bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Decoding the Genetic Alterations in PRAME Gene Family and Its Association with Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Dhivyadharshini J. , Girija A. S. Smiline , Paramasivam A. , Priyadharsini J. Vijayashree
Published: September 2020

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the most common form of cancer with an incidence rate greater in male than in female. Advancements in molecular diagnostics have identified several pathways which can have a direct or indirect role in the development and progression of HNSCC. The PRAME (PReferentially Antigen expressed in MElanoma) gene family is yet another group of genes which has been recently implicated in HNSCC. The present study aims to identify the genetic alterations, the pattern of gene expression and the consequence of mutations in the PRAME family of genes in HNSCC patients. Several databases such as cBioportal, gnomAD, IMutant, PROVEAN were used to assess genetic alterations. The alterations included deep deletions, amplification, inframe, missense, truncating mutations. The gene showing the highest frequency of alteration (PRAME - 3%) was further assessed for its gene expression profile using the UALCAN database. The expression profile relative to normal samples was found to be significantly higher in HNSCC patients (p = 1.11 x 10-16). Further, the survival curve based on high and low/medium expression of the PRAME gene was assessed by Kaplan-Meier method. The analysis revealed a significant difference in the survival rate of patients with high and low/medicum level expression (0.0095). In addition, the high level expression was found to be associated with poor survival rate in HNSCC patients compared to those exhibiting low and medium level expression. In conclusion the study provides insights into the putative association of genes of the PRAME family with HNSCC. The preliminary results have to be further validated using experimental procedures.
Factors Associated with Adherence to Medication among Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Patients in Tertiary Care Hospital of Nepal: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Neupane Sristi , Thapa Parbati , Giri Anil , Shrestha Sumitra , Marasine Nirmal Raj
Published: September 2020

Objective: Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are known to have poor medication adherence in Nepal. Various factors affect the medication adherence of COPD patients. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the medication adherence and its associated factors among the COPD patients in tertiary care hospitals in central Nepal.

Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was carried out among 164 patients aged ≥18 years, diagnosed with and under medication(s) of COPD for at least 6 months from  September 2017 to March 2018, in a tertiary care hospital in central Nepal, using a purposive sampling technique. Morisky Green Levine Adherence (MGLA) score was employed to determine the rate of medication adherence. The differences between the two groups (adherent and non-adherent) were tested using independent t-test, and Chi-square tests, p<0.05 was considered statistically significant.  

Results: Patients were mostly ≥60 years (87.1%) and female (56.7%). The majority of the patients were found adherent to the prescribed treatment (108; 65.9%). The major reason for non-adherence was seem to be stopping medicine when feeling better (41.08%) and most of the patients had discontinued the medication due to experience of symptomatic relief (42.9%).Medication adherence was statistically significant with age group at p=0.040, educational status p=0.020, no. of daily drugs p= 0.029, and health behavior of the patients (p= 0.025).

Conclusion: Our study suggested that two-third of COPD patients were adherent to their medication, and age, education, number of drugs, and health behaviors of the patients were the most influencing factors for medication adherence.
Architecture and the Impact of the Fourth Industrial Revolution
Authors: van Berkel Ben
Published: September 2020

UNStudio and UNSense founder Ben van Berkel explains the post‐digital symbiotic role that disruptive, embedded data technologies can have in the technologies architects use to design, enabling them to produce more and more tailored buildings that are informed by accurate fed‐back information. Here he uses one of UNSense's housing schemes as an example.
15N fertilizer recovery and partitioning by cover crops under greenhouse conditions
Authors: Greub Kelsey L. H. , Roberts Trenton L.
Published: September 2020

Cover crops have the potential to decrease residual‐nitrogen (N) losses from agricultural soils by capturing and storing excess N between cash crops. This study was established to assess the effect of cover crop species and N rate on the accumulation and partitioning of biomass and 15N fertilizer by cover crops produced under controlled environmental conditions. Cereal rye (Secale cereale) and tillage radish (Raphanus sativus) cover crops were grown in monoculture and in a blend under greenhouse conditions in two soils. Urea enriched with 15N (3.0 atom %) was applied to cover crops at rates of 0, 34, and 67 kg N ha−1. Shoot dry matter production and N accumulation exceeded that of roots for both cover crops. Fertilizer‐N uptake increased as application rate increased, and the greatest overall recovery by the cover crops was 38% of the applied fertilizer‐N. Tillage radish shoot biomass nearly doubled that of cereal rye (1,585 kg ha−1) when grown in monoculture in the Captina soil but cover crops stored similar quantities of total N in the shoots. Cover crops grown in monoculture in the Roxanna soil accumulated similar amounts of biomass and TN in the shoots; however, cereal rye root biomass was twice that of tillage radish (568 kg ha−1) when 67 kg N ha−1 was applied. Results from this study reflect the capacity for N sequestration by cover crops, which is largely determined by biomass production and N availability, and most of the captured N is translocated and stored in the shoots.
Transition‐Metal‐Free Cross‐Coupling by Using Tertiary Benzylic Organoboronates
Authors: Takeda Mitsutaka , Nagao Kazunori , Ohmiya Hirohisa
Published: September 2020

The transition‐metal‐free cross‐coupling of alkyl or aryl electrophiles by using tertiary benzylic organoboronates is reported. This reaction involves the generation of tertiary alkyl anions from organoboronates in the presence of an alkoxide base and then their substitution reactions. This protocol allows the simple and efficient construction of quaternary carbon centers.
Morphological properties, rheological behaviors, and phase interaction of nylon 11/polypropylene blends by in situ reactive compatibilization and dispersion through polyhydroxybutyrate
Authors: Gadgeel Arjit A. , Mhaske Shashank T.
Published: September 2020

The current research discusses the reactive compatibilization of nylon 11 (PA11) and polypropylene (PP) using maleic anhydride grafted PP (PP‐g‐MA) through an extruder. PP phase is dispersed in PA11 by coalescence and droplet break‐up mechanism by using polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) as a dispersion agent that induces uniform interaction between the blend components. The reactive compatibilization ensures the mixing of polymers, and the consistent interaction of phases is controlled by dispersion. All of the blends were processed through melt processing at different compositions using a twin‐screw extruder. Scanning electron microscopy was used to determine the morphologies of the binary and ternary blends. Surface tension and interfacial tension of the homopolymer characterizes the interaction of the polymers at interphase. The interaction of PHB/PA11 appeared preferable than that of PHB/PP, elaborating on the efficient dispersion and droplet formation of the PP phase. The compatibilizer maleic anhydride grafted PP (PP‐g‐MA) imparts a drastic effect on the compatibility of PA11‐PP and PA11‐PHB‐PP blends and reduces PP phase particle size, which indicates the affinity of PHB and PP. The encapsulation of PP by PHB was seen in the expectation of minimum free energy models. The rheological measurements were used to understand the phase separation within blends. These measurements were also applied to understand the interaction between PA11‐PP‐PHB phases. The modulus values and viscosity ratio of the blends were measured to follow the chain relaxation in the melt. In the Cole–Cole plot, it was found that the reduction in PP phase size influences the relaxation of chains of blends.
Propofol inhibits the expression of Abelson nonreceptor tyrosine kinase without affecting learning or memory function in neonatal rats
Authors: Feng Long , Sun Zhi‐Gao , Liu Qiang‐wei , Ma Tao , Xu Zhi‐Peng , Feng Ze‐Guo , Yuan Wei‐xiu , Zhang Hong , Xu Long‐he
Published: September 2020

Objective

Propofol is one of the most commonly used intravenous drugs to induce and maintain general anesthesia. In vivo and in vitro studies have shown that propofol can affect neuronal growth, leading to apoptosis and impairing cognitive function. The Abelson nonreceptor tyrosine kinase (c‐Abl) is associated with both neuritic plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in the brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative diseases. This study aimed to explore the effect of propofol on apoptosis and neurocognition through its regulation of c‐Abl expression in vivo and in vitro.

Materials and Methods

In this study, primary hippocampal neurons were cultured and exposed to propofol at different concentrations. Protein expression was measured by Western blotting and coimmunoprecipitation. The c‐Abl transcription level was verified by fluorescence quantitative PCR. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were detected by flow cytometry. In addition, an animal experiment was conducted to assess neuronal apoptosis by immunofluorescence staining for caspase‐3 and to evaluate behavioral changes by the Morris water maze (MWM) test.

Results

The in vitro experiment showed that propofol significantly decreased c‐Abl expression and ROS levels. In addition, propofol has no cytotoxic effect and does not affect cell activity. Moreover, in the animal experiment, intraperitoneal injection of 50 mg/kg propofol for 5 days obviously decreased the expression of c‐Abl in the neonatal rat brain (p < .05) but did not significantly increase the number of caspase‐3‐positive cells. Propofol treatment did not significantly reduce the number of platform crossings (p > .05) or prolong the escape latency of neonatal rats (p > .05) in the MWM test.

Conclusions

The present data suggest that reduced expression of this nonreceptor tyrosine kinase through consecutive daily administration of propofol did not impair learning or memory function in neonatal rats.
Microarray profiling of differentially expressed lncRNAs and mRNAs in lung adenocarcinomas and bioinformatics analysis
Authors: He Fei , Huang Liping , Xu Qiuping , Xiong Weimin , Liu Shuang , Yang Huimin , Lu Wanting , Xiao Rendong , Hu Zhijian , Cai Lin
Published: September 2020

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) dysregulation leads to malignant progression of lung cancer. Our study profiled differentially expressed lncRNA and mRNA in tumor and normal tissues of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). Further, analysis of the gene expression profiles of LUAD tissues (n = 533) and normal tissues (n = 59) from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). A total of 138 lncRNAs were differentially expressed between LUAD tissues and normal tissues (false discovery rate [FDR]q < 0.05, fold change (FC) ≥ 2), a number of which are key regulators of multiple cancer and biological processes in humans. For example, lncRNAA2M‐AS1displayed the highest correlation with the co‐expressed mRNAs, indicating that it might play a key role in regulating differential gene expression in LUAD. The data from the current study of the comprehensive lncRNA expression profile in LUAD tissues provided useful information to guide the identification of potential LUAD biomarkers.
The impact of orthotopic neobladder vs ileal conduit urinary diversion after cystectomy on the survival outcomes in patients with bladder cancer: A propensity score matched analysis
Authors: Su Xiaohong , Wu Kaihui , Wang Shuo , Su Wei , Li Chuanyin , Li Bingkun , Mao Xiangming
Published: September 2020

Background

Bladder cancer (BCa) is the most common urinary malignancy. The standard surgical treatment for patients with muscle‐invasive BCa is cystectomy plus urinary diversion. Ileal conduit (IC) or orthotopic neobladder (ON), which have different indications, are the most commonly performed urinary diversions.

Methods and materials

We sampled 5480 BCa patients from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database from 2004 to 2015. Kaplan‐Meier method with the log‐rank test was used to assess cancer‐specific survival (CSS) and overall survival (OS). Univariate and multivariate Cox's proportional hazard model was conducted to evaluate the hazard ratio of cancer‐specific mortality and all‐cause mortality before and after propensity score matching (PSM).

Results

We identified 5480 patients who received radical cystectomy (RC) plus IC (n = 5071) or ON (n = 409) with a median follow‐up period of 33 months (interquartile range, 13‐78 months). Patients in the ON group tended to be male and younger, with a higher percentage of married individuals, early pathological T stage, lymphadenectomy, and non‐radiotherapy (all P < .05). After 1:1 PSM, 409 matched pairs were selected. Univariate and multivariate analysis showed that the ON group had better CSS and OS probabilities than the IC group in the overall cohort [hazard ratio (HR): 0.692, 95% confidence intervals (CI): 0.576‐0.831, P < .001; HR: 0.677, 95% CI: 0.579‐0.793, P < .001 respectively]. However, subgroup analysis revealed that only patients with pathological T2 stage benefited from ON diversion after PSM in the context of CSS (P = .016) and OS (P <.001).

Conclusions

Young, married, and male patients with early pathological T stage, especially T2 stage, were more suitable to receive RC plus ON surgery, which could improve their probability of survival.
LINC00662 contributes to the progression and the radioresistance of cervical cancer by regulating miR‐497‐5p and CDC25A
Authors: Wei Jiemei , Wang Lili , Sun Yanli , Bao Yongxin
Published: September 2020

It is reported that long intergenic non‐coding RNA 00662 (LINC00662) plays an oncogenic role in tumours. However, the mechanism of LINC00662 in regulating the progression and radiosensitivity of cervical cancer (CC) is not clear. In this study, quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction (qRT‐PCR) was adopted to detect LINC00662 and miR‐497‐5p expressions in CC tissues and cells. The expression of cell division cycle 25 A (CDC25A) in CC cells was examined by Western blot. CC cell proliferation was determined by cell counting kit‐8 (CCK‐8) and BrdU assays. The survival rate of CC cells was evaluated by colony formation assay under different doses of X‐ray irradiation. CC cell migration and invasion were probed by Transwell assay. Besides, the interactions between miR‐497‐5p and LINC00662, and miR‐497‐5p and the 3′UTR of CDC25A were verified by dual‐luciferase reporter assay, RIP assay, and RNA pull‐down experiments. We demonstrated that, LINC00662 expression was remarkably raised in CC tissues and cell lines. LINC00662 overexpression promoted proliferation, migration, invasion and radioresistance of CC cells, and LINC00662 knockdown inhibited the above malignant phenotypes of CC cells. In terms of mechanism, LINC00662 facilitated CC progression and radioresistance by adsorbing miR‐497‐5p and indirectly up‐regulating CDC25A expression. In a word, the LINC00662/miR‐497‐5p/CDC25A axis boosts proliferation and metastasis of CC cells and enhances the radioresistance of cancer cells.

Significance of the study

CC poses a threat to the health of women all over the world. In this study, we demonstrated for the first time that LINC00662 expression was remarkably raised in CC tissues and cells. Cellular experiments confirmed that LINC00662 facilitated cell proliferation, migration, invasion and radiation resistance through the miR‐497‐5p/CDC25A axis, which might be a promising target for CC treatments.
METTL3 regulates m6A in endometrioid epithelial ovarian cancer independently of METTl14 and WTAP
Authors: Ma Zhao , Li Qin , Liu Peng , Dong Wei , Zuo Ying
Published: September 2020

N6‐methyladenosine (m6A) RNA methylation, one of the common RNA modifications, has been determined to execute crucial functions in tumorigenesis and cancer development. The m6A “writers” including methyltransferase like 3 (METTL3), METTL14, and Wilms tumor 1‐associated protein (WTAP) contribute to the m6A modification process initiation. However, the coordination of m6A methyltransferase complex is not fully understood in endometrioid epithelial ovarian cancer (EEOC). In this study, mRNA and protein levels of METTL3, METTL14, and WTAP were detected in 33 EEOC cases using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), immunohistochemistry, and western blot analysis. The overall m6A methylation was detected by dot plot. The METTL3 expression and overall m6A level were elevated in EEOC tissues, while the expressions of METTL14 and WTAP have no significant difference in EEOC compared to the adjacent tissues. The expression of METTL3 was an independent factor that correlated with poor malignancy and survival of EEOC patients. Moreover, METTL3 knockdown in TOV‐112D and CRL‐11731D cells weakened the capability of cell proliferation and migration, and promoted cell apoptosis compared to negative control and cells with WTAP or METTL14 knockdown using CCK‐8 assay, transwell assay, wound healing assay, and TUNEL assay. Furthermore, METTL3 knockdown also reduced m6A enrichment of the genes associated with ovarian cancer including EIF3C, AXL, CSF‐1, FZD10 in TOV‐112D, and CRL‐11731D cells by RIP‐qPCR assay. Taken together, the high expressed METTL3 indicated poor malignancy and survival of EEOC via modulating the aberrant m6A RNA methylation. METTL3‐mediated m6A modification, independent of WTAP and METTL14, was considered as a novel mechanism underlying m6A modulation and a potential therapeutic target of EEOC.
SnCN2: A Carbodiimide with an Innovative Approach for Energy Storage Systems and Phosphors in Modern LED Technology
Authors: Braun Cordula , Mereacre Liuda , Hua Weibo , Stürzer Tobias , Ponomarev Ilia , Kroll Peter , Slabon Adam , Chen Zheng , Damour Yann , Rocquefelte Xavier , Halet Jean‐François , Indris Sylvio
Published: September 2020

The carbodiimide SnCN2 was prepared at low temperatures (400 °C–550 °C) by using a patented urea precursor route. The crystal structure of SnCN2 was determined from single‐crystal data in space group C2/c (no. 15) with a=9.1547(5), b=5.0209(3), c=6.0903(3) Å, β=117.672(3), V=247.92 Å3 and Z=4. As carbodiimide compounds display remarkably high thermal and chemical resistivity, SnCN2 has been doped with Eu and Tb to test it for its application in future phosphor‐converted LEDs. This doping of SnCN2 proved that a color tuning of the carbodiimide host with different activator ions and the combination of the latter ones is possible. Additionally, as the search for novel high‐performing electrode materials is essential for current battery technologies, this carbodiimide has been investigated concerning its use in lithium‐ion batteries. To further elucidate its application possibilities in materials science, several characterization steps and physical measurements (XRD, in situ XANES, Sn Mössbauer spectroscopy, thermal expansion, IR spectroscopy, Mott‐Schottky analysis) were carried out. The electronic structure of the n‐type semiconductor SnCN2 has been probed using X‐ray absorption spectroscopy and density functional theory (DFT) computations.
Mass‐Transport‐Corrected Transfer Coefficients: A Fully General Approach
Authors: Batchelor‐McAuley Christopher , Li Danlei , Compton Richard G.
Published: September 2020

The transfer coefficient (or, equivalently, the Tafel slope) is an experimentally measurable parameter defined as the change in the logarithm of the current density as a function of the applied potential, where the current density has been corrected (
) for changes in the concentration of the reagent at the interface. For some electrode geometries (such as the rotating disc or a micro hemispherical electrode) where the electroactive interface is uniformly accessible and the mass‐transport is at steady‐state, these changes in concentration can be corrected for analytically. Correcting for the depletion of the reagent significantly increases the range over which Tafel analysis can be used to accurately yield information regarding the electron‐transfer process. The important question arises, therefore, for non‐uniformly accessible electrodes or for a system not at steady state, such as often encountered with disc electrodes, how can the experimentally measured electrochemical flux be rigorously corrected for to account for the changes in the surface concentration of the reagent? This work presents a simple simulation technique that allows the voltammetry of a disc to be “mass‐transport”‐corrected without recourse to the use of analytical approximations.
Probing the Origin of Adaptive Aromaticity in 16‐Valence‐Electron Metallapentalenes
Authors: Chen Dandan , Szczepanik Dariusz W. , Zhu Jun , Solà Miquel
Published: September 2020

Invited for the cover of this issue is Jun Zhu, Miquel Solà and co‐workers at Xiamen University, Jagiellonian University and the University of Girona. The image highlights the main roles in this study: ligands, metal centers, and adaptive aromaticity. Read the full text of the article at 10.1002/chem.202001830.
Naphthoquinone–Dopamine Hybrids Inhibit α‐Synuclein Aggregation, Disrupt Preformed Fibrils, and Attenuate Aggregate‐Induced Toxicity
Authors: Paul Ashim , Huber Adi , Rand Daniel , Gosselet Fabien , Cooper Itzik , Gazit Ehud , Segal Daniel
Published: September 2020

Accumulation and aggregation of the intrinsically disordered protein α‐synuclein (α‐Syn) into amyloid fibrils are hallmarks of a series of heterogeneous neurodegenerative disorders, known as synucleinopathies and most notably Parkinson's disease (PD). The crucial role of α‐Syn aggregation in PD makes it an attractive target for the development of disease‐modifying therapeutics that would inhibit α‐Syn aggregation or disrupt its preformed fibrillar assemblies. To this end, we have designed and synthesized two naphthoquinone–dopamine‐based hybrid small molecules, NQDA and Cl‐NQDA, and demonstrated their ability to inhibit in vitro amyloid formation by α‐Syn using ThT assay, CD, TEM, and Congo red birefringence. Moreover, these hybrid molecules efficiently disassembled preformed fibrils of α‐Syn into nontoxic species, as evident from LUV leakage assay. NQDA and Cl‐NQDA were found to have low cytotoxicity and they attenuated the toxicity induced by α‐Syn towards SH‐SY5Y neuroblastoma cells. NQDA was found to efficiently cross an in vitro human blood–brain barrier model. These naphthoquinone–dopamine based derivatives can be an attractive scaffold for therapeutic design towards PD.
Selective Activation of Aromatic Aldehydes Promoted by Dispersion Interactions: Steric and Electronic Factors of a π‐Pocket within Cage‐Shaped Borates for Molecular Recognition
Authors: Tanaka Daiki , Tsutsui Yuya , Konishi Akihito , Nakaoka Koichi , Nakajima Hideto , Baba Akio , Chiba Kouji , Yasuda Makoto
Published: September 2020

Selective bond formations are one of the most important reactions in organic synthesis. In the Lewis acid mediated electrophile reactions of carbonyls, the selective formation of a carbonyl–acid complex plays a critical role in determining selectivity, which is based on the difference in the coordinative interaction between the carbonyl and Lewis acid center. Although this strategy has attained progress in selective bond formations, the discrimination between similarly sized aromatic and aliphatic carbonyls that have no functional anchors to strongly interact with the metal center still remains a challenging issue. Herein, this work focuses on molecular recognition driven by dispersion interactions within some aromatic moieties. A Lewis acid catalyst with a π‐space cavity, which is referred to as a π‐pocket, as the recognition site for aromatic carbonyls is designed. Cage‐shaped borates 1B with various π‐pockets demonstrated significant chemoselectivity for aromatic aldehydes 3 b–f over that of aliphatic 3 a in competitive hetero‐Diels–Alder reactions. The effectiveness of our catalysts was also evidenced by intramolecular recognition of the aromatic carbonyl within a dicarbonyl substrate. Mechanistic and theoretical studies demonstrated that the selective activation of aromatic substrates was driven by the preorganization step with a larger dispersion interaction, rather than the rate‐determining step of the C−C bond formation, and this was likely to contribute to the preferred activation of aromatic substrates over that of aliphatic ones.
Cationic Niobium‐Sandwich and Piano‐Stool Complexes
Authors: Unkrig Wiebke , Zhe Fu , Tamim Razan , Oesten Friederike , Kratzert Daniel , Krossing Ingo
Published: September 2020

The syntheses of the homoleptic bis(arene) niobium cations [Nb(arene)2]+ (arene = C6H3Me3, C6H5Me) with 16 valence electrons and heteroleptic arene‐carbonyl cations [(CO)Nb(arene)2]+ (arene = C6H3Me3, C6H5Me) and [(arene)M(CO)4]+ (arene = C6H3Me3, C6H6) obeying 18 valence electrons are described. Stabilization of these complexes was achieved by using the weakly coordinating anions [Al(ORF)4]− or [F{Al(ORF)3}2]− (RF = C(CF3)3). The limits of two synthesis routes starting from neutral Nb(arene)2 (arene = C6H3Me3, C6H5Me) or [NEt4][M(CO)6] (M = Nb, Ta) were investigated. All compounds were analyzed by single crystal X‐ray determination, vibrational and NMR spectroscopy. DFT calculations were executed to support the experimental data.
Two‐Step Autohydrolysis Pretreatment: Towards High Selective Full Fractionation of Wheat Straw
Authors: Conrad Marc , Smirnova Irina
Published: September 2020

Pretreatment is necessary to increase the enzymatic digestibility of lignocellulosic biomass. Here, degradation reactions of solubilized pentoses to furfural and others are undesired regarding the reduced product yield and increasing downstream processing efforts. In this work, the use of the unit operation configuration was successfully shown to reduce degradation reactions. In the used two‐step autohydrolysis pretreatment, the reaction is stopped before degradation takes place. The pentoses are removed by water leaching to make them unavailable for degradation in a second autohydrolysis treatment. The overall sugars yield is increased, and the furfural formation is decreasing while maintaining the high lignin purity using the two‐step autohydrolysis pretreatment.
Genetic variation in Plethodon cinereus and Plethodon hubrichti from in and around a contact zone
Authors: Page Robert B. , Conarroe Claire , Quintanilla Diana , Palomo Andriea , Solis Joshua , Aguilar Ashley , Bezold Kelly , Sackman Andrew M. , Marsh David M.
Published: September 2020

Climate change poses several challenges to biological communities including changes in the frequency of encounters between closely related congeners as a result of range shifts. When climate change leads to increased hybridization, hybrid dysfunction or genetic swamping may increase extinction risk—particularly in range‐restricted species with low vagility. The Peaks of Otter Salamander, Plethodon hubrichti, is a fully terrestrial woodland salamander that is restricted to ~18 km of ridgeline in the mountains of southwestern Virginia, and its range is surrounded by the abundant and widespread Eastern Red‐backed Salamander, Plethodon cinereus. In order to determine whether these two species are hybridizing and how their range limits may be shifting, we assessed variation at eight microsatellite loci and a 1,008 bp region of Cytochrome B in both species at allopatric reference sites and within a contact zone. Our results show that hybridization between P. hubrichti and P. cinereus either does not occur or is very rare. However, we find that diversity and differentiation are substantially higher in the mountaintop endemic P. hubrichti than in the widespread P. cinereus, despite similar movement ability for the two species as assessed by a homing experiment. Furthermore, estimation of divergence times between reference and contact zone populations via approximate Bayesian computation is consistent with the idea that P. cinereus has expanded into the range of P. hubrichti. Given the apparent recent colonization of the contact zone by P. cinereus, future monitoring of P. cinereus range limits should be a priority for the management of P. hubrichti populations.
The insertion of a mitochondrial selfish element into the nuclear genome and its consequences
Authors: Dutheil Julien Y. , Münch Karin , Schotanus Klaas , Stukenbrock Eva H. , Kahmann Regine
Published: September 2020

Homing endonucleases (HE) are enzymes capable of cutting DNA at highly specific target sequences, the repair of the generated double‐strand break resulting in the insertion of the HE‐encoding gene (“homing” mechanism). HEs are present in all three domains of life and viruses; in eukaryotes, they are mostly found in the genomes of mitochondria and chloroplasts, as well as nuclear ribosomal RNAs. We here report the case of a HE that accidentally integrated into a telomeric region of the nuclear genome of the fungal maize pathogen Ustilago maydis. We show that the gene has a mitochondrial origin, but its original copy is absent from the U. maydis mitochondrial genome, suggesting a subsequent loss or a horizontal transfer from a different species. The telomeric HE underwent mutations in its active site and lost its original start codon. A potential other start codon was retained downstream, but we did not detect any significant transcription of the newly created open reading frame, suggesting that the inserted gene is not functional. Besides, the insertion site is located in a putative RecQ helicase gene, truncating the C‐terminal domain of the protein. The truncated helicase is expressed during infection of the host, together with other homologous telomeric helicases. This unusual mutational event altered two genes: The integrated HE gene subsequently lost its homing activity, while its insertion created a truncated version of an existing gene, possibly altering its function. As the insertion is absent in other field isolates, suggesting that it is recent, the U. maydis 521 reference strain offers a snapshot of this singular mutational event.
Lianas maintain insectivorous bird abundance and diversity in a neotropical forest
Authors: Schnitzer Stefan A. , Michel Nicole L. , Powers Jennifer S. , Robinson W. Douglas
Published: September 2020

The spatial habitat heterogeneity hypothesis posits that habitat complexity increases the abundance and diversity of species. In tropical forests, lianas add substantial habitat heterogeneity and complexity throughout the vertical forest profile, which may maintain animal abundance and diversity. The effects of lianas on tropical animal communities, however, remain poorly understood. We propose that lianas have a positive effect on animals by enhancing habitat complexity. Lianas may have a particularly strong influence on the forest bird community, providing nesting substrate, protection from predators, and nutrition (food). Understory insectivorous birds, which forage for insects that specialize on lianas, may particularly benefit. Alternatively, it is possible that lianas have a negative effect on forest birds by increasing predator abundances and providing arboreal predators with travel routes with easy access to bird nests. We tested the spatial habitat heterogeneity hypothesis on bird abundance and diversity by removing lianas, thus reducing forest complexity, using a large‐scale experimental approach in a lowland tropical forest in the Republic of Panama. We found that removing lianas decreased total bird abundance by 78.4% and diversity by 77.4% after 8 months, and by 40.0% and 51.7%, respectively, after 20 months. Insectivorous bird abundance and diversity 8 months after liana removal were 91.8% and 89.5% lower, respectively, indicating that lianas positively influence insectivorous birds. The effects of liana removal persisted longer for insectivorous birds than other birds, with 77.3% lower abundance and 76.2% lower diversity after 20 months. Liana removal also altered bird community composition, creating two distinct communities in the control and removal plots, with disproportionate effects on insectivores. Our findings demonstrate that lianas have a strong positive influence on the bird community, particularly for insectivorous birds in the forest understory. Lianas may maintain bird abundance and diversity by increasing habitat complexity, habitat heterogeneity, and resource availability.
Mechanism for the promotional effect of a novel solidifiable spacer fluid system on the cementation quality of cement sheath/formation interface
Authors: Li Juan , Li Zaoyuan , Tang Shizhong , Sun Jinfei , Wu Hua , Su Donghua , Chen Wen
Published: September 2020

A cement‐formation rock interface is the weakest part of an oil and gas well where the channeling of formation oil, gas, and water is most likely to occur. In particular, the channeling problem is most prominent at the interface between the cement sheath and the formation. Owing to the existence of a layer of thick virtual filter cake on the wall of an oil and gas well, the cementation quality of the cement sheath/formation interface is generally unsatisfactory, which increases the risk of well integrity failure. A solidifiable spacer fluid system was proposed in this paper to improve the cementation quality of the cement sheath/formation interface. The macroscopic mechanism governing the promotional effect of the proposed system on the shear strength of the cement sheath/formation interface was analyzed through shear strength experiments and compatibility experiments. Moreover, scanning electron microscopy, X‐ray diffraction, and computed tomography tests were conducted to provide an in‐depth characterization of the interfacial morphologies, products, and pores. The results showed that a solidifiable spacer fluid had good compatibility with the drilling fluid and cement slurry, which ensured that the interfacial zone could be solidified as a whole. Compared with specimens prepared without a spacer fluid and using a field spacer fluid, specimens that were prepared using a solidifiable spacer fluid and allowed to cure at 70°C for 2 days showed an increase in shear strength by 388% and 110%, but a decrease in interfacial void fractions by 248% and 46%, respectively. The C‐S‐H gel (hydrated calcium silicate gel) formed by the solidification of the solidifiable spacer fluid system could be filled between the particles of clay minerals and the weighting materials to prevent the formation and extension of cracks in the interfacial zone effectively, thereby improving the cementation quality of the cement sheath/formation interface.
Trust management of services (TMoS): Investigating the current mechanisms
Authors: Hayyolalam Vahideh , Pourghebleh Behrouz , Pourhaji Kazem Ali Asghar
Published: September 2020

Generally, service interactions in dynamic environments comprising cloud computing, Internet of Things (IoT), and etc. occur in an unspecified situation causing trust management a significant aspect. The widespread usage of services in today's vastly high‐tech world reveals the rising necessity of trust management in terms of services. In dynamic environments, there are not enough confidences for users to recognize trustworthy service providers. Hence, evaluating and managing the trustworthiness of services is a vital challenge for enabling customers to select trustworthy resources in dynamic environments. To the extent of our knowledge, in spite of the vital role of Trust Management of Services (TMoS), there is not any thorough and systematic work in this scope with a specific focus on services. Thus, this research investigates the current methods of trust management in terms of services, which are published up to February 2020. We have identified 68 papers that are diminished to 22 mostly qualified papers through the article selection process. Also, we have examined and compared the selected papers in terms of their merits and demerits, considering the important parameters in this field. The investigation results point out that the security, scalability, and dynamicity are essential to almost all research. Furthermore, privacy and reliability are the most essential parameters in the field of TMoS. Moreover, the statistical results and information can contribute to future works; also, we have conducted some open issues and future work suggestions that could be an effective roadmap for future researchers in this area.
Bioactive metal oxide nanoparticles from some common fruit wastes and Euphorbia condylocarpa plant
Authors: Mahmoudi Ghodrat , Sufimahmoudi Ebrahim , Sajadi S. Mohammad
Published: September 2020

For the first time, the potential of orange and banana peels as fruit wastes was evaluated in contrast with Euphorbia condylocarpa as a widely distributed medicinal plant of Kurdistan, Iran, for biosynthesis of Fe3O4, CuO, ZnO, and TiO2 NPs. The extracts of the green sources were assessed to monitor the bioreducing phytochemicals inside them using the UV‐Vis spectrophotometer. Moreover, the obtained green nanoparticles were identified using the micrograph and diffractogram techniques to show their size, shape, and morphology. Also, the antibacterial activities of the green NPs were investigated against common pathogenic bacteria of Pseudomonas aureus, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Klebsiella pneumoniae.
Altered awareness of cognitive and neuropsychiatric symptoms in Parkinson's disease and Dementia with Lewy Bodies: A systematic review
Authors: Pennington Catherine , Duncan Gordon , Ritchie Craig
Published: September 2020

Objectives

Altered awareness of cognitive and neuropsychiatric symptoms is a common feature of neurodegeneration, which can significantly impact on quality of life, medication concordance and personal safety. Elucidating how awareness is affected by common alpha‐synucleinopathies therefore has significant clinical relevance. We performed a systematic review of the literature on awareness of cognitive and neuropsychiatric symptoms in Parkinson's disease and Dementia with Lewy Bodies.

Methods

Searches of PubMed and Web of Science were carried out, using keywords and MeSH subheadings, limited to papers in English dealing with humans. The terms “Parkinson's” or “Lewy body” were used to denote the disease of interest, combined with either “agnosia”, “anosognosia”, “insight”, “metacognition”, or “neuropsychology” to denote the neuropsychological area of interest.

Results

21 publications investigating awareness of cognitive symptoms, and 18 publications on awareness of neuropsychiatric symptoms were identified. The large majority focused on Parkinson's disease rather than Dementia with Lewy Bodies. Cognitively intact people with Parkinson's disease may over‐report cognitive symptoms, whilst those with cognitive impairment under‐report symptoms. Awareness of neuropsychiatric symptoms is likely to decline over time, particularly in those with progressive cognitive impairment.

Conclusions

Altered awareness of cognitive and neuropsychiatric symptoms is common in Parkinson's disease. Symptom awareness varies significantly between individuals, and appears to be influenced by mood and global cognitive functioning, with executive functioning specifically implicated. There are gaps in our understanding of how dopaminergic medications influence symptom awareness, and a need for longitudinal studies of how awareness changes over time in Parkinson's disease and Dementia with Lewy Bodies.
Technology trade with asymmetric tax regimes and heterogeneous labour markets: Implications for macro quantities and asset prices
Authors: Curatola Giuliano , Donadelli Michael , Grüning Patrick
Published: September 2020

The international diffusion of technology plays a key role in stimulating global growth and explaining co‐movements of international equity returns. Existing empirical evidence suggests that countries are heterogeneous in their attitude towards innovation: Some countries rely more on technology adoption while other countries rely more on internal technology production. European countries that rely more on adoption are also typically characterized by lower fiscal policy flexibility and higher labour market rigidity. We develop a two‐country model, in which both countries rely on R&D and adoption, to study the short‐ and long‐run effects of aggregate technology and adoption probability shocks on economic growth in the presence of the aforementioned asymmetries. Our framework suggests that an increase in the ability to adopt technology from abroad stimulates future economic growth in the country that benefits from higher adoption rates but the beneficial effects also spread to the foreign country. Moreover, heterogeneity helps to explain the differences in macro quantities and equity returns observed in the international data.
Prevalence and the impact of hypogammaglobulinemia in newly diagnosed chronic lymphocytic lymphoma patients
Authors: Singh Namrata , Mott Sarah L. , Sutamtewagul Grerk , McCarthy Ashley , Slager Susan L. , Cerhan James R. , Ballas Zuhair , Link Brian K.
Published: September 2020

Objective

To examine the prevalence of hypogammaglobulinemia in chronic lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL) patients and to test the hypothesis that patients with hypogammaglobulinemia have a distinct clinical profile and outcome.

Methods

Immunoglobulin levels (IgA, IgG, IgM, IgE) were measured in newly diagnosed, treatment naïve banked samples of 150 patients with CLL followed prospectively for outcomes. Cox regression models were used to assess the effects of clinical variables on overall survival (OS).

Results

The median age of the selected CLL cohort was 64 years with a male predominance; 96.2% of the patients were white. Fifty‐nine deaths occurred during a median follow up of 6.8 years. Hypogammaglobulinemia in CLL was common in our cohort with 88 (58.7%, 95% CI: 50.4‐66.6%) patients having a measurable isotype deficiency. The most common Ig deficiency was IgM (44.0%). IgA deficiency or low IgE was associated with higher Rai stages as well as with higher white blood cell counts at presentation. Any immunoglobulin deficiency was not associated with overall survival.

Conclusion

A significant proportion of treatment‐naïve CLL patients had underlying Ig deficiencies – both in isolation and in isotype combinations. Although a deficiency of IgA or IgE was associated with more severe disease at presentation, the impact of this association was mild.
Iron deficiency anemia from iron malabsorption caused by proton pump inhibitors
Authors: Boxer Michael
Published: September 2020

Background

Iron deficiency anemia without evidence for blood loss can present a diagnostic challenge. Proton pump inhibitors have been associated with iron deficiency anemia for many years, yet the relationship between the two until recently was not fully understood. Treatment recommendations are lacking.

Methods and methods

This study evaluated 43 iron deficient patients who were taking proton pump inhibitors, 41 of whom were unresponsive to oral iron, and for whom no etiology for the iron deficiency could be found. Two patients who had hereditary hemochromatosis never were treated with oral iron.

Results

Forty‐three patients taking a proton pump inhibitor had elevated serum gastrin ≥100 pg/mL. Upon treatment with intravenous iron, 95% (41/43) responded with increased hemoglobin concentration ≥2 g/dL. Improvements were also achieved in the mean corpuscular volume, ferritin, and transferrin saturation.

Conclusions

These findings suggest that proton pump inhibitors have been an under‐recognized cause for iron deficiency anemia and need to be considered in patients who are taking a proton pump inhibitor. The iron deficiency does correct with intravenous iron replacement.
Reproductive aspirations, contraception use and dual protection among adolescent girls and young women: the effect of motherhood and HIV status
Authors: Toska Elona , Cluver Lucie , Laurenzi Christina A , Wittesaele Camille , Sherr Lorraine , Zhou Siyanai , Langwenya Nontokozo
Published: September 2020

Introduction

There is a growing interest in adolescent motherhood and HIV among policymakers and programme implementers. To better shape services and health outcomes, we need evidence on reproductive aspirations and contraception use in this high‐risk group, including the effect of motherhood and HIV status. We report data from a large survey of adolescent girls and young women conducted in a mixed rural‐urban district in South Africa.

Methods

Quantitative interviews were conducted with 1712 adolescent girls and young women (ages 10 to 24): 336 adolescent mothers living with HIV (AMLHIV), 454 nulliparous adolescent girls living with HIV (ALHIV), 744 HIV‐negative adolescent mothers (control adolescent mothers) and 178 HIV‐negative nulliparous adolescent girls (nulliparous controls) in 2018 to 2019. Standardized questionnaires included socio‐demographic measures, reproductive health and contraception experiences. Reproductive aspirations were measured as the number of children participants wanted to have. Dual protection was computed as use of both hormonal and barrier contraception or abstinence. Multivariate logistic regression and marginal effects models in STATA 15 were used to test associations between HIV status, adolescent motherhood and outcomes of reproductive aspirations, contraception use and dual protection, controlling for covariates.

Results and discussion

Nearly 95% of first pregnancies were unintended. Over two‐thirds of all participants wanted two or more children. Hormonal contraception, condom use and dual protection were low across all groups. In multivariate regression modelling, ALHIV were less likely to report hormonal contraception use (aOR 0.55 95% CI 0.43 to 0.70p ≤ 0.001). In marginal effects modelling, adolescent mothers – independent of HIV status – were least likely to report condom use at last sex. Despite higher probabilities of using hormonal contraception, rates of dual protection were low: 17.1% among control adolescent mothers and 12.4% among AMLHIV. Adolescent mothers had the highest probabilities of not using any contraceptive method: 29.0% among control mothers and 23.5% among AMLHIV.

Conclusions

Among adolescent girls and young women in HIV‐endemic communities, reproductive aspirations and contraceptive practices affect HIV risk and infection. Tailored adolescent‐responsive health services could help young women plan their pregnancies for when they are healthy and well‐supported, and help interrupt the cycle of HIV transmission by supporting them to practice dual protection.