bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
“7/12” patient touch point strategy: a novel method to increase patient attendance and recommendation
Authors: Shadrav Aida , Kalenderian Elsbeth , Roig Primitivo
Published: October 2019

The US dental system is not likely to see major expansions in dental care use in the foreseeable future. The rise of dental care utilization among low-income children as well as wealthy seniors did not offset flat dental utilization among adults since the Great Recession. Similarly in Spain, the increase in the number of dental practitioners surpasses the rate of population growth. Hence, in order to remain economically viable in this competitive market, one important aspect for every dental office is to retain patients besides attracting new ones. Patients may be lost to follow-up due to a number of factors, including a lack of attention from the dental practice or a lack of trust in the provider. The “7/12" patient touch point strategy of marketing builds consumer loyalty as a result of a strong patient–provider relationship. Furthermore, this method aims to facilitate the patient’s decision to visit their dentist when it is time for preventative treatments. The purpose of this study was to measure the efficacy of a “7/12” patient touch point strategy when compared to the traditional annual recall with respect to number of active patients, percentage of word-of-mouth-recommended patients, and overall number of first-visit patients. We executed the relationship marketing concept through a novel “7/12” patient touch point approach, in which the patient was exposed to seven separate exposures in a period of 12 months. The efficacy of the “7/12” patient touch point was analyzed for 48 months across 10 clinics (24 months before and 24 months after the “7/12” strategy implementation). The “7/12” patient touch point strategy resources consisted of online and printed materials with a focus on oral health knowledge. fter analyzing the efficacy of the “7/12” patient touch point, we found an average increase of 86.91% in the number of active patients, 24.12% in the number of word-of-mouth-recommended patients, and 38.05% in the number of first visits across all clinics. This novel “7/12” patient touch point approach may be successful in increasing the retention of existing patients and generating new patients. Furthermore, this method promotes preventative care and oral health maintanance for patients and economic progress for the dental clinic.
Circular RNA circ0005276 promotes the proliferation and migration of prostate cancer cells by interacting with FUS to transcriptionally activate XIAP
Authors: Feng Yang , Yang Yuxuan , Zhao Xiaodan , Fan Yameng , Zhou Long , Rong Jie , Yu Yan
Published: October 2019

Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the major men’s malignancies with high mortality worldwide. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been shown to serve as essential regulators in human cancers. CircRNA can exert their functions by cooperating with their host genes. In the present study, microarray analysis revealed an upregulated mRNA in PCa samples. X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP), a key regulator in the progression of human cancers. Through bioinformatics analysis, we determined that XIAP is a host gene for circRNA0005276. Therefore, this study focused on the interaction between circ0005276 and XIAP as well as their functions in PCa progression. The upregulation of XIAP and circ0005276 was determined in PCa tissues and cell lines. Moreover, we confirmed the positive regulation of circ0005276 on XIAP expression. Functionally, we validated that circ0005276 and XIAP promoted cell proliferation, migration and epithelial–mesenchymal transition. Mechanistically, we verified that circ0005276 interacted with FUS binding protein (FUS) so as to activate the transcription of XIAP. Rescue assays were conducted to determine the crucial role of XIAP in circ0005276 and FUS-mediated PCa cellular processes. Collectively, our study revealed the mechanism and function of circ0005276 and its host gene XIAP in PCa progression.
The chromosome-scale reference genome of black pepper provides insight into piperine biosynthesis
Authors: Hu Lisong , Xu Zhongping , Wang Maojun , Fan Rui , Yuan Daojun , Wu Baoduo , Wu Huasong , Qin Xiaowei , Yan Lin , Tan Lehe , Sim Soonliang , Li Wen , Saski Christopher A , Daniell Henry , Wendel Jonathan F. , Lindsey Keith , Zhang Xianlong , Hao Chaoyun , Jin Shuangxia
Published: October 2019

Black pepper (Piper nigrum), dubbed the ‘King of Spices’ and ‘Black Gold’, is one of the most widely used spices. Here, we present its reference genome assembly by integrating PacBio, 10x Chromium, BioNano DLS optical mapping, and Hi-C mapping technologies. The 761.2 Mb sequences (45 scaffolds with an N50 of 29.8 Mb) are assembled into 26 pseudochromosomes. A phylogenomic analysis of representative plant genomes places magnoliids as sister to the monocots-eudicots clade and indicates that black pepper has diverged from the shared Laurales-Magnoliales lineage approximately 180 million years ago. Comparative genomic analyses reveal specific gene expansions in the glycosyltransferase, cytochrome P450, shikimate hydroxycinnamoyl transferase, lysine decarboxylase, and acyltransferase gene families. Comparative transcriptomic analyses disclose berry-specific upregulated expression in representative genes in each of these gene families. These data provide an evolutionary perspective and shed light on the metabolic processes relevant to the molecular basis of species-specific piperine biosynthesis.
Bypassing stroke-damaged neural pathways via a neural interface induces targeted cortical adaptation
Authors: Kato Kenji , Sawada Masahiro , Nishimura Yukio
Published: October 2019

Regaining the function of an impaired limb is highly desirable in paralyzed individuals. One possible avenue to achieve this goal is to bridge the interrupted pathway between preserved neural structures and muscles using a brain–computer interface. Here, we demonstrate that monkeys with subcortical stroke were able to learn to use an artificial cortico-muscular connection (ACMC), which transforms cortical activity into electrical stimulation to the hand muscles, to regain volitional control of a paralysed hand. The ACMC induced an adaptive change of cortical activities throughout an extensive cortical area. In a targeted manner, modulating high-gamma activity became localized around an arbitrarily-selected cortical site controlling stimulation to the muscles. This adaptive change could be reset and localized rapidly to a new cortical site. Thus, the ACMC imparts new function for muscle control to connected cortical sites and triggers cortical adaptation to regain impaired motor function after stroke.
Super-resolution imaging of fluorescent dipoles via polarized structured illumination microscopy
Authors: Zhanghao Karl , Chen Xingye , Liu Wenhui , Li Meiqi , Liu Yiqiong , Wang Yiming , Luo Sha , Wang Xiao , Shan Chunyan , Xie Hao , Gao Juntao , Chen Xiaowei , Jin Dayong , Li Xiangdong , Zhang Yan , Dai Qionghai , Xi Peng
Published: October 2019

Fluorescence polarization microscopy images both the intensity and orientation of fluorescent dipoles and plays a vital role in studying molecular structures and dynamics of bio-complexes. However, current techniques remain difficult to resolve the dipole assemblies on subcellular structures and their dynamics in living cells at super-resolution level. Here we report polarized structured illumination microscopy (pSIM), which achieves super-resolution imaging of dipoles by interpreting the dipoles in spatio-angular hyperspace. We demonstrate the application of pSIM on a series of biological filamentous systems, such as cytoskeleton networks and λ-DNA, and report the dynamics of short actin sliding across a myosin-coated surface. Further, pSIM reveals the side-by-side organization of the actin ring structures in the membrane-associated periodic skeleton of hippocampal neurons and images the dipole dynamics of green fluorescent protein-labeled microtubules in live U2OS cells. pSIM applies directly to a large variety of commercial and home-built SIM systems with various imaging modality.
Cetylpyridinium chloride produces increased zeta-potential on Salmonella Typhimurium cells, a mechanism of the pathogen’s inactivation
Authors: Yegin Yagmur , Oh Jun K. , Akbulut Mustafa , Taylor Thomas
Published: October 2019

Cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) is a quaternary ammonium sanitizer approved for fresh poultry animal carcass sanitization from microbial human pathogens, such as Salmonella enterica. Nonetheless, the interactions of CPC with Salmonella cells, and the mechanism of the sanitizer’s neutralization by lecithin remains largely unknown. This study aimed to investigate the interaction of CPC with lecithin and Salmonella Typhimurium to determine the interactions of the sanitizer and neutralizer impacting the bacterium’s survival. Application of 0.8% CPC is proposed to produce loss of microbial membrane integrity with loss of electrostatic repulsion between individual cells, resulting in the eventual emulsification of membrane lipids with cytoplasmic contents leakage. Our findings point to a two-phase interaction between CPC and lecithin impacting S. Typhimurium survival. The first consists of electrostatic attraction and charge neutralization between oppositely charged components of pathogen cell and CPC. The second involves formation of aggregates between sanitizer and pathogen, or between sanitizer, pathogen membrane lipids, and lecithin.
Metagenomes and metatranscriptomes from boreal potential and actual acid sulfate soil materials
Authors: Högfors-Rönnholm Eva , Lopez-Fernandez Margarita , Christel Stephan , Brambilla Diego , Huntemann Marcel , Clum Alicia , Foster Brian , Foster Bryce , Roux Simon , Palaniappan Krishnaveni , Varghese Neha , Mukherjee Supratim , Reddy T. B. K. , Daum Chris , Copeland Alex , Chen I-Min A. , Ivanova Natalia N. , Kyrpides Nikos C. , Harmon-Smith Miranda , Eloe-Fadrosh Emiley A. , Lundin Daniel , Engblom Sten , Dopson Mark
Published: October 2019

Natural sulfide rich deposits are common in coastal areas worldwide, including along the Baltic Sea coast. When artificial drainage exposes these deposits to atmospheric oxygen, iron sulfide minerals in the soils are rapidly oxidized. This process turns the potential acid sulfate soils into actual acid sulfate soils and mobilizes large quantities of acidity and leachable toxic metals that cause severe environmental problems. It is known that acidophilic microorganisms living in acid sulfate soils catalyze iron sulfide mineral oxidation. However, only a few studies regarding these communities have been published. In this study, we sampled the oxidized actual acid sulfate soil, the transition zone where oxidation is actively taking place, and the deepest un-oxidized potential acid sulfate soil. Nucleic acids were extracted and 16S rRNA gene amplicons, metagenomes, and metatranscriptomes generated to gain a detailed insight into the communities and their activities. The project will be of great use to microbiologists, environmental biologists, geochemists, and geologists as there is hydrological and geochemical monitoring from the site stretching back for many years.
Dual-defect-modified graphitic carbon nitride with boosted photocatalytic activity under visible light
Authors: Katsumata Hideyuki , Higashi Fumiya , Kobayashi Yuya , Tateishi Ikki , Furukawa Mai , Kaneco Satoshi
Published: October 2019

The development of photocatalysts that efficiently degrade organic pollutants is an important environmental-remediation objective. To that end, we report a strategy for the ready fabrication of oxygen-doped graphitic carbon nitride (CN) with engendered nitrogen deficiencies. The addition of KOH and oxalic acid during the thermal condensation of urea led to a material that exhibits a significantly higher pseudo-first-order rate constant for the degradation of bisphenol A (BPA) (0.0225 min−1) compared to that of CN (0.00222 min−1). The enhanced photocatalytic activity for the degradation of BPA exhibited by the dual-defect-modified CN (Bt-OA-CN) is ascribable to a considerable red-shift in its light absorption compared to that of CN, as well as its modulated energy band structure and more-efficient charge separation. Furthermore, we confirmed that the in-situ-formed cyano groups in the Bt-OA-CN photocatalyst act as strong electron-withdrawing groups that efficiently separate and transfer photo-generated charge carriers to the surface of the photocatalyst. This study provides novel insight into the in-situ dual-defect strategy for g-C3N4, which is extendable to the modification of other photocatalysts; it also introduces Bt-OA-CN as a potential highly efficient visible-light-responsive photocatalyst for use in environmental-remediation applications.
Localized Mechanical Actuation using pn Junctions
Authors: Kanygin Mikhail , Joy Abbin Perunnilathil , Bahreyni Behraad
Published: October 2019

We are reporting on the fabrication and characterization of microscale electromechanical actuators driven by the internal forces induced within the depletion region of a typical pn junction. Depletion region actuators operate based on the modulation of the interactions of the internal electric field and the net space charge within the depletion region of a pn junction by an external potential. In terms of performance, depletion region actuators fall between electrostatic actuators, where a physical gap separates the charges on two electrodes, and piezoelectric actuators, where the separation between the charges is on the order of lattice constants of the material. An analytic model of depletion region actuator response to an applied potential is developed and verified experimentally. The prototype micro-mechanical device utilized the local stresses produced by the depletion region actuators to generate mechanical vibrations at frequencies far below the resonance frequencies of the structure. A laser Doppler vibrometer was used to measure and compare the displacements and vibration patterns caused by the depletion region and electrostatic actuators. Utilizing depletion region actuators neither requires etching of narrow gaps, which is technically challenging nor is there a need for introducing piezoelectric materials into the fabrication process flow. The simple operating principle and the possibility of exploiting the technique for various optimized linear or nonlinear actuation at small scales provide opportunities for precise electro-mechanical transduction for micro- and nano-mechanical devices. These actuators are therefore suited for the co-fabrication of micro- and nano-mechanical systems and microelectronic circuits. Additionally, the produced strains depend only on the depletion region specifications and the excitation voltage and do not scale with device dimensions. As such, depletion region actuators can be candidates for efficient nanoscale electromechanical actuation.
Isolation and characterization of an atypical LEA gene (IpLEA) from Ipomoea pes-caprae conferring salt/drought and oxidative stress tolerance
Authors: Zheng Jiexuan , Su Huaxiang , Lin Ruoyi , Zhang Hui , Xia Kuaifei , Jian Shuguang , Zhang Mei
Published: October 2019

Late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) proteins belong to a large family that exists widely in plants and is mainly involved in desiccation processes during plant development or in the response to abiotic stresses. Here, we reported on an atypical LEA gene (IpLEA) related to salt tolerance from Ipomoea pes-caprae L. (Convolvulaceae). Sequence analysis revealed that IpLEA belongs to the LEA_2 (PF03168) group. IpLEA was shown to have a cytoplasmic localization pattern. Quantitative reverse transcription PCR analysis showed that IpLEA was widely expressed in different organs of the I. pes-caprae plants, and the expression levels increased following salt, osmotic, oxidative, freezing, and abscisic acid treatments. Analysis of the 1,495 bp promoter of IpLEA identified distinct cis-acting regulatory elements involved in abiotic stress. Induction of IpLEA improved Escherichia coli growth performance compared with the control under abiotic stresses. To further assess the function of IpLEA in plants, transgenic Arabidopsis plants overexpressing IpLEA were generated. The IpLEA-overexpressing Arabidopsis seedlings and adult plants showed higher tolerance to salt and drought stress than the wild-type. The transgenic plants also showed higher oxidative stress tolerance than the wild-type Arabidopsis. Furthermore, the expression patterns of a series of stress-responsive genes were affected. The results indicate that IpLEA is involved in the plant response to salt and drought, probably by mediating water homeostasis or by acting as a reactive oxygen species scavenger, thereby influencing physiological processes under various abiotic stresses in microorganisms and plants.
Pentagamavunon-1 (PGV-1) inhibits ROS metabolic enzymes and suppresses tumor cell growth by inducing M phase (prometaphase) arrest and cell senescence
Authors: Lestari Beni , Nakamae Ikuko , Yoneda-Kato Noriko , Morimoto Tsumoru , Kanaya Shigehiko , Yokoyama Takashi , Shionyu Masafumi , Shirai Tsuyoshi , Meiyanto Edy , Kato Jun-ya
Published: October 2019

We previously showed that curcumin, a phytopolyphenol found in turmeric (Curcuma longa), targets a series of enzymes in the ROS metabolic pathway, induces irreversible growth arrest, and causes apoptosis. In this study, we tested Pentagamavunon-1 (PGV-1), a molecule related to curcumin, for its inhibitory activity on tumor cells in vitro and in vivo. PGV-1 exhibited 60 times lower GI50 compared to that of curcumin in K562 cells, and inhibited the proliferation of cell lines derived from leukemia, breast adenocarcinoma, cervical cancer, uterine cancer, and pancreatic cancer. The inhibition of growth by PGV-1 remained after its removal from the medium, which suggests that PGV-1 irreversibly prevents proliferation. PGV-1 specifically induced prometaphase arrest in the M phase of the cell cycle, and efficiently induced cell senescence and cell death by increasing intracellular ROS levels through inhibition of ROS-metabolic enzymes. In a xenograft mouse model, PGV-1 had marked anti-tumor activity with little side effects by oral administration, whereas curcumin rarely inhibited tumor formation by this administration. Therefore, PGV-1 is a potential therapeutic to induce tumor cell apoptosis with few side effects and low risk of relapse.
Normal tension glaucoma-like degeneration of the visual system in aged marmosets
Authors: Noro Takahiko , Namekata Kazuhiko , Kimura Atsuko , Azuchi Yuriko , Hashimoto Nanako , Moriya-Ito Keiko , Komaki Yuji , Lee Chia-Ying , Okahara Norio , Guo Xiaoli , Harada Chikako , Kim Euido , Nakano Tadashi , Tsuneoka Hiroshi , Inoue Takashi , Sasaki Erika , Tokuno Hironobu , Harada Takayuki
Published: October 2019

The common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) is a non-human primate that provides valuable models for neuroscience and aging research due to its anatomical similarities to humans and relatively short lifespan. This study was carried out to examine whether aged marmosets develop glaucoma, as seen in humans. We found that 11% of the aged marmosets presented with glaucoma-like characteristics; this incident rate is very similar to that in humans. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a significant volume loss in the visual cortex, and histological analyses confirmed the degeneration of the lateral geniculate nuclei and visual cortex in the affected marmosets. These marmosets did not have elevated intraocular pressure, but showed an increased oxidative stress level, low cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pressure, and low brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and TrkB expression in the retina, optic nerve head and CSF. Our findings suggest that marmosets have potential to provide useful information for the research of eye and the visual system.
Scalable Genome Assembly through Parallel de Bruijn Graph Construction for Multiple k-mers
Authors: Mahadik Kanak , Wright Christopher , Kulkarni Milind , Bagchi Saurabh , Chaterji Somali
Published: October 2019

Remarkable advancements in high-throughput gene sequencing technologies have led to an exponential growth in the number of sequenced genomes. However, unavailability of highly parallel and scalable de novo assembly algorithms have hindered biologists attempting to swiftly assemble high-quality complex genomes. Popular de Bruijn graph assemblers, such as IDBA-UD, generate high-quality assemblies by iterating over a set of k-values used in the construction of de Bruijn graphs (DBG). However, this process of sequentially iterating from small to large k-values slows down the process of assembly. In this paper, we propose ScalaDBG, which metamorphoses this sequential process, building DBGs for each distinct k-value in parallel. We develop an innovative mechanism to “patch” a higher k-valued graph with contigs generated from a lower k-valued graph. Moreover, ScalaDBG leverages multi-level parallelism, by both scaling up on all cores of a node, and scaling out to multiple nodes simultaneously. We demonstrate that ScalaDBG completes assembling the genome faster than IDBA-UD, but with similar accuracy on a variety of datasets (6.8X faster for one of the most complex genome in our dataset).
RNA-Seq analysis of ileocecal valve and peripheral blood from Holstein cattle infected with Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis revealed dysregulation of the CXCL8/IL8 signaling pathway
Authors: Alonso-Hearn Marta , Canive Maria , Blanco-Vazquez Cristina , Torremocha Rosana , Balseiro Ana , Amado Javier , Varela-Martinez Endika , Ramos Ricardo , Jugo Begoña M. , Casais Rosa
Published: October 2019

Paratuberculosis is chronic granulomatous enteritis of ruminants caused by Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP). Whole RNA-sequencing (RNA-Seq) is a promising source of novel biomarkers for early MAP infection and disease progression in cattle. Since the blood transcriptome is widely used as a source of biomarkers, we analyzed whether it recapitulates, at least in part, the transcriptome of the ileocecal valve (ICV), the primary site of MAP colonization. Total RNA was prepared from peripheral blood (PB) and ICV samples, and RNA-Seq was used to compare gene expression between animals with focal or diffuse histopathological lesions in gut tissues versus control animals with no detectable signs of infection. Our results demonstrated both shared, and PB and ICV-specific gene expression in response to a natural MAP infection. As expected, the number of differentially expressed (DE) genes was larger in the ICV than in the PB samples. Among the DE genes in the PB and ICV samples, there were some common genes irrespective of the type of lesion including the C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 8 (CXCL8/IL8), apolipoprotein L (APOLD1), and the interferon inducible protein 27 (IFI27). The biological processes (BP) enriched in the PB gene expression profiles from the cows with diffuse lesions included the killing of cells of other organism, defense response, immune response and the regulation of neutrophil chemotaxis. Two of these BP, the defense and immune response, were also enriched in the ICV from the cows with diffuse lesions. Metabolic analysis of the DE genes revealed that the N-glycan biosynthesis, bile secretion, one-carbon pool by folate and purine metabolism were significantly enriched in the ICV from the cows with focal lesions. In the ICV from cows with diffuse lesions; the valine, leucine and isoleucine degradation route, purine metabolism, vitamin digestion and absorption and the cholesterol routes were enriched. Some of the identified DE genes, BP and metabolic pathways will be studied further to develop novel diagnostic tools, vaccines and immunotherapeutics.
The effects of soil phosphorus and zinc availability on plant responses to mycorrhizal fungi: a physiological and molecular assessment
Authors: Nguyen Thi Diem , Cavagnaro Timothy R. , Watts-Williams Stephanie J.
Published: October 2019

The positive effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) have been demonstrated for plant biomass, and zinc (Zn) and phosphorus (P) uptake, under soil nutrient deficiency. Additionally, a number of Zn and P transporter genes are affected by mycorrhizal colonisation or implicated in the mycorrhizal pathway of uptake. However, a comprehensive study of plant physiology and gene expression simultaneously, remains to be undertaken. Medicago truncatula was grown at different soil P and Zn availabilities, with or without inoculation of Rhizophagus irregularis. Measures of biomass, shoot elemental concentrations, mycorrhizal colonisation, and expression of Zn transporter (ZIP) and phosphate transporter (PT) genes in the roots, were taken. Mycorrhizal plants had a greater tolerance of both P and Zn soil deficiency; there was also evidence of AMF protecting plants against excessive Zn accumulation at high soil Zn. The expression of all PT genes was interactive with both P availability and mycorrhizal colonisation. MtZIP5 expression was induced both by AMF and soil Zn deficiency, while MtZIP2 was down-regulated in mycorrhizal plants, and up-regulated with increasing soil Zn concentration. These findings provide the first comprehensive physiological and molecular picture of plant-mycorrhizal fungal symbiosis with regard to soil P and Zn availability. Mycorrhizal fungi conferred tolerance to soil Zn and P deficiency and this could be linked to the induction of the ZIP transporter gene MtZIP5, and the PT gene MtPT4.
MDT-28/PLIN-1 mediates lipid droplet-microtubule interaction via DLC-1 in Caenorhabditis elegans
Authors: Xie Kang , Zhang Peng , Na Huimin , Liu Yangli , Zhang Hong , Liu Pingsheng
Published: October 2019

Ectopic lipid accumulation in lipid droplets (LD) has been linked to many metabolic diseases. In this study, DHS-3::GFP was used as a LD marker in C. elegans and a forward genetic screen was carried out to find novel LD regulators. There were 140 mutant alleles identified which were divided into four phenotypic categories: enlarged, aggregated, aggregated and small, and decreased. After genetic mapping, mutations in three known LD regulatory genes (maoc-1, dhs-28, daf-22) and a peroxisome-related gene (acox-3) were found to enlarge LDs, demonstrating the reliability of using DHS-3 as a living marker. In the screen, the cytoskeleton protein C27H5.2 was found to be involved in LD aggregation, as was the LD resident/structure-like protein, MDT-28/PLIN-1. Using yeast two-hybrid screening and pull-down assays, MDT-28/PLIN-1 was found to bind to DLC-1 (dynein light chain). Fluorescence imaging confirmed that MDT-28/PLIN-1 mediated the interaction between DHS-3 labeled LDs and DLC-1 labeled microtubules. Furthermore, MDT-28/PLIN-1 was directly bound to DLC-1 through its amino acids 1–210 and 275–415. Taken together, our results suggest that MDT-28/PLIN-1 is involved in the regulation of LD distribution through its interaction with microtubule-related proteins.
Preclinical evaluation of local prolonged release of paclitaxel from gelatin microspheres for the prevention of recurrence of peritoneal carcinomatosis in advanced ovarian cancer
Authors: De Clercq Kaat , Xie Feifan , De Wever Olivier , Descamps Benedicte , Hoorens Anne , Vermeulen An , Ceelen Wim , Vervaet Chris
Published: October 2019

Patients with advanced ovarian cancer develop recurrence despite initial treatment response to standard treatment of surgery and intravenous/intraperitoneal (IP) chemotherapy, partly due to a limited peritoneal exposure time of chemotherapeutics. Paclitaxel-loaded genipin-crosslinked gelatin microspheres (PTX-GP-MS) are evaluated for the treatment of microscopic peritoneal carcinomatosis and prevention of recurrent disease. The highest drug load (39.2 µg PTX/mg MS) was obtained by immersion of GP-MS in aqueous PTX nanosuspension (PTXnano-GP-MS) instead of ethanolic PTX solution (PTXEtOH-GP-MS). PTX release from PTX-GP-MS was prolonged. PTXnano-GP-MS displayed a more controlled release compared to a biphasic release from PTXEtOH-GP-MS. Anticancer efficacy of IP PTX-GP-MS (PTXEtOH-GP-MS, D = 7.5 mg PTX/kg; PTXnano-GP-MS D = 7.5 and 35 mg PTX/kg), IP nanoparticular albumin-bound PTX (D = 35 mg PTX/kg) and controls (0.9% NaCl, blank GP-MS) was evaluated in a microscopic peritoneal carcinomatosis xenograft mouse model. PTXnano-GP-MS showed superior anticancer efficacy with significant increased survival time, decreased peritoneal carcinomatosis index score and ascites incidence. However, prolonged PTX release over 14 days from PTXnano-GP-MS caused drug-related toxicity in 27% of high-dosed PTXnano-GP-MS-treated mice. Dose simulations for PTXnano-GP-MS demonstrated an optimal survival without drug-induced toxicity in a range of 7.5–15 mg PTX/kg. Low-dosed PTXnano-GP-MS can be a promising IP drug delivery system to prevent recurrent ovarian cancer.
Possible quantum critical behavior revealed by the critical current density of hole doped high-Tc cuprates in comparison to heavy fermion superconductors
Authors: Naqib S. H. , Islam R. S.
Published: October 2019

The superconducting critical current density, Jc, in hole doped cuprates show strong dependence on the doped hole content, p, within the copper oxide plane(s). The doping dependent Jc mainly exhibits the variation of the intrinsic depairing critical current density as p is varied. Jc(p) tends to peak at p ~ 0.185 in copper oxide superconductors. This particular value of the hole content, often termed as the critical hole concentration, has several features putative to a quantum critical point (QCP). Very recently, the pressure dependences of the superconducting transition temperature (Tc) and the critical current (Ic) in pure CeRhIn5 and Sn doped CeRhIn5 heavy fermion compounds have been reported (Nature Communications (2018) 9:44, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-018-02899-5). The critical pressure demarcates an antiferromagnetic quantum critical point where both Tc and Ic are maximized. We have compared and contrasted this behavior with those found for Y1−xCaxBa2Cu3O7−δ in this brief communication. The resemblance of the systematic behavior of the critical current with pressure and hole content between heavy fermion systems and hole doped cuprates is significant. This adds to the circumstantial evidence that quantum critical physics probably plays a notable role behind the unconventional normal and superconducting state properties of copper oxide superconductors.
A novel submerged Rotala rotundifolia, its growth characteristics and remediation potential for eutrophic waters
Authors: Gu Chaoguang , Li Feifei , Xiao Jibo , Chu Shuyi , Song Shuang , Wong Ming Hung
Published: October 2019

The vegetative growth and remediation potential of Rotala rotundifolia, a novel submerged aquatic plant, for eutrophic waters were investigated on different sediments, and under a range of nitrogen concentrations. Rotala Rotundifolia grew better on silt than on sand and gravel in terms of plant height, tiller number and biomass accumulation. Percent increment of biomass was enhanced at low water nitrogen (ammonium nitrogen concentration ≤10 mg/L). The maximum total nitrogen and total phosphorus removals in the overlying water were between 54% to 66% and 42% to 57%, respectively. Nitrogen contents in the sediments increased with increasing water nitrogen levels, whereas, nitrogen contents in the plant tissues showed no apparent regularity, and the greatest value was obtained at ammonium nitrogen concentration 15 mg/L. Both phosphorus contents in the sediments and tissues of plants were not affected significantly by additional nitrogen supply. Direct nitrogen uptake by plants was in the range of 16% to 39% when total phosphorus concentration was 1.0 mg/L. These results suggested that Rotala Rotundifolia can be used to effectively remove nitrogen and phosphorus in eutrophic waters.
A collagen gel-coated, aligned nanofiber membrane for enhanced endothelial barrier function
Authors: Kim Dohui , Eom Seongsu , Park Sang Min , Hong Hyeonjun , Kim Dong Sung
Published: October 2019

Herein, a collagen gel-coated and aligned nanofiber membrane named Col-ANM is developed, which remarkably improves endothelial barrier function by providing biochemical and topographical cues simultaneously. Col-ANM is fabricated by collagen gel coating process on an aligned polycaprolactone (PCL) nanofiber membrane, which is obtained by a simple electrospinning process adopting a parallel electrode collector. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) cultured on Col-ANM exhibit remarkably enhanced endothelial barrier function with high expression levels of intercellular junction proteins of ZO-1 and VE-cadherin, a high TEER, and a cellular permeability compared with the artificial porous membranes in commercial cell culture well inserts. The enhanced endothelial barrier function is conjectured to be attributed to the synergistic effects of topographical and biochemical cues provided by the aligned PCL nanofibers and collagen gel in the Col-ANM, respectively. Finally, the reactive oxygen species is applied to the HUVEC monolayer formed on the Col-ANM to destroy the tight junctions between HUVECs. The destruction of the tight junctions is demonstrated by the decreased TEER value over time. Results indicate the potential of Col-ANM in modeling endothelial barrier dysfunction-related diseases.
Author Correction: GBA and APOE ε4 associate with sporadic dementia with Lewy bodies in European genome wide association study
Authors: Rongve Arvid , Witoelar Aree , Ruiz Agustín , Athanasiu Lavinia , Abdelnour Carla , Clarimon Jordi , Heilmann-Heimbach Stefanie , Hernández Isabel , Moreno-Grau Sonia , de Rojas Itziar , Morenas-Rodríguez Estrella , Fladby Tormod , Sando Sigrid B. , Bråthen Geir , Blanc Frédéric , Bousiges Olivier , Lemstra Afina W. , van Steenoven Inger , Londos Elisabet , Almdahl Ina S. , Pålhaugen Lene , Eriksen Jon A. , Djurovic Srdjan , Stordal Eystein , Saltvedt Ingvild , Ulstein Ingun D. , Bettella Francesco , Desikan Rahul S. , Idland Ane-Victoria , Toft Mathias , Pihlstrøm Lasse , Snaedal Jon , Tárraga Lluís , Boada Mercè , Lleó Alberto , Stefánsson Hreinn , Stefánsson Kári , Ramírez Alfredo , Aarsland Dag , Andreassen Ole A.
Published: October 2019

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.
Bmal1 regulates circadian expression of cytochrome P450 3a11 and drug metabolism in mice
Authors: Lin Yanke , Wang Shuai , Zhou Ziyue , Guo Lianxia , Yu Fangjun , Wu Baojian
Published: October 2019

Metabolism is a major defense mechanism of the body against xenobiotic threats. Here we unravel a critical role of Bmal1 for circadian clock-controlled Cyp3a11 expression and xenobiotic metabolism. Bmal1 deficiency decreases the mRNA, protein and microsomal activity of Cyp3a11, and blunts their circadian rhythms in mice. A screen for Cyp3a11 regulators identifies two circadian genes Dbp and Hnf4α as potential regulatory mediators. Cell-based experiments confirm that Dbp and Hnf4α activate Cyp3a11 transcription by their binding to a D-box and a DR1 element in the Cyp3a11 promoter, respectively. Bmal1 binds to the P1 distal promoter to regulate Hnf4α transcriptionally. Cellular regulation of Cyp3a11 by Bmal1 is Dbp- and Hnf4α-dependent. Bmal1 deficiency sensitizes mice to toxicities of drugs such as aconitine and triptolide (and blunts circadian toxicity rhythmicities) due to elevated drug exposure. In summary, Bmal1 connects circadian clock and Cyp3a11 metabolism, thereby impacting drug detoxification as a function of daily time.
Sample Preparation for the Gas Chromatography Analysis of Semi-volatiles and Non-volatile Compounds in Food Samples
Authors: Sanz M. L. , Ramos L.
Published: October 2019

This chapter reviews sample preparation techniques in use for the analysis of relevant semi-volatile and non-volatile components in liquid and solid foodstuffs. Comparison among techniques evolves from the most conventional and widely accepted ones, to recently introduced approaches which are receiving an increasing attention or are already fully incorporated to this active research field.
Chemometrics: Basic Principles and Applications
Authors: Casale M. , Malegori C. , Oliveri P. , Liberto E. , Rubiolo P. , Bicchi C. , Cordero C.
Published: October 2019

This chapter will be devoted to chemometrics in the multivariate design of the experiments and in data treatment in gas chromatography. Basic principles will be given on the most commonly used approaches, along with applications in the field of one-dimensional and multidimensional gas chromatography. This chapter shows how suitable multivariate statistical methods can be of great support in specific food applications such as confirmation of authenticity, geographical origin, quality, evaluation of technological processes, and so on, exploiting its potential also in the omics field, such as “foodomics”.
Development of Food StructureviaSustainable Processing Systems
Authors: Atuonwu James , Tassou Savvas , Foster Tim
Published: October 2019

The food industry is in need of innovative technologies with mild, selective, volumetric, and fast processing capabilities for superior-quality product delivery at reduced energy and water expenditure. These technologies, which have been identified to include high pressure, microwave, radiofrequency, ohmic, pulsed electric field, and membrane processes, also affect the structure and hence functionality of foods in various ways. In this work, the principles of these technologies, their current applications in the food industry, and the impacts on the structures of various food materials are reviewed. Future research directions on process-sustainability–food structure interactions are also presented.
Covalent organic frameworks from a monomer with reduced symmetry: polymorphism and Sierpiński triangles
Authors: Cui Daling , Fang Yuan , MacLean Oliver , Perepichka Dmitrii F. , Rosei Federico , Clair Sylvain
Published: October 2019

Polymorphism in surface-supported covalent organic frameworks grown from a low-symmetry precursor.
A succinct strategy for construction of nanoporous ionic organic networks from a pyrylium intermediate
Authors: Che Siying , Yang Zhenzhen , Popovs Ilja , Luo Huimin , Luo Yali , Guo Wei , Chen Hao , Wang Tao , Jie Kecheng , Wang Congmin , Dai Sheng
Published: October 2019

A two-step strategy under metal- and template-free conditions is presented for the fabrication of hydroxyl group and pyridinium salt-bifunctionalized nanoporous ionic organic networks with high surface area.
Palladium/copper-catalyzed multicomponent reactions of propargylic amides, halohydrocarbons and CO2 toward functionalized oxazolidine-2,4-diones
Authors: Zhou Cong , Dong Yaqun , Yu Jin-Tao , Sun Song , Cheng Jiang
Published: October 2019

Palladium/copper-catalyzed multicomponent reactions of propargylic amides, halohydrocarbons and CO2 toward functionalized oxazolidine-2,4-diones.
Enhanced photocatalytic performance of ZnTi-LDHs with morphology control
Authors: Fang Pengfei , Wang Zhongchuan , Wang Weiwei
Published: October 2019

Morphology control of ZnTi-LDHs with the help of surfactants.
Light-activated inorganic CsPbBr2I perovskite for room-temperature self-powered chemical sensing
Authors: Chen Hongjun , Zhang Meng , Fu Xiao , Fusco Zelio , Bo Renheng , Xing Bobo , Nguyen Hieu T. , Barugkin Chog , Zheng Jianghui , Lau Cho Fai Jonathan , Huang Shujuan , Ho-Baillie Anita W. Y. , Catchpole Kylie R. , Tricoli Antonio
Published: October 2019

Halide perovskite materials are excellent light harvesters that have generated enormous interest for photovoltaic technology and an increasing number of other optoelectronic applications.
Direct observation of the electronic states of photoexcited hematite with ultrafast 2p3d X-ray absorption spectroscopy and resonant inelastic X-ray scattering
Authors: Ismail Ahmed S. M. , Uemura Yohei , Park Sang Han , Kwon Soonnam , Kim Minseok , Elnaggar Hebatalla , Frati Federica , Niwa Yasuhiro , Wadati Hiroki , Hirata Yasuyuki , Zhang Yujun , Yamagami Kohei , Yamamoto Susumu , Matsuda Iwao , Halisdemir Ufuk , Koster Gertjan , Weckhuysen Bert M. , de Groot Frank M. F.
Published: October 2019

Ultrafast Fe L3 XAS and 2p3d RIXS elucidate the photoexcitation process of hematite.
Molecular dynamics simulation and QM/MM calculation reveal the selectivity mechanism of type I 1/2 kinase inhibitors: the effect of intramolecular H-bonds and conformational restriction for improved selectivity
Authors: Wang Hanxun , Gao Zisen , Song Peilu , Hu Baichun , Wang Jian , Cheng Maosheng
Published: October 2019

Multi-selectivity mechanisms of propynol inhibitors against NIK or PAK4 were reviewed using molecular dynamics, DFT and other atomistic simulations.
Structure, molecular dynamics, and interactions in aqueous xylitol solutions
Authors: Płowaś-Korus Iwona , Buchner Richard
Published: October 2019

Broad-band dielectric relaxation studies of xylitol-water mixture show distinctly different dynamics for distal and central –OH of xylitol molecules and indicates the presence of loose xylitol aggregates.
Infrared photodissociation spectroscopy of di-manganese oxide cluster cations
Authors: Zimmermann Nina , Bernhardt Thorsten M. , Bakker Joost M. , Landman Uzi , Lang Sandra M.
Published: October 2019

Infrared multiple-photon dissociation (IR-MPD) spectroscopy and density functional theory (DFT) calculations have been employed to elucidate the geometric structure of a series of di-manganese oxide clusters Mn2Ox+(x= 4–7).
Predicted Janus SnSSe monolayer: a comprehensive first-principles study
Authors: Guo San-Dong , Guo Xiao-Shu , Han Ru-Yue , Deng Ye
Published: October 2019

The dynamically and mechanically stable Janus SnSSe monolayer has distinctive electronic, optical, piezoelectric and transport properties.
Origin of strong red emission in Er3+-based upconversion materials: role of intermediate states and cross relaxation
Authors: Lee Chiho , Park Heeyeon , Kim Woong , Park Sungnam
Published: October 2019

Comprehensive NIR-to-visible upconversion luminescence mechanism in Er3+-based materials is elucidated by wavelength-dependent, power-dependent, and time-resolved photoluminescence spectroscopy.
Stabilization of aqueous graphene dispersions utilizing a biocompatible dispersant: a molecular dynamics study
Authors: Huang Shirong , Croy Alexander , Bezugly Viktor , Cuniberti Gianaurelio
Published: October 2019

Investigation of the high efficiency of flavin mononucleotide sodium salt (FMNS) for the stabilization of aqueous graphene dispersions using all-atom molecular dynamics simulations.
Oxygen surface exchange and diffusion in mayenite single crystal
Authors: Tolkacheva Anna S. , Shkerin Sergey N. , Porotnikova Natalia M. , Kuznetsov Mikhail V. , Naumov Sergey V. , Telegin Sergey V. , Khodimchuk Anna V. , Farlenkov Andrey S. , Ananyev Maxim V.
Published: October 2019

Oxygen surface exchange and diffusion in Ca12Al14O33±δsingle crystal were studied by a uniquein situmethod based on isotope equilibration in the gas phase.
Sb-doped polymeric carbon nitride with charge-capture centers for efficient charge separation and photocatalytic performance in H2evolution and environmental remediation
Authors: Liang Zhiwei , Xia Yuguo , Ba Guiming , Li Haiping , Deng Quanhua , Hou Wanguo
Published: October 2019

Sb-doped polymeric carbon nitride with charge-capture centers was firstly synthesized and exhibits prominently enhanced charge separation and photocatalytic performance.
Synthesis, characterisation and potent cytotoxicity of unconventional platinum(iv) complexes with modified lipophilicity
Authors: Deo Krishant M. , Sakoff Jennette , Gilbert Jayne , Zhang Yingjie , Aldrich Wright Janice R.
Published: October 2019

Platinum(iv) complexes with facile modulation of lipophilicity exhibited nanomolar activity against tested lines. The most potent complexes exhibited 850-fold greater activity than cisplatin against HT29 colon carcinoma with GI50 values of 13 nM.
Daily red wine vinegar ingestion for eight weeks improves glucose homeostasis and affects the metabolome but does not reduce adiposity in adults
Authors: Jasbi Paniz , Baker Olivia , Shi Xiaojian , Gonzalez Lisa A. , Wang Shuai , Anderson Summer , Xi Bowei , Gu Haiwei , Johnston Carol S.
Published: October 2019

This is the first study to investigate the effects of vinegar on adiposity and glycemia using both anthropometrics and metabolomics.
A new strategy for CO2 utilization with waste plastics: conversion of hydrogen carbonate into formate using polyvinyl chloride in water
Authors: Lu Lihui , Zhong Heng , Wang Tianfu , Wu Jianeng , Jin Fangming , Yoshioka Toshiaki
Published: October 2019

A new and green approach for hydrogen carbonate reduction and PVC dechlorination in water in a single step.
Facile synthesis of polymerized cobalt phthalocyanines for highly efficient CO2 reduction
Authors: Chen Jiacheng , Li Jiayu , Liu Weiliang , Ma Xiaohua , Xu Jing , Zhu Minghui , Han Yi-Fan
Published: October 2019

Polymerized cobalt phthalocyanines that are supported on carbon nanotubes can be synthesized using a one-pot hydrothermal method with water as a green solvent.
Activate capture and digital counting (AC + DC) assay for protein biomarker detection integrated with a self-powered microfluidic cartridge
Authors: Che Congnyu , Li Nantao , Long Kenneth D. , Aguirre Miguel Ángel , Canady Taylor D. , Huang Qinglan , Demirci Utkan , Cunningham Brian T.
Published: October 2019

We demonstrate a rapid and ultrasensitive assay for protein quantification through the nanoparticle–photonic crystal coupling embedded in microfluidic cartridges.
Surface group-modified MXene nano-flake doping of monolayer tungsten disulfides
Authors: Tao Ye , Koh See Wee , Yu Xuechao , Wang Chongwu , Liang Houkun , Zhang Ying , Li Hong , Wang Qi Jie
Published: October 2019

A new chemical (MXene) doping strategy to modulate the exciton and trion for achieving high photoluminescence (PL) efficiency of WS2 is reported.
Foamed graphene flakes from the one-step pyrolysis of PEG/MgO composites for supercapacitors and lithium-ion batteries
Authors: Yu Lili , Song Rongjun
Published: October 2019

Facile preparation of foamed graphene flakes via a one-step pyrolysis of polyethylene glycol-200/MgO and their application in supercapacitors and LIBs.
Urea-modified grass ash activated sludge carbon: structure and adsorption properties towards H2S and CH3SH
Authors: Li Fen , Meng Fanzhu , Wang He , Ge Baocai , Zhang Yanping , Yu Cailian
Published: October 2019

The deodorization structure of H2S and CH3SH adsorbed by sludge carbon was studied, and the deodorized product was analyzed.
A fully inkjet-printed transparent humidity sensor based on a Ti3C2/Ag hybrid for touchless sensing of finger motion
Authors: Li Ning , Jiang Yue , Xiao Yan , Meng Bo , Xing Chenyang , Zhang Han , Peng Zhengchun
Published: October 2019

We developed a flexible and transparent humidity sensor based on Ti3C2/Ag-PDDA bilayer with excellent bending resistance. This kind of sensor arrays can dynamic track finger motions in a non-contact way.
Investigating the origin of high efficiency in confined multienzyme catalysis
Authors: Cao Yufei , Li Xiaoyang , Xiong Jiarong , Wang Licheng , Yan Li-Tang , Ge Jun
Published: October 2019

Biomimetic strategies have successfully been applied to confine multiple enzymes on scaffolds to obtain higher catalytic efficiency of enzyme cascades than freely distributed enzymes.
Electrosprayed cysteine-functionalized degradable amphiphilic block copolymer microparticles for low pH-triggered drug delivery
Authors: Finnegan Marie , Mallon Gerard , Leach Adam , Themistou Efrosyni
Published: October 2019

Fluorescent dye encapsulation and release using mucoadhesive degradable thiol-functionalized amphiphilic block copolymer microparticles prepared by electrospraying.
Rhodium-catalyzed biheteroaryl-2-carbonitrile synthesis via double C–H activation
Authors: Xu Hui-Bei , Zhu Yan-Ying , Yang Jia-Hui , Chai Xin-Yue , Dong Lin
Published: October 2019

Rhodium(iii)-catalyzed double C–H activation and in situ dealcoholization to generate biheteroaryl-2-carbonitriles have been developed via a CDC mechanism, in which benzimidates act as both directing groups and the precursors of nitrile groups.