bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Naturally processed HLA‐DR3‐restricted HHV‐6B peptides are recognized broadly with polyfunctional and cytotoxic CD4 T‐cell responses
Authors: Becerra‐Artiles Aniuska , Cruz John , Leszyk John D. , Sidney John , Sette Alessandro , Shaffer Scott A. , Stern Lawrence J.
Published: April 2019

Human herpes virus 6B (HHV‐6B) is a widespread virus that infects most people early in infancy and establishes a chronic life‐long infection with periodic reactivation. CD4 T cells have been implicated in control of HHV‐6B, but antigenic targets and functional characteristics of the CD4 T‐cell response are poorly understood. We identified 25 naturally processed MHC‐II peptides, derived from six different HHV‐6B proteins, and showed that they were recognized by CD4 T‐cell responses in HLA‐matched donors. The peptides were identified by mass spectrometry after elution from HLA‐DR molecules isolated from HHV‐6B‐infected T cells. The peptides showed strong binding to matched HLA alleles and elicited recall T‐cell responses in vitro. T‐cell lines expanded in vitro were used for functional characterization of the response. Responding cells were mainly CD3+CD4+, produced IFN‐γ, TNF‐α, and low levels of IL‐2, alone or in combination, highlighting the presence of polyfunctional T cells in the overall response. Many of the responding cells mobilized CD107a, stored granzyme B, and mediated specific killing of peptide‐pulsed target cells. These results highlight a potential role for polyfunctional cytotoxic CD4 T cells in the long‐term control of HHV‐6B infection.
Fluid simulation in a cyclone reverse circulation well washing device based on computational fluid dynamics
Authors: Wang Chun Sheng , Zhang Lei
Published: April 2019

This paper instructs the working principle of the well washing device and its parameter optimization in practical applications. A fluent fluid engineering simulation software was used to establish the calculation model of the bottom flow field. The fluid area inside the well washing device with different orifice diameters at 30, 40, 50, and 60 degrees was simulated, and the gas‐solid two‐phase distribution cloud map and corresponding data were obtained. The results show that the cleaning effect is optimal and with no dead angle when θ = 30° and d = 4 mm. Moreover, the optimization design using simulation technology is reliable and simple. Based on this conclusion, a patent for a cyclone reverse circulation well washing device was invented. Under the same conditions, the above results were also verified by comparison with ordinary washing devices.
Sediment and fluvial particulate carbon flux from an eroding peatland catchment
Authors: Li Changjia , Holden Joseph , Grayson Richard
Published: April 2019

Erosion and the associated loss of carbon is a major environmental concern in many peatlands and remains difficult to accurately quantify beyond the plot scale. Erosion was measured in an upland blanket peatland catchment (0.017 km2) in northern England using structure‐from‐motion (SfM) photogrammetry, sediment traps and stream sediment sampling at different spatial scales. A net median topographic change of –27 mm yr–1 was recorded by SfM over the 12‐month monitoring period for the entire surveyed area (598 m2). Within the entire surveyed area there were six nested catchments where both SfM and sediment traps were used to measure erosion. Substantial amounts of peat were captured in sediment traps during summer storm events after two months of dry weather where desiccation of the peat surface occurred. The magnitude of topographic change for the six nested catchments determined by SfM (mean value: 5.3 mm, standard deviation: 5.2 mm) was very different to the areal average derived from sediment traps (mean value: –0.3 mm, standard deviation: 0.1 mm). Thus, direct interpolation of peat erosion from local net topographic change into sediment yield at the catchment outlet appears problematic. Peat loss measured at the hillslope scale was not representative of that at the catchment scale. Stream sediment sampling at the outlet of the research catchment (0.017 km2) suggested that the yields of suspended sediment and particulate organic carbon were 926.3 t km–2 yr–1 and 340.9 t km–2 yr–1, respectively, with highest losses occurring during the autumn. Both freeze–thaw during winter and desiccation during long periods of dry weather in spring and summer were identified as important peat weathering processes during the study. Such weathering was a key enabler of subsequent fluvial peat loss from the catchment. © 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Star anise (Illicium verum Hook. f.) essential oil: Antioxidant properties and antibacterial activity against Acinetobacter baumannii
Authors: Luís Ângelo , Sousa Sónia , Wackerlig Judith , Dobusch Daniel , Duarte Ana Paula , Pereira Luísa , Domingues Fernanda
Published: April 2019

The increased resistance of pathogenic bacteria to multiple antimicrobial agents is becoming a significant public health threat. For many pathogenic bacteria there are already limited or no effective antimicrobials available to treat the infections caused by them. Acinetobacter baumannii is a Gram‐negative, biofilm‐forming, nonmotile coccobacillus and a major human pathogen causing hospital‐acquired infections, such as ventilator‐associated pneumonia, bacteraemia, meningitis, and urinary tract and wound infections. There is therefore a clear need to discover new compounds and strategies to overcome widespread antimicrobial resistance, with a focus on A. baumannii strains. Star anise (Illicium verum Hook. f.) has been widely used as an ingredient in traditional Chinese cooking, as a flavouring agent, and as a medicine for over 3000 years; however, the essential oil (EO) isolated from star anise has not been further characterized in terms of its bioactivities and potential applications. In this work, a screening of the biological properties of star anise EO together with its chemical characterization were performed. Special attention was given to the impact of this EO in the formation of biofilms by A. baumannii. It was demonstrated that star anise EO is able to scavenge free radicals, to inhibit lipid peroxidation, and to inhibit protein denaturation, which is associated with its antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory properties. Moreover, the effects of the EO on the planktonic and biofilm cells of A. baumannii, inhibiting the formation of biofilms, dispersing preformed biofilms, and decreasing the capacity of the bacterial cells to adhere to polystyrene, together with its ability to inhibit quorum sensing, were also demonstrated.
Limited data to evaluate real‐world effectiveness of enzyme replacement therapy for mucopolysaccharidosis type I
Authors: Kuiper Gé‐Ann , Nijmeijer Stephanie C. M. , Roelofs Manouck J. M. , van der Lee Johanneke H. , Hollak Carla E. M. , Bosch Annet M.
Published: April 2019

Orphan medicinal products (OMPs) are often authorized based on pivotal phase II and III trials that do not always meet high quality criteria. Laronidase is an example of an OMP used for treatment of mucopolysaccharidosis I (MPS I). One randomized controlled trial demonstrated efficacy on several somatic symptoms. However, effectiveness in the real‐world setting remains to be determined. We performed a systematic review to evaluate the effectiveness of enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) on clinically relevant outcomes in MPS I. A search in OVID MEDLINE and OVID EMBASE was performed. Postmarketing studies including MPS I patients treated with ERT and reporting data on any of 19 predefined clinical outcome measures obtained before the start of ERT and at follow‐up were eligible. Three scenarios were used to define effectiveness of ERT. The first scenario (A) assumes that improvement is essential, while the second scenario (B) also includes stabilization of signs and symptoms. The third scenario (C) defines failure of therapy. Twenty case series were included. The criteria indicating effectiveness (A), were met for four of 19 outcome measures while the criteria, indicating unclear effectiveness (B) were met for five of 19. For one of 19 nonverifiable data were reported and for nine of 19 no overall conclusions could be drawn (ambiguous results). Real‐world effectiveness of laronidase is extremely difficult to assess, 15 years after marketing authorization. This is partially due to insufficient natural history data. We recommend the conduct of rigorous and independent postmarketing studies including core outcome sets for OMPs, enforced by marketing and/or reimbursing authorities aiming to demonstrate real‐world effectiveness within a reasonable time frame.
Acid‐based approach for separation of peptide epimers using IM‐MS
Authors: Zimnicka Magdalena M. , Troć Anna
Published: April 2019

Chiral molecules frequently remain undistinguishable using ion mobility mass spectrometry (IM‐MS), due to insufficient differences of their collision cross sections at the available mobility resolution of the ion mobility drift tubes. The influence of the complexation with organic acids on the ion mobility separation of peptide epimers is evaluated using traveling‐wave ion mobility (TWIMS). The examined epimeric tripeptides containing Arg residue with the sequence: Ac‐Phe‐Arg‐Trp‐NH2formed stable complexes in the gas phase, and under the increased pressure in ion mobility drift tube, noncovalent associates formed with carboxylic or sulfonic monoacids and diacids with chiral variation of certain acids. Overall, the complexation with an acid leads to the improvement in stereodifferentiation among epimeric peptides, in comparison to the analysis of pure epimers. Detailed characterization of peptide epimer‐acid associates obtained for dibenzoyl‐D‐tartaric acid by theoretical calculations and collisional dissociation studies revealed that the presence of multiple hydrogen bonding interactions between carboxylate anions and hydrogens from N―H of both the guanidinium group of arginine and the indole of tryptophan, as well as the amide backbone hydrogens in the peptide, is responsible for stability of acid‐peptide complexes and for their differentiation in the ion mobility drift tube. The specificity of complex formation toward Arg was determined in terms of complex stability. Based on the reported results, we present general conclusions regarding the utility of the acid‐based complexation in the separation of peptide isomers.
FPGA implementation of chaos‐based high‐speed true random number generator
Authors: Gupta Ramji , Pandey Alpana , Baghel Rajendra Kumar
Published: April 2019

A true random number generator (TRNG) is a basic building block of many modern cryptographic systems. As field programmable gate array (FPGA) has a flexible architecture and low‐cost test cycle, hence, it becomes an ideal platform for hardware implementation of digital systems. This paper presents an FPGA implementation of a high‐speed TRNG that is based on a chaotic oscillator at 100 MHz frequency with speed of 1600 Mbps. The experimental results show that the proposed generator is faster and more compact than the existing chaotic ring‐oscillator‐based TRNGs, and further, it is verified that the generated bit sequences pass all TRNG tests in National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST SP 800‐22). The proposed TRNG is implemented in two FPGA families: Nexys 4 DDR XC7A100TCSG‐1 (Artix 7) and Basys 3 XC7A35T1CPG236C (Artix 7) Xilinx Vivado v.2017.3 design suite.
Paths to long‐term performance and strategic planning
Authors: Shin Sang Yoon
Published: April 2019

A firm may ensure sustainability by pursuing long‐term performance through one of the three possible paths: adoption of long‐term perspectives within the existing business, extension into a new business and adoption of long‐term perspectives, and jump into the long‐term new business. Considering temporal dimension and business dimension, a firm pursues four types of performance: maintenance, sustainable growth, diversification, and transformation. Explorative strategic planning as well as exploitative one is required for a firm to successfully manage a balanced pursuit between long‐term performance and short‐term one.
Role of Ca2+ in phenolic compound metabolism of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) sprouts under NaCl stress
Authors: Ma Yan , Wang Pei , Zhou Ting , Chen Zhijie , Gu Zhenxin , Yang Runqiang
Published: April 2019

BACKGROUND

The literature on the role of calcium ion (Ca2+) in relation to phenolic compounds metabolism and related enzymes activities remains controversial. It is still unclear whether Ca2+ affects phenolic compounds content of barley sprouts. This study investigated the role and function of Ca2+ in phenolic compound metabolism of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) sprouts under sodium chloride (NaCl) stress.

RESULTS

Calcium chloride (CaCl2) significantly improved total calcium and calmodulin (CaM) contents as well as Ca2+ concentration, and enhanced phenolic compound accumulation by regulating the gene, protein expression and the activities of enzymes related to phenolics biosynthesis. Specifically, CaCl2 significantly increased the activities of phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL), cinnamic acid 4‐hydroxylase (C4H), 4‐coumarate coenzyme A ligase (4CL) and ferulic acid 5‐hydroxylase (F5H) by up‐regulating the corresponding protein expression. The activity of p‐coumaric acid 3‐hydroxylase (C3H) decreased during germination while caffeic acid O‐methyltransferase (COMT) increased initially and then decreased, which was consistent with the changes in gene and protein expression under CaCl2 treatment. Conversely, lanthanum(III) chloride (LaCl3), ethylene glycol tetraacetic acid (EGTA) and 2‐aminoethoxydiphenyl borate (2‐APB) induced opposite effects. Decreased calcium and CaM contents and Ca2+ concentration were observed, and fluctuation change of relevant gene and protein expressions and PAL, C4H, 4CL, C3H, COMT and F5H activitives were also detected.

CONCLUSION

Calcium ion played an important role for mediating NaCl stress‐induced phenolics accumulation in barley sprouts. It required both Ca2+ influx and release from apoplast and intracellular stores, respectively. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry
Traction on the septum during transoral septotomy for Zenker diverticulum improves the final outcome
Authors: Provenzano Luca , Salvador Renato , Cutrone Cesare , Capovilla Giovanni , Moletta Lucia , Nicoletti Loredana , Costantini Mario , Merigliano Stefano , Valmasoni Michele
Published: April 2019

Objective

Transoral diverticulostomy/septotomy has become a popular treatment for patients with Zenker diverticulum (ZD). To improve the results of transoral stapler‐assisted septotomy, a modification of the technique has been introduced. In this study, we aimed to compare the final outcome of such a modified transoral septotomy (MTS) with the results of traditional transoral septotomy (TTS) in patients with ZD.

Methods

Fifty‐two consecutive patients with ZD underwent transoral stapler‐assisted septotomy between 2010 and 2018. Symptoms were recorded and scored using a detailed questionnaire. Barium swallow, endoscopy, and manometry were performed before and after the procedure.

Results

Of the 52 patients forming the study population (male:female = 35:17), 25 had TTS and 27 had MTS. The patients’ demographic and clinical parameters were similar in the two groups. No intraoperative mucosal lesions were detected, and the mortality was nil. The median time taken to complete the procedure was 25 minutes (interquartile range [IQR]: 22–35) for TTS, and 30 minutes (IQR: 25–36) for MTS (P < 0.07). The median follow‐up was 69 months (IQR: 46–95) in the TTS group and 30 months (IQR: 25–35) in the MTS group. All patients in both groups had an improvement in their symptom score after the procedure, but the failure rates were 32% (8 of 25) after TTS and 3.7% (1 of 27) after MTS (P < 0.02).

At univariate and multivariate analyses, the procedure was the only predictor of a positive final outcome.

Conclusion

Albeit with the intrinsic limitations of the study (retrospective, different time window, and different follow‐up), traction on the septum during transoral septotomy improves the final outcome of this treatment in patients with ZD.

Level of Evidence

4

Laryngoscope, 130:637–640, 2020
The Effect of Immunosuppression on Coagulation After Liver Transplantation
Authors: Bedreli Sotiria , Straub Katja , Achterfeld Anne , Willuweit Katharina , Katsounas Antonios , Saner Fuat , Wedemeyer Heiner , Herzer Kerstin
Published: April 2019

Everolimus (EVR) is a mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitor commonly used for immunosuppression (IS) after liver transplantation (LT). However, there are concerns about whether mTOR inhibitors may move the hemostatic balance toward a higher likelihood of thrombosis. The present study aimed to investigate potential coagulation disorders after the administration of EVR. We evaluated 54 patients after conversion to an EVR‐based IS regimen (n = 26) and compared those patients with patients who were switched to extended‐release tacrolimus (TAC) but had never received EVR (n = 28). At baseline and again at 1 month and 6 months after conversion, we measured international normalized ratio, activated partial thromboplastin time, and anticoagulation and fibrinolysis factors, and we performed rotational thromboelastometry (ROTEM). Data were analyzed with a Mann‐Whitney U test, a repeated‐measure analysis of variance, and a Fisher’s exact test. Statistical significance was set at the level of P ≤ 0.05. Plasma levels of von Willebrand factor, fibrinogen, and factor VIII were significantly higher than baseline levels at 1 month and 6 months after conversion of IS to EVR (P < 0.001); plasma levels of protein C, protein S, and plasminogen also increased significantly (P < 0.001). ROTEM confirmed a significant increase in maximum clot firmness in EXTEM, INTEM, and FIBTEM assays (P < 0.001). In all assays, maximum lysis was significantly lower than baseline levels at 1 month and 6 months after conversion to EVR. Patients converted to IS with extended‐release TAC exhibited no significant changes in coagulation variables. Retrospective analysis showed a significantly higher incidence of thromboembolic complications among patients treated with EVR‐based IS than among those treated with extended‐release TAC (P < 0.01). In conclusion, the administration of EVR after LT seems to modify hemostasis to a procoagulant state. Thrombophilia screening before conversion may determine which patients will benefit from conversion to EVR‐based IS.
Outcome of a First Episode of Bacterial Infection in Candidates for Liver Transplantation
Authors: Ferrarese Alberto , Vitale Alessandro , Sgarabotto Dino , Russo Francesco Paolo , Germani Giacomo , Gambato Martina , Cattelan Anna Maria , Angeli Paolo , Cillo Umberto , Burra Patrizia , Senzolo Marco
Published: April 2019

Bacterial infection (BI) is a major cause of worsening of liver function and death in patients with cirrhosis who are awaiting liver transplantation (LT). This study aimed to evaluate the outcome of LT candidates after a first episode of BI between January 2006 and December 2014 at Padua University Hospital. Among 876 LT candidates with cirrhosis, 114 (13%) experienced an episode of BI. Of the 114 patients, 79 were male and 35 were female, and the median (interquartile range) age and Model for End‐Stage Liver Disease scores were 58 (12) years and 19 (8), respectively. When compared with matched LT candidates who experienced no BI, they had a higher probability of death (P = 0.004) and a lower probability of undergoing LT (P = 0.01). Considering only patients who recovered from BI within 30 days, their probabilities of death and of undergoing LT were similar to those of matched controls (P = 0.34 and P = 0.43, respectively). The 90‐day post‐LT mortality was equal between groups (P = 0.90). BI was a strong predictor of early death on the waiting list for LT. Conversely, patients who fully recovered from a BI episode within 30 days did not have a higher mortality risk than matched controls without infection.
Synthesis of Novel bis‐Triazolinedione Crosslinked Amphiphilic Polypept(o)ide Nanostructures
Authors: Brannigan Ruairí P. , Kimmins Scott D. , Bobbi Elena , Caulfield Séamus , Heise Andreas
Published: April 2019

Owing to their wide range of inherent functionality, hydrolytic stability, biodegradability, and low toxicity, polypeptide‐based materials have been increasingly exploited for controlled drug release applications. More recently, the incorporation of poly(α‐peptoid)s such as poly(sarcosine) into polypeptide‐based materials has been investigated owing to their potential as naturally derived “stealth polymers.” Here the synthesis of novel amphiphilic polypept(o)ide nanoparticles is described utilizing silica templates as a macroinitiator for the ring‐opening copolymerization of l‐tryptophan and d/l‐phenylalanine NCAs and subsequent chain extension with sarcosine NCA. These particles are subsequently crosslinked utilizing the TAD‐indole “click” chemistry and the silica templates are eroded via treatment with HF yielding core crosslinked amphiphilic polypept(o)ide nanostructures. This synthetic strategy offers a unique platform to yield naturally‐derived degradable core‐crosslinked nanostructures, which may have the potential to be utilized in the future as delivery vehicles for hydrophobic small molecules.
Hierarchical Self‐Assembly of Peptides and its Applications in Bionanotechnology
Authors: Gerbelli Barbara B. , Vassiliades Sandra V. , Rojas Jose E. U. , Pelin Juliane N. B. D. , Mancini Rodrigo S. N. , Pereira Wallace S. G. , Aguilar Andrea M. , Venanzi Mariano , Cavalieri Francesca , Giuntini Francesca , Alves Wendel A.
Published: April 2019

Self‐assembled structures obtained from organic molecules have shown great potential for applications in a wide range of domains. In this context, short peptides prove to be a particularly versatile class of organic building blocks for self‐assembled materials. These species afford the biocompatibility and polymorphic richness typical of proteins while allowing synthetic availability and robustness typical of smaller molecules. At the nano‐to‐mesoscale, the architectures obtained from peptide units exhibit stability and a large variety of morphologies, the most common of which are nanotubes, nanoribbons, and nanowires. This review describes the formation of peptide‐based self‐assembled structures triggered by different stimuli (e.g., ionic strength, pH, and polarity), and the interactions that drive the assembling processes. It is surveyed how judicious molecular design is exploited to impart favourable assembling properties to afford systems with desired characteristics. A large body of literature provides the experimental and in silico data to predict self‐assembly in a given peptide system and obtain different supramolecular organizations for applications in a wide range of fields, from transport to sensing, from catalysis to drug delivery and tissue regeneration.
Near‐Infrared Light‐Triggered Dual Drug Release Using Gold Nanorod‐Embedded Thermosensitive Nanogel‐Crosslinked Hydrogels
Authors: Jiang Sirui , Wang Kang , Dai Yu , Zhang Xiaojin , Xia Fan
Published: April 2019

Gold nanorod (AuNR)‐embedded poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) hydrogels offer the possibility of achieving near‐infrared (NIR) light‐triggered drug release. In addition, using nanoparticles as a crosslinker can enhance the mechanical properties of PNIPAM hydrogels, and nanoparticle‐crosslinked hydrogels provide an important approach for dual drug release. Here, NIR light‐triggered dual drug release using AuNR‐embedded thermosensitive nanogel‐crosslinked hydrogels is reported for the first time. Two kinds of drugs are encapsulated, one in the nanogel and the other in the hydrogel. The volume phase transition of the PNIPAM hydrogels is induced by NIR light by utilizing the photothermal effect of AuNRs. By changing the number of embedded AuNRs and the intensity of NIR light, the release rate and drug quantity can be adjusted for on‐demand release. Because of its NIR light‐triggering and nanoparticle‐crosslinking capabilities, AuNR‐embedded thermosensitive nanogel‐crosslinked hydrogels may expand the application scope of hydrogels and provide enhanced properties in their applications.
Improving Compressive Strength of Aramid Fiber by Introducing Carbon Nanotube Derivates Grafted with Oligomers of Different Conformations and Controlling Its Alignment
Authors: Yuan Yihao , Dai Yu , Meng Chenbo , Luo Longbo , Liu Xiangyang
Published: April 2019

Low compressive strength of aramid fiber is one of the most prominent obstacles for its application as a strengthening material. Herein, based on nucleophilic reaction of CF bonds, fluorinated carbon nanotube (FCNT) derivates grafted with oligomers of different conformations are prepared to modify (Poly‐p‐phenylene‐benzimidazole‐terephthalamide) (PBIA) fiber. CF bonds of FCNT can react with benzimidazole units and terminal amino groups of PBIA oligomers. Therefore, FCNT derivates grafted with oligomers of different conformations can be obtained. Then, the FCNT derivates are blended with PBIA solution to prepare PBIA/FCNT composite fibers. Compressive strength is improved by nearly 34.7% and 107% for the fiber modified by FCNT derivates grafted with oligomers of parallel and vertical conformations, respectively. It is found that FCNT derivates grafted with oligomers of vertical conformation may be forced to be aligned vertically to axis of the fiber, which is more beneficial to improve lateral interaction and compressive strength of the fiber.
The concentration behavior of ground state solutions for a critical fractional Schrödinger–Poisson system
Authors: Yang Zhipeng , Yu Yuanyang , Zhao Fukun
Published: April 2019

In this paper, we study the following critical fractional Schrödinger–Poisson system
urn:x-wiley:0025584X:media:mana201700398:mana201700398-math-0001where is a small parameter, and , is the fractional critical exponent for 3‐dimension, has a positive global minimum, and are positive and have global maximums. We obtain the existence of a positive ground state solution by using variational methods, and we determine a concrete set related to the potentials and Q as the concentration position of these ground state solutions as . Moreover, we consider some properties of these ground state solutions, such as convergence and decay estimate.
Sex-Specific Growth and Reproductive Dynamics of Red Drum in the Northern Gulf of Mexico
Authors: Bennetts Corbin F. , Leaf Robert T. , Brown-Peterson Nancy J.
Published: April 2019

The Red Drum Sciaenops ocellatus stock is heavily targeted in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) by recreational fishers and supports a small commercial fishery in Mississippi. Despite their popularity, little recent work has been done to describe their life history. In this work, we describe sex-specific growth and reproductive dynamics of Red Drum collected from the northern GOM from September 2016 through October 2017. We evaluated seven candidate growth models and found that the three-parameter von Bertalanffy growth function (VBGF) was the best candidate length-at-age model. No significant difference in growth between sexes was observed with the three-parameter VBGF, despite the female-specific curve having a larger mean asymptotic length than the male-specific curve. All seven candidate growth models predicted similar mean length-at-age estimates, and four of them exhibited significant differences in sex-specific mean length at age, with females reaching a larger length at age than males after age 5. There was no significant difference between the sex-specific weight-at-length relationships. Red Drum are batch spawners that spawn in northern GOM coastal waters during August and September. We estimated 3.7 d between spawns and 10.5 spawning events per female in 2017. Nearly 20% of fish collected during the spawning season were sexually mature but reproductively inactive, indicating the possibility of skipped spawning. The age at 50% maturity was around 3 years (length at 50% maturity = 670 mm TL) in both sexes, but fish were not spawning capable until age 4.5 (703 mm TL) in males and age 5.8 (840 mm TL) in females. Furthermore, elevated gonadosomatic indices were not observed until around age 5–6. The updated life history information presented in this work helps to address current data limitations and provides critical information for future assessments of Red Drum stocks in the northern GOM.
BRPF1‐associated intellectual disability, ptosis, and facial dysmorphism in a multiplex family
Authors: Pode‐Shakked Naomi , Barel Ortal , Pode‐Shakked Ben , Eliyahu Aviva , Singer Amihood , Nayshool Omri , Kol Nitzan , Raas‐Rothschild Annick , Pras Elon , Shohat Mordechai
Published: April 2019

Background

Over 500 epigenetic regulators have been identified throughout the human genome. Of these, approximately 30 chromatin modifiers have been implicated thus far in human disease. Recently, variants in BRPF1, encoding a chromatin reader, have been associated with a previously unrecognized autosomal dominant syndrome manifesting with intellectual disability (ID), hypotonia, dysmorphic facial features, ptosis, and/or blepharophimosis in 22 individuals.

Patients and Methods

We report a multiply affected nonconsanguineous family of mixed Jewish descent who presented due to ID in three male siblings. Molecular analysis of the family was pursued using whole exome sequencing (WES) and subsequent Sanger sequencing.

Results

Whole exome sequencing analysis brought to the identification of a novel heterozygous truncating mutation (c.556C>T, p.Q186*) in the BRPF1 gene in the affected siblings and their mother. The four affected individuals showed varying degrees of intellectual disability, distinct facial features including downslanted palpebral fissures, ptosis, and/or blepharophimosis. Their clinical characteristics are discussed in the context of previously reported patients with the BRPF1‐related phenotype.

Conclusion

The reported family contributes to the current knowledge regarding this unique and newly recognized genetic disorder, and further implicates the role of BRPF1 in human brain development.
Challenges in Diagnosing Sacroiliac Joint Pain: A Narrative Review
Authors: Schneider Byron J. , Rosati Renee , Zheng Patricia , McCormick Zachary L.
Published: April 2019

Accurate diagnosis of sacroiliac joint (SIJ) pain is challenging. Diagnosis can be aided by pain referral patterns, historical features, physical examination maneuvers, and imaging. However, all of these diagnostic tools have limitations. The most reliable clinical tools may be a combination of three or more positive physical exam maneuvers, although the evidence is inconsistent even for this strategy. Intra‐articular diagnostic SIJ injections are often used as the reference standard for “true” sacroiliac pain. However, such injections do not consider extra‐articular sources of pain that may also exist as part of the sacroiliac joint complex. Research has established the posterior sacral ligaments as a possible source of pain, and the innervation of these ligaments has been anatomically defined. It is possible that by expanding our focus from the articular portion of the sacroiliac complex structure to both the joint and extra‐capsular ligaments, advancements in clinical diagnosis and treatment will be possible.
The Kamlet‐Jacobs Parameter φ: A Measure of Intrinsic Detonation Potential
Authors: Politzer Peter , Murray Jane S.
Published: April 2019

It was shown by Kamlet and Jacobs that an explosive's detonation velocity D and detonation pressure PD are governed largely by (a) the loading density of the explosive, and (b) a factor φ that depends upon the number and masses of gaseous detonation products and the accompanying heat release. For a series of different explosives, we show that the density and φ are both important in determining D and PD. For a given explosive, however, φ is approximately constant and so D and PD correlate quite well with the density, as has long been known. We propose that φ be interpreted as a measure of the intrinsic detonation potential of an explosive, that is independent of the external factors that affect the loading density. Comparison of φ values for different explosives can provide useful insights into features that promote high detonation velocities and detonation pressures. The parameter φ is related to a property introduced earlier, explosive power, but φ takes into account the fact that part of the carbon content of an explosive typically remains as a residue after the detonation process.
Activation-Induced Cytidine Deaminase Regulates Fibroblast Growth Factor/Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinases Signaling to Achieve the Naïve Pluripotent State During Reprogramming
Authors: Kumar Ritu , Evans Todd
Published: April 2019

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) derived by in vitro reprogramming of somatic cells retain the capacity to self-renew and to differentiate into many cell types. Pluripotency encompasses multiple states, with naïve iPSCs considered as ground state, possessing high levels of self-renewal capacity and maximum potential without lineage restriction. We showed previously that activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AICDA) facilitates stabilization of pluripotency during reprogramming. Here, we report that Acida−/− iPSCs, even when successfully reprogrammed, fail to achieve the naïve pluripotent state and remain primed for differentiation because of a failure to suppress fibroblast growth factor (FGF)/extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK) signaling. Although the mutant cells display marked genomic hypermethylation, suppression of FGF/ERK signaling by AICDA is independent of deaminase activity. Thus, our study identifies AICDA as a novel regulator of naïve pluripotency through its activity on FGF/ERK signaling. Stem Cells  2019;37:1003–1017

Significance Statement Growth factor signaling requirements that modulate pluripotent state are well studied. However, the epigenetic basis of how the dynamic state of pluripotent cells is regulated and stabilized is largely a black box. The current study is important because the results show that AICDA is essential for reprogramming to ground state. A better understanding for how to stabilize ground state pluripotent cells is of fundamental importance for the use of pluripotent cell sources in disease modeling and potential cellular therapies.
Research and application of a new super‐long span roof based on cable structure
Authors: Li Yu , Yang Li
Published: April 2019

With the continuous development of urban processes, people's demand for large‐span space is getting stronger and stronger, and the application of large‐span building structures is becoming more and more extensive. This paper introduces a new type of suspension cable roof that uses the building's own weight to increase the tension of the cable to achieve a super‐long span. The rationality of the structural system is analyzed, and the dynamic performance, wind resistance, and seismic performance of the structure are analyzed with a simple example. At the same time, measures to further improve the structural span are proposed. Finally, it provides the forms of building that are feasible in this structural form, which provides reference and guidance for the design and construction of long‐span buildings, which is of great significance.
A computer‐assisted method for the diblock copolymer model
Authors: Cai Shuting , Watanabe Yoshitaka
Published: April 2019

We propose a computer‐assisted method by which to enclose a solution of the diblock copolymer model. We begin by using the Newton method to obtain a solution, and we then prove that the residual part of the approximation is a fixed point of a compact operator. Next, using a computer, we construct a set which satisfies the hypothesis of the Banach fixed‐point theorem for the operator in a certain Sobolev space, which therefore contains a unique solution. Finally, we present some verified results.
The opportunism of populists and the defense of constitutional liberalism
Authors: Scheppele Kim Lane
Published: April 2019

Liberal constitutionalism is under attack from a new breed of autocrats broadly classified as populist. These populists understand the weaknesses of constitutional liberalism and attack their opponents with criticisms that take advantage of internal weaknesses of the theory. But a closer analysis of theoretical framework used by populists to substitute for constitutional liberalism reveals that they are not really committed to populism in any serious sense. Instead, they have abandoned liberalism in the quest for raw power. Focusing on Viktor Orbán of Hungary and his chief ideologist András Lánczi, this article shows how their public critique of liberalism has attempted to wrong-foot their critics and how their recipe for gaining and wielding political power is only populist to the extent that these leaders are determined to (and often succeed in) winning elections. By peeling back the cover of populist ideology to look at the theories of legitimation under which they rule, however, we can see that the new breed of autocrats aims at primarily constitutional deconstruction through the concentration of political power in one leader. This sort of challenge to liberal constitutionalism is easily countered.
Varieties of populism
Authors: Tushnet Mark
Published: April 2019

Contemporary discussions of populism elide important distinctions between the ways in which populist leaders and movements respond to the failures of elites to follow through on the promises associated with international social welfare constitutionalism. After laying out the political economy of populisms’ origins, this Article describes the relation between populisms and varieties of liberalism, and specifically the relation between populisms and judicial independence understood as a “veto point” occupied by the elites that populists challenge. It then distinguishes left-wing populisms’ acceptance of the social welfare commitments of late twentieth century liberalism and its rejection of some settled constitutional arrangements that, in populists’ views, obstruct the accomplishment of those commitments. It concludes with a description of the core ethnonationalism of right-wing populism, which sometimes contingently appears in left-wing populisms but is not one the latter’s core components.
Introduction—Public law and populism
Authors: Dixon Rosalind
Published: April 2019

In an age of profound democratic anxiety, significant academic attention has been paid to the crisis in constitutional democracy. Constitutional lawyers, however, are still grappling with the relationship between public law and the current actual and perceived threats facing constitutional democracy in countries worldwide. This Introduction considers how the articles in this special volume address three pressing questions. How should we should define the current threats to democracy, and populist challenge? Second, how might public law be a potential cause or contributing factor? Third, how might public law still provide some answers to the contemporary challenges to constitutional democracy? In Prof Dixon’s view, constitutional democracy is a good worth preserving and there are models of at least relative “success” in the current constitutional universe. But Prof Dixon shares the view of many contributors to the special volume that the challenge is immense, and urgent, and that there are no easy solutions.
Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea
Authors: Kadir Rizal Abdul
Published: April 2019

After twenty-two years of negotiations, in Aktau on August 12, 2018, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Iran, Russia, and Turkmenistan signed the Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea. The preamble of the Convention stipulates, among other things, that the Convention, made up of twenty-four articles, was agreed on by the five states based on principles and norms of the Charter of the United Nations and International Law. The enclosed Caspian Sea is bordered by Iran, Russia, and three states that were established following dissolution of the Soviet Union, namely Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan.
PRACTICE IS IMPORTANT BUT HOW ABOUT ITS QUALITY?
Authors: Sato Masatoshi , McDonough Kim
Published: April 2019

This study explored the impact of contextualized practice on second language (L2) learners’ production of wh-questions in the L2 classroom. It examined the quality of practice (correct vs. incorrect production) and the contribution of declarative knowledge to proceduralization. Thirty-four university-level English as a foreign language learners first completed a declarative knowledge test. Then, they engaged in various communicative activities over five weeks. Their production of wh-questions was coded for accuracy (absence of errors) and fluency (speech rate, mean length of pauses, and repair phenomena). Improvement was measured as the difference between the first and last practice sessions. The results showed that accuracy, speech rate, and pauses improved but with distinct patterns. Regression models showed that declarative knowledge did not predict accuracy or fluency; however, declarative knowledge assisted the learners to engage in targetlike behaviors at the initial stage of proceduralization. Furthermore, whereas production of accurate wh-questions predicted accuracy improvement, it had no impact on fluency.
Pour une histoire globale du monde atlantique ou des histoires connectées dans et au-delà du monde atlantique?
Authors: Vidal Cécile
Published: April 2019

L’article porte sur l’histoire atlantique qui a pris son essor en Amérique du Nord à partir des années 1990. À partir d’une lecture critique de deux ouvrages majeurs, récemment parus, concernant ce « nouveau » courant historiographique, il expose les multiples débats qui divisent la communauté des atlanticistes quant à la manière de conceptualiser le monde atlantique, de pratiquer l’histoire atlantique et d’envisager le devenir des études atlantiques. Il défend l’idée que le monde atlantique doit demeurer un cadre d’analyse et ne pas devenir l’objet même d’étude. L’objectif est d’écrire de la sorte une histoire située qui, tout en tenant compte du point de vue de tous les acteurs concernés, mette l’accent sur la redéfinition et la renégociation des enjeux et des rapports de pouvoir entre les individus, les groupes et les formations sociales et politiques dans ce monde interconnecté sous l’effet du projet colonialiste et impérialiste des Européens.
Longitudinal associations of callous-unemotional and oppositional defiant behaviors over a three-year interval for Spanish children
Authors: Servera Mateu , Seijas Raquel , García-Banda Gloria , Barry Christopher T. , Beauchaine Theodore P. , Burns G. Leonard
Published: April 2019

The objective was to determine the longitudinal associations between callous-unemotional (CU) and oppositional defiant (OD) behaviors from the first to fourth grades for Spanish children. Four possible outcomes were evaluated: (a) CU behaviors in the first grade predict increases in OD behaviors in the fourth grade, controlling for OD behaviors in the first grade; (b) OD behaviors in the first grade predict increases in CU behaviors in the fourth grade, controlling for CU behaviors in the first grade; (c) both unique effects are significant; and (d) neither unique effect is significant. A longitudinal panel model with two latent variables (CU and OD behaviors), three sources (mothers, fathers, teachers), and two occasions (spring of the first and fourth grades) was used to evaluate the four possibilities among 758 (54% boys) first grade and 469 (53% boys) fourth grade Spanish children. For mother-, father-, and teacher-reports, OD behaviors in the first grade predicted increases in CU behaviors in the fourth grade, after controlling for CU behaviors in the first grade, whereas CU behaviors in the first grade did not predict increases in OD behaviors in the fourth grade, after controlling for OD behaviors in the first grade. OD behaviors thus conferred independent vulnerability to increases in CU behaviors 3 years later among young children.
Semantic Memory Activation After Acute Exercise in Healthy Older Adults
Authors: Won Junyeon , Alfini Alfonso J. , Weiss Lauren R. , Michelson Corey S. , Callow Daniel D. , Ranadive Sushant M. , Gentili Rodolphe J. , Smith J. Carson
Published: April 2019

Objectives:A growing body of research suggests that regular participation in long-term exercise is associated with enhanced cognitive function. However, less is known about the beneficial effects of acute exercise on semantic memory. This study investigated brain activation during a semantic memory task after a single session of exercise in healthy older adults using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).Methods:Using a within-subjects counterbalanced design, 26 participants (ages, 55–85 years) underwent two experimental visits on separate days. During each visit, participants engaged in 30 min of rest or stationary cycling exercise immediately before performing a Famous and Non-Famous name discrimination task during fMRI scanning.Results:Acute exercise was associated with significantly greater semantic memory activation (Famous>Non-Famous) in the middle frontal, inferior temporal, middle temporal, and fusiform gyri. A planned comparison additionally showed significantly greater activation in the bilateral hippocampus after exercise compared to rest. These effects were confined to correct trials, and as expected, there were no differences between conditions in response time or accuracy.Conclusions:Greater brain activation following a single session of exercise suggests that exercise may increase neural processes underlying semantic memory activation in healthy older adults. These effects were localized to the known semantic memory network, and thus do not appear to reflect a general or widespread increase in brain blood flow. Coupled with our prior exercise training effects on semantic memory-related activation, these data suggest the acute increase in neural activation after exercise may provide a stimulus for adaptation over repeated exercise sessions. (JINS, 2019,25, 557–568)
Improving Compositional Accuracy in APT Analysis of Carbides Using a Decreased Detection Efficiency
Authors: Thuvander Mattias , Shinde Deodatta , Rehan Arbab , Ejnermark Sebastian , Stiller Krystyna
Published: April 2019

The composition of carbides in steel, measured by atom probe tomography, can be influenced by limitations in the ion detector system. When carbides are analyzed, many ions tend to field evaporate from the same region of the specimen during the same laser or voltage pulse. This results in a so-called multiple event, meaning that several ions impact the detector in close proximity both in time and space. Due to a finite detector dead-time not all ions can be detected, a phenomenon known as detector pile-up. The evaporation behavior of carbon is often different than the evaporation behavior of metals when analyzing alloy carbides, leading to preferential loss of carbon ions, and a measured carbon concentration below the expected value. This effect becomes stronger as the overall detection efficiency gets higher. Here, the detection efficiency was deliberately reduced by inserting a grid into the flight-path, which resulted in a higher and more correct carbon concentration, accompanied by an increase in the statistical uncertainty.