bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Water Oxidation Catalysis Beginning with CuCo2S4: Investigation of the True Electrochemically Driven Catalyst
Authors: Du Xiaoqiang , Zhang Xiaoshuang , Yang Zhi , Gong Yaqiong
Published: January 2018

The exploitation of efficient and stable water oxidation catalysts is a pressing challenge to solve the energy crisis. Herein, flower‐like CuCo2S4 microspheres were successfully synthesized and used as an effective water oxidation catalyst. CuCo2S4/NF (NF=nickel foam) affords electrocatalytic water oxidation activity, with a current density of 20 mA cm−2 at a low overpotential of 260 mV. The overpotential value is lower than that of benchmark RuO2/NF (overpotential of 340 mV at a current density of 20 mA cm−2). The water oxidation activity increases linearly before nonlinearly improving with increasing pH; this indicates that the substrate changes from water to hydroxyl. The CuCo2S4/NF catalyst is demonstrated to be a real water oxidation catalyst based on diverse experiments.
Semiquantitative dot‐blot immunogold assay for specific detection of white spot syndrome virus
Authors: Bunsanong Nittaya , Chotigeat Wilaiwan , Deachamag Panchalika , Thananimit Suchera
Published: January 2018

A dot‐blot immunogold assay (DBIA) was developed to detect white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) using the polyclonal antibody VP26 (anti‐VP26). The anti‐VP26 was immobilized on gold nanoparticles (Ab‐AuNPs), and a nitrocellulose membrane was used as a detection pad. When the target WSSV bound to the Ab‐AuNPs a reddish dot appeared on the surface of the membrane used within 2–5 Min, which could be seen with the naked eye. The test was able to detect WSSV at concentrations as low as 105 copies μL−1 of WSSV. The DBIA developed had good specificity, and the colloidal gold probe can be applied within 2–3 days when stored at 4 °C. For real sample analysis, the DBIA was applied to samples of seawater used for shrimp cultivation without sample preparation. The results indicate that sample 1 showed a positive result, whereas samples 2 and 3 produced negative results. Then, samples 2 and 3 were spiked with WSSV for method validation. To confirm the performance of the DBIA developed, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was conducted and the PCR results were the same as those found by the DBIA. Therefore, the DBIA developed could be applied for WSSV detection in real water samples.
Simultaneous quantification of T4, T3, rT3, 3,5‐T2 and 3,3′‐T2 in larval zebrafish (Danio rerio) as a model to study exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls
Authors: Chen Xiaopeng , Walter Kyla M. , Miller Galen W. , Lein Pamela J. , Puschner Birgit
Published: January 2018

Environmental toxicants that interfere with thyroid hormone (TH) signaling can impact growth and development in animals and humans. Zebrafish represent a model to study chemically induced TH disruption, prompting the need for sensitive detection of THs. Simultaneous quantification of 3,3′,5‐triiodo‐l‐thyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4), 3,3′,5′‐triiodo‐l‐thyronine (rT3), 3,5‐diiodo‐l‐thyronine (3,5‐T2) and 3,3′‐diiodo‐l‐thyronine (3,3′‐T2) in zebrafish larvae was achieved by ultra‐performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry in positive ion mode. Solid‐phase extraction with SampliQ cartridges and derivatization with 3 m hydrochloric acid in n‐butanol reduced matrix effects. Derivatized compounds were separated on an Acquity UPLC BEH C18 column with mobile phases consisting of 0.1% acetic acid in deionized water and 0.1% acetic acid in methanol. The limits of detection ranged from 0.5 to 0.6 pg injected on column. The method was validated by evaluating recovery (77.1–117.2%), accuracy (87.3–123.9%) and precision (0.5–12.4%) using diluted homogenized zebrafish embryos spiked with all target compounds. This method was then applied to zebrafish larvae collected after 114 h of exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), including PCB 28, PCB 66 and PCB 95, or the technical mixture Aroclor 1254. Exposure to PCB 28 and PCB 95 increased the T4:T3 ratio and decreased the T3:rT3 ratio, demonstrating that this method can effectively detect PCB‐induced alterations in THs.
Coupled changes in hippocampal structure and cognitive ability in later life
Authors: Anblagan Devasuda , Valdés Hernández Maria C. , Ritchie Stuart J. , Aribisala Benjamin S. , Royle Natalie A. , Hamilton Iona F. , Cox Simon R. , Gow Alan J. , Pattie Alison , Corley Janie , Starr John M. , Muñoz Maniega Susana , Bastin Mark E. , Deary Ian J. , Wardlaw Joanna M.
Published: January 2018

Introduction

The hippocampus plays an important role in cognitive abilities which often decline with advancing age.

Methods

In a longitudinal study of community‐dwelling adults, we investigated whether there were coupled changes in hippocampal structure and verbal memory, working memory, and processing speed between the ages of 73 (N = 655) and 76 years (N = 469). Hippocampal structure was indexed by hippocampal volume, hippocampal volume as a percentage of intracranial volume (H_ICV), fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), and longitudinal relaxation time (T1).

Results

Mean levels of hippocampal volume, H_ICV, FA, T1, and all three cognitive abilities domains decreased, whereas MD increased, from age 73 to 76. At baseline, higher hippocampal volume was associated with better working memory and verbal memory, but none of these correlations survived correction for multiple comparisons. Higher FA, lower MD, and lower T1 at baseline were associated with better cognitive abilities in all three domains; only the correlation between baseline hippocampal MD and T1, and change in the three cognitive domains, survived correction for multiple comparisons. Individuals with higher hippocampal MD at age 73 experienced a greater decline in all three cognitive abilities between ages 73 and 76. However, no significant associations with changes in cognitive abilities were found with hippocampal volume, FA, and T1 measures at baseline. Similarly, no significant associations were found between cognitive abilities at age 73 and changes in the hippocampal MRI biomarkers between ages 73 and 76.

Conclusion

Our results provide evidence to better understand how the hippocampus ages in healthy adults in relation to the cognitive domains in which it is involved, suggesting that better hippocampal MD at age 73 predicts less relative decline in three important cognitive domains across the next 3 years. It can potentially assist in diagnosing early stages of aging‐related neuropathologies, because in some cases, accelerated decline could predict pathologies.
Rest but busy: Aberrant resting‐state functional connectivity of triple network model in insomnia
Authors: Dong Xiaojuan , Qin Haixia , Wu Taoyu , Hu Hua , Liao Keren , Cheng Fei , Gao Dong , Lei Xu
Published: January 2018

Introduction

One classical hypothesis among many models to explain the etiology and maintenance of insomnia disorder (ID) is hyperarousal. Aberrant functional connectivity among resting‐state large‐scale brain networks may be the underlying neurological mechanisms of this hypothesis. The aim of current study was to investigate the functional network connectivity (FNC) among large‐scale brain networks in patients with insomnia disorder (ID) during resting state.

Methods

In the present study, the resting‐state fMRI was used to evaluate whether patients with ID showed aberrant FNC among dorsal attention network (DAN), frontoparietal control network (FPC), anterior default mode network (aDMN), and posterior default mode network (pDMN) compared with healthy good sleepers (HGSs). The Pearson's correlation analysis was employed to explore whether the abnormal FNC observed in patients with ID was associated with sleep parameters, cognitive and emotional scores, and behavioral performance assessed by questionnaires and tasks.

Results

Patients with ID had worse subjective thought control ability measured by Thought Control Ability Questionnaire (TCAQ) and more negative affect than HGSs. Intriguingly, relative to HGSs, patients with ID showed a significant increase in FNC between DAN and FPC, but a significant decrease in FNC between aDMN and pDMN. Exploratory analysis in patients with ID revealed a significantly positive correlation between the DAN‐FPC FNC and reaction time (RT) of psychomotor vigilance task (PVT).

Conclusion

The current study demonstrated that even during the resting state, the task‐activated and task‐deactivated large‐scale brain networks in insomniacs may still maintain a hyperarousal state, looking quite similar to the pattern in a task condition with external stimuli. Those results support the hyperarousal model of insomnia.
A small population of resident limb bud mesenchymal cells express few MSC‐associated markers, but the expression of these markers is increased immediately after cell culture
Authors: Marín‐Llera Jessica Cristina , Chimal‐Monroy Jesús
Published: January 2018

Skeletal progenitors are derived from resident limb bud mesenchymal cells of the vertebrate embryos. However, it remains poorly understood if they represent stem cells, progenitors, or multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC). Derived‐MSC of different adult tissues under in vitro experimental conditions can differentiate into the same cellular lineages that are present in the limb. Here, comparing non‐cultured versus cultured mesenchymal limb bud cells, we determined the expression of MSC‐associated markers, the in vitro differentiation capacity and their gene expression profile. Results showed that in freshly isolated limb bud mesenchymal cells, the proportion of cells expressing Sca1, CD44, CD105, CD90, and CD73 is very low and a low expression of lineage‐specific genes was observed. However, recently seeded limb bud mesenchymal cells acquired Sca1 and CD44 markers and the expression of the key differentiation genes Runx2 and Sox9, while Scx and Pparg genes decreased. Also, their chondrogenic differentiation capacity decreased through cellular passages while the osteogenic increased. Our findings suggest that the modification of the cell adhesion process through the in vitro method changed the limb mesenchymal cell immunophenotype leading to the expression and maintenance of common MSC‐associated markers. These findings could have a significant impact on MSC study and isolation strategy because they could explain common variations observed in the MSC immunophenotype in different tissues.
Long‐term pacemaker dependency and impact of pacing on mortality following transcatheter aortic valve replacement with the LOTUS valve
Authors: Alasti Mohammad , Rashid Hashrul , Rangasamy Karthikeyan , Kotschet Emily , Adam David , Alison Jeff , Gooley Robert , Zaman Sarah
Published: January 2018

Objectives

To determine permanent pacemaker (PPM) dependency following transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) with the Lotus™ valve system (Boston Scientific), and the impact of PPM implantation on long‐term morbidity and mortality.

Background

Conduction abnormalities are among the most common complications following TAVR. Limited studies have assessed pacing dependency following TAVR.

Methods

Consecutive patients (n = 166) with severe aortic stenosis who underwent TAVR with the Lotus valve system were prospectively recruited from a single‐center. PPMs were implanted according to standard clinical criteria. Patients were followed in‐hospital and at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months to determine pacemaker dependency and clinical outcomes.

Results

Fourteen patients with a pre‐existing PPM (8%) were excluded with the remaining 152 patients aged 83.6 ± 5.6 years and 46% male. PPMs were implanted 3.8 ± 4 days post‐TAVR in 38/152 patients (25%). Indication for PPM was complete heart block in 29 (76%) of patients. At 30‐day and one‐year follow up, 57% and 38% of patients were pacemaker dependent, respectively. The mean ventricular pacing percentage decreased in the first three months after PPM implantation and remained relatively stable after that.

Conclusion

Only 38% of Lotus recipients who require a PPM following TAVR with the Lotus valve remain pacing dependent at one year.
Lost and found: Coronary stent retrieval and review of literature
Authors: Malik Shahbaz A. , Brilakis Emmanouil S. , Pompili Vincent , Chatzizisis Yiannis S.
Published: January 2018

A 61‐year‐old man with a history of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of the mid right coronary artery (RCA) with a drug eluting stent (DES), presented with non‐ST segment elevation myocardial infarction. Coronary angiography demonstrated complex disease of the distal RCA as well as in‐stent stenosis of the previously placed mid RCA stent. The patient underwent bifurcation PCI of the distal RCA followed by attempted intervention with a DES on the mid RCA lesion. The stent could not cross the lesion and eventually became dissociated from its delivery system. The lost stent was successfully retrieved using two different snaring systems. The procedure was terminated without further attempts for stent delivery. The patient had an uneventful recovery and underwent successful PCI of the mid RCA lesion one month later.
Preliminary evaluation of durum wheat (Triticum Turgidum Subsp Durum) during malting process
Authors: Alfeo Vincenzo , De Causmaecker Brecht , Goiris Barbara Jaskula , Aerts Guido , Planeta Diego , Todaro Aldo
Published: January 2018

Background and objectives

Effects of 45 and 70°C final malt drying temperature on a traditional Italian durum wheat (SM45, SM70) were evaluated for the malt quality parameters and the wort characteristics when employed in rate of 40% with commercial barley malt (BM), using a common wheat (CWM) as a control test.

Findings

Drying temperatures and wheat genotypes were major contributors to variability in malt quality parameters. SM45 and SM70 were characterized by reduced protein and starch degradation, lower solubility for beta‐glucans (BG), and high levels of water‐extractable arabinoxylans (WEAX) compared to CWM. Alpha‐ and beta‐amylases, endo‐β‐glucanases, and endo‐1,4‐β‐d‐xylanase activities detected on SM45 were higher than SM70 and CWM, likely due to the combined effects of the cultivar characteristics and the low temperatures used during the kilning phase. When SM4540% and SM7040% were used, the derived worts have had lower color, FAN levels, saccharification time, beta‐glucans (WBG), and viscosity than CWM40%.

Conclusions

Malting conditions and genotypes affect the malt quality attributes, mainly in terms of extractable compounds and enzyme activities. The use in mashing of 40% of durum wheat malt results in low viscosity and reduced availability of BG.

Significance and novelty

These first results indicate that durum wheat malt has good characteristics and can be suitable for brewing purposes.
Rituximab therapy for hepatitis C virus‐associated cryoglobulinemic membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis
Authors: Koratala Abhilash , Zeng Xu
Published: January 2018

Key Clinical Message

Membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis associated with mixed cryoglobulinemia is the most common form of kidney disease observed in relation to hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Rituximab, a monoclonal antibody against CD20, is an effective treatment for severe and/or refractory HCV‐related vasculitis and may evade the need for dialysis as in our patient.
Hierarchical Porous Zr‐Based MOFs Synthesized by a Facile Monocarboxylic Acid Etching Strategy
Authors: Yang Pengfei , Mao Fangxin , Li Yongsheng , Zhuang Qixin , Gu Jinlou
Published: January 2018

A new monocarboxylic acid etching (MAE) strategy was developed for transforming chemically stable Zr‐based metal‐organic frameworks (MOFs) of UiO‐66 to their hierarchical porous counterpart. The key design element was based on the incomplete replacement of bridging ligands in MOFs by monocarboxylic acids (MAs), leading to the departure of partial ligands and metal clusters to create mesopores in MOFs. A series of MAs with different acidity and carbon chain length were tested, and propionic acid (PA) was screened to be the suitable choice. The textural features including pore size distribution, specific surface area, and pore volume of the obtained products can be controlled by adjusting the MA concentration and reaction temperature. The obtained hierarchical porous MOFs inherited excellent stability from their parent materials. Additionally, the MAE strategy was universal to construct hierarchical porous Zr‐based MOFs, and it was expanded to etch UiO‐66 derivatives. The excellent adsorption behavior of the resultant hierarchical porous Zr‐based MOFs over two enzymes with different size was also successfully exemplified, demonstrating their application potentials with bulky molecules involved.
CoIII‐Catalyzed Isonitrile Insertion/Acyl Group Migration Between C−H and N−H bonds of Arylamides
Authors: Kalsi Deepti , Barsu Nagaraju , Sundararaju Basker
Published: January 2018

A general efficient and site‐selective cobalt‐catalyzed insertion of isonitrile into C−H and N−H bonds of arylamides through C−H bond activation and alcohol assisted intramolecular trans‐amidation is demonstrated. This straightforward approach overcomes the limitation by the presence of strongly chelating groups. Isolation of CoIII‐isonitrile complex B has been achieved for the first time to understand the reaction mechanism.
Further Development of Weakly Coordinating Cations: Fluorinated Bis(triarylphosphoranylidene)iminium Salts
Authors: Mann Lisa , Hornberger Elisabeth , Steinhauer Simon , Riedel Sebastian
Published: January 2018

So far unknown bis(triarylphosphoranylidene)iminium cations [PPN]+ with one fluorine atom in para ([PPN‐1F]+), two in meta ([PPN‐2F]+), or three in para and meta positions of the phenyl rings ([PPN‐3F]+) were obtained by a newly developed one‐pot reaction. These halogenated [PPN]+ cations were characterized by IR and Raman spectroscopy in comparison with quantum‐chemical calculations, ESI+ mass spectrometry, NMR spectroscopy, and single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction. To assess their quality as weakly coordinating cations and the associated ability to stabilize labile anions, the electrostatic potential and fluoride‐ion affinity were calculated and compared with those of the unsubstituted and so far unknown perfluorinated [PPN‐5F]+ cations.
Superior HIV‐1 TAR Binders with Conformationally Constrained R52 Arginine Mimics in the Tat(48–57) Peptide
Authors: Bhosle Govind S. , Kharche Shalmali , Kumar Santosh , Sengupta Durba , Maiti Souvik , Fernandes Moneesha
Published: January 2018

We report a 100‐fold increase in binding affinity of the Tat(48–57) peptide to HIV‐1 transcriptional activator‐responsive element (TAR) RNA by replacing Arg52, an essential and critical residue for Tat's specific binding, with (2S,4S)‐4‐guanidinoproline. The resulting αTat1M peptide is a far superior binder than γTat1M, a peptide containing another conformationally constrained arginine mimic, (2S,4S)‐4‐amino‐N‐(3‐guanidinopropyl)proline, or even the control Tat peptide (CtrlTat) itself. Our observations are supported by circular dichroism (CD), isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), gel electrophoresis and UV spectroscopy studies. Molecular dynamics simulations suggest increased interactions between the more compact αTat1M and TAR RNA, relative to CtrlTat. The CD signature of the RNA itself remains largely unchanged upon binding of the peptides. The Tat mimetics further have better cell uptake properties than the control Tat peptide, thus increasing their potential application as specific TAR‐binding molecules.
Engineering Biocompatible Scaffolds through the Design of Elastin‐Based Short Peptides
Authors: Hassan Musfizur , Martin Adam D. , Thordarson Pall
Published: January 2018

A small library of short peptides has been synthesized based upon the repeat tetrapeptide sequence Gly‐Val‐Ala‐Pro (GVAP) which is found in the hydrophobic domain of tropoelastin. Of the five peptides synthesized, four formed self‐supporting hydrogels with similar secondary structures. The ability to tune the mechanical properties of the resultant hydrogels was demonstrated, and this is understood in relation to fiber bundling. Finally, the cytotoxicity of these elastin‐based short peptide hydrogels towards HeLa cells was assessed, with clear evidence that increased aromaticity of the peptide is detrimental towards cell viability.
Electrochemically Sensitized Luminescence from Lanthanides in d‐/f‐Block Heteronuclear Arrays
Authors: Stringer Bradley D. , Quan Linh M. , Barnard Peter J. , Hogan Conor F.
Published: January 2018

The front cover artwork is provided by the Department of Chemistry and Physics at La Trobe University (Melbourne). The image shows the heterobimetallic compound used to facilitate electrochemically initiated europium emission following energy transfer from an ECL‐active donor. Read the full text of the Article at 10.1002/cptc.201700172.
MoS2/MoOx‐Nanostructure‐Decorated Activated Carbon Cloth for Enhanced Supercapacitor Performance
Authors: Sari Fitri Nur Indah , Ting Jyh‐Ming
Published: January 2018

MoS2/MoOx nanostructures were grown on activated carbon cloth through a facile one‐step microwave‐assisted hydrothermal method. The growth of MoS2/MoOx on activated carbon cloth creates a unique structure that favors ion intercalation. The conductive activated carbon cloth, MoO3−x, and monoclinic MoO2 provide fast electron transport, whereas the MoS2 nanosheets/MoO3−x nanoparticles structure improves the capacitance. As a result, MoS2/MoOx‐nanostructure‐decorated activated carbon cloth shows a high specific capacitance of 230 F g−1 at a scan rate of 5 mV s−1 with a low contact resistance of approximately 1.91 Ω. Moreover, the activated carbon cloth acts as a template for the growth of a perpendicular MoS2 layer, which gives an excellent utilization rate of the active MoS2/MoOx material. We also demonstrate that the MoS2/MoOx/activated carbon cloth nanocomposite shows excellent electrochemical stability with retention up to 128 % after 1500 cycles. Finally, we show the use of a microwave‐assisted hydrothermal method for the synthesis of the MoS2/MoOx/activated carbon cloth nanocomposite as an alternative and clean route to improve the kinetics of the intercalation redox reaction.
Quality assurance issues in the teacher‐based assessment of students with literacy difficulties for examination access arrangements
Authors: McMurray Sharon , O'Callaghan Paul , McVeigh Claire
Published: January 2018

This paper considers two major concerns centring on the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) regulations for access arrangement and reasonable adjustments and qualifications for teachers who take on the role of Level 7 access arrangements assessor. Thus, the paper is divided into two parts. First, the JCQ 2017‐2018 regulations are critically evaluated highlighting the areas of need for which greater clarity and more extensive detail is required in these regulations. The second part of the paper discusses the findings of research on teacher competence in test administration, scoring, and reporting. Drawing on evidence from the first stage of this research, McMurray, O'Callaghan, and McVeigh highlight the extensive formative process required to build a high‐level skill set required for competent assessment involving the use of high level tests and also the specialist knowledge required to analyse and accurately report assessment findings to make recommendations for students with specific literacy difficulties.

Recommendations are provided both at policy and practice levels regarding the content of courses and the assessment involving the use of high level tests and also the specialist knowledge required to analyse and accurately report assessment findings to make recommendations for students with specific literacy difficulties.

The authors provide recommendations for test publishers, course providers, and assessors.
Disturbance reduces the differentiation of mycorrhizal fungal communities in grasslands along a precipitation gradient
Authors: House Geoffrey L. , Bever James D.
Published: January 2018

Given that mycorrhizal fungi play key roles in shaping plant communities, greater attention should be focused on factors that determine the composition of mycorrhizal fungal communities and their sensitivity to anthropogenic disturbance. We investigate changes in arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungal community composition across a precipitation gradient in North American grasslands as well as changes occurring with varying degrees of site disturbance that have resulted in invasive plant establishment. We find strong differentiation of AM fungal communities in undisturbed remnant grasslands across the precipitation gradient, whereas communities in disturbed grasslands were more homogeneous. These changes in community differentiation with disturbance are consistent with more stringent environmental filtering of AM fungal communities in undisturbed sites that may also be promoted by more rigid functional constraints imposed on AM fungi by the native plant communities in these areas. The AM fungal communities in eastern grasslands were particularly sensitive to anthropogenic disturbance, with disturbed sites having low numbers of AM fungal operational taxonomic units (OTUs) commonly found in undisturbed sites, and also the proliferation of AM fungal OTUs in disturbed sites. This proliferation of AM fungi in eastern disturbed sites coincided with increased soil phosphorus availability and is consistent with evidence suggesting the fungi represented by these OTUs would provide reduced benefits to native plants. The differentiation of AM fungal communities along the precipitation gradient in undisturbed grasslands but not in disturbed sites is consistent with AM fungi aiding plant adaptation to climate, and suggests they may be especially important targets for conservation and restoration in order to help maintain or re‐establish diverse grassland plant communities.
Save your host, save yourself? Caste‐ratio adjustment in a parasite with division of labor and snail host survival following shell damage
Authors: MacLeod Colin , Poulin Robert , Lagrue Clément
Published: January 2018

Shell damage and parasitic infections are frequent in gastropods, influencing key snail host life‐history traits such as survival, growth, and reproduction. However, their interactions and potential effects on hosts and parasites have never been tested. Host–parasite interactions are particularly interesting in the context of the recently discovered division of labor in trematodes infecting marine snails. Some species have colonies consisting of two different castes present at varying ratios; reproductive members and nonreproductive soldiers specialized in defending the colony. We assessed snail host survival, growth, and shell regeneration in interaction with infections by two trematode species, Philophthalmus sp. and Maritrema novaezealandense, following damage to the shell in the New Zealand mud snail Zeacumantus subcarinatus. We concomitantly assessed caste‐ratio adjustment between nonreproductive soldiers and reproductive members in colonies of the trematode Philophthalmus sp. in response to interspecific competition and shell damage to its snail host. Shell damage, but not parasitic infection, significantly increased snail mortality, likely due to secondary infections by pathogens. However, trematode infection and shell damage did not negatively affect shell regeneration or growth in Z. subcarinatus; infected snails actually produced more new shell than their uninfected counterparts. Both interspecific competition and shell damage to the snail host induced caste‐ratio adjustment in Philophthalmus sp. colonies. The proportion of nonreproductive soldiers increased in response to interspecific competition and host shell damage, likely to defend the parasite colony and potentially the snail host against increasing threats. These results indicate that secondary infections by pathogens following shell damage to snails both significantly increased snail mortality and induced caste‐ratio adjustments in parasites. This is the first evidence that parasites with a division of labor may be able to produce nonreproductive soldiers according to environmental factors other than interspecific competition with other parasites.
A Functional Specialization‐Based Multiobjective Optimization Method
Authors: MORITA SEIJUN , TAMURA KENICHI , YASUDA KEIICHIRO
Published: January 2018

In this paper, we propose a new multiobjective optimization method based on a functional specialization search strategy. The functional specialization search strategy is composed of two ideas. The first idea is to evaluate the progress status of search points and classification of search points. The second idea is to use the status to update each search point by suitable one of the Pareto ranking or scalarization. The proposed method takes advantage of this search strategy to realize an efficient improvement both of convergence and diversity of the search points. The proposed method achieves a consistently high performance through diverse search scenarios by taking advantage of the benefits of both a Pareto ranking‐based method and a scalarization‐based method. The performance of the proposed method was evaluated by some numerical simulations using some typical benchmark problems with different shapes of Pareto frontiers and various number of objectives.
Daily home BNP monitoring in heart failure for prediction of impending clinical deterioration: results from the HOME HF study
Authors: McDonald Kenneth , Troughton Richard , Dahlström Ulf , Dargie Henry , Krum Henry , van der Meer Peter , McDonagh Theresa , Atherton John J. , Kupfer Ken , San George Richard C. , Richards Mark , Doughty Robert
Published: January 2018

Background

Serial measurement of natriuretic peptides may guide management in heart failure (HF) patients. In previous trials, natriuretic peptides were infrequently monitored, which may undervalue the benefit of this approach.

Methods and results

HOME was an adaptive three‐arm randomized clinical study to test whether home monitoring of BNP could reduce HF‐related death, hospitalization due to acute decompensated HF (ADHF), and ADHF treated with intravenous diuretics in the emergency department or outpatient setting. Enrolment was terminated early because of slow enrolment, low event rates, and the belief that an algorithm for assessing BNP trends was needed. Justification for pooling data from all study arms was made and analysis as a single observational study was performed. The analysis resulted in 107 patients who were monitored for a median of 172 days with BNP measures on a median of 74% of days. BNP values were highly variable within a patient. Dispersion between serial BNPs was calculated to be 39.3%, 57.7%, and 73.6% for 1, 60, and 120 days between measures, respectively. A moving average filter (fBNP) was calculated to reduce day‐to‐day fluctuations and track changes from week to week. There were 27 primary events in 17 362 patient days of monitoring; the hazard ratio for time‐varying fBNP was 2.22 (95% confidence interval 1.48–3.34) per unit natural log (corresponding to a 2.72‐fold change in fBNP level).

Conclusion

The HOME HF study demonstrates the feasibility of home BNP measurement and shows the potential value of fBNP as an index of emerging clinical deterioration. Assessment of the clinical value of this is required.
Nanoflakes‐Assembled 3D Flower‐Like Nickel Oxide/Nickel Composites as Supercapacitor Electrode Materials
Authors: Liu Xue , Liu Fang
Published: January 2018

A 3D flower‐like NiO/Ni composite was prepared by a facile, template‐free, hydrothermal method followed by calcination in N2 atmosphere in the presence of glucose. The particles are assembled from porous nanoflakes. XRD, SEM, TEM, and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy were performed to characterize the morphology and composition of the material. This revealed that during the calcination process NiO was partially transformed into Ni and consequently an NiO/Ni composite was obtained. Cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charge/discharge, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy were conducted in 6 m KOH electrolyte solution. This showed that the NiO/Ni composite exhibits a higher specific capacitance (363.7 F/g at 0.5 A/g) and better cycling stability than the as‐prepared NiO. The superior performance of the composite is attributed to the interconnected network of the 3D structure, which provides more channels for electrolyte transport and electrochemically active sites for faradaic reaction. The modified Ni metal forms a conductive network on the surface and improves the conductivity of the material, which favors effective electron transport from the surface to the current collector. The results indicate application potential of the NiO/Ni composite in electrode materials for supercapacitors.
One‐Pot Synthesis of Highly Substituted Pyrroles by Three‐Component Reactions of Donor–Acceptor Cyclopropanes, Salicylaldehydes, and Ammonium Acetate
Authors: Su Zhenjie , Gu Wenxing , Qian Siran , Xue Shuwen , Wang Cunde
Published: January 2018

An efficient one‐pot synthesis of highly substituted pyrroles from donor–acceptor cyclopropanes, salicylaldehydes, and ammonium acetate has been developed. This reaction involves a domino sequence involving the ring‐opening of donor–acceptor cyclopropanes, [3+2] annulation, and aromatization as the key steps. This elegant methodology readily afforded functionalized pyrroles under mild reaction conditions and with a wide substrate scope.
OpenFlow‐based low‐overhead and high‐accuracy SDN measurement framework
Authors: He Qiang , Wang Xingwei , Huang Min
Published: January 2018

Network measurement is an essential part of network management. Software‐defined networking (SDN) is a promising networking architecture to make network management more flexible by separating the control plane and the data plane. Recently, the corresponding research studies about SDN measurement have not attracted much attention due to its preliminary stage, especially the currently proposed SDN measurement methods that have been suffering from high network overhead, low accuracy, and incompatibility. To address these issues, this paper proposes an OpenFlow‐based low‐overhead and high‐accuracy (OpenLh) SDN measurement framework. Firstly, to decrease the load of edge switch and network overhead, we propose a switch querying algorithm to measure the first and last switches per flow periodically. Secondly, a novel adaptive polling algorithm is designed to adjust the polling interval, which reduces network overhead while optimizing measurement accuracy. Furthermore, we quantitatively analyze the trade‐off among measurement overhead, accuracy, and minimum time interval. Finally, the POX controller is utilized to implement OpenLh, and its effectiveness is verified by Mininet. The simulation results demonstrate that OpenLh can obtain lower network overhead without compromising measurement accuracy than the chosen benchmarks.
Study on the relationship between the particle size distribution and the effectiveness of the K‐powder fire extinguishing agent
Authors: Yan Ye , Han Zhiyue , Zhao Lingshuang , Du Zhiming , Cong Xiaomin
Published: January 2018

The relationship between the particle size distribution and the extinguishing effectiveness of the new K‐powder fire extinguishing agent has been studied experimentally, to explore the reason of the great extinguishing efficiency exhibited by the new K‐powder fire extinguishing agent on Class B fire (liquid fuel fire). The results of the experiment showed that the extinguishing effectiveness increased along with the decrease of the particle size distribution. In addition, a sharp discontinuity appeared around the limiting size, about 40 μm. The powder with the particle size below 40 μm exhibited highly effective extinguishing with the minimum effective extinguishing concentration Cxr = 23 g·m−3, while the powder with the particle size above 40 μm exhibited little fire extinguishing efficiency. Compared with other fire extinguishing agents produced by different substances, the new K‐powder fire extinguishing has the bigger limiting size. That means, in the same particle size distribution, the new K‐powder fire extinguishing agent contains more highly effective powder than others contain, and is more effective.
Strategic asset allocation by mixing shrinkage, vine copula and market equilibrium
Authors: Zhang Fan , Zhang Zhichao
Published: January 2018

We propose a new portfolio optimization method combining the merits of the shrinkage estimation, vine copula structure, and Black–Litterman model. It is useful for many investors to satisfy simultaneously the three investment objectives: estimation sensitivity, asymmetric risks appreciation, and portfolio stability. A typical investor with such objectives is a sovereign wealth fund (SWF). We use China's SWF as an example to empirically test the method based on a 15‐asset strategic asset allocation problem. Robustness tests using subsamples not only show the method's overall effectiveness but also manifest that the function of each component is as expected.
Comparing theoretically supported rainfall‐runoff erosivity factors at the Sparacia (South Italy) experimental site
Authors: Bagarello Vincenzo , Di Stefano Costanza , Ferro Vito , Pampalone Vincenzo
Published: January 2018

Interpreting rainfall‐runoff erosivity by a process‐oriented scheme allows to conjugate the physical approach to soil loss estimate with the empirical one. Including the effect of runoff in the model permits to distinguish between detachment and transport in the soil erosion process. In this paper, at first, a general definition of the rainfall‐runoff erosivity factor REFe including the power of both event runoff coefficient QR and event rainfall erosivity index EI30 of the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) is proposed. The REFe factor is applicable to all USLE‐based models (USLE, Modified USLE [USLE‐M] and Modified USLE‐M [USLE‐MM]) and it allows to distinguish between purely empirical models (e.g., Modified USLE‐M [USLE‐MM]) and those supported by applying theoretical dimensional analysis and self‐similarity to Wischmeier and Smith scheme. This last model category includes USLE, USLE‐M, and a new model, named USLE‐M based (USLE‐MB), that uses a rainfall‐runoff erosivity factor in which a power of runoff coefficient multiplies EI30. Using the database of Sparacia experimental site, the USLE‐MB is parameterized and a comparison with soil loss data is carried out. The developed analysis shows that USLE‐MB (characterized by a Nash–Sutcliffe Efficiency Index NSEI equal to 0.73 and a root mean square error RMSE = 11.7 Mg ha−1) has very similar soil loss estimate performances as compared with the USLE‐M (NSEI = 0.72 and RMSE = 12.0 Mg ha−1). However, the USLE‐MB yields a maximum discrepancy factor between predicted and measured soil loss values (176) that is much lower than that of USLE‐M (291). In conclusion, the USLE‐MB should be preferred in the context of theoretically supported USLE type models.
Landscape metrics as predictors of hydrologic connectivity between Coastal Plain forested wetlands and streams
Authors: Epting Steven M. , Hosen Jacob D. , Alexander Laurie C. , Lang Megan W. , Armstrong Alec W. , Palmer Margaret A.
Published: January 2018

Geographically isolated wetlands, those entirely surrounded by uplands, provide numerous landscape‐scale ecological functions, many of which are dependent on the degree to which they are hydrologically connected to nearby waters. There is a growing need for field‐validated, landscape‐scale approaches for classifying wetlands on the basis of their expected degree of hydrologic connectivity with stream networks. This study quantified seasonal variability in surface hydrologic connectivity (SHC) patterns between forested Delmarva bay wetland complexes and perennial/intermittent streams at 23 sites over a full‐water year (2014–2015). Field data were used to develop metrics to predict SHC using hypothesized landscape drivers of connectivity duration and timing. Connection duration was most strongly related to the number and area of wetlands within wetland complexes as well as the channel width of the temporary stream connecting the wetland complex to a perennial/intermittent stream. Timing of SHC onset was related to the topographic wetness index and drainage density within the catchment. Stepwise regression modelling found that landscape metrics could be used to predict SHC duration as a function of wetland complex catchment area, wetland area, wetland number, and soil available water storage (adj‐R2 = 0.74, p < .0001). Results may be applicable to assessments of forested depressional wetlands elsewhere in the U.S. Mid‐Atlantic and Southeastern Coastal Plain, where climate, landscapes, and hydrological inputs and losses are expected to be similar to the study area.
Genetic variants in RORA and DNMT1 associated with cutaneous melanoma survival
Authors: Li Bo , Wang Yanru , Xu Yinghui , Liu Hongliang , Bloomer Wendy , Zhu Dakai , Amos Christopher I. , Fang Shenying , Lee Jeffrey E. , Li Xin , Han Jiali , Wei Qingyi
Published: January 2018

Cutaneous melanoma (CM) is considered as a steroid hormone‐related malignancy. However, few studies have evaluated the roles of genetic variants encoding steroid hormone receptor genes and their related regulators (SHR‐related genes) in CM‐specific survival (CMSS). Here, we performed a pathway‐based analysis to evaluate genetic variants of 191 SHR‐related genes in 858 CMSS patients using a dataset from a genome‐wide association study (GWAS) from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (MDACC), and then validated the results in an additional dataset of 409 patients from the Harvard GWAS. Using multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analysis, we identified three‐independent SNPs (RORA rs782917 G > A, RORA rs17204952 C > T and DNMT1 rs7253062 G > A) as predictors of CMSS, with a variant‐allele attributed hazards ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval of 1.62 (1.25–2.09), 1.60 (1.20–2.13) and 1.52 (1.20–1.94), respectively. Combined analysis of risk genotypes of these three SNPs revealed a decreased CMSS in a dose–response manner as the number of risk genotypes increased (ptrend < 0.001); however, no improvement in the prediction model was observed (area under the curve [AUC] = 79.6–80.8%, p = 0.656), when these risk genotypes were added to the model containing clinical variables. Our findings suggest that genetic variants of RORA and DNMT1 may be promising biomarkers for CMSS, but these results needed to be validated in future larger studies.
In vivo antitumor function of tumor antigen‐specific CTLs generated in the presence of OX40 co‐stimulation in vitro
Authors: Pham Minh Ngoc , Murata Satoshi , Kitamura Naomi , Ueki Tomoyuki , Kojima Masatsugu , Miyake Toru , Takebayashi Katsushi , Kodama Hirokazu , Mekata Eiji , Tani Masaji
Published: January 2018

Adoptive cell transfer (ACT) is an emerging and promising cancer immunotherapy that has been improved through various approaches. Here, we described the distinctive characteristics and functions of tumor Ag‐specific effector CD8+ T‐cells, co‐cultured with a tumor‐specific peptide and a stimulatory anti‐OX40 antibody, before being used for ACT therapy in tumor‐bearing mouse recipients. Splenic T‐cells were obtained from wild‐type FVB/N mice that had been injected with a HER2/neu (neu)‐expressing tumor and a neu‐vaccine. The cells were then incubated for 7 days in vitro with a major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I peptide derived from neu, in the presence or absence of an agonistic anti‐OX40 monoclonal antibody, before CD8+ T cells were isolated for use in ACT therapy. The proliferative ability of OX40‐driven tumor Ag‐specific effector CD8+ T‐cells in vitro was less than that of non‐OX40‐driven tumor Ag‐specific effector CD8+ T‐cells, but they expressed significantly more early T‐cell differentiation markers, such as CD27, CD62L and CCR7, and significantly higher levels of Bcl‐2, an anti‐apoptotic protein. These OX40‐driven tumor Ag‐specific effector CD8+ T‐cells, when transferred into tumor‐bearing recipients, demonstrated potent proliferation capability and successfully eradicated the established tumor. In addition, these cells exhibited long‐term antitumor function, and appeared to be established as memory T‐cells. Our findings suggest a possible in vitro approach for improving the efficacy of ACT, which is simple, requires only a small amount of modulator, and can potentially avoid several toxicities associated with co‐stimulation in vivo.
Automatic quantification of microscopic heart damage in a mouse model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy using optical polarization tractography
Authors: Wang Yuanbo , Ravanfar Mohammadreza , Zhang Keqing , Duan Dongsheng , Yao Gang
Published: January 2018

Quantification of microscopic myocardium damage in a diseased heart is important in studying disease progression and evaluating treatment outcome. However, it is challenging to use traditional histology and existing medical imaging modalities to quantify all microscopic damages in a small animal heart. Here, a method was developed for fast visualization and quantification of focal tissue damage in the mouse heart based on the fiber alignment index of the local myofiber organization obtained in optical polarization tractography (OPT). This method was tested in freshly excised hearts of the mdx4cv mouse, a commonly used mouse model for studying Duchenne cardiomyopathy. The hearts of age‐matched C57BL/6 mice were also imaged as the normal controls. The results revealed a significant amount of damage in the mdx4cv hearts. Histology comparisons confirmed the damage identified by OPT. This fast and automatic method may greatly enhance preclinical studies in murine models of heart diseases.
Pretreated Pencil Graphite Electrode as a Versatile Platform for Easy Measurement of Diclofenac Sodium in a Number of Biological and Pharmaceutical Samples
Authors: Parvizi‐Fard Golnaz , Alipour Esmaeel , Yardani Sefidi Pariya , Emamali Sabzi Reza
Published: January 2018

A pretreated pencil graphite electrode (PPGE) as an electrochemical sensor was developed and applied to measure diclofenac sodium (DIC). The effects of both potentiostatic and potentiodynamic strategies in the electrochemical pretreatment and performance of the electrode were studied, and it was concluded that the former offers better analytical sensitivity for electroanalytical purposes. PPGE displayed good electrocatalytic activity in comparison to nonpretreated PGE (NPGE). Differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) was used to determine DIC. Therefore, a calibration graph was plotted between the variation of anodic peak currents and the DIC concentration, which was found to be linear in the range 0.23–12.95 μmol/L with the detection limit (S/N = 3) of 0.12 μmol/L. PPGE was utilized to determine DIC in real samples such as biological and pharmaceutical ones, and the good recovery values obtained demonstrated the high accuracy of the modified electrode.