bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Precious metal nanoparticles supported on KOH pretreated activated carbon under microwave radiation as a catalyst for selective hydrogenation of cinnamaldehyde
Authors: Zeng Li‐Hui , Yan Hao‐Xiang , Zeng Yong‐Kang , Li Yue‐Feng , Zhang Zhi‐Xiang , Liu Zhong‐Wen , Liu Zhao‐Tie
Published: March 2019

A series of precious metals (Pd, Pt, Ru, Rh, and Au) supported on commercial activated carbon (AC) catalysts were prepared and their catalytic performance in the selective hydrogenation of cinnamaldehyde (CAL) were evaluated. Among these catalysts, Pt supported on AC pretreated by 10 % KOH under microwave radiation has the highest catalytic activity and selectivity in the selective hydrogenation of CAL, which provided a selectivity to cinnamyl alcohol of 73.4 % with a conversion of CAL of 62.8 %. The structure and morphology of the AC and the precious metal supported catalysts were characterized by BET, FT‐IR, XPS, XRD, and TEM. The catalytic performances of various precious metals as active components were compared. The effects of reaction temperature, hydrogen pressure, and reaction time on the catalytic hydrogenation of CAL were investigated. The by‐products were analyzed by GC‐MS and their formation mechanism was proposed. This work provides an efficient method of using commercial AC as the support for preparing promising catalysts in the selective hydrogenation of CAL.
Macroscopic and mesoscopic simulation of viscoelastic free surface flow in gas‐assisted injection moulding process
Authors: Li Qiang , Niu Haifeng , Yuan Jinyun
Published: March 2019

In this work, an improved simple coupled level‐set and volume of fluid (S‐CLSVOF) method is proposed to trace the moving interfaces in gas assisted injection moulding (GAIM) process based on the viscoelastic FENE‐P model. Firstly, the Kreisselmeier‐Steinhauser (KS) function constructed by means of Boolean operations is adopted as the shape level set (LS) function to precisely represent the complex mould cavities. Then, the benchmark problem of two‐dimensional deformation is used to verify the ability of the S‐CLSVOF method for capturing the moving interfaces. The stress birefringence is calculated and compared with the experiment result. Finally, the proposed method is further applied to the mould filling and gas penetration processes in GAIM. The macroscopic bubble appearance, temperature distribution, and the behaviour of the mesoscopic molecular orientation are shown and analyzed in detail. Due to the complexity of the gas‐liquid interaction, the phenomenon of asymmetrical gas flow is clearly observed in the gas penetration process. The influences of the macroscopic parameters on the macroscopic gas flows and mesoscopic molecular orientation are also discussed, such as insert positions, melt temperatures, and gas delay time. The numerical results illustrate that the coupled method can be applied to the multiscale numerical simulation of viscoelastic flows with complex free surfaces and provide significant guidance for the GAIM process.
Self‐Delivery Nanoparticles of Amphiphilic Acyclic Enediynes for Efficient Tumor Cell Suppression
Authors: Li Jing , Wu Yuequn , Sun Lili , Huang Shuai , Li Baojun , Ding Yun , Hu Aiguo
Published: March 2019

Summary of main observation and conclusion

Four acyclic maleimide‐based enediyne compounds with different hydrophilicity were synthesized through Sonogashira reaction to reveal a self‐delivery antitumor drug platform. As proved by ESR analysis, the enediyne compounds undergo Bergman‐like cyclization and generate diradical intermediates at physiological temperature, which are able to induce DNA‐cleavage through the abstraction of H atoms from the sugar‐phosphate backbones. When the critical aggregation concentration is reached in water, the amphiphilic enediyne compounds self‐assemble into nanoparticles and possess the self‐delivery ability to be facilely admitted by tumor cells, resulting in greatly improved cytotoxicity (IC50 down to 10 μmol·L–1) and much higher tumor cell apoptosis rate (up to 86.6%) in comparison with either the hydrophilic or the lipophilic enediyne compound. The enhanced endocytosis of the amphiphilic enediyne compounds was further confirmed through confocal laser scanning microscopy analysis. The unveiled relationship between the hydrophilicity of enediyne drugs and their therapeutic efficacy will provide a guideline for the design of new self‐delivery drugs employed in medicinal applications.
Disparate cell proliferation and p53 overexpression in colonic crypts with normal epithelial lining found below the neoplastic canopy of conventional adenomas
Authors: Rubio Carlos A , Schmidt Peter T
Published: March 2019

We previously found colonic crypts with normal epithelial lining but with corrupted shapes (NECS) beneath the adenomatous tissue of conventional adenomas (CoAs). Here we assessed the distribution of proliferating cells (PCs) and explored the possible occurrence of p53‐upregulated cells in the NECS in a cohort of CoAs. Sections from 70 CoAs and from 12 normal colon segments were immunostained with the proliferation marker Ki67. In 60 of the 70 CoAs, additional sections were immunostained for the tumor suppressor p53 protein. NECS with asymmetric, haphazardly distributed single PC or PC clusters were recorded in 80% of the CoAs, with a continuous PC domain in one or both slopes of the crypts in 17%, and with haphazardly distributed single PCs in the remaining 3% of the CoAs. In the 12 normal segments (controls), the colon crypts demonstrated normal shapes with symmetric PC domains limited to the lower third portion of the crypts. In 30% of the 60 CoAs immunostained with p53 the NECS revealed haphazardly distributed p53‐upregulated cells, singly or in clusters. In sum, the apparently normal epithelium of the NECS beneath the adenomatous tissue of CoAs revealed an unprecedented relocation of the normal PC domains. This unexpected event and the occurrence of p53‐upregulated cells strongly suggest that the crypts beneath the neoplastic tissue of CoAs harbor somatic mutations. The accretion of putative mutated NECS beneath the neoplastic canopy of CoA emerges as a previously unaddressed major event, an event that might play an important role in the histogenesis of CoA in the human colon.
Multi‐resource workload mapping with minimum cost in cloud environment
Authors: Li Xiaoling , Li Xiaoyong , Tan Yusong , Zhu Hao , Tan Shuang
Published: March 2019

Workload mapping in cloud environment refers to map multiple workloads provided by the cloud users/tenants to the substrate network provided by the cloud providers, which is a NP‐hard problem. The workload is a service demand made to the cloud, which is modeled as a logical network consists of virtual nodes and virtual links. Substrate network is a physical network consists of physical nodes that are inter‐connected via communication links. Devising heuristic methods has become the mainstream of workload mapping problem, which can obtain a feasible solution, but the quality of the solution is not guaranteed. Pointing to this issue, this paper takes the mapping cost of the workloads as the solving objective, and models the workload mapping as a constraint optimization problem. Based on the constraint optimization model, we devise two algorithms to solve the problem. These algorithms can not only find the feasible solution, but also ensure the solution is optimal. Lastly, we have demonstrated the optimality of the proposed algorithms through theoretical proof and evaluated the performance of them through simulation experiment.
On the distribution of queue length in ideal links
Authors: Daubner Jakub , Klimo Martin , Papán Jozef , Smieško Juraj , Šuch Ondrej
Published: March 2019

We consider an ideal link with bounded, independent, and identically distributed stochastic arrival and capacity processes. We use the theory of effective bandwidth and the theory of generating functions to improve known results about the queue process. Specifically, we prove better bounds on the probability distribution function and the tail distribution function of queue lengths.
Cluster Formation through Hydrogen Bond Bridges across Chloride Anions in a Hydroxyl‐Functionalized Ionic Liquid
Authors: Panja Sumit Kumar , Haddad Boumediene , Debdab Mansour , Kiefer Johannes , Chaker Yassine , Bresson Serge , Paolone Annalisa
Published: March 2019

Several recent studies of hydroxyl‐functionalized ionic liquids (ILs) have shown that cation‐cation interactions can be dominating these materials at the molecular level when the anion involved is weakly interacting. The hydrogen bonds between the like ions led to the formation of interesting chain‐like, ring‐like, or distinct dimeric (i. e. two ion pairs) supermolecular clusters. In the present work, vibrational spectroscopy (ATR‐IR and Raman) and density functional theory (DFT) calculations of the hydroxyl‐functionalized imidazolium ionic liquid C2OHmimCl indicate that anion‐cation hydrogen bonding interactions are dominating, leading to the formation of distinct dimeric ion pair clusters. In this arrangement, the Cl− anions function as a bridge between the cations by establishing bifurcated hydrogen bonds with the OH group of one cation and the C(2)‐H of another cation. Cation–cation interactions, on the other hand, do not play a significant role in the observed clusters.
Socioeconomic risk moderates the association between caregiver cortisol levels and infant cortisol reactivity to emotion induction at 24 months
Authors: Braren Stephen H. , Perry Rosemarie E. , Ursache Alexandra , Blair Clancy
Published: March 2019

Relations between maternal baseline cortisol and infant cortisol reactivity to an emotion induction procedure at child ages 7, 15, and 24 months were analyzed using data from the Family Life Project (N = 1,292). The emotion induction consisted of a series of standardized and validated tasks, including an arm restraint, toy removal, and mask presentation, intended to elicit responses of fear and frustration. Results revealed that at 7 and 15 months, maternal baseline cortisol was negatively related to child cortisol reactivity, such that children of mothers with lower cortisol exhibited steeper cortisol increases in response to the emotion induction. At 24 months, the association between mother and infant cortisol was moderated by socioeconomic risk, such that maternal baseline cortisol was associated with child cortisol reactivity only in dyads characterized by low socioeconomic risk. Furthermore, at 24 months, children of mothers with low baseline cortisol and low socioeconomic risk exhibited decreasing cortisol responses, whereas children of mothers with low baseline cortisol but high risk exhibited flat cortisol responses. Children in dyads characterized by high baseline maternal cortisol also exhibited flat cortisol responses regardless of socioeconomic risk. The role of caregiver physiology in the regulation of the child's stress response in the context of adversity is discussed.
Effects of different fencing regimes on community structure of degraded desert grasslands on Mu Us desert, China
Authors: Liu Jiankang , Bian Zhen , Zhang Kebin , Ahmad Bilal , Khan Alamgir
Published: March 2019

Grazing is one of the major anthropogenic driving factors influencing community structure and ecological function of grasslands. Fencing has been proved to be one of the main measures for rehabilitating degraded grasslands in northwestern China. However, data from combined empirical studies on the effects of different management regimes in desert grasslands are lacking. So we selected long‐term fencing (fenced since 1991), mid‐term fencing and seasonal fencing (fenced since 2002), and adjacent free‐grazing grasslands to investigate vegetation and soil properties on southwest Mu Us desert. Our results showed that fencing increased plant cover, height, aboveground biomass (AGB) of different plant life‐form groups, Shannon–Wiener diversity index, Evenness index, Simpson index, total soil nitrogen, total soil phosphorus, and soil organic matter, but decreased plant density, species richness, Richness index, soil bulk density, water content, and pH. However, 22–24 years of long‐term complete fencing might cause redegradation of vegetation and soil nutrients, characterized by the reduction of some vegetation properties, biodiversity, total AGB, and some soil properties. Seasonal fencing with 11–13 year was more beneficial to vegetation restoration than that with completely fencing measures. Our study suggests that appropriate artificial disturbances, such as seasonal fencing (winter grazing and summer fencing), should be used after long‐term fencing in order to maintain grassland productivity and biodiversity. These findings will help to provide theoretical support for vegetation restoration and sustainable management in grassland under grazing prohibition at Mu Us desert.
The demographic and life‐history costs of fear: Trait‐mediated effects of threat of predation onAedes triseriatus
Authors: Ower Geoffrey D. , Juliano Steven A.
Published: March 2019

Predators alter prey populations via direct lethality (density‐mediated effects), but in many taxa, the indirect nonlethal threat of predation may be almost as strong an effect, altering phenotypically plastic traits such as prey morphology, behavior, and life history (trait‐mediated effects). There are costs to antipredator defenses and the strength of prey responses to cues of predation likely depends on both the perceived level of risk and food availability.

The goal of this study was to test the hypothesis that the costs of nonlethal trait‐mediated interactions impacting larvae can have carryover effects that alter life‐history traits, adult characteristics, and ultimately population dynamics.

The effects ofToxorhynchites rutiluskairomones and chemical alarm cues onAedes triseriatuswere assessed in a two‐level factorial design manipulating nutrient level (low or high) and chemical cues of predation (present or absent).

Nonlethal chemical cues of predation significantly decreased female survivorship and significantly decreased female size. Females emerged as adults significantly earlier when exposed to predation cues when there was high nutrient availability. When raised in the low nutrient treatment and exposed to predator cues, adult females had 2.1 times the hazard of death compared to high nutrient‐no predator cues. Females raised in the high nutrient and predator cue treatment blood fed sooner than did females from other combinations.

Fear of predation can substantially alter prey life‐history traits and behavior, which can cascade into dramatic population, community, and ecosystem effects. Exposure to predator cues significantly decreased the estimated cohort rate of increase, potentially altering the expected population density of the next generation.
Connectivity explains local ant community structure in a Neotropical forest canopy: a large‐scale experimental approach
Authors: Adams Benjamin J. , Schnitzer Stefan A. , Yanoviak Stephen P.
Published: March 2019

Understanding how habitat structure and resource availability affect local species distributions is a key goal of community ecology. Where habitats occur as a mosaic, variation in connectivity among patches influences both local species richness and composition, and connectivity is a key conservation concern in fragmented landscapes. Similarly, availability of limiting resources frequently determines species coexistence or exclusion. For primarily cursorial arthropods like ants, gaps between neighboring trees are a significant barrier to movement through the forest canopy. Competition for limited resources such as nest sites also promotes antagonistic interactions. Lianas (woody vines) connect normally isolated neighboring tree crowns and often have hollow stems inhabited by ants. We used two large‐scale liana‐removal experiments to determine how connectivity and nest site availability provided by lianas affect arboreal ant species richness, species composition, and β‐diversity in a lowland tropical forest in Panama. Removing lianas from a tree crown reduced ant species richness up to 35%, and disproportionately affected species that require large foraging areas. Adding artificial connectivity to trees mitigated the effects of liana removal. Ant colonization of artificial nests was higher (73% occupied) in trees without lianas vs. trees with lianas (28% occupied). However, artificial nests typically were colonized by existing polydomous, resident ant species. As a result, nest addition did not affect ant community structure. Collectively, these results indicate that lianas are important to the maintenance of arboreal ant diversity specifically by providing connectivity among neighboring tree crowns. Anticipated increases in liana abundance in this forest could increase the local (tree‐level) species richness of arboreal ants, with a compositional bias toward elevating the density of broad‐ranging specialist predators.
Optimum Balance of Cu+ and Oxygen Vacancies of CuOx‐CeO2 Composites for CO Oxidation Based on Thermal Treatment
Authors: Liu Baolin , Li Yizhao , Cao Yali , Wang Lei , Qing Shaojun , Wang Kun , Jia Dianzeng
Published: March 2019

It is important to exploit non‐noble metal catalysts with excellent performance toward CO oxidation. Here, CuOx‐CeO2 composites with a size of about 4 nm have been fabricated by a facile and mild in situ route without solvent or liquid reactant involved. The balance between Cu+ concentration and oxygen vacancy on the CeO2 surface, which are beneficial for catalytic activity, can be tailored by the amount of Cu loading and the thermal treatment parameters of composites. The as‐obtained CuOx‐CeO2 (C‐9‐6‐C) composites with lower Cu loading exhibited excellent CO reactivity and superior stability at lower temperatures, which enable the total oxidation of CO at 110 °C. Appropriate heat treatment promoted the available migration of Cu species from the surface to the interior of the CeO2 lattice, which guaranteed the existence of affluent oxygen vacancies. The enhanced activity of CuOx‐CeO2 composites can be attributed to the preservation of highly dispersed Cu+ species and oxygen vacancies on the surface of CeO2. Hopefully, the CuOx‐CeO2 nanohybrids prepared by this facile and mild route can be used as a promising potential catalyst for CO oxidation with high efficiency and long life.
Studies on Functionalization of N,O‐Chelated Isoquinoline‐Enol Boron Complexes
Authors: Huang Jianjun , Wang Yingchun , Van Hecke Kristof , Pereshivko Olga P. , Peshkov Vsevolod A.
Published: March 2019

A small set of N,O‐chelated isoquinoline‐enol boron complexes featuring an aryl bromide functionality was prepared and employed in palladium‐catalyzed Suzuki couplings with arylboronic acids and bis(pinacolato)diboron. This allowed to obtain two new series of functionalized N,O‐chelated boron complexes and a novel type of bis‐fluorophore hybrid. The optical properties of all obtained complexes were assessed in solid state and in dichloromethane solution.
A comprehensive approach for fracability evaluation in naturally fractured sandstone reservoirs based on analytical hierarchy process method
Authors: He Rui , Yang Zhaozhong , Li Xiaogang , Li Zhanling , Liu Ziyuan , Chen Fei
Published: March 2019

The tight sandstone gas reservoir in southern Songliao Basin is naturally fractured and is characterized by its low porosity and permeability. Large‐scale hydraulic fracturing is the most effective way to develop this tight gas reservoir. Quantitative evaluation of fracability is essential for optimizing a fracturing reservoir. In this study, nine fracability‐related factors, particularly mechanical brittleness, unconfined compressive strength (UCS), mineral brittleness, cohesion, internal friction angle (IFA), natural fracture, fracture toughness, horizontal stress difference, and fracture barrier were obtained based on a series of petrophysical and geomechanical experiments. Taking above factors into consideration, a modified comprehensive evaluation model is proposed based on analytic hierarchy process (AHP) method. The UCS and IFA were removed from the AHP model based on the results of factor correlation analysis. The transfer matrix in the weighting procedure was applied to improve the consistency of judgment matrix, and the fuzzy matrix was employed to promote the objectiveness of final decision. The fracability evaluation of four reservoir intervals in Jinshan gas field was analyzed. Field fracturing tests were conducted to verify the feasibility of the proposed evaluation model. Results showed that the tubing pressure curve is more fluctuated in the reservoir interval with more developed natural fractures, and gas production is higher in the reservoir interval with greater fracability coefficient. The field test data coincide with the results of the proposed evaluation model.
Equity and Evaluation in Informal STEM Education
Authors: Garibay Cecilia , Teasdale Rebecca M.
Published: March 2019

Informal STEM education institutions seek to engage broader cross sections of their communities to address inequities in STEM participation and remain relevant in a multicultural society. In this chapter, we advance the role that evaluation can play in helping the field adopt more inclusive practices and achieve greater equity than at present through evaluation that addresses sociopolitical contexts and reflects the perspectives and values of non‐dominant communities. To do this for specific projects, we argue that evaluation should privilege the voices and lived experiences of non‐dominant communities, engage communities in identifying desired outcomes, and ensure multicultural validity of instruments, measures, and inferences. At the field‐wide level, we urge evaluators to examine conceptualizations of “broadening participation in STEM,” evaluate community‐based partnerships, and address replication and scaling. Ultimately, these actions can lead to greater equity in evaluation and in informal STEM education.
High‐order divergence‐free velocity reconstruction for free surface flows on unstructured Voronoi meshes
Authors: Boscheri Walter , Pisaturo Giuseppe Roberto , Righetti Maurizio
Published: March 2019

In this paper, we present an efficient semi‐implicit scheme for the solution of the Reynolds‐averaged Navier‐Stokes equations for the simulation of hydrostatic and nonhydrostatic free surface flow problems. A staggered unstructured mesh composed by Voronoi polygons is used to pave the horizontal domain, whereas parallel layers are adopted along the vertical direction. Pressure, velocity, and vertical viscosity terms are taken implicitly, whereas the nonlinear convective terms as well as the horizontal viscous terms are discretized explicitly by using a semi‐Lagrangian approach, which requires an interpolation of the three‐dimensional velocity field to integrate the flow trajectories backward in time. To this purpose, a high‐order reconstruction technique is proposed, which is based on a constrained least squares operator that guarantees a globally and pointwise divergence‐free velocity field. A comparison with an analogous reconstruction, which is not divergence‐free preserving, is also presented to give evidence of the new strategy. This allows the continuity equation to be satisfied up to machine precision even for high‐order spatial discretizations. The reconstructed velocity field is then used for evaluating high‐order terms of a Taylor method that is here adopted as ODE integrator for the flow trajectories. The proposed semi‐implicit scheme is validated against a set of academic test problems, and proof of convergence up to fourth‐order of accuracy in space is shown.
Effects of different processing methods on the antioxidant and immune stimulating abilities of garlic
Authors: Daliri Eric Banan‐Mwine , Kim Se‐Hun , Park Byun‐Jae , Kim Hee‐Sung , Kim Jung‐Mi , Kim Hyong Seo , Oh Deog‐Hwan
Published: March 2019

In this study, we determined the antioxidant and immune stimulating abilities of a garlic product developed by freeze drying, heat drying, and solid‐state fermentation of heat‐dried garlic. Lactobacillus plantarum KCTC21004 and Leuconostoc mesenteroides KCTC13302 were used for the sample fermentation. The optimum conditions for fermentation were 50% (v/w) moisture, a fermentation time of 48 hr and a temperature of 37°C. Heat‐dried garlic samples fermented with L. plantarum KCTC21004 (HD21004) and L. mesenteroides KCTC13302 (HD13302) showed the highest flavonoid contents while heat‐dried garlic (HD) had the lowest flavonoid content. HD21004 contained the highest phenolic compounds, showed the highest antioxidant activity and demonstrated a strong immune stimulating effect while freeze‐dried garlic showed the lowest flavonoid and polyphenolic contents. Overall, the heat‐dried garlic samples (fermented and unfermented) contained about three times more S‐Allylcysteine (SAC) than the freeze‐dried samples (FD). The current study demonstrates that heat drying and subsequent fermentation of garlic with L. plantarum KCTC21004 can improve its therapeutic effects.
Postmarketing surveillance of the oxidative stability for cooking oils, frying oils, and vanaspati supplied in the retail market
Authors: Tavakoli Hamid Reza , Naderi Mehdi , Jafari Seid Mahdi , Naeli Mohammad Hossein
Published: March 2019

In this study, postmarketing surveillance (PMS) was conducted in terms of the parameters which are reliable indicators of the oxidative stability of cooking oils, frying oils, and vanaspati samples. The analyzed parameters were fatty acid composition, peroxide value (PV), free fatty acids (FFA), p‐anisidine value (p‐AV), induction period at 110°C (IP110) determined by Rancimat test, and TOTOX value. For this purpose, different samples from four highly popular brands of mentioned products were randomly collected from Iran's market during 2016–2018. All monitored products had trans fatty acid <1.0%. In the case of FFA and IP110, the ranges of 0.03–0.08 (%) and 9.3–17.2 hr were obtained, respectively, being mostly in conformity with the National Standard of Iran (FFA < 0.1% and IP110 > 15 hr). The ranges of PV of cooking oils, frying oils, and vanaspati samples were 1.2–2.7, 0.93–2, and 0.84–1.6 meq/kg, respectively. Our results revealed that p‐AV of frying oils and cooking oils was mostly outside of legal limits of Iran (p‐AV > 6) with the ranges of 4.2–12.5 and 4.3–12.3, respectively. In terms of TOTOX value, monitored products had a range from 5.2 to 13.0 (mostly <10) being nearly acceptable.
4‐Naphthylmethyl Proline Forms a Channel Structure
Authors: Foletti Carlotta , Trapp Nils , Loosli Simon , Lewandowski Bartosz , Wennemers Helma
Published: March 2019

Proline and proline derivatives are useful tools to control the structural properties of peptides and proteins, and thereby modulate numerous processes. Here, we show that proline derivatives can have unique structural properties in the solid state by presenting the crystal structure of zwitterionic (2S,4S)/(2S,4R)‐4‐[(naphthalen‐2‐yl)methyl]proline (H‐Nap‐OH). This amphiphilic proline derivative forms a columnar structure around large hydrophilic and small hydrophobic channels with diameters of 9 Å and 4 Å, respectively. We show that this architecture, which is unprecedented for amino acids, results from the combination of a hydrogen bond network between the ammonium and carboxylate moieties and π–π as well as CH–π interactions between the aromatic moieties.
The spillover effects of U.S. monetary policy on emerging market economies
Authors: Tillmann Peter , Kim Geun‐Young , Park Hail
Published: March 2019

The recent implementation of unconventional monetary policies in advanced economies and the preparations for an eventual return to normalization have renewed the interest in spillover effects of monetary policy on emerging market economies. This paper estimates a series of VAR‐X models for a set of 10 emerging economies, that is, VARs in which U.S. policy enters exogenously. The contribution of this paper is (a) to use an identified shock component of the U.S. (shadow) federal funds rate as a consistent policy instrument for conventional and unconventional policies, (b) to account for changes in the transmission of U.S. monetary policy over time, and (c) to quantify asymmetries in the transmission of tightening and easing shocks. The results point to substantially nonlinear and asymmetric spillover effects, which pose challenges to policymakers.
PVT1 (rs13281615) and miR‐146a (rs2910164) polymorphisms affect the prognosis of colon cancer by regulating COX2 expression and cell apoptosis
Authors: Zhang Wanli , Xiao Jun , Lu Xiaoming , Liu Tao , Jin Xin , Xiao Yong , He Xiaoqi
Published: March 2019

In this study, we aimed to investigate the potential correlation between rs13281615/rs2910164 polymorphisms and the prognosis of colon cancer (CC). Taqman was utilized to genotype the rs13281615/rs2910164 polymorphisms in recruited subjects. Kaplan–Meier survival curves were calculated to study the prognostic values of different genotypes of rs13281615/rs2910164 polymorphisms. Real‐time polymerase chain reaction, enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay, immunohistochemistry, and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick‐end labeling assays were conducted to establish a potential signaling pathway underlying the role of rs13281615/rs2910164 polymorphisms, whereas bioinformatics analysis and luciferase reporter assays were performed to identify plasmacytoma variant translocation 1 (PVT1) and cyclooxygenase‐2 (COX2) as targets of microRNA‐146a (miR‐146a). No significant difference was observed in respect to clinical characteristics among subjects with different genotypes. However, patients genotyped as GG/CC + GC showed the lowest chance of survival, whereas patients of GA + AA/GG genotype showed the highest chance of survival. Moreover, the relative expressions of PVT1, prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), and COX2 were the lowest and the relative expression of miR‐146a was the highest in GA + AA/GG subjects, validating the roles of PVT1, miR‐146a, and COX2 in CC. In addition, both PVT1 and COX2 were identified as virtual targets of miR‐146a, and the luciferase activities of cells cotransfected with wild‐type PVT1/COX2 and miR‐146a mimics were significantly reduced. Moreover, the presence of PVT1 decreased the level of miR‐146a whereas increasing the messenger RNA and protein levels of COX2, thus establishing a PVT1/miR‐146a/COX2 signaling pathway underlying the pathogenesis of CC. The presence of rs13281615 G > A polymorphism on PVT1 and the rs2910164 C > G polymorphism on miR‐146a contributes to a favorable prognosis in CC patients via modulating the activity of the PVT1/miR‐146a/COX2 signaling pathway.
Ischemic stroke caused by arterial dissection of the internal carotid artery diagnosed by Doppler sonography in a newborn
Authors: Benavente‐Fernández Isabel , Zuazo Ojeda Amaya , Lubián‐López Simón P.
Published: March 2019

Internal carotid arterial dissection is a rare and probably underestimated cause of neonatal stroke. We report a case of neonatal stroke underscoring the role of Doppler sonography of the intracranial arteries for the diagnosis and follow‐up tool.
First report of the genomic characterization of rubella viruses circulating in Cameroon
Authors: Obam Mekanda Franck‐Martin , Monamele Chavely Gwladys , Simo Nemg Frédy Brice , Sado Yousseu Francine Berlange , Ndjonka Dieudonné , Kfutwah Anfumbom Kitu Womeyi , Abernathy Emily , Demanou Maurice
Published: March 2019

Rubella is an acute and contagious viral infection whose gravidity resides in infection during pregnancy, which can result in miscarriage, fetal death, stillbirth, or infants with congenital malformations. This study aimed to describe the genome of rubella viruses (RUBVs) circulating in Cameroon. Throat swabs were collected from health districts as part of the measles surveillance program from 2010 to 2016 and sent to the Centre Pasteur of Cameroon. Samples were amplified by genotyping reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) in the search of two overlapping fragments of the gene that encodes the E1 envelope glycoprotein of RUBV. PCR products were sequenced and phylogenetic analysis was performed with MEGA 6 software. Overall, 9 of 43 samples (20.93%) were successfully amplified and sequenced but only eight sequences could be exploited for phylogenetic analysis with respect to the required fragment length of 739 nucleotides. Analysis of viral sequences from Cameroon with other epidemiologically relevant sequences from around the world showed that all RUBVs belonged to lineage L1 of genotype 1G. Cameroon sequences clustered with viruses from West Africa including Nigeria, Ivory Coast, and Ghana with a percentage similarity of 95.4% to 99.2%. This study will enable an update on the molecular epidemiology of RUBV in Cameroon and help in monitoring circulating RUBV for a better implementation of elimination strategies.
Moving the paradigm from stakeholders to beneficiaries in wildlife management
Authors: Decker Daniel J. , Forstchen Ann B. , Siemer William F. , Smith Christian A. , Frohlich R. Kipp , Schiavone Michael V. , Lederle Patrick E. , Pomeranz Emily F.
Published: March 2019

Wildlife management is evolving in many ways including adaptation of philosophy and practices to contemporary ideas about governance of wildlife as public trust resources. Inherent to good governance is citizen engagement, especially regarding who is engaged and to what ends management efforts are directed. Two decades ago, the profession was encouraged to shift from a client orientation (i.e., a narrow focus on people who pay for services and products) to a stakeholder orientation (i.e., any people affected by or affecting wildlife or its management). We believe that it is time again to broaden thinking about the related questions: wildlife management for whom and for what? We argue that management needs to shift slightly from a stakeholder orientation to a beneficiary orientation. This shift may be less challenging than the earlier call for change but nevertheless has implications for practices of public engagement and for objectives and outcomes of wildlife management that bring the enterprise into better alignment with the expectations of public trust resource management. © 2019 The Wildlife Society.
Rate coefficients for reactions of OH radicals with CH3D, CH2D2, CHD3, and CD4
Authors: Frederickson Louise Bøge , Andersen Simone Thirstrup , Nielsen Ole John
Published: March 2019

Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) smog chamber techniques were used to investigate the atmospheric chemistry of the isotopologues of methane. Relative rate measurements were performed to determine the kinetics of the reaction of the isotopologues of methane with OH radicals in cm3 molecule−1 s−1 units: k(CH3D + OH) = (5.19 ± 0.90) × 10−15, k(CH2D2 + OH) = (4.11 ± 0.74) × 10−15, k(CHD3 + OH) = (2.14 ± 0.43) × 10−15, and k(CD4 + OH) = (1.17 ± 0.19) × 10−15 in 700 Torr of air diluent at 296 ± 2 K. Using the determined OH rate coefficients, the atmospheric lifetimes for CH4–xDx (x = 1–4) were estimated to be 6.1, 7.7, 14.8, and 27.0 years, respectively. The results are discussed in relation to previous measurements of these rate coefficients.
Thyroid cartilage compression causing stroke
Authors: Karle William E. , Buniel Maria C. , Lutsep Helmi L. , Hamilton Bronwyn E. , Nesbit Gary M. , Schindler Joshua S.
Published: March 2019

We describe the diagnostic workup and surgical treatment of a patient presenting with the unique case of vertebral artery (VA) occlusion subsequent to head flexion leading to compression of an aberrant VA by the ipsilateral superior cornu of the thyroid cartilage. Imaging revealed ischemic infarcts as well as the presence of an aberrant right VA, which was compressed by the ipsilateral superior cornu of the thyroid cartilage upon neck flexion. The patient was managed with laryngoplasty involving removal of the right superior cornu of the thyroid cartilage. Laryngoscope, 129:E445–E448, 2019
Sex distribution and sex data handling in published otolaryngology research
Authors: Liang Jennifer J. , Belcastro Alexandra , Levi Jessica
Published: March 2019

Objectives/Hypothesis

To characterize the sex distribution and sex data handling in published otolaryngology research.

Study Design

Published research data analysis.

Methods

The total number of male and female participants, study characteristics, and sex data handling were abstracted from all original studies containing human participants published in five major otolaryngology journals from January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2016 and January 1, 2006 to December 31, 2006.

Results

Of the 1,128 studies from 2016 included in the analysis, 88.5% specified the sex of participants. There were 3,605,636 (42.1%) men and 4,515,508 (52.8%) women, with 429,006 (5.0%) participants unspecified. However, the average proportions of male and female participants (wherein studies are weighted the same, regardless of number of participants) were 0.579 and 0.421, respectively. Studies from the United States had a significantly higher proportion of women than studies from outside the United States. Subspecialties varied significantly in proportions. Average sex proportions in 2016 remained similar to those in 2006. For all studies, fewer than 40% of studies used any sex data for reporting of outcomes, for any sex‐related analysis, or for discussion of results.

Conclusions

There was a higher average proportion of male participants than female. Studies originating in the United States included a greater number of female participants than those originating elsewhere, a possible result of explicit sex‐inclusion policies governing research in the United States. Inclusion of women did not changed from 2006 to 2016, but analysis of sex data improved. Improvement of reporting, analysis, and discussion with regard to sex would benefit otolaryngology research and improve treatment for both sexes.

Level of Evidence

NA Laryngoscope, 129:E420–E427, 2019
Manipulation of Lipid Metabolism During Normothermic Machine Perfusion: Effect of Defatting Therapies on Donor Liver Functional Recovery
Authors: Boteon Yuri L. , Attard Joseph , Boteon Amanda P. C. S. , Wallace Lorraine , Reynolds Gary , Hubscher Stefan , Mirza Darius F. , Mergental Hynek , Bhogal Ricky H. , Afford Simon C.
Published: March 2019

Strategies to increase the use of steatotic donor livers are required to tackle the mortality on the transplant waiting list. We aimed to test the efficacy of pharmacological enhancement of the lipid metabolism of human livers during ex situ normothermic machine perfusion to promote defatting and improve the functional recovery of the organs. Because of steatosis, 10 livers were discarded and were allocated either to a defatting group that had the perfusate supplemented with a combination of drugs to enhance lipid metabolism or to a control group that received perfusion fluid with vehicle only. Steatosis was assessed using tissue homogenate and histological analyses. Markers for lipid oxidation and solubilization, oxidative injury, inflammation, and biliary function were evaluated by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay, immunohistochemistry, and in‐gel protein detection. Treatment reduced tissue triglycerides by 38% and macrovesicular steatosis by 40% over 6 hours. This effect was driven by increased solubility of the triglycerides (P = 0.04), and mitochondrial oxidation as assessed by increased ketogenesis (P = 0.008) and adenosine triphosphate synthesis (P = 0.01) were associated with increased levels of the enzymes acyl‐coenzyme A oxidase 1, carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1A, and acetyl‐coenzyme A synthetase. Concomitantly, defatted livers exhibited enhanced metabolic functional parameters such as urea production (P = 0.03), lower vascular resistance, lower release of alanine aminotransferase (P = 0.049), and higher bile production (P = 0.008) with a higher bile pH (P = 0.03). The treatment down‐regulated the expression of markers for oxidative injury as well as activation of immune cells (CD14; CD11b) and reduced the release of inflammatory cytokines in the perfusate (tumor necrosis factor α; interleukin 1β). In conclusion, pharmacological enhancement of intracellular lipid metabolism during normothermic machine perfusion decreased the lipid content of human livers within 6 hours. It also improved the intracellular metabolic support to the organs, leading to successful functional recovery and decreased expression of markers of reperfusion injury.
Convenient Access to α‐Amino‐ω‐Hydroxyl Heterobifunctional PEG and PPO via a Sacrificial Hexahydro‐Triazine Star Strategy
Authors: Blankenburg Jan , Frey Holger
Published: March 2019

The anionic ring opening polymerizations of ethylene oxide (EO) and propylene oxide (PO) are performed by using 1,3,5‐triethanol hexahydro‐1,3,5‐triazine (TrAz) as a “sacrificial” trifunctional initiator. Well‐defined three‐arm star polymers are obtained with a narrow molecular weight distribution (M
w/M
n < 1.1). Molecular weights range from 3–15 kg mol−1. Since these star polymers possess an acid‐labile hexahydro‐triazine core, acidic hydrolysis leads to cleavage of the arms. This gives access to well‐defined α‐amino‐ω‐hydroxyl heterobifunctional poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and poly(propylene oxide) (PPO) in the molecular weight range of 1–5 kg mol−1 and low dispersity M
w/M
n < 1.1. The α,ω‐heterobifunctional polyethers are valuable structures for bioconjugation. Furthermore, an acid‐labile triazine star polymer is directly used as a polyol component for the synthesis of a polyurethane network, which is stable under ambient conditions but degrades rapidly under acidic conditions.
Modulation of autophagy in human diseases strategies to foster strengths and circumvent weaknesses
Authors: Xu Shouping , Sui Shiyao , Zhang Xianyu , Pang Boran , Wan Lin , Pang Da
Published: March 2019

Autophagy is central to the maintenance of intracellular homeostasis across species. Accordingly, autophagy disorders are linked to a variety of diseases from the embryonic stage until death, and the role of autophagy as a therapeutic target has been widely recognized. However, autophagy‐associated therapy for human diseases is still in its infancy and is supported by limited evidence. In this review, we summarize the landscape of autophagy‐associated diseases and current autophagy modulators. Furthermore, we investigate the existing autophagy‐associated clinical trials, analyze the obstacles that limit their progress, offer tactics that may allow barriers to be overcome along the way and then discuss the therapeutic potential of autophagy modulators in clinical applications.
Galerkin method for nonlocal mixed boundary value problem for the Moore‐Gibson‐Thompson equation with integral condition
Authors: Boulaaras Salah , Zaraï Abderrahmane , Draifia Alaeddin
Published: March 2019

In this paper, we are going to deal with the nonlocal mixed boundary value problem for the Moore‐Gibson‐Thompson equation. Galerkin method was the main used tool for proving the solvability of the given nonlocal problem.
Calculations of dose point kernels of 64Cu in different media with PENELOPE Monte Carlo code
Authors: Tse Jason , Geoghegan Sean
Published: March 2019

Purpose

The unique decay properties of copper‐64 (64Cu) has made it a radionuclide of interest in theragnostic applications of nuclear medicine. This study aims to calculate the dose point kernels (DPKs) of 64Cu in various media with PENELOPE Monte Carlo code.

Methods

Monte Carlo simulations were performed using PENELOPE code (version 2014). To calculate DPKs, the simulation comprised an isotropic point radiation source positioned at the origin of a spherical object of radius 50 cm. The absorbed dose along the radial direction outwards from the point source were scored with a resolution of 20 μm. Validations were firstly performed by calculating the DPKs of monoenergetic electrons and photons in water and the results were compared against the literature values. The continuous energy spectra of the beta minus and positron emissions from 64Cu were numerically modeled and used as inputs to the simulation. DPKs of 64Cu were calculated in water, soft tissue, lung tissue, and cortical bone, including all emissions types.

Results

The simulations have been successfully validated against literature values. The largest deviations have been observed with 10 keV monoenergetic electrons with the average and maximum dose difference of −1.01% and −10.56%. The modeled energy spectra closely compared with the average energies from Brookhaven Laboratory National Nuclear Data Centre and the combined spectral shapes from the RAdiation Dose Assessment Resource (RADAR). The DPKs of 64Cu demonstrated different radial dose deposition in different media owing to the different physical density and effective atomic number.

Conclusions

The DPKs of 64Cu have been calculated with Monte Carlo simulations in four different media. They will be useful to study the dosimetric properties of 64Cu‐labeled radiopharmaceuticals and perform therapeutic dose planning.
Pflanzenfarben für den industriellen Inkjetdruck
Authors: Hoffmann Jens‐Christoph
Published: March 2019

Für einen berührungslosen Druck müssen Färbemittel einen kräftigen, möglichst dunklen Farbton liefern und gegenüber äußeren Einflüssen wie UV‐Licht ausreichend beständig sein. Dafür eignen sich aus der Textilfärbung bekannte Pflanzenfarben.
Die Natur als Labor – Chemieunterricht im Freiland
Authors: Engl Alexander , Risch Björn
Published: March 2019

„Natur statt Chemie“, „Chemiefreies Leben“, „Stark ohne Chemie“, die Liste an diesen aus der Werbung entnommenen Slogans ließe sich beliebig erweitern. Doch Chemie kommt überall vor, erst recht in der Natur.
Geld für Software
Authors: Zbikowski Frauke
Published: March 2019

Der Fonds der Chemischen Industrie finanziert digitale Methoden im Chemiestudium.
Eine Ruhmeshalle für den Dünger
Authors: Weitze Marc‐Denis
Published: March 2019

Jedes dritte Stickstoffatom im menschlichen Körper hat die Düngemittelindustrie durchlaufen. Dies ist außerhalb der Chemie allerdings nur wenigen bekannt. Das Futurea Science Center setzt hier an und möchte Chemie und Gesellschaft beim Thema Stickstoffdünger zusammenbringen.
Imprägnierung im Schnell‐Check
Authors: Spenner Isabelle
Published: March 2019

Perfluorierte Kohlenwasserstoffe sind schlecht abbaubar, inzwischen ubiquitär und belasten Menschen und Umwelt. Sie sind Bestandteil von Imprägnierungsmitteln für Kleidung und Teppiche. Um die Belastung von Textilien zu analysieren, gibt es ein neues chromatographisches Verfahren mit überkritischem CO2 als Extraktions‐ und Laufmittel: Supercritical Fluid Extraction gekoppelt mit Supercritical Fluid Chromatography.
Interview mit Anja Müsch: "Ich habe mir die Zeit genommen"
Authors: Zbikowski Frauke
Published: March 2019

Die Wirtschaftschemikerin Anja Müsch hat ihr Studium mit Praxis angereichert und rät auch anderen Studenten dazu.
Blickpunkt Synthese: Neues vom alten Eisen ‐ eisenkatalysierte Kreuzkupplungen
Authors: Boehlich G. Jacob , Schützenmeister Nina
Published: March 2019

Eisen galt als Hoffnungsträger in der Katalysechemie – und inzwischen wird es auch genutzt. Die Bandbreite an Oxidationsstufen, die Häufigkeit in der Erdkruste, der niedrige Preis und die geringe Toxizität machen dieses Übergangsmetall zu einem Allrounder. Trotzdem werden für Kreuzkupplungen nach wie vor Edelmetalle eingesetzt.
Einstellungskriterium Zufall
Authors: Blicker Luca
Published: March 2019

Studien zu Postdoc‐Stellen kommen zum Schluss, dass sich Peer Review nicht als alleiniges Kriterium eignet, um Bewerber einzustellen.
Stressfaktor Promotion
Authors: Blicker Luca
Published: March 2019

Doktoranden sind anfälliger für psychische Störungen als andere Menschen. Jungforscher schlagen Lösungen vor, um das Krankheitsrisiko zu verringern.