bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Structures involved in the interaction of Porphyromonas gingivalis fimbriae and human lactoferrin
Authors: Sojar Hakimuddin T , Hamada Nobushiro , Genco Robert J
Published: July 2002

The ability of laboratory and clinical strains of Porphyromonas gingivalis to bind lactoferrin has been assessed (FEMS Immunology and Medical Microbiology, 1996, 14, 135–143). Relative binding for P. gingivalis to lactoferrin varies among strains from 3.78 to 26.62%. We also observed that fimbriated strains of P. gingivalis bind more strongly to lactoferrin as compared to nonfimbriated strains of P. gingivalis. This observation led us to study fimbrial interaction with human lactoferrin and the fine structure of these interactions. Binding of iodinated purified fimbriae was studied using an overlay assay. Iodinated fimbriae bind specifically and strongly to human lactoferrin. When various sugars were used to inhibit binding, only N‐acetylgalactosamine and fucose were inhibitory. To confirm further that oligosaccharide of lactoferrin is involved in the interaction, lactoferrin was chemically deglycosylated, and fimbriae failed to bind deglycosylated lactoferrin. Antifimbriae, as well as four antipeptide antibodies against different regions of the P. gingivalis fimbrillin, were used to inhibit the interaction. Antipeptide E, directed against amino acids 81–98 (AAGLIMTAEPKTIVLKAG‐C), was found to be the most effective inhibitor for the lactoferrin‐fimbriae interaction. These results suggest that the binding of P. gingivalis cells to lactoferrin is lectin like, directed to a oligosaccharide of lactoferrin. Furthermore, these studies suggest that the region of fimbriae that binds to lactoferrin is the N‐terminus of the molecule. It is likely that binding of lactoferrin to P. gingivalis cells results in antimicrobial activity directed against these cells by virtue of its ability to deprive the bacterial cell of needed iron.
Initiation of in vitro reverse transcription from tRNALys3 on HIV‐1 or HIV‐2 RNAs by both type 1 and 2 reverse transcriptases
Authors: Boulmé Florence , Freund Frédéric , Litvak Simon
Published: July 2002

HIV reverse transcription is initiated from a cellular tRNA partially associated with the retroviral genome. Here we studied homologous HIV‐2 cDNA synthesis using natural or synthetic primers. With natural tRNALys3, synthesis of early products comprising nucleotides +5 to +7 preceded the elongation step leading to synthesis of (−) strong‐stop cDNA. In the presence of a poly(A)·oligo(dT) trap, no full‐length product was observed while early products were still present, showing a transition between initiation and elongation. With DNA primers only an unspecific elongation was found. Our data show a similar mechanism of reverse transcription initiation by HIV‐1 and HIV‐2 reverse transcriptases. Furthermore, using a heterologous system we found that HIV‐1 RNA, in contrast to data reported in the literature, was an excellent template for HIV‐2 reverse transcriptase.
Binding of mannose‐6‐phosphate and heparin by boar seminal plasma PSP‐II, a member of the spermadhesin protein family
Authors: Solı́s Dolores , Romero Antonio , Jiménez Marta , Dı́az-Mauriño Teresa , Calvete Juan José
Published: July 2002

PSP‐I/PSP‐II, a heterodimer of glycosylated spermadhesins, is the major component of boar seminal plasma. Similarly to other spermadhesins, the PSP‐II subunit is a lectin which displays heparin‐ and zona pellucida glycoprotein‐binding activities. We have investigated the ligand binding capabilities of the heterodimer and the isolated subunits using several polysaccharides, glycoproteins, and phospholipids. PSP‐II binds the sulfated polysaccharides heparin and fucoidan in a dose‐dependent and seemingly‐specific manner. In addition, PSP‐II binds oligosaccharides containing exposed mannose‐6‐phosphate monoester groups and the binding is selectively inhibited by mannose‐6‐phosphate and glucose‐6‐phosphate. Inhibition experiments indicate that binding of PSP‐II to sulfated polysaccharides and mannose‐6‐phosphate‐containing oligosaccharides involves distinct but possibly overlapping binding sites. Heterodimer formation with PSP‐I abolishes both the heparin and the mannose‐6‐phosphate binding capabilities, suggesting that the corresponding sites may be located at the dimer interface. Using the crystal structure of PSP‐I/PSP‐II heterodimer as a template, we have explored possible binding sites which satisfy the observed binding characteristics. In the proposed models, PSP‐II Arg43 appears to play a pivotal role in both heparin‐ and mannose‐6‐phosphate‐complexation as well as in heterodimer formation.
Mammalian Bax triggers apoptotic changes in yeast
Authors: Ligr Martin , Madeo Frank , Fröhlich Eleonore , Hilt Wolfgang , Fröhlich Kai-Uwe , Wolf Dieter H
Published: July 2002

Apoptosis is co‐regulated by the conserved family of Bcl‐2‐related proteins, which includes both its agonists (Bax) and antagonists (Bcl‐XL). A mutant strain of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been shown to express all morphological signs of apoptosis. Overexpression of Bax is lethal in S. cerevisiae, whereas simultaneous overexpression of Bcl‐XL rescues the cells. We report that overexpression of mammalian Bax in a S. cerevisiae wild type strain triggers morphological changes similar to those of apoptotic metazoan cells: the loss of asymmetric distribution of plasma membrane phosphatidylserine, plasma membrane blebbing, chromatin condensation and margination, and DNA fragmentation. Simultaneous overexpression of Bcl‐XL prevents these changes. We demonstrate that Bax triggers phenotypic alterations in yeast strongly resembling those it causes in metazoan apoptotic cells.
Natural agonist enhancing bis‐His zinc‐site in transmembrane segment V of the tachykinin NK3 receptor
Authors: Rosenkilde Mette M , Lucibello Maria , Holst Birgitte , Schwartz Thue W
Published: July 2002

In the wild‐type tachykinin NK3A receptor histidyl residues are present at two positions in TM‐V, V:01 and V:05, at which Zn2+ functions as an antagonist in NK1 and κ‐opioid receptors with engineered metal‐ion sites. Surprisingly, in the NK3A receptor Zn2+ instead increased the binding of the agonist 125I‐[MePhe7]neurokinin B to 150%. [MePhe7]neurokinin B bound to the NK3A receptor in a two‐component mode of which Zn2+ eliminated the subnanomolar binding mode but induced a higher binding capacity of the nanomolar binding mode. Signal transduction was not induced by ZnCl2 but 10 μM ZnCl2 enhanced the effect of neurokinin B. Ala‐substitution of HisV:01 eliminated the enhancing effect of Zn2+ on peptide binding. It is concluded that physiological concentrations of Zn2+ have a positive modulatory effect on the binding and function of neurokinin B on the NK3A receptor through a bis‐His site in TM‐V.
μ1B, a novel adaptor medium chain expressed in polarized epithelial cells1
Authors: Ohno Hiroshi , Tomemori Takuya , Nakatsu Fubito , Okazaki Yasushi , Aguilar Ruben C. , Foelsch Heike , Mellman Ira , Saito Takashi , Shirasawa Takuji , Bonifacino Juan S.
Published: July 2002

The apical and basolateral plasma membrane domains of polarized epithelial cells contain distinct sets of integral membrane proteins. Biosynthetic targeting of proteins to the basolateral plasma membrane is mediated by cytosolic tail determinants, many of which resemble signals involved in the rapid endocytosis or lysosomal targeting. Since these signals are recognized by adaptor proteins, we hypothesized that there could be epithelial‐specific adaptors involved in polarized sorting. Here, we report the identification of a novel member of the adaptor medium chain family, named μ1B, which is closely related to the previously described μ1A (79% amino acid sequence identity). Northern blotting and in situ hybridization analyses reveal the specific expression of μ1B mRNA in a subset of polarized epithelial and exocrine cells. Yeast two‐hybrid analyses show that μ1B is capable of interacting with generic tyrosine‐based sorting signals. These observations suggest that μ1B may be involved in protein sorting events specific to polarized cells.
Effect of long‐term hormone replacement therapy on the bone in ovariectomized women with cancer
Authors: Kurabayashi T , Yahata T , Honda A , Tomita M , Yasuda M , Tanaka T
Published: July 2002

Objective: To evaluate longitudinally the effectiveness of long‐term hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in preserving the bone mineral density (BMD) over a 5‐year period in ovariectomized patients treated for gynecologic malignancies. Methods: A total of 70 pre‐menopausal women ovariectomized for gynecologic malignancies at our hospital were divided non‐randomly into two groups: HRT (+) group (n=59) and HRT (−) group (n=11). HRT was administered in a sequential regimen of 0.625–1.25 mg conjugated estrogen for 24 days and 5–10 mg medroxyprogesterone acetate for 10 days. Results: The BMD of the lumbar vertebrae decreased significantly in the HRT (−) group (pre‐operative BMD was 91.8%, 91.0% and 91.3% at 1, 2 and 3 years post‐ovariectomy), but no decrease in the BMD was observed in the HRT (+) group (pre‐operative BMD was 98.4%, 99.0%, 99.4%, 98.8% and 98.7% at 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 years post‐ovariectomy); the difference in BMD between the two groups was statistically significant (P<0.01). Serum alkaline phosphatase levels were significantly lower in the HRT (+) group than in the HRT (−) group (P<0.01). There were four recurrences of cancer in the HRT (+) group. Conclusion: HRT appeared to have beneficial effects on bone metabolism by maintaining BMD for 5 years in ovariectomized patients for gynecologic malignancies.
Enhancement of bone growth into porous intramedullary implants using non‐invasive low intensity ultrasound
Authors: Tanzer M. , Kantor S. , Bobyn J. D.
Published: July 2002

An in vivo study was designed to determine if non‐invasive low intensity ultrasound could enhance bone growth into porous intramedullary implants. Fully porous intramedullary rods were implanted bilaterally into the ulnae of six dogs. In each dog, one ulna served as a control and the other was treated with 20 min of daily ultrasound stimulation for 6 consecutive weeks. Analysis of serial transverse sections indicated an average of 119% more bone growth into the ultrasound‐treated implants compared with the contralateral controls (P < 0.001). In each of the 6 dogs, there was a significantly greater amount of bone ingrowth on the ultrasound‐stimulated side. These data indicate a clear potential for externally applied ultrasound therapy to augment biological fixation. © 2001 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Glial cell development in Drosophila
Authors: Klämbt C. , Hummel T. , Granderath S. , Schimmelpfeng K.
Published: July 2002

In the Drosophila central nervous system (CNS) about 10% of the cells are of glial nature. A set of molecular markers has allowed unraveling a number of genes controlling glial cell fate determination as well as genes required for glial cell differentiation. Here we focus on the embryonic CNS glia and review the recent progress in the field.
Transfection of neonatal rat cochlear cells in vitro with an adenovirus vector
Authors: Dazert S. , Battaglia A. , Ryan A.F.
Published: July 2002

A recombinant adenovirus vector containing a βI‐galactosidase reporter gene was used to transfect neonatal rat organ of Corti or spiral ganglion explants in vitro. Infection at appropriate titers (106−107 pfu/ml) transduced virtually all cells in the cultures after 72 hr. However, spiral ganglion neurons and cells in the inner hair cell regions of the organ of Corti showed the highest levels of expression. Viral titers that produced high levels of β‐galactosidase expression did not appear to damage the cultures, and did not inhibit neurite outgrowth from spiral ganglion cells. However, higher titers (108‐109pfu/ml) clearly diminished explant viability and inhibited neurite extension. The results demonstrate that cochlear cells can be transfected successfully with an adenovirus vector, at viral titers which do not induce obvious signs of cellular damage or dysfunction.
Kleptomania: characteristics of 12 cases
Authors: Wiedemann G
Published: July 2002

A review of the literature showed that there is no good systematic study of a series of rigorously diagnosed “kleptomaniac” persons, other than those referred by the courts for expert opinions. This applies in particular to German-speaking and other European countries. We therefore report here on the phenomenology, demographics, psychopathology, family histories, treatment histories, behaviour therapy oriented analyses, and treatment results of 12 individuals meeting Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM)-III-R criteria for kleptomania. All patients described an uncontrollable impulse to steal and a reduction in anxiety or tension during or after the act. All had at least one further psychiatric diagnosis. Although the kleptomaniac symptomatology did not seem to be part of these other disorders, the extent of stealing corresponded (positively or negatively) to other psychiatric symptoms such as depressive feelings, excessive urges to eat or migraine attacks. Microanalysis of the act of theft, as well as the preceding and following events (explored by applying behaviour therapy oriented analysis) showed intraindividually consistent, but inter-individually differing triggering factors. There was no evidence of correlation with obsessive-compulsive disorders, but some indications that kleptomania may be associated with affective disorders in terms of an “affective spectrum disorder”. According to a broader definition of “multi-impulsive-disorder” (analogous to Lacey and Evans or Fichter et al), one third of the patients might be diagnosed as “bi-impulsive disorder”. Eight of the 12 patients could be investigated at a mean follow-up time of 2 years after discharge showing favourable results. In conclusion, kleptomaniac behaviour seems to be multiconditionally caused and sustained.
Representation Deficit in a New Democracy: Theoretical Considerations and the Hungarian Case1
Authors: Ilonszki Gabriella
Published: July 2002

In harmony with recent literature the article combines different approaches to describe how representation has become more complex while also more ambiguous in the process of democratic transition. First, with respect to parliament, the author argues that still a public bias prevails towards “direct representation” in Hungary (i.e. people assume to realize personal or local interests with the help of their MPs). In line with this, MPs—however strongly they are tied to parties—seem to pay particular attention to constituency representation although they are reluctant to report on their connections with interest groups or other interest organizations. Second, regarding the party dimension, it is found that although the national party scene in Hungary has remained unchanged in the past seven years, enormous electoral uncertainties and representation deficit prevail in its background and electoral linkages are weak. Parties are not well organized externally as demonstrated by membership figures and by the number of local organizations; internally, the major intra-party events (like candidate selection or leadership election) only vaguely reveal the representative dimension. Finally, experiences in Hungary thus far prove that the responsible party model cannot be applied at all: party programmes do not include clear policies and even if so, the policies often change during the electoral cycle.
Findings on Coronary Angiographies in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis and Ischemic Heart Disease: Are They Different From Patients Without Rheumatoid Arthritis?
Authors: Holmqvist Marie , Mantel Ängla , Wållberg‐Jonsson Solveig , James Stefan , Jernberg Tomas , Askling Johan
Published: December 2020

Objective

Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are at increased risk of coronary artery disease (CAD) and seem to develop more severe acute coronary syndromes (ACS) than the general population. Because few studies have investigated the CAD distribution in the context of acute or stable CAD in RA, the objective was to investigate whether this risk is due to a different distribution and severity of coronary stenoses (versus non‐RA), resulting in clinical manifestation of CAD.

Methods

We performed a population‐based study using linkages of nationwide clinical, health, and demographics registers. We compared 1 cohort of patients with RA, and 1 matched cohort of patients without RA, undergoing a first coronary angiography from 2006 through 2015. Cardiovascular (CV) characteristics and the presence and distribution of clinically significant stenoses were compared (through odds ratios [ORs]), stratified by indication (stable CAD, ST‐elevation myocardial infarction [STEMI], and non–ST‐elevation ACS [NSTACS]), using logistic regression.

Results

We identified 2,985 patients with RA and 10,290 patients without RA who underwent a first coronary angiography. A higher proportion of patients with RA (75% versus 69%) had STEMI and NSTACS as indication for angiography. We found no difference in the presence and distribution of clinically significant coronary stenoses in RA compared with the patients without RA, regardless of the CAD type (for having any significant stenosis in stable CAD OR 0.9, STEMI OR 0.8, and NSTACS OR 1.1), stratification by RA duration, sex, or burden of concomitant CV risk factors.

Conclusion

Although RA may accelerate the development of clinical CAD events, the underlying angiographic characteristics are similar to those in patients without RA.
Stimuli Responsive Shape Memory Microarchitectures
Authors: Elliott Luizetta V. , Salzman Erika E. , Greer Julia R.
Published: December 2020

Shape memory polymers (SMPs) respond to heat by generating programmable movement in devices that require substantial deformation and operate at transient temperatures, including stents and embolization coils. To enable their use in small‐scale applications like retinal vasculature stenting, shape transformations must occur in SMPs with complex 3D geometries with nanoscale features. This work describes the synthesis and sculpting of a benzyl methacrylate‐based SMP into 3D structures with <800 nm characteristic critical dimensions via two photon lithography. Dynamic nanomechanical analysis of 8 µm‐diameter cylindrical pillars reveal the initiation of this SMP's glass transition at 60 °C. Shape memory programming of the characterized pillars as well as complex 3D architectures, including flowers with 500 nm thick petals and cubic lattices with 2.5 µm unit cells and overall dimensions of 4.5 µm × 4.5 µm × 10 µm, demonstrate an 86 +/− 4% characteristic shape recovery ratio. These results reveal a pathway toward SMP devices with nanoscale features and arbitrary 3D geometries changing shape in response to temperature.
Koolen‐de Vries syndrome: First report of two unrelated Indian patients
Authors: Saxena Deepti , Moirangthem Amita , Shambhavi Arya , Phadke Shubha R.
Published: December 2020

Koolen‐de Vries syndrome is a recurrent microdeletion syndrome caused due to deletion of around 400–600 kb region at 17q21.31. The deleted region contains various genes including KANSL1 and individuals with KANSL1 sequence variations and similar phenotypic manifestations have also been described. It is characterized by typical facial features, variable degree of intellectual disability, seizures, and behavioral problems. Here, we describe the phenotypic features of two patients and to the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report of Koolen‐de Vries syndrome from India.
Amine‐Mediated Domino Reaction of Thioisatins: Synthesis of Benzothiophene‐fused N‐Heterocycles under Catalyst‐Free Conditions
Authors: Deng Qingsong , Yu Aimin , Li Meitong , Meng Xiangtai
Published: December 2020

A novel three‐component domino reaction between thioisatins, α‐bromoketones, and amines was developed. The reaction with aliphatic amines produced a series of benzothiophene fused pyrrolidones in good yields. Moreover, employment of diamines gave benzothiophene fused polycyclic compounds. In addition, gram‐scale experiments and synthetic transformations on the resulting products were performed.
Emergency biventricular assist device implantation in a patient with suspected COVID‐19 disease
Authors: Nwaejike N. , Strang T. , Garcia M. , Charlesworth M. , Shaw S. M. , Barnard J. B.
Published: December 2020

Severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) is a multisystem inflammatory disorder and knowledge and experience with severe acute respiratory failure in infected patients has grown considerably since reports of the first few cases. Little is known about the effect of the severe acute respiratory syndrome‐coronavirus‐2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) virus on the heart, and it has been suggested that fulminant cardiac failure, with or without respiratory failure, may occur several weeks following infection. A young man presented after a recent viral illness. He was in severe cardiogenic shock and was implanted with an emergency biventricular assist device, which also incorporated an extracorporeal membrane oxygenator. He stabilised soon after and, despite an intracerebral haemorrhage which resolved and bleeding into the trachea following percutaneous tracheostomy, he survived to explant and was successfully stepped down to a rehabilitation unit on postoperative day 50. He tested positive for SARS‐CoV‐2 antibodies when the test became available on postoperative day 33. We envisage there will be many more such presentations of acute COVID‐19‐associated cardiogenic shock and we recommend clinicians consider this diagnosis when presented with an acutely unwell patient with an unclear diagnosis following a viral illness. These patients should be discussed as early as possible with a transplant/mechanical circulatory support team.
Emotion Dysregulation is Substantially Elevated in Autism Compared to the General Population: Impact on Psychiatric Services
Authors: Conner Caitlin M. , Golt Josh , Shaffer Rebecca , Righi Giulia , Siegel Matthew , Mazefsky Carla A.
Published: December 2020

Emerging evidence suggests that emotion regulation (ER) impairment in those with ASD is associated with poor mental health. This study used the Emotion Dysregulation Inventory, a new norm‐referenced ER measure with clinical cut‐offs, developed and validated in ASD and non‐ASD samples, to establish rates of ER impairment and understand its association with psychiatric service use in ASD. Parents of 6–17 year olds in three well‐characterized samples (nationally representative USn= 1,000; community ASDn= 1,169; inpatient ASDn= 567) completed a battery of questionnaires about their child. The prevalence of ER impairment was significantly higher in the ASD groups compared to the nationally representative sample and highest in the psychiatric Inpatient ASD group. The community ASD and inpatient ASD samples were four and seven times more likely, respectively, to exceed clinical cutoffs for emotional reactivity than the general US sample. Similarly, history of psychiatric hospitalization, recent emergency services use (police contact, emergency room visits, or in‐home crisis evaluations for emotional or behavioral concerns in the past 2 months), and psychotropic medication prescriptions were significantly higher in the ASD groups. ER impairment was significantly associated with all forms of psychiatric service use, after controlling for demographics (age, sex, race), co‐occurring intellectual disability, and ADHD symptoms. This is the first large‐scale study to document substantially higher rates of ER impairment in youth with ASD compared to the general population. The importance of ER impairment is underscored by its association with higher utilization of inpatient, emergency, and medication services in ASD, after accounting for demographics and ADHD‐related symptoms.

Lay Summary

This study compared problems with emotion regulation in large samples of youth with and without ASD. An ASD community sample had two to four times more youth with clinically elevated regulation impairments compared to youth without ASD. Emotion regulation impairment was also related to using psychiatric hospitalizations, emergency services, and medications in the ASD group. This study suggests that screening for emotion regulation difficulties in ASD is important and treatment may have a wide ranging impact.
Self‐administered biofeedback treatment app for pediatric migraine: A randomized pilot study
Authors: Stubberud Anker , Linde Mattias , Brenner Eiliv , Heier Martin , Olsen Alexander , Aamodt Anne Hege , Gravdahl Gøril B. , Tronvik Erling
Published: December 2020

Objective

To investigate the effect size, safety, and tolerability of a therapist‐independent biofeedback treatment app among adolescent with migraine.

Materials and Methods

This was a prospective, 3:1 ratio randomized, sham‐controlled, double‐blind, pilot study with 16 adolescents diagnosed with migraine randomized to eight weeks of biofeedback treatment (n = 12) or sham biofeedback (n = 4), carried out at two university hospitals in Norway. The prespecified and primary objective of the study was to observe changes in outcomes within the active treatment group. The sham control group was included in a minor ratio primarily to evaluate its feasibility. The primary outcome was change in headache frequency. A modified intention to treat analysis was performed, including participants completing at least seven biofeedback sessions in weeks 1–4 (n = 12 vs. n = 4) and weeks 5–8 (n = 7 vs. n = 2).

Results

Adherence was poor with 40% (136/336) of planned biofeedback sessions completed during weeks 5–8. Within the biofeedback group, a not statistically significant reduction in headache frequency was observed at weeks 1–4 (2.92 days/month, 95% CI −1.00 to 6.84, p = .145) and weeks 5–8 (1.85 days/month, 95% CI −2.01 to 5.72, p = .395). The biofeedback group experienced a median of one fewer headache days/month versus sham that did not reach significance (95% CI −4.0 to 9.0, p = .760).

Conclusions

We observed a small reduction in headache frequency in the active treatment group. Findings were likely undermined by low adherence and underpowered analyses but indicate that a therapist‐independent biofeedback treatment app has the potential to be an effective, tolerable, and inexpensive treatment option.
Anti‐Inflammatory, Antioxidant and Enzyme Inhibition Activities in Correlation with Mycochemical Profile of Selected Indigenous Ganoderma spp. from Balkan Region (Serbia)
Authors: Rašeta Milena , Popović Mira , Beara Ivana , Šibul Filip , Zengin Gokhan , Krstić Sanja , Karaman Maja
Published: December 2020

The aim of this research work was to study the bioactivity potentials (antioxidant, anti‐inflammatory, and enzyme inhibitory) of ethanol (EtOH), water (H2O) and chloroform (CHCl3) extracts of G. applanatum, G. lucidum, G. pfeifferi and G. resinaceum as well as their mycochemical profile: the total content of phenolics (TP) and sugars (TS) and LC/MS/MS detection of phenolics.

LC/MS/MS profile showed that p‐hydroxybenzoic and protocatechuic acids were mostly found. The highest ABTS and DPPH activities were detected in polar G. applanatum extracts (159.84±0.59 mg TE/g d.w., IC50=0.85±0.30 μg/mL, respectively), while G. resinaceum CHCl3 extract was the most potent in NO assay (IC50=41.21±0.18−81.89±0.81 μg/mL). The highest TP and TS were generally determined in G. applanatum EtOH extracts. Enzyme inhibitory effects were determined in H2O extracts. Generally, CHCl3 extracts showed the most powerful anti‐inflammatory potential.

These results suggest that analyzed species are a promising source of bioactive compounds and may be considered as candidates for new food supplements or drug formulations.
Experimental methods in chemical engineering: Barrier properties
Authors: Roso Martina , Cerclé Claire , Patience Gregory S. , Ajji Abdellah
Published: December 2020

Up to half of food spoils or goes to waste; packaging is one element that can extend shelf life and reduce the landfill burden. However, plastic packaging contributes to landfills and microparticles in the environment and, as a consequence, society has mandated industry and academics to identify sustainable materials to replace petroleum derived plastics. Oxygen, water, and CO2 permeability are among the physico‐chemical properties we measure to identify the suitability of new polymer formulations. Other application of gas permeability include petroleum engineering, carbon capture, water purification, and biological systems. Here we concentrate on the basic concepts of gas transport through polymeric film as well as the effect of structural and environmental parameters. We then describe common instrumentation and data they produce with a specific focus on reference standards. To identify the major research areas, we compiled 4271 articles indexed by Web of Science since 2017 with film and polymer as keywords. The VOSViewer software tool classified the 100 most frequent keywords from these articles into six clusters: nanofilteration, thin film composites, and reverse osmosis; nanocomposites, morphology, and polyvinyl alcohol; mechanical, barrier, and physicochemical properties; permeability, membranes, and transport properties; chitosan and antimicrobial and antioxidant properties; and, films, nanoparticles, and drug delivery. Barrier property research will continue to focus on developing biobased polymers and analyzers capable of measuring multiple compounds simultaneously with dozens of samples while minimizing time.
Photocatalytic Carbon Dioxide Reduction Using Nickel Complexes as Catalysts
Authors: Kojima Takahiko
Published: December 2020

Nickel complexes have been investigated as catalysts in visible‐light‐driven photocatalytic CO2 reduction for a long time. In this minireview, discrete molecular Ni catalysts are described to shed light on the utility in the reaction in relevance to metalloenzymes for CO2 fixation. In contrast to the cases of Ru catalysts, Ni catalysts for the CO2 reduction should be of importance due to high selectivity in CO formation.
Annual bluegrass weevil, paclobutrazol, and overseeding for annual bluegrass control in cool‐season turfgrass
Authors: Diehl Katherine H. , Elmore Matthew T. , Koppenhöfer Albrecht M. , Murphy James A. , Kostromytska Olga S.
Published: December 2020

The annual bluegrass weevil (ABW; Listronotus maculicollis Kirby) host preference for annual bluegrass (Poa annua L.) is well documented, but ABW efficacy for annual bluegrass control in mixed turfgrass stands has not been researched. This study evaluated threshold‐based insecticide ABW control for annual bluegrass control in mixed‐species golf course fairway turfgrass. To investigate integrated pest management programs for annual bluegrass control in fairways, the effects of creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera L.) overseeding, three insecticide programs (preventative, threshold‐based, and no insecticide), and the plant growth regulator paclobutrazol (280 g ha–1, applied monthly) were evaluated for annual bluegrass control in field experiments conducted over 2 yr on golf fairways in North Brunswick and Bloomfield, NJ. Treatments were replicated four times and arranged in a split‐split‐plot randomized block design. Overseeding (whole‐plot factor) did not affect annual bluegrass cover at either location. Paclobutrazol (split‐plot factor) reduced annual bluegrass cover each year at both locations. At the North Brunswick site, paclobutrazol resulted in 0% annual bluegrass cover, compared with 37% in the nontreated control at the conclusion of the 2‐yr experiment. Insecticide program (split‐split‐plot factor) only affected annual bluegrass cover at the North Brunswick site. In the absence of paclobutrazol, the no insecticide program had lower annual bluegrass cover (23%) than the threshold (37%) and preventative (44%) programs at the conclusion of the experiment. These findings show that monthly paclobutrazol applications during the growing season can reduce or eliminate annual bluegrass after 2 yr. This is the first study to show that omitting ABW insecticidal control can also reduce annual bluegrass, although efficacy was site specific.
Analytical performance of a 25‐marker spectral cytometry immune monitoring assay in peripheral blood
Authors: Jensen Holly A. , Wnek Richard
Published: December 2020

Herein, we describe the development and analytical performance characteristics of a spectral flow cytometry assay for longitudinal immune monitoring biomarker applications in human whole blood and/or peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). This 25 immune biomarker panel and robust gating strategy, developed in normal healthy volunteers, resolves memory, polarization, and activation markers on T, B, and NK cells as well as myeloid subpopulations including monocytes, dendritic cells, neutrophils, basophils, and myeloid‐derived suppressor cells (MDSCs). Three associated fluorescence‐minus‐multiple (FMM) designs are proposed as gating controls. To our knowledge, this is the first report to investigate intra‐run precision, post collection whole blood stability, and the impact of PBMC processing in the context of spectral cytometry. We achieved high intra‐run sample precision (<20% CV) for >95% of all gated immune cell populations analyzed across biospecimen types. Additionally, we explored the application of FlowSOM analysis and resulting impact on assay precision metrics. We observed biomarker stability in blood out to 24 h (86%), 48 h (83%), and 72 h (76%) while highlighting select markers (i.e., CXCR3) and rare cell subsets (i.e., naïve Tregs, plasmacytoid DCs, MDSCs) affected by storage and/or PBMC manipulation. Interrogation of sample type is imperative to coherent application of immune monitoring assays. Overall based on analytical performance, this 25‐biomarker spectral cytometry assay is sufficiently robust for implementation in translational research settings.
New Reduced‐Order Lithium‐Ion Battery Model to Account for the Local Fluctuations in the Porous Electrodes
Authors: Traskunov Igor , Latz Arnulf
Published: December 2020

Numerical simulations of microscopic transport processes in porous electrodes of lithium‐ion batteries demonstrate the presence of spatially localized fluctuations of physical quantities on the microstructure scale. They can influence the macroscopic battery characteristics (for example, the degradation rates). These fluctuations cannot be captured in a straightforward manner by the widely used porous electrode theory by Doyle, Fuller, and Newman (DFN model). The latter treats the porous electrodes as macroscopically homogeneous composite materials; it reduces the computational costs of numerical simulations. Herein, a modification of the DFN model that incorporates the local fluctuations but preserves the computational efficiency is proposed. Numerical simulation examples are presented that test the accuracy of the reproduction of the local fluctuations. The main new feature lies in the mathematical representation of the slow transport processes in the active material and their influence on the macroscopic reaction rates. The model is rooted in the rigorous mathematical analysis of the transition from a microscopic, microstructure‐resolving transport and reaction description to a macroscopic, volume averaging‐based one. The model construction methodology is open for further modifications for the applications in which some of the assumptions should be dropped, or description of new processes, reactions, phases, etc. should be incorporated.
Ground motion selection based on a multi‐intensity‐measure conditioning approach with emphasis on diverse earthquake contents
Authors: Ghotbi Abdoul R. , Taciroglu Ertugrul
Published: December 2020

One of the main tasks in performance‐based seismic risk assessment and design of structures is the quantification of uncertainty due to earthquake ground motion (GM) records. Therefore, there is an optimal suite of GMs for each structure, selection of which can be an elusive task complicated by—among other things—the fact that structural behavior migrates into load‐path‐dependent inelastic regimes as damage begins to accumulate. To facilitate the selection of an optimal GM suite, the GM selection based on a generalized conditional single‐intensity‐measure approach will be enhanced herein to allow users to select GMs based on two and average of more‐than‐two conditioning intensity measures. To formulate this task, an intensity measure vector consisting of several intensity measures will be populated to represent earthquake's amplitude‐, duration‐based, and cumulative characteristics. The idea of two and average conditioning intensity measures will then be formulated by considering the correlation between the intensity measures in the vector with two and average of more‐than‐two intensity measures, simultaneously. The cross‐correlation between the intensity measures in the vector will also be considered to ultimately form a conditional multivariate distribution from which one could draw any number of realization samples to find matching earthquake records so that the hazard consistency concept can be fully enforced.
Treatment tolerability and outcomes in elderly patients with head and neck cancer
Authors: Dickstein Daniel R. , Egerman Marc , Monrose Erica , Varma Achintya , Ozbek Umut , Sharma Sonam , Liu Jerry T. , Gupta Vishal , Posner Marshall R. , Misiukiewicz Krzysztof , Miles Brett A. , Genden Eric , Bakst Richard L.
Published: December 2020

Purpose

The number of elderly patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) continues to grow. Management of this cohort remains poorly defined. We investigated treatment tolerability and clinical outcomes in this underrepresented population.

Methods

We identified patients aged ≥70 with nonrecurrent, nonmetastatic HNSCC treated curatively from 2007‐2018 and analyzed clinical covariates.

Results

Two hundred and twenty patients with a median age of 75 (interquartile range:72‐80) were identified. Age and comorbidities were not correlated with toxicity (P ≥ .05). Patients who experienced a treatment interruption had significantly greater weight loss (P = .042) and worse overall survival (OS) (P < .001), but not worse disease‐specific survival (P = .45), or locoregional control (P = .21).

Conclusions

Treatment interruptions were associated with weight loss and worse OS, but not disease related outcomes, suggesting an interruption in the elderly may be a surrogate for another issue. In sum, our data should guide clinical trial design to benefit this growing, neglected cohort.
Satellite‐based regional‐scale evapotranspiration estimation mapping of the rice bowl of Tamil Nadu: A little water to spare*
Authors: Hari Manoj , Tyagi Bhishma , Huddar Mohammad Sanaulla K. , Harish A.
Published: December 2020

Improved regular and rapid monitoring techniques are needed to quantify evapotranspiration (ET) precisely on agricultural fields to enhance the efficient usage of water resources and protect water quality and the environment. This study proposes estimating and mapping ET using a vegetation index coupled with a crop coefficient estimation method over the famous rice bowl region of Tamil Nadu, India. The study utilized a very high‐resolution satellite—Sentinel—of resolution 10 m. The study is based on a crop coefficient—Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI)—based ET estimation, which is one of the most adaptable practical approaches in quantifying crop water usage in multiple phases of crop growth on a regional scale. The results have been further calibrated using the surface energy‐based Mapping Evapotranspiration at High Resolution with Internalized Calibration (METRIC) model to assess estimation correctness. The estimations analysed for the 2016–2019 kharif cropping season show good overall correlation with the coefficient of determination (R2) of ≥0.72, with mean bias error (MBE) of ≤0.0009 mm day−1 and root mean square error (RMSE) of ≤0.67 mm day−1, indicating a positive assessment of ET for the delta region of Tamil Nadu for reaching vindicable intendance of crop water in this region.
A comparative analysis of different biofluids using Raman spectroscopy to determine disease activity in ANCA‐associated vasculitis
Authors: Morris Adam D. , Morais Camilo L. M. , Lima Kássio M. G. , Freitas Daniel L. D. , Brady Mark E. , Dhaygude Ajay P. , Rowbottom Anthony W. , Martin Francis L.
Published: December 2020

Identifying persistent or relapsing disease in anti‐neutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibody‐ associated vasculitis (AAV) remains a clinical challenge with an unmet need for a reliable biomarker of multisystem disease. In this study, we confirm for the first time that Raman spectroscopy offers a novel cost‐effective candidate biomarker to discriminate active disease from remission in AAV with excellent accuracy. Spectrochemical interrogation of plasma and serum samples demonstrated equal ability to discriminate disease activity with good group separation on PC1 direction and a high degree of accuracy on validation testing using blind predictive modelling: F‐score 80% for plasma (specificity 93.3%, sensitivity 70%, AUC 0.95) and 80% for serum (specificity 80%, sensitivity 80%, AUC 0.92). Similar findings were seen on analysis of paired remission samples following successful remission‐induction therapy. A larger study with longitudinal data is required to validate these findings with the potential to aid patient care.
Biomarkers for prediction of skeletal disease progression in mucopolysaccharidosis type I
Authors: Lund Troy C. , Doherty Terence M. , Eisengart Julie B. , Freese Rebecca L. , Rudser Kyle D. , Fung Ellen B. , Miller Bradley S. , White Klane K. , Orchard Paul J. , Whitley Chester B. , Polgreen Lynda E.
Published: December 2020

Background

Orthopedic disease progresses in mucopolysaccharidosis type I (MPS I), even with approved therapies and remains a major factor in persistent suffering and disability. Novel therapies and accurate predictors of response are needed. The primary objective of this study was to identify surrogate biomarkers of future change in orthopedic disease.

Methods

As part of a 9‐year observational study of MPS I, range‐of‐motion (ROM), height, pelvic radiographs were measured annually. Biomarkers in year 1 were compared to healthy controls. Linear regression tested for associations of change in biomarkers over the first year with change in long‐term outcomes.

Results

MPS I participants (N = 19) were age 5 to 16 years and on average 6.9 ± 2.9 years post treatment initiation. Healthy controls (N = 51) were age 9 to 17 years. Plasma IL‐1β, TNF‐α, osteocalcin, pyridinolines, and deoxypyridinolines were higher in MPS than controls. Within MPS, progression of hip dysplasia was present in 46% to 77%. A 1 pg/mL increase in IL‐6 was associated with −22°/year change in ROM (−28 to −15; P < .001), a 20 nmol/mmol creatinine/year increase in urine PYD was associated with a −0.024 Z‐score/year change in height Z‐score (−0.043 to −0.005; P = .016), and a 20 nmol/mmol creatinine/year increase in urine PYD was associated with a −2.0%/year change in hip dysplasia measured by Reimers migration index (−3.8 to −0.1; P = .037).

Conclusions

Inflammatory cytokines are high in MPS I. IL‐6 and PYD were associated with progression in joint contracture, short stature, and hip dysplasia over time. Once validated, these biomarkers may prove useful for predicting response to treatment of skeletal disease in MPS I.
Security‐aware authorization and verification based data aggregation model for wireless sensor networks
Authors: Nels S. Ninisha , Singh J. Amar Pratap
Published: December 2020

In Wireless Sensor Network (WSN), the sensor nodes aggregate the environment and transmit the aggregated data to the Cluster Head (CH) or aggregator. Even though various data aggregation model is introduced, the resource‐constrained issues in WSN are complex to solve in the research community. Therefore, the authorization and verification‐based data aggregation model is proposed in this research to perform the secure data transmission. The proposed network model contains three functioning blocks, such as sensor nodes, aggregators, and data centers, respectively. The proposed data aggregation model involves five different phases, setup and key generation phase, signing, verification, authorization, and data aggregation phase. The sensor node creates the ID and private key to perform the data communication between the Cluster Head and data center. The data center generates the control message and transfers the message to CH and the sensor node. Finally, the data aggregation is carried out using the trimodel Least Mean Square (LMS) filter to achieve the data aggregation in WSN. Moreover, the proposed authorization and verification‐based data aggregation model obtained a lower prediction error of 0.0526 and consumed higher energy of 0.5567 J with the computational and the communication cost as 0.008 second, and 0.0139 second, respectively.
Optimization of Mechanical Indices for ClinicalContrast‐EnhancedUltrasound
Authors: Piskunowicz Maciej , Sridharan Anush , Poznick Laura , Silvestro Elizabeth , Hwang Misun
Published: December 2020

The quality of contrast‐enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) imaging performed with high‐frequency convex and linear transducers is often suboptimal. A common solution to improving the microbubble signal is by increasing the volume of the ultrasound contrast agent being administered. An alternative technique to improve the signal from the contrast agent is to adjust the mechanical index (MI). This study aimed to compare the manufacturer's default MI to an optimal MI (as determined by the best contrast‐to‐tissue ratio) for improving the CEUS image quality using linear and convex transducers. This study found that in most cases, the default CEUS MI setting by the manufacturer is often suboptimal, and increasing the MI is necessary to improve the contrast‐to‐tissue ratio and image quality. The MI can be modified by the clinician during the study to improve the quality of the clinical CEUS examination.
Run‐off and sediment storage: The effectiveness of mitigation measures against soil erosion and freshwater pollution
Authors: Boardman John , Foster Ian David Leigh
Published: December 2020

Measures such as detention structures and buffer strips are widely used to limit off‐site damage of run‐off from eroding fields. The effectiveness of such measures varies greatly. However, ‘effectiveness’ is often narrowly defined and ignores the unintended consequences of damage to freshwater systems by sediments and other pollutants. Detention structures and buffer strips retain coarse sediment (>~100 μm diameter) but are less effective at retaining fine sediment.