bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Electride‐Sponsored Radical‐Controlled CO2Reduction to Organic Acids: A Computational Design
Authors: Qi Mengyu , Tang Chuankai , Zhou Zhongjun , Ma Fang , Mo Yirong
Published: March 2020

Converting CO2into high‐value chemicals has been regarded as an important solution for a sustainable low‐carbon economy. In this work, we have theoretically designed an innovative strategy for the absorption and activation of CO2by the electride N3Li, that is, 1,3,5(2,6)‐tripyridinacyclohexaphane (N3) intercalated by lithium. DFT computations showed that the interaction of CO2with N3Li leads to the catalytic complex N3Li(η2‐O2C), which can initiate the radical‐controlled reduction of another CO2to form organic acids through radical reactions in the gas phase. The CO2reduction consists of four steps: (1) The formation of N3Li(η2‐O2C) through the combination of N3Li and CO2, (2) hydrogen abstraction from RH (R=H, CH3, and C2H5) by N3Li(η2‐O2C) to form the radical R.and N3Li(η2‐O2C)H, (3) the combination of CO2and the radical R.to form RCOO., and (4) intermolecular hydrogen transfer from the intermediate N3Li(η2‐O2C)H to RCOO.. In the whole reaction process, the CO2moiety in the complex N3Li(η2‐O2C) maintains a certain radical character at the carbon atom of CO2and plays a self‐catalyzing role. This work represents the first example of electride‐sponsored radical‐controlled CO2reduction, and thus provides an alternative strategy for CO2conversion.
An Easy Access to Oxime Ethers byPd‐CatalyzedC—OCross‐Couplingof Activated Aryl Bromides with Ketoximes and Chalcone Oximes
Authors: Reeta  , Rangarajan T. M. , Singh Raj Pal , Singh R. P. , Singh Manjula
Published: March 2020

Summary of main observation and conclusion

An efficient Pd‐catalyzed method for C—O cross‐coupling of ketoximes and chalcone oximes with activated aryl bromides and bromo‐chalcones has been developed. All oxime ethers were obtained in good to excellent yields by [(π‐allyl)PdCl]2/tBuXPhos (L7) catalyst system. TrixiePhos (L11) was also found to be effective for the oxime coupling. This method offers an easy and smooth coupling of chalcone oximes with activated aryl bromides and bromo‐chalcones, which has not been previously explored.
Substituent Effect Parameters: Extending the Applications to Organometallic Chemistry
Authors: Remya Geetha S. , Suresh Cherumuttathu H.
Published: March 2020

Typically, metal complexes are constituted of an acceptor metal ion and one or more Iigands containing the donor atoms. Accordingly, the properties of a metal complex are equally dependent on the nature of the metal ion and the ligands. Minute structural variations in the ligand will may result in linear changes in the respective energetic parameters and such linear relationships have paramount importance in organometallic chemistry. The variation in ligands is virtually limitless and substantial because of the extent of organic chemistry available for the modelling of desirable ligands, apart from the variation in metal ions. Anyhow, there is still a need for new parameters for the design and quantification of new ligands which in turn leads to the synthesis of metal complexes with possibly predictable chemical properties. Previous studies have demonstrated that quantum chemically derived molecular electrostatic potential (MESP) parameters can be listed as one of the superior quantifiers in this regard, which can act as an effective ligand electronic parameter. The interaction between the ligand part and metal‐containing part will be crucial in assessing the reactivity of organometallic complexes. Here we are applying MESP based substituent constants derived from substituted benzenes to forecast the interaction energies in (pyr*)W(CO)5, (NHC*)Mo(CO)5 and (η6‐arene*)Cr(CO)3 complexes. Ligands and metal ions are varied in each case for better understanding and transparency.
Fluorescein‐Containing Superoxide Probes with a Modular Copper‐Based Trigger
Authors: Tang Fung Kit , Yu Zuo Hang , Wong Thomas Hin‐Fung , Chung Clive Yik‐Sham , Hirao Hajime , Au‐Yeung Ho Yu
Published: March 2020

Fluorescein‐derived superoxide probes featuring a copper(II) complex that can be activated by superoxide to initiate ether bond cleavage and uncage a fluorescein reporter for imaging in live cells are described. Compared to other superoxide sensing moieties, this bond cleavage strategy can be modularly adapted to fluorescent reporters with different properties without compromising the superoxide reactivity and selectivity. A green‐emitting probe and its lysosome‐targeting analogue have been successfully developed. Both probes are sensitive with more than 30‐fold fluorescence enhancement towards superoxide and are highly selective with no significant response towards other reactive oxygen species. A structure–activity relationship study of the copper‐based superoxide trigger showed that the secondary coordination environment of the copper(II) center is important for the superoxide reactivity and selectivity. The probes have been applied in imaging changes in intracellular superoxide level in live HeLa and HEK293T cells upon menadione stimulation and also in a cellular inflammation model in RAW 264.7 cells.
CO2‐Reductive, Copper Oxide‐Based Photobiocathode for Z‐Scheme Semi‐Artificial Leaf Structure
Authors: Kuk Su Keun , Jang Jinha , Kim Jinhyun , Lee Youngjun , Kim Young Sin , Koo Bonhyeong , Lee Yang Woo , Ko Jong Wan , Shin Byungha , Lee Jung‐Kul , Park Chan Beum
Published: March 2020

Green plants convert sunlight into high‐energy chemicals by coupling solar‐driven water oxidation in the Z‐scheme and CO2 fixation in the Calvin cycle. In this study, formate dehydrogenase from Clostridium ljungdahlii (ClFDH) is interfaced with a TiO2‐coated CuFeO2 and CuO mixed (ClFDH–TiO2|CFO) electrode. In this biohybrid photocathode, the TiO2 layer enhances the photoelectrochemical (PEC) stability of the labile CFO photocathode and facilitates the transfer of photoexcited electrons from the CFO to ClFDH. Furthermore, inspired by the natural photosynthetic scheme, the photobiocathode is combined with a water‐oxidizing, FeOOH‐coated BiVO4 (FeOOH|BiVO4) photoanode to assemble a wireless Z‐scheme biocatalytic PEC device as a semi‐artificial leaf. The leaf‐like structure effects a bias‐free biocatalytic CO2‐to‐formate conversion under visible light. Its rate of formate production is 2.45 times faster than that without ClFDH. This work is the first example of a wireless solar‐driven semi‐biological PEC system for CO2 reduction that uses water as an electron feedstock.
Layered data aggregation with efficient privacy preservation for fog‐assisted IIoT
Authors: Li Yalan , Chen Siguang , Zhao Chuanxin , Lu Weifeng
Published: March 2020

The emergence of fog computing facilitates industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) to be more real‐time and efficient; in order to achieve secure and efficient data collection and applications in fog‐assisted IIoT, it usually sacrifices great computation and bandwidth resources. From the low computation and communication overheads perspective, this paper proposes a layered data aggregation scheme with efficient privacy preservation (LDA‐EPP) for fog‐assisted IIoT by integrating the Chinese remainder theorem (CRT), modified Paillier encryption, and hash chain technology. In LDA‐EPP scheme, the entire network is divided into several subareas; the fog node and cloud are responsible for local and global aggregations, respectively. Specially, the cloud is able to obtain not only the global aggregation result but also the fine‐grained aggregation results of subareas, which enables that can provide fine‐grained data services. Meanwhile, the LDA‐EPP realizes data confidentiality by the modified Paillier encryption, ensures that both outside attackers and internal semi‐trusted nodes (such as, fog node and cloud) are unable to know the privacy data of individual device, and guarantees data integrity by utilizing simply hash chain to resist tempering and polluting attacks. Moreover, the fault tolerance is also supported in our scheme; ie, even though some IIoT devices or channel links are failure, the cloud still can decrypt incomplete aggregation ciphertexts and derive expected aggregation results. Finally, the performance evaluation indicates that our proposed LDA‐EPP has less computation and communication costs.
Profiles of autonomic stress responsivity in a sample of justice‐involved youth: Associations with childhood trauma exposure and emotional and behavioral functioning
Authors: Lin Betty , Kidwell Mallory C. , Kerig Patricia K. , Crowell Sheila E. , Fortuna Anthony J.
Published: March 2020

A limited number of studies have begun to investigate how the coordinated actions of distinct physiological systems may be related to the development of psychopathology. However, the form taken by these patterns of coordination as well as their antecedents and developmental implications remain to be clarified. The Adaptive Calibration Model (ACM) proposes four prototypical patterns of physiological stress responsivity and corresponding behavioral patterns, which are further tied to varying levels of childhood adversity. The current study is among the first to investigate whether patterns of sympathetic and parasympathetic stress responsivity predicted by the ACM generalize to a sample of justice‐involved youth with disproportionately high rates of childhood trauma exposure. Psychophysiological and self‐report data were collected from 822 justice‐involved youth (182 girls) ages 12–19 years. Latent profile analyses yielded five profiles of physiological responsivity that largely corresponded to the patterns proposed by the ACM. Further, these profiles demonstrated predicted associations with self‐reported emotionality and adjustment. Trauma exposure was associated with a lower likelihood of membership in one of the profiles showing blunted physiological responsivity. Our discussion highlights ways in which insights from the ACM may inform understanding about linkages between physiology and adjustment.
Do dried blood spots (DBS) have the potential to support result management processes in routine sports drug testing?
Authors: Thevis Mario , Kuuranne Tiia , Dib Josef , Thomas Andreas , Geyer Hans
Published: March 2020

Dried blood spots (DBS) have been considered as complementary matrix in sports drug testing for many years. Especially concerning substances prohibited in‐competition only, the added value of DBS collected concomitantly with routine doping control urine samples has been debated, and an increasing potential of DBS has been discussed in the scientific literature. To which extent and under which prerequisites DBS can contribute to enhanced anti‐doping efforts is currently evaluated. As a proof‐of‐principle, two analytical applications, one targeting cocaine/benzoyl ecgonine and the other prednisone/prednisolone, are presented in this perspective to indicate potential added value but also presently existing limitations of the DBS approach.
Habitat fragmentation influences genetic diversity and differentiation: Fine‐scale population structure ofCercis canadensis(eastern redbud)
Authors: Ony Meher A. , Nowicki Marcin , Boggess Sarah L. , Klingeman William E. , Zobel John M. , Trigiano Robert N. , Hadziabdic Denita
Published: March 2020

Forest fragmentation may negatively affect plants through reduced genetic diversity and increased population structure due to habitat isolation, decreased population size, and disturbance of pollen‐seed dispersal mechanisms. However, in the case of tree species, effective pollen‐seed dispersal, mating system, and ecological dynamics may help the species overcome the negative effect of forest fragmentation. A fine‐scale population genetics study can shed light on the postfragmentation genetic diversity and structure of a species. Here, we present the genetic diversity and population structure ofCercis canadensisL. (eastern redbud) wild populations on a fine scale within fragmented areas centered around the borders of Georgia–Tennessee, USA. We hypothesized high genetic diversity among the collections ofC. canadensisdistributed across smaller geographical ranges. Fifteen microsatellite loci were used to genotype 172 individuals from 18 unmanaged and naturally occurring collection sites. Our results indicated presence of population structure, overall high genetic diversity (HE = 0.63,HO = 0.34), and moderate genetic differentiation (FST = 0.14) among the collection sites. Two major genetic clusters within the smaller geographical distribution were revealed by STRUCTURE. Our data suggest that nativeC. canadensispopulations in the fragmented area around the Georgia–Tennessee border were able to maintain high levels of genetic diversity, despite the presence of considerable spatial genetic structure. As habitat isolation may negatively affect gene flow of outcrossing species across time, consequences of habitat fragmentation should be regularly monitored for this and other forest species. This study also has important implications for habitat management efforts and future breeding programs.
Amide Bond Formation Strategies: Latest Advances on a Dateless Transformation
Authors: Massolo Elisabetta , Pirola Margherita , Benaglia Maurizio
Published: March 2020

The synthesis of amides remains one of the most important transformations and it is one of the more frequently performed reactions. In the pharmaceutical industry, the formation of the amide group is pivotal and among the more important transformations in the design of the synthetic plan. This review presents an overview of only very recent contributions, published in the last three years, to highlight the latest progress in this “dateless” reaction, with a special focus on metal‐free methodologies. New, more efficient and/or greener stoichiometric methods, as well as catalytic strategies, have been discussed, either for the “classic” coupling approach between an amine and a carboxylic acid (or its activated equivalent) or for more innovative approaches, mainly involving oxidation procedures to generate amides starting from amines.
Electrocatalytic Investigations of Cu(II) and Fe(III) Complexes of Salophen Derivative Schiff Bases on the Pencil Graphite Electrode
Authors: Cakmak D. , Bulut T. , Uzun D.
Published: March 2020

This present study describes a pencil graphite electrode surface covered with Cu(II) and Fe(III) complexes based on Salophen derivative Schiff bases in acetonitrile solution containing LiClO4 as a supporting electrolyte. Cyclic voltammetry method was used for the surface modification procedure with 25 cycle at a sweep rate of 50 mV s−1. Some characterization methods were used to identify of the prepared modified surfaces including cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), Ultraviolet‐visible Spectroscopy (UV‐Vis), and Scanning Electron Microscopy/Energy Dispersive X‐ray Spectroscopy (SEM/SEM‐EDX). The catalytic activity of these modified surfaces on the electrochemical oxidation of catechol (CC) was investigated and they compared with each other. The results demonstrated that these modified electrodes showed perfect electrocatalytic activity on the catechol determination, however the modified electrode prepared with the Cu(II) complex has higher catalytic activity than this prepared with the Fe(III) complex thanks to its the lower detection limit.
Lactate determination in human vitreous humour by capillary electrophoresis and time of death investigation
Authors: Bertaso Anna , De Palo Elio Franco , Cirielli Vito , Tagliaro Franco
Published: March 2020

Forensic inquests, particularly, in assessing time since death currently recognize the importance of the analysis of vitreous humour (VH) biomarkers. Present research, studies, and validates the determination of lactate (La) in VH by CZE with indirect UV detection. The BGE (pH 8.9) consisted of Tris buffer (37 mM) containing 4‐methoxybenzoic acid (4 mM) and alkyl‐trimethyl‐ammonium bromide (1.2 mM). Each VH specimen was diluted with a butyric acid solution (internal standard 0.057 mM) and La and butyrate were separated within 3–5 min (30 kV). The La LOQ and LOD were 4 and 2 mM, respectively. The calibration curve linearity ranged from 4 to 80 mM; intra‐ and interruns precisions were less than 10% for standard as well as for VH specimen, respectively. To investigate postmortem interval (PMI) and VH lactate level correlation, human VH specimens were collected during autopsy (n = 40) and stored at −20°C until assay. La levels ranged from 16 to 42 mM; PMI values ranged from 10 to 141 h. La (mM) and PMI (h) correlation was statistically significant (r2 = 0.527; p < 0.05). In conclusion, the present CZE analysis is efficacious to determine VH La as a biomarker for PMI investigation.
A novel solar assisted Kalina cycle system for waste heat utilization in thermal power plants
Authors: Khankari Goutam , Karmakar Sujit
Published: March 2020

In the conventional coal power plants, substantial amount of energy loss takes place through condenser, fluegas and coal mills rejection. Separate studies based on these waste heat resources with single Kalina Cycle System (KCS) in each case shows improvement in plant efficiency with additional power generation but the present study shows the combined waste heat utilization of condenser, fluegas and coal mill rejection in a 500MWe subcritical (SubC) coal‐fired thermal power plant using single solar assisted KCS. The modified configuration reduces the system complexity, space requirement and irreversibility by using less number of equipments. The system is thermodynamically modelled by MS‐Excel macros for analysing the system performance at different conditions. The study shows that an additional electricity generation of about 10 738.42 kW increases the plant net energy and exergy efficiencies by about 0.852% and 0.761% points, respectively resulting in reduction of CO2 emission by about 8.78 tons per hour at 55 K degree of solar heating. About 55.75 K and 7.20 K are the optimum Log Mean Temperature Difference (LMTD) values of the evaporator and steam condenser, respectively that yields the maximum net energy output economically at 12.60 bar operating pressure. Effect of solar energy variation on system performance is also carried out by varying the degree of solar heating. Economic analysis of the proposed system is also performed by considering 25 years of equipment life and a loan interest of about 14%. The cost of electricity and simple payback period (SPP) of solar assisted KCS are about Rs. 0.83/kWh and 1.19 years, respectively, at 55 K degree of solar heating (optimum). The study further shows that the levelized cost of excess electricity generation by solar heater is lower than the standalone solar thermal power plant by about 53.78%.
Trust based energy efficient data collection with unmanned aerial vehicle in edge network
Authors: Jiang Bo , Huang Guosheng , Wang Tian , Gui Jinsong , Zhu Xiaoyu
Published: March 2020

Large‐scale sensing devices spread over a wide area and compose the supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system to remotely control and monitor a specific process through collecting the sensing data from the working field. However, the trustworthy and energy efficient data collection is still a challenging issue for large‐scale Internet of thing systems. In this article, a trust based energy efficient data collection with unmanned aerial vehicle (TEEDC‐UAV) scheme is proposed to prolong lifetime with trustworthy style. First, in TEEDC‐UAV scheme, an ant colony based unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) trajectory optimization algorithm is proposed in which form the most data anchors in the working field with the trajectory as short as possible. Thus, the sensor nodes in SCADA system can be responsible for the least amount of data and greatly extend network life. Second, a trust reasoning and evolution mechanism is proposed to identify the trust degree of sensor nodes, and only trusted data will be collected so that the quality of data collection can be proved. In our proposed trust mechanism, the UAV can sense and collect data itself, so that data can be used as the baseline to identify the trust degree of sensor nodes. Finally, proved by sufficient experiment results, our proposed TEEDC‐UAV scheme can find an optimized data collection trajectory efficiently, which helps the energy consumption of the network become much more balanced. Compared with previous strategies, the network life is greatly improved by 48.9%. Meanwhile, the trust mechanism proposed in this article can also greatly improve the identification accuracy of node trust degree, which reached 91% when consuming only 8% network
life.
How microbiota shape microglial phenotypes and epigenetics
Authors: Erny Daniel , Prinz Marco
Published: March 2020

Among the myeloid cells in the central nervous system (CNS) microglia are the main representatives of the innate immune system. Microglial fulfil tasks beyond phagocytosing debris and host defense against invading microorganism. During brain development microglia guide for example neurons for proper CNS formation, in adulthood they maintain tissue homeostasis and in aging microglia may become pro‐inflammatory and finally exhausted. Recently, several endogenous and exogenous factors were identified that essentially shape the microglial phenotype during both steady‐state and pathological conditions. On the one hand, microglia receive inputs from CNS‐endogenous sources for example, via crosstalk with other glial cells and neurons but on the other hand microglia are also highly modulated by external signals. Among them, host microbiota—the host's resident bacteria—are vital regulators of the CNS innate immune system. This review summarizes key extrinsic and intrinsic factors, with special focus on the host microbiota, that essentially influence microglia functions and states during development, homeostasis, and disease.
Promoting the health of mothers of young children in Australia: A review of face‐to‐face and online support
Authors: Heaperman Adriane , Andrews Fiona
Published: March 2020

Issue addressed

Social support is essential during early motherhood. Societal changes have altered the support networks of mothers of young children, placing them at greater risk of social isolation. The aim of this review was to explore the research related to the experience of social support for mothers of young children to understand how to best promote social connections for the current generation of mothers.

Methods

A systematic search of eight electronic databases through EBSCOhost was undertaken to identify Australian research published from 2013 onwards. No study design limits were applied. Research which focussed into understanding the social support of mothers with children 0‐5 years and had outcomes related to mothers experiences were included.

Results

Fifteen studies were included. Both face‐to‐face and online support provided benefits to mothers of young children in terms of shared experiences and reciprocity; trust and intimacy; community connectedness and; mental well‐being. While online communities offered immediacy of access to social support, contemporary mothers continued to value social support accessed in face‐to‐face settings. Accessing face‐to‐face support was a challenge for young mothers and those in new housing areas.

Conclusions

Face‐to‐face programs continue to promote the health of contemporary mothers; however, online settings provide avenues for alternative or complimentary support. There is a need to further develop support programs for vulnerable and isolated mothers.

So what?

Social support is essential for mothers of young children and opportunities to enhance social connections are important to boosting mental well‐being. While face‐to‐face programs still need to be provided, services should consider including online options to promote the health of contemporary Australian mothers.
Development and validation of a five‐gene model to predict postoperative brain metastasis in operable lung adenocarcinoma
Authors: Fu Fangqiu , Zhang Yang , Gao Zhendong , Zhao Yue , Wen Zhexu , Han Han , Li Yuan , Chen Haiquan
Published: March 2020

One of the most common sites of extra‐thoracic distant metastasis of nonsmall‐cell lung cancer is the brain. Our study was performed to discover genes associated with postoperative brain metastasis in operable lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). RNA seq was performed in specimens of primary LUAD from seven patients with brain metastases and 45 patients without recurrence. Immunohistochemical (IHC) assays of the differentially expressed genes were conducted in 272 surgical‐resected LUAD specimens. LASSO Cox regression was used to filter genes related to brain metastasis and construct brain metastasis score (BMS). GSE31210 and GSE50081 were used as validation datasets of the model. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis was performed in patients stratified by risk of brain metastasis in the TCGA database. Through the initial screening, eight genes (CDK1, KPNA2, KIF11, ASPM, CEP55, HJURP, TYMS and TTK) were selected for IHC analyses. The BMS based on protein expression levels of five genes (TYMS, CDK1, HJURP, CEP55 and KIF11) was highly predictive of brain metastasis in our cohort (12‐month AUC: 0.791, 36‐month AUC: 0.766, 60‐month AUC: 0.812). The validation of BMS on overall survival of GSE31210 and GSE50081 also showed excellent predictive value (GSE31210, 12‐month AUC: 0.682, 36‐month AUC: 0.713, 60‐month AUC: 0.762; GSE50081, 12‐month AUC: 0.706, 36‐month AUC: 0.700, 60‐month AUC: 0.724). Further analyses showed high BMS was associated with pathways of cell cycle and DNA repair. A five‐gene predictive model exhibits potential clinical utility for the prediction of postoperative brain metastasis and the individual management of patients with LUAD after radical resection.
CRELD2 Is a Novel LRP1 Chaperone That Regulates Noncanonical WNT Signaling in Skeletal Development
Authors: Dennis Ella P , Edwards Sarah M , Jackson Robert M , Hartley Claire L , Tsompani Dimitra , Capulli Mattia , Teti Anna , Boot-Handford Raymond P , Young David A , Piróg Katarzyna A , Briggs Michael D
Published: March 2020

Cysteine-rich with epidermal growth factor (EGF)-like domains 2 (CRELD2) is an endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-resident chaperone highly activated under ER stress in conditions such as chondrodysplasias; however, its role in healthy skeletal development is unknown. We show for the first time that cartilage-specific deletion of Creld2 results in disrupted endochondral ossification and short limbed dwarfism, whereas deletion of Creld2 in bone results in osteopenia, with a low bone density and altered trabecular architecture. Our study provides the first evidence that CRELD2 promotes the differentiation and maturation of skeletal cells by modulating noncanonical WNT4 signaling regulated by p38 MAPK. Furthermore, we show that CRELD2 is a novel chaperone for the receptor low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1 (LRP1), promoting its transport to the cell surface, and that LRP1 directly regulates WNT4 expression in chondrocytes through TGF-β1 signaling. Therefore, our data provide a novel link between an ER-resident chaperone and the essential WNT signaling pathways active during skeletal differentiation that could be applicable in other WNT-responsive tissues. © 2020 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research. © 2020 The Authors. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research published by American Society for Bone and Mineral Research..
Homozygous Loss-of-Function Mutations in CCDC134 Are Responsible for a Severe Form of Osteogenesis Imperfecta
Authors: Dubail Johanne , Brunelle Perrine , Baujat Geneviève , Huber Céline , Doyard Mathilde , Michot Caroline , Chavassieux Pascale , Khairouni Abdeslam , Topouchian Vicken , Monnot Sophie , Koumakis Eugénie , Cormier-Daire Valérie
Published: March 2020

Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a primary bone fragility disorder with an estimated prevalence of 1 in 15,000 births. The majority of OI cases are inherited in an autosomal-dominant manner, while 5% to 10% have recessive or X-linked inheritance. Up to now, approximately 5% of OI cases remain without mutation demonstrated, supporting the involvement of other genes in the disease spectrum. By whole-exome sequencing, we identified a homozygous variant (c.2T>C) in CCDC134 gene in three patients from two unrelated families with severe bone fragility that did not respond to bisphosphonate treatment, short stature, and gracile long bones with pseudarthroses but no dentinogenesis imperfecta. CCDC134 encodes a secreted protein widely expressed and implicated in the regulation of some mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) signaling pathway. Western blot and immunofluorescence analyses confirmed the absence of CCDC134 protein in patient cells compared with controls. Furthermore, we demonstrated that CCDC134 mutations are associated with increased Erk1/2 phosphorylation, decreased OPN mRNA and COL1A1 expression and reduced mineralization in patient osteoblasts compared with controls. These data support that CCDC134 is a new gene involved in severe progressive deforming recessive osteogenesis imperfecta (type III). © 2020 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Integrative genomic analyses identify WDR12 as a novel oncogene involved in glioblastoma
Authors: Li Jun‐Liang , Chen Cheng , Chen Wei , Zhao Ling‐Feng , Xu Xin‐Ke , Li Yang , Yuan Hong‐Yao , Lin Jin‐Rong , Pan Jun‐Ping , Jin Bi‐Lian , Li Fang‐Cheng
Published: March 2020

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most malignant primary brain tumor in adults. Due to its invasive nature, it cannot be thoroughly eliminated. WD repeat domain 12 (WDR12) processes the 32S precursor rRNA but cannot affect the synthesis of the 45S/47S primary transcript. In this study, we found that WDR12 is highly expressed in GBM according to the analysis results of mRNA expression by The Cancer Genome Atlas database. The high expression level of WDR12 is dramatically related to shorter overall survival and reduced disease‐free survival. Next, we knocked down WDR12 and found that knockdown of WDR12 promoted the apoptosis and inhibited the proliferation by cell biology experiments. Differential expression genes in gene‐chip revealed that WDR12 knockdown mainly inhibited cell cycle. Finally, we also found that WDR12 is associated with PLK1 and EZH2 in cell proliferation of GBM. Resumptively, this report showed a possible evidence that WDR12 drove malignant behavior of GBM, whose expression may present a neoteric independent prognostic biomarker in GBM.
Selective hydrolysis of hemicellulose component of wheat straw in high‐pressure CO2 and water with low concentration of acetic acid
Authors: Li Mengge , Yang Xiaomei , Lu Tianliang , Zhou Lipeng
Published: March 2020

BACKGROUND

Selective hydrolysis of hemicellulose component from lignocellulose is one of the most vital steps for lignocellulose biorefinery. In this report, wheat straw, one of the largest output agriculture residues, was treated by high‐pressure CO2–H2O in the presence of a low concentration of acetic acid to selectively hydrolyze hemicellulose.

RESULTS

The in situ formed carbonic acid and acetic acid catalyzed the selective hydrolysis of hemicellulose. The removal ratio of hemicellulose reached 82.3% when the lignocellulose was treated in the high‐pressure CO2–H2O–CH3COOH (Cacetic acid = 0.3 mol L−1) system at 180 °C for 1 h, and oligosaccharides and monosaccharide were the main products. After removing most of the hemicellulose component, the cellulose component was exposed with the increase of surface area. Additionally, the surface of treated wheat straw became rough.

CONCLUSION

High‐pressure CO2–H2O with low concentration of acetic acid is effective in removing and hydrolyzing the hemicellulose component of wheat straw. Acetic acid improves the removal ratio of hemicellulose. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry
Greener route for microwave enhanced syntheses of bioactive 1,5‐benzodiazepines using heterogeneous calcium ferrite/graphene oxide nanocomposite as a novel and sustainable catalyst
Authors: Gupta Sharoni , Ameta Chetna , Punjabi Pinki Bala
Published: March 2020

In the present paper, a novel and benign protocol for microwave enhanced one pot syntheses of 2,3‐dihydro‐1,5 benzodiazepine derivatives from substituted acetophenones, aryl‐aldehydes and o‐phenylene diamine using heterogeneous calcium ferrite/graphene oxide (CF/GO) nanocomposite has been reported. The catalyst was prepared by ultrasonication method and characterized by spectral and analytical techniques. The CF/GO nanocomposite was employed for environmentally benign synthesis of 2,3‐dihydro‐1,5 benzodiazepines. The synthesized benzodiazepine derivatives were screened for their antimicrobial activities against various bacteria and fungi. The present synthetic strategy offered several advantages such as excellent yields in short span of time, simple modus operandi, ease of isolation and purification of products, simple recovery and reusability of the catalyst. A tentative mechanism for synthesis of 2,3‐dihydro‐1,5 benzodiazepine using CF/GO nanocatalyst has also been proposed.
Becoming a police officer: Influential psychological factors
Authors: Navarro‐Abal Yolanda , López‐López María José , Gómez‐Salgado Juan , Climent‐Rodríguez José Antonio
Published: March 2020

Objective

To analyse the existing relationships between motivation, self‐concept and family and social influence when choosing the profession of police officer.

Methods

Cross‐sectional descriptive study, through intentional sampling, carried out using a protocol for collecting information from different socio‐demographic variables, the Motivation scale and the Self‐concept Form‐5 questionnaire. The sample consisted of 258 local police officers from the Public Security School of Andalusia (Spain).

Results

The results showed an association between the influence of family and social environment and the different motivations (achievement, affiliation and power). On the other hand, between these motivations and the different dimensions of self‐concept (working, social, emotional, family and physical).

Conclusions

The prevalence of motivation can be observed. Professional motivation, self‐concept and family influence are relevant variables in relation to professional choice, efficacy and productivity in professional performance. In fact, a higher degree of family self‐concept promotes power motivation to face life changes.
Complement: Bridging the innate and adaptive immune systems in sterile inflammation
Authors: Lo Martin W , Woodruff Trent M
Published: March 2020

The complement system is a collection of soluble and membrane-bound proteins that together act as a powerful amplifier of the innate and adaptive immune systems. Although its role in infection is well established, complement is becoming increasingly recognized as a key contributor to sterile inflammation, a chronic inflammatory process often associated with noncommunicable diseases. In this context, damaged tissues release danger signals and trigger complement, which acts on a range of leukocytes to augment and bridge the innate and adaptive immune systems. Given the detrimental effect of chronic inflammation, the complement system is therefore well placed as an anti-inflammatory drug target. In this review, we provide a general outline of the sterile activators, effectors, and targets of the complement system and a series of examples (i.e., hypertension, cancer, allograft transplant rejection, and neuroinflammation) that highlight complement’s ability to bridge the 2 arms of the immune system.
The nutritional status of people with alkaptonuria: An exploratory analysis suggests a protein/energy dilemma
Authors: Judd Shirley , Khedr Milad , Milan Anna M. , Davison Andrew S. , Hughes Andrew T. , Needham Alexander , Psarelli Eftychia E. , Shenkin Alan , Ranganath Lakshiminaryan R.
Published: March 2020

Background

Alkaptonuria (AKU) is a disorder of tyrosine/protein metabolism leading to accumulation of homogentisic acid. Clinical management historically recommended reducing dietary protein intake, especially in childhood, which has since been discredited in the literature. For the first time, analysis of baseline cross‐sectional nutritional surveillance data from a large cohort of AKU patients is presented, which has clinical implications in all aspects of treatment planning.

Method

Seventy‐four patients (mean 55 years) admitted to the National Alkaptonuria Centre (NAC), underwent a global nutritional assessment, which included objective anthropometry, bioimpedance measures, habitual nutritional intake using a 7‐day food diary and key nutritional biomarkers, including 24 hours urinary nitrogen, serum albumin, total protein and total 25‐hydroxy vitamin D. All data was compared with cohort norms or recommended nutrient intakes for health (RNI). The potential beneficial impact of protein and anti‐inflammatory nutrients such as vitamin C, selenium, and zinc were statistically interrogated against the AKU severity score index (AKUSSI)—a validated measure of disease progression stratified by age.

Results

Fifty percent of AKU patients reported some level of protein restriction at some point in their lives. In comparison with national data sets, AKU patients present with significantly lower than predicted mid‐upper arm circumference, grip strength, BMI, total energy and protein intake, and higher than predicted percentage body fat. They therefore meet the ESPEN criteria as “clinically undernourished.” Severity fluctuates over the life course. No statistical association is identified between protein intake, expressed as %RNI or g/kg, or anti‐inflammatory nutrients, including vitamin C as a high dose supplement on the severity of the disease, when correlated against the validated AKUSSI score.

Conclusion

AKU patients are at risk of protein depletion associated with a “perfect storm” of risk factors: historical, poorly evidenced recommendations to reduce total protein intake; limited mobility as the condition progresses, compromising muscle integrity; frequent hospital admissions for major surgery associated with multiple joint replacements, creating pinch points of high metabolic demand and the potential impact of the disease itself. As this is the first time this risk has been identified, the authors consider the dietetic implications of nitisinone treatment, which requires dietary protein control to manage the acquired tyrosinaemia. The lack of statistically significant evidence to support dietary manipulation of any kind to impede disease progression in AKU is demonstrated.
Two‐dimensional model of heat flow in edge‐emitting laser revisited: A new and more versatile approach
Authors: Szymański Michał , Kozlowska Anna , Maląg Andrzej , Hoser Paweł
Published: March 2020

An analytical, two‐dimensional, stationary model of heat flow in edge‐emitting laser is revisited. In the work, we show how to use this approach to be able to calculate the temperature of the entire device including the most susceptible for thermal runaway region, namely the vicinity of the joint of mirrors and an active layer. Numerical tools based on our considerations are implemented in Matlab code and available at the software developer's web site. A procedure of investigation of surface recombination at facets with the help of our model combined with mirror temperature measurements is proposed. To get an insight in reasonableness of our theoretical research, we calculated temperature profiles and surface recombination velocities for example devices and successfully confronted them with results found in the literature.
Spatial variation in long‐lead predictability of summer monsoon rainfall using a time‐varying model and global climatic indices
Authors: Dutta Riya , Maity Rajib
Published: March 2020

Long‐lead prediction of summer monsoon rainfall in India is a challenging task, especially at finer spatial scale. The spatial variability in the long‐lead (one or two season in advance) prediction plays a vital role in planning of hydrological and agricultural aspects of the society. One of the major issues in this field is the climate‐induced time‐varying characteristics (non‐stationarity) that lead to a deteriorating model performance as the time passes by after the model calibration. This study proposes the use of time‐varying approaches in order to check such deteriorating performance over time. Considering the time‐varying association between Indian summer monsoon rainfall and large‐scale climatic indices (e.g., El Niño‐Southern Oscillation, Equatorial Indian Ocean Oscillation, North Atlantic Oscillation, Pacific Decadal Oscillation, and El Niño Modoki Index), a time‐varying approach based on hybrid graphical modelling (GM) and vine copula (GM‐Copula) is demonstrated for rainfall prediction over five homogeneous monsoon regions (HMRs) in India. The time‐varying characteristic is imparted in the GM‐Copula approach by recursively updating the model inputs and the corresponding model parameters at a regular time interval (τ) through recalibration. In the time‐varying framework, the parameterτis referred to as optimum recurrence interval of model recalibration and it is identified as 5 years for the regions with moderate rainfall and 3 years for regions with above and below moderate rainfall. The developed time‐varying approach is able to yield reasonably good prediction performance (mean absolute percentage error being within 4–10% across HMRs) with a prediction lead time of 5 months. HMR‐wise seasonal rainfall predictions with such quality and lead time are expected to be highly useful.
Czech Drought Monitor System for monitoring and forecasting agricultural drought and drought impacts
Authors: Trnka Miroslav , Hlavinka Petr , Možný Martin , Semerádová Daniela , Štěpánek Petr , Balek Jan , Bartošová Lenka , Zahradníček Pavel , Bláhová Monika , Skalák Petr , Farda Aleš , Hayes Michael , Svoboda Mark , Wagner Wolfgang , Eitzinger Josef , Fischer Milan , Žalud Zdeněk
Published: March 2020

The awareness of drought and its impacts on Central Europe increased after the significant drought episodes in 2000, 2003, 2012 and 2015, which were all estimated to have caused over 500 million Euro in damage in the Czech Republic alone. These events indicated the need for timely and high‐resolution monitoring tools that would enable analysing, monitoring and forecasting of drought events. Monitoring soil water availability in near real time and at high‐resolution (up to 0.5 × 0.5 km for some products) helps farmers and water managers to mitigate impacts of these extreme events. The Czech Drought Monitor was developed between 2012 and 2014 and has since been operational as an online platform. It uses an operational modelling system that consists of four pillars: (a) weekly soil moisture estimates based on spaceborne Advanced Scatterometer sensor measurements; (b) the daily SoilClim soil moisture model, which runs based on high‐density network data from the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute with a 55‐year reference period; (c) weekly reports on vegetation condition, which is deduced from satellite‐based vegetation indices and early warnings of imminent drought impacts; and (d) weekly reports of soil moisture, especially after drought impacts, which are provided by dozens of experts. Since 2016 the drought forecast (+9 days) has been released daily based on an ensemble of five numerical weather prediction models combined with a weekly drought outlook (+2 months). The analysis of four recent episodes (2000, 2003, 2012 and 2015) clearly showed that both large‐scale and regionally restrained drought episodes posed serious risks in terms of their impacts and damage. Comparisons with historical droughts showed that these events, especially the 2000, 2003 and 2015 events, were among the top five drought episodes in the June–August period observed in the Czech Republic since 1961 in terms of spatial extent, magnitude and duration.
Computational Reproducibility in The Wildlife Society's Flagship Journals
Authors: Archmiller Althea A. , Johnson Andrew D. , Nolan Jane , Edwards Margaret , Elliott Lisa H. , Ferguson Jake M. , Iannarilli Fabiola , Vélez Juliana , Vitense Kelsey , Johnson Douglas H. , Fieberg John
Published: March 2020

Scientific progress depends upon the accumulation of empirical knowledge via reproducible methodology. Although reproducibility is a main tenet of the scientific method, recent studies have highlighted widespread failures in adherence to this ideal. The goal of this study was to gauge the level of computational reproducibility, or the ability to obtain the same results using the same data and analytic methods as in the original publication, in the field of wildlife science. We randomly selected 80 papers published in the Journal of Wildlife Management and Wildlife Society Bulletin between 1 June 2016 and 1 June 2018. Of those that were suitable for reproducibility review (n = 74), we attempted to obtain study data from online repositories or directly from authors. Forty‐two authors did not respond to our requests, and we were further unable to obtain data from authors of 13 other studies. Of the 19 studies for which we were able to obtain data and complete our analysis, we judged that 13 were mostly or fully reproducible. We conclude that the studies with publicly available data or data shared upon request were largely reproducible, but we remain concerned about the difficulty in obtaining data from recently published papers. We recommend increased data‐sharing, data organization and documentation, communication, and training to advance computational reproducibility in the wildlife sciences. © 2020 The Authors. The Journal of Wildlife Management published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of The Wildlife Society.
A Comparison of the Bacterial Nasal Microbiome in Allergic Rhinitis Patients Before and After Immunotherapy
Authors: Bender Melissa E. , Read Timothy D. , Edwards Thomas S. , Hargita Michelle , Cutler Anya J. , Wissel Emily F. , Wise Sarah K.
Published: March 2020

Objectives/Hypothesis

Recent research has examined the nasal microbiome in rhinosinusitis and nondiseased states. Given immunologic alterations in allergic rhinitis (AR) and after allergen immunotherapy (IT), we evaluated the nasal microbiome in these conditions.

Study Design

Cross‐sectional comparison.

Methods

In this cross‐sectional study, nasal swabs for microbiome analysis were collected from three patient groups: IT‐naïve AR patients, AR patients undergoing IT for greater than 12 months, and a control group without sinonasal inflammatory disease.

Results

Nasal swabs were successfully collected for 14 IT‐naïve AR patients, 20 post‐IT patients, and 17 controls. The α diversity showed a statistical difference in evenness but not in richness amongst samples, whereas the β‐diversity was significantly different between groups. Corynebacterium and Staphylococcus were the most prevalent bacteria across all groups.

Conclusions

β‐diversity was found to be significantly different across the three groups, but the AR groups were found to be more similar to each other than to the controls. Although there is symptomatic improvement in the AR group undergoing IT, the microbiome does not appear to transition to a healthy microbiome composition.

Level of Evidence

4 Laryngoscope, 2020