bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cooperative Cellular Uptake and Activity of Octaarginine Antisense Peptide Nucleic Acid (PNA) Conjugates
Authors: Ghavami Mahdi , Shiraishi Takehiko , Nielsen Peter E.
Published: October 2019

Cellular uptake and antisense activity of d-octaarginine conjugated peptide nucleic acids (PNAs) is shown to exhibit pronounced cooperativity in serum-containing medium, in particular by being enhanced by analogous mis-match PNA–cell-penetrating peptide (PNA–CPP) conjugates without inherent antisense activity. This cooperativity does not show cell or PNA sequence dependency, suggesting that it is a common effect in cationic CPP conjugated PNA delivery. Interestingly, our results also indicate that Deca-r8-PNA and r8-PNA could assist each other and even other non-CPP PNAs as an uptake enhancer agent. However, the peptide itself (without being attached to the PNA) failed to enhance uptake and antisense activity. These results are compatible with an endosomal uptake mechanism in which the endocytosis event is induced by multiple CPP–PNA binding to the cell surface requiring a certain CPP density, possibly in terms of nanoparticle number and/or size, to be triggered. In particular the finding that the number of endosomal events is dependent on the total CPP–PNA concentration supports such a model. It is not possible from the present results to conclude whether endosomal escape is also cooperatively induced by CPP–PNA.
A Bottom-Up Approach for Developing Aptasensors for Abused Drugs: Biosensors in Forensics
Authors: Celikbas Eda , Balaban Simge , Evran Serap , Coskunol Hakan , Timur Suna
Published: October 2019

Aptamer-based point-of-care (POC) diagnostics platforms may be of substantial benefit in forensic analysis as they provide rapid, sensitive, user-friendly, and selective analysis tools for detection. Aptasensors have not yet been adapted commercially. However, the significance of the applications of aptasensors in the literature exceeded their potential. Herein, in this review, a bottom-up approach is followed to describe the aptasensor development and application procedure, starting from the synthesis of the corresponding aptamer sequence for the selected analyte to creating a smart surface for the sensitive detection of the molecule of interest. Optical and electrochemical biosensing platforms, which are designed with aptamers as recognition molecules, detecting abused drugs are critically reviewed, and existing and possible applications of different designs are discussed. Several potential disciplines in which aptamer-based biosensing technology can be of greatest value, including forensic drug analysis and biological evidence, are then highlighted to encourage researchers to focus on developing aptasensors in these specific areas.
The Evolution of Catalysis for Alkyd Coatings: Responding to Impending Cobalt Reclassification with Very Active Iron and Manganese Catalysts, Using Polydentate Nitrogen Donor Ligands
Authors: Simpson Neil , Maaijen Karin , Roelofsen Yfranka , Hage Ronald
Published: October 2019

Autoxidation processes to achieve curing of alkyd resins in paints, inks, and coatings are ubiquitous in many applications. Cobalt soaps have been employed for these applications for many decades and most of the paint and ink alkyd resin formulations have been optimized to achieve optimal benefits of the cobalt soaps. However, cobalt soaps are under increased scrutiny because of likely reclassification as carcinogenic under REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation, and Restrictions of Chemicals) legislation in Europe. This is critical, since such coatings are available for regular human contact. Alternative manganese- and iron-based siccatives have been developed to address this need for over a decade. They often show very high curing activity depending on the organic ligands bound to the metal centers. Recently, new classes of catalysts and modes of application have been published or patented to create safe paints, whilst delivering performance benefits via their unique reaction mechanisms. Besides the use of well-defined, preformed catalysts, paint formulations have also been developed with mixtures of metal soaps and ligands that form active species in-situ. The change from Co-soaps to Mn- and Fe-based siccatives meant that important coating issues related to radical-based curing, such as skinning, had to be rethought. In this paper we will review the new catalyst technologies and their performance and modes of action, as well as new compounds developed to provide anti-skinning benefits.
Effect of Fe Additives on the Catalytic Performance of Ion-Exchanged CsX Zeolites for Side-Chain Alkylation of Toluene with Methanol
Authors: Zhang Zhihui , Yuan Xiaoling , Miao Songsong , Li Hui , Shan Wenlan , Jia Mingjun , Zhang Chunlei
Published: October 2019

The side-chain alkylation of toluene with methanol was investigated over some Fe-modified Cs ion-exchanged X zeolite (CsX) catalysts prepared via the impregnation method using different iron sources. The absorption/activation behaviors of the reactants on the surface of the catalysts were studied by in situ Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and temperature programmed desorption (TPD) mass measurements. Modification of CsX with a small amount of FeCl3 could result in a considerable decrease in catalytic activity, due mainly to the remarkable decrease in the density of acidic and basic sites of the catalysts. Interestingly, the Fe(NO3)3-modified CsX with an optimum Fe loading of 0.15 wt.% shows improved catalytic activity and high yield compared to the side-chain alkylation products. Modification of CsX with Fe(NO3)3 could also result in a decrease in basic sites of the catalyst. However, such a change does not bring an obvious negative effect on the adsorption/activation of toluene, while it could effectively inhibit the generation of the undesired bidentate formate. Furthermore, the introduced FeOx species (derived from the decomposition of Fe(NO3)3) may also act as new Lewis acidic sites to participate in the activation of methanol and to stabilize the formed active intermediates (i.e., unidentate formate). Therefore, modification of CsX with a suitable amount of Fe(NO3)3 may adjust its adsorption/activation ability for reagents by changing the acid–base properties of the catalyst, which can finally enhance the catalytic performance for the side-chain alkylation of toluene with methanol.
Characterization of the Roles of Vimentin in Regulating the Proliferation and Migration of HSCs during Hepatic Fibrogenesis
Authors: Wang Pei-Wen , Wu Tung-Ho , Lin Tung-Yi , Chen Mu-Hong , Yeh Chau-Ting , Pan Tai-Long
Published: October 2019

The activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) manifested as proliferation and migration is the pivotal event involved in liver fibrogenesis. The vimentin network, an intermediate filament (IF) system, is one of the critical cascades by which the cell morphology, growth, and motility are modulated. However, the vimentin-mediated cytoskeletal cross talk, as well as the signaling transduction, which further coordinates the cellular responses during hepatic fibrogenesis, is poorly understood. In the current study, both messenger RNA (mRNA) and the vimentin protein were significantly increased in a time-dependent manner in the dimethylnitrosamine (DMN)-exposed liver. In particular, vimentin was highly expressed in the activated HSCs. Again, the overexpressed vimentin was observed in the plasma samples derived from patients with hepatic fibrosis/cirrhosis, suggesting that vimentin may be a key factor in regulating the progression of liver fibrosis. Meanwhile, vimentin knockdown suppressed the migratory propensity, provoked morphological changes, and disturbed the focal adhesions in the HSCs due to the breakdown of associated cytoskeletal proteins. Western blotting showed that vimentin deletion inhibited proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and arrested the Rho GTPase family, thereby impairing the HSCs’ growth as well as motility. The phosphorylated extracellular-signal regulated kinase (ERK) and AKT signals were also notably reduced in response to the silence of vimentin. Inhibitors of selected signaling pathways suppressed the migration and differentiation of activated HSCs by regulating specific serine phosphorylated sites on vimentin. Taken together, these findings revealed a novel mechanism of vimentin through which various signaling pathways controlled the proliferation, differentiation, and movement of the HSCs via the ERK/AKT and Rho cascades.
Proteomic and Transcriptomic Profiling Identifies Early Developmentally Regulated Proteins in Dictyostelium Discoideum
Authors: González-Velasco Óscar , De Las Rivas Javier , Lacal Jesus
Published: October 2019

Cyclic AMP acts as a secondary messenger involving different cellular functions in eukaryotes. Here, proteomic and transcriptomic profiling has been combined to identify novel early developmentally regulated proteins in eukaryote cells. These proteomic and transcriptomic experiments were performed in Dictyostelium discoideum given the unique advantages that this organism offers as a eukaryotic model for cell motility and as a nonmammalian model of human disease. By comparing whole-cell proteome analysis of developed (cAMP-pulsed) wild-type AX2 cells and an independent transcriptomic analysis of developed wild-type AX4 cells, our results show that up to 70% of the identified proteins overlap in the two independent studies. Among them, we have found 26 proteins previously related to cAMP signaling and identified 110 novel proteins involved in calcium signaling, adhesion, actin cytoskeleton, the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway, metabolism, and proteins that previously lacked any annotation. Our study validates previous findings, mostly for the canonical cAMP-pathway, and also generates further insight into the complexity of the transcriptomic changes during early development. This article also compares proteomic data between parental and cells lacking glkA, a GSK-3 kinase implicated in substrate adhesion and chemotaxis in Dictyostelium. This analysis reveals a set of proteins that show differences in expression in the two strains as well as overlapping protein level changes independent of GlkA.
Reliable Reference Genes for Gene Expression Assessment in Tendon-Derived Cells under Inflammatory and Pro-Fibrotic/Healing Stimuli
Authors: Ragni Enrico , Perucca Orfei Carlotta , Bowles Annie C. , de Girolamo Laura , Correa Diego
Published: October 2019

Tendon cells (TCs) are important for homeostatic maintenance in the healthy tendon and to promote tissue healing after injury. Further, resident and rare populations of tendon stem/progenitor cells, located at various sites within the tendon, contribute to tendon recovery by differentiating into repairing TCs. Gene expression analysis, through quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), constitutes a useful tool to study cellular responses, including the transition from initial inflammation to healing processes. A critical step required for data normalization is the choice of reliable reference genes (RGs), a process highly underestimated in tendon biology. In this study, the suitability of five commonly used RGs (ACTB, B2M, GAPDH, HPRT1, and RPLP0) was evaluated using TCs samples cultured in both standard and progenitor-enriching conditions, as well as under either inflammatory (IFNγ + TNFα) or pro-fibrotic/healing (CTGF) stimulation. The stability of the candidate RGs was computationally determined using NormFinder, geNorm, BestKeeper, and DeltaCt applets. Overall, ACTB resulted as the most stable RG on the basis of the integration of each gene weight, whereas B2M and RPLP0 performed poorly. To further validate ACTB’s optimal performance, we evaluated the expression of ICAM1, coding for an immune-related cell surface glycoprotein, and COL1A1, encoding collagen type I that is the main component of the tendon extracellular matrix (ECM), both known to be modulated by inflammation. The expression of both genes was heavily affected by the RGs used. Consequently, when analyzing gene expression in tendon-derived cells subjected to various stimulatory protocols, the use of a suitable RG should be considered carefully. On the basis of our results, ACTB can be reliably used when analyzing different TC types exposed to pathological conditions.
Ethylene Glycol Functionalized Gadolinium Oxide Nanoparticles as a Potential Electrochemical Sensing Platform for Hydrazine and p-Nitrophenol
Authors: Chaudhary Savita , Kumar Sandeep , Kumar Sushil , Chaudhary Ganga Ram , Mehta S.K. , Umar Ahmad
Published: October 2019

The current work reports the successful synthesis of ethylene glycol functionalized gadolinium oxide nanoparticles (Gd2O3 Nps) as a proficient electrocatalytic material for the detection of hydrazine and p-nitrophenol. A facile hydrothermal approach was used for the controlled growth of Gd2O3 Nps in the presence of ethylene glycol (EG) as a structure-controlling and hydrophilic coating source. The prepared material was characterized by several techniques in order to examine the structural, morphological, optical, photoluminescence, and sensing properties. The thermal stability, resistance toward corrosion, and decreased tendency toward photobleaching made Gd2O3 nanoparticles a good candidate for the electrochemical sensing of p-nitrophenol and hydrazine by using cyclic voltammetric (CV) and amperometric methods at a neutral pH range. The modified electrode possesses a linear range of 1 to 10 µM with a low detection limit of 1.527 and 0.704 µM for p-nitrophenol and hydrazine, respectively. The sensitivity, selectivity, repeatability, recyclability, linear range, detection limit, and applicability in real water samples made Gd2O3 Nps a favorable nanomaterial for the rapid and effectual scrutiny of harmful environmental pollutants.
Structure, Optical, and Thermal Properties of 9, 10-Diphenylanthracene Crystals
Authors: Liu Xiuhua , Zhu Tonghua , Hu Qingyuan , Dong Lan , Tan Zhaoyi
Published: October 2019

9,10-diphenylanthracene (DPA) single crystal is a promising scintillator material for fast-neutron detection. Two centimetre-sized polymorph crystals of DPA were grown by melting and solution methods (DPA-Melt and DPA-Solution, respectively), and characterised by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, UV-Vis absorbance spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric/differential scanning calorimetry. The DPA-Melt crystal possessed a P21/n structure, with excitation bands at approximately 331, 348, 367, and 387 nm, and the strongest emission wavelength at approximately 454 nm. On the other hand, the DPA-Solution crystal possessed a C2/c structure, with excitation bands at approximately 335, 353, 372, and 396 nm, and the strongest emission wavelength at approximately 468 nm. The two kinds of DPA crystals have the same molecular formula but different crystal structures, crystal lattice constants, and cell parameters. The theoretical density of the DPA-Solution crystal was 1.239 g/cm3, while that of the DPA-Melt crystal was 1.211 g/cm3. The two types of crystals exhibited the same melting point, but the thermal stability of the DPA-Solution crystal is better than that of the DPA-Melt crystal.
Nitrogen Metabolism at Tillering Stage Differently Affects the Grain Yield and Grain Protein Content in Two Durum Wheat Cultivars
Authors: Fortunato Stefania , Nigro Domenica , Paradiso Annalisa , Cucci Giovanna , Lacolla Giovanni , Trani Roberta , Agrimi Gennaro , Blanco Antonio , de Pinto Maria Concetta , Gadaleta Agata
Published: October 2019

Soil nitrogen abundance, as well as nitrogen use efficiency (NUE), significantly affect the crop yield and grain protein content (GPC). Depending on the genotype, a negative correlation between the yield and GPC can occur. The aim of the study was to assess the agronomic performance, and to explore physiological pathways for the efficient use of N fertilizer for two durum wheat cultivars, “Aureo” and “Vespucci”. After fertilization, the nitrogen content and values of some of the agronomic parameters and yield-related traits increased in both cultivars; nevertheless, a simultaneous rise in both the yield and GPC occurred only in Aureo. The biochemical parameters, analyzed at tillering, confirm the genotypic specificity of nitrogen use. In Vespucci’s roots, the nitrogen supply did not affect the nitrate reductase (NR), but greatly increased the amino acids and proteins, suggesting that ammonium is preferentially assimilated. In Aureo, nitrate is in part assimilated by the roots, as suggested by the ammonium increase and NR enhancement. In the leaves of both cultivars, organic nitrogen significantly increased after fertilization; however, the rise in amino acids, as well as in NR activity, was higher in Aureo than in Vespucci. These results indicate that the different nitrogen use, and in particular the diverse NR behavior, at tillering, are in part responsible of the cultivar differences in grain yield and GPC.
RTPO: A Domain Knowledge Base for Robot Task Planning
Authors: Sun Xiaolei , Zhang Yu , Chen Jing
Published: October 2019

Knowledge can enhance the intelligence of robots’ high-level decision-making. However, there is no specific domain knowledge base for robot task planning in this field. Aiming to represent the knowledge in robot task planning, the Robot Task Planning Ontology (RTPO) is first designed and implemented in this work, so that robots can understand and know how to carry out task planning to reach the goal state. In this paper, the RTPO is divided into three parts: task ontology, environment ontology, and robot ontology, followed by a detailed description of these three types of knowledge, respectively. The OWL (Web Ontology Language) is adopted to represent the knowledge in robot task planning. Then, the paper proposes a method to evaluate the scalability and responsiveness of RTPO. Finally, the corresponding task planning algorithm is designed based on RTPO, and then the paper conducts experiments on the basis of the real robot TurtleBot3 to verify the usability of RTPO. The experimental results demonstrate that RTPO has good performance in scalability and responsiveness, and the robot can achieve given high-level tasks based on RTPO.
Orthogonal Waveform Design for Radar-Embedded Communications
Authors: Xu Jianqiu , Li Baoguo , Huang Zhitao , Lei Jing
Published: October 2019

This paper focuses on the waveform design for a radar-embedded communication (REC) system which can achieve covert communication while improving the spectrum utilization. In order to solve the problem that the conventional embedded communication waveforms are not orthogonal, this paper proposes the orthogonal weighted-combining (OWC) strategy and the orthogonal dominant-projection (ODP) strategy. Furthermore, the OWC strategy can be broken into two strategies: constrained weighted-combining (CWC) strategy and improved weighted-combining (IWC) strategy. Theoretical analysis and simulation results have shown that these three strategies can dramatically improve communication reliability. Moreover, the performance of the strategies mentioned above has been assessed by the low probability of intercept (LPI) metric. Comparing to the traditional strategies, the IWC strategy shows better LPI performance while the CWC strategy and ODP strategy remain unchanged. Additionally, the ODP strategy can also reduce computational complexity and response delay, which is rather important in the REC system. Any of the three strategies can be selected in accordance with the needs of the application scenario.
Mapping the Spatial Distribution of Tea Plantations Using High-Spatiotemporal-Resolution Imagery in Northern Zhejiang, China
Authors: Li Nan , Zhang Dong , Li Longwei , Zhang Yinlong
Published: October 2019

Tea plantations are widely distributed in the southern provinces of China and have expanded rapidly in recent years due to their high economic value. This expansion has caused ecological problems such as soil erosion, and it is therefore urgent to clarify the spatial distribution and area of tea plantations. In this study, we developed a simple method to accurately map tea plantations based on their unique phenological characteristics observed from VENμS high-spatiotemporal-resolution multispectral imagery. The normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and red—green ratio index (RGRI) of time series were calculated using 40 VENμS images taken in 2018 to evaluate the phenology of tea plantations. The unique phenological period of tea plantations in northern Zhejiang is from April to May, with obvious deep pruning, which is very different from the phenological period of other vegetation. During this period, the RGRI values of tea plantations were much higher than those of other vegetation such as broadleaf forest and bamboo forest. Therefore, it is possible to identify tea plantations from the vegetation in images acquired during their phenological period. This method was applied to tea plantation mapping in northern Zhejiang. The NDVI value of the winter image was used to extract a vegetation coverage map, and spatial intersection analysis combined with maps of tea plantation phenological information was performed to obtain a tea plantation distribution map. The resulting tea plantation map had a high accuracy, with a 94% producer accuracy and 95.9% user accuracy. The method was also applied to Sentinel-2 images at the regional scale, and the obtained tea plantation distribution map had an accuracy of 88.7%, indicating the good applicability of the method.
Educational Robotics in Primary School: Measuring the Development of Computational Thinking Skills with the Bebras Tasks
Authors: Chiazzese Giuseppe , Arrigo Marco , Chifari Antonella , Lonati Violetta , Tosto Crispino
Published: October 2019

Research has shown that educational robotics can be an effective tool to increase students’ acquisition of knowledge in the subjects of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics and promote, at the same time, a progression in the development of computational thinking (CT) skills in K–12 (kindergarten to 12th grade) education. Within this research field, the present study first sought to assess the effect of a robotics laboratory on the acquisition of CT-related skills in primary school children. The study also aimed to compare the magnitude of the effect of the laboratory across third- and fourth-grade students. For the purpose of the study, a quasi-experimental post-test-only design was adopted, and a group of 51 students, from third- and fourth-grade classrooms, participating in the robotics laboratories, were compared to a control group of 32 students from classrooms of the same grades. A set of Bebras tasks was selected as an overall measure of CT skills and was administered to children in both the intervention and control groups. Overall, the results showed that programming robotics artefacts may exert a positive impact on students’ learning of computational thinking skills. Moreover, the effect of the intervention was found to be greater among third-grade children.
Effects of Vegetation Strips, Fertilizer Levels and Varietal Resistance on the Integrated Management of Arthropod Biodiversity in a Tropical Rice Ecosystem
Authors: Horgan Finbarr G. , Crisol Martínez Eduardo , Stuart Alexander M. , Bernal Carmencita C. , de Cima Martín Elena , Almazan Maria Liberty P. , Ramal Angelee Fame
Published: October 2019

Integrated biodiversity management aims to conserve the beneficial species components of production ecosystems and reduce the impacts of pests. In 2011 and 2013, experiments were conducted at Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines, to compare arthropod communities in rice plots and on levees with and without vegetation strips. Vegetation strips included spontaneous weeds, sesame and okra (2011), or mung bean (2013). The plots were treated with one of three nitrogen levels and in one experiment were planted with planthopper-resistant (IR62) and susceptible (IR64) rice varieties. Parasitoids and predators of lepidopteran pests and of the ricebug, Leptocorisa oratorius, were more abundant in high-nitrogen rice plots where their prey/hosts also had highest densities. Planthoppers and leafhoppers were more abundant in low-nitrogen plots. Weedy and sesame/okra bunds provided habitat for a range of natural enemies including spiders, parasitoids and predatory bugs, but did not have higher pest numbers than cleared bunds. Higher abundances of the predator Cythorhinus lividipennis and higher parasitism of planthopper (Nilaparvata lugens) eggs by Anagrus sp. were associated with sesame/okra bunds in late season rice plots. Mung bean also provided habitat for key predators and parasitoids that spilled over to adjacent rice; however, mung bean was also associated with higher numbers of lepidopteran and grain-sucking pests in the adjacent rice, albeit without increased damage to the rice. For ricebug in particular, damage was probably reduced by higher parasitoid:pest ratios adjacent to the vegetation strips. Varietal resistance and mung bean strips had an additive effect in reducing abundance of the planthopper Sogatella furcifera and the leafhopper Nephotettix virescens. Reduced numbers of these latter pests close to vegetation strips were often compensated for by other plant-sucking bugs, thereby increasing the intensity of potentially stabilizing interspecific interactions such as competition. We highlight the benefits of diversifying rice landscapes and the need to optimize vegetation strips, e.g., by including lepidopteran trap-plants, for intensive rice production systems.
A Population Pharmacokinetic Model of Intravenous Dexmedetomidine for Mechanically Ventilated Children after Neurosurgery
Authors: Song In-Kyung , Yi SoJeong , Lim Hyeong-Seok , Lee Ji-Hyun , Kim Eun-Hee , Cho Joo-Youn , Kim Min-Chang , Kim Jin-Tae , Kim Hee-Soo
Published: October 2019

Dexmedetomidine is a selective alpha-2 adrenergic agonist with concurrent sedative and analgesic effects, and it is being increasingly used in pediatric anesthesia and intensive care. This study aimed to investigate the pharmacokinetics of intravenous dexmedetomidine in mechanically ventilated children in the intensive care unit (ICU) after neurosurgery. Pediatric patients aged 2–12 years, who were mechanically ventilated in ICU after neurosurgery, were allocated into a low-dose (n = 15) or high-dose (n = 14) group. The low-dose group received dexmedetomidine at a loading dose of 0.25 µg/kg for 10 min, followed by a maintenance dose of 0.25 µg/kg/h for 50 min, whereas the high-dose group received dexmedetomidine at a loading dose of 0.5 µg/kg for 10 min, followed by a maintenance dose of 0.5 µg/kg/h for 50 min. Serial blood samples were collected for a pharmacokinetic analysis up to 480 min after the end of the infusion. The sedative effect of dexmedetomidine was assessed using the Bispectral Index and University of Michigan Sedation Scale. Adverse reactions, electrocardiography findings, and vital signs were monitored for a safety assessment. A population pharmacokinetic analysis was performed using non-linear mixed effects modeling. Dexmedetomidine induced a moderate-to-deep degree of sedation during infusion in both groups. The pharmacokinetics of dexmedetomidine were best described by a two-compartment disposition model with first-order elimination kinetics. The parameters were standardized for a body weight of 70 kg using an allometric power model. The population estimates (95% confidence interval) per 70 kg body weight were as follows: clearance of 81.0 (72.9–90.9) L/h, central volume of distribution of 64.2 (50.6–81.0) L, intercompartment clearance of 116.4 (90.6–156.0) L/h, and peripheral volume of distribution of 167 (132–217) L. No serious adverse reactions or hemodynamic changes requiring the discontinuation of dexmedetomidine were observed. Dexmedetomidine had increased clearance and volume of distribution in mechanically ventilated children in ICU after neurosurgery, thereby indicating the need to adjust the dosage to obtain a target plasma concentration.
Increased Citrullinated Histone H3 Levels in the Early Post-Resuscitative Period Are Associated with Poor Neurologic Function in Cardiac Arrest Survivors—A Prospective Observational Study
Authors: Mauracher Lisa-Marie , Buchtele Nina , Schörgenhofer Christian , Weiser Christoph , Herkner Harald , Merrelaar Anne , Spiel Alexander O. , Hell Lena , Ay Cihan , Pabinger Ingrid , Jilma Bernd , Schwameis Michael
Published: October 2019

The exact contribution of neutrophils to post-resuscitative brain damage is unknown. We aimed to investigate whether neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) formation in the early phase after return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) may be associated with poor 30 day neurologic function in cardiac arrest survivors. This study prospectively included adult (≥18 years) out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) survivors with cardiac origin, who were subjected to targeted temperature management. Plasma levels of specific (citrullinated histone H3, H3Cit) and putative (cell-free DNA (cfDNA) and nucleosomes) biomarkers of NET formation were assessed at 0 and 12 h after admission. The primary outcome was neurologic function on day 30 after admission, which was assessed using the five-point cerebral performance category (CPC) score, classifying patients into good (CPC 1–2) or poor (CPC 3–5) neurologic function. The main variable of interest was the effect of H3Cit level quintiles at 12 h on 30 day neurologic function, assessed by logistic regression. The first quintile was used as a baseline reference. Results are given as crude odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (95% CI). Sixty-two patients (79% male, median age: 57 years) were enrolled. The odds of poor neurologic function increased linearly, with 0 h levels of cfNDA (crude OR 1.8, 95% CI: 1.2–2.7, p = 0.007) and nucleosomes (crude OR 1.7, 95% CI: 1.0–2.2, p = 0.049), as well as with 12 h levels of cfDNA (crude OR 1.6, 95% CI: 1.1–2.4, p = 0.024), nucleosomes (crude OR 1.7, 95% CI: 1.1–2.5, p = 0.020), and H3Cit (crude OR 1.6, 95% CI: 1.1–2.3, p = 0.029). Patients in the fourth (7.9, 95% CI: 1.1–56, p = 0.039) and fifth (9.0, 95% CI: 1.3–63, p = 0.027) H3Cit quintile had significantly higher odds of poor 30 day neurologic function compared to patients in the first quintile. Increased plasma levels of H3Cit, 12 h after admission, are associated with poor 30 day neurologic function in adult OHCA survivors, which may suggest a contribution of NET formation to post-resuscitative brain damage and therefore provide a therapeutic target in the future.
Thrombin Induces Angiotensin II-Mediated Senescence in Atrial Endothelial Cells: Impact on Pro-Remodeling Patterns
Authors: Hasan Hira , Park Sin-Hee , Auger Cyril , Belcastro Eugenia , Matsushita Kensuke , Marchandot Benjamin , Lee Hyun-Ho , Qureshi Abdul , Kauffenstein Gilles , Ohlmann Patrick , Schini-Kerth Valérie , Jesel Laurence , Morel Olivier
Published: October 2019

Background: Besides its well-known functions in hemostasis, thrombin plays a role in various non-hemostatic biological and pathophysiologic processes. We examined the potential of thrombin to promote premature atrial endothelial cells (ECs) senescence. Methods and Results: Primary ECs were isolated from porcine atrial tissue. Endothelial senescence was assessed by measuring beta-galactosidase (SA-β-gal) activity using flow cytometry, oxidative stress using the redox-sensitive probe dihydroethidium, protein level by Western blot, and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) activity using zymography. Atrial endothelial senescence was induced by thrombin at clinically relevant concentrations. Thrombin induced the up-regulation of p53, a key regulator in cellular senescence and of p21 and p16, two cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors. Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate NADPH oxidase, cyclooxygenases and the mitochondrial respiration complex contributed to oxidative stress and senescence. Enhanced expression levels of vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM)-1, tissue factor, transforming growth factor (TGF)-β and MMP-2 and 9 characterized the senescence-associated secretory phenotype of atrial ECs. In addition, the pro-senescence endothelial response to thrombin was associated with an overexpression of both angiotensin converting enzyme and AT1 receptors and was inhibited by perindoprilat and losartan. Conclusions: Thrombin promotes premature ageing and senescence of atrial ECs and may pave the way to deleterious remodeling of atrial tissue by a local up-regulation of the angiotensin system and by promoting pro-inflammatory, pro-thrombotic, pro-fibrotic and pro-remodeling responses. Hence, targeting thrombin and/or angiotensin systems may efficiently prevent atrial endothelial senescence.
Associations between Race, Discrimination, Community Violence, Traumatic Life Events, and Psychosis-Like Experiences in a Sample of College Students
Authors: Rakhshan Rouhakhtar Pamela J. , Pitts Steven C. , Schiffman Jason
Published: October 2019

Self-report tools of psychosis-like experiences contribute to the understanding of psychosis and may aid in identification and prevention efforts across the severity spectrum. Current tools are likely limited by biases, leading to potential systematic health disparities. Principal component analyses in diverse samples of community participants reporting psychosis-like experiences may aid in the detection of measurement biases. The current study evaluated the fit of a two-component model for the Prime Screen, a self-report psychosis-like experiences measure, in a sample of Black (n = 82) and White (n = 162) community participants, and subsequently evaluated the relation of these components with measures of mental well-being, traumatic life experiences, community violence, and experiences of discrimination. Analyses indicated limited support for a two-component model of the Prime Screen, with four of the items showing high cross-loading across both components (“poor fit” items). Although many Prime Screen items correlated with mental well-being as expected, correlations between item scores and mental well-being were non-significant for poor fit items. Community violence emerged as a significant predictor of some individual item scores for both good and poor fit items, while discrimination predicted only some poor fit item scores. Results highlight the potential limitations of current self-report tools of psychosis-like experiences, as well as possible considerations for improvement for use in diverse populations.
Visualization Tests on Variation of Scour Front under a Pipeline in Steady Currents
Authors: Xie Liquan , Zhu Yehui , Su Tsung-Chow
Published: October 2019

The intersection of the span shoulder and the scour hole under a pipeline, also called the scour front, can affect the scour hole extension rate and the bearing capacity of the span shoulder, which is associated with pipeline spanning and failure. Studies on scour front evolution are limited due to technical restrictions. In this study, visualization experiments on three-dimensional scour under a pipeline in steady currents were performed to reveal the evolution of the scour front at the beginning of scour process, and the parametric effects on the scour front pattern. The angle of scour front witnessed a steady drop at the start of the scour development process and fluctuated gently thereafter. This can be attributed to the decrease in the blockage effect over time. A gravitational movement was observed on the downstream end of the scour front, which is associated with the variation of fluid pressure along the scour front. The scour front pattern was described by the angle between the scour front and the streamwise direction. Parametric analysis showed that the averaged scour front angle climbs as the Froude number increases and the pipeline embedment drops. This phenomenon can be expounded by the intensified flow deflection near the span shoulder due to the enhancement of the pipeline blockage effect, caused by the ascending Froude number and descending pipeline embedment. The results of this study can be adopted in future mechanism investigations on the scour hole propagation rate and the failure analysis on the span shoulder.
Lipid Peroxidation in Hepatopancreas, Gill, and Hemolymph of Male and Female Crabs Platyxanthus orbignyi after Air Exposure
Authors: Aguilar Vitorino Hector , Pastrana Alta Roxana Yesenia , Ortega Priscila
Published: October 2019

Levels of lipid peroxidation in hepatopancreas (HP), gill (G), and hemolymph (HYM) of stone violaceous crab Platyxanthus orbignyi (Milne Edwards and Lucas (1843)) were performed to examine the effect of short exposure to air. After four hours animals were collected, 14 from exposure to air and 10 from seawater were dissected and their lipid peroxidation (LPO) levels were evaluated using the ferrous oxidation-xylenol orange (FOX) method, in gill, hepatopancreas, and hemolymph. The total mortality of those crabs was evaluated after seven hours at 22 ± 1 °C on exposure to air conditions. Levels of LPO in hepatopancreas (female/male = 4.68 ± 1.60/5.12 ± 1.59 Eq-H2O2/g wet tissue) and hemolymph (female/male = 1.48 ± 1.42/1.28 ± 1.06 Eq-H2O2/g wet tissue) displayed no significant differences, in contrast, gills displayed significant differences (male/female = 5.63 ± 0.83/4.63 ± 0.44 Eq-H2O2/g wet tissue, p < 0.05). The results showed that air exposure in the short term in this study induces a different response in oxidative stress levels and damage could be accompanied by accumulation of peroxide lipids (LOOH). These results suggest that different organs can show different responses to oxidative stress between male and female crabs to this species.
Implication of Magnetic Nanoparticles in Cancer Detection, Screening and Treatment
Authors: Hosu Oana , Tertis Mihaela , Cristea Cecilia
Published: October 2019

During the last few decades, magnetic nanoparticles have been evaluated as promising materials in the field of cancer detection, screening, and treatment. Early diagnosis and screening of cancer may be achieved using magnetic nanoparticles either within the magnetic resonance imaging technique and/or sensing systems. These sensors are designed to selectively detect specific biomarkers, compounds that can be related to the onset or evolution of cancer, during and after the treatment of this widespread disease. Some of the particular properties of magnetic nanoparticles are extensively exploited in cancer therapy as drug delivery agents to selectively target the envisaged location by tailored in vivo manipulation using an external magnetic field. Furthermore, individualized treatment with antineoplastic drugs may be combined with magnetic resonance imaging to achieve an efficient therapy. This review summarizes the studies about the implications of magnetic nanoparticles in cancer diagnosis, treatment and drug delivery as well as prospects for future development and challenges of magnetic nanoparticles in the field of oncology.
Deriving Fuzzy Weights of the Fuzzy Analytic Network Process via Fuzzy Inverse Matrix
Authors: Chen Chin-Yi , Huang Jih-Jeng
Published: October 2019

The analytic hierarchical process/network process (AHP/ANP) is a popular multi-criteria decision making approach for determining the optimal alternative or weights of criteria. Many papers have extended the AHP/ANP to consider the fuzzy environment to reflect the subjective uncertainty of decision-makers. However, the fuzzy ANP (FANP) is not as popular as the fuzzy AHP (FAHP), because the calculation of the fuzzy supermatrix results in the divergence of the steady-state. In this paper, we provide a novel mathematical programming model to calculate the limiting distribution of the fuzzy supermatrix by considering a fuzzy inverse matrix rather than directly calculate the fuzzy supermatrix by limiting powers. In addition, we use a numerical example to illustrate the proposed method and compare the results with the previous method. The numerical results indicate the proposed method has the least spread of the fuzzy weights, thus justifying the usefulness of the proposed method.
Temporal Dynamics in Rumen Bacterial Community Composition of Finishing Steers during an Adaptation Period of Three Months
Authors: Qiu Qinghua , Gao Chaoyu , Gao Zhibiao , Rahman Muhammad Aziz ur , He Yang , Cao Binghai , Su Huawei
Published: October 2019

The objective of this study was to explore whether collecting rumen samples of finishing steers at monthly intervals differed, and whether this difference or similarity varied with diets. For these purposes, 12 Chinese Holstein steers were equally divided into two groups. The dietary treatments were either standard energy and standard protein (C) or low energy and low protein (L). Rumen samples were obtained on day 30, day 60 and day 90 from both dietary treatments and were analyzed by using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The results showed that monthly intervals had no effect on the richness and evenness of the rumen bacterial community in the two diets. However, taxonomic difference analysis (relative abundance >0.5%) revealed that the relative abundance of three phyla (Proteobacteria, Fibrobacteres and Cyanobacteria) and six genera (Rikenellaceae_RC9_gut_group, Ruminococcaceae_NK4A214_group, Fibrobacter, Eubacterium_coprostanoligenes_group, Ruminococcaceae_UCG-010 and Ruminobacter) were significantly different between monthly sampling intervals, and the difference was prominent between sampling in the first month and the subsequent two months. Moreover, the differences in abundances of phyla and genera between monthly sampling intervals were affected by diets. Analysis of similarity (ANOSIM) showed no significant differences between monthly sampling intervals in the C diet. However, ANOSIM results revealed that significant differences between the first month and second month and between the first month and third month were present in the L diet. These results indicated that temporal dynamics in rumen bacterial community composition did occur even after an adaptation period of three months. This study tracked the changes in rumen bacterial populations of finishing cattle after a shift in diet with the passage of time. This study may provide insight into bacterial adaptation time to dietary transition in finishing steers.
Detection of Increased Relative Expression Units of Bacteroides and Prevotella, and Decreased Clostridium leptum in Stool Samples from Brazilian Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients: A Pilot Study
Authors: Rodrigues Guilherme S. P. , Cayres Leonardo C. F. , Gonçalves Fernanda P. , Takaoka Nauyta N. C. , Lengert André H. , Tansini Aline , Brisotti João L. , Sasdelli Carolina B. G. , de Oliveira Gislane L. V.
Published: October 2019

Interactions between gut microbes and disease modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) have been proposed. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the presence of some specific bacteria in stool samples from Brazilian RA patients receiving DMARDs and correlate these data with diet, clinical parameters, and cytokines. Stool samples were used for gut bacteria evalutation by qPCR. Serum samples were used to quantify IL-4 and IL-10 by flow cytometer. Statistics were performed by Pearson chi-square, Mann–Whitney U test, and Spearman’s correlation. The study included 20 RA patients and 30 healthy controls. There were no significant differences (p > 0.05) in dietary habits between RA patients and controls. Concerning gut bacteria, we observed an increase in relative expression units (REU) of Bacteroides and Prevotella species in stool samples from patients, and a decrease in REU of Clostridium leptum when compared with healthy controls. Positive correlation between Prevotella and rheumatoid factor was detected. The IL-4 and IL-10 concentrations were increased in patients when compared with controls. We concluded that gut bacteria are different between RA patients receiving DMARDs and healthy controls. Further studies are necessary to determine the real role of gut microbes and their metabolities in clinical response to different DMARDs in RA patients.
Novel Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA)/Cellulose Nanocrystal (CNC) Supramolecular Composite Hydrogels: Preparation and Application as Soil Conditioners
Authors: Wang Zuo , Ding Yaoke , Wang Jincheng
Published: October 2019

In this work, cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) was modified by an ureido-pyrimidinone (UPy) system based on quadruple hydrogen bondings, and CNC-UPy was obtained. Then, this powder was added into polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), and PVA/CNC-UPy composite membranes and hydrogels were prepared. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), polarizing optical microscopy (POM) and particle size distribution (PSD) were used to characterize CNC-UPy. From the FTIR results, the characteristic peaks of NCO group sat 2270 cm−1 disappeared, indicating the successful synthesis of CNC-UPy. XRD results showed that the modification by UPy may change the structure of CNC and its degree of crystallinity was increased. PSD analysis showed that the particle size of CNC was increased and its size distribution became narrower after modification by UPy groups. The structure and properties of the composite membranes and hydrogels were studied by differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) together with investigation of swelling, sustained release and self-healing performances. DSC curves depicted that the glass transition temperature, Tg, of different PVA membranes was increased with addition of different proportions of CNC-UPy. TGA data showed that the temperature of maximum weight loss rate was increased, which illustrated the enhanced thermal stability of PVA/CNC-UPy composites. Meanwhile, it was also revealed that the PVA/CNC-UPy composite hydrogels possess good self-healing and better sustained release behavior for the soil conditioner, fulvic acid (FA).
Flexible and Highly Sensitive Humidity Sensor Based on Sandwich-Like Ag/Fe3O4 Nanowires Composite for Multiple Dynamic Monitoring
Authors: Zhang Maojiang , Wang Minglei , Zhang Mingxing , Qiu Long , Liu Yinjie , Zhang Wenli , Zhang Yumei , Hu Jiangtao , Wu Guozhong
Published: October 2019

Functional textiles with unique functions, including free cutting, embroidery and changeable shape, will be attractive for smart wear of human beings. Herein, we fabricated a sandwich-like humidity sensor made from silver coated one-dimensional magnetite nanowire (Fe3O4 NW) arrays which were in situ grown on the surface of modified polypropylene nonwoven fabric via simultaneous radiation induced graft polymerization and co-precipitation. The humidity sensor exhibits an obvious response to the relative humidity (RH) ranging from RH 11% to RH 95% and its response value reaches a maximum of 6600% (ΔI/I0) at 95% relative humidity (RH). The humidity sensor can be tailored into various shapes and embroidered on its surface without affecting its functionalities. More interesting, the intensity of its response is proportional to the size of the material. These features permit the sensor to be integrated into commercial textiles or a gas mask to accurately monitor a variety of important human activities including respiration, blowing, speaking and perspiration. Moreover, it also can distinguish different human physical conditions by recognizing respiration response patterns. The sandwich-like sensor can be readily integrated with textiles to fabricate promising smart electronics for human healthcare.