bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
EIGHTEENTH-CENTURY ORATORIO REFORM IN PRACTICE: APOSTOLO ZENO REVISES A FLORENTINE LIBRETTO
Authors: VAN DER LINDEN HUUB
Published: February 2019

Although the circulation and revision of Italian opera librettos is a well-known aspect of musical life in eighteenth-century Europe, the practice has hardly been touched upon with regard to the Italian oratorio of the same period. Librettist Apostolo Zeno (1668–1750) worked in and theorized about both genres, yet his involvement with the oratorio has been little studied. This article addresses three editions of an oratorio libretto by Domenico Canavese. Following versions for Florence (1712) and Pistoia (1714), a third appeared in 1726 in conjunction with a Lenten performance at the Imperial Court Chapel in Vienna. An annotated copy of the 1712 edition from Zeno's library shows that he revised the text for the Viennese performance. His textual changes – some small, some radical – reveal practical, stylistic and dramaturgical concerns. A comparison of the annotated copy with the printed libretto for the 1726 performance and the principal musical source for the new setting by Giuseppe Porsile shows that Zeno's revisions were scrupulously followed.
Diet and the comparison of living standards across the Great Divergence: Japanese food history in an English mirror
Authors: Francks Penelope
Published: February 2019

The assessment of relative living standards, dominated by food, has been central to analysis of the timing and causes of the Great Divergence. Comparative quantitative measures of real incomes and food availability have generated the conclusion that living standards on the western side of Eurasia, in particular in England, were already higher than those observable on the eastern side by the seventeenth century, with the divergence widening thereafter. However, in the English case, research based on evidence as to what people actually ate suggests that the path of dietary change was by no means a straightforward matter of rising calorie consumption. When viewed in the light of this, evidence derived from the work of food historians of Japan can similarly be used to reveal a more complex pattern of dietary development than can be encompassed in quantitative estimates, even if along the lines of a very different diet and cuisine. This needs to be taken into account when living standards are compared across the divergence.
Improving Satellite Global Chlorophyll a Data Products Through Algorithm Refinement and Data Recovery
Authors: Hu Chuanmin , Feng Lian , Lee Zhongping , Franz Bryan A. , Bailey Sean W. , Werdell P. Jeremy , Proctor Christopher W.
Published: February 2019

A recently developed algorithm to estimate surface ocean chlorophyll a concentrations (Chl in mg m−3), namely, the ocean color index (OCI) algorithm, has been adopted by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration to apply to all satellite ocean color sensors to produce global Chl maps. The algorithm is a hybrid between a band‐difference color index algorithm for low‐Chl waters and the traditional band‐ratio algorithms (OCx) for higher‐Chl waters. In this study, the OCI algorithm is revisited for its algorithm coefficients and for its algorithm transition between color index and OCx using a merged data set of high‐performance liquid chromatography and fluorometric Chl. Results suggest that the new OCI algorithm (OCI2) leads to lower Chl estimates than the original OCI (OCI1) for Chl < 0.05 mg m−3, but smoother algorithm transition for Chl between 0.25 and 0.40 mg m−3. Evaluation using in situ data suggests that similar to OCI1, OCI2 has significantly improved image quality and cross‐sensor consistency between SeaWiFS, MODISA, and VIIRS over the OCx algorithms for oligotrophic oceans. Mean cross‐sensor difference in monthly Chl data products over global oligotrophic oceans reduced from ~10% for OCx to 1–2% for OCI2. More importantly, data statistics suggest that the current straylight masking scheme used to generate global Chl maps can be relaxed from 7 × 5 to 3 × 3 pixels without losing data quality in either Chl or spectral remote sensing reflectance (Rrs(λ), sr−1) for not just oligotrophic oceans but also more productive waters. Such a relaxed masking scheme yields an average relative increase of 39% in data quantity for global oceans, thus making it possible to reduce data product uncertainties and fill data gaps.
Psychobiological factors of resilience and depression in late life
Authors: Laird Kelsey T. , Krause Beatrix , Funes Cynthia , Lavretsky Helen
Published: February 2019

In contrast to traditional perspectives of resilience as a stable, trait-like characteristic, resilience is now recognized as a multidimentional, dynamic capacity influenced by life-long interactions between internal and environmental resources. We review psychosocial and neurobiological factors associated with resilience to late-life depression (LLD). Recent research has identified both psychosocial characteristics associated with elevated LLD risk (e.g., insecure attachment, neuroticism) and psychosocial processes that may be useful intervention targets (e.g., self-efficacy, sense of purpose, coping behaviors, social support). Psychobiological factors include a variety of endocrine, genetic, inflammatory, metabolic, neural, and cardiovascular processes that bidirectionally interact to affect risk for LLD onset and course of illness. Several resilience-enhancing intervention modalities show promise for the prevention and treatment of LLD, including cognitive/psychological or mind–body (positive psychology; psychotherapy; heart rate variability biofeedback; meditation), movement-based (aerobic exercise; yoga; tai chi), and biological approaches (pharmacotherapy, electroconvulsive therapy). Additional research is needed to further elucidate psychosocial and biological factors that affect risk and course of LLD. In addition, research to identify psychobiological factors predicting differential treatment response to various interventions will be essential to the development of more individualized and effective approaches to the prevention and treatment of LLD.
A novel PHEX mutation associated with vitamin D-resistant rickets
Authors: Sako Saori , Niida Yo , Shima Kosuke Robert , Takeshita Yumie , Ishii Kiyo-aki , Takamura Toshinari
Published: February 2019

X-linked hypophosphatemic rickets (XLH) is the most common form of hereditary rickets. Here, we present a case of XLH associated with a novel mutation in a phosphate-regulating gene with homologies to endopeptidases on the X chromosome (PHEX). PCR-direct sequencing revealed a novel PHEX mutation in exon 22, NM_000444.6(PHEX):c.2202del [p.Asn736Ilefs*4], near the 3′-UTR region encoding the COOH-terminal extracellular domain. In silico analysis indicated that a single mutation in N736 may have caused a significant change in higher-order protein structure and function.
Author Correction: Precise control of SCRaMbLE in synthetic haploid and diploid yeast
Authors: Jia Bin , Wu Yi , Li Bing-Zhi , Mitchell Leslie A. , Liu Hong , Pan Shuo , Wang Juan , Zhang Hao-Ran , Jia Nan , Li Bo , Shen Michael , Xie Ze-Xiong , Liu Duo , Cao Ying-Xiu , Li Xia , Zhou Xiao , Qi Hao , Boeke Jef D. , Yuan Ying-Jin
Published: February 2019

The original version of this Article omitted a declaration from the Competing Interests statement, which should have included the following: ‘J.D.B. is a founder and Director of the following: Neochromosome, Inc., the Center of Excellence for Engineering Biology, and CDI Labs, Inc. and serves on the Scientific Advisory Board of the following: Modern Meadow, Inc., Recombinetics, Inc., and Sample6, Inc.’. This has now been corrected in both the PDF and HTML versions of the Article.
Bose–Einstein condensation of photons in an erbium–ytterbium co-doped fiber cavity
Authors: Weill Rafi , Bekker Alexander , Levit Boris , Fischer Baruch
Published: February 2019

Bose–Einstein condensation (BEC) is a special many-boson phenomenon that was observed in atomic particles at ultra-low temperatures. Later, BEC was also shown for non-atomic bosons, such as photons. Those experiments were usually done in micron-size cavities, where the power (particle number) was varied, and not the temperature, until condensation was reached. Here we demonstrate BEC of photons in a few-meters-long one-dimensional (1D) erbium–ytterbium co-doped fiber cavity at, below and above room temperature, between 100 K and 415 K. The experiments were done at about the 1550 nm wavelength regime having a few to tens of μW intra-cavity light power (107−108 photons). By varying the power and also the temperature, we found linear dependence of the condensation on power for various temperatures and of the critical power (for condensation) on temperature. These findings agree, functionally and quantitatively, with the theoretical BEC prediction without any adjustable parameter.
A Pólya urn approach to information filtering in complex networks
Authors: Marcaccioli Riccardo , Livan Giacomo
Published: February 2019

The increasing availability of data demands for techniques to filter information in large complex networks of interactions. A number of approaches have been proposed to extract network backbones by assessing the statistical significance of links against null hypotheses of random interaction. Yet, it is well known that the growth of most real-world networks is non-random, as past interactions between nodes typically increase the likelihood of further interaction. Here, we propose a filtering methodology inspired by the Pólya urn, a combinatorial model driven by a self-reinforcement mechanism, which relies on a family of null hypotheses that can be calibrated to assess which links are statistically significant with respect to a given network’s own heterogeneity. We provide a full characterization of the filter, and show that it selects links based on a non-trivial interplay between their local importance and the importance of the nodes they belong to.
Photoredox-catalyzed branch-selective pyridylation of alkenes for the expedient synthesis of Triprolidine
Authors: Zhu Shengqing , Qin Jian , Wang Fang , Li Huan , Chu Lingling
Published: February 2019

Alkenylpyridines are important pharmaceutical cores as well as versatile building blocks in organic synthesis. Heck reaction represents one of the most powerful platform for the construction of aryl-substituted alkenes, nevertheless, examples for Heck type coupling of alkenes with pyridines, particularly with branched selectivity, remain elusive. Here we report a catalytic, branch-selective pyridylation of alkenes via a sulfinate assisted photoredox catalysis. This reaction proceeds through a sequential radical addition/coupling/elimination, by utilizing readily available sodium sulfinates as reusable radical precursors as well as traceless elimination groups. This versatile protocol allows for the installation of important vinylpyridines with complete branched selectivity under mild conditions. Furthermore, this catalytic manifold is successfully applied to the expedient synthesis of Triprolidine.
Molecular yield of targeted sequencing for Glanzmann thrombasthenia patients
Authors: Owaidah Tarek , Saleh Mahasen , Baz Batoul , Abdulaziz Basma , Alzahrani Hazza , Tarawah Ahmed , Almusa Abdulrahman , AlNounou Randa , AbaAlkhail Hala , Al-Numair Nouf , Altahan Rahaf , Abouelhoda Mohammed , Alamoudi Thamer , Monies Dorota , Jabaan Amjad , Al Tassan Nada
Published: February 2019

Glanzmann thrombasthenia (GT) is a rare autosomal recessive bleeding disorder. Around 490 mutations in ITGA2B and ITGB3 genes were reported. We aimed to use targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS) to identify variants in patients with GT. We screened 72 individuals (including unaffected family members) using a panel of 393 genes (SHGP heme panel). Validation was done by Sanger sequencing and pathogenicity was predicted using multiple tools. In 83.5% of our cohort, 17 mutations were identified in ITGA2B and ITGB3 (including 6 that were not previously reported). In addition to variants in the two known genes, we found variants in ITGA2, VWF and F8. The SHGP heme panel can be used as a high-throughput molecular diagnostic assay to screen for mutations and variants in GT cases and carriers. Our findings expand the molecular landscape of GT and emphasize the robustness and usefulness of this panel.
Genomic Portrait of Guangdong Liannan Yao Population Based on 15 Autosomal STRs and 19 Y-STRs
Authors: Liao Yaoqi , Chen Ling , Huang Runze , Wu Weibin , Liu Dayu , Sun Huilin
Published: February 2019

Here we studied the genetic polymorphism and evolutionary differentiation of the Guangdong Liannan Yao population based on 15 autosomal STR loci and 19 Y chromosomal STR loci. The blood card DNA of 302 unrelated individuals from the Yao Autonomous County of Liannan was directly amplified using an Expressmarker 16 + 19Y kit and genotyped using a 3500XL Genetic Analyzer. For the autosomal STR loci, the CPD value was over 0.999 999 999 999, while the CPE value was over 0.9999. The population comparison revealed a closer relationship between the Liannan Yao population and the She ethnic population than other reported Chinese populations. For the Y-STRs, a total of 102 unique haplotypes were obtained, 87 of which were observed only once. Both RST pairwise analysis and a multidimensional scaling plot showed that the Liannan Yao population is closely related to the Fujian She ethnic population and is significantly different from other Chinese ethnic populations. The results show that the 15 autosomal STR and 19 Y-STR loci are valuable for forensic applications and human genetic studies in the Liannan Yao population.
Ultrasound-assisted extraction optimization and validation of an HPLC-DAD method for the quantification of polyphenols in leaf extracts of Cecropia species
Authors: Rivera-Mondragón Andrés , Broeckx Géraldine , Bijttebier Sebastiaan , Naessens Tania , Fransen Erik , Kiekens Filip , Caballero-George Catherina , Vander Heyden Yvan , Apers Sandra , Pieters Luc , Foubert Kenn
Published: February 2019

Cecropiaspecies are traditionally used in Latin American folk medicine and are available as food supplements with little information warranting their quality. The optimum conditions for the extraction of chlorogenic acid (CA), total flavonoids (TF) and flavonolignans (FL) from leaves ofCecropiaspecies were determined using a fractional factorial design (FFD) and a central composite design (CCD). A reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic method coupled to a diode array detector (HPLC-DAD) was validated for the quantification of CA, TF and FL, following the ICH guidelines. Quantitative and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was also performed. The extraction-optimization methodology enabled us developing an appropriate extraction process with a time-efficient execution of experiments. The experimental values agreed with those predicted, thus indicating suitability of the proposed model. The validation parameters for all chemical markers of the quantification method were satisfactory. The results revealed that the method had excellent selectivity, linearity, precision (repeatability and intermediate precision were below than 2 and 5%, respectively) and accuracy (98–102%). The limits of detection and quantification were at nanogram per milliliter (ng/mL) level. In conclusion, the simultaneous quantification of chemical markers using the proposed method is an appropriate approach for species discrimination and quality evaluation ofCecropiasp.
Numerical Simulations of Realistic Lead Trajectories and an Experimental Verification Support the Efficacy of Parallel Radiofrequency Transmission to Reduce Heating of Deep Brain Stimulation Implants during MRI
Authors: McElcheran C. E. , Golestanirad L. , Iacono M. I. , Wei P.-S. , Yang B. , Anderson K. J. T. , Bonmassar G. , Graham S. J.
Published: February 2019

Patients with deep brain stimulation (DBS) implants may be subject to heating during MRI due to interaction with excitatory radiofrequency (RF) fields. Parallel RF transmit (pTx) has been proposed to minimize such RF-induced heating in preliminary proof-of-concept studies. The present work evaluates the efficacy of pTx technique on realistic lead trajectories obtained from nine DBS patients. Electromagnetic simulations were performed using 4- and 8-element pTx coils compared with a standard birdcage coil excitation using patient models and lead trajectories obtained by segmentation of computed tomography data. Numerical optimization was performed to minimize local specific absorption rate (SAR) surrounding the implant tip while maintaining spatial homogeneity of the transmitted RF magnetic field (B1+), by varying the input amplitude and phase for each coil element. Local SAR was significantly reduced at the lead tip with both 4-element and 8-element pTx (median decrease of 94% and 97%, respectively), whereas the median coefficient of spatial variation of B1+ inhomogeneity was moderately increased (30% for 4-element pTx and 20% for 8-element pTx) compared to that of the birdcage coil (17%). Furthermore, the efficacy of optimized 4-element pTx was verified experimentally by imaging a head phantom that included a wire implanted to approximate the worst-case lead trajectory for localized heating, based on the simulations. Negligible temperature elevation was observed at the lead tip, with reasonable image uniformity in the surrounding region. From this experiment and the simulations based on nine DBS patient models, optimized pTx provides a robust approach to minimizing local SAR with respect to lead trajectory.
Low-cost, high-impact altruistic punishment promotes cooperation cascades in human social networks
Authors: Bond Robert M.
Published: February 2019

Theoretical models and experiments suggest that social networks may significantly impact the emergence and stability of cooperation in humans. Similarly, theoretical models and experiments have shown that punishing behavior can significantly increase cooperative behavior in individuals. However, how punishing impacts the effects of social networks on cooperation is not yet understood. Here, I examine a set of laboratory experiments in which participants choose to cooperate or defect under differing punishment arrangements. Through analysis of the experiment as a network, I evaluate how institutional arrangements affect the degree to which social networks promote cooperative behavior. The results show that cooperative behavior spreads from person-to-person in all versions of the game, but that in versions of the game with low-cost, high-impact punishment the influence both endures for more rounds and spreads further in the network. These results show that the extent to which cooperative behavior cascades is affected by the institutional arrangements that govern game play.
The co-inhibitory molecule PD-L1 contributes to regulatory T cell-mediated protection in murine crescentic glomerulonephritis
Authors: Neumann Katrin , Ostmann Annett , Breda Philippe Christophe , Ochel Aaron , Tacke Frank , Paust Hans-Joachim , Panzer Ulf , Tiegs Gisa
Published: February 2019

Immune-mediated glomerular diseases like crescentic glomerulonephritis (cGN) are driven by inappropriately regulated cellular and humoral immune responses subsequently leading to renal tissue injury. Recent studies demonstrated the crucial role for regulatory T cells (Tregs) in suppressing pathogenic T-cell responses during nephrotoxic nephritis (NTN), a murine model of cGN. However, mechanisms of immune regulation in cGN are less clear. Here, we aim at investigating the role of the co-inhibitory PD-1/PD-L1 pathway in Treg-mediated suppression of renal inflammation. We demonstrated that Foxp3+ Tregs expressing PD-L1 infiltrate the kidney during NTN. Inhibition of PD-L1 signalling by using PD-L1−/− mice or by blockage of PD-L1 in wildtype mice resulted in an increased Treg frequency in the inflamed kidney. However, mice lacking PD-L1 developed more severe NTN associated with an elevated pathogenic renal Th1 immune response, which was reversed by blockage of IFNγ in these mice. Interestingly, lack of PD-L1 altered the gene expression profile of Tregs in homeostasis and kidney inflammation. Functionally, Tregs from nephritic PD-L1−/− mice had impaired suppressive capacity in vitro and failed to protect from NTN in vivo. Thus, PD-L1 displays a protective role in NTN, which is related to Treg-mediated suppression of the Th1 immune response.
Comparison of Forced and Impulse Oscillometry Measurements: A Clinical Population and Printed Airway Model Study
Authors: Soares Marcia , Richardson Matthew , Thorpe James , Owers-Bradley John , Siddiqui Salman
Published: February 2019

The use of commercialised forced oscillation (FOT) devices to assess impedance in obstructive diseases such as asthma has gained popularity. However, it has yet to be fully established whether resistance and reactance measurements are comparable across different FOT devices, particularly in disease. We compared two commercially available FOT devices: Impulse Oscillometry (IOS) and TremoFlo FOT (Thorasys) in a) clinical adult population of healthy controls (n = 14), asymptomatic smokers (n = 17) and individuals with asthma (n = 73) and b) a 3D printed CT-derived airway tree model resistance, as well as a 3 L standardised volume reactance. Bland-Altman Plots and linear regressions were used to evaluate bias between the devices. Resistance measurements at both 5 and 20 Hz were numerically higher with IOS compared to FOT, with evidence of small and statistically significant proportional systematic bias and a positive Bland-Altman regression slope at both 5 and 20 Hz. In contrast, the IOS device recorded reactances that were less negative at both 5 Hz and 20 Hz and significantly smaller reactance areas when compared to TremoFlo. Larger statistically significant proportional systematic biases were demonstrated with both reactance at 5 Hz and reactance area (AX) between the devices with a negative Bland-Altman regression slope. The printed airway resistance and standardised volume reactance confirmed the observations seen in patients. We have demonstrated that the impulse oscillation system and TremoFlo FOT demonstrate comparative bias, particularly when comparing airway reactance in patients. Our results highlight the need for further standardisation across FOT measurement devices, specifically using variable test loads for reactance standardisation.
Peroxisome-associated Sgroppino links fat metabolism with survival after RNA virus infection in Drosophila
Authors: Merkling Sarah H. , Riahi Human , Overheul Gijs J. , Schenck Annette , van Rij Ronald P.
Published: February 2019

The fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster is a valuable model organism for the discovery and characterization of innate immune pathways, but host responses to virus infection remain incompletely understood. Here, we describe a novel player in host defense, Sgroppino (Sgp). Genetic depletion of Sgroppino causes hypersensitivity of adult flies to infections with the RNA viruses Drosophila C virus, cricket paralysis virus, and Flock House virus. Canonical antiviral immune pathways are functional in Sgroppino mutants, suggesting that Sgroppino exerts its activity via an as yet uncharacterized process. We demonstrate that Sgroppino localizes to peroxisomes, organelles involved in lipid metabolism. In accordance, Sgroppino-deficient flies show a defect in lipid metabolism, reflected by higher triglyceride levels, higher body mass, and thicker abdominal fat tissue. In addition, knock-down of Pex3, an essential peroxisome biogenesis factor, increases sensitivity to virus infection. Together, our results establish a genetic link between the peroxisomal protein Sgroppino, fat metabolism, and resistance to virus infection.
GIS and AHP Techniques Based Delineation of Groundwater Potential Zones: a case study from Southern Western Ghats, India
Authors: Arulbalaji P. , Padmalal D. , Sreelash K.
Published: February 2019

Over-exploitation of groundwater and marked changes in climate over the years have imposed immense pressure on the global groundwater resources. As demand of potable water increases across the globe for human consumption, agriculture and industrial uses, the need to evaluate the groundwater potential and productivity of aquifers also increases. In the recent years, geographic information system based studies have gained much prominence in groundwater exploration because it is rapid and will provide first - hand information on the resource for further developments. Therefore, the present study has been undertaken with an objective to delineate the groundwater potential of a small tropical river basin located in the western side of the Western Ghats in India as an example. A combination of geographical information system and analytical hierarchical process techniques (AHP) was used in the present study. A total of 12 thematic layers such as Geology, Geomorphology, Land Use/Land Cover, Lineament density, Drainage density, Rainfall, Soil, Slope, Roughness, Topographic Wetness Index, Topographic Position Index and Curvature were prepared and studied for groundwater potential zone demarcation. Weights assigned to each class in all the thematic maps are based on their characteristics and water potential capacity through AHP method. The accuracy of the output was cross-validated with information on groundwater prospects of the area and the overall accuracy of the method comes to around 85%. The groundwater potential zone map thus obtained was categorized into five classes-very high, high, moderate, low and very low. The study reveals that about 59% of the river basin is covered under moderate groundwater potential zone. The low and high groundwater potential zones are observed in 29% and 11% respectively. Area under very high and very low potential zones are recorded only in very limited areas in the basin.
Effects of cryopreservation on viability and functional stability of an industrially relevant alga
Authors: Kapoore Rahul Vijay , Huete-Ortega María , Day John G. , Okurowska Katarzyna , Slocombe Stephen P. , Stanley Michele S. , Vaidyanathan Seetharaman
Published: February 2019

As algal biotechnology develops, there is an increasing requirement to conserve cultures without the cost, time and genetic stability implications of conventional serial transfers, including issues regarding potential loss by failure to regrow, contamination on transfer, mix up and/or errors in the documentation on transfer. Furthermore, it is crucial to ensure both viability and functionality are retained by stored stock-cultures. Low temperature storage, ranging from the use of domestic freezers to storage under liquid nitrogen, is widely being used, but the implication to stability and function rarely investigated. We report for the first time, retention of functionality in the maintenance of master stock-cultures of an industrially relevant, lipid-producing alga, under a variety of cryopreservation regimes. Storage in domestic (−15 °C), or conventional −80 °C freezers was suboptimal, with a rapid reduction in viability observed for samples at −15 °C and a >50% loss of viability, within one month, for samples stored at −80 °C. No reduction in viability occurred at −196 °C. Post-thaw culture functional performance was also influenced by the cryopreservation approach employed. Only samples held at −196 °C responded to nitrogen limitation in terms of growth characteristics and biochemical profiles (lipid production and chlorophyll a) comparable to the untreated control, cultured prior to cryopreservation. These results have important implications in microbial biotechnology, especially for those responsible for the conservation of genetic resources.
Thermodynamically consistent derivation of chemical potential of a battery solid particle from the regular solution theory applied to LiFePO4
Authors: Zelič Klemen , Katrašnik Tomaž
Published: February 2019

The chemical potential of lithium inLixFePO4active cathode nanoparticles and the surface free energy betweenLixFePO4and electrolyte were determined with the novel thermodynamically consistent application of the regular solution theory. Innovative consideration of crystal anisotropy accounts for the consistent determination of the dependency of the chemical potential on the mechanistically derived enthalpy of mixing and the phase boundary gradient penalty. This enabled the analytic, thermodynamically consistent determination of the phase boundary thickness betweenLiFePO4andFePO4, which is in good agreement with experimental observations. The obtained explicit functional dependency of the surface free energy on the lithium concentration enables adequate simulation of the initiation of the phase transition fromFePO4toLiFePO4at the surface of active cathode particles. To validate the plausibility of the newly developed approaches, lithium intercalation into theLixFePO4nanoparticles from electrolyte was modeled by solving the Cahn-Hilliard equation in a quasi-two-dimensional domain.
Impacts of post-transplantation cyclophosphamide treatment after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in acute myeloid leukemia
Authors: Namdaroglu Sinem , Kaya Ali Hakan , Batgi Hikmettullah , Kayikci Omur , Dal Mehmet Sinan , Iskender Dicle , Kizil Cakar Merih , Tekgunduz Emre , Altuntas Fevzi
Published: February 2019

Post-transplant cyclophosphamide has become a promising medical option after allogeneic HSCT. In this study we aimed to evaluate the efficacy of cyclophosphamide and cyclosporine combination in acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) prophylaxis in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cases scheduled for allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). Retrospective analysis of data from 40 cases who underwent allogeneic HSCT under GvHD prophylaxis with cyclophosphamide and cyclosporine combination between April 2016 and August 2017 was made. Cyclophosphamide was given at daily doses of 50 mg/kg on post-transplant 3rd and 4th days, and cyclosporine was applied at daily doses of 3 mg/kg/day starting from the 5th post-transplant day. Cyclosporine dose was tapered beginning from the 45th postoperative day and completely discontinued on the 90th post-transplant day. Mean age was 38.25 ± 15.25 years. Posttransplant median follow-up was six months (6–17 months). Post-transplant, the number of deaths and mortality rates related and unrelated to transplantation were 5 (12.5%), and 2 (5%), respectively. Acute GvHD was diagnosed in 7 cases (17.5%), and relapse was noted in 9 cases (22.5%). Myeloablative or reduced intensity conditioning was performed in 22 (55%) and 18 (45%) patients, respectively. The distribution of the donors was as follows: match-related (n = 26; 65%), match-unrelated (n = 9, 22.5%) and haploidentical donors (n = 5; 12.5%). There was no statistically significant correlation between the transplant-related and unrelated mortality and parameters under investigation.Cyclophosphamide use appears to be a highly effective and promising strategy for acute GvHD prophylaxis in non-haploidentical allogeneic HSCT cases. Identification of the impact of cyclophosphamide use on the development of chronic GvHD needs further investigation.
A monoclonal antibody-based indirect competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for flubendiamide detection
Authors: Li Qibo , Cui Yongliang , Liao Min , Feng Tong , Tan Guiyu , Wang Baomin , Liu Shangzhong
Published: February 2019

Flubendiamide (FD), the first commercial phthalic acid diamide that targets insect ryanodine receptor (RyRs), has played an important role in pest management. With its extensive worldwide application, a rapid and convenient method to detect its existence in the environment is necessary. In this study, an indirect competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (icELISA) was developed to analyse FD residue on environmental and food samples. The established icELISA showed a half maximal inhibition concentration (IC50) of 17.25 µg L−1, with a working range of 4.06–103.59 µg L−1 for FD, and showed no cross-reactivity with chlorantraniliprole, cyantraniliprole, and several FD analogues. Average FD recoveries from spinach, tap water, and soil samples were 89.3–112.3%, 93.0–102.1%, and 86.9–97.6%, respectively. Meanwhile, FD detection results of icELISA were compared with those of ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). The comparable results verified that icELISA was suitable for rapid detection of FD residue in environmental and agricultural samples.
New mechanism of plasmons specific for spin-polarized nanoparticles
Authors: Bhatta Hari L. , Aliev Ali E. , Drachev Vladimir P.
Published: February 2019

Here it is experimentally shown that Co nanoparticles with a single-domain crystal structure support a plasmon resonance at approximately 280 nm with better quality than gold nanoparticle resonance in the visible. Magnetic nature of the nanoparticles suggests a new type of these plasmons. The exchange interaction of electrons splits the energy bands between spin-up electrons and spin-down electrons. It makes it possible for coexistence of two independent channels of conductivity as well as two independent plasmons in the same nanoparticle with very different electron relaxation. Indeed, the density of empty states in a partially populated d-band is high, resulting in a large relaxation rate of the spin-down conduction electrons and consequently in low quality of the plasmon resonance. In contrast, the majority electrons with a completely filled d-band do not provide final states for the scattering processes of the conduction spin-up electrons, therefore supporting a high quality plasmon resonance. The scattering without spin flip is required to keep these two plasmons independent.
The significance of refuge heterogeneity for lowland stream caddisfly larvae to escape from drift
Authors: de Brouwer J. H. F. , Kraak M. H. S. , Besse-Lototskaya A. A. , Verdonschot P. F. M.
Published: February 2019

The process of macroinvertebrate drift in freshwater lowland streams is characterized by dislodgement, drift distance and subsequent return to the bottom. Refuges are important to all drift phases, since they may help larvae to avoid dislodgement and to escape from drift, even more so if the refuge structure is complex and heterogeneous. The aim of the present study was therefore to determine the influence of refuge heterogeneity on the ability of caddisfly larvae to return to the bottom from drift and to avoid secondary dislodgement. To this purpose a series of indoor flume experiments were undertaken, testing six Limnephilidae (Trichoptera) species, that occur on a gradient from lotic to lentic environments. Bed morphology (plain, refuges with or without leaf patches) and flow velocity (low (0.1 m/s), intermediate (0.3 m/s) and high (0.5 m/s) were manipulated. We showed that all species were favoured by refuges and that especially for species on the lentic end of the gradient (L. lunatus, L. rhombicus and A. nervosa), the ability to escape from drift and to avoid secondary dislodgement was increased. Moreover, we showed that all species spent more time in refuges than in open channel parts and more time in heterogeneous refuges (leaf patches) than in bare refuges, the latter being especially the case for larvae of the lotic species. For lentic species, not well adapted to high flow velocity, refuges are thus crucial to escape from drift, while for the lotic species, better adapted to high flow velocity, the structure of the refuge becomes increasingly important. It is concluded that refuges may play a crucial role in restoring and maintaining biodiversity in widened, channelized and flashy lowland streams.
Comparative Physiological and Metabolic Analysis Reveals a Complex Mechanism Involved in Drought Tolerance in Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) Induced by PGPR and PGRs
Authors: Khan Naeem , Bano Asghari , Rahman M. Atikur , Guo Jia , Kang Zhiyu , Babar Md. Ali
Published: February 2019

The plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and plant growth regulators (PGRs) can be applied to improve the growth and productivity of plants, with potential to be used for genetic improvement of drought tolerance. However, for genetic improvement to be achieved, a solid understanding of the physiological and biochemical changes in plants induced by PGPR and PGR is required. The present study was carried out to investigate the role of PGPR and PGRs on the physiology and biochemical changes in chickpea grown under drought stress conditions and their association with drought tolerance. The PGPR, isolated from the rhizosphere of chickpea, were characterized on the basis of colony morphology and biochemical characters. They were also screened for the production of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), hydrogen cyanide (HCN), ammonia (NH3), and exopolysaccharides (EPS) production. The isolated PGPR strains, named P1, P2, and P3, were identified by16S-rRNAgene sequencing asBacillus subtilis,Bacillus thuringiensis, andBacillus megaterium, respectively. The seeds of two chickpea varieties, Punjab Noor-2009 (drought sensitive) and 93127 (drought tolerant) were soaked for 2–3 h prior to sowing in 24 h old cultures of isolates. The salicylic acid (SA) and putrescine (Put) were sprayed (150 mg/L) on 25 day old chickpea seedlings. The results showed that chickpea plants treated with a consortium of PGPR and PGRs significantly enhanced the chlorophyll, protein, and sugar contents compared to irrigated and drought conditions. Leaf proline content, lipid peroxidation, and activities of antioxidant enzymes (CAT, APOX, POD, and SOD) all increased in response to drought stress but decreased due to the PGPR and PGRs treatment. An ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (UPLC-HRMS) analysis was carried out for metabolic profiling of chickpea leaves planted under controlled (well-irrigated), drought, and consortium (drought plus PGPR and PGRs) conditions. Proline, L-arginine, L-histidine, L-isoleucine, and tryptophan were accumulated in the leaves of chickpea exposed to drought stress. Consortium of PGPR and PGRs induced significant accumulation of riboflavin, L-asparagine, aspartate, glycerol, nicotinamide, and 3-hydroxy-3-methyglutarate in the leaves of chickpea. The drought sensitive chickpea variety showed significant accumulation of nicotinamide and 4-hydroxy-methylglycine in PGPR and PGR treated plants at both time points (44 and 60 days) as compared to non-inoculated drought plants. Additionally, arginine accumulation was also enhanced in the leaves of the sensitive variety under drought conditions. Metabolic changes as a result of drought and consortium conditions highlighted pools of metabolites that affect the metabolic and physiological adjustments in chickpea that reduce drought impacts.
Effects of prophylactic dexamethasone on postoperative nausea and vomiting in scoliosis correction surgery: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial
Authors: Wakamiya Rie , Seki Hiroyuki , Ideno Satoshi , Ihara Naho , Minoshima Rie , Watanabe Kota , Sato Yasunori , Morisaki Hiroshi
Published: February 2019

Dexamethasone is widely used for postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) prophylaxis, but its effect on PONV prevention in paediatric patients is validated only in short minor surgical procedures. In this study, we aimed to determine whether a single dose of dexamethasone reduces PONV in highly invasive surgeries that require opioid-based postoperative analgesia. One hundred adolescents undergoing scoliosis correction surgery were randomized to receive intravenous dexamethasone 0.15 mg/kg (dexamethasone group) or saline (control group) at induction of anaesthesia. The primary outcome was the incidence of PONV in the 72 h postoperatively. Data for 98 patients were available for analysis. The 72-h incidence of PONV was significantly lower in the dexamethasone group than in the control group (62.5% vs 84.0%; RR 0.74, 95% CI 0.58–0.96, P = 0.02). During the first and second 24-h postoperative intervals, fewer patients in the dexamethasone group received rescue antiemetics. Visual analogue scale scores for nausea and pain were lower in the dexamethasone group than in the control group during the first 24 h postoperatively. Dexamethasone did not increase the number of adverse events. The results of this study showed that a single dose of dexamethasone was effective for reducing PONV after paediatric scoliosis correction surgery.
Characterizing laser-plasma ion accelerators driving an intense neutron beam via nuclear signatures
Authors: Favalli A. , Guler N. , Henzlova D. , Croft S. , Falk K. , Gautier D. C. , Ianakiev K. D. , Iliev M. , Palaniyappan S. , Roth M. , Fernandez J. C. , Swinhoe M. T.
Published: February 2019

Compact, bright neutron sources are opening up several emerging applications including detection of nuclear materials for national security applications. At Los Alamos National Laboratory, we have used a short-pulse laser to accelerate deuterons in the relativistic transparency regime. These deuterons impinge on a beryllium converter to generate neutrons. During the initial experiments where these neutrons were used for active interrogation of uranium and plutonium, we observed β-delayed neutron production from decay of 9Li, formed by the high-energy deuteron bombardment of the beryllium converter. Analysis of the delayed neutrons provides novel evidence of the divergence of the highest energy portion of the deuterons (i.e., above 10 MeV/nucleon) from the laser axis, a documented feature of the breakout afterburner laser-plasma ion acceleration mechanism. These delayed neutrons form the basis of non-intrusive diagnostics for determining the features of deuteron acceleration as well as monitoring neutron production for the next generation of laser-driven neutron sources.
Not all sensors are created equal: a framework for evaluating human performance measurement technologies
Authors: Caulfield Brian , Reginatto Brenda , Slevin Patrick
Published: February 2019

Recent years have witnessed an explosion in the number of wearable sensing devices and associated apps that target a wide range of biomedical metrics, from actigraphy to glucose monitoring to lung function. This offers big opportunities for achieving scale in the use of such devices in application contexts such as telehealth, human performance and behaviour research and digitally enabled clinical trials. However, this increased availability and choice of sensors also brings with it a great challenge in optimising the match between the sensor and a specific application context. There is a need for a structured approach to first refining the requirements for a specific application, and then evaluating the available devices against those requirements. In this paper we will outline the main features of such an evaluation framework that has been developed with input from stakeholders in academic, clinical and industry settings.
An inverse opal TiO2/g-C3N4 composite with a heterojunction for enhanced visible light-driven photocatalytic activity
Authors: Lei Juying , Chen Bin , Lv Weijia , Zhou Liang , Wang Lingzhi , Liu Yongdi , Zhang Jinlong
Published: February 2019

An inverse opal TiO2/g-C3N4 composite with excellent photogenerated electron–hole separation efficiency and enhanced visible light absorption efficiency was constructed.
Exceptional thermoelectric performance in Mg3Sb0.6Bi1.4 for low-grade waste heat recovery
Authors: Imasato Kazuki , Kang Stephen Dongmin , Snyder G. Jeffrey
Published: February 2019

An n-type material with intrinsically higher thermoelectric conversion efficiency than Bi2Te3 in the low-grade waste-heat range has finally been developed.
Mechanical properties of carbon nanotube fibers at extreme temperatures
Authors: Zhang Chao , Song Yanhui , Zhang Huichao , Lv Bo , Qiao Jian , Yu Nengsheng , Zhang Yongyi , Di Jiangtao , Li Qingwen
Published: February 2019

Mechanical properties of tensile strength and Young's modulus of CNT fibers were obtained at temperatures from −196 °C to 2400 °C.
Mediation in the second-order synaptic emulator with conductive atomic force microscopy
Authors: Guan Zhao , Yang Nan , Ren Zhong-Qi , Zhong Ni , Huang Rong , Chen Wen-Xia , Tian Bo-Bo , Tang Xiao-Dong , Xiang Ping-Hua , Duan Chun-Gang , Chu Jun-Hao
Published: February 2019

Implementation of short-term plastic characterization in biological synapses has been demonstrated in the second-order BiMnO3 memristor using c-AFM measurement.
BODIPY–ortho-carborane–tetraphenylethylene triad: synthesis, characterization, and properties
Authors: Nar Ilgın , Atsay Armağan , Buyruk Ali , Pekbelgin Karaoğlu Hande , Burat Ayfer Kalkan , Hamuryudan Esin
Published: February 2019

Two new compounds, BODIPY–tetraphenylethylene dyad and BODIPY–o-carborane–tetraphenylethylene triad, were designed and synthesized.
Electrochemical fluoromethylation triggered lactonizations of alkenes under semi-aqueous conditions
Authors: Zhang Sheng , Li Lijun , Zhang Jinjin , Zhang Junqi , Xue Mengyu , Xu Kun
Published: February 2019

Electrochemical fluoromethylation triggered lactonizations of alkenes were achieved under chemical oxidant-, catalyst- and additional supporting electrolyte-free conditions.
Associations of CYP1 polymorphisms with risk of prostate cancer: an updated meta-analysis
Authors: Zhu Wei , Liu Hailang , Wang Xinguang , Lu Jinjin , Zhang Huiping , Wang Shaogang , Yang Weimin
Published: February 2019

Background. The results of previous studies on the association between polymorphisms of CYP1A1 and CYP1B1 and prostate cancer (PCa) susceptibility are inconsistent. The aim of the present study was to conduct a meta-analysis in order to better estimate this association. Methods. A systematic search was carried out on PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) databases for relevant articles published up to 15 August 2018. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals were obtained using fixed-effect or random-effect models. Results. A significant association was found between the CYP1A1 rs1048943 polymorphism and PCa in the overall population (B [the minor allele] vs. A [the major allele]: OR = 1.20, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.04–1.39, P=0.014; AB vs. AA: OR = 1.24, 95% CI = 1.02–1.51, P=0.029; BB + AB vs. AA: OR = 1.25, 95% CI = 1.04–1.50, P=0.018) and Asian population (B vs. A: OR = 1.32, 95% CI = 1.11–1.56, P=0.001; BB vs. AA: OR = 1.81, 95% CI = 1.20–2.72, P=0.005; AB vs. AA: OR = 1.30, 95% CI = 1.03–1.64, P=0.029; BB + AB vs. AA: OR = 1.38, 95% CI = 1.11–1.73, P=0.004; BB vs. AA + AB: OR = 1.58, 95% CI = 1.08–2.01, P=0.019), but not in the Caucasian population. Moreover, we found that the rs4646903 polymorphism was associated with a significant increase in the risk of PCa in the Asian population (AB vs. AA: OR = 1.43, 95% CI = 1.13–1.80, P=0.003) and Caucasian population (BB vs. AA: OR = 2.12, 95% CI = 1.29–3.49, P=0.003). Conclusion. This meta-analysis revealed a clear association between rs1048943 and rs4646903 polymorphisms of the CYP1A1 gene but not between CYP1B1 rs10012, rs162549, rs1800440, and rs2551188 polymorphisms and the risk of PCa.
An epilimnion and hypolimnion temperature model based on air temperature and lake characteristics
Authors: Prats Jordi , Danis Pierre-Alain
Published: February 2019

Water temperature is an essential ecological variable that influences life beings at several organizational levels, but its monitoring at the regional level is costly. An alternative is using models, which summarise the knowledge of the functioning of the system so that they can be used to answer specific questions. We present a model to calculate the epilimnion and hypolimnion temperature of inland water bodies based on air temperature and on their geographical and morphological characteristics. The seven model parameters were parameterized by using official monitoring data and the satellite temperature data of the data set LakeSST for French water bodies. The performance of the parameterised model was compared to that of two widely used models (FLake and air2water with four parameters). The model showed a good performance in the simulation of epilimnion temperatures, especially in the summer. For hypolimnion temperatures the performance was worse, but still comparable to that of other models. Because of its good performance and the few data needed to run the model, it is a good choice for managers interested in the thermal behaviour of inland water bodies.