bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Pair of NiCo2O4 and V2O5 Nanowires Directly Grown on Carbon Fabric for Highly Bendable Lithium‐Ion Batteries
Authors: Son Ji‐Myeong , Oh Saewoong , Bae Seok‐Hu , Nam Sanghee , Oh Il‐Kwon
Published: March 2019

Mechanically bendable and flexible functionalities are urgently required for next‐generation battery systems that will be included in soft and wearable electronics, active sportswear, and origami‐based deployable space structures. However, it is very difficult to synthesize anode and cathode electrodes that have high energy density and structural reliability under large bending deformation. Here, vanadium oxide (V2O5) and nickel cobalt oxide (NiCo2O4) nanowire‐carbon fabric electrodes for highly flexible and bendable lithium ion batteries are reported. The vanadium oxide and nickel cobalt oxide nanowires were directly grown on plasma‐treated carbon fabric and were used as cathode and anode electrodes in a full cell lithium ion battery. Most importantly, a pre‐lithiation process was added to the nickel cobalt oxide nanowire anode to facilitate the construction of a full cell using symmetrically‐architectured nanowire‐carbon fabric electrodes. The highly bendable full cell based on poly(ethylene oxide) polymer electrolyte and room temperature ionic liquid shows high energy density of 364.2 Wh kg−1 at power density of 240 W kg−1, without significant performance degradation even under large bending deformations. These results show that vanadium oxide and lithiated nickel cobalt oxide nanowire‐carbon fabrics are a good combination for binder‐free electrodes in highly flexible lithium‐ion batteries.
Enantioselective Total Synthesis of (+)‐Flavisiamine F via Late‐Stage Visible‐Light‐Induced Photochemical Cyclization
Authors: Tong Xiaogang , Shi Bingfei , Liang Kangjiang , Liu Qian , Xia Chengfeng
Published: March 2019

The structural features Kopsia alkaloids, in particular multiple all‐carbon quaternary stereocenters in a caged and strained polycyclic skeleton, poses particular challenges for enantioselective total synthesis. Herein, we reported the first total synthesis of (+)‐flavisiamine F. The synthetic approach involved a room‐temperature Overman rearrangement for introducing the chiral amine at C21, a TMS‐promoted ketal Claisen rearrangement for constructing the all‐carbon quaternary stereocenter at C20, and a late‐stage visible‐light‐induced photochemical cyclization for establishing the all‐carbon quaternary stereocenter at C7.
Designed Synthesis of a 2D Porphyrin‐Based sp2Carbon‐Conjugated Covalent Organic Framework for Heterogeneous Photocatalysis
Authors: Chen Rufan , Shi Ji‐Long , Ma Yuan , Lin Guiqing , Lang Xianjun , Wang Cheng
Published: March 2019

The construction of stable covalent organic frameworks (COFs) for various applications is highly desirable. Herein, we report the synthesis of a novel two‐dimensional (2D) porphyrin‐based sp2carbon‐conjugated COF (Por‐sp2c‐COF), which adopts an eclipsed AA stacking structure with a Brunauer—Emmett—Teller surface area of 689 m2 g−1. Owing to the C=C linkages, Por‐sp2c‐COF shows a high chemical stability under various conditions, even under harsh conditions such as 9 mHCl and 9 mNaOH solutions. Interestingly, Por‐sp2c‐COF can be used as a metal‐free heterogeneous photocatalyst for the visible‐light‐induced aerobic oxidation of amines to imines. More importantly, in comparison to imine‐linked Por‐COF, the inherent structure of Por‐sp2c‐COF equips it with several advantages as a photocatalyst, including reusability and high photocatalytic performance. This clearly demonstrates that sp2carbon‐linked 2D COFs can provide an interesting platform for heterogeneous photocatalysis.
Automated analysis of actor–topic networks on twitter: New approaches to the analysis of socio‐semantic networks
Authors: Hellsten Iina , Leydesdorff Loet
Published: March 2019

Social media data provide increasing opportunities for the automated analysis of large sets of textual documents. So far, automated tools have been developed either to account for the social networks among participants in the debates, or to analyze the content of these debates. Less attention has been paid to mapping co‐occurrences of actors (participants) and topics (content) in online debates that can be considered as socio‐semantic networks. We propose a new, automated approach that uses the whole matrix of co‐addressed topics and actors for understanding and visualizing online debates. We show the advantages of the new approach with the analysis of two data sets: first, a large set of English‐language Twitter messages at the Rio + 20 meeting, in June 2012 (72,077 tweets), and second, a smaller data set of Dutch‐language Twitter messages on bird flu related to poultry farming in 2015–2017 (2,139 tweets). We discuss the theoretical, methodological, and substantive implications of our approach, also for the analysis of other social media data.
Enhanced chemiluminescence enzyme‐linked immunoassay for the determination of DNA methyltransferase 1 in human serum
Authors: Dong Jiajia , He Leiliang , Yu Fei , Yu Songcheng , Liu Lie , Tian Yongmei , Wang Yilin , Wang Jia , Qu Lingbo , Wu Yongjun , Han Runping
Published: March 2019

The occurrence of many diseases is closely related to the high expression of DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1). However, most studies are focused on the detection of DNMT1 activity, a few are concerned with the detection of DNMT1 content. In this study, we developed a simple and highly sensitive chemiluminescence (CL) assay for the detection of DNMT1 content. In this method, anti‐DNMT1 monoclonal antibody was coated on a polystyrene microplate to capture DNMT1. Then anti‐DNMT1 polyclonal antibody and goat anti‐rabbit immunoglobulin G with horseradish peroxidase (IgG‐HRP) were respectively added to combine with captured DNMT1 to form a sandwich structure. Finally, the HRP could catalyze CL substrate and achieve CL signal response. Based on this novel sensitive strategy, the recovery percents were in the ranges from 71.5% to 91.0%. The precision of intra‐assays and inter‐assays were 5.45%–11.29% and 7.03%–11.25%, respectively. The method was successfully applied for the determination of DNMT1 in human serum. The detection results of serum samples showed that the proposed assay had a high correlation with enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit. Compared with the ELISA kit (limit of detection = 0.1 ng/mL), the method has a lower limit of detection of 0.042 ng/mL. Therefore, our method has the potential for the detection of DNMT1 content in clinical diagnosis.
Reduced apoptosis in Chinese hamster ovary cells via optimized CRISPR interference
Authors: Xiong Kai , Marquart Kim Fabiano , la Cour Karottki Karen Julie  , Li Shangzhong , Shamie Isaac , Lee Jae Seong , Gerling Signe , Yeo Nan Cher , Chavez Alejandro , Lee Gyun Min , Lewis Nathan E. , Kildegaard Helene Faustrup
Published: March 2019

Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells are widely used for biopharmaceutical protein production. One challenge limiting CHO cell productivity is apoptosis stemming from cellular stress during protein production. Here we applied CRISPR interference (CRISPRi) to downregulate the endogenous expression of apoptotic genes Bak,
Bax, and
Casp3 in CHO cells. In addition to reduced apoptosis, mitochondrial membrane integrity was improved and the caspase activity was reduced. Moreover, we optimized the CRISPRi system to enhance the gene repression efficiency in CHO cells by testing different repressor fusion types. An improved Cas9 repressor has been identified by applying C‐terminal fusion of a bipartite repressor domain, KRAB–MeCP2, to nuclease‐deficient Cas9. These results collectively demonstrate that CHO cells can be rescued from cell apoptosis by targeted gene repression using the CRISPRi system.
The impact of structural factors on diagnostic delay in diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma
Authors: Zurko Joanna C. , Wade Raymond C. , Mehta Amitkumar
Published: March 2019

Background

Reducing diagnostic delays in cancer has been a major interest worldwide; however, the literature on diagnostic delays in lymphoma remains scarce. Diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma. We aimed to determine whether certain structural factors predicted diagnostic delays in DLBCL and whether diagnostic delays impacted overall survival (OS).

Methods

Data were extracted via a retrospective cohort design from a single academic tertiary care referral center. A total of 104 patients were included. Time from first symptoms to diagnosis of <3 months was defined as “early diagnosis” and ≥3 months as “delayed diagnosis”. Analysis was performed with student's t‐test, chi‐square testing, binomial logistic regression, and Kaplan‐Meier log‐rank testing.

Results

“Delayed diagnosis” was more likely with lower stage, lower international prognostic index (IPI), and further distance from referral center (OR 0.66, CI 0.46‐0.95; OR 0.69, CI 0.51‐0.94; OR 1.008, CI 1.001‐1.015). Patients of “other” ethnicity and without medical insurance were more likely to have significant diagnostic delays and worse overall survival (P = 0.002 and P = 0.007, respectively). Diagnostic delays of ≥3 months did not predict worse OS. However, delays of >6 months did predict worse OS.

Conclusion

Our data suggest that excessive diagnostic delays of more than 6 months, ethnic minority status, and uninsured status in DLBCL may lead to worse outcomes. Efforts should be undertaken to reduce excessive diagnostic delays. More investigation needs to be done on the impacts of diagnostic delays in both DLBCL and other aggressive lymphomas.
Implementing competency‐based education for athletic therapy in Canada—Are we ready for change?
Authors: Lafave Mark R. , DeMont Richard
Published: March 2019

Context

In 2013, the Canadian Athletic Therapists’ Association (CATA) Education Task Force made recommendations for future athletic therapy education in Canada with 10 consensus statements. Little progress has been reported to date, particularly on two statements: implementation of competency‐based education (CBE) and establishing a valid, reliable, feasible, and financially viable practical national certification examination (NCE).

Objective

We sought to understand the perspectives of CATA program directors (PDs) as it related to implementation of CBE and potential abolishment of the practical examination.

Methods

A qualitative, phenomenological approach was employed to better understand the athletic therapy program directors’ lived experiences as it related to CBE implementation in their own educational institutions. Secondarily and related to understanding this phenomenon, we sought to understand PD perspectives on taking over the responsibility for establishing competence for their graduates as a surrogate to replace the practical NCE. Semi‐structured interviews took place with the seven PDs or all CATA‐accredited programs. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed for themes. We (ML and RD) independently and blindly established themes and later met to discuss the themes that emerged from the interviews.

Results

Four key themes emerged from the analysis: (a) definition of CBE; (b) national standards; (c) trust; and (d) collaboration.

Discussion

Each of the themes that emerged had the commonality that all were barriers to implement CBE. Some PDs did not think they were currently offering CBE, yet described many of the key features of CBE. A definition and national standard would help to progress the implementation of CBE.
A finite difference method with subsampling for immersed boundary simulations of the capsule dynamics with viscoelastic membranes
Authors: Li Ping , Zhang Junfeng
Published: March 2019

The membrane or interfacial viscosity is an important property in many multiphase and biofluidic situations, such as the red blood cell dynamics and emulsion stability. The immersed boundary method (IBM), which incorporates the dynamic flow‐membrane interaction via force distribution and velocity interpolation, has been extensively employed in simulations of such systems. Unfortunately, direct implementation of membrane viscosity in IBM suffers severe numerical instability, which causes an IBM calculation to break down before generating any useful results. Few attempts have been recently reported; however, several concerns exist in these attempts, such as the inconsistency to the classical definition of membrane viscosity, the inability to model the shear and dilatational viscosities separately, the unjustified mathematical formulations, and the complicated algorithms and computation. To overcome these concerns, in this paper, we propose a finite difference approach for implementing membrane viscosity in immersed boundary simulations. The viscous stress is obtained via finite difference approximations to the differential strain‐stress relationship, with the help of a subsampling scheme to reduce the numerical noise in the calculated strain rates. This simple method has also avoided the complicated matrix calculations in previous attempts, and hence, a better computational efficiency is expected. Detailed mathematical description of the method and key steps for its implementation in immersed boundary programs are provided. Validation and illustration calculations are performed, and our results are compared with analytical solutions and previous publications with satisfactory agreement. The influences of membrane mesh resolution and simulation time step are also examined; and the results show no indication that our finite difference method has downgraded the general IBM accuracy. Based on these simulations and analysis, we believe that our method would be a better choice for future IBM simulations of capsule dynamics with viscoelastic membranes.
Preoperative diagnosis of well‐differentiated neuroendocrine tumor in common hepatic duct by brush cytology: A case report
Authors: Choi Jiwoon , Lee Kyong Joo , Kim Sung Hoon , Cho Mee‐Yon
Published: March 2019

The biological behavior of neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) is heterogeneous and differs from that of cholangiocarcinoma, which is the most common malignant tumor of the biliary tree. However, the preoperative diagnosis of NET in the biliary tree is extremely difficult and to our knowledge, diagnosis by brush cytology has not previously been reported. Herein, we first reported a case of biliary NET preoperatively diagnosed by brush cytology in a 33‐year‐old female patient. Imaging study revealed a 2.6‐cm mass in the common hepatic duct. The brush cytology was characterized by loosely cohesive plasmacytoid tumor cells and scattered clusters of thin vascular septa. The tumor cells showed abundant cytoplasm and severe nuclear size variation but mitosis was not observed. Immunohistochemical staining of the cell block (CB) showed strong positivity for both synaptophysin and chromogranin A and a Ki‐67 labeling index of 3.5%. The surgically resected bile duct mass was pathologically confirmed as NET, G2 with lymphovascular and perineural invasion of the tumor cells. The patient showed no evidence of tumor recurrence 10 months after operation without adjuvant chemotherapy. Suspicion of this rare tumor and immunohistochemical staining of the CB are important for the preoperative diagnosis of NET in the biliary tree.
Undiagnosed diabetes among Hispanic and white adults with elevated haemoglobin A1c levels
Authors: Russell Elaine , Oh Kyeung Mi , Zhao Xiaoquan
Published: March 2019

Aims

The aim of this study is to compare the frequency and correlates of undiagnosed diabetes between Hispanic and white American adults ages 20 and older with known diabetes or elevated HbA1c.

Methods

Using 2007 to 2012 National Health and Nutrition Survey data, 1792 white and Hispanic Americans age 20 and older with known diabetes or elevated HbA1c (≥6.5%) were included in the analysis. Undiagnosed diabetes was defined as elevated HbA1c more than or equal to 6.5% without prior diabetes diagnosis. Covariates included demographics, health care access, and survey language.

Results

Hispanics were younger (54.92 vs 61.45 y, p < .001) and had a higher rate of undiagnosed diabetes (28.2% vs 18.0%, p < .001) than their white counterparts. For Hispanics, those with undiagnosed diabetes had higher mean HbA1c than those with known diabetes (p = .03), but no significant difference was found between diagnosed and undiagnosed diabetes among whites. Covariates that decreased the odds of undiagnosed diabetes among Hispanic Americans included having a routine place to receive health care. For whites, covariates that decreased the odds of undiagnosed diabetes were a higher ratio of income to poverty level, having health insurance and having a routine place for health care.

Conclusion

The high proportion of unknown diabetes among Hispanic Americans suggests the need for a culturally competent health campaign to improve community diabetes awareness. Emphasizing the importance of having a routine place of health care for regular health check‐ups and expanded community resources for diabetes early detection and prevention among this population could decrease the burden of diabetes.
Experimental removals reveal dietary niche partitioning facilitates coexistence between native and introduced species
Authors: Derbridge Jonathan J. , Koprowski John L.
Published: March 2019

Niche overlap between native species and ecologically similar invaders can lead to competitive exclusion of threatened native species, but if two such species also co‐occur naturally elsewhere, interactions between native and introduced populations may mirror coevolved niche partitioning that reduces competition and promotes coexistence.

A single, insular population of Fremont's squirrel (Tamiasciurus fremonti) the Mount Graham red squirrel (MGRS; T. f. grahamensis) in the Pinaleño Mountains, Arizona, USA, is critically endangered and resource competition with introduced Abert's squirrels (Sciurus aberti) may threaten its long‐term persistence. The species are naturally synoptic in other mountain sites, and both consume diets comprised primarily of conifer seeds and fungi.

We conducted experimental removals of introduced Abert's squirrels and used stable isotope analysis of diets before and after removals, and of diets in naturally syntopic populations to test the hypothesis that dietary niche partitioning can facilitate coexistence between native and introduced species. We also developed a novel approach to determine the influence of fluctuating food availability on carbon enrichment in consumers.

Mount Graham red squirrels and introduced Abert's squirrels partitioned the dietary niche similarly to naturally syntopic populations. Removals had no apparent effect. Diet of MGRS was more closely linked to availability of resources than to presence of Abert's squirrels.

Flexible dietary niche of introduced Abert's squirrels may have allowed them to exploit a resource opportunity in syntopy with MGRS. Variable food production of MGRS habitat may intensify competition in poor years, and territorial defense against non‐native Abert's squirrels likely imposes fitness costs on individual MGRS. Similarity in our model species’ diets may make MGRS more vulnerable to competition if climate change eliminates the advantages of larder‐hoarding. Where introduced populations of ecologically similar species are better adapted to changing conditions, they may ultimately replace southern peripheral populations of native species.
One‐locus‐several‐primers: A strategy to improve the taxonomic and haplotypic coverage in diet metabarcoding studies
Authors: Corse Emmanuel , Tougard Christelle , Archambaud‐Suard Gaït , Agnèse Jean‐François , Messu Mandeng Françoise D. , Bilong Bilong Charles F. , Duneau David , Zinger Lucie , Chappaz Rémi , Xu Charles C.Y. , Meglécz Emese , Dubut Vincent
Published: March 2019

In diet metabarcoding analyses, insufficient taxonomic coverage of PCR primer sets generates false negatives that may dramatically distort biodiversity estimates. In this paper, we investigated the taxonomic coverage and complementarity of three cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene (COI) primer sets based on in silico analyses and we conducted an in vivo evaluation using fecal and spider web samples from different invertivores, environments, and geographic locations. Our results underline the lack of predictability of both the coverage and complementarity of individual primer sets: (a) sharp discrepancies exist observed between in silico and in vivo analyses (to the detriment of in silico analyses); (b) both coverage and complementarity depend greatly on the predator and on the taxonomic level at which preys are considered; (c) primer sets’ complementarity is the greatest at fine taxonomic levels (molecular operational taxonomic units [MOTUs] and variants). We then formalized the “one‐locus‐several‐primer‐sets” (OLSP) strategy, that is, the use of several primer sets that target the same locus (here the first part of the COI gene) and the same group of taxa (here invertebrates). The proximal aim of the OLSP strategy is to minimize false negatives by increasing total coverage through multiple primer sets. We illustrate that the OLSP strategy is especially relevant from this perspective since distinct variants within the same MOTUs were not equally detected across all primer sets. Furthermore, the OLSP strategy produces largely overlapping and comparable sequences, which cannot be achieved when targeting different loci. This facilitates the use of haplotypic diversity information contained within metabarcoding datasets, for example, for phylogeography and finer analyses of prey–predator interactions.
Expression of IL‐7Rα and KLRG1 defines functionally distinct CD8+ T‐cell populations in humans
Authors: Remmerswaal Ester B. M. , Hombrink Pleun , Nota Benjamin , Pircher Hanspeter , ten Berge Ineke J. M. , van Lier René A. W. , van Aalderen Michiel C.
Published: March 2019

During acute viral infections in mice, IL‐7Rα and KLRG1 together are used to distinguish the short‐lived effector cells (SLEC; IL‐7RαloKLRGhi) from the precursors of persisting memory cells (MPEC; IL‐7RαhiKLRG1lo). We here show that these markers can be used to define distinct subsets in the circulation and lymph nodes during the acute phase and in “steady state” in humans. In contrast to the T cells in the circulation, T cells derived from lymph nodes hardly contain any KLRG1‐expressing cells. The four populations defined by IL‐7Rα and KLRG1 differ markedly in transcription factor, granzyme and chemokine receptor expression. When studying renal transplant recipients experiencing a primary hCMV and EBV infection, we also found that after viral control, during latency, Ki‐67‐negative SLEC can be found in the peripheral blood in considerable numbers. Thus, combined analyses of IL‐7Rα and KLRG1 expression on human herpes virus‐specific CD8+ T cells can be used to separate functionally distinct subsets in humans. As a noncycling IL‐7RαloKLRG1hi population is abundant in healthy humans, we conclude that this combination of markers not only defines short‐lived effector cells during the acute response but also stable effector cells that are formed and remain present during latent herpes infections.
Mo‐Doped Cobalt Phosphide Nanosheets for Efficient Hydrogen Generation in an Alkaline Media
Authors: Liu Xunhang , Wei Bo , Su Ren , Zhao Chenguang , Dai Dongmei , Ma Xiao , Xu Lingling
Published: March 2019

The development of high‐active, low‐cost, and robust electrocatalysts is vitally important for electrocatalytic water splitting. Herein, Mo‐doped cobalt phosphide (Mo‐CoP) nanosheets on carbon cloth are successfully prepared and evaluated for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) catalyst. The Mo‐CoP catalyst displays an excellent electrocatalytic activity and stability toward HER in 1 m KOH solution. Relatively low overpotentials of 49 and 120 mV are required to reach the current densities of 10 and 100 mA cm−2, respectively. Moreover, the Mo‐CoP catalyst shows an exceptional stability with 24 h operation. The origin of improvement can be ascribed to Mo doping, which probably results in more active sites, higher electrical conductivity, and faster mass transfer. This work demonstrates a promising electrocatalyst for water electrolysis in an alkaline media and opens new possibilities for exploring water‐splitting catalysts.
Direct finite element method for nonlinear earthquake analysis of concrete dams: Simplification, modeling, and practical application
Authors: Løkke Arnkjell , Chopra Anil K.
Published: March 2019

A direct finite element (FE) method for nonlinear response history analysis of semi‐unbounded dam‐water‐foundation systems has recently been presented. The analysis procedure employs standard viscous‐damper absorbing boundaries to model the semi‐unbounded foundation and fluid domains and specifies the seismic input as effective earthquake forces—determined from a control motion defined at the foundation surface—at these boundaries. Presented in this paper are several simplifications to this direct FE method that greatly facilitates its implementation in commercial FE software. Also addressed is the modeling of the principal nonlinear mechanisms for concrete dams, calibration of damping in the numerical model to ensure consistency with values measured at actual dams, and practical procedures for implementation of the direct FE method with a commercial FE program.
Production of a natural color through microwave‐assisted extraction of saffron tepal's anthocyanins
Authors: Jafari Seid Mahdi , Mahdavee Khazaei Katayoun , Assadpour Elham
Published: March 2019

The extraction of anthocyanins from saffron (Crocus sativus) flower's tepal by microwave‐assisted extraction (MAE) was studied. The independent factors were solvent to sample ratio (10:1‒100:1), extraction temperature (35‒75°C), and time (5‒15 min). Maximum irradiation power in all experiments was 360 W. We applied response surface methodology (RSM) in order to determine optimum processing conditions which give maximum extraction efficiency (mg cyanidin‐3‐glucoside/g dried tepals). It was found that the influence of solvent ratio was more important for extraction yield than two other variables. Extraction conditions which maximized the extracted anthocyanins content were ratio of solvent to sample 77.5 ml/g, temperature 48°C, and extraction time of 9.3 min that resulted in 101 mg anthocyanins/g. In addition, MAE was a rapid and efficient technique for saffron anthocyanins due to disruption of cell walls under microwave irradiation, which was observed by microstructural analysis.
Drying the leaves of Perilla frutescens increases their content of anticancer nutraceuticals
Authors: Kagawa Natsuko , Iguchi Hiroya , Henzan Masahumi , Hanaoka Mitsumasa
Published: March 2019

A regular intake of plant‐derived bioactive agents has gained popularity because of the health benefits. Fresh leafy greens, however, normally have a low concentration of such bioactive agents. In this study, we found that drying markedly affected the accumulation of secondary metabolites and that dried leaves of Perilla frutescens L. (perilla) contained more anticancer flavonoids than fresh leaves. Drying is a major method of food preparation, particularly for plant‐based foods, but the quality of the bioactive agents contained in the fresh and dried leaves of perilla has received only scant attention. Quantitative analysis of the concentrations of perillaldehyde, rosmarinic acid, apigenin, luteolin, 4‐hydroxyphenyllactic acid, and 4‐coumaric acid, some of which are known as nutraceuticals, revealed that the effect of drying significantly increased apigenin (28‐fold) and luteolin (86‐fold), but decreased rosmarinic acid in all leaf stages. We examined the positive effect on flavonoid levels on perilla leaves and confirmed that, by comparison with fresh perilla leaves, the dried leaves contained greater concentrations of anticancer flavonoids regardless of variety, form, or manner of cultivation. This indicates that drying can significantly increase the level of flavonoids in perilla leaves without a loss of flavor. Therefore, drying is a simple and effective method to improve the concentrations of bioactive agents, which increases the intake of beneficial substances derived from herbs and edible plants. This finding serves as a method for the supply of raw plant materials rich in bioactive agents that are suitable for labeling as edible nutraceuticals.
Can limits‐to‐arbitrage from bounded storage improve commodity term‐structure modeling?
Authors: Kleppe Tore S. , Oglend Atle
Published: March 2019

This paper develops and estimates a two‐factor competitive storage model for the purpose of pricing commodity futures. The empirical relevance of the model is evaluated for US natural gas and crude oil futures by comparing the pricing performance to reduced form models. Results suggest jump models, both reduced form and economic, improve modeling due to incorporating pricing discontinuities. Furthermore, the economic model precludes carry arbitrage, which appears relevant for pricing natural gas futures. For crude oil, the reduced form models produce superior pricing under nonstationary market conditions, and the economic model produces superior long‐dated futures pricing under stationarity.
Ancestry‐specific association mapping in admixed populations
Authors: Skotte Line , Jørsboe Emil , Korneliussen Thorfinn S. , Moltke Ida , Albrechtsen Anders
Published: March 2019

During the last decade genome‐wide association studies have proven to be a powerful approach to identifying disease‐causing variants. However, for admixed populations, most current methods for association testing are based on the assumption that the effect of a genetic variant is the same regardless of its ancestry. This is a reasonable assumption for a causal variant but may not hold for the genetic variants that are tested in genome‐wide association studies, which are usually not causal. The effects of noncausal genetic variants depend on how strongly their presence correlate with the presence of the causal variant, which may vary between ancestral populations because of different linkage disequilibrium patterns and allele frequencies. Motivated by this, we here introduce a new statistical method for association testing in recently admixed populations, where the effect size is allowed to depend on the ancestry of a given allele. Our method does not rely on accurate inference of local ancestry, yet using simulations we show that in some scenarios it gives a substantial increase in statistical power to detect associations. In addition, the method allows for testing for difference in effect size between ancestral populations, which can be used to help determine if a given genetic variant is causal. We demonstrate the usefulness of the method on data from the Greenlandic population.
Maternal scaffolding and toddlers' active joint engagement during play: Moderating effects of toddlers' temperamental activity
Authors: Seo SoJung , Lee Young‐Eun
Published: March 2019

This study examined the associations between maternal scaffolding and toddlers' active joint engagement during play and whether toddlers' temperamental activity moderates those associations. Korean mother‐toddler dyads (N = 106) participated in semistructured free play. Maternal scaffolding, toddlers' joint engagement, and physical activity level were videotaped for 15 min, and the toddlers' temperamental activity was reported by their mothers. In a hierarchical multiple regression analysis, we found positive effects of maternal scaffolding on toddlers' joint engagement during play. Maternal scaffolding was more positively associated with joint engagement among temperamentally low active toddlers than among temperamentally high active toddlers. We did not find main effects of maternal scaffolding on toddlers' physical activity level during play but found significant moderating effects of toddlers' temperamental activity on the associations. Maternal scaffolding was negatively associated with the physical activity level of temperamentally high active toddlers. The implications of this study for future research and practice are discussed.

Highlights

This study examined the association between maternal scaffolding and toddlers' active joint engagement during play and whether toddlers' temperamental activity moderates those associations.

Korean mother‐toddler dyads (N = 106) participated in semi‐structured free play. Maternal scaffolding and toddlers' joint engagement and physical activity level were videotaped for 15 min, and the toddlers' temperamental activity was reported by their mothers. Maternal scaffolding was more positively associated with joint engagement among temperamentally low active toddlers than among temperamentally high active toddlers. Also, maternal scaffolding was negatively associated with the physical activity level of temperamentally high active toddlers.

The main results of the current study provide implications for informing intervention and prevention programs aimed at helping mothers understand and recognize the important role of scaffolding in toddlers' active joint engagement in play.
A microarray‐based comparative analysis of gene expression profiles in thyroid glands in amphibian metamorphosis: differences in effects between chemical exposure and food restriction
Authors: Ose Keiko , Yamada Fumihiro , Ohara Ayako , Suzuki Noriyuki , Fukuda Takako , Miyamoto Mitsugu , Sumida Kayo
Published: March 2019

Tadpoles during metamorphosis are sensitive to chemical exposure as shown in the amphibian metamorphosis assay, which is a method to detect effects of chemicals on the functions of hypothalamus‐pituitary‐thyroid axis. The present study reports existence of different modes of action between pyriproxyfen (PYR) and 6‐propyl‐2‐thiouracil (PTU) under different feeding conditions based on gene expression profiles (transcriptomics) in the thyroid glands of tadpoles of the African clawed frog, Xenopus laevis. PTU and PYR were exposed to the tadpoles during metamorphosis under normal (fed groups, both of PTU and PRY) and restricted feeding (fasted groups, PTU only) conditions; and effects were compared to control groups. Delayed development based on decreased Nieuwkoop and Faber developmental stage number without any histopathological changes was observed in the control of restricted feeding (control‐fasted) group, and the PYR group with reduced food consumption. Clear developmental retardation with typical thyroid histopathological changes was observed in the PTU groups. To find clusters of all samples based on their similarity of expression patterns, hierarchical clustering analysis using selected gene probes was conducted. It revealed gene profiles from samples of the PYR group were quite similar to those of the control‐fasted group, followed by the control group with normal feeding (control‐fed). The results suggest that key events in the thyroid glands of tadpoles induced by PYR should be quite similar to those of control‐fasted, and quite different from those of the PTU groups. Our findings demonstrated the usefulness of transcriptomics, which enabled recognition of the different modes of actions.
Antagonistic anticancer effect of paclitaxel and digoxin combination
Authors: Pereira Duane Gischewski , Rendeiro Mariana Manzano , Cortes Vanessa Faria , Barbosa Leandro Augusto , Quintas Luis Eduardo M.
Published: March 2019

Despite the growing interest in the antitumor effect of cardiotonic steroids, combination treatments with well‐established chemotherapy drugs like paclitaxel have been rarely investigated. Moreover, paclitaxel has been suggested as a Na+/K+‐ATPase inhibitor. Here we investigated the effect of paclitaxel and digoxin alone or in combination on the viability of human lung (A549) and cervical cancer (HeLa) cell lines and the inhibitory effect of paclitaxel on several mammalian Na+/K+‐ATPases. Although the viability of both tumor cell lines was concentration‐dependently affected by digoxin treatment after 48 hours (A549 IC50 = 31 nM and HeLa IC50 = 151 nM), a partial effect was observed for paclitaxel, with a maximal inhibitory effect of 45% at 1000 nM with A549 and around 70% with HeLa cells (IC50 = 1 nM). Although the two drugs were cytotoxic, their combined effect in HeLa cells was revealed to be antagonistic, as estimated by the combination index. No direct inhibitory effect of paclitaxel was detected in human, pig, rat, and mouse Na+/K+‐ATPase enzymes, but high concentrations of paclitaxel decreased the Na+/K+‐ATPase activity in HeLa cells after 48 hours without affecting protein expression. Our findings demonstrate that, under our conditions, paclitaxel and digoxin cotreatment produce antagonistic cytotoxic effects in HeLa cells, and the mechanism of action of paclitaxel does not involve a direct inhibition of Na+/K+‐ATPase. More studies shall be designed to evaluate the consequences of the interaction of cardiotonic steroids and chemotherapy drugs.
microRNA‐329 suppresses epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition and lymph node metastasis in bile duct cancer by inhibiting laminin subunit beta 3
Authors: Liao Chun‐Hong , Liu Yi , Wu Yi‐Fei , Zhu Si‐Wei , Cai Rong‐Yao , Zhou Lei , Yin Xin‐Min
Published: March 2019

Bile duct cancer (BDC), also known as cholangiocarcinoma, is a highly desmoplastic cancer with a growth pattern characterized by periductal extension and infiltration. Studies have suggested that microRNAs (miRNAs) play an important role in BDC progression. Here we aim at investigating the effects of miR‐329 on BDC development, focusing especially on epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition (EMT) in vitro and lymph node metastasis in vivo. Expression microarrays associated with BDC tissues were collected and differentially expressed genes were analyzed, followed by miRNA target prediction and verification. The role miR‐329 played in BDC was examined using gain‐of‐function and loss‐of‐function methods. The expressions of miR‐329, laminin subunit beta 3 (LAMB3), and EMT markers, in addition to cell proliferation, migration, and invasion were evaluated. Furthermore, nude mice models of BDC were established to observe tumor growth and metastatic lymph nodes. The LAMB3 was identified as an upregulated gene based on the GSE77984 and GSE45001 microarray analysis. LAMB3 was also predicted and confirmed to be a target gene of miR‐329 by dual‐luciferase reporter assay. Through further cell experiments, the EMT process was reversed, cell proliferation, invasion, and migration were suppressed, when miR‐329 was upregulated. Furthermore, in vivo experiments exhibited that the overexpression of miR‐329 inhibited tumor growth and the number of metastatic lymph nodes. This study provides in vivo and in vitro evidence that miR‐329 inhibits BDC progression through translational repression of LAMB3. Therefore, the obtained results may aid as an experimental basis for improving prognosis of BDC.
Phytoextraction technologies for mercury‐ and chromium‐contaminated soil: a review
Authors: Ranieri Ezio , Moustakas Konstantinos , Barbafieri Meri , Ranieri Ada C , Herrera‐Melián José A , Petrella Andrea , Tommasi Franca
Published: March 2019

Mercury and chromium represent two important elements of environmental concern and with a strong impact on human health. Several technologies are available to clean up the environment from these kinds of contaminants, but most of them are costly and difficult to use to get optimum results. Currently, phytoextraction is an effective and affordable technological solution used to extract or remove metals from contaminated soil and water by the use of plants as tools. This technology is environment‐friendly and potentially cost‐effective. This paper aims to compile some information about the two metals mercury and chromium, their effects and their possible treatment by phytoextraction, a branch of phytoremediation technologies aimed to confront metal/metalloid pollution. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry
Sensitivity of summer precipitation in regional spectral model simulations over eastern China to physical schemes: Daily, extreme and diurnal cycle
Authors: Zong Peishu , Zhu Yali , Tang Jianping
Published: March 2019

In this study, the capability of the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) Regional Spectral Model (RSM) in reproducing the precipitation in eastern China is evaluated with the simulation of 25‐year (1983–2007) summertime climate driven by the NCEP‐Department of Energy reanalysis. The impacts of different physical schemes on daily precipitation, diurnal cycle and precipitation extremes are studied through detailed analyses. The results show that the RSM model can reproduce the precipitation characteristics over eastern China, and the results are sensitive to the internal model physics and spectral nudging method. The cloud water prediction scheme of CLD3 (CLDn, the cloud schemes, classified according to the complexity microphysical processes) and the modified version of the Kain‐Fritsch scheme (KF2) tend to overestimate the summer precipitation by reproducing higher humidity, while the CLD1 and the Relaxed Arakawa Schubert scheme (RAS) always underestimate it. It is also demonstrated that RSM has the capability to reproduce the spatial distributions of the extreme precipitation intensity and duration. The physical schemes have great impact on the simulations of extreme precipitation over eastern China, especially on regional scales. For the diurnal cycle of precipitation, the responses of the simulated amplitude to the physical schemes differ with regions. The RAS scheme underestimates the amplitudes over southeastern China, while the KF2 generates positive biases. The involving of the scale selective bias correction (SSBC) method can properly improve the simulated mean precipitation and diurnal cycle of summer precipitation. However, it shows lower skill in improving extreme precipitation indices over eastern China, especially in the experiments with CLD3 scheme. In summary, the selection of CLD1 and KF2 scheme, involving SSBC method performs better than the other experiments.
Multi‐residue analysis of 44 pharmaceutical compounds in environmental water samples by solid‐phase extraction coupled to liquid chromatography‐tandem mass spectrometry
Authors: Miossec Carole , Lanceleur Laurent , Monperrus Mathilde
Published: March 2019

A solid‐phase extraction combined with a liquid chromatography‐tandem mass spectrometry analysis has been developed and validated for the simultaneous determination of 44 pharmaceuticals belonging to different therapeutic classes (i.e., antibiotics, anti‐inflammatories, cardiovascular agents, hormones, neuroleptics, and anxiolytics) in water samples. The sample preparation was optimized by studying target compounds retrieval after the following processes: i) water filtration, ii) solid phase extraction using Waters Oasis HLB cartridges at various pH, and iii) several evaporation techniques. The method was then validated by the analysis of spiked estuarine waters and wastewaters before and after treatment. Analytical performances were evaluated in terms of linearity, accuracy, precision, detection, and quantification limits. Recoveries of the pharmaceuticals were acceptable, instrumental detection limits varied between 0.001 and 25 pg injected and method quantification limits ranged from 0.01 to 30.3 ng/L. The precision of the method, calculated as relative standard deviation, ranged from 0.3 to 49.4%. This procedure has been successfully applied to the determination of the target analytes in estuarine waters and wastewaters. Eight of these 44 pharmaceuticals were detected in estuarine water, while 26 of them were detected in wastewater effluent. As expected, the highest values of occurrence and concentration were found in wastewater influent.
Do people who travel more perform better at work?
Authors: Miyakawa Erika , Kawakubo Atsushi , Oguchi Takashi
Published: March 2019

In this study, we examined how travel experiences affect job performance by improving generic skills and self‐efficacy. We collected data using a questionnaire delivered to 232 Japanese employees working for a temporary employment agency. Additionally, an objective measurement (financial data) was used to assess employees' job performance level. The results revealed that travel experiences positively influenced job performance as mediated by generic skills and general self‐efficacy. In addition to offering important implications for organizations and employees, our findings are likely to advance the current research on the mechanism of the benefits of travel on job performance.
HBx inhibits HMGB1 expression and active oxygen production in LO2 cells through the NF‐κB signaling pathway
Authors: Wang Gao‐Xiong , Wang Wei , Wang Yan‐Jun , Huang Tian‐Cong , Wang Ying‐Chao
Published: March 2019

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is one of major causes of various kinds of liver diseases. Among the four open reading frames (ORFs) of the HBV genome, the X region of HBV encodes HBx protein, which plays an important regulatory role in HBV infection. NF‐κB and high‐mobility group protein box1 (HMGB1) are potentially able to enhance the scavenging activity of host cells against foreign microorganisms. The present study focuses on the effect of HBx on the expression of HMGB1 in vitro. First, the lentiviral vector was used to induce the overexpression of HBx protein in LO2 cells (a normal hepatocyte cell line). Then, NF‐κB activity, HMGB1 expression and the production of ROS were detected by Western blot and DCFH‐DA (ROS detector) staining. Afterward, rotenone and LPS, which are activors of ROS and NF‐κB, respectively, were used to stimulate HBx‐overexpressing cells. Then, the expression differentiation of HMGB1 and ROS or the activity alternation of NF‐κB was detected again. HBx inhibited the activity of NF‐κB, inhibited the expression of HMGB1 and inhibited the production of ROS. The stimulation study with retenone or LPS suggested that there were mutual regulations between NF‐κB and HMGB1. HBx inhibits the expression of HMGB1 and the generation of ROS via the NF‐κB signaling pathway.
Low‐dose midazolam and propofol use for conscious sedation during diagnostic endoscopy
Authors: Kim Joo Hyung , Kim Dae Hyun , Kim Jin Hong
Published: March 2019

To find the right sedation technique for different types of treatment methods and the right amount of sedatives so the chances of side effects happening can be reduced. This was a retrospective cohort analysis conducted on prospectively collected data. Patients who underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy only (E group) were sub‐divided into two subgroups: (a) Those who received 0.5 mg/kg of propofol (E‐a), (b) Those who received 0.025 mg/kg of midazolam and 0.5 mg/kg of propofol (E‐b). Patients who underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy with colonoscopy (EC group) were also sub‐divided into three subgroups: (a) Those who received 0.5 mg/kg of propofol (EC‐a), (b) Those who received 0.025 mg/kg of midazolam and 0.5 mg/kg of propofol (EC‐b), (c) Those who received 25 mg (12.5 mg if body weight < 50 kg or age > 70) of meperidine and 0.025 mg/kg of midazolam along with 0.5 mg/kg of propofol (EC‐c). When the level of target was not reached, 10‐20 mg of propofol was additionally injected. Sedation efficacy and safety were then compared among groups. E‐b and EC‐b decreased the overall amount of propofol and reduced side effect of temporary hypoxemia compared to E‐a and EC‐a. EC‐b shortened patient recovery time compared to EC‐c and reduced paradoxical reaction. In terms of the patient satisfaction and patient cooperation by endoscopists, there were no significant differences between EC‐b and EC‐c. Concomitant use of low dosages of both propofol and midazolam is found to be useful and safe when endoscopy needs to be performed.