bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Editorial: Dis laf fit kill person - An overview of Nigerian humour
Authors: Filani Ibukun
Published: May 2019

In Nigeria, in relation to the aforesaid functions, everyday citizens and professional humourists use humour to express their expectations from and disappointments in the socio-political leadership of the country. Common Nigerian jokes indicate the country’s travails with ethnicity and failed political leadership. They also enunciate populist perspectives on nationhood, identity and the challenges of everyday living. In spite of the centrality of humour to daily life in Nigeria, scholarly interests in its sociocultural, political, rhetorical, interactional and interpersonal dimensions have been very minimal. According to Obadare (2016), it is as if once something is categorised as humour, it is expunged from any serious interrogations. There are diverse and numerous dimensions of humour in Nigeria, given the country’s extensive and still expanding popular culture landscape. A handful of these dimensions are examined in the papers that make up this special issue of EJHR.
The àwàdà phenomenon: Exploring humour in Wole Soyinka’s Alápatà Apátà
Authors: Olusegun Elijah Adeoluwa
Published: May 2019

This article explores the deployment of humour in Wole Soyinka’s new and full-length play Alápatà Apátà. The emergence of Moses Olaiya (otherwise known as Baba Sala) on the Nigerian theatre scene at a time it was dominated by such colossuses as Hubert Ogunde, Duro Ladipo, and Kola Ogunmola, as a popular jester and comic actor has elevated the phenomenon called áwàdà to a popular form of art. The idea of serious theatre involving mostly tragedy had dominated the Nigerian theatrical scene to an extent that little attention is devoted to the less popular form of comedy until it was given impetus by the dexterity of Moses Olaiya. In the dramatic literary circle, Wole Soyinka bestrides the Nigerian space with his biting and humorous satire in such plays as The Lion and the Jewel, The Jero Plays, Childe International amongst others. With a great mastery of satire and humour, in his most recent play Alápatà Apátà, we witnessed a reincarnation of Moses Olaiya. However, Soyinka does not focus only on the character of Moses Olaiya (whom he dedicates the play to), he explores the misapplication of Yoruba language’s accent resulting in semantic oddity. The incongruity that can arise from the misunderstanding of language and its nuances is brought to the fore in our understanding of the theoretical exploration of the phenomenon called áwàdà. This article thus situates Wole Soyinka’s Alápatà Apátà within the literary and theatrical explication of humour in the Nigerian context showing that ‘that which is comic’ resonates as a universal human phenomenon irrespective of language.
Humour, satire and the emergent stand-up comedy: A diachronic appraisal of the contributions of the masking tradition
Authors: Orji Bernard Eze
Published: May 2019

Masking is a phenomenon that is traced to almost all human ages. From its prehistoric and primitive narratives in Africa, its dramatic beginnings in ancient Greece and Rome, to its use as forms of character delineation in the commedia dell’Arte of the 16th and 18th century Europe, as well as its age long association with carnivals due largely to its analogous to humour and entertainment. Masking, as comic as it may seem, has been critical of humanity’s social dispositions from time past. As humans, the façade of the mask is a leeway to speak truth to power and also an opportunity for the performance of self in ways that are at variant with the real self. As topical as the activities of the masquerade are to the society, no academic quest has been directed to investigate how humour and satire have always been associated with the masquerade. Following the social criticism, humour and entertainment which have become evidently inherent in the emergent stand-up comedy, scholars have directed their critical attention towards this new live theatre without considering the humorous functions of the masquerade for an academic enquiry. It is against this backdrop that this paper has decided to investigate and re-establish historically the humorous contributions of the masking art in almost all facets of human conditions. The resources for the paper were a combination of library and historical research. The paper established that satire and humour, as enjoyed in all venues of stand-up comedy acts in Nigeria, are just a contemporary addition to what masks had done in the past but for dearth of proper documentation of these contributions. The masking tradition has been a source of humour and sarcasm to issues bordering on human relations all over the world
The braincase ofMesosuchus browni(Reptilia, Archosauromorpha) with information on the inner ear and description of a pneumatic sinus
Authors: Sobral Gabriela , Müller Johannes
Published: May 2019

Rhynchosauria is a group of archosauromorph reptiles abundant in terrestrial ecosystems of the Middle Triassic.Mesosuchusis one of the earliest and basalmost rhynchosaurs, playing an important role not only for the understanding of the evolution of the group as a whole, but also of archosauromorphs in general. The braincase ofMesosuchushas been previously described, albeit not in detail, and the middle and inner ears were missing. Here, we provide new information based on micro-computed tomography scanning of the best-preserved specimen ofMesosuchus, SAM-PK-6536. Contrary to what has been stated previously, the braincase ofMesosuchusis dorso-ventrally tall. The trigeminal foramen lies in a deep recess on the prootic whose flat ventral rim could indicate the articulation surface to the laterosphenoid, although no such element was found. The middle ear ofMesosuchusshows a small and deeply recessed fenestra ovalis, with the right stapes preserved in situ. It has a rather stout, imperforated and posteriorly directed shaft with a small footplate. These features suggest that the ear ofMesosuchuswas well-suited for the detection of low-frequency sounds. The semicircular canals are slender and elongate and the floccular fossa is well-developed. This is indicative of a refined mechanism for gaze stabilization, which is usually related to non-sprawling postures. The most striking feature of theMesosuchusbraincase is, however, the presence of a pneumatic sinus in the basal tubera. The sinus is identified as originating from the pharyngotympanic system, implying ossified Eustachian tubes. Braincase pneumatization has not yet been a recognized feature of stem-archosaurs, but the potential presence of pneumatic foramina in an array of taxa, recognized here as such for the first time, suggests braincase sinuses could be present in many other archosauromorphs.
FunPred 3.0: improved protein function prediction using protein interaction network
Authors: Saha Sovan , Chatterjee Piyali , Basu Subhadip , Nasipuri Mita , Plewczynski Dariusz
Published: May 2019

Proteins are the most versatile macromolecules in living systems and perform crucial biological functions. In the advent of the post-genomic era, the next generation sequencing is done routinely at the population scale for a variety of species. The challenging problem is to massively determine the functions of proteins that are yet not characterized by detailed experimental studies. Identification of protein functions experimentally is a laborious and time-consuming task involving many resources. We therefore propose the automated protein function prediction methodology using in silico algorithms trained on carefully curated experimental datasets. We present the improved protein function prediction tool FunPred 3.0, an extended version of our previous methodology FunPred 2, which exploits neighborhood properties in protein–protein interaction network (PPIN) and physicochemical properties of amino acids. Our method is validated using the available functional annotations in the PPIN network of Saccharomyces cerevisiae in the latest Munich information center for protein (MIPS) dataset. The PPIN data of S. cerevisiae in MIPS dataset includes 4,554 unique proteins in 13,528 protein–protein interactions after the elimination of the self-replicating and the self-interacting protein pairs. Using the developed FunPred 3.0 tool, we are able to achieve the mean precision, the recall and the F-score values of 0.55, 0.82 and 0.66, respectively. FunPred 3.0 is then used to predict the functions of unpredicted protein pairs (incomplete and missing functional annotations) in MIPS dataset of S. cerevisiae. The method is also capable of predicting the subcellular localization of proteins along with its corresponding functions. The code and the complete prediction results are available freely at: https://github.com/SovanSaha/FunPred-3.0.git.
Entrepreneurial Behavior and Constraints Faced by the Rose Growers
Authors: Kulkarni Neha P. , Jahagirdar K. A.
Published: May 2019

The research study was conducted in Dharwad district during 2013-14, with a sample size of 120, farmers were randomly selected from three taluks viz, Hubli, Dharwad and Kalagatagi. The results revealed that 37.50 per cent of the respondents belonged to medium entrepreneurial behaviour category, whereas, 32.50 per cent and 30 per cent belonged to low and high entrepreneurial behaviour category respectively. Further, entrepreneurial behavioural characteristics such as innovativeness was medium (38.33%) in rose growers 45 per cent of rose growers had medium achievement motivation, 40 per cent of the respondents belonged to medium economic motivation category, 46.66 per cent of the rose growers belonged to intermediate decision making ability category, 42.50 per cent of the rose growers and 42.22 per cent of other farmers had medium risk orientation, 44.16 per cent of the rose growers belonged to medium level leadership ability category. The characteristics such as education, annual income, mass media exposure, extension contact, were positive and significant relationship with entrepreneurial behaviour at 1% and scientific orientation and family size were positive and significant relationship with entrepreneurial behaviour. The variables such as age and land holding were not significantly related with entrepreneurial behaviour of rose growers.
Impact Assessment of National Food Security Mission (NFSM) on Pulses Production in Karnataka, India - An Economic Analysis
Authors: Naik Vinod R. , Nethrayini K. R.
Published: May 2019

The present study was conducted to examine the economic impact of NFSM on pulses economy in the selected districts of Karnataka state. The study period was divided into Period-I (Pre NFSM) from 1998-99 to 2007-08, Period –II (Post NFSM) from 2008-09 to 2015-16 and Period-III (Overall period) from 1998-99 to 2015-16. Primary data for Pigeonpea and chickpea crops were collected from Kalaburagi and Vijayapur districts of Karnataka respectively. The results of the compound growth rate analysis showed that during Period-III both area and production of selected pulses exhibited significant positive growth. The sources of change in the variance of selected pulses production revealed that the change in residual and change in area variance contributed the major share towards destabilizing the production of Pigeonpea and chickpea respectively in the state. The results of the budgeting technique revealed that the profit per rupees was more in beneficiary farms as compared to non-beneficiary farms in the cultivation of both the selected pulses.
Salt Resistance of Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) Cultivars Produced in Benin at Germination Stage
Authors: Kinsou Eliane , Montcho David , Zanklan Séraphin Ahissou , Kpinkoun Julien Koffi , Komlan Françoise Assogba , Mensah Armel Clément Goudjo , Gandonou Christophe Bernard
Published: May 2019

Aims: In this research study, salt resistance level of seven tomato cultivars grown in Benin, namely Akikon, Tounvi; F1 Mongal, Petomech, Padma, TLCV 15 and Thorgal was evaluated at the germination stage.

Study Design: The experiment was laid out as a completely randomized design with four replications.

Place and Duration of Study: The experiment was carried out in the Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Abiotic Stresses Study of University of Abomey-Calavi, Republic of Benin from May to June, 2017.

Methodology: Seeds were submitted to treatment with four NaCl concentrations (0; 30; 60 and 90 mM NaCl) in Petri dishes. Seed germination was checked every day during ten days incubation period. Four replicates of 40 seeds each were used.

Results: NaCl reduced seed germination rate in all cultivars from day 2 to day 10 and the germination index proportionately to NaCl concentration. At the end of the 10 days, salt stress reduced the final germination percentages with a significant difference among cultivars: cultivars F1 Mongal followed by Akikon, Thorgal, TLCV15 and Tounvi were less affected in comparison with the two other cultivars. Salt Tolerance Index was significantly variable according to the cultivar with the highest values for cultivars F1 Mongal (1.086), Akikon (1.028), TLCV15 (1.005) and Tounvi (0.989) and the weakest value for cultivar Petomech (0.436).

Conclusion: NaCl stress delayed seed germination and reduced the rate of final germination. Salt Tolerance Index was variable among the seven cultivars. Based on this criterion, cultivars F1 Mongal, Akikon, TLCV15 and Tounvi were the most salt-resistant whereas Petomech was the most salt-sensitive at germination stage.
Logical Design of n-bit Comparators: Pedagogical Insight from Eight-Variable Karnaugh Maps
Authors: Rushdi Ali Muhammad Ali , Zagzoog Sultan Sameer
Published: May 2019

An -bit comparator is a celebrated combinational circuit that compares two -bit inputs  and  and produces three orthonormal outputs: G (indicating that  is strictly greater than ), E (indicating that  and  are equal or equivalent), and L (indicating that  is strictly less than ). The symbols ‘G’, ‘E’, and ‘L’ are deliberately chosen to convey the notions of ‘Greater than,’ ‘Equal to,’ and ‘Less than,’ respectively. This paper analyzes an -bit comparator in the general case of arbitrary  and visualizes the analysis for  on a regular and modular version of the 8-variable Karnaugh-map. The cases  3, 2, and 1 appear as special cases on 6-variable, 4-variable, and 2-variable submaps of the original map. The analysis is a tutorial exposition of many important concepts in switching theory including those of implicants, prime implicants, essential prime implicants, minimal sum, complete sum and disjoint sum of products (or probability-ready expressions).
Preliminary Evaluation: Hydrocarbons, Cobalt, & Urea Enhance Bacteria Benefits to Plants
Authors: Perry Guenevere , Spence Don
Published: May 2019

Aim: Develop a method to induce PGPB to biosynthesize nitrile compounds that may act as a reliable and repeatable means to increase seed germination in plant species.

Study Design: The germination experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design with two replications and 40 pots (80 seedlings) per experimental unit, following a 1x1 factorial design for each culture, treated or untreated soil and 1 germination period for both conditions. The nitrile hydratase experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design with 3 replications and 3 soil samples per experimental unit, following a 1x1 factorial design for each cultivar, induced or non-induced soil and 1 cultivation period.

Place and Duration of Study: Germination work was executed at G & A Innovative Solutions, LLC, GA., April - May 2017. Nitrile Hydratase Assay work was executed at Georgia State University, Applied Environmental Microbiology Dept., Atlanta, GA. November 2010-August 2011. Methodology: Rhodococcus and Bacillus species were induced with short chained-hydrocarbons, cobalt, and urea in a triphasic system for 3 d to potentially make nitrile compounds to benefit seed germination. Increased NHase activity has been previously correlated to production of these nitrile compounds and an increased ability to affect plant development. NHase activity was measured after bacteria were suspended in soil for 6-7 d.

Results: The induction method sustained and increased NHase activity by 200%, during suspension in soil. Induced Bacillus increased germination by 34%, shoot & root length by 67% & 10%.

Conclusion: Enhancing biosynthesis of nitriles in PGPB may enhance bacteria ability increase seed germination rates.  Measuring NHase activity may indirectly measure efficacy of PGPB in soil. The results are preliminary and require additional studies to confirm results.
Performance, Immuno-stimulatory and Blood Biochemical Indices of Broiler Chickens Fed Hot Red Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) Supplemented Diets
Authors: Adedoyin A. A. , Mosobalaje M. A. , Bamimore A. I.
Published: May 2019

A study was conducted to evaluate the effects of hot red pepper (HRP) powder as a natural feed additive on performance, immunity and blood biochemical parameters in broiler chickens. A Completely Randomized Design (CRD) was adopted by using 180 two weeks old Anak broiler chicks, allocated to four treatments with nine replicates of five birds each. Commercial broiler diets used containing HRP at the levels of 0%, 1.0%, 1.25% and 1.5%.

Results showed that HRP supplementation did not significantly increase (p>0.05) the Average Feed Intake (AFI). Also not significant (p>0.05) but birds fed with the control diet had the numerically lowest Average Body Weight Gain (ABWG) (38.11 g) and worst Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR) (1.96). Better cost/kg weight gain was also found in the birds fed with the HRP supplemented diets. Mortality was however, significantly (p>0.05) higher in control diets compared to other diets. Packed cell volume (PCV), haemoglobin (HG), and white blood cell (WBC) levels were not significantly (p>0.05) different among the experimental groups. At the same time, HRP dietary supplementation did not have a significant effect on serum biochemical parameters (Aspartate aminotransferase (AST), Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), Low-density lipoprotein (LDL), High-density lipoprotein (HDL), triglycerides, cholesterol and glucose. Conclusively, hot red pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) inclusion up to 1.5% has the potential to improve feed conversion ratio and cost/kg weight gain, without affecting the blood biochemical indices of broiler chickens.
Anthropometric Parameters in Asthmatic Children and the Relationship of Childhood Asthma with Height, Weight and Body Mass Index
Authors: Bazargan Nasrin , Hamidifar Shokouh , Khalouei Ali , Sedighi Gholamreza
Published: May 2019

Background: Asthma as a chronic disease may affect the growth process. The aim of this study was to investigate the anthropometric indices in 2-18 years old children with asthma and compare them with the control group.

Patients and Methods: In a case-control study, 150 asthmatic children with age of 2-18 years as case group and 300 age- and sex-matched healthy children as control group were randomly included. The height, weight, and body mass index (BMI) of both group measured by the standard method and Z score was calculated. Data were analyzed using SPSS, chi-square and analysis of variance.

Results: Totally, 290 boys (64.4%) and 160 girls (35.6%) with mean age of 6.58±2.82 years were evaluated. Case group had significantly lower height compared to the healthy control group (117.00±0.17 cm vs. 121.00±0.15 cm respectively, P=0.025). No significant differences were detected in weight (23.13±9.75 kg vs. 24.62±10.36 kg, P=0.145) and BMI (16.32±3.10 kg/m2 vs. 16.28±3.16 kg/m2, P=0.900) between case and control groups, respectively. There were no significant relationships between normal and abnormal Z scores of height, weight and BMI in case and control group (P>0.05).

Conclusion: Despite 4 cm difference between the age of two groups, no differences in height, weight ad BMI between two groups may be due to good control of the disease in the case group or lack of significant growth related effect of asthma.
Nonenzymatically oxidized arachidonic acid regulates T‐type Ca2+ currents in mouse spermatogenic cells
Authors: Bondarenko Olga , Corzo Gerardo , Santana Félix L. , del Río‐Portilla Federico , Darszon Alberto , López‐González Ignacio
Published: May 2019

During spermatogenesis, fatty acids play an important role both as structural components and messengers that trigger male germ cell line differentiation. The spontaneous oxidation of fatty acids causes a decrease in mammalian fertility. Here, we examine the effects of nonenzymatically oxidized arachidonic acid (AAox) on mouse spermatogenic T‐type Ca2+ currents (ICaT) due to their physiological relevance during spermatogenesis. AAox is 25‐fold more potent than AA at inhibiting ICaT and it left shifts the I‐V curve peak and both activation and steady‐state inactivation curves. In addition, ICaT deactivation kinetics and their recovery from inactivation are slower in the presence of AAox. Therefore, the fraction of inactivated Ca2+ channels is increased. AAox‐induced ICaT inhibition could contribute to male infertility affecting Ca2+ regulation in spermatogenic cells.
Detection of circulating tumor cells in colorectal cancer patients using the GILUPI CellCollector: results from a prospective, single‐center study
Authors: Dizdar Levent , Fluegen Georg , van Dalum Guus , Honisch Ellen , Neves Rui P. , Niederacher Dieter , Neubauer Hans , Fehm Tanja , Rehders Alexander , Krieg Andreas , Knoefel Wolfram T. , Stoecklein Nikolas H.
Published: May 2019

The GILUPI CellCollector (CC) is a novel in vivo circulating tumor cell (CTC) detection device reported to overcome the limitations of small blood sample volumes. The aim of this prospective, blinded study was to evaluate the clinical application of the CC and to compare its performance to the CellSearch (CS) system in M0 and M1 colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. A total of 80 patients (31 M0, 49 M1) with CRC were enrolled. CTCs were simultaneously measured in the peripheral blood using CS and the CC, and the results of both assays were correlated to clinicopathological variables and overall survival. The total number of detected CTCs and CTC‐positive patients did not significantly differ between both assays. In the M0 patients, the CC detected CTCs more frequently than CS. There was no significant difference in total CTC numbers detected with the CC between M0 and M1 patients. In addition, no significant correlation with clinicopathological parameters or overall survival was observed with CC CTCs. In contrast, detection of CTCs with CS was significantly correlated with Union for International Cancer Control stage and reduced overall survival. There was no correlation between CTCs detected by the CC and the CS system. Using in silico analysis, we estimate that CC screens a volume of 0.33–18 mL during in vivo application, in contrast to much higher volumes reported elsewhere. In conclusion, while being safe and easy to use, the CC did not outperform CS in terms of CTC yield or sensitivity. While CTC detection in M0 CRC patients was significantly increased with the CC, the clinical relevance of these CTCs appears inferior to the cells identified by the CS system.
Genomic signatures defining responsiveness to allopurinol and combination therapy for lung cancer identified by systems therapeutics analyses
Authors: Tavassoly Iman , Hu Yuan , Zhao Shan , Mariottini Chiara , Boran Aislyn , Chen Yibang , Li Lisa , Tolentino Rosa E. , Jayaraman Gomathi , Goldfarb Joseph , Gallo James , Iyengar Ravi
Published: May 2019

The ability to predict responsiveness to drugs in individual patients is limited. We hypothesized that integrating molecular information from databases would yield predictions that could be experimentally tested to develop transcriptomic signatures for specific drugs. We analyzed lung adenocarcinoma patient data from The Cancer Genome Atlas and identified a subset of patients in which xanthine dehydrogenase (XDH) expression correlated with decreased survival. We tested allopurinol, an FDA‐approved drug that inhibits XDH, on human non‐small‐cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell lines obtained from the Broad Institute Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia and identified sensitive and resistant cell lines. We utilized the transcriptomic profiles of these cell lines to identify six‐gene signatures for allopurinol‐sensitive and allopurinol‐resistant cell lines. Transcriptomic networks identified JAK2 as an additional target in allopurinol‐resistant lines. Treatment of resistant cell lines with allopurinol and CEP‐33779 (a JAK2 inhibitor) resulted in cell death. The effectiveness of allopurinol alone or allopurinol and CEP‐33779 was verified in vivo using tumor formation in NCR‐nude mice. We utilized the six‐gene signatures to predict five additional allopurinol‐sensitive NSCLC cell lines and four allopurinol‐resistant cell lines susceptible to combination therapy. We searched the transcriptomic data from a library of patient‐derived NSCLC tumors from the Jackson Laboratory to identify tumors that would be predicted to be sensitive to allopurinol or allopurinol + CEP‐33779 treatment. Patient‐derived tumors showed the predicted drug sensitivity in vivo. These data indicate that we can use integrated molecular information from cancer databases to predict drug responsiveness in individual patients and thus enable precision medicine.
Developing a MLC modifier program to improve fiducial detection for MV/kV imaging during hypofractionated prostate volumetric modulated arc therapy
Authors: Happersett Laura , Wang Ping , Zhang Pengpeng , Mechalakos James , Li Guang , Eley Eleanor , Zelefsky Michael , Mageras Gig , Damato Antonio L. , Hunt Margie
Published: May 2019

Purpose

To develop an Eclipse plug‐in (MLC_MODIFIER) that automatically modifies control points to expose fiducials obscured by MLC during VMAT, thereby facilitating tracking using periodic MV/kV imaging.

Method

Three‐dimensional fiducial tracking was performed during VMAT by pairing short‐arc (3°) MV digital tomosynthesis (DTS) images to triggered kV images. To evaluate MLC_MODIFIER efficacy, two cohorts of patients were considered. For first 12 patients, plans were manually edited to expose one fiducial marker. Next for 15 patients, plans were modified using MLC_MODIFIER script. MLC_MODIFIER evaluated MLC apertures at appropriate angles for marker visibility. Angles subtended by control points were compressed and low‐dose “imaging” control points were inserted and exposed one marker with 1 cm margin. Patient's images were retrospectively reviewed to determine rate of MV registration failures. Failure categories were poor DTS image quality, MLC blockage of fiducials, or unknown reasons. Dosimetric differences in rectum, bladder, and urethra D1 cc, PTV maximum dose, and PTV dose homogeneity (PTV HI) were evaluated. Statistical significance was evaluated using Fisher's exact and Student's t test.

Result

Overall MV registration failures, failures due to poor image quality, MLC blockage, and unknown reasons were 33% versus 8.9% (P < 0.0001), 8% versus 6.4% (P < 0.05), 13.6% versus 0.1% (P < 0.0001), and 7.6% versus 2.4% (P < 0.0001) for manually edited and MLC_MODIFIER plans, respectively. PTV maximum and HI increased on average from unmodified plans by 2.1% and 0.3% (P < 0.004) and 22.0% and 3.3% (P < 0.004) for manually edited and MLC_MODIFIED plans, respectively. Changes in bladder, rectum, and urethra D1CC were similar for each method and less than 0.7%.

Conclusion

Increasing fiducial visibility via an automated process comprised of angular compression of control points and insertion of additional “imaging” control points is feasible. Degradation of plan quality is minimal. Fiducial detection and registration success rates are significantly improved compared to manually edited apertures.
Zirconyl Hydrogenphosphate Nanocontainers for Flexible Transport and Release of Lipophilic Cytostatics, Insecticides, and Antibiotics
Authors: Rein Viktor , Meschkov Anna , Hagens Kristine , Redinger Natalja , Schepers Ute , Mehlhorn Heinz , Schaible Ulrich E. , Feldmann Claus
Published: May 2019

Administration of lipophilic drugs is often restricted by poor aqueous solubility (especially in blood), limited membrane permeability, uncontrolled drug leakage, and aggregation of lipophilic drugs. As a new nanocarrier concept, LC@ZrO(mdp)@ZrO(HPO4) core@shell nanocontainers (LC: lipophilic cavity; mdp: monododecylphosphate) are presented. As a proof of concept, the nanocontainers are used to encapsulate different types of lipophilic molecules such as the fluorescent dye lumogen red (LR), the cytostatic drug irinotecan (ITC), the insecticide cypermethrin (CM), and the tuberculosis antibiotic benzothiazinone‐043 (BTZ). Synthesis strategy and material structure of the nanocontainers are discussed in detail. LR@ZrO(mdp)@ZrO(HPO4), as the first example, shows intense red emission and successful incorporation of LR into the nanocontainers. As ex vivo application, CM@ZrO(mdp)@ZrO(HPO4) nanocontainers can be used to repel and even kill mosquitoes or flies being in contact with the insecticide‐loaded nanocontainers. The drugs ITC and BTZ—after encapsulation in ITC@ZrO(mdp)@ZrO(HPO4) and BTZ@ZrO(mdp)@ZrO(HPO4) nanocontainers—show high activity at low cytotoxicity in in vitro studies against tumor cells (HeLa, SK‐Mel‐28, HTC116, A549, RAW264.7) and tuberculosis (Mycobacterium tuberculosis‐infected macrophages). Taken together, the different lipophilic molecules (LR, CM, ITC, BTZ) point to the adaptability and performance of the novel zirconyl hydrogenphosphate nanocontainer concept.
The Influence of Interface Structure on the Electrical Conductivity of Graphene Embedded in Aluminum Matrix
Authors: Cao Mu , Luo Yongzhi , Xie Yiqun , Tan Zhanqiu , Fan Genlian , Guo Qiang , Su Yishi , Li Zhiqiang , Xiong Ding‐Bang
Published: May 2019

Graphene is considered a promising reinforcement to improve the electrical conductivity of metals because of its excellent intrinsic electrical conductivity. However, graphene/Al matrix composites with enhanced electrical conductivity have not yet been reported. In this work, it is attempted to understand the factors influencing the electrical conductivity of graphene embedded in an Al matrix by adjusting the interfacial structure and composition. By sandwiching graphene (Gr) or graphene oxide (GO) with either pristine or passivated Al foils, three kinds of typical composite interfaces are successfully fabricated: pristine‐Al/Gr/pristine‐Al (Al/Gr/Al), passivated‐Al/Gr/passivated‐Al (Al‐O/Gr/O‐Al), and pristine‐Al/GO/pristine‐Al (Al/GO/Al). As revealed by electrical current mapping of the interfacial area, the Gr layer in the sandwiched Al/Gr/Al composite shows an electrical conductivity ≈70 times higher than that of the surrounding Al matrix. Gr with a high electrical conductivity is not observed in the Al‐O/Gr/O‐Al and Al/GO/Al composites. The mechanisms are understood by microstructural characterizations and first‐principle calculations. The results indicate that high‐quality Gr and metal–Gr contact are simultaneously needed to improve the electrical conductivity of Al by incorporating graphene.
Texture Controlled Grain Growth in Thin Films Studied by 3D Potts Model
Authors: Zöllner Dana , Zlotnikov Igor
Published: May 2019

Thin films have numerous applications in optics, mechanics, and electricity, where the grain microstructure and the corresponding crystallography are key factors influencing materials properties as well as coarsening kinetics. However, even today this problem is often tackled by 2D means of treating thin films as quasi‐2D objects. In the present work, it is shown by modified 3D Potts model simulations that not only is the third dimension non‐negligible, but also how texture changes the growth kinetics, when the percentage of low angle grain boundaries varies systematically.
Miscibility Tuning for Optimizing Phase Separation and Vertical Distribution toward Highly Efficient Organic Solar Cells
Authors: Zhang Lifu , Yi Nan , Zhou Weihua , Yu Zoukangning , Liu Feng , Chen Yiwang
Published: May 2019

Blending multidonor or multiacceptor organic materials as ternary devices has been recognized as an efficient and potential method to improve the power conversion efficiency of bulk heterojunction devices or single‐junction components in tandem design. In this work, a highly crystalline molecule, DRCN5T, is involved into a PTB7‐Th:PC70BM system to fabricate large‐area organic solar cells (OSCs) whose blend film thickness is up to 270 nm, achieving an impressive performance of 11.1%. The significant improvement of OSCs after adding DRCN5T is due to the formation of an interconnected fibrous network with decreased π–π stacking and enhanced domain purity, in addition to the optimized vertical distribution of PTB7‐Th and PC70BM, producing more effective charge separation, transport, and collection. The optimized morphology and performance are actually determined by the miscibility in different components, which can be quantitatively described by the Flory–Huggins interaction parameter of −0.80 and 2.94 in DRCN5T:PTB7‐Th and DRCN5T:PC70BM blends, respectively. The findings in this work can potentially guide the selection of an appropriate third additive for high‐performance OSCs for the sake of large‐area printing and roll‐to‐roll fabrication from the view of miscibility.
Monodispersed Copper(I)‐Based Nano Metal–Organic Framework as a Biodegradable Drug Carrier with Enhanced Photodynamic Therapy Efficacy
Authors: Cai Xuechao , Xie Zhongxi , Ding Binbin , Shao Shuai , Liang Shuang , Pang Maolin , Lin Jun
Published: May 2019

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has emerged as an alternative treatment of cancers. However, the therapeutic efficiency of PDT is severely limited by the microenvironment of insufficient oxygen (O2) supply and overexpression of glutathione (GSH) in the tumor. Herein, a biodegradable O2‐loaded CuTz‐1@F127 (denoted as CuTz‐1‐O2@F127) metal–organic framework (MOF) therapeutic platform is presented for enhanced PDT by simultaneously overcoming intracellular hypoxia and reducing GSH levels in the tumor. The Cu(I)‐based MOF is capable of a Fenton‐like reaction to generate •OH and O2 in the presence of H2O2 under NIR irradiation. Meanwhile, the CuTz‐1‐O2@F127 nanoparticles (NPs) can release adsorbed O2, which further alleviates intracellular hypoxia. In addition, the CuI in CuTz‐1@F127 can react with intracellular GSH to reduce the excess GSH. In this way, the efficiency of PDT is greatly enhanced. After tail intravenous injection, the NPs show high antitumor efficacy through a synergistic effect under 808 nm laser irradiation. More importantly, the NPs are biodegradable. In vivo biodistribution and excretion experiments demonstrate that a total of nearly 90% of the NPs can be excreted via feces and urine within 30 d, which indicates significant prospects in the clinical treatment of cancers.
The Persistent Radical Effect in Organic Synthesis
Authors: Leifert Dirk , Studer Armido
Published: May 2019

Radical–radical couplings are mostly nearly diffusion‐controlled processes. Therefore, the selective cross‐coupling of two different radicals is challenging and not a synthetically valuable transformation. However, if the radicals have different lifetimes and if they are generated at equal rates, cross‐coupling will become the dominant process. This high cross‐selectivity is based on a kinetic phenomenon called the persistent radical effect (PRE). In this Review, an explanation of the PRE supported by simulations of simple model systems is provided. Radical stabilities are discussed within the context of their lifetimes, and various examples of PRE‐mediated radical–radical couplings in synthesis are summarized. It is shown that the PRE is not restricted to the coupling of a persistent with a transient radical. If one coupling partner is longer‐lived than the other transient radical, the PRE operates and high cross‐selectivity is achieved. This important point expands the scope of PRE‐mediated radical chemistry. The Review is divided into two parts, namely 1) the coupling of persistent or longer‐lived organic radicals and 2) “radical–metal crossover reactions”; here, metal‐centered radical species and more generally longer‐lived transition‐metal complexes that are able to react with radicals are discussed—a field that has flourished recently.
The Hydrogenobyric Acid Structure Reveals the Corrin Ligand as an Entatic State Module Empowering B12 Cofactors for Catalysis
Authors: Kieninger Christoph , Deery Evelyne , Lawrence Andrew D. , Podewitz Maren , Wurst Klaus , Nemoto‐Smith Emi , Widner Florian J. , Baker Joseph A. , Jockusch Steffen , Kreutz Christoph R. , Liedl Klaus R. , Gruber Karl , Warren Martin J. , Kräutler Bernhard
Published: May 2019

The B12 cofactors instill a natural curiosity regarding the primordial selection and evolution of their corrin ligand. Surprisingly, this important natural macrocycle has evaded molecular scrutiny, and its specific role in predisposing the incarcerated cobalt ion for organometallic catalysis has remained obscure. Herein, we report the biosynthesis of the cobalt‐free B12 corrin moiety, hydrogenobyric acid (Hby), a compound crafted through pathway redesign. Detailed insights from single‐crystal X‐ray and solution structures of Hby have revealed a distorted helical cavity, redefining the pattern for binding cobalt ions. Consequently, the corrin ligand coordinates cobalt ions in desymmetrized “entatic” states, thereby promoting the activation of B12‐cofactors for their challenging chemical transitions. The availability of Hby also provides a route to the synthesis of transition metal analogues of B12.
Resolving the Unpaired‐Electron Orbital Distribution in a Stable Organic Radical by Kondo Resonance Mapping
Authors: Patera Laerte L. , Sokolov Sophia , Low Jonathan Z. , Campos Luis M. , Venkataraman Latha , Repp Jascha
Published: May 2019

The adsorption geometry and the electronic structure of a Blatter radical derivative on a gold surface were investigated by a combination of high‐resolution noncontact atomic force microscopy and scanning tunneling microscopy. While the hybridization with the substrate hinders direct access to the molecular states, we show that the unpaired‐electron orbital can be probed with Ångström resolution by mapping the spatial distribution of the Kondo resonance. The Blatter derivative features a peculiar delocalization of the unpaired‐electron orbital over some but not all moieties of the molecule, such that the Kondo signature can be related to the spatial fingerprint of the orbital. We observe a direct correspondence between these two quantities, including a pronounced nodal plane structure. Finally, we demonstrate that the spatial signature of the Kondo resonance also persists upon noncovalent dimerization of molecules.
PLLA–silver nanoparticles bionanocomposite membranes: Preparation, antibacterial activity, and in vitro hydrolytic degradation assessment
Authors: Zanella Gabrielle Susan , Becker Daniela , dos Santos Schneider Andrea Lima , Pezzin Ana Paula Testa , Silva Denise Abatti Kasper , Nogueira André Lourenço
Published: May 2019

Silver nanoparticles (AgNp) were synthesized in aqueous phase and transferred to chloroform using a fatty amine as phase transfer agent. Poly(l‐lactic acid) (PLLA) membranes were prepared using the “functionalized” chloroform. The amount of AgNp in the chloroform was determined by atomic absorption spectroscopy. Thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, and field emission scanning electron microscopy were used to characterize the membranes. A decrease of the thermal stability of the membranes was observed upon the addition of AgNp; meanwhile, the polymer crystallinity degree increased, making the membranes more fragile and brittle. The in vitro degradation assessments of the membranes in artificial saliva suggested that the time necessary to degrade the PLLA reduced by raising the concentration of the nanostructures. Additionally, the antibacterial assays demonstrated that the addition of only 13 ppm of AgNp were enough to inhibit the formation of biofilm over the bionanocomposite membranes. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019, 136, 47998.
The evolution of family‐centered care: From supporting parent‐delivered interventions to a model of family integrated care
Authors: Franck Linda S. , O'Brien Karel
Published: May 2019

There is increasing recognition that parents play a critical role in promoting the health outcomes of low birthweight and preterm infants. Despite a large body of literature on interventions and models to support family engagement in infant care, parent involvement in the delivery of care for such infants is still restricted in many neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). In this article, we propose a taxonomy for classifying parent‐focused NICU interventions and parent‐partnered care models to aid researchers, clinical teams, and health systems to evaluate existing and future approaches to care. The proposed framework has three levels: interventions to support parents, parent‐delivered interventions, and multidimensional models of NICU care that explicitly incorporate parents and partners in the care of their preterm or low birthweight infant. We briefly review the available evidence for interventions at each level and highlight the strong level of research evidence to support the parent‐delivered intervention of skin‐to‐skin contact (also known as the Kangaroo Care position) and for the Kangaroo mother care and family integrated care models of NICU care. We suggest directions for future research and model implementation to improve and scale‐up parent partnership in the care of NICU infants.
Real‐time 3D human pose and motion reconstruction from monocular RGB videos
Authors: Yiannakides Anastasios , Aristidou Andreas , Chrysanthou Yiorgos
Published: May 2019

Real‐time three‐dimensional (3D) pose estimation is of high interest in interactive applications, virtual reality, activity recognition, and most importantly, in the growing gaming industry. In this work, we present a method that captures and reconstructs the 3D skeletal pose and motion articulation of multiple characters using a monocular RGB camera. Our method deals with this challenging, but useful, task by taking advantage of the recent development in deep learning that allows two‐dimensional (2D) pose estimation of multiple characters and the increasing availability of motion capture data. We fit 2D estimated poses, extracted from a single camera via OpenPose, with a 2D multiview joint projections database that is associated with their 3D motion representations. We then retrieve the 3D body pose of the tracked character, ensuring throughout that the reconstructed movements are natural, satisfy the model constraints, are within a feasible set, and are temporally smooth without jitters. We demonstrate the performance of our method in several examples, including human locomotion, simultaneously capturing of multiple characters, and motion reconstruction from different camera views.
SRNPD: Spatial rendering network for pencil drawing stylization
Authors: Jin Yuxi , Li Ping , Sheng Bin , Nie Yongwei , Kim Jinman , Wu Enhua
Published: May 2019

Pencil drawing is a simple yet effective way to depict what people see by clearly presenting details of the scene. Existing methods usually extract strokes of the input image and adjust the result image tone to make it look like a pencil drawing. However, they do not consider the quality of the stroke image and the geometry information of lines in the stroke image, which unavoidably results in the violation of original essential structures and in a flatten pencil drawing with unrealistic appearance. We put forward a spatial rendering network for pencil drawing stylization. Spatial stroke images are extracted from the image pyramid by a single‐shot bottom‐up neural network to improve the quality of these stroke images. Unlike the former tone adjustment–based methods, we analyze perceptual cues of strokes at different stroke image levels and use the obtained geometry information to constrain the stroke shading procedure. The final pencil drawing result is achieved by the stroke shading fusion of different levels' shading results. The effectiveness of our spatial rendering network for pencil drawing stylization is demonstrated by an ablation study, comparison to the state of the art, and a user study.
OGR1 mediates the inhibitory effects of acidic environment on proliferation and angiogenesis of endothelial progenitor cells
Authors: Ding Shenglong , Xu Ji , Zhang Qichen , Chen Fangyi , Zhang Jihong , Gui Keke , Xiong Min , Li Bing , Ruan Zhiyong , Zhao Mingdong
Published: May 2019

Ovarian cancer G‐protein‐coupled receptor 1 (OGR1), an acid‐sensitive receptor, plays a key proton‐sensing role through stimulation of inositol phosphate formation. Avascular necrosis of the femoral head is characterized by apoptosis of bone cells mainly resulting from deficient local blood perfusion, eventually leading to acidification with disruption of endothelial progenitor cells’ (EPCs) function. However, whether EPCs express OGR1 has not been demonstrated. This study attempted to whether OGR1 mediates the effects of acid on proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis in EPCs. FITC‐UEA‐I and Dil‐Ac‐LDL double‐staining methods were used to identify EPCs. Expression of OGR1 was analyzed by RT‐PCR (reverse transcription PCR) and western blot after incubation in media ranging in pH, cell counting kit‐8 and cell cycle analysis were used to analyze proliferation and cell cycle distribution. Scratch test, transwell migration assay, and tube formation experiments were performed to analyze migration and vascularization of EPCs after silencing OGR1 with small interfering RNA (siRNA). The result show EPCs were positive for FITC‐UEA‐I and Dil‐Ac‐LDL double‐staining and expressed OGR1. The expression of OGR1 increased gradually with decreased pH and was highest in pH 6.4 medium. Incubation in pH 6.4 medium inhibited proliferation of EPCs and caused cell cycle arrest. Silencing of OGR1 using siRNA partially reversed the effect of acidic environment on EPCs. Migration and angiogenesis of EPCs were inhibited in pH 6.4 medium, and silencing of OGR1 partially reversed this effect. The results demonstrated expression of OGR1 in EPCs, and the OGR1 mediated the effects of acidic environment on proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis of EPCs.