age, male sex, lower baseline Clinical Disease Activity Index score, shorter RA disease duration, region of the world (Europe and South America [increased odds of remission] versus Asia and North America), no previous exposure to disease‐modifying antirheumatic drugs and/or methotrexate, lower baseline Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index score, and baseline hematocrit. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.739 in the derivation data set and 0.756 in the validation data set. Patients were categorized into three remission prediction categories based on the remission prediction score: 40% in the low (less than 10% probability of remission), 45% in the intermediate (10%‐25% probability), and 15% in the moderate remission prediction category (greater than 25% probability).

Conclusion

We used easily accessible factors to develop a remission prediction score to predict RA remission at 24 weeks after initializing TCZ monotherapy. These results may provide guidance to clinicians tailoring treatment options based on clinical characteristics.
Advanced Landscapes: A Structured Pedagogy of Process
Authors: Wall Ed
Published: January 2020

Guest‐Editor Ed Wall charts the history and successes of the Advanced Landscape and Urbanism group at the University of Greenwich where he is Academic Portfolio Lead, and illustrates the exploratory nature of its pedagogy.
Working Place: Constructing Collage as Critique
Authors: Peal Toya
Published: January 2020

Landscape architect Toya Peal explores the work of Berlin‐based artist Larissa Fassler in a quest for new ways to represent civic, social and urban space. She highlights the potential role of Fassler's social mappings, drawings constructed from detailed observations that provide multiple perspectives of specific sites, to critically inform planning and design processes.
Landscape Drift: Something in the Air Tonight
Authors: Spiller Neil
Published: January 2020

How can contemporary technologies conjure up new landscape forms that not only create new typologies of landscape, but also new methodologies of space–making? Architect and Editor of 1 Neil Spiller illustrates one of his attempts to transcribe these notions within the context of the Sky Garden, part of his magnum opus Communicating Vessels project.
Landscape City: Infrastructure, Natural Systems and City‐Making
Authors: Corner James
Published: January 2020

How is current landscape thinking contributing to 21st‐century city design? Contrasting new ecological paradigms of resilience with his older work on the American landscape of the mid‐1990s, James Corner, founding partner of Field Operations, explains the landscape/urban strategy behind the practice's designs for China's Xiongan New Area.
What is Design Now? Unmaking the Landscape
Authors: Orff Kate
Published: January 2020

Our era of ecological resilience and ecocide requires much more holistic and inclusive thinking about social, civic space. Kate Orff is a co‐director of the Center for Resilient Cities at Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation in New York, and founder of landscape and urban design practice SCAPE. Here she outlines the studio's proposal for Alameda Creek, which removes the defensive infrastructures currently restraining the natural forces of the San Francisco Bay Area with the aim of reconnecting its urban and rural ecologies.
Nation Against Nature: From the Global Border to the Cross‐Border Commons
Authors: Cruz Teddy , Forman Fonna
Published: January 2020

Teddy Cruz and Fonna Forman are professors at the University of California, San Diego. Here they discuss their practice investigations of the border conditions between Mexico and the US, proposing a Cross‐Border Commons of political coalitions, ecological zones and new forms of citizenship.
Functionalized Lipopeptide Micelles as Highly Efficient NMR Depolarization Seed Points for Targeted Cell Labelling in Xenon MRI
Authors: Schnurr Matthias , Volk Ines , Nikolenko Heike , Winkler Lars , Dathe Margitta , Schröder Leif
Published: January 2020

Improving diagnostic imaging and therapy by targeted compound delivery to pathological areas and across biological barriers is of urgent need. A lipopeptide, P‐CrA‐A2, composed of a highly cationic peptide sequence (A2), an N‐terminally attached palmitoyl chain (P) and cryptophane molecule (CrA) for preferred uptake into blood–brain barrier (BBB) capillary endothelial cells, was generated. CrA allows reversible binding of Xe for NMR detection with hyperpolarized nuclei. The lipopeptide forms size‐optimized micelles with a diameter of about 11 nm at low micromolar concentration. Their high local CrA payload has a strong and switchable impact on the bulk magnetization through Hyper‐CEST detection. Covalent fixation of CrA does not impede micelle formation and does not hamper its host functionality but simplifies Xe access to hosts for inducing saturation transfer. Xe Hyper‐CEST magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) allows for distinguishing BBB endothelial cells from control aortic endothelial cells, and the small micelle volume with a sevenfold improved CrA‐loading density compared to liposomal carriers allows preferred cell labelling with a minimally invasive volume (≈16 000‐fold more efficient than 19F cell labelling). Thus, these nanoscopic particles combine selectivity for human brain capillary endothelial cells with great sensitivity of Xe Hyper‐CEST MRI and might be a potential MRI tool in brain diagnostics.
Environmental Control of Triplet Emission in Donor–Bridge–Acceptor Organometallics
Authors: Feng Jiale , Yang Lupeng , Romanov Alexander S. , Ratanapreechachai Jirawit , Reponen Antti‐Pekka M. , Jones Saul T. E. , Linnolahti Mikko , Hele Timothy J. H. , Köhler Anna , Bässler Heinz , Bochmann Manfred , Credgington Dan
Published: January 2020

Carbene‐metal‐amides (CMAs) are a promising family of donor–bridge–acceptor molecular charge‐transfer (CT) emitters for organic light‐emitting diodes. A universal approach is demonstrated to tune the energy of their CT emission. A blueshift of up to 210 meV is achievable in solid state via dilution in a polar host matrix. The origin of this shift has two components: constraint of thermally‐activated triplet diffusion, and electrostatic interactions between guest and polar host. This allows the emission of mid‐green CMA archetypes to be tuned to sky blue without chemical modifications. Monte‐Carlo simulations based on a Marcus‐type transfer integral successfully reproduce the concentration‐ and temperature‐dependent triplet diffusion process, revealing a substantial shift in the ensemble density of states in polar hosts. In gold‐bridged CMAs, this shift does not lead to a significant change in luminescence lifetime, thermal activation energy, reorganization energy, or intersystem crossing rate. These discoveries offer new insight into coupling between the singlet and triplet manifolds in CMA materials, revealing a dominant interaction between states of CT character. The same approach is employed using materials which have been chemically modified to alter the energy of their CT state directly, shifting the emission of sky‐blue chromophores into the practical blue range.
Human Tumor‐Lymphatic Microfluidic Model Reveals Differential Conditioning of Lymphatic Vessels by Breast Cancer Cells
Authors: Ayuso Jose M. , Gong Max M. , Skala Melissa C. , Harari Paul M. , Beebe David J.
Published: January 2020

Breast tumor progression is a complex process involving intricate crosstalk between the primary tumor and its microenvironment. In the context of breast tumor‐lymphatic interactions, it is unclear how breast cancer cells alter the gene expression of lymphatic endothelial cells and how these transcriptional changes potentiate lymphatic dysfunction. Thus, there is a need for in vitro lymphatic vessel models to study these interactions. In this work, a tumor‐lymphatic microfluidic model is developed to study the differential conditioning of lymphatic vessels by estrogen receptor‐positive (i.e., MCF7) and triple‐negative (i.e., MDA‐MB‐231) breast cancer cells. The model consists of a lymphatic endothelial vessel cultured adjacently to either MCF7 or MDA‐MB‐231 cells. Quantitative transcriptional analysis reveals expression changes in genes related to vessel growth, permeability, metabolism, hypoxia, and apoptosis in lymphatic endothelial cells cocultured with breast cancer cells. Interestingly, these changes are different in the MCF7‐lymphatic cocultures as compared to the 231‐lymphatic cocultures. Importantly, these changes in gene expression correlate to functional responses, such as endothelial barrier dysfunction. These results collectively demonstrate the utility of this model for studying breast tumor‐lymphatic crosstalk for multiple breast cancer subtypes.
Controlling Defects in Continuous 2D GaS Films for High‐Performance Wavelength‐Tunable UV‐Discriminating Photodetectors
Authors: Lu Yang , Chen Jun , Chen Tongxin , Shu Yu , Chang Ren‐Jie , Sheng Yuewen , Shautsova Viktoryia , Mkhize Nhlakanipho , Holdway Philip , Bhaskaran Harish , Warner Jamie H.
Published: January 2020

A chemical vapor deposition method is developed for thickness‐controlled (one to four layers), uniform, and continuous films of both defective gallium(II) sulfide (GaS): GaS0.87 and stoichiometric GaS. The unique degradation mechanism of GaS0.87 with X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy and annular dark‐field scanning transmission electron microscopy is studied, and it is found that the poor stability and weak optical signal from GaS are strongly related to photo‐induced oxidation at defects. An enhanced stability of the stoichiometric GaS is demonstrated under laser and strong UV light, and by controlling defects in GaS, the photoresponse range can be changed from vis‐to‐UV to UV‐discriminating. The stoichiometric GaS is suitable for large‐scale, UV‐sensitive, high‐performance photodetector arrays for information encoding under large vis‐light noise, with short response time (<66 ms), excellent UV photoresponsivity (4.7 A W–1 for trilayer GaS), and 26‐times increase of signal‐to‐noise ratio compared with small‐bandgap 2D semiconductors. By comprehensive characterizations from atomic‐scale structures to large‐scale device performances in 2D semiconductors, the study provides insights into the role of defects, the importance of neglected material‐quality control, and how to enhance device performance, and both layer‐controlled defective GaS0.87 and stoichiometric GaS prove to be promising platforms for study of novel phenomena and new applications.
Slx5p‐Slx8p Promotes Accurate Chromosome Segregation by Mediating the Degradation of Synaptonemal Complex Components during Meiosis
Authors: Liu Chao , Zhao Haichao , Xiao Sai , Han Tingting , Chen Yinghong , Wang Tong , Ma Yanjie , Gao Hui , Xie Zhiping , Du Li‐Lin , Li Jian , Li Guoping , Li Wei
Published: January 2020

Meiosis increases genetic diversity, yet the genome complement needs to be stable to ensure offspring viability. Both small ubiquitin‐like modifier (SUMO) and ubiquitin have been reported to participate in meiotic regulation, yet functions of the SUMO‐ubiquitination crosstalk in meiosis remain unclear. Here, it is reported that a SUMO‐targeted ubiquitin ligase, Slx8p, promotes accurate chromosome segregation during meiosis, since the deletion of SLX8 leads to increased aneuploidy due to a defect in synaptonemal complex (SC) component degradation. Both the RING domain and SUMO interacting motifs of Slx8p are essential for meiotic progression and maintaining spore viability, and the expression of tetraubiquitin fused with SUMO partially rescues meiotic defects in the SLX8‐deletion strain. Furthermore, Slx5p‐Slx8p can directly add ubiquitin to SUMOylated Zip1p and Ecm11p, and forced degradation of Ecm11p partially rescues the sporulation defects of the SLX8 deletion strain. These findings provide a mechanism for SC disassembly and reveal that the crosstalk between SUMOylation and ubiquitination facilitates accurate chromosome segregation by promoting SC component degradation during meiosis.
Multitasking FeOCN Composite as an Economic, Heterogeneous Catalyst for 1‐Octene Hydroformylation and Hydration Reactions
Authors: Srivastava Avinash K. , Ali Munsaf , Siangwata Shepherd , Satrawala Naveen , Smith Gregory S. , Joshi Raj K.
Published: January 2020

A highly efficient multitasking FeOCN composite was synthesized in a single step by the fast heating of an Fe(III) salt and urea. The composite was confirmed by various spectroscopic and analytical techniques which include XRD, FTIR, Raman, FESEM, and XPS analysis. The composite was then investigated for various organic transformations and it was found to be excellent for the hydroformylation of 1‐octene in toluene under 50 bar syngas pressure at 95 °C. The composite was also found to be significantly active for the hydration reactions of alkynes and nitriles under acid‐ and base‐free conditions. The hydration reactions were performed in aqueous methanol at 120 °C and an excellent yield of regioselective products was obtained under optimized reaction conditions.
Three‐Component, One‐Pot Tandem Sonogashira/Suzuki‐Miyaura Coupling Reactions for the Synthesis of a Library of Ceramide‐Transport Protein Inhibitors Designed In Silico
Authors: Ueno Masaharu , Miyoshi Norikazu , Hanada Kentaro , Kobayashi Shū
Published: January 2020

We have developed a one‐pot, tandem Sonogashira/Suzuki‐Miyaura coupling reaction, which was unknown synthetically, and applied it for the synthesis of a library of potential natural ligand nonmimetic inhibitors of the lipid‐transfer protein, ceramide‐transport protein (CERT). The characteristic feature of this reaction is that the two‐step coupling reaction proceeds smoothly with only 5 mol% of palladium catalyst. Furthermore, the location of the formed carbon−carbon bond would be strictly defined because of the difference in reactivity. Therefore, many derivatives could be synthesized in high yields without the formation of regioisomeric byproducts by the same procedure. We also performed a semi‐gram scale synthesis of several derivatives to provide the bioactive assay. After synthesizing as many as 113 derivatives, we identified a non‐natural mimetic inhibitor with activity comparable to that of the known inhibitor (1R,3S)‐HPA‐12.
Iron‐Catalysed Radical Polymerisation by Living Bacteria
Authors: Bennett Mechelle R. , Gurnani Pratik , Hill Phil J. , Alexander Cameron , Rawson Frankie J.
Published: January 2020

The ability to harness cellular redox processes for abiotic synthesis might allow the preparation of engineered hybrid living systems. Towards this goal we describe a new bacteria‐mediated iron‐catalysed reversible deactivation radical polymerisation (RDRP), with a range of metal‐chelating agents and monomers that can be used under ambient conditions with a bacterial redox initiation step to generate polymers. Cupriavidus metallidurans, Escherichia coli, and Clostridium sporogenes species were chosen for their redox enzyme systems and evaluated for their ability to induce polymer formation. Parameters including cell and catalyst concentration, initiator species, and monomer type were investigated. Water‐soluble synthetic polymers were produced in the presence of the bacteria with full preservation of cell viability. This method provides a means by which bacterial redox systems can be exploited to generate “unnatural” polymers in the presence of “host” cells, thus setting up the possibility of making natural–synthetic hybrid structures and conjugates.
In‐Situ Electrodeposition of Rhodium nanoparticles Anchored on Reduced Graphene Oxide nanosheets as an Efficient Oxygen Reduction Electrocatalyst
Authors: Sookhakian M. , Tong Goh Boon , Alias Y.
Published: January 2020

A simple, versatile, and cost‐effective one‐pot electrochemical deposition is used to fabricate rhodium (Rh) nanoparticles decorated surface of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) functionalized glassy carbon electrode (GCE) for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in alkaline media. The chemical and physical structure of the sample is probed via transmission electron microscopy, rotating disk electrode (RDE), X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, linear sweep voltammetry, and Raman spectroscopy. The synergistic effects between the unique properties of Rh nanoparticles and rGO creates such innovative hybrid that exhibits a catalytic activity comparable to that of the commercial platinum electrocatalyst (Pt/C). As a result, the as‐electrodeposited Rh@rGO hybrid exhibits outstanding ORR activity in alkaline media, as evidenced by a larger diffusion‐limited current, greater positive onset potential, much better stability and methanol tolerance than Pt/C under the same conditions.
The prevention of an anomalous chromatographic behavior and the resulting successful removal of viruses from monoclonal antibody with an asymmetric charge distribution by using a membrane adsorber in highly efficient, anion‐exchange chromatography in flow‐through mode
Authors: Masuda Yumiko , Ogino Yuka , Yamaichi Kozo , Takahashi Yusuke , Nonaka Koichi , Wakamatsu Kaori
Published: January 2020

Anion exchange (AEX) chromatography in the flow‐through mode is a widely employed purification process for removal of process/product‐related impurities and exogenous/endogenous viruses from monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). The pH of the mobile phase for AEX chromatography is typically set at half a unit below the isoelectric point (pI) of each mAb (i.e., pI − 0.5) or lower and, in combination with a low ionic strength, these conditions are usually satisfactory for both the recovery of the mAb and removal of impurities. However, we have recently encountered a tight binding of mAb1 to AEX resins under these standard chromatographic conditions. This anomalous adsorption behavior appears to be an effect of the asymmetric charge distribution on the surface of the mAb1. We found that mAb1 did not bind to the AEX resins if the mobile phase has a much lower pH and higher ionic strength, but those conditions would not allow adequate virus removal. We predicted that the use of membrane adsorbers might provide effective mAb1 purification, since the supporting matrix has a network structure that would be less susceptible to interactions with the asymmetric charge distribution on the protein surface. We tested the Natriflo HD‐Q AEX membrane adsorber under standard chromatographic conditions and found that mAb1 flowed through the membrane adsorber, resulting in successful separation from murine leukemia virus. This AEX membrane adsorber is expected to be useful for process development because mAbs can be purified under similar standard chromatographic conditions regardless of their charge distributions.
Retracted: LINC00311 promotes cancer stem‐like properties by targeting miR‐330‐5p/TLR4 pathway in human papillary thyroid cancer
Authors: Gao Yu , Wang Fan , Zhang Li , Kang Mei , Zhu Liyang , Xu Lei , Liang Wei , Zhang Wei
Published: January 2020

Growing evidence has suggested that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play an essential role in the progression of papillary thyroid cancer (PTC). LncRNA LINC00311 was found to be able to regulate many cellular process in several diseases. However, the function and regulatory mechanism of LINC00311 remains unclear in PTC. In the present study, the results showed that the expression of LINC00311 was upregulated in PTC tissues and cells. Furthermore, knockdown of LINC00311 dramatically suppressed spheroid formation, proliferation, migration, and invasion in PTC cells in vitro. Mechanistic investigations revealed that LINC00311 was negatively correlated with the expression of miR‐330‐5p, meanwhile, TLR4 was a direct target of miR‐330‐5p. In addition, rescue assays further determined that LINC00311 contributed to the progression of PTC through regulating TLR4 expression. Taken together, these findings indicated that LINC00311 could promote cancer stem‐like properties by targeting miR‐330‐5p/TLR4 pathway in PTC.
Optimization of 2‐stage cooperative spectrum for cognitive radio networks using multi‐antenna energy detectors
Authors: Lin Ping‐Rong , Chen Cheng‐Yu , Liu Tao‐Qing , Chen Jen‐Yeu , Jeng Shiann‐Shiun
Published: January 2020

Cooperative spectrum sensing, a kind of spectrum sensing scheme in cognitive radio (CR), uses multiple CR relays. To increase performance, this study uses multi‐antenna CR relays and beam‐forming reception. The required bandwidth for reporting channels in cooperative spectrum sensing is crucial. Two‐stage cooperative spectrum sensing is proposed to increase performance without increasing the required bandwidth. The cooperative spectrum sensing is also optimized to allow the CR networks to facilitate the best decision‐making. This study determines the detection performance when beam‐forming reception is used. Numerical simulations are used to validate the effectiveness of the method. It is shown that beam‐forming reception outperforms square‐law combining (SLC) for low SNR values.

This study proposes a 2‐stage cooperative spectrum sensing method, which uses multi‐antenna CR relays and beam‐forming reception. The cooperative spectrum sensing is also optimized to allow the CR networks to facilitate the best decision‐making. Numerical simulations are used to validate the effectiveness of the method.
Book Review
Authors: Wheeler Daniel W.
Published: January 2020

The Chronicle Productivity Guide to Leading a Department
Relationship between per capita births of Cook Inlet belugas and summer salmon runs: age‐structured population modeling
Authors: Norman Stephanie A. , Hobbs Roderick C. , Beckett Laurel A. , Trumble Stephen J. , Smith Woutrina A.
Published: January 2020

Anthropogenic disturbances may alter a population's conservation status if the ability of individuals to survive and breed is affected. We used an adaptation of the Heligman‐Pollard model to estimate survival at age of Cook Inlet belugas (CIB;Delphinapterus leucas), an endangered population in south‐central Alaska. We developed an age‐structured Leslie matrix model, based on the life history parameters survival and fecundity probability, to evaluate the sensitivity of population size and growth of CIB, to variation in estimate values of Chinook and coho salmon abundance in the Deshka River, a major tributary of the Susitna River. Birth effect (eb) was regressed against Chinook and coho salmon levels for the year of, the year before, and two years before a beluga calf birth. The effect of a range of modifications of salmon availability was illustrated in CIB with a series of simulations. The maximum annual population growths (λ) were set at 1.036 (3.6%). Ranges of CIB survival and fecundity probabilities indicated small changes in survival probabilities have a greater impact on population growth than similar changes in birth probability. As either survival (es) or fecundity (eb) was reduced, the annual growth declined, with eitheres = 0.961 oreb = 0.388, causing a decreased annual growth of −0.4%. Regressions of Chinook salmon for the year of, the year before, and two years before a birth were all significant at the 5% level as was coho in the year of and year prior to birth. The mechanism model with the best fit was the sum of Chinook and coho in the year of birth and year prior to birth. Simulations showed that if salmon runs remained at their current levels, the CIB population would likely continue its current slow decline and per capita births would continue to be low. The results from this study suggest reproductive success in CIB is tied to salmon abundance in the Deshka River. Current management practices should consider this when setting research priorities, designing new studies, and developing management actions to achieve CIB population recovery targets.
Soil depth and grassland origin cooperatively shape microbial community co‐occurrence and function
Authors: Upton Racheal N. , Checinska Sielaff Aleksandra , Hofmockel Kirsten S. , Xu Xia , Polley H. Wayne , Wilsey Brian J.
Published: January 2020

Many soils are deep, yet soil below 20 cm remains largely unexplored. Exotic plants can have shallower roots than native species, so their impact on microorganisms is anticipated to change with depth. Using environmental DNA and extracellular enzymatic activities, we studied fungal and bacterial community composition, diversity, function, and co‐occurrence networks between native and exotic grasslands at soil depths up to 1 m. We hypothesized (1) the composition and network structure of both fungal and bacterial communities will change with increasing depth, and diversity and enzymatic function will decrease; (2) microbial enzymatic function and network connectedness will be lower in exotic grasslands; and (3) irrigation will alter microbial networks, increasing the overall connectedness. Microbial diversity decreased with depth, and community composition was distinctly different between shallow and deeper soil depths with higher numbers of unknown taxa in lower soil depths. Fungal communities differed between native and exotic plant communities. Microbial community networks were strongly shaped by biotic and abiotic factors concurrently and were the only microbial measurement affected by irrigation. In general, fungal communities were more connected in native plant communities than exotic, especially below 10 cm. Fungal networks were also more connected at lower soil depths albeit with fewer nodes. Bacterial communities demonstrated higher complexity, and greater connectedness and nodes, at lower soil depths for native plant communities. Exotic plant communities’ bacterial network connectedness altered at lower soil depths dependent on irrigation treatments. Microbial extracellular enzyme activity for carbon cycling enzymes significantly declined with soil depth, but enzymes associated with nitrogen and phosphorus cycling continued to have similar activities up to 1 m deep. Our results indicate that native and exotic grasslands have significantly different fungal communities in depths up to 1 m and that both fungal and bacterial networks are strongly shaped jointly by plant communities and abiotic factors. Soil depth is independently a major determinant of both fungal and bacterial community structures, functions, and co‐occurrence networks and demonstrates further the importance of including soil itself when investigating plant–microbe interactions.
Conveniently Synthesized Butterfly‐Shaped Bitriphenylenes and their Application in Solution‐Processed Organic Field‐Effect Transistor Devices
Authors: Ramakrishna Jagarapu , Karunakaran Logesh , Paneer Shyam Vinod Kumar , Chennamkulam Ajith Mithun , Subramanian Venkatesan , Dutta Soumya , Venkatakrishnan Parthasarathy
Published: January 2020

Various π‐extended new bitriphenylene derivatives (both conformationally‐free and conformation‐locked) have been successfully synthesized by a facile Scholl oxidative cyclodehydrogenation method in good to excellent yields. Their optical properties in solution and film states reveal possibility for self‐ordering. The molecular packing in solid‐state demonstrates favorable π–π stacking as well as weak intermolecular interactions leading to face‐to‐face or slipped‐stack arrangements. Besides, these butterfly‐shaped large bitriphenylenes display near‐UV absorption, excellent photochemical, thermal, and electrochemical stabilities. The all‐organic anneal‐free transparent FETs fabricated from solution‐processable bitriphenylenes showcase significant improvement (ca. 4 orders of magnitude higher) in charge transporting abilities (µh: from ca. 10–7 to 10–3  cm2/(Vs)) when compared to model triphenylene. The fabricated FETs unveil excellent air stability (> 1 year under atmospheric conditions) highlighting the utility of these novel link‐locked triphenylene skeletons in organic electronics.
Hepatitis B and Pregnancy: Virologic and Immunologic Characteristics
Authors: Joshi Shivali S. , Coffin Carla S.
Published: January 2020

The hepatitis B virus (HBV) is an important human pathogen. Unvaccinated infants infected through mother‐to‐child transmission (MTCT) are at >95% risk of developing serum hepatitis B surface antigen‐positive chronic hepatitis B (CHB). Despite complete passive‐active HBV immunoprophylaxis, approximately 10% of infants born to mothers who are highly viremic develop CHB, and thus maternal treatment with nucleos(t)ide analogs (tenofovir disoproxil fumarate, lamivudine, or telbivudine) is recommended in the third trimester of pregnancy to reduce MTCT risk. Viral rebound usually occurs after stopping treatment and, in the context of maternal immunologic reconstitution postpartum, can also precipitate host immune‐mediated hepatic (biochemical) flares. In this article, we review the epidemiology of HBV MTCT, discuss management and potential mechanisms of HBV vertical transmission, and highlight recent studies on virologic and immunologic aspects of hepatitis B in pregnancy and postpartum.
The effect of TP53 and P21 gene polymorphisms on papillary thyroid carcinoma susceptibility and clinical/pathological features
Authors: Heidari Zahra , Harati‐Sadegh Mahdiyeh , Arian Abtin , Maruei‐Milan Rostam , Salimi Saeedeh
Published: January 2020

Papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) is the most common thyroid malignancy. Genetic polymorphisms of the TP53 and P21 genes are the candidate variants in various cancers development. This study investigated whether the polymorphisms in TP53 (rs1042522) and P21 (rs1059234 and rs1801270) affect the risk of PTC and whether such the genotype of these polymorphisms is associated with pathological and clinical characteristics of PTC. A case–control study was conducted with 286 Iranian people, including 131 PTC cases and 155 healthy controls. The genetic polymorphisms were investigated by the polymerase chain reaction‐restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR‐RFLP). Our results suggested that TP53‐rs1042522 CC genotype was significantly associated with protection against PTC, in the dominant, recessive and allelic models (OR = 0.4, 95%CI: 0.2–0.8, P = .008; OR = 0.5, 95%CI: 0.3–0.9, P = .01; OR = 0.6, 95%CI: 0.4–0.8, P = .002, respectively). The rs1042522 was associated with PTC patients with tumor size greater than 1 cm in dominant and recessive models (OR = 0.2, 95%CI = 0.04–0.9, P = .04 and OR = 0.3, 95%CI = 0.1–0.7, P = .009, respectively) and was associated with vascular invasion in dominant model (OR = 0.3, 95%CI = 0.1–0.7, P = .01). No correlation was identified between P21 rs1059234 and rs1801270 polymorphisms and risk of PTC and pathological and clinical characteristics of PTC. Genetic variations in rs1042522 might alter the PTC risk, which could affect tumor size and cause lower incidence of vascular invasion in PTC cases. This was the first report suggesting that no correlation was found between P21 rs1059234 and rs1801270 polymorphisms and PTC risk. Thus, more studies with a larger population size and different ethnic groups and functional assays are needed to confirm our results.
Current advances in biodegradable synthetic polymer based cardiac patches
Authors: McMahan Sara , Taylor Alan , Copeland Katherine M. , Pan Zui , Liao Jun , Hong Yi
Published: January 2020

The number of people affected by heart disease such as coronary artery disease and myocardial infarction increases at an alarming rate each year. Currently, the methods to treat these diseases are restricted to lifestyle change, pharmaceuticals, and eventually heart transplant if the condition is severe enough. While these treatment options are the standard for caring for patients who suffer from heart disease, limited regenerative ability of the heart restricts the effectiveness of treatment and may lead to other heart‐related health problems in the future. Because of the increasing need for more effective therapeutic technologies for treating diseased heart tissue, cardiac patches are now a large focus for researchers. The cardiac patches are designed to be integrated into the patients' natural tissue to introduce mechanical support and healing to the damaged areas. As a promising alternative, synthetic biodegradable polymer based biomaterials can be easily manipulated to customize material properties, as well as possess certain desired characteristics for cardiac patch use. This comprehensive review summarizes recent works on synthetic biodegradable cardiac patches implanted into infarcted animal models. In addition, this review describes the basic requirements that should be met for cardiac patch development, and discusses the inspirations to designing new biomaterials and technologies for cardiac patches.
Lipid mass spectrometry: A path traveled for 50 years
Authors: Murphy Robert C.
Published: January 2020

In the middle of the 1960s, I began graduate school and at the same time started on the path of using mass spectrometry to gain insight into various aspects of lipid biochemistry. This was not a straight path but one that went from organic geochemistry, to lunar sample analysis, to a pursuit of the structure of an elusive and very active, lipid mediator slow reacting substance of anaphylaxis (SRS‐A). The discovery of the structure of SRS‐A opened important questions about phospholipid biochemistry and the arachidonate cycle in cells. I have written this reflection to highlight the various advances in mass spectrometry that occurred during this time that had a great impact on our ability to study lipid biochemistry. I specifically applied these new advances to studies of leukotriene biosynthesis in vivo, leukotriene metabolism, and arachidonate‐containing phospholipids that are essential in providing arachidonic acid for the 5‐lipoxygenase pathway. Along the way, imaging mass spectrometry was shown to be a powerful tool to probe lipids as they exist in tissue slices. We found this as just one of the ways to use the emerging technology of lipidomics to study human pathophysiology. Our studies of neutral lipids and oxidized phospholipids were especially challenging due to the total number of molecular species that could be found in cells. Many challenges remain in using mass spectrometry for lipid studies, and a few are presented.
Hunting Activity Effects on Roost Selection by Male Wild Turkeys
Authors: Wakefield Calvin T. , Martin James A. , Wightman Patrick H. , Bond Bobby T. , Lowrey D. Kevin , Cohen Bradley S. , Collier Bret A. , Chamberlain Michael J.
Published: January 2020

Roosting is an important component of wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo; turkey) ecology as roosts provide security from predators and inclement weather. Males call (gobble) from roosts during the reproductive season, and roost locations are important for maximizing access to females and transmission of calls across the landscape, while also minimizing predation risk. Spring hunting of male turkeys occurs during the reproductive season, and hunting activity influences male behaviors and calling. Because roost sites are important for wild turkey ecology, we evaluated roost site selection and fidelity of male turkeys relative to land cover types, vegetative characteristics, and the presence of hunting activity during 2017–2018 in Georgia, USA. Prior to onset of hunting, males selected roosts nearest to hardwood and pine (Pinusspp.) forests. Roost site fidelity was low and distances between roosts were large. After onset of hunting, males selected pine forests less and exhibited greater plasticity in roost selection while fidelity remained minimal, suggesting that males may have altered selection to mitigate risk from hunting while maintaining the strategy of moving about their ranges and roosting at different sites on consecutive nights. Future research should examine potential effects of hunting‐induced shifts in resource selection on other aspects of male turkey behavior and ecology. © 2019 The Wildlife Society.