bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of KNO3 Seed Priming and Fertilizer Management on Growth and Yield of Green Gram (Vigna radiata L.) in a Temperate Agro-climate
Authors: Masood Amjad , Parry Feroz Ahmad , Aziz Malik A. , Dar Zaffar M. , Singh Lal , Dey Prajjal , Ishaq Tariq , Hilal Ayat , Ahamed Soumique
Published: November 2024

Green gram (Vigna radiate L) is one of the most important nutritive pulse crop. It is an excellent source of protein with high quality of lysine. Seed priming techniques are used to improve germination, to reduce the time between sowing and emergence and for uniform emergence in the main field, especially under adverse environment. Keeping in view the nutritive importance of green gram, an investigation was carried out to assess the effects of seed priming and nutrient management for higher yield in green gram at research farm of Division of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture Wadura SKUAST-K Sopore during kharief-2021&2022 and the experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with twelve treatments viz T0-Control,T1-Priming with 1% KNO3,T2-RFD,T3-RFD+ Priming with 1% KNO3,T4-1/2RFD,T5-1/2RFD+ Priming with 1% KNO3, T6-1/4RFD,T7-1/4RFD+ Priming with 1% KNO3,T8-1/2RFD+VAM,T9- 1/2RFD+VAM+ Priming with 1% KNO3,T10-1/4RFD+VAM and T11-1/4RFD+VAM+ Priming with 1% KNO3. Among the treatments studied in both years, highest number of pod cluster per plant (9.66 and 9.33), number of pods per cluster (18.33 and 19.00), number of seeds per pod (13.00 and 13.33), 1000 -seed weight (43.66& 44.50 g) and yield per hectare (12.83 &13.30 q) respectively were noticed with full recommended dose of fertilizer along with seed priming by 1% KNO3.
Interleukin‐18 expression in oral squamous cell carcinoma: its role in tumor cell migration and invasion, and growth of tumor cell xenografts
Authors: Li Yuyang , Xu Zhiming , Li Jia , Ban Shuofeng , Duan Congcong , Liu Weiwei
Published: September 2018

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is one of the most common head and neck malignancies. Advanced stages of the disease are associated with poor survival, highlighting a need for new treatment modalities. We previously showed that the proinflammatory cytokine interleukin‐18 (IL‐18) has a tumor suppressive role in OSCC. Here, we investigated the effects of IL‐18 on proliferation, migration, and invasion of OSCC cells ex vivo and in vitro, and in nude mouse xenografts. We report that expression of tankyrase 2 (TNKS2), β‐catenin, and N‐cadherin was higher in tumor cells than in normal mucosae, whereas the expression of IL‐18 and E‐cadherin was higher in normal than in tumor tissues. Elevated expression of IL‐18 (P < 0.01) and E‐cadherin (P = 0.034) was associated with tumor differentiation, whereas expression of TNKS2 (P < 0.01), β‐catenin (P = 0.012), and N‐cadherin (P < 0.01) was associated with tumor de‐differentiation. Furthermore, compared with the vector control, IL‐18 overexpression promoted tumor cell migration and invasion (P < 0.01), but inhibited growth of tumor cell xenografts (P < 0.05). At the protein level, expression levels of IL‐18 (P < 0.01), TNKS2 (P = 0.045), β‐catenin (P = 0.028), and N‐cadherin (P = 0.068) were upregulated in tumor cells after IL‐18 overexpression compared with those of the vector control mice, whereas expression levels of E‐cadherin (P = 0.045) were decreased. In conclusion, our data suggest that IL‐18 overexpression induces oral SCC cell invasion and metastasis by promoting the tumor cell epithelial–mesenchymal transition via the Wnt/β‐catenin signaling pathway.
Rhode Island continues to stand apart in inmate care for opioid use disorders
Authors: Enos Gary
Published: September 2018

As Rhode Island continues to gain national attention for a groundbreaking attempt to offer comprehensive treatment for opioid use disorders in its corrections system, efforts to press for similar reforms elsewhere are intensifying.
42 CFR Part 2 fight continues in wake of fragile victory
Authors: Knopf Alison
Published: September 2018

Less than a day after the committee reconciling the House and Senate versions of opioid legislation opted to omit H.R. 6082, which would have replaced the confidentiality regulation 42 CFR Part 2 with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) (see p. tk), proponents of that measure were working on alternative plans.
Synthesis of novel photoactive aromatic polyamides based on anthraquinone chromophore: Characterization and properties
Authors: Babanzadeh Samal , Mehdipour‐Ataei Shahram
Published: September 2018

Bis(4‐oxybenzoic acid)‐1,8‐anthraquinone and bis(3‐oxybenzoic acid)‐1,8‐anthraquinone as novel diacids were prepared through nucleophilic substitution reactions of 4‐hydroxybenzoic acid and 3‐hydroxybenzoic acid with 1,8‐dichloroanthraquinone in the presence of potassium hydroxide, respectively. The related polyamides were synthesized by polycondensation reactions of these diacids with different aromatic diamines like oxydianiline, para‐phenylene diamine, 2,6‐diamino pyridine, 1,5‐diamino naphthalene, and diaminodiphenyl methane. The prepared monomers and polymers were characterized using different spectroscopy methods. The thermal and physical properties of novel polymers such as thermal stability and behavior, solubility, viscosity, and ultraviolet absorption were studied, and the structure–property relationship of these polymers was investigated. In dilute 1‐methyl‐2 pyrrolidone solution, these polymers showed defined UV‐Vis absorption bands at the range of 316–349 nm. Introduction of the aromatic and bulky anthraquinone to the main chain of the polymers led to high thermal stability while their solubility was improved in polar aprotic solvents.
Community‐based clustering of height in Ethiopia, India, Peru, and Vietnam
Authors: Mumm Rebekka , Aßmann Christian
Published: September 2018

Objectives

Human growth and final height are influenced by many factors such as genetics, nutrition, living conditions, socioeconomic background and, as recently proposed, by social peer groups and the community. In this paper, we aim to evaluate the extent to which spatial proximity, acting as a proxy for the social community, causes height clustering in low and middle income countries.

Material and methods

We analyzed data from the study “Young Lives—Measuring Child Poverty and Health”, a study performed in four low and middle income countries (Ethiopia, India, Peru and Vietnam) to describe the health situation of children. We used linear mixed effects models with different random effect structures to analyze the influence of the community on clustering of height in boys and girls.

Results

In all analyzed low and middle income countries, linear mixed effects with hierarchical structures with communities nested within regions provide a better fit than the basic models neglecting community‐based clustering (p < .001).

Discussion

Although the underlying mechanisms require future research, spatial proximity arising from clustering needs to be integrated into explorative modelling of height variability in humans.
Activation of C−F Bonds by Electrophilic Organosilicon Sites Supported on Sulfated Zirconia
Authors: Culver Damien B. , Conley Matthew P.
Published: September 2018

The reaction of allyltriisopropylsilane with partially dehydroxylated sulfated zirconium oxide (SZO) forms surface organosilicon species. Solid‐state NMR studies of the organosilicon functionalized SZO shows that electrophilic [TIPS][SZO] sites are present on the surface, in addition to less reactive TIPS‐Ox and SiOx species. The electrophilic [TIPS][SZO] sites are strong Lewis acids from solid‐state 31P NMR analysis of triethylphosphine oxide (O=PEt3) contacted materials. [TIPS][SZO] is active in hydrodefluorination reactions in the presence of Et3SiH.
Relationship between silk fabric pretreatment, droplet spreading, and ink‐jet printing accuracy of reactive dye inks
Authors: Li Min , Zhang Liping , An Yajie , Ma Wujun , Fu Shaohai
Published: September 2018

Ink droplet spreading on fabric determines the printing accuracy of ink‐jet printing, and fabric pretreatment greatly affects the ink droplet spreading. In order to reveal the relationship between fabric pretreatment and printing accuracy of reactive dye ink on silk fabrics, the fabrics were pretreated by urea and sodium alginate to control the ink droplet spreading. Results showed that droplet spreading was influenced by surface energy, water absorbing capability and capillary distribution of the pretreatment agent on fabric surface. Urea acted as a moisture‐absorbing agent accelerating the migration of ink from the pretreatment paste to the silk fibers. Final diffusion image and diffused area of droplet on the pretreated fabrics were also investigated. The final image of droplet deposited on sodium alginate and urea pretreated fabrics were circular shape and crisscross shape, respectively. Compared with untreated fabric, results clearly demonstrated that sodium alginate could restrict the droplet spreading due to the diffused area reduced from 85 mm2to 47–58 mm2. Moreover, urea and sodium alginate as the pretreatment agents were applied on ink‐jet penetration printing. The penetration printing exhibited good printing accuracy, and the color performance and printing accuracy almost the same between obverse side and reverse side of the printings. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci.2018,135, 46703.
Process development for the continuous production of heterologous proteins by the industrial yeast, Komagataella phaffii
Authors: Cankorur‐Cetinkaya Ayca , Narraidoo Nathalie , Kasavi Ceyda , Slater Nigel K.H. , Archer David B. , Oliver Stephen G.
Published: September 2018

The current trend in industrial biotechnology is to move from batch or fed‐batch fermentations to continuous operations. The success of this transition will require the development of genetically stable production strains, the use of strong constitutive promoters, and the development of new medium formulations that allow an appropriate balance between cell growth and product formation. We identified genes that showed high expression in Komagataella phaffii during different steady‐state conditions and explored the utility of promoters of these genes (Chr1–4_0586 and FragB_0052) in optimizing the expression of two different r‐proteins, human lysozyme (HuLy), and the anti‐idiotypic antibody fragment, Fab‐3H6, in comparison with the widely used glyceraldehyde‐3‐phosphate dehydrogenase promoter. Our results showed that the promoter strength was highly dependent on the cultivation conditions and thus constructs should be tested under a range of conditions to determine both the best performing clone and the ideal promoter for the expression of the protein of interest. An important benefit of continuous production is that it facilitates the use of the genome‐scale metabolic models in the design of strains and cultivation media. In silico flux distributions showed that production of either protein increased the flux through aromatic amino acid biosynthesis. Tyrosine supplementation increased the productivity for both proteins, whereas tryptophan addition did not cause any significant change and, phenylalanine addition increased the expression of HuLy but decreased that of Fab‐3H6. These results showed that a genome‐scale metabolic model can be used to assess the metabolic burden imposed by the synthesis of a specific r‐protein and then this information can be used to tailor a cultivation medium to increase production.
Enhancing hydrogen‐dependent growth of and carbon dioxide fixation by Clostridium ljungdahlii through nitrate supplementation
Authors: Emerson David F. , Woolston Benjamin M. , Liu Nian , Donnelly Mackenzie , Currie Devin H. , Stephanopoulos Gregory
Published: September 2018

Synthesis gas (syngas) fermentation via the Wood–Ljungdahl pathway is receiving growing attention as a possible platform for the fixation of and renewable production of fuels and chemicals. However, the pathway operates near the thermodynamic limit of life, resulting in minimal adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production and long doubling times. This calls into question the feasibility of producing high‐energy compounds at industrially relevant levels. In this study, we investigated the possibility of co‐utilizing nitrate as an inexpensive additional electron acceptor to enhance ATP production during ‐dependent growth of Clostridium ljungdahlii, Moorella thermoacetica, and Acetobacterium woodii. In contrast to other acetogens tested, growth rate and final biomass titer were improved for C. ljungdahlii growing on a mixture of and when supplemented with nitrate. Transcriptomic analysis, labeling, and an electron balance were used to understand how electron flux was partitioned between and nitrate. We further show that, with nitrate supplementation, the ATP/adenosine diphosphate (ADP) ratio and acetyl‐CoA pools were increased by fivefold and threefold, respectively, suggesting that this strategy could be useful for the production of ATP‐intensive heterologous products from acetyl‐CoA. Finally, we propose a pathway for enhanced ATP production from nitrate and use this as a basis to calculate theoretical yields for a variety of products. This study demonstrates a viable strategy for the decoupling of ATP production from carbon dioxide fixation, which will serve to significantly improve the fixation rate and the production metrics of other chemicals from and in this host.
Incorporating hydrodynamics into spatiotemporal metabolic models of bubble column gas fermentation
Authors: Li Xiangan , Griffin Derek , Li Xueliang , Henson Michael A.
Published: September 2018

Gas fermentation has emerged as a technologically and economically attractive option for producing renewable fuels and chemicals from carbon monoxide (CO) rich waste streams. LanzaTech has developed a proprietary strain of the gas fermentating acetogen Clostridium autoethanogenum as a microbial platform for synthesizing ethanol, 2,3‐butanediol, and other chemicals. Bubble column reactor technology is being developed for the large‐scale production, motivating the investigation of multiphase reactor hydrodynamics. In this study, we combined hydrodynamics with a genome‐scale reconstruction of C. autoethanogenum metabolism and multiphase convection–dispersion equations to compare the performance of bubble column reactors with and without liquid recycle. For both reactor configurations, hydrodynamics was predicted to diminish bubble column performance with respect to CO conversion, biomass production, and ethanol production when compared with bubble column models in which the gas phase was modeled as ideal plug flow plus axial dispersion. Liquid recycle was predicted to be advantageous by increasing CO conversion, biomass production, and ethanol and 2,3‐butanediol production compared with the non‐recycle reactor configuration. Parametric studies performed for the liquid recycle configuration with two‐phase hydrodynamics showed that increased CO feed flow rates (more gas supply), smaller CO gas bubbles (more gas–liquid mass transfer), and shorter column heights (more gas per volume of liquid per time) favored ethanol production over acetate production. Our computational results demonstrate the power of combining cellular metabolic models and two‐phase hydrodynamics for simulating and optimizing gas fermentation reactors.
Rational Design of Phosphorescent Iridium(III) Complexes for Selective Glutathione Sensing and Amplified Photodynamic Therapy
Authors: Huang Tianci , Yu Qi , Liu Shujuan , Zhang Kenneth Yin , Huang Wei , Zhao Qiang
Published: September 2018

It is a huge challenge to avoid irreversible damage to normal tissues during irradiation in photodynamic therapy (PDT) for cancer. An effective strategy is to develop smart photosensitizers, which exhibit amplified generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) through triggering specific reaction in the tumor microenvironment. In this work, we designed a class of glutathione (GSH)‐activatable photosensitizers (Ir1 and Ir4) based on an effective strategy of GSH‐induced nucleophilic substitution reaction. The addition of GSH, induced changes in both phosphorescence intensity and lifetime of photosensitizers with high sensitivity. Importantly, the amount of singlet oxygen generated was increased significantly by GSH‐induced activation reaction. Hence, the photosensitizers can selectively distinguish cancer cells from normal cells through luminescence and lifetime imaging, and can amplify PDT effects in cancer cells, owing to the evidently higher level of GSH compared to normal cells. This work presents a novel paradigm for GSH‐amplified PDT against cancer cells and provides a new avenue for smart‐responsive theranostic systems that can avoid nonspecific damage to normal cells.
Self‐Supported Composition‐Tunable Au/PtPd Core/Shell Tri‐Metallic Nanowires for Boosting Alcohol Electrooxidation and Suzuki Coupling
Authors: Kuang Wen‐Tao , Jiang Ze‐Li , Li Hui , Zhang Jing‐Xuan , Zhou Lin‐Nan , Li Yong‐Jun
Published: September 2018

Tri‐metallic nanowire catalysts combine the synergistic effect of multiple metals with the geometrical effect of nanowires, exhibiting better catalytic performance than composition‐equivalent nanospherical catalysts. However, tri‐metallic nanowires are not easily produced directly because of the participation of multiple precursors and the difficulty of selecting capping agents. Herein, we develop a one‐pot, two‐step synthetic strategy, producing tri‐metallic Au/PdPt core/shell nanowires. Moreover, the PdPt shell is an alloy composed of nanoparticles, and its Pd : Pt atomic ratio is easily adjusted by controlling reaction time. The formation of Au/PdPt nanowires is attributed to the initial formation of Au/Pd core/shell nanowire and subsequent galvanic replacement between Pd shell and PtCl62−. As‐prepared Au/PdPt nanowires show composition‐ and structure‐dependent catalytic activity and durability for the electrooxidation of methanol and ethanol, and the Suzuki coupling reaction. Optimized Au/Pd63Pt37 nanowire, due to its proper Pd : Pt atomic ratio and porosity of the PdPt shell, exhibits excellent catalytic activity and durability towards methanol and ethanol electrooxidation, ∼18 and 11 times in the specific activity better than that of commercial state‐of‐the‐art Pt/C catalyst, respectively. Moreover, Au/Pd63Pt37 nanowire shows the superior catalytic performance in Suzuki coupling reaction, ∼96 % at yield, far better than commercial state‐of‐the‐art Pd/C catalyst.
Peptide‐Templated Synthesis of TiO2 Nanofibers with Tunable Photocatalytic Activity
Authors: Li Qing , Zhang Jiaxing , Wang Yuefei , Qi Wei , Su Rongxin , He Zhimin
Published: September 2018

Nanofabrication based on biological templates has attracted considerable interest because of its applications in materials science and biomedicine. Herein, a facile method is reported for the synthesis of well‐defined TiO2 nanofibers by using a simple N‐(9‐fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl)‐protected phenylalanine–phenylalanine–aspartic acid tripeptide (Fmoc‐Phe–Phe–Asp‐OH, Fmoc‐FFD) as the template. Compared with other synthetic methods of inorganic nanomaterials, these self‐assembling peptides could control the structure and the catalytic activity of the synthesized nanomaterials produced under mild synthetic conditions. The as‐synthesized peptide‐TiO2 hybrid nanofibers and the calcined TiO2 nanofibers were characterized by using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy, and X‐ray diffraction (XRD). The results show that well‐defined TiO2 nanofibers could form when the pH of the peptide solution was 5–7, whereas nanoparticles formed when the pH was 8. Moreover, the peptide‐templated TiO2 nanofibers showed improved photocatalytic activity for the degradation of methyl orange (MO). Finally, the photocatalytic activity of the TiO2 could be controlled by adjusting the pH of the peptide solution during the synthetic process.
Description of an intervention to treat binge‐eating behaviors among adolescents: Applying the Template for Intervention Descriptions and Replication
Authors: Pluhar Emily I. , Kamody Rebecca C. , Sanchez Jackeline , Thurston Idia B. , Thomaseo Burton E.
Published: September 2018

Binge‐eating disorder (BED) is related to deleterious physical, social, and psychological outcomes among adolescents, and is more common among racial and ethnic minorities. Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), an evidence‐based treatment for disorders of emotion dysregulation, has demonstrated efficacy in treating disordered eating patterns. While DBT interventions have demonstrated success among adults with BED, less is known about adaptation of DBT for adolescents presenting with BED and subthreshold binge‐eating behaviors. This paper describes the Emotional Overeating Intervention, a 10‐week DBT skills‐based group intervention for adolescents exhibiting binge‐eating behaviors. The Template for Intervention Description and Replication (TIDieR) checklist is used to describe the intervention with the intention of providing necessary details to implement the intervention in clinical practice or replicate the intervention for further study. The rationale for a condensed version of DBT, potential modifications for future implementation, and the importance of adapting the intervention in a developmentally and culturally responsive manner are discussed. This adapted treatment modality can guide future studies examining interventions for adolescents exhibiting binge‐eating behaviors.
I weigh therefore I am: Implications of using different criteria to define overvaluation of weight and shape in binge‐eating disorder
Authors: Kenny Therese E. , Carter Jacqueline C.
Published: September 2018

Objective

Research suggests that overvaluation of weight and shape is a clinical feature in binge‐eating disorder (BED). However, this construct has been differentially defined in the literature even when using the same measure. Here we compare two cut‐offs that have previously been used to differentiate clinical and subthreshold overvaluation using the EDE‐Q.

Method

Individuals with BED (n = 72, 93% female) and no history of an eating disorder (NED; n = 21, 91% female) completed measures of eating disorder (ED) and general psychopathology online. Individuals with BED were categorized as having clinical or subthreshold overvaluation using two different cut‐offs used in previous studies. The clinical, subthreshold, and NED groups were compared on ED and general psychopathology. The association between overvaluation and psychopathology was also assessed in the BED and NED groups.

Results

The two cut‐offs yielded identical results, with individuals in the clinical overvaluation group reporting greater ED psychopathology than those in the subthreshold and NED groups. When considered as a continuous variable, overvaluation was a significant predictor of both ED‐related and general psychopathology.

Discussion

The two cut‐offs yielded identical results, likely due to the high internal consistency between overvaluation items. Under such circumstances, the use of either cut‐off seems appropriate. However, given the associations reported in the regression analyses, we propose that considering overvaluation as a dimensional variable, rather than a categorical one, may have greater utility.
Manipulation of the balance between Th2 and Th2/1 hybrid cells affects parasite nematode fitness in mice
Authors: Affinass Nicole , Zhang Hongwei , Löhning Max , Hartmann Susanne , Rausch Sebastian
Published: September 2018

T‐helper type 2 (Th2) responses are central to the control of helminth infections, but sensitive to opposing cytokine signals favoring Th1 priming. We previously reported on GATA‐3+T‐bet+ Th2/1 hybrid cell differentiation in helminth mono‐infections, resulting in a substantial proportion of cells coproducing IFN‐γ next to Th2 cytokines. Here, we demonstrate Th2/1 cells as the major source of parasite‐specific IFN‐γ production in acute and chronic infections with the enteric nematode Heligmosomoides polygyrus. Th2/1 cells differentiated from naive precursors and accumulated in spleen and intestine of infected mice, resulting in increased systemic and mucosal IFN‐γ production. IFN‐γ supplementation early during infection supported Th2/1 differentiation, associated with elevated parasite fecundity and the maintenance of high worm burdens in the chronic stage of infection, whereas mice lacking IFN‐γ signals generated poor Th2/1 responses and restricted parasite fecundity more efficiently. These findings suggest that Th2/1 hybrid responses take part in immune regulation during helminth infection and restrain effective anti‐helminth immunity.
Dispersion of charged solute in charged micro‐ and nanochannel with reversible sorption
Authors: Zhang Li , Hesse Marc A. , Wang Moran
Published: September 2018

We study dispersion of a charged solute in a charged micro‐ and nanochannel with reversible sorption and derive an analytical solution for mass fraction in the fluid, transport velocity and dispersion coefficient. Electrical double layer formed on the charged surface gives rise to a charge‐dependent solute transport by modifying the transverse distribution of the solute. We discuss the effect of sorption and electrical double layer on solute transport and show that the coupling between sorption and electrical double layer gives rise to charge‐dependent transport even for a thin double layer. However, in this case, it can be reduced to a simple non‐charge‐dependent case by introducing the intrinsic sorption equilibrium constant.
Electrical stimulation: Complementary therapy to improve the performance of grafts in bone defects?
Authors: Fonseca José Hyczy , Bagne Leonardo , Meneghetti Damaris Helena , dos Santos Gláucia Maria Tech , Esquisatto Marcelo Augusto Marretto , de Andrade Thiago Antônio Moretti , do Amaral Maria Esméria Corezola , Felonato Maíra , Caetano Guilherme Ferreira , Santamaria Milton , Mendonça Fernanda Aparecida Sampaio
Published: September 2018

The limitations of bone reconstruction techniques have stimulated the tissue engineering for the repair of large bone defects using osteoconductive materials and osteoinductive agents. This study evaluated the effects of low intensity electric current on the inorganic bovine graft in calvaria defects. Bone defects were performed with piezoelectric system in the calvaria of Wistar rats divided into four groups (n = 24): (C) without grafting and without electrical stimulation; (E) with grafting; (MC) without grafting and submitted to electrical stimulation; (MC + E) with grafting and submitted to electrical stimulation. Inflammatory, angiogenic and osteogenic events during bone repair at the 10th, 30th, 60th, and 90th days were considered. Several inflammatory markers demonstrated the efficacy of grafting in reducing inflammation, particularly when subjected to electrical stimulation. Angiogenesis and collagen organization were more evident by electrical stimulation application on the grafts. Moreover, the osteogenic cell differentiation process indicated that the application of microcurrent on grafting modulated the homeostasis of bone remodeling. It is concluded that microcurrent favored the performance of grafts in calvarial rat model. Low‐intensity electrical current might improve the osteoconductive property of grafting in bone defects. Therefore, electrical current becomes an option as complementary therapy in clinical trials involving bone surgeries and injuries. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater 107B: 924–932, 2019.
In situ transplantation of adipose tissue‐derived stem cells organized on porous polymer nanosheets for murine skin defects
Authors: Nishiwaki Keisuke , Aoki Shimpo , Kinoshita Manabu , Kiyosawa Tomoharu , Suematsu Yoshitaka , Takeoka Shinji , Fujie Toshinori
Published: September 2018

Stem cell transplantation is expected to be an effective early‐phase treatment for deep burn injuries and intractable ulcers. Localizing and proliferating stem cells on the lesion utilizing engineered scaffolds is important for this treatment. In this study, we demonstrated in situ transplantation of adipose‐tissue derived stem cells (ASCs) organized on free‐standing porous polymer ultrathin films (referred to as “porous nanosheets”) to a skin defect model in diabetic mice. Porous nanosheets were prepared by a combination of micro‐gravure coating with macrophase separation of poly(d,l‐lactic acid) and polystyrene under a roll‐to‐roll process and solvent etching process with cyclohexane. The permeable structure of porous nanosheets (thickness of 150 nm, average pore diameter of 4 μm) allowed for proliferation of ASCs and also provided sufficient nutrient inflow into multilayered ASC constructs. Then, transplantation of a trilayered ASC‐laden porous nanosheet achieved homogeneous transference of ASCs onto the skin lesion. Transplanted ASCs contributed to wound healing in a dorsal skin defect model in diabetic mice. Thus, cell transplantation using porous nanosheets will be a new method for promoting wound healing in diabetic and other kinds of refractory ulcers. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater 107B: 1363–1371, 2019.
Mechanics of mesh implanted into abdominal wall under repetitive load. Experimental and numerical study
Authors: Tomaszewska Agnieszka , Lubowiecka Izabela , Szymczak Czesław
Published: September 2018

There are a number of papers discussing medical and mechanical aspects of ventral hernia management. Despite intensive work on the problem understanding, recurrences of the sickness still happen too often. For that reason, new aspects of the problem must be considered. In this article, a change in the abdominal implant's stiffness is discussed, which is caused by cyclic loading. Such loading influence abdominal implant, for example, while patient is coughing or exercising. For the first time, this stiffness change is quantitatively described for a selected knitted mesh. The influence of mesh stiffness changes on repaired hernia persistence is studied. Then, ex vivo experiments on a repaired hernia model under cyclic pressure loading are performed. Finally, numerical simulations of the experiments are made in which stresses and forces in the system are calculated. The two following cases are considered. In the first case, the mesh has its baseline stiffness, and in the second case, the mesh is preconditioned by former loading; thus, it is stiffened. Reaction forces at the mesh fixation points appear to be approximately twofold higher in the second case than in the first case. That may be a reason for a fixation damage in operated hernia system. The results presented shed new light on the necessary strength of mesh fixation in the abdominal wall. They enlarge the state of the art on laparoscopic hernia management with the use of a synthetic implant. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater 107B: 1400–1409, 2019.
Comparative study of aligned and nonaligned poly(ε‐caprolactone) fibrous scaffolds prepared by solution blow spinning
Authors: Simbara Marcia M.O. , Santos Arnaldo R. , Andrade Aron J.P. , Malmonge Sonia M.
Published: September 2018

Fibrous scaffolds have become popular in tissue engineering (TE) due to their morphological resemblance to extracellular matrix components. While electrospinning is the most common technique in the field, solution blow spinning is an emerging technique with great potential. One of its many advantages is that it can produce aligned fibers with a very simple experimental setup. This work aimed to fabricate poly(ε‐caprolactone) mats with aligned fibers and compare them to nonaligned ones. For that, samples were produced using three rotational speeds of a cylindrical collector and characterized in terms of fiber alignment and diameter, mechanical properties, wettability, and biological response. Results showed that with a static collector, fibers were randomly deposited and nonaligned. As the speed was increased, the fibers began to align (as proven by image analysis), resulting in a change in mechanical behavior, but no differences in fiber diameter. Cells cultured on aligned samples were more elongated, and a higher alignment degree seemed to favor cellular growth. The results confirmed the potential of this up‐and‐coming technique to produce aligned fibers for TE. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater 107B: 1462–1470, 2019.
Enhancement of the biocompatibility by surface nitriding of a low‐modulus titanium alloy for dental implant applications
Authors: Bédouin Yvan , Gordin Doina‐Margareta , Pellen‐Mussi Pascal , Pérez Fabienne , Tricot‐Doleux Sylvie , Vasilescu Cora , Drob Silviu Iulian , Chauvel‐Lebret Dominique , Gloriant Thierry
Published: September 2018

To enhance their longevity, dental implants must be highly biocompatible and must have a low elastic modulus close to that of the bone. They must also possess a high superficial hardness and a high corrosion resistance. For these reasons, a recently developed low‐modulus Ti–27Nb alloy with nontoxic elements was treated by gas nitriding at high temperature in this study. A very thin nitrided layer of 0.5 μm in thickness followed by an enriched nitrogen zone was observed. Consequently, a very high hardness evaluated at about 1800 HV was obtained in surface, which represents an increase of 4–5 times the hardness of the non‐nitrided alloy. This superficial hardness was experimentally observed to decrease up to 800 nm in depth from the surface to the core. The low modulus of Ti–27Nb (evaluated at 55 GPa, which is twice lower than the commercially pure titanium) was not affected by the surface nitriding treatment. A better corrosion resistance was observed and a significant decrease in ion release rates for the nitrided alloy (ion release of 1.41 ng/cm2 compared to the 163.58 ng/cm2 obtained for the commercially pure titanium at pH = 7.48 in artificial Carter–Brugirard saliva). The cytocompatibility was not compromised and the cell viability performed on human osteoblasts, fibroblastic cells, and epithelial cells was enhanced on the nitrided surface in comparison with the non‐nitrided surface. These combined properties make the nitrided Ti–27Nb alloy a good candidate for dental implant applications. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater 107B: 1483–1490, 2019.
The influence of osteopontin‐guided collagen intrafibrillar mineralization on pericyte differentiation and vascularization of engineered bone scaffolds
Authors: França Cristiane M. , Thrivikraman Greeshma , Athirasala Avathamsa , Tahayeri Anthony , Gower Laurie B. , Bertassoni Luiz E.
Published: September 2018

Biomimetically mineralized collagen scaffolds are promising for bone regeneration, but vascularization of these materials remains to be addressed. Here, we engineered mineralized scaffolds using an osteopontin‐guided polymer‐induced liquid‐precursor mineralization method to recapitulate bone's mineralized nanostructure. SEM images of mineralized samples confirmed the presence of collagen with intrafibrillar mineral, also EDS spectra and FTIR showed high peaks of calcium and phosphate, with a similar mineral/matrix ratio to native bone. Mineralization increased collagen compressive modulus up to 15‐fold. To evaluate vasculature formation and pericyte‐like differentiation, HUVECs and hMSCs were seeded in a 4:1 ratio in the scaffolds for 7 days. Moreover, we used RT‐PCR to investigate the gene expression of pericyte markers ACTA2, desmin, CD13, NG2, and PDGFRβ. Confocal images showed that both nonmineralized and mineralized scaffolds enabled endothelial capillary network formation. However, vessels in the nonmineralized samples had longer vessel length, a larger number of junctions, and a higher presence of αSMA+ mural cells. RT‐PCR analysis confirmed the downregulation of pericytic markers in mineralized samples. In conclusion, although both scaffolds enabled endothelial capillary network formation, mineralized scaffolds presented less pericyte‐supported vessels. These observations suggest that specific scaffold characteristics may be required for efficient scaffold vascularization in future bone tissue engineering strategies. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater 107B: 1522–1532, 2019.
Phomopsis liquidambari colonization promotes continuous cropping peanut growth by improving the rhizosphere microenvironment, nutrient uptake and disease incidence
Authors: Xie Xing‐Guang , Zhang Feng‐Min , Wang Xing‐Xiang , Li Xiao‐Gang , Dai Chuan‐Chao
Published: September 2018

BACKGROUND

The continuous cropping of peanuts is a primary cause of yield and quality loss. Solutions to this problem should be therefore developed to ensure the sustainability of peanut production.

RESULTS

In this study, colonization by the endophytic fungus Phomopsis liquidambari was detected, which led to significantly improved rhizosphere soil microenvironment, enhanced N, P and K assimilation and suppressed incidence of peanut disease. Statistical analysis demonstrated that the yield enhancement was significantly correlated with improvement of the rhizosphere soil microenvironment and the peanut's physiological status by P. liquidambari colonization. In addition, P. liquidambari colonization also significantly improved peanut quality.

CONCLUSION

Our results indicate that the practical application of the endophytic fungus P. liquidambari has a strong potential to alleviate the obstacles associated with continuous peanut cropping under field conditions. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry
iTRAQ proteomics reveals changes in the lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. Grand Rapid) proteome related to colour and senescence under modified atmosphere packaging
Authors: Chen Si , Chen Xiangning , Fan Junfeng , Liu Huijun , Zhou Jing , Chang Xiguang
Published: September 2018

BACKGROUND

This study used the isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ) technique to determine the effects of active modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) on the modulation of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. Grand Rapid) colour and senescence. Lettuces, treated or not treated (control) with MAP, were placed in a refrigerator (4 °C, 90–95% relative humidity) for analysis at 3‐day intervals until the ninth day.

RESULTS

MAP treatment could suppress weight loss, loss of green colour and brittleness, and browning of lettuce; at the same time, MAP preserved the green colour of lettuce by inhibiting chlorophyll degradation and chloroplast disruption, and delayed lettuce senescence by inhibiting malondialdehyde (MDA) generation and increasing antioxidant enzyme activity. In total, 285 differentially abundant proteins (144 upregulated proteins and 141 downregulated proteins) were identified in MAP‐treated and non‐treated lettuce. Further analysis revealed that MAP regulated the expression of proteins involved in photosynthesis (e.g. pheophorbide a oxygenase, PaO; porphobilinogen deaminase, PBGD), and thus preserved lettuce colour. The iTRAQ analysis also showed that MAP regulated the expression of antioxidant enzymes and reduced the accumulation of reactive oxygen species, and thus delayed lettuce senescence.

CONCLUSION

MAP can maintain vegetable quality by inhibiting chlorophyll degradation, delaying vegetable senescence. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry
Extraction and determination of tricyclic antidepressants in real samples using air‐dispersed liquid–liquid microextraction prior to gas chromatography and flame ionization detection
Authors: Mofazzeli Farideh , Asaadi Shirvan Homeira , Mohammadi Fatemeh
Published: September 2018

In the present research, a novel microextraction method was used based on dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction using low‐density solvent for the determination of trace amounts of amitriptyline and doxepin as model compounds in human plasma and spring water samples before gas chromatography and flame ionization detection. The parameters influencing the extraction efficiencies including type of the extracting solvent, volume of the aqueous sample solution (donor phase), volume of the extraction solvent (acceptor phase), the number of air‐injection, and the effects of pH and ionic strength were optimized. Under the optimized conditions, the obtained enrichment factors were >80. By plotting peak areas of the sample solutions versus various concentrations of the analytes, calibration curves were obtained which show the linear ranges of 10–3000 ng/mL with correlation coefficients of >0.996. The precision of the method was calculated <4.2 and the limit of detection was 1 ng/mL for two analytes. The proposed microextraction method was used for the extraction of the analytes in environmental water and plasma samples and the calculated relative recoveries were all >91%.
Selective magnetic nanographene oxide solid‐phase extraction with high‐performance liquid chromatography and fluorescence detection for the determination of zearalenone in corn samples
Authors: Thongprapai Pornpimol , Cheewasedtham Wilairat , Chong Kwok Feng , Rujiralai Thitima
Published: September 2018

A magnetic nanographene oxide sorbent as a selective sorbent for the magnetic solid‐phase extraction combined with high‐performance liquid chromatography and fluorescence detection was developed and proved to be a robust method for zearalenone determination in corn samples. Optimum extraction of zearalenone (20 mg magnetic nanographene oxide sorbent, extraction for 15 min, desorption time of 15 min using 1 mL of 0.5% formic acid in methanol) resulted in low limits of detection (05 mg/L) and quantitation (0.13 mg/L) and good linearity range of 0.13–1.25 mg/L with the correlation coefficient of 0.9957. Acceptable recoveries (79.3–80.6%) with relative standard deviations below 4% and satisfactory intra‐ and interday precisions (2–7.4%) were achieved. Additionally, the proposed method has been proved to be good in several aspects: easily prepared sorbent with high affinity to zearalenone, convenient and fast procedure, and high extraction efficiency.
Performance of 12 reference evapotranspiration estimation methods compared with the Penman–Monteith method and the potential influences in northeast China
Authors: Song Xinyi , Lu Fan , Xiao Weihua , Zhu Kui , Zhou Yuyan , Xie Zibo
Published: September 2018

Reference evapotranspiration (ET0) is an important factor for agricultural activity and water management. Its estimation methods have significant regional differences. The Penman–Monteith (P‐M) method, which is recommended by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), has been widely accepted, but it requires a large amount of data. This study analysed the performance of 12 ET0 estimation methods in different sub‐regions and periods by comparing them with the FAO P‐M method. Northeastern China was divided into eight sub‐regions according to their terrains and climates. Meteorological data obtained from 126 stations in these sub‐regions between the 1950s and 2014 were used to calculate the ET0 values. The performances were identified via four indices: root mean squared error, mean absolute error, average ratio and Spearman's correlation co‐efficient. The optimal method for agricultural areas was then modified by using linear regression analysis. The results are as follows: the Valiantzas2, Romanenko2 and H‐Makkink methods are recommended as alternative methods during the crop‐growing period, whereas the Turc and Hargreaves–Samani methods can generate significant biases. The Valiantzas2 and H‐Makkink methods are the optimal ones for estimating ET0 values in agricultural areas. Based on the outputs from the FAO P‐M method, ET0 values are most sensitive to temperature, accounting for 59.5%. Other methods that provide similar results can be considered as alternatives. Finally, the modified equation can provide the most accurate results, but drought events also affect the accuracy of the modified method.
Clustering of rainfall stations and distinguishing influential factors using PCA and HCA techniques over the western dry region of India
Authors: Machiwal Deepesh , Kumar Sanjay , Meena Hari M. , Santra Priyabrata , Singh Ranjay K. , Singh Dharam V.
Published: September 2018

This study used hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) to delineate the spatial patterns of monthly, seasonal and annual rainfall by clustering 62 stations in the western arid region of India based on a 55 year (1957–2011) data set. The statistical properties of clusters were computed and box–whisker plots plotted. Furthermore, the relative influence of three geographical factors (longitude, latitude and altitude) and five statistical parameters (the mean, standard deviation (SD), co‐efficient of variation (CV), and maximum and minimum rainfall) on mean rainfall was investigated using principal component analysis (PCA). The use of HCA resulted in four rainfall clusters geographically located at a distinct position. Cluster I, characterized by the lowest mean rainfall and highest CV, was located in the western portion, whereas mean rainfall was the highest for cluster IV situated in the eastern portion. Box–whisker plots revealed a slight skewness, although the monsoon and annual rainfall followed a normal distribution. The PCA results indicted two to three significant principal components (PCs) with eigenvalues > 1. In four clusters, two PCs explained the major variance, ranging from 69.41% (June) to 91.83% (August) in monthly rainfall, from 63.62% (monsoon) to 93.30% (post‐monsoon) in seasonal rainfall, and from 71.48% to 90.73% in annual rainfall. In monthly and seasonal rainfall, first PC 1 is termed the “mean rainfall component”, which has strong to moderate associations with longitude, and is equally opposed by the CV. These findings are vital for planners and decision‐makers to formulate strategies to manage unusual rainwater quantities.
Application of the multigrid 3D variation method to a combination of aircraft observations and bogus data for Typhoon Nida (2016)
Authors: Gao Yudong , Xiao Hui , Chan Pak Wai , Hon Kai kwong , Wan Qilin , Ding Weiyu
Published: September 2018

Extremely inhomogeneous aircraft observations were obtained by the Hong Kong Observatory when Typhoon Nida (2016) approached South China. However, only part of Typhoon Nida was observed due to limitations of the flight range. To investigate an effective scheme for assimilating inhomogeneous aircraft observations, a multigrid 3D variation (m3DVAR) system, with the assistance of a bogus vortex, was employed. The arithmetic mean was used to reduce the representative error of the turbulence scale before assimilation. Track and intensity forecasts were improved by assimilating aircraft observations and bogus data. The assimilation of aircraft observations could play an important role in the improvement of intensity forecasts for Nida because adding bogus data is of help to propagate the sparse and inhomogeneous information in the m3DVAR system. The assimilation of pressure (horizontal wind) was also found mainly to contribute to the large magnitude (sophisticated distribution) of increments.