bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Alternative RNA splicing in the endothelium mediated in part by Rbfox2 regulates the arterial response to low flow
Authors: Murphy Patrick A , Butty Vincent L , Boutz Paul L , Begum Shahinoor , Kimble Amy L , Sharp Phillip A , Burge Christopher B , Hynes Richard O
Published: January 2018

Low and disturbed blood flow drives the progression of arterial diseases including atherosclerosis and aneurysms. The endothelial response to flow and its interactions with recruited platelets and leukocytes determine disease progression. Here, we report widespread changes in alternative splicing of pre-mRNA in the flow-activated murine arterial endothelium in vivo. Alternative splicing was suppressed by depletion of platelets and macrophages recruited to the arterial endothelium under low and disturbed flow. Binding motifs for the Rbfox-family are enriched adjacent to many of the regulated exons. Endothelial deletion of Rbfox2, the only family member expressed in arterial endothelium, suppresses a subset of the changes in transcription and RNA splicing induced by low flow. Our data reveal an alternative splicing program activated by Rbfox2 in the endothelium on recruitment of platelets and macrophages and demonstrate its relevance in transcriptional responses during flow-driven vascular inflammation.
Cell-type heterogeneity in the early zebrafish olfactory epithelium is generated from progenitors within preplacodal ectoderm
Authors: Aguillon Raphaël , Batut Julie , Subramanian Arul , Madelaine Romain , Dufourcq Pascale , Schilling Thomas F , Blader Patrick
Published: January 2018

The zebrafish olfactory epithelium comprises a variety of neuronal populations, which are thought to have distinct embryonic origins. For instance, while ciliated sensory neurons arise from preplacodal ectoderm (PPE), previous lineage tracing studies suggest that both Gonadotropin releasing hormone 3 (Gnrh3) and microvillous sensory neurons derive from cranial neural crest (CNC). We find that the expression of Islet1/2 is restricted to Gnrh3 neurons associated with the olfactory epithelium. Unexpectedly, however, we find no change in Islet1/2+ cell numbers in sox10 mutant embryos, calling into question their CNC origin. Lineage reconstruction based on backtracking in time-lapse confocal datasets, and confirmed by photoconversion experiments, reveals that Gnrh3 neurons derive from the anterior PPE. Similarly, all of the microvillous sensory neurons we have traced arise from preplacodal progenitors. Our results suggest that rather than originating from separate ectodermal populations, cell-type heterogeneity is generated from overlapping pools of progenitors within the preplacodal ectoderm.
Seismic Amplitude Ratio Analysis of the 2014–2015 Bárarbunga‐Holuhraun Dike Propagation and Eruption
Authors: Caudron Corentin , White Robert S. , Green Robert G. , Woods Jennifer , Ágústsdóttir Thorbjörg , Donaldson Clare , Greenfield Tim , Rivalta Eleonora , Brandsdóttir Bryndís
Published: January 2018

Magma is transported in brittle rock through dikes and sills. This movement may be accompanied by the release of seismic energy that can be tracked from the Earth's surface. Locating dikes and deciphering their dynamics is therefore of prime importance in understanding and potentially forecasting volcanic eruptions. The Seismic Amplitude Ratio Analysis (SARA) method aims to track melt propagation using the amplitudes recorded across a seismic network without picking the arrival times of individual earthquake phases. This study validates this methodology by comparing SARA locations (filtered between 2 and 16 Hz) with the earthquake locations (same frequency band) recorded during the 2014–2015 Bár
arbunga‐Holuhraun dike intrusion and eruption in Iceland. Integrating both approaches also provides the opportunity to investigate the spatiotemporal characteristics of magma migration during the dike intrusion and ensuing eruption. During the intrusion SARA locations correspond remarkably well to the locations of earthquakes. Several exceptions are, however, observed. (1) A low‐frequency signal was possibly associated with a subglacial eruption on 23 August. (2) A systematic retreat of the seismicity was also observed to the back of each active segment during stalled phases and was associated with a larger spatial extent of the seismic energy source. This behavior may be controlled by the dike's shape and/or by dike inflation. (3) During the eruption SARA locations consistently focused at the eruptive site. (4) Tremor‐rich signal close to ice cauldrons occurred on 3 September. This study demonstrates the power of the SARA methodology, provided robust site amplification; Quality Factors and seismic velocities are available.
Bioinspired Nacre‐Like Ceramic with Nickel Inclusions Fabricated by Electroless Plating and Spark Plasma Sintering
Authors: Xu Zhe , Huang Jiacheng , Zhang Cheng , Daryadel Soheil , Behroozfar Ali , McWilliams Brandon , Boesl Benjamin , Agarwal Arvind , Minary‐Jolandan Majid
Published: January 2018

Hybrid composites of layered brittle‐ductile constituents assembled in a brick‐and‐mortar architecture are promising for applications requiring high strength and toughness. Mostly, polymer mortars have been considered as the ductile layer in brick‐and‐mortar composites. However, low stiffness of polymers does not efficiently transfer the shear between hard ceramic bricks. Theoretical models point to metals as a more efficient mortar layer. However, infiltration of metals into ceramic scaffold is non‐trivial, given the low wetting between metals and ceramics. The authors report on an alternative approach to fabricate brick‐and‐mortar ceramic‐metal composites by using electroless plating of nickel (Ni) on alumina micro‐platelets, in which Ni‐coated micro‐platelets are subsequently aligned by a magnetic field, taking advantage of ferromagnetic properties of Ni. The assembled Ni‐coated ceramic scaffold is then sintered using spark plasma sintering (SPS) to locally create Ni mortar layers between ceramic platelets, as well as to sinter the ceramic micro‐platelets. The authors report on materials and mechanical properties of the fabricated composite. The results show that this approach is promising toward development of bioinspired ceramic‐metal composites.
Mechanical Properties of 2D Materials Studied by In Situ Microscopy Techniques
Authors: Li Xing , Sun Mei , Shan Chongxin , Chen Qing , Wei Xianlong
Published: January 2018

Two‐dimensional (2D) materials have been demonstrated as promising building blocks in future electronic and their mechanical properties are quite important for various applications. Due to their atomic thickness and planar nature, the investigation of the mechanical properties and related atomic mechanism are quite challenging. This review focuses on the recently developed in situ techniques based on scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM) in characterization of the mechanical properties of 2D materials. In situ methods used for studying their elastic properties, fracture behavior, and surface/interface energy are introduced in detail. Specifically, the AFM indentation test and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) device are generally used to investigate the elastic properties; the manipulator based methods show their flexibility in studying the fracture, adhesion, cleavage, and friction properties; atomic level fracture mechanism can be revealed with in situ high resolution TEM (HRTEM); the pressurized blister test and the buckle/wrinkle based methods are widely used to measure the surface/interface properties. Moreover, the influence of sample preparation process, defects and layer numbers to their mechanical properties are also discussed. Finally, the extensions of above methods to investigate the strain‐modulated physical properties of 2D materials are introduced.
Solar‐Light‐Driven CO2 Reduction by CH4 on Silica‐Cluster‐Modified Ni Nanocrystals with a High Solar‐to‐Fuel Efficiency and Excellent Durability
Authors: Huang Hui , Mao Mingyang , Zhang Qian , Li Yuanzhi , Bai Jilin , Yang Yi , Zeng Min , Zhao Xiujian
Published: January 2018

Catalytic CO2 reforming of CH4 (CRM) to produce syngas (H2 and CO) provides a promising approach to reducing global CO2 emissions and the extensive utilization of natural gas resources. However, the rapid deactivation of the reported catalysts due to severe carbon deposition at high reaction temperatures and the large energy consumption of the process hinder its industrial application. Here, a method for almost completely preventing carbon deposition is reported by modifying the surface of Ni nanocrystals with silica clusters. The obtained catalyst exhibits excellent durability for CRM with almost no carbon deposition and deactivation after reaction for 700 h. Very importantly, it is found that CRM on the catalyst can be driven by focused solar light, thus providing a promising new approach to the conversion of renewable solar energy to fuel due to the highly endothermic characteristics of CRM. The reaction yields high production rates of H2 and CO (17.1 and 19.9 mmol min−1 g−1, respectively) with a very high solar‐to‐fuel efficiency (η, 12.5%). Even under focused IR irradiation with a wavelength above 830 nm, the η of the catalyst remains as high as 3.1%. The highly efficient catalytic activity arises from the efficient solar‐light‐driven thermocatalytic CRM enhanced by a novel photoactivation effect.
Mechanical Property Evolution of Silicon Composite Electrodes Studied by Environmental Nanoindentation
Authors: Wang Yikai , Zhang Qinglin , Li Dawei , Hu Jiazhi , Xu Jiagang , Dang Dingying , Xiao Xingcheng , Cheng Yang‐Tse
Published: January 2018

Mechanical degradation is largely responsible for the short cycle life of silicon (Si)‐based electrodes for future lithium‐ion batteries. An improved fundamental understanding of the mechanical behavior of Si electrodes, which evolves, as demonstrated in this paper, with the state of charge (SOC) and the cycle number, is a prerequisite for overcoming mechanical degradation and designing high capacity and durable Si‐based electrodes. In this study, Young's modulus (E) and hardness (H) of Si composite electrodes at different SOCs and after different cycle numbers are measured by nanoindentation under both dry and wet (liquid electrolyte) conditions. Unlike electrodes made of Si alone, E and H values of Si composite electrodes increase with increasing Li concentration. The composite electrodes under wet conditions are softer than that under dry conditions. Both E and H decrease with the cycle number. These findings highlight the effects of porosity, liquid environment, and degradation on the mechanical behavior of composite electrodes. The methods and results of this study on the mechanical property evolution of Si/polyvinylidene fluoride electrodes form a basis for exploring more effective binders for Si‐based electrodes. Furthermore, the evolving nature of the mechanical behavior of composite electrodes should be taken into consideration in future modeling efforts of porous composite electrodes.
CO2 capture by methanol, ionic liquid, and their binary mixtures: Experiments, modeling, and process simulation
Authors: Taheri Mohsen , Dai Chengna , Lei Zhigang
Published: January 2018

The CO2 solubility data in the ionic liquid (IL) 1‐allyl‐3‐methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethyl sulfonyl)imide, methanol (MeOH), and their mixture with different combinations at temperatures of 313.2, 333.2, and 353.2 K and pressures up to 6.50 MPa were measured experimentally. New group binary interaction parameters of the predictive universal quasichemical functional‐group activity coefficient (UNIFAC)‐Lei model, which has been continually advanced by our group, were introduced by correlating the experimental data of this work and the literature. The consistency between experimental data and predicted results proves the reliability of UNIFAC‐Lei model for CO2‐IL‐organic solvent systems. The newly obtained parameters were incorporated into the UNIFAC property model of Aspen Plus software to optimize a conceptual process developed for the purification of a CO2‐containing gas stream. The simulation results indicate that the use of IL either mixed with MeOH or purely considerably lowers the process power consumption and improves the process performance in terms of CO2 capture rate and solvent loss. © 2018 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 64: 2168–2180, 2018
Autoimmune encephalitis epidemiology and a comparison to infectious encephalitis
Authors: Dubey Divyanshu , Pittock Sean J. , Kelly Cecilia R. , McKeon Andrew , Lopez‐Chiriboga Alfonso Sebastian , Lennon Vanda A. , Gadoth Avi , Smith Carin Y. , Bryant Sandra C. , Klein Christopher J. , Aksamit Allen J. , Toledano Michel , Boeve Bradley F. , Tillema Jan-Mendelt , Flanagan Eoin P.
Published: January 2018

Objective

To evaluate the incidence and prevalence of autoimmune encephalitis and compare it to that of infectious encephalitis.

Methods

We performed a population‐based comparative study of the incidence and prevalence of autoimmune and infectious encephalitis in Olmsted County, Minnesota. Autoimmune encephalitis diagnosis and subgroups were defined by 2016 diagnostic criteria, and infectious encephalitis diagnosis required a confirmed infectious pathogen. Age‐ and sex‐adjusted prevalence and incidence rates were calculated. Patients with encephalitis of uncertain etiology were excluded.

Results

The prevalence of autoimmune encephalitis on January 1, 2014 of 13.7/100,000 was not significantly different from that of all infectious encephalitides (11.6/100,000; p = 0.63) or the viral subcategory (8.3/100,000; p = 0.17). The incidence rates (1995–2015) of autoimmune and infectious encephalitis were 0.8/100,000 and 1.0/100,000 person‐years, respectively (p = 0.58). The number of relapses or recurrent hospitalizations was higher for autoimmune than infectious encephalitis (p = 0.03). The incidence of autoimmune encephalitis increased over time from 0.4/100,000 person‐years (1995–2005) to 1.2/100,000 person‐years (2006–2015; p = 0.02), attributable to increased detection of autoantibody‐positive cases. The incidence (2.8 vs 0.7/100,000 person‐years, p = 0.01) and prevalence (38.3 vs 13.7/100,000, p = 0.04) of autoimmune encephalitis was higher among African Americans than Caucasians. The prevalence of specific neural autoantibodies was as follows: myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein, 1.9/100,000; glutamic acid decarboxylase 65, 1.9/100,000; unclassified neural autoantibody, 1.4/100,000; leucine‐rich glioma‐inactivated protein 1, 0.7/100,000; collapsin response‐mediator protein 5, 0.7/100,000; N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate receptor, 0.6/100,000; antineuronal nuclear antibody type 2, 0.6/100,000; and glial fibrillary acidic protein α, 0.6/100,000.

Interpretation

This study shows that the prevalence and incidence of autoimmune encephalitis are comparable to infectious encephalitis, and its detection is increasing over time. Ann Neurol 2018;83:166–177
An Efficient Metal‐Free Catalyst for Oxidative Dehydrogenation Reaction: Activated Carbon Decorated with Few‐Layer Graphene
Authors: Zhang Yajie , Diao Jiangyong , Rong Junfeng , Zhang Jiayun , Xie Jingxin , Huang Fei , Jia Zhimin , Liu Hongyang , Su Dang Sheng
Published: January 2018

Activated carbon (AC) has been widely used in the catalysis field because of its low cost, scalable production, high specific surface area, and abundant exposed edge. Because of the amorphous structure, traditional AC is unstable in presence of O2 at high temperature, which hinders the application of AC catalysts in oxidative dehydrogenation (ODH) of alkanes. Here, partially graphitic AC decorated with few‐layer graphene is facilely fabricated by simple high‐temperature calcination. The graphitic transformation significantly enhances the antioxidation property, long‐term stability of AC during the ODH reaction, and especially dramatically increases the graphitic edge areas in which the active ketonic carbonyl groups are selectively formed in ODH reactions. A high reactivity with 41.5 % selectivity and 13.2 % yield to C4 alkenes were obtained at 450 °C over the optimized catalyst, which is superior to all the previously reported carbon catalysts and shows a great potential for industrial application.
An anthropogenic habitat within a suboptimal colonized ecosystem provides improved conditions for a range‐shifting species
Authors: Cannizzo Zachary J. , Dixon Sara R. , Griffen Blaine D.
Published: January 2018

Many species are shifting their ranges in response to the changing climate. In cases where such shifts lead to the colonization of a new ecosystem, it is critical to establish how the shifting species itself is impacted by novel environmental and biological interactions. Anthropogenic habitats that are analogous to the historic habitat of a shifting species may play a crucial role in the ability of that species to expand or persist in suboptimal colonized ecosystems. We tested if the anthropogenic habitat of docks, a likely mangrove analog, provides improved conditions for the range‐shifting mangrove tree crab Aratus pisonii within the colonized suboptimal salt marsh ecosystem. To test if docks provided an improved habitat, we compared the impact of the salt marsh and dock habitats on ecological and life history traits that influence the ability of this species to persist and expand into the salt marsh and compared these back to baselines in the historic mangrove ecosystem. Specifically, we examined behavior, physiology, foraging, and the thermal conditions of A. pisonii in each habitat. We found that docks provide a more favorable thermal and foraging habitat than the surrounding salt marsh, while their ability to provide conditions which improved behavior and physiology was mixed. Our study shows that anthropogenic habitats can act as analogs to historic ecosystems and enhance the habitat quality for range‐shifting species in colonized suboptimal ecosystems. If the patterns that we document are general across systems, then anthropogenic habitats may play an important facilitative role in the range shifts of species with continued climate change.
What is the best ethanol‐water ratio for the extraction of antioxidants from rosemary? Impact of the solvent on yield, composition, and activity of the extracts
Authors: Jacotet‐Navarro Magali , Laguerre Mickaël , Fabiano‐Tixier Anne‐Sylvie , Tenon Mathieu , Feuillère Nicolas , Bily Antoine , Chemat Farid
Published: January 2018

Extracts rich in antioxidants, such as rosemary extracts, are currently obtained by extraction of the plant material using hydro‐alcoholic mixtures with high ethanol content. As this ratio is generally chosen by default and scarcely optimized, we intended to investigate the impact of the hydro‐alcoholic composition on extract characteristics such as extraction yield, composition profile in selected compounds, and antioxidant/reducing activity such as Folin‐Ciocalteu, DPPH, and ORAC. A theoretical determination of rosmarinic (RA) and carnosic (CA) acid solubilities in ethanol:water mixtures was also performed using COSMO‐RS and was confronted to experiments. While the best solubilizing solvent (100% ethanol) was also the best extracting solvent for CA, it was not the case with RA since pure ethanol appeared as a poor solvent compared to 30% ethanol which was optimal. Finally, the best antioxidant activities were obtained with 30% ethanol.
ROMANCE: A new software tool to improve data robustness and feature identification in CE‐MS metabolomics
Authors: González‐Ruiz Víctor , Gagnebin Yoric , Drouin Nicolas , Codesido Santiago , Rudaz Serge , Schappler Julie
Published: January 2018

The use of capillary electrophoresis coupled to mass spectrometry (CE‐MS) in metabolomics remains an oddity compared to the widely adopted use of liquid chromatography. This technique is traditionally regarded as lacking the reproducibility to adequately identify metabolites by their migration times. The major reason is the variability of the velocity of the background electrolyte, mainly coming from shifts in the magnitude of the electroosmotic flow and from the suction caused by electrospray interfaces. The use of the effective electrophoretic mobility is one solution to overcome this issue as it is a characteristic feature of each compound. To date, such an approach has not been applied to metabolomics due to the complexity and size of CE‐MS data obtained in such studies. In this paper, ROMANCE (RObust Metabolomic Analysis with Normalized CE) is introduced as a new software for CE‐MS‐based metabolomics. It allows the automated conversion of batches of CE‐MS files with minimal user intervention. ROMANCE converts the x‐axis of each MS file from the time into the effective mobility scale and the resulting files are already pseudo‐aligned, present normalized peak areas and improved reproducibility, and can eventually follow existing metabolomic workflows. The software was developed in Scala, so it is multi‐platform and computationally‐efficient. It is available for download under a CC license. In this work, the versatility of ROMANCE was demonstrated by using data obtained in the same and in different laboratories, as well as its application to the analysis of human plasma samples.
Extracellular Vesicles from Hypoxic Adipocytes and Obese Subjects Reduce Insulin‐Stimulated Glucose Uptake
Authors: Mleczko Justyna , Ortega Francisco J. , Falcon‐Perez Juan Manuel , Wabitsch Martin , Fernandez‐Real Jose Manuel , Mora Silvia
Published: January 2018

Scope

We investigate the effects of extracellular vesicles (EVs) obtained from in vitro adipocyte cell models and from obese subjects on glucose transport and insulin responsiveness.

Methods and results

EVs are isolated from the culture supernatant of adipocytes cultured under normoxia, hypoxia (1% oxygen), or exposed to macrophage conditioned media (15% v/v). EVs are isolated from the plasma of lean individuals and subjects with obesity. Cultured adipocytes are incubated with EVs and activation of insulin signalling cascades and insulin‐stimulated glucose transport are measured. EVs released from hypoxic adipocytes impair insulin‐stimulated 2‐deoxyglucose uptake and reduce insulin mediated phosphorylation of AKT. Insulin‐mediated phosphorylation of extracellular regulated kinases (ERK1/2) is not affected. EVs from individuals with obesity decrease insulin stimulated 2‐deoxyglucose uptake in adipocytes (p = 0.0159).

Conclusion

EVs released by stressed adipocytes impair insulin action in neighboring adipocytes.
Tag der Organischen Chemie an der Universität Stuttgart
Authors: Richert Clemens
Published: January 2018

Am 13. Oktober fand der 21. Tag der Organischen Chemie an der Universität Stuttgart (Tocus) statt. Er umfasste zwölf Doktorandenvorträge und als frühabendlichen Festvortrag die Thieme Lecture in Organic and Bioorganic Chemistry. Die Veranstaltung zog insgesamt etwa 200 Teilnehmer und Zuhörer an. Finanziell unterstützten die Unternehmen BASF, Clariant, Evonik, Merck, Sanofi Aventis, Thermo Fisher und der Georg Thieme Verlag.
Für Zucker‐ und Herzkranke
Authors: van Alst Lea
Published: January 2018

Markus Heitzmann erhält den Meyer‐Galow‐Wirtschaftschemiepreis für ein Antidiabetikum, welches das Leben herzkranker Diabetiker verlängern kann.
Vorstandssitzung
Authors: Koch Wolfram
Published: January 2018

Die dritte Sitzung des Vorstands der Gesellschaft Deutscher Chemiker im Jahr 2017 fand am 12. September in Verbindung mit dem Jubiläums‐Wissenschaftsforum Chemie 2017 in Berlin statt.
Effectiveness of high‐dose i.v. immunoglobulin therapy for pregnant women with aspirin–heparin‐resistant secondary antiphospholipid syndrome
Authors: Maesawa Yoko , Deguchi Masashi , Tanimura Kenji , Morizane Mayumi , Ebina Yasuhiko , Yamada Hideto
Published: January 2018

Purpose

This study aimed to assess the efficacy of high‐dose i.v. immunoglobulin (HIVIg) therapy in pregnant women with antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) secondary to systemic lupus erythematosus with a history of pregnancy failure, despite receiving low‐dose aspirin plus unfractionated heparin therapy, of which condition being designated as “aspirin–heparin‐resistant APS” (AHRAPS).

Methods

The HIVIg therapy (20 g/d, 5 days) was performed for the pregnancies of five women with AHRAPS.

Results

Five of the eight pregnancies ended in live births. The gestational ages of delivery in four of the five pregnancies were extended, compared with previous pregnancies. The HIVIg therapy was considered to be successful for these four pregnancies. Excluding one pregnancy that ended in miscarriage with an abnormal chromosome karyotype of the villi, the HIVIg therapy was considered to be successful in four (57.1%) of the seven pregnancies of the women with AHRAPS. Although all the live newborns were prematurely delivered, no adverse effect of the HIVIg therapy was observed.

Conclusions

The HIVIg therapy might be beneficial as an immune modifier for pregnant women with AHRAPS. However, the precise indication of which women with AHRAPS who should receive HIVIg therapy remains unknown.
Economic adversities and cultural coping strategies: Impacts on identity boundaries among Druzes in Lebanon
Authors: Radwan Chad K.
Published: January 2018

Druze communities throughout Lebanon utilize culturally influenced strategies to cope with their economic pressures. As a group, their unique political and historical role in Lebanese society has exposed them to a broad spectrum of economic issues similar to those experienced by ethnic and religious minority groups elsewhere. This article discusses a number of economic concerns they face, with a focus on how cultural values, traditions, and practices are employed to navigate optimal outcomes at individual and communal levels. Traditions and practices common to Druzes, such as dissimulation or the strict obligation to protect one another from outside threats, provide examples to analyze Trouillot's discussion on silences and Chambers's theories on public and private heritage. This research is primarily based on ethnographic and qualitative fieldwork in Lebanon and, using secondary sources, offers a cross‐cultural comparison of disparate economic issues faced by Druzes in Israel to identify similarities and differences in cultural coping strategies. Examples of how public images relate to financial opportunities and how these images are brokered by insiders and outsiders provide a nuanced approach to understanding the economic burdens that affect Druzes and the resulting impact on conceptualizations of self, nationality, and shared identity.
Base‐Promoted Substitution Reaction: A Simple, Economical, and Efficient Method for Obtaining 3‐Sulfenylated Benzo[b]furan Derivatives
Authors: Wang Cong , Fan Yuxin , Yao Yaoyao , Chen Wenzhang , Cui Xing , Zhu Gaofeng , Zhou Wei , Tang Lei
Published: January 2018

A practical and concise protocol for the efficient preparation of 3‐sulfenylated benzo[b]furan derivatives via an addition−elimination/vinylic‐nucleophilic substitution reaction is been described. Various substituted 3‐sulfenylated benzo[b]furan derivatives were synthesized in good‐to‐excellent yields under basic conditions. Remarkably, this procedure offers several advantages including good yields, mild reaction conditions, simple operation, no requirement of extra metals, and gram‐scale synthesis.
(NH4)2S2O8‐Mediated Direct Oxysulfonyloxylation of Alkynes with Sulfonic Acids to Access α‐Sulfonyloxyketones
Authors: Zhang Yang , Tan Hua , Yue Chaochao , Liu Weibing
Published: January 2018

A novel method for the preparation of α‐sulfonyloxyketones via a (NH4)2S2O8‐mediated direct oxysulfonyloxylation of alkynes with sulfonic acids is described. This simple yet powerful method allows access to a variety of α‐sulfonyloxyketones with a broad substrate scope. Furthermore, under the stipulated conditions, this methodology demonstrates excellent regioselectivity for some 1,2‐disubstituted internal alkyne substrates, affording the corresponding α‐sulfonyloxyketones in good yields.
2,4,6‐Trinitrotoluene – A Useful Starting Compound in the Synthesis of Modern Energetic Compounds
Authors: Szala Mateusz , Sabatini Jesse J.
Published: January 2018

This review presents history, properties, and environmental fate of 2,4,6‐trinitrotoluene (TNT). Industrial methods of TNT production are discussed, as are several energetic derivatives of TNT. The performances and applications of these TNT derivatives are also described.
Topological Spin Models in Rydberg Lattices
Authors: Kiffner Martin , O’Brien Edward , Jaksch Dieter
Published: January 2018

We show that resonant dipole–dipole interactions between Rydberg atoms in a triangular lattice can give rise to artificial magnetic fields for spin excitations. We consider the coherent dipole–dipole coupling between np and ns Rydberg states and derive an effective spin-1/2 Hamiltonian for the np excitations. By breaking time-reversal symmetry via external fields, we engineer complex hopping amplitudes for transitions between two rectangular sub-lattices. The phase of these hopping amplitudes depends on the direction of the hop. This gives rise to a staggered, artificial magnetic field which induces non-trivial topological effects. We calculate the single-particle band structure and investigate its Chern numbers as a function of the lattice parameters and the detuning between the two sub-lattices. We identify extended parameter regimes where the Chern number of the lowest band is

$$ C=1 $$

C
=
1

or

$$ C=2 $$

C
=
2

.
Psychosocial Profiles of Parents of Children with Undiagnosed Diseases: Managing Well or Just Managing?
Authors: McConkie‐Rosell Allyn , Hooper Stephen R. , Pena Loren D. M. , Schoch Kelly , Spillmann Rebecca C. , Jiang Yong‐Hui , Cope Heidi ,   Undiagnosed Diseases Network, Palmer Christina , Shashi Vandana
Published: January 2018

Little is known about the psychosocial profiles of parents who have a child with an undiagnosed chronic illness. The National Institutes of Health Undiagnosed Diseases Network (UDN) evaluates individuals with intractable medical findings, with the objective of discovering the underlying diagnosis. We report on the psychosocial profiles of 50 parents whose children were accepted to one of the network's clinical sites. Parents completed questionnaires assessing anxiety, depression, coping self‐efficacy, and health care empowerment at the beginning of their child's UDN clinical evaluation. Parents of undiagnosed children had high rates of anxiety and depression (~ 40%), which were significantly inversely correlated with coping self‐efficacy, but not with health care empowerment. Coping self‐efficacy, depressive, and anxiety symptoms were better in parents with older children and with longer duration of illness. Gender differences were identified, with mothers reporting greater health care engagement than fathers. Overall, our findings suggest that parents of children with undiagnosed diseases maintain positive coping self‐efficacy and remain actively engaged in health care and to a lesser degree tolerance for uncertainty, but these come with a high emotional cost to the parents. As the parents’ psychological needs may not be obvious, these should be ascertained and the requisite support provided.
Flexible Causal Inference for Political Science
Authors: Braumoeller Bear F. , Marra Giampiero , Radice Rosalba , Bradshaw Aisha E.
Published: January 2018

Measuring the causal impact of state behavior on outcomes is one of the biggest methodological challenges in the field of political science, for two reasons: behavior is generally endogenous, and the threat of unobserved variables that confound the relationship between behavior and outcomes is pervasive. Matching methods, widely considered to be the state of the art in causal inference in political science, are generally ill-suited to inference in the presence of unobserved confounders. Heckman-style multiple-equation models offer a solution to this problem; however, they rely on functional-form assumptions that can produce substantial bias in estimates of average treatment effects. We describe a category of models,flexible joint likelihood models,that account for both features of the data while avoiding reliance on rigid functional-form assumptions. We then assess these models’ performance in a series of neutral simulations, in which they produce substantial (55% to${>}$90%) reduction in bias relative to competing models. Finally, we demonstrate their utility in a reanalysis of Simmons’ (2000) classic study of the impact of Article VIII commitment on compliance with the IMF’s currency-restriction regime.
The Ambivalence of Charles Taylor’s Philosophy: What makes our Everyday Reality Real?
Authors: KILLIUS MARKUS
Published: January 2018

InThe Language Animal, Charles Taylor’s struggle to provide a theoretical framework for his narration of the self finally becomes obvious. About 30 years after he wrote his great and fascinatingSources of the Self, Taylor closes the gap between the self as a radical being-in-the-world and its analytical premises. Even if the main topic of Taylor’s new book may seem to be only a comparison of what he calls ‘HHH-theory’ and ‘HLC-theory,’ there are two other authors, the combination of whose ideas clarifies not only his approach to language but also to his concept of ‘reality’ as such: Gottlob Frege and Ludwig Wittgenstein.
Service innovations
Authors: Simpson Chris , De Silva Prasanna
Published: January 2018

The increase in older people in the UK will increase the need for mental health services to run efficient, high-quality services. Multi-disciplinary team assessments, although not new, provide a method of increasing the capacity to see referrals. Two similar systems of multi-disciplinary team assessments from North Yorkshire are reported with evidence of improvement in quality.
A standard liaison psychiatry service structure?
Authors: Ruddy Rachel , House Allan
Published: January 2018

Aims and Method

We surveyed all psychiatric services in the six northeast strategic health authorities to determine how the provision of liaison psychiatry services related to College recommendations and the size of the general hospital trusts served.

Results

Thirty-six (100%) services provided usable data, 8% of general hospital trusts had no liaison psychiatry service, 41% of teams were not multidisciplinary with their only staff being nurses, only 38% of services had dedicated consultant psychiatry time and only a quarter met the recommended minimum standard of 0.5 whole-time equivalents. No teams contained clinical psychologists. Disorder-specific out-patient clinic provision was idiosyncratic.

Clinical Implications

There is a lack of rational planning of liaison psychiatry services and as a result, many services are not needs-based and do not comply with College recommendations. One indication of this is the lack of multidisciplinary teams.
Policy, Practice, and Research Agenda for Emergency Medical Services Oversight: A Systematic Review and Environmental Scan
Authors: Taymour Rekar K. , Abir Mahshid , Chamberlin Margaret , Dunne Robert B. , Lowell Mark , Wahl Kathy , Scott Jacqueline
Published: January 2018

Introduction

In a 2015 report, the Institute of Medicine (IOM; Washington, DC USA), now the National Academy of Medicine (NAM; Washington, DC USA), stated that the field of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) exhibits signs of fragmentation; an absence of system-wide coordination and planning; and a lack of federal, state, and local accountability. The NAM recommended clarifying what roles the federal government, state governments, and local communities play in the oversight and evaluation of EMS system performance, and how they may better work together to improve care.

Objective

This systematic literature review and environmental scan addresses NAM’s recommendations by answering two research questions: (1) what aspects of EMS systems are most measured in the peer-reviewed and grey literatures, and (2) what do these measures and studies suggest for high-quality EMS oversight?

Methods

To answer these questions, a systematic literature review was conducted in the PubMed (National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Institutes of Health; Bethesda, Maryland USA), Web of Science (Thomson Reuters; New York, New York USA), SCOPUS (Elsevier; Amsterdam, Netherlands), and EMBASE (Elsevier; Amsterdam, Netherlands) databases for peer-reviewed literature and for grey literature; targeted web searches of 10 EMS-related government agencies and professional organizations were performed. Inclusion criteria required peer-reviewed literature to be published between 1966-2016 and grey literature to be published between 1996-2016. A total of 1,476 peer-reviewed titles were reviewed, 76 were retrieved for full-text review, and 58 were retained and coded in the qualitative software Dedoose (Manhattan Beach, California USA) using a codebook of themes. Categorizations of measure type and level of application were assigned to the extracted data. Targeted websites were systematically reviewed and 115 relevant grey literature documents were retrieved.

Results

A total of 58 peer-reviewed articles met inclusion criteria; 46 included process, 36 outcomes, and 18 structural measures. Most studies applied quality measures at the personnel level (40), followed by the agency (28) and system of care (28), and few at the oversight level (5). Numerous grey literature articles provided principles for high-quality EMS oversight.

Conclusions:

Limited quality measurement at the oversight level is an important gap in the peer-reviewed literature. The grey literature is ahead in this realm and can guide the policy and research agenda for EMS oversight quality measurement.

TaymourRK,AbirM,ChamberlinM,DunneRB,LowellM,WahlK,ScottJ.Policy, practice, and research agenda for Emergency Medical Services oversight: a systematic review and environmental scan.Prehosp Disaster Med.2018;33(1):89–97.
Changing the restaurant food environment to improve cardiovascular health in a rural community: implementation and evaluation of the Heart of New Ulm restaurant programme
Authors: Lindberg Rebecca , Sidebottom Abbey C , McCool Brigitte , Pereira Raquel F , Sillah Arthur , Boucher Jackie L
Published: January 2018

Objective

The goals of the present study were to: (i) describe the implementation of a programme to improve the restaurant food environment in a rural community; and (ii) describe how practices changed in community restaurants.

Design

The intervention included a baseline assessment of all community restaurants (n 32) and a report on how they could increase the availability and promotion of healthful options. The assessment focused on sixteen healthy practices (HP) derived from the Nutrition Environment Measures Survey for Restaurants. Restaurants were invited to participate at gold, silver or bronze levels based on the number of HP attained. Participating restaurants received dietitian consultation, staff training and promotion of the restaurant. All community restaurants were reassessed 1·5 years after baseline.

Setting

The restaurant programme was part of the Heart of New Ulm Project, a community-based CVD prevention programme in a rural community.

Subjects

All community restaurants (n 32) were included in the study.

Results

Over one-third (38 %) of community restaurants participated in the programme. At baseline, 22 % achieved at least a bronze level. This increased to 38 % at follow-up with most of the improvement among participating restaurants that were independently owned. Across all restaurants in the community, the HP showing the most improvement included availability of non-fried vegetables (63–84 %), fruits (41–53 %), smaller portions and whole grains.

Conclusions

Findings demonstrate successes and challenges of improving healthful food availability and promotion in a community-wide restaurant programme.
Exposure to tobacco smoke and validation of smoking status during pregnancy in the MIREC study
Authors:   and the MIREC Study Group, Arbuckle Tye E. , Liang Chun Lei , Fisher Mandy , Caron Nicolas J. , Fraser William D.
Published: January 2018

Given that prenatal exposure to tobacco smoke can lead to increased risks of adverse health effects, having valid measures of exposure is important. In a Canadian cohort (n = 2000), maternal and infant biospecimens were analysed for cotinine. Sensitivity and specificity of self-reported active smoking status were estimated. Regression modelling was used to identify potential predictors of maternal and infant plasma cotinine in non-smoking women. During the first trimester, 60.6% of the women reported never smoking, 27.3% were former smokers, 6.1% had quit when they found out they were pregnant, 5.8% were smokers and 42% of the non-smokers reported exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS). Low detection of tobacco biomarkers in meconium limited its ability to identify exposure to SHS. The sensitivity and specificity for self-reported smoking during the 1st trimester were 85.37 and 99.45%, respectively. The lowest sensitivity was found in participants with the highest level of education and income, oldest women and those born outside Canada. Non-smoking women living in an apartment had 1.7 times higher odds of detectable plasma cotinine than those living in a single home after adjusting for other variables. Our results suggest that while self-reports are fairly accurate, they may be less so in populations with higher socio-economic status. This investigation underscores the need to consider the participant socio-economic characteristics and dwelling type when using questionnaires to estimate active and passive tobacco exposure.
Silencing of the lncRNA Zeb2-NAT facilitates reprogramming of aged fibroblasts and safeguards stem cell pluripotency
Authors: Bernardes de Jesus Bruno , Marinho Sérgio Pires , Barros Sara , Sousa-Franco António , Alves-Vale Catarina , Carvalho Tânia , Carmo-Fonseca Maria
Published: January 2018

Aging imposes a barrier to somatic cell reprogramming through poorly understood mechanisms. Here, we report that fibroblasts from old mice express higher levels of Zeb2, a transcription factor that activates epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. Synthesis of Zeb2 protein is controlled by a natural antisense transcript named Zeb2-NAT. We show that transfection of adult fibroblasts with specific LNA Gapmers induces a robust downregulation of Zeb2-NAT transcripts and Zeb2 protein and enhances the reprogramming of old fibroblasts into pluripotent cells. We further demonstrate that Zeb2-NAT expression is precociously activated by differentiation stimuli in embryonic stem (ES) cells. By knocking down Zeb2-NAT, we were able to maintain ES cells challenged with commitment signals in the ground state of pluripotency. In conclusion, our study identifies a long noncoding RNA that is overlapping and antisense to the Zeb2 locus as a target for rejuvenation strategies.
One-step fermentative production of aromatic polyesters from glucose by metabolically engineered Escherichia coli strains
Authors: Yang Jung Eun , Park Si Jae , Kim Won Jun , Kim Hyeong Jun , Kim Bumjoon J. , Lee Hyuk , Shin Jihoon , Lee Sang Yup
Published: January 2018

Aromatic polyesters are widely used plastics currently produced from petroleum. Here we engineer Escherichia coli strains for the production of aromatic polyesters from glucose by one-step fermentation. When the Clostridium difficile isocaprenoyl-CoA:2-hydroxyisocaproate CoA-transferase (HadA) and evolved polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) synthase genes are overexpressed in a d-phenyllactate-producing strain, poly(52.3 mol% 3-hydroxybutyrate (3HB)-co-47.7 mol% d-phenyllactate) can be produced from glucose and sodium 3HB. Also, various poly(3HB-co-d-phenyllactate) polymers having 11.0, 15.8, 20.0, 70.8, and 84.5 mol% of d-phenyllactate are produced from glucose as a sole carbon source by additional expression of Ralstonia eutropha β-ketothiolase (phaA) and reductase (phaB) genes. Fed-batch culture of this engineered strain produces 13.9 g l−1 of poly(61.9 mol% 3HB-co-38.1 mol% d-phenyllactate). Furthermore, different aromatic polyesters containing d-mandelate and d-3-hydroxy-3-phenylpropionate are produced from glucose when feeding the corresponding monomers. The engineered bacterial system will be useful for one-step fermentative production of aromatic polyesters from renewable resources.
Ceramic nanowelding
Authors: Zhang Liqiang , Tang Yushu , Peng Qiuming , Yang Tingting , Liu Qiunan , Wang Yuecun , Li Yongfeng , Du Congcong , Sun Yong , Cui Lishan , Yang Fan , Shen Tongde , Shan Zhiwei , Huang Jianyu
Published: January 2018

Ceramics possess high temperature resistance, extreme hardness, high chemical inertness and a lower density compared to metals, but there is currently no technology that can produce satisfactory joints in ceramic parts and preserve the excellent properties of the material. The lack of suitable joining techniques for ceramics is thus a major road block for their wider applications. Herein we report a technology to weld ceramic nanowires, with the mechanical strength of the weld stronger than that of the pristine nanowires. Using an advanced aberration-corrected environmental transmission electron microscope (ETEM) under a CO2 environment, we achieved ceramic nanowelding through the chemical reaction MgO + CO2 → MgCO3 by using porous MgO as the solder. We conducted not only nanowelding on MgO, CuO, and V2O5 nanowires and successfully tested them in tension, but also macroscopic welding on a ceramic material such as SiO2, indicating the application potential of this technology in bottom-up ceramic tools and devices.
Lipopolysaccharide and lipotheicoic acid differentially modulate epididymal cytokine and chemokine profiles and sperm parameters in experimental acute epididymitis
Authors: Silva Erick J. R. , Ribeiro Camilla M. , Mirim André F. M. , Silva Alan A. S. , Romano Renata M. , Hallak Jorge , Avellar Maria Christina W.
Published: January 2018

Bacterial infections are the most prevalent etiological factors of epididymitis, a commonly diagnosed inflammatory disease in the investigation of male infertility factors. The influence of early pathogenic mechanisms at play during bacterial epididymitis on reproductive outcomes is little understood. We report here that experimental epididymitis induced in rats by Gram-negative (LPS) and Gram-positive (LTA) bacterial products resulted in differential patterns of acute inflammation in the cauda epididymis. LPS elicited a strong inflammatory reaction, as reflected by upregulation of levels of mRNA for seven inflammatory mediators (Il1b, Tnf, Il6, Ifng, Il10, Nos2 and Nfkbia), and tissue concentration of six cytokines/chemokines (IL1A, IL1B, IL6, IL10, CXCL2 and CCL2) within the first 24 h post-treatment. Conversely, LTA induced downregulation of one (Nfkbia) and upregulation of six (Il1b, Il6, Nos2, Il4Il10 and Ptgs1) inflammatory gene transcripts, whereas increased the tissue concentration of three cytokines/chemokines (IL10, CXCL2 and CCL2). The stronger acute inflammatory response induced by LPS correlated with a reduction of epididymal sperm count and transit time that occurred at 1, 7, and 15 days post-treatment. Our study provides evidence that early epididymal inflammatory signaling events to bacterial activators of innate immunity may contribute to the detrimental effects of epididymitis upon male fertility.