bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Internationalization vs. Globalization: What Can the Arab EFL Teachers Do to Assure Quality in Education?
Authors: Zayed Jihan
Published: May 2020

Internationalization of higher education appeared as a counterattack to mitigate the impact of globalization on education. In a sense, it has entered higher education as a means for ensuring that graduates are a competitive workforce worldwide. Meanwhile, TEFL has been emphasized as the medium of instruction. The current paper investigated the roles of EFL teachers could perform at schools to prepare their students before joining internationalized higher education whether at home or abroad.  Adopting a descriptive design, a quantitative data-gathering instrument, an opinionnaire, was designed to determine if EFL teachers in the Arab countries undertake their roles required for education quality assurance. The Arab EFL teachers were intentionally chosen as a community for this research due to possible curriculum-embedment of ideologies different from their national values.  86 EFL teachers from most of the Arab countries responded to the opinionnaire. Qualitative data were generated through analysis and interpretation of the numerical data of this opinionnaire to find out the extent to which those EFL teachers were aware of the internationalization process, and the challenges they face.
Self-mythology Through Trauma Studies in Paul Auster’s Invention of Solitude
Authors: Shirkhani Mohammad Amin
Published: May 2020

Auster’s first novel The Invention of Solitude was significant, in that it not only catalogued his own experiences, but also provided one of the earliest examples of the psychological processes involved in trauma and memory storage. It demonstrates the self’s psychological use of the Ego, in a classical sense, to negotiate between emotional response and reality, in order to create meaning around a set of events. More specifically, the death of Auster’s father operates as a catalyst for the author’s journey of self-discovery, which is richly tied to the psychoanalytical principles of Freud and Lacan, and which ultimately allows him to fully appreciate his experience of loss, by supporting the wish fulfillment related to his relationship with his father, and his need to understand the rejection he perceives suffering as a child. This highlights the difference between the inner child’s ego-centric or narcissistic perception, and the adult’s ability to rationalize, especially as it relates to memory and unfulfilled need.
Personal and Collective Identity Codes and Challenges for Minorities, Bernard Malamud’s The Fixer: A Case Study
Authors: Ghanbarinajjar Mohammadreza
Published: May 2020

People naturally live in a community and identity plays an essential role in their life. Codes and elements that construct their identity can be personal or collective, such as gender, name, religion, ethnicity, and language. In order to enjoy more privileges, minority people and those who are discriminated because of their identity, try to change their identity to be similar to the center or in other words, assimilate with it. At the same time, the hegemonic power tries to single out and highlight the identity codes which make one different from the center in order to discriminate them. The major character of the novel, Yakov Bok, changes his identity, name and appearance, as a Jew and enters into the district forbidden to Jews. During the course of the novel, he was arrested and accused of murdering a Christian boy, because he was the only Jew in the neighborhood. The state officials try to change his appearance to make him look like a Jew again and single out. Identity can be changed willingly in order to assimilate and use the advantages of being recognized as a certain person or part of a community, or by force due to the social and political condition of time to be condemned or to face the worst condition.
Assessment of Food Safety Knowledge and Compliance to Hygienic Practices among Street Food Vendors in Zanzibar Urban District
Authors: Hassan Jamila K. , Fweja Leonard W. T.
Published: May 2020

This cross-sectional descriptive study assessed the hygienic and safety measures among street food vendors in the Urban district of Zanzibar. A total of 265 food vendors with immobile food vending units were involved. Data were gathered using a structured researcher-administered questionnaire and complemented with observation. Compliance ranks to food safety and hygiene were established based on computed compliance scores. Descriptive statistics and chi-squared tests (α = 0.05) were employed in data analyses. The results indicated that only a moderate fraction of the vendors have had formal training in food safety and hygiene, however the majority of whom demonstrated great awareness about food safety and hygiene. Among the surveyed vending sites 36% appeared clean, 50.2% and 42.6% vending sites had waste bin and / or refuse sites respectively, wash basin (44.9%) and soap availability (47.2%).  Safe food handling practices included food covering (57.4%), adequate protection of food from flies and dust (40.8%), cold preservation of food (28.3%), saving food hot or reheated before sale (35.1%), dishing out food with appropriate gadgets (53%). Observed good food hygiene conducts included washing hands with soap before preparing food (always 63%, sometimes 34%), washing hands with soap after toilet visit (always 33.2%, sometimes 46.8%), clean finger nail (98.5%), hair protection (33.6%) and use of apron (29%). The results likewise indicate an overall compliance of 0.50 on environmental hygiene of vending site, 0.45 on food handling practices, and 0.66 on vendors’ hygiene and sanitary practices. This implies an average overall compliance with the hygiene of the vending site and food handling practices and good overall compliance with the vendors’ hygiene and sanitary practices. Chi-square analysis revealed that gender, education attainments, formal training on food safety and vending duration are influencing factors for food safety and hygiene measures.
Physiological Basis of Nonmemory Cognition in Alzheimers Disease-An Overview
Authors: Prasad A. S. V.
Published: May 2020

Alzheimer's (AD) disease is foremost of the neurodegenerative diseases affecting cognition. Though memory, out of all cognitive functions of the brain, received much attention, the nonmemory cognitive functions including the higher brain functions, are equally important. In fact what is perceived by the five senses is the basis of our learning, what is learned thus, is stored in the brain as memory of various types and the retrieved memory appropriate to the situation is the basis for higher brain functions.Thus all are interconnected when overall cognitivefunctions of the brain are considered. This article focuses on the nonmemory functions of the brain (like attention, perception, language and learning) as well as higher brain functions like (thinking. planning, execution, judgement, emotional and social behaviour etc). Their physiological basis as well as how they are affected in AD are discussed in this article.
A novel de novo RNF216 mutation associated with autosomal recessive Huntington‐like disorder
Authors: Chen Ke‐Liang , Zhao Gui‐Xian , Wang He , Wei Lei , Huang Yu‐Yuan , Chen Shi‐Dong , Lin Bi‐Ying , Dong Qiang , Cui Mei , Yu Jin‐Tai
Published: May 2020

Mutations in RNF216 have been found to be associated with autosomal recessive Huntington‐like disorder. Here, we describe a patient with Huntington‐like disorder caused by a novel de novo RNF216 mutation. The patient started to have choreatic movements of both hands, slowly progressing to head, face, and four extremities, with prominent cognitive deterioration. White matter lesions in cerebral hemispheres and brainstem, cerebellar atrophy, and low gonadotropin serum levels have been demonstrated. We have identified a homozygous deletion of exon 2 in the RNF216 gene by whole‐exome sequencing. Our findings increased genetic knowledge of autosomal recessive Huntington‐like disorder and extended the ethnic distribution of RNF216 mutations.
Pictures and repeated exposure increase perceived accuracy of news headlines
Authors: Smelter Thomas J. , Calvillo Dustin P.
Published: May 2020

Fake news, deliberately inaccurate and often biased information that is presented as accurate reporting, is perceived as a serious threat. Recent research on fake news has documented a high general susceptibility to the phenomenon and has focused on investigating potential explanatory factors. The present study examined how features of news headlines affected their perceived accuracy. Across four experiments (total N = 659), we examined the effects of pictures, perceptual clarity, and repeated exposure on the perceived accuracy of news headlines. In all experiments, participants received a set of true and false news headlines and rated their accuracy. The presence of pictures and repeated exposure increased perceived accuracy, whereas manipulations of perceptual clarity did not show the predicted effects. The effects of pictures and repeated exposure were similar for true and false headlines. These results demonstrate that accompanying pictures and repeated exposure can affect evaluations of truth of news headlines.
AATOD and NAMA praise DEA methadone van proposal
Authors: Knopf Alison
Published: May 2020

The two big organizations representing opioid treatment programs (OTPs), on the one hand, and methadone patients, on the other, were unified in cheering the long‐awaited proposal by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to allow clinics to transport the medication to patients via “conveyances,” or vans. These vans would obviate the necessity of traveling, sometimes for hours, to get medication. Both the American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence (AATOD) and NAMA Recovery (NAMA) sent official comments to the DEA, citing three ways the vans can be used.
Study: Don't implement CIWA protocol (benzodiazepines) unnecessarily
Authors: Knopf Alison
Published: May 2020

In an article published April 27 in JAMA Internal Medicine, “Challenges in Prediction, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Alcohol Withdrawal in Medically Ill Hospitalized Patients: A Teachable Moment,” Thomas D. Brothers, M.D., and Paxton Bach, M.D., write about the case of a man admitted to the hospital for planned bowel resection. The patient said he drank 8 to 10 ounces of whiskey a day but that his last drink was three days prior to admission. There were no symptoms of alcohol withdrawal during the first week. But he required an urgent reoperation on day 6, and on day 9, he became disoriented and inattentive, with large intra‐abdominal abscesses. On day 13, he became more agitated and confused, and clinicians implemented withdrawal treatment protocol using the Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment for Alcohol (CIWA) scale. He scored high — anxiety, agitation, hallucinations and disorientation — and was given 10 mg of diazepam, with improvement in his symptoms requiring no further medication. However, the next day he was even more confused and agitated, again scoring high. After another 10‐mg dose of diazepam, he became sedated and had to be transferred to a monitored unit. “In this case, poor understanding of the natural history of alcohol withdrawal led the inpatient team to misdiagnose alcohol withdrawal and inappropriately implement a CIWA protocol,” the researchers wrote. “Alcohol withdrawal symptoms generally begin 6 to 12 hours after the last drink and peak at 24 to 72 hours. Although withdrawal‐related seizures can occur at any time during this course, delirium tremens tends to occur three to seven days after the last drink, and only after progressing through more mild symptoms. For this patient, acute onset of severe alcohol withdrawal more than 1 week after the last drink would be highly unusual, especially without first demonstrating mild withdrawal.” Patients do become agitated under certain medical conditions, including pain and intubation. In this case, the patient was unnecessarily given high doses of benzodiazepines. He was not in alcohol withdrawal.
Microstructures and Mechanical Properties of CoCrW Alloy Fabricated by Simulating Multibeam Selective Laser Melting
Authors: Kuai Zezhou , Li Zhonghua , Bai Peikang , Nie Yunfei , Liu Wenpeng , Yang Shuai , Qi Kai
Published: May 2020

Multibeam selective laser melting (SLM) technology is a new generation of high‐efficiency, high‐precision, high‐performance manufacturing process that uses multiple lasers, multiple galvanometers, and zone scanning to fabricate large and complex metal parts simultaneously. Herein, the microstructure and mechanical properties of both the multibeam‐formed AlSi10Mg isolated and overlap areas are studied. It is found that the SLM‐formed CoCrW samples have a fine microstructure, consisting mainly of both equiaxed and columnar crystals. As the number of scans increases, the size of the crystal grains increases. There is a protrusion at the junction of the overlap area and the isolated area of the sample. After the second scan, the surface quality of the sample improves and the roughness is lowered. After four scans, the laser energy density is too large, resulting in spheroidization on the surface, which causes the roughness to decrease. The hardness of the upper surface of the sample is different from the side hardness and increases as the number of scans increases. These results provide some basis for the application of multilaser SLM technology.
Copper–Oxygen Dynamics in the Tyrosinase Mechanism
Authors: Fujieda Nobutaka , Umakoshi Kyohei , Ochi Yuta , Nishikawa Yosuke , Yanagisawa Sachiko , Kubo Minoru , Kurisu Genji , Itoh Shinobu
Published: May 2020

The dinuclear copper enzyme, tyrosinase, activates O2 to form a (μ‐η2:η2‐peroxido)dicopper(II) species, which hydroxylates phenols to catechols. However, the exact mechanism of phenolase reaction in the catalytic site of tyrosinase is still under debate. We herein report the near atomic resolution X‐ray crystal structures of the active tyrosinases with substrate l‐tyrosine. At their catalytic sites, CuA moved toward l‐tyrosine (CuA1 → CuA2), whose phenol oxygen directly coordinates to CuA2, involving the movement of CuB (CuB1 → CuB2). The crystal structures and spectroscopic analyses of the dioxygen‐bound tyrosinases demonstrated that the peroxide ligand rotated, spontaneously weakening its O−O bond. Thus, the copper migration induced by the substrate‐binding is accompanied by rearrangement of the bound peroxide species so as to provide one of the peroxide oxygen atoms with access to the phenol substrate's ϵ carbon atom.
The influence of several silicates on the fretting behavior of UHMWPE composites
Authors: Meng Zhaojie , Wang Yunxia , Xin Xiaocui , Liu Hao , Yan Yunfeng , Yan Fengyuan
Published: May 2020

Five kinds of silicates (attapulgite, kaolin, montnorillonite, synthetic mica, and talc) reinforced ultra‐high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) composites were prepared. The fretting performance of the composites was investigated using an oscillating reciprocating friction and wear tester in a ball‐on‐plate mode. The thermodynamic property and crystallinity of the composites were evaluated, and the worn morphology was also observed. Result shows that the heat‐resistance and the crystallinity of the composites are generally improved. The friction coefficient and mass loss of the composites reduced than those of the neat UHMWPE. Thereinto, the attapulgite/UHMWPE composite shows the best fretting resistance performance. The heat resistance of composites increases due to the reinforcement of silicates. Meantime, the friction load can be distributed by the filler in the matrix. Moreover, the different fretting resistance performance of the composites is due to the different dispersion degree and the interfacial bonding force between the fillers and the UHMWPE matrix.
Effect of polymer architecture and hard/soft segment ratio on the surface morphology and mechanical properties of polyurethane films for potential orthodontic treatment
Authors: Xiao Chunwu , Bai Yun , Pu Yuji , Luo Haiqiang , Xiao Sui , He Bin
Published: May 2020

In this study, polyurethane (PU) films are prepared by using 1,4‐butanediol and trimethylolpropane as chain extender and crosslinking agent, respectively. A series of prepolymers are synthesized by varying the feeding molar ratios of methylene diisocyanate to polytetramethylene ether glycol, which are hard and soft segments, respectively. The influence of polymer architecture, chemical composition, and artificial saliva treatment on the surface morphology and mechanical strength of PU films are studied. The crosslinking polymer architecture and higher content of hard segment correlates with enhanced tensile strength and less decrease of tensile strength in the condition of artificial saliva, but reduced elongation at break. The in vitro cytotoxicity study demonstrates that PU films have excellent cytocompatibility.
Exploring an innovative pivot: How green training can spur corporate sustainability performance
Authors: Xie Xuemei , Zhu Qiwei
Published: May 2020

In general, studies on green innovation practices have primarily taken an innovation view to study the costs and benefits to firms. What has been less examined, however, is how green training spurs the intentions and advantages of green innovation. Thus, this paper explores how and when green training influences the likelihood of firms to achieve sustainability performance by using organizational learning theory. Using a dataset of 231 Chinese manufacturing firms, our work shows that green training is positively correlated to corporate sustainability performance via the indirect effect of green innovation behavior. We also find an increasingly positive indirect effect that is conditional on ambidextrous learning; specifically, this indirect effect is least positive for firms with lower ambidextrous learning capacity but stronger for those firms having higher ambidextrous learning capacity. We hold that the key to spurring corporate sustainability performance through green training lies mainly in advancing firms' green innovation behaviors and persistently enhancing their capacities for ambidextrous learning. Thus, this study offers not only new theoretical insights for understanding the effect of green training on corporate sustainability performance but also practical implications for improving corporate sustainability performance within a green economy context.
Synthesis and Antiproliferative Activities of OSW‐1 Analogues Bearing 2”‐O‐p‐Acylaminobenzoyl Residues†
Authors: Sun Lijun , Zhu Di , Beverborg Laura Olde Groote , Wang Ruina , Dang Yongjun , Ma Mingming , Li Wei , Yu Biao
Published: May 2020

Summary of main observation and conclusion

OSW‐1 is a well‐known natural saponin with potent antitumor activities. We have designed and prepared a small library of 22 OSW‐1 analogues with a variety of p‐acylamino‐benzoyl groups installed at C2” of the xylose residue, wherein a regioselective (1→3)‐glycosylation of arabinoside 3,4‐diol has been achieved by manipulation of the protecting groups on the imidate donors. Bioassays lead to new structure‐activity relationships as well as two applicable fluorescent probes, which are found to localize to lysosomes in HeLa cells and could be used in further antitumor mechanism studies of OSW‐1 in living cells.
Individual and population fitness consequences associated with large carnivore use of residential development
Authors: Johnson Heather E. , Lewis David L. , Breck Stewart W.
Published: May 2020

Large carnivores are negotiating increasingly developed landscapes, but little is known about how such behavioral plasticity influences their demographic rates and population trends. Some investigators have suggested that the ability of carnivores to behaviorally adapt to human development will enable their persistence, and yet, others have suggested that such landscapes are likely to serve as population sinks or ecological traps. To understand how plasticity in black bear (Ursus americanus) use of residential development influences their population dynamics, we conducted a 6‐yr study near Durango, Colorado, USA. Using space‐use data on individual bears, we examined the influence of use of residential development on annual measures of bear body fat, cub productivity, cub survival, and adult female survival, after accounting for variation in natural food availability and individual attributes (e.g., age). We then used our field‐based vital rate estimates to parameterize a matrix model that simulated asymptotic population growth for bears using residential development to different degrees. We found that bear use of residential development was highly variable within and across years, with bears increasing their foraging within development when natural foods were scarce. Increased bear use of development was associated with increased body fat and cub productivity, but reduced cub and adult survival. When these effects were simultaneously incorporated into a matrix model, we found that the population was projected to decline as bear use of development increased, given that the costs of reduced survival outweighed the benefits of enhanced productivity. Our results provide a mechanistic understanding of how black bear use of residential development exerts opposing effects on different bear fitness traits and a negative effect on population growth, with the magnitude of those effects mediated by variation in environmental conditions. They also highlight the importance of monitoring bear population dynamics, particularly as shifts in bear behavior are likely to drive increases in human–bear conflicts and the perception of growing bear populations. Finally, our work emphasizes the need to consider the demographic viability of large carnivore populations when promoting the coexistence of people and carnivores on shared landscapes.
Reuse of calcium carbide and water treatment residues in the bottom clay liner of a municipal solid waste landfill
Authors: Prakongwittaya Woottipong , Asavapisit Suwimol , Piyaphanuwat Rungroj
Published: May 2020

In this work, calcium carbide residue (CCR) and water treatment residue (WTR) were used in combination with clay to produce a composite bottom clay liner for sanitary landfills. The effects of these two residues on the performance of a composite bottom clay liner by means of compressive strength development and the coefficient of permeability were studied. The WTR was classified as high plasticity silt according to the Unified Soil Classification System and was used to replace clay with clay:WTR ratios of 0:100, 30:70, 50:50, 70:30, and 100:0, whereas CCR was used at 0, 10, 20, and 30 wt%. The experimental results showed that the optimum mix proportions of a composite clay liner containing clay, WTR, and CCR at 40, 40, and 20 wt% gave a 56‐day compressive strength of 2.95 MPa and a coefficient of permeability value of 6.6 × 10−8 cm/s.
Facile preparation, characterization, and formaldehyde elimination performance of MnOx/natural loofah composites
Authors: Feng Lili , Zhang Pengyi , Li Jinge , Han Xiao , Tang Siyao
Published: May 2020

MnOx/natural loofah composites were first prepared by a facile in‐situ reduction process under ambient conditions, in which natural loofah was impregnated in potassium permanganate solution for different time. MnOx nanoparticles were loaded on both exterior and interior of the fibrous strands of loofah after impregnation from SEM observations. The crystal structure and chemical properties of MnOx in the composites were confirmed to birnessite‐type MnOx with the interplanar spacing of ~0.24 nm and Mn oxidation state of 3.6 by XRD, Raman, FTIR, TEM, and XPS. Such produced MOx/loofah composites showed excellent performance for the catalytic oxidative decomposition and adsorption of formaldehyde at room temperature. The composites prepared with longer impregnation time exhibited better catalytic performance. The decomposition mechanism of HCHO over the MOx/loofah composites involved adsorbed HCHO on the loofah was oxidized into intermediates first and further CO2 by MnOx through in‐situ DRIFTS analysis.
Fractionation of lead in lignite coal samples of Thar coalfield, Pakistan by time‐saving single‐step based on BCR sequential extraction scheme
Authors: Lashari Ayaz A. , Kazi Tasneem G. , Baig Jameel A. , Afridi Hassan I.
Published: May 2020

The toxic metals in coal have different modes of occurrence required their frequent assessment by accurate and time‐saving chemical fractionation schemes. In the current study, the conventional sequential extraction BCR (SE‐BCR) method applied to recognize the chemical fraction of lead (Pb) in coal samples of recently developed Thar coalfield. The SE‐BCR scheme modified with a time‐saving single‐step extraction (SSE) method assisted with ultrasound energy and conventional shaking devices under the same operating conditions applied for the original SE‐BCR scheme. The conventional single‐step extraction (CSS) and ultrasonic‐assisted extractions (USE) methods efficiently reduced the time expected to separate all fractions by the SE‐BCR method in 51 h to 22 and 2 h, respectively. The validity of both single‐step extraction (SSE and USE) and SE‐BCR methods were confirmed by applying certified reference material (CRM) of sediment (BCR‐701) followed by the standard addition method. The Pb observed to be highest in the organic fraction (28.9–35.2%) and lowest in the acid‐soluble fractions (1.39–2.61%) of coal samples at both blocks (X and XI) of Thar coalfield.
Determining flow resistance through vegetation canopy
Authors: Falkenstein‐Smith Ryan , McGrattan Kevin
Published: May 2020

This study documents the measurement of the wind resistance of different types of vegetation. The measurements are made in a wind tunnel with a 2.0 m test section and 0.5 m by 0.5 m cross‐section. Samples of vegetation have been cut into cubical volumes that span the cross‐section of the tunnel. The wind resistance is inferred via measurement of the pressure drop across the sample at wind speeds ranging from 2 to 8 m/s. The average drag coefficient of all sample configurations was determined to be 2.8 with an expanded uncertainty of 0.4. A random‐effects one‐way ANOVA was implemented on the drag coefficients of different vegetation samples. The analysis yielded a significant variation among the species. Further examination using a Tukey's test, showed only a single difference between vegetation two species. Despite the significant difference, the average drag coefficient of each species was still within the uncertainty bounds of the overall average drag coefficient, suggesting that the significant difference may not be large enough to have a practical implication.
Establishment of a Patient‐Derived Xenograft Tumor From Hepatitis C–Associated Liver Cancer and Evaluation of Imatinib Treatment Efficacy
Authors: Nazzal Mustafa , Sur Subhayan , Steele Robert , Khatun Mousumi , Patra Tapas , Phillips Nancy , Long John , Ray Ranjit , Ray Ratna B.
Published: May 2020

Background and Aims

Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is one of the major causal factors for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The treatment options for HCC are limited for lack of a convenient animal model for study in HCV infection and liver pathogenesis. This study aimed to develop a patient‐derived xenograft (PDX) tumor in mice by using a tumor from a patient with HCV‐associated HCC and evaluating this model’s therapeutic potential.

Approach and Results

After resection of the primary tumor from the patient liver, excess viable tumor was implanted into highly immunodeficient mice. A mouse xenograft tumor line was developed, and the tumor was successfully passaged for at least three rounds in immunodeficient mice. The patient’s primary tumor and the mouse xenografts were histologically similar. Genetic profiling by short‐tandem‐repeat analysis verified that the HCC‐PDX model was derived from the HCC clinical specimen. HCV RNA present in the patient liver specimen was undetectable after passage as xenograft tumors in mice. Human albumin, α1‐antitrypsin, glypican‐3, α–smooth muscle actin, and collagen type 1A2 markers were detected in human original tumor tissues and xenograft tumors. Both the patient primary tumor and the xenograft tumors had a significantly higher level of receptor tyrosine kinase (c‐Kit) mRNA. Treatment of HCC‐PDX xenograft tumor–bearing mice with the c‐Kit inhibitor imatinib significantly reduced tumor growth and phospho‐Akt and cyclin D1 expression, as compared with untreated control tumors.

Conclusions

Our results demonstrated establishment of an HCV‐associated HCC‐PDX model as a powerful tool for evaluating candidate drugs. Information on molecular changes in cancer‐specific gene expression facilitates efficient targeted therapies and treatment strategies.
Hierarchical parallelization of divide‐and‐conquer density functional tight‐binding molecular dynamics and metadynamics simulations
Authors: Nishimura Yoshifumi , Nakai Hiromi
Published: May 2020

Massively parallel divide‐and‐conquer density functional tight‐binding (DC‐DFTB) molecular dynamics and metadynamics simulations are efficient approaches for describing various chemical reactions and dynamic processes of large complex systems via quantum mechanics. In this study, DC‐DFTB simulations were combined with multi‐replica techniques. Specifically, multiple walkers metadynamics, replica exchange molecular dynamics, and parallel tempering metadynamics methods were implemented hierarchically into the in‐house Dcdftbmd program. Test simulations in an aqueous phase of the internal rotation of formamide and conformational changes of dialanine showed that the newly developed extensions increase the sampling efficiency and the exploration capabilities in DC‐DFTB configuration space.
Species identification of Enterococcus spp: Whole genome sequencing compared to three biochemical test‐based systems and two Matrix‐Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time‐of‐Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI‐TOF MS) systems
Authors: Garza‐González Elvira , Bocanegra‐Ibarias Paola , Dinh An , Morfín‐Otero Rayo , Camacho‐Ortiz Adrián , Rojas‐Larios Fabián , Rodríguez‐Zulueta Patricia , Arias Cesar A.
Published: May 2020

Aim

Here, we evaluated the performance of two commercial MALDI‐TOF MS systems and three biochemical‐based systems and compared them to WGS as the gold standard for identifying isolates of vancomycin‐resistant enterococci (VRE).

Methods

A total of 87 VRE clinical isolates were included. The mass spectrometers were the Microflex system with Biotyper software 3.1 and the Vitek MS system. The biochemical‐based systems included the Vitek 2, Phoenix, and MicroScan WalkAway systems. WGS was performed on an Illumina MiSeq instrument using the MiSeq v3 reagent kit. Vancomycin resistance was determined according to CLSI criteria.

Results

Among the 87 VRE, 71 and 16 were identified as Enterococcus faecium and Enterococcus faecalis by WGS. All 71 E faecium were correctly identified by both mass spectrometers, as well as the Vitek 2 and Phoenix instruments. However, only 51 E faecium isolates were correctly identified by the MicroScan system. The most frequent misidentification was Enterococcus casseliflavus (n = 20). For vancomycin‐resistant E faecium, the Microflex Biotyper system had the highest sensitivity (85.54%), and all instruments (except for the Microscan) had a 100% specificity and PPV. Up to 87% of E faecalis isolates were misidentified by VITEK MS and VITEK2, 81% by Microscan and Phoenix, and 75% by Bruker biotyper.

Conclusion

As the coverage of type strain‐genome sequence database continues to grow and the cost of DNA sequencing continues to decrease, genome‐based identification can be a useful tool for diagnostic laboratories, with its superior accuracy even over MALDI‐TOF and database‐driven operations.
Glial cell line‐derived neurotrophic factor alters lipid composition and protein distribution in MPP+‐injured differentiated SH‐SY5Y cells
Authors: Mu Peipei , Liu Yuting , Jiang Shimin , Gao Jin , Sun Shen , Li Li , Gao Dianshuai
Published: May 2020

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra and striatum. Glial cell line‐derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) can effectively promote the differentiation and survival of many types of neurons, especially dopaminergic neurons, suggesting it could be a treatment for PD. Lipid rafts are highly dynamic cell membrane domains that contain numerous signal protein receptors, providing an important platform for signal transduction. Compelling evidence indicates that alterations in lipid rafts are associated with PD, and some studies have reported that GDNF can regulate the expression of caveolin‐1, a lipid raft‐marker protein. However, the precise effects of GDNF on lipid rafts remain unknown. We developed a cellular PD model, purified detergent‐resistant membranes (membrane rafts), and performed proteomic and lipid metabolomics analyses to examine changes in lipid rafts after GDNF treatment. The results showed considerable protein and lipid alterations in response to GDNF, especially altered levels of dopamine‐β‐hydroxylase, heat shock 70 kDa protein, neural cell adhesion molecule, cytoskeletal proteins, and long‐chain polysaturated/unsaturated fatty acids. These findings reveal a new avenue to explore the relationships between GDNF, lipid rafts, and PD and support the hypothesis that GDNF may be a useful treatment for PD.
p120‐catenin suppresses proliferation and tumor growth of oral squamous cell carcinoma via inhibiting nuclear phospholipase C‐γ1 signaling
Authors: Li Lusha , Ji Shangli , Shrestha Chandrama , Jiang Yi , Liao Liyan , Xu Feng , Liu Zhenming , Bikle Daniel D. , Xie Zhongjian
Published: May 2020

p120‐catenin (p120) serves as a stabilizer of the calcium‐dependent cadherin‐catenin complex and loss of p120 expression has been observed in several types of human cancers. The p120‐dependent E‐cadherin‐β‐catenin complex has been shown to mediate calcium‐induced keratinocyte differentiation via inducing activation of plasma membrane phospholipase C‐γ1 (PLC‐γ1). On the other hand, PLC‐γ1 has been shown to interact with phosphatidylinositol 3‐kinase enhancer in the nucleus and plays a critical role in epidermal growth factor‐induced proliferation of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cells. To determine whether p120 suppresses OSCC proliferation and tumor growth via inhibiting PLC‐γ1, we examined effects of p120 knockdown or p120 and PLC‐γ1 double knockdown on proliferation of cultured OSCC cells and tumor growth in xenograft OSCC in mice. The results showed that knockdown of p120 reduced levels of PLC‐γ1 in the plasma membrane and increased levels of PLC‐γ1 and its signaling in the nucleus in OSCC cells and OSCC cell proliferation as well as xenograft OSCC tumor growth. However, double knockdown of p120 and PLC‐γ1 or knockdown of PLC‐γ1 alone did not have any effect. Immunohistochemical analysis of OSCC tissue from patients showed a lower expression level of p120 and a higher expression level of PLC‐γ1 compared with that of adjacent noncancerous tissue. These data indicate that p120 suppresses OSCC cell proliferation and tumor growth by inhibiting signaling mediated by nuclear PLC‐γ1.
Silica‐immobilized acid ionic liquid: An efficient catalyst for pentanal self‐condensation
Authors: Wang Wenhao , Wang Di , Yang Qiusheng , An Hualiang , Zhao Xinqiang , Wang Yanji
Published: May 2020

BACKGROUND

Pentanal self‐condensation to 2‐propyl‐2‐heptenal is an important process of carbon chain extension for the industrial manufacture of 2‐propylheptanol, which is an important plasticizer alcohol. The existing industrial processes all use liquid alkali catalysts, so they suffer from problems such as difficult recovery and high costs for treatment of alkali‐containing wastewater. In the present work, three immobilized acid ionic liquids were prepared separately with SiO2, MCM‐41, and SBA‐15 as support for pentanal self‐condensation.

RESULTS

The structures of the as‐prepared immobilized acid ionic liquids were confirmed with the help of FT‐IR, TG, SEM‐EDS, and N2 adsorption–desorption techniques. The characterization and activity evaluation results indicate that there are positive correlations among the number of hydroxyl groups on the support surface, ionic liquid loading, and the catalytic activity. Among the three immobilized acid ionic liquids, silica‐immobilized acid ionic liquids (SiO2‐IL‐SO3H) showed an extraordinary catalytic performance for pentanal self‐condensation because of its higher ionic liquid loading. The yield and selectivity of 2‐propyl‐2‐heptenal could respectively reach 73.9% and 91.5% under suitable reaction conditions and a high turnover number (TON) of 179.1 was obtained.

CONCLUSION

Pyridine adsorption infrared spectroscopy and density functional theory (DFT) simulation were employed to investigate the structure and acidity of SiO2‐IL‐SO3H. The optimized structures were obtained, and the calculation results indicate that the acidity of SiO2‐IL‐SO3H is higher than the corresponding homogeneous ionic liquid system, which may be the main reason for its excellent catalytic performance and catalytic efficiency. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry
Liquefaction of corn husks and properties of biodegradable biopolyol blends
Authors: Briones Rodrigo , Rodriguez Jesús , Labidi Jalel , Cunningham Eoin , Martin Peter
Published: May 2020

BACKGROUND

A valorization route of corn husks from agrarian practices was performed by liquefaction using glycerol as liquefaction solvent to obtain biopolyols used as bioadditives in starch blends with the aim to find a useful industrial application in polymer processing.

RESULTS

Low‐molecular‐weight liquefied products obtained from a practically total conversion reaction can be used for composite formulations (OH number, 310 mg KOH g−1; viscosity, 3.4 Pa s; molecular weight, 549 g mol−1). Concurrently, starch thermoplastic blends using various proportions of biopolyol (40, 30 and 20 wt%) as plasticizer were produced with maximum torque and plasticization energy ranging from 3.4 to 15.1 Nm and from 1.7 to 9.1 Nm min−1. The starch/biopolyol (70/30) sheets obtained by thermopressing showed properties similar to those of controls (starch/glycerol: 70/30), such as sensitivity to environment, retrodegradation, biodegradability and density; however, mechanical properties exhibited better performance compared to controls (Young’s modulus, 14 MPa; strain at break, 33%; tensile strength, 1.2 MPa), which indicates a material with major mechanical balance.

CONCLUSIONS

The adequacy in the conversion of corn husks into biopolyols that could be used as improved biobased plasticizers to obtain biodegradable blends is revealed. Hence, this study demonstrates that liquefied corn husk residues are sustainable resources with suitable properties for polymer processing, which can be applied in bioplastics and be considered as a value‐added feature. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry
Point‐of‐care ultrasound in the diagnosis of neonatal cerebral sinovenous thrombosis
Authors: Oulego‐Erroz Ignacio , Ocaña‐Alcober Carlos , Jiménez‐González Aquilina
Published: May 2020

Cerebral sinovenous thrombosis (CSVT) mostly affects sick neonates in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) with predisposing or underlying conditions. The clinical presentation is nonspecific which often leads to a delayed or missed diagnosis. Point‐of‐care ultrasound (POCUS) use in the NICU is rapidly increasing. One of the main uses of neonatologist‐performed POCUS is cranial ultrasound which permits diagnosis and monitoring of neurological disease at the bedside. We present the case of a neonate with a complex clinical situation where cranial POCUS permitted a prompt diagnosis and treatment of severe CSVT by imaging the transverse sinuses through the mastoid fontanelle.
Peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor activity correlates with poor survival in patients resected for hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Pommergaard Hans‐Christian , Preuss Hasselby Jane , Linno Willemoe Gro , Ralbovska Adela , Arendtsen Rostved Andreas , Rasmussen Allan , Aagaard Schultz Nicolai , Hillingsø Jens , Nørgaard Larsen Peter , Kugler Jan‐Michael
Published: May 2020

Background/Purpose

Few clinically useful biomarkers are known to predict prognosis in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between PPAR activity and ALDH7A1 expression and their prognostic significance using RNA sequencing in patients undergoing liver resection for HCC.

Methods

We included patients undergoing liver resection for HCC at a tertiary referral center for hepato‐pancreato‐biliary surgery between May 2014 and January 2018. PPAR activity and ALDH7A1 expression were evaluated by RNA sequencing and correlated with overall survival, recurrence and histological features.

Results

We included 52 patients with a median follow‐up of 20.9 months, predominantly males (88.5%) with a single tumor (84.6%) in a non‐cirrhotic liver (73.1%). Three‐year overall survival was 48.6% in patients with a specific PPAR target gene expression profile (cancer cluster 3) compared with 81.7% in controls (P = .04, Log‐rank test). This remained significant (odds ratio 14.02, 95% confidence interval 1.92‐102.22, P = .009) when adjusted for age, cirrhosis, microvascular invasion, number of tumors and free resection margins. ALDH7A1 expression was not correlated with PPAR or any outcomes.

Conclusion

PPAR activity in a subset of tumor samples was associated with reduced overall survival indicating that PPAR may be a valuable prognostic biomarker.
Development of a sensitive and specific nanoparticle‐assisted PCR assay for detecting HPV‐16 and HPV‐18 DNA
Authors: Ma Xingjie , Li Yucheng , Liu Ranran , Wei Wenping , Ding Changping
Published: May 2020

Carcinoma precursor lesion caused by persistent infection of human papillomavirus (HPV) types 16 and 18 is known as a principal inducer of cervical cancer. Therefore, rapid and effective detection of HPV‐16 and HPV‐18 infection at early stage is an important strategy for preventing such disease. In this study, a novel duplex nanoparticle‐assisted polymerase chain reaction (nanoPCR) assay was developed to detect both of the two genotypes simultaneously. Two pairs of primers for nanoPCR were designed based on the conserved region within the early 6 (E6) gene of HPV‐16 and HPV‐18, respectively. After optimizing reaction conditions, the nanoPCR assay displayed 10‐fold more sensitive than that of conventional PCR and showed high specificity. The detection limit of nanoPCR was 1.7 × 101 copies/μL for HPV‐16, 1.2 × 102 copies/μL for HPV‐18, and no cross‐reaction was detected after using other viruses or HPV subtypes as templates. Of 209 clinical samples collected from patients, as also confirmed by sequencing, the nanoPCR method gave consistent results with conventional PCR assay: 7 positives for HPV‐16, 4 positives for HPV‐18, and no co‐infection. Here is the first report to introduce a reproducible nanoPCR assay for detecting HPV DNA with high sensitivity and specificity, which may point out a useful diagnostic tool for potential clinical application.
A model of supply‐chain decisions for resource sharing with an application to ventilator allocation to combat COVID‐19
Authors: Mehrotra Sanjay , Rahimian Hamed , Barah Masoud , Luo Fengqiao , Schantz Karolina
Published: May 2020

We present a stochastic optimization model for allocating and sharing a critical resource in the case of a pandemic. The demand for different entities peaks at different times, and an initial inventory for a central agency are to be allocated. The entities (states) may share the critical resource with a different state under a risk‐averse condition. The model is applied to study the allocation of ventilator inventory in the COVID‐19 pandemic by FEMA to different U.S. states. Findings suggest that if less than 60% of the ventilator inventory is available for non‐COVID‐19 patients, FEMA's stockpile of 20 000 ventilators (as of March 23, 2020) would be nearly adequate to meet the projected needs in slightly above average demand scenarios. However, when more than 75% of the available ventilator inventory must be reserved for non‐COVID‐19 patients, various degrees of shortfall are expected. In a severe case, where the demand is concentrated in the top‐most quartile of the forecast confidence interval and states are not willing to share their stockpile of ventilators, the total shortfall over the planning horizon (until May 31, 2020) is about 232 000 ventilator days, with a peak shortfall of 17 200 ventilators on April 19, 2020. Results are also reported for a worst‐case where the demand is at the upper limit of the 95% confidence interval. An important finding of this study is that a central agency (FEMA) can act as a coordinator for sharing critical resources that are in short supply over time to add efficiency in the system. Moreover, through properly managing risk‐aversion of different entities (states) additional efficiency can be gained. An additional implication is that ramping up production early in the planning cycle allows to reduce shortfall significantly. An optimal timing of this production ramp‐up consideration can be based on a cost‐benefit analysis.
Real‐time interaction of virtual and physical objects in mixed reality applications
Authors: Badías Alberto , González David , Alfaro Icíar , Chinesta Francisco , Cueto Elías
Published: May 2020

We present a real‐time method for computing the mechanical interaction between real and virtual objects in an augmented reality environment. Using model order reduction methods we are able to estimate the physical behavior of deformable objects in real time, with the precision of a high‐fidelity solver but working at the speed of a video sequence. We merge tools of machine learning, computer vision, and computer graphics in a single application to describe the behavior of deformable virtual objects allowing the user to interact with them in a natural way. Three examples are provided to test the performance of the method.
ProNetView‐ccRCC: A Web‐Based Portal to Interactively Explore Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma Proteogenomics Networks
Authors: Kalayci Selim , Petralia Francesca , Wang Pei , Gümüş Zeynep H.
Published: May 2020

To better understand the molecular basis of cancer, the NCI's Clinical Proteomics Tumor Analysis Consortium (CPTAC) has been performing comprehensive large‐scale proteogenomic characterizations of multiple cancer types. Gene and protein regulatory networks are subsequently being derived based on these proteogenomic profiles, which serve as tools to gain systems‐level understanding of the molecular regulatory factories underlying these diseases. On the other hand, it remains a challenge to effectively visualize and navigate the resulting network models, which capture higher order structures in the proteogenomic profiles. There is a pressing need to have a new open community resource tool for intuitive visual exploration, interpretation, and communication of these gene/protein regulatory networks by the cancer research community. In this work, ProNetView‐ccRCC (http://ccrcc.cptac-network-view.org/), an interactive web‐based network exploration portal for investigating phosphopeptide co‐expression network inferred based on the CPTAC clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) phosphoproteomics data is introduced. ProNetView‐ccRCC enables quick, user‐intuitive visual interactions with the ccRCC tumor phosphoprotein co‐expression network comprised of 3614 genes, as well as 30 functional pathway‐enriched network modules. Users can interact with the network portal and can conveniently query for association between abundance of each phosphopeptide in the network and clinical variables such as tumor grade.